Racial and Ethnic Groups Matrix Essay

Is this an ethnic or racial group and why? Where did this group originate? How did this group become a part of American culture? What challenges has this grouped faced in the U.S.? How is this group portrayed today in American society? Have you witness any racism or prejudice toward this group? Any additional comments? Native Americans Native Americans are considered a racial group because of the large population Native Americans came to America from Asia in the last Ice Age. Native Americans became a part of American culture with the arrival of horses. The increased mobility helped encourage a period of prosperity for Native American groups whose territories were expanding with hunting. Horses became a part of the spiritual, economic and political culture of Native Americans The biggest challenge for Native Americans is coming through assimilation both force and voluntary. The American people and the US government made various efforts to assimilate Native Americans which included but does not limit federal policies, education, religious acculturation. These physically separated Native Americans from the rest of the United States and imposed nonnative forms of housing such as land use, agricultural and hunting methods Native Americans relationship with the United States government beginning before the American Revolution with the signing of treaties for trade and friendship between Native Americans tribes and European-American colonies. I personally have not witnessed any racism or prejudice towards this group. African Americans African Americans are a minority group. However Blacks is the race where African Americans can classify themselves when it comes to race. African Americans were involuntarily captured and transferred from Africa to colonies throughout the Western Hemisphere to become slaves. In recent years, African Americans have started to demand their history as most people think that American history is just the history of white people. The biggest challenges African Americans face in the US are high out of wedlock birth rates, absent of fathers, and the lack of family support for young African Americans. Media in today’s society portrays young African Americans as criminals, crime victims and predators. According to the Black Agenda Report, it is said that â€Å" The perception of African Americans and other people of color as inferior to whites is rooted in the nations legacy of racial hierarchy†. I haven’t experienced or seen racism towards African Americans but I do recall when Trayvon Martin was killed. Society blamed the shooting because Trayvon was black. While jurors disagreed, many people still feel injustice was served. Hispanic Americans Hispanics are considered an Ethnic group. Hispanics came from a number of countries including Cuba, Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico in addition to other South American countries. A number of obstacles had to be handled by Hispanics in the US. In my opinion, the biggest obstacle they had to face is getting a job. Hispanics are typecast as low-level employees, and only a small number of Hispanics are part of upper management in the United States. Hispanics have also been typecast as unskilled workers and troublemakers in the past. They are also considered to be antagonistic and unrefined. As a Hispanic, I have felt prejudice because of the color of my skin. For example a few weeks ago I was in Des Moines and I felt out of place because of the color of my skin. Mexican Americans Majority of Mexican Americans holds religious faith and traditions that are important factors in their everyday life. This is their main difference from other Hispanic groups. Mexicans migrated from Spain and Mexico. They established themselves in the  southwestern states of the United States. Employers requested the Mexicans to be brought into the country in 1942 to fill the labor demand. Mexican Americans also have to deal with a number of obstacles such as being considered as second class citizens and apprehensions on the legality of their immigration. Mexican Americans today are depicted to provide inexpensive labor for occupations that are normally favored by majority of Americans. My parents are Mexican Americans and I have heard stories of where they were discriminated years ago because they were Mexicans in the United States. They worked hard for what they had and yet they felt belittle by Americans. Muslim and Arab Americans Arab and Muslim Americans are very religious and have a good amount of faith. Although these two ethnic groups are typically viewed as one, they have a number of differences. Arab and Muslims come from Middle Eastern countries like Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Syria. A number of ethnic groups were influenced by their customs and traditions. They perform a number of work-related functions like managing stores in low-income communities. Arab and Muslim Americans had to deal with a number of obstacles in the US. These obstacles range from a prejudice to abhorrence. A good number of people have a negative view of their religion. Arab and Muslim Americans have been depicted by the US media as barbaric and dishonest especially after 9/11. Americans don’t trust Muslims and Arabs because of what they did to us Americans. Although I have not observed any discrimination against this ethnic group, the media demonstrated prejudice against them after 9/11. Asian Americans The features of Asian Americans demonstrate their difference from other ethnic groups. Asian Americans originally came from the Pacific Islands, China, the Philippines and Asia in general. The Nationality Act of 1965 facilitated the integration of Asians into the American culture. Asian Americans have to deal with a number of obstacles mainly due to the fact that they feel that American society does not accept them, and they are treated as second-class citizens. Asian Americans are known for their excellence in education and technology. They are also successful in their chosen careers. I have not observed any discrimination against this ethic group. Jewish Americans Jewish Americans have a similar culture and religion. A person has the choice of being a Jew. Jewish Americans migrated from a number of countries in Europe including England, Germany and Poland. They also come from the former Soviet Union. Following a decline in the economy in their respective countries in the 1700s, a number of Jews migrated into the US and became integrated into American society. The strengthening of the US economy also contributed to this influx of Jews into the US. One obstacle that Jews had to deal with was when they were blamed for the fiscal crisis in the US. Presently, Jewish Americans represent the second biggest ethnic group in the United States I have not observed any discrimination against this ethnic  group. Anglo Americans Anglo Americans is a diverse ethnic group that features some differences in their skin color and religion. Anglo Americans migrated mainly from Germany, Ireland and England. A good number of them arrived in the US sometime in the 1800s. Anglo Americans have to deal with a number of racial issues in the US since they do not consider themselves as a single race. Other ethnic groups also look down on them as a group. Presently, Anglo Americans are depicted mainly as a dominant culture in the US. They consider the United States as their country and they show that through their actions. This outlook is supported by the media in the US. I have not observed any discrimination against this ethnic group.

Laptop Computer vs Desktop Computer

The computer is one of the greatest inventions in the world. Nowadays, there are more and more people who have their own computers. However, some people easily get confused when deciding to buy a laptop or a desktop. It is obvious that both of them can do well at what they are needed for such as working, studying, researching or entertaining, etc. Both consist of the basic parts like main board, ram, VGA card, hard disk, etc. Yet despite these similarities, there are quite a few differences between these two kinds of computer. A laptop offers some advantages that a desktop doesn’t. The first one is the portability. The laptop is light and portable enough to be brought anywhere. In addition, it only needs a small space to put it on. These things are very necessary for the businessmen because their jobs require them to move continuously. It is also vital for the students who want to surf the internet in the coffee shop or the library for researching or entertaining. The most important thing is the laptop uses a battery to work, so it can work for about 3 hours without plugging into the outlet. The laptop is absolutely a good solution if the people want to use the computer while going camping. Yet, the desktop is so big and heavy that the people can’t carry it with them. It is stable and good for the job, which doesn’t need to move. Unfortunately, the desktop can’t work until it is plugged into the outlet. Another advantage of the laptop is the quietness and the coolness. It uses a device called solid-state drive (SSD) to contain data. Therefore, it doesn’t make noise while working. Besides that, it runs quite cool due to the silent cooling fan and doesn’t waste much electricity. In contrast, the desktop makes loud noise when running due to its regular hard drive and fans. Moreover, it runs very hot – almost hot enough to fry an egg. Some people try to add extra cooling fans for their desktop. Unfortunately, this even makes their desktop noisier. The next benefit of the laptop is the convenience. In the laptop, a mouse is replaced with a touchpad, which is a great solution for the portability. The touchpad certainly cannot be dropped. Moreover, the laptop also has a lot of built-in devices such as speakers, microphone, webcam, etc. You can carry all of them easily while moving because all of them are built in. On the other hand, the owner of a desktop has to buy them and plug them into it through a USB port. It is hard to carry all of them when moving to another place. Nevertheless, the laptop also has some disadvantages. In other words, a desktop has some benefits that a laptop doesn’t. For one thing, a desktop is usually cheaper than a laptop, sometimes just half the price of the laptop. Because of the conveniences of the laptop, the customers are willing to pay extra money for them. The second advantage of the desktop is the compatibility to work. It is believed that the desktop can work better that the laptop. It is really powerful; most tasks can be accomplished in a short time. Its monitor is great to design images, watch DVDs or play games with a large screen, high resolution, and short delay time. Furthermore, a professional video editor often chooses a desktop as a tool for his or her work because of its strength. On the contrary, the laptop is not good to watch DVDs or play games because of its small screen. Gazing at the laptop’s screen for long periods may harm the viewer’s eyes. In addition, many people complain that it is difficult to type with the small keyboard of the laptop. In fact, this problem appears with the laptops whose monitors are smaller than 13†. The users need to practice typing on these small keyboards before working with these laptops. The third benefit of desktop computers is the ability to upgrade. Upgrading a desktop is very simple; anyone can learn to do it by himself, but for the laptop, it is much harder. The desktop can be added and modified as the user pleases. However, the laptop’s users need an expert to help them upgrade it. For that reason, the desktop’s speed can be unlimited, but the laptop’s can’t. The final advantage is the durability. The desktop is very durable; it can work for more than 10 years if it is kept in a good environment. Unfortunately, the laptop is fragile when being dropped. When it is broken, people will probably buy a new one. Based on the differences of these computers, the users can determine which one is better for them depending on their purposes. If they are the white-collar workers or the students who need the computers for their work or study, a small convenient laptop is the best choice for them. On the other hand, if they need the computers for their families or their works relating to graphic design, video editing, or playing hard-core games, a powerful desktop is likely a great choice.

Effects of the Black Death Essay

Imagine one half of the world’s population by wiped out in a space of less than a ten years. You probably cannot imagine such an event occurring; it seems unreal. Yet, this very thing happened in the between the years 1347 and 1351 in Europe. This massive destruction of human life was known as the Black Death. This Black Death was an ecological disaster on a global scale. The effects of the plague on human and certain animal populations from East Asia to as far west as Greenland were catastrophic. All facets of society, from peasant to king were affected; no one was safe. All of society was affected; nothing would ever be the same. Thus, there were many economic, social, and political effects of the Black Death. Before one can understand the effects of the Black Death, one must understand precisely what is and what it did. The Black Death was the common name for what is now known today to be three different diseases. The first, and most common of these was Bubonic Plague. The Bubonic Plague lasts for approximately six days. The early symptoms include hemorrhaging and splotches on the skin. Later on, various neurological and psychological disorders can occur. Bubonic Plague is fatal fifty to sixty percent of the time. The other two forms of the Plague, Septicaemic and Pneumonic were both much more rare, but much deadly, killing ninety-five a hundred percent of the time. The Black Death did not originate in Europe, however. It originated in Central Asia, far away from Europe. So how did it get to Europe, and why during the Late Middle Ages? Before the time of the Late Middle Ages, infrastructure was vastly underdeveloped. Thus, diseases spread by humans could not possibly spread far, as most humans did not move too far from their homeland. By the time of the Late Middle Ages, trade and infrastructure had evolved into an advanced state. Trade routes connected all the main cities of Europe to the far away lands of Asia. Now, as the Black Death epidemic began in Asia, it began to slaughter and spread immediately. By the 1350s, two-thirds of China’s population lay dead, but this was just the beginning. The Black Death quickly spread across Central Asia, following the route of the Silk Road. Soon it reached the Middle East, where Italian merchants proceeded to spread it to Europe via their trading  ships. At the time the Black Death reached Europe, the population was in full swing. Population numbers, due to new agricultural methods and other means, were at all time highs. The Black Death would quickly change that. The Black Death, traveling quickly across trading routes covered Europe in the brief span between the years 1347 and 1351. Everywhere from Ireland to Scandinavia to Spain was hit. Once the Black Death hit a town only some were spared. Anywhere from twenty-five to seventy-five percent of a town’s population would perish. And once a town would begin to recover, the Black Death would strike again and again, relentlessly slaughtering thousands. For an event as destructive as the Black Death, the economic effects are vast. After the plague had swept through Europe and reduced the population by a third, a sudden surplus of all items and food drove prices down drastically. In reply to this people began to wildly overspend what was not worth that much. However, after the excess amount of food had been used up, the insufficiency of labor began to make an impact. Prices rapidly shot up, way beyond pre-plague rates. In addition, those laborers who remained soon were in high demand. They realized that their services were rare, and thus they could charge any rate they wanted. In response to this, governments created laws limiting wages. This in turn would later cause peasant revolts in the later 14th Century. However, Some places experienced economic prosperity as a long term consequence of the plague. In addition to the effects on wages, there were other economic effects as well. Towns in the Late Middle Ages were slowly becoming important centers of trade. Towns were the center of commerce, and places were markets were. The Black Death struck these very towns the hardest. Towns, being crowded and infested by rats, were more susceptible to the plague than rural areas. Thus, people abandoned many towns for the safety of the countryside. This heavily stunted trade, as now towns were abandoned, and there was no central location for people to meet and trade. Furthermore, there were many social effects as well. Middle Age culture  became a culture of death and decay. Life became cheap. The stench of death became unavoidable when entering towns and cities. Everywhere there were the dead and the dying. Bodies were literally piled up outside in wheelbarrows, waiting to be dumped. The dead were not treated with respect or dignity. Fear was so great of infection that bodies were simply piled up and dumped in mass graves. People, ignorant of what was causing this terrible catastrophe, blamed those on the margins of society. Others questioned the Church. Why would God inflict such suffering? The Church had no answers, so people began to question it more and more. Some took matters into their own hands. Groups of people, known as flagellants began to go through towns and cities, wiping themselves to appease God. They believed that if they caused enough pain to themselves, then perhaps God would ease their suffering. In addition, the new devaluing of life and questioning of the Church, the fabric that held society together society was ripped. The plague affected everyone from kings to peasants. Soldiers who once protected peasants were no longer there, and survivors were vulnerable to looters and highwaymen. Nobility who once guided society were now deceased, and people could no longer count on them to run manors and provide for general protection against enemies. Nobles could no longer rely on peasants, as they quickly became scarce. In short, the Black Death caused a violent upheaval on society as death became common, and nothing could be trusted. In addition to the many social and economic effects, there were also many political effects of the Black Plague. As stated before, the Black Plague affected virtually all facets of society, including the nobility. The nobility’s ability to effectively assert their power became extremely limited due to the rapid decline of feudalism that occurred due to the plague. The main source of the power of the nobility came from their feudal powers, and once these powers became limited, the ability of the nobles to effect political change also became limited. Before the Black Plague, kings had to take into account the nobles and their ideas. Following the Black Plague, nobles became helpless, unless they agreed to further the kings’ claims and demands. This in turn further centralized power, which was a trend of the 14th Century. The main political effect of the Black Death was  the further loss of power of the nobles in government. The Black Death was the terror of the Middle Ages. Serf and king alike feared it. And where the plague struck, nothing could be the same. Overpopulated towns suddenly became deserted. Flourishing commerce suddenly became dead and empty. Whereas the dead were once respected and taken care of, now they were devalued and thrown in piles. The kings continued to gain in power, due to the weakening of the feudal system. In retrospect, the Black Death was, perhaps, one of the most transforming events in human history. The economy, society, and politics of the time were transformed forever.

Documentary film Super Size Me

Crucial health information is brought to the general public’s attention, when Morgan Spurlock directs and stars in the documentary film Super Size Me. After the obesity epidemic that broke out in the early 2000’s, Spurlock wonder’s what would happen if he were to consume only McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner for thirty days. This experiment raised many eyebrows to what is really reflected as healthy food. Therefore, due to Spurlock’s study a question came to mind; Should McDonald’s place health warning labels on their so-called food products?Yes, all McDonald’s should place health warning labels’ on their products of food. Spurlock proves that McDonald’s is not safe to consume, because at the end of his experiment he gained twenty four and a half pounds, had a thirteen percent increase in body mass, a  cholesterol  level of 230, elevated mood swings, fat buildup in his liver and sexual dysfunction. Many crit ics say that because Spurlock was not exercising regularly and was intentionally consuming an average of 5,000 calories a day, that anybody would have had the same results.Nonetheless after Spurlock carried out his experiment, he proved his case which is, walking 5,000 steps a day and consuming 5,000 calories a day of just McDonald’s is dangerous from every view and McDonald’s should place warning labels on all their food that is sold to the public. Though warning labels’ on McDonalds food would not harm business as much as corporate thinks it will, in the film Super Size Me, Spurlock approaches random members on the street of Manhattan, New York and ask if they know how bad McDonalds is for them and if so, why do they continue to eat it?Every person that was addressed by Spurlock stated yes they do know fast food restaurants are the main cause for health problems, but they still love to eat out. Proving that even the informed American concisely makes the decisi on to eat out rather than making a fresh meal at home. In the end, Spurlock’s film was a success when it came to getting his message across, which is, be informed and stay healthy.

Principles of Health and Social Care Practice Essay - 1

Principles of Health and Social Care Practice - Essay Example Social and healthcare professionals working within the home also need to understand that they have a sense of duty to the vulnerable people that they serve. Service users can be vulnerable because of their cultural, religious, social, economic, and state of their physical health (British Association of Social Workers 2012). The vulnerable population in need of health and social services within the care home must have their human rights protected by care givers. In some cases, a prescribed mode of treatment for a vulnerable care service user might expose him or her to harm or possible abuse of their human rights. Social and healthcare professionals at the home need to understand all the implications of the any kind of care that they devise for each and every individual at the home.   Practitioners need to check on the merits and merits of certain care procedures before adopting them for different people that need care services at the home. This process ensures that people that are b eing taken care of are not subjected to any form of abuse by care givers. A case in point can be that of a care service user that has a terminal illness like cancer. Cancer treatment involves using chemotherapy. Chemotherapy has its adverse impacts on the health a persons especially the repeated chemotherapy can accelerate the side effects of the care service. As a healthcare or social service provider at the care home, one needs to use a consultative approach to making a decision on whether certain medical procedures can be good.

Sensation and Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sensation and Perception - Essay Example Take note of the subjects’ responses. After conducting your experiment, answer the following questions: In the process of having three people observe a room, it was interesting to note how the type of person observing was impacted what was observed. The first individual was hampered by a limited amount of color blindness. This person could see some colors, but not others. Blue was the control color. When asked about the other objects in the room, he had a relatively detailed list that was not impacted by color. A female observer listed out the objects in the room that were a bright pink that stood in strong contrast to the blue of the walls and other objects in the room. The most interesting observer was a man who is a police officer. He was able to list the objects in great detail regardless of color. His observation of the room was very complete with details such as â€Å" a white planter hung from a tarnished brass hook with pink and yellow flowers†. The observations seem to be impacted by the nature of those participating. The man who had the difficulty of some color-blind issues is a very practical individual who is about function over form. In this process, the function of the items he listed were in order of importance to the function of the room. He listed only one decorative item - undoubtedly because it was a very large item - and remembered the pieces that were useful within the space. The woman listed few of the practical items, but took notice of the most colorful of the decorative items. She is involved in an aspect of interior design and seemed more affected by color than by importance of function. Of course, the police officer was generally observant, putting no stronger emphasis on the function or the form, but rather the details that completed the entirety of the room. In conducting this

Description of 7 and 8 Chapters of Americas Courts and the Criminal Coursework

Description of 7 and 8 Chapters of Americas Courts and the Criminal Justice System Book by Neubauer and Fradella - Coursework Example The assertion by Neubauer and Fradella (170) that defense attorneys’ working within the set norms and in cooperation with the court community do not best represent the interests of the client is, in my opinion, incorrect and fallacious. It is worth noting that, this interaction or cooperation between a defense attorney and other courtroom workgroups does not erode the best interests of a defendant (171) but rather, betters the results for a client. This is because; such a defense attorney gets access to helpful, important information from the prosecutor, which he/she would otherwise have no access to. As a client, a defense attorney who takes a cooperative posture may help the attorney get favorable bargains-plea bargains-, and would, in addition, shield a client from being penalized as a result of the defense attorney’s hostility. Neubauer and Fradella (171) argue that the so-called â€Å"gambling† attorneys may harm their clients since they may, in a bad way pu sh the judges’ and prosecutor’s hand into handing a client long and unreasonable sentences. Further, an attorney working within the set norms and in cooperation with other courtroom groups are considered good counselors and sober advisors since they have the capability to predict and ascertain the reactions of the court community with regards to certain cases. This gives them an upper hand when it comes to offering a client advice with respect to how to proceed with a case. This implies that such attorneys have the ability to develop realistic and strategic approaches to cases on the basis of knowledge and experience. Moreover, in retrospect to what many studies have advanced, attorney’s cooperating and interacting with other courtroom groups have the motivation to defend their clients vigorously and have the capability to go to trial where and when, in their judgment, it seems necessary.