Pie In The Sky The Brigid Berlin Story Essays - Brigid Berlin

Pie In The Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story Among the oddballs and exhibitionists who clustered around Andy Warhol in the 1960's and 70's perhaps the scariest was Brigid Berlin, a chubby, motormouthed rebel from an upper-crust New York City family who relished the way her underground celebrity embarrassed her proper conservative parents. Her father, Richard Berlin, a friend of Richard M. Nixon and an admirer of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, ran the Hearst Corporation, which he had helped save from bankruptcy in the 40's. Her mother, Honey, was an elegant, ladies-who-lunch-style socialite of the old school. Ms. Berlin was one of Warhol's favorite telephone companions, and she taped hundreds of hours of their conversations, some of which were adapted into a play called Pork that flaunted the Berlin family strife. Like many of Warhol's acolytes, she fancied herself an artist and was one of the first art world personages to work with a portable tape recorder and Polaroid snapshots (she specialized in double exposures). Her more notorious antics included a theatrical performance in which she telephoned her parents from the stage without their knowledge and broadcast live her mother's furious tirade about her lifestyle and choice of friends. That lifestyle included an addiction to speed (in the 1966 Warhol movie, The Chelsea Girls, she played a pill-pushing lesbian who shoots up in front of the camera) as well as an eating disorder that pushed her weight to 260 pounds. Despite her obesity, Ms. Berlin often appeared nude in Warhol's movies, displaying not a trace of self-consciousness. Excerpts from her taped conversations with Warhol and with her mother run through Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story, Shelly Dunn Fremont and Vincent Fremont's unsettling close-up portrait of Ms. Berlin, which opens today at the Film Forum. This fascinating but somewhat repellent documentary repeatedly contrasts interviews with Ms. Berlin filmed two years ago when she turned 60 with excerpts from the mostly black-and-white Warhol films in which she radiated the aggressive ferocity of a B-movie prison matron. Much slimmer today than in the Warhol years, Ms. Berlin, who lives on the East Side of Manhattan with two dogs, looks sleek and matronly at 60. But when she reminisces, it becomes clear that she retains a lust for the spotlight along with a continuing inability to edit what comes out of her mouth. As she chattily recounts a life of squandered privilege and wasted opportunity, the movie casts a bitter chill. After all her walks on the wild side, you wonder if she has learned anything at all. Not a smidgen of wisdom or enlightenment passes from the lips of a woman whose main goals in life today seem to be keeping a neat apartment and fighting an obsession with Key lime pies (one scene shows her berating herself for having given in to that weakness and gobbling three at one sitting). Ms. Berlin emerges as someone whose life and art were determined by her own obsessive-compulsive behavior, be it consuming sweets or collecting celebrity drawings of sexual organs in a notorious scrapbook. Besides her weight, the guiding motif of her life appears to have been her controlling mother, who comes across as cold, judgmental and image-obsessed. Ms. Berlin has her fans, one of the most articulate being the director John Waters, who modeled his own informal repertory company on the Warhol crew. In his view her work with tape and snapshots led Warhol to adapt them into his repertory of techniques. He also admires her bravery for appearing nude. Because she no longer takes speed, Ms. Berlin seems less scary than distracted. Although her memory appears intact, she conveys the disengagement of someone who is either too traumatized or too self-centered to have much psychological perspective on the past. In the most revealing scene, she revisits the Chelsea Hotel, the site of some of her more outrageous antics. Growing visibly anxious, Ms. Berlin says she feels uncomfortable there and wants to leave, but she is at a loss as to why. PIE IN THE SKY: THE BRIGID BERLIN STORY Produced and directed by Vincent Fremont and Shelly Dunn Fremont; director of photography, Vic Losick; edited by Michael Levine; music by Chris Stein. At the Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, west of Sixth Avenue, South Village. Running time: 75 minutes. This film is not rated. WITH: Brigid Berlin, Richard Bernstein, John Waters, Taylor Mead, Bob Colacello, Larry Rivers and Patricia Hearst. Arts Essays

Research Paper

Research Paper Research Paper Matt McMahon Ms. Cooley Writing for College 16 December 2010 The Life of a New York City Fireman Every young boy has a specific person who he feels is his hero. Many of these heroes are seen on TV or in comic books. At a young age, these characters are referred to as superheroes. As these kids grow older, their views of idols change into professional sports players like Derek Jeter, Lebron James or Sidney Crosby. Once kids hit a certain age they don’t believe in the superheroes, they just have heroes from movies and sports. The funny thing is superheroes do exist and always have. Just because they cant fly and pick up buildings doesn’t mean they are any less heroic than the ones who can in comic books. When someone is in danger or in any type of life threatening situation, they depend on police officers and firefighters to be there for their safety. The system works much like how it did on cartoons or in comic books for that matter. When someone is in distress t hey call 911 who gets the information and refers it to a local fire departments dispatch. The dispatch then sends the call out to the fireman who race to report to the scene as fast as they can. Although being a firefighter is not as easy as it looks or sounds. Being a New York City firefighter is very different from any other job in the world. People go to their normal job about five days a week for about an eight hour shift. Being a firefighter isn't any normal job. The shifts research paper research paper Coming to a division three college as a student athlete was a difficult choice. This was mainly because I knew that in division three there were no athletic scholarships given, unlike division one and two. This made college more expensive for me, and definitely weighed in on my decision on what college to attend. Many people will argue that athletics are not an important part of a child and students career for many reasons. Most people who choose this viewpoint believe that it distracts the student from their academics, therefore damaging their future. The people who believe this agree that students should be studying instead of practicing their sport or playing in events. Therefore, why should athletic scholarships be given out? This would encourage students to practice even harder and longer to be able to achieve a talent good enough to be rewarded with a scholarship. Another reason people might be against athletic scholarships is because it would save the college money by not giving students free tuition. If the college did not give out athletic scholarships, they could save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. This money could go to things such as academic tuition, building funds, or previous debts owned by the school. Although both of these arguments are valid, I believe there are strong counterarguments to each one. What many people don’t understand is that athletics encourage more than just physical toughness. I have learned that athletics have taught me much more than that; they have taught me perseverance, how to be supportive, and that hard work pays off. Also, student athletes are well rounded and have knowledge of time management. Student athletes are forced work hard in their academics in order to stay on the team. If you receive under a two point five GPA, you are ineligible to play for the team. This results in student athletes having some of the highest GPAs in colleges. When people try and Research Paper Research Paper Research Paper Why Richard Rodriguez? Why does his work catch my eye? What makes his work more prominent than other authors? I can’t persuade one to change his/her opinion on the interest of his/her author. I can however provide details on how mine is a work of art. Richard Rodriguez, a man with no shame, splendid powers of deduction, and innovative writing. My reasoning shall be revealed in due time. Rodriguez has really enthused my writing. He has given me a more creative, and more, in-depth kind of thinking in my writing. His race and his sexuality are just assets to the man with the ink. What do I mean? I mean that others could be prejudice to either his ethnicity or homosexuality. Revealing one’s identity of sexuality is crucial in a career where people throughout the world criticize it. A good example of this is, Adam Lambert. A star who was contesting in and was supposedly going to win the hit show American Idol until he revealed his sexuality. Some say he was go ing to win and others say that has nothing to do with it. Now, I deem myself as a respectful and understanding guy. Therefore, I don’t judge the man himself (why would I be writing about him if I was), I judge his work. Some of the works I will be critiquing are a few essays, Cowboys and Indians, which is one of his more recent works, Se Habla Espanol, Zero Times One and a chapter out of his most famous work, Hunger of Memory. I’ve specifically chosen articles that are spread out through his career. Even though these four articles are spread through a decade of time, it is still noteworthy to evaluate to his progression in writing. Each of these writings are different, but cover the same idea. Rodriguez is Spanish (the Mexican descent) and he is a homosexual. Is that all there is to know though? Of course it is! What else could there be to know about an author? Sarcasm, that is what modern terminology defines as being ignorant, or hilarious, or both. As I said before, Rodriguez has enthused my writing, so there must be more to him. Well, Rodriguez’s home life and family life was what you’d imagine it to be a Mexican growing up in America, tough, to say the least. Having to deal with common Research Paper Research Paper Athletic Performance Using mind body connection The mind is a powerful tool. Athletes who are able to effectively use their mind have more success than those who cannot. Athletic performance can actually be improved using the connection between the mind and the body. That mind-body connection has given athletes positive reproducible results time and time again. The only barrier in the way of the athlete is learning the process that improves athletic performance by enabling the mind-body connection. Our minds tell our bodies what to do and how to react. For instance, athletic performance increases when the athlete links the mind-body connection and visualizes the specific event in their minds several times before the actual event. An Athlete’s Secret Weapon – Visualization What can an athlete do to gain the upper hand over his or her opponent who has the same fitness level, nutrition regime, and game experience? This is where sports psychology comes into play. An athlete can rise to the next level and surpass their opponents with the use of mental preparation. Visualization, also known as guided imagery, enables an athlete to create clear detailed images in their mind that they want to manifest as reality during their game. Using imagery, an athlete can put themselves in every situation possible and practice responding successfully. The outcome is reduced anxiety and mental involvement before ever stepping onto the playing field. Developing High Levels of Confidence Confidence is the keystone to performing at your best. When athletes are confident, their mind and body are relaxed allowing them to perform at their best. A confident athlete has been defined as "being able to be positive, motivated, focused, and emotionally in control when they need to be. There are a few things that can be done to ensure you have the highest level of confidence possible. First of all, engineer your approach to competition so that you are doing things that you have already successfully done in the past. Just knowing that you done it successfully before, will give you confidence. When you are reviewing your performance in your head, see it working perfectly. A confident athlete has the belief that he/she has what it takes to be successful no matter what is happening on the field/court. The combination of confidence and a positive mind set Research Paper Research Paper JUDAISM, CHRISTINAITY & ISLAM Raquita Fleming Religion & Philosophy Father Yarisah September 2, 2013 We have so many different religions out here in today’s society there is a lot and you may wonder why we don’t have just one. Well I am here to explain why not and I will be comparing and contrasting three monotheistic religions which are: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I will discuss the uniqueness of each religion regarding their beliefs and basic teachings. Also will be talking about each religion background information, on how they religion got started. Who were their founding fathers and how where they able to find their religion. I will explain the symbols and they kinds of food that each religion is alike and don’t eat alike. The first Religion I will talk about is Judaism it was formed 1300 B.C which is one of the most scholar date Abraham who was one of their forefathers. There is set to believe that there could be four founding fathers of Judaism. Who are God, Moses, Abraham and historical authorities? The original language of Judaism is Hebrews. The origin of Judaism is Canaan and that is a biblical name for the religion. That came about because of the Jordan and the Mediterranean River. The symbol for Judaism is the â€Å"Star of David†. The Star of David is a six pointed star made up of two triangles. Sometimes they refer the Star of David being called Megan David. Which in Judaism means the â€Å"Shield of David†? some Christians and Muslims have used the Star of David in previous years also sometimes associated with the King Of Solomon instead of King David. The sacred text is Tanakh which is an acronym of The Bible name Torah Nevi’im and Ketuvim. Our first five bibles are names after the Torah; Exodus, Numbers Leviticus, Genesis, and Deuteronomy. The place where the Jews worship is called the synagogue or sometimes the temple. There holy days are called Passover and Hanukkah. The Talmud was also the oral Torah and was compared to the rabbinical commentary. The leaders of Judaism are called Rabbis. Judaism today is much better and it is one the oldest religion that still exists today. Judaism started in a small nation by the Hebrews. So many years had passed with the Jews going through rough times. They suffered dispersion, persecution and occasional victory. As we look on the religion today we have at least 14 million Jews. Today is more complex which incorporates both nation and religion. This all comes down to strict adherence and ritual laws with more liberal attitude on religion beliefs. Judaism has been a major part in shaping the world today this is not in common western categories like race, religion, ethnicity or culture. Unlike Christians Judaism have been influenced by so many different contacts like Egyptians, Babylon and Persians. Christianity was formed 33 C.E and it was known for the traditional date for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The founders of Christianity are Jesus, Peter and Paul. Many different scholars date the rise of Christianity as a r eligious belief system. Some of holy days are ester, Christmas, Good Friday, Palm Sunday and Ash Wednesday. Then in the first century under the leadership went over to apostles. Most Christian’s beliefs were center on the life of Jesus of Nazareth he was a teacher and he healed the first century Palestine. The symbol for Christianity is a Cross, and Dove some people claim their can be more. But the more common one is the cross that everyone can recognize. Teachings based on the themes of the kingdom of god, love of god and love of thy neighbor. We as Christians believed that Jesus rose from the dead three days after his burial, and made it possible for those who believed that sins can be forgiven and attain eternal life. The distinctive belief of mainstream of Christianity if the doctrine of Trinity. Meaning we view god as one god consisting of the three persons; the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. We as Christians Research Paper Research Paper The Atrocities at My Lai Massacre During the Vietnam War, there were lots of corruption and violence taking place. As an outcome of this war, there were many events and tragedies that are still remembered and looked back upon, but one act of cruelty stands above all the others. Because of the inhumane actions that were taken by U.S. forces, the corrupt leadership of Lieutenant Calley and the fact that this massacre was covered up from society for over a year, the My Lai massacre became know as the worst atrocity that occurred during the Vietnam War. To start off, the mass destruction that took place during the My Lai Massacre shows that this was in fact, the worst atrocity that took place during the Vietnam War. On March 16, 1968, U.S. soldiers entered the village of My Lai in northern South Vietnam. The soldiers had been searching for threats within the village, but soon determined that the women, children and elders living there, were not dangerous. ‘But rather than move on, the soldiers abruptly went on a murderous killing spree, massacring between 300 and 500 unarmed villagers over a period of several hours’ (Russell 703). Innocent unarmed people were murdered that day, with no means of protecting themselves. Hundreds of innocent people were slaughtered, â€Å"In terms of numbers of slain, the My Lai Massacre is by far the worst known U.S. atrocity case of the Vietnam War† (Cook and Martin 217). Not only did the soldiers murder hundreds of innocent people, but they also tortured them and forced them to suffer: During this time, the soldiers torched houses, raped dozens of women and children, and shot or stabbed terrified villagers who tried to escape. The American troops executed most of the villagers by lining them up in ditches and shooting them in heavy bursts of rifle fire (Hillstrom and Hillstrom 212). These inhumane actions taken by the U.S. forces in My Lai, are one of the main reasons that the My Lai Massacre is known to be the worst atrocity that occurred during the Vietnam War. This event was not only sick and cruel, but could also represent everything that was wrong with the Vietnam W ar. Ronald L. Haeberle was a photographer for the United States Army, and unfortunately, had a firsthand experience of witnessing the spiteful execution of these innocent people at My Lai. â€Å"Haeberle said that no Viet Cong were sighted nor were there any reports of Viet Cong fire in the village† (Cook and Martin 217). There was clear evidence that shows that no Viet Cong or even armed people were present when this massacre took place. â€Å"U.S. forces, Haeberle related, mechanically killed the civilians, some in their beds in huts. The murders were carried out; he said, with M-16 rifles and machine guns† (Cook and Martin 217). Not only were these people killed, but they were humiliated and treated much less than a person. It was much more than soldiers doing their duties, it was inhumane and unethical. â€Å"He said he saw as many as 30 American soldiers’ murder as many as 100 South Vietnamese civilians, many of them women or babies, many left in lifeless clumps. He describes the soldiers who did the shooting as ‘intent on what they were trying to accomplish. There was no feeling, nothing human about it. It was, for the most part, grim, though later some of the men tried to be humorous about leaving the bodies for the dogs and the rats’† (Cook and Martin 219). Soldiers recklessly lost control of themselves and took out all of their anger on the lives of these unarmed, innocent women, children and elders. GI’s forced these people to not only die, but to suffer as well. â€Å"‘The GI’s found a group of people- mothers, children, and their daughters. This GI grabbed one of the girls, in her teens, and started stripping her, playing around. They said they wanted to see what she was made of and stuff like that’† (Cook and Mart in 219). It was obvious that the U.S. soldiers acted excessively violent and took out all of their anger on innocent Research Paper Research Paper The Periodic Table and the Aufbau One of the biggest topics in the teaching and learning of chemistry is the use of the aufbau principle to predict the electronic configurations of atoms and to explain the periodic table of the elements. This method has been taught to many generations of students and is a favorite among instructors and textbooks when it comes to setting questions. In this blog I am going to attempt to blow the lid off the aufbau because it is deeply flawed, or at least the sloppy version of the aufbau. The flaw is rather subtle and seems to have escaped the attention of nearly all chemistry and physics textbooks and the vast majority of chemistry professors that I have consulted on the subject. The error comes from what may be an innocent attempt to simplify matters or maybe just an understandable slip as I will try to explain. Whatever the cause there is no excuse for perpetuating this educational myth. So what’s the problem? The aufbau method was originally proposed by the great Danish physicist Niels Bohr who was the first to bring quantum mechanics to the study of atomic structure and one of the first to give a fundamental explanation of the periodic table in terms of arrangements of electrons (electronic configurations). Bohr proposed that we can think of the atoms of the periodic table as being progressively built up starting from the simplest atom of all, that of hydrogen which contains just one proton and one electron. The other atoms differ from hydrogen by the addition of one proton and one electron. Helium has two protons and two electrons, lithium has three of each, beryllium has four of each, all the way to uranium which at that time, (1913), was the heaviest known atom, weighing in at 92 protons and 92 electrons. Neutron numbers vary and are quite irrelevant to this story incidentally. The next ingredient is a knowledge of the atomic orbitals into which the electrons are progressively placed in an attempt to reproduce the natural sequence of electrons in atoms that occur in the real world. Oddly enough these orbitals, at least in their simplest form, nowadays come from solving the Schrà ¶dinger equation for the hydrogen atom but let’s not get too sidetracked for the moment. The orbitals The different atomic orbitals come in various kinds that are distinguished by labels such as s, p, d and f. Each shell of electrons can be broken down into various orbitals and as we move away from the nucleus each shell contains a progressively larger number of kinds of orbitals. Here is the well-known scheme, First shell contains 1s orbital only Second shell contains 2s and 2p orbitals Third shell contains 3s, 3p and 3d orbitals Fourth shell contains 4s, 4p, 4d and 4f orbitals and so on. The next part is that one needs to know how many of these orbitals occur in each shell. The answer is provided by the simple formula 2ï  ¬Ã¯â‚¬  + 1 where ï  ¬ takes different values depending on whether we are speaking of s, p, d or f orbitals. For s orbitals ï  ¬ = 0, for p orbitals ï  ¬ = 1, for d orbitals ï  ¬ = 2 and so on. As a result there are potentially one s orbital, three p orbitals, five d orbitals, seven f orbitals and so on for each shell. So far so good. Now comes the magic ingredient which claims to predict the order of filling of these orbitals and here is where the fallacy lurks. Rather than filling the shells around the nucleus in a simple sequential sequence, where each shell must fill completely before moving onto the next shell, we are told that the correct procedure is more complicated. But we are also reassured that there is a nice simple pattern that governs the order of shell and consequently of orbitals filling. And this is finally the point at which the aufbau diagram, which I am going to claim lies at the heart of the trouble, is trotted out. The order of filling of

Human Rights Law amp; Business Essay

Human Rights Law amp; Business Essay Human Rights Law Business Essay Essay Writing and Samples The following free essay sample is posted here with the hope to give you some ideas on essay writing. You may also take a look at academic tips on research paper topic ideas, term paper format, narrative essay writing and management coursework writing in our blog. Human Rights Law BusinessIt has become evident in recent years that human rights violations occur not only from states, but also from various other actors such as transnational corporations (TNCs) (Habegger Roland 2). TNCs play an important role in global economy and can use their economic capability to achieve political objectives (Habegger Roland 2). Consequently, some TNCs may misuse their influence to the extent of violating human rights in various forms (Habegger Roland 2). To avoid this, there have been various efforts, such as United Nations conventions, by the international community to make TNCs and other businesses promote and protect human rights. To evaluate the effective enforceability of those conventions, it is essential to focus on the human rights issues that the conventions look after, and their strengths and weaknesses of in doing so. The number of initiatives and standards that are meant for corporate social responsibility has increased over the years (Report 4). They include international instruments such as treaties and declarations; nationally based standards such as constitutional provisions and national laws; certification schemes such as the Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production (WRAP); and voluntary initiatives that are adopted by businesses on a voluntary basis (Report 4). However, most of these initiatives except for some national standards are non-binding on companies, as they do not have any legal authority to regulate companies (Report 9). Moreover, nationally based standards may not often control the extraterritorial acts of TNCs (Business Human Rights 8). International laws can regulate corporations with regards to human rights issues in two ways, namely indirect and direct (Beyond Voluntarism 1). In contrast to various laws pertaining to companies, such as personal jury law, criminal law, company law and consumer law, International human rights law provides a universal benchmark to objectively measure the behaviour of companies (Beyond Voluntarism 3). Indirect form requires states to observe that companies respect human rights and that failure to do so result in legal consequences, whereas direct form imposes direct obligations on companies (Beyond Voluntarism 3). Accordingly, various conventions, which are listed below, serve in observing the compliance of TNCs with human rights issues.International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of RacialDiscrimination (ICERD 1965) (Beyond Voluntarism 22) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR1966) (Beyond Voluntarism 22) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR 1966) (Beyond Voluntarism 22)Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination againstWomen (CEDAW 1979) (Beyond Voluntarism 22)Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading (Beyond Voluntarism 22) (Beyond Voluntarism 22)Treatment or Punishment (CAT 1984) (Beyond Voluntarism 22)Convention on the Rig hts of the Child (CRC 989) (Beyond Voluntarism 22)International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All MigrantWorkers and Members of Their Families (ICPRMW 1990) (Beyond Voluntarism 22) Apart from these, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has formed many treaties to cover various rights for workers, especially concerning health and safety issues, prohibitions on forced and child labour, and the right to organize unions (Beyond Voluntarism 22). These conventions help in regulating companies with respect to various aspects of the human rights, such as non-discrimination; womens rights; life, liberty and physical integrity of the person; civic freedoms; employees rights; child labour; slavery, forced and bonded labour; economic, social and cultural rights; and voluntarism and market forces(Beyond Voluntarism 7-34). Conventions require states to regulate and adjudicate corporate activities with regard to rights capable of abuse by private parties (Background Pa per 2). However, these conventions do not often direct obligations to corporations. Instead, they focus on measures to be taken by states to control any corporate abuses with respect to human rights (Background Paper 2). Nevertheless, conventions related to most recently adopted treaties such as ICRMW and ICRPD specifically mention businesses in this regard (Background Paper 3).Different treaty bodies related to respective conventions focus more on certain types of companies and businesses than others that states need to formulate regulations to protect against abuse with respect to human rights by those companies (Background Paper 3). To be precise, states need to take necessary steps to regulate the acts of logging and property development companies in the context of resource exploitation in the lands of indigenous people (Background Paper 3). Also, focus on healthcare does not pertain only to private healthcare providers but also includes pharmaceutical and manufacturing companie s that perform activities, which may threaten food and water resources (Background Paper 3). However, they need to have adequate and appropriate focus on other sectors and companies as well (Background Paper 3).Also, conventions require that states need to have various measures to effectively regulate and adjudicate corporate activities (Background Paper 3). The measures may range from legislative measures, to prohibit abuse and proscribe certain behaviour to administrative and judicial mechanisms to effectively investigate all complaints of human rights violations by companies (Background Paper 3). However, implementation of conventions guidelines depends on states own discretion (Background Paper 3). Also, states have to provide with appropriate remedial measures in case of human rights violations (Background Paper 3). However, there is no clarity in conventions whether regulation and adjudication should direct at respective corporate entity itself or natural persons acting on beh alf of that company (Background Paper 4). Moreover, there is no clear distinction in this regard between state and non-sate owned companies (Background Paper 4). Though some treaty bodies such as CESCR mentioned about state-owned facilities, it is not clear whether these facilities are similar to state-owned corporations (Background Paper 4).Territorial factor is crucial in regulating transnational corporations, as the convention do not directly control except for requiring respective states to do so. In view of this, states may control the activities of companies outside the states national territories through a legislation called prescriptive extraterritorial jurisdiction (Background Paper 5). However, such control needs to consider various aspects such as the nationality of offenders and/or victims, territory where the company has violated human rights, and non-intervention of other states internal affairs (Background Paper 4). From the above discussion, there are certain weakne sses for conventions that prevent them from being effectively enforceable. Conventions are mostly non-binding on companies. The system only works when the potential violators of human rights prefer it to work. Also, states can follow the guidelines of those conventions on their own discretion. In the current state, conventions do not give adequate reference to all sectors and/or companies. Moreover, there is no clarity on the roles of the states in dealing with the acts of state-owned and non-state owned companies. As conventions do not directly influence and/or regulate transnational corporations, states cannot effectively regulate and adjudicate the acts of companies outside states national territories for various reasons such as trans-border limitations. Also, states may be reluctant in enforcing the spirit of conventions states when there is connivance between a state and a TNC in which the state may benefit from the failure to enforce human rights obligations (Deva 26). States may ignore human rights obligations to attract foreign investments (Deva 26). Also, some developing states may not have adequate legal and/or economic capability to enforce HR obligations (Deva 26). Furthermore, differences in legal systems among states may be another problem (Deva 26). Above all, there are no clear sanctions that are enforceable by any convention when a transnational corporation violates human rights (Deva 10). There are several examples to explain the ineffectiveness of conventions in enforcing human rights obligations. To start with, Malaysia became a signor to the UNs CRC in 1995 (qtd. in Shirali 1). After five years, the Malaysian government started to contravene the convention with the flow of foreign investments into the country (Shirali 1). Transnational companies like Nike and Reebok were allowed to exploit Malaysias children, making them work for long hours, often twelve hours a day, with scheduled bathroom breaks (Shirali 1). This is in absolute contras t with Section 1 of Article 19 of the convention that reads: State Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment, or exploitation (qtd. in Shirali 1). Thus, the above mentioned act was a clear violation of the convention. However, neither the Malaysian government nor respective transnational companies had to face economic or any other kind of sanctions (Shirali 1). It explains that the indirect approach of conventions, in which states are required to regulate transnational companies and other businesses at their own discretion, is not effective in protecting human rights. In another example of human rights violation, Banco Santander Central Hispano (SCH) is Spanish bank, which is the largest private bank in Latin America and the Caribbean (Banco Santander 1). SCH is accused as a co-responsible entity in relation to the displacement of 1.4 million local people most of who are rubber producers, nut collectors and fishermen (Banco Santander 1). Nearly 5,000 families will become landless due to the lack of any plans for their resettlement or compensation (Banco Santander 1). Also, the construction will impact the drinking water in that region, increasing the malaria cases simultaneously (Banco Santander 1). In spite of its intensive corporate responsibility drive, SCH has failed to achieve compliance with weak international laws that regulate the actions of an international bank (Banco Santander 1). The United Nations ICESCR andILO's169 Convention lack the necessary enforceability to address the grievances of respective indigenous people (Banco Santander 1). To address the issues of ineffectiveness of conventions UN has proposed some norms to protect human rights from potential violations of TNCs. Accordingly, TNCs need to be compliant with the norms and submit to monitoring by the UN and other entities on their application of the Norms (Braaten 6). Though the mechanism seems like encouraging a direct approach by making TNCs directly responsible with human rights obligations, it still lacks clarity on how to implement the mechanism and the judicial validity of it (Braaten 7). To conclude, conventions are helpful in providing guideline to states on protecting and promoting human rights with regard to transnational corporations and other businesses. However, the lack of a direct approach and other related mechanisms to treat companies as directly responsible entities makes these conventions not so effective in protecting human rights.

NCI corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

NCI corporation - Assignment Example This is the margin NCI corporation already had the capability to produce for the casket market. On the other side, the traditional margin for manufacturing the caskets was about 23%. On average, 23% is the operating margin NCI Corporation previously incurred for the new product. The increase in the number of discounters in the casket market results to reduced prices of caskets. , the margin increases with the increase in the casket suppliers in the market. The discounters such as the wholesalers, retailers, and other manufacturers do not incur the similar costs incurred by the funeral homes. Therefore, they sell the caskets cheaply and still make a profit because there are low production costs involved. In addition, the discounters sell caskets in large scale thereby enjoying the economies of scale. The number of caskets, I will sell to the different target purchasers depend heavily on the respective buying price the target buyer will offer. I will provide 50 Caskets to the funeral homes. This will be the highest number of caskets I would like to sell. To the retailers, I expect to sell around 60 caskets while the wholesalers will get around 100 caskets. To achieve the figures, I assumed a constant 40 % margin and particular profits for each purchaser target. For instance, I assumed $ 500,000 profit in the case of funeral homes, $ 180,000 profit in the case of the retailers and $ 250,000. In addition, I assumed $ 50,000 net income, $ 120,000 capital expenditure and investment return worth $ 250,000. 1. There are various risks associated with NCI’s entry into the casket selling. First, the firm risk losing all the retrenched workers. Secondly, involvement in the new business is risky since neither Roger nor his adviser knows about the marketing of the products. Lastly, the firm risks getting customers for her products since nobody in the business knows the targeted consumers for the caskets. 2. The firm’s sale will increase at the rate of diminishing

Why are UFOs still Mystery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why are UFOs still Mystery - Essay Example When people see lights moving in a way that suggests something other than an airplane, the intriguing prospect that something extraterrestrial is up there moves us to create in our minds the possibility of space ships and alien beings. Of course not all strange lights in the sky can be attributed to space ships. Weather balloons and aircraft have been mistaken for UFOs. â€Å"An unidentified flying object was spotted in Barron County about a month ago. But was it something extra-terrestrial or can a weather tool give us the answer? Scott Doering, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service says it's possible the UFO could have been a weather balloon.†1 Poor reporting, government cover-ups, conspiracies and faulty eye witness accounts are also fuel for the fire surrounding UFOs; and television and film have increased our speculation and fascination about UFOs. It may also simply be that flying saucers don’t exist, being figments of our imagination or they could be stories created to obscure real life military secrets. Inconsistent records from eye witnesses could account for one reason why people do not believe in UFOs. When an object is seen by several people travelling at high speed, it’s likely that there will be different interpretations of the event. Another theory that discredits the existence of UFOs is a government cover-up. Perhaps we have been visited by aliens and the government, fearful about public reaction, obfuscates the truth. Yet another theory is that the military is in fact using UFO stories to hide new technologies and highly classified secret aircraft. â€Å"Area 51, also known as Groom Lake, is a secret military facility about 90 miles north of Las Vegas. The number refers to a 6-by-10-mile block of land, at the center of which is a large air base the government will not discuss†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 2 There is undoubtedly life in other parts of the galaxy and the Universe. We would be arrogant to assume that one tiny pla net in the vast network of stars could be the only one to contain life. The question is whether or not other beings have the ability to travel here. Given the distance between stars and the amount of time it would take to travel between them, even at the speed of light, it would seem unlikely that voyage would be possible. â€Å"Chemical-based rockets get terrible fuel efficiency, achieving very little thrust per kilogram of propellant used, and their exhaust velocity can’t exceed 5,000 meters per second. Using these tools, Lozano adds, it would take at least nine months to get to Mars...†3 Or would it? We have a limited view based on our experience. Space travel for human beings has only been in place for the past 50 years, and we’ve only travelled as far as the moon. Probes such as Voyager have certainly exited our solar system, but their slow speed means that data returned to us takes years. Based on what we know, flying to another planet is impossible. Yet, reports of UFOs persist. Sightings could be attributed to dreams or hallucinations, but there have been reports from credible sources such as the military and police where sightings have been distinct and over prolonged periods of time. In a â€Å"Summary Report on Observations 30-31 March 1990† from the Belgium Air Force, W. de Brouwer Kol Vl SBH stated â€Å"†¦the head of the police of WAVRE had alerted 4 other police stations in the area. All four, separated +- 10 NM from each other, confirmed the visual observations [of unidentified flying objects].†4 This particular sighting came during a period where both average citizens and the military also viewed these craft. When members of a police department or military report sighting

Food And Wine Harmony History Essay

Food And Wine Harmony History Essay Italy is a unitary legislative state in Southern Europe. It is the fifth most populated country in Europe, and the 23rd most populated in the world. Rome, the capital of Italy, has for periods been an administrative and religious centre of Western society as the capital of the Roman Empire and place of the Holy Sea. Modern Italy is an independent republic. It has been graded as the worlds 24th most-developed nation and its Quality-of-life Index has been graded in the worlds first ten in 2005.Italy delight in a very high standard of existing, and has a great GDP per capita. History The terrestrial known as Italy today has been the structure of European cultures and peoples, such as the Etruscans and the Romans. Italys capital, Rome, was for periods the administrative centre of Western society, as the capital of the Roman Empire. After its failure, Italy would endure numerous assaults by foreign peoples, from Germanic societies such as the Lombards and Ostrogoths, to the Normans and later, the Byzantines, among others. Times later, Italy would become the origin of the Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intelligent movement that would prove to be essential in shaping the following course of European thought. Through much of its post-Roman past, Italy was split into numerous kingdoms and city-states but was united in 1861, a unrestrained period in past known as the Risorgimento. In the late 19th era, through World War I, and to World War II, Italy controlled a colonial empire, which extended its law to Libya, Eritrea, Italian Somaliland, Ethiopia, Albania, Rhodes, the Dodecanese and a franchise in Tianjin, China. Culture Italy did not occur as a state until the countrys association in 1861. Due to this relatively late association, and the historical independence of the regions that include the Italian Peninsula, many societies and customs that are now predictable as distinctly Italian can be recognized by their districts of origin. Despite the governmental and social distinction of these areas, Italys contributions to the national and historical legacy of Europe and the world remain massive. Italy is home to the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to date, and has vast collections of art, culture and writings from many different eras. The country has had a comprehensive cultural impact worldwide, also because frequent Italians migrate to other places during the Italian movement. The country has, generally, an estimated 100,000 monuments Climate The climate differs significantly from the north to the south of Italy. In the north of the country the area in the middle of the Alps and the Tuscan-Milan Apennines the climate is tough, with very cold winters and very hot, mainly humid summers. In central Italy the temperature is milder, with a smaller difference in temperature between summer and winter and a smaller and less powerful cold season than in the north; summers are longer, but the sultriness of the northern metropolises is moderated by the sea. In southern Italy and the islands wintertime are never particularly tough, and spring and autumn climate are similar to those reached in the summer in other areas of Italy. Geography Italy is situated in Southern Europe and consist of the boot-shaped Italian Peninsula and a number of islands together with the two largest, Sicily and Sardinia. The Apennine Highlands form the peninsulas backbone and the Alps form its northern borderline, where Italys highest peak is positioned on Mont Blanc. The Po, Italys longest river, runs from the Alps on the western boundary with France and crosses the Padan plain on its manner to the Adriatic Sea. The country is located at the meeting point of the Eurasian Plate and the African Plate, primary to extensive seismic and volcanic movement. There are 14 volcanoes in Italy, four of which are energetic. Soil Soil differs throughout the world, and Italy has territory like no other. Both acidic and limy, Italian soils are used to harvest everything from vineyard grapes to routine herbs such as rosemary. Italy is renowned for wines due to its range of soil. Different grapes have need of different soils. Tuscany has such a various range of soil substances, together with volcanic rock and sandstone, that it is one of the finest places in Italy to catch fine wine vineyards. Marsala History In the 6th period to Justinians Empire, in this historical, the town was marked by dysentery, disregard of Bisanzio and the attacks of pirates. Arabic-Berbers arrival at the nearby Granitola mount in the 8th century involved the reopening of commerce and the start of the return of the town, which was retitled Marsa Ê ¿AlÄ « Ê ¿AlÄ «s harbour located near Punta dAlga or also Marsa Allah, namely Gods harbour, whence the existing name. There is the philosophy that Marsala comes from mare salis Salt ponds by the sea. At the end of era 1700, an appearance from the sea reformed again the upcoming of the town: the arrival of the English John Woodhouse who created the wine marsala. Geography Extreme western point of Sicily, the town was originated on Lilibeo cape, from where Aegadian Islands can be implicit. The territory of Marsala, extensive 241 km ² , has got a rich cultural and landscape legacy; its zone include the Stagnone Lagoon, where Mozia is situated. Marsala town till the end of 1970 was inhabited by about 86 thousand people. The part of Marsala is classified in seismic zone. In the last 200 years three earthquakes of medium-high strength were measured : 18 May 1828 magnitude 5.17 (about 6 ° Mercalli scale) 15 January 1968 Belice earthquake which in Marsala reached 7 ° Mercalli scale. 7 June 1981 magnitudo 4.60 (4/5 ° scala Mercalli scale) with epicentre in Borgo Elefante in Mazara del Vallo, far about 20 km from the town-centre of Marsala. Marsala wine Marsala wine is Italys most well-known type of fortified wine, addressing from Italys sunny southern area. Marsala is a upper alcohol fortified wine (usually about 17- 20%) that is existing in both sweet or dry variants. How is Marsala Wine Made? Marsala is complete from native, natural white grapes like Catarratto, The ruby-colored Marsalas hail from any mixture of three native red grapes. The fermentation of Marsala is frozen by the addition of a grape brandy when the remaining sugar satisfied reaches the pre-determined stages according to the sweet/dry style the creator is shooting for.   Alike to the system  of mixing various vintages of Sherry, Marsala often goes complete a perpetual system, where a sequence of vintage mixing takes place. Marsala Color Classifications: Ambra (Amber colored)   made with white grapes. Oro (Gold hues)   made with white grapes. Rubino (Ruby colored)   made with red grapes, like Pignatello. White grapes Chardonnay: This Burgundy diversity is so useful and commercially practical at the same time, that it was widely presented throughout Italy after the phylloxera defeated most Italian vineyards at the end of the nineteenth century. Produced in many flavours all over the country. Grillo: Full-bodied white used in Marsala and Alcamo blends between others. Zibibbo: Italian name for Muscat, or Moscato dAlessandria. Juicer, less fresh and more fermented than Moscato Bianco, it is best recognized for the passito wines from pantelleria, a small island off the western coast of Sicily. Sauvignon: Homonym of the French Sauvignon Blanc, it is completed into a number of variations throughout Italy. Catarratto Bianco Comune: Though it is found only in Sicily, this selection accounts for the most-planted white grape in all of Italy. Though it is usually used in variations of Marsala blends, it can be used to make pleasing, low-acid, dry wines. Red grapes Cabernet Sauvignon: Firstly from France, this grape is extensively grown all over Italy and has become the base for some of the most respected and luxurious Italian red wines. Similar to other unique French grapes such as Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it was widely established throughout Italy after phylloxera wiped out maximum of northern Italys vineyards at the end of the nineteenth century. Pinot Nero: The Italian variety of Pinot Noir is at its best in Piedmont, Oltrepà ² Pavese, plus Alto Adige wines. Sangiovese: Considered Italys most honourable red grape, it is the base for several prize-winning wines counting Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano and, last but not least, the gradually known Sangiovese di Romagna. It is measured a native wild vine that was major domesticated by the Etruscans in the Tuscan Emilian Apennines. It has a typical black cherry fragrance with scents of wood smoke. Nero dAvola: Also called Calabrese, is the most important red grape in Sicily. It is verified into dark, thick, flavourful reds reminiscent of the best Australian Shiraz. Gamay: Grown widely throughout Italy, it is vinified as Colli Del Trasimeno DOC varietal in Umbria Popular wineries in Marsala Alvis Rallo: A fine maker of Marsala wine, Alvis Rallo was started in 1860 by the Rallo family. The wine aged area has a capacity of around 13,000 hectolitres in oak casks having between 20 and 450 hectolitres each. Buffa Winery: The Buffa winery was started in 1931, the year in which the current owners father began to produce and trade Marsala wine in bottles, casks and bottles. Donnafugata: Donnafugata makes a range of wines counting Lighea Contessa Entellina D.O.C, Opera Unica Marsala Superiore Riserva D.O.C., Tancredi, and Vigna di Gabri Contessa Entellina D.O.Ces in Marsala Marsala wine Red wines include Nero DAvola: Nero DAvola is one of the ancient ethnic grapes and Marsala wine-makers are justly proud of the acknowledgment that this variety is now getting. Syrah: anyone aware with the southern hemisphere wines will have recognised plenty of Syrah and the weather and territory of Marsala are particularly suited to this tasty grape. Etna Rosso: a mixture of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Mantellato this is the wine born on the rich, productive volcanic inclines of Mount Etna. Cerasuolo di Vittoria: a mixture of Frappato and Calabrese with the conceivable addition of some Grossonero or Nerello Mascalese, this is the well-known wine of the province of Ragusa. White wines include Bianco DAlcamo: a mixture of Cataratto Grecanico, Damaschino and Trebbiano, this outstanding white can be found all over Sicily, but can only be created in the rich area among Alcamo and Trapani. Wines prepared from Grillo, Inzolia, Cataratto, Grecanico and Chardonnay are made in purezza or mixed together by all the big wine creators, and some are truly excellent. Aperitif wines includeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The sugar content of the grapes and the drying abilities of the sun mean that Marsala gives itself well to manufacture of dessert wines. The best known of these are: Marsala: the famous fortified wine first created by the Englishman John Woodhouse in 1773 is a mixture of Grillo, Cataratto, Ansonia and Damaschino with the adding of distilled alcohol. Though it has a status as a sweet wine, there are also some outstanding dry aperitif varieties. Passito di Pantelleria: prepared from Zibbibo grapes which have been dehydrated in the sun to increase the sugar absorption. Passito di Noto: 100% Passito Bianco grapes for a pleasant sweetish wine, with sugar-coated hints. Viticulture Is the science, manufacture and study of grapes which contracts with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. As soon as the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture. It is a division of the science of horticulture. Duties of the viticulturist include: observing and directing pests and diseases, fertilizing, irrigation, shelter management, monitoring fruit growth and appearances, deciding when to harvest and vine cropping during the winter months. Vinification Winemaking, or vinification, is the manufacture of wine, starting with collection of the grapes or other food and ending with bottling the finished wine. While most wine is made from grapes, it may also be prepared from other fruits or plants. Mead is a wine that is prepared with honey being the primary ingredient after water. Winemaking can be distributed into two categories: still wine manufacture (without carbonation) and sparkling wine manufacture (with carbonation natural or injected).The science of wine and winemaking is known as oenology. A person who creates wine is usually called a winemaker or vintner. Food pairing The three most important rules when it comes to wine-and-food pairing are: 1. Drink and Eat What You Like Pick out a wine that you would need to drink by it, rather than hoping a food match will progress a wine made in a grace you dont like. That way, even if the pairing isnt good, you will still appreciate what youre drinking. 2. Look for Balance Study the weight-or body, or productivity-of both the food and the wine. The wine and the dish should be equal partners, with neither overpowering the other. If you stability the two by weight, you raise the odds intensely that the pairing will be successful. This is the secret behind many classic wine-and-food matches. Theres a fair quantity of character to this. Hearty food needs a hearty wine. Cabernet Sauvignon accompaniments grilled lamb chops because theyre equally strong. 3. Match the Wine to the Most Prominent Element in the Dish This is serious to fine-tuning wine pairings. Identify the main character more often it is the sauce, flavours or cooking method, rather than the main element. Consider two different chicken dishes: Chicken Marsala, with its browned exterior and a sauce of dark wine and mushrooms, against a chicken breast poached in a creamy lemon sauce. The browned, earthy flavors of the earlier tilt it toward a soft, supple red, while the simplicity and citrus flavors of the latter call for a fresh white. Examples of food with wine: Pinot Grigios are good with citric based foods like lemon chicken or light and floral soups or stews. If youre consuming a desert wine that is actual sweet, have a nice biscotti or torte. The wine should constantly be just as sugary, or sweeter Seafood does not constantly have to be matching with white wine. Chianti is such a assorted wine with a dry-body that it will not destruction and hide the flavors of the sea. Mix it up a bit and discover the flavors. Some shellfish, like oysters are outstanding with sparkling wine.

Anna Historic and Ravensong

Ana Historic is a poetic novel about a woman named Annie who discovers Mrs. Richards, a woman of no history, in Vancouver’s civic archives. Annie becomes obsessed with the possibilities of Mrs. Richards’ life. The novel is written by Daphne Marlatt, a Canadian poet. Ravensong is a fictional novel about a seventeen year-old native girl who tries to bridge the gap between the traditional ways of her Native village and white society’s invasive new values. Ravensong is written by Lee Maracle, a First Nations writer and poet. Both of these novels have brought forth important issues pertaining to Women’s and Gender Studies such as colonialism, sexuality, fear of violence, and lesbianism. This paper will focus on the topic of sexuality and colonialism. These two novels have further educated me on many things. For example, after reading Ana Historic, I discovered that there are various narrative forms and styles other than traditional European models. Daphne Marlatt uses writing styles such as ecriture feminine; in which feminist writers â€Å"try to use their own bodies as a source for writing† (Sand 10) and gynesis, which is an â€Å"aesthetic strategy which puts gender, sexuality and maternity into public discourse† (Sand 10). I also learned how femininity is constructed in a white middle class environment through what is considered appropriate conduct for a woman (Sand 10). After reading Ravensong, I discovered that in traditional aboriginal culture, men never entered the house of single women without a man being present (Maracle 103). This novel has also taught me about the important role of Raven, the trickster who is used to dissolve the boundaries between Native and white culture (Sand 20). The novels are very different in terms of narrative styles, point-of-views, time periods, and how lesbianism and the role of nature play out in the story. Daphne Marlatt uses a postmodern narrative style, while Lee Maracle uses a combination of aboriginal and European narrative approaches. Ravensong is written from the point-of-view of a young native woman, whereas Ana Historic is written from the outlook of a white, middle-class woman. Lesbianism plays out differently in each novel. In Ana Hisotric, Annie slowly comes to terms with her sexuality and eventually realizes that she is a lesbian. In Ravensong, Stacey’s friends Rena and German Judy are a lesbian couple. The role of nature in Ravensong is indivisible from human life and landscape (Sand 20), where as in Ana Historic it is a place of comfort and cause of fear (Sand 20). Ravensong takes place in the 1950s and Ana Historic takes place mostly in the 1950s and 1870s (Mrs. Richards). Colonialism and sexuality are topics which are closely correlated. They are both about dominance, regulation, discourse and race. Sexuality is defined as the historical organization and regulation of desire and sexual practices into social identities that are constructed as if they emerge from nature (Sand 18). Daphne Marlatt and Lee Maracle deal with this subject in very different ways. In Ravensong, sexuality is associated with shame and suicide. In Ana historic, sexuality is associated with mothering and lesbianism. Colonialism is the extension of a nation’s sovereignty over territory beyond its borders by the establishment of either settle colonies or creating administrative dependencies in which native or indigenous populations are directly ruled (Patel 8). Ravensong is written from the perspective of colonized people whereas Ana Historic is written from the standpoint of the colonizers. In the novel Ana Historic, Ina’s mothering impacts Annie’s perception of sexuality. Ina taught her daughters sexuality was something to be afraid of â€Å"you taught us your fear, you taught us what you knew about a world where even uncles were not to be trusted. you grew more afraid as our sexuality came budding to the fore†¦ † (Marlatt 34). Annie tries to write herself out of the patriarchal limitations of heterosexuality that have bounded her mother Ina to a life of domesticity. She does this by freeing herself from her role as supportive house wife and re-writing her relationship with Ina (Sand 10). Annie realizes that feminine behaviour is not actually something natural and inevitable but it is rather an unnatural social construction. Annie writes â€Å"†¦ you taught me the uneasy hole in myself and how to cover it up – cover girl, the great cover-story women inherit in fashion and makeup. You taught me how i was supposed to look, the feminine act† (Marlatt 61). Annie also recognizes â€Å"the inheritance of mothers† (Maralatt 60) that passes on sexual repression from generation to generation. For instance, Ina says to Annie, â€Å"what do you know about repression? you were hardly a virgin when you married, were you? I didn’t know the first thing about sex – your grandmother simply refused to discuss it, though i begged her† (Marlatt 60). Marlatt avoids heteronormativity which is a belief and a set of cultural/institutional practices that enforce heterosexuality as dominant, essential and natural (Sand 18), by creating a sexualized lesbian relationship between Annie and her friend Zoe. While creating a life for Mrs. Richards, Annie begins to realize that she is attracted to Zoe and she writes her into the story by creating a character named Birdie Stewart. Annie writes about the sexual desire she feels for Zoe in her imagined life of Mrs. Richards, â€Å"you turn intrigued, and your body turning in its long skirt, is caught in the act, you have caught yourself turning in Birdie’s eyes† (Marlatt 109). Annie’s inherent fear of sexuality surfaces in her imagined life for Mrs. Richard. Birdie recognizes Mrs. Richards fear of her own sexual identity, she says, â€Å"but you’re afraid my dear, afraid of your own twat† (Marlatt 135). She addresses her fear of lesbian sexuality when she says â€Å"You fear what you want. ’†¦ ‘am I right, my love? † (Marlatt 139). Mrs. Richards is suddenly rushed with desire, she admits the truth of it and feels it written across her face (Marlatt 139). Annie finally gives in to her sexual desire for Zoe and the novel ends with a climatic sexual poem. Annie’s lesbian sexuality surfaces as a result of the decolonization process Marlatt inscribes for Annie and Mrs. Richards (Sand 10). In her novel Narrative Deconstructions of Gender, Caroline Rosenthal defines sexual decolonization as a debate on whether â€Å"women are colonized by compulsory heterosexuality in ways only decolonizing strategies and the practice of critical consciousness can undo† (106). Marlatt deviates from the sexual oppression of middle-class white women by revisioning a lesbian life for Mrs. Richards. The problem of the intersection of women and the oppression of the indigenous briefly surfaces in Ana Historic. While Mrs. Richards is walking through the woods she comes across two Siwash men who are simply passing by. Where they drunk?†¦ Perhaps they were furious and meant to do her harm† (Marlatt 41). The assumptions that Mrs. Richards makes about these men are related to negative stereotypes such as the â€Å"drunken squaw† that colonizers created to justify taking over Native land (Anderson 229). In the beginning of the novel Ravensong, Stacey learns that one of her white classmates, Polly, committed suicide. Polly has killed herself in response to the shame she felt about being publicly identified as having been sexually active with another boy in Stacey’s class. Stacey becomes very angry with the reactions of some of her classmates to Polly’s â€Å"lack of chastity† (Maracle 28). â€Å"She couldn’t believe how small and mean they all were. So what if Polly had a little fun last night? Big deal! † (Maracle 28) Stacey does not understand the social disapproval of Polly because in her culture sexuality is seen with humour and is openly joked about. For example, Ella the village elder asks Stacey â€Å"What you going to save me for, have another baby? † The women respond with laughter saying â€Å"Sure, why not Ella. You probably still like trying. They were on a roll, ribbing Ella about her zeal for men† (Maracle 50). Raven pushes Stacey to come to grips with the loss of her classmate by guiding her to explore Polly’s culture and history. â€Å"Wander around Polly’s insides, feel your way through decades, generations of lostness† (Marlatt 39). In doing so Stacey discovers that white culture views sexuality very differently than her own culture. She realizes that Polly had a violent home life and that white town had no support for Polly’s mother. â€Å"In the end what struck her about Judy’s narrative was the lack of support in the white community for Polly’s mom. Where was the family in all this? † (Marlatt 81) Stacey is surprised by this because in her culture sexuality is natural, a part of everyday life. â€Å"People love, laugh and have babies† (Marlattt 71). In her thesis Rebelling against discourses of denial and destruction, Rachel Deutsch writes that â€Å"in European ideology, sexuality and sexual acts, especially involving women, were seen as deviant† (30). This ideology starts to influence Stacey to reject some aspects of her own culture such as the anger and disgust she feels towards her mother for wanting to remain sexual after the death of her husband. In Kim Anderson’s article, The construction of a Negative Identity, she states that colonizers created a negative sexual identity for Native women in order to justify â€Å"taking over Indian land† (229). The â€Å"dirty squaw† image made it easier to â€Å"cover up the reality of Native women who were merely struggling with the increasingly inhuman conditions on reserve† (Anderson 231). This negative sexual identity presents itself in the novel when Stacey talks about the racism she experiences at school. â€Å"A few of them hurled insults and racial epithets at her, whispered ‘cleutch’ as she passed them†¦ (Maracle 69). A cleutch refers to a Native female’s private parts. Colonialism first presents itself at the very beginning of the novel when Celia sees a tall ship approaching the village filled with men. In this moment, Celia feels the impending doom of colonialism on her people and culture. â€Å"Fear, cold and thin, wove itself into Celia’s self† (Maracle 10). Another instance of colonialism experienced by the village lies in the general indifference of white town towards the flu epidemic that takes many Native lives. Colonialism also surfaces in the relationship between Stacey and Steve, a white boy from her class. Colonialism led to the eradication and destruction of aboriginal cultures which assist in the explanation on why the doctors of white town were unwilling to treat the villagers. Stacey believes it is because their lives are deemed less valuable. â€Å"Under the shabby arguments about hospitals being full and doctors already overworked lay an unspoken assumption: white folks are more deserving†¦ † (Maracle 69). Stacey sees Steve and other white people as controlling oppressors. She resists white power (colonization) many times throughout the book. Stacey resists her teachers’ authority and she also resists Steve’s desire for her. â€Å"The slave had just given an order to the master, which made him an ex-master. Neither man knew what it was to be an ex-master, so both were confused and hurt† (Maracle 75). Her growing frustration for white town’s lack of compassion towards suffering villagers is obvious in her attitude towards Steve. Stacey can no longer stand the racism and she tells Steve exactly how she feels. She tells him that he will never know what her and her people have gone through and asks him â€Å"How did it feel to watch us die, Steve? † (Maracle 186). Steve leaves in shame and Stacey realizes that he was not for her. Ana Historic and Ravensong have taught me several things that I was unaware of before reading them. I have learned that there exists many different writing styles and narrative approaches such as ecriture feminine and gynesis used by Daphne Marlatt and the conventions of Native orature (Sand 20) used by Lee Maracle. I’ve learned how femininity is constructed in Ana Historic and about the important role that Raven plays in Ravensong. Marlatt and Maracle deal with colonialism and sexuality throughout the novel in a way which allows the reader to self-reflect on their own positions and understandings of these topics. Non-Native readers are removed from their usual hegemonic position by Stacey’s objectification of white town in Ravensong (Sand 20). Marlatt’s experimentation with language challenges the reader to both examine and interpret the world in a different way. What impacted me the most about Ana Historic is Daphne Marlatt’s theory and practice of fictionalysis which is a combination of fiction and analysis used as a means to explore self-identity. Marlatt starts with facts from her own life and from history and uses her imagination to create an intersecting territory where â€Å"fact and fiction co-exist† (Sand 10). I enjoyed how she used this style in Annie’s reconstruction of traditional history through the life she makes up for Mrs. Richards. The role that Raven plays in the novel is what impacted me most about Ravensong. Raven acknowledges the gulf between white town and the village and knows that it needs to be bridged in order to prevent further catastrophe. Raven brings the plague of the flu epidemic in attempt to expose white town to the diversity of the world and to teach them to work together. The inability of white town to grasp the lesson leads to the destruction of the indigenous community. Both novels bring important issues and concerns to women and gender studies and I really appreciate the different perspective that each novel has given me. Ana Historic and Ravensong have contributed important lessons, concepts and theories to this course.