Identifying terms Essay Example for Free

Identifying terms Essay Oppression The definition of oppression is broad as it encompasses many subgroups but according to Hurtado (1989), oppression is caused by society’s view that men, both white and of color, are more powerful then women. Oppression is not classified only by gender differences but other societal groups as well. Gender is only one category of many, such as, race and ethnicity. Social class is another category is which the wealthy have oppressed the poor. An example of this would be the opportunities for wealthy Americans to afford housing and health insurance and the job opportunities afforded them. Many women of color, African American, Asian, and Hispanic are found to be working in low wage jobs more often then white women. The minorities are unable to receive the same educational and financial benefits as the majority and so they must settle for less. Economic differences can be found between white men and white or colored women, colored men and colored women, and white women and women of color. This difference represents the different levels of oppression, with white men being the top oppressors. In today’s society, most oppression is seen in social class. As the wealthy are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer and the middle class is slowly being wiped out. Therefore the poor are at the mercy of the rich. Beyond Bean Counting The United States has become obsessed with classifying society into subgroups, causing each group to have a stereotypical value. Lee (2001) wrote of her personal experience with her growth and understanding of feminism. Bean counting is considered the attempt to classify people according to class, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation (2001). Bean counting is marginalization, considering certain societal groups as inferior or as being limited as to their abilities. Women, and especially women of color, have been marginalized throughout history, by being considered the fairer sex. Different ethnic groups have excluded one another by not recognizing their similarities and accepting their differences. Lee (2001) explains that by bean counting women are causing immobilization and narrow thinking. Seduction and Rejection White men are socialized into believing women are inferior, however they are also taught that white women, though inferior, are an appropriate choice for relationships (Hurtado, 1989). This socialization causes the oppression of women; especially women of color because they are seen as a deviation from the norm and they are then excluded from the many rights given to those who fit the norm. White men and women tend to have a better chance at a good education, financial assistance etc. however colored men and women do not share the same good fortune, they are rejected from the benefits that white men or women can receive. Heterosexuality as a Modern Invention Lorber (1992) explains in her article that women and men were not seen as biologically different pre-eighteenth century and once that difference was established women began to suffer gender inequalities. Society has become two classes; men and women, which has created gender stereotypes of each. Today’s society compares women to the abilities of men because society see’s women as so biologically different than man; and thus inferior. Heterosexuality categorizes men and women as seen as the norm. Compulsory Heterosexuality Compulsory heterosexuality is the assumption that men and women are naturally attracted to one another and to defy the norm is deviant behavior. Lee (2001) describes this â€Å"norm† as excluding many other groups in society. As Lorber (1992) explains, society has created social differences between men and women and with that, ideals which consider heterosexuality to be the right way. This has caused homosexual individuals to be discriminated against. Any person not practicing the â€Å"norm† is considered wrong and therefore has fewer rights than others. Homosexual or bisexual women are forced to compete not only with men being superior, but also heterosexual women. Women of color are in even fiercer competition for their rights, as they are seen as in society as inferior to white women, heterosexual women, men of color and heterosexual men.

Monopolistic Competition in the Retail Industry Essay -- Microeconomic

Monopolistic Competition in the Retail Industry Defining the Market The retail industry is comprised of thousands of different brands and companies. However each is defined by its quality of make and materials used. Abercrombie & Fitch, Timberland, and Guess are all well-known and respected brand names. However if prices were to exceed what people are willing to pay, then the consumers would alter their preferences and buy from another brand. Therefore we are dealing with a monopolistic competition. Monopolistic competition is often defined as: a common form of industry structure characterized by a large number of firms, none of which can influence market price by virtue of size alone; some degree of market power is achieved by firms producing differentiated products. New firms can enter and established firms can exit with ease ) I. ?common form of the industry structure characterized by a large number of firms none of which can influence market price by virtue of size alone ? New firms can enter and established firms can exit with ease.?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every year hundreds of new designers emerge into the retail industry. No matter what one?s style of clothing, there are dozens of other brands to choose from should one company?s price go beyond the household?s expectation of price. Each company is on a careful balance of price and cannot exceed the other company?s prices beyond what the consumer sees as reasonable. Moreover, firms can enter and exit easily because there are no tariffs and resources are plentiful. This is the competitive side of monopolistic competition. II. some degree of market power is achieved by firms producing differentiated products   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However the retail firm is also monopolistic because of the added aspect that each company does have some degree of market power through their differentiation of products. One way firms differentiate themselves is through the consumer and the way they fashion their products. The consumer determines the success/failure of a company. A major problem firms face is how to accommodate to the changing preferences of the consumer. Guess was at one point similar to Levi?s, a brand of jeans limited to the department store. However in 2002, Guess signed on Marciano, a prominent high-end European designer, and sales have boomed since. Now, Guess is a well-known, popular brand among teenagers and ... ...l be most receptive. Timberlands are successful in areas with cold, long winters like Ohio but would make minimal profit in area such as Florida. Bibiliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Case, Karl E. & Ray C. Fair. Principles of Microeconomics. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2004. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ?Guess-Marciano,? 2004. < http://www.marciano.com> 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ?Glossary of Economic Terms? Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Understanding the Terms Symbol = a code comprised of letters used as a unique identification of the stock 52 week High = the highest price reached during the last 52 weeks 52 week Low = the lowest price reached during the last 52 weeks Dividend = taxable payment declared by a company?s board of directors & given to its shareholders out of the company?s current/retained earnings Dividend Yield = yield a company pays its shareholders in the form of dividends; calculated by the amount of dividends paid per share over the course of the year divided by the stock price P/E Ratio = (aka the price earnings ratio) most common measure of how pricey the stock is; equivalent to a stock?s market capitalization divided by its post tax earnings over a year?s period

History of the Fornication Pants Essay

Jeans today are much more than a simple item of clothing; they are a staple, a comfort and an identity. They are not a piece of clothing that is unique to one culture or society; jeans are jeans no matter where you are. Jeans have transcended nationality, race and even war, and yet they are still one of the most ordinary parts of our lives. What many people take for granted is that Jeans have become such a part of their everyday lives that they never stop to think about where they come from, and what they have done for people. Jeans had a humble beginning, a colourful and influential life and have a bright future. They are a part of North American history and culture and have defined many people’s lives. Cotton denim started being produced in North America in the eighteenth century and with the American cotton industry came slave labour. Plantation owners relied on slaves to keep prices down, and in 1860 there were almost four million slaves in the southern United States. (Kyi p.10) Denim got its name from a French fabric woven of silk and wool. The fabric was made in Nimes, France, and as a result it was dubbed â€Å"serge de Nimes†, but when the fabric began being stocked in English stores, it was shortened to â€Å"deNimes† or â€Å"denim†. (Sullivan p.12) At the time, denim was the strongest fabric and was even thought to have been the fabric of choice for the sails of the ships that Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World. (Sullivan p.14) Jean manufacturers buying denim from mills requested dark blue cloth rather than the pale beige offered as it was a colour that would show less dirt and wear. So denim cloth began to be dyed using indigo, but because of the time needed to make the dye it was one of the most expensive dyes in the world. That changed in the 1880’s, when a German scientist by the name of Johann von Baeyer discovered a way to create the same colour in a lab. The colour blue was now much more accessible and cheaper to achieve using the new synthetic indigo dye. (Kyi p.10) There are two Jean companies that played a major part in the production and distribution of the pants at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Levi Strauss & Co. and Lee Company. Levi Strauss was born Loeb Strauss in 1829 in Bavaria. After immigrating to the San Francisco, he opened up a whole sale business selling high quality fabrics. He struck it rich during the California gold rush in the 1860’s, but not by finding gold, but by selling his heavy duty work pants. (Kyi p.15) Around the same time in Nevada, a tailor named Jacob Davis, an immigrant from Latvia, was trying to figure out how to make his work pants stronger. Miners were constantly ripping the seams of their denim work pants. Finally while in his barn Davis realised that the copper rivets that were used to reinforce the seams of horse blankets could be used to reinforce pants as well. (Kyi p.18) His pants were a hit, so he contacted his denim supplier, Levi Strauss, to see if he would consider going into business with him and help him purchase a patent. Strauss was convinced and the two applied for a patent in 1873. This was the birth of blue jeans, although they were not called jeans yet. They were still being called high waist overalls or waist overalls. (Kyi p.21) The first cloth called â€Å"jean† was made in Genoa, Italy, and was worn by sailors. In Italian, Genoa is pronounced â€Å"Genes†, but Strauss did not use the Italian fabric and his pants were not worn by sailors so he never used the term â€Å"jeans†. It was not until years after his death that Levi Strauss & Co. Began using the word. (Contini p.158) It did not take long for the riveted jeans to catch on, and production began to soar and Strauss invited Davis to move to San Francisco, where the two hired dozens of seamstresses to work in their new factories. To distinguish which pants were his and to demonstrate how strong they were, Strauss had a leather label designed for the back waistband, that showed a pair of jeans tied between two draft horses going in opposite directions. The horses were trying to rip the jeans apart, but the fabric was too strong. The label worked so well that for decades the jeans were known as the Two-Horse brand. (Kyi p.23) In the 1890’s a pair of Levi Strauss’ jeans cost about one dollar US, about the equivalent of twenty dollars US today, which was enough to make Strauss rich. (Sullivan p.18) When he died in 1902, his company was left in the care of his three nephews, who were eager continue the company’s success, but they were facing competition. The patent on riveted pants expired in 1891, and in the early 20th century, a new clothing manufacturer appeared, Henry David Lee. Lee opened H.D. Lee Mercantile Company in Kansas City in 1899, selling fabric and furniture. Soon he opened up his own factory and began producing what would today be recognized as overalls. (Kyi p.25) He then came up with the idea to sew a denim shirt onto a pair of jeans to form a denim coverall. The Lee Union-All was first marketed to men who loved cars as it could be worn over other clothes to keep them clean. In 1913 it was popular with farmers, engineers, and factory workers, and soon became available for women and children. When the American Army was preparing to join WWI, thousands of Lee Union-Alls were ordered for the soldiers as they were found to be more durable than any other clothing. (Kyi p.26) In 1926, the Lee Company revolutionized jeans, by putting a zipper in place of the buttons in the fly to â€Å"ease access†. During the depression Lee Company managed to convince people that Lee jeans would last twice as long as other pants, making them a good investment. The Company even opened up a new factory in 1936. (Kyi p.31) During WWII, wartime rationing led to shortages of blue jeans, and owning them became a status symbol. At that time jeans were only available in North America, but when soldiers set sail for Europe and Asia, jeans were introduced to the rest of the world. (Kyi p.35) For women working in factories during the war, jeans or coveralls with a bandanna became their dress code, partly because of the famous portrait of Rosie the Riveter proclaiming â€Å"We Can Do It† while wearing a denim shirt. (Sullivan p.70) After the war, the young soldiers who came home became the first teen rebels. They no longer wanted coveralls but pants that fitted snugly around the waist more suited to motorcycle riding than farming. (Kyi p.39) This developed a style that was popularized by Hollywood and stars such as James Dean in Rebel without a Cause. (Sullivan p.92) Marilyn Monroe began wearing hip-hugging jeans that became popular for women in the 1950’s, making jeans sexy for women as well as men. (Sullivan p.96) Jeans were now something that you could wear while hanging out with your friends; they were no longer just for working on the farm or in a factory. Parents began to worry that their children were running wild, and jeans were banned in US schools and in churches in England. (Kyi p.41) It seemed as though Brigham Young could see into the future when in the 1830’s he called jeans the â€Å"fornication pant†, appalled at the button fly. (Sullivan p.9) Denim had left behind its army reputation and had become the newest style trend. Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Bridget Bardot began wearing them for press appearances and parties, and that’s when the worldwide love affair with denim began. (Sullivan p. 98) Jeans are now a staple of pretty much everyone’s wardrobe in the 21st century. No matter what ethnicity or social class, everyone wears jeans. You see them on movie stars, your teachers, Presidents and Princes, and when you see news footage of a peace rally in Israel; the protestors are wearing jeans. They now come in over 200 sizes and countless styles and washes, with some made for wear on the farm and others perfect for a date on a Friday night. In the 19th century a pair of Levi’s would set a buyer back about $1.50 US, but today the sky is the limit. Jeans vary in price (for adults) from around $20 US at Wal-Mart to a pair of diamond and gold studded jeans that were sold in 2001 in Italy for $500,000 US. (Kyi p.13) Light wash or dark wash, boot cut or flare, diamond studded or embroidered, jeans are jeans, and are a North American icon. Jeans are one of the only pieces of clothing that have survived over ten decade’s worth of styles, and have always looked pretty much the same, and will be around for many more years to come. Works Cited 1.Kyi, Tanya Lloyd. The Blue Jean Book: The Story behind the Seams. New York, New York: Annick Press, 2007. 2.Sullivan, James. Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon. New York, New York: Gotham Books, 2006. 3.Contini, Mila. 5000 Years of Fashion. Secaucus, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc., 1977.

Essay about Marijuana Should Be Legalized for Medicinal...

Marijuana Should Be Legalized for Medicinal Purposes How would most Americans react if the law allowed the use of heroin, LSD, or amphetamines for medical purposes? Many of us would react in disbelief mainly because of the effects of these powerful and addictive drugs. However, in Arizona the law permits the use of heroin, LSD, and amphetamines for medicinal purposes, yet the medicinal use of marijuana remains illegal in the United States (Facts). Because marijuana is categorized as a Schedule 1 drug under the federal Controlled Substance Act (Issues), physicians cannot legally prescribe it. The national debate on the effectiveness of marijuana as medicine is divided between those who advocate marijuanas medicinal value and†¦show more content†¦Cannabinoids are only found in marijuana. Arguably, medicinal marijuana has proven to be most effective for the relief of nausea and anorexia associated with cancer and AIDS/HIV treatments. For cancer patients who not only go through the unimaginable pains and discomforts of the disease itself but also the process of treatment through chemotherapy, the option of using marijuana may prove to be helpful in relief of the symptoms. In an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Kate Scannell, M.D. wrote From working with AIDS and cancer patients, I repeatedly saw how marijuana could ameliorate a patients debilitating fatigue, restore appetite, diminish pain, remedy nausea, cure vomiting and curtail down-to-the-bone weight loss (Do). Dr. Scannell concluded by claiming ...almost every sick and dying patient Ive ever known whos tried medical marijuana experienced a kinder death (Do). This example alone is worth allowing physicians to prescribe marijuana. If marijuana brings relief by easing the pain and suffering of just o ne patient, isnt that enough reason to legalize its use for medicinal purposes? Not only has marijuana proven its therapeutic value for cancer and HIV/AIDS patients, but it has also proven to be more effective for most patients than current prescription drugs used. One of these current prescription drugs is dronabinol, known by its trade name as Merinol, which is a pill form of the primary active ingredient in marijuana, THCShow MoreRelatedMarijuana Should Be Legalized For Medicinal Purposes Essay1072 Words   |  5 Pagesor other sicknesses? If so, you may want to consider marijuana as a treatment. Central Idea: Marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes. Significance to the audience: This is important to all of use because many of us are misinformed about marijuana and are unaware of its beneficial properties. Preview of main points: Today I will tell you about why marijuana should be legalized. Body: I. What exactly is marijuana? A) Marijuana is a leafy plant which grows wild in many of the tropicRead MoreWhy Not Legalize Marijuana? Essay1173 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana should be legalized for both recreational and medicinal use because the US economy can reap significant benefits from legalization as well as create an influx of jobs and also to reduce street and gang disputes relating to marijuana. Also, marijuana should be legalized because it has been dealt an unfair hand by society and is justifiably safer than most know it to be. First, marijuana should be legalized in the US for both recreational and medicinal purposes because there is a very substantialRead MoreMedicinal Marijuana: Should It Be Legal in All States? Essay1071 Words   |  5 Pageswhether or not marijuana should be legal for medicinal purposes in all fifty states. Many people believe that marijuana is an unsuitable substitute for many of the medications we have today. On the other hand, many researchers have conducted extensive stud ies that have shown how beneficial medicinal marijuana can be. 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The plant later spread to India, Europe, and, finally, made its way to North America. Cannabis was first used as hemp rope and fabric, and by the 18th century marijuana began to be recognized and used in the pharmaceutical industry. However, marijuana became illegal justRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?895 Words   |  4 Pages Should marijuana be legalized? In the eyes of some American s, marijuana is one of the biggest enemies in today’s society. Since alcohol and tobacco, both a life threatening substances are legal, it is only right to question, why marijuana is illegal. When speaking of the legalization of marijuana, it is important to identify which facts pertaining to marijuana use are stereotypes, truths, and egregious slander. Many people that have never been exposed to the plant have preconceived notionsRead MoreThe Legalization of Marijuana Essay1083 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen debating among themselves whether or not marijuana should be legalized in America. 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