The Scarlet Letter Characters Essay Example for Free

The Scarlet Letter Characters Essay Despite the fact that Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the story, committed adultery she is still an epitome of a woman with dignity. Even though her dress was marked with the symbol of disgrace she still lived a life with her head high and became an important member in her community as a seamstress (Hawthorne, 1981). Hester and her scarlet letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Scarlet letter is a story that revolves around the lives of Hester and her daughter out of wedlock, Pearl.   Hester committed an adultery with a man that she refuse to name and is sentenced to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her dress for as long as she lives. This letter is a symbol of disgrace since adultery is considered a capital sin during those times. Despite the everyday indignation that she experiences from people she still bore a child and made a living through sewing. She later on gained popularity as a good seamstress. At the climax of the story wherein the father of Pearl admitted in public that he is the father and died, Hester was already freed from sin. Hester and Pearl left for Europe and lived there until Pearl got married to an aristocrat. Hester came back to her community leaving a descent life and continued on wearing the scarlet letter even though she could have stayed at Europe together with her daughter (Woloszyn,2002). Adultery and the scarlet letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adultery during the 1640s was punishable by death and whipping. During the time of Hawthorne the Plymouth law of 1694 dictates that those who commit adultery should display a letter â€Å"A† on their dress (Eldred,1999). Thus, the Scarlet Letter of Hawthorne came about. The Plymouth law is viewed as a light punishment as compared to death and severe whipping however the mark of adultery will be carried as long as she lives. Her child also experienced shame and discrimination especially during her childhood when other children harass and mock her. Hester, her mother, would throw stones at them to make them stop (Eldred,1999). Despite the many sufferings that she has incurred she has had chances of escaping her current state. Choices to escape the scarlet letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hester had a choice to reveal the name of the father of her child but she refuse to do so. This could have been her way out of the shame that adultery has caused her but she never did. She was made to wear the scarlet letter with the hopes that she will someday repent and reveal the name of father of her child (Hawthorne, 1981). She never did revealed his name. Perhaps out of love, respect or other factors but this only proves that as a woman she is headstrong. She chose to endure a life as an outcast despite constant discrimination and hate thread that is brought about by the Scarlet letter that she wears. She still has communication with the father of her child. This is a reflection of her strength.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hester could have opt to live forever in England but she chose to go back to her home town. When she came back she still wore the scarlet letter. She lived a humble life and her opinions were sought and she was respected (Woloszyn,2002). She had a variety of options available for her since she has had a good life in England. For one she could have stayed there. Second she could have have came back but used a different identity. Third, she could have looked for a new husband. There are other options apart from coming back to her hometown wearing the scarlet letter. Im quite sure a lot of women who have experienced what she has gone through would not even wear the scarlet letter again. She on the other hand continued wearing it as a sign of repentance. The woman behind the scarlet letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hester is but a fragment of the millions of women who commit adultery. This is a sin however Hester proved that a person should not be judged by a single mistake but by how she lived her life. There are different factors that may push one to commit adultery but what matters is that Hester repented for her sins and continued to repent until the day she died.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The scarlet letter that she has worn for so long has not penetrated in her. She is still free from bitterness and vile as she lived and showed a beautiful heart. Though she has committed a sin she refused to keep her head buried in shame. She held her head high, earned a descent living and raised a beautiful child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   She serves as an inspiration for women. References Eldred, Eric. Notes to the Scarlet Letter. 1999. 7August 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/sl02-n.html Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Bantam Classics. 1981 Woloszyn,Margaret. â€Å"Short Stories† 2002. 7August 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC00041/SCARLET/LETTER.htm

Welsh Olive Grove on Anglesey Essay Example for Free

Welsh Olive Grove on Anglesey Essay Nowadays the problem of climatic changes is affecting the whole world. Therefore, Anglesey decided to plant the first commercial olive grove in Wales to manage those changes. Calon Lan being the official producer of olive trees, have planted about fifty olive tress on the northern coastal line of the Wales. It is interesting to note that this olive grove is claimed to be the northerly located in the Europe. Olive trees are believed to support the mild climate of winters and to establish Mediterranean weather meaning that summers would be characterized by mini heat waves. Devon was the first official place in the United Kingdom where the olive trees were planted. Then they were planted also in Shropshire. Geraint Hughes was the first to promote the idea of olive groves in Wales. He is a director of Calon Lan being only 28 years of age and coming from common farmer’s family. Hughes argues that olive groves give an excellent opportunity to affect climatic changes and to support mild climatic conditions. Hughes decided to cooperate with an agency Menter Mon and Tom Barlow being the owner of a local vineyard. Hughes wanted to re-locate olive trees suffering from frosts in Italy and to plant them in milder climate. He wanted Calon Lan to be the first to sell live trees grown in Wales. The planters expect successful harvest and they argue that no frosts and hot summers are the best components for olive groves. The only thing olive trees require is the right conditions for growing. Nevertheless, in the beginning it will be rather difficult to ensure decent crop because the right conditions aren’t quickly provided. According to statistics, the life expectancy of an olive tree is about 500 years and olive trees are claimed to be one of the most long-living. Thin rocky soils are the best suited for growing. Hughes sums up that in about thirty years the conditions in Wales will resemble for conditions in the South of France and, therefore, the prospects for planting olive trees are encouraging. Thus, Hughes and his partners are willing to struggle with climatic changes to make olive groves the northernmost in Europe in the future. This project is strongly supported by the European Leader Programme allowing Hughes to work out innovative approaches on Anglesey and to cooperate with local companies. Hughes’ desire is to show people that lots of opportunities exist on Anglesey and there is an excellent chance to gain a reputation of innovators of new camelina oil. Planting olive trees in Anglesey gives an opportunity for local farmers to promote and advertise Wales-grown trees. Many agree that farmers should diversify their products in order to meet the climatic changes to happen in the future. Positive changes are taking place and nowadays the Welsh climate is getting warmer, though some bother that traditional crops may suffer from such conditions. However, such conditions are the best suited for planting olives and vineyards. Also Gulf Stream positively affects Anglesey preventing it from frosts. It is necessary to outline that Calon Lan is producing today hemp, avocado and camelina oils and Wales-grown olive trees are a good idea for diversification.

Hiv Aids Situation In South Africa

Hiv Aids Situation In South Africa The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had a devastating effect on the South African population. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is first transmitted through bodily fluid contact à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ usually through blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate and/or breast milk (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). Ultimately, HIV advances to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) where the condition markedly attacks the immune system by increasing the risk of a variety of infections caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). Typically, the development of AIDS from HIV takes approximately five to eight years, but can be postponed with the aid of anti-retroviral drugs (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). It can be noted that the disease affects individuals at the prime of their lifetimes. Sexually active men and women, as well as young children are affected most by this illness because HIV is transmitted through events such as unsafe sex, contaminated needles and/or transmission from a mother to her newborn during birth (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). The concurrent nature of this disease makes it a greater threat to economic growth in South Africa à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ once one partner contracts it, the other partner does too. An individual is most susceptible to acquiring the disease from their sexual partner if that partner was infected less than a year prior. Clearly then, the disease is affecting the most economically active proportion of the South African population. It is estimated that 5.7 million people or about 12% of their population is affected by HIV/AIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2008). When examining the HIV prevalence rate for the labor force (ages 15-49), the rate increases to 18% (Figure 1) (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2008) (United Nations Statistics Division 2009). The disease is far more prevalent among females between the ages of twenty- five and twenty-nine à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ at a prevalence rate of 32.7%; for males the age range is between thirty and thirty-nine and the prevalence is only about 25.8% (Figure 2) (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2008). The impact of the epidemic can be seen most profoundly by the dramatic change in South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s mortality rates. The overall number of annual deaths increased sharply from 1997, when about 316, 559 individuals died to about 607, 184 deaths in 2006 (Figure 3) (Statistics South Africa 2008). Obviously, the rise cannot necessarily be attributed solely to HIV/AIDS, but what is essential here is that young adults are shouldering the burden of this increased mortality rate (Figure 4). In 2006, 41% of deaths were associated with twenty-five to twenty-nine year olds; in 1997 this percentage was about 29% (Statistics South Africa 2008). This is a significant marker in concluding that AIDS is a major factor in the overall rising number of deaths. Clearly then, it is not uncommon for one or more parents to die when their children are young. The number of premature deaths has risen considerably: 39% in 1997 to 75% in 2009 (Harrison 2009). This indicates that 80% of the sample population would lose more than half their per capita income with the death of the highest income earner (Harrison 2009). Thus, the HIV/AIDS epidemic that started in South Africa in the 1980à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s has had a negative impact on the health status as well as the economic development of individuals and households. ECONOMY OF SOUTH AFRICA In South Africa it can be said that their income has increased simply by examining their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the last thirty years (Figure 5). As can be noted, GDP has steadily increased over the last twenty years (World Bank 2010). South Africa is a country that perhaps has the best operational and entrepreneurial environment in Africa à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ it is considered to also have one of the most politically stabile climates in the Sub-Saharan African region. Moreover, it has a very advanced financial system à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ the South African stock exchange ranks among the worldà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s top ten largest exchanges. 1948 marked the beginning of the Apartheid; the economy had been divided into two à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ a privileged white sector an impoverished black one. The policy was heavily criticized and many sanctions were placed against South Africa in the 1980s. It was at the end of this period, when GDP as well as HIV/AIDS began to rise. Examining trade specifically, it is noted that South Africa is the worldà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s largest producer and exporter of platinum and gold as well as of base metals and coal. It is the worldà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s fourth largest producer of diamonds. Agriculture only accounts for about 3.4% of GDP, whereas services account for roughly 65.1%. South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s other main industries are mining, automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, and foodstuffs. Their exports account for roughly 30% of their GDP. South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s major trading partners include the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Italy, Belgium, China and Japan. South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s integration into the global economy became very apparent in the 1990à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s, especially after the implementation of rapid tariff liberalization after 1995, the export orientation of industrial policy and fiscal restraint through its macro-economic policy, the Growth, Redistribution and Employment Strategy (GEAR) in 1996. What has become clear through my research is that integration of South Africa into the global economy has brought about economic stability for the nation but it has not translated into sustainable economic growth or a reduction in income disparities. High unemployment rates dominate which leaves those from disadvantaged households largely marginalized. Moreover, their volatile domestic currency has created much instability in the export market. This generalized story of the South African economy has been provided to show that the country has enjoyed increased wealth over the last 15 or so years, some of which can be attributed to globalization. Trade activity, specifically exports is only one component of this sort of globalization. NATURE OF CURRENT RESEARCH In the discourse of health, economic activity, specifically trade activity is rarely spoken to. Economists have not yet opened dialogue on this sort of topic à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ this is clear in the modest amount of literature available on the subject. Relationships have been estimated between economic activity and the incidence of HIV in Africa. A noteworthy association comes from Emily Oster à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ she suggests that a doubling of exports leads to a doubling of infections (Oster 2009). Using national trade openness as a proxy for traffic flows, evidence suggest that trade is a significant and positive predictor of HIV-infection (Clark and Vencatachellum 2003). It is estimated that 25% of epidemics spread via trade (Voigtlander and Voth 2009). This implies that the flow of people resulting from trade might increase the risk of infection. Further, much research has indicated that countries with higher road densities have had stronger relationships between exports and new infections (Oster 2009). This has been proposed to be the mechanism by which exports could affect HIV infections. The assumption here is that more exports means more production, therefore more trucking is necessary to relocate goods (Oster 2009). Fundamentally, it is the movement of people which is the underlying effect. Another major assumption that is made in some of the research is that migrant workers (ex. Truckers) have more sex than individuals in the general population (Anarfi 1993; Brewer, et al. 1998; Brockerhoff and Biddlecom 1999; Lurie, et al. 2003; Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1993)and they have riskier sex than the average individual (Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1993). The proximity to a road increases individual risk of HIV infection and the effect is sensitive to the use of the road (Djemai 2009). The increased mobility and greater number of opportunities to have sex induced by the presence of better road infrastructure has shown to increase AIDS (Djemai 2009). This negative effect of roads undermines the positive effects; contamination is not prevented even though individuals have better access to information and improved contact with condoms (Djemai 2009). Moreover, the mechanism driving the relationship between distance to a road and the risk of infection is shown to be the increase in demand for casual sexual partners which offsets the increase of condom use (Djemai 2009). Accordingly, the research shows that people choose to expose themselves to the risk of infection despite having better access to self-protective tools (Djemai 2009). Countries have been examined and have been grouped into categories according to knowledge dispersion. Kenya and Malawi, based on significant relationships between infection and road distance, suggest spatial inequalities in the access to information about HIV/AIDS (Djemai 2009). Cameroon and Ghana fit into the second category, where road proximity is not significant when the media are controlled for (Djemai 2009). Therefore, the media has an effect on knowledge transfer in some of the countries. Lastly, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe point towards success of dispersing knowledge about HIV/AIDS even to the most remote locations (Djemai 2009). Access to condoms is another topic of interest that has been given a great amount of coverage in the HIV/AIDS discourse. There are obvious spatial inequalities in the access to condoms across countries which are suggested to result from the supply of private and public medical services. Essentially, accessibility through roads increases the knowledge that medical services are available, but usage has not been shown to be statistically significant (Robinson, et al. 2006). It is apparent that access to condoms and to information about the importance of using them has facilitated their use, but once again the empirical evidence does not indicate anything statistically significant (Robinson, et al. 2006). Likewise, people are expressing their preferences towards the set of available preventative measures that are hurting their utility the least. This would therefore mean that individuals who are living closer to roads are using condoms more, but are also engaging in riskier sexual behavi ors (Kiriga, et al. 2002). Basically, the research implies that incentives to health are too low in the Sub-Saharan African countries that have been analyzed. The cost of changing behavior in Sub-Saharan African countries is too high. For individuals living in low-income countries with life expectancies of no more than 40 or 50 years, there is little incentive to invest in their health and thus their economies (Oster 2007). The United States is a prime example of how education campaigns did work in the mid 1980s, but that is also because the cost of premature death was high (Oster 2007). Lastly, Oster made a case for Uganda and concluded that thirty to sixty percent of the decrease in their HIV prevalence rate in the 1990s could be attributed to a decrease in export activity (Oster 2009). Oster claims that the reduction could be a result of a decrese in coffee prices during that time (Oster 2009). They are the only country in Sub-Saharan Africa to have seen such a decline in their HIV-infection rates. I think this could be a direct result of a decrease in the labor force during that time period which decreased the number of individuals present in sexual networks, thus reducing HIV-transmission. Another proposition could be that there was an eventual impact on the labor force, whereby there were less people because of increased mortality or morbidity, reducing the number of individuals in the sexual network. Regardless, the literature surrounding this area is very much in its infancy. This kind of dialogueà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½examining HIV/AIDS from a perspective that questions the integrity of economic activity is still fresh in the public health arena. CASE STUDY: SOUTH AFRICA Throughout all the literature, I was hard-pressed to find information on the relationship between South African trade activity and their HIV-infection rates. Therefore, to highlight once again, the purpose of this paper was to examine the variety of factors that contribute to high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates with a direct application to the situation in South Africa. To summarize, South Africa has one of the highest prevalence rates as well as one of the highest GDP values within Sub-Saharan Africa (Figure 6). Thus, examining it with a closer look at the structural issues systemic within the nation was interesting. Little research focused on South Africa for some peculiar reason, uncovering the issue with South Africa seemed very fascinating. To set groundwork for this discussion, it must be noted that the export market in South Africa predominantly is labored by low to medium skilled workers (Outtek 2000). These markets are primarily capital-intensive rather than labor-intensive (Abt Associates Inc. 2000). Due to that fact, capital-intensive markets generally employ low-skilled workers who, although are accumulating wealth, have low levels of education. Projections from companies confirm that the highest HIV infection levels are concentrated among low-skilled workers (Abt Associates Inc. 2000). Therefore, an individualsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ level of education is a determinant of the type of work they do, thus contributing to their likelihood of being infected. In a study that modeled each sector confirmed what they referred to as a sector gradient à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ that prevalence rates varied by each sector of the economy (Figure 7) (Vass 2005). It was found that there were higher prevalence ratios in South Africa in the mining, tran sport, construction, government, accommodation and catering sectors (Vass 2005). The financial, insurance, business and communication sectors had the lowest aggregate HIV prevalence ratios (Vass 2005). The sector gradient visible in South Africa is reflective of a variety of high risk factors which are: age, gender, population group, skill level, and length of employment. There is a concentration of Blacks and women in low-skilled work; Whites are more heavily occupied in the high skilled occupations (Vass 2003). These conclusions are similar to projections of infection population groups (United Nations Statistics Division 2009). All of the studies that have been conducted in South Africa on the labor force and HIV-prevalence have assume that there is a constant risk associated with HIV-transmission; that each individual in each skill level has the same chance of getting infected with HIV. This coincides with the income and survival effect discussed below. We have established that increased exports are therefore enabling transmission of this disease because of the population group that is employed by the sector. Although, this conclusion cannot be quantitatively analyzed through empirical evidence due to limitations in data, the argument is still valid. Through figure 8 it can be seen that as exports have increased over the past fifteen years, so has HIV-prevalence. It is apparent through the data that HIV prevalence seems to plateau, however as per figure 9, it can be seen that the adult prevalence rates are still continuing to rise. The focus of this paper is primarily on the labor force (ages 15-49) or the adults, but what should be analyzed is that prevalence is decreasing for children and youth. This is consistent with public health officialsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ view to this disease à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ they are focused on education and prevention campaigns for youth and children because they have been proven to be most effective if information has been accessed before sexual debut (Frolich and Vazquez-Alvarez 2009). Due to the fact that low-skilled workers who are occupied by the capital-intensive sectors, which contribute to the exports of the South Africa, have lower levels of education à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ this must be an important aspect to consider in this discussion. However, because it is not the focus of this paper, I will only comment on the negative correlation that is found to be statistically significant for education level and HIV-prevalence (Walque 2009). It has been noted that income and education are positively correlated. So why in South Africa are the wealthiest the most affected, but the most educated not? Pursuing the topic at hand, we are discussing low-skilled workers who have very little education but who do have income that is relatively better than some of their educated counterparts. Thus we must discuss the relationship between wealth and this disease. Empirical evidence suggests that wealthier individuals are more likely to be infected with HIV as well as to engage in riskier sexual behaviors than their poorer counterparts (Walque 2009). Traditionally it is thought that income and health are positively correlated, however in the case of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, things are going in the opposite direction. People are adopting risky behaviors that reduce their human capital potential as their income increases. Taking into account the fraction of the population that is expected to engage in unsafe sex, individuals must decide whether their first sexual encounter should involve the use of a condom or not. Those who do not use a condom may contract HIV and not survive to experience a second encounter. Assuming that there is disutility in from using a condom to begin with (Agha, et al. 2002), it can be said that some individuals willingly trade-off future utility for the current utility gained from unsafe sex. I think a major reason why so many members of the population engage in unsafe sex in Africa is what I would refer to as an income effect. Individuals are more likely to engage in unsafe sex if their income depends not only on their own potential for human capital but also on the aggregate level of human capital present in the economy (Kiriga, et al. 2002). An individual may be more likely to engage in unsafe sex if they know that a large fraction of the population will also engage in unsafe sex. Thus, the negative macroeconomic effects of HIV/AIDS stem from this sort of effect: a large share of the population participates in unsafe sex, which leads to a lower level of aggregate human capital and hence lower income and consumption (Kiriga, et al. 2002). All of this directly leads to greater levels of induced poverty. Additionally, a term stemming from evolutionary biology à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ a survival effect can be noted when individuals are aware that many people are having unsafe sex and they choose to have safe sex based on this premise. Individuals in this situation would be concerned with protecting themselves from contracting the disease. I would assume to see the survival effect in a part of the population that has greater potential for human capital (higher income capacity). However, this is not what we are observing in South Africa currently, therefore it is safe to believe that South Africa depicts an income effect. Part of the reason for this sort of pattern must be that household wealth correlates with urban residence, more explicitly as closer proximity to roads; HIV-infection is higher in urban areas as a result of the road density (Djemai 2009). Also, HIV prevalence is a function of survival, the wealthier people with HIV are more likely to afford the appropriate medication, thus living longer. Perhaps, wealth enables individuals to pursue multiple sexual partners. Wealth is often associated with mobility, time and resources to maintain concurrent relationships (Gillespie and Greener 2006)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ those that are characterized as an individual having a primary relationship as well as a secondary relationship, with the individual their having that secondary relationship with also having primary and secondary relationships. This causes an individual to knowingly or unknowingly have a large sexual network thus increasing the risk of HIV-infection. The economic factor in these relationships is obvious: wealth and social interaction are linked. Further, wealth increases the number of opportunities to engage in numerous sexual partnerships (Shelton, Cassell and Adetunji 2005). Furthermore, in South Africa, there is a stronger positive relationship for wealth and HIV status for women. Maybe, women exhibit this quality because wealth is contributing to their mobility and social status or it might be that women are improving their economic status by having more than one concurrent relationship. In any case, it appears that wealth appears to play a disadvantageous role in HIV transmission. The hypothesis here is that the combined effect of people being less worried about having the disease because they know they can afford treatment and having more individuals with the infection in the community is outweighing the disease itself. As these individuals are better able to manage the disease, the cost of acquiring it is very low. It can then be concluded that South Africa does show an increase in HIV/AIDS prevalence as a result of increased trade, but only because the individuals employed in the sector are low-skilled workers who have been pushed segregated into this category. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE IMPLICATIONS The future of the labor force infected with the disease looks quite bleak. Macro-economic modeling indicates that the labor force growth rate will decline which will result in a smaller labor force in the coming years. This will impede economic growth most definitely. ING Barings predicts an 18% decline in the labor force by 2015 (Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1993)and Abt Associates Inc predicts a 21% decline when compared to a situation where no AIDS was present (Abt Associates Inc. 2000). The impact that this could have on productivity as well as South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s exports is profound. Considering a large proportion of the sectors that contribute to export activity are experiencing high levels of HIV prevalence, it can be assumed that attrition is high in the labor force. The increased morbidity and mortality creates absenteeism which hinders not only productivity but also creates a further decline in skill-level and experience. An underlying issue is that the incentive to life to longer has not been addressed in South Africa. It is clear that poorer countries have a lower life expectancy even in the absence of HIV/AIDS (Voigtlander and Voth 2009). Many researchers have pointed out that a higher life expectancy increases the likelihood of surviving if individuals engage in safe sex, but it does not affect the likelihood of surviving if an individual engages in unsafe sex (Voigtlander and Voth 2009). Thus, unsafe sex has as higher opportunity cost. As a result, if the overall population is experiencing a greater life expectancy, more individuals will choose safe sex. Therefore, the issue here is how should low and middle-income countries increase aggregate life expectancy? The answer to this sort of debate is well beyond the scope of this paper, but can be addressed using basic public health and community development interventions. Also, what I think might be a solution to this issue is if the South African government introduced implementation of a free antiretroviral drug plan. This would ensure that HIV prevalence decreases. The argument here is that individuals who are wealthier are able to afford medical treatment à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ they are clearly living longer than their poor counterparts. Thus, they are able to live longer and contribute to the labor force and economic productivity. Even though they are not participating in safe sex, at least they are living for greater periods of human capital aggregation, which increases expected income and lifetime utility from safe sex. The free antiretroviral drug plan would enable all members of the population, rich or poor to exhibit these characteristics. Thus, if lifetime utility is increasing, the opportunity cost to unsafe sex will increase. In conclusion, the low skill and education levels within the sectors that are participating in the export activity of South Africa is contributing to the disease à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ that is the direct association behind why links can be made between exports and HIV-infection. Thus my research hypothesis does stand à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ increase in exports has lead to an increase in wealth which has contributed to the spreading of HIV/AIDS. Therefore, policy discussions should be focused on the individuals who fall within this category. Addressing prevention programs geared towards the individuals are obviously in the labor force and who are in the low-skilled category seem to be of utmost importance. Figure 1 HIV Prevalence 1990-2008 Figure 3 Number of Deaths in South Africa 1997-2007 Figure 4 Number of Deaths by Age Group, 2008 Figure 5 GDP in $US 1980-2010 Noureen Noorani, 0550061 4A03 Final Paper

Pride And Prejudice :: essays research papers

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice takes place in England during the 18th century, with an evident main them of courtship and marriage. The Bennet family consists of Jane, the eldest daughter, followed by Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. Being girls, they will not benefit from their father’s will which leads to their mother’s obsession over finding husbands for them. Eventually in the end of the novel, everyone is settled and married, however Bingley and Jane, and Darcy and Elizabeth have comfortable futures to look forward to. Similar to other novels written by Jane Austen, the main theme is courtship and marriage. On a smaller scale, this novel also refers to the reality behind appearances and "truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.† (p.1) Out of the seven marriages throughout the novel, three would inevitably end in failure and two are a success. With Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas, their marriage is based on economics. Charlotte sacrifices her own happiness for financial security. In the case of Whickham and Lydia, only superficial qualities are considered which in time would separate them. Another example of a marriage like Whickam and Lydia’s is the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. As for Jane and the Elizabeth, their marriages are based on calm judgement and are well considered with mutual feelings. Throughout the novel, many of the characters are deceived by appearances, although they become dearer near th e end. In this time frame, women view that men have responsibilities to society. Being unable to provide for themselves because of their ignorance in areas of business or commerce, men would ensure financial stability. Another aspect of Jane Austen’s writing is her use of dialogue. It reflects when less of the physical appearances were used, but more of the inner qualities were displayed, during her time period. Austen is interested in where people stand in society and their engagements in dialogue. Often, through dialogue, her characters are developed. With Austen’s main focus being conversation, much of her work must be able to relate parts of the novel together, interpret clues, and notice tone and meaning. I believe that the main characters of this novel are Darcy and Elizabeth. Referring to the title â€Å"pride† would represent Darcy and â€Å"prejudice† would represent Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s â€Å"propensity to hate everybody† (p.51) and vanity leads to her prejudice.

A Perfect Day in the Ocean Essay examples -- Descriptive Essay Examples

A Perfect Day in the Ocean As I watch, the waves from the shore look fun and almost innocent as they crest and then crash over one another. I can taste the salt in they air and watch little rainbows glisten through the prisms of the ocean’s spray. The warm ocean water toward the shore is covered with foam and bubbles from the rumbling waves as children and their families play in the gritty tan colored sand. I think to myself, â€Å"This is perfect†. I make the final preparations on my Yamaha Waverunner. All of the fluid levels check full and there is a faint smell of gasoline mixed with the aromas of salt and fish in the air. I am now ready to brave and jump the mighty ocean waves of South Padre Island! Before the truck backs the trailer into the warm waters at the dock and lowers the Waverunner into the blue-green abyss, I crank the engine for a final systems check. It roars powerfully, drowning out the sound of the birds circling overhead, as thick black and gray smoke initially pours from the exhaust and then slowly drifts away on the wind’s light breeze. I turn the impressive machine off to finish my final preparations. As I put on the Jet Pilot lifejacket and tighten the thick blue straps, I remind myself to stay calm and not to make stupid or impulsive decisions during my journey into the ocean. It is easy to push oneself to the limits and lose track of reality. I must remember to respect Mother Nature at all times and keep in mind that I am not invincible. I climb aboard the Waverunner and grab hold of the handbars, warm from the bright sun. Now the truck begins to back up, gently lowering me on this powerful machine into the calm waters of the docking area. As I drift from the trailer, I take a moment to lo... ... spot two more dolphins and then another joins them. The first dolphin emerges again to make a total of four. They are swimming in front of me, playing in the surf. It is almost as if they are leading me to shore. As I idle through the channel, they slowly disappear back to their home in the Gulf. Once the dolphins are gone, I gently squeeze the throttle and head back to the docks. With a final look back, a see the sun’s reflection off of the glassy smooth water as the ripples of my wake break the surface behind. I think about what a wonderful experience this day has been. Approaching the boat trailer, I realize how physically tired I am from the constant rush of adrenaline brought by my adventures. I have the memories of the exciting jumps of the waves and the vivid pictures in my mind of the graceful dolphins swimming in the sunset. I am ready to go home. A Perfect Day in the Ocean Essay examples -- Descriptive Essay Examples A Perfect Day in the Ocean As I watch, the waves from the shore look fun and almost innocent as they crest and then crash over one another. I can taste the salt in they air and watch little rainbows glisten through the prisms of the ocean’s spray. The warm ocean water toward the shore is covered with foam and bubbles from the rumbling waves as children and their families play in the gritty tan colored sand. I think to myself, â€Å"This is perfect†. I make the final preparations on my Yamaha Waverunner. All of the fluid levels check full and there is a faint smell of gasoline mixed with the aromas of salt and fish in the air. I am now ready to brave and jump the mighty ocean waves of South Padre Island! Before the truck backs the trailer into the warm waters at the dock and lowers the Waverunner into the blue-green abyss, I crank the engine for a final systems check. It roars powerfully, drowning out the sound of the birds circling overhead, as thick black and gray smoke initially pours from the exhaust and then slowly drifts away on the wind’s light breeze. I turn the impressive machine off to finish my final preparations. As I put on the Jet Pilot lifejacket and tighten the thick blue straps, I remind myself to stay calm and not to make stupid or impulsive decisions during my journey into the ocean. It is easy to push oneself to the limits and lose track of reality. I must remember to respect Mother Nature at all times and keep in mind that I am not invincible. I climb aboard the Waverunner and grab hold of the handbars, warm from the bright sun. Now the truck begins to back up, gently lowering me on this powerful machine into the calm waters of the docking area. As I drift from the trailer, I take a moment to lo... ... spot two more dolphins and then another joins them. The first dolphin emerges again to make a total of four. They are swimming in front of me, playing in the surf. It is almost as if they are leading me to shore. As I idle through the channel, they slowly disappear back to their home in the Gulf. Once the dolphins are gone, I gently squeeze the throttle and head back to the docks. With a final look back, a see the sun’s reflection off of the glassy smooth water as the ripples of my wake break the surface behind. I think about what a wonderful experience this day has been. Approaching the boat trailer, I realize how physically tired I am from the constant rush of adrenaline brought by my adventures. I have the memories of the exciting jumps of the waves and the vivid pictures in my mind of the graceful dolphins swimming in the sunset. I am ready to go home.

Personal Narrative Essay - Application for US Naturalization

Personal Narrative Essay - Application for US Naturalization Form N-400 is otherwise known as the application for US Naturalization. I have started and stopped filling out form N-400 half a dozen times in the past few years. Most recently, I used the excuse that I couldn’t read all of the dates in my passport. Thus I could not give the relevant dates for when I had left and reentered the country over the necessary time period. The other day I downloaded the form again but now I can’t find my passport. I have lived in the United States for 25 of my 36 years and I am still not naturalized. I have voted but not for a politician. In high school, I voted in school elections and was elected as Student Council President for my senior year. My main duty was to read daily announcements (soccer scores, late buses, children with lice who needed to report to the nurse immediately) and recite, over the loud speaker, the Pledge of Allegiance. As a foreigner, I understood the irony of reciting this oath to a bunch of Americans, but I had to do it. I was elected into office, and this was my duty. And getting on the loudspeaker every day was the reason why I wanted to do it in the first place. I was the president. I would lead the student body in their daily fix of nationalistic pride. I could just as easily have recited the Lord’s Prayer, which I also knew by heart, though my church attendance was sporadic. Or I could have led them through â€Å"Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night,† but it never seemed to fit the day’s events. So every day, I pledged allegiance to the flag. Their flag. Amen. When I call myself a foreigner, I do so with tongue firmly planted in cheek. I am Canadian. Laugh as you will and say that that is the sa... ...ance, people spend weeks living in cargo bins on large ships. Just for the chance, young men and women from foreign countries put on the uniform of the United States armed forces and fight a war. Each day Form N-400 sits unfinished, I think of all of these people, living and dying to become Americans. And I know that, even though my passport says I am Canadian, in my heart I am American and all the beauty and the ugliness that name engenders. Soon I will fill out my Form N-400 and I will submit it to the Department of Naturalization. If I am lucky enough to have my application accepted, I will stand up on the day of my indoctrination and I will lead my fellow new Americans in their prayer for redemption. I will lead them in the Pledge of Allegiance and for those few moments forward we will be one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Compare the Wars and All Quiet on the Western Front Essay

During World War I, many soldiers were impacted by the mental and physical effects that have changed their lives in positive, but mostly negative ways. There are two novels that talk about two men in World War I, however each tells a different story on their struggles on the battlefield. On one of the books, The Wars by Timothy Findley, focuses on the protagonist Robert Ross, a Canadian soldier that joined the war. Robert Ross mainly joined to war because it was his way of isolating himself after his sister’s death, while on the other book, All Quiet on The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, in which the story is about a teenager named Paul Baumer. Paul Baumer is a German soldier who was influenced from his teacher that going to war was a courageous decision. War focuses us to sacrifice our humanity in exchange for survival, which leads us to our self-destruction, where we become like animals for the sake of our survival. The meaning behind this is that wars take our feelings and human instincts thus replacing them to animal instincts to survive. In the end, life becomes difficult to come back to which leads to our own destruction. The aspect from both novels is about â€Å"men who were destroyed by war† (Remarque 12) even when they have escaped the horrors of the war. Both authors express that they do not want to tell us about the experiences in the war, at least not just the war, but rather the destructive impact on the soldier; such as the inability of young people to go back to their life exactly like before the war. There is no doubt that the entire generation has been ruined by war and were unable to function afterwards. Paul Baumer returns home on his seven day leave, and describes those seven days as unhappy personal experiences. He fails to see an old major on the street, he is forced by another officer to go back to the major and salute him according to the etiquette of military soldiers. Paul feels as though it is petty harassment. For Paul it’s already embarrassing for his father to tell him to wear his uniform so that he could proudly show it to all his acquaintances. Just to show his uniform to all his father’s acquaintances, Baumer finds it as though as they are getting the wrong idea of what the reality of war was. Paul’s father wants him to use his experiences of the war as a demonstration but insists that it is to â€Å"dangerous† to remind him of the war because he cannot manage as though he was on the front-lines like before. This goes the same as for The Wars; many soldiers were destroyed after seeing how the war was like. †¦frozen fingers of nameless rivers, heralded by stream and whirling snow, the train returned him to his heritage of farms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Findley 46) The steam from the train could have signified the anger from all the soldiers after witnessing the death from all their fellow troops and just leaving their corpse unburied, while they move on to the hopes of winning the war. The topic of destruction in the novels is also caused by the older generation. The younger generations believed that the eld er ones had greater insight and wisdom but was later on destroyed by the first sight of the war casualties. The sight of how they have been betrayed, the soldiers also notice that it is the older generation that declares war and never physically fight in it; however it is the younger soldiers that are risking their own lives for them. An example of betrayal is also seen in The Wars, when Robert is betrayed by Taffler, whom was seen as a manly strong soldier to follow; however after the incident, Roberts view of him immediately shattered. Robert states that all the soldiers have been raped by their so called leaders. It has to be there because it is my belief that Robert Ross and his generation of young men were raped, in effect, by the people who made the war. Basically, their fathers did it to them. † (Findley 150-151) â€Å"Fathers† would be the people that are in powers who controlled the younger generation but who were also told to slaughter their so called enemy. All Quiet on the Western Front also contradicts the older generation because Paul feels as though he was betra yed by his own teacher. â€Å"For us lads of eighteen they ought to have been mediators and guides to the world of maturity†¦ to the future†¦ in our hearts we trusted them. The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom. But the first death we saw shattered this belief. We had to recognize that our generation was more to be trusted than theirs†¦ The first bombardment showed us our mistake, and under it the world as they had taught it to us broke in pieces. † (Remarque 78) In this quote Paul learns that the educators who were supposed to guide the younger generation to the â€Å"right† direction into the world have failed miserably. The older generation that is constantly mocking the younger generations for cowardice signs but even the older generation hasn’t actually experienced the reality of war and what the feeling of fighting is actually like. The younger generation need to make their own choices instead of always relying on the older ones between whether something is right or wrong whilst the older generation has been proved incapable of doing so. In the midst of wars many soldiers strive to survive and will do anything just for the sake of survival. Robert Ross does a good job on surviving the war on the battlefront; however, it is ironic to see the very same allies he fought with end up killing him. Robert doesn’t die in action but dies in a burning barn. He continuously sees destruction all around him wherever he goes and is always afraid that he may not live â€Å"On the far side he could see that the men and the wagons and the rest of the convoy were drawn up near fires and he just kept thinking: warm, I am going to be warm. † (Findley 82) This is desperation in order to remain alive. Similarly to The Wars, Paul and his friends also strive just to survive the war. In the first chapter Remarque jumps into the war action: â€Å"We were at rest five miles behind the front† (Remarque 3) He does not clearly specify whether or not the German army or Paul’s friends. Unlike The Wars where the main characters are athletic, strong like Robert and Taffler, Remarque doesn’t describe his characters as complete developed characters. Each of them is described as people who have regular human qualities. An example would be Tjaden who is the biggest eater and Westhus who continuously thinks about women. They feel as though, to survive they need to form a brotherhood that strives as much as possible to survive an arena of death. All other expressions they may show are unable to be shown as the only thing that you’re able to show is the sake for surviving the war. Hunger is a part of survival in All Quiet on The Western Front. Many soldiers that don’t come back to the camp receive the dead ones share of food from the first chapter. Because the soldiers were really happy to see the extra food and wasn’t sad or angry about the death of their comrades means that food was very uncommon. Dehumanizing is a necessary tool in order to survive the war. Dehumanizing is depicted in both The Wars and All Quiet on the Western Front, however, Robert is having trouble going to the stage of being dehumanized through the book, and isn’t until later he is to his limits and snaps making him do awful things; like shooting Captain Leather in the face. Referring back to All Quiet on The Western Front, Paul describes the psychological transformations that soldiers have when going into battle such as this quote. â€Å"We have become wild beasts. We do not fight, we defend ourselves against annihilation. It is not against men that we fling our bombs, what so we know of men in this moment when Death with hands and helmets is hunting us down†¦ We feel a mad anger. No longer do we lie helpless, waiting on the scaffold, we can destroy and kill, to save ourselves, to save ourselves and be revenged† (Remarque 113). The soldiers stop being good people and become beasts later on, so they may survive. It is necessary to sacrifice the thoughtful and logical part of their minds in order for them to become like animals to survive. However for Robert dehumanization becomes a problem. He is too sensitive for these sorts of things and this is seen through his thoughtfulness of the animals. Robert tries to find a role model to become manlier but doesn’t happen until he sees the horses being bombed, in which changes him. Robert has held in such anger to the point where he kills captain leather but the interesting thing is that Robert went to the point of becoming an animal himself in order to save animals. â€Å"His anger rose to such a pitch that he feared he was going to go over into madness. He stood where the gate has been and thought: ‘If an animal had done this – we would call it mad and shoot it’ and at that precise moment Captain Leather rose to his knees and began to struggle to his feet. Robert shot between the eyes. † (Findley 178) Wars had a huge impact to the younger generations and the physical involvement of war changes a person immediately. â€Å"I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow. (Remarque 267) Soldiers such as Robert and Paul realize that they themselves have changed from the impact of the war experience, they are alienated, a feeling of no belonging, an inability to connect to the past. And feel as though they need to go back to the trenches because nothing else connects to them anymore. And so the broken soldiers, Paul and Robert, return to the frontlines and become an animal again, only this time, survival is short live d.