Pleasures of Reading free essay sample

â€Å"Reading† is the activity of perusing, skimming, going over, or poring over a book. The book may be of any genre, but â€Å"reading† provides great satisfaction. It is the act of construing, comprehending and perceiving the true meaning of the text. It is done for enjoyment and as a hobby. The text is made up of simple and often complex words which are a source of great satiety and magic for the reader. The selection of the books define us. They show who we really are. The true quirks and traits of a person can truly be understood by what he likes to read, as Mathew Kelly pointed out that, â€Å"We become the books we read.† Books are also a great source of pleasure and comfort. They wash away from our lives the constant monotony and bring excitement; they remove the dust of everyday life from our souls and replace it with thrill and exhilaration. We will write a custom essay sample on Pleasures of Reading or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They bring newness to the world and give us a chance to imagine better. The moment we open a book and start dwelling in its world, we feel as if everything around us has ceased to exist. Reading provides us the sole mode by which we slip unconsciously, involuntarily and often helplessly into another person’s soul and stumble into the world of his imagination where everything has been created by him. It transports us to new places, introduces us to amazing people who lived exciting lives, they move us to HOGWARTS with J.K.ROWLING, to NARNIA with C.S.LEWIS, to BAYPORT with FRANKLIN W.DIXON, to RIVERHEIGHTS with CAROLYNE KEENE, to MAGICAL FORESTS with ENID BLYTON and to the CENTRE OF THE EARTH with JULES VERNE. These places are more than often just a figment of the writer’s imagination but to a reader everything about them seems real, he wish that he can be transported to the world of his dreams and live the life he wishes to live. He can visit all these places while sitt ing on a comfortable couch by the fire along with an appetizing snack. At this moment he observes that there is no pleasure like reading and eating. And the best part is that the two of them can be combined comfortably. As Jane Austen declares that, â€Å"There is no enjoyment like reading.† We might not notice this but we actually live the stories we are reading, each character possesses a specific voice in our head along with an appropriate appearance. In the eye of our mind we see them moving and hear them talking while we read about them. A reader lives the lives of about a thousand people before he dies but non-reader lives a single boring and monotonous life. Books are a unique source of portable magic which we can carry anywhere we want to. It helps us to enter blissful peace and assists us to learn and comprehend the secrets and hidden facts of the universe by giving our minds food for thought. Wherever we are, if we have a book with us we do not need any company. We can just sink into the pages and be really happy. As Elizabeth Scott observes that, â€Å"I love books! I love that moment when you open one book and sink into it. You can escape from the world and sink into a story that’s way more interesting than yours will ever be.† Reading is dreaming with open eyes. We do not have to necessarily believe in all the fiction and magic of the books we have to know that it’s not true. But it does create a world of fantasy which helps to broaden our vision and increase our imagination. Even Rowling says that, ‘I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe that something very magical can happen when you read a good book.’ Reading helps to builds our personality and develops important characters and traits. When we read about certain traits we learn to like and dislike them. We even try to apply them in our personal life. It helps to provide us with good manners, strengthen our vocabulary and increase our knowledge. We can receive important information when we read a good book. There are some acts which are never wasted and always help us in one way or another.Reading is one of them. Rowling instructs us to, ‘Read as much as you can. Nothing will help u as much as reading.’ When we step inside a library, the first thing we feel is the smell of old parchments, the fragrance of ink, we hear the rustle of paper and at this moment we believe that this scent of books is the best scent in the world. When we inhale deeply and browse through the different sections we experience a sense so magical that it can never be expressed in words, and magical does not merely mean supernatural or sorcerous but includes mystery, thrill, and contentment, which makes us feel wonderful and excited. When we close our eyes and simply touch a familiar book and draw its fragrance deep inside us, it is enough to make us happy and contented. Stephen King claims that, ‘Books are a uniquely portable magic.’ Reading is very necessary to keep us revived, fresh and invigorated. Reading is as necessary to mind as exercise is to our body. They revive us when we feel as if all doors of life are closed. They help us to escape our stresses and enter a new place, a different era. At these times we feel as if there is no friend as loyal as a book. We don’t need to confide all our secrets to it. Even then it can provide reassurance which is required very much. So, if we truly want to escape the world we open a book and use our imagination. JK ROWLING asserts that, â€Å"There is always room for a story that can transport people toanother place† If a person does not like to read books this mostly means that he has not yet found the right book to suit his taste and personality, as it is impossible for any knowledgeable person with good interests to dislike books, because good readers make much out of little and still find it short. According to JANE AUSTEN, â€Å"If a book is well written I always find it short† Sometimes there are declarations truths and facts which cannot be explained in normal writing but a fictious book aptly explains them, with such subtlety that the reader hardly notices that he has understood them. And they become part of his life without his observing the change. RALPH WALDO EMERSON insists that, â€Å"Fiction reveals the truth that reality obscures† We do not need to understand philosophy, learn a special skill or know an art to recognize a good book nor do we need to search hard for it, we know when we have a good book we become absorbed and totally engrossed in it. When we turn the last page and feel that we have lost a close friend. As if something very important has been eradicated, lost or removed. We feel a strange emptiness and hollowness inside us and we yearn for more. We know it is a good book when we learn to laugh and cry with it, which leaves us emotional for days and makes tears fall down our cheeks. Which makes us cry and feel joyful. In short, a book a day keeps reality away. We should read good, interesting and useful literature which proves fruitful and helps us in our lives. But we should also exert caution and be careful. We should not read so much that our minds are boggled, thinking becomes clouded, our eyes become weak, we get to wear spectacles, our work is left pending and we become total BIBLIOBIBULIS (people who read too much) BOOKS are keys to wisdom’s treasures BOOKS are gates to lands of pleasures BOOKS are paths that upward lead BOOKS are friends, come let us read!

Using the French Prepositions En and Dans

Using the French Prepositions 'En' and 'Dans' In French, the prepositions en and dans both mean in, and they both express time and location. They are not, however, interchangeable.  Their usage depends on both meaning and grammar. How French Prepositions Work In French, prepositions  are generally words that  link two related parts of a sentence. They are usually placed in front of nouns or pronouns  to indicate a relationship between that  noun or pronoun and a verb, adjective  or noun that precedes it. Im talking to Jean.Je parle  Ã‚  Jean.She is from Paris.Elle est  de  Paris.The book is for you.  Le livre est  pour  toi. These small but powerful  words not only show relationships between words, they also refine the meanings of place (cities, countries, islands, regions, and U.S. states) and time (as with  pendant  and  durant); can follow adjectives and link them to the remainder of a sentence; can  never  end a sentence (as they can in English); can be difficult to translate into English and idiomatic; and can exist as a prepositional phrase, such as  au-dessus de  (above),  au-dessous de (below),  and  au milieu de (in the middle of). Some prepositions are also used after certain verbs to complete their meaning, such as  croire en  (to believe in),  parler   (to talk to) and  parler de  (to talk about).  Plus, prepositional phrases can be replaced by the adverbial pronouns  y  and  en. The following guidelines and examples delineate how and when to use two of the trickier French prepositions:  en and dans. Notice how they link two related parts of each sentence.   Examples of When  to Use En in French En expresses the length of time an action happens. As a result, the verb is usually in the present or past tense, as in Je peux faire le lit en cinq minutes.I can make the bed in five minutes.Il a lu le livre en une heure.  He read the book in an hour.Jai appris danser en un an.  I learned how to dance in a year. En  expresses when an action happens as it relates to the calendar: month, season, or year. Exception: au printemps. Nous voyageons en Avril. We travel in April.Il arrivera en hiver.  He will arrive in the winter. En  can mean in or to when followed directly by a noun that doesnt need an article: Vous allez en prison!  Youre going to prison!  Il est en classe.  Hes in school. En  can also mean  in or to when used with some  states, provinces, and countries, such as Jhabite en Californie.I live in California.Je vais en France. Im going to France. Examples of When to Use Dans Dans  indicates the amount of time before action will occur. Note that the verb is usually in the present or future, as in Nous partons dans dix minutes.Were leaving in 10 minutes.  Il reviendra dans une heure.Hell be back in an hour.  Elle va commencer dans une semaine. Shes going to start in a week. Dans  refers to something that occurs within or during a decade, as in Dans les annà ©es soixantes...In the sixties...Dans les annà ©es quatre-vingts...During the eighties... Dans  means in a location when followed by an article plus noun, such as Il est dans la maison.Hes in the house.  Quest-ce qui est dans la boà ®te? Whats in the box? Dans  also means in or to with some  states and provinces: Jhabite dans le Maine.I live in Maine.Je vais dans lOntario. ï » ¿Im going to Ontario.

7 Benefits That Will Persuade You to Attend an English Spoken Course

7 Benefits That Will Persuade You to Attend an English Spoken Course 7 Benefits That Will Persuade You to Attend an English Spoken Course Nowadays learning the English language Ã'â€"Ã'• trulÃ'Æ' a nÐ µÃ' Ã µÃ'•Ã'•Ã'â€"tÃ'Æ' for everyone. ThÐ µ IntÐ µrnÐ µt hÐ °Ã'• rÐ µÃ °llÃ'Æ' Ã' rÐ µÃ °tÐ µd Ð °n Ã'â€"ntÐ µrÃ' Ã ¾nnÐ µÃ' tÐ µd glÐ ¾bÐ °l community and its unÃ'â€"vÐ µrÃ'•Ð °l language Ã'â€"Ã'• EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h. It Ã'â€"Ã'• nÐ ¾t unÃ' Ã ¾mmÐ ¾n for the US, CÐ °nÐ °dÃ'â€"Ð °n, AuÃ'•trÐ °lÃ'â€"Ð °n Ð °nd UK businesses to have Ã'•tÐ °ff, partners and Ã' uÃ'•tÐ ¾mÐ µrÃ'• all Ð ¾vÐ µr thÐ µ world. ThÐ µ trÐ °vÐ µl Ã'â€"nduÃ'•trÃ'Æ', Ã'â€"ntÐ µrnÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l Ã'€Ð ¾lÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"Ã' Ã'• Ð °nd media are fully connected with EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h, so Ã'€Ð µÃ ¾Ã'€lÐ µ have come to the point that they nÐ µÃ µd tÐ ¾ Ã'•Ã'€Ð µÃ °k EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h mÐ ¾rÐ µ Ð °nd mÐ ¾rÐ µ. No matter whÐ µrÐ µ Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u lÃ'â€"vÐ µ Ð ¾r what Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u do, fluency in English Ã'â€"Ã'• becoming a must to funÃ' tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ã'â€"n todays society. Of cou rse there are many ways how one can improve his/her knowledge, but the best choice is to attend an English spoken course. Still don’t think that it is necessary to work at your English? Here are most important evidence to make you sure that English is a must: The International Language As one Ð ¾f thÐ µ most wÃ'â€"dÐ µlÃ'Æ' Ã'•Ã'€Ð ¾kÐ µn languages, English Ã'â€"Ã'• knÐ ¾wn as the Ã'â€"ntÐ µrnÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l language. EvÐ µn in Ã' Ã ¾untrÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• whÐ µrÐ µ it Ã'â€"Ã'• not thÐ µ Ð ¾ffÃ'â€"Ã' Ã'â€"Ð °l lÐ °nguÐ °gÐ µ, Ã'â€"t Ã'â€"Ã'• becoming mÐ ¾rÐ µ Ã' Ã ¾mmÐ ¾nlÃ'Æ' spoken. Media Now wÐ µ lÃ'â€"vÐ µ Ã'â€"n thÐ µ Media Age, and thÐ µ majority Ð ¾f the information Ã'â€"Ã'• Ã'â€"n English. Most wÐ µbÃ'•Ã'â€"tÐ µÃ'•, magazines, bÐ ¾Ã ¾kÃ'•, vÃ'â€"dÐ µÃ ¾Ã'• and research mÐ °tÐ µrÃ'â€"Ð °lÃ'• Ð °rÐ µ Ã'â€"n EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h as well. If you use thÐ µ IntÐ µrnÐ µt Ã'â€"n your studies Ð ¾r Ã'€Ð µrÃ'•Ð ¾nÐ °l Ð °ffÐ °Ã'â€"rÃ'•, undoubtedly, Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u have already rÐ µÃ °lÃ'â€"zÐ µd this. Business If Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u have a desire tÐ ¾ dÐ ¾ buÃ'•Ã'â€"nÐ µÃ'•Ã'• glÐ ¾bÐ °llÃ'Æ' or Ð µvÐ µn juÃ'•t in thÐ µ US market in the future, being good at thÐ µ EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h language wÃ'â€"ll bÐ µ a must fÐ ¾r you tÐ ¾ Ã'•uÃ' Ã' Ã µÃ µd. English-speaking Ã'€Ð µÃ ¾Ã'€lÐ µ have much grÐ µÃ °tÐ µr Ð ¾Ã'€Ã'€Ð ¾rtunÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• for business growth or Ð µvÐ µn for getting a well-paid job. Career CÐ °rÐ µÃ µr opportunities fÐ ¾r people whÐ ¾ Ð °rÐ µ fluÐ µnt in EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h Ð °rÐ µ muÃ' h mÐ ¾rÐ µ Ð °bundÐ °nt thÐ °n for thÐ ¾Ã'•Ð µ whÐ ¾ Ð °rÐ µ nÐ ¾t. People whÐ ¾ lÃ'â€"vÐ µ in Ã'€Ð ¾Ã ¾r areas of the wÐ ¾rld can Ð µÃ °Ã'•Ã'â€"lÃ'Æ' get hÃ'â€"gh-Ã'€Ð °Ã'Æ'Ã'â€"ng jÐ ¾bÃ'• Ã'â€"n the US just due to knowing English well. Homeworking and wÐ ¾rkÃ'â€"ng Ð ¾nlÃ'â€"nÐ µ Ã'â€"Ã'• bÐ µÃ' Ã ¾mÃ'â€"ng commonplace Ã'â€"n thÐ µ business wÐ ¾rld tÐ ¾dÐ °Ã'Æ'. Most AmÐ µrÃ'â€"Ã' Ã °n Ã' Ã ¾mÃ'€Ð °nÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• provide people from Ð ¾thÐ µr countries with jobs. English ThÐ ¾Ã'•Ð µ whÐ ¾ want to do business Ð ¾nlÃ'â€"nÐ µ wÃ'â€"ll bÐ µ interested tÐ ¾ knÐ ¾w that over 565 mÃ'â€"llÃ'â€"Ð ¾n of IntÐ µrnÐ µt uÃ'•Ð µrÃ'• are EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h speakers. ThÐ µ mÐ °jÐ ¾rÃ'â€"tÃ'Æ' Ð ¾f the websites are also in English. Needless tÐ ¾ Ã'•Ð °Ã'Æ', Ã'â€"f Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u wÐ °nt tÐ ¾ Ã' Ã ¾mÃ'€Ð µtÐ µ Ã'â€"n thÐ µ glÐ ¾bÐ °l market, EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h talking Ã'â€"Ã'• a rÐ µquÃ'â€"rÐ µmÐ µnt, Ð °nd bÃ'Æ' hÐ °vÃ'â€"ng your wÐ µbÃ'•Ã'â€"tÐ µ Ð °vÐ °Ã'â€"lÐ °blÐ µ in EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h, you wÃ'â€"ll Ã'â€"nÃ' rÐ µÃ °Ã'•Ð µ Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur rÐ µÃ °Ã' h Ð °nd readership by leaps Ð °nd bÐ ¾undÃ'•. Travelling Even if you Ð °rÐ µ nÐ ¾t interested Ã'â€"n dÐ ¾Ã'â€"ng business glÐ ¾bÐ °llÃ'Æ', you mÐ °Ã'Æ' hÐ °vÐ µ the Ð ¾Ã'€Ã'€Ð ¾rtunÃ'â€"tÃ'Æ' tÐ ¾ trÐ °vÐ µl abroad Ð °t different Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'â€"nts. WhÃ'â€"lÐ µ Ã'â€"t would bÐ µ Ã'â€"mÃ'€Ð ¾Ã'•Ã'•Ã'â€"blÐ µ tÐ ¾ lÐ µÃ °rn Ð µvÐ µrÃ'Æ' language Ð ¾f the country Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u want tÐ ¾ vÃ'â€"Ã'•Ã'â€"t, juÃ'•t knÐ ¾wÃ'â€"ng English wÃ'â€"ll make your trÃ'â€"Ã'€ Ð µnjÐ ¾Ã'Æ'Ð °blÐ µ. Education MÐ ¾Ã'•t Ð ¾f the tÐ ¾Ã'€-rÐ °tÐ µd unÃ'â€"vÐ µrÃ'•Ã'â€"tÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• Ã'â€"n thÐ µ world are Ã'â€"n EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h-Ã'•Ã'€Ð µÃ °kÃ'â€"ng Ã' Ã ¾untrÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'• the US, the UK, AuÃ'•trÐ °lÃ'â€"Ð ° Ð °nd CÐ °nÐ °dÐ °. If Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u are Ã' Ã ¾nÃ'•Ã'â€"dÐ µrÃ'â€"ng Ã'•tudÃ'Æ'Ã'â€"ng Ð °brÐ ¾Ã °d, Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u wÃ'â€"ll nÐ µÃ µd tÐ ¾ bÐ µ fluÐ µnt Ã'â€"n English not only to Ã'•tudÃ'Æ' Ã'â€"n thÐ µÃ'•Ð µ universities, but Ð °lÃ'•Ð ¾ tÐ ¾ pass Ð µntry exams as well as to obtain a Ã'€Ð µrmÃ'â€"tion for studying Ã'â€"n thÐ °t Ã' Ã ¾untrÃ'Æ'. Books frÐ ¾m Ð °ll Ð ¾vÐ µr thÐ µ wÐ ¾rld are often trÐ °nÃ'•lÐ °tÐ µd Ã'â€"ntÐ ¾ EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h, more Ð ¾ftÐ µn thÐ °n Ð °nÃ'Æ' Ð ¾thÐ µr language. All in all, if you often struggle with writing English papers, try our service and get custom written papers online.

Freedom Writers Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Freedom Writers - Movie Review Example Freedom Writers is a movie, which is based on the racial and ethnic conflicts that make people fight with each other. Hilary Swank played the role of a motivational teacher whose name was Erin Gruwell. Gruwell was appointed at Wilson High School in 1994 to teach freshman English to the students. Memories of the 1992 riots were still fresh in the minds of the students. The class was full of troublesome students who had formed small gangs based on their races. Gruwell made her efforts to eradicate the feelings of hate and detestation from the minds of the students in order to make them productive citizens of the society. She used an exceptional approach to teach her students the value of peace. She asked students to write personal diaries regarding what they feel about each other and what they have suffered during riots. She used those diaries to teach her students. The film typically relates to the economy of race. Formation of aggressive gangs and riots represent racial aggression of the people. Racial discrimination occurs when one specific race is given priority on other races. In Freedom Writers, Gruwell kept herself focused towards educating the negative impact of racial conflicts to the students. She kept on telling the students that racial conflicts are never good for a society and the students need to eradicate the feelings of disgust from their minds in order to ensure peace in the society.

Computer Science Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Computer Science Research Proposal - Essay Example Our company stands to gain by creating a smart and easy-to-use debugger. It will make the process of programming swifter and more efficient, leading to both profits by selling the debugger and savings by creating a more efficient software engineering process for ourselves. The main improvement of our debugger over other debuggers will be a visual component; complex data structures like graphs, tables, and trees will be displayed visually as the programmer conceptually sees them, not as lines of text. First of all, we could create our own IDE and implement the debugger along with it. This option would take longer to develop than the first, but would not have the difficulties of interfacing with other IDE's, since the debugger would be tailor-made for our own IDE. Also, we could stand to charge more for this product than for a plug-in(GraphViz). Secondly, we could create the debugger as a plug-in for an environment such as Visual Studio or Eclipse. This would take less time and be cheaper than other options, but may lead to difficulties in interfacing with a variety of IDE's, and may be unstable. Finally, we could link an existing IDE and an existing graph displayer but program the interface between the two. This would take the fastest among the three options but would not lead to much actual profit by sales. It would, however, improve the efficiency of our own programming practices. As for the schedule, option 1 could take many years; it would probably demand constant attention. Several years would be a reasonable period for option 2, and option 3 could be done in a matter of months. The duration of one development cycle within these schedules would vary depending on how many versions we release to the awaiting public, among other factors, but the ideal development cycle would be one version per year. Both Eclipse, which was open source starting on November 7, 2001, and GraphViz, which started in 2000, have maintained a nearly annual release schedule. Management of this Software Management of this project depends on how components of the project will be subdivided. Option 1 will need many more teams and a large staff, to cover the many aspects of an IDE. Option 2 could require one team for interfacing with IDE's, a large one for displaying graphs visually, and other smaller teams for the execution window and the variable window. Wages for programmers could run around $20,000 a year a person. Computer equipment and office space, which requires property taxes, will be needed. I conclude that, with the need for cutting the cost and time associated with debugging, this project is worth the costs, and option 2 is the optimal choice. Introduction An integrated development environment puts jointly the whole lot needed for programming into one application: a text editor, a compiler, a runtime environment, a debugger, and other tools. Some instances of these applications include Visual Studio, JBuilder, and Eclipse. Integrated developm

Human Cloning Should be Illegal :: Opposing Perspective Essays

Human Cloning Should be Illegal Can you imagine a world where everyone looked the same and had the same DNA? This could become true due to the advances in science in the field of cloning. We are coming into an age where scientists have started cloning non-human mammals as well as fish. Soon, they will want to start cloning humans. Since human cloning is so dangerous, unethical, and too expensive for reproductive purposes, it should be illegal. Human cloning is dangerous. It is estimated that between 95 and 98 percent of cloning experiments have failed (Genetics and Society). These downfalls to cloning are in the form of miscarriages and stillbirths (Genetics and Society). Cloned human beings also run the risk of having severe genetic abnormalities. Children cloned from adult DNA would, in a sense, already have â€Å"old† genes. These children’s main problem would be developing and growing old too quickly. This includes arthritis, appearance, and organ function. Since the chance of having a child with mental and physical problems is so much higher than that of a normally conceived child, cloning should be illegal. Human cloning is also unethical. Cloning, especially therapeutic cloning, requires the use of human embryos. Using these embryos would mean killing unborn children. Therapeutic cloning begins by removing the stem cells from an embryo (Human Cloning). The stem cells are used to grow bone, nerve, and muscle tissue. In the process of therapeutic cloning, an embryo, or a baby in the early stages of development, is taken and parts of it are grown to develop parts of the body including organs and limbs (Human Cloning). Removing these stem cells would kill the embryo. The embryo, which would result in a child if left in the mother’s womb, is separated into parts, which are used for science. Finally, human cloning for reproductive purposes is too expensive. The cost to clone one human could be more than $100,000 (Herper). That is extremely high considering the cost of in vitro fertilization. In vitro fertilization costs between $3,500 and $25,000 depending on the procedure (Advanced Fertility Services). If someone could not become pregnant it is much more likely that they would chose to use fertilization and be guaranteed a healthy, normal child rather than spend the money to clone a child that could have defects. With fertilization costing only one fourth of cloning, why would someone choose to clone?

Census Tract 78.09

Census Tract 78. 09 In the middle of the Pacific Ocean lays the biggest chain of islands, the Hawaiian Islands, and on the Island of Oahu within census tract number 78. 07 (figure 1) is my home. This tract is in the southern part of the island and its east boundary is Aiea. This tract is also between two main roads: on the north there is the H-1 freeway, and from the south Moanalua Rd. , which is also bordered with Pearl Ridge Shopping Center. This tract, even though it may not seem like it, is somehow in the middle of the island. It is located off the freeway which makes it convenient to reach other parts of the island. It is about a fifteen minute drive to down town, Waikiki, Kaneohe (east side), and Waipahu. A 25-30 minute drive will bring you to the North Shore or Ko Olina, which is located on the western end of the island. This tract appears to be a high-order central place that includes one of the four major malls on the island. In addition, Straub Clinic & Hospital is less than a mile away, and there are many restaurants, car repair shops, gas stations and schools nearby. The residents of this tract and other tracts nearby can find answers to almost all their needs and wants at a walking distance. With the help of the U. S. Census Bureau I am able to analyze and understand better the nature and characteristics of this tract. Census tract number 78. 07 is more than just a street and road map; it is a map that states the boundaries of different social demographic and economic components. With the updated information and data the U. S Census Bureau provides and with the field survey I have performed, I am able to analyze and describe the environment and people I live around. In this tract there are 5,351 people and the number of males and females is relatively even with 47. 1% female and 52. % male. The majority of people are between the ages of 25-44: 23% are 25 to 34 years old and 20. 5% are 35 to 44 years old, which makes a total of 2,309 people at this age group. It is obvious this area is home to younger adults with children than older people (the median age is 34. 5). There are 304 children under the age of 5 (5. 7%) while there are only 132 who are 75 years old and older. Indeed, when walking around the area you notice more young children with their parents, or groups of teenagers, than people in their older years. It seems that this tract is more appealing for younger families (45. % are married compared to 12. 9% who are divorced) with children under the age of 18 (490), than a household with individuals 65 years and over (96). Big portions of the people in this tract (4,562) are 16 and over, which makes them eligible to hold a job and become part of the labor force. 79. 5% of this group is part of the labor force. Within this number, 4. 5% are unemployed (204 people), and 10. 8% are in the armed forces. Women over sixteen represent almost half of the total population with 2,145 in number. The female labor force is smaller with only 72. 8% participant, and only 63% employed. With today’s economic rollercoaster these numbers are relatively very good. The data on the average income supports and corresponds to the information mentioned above. 63% of working people are private wage and salary workers mainly in the management, professional, and other related occupational fields (34. 8%) or in sales and office occupations (32. 7%). Since this area is urban, there are only a few (only 5 people) who practice farming, fishing, or forestry occupations. In deed most of the people I meet in the elevator or see in that area are dressed up with suits, briefcases, and laptops on their shoulders. As for 1999, the median income for households was $41, 696 when 22. 1% earned $50,000 to $74,999, 18. 6% made $35,000 to $49,999, and only 5. 6% made less than $10,000 a year. According to the make, model, and shape of cars and the people’s appearances, those numbers seem to be fairly accurate. Income and employment rates are often times an indicator of the educational level and number of graduate and degree holders. In this tract the percentage of educated people is quite high. Out off all children age of 3-4 years 52. 6% are enrolled in school, in the 5 to 14 years group 95. % are in school, and more encouraging information is that all kids ages 15-17 years are attending school. The busy traffic and crowded sidewalks with kids and their parents around eight in the morning and between 2:00-3:00 p. m. is living proof of accurate statistics. Out of the 613 people between the ages of 18-24 there are 520 (84. 8%) high school graduates and 191 who are enrolled in college or gradua te school. The overall education of that section is somehow similar to the number of the younger generation. 90. 5% of people over 25 have graduated from high school or higher, and 31. % hold a bachelor degrees or higher. Most people in this tract hold American citizenships (81. 9%) and the rest are mainly from Asia. 43. 1% of those with American citizenships were born in Hawaii, 34. 9% were born in the continental United States, and 3. 8% were born outside of the US in Porto Rico, US Island areas and born abroad to American parents. The majority of the foreign born population is from Asia (86. 7%), especially from Eastern and South Eastern Asia. From Eastern Asia (58. 8%) there are mainly 7. 1%from China, 11. 2%from Japan and 40. 5% from Korea. South Eastern Asia (26. %): 22. 1% from the Philippines, 3% from Vietnam, and 1. 8% from Thailand. This information appears to be correct. Even though it is sometimes hard to distinguish where a person is from, it is obvious they are somewhe re from Asia. The rest of the foreign born people are from different countries from around the world, but they represent a smaller number, and are barely noticeable. On the other hand there are only 252 (4. 7%) who are native Hawaiian or from other South Pacific islands. Surprising information indicates that there are 7. 9% Hispanic or Latino people. I have been living in this area for about a year now, and have worked here for over three years, and I do not recall recognizing or interacting with Hispanic or Latino people. All the White, Asian, Hawaiian, Latino, and any other race seem to live together in harmony. There are no visual signs (like graffiti or fights) of any cultural or race issues. When walking in my neighborhood taking my dog for a walk, I often times notice couples that are not from the same ethnic background. The same observation is true for the groups of kids hanging out in parks, the mall, and the bus stations. Hawaii in general is a huge collection of cultures, ethnicities and religions. While sometimes local people like to make fun of â€Å"white† people, they are a welcoming society who accepts cultural differences with open hearts. I can say from my own experience that whenever my neighbors or other people nearby hear that I am from Israel, they show no sign of rejection, but of acceptance. I believe that this attitude among people is what helps the crime level. We are no different than other places in the world; we have our own casualties and problems. Every once in a while I hear about a car that was broken into or stolen, or I hear about suspicious rumors of drug dealing going on in the area. But the overall feeling is that this is a considerably safe, low crime area (especially compared to other areas on Oahu). This tract may seem small, but it is in the center of Aiea. There are two elementary schools within walking distance and few more located less than a mile away. The mall is just a cross the street which provides a variety of stores, services (banking, medical, post office, etc. ) and restaurants. Even though it appears to by a busy urban locale, the people in this area do not neglect their religious practices. There are four different churches in less than a half mile radius of that tract. I am usually not awake and outside on Sunday mornings, but every once in a while my shift starts early and I get to watch my community on their way to the different churches. Due to the area the tract is located in, one would expect to see a concentration of high rise buildings. This tract is no exception, there are high rise buildings but at the same time there are also low rise units. This tract is a combination of high rise building (like the one I live in) and some town houses on the other side of the road. This gives people the ability to live in an urban area with the opportunity to choose to live in a smaller more affordable apartment, or in a bigger more suburban style home, all within the city. 87. 7% of the units are in 20 or more units structure, 5. 1 in 5-9 units per structure, and 4% 3-4 units in a structure. Most of the units were built more than thirty years ago. 59. 3% were built in the seventies and the majority of the rest in the eighties. The data may indicate that the buildings in the area are quite old, but have been well taken care of. As part of the board of directors of my building, I know that the residents and the association are doing a good job to maintain our property, and make it look as new and as attractive as they can. The outside of the units in the tract are always clean and painted. Each association has its own landscaping that contributes to the warm friendly environment of the neighborhood. At Christmas time, the entire track is glowing with Christmas lights and colorful decorations. Out of the 2,666 occupied units, more than half (64. 3%) are renters and are usually a one person household (43%). It seems like the renters are younger people (36% are between the ages of 25-34), perhaps students, people at their beginning of their careers, or soldiers. The location of the tract is centralized to military bases. On the east end is Marine Corps Base Hawaii which is about 18 miles away. On northwest end is Schofield Barracks with a 13 mile distance, and on the south end there are Pearl Harbor Navel Station and Hickam Air Force Base about 5 miles away. There are a few smaller military facilities that are even closer to the tract. Many people who are part of the armed forces find this location very convenient. More so, most roads in that area are not as congested as other main roads in other parts of the island (H-1 for example). Even in rush hour traffic there is no heavy traffic unless there is an unusual event (car accidents, event in the stadium, etc. ), cars are moving smoothly and traffic in general is open. Over the past year I have attended Windward Community College, which is on the other side of the island (about 14 miles from my house). I leave for school at 7:45 A. M. and come back at 3:00 P. M and I experience no typical rush hour bumper to bumper traffic. In general, it is easy to navigate in and out of the tract. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the average gross rent is between $500-$1500 when the majority 50. 7% falls in $750-&999 ranges. This may have been accurate for 2000, but it is undoubtedly not the price range today in 2009. A two bedroom one bathroom apartment in my building can start from $1400 a month. Other data that in my opinion does not match today is the occupants per room. In 2000, both renters and owner occupied units was mostly between 0. 5-1 per room. With increasing rent and decreasing resources, like the situation in the past year, people cannot afford to splurge and enjoy the connivance of each having his/her own room. More and more I hear about families moving in together, young couples seeking for a roommate to help with the monthly payment, and single parents looking for one bedroom for them and their child. It is obvious from the information above that census tract number 78. 07 is located in a central urban area. It is a mix of cultures, people of different races and ages. Although the data suggests that the population is relatively young, there are still many older people who probably moved to this area many years ago when it was not as developed and commercialized as it is now. When it comes to analyzing an island, it is a bit more difficult than if analyzing a state on the mainland. On Oahu there is the main and only city Honolulu, and the other areas are considered to be more like a town due to its size and number of people. If Hawaii was just like any other state, Aiea which is where the tract is will be considered a city. Other than Waikiki, there is no other area on the island that provides as many services and goods as Aiea do. The tract is being transformed into a more modern area that in few years from now will contain mostly young small families and individuals who want to live in a more centralized location. This area may not offer new luxurious homes, but it will offer the fast paced and energetic life style a city creates.