Art in Raw Form - 1434 Words

Art in Raw Form The movie industry is for entertainment purposes. For many people, going to the movies is an escape; time to sit back and become someone else. However, once in a rare moment then a movie comes out that is not just foe entertainment and dares to address a controversial issue. â€Å"The Blind Side† and â€Å"Precious† are two movies that I was very surprised at my reaction to them. My reasons for wanting to see both movies were as different as night and day. I went to see the â€Å"Blind Side† because it is based on a true story and Sandra Bullock is the leading lady. Yet, â€Å"Precious† doesn’t have a famous leading lady, but the previews were so intense and so realistic that it pulled me in. â€Å"The Blind Side† and â€Å"Precious† are†¦show more content†¦The coloring was bleak, with Precious’ dream sequences being done in bright flashy colors and high resolution† (Review). For instance, the scene where Precious is at the Each One, Teach One School. Here the colors are red, yellow, blue, and green, and as she walks down the hallway into the classroom she dissolves, she is double-exposed and the lighting turns bright, coppery and almost cloudlike. It’s as if it were saying that Precious is walking into an unknown world. There is also the scene where Precious is standing at the top of the stairs looking down at her mother. The overhead shot, the lighting and color were used to perfection to reflect a sense of power for Precious. Here, Precious was finally â€Å"on top†. Even the scenes where she is being raped by her father and then we are looking at pieces of meat sizzling in hot grease are representative of how Precious felt; she was just a piece of meat. The cinematography resembles that of a documentary where the use of the camera has a different style to give you that almost realistic feel. Its grainy look, hard zooms, and shaky angles add an element that dramatic angles might not in order fully bring out the Precious’ pain and desperation (Review). All the elements of this movie from the editing to the cinematography were superb together. â€Å"The acting, editing, music, cinematography worked beautifully together to tell one powerful story of redemption and hope in the face of impossible obstacles†Show MoreRelatedGraffiti: Art or Vandalism Essay examples1453 Words   |  6 Pagesargue that there is a fine distinction between what is recognized as art and vandalism. The individual is often faced with uncertainty when the topic of graffiti arises. The public often portray graffiti as a destructive act towards his or her surroundings however; graffiti can also be considered a form of self-expression. Many questions can be made pertaining to the graffiti movement, but the main question is graffiti a crime or an art? The answers lie in the complex phrase of â€Å"beauty is in the eyeRead MoreAn X-Ray of Japan1574 Words   |   6 Pagesweighed 670 pounds. Kendo is a martial art and sport that is derived from sword fighting. It has similar rules to fencing. Protective equipment is worn, consisting of, the Men, face and head protection with shoulder flaps, the Kote, thick protective gloves that soften the impact on hands and wrists, the Do, breastplate, and the Tare, thick padded apron to protect the thighs and groin. All together this equipment is called, Bogu. Aikido and Karate are also martial arts. Unlike Kendo, the opponents use bareRead MoreThe Conflicts Between Seeing Nature As A Medium Of Art997 Words   |  4 PagesImagine hiking and standing upon a mountain top and just basking in the beauty of the scenery around. Some people consider nature as the purest form of natural expression. Some artists consider nature as a medium of art. But what is a medium of art? 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Artist such as Jacob LawrenceRead MoreThe Colonization Of China And Portugal1495 Words   |  6 Pageswestern nations rapidly came into contact with eastern nations. The massive differences in culture between East and West opened the door to new, dramatic influences on eastern nations. The colonization of China and Portugal provides one example of this form of influence. Although trade routes to China had a slight impact on Portuguese culture bringing luxuries such as spices, the Portuguese dramatically altered Chinese culture through the establishment of trade routes to Asia and the colonization of theRead MoreMinimalist Art And Its Impact On Art1408 Words   |  6 PagesMinimalistic art had emerged in the early 1960’s and lasted mainly into the late 1960s and early 1970s. This type of art was created in order to make art totally objective, unexpressive, and non-referential. Minimalistic art was a response to Action Painting, which was personal and expressive. Two popular artists from this era are Dan Flavin and Carl Andre. Flavin used materials such as fluorescent light tubing to create art such as his work titled, â€Å"monument† for V. Tatlin, which was created inRead MoreTo What Extent Do Audiences Need Art Galleries to View Their Works1278 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent do audiences need art galleries to view art works? Art galleries are essential to the art world, however, is not the only source for audiences to view art. To begin with, art and artwork is defined as the application of human skill, creativity and imagination. Taking this into consideration, individuals need to examine the nature and purpose of art galleries as a facility to collaborate, organize and display a collection of artworks. As art however, is any expression of human creativityRead MoreMaking An Outdoor Art Installation1225 Words   |  5 Pages When I thought about making an outdoor art installation, images of towering sculptures appeared in my head. 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The Iran Nuclear Deal - 1239 Words

â€Å"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.† President Kennedy quoted by President Obama. Eight venturesome countries, two years of fierce negations, and nearly four decades of bloody conflict and volatile regional adversity have given birth to the 159 page ‘Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,’ aka the Iran Nuclear Deal. As Shakespeare prophesied with satirical accuracy; â€Å"Ancient grudge breaks forth to new mutiny, and civil blood makes civil hands unclean.† This ancient grudge has always been simple: The Islamic Republic of Iran wants to continue it’s peaceful nuclear program, and the rest of the world doesn’t trust them to tell the difference between ‘peaceful’ and ‘nuclear threat.’ The deterrents so far have been extensive sanctions and comprehensive arms embargoes. These have effectively crippled the development of the Iranian economy, stunted multinational investment and engendered further mutiny among the already bitter Iranian people. Proxy military and revolutionary groups like Hezbollah have responded with increased vehemence and urgency. Contrary to the dazzlingly clear presentations from Washington (complete with it’s own theme music and hashtag!) there is nothing about this context or deal that is simple or predictable. However, should it work, the Iranian Nuclear Deal could simply be the most important step in the stabilisation of the Middle East in modern history. What is it? The raw components of the deal are: Iran mustShow MoreRelatedThe Nuclear Of The Iran Nuclear Deal929 Words   |  4 Pagesfound, we noticed that though they are presenting the same information of the Iran nuclear deal, but they seem to tell it in separate ways. The articles come from two American papers (one Liberal, Washington Post, and one Conservative, Washington Times), a British newspaper (The Guardian), and an Iranian paper (the Tehran Times). 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Reading Response on Four by Veronica Roth Free Essays

To have a successful fife in the right faction when a boy or girl turns sixteen they must take the aptitude test which helps them pick their faction. However, they may choose their faction based off of opinion or interest. There are five factions to choose from. We will write a custom essay sample on Reading Response on Four by Veronica Roth or any similar topic only for you Order Now Abnegation, the ones who value selflessness, Candor, the ones that honor honesty, Amity, the ones that honor the peaceful, Erudite, the ones who honor the intelligent, and Dauntless, the ones that honor the brave. Each faction honors a certain trait. They believe that if a person was brave, or selfless, or kind, there would be no war and only peace. At the Choosing pick their factions. They may choose to stay with Ceremony the teenagers their faction and their families or they can abandon them. Later on, if they prove to be unfit for their new factions they will become factionists; these are the people that have no family, no home. They live together or alone in abandoned buildings or homes, and even on the streets. Tibias Eaton, originally from Abnegation, has turned sixteen and has to decide what he was going to do with his life and what faction he will spend it in. However, one thing is clear for him. He will run from Abnegation, and he will run from his father. Tibias has to escape his father, and find a place where he is safe, and hidden. Tibias is tired of living in fear and is ready to take on his own path in a different faction. When Tibias returns to his plain Abnegation home he goes to his room and reviews his most precious possessions that were given to him by his mother. Tibias was informed that his mother died of child labor when he was a young boy. This made his family fall apart and caused the tension between him and his father. The author made this connection teen Tibias and his mother to show how his mother was the glue of their family and that Tibias was closer to her than he is to his father. When Tibias reviews all of his possessions he is caught by his father and has it all taken away from him. His father throws all of his treasures around the room, destroying them in the process. Tibias is now deprived of the only connection he had to his mother. Yet, we are about to discover more about Tibia’s and his fathers relationship. Tibias has developed a fear of his father and this is because of the abuse his father puts on Tibias. His hands oiled with my chest. I stumble back and hit the dresser. Then he draws his hand back by his face to hit me, and say my throat tight with fear ‘ ‘The Choosing Ceremony, Dad! † † tomorrow was Tibia’s Choosing Ceremony. His last chance to escape, to be free of fear. â€Å"When we get there, my father puts a hand on my shoulder as we wal k to the entrance, sending shocks of pain through my body. Have to get out. † The day of the Choosing Ceremony is the day Tibias changes his life and the person he will become. Tibias is desperate to escape Abnegation and to escape his father. As the ceremony goes on, Tibias is thinking of what faction he will choose. Where will he fit in the most? Where will he be safe? He decides that Candor, Erudite, and Amity are not choices that he can live with. His only choice is Dauntless. â€Å"l open my palm over the coals. Feel like they’re burning in my stomach, filling me to the brim with fire and smoke. I am free. † The minute the ceremony is over, Tibias begins initiation. He and the rest of the initiates must prove their bravery by jumping on to a moving train, then jump off of a moving train on a roof, and finally they must jump off of the roof. My stomach drops and my limbs fumble in the air for something, anything to hold onto, but there is nothing, only the drop, the air, the frantic search for the ground. † As initiation goes by Tibias changes his name to Four. After facing his worst fears Tibias and his initiation instructor Mar find out that he only has four fears. This new name gave Tibias new power, a new identity. â€Å"My name is Four,† I say. â€Å"Call me ‘Stiff again and you and I will have a problem. † During initiation, Four makes many friendships and becomes close to Mar. However, he is still quite different from the rest. He likes to be alone, to have a peace of mind once in a while. The first stage of initiation is physical training and combat. Four has the drive and the practice from his childhood abuse to become the best initiate. He proves his bravery by beating the other initiates in combat fights and using his strength and his thinking skills to his advantage. By the end of stage one, Four is ranked first out of his entire class and is considered someone to look out for. In the second stage of initiation Four has to prove that he can overcome his fears mentally using critical, fast thinking and by asking decisions that may be risky but courageous. However, Four thinks differently and beats the system by being aware during his stimulations that it is not reality. By being able to do this he gets out of the stimulation by realizing that if he jumps he won’t die because it’s not real. Its just a test. Later on, Mar teaches Four to go through the stimulation like any other Dauntless would; with bravery. At the end of initiation the initiates are ranked to show who has more potential and more strength than others. For Four, his rank surprised him a bit. â€Å"Instantly, some of the tension disappears. I follow he list up, and panic stabs me for just a second when I can’t find my own name. But then, there it is, right at the top. 1. Four. † After initiation Four becomes a full pledged Dauntless. Finally, he is rid of Abnegation, rid of his father. When Four gets his apartment he also gets a job offer to become a dauntless leader. Even though Four wanted to have a job where he would be the initiation instructor, like Mar, he was expected to have a more prestigious job since he was ranked first. Four agrees to take the job but his heart isn’t with it. Later on, Four realizes that if he becomes a leader he will eve to face his father, an Abnegation leader. My fingers start to go numb. I’ve faced my fears so many times in simulations, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to face them in reality. † Four has to learn what it would be like to be a Dauntless leader but he also needed to learn the basic lifestyle of the Dauntless and needs to learn that Dauntless is more ‘out there’ than Abnegation with their feelings, thoughts, a nd emotions. When Four goes to the meeting for dauntless leadership he quietly disagrees with the way the leaders handle situations and the changes that they want to make to aunties initiation. As the days go by, Four takes multiple tests that will determine if he has what it takes to become a leader, there is still tension and competition between Four and Eric and the fact that Eric has information that threatens Fours identity, and Four still has the suspicion of an intruder coming into his apartment. Four finally faces his new life as the new â€Å"best† initiate of Dauntless. After a day of hard work, Four returns home to find that once again somebody was in his apartment. This time they left a note. â€Å"On the day you hated most. At the time when she dies. In the place where oh first jumped on. Four figured out that someone that had some connection to his childhood wanted to meet him. Instinctively, Four thinks its Marcus, his father. Four decides that he needs to know what Marcus wants and why he risked getting caught to contact him. When Four arrives at the platform in the middle of the night, its not Marcus that shows up. Its Evelyn Eaton. His mother. Righ t away Fours mind races with memories of his mothers the death. The funeral, the gathering, the ashes. The only thing Four can say is â€Å"You’re supposed to be dead. † Fours mother tries to explain to IM that she didn’t leave to hurt him. She had to get away from Abnegation, from Marcus. Just like Four. The author here shows a similarity where both the mother and the son needed to escape from Fours father and his lifestyle. This show that Marcus might hide his temper and his real self from the public and only shows and acts like him true self at home. However, Four doesn’t want to hear her pity story and he acts like she is the last person he wants to talk to. â€Å"Stop wasting my time. What are we doing here? † Evelyn reveals to Four that she is a leader to the factionists and that there is a big chance of a pricing among the factions and that Four should be on her side. Our city is changing, Tibias. The factionists are coming together, and so are Dauntless and Erudite. Sometime soon, everyone will have to choose a side, and I know which one you would rather be on. I think you can really make a difference with us. † Four doesn’t care about any Of the problems, really. He just can’t let go of the fact that Evelyn hasn’t talked or reached out to him in seven years and now she actually wants something from him. A favor. Four chooses to run from her. Like he ran from him. Now that Four is trying to find who he ally is he wants to get a tattoo that will represent him as a person. While Four is getting the tattoo, Tort, the tattoo artist tells him about being Divergent. â€Å"That’s a word for people who are aware during simulations, who refuse to categorize. † Four realizes that fits the description of Mar. Mar was aware during the Simi ululations. Divergent fit Mar, and it fit him. When Four meets with the dauntless leadership group again, he proves to have a less strategic protocol for initiates than no one other than Eric. Four realizes that this is his chance to change jobs and to escape leadership. To be honest, sir, I don’t think that this is the right place for me. I told you when you first asked me that I’d like to be an instructor, and think I’m realizing more and more that that’s where I belong. † Days have passed by after Four’s meeting with Evelyn. He had time to think if leaving Dauntless, betraying his faction to join the factionists is the best thing he can do right now. He decides that it’s not. He has friends that support and understand him and he knows that no way is he leaving them behind. â€Å"If the factions are deteriorating, as my mother loud have me believe, this is not a bad place to watch them fall apart. Four makes the choice to stay loyal to the faction that set him free. Two years later, Four is the initiation instructor for a group of transfer initiates which means that they come from other factions. There were initiates from Candor, Erudite, Amity, and Abnegation. The girl from Abnegation sparked Fours interest. Her name was Tries. She had a small form and looked as if she can s nap like a twig in a second. Whenever Four is next to her he acts a certain way. He loses his hard, mean personality and opens up to her like he doesn’t veer do to anyone. How to cite Reading Response on Four by Veronica Roth, Papers

Electronic Arts Case Analysis Essay Example For Students

Electronic Arts Case Analysis Essay In fiscal 2005, approximately 16% of Seas net revenue was derived from sales Of EAI Studio games designed I I for play on the Oxbow. Nintendo under the licensing agreement, EAI engages Nintendo to supply Nintendo Gamble] I proprietary optical format disk products for their products. In fiscal 2005, I approximately 7% of Seas net revenue was derived from sales of EAI Studio games designed I I Value Chain Stance narrow (game software scope) LIFO play on the Nintendo Gamble. I Broad (total video game market) EAI focus on the software component and not a complete video game product. N hardware companies in order to pursuit new games. Interdependence Len conjunction to EAI successful online properties, they had engaged in 585 million 209). Co-marketing with America Online (AOL) (page ad traditionally partnered with a specialty mobile game developer, licensing out EAI-contrived properties in exchange for revenue sharing from the sales to mobile I customers (page 210). I EAI had provoked faith media conglomerates like Victim within the Advertorial to integrate EAI videotapes into lifestyle TV shows (page 211). Branding and specific In 2005, most of EASE interaction with the film industry had been through licensing of I Popular movie series (page 211). I Resource Commitment Stance Deep in absolute, deep in relative terms I Financially EAI has a strong financial background. Exhibits 3 (EAI Financial from he I Year 2001 to 2005) show that there is a constant increment from year to year in the net I income (page 203). To date, EAI has published games for over 45 different platforms including the on line in I space, the mobile space, the television space and the film space. Resulted in constant I increment from year to year in the total operating expenses as well (page 203). I I Management Stance Strong Fit with current size Involvement of industry expertise in providing the extreme technologies (hardware) to videotapes software. Dimension I Fairly strong 2. Internal Technology Sourcing I the final product of I I Comprehensiveness Across I Substance Internal technology sourcing I Competitive Strategy stance Industry and technology leader I Electronic Arts (EAI) is famously known for developing high quality and at times real simulation games I ranging from sports to arcade. Experience fastest growth in video industry as EAI had released 27 fiscal year (page 200). Lplatinum titles in the 2004 EAI was the leading provider in the industry as their net revenue had reached billion dollars II I the year of 2004 over $7. 4 billion in game software within the US and was listed into the Fortune 500 | (page 200). I EAI had maintained leadership in the videotape world. On every major videotape console, EAI had #1 or #2 | I was solidly #1 share for PCs (page 202). I share and EIA plays a major role in designing the games. EAI is classified as Tacit Technology where the technology I I programmer (human being). List recited in the mind of the EAI earned a reputation as a game company that produce quality titles based on other intellectual properties (IP). Their business is based on the creation, acquisition, exploitation and protection of I intellectual property. Of this intellectual property is in the form of software code, patented I genealogy, and other technology and trade secrets that they use to develop their games and make them I run properly on the platforms. Seas products also contain content licensed from others, such as trademarks, fictional characters, storyline and software code. EAI transports some of their IP beyond I I console and PC. They talk With potential producers to create an interactive television show (page 208). L I Value chain stance broad (game software scope) Moderate (total video game market) Software of the game is the key component of the whole structure of the video game and possesses FL I Lethe process involved. Investigating environmental issues involving the Polaroid Company EssayThe mobile space A lot of variety that may influence EAI on forming relationships either with the primary carrier (mobile data) or with virtual network operators (or Moves) (page 210). I The television space With the advent of new technologies such as DVDs, EAI would position well with Ethel I strategically important players in the changing television space despite a success with MAT and Victim I (page 211). Tithe film space Much of the concern for EAI in working with the film industry was focused around creative issues, and which players held the power at each stage in films creation (page 211). I I Management stance . Org fit) I Strong fit in current size I EAI is only involved in making the software for the products (videotapes). With current expertise and market research team, EAI can produce highly innovative designs. Input from the Good connection (cohesive team) with the console, portable gadgets, PC and mobile (hardware) companies. I Comprehensiveness across I Fairly strong 4. Process Development I dimensions I Process Development I I Competitive Strategy stance I Leader IA leader in process development, as the technology is in the mind of the programmer. Superior skills in I designing the games. EAI was the leading provider of videotapes for consoles and personal computers (package). Developing their own advertising and marketing strategies. An amount of $50 million was spend with advertising. Stance respect to the Value chain Strong Earlier in 1399, EAI was initiated a marketing agreement which utilized EAI online EAI online games. With the AOL marketing deal, EAI was successful as started to bring profits I in 2005. I Strong process improvement in the online value chain. The sites controlled an out-sized portion of the overall revenues from the Internet as they controlled much Of the physical low of goods (page 215).

Civil Law Vs. Moral Law Essays - Death Customs, Antigone

"Civil Law vs. Moral law" In Sophocles' play "Antigone", Antigone's life is taken from her because of her choice to follow the moral law by burying her brother and disobeying the civil law, which forbid this. According to the gods everyone is entitled to the proper burial. Everyone has a right to be put to peace upon his or her death. Creon enforced an edict (the civil law) that Polyneices is not entitled to a proper burial because he is considered a traitor of Thebes. [p.199] Creon felt that if a person acted against the state he or she loses the right to be buried, and put to rest in peace. Antigone made the decision to bury her brother Polyneices, even though it was against Creon's edict. She had chosen to do what is right according to the gods, and bury her brother. The laws of the gods were more important to her then obey the law of the humans. Because she made the moral choice of siding with the gods, Creon, the king, sentenced her to death. She knew of this punishment before making her decision, but she felt overwhelmed that burying her brother was the moral, and righteous thing to do. She was willing to die for her brother. [p.209] When Antigone and Creon have the confrontation, Antigone tells Creon that heavens laws are more powerful than Creon's laws. Antigone reminds Creon that it is not the place of a mortal to question or amend the divine law under no circumstances. Antigone tells Creon that she has no sorrow for what she done nor will she back down. Creon views the laws of the state as the highest laws in existence. He is ignoring the divine laws, which are higher than any law that is created by man. Creon commits the sin of blasphemy, by claiming that the gods do not give a damn about Polyneices body. [p. 203] Creon believes that he is just in sentencing Antigone to death because she did not follow the civil law; however, she was following the more powerful law divine law. Due to the fact that Antigone had a stronger desire for following the moral law, Creon who enforced the civil law sentenced her to death.

Free Essays on Marketing Concepts

Emirates Hills Is an exclusive landscaped development project wherein individuals can buy land and build their own home amidst one of the best golf courses in the region. This stunning project developed under the supervision of Emaar boasts 621 villa sites, clubhouse, golf academy, gymnasium, flood lit tennis courts, world class dining facilities, specialty and convenience outlets, fully-featured spa and a swimming pool. Everything in this place exemplifies world class style and quality. Designed by Master Architect, Desmond Muirhead the community houses a championship golf course, measuring an overwhelming 7, 308 yards, which includes a driving range, Par 3 course for beginners just to name few. The community is carefully designed to ensure privacy, security, and safety. It offers state of the art technology, including cable internets and satellite TV. The villas are designed with a touch of modern Arabic architecture, which conforms to the country’s local style and tradition. Emirates Hills ensures that upon providing its customers with modern houses it ensures that if follows the rules and regulations set by the land. The company bears in mind that upon fulfilling the customers demand the local traditions and customs, such as keeping an Islamic architecture style of houses/ or villas will not be neglected. Emirates Hills is in a prime location situated at Interchange 5 of Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed road. Close to Dubai Marina, The American University, Dubai Internet City and nearby to Emirates golf club. It is 15 minutes from Dubai, and a comfortable drive form the Airport. Emirates Hills provides financial help to individuals who wish to buy a land from them, with the help of Emrill and Amlak finance the company could stretch its payments mode for a period of 25 years. EMAAR Emirates Hills is being developed under the conjuncture of Emaar properties, a Dubai public joint venture with a share capital amou... Free Essays on Marketing Concepts Free Essays on Marketing Concepts Emirates Hills Is an exclusive landscaped development project wherein individuals can buy land and build their own home amidst one of the best golf courses in the region. This stunning project developed under the supervision of Emaar boasts 621 villa sites, clubhouse, golf academy, gymnasium, flood lit tennis courts, world class dining facilities, specialty and convenience outlets, fully-featured spa and a swimming pool. Everything in this place exemplifies world class style and quality. Designed by Master Architect, Desmond Muirhead the community houses a championship golf course, measuring an overwhelming 7, 308 yards, which includes a driving range, Par 3 course for beginners just to name few. The community is carefully designed to ensure privacy, security, and safety. It offers state of the art technology, including cable internets and satellite TV. The villas are designed with a touch of modern Arabic architecture, which conforms to the country’s local style and tradition. Emirates Hills ensures that upon providing its customers with modern houses it ensures that if follows the rules and regulations set by the land. The company bears in mind that upon fulfilling the customers demand the local traditions and customs, such as keeping an Islamic architecture style of houses/ or villas will not be neglected. Emirates Hills is in a prime location situated at Interchange 5 of Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed road. Close to Dubai Marina, The American University, Dubai Internet City and nearby to Emirates golf club. It is 15 minutes from Dubai, and a comfortable drive form the Airport. Emirates Hills provides financial help to individuals who wish to buy a land from them, with the help of Emrill and Amlak finance the company could stretch its payments mode for a period of 25 years. EMAAR Emirates Hills is being developed under the conjuncture of Emaar properties, a Dubai public joint venture with a share capital amou...

Asian Americans Small Business Participation Essay

Asian Americans Small Business Participation - Essay Example As Marger (261) states, among all US ethnic groups, Korean population is the most actively engaged group in small scale business. One of the significant factors that accounts for the involvement of Asian immigrants in small business is the enthusiastic and active participation of some or almost all members of the family in business. The family loving nature and cultural traditions of Asian immigrants encourage them to engage in their own small sector businesses with the participation of family members and relatives. Business is one of the places where they share their cultural traditions and hard work. This practice of family-operated business helps them minimize the labor costs and capital. Furthermore, it enables them to set up profitable small business such as restaurants, retail, beauty services etc at low investments. At the same time, as Marger (261-62) points out, the social nature and friendly relationships of Asian immigrants and their common ethnicity enable them to establi sh informal savings, required capital, and also loyal customers within their own ethnic group. Asian immigrants often confront with racial discrimination and are deprived of better opportunities in the corporate sector. These inequities as nonwhites and unfairness in opportunity compell Asian immigrants to set up small sector business where they tend prove their ability.

Research proposal in CSR Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Proposal in CSR - Research Paper Example Literature Review Summary 15 III. Research Objectives and Questions 15 IV. Research Design and Methodology 17 A. Secondary Data Collection 17 B. Scope and Limitation 18 V. Proposed Time Table 18 References 19 I. Introduction The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a haven of economic and political strength in a region that is ravaged by political disorder and wars. This strength, alongside other factors, has helped the Kingdom establish its place as one of the major business hubs in the world, with giant multinational corporations basing their operations in the country. These multinational corporations, such as the banking sector, will continue to proliferate and dominate if present trends in the country continue (Shoult 2006). With local and global companies manoeuvring simultaneously in a fast moving economy, one of the major business concerns in Saudi Arabia in the recent decade is corporate social responsibility (CSR) as well as its function and direction in the business environment of th e Kingdom. The opposite is true for the United Kingdom. The introduction of corporate social responsibility in the UK’s banking industry does not present entirely good opportunities. There are constraints in the voluntary programmes to deal with the unfavourable environmental and social effects produced by the banking industry in developing and developed nations (Solomon 2007). The political system of the UK have failed to challenge the influence of the banking sector beyond advocating gradual voluntary attempts to advance CSR, all of which have fell short of resolving successfully the major problems of sustainable development, poverty, climate change, and human rights (Ward & Smith 2006). Despite of the vast evidence, the programme of ‘Investing in the Future: a European conference on CSR and the finance sector, (ibid, p. 93)’ disproves the fact that the UK banking sector has yet failed to progress outside mainly unsuccessful efforts at self-regulation. The bank ing industry has a corporate social responsibility to adequately cater to the intricate groups of customers; a bank operates to maximize shareholders’ profit. It should sustain the most favourable liquidity to satisfy the demands of depositors. It is mandated to meet the official ‘deficit sector demand for credits’ (The National Commercial Bank 2009, p. 3). The banking sector should satisfy the provisions established by supervisory bodies to continue operations. Most of all, for the bank to be viewed as a responsible corporate entity, it has to provide substantial input to the economy’s highest development and meet the demands of its immediate vicinity (The National Commercial Bank 2009). Hence, the aim of this study is to comparatively study the challenges of CSR that the banking sector in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom confront nowadays. Two major banks for each country are studied and compared, namely Aljazeera and the National Commercial Bank in S audi Arabia, and HSBC Bank and Barclays Bank in the UK. II. Literature Review A. Definition of CSR There appears to be countless definitions of corporate social responsibility, running the gamut of the basic to the complex, and an array of related concepts and assumptions, such as ‘corporate sustainability, corporate citizenship, corporate social investment, the triple bottom line, socially responsible investment, business sustainability and corporate governance’ (Thomas 2006, 3). Singh and colleagues (2009) defines CSR as â€Å"

The Impact of Women Teachers on Girls Education Essay

The Impact of Women Teachers on Girls Education - Essay Example The cause and effect theory is given significance by the writer as women teachers in the schools will help in projecting a safe and secure environment for the girls in the schools. The high quality of education and mutual respect amid the genders will be improved and nurtured from the childhood. In accordance with the data from UNESCO, it is observed that countries with 20% women teachers have less number of girls’ education (Kirk, 2008). The writer argues that increase in the women teachers will give rise to better policies and security for women from the society. The link amid women teachers and girls’ education is strong due to the presence of the conservative society where the certain families might not want their girls to be taught by men. With the increase in the retention rate, the female perspective will be valued and advocated, increasing the opportunity and safety of women through education. The article explores the cause and effect theory of appointing women teachers which might lead to the increase in female education in schools. The gender equality concept will be majorly followed by the schools with the increase in the women teachers. The research conducted in this article is qualitative in nature and also ethnographic as the cultural values are also taken into consideration when evaluating the impact of girl’s education. Various literature reviews and cultural dimensions were taken into consideration while exploring girl’s education and the position of women in the society in a number of Asian and African countries. The main issue faced by the article is that it is based on the individual ability of the researchers as it is qualitative in nature. The methods used can at times be biased as they depend on the discretion of the researchers.  

What is the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Women?

What is the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Women? ABSTRACT This dissertation will outline the major issues surrounding HIV/AIDS infection as it relates to women, with specific reference to women in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom (UK). It will explore the reasons why women are increasingly at greater risk of infection than males. Underpinned by a feminist analysis of womens oppression, it will include a discussion of how biological, social, sexual, economic and cultural inequalities contribute to womens vulnerability. It will also look at the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and how these factors can influence them to seek services. The differences in what is deemed â€Å"social work† in terms of both definition and practice as well as the differences in the health systems and the healthcare workers involved in delivering services in both countries will also be explored. INTRODUCTION AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease that makes it difficult for the body to fight off infectious diseases. The human immunodeficiency virus known as HIV causes AIDS by infecting and damaging part of the bodys defences its lymphocytes against infection. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell in the bodys immune system and are supposed to fight off invading germs. People may be infected (HIV positive) for many years before full AIDS develops, and they may be unaware of their status. HIV can only be passed on if infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk gets inside another persons body. HIV and AIDS can be treated, but there are no vaccines or cures for them (WHO, 2003). HIV/AIDS PREVALENCE IN WOMEN IN ZIMBABWE AND THE UK Increasingly, â€Å"the face of HIV/AIDS is a womans face† (UNAIDS, 2004). AIDS is now the leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa and the fourth-highest cause of death globally (UNAIDS, 2002). AIDS is a profound human tragedy and has been referred to as the â€Å"worlds most deadly undeclared war† (Richardson, 1987). Women and girls are especially vulnerable to HIV infection due to a host of biological, social, cultural and economic factors, including womens entrenched social and economic inequality within sexual relationships and marriage. HIV/AIDS continue their devastating spread, affecting the lives of 16,000 people each day, with women, babies and young people being increasingly affected. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has now reached almost 40 million globally (UNAIDS and WHO, 2006), and of these an estimated two-thirds live in Sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe included. Zimbabwe is experiencing one of the harshest AIDS epidemics in the world. The HIV prevalence rate in Zimbabwe is among the highest in the world, although recent evidence suggests that prevalence may be starting to decline. In Zimbabwe 1.8 million adults and children are living with HIV/AIDS, with 24.6% of adults infected: women represent 58% of those infected among the 20- to 49-year-old age range. (Consortium on AIDS and International Development, 2006) In a country with such a tense political and social climate, it has been difficult to respond to the crisis. President Robert Mugabe and his government have been widely criticised by the international community, and Zimbabwe has become increasingly isolated, both politically and economically. The country has had to confront a number of severe crises in the past few years, including an unprecedented rise in inflation (in January 2008 it reached 100,000%), a severe cholera epidemic, high rates of unemployment, political violence, and a near-total collapse of the health system (AIDS and HIV Information, 2009). In Britain, HIV prevalence is relatively low and currently stands at 0.2% of the population. Statistics show that at the end of 2008 there were an estimated 88,300 people living with HIV, of whom over a quarter (22,400, or 27%) were unaware of their infection. This compares to the 77,000 people estimated to be living with HIV in 2007, of whom 28% were estimated to be unaware of their HIV infection. Of all diagnoses to the end of 2008, 45% resulted from sex between men and 42% from heterosexual sex, with black Africans representing 35% of newly diagnosed infections (HPA, 2009). According to the Health Protection Agency (2009), there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of women diagnosed with HIV. In the years up to and including 1992, females accounted for 12% of HIV diagnoses, but in 2008 that was 37%. Therefore, as HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic, the eradication of this health issue represents one of humanitys greatest challenges one that requires co-operation and comprehensive collaboration between scientific disciplines, governments, social institutions, the media, social work and healthcare professionals, and the general public (IFSW, 2009). Social workers, by virtue of their training, their commitment to human rights, and the fact that they are uniquely placed within a wide variety of health and welfare settings, can play a very effective role in the global effort to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic (IFSW, 2009). 1. CHAPTER 1 1.1 OVERVIEW OF GENDER AND VULNERABILITY TO HIV/AIDS While women are battling for equal rights throughout the international community, the existing power imbalance between men and women renders women particularly vulnerable to contracting HIV. Womens subordinate position places them at a considerable disadvantage with respect to their fundamental human right to control their own sexuality, and to access prevention, care, treatment, and support services and information. This subordination of women is mainly caused by the socially-constructed relations between men and women or, in other words, the patriarchal structure which is oppressive to women. (Walby, 1990, cited in Richardson, 2000) defines patriarchy as the â€Å"system of social structures and practices that men use to dominate, oppress and exploit women†, thus giving them greater opportunities to access services compared to females. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) and many governments are implementing educational programmes to teach women about protecting th eir health, traditional and cultural practices continue to perpetuate discrimination against women, in turn forcing women into high-risk situations. Unless proactive human-rights policies are enacted to empower, educate, and protect women with regard to their sexual autonomy, HIV/AIDS will continue to spread at an alarming rate and will have a devastating impact on all aspects of society. Even though the root of womens vulnerability lies in the imbalance in power between men and women, biological and sexual practices have an important role to play and mean that HIV transmission is unfortunately more efficient in women than in men. 1.2 WOMENS BIOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY TO HIV/AIDS Women are more biologically vulnerable to HIV than men; research has shown that women are at greater risk than men of contracting HIV both from an individual act of intercourse and from each sexual partnership. This â€Å"biological sexism† applies not only to HIV but to most other sexually transmitted diseases (Hatcher, et al, 1989). A woman has a 50 per cent chance of acquiring gonorrhoea from an infected male partner while a man has a 25 per cent chance if he has sex with an infected woman (Doyal et al., 1994). This is because the vaginal tissue absorbs fluids more easily, including the sperm, which has a higher concentration of the HIV virus than female vaginal secretions and may remain in the vagina for hours following intercourse, thus increasing womens vulnerability to infection. Not only are women more vulnerable to STIs than men, but â€Å"untreated genital infections, especially genital ulcer disease, syphilis and genital herpes, all predispose to HIV infection† (Doyal, 1994). While STDs are not necessarily gender specific, it is likely that women with STDs will remain undiagnosed and untreated for longer, increasing their risk of infection (Finnegan, et al, 1993). This is largely because women tend to remain symptomless for longer than men (Doyal, 1994). Even though much is known about the transmission of HIV to women through unprotected sex with men, less is known about the manifestations, progression, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS in women. Due to the lack of research we can at best speculate on the reasons for this. One reason may be the failure of medical professionals to pick up on possible symptoms which are often present in women: â€Å"existing diagnostic guidelines pay little attention to symptoms such as thrush, herpes, menstrual problems and cervical cell abnormalities that seem to characterise the early stages of the disease process in many women. Indeed a significant number are diagnosed only during pregnancy or when their child is found to be HIV positive†. (Doyal, 1994, p13) Therefore, if researchers persist in ignoring the biological differences, then the realities of the risks of infection and the disease progression in women will remain unacknowledged. As a consequence of this, women will continue to be diagnosed later than men, which ultimately leads to an earlier death. (Gorst, 2001,) Further research into biological differences and the effects of HIV on womens bodies is urgently needed. 1.3 TRADITIONAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS Traditional and customary practices play a part in the vulnerability of women to HIV infection. Practices such as early marriage and the payment of lobola in marriages make women and girls more vulnerable to HIV infection. Marriages among black women in Zimbabwe include bride wealth â€Å"lobola† if the couple is to be socially approved. Bride wealth is increasingly becoming big business in Zimbabwe, with some parents charging as much as US$2,500 plus five or more cattle for an educated girl. (IRIN NEWS, 2009) The insistence on bride wealth as the basis of validating a marriage makes female sexuality a commodity and reduces women to sexual objects, with limited rights and privileges compared to their husbands, who pay in order to marry them, thus leaving them without a say in their relationship. Patriarchal attitudes are also found in Christianity and these have strengthened the traditional customs that men use to control womens sexuality. (Human Rights Monitor, 2001) For example, Eves alleged creation from Adams rib has made women occupy a subordinate position in the Church as well as in the family. Women are therefore viewed merely as second-class citizens who were created as an afterthought. This is to say that if God had seen it fit for Adam to stay alone, then Eve would never have been created and hence women would not exist in this world. Such patriarchal attitudes have seen women being forced to be submissive to males. To make matters worse, once Eve was created she wreaked havoc by giving in to the Devils temptation and pulling Adam into sin. This portrayal of women as the weaker sex has made men treat women as people who have to be kept under constant supervision. St Pauls letter to the Colossians is one example of the letters which Zimbabwean men quote as a justifi cation of their control over women. The woman is expected â€Å"to submit to her husband† (Colossians 3:18) whilst the husband has to love his wife (Colossians 3:19). Therefore, because of these beliefs, women will remain passive and powerless in relation to sexual health, making them more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. 1.4 CONFLICT AND CIVIL UNREST Migration or displacement as a result of civil strife, natural disasters, drought, famine and political oppression has a greater impact on womens vulnerability to HIV infection compared to men. About 75 per cent of all refugees and displaced people are women and children. The political and economic crisis in many African and Asian countries has caused many women to come to the UK in search of safer lives and employment (Freedman, 2003). The World Health Organization (WHO, 2003) states that female immigrant workers are more vulnerable to sexual barter as they try to negotiate for necessary documentation, employment and housing, which further increases their risk of HIV/AIDS infection. In addition, because of the lack of legal documentation these women will experience limited options, receive low status, receive low pay and are often isolated in their work, including marriage, domestic, factory and sex work. These situations place women in vulnerable and powerless positions, with little ability to refuse or negotiate safe sex, thereby increasing their risk to HIV/AIDS. Despite the risks associated with the migration process it is important to recognise the right to ‘freedom of movement and travel irrespective of HIV status (ICW 12 Statement and the Barcelona Bill of Rights, 2002). This was a focal point during the Barcelona HIV/AIDS conference in 2002, because the Spanish authorities denied visas to numerous people from the South many of whom were open about their HIV status. Some countries do have discriminatory policies regarding travel of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and others are instituting stricter controls. For example, Canada has recently introduced the need for an HIV test for people emigrating to Canada and Australia. Whilst they say it will not affect the final decision it is not clear why they need the information (Tallis, 2002). 1.5 POVERTY AND INEQUALITY Women and men experience poverty differently because of gender inequality: The causes and outcomes of poverty are heavily engendered and yet traditional conceptualisations consistently fail to delineate povertys gender dimensions resulting in policies and programmes which fail to improve the lives of poor women and their families (Beneria and Bisnath, 1998). Despite worldwide attention to existing inequalities and the way these violate a socially-just society, there is no society in the world in which women are treated as equals with men (Doyal, 2001). Major inequalities between men and women still exist in many places from opportunities in education and employment to choices in relationships. Gender and social inequalities make women more vulnerable to HIV infection, especially in societies which afford women a lower status than men. Worldwide, women and girls are disproportionately impacted by poverty, representing 70 per cent of the 1.2 billion people who live in poverty worldwide (Amnesty International, 2005), a phenomenon commonly referred to as the â€Å"feminisation of poverty†. Worldwide, women receive an average of 30-40 per cent less pay than men for the same work (Card et al, 2007). This economic inequality may influence womens ability to control the timing and safety of sexual intercourse. Specifically, economic dependence on men, especially those who are not educated and do not have good jobs, forces women to remain silent about HIV risk issues and to stay with partners who refuse to engage in safe-sex practices. Poverty also leads to greater HIV risk among women by leading them to barter sex for economic gain or survival (Weiss et al, 1996). Commercial sex work is the most well-known way for women to exchange sex for money, food, shelter or other necessities. Most of this sex will be unsafe as women will be at risk of losing economic support from men by insisting on safer sex. Where substance abuse is a factor, the means for obtaining clean needles may be traded for other essentials. Trading or sharing needles is a way to reduce drug-addiction costs. Risk behaviours and disease potential are predictable under such compromised circumstances (Albertyn, 2000, cited in Card, 2007). Educational inequality also contributes to a womans HIV risk directly, by making information on HIV/AIDS less accessible to her, and indirectly, by increasing her economic dependence on a male partner. In particular, studies show that more-educated women are more likely to know how to prevent HIV transmission, delay sexual activity, use healthcare services, and take other steps to prevent the spread of HIV (UNIFEM, 2004). Because many cultures value ignorance about sex as a feature of femininity, many young women are prevented by husbands, fathers, or other family members from obtaining information about HIV/AIDS. Others decline to seek such information out of fear for their reputations. Lack of education about the causes, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS will increase these womens vulnerability to infection. Legal systems and cultural norms in many countries reinforce gender inequality by giving men control over productive resources such as land, through marriage laws that subordinate wives to their husbands and inheritance customs that make males the principal beneficiaries of family property (Baylies, 2000). For example, Zimbabwe has a dual legal system, recognising both common and customary law in marriage. This creates inequalities for many women upon divorce or their husbands death. Women in customary marriages, especially those who are not educated and who live in rural areas, make up approximately 80% of marriages in Zimbabwe, and are not entitled to the same rights as those married under common law; this means that they are often barred from inheriting property and land, or getting custody of their children, thus making them more vulnerable to male dominance and increasing their risk of getting infected with STIs (Womankind, 2002). 1.6 CONCLUSION Power inequalities at social, economic, biological, political and cultural levels mean that women continue to be increasingly more at risk from HIV infection. It is therefore critical that social workers and other healthcare professionals make sure that HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes address the most immediate perceived barriers to accessing HIV/AIDS prevention and care services. Measures could include vocational training, employment, micro-finance programmes, legal support, safe housing and childcare services. Such measures would empower these women to have options and to take voluntary and informed decisions regarding the adoption of safer practices to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS (UNODC, 2006). There is also the need for a female-controlled form of protection which women can use to protect themselves, for example microbicides, which women can use without the consent or even the knowledge of their partner, thus enabling them to protect themselves if they are forced to engage in unprotected sex. 2. CHAPTER 2 2.1 HIGH-RISK GROUPS OF WOMEN Although there is a vast literature on HIV/AIDS, relatively little has been written about how HIV/AIDS affects women, and what constitutes a high-risk group. In part, this reflects the way AIDS was initially perceived in the West as a â€Å"mens disease†, so much so that until a few years ago a common response to the topic of women and AIDS was â€Å"Do women get AIDS?†, the assumption being that women were at little or no risk (Doyal, et al, 1994). This has never been true of Africa, where the appallingly pervasive epidemic has always been a heterosexual disease and where 55 per cent of those who have been infected were women. In recent years it has become increasingly clear that women can both become infected with HIV and transmit the virus. A study conducted by AWARE (Association for Womens AIDS Research and Education) in America found that women who inject and share needles, have sexual contact with or are artificially inseminated by a man, lesbians, sex workers and those from an ethnic minority, especially black women, were at increased risk of HIV infection (Richardson, 1987). The study also found that most people in these groups are underrepresented in prevention or treatment interventions, and often suffer social stigma, isolation, poverty and marginalisation, which place them at higher risk. Therefore, in this chapter I am going to discuss how some of these groups are vulnerable to infection, and what can be done to prevent and treat infection in these vulnerable groups without inadvertently increasing their stigmatisation. 2.2 PROSTITUTES There is a substantial body of research on the correlation between HIV/AIDS infection and female prostitution. Studies worldwide have revealed cause-and-effect relationships between AIDS and prostitution in a number of areas, including the use of alcohol and/or psychoactive drugs, and have revealed variance in the rate and circumstance of infection from one country to another (OLeary et al, 1996). For example, researchers have found the high rate of AIDS in Africa to be largely a reflection of exposure through sexual activity only, while in the US and Europe, transmission of the AIDS virus is more likely to come from prostitutes or customers who are also IV drug users. Many writers have pointed out that real social concern about HIV infection did not materialise until its potential â€Å"spread to heterosexuals† was recognised. What is less often pointed out is that concern for the â€Å"spread to heterosexuals† has mostly been manifest in concern for the spread to heterosexual men, not heterosexual women (Flowers, 1998). The expressed fear is that HIV will spread from women to men, allegedly through prostitution. In the press and the international scientific literature on AIDS, often the light cast upon Women in Prostitution (WIP) has been a harsh one. WIP have been identified as a â€Å"risk group†, a â€Å"reservoir of infection†, and a â€Å"bridge† for the HIV epidemic. Such technical, epidemiological language has depicted WIP as vectors of HIV infection (Scharf and Toole, 1992). Rather than presenting WIP as links in broader networks of heterosexual HIV transmission, women categorised as prostitutes have bee n described as â€Å"infecting† their unborn infants, their clients and indirectly their clients other female sexual partners, as though HIV originated among WIP (Scharf and Toole, 1992). Like posters from WWI and WWII which aimed to warn armed servicemen in Europe of the danger of contracting gonorrhoea and syphilis (Brandt, 1985, cited in Flowers et al, 1998), some AIDS-prevention posters have caricatured WIP as evil sirens ready to entice men to their deaths (New African, 1987, cited in Larson, 1988). Interestingly, there is evidence that some HIV-positive men may be inclined to claim that their infection came from a female prostitute, in order to cover up its real origins: sex with a man, or IV drug use. 2.3 PROSTITUTION IN ZIMBABWE There are many reasons why women engage in prostitution in Zimbabwe. Studies show that poverty and deviance are the main causes. Other studies have shown that many women engage themselves in prostitution by their own choice and see it as a career path whilst others might be forced into it (Chudakov, 1995). In Zimbabwe prostitution is illegal, and many women and young girls, especially orphans who engage in prostitution, are driven to it by poverty and economic dislocation, which is being caused by the current economic and political crisis the country is experiencing. According to the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the hunger and disease-ridden conditions in much of Zimbabwe have forced many children into prostitution in order to feed themselves (UNICEF, 2008). Save the Children, a non-governmental organisation working to create positive changes for disadvantaged children in the country, estimate that girls as young as 12 are now selling their bodies for even the most meagr e of meals, such as biscuits and chips. They also state that the issue is further complicated by the growing presence of child traffickers in the region, looking for young girls to abduct and take to South Africa for the use of potential clients at the 2010 World Cup (Mediaglobal, 2009). Combating child prostitution and trafficking is complicated, but prioritising the alleviation of poverty with particular emphasis on fighting poverty from a childs perspective; prioritising education for all, with emphasis on improving access for girls; and provision of information to victims and survivors of child prostitution and/or trafficking, including information about available counselling and legislative services would be helpful (WHO, 2003). 2.4 PROSTITUTION IN THE UK Prostitution in the UK is different from that in Zimbabwe. The laws around prostitution in England and Wales are far from straight-forward. The act of prostitution is not in itself illegal but a string of laws criminalises activities around it. Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is an offence to cause or incite prostitution or control it for personal gain. The 1956 Sexual Offences Act bans running a brothel and its against the law to loiter or solicit sex on the street. Kerb-crawling is also banned, providing it can be shown that the individual was causing a persistent annoyance (BBC NEWS, 2008). Though actual s are scarce, it has been estimated that at least 2 million women are selling sexual favours in Britain. The bulk of these are brothel prostitutes working in parlours, saunas or private health clubs. According to The First Post published on 18/08/08, prostitution was viewed as â€Å"the new profession†. The article stated that prostitution in Britain is booming, and that thousands of young women have chosen prostitution for independence and financial security. The key factor which has led to a huge rise in this kind of prostitution is the influx of girls from Poland and other Eastern European countries which acceded to the EU in 2000. A strong relationship also exists between UK prostitutes and substance abuse, which drives many into the sex business. Intravenous-drug-using prostitutes are particularly prominent in Scottish cities such as Glasgow (OLeary et al, 1996). According to researchers, 70 per cent of the citys streetwalkers are IV drug addicts, injecting heroin, temazepam and tengesic. In Edinburgh, which has the highest rate of HIV-seropositive IV drug addicts of all cities in Britain, a significant number of those addicts testing HIV positive have been identified as prostitutes. Even though sex workers can transmit HIV/AIDS, blaming them encourages stigma and discrimination against all women. It allows the men who infect sex workers and their own wives to deny that they are infecting others. Wives too can infect their husbands, who can in turn infect sex workers. It is therefore important to note that sex workers and their clients are not serving as a â€Å"bridge† for HIV transmission into the rest of the population. 2.4 LESBIANS Can women transmit the disease to other women through sexual activity? The answer to this question is crucial for a community that knows that HIV is within it even though the question might be difficult to answer as there is â€Å"very little† information on this subject (Richardson, 1987). Lesbians were seen as least likely to be infected, as there was an understanding of HIV as a disease which existed in specific groups of people, for example gay males and intravenous-drug users. Because of these biased attitudes toward people, rather than risk behaviours, no data was systematically gathered. This understanding prevented the healthcare system from defining sexual risk behaviours: it stressed people, not sexual behaviours. It has therefore been noted that most lesbians have been in â€Å"risk situations† or engaged in what would be considered as â€Å"risky behaviour† at some stage. Some lesbians inject drugs and may share needles. Also, a significant number of lesbians have had sex with men before coming out, and many will have had unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse Some may still have sex with men for reproductive purposes (Gorna, 1996). Some may be prostitutes who, for economic reasons or through pressure from a pimp, may have had unprotected sex with clients (Richardson, 1989). According to records from a London sexual health clinic for lesbians, 35 per cent of the lesbians who attended had had sex with a man in the previous six months (Gorna, 1996). As Gorna puts it, this emphasises the fact that â€Å"activity is not always consistent with identity†. In other words, â€Å"we are put at risk by what we do, not by how we define ourselves or who we are† (Bury, 1994, p32). Although the risk of HIV infection from sex between women is very small, it is important for lesbians to look at what they do, how they do it and with whom they do it, just like everyone else, as, â€Å"Low risk isnt no risk† (Richardson, D, 2004). However, they may find it difficult to access services and, if they become ill, they may experience special problems, given that the healthcare system is designed for and administered by a predominantly heterosexual population. There may be a lack of recognition of their relationships, which could lead to isolation and depression. For example in Zimbabwe homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years. The President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, views lesbians and gays as â€Å"sexual perverts† who are â€Å"lower than dogs and pigs† (BBC NEWS, 1998). In 1995 he ordered the Zimbabwe International Book Fair to ban an exhibit by the civil-rights group Gays and Lesbians in Zimbabwe (GALZ). He follo wed this ban with warnings that homosexuals should leave the country â€Å"voluntarily† or face â€Å"dire consequences†. Soon afterwards Mugabe urged the public to track down and arrest lesbians and gays. Since these incitements, homosexuals have been fire-bombed, arrested, interrogated and threatened with death (Tatchell, 2001). This makes it difficult for lesbians in Zimbabwe to access information and other services, thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV infection. 2.5 ELDERLY WOMEN The number of older people (older than 50 years) with HIV/AIDS is growing fast. Older adults are infected through the same high-risk behaviours as young adults, though they may be unaware that they are at risk of HIV/AIDS. However, when assessing the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic upon the worlds population, older people are often overlooked. HIV-prevention measures rarely target the older generation, despite the fact that many older people are sexually active and therefore still at risk of being exposed to HIV. The older population is steadily growing larger with the maturing of the â€Å"baby-boomer† generation as well as the availability of antiretroviral drugs which extend peoples life expectancy. Social norms about divorce, sex, and dating are changing, and drugs such as Viagra are facilitating a more active sex life for older adults (NAHOF, 2007, cited in Lundy et al, 2009). Heterosexual women aged 50 and older are most in need of the HIV-prevention message. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2006) estimates that around 2.8 million adults aged 50 years and over are living with HIV, representing 7 per cent of all cases. In the UK, the Health Protection Agency reported that almost 4,000 HIV-infected people who were accessing care in 2006 were aged 55 years or over. Data on this subject from low-income countries like Zimbabwe is fairly patchy. This is because HIV/AIDS surveillance is commonly conducted in antenatal clinics, as many people have little other direct contact with medical services. Data from antenatal clinics does not provide information about people who are above child-bearing age, thus making it difficult for healthcare and service providers to make policies that will impact on the elderly who are infected. Firstly, it has been noted that elderly women can be exposed to HIV via non-consensual sexual contact or rape. Research has shown that some criminals appear to target older women for sexual crimes because they appear to be, and often are, vulnerable to attack (Muram et al, 1992). Elderly women in institutional settings such as nursing homes may also be at greater risk. Some estimates suggest that up to 15 per cent of elderly nursing-home residents have been victims of either sexual or physical abuse, thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV infection (Collins, 2002). Exposure to blood tainted with HIV may also occur when an older woman provides care to adult children who may be suffering from AIDS (Levine-Perkell, 1996). Allers (1990) revealed that more than one-third of all adults who contract A

The Urban Legend of the Backseat Murderer Essay -- Urban Legends Ghost

The Backseat Murderer A good urban legend is like a good movie. It unfolds perfectly and it appeals to the audience’s hopes, fears, and anxieties. The urban legend I am about to describe was told by a first year female biology major at the University. She is of Indian descent and both her parents work in the biotechnology field. I collected this story on a Sunday night in the dorm. The fact that it was nighttime helped create the proper mood for the story. It was told in a dimly lit dorm room. The story was told with an eerie tone of voice, with emphasis and excitement during certain parts. The final part of the story was told in a mysterious fashion, which helped with the delivery of the ending. I heard this story a while ago from a friend. It starts out with a woman who is driving late at night in the middle of nowhere, trying to get home from a long road trip. She is exhausted and is having trouble staying awake and paying attention to the road. Next, the â€Å"low gas† light on her car comes on and the car needs gas. The woman doesn’t know where the nearest town or gas station is, but she keeps driving. Eventually she comes upon an old rundown gas station. She doesn’t want to stop there since it’s so quiet and she feels unsafe, but the car needs gas so she decides to pull in. An attendant walks out to help fill her car up with gas. He is very shady looking and creeps her out. She did not like the whole situation at all and felt very uncomfortable. As soon as he is done filling her car with gas, she pays him. Next, the attendant tells her he needs to talk to her inside. She refuses, but he keeps on insisting that it is very important. When she r efuses again, he grabs her arm in an attempt to get her to come inside, but the wo... ...er. She is unwilling to obey his requests. This shows society’s view of strangers and how they should not be trusted. However, the fact that she did not trust the stranger led to her ultimate demise. The overt moral of this story is don’t be quick in judging someone that you don’t know, they may be trying to help you. Works Cited Brunvand, Jan Harold. Too Good To Be True. New York: W. W. Norton, 1999. (pp. 97-100). Joyce, Darrel A. â€Å"Modern Folklore: Cybermythology in Western Culture†. The AnthroGlove Journal. http://www.anthroglobe.ca/docs/cybermythology.htm Mikkelsen, Barbara. â€Å"The Killer in the Backseat†. Urban Legends Reference Pages. http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/backseat.htm Smith, Paul. The Book of Nasty Legends. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1983. (pp. 95-96). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://www.wikipedia.org.