Sunday, January 26, 2020

Youth Empowerment Scheme for Poverty Reduction

Youth Empowerment Scheme for Poverty Reduction The depiction of Nigeria as a paradox by the World Bank (1996) cannot be faulted. The paradox is that the level of poverty is a contradiction of the countrys enormous wealth. Nigeria is immensely endowed with human, oil, gas, agricultural, and untapped mineral resources, just to mention but a few. Unfortunately, despite these endowments, the country remains one of the poorest in the world. In its 2000 Human Development Report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) placed Nigeria among the 30 least developed countries (LCDs) of the world (UNDP, 2000). Although poverty is rampant in Nigeria, it is more prevalent in certain areas; and with a much more devastating dimension in rural communities. One of these areas is the Niger Delta region, which is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy because of its significantly high level of oil reserves. The region has vast oil reserves but remains poor, underdeveloped and torn apart with conflict (Eweje, 2007). Amnesty International (2005) confirmed that the Niger Delta remain among the most deprived oil communities in the world with 70 per cent living on less than US$1 a day, which is the standard economic measure of absolute poverty. Decades of political and economic marginalization that resulted from the neglect of the Niger Delta region by successive Nigerian governments, and the initial hesitation of multinational companies (MNCs) to attend to their social responsibility and contribute to social development, enshrined poverty in the region (Idemudia, 2007). According to Orogun (2009), the many years of oil production has benefited the federal, state, and local governments as well as the multinational oil companies, yet this huge profit has yet to improve the deplorable human condition, misery index of the indigenous inhabitants; nor has it fostered sustainable economic development in the oil producing communities. Sequel to this, the youth of the region have incessantly expressed their grievances by attacking deployed law enforcement and security agents, vandalizing oil installations, kidnapping and taking foreign oil workers hostage, bearing arms against the state, and forming militia groups in order to draw governments and multinationals attention to their plight. Globally, there have been growing demands on MNCs to provide community development programmes and assistance to their host communities, especially in developing countries in other words, meeting locally defined social and economic goals. This is primarily because developmental projects and other social infrastructures are lacking in most of these countries; and most of the time they are not provided by the state. Multinational corporations, as Etheredge (1999) believes, have an obligation to act as responsible members of the societies which grant them legal standing. He goes on to say that MNCs good corporate conduct does not only imply responsibilities that are only within the bounds of minimum legal requirements but also social responsibilities that are both acceptable and beneficial to various social constituencies that surround business enterprises. In developing countries, MNCs are expected to provide some social services and welfare programmes in addition to their normal economic activities. Although these are not the functions of businesses in economic terms; but in the developing countries, as Eweje (2006) stresses, these roles are expected from MNCs as an expression of demonstrating corporate social responsibility (CSR). Elucidating this view, Wasserstrom and Reider (1998) maintain that oil and gas companies in Asia, Latin America and Africa, for instance, are facing demands from the local community to provide education and healthcare programmes. They continued, saying that, these programmes are not give-aways, but involve training and working with community members to allow them to plan for meeting their own needs in the future. Wasserstrom and Reider (1998) further noted that by establishing such programs and working with the demands of the community, firms find less resistance to their operations, not only from the local community but from environmental and human rights special interest groups as well. Against this background, the Multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta have demonstrated commitments to the reduction of poverty through their respective community development initiatives. The study, therefore, evaluates the youth development strategies of Shell (normally called Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC) in the Niger Delta. From the foregoing, it suffices that MNCs have a role in development not only through capital investment but more importantly by investing in human capital and providing local people with the tools to drive their own economic development (Nelson, 1996). Statement of the problem The high incidence of poverty in the Niger Delta is in sharp contrast to the regions critical importance to the Nigerian economy. The Niger Delta oil contributes enormously to the well-being of the Nigerian state, which depends on the oil industry for approximately 95% of export earnings and 80% of government revenue (SPDC, 2009); yet the poverty level in the region is higher than the national average (Clark et al., 1999; NDDC, 2004). Zandvliet and Pedro (2002) illustrated the picture of the region in the following words: About 70 per cent of the community lack access to clean water, has no passable roads or electricity supply, a shortage of medical facilities, a large number of dilapidated schools and suffers from severe environmental degradation due to oil production. After over 40 years of oil exploration and hundreds of billions of dollars of oil revenue, the oil producing communities have received little attention from successive administrations, particularly in the areas of socio-economic and infrastructural development. The cumulative circumstances have led to perceived alienation, and the result of which is the frequent social disorder as the only means by which attention could be drawn to them. Obi (2008) states the following as being responsible for the regions agitations: Oil pollution, extreme poverty, high levels of youth unemployment, pollution, perceived discriminatory employment practices against locals by oil companies and socioà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ economic and political marginalization and neglect by successive administrations constitute the main grievances against the oil companies and the government. The prevalence of poverty is very high in the Niger Delta, with over 70% living on less than a dollar per day in the rural areas. This soaring incidence of poverty is in sharp contrast to the regions position as the treasure base of the nation. This, notwithstanding, it is a political culture of governments at all levels in Nigeria and the elites to lay blame on the multinational corporations for the poverty situation in the region. Such culture of blame goes further in inciting the community members into believing that the MNCs are the architects of the regions poverty, and believing that the companies are massively exploiting them, but giving too little or nothing in return to them in form of development. Consequently this has occasioned persistent community protests, agitations and conflicts. The widespread poverty afflicting the people of the region has led to a condition of despair and the recourse to violence against the state and multinationals by the youth. The youths resentment stems from the regions loss of their traditional means of livelihood which are farming and fishing, caused by the activities of the oil companies, such as environmental degradation, oil spillage and gas flaring. Similarly, faced with massive unemployment and a bleak future due to absence of both government and private employment, the youth, which constitute a larger proportion of the region, have persistently expressed their frustration through hostage taking, arson directed at oil installations and attacks on the Nigerian state. Although successive Nigerian governments at different times have put up a lot of poverty alleviation programmes, yet all attempts to put the Niger Delta on course of development have been unproductive. Among the ills that hamper the development of the region are corruption and bad governance. For instance, while the institutions of the state at all levels (federal, state and local governments) are very corrupt, making it difficult for budgeted funds to trickle down to the target population; politics on the other hand is used to promote individual and sectional interests, as against the pursuit of public good. Therefore, due to this lack of significant government commitment to the development of the region, poverty has remained a pervasive problem in the Niger Delta. Hence, conditions have continued to worsen and poverty has become a major issue in the region in spite of her rich resource base. This failure to provide the developmental needs of the communities has led to the reliance by the region on the multinational oil companies to step in and fill this wide development gap. Accordingly, MNCs in the Niger Delta have responded to this challenge by employing community development strategies geared towards poverty reductions in their host communities. The need for MNCs involvement in poverty reduction cannot be overemphasized. As Ite (2004) pointed out, foreign direct investment flowing to developing countries has the potential to make important contributions to the development of local economies, including creating jobs, capacity building, and the transfer of technology. As a result, multinational corporations (MNCs) can have a positive impact in developing countries, especially through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives focusing on sustainable development and co-operation with civil society. As corporate citizens, multinational companies have contributed in various ways to local community development in the area as a way of addressing the unemployment, poverty and squalor that are stacking realities of daily living for the people of the area. For instance, Shell has been involved in educational initiatives, healthcare services and youth development projects, just to mention but a few. The main focus of the study which is on youth development scheme is a vocational training programme in which participants acquire necessary skills for self employment or eligibility for employment, such as welding, auto mechanics and electrical work. The study, therefore argues that the youth development scheme is an empowerment scheme that has improved the livelihood of the participants; although the efforts of the multinationals are constrained by factors which are political economic and social. However, the strategies must be sustainable if they have to make long term impact on poverty reduction. Has the vocational training on the youths been empowering? Have the youth been empowered by the vocational training? Do the community participate in the scheme and what is the level of their participation? RESEARCH QUESTIONS The following questions will be addressed: To what extent have youth vocational training been empowering? How much does the community participate in the scheme? What are the barriers that hamper MNCs community development efforts in the area? OBJECTIVE OF STUDY The general objective of the study is to evaluate the youth development initiatives of Shell multinational, aimed at poverty reduction among the youth of the Niger Delta. To evaluate the impact of youth development strategies on the participants To examine the level of participation of youth in the projects To identify the barriers of CD efforts of the multinational oil companies in Niger Delta 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY The study seeks to be a contribution to the already existing literature on Niger Delta. It will serve as a reference source to the authorities of Nigeria, multinational oil companies, and other Niger Delta stakeholders in gaining more insights into the root causes of the persistent conflict in the region; and consequently look in a new direction for a more effective approach aimed at addressing the crisis. There is minimal evidence in literature about community development initiatives of the multinationals in Niger Delta. This research adds to the literature on MNCs CD assistance in the region. It also shows that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern. In addition to spurring economic growth and prosperity to the Nigerian state, the community assistance of multinational corporations in Niger Delta should be commended. However, the condition of the region demands a more vigorous corporate social responsibility by the MNCs in the pursuit of community development. Poverty reduction is an important development concern, which requires sustained involvements of the stakeholders in addressing community needs. The study highlights the usefulness of the MNCs corporate social responsibility in reducing poverty among the youth, which represent one of the major assets of any community. In this respect, the study contributes to knowledge on poverty in Nigeria. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF STUDY The study evaluates the impact of vocational and skills training programmes employed by Shell to empower the youth. It will also examine the level of youths participation in the programmes. Thirdly, it will identify the factors that constrain the CD efforts of the multinationals in the Niger Delta. It will examine several government intervention programmes in the region and why they yielded no positive results. Among the limitations of this study is inability to cover the entire oil producing communities of the chosen state of study due to time, financial constraint and proximity. The geographical terrain of the communities and the presence of security personnel also constitute an impediment to reaching certain key individuals. Further, the volatile condition of the area poses difficulties to the researcher as fresh conflict is capable of springing up at any moment. Hence, the researcher would, as a matter of caution avoid some locations, that otherwise would have provided useful information to the study. OPERATIONALIZATION OF CONCEPTS In this section, the important points and variables to be considered are described to foster a clear understanding of the proposed inquiry. Niger Delta Niger Delta is defined both geographically and politically. The former comprises of states in the South-South geo-political zone, namely, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States; while the political Niger Delta extends to the neighboring oil producing states of Ondo, Abia and Imo, for reasons of administrative convenience, political expedience and development objectives (UNDP, 2006). The study focuses on the geographical Niger Delta, with River State as the case study. Multinational Corporations (MNCs) and Multinational Oil Corporations (MOCs): Multinational Corporation is a firm which control and organize production using plants from at least two countries (Caves, 1996:1). Multinational oil corporations are corporations operating in more than one country for the purpose of exploring for, producing, refining, and marketing oil. In Nigeria, there are many of these multinationals oil corporations such as: Shell, Texaco, Chevron, Elf, Exxon, Mobil, Agip, Fina, and Total, just to mention a few. For the purpose of this study, Shell multinational will be my case study; although references will be made to other multinationals, where necessary. Poverty: Poverty connotes a condition of human deprivation or denial with respect to the basic necessities of life food, shelter, and clothing. It is above all a symptom of embedded structural imbalance, which manifests in all domains of human existence (Hamdok, 1999). The author also believes that poverty is highly correlated with social exclusion, marginalization, vulnerability, powerlessness, isolation, and deprivation. Community Development (CD): Community Development means improving the quality of peoples lives and expanding their ability to shape their own futures through improving their access to opportunities to better themselves (Soubbotina, Sheram World Bank, 2000). Community development in this study refers to the provision of capacity to the youth of the Niger Delta, through vocational training, with the ultimate goal of reducing unemployment among them. Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS): The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD, 2000) defines CSR as the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable development, working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their quality of life. According to Idowu and Papasolomou (2007), CSR addresses the fundamental role that business plays, or ought to play in society. Corporate social responsibility in the current study refers to Shells community development programmes targeted at youth, with the view of improving their livelihood through job creation programmes. Capacity Building: Capacity building is the process by which individuals, groups, organizations, institutions and societies increase their abilities to perform core functions, solve problems, define and achieve objectives; to understand and deal with their development needs in a broad context and in a sustainable manner (UNDP, 1997). UNDP. (1997). Capacity Development Resources Book. New York: UNDP Eade (1997) is of the view that within the concept of capacity building is the idea of development, which is an empowering process; while the notion of overcoming poverty is part of the process of development [Eade, D. (1997]. Capacity Building: An approach to people-centered Development. Oxford: Oxfam Publication. Capacity building as employed in this study refers to the process of equipping the youth with skills such as welding, electrical work, auto-mechanics, which will enable them to become gainfully self-employed, thereby reducing poverty. Chapter three: Methodology This chapter presents the research methods used to guide and accomplish the study objectives. It discusses the research design, how the researcher intends to gather his data, the type of techniques to be employed in assembling the information, the respondents, and the method of analyzing the data. The appropriateness of the design, the target population, the sampling frame and the size of the sample are also discussed. 3.1 Research Design The study will utilize the qualitative research approach, using in-depth interview, and will be analyzed descriptively. Qualitative in-depth interview provides a valuable means to probe intensely into subjective realities; covering a wide range of topics because of its flexible formality. According to Kvale (1996), qualitative in-depth interviewing approach is comparable to wandering together with interviewees; while interviewers who genuinely want to understand are on a journey with interviewees, giving the later an opportunity to communicate stories in their own perspectives. Kvale, Steiner. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Potter (1996) confirms that the ability of interviewing to explore the subjective perception has made in-depth an essential data collection tool in research. Potter, W. J. (1996). An analysis of thinking and research about qualitative methods. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. The method enables the researcher to understand the experience and viewpoint of the interviewee and gather information about issues that cannot be comprehended by other means. On it flexibility feature, Lindlof and Taylor (2002) advised that it can be conducted wherever two people can talk in relative privacy. Similarly, Fontana and Frey (1998) are of the view that it can take the form of face-to-face interviewing and telephone interviewing. Rubin Rubin (1995) further maintain that another quality of in-depth interview is its malleability in redesigning the study by the researcher based on new information emerging from his probing. In-depth interviewing is most appropriate for this study because of the aforementioned merits; and more importantly, because of its distinctive ability to generate rich information on topics that have limited literature and topics that have been relatively understudied as the current study. Lindlof, T. R., Taylor, B. C. (2002). Qualitative communication research methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Fontana, A., Frey, J. H. (1998). Interviewing: The art of science. In N. K. Denzin Y. S. Lincoln (eds.) Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials (pp. 47-78). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Rubin, H. J., Rubin, I. S. (1995). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 3.2 Population and Sample The population of the study will be drawn from Obia-Okpor community of River State. The youth of this community who have been involved in the Shell projects will constitute the sample frame. A total of seven respondents will be selected from among the sample frame to make up the sample size for the study. This number is considered suitable for the in-depth interviewing, as the interview itself will cover a wide-range of questions. It is hoped that the diverse contributions of the seven respondents will provide extensive information to the researcher. In qualitative research, a sample is chosen, not to be representative of a larger population but rather for the depth and insights the sample can offer the researcher on the topic of interest (McCracken, 1988). [McCracken, G. (1988). The Long Interview. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.] Also, an official of the multinational company who is directly involved in the youth projects will be interviewed in order to have his insight into t he impact of their projects on the youth. 3.3 Data collection: The research will use both primary and secondary sources in collecting data. Semi-structured interviews will be employed as primary data collection method. This is the type of interviewing conducted with a written list of questions and probes that are used as an interview guide (Bernard, 1988). [Bernard, R.H. (1988). Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications] McCracken (1988) discusses many benefits of conducting semi structured interviews with interview guide. Some of these benefits include the fact that the guide ensures that the researcher discusses all the topics that are vital to the understanding of the issues under study. Also the guide allows the researcher to focus attention on listening to the informants responses, thus offering more understanding of the testimony and better probing by the researcher. McCracken (1988) also stated that the guide does not hinder the open nature of the interview process. There is still opportunity for the researcher to follow the informants interesting lines of thought and their unexpected explanations of the issues. A semi-structured interview is the most useful interview format for conducting qualitative research. This is because the interview is neither highly structured as is the case of an interview comprising of all closed-ended questions nor is it unstructured such that the interviewee is simply given the permission to talk freely about whatever comes up. Semi-structured interviews present topics and questions to the interviewee, but are carefully designed to draw out the interviewees ideas and opinions on a given topic, as opposed to leading the interviewee toward preconceived choices. They rely on the interviewer following up with probes to get in-depth information on topics of interest. This study will also rely on secondary data obtained from textbooks, journals, periodicals, newspapers, reports from both the government of Nigeria and multinational corporations. 3.4 Data Analysis: After data collection, notes and recorded interviews will be transcribed and descriptively analysed. Interview transcripts and notes will be copied and pared down to represent major themes or categories that describe the topic being studied. Transcripts are also coded as they are transcribed. This involves assigning a particular theme or idea a number or keyword (the code) and then marking the code next to any text on the transcript that concerns the relevant theme. Otherwise called thematic analysis, it is a process for coding qualitative information. A thematic approach will be employed in the analysis of the transcribed data. According to Gibson (2006), thematic Analysis is an approach to dealing with data that involves the creation and application of codes to data. The data being analyzed might take any number of forms an interview transcript, field notes, policy documents, photographs, video footage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ there is a clear link between this type of analysis and Grounded theory, as the latter clearly lays out a framework for carrying out this type of code-related analysis. This general approach to qualitative data analysis was first developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and termed grounded theory to refer to the fact that the data for analysis (in the proposed study, the transcribed responses of interviewees) are grounded in their experiences and the context of the topic under study. The researcher will create codes to label the findings, and will analyze the interview data obtained from each participant independently. The notion of Capacity Building Capacity building is in some sense as old as development assistance itself. Slogans such as helping people to help themselves and the proverb, teach a man to fish point directly at capacity building. Capacity building is a relatively new concept in the field of development, emerging in the 1980s (Lusthaus, Adrien Perstinger, 1999). Lusthaus, Adrien Perstinger. (1999). Capacity Development: Definitions, Issues and Implications for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Universalia Occasional Paper, (34), p.1 As with the concepts such as globalization, development, and sustainability, the term capacity building is an ambiguous concept that means different things to different people, groups and organizations. Although many people use these terms, their definitions do not conform to the same, as each puts emphasis on a certain aspect of capacity development (James, 2001). (James, R. (Ed.). (2001). Power and Partnership: Experiences of NGO Capacity Building. Oxford: INTRAC Publication. However, a group of these definitions have emphasized that capacity building is a tool to build and improve the skills, resources and ability of people to implement, monitor and assess a project. Thus, capacity building is seen as a process by which individuals, groups and organizations, institutions and societies increase their abilities to perform core functions, solve problems and define and achieve objectives; to understand and deal with their development needs in a broad context and in a sustainable manner (UNDP, 1997) UNDP. (1997). Capacity Development and UNDP: Supporting Sustainable Human Development. New York: UNDP. Morgan (1993) conceives capacity building as the ability of individuals, groups, institutions and organizations to identify and solve development problems over time. Another definition sees capacity building as an approach to development which encompasses all the fields that influence the development sphere (Eade, 1997) Eade, D. (1997). Capacity Building: An Approach to People-Centered Development. Oxford: Oxfam Publications. In this approach to development, capacity building identifies the weaknesses that people experience in achieving their basic rights, and finding proper means through which to build up (develop) their ability to overcome the causes of their exclusion and suffering. To have successful capacity building is attainable through a strong process of learning and education. And for capacity building to be sustainable, new technologies, new knowledge and information need to be introduced, especially in this period of globalization. This is because development is not comprehensive without sufficient knowledge in this age of globalization and information and technology. Capacity building is a comprehensive process that involves all dimensions of life. It is not so much a matter of just implementing a project or enhancing a particular aspect of life. It is an approach to development which aims to enhance the capability of people in its broadest and in a comprehensive manner. As a people-centered activity, capacity building is a process of community development where people are the focus of capacity enhancement. It creates an enabling environment where people are developed in order to manage themselves and contribute to their societies. To this end, community development becomes the ultimate output of capacity building process. Thus, capacity building is a response to community development needs. Capacity building therefore is seen as women and men becoming empowered to: bring about positive changes in their lives; about personal growth together with public action; about both the process and the outcome of challenging poverty, oppression and discrimination; and about the realization of human potential through social and economic justice. Above all, it is about the process of transforming lives, and transforming societies (Eade Williams, 1995). Eade Williams. (1995). The Oxfam Handbook of Development and Relief. Oxford: Oxfam Publications. In this process of capacity building, people acquire and improve their abilities. This creates an avenue for them as individuals and as members of the community to achieve their development objectives. Capacity Building and Sustainability The concept of sustainability has generated varied interpretations in literature, just like other development concepts. Although the concept emerged as a human response to the human destruction of the environment, it has been argued that sustainability cannot be an issue for a solely social and natural science (Kohn, 1999). Notwithstanding the myriad definitions and interpretations of sustainability, the ultimate goal of the concept is to improve human well being (Sachs, 1999). Capacity building, therefore, as an approach to development is linked to sustainable development. While sustainable development is an attempt to provide improved livelihood for the people, it is through the process of capacity building that the potential of people to achieve sustainability in their lives can be realized. Eade (1997) likened achieving the objectives of sustainable development to the outcome of capacity building, and maintained that both cannot be differentiated. Kohn, J., Goody, J., Hinterberger, F., Straaten, J. (1999). Sustainability in Questions: The Search for a Conceptual Framework. Northampton: Edward Elgar Sachs, W. (1999). Planet Dialectics: Explorations in Environment and Development. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. Capacity Building and Empowerment Empowerment is a cross-disciplinary term, mainly used in fields of Education, Psychology, Community Development, Economics, among others. The understanding of the concept varies among disciplines, too. Based on this many meanings of the term, it has been seen as a construct easy to define by its absence but difficult to define in action, based on the idea that it takes different forms in different people and contexts (Rappoport, cited in Page Czuba, 1

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Joy Of Cooking

A creative interest I have is cooking with pastries, seafood and poultry. Preparing food can be fun. All I need is just a little imagination and time. Pastries are dessert that are severed for special occasions and after a meal. Pastries are special due to the fact each one tastes and looks different. The creative format comes from the chef. Since I am the one who cooks in my house, I must prepare each dish tasteful and attractive. For example, I was thinking of a creative cake for my daughters&rsquo birthday. I decide to make her a choo choo train cake. The way I want to present this dish is by making it look like a toy train with zoo animals standing near by. The idea of this dish is to make the train look similar to the candy house in the story, â€Å"Hansel and Gretel†. The first step was to add food coloring to the icing. She was excited. â€Å"Mommy, can I mix the colors? † Next, I decorated the cake board with grated coconut. I add green food coloring to the grated coconut. Jessica said, † Mommy, that looks like grass. † Then, I decorated the carts of the train with different color icing. For example, I placed green, blue, and red icing on each of the carts. When I finished decorating the carts, I placed them on the black licorice train tracks. When I was finished with placing the carts on the track, Jessica and I arranged assorted candy all over the train. Another creative idea I had was to cook with the children in after school care at William Lehman Elementary. For example, I had decided to make an orange shake with them to celebrate Halloween. The first step I created, was to add orange sherbet ice cream. Next, I add cream soda to the float. When I was finished the shake, I placed one chocolate chip cookie inside of the float. Cooking creativy with seafood is another outstanding process. When cooking shrimp, I must prepare each shrimp to the procedure I want. For example, when preparing Chinese Fried Rice, I cook every item separately. For instance, this dish requires shrimp. This dish I peel each shrimp. Then I season the shrimp with soy sauce. Then, I stir fry them. When I cook this dish, I add everything in a bowl. Once the Chinese rice is cooked, I prepare the platter. For instance, I chop up green onions and place them around the Chinese Rice. Then I slice thin piece of oranges and locate then around the green onion. The shrimps in this platter are tricky to cook. For example, you must have a spatula in one hand. While you are stirring the shrimps, you must move the pan back and forth with the other hand. I do this so the shrimps do not stick to the pan. The specialty in grilled dolphin is the way I present the dish. When I finish reparing the dolphin, I place the fish on platter with yellow rice and raw green peppers. Then I get two raw mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Then, I place them on all sides of the yellow rice. Finally, I place thin slices of lemon around the edge of the plate. A creative way I present the poultry is by cooking and preparing each dish differently. For example, tonight I am preparing sweet and sour chicken on a stick. When I prepare this dish, I get the chicken and cut it into one inch squares. Then I place the chicken on a stick. Between each piece of chicken, I place a pineapple square, green pepper, and a cherry tomato. When I place the white rice in the center of the plate, then I put two chicken sticks on top of the rice. Once the meal is cooked, I add my creativeness. I get sweet an sour sauce and pour in a slow zig zag motion all over the platter. Another way I prepare this dish is by mixing all the ingredients together. Then I place it in the middle of the plate. After placing the poultry in the middle of the plate, I settle the white rice around the meal.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Edgar Allen Poe and His Dark Stories - 673 Words

Edgar Allen Poe, an amazing writer and poet, known for his dark themes and use of literary elements. Many individuals read his stories and poetry, but do not know who Edgar Allen Poe is, aside from being a writer and poet. They also do not know why he wrote this way. The amount of time it took for him to be able to publish his first book or how sad he felt when his wife died, people do not know these things. These are the events that helped him become so determined and write so sorrowfully. Edgar Allen Poe is a famous writer and poet. He was born January 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe grew up with foster parents since his mother had died in 1811, while he was only two years old. Edgar Allen Poe used to be only Edgar Poe until he was adopted by the Allens who added that to his name. In 1827 he wrote his first book called â€Å"Tamerlane and other poems,† which soon got published. That same year, he joined the army since he does not have any money to support himself. Edgar Allen Poe uses a variety of literary elements in his stories and poems. A few of these literary elements include: Enargia, Symbolism, Anadiplosis, and Unreliable narrator. Enargia is a vivid description of something, he uses this in his poem â€Å"The Bells.† Symbolism is the use of an object to symbolize a meaning, feeling, or event. He uses symbolism in his story â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart.† Finally, there is Anadiplosis. Anadiplosis is when the last word (Or words) of a sentence is used asShow MoreRelatedEdgar Allen Poe and His Work Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allen Poe and His Work Outline I. Introductory Paragraph I.1. Thesis statement I.2. High points II. First Paragraph II.1. Brief history of life III. Second Paragraph III.1. Edgars Writing Style III.2. Examples IV. Specific poems and short stories IV.1. Examples V. Conclusion Paragraph V.1. Restating thesis statement V.2. Restating high points of the paper Edgar Allen Poe was one of the great writers of this world. He created several poems and short stories of aRead MoreRunning Head: Edgar Allen Poe 1. Edgar Allen Poe2. . .1286 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: EDGAR ALLEN POE 1 EDGAR ALLEN POE 2 Edgar Allen Poe Name Course Professor’s name Institution Date Edgar Allen Poe Edgar Allen Poe is well recognized as the author of numerous great stories of suspense and horror. He also needs to be remembered as the single author who did help in establishing and developing the real contribution of the America to the actual literature of the world, the short-story form (Bagert, 2008). Poe was the initial writer who recognizedRead MoreThe Great Stories By Edgar Allan Poe1238 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica was popular among the people. Poets during this time liked to write about adventure and new pristine worlds untouched by man. Edgar Allan Poe on the other hand used his own style of writing, that used dark symbolism and complex plots to excite the readers. Having seen death and understanding the feeling it brings, Poe had an easy time writing the great stories/poems that we know today. In the years of 1835-1845 the United States was in the process of expanding their nation and fixing theRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Influences709 Words   |  3 Pagesthree, lost both of his foster parents, and later lost his wife, but instead of letting loss ruin his life, he became one of the most influential American writers ever. He is Edgar Allen Poe. Poe was an expert writer in the dark Gothic style. He once said, â€Å"Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality. Edgar Allan Poe’s Life influenced his life because of people claiming he was insane, due to many of his dark and scary stories, loss of his wife, foster motherRead MoreLiterary Art : Edgar Allan Poe1195 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is one of the best writers of any generation; he has contributed many devices such as â€Å"ratiocination† to the literary world (Corneilus 6). Poe had and used his own writing methods and he had many rules and guidelines to fo llow when writing a short story or even a detective story. He used the tragic events of his childhood, and used that for â€Å"fuel† to create the plot lines in his stories. He used the dark and somber events of his childhood and turned it into literary art to be rememberedRead MoreThe Single Emotional Poeffect995 Words   |  4 PagesWhen reviewing Nathaniel Hawthornes Tales, Edgar Allen Poe pronounced that the short story, if skillfully written, should deliver a single preconceived effect- an effect upon which incidents be fashioned to accommodate that effect. Edgar Allen Poe was indeed a skillful writer. His short story, The Fall of the House of Usher is a flawless example of a story in which all elements contribute to the delivery of a single emotional effect. Poe accomplishes this by achieving a perfect tone, developingRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allen Poe992 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe had many pieces of literature, but one in particular â€Å" The Cask of Amontillado† reflected his personality. It is a short story that can be read easily, and can take on many ironies. The several ironies can point to the fact that Poe himself was implanted into the story as he was a mysterious man. There are several characters with different personalities often interpreted as Poe hiding his dark side which would be â€Å"Montresor†. The other personality Fortunato could be that drunken personalityRead MoreEdgar Allen Poe And Nathaniel Hawthorne1705 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Romanticism Era, Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, how real-life events affected their writings, and how their professional careers affected their writings. Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19,1809 to two traveling actors (Poe s Museum). Poe was the second of three children. He had an older brother, William Henry Leonard Poe, and a younger sister, Rosalie Poe. Before Edgar was three years old, both his parents had died (Poe s Museum). Poe was then taken inRead MorePoe: An Analysis of His Work862 Words   |  4 Pages The Portable Edgar Allen Poe, edited by J. Gerald Kennedy, is a phenomenal compilation of works from one of Americas greatest writers of the nineteenth century. Published in 2006, the book contains short stories, poems, and letters, written by Edgar Allen Poe. Full of lies, hope, revenge, and guilt, the stories in this assemblage are suspenseful and convey powerful messages. Of all the amazing stories that comprise this anthology, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, â€Å"The Black Cat†, and â€Å"The Pit and theRead MoreThe Mystery And Surprise Of Character Essay1426 Words   |  6 Pagesstories, would cease to exist and the tone of each story would not be near as terrifying as it is with the isolation playing a huge theme in Poe’s literature. Martin Luther King Jr. once said â€Å"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.† This quote could possibly be related to Poe’s characters in that their own character is measured on how they handle fear and terror. Harry Baker said of character

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Should Apple Be Able Have Ability Access User s Phone

Should Apple be able have the ability to access user’s phone? By Wales Merilien Mr Wilson English 4 3/14/17 (1) Apple shouldn’t have the ability to access user’s phones because of the invasion of privacy, the limitations precautions that would be created for the user, and the sense of embarrassment to have complete strangers being able to view all your personal information. Apples terms and agreements are unfair to users because you don’t have no ultimatum especially when it comes too updating your phone they have access to your apps , pictures and other private things that you really can’t deny. Other invaders can’t access but apple People’s distress over the privacy of their communications has never been smaller. Whether the†¦show more content†¦Up until recently, agents of the government could generally file requests for court orders that, if approved, compel the companies to provide the requested information. Congress in the 1990s passed the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, to facilitate private-sector cooperation wi th law enforcement. This act required telecommunications companies to configure their systems in a way that would enable them to effectively respond to court orders. Five Simple Things Companies Should Do to Protect Their Computer Systems Apples’ Weakest Online Security Link: Their Encryption Code How to Get People to Take their policy Security More Seriously Encryption Uncoded: A Consumers’ Guide Quiz On Data Privicy But apples predated email, cloud storage and social-media platforms. Officials now have to cope with situations and technologies that the law did not anticipate. Moreover, recent congressional proposals, such as the Secure Data Act, threaten to prohibit the government from requiring that companies design or modify communications systems or products to facilitate government requests for data. Driven by increased concerns about government surveillance and consumer privacy, the technology industry has accelerated the deployment of advanced encryption technology for consumers and businesses. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has said that his company won’t even be able to comply with court subpoenas involving its iMessageShow MoreRelatedThe, All s Fair Of Love And War By Francis Edward Smedley1682 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween two companies: Apple and Samsung. Though these two companies compete against each other with almost every product they sell, the battle is between their smartphones. Apple’s smartphone is the iPhone. The iPhone was the first of its kind. It brought the aspects of an iPod, cellphone, computer, and camera into one device. Samsung’s smartphone is the Galaxy S. The Galaxy S takes all the capabilities of the iPhone and enhances them. It does that, while also allowing its user to fully customize hisRead MoreShould Tech Companies Release Inf ormation Under A Warrant?1352 Words   |  6 Pages Should Tech Companies Release Information Under a Warrant December 2, 2015, San Bernardino, 1 year ago Friday a mass shooting and attempted bombing to place in our own state of California. Such attacks as this has become increasingly more frequent occurrence in the United States, with it there comes a dilemma that detectives judges, and federal agents have to go through after such attacks. â€Å"Should tech companies release encrypted devices information under a warrant?† Right after the attack on SanRead MoreSmartphones And Other Mobile Devices1630 Words   |  7 Pagesstorage, applications, or abilities--have been occurring at an extremely rapid pace. However, there is basic area in which broad time and circumstances in expansion have not been realized on mobile devices, especially when compared to the personal computer, and that area is security. While mature security software such as antivirus is of existence on laptops and desktops, almost all mobile devices today remain completely without security protection; and hackers are being able to control, and attackRead MoreEthical Issues Of Business Are Common1285 Words   |  6 Pagespeople believe that if they just follow the law, that business will be ethically robust. â€Å"No matter how important, the law cannot and should not solve all the difficult issues which currently confront business people† (Cracium, 2015, p.43). Following the law does not always ensure morally sound decisions. Companies and each of their employee’s make choices that can have ethical implications. Ethical standards play a specific and irreplaceable part in the decision-making process involved in a fair marketRead MoreMobile Computing And Social Networks2572 Words   |  11 Pagesquickly upload to a processing server without users having to employ a desktop system. It will evaluate the benefits realized by consumers because of the ability to gain access to their own data via mobile applications. It will analyze the challenges of evolving applications that run on mob ile devices because of the small screen size. It will identify the methods that can be applied to decide which platform to support, I. e., iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, or Android. It will also talk about Mobile applicationsRead MoreThe Federal Bureau Of Investigation1697 Words   |  7 Pagesrely on Apple to defend their rights, rather than the other way around.† A world where national security trumps personal privacy or would you rather live in a world where we have both national security and personal privacy. Amy Goodman from Democracy Now said in a segment, â€Å"In December, Farook and his wife killed 14 and injured 22 others in San Bernardino. The two were killed in a shootout with police.† The issue is that the agency has been unsuccessful in accessing the data in the phone, an iPhoneRead MoreHow Wearable Tech Will Change Your Life Like It Or Not?1041 Words   |  5 Pagesto make products. Apple uses old or different ideas and â€Å"resurrects† them t o create one of their aesthetically pleasing devices (Grossman,Vella). The authors say that â€Å"Apple dissects [the device] and studies the various causes of death. Then it builds something so completely thought through, so seductively designed, so snugly embedded in webs of content and services and communications, that it not only lives again, it thrives.† Lev and Matt discuss such devices, that apple has improved upon, specificallyRead MoreA Heated Debate Between Apple And The Government2135 Words   |  9 PagesThere has been a heated debate between the government and Apple on iPhone access. The F.B.I was conducting an investigation on a person they believe to be connected with terrorists. They wanted to gain more information by searching through the subject’s iPhone to find out more. Unfortunately, the F.B.I could not gain access into the phone because of the home screen passcode. They sought guidance from Apple to unlock the phone, but Apple had refused to gi ve them service. They claimed that giving theRead MoreInvasion Of Citizens Privacy On Digital Data1620 Words   |  7 PagesIt is very easy, convenient, and it saves a lot of time. In one hour someone can make a deposit into his personal bank account, order a medical prescription, pay bills, apply for a loan, get some shopping, and more. All it takes for a customer to be able to do this is having an account with each of these company’s websites. Creating an account is usually a very simple process where the person provides some information and creates a username and a password to be in a position to return to the websiteRead MoreIphone vs. Android1343 Words   |  6 Pagesdo people look for when purchasing a smart phone? What are some of the major selling points that convince consumers that iphones are better than androids or vice versa? Some people would argue that the two are different in many ways. But when looking closely at the new Iphone 4s and the Android sells you can see that there are minimal differences. The Iphone 4s’s icon interface is simple to understand and to operate. The rows of icons allow easy access to all of the downloaded applications and