Oranges and Fair Trade Essay

In both poems â€Å"Oranges† and â€Å"Fair Trade† by Gary Soto, the author explores the recurring theme of compassion and pride. Both poems have several ways to show the theme. The poem â€Å"Oranges† is about young love and knowing how it once felt. At the beginning of the poem, I get the sense that the boy is a little apprehensive in meeting his girl as he states, â€Å"Cold and weighted down / with two oranges in my jacket. † Certainly two oranges aren’t going to weigh anyone down, therefore the image described must be the nervousness along with the anticipation of seeing meeting her. As I walked toward / her house, the one whose / porch light burned yellow / night and day, in any weather,† tells me about his burning passion for her. â€Å"She came out pulling / at her gloves, face bright / with rouge,† tells me that she is also excited to see him and that she is either blushing or has applied some makeup in the manner a young inexperienced woman would. As she comes out of her house, some of that nervousness exits him because he smiles and even has the courage to touch her shoulder. The line about the â€Å"used car lot† and â€Å"newly planted trees† is imagery about his reality and what kind of life he lives. As they enter into the drugstore and look at the candies, the boy is probably feeling for the first time a sense of maturity as he asks her what she wanted; because he’s able to buy her something. â€Å"The lady’s eyes met mine, / and held them, knowing / very well what it was all / about. † The imagery here provides some tension for the reader: â€Å"Will the boy ask the girl to change her selection? Will the saleslady demand cash or no sale? Although his courage is impressive, the risk was also a safe and intelligent bet: If the saleslady had refused to honor his orange for payment, he would still have the two oranges to share with the girl on their way home. The oranges give the narrator â€Å"weight† and importance, and then they became a medium of exchange used to buy the candy. â€Å"I took my girl’s hand / in mine for two blocks,† The boy’s reference to the girl as â€Å"my girl,† shows that he now feels in control. The boy proves himself and impresses the girl, which was the goal in the first place, and he is rewarded for his bravery by being allowed to hold her hand on the walk home. As the narrator describes â€Å"I peeled my orange / that was so bright against / the gray of December / that, from some distance, / someone might have thought / I was making a fire in my hands,† symbolizes the new energy of confidence he has in himself, as well as his increased affection for his girl. As a result, the imagery in this poem reflects the boy’s struggle in life from adolescence to adulthood. The poem â€Å"Fair Trade† is about money, pride, and sympathy. The title gave off an aura of sarcasm as he states, â€Å"she said, â€Å"Dollar thirty,† / I thought, No meat or butter. It wasn’t really a fair trade, because a dollar thirty for two slices of bread is quite expensive at his time. Neither did the waitress offered meat nor butter. â€Å"The man / hesitated, then fumbled for / coins from his pocket,† tells me that the man is poor, because he wouldn’t have been taken aback if he have lots of cash. Only the narrator sympathize the Mexican man as he states, â€Å"I stabbed the carrots, / hurting for this man. † I conclude that the bread may not have satisfied the man because he didn’t leave anything on his plate. At the end of the poem, the narrator tells us that the experience had left him a mark, that he wouldn’t forget the memory of that day. The images of the poem reflect the Mexican man’s pride and the narrator’s compassion towards him. Both poems teach us the same lesson; â€Å"Compassion comes from seeing others struggle. † The poems’ similarities are that they both have people who show sympathetic pity and concern to others. In the poem â€Å"Oranges,† the narrator describes compassion by his own experience, how pride affected him. On the other hand, the poem â€Å"Fair Trade,† describes the narrator’s interpretation of pride.

MONEY AND BANKING ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

MONEY AND BANKING - Assignment Example the lending rate or the reserve requirement, which will allow banks to borrow funds at a lower rate from the central bank and also increase their own fund capacity. Banks borrowing at lower rates will pass the benefit to its client, resulting in lower lending rates of bank. If the cash reserve ratio (CRR) falls, the commercial banks will have to keep a lesser amount of reserve in the central bank. Therefore, they will pass the reserve to their customer as loans through a lower lending rate and demand for loan will also be increased, which directly increases the demand for reserve of the commercial banks to their central bank. It implies that there will be a credit growth, i.e. more loans are offered at a low interest rate. The credit expansion will lead to increased borrowing by corporate and retail segments for investment purposes (Mishkin, 2007). Money borrowed by companies will be invested in their business expansion that leads to increased money supply in the economy. The retail segment borrowing also lead to increased money supply as they borrow funds to buy homes, cars, home decor, etc that leverages these sectors to produce more. This results increased growth. Usually interest rate target and money supply are inversely related i.e. if interest rate is lowered, demand for bank reserve will increase and accordingly money supply will rise through lower lending rate of the commercial banks (Gowland, 2013). The above figure represents the effect of interest rate on money supply in an economy. The x axis shows the interest rate and the y axis represents the quantity of money supply. With given level of interest rate of 7% the MS line is the red line which intersects with the money demand line MD. The MD follows the general rule of a demand curve i.e. downward sloping. When the interest rate is reduced to 6%, the MD rises, which pushes the money supply line to a new equilibrium. There is a shift in the MS line from red to

Women behave ambitiously and aggressive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Women behave ambitiously and aggressive - Essay Example On the same note, Sandberg’s personal experience shows that women are equally competitive as their male counterparts (5). In this respect, women should capitalize on their ambitions and aggressive workplace behavior in ensuring that they run the world alongside men. Women are not viewed positively in the workplace because they have given in to the stereotype threats where they believe that they cannot be on equal levels with the men balancing family and work responsibilities and hence end up giving up. This is further reinforced by the fact that women who are ambitious to be leaders are discouraged, shamed and even called unfriendly names. All this contribute to crashing their ambitious dreams and they resign to working at the lower levels in any workplace and letting he men take the lead. Even though ambitious women are not viewed positively in every work environment, it is important for women not to give up. Fight for affirmative action and promotion of women rights has been vibrant over the last several decades, an observation that occasions women to remain positive over their ambitions (Fels 120). In today’s society, there are many women CEOs than ever recorded in history. In addition, Shafer (72) contends that women have increasingly taken up political leadership positions around the world. This shows that being ambitious and aggressive is positive, and women should allow the world to transition to this contemporary reality. If women perceive their ambitions to be positive, the global population will follow the same

Capital punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capital punishment - Essay Example They presented the argument that capital punishment was the cruel form of punishing the criminals which is most often applied on innocent people. However, there are many counter-arguments against it supporting the death penalty. This paper intends to support the statement that capital punishment is cruel and should be abolished, and discusses the application of this unjust punishment on Hispanic community and minorities living in Texas. Ethics do not allow a government to take lives of its nationals. There is good number of chances that innocent lives will be put to death under this punishment and there can be no compensation for this. It is possible that capital punishment converts to manslaughter by killing someone convicted of murder, when the murderer says that it was not murder but an inadvertent killing like killing in self-defense. An example is the open and shut case of James McNicol who was put to death in December 1945. Although James did not oppose the conviction of murder , but after his death, Elaine Merrilees, his niece discovered that he was only guilty of manslaughter and not murder. Also, in Texas, death penalty has deepened its roots strongly and the victims are often Hispanics and the minorities who are killed due to racial discrimination. Marquart et al. (1998) affirm that: Rather than systematically sentencing younger minorities to death, murderers of all racial categories who received death tended to be younger than the larger pool of imprisoned convicted murderers- although the difference in age between Hispanics sentenced to death or those imprisoned was not statistically significant (p.86). The family of the one being put to capital punishment suffers very badly. Negative impacts are inflicted on their innocent minds because they have to come to terms not only with the sentence of their loved one but also with his death, and that too so cruelly. Therefore, the agony of the murderer’s family and relations should not be ignored. The lawyer, John B.S. Edwards (1959), writes in the Rotarian magazine that many countries have now abolished the capital punishment because â€Å"society in those countries is more shocked by the death penalty than impressed with the need for it† (p.10). Also, the criminals are also human beings and it is necessary that their feelings toward their family should not be ignored when the crime is not that violent. This can be better understood by the example that China shot an 18-year-old girl in 1998 who was convicted of drug trafficking. There is not a single humane method of killing the murderer in law. Kronenwetter (2001, p.3) calls it deliberate, cold-blooded, brutal and uncivilized killing. And when it is about minorities like the Hispanics in Texas, it is the responsibility of the government to consider that they should not be left feeling that they are being treated violently just because they are minorities. Marquart et al. (1998, p.24) give statistics that minorities whic h included blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be put to capital punishment as compared to whites. Many researchers argue that the capital punishment is proved in Bible because there are statements in Bible which say that whoever shed man’s blood should be done the same. Researchers talk about the biblical aspects of it and come to the conclusion that it is supported by God. However, the scripture can be interpreted in several different ways. The statement may also mean banishment of the murderer from

The Expansion of DHL in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Expansion of DHL in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example This helps to secure their place in the international market if the economy in some countries significantly decreases. In addition, the increase in role within individual countries helps to ensure the global awareness of the brand. This report considers the strategy initiated by the DHL Express division of Deutsche Post DHL (henceforth DHL) to increase its investment in the Saudi Arabia network, increasing the access to DHL services for its customers, as well as customer service and delivery fleets. As part of this strategy, DHL planned to invest in the opening of 15 new service points. The Global Economy and International Business DHL is a worldwide logistics company that works with individuals, small businesses and large businesses in order to provide effective logistics solutions for whatever their clients require. The company has a number of different divisions which focus on different sections of their business. These divisions include DHL Express (Deutsche Post DHL, 2011a), which is involved in the worldwide shipping of mail and packages within a limited time frame, DHL Forwarding and Freight, which is involved in the global transportation of merchandise and goods to their destinations, this division focuses on the shipping of large items or large amounts of items, particularly for businesses (Deutsche Post DHL, 2011c). . The other divisions that the company commands are DHL Supply Chain, which provides warehouse storage facilities as well as managed transport and finally DHL Mail, which is responsible for a wide range of services including global mail, the retail outlets for the company, press services a nd marketing . Multinational organisations are confronted with the decision to either focus on regional or on global expansion. Generally speaking, if a company expands at a regional level it loses some of its ground at the global level, and vice versa. Globalization has been shown to be a strong strategy for companies, allowing them to increase their competitiveness . DHL has players in both fields, with a strong international presence as well as strong roles in a number of different regions. The expansion within Saudi Arabia is being developed as part of a wider strategy for expansion into the Middle East, with the idea that Saudi Arabia could serve as a foothold and a strategic location. Data Country Trends DHL has operated within Saudi Arabia since 1976. In 2008, DHL Express initiated a strategy to significantly increase their network within the Saudi Arabian region. In order to do this a total of $26.6 million USD was invested into the network. This strategy served two purposes ; the first was for the expansion within Saudi Arabia, to provide better service and products. The second purpose was to take advantage of the influential role that Saudi Arabia has on the economic development in the Middle East and create strong customer relations and brand recognition for future development . Population Trends Stakeholders in International Business Stakeholders in DHL include customers, employees, investors as well as a number of partner organizations. Other stakeholders include those who are involved in making policy, various environmental and social groups, as well as the general public. In the expansion into Saudi Arabia, the company must balance the needs of the different stakeholders. In order to do this, DHL works actively with different stakeholder groups to ensure that there are no problems. For example, they engage environmental groups to discuss the impact in which the company will have in their expansion and the way in which environmental impact can be reduced .

Reflection on the film 12 Angry Men Research Paper

Reflection on the film 12 Angry Men - Research Paper Example Reflection on the film 12 Angry Men The problem of prejudice and the difficulty faced by the jurors in decision making process is still an unresolved problem in the global context. In the beginning, most of the jurors were against the culprit. In the end, all the jurors came to know that their decision is based upon their personal opinions on the immigrant population. My personal opinion/reflection on the film 12 Angry Men is divided into three sections: prejudice, racial supremacy, and misuse of law. Prejudice I am of the opinion that the director made use of the protagonist (the immigrant boy, probably from Puerto Rican Island) to unmask the depth of prejudice against immigrants in America. I believe that prejudice based upon racial and cultural identity is an important problem faced by a member who belongs to an immigrant community. If we are not from an immigrant community, there exists less possibility to have deeper understanding on this problem. Within this context, the director makes use of the protagonist as a medium to express his opinion on the problem faced by immigrants. In the beginning of the film, the jury, which consists of 12 members, does not show any particular interest in the emotional trauma faced by the boy. Biskind (2001) made clear that, â€Å"In the view of the strong case against the defendant, it is not too surprising that the jury’s first straw vote comes out 11 to 1 for conviction† (p.11). ... So, in my opinion, the film portrays how prejudice affects the smooth functioning of law and order in a modern society. Racial superiority I think racial superiority is a myth based upon false opinion, not upon fact. The elite class in the society considers that their status in the society is indebted to their racial identity. But one cannot prove that racial identity determines one’s superiority over others. So, I am totally against racial superiority. One of the factors which attracted me towards this film is the director’s attempt to expose that racial superiority is a myth. In the film, the boy is the victim of racial superiority/racial supremacy. For instance, most of the members of the jury are white middle class men. Still, all the members are from different layers of the society. Most of them do not try to allow the boy to prove his innocence. On the other side, juror 8, an architect by profession, is not ready to act against the boy. Later, some of the jurors l ike Juror 5 and Juror 11 decide to change their opinion. Still, Juror 3’s wavering nature hinders the jury members to have a unanimous decision. In the film, most of the jury members are not aware of their role in decision making process because they act according to the false beliefs in the society. One can see that most of the jury members are middle aged and their personal opinions on the immigrants deeply influence their decisions. So, the film helped me to know more about the problem of prejudice based upon racial superiority. Misuse of law I consider this film as an eye-opener to those who believe that death penalty can reduce crime in the society. On the other side, law is misused to victimize innocent individuals who are not

Innocence in Catcher in the Rye Essay Example for Free

Innocence in Catcher in the Rye Essay In JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a boy aimlessly traveling New York City after being expelled from a classy boarding school. Holden poses a great deal of trepidation when it comes to sexual relationships, especially those of Jane and Sunny. Furthermore, Holden tends to misjudge the maturity of his fellow characters. The combination of this misconception, the tension between sexual trepidation, and an adult life with adult relationships, results in confusion for him. In Holden’s life, there have only been a few people he’s cherished more than his childhood neighbor, Jane Gallagher. They were close childhood friends, and when his roommate Stradlater brings her up years later in high school, all he can talk about is the innocent fun they used to have: playing checkers, watching her dance ballet in the summer heat, and how her Doberman always came into his yard. However, he also reminisces on how her â€Å"boozehound† stepfather would always â€Å"run around the goddam house naked† (42). He suspects that her stepfather had harassed Jane, who â€Å"had [a] terrific figure, and [he] wouldn’t’ve put it past that bastard† (103). This really bothers Holden, as does when Stradlater insinuates that he made sexual advances onto Jane on their date. To Holden, sexual encounters mean an adulteration of innocence, and he hates that Stradlater or Jane’s stepfather may have corrupted Jane. Many times, Holden promises himself that he â€Å"outa go down and say hello to her† (40), or that he should â€Å"give old Jane a buzz† (195), but he never does. Subconsciously, he fears that Jane will have grown up, and calling her or seeing her will surely alter the young, innocent, checkers-playing version of Jane that he has in his mind. This is confusing for Holden because Jane has grown up, yet he still thinks of her as a little girl, not the grown woman that she is. Holden â€Å"knew that she wouldn’t let [Stradlater] get to first base with her, but it drove [him] crazy anyway† (104). This shows Holden’s potential misconception of Jane’s innocence. It is unlikely for a post-teenage young woman to be as sheltered and have as much innocence as she did when she was a little girl. However, this is something Holden cannot grasp. This dilemma is a direct result of Holden’s irrational respect for innocence, influenced by sexual confrontations in Holden’s past. When Holden agrees to have a prostitute come to his room in the hotel, he is soon greeted by Sunny at his door. Holden is immediately unimpressed with Sunny’s maturity; how she was â€Å"jiggling this one foot up and down†, she â€Å"never said thank you†, and she â€Å"had this tiny little wheeny-whiny voice† (123). He also notices that she appears very young, and said things that were really childish. This ends up making him feel â€Å"more depressed than sexy† (123), and he decides not to have sex with her after all. The depiction of this young girl making money as a prostitute seems to upset Holden, and he ultimately concludes that having sex with her would spoil her innocence. This is where Holden is again misguided. Just as it is unlikely for Jane to retain the same degree of innocence through the years, it is improbable that Sunny, being a prostitute, will have not had sex with many people in the past, therefore preserving her innocence. But all Holden can see in Sunny is the childish and immature, which results in a conflicted view of the world. The importance of innocence to Holden is something that results in nervousness towards others’ sexual identity and activity. His perspective of Jane and Sunny’s innocence is also misguided to the point where he sees innocence in them when there is none. Overall, the importance of innocence to Holden results in contention that is less than innocent.