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ESSAY: 12 Years a Slave: An Analysis of the Film Essay The 2013 film 12 Years a Slave proved that slavery is a worldwide issue. Indeed, the film made $150 million outside the United States and $57 million in the U.S., with a production budget of $20 million (Sharf, 2020). The movie was based on the memoir Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup (Ntim, 2020). It tells the story of a free African American man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Solomon spent twelve years away from his family, being traded from one master to another. Fortunately, the protagonist met a person who helped him deliver a message to his family and friends, who came and rescued him. This movie accurately illustrates discriminatory relationships between white slaveholders and black slaves that stemmed from the dysfunctional system in the country and prejudices in people’s mindsets at that time. The two main ethnic groups presented in this film are White and African Americans, and the three social groups are affluent slaveholders, working for middle class, and enslaved people. The movie starts with the story of a free African American violinist Solomon Northup, living with his family in Saratoga, New York (McQueen, 2013). However, he was abducted by two white men, who tortured the man and sold him into slavery, changing his name to Plat. Before they met, Solomon and these two slave traders belonged to the same middle class. However, the fact that Northup was an African American made these individuals believe that they had the right to withdraw their freedom. The two masters that Solomon had were William Ford and Edwin Epps (McQueen, 2013). The former was kind and religious, while the latter was cruel and sadistic. Since the movie was based on a real story, it indicated that slaveholders had different characters, but all had the wrong perception of race. Although 12 Years a Slave is a film about slavery, the issues of collectivism and individualism are also raised. Specifically, the main character never identified himself as an enslaved man and continued claiming he was a free citizen (McQueen, 2013). However, his counterparts on the plant had a collective mindset, imprinted in them since childhood, that slavery is normal. These people helped each other because they belonged to the same group. Although Solomon tried to become a part of this community, his individual goal to return home was above the collective values. The movie also showed prejudice, generalizations, stereotyping, and discrimination against black people. For instance, when Ford brings Solomon and Elisa to his plantation, his wife expresses her sadness that Elisa got separated from her children. However, she also stated that “something to eat and some rest” could help that woman forget her children (McQueen, 2013, 32:47-32:51). This scene demonstrated the common prejudice about slaves that they were not capable of the same feelings as white people. An example of generalization and stereotyping was how Tibeats, a carpenter, became hostile to Solomon when he showed his intelligence and gave Ford advice. In fact, Tibeats believed that Plat would never be more competent than any white individual because Plat was a “nigger” (McQueen, 2013, 36:35-36:37). Notably, before Northup became enslaved, he never experienced discrimination, but when the main character was sold into slavery, discrimination was the only attitude that he could observe. In summary, 12 Years a Slave depicts the life of enslaved people and slave owners almost two centuries ago. The film narrates a free black man’s life from the moment when he enjoyed his family’s company in the state of New York to his abduction, enslavement, and eventual liberation. Overall, the movie raised such critical issues as discrimination, prejudice, stereotyping, and generalization that allowed slaveholders to maintain this societal structure for a long time. References McQueen, S. (2013). 12 years a slave [Film]. New Regency Productions. Ntim, Z. (2020). Steve McQueen says it took 11 years to create his new anthology “Small Axe” and reveals why producers almost pulled out of his Oscar-winning film “12 Years a Slave.” Insider. Sharf, Z. (2020). Steve McQueen recalls producers rejecting “12 Years a Slave” over false beliefs about black films. Indie Wire.

ESSAY: 20+ Social Media Post Ideas to Radically Simplify Your Marketing Essay Social Media Examiner’s (2021) video on social media initiatives was most useful to me since it provides more than twenty social media post ideas to improve the marketing of any business. This source demonstrates that social media, namely Facebook Business and Instagram, have great power and enhance marketing, promoting organizations through posts, stories, hashtags, and user-generated content. The most useful information to me was about trends, pros and cons, comparison, direct offer, and long-form content. Effective change leadership is important when an organization wants to adopt social media initiatives. A good leader is associated with effective communication, for example, written content on social media. For example, a leader may encourage customers to generate content by creating a hashtag, like #MyInstagramLogo, and inquiring them to share their views on the logo or any other product or service the company offers (They Ask, You Answer, 2018). Leaders should clarify their vision and ensure that everyone understands them. They should lead their employees in the right direction, inspiring them to change. I may encounter the following ethical issues: over-promising, under-delivering, and overstated statements. I would try to provide my customers with honest information about the business and stop making everyone happy to address the first issue. Over-promising can make clients disappointed and lead to their negative feedback. Therefore, it is better to follow ethical principles and make promises only if they can be 100% fulfilled. To address the second issue, I would try to be transparent and honest about the content. If the company claims to deliver products from one country to another in three days, it will need to fulfill it. Otherwise, it will be lying to the clients, thus losing its credibility. These strategies will help me address the above-mentioned ethical issues because honesty and transparency are always valued, and they help attract new customers and make the old customers stay with the company they trust. References Social Media Examiner. (2021). 20+ social media post ideas to radically simplify your marketing [Video]. YouTube. Web. They Ask, You Answer taught by IMPACT. (2018). 5 social media campaign examples from big brands you want to be [Video]. YouTube. Web.

ESSAY: 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine in Global Media Coverage Essay (Critical Writing) The world has been shattered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine in the past few days. Ukraine’s forces have put up remarkable resistance to this attack, but the war is entering an even bloodier phase. Europe could be witnessing the first major military invasion in years. Many people have been displaced, and many Ukrainian citizens have fled neighboring countries for peace. Gunshots and artillery fires have been raining down on residential areas in Ukraine, with several media houses and newspapers reporting the events and sharing the news with the rest of the world. Various newspapers have reported the news differently, with the difference seen in headlines, videos and images posted. The two newspapers covering the events in Ukraine are the New York Times and Le Monde, a French newspaper. While New York Times and Le Monde report the same event, the two use very different terms to describe similar activities. In the recent takeover of the city of Kharkiv by the Russian forces, for example, the NYT headline read “Russian Troops Take Over Kharkiv,” Le Monde , on the other hand, read “La Russie A Envahi Kharkiv” to mean “Russia Has Invaded Kharkiv.” Recently a video of Ukrainian citizens making Molotov cocktail Petrol bombs was shared. The headline in NYT read, “Ukraine Prepare Molotov Cocktail In Kyiv.” Le Monde ‘s headline read “Ukrainian Resistance Using Molotov Bombs.” Because headlines are the deciding factor for people to read an article, newspapers make them enticing. The New York Times uses headlines that suggest this is another world war, while Le Monde downplays the illegality of what Russia is doing. The differences seen in the headlines of the two newspapers are all for the attraction of their audiences; each magazine writes eye-catching unique topics.

ESSAY: 533 U.S. 27 (2001) Kyllo v. United States: The Use of a Thermal Imaging Device Report Table of Contents 1. Facts 2. Issue 3. Holding 4. Reasoning 5. Reference Facts The parties to the selected lawsuit are Agent Elliott and the petitioner Danny Kyllo, and the court initiated in Florence, Oregon. The United States Department of the Interior’s agent used the thermal imaging device to prove their suspicions that Kyllo grows marijuana indoors (Kyllo v. United States, 2001). Plants require consistent heating, and the fact that one wall was significantly warmer than others, according to the scanner, determined the course of further investigation. The agent received a warrant authorizing a search of Kyllo’s house, and the plantation was found there. The defendant pleaded guilty in violation of 21 U. S. C. § 841(a)(1); however, the dispute occurred as the appeal stated that using the thermal imaging scan on an individual’s house violates the Fourth Amendment (Kyllo v. United States, 2001). The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit was required to revise the warrant’s validity based on the imaging made by Elliott. On remand, the court concluded that using a scanning device was appropriate because it did not expose any private life or human activities inside the house (Kyllo v. United States, 2001). Furthermore, the defendant had no intention to hide the use of heating; thus, their privacy was not violated. Issue Was the use of a thermal imaging device considered a search under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution? Holding Yes. Reasoning The final outcome was on the side of the Supreme Court, which reversed the appellation, and further proceedings concluded that scanning the house and retrieving the information about its internal parts was a search. The technology of the thermal imaging device is not used publicly and considered unreasonable; therefore, the agent was not allowed to perform it without a warrant (Kyllo v. United States, 2001). The court of the first instance was incorrect regarding the evidence approval, and the case’s reasoning forced the regulators to revise the use of technology during investigations in terms of individuals’ privacy protection. The Supreme Court had passed no significant law enforcement related to the use of technology and surveillance. Reference Kyllo v. United States, 533 U.S. 27, 121 S. Ct. 2038. (2001). Web.

ESSAY: A Charles Schwab Corporation Case Essay Charles Schwab is a for-profit Corporation whose main business is savings and loans. The company provides banking and asset management services, and financial advisory. It has several subsidiaries – Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc., TD Ameritrade, Inc., and TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc., which are all limited liability companies (“The Charles Schwab Corporation,” 2021). This paper aims to analyze the form of business in Charles Schwab Corporation (CSC). Charles Schwab is a corporation, which is a form of business with some distinctive features. Firstly, its officers are agents, unlike its directors and shareholders, which means that the latter are not involved in the company’s current strategic, managerial and other business decisions (“Corporation,” 2022). Secondly, the corporation is managed by the board of directors who have the right to appoint the officers. This approach creates a balance of managerial forces, since CEOs and CFOs are directly involved in the work processes, and the board of directors, in extreme cases, has the right to dismiss them by voting. In the corporation, shareholders are free to transfer ownership, which means that in critical situations such as bankruptcy, the corporation can be sold to another owner. This outcome is possible because the corporation is an organization that creates an opportunity for investors to profit by investing, unlike an LLC (“Forming a corporation,” 2022). Finally, in corporations, the income is taxed twice: the first time at the corporate level, and a second time if dividends are distributed to shareholders. Thus, the form of business in Charles Schwab Corporation was analyzed. The CSC is a corporation with several subsidiaries and conducts business following the requirements for a corporation form of organization. A distinctive feature of corporations is the board of directors, which has an indirect influence on daily decision-making. Still, in critical cases, it can appoint new officers to manage the company. Corporations can also transfer property rights in the event of bankruptcy or other cases. References Corporation . (2022). Entrepreneur. Forming a corporation . (2022). IRS. The Charles Schwab Corporation . (2021). US Securities and Exchange Commission.

ESSAY: A Clinical Office Assistant’s Attire Research Paper The work of a clinical or medical office worker is characterized by a combination of a large number of administrative operations with medical activities. Primarily, these professionals are office assistants filling out paperwork and interacting with staff (“How to become a medical office assistant,” 2021). As a result, I will be approaching interviews for this job in a professional business style. While the fitting suit can be expensive, I already have the proper formal attire. Using my black formal suit, shoes, and minimal accessories, I can make the right impression without reducing my budget. In warm weather, I can go to an interview right in a suit, and in cold weather, I can add my usual outerwear, for example, an overcoat. Work clothes, theoretically, may require additional investments and purchases. All healthcare workers, including office workers, must wear a special uniform called scrubs, consisting of a short-sleeved shirt and trousers. This uniform is relatively cheap, and a single set of scrubs can be found on Amazon for about $20-$40 (“Medical assistant’s uniform,” 2019). Most of all, in this context, one needs to take care of shoes since these specialists sometimes have to stand or walk a lot. A good pair of closed-toe shoes can cost around $100, but I have tennis shoes that fit the dress code (“Medical assistant’s uniform,” 2019). However, it must be taken into account that many medical institutions issue uniforms on their own, considering them as consumables, so the choice of purchasing a uniform will depend on the rules of a particular hospital. In any case, it is simple and easy to wear, so it will not entail high costs. Reflecting on the points studied and prepared, I want to note that the new information will affect my budget and life plan very little. In the best case, if the hospital issues uniforms, I won’t have to spend any money at all, as I can wear my existing suit for the interview and shoes for work. In the worst case, I will still be within the budget when I have to buy everything for work. Therefore, I can put that $200 aside and mentally prepare for possible demands from my interviewers. In addition, this study showed that the issue of clothing for interviews and work is not a problem for me, and I am already prepared for it in many respects. References How to become a medical office assistant . (2021). Eagle Gate College. Web. Medical assistant’s uniform. (2019). Dorsey College. Web.

ESSAY: A Comic Science Fiction Film “Back to the Future” Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Movie’s Plot: Entertainment and Social Problems 3. Movie’s Main Characters 4. The Temporality in the Back to the Future 5. Film Evaluation and Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction In 1985, Universal Pictures released a comic science fiction film known as Back to the Future to entertain millions worldwide. In this fascinating story, the main character Marty McFly agrees to help his scientist friend Doc Brown, but something goes in an unpredictable direction. McFly and Brown are sent back to the 1950s in a time machine, so the viewers can have fun comparing the current and past decades. The main storyline of the film is that McFly is on a mission to get his parents to fall in love again to save his future existence. Such original games with the concept of temporary space are the distinctive “art” signature of the film’s director Robert Zemeckis. Over the years, the film has gained immense popularity and has become one of the greatest masterpieces of the 1980s. Keeping in mind that this movie was made in 1985, it will be argued that the film is great because of its excellent plot structure, character development, and detailed setting. Movie’s Plot: Entertainment and Social Problems Developing a meaningful story is an essential factor in making movies, and Back to the Future does just that. A critical element that made the movie an accomplishment is the plot development. In addition to the fact that the plot is exciting and adventurous throughout the whole film, the film’s creators raise acute societal problems. Finding roots in Barthe’s theorization of myth, Kerrigan indicates the importance of modern films as a tool to understand society and “resolve tensions in our lives” (2). Back to the Future makes people realize the integral value of their decisions and acts on the fate of further generations. Besides, in the context of modern global problems, the effect of “playing” with time in the film may encourage thinking about the human impact on the environment and climate change. Marty and Doc realized how it is easy for minor changes in past events entirely change the future. In this regard, the film’s storyline has some similar patterns to Ray Bradbury’s science fiction short story “A Sound of Thunder”. In short, this story is about how several people used a time machine to go back 66 million years to organize a dinosaur safari. As a result, small interactions with nature made a huge difference when returning to reality – the English letters began to look different, and a completely different US president was elected. The same events could happen in Back to the Future if Marty and Doc committed severe mistakes. As for the viewers, they should realize how plastic pollution and air pollution may influence the world in the future. It is also great to watch films with logical and thoughtful stories. Each plot point has a cause and effect, making it simple to find connections in the movie and why everything later relates. For example, in the first part of the movie, the news on the TV informs the audience that plutonium has been stolen from the state laboratories. Then Marty McFly enters on his skateboard, unaware that the plutonium is under the bed, and proceeds to play his guitar, causing the amp to blow out and knock him over. Thus, in this small plot juncture, the viewer can see the interdependence of numerous factors that determine the nature of the moment. Another example is when a lady approaches Marty asking him to financially support the clock tower. Towards the end of the movie, the film shows why the clock tower had stopped, and Marty was there when it happened, making the first scene relatable to the movie. These scenes are a prime example of how the film connects every stage without leaving the audience confused about what is happening. Movie’s Main Characters Another factor that made the movie such a success is character development. The most exciting aspect is the strikingly different worldviews and interests of Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Doc is a mad scientist; he constantly searches for the next significant invention from the film’s beginning. His character mirrors Marty, who has dreams of being successful with his rock music, but nothing seems to work out for him either. Although Doc and Marty are significantly different, their friendship inspires many teenagers worldwide. Friends do not have to be of the same social or racial origin. Instead, friendship is a universal notion that can break the barriers between different characters and nations. In addition, such entirely different behavior makes the viewers feel engaged in the film’s storyline. Doc’s and Martin’s communication is so unusual and unique that it is hard to miss a minor moment. If the whole family comes to the cinema on Back to the Future , they will find similarities between them and two friends from the movie. The Temporality in the Back to the Future Lastly, the setting was another critical component in making the movie so likable. What made the scene so great was how well the directors could distinguish the time in the past. One quickly discerned the time era difference because certain parts of the town would be missing or not created yet compared to the 80s. Since the movie is based on time traveling, it is essential that the audience can distinctly see what is different and what is going on. For example, during the 1950s, some roads were still dirt compared to the 1980s, which was one of the clear distinctions that the audience could immediately make. In addition, the film is full of references to political and social news and events. Maslin from New York Times indicates that “one of the most appealing things about ”Back to the Future” is its way of putting nostalgia gently in perspective”. A comic episode of Marty announcing to people that Ronald Reagan will become the president of the US, Marty’s mother not knowing the brand Calvin Klein, and all the elements of 1950s pop-culture frame this time. Film Evaluation and Conclusion The art of evaluating films is a complex phenomenon that stays a debatable topic among scholars. The perception of the film can be influenced by political views, the characteristics of watching situations (at home or in the cinema; alone or with friends), the background experience, and so forth (Schnieder 5). Concerning the movie Back to the Future , it allows the young viewer from 2022 to see two different eras of the past. Although this movie was made in the 1980s, its concept of time travel has been an enormous success even to this day. With a strong plot development, creative character development, and a detailed setting, Back to the Future is one of the most memorable movies ever created. It is a great film to watch with the old generation in a cozy atmosphere in the evening. It seems that this film will make the family relationships closer because, during the watching, young and old family members can discuss the differences between the 1950s, 1980s, and 2020s with everyone having the experience to contribute. Works Cited Kerrigan, Finola. “Movies.” Consumption Markets & Culture , vol. 21, no.5, 2018, pp. 503-509. Maslin, Janet. “ In ‘Future,’ Boy Returns to the Past “. New York Times , 1985. Web. Schneider, Frank M. “Measuring Subjective Movie Evaluation Criteria: Conceptual Foundation, Construction, and Validation of the SMEC Scales.” Communication Methods and Measures , vol. 11, no.1, 2017, pp. 49-75.

ESSAY: A Community Yard Sale as a Memorable Event Essay Autumn is not generally viewed as an appropriate season for having a garage sale, not to mention that one on a scale of a local community. However, what makes my neighbourhood particularly unique and different from others is its consistent inability to meet expectations (Pyrkosz 147). Either due to some event that occurred too long ago for any of the neighbours to remember or care, or out of sheer need to have something extravagant in the midst of one of the least unpredictable seasons ever, my community has a massive garage sale every autumn. Although the weather and the lingering threat of health issues complicated the task, the community garage sale carried out last fall was one of the highlights of its members’ public life due to the opportunity to communicate and share memories, objects, and ideas. The range and diversity of the items that our numerous neighbours and community members offered as sales items could easily make one feel surprised. Though being admittedly cheap and often worn-out, these items told exciting stories about the lives of their owners (Hassan 68). For instance, some of the kitchenware sold during the event was quite old, with the style thereof allowing tracking down its origin to quite far back in the past. Though these items were certainly not of high price, they still led to rather fascinating revelations about the cultural legacy of their owners and their fascinating life stories. As it often happens during large garage sales, there was some drama. For instance, one of the neighborhood children recognized one of their treasured possessions among the sold items, causing quite a stir. Luckily, the buyer was understanding enough and returned the purchase, which turned out to be a collection of action figures, without any questions. It was truly heartwarming to observe the understanding and cooperation that buyers showed during that garage sale. Furthermore, it was worth noting that a substantial portion of the money collected during the garage sale was donated to assist those in need. Specifically, those suffering from the coronavirus, as well as members of impoverished communities and several local charities, were provided with a portion of the finances form the yard sale. Though the event resulted in a rather humble outcome, the money donated to the specified parties were definitely used to improve the lives of those suffering inequality and health disparities (Arasteh 867). Therefore, the yard sale was not only an important social event and a chance for the participants to earn some money, but also an opportunity to improve the lives of those in need. Apart from the economic benefit that the community garage sale introduced, the chance to share memories, ideas, and emotions was a particularly important part of the event. Though the concept of a yard sale might seem far too common and, therefore, lacking excitement, it, in fact, represents a unique opportunity to communicate and share experiences for the participants involved. Given the diversity of my community, the process was especially enlightening and leading to multiple new insights. Though the season might be seen as unsuitable for a yard sale, especially on a community scale, it di provide a perfect opportunity to embrace the opportunities that it provided and encourage participants to share their ideas. Thus, the weird yet lovely tradition of our community, the fall yard sale has left quite an impact on me. Works Cited Arasteh, Kamyar. “Prevalence of comorbidities and risks associated with COVID-19 among Black and Hispanic populations in New York City: an examination of the 2018 New York City Community Health Survey.” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities , vol. 8, no. 4, 2021, pp. 863-869. Hassan, M., et al. “The effect of project management through e-business and garage sales on poverty reduction.” Journal of Project Management , vol. 7, no. 2, 2022, pp. 65-76. Pyrkosz, Damian S. “Cultural and Social Diversity as an Economic Resource.” Kultura i Społeczeństwo , vol. 65, no. 2, 2021, pp. 141-155.

ESSAY: A Complex in the “Every Secret Thing” Film by Berg Essay Carl Jung identifies the mother complex with an innate feeling of care at the center of the emotional attachment between a mother and a child. However, in the absence of such an attachment, an archetype develops where someone’s mother fails to satisfy the essential demands associated with the relationship. The outcome leads the victim, the child, to seek comfort elsewhere (Bobroff 35). At the core of the mother complex is the mother archetype, meaning that in every emotional attachment, between the child and the mother, on the one hand, an archetype nourishing and security image manifests. On the other hand, an archetype that devours possessiveness, deprivation, and darkness comes out (Bobroff 36). In the film Every Secret Thing , a complex emotional attachment between Alice and her mother exists and forms the underlying relationship between the two and the association with the kidnaps taking place. The complex relationship between Alice and her mother places Alice at the center of the kidnapping. Hellen is disgusted by Alice to the point of considering Ronnie her child of choice, a position that makes Alice deeply insecure. Moreover, the tension in interracial affairs is associated with the second kidnapping and having born a biracial child while in prison, and given it up for adoption, Alice becomes the primary suspect in the case (Berg). Alice’s mother, the mastermind behind the kidnap, in the first and second cases, and murder, in the first case, plants evidence to ensure Alice stands out as the main suspect. Hellen, through betrayal and deception, purposely Alice ends up in prison (Berg). Further, compared to the indifference in Ronnie’s parents, there is no emotional attachment between the parents and their daughters. As the film comes to an end, the audience learns that not only were Alice and Ronnie falsely imprisoned, the justice system failed to prove that Helen is the killer. Works Cited Berg, Amy. Every Secret Thing . Sky Movies Premiere, 2014. Bobroff, Gary S. Carl Jung . Arcturus. 2020.

ESSAY: A Customer Told to Wear a Mask Threw Snow at an Employee: Ethical Issue Analysis Essay The article describes a recent Chicago hot dog restaurant incident that can be considered an ethical issue. The incident involved a man who was asked to wear a mask to use the restaurant’s services (Sutton, 2022). In response, the man offended the restaurant employee by throwing snow in their face several times (Sutton, 2022). Additionally, the offender broke the glass door with an unknown object (Sutton, 2022). This incident can be considered an ethical issue because the offender’s actions were disproportional to the situation, apart from the obvious property damage offense. Furthermore, throwing snow at an employee might not count as illegal; however, it is blatantly disrespectful toward an individual. A utilitarian point of view would consider this incident wrong by examining the consequences of the offender’s actions. The seeming reason behind the offender’s behavior is the employee’s request to wear a mask, which is the state’s mandate. Utilitarianism would view the restaurant visitor’s decision to commit an offense against the employee and the restaurant’s property, starting with the consequences of these actions. Since the result is a broken glass door and an innocent employee that suffered, the consequences are harmful. As such, from the utilitarian point of view, the actions can be considered wrong. The Kantian moral theory views an issue as irrational since following the moral law and duty is rational behavior. Offering an innocent individual and damaging the restaurant’s property can be immoral. As such, dismissing the moral law renders the offender irrational in the eyes of a follower of a Kantian moral theory. I believe that utilitarianism is the most logical way to conclude this ethical problem. The reason for that is that negative consequences for anybody can be the best moral compass for almost any decision. The Kantian moral theory is based on moral law, which can be subjective in some people’s minds. As such, according to Kantian theory, some people might disagree that the incident is an ethical issue. In contrast, according to utilitarianism, a negative impact on any individual renders an action wrong. References Sutton, J. (2022). A customer told to wear a mask in a Chicago hot dog restaurant threw snow at an employee and then broke a glass door . CNN. Web.

ESSAY: A Disconnect Between Public Transportation and Destinations Essay One realistic way to commute is using private means of transport instead of public transport. City planning and development make public transportation complicated in the way transportation occurs, resulting in a lack of sense of how it works. As shown in the video, there is a disconnect between public transportation and destinations (Vox, 2020). The underlying reason for the disconnect is the design with which the road network was built. Public transportation was designed to help people commute from outside the cities inwards and vice versa. Therefore, the interstate commute was not factored in when planning public transportation. Most studies show that most Americans today commute between suburban routes that are not served by the public transport system (Vox, 2020). Not only did that result in the creation of car culture, but it also made it difficult to commute between suburbs on foot once public transportation on reaching the designed destination. Moreover, the reality of the use of public transport service is the issue of private space. Evans and Wener (2006) argue that public transportation lies more with density and its inability to capture commuters’ experience in any given space. The issue of social contact increases with density, resulting in unpredictable and undesired interactions. With a lack of appreciation for the private commuter and how to move between suburbs, public transportation makes it less convenient to use when commuting in the suburbs. An insurmountable level of stress is associated with public transportation resulting in a lack of privacy (Evans & Wener, 2006). The experience is made worse, particularly during rushing hours, where body contact increases with the movement among passengers. There must be changes in how the government plans for this form of commute to use public transportation, and the responsible institutions must ensure reliability in how neighborhoods are connected. There must be a leeway with which buses move between suburbs, making it possible to access them. Moreover, time intervals in how the buses reach the neighborhoods are also critical. For example, investing in basic operations on improving fundamental operations is critical in achieving better outcomes in Toronto. Funding by the government on projects associated with improving public transportation would significantly contribute to how the mode of transportation will be redesigned. The major challenge with public transportation is, as established, the lack of privacy. With the long distances covered on foot after using trains and buses, public transportation results in more stress than private vehicles. As such, challenging the pillars of public transportation and restructuring how the system allows for inter-suburb transportation is a key milestone that must be met to facilitate the same levels of convenience as private vehicles. The government must first change its perspective on public transportation by looking at it from a public service rather than from a capitalist point of view. That would mean more investment in operations from a different approach to how the sector would benefit the citizens. Restructuring trains and buses are stopping points to minimize the walking distance between stops and respective workplaces. Currently, this distance is approximated to be 45 minutes, and changing it to let us say between five and ten minutes, will go a long way to improve my ability to use public transportation. The level of convenience would improve, maybe better than with the use of private transportation, and that would mean changing priorities in the means of transportation used. References Evans, G. W., & Wener, R. E. (2007). Crowding and personal space invasion on the train: Please don’t make me sit in the middle. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 1, 90-94. Vox. (2020). Why American public transit is so bad [Video]. Youtube. Web.

ESSAY: “A Drug Called Money” The Economist Study Essay The primary source for this study is the general medical journal The Lancet. It publishes the survey data and provides statistics and a comparative analysis of the obtained quantitative information. The Economist can be seen as a secondary source that describes research with less digital content. The study represents a decrease in the HIV infection rate of girls in school by stabilizing their families’ financial difficulties. The World Bank funded the study to demonstrate the value of money in reducing the spread of HIV among young, poor girls. The study was authored by Berk Özler, Lead Economist and Poverty Research Manager. The medical journal The Lancet presented statistics based on a survey in the Zomba district of Malawi (G.C. 2). The Economist later summarized the study with the most critical findings from the analysis. Thus, 1,300 unmarried girls aged 13 to 22 took part in the study. This is a sufficient number of subjects to consider the prevalence of HIV in poor areas. The sampling took place with the help of a computer, so the girls fell into different experimental groups randomly. Thus, a group stood out in which girls and their families were given small amounts of money every month, girls paid to attend school, and girls left without financial support. Based on the study, it can be concluded that the subjects who received the money in both groups showed a significant reduction in the spread of the virus. However, test subjects with no money were forced to look for a sugar daddy. Therefore, in this group of issues, the statistics of the spread of HIV were preserved. Thus, the drug called money is adequate and affects the spread of STDs. The implication is that the global community needs funding to stop the spread of HIV. However, research and further assistance to young girls have several limitations. Firstly, it is hard to understand how much money each person needs to stop looking for sugar daddies and move on with their lives. Moreover, the study was conducted over 18 months, so it is impossible to assess how it will work in the long term Work Cited G.C. “ A Drug Called Money ”. The Economist. 2012. Web.

ESSAY: A Feminist Approach in the Film “Thelma and Louise” Essay There are extremely few films that explore not only female friendships but also delve into the interpersonal connection of women, seeking to escape the restrictions of gender, class, time, and place. In turn, Scott’s road movie reveals the female nature from the inside. Thelma, married at 18 and tolerating her tyrannical husband, is not as downtrodden and tame as many would like to see. Thelma does not agree to condone, so she packs her things, throws suitcases into her friend’s car, leaves a note for her husband, and goes off with Louise for the whole weekend. If Thelma is an amateur adventurer, then Louise is a serious rebel. Her boyfriend Jimmy has no power over her, but rather she dictates the rules to him, although she is forced to endure his constant adventures while she works as a waitress. Louise does not hesitate to shoot the man who tried to rape her girlfriend. Seeing the world through the eyes of liberated women driving merrily into the unknown was an innovation that boldly granted a woman the right to be human. Cooper notes that this is a movie about women who defy eternity and openly neglect social conditions. It has a philosophical background in the immortality of the soul and the lofty value of freedom, which despises even death. The film’s finale proves that suicide is preferable to prison, just as lethal injection is better than life imprisonment. It is a pity that they do not make strong films about women’s struggles in Hollywood anymore; that is why it remains to revise Thelma and Louise from year to year. The current films about women ending with a wedding, and receiving a ring from a man are equated to the moment of personal transformation and self-identification of a woman who is looking for only worldly peace in life. These stereotypical films are forgotten and will never become a symbol of the female spirit, which Thelma and Louise became precisely because it reflects the true woman’s need for freedom. Smith, in her speech, focuses on gender inequality in cinema. As confirmation, the speaker presents depressing statistics. First, according to Smith, less than a third of all speaking characters are women (2:39). The most unexpected thing is that the situation has not changed for 70 years. As my example, I can cite the world-famous film The Lord of the Rings, where all ten central roles are male. Thus, the woman is still noticeably absent from the screen. Second, Smith asserts that in addition to gender inequality, Hollywood films are characterized by racial and ethnic discrimination. It is noteworthy that it is possible to expect changes in this direction. In 2020, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the introduction of special rules that should eliminate inequalities within the organization itself and the film industry. Rottenberg affirms that starting in 2024, films that qualify for the Best Film award must meet at least two of the four criteria. Among them is the presence of actors from an ethnic or racial minority, 30% of the composition of a woman, representatives of the LGBTQ+ community, a racial or ethnic minority, and people with disabilities. Moreover, there must be the same diversity in the production and marketing teams that work on the film, and the film must represent one of the listed minorities. Nevertheless, women remain in the minority since the requirement is 30%, but women are about half of society. Third, Smith notes that only 4.1% of directors are women (6:00). Moreover, only three of the 886 directors are African American or black, and only one woman is Asian (Smith 6:13). At the same time, there is a pattern between the gender of the director and the peculiarity of the roles in this movie. Thus, the more women participate in creating a movie, the more women appear on the screen, and vice versa. This fact is one of the reasons for the disappointing statistics on the number of women in cinema and the peculiarity of their representation. Therefore, given the disheartening statistics and trends that have taken place in recent years, Hollywood cinema is not a very good place for women. Chelsey, thanks for your opinion. Indeed, in addition to the motif of freedom and independence, Thelma and Louise unfold with a feminist approach, making women as strong as men. The film’s female perspectives undermine and appropriate the dominant male gaze typical of mainstream Hollywood cinema, using mockery as a narrative device to illustrate the sexism inherent in the male gaze. Three narrative devices are explicated that structure the mockery in the film: stereotypes about depraved and testosterone-obsessed men; portray men as a spectacle for female attention; and the celebration of women’s friendships. The result of the tongue-in-cheek techniques is a strong female gaze that resists and defies patriarchy and opens the film’s text to a feminist reading. As for the TED talk by Stacy Smith, indeed, the situation regarding the role of women in the film industry is disastrous. Thus, nowadays, most films are shot by men and many films still represent the male gaze. Works Cited Cooper, Brenda. “‘Chick Flicks’ as Feminist Texts: The Appropriation of the Male Gaze in Thelma & Louise.” Women’s Studies in Communication, vol. 23, no. 3, 2000, pp. 277-306. Rottenberg, Josh. New Oscars Standards Say Best Picture Contenders Must Be Inclusive to Compete . Los Angeles Times. 2020. Web. Smith, Stacy. “ The Data behind Hollywood’s Sexism ”. TED. 2016. Web.

ESSAY: “A Garden Still Life with a Kitten” Painting by Rosa Mayreder Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Biographical Background 2. Artwork Analysis: Gardening with a Kitten 3. Personal Response & Comparison 4. Works Cited 5. Appendix 1 6. Appendix 2 7. Appendix 3 Biographical Background Rosa Mayreder was born in 1858 in Vienna, the capital of Austria, which, back then, was still a great power and one of the centers of Europe’s culture, science, and philosophy. Her father, a rich restaurateur, had no interest in educating his daughters, but, luckily for her, Rosa was only one of twelve siblings and managed to attend her brothers’ studies. Her acute interest in intellectual pursuits earned her some criticism from her family, who thought it was not a feminine quality (Leng 145). However, it did not dissuade her from developing her intellect and her taste for art. As Mayreder came of age, she became acquainted with many contemporary writers, artists, philosophers, and other intellectuals, both in person and through their works. The most notable of those were philosophers such as Ulrichs and Krafft-Ebings, who studied the issues of sexual identity and even approached what would later be codified as the gender-sex difference (Leng 146). Thus, as a young adult, Mayreder already had a good, if sometimes piecemeal education, a solid understanding of the contemporary philosophy of sex and gender, and deep dissatisfaction with women’s social status. With these factors in mind, it should not come as a big surprise that Mayreder became a feminist – and one of the first ones in Austria at that. The key point of her feminist views was that society reduced women to performing very few roles – most notably, those of mothers and wives (Leng 148). She argued that, in order to develop their potential, women had to break free from such limitations and, by assuming the roles traditionally reserved for men, escape the “teleological fate of their sex” (Leng 149). In order to promote her feminist views, she wrote a number of influential papers over the years, engaging deeply with contemporary philosophy as well as the German literary tradition (Looft 73). Her intellectual contribution did not remain unnoticed, and, in 1907, she became the only woman among the founding members of the Sociological Association on Vienna. In recognition of her work and influence, in 1928, the Vienna city council made her an honorary citizen. Mayreder passed away in early 1938, mere months before the German Anschluss of her home country. While most famous for her literary and philosophical works, Mayreder was also a distinguished painter in her own right. As befitted a girl from a well-to-do 19 th -century family, she received formal instruction in painting and carried the interest in visual arts through her entire life. This is clear from the fact that, in 1893, she founded a special art school for women and girls and continued to support it throughout the years (Hochreiter 103). In a way, it was an extension of her philosophical views, as evident from the fact that other founders were also prominent feminists, such as Marianne Hainisch and Olga Prager (Hochreiter 103). As a painter herself, Mayreder became the first woman to be accepted into the Aquarellist club, which speaks of recognition among her contemporaries. While it was not necessarily the rule, Mayreder could use paintings in the same way as she used language- to provoke discussion of women’s social status and the roles allotted to them. This was most likely the case with her 1891 painting named A Garden Still Life with a Kitten . Artwork Analysis: Gardening with a Kitten As the name suggests, A Garden Still Life with a Kitten is a still life painting, a watercolor on paper. It depicts a small garden next to a house wall with a variety of plants in pots and a little kitten among them. In terms of composition, the painting’s center of gravity on a horizontal axis is closer to the right side, as the left one is almost empty, save for one large plant (App. 1). The horizontal shelf housing most of the pots separates the painting vertically into two uneven parts, which relate to each other as roughly 1.6 to 1 (App. 2). The left part of the lower half, with a singular large plant and a kitten, and the right part, with a plant at the forefront, also relate to each other similarly (App. 2). The pattern continues with the plant on the lower right and the space above it, and so forth. This approach clearly indicates the use of the golden ratio to arrange the pictorial space in a balanced and visually pleasing way, in which Mayreder definitely succeeds. In terms of color, the painting is dominated by warm browns and yellows of the ground and the wall and pale greens of the various plants. An occasional sprinkle of pink flowers prevents it from being visually monotonous (App. 1). The painting positively bathes in light, which falls from the upper left corner and is so intense that there are barely any shadows. It is the lighting that is primarily responsible for the tone, as even the large leaves, which would normally be dark green, are almost white under the intense light (App. 1). That to the color palette, the painting radiates the sensation of a hot and sunny day. The brushwork is brisk, evocative, and precise, outlining the painting in sufficient detail and generally avoiding broad and loose strokes. In some parts, most notably the upper left, the strokes can be relatively loose, as if to imitate the leaves blurring against the bright yellow wall in the intense sunlight (App. 1). However, most of the painting uses short and precise strokes that outline the pots, the plants, and the titular kitten in considerable detail. When it comes to the subject matter, one may interpret A Garden Still Life with a Kitten as a statement on the limited opportunities available to women in Mayreder’s time. First of all, attending to a small garden would be seen as an appropriate and characteristically feminine occupation at the time. Given Mayreder’s opposition to restraining women to a few domestic occupations, a feminist subtest is not unlikely (Leng 148). The garden pots on the shelf are cluttered and overlap with each other, as if the unnamed, presumably female gardener tried to fit as much of them as possible into a small space (App. 1). This may suggest that, with the social limitations imposed on the woman in question, gardening remains the only venue of realizing her potential, which is why she pursues it with such vigor. In this respect, one may see A Garden Still Life with a Kitten as a pictorial equivalent to Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums.” Finally, the plants are growing and intertwining wildly and out of control, suggesting that the garden’s confines are as limiting to them as the patriarchal social mores are to women. Personal Response & Comparison My personal response to A Garden Still Life with a Kitten is that it is a very competent watercolor painting, which is more important as a work belonging to Mayreder than on its own merits. The painting hardly resembles the bold strokes and blurred lines of impressionism, which was its contemporary, and is fairly academic in terms of style. Apparently, unlike her thinking and progressive principles, Mayreder’s paintings were hardly revolutionary in terms of style, technique, or composition. It makes sense, given that Mayreder received training in painting since she was a child because it was seen as an appropriate occupation for a young lady. As a result, in Mayreder’s crusade to escape the “teleological fate of their sex,” painting was the means rather than the goal (Leng 149). Instead of trying to revolutionize the ways in which the paintings are created, Mayreder tried to use fairly traditional painting techniques to make a bold statement on social matters. In other words, A Garden Still Life with a Kitten is most notable for being the work of Mayreder as a feminist painter rather than a stepping stone in art history. In order to better understand the painting’s characteristic features, one may compare A Garden Still Life with a Kitten to Ocean , a work of another female artist Vija Celmins. The comparison would be a study in contrasts, but it is exactly what makes it worthwhile. In terms of genre, Ocean is not a still life but a landscape – or, rather, a seascape painting (App. 3). The color palette is dominated by iron greys, and the light falling from above does not do anything to make it lighter (App. 3). Unlike the carefully crafted golden ration composition of Mayreder’s painting, Ocean has nothing for the eye to catch onto – it is just an endless, uniform expanse of cold water. The brushwork is meticulous and thorough, and even the smaller waves in the upper half of the painting are drawn in just as much detail as those at the forefront (App. 3). In other words, Ocean is as different from Garden Still Life with a Kitten as possible while the latter is concrete, the former is abstract to the extreme. This comparison demonstrates the difference in the approach taken by both painters –and, by extension, allows understanding Mayreder’s work better. Celmins’ painting is noticeably abstract and apparently devoid of any political, social, or personal statement whatsoever. It lines up well with Celmins’ own statements – as the author says herself, she does not use her works to reveal her feelings or what she thinks about the current President (“Explore the Art”). In contrast, Mayreder chooses the genre, composition, and subject matter in a way that makes it very easy to see a political statement in A Garden Still Life with a Kitten . If one knows about her feminist convictions – which, in any case, are a more famous part of her life – it becomes fairly simple to interpret the painting as a statement on women’s social status. Hence, the comparison between Mayreder’s A Garden Still Life with a Kitten and Celmins’ Ocean reveals how artistic choices may facilitate or negate the possibility of making a statement out of a piece of art. Works Cited “Explore the rat of Vija Celmins.” Tate . Hochreiter, Susanne. “‘What Women Are Will Not Be Known Until They Are No Longer Told What They Should Be’: Rosa Mayreder and the So-Called ‘Frauenfrage’ In Viennese Modernity.” Crime and Madness in Modern Austria: Myth, Metaphor, and Cultural Realities , edited by Rebecca S. Thomas, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008, 94-116. Leng, Kirsten. Sexual Politics and Feminist Science: Women Sexologists in Germany,1900–1933 . Cornell UP, 2018. Looft, Ruxandra. “Intertextuality as Power: Rosa Mayreder’s Response to Goethe’s Faust and the Cult of Male Genius.” Journal of Austrian Studies, vol. 51, no. 2, 2018, pp. 73-88. Appendix 1 Rosa Mayreder, A Garden Still Life with a Kitten Appendix 2 A Garden Still Life with a Kitten and the Golden Ratio Appendix 3 Vija Celmins, Ocean

ESSAY: A Horror Film as a Form of Modern Public Lynching Essay Horror films have become one of the fundamental genres of cinema, the popularity of which is not inferior to the other styles. The reason for it is the specific reaction of the target audience, namely a powerful emotional impulse. Moreover, it becomes a psychological relief for some persons, which helps to distract from one’s problems. Horror films are not the modern version of public lynching; they formulate a way for people to obtain a strong emotional response through fear. Fear is a primary human emotion, which manifests itself as an instinct for self-preservation, namely a reaction to a potential threat. It may seem strange for one that people pay money to feel such an unpleasant emotion while watching horror films. However, in the essay Why We Crave Horror Movies , Stephen King argued that people aim to re-establish their feelings of essential normality (King, 1). In other words, one tries to reset their ordinary feelings for many reasons. Some are distracting from problems in this way, others get a dose of adrenaline, and sometimes horror films become a way to throw out their emotions in a movie theater and not on other people. Any art must evoke emotion and promote the individual experiencing ethical pleasure. Watching horror movies seems to have nothing to do with the ethical aspect. However, the success of horror movies, to more extent than other genres, depends on the audience’s reaction (Glasby, 7). The strong reaction makes horror films stand out in terms of the criteria for assessing art. Indeed, few people can lag behind absolutely indifferent when watching scary scenes. Besides, the powerful emotional response makes horror films so popular and successful nowadays. To conclude, one identified that horror films do not formulate a form of modern public lynching. They are the one’s method to receive the bright, emotive response. There are various reasons for it, beginning from obtaining psychological discharge and ending to distracting from reality and one’s urgent problems. The audience’s reaction is the key point to evaluating the horror film’s success and why it is considered art. Works Cited Glasby, Matt. The Book of Horror: The Anatomy of Fear in Film . Quarto Publishing Group UK, 2020. King, Stephen. Why We Crave Horror Movies. Web.

ESSAY: A Kidnapping and Robbery Attempt in a Case Study Essay Kidnapping is a crime that involves the illegal seizing and carrying away of an individual by force or trickery, as well as the unauthorized detention and imprisonment of a person against their consent. Thus, in my opinion, a felony of attempt should be punished in the same way as the underlying substantive offence. In the preceding case, for example, one may contend that if Jerry is charged with the real criminal of bank robbery, he must have planned to execute the felony (Roberson & O’Reilley, 2020). Another example is that if a defendant is unable to carry out a murder, the crime is reduced to attempted murder. Even though the suspect did not obligate to the offense, he had the objective to do so, and hence the punishment ought to be the same. Regardless, other elements might have a role in the decision. Nevertheless, below is how I feel the above case should be handled. To begin with, abduction is classified as a second (legal wrongdoing) or a first-degree crime under criminal procedure. The third level of hijacking is a permissible offense classified as a class B felony. Surprisingly, kidnapping is equivalent to grabbing to the following extent. Abduction in the first degree is also a class A-I legal violation (Roberson & O’Reilley, 2020). People are guilty of this offence if they expect an outsider to pay or transfer money or property as a payment or persuade them to stop pursuing a distinct possibility. Capturing may be a problematic criminal concept, especially given the distinctions involving snatching and illegal imprisonment. The differences between snatching, unlawful detention, as well as hijacking must be well understood. Relating to the above discussion, Jerry blackmailed the cashier into assisting him in a bank robbery. Thus, he should not be prosecuted with abduction because he afterwards freed the teller. Nevertheless, he should be charged with attempted kidnapping to hold the bank employee captive and use him as a bargaining chip to depart. I believe that the robber’s aim to keep the teller prisoner is a crucial component because he had to flee when the police thwarted his scheme (Roberson & O’Reilley, 2020). Therefore, holding the clerk should not be regarded as abduction because the prisoner was not moved from one location to another. For the crime of kidnapping to occur, the victim must have been transferred while being detained in grossly illegal custody. Thus, based on that fact, Jerry should not be convicted of the crime since he did not have transportation. Moreover, denying one’s freedom is the most significant aspect of abduction. While Jerry was able to depart the scene immediately, he compelled the cashier to follow him into the bank parking lot. When he gets to the intended area, though, he frees the hostage. As a result, Jerry does not intend to deprive the bank employee of their freedom since he later frees the individual based on the given facts. In summary, the use of force towards the bank teller cannot be one of a separate crime from what is intended by the accused in the first place. Jerry wants to rob the bank, and thus, the crime is robbery. Any wrongdoing that arises from and within this intended offense will be absorbed into the crime itself. It is worth mentioning that robbery is a criminal offense under common law since threats or force are used to take things from another person illegally. As a result, the use of aggression against the bank clerk is an intrinsic aspect of the robbery that cannot be isolated from it. Reference Roberson, C., & O’Reilley, M. (2020). Principles of criminal law (7 th ed.). Pearson.

ESSAY: A Mutation: A Change in the Genome of an Organism Essay A mutation is a change in the genome of an organism. Most commonly, mutations are defined as changes in DNA structure that occur due to disruption of the sequence of genes or the emergence of new genes. In this paper, I would like to talk about spontaneous mutations. Spontaneous mutations occur by chance – for example if a sheep is suddenly born in a flock of sheep with shorter legs; such mutations can also occur in humans. The ADRB1 gene, for example, is responsible for regulating the amount of sleep a person needs each night to function properly. Most humans need eight hours of sleep or more, but about 5% of the population enjoys a slightly different mutant version. Tests done on a mother and daughter who had the mutation revealed the ability to sleep only 4 to 6 hours each night (Servick, 2019). This mutation refers to a type of genomic mutation. The protein encoded by the mutation is a receptor for norepinephrine. This mutation is dominant, autosomal, and beneficial in its effect on the viability of individuals. Changes in the ADRB1 gene occur primarily in humans. However, they can also be in animals, although no studies have yet been conducted. Such a mutation does not affect the human population in the general world. This is mainly due to the fact that it is not dangerous and is not life-threatening to its carriers. Thus, such a mutation is only a positive addition to the life abilities of a human carrier. This mutation is sporadic and is not a dominant trend in population genome changes despite its dominance. I find this example interesting because natural changes in the human genome open up new possibilities for the population. Thus, studying such changes is essential for human development and a deeper study of human capabilities. Reference Servick, K. (2019). This genetic mutation makes people feel rested on just 6 hours of sleep. Science. Web.

ESSAY: A Problem of Racial Discrimination in the Modern World Essay (Book Review) It is no secret that some members of society have more privileges than others. People are marginalized based on their race, ethnicity, and social class. My experience with unjustly treated people was when I saw how an African American woman was not allowed to enter a restaurant due to some unknown reasons. This was a terrible experience as I felt anxious about what was happening in the restaurant. I think people should not be treated badly because of their race. Racial discrimination should be a problem in the modern world. This minor case suggests the greater problem that is unjustly treating people in the context of the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system in the United States is designed to protect and serve everyone. This concept should be inclusive of all races, genders, and other identifying features. It happens more than what the news channels may bring to light, although it should not. Minorities and people who do not meet society’s “norms” are frequently subjected to unequal treatment by those charged with protecting them. In the book, Stevenson writes about groups of people who are vulnerable to being victimized by the system and how he helped people in prison to bring them justice. It can be said that the system is inherently biased toward minorities, and it makes people suffer without any significant justification. A prominent example of this is the case of George Floyd. When I first viewed the footage of George Floyd’s killing, I felt a wave of pain and rage run through my body. Not because I was surprised or outraged because Black women and men have been occurring since long before I was born; rather, I felt impotent. That someone in a position to protect and safeguard chose to do the exact opposite and murder someone so openly and publicly. It’s the same hopelessness that the spectators who witnessed Floyd’s murder must have felt, and it’s the same helplessness that George must have felt as he screamed in his final minutes. The kind of powerlessness that makes you want to take action. One of the lessons of the Black Lives Matter movement is that being non-racist is not enough; we must all utilize our voices to be anti-racist. Because silence might be construed as consent, we all must fulfill our moral obligations to those who are suffering as a result of the battle. That doesn’t just imply a performative social media post; it also entails asking ourselves how we might assist. We can help the cause by having dialogues with friends and family, giving, being socially conscious shoppers, or writing to elected authorities about adopting policies that will result in change. This is what exactly Stevenson described in his book, calling for rational consideration of each criminal case, not being biased, and helping people. We can no longer turn our backs on what has happened in the last year. The suffering of the less fortunate is documented and disseminated for all to see. We are obligated to respond because there is no room for ignorance or inaction. The vehicle for change will be our ability to unlock our empathy for others and combine it with action. Even though many of these deaths were captured on film, police personnel is rarely arrested, prosecuted, or convicted for excessive use of force. A popular clamor for justice has erupted in response to the perceived lack of accountability.

ESSAY: A Retirement Plan Development and Analysis Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Employee-Sponsored Retirement Plan 2. Particular Plan 3. Benefits 4. Risks 5. Automatic Saving Deduction 6. Works Cited Employee-Sponsored Retirement Plan The employer-sponsored retirement plan may be viewed as an employer-provided pooled investment account that allows an employee to use a portion of their pre-tax earnings for retirement, savings, or other long-term goals such as paying university fees or buying a home. The contributions of its employees do not exceed a certain amount or a certain percentage (Ameriprise). The plan is an attractive and relatively easy way for workers to reduce their taxes and savings in the long run. Currently, this plan is a notable option that allows individuals to receive savings from employers for retirement. The plan supports retirement savings primarily in two forms: regular contributions to a company plan or DC 401(k) plan and by government or nonprofit organizations – referred to as 403b or 457b (U.S. Department of Labor). Both plans are funded by payroll deductions, which reduce employees’ taxable income. The plan also provides a transfer option, meaning employees who change jobs can transfer plan balances to the same employer or the same plan. Generally, a 401(k) member can begin withdrawing money from their plan upon reaching age without penalty. Any withdrawal permitted before age is subject to an excise tax equal to ten percent of the amount distributed (above the ordinary income tax that must be paid). This includes withdrawal to pay expenses due to hardship unless the distribution does not exceed the amount allowed as a cap under section 213 of the Internal Revenue Code on an employee for amounts paid during a taxable year for medical care (IRS). Amounts withdrawn are subject to the regular income tax of the member. Some employers may ban one, some, or all of the previous causes of difficulty. To maintain the 401(k) income reduction tax benefit, the law provides that, unless an exemption applies, money must be held in a tax reduction plan or equivalent plan until the employee reaches age. Money is withdrawn before age is generally subject to a 10% punitive tax unless an additional exemption applies. Particular Plan Income taxes on pre-tax contributions and income from investments in the form of interest are tax taxes. The ability to carry forward income taxes to a period when tax rates may be lower is a potential benefit of a 401(k) plan. The income tax deferral option has no benefit if the member has the same tax rates on retirement as it did on initial contributions or interest and accruals. Capital investment income from a 401(k) account is not subject to capital taxes (U.S. Department of Labor). This ability to avoid this second level of tax is a major benefit of the 401(k) plan. Compared to investing outside of 401(k) plans, one pays more income tax, but one pays less tax overall with a 401(k) due to the ability to avoid taxes on capital gains. For pre-tax contributions, I will pay no federal income tax on current income he or she puts aside in a 401(k) account but still pays the general 7.65% payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicaments). I am planning to earn $50,000 in a year and save $3,000 in a 401(k) account that year reports only $47,000 of income on the annual tax return. Benefits Most pension plans provide significant tax benefits. More often than not, money deposited into an account is not taxable income for the employee at the time the contribution is made. However, if the employer provides plans, the employer may receive a tax credit on the amount contributed, as if it were regular workers’ compensation. This is known as pre-tax contributions, and the amounts allowed to be contributed are quite small among the different types of plans. Another significant advantage is that the assets in the plan can grow through investment without the taxpayer being entitled to year-on-year growth. Once the money is withdrawn, it is fully counted as income for the year of withdrawal. There are many restrictions on contributions, especially for 401k and defined benefit plans (Ameriprise). These limits are intended to ensure that high-paid workers do not receive too much tax advantage on spending by lower-paid workers. Risks Unlike ERISA-defined benefit plans or banking institutions that maintain accounts, there is no government insurance for assets held in 401(k) accounts. Plans for sponsors in financial difficulty sometimes have funding problems. At the same time, financial liability is given priority in bankruptcy laws. When moving from one job to another, this should be considered by the plan member as to whether to keep the assets in the old plan or transfer the assets to a new employer plan or individual retirement agreement (Ameriprise). The fees charged by IRA dees can be substantially less than the fees charged by employer plans and usually offer a much wider choice of investment vehicles than employer plans. Automatic Saving Deduction The saver sets up an automated savings plan in which a percentage of their income is regularly put into a checking account on a regular basis. This type of savings is ideal for those who wish to increase their efficiencies without having to physically deposit monies every few weeks. However, the discipline to follow through on savings may be an alternative to the automatic saving deduction. I believe I am disciplined enough to adhere to this alternative, but I still would choose the automated savings method. Works Cited Ameriprise. “What to Know About 401(k) Plans.” Ameriprise . IRS. “401(k) Plan Overview.” IRS . U.S. Department of Labor. “Types of Retirement Plans.” U.S. Department of Labor .

ESSAY: “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner Essay A Rose for Emily is an excellent example of the Southern Gothic genre. The Southern Gothic is a literal tradition that came into existence in the 20 th century and became popular in European literature. The genre is rooted in mysterious secrets, supernatural events, frightening scenarios, and extreme character duress, which leaves the reader desensitized. The genre focuses on ridiculous and morbid features such as secret passages, draft castles, and laced cobwebs. The Southern Gothic genre explores the antisocial behaviors that confined against the social norms and hinged on the belief that daily life and these social customs were just imaginary. A Rose For Emily creates the theme of mental illness, murders, love-loss that ends up creating a frightening environment for the client, thus suits a Gothic Tale. Firstly, A Rose for Emily illustrates the Southern Gothic genre through the townsfolks accessorizing Homer’s murder. After Emily’s father died, she isolated herself from society, and her house began to decay to smell awful. The judge sent some township men to clean the place, but instead, they sprinkled lime over the property. The township could have helped Emily and discarded the father’s body, but rather, they worried if she needed help (Sullivan 175). It is clear that the townspeople are fond of Emily and respect her. This aspect can be seen when she purchased the rat poison “So the next day we all said, “She will kill herself”; and we said it would be the best thing.” (Faulkner 6). They were in awe of her, but they harbored feelings of powerful aggression. The town did not want to associate with her, yet they cared for her, which pushed her to buy the arsenic to kill Homer Barron. Instead of doing the right thing, the town decided to cover the crime. Them turning a blind eye on Homer Barron’s death shows the element of the extreme character duress in the Southern Gothic genre. Secondly, A Rose for Emily contains the theme of lost love, representing Southern Gothic stories. When Emily met Homer, a foreman, marriage was possible. Still, then issues of her social status arose, and it can be seen when the town murmured, “Of course, a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northerner, a day laborer… grief could not cause a real lady to forget noblesse oblige” (Faulkner 5). Homer’s perspective on his love towards Emily was not accurate, but he spent time with her. However, it was said that Homer was gay and he liked men (Faulkner 6). Emily saw the relationship from a romantic perceptive, while Homer saw it as spiritual. It made Emily terrified of being alone as unrequited love is painful (Liu 198). It led her to purchase wedding items for her and Homer, invite him to dinner, and poison him with arsenic. Hence, A Rose for Emily portrays a romantic love skewed with dysfunctionality as described in the Southern Gothic stories. Similarly, lost love is also portrayed between Emily and her father, just as Southern Gothic themes. Emily’s father controlled her life, making it almost impossible for her to interact with the town and also forbid her from a romantic relationship “We remembered all the young men her father had driven away” (Faulkner 4). There was a falling out between Emily’s father and the extended family due to property; hence she was only left with her father to teach her on love. He also took the role of protecting as seen in this text, “father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip” (Faulkner 4). Emily leaning on her father’s back portrayed more concern about his physical well-being and protecting her. After he died, Emily was utterly lost as she did not know how to love in a normal way. It explains her behavior of not having any trace of grief and why she would tell the town that her father was not dead for almost three days. The love of an overprotective father that forbids her to interact is an example of a Southern Gothic story. In addition, Southern Gothic style is portrayed in A Rose for Emily through appropriation and transformation. The narrator transforms Emily’s innocence into a psychologically damaged spinster. At the beginning of the narration, Emily is used as a protagonist. She used to be the perfect young wealthy lady living with her father. Her privileged status causes her to be emotionally and physically isolated; she becomes erratic with characteristic behavior (Huang 205). At first, she denied the death of his father for approximately three days. The town sided with her, claiming “we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will.” (Faulkner 4). However, it was difficult for the town to explain how she slept and spent years with the corpse of Homer. Her erotic behavior is also seen when she is asked to pay her taxes by the Board of Abelderm. She gets mad, saying, “I have no taxes in Jefferson” (Faulkner 2). Even after being told that no public agreement excluded her from paying taxes, she continued denying it. Her mental instability is an example of a character in the Southern Gothic story. Furthermore, Faulkner uses Southern Gothic elements throughout the stories. At first, the writer’s description of Emily’s house gives the reader the impression that it contains mysterious secrets (Xiaokang 95). He describes it as “It was a big, squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies” (Faulkner 1). Homer’s death took place in the same house, and his corpse was left there to rot. The story’s setting shows it was created in the Southern Gothic period. Emily was the last bloodline of his family that had stayed in that town for generations. The tax collectors went door to door collecting taxes which made him a southern gothic. Such scenes and creating a mysterious atmosphere throughout the story illustrate that A Rose for Emily was a Southern Gothic story. The story illustrates Southern Gothic literature through slavery, racism, and oppressive patriarchal forces. Southern Gothic still idolized racism and slavery despite its abolition, where black Americans were still viewed as a class of servants. It is first portrayed by Colonel Santos stating that ” the edict that no Negro woman should appear on the streets without an apron-remitted her taxes” (Faulkner 1). He is racist as he favorably removes Emily from the obligation of paying taxes and makes up a story that his father had loaned the town some money. The book’s setting reflected the slavery element based on Tobe’s treatment. The narration describes Tobe as a negro which denotes racism in the Sothern Gothic era. The author supports this when he says, “They were admitted by the old Negro…The Negro led them into the parlor” (Faulkner 1). We see him being released from his duties after Emily. Tobe had grown old over the years. He was the only life seen on Emily’s property as he could facilitate errands from the market since the death of Emily’s father until he was of grey hair (Xiaokang 94). When Emily died, Tobe disappeared once the victors started arriving. “He walked right through the house and out the back and was not seen again (Faulkner 8). He was released from his slavery duties, an element of the Southern Gothic stories. In conclusion, A Rose for Emily is an excellent example of the Southern Gothic genre. It can be seen from the various Southern Gothic elements presented in the story such as theme of mental illness, death, and love-loss. A Rose for Emily illustrates the Southern Gothic genre by reating it to Homer’s murder. A Rose for Emily portrays a romantic love skewed with dysfunctionality as described in the Southern Gothic stories. Emily’s father controlled her life, making it almost impossible for her to interact with the town and also forbid her from a romantic relationship. It also contains elements that hint the Gothic nature, such as the house description, Emily’s character, the poison she acquired, and Emily living in a crumbling house alone. From the beginning of the story, it generally creates a frightening environment for the reader, vital to Gothic tales. All these elements make Faulkner’s work a Southern Gothic tale. Works Cited Faulkner William. A Rose for Emily Paderborn, De: Verlag F. Schöningh, 1958. 1- 9 Web. Huang, Yan. “An Analysis on Rose in A Rose for Emily.” Journal of Social Science Studies vol. 6, no. 2, 2019, pp. 202-205. Web. Liu, Fuhua. “An Analysis of William Faulkner’s” A Rose for Emily” in the Perspective of Aristotle’s Definition on Tragedy.” International Journal of Social Science and Education Research vol. 3, no. 2, 2020, pp. 197-199. Sullivan, Ruth. “The Narrator in” A Rose for Emily. “ The Journal of Narrative Technique , vol. 1, no. 3, 1971, pp. 159-178. Web. Xiaokang, Wang. “Narratological and Stylistic Analysis of Point of View in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily.” Culture , vol. 6, no. 3, 2021, pp. 91-96. Web.

ESSAY: A Spillway and Stilling Basin Design Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Results 4. Discussion 5. Conclusion 6. References Introduction Spillways are structures constructed to control flooding as they provide safe paths of releasing waters from floods from dams downstream. In most cases, the downstream is the river on which the dam was constructed. The spillway should clear water in large amounts without causing any form of damage to the dam or other surrounding structures while ensuring that the reservoir levels do not reach maximum (Gayar, 2020). Flood water entering a reservoir while it is already full leads to overtopping the dam. This is the situation that is avoided by passing the floodwaters downstream. Spillways can be controlled where crest gates are provided, which can be lowered or raised to adjust the outflow rate of water according to the conditions. These kinds of spillways are advantageous when the reservoir is complete since the water level will be equal to the level of the crest of the spillway. An increase in water entering the reservoir leads to a simultaneous water discharge through the spillway. This case is only applicable when the maximum level has already been achieved. With time, the water level decreases and goes back to an average level in the reservoir. Figure 1: An Ogee Spillway Energy dissipations are common in spillway systems, occurring primarily at the base. They mainly happen when these systems experience high velocity and form a stilling basin (Mojtahedi et al., 2020). Spillways are constructed based on their suitability to the site in question, among other factors. The different types of spillways are the drop spillway and the over fall and ogee. A drop spillway is designed so that the excess waterfalls on the downstream side of the hydraulic structure are vertical. It is mainly applied in low dams where the construction of a basin to form a small pool is involved. The small pool is primarily referred to as a water cushion, and its function is to dissipate energy. The overfall and ogee are more common, and they can be used on concrete or masonry dams because they have suitable crest lengths for the required discharge. This spillway has a controlled weir in the form of an S shape. The shape conforms to the profile of lower water nappe from a sharp-crested weir. The design head of the ogee crest stays at atmospheric pressure and becomes positive at the lower head, which leads to a backwater effect, and hence discharge is reduced. The pressure becomes negative at a higher head leading to an increase in discharge due to the backwater effect. Figure 2: Design of an ogee spillway Methodology The principle’s objective is the creation of a scale of 1:20 of a spillway containing a structure of a stilling basin. This is because the structures have been designed with the understanding of basic principles concerning spillways and stilling structures. Compared to the actual rivers and dams, the hydraulic structures are small, and their models are a replica of the expected behaviors of the actual structures (Cath et al., 2019). This prevents any disastrous accidents from occurring, which may lead to losses and potential loss of lives. Different energy dissipaters or a combination can accompany the spillways. This should consider the amount of energy that needs to be dissipated and the level of control required downstream. The energy dissipaters should protect the downstream areas from erosion due to the reduction of the velocity of the flow to a limit that is acceptable. The flow to sub-critical conditions from the superficial may be achieved through a steep spillway. This involves the formation of a hydraulic jump to dissipate flow energy in large amounts. It is necessary since a lot of energy may be lost in a hydraulic jump created by steps, blocks, and other apparatus to increase turbulence. A common type of dissipater for dams and weirs is the stilling basin. Diversion of incoming flow can be done using chute blocks and causes a lift from the floor. Stills may also be used at the end of the stilling basin to reduce the flow length and the speed of flow down (Wildenberg, 2021). The remaining velocity jet that may reach the end of the stilling basin is diffused. Obstruction of water flow is also done through baffle piers that allow kinetic energy dissipation. These are recommendations in designing small dams that need a slower steeper than expected. Results Tube X(mm) x/Hd Design MAX 1.33HD 0.5HD 1 -11 -0.18 -300 1050 -880 160 2 0 0 220 -1940 -120 240 3 9 0.14 40 -1000 -160 100 4 21 0.34 0 -580 -200 160 5 36 0.59 -80 -620 -300 80 6 52 0.85 -40 -720 -220 40 7 67 1.1 80 -520 160 200 8 82 1.34 0 -60 80 40 9 95 1.56 100 0 140 80 Table 1: Data from lab The table above shows lab results of the values from the experimentation of the pressure heads along the spillway due to different conditions. Figure 3: Pressure Crest Curve Discussion The measured flow rate was obtained to be 2.98 m 3 s -1 m -1 of the 3m 3 s -1 m -1 from the results of the laboratory model. A flow rate of 5.66m 3 s -1 m -1 was obtained as the measurement of the discharge. The negligible differences achieved from the different scenarios prove that the tool used to design the spillway and the stilling basin was effective. A minimal error of 0.7% was achieved through the rating curve verified by the Froude scale when incorporated into the laboratory experiment. The pressure levels recorded were expected, with the lowest pressure from the max flow being -1940. Positive pressures were assigned to fewer discharges than the design discharge, while negative ones were assigned to discharge above the design discharge. A downstream water depth of 2m and a stilling basin length of 16m were obtained. Calculations proved that the stilling basin had to be raised by 0.603m to achieve the desired 2m water tail; hence, it was insufficient to accommodate the hydraulic jump. Therefore, this would not be suitable for real-life application over a long period. If so, the hydraulic jump would lead to a large volume of energy, causing erosion on the riverbed (Debabeche, 2021). Observations showed that the hydraulic jump would move downstream due to the lowering of the tailgate and upstream due to the raisin of the tailgate. The application of chute blocks enabled observation indifference of behavior in the water. They were placed in the basin where a hydraulic jump and dissipated energy were created once the water was crushed into them. This meant that the water could move the hydraulic jump in the basin. Such movement creates pressure that favors the working of the spillway system and the stilling basin in a manner that prevents flooding. Applications of these methods in real-life situations are likely to be costly; therefore, careful considerations must be made. Conclusion As proved from the design calculations, the Stilling basin had to be 16m in length. This length takes into consideration the hydraulic jump during the design discharge. Measurement of the stilling basin proved it to be around 1m reflecting a prototype model of 20m having the tailwater of 2m in depth. Results from the model test show that the stilling basin and the spillway design will perform effectively. The measured pressure head proved that the spillway was well designed since it did not exert pressure on the spillway. Model testing assured the theory of the design of the stilling basin due to the incorporation of the hydraulic jump. Incorporation of the chute blocks and hydraulic jump into the design is likely to involve a lot of additional costs. The engineer should know which method to use to save on costs while maintaining efficiency at the same time. Scaled models are used during the design of spillways to predict the kind of conditions to be implemented to be effective. Hydraulic engineers continue to implement this strategy, saving them time while maintaining efficiency. The designs and the results should be cross-checked and proved to be correct as the results of the opposite may be hazardous. Necessary changes ought to be made on the designs before the commencement of construction activities. Knowing the test results gives the go-ahead for work to begin through building the actual structures. References Cath, T. Y., Hering, A. S., Holloway, R W., Newhart, K. B. (2019). Data-driven performance analyses of wastewater treatment plans: A review. Water Research 157, 498-513. Debabeche, M., Hafanaoui, M. A. (2021). Numerical modeling of the hydraulic jump location using 2D Iber software. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment 7(3), 1939-1946. Gayar, A. E. (2020). Impact assessment on water harvesting and valley dams. Int. J. Agric. Inven 5, 266-282. Mojtahedi, A., Soori, N., Mohammadian, M. (2020). Energy dissipation evaluation for stepped spillway using a fuzzy inference system . SN Applied Sciences 2(8), 1-13. Wildenberg, S. D., Valance, A., Roche, O. (2021). Experimental assessment of the effective friction at the base of granular chute flows on a smooth incline. Physical Review E 103(4), 042905.

ESSAY: A Supporting Human Resource Plan for an Organizational Strategy Essay The organizational strategy involves the expansion of healthcare institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike the typical medical services in the field, the institutions would comprise medical records management employees and other statistical professionals. The need for this expansion into the open offices of sub-Sahara Africa can be explained by its rising business and investment opportunities for the particular area through the past decade (Omilola & Sanogo, 2020). High demand for a group of employees to relocate to the chosen destination can then be noted. Considering the political and economic value of each country, it would be best to initially arrange the expansion to the most developed and largest countries of the area. Therefore, the targeted countries include Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Moreover, additional countries and locations can be proposed to ensure adequate healthcare development once the business relocation proves successful. The total number of supported relocating employees for all three countries should not exceed thirty per office to allow maximum productivity and financial coverage. Employees with different levels of experience and expertise will receive varying bonuses and pay changes. However, it is important to establish general policies for all relocating workers. In that way, the move must not compromise the employee’s previous health state and lifestyle (Oyelere & Oyelere, 2021). Commissaries, banking, and currency exchange make up an essential part of the adjustment process and must therefore be provided by the company. The location of the offices would then be close to the leading establishments necessary for domestic purposes. Furthermore, the contrasting climate conditions are to be considered as well, requiring both a medical checkup before the move and setting up urgent-care stations reserved for emergencies. The health of medical professionals and other employees is a particularly principal aspect to plan due to the nature of the business field. The organization should set an assignment length of one year to gain the necessary data while also building the company’s experience. Research has indicated an increasing number of short-term relocations for problem-solving purposes (Pucik et al., 2017). This statistical finding suggested higher productivity and increased work efficiency in the case of one-year assignments. Consequently, families should consider the disadvantages of traveling in favor of the company’s interests. It is possible that some employees would not choose to relocate with their families for a short period for evident reasons; the move may be inconvenient. Moreover, while a one-year-long assignment is officially recommended, additional work months can be added in specific cases. For instance, in the case of the business goals not being reached or a new project appearing. As previously mentioned, the decision to relocate along with one’s family would be reviewed by the employees themselves and financed accordingly by the organization. Depending on the structure of each family, including the number and ages of any children, particular arrangements would be necessary. Before organizing the details, each worker must fill out a form indicating the essential information on their moving family members (if any), including any children and their current level of education. One optimal option for incoming school children involves international schools, which would provide an environment of minimal cultural shock and language barriers. One school for all is recommended to ensure an organized arrangement of the employee’s children in the educational field. Similar to the school grouping, housing the employees would have to be based in its compound of apartments. This decision allows for both safety precautions to be considered and a unified method of financial distribution. Since the planned assignment’s length does not exceed a year, the prospect of the employees selling their housing units is unlikely. Therefore, the suggested plan comprises selecting an apartment block in a safe environment near the school and the workplace. While the organization can compensate for the apartment rent, additional charges, such as water and electricity tariffs, are to be covered by the employees accordingly. The apartments would be similar to each other in terms of furniture and layout, while particular arrangements can be made for larger families. Essentially, communicating the main points and key details of housing plans with the employees before official relocation statements is a vital step to ensure their satisfaction with the level of organization. On the other hand, company managers must be aware of the required conditions to calculate the costs and optimal solutions for the business corporation. Finally, the organizational strategy must follow the company guidelines while guaranteeing minimal employee stress due to the relocation. Indeed, the main objectives of the business plan must be achieved to improve the healthcare field of several sub-Saharan African countries. In that way, the company’s global impact will also increase in direct proportion to the efficiency of its employees. While funding the workers’ main traveling and family expenses, a safe and shared environment can be offered. Ultimately, the one-year assignment length ensures the mentioned goals are reached while demonstrating the organization’s beneficial mobility. References Omilola B., and Sanogo N.A. (2020). Business and investment opportunities in healthcare in Africa. Public Health Open Journal, 5 (1): 11-13. Web. Oyelere, M., and Oyelere T. (2021). Financial and managerial aspects in human resource management: A practical guide . Emerald Publishing Limited . Web. Pucik, V., Evans, P., Björkman, I. and Morris, S. (2017). The global challenge: International human resource management (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: Chicago Business Press.

ESSAY: A Survivor’s Tale: Maus by Spiegelman Essay In his graphic novel, Spiegelman uses a literary device known as anthropomorphism to show the difference between races, including Americans, the Germans, and the Jews. This device makes the severe issue seem simpler to understand, and the readers pay more attention to the ideas expressed by the author. In Maus , Spiegelman portrays the horrors of the holocaust and reminds the readers that the holocaust’s victims and survivors also had their own lives and dreams. The first section to be discussed is Chapter 1 – “The Sheik.” In this section, the main character Artie asks his father Vladek to tell him about his life during the war. Instead of describing the horrors Vladek faced during the holocaust, he prefers to tell his son about his happy and careless life in 1935 (Spiegelman, 1980, pp. 13-23). This desire to recall the good old days proves that the victims of the war prefer to remember the pleasant times. The second section is Chapter 3- “Prisoner of War.” In this part of the novel, Vladek talks about the first events he witnessed as a soldier. Interestingly, Vladek remembers the name of a soldier he killed, and this detail shows that even during the terrible events, one’s brain catches the small and unmeaningful things (Spiegelman, 1980, p. 50). Finally, Vladek says that he was reunited with his family, and this event matters more than what he experienced as a prisoner of war. The third part to analyze is Chapter 5 – “Mouse Holes.” This section shows that, for many mice, war is a series of difficult decisions that must be made in order for them to try to survive (Spiegelman, 1980). Even when parents learn about the death of their children, they need to keep a cold mind so as not to get caught by the cats. To draw a conclusion, one may say that this graphic novel is a unique literary work about World War II. In these comic drawings, Spiegelman managed to portray the horrors of the holocaust and those little but meaningful things that supported the victims and helped some of them to remain hopeful. Despite the fact that the war was full of violence and murders, the author shows the irony of the situation – the Germans are just animals who imagine they are better than others. Reference Spiegelman, A. (1980). Maus: A survivor’s tale . Penguin Books.

ESSAY: A Visit to the Holocaust Museum Houston Essay I visited the Museum on Saturday 12 February this year from 9 am to 5 pm. The Holocaust Museum Houston serves as a monument and strives to teach people about the consequences of cruelty and prejudice, as its motto and tagline “Stop Hate.” “Let’s begin here”(Holocaust Museum Houston, 2022). The museum emphasizes the perils of intolerance, bigotry, and apathy by drawing on the lessons of the Holocaust and other massive genocides. There is fear that if these sins are ever allowed to get out of hand, another mass massacre on a scale much bigger than the Holocaust could occur. “Bearing Witness: A Community Remembers,” a permanent display at the museum, conveys the Holocaust story directly from the source. The exhibition revolves around the lives and encounters of Holocaust survivors who eventually settled in the Houston Area. This museum allows tourists to study the life of the Jews in a chronology like fashion, starting with Pre-War Europe and concluding at the end of World Conflict. Upon entering the show, the management offered an image of Jewish art and society in pre-war Europe. The museum is very young, and it features several intriguing and unusual displays. The museum’s interactive aspect was one of my favorites since it offered depictions of natural occurrences. The museum included several additional sections where one could learn unique parts of African American culture, and a traditional African American dance was among the new things known. I spent much time in the Sports exhibit, which featured mementos from players like Gabby Douglas, Serena Williams, and others and the music exhibit demonstrated the uniqueness of this museum. The Holocaust Museum was the most significant stop, and I learned a lot. It gave everyone present a genuine representation of what transpired during the era of the Holocaust. Apart from being the most sensitive of the visitors to this museum, I gained more information and expertise. Through the drawings, I learned about how the two Holocaust survivors, among other things. It was incredible to hear from those who had been there and witnessed it firsthand. The Holocaust was a period of prejudice against people of many races and beliefs and a terrible time for tens of thousands of people. It felt like back to the 1944 era during World War II while walking around the room looking at all the numerous relics and documents related to the Holocaust. During the way to the rail car, the sorrow of the casualties of this horrible period hit me hard. There was a confined and uneasy atmosphere in the car, with only eight individuals onboard. An instruction stand indicated that the management would put 50 people in there for travels that would last days at a time. The Holocaust Museum was informative, but I hoped to see more stuff. The highlight for me is a full-size train car, which gives you an impression of the dread victims experienced on their journey to a much worse destination. I spent most of the time in the museum reading literature on the walls; that is why I was disappointed. I would expect museums to fill the more tactile element of things in an era where you can obtain information on almost anything with your phone. A tiny model of a detention camp, for example, would help one understand the scale of the organization and how well-planned it was. They did not just walk into a park and begin doing bad things; there was still a lot of preparation involved, which shows these people’s nefarious schemes. Reading about Holocaust is not the same as experiencing it. I realize it is a sensitive issue, and I am delighted the museum exists in its current form, but there may be potential for improvement. After the Holocaust, learning about medicine provided a strong foundation for professional identity construction. As a result, this history can ideally “equip” learners with a moral conscience for maneuvering the destiny of medical practice and its inherent ethical challenges. These challenges include bias, assisted reproduction, allocation of resources, obtaining fully informed consent, end-of-life care, and genome sequencing and technology expansion. Medicine in Holocaust education is essential for raising awareness of the possibility for implicit bias to impact healing connections. Every person should visit the Holocaust Museum Houston as it is fascinating, instructive, and sobering, serving as a necessary reminder of why it is essential to remember the past. The museum is full of relics, text panels, and film reels from the Holocaust to educate students and the general public about the hazards of hatred and bigotry in society. The Holocaust is predominantly central since the entire world watched it develop. Today, individuals commemorate the Holocaust to teach themselves that there is a need and space to do better as global citizens. When students study the Holocaust, confrontations with difficult questions of morality that often do not have clear answers face them. Education about the Holocaust encourages people to consider how they should behave in society. While Holocaust provides vital historical lessons for the present and future, it also puts individual rights and social justice issues at the forefront. Reference Holocaust Museum Houston. (2022). Web.

ESSAY: A Web-Based Information Project Feasibility Analysis Report The creation of a web-based system to store the university’s information on students and their transcripts presents certain risks that need to be addressed in the feasibility report. Using the standard risk evaluation process, it is possible to differentiate the risks into two large groups. These are risks to the continuation and completion of the project and risks to the end product’s performance after the project has been completed. The risks to the continuation and completion of the project are as follows: * Unforeseen delays and time expenditures. It is possible that the project’s implementation will be more complex than anticipated, requiring more time; * Individuals participating in the project might become sick and slow down production; * The available hardware and software may malfunction. The risks for the performance of the end product are as follows: * The product might not be secure enough to be allowed to work with personal student data; * The product would be economically unfeasible to run; * The product would not perform adequately to the university’s requirements. Time-related problems could be identified by comparing the progress made with the timeline developed before starting the project. Functionality and requirements risks can be discovered by matching the product against its requirements for it, as well as through testing during specific project milestones. Potential time constraints and personnel/hardware breakages can be accounted for by allocating more time to the project than initially estimated to allow for replacements to be made. Countering the risks associated with site performance would be more difficult and largely have a reactionary nature, should some of them not be discovered and remedied during the product testing phase.

ESSAY: ABC Company’s Financial Health Essay The computation of the three ratios Return on Assets (RoA) Return on Equity (RoE) Profit Margin The purpose and information conveyed by each ratios The three ratios presented and computed in the previous section represent vital profit generation indicators for a modern commercial organization. The return on assets (RoA) shows how well the company utilizes the entirety of its assets, including the borrowed ones, to generate financial returns. The return on equity is largely similar to this metric, but it does not consider the debt of the company (Gallo, 2016). Finally, the profit margin is one of the most important indicators of financial health, as it draws a direct comparison between sales and profits, showing how much the company actually earns from its operations. ABC Company review on three ratios First of all, the ABC Company’s business model can be deemed successful, as it generates adequate profits. Optimal returns on equity and assets show that the investors can reasonably expect returns on their participation in the company’s financing. The profit margin is also considerable, which means that this aspect of the firm is handled well. The profitability of the company Overall, the ABC Company remains a profitable enterprise that successfully converts its assets into revenues. The profit margin is over 50%, which is commendable, even though the overall turnover is below $1 million. Therefore, the business model on its own functions well, allowing the ABC Company to retain a stable position on the market. However, it may not suffice for the sustained growth in the long-term. ABC Company financial successful While the ABC Company’s financial statement may present positive indicators, it would be unwise to consider the company in isolation. Instead, it appears to interesting to compare the entity’s performance against the industry’s leaders to identify the areas in which it excels or where the improvements are needed. First of all, the return on assets is provided by Rose (2022), indicating that the industry’s average was set at 9.1-9.3% across the past four years. The ABC Company’s figures are considerably higher at the moment with 28.3%, but it is important to note that its absolute cash flows are not on par with the industry’s leaders. Thus, it is possible that the ABC Company’s ratios will become lower as the entity continues to grow. This difference becomes particularly evident when the income levels are compared with the industry’s average figures. As far as net income is concerned, the industry has averaged at $4.7 million in 2020. The ABC Company is far from this level, as its net income is only $77,000, which implies that it still has a long growth phase ahead. Furthermore, the industry’s leaders, such as Williams-Sonoma, have hundreds of millions of sales, whereas the ABC Company only has half-a-million. As the total assets of the company increase, there is no guarantee that its profit margins and returns on investment will remain equally high. Under these circumstances, the emphasis will be on maintaining the profitability of operations above the average level across the industry. References Gallo, A. (2016). A refresher on return on assets and return on equity . Harvard Business Review. Web. Rose, A. (2022). Small specialty retail stores in the US . IBIS. Web.

ESSAY: Abjection and Subjectivity in Toni Morrison’s “Sula” Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Background 3. Concept 4. Plot Analysis 5. Conclusion 6. References Introduction Toni Morrison says in her article “Unspeakable Things Unspoken: The Afro-American Presence in American Literature” that “the trauma of racism is, for the racist and the sufferer, the extreme disintegration of the self, and has usually appeared to me a cause (not a symptom) of insanity” (Morrison, 1988, p. 141). Most of Morrison’s works excel in bringing to light this shattered self via depictions of the “unimaginable.” Individuals who are outcast, abandoned, deserted, or perverted; those who maim themselves, murder people, or commit suicide are shown as ordinary participants of Morrison’s imagined society. Owing to the internal division caused by white, racist culture, these persons inevitably mistreat or harm themselves or others, whether emotionally, physically, or socially abject. Morrison presents individuals in her works who battle with love, marriage, and parenting, all common settings of adversity, as well as racial adversity that is both their inheritance and affliction in white culture. As will be seen in Sula , the latter invariably affects the former’s characteristics. Morrison also demonstrates how, while the abject persona generated by racism is abhorrent, the abject boundaries of humanity are nevertheless essential and, in the end, unavoidable. Sula by Toni Morrison depicts a more nuanced link between abjection and selfhood in which an individual abjected by white Americans is equally subject to a variety of circumstances inside their racial community. Background Toni Morrison started composing Sula more than fifty decades ago. This was a period of intense mobilization among African Americans and many others fighting for civil rights and social equality (Middleton, 2016). The novel explores racism, discrimination, and oppression against African Americans. It illustrates the anguish individuals have when they cannot find respectable work and the resilience of many to live. Case in point, Eva chops her leg to earn money to support her household. The author demonstrates how, when confronted with racist conditions, a number of folks were forced to crawl to whites, as Helene acts on a passenger train to the South. On the contrary, some responded, like Sula demonstrates when she confronts young white lads bullying her and Nel. The work garnered favorable reviews from commentators, who lauded her evocative descriptions, excellent characterization, beautiful style, and succinct, realistic conversations (Thurman, 2021). Accordingly, it remains one of the best books written by the author. Broadly, Sula is set at the start of the 1900s in the tiny Ohio town of Medallion. It follows the narrative of two black friends, Sula and Nel, during their adolescence up to maturity and, ultimately, Sula’s demise. The author based her narrative of obedience and resistance on her small-town, Midwestern youth (Middleton, 2016). Sula may also be understood as a tale about the African-American struggle in the first decades of the twentieth century. Thus, it is not merely a novel that talks about the relationship and competition between Sula and Nel. As the story opens, African Americans in the U. S. are living in terror and squalor. Post-Civil War, Blacks were emancipated from enslavement, but they were still subjected to various types of economic subordination and social discrimination (Middleton, 2016). In reality, African Americans have practically limited legal or political authority, allowing racist whites to exploit and rule them irresponsibly. According to Middleton (2016), the goal was that African Americans would acquire political freedom by participating in World War I, but this proved to be mainly false. Despite the black community’s devotion to the U.S. throughout the war, Woodrow Wilson’s administration showed little interest in extending additional legal and political safeguards. Morrison refers to the ungrateful contribution of African-Americans during World War I through the figure of Shadrack—a youthful, muscular African American who battles in Europe and comes home a shattered man. Lastly, Morrison’s work refers to the African American community’s economic background in America. In the 1930s and 1940s, blacks obtained certain legal rights, mainly due to establishing their enterprises and increasing their income (Middleton, 2016). Two to three decades later, the book concludes that there were an increasing number of affluent black households, but most African Americans continued to face severe discrimination in the U.S. Although blacks had additional income and privileges than in previous years, they remained generally relegated to impoverished, segregated areas isolated from whites. Concept Body theories are especially relevant for feminists since the body has traditionally been connected with the feminine. Typically, women or females have been disparaged as feeble, immoral, dirty, or decomposing. Kristeva hypothesized the relationship between body and mind, nature and culture, soma and psyche, and matter and representation in her literature throughout her active writing. She claimed that representation both discharges physical urges and that the rationality of meaning is actively functioning in the material body (Kristeva, 2017). Kristeva creates a concept of abjection in “Powers of Horror” that has proven valuable in identifying domination mechanisms. She defines abjection as a psychological activity in which subjective and collective identities are formed by rejecting everything that threatens one’s own (or company’s) boundaries (Kristeva, 2017). The primary danger to the developing subject is their reliance on the mother body. As a result, abjection is inextricably linked to the caregiving role. The corpse, which horrifically reminds humans of their physicality, perfectly illustrates what produces such a response. Nevertheless, other objects may evoke a comparable reaction, including exposed wounds, feces, filth, and many more. Kristeva expressly ties the abject with the emergence of the real into human life. She equates this kind of reaction with the human rejection of death’s relentless physicality (Kristeva, 2017). Human reaction to these abject things re-energizes what is fundamentally a pre-linguistic reaction. Kristeva is cautious to distinguish awareness of death or its purpose (which may coexist inside the symbolic order) from the horrific sensation of being faced with the actuality that gruesomely displays one’s mortality. Kristeva chose to publish on the forgotten, concerning what people do not wish to see, smell, or experience. She distinguishes the object and the abject, which seems related to the Freudian mechanism or method of inhibition, denial, and denunciation inherent in the creation of the human individual (Kristeva, 2017). Thus, the abject is an individual’s history or hidden awareness. Abjection is a by-product of the oldest and most forgotten fight to free oneself from the maternal parent, who is unwilling to acknowledge the symbolic domain. However, symbolism alone is insufficient to establish the divide. To remove the infant from the mother, the latter must be rejected: “The abject would therefore become the target of primordial repression” (Alexander, 2019, p.21). The mother is rejected via hygiene routines, toilet instruction, and dietary behavior, among other things. Even if the mother feels alienated from her own body as a result of these harrowing experiences, it is still possible to reconcile with it. Overtly, abjection in literature is a feeling that an author might evoke using imagery or the personalities of their protagonists. This feeling leads to a disconnect between the body and self, which ultimately destroys. This is shown in Sula through characters such as Sula, Eve, and Nel. Plot Analysis Morrison’s Sula concerns Nel Wright and Sula Peace’s friendship, as well as how the black neighborhood of Medallion, Ohio, dreads the eccentric and unmarried Sula. Nel and Sula were bred in rather contrasting families. Nel’s is clean, well-organized, and hygienic. When Helene, Nel’s mother, embraces a subservient, endearing demeanor toward a white train conductor, the occasion is introduced as meaningful in Nel’s personality creation: “An eagerness to please and an apology for living met in (Helene’s) voice… Like a street pup wagging its tail at the very doorjamb of the butcher shop he had been kicked away from only moments before, Helene smiled” (Morrison, 1998, p. 20). Nel learns to secretly detest her own blackness from her mother. The message is delivered publicly and privately, with Helene reprimanding her daughter at home, stating, “Honey, do not simply sit there. You can pull your nose “to make it slimmer (Morrison, 1998, p. 28). Notwithstanding these negative sentiments, Nel looks in the mirror following their train ride south and experiences a deeper awareness of herself: “She got out of bed and turned on the lamp to check herself in the mirror. Her face was there, with her plain brown eyes, three braids, and the nose her mother despised. She watched for a long time before a shudder passed through her. ‘I am myself,’ she said quietly. ‘Me,’… Every time she used the word “myself,” she felt a surge of power, delight, and dread “(Morrison, 1998, p. 28). There is a more negative component to this situation in that the odd interaction between the black population and an encroaching white culture distorts and complicates the behavior of individuals inside the black community. Nel’s ‘me-ness’ emerges immediately after witnessing her mother’s experience as a black woman in a predominantly white culture (Morrison, 1998, p. 43). Nonetheless, Nel develops a feeling of self-identity that Sula can never comprehend. Sula resides in an awkwardly designed home with her mother and grandmother, Eva, as well as other renters Eva has welcomed. It is a tumultuous home where affection is there yet scarce. Eva’s personal losses and challenges forced her into a preservation mindset years ago, which she appears to be perpetuating. When her partner abandoned her to rear two kids by herself, she went missing for a time and reappeared with just one leg; speculations circulated that she “put it beneath a train and had their pay off” or “offered it to a clinic for $10,000” (Morrison, 1998, p. 31 ). Whichever the case, it appears that Eva turned to mutilate her body as a final resource to provide for her household. When Hannah ponders over her childhood and confronts Eva if she truly adores her, Eva reacts angrily: “You settin’ here with your healthy-ass self and ax me did I love you? The big old eyes in your head would a been two holes full of maggots if I hadn’t” (Morrison, 1998, p. 68) With Morrison’s writing, Eva’s angry reaction is Something most parents would understand. These moms and dads, trying their best to live in a polity that considers them as inferior people or worse, strive to satisfy the physical requirements of their kids, sometimes lacking the time, strength, or internal fortitude to address emotional and psychological demands. Eva’s parental toughness is additionally emphasized when readers discover that she set Plum, who apparently is her son, ablaze. After he returned from World War I, addicted to drugs, she had frequent dreams that he wanted to crawl back into her womb and be a child once more. Eva feels compelled to act because she is fairly confident that Plum will keep living the life of a baby and refuse to embrace the responsibilities of a grownup. Hannah is shocked to learn that her mother killed her brother. However, Eva conveys the details clearly in a strange, somewhat disengaged style that reveals her mental divide: “When Eva finally spoke, she did it in two voices. It seemed as if two people were speaking at the same moment, one a fraction of a second after the other “(Morrison, 1998, p. 71). Eva’s absentee caregiving is blamed for Hannah’s sexual practices with men: she frequently has sex with anybody who is willing. Her mother’s anguish is transferred to Sula after she eavesdrops on her informing an acquaintance: “I adore Sula. I simply do not like her “(Morrison, 1998, p. 57). Sula is caught standing on the terrace, witnessing her mother being wasted by roaring flames, and does nothing to extinguish the flames. Conversely, when Hannah starts burning herself, Eva leaps out a window to rescue her. Sula’s apparent apathy despite witnessing Hannah hurt reflects the absence of affection she had from her mother. At some point, it appears that the death of the mother compromises the individual’s sense of identity. On the contrary, the mother is an individual who recognizes the kid, not just an object that the kid can see. Therefore, it can be argued that the awareness of oneself as an individual beneath the caring watch of the mother is a vital element in the formation of the self. Sula becomes an individual with shattered subjectivity as a result of not receiving this attention as a child, and his apathetic behaviors cause greater suffering to society. Sula slashes off the tip of her left forefinger when boys harass Nel as she walks home from school to send a message that she is a volatile character that should be avoided. Sula, by mimicking Eva’s cutting off her own limb, demonstrates a disconnected attachment to her own body, particularly as a toddler. Nevertheless, the girls connect in other aspects, such as through reciprocity: “Because they would realized years earlier that they were not white or male, and that all liberty and success were out of bounds for them, they would go about developing Something else to be. Their encounter was good since it allowed them to learn from one another. Daughters of distant moms and unfathomable dads… they found the companionship they sought in each other’s gaze” (Morrison, 1998, p. 52). In a neighborhood where black lads are abusers and black girls have no value, Nel and Sula act as mothers to one another. They practically assist one another in burying the abject in one moment when playing outside. Upon digging a pit with twigs, they start throwing junk into it: “Each then searched about for more detritus to toss into the pit: paper, shards of glass, and cigarettes butts, until all of the minor defiling items they could locate were piled there” (Morrison, 1998, p. 59). This scenario, in which they bury “little defiling items,” acts as a simulation of abjection and reinforces the positive self-modeling they see in one another’s eyes. The girls’ profound mutuality exemplifies the battle that shapes humans, the mimesis through which one becomes identical to another to become oneself. However, their connection develops to the extent that “their relationship was so deep that they had trouble separating one another’s thoughts” (Morrison, 1998, p. 83). The eventual absence of limits between Sula and Nel exemplifies the precarious nature of each girl’s definition of self and predicts their impending suffering. Gradually, adulthood, predictably, alters their bond, which, one way or another, was inescapable. Nel’s background in a rural household equips her for a conventional marriage. The psychological dynamics of her marriage to Jude are foreshadowed when the narrator says, “The two of them together would make one Jude…. Jude could see himself taking shape in her eyes” (83). The psychological aspects of her engagement to Jude are hinted at when the author adds, “The two of them together would become one Jude…. Jude could feel himself taking shape in her eyes” (83). Nel partly compromises the self-identity Sula aided her to gain by embracing sexist norms regarding how a female’s subjectivity should become subordinate to her spouse. Conversely, Sula departs town for ten years before returning “Accompanied by a robin plague. Residents in Medallion “could not move around without stepping in (the robins’) pearly feces, and it was impossible to hang laundry, pick weeds, or simply relax on the main yard whilst robins were hovering and dying everywhere around you” (Morrison, 1998, p. 89). Sula’s return is therefore linked to the abject subject of bird feces and death, forecasting the devastation she would wreak on her neighborhood, especially her closest friend. When Eva voices fear that Sula, at thirty, is still unmarried, Sula’s response demonstrates her defiance of the convention: “I do not wish to create anybody else. I would want to create myself.” Eva reminds her that this is “selfish. No woman has any business wandering about without a man” (Morrison, 1998, p. 92). Sula, like her mother, wants to spend limited time with different men. Sula’s conduct progressively exemplifies the abject’s definition as a boundary-pushing force. Thus, the abject is twisted in that it neither abandons nor embraces a taboo, a norm, or a law; rather, it ignores, misleads, and debases them. Likewise, it employs and exploits them in order to reject them. In other words, it appears to alleviate the pain of everyone else for its own gain. Sula exemplifies the above perfectly when she has an affair with Jude, the husband of Nel, and finds nothing wrong with her act. Sula is distraught when Jude breaks up with Nel, and his life crumbles, making her feel like a regular wife. Losing Jude triggers a major identity crisis for Nel and creates a distortion of the comfortable conditioned self. When she loses him, she goes through a period of intense mourning that threatens to rip her sense of self apart. While seated on the shower floor, Nel works through her despair by imagining a sequence of areas where life meets the abject: “If I could guarantee that I could stay in this small white room with dirty tile and gurgling water in the pipes and my head on the cool rim of this bathtub without ever having to leave, I would be content. If I could guarantee that I would never have to get up to flush the toilet, enter the kitchen, see my children grow and die, or see my food eaten on my plate…” (Morrison, 1998, p. 108). After Nel regains her composure and resumes her daily routine, she is left with “nothing but a flake of something dry and horrible in her throat” (Morrison, 1998, p. 108). Nonetheless, she becomes aware that Something is following her everywhere she goes: “Something was just to her right, in the air, just out of sight. She could not see it, yet she was well aware of its appearance. A greyish ball hovers nearby. Simply there. To the left. Quiet, dingy, and filthy. A ball of muddy threads that is devoid of weight, fluffy yet malevolent in its malice “(Morrison, 1998, p. 109). While Nel is frightened that the thing continues to float close to her, she is simultaneously desperate to avoid acknowledging or looking at it, fearful of what it could do to her: “It just hovered there for her to see if she so desired, and 0 my God for her to touch if she so desired. But she never wanted to see it because if she did, who knew what she would do if she stretched out her hand and stroked it? Almost certainly die, but no terrible than that “(Morrison, 1998, p. 110). The author appears to portray a physical picture of the abject that is unrelated to race—the alluring but terrifying mass of deformity and feeling that should be suppressed for fear of undoing the self. Morrison portrays a protagonist whose behaviors are, at times, impossible to justify in the role of Sula. The storyteller further adds that Sula had “no need to satisfy anybody, save those whose pleasure delighted her” (Morrison, 1998, p. 118). Hearing her mother express dissatisfaction with her “educated (Sula) that there was no one else to rely on,” and having “no ego… she felt no urge to prove herself—be consistent with herself” (Morrison, 1998, p. 119). Sula is paradoxically selfish and unable to connect to people reliably because she lacks a solid bond with herself. She forces the non-disabled Eva into a care facility against her will and inflicts the harshest wounds conceivable on Nel, her sole true acquaintance. Currently hated by her society due to her unusual attire and demeanor, she is additionally condemned for her handling of Eva and Nel by the residents of Medallion. Sula seems traumatized when she discovers how deeply she has wounded Nel during their confrontation: “She had clung to Nel as the closest thing to both an other and a self, only to find that she and Nel were not one and the same” (Morrison, 1998, p. 119). The inference is that Sula believed she and Nel were identical. Consequently, she may have believed that while Jude belonged to Nel, he also belonged to her. Even as an adult, she does not seem to have attained selfhood. That is, the ability to feel independent indicates a genuine recognition of one’s uniqueness in relation to others. Regardless of how strongly she is dedicated to other people’s pleasure or pain, they are not her, and she is not them. Soon after Nel’s visitation, Sula dies from an apparent medication overdose, lying isolated in the fetal posture on Eva’s bed. Here, Sula and Eva are portrayed as having striking parallels. They employ drastic steps such as slicing pieces of themselves to send a message that they will live and stay as intact as possible. Interestingly, the two ladies endure their last years isolated and dismembered, separated from each other and the family ties they have. Sula undoubtedly exhibits fragile subjectivity, both in her interactions with her neighborhood and family and friends and in her immature conception of the self’s connection to others. The narrative references adversaries such as good versus evil, virgin versus prostitute, and oneself versus others, yet progresses above them, rejecting the deceptive choices implied and dictated by these rivalries. This concept is shown by how Sula’s personality remains inextricably tied to Nel’s long after the story concludes. During Nel’s visit to Eva in the care facility, the elderly lady replies, “You are the one. Sula. “What is the difference?” and “Exactly the same.” You two, together. There was never any distinction between you” (Morrison, 1998, p. 169). These remarks seem absurd when they are juxtaposed with the storylines of every figure. Possibly Morrison is challenging the customary permanence of selfhood, implying the force of shared identity that emerges from a relationship like Nel’s and Sula’s. What occurs to the two acquaintances is analogous to the disorientation that follows when someone’s conscious and unconscious identities get separated. Sula’s passing forces Nel to confront the fact that she has destroyed a significant part of her identity in her relentless pursuit of traditional acceptability. To reclaim her individuality as a complete human, she must resurrect that buried component. At the novel’s conclusion, Nel’s heartbreaking lament for her deceased companion is thus a metaphorical lament for that lost aspect of identity. Sula is not a factual representation of femininity; she investigates a facet of the female consciousness or self that is frequently concealed from exposure due to the fear and difficulty in dealing with it. This evocation of dread and the notion that Something is overly “frightening” to cope with is a concept of abject terror, as is the abject’s relationship with the feminine’s conventionally understood evil nature. The community’s contempt for Sula reaffirms its character as just, appropriate, and, most crucially, apart from her. Upon Sula’s return to town after a lengthy sabbatical, the danger she poses inspires individuals in her immediate vicinity to deepen their bonds momentarily: “Once they recognized the root of their tragedy, they were free to defend and love each other. They began to value their spouses and wives, to safeguard their children, to restore their houses, and to band together in common against the demon in their midst “(Morrison, 1998, p. 118). In comparison, upon Sula’s demise, “Mothers who had protected their children against Sula’s malice… now faced nothing. The animosity had dissipated, as had the motivation for their efforts. Without her sarcasm, their compassion for others deteriorated… They reverted to a simmering hatred of the constraints of old age. Wives uncoddled their husbands; it appeared as though there was no more need to bolster their ego” (Morrison, 1998, p. 154). Sula embodies the abject power and menace, undermining society’s morality and bounds via her anarchy and unfettered selfishness. Paradoxically, despite her rejection, her existence assists others in becoming more unified in their connections with one another via their antagonism to her. Morrison also indicates in this way that a knowledge of the abject increases the society’s relationship bonds. Perfect for her association with abjection, Sula continues to be an unsettlingly ambiguous figure throughout the work, one that audiences can either despise or empathize with, condemn fiercely or adore. Conclusion Sula is a book of incisive and colorful writing presented with a skill that educates while keeping the book going, notwithstanding the absence of a straightforward storyline. Morrison is thrifty with her historical tales, which keeps the plot moving forward. Likewise, she does not refrain from forbidden subjects like sexuality, mortality, and self-mutilation, which can unnerve some readers, but is reflected by Sula’s society and their response to her disregard for their norms. Toni Morrison’s book is a fascinating remembrance of her evocative, renowned voice. She describes growing up in a tiny, impoverished black community in Ohio, where Neal and Sula become great friends. Sula focuses on powerful female narratives, particularly those who are weighed down by or overpowered by society’s standards. Morrison’s vocabulary and anecdotes effectively explain how long-term solutions to societal difficulties such as injustice and racism are required due to their damaging effects on people’s self-awareness. References Alexander, L. (2019). Fatal attractions, abjection, and the self in literature from the restoration to the romantics . Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Kristeva, J. (2017). Powers of horror: An essay on abjection . Kbh: Nota. Middleton, D. L. (2016). Toni Morrison’s fiction: Contemporary criticism . Routledge. Morrison, T. (1988). Unspeakable things unspoken: The Afro-American presence in American literature. Michigan Quarterly Review, 28 (1), 124-161. Web. Morrison, T. (1998). Sula . London: Vintage. Thurman, D. (2021). Sula’s compromise: Toni Morrison and the editorial politics of sensitivity. MELUS , 46 (2), 1-23. Web.

ESSAY: Abstract Sculptures: Brancusi, Hepworth, Moore, Catlett Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Constantin Brancusi 2. Barbara Hepworth 3. Henry Moore 4. Elizabeth Catlett 5. References Constantin Brancusi Constantin Brancusi was an artist who was born in February 1876 in Romania (Miller, 2010). When it comes to his early experience with carving, as a child he exhibited a special talent for carving wooden farm tools. Later, his talent led him to study art in Paris, Bucharest, and Munich. Soon after, the artist developed his own techniques of sculpting and became one of the famous sculptors of his time. As for Brancusi’s way of working, the artist mainly used abstract shapes and sculpted them using his special technique, direct carving, a process distinguished by working with the material. This approach was quite different from the conventional method of creating a model or a draft first, which was frequently used by his peers (Miller, 2010). The sculptor’s desire to produce non-representational artworks was an audacious style choice. Moreover, unlike other artists of his time and of the past, Brancusi did not rely on casts. The sculptor worked with each piece with the help of his own hands and instruments (Miller, 2010). Brancusi is well-known for pushing his art to the limit of abstraction, creating a novel, simpler language that invokes real people, realities, and objects, which is the reason he was called the father of modern sculpture. Figure 1. The Prayer. Barbara Hepworth Barbara Hepworth was an artist of British descent who was born in England in January 1903 and died in Cornwall in May 1975 (McKiernan, 2015). Hepworth is known as one of the first sculptors to introduce abstract sculpture to England. As for the motifs of her works, the most notable is the mother-child bond that appears quite frequently amongst her artpieces. What is more, these pieces relate directly to her experiences and feelings at the time. The art piece of Hepworth’s Mother and Child can serve as a perfect example. The sculpture was created in 1927, just a few months before giving birth to her firstborn (McKiernan, 2015). This piece from Hepworth’s collection represents the feeling of unity and love between a mother and her child in a realistic fashion. The two hugging people represent a feeling of serenity and an unbreakable union. Hepworth initially started to put holes in her sculptures in the 1930s, when the artist created a rose-colored alabaster Pierced Form (McKiernan, 2015). Such a technique later became an important part of most of the creator’s further works. It symbolized both release from realism as well as the freedom of opinion afforded by imagination. Hepworth used a technique usually referred to as “direct carving,” wherein the original form develops the final shape, instead of producing preliminary models to develop complex designs. Figure 2. Mother and Child. Henry Moore Henry Moore was born in Castleford, England on July 30, 1898, and died in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire on August 31, 1986 (Moore, 2002). Moore was an artist who possessed a talent for naturally structured, abstract metal and stone sculpturing. His works represent the greatest embodiment of the humanist school. As for the main inspiration of the artist, various cultures influenced his works. In the 1920s, the sculptor visited the British Museum, where art works from Mexico, Ancient Egypt, and Africa impressed the man (Moore, 2002). For example, his sculpture, King and Queen, shows a striking resemblance to the limestone statue of a husband and wife from Egypt. The reclining pose is a recurring theme in Henry Moore’s work. The first sculpture of such a theme was the reclining figure from 1924, and it later became the recurring subject (Moore, 2002). The sculptures mostly depict reclining women who rest on their elbows and have their legs bent. As for the influence that led to such works, the Yorkshire countryside served as an inspiration. As Moore put it, giving a clear title to any piece of art “takes away part of […] mystery”. It is quite understandable since every art work must require an individual to ponder about its true meaning and each person might find the perfect answers. If the author gives an explicit title, they reveal the whole idea. Thus, the title must captivate the viewer and attract their attention. In this situation, while in representational art the title serves merely as a fact of what is in the picture, the titles of abstract works might serve as food for thought for viewers. Figure 3. Two Forms. Elizabeth Catlett Elizabeth Catlett was an American artist who was born in April 1915 in Washington, D.C., and died in April 2012 in Mexico (Ball et al., 2020). Catlett was a Mexican-American sculptor known for her work that illuminated sociopolitical issues in the community. The story of the artist is rife with unjust experiences, such as rejection from the university. The admissions committee from Carnegie Mellon rejected Catlett when they learned of the woman’s race (Ball et al., 2020). Due to the artist’s devotion to the devastating experiences and challenges of the African American community, Catlett’s art can be defined as pertinent to social realism. The sculptor claims that the primary goal of her work is to transmit moral lessons instead of sheer brilliance. Catlett’s themes varied from sensitive parental depictions to belligerent Black Power icons. Among her works can be found sculptures of Martin Luther King Jr. (Ball et al., 2020). Catlett’s works can be defined as similar to those sculptors examined before. Like previous artists, Catlett combines abstract and representational elements, inspired by the Modernist school. However, there are specific distinctions when it comes to the artwork of this sculptor. The woman pays a lot of attention to social and political problems, whereas the rest of the sculptors try to represent different feelings. Figure 4. Mother and a Child. References Ball, E. L., Seijas, T., & Snyder, T. L. (Eds.). (2020). As if she were free: A collective biography of women and emancipation in the Americas. Cambridge University Press . McKiernan, M. (2015). Dame Barbara Hepworth, Prelude II 1948. Occupational Medicine , 65 (3), 180-181. Miller, S. (2010). Constantin Brancusi . Reaktion Books. Moore, H. (2002). Henry Moore: Writings and conversations . University of California Press.

ESSAY: Abuse Cases in the “For Colored Girls” Film Essay The film that was watched in order to note a number of cases of violence or abuse is For colored girls . The type of abuse that will be taken from the movie refers to rape. In particular, it is the situation around Tangie, who was raped by her grandfather (Perry, 2010). Below, the assessments, implementation, and education within the scope of a care plan will be provided. Initially, it will be essential to evaluate Tangie’s mental state, which can be done after a series of conversations. The latter ones should be conducted with Tangie and her closest people who can shed light on the situation. It is expected that the ones involved will share several details on how the mentioned type of abuse took place, as well as what Tangie is likely to feel now. After this information is obtained, the care plan is to be developed and implemented. The first stage will imply regular conversations with Tangie that will cover the themes of her feelings and view of the tragedy. Then, it will be important to enroll her in a group of those who have been raped that she will attend on a weekly basis. Tangie should feel support around her so that she could abandon the sense of loneliness. This might diminish the possibility of constant depression and avert some severe mental traumas. Throughout the whole care plan, it will also be crucial to educate Tangie on how to deal with the stress resulting from the rape. During the mentioned plan, she will be provided with the recognized literature in the field. The most important points will be discussed with me and in the group. It seems critical to surround her with an environment in which people will hear and listen to her. Reference Perry, Y. (2010). For colored girls . [Film]. 34 th Street Films.

ESSAY: Abuse of Power in “Iliad” and “Metamorphoses” Essay Portraying the lives of gods and depicting relationships between them, as well as their interactions with humans, both “Iliad” and “Metamorphosis” elaborate on the theme of power abuse by those at the helm. In “Iliad,” Agamemnon has to face retribution due to his constant abuse of power: “be ready, that I be not left,/Alone of all the Greeks, without my prize” (Homer, 762 B. C.). Likewise, in “Metamorphosis,” various deities display complete disrespect for those of lesser power: “What had escaped the waves, now feared the flame” (Ovid, 8 B.C.). However, unlike the “Iliad,” “Metamorphosis” rarely demonstrates the comeuppance that deities have to face for their negligence of mortals’ needs (Homer, 762 B. C.; Ovid, 8 B. C.). Therefore, while thematically similar, “Iliad” and “Metamorphosis” represent slightly different perspectives on the problem o power abuse. The theme of mortals’ protection, which is central both to “Iliad” and “Metamorphosis,” remains essential nowadays as well. Namely, a range of contemporary leaders appear to have tremendous amounts of power due to their political influence, their economic one, or a combination of both (Homer, 762 B. C.; Ovid, 8 B. C.). For instance, the disregard for human rights in countries such as China, where leaders attain the status of god-like creatures, can be seen as similar to the one in the “Iliad” and “Metamorphosis.” However, what makes “Metamorphosis” slightly less effective in this regard is the comedic manner in which it portrays the abuse of mortals. In turn, “Iliad,” being a more serious work, produces a much greater impact by condemning the violence of omnipotent gods toward humans, which is more in line with the current concept of power abuse. Nevertheless, both the “Iliad” and “Metamorphosis” carry an important message and a deep meaning. Providing an insight into power dynamics within Ancient Greek society, they also help recognize similar patterns in the modern community. References Homer. (762 B. C.). The Iliad (W. C. Bryant, Trans.). Standard eBooks. Web. Ovid. (8 B. C.). The Metamorphoses (B. Moore, Trans.). Theoi.com. Web.

ESSAY: Accounting: Adjustment of Figures in a Firm’s Books Report Abstract This report starts with stating and discussing the stakeholders in the given case study, the shareholders, Management, and employees, to mention a few. It will also focus on the directions given to Zoe, who is in charge of the organization’s accounting books, to adjust some entries in the book. This report states that those actions by Zoe are not only unethical but also illegal. It further proceeds to point out scenarios where the adjustment of figures in the accounting books can be ethical and legal. The conclusion of this report points out who can quickly discover the adjustment on the accounting books, which is the organization’s auditor. Information Systems Report A stakeholder is a person in a business entity or an organization who has an interest in the proceeding of the organization. Stakeholders are directly or indirectly involved in the organization, either running or benefiting from its activities. In the given case study, the stakeholders are the organization’s shareholders, who are the people who have invested their money in the organization and stand to benefit from the organization in terms of dividends due to the sales made by the organization in a year. In our case study, the shareholders will be affected by a decision to change the organization’s profitability since the change directly affects the company’s stock prices. A drop or a rise in stock prices will affect the shareholders directly as their dividends will rise or fall, respectively. The Management of the organization in our case study is also a part of the stakeholders as they are involved in the decision-making of matters concerning the day-to-day running of the organization. The Management also makes account-related decisions which include adjustments in the accounting books. Finally, secondary stakeholders in the organization are the employees; their daily work enables the company to run smoothly and achieve its goals and expectations. The vendors in this organization are parties in the supply chain that avail goods and services to the final consumers and companies. A vendor is a person or organization that makes the goods available to the consumers and not necessarily the manufacturer. The last category of stakeholders is the lenders. They are individuals or groups, both public and private, who makes funds available to persons or business with the sole expectation that the money will be repaid with interest hence making a profit through it. In our case study, the president requests Zoe Baas, the controller of the company accounting books, to accrue every possible revenue. To forego as many expenses as possible and preserve the current year’s revenues so that the following year can easily absorb the costs foregone in the current year. In this scenario, the presidents’ requests go against prudent accounting policies. They can be seen as an attempt by the Management to window dress by manipulating the organization’s accounting books entry and posting better profit numbers than the actual ones (Weygandt et al., 2018). Concerning accounting policies, this action is unethical, as well as the acts by Zoe to date the entries in the accounting books to December 31 of the previous year instead of January 17. These actions are done to adjust the organization’s accounting figures, which inflates its revenue by illegally accruing some of its revenues and deflating its expenses by wrongly delaying some costs. These are wrong, unethical, and illegal since they do not follow the rules and policies of accounting. One of the questions that arise in our case study is whether Zoe is still ethical by deferring the company’s expenses and accruing the company’s revenues. These actions can only be ethical if they are done as provided in the accounting provisions and the GAAP and IFRS framework (Weygandt et al., 2018). Any accruing of the organization’s revenue and differing expenses done in any other way without following the rules will be illegal. An example is when sales have been done and have not been recorded using the standard method of invoicing paperwork, as accrued sales are legal (Weygandt et al., 2018). Another example of an unethical case is when a customer pays for goods in advance and will be shipped the following year, recording such sales as accrued. Another issue from the case study where the manager asks Zoe to defer expenses and accrue revenues is that those actions can be illegal. In this case study, Zoe can still be legal if the deferring of the company’s costs and accruing of the company’s revenues are done as provided in the accounting policies and following the GAAP and IFRS framework. It is also legal only when Zoe does not violate federal and IRS regulations (Weygandt et al., 2018). In any case, if those adjustments in the accounting books violate these regulations, they will be illegal. In our case study, the adjustments the manager instructed Zoe to make in the accounting books do not follow these regulations; hence they will be unlawful. The concluding issue of concern from this case study is who can quickly discover Zoe’s actions of accruing its revenues and deferring some of its expenses. The auditor of the company is responsible for checking its accounting books. In his job, the auditor can quickly discover the adjustments made in the accounting books by Zoe. One way of ensuring that these actions do not happen in the organization is by making regular audits by the auditor to ensure that the accounting books are in order. Auditing will force the employees and the Management to follow accounting rules, thereby running the organization ethically and legally. More information about accounting information systems can be found in the reference book below. Reference Weygandt, J. J., Kimmel, P. D., & Kieso, D. E. (2018). Financial Accounting with International Financial Reporting Standards . John Wiley & Sons. Web.

ESSAY: Accounting Basics and How to Remember Them Essay The rhythmic accounting rap song Debit Credit Theory by Colin Dodds (n.d.) is an excellent way to remember that debit’s location is the left side of the account, and credit’s location is the right one. This unusual song also explains the meaning of these two terms. This fun but an educational source has enabled me to remember the material and not get confused in the concepts. A link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j71Kmxv7smk The mnemonic offered by Heather McNellis (2020) also contributes to better understanding and remembering the essence of debit and credit and the account balances. The DEAL/CLIP mnemonic contains the explanation of debit’s and credit’s parts. Due to this engaging technic, it is pretty easy to understand that while debit includes Drawings, Expenses, Assets, and Losses, credit consists of Capital, Liabilities, Income, as well as Profits. A link: https://www.icas.com/students/learning-blog/test-of-competence/financial-accounting-whats-the-dealclip-with-debits-and-credits I have chosen these two sources since they make it easy to remember accounting basics. They are pretty bright, fun, and engaging: due to the song chorus, it is impossible to forget where debit and credit are located, and mnemonics help remember all their constituents. I think other students will also like them since they are suitable for people with different types of information perception. How Would You Define Ethics? Ethics is a set of norms of behavior adopted in society or any social group. What are Three Factors that Might Affect Good Ethical Conduct? The factors influencing ethical conduct are divided into three levels: individual, involving the personal values, social, or organizational, including norms of the organization, and opportunity ones that are situations requiring ethical or unethical decisions. An Explanation of Why the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Was Created The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was created to make it impossible for managers and accountants to misuse funds. It resulted from high-profile scandals with corporate reporting, due to which investors began to doubt the reliability of the data provided by companies. This Act also relates to ethics since it contains the set of norms and principles of fair leading a business. What Are the Legal Liabilities of an Accountant? The accountant is responsible for maintaining all financial calculations of the company, as well as the reliability of data, and they are liable for misstatements and mistakes made by them. However, the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles claim the employee is not responsible for misstatements if they work in good faith. References McNellis, H. (2020). Financial accounting: What’s the DEAL/CLIP with debits and credits? ICAS. Web. Mr. Colin Dodds. (n.d.). Debit credit theory: Accounting rap song [Video]. YouTube. Web.

ESSAY: Accounting: Purposes and Principles Essay When it comes to the definition of accounting, it is often described as identification, measurement and consequent communication of economic information that enables its users to make knowledgeable decisions. This information concerns finances and, therefore, is presented in monetary terms. Thus, according to Learn Basic Accounting Easy (2014), accounting is a process used to provide financial data on the activities of profit-seeking businesses and non-profit organizations. For instance, bank officials can review a company’s financial records to assess its ability to redeem a loan. Potential investors might want to compare the accounting data of a handful of companies to determine which one suggests the best investment. Additionally, business owners use this information to create budgets for their organizations. Basic accounting principles can teach one the so-called ‘language of business’ – that is, concepts and terms which have been adopted and are widely used in the business world. If one understands the guidelines of accounting information being prepared, it puts them in an advantageous position when facing a situation of making an important decision. Moreover, there are peculiarities in presenting such data too: as per AccountingWITT (2010), among those who might want to hear the story of a business are internal users, external users, and the government. Even though the data presented to all these parties is the same, one is to use different approaches when delivering it to each of them. Managerial accounting is the language with which information is to be conveyed to internal users, whereas for external ones, financial accounting is the appropriate way; with the government, one is to resort to tax accounting. Understanding that makes one a more competent manager and makes it easier to work with them. It is evident that reliable information is essential in enabling those in charge to make appropriate decisions – and having access to such information is the key. This is precisely why accounting is so important – it is the tool to provide one with all the data necessary to move in the right direction when it comes to business-making. It is used to assess the financial implications of various alternatives and soundly allocate resources. Accountants are able to measure the future: uncertainty is reduced with the use of professional judgment to quantify implications of taking or postponing action. Dunn (2011) states that it confers them with great power as well as with great responsibility: their mistakes might be more crucial than mistakes of other specialists. It can lead a business or an organization to failure recovering from which might be difficult. Businesses can have many goals and objectives. For instance, a goal of a restaurant’s owner may be the improvement of the building’s physical form. However, the main objectives of each enterprise are profitability and solvency. Profitability is the ability of income generation, whereas solvency is the ability of well-timed debt payment. Unless an enterprise can generate a sufficient income and pay debts until they expire, it will not be able to survive to achieve its other goals (Learn Basic Accounting Easy, 2014). These concepts are reflected in the accounting equation, which embodies the structure of the corporate financial statements. Corporate financial statements are written records conveying the company’s strength and profitability. According to Dunn (2011), there are four main corporate financial statements. The income statement is the one reflecting the organization’s profitability. The statement of retained earnings presents a change in such earnings over a particular period (for example, month or year). The balance sheet discloses the financial position and solvency of the company. Finally, the statement of cash flows encapsulates the organization’s cash flow and outflow over a certain time period. References AccountingWITT. (2010). What is accounting? [Video]. YouTube. Web. Dunn, K. (2011). Introduction to Accounting I: An intuitive approach [Video]. YouTube. Web. Learn Basic Accounting Easy. (2014). Purpose of accounting [Video]. YouTube. Web.

ESSAY: Achieving Environmental Sustainability Essay Environmental sustainability refers to the point where renewable resource harvesting rate should not surpass that of regeneration and that the decline of non-renewable resources should require the same growth of renewable alternatives. The utilization of natural resources has increased significantly over the past few decades. Environmental sustainability is essential for the preservation of resources by the global community for the future generation (Ostad-Ali et al.). This entails the lowering of economic impacts that might be unfavorable to the environment, as well as designing a business that reduces the use of carbon. The production of cheap and clean energy that is available for all is the primary objective of sustainable development. In her article “The Obligation to Endure,” Carson warns the public about the consequences of modern industrial pollution. Since environmental climate became adverse due to rising economic stability, variants of achieving environmental sustainability emerged, namely human contribution to the ecosystem by removing harmful substances from agriculture and the use of rainwater harvesting systems. The environmental climate has changed from being conducive to causing many adverse effects on the ecosystems. Manufacturing, which is commonly considered to be continuous development in different types of industries, tends to affect the environment in various ways, which results to change in the atmospheric climatic conditions. These, in turn, affect agriculture; for example, in the regions with manufacturing factories, “the farmers complained that they were unable to raise any pigs” (Carson 123). Both the manufacturing and processing sectors rely on the environment to attain their raw materials. Industries such as the papermaking industries depend on trees as a source of raw material for their products (Oláh et al.). Consequently, it causes a tremendous decline in the number of trees available globally, and the trees are viewed to be of significance towards the reduction of the amount of carbon dioxide available in the atmosphere. Moreover, the attempts to return the trees and plants are unsuccessful, and their result is “animals have almost invariably gone along with the plants” (Carson 128). Subsequently, there will be developments of harsh environment and climatic change such as heavy rainfall and drought. The rate of development has increased within various countries to establish a stable economic background. It enables the creation of employment opportunities for individuals, which encourages capitalism to establish firms in various sectors of the globe. The industries mostly dispose of their waste products into large water bodies. Consequently, it results in the existence of chemicals and other metals, which causes tremendous effects on marine creatures. The accumulation of chemicals in the oceans results in oceanic acidification, thus, making the sea inhabitable to marine animals. Yet, “future generations are unlikely to condone our lack of prudent concern for the integrity of the natural world that supports all life” (Carson 129). Hence, humans should develop some solutions for this problem to preserve economic stability and ecological integrity. One of the approaches in achieving environmental sustainability is by viewing people as a part of the ecosystem, which does not only use natural resources but contributes to the system. For instance, nitrogen is essential for the growth of many crops, and many farmers use nitrogen fertilizer on their farms. Yet, Carson argues that “chemical insecticides must never be used” (129). This is due to the fact that the use of nitrogen fertilizer does not fit into an environmentally safe zone (Oláh et al.). Sustainable agriculture entails a system dedicated to seeking the sustenance of farmers and resources through promoting economically viable and environmentally sound farming practices. When farmers spread nitrogen fertilizers on their farms, some is washed into water bodies and fed on by bacteria. After the bacteria feeds on the nitrogen, they emit nitrous oxide into the atmosphere (Oláh et al.). The gas has global warming latent almost three hundred times that of carbon dioxide. There have been many attempts to control nitrogen fertilizers’ contribution to global warming; however, it has not been a simple task. The rate of application of nitrogen in farming determines the amount of nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere. Therefore, to reduce the rate of nitrous oxide production, farmers must minimize the number of nitrogen fertilizers they apply to their farms. Unfortunately, not many farmers are willing to do this as it would reduce their profits. Another example of human integration into the local ecosystem can be seen in the Rajasthan rainwater harvesting system. The farmers managed to provide irrigation for the crops across the year by building small earthen dams called Johads. Those dams captured rainwater, which soaked into the aquifer and, therefore, was saved from evaporating (Singh and Bhakar). With the introduction of drill technology, people started to abandon Johads and make wells as deep as possible. By doing that, the underground water level decreased and dehydrated the ecosystem in the area. The situation changed with reintroducing the practice of rainwater harvesting in Johads. After seven months, the first monsoon season came and refilled the new pond. This inspired the community to continue the restoration of their abandoned rainwater harvesting system. Johads ended a vicious cycle of lowering levels of groundwater (Singh and Bhakar). Serving the ecosystem is a strategy that can help humanity achieve environmental sustainability and ensure its long-term well-being. In conclusion, integration into the natural ecosystem is a vital step in nature preservation. The high rate of environmental degradation that is being experienced globally is caused by capitalist activities, which are continuously conducted in various sectors of the globe. Preferably, the government and various ecological authorities need to come together and formulate environmental policies and laws and ensure their implementation. Through this, they will be able to curb the effects of capitalism on the environment and hence decreasing environmental destruction. Works Cited Carson, Rachel. “The Obligation to Endure.” The Ecological Design and Planning Reader . Island Press, Washington, DC, 2014. 122-130. Oláh, Judit, et al. “Impact of Industry 4.0 on Environmental Sustainability.” Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 11, 2020, p. 4674. Ostad-Ali-Askar, et al. “Water Resources and ClimateCchange.” Journal of Water and Climate Change, vol. 9, no. 2, 2018, p. 239. Singh, Ajit Pratap, and Prashant Bhakar. “Development of Groundwater Sustainability Index: A Case Study of Western Arid Region of Rajasthan, India.” Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, vol. 23, no. 2, 2021, pp. 1844-1868.

ESSAY: Addressing and Respecting Citizens’ Rights in Supreme Court Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Case Outline 3. Conclusion 4. References Introduction The current case touches upon the Fourteenth and First Amendments issues regarding civil rights violations. It included the freedom of speech of the black students. Two hundred young people were protesting against arresting their black friends, emphasizing the racial discrimination causes of the arrest. The protesting group blocked the part of the jail. As a result, all protestors were arrested due to the “trespass with a malicious and mischievous intent” ( Adderley v. Florida , n.d.). From the plaintiffs’ perspective, their civil rights were violated on a discrimination basis. To be precise, the freedom of speech and petition rights were denied. The Regional Court has denied the lawsuit due to the presence of an adequate reason for the arrest. The group of students appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in order to have this case solved. Case Outline Titl e : Adderley v. Florida – 385 U.S. 39, 87 S. Ct. 242 (1966) ( Adderley v. Florida , n.d.). Facts of The Case: Harriet Louise Adderley is the representative of the group of protesting students. The primary aim of the students was to protest for the releasing their black friends from the non-public prison ( Adderley v. Florida , n.d.). Before the arrest, the prison worker and police officers tried to warn students about their unlawful actions of trespass on private property. Students highlighted the race discrimination issues due to the fact that they protested, claiming the rights of black people. Thus, the U.S. Supreme Court should solve the questions about the violation of civil rights correlated with the First Amendment and unequal treatment of the different races. The defendants were the prison administration and the state of Florida’s governmental bodies in general. History of The Case: The doubtful situation took place in state Florida in 1966 ( Adderley v. Florida , n.d.). The group of the Florida A&M University protested against racial discrimination. They were arrested and convicted of the breakdown of law and order on the streets of Florida. On the next day, a huge group of students (approximately two hundred students) from the same university went to jail to protect the rights of their friends. They tried to claim that the primary reason for the arrest was racial discrimination. The administration of non-public prisons ordered workers to arrest the protestants immediately. The police officers and the prison workers warned students that the prison is private territory and they have no legal right to hold protests here. Prison workers repeatedly asked students to leave the private domain. However, protestants continued blocking the one road within the prison territory. As a result, all two hundred students were arrested and convicted of trespass with malicious intentions. Later, Harriet Louise Adderley and thirty students appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to solve the case of violation of civil liberties based on discrimination. The prison administration acted based on the private territory protection laws. The arrest can be considered a legal action due to the fact that the prison is regarded as private ownership. Legal Questions: One of the essential questions that the Supreme Court should have answered was the violation of petitioners’ rights of free speech, assembly, or petition ( Adderley v. Florida , n.d.). The issue of equal protection was highlighted as guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Moreover, the Court also was to decide whether the discrimination issue was the primary motif of the prison workers, police, and administration. Decision or Holdings: The Supreme Court held that the rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly or petition were not violated. Thus, constitutionally, the rights of the students were not denied. Judges emphasized that the students were arrested because they denied the order of the police to leave the prison territory. As a result, Court found no evidence proving that the plaintiffs were detained due to discrimination reasons. The breach-of-the-peace violation by the students was stopped aiming to ensure the prison’s security. Thus, the Court decided that the defendant had a rational-legal basis for the arrest. The prison workers’ and police officers’ actions were legal without discrimination connotations. Verdict and Opinion (Judgement): The Supreme Court preserved the jury’s decisions claiming that there was no violation of the First Amendment. Five out of nine judges voted for the no rights violation. The final verdict included the information about the security concerns of the jail. Judges emphasized that according to the state’s legislation, the citizens are allowed to visit private properties seeking particular services. However, in the current case, petitioners had no such a reason. The Supreme Court supported the decision of the regional jury. Conclusion The Court’s decision proclaims that the disrespectful attitude towards the state’s laws should be punished. The public order should be preserved at any cost. The members of society should be able to distinguish between the violation of their rights and legal procedures (Clement, 2018). Understanding the legal responsibilities before the state people live in is essential for law-abiding citizens (Alfieri & Onwuachi-Willig, 2020). The state can ensure the respecting of the rights and freedoms of people only when they respect the laws. The legal actions of the prison administration were not racially discriminative. The vital lesson that should be learned from this legal case is that citizens should know not only their rights but also the rights of entities and organizations. The lack of legal understanding and knowledge about freedom and rights can cause negative consequences. References Adderley v. Florida . (n.d.). Oyez. Web. Alfieri, A., & Onwuachi-Willig, A. (2020). (Re)framing race in civil rights lawyering. The Yale Law Journal, 130 (3), 1–30. Web. Clement, D. (2018). Human rights or social justice? The problem of rights inflation. The International Journal of Human Rights, 22 (2), 155–169. Web.

ESSAY: Addressing Constraints in the Healthcare Setting Essay Understaffing is one of the most widespread issues in the healthcare setting in the USA and many other countries. This is also one of the most burning issues in the healthcare facility under consideration. Being a certified nurse assistant, I have acknowledged the negative impact of understaffing on employees’ performance and their overall well-being, as well as patient outcomes. Nurses are exhausted, which tends to lead to medical errors and adverse effects on patients’ health or their satisfaction with the services they receive. Understaffing had been a serious issue before the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, but it became an unpreceded burden for the system during the pandemic (Lasater et al., 2020). To improve the situation, it is possible to apply the five-step process suggested by Cox et al. (2014). This paper includes a brief description of the implementation of the five-step process to address understaffing in the hospital in question. The first step implies the identification of the constraint (the issue that deteriorates the quality of provided care). As mentioned above, understaffing is the most burning constraint to address as it leads to an increased number of medical errors, overall dissatisfaction and low morale of the staff, and inappropriate performance. As a result, patients do not receive high-quality care as nurses often have insufficient time to discuss the necessary issues with patients and families, conduct clinical procedures properly, and fulfill their tasks. Step 2 of the process described by Cox et al. (2014) encompasses the identification of the exact ways to address the constraint. Seasonality is one of the characteristics of the problem, as the primary load is apparent in the so-called flu seasons. At this period, it is necessary to increase the number of working hours for nurse assistants who can perform multiple tasks, while nurses can concentrate on procedures that need skills assistants do not have. The assistants are often employed part-time, so it can be sufficient to increase the number of working hours of those who already work at the facility. However, it is critical to developing detailed guidelines and instructions regarding employees’ responsibilities. Each employee should understand what procedures and tasks to perform, and on what occasions when their services are not needed. It can be necessary to amend some job descriptions to implement change effectively. Step 3, as defined by Cox et al. (2014), requires the subordination of all resources and effort to the decisions made to address the constraint. Thus, all employees should be fully informed about the changes, as well as the need for change and its urgency and potential outcomes. The corresponding discussions regarding the new guidelines and instructions should be conducted to make sure that the medical staff is aware of the new tasks and responsibilities. It is possible to create teams with leaders and mentors to help facilitate the change. Step 4 is associated with the evaluation of the system constraint, which can be implemented by conducting surveys. Patients can complete brief surveys that will include questions regarding the time nurses invest in communication with them, the quality of provided care, and their overall satisfaction with the services. Brief surveys for employees can also shed light on nurses’ workload, burnout, and performance. Step 5 can be easily implemented in this process as contracts will be signed for the most intense period, so no inertia can appear. In conclusion, it is possible to address understaffing by increasing the number of nurse assistants on a seasonal basis. The utilization of the five-step process can ensure the effective implementation of change in the hospital under consideration. The collaboration and commitment of all staff members are critical. The model suggested by Cox and colleagues can also be used to solve other issues the healthcare facility faces. References Cox, J. F., III, Robinson, T. M., & Maxwell, M. (2014). Applying the “theory of constraints” to solve your practice’s most vexing problem. Family Practice Management, 21 (5),18-22. Web. Lasater, K. B., Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., French, R., Martin, B., Reneau, K., Alexander, M., & McHugh, M. D. (2020). Chronic hospital nurse understaffing meets COVID-19: An observational study. BMJ Quality & Safety, 30 (8), 639-647. Web.

ESSAY: Addressing Opioid Crisis: Current Policy and Community Involvement Essay To analyze current policies aimed at addressing the opioid crisis, describe examples of the crisis, and suggest a few options to help solve the problem to the community. A stakeholder group of people in the community, including local policymakers, leaders, and concerned citizens. The United States of America is experiencing a severe crisis of opioid abuse. In 2019 alone, opioids took the lives of 50,000 Americans, and the economic burden from the problem is about $78.5 billion a year (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2021). This issue concerns many stakeholders, from society and medical staff to individual policymakers and representatives of various structures like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Although different structures and organizations are making many efforts to stop the crisis, communities can also significantly contribute to solving the problem. Everyone present here can learn and do more than now, and then together community will save more lives. Today, I will present a description and analysis of policies against the opioid crisis, consider examples of the crisis, and propose several measures and actions that communities can take in this fight. It is important to say that there are several main directions for political action in the fight against the opioid crisis. Key actors such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) prioritize the following: * Improved access to treatment, prevention, and recovery services; * Promote the availability and use of drugs that prevent overdoses; * Healthcare surveillance for transparent reporting and collection of data to better understand the situation; * Support research in understanding pain and safe methods of its management; * Promoting different pain reduction methods (Collins, 2017; NIDA, 2021). Most organizations involved in the fight against the crisis are focused on the mentioned goals. Organizations include Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other entities. Some organizations add their own goals; for instance, the Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership (HFPP) also seeks to identify and stop fraud and other dishonest opioid activities (Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership, 2017). Programs in the States, in turn, monitor drug prescriptions and the work of pain management specialists (CDC, 2019). Thus, all measures aim to reduce the chances of opioid abuse and maintain the nation’s health. The analysis aims to understand and evaluate policy effectiveness to provide informed advice for new policy decisions and actions. Analyzing the existing medical policy, it is worth paying attention to its successes. Some successes include: * State programs in Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, New York, Tennessee, and other states, have helped reduce opioid abuse and mortality rates (CDC, 2019); * SAMHSA provides professional training grants and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for vulnerable populations; * The CDC conducts and supports studies that bring new knowledge on risk factors and other influential aspects and offer solutions. However, it is worth noting that the problem continues to exist. In particular, policies may have unintended consequences of using drugs other than opioids due to insufficient attention to the causes of abuse (Lee et al., 2021). Therefore, the fight against opioids should be comprehensive and include measures to improve social conditions and community support. Let us consider some examples of the manifestation of the opioid crisis, which may be significant for policies to combat it. Examples: * The opioid crisis began in the late 20th century when pharmaceutical companies convinced society that opioid-based painkillers would not be addictive and were prescribed in large quantities (NIDA, 2021); * About 21-29% of patients with prescriptions for opioids due to chronic pain misuse them, and 4-6% of abusers later abuse heroin (NIDA, 2021). * 8-12% of those taking prescribed opioids suffer from opioid use disorders (NIDA, 2021); Risk factors for developing opioid addiction include improper or prolonged drug use, poverty, unemployment, personal or family history of misuse, risk behavior, contact with high-risk individuals, stress, and other causes (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). Understanding the risks, causes, and influencers for the opioid crisis, one can suggest several measures that communities can take. Proposed measures include: * Collaboration within the community to raise awareness about the dangers of opioids, policies to combat the crisis, the possibilities of intervention, and the provision of assistance for overdoses; * Creating an organization or public coalition that can help people with addiction, particularly through referral to treatment, providing drugs that prevent overdoses, and other measures; * The creation of support groups in various areas help those who suffer from addiction, help those who suffer from chronic pain and similar issues connected with risk factors. The evaluation criteria for proposed policy options include: * Community awareness of the dangers of opioids, laws related to the crisis, and people’s ability to take action and provide assistance; * Help members of the community that suffer from opioid use disorders; * Availability of overdose prevention drugs and treatment to those members of the community who need them; * Activities of support groups aimed at mitigating risk factors and social support. In summary, it is essential to note that the opioid crisis poses a significant danger to Americans. It began after erroneous information that opioid-based drugs are not addictive spread. However, the use of such drugs carries a high risk of developing addiction and other disorders associated with opioid use. Various organizations and public bodies have taken many actions to combat the crisis. Key measures are drug prescription control aimed at reducing opioid use, finding other pain management methods, and similar efforts. Societies can be critical participants in the struggle by providing information, helping those who suffer from addiction or severe pain, and taking other measures. Thus, everyone present here can take some actions and help save lives. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). State successes. CDC Website. Web. Collins, F. (2017). The Federal response to the opioid crisis . NIDA archives. Web. Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership. (2017). Healthcare payer strategies to reduce the harms of opioids. White paper. Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership. Web. Lee, B., Zhao, W., Yang, K. C., Ahn, Y. Y., & Perry, B. L. (2021). Systematic evaluation of state policy interventions targeting the US opioid epidemic, 2007-2018. JAMA network open, 4 (2), e2036687-e2036687. Web. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). How opioid addiction occurs . Mayo Clinic Website. Web. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Opioid overdose crisis. National Institutes of Health. NIDA. Web.

ESSAY: Adolescent Pregnancy and School Dropout After Covid-19 in Kenya Report The article of Zulaika (2022) presents the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on adolescent pregnancy and school dropout among secondary school girls in Kenya. The cases of teenage pregnancy started in Kenya after the country-wide school closure that started from March 2020 and lasted until January 2021. Zulaika (2022) examine to what extent the pandemic affected sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in Rarieda subcounty. The study shows there was a limited involvement of health administrators on the issue of pregnancy among school girls. Teenagers lack sexual education and are not aware of different methods of protection. Health administrators should find this issue important as early pregnancy can be dangerous for girls’ health and lead to various socio-economic problems in the future. Moreover, if such a rate of adolescent pregnancy continues to increase, there would be less educated females in Kenya. Zulaika (2022) also mentions that stress level of pregnant teenagers is high, affecting mental as well as physical health of young future mothers. To tackle this issue, Zulaika (2022) suggests implementing population-level emergencies on girls that are going to school. Students should be educated for the basics of sexual education and for the side effects of sexual life. Furthermore, the article points out that infectious diseases can be spread rapidly if school girls do not know the importance of contraceptives. As such, there is a need to the national project of informing school students and their parents about sexual and reproductive issues. The effects of COVID-19 on teenage pregnancy are negative, causing additional social and economic problems not only for the pregnant girls and their families but also for the whole country. References Zulaika, G. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on adolescent pregnancy and school dropout among secondary schoolgirls in Kenya . BMJ Global Health. Web.