The Transnational History of a Chinese Family Essay Example for Free

The Transnational History of a Chinese Family Essay Beginning in the late 19th century and continuing to the early 20th century, many Chinese families struggled to gain social, economic, and educational stature in both China and the United States. In the book, A Transnational History of a Chinese Family, by Haiming Liu, we learn about the Chang family rooted in Kaiping County, China, who unlike many typical Chinese families’ exemplified hard-work and strong cultural values allowing them to pursue an exceptional Chinese-American lifestyle. Even with immigration laws preventing Chinese laborers and citizens to enter unless maintaining merchant status, Yitang and Sam Chang managed to sponsor approximately 40 relatives to the states with their businesses in herbalist medicine and asparagus farming. Though the Chang’s encountered many of the hardships typical of Chinese families for the time, they relied on their outstanding work ethic so that their families would always be supported, receive the best possible education, and preserve family and kinship relationships to get them through the tough times and long periods of separation. America in the early 19th century was a place full of racial discrimination, and citizens were very unwelcoming to immigrants of other races. During this time period, they did not find the presence of these immigrants useful, and went as far as passing federal restrictions on immigration. For one race in particular, the Chinese, there were very high restrictions in place. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which we discussed in lecture, banned almost all Chinese laborers and their families from entering the U. S for 10 years. Some changes were made, and the Act was passed again as in 1892 as the Geary Act, but it was not completely repealed until 1942. Luckily, being an herbalist, Yitang Chang was classified as a merchant, and this allowed them to immigrate into America since they were not laborers. This classification was a sign of an educated Chinese man, a quality many Chinese laborers and immigrants did not possess. Yitang was eventually able to bring over family members to help with his business once he was settled. He first called upon his son Sam Chang to travel across the Pacific and assist him in the family business, giving him the opportunity to further support his family. MENTION WORK ETHIC AND HOW THIS RELATES TO THE CHANGS IMMIGRATION PROCESS, SOCIETY ALREADY AGAINST THEM Along with the Exclusion Act barring further immigration, immigrants who were already in America had to work around another restriction known as the Alien Land Act, which we also discussed in class. This prohibits both Chinese and Japanese immigrants from owning or leasing land unless they were American-born. This made it arduous for families, as it forced them to rely on those family members who were citizens to register the land under their name, which made their kinship and appreciation for each other stronger. The Chang family had registered their land under Sam’s third and fourth daughters names as they were both American citizens, but not all families were privileged enough to have those members to fall back on. With all the discrimination the Chinese race was suffering in America, Yitang sought it to be best if his wife and kids stayed in China until he could make a better life in America. Yitang and Sam Chang were successful in starting up an herbalist shop and asparagus farm and quickly realized there were many advantages to owning them, both socially and economically. Owning an herbalist shop provided cures and treatments for illness and other various diseases by using holistic medicine. It put the Chang’s in constant contact with both Chinese and Americans looking to him for help in his area of expertise. This was a reverse encounter many immigrants never experienced. Patients realized the risks of this profession, as it dealt with human health, and they began to feel how beneficial these herbs were to their own health. After earning a positive reputation in the community, the Changs began to form relationships and friendships with people in a higher social class, one in which they strived for. These relationships he would later be able utilize in testimony when helping his family migrate to the U. S, a key role in the economic success of the businesses. Like we discussed in lecture, most Chinese immigrants were laborers and did not receive many pleasant encounters with white men. Although Yitang was seen by many Americans as a valuable Chinese immigrant, he and his family members still received discrimination other immigrants had to face. Their thriving asparagus farm did not have as many social benefits as the herbalist business did, but the farm was their main source of income, and with this they were able to provide for their families while living transnationally. Once the Chang family moved into Los Angeles and had their herbalist shop and asparagus farm under way, they realized the need for more laborers. In order to support their wives and kids with groceries, clothing, and education, the Chang’s needed to find the cheapest labor possible while still establishing the farm as a business that could support their income. The cheapest laborers were relatives, and they were for the most part thankful to come and work for Yitang, even if it was not their ideal working situation. One frustration Sam expressed in the book that may correlate to the continuing poor treatment and vision of the Chinese, is that within the Chinese workforce, most hard-working laborers in the railroad, farming, mining, and foresting businesses were almost 50 years or older and sent a majority of their earnings back to their families in China. Meanwhile, the younger Chinese generations were involved in gambling, restaurants, and laundries as they did not have the willpower to spend long days in the sun working in the fields, and knowingly allowed their elders to partake in much harder work than they had. This was viewed by many as un-filial, especially from a culture so embodied with ‘filial piety’, which is a virtue of respect for ones parents and ancestors. This did not seem to be the case with the Japanese-Americans however, who regardless of their age, dedicated so much hard-work to the farming and grocery business. Sam writes in a letter home, â€Å"While the Japanese have made much progress, the Chinese have achieved downward rather than upward mobility,† and refers to the younger Chinese generations as â€Å"parasites† and â€Å"lazy bones. † Sam was intelligent enough and quickly figured out the importance of weeding out the unproductive workers who complained too often, and keeping the ones who complained from time to time but whose work reflected dedication. To Sam’s surprise, even a few of the younger Chang relatives who were sponsored to help on the farm complained often and did not show as much commitment as Sam had expected. It was apparent when workers, especially family members did not share the same interest in the goals of the farming business and were solely concerned with making their wages and returning back to their families as soon as possible. This occurrence was very rare in the Chinese culture, as one of their main values is the strength of their kinship relationships. In the Chinese culture the word â€Å"kinship† refers to the entire family, including extended family. Not all Chinese businesses encountered this struggle with diligence, while some failed under the lack of perseverance, and the ones that did, play a role in the different views Americans had of Chinese people compared to the Japanese. While some of the kinship relationships in the Chang family were slightly severed, most family members who were given the opportunity to work on the asparagus farm saw it as an honor and were thankful to be sponsored by Yitang. Unfortunately, and fortunately, Yitang acquired many of the relative workers due to family unrest in China. While returning home for a visit four years after his initial trip to America, there were family conflicts where they were fighting over land and ended up spliing into two different kinship organizations. The arguments resulted in outrage and sometimes violence. Yitang finally urged his kinship to move out of the province to a safer area until he could get them to the U. S. This shows how rural families, the Chang family in particular, would move from time to time depending on their social and economic situations in order to strengthen their family success and kinship relationships in the migration process. Many Chinese businesses were not as successful as the Chang’s. Struggles arose because families could not make enough of a profit with just one farm of agriculture and did not have the resources or money to purchase more land or hire workers. The Chang family, having their herbalist medicine shop was crucial to their success. Although the farming generated more revenue, the family members who were sponsored to America came in as merchants claiming work at Yitang’s herbalist shop. They eventually maintained another asparagus farm and generated enough of a profit to further educate their children and grandchildren so they could have lives just as fulfilling, which in the Chinese culture was the greatest honor a parent could feel. Education for the Chinese was the most important achievement and was the gateway to all the success the Chang family incurred on their transnational voyage. It all started with Yitang as a young herbalist mentor and only after years of schooling and experience gained enough confidence to travel to America to open his own shop in Los Angeles. With having the experiences he did and knowing how important education is in reaching your goals, he strived to instill the desire to receive the best education possible in all his children and grandchildren. Self-sacrifice of the parents obliged the children to work vigorously in school in hopes of pursuing a good career that allowed them social mobility. The Chang family benefitted greatly from having received educational opportunities in both China and America. Education for most started in China where they received basic Chinese literacy schooling, but they would eventually leave home to attend more advanced schools in other towns or cities. Sam’s son Tennyson and daughter Constance were paid more attention to in this book in regards to education. Both were born in China and while Tennyson stayed there throughout his entire schooling and career, Constance went to America for part of her schooling, but then returned to China for a college education. While attaining an education in the early 20th century America was cheaper for the Chang family, it was not necessarily the best choice for their ideals and overall morale. Sam believed that it was important to have a well-versed knowledge and understanding of the Chinese culture and education as well as having an English educational background. Because of this, Tennyson who remained in China and never had the exposure to the English language that Constance did, searched for someone to come and teach him English. The Chang family stressed being culturally diverse, but when it came down to it also stressed looking into a future in China as the economic and social opportunities were far more vast and accommodating. Many Chinese-American children attended school in America their whole life, and it was known that secondary school campuses were not a very suitable environment for young children, women in particular. At this age kids are very impressionable and the values that American born Chinese possessed were different than the naturalized Chinese citizens. While Sam never personally saw his own daughter struggle with low self-esteem, or harassment by men, the general consensus was that the children were very impressionable and for this reason he made the tough decision to send Constance back to China for her senior high, and college. While low self-esteem wasn’t a huge worry for Sam with Constantine, children that did suffer from it tended to come from and surround themselves with people of lower social classes. Yitang and Sam made the choice to surround themselves with wealthy, educated, upper-class Chinese and even Americans during their stay in the states, and they only hoped to encourage their children to want the same as it helps maintains important relationships, and a healthy, determined mind. In Sam’s decision to send Constantine back to China it is apparent that the cultural values and aspects gave way to the economic aspects. The position of higher social status of the Chang family in both China and America is an example of how the Chang family was not your typical Chinese immigrant family. During the years of Yitang’s stay in America his kinship relations and commitment to home never changed. His transnational achievements were not internally gratifying for only Yitang, but also for the whole Chang lineage. Due to his major successes obtained while abroad, family members in China built an ancestral hall in his honor. Ancestral halls were usually constructed after someone has passed, so the proposal for it to be constructed during his life further illuminates just how highly regarded he was in the Chang family. [ 1 ]. Haiming Liu, The Transnational History of a Chinese Family: Immigrant Letters, Family Business, and Reverse Migration (New Brunswick, N. J. : Rutgers University Press, 2005), 117. [ 2 ]. Liu, The Transnational History of a Chinese Family: Immigrant Letters, Family Business, and Reverse Migration, 117. [ 3 ]. Liu, The Transnational History of a Chinese Family: Immigrant Letters, Family Business, and Reverse Migration, 2. [ 4 ]. Liu, The Transnational History of a Chinese Family: Immigrant Letters, Family Business, and Reverse Migration, 36. [ 5 ]. Liu, The Transnational History of a Chinese Family: Immigrant Letters, Family Business, and Reverse Migration, 126. [ 6 ]. Liu, The Transnational History of a Chinese Family: Immigrant Letters, Family Business, and Reverse Migration, 43.

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Introduction Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has become the foremost biopesticide since the beginning of the 1970s, due to the lethality of the toxin to insects. It has attracted industry to use it worldwide as an efficient weapon against agri-cultural pest. formerly, B. thuringiensis was considered an entomopathogen. Within the last four decades the complexity and diversity of B. thuringiensis as an insecticidal microbe have been elucidate. The first report on the crystalline parasporal body in the bacterium that might be related with the insecticidal activity appeared by 1953 (Hannay, 1953). Angus (1954) demonstrated that this crystal contains an alkaline- soluble toxin for insects. B. thuringiensis produces a f3-exotoxin well-known also as the fly-toxin, thermostable toxin, or thuringiensin, but this toxin was not permitted for use in agriculture because its toxicity was not limited to insect pests (Sebesta et al., 1981). The 8-endotoxin shows potential characteristics of an insect-specific bioinsecticide. By the end of the 1950s, the toxicity of the spore–crystal complex was classif...

Influences of Visual Media Paper Essay

There are many forms of visual entertainment readily accessible to us; it has become the primary source of entertainment. Visual entertainment only has not helped shape American culture but also its values. Visual entertainment comes in many forms; whether it is reading a newspaper, magazines, or just watching television. Visual media has many numerous advantages as well as some disadvantages. Advisements are used to target individuals that find their product appealing. This compels viewers to buy the latest technology gadget or to wear the latest fashion clothes. Media has also changed the way we communicate and this has improved our culture in many ways. For example, in the recent years it has been possible to connect on real time with someone across the world through a computer. Now we are able to connect with people through a simple device like the IPhone 4S. The IPhone 4S lets a person talk through face time and allows them to see each other. Visual media has also made a huge impact on young children and teenagers. With all the new artists coming out changing the music and media culture the younger generation is looking up to them more each day. The younger generations view these artists as role models and want to be exactly like them. The music industry has changed media forever. Artists have introduced us to many different cultures and their music as well. Artist like Lady gaga have paved the road for young adults not to be afraid to speak up or reach high for their dreams. Beyoncà © has also paved the road for woman all over the world to feel empowered by their femininity and stand strong. Centuries ago women could not freely express themselves the way they do now. In addition, this has helped shaped a new lifestyle for many of us. The media provides full coverage of the lavish life styles of the many celebrities we have in this generation. People have lost the value of simple things in life and try grasp for the lavish life. In Addition, visual media also informs us of the news around the world. The news teaches us about the different cultures and that has impacted our culture tremendously. Visual media  continues to change every day; there is always something new and updated coming out. Visual entertainment has had many positive and negative social influences. One way that visual media influenced our culture in a negative way is by blind imitation. The media portrays an image for the viewers on how a rich and glamorous life is the way to live. Several people are so blinded by this that they try their best to live lavishing lives without having means to. For example, Heidi Montag is a celebrity who became popular after completing her first real life show called Laguna Hills. She became caught up in glamorous life that she eventually wanted more fame. She then decided she wanted to look like Barbie and had 10 plastic surgeries in just one day! Fox news wrote an article about Heidi Montag and what appeared to be her addiction to plastic surgery. In an Internet video, Fox News (2010) states that â€Å"When reality TV show star Heidi Montag announced last week that she had undergone 10 plastic surgeries, all in one day, the news was met with some (naturally) raised eyebrows. But she’s not alone in her obsession to look perfect by enduring multiple cosmetic enhancements, a phenomenon that has the makings of an addiction, or at least a binge behavior, experts say.† The media often sends messages to their viewers that skinny, resembling a celebrity, and living a luxurious lifestyle is the way to live. The media also promotes unhealthy lifestyles such changing you’re eating habits to become thinner. Another negative social influence caused by social media is media addiction. Several people become addicted to visual media. Many people are now glued to their television, reading celebrity gossip, or just surfing for hours. This influences especially teenagers who might come across information that they are not able to understand in that age. Visual media also overwhelms its viewers with information that might now possibly be truthful. Not too many people spend the necessary time to find out if that information is authentic. This is how many of us become influence by visual media. We believe everything that is shown on television or put on the Internet. However, visual media does have its positive social influences. Mass media can help you reach many people across the world. We are now able to face time chat online with a family member in New York while  you are in California. Visual media keeps us informed of global news as well as local news. Visual media has also made it possible for some individuals to work from home. For example, people that work from home are now able to have conference face time calls online. Visual media has also made it possible for people like me to go to school online and obtain a degree. In conclusion, visual media reflects and influences social behavior and attitudes. People become influenced by what the media’s message is and it influences their behavior and attitudes. Visual media sometimes influence violence as well as kindness. We see on television many tragic stories that broadcast uncensored for the viewers to see. However, the media also broadcasts the help people volunteer when there is a tragedy. The media influences people behaviors and attitudes by portraying different images. For example, if you are watching a love story on television you will automatically think that people do act like that in real life. Whether it is Twilight or True blood the media gathers people watching these series and that influences people’s behaviors at that moment. Visual media has helped us understand the various cultures as well as religions around the world. This helps us understand and respect others, we are all not the same, but we are equal. Reference Fox News (2010). Heidi Montag’s Plastic Surgery: Obsession or Addiction? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583626,00.html

Essay on NIke solutions - 1702 Words

Appendix I C1: Equity = Stock Price x Number of Shares Outstanding = $42.09 X 271.5 = $11,427.435 million C2: Using Adjusted Beta formula: Adjusted Beta = 0.67* historical Beta + 0.33 = 0.67* 0.69 +0.33=0.79 C3: Using CAPM formula: KE = Krf + ß (Km-Krf) = 3.59%+0.79*6.7%=8.89% C4: Using rearranged DGM formula: KE =D1/P0 +g= 0.48(1+5.5%)/42.09 +5.5%=6.7% C5: Using redeemable bond formula: KD: 95.6= 100/ (1+KD/2)40 + 3.375(1-0.38)/(1+KD/2)n KD=4.52% C6: Using WACC formula: Rwacc =4.52*10.19% + 8.89*89.81% = 8.44% C7: average dividend growth rate: g = [0+12.5++ 20+12+8]/4 %=8% (Assumption: In this calculation, the growth rates significantly higher than 20% and negative figure have been ignored.) C8: Using CAPM:†¦show more content†¦* Using CAPM (popular) for calculate Ke KE = KRF + (KM – KRF) x Beta ï‚ · Beta: is seen as an ‘index of responsiveness’ of changes in a security’s returns relative to changes in returns on the market, in this case is sport utility industry) (In Exhibit 4 of Nike Inc., given from 1996 is Average beta = 0.80, beta in 2001 is 0.69) ï‚ · KRF: risk free rate ï‚ · (KM - KRF) : Risk market premium ï‚ · KM: Return on market. Using KRF = Profitability rate of Government bonds (U.S. Treasury), in Exhibit 4 we have U.S Treasury 20-year ïÆ' ¨ KRF= 5.74% According to Joana Cohen, she got risk premium = 5.90% (in Exhibit 4: geometric mean = 5.90%, arithmetic mean = 7.50%) Because of arithmetic mean is better for one-year period estimated expected returns, while geometric mean is better for long-term period valuation. So, for long life valuation, we can find stable valuation (Jacquier et al., 2003). That’s the answer for Joana Cohen choses geometric mean for her calculated. Joanna Cohen calculated: KE = 5.74% + 5.90% x 0.80 = 10.46% ( rounding 10.5%) Cohen uses average beta from 1996 to July 2001, 0.80 to be the measure of systematic risk, but we need to find out a beta that is most representative to future beta. As such, most recent beta is the best choice in this situation (Sharpe, 1995). So most recent beta estimate is recent beta at 06 June 2001 is 0.69. We have : KE = 5.74% +Show MoreRelatedNike Hrm Issues and Solutions5308 Words   |  22 PagesHBH225N Human Resource Management Semester 02/2012 Individual Assignment Nike – Human Resource Management Issues and Solutions Due Date: Friday, 30. 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