Letter to Government Essay Example for Free

Letter to Government Essay I am writing to you on behalf of your article in this weeks paper I think the curfew is a fantastic idea I am in full support of the Council proposing this great curfew. Where I live under 16s are taking over my neighbourhood me and the other residents in the area are feeling threatend by these gangs of yobs hanging around our area. All they do is go around drinking and creating uneeded noise which I and the rest of our neighbourhood would agree on. While we adults are staying indoors scared of going out they are out commiting crimes and going round doing under age drinking and under age sex and if the parents of these children could see what I see nearly every night then Im sure they would be in support with me. As I said before I am scared to go out of my house to go to the shops or to the pub or anywhere! because I am scared of getting jumped or mugged or even killed. Also this curfew would be a good idea because it would give new employees in the police force good experience of dealing with these situations so they are confident and experienced when it comes to a really big proper crime. Also if this curfew goes through then once all of the under 16s are indoors then it will make life easier for the police patrolling to catch the proper criminals because they wont have to put up with the cheek and disrespect that they recieve off the under 16s, also the under 16s need to respect the police force and realise that they are trying to protect them but they are just trying to show off in front of friends.

Environmental Geochemistry of Gold

Environmental Geochemistry of Gold INTRODUCTION Gold is a chemical element with the symbol (Au) and atomic number 79. In its pure state, it is a bright, moderately reddish yellow, dense, soft malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a density of 19,300kg/m3, though native gold typically has a density of 15,00kg/m3 (Marsden et al 2006). Because gold is inert at ambient temperature and pressure, there are very few naturally occurring compounds of the metal. The purity of gold (sometimes referred to as fitness) is expressed in karats. Pure gold is 24 karat (Boyle 1987). Gold is one of the native earth metals that is of very high value in our world today. The current price of gold per Ounce is approximately 1220usd (GFMS, Thomson Reuters, 2016). Gold plays a vital role in the economic development of a country. Gold, the noblest of metals, has been used by man for more than 5000 years (Nelson et al, 2014). Its malleability, softness and resistance to tarnish, led to its earliest uses in art and currency. It is the metal choice for jewellery. Some of the countries where gold is mined are South Africa, USA, Canada, China, Australia, Indonesia, Peru, Russia etc. The average concentration of gold in the earths crust is 0.005 g/t, which is much lower than most other metals, for example, copper (50% g/t) and silver (0.07 g/t)(Boyle, R. W.1979). Gold is commonly associated with other metals like iron, lead, zinc, copper and silver. Minerals most associated with gold are pyrite, marcasite and pyrrhotiteetc. Gold is the most noble of metals, and its geochemistry is conditioned principally by this fact Minor concentrations of gold occurs in most natural substances. In seawater, for example, there is approximately 0.012 parts per billion (ppb) of gold, and in fresh water it is slightly higher at 0.02ppb (Boyle, R. W.1979). Its average concentration in the earths crust or lithosphere is approximately 5ppb, and in sedimentary rocks it may have concentrations of up to 2100ppb or 2.1 parts per million (ppm). At these concentrations 20 or 30 tons of rock must be processed to extract a single ounce of precious gold. As a result, gold can only be mined profitably where it is highly concentrated by natural chemical and physical processes. Gold occurs in many different rock types and geological environments and economic deposits are main ly of two types: lode deposits (primary) and placer deposits (secondary)(BGS 2010). Gold is extracted by open cast or underground mining method, which depends on the geological settings of a deposit. Gold in its raw state is displayed in the diagrams below. PROPERTIES OF GOLD      Ã‚   Physical Properties Gold is both ductile and malleable. Ductile meaning it can be drawn into wire forms. Malleable meaning capable of being hammered into thin sheets. Gold is quite soft. It can be scratched by a penny. Its melting point is 1,064. 760C (1,948.570F) and its boiling point is about 2,7000C (4,9000F). Its density is 19.3 grams per cubic centimeter. Gold leaf is translucent and the transmitted light is greenish blue colour gold metal reflects yellow and red, leaving the greenish colour (Boyle R. W. 1979). Chemical Properties Gold is known to be a noble metal. It is chemically inactive. This is because it is highly resistance to react with other elements. The oxidation state of gold ranges from -1 to +5. The +1 and +3 (Au (I) AND Au (III)) are the most common oxidation state of gold. It is resistant to the effect of most acids and therefore does not corrode easily. Apart from acids, gold does not combine directly with oxygen). Gold has one stable isotope, 197 Au. Aqua regia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids, has the ability to dissolve gold (Young and Derek, 2009). USES OF GOLD Gold has been used to make jewellery and ornamental objects for thousands of years. Gold nuggets found in a stream are easy to work and were probably one of the first metals used by humans. Today most gold that is newly recycled is used in the manufacture of jewellery. About 78% of gold consumed each year is used in the manufacture of jewellery. Special properties of gold make it good suitable for manufacturing of jewellery. These include very high lustre and its yellow colour. Pure gold is known as 24 karat gold. Pure gold is too soft, craftsmen learned that alloying gold with other metals such as copper, silver and platinum increase its durability. Gold is also used for medical purposes, to treat small number of medical conditions. Radioactive gold is used in diagnosis. Gold as an extraordinary ductile and malleable metal, it is still cosmic demand in jewellery, medical applications, because of its unique physical and chemical properties (Spitzer and Rodnei, 2004). According to (Renner et al. 2000), gold and its alloys are used for conductor material and low-voltage contacts for communication and information transfer equipment, where even very thin oxide layers would cause interruptions or failures in signal transfer. Below are the examples of processed gold. EXTRACTION OF GOLD Gold panning, sluicing and mercury processes have been extensively used in placer mining to recover gold from primary sources. The primary sources of gold are alluvial gravel and auriferous quartz. Gold extraction may require comminution, mineral resources, pyro-metallurgical and hydrometallurgical process to be performed on the ore. Mechanical separation, pyro-metallurgical, hydrometallurgical and bio-hydrometallurgical technologies have been extensively used to recover gold from secondary sources (Fleming, 1992). Mining gold from year to year is always an increase, in which the more developed, ranging from mining system that uses simple system to a more modern processing system. Gold mining was first carried out in alluvial areas. Processing system is also very simple to do that is by panning using a tray, which then developed with gold mining wave table, and followed by gravity separation method using the amalgamation process with the capture of mercury. GOLD PROCESSING After the extraction of gold from its ore, it is further passed through comminution (crushing / milling). This comminution process is divided into stages: Refractory ore processing, crushing and milling. Once the size of the ore is reduced, the process is then performed by separating the mineral concentration process gold from mineral impurities, consisting of several kinds of processing techniques: process gravity concentration, amalgamation process, flotation process, leaching process. From the stage of the process, will then be obtained concentrate processing ores containing various metals. And the concentrate will be processed in order to obtain the value of gold in high purity chemical process. And a few stages of the treatment process through a process: smelting, parting and aqua regia. After the treatment of the processed gold by the above processes, it is finally made into different forms, for example gold bars, jewelries, gold equipment etc. Below is a flow chart showing the processing of gold. GOLD DISCARDING Recent research has proven Gold and other precious metals for example silver, palladium and platinum are discarded mostly through e-waste in our environments today. (Husman, 2004) revealed that in mobile phones, three quarter of the environmental impacts result from gold and palladium content. According to (Husman et al, 2007). Gold accounts for 16% of the total environmental weight of materials contained in waste IT and telecommunication equipment (excluding monitors). UNEP (2005) reported that 20 to 50 million tonnes of small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE) are generated worldwide every year. Report shows that these discarded metals are being recycled and reused. GOLD WASTE AND POLLUTION As gold is being extracted from mines, gold waste are concentrated in the rock piles, tailings and waste rocks. The waste from gold mines constitutes the largest single source of waste and pollution. As at 1997, South Africa produced an estimated 468 million tons of mineral waste per annum (DWAF, 2001). Gold mining waste was estimated to account for 221 million tons of 47% of mineral waste produced in South Africa, making it the largest, single source of waste and pollution (DWAF, 2001). There are more than 270 tailings in the Witwatersrand Basin, covering approximately covering 400 km in surface area (AngloGold Ashanti, 2004). These dams are mostly unlined and many are not vegetated, providing a source of extensive dust, as well as soil and water (surface and groundwater) pollution (Anglo Gold Ashanti, 2004). Historically impoundment on land was the preferred option for tailings disposal. The environmental implication of this disposal option include contamination of streams and rivers by acid mine drainage (AMD), contamination of streams due to surface run off from the impoundment area, air and water contamination due to wind erosion of dried-out tailings. The exposure of sulphide bearing rock materials to oxygen and water produces Acid mine drainage. Mine waste problems are numerous, but the most difficult problem to handle is the acid mine drainage (AMD) that emanates from both surface and underground workings, waste and development rock, tailing piles and ponds (Durkin and Hermann, 1994). TOXICITY Gold mining has been reported to be a dangerous activity as the heavy metals, mainly Hg, Pb and As are released into the environment. There were studies based on the assessment of the above stated heavy metals and their presence in soil and water in Kenya, South Africa and other parts of Africa. These metals were selected because of their toxicity nature in similar mining environments. According to the United States Agency for Toxic substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR, 1999) Hg, Pb and As are in the top list of hazardous substances. As and Pb are major metals in gold sulphide deposits, where they occur as minerals mainly in arsenopyrite (FeAsS) and galena (PbS), respectively. Under natural conditions, they are relatively stable. However, gold extraction from its ore breaks down these minerals due to exposure to oxygen and water, thereby making it acidic. Mercury as a pollutant in mining is released during gold processing, when mercury is used to amalgamate gold so as to recover it from its ore. Cadmium is also another toxic metal, occupying position seven in the list of hazardous substances, generally occurring as an isometric trace element in sphalerite. It is estimated that about 1.32kg of Hg is lost for every 1kg of (Au) produced (Harada et al., 1997). As, Pb and Hg are all known as poisonous metals which when taken in by humans causes lots of diseases. GOLD STANDARDS Gold standard is referred to as monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. Three types of gold standard can be distinguished: specie, exchange, and bullion. Most nations abandoned the gold standard as the basis of their monetary systems at some point in the 20th century, although many hold substantial gold reserves. An estimated total of 174,100 tonnes of gold have been mined in human history, according to (GFMS Thomson Reuters, 2012). This is roughly equivalent to 5.6 billion troy ounces or, in terms of volume, about 9,261 cubic metres (327,000 cu ft), or cube 21 metres (69 ft) on a side. There are also other varying estimates of the total volume of gold mined. DISCUSSION Gold is defined as a chemical element with the symbol (Au) and atomic number 79. In its pure state, it is a bright, moderately reddish yellow, dense, soft malleable and ductile metal. Gold is one of the native earth metals that is of very high value in our world today. The current price of gold per Ounce is approximately 1220usd (GFMS, Thomson Reuters, 2016). It has different properties, which are physical and chemical properties. Physical properties which consist of the malleable and ductile nature of gold, density of gold and also its melting and boiling point. Chemical properties which is its resistance to corrosion and it is chemically inactive. Gold has been reported to be used for the production of jewelries, medals and monetary exchange. Gold can be recovered or extracted from primary source in placer mining by the use of panning, sluicing and mercury or cyanide amalgamation. In secondary sources the use of hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy and bio-hydrometallurgy has been applied to recover gold from ore. After the extraction of gold from its ore, its passed through crushing and and milling process. This is done so as to reduce the size before conducting other processes, which involves leaching, flotation, gravity concentration and amalgamation to separate the gold concentration from its impurities. And finally through a few stages of the treatment process which involves smelting, parting and aqua regia. The processed gold after the above treatment is then produced into various forms for example jewelries, medals etc. Discarded gold from e-waste and other sources is being recycled into new forms. Generally mine water waste, rock piles and tailings from mining has led to the pollution of our environment today. The most common problem concerned with mining is Acid mine drainage. (AMD), occurs when rock bearing sulphide materials are exposed to oxygen and water. The extraction of gold from its ore also causes the release of toxic substances for example lead, mercury, arsenic etc. These substances, when introduced into our environment and spread through water bodies, it causes adverse effect to humans health. Gold standard is known to be a monetary system, in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. Three types have been distinguished: specie, bullion and exchange. CONCLUSION Research has shown that gold is chemically inactive, which is because of its high resistance to react with other metals. It is proven that in its natural state, it occurs with other metals and minerals. The extraction of gold from its ore causes the exposure of this minerals and heavy metals in our environment. Heavy metals e.g. Lead (Pb), Arsenic (AS), Mercury (Hg). And sulphide minerals which are mostly common with ores, when exposed to oxygen and water produces Acid mine drainage (AMD). Mercury is introduced by humans in the extraction of gold to amalgamate with gold making it easier to recover from ore. These heavy metals are toxic substances, which when released into water bodies in our environment cause severe hazard to humans. REFERENCES 50.6 EXTRACTION OF GOLD AngloGold Ashanti ( 2004). Case studies. Woodlands Project- good progress being made with phytoremedation project. Environment- AngloGold Report to society. Department of Water and Affairs and Forestry (DWAF). (2001). Waste generation in South Africa. Water Quality Management Series. Pretoria. Boyle, R. W. (1987). Gold: History and Genesis of deposits. Canada Geol. Survey Bull 280. Durkin, TV and Hermann, JG. (1994). Focussing on the problems of Mining waste: an introduction to Acid Mine Drainage. EPA Seminar publication no. EPA/625/R-95/007. Managing environmental problems at inactive and Abandoned metal mine sites. Harada, M. (1997). Neurotoxicity of methylmercury: Minamata and the Amazon. Mineral and metal neurotoxicology, 177-188. Marsden, J., House, I. (2006). The chemistry of gold extraction. SME. Author, A.A.. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL(Citing a website) Boyle, R. W. (1979). The geochemistry of gold and its deposits (together with a chapter on geochemical prospecting for the element) (No. 280). Unipub. Rapson, W. S. (1992). Mining, Extraction and Refining of Gold. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 17(3), 203-212. Eugene, W. W. L., Mujumdar, A. S. (2009). Gold Extraction and Recovery Processes. Minerals, Metals, and Materials Technology Centre, National University of Singapore. Delgado, C., Artim, E., Szezak, J., Stevels, A. (2007). Review of Directive 2002/96 on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). UNU, Bonn. Nelson, A. (2014). Michael Hamburger, John Rupp G188 16 June 2014 Gold in the West. Park, Y. J., Fray, D. J. (2009). Recovery of high purity precious metals from printed circuit boards. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 164(2), 1152-1158. UNEP, E. (2005). waste, the hidden side of IT equipments manufacturing and use E-waste, the hidden side of IT equipments manufacturing and use, Environment Alert Bulletin. Renner, H., Schlamp, G., Hollmann, D., Là ¼schow, H. M., Tews, P., Rothaut, J., Drieselmann, R. (2000). Gold, gold alloys, and gold compounds. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Reuters, T. (2012). Gold Survey 2012. April 2012. London: Thomson Reuters GFMS. Spitzer, M., Bertazzoli, R. (2004). Selective electrochemical recovery of gold and silver from cyanide aqueous effluents using titanium and vitreous carbon cathodes. Hydrometallurgy, 74(3), 233-242. Schultz, J., El-Kretsen, A. B., Huisman, J. (2004). QWERTY and Eco-Efficiency analysis on cellular phone treatment in Sweden. http://www.miningeducation.com/2011/12/processing-flow-chart-of-gold.html http://www.vosizneias.com/211793/2015/08/09/colorado-gold-mine-toxic-wastewater-spill-triples-in-volume-to-3-million-gallons/ http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/rivers-of-gold-in-our-recycling-bins/2007/04/15/1176575687671.html Figure 5. Simplified gold processing flow chart (after Processing flow chart of gold, 2011)

Violence Against Women In Music Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Criti

Violence Against Women In Music    Particularly distressing in today's society is the level of dysfunctional relationships. Values considered outdated and baseless, such as mutual respect, consideration for another person's feelings, and common courtesy, are becoming extinct human customs. Especially troubling are the violent misogynous messages infused in hard-core rock and rap music and their negative effects on today's youth.    Healthy relationships of mutual love, respect, and compromise between men and women of all races and social classes are instrumental to a sane and stable society. Respect and reverence for mother, sister, wife, and daughter as the nurtures of civilization are key to our survival as a species. Many youth today approach their relationships with the opposite sex, mimicking the attitudes of the rock or rap entertainer.    As a musician, I can appreciate all forms of music as legitimate vehicles of artistic expression, not simply attaching aesthetic value to what I prefer. True art forms should express the ugly as well as the beautiful in human expression. However, if the art form explicitly expresses a message of debasement, hatred, or violence without just cause, then I question the validity of the message. A counter argument might claim that violent messages expressed through music are just a reflection of conditions that already exist. Violence directed towards women is an option that misdirects the causes from where true powerlessness derive... ...ent and sales of its product. Can the same standards of scrutiny be applied to any industry that promotes poor mental health? For the sake of entertainment, we have allowed ourselves to cross the line and permit the debasement of women and the promulgation of violence against them to become the norm. Parents, community leaders, educators, and entertainers must work together to demand maintaining the dignity of all persons addressed lyrically through music. The quality of intent should be carefully scrutinized in music especially targeted towards adolescents. If the intent is to debase, devalue, depreciate or diminish another human being or to create an atmosphere of senseless violence, we have a moral obligation not to support its marketing.   

IQ and the Controversy Concerning Human Intelligence :: Biology Essays Research Papers

IQ and the Controversy Concerning Human Intelligence Human intelligence is an eel-like subject: slippery, difficult to grasp, and almost impossible to get straight [3]. Many scientist and psychologist have made numerous attempts to come up with an explanation for the development of human intelligence. For many years, there has been much controversy over what intelligence is and whether it is hereditary or nurtured by the environment. Webster's dictionary defines intelligence as "the ability to acquire and apply knowledge; which includes a sensing an environment and reaching conclusions about the state of that environment [7]. In this paper I am going to examine the factors, which make up ones intelligence. I will be investigating whether or not intelligence is fostered by genetic heritance or nurtured by ones environment. "There can be of course no serious doubt that differences in environment experiences do contribute to variation in IQ [5]. The environment is made of circumstances, objects, and conditions by which a human, animal, plant or object are surrounded in science. It has been argued that the environment in a child's developing years could in fact be a factor that will determine this IQ. In a study of adoptive and biologically related familys psychologist Scarr and Weinberg recognized that with children between 16 and 22 years of age, environment was more powerful in influencing IQ level in the young child, than the young adult. Scarr and Weinberg reasoned that "environment exerts a greater influence on children, who have little choice; as they age, diversity age, diversity and availability of choices expands, and if these choices are at least partially determined by genetic factors, the influence of environment is there by diminished. Heritability is a term from the population of genetics. It refers to"the capability of being passed from one generation to the next [1]. Intelligence has for centuries been considered as fixed trait. A number of investigators have taken an approach that intelligence is highly heritable, transmitted through genes [3]. Kinship studies have shown that the habitability of IQ is significantly less than 1.0, and recent attempts to model kinship correlation especially in children have agreed that IQ is influenced both by the child's parent and the environment. Other factors such as parental affection, birth order, gender differences, and experiences outside the family, accidents, and illnesses may account for IQ. Writer of Hereditary Genius, Francis Galton developed a theory know as the "genius theory.

Comparing Matthew Arnolds Dover Beach and Gerard Manley HopkinsGods

Comparing Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach and Gerard Manley Hopkins'God's Grandeur      Ã‚   Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach," and Gerard Manley Hopkins' "God's Grandeur" are similar in that both poems praise the beauty of the natural world and deplore man's role in that world. The style and tone of each poem is quite different, however. Arnold writes in an easy, flowing style and as the poem develops, reveals a deeply melancholy point of view. Hopkins writes in a very compressed, somewhat jerky style, using sentences heavy with alliteration and metaphors. His tone, though touched with sadness and perhaps even anger at man, unlike Arnold's poem, reveals an abiding sense of hope. Basically, each poet is presenting a very different view of Faith, and consequently of man's ultimate condition. Matthew Arnold begins his poem by describing a calm, beautiful scene. Dover Beach is lying "fair" in the moonlight. It is high tide and he sees the coast of France and "the cliffs of England... / Gleaming and vast, out in the tranquil bay." All seems lovely and quiet. According to Baum's research on the date and circumstances of the poem, Arnold is probably speaking to his new bride (86) as he says, "Come to the window, sweet is the night-air." But gradually the reader senses a shifting of mood and tone. Now he describes the "line of spray... / Where the sea meets" the land as "moon-blanched." And the tide, tossing pebbles as it comes, is a "grating roar" with a "tremulous cadence slow" that "bring[s] / The eternal note of sadness in." This melancholy mood grows deeper as he thinks of man's long span of history-- "The turbid ebb and flow / of human misery."    In the next stanza beginning with line twenty-one, Arnold gets to the reason ... ... in a sky that is brown, not completely black because God's Spirit is hovering in love over the dark world still, like a mother dove brooding over her nest.    Obviously, both poets recognize the darkness in the world; and both see love as a light in the   darkness. Arnold's love is human love from one individual to another and even that seems uncertain. The redeeming love Hopkins speaks of is God's love for man and His creation. That love is unchanging and indestructible--an abiding hope in the darkness. What a difference faith can make.       Works Cited Baum, Paull F. Ten Studies in the Poetry of Matthew Arnold. Durham: Duke UP, 1961. Boyle, Robert S.J. Metaphor in Hopkins. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1961. Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Literature: Reading Reacting Writing. 3rd ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1991.

Lullabies for Little Criminals

Child development is the genetic and internal changes that occur in children during early years. There are many internal and external factors that affect a child's growth and development. The connection between a child’s environment and a child’s development are explored in Heather O'Neill's lullabies for little criminals where a child named Baby becomes a product of her environment. This is explored through the early death of Baby’s mother, her being raised by a young father and her father's drug addiction. Baby’s bad decisions and choices come from a lack of guidance necessary for a child’s social growth and development.The absence of a mother in Baby’s life is without a doubt one of the most significant factor in how her life turns out. Not having a mother to guide her, encourage and mold her to become a healthy young adult is evident throughout the book as the important life lessons from a mother was never instilled. Although Baby is grat eful for her father, Jules’s attempts at parenting her, she recognizes that he is unable to take care of himself, therefore unable to give Baby the nurturing environment necessary for a child to flourish.This is evident when she laments â€Å"Jules tried to be a mother, but he’d always kind of fallen short on the mark† (O’Neill, 186). Furthermore, Baby does not understand the feeling of unconditional love that mothers often have towards their children which causes her to look for love in all the wrong places. Without a mother in her life, Baby does not have someone she can lean on for some of the most basic roles of a parental figure, and she grows up feeling ashamed of what she has becomes.Hence, Baby reflects on her outcome when she states â€Å"I thought that if my mother met me now, all grown up, she would be disappointed† (O’Neill, 97). Without guidance Baby succumbs to the life of drugs, alcohol and prostitution, a fate she feels was i nevitable given the lack of maternal love. Nevertheless, in her insightful moments Baby states that, â€Å"A lot of kids get the privilege of looking at themselves through their mother’s eyes. I could only see myself through my own eyes, and sometimes I could barely stand to look† (O’Neill, 186).Here Baby Speaks matter-of-factly, without any resentment towards her mother but more resolute that her life is shaped by her circumstances – without love, self esteem or respect for self. In A Theory of Human Motivation, A. H. Maslow writes; [We] have what we may call the desire for reputation or prestige (defining it as respect or esteem from other people), recognition, attention, importance or appreciation. These needs have been relatively stressed by Alfred Adler and his followers, and have been relatively neglected by Freud and the psychoanalysts.More and more today however there is appearing widespread appreciation of their central importance. (Maslow,1943,3 70-396) The instinctive needs and reassurance mothers provide their daughter’s with is what Baby searches for throughout the book. Therefore the lack of guidance and nurturing is arguably some of the root causes of her poor decision making, as she continues looking for love in the wrong places. When Baby was born, her parents were teenagers and therefore ill prepared for the responsibilities of taking care of a child.Her early childhood was characterized by neglect as a result her behavior inevitably changes for the worst. She learns early on that adults in her life are not reliable. For instance, when her father is released from the hospital, Baby was under the impression that her father will come for her immediately; however, she is disappointed when he fails to come for her. She expresses her disappointment by saying â€Å"I thought Jules was still in the hospital. I thought the day they’d release him, he’d hitchhike right over to the foster home and get me. † (O’Neill, 50)Jules is unable to understand that Baby has no one to depend on but him and he is presented as negligent of her needs through out the book. Jules is unable to put the needs of others above his own, and in return shows Baby that the only thing important in life is yourself. Baby want’s nothing but a stable and nurturing home environment but Jules is unable to provide the basic necessities for her. In Contemporary Liberalism and the Fate of American Children David L. Tubbs writes â€Å"Children depend on adults for many things, and this dependence encompasses more than material needs.Certain intangible goods—education, for example—are just as crucial to their well-being. †(Tubbs, 2007, 1) This idea is especially true in lullabies for little criminals where the emotional bond Baby yearns for, her younger father is unable to provide. This lack of caring for his daughter can also be seen when he is taken away by the police, leaving Baby stranded and confused, â€Å"As the cop car pulled away, I waved to Jules in the backseat. He had been too distracted to even notice me being hit by a car† (O’Neill, 57).As a child, Baby has learned to be self reliant and independent. Nonetheless Baby witnessing her father's run in with the law profoundly affects her attitude towards the law as she herself becomes a prostitute and an addict. Despite the fact that Jules does not seem to care about Baby’s well being, she rationalizes his inadequate parenting as simply lack of experience. Throughout the novel Baby chooses to make decisions that are not in her best interest simply because that's all that she knows. It is this lack of guidance that paves the way for Baby’s poor decision making.Baby’s inadequate and drug addicted father is unable to provide the appropriate environment for her to learn the skills needed for success in life. As Baby talks about her father’s drug addiction she m akes a remark that is telling. She says â€Å"For a kid I knew a lot of things about what it felt like to use heroine. †(O’Neill,10) Early on in life, Baby is aware of her father’s dependency on drugs and is given no choice but to take on the parental role within her family. Baby has never been told otherwise and will never understand the dangers of heroin use.At a young age she already feels the pain and pleasure that comes along with drugs. In turn, Baby naively begins to glorify heroin as she associates it with happy times in her life. This is demonstrated in the book when Baby talks about her father and his friends, â€Å"They made me laugh so much. I thought they were the coolest group of humans that ever lived. †(O’Neill, 72). Early on in the book Baby is introduced to drugs, thus she makes a connection between drugs and happiness. Unfortunately, she does not have responsible adults in her life to tell her the negative effects of drugs, and h ence she does not grasp the dangers of drug use.This is later proven when Baby decides that she is, â€Å"firm on the idea that [she] would become a drug addict too now. [she] didn’t care what drug [she] was going to be addicted to. †(O’Neill, 72) Baby idolizes her father and he willingly or not, leads her to believe happiness can be gained through drugs. In the book Jules is arrested for possession of heroin and Baby says that, â€Å"Since Jules had started using heroin again it was inevitable that he would be arrested† (O’Neill, 57). Baby has become accustomed to her father’s abuse of drugs and understands the large presence it has on her and her father's life.The certainty in her statement also foreshadows the events that occur in her own life if she followed in his footsteps. Baby understands no other alternative than going to prison for her father or for herself. Likewise, Jules is unable to understand that by letting Baby grow up in th is kind of environment, it is inevitable that she will adopt these actions and behaviors as the norm and mimic them in the future. By adopting the life skills and choices of her father, Jules has trapped Baby within a life of bad choices.Child development is the biological and emotional changes people go through during childhood and there are many factors that can affect a child’s growth and development. Heather O’Neill’s lullabies for little criminals explores the similarities between a child’s environment and development through Baby’s bad decisions and choices and how they originated from lack of guidance necessary for a child’s social growth and development. This is seen through Baby’s mother early death, her father raising her at an early age, and her father’s addiction to heroin.

How Is The Theme Of Deception Apparent in “Much Ado About Nothing”

The theme of deception is ever-present throughout ‘Much Ado About Nothing'; the majority of the plot is based upon purposeful deception, some malevolent while others benign. The play itself, although set in Messina, Italy seems to echo the culture of Elizabethan society in which William Shakespeare lived; the importance of honour and pride at that time induced the need for the people to uphold this status through the constant deception of those around them, whether this was with appearances or words. Shakespeare creates a world where deception is used throughout the play and on many occasions it was intended for desirable effects; deception for positive effect is known as benevolent deception. One of the first instances where the gap between appearance and reality is portrayed is in the first dialogue of the play. The messenger has come to give news of the return of the men from a battle and speaks of how Claudio was ‘doing in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion'. This illustrates the gap between the appearance of Claudio and the reality of Claudio, of how he exceeds the expectations of his age by his actions on a battlefield, and demonstrates how he deceives those around him of his true capabilities. Shakespeare also uses clever word play with the use of an alliterative pattern where the sounds of ‘Figure of a Lamb' are echoed in ‘Feats of a Lion', which offers balance syntax to the line and is typical of Shakespearean blank verse. Although this is an instance where Claudio is deceiving others; this is, however, not prevalent, at all, throughout the rest of the play, instead Claudio is the one who appears to be subject to the most deception due to his gullibility and short-sightedness. One example of Claudio's foolishness is when Don John deceives him into believing that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself where in fact he is doing it on Claudio's behalf; this is also ironic since at the same time Claudio is attempting to deceive Don John and Borachio that he is Benedick, they however have not fallen for it. This quick reaction to the lies fed to him by Don John makes plain his temperament and emotion driven mentality. Moreover, the fact that at that moment in time there are three layers of deception occurring simultaneously typifies the amount of deception there is in the play. Claudio is further deceived, along with Don Pedro, by Don John when he shows them Hero's apparent disloyalty and ‘immoral' nature. In Act 3, Scene 2 Don John approaches Don Pedro and Claudio in order to ‘warn' them of Hero's disloyalty. The second line he speaks since he entered their circle includes sibilance, ‘†¦ leisure served, I would speak with you. ‘ which creates an image not too unlike the hissing of a snake before it attacks. There is also a lot of repetition and carefully constructed dialogue in this exchange on Don John's part; for example, in reply to Don Pedro he says ‘ I know not that, when he knows what I know'. This repetition of ‘know' places emphasis on knowledge, and how people's judgments and actions differ when they know a certain thing. Another point to be made regarding this dialogue and the theme of ‘fitting' is when Don John comments on how it would ‘better fit your honour' to not marry Hero, one interpretation of this phrase could include its connotations and implicit links to sex. Claudio's ‘honour' is in reference to his penis; a man's penis, in ancient civilisations such as the Inca, was considered as the symbol of his stature and honour in society and this ideal is not yet lost even in the modern-age. Don John also says how it would ‘better fit' his ‘honour' to change his mind, denoting how Hero's sexual organ is not fit for his ‘honour' since she has apparently fornicated. Instead of questioning why Don John, previously known for his wicked deeds, is so willing to help, he instead believes him with no questions further demonstrating his infuriating naivety. Furthermore, of the three consecutive deception scenes this one is considerably shorter. I believe that Shakespeare has done this with the intention to emphasise the drastic change in Don Pedro's position; this also raises questions Don Pedro's integrity as a leader. A man of his position would form reasoned opinions through facts and logic however in this case he has seemed to change his opinion at a whim. This is also one of the points where Shakespeare raises questions about society; in this case he questions the power structure of society by showing how Don Pedro is so easily fooled. In contrast to the character of Claudio, Benedick is portrayed as more of a calm and reasoning character, which has meant that he is rarely deceived in the play. This dissimilarity between the two is portrayed in Act 1 Scene 1 when Claudio states how ‘in mine eye' Hero is the ‘sweetest lady' that he has ever seen, speaking of an idealised love which is evident with his exaggerations; Benedick however is able to ‘see without spectacles' signifying how he is not fooled by appearances and this becomes important later in the development of the play as Benedick eventually becomes the voice of reason among the chaos which soon plays out. The comment that Benedick makes about how he can see clearly ‘without spectacles' seems to be proven when Hero is shamed by the Princes; he demonstrates how he realises the truth of the situation because he believes that ‘their wisdoms be misled in this' and that the ‘practice of it lives' in Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro. Nonetheless, despite Benedick's wisdom and astuteness he also falls victim to some benevolent deception himself. A particularly complex example of deception occurs as Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro act as if Beatrice is head over heels in love with Benedick so that the eavesdropping Benedick will overhear it and believe it. Luring Benedick into this trap, Leonato ironically dismisses the idea that perhaps Beatrice hides her desire for Benedick, as he and the others disguise this love themselves. This scene includes links to other themes including the gap between the appearance of a situation and the reality, an example of this is when Benedick states how he would think it to be a ‘gull' but does not think so because the ‘white-bearded fellow speaks it' indicating how he is deceived by the appearance of Leonato because he believes that ‘knavery', which itself has connotations of youth, could not hide itself in such ‘ Another character in the Shakespeare's play ‘Much Ado About Nothing' who is strongly involved with the theme of deception is Don John, the Bastard brother of Don Pedro. Don John's character can be accurately described as Machiavellian since he deceives and manipulates others simply for personal gain. One of the most interesting lines that Don John utters is in fact his very first in the play when he is introduced to Leonato; he thanks Leonato for his hospitality and says the he is ‘not a man of many words'. This could be seen as irony since it is exactly his words that cause the slandering and public shaming of the innocent Hero. Don John's constant malevolent deception seems not just reserved for others since there are occasional occurrences of self-deception; during a conversation with Conrade he claims that he is a ‘plain-dealing villain' which in itself is an oxymoron and furthermore seems a direct contradiction to his actions in which he is very far from ‘plain-dealing', instead he deals in conspiracy, deceit and betrayal. This may be interpreted as an indication to the possible fact that Don John does not realise the extent of his actions nor the pain, strife and hurt that he causes. This ignorance of his actions may be understood, by some, as ‘innocence' and that he is not as malicious as his actions make him appear to be. This suggestion is further iterated in the following lines: The speech has echoes of Shylocks' speech in Act 3 Scene 1 of the Shakespearean comedy ‘The Merchant Of Venice'; in that emotive speech by Shylock the audience was expected to feel sympathy towards Shylock, in the same way Shakespeare encourages the audience to rethink their snap judgements of Don John, perhaps not to change their opinion of him but to at least judge him fairly. It would seem at first that Don John is simply a deceiver and is not deceived but if we were to analyse more deeply we would realise that he is self deceiving all throughout the play. There are many indications to his self-deception, such as his claim that he is nothing more than a ‘plain-dealing villain' and again the fact that he believes that he ‘cannot hide' what he is, furthermore, he claims that he would rather be disdained than to ‘rob love from any' which is precisely what he does in regards to Claudio and Hero, this yet another clue to his self deception. His repeated self-deception is not caused by his own physical senses (i. e. he cannot believe his eyes or ears) but rather his own reasoning deceives him in order to protect his ego. Don John's brother, Don Pedro the Prince of Arragon is a legitimate child and already wins over the affections of the audience; first by the fact that he is a Prince which gives a person instant respect and admiration and secondly because, in contrast to his brother, he is a child born inside wedlock and therefore is considered as a first class citizen as opposed to his brother, Don John the Bastard. Although, his perception as this exalted being is put into question when he is involved, along with Claudio, in the public shaming of the innocent Hero. The audience, however, may tolerate this since he was a victim of Don John's deception too and therefore wasn't truly malicious in his deeds in contrast to his brother. Benedick himself recognises this, knowing the Prince personally he knew it was out of character and the Don Pedro's ‘wisdoms be misled' and that the ‘practice of it lives in John the Bastard'. The Prince of Arragon is not heavily involved in deception and therefore maintains his stature of respect in the audience's eyes, also by the fact that he is not often deceived portrays his understanding and wisdom. An additional character in William Shakespeare's ‘Much Ado About Nothing' who has interesting links to the theme of deception is the niece of Leonato, cousin to Hero, Beatrice the orphan. By having no parents in her life she has a kind of free reign in regards to her public behaviour and is able to act frivolously and with more controversy than her counterpart Hero. And with this free reign she uses it often to comment on Benedick's apparent deception of others. She makes innumerable comments on how Signor Benedick of Padua is not how he appears; according to her ‘he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat' pointing out how he is ever changing like fashions. Beatrice, as I mentioned before, makes many remarks regarding Benedick's deception including in the first scene of the play when she calls him no less than a ‘stuffed man', meaning that he is superficial and that he has nothing within him i. e. no character or verity. A further observation that I made regarding Beatrice's regular implicit accusations of Benedick's infidelity and deception may be interpreted as a sub-conscious confession, on her part, for the feelings for Benedick which she has hidden and with which she has deceived all by. In conclusion, as we can see, deception, facades, foolishness and the like were nothing but the social graces of that Messinian world and this fashion is echoed in the essence of William Shakespeare's ‘Much Ado About Nothing'. The justification for the innumerable amount of deception includes the upholding of one's honour and status among several other reasons. Through this play Shakespeare portrays how deceit is not inherently evil, but something that can be used as a means to good or bad ends.