Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women Essay

â€Å"Baby Mommas, Chicken Heads, or Bitches,† (McLune 214) are some of the most misogynistic words found in Hip-Hop today. Jennifer McLune, a librarian, activist, and writer – living in Washington. D. C. – is taking a stance against the misogyny. â€Å"Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women† by Jennifer McLune is a response article to Kevin Powell’s article, â€Å"Notes of a Hip Hop Head. † In his article, Powell poses poverty as the explanation for the sexism found in hip-hop today. McLune believes that, Powell’s explanations of hip hop are one way to silence those that are critiquing it. McLune begins to explain that Kevin’s argument, â€Å"completely ignores the fact that women, too, are raised in this environment of poverty and violence, but have yet to produce the same negative and hateful representation of black men† (McLune 214). McLune believes that Artists and role models should take more responsibility with their music and what they represent. McLune argues that a lot of conscious artists, such as Common, are too eager to gain acceptance by popular mainstream artists. Thus, causing them to forsake their morals and commend mainstream artists for their accomplishments. Mclune goes on to say that artists should embody respect between genders through their music. She argues that Black female rappers are just as much to blame as their male peers. She encourages women to speak in a collective voice, as to defend themselves, instead of being â€Å"hyper feminine and hyper sexual to please men. † (McLune 215) Powell adds that hip-hop has created a way for black people to â€Å"win,† by creating something out of absolutely nothing. McLune follows with a rebuttal stating if sexism is the route to mainstream acceptability, and that is what it takes to win, than all black women are the losers. McLune demands acknowledgement from apologists, acknowledging that black women are in fact black people to. She said, when someone attacks a woman in the black community, black people should unite and respond adequately as though it was an attack on every member in the black community. McLune challenges Hip-hop by refusing to be a victim of it and refuses to reward it with her money or her attention. She strongly believes that hip-hop should fail until it does right by every black woman. McLune closes by pleading with the black community. She wants to see every black person condemn woman-hating as the enemy of the entire black community. If and only then, hip-hop would be forced to change. However as it stands, Mclune does not seem to have much faith in the black community. She believes that rappers are more concerned with money and â€Å"black women are being â€Å"thugged and rubbed all the way to the bank† (McLune 217). A Summary of â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids† Gerard Jones, a writer of comics, screen plays, and cartoons, takes quite the stance on violence in media. In his article â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids,† Jones discusses violent media and its positive impact on kids. When reflecting on his own childhood, whilst reading Marvel Comics, he baffles plenty with the following statement, â€Å"They were good for me because they were juvenile. And violent† (Jones 230). Jones favorite Marvel Comic character was Hulk. As a child, Hulk became Jones’ fantasy self. He describes Hulk as being this overgendered, unsocial being that was always misunderstood. For some strange reason, Jones found compatibility and comfort in Hulk. In his 30’s, Jones wrote various action movies and comic books. Shortly thereafter, he found himself helping other children by building off of the experiences they were already enduring. He writes about a young girl named Emily whose parents were separating. Emily began to worry both her teacher and her mom when she started writing violent stories. Jones counseled her mother and helped her further develop her daughter’s stories. Through doing so, he claims, that this young girl was able to become â€Å"more self-controlled and socially competent† (Jones 232). Jones argues that people are able to pull themselves out of emotional traps by immersing themselves in violent stores. A child â€Å"pretending to have superhuman powers helps them conquer the feelings of powerlessness that inevitably comes with being so young and small† (Jones 231). He argues that children will feel rage, even the sweetest children. While immersing themselves in imaginary and fantasy like combat children are able to express the rage they’ve always been forced to suppress. Jones encourages parents to not be so concerned with their children growing up into murderous human-beings. Instead, realizing that violent media is necessary and if taken away they may grow up to be easily manipulated. Jones understands that violent media is not always harmless; that it has impacted people’s lives negatively. Jones argues that violent media â€Å"helped hundreds of people for every one it’s hurt† (Jones 232). He said we are not sheltering our children from violence, but rather, power and selfhood.

Biodiversity at Risk Due to Urbanization

Forestry â€Å"Indo-Burma Forests† Forests, some of the most essential ecosystems in the world, house about forty to seventy-five percent all plants and animals globally. Unfortunately, the amount of biodiversity in forests is severely at risk due to the increasing deforestation over the past four decades. It is estimated in the biological community that approximately 50,000 species are completely wiped out annually as a result of arbitration, land clearance, logging, and other human techniques.Dry. Edward Wilson, a Harvard professor, predicts that half of all of earth's species could be extinct in about 50 years, unless the deforestation rate decreases. In 2011, Conservation International (also known as C') conducted a study of the top ten most endangered forests in the world (half of them located Asia-Pacific Region). Of the ten, the Indo-Burma forests were deemed the number one most endangered forest. Encompassing approximately 2,373,000 km, the forests spreads from eastern India to Southern china.The Indo- Burma forests are considered to be one of 34 â€Å"biodiversity hotshots,† a term coined y Norman Myers (a British biologist), which is a biographic landscape characterized by outstanding levels of habitat loss and plant endemics. Over ninety- five percent of the region's forests have been destroyed, which leaves only about five percent of the original forest area still standing; therefore, the Indo-Burma forests are the most vulnerable forests globally. The Indo-Burma forests are positioned in the midst of floodplains, lakes, and rivers.These various waterways give off life and prosperity, allowing richness in biodiversity as well as resources. This region is home oh number of the largest freshwater fish, bird, and turtle species. There is also, an assortment of ecosystems embodied in this hotshot, comprising of dry evergreen, wet evergreen, and deciduous forests. There are also several patches of woodlands and scrubbings on karts limestone ridges, some in costal lands as well as dispersed heath forests. Additionally, a broad range of distinct, restricted vegetation developments, including seasonally flooded grasslands, lowland floodplain swamps, and mangroves.This vast biological diversity is a result of topographical interaction, soil hegemonies, climate change, and seasonal rainfall patterns. The plant species are abundantly diverse with 13,500 vascular plants estimated with about half of them being endemic. The flora of forests range from a variety of ginger and orchids (over 1,000 different orchid species found in Thailand alone) to tropical hardwood trees including Disintegrations (teak) and Dipterous (which happens to be commercially valuable).The animal species are even more widespread as Indo-Burma is continually unmasking biological treasures. In the last twelve years, [the following] six age mammals have been discovered: The Salsa, the Inmate Mountain, the Large- Antlered Mountain, the Leaf Deer, the Grey S wanked Doug, and the Inmate Rabbit. There are approximately 430 mammal species residing in the region; over seventy species and seven types are endemic. Over 280 amphibian species are found in the hotshot, but there is not high level of endemics outside of the genus level.The region has noteworthy freshwater fish creatures; there are over 1,260 recognized species (about 10% of the world's total freshwater fish). There are more than 1,260 bird species with over 60 being endemic. The floodplain wetlands and the rivers are absolutely essential for bird species conservation since population numbers have declined due to human expansion and hunting. The reptile population is one of the more prevalent species of the region. Almost 520 species of reptile reside there which more than 200 species being endemic and twelve genera.This Indo-Burma hotshot carries perhaps the largest assortment of freshwater turtles globally; there are exactly 53 species (57 including tortoises), signifying 20% of the world's species. A popular species is the Chitchatted, a striped narrow-headed turtle with a soft-shell, which can grow up to about 120 centimeters. These species are decreases in number as well, mostly due to the overexploitation on behalf of wildlife trade. Of the 22 non- marine turtle species that are endangered, almost half of them are found in the Indo- Burma region.Other prominent reptiles include the Ellipsis butterfly lizard, the Chinese crocodile lizard, and the Siamese crocodile. Humans have greatly impacted life for the animals, however, and the overall environment. Indo-Burma was actually one of the primary lands used by humans in the development of agriculture; Hereford, fire has been used more and more over the years to clear out land needed to fit agricultural needs and other human demands. As demand for agricultural goods has skyrocketed over the past years due to population and market expansion, forest destruction became widespread.Huge areas of lowland forests soon became replaced with tree plantations (oil palm, teak, and rubber), while hill forests and Montana were threatened by sugarcane, coffee, tea, and vegetable crop plantations. In addition to plantations, forests become endangered by mining for ores and gems, firewood collection, charcoal production, and logging. The marine ecosystem simultaneously became under great pressure in many areas due to development. Draining for the cultivation of wet rice has damaged freshwater wetlands and floodplain swamps (mainly in Vietnam, Thailand, and Manner).The damming of rivers have also become way more prevalent in efforts to generate electricity and maximize water storage to support the economic growth of the country as well as for exportation of goods and services to bordering countries to increase foreign exchange income; regrettably, damming a river not only converts that small body of eater into a large pond, but it decreases the oxygen content and overall temperature, as well as in amp lifies water turbidity down the river and river-bed erosion.The operational measures of the reservoir has resulted in sporadic or frequent flooding of sandbanks, stretches of channel assortment, sandbars, and other territory that is generally uncovered during dry season [severely impacting turtle species and nesting birds]. Mangroves in the region have been transformed to aquaculture ponds, while mudflats have been comprehensively afforested with mangrove or shed by piles of nets, which greatly effects their significance as a feeding habitat for migrating birds and other specimen.Furthermore, ecosystems of sand dunes are in severe danger due to forestation, and overfeeding along with excessive use of [destructive] fishing methods have produced a considerable problem with both the offshore and coastal aquatic ecosystems. Being that only 5% of natural habitats are left in a pristine state and 10%-25% of damaged land due to habitat loss and exploitation of resources, something had to b e done to decrease the probability of omelet extinction of the forests. In the Indo-Burma hotshot, protected area structures have become the foundation of government conservation program.There is officially 236,000 km of land protected, representing nearly ten percent of the original amount of vegetation in the region. Conversely, only 132,000 km (almost six percent) is in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (CNN) protected area categories one to four. Together, the countries of Lower Mekong (Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Ala P. D. R. ) have above 13 percent f their territory contained by an arrangement of protected areas.A fine approach to ensuring that the system of protected areas effectively preserves representative biodiversity is by securing the species that face the greatest danger of extinction globally. Endangered species worldwide are shielded best by targeting preservation investment to the sites in which they are prevalent; the se areas are known as â€Å"key biodiversity areas† (Kbps). More efforts towards the conservation of the Indo-Burma forests are currently in the making and there are many organizations and individuals that are eager to contribute.

Rhino Versus Grizzly Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rhino Versus Grizzly - Case Study Example The Grizzly seems eminently more useful for tackling difficult terrain and for crossing steeper hills. ATVRiderOnline.com (2008) gives a detailed review of the Grizzly in which it was put through very difficult terrain yet it floated over downhill areas, handled steep climbs with ease and had a light steering which was very easy to use. With glowing praise for the machine, the review concluded that â€Å"A recurring theme among the testers was how light and neutral it felt in the really hairy stuff, a quad that, in most cases, you could ride like an extension of yourself (ATVRiderOnline.com, 2008, Pg. 1). The ease of riding this machine over almost unsurpassable terrain makes it a winner when compared to the Rhino. However, the Rhino scores better when it comes to safety since it has a roll cage which many other ATVs such as the grizzly lack (Chicas, 2003). DuneGuide.com, (2007) explains why such cages may not be necessary while traversing dunes but the safety advantages gained by having this cage are certainly appreciated. The reviewers also noted the presence of cup holders and things such as passenger grab handles which can help create a more comfortable riding experience for the passenger as well as the driver. This makes the Rhino a better bet for dealing with flat surfaces and driving over sand dunes but it lacks the power to carry a full load of two passengers and their gear over steep gradients or tricky terrain. While the Rhino appears to be easier to drive and to use since it is comparable more to a mini SUV than an all-out ATV such as the Grizzly, the Grizzly is a more capable ATV since with similar engine sizes, it carried a far lighter load which can allow the engine to go further as compared to the Rhino. Essentially, it is quite clear that both of the vehicles are quite capable in their own right.

Dissolution of the Department of Homeland Security Essay

Dissolution of the Department of Homeland Security - Essay Example One need look no further than the seemingly ever increasing nature of the annual budgets within which DHS must manage its mandates to see evidence of this. For instance, in 2012 alone, your budget allocated 43.2 billion USD to the Department of Homeland Security as a means of meeting the goals and mission objectives that it has been tasked with (Vandermey, 2011). Although one of the main reasons why both republicans and democrats have argued for the perpetuation of the Department of Homeland Security is due to the fact that there has not been a single domestic act of widespread terrorism since the attacks of September 11, 2001. However, this logic is faulty due to the fact that absence of an attack does not actually correspond to the effectiveness of the agency in general. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, the actual distribution of power that the Department of Homeland Security oversees appears to be one of its greatest weaknesses. Moreover, it is the belief of this citizen th at the argument for the furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security by congressional share-holders has been partly born out of a fear for voting to discontinue such an entity and then facing the electoral ramifications of what this could portend for them, as well as for their party, should another terrorist attack similar to the scale of September 11th, 2001 take place again within the United States. This fear is not only warranted but it is also indicative of a type of thinking that continues to place the United States in a great deal more debt than it would otherwise have. Prior to its creation in October of 2011, the Department of Homeland Security’s ultimate functions were not merely nonexistent. I would ask that your administration keep this in mind as it considers funding and furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security into the future. Due to the fact that many of the individual aspects of the Department of Homeland Security’s ultimate purview were handled by other government entities, what the current Department of Homeland Security has come to represent is a government agency charged with an extraordinarily high level of oversight. As a function of this extremely high level of multiple oversights that the Department of Homeland Security is tasked with, it is the opinion of this author that this ultimately makes the mission, vision, and goals of the Department of Homeland Security untenable. Moreover, many critics have claimed that the department itself is ineffective due to the extremely wide breadth of instances that it attempts to protect against. Although it is laudable what the Department of Homeland Security is attempting to do with regards to protecting the population of the United States against natural and man-made threats to its continued existence, the fact of the matter remains that it is has seemingly become yet another bloated

Applying Constructivism and Objectivism Learning Theories in the Essay

Applying Constructivism and Objectivism Learning Theories in the Design of Educational Package Software - Essay Example This essay stresses that a student with no knowledge and background of computers may find the program useless as he does not have even the basic skills. Hence for that situation introductory sessions would be required to make students acquainted with the basic computers skills. The assessment process should be such that it adds on the experience of the learners and helps them in self analysis and improvement. This paper makes a conclusion that technology on one hand has provided an effective means to learn and develop one’s skills. It requires proper introduction and facilitator, who can support the computer, based learning process. Objectivism and constructivism each has its own strengths and weaknesses and are mutually different from each other even in basic approach. Objectivism on one hand emphasizes on the realities existing in the society and focuses on the providing the same to the individuals to develop social reality and knowledge which is existing outside of learners mind. On the other hand constructivist believe that the knowledge and reality is constructed by the learners experience and do not exist outside the mind of learners. These are totally contrast approaches. But each of this approach can be useful in particular situation and conditions based on the learners learning needs. Each of the theory can be included for developing software educational program. The devel opers need to first know their target audience, their background educational requirements and objectives of the software educational program on the basis of which they can decide which

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 164

Essay Example This happens as a result that the managers tend to be motivated by their own self-interest and their interests differ most with the stakeholder’s interest. In this case the stakeholders are the principal while the managers are the agents. This problem is referred to as principal-agent problem. I agree with this claim because managers use the power and authority allocated to them by the shareholders for their own personal benefits. This problem is very difficult to deal with in most cases. However, the cost of dealing with this problem is far much expensive that the shareholders may end up losing a lot of money in the effort to ensure that they deal with the problem and eradicate it completely. Trying to do away with this conflict may outweigh the results of the managers. Therefore, the principal who are the shareholders opt to use several mechanisms to reduce this problem through several mechanisms which ensure that the results of the managers who are the agents in this case are not outweighed. In a company, shareholders expect the managers to maximize their wealth by making good decisions in the interest of the shareholder. However, the managers work hard and make decisions that that will best suit them and maximize their own personal wealth. There are several mechanisms that can be of good use to solve this conflict. One of the mechanisms used to solve this principal-agent problem is through the use of incentives types of compensation based on performance of the managers. This motivates the managers to work hard and make decisions that lead to maximization of the shareholder’s wealth. This mechanism ensures that the managers understand the risk of undertaking any costly actions which may lead to losses. The second mechanism of solving this problem is the threat of firing of the managers if they do not perform in the best interest of the shareholders. This mechanism helps in shaping the Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 38 Essay Example

Remote surgery, the challenges and opportunities Essay

Remote surgery, the challenges and opportunities - Essay Example Despite the new discoveries in the future there are many challenges and opportunities of technology in the field of healthcare. The following essay will discuss the challenges and opportunies of remote surgery (Lee 56) In remote cancer care, there have been challenges and opportunities experienced in healthcare. Cancer is associated with decreased productivity, death, physical and social problems in cancer patients and their household. Thus, cancer prevention, screening and making treatment in time is essential. Robot surgery has affected the cancer treatment arena.Computerrised and robotic devices can offer enhanced slightly by tremor abolishment, motion scaling, high quality pictures and visions for surgeons, decreased blood that is lost during invasive procedures, great reduction in narcotic use and reducing the number of days patients stay in hospital. All the same there are some challenges such as inadequate of surgical community support, high costs incurred during treatment, an absence of tactual and tactile response. In prostatectomy surgery challenges include inadequate data showing functional results compared to a single port laparoscopy or an open surgery .it has now been found that there are no clear corresponding clinical trials that prove the robotic surgery to be better than the other surgical practices. The other challenge is the licensing of robotic surgeons, this is because it is a critical area of surgery and the surgeons are expected to renew their license in order to show that they are competent in the skills required to fly the plane. The advantages in robotic surgery during prostatectomy include distinct cosmetics benefits and reduced blood loss. The idea that a small incision can be made done in the stomach compared to a big incision during the invasive procedures is quite interesting but this should be done after considering the expenses in terms of time and equipments if there is no