Subculture Analysis free essay sample

Culture is the ways of thinking, acting and the material objects that form a peoples way of life. Within each culture there are many subcultures, which are cultural groups within a larger culture with similar beliefs. Many times, the subculture a person belongs to provide him/her with a sense of identity and belonging. Subcultures are characterized by their origin and the characteristics that define it. While growing up belonged to many different subcultures, but my main one was my gymnastics competitive team. This was definitely the most influential and time-consuming subculture I was a part of and is considered a special interest subculture. Along with its origin, subcultures also have a set of characteristics that are used systematically and provide one with information. Characteristics include boundary rigidity, language/jargon, values, identifying signs, the degree Of attachment and initiation rituals. Boundary rigidity refers to the subcultures exclusivity and how one can become a part of it. We will write a custom essay sample on Subculture Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My gymnastics team was considerably exclusive.The am I was on consisted of about seven or eight people, who all started at the young age of about three or four. As little kids we practiced in hopes of becoming good enough to be part of the competitive team, knowing that it required a certain level of skills and commitment. This fact alone shows the high degree of exclusivity because not just anyone could become a part of this subculture, one had to work hard for it. As a part of the team, I had to be fully committed to giving up the majority of my free time. Most days, if I wasnt at school was at the gym practicing.Due to the high degree of exclusivity, I would consider this subculture to be very structured. There was always a schedule to follow: when to be at the gym, what events to practice and for how long, etc. Being a part of the team is significantly exclusive, but leaving is not necessarily as difficult, it was just very rare. After all of the hard work and time that a gymnast invests in the team, they usually dont give it up easily. Therefore, this subculture has strong boundary rigidity. Another characteristic of a subculture is the language/jargon used by its embers.Language can refer to the way its members walk, talk, carry themselves, the slang words used, etc. Within my gymnastics team there was a lot of language we used that set us apart from other subcultures. The technical terms used in the sport of gymnastics is one of the obvious language barriers because only those who are familiar with the sport understand the terms and their meanings. The way gymnasts carry themselves also sets them apart from others. An example of this is when I was on the track team, a coach pointed out that ran like a gymnast. Although as not with my teammates or talking about gymnastics, the way I ran was an indicator Of the subculture was associated with. Values are another characteristic of a subculture. These are the groups ideas about what is right or wrong, whats important, how they view other people and so forth. As a part of a competitive gymnastics team, grew up learning the values my coaches instilled in me time and time again. Things like hard work, dedication and commitment. As a part of the team, we all valued our coaches opinions and demands for what we were expected to do.At a nouns age we learned to that if you want something, you have to work to get it. We also learned that practicing and being in the gym was what was important, while free time and friends were not. Additionally, identifying signs is another characteristic of a subculture. This can be interpreted as labels, what the members are wearing/listening to/ using and inside jokes or nicknames. There are three types of signs: private, public and covert. Private signs are displayed only to the subculture, public signs are shown to everyone and everyone knows what they mean and covert signs are displayed publicly, but are only known by the subculture.Some signs associated with gymnastics is the G label, which is a brand of gymnastics sports wear. Most people wearing this participate in gymnastics and only those familiar with the sport would know the labels association with gymnastics. Another sign is the USA Gymnastics bumper sticker. This is a public sign that clearly shows association with the subculture. Furthermore, as a team we tend to become very close, so there tends to be a lot of inside jokes and nicknames used. These are covert signs because we would shout he nicknames or talk about the inside jokes publicly, but only we would know their meaning.The degree of attachment is another characteristic of a subculture. This refers to the groups importance to its members. As a gymnast, my degree of attachment to my team was very high. Having been involved in the sport for the majority of my childhood, considered the sport my life. Would eat, sleep and breathe gymnastics; when I wasnt doing it, was thinking about it. Being on a competitive team, would spend a lot of time at the gym, so my team and coaches became like a second family. At this point, it wasnt just the sport was attached to, it was the friends I made and the experiences I continued to have.As grew older, my degree of attachment to the sport heightened. The sport became more demanding and as a result, the degree of attachment continued to rise. Even to this day, although I am not an active member of this subculture, I still consider myself a part of it and am still very much attached. Once a gymnast, always a gymnast. Initiation rituals are the characteristics of a subculture that lets one know when they are a part of the group. For gymnastics, there was no set initiation tall.You knew you were a part of the team when you finally achieved the skills required and the head coach asked you to start practicing with the team. Throughout ones life, he/she is a part Of many different subcultures. For me, the most influential subculture I was a part of was my competitive gymnastics team. This is a special interest subculture with many characteristics that set it apart from other subcultures. It gave me my sense of identity, as well as a sense of belonging. It is where I devoted most of my time and energy and will forever be a part of who I am.

How to Write a Descriptive Observational Essay

How to Write a Descriptive Observational Essay Your first task in writing a descriptive essay is to choose a topic that has many interesting parts or qualities to talk about. Unless you have a really vivid imagination, youll find it difficult to write much about a simple object like a comb, for example. Its best to compare a few topics first to make sure theyll work. The next challenge is to figure out the best way to describe your chosen subject in such a way as to relay a complete experience to the reader, so that he or she is able to see, hear, and feel through your words. Organize Thoughts Before Drafting As in any writing, the drafting stage is key to writing a successful descriptive essay. Since the purpose of the essay is to paint a mental image of a specific subject, it helps to make a list of all the things you associate with your topic. For example, if your subject is the farm where you visited your grandparents as a child you would list all the things you associate with that place. Your list should include both general attributes associated with a farm and the more personal and specific things that make it special to you and the reader. Start with general details CornfieldsPigsCowsGardenFarmhouseWell Then add the unique details: That spot by the pig barn where you fell in the manure.Playing hide and seek in the cornfields.Picking wild greens for dinner with your grandmother.The stray dogs that always wandered onto the farm.Scary coyotes howling in the night. By tying these details together you can make the essay more relatable to the reader. Making these lists will allow you to see how you can tie things from each list together. Describing Descriptions   At this stage, you should determine a good order for the objects youll describe. For example, if you are describing an object, you should determine whether you want to describe its appearance from top to bottom or side to side. Remember that it is important to begin your essay on a general level and work your way down to specifics. Start by outlining a simple five-paragraph essay with three main topics. Then you may expand on this basic outline. Next, you will begin to construct a thesis statement and a trial topic sentence for each main paragraph. The thesis sentence should convey your overall impression of your subject. Does it make you happy? Is it attractive or ugly? Is your object useful?Each topic sentence should introduce a new part or stage of your chosen topic. Dont worry, you can change these sentences later. Its time to start writing paragraphs! Beginning to Draft As you build your paragraphs, you should avoid confusing the reader by bombarding them with unfamiliar information immediately; you must ease your way into your topic in your introductory paragraph. For example, instead of saying, The farm was where I spent most summers holidays. During the summer we played hide and seek in the cornfields and walked through the cow pastures to pick wild greens for supper. Nana always carried a gun for snakes. Instead, give the reader a broad view of your subject and work your way into the details. A better example would be: In a small rural town in central Ohio was a farm surrounded by miles of cornfields. In this place, on many warm summer days, my cousins and I would run through the cornfields playing hide and seek or making our own crop circles as clubhouses. My grandparents, whom I called Nana and Papa, lived on this farm for many years. The old farmhouse was large and always full of people, and it was surrounded by wild animals. I spent many of my childhood summers and holidays here. It was the family gathering place. Another simple rule of thumb to remember is show dont tell. If you want to describe a feeling or action you should reinvent it through the senses rather than just state it. For example, instead of: I got excited every time we pulled into the driveway of my grandparents house. Try to elaborate on what was really going on in your head: After sitting for several hours in the back seat of the car, I found the slow crawl up the driveway to be absolute torture. I just knew Nana was inside waiting with freshly baked pies and treats for me. Papa would have some toy or trinket hidden somewhere but he would pretend not to recognize me for a few minutes just to tease me before he gave it to me. As my parents would struggle to pry the suitcases out of the trunk, I would bounce all the way up the porch and rattle the door until someone finally let me in. The second version paints a picture and puts the reader in the scene. Anyone can be excited. What your reader needs and wants to know is, what makes it exciting? Keep It Specific Finally, dont try to cram too much into one paragraph. Use each paragraph to describe a different aspect of your subject. Check to make sure that your essay flows from one paragraph to the next with good transition statements. The conclusion of your paragraph is where you can tie everything together and restate the thesis of your essay. Take all the details and summarize what they mean to you and why it is important.

Classic British and American Essays and Speeches

Classic British and American Essays and Speeches From the works and musings of Walt  Witman to those of Virginia Woolf, some of the cultural heroes and prolific artists of prose are listed belowalong with some of the worlds greatest essays and speeches  ever composed by these British and American literary treasures. George Ade (1866-1944) George Ade was an America playwright, newspaper columnist and humorist whose greatest recognition was Fables in Slang (1899), a satire that explored the colloquial vernacular of America. Ade eventually succeeded in doing what he set out to do: Make America laugh. The Difference Between Learning and Learning How:In due time the Faculty gave the Degree of M.A. to what was left of Otis and still his Ambition was not satisfied.Luxuries: About sixty-five per cent of all the people in the world think they are getting along great when they are not starving to death.Vacations: The planet you are now visiting may be the only one you ever see. Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) American activist Susan B. Anthony crusaded for the womens suffrage movement, making way for the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, giving women the right to vote. Anthony is principally known for the six-volume History of Woman Suffrage.   On Womens Right to Vote: The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? Robert Benchley (1889-1945) The writings of American humorist, actor and drama critic Robert Benchley are considered his best achievement. His socially awkward, slightly confused persona allowed him to write about the inanity of the world to great effect. Advice to Writers: A terrible plague of insufferably artificial and affected authorsBusiness Letters: As it stands now things are pretty black for the boy.Christmas Afternoon: Done in the Manner, If Not in the Spirit of DickensDo Insects Think?: It really was more like a child of our own than a wasp, except that it looked more like a wasp than a child of our own.The Most Popular Book of the Month: In practice, the book is not flawless. There are five hundred thousand names, each with a corresponding telephone number. Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) British novelist and short-story writer Joseph Conrad rendered about the tragedy of loneliness at sea and became known for his colorful, rich descriptions about the sea and other exotic places. He is regarded as one of the greatest English novelists of all time. Outside Literature: A sea voyage would have done him good. But it was I who went to seathis time bound to Calcutta. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) American Frederick Douglass great oratory and literary skills helped him to  become the first African-American citizen to hold high office in the US government. He was one of the 19th centurys most prominent human rights activist, and his autobiography, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1882), became an American literary classic. The Destiny of Colored Americans:  Slavery is the peculiar weakness of America, as well as its peculiar crime.A Glorious Resurrection: My long-crushed spirit rose. W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) W.E.B. Du Bois was an American scholar and human rights activist, a respected author and historian of literature. His literature and studies analyzed the unreachable depths of American racism. Du Bois seminal work is a collection of 14 essays titled The Souls of Black Folk (1903).   Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others: Mr. Washington represents in Negro thought the old attitude of adjustment and submission.Of the Passing of the First-Born: He knew no color-line, poor dearand the Veil, though it shadowed him, had not yet darkened half his sun. F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) Known foremost for his novel The Great Gatsby, American novelist and short-story writer F. Scott Fitzgerald was also a renown playboy and had a tumultuous life compounded by alcoholism and depression. Only after his death did he become known as a preeminent American literary author.   What I Think and Feel at 25: The main thing is to be your own kind of a darn fool. Ben Hecht  (1894-1964) American novelist, short-story writer and playwright Ben Hecht is remembered as one of Hollywoods greatest screenplay writers and may best be remembered for Scarface, Wuthering Heights and Guys and Dolls. Fog Patterns: Yes, we are all lost and wandering in the thick mists. We have no destinations.Letters: You would see a procession of mysterious figures flitting through the streets, an unending swarm of dim ones, queer ones. Ernest Hemingway  (1899-1961) American novelist Ernest Hemingway won the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature for his mastery of the art of narrative ... and for the influence he has exerted on contemporary style as demonstrated in his brilliant novel The Old Man and the Sea. American Bohemians in Paris: The scum of Greenwich Village, New York, has been skimmed off and deposited in large  ladles  on that section of Paris adjacent to the Cafà © Rotonde.Camping Out: Any man of average office intelligence can make at least as good a pie as his wife. Martin Luther King Jr.  (1929-1968) Civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Jr., winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, may be best known for I Have A Dream, in which he wrote about love, peace, nonviolent activism and equality between all races. I Have a Dream: Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Gods children.Reading Quiz on I Have a DreamTen Things You Should Know About Dr. Kings I Have a Dream Speech Jack London  (1876-1916) Nineteenth-century American author and journalist Jack London is best known for his adventures White Fang and The Call of the Wild. London published more than 50 books over the last 16 years of his life, including John Barleycorn, which was somewhat of a memoir about his lifelong battle with alcohol. The Somnambulists: [T]his archdeceiver believes all that they tell him. He reads only the newspapers and magazines that tell him what he wants to be told.The Story of an Eyewitness: The San Francisco Earthquake: Not in history has a modern imperial city been so completely destroyed.Reading Quiz on The San Francisco EarthquakeWhat Life Means to Me: I accepted that up above me was all that was fine and noble and gracious, all that gave decency and dignity to life. H.L. Mencken  (1880-1956) American journalist, activist and editor H.L. Mencken was also a very influential literary critic. His columns were popular not only for their literary criticism, but also for their questioning of popular political, social and cultural views. The Hills of Zion: Dayton was having a roaring time. It was better than the circus.The Libido for the Ugly: Out of the melting pot emerges a race which hates beauty.Literature and the  Schoolmam: The essence of a sound style is that it cannot be reduced to rules.The Lower Depths: The worst idiots, even among pedagogues, are the teachers of English.Portrait of an Ideal World: All the great villainies of history have been perpetrated by sober men, and chiefly by teetotalers. Christopher Morley  (1890-1957) American writer Christopher Morley was popular for his literary columns in the New York Evening Post, among other literary magazines. His many collections of essays and columns were lighthearted, vigorous displays of the English language.    1100 Words: Let us be brief, crisp, packed with thought.The Art of Walking: Sometimes it seems as though literature were a co-product of legs and head.A Morning in Marathon: [W]e flashed onto the Hackensack marshes and into the fully minted gold of superb morning.On Going to Bed: The happier creatures ... take the tide of sleep at the flood and are borne calmly and with gracious gentleness out to great waters of nothingness. George Orwell  (1903-1950) This British novelist, essayist and critic is best known for his novels 1984 and Animal Farm. George Orwells disdain for imperialism (he considered himself an anarchist) guided him in his life as well as through some of his writings. A Hanging: We all began laughing again. ... The dead man was a hundred yards away.Why Are Beggars Despised?: A beggar, looked at realistically, is simply a businessman, getting his living. Dorothy Parker  (1893-1967) Witty American poet and short-story writer Dorothy Parker began as an editorial assistant at Vogue and eventually became the book reviewer known as the Constant Reader for The New Yorker. Among her hundreds of works, Parker won the 1929 O. Henry Award for her short story Big Blond. Good Souls: They are fated to go through life, congenial pariahs. They live out their little lives, mingling with the world, yet never a part of it.Mrs. Post Enlarges on Etiquette: As one delves deeper and deeper into  Etiquette, disquieting thoughts come. Bertrand Russell  (1872-1970) British philosopher and social reformer Bertrand Russell won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought. Russell was one of the foremost philosophers of the 20th century. In Praise of Idleness: The road to happiness and prosperity lies in an organized diminution of work. Margaret Sanger  (1879-1966) American activist Margaret Sanger was a sex educator, nurse and womens rights advocate. She began the first feminist publication, The Woman Rebel, in 1914.    The Turbid Ebb and Flow of Misery: My own cozy and comfortable family existence  was  becoming a reproach to me. George Bernard Shaw  (1856-1950) An Irish dramatist and critic, George Bernard Shaw was also a socialist propagandist and winner of the 1925 Nobel Prize in Literature (which he didnt receive until 1926) for his work which is marked by both idealism and beauty. Shaw wrote more than 60 plays during his lifetime. Preface to  Pygmalion: It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him.She Would Have Enjoyed It: Why does a funeral always sharpen ones sense of humor?Why Law Is Indispensable: Laws deaden the conscience of individuals by relieving them of responsibility.The Art of Political Lying: Considering that natural disposition in many men to lie, and in multitudes to believe, I have been perplexed what to do with that maxim so frequent in everybodys mouth, that truth will at last prevail.Hints Toward an Essay on Conversation: This degeneracy of conversation ... hath been owing, among other causes, to the custom arisen, for sometime past, of excluding women from any share in our society.A Meditation Upon a Broomstick: But a broomstick is an emblem of a tree standing on its head. Henry David Thoreau  (1817-1862) American essayist, poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau is most known for his masterful work, Walden, about living a life close to nature. He was a dedicated abolitionist and a strong practitioner of civil disobedience. The Battle of the Ants: I never learned which party was victorious, nor the cause of the war.The Landlord: If we do not look up to the Landlord, we look round for him on all emergencies, for he is a man of infinite experience, who unites hands with wit.The Last Days of John Brown: [T]he one great rule of compositionand if I were a professor of rhetoric I should insist on thisis, to  speak the truth. James Thurber  (1894-1961) American author and illustrator James Thurber is best known for his contributions to The New Yorker. Via his contributions to the magazine, his cartoons became some of the most popular in the United States. The Subjunctive Mood: Husbands are suspicious of all subjunctives. Wives should avoid them.Which: Never monkey with which. Anthony Trollope  (1815-1882) British author Anthony Trollope is best known for his writing in the Victorian Erasome of his work includes a series of novels known as The Chronicles of Barsetshire. Trollope also wrote on political, social and gender issues. The Plumber: The plumber is doubtless aware that he is odious. He feels himself, like Dickenss turnpike-man, to be the enemy of mankind. Mark Twain  (1835-1910) Mark Twain was an American humorist, journalist, lecturer and novelist best known for his classic American novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. With his wit and grand telling of tales, Twain is nothing short of an American national treasure.   Advice to Youth: Always obey your parents, when they are present.Corn-Pone Opinions: Tell me whar a man gits his  corn pone, en Ill tell you what his pinions  is.The Danger of Lying in Bed: The danger isnt in traveling by rail, but in trusting to those deadly beds.A Fable: You can find in a text whatever you bring.Fenimore Coopers Literary Offences: Deerslayer  is just simply a literary delirium tremens.The Lowest Animal: [W]e have descended and degenerated ... till we have reached the bottom stage of development.On the Decay of the Art of Lying: Lying is universal: we all do it; we all must do it.Two Ways of Seeing a River: All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic river!Unconscious Plagiarism: [P]ride protects a man from deliberately stealing other peoples ideas. H.G. Wells  (1866-1944) British author and historian H.G. Wells is best known for his works of science fiction, including The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon and The War of the Worlds. Wells wrote an astounding 161 full-length books.   For Freedom of Spelling: The Discovery of an Art: Why should correct spelling be the one absolutely essential literary merit?Of Conversation: An Apology: I am no blowfly to buzz my way through the universe.The Pleasure of Quarrelling: Without  quarreling  you have not fully appreciated your fellow-man.The Possible Collapse of Civilisation: Modern warfare is an insanity, not a sane business proposition.The Writing of Essays: The art of the essayist ... may be learnt in a brief ten minutes or so. Walt Whitman  (1819-1892) American poet and journalist Walt Whitmans verse collection Leaves of Grass is an American literature landmark. Ralph Waldo Emerson praised the collection as the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom America had yet contributed. A Glimpse of Wars Hell Scenes: There was no exultation, very little said, almost nothing, yet every man there contributed his shot.Slang in America: Language in the largest sense ... is really the greatest of studies.Street Yarn: Come and walk in New York streets. Virginia Woolf  (1882-1941) British author Virginia Woolf  may be best known for her modernist classics Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. But she also produced feminist texts such as A Room of Ones Own and Three Guineas and wrote pioneering essays on the politics of power, artistic theory and literary history. The Decay of Essay Writing: Under the decent veil of print one can indulge ones egoism to the full.The Modern Essay: The essay must lap us about and draw its curtain across the world.The Patron and the Crocus: Be sure you choose your patron wisely.Street Haunting: A London Adventure: Into each of these lives one could penetrate a little way.Writing for My Eye Only: I can trace some increase of ease in my professional writing which I attribute to my casual half hours after tea.

Environmental Science Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental Science - Research Paper Example Middle Eastern cultures also used resin, combined with beeswax, specifically because it could be chewed with a softer texture. The first gum in America was noted in as early as the 800s when spruce tree resin was taken from the bark and chewed on. This chewing gum continued to be used until the 1800s when it became a commercial product (Ford Gum, 2011). When chewing gum was first processed, it began with taking gum from spruce trees. There were also options to have a silicone base with the gum. However, neither of these options allowed for continuous manufacturing of the gum. The process used today began by Thomas Adams. Adams was introduced to chicle, a rubbery textured tree sap that is found in both Mexico and in Central America. The chicle is scrapped from the trees and immediately consists of a rubbery substance that can be chewed. The gum is then processed to make a different consistency and size. The chicle is placed in hot water until it begins to reform into a putty type of c onsistency. After the putty is made, the gum is processed into different flavors. The ingredients include sassafras and licorice, which creates the main taste for general bubble gum. Other types of gum will also add in other flavors, such as mint, peppermint or fruit flavors.

Sandro Botticelli biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sandro Botticelli biography - Essay Example This can be seen in his first commission 'Fortitude' (1470), painted for the Merchants Guild in Florence. Despite this description of his painting style, he nevertheless produced strong images with an excellent attention to detail and good use of perspective though unlike many of that time he did not really concern himself with working out the exact details of either perspective or anatomy for that matter. This indifference with anatomy is one of the ways in which Bottacelli manages to produce the serene quality in many of figures in his paintings. Through the influence of Verocchio and the brothers Pollajuoli this idealism was combined with the naturalness of Masaccio. These qualities explain Botticelli's great influence over later painters. Botticelli's life was a retired one passed largely in very modest circumstances. We know, however that he was in the employ of the Medici and other prominent Florentine families from about 1483 to 1500. Although never inclined to frivolity he was yet influence by the worldly spirit of the age until Savonarola's powerful call to repentance aroused his moral nature and guided his powers, it now seems, into entirely new paths. He never knew how to take care of money and he died at last in need. Botticelli was too unassuming to sign and date his works in most instances, so that the order in time of his paintings has to be judged from the canvasses themselves. In 1470 Sandro started own workshop. Five years later, he painted the portrait (National Gallery, Washington) of Giuliano de' Medici, b rother of Lorenzo. In about 1478, Sandro, now in the favor of the Medici family, painted the enigmatic "Primavera (Spring)" (Uffizi, Florence). The work was commissioned by Lorenzo, son of Pierfrancesco de' Medici, a tormented and neurotic young man. The painting of "Primavera"- like "La Nascita di Venere (The Birth of Venus)" - was placed inside the Villa di Castello where Lorenzino lived. From this painting, a number of art historians have derived the iconography of the Florentine culture of Botticelli's day. Agnolo Poliziano, poet and tutor of Lorenzo de' Medici's sons (including Giovanni, future Pope Clemente X), with his lyric poems in which the wind teases nymphs in Arcadian woods, would appear to be the textual reference for Botticelli's mythology (Vasari 44). Other famous works by Botticelli include "Pallas and the Centaur", "Venus and Mars", and "The Birth of Venus". The figures certainly do not enact a known myth but rather are used allegorically to illustrate various aspe cts of love: in "Pallas," the subjugation of male lust by female chastity; in "Venus and Mars," a celebration of woman's calm triumph after man's sexual exhaustion; and in "The Birth of Venus," the birth of love in the world (Levey 103, 111). Whilst working for the Medici certainly conferred many rewards they were nevertheless a dangerous family to be round. The Renaissance, however, is not called that for nothing and along side the wars, killings and double dealings that punctuated that period was a real sense of a rebirth of ideas, science, art and philosophical thought. Key to this in Florence was the rediscovery of the philosophy of Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagoras, which fused together with some elements of eastern mysticism. This new philosophical ideal became known as Neoplatonism, which saw love, beauty,

Uganda and Australia Economic Comparison

Uganda and Australia Economic Comparison Miranda Cogdell Audra Harris INTRODUCTION This essay will reflect a comparison between the poor nation of Uganda and the wealthy nation of Australia. Differences between a poor nation and wealthy one both depend on on the same factors which include: Infrastructure, exports, imports, education, GDP, population, and etc. These factors is what basically makes or breaks a country. Aspects like nutrition and health depend on these factors because it’s what makes available resources and funds to be able to afford the necessary equipment and supplies to sustain a healthy nation. What makes a nation wealthy doesn’t solely depend on the money aspect, but the benefits of being provided opportunity to allow a country to grow and have economic stability. Throughout this essay I will describes current events that Uganda is facing compared to Australia whose information provided is more general. The difference is significant because of lack of opportunity that Uganda has been provided. GDP Gross Domestic Product of a country depends on several things. All of which can be at different levels within the country. GDP depends on education status, exports, imports, infrastructure, government spending, and investment. According to the World Bank source, Uganda’s GDP in 2012 was 19.88 billion USD. Australia’s GDP is 1.521 trillion USD according to the World Bank. It is quite clear to see the difference between these two countries GDPs. Australia is more advanced than Uganda in many aspects. Uganda is labeled one of the poorest countries because it hasn’t been able to come above the poverty line. In order to make money there must be money that has to be spent. There isn’t much income within the country of Uganda, so the steps that this country takes to try to create stability are very careful steps. INFRASTRUCTURE Infrastructure can be a road, building, or substantial physical supplies that help in the improvement and advancement of a society, community, or country. Uganda is quite a poor nation and several years ago a program was established to produce a number of roads to better the transportation in Uganda communities. One of their biggest problems were the lack of access to transportation to improve the agricultural aspect of Uganda. ‘..the lack of access roads in many rural communities made it extremely difficult for farmers to market their produce. This limited farmers’ productivity, contributed to their apathy about technical innovations, and burdened traders in rural areas with high transaction costs. Farmers received lower prices as a result. In addition, farmers lacked reliable, up to-date information on market prices, and were largely unaware of potentially profitable market opportunities.† (Uganda: Community Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Programme, pg. 6) The above statement states the problems that those in Uganda were having. For a country to have a better GDP, problems like this should be fixed. Uganda’s infrastructure is low and needs to be improved. Electricity is also beginning to become a sufficient problem within Uganda. The school systems are starting to struggle more. Students in primary and secondary schools need the necessary technology to advance their educ ation, but that will not happen without an electrical resource. Programs such a the Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Program is one of the first to show improvements, which can lead to the opening of other infrastructure programs that help build the country. It’s just one of the many steps to improve the country’s GDP and put them on a higher scale in the world. Australia is a well rounded country whose GDP is not lacking in any sense. They are in a place where they are able to produce roads and buildings to further their prospering country. They are currently going through a tax loss and they now make list three times out of the year of infrastructure priorities that should take place. EXPORTS AND IMPORTS Uganda is one of the poorest countries because of its economic instability, but the past years have consisted of statistics that shows the growth of the country due to the help of it’s natural resources. Since Uganda is rich in agriculture, so they mainly focus their exports on crops and such. Their main exports consist of coffee, tea, cotton, and tobacco. Their imports is what really shows the struggle the nation faces. They import things such as equipment, medical supplies, and transportation. Becoming a wealthy nation isn’t the easiest thing to do, but right now the best growth that Uganda will see is through it’s exports. Agriculture is their best chance at gaining somewhat of a fair economic stability compared to other countries. Australia has surprisingly shown up and down battles when it comes to exports and imports. Australia has similar top trading partners for exports and imports which would include: Japan, United States, Republic of Korea, China, India, and etc. Australia’s best exports have been beginning to decline in the past three years. Commodities such as coal, aluminum, and copper have all declined in the past years. It hasn’t reached a point where the country has to worry, but investigating the situation may be helpful. There could many possibilities on why countries Australia normally trades with aren’t wanting the usual amount of commodities. Other countries could be facing financial problems of their own or have found a cheaper price from a different country. Exports and imports are very important parts in balancing the equation in calculating the GDP of a country. When variables begin to be adjusted, in this case, the variables are being adjusted in a negative slope. EDUCATION Education is seen as one of the most important aspects of developing a wealthy nation. In recent articles there has been many debates on what is really holding back an advancement in education in Uganda. Sean Coughlan, a BBC News correspondent, recently published an article about why exactly Uganda isn’t experiencing any improvements in education. The answers seem to be clear and it is because of the lack of teachers and infrastructure in Uganda. Many teachers are still waiting to receive their payment for the previous month. Money is a serious problem in the school system. There isn’t enough money to fund the teachers. Coughlan suggest that since many of the teachers in Uganda have to find multiple jobs to pay their bills they don’t put all of their focus on the children and the schools. This is when it becomes even more of a problem. Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS) is a program that helps sustain and improve the quality and standard of schools in A frica. PEAS came up with a solution that may help with some of the financial problems. The parents are required to pay a small fee to schools. This will allow future income to fund the teachers, but this isn’t the last of the schooling problems. Infrastructure has become an issue. There is a great lack of electricity that Uganda is available to, and the schools need computers and textbooks. Compared to other well functioning countries, not having new technology in schools is out of the question. If infrastructure improves, then that could be the breakthrough that schools need to provide a better education for the students. Australian educational system is very diverse and growing rapidly. Compared to any other stables country, Australia has a number of primary and secondary schools, song with universities that are government funded. They do not lack any funds within their school systems, but that doesn’t mean that students are always focused and have the best test scores. Recently, there have been studies that have shown that Australian teenage students are showing fallen math and reading scores compared to ten years prior. These students are provided with new computers and other new technology advancement to encourage the students, but it doesn’t seem to be having the effect that was hoped for. This proves that new technology will not give the necessary encouragement students in wealthy nations need to be successful and driven. POPULATION Uganda was making great strides in decreasing poverty within the country, but the increase in population is making it hard to continue on that path. The increase in population is only making things quite difficult on rural areas. This just means that there are going to be more people who fall beneath the poverty line. Population increase can cause more harm than good in poor countries. It starts to affect the health and nutrition of the people and only adds to already many problems. Many are farmers in these rural areas and they aren’t able to have access to the things they need to establish regular income. These farmers typically live in the remote rural areas where there are not sufficient and able roads. These farmers are also oblivious to new technology that would increase their crops and keep the pest away. Currently, Australia is going through a boom in their population due to a lag in previous generations. Research shows that the impact the population has an area depends on their practices and daily intake. Although, Australia is able to provide double the exports and imports which would be enough for their country , but also any country outside of theirs. But there is debate on rather or not the population should increase abundantly. People are assuming that if the population begins to increase, then everyone will have to start to cut back on their intake of items. CONCLUSION Parts of Uganda are starting to develop at a sufficient pace, but there are other problems in different areas that are causing setbacks for the developing parts. While researching the two countries I could tell by the GDP which country would be considered the poor one and which the wealthy. Uganda main struggling points is education and infrastructure. They have the natural resources to strive in agricultural, but their rural areas are not witnessing the same economic growth because they are in remote parts of the country. Both farmers and students cannot be helped until the roads and newer technology is introduced to them. My personal belief is that these people should be removed from these areas and brought to more developing parts of the country. As population increases it becomes a greater problem because now there are more people in these remote areas who are not getting the proper care and resources they need. I believe to be a wealthy nation one must be awarded the opportunity to be wealthy. I find it odd that countries like Australia could thrive, but Uganda is not. I’m not saying that Uganda will never thrive, but why aren’t they at the same level as Australia. Why are there still remote parts of Uganda that people are a part of. I believe countries are giving opportunities to become better and Uganda was not one of them along with other poor nations. How come our ways aren’t moving towards the poor nations and trying to help improve them. Many wealthy nations have the resources and funding to help poor nations rise and stand on their own feet. Uganda being rich in agriculture could be a benefit to other countries. They export to great countries, but those exports could double if farmers in remote parts weren’t so isolated and so uninvolved in the economic growth and decisions of more developing parts. I have yet to find any real true answer to why these coun tries are so different in mass ways. Yes, it’s clear that with no resources there is nothing to come from, but resources can be shared and provided in great demand from other wealthy countries. Something should be done outside the poor nations to fix the economic problems. Poverty shouldn’t come in such large numbers. One country shouldn’t worry about not having clean fresh water while the other could care less because they see it as it will always be there. Something must be done. Citations African Development Bank Building today, a better Africa tomorrow. African Development Bank Building today, a better Africa tomorrow. 25 Mar. 2014 http://www.afdb.org/>. Australias trade in goods and services Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and  Trade. Australias trade in goods and services Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 18 Feb. 2014. http://dfat.gov.au/publications/tgs/index.html. Beder, Sharon. The Nature of Sustainable Development. 2nd ed. Scribe, Newham, 1996, pp. 159-61. Coughlan, Sean. Tackling Ugandas lack of school places. BBC News. 08 Jan. 2014. 21 Feb. 2014.  http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25304848. Economy Watch Follow The Money. Uganda Trade, Import, Export. 02 Mar. 2014 http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/uganda/export-import.html. Home Rural Poverty Portal. Rural Poverty Portal. 22 Feb. 2014 http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/uganda. Infrastructure Priority List Submissions. Infrastructure Priority List Submissions. 15 Feb. 2014  http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/priority_list/submissions.aspx.

The Death of My Grandpa

The sadest day in my life. When I was a child I lived with a important person for me. He was my grandfather, he was my best friend, with him I share the happinest moments of my life. Everything was hapiness and I lived in a beautiful world. But a horrible moment arrived and everything finished. When I recived the most confusing and sadest news in my life. One morning, my cousin arrived at my home and with her hesitant voice, she told me some news that I didn`t understand.In that moment my mom arrived and she told me that my grandfather had passed away, she said that with some sweet words, because she knew how important he was for me. I could only try understand all the things that people told me, so I went to my grandmother`s house and when I came in, the only thing I saw was the lonely bed of my grandfather; in that moment I felt a inmense sadness in my heart, that moment was when I could understand everything, that I never again my grandfather would be with me.After I had understoo d everything or tried to understand what had happended, my family and some friends of us met us at the church for offering emotive masss to give the last good bye to my best friend. It has been the most emotive mass that I had ever lived in my life and that I will never forget. When the mass finished, all people went together to the cementary, some men had already prepared everything. When we arrived, the men who carried to my grandfather, let us see him for last time, when I got close to my grandfather I couldn`t believe that the person that was always happy and laughing, nowwas quiet.In that moment , I felt a inmense confusion and loneliness. My parent, my grandfather and my best friend would never be with me again. That day was the sadest in my life. I know that now I have a new angel, but I lost a friend, since that moment until now, I only have memories of that friend whom I spent happy moments in my life. That day was the sadest in my life although I knew that in that moment i would have a great angel for the rest of my life