Regan and Gonerill Character Profile

Regan and Gonerill Character Profile Regan and Goneril from King Lear are two of the most abhorrent and subversive characters to be found in all of Shakespeare’s work. They are responsible for the most violent and shocking scene ever written by Shakespeare. Regan and Goneril The two elder sisters, Regan and Goneril, may at first inspire a little sympathy from an audience not being ‘favorites’ of their father. They may even garner a little understanding when they fear that Lear may easily treat them in the same way he treated Cordelia (or worse considering that she was his favorite). But soon we discover their true natures – equally devious and cruel. One wonders whether this unrelentingly unpleasant characterization of Regan and Goneril is there to cast a shadow over Lear’s character; to suggest that he in some way has this side to his nature. The audience’s sympathy towards Lear may be more ambiguous if they believe that his daughter’s have partly inherited his nature and are mimicking his past behavior; although this is of course balanced by the portrayal of his ‘favorite’ daughter Cordelia’s good nature. Made in Their Fathers Image? We know that Lear can be vain and vengeful and cruel in the way that he treats Cordelia at the beginning of the play. The audience is asked to consider their feelings towards this man considering that his daughters’ cruelty may be a reflection of his own. An audiences’ response to Lear is therefore more complex and our compassion less forthcoming. In Act 1 Scene 1 Goneril and Regan compete with each other for their father’s attention and assets. Goneril tries to explain that she loves Lear more than her other sisters; â€Å"As much as child e’er loved or father found; A love that makes breath poor and speech unable. Beyond all manner of so much I love you† Regan tries to ‘out do’ her sister; â€Å"In my true heart I find she names my very deed of love – Only she comes too short†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The sisters are not even loyal to one another as they constantly vie for precedence with their father and later for Edmund’s affections. Un-Feminine Actions The sisters are very masculine in their actions and ambitions, subverting all accepted notions of femininity. This would have been particularly shocking for a Jacobean audience. Goneril denies her husband Albany’s authority insisting that â€Å"the laws are mine, not thine† (Act 5 Scene 3). Goneril hatches a plan to oust her father from his seat of power by undermining him and ordering the servants to ignore his requests (emasculating her father in the process). The sisters pursue Edmund in a predatory way and both take part in some of the most horrific violence to be found in Shakespeare’s plays. Regan runs a servant through in Act 3 Scene 7 which would have been men’s work. The character’s unsympathetic treatment of their father is also unfeminine as they turf him out in to the countryside to fend for himself having previously acknowledged his infirmity and age; â€Å"the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with him† (Goneril Act 1 Scene 1) A woman would be expected to care for their ageing relatives. Even Albany, Goneril’s husband becomes shocked and disgusted with his wife’s behavior and distances himself from her. Both sisters participate in the most horrific scene of the play – the blinding of Gloucester. Goneril suggests the means of torture; â€Å"Pluck out his†¦ eyes!† (Act 3 Scene 7) Regan goads Gloucester and when his eye has been plucked out she says to her husband; â€Å"One side will mock another; th’other too† (Act 3 Scene 7). The sisters share the ambitious traits of Lady Macbeth but go further by participating and reveling in the violence that ensues. The murderous sisters embody a frightening and unwavering inhumanity as they kill and maim in the pursuit of self gratification. Eventually the sisters turn on each other; Goneril poisons Regan and then kills herself. The sisters have orchestrated their own downfall. However, the sisters appear to get away quite lightly; with regard to what they have done – in comparison to Lear’s fate and his initial ‘crime’ and Gloucester’s demise and previous actions. It could be argued that the harshest judgment is that no one laments their deaths.

Using the Spanish Verb Dar

Using the Spanish Verb 'Dar' Although the Spanish verb dar is most often translated as to give, it also is one of those verbs whose meanings or translations can vary widely with the context. Those meanings, however, are usually related to the concept of giving in a broad sense of the word. A common example would be a sentence such as El sol da luz. A literal translation of The sun gives light wouldnt be wrong- but most English speakers would be more likely to say something such as The sun sheds light or, more simply, The sun shines or The sun is shining. Everyday Figurative Uses of Dar Most often, when something other then give works as a translation of dar, the meaning can be figured out by thinking of giving in a general or figurative sense. Here are some everyday examples that are mostly easy to figure out if you know the meaning of the noun serving as an object of dar: El reloj dio las tres. (The clock struck three. Literally, the clock gives three.)Dieron golpes a mi hijo. (They hit my son. Literally, they gave blows to my son.)Te damos gracias. (We thank you. Literally, we give thanks to you.)Darse a conocer. (To make oneself known.)Me dio un abrazo. (She hugged me.)Dar la mano. (To shake hands.)Dar un paseo. (To take a walk.)Darse vuelta. (To turn.)Darse prisa. (To hurry.)Darse a la vela. (To set sail.)Darse a entender. (To suggest.)Darse de comer. (To feed.)Darse fin. (To finish.) Phrases Using Dar Dar is also used in a variety of phrases whose meaning isnt always so predictable. Here are some of the most common of them, along with sample sentences. When using the phrases in this list, alguien is replaced by reference to a person, while algo is replaced by reference to a thing. dar alcance: to catch up with. (Los agentes dieron alcance al ladrà ³n. The agents caught up with the thief.)dar algo a alguien: to give something to someone. (Dieron un carro a su hijo. They gave a car to their son.)dar con algo (o a alguien): to find something (or someone) (Di con mi lpiz en la escuela. I found my pencil in the school.)a alguien dar por (o en) (infinitivo): to decide to (verb) (Me di por (o en) salir. I decided to leave.)dar a lugar: to look over a place (La ventana da a la ciudad. The window overlooks the city.)dar luz, dar a luz: to give birth (Marà ­a dio luz a Jesà ºs. Mary gave birth to Jesus.)dar de cabeza: to fall on ones head. (Dio de cabeza en el gimnasio. He fell on his head in the gymnasium.)dar de narices: to fall flat on ones face. (La chica dio de narices. The girl fell flat on her face.)dar lo mismo: to make no difference. (Comià ³ mucho, pero lo mismo dio. She ate a lot, but it didnt make a difference.)darse a algo: to give or devote oneself (to something). (Se da a su trabajo. He gives himself to his work.) dar a alguien (o algo) por (adjectivo) o (participio): to assume or consider someone to be (adjective or participle). (La dieron por feliz. Doy la lucha por concluido. She was considered to be happy. I consider the fight to be over.)darse cuenta de: to realize. (Me di cuenta que ella estaba aquà ­. I realized she was here.) Conjugation of Dar Keep in mind that dar is conjugated irregularly, especially in the preterite form: yo di, tà º diste, usted/à ©l/ella dio, nosotros/nosotras dimos, vosotros/vosotras disteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas dieron. In the present indicative tense, the one most often used, the first-person singular form is doy (I give). Other irregular forms exist in the subjunctive and imperative moods. In many of them, the stem changes from d- to dier-. Key Takeaways Dar is a common verb whose literal meaning is to give, but it can be used in a wide variety of ways where its translation depends on context.Dar is also commonly used in phrases where its meaning isnt ready apparent.Dar is conjugated irregularly.

Should the central bank aim for zero inflation (Economics) Essay

Should the central bank aim for zero inflation (Economics) - Essay Example rcent inflation rate would not be in line with the natural rate of unemployment in the country therefore targeting a zero percent inflation would not serve the interests of the economy. A dominant economy phenomenon before great depression was the fact that there was a deflation in the economy as the prices tend to come down rather than go up however after the happening of Great Depression, a new phenomenon of inflation emerged under which prices showed the tendency to increase over the period of time rather than decrease. Increase in general price level or inflation have very threatening impacts on the economy as it not reduce the purchasing power of a consumer but it also reduce the competitive advantage of the countries as rising inflation would make the goods and services of that country more expensive hence less competitive in international market. Thus the question arise for the monetary policy experts of the country as to what level of inflation within the economy can be achieved in order to keep the competitiveness of the economy intact. The argument which is often brought forward in order to bring the price stability is the fact that price stability can not be achieved without sacrificing the employment level in the country. Thus there is a negative relationship between the inflation and unemployment in the country. If policy makers tend to contain the inflation down, the unemployment levels in the economy would increase and similarly if fiscal and monetary policymakers aim to achieve the low unemployment level in the country, inflation is going to increase. (Gramley). â€Å"Economists label the relationship between inflation and unemployment the Phillips curve. According to NAIRU, the Phillips curve is vertical; its verticality indicates that if the central bank (i.e., the Fed) increases inflation, there is no reduction in the unemployment rate. Similarly, lowering the inflation rate also has no effect on unemployment. This means that the inflation rate

Economics of Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics of Immigration - Essay Example However, the economic impact largely depends upon the skills of those immigrated (House of Lords, pp. 5). A question however arises. Why is there a large need for immigration? In many poor countries, the population grows at a faster pace than the creation of employment opportunities. The political instability, economic and social problems all propel certain people to immigrate, either legally or illegally, to developed countries. Mexico is one such country that has shown a large increase in immigration to countries such as the United Sates. Many of the Mexican workers in the United States have immigrated illegally, without any inspection or a Visa (Yoshida, pp. 2). The major relationship of migration occurs between the United States and Mexico. Around 9 million people, born in Mexico have now migrated to United States. This migration has largely created economic changes in Mexico and United States. Two major factors have resulted in the blooming of this relationship. The first is bec ause of increased economic growth. Secondly, because of high inequality in Mexico and between Mexico and United States, the immigration has increased (Bush, McLarty, Alden, pp. 39). Immigration is largely because of economic factors and it further has economic impacts. The paper shall attempt to discuss the economic reasons of immigration into the United States from Mexico, what economic effects it has had on the U.S and Mexican economy. It also covers America’s policy, regarding immigration. As mentioned above, economic factors play a major role in an increase in immigration in the United States from Mexico. After the Second World War, there was a baby boom in both the United States and Mexico, but eventually in 1960, it reduced in US but continued to grow in Mexico. The Mexican economy did not create as many jobs as it should have for the working population; therefore, it resulted in immigration into the United States. Economists have concluded that around one third of immi gration from US to Mexico in the past decades has occurred because of an increase in birth rates. (Bush, McLarty, Alden, pp.39). However, the baby boom does not remain the only economic factor, explaining immigration. The second largest reason for immigration into the United States is due to the weak Mexican economy. For the past decades, the Mexican economy has not created enough jobs; the minimum wage remains too low. Even though the Mexican economy grew in 1960s and 1970s, the 1982 debt crisis rocked the economy largely, resulting in emigration from Mexico in search for higher paid jobs. The trend towards higher immigration into the United States from Mexico has largely been followed by recessions or slumps in the Mexican economy (Bush, McLarty, Alden, pp.39). In fact, the economic factors play such an important role in the process of immigration in United States from Mexico that the major source of revenue in Mexico comes from remittances sent by Mexicans working in the United S tates (Drachman & Paulino, pp. 124). Although immigration to another country may occur because of political instability and religious reasons, in the case of Mexico, this immigration has largely occurred because of economic problems. Mexicans have gained economically because of this immigration into the United States. It increases the wage per hour of an average Mexican worker; therefore, increasing the standard of living. Moreover, the United States

Communication and Professional Relationships Essay Example for Free

Communication and Professional Relationships Essay Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Effective communication is important. This means building and contributing to positive relationships. I need to demonstrate effective communication skills when dealing with everyone – children, colleagues and parents. I must consider how I deal with people and what response I will get from them. Positive relationships will aid communication. Parents and adults that come into school are more likely to respond positively and give support if communication is good. Pupils look to adults for how to communicate properly. We must model effective communication skills. If we ask pupils to behave in a certain way i.e. – remembering our manners – and we don’t then they will find it harder to understand the boundaries of what is acceptable. Positive and effective communication doesn’t happen by chance. It is important to think about how I relate to others and how I am viewed by others as a result. Where communication breaks down there will be misunderstandings and as a result bad feelings. Positive relationships cannot be left to chance they must be developed and it is the role of the TA to help this happen within the class. Relationships within the school are developed on a daily basis. Most of the time I do this without even knowing I am doing it. There are six things to remember: Showing respect – be courteous, listen to different points of view. Acknowledge and respect differing opinions/ideas. Take time to remember names. Being considerate – Take time to consider others opinions/ideas. Try to understand why someone may have acted in a certain way – i.e. pressure/stress. Remembering issues which are personal to them – personal issues at home, a birthday etc. Taking time to listen – listen if someone is looking for advice or help. Always show that you are interested – respond appropriately. Being clear – particularly on the m ain points of a conversation, which can sometimes get lost in a lengthy discussion. Sense of humour – take time to see the funny side – when appropriate. Can be a good icebreaker, helps to relieve stress. It is important to adapt communication to meet the situation. For example using formal language in a meeting. However there are other ways to communicate –through the way we respond to others. For example how quickly we respond to an e-mail or a telephone message, how attentive we are when speaking and even how we dress. Non spoken communication can be an issue as it is easily misread by others. Different cultures also have their own behaviour â€Å"codes† which will include gestures, body language and eye contact. When I first started at The Manor I often dealt with a pupil from Nigeria and I thought he was being rude as he never looked at me when I spoke to him but a colleague told me that in his culture it was rude to make eye-contact. It is important to build good relationships with the children and young people I come into contact with. To do this I will need to adapt my behaviour and communication to suit the chil d and situation. Every child needs to feel secure and valued and I need to ensure that I help this to happen. From the beginning of any relationship with a child it is important to establish the ground rules and mutual respect. Talking to the child at the beginning about what they can expect from me and what I expect from them will help to establish a rapport. At the same time I need to be aware of the issues that are important to them and talk to them about them. Pupils need to feel a part of the school and talking to them positively and being involved with them will help this. However it is important that being attentive doesn’t mean giving pupils attention whenever they demand it. If I was to be given a new group of pupils to work with I would make sure that before starting any work I established a relationship with them. This could involve just spending a few moments with them asking their name and a bit about themselves and telling them something about myself. Children develop at different rates and when dealing with children it is important to remember what stage they are at. It is important to remember that all children will have different needs and will need changing levels of attention and support. Their ability to concentrate will also affect how to communicate with them. If working with children with special needs I will need to seek advice from the teacher or the SENCO on how to behave/communicate with them. It may also be necessary to have additional equipment or training to help me communicate with a pupil with special needs. This could include training in sign language. It is important to act sensitively when dealing with a child with communication difficulties. They must not feel pressured when they are speaking. They may feel nervous. It is important to adapt how I communicate with them to reflect this. A child with a speech disorder i.e. a stammer will need extra time when it comes to communicating. It is important not to fill in words or second guess what they are going to say – this will only cause them distress. At the same time however it is important to ensure that they are still given the opportunity to speak. More self conscious, may become embarrassed when speaking to others. There may be instances when I have to communicate with a child whose first language is not English. It is important to remember this when helping them. It may be necessary to change how to communicate with them. I should seek support and guidance from the school as necessary. Since I began working with children one of the most frequent things I have had to deal with is disagreements between pupils and peers. Disagreements will often take place during break time but will also happen in the classroom too. It is important to establish the facts as quickly as possible, go back to the beginning of the incident. Let all sides speak and give their interpretation of the event. It is important that all pupils feel that they have been listened to. If one or more of the children involved is one who is regularly involved in disagreements do not assume that it is them that has caused the problem. I will need to establish if anyone was in the wrong and decide whether further action is needed (i.e. referral to the head teacher) Also it is important for children to apologies when appropriate. Helping a child to understand how their actions might affect others is very important. Also they need to understand how their feelings affect their behaviour. For example I might need to tell a child â€Å"I know you are upset because R doesn’t want to play your game but that doesn’t mean that you can say horrible things to them and upset them†. It is important to encourage children to understand and respect the feelings of others. Circle time is one effective way of doing this. If there has been a spate of â€Å"bad Play† at lunchtime the teacher or myself may get the children to sit in a circle and all talk about the difference between â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† play and how it might affect others. This may not be practical with younger children as they are unable to sit still for long periods of time. When working in a school it is not just children that I will need to establish a relationship with there are also adults. It is important to remain professional but at the same time be practical and sensitive. I will have to establish a relationship with other members of the school team, parents and others who come into the school. As with children, when dealing with adults it is important to be aware of who you are speaking to and how they may be affected by what I am saying. Support that I give will be on several levels Practical – Help visitors who are unfamiliar with school Informative – Write reports on pupils. Give information about particular situations. Professional – Support others with planning. Discussing work with manager/class teacher. Emotional – Support others day-to-day. Sense of humour. Establishing and building positive relationships will help to ensure that people we come into contact with will feel able, and willing to communicate effectively. Disagreements are not conducive for a happy and effective learning environment. Positive relationships within the classroom are very important to learning and must not be left to chance. Children will look to adults as a role model. It is important to be as positive and effective a role model as possible. They will learn from observing my dealings with adults and pupils. If I treat others and them with respect they will hopefully do the same. Relationships are built on a daily basis. Children and young people will respond to positive relationships with adults. If they feel supported by adults in the school and get along with their peers a child is more likely to want to come to school. One possible conflict is when the school and the parent do not agree on things. This matter should be dealt with as quickly as possible to ensure that it does not affect the child. Communication can be verbal and non-verbal, formal or informal. When dealing with adults or children the same principles apply: Maintain eye contact and interest Respond to what is being said Treat them with courtesy and respect. Whilst it is important to build a good rapport with the children I work with they must still respect me. They need to see that whilst I may get on with them I am still their TA and must be treated with respect. My relationship with them must remain formal whilst in school. It is important to be clear when speaking with children. It is important to use age appropriate language. Do not use long lists of instructions as it makes it more difficult to understand what is required. Get children to repeat back what has been said and what they are being asked to do. Children and young people will learn by example. By showing them how to communicate effectively and get along with one another. If we are respectful and show that we respect others they are more likely to do the same. Children will copy behaviour from an early age – this will include positive and negative behaviour. Respect is important to everyone – including children. If a child expresses an opinion or answers a question they must not be dismissed or ridiculed. I will always acknowledged and thank them – even if I don’t agree with their ideas or opinions. If I was speaking to a parent or a child who had a hearing impediment I would make sure that I spoke clearly and I would also face them so that they could lip-read. Even with the best will in the world communication problems will still arise. There may be times when problems arise between pupils. These could be caused by a number of reasons. Poor communication – information not passed on or a misunderstanding. It is important to establish the cause and find a way forward. Opposing expectations – differing ideas about the purpose of an activity or meeting. Always clarify exactly what is expected. Cultural differences Some cultures communicate differently – i.e. in some cultures eye contact is not encouraged. Values and ideas – School may request pupils do something in a particular way but parents may have different views. External factors – Home pressures may affect the way someone communicates. Often when working closely with someone we can see that they are behaving out of character and ask them if there is a problem. Not always able to see when dealing with someone that we do not know or see on a regular basis. Special needs – Must show care and sensitivity to anyone who has communication difficulties. May need extra time when speaking or signing. May be anxious or nervous. May be necessary to adapt way in which I communicate with them. Lack of confidence – May result in a person acting aggressively. Will affect how they communicate with others. Important to be sensitive to this and offer support and encouragement. Disagreements often occur because of poor communication. It is important to deal with any conflicts carefully so that problems do not persist. Even as an adult I might misread information. A child or young person is much more likely to do so. If there are disagreements between children I will need to manage it carefully and seek advice/help if needed. If a pupil becomes argumentative I will calmly explain that I am not entering into an argument with them. I will explain what they need to do – e.g. calm down, stop shouting and listen. However there will be times when the best thing to do is to leave them be and to come back to them when things have calmed down. Whilst doing this it is important to ensure that the pupil is safe and cannot harm them self or anyone else. Disputes with adults must be dealt with sensitively and it is important to resolve the problem quickly. If it is not possible for me to do this myself I will seek help and guidance from my line-manager or a mediator. It is impossible to work effectively in a tense atmosphere and is unlikely to be resolved without some action. In general life and whilst at work I will come across many different peopl e and I will have to adapt my method of communication in order to meet the needs of the individual. This will depend on the age of the person I am speaking to, the background to the conversation, the communication needs of the person. Often we do this without even realising that we are doing it. It is impossible expect never to have a disagreement at work. Often these disagreements will be because of bad or lack of communication. It is important to deal with these problems when they arise to ensure they do not continue. Sometimes we can misread or perceive information incorrectly and may have the wrong idea on something. It is important to show sensitivity and try to resolve conflicts as soon as possible. The longer a problem goes on the harder it will be to sort out. Poor communication will often lead to problems. This could be because information has not been passed on to the appropriate person – i.e. parent or teacher. Establishing a cause for the bad communication and finding a way forward is important. Problems must not just be ignored in the hope it will go away – it will more than likely get worse. It is important to clarify aims and expectations to ensure that there are no opposing expectations as to the purpose of an activity or discussion. Often parents and the school will have different ideas and methods on how to deal with situations. In this instance it will be important to work with others within the school (family Support) to help explain and clarify school policy. It is often important to remember that external factors will have an effect on how people communicate – stress, lack of time. As we work and come into contact with the same people it is possible to identify when they are acting out of character – it is then important to ask if there is anything wrong or if we can help. A lack of confidence often manifests itself in aggression. It is important to be sensitive to this and offer encouragement and support. Schools gather information on pupils so that they can be cared for effectively. However it will only ask for information that is directly relevant e.g. health and medical, records from other schools. This is confidential information and must only be used for the purpose for which it was gathered. If the information is to be passed on to others then parental consent must be given. The Data Protection Act 1998 requires an organisation that holds information on individuals to register with the Information Commissioners Office. Parents supply information so that we can care for their child. This can include health or medical information, records from previous schools and special need records, this is confidential information and must be used only for the purpose it is gathered. Parental consent will be needed if information is to be passed onto others. There are eight principles of practice which governs the use of personal information. Information must be: * Processed fairly and lawfully * Used only for the purpose for which it was gathered * Adequate, relevant and not excessive * Accurate and kept up to date where necessary * Kept for no longer than necessary * Processed in line with the individual’s rights * Kept secure * Not transferred outside the EU without adequate protection. When sending information home it is important to be aware that the recipient may not be able to deal with it as you might expect. For example they may not have access to a computer or the internet or they may have reading difficulties. It is important to be sensitive to this when asking a parent or carer why they have not responded. In addition it may be that the person does not speak English as a first language. I will often be aware of information regarding the school and children I come into contact with. It is important to know when and how to share this information. If I am unsure as to what to do with any information I will seek guidance from my line-manager or SENCO (when appropriate). There are times when I will know the children and their parents I deal with personally. It is very important that I do not reveal any information regarding pupils or the school. By passing on information to them I could be abusing my position of trust. When gathering information it may be necessary to reassure pupils or parents that the information will be treated confidentially. However at the same time it is important to explain my obligations. For example if a child or parent tells me something in confidence that I feel indicates that a child is at risk I will explain that I have to pass this information on.

Beef Customer Satisfaction :: essays research papers

Executive Director, Issues Management — NCBA Summary The checkoff-funded beef safety tracking survey conducted in November 2004 found that fresh beef steaks/roasts remained the protein with the highest consumer confidence in safety. The survey asks consumers to give grades to foods for being safe to eat and 76 percent of survey respondents gave steak/roast an A or B for safety. Background The beef safety tracking surveys are quarterly telephone surveys of a national, random sample of U.S. adults. Vegetarians do not answer the survey. The margin of error for survey data is plus/minus 3.2 percent. General food safety The percentage of Americans giving U.S. food in general an A or B for safety has remained relatively stable with some small fluctuations in the past year. However, this survey found the percentage of A/B grades (70%) significantly lower than in November 2003 (74%) and at the lowest score since November 2002 (69%). The November 2004 score is much lower than the 77 percent measured during the last survey in May 2004. Safety of specific fresh foods The safety ratings for specific fresh foods remained stable during the past year with no significant differences in the ratings in November 2004. Fresh fruits and vegetables are consistently at the top of the list when it comes to safety grades given to specific fresh foods one might buy in a grocery store. Fresh beef steaks and roasts receive the highest meat product safety grade (76%). Tied for second place with 70 percent of consumers grading A or B were fresh pork chops and microwaveable foods. Foods with lower consumer safety grades were fresh ground beef (64%), fresh chicken (63%), fresh fish (60%), fresh ground pork (56%) and pre-prepared foods from the deli (52%). Specific concerns regarding food safety The safety tracking survey asks consumers to rate their level of concern about specific safety issues on a 5-point scale, with one being not concerned and five being extremely concerned. The percentage of â€Å"top two† scores (4-5 ratings on the scale) indicate the issues of greatest concern. Safety issues tend not to be top of mind with consumers, evidenced by the fact that safety issues barely register when consumers state reasons for eating less beef. However, when asked to think about specific safety concerns, bacteria (62%) and pesticides (62%) top the list. Consumer concerns about chemical additives (58%) and mad cow disease (57%) make up a second tier of safety concerns. Concerns about mad cow disease did not increase significantly as a result of the first U.S. case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in December 2003, and in fact, currently are significantly lower than the 61 percent concern level measured in November 2003.

Moving to United States

Moving to United States The most memorable event in my life was when we moved out from Russia to a country that changes lives and is known as a dream land called the United States of America. When we sat on the airplane that was going toward the United States in August of 2004, we knew our lives are going to be changed in the way we always wanted them to. After twelve years of not going to school and being discriminated by Russian citizens, this moving to a new country was the most amazing, not just in my life generally, but for my entire family as well.The war started in Kabul, Afghanistan in July of 1994; moving to Russia was the only choice for my family to be safe even though we knew we would face a lot of difficulties. I was only four years old when my father and my mother took me the youngest in the family at that time, three of my brothers, and two of my sisters to Moscow, Russia. On our way to the train that was going toward Russia, we lost my fourteen year old brother.This a ccident almost stopped us from moving out from the country, but my father made the right choice either to look for his lost son or lose all of us, so we had to move on. When we finally arrived to Moscow, Russia in August of 1994, we did not have any money or a place to stay. My father remembered that he had a friend who had been living in Russia for twenty years already; maybe he could help us out for now to find a place to stay. He called him within three hours of our presence to Moscow and asked him if he could come and help us out.After an hour, he arrived, and he took us to his house and he was very happy of meeting my father after twenty years. We stayed at his house for three months. Four months later my father borrowed some money from his friend, and we opened our small business where we were selling leather jackets just to make some kind of money to eat and pay the rent. Nine months later, my father tried to take us to school, but they did not accept us because we did not ha ve any documentation that would allow us to go to school because we were illegal in the country.It was very hard and difficult for our father to see us not going to school and not getting the education that we needed for our futures; we even barely could go outside because of the citizens of that country would discriminate you and judge you by your skin color. One day my father went to the immigration center in Moscow and asked them if we could apply for citizenship or some kind of documentation that would allow his children to go to school. The Russian immigration center denied the request at the time because of some private reason that they did not want to tell my father.Five years passed and we still could not go to public schools or be legal in the country. My father tried it again and the Russian immigration center gives us the documentation that would allow us to live in the country but it did not allow us to go to school. Then one morning my older brother talked to my father, and he claimed that he does not want to live in Russia anymore without education and that he wants to move to Holland with his friends. My father was very upset and at the same time lost that he is right for how long are we going to be living like this.After three years of my brothers moving to Holland, my father decides to move to Sweden because that was the only country at that time that would accept immigrants and give them the right documentation to live in the country. It was very difficult for him to leave us in the country where the danger was around us every day, but he knew he must do something for his children to be able to go to school and live like the normal children do. In August of 1999 he arrived in Sweden, and the Swedish immigration center gave him temporary documentation to live in the country legally until they decide if he is eligible for citizenship.Very excited and happy our father called us and told us that he got the documentation to be legal in the country of Sweden. When we heard that, we thought we going to move to Sweden very soon and that we going to be together, but the Swedish immigration center asked us to wait a couple of years then we might move in. We waited two years and nothing happened, our father was very sad and confused about what he could do now. At the same time, he knew there was nothing he could do; it was all up to the immigration center of Sweden to decide our future.Then one day, it was our Holliday called Eid, my mother had her friend with her children over at our house to have a dinner with us, and she told her that they are about to move to United States the next month. My mother was very happy and excited for her friend and asked her how she did it. My mother told her that my fathers had been in Sweden for five years now and still nothing was happening. My mother’s friend told her she needed to apply at the United States immigration center that was located in Moscow and try to see if we would get acc epted.Then the next day January of 2004 my mother and I went to the United States immigration center, and we applied for the permanent residence ship to any state. After two months, we received a call from the United States immigration center that we are scheduled for an interview; we all were very excited and happy that we might move to United States, to a country that is known as the dream land and freedom. When we give our interview the person who was interviewing us asked us why we wanted to go to the United States.The answer was very simple to all of my family; it was education, freedom from being discriminated because of your skin color, and just to live in peace. After our interview, he told us, â€Å"I will see you guys in America† That moment was one of the best moments in my live and I do not think I could ever forget it. We all cried, and he told us it will take three months for them to do our paper work. When we received our plane tickets to New York, we were amaz ed and very excited about moving to a country where we never imagined moving in to. It was Sunday morning when we arrived in New York City International Airport.It was very hard for us to believe that this was really happening to us we were in America, a place where no one hates you, a place where they will allow you to go to school, and you can be who you are. Our lives changed after arriving in San Diego California, good things started to happen in with us. When we arrived here, there was a very kind gentleman at the airport who met us. He introduced himself as our case worker. We did not know what a case worker really meant, but what we did know that he was the only person who could help us.That very kind gentleman who was our case worker took us to school and got us an apartment. Two years later we found our brother after thirteen years who got lost at the time of our moving from Afghanistan. People have been saying that the United States of America can change people’s li ves, and they were right. It changed our lives, and it is a great country where everything is possible if you try. My entire family and I always had hope in our hearts; we knew nothing can be done if you do not try and if you do not have hope for a better future.