The Birthmark Research Paper Essay Example

The Birthmark Research Paper Paper The Birthmark was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the middle of 19th century and was first published in 1843. The story describes the very natural thing, birthmark, and its impact on different minds. An 18th century’s scientist, Aylmer, gets married to a beautiful woman but later on finds his frustration about one feature in her appearance. An author has found a delicate way to criticize and blame the epoch, which he lived in, through this short, but meaningful, story. One of the passages from the story describes Georgiana’s, Aylmer’s wife, birthmark. Earlier, a conversation between the spouses begins, and an author tries to give every little detail in order for the reader to imagine and picture for herself the cause of the problem. The first thing, which should be noted, is that the author describes Georgiana’s birthmark with a grain of admiration and pity. It seems as if he tries to justify a little imperfection of a woman. Partially, this can be notices in the way he describes, how previous Georgiana’s lovers used to approach and treat her birthmark. After describing a negative approach to a mark by the female figures, he gives an example of Eve of Powers, which can ‘convert to a monster’ by the blue strains in the statuary marble. These author’s comments give a clear picture of a disagreement with the story’s character, Aylmer, concerning his wife’s appearance. We will write a custom essay sample on The Birthmark Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Birthmark Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Birthmark Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, in order to understand, why the birthmark of this woman was given such a great attention by the author, it is necessary to go back to the 19th century and to understand the environment, which people used to live in back then. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in the beginning of the 19th century in America. Most of his life he lived in the epoch of reform and positivism. Reform has brought many changes in people’s perception of religion, science, and society. It has change the role of woman to a great extent. Positivism, in turn, has brought a tendency to consider a person as a product of nature; however, where science could interfere. All these changes created an environment, where people believed that scientists have control over the nature and can bring significant changes to almost any aspect of the process of living. Apparently, Aylmer was one of those scientists, who was determined that perfection of a woman must not be spoiled by any, even the smallest, element of the nature. After his and Georgiana’s marriage he even started questioning his affection toward his wife. He saw a frightening sign in the birthmark of Georgiana and even understood that ‘this one defect grow more and more intolerable with every moment of their united lives’. Story’s author puts emphasis on the beauty of Georgiana. He does it in order to point out that the birthmark is really the only disadvantage, or, on the contrary, an advantage of her appearance. It is mentioned that different woman’s lovers had different opinions about this specialty of hers. Before her husband mentioned it in a different way, she thought men see it as a magic sign from a fairy. Her previous lovers saw some sort of charm in it, a feature, which differentiates Georgiana from all other women. They thought there was something special about this small sign on the face, which they thought was perfect. Aylmer’s opinion, on the other hand, was somewhat different. He was troubled with a question: why such a beautiful face is spoiled with a birthmark like this? Author describes man’s thoughts and explains that the birthmark would not bother Aylmer that much if there would be even one more defect on her face, or if she would not be beautiful at all . In his wife’s face he saw a nature’s imprint. He found two possible reasons for this birthmark: either for proving that every person on this earth is mortal and does not last forever, or does have to pay for his or her beauty or perfection. Either ways, Aylmer was anxious about this feature of his wife and, as was mentioned above, even started questioning his affection toward her. The birthmark was located in the center of Georgiana’s cheek and was shaped as a small hand. Its color was one of the reasons, why it was standing out on and striking one’s eye. The color of the birthmark was changing with the change in Georgiana’s emotions. It was disappearing whenever the blood rushed to her face and reappearing whenever she turned pale. Aylmer knew all the nuances of his wife’s face, and the effect her emotions had on the birthmark. However, as one of the determined scientists of that time, this very little and natural feature did not let him enjoy the beauty of his wife to the fullest. In the end of 18th and in the beginning of 19th century science has made a significant contribution to the women cosmetics and could bring into one’s appearance certain desirable changes. This was a time, when woman became a subject for experiments. At that time it was important for her to look perfect, especially, when she had all the necessary tools for it. Scientists believed that the nature is something, which can be controlled and changed. New discoveries and inventions brought a revolution to the society and people’s minds and proved people to be over the nature. While women were amazed and pleased with the new opportunities, which science could now offer to them, there have been given little thought of the meaning of certain unusual features women possessed. There were different beliefs and different approaches toward life and the human bodies. Aylmer was a scientist, who appeared to be unable to separate the science from his and his wife’s private life. He, like everyone else, was blinded by the new opportunities, which have appeared, and could not stop from applying his beliefs to their family. Georgiana appeared to be a subject of his critics and deep philosophical thoughts. At some point he has moved his wife to the back and has made science the major purpose of his life. She became one of his tools for examining the world, beliefs of the society, and his own beliefs. He found Georgiana’s birthmark as a contradiction to the common perception of the woman’s body and nature’s role in it. He was determined that leaving this feature on her face and looking at it every day of his life could be a threat for his beliefs. Removing the birthmark could serve Aylmer as a proof of his theories, which he was developing in his head. Author proves that Aylmer was looking at his wife through the eyes of a scientist by comparing his attitude toward the birthmark to Georgiana’s previous lovers’. In society, which believed that all imperfections of the woman can and must be removed, how could someone think otherwise? Perhaps, her previous lovers were musicians, painters, artists, but not people of the science. They, most probably, truly saw something entirely amazing and magical about this feature of hers. They were able to look at Georgiana with love and admiration without letting anything to interfere with their feelings. She was more than a beautiful body for them, but a special soul, which possessed it. This was the major difference between them and Aylmer, which author tries to show in his story. This difference had a significant impact on the spouses’ relationship and the way Georgiana’s birthmark was perceived. The situation, which Aylmer appeared in, describes and explains his unc ertainty and the pressure he was under. Instead of looking at his marriage as an opportunity for building strong and long-lasting relationships with his wife, he concentrated on the wrong things. He concentrated on the appearance of Georgiana, but not on her inner self. He concentrated on his science instead of being himself and becoming a loving and caring husband. Perhaps, he believed that this was exactly the feeling of care and love he felt for her wife, but could not understand the reasons standing behind his every action and word. Aylmer believed that the nature is something, which does not leave a space for perfection. It constantly reminds a human being of his or her dependence on the decisions ‘made’ by it. He, as a true representative of the science, could not agree with it and to accept it. Especially, he did not want to accept it when having a person so close, who had an obvious sign against his own beliefs. This thought did not give Aylmer a rest, and he was constantly thinking over this little feature of his wife. Instead of loving his wife for who she is inside, he found that she has become a reason for his biggest anxiety. Georgiana was his wife and his closest person. After becoming a married couple, their relationship has reached a new level, where he started looking at her in a different way. He saw a lover in her; a woman, who must be perfect in every way. He needed her to be perfect in sake of his science and his beliefs. He could not live on and exist next to the person, who carri ed a challenge of his beliefs right on her face. Therefore, unconsciously he decided to give up his love and relationship with his wife for the sake of the science. In ‘The Birthmark’ author tries to show the way beliefs in society can affect a single person and his or her relationships with other people around. In addition, he tries to describe the way person’s occupation and interests can affect his or her approach to life. The epoch, in which both Nathaniel Hawthorne and Aylmer used to live, brought many changes to the beliefs of the people around them. Some people remained indifferent to the large amount of inventions in the science, and some fell immediately under their influence. There were people, who were against and with the reform; however, the fact that it changed every person’s lives in the 19th century is unquestionable. However, the saddest effect that reform had brought to the society, which is illustrated in ‘The Birthmark’, is the one on the relationship between men and women. The role of the woman has changed and become somewhat insignificant. She has become a tool for decorating the houses and streets. Scientists have worked hard on making it possible to change woman’s appearance and to make it even more perfect. Unquestionably, this approach has remained till the 21st century. BibliographyMarxists Internet Archive. â€Å"Value of Knowledge Reference. Positivism†. Available from Internet; accessed 4 February 2010 The Literature Network. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne†. Available from Internet; accessed 4 February 2010

How World War II Affected Women

How World War II Affected Women Womens lives changed in many ways during World War II. As with most wars, many women found their roles and opportunities- and responsibilities- expanded. As Doris Weatherford wrote, â€Å"War holds many ironies, and among them is its liberating effect on women.† But the war also results in the special degradation of women, as victims of sexual violence. Around the World While many of the resources on this topic address American women specifically, Americans were by no means unique in being affected by and  playing critical roles in the war. Women in other Allied and Axis countries were also affected. Some ways in which women were affected were specific and unusual: the comfort women of China and Korea and the extermination and suffering of Jewish women in the Holocaust, for example. Women were among those held in internment camps by the United States for being of Japanese descent. Women and the Holocaustâ€Å"Comfort Women: of China and KoreaMargaret Bourke-White Photographs including of concentration and work campsJapanese Internment in the U.S. In other ways, there were similar or parallel global experiences: the advent of British, Soviet, and American women pilots or the worldwide home-makers burden of coping with wartime rationing and shortages, for example. American Women at Home and Work Husbands went to war or went to work in factories in other parts of the country, and the wives had to pick up their husbands responsibilities. With fewer men in the workforce, women filled more traditionally male jobs. World War II: Women at HomeWorld War II: Women at Work  (Images: Rosie the Riveter and Her Sisters)World War II: Women and Government Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady, served during the war as the â€Å"eyes and ears† for her husband, whose ability to travel widely was impacted by his disability after he’d contracted polio in 1921. American Women and the Military In the military, women were excluded from combat duty, so women were called on to fill some military jobs that men had performed, to free men for combat duty. Some of those jobs took women near or into combat zones, and sometimes combat came to civilian areas, so some women died.  Special divisions for women were created in most of the military branches. World War II: Women and the MilitaryWASP: Women Pilots of World War II More Roles Some women, American and others, are known for their roles resisting the war.  Some of these women were pacifists, some opposed their country’s side, and some cooperated with invaders. World War II: Women Spies, Traitors, Pacifists, and War OpponentsTokyo Rose: imprisoned for treason, eventually cleared, pardoned in 1977Josephine Baker Celebrities were used on all sides as propaganda figures. A few used their celebrity status to work to raise funds or even to work in the underground. World War II: Women Celebrities and the WarLeni RiefenstahlLillian HellmanFuture celebrity Marilyn Monroe was photographed in a World War II factory job For further exploration, see the excellent read on the topic: Doris Weatherford’s American Women and World War II.

Compare and contrast the influences of culture and religion in Essay

Compare and contrast the influences of culture and religion in sciences in ancient Greece and the Islamic empire - Essay Example elf is quite vast and it will probably be very difficult to cover all the points which can be made about the similarities and differences of how culture and religion affected the scientific developments of the ancient Greeks or the early Muslims. In fact even a brief retelling of their combined histories can take up many pages but I shall endeavor to cover the salient points which I came across while researching this topic. To better understand the differences and common elements it would be easier if each civilization is examined in detail on an individual basis while providing links to the other. Ancient Greece is rather difficult to pinpoint in terms of historical timelines since there is little agreement on the exact dates of the existence of this culture (Bower, 1991). The historians are in general agreement that all Greek history which came before the Roman Empire is a part of Ancient Greece. There are several periods in this society which are depicted by the art and culture as it existed in those times. Pottery samples and statues have often been of use in marking timelines for various periods of ancient Greek culture. But while the start of the Greek civilization may be questioned, its end is generally taken as the death of Alexander the Great. Amongst the many achievements of this culture are wonderful advancements made in the field of science. The made many discoveries of importance particularly in the areas of mathematics, agriculture, animal husbandry, economics and (perhaps most importantly), philosophy (Magner, 2002). Greek culture itself laid a very high value on the ability to speak to an audience and motivate them to do something or the other (Goldstein, 1995). This was the fundamental art of verbal and written rhetoric which basically had someone prove something to others. This cultural influence can be clearly seen in the way the philosophy and the mathematics of the Greek culture operates where very little abstraction is used and most of the

Current threats to UK Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Current threats to UK Security - Essay Example (Chalk & Rosenau, 2004) On the British mainland, the police were responsible for all intelligence operations against Irish Republican terrorism work through the Special Branch (SB) of the Metropolitan Police Service. However, a series of high-profile terrorist incidents in London in the early 1990s, including a mortar attack on Number 10 Downing Street, prompted the British government in 1992 to take appropriate actions against terror by giving the Security Service lead responsibility for all intelligence gathering related to Irish extremism. Britain was then followed by significant terror attacks from 1988, when the country suffered with the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie. The terrorists found to be two Libyan agents. When British counter-terrorism efforts were busy concentrating on the IRA's bombing campaign, Britain was again confronted to the terror attacks, which resulted in the outcome of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. At last it was clear to the UK's intelligence agencies and military police that London is being continuously used as the grounds for terrorism attacks for individuals that promote, organise and fund terrorism. It was found that such individuals belonged from Middle East and related nations. Britain at that time was either over confident of the national security or may be it did not consider the terror attacks and International terrorism due to which it made a mistake of ignoring threats from Al-Qaeda. Even the 9/11 attacks remain unable to gain attention of the British intelligence community. But the suicide terror attacks after 9/11 in London, made the forces realise to take appropriate considerations against terrorism. Today Al-Qaeda is considered to be the most dangerous form of terrorist threat not only in Britain but also to the whole International system. Among the most traditional terrorist groups formed, Al-Qaeda is the most modernized form of terror as its aim is to promote mass killing through every possible means. It is considered to be the most perilous of all the groups because it plans and implements those plans beyond killing. 'Brainwashing' is its most significant characteristic, which leads to suicide bombing. It plays with the morals of the young generation thereby convincing and brainwashing them with the advantages of suicide bombings. The UK is confronted towards the risky situation of threat due to some reasons. First it is the closest ally of the United States, which is the most precarious enemy of Al-Qaeda. It has deployed armed forces in the military campaigns to bring down the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has played a leading role in the cooperation against Al-Qaeda. (Gregory Frank & Wilkinson Paul). Al-Qaeda has not stopped sending threatening messages to the UK, which are to some extent still ignored by the military forces. The extremists have succeeded in taking advantage of the current circumstances where they assume UK to be an easy meal for them as they are very well aware that their deployment within the UK territory is not a big deal and in particular circumstances where there is a new threat of 'suicide bombers', it is a lot more easier for them to harass

Police Scenario Communication Barrier to Encounter Essay

Police Scenario Communication Barrier to Encounter - Essay Example Visually -Shaken Man The visually shaken only heard the sound but didn't see the incident happening. The following barriers will be met. - He may not answer questions that require him to give information on what he saw - Undefined assumption -: He may make his own assumptions since he never saw the events. This may lead to wrong interpretation. Young Gang Members I will get the following communication barriers with these young gang members. Defensive behavior -: Since they were past of the gang, they may feel threatened to give true information. They may in the process fail to concentrate on the questions. Failure to listen-they may fail to listen to me making me not to get the information I wanted. I will overcome these communication barriers in the following ways. Give the child enough time to explain himself. Avoid asking children leading questions since children tend to agree with what has been said. Ensure that the surrounding environment is friendly and free of destruction for the child to concentrate. For the hearing impaired man, I can look for someone who understands sign language to interpret the sign language to me. For the visually shaken man, he ought to be given time to compose himself and gain courage. For the gang member who may be hesitant to give true information, I can issue threats of imprisonment if they're not willing to give me relevant information. The impact of non-verbal communication while interacting with other officers' witnesses and possible suspects is that I may not get reliable information for my investigation. Interviewing Process and How to Go About Speaking To Each Witness 1. Child I would put myself in the shoes of the child and approach him in a humble man. I will take time to listen to him and desist from... Selective perception -: Because of the difficulty of the sign language, I may tend to hear only what I want to hear and ignore other signs which would otherwise have produced more relevant information. I would put myself in the shoes of the child and approach him in a humble man. I will take time to listen to him and desist from interfering with him as this will lead to him bearing confused. I will be extremely attentive because the child may not exactly repeat what he has said. I will create a climate that will facilitate open honest communication to avoid defensive behavior. I will be pleasant and smile to them so that they cannot take me suspiciously. I will put the young gang members at ease and avoid being tempered over what has happened. Throughout the investigation I'll be equipped with a pocket radio to record all the conversations with the witnesses. I'll then collect the finger - prints of the gang members which will compare with the information present in the police station. This is what I'll show in the courtroom. A shot-out occurred in Monrovia Street on Saturday 2007-01-06 at 14.30 hours. A teenage male was killed. According to my investigations, a gun wielding gang attacked the teenage male who was in his car near a corner gas station. Some of the witnesses lamented that they had a loud bang followed by screams all over.

Food Insecurity in the United States

Food Insecurity in the United States Food Insecurity In The United States Julie Hurley Introduction This paper will introduce the topic of food insecurity and hunger in the United States. According to the definition approved by the 1996 World Food Summit, â€Å"food security exists when†¦all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life†.(Simon, 2012, p. 4-5) Food insecurity therefore, is the inability to acquire adequate food intake for all household members as the result of insufficient resources. Food Insecurity is also the official term used to describe the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) measurement for all the possible variations that a family or house might experience while getting insufficient to sufficient food. The USDA measures the degree to which good food is available and how nutritious that food actually is. So while some members of a family might be getting food most of the time, some of the time some members are getting no food, others are getting food that is not very good and sometimes no one is eating at all. All these variations are taken into account and measured. Food insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all of the time and food insecurity may also reflect the trade-offs a household needs to make between paying the bills and purchasing nutritionally adequate food. (NYC Food Insecurity, 2014) Not surprisingly, low-income families are more likely to experience food insecurity than middle or higher income families. There are four dimensions to food security: availability, accessibility, utilization and stability. So food insecurity occurs when there is: a lack of food (no availability); a lack of resources (no access to food); an improper use (no proper utilization of food); or changes in availability, accessibility or utilization (no stability with regards to food). (Simon, 2012, p. 5-8) The United States produces more food than it could ever use for domestic consumption. Yet despite the ability to produce all this food, food insecurity is still a problem in the United States. American hunger is the result of economic poverty, when some people literally do not have enough funds to purchase food. But levels of income and poverty do not fully predict food insecurity. This suggests that other things (such as the ability to budget resources), are important in determining whether or not someone will be food insecure. (Gowda, Hadley, Aiello, 2012, p. 1586) In 2008, 17 million US households were considered to be food insecure.(Gowda et al., 2012, p. 1579) In 2010, household food insecurity in the US was at its highest level since measurements began in 1995.(Fram et al., 2011, p. 1114) Also in 2010, over one-fifth of U.S. children lived in food-insecure homes. The problem was considered serious enough at the time that President Barack Obama publicly pledged to end child hun ger by 2015.(Fram et al., 2011, p. 1114) Today, food insecurity is combated by both government programs and aid from the private sector. And while both types of aid have increased in this century, hunger relief by the government has outpaced that provided by the private sector.(Gowda et al., 2012, p. 1583) However, this was not always the case, and for many people throughout American history people were essentially on their own. History The prospect of food insecurity is a constant part of the human condition and in the United States has been a concern for as long as people have been living in North America. The European colonists who first settled in North America faced the prospect of severe hunger much of the time. Transplanting crops brought from Europe and trying to grow native crops was difficult. In the early days of the first colonies, many settlers watched their crops fail and ultimately died of starvation or the effects of starvation. But many other settlers were saved from starvation through the generosity of Native Americans. Over time the colonists adapted and they either copied, continued or created farming methods that were successful. In the process of doing this, they discovered that the land in North America was very fertile.(Eisinger, 1998, p. 32-34) They were so successful that despite the rugged environment and violence, hunger in North America was already becoming less severe than the level of hunger found throughout Western Europe. Improved food security had the effect that despite the dangers of life in the colonies, by 1776 American colonists enjoyed a higher life expectancy than their European cousins. The average life expectancy in North America at that time was 51 years; in Great Britain 37 years; in France only 26 years.(Eisinger, 1998, p. 44) A big factor in the food security experienced by North Americans though was that in addition to good fertile land, there was also a low population level. There was also no shortage of jobs. With low unemployment levels and plenty of work, any able-bodied person was prevented from suffering from the effects associated with unemployment, such as low income and the resulting inability to access food.(Fogel, 2004, p. 14-15) But conditions changed by the early 19th century when good land (or at least access to good land) became more scarce, usually available only to those who already had with wealth. It had also become harder to make a living from public land or by owning and operating a small farm. Poor economic conditions forced many small farmers off their land, making them homeless. With a growing population of homeless people, America’s first homeless shelters (which also provided food), were set up, called Poorhouses.(The Poorhouse, 2012) In some areas city officials would also â€Å"hand out† emergency cash to the starving to buy food, but this did not stop the overall rise in poverty or hunger. By 1850 living conditions had fallen so low that in America that life expectancy had dropped to 43 years. It is thought that by 1865, as many as 1 in 5 Americans could have been suffering from food insecurity.(Fogel, 2004, p. 36) After the Civil War, the industrial revolution began to change this situation to some degree. Factory jobs provided more access to income for workers and by the 1870’s there was less hunger and homelessness in the U.S. Of course most of these jobs were low wage and workers suffered in terrible conditions, but there were more jobs to choose from (and therefore less unemployment) so that at least people could earn enough money to eat. Though these â€Å"sweat shops† with their bad working conditions were the engine driving the â€Å"Gilded Age† the overall result was that they improved economy. This in turn created even more (and better) jobs being created outside of the factories as consumers had more money to spend. One side effect however, was that life for the poorest of the poor actually got worse. Many wealthy Americans opposed the idea of government intervening to help the hungry, thinking this would only create masses of lazy unemployed people. They also th ought that it would somehow sabotage the growth of the free market. Laissez Faire capitalism was thought to be the appropriate response to the starving poor. But at the same time, the private sector began to provide help to the poor by creating America’s first soup kitchens.(DePastino, 2005, p. 22) In the early 20th century there was a revolution in farming with the creation of the first methods of mechanized agriculture.(Janick, 2014) Ironically, although this lead to an increase in rural unemployment it also created a surplus of food which helped lower food prices in the United States. As a result, during and after the first World War (1914-1918), the United States sent about 20 million tons of food to a war ravaged Europe. And since World War I the United States has continued to be a world leader for relieving hunger.(Vernon, 2007, p. 242) In the 1920’s America’s economy was booming, but the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed reversed much of the progress that the United States had made in reducing domestic hunger. But as a result of the Great Depression, the issue of American hunger became a major issue for the government. In time both the government and the private sector responded to the needs of the American people. More private soup kitchens and bread lines were opened and the â€Å"New Deal† program of government relief was launched. Some government programs like the Works Progress Administration (or WPA) tried to reduce unemployment by providing much needed jobs. Other programs tried to reduce poverty by raising wages. Another government program, the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation tried to provide poor people with food and bought surplus food from farmers. By the 1940’s the New Deal programs had improved the economy and seemed to have reduced most of the hunger in the United States. Until the late 1960s, many Americans considered hunger in their nation to be a solved problem.(Poppendieck, 1999, p. 11) So much so that some states even ended the practice of distributing federal food surpluses for free. Instead they provided an early form of food stamps but there was a price charged and since many could not pay for them, more people began to suffer from severe hunger again.(Poppendieck, 1999, p. 10) As American society rediscovered hunger, more private charity groups opened soup kitchens and the first modern food bank was created in 1967.(Poppendieck, 1999, p. 112) The so-called â€Å"Hunger Lobby† was also launched to petition politicians to improve welfare for the hungry. By 1967 senate hearings were held on hunger and in 1969 President Nixon called on Congress to end hunger in the U.S. once and for all.(Melnick, 1994, p. 311) In the 1970s, U.S. federal hunger relief grew substantially with food stamps distributed free of charge. Though these efforts again helped combat food insecurity, eventually the federal government again reduced welfare spending.(Dando, 2012, 177–178) The private sector again responded with grass roots relief agencies, essentially in the form of bigger and better food banks.(Dowler, 2012, p. 1) Food Insecurity Interventions America’s heritage of food insecurity provides an interesting look at the cycle within which food insecurity rises and falls. By now the relationship between economics and food insecurity seems pretty well documented: as the economy gets worse, poverty increases and with more people experiencing poverty, more experience food insecurity. Sadly, government policy, again operating in cycles, provides some initial, emergency, short term assistance but then eventually seems to blame the victims for their own deprivations and ends assistance. To be realistic about ending hunger in America, we must acknowledge that no matter how good the economy might ever get, there should always be interventions already in place to prevent food insecurity in the first place and to provide food to the hungry in preparation for the next big economic downturn. As a nurse viewing food insecurity as a public health issue, there are three types of interventions in the field of healthcare: primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary preventions try to protect healthy people from developing a problem to begin with. Secondary preventions happen after an illness has already been diagnosed, with the goals being to halt or slow the progress of the illness. Tertiary preventions try to help an ill patient cope with the long term issues associated with an already exiting, full blown condition that cannot be reversed.(Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, 2006) Primary Interventions: Creating Food Security/Measuring American food insecurity Community food security is created through several avenues like nutrition education, public health, sustainable agriculture and anti-hunger activism. And as a modern public health issue, a primary intervention used to try and prevent food insecurity from occurring, is to track it using reliable and precise methods of measurements. With accurate statistics, policy makers and organizations can address problems before they get worse. The only way to really do this is to get statistics about what demographic is accessing food programs, and the circumstances which caused them to have to do this. The USDA is the government agency which has been tasked with tracking and fighting food insecurity and in 1994, the USDA organized a conference to try and figure out the best way to track food insecurity. The conference identified the appropriate basis for a nationwide measure and agreed that the best way to take such a measure was with nationwide surveys.(History Background, 2014) This conferenc e resulted in the creation of the U.S. Food Security Measurement Project (USFSMP), and current food security statistics are based on the survey measure the USFSMP developed. In 1995, the U.S. Census Bureau first carried out a field test of the first food security survey called the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. The Food Security Supplement was repeated again from 1996 to 2001 and has been continued annually ever since. Taking the data from these surveys and using the highly sophisticated statistical techniques, USFSMP created â€Å"an accurate scale that measures the severity of deprivation in basic food needs as experienced by U.S. households.†(History Background, 2014) So a major component of primary intervention is already in place by tracking and measuring food insecurity. But the second half of this prevention-oriented approach for community food security is to take those statistics and addresses a diverse range of issues such as: â€Å"food availability and affordability; direct food marketing; diet-related health problems; participation in and access to Federal nutrition assistance programs; ecologically sustainable agricultural production; farmland preservation; economic viability of rural communities; economic opportunity and job security; community development and social cohesion.†(Food Security In The US, 2014) According to the USDA themselves, primary intervention should also support the development of long term strategies: â€Å"To improve access of low-income households to healthful nutritious food supplies. To increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs. To promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues.† (Food Security In The US, 2014) Some of these issues can be addressed directly by the USDA but some can only be address in conjunction with or solely by other government agencies and policy makers. For example, the USDA has no say in influencing â€Å"economic opportunity and job security† but at least it can provide other agencies that do, with feedback as to how their policies may or may not be working. It seems unrealistic to think that the USDA alone can end food insecurity and clearly the magnitude of the problem – and the power it would take to prevent it – is beyond the scope of the USDA as it currently exists. But at least this primary intervention is in place and can be used in the future to continue trying to prevent hunger from happening and, until preventing it completely, to act as an alarm for strengthening secondary interventions. Secondary Interventions While primary interventions for food insecurity involve the policy and decision making that affects poverty in America, the interventions that most of us associate with food insecurity are those involving tangible hunger relief that provides food to the hungry. Modern secondary interventions include the following: Food pantries. The most common food aid establishments in the U.S., food pantries collect food from donors and give out actual parcels of food to those in need. Although used by anyone, they are designed to help families have enough food for a few meals which will be eaten at home. The food closet. The food closet has the same purpose as a food pantry, but is not big enough to be in a building of its own. The food closet will be a closet or room in something like a church and is often found in more remote communities. Soup kitchens. Soup kitchens are also called food kitchens and meal centers, all of which provide hot cooked meals for the hungry. These meals are prepared and eaten in the soup kitchen building (not at home). Soup kitchens are the second most common food aid establishment in the U.S. The food bank. The food bank is the third most common food aid establishment. in the U.S. Most food banks usually warehouse food and distribute it to other agencies like food pantries, instead of giving it directly to the hungry. They get their supply of foods from large farms, manufacturers, supermarkets and the federal government. Food rescue organizations also warehouse food and distribute it to other agencies but they operate on a smaller scale than food banks and get their food from different sources – restaurants, smaller shops and small farms. The network of these organizations that provide food assistance is sometimes referred to as the Emergency Food Assistance System (EFAS).(Riches, 1986, p. 15-20)

Our Concept of Time Essay -- Existence Creation Essays

Our Concept of Time If our perception of time can successfully be challenged, the implications are huge. The story of evolution, which is supported by our observations and is largely becoming accepted as truth, conflicts with most religious stories. The story of evolution, like many other scientific stories, is changing the story of religion. If God did not really create the earth in seven days, the days must be symbolic or represent time on a different scale. If God did not create the human species in the beginning and designate us to rule the earth, perhaps he set the ball rolling, knowing what was to come.* The story told by religion seems to be accommodating more and more to the story of evolution. Do these stories have to be mutually exclusive? Both stories are embedded in time. They are explanations of our existence based on history. An explanation outside of time is the only way that I can understand the supernatural to coexist with the natural, without denying facts or excessively accommodating for them. Can we think of an answer to the great question, "Why are we here?" without explaining it in terms of time? Can we even ask the question without wondering "Where did we come from? How did we get here?" or similar questions bounding our reality within time? Can we think of any story outside of time? This is a huge question that I do not pretend to be able to answer. But, through an exploration of our understanding and use of the concept of time, I hope to confuse our conception. It may be hard to truly imagine breaking the confines of time until we gain a better understanding by emerging ourselves in it, questioning it, and messing it up. Before we examine the possibility of a story told outside of time, it is ... ...time as a directional course of moments. Time is headed in a direction because we are. Time does seem to be upheld by reality. Most things that occur can happen in reverse order. Thermodynamics by "law" cannot. The second law of thermodynamics states that systems tend to a state of higher disorder. Obviously, this tendency is a tendency over time. Perhaps this increasing disorder is the basis of our understanding of time. But disorder depends on perspective. If we look at a single particle, disorder, and consequently time, are irrelevant if not imaginary. Therefore, it is not reality, but only our picture of reality which requires time. I do not have an answer to the conflict of the two stories we tell within our concept of time, but it is helpful to keep time in perspective, and to continue to play with it in order to change the reality that we understand.

Fastrack Company Essay

Fastrack was launched in 1998 as a sub-brand of Titan. It was spun off as an independent brand of watches targeting the urban youth in 2005. Since then, it has carved a niche for itself with designs that were refreshingly different and affordable. During that time, Fastrack also extended its footprint into eye gear and in the last 4 years has quickly notched up the title of being the largest sunglass brand in the country. Fastrack has now chartered into newer categories – bags, belts, wallets and wrist bands – as part of its vision to become a complete fashion brand for the youth. With enough categories to fill up one cool store, Fastrack has ‘moved on’ to open its own stores for its young consumers. The store is positioned as a complete accessories destination with all Fastrack gear under one roof. The first store was opened in Pune in 2009. With a smart combination of edgy design and value pricing Titan’s Fastrack has managed to keep a firm grasp on the capricious youth market. Not many brands live by what they preach. Taglines are often born out of a creative team’s clever phrasing or a strategy team’s eye on a certain positioning. For Titan Industries’ Fastrack ‘Move on’ is a way of life. From a sub-brand with a fuzzy identity to a bonafide youth brand, Fastrack sure has moved on. The brand, which was conceived in 1998 as a flanker to fend off a competitor and insulate Titan from the fray, now contributes about 25 per cent to Titan Industries watch division’s profits, raking in close to Rs 500 crore. Initially called Titan Fastrack, it was meant to be a brand of cool watches; but it soon became clear that defining cool was far from easy. It started with funky packaging and then with steel bands to make the range look sharp. People into their first jobs were its targets. However, around the same time, Titan Industries was also contemporising the Titan range, with similar metals and communication. â€Å"Fastrack was then just a sub-brand of Titan. It was only in 2005-06 that the brand came into its own,† says Bijou Kurien, who left the company as chief operating officer in 2006, after 19 years with Titan Industries. He is now president (lifestyle) at Reliance Retail. Titan Industries had entered a joint venture with Timex Corporation, leading US fashion watch manufacturer, in 1992, which broke off in 1998. â€Å"Timex had been conceived as a young brand while Titan would focus on premium watch buyers. After the JV ended, there was an opportunity for Fastrack to be launched as the youth brand from Titan,† says Kurien. In 2004, another division called the Accessories and Licensing Business launched sunglasses under the brand name Fastrack. It had already been selling licensed eyewear by FCUK andTommy Hilfiger. But it was only in 2005 that Titan Industries took the decisive call to hive off Fastrack as a separate business unit. â€Å"In 2005, we saw the opportunity of bringing all the divisions under one umbrella,† says Ronnie Talati, vice-president and business head, Fastrack & New Brands. By then, there were all of 1,500 products carrying the Fastrack tag. The total turnover then was Rs 30 crore, from 1.5 lakh watches and 30,000-40,000 sunglasses being sold that year. Sunglasses accounted for about 25 per cent of the sales at that time. Making it happen Kurien recalls, â€Å"We started investing a lot more in the brand, we signed up John Abraham as the celebrity ambassador.† It started with defining the look (stress on design) and the price (introduced lower priced watches) of the products. The company put in place a separate distribution network for Fastrack rather than let the brand piggy ride on Titan’s network of stores and increased counter displays at all Titan showrooms. Then of course, there was the decision to enter other categories, inspired by its successful foray into sunglasses. â€Å"We weren’t willing to run out of options for the youth and wanted to move beyond being a watch brand,† says Kurien of Fastrack’s transition to a full-fledged youth brand. Titan put together dedicated teams for sourcing, marketing and sales for the products sold under the Fastrack umbrella. Talati says, â€Å"We even moved to a new office.† The first year of hiving off Fastrack as a separate busines s unit resulted in a 130 per cent increase in revenues, according to Talati. The brand now sells 3 million watches and 1 million sunglasses a year. Bags, belts and wallets are the latest in the range of accessories launched in 2010. These accessories together account for 40 per cent of Fastrack’s revenues on an average. The year 2005 also saw the brand beefing up its retail muscle. Stores with around 500 square feet of retail space each were added. These stores get half their revenues from accessories. Even though the bulk of Fastrack’s sales (60-70 per cent) still come from multi-brand outlets, the like for like growth in sales at the exclusive stores has been 100 per cent over the last year with a conversion rate of 75 per cent (the total walk-ins at the 63 stores stand at 3,000 per month). Streets near colleges and college towns such as Manipal have appeared on its store map along with high streets in metros and small cities such as Vizag and Kolhapur. Apart from Fastrack stores, each category is available in 1,000 to 3,000 multi-brand outlets. Marketing to the youth is no child’s play. Fastrack realised that when launching itself as an SBU (strategic business unit). It made the logo more energetic, removed the upfront mention of Titan (seen by youngsters as a serious brand) and stopped using the Mozart tune. Dheeraj Sinha, chief strategy officer at Bates 141, says youth brands need a single-minded effort rather than sit on the fence. â€Å"The biggest challenge to build a youth brand is to avoid the trap of defining the audience as between 25-35 years old,† says Sinha. â€Å"There are just too many young-looking brands that talk to them. A youth brand should bite the bullet and let go of such a wide definition. It should be able to exclude all other age groups and look at only young people, talk to them like a 20 year old and not a 35 year old. As a result, the brand might have to say and do things which might shock older generations,† he adds. According to Sinha, brands such as Fastrack, Virgin Mobile and Indian Killer Jeans have managed to stay rele vant to its target audience with edgy imagery. Having said that, Fastrack is now targeting a lower age group than when it started. Earlier the target audience was 25-35 year-olds while now the core group is 18-20 year old. â€Å"We are clear about our core target group. Our sense is that older people want to feel younger and the young want to feel older. We talk to people in their language,† says Ronnie Talati. The communication that followed in the wake of the rebranding in 2005 asked â€Å"How many you have?†. It referred to the urge for variety and constant change in accessories, including watches, among college students. It made way for the next campaign ‘Move On’ (to newer range of accessories) with couples swapping the watches and sunglasses they had gifted each other before breaking up. Next came the series featuring young icons, cricketer Virat Kohli and actor Genelia D’Souza. The campaign highlighted the range of bags Fastrack launched last year, taking a cheeky look at how young people flirted with the opposite gender. The current campaign, which features the same duo in racy ads in the next edition, gives us a take on why the world moved on to automatic contraptions such as auto-pilot, answering machines etc. Of the total ad budget of Rs 40 crore, Fastrack spends half on watches and the rest goes into sunglasses and the new accessories range. Rajiv Chatterjee, vice-president, Lowe Lintas, the agency handling the Fastrack account, says, â€Å"We were clear that we had to attract the young college-goers, and we knew that if we chased this objective, it could possibly get a few raised eyebrows from their parents. Both ‘How many†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘Move on’ refer to their habits in accessories and also their outlook towards attraction and desirability. We did not want to sound judgmental or tell them what to do. We have said, ‘It is ok’ in a conversational tone that has got the youth to relate to Fastrack.† Staying on top Fastrack has stuck to its pegs of design and variety. Design boundaries have been pushed with different straps (made of denim, metal and synthetic materials), hands of the watches and cases. Themes have spanned bikes, army, beaches, outdoor sports and hip-hop music. â€Å"We need to keep reinventing for the youth. Over the last five years, we have changed our brand ambassadors to keep it fresh. The audience’s attention span is less and hence, we refresh our collections as well,† points out Talati. Sinha adds, â€Å"Fastrack has consistently leveraged the potent insight of young people’s aversion to commitment, be it relationships, jobs or the accessories they flaunt. What has also helped them is the fact that a majority of the Indian youth does not have a penchant for international brands like they do in other countries. They would relate to an interesting brand that is real rather than hanker after a knockoff of an international brand.† While Fastrack has successfully walked the marketing tightrope of speaking exclusively to teenagers, it has also walked the talk of a teen brand by keeping prices firmly in check. Its watches range between Rs 695 and Rs 3,500, sunglasses Rs 695-2,500, bags Rs 595-2,500 and belts Rs 195-1,095. Sinha says, â€Å"There has to be a sweet-spot of aspiration and affordability for the youth.† In effect, Fastrack has come to occupy the sub-Rs 1,500 slot in watches, with just 15-20 per cent of its range priced above it. By virtue of being a stylish but affordable brand in sunglasses, it has filled a gap between the RayBans of the world at the upper end and the unbranded flea-market bargains at the lower end. With bags, belts and wallets, it has eschewed leather goods for materials that help keep the costs low, weather rough use and also look good. Talati says, â€Å"We have kept a check on our costs by ensuring a lean team but one that means business. The average age in our office is 25-26 years. Having a young team helps us feel the youth’s pulse.† While Titan watches would have a strength of over 150 people, Fastrack has 60 people manning the var ious functions, with a brand manager for each category. At the retail front, only 10 stores are company-owned, the rest managed by franchisees. The production of the accessories is outsourced while watches are a mix of in-house and third-party manufacturing. Fastrack also ensures the materials used don’t add to the price of the products but lend themselves to innovative designs. Talati says the brand is the entry barrier for competition. â€Å"It will be difficult to beat the way youngsters relate to our brand,† he points out. â€Å"None of the other brands that operate in the accessories’ space are solely focused on accessories; accessories are just one part of a larger portfolio. So they end up concentrating more on their flagship products such as sports shoes, luggage etc. In contrast, we have separate ad budgets and teams to service these product categories.† Sinha points out a challenge for Fastrack: â€Å"The challenge for Fastrack is to sustain its message of Move On. It has taken one aspect and stuck to it for so long. But how long before its target audience finds it repetitive?† For its part, Fastrack is working on a new line of attack. Next up are helmets and fashion footwear. These could prove to be much more difficult to crack — with helmets offering little in terms of precedents and fashion footwear a problem of plenty. But then who said Fastrack was afraid of changing the rules of the game? Fastrack is a brand of watches from the house of Titan Industries Ltd which is the market leader in the watches category in India. Fastrack was launched in 1998 as a sub-brand of Titan. It was spun off as an independent brand of watches targeting the urban youth in 2005. Since then, it has infiltrated the lives of India’s youth with designs that were refreshingly different and affordable. During that time, Fastrack also jumped headlong into the sunglasses business and in the last 4 years has quickly notched up the title of being the largest sunglasses brand in the country. Fastrack has now pushed past the horizons into newer areas – bags, belts, wallets and wrist bands – as part of its mission to offer the youth everything they need to be cool! Executive Summary Moving over from outsourcing our social media initiative to an in-house program has allowed us to engage and really connect with our audience in typical Fastrack fashion and style. Having college-interns run this Fastrack initiative has been a great step in being able to speak the language of our customers/fans. The essence of the brand being communicated in real-time and in a manner that is acceptable and easily understood by our customers is our constant thought as we go through daily customer queries, feedback, comments, suggestions & brand announcements. Our initiative is focused around the experience we deliver to the fans and both current and potential, driving them toward a better, and more personalized connection with the brand. Background Fastrack is essentially a youth brand, and what better way to get in touch with our target audience of 15-25 year-olds (SEC A,B) than having a presence on the very platforms that they use daily? Social networking is a big part of today’s youth and we have made it a big part of us, extending all our online initiatives to incorporate our social networks and communities. With this step forward we worked on tapping the pulse of the youth by answering queries, getting feedback about the brand and our collections and campaigns, engagement, resolving complaints & doubts and interacting with ‘Fastrack Fans’ daily, 24/7.

Funny Quotations About Paying Taxes

Funny Quotations About Paying Taxes Like it or not, you have to pay your taxes. The trouble is that understanding taxation requires more than a genius mind. Even Albert Einstein admitted, The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax. So, if its that time of year when youre drowning in reams of paperwork and trying to make sense of all the mumbo-jumbo, its time to take a break. Read these funny tax quotes over a cup of coffee and share a laugh with someone wholl appreciate the humor. If the caffeine doesnt work, these tax quotes will surely perk you up. Amusing Taxation Quotes Throughout History Mark TwainThe only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. Will RogersIt is a good thing that we do not get as much government as we pay for. James MadisonI cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents... Will RogersAlexander Hamilton started the U.S. Treasury with nothing and that was the closest our country has ever been to being even. Robert A. HeinleinThere is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him. Arthur GodfreyI am proud to be paying taxes in the United States. The only thing is I could be just as proud for half of the money. H. L. MenckenUnquestionably, there is progress. The average American now pays out twice as much in taxes as he formerly got in wages. Albert Einstein[on filing for tax returns] This is too difficult for a mathematician. It takes a philosopher. John S. ColemanThe point to remember is that what the government gives it must first take away. Herman WoukIncome tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today. Dr. Laurence J. PeterAmerica is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation. Milton FriedmanCongress can raise taxes because it can persuade a sizable fraction of the populace that somebody else will pay. John Maynard KeynesThe avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward. Winston ChurchillThere is no such thing as a good tax. Will RogersThe income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has. Plato When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income. Albert EinsteinThe hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax. Benjamin TuckerTo force a man to pay for the violation of his own liberty is indeed an addition of insult to injury. Will RogersThe difference between death and taxes is death doesnt get worse every time Congress meets. Ronald ReaganThe taxpayer: thats someone who works for the federal government, but doesnt have to take a civil service examination. Robert A. HeinleinBe wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss. Winston ChurchillWe contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. G. Gordon LiddyA liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. Barry GoldwaterThe income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government. Calvin CoolidgeCollecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery. Dan BennettTheres nothing wrong with the younger generation that becoming taxpayers wont cure. Martin A. SullivanThere may be liberty and justice for all, but there are tax breaks only for some. Jewish ProverbTaxes grow without rain. Thomas Jefferson The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects forbids it in the dispensation of the public monies. Robert DoleThe principle involved here is time-honored and true: and that is its your money. Robert DoleThe purpose of a tax cut is to leave more money where it belongs: in the hands of the working men and working women who earned it in the first place.   Rob KnauerhaseIsnt it appropriate that the month of the tax begins with April Fools Day and ends with cries of May Day!? Roger JonesI guess I think of lotteries as a tax on the mathematically challenged. Jean-Baptiste ColbertThe art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest amount of feathers with the least amount of hissing. Benjamin Franklin, ​Poor Richards Almanac​It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income.

being a teenage parent essays

being a teenage parent essays Raising a child isn't an easy thing to do. Raising a child while still in your teens is even harder. Raising a child, starting your career, finding yourself and getting an education are some of the hardest things most people will ever achieve in their lifetime. Can you begin to imagine going through all of these at the same time? Children need to be fed, bathed and cared for almost full time, do these people get the support they need? For many teenage girls, becoming pregnant can mean a withdrawal of support when it is most needed. Teenagers when they become pregnant can suffer from a lack of support from the school and schoolteachers, the general public and even friends and family. Many find themselves with ultimatum, have an abortion or move out. There is also the common stereotype that teenage parents are missing out on the best years of their lives. Many, while finding their experiences tough and challenging, have no regrets and are happy with where they are, in the long term. They still of course wish, that things could have been easier, so they could have enjoyed being a parent and having first born even more, maybe with a husband and without all the added stress. The social consequences are the last thing on a mothers mind. Teenage parents deal with a lot of stereotyping both from, including strangers and friends. Many people don't wish to acknowledge the fact that it only takes once to get pregnant, which may very well be the case for the pregnant teenager. Yet many people will look at her as lowly, assuming she got pregnant on purpose and had slept around often. Her parenting skills are doubted, even if she follows the most popular of the parenting experts. Relationships are also strained in almost all areas of a teenage parents life. In many cases the father leaves or is unwilling to accept responsibility in the first place and they are left to be a single, teenage parent. Council housing is rarely available and if...

Packaging Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Packaging - Assignment Example For instance, take the caress soap box. The caress soap box comes in a variety of colors depending on the ingredients sought. The box itself can be yellow, pink or brown. The yellow represents the original version while pink offers more moisture. The latest edition, which is the brown box, offers the deep penetrating moisture that is in high demand. The caress box has become typical for the soap sector. The vast majority of soap companies now offer variety in selection and uses packaging to differentiate one box from another. Different icons, such as pictures of moisture yielding fruit like coconuts, or pictures of aloe are finding itself on the cover of many soap boxes from different manufacturers. These packages are thorough and offer good explanations as to their functions just from the color of the box. One way to enhance the packaging is to show samples of before and after photos. Demonstrating pictures of dry, scaly skin turning moisturized could improve the packaging. Or, the packages could be improved by changing the shape of the box to represent the function of the soap. For example, soap created to induce moisture may come in an oval

The Republic of Honduras Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Republic of Honduras - Essay Example Spread over approximately 1, 12,090 square kilometers of land, the country's population presents a solid picture of unity in diversity. As per the census of July 2002, Honduras population stood at 65, 60,508 and in terms of ethnic composition, its population consists of Mestozos, Amerindians, Black Africansand Whites representing 90%, 7%, 2% and 1% respectively. In terms of religious composition, Roman Catholics are in majority with 97% of the population hailing from this group. The Whites mostly live in the areas of northern coast and are proud of preserving their culture which they have inherited from their ancestors. It must be noted that Honduras was initially part of the British Empire and later on came under the Spanish rule gradually. Garifuna people, belonging to a minority community, also live along the northern coast in harmony with many Afro-Latin Americans. There are also some people of Asian descent in Honduras and most of them are Japanese and Chinese origins. Hundreds of families can still find their origins in the with the Jewish minorities constitute the highest income groups in Honduras and are in control of politics and economy. Some sections of people have relations with families in Spain as Spain also ruled the country for a long time. But the beauty and greatness of the country is that the indigenous natives of Honduras are spread all over the country and all people live in perfect harmony. Tribal people like Chortis (Mayan descent), Payas, Pech, Tolupanes or Xicaques/Jicaques, Lencas, Sumos or Tawahkas, and Olmecas live in utter poverty as they live in far off and remote places. It seems that the Government is unable to do anything for their upliftment because of lack of budgetary funds and poor funding by the developed countries. Following is the map which shows Honduras and its neighbours.(Map source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Honduras_sm04.png) 3 Historical figures Honduras has a great historical figure. He is Florencio Xatruch who had led the country's armed forces and fought successfully against an attempted invasion by North American filibuster William Walker in 1857. A Honduran can be proudly called by the nickname of Catrocha or Catrocho which is inspiringly derived from the last name of