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Turning on a television at prime time, we may see Gotham, Two Broke Girls, Sons of Anarchy, Reign, or Once Upon A Time. Flipping through a magazine, we may see Taylor Swift, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, Miley Cyrus, and more. Despite magazines and television shows both making up American media, they have another thing in common: both focus on white celebrities. No matter how diverse and ever changing American society seems to be, Hollywood stays stagnant. We have some movement towards more diversity, but overall most of what Americans see is white. American media lacks minority representation and cultural diversity.

Most American television shows and movies have an all white main cast. From Two and A Half Men, to Girls, to Seinfeld, and more, American television often has white washed its cast. A study by UCLA reported that, in the entertainment industry “minorities and women are represented at rates far below what would be expected given their percentage of the general population.” More specifically, the report showed, “the proportion of female and minority actors, writers, directors and producers in films and TV ranges from just one-twelfth to one-half of their actual population percentage.” Even more interestingly enough, the study also found that shows or films with greater diversity tended to attract more people, thus bringing more viewers, and ultimately resulting in a higher revenue.

When minorities are casted, they often fall into a stereotyped role. We see black men cast as thugs, Latino men cast a drug dealers, or Asian men cast as international drug ringleaders. Black and Latino women are casted as maids or nannies while Asian women are casted as meek and timid characters. For example, Viola Davis, a Tony awarded and Oscar nominated actress felt that she would never receive a role outside the stereotypes she was presented with. She is most known for her role in The Help playing a maid. However, recently she has been casted to play Annalise Keating on How to Get Away With Murder. Upon receiving the role, Davis said, “There is no way in the history of film or TV that you’ve seen a character like this played by a black woman who looks like me. This is progressive. This is a first.” Davis described her new character as being complex and multifaceted, whereas all her previous roles were not. It should be noted that How to Get Away With Murder is co-produced by Shonda Rhimes, who “is arguably the most successful black TV producer/creator/writer in history,” (Deggans).

Not only are minorities underrepresented on screen, but also behind the screen. The study done by UCLA also focused on behind-the-scene representation of minority groups. The study found that “as film directors, they were underrepresented by a factor of three-to-one. As film writers and creators of comedies and dramas on cable TV, there were underrepresented by a factor of five-to-one.” This is an interesting statistic because most of the time we are not exposed to who writes and creates what we consume, therefore, how could it be important? Minority writers have a responsibility to share their story and can better writer characters who are apart of the minority group. When a white writer attempts to write a black or Latino character, they may not be able to relate or properly represent them. This is also another reason why white characters appear more frequently than minority characters. With white writers and producers dominating the entertainment industry, it makes sense that often what they create is intended for white audiences.

Some argue that American media does have cultural diversity. Some television shows that have a culturally diverse cast include How to Get Away With Murder, Scandal, and Grey’s Anatomy. In addition, a popular, well-known movie with accurate racial and ethnic casting is The Night At the Museum. Furthermore, we have, actresses like Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong'o, Kerry Washington, and more who represent minorities. Although these facts are all very true, it is not true for the whole of American media. We cannot take a few shows that accurately cast and give various roles to people of color and call the entirety of Hollywood “culturally diverse.” We must aim to move to a media where the question of cultural diversity never arises again because it is already implemented. As touched on before, minority groups are not only underrepresented on-screen, but also off screen. To say that our media is diverse when we barely have a population of people of color on screen and even less off screen is an injustice to our present day America. We have many successful, hardworking people of color who are actors, actresses, screenwriters, producers, directors, and more. Our goal is to have even more of these people. With a more diversified Hollywood, the stories created and told can relate to the ever-changing ethnic population of the United States.

One might point out that a role is not given based on skin color, but to the person who best embodies the role. Therefore, cultural diversity should not matter as long as the actor or actress plays their role correctly. For example, Karla Souza, a Latina, plays Laurel Castillo on How to Get Away With Murder. The original character of Laurel was meant to be white, thus could have easily been given to any other white actress in Hollywood. Although, the casting directors felt Souza would be the best fit. However, despite the fact that Souza is a Latina, she is also white passing. Here we see a white actress casted for a white role, which makes perfect sense. However Souza insisted Laurel be made Latina to create a more diverse cast. Furthermore, another example is Taylor Swift playing the role of Rosalie in The Giver. Swift is known for her song writing and music creating abilities, not for her acting. In fact, she is often criticized for her acting, so why would she be offered a role? Swift’s name holds a lot of clout and she has many fans, which would generate more money for those involved in the making of The Giver. It is very obvious that this role did not go to the best actress, but to the person who could create the most buzz for the movie.

Overall, minority representation is a logical and positive next step for American media. First, it is logical for two reasons. The United States is a culturally diverse country with ethnic groups ranging from Native Americans, to Filipinos, to Spanish, to Mexican, to African-American, and everything in between. To have a media that is not as diverse as its country is a disservice and unrepresentative of real life. Furthermore, as previously addressed, culturally diverse films and television shows attract more viewers. In the way that white people want to watch a show with white characters, black, Mexican, and Vietnamese Americans want to watch a show with their own representation. With many characters of different heritages, more people will be motivated and inclined to watch which benefits studios and networks. Next, it is a positive step because representation is important, especially for children. In todays age, children grow up watching television and movies. When they are able to see people with the same skin color or same heritage, it allows them to see themselves. Lastly, and again, more representation of minority groups will create a more well-rounded and reflective view of actual American society.

Managers in the modern workplace have a pivotal role to play in the success of a company. Today, managers have ever-expanding roles as society has progressed its preferred managerial style from a more rudimentary style of management, found in the classical viewpoint, to a more forward-thinking method in the contingency theory. Managers today must have the required managerial traits and be able to correctly apply them when needed. These traits include, but are not limited to; understanding of ethical, social, cultural and team issues, strong communication skills, and high emotional intelligence. Managers must also have the skills to work cross-generationally and be able to effectively manage older employees from the Baby Boomer generation and integrate new and younger employees from the Millennial generation. In my opinion, an effective manager is someone who can encompass all the traits of a successful leader and apply it to their business model. Not all managers have the same employees, and certain traits will need to be emphasised more than others for different companies, but the greatest leaders of our time are those that are able to make the most of their team and skyrocket a company’s success internally.

Being an effective manager requires you to have the skillset to operate a functional team and optimise the traits that are extremely valuable in a diverse workforce. This involves understanding the various ethical, social, cultural and team (ESCT) issues which have risen in the past decade (Buelens et al., 2011). Adhering to ethical standards in the workplace means doing the right thing as a corporate citizen and creating a more inclusive workplace for all. This involves no tolerance for sexism, racism, ageism and creating a clear set of rules and punishments for breaking those rules. Businesses thrive and prosper when they are more diverse as they can reach diverse customer markets and make decisions from a variety of perspectives (Nair and Vohra, 2015). From a social perspective, managers should recognise changing social demographics, including an increase of women in the workforce, an aging population and a change in the generational traits. Similarly, a diverse workforce will have people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, therefore managers must have high emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence and communication skills.

Communication is vital and was ranked number one in importance to business from CEO’s of 5000 U.S companies. As society has progressed, so has the workplace. The outdated model of the classical viewpoint, which held the notion that people only have physical and economic needs, has been disproven and more modern theories of management have taken its place. I believe the Contingency Theory is a relevant notion in the modern workplace. Peter Trkman in his article about ‘The critical success factors of business process management’ defines the Contingency Theory as the idea “that there is no best way of organising and that an organisational style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others”. This approach to management is so relevant because in a diverse workplace, management is contingent on the situation. However, the outdated model of the classical viewpoint is still being used in some areas of society, making work “monotonous, meaningless and soul-deadening” (Schwartz, 2014). While all work cannot be fulfilling and exciting, managers in that field still need to take a more modern approach to management and improve the working conditions for their employees, starting with their managerial style.

While the role of a manager in the modern workplace is ever expanding, effectively dealing with a diverse workforce has become much more prevalent. Diversity in the modern workforce is not limited to racial backgrounds, gender, ethnicity, and religious beliefs anymore, but also relates to the various generational differences. Over the last 75 years, different societal experiences have divided generations and created varied personalities that need to be managed accordingly. The Baby Boomer generation (55-73 years old) are reputed to be loyal, driven and competitive workaholics. According to the ‘Generational Differences in the Workplace’ article, the most effective method of managing them involves motivation via money and overtime, recognition through praise and position, and trust in their loyalty. In stark contrast to this, Millennials have been raised in a technology savvy society, where instant communication and social media have been at the forefront of their world. Many have been shaped by social change and movement including the legalisation of same-sex marriage and the climate change protest by tens of thousands of students earlier this year. This places millennials in a much more willing position to accept diversity making a diverse workplace much more accepted and easily integrated. However, millennials pose their own difficulties including a lack of face-to-face communication skills and the tendency to be more self-absorbed and more self-entitled. “Managers should try to make work exciting and relevant for this group, being careful to show them verifiable career opportunities if they exist. Where Baby Boomers will do their job and like to be left alone, Millennials wants attention and feedback.” (Whitney Gibson et al., 2009)

The role of a manager in the modern workplace is changing and evolving as society develops.Managers must integrate and apply modern styles of management to optimise their teams’ values, they must have the skills and traits to be a leader and an effective manager and finally, they must balance the multigenerational workforce that has become so predominant in the modern era. Uniting all these skills into one unified and cohesive manner is the key to an effective manager in a diverse workforce.

References

1. Buelens, M., Fassin, Y and Rossem, A. (2011). Small-Business Owner-Managers’ Perceptions of Business Ethics and CSR-Related Concepts. [eBook] Journal of Business Ethics, p.425. Available at: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10551-010-0586-y.pdf [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019].
2. Clark, K. (2017). Managing Multiple Generations in the Workplace. 4th ed. p.379. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2019].
3. Hartman, J & McCambridge, J 2011, ‘Optimizing Millennials’ communication styles’, Business Communication Quarterly, vol. 74, no. 1, pp. 22-44.
4. Kinicki, A., Scott-Lad, B., Perry, M. and Williams, B. (2018). Management: a practical introduction. 2nd ed. Sydney: McGraw-Hill Education, pp.3-117.
5. Nair, N. and Vohra, N. (2015). Diversity and Inclusion at the Workplace: A Review ofResearch and Perspectives. [eBook] Ahmedabad: Indian Institution of Management

A hard drive is a Superb piece of hardware that stores digital files such as document, pictures, music, videos, application preference, programs. The hard drive could either be a hard disk drive (HDD) or could also be a Solid State Drive (SSD) and they could function either as an internal or External hard drive. SSD and HDD drives achieve the same Goal but they carry out their operations in completely different ways. I would be focusing on HDD on this particular post, SSD is a topic for another Day.

A simple way to picture an external hard drive is to see it as a regular internal hard drive in your computer that was removed and packaged with proper protective casing and can be connected to a computer externally either by the use of USB, FireWire, eSATA or wirelessly. So basically an external hard drive connects to a computer externally rather than internally.

An External hard drive is an absolutely amazing tool for sharing very large files, using them can ultimately save you the stress when moving files from one computer to another and due to their very large storage capabilities they are very effective when it comes to the storage of backed up files. Users make use of them for safe keeping of their important files so they would not risk losing all their files for cases where the original files get corrupted or accidentally deleted.

An average laptop comes with limited storage space like 500GB or less so External hard drives provide an Easy and efficient way to expand existing storage for cases where the storage capacity of a computer is not sufficient for what is required by the user and the computer starts acting sluggish. Users simply just get a suitable external hard drive and transfer some heavy files to it so as to free up space on the computer so that it can perform optimally without the need to open the computer to expand.

It does not come as surprise that the use of external hard drive has increased over the years as a result of the large amount of additional storage space it provides users as well as how portable and easy to use it is. Users can easily have access to a very vast number of files without the stress of having to move around with their computers.

External hard drives are quite superb for people who would do a lot of moving around and would require their files handy at all times. Hard drives come in different shapes, Storage capacities, designs, and prices while some external hard drive function by getting their power from the computer through the data cables and some others would have to be connected to an AC source to get its power before it could be used. The type of storage unit required is based on the needs of the user and It is important for me to point out at this point that internal hard drives can easily be converted into an external hard drive using hard drive enclosure.

The most important part of the HDD is the Platters, they could either be made from ceramics, aluminum or glass. Information is stored magnetically in binary form on one or more shiny silver platters and there is a central spindle in place that facilitate the rotation of the platter at high speed. To record and store information on the platter there is a read-write head connected to the end of a Read-write arm in the HDD, this read-write head is a tiny magnet that moves back and forth the platter, this movement is responsible for storing and recording information and is facilitated by an Actuator.

For magnetization and demagnetization to take place the materials used to make the platter are coated with a thin layer metal and depending on the size there can be one or more platters, such that each platter has two read-write heads, where one reads the top surface while the other reads the bottom surface. For Bigger drives one platter is not enough so to tackle this several platters are stacked on a central spindle such that there is a small gap between each of them and the read-write heads can easily have access to any part of the platter. However, to reduce wear and tear there is a layer of fluid or air to prevent this.

Data is transferred within the HDD using a flexible connector and there is an electronic circuit that effectively controls the operations and the flow of data to and from the platter in the HDD.

Ordinarily if you pick up iron nails, they are not magnetized but then when you constantly rub them with a magnet consistently, those demagnetized iron nails become magnetic and can now stick to one another. If you observe these magnetized nails for a while you would realize that the nails would stay magnetized until they are demagnetized again.

By now you would be wondering if there are nails in a hard drive…not at all

Hard disk drive typically function based on the principle of a magnetism, it is so important to the operation of an HDD such that when power is turned off from the drive the information stored is still intact and can be accessed anytime.

If you take a look inside a hard drive you would notice a large shiny circular plate of magnetic material known as a platter. Depending on the storage capacity of the hard drive this platter is divided into several billions of tiny areas and just like the nails I illustrated above each one of these areas can be magnetized and demagnetized.

For a computer to save a number let’s say 97, the computer stores the number as 001100001 which is a binary number. Numbers are stored in a computer as patterns of binary digits such that When they are magnetized they store a 1 and when they are demagnetized they store a zero. When the power is switched off the information stored is still intact.

For effective filing the data are stored on each platter in an orderly pattern such that each bits of data are arranged in tracks which is a concentric circular path, these paths are further broken down into sectors.

For the drive to know the size of free space and the used space, it stores a map of sectors such that when new data is to be stored on the drive, the drive would check the map to ensure there is free space available then it allocates the space and the read-write head can move across the platter to the allocated spot and store the data.

In the same way when the drive needs to locate a file on the drive it checks the maps and gives the read-write head instruction to go to the exact location to read the information and make it available to the user. Different operating systems refers to this map using different terms for example in Windows this map is referred to as the File Allocation Table (FAT).

For external hard drive the circuits built within the HDD known as the controller is responsible for determining the right tracks that would be used for reading or writing and when it is connected to a computer it continuously does a parallel to serial streams of data conversion which would be read or written on the disk as the case maybe as well as the general operations within the drive.

Conclusion

A hard disk drive is a superb and handy piece of technology which has a high capacity to store a lot of information at relatively low cost. Ordinarily an HDD could easily work without any issues for decades but just like any other piece of technology it has its own disadvantage. Due to the several intricate moving parts that make up the HDD they are prone to head crashes due to mechanical damages or sometimes dusts or dirt on the platters can hinder it from performing optimally, hence HDD require proper care or users might lose their files permanently.

Problems like reliability, power consumption, access time associated with using a Hard disk drive can easily be solved using a solid state drive which makes use of flash memory chips as a replacement for the spinning magnetic platter. Hence there are no moving parts in an SDD thereby making them faster and more reliable thereby making them the perfect choice for users that require faster performance and more reliability.

Solid state drives (SSD) are more expensive than Hard disk drives, however due to the cheaper cost hard disk drives are still very popular and widely used by users that require large storage capacity but don’t have so much to spend and don’t care about the speed

Keep in mind:
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So If your computer is acting sluggish due to insufficient space, I think it is a good time to get yourself an external hard drive and It is always really wise to buy an external hard drive that exceeds what you need at the moment just for futuristic purpose.

Your Body, Your Choice

Brittany Maynard killed herself when she was 29 years old. On November 1, 2014, she took lethal medication, prescribed to her by her doctors, in Oregon in her home surrounded by her family (Ertlet 1). “I want to live,” she said. But she had brain cancer, a stage 4 Glioblastoma tumor, with very little time left for her life. “It’s a terrible way to die. Being able to choose to go with dignity is less terrifying,” she explained (Should Euthanasia...1). However, this right to die, the right to physician-assisted suicide, is currently only legal in 4 states across America (State-by-State...1). Physician-assisted suicide, or PAS, is the “process in which a doctor of an either sick or disabled individual engages in an activity which directly or indirectly leads to the death of the individual” (Salubre 1). Contrary to popular belief, PAS and euthanasia are not the same thing. While both involve lethal medication, the difference lies in who administers the medication. In PAS, the patients administer the medication to themselves, while euthanasia involves a third party administering the meds (Braddock 1).

The struggle with PAS in America began in the early 1900s, when the first euthanasia bill in Ohio was drafted and didn’t succeed (Chronology of...1). A huge step was made years later when Oregon passed the Death with Dignity act in the late 1990s, legalizing PAS under a variety of safeguards and guidelines (1). Perhaps one of the most memorable events in the history of PAS is Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who assisted over 100 ailing patients in their death. However, even though these patients made the decision voluntarily, Kevorkian was eventually charged with murder (1). Why should a man who helped terminally ill patients wishing for death, die, be sent to prison? Physician assisted suicide should be legal everywhere due to the concept of bodily autonomy, which is inclusive of the reasoning that the freedom to live according to one’s personal beliefs should be upheld always, and that terminally ill individuals can choose how they die rather than let their lives be taken involuntarily by an incurable illness and should not be forced to suffer.

Bodily autonomy is one of the most fundamental human rights. One cannot be forced to donate blood, to donate a kidney, to have sex or to carry a pregnancy (Personal Autonomy 1). An individual should always have control over who or what uses and what happens to his or her body. This right of privacy and personal autonomy is protected in the 14th amendment, which states any state is denied the right to “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” (14th Amendment 1). Being able to commit suicide with the help of a doctor is as basic a right as any and is included in the array of liberties under the concept of bodily autonomy; being able to kill oneself should be an individual’s choice in doing what they wish with their body and life.

Through an understanding of this simple yet intricate notion of bodily autonomy, one can conclude that an individual’s freedom and right to live according to their own personal beliefs, specifically those that cause no harm to other individuals’, should never be infringed on. This is stated in the first amendment of the constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression (First Amendment 1). If an individual with a terminal illness and who has undergone certain safeguards, wishes to end their life and end their suffering, their physician should be able to prescribe him or her lethal medication to do so. This action does not cause harm to the patient or others, it does the opposite in helping an individual by ending their suffering.

And ending suffering is not an unfamiliar or immoral concept to Americans. When an animal is suffering, a majority of people will consider, if not advocate, euthanization to “put the animal out of it’s misery”; the general American population will generally consider letting a suffering animal live in pain as cruel. The same should go for humans; an individual who is terminally ill should not be forced to suffer, and instead should have the option to choose how they die instead of waiting to be killed by an incurable illness. It is inhumane to force an individual to suffer, just as it is inhumane to let an animal suffer, and it is implausible to believe the idea that “there is a duty to continue living”. Believing in such a senseless concept, forcing an individual to live despite terminal illness and/or pain, might encourage ailing patients to take matters into their own hands and try to commit suicide in other ways. This was the case with Danny Bond, who was born prematurely, and as an infant developed an infection in his bowel lining; the health problems never stopped as he got older and he was only able to spend a few months outside of the hospital at a time. At 20 years old, he had endured over 300 surgeries, and he wanted nothing but to die and be done with his suffering. But the only legal way for him to kill himself was through starvation. He died at the age of 21 over the course of several days (Grimminck 1).

However, there are common assumptions that patients who request to die make the decision irrationally, that legalizing PAS will increase the rates of suicide, and that it will put pressure on the poor and underprivileged. Nevertheless, while these are legitimate concerns and questions, these conceptions can be disproved by looking at the state of Oregon, in which PAS has been legal for nearly ten years (Ten Years...1). Since the Death with Dignity Act was passed in Oregon in 1997, over 1,100 people have received lethal medication, fearing a loss of autonomy and dignity, and around 750 have actually used them to end their lives (Pope 1). Oregon has an abundance of safeguards in place to ensure a patient is making an informed and voluntary decision when requesting lethal medication, some of which include: patients must be at least 18, mentally healthy, and have had two physicians determine that they have no more than six months to live; the physician is required to educate the patient about all options and the patient must make 3 separate requests, each separated by at least 15 days, and one request must be written and witnessed by two other people (1). The patient is able to cancel their request at any time, and if they choose to die they must administer the medication themselves (1). And these preventative measures work, there is no evidence of disorderly impacts on vulnerable populations; over 98% of the patients who died from PAS had health insurance and over 72% had received a partial or complete college education (1). Naturally, with the legalization of PAS, the rates of PAS in Oregon did increase, over 306% since the first year of legal PAS (Ten Years...1); however, it was in no way associated with an increase in non-assisted suicides (Jones 1).

In conclusion, bodily autonomy defines an individual’s right to choose what happens with their body and what they choose to do to their body, including everything from getting a tattoo to choosing to be an organ donor, from getting an abortion to asking a doctor to help end your life. Therefore, it should be every individual’s right in all places to have the option to end his or her life if they are terminally ill and in chronic pain, with no or little hope of a better future. Steps that can be taken to help this cause and increase the number of places where PAS is legal include voting for presidential, senate, House of Representative, etc. elections, and support candidates who advocate for legalizing PAS and advocate for bodily autonomy. Several other countries, such as the Netherlands and Belgium, have legalized PAS, and it’s about time America put its promise of freedom into play and followed in their footsteps (Chronology of...1).

Animal testing contributed to many life saving cures and treatments. We, humans, share 95% of our genes with a mouse, making them an effective model for the human body.

Each year, an average of 5,000 people develop kidney failure and every one-third of these people would pass away without any kidney transplant or regular dialysis. Animal experiments Joseph E. Murray and a few scientists have involved an experiment. To master the surgical technique for organ transplantation, it was carried out on pig and dogs in 1950s. However, rejection of new organ became a problem. That’s when Cyclosporine which was discovered in 1972 came in, which is extracted from a species of fungus and was found to prevent the rejection of a new organ in mice. Thereafter, Cyclosporine was tested on dogs that have undergone organ transplant, thus resulting in a 3-times increase in survival rate. What’s animal testing has done for humans? Without the help of animal testing, It would be impossible for human-being to perfect surgical techniques. With the help of animal testing, around 16,000 kidney patients benefited from kidney transplants each year, without the need to go for regular dialysis anymore.

Research shows that every 1 out of 10 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Animal experiments. In 1960’s scientist's research that hormone changes can influence the breast tumor cells in rats. Which led to the development of Tamoxifen which was discovered in 1967. After a further experiment with animal testing, it show a positive result of preventing the growth of cancers cells.

Animal testing is a way where humans can do research and find cure for an illness before testing it on humans. The initial use of animals here has now meant an alternative to animals for breast cancer research. Tamoxifen's work showed that lab-grown cultures of human tumor cells will respond to drugs that are effective in patients. Without animal testing, it may not have been possible to show that the cell culture results were relevant and reliable. Animal studies, mainly rats and mice, have also been crucial in the development of monoclonal antibody treatments such as Herceptin.

With the help of animal testing, scientist was able to find a treatment for breast cancer. Today, breast cancer is of one the second most survivable female cancer, with a increase of 77% in survival rate. Tamoxifen was introduced in the 90s, is a medication that is used to help prevent and treat breast cancer in women or men by stopping the growth of hormone breast cancer cells, which had lead to 30% decrease in death rates from breast cancer. Today Tamoxifen has proven that it can help to prevent breast cancer in high-risk women.

Close your eyes. Picture being stripped of everything you had ever owned; everything you had ever known. Stripped of your freedom, your dignity, your value as a human being. Marked with a yellow star, branding you as inferior. A target for verbal and physical assault. Forced into hiding. Living in constant uncertainty and fear. Left to wonder how long until you or your family are executed. This horrific scene is not fictional, but rather the tragic reality of Anne Frank, who recorded the horrors and heartache of history in her diary.

To start the essay I want to unveil Lluis Ribas’s portrait of Anne Frank. Anne's face is not that of a hero, rather just a smiling girl with playful eyes, insightful beyond their tender years. Anne’s gaze does not rest upon what is in front of her, instead her focus probes the horizon, toward the future and the opportunities it holds. Over the years, the powerful messages captured from Anne’s diary, have offered encouragement to millions. Her courage, faith, resilience and optimism in the face of such overwhelming adversity continues to inspire generations today.

Although her journal revealed glimpses of the vulnerable teenager she was, Anne managed to find fortitude, despite hardship. Her resilience, courage, strength and determination while hiding in the secret annex was truly inspiring. She knew that leaving the attic would likely result in her death, yet despite feeling trapped and scared, she persevered. Her words resonate with many people around the world, shaping her as a positive role model for many generations. Anne states that “I can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear; my courage is reborn”. Despite the horror, hopelessness and loss that Anne had to live in, her hope for a better future never faded, nor her undying belief in God and his protection. Anne found the light amid the darkness showing that “Beauty remains, even in misfortune”. Anne's optimism demonstrated her willingness to see the good in humankind.

Six million people. Almost a quarter of Australia's population, or, 1 million people more than now live in all of Queensland. That is how many were exterminated in the worst genocide of the twentieth century. Anne was but one, however, her message of social justice, freedom and equality for all remain as relevant and important today. The Diary of Anne Frank is a powerful story used to educate and empower young people to challenge all forms of prejudice and discrimination, in whatever package it comes disguised in. While Anne endures affliction frequently, her hope for the future never fades, and her enduring spirit is the quintessence of courage and equality for all.

The atrocities that Anne Frank endured throughout her life did not tarnish the way she saw the world. Horror, hopelessness and loss depicting the life Anne was stuck in, one where most people would have relinquished and spiraled into despair and hopelessness. But not Anne. She pushed through the darkness, making her the epitome of optimism. Whilst enduring affliction, Anne never lost hope showing her willingness to see the good in humankind. Anne wrote on July 15, 1944, that “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart... I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquillity will return again.”

Conclusion

By commemorating Anne’s life through this portrait, it illustrates the modern-day relevance of her experience. Her story of perseverance, courage, compassion and hope amid despair continue to inspire us today and is why Anne’s message of social justice and equality for all remain as important today as it did 74 years ago. In leaving her story, she left a legacy. One that still lights fires in the hearts of those who read it. Faith hope and love. That is her legacy. “I don’t want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death!” (Frank, 1947). And indeed, she does, through the power of her words and now, through this portrait.

In the world today, pollution remains to be among the key issue troubling the global economy, the physical wellbeing of people and the daily lives. Most of the issues relating to climate change and chronic illnesses affecting lives are related to contamination of the environment through pollution. Nonetheless, there seems to be alarming levels of people ignorant to this concern. In light of this issue, a number of articles have been written with an aim to shed light on the matter and to provide solutions in all ways possible. In his article “Our Oceans Are Turning Into Plastic”, author Arthur Cristian links the amount of pollution in the ocean today with the current lifestyle and pollution-related diseases affecting human life today. This article looks at the vast pollution in the oceans today. In the same way, an article by Elizabeth Kolbert, “The Acid Sea” looks at the levels of pollution in the seas through diffusion from the air. She explains how the Carbon IV Oxide pumped into the air seeps into the seas and gradually acidifies them. She raises concerns over the welfare of sea-life a century from today. The pollution happening today in the large water bodies is alarming. In a Wikipedia article “Marine Pollution”, the potentially harmful effects of this pollution are analyzed in depth. In all of the articles above, the issue of sea or marine pollution is recurrent. This provides a basis for the discussion in this paper. In an analysis format, the paper presents that pollution in the marine life can be avoided if the pollutants are eliminated in all possible ways.

In the era of extreme pollution, water pollution especially in large bodies like seas, oceans and rivers has been on a consistent rise. Marine life is in jeopardy since it suffers most from water-related pollution. This is due to the fact that they survive on nutrition found within the said environment. In Cristian’s article, much of the content is addressing the use of plastics and how the disposal of the same is harmful to marine life. He expresses his ideas through a third person narration focusing his case study on Moore a scientist researching on plastics and the environment. Although his explanation of facts is shallow, he manages to pass across the idea that something needs to be done to achieve a pollution-free water life. Nevertheless, Crisitian’s “Our Oceans Are Turning Into Plastic” lacks academic support in explaining certain concepts, hypothesis and theories. The case study aims at highlighting the heavy consequences linked to marine pollution and the effects of the same to human life. In his intentions, the author uses a case study to present facts. This choice of research is effective in passing the message across albeit lacking scholarly referencing in support of certain ideas. This article has logic and derives a lot of emotion on the matter of pollution. It will bring to the attention of people the dangers involved in disposing off of waste in the ocean. Nonetheless, the article, from a critique’s point of view, is not credible owing to the lack of support from past literature or facts from scholarly articles.

Elizabeth Kolbert’s article, “The Acid Sea” takes a deep look at the levels of pollution in the seas through diffusion from the air. In this regard, the author explains how the Carbon IV Oxide pumped into the air seeps into the seas and eventually acidifies them. Later on, the rainfall from this large water bodies will contain acid- acid rain- which poses huge threats to any kind of life. In this article, the author follows a number of discussions by a variety of scientists who have carried out studies on the cause of pollution. This article offers a deep analysis in to the subject matter. Apart from discussing the causes and effects of pollution through acids, this article has gone a notch higher as it provides a number of recommendations to remedy the problem. Using extensive research from various scientists, the author presents facts and arguments through a study of past literature. The article flows in a chronological format that makes it interesting and educating to a reader. The article is logical, emotional in relation to the subject and also very ethical in an academic sense. The heavy use of past literature and current studies makes it very credible. The methodology choice is effective and simple in structure. Information regarding pollution of large water bodies is easily available. Therefore this article uses this large database to presents facts, arguments and solutions to the challenge of pollution.

The Wikipedia article, “Marine Pollution” highlights the potentially harmful effects of water pollution. Through a topical presentation of different subjects, the article highlights the issue of marine pollution, its definition, history, pathways, type, adaptation and ways to mitigate the same. This article offers a concise analysis of the issue of marine pollution in bits of many topics. While this is very educational and provides a better picture to the audience, it sometimes diverts from the main topic. Consequently, the article is quite informative but long. The main aim of the author is to give a clear picture of the issue of marine pollution. In a critique’s point of view, this intention has been achieved quite successfully. The article uses a wide array of scientific sources to support the ideas brought forward. In this analysis, the reader is well informed of a number of issues with a conclusion that provides solutions and recommendations to the problems highlighted. The presentation is ethical in an academic angle. The author has provided enough referencing on borrowed ideas and concepts. The presentation also flows in a logical manner but fails to grab the readers’ attention emotionally. This lack of emotion is however nit sufficient to dismiss the article as a fail since it successfully captures the intention through an analytical presentation of facts.

Based on the article analysis above, the research on Wikipedia regarding marine pollution presents the best presentation of facts, analysis and information regarding pollution. This article can convince a larger audience based on the methodology, intentions and choice of style for the writing. The article is conclusive in research, presentation of information and most essentially it provides a number of recommendations to mitigate the issue at hand. The author has carried out extensive research on the matter evidenced by how history of the matter is highlighted to the way solutions are presented. Logic and ethics are maintained in dealing with pollution and even though the article lacks emotions, the former attributes are sufficient to pass the intended message across. Therefore in conclusion, the Wikipedia article, “Marine Pollution” gives a clearer picture of the subject matter in relation to the above. Additionally, it supports the thesis of the paper that pollution in the marine life can be avoided if the pollutants are eliminated in all possible ways.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Social Media Challenges
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (2014) ~790k Instagram posts22 Pushups Challenge (2016) ~140k Instagram postsFloor is lava Challenge (2017) ~120k Instagram postsInvisible Box Challenge (2017) ~32k Instagram postsMannequin Challenge (2016) ~1.9m Instagram postsBottle Flip Challenge (2016) ~190k Instagram postsRunning Man Challenge (2016) ~345k Instagram postsKylie Jenner Challenge (2015) ~156k Instagram postsCinnamon Challenge ~15k Instagram postsIn My Feelings Challenge (2018) ~680k Instagram posts
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited

Introduction

Social media platforms allow users to have conversations, share information and create web-content. Billions of people around the world use social media to share information and make connections daily. On the similar context Asur & Huberman (2010 p. 492) stated that “Social media has exploded as a category of online discourse where people create content, share it, bookmark it and network at a prodigious rate”.

When it comes to the question that where younger generation is heading on the wrong path in the modern technological world. There are plenty of factors that have played their role such as communication gap between kids and parents about sharing a problem. There is a regular presence of immortal explicit material and misuse of social media platforms and cyberspace. “According to a poll, 22% of teenagers log on to their favorite social media site more than 10 times a day, and more than half of adolescents log in to a social media more than once a day” according to O’Keeffe, G. S., & Clarke-Pearson (2011, p. 800) in a study. This number has significantly increased over the years.

With the advancement of social media, people are given the ability to showcase the popular tradition of daring friends to a variety of activities that has been dubbed as “Social Media Challenge”. This paper discusses the impact of challenges/trends set on social media towards the youth of current generation.

Social Media Challenges

The social media challenges that are selected for this study are the ones which became popular in the period 2013-2018 and which has the highest number of hashtags in Instagram posts.

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (2014) ~790k Instagram posts

The ice bucket challenge is by far the most constructive and helpful challenge which is widely accepted and copied on social media. It started as an ALS fundraiser campaign, quickly transformed into one of the biggest viral sensations ever, drawing in celebrities such as Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and to do the challenge.

However, this challenge was spoiled by an individual not paying minimum respect to safety precautions when a woman died after a bucket full of ice water hit her head.

22 Pushups Challenge (2016) ~140k Instagram posts

This challenge was started by a group called “Honor Courage Commitment” to raise awareness for veteran suicide prevention along with honoring military service members and veterans.

Floor is lava Challenge (2017) ~120k Instagram posts

It is a social game in which a person yells “the floor is lava”, and the other person(s) must get off the ground by getting on top of something or they fail the challenge. Statically it is an old game dating back to 2004 but it gained popularity again in 2017 when Instagram personalities Kevin Freshwater and Jahannah James both posted video compilations of times they challenged each other.

It became nuisance when people specially youths started doing in public places like parking lots and shopping market and started created more trouble for employees there.

Invisible Box Challenge (2017) ~32k Instagram posts

Another social game in which people mime tapping on an imaginary box and stepping over a roughly foot-step high. The challenge being keep your one foot still, as if braced on the box, while the other leaps over the destination.

It was first done by a football player on Twitter and became popular in a short amount of time. Several media outlets covered the trend including NBC, Daily Mail, Telegraph, Mirror, The Sun, Time and more.

Mannequin Challenge (2016) ~1.9m Instagram posts

One of the biggest trends of 2016, which originated at Edward H. White High School in Jacksonville, Florida, when a student decided to stand completely still at front of the class and other students joined in. It spread like wildfire as celebrities, professional sports teams, activists and even politicians joined this trend on Twitter and Instagram while the song “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd played in the background.

Bottle Flip Challenge (2016) ~190k Instagram posts

It is a social media challenge that involves throwing a plastic bottle, typically filled with water, in such a way that it lands upright on a flat surface. On August 20th, 2016, a YouTuber Ryan Higa uploaded montage of himself and several friends flipping bottles on various surface. Within one month, the video gained over 5.8 million views.

Running Man Challenge (2016) ~345k Instagram posts

This Challenge started when two college basketball players did a close-armed running man-style dance to the tune of the 1995 song “My Boo” by Ghost Town DJs. The dance became popular during the 2016 NCAA championships, after being spread by players from the university of Maryland.

Kylie Jenner Challenge (2015) ~156k Instagram posts

A viral trend where teenagers attempt to temporarily enlarge their lips by a suction technique called “the shot glass effect” in order to imitate the look of model and socialite Kylie Jenner.

The trend has been criticized due to the fact that the intense effect can lead to permanent disfigurement and scarring of lips.

Cinnamon Challenge ~15k Instagram posts

It’s a viral food dare that involves swallowing a teaspoon of cinnamon in 60 seconds without drinking any fluids. Since the early 2000s, the game has become well known for its extreme difficulty and thousands of videos with people attempting the challenge have been uploaded onto YouTube.

The results of a study (2013) by University of Miami professor Dr. Steven investigated various health risks associated with the cinnamon challenge. The report revealed that as cinnamon challenge videos increased in popularity on YouTube, calls to poison control centers and emergency room visits saw a significant increase in frequency as well. Lipshultz found that the substance cellulose contained within cinnamon powder can induce pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lungs which causes symptoms similar to emphysema.

In My Feelings Challenge (2018) ~680k Instagram posts

This year’s dance challenge, which consists of people showing off dance moves that caricature the lyrics of Drake’s song “In My Feelings”, became hit after an internet comedian Shiggy posted a video of himself doing the same. Like “Mannequin Challenge” and “Running Man Challenge”, this challenge also became hit with celebrities like Will Smith, Kevin Hart, Russell Wilson, and more. Soon fans started doing the same, in which they would dance while the car is moving slowly.

Due to this there has been some reports of people who have fallen while getting out of the motor vehicles. There is one video showing a young man getting run over by another car while doing the challenge.

Conclusion

Social Media having such an influence, there are bound to have effects both positive and negative. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge managed to garner everyone’s attention towards social causes and it could be counted as the biggest fundraiser campaign towards social cause. The 22 Pushups Challenge helped raise awareness among the youngsters regarding suicide prevention and along with honoring military service members and veterans. These were the instances where the social media proved meaningful. There were other instances where this only caused a menace. The currently trending “In My Feelings Challenge” has already resulted in multiple deaths all around the world. The “Kylie Jenner Challenge” only created a misconception of beauty among people. These are just a few instances of situations where the social media only proved to do more harm than good. Multiple other such instances have been observed ,few of which are already listed above.

Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.

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The influence of these social media platforms is such. We can estimate the same from the number of active users that Facebook alone has – 1 Billion! The other social media sites such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter also have massive followers. In today’s world following trends is the latest thing. Imagine someone somewhere having a huge fan following shares something that was previously unseen and unheard of, the kind of interest it would generate in the public. They start following the same without even realizing it’s pros and cons. We have examples such as #GirlLove started by a famous YouTube personality “Superwoman” a.k.a Lilly Singh to help support girls education. In this regard she has uploaded videos of her interviewing famous personalities like Melinda Gates , Michelle Obama etc to name a few and her message has widely been received with positivity and support throughout the globe. But there are the other cases where personalities like Kylie Jenner who is worshipped by the young girls when it comes to beauty. Her techniques like “the shot glass effect” has led to permanent disfiguring of lips of people around the world. Social media sometimes do more harm than good. This begs the question, with such use of social media, is the current generation heading the right direction?

Works Cited

1. Asur, S., & Huberman, B. A. (2010). Predicting the future with social media. In Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE/WIC/ACM International Conference on Web Intelligence and Intelligent Agent Technology (Vol. 1, pp. 492-499). IEEE.
2. O’Keeffe, G. S., & Clarke-Pearson, K. (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804.
3. Koohikamali, M., & Yahav, I. (2016). Analyzing social media usage trends: A cross-national comparison between the United States and Israel. Computers in Human Behavior, 65, 566-577.
4. Tufekci, Z. (2014). Big questions for social media big data: Representativeness, validity and other methodological pitfalls. In Eighth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media.
5. Linabary, J. R., & Seaman, C. B. (2017). Tweeting to learn: The effect of social media on knowledge acquisition in an LIS classroom. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 58(2), 126-140.
6. Chou, H. G., & Edge, N. (2012). “They are happier and having better lives than I am”: The impact of using Facebook on perceptions of others’ lives. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15(2), 117-121.
7. Sung, Y., Lee, J. A., Kim, E., & Choi, S. M. (2016). Why we post selfies: Understanding motivations for posting pictures of oneself. Personality and Individual Differences, 97, 260-265.
8. Kim, J., & Lee, J. E. R. (2011). The Facebook paths to happiness: Effects of the number of Facebook friends and self-presentation on subjective well-being. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14(6), 359-364.
9. Livingstone, S. (2008). Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers’ use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression. New Media & Society, 10(3), 393-411.
10. Moreno, M. A., Christakis, D. A., Egan, K. G., Brockman, L. N., & Becker, T. (2011). Associations between displayed alcohol references on Facebook and problem drinking among college students. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 165(5), 453-458.

Diversity of any kind is something that should be celebrated whether it is about race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. However, even in the 21st century, Asian men and women are still often being neglected and overly stereotyped in Hollywood and especially in American sitcoms. The roles in which Asians are cast, depict dated characteristics. Stereotypical Asian roles narrowly lie at opposite ends of the spectrum from being nerds to being prostitutes.

The idea of Asians being inarticulate in English or not understanding the nuances of Western culture is popularly used for over-the-top comedic purposes. Behind the laughter brings the realization that Asian people still are not taken seriously but rather for others’ entertainment because being put on a pedestal as the center of the joke makes us insecure about the way we are being presented. Asians are a big part of the newly diverse America and its culture but it doesn’t show as evident of the lack of representation. By breaking down the way Asian characters are presented in the two popular early 2000's sitcoms 2 Broke Girls and Gilmore Girls, the essay aims to analyze the ways in which Asians are, and have always been, depicted in Hollywood visually and linguistically. Furthermore this essay aims to see how far America has really come to accept and embrace Asian identity in its said culturally diverse country.

The paradigm of television is a very influential tool in the way that it informs how we perceive the world and shapes our knowledge on certain groups of people. When there are no or close to no portrayals of Asians on TV and the only portrayals are stereotypes being repeated over and over again, Asians are restricted to a handful of expectations being shown by the media that are not representative of their racial identity or culture. American sitcoms are examples of how Hollywood utilize Asians as a stepping stone to make up a show’s punchlines rather than giving them a platform to expose their culture to educate the oblivious Western mass. Seen as a breakthrough series for its mainly women-led cast, Gilmore Girls was progressive for female representation but their take on Asians received mixed reactions. One of the main characters, Mrs Kim, took on characteristics that shine a negative light on the way Asian parents raise their children by showing a huge contrast with the main Western family when it comes to parental controls. She is also visually represented to stand out and look different on purpose with her conservative wardrobe that differs to the main mom character’s more laid back and casual style.

In more recent times, the early 2010's sitcom 2 Broke Girls saw the character Han Lee, a Korean-American diner owner, portraying the stereotypical characteristics Western media loves to recycle; from an immigrant's broken English to the idea of Asian men having low sexual appeal. Hollywood has had a long history when it comes to wrongly portraying Asians on screen and stereotypes aren't the only way they do it.

Athletes do everything in their power in order to pursue their athletic goals. This includes working out daily, eating healthier, and cutting out the majority of their social life in order to focus on the sport. Little do they know, one small step with improving their performance would be sleeping. David Geier, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, studied how sleep could improve a person's performance. He believed that sleep was crucial for athletes. Sleep helps the body relax by letting the brain rest, and your body heal itself. David Geter found out that athletes need more sleep because they push their bodies to the extreme during practice. More sleep allows the body to recover and prepare itself for the next day. Research shows that taking a nap during the afternoon and sleeping an hour extra will produce a better performance.

Felicia Stoler, an exercise physiologist and registered dietitian in New jersey, agreed with Geiers work. “ Sleep is the time when your body repairs itself,” she says. “ If we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t perform well.” Studies have found evidence that sleeping more benefits athletes. One study tracked the Stanford University basketball team for many months. The players slept for almost two more hours than usual. The results were an increase in speed by five percent. The players free throws were nine percent more accurate. They even felt happier and reflexes were faster. Other studies that showed similar benefits in the personal performance played either football, soccer, or baseball.

Lack of sleep has been shown to correspond with injuries during an athletic event. A University of California study proved that injury rates are increased for the players that slept for less than six hours. There was another study that was looking at the injury rates of high school athletes, studies found that the hours of sleep the athlete had received were actually less than the hours of practice. When the athlete is fatigued after having a short amount of sleep, they react slower than usual. According to Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine, “Sleep deprivation has an impact comparable to intoxication by alcohol, which for athletes can have a major impact on their game”. Your reaction time will slow down and cause you to perform poorly. “being awake for 22 hours straight can slow your reaction time more than four drinks can.”

A study by Mah investigated the effect of sleep extension on the athletic performance of eleven college basketball players. The total sleep time duration of the athletes showed a significant improvement by 110 minutes from their original baseline due to the sleep extension period. The results showed that an increased amount of sleep helped the players perform better and be more consistent. The players were more locked into the game and it seemed as if they were in control of what happened each possession. There was an increase in shooting percentage, mainly from the free throw line since the players were more rested and relaxed.

These studies prove the sleep plays a big role with performance. Choosing to stay up all night instead of giving your entire body rest, can have a negative result. All athletes should focus on letting their body reboot after a hard day of not just physical work, but mental work as well. The brain runs all day long. People are always thinking about something when they are awake which causes the brain to never get a break. The brain needs time to store and sort all information gathered in the present day. This lets the athletes remember the important things that matter and can help them later on in the future. Remembering small things like what hand does the person dribble or throw with can help the player understand the game more. This will only be effective if the athlete receives enough sleep for the brain to process the information.

Athletes unfortunately don't receive enough time to sleep a great number of hours at once. They may either be in school, or at work so the goal of nine hours may not be reached. Scientist agreed that naps could also count towards the needed hours of rest. Busy schedules interfere with sleep and cause people to forget that they need sleep. In order for a person's body to perform at its highest level, sleep is needed. Studies show that athletes believe that watching films and staying up all night will help them improve their game. Athletes that tend to use this form of preparation does not perform as well as the ones who focus on gaining rest.

Sleep is the foundation of recovery and critical to the management of athletic training regimens. Sleep is often ignored and compromised by athletes as a result of their busy schedules, other demands such as work and school, and most importantly by the intrusion of technology (cell phones, computers and tablets) into their life. This technology inhibits normal sleep physiology and fosters a heightened state of arousal, which acts as a barrier to the onset and maintenance of the sleep state. Understanding the actual sleep behaviours of athletes, how sleep parameters affect training and performance, and the impact of specific interventions on sleep and performance is important.

“Researchers speculate that deep sleep helps improve athletic performance because this is the time when growth hormone is released. Growth hormone stimulates muscle growth and repair, bone building and fat burning, and helps athletes recover. Studies show that sleep deprivation slows the release of growth hormone. Sleep is also necessary for learning a new skill, so this phase of sleep may be critical for some athletes.” Sleeping can help the bones get bigger after a good workout and it helps the athlete lose weight. Researchers agreed that sleeping can help athletes remember new material. Athletes should take this into effect immediately and instead of worrying about social media, repair the body and get some rest.

In conclusion, athletes that are well rested, perform better. Sleep is a recovery stage that athletes need to perform at the highest peak. Rest can be hard to recieve for athletes, but hourly naps throughout the day can result in a great performance as well. After any hard conditioning or workout, the body needs time to relax and collect data. Collecting data and separating it takes time and most athletes don't have time. Coaches should push their players to sleep more and cut technologie hours short. The result will remain positive if practiced.