This Melting Pot

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2020-09-24T17:08:00.000-05:00

America: The Melting Pot?

2020-09-23T15:27:00.000-05:00

Most myths have some element of truth in them. The 'melting pot' that media of all sorts (which includes our propaganda in law and education) tell us became America, is another of the half-truths or superficial observations which deserves a little study if we are to accept the deeper potential meaning in it. John Hope Franklin of Duke University is a respected Black scholar who says some powerful words after pointing out the kind of thing that media managers or manipulators galore have said about the open-minded American with no reason to bring prejudices to this new and exciting land of opportunity. I would point out that it was not so new and historians like himself have participated in a cover-up but let us see what this man has to say about the 'melting pot'.

People do not generally like to find out that they have 'bastards' in their family tree and the woodpiles of America created a lot of 'bastards'. My father used to tell us about the Virginia legislature and legislation proposed that would make anyone with any black blood not able to sit and participate in it. This was the early 1950s not the 1850s. One legislator did the research that most Americans will not even do about their own family. He did not get more than half way through exposing every member of the legislature for their mulatto blood when the others were all in an uproar and clamoring that he must b silenced.

"This was one of the earliest expressions of the notion that the process of Americanization involved the creation of an entirely new mode of life that would replace the ethnic backgrounds of those who were a part of the process. It contained some imprecisions and inaccuracies that would, in time, became {become?} a part of the lore or myth of the vaunted melting pot and would grossly misrepresent the crucial factor of ethnicity in American life. It ignored the tenacity with which the Pennsylvania Dutch held onto their language, religion, and way of life. It over-looked the way in which the Swedes of New Jersey remained Swedes and the manner in which the French Huguenots of New York and Charleston held onto their own past as though it was the source of all light and life. It described a process that in a distant day would gag at the notion that Irish Catholics could be assimilated on the broad lap of Alma Mater or that Asians could be seated on the basis of equality at the table of the Great American Feast." (8)

Needless to say he also addresses the matter of black emancipation and those who were 'already in the country' though I do not think he was referring to the blacks who were here long before Columbus. In fact there was no race that had not been coming to America since before the time of Christ. Genetics is indeed a powerful tool used in court to free innocent victims of our justice system but so far our history is still allowing lies to victimize our cultural perspectives or myths. It is important that we act as if there is no race except the human race.

San Francisco: Perfect Example

2012-09-25T16:38:00.001-05:00

According to the US Census Bureau, San Francisco is the fourth most populated city in California and the 13th most populated in the country with a 2007 estimated population of 799,183 living within the city's limits. A population density of 17,113 persons per square mile means that the Golden Gate city is the second most densely populated major city in America as well.

It's is a minority-majority city, with non-Hispanic whites making up less than half of the population. This of course serves to confirm the long-held notion that SF is in fact a veritable melting pot of global cultures and traditions. Aside from the aforementioned whites, Asian Americans make up 33.1 percent, Hispanics are at 14 percent, and African Americans make up approximately 7.3 percent of the city's rich tapestry of races.

More census data recently harvested indicates that this city is also home to approximately 145,000 senior citizens aged 60 and above. In fact, these seniors make up a higher proportion of San Francisco's population (17.6 percent) than they do statewide (14 percent) or nationally (16.5 percent).

Almost 40% of these seniors are 75 years old or older. Thanks to medical advances, the number of these 'older old' people are sure to rise even more. The senior citizen segment of the city's population has health care and in-home support as its main needs to help maintain their quality of life, and these needs are increasingly being met in housing environments as opposed to institutions. Long-term care in a home environment is much more favorable for senior citizens, as they can get the full-time care an institution provides with the comfort and emotional warmth from one's own home.

How To Raise A Bilingual Child?

2012-09-25T16:31:00.002-05:00

Thank goodness the English only mentality is disappearing, slowly but surely, from the heart of the United States of America. For years we have proudly called ourselves a melting pot, one that welcomes immigrants, cultures and languages from around the world. Yet all of us realize the hypocrisy with which our system has executed the embracing of the melting pot.

Our school systems do not prepare its teachers, must less educate its students, on how to bridge together the English language with the multitude of languages entering our classrooms daily. Sure, there are ESL and ESOL classes, but I encourage you to ask any teacher upon completion of the course if she is ready to take on the challenge of educating a new student from Columbia about the solar system. Her answer will be on the negative side of things.

It is because of this lack of quality language learning going on in our public education system that the responsibility of raising bilingual babies, who will in turn become global citizens, has fallen upon the shoulders of every new parent. I wish every OBGYN Doctor placed a copy of the book titled The Bilingual Edge in the hands of every first trimester pregnant mommy and gave her the assignment of completing it within two weeks.

We all know these months of pregnancy are perhaps the last in which mommy will actually finish a book from front cover to back cover for years! Why not make it a book that will positively impact the cognitive and social development of her new baby? Seems like a no brainer to me. Within the pages of the aforementioned book the two PhDs in linguistics, who are also moms raising their own children to be bilingual, give hope to every monolingual parent that they too can raise a bilingual baby.

Here are five fun, easy and affordable tips for expecting and new parents for doing just that!

Play bilingual music CDs from the start of your pregnancy and upon birth. Experts have reported that the fetus does indeed recognize sounds in utero. Many of us did not need the experts to tell us this fact. Just watch an infant turn his head towards the sound of his sibling who used to sing to the pregnant belly of mom! The same happens with the infant and new language sounds. Play that baby in your belly some songs that feature both your native language and the new language within the same song, and you are going to have one smart baby!

Read bilingual books to your baby that even you as a monolingual parent feel comfortable reading. The research has shown that you do not have to be a native speaker of the target language in order to give your baby a jump start on learning it. The key is interaction, and reading is one of the best things you can do for the brain development of your newborn. Reading while your baby is still inside of you, and continuing through her school years, is a lifetime gift no one will ever be able to take from your child. Afraid you are messing up a word or two? Use an online search for audio pronunciation of the words in question.

Use two words for each item you introduce your baby to. Experts agree that it is just as easy to teach a child two words for the same item as it is to teach him only one word. Do a little brushing up on your high school Spanish, and tell your little baby that the thing you are holding is bread and pan or point to the house and say casa. It will become almost second nature for you to flow back and forth between the native and new languages once you begin the second language journey.

Find local preschools, family child care providers and baby sitters who speak the target language you are looking to introduce your child to. All of the research points to interaction being the key to learning a new language, and you will find it helpful using a native speaker during some of the hours you are not with your baby. Word of mouth is sometimes the best way to find these places and these people so start asking your amigas!

The final tip is a fun one for the entire family! Attend local cultural events that highlight the music, the food, the language, the culture of the new language you and your family are learning. There is nothing more impactful than to feel a language come to life! If you are able to travel to a country where the second language is spoken, that is even better yet! The point here is to make the second language journey fun, full of smiles and self confidence for all.

Your baby will see that his parents respect other people from other cultures and their languages. You become secure in the fact that little Junior is not only gaining skills in a new language which will help him succeed in this very global society, he is also laying neural pathway connections for later language learning. It all adds up to one smart bilingual baby!

Looking Good At Any Age

2012-09-25T16:25:00.002-05:00

American men spend over $20 million yearly on skin care products, according to industry analysts. Yet ask the typical American male what type of skin he has - what his basis for choosing a skin care product should be - and he is likely to say something like, 'I think my skin is a little dry,' or, 'I guess my skin is oily; I used to break out when I was in my teens.' If this man's age is 40, his answer shows that he really hasn't been paying as much attention to his skin as he may think.

Your skin is living, changing tissue. It is affected by heredity; by aging; by the state of your health; by the environment you live in, indoors and outside; by the ratio of stress and relaxation in your life; and by the type and amount of food, alcohol, and medication you take in. Just as few men live by the exact same routine month in and month out, your skin also can shift in its needs from one season to the next, one year to another. Just as you are probably not wearing all the same clothes this month as you did a few months or years ago, you may not be correct in thinking you can use the same skin care products throughout every month of the year.

The Cotton-Ball Test

First use this highly visual, simple test to get a general idea of your skin type. To begin, mix up the following tonic: In a blender, combine the juice of one lemon, 1/2 cup of distilled water, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and three ice cubes. Blend till the ice is melted. Then brush your hair off your face and cleanse your skin, using a gentle cleansing lotion rather than soap. Finish by re-cleansing the skin using cotton balls wet with the tonic.

Wait three hours. Wet three clean cotton balls with the tonic. Using a circular motion, gently wipe the first cotton ball across your forehead, the second down your nose, the third across one cheek. If all three come up clean your skin is probably dry; if they're dark, it's oily; if they're slightly soiled, your skin, like most men's, is a combination of the two.

Now that you have a general idea of your skin type, it's time to take a closer look at your skin. Choose a room that is brightly lit (near a window in daylight is ideal; fluorescent light will be least flattering), and have a magnifying mirror handy. Look at your skin's surface. Are there uneven, flaky patches that seem to lift up from the surface? Do you see any red areas or parched-looking areas? These are further signs of dry skin.

Examine your nose. Does it often look shiny within a few hours of cleansing? Do you see tiny blackheads, whiteheads, or skin eruptions? If so, your skin in this area is oily, a common condition even if the rest of your face is dry.

Look at your hairline. Do you see any blemishes, blackheads, tiny bumps, or skin eruptions? These can be caused by excessive use of hair spray, gels, or pomades, or by perspiration or the styling of hair onto your forehead.

Focus for a minute on your chin. Look for bumps under the skin or tiny blackheads. Oily skin can be aggravated by bacteria coming from a telephone receiver or the palm of your hand, two unexpected but frequent causes of breakouts in the chin area.

Do you wear glasses? If you do on an everyday basis, take a closer look at the sides and bridge of your nose, where your glasses touch your skin. If you see tiny eruptions here, you may not be cleaning your glasses often enough - which should be, like your skin, a minimum of twice a day, morning and night. Watch for these signs of skin that is sensitive. Whether your skin is dry, oily, or combination, look out for red blotches, broken capillaries, fine spidery lines, and isolated flakiness.

Skin Types

Be aware that your skin is, in many ways, a road map not merely of your contact with the environment but of your genetic past. Granted, many of us reflect the influences of a 'melting pot heritage, but there are many remaining influences of our primary genetic pasts. In general, skin can be divided into four major cultural groups: White, Black, Hispanic, and Oriental. Bear in mind that some factors within your category may not apply to you, while you may also have influences from several categories.

White skin

This falls into two basic subgroups: fair (Nordic/British) and olive (Mediterranean). Fair skin is light in color, thin in texture, and highly vulnerable to dryness, broken capillaries, and environmental damage from wind and sun. Olive skin tends to be oilier, more prone to blackheads and, by virtue of its darker pigment, has more natural protection against sunburn and windburn.

Black skin

While its cells contain a higher concentration of pigment (melanin) than white skin, black skin is not-as many blacks erroneously perceive - immune to the hazards of sun-induced aging and skin cancer. Black skin needs protection, although what it may not need is the addition of heavy creams and oils.

A common misconception is that all black skin is oily. While the vast majority of blacks do have skin with a natural tendency to be oily, about five percent actually have extremely dry complexions, which often show up in ashy, gray-looking patches. Many black men with normal or combination skin create over-oily skin by slathering on heavy oil-based lotions each morning.

A common and often painful problem afflicting many black men is ingrown hairs, caused by the tendency of a curly hair to grow back down into the hair follicle rather than straight out of the skin surface. This problem can be exacerbated by shaving and by the mistaken use of home treatments that cause further skin infection rather than serving as a cure.

Hispanic skin

This type of skin is rarely dry, usually combination or oily. Hispanic men who have sensitive skin may find that a diet that reflects their cultural heritage tone that is rich in spicy or fried foods) can aggravate pre-existing skin problems. While Hispanics tend to have olive-toned complexions that tan rather than burn when exposed to sunlight, their skin still needs to be protected from the sun-damaging rays.

Asian skin

This type of skin tends to have a smooth surface that, much like Oriental hair, beautifully reflects the light. What is also common among Orientals, though, is highly sensitive skin. Once it becomes acne - or blemish-prone, it tends to heal very slowly over periods of weeks rather than days. Oriental men may also find during shaving that their skin will succumb to nicks or cuts that also heal more slowly than similar abrasions in their white-skinned counterparts.

The darker your skin, the more you need to be aware of the possibilities of hyper-pigmented (or dark-toned) scarring, and the more careful you must be to avoid self-treatment of acne blemishes. Just as your skin's melanocytes (or pigmenting cells) are better able to rush to the skin surface to protect your skin from sun damage, so too can they rush to protect your skin from other perceived 'attacks, such as the assault of squeezing or picking at a blemish. The major consequence: unlike a suntan, a pigmented scar will not fade away and, in fact, can grow more obvious over time.

New York City: As An Indicator

2012-09-25T16:01:00.000-05:00

New York City is the most exciting city in the world. This is true for many reasons - one reason being the diversity that can be found here. New York is home to all kinds of people, ranging from the rich and famous, to important businessman, to students and recent immigrants. People living in NYC now have come from every continent in the world. With over 8.2 million residents within an area of 322 square miles, New York City is the most densely populated major city in the United States. 36 percent of the people living in the city are foreign-born and City hall has translators for 150 different languages.

New York City has been known as a melting pot of culture since the early 1900s and as this has continued through the present day, the city has become rich with different cultures. Just walking around the streets of the city can be like walking around the halls of a cultural museum. In fact, it might even be better since you're actually a part of the diversity and culture. If you are looking to experience a culture other than your own, you probably won't have to walk more than a few blocks outside of your door.

You can easily experience many aspects of different cultures by going to the different ethnic neighborhoods that exist throughout the city. For example, if you could just never afford that trip to China that you've always dreamed of, when living in New York City you can hop on a subway to Canal Street and be in Chinatown for just a few dollars. Of course it's not the same as actually being in China, but you can experience some of the culture and maybe grab some authentic Chinese food for dinner. The same holds true for other ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Italy and Spanish Harlem.

There are also many annual cultural events in the city that can be found throughout the year. In September, there is the San Gennaro festival in Little Italy. This festival is usually in the last two weeks of September and is characterized by parades, street vendors, and lots of food at the local Italian restaurants. In February, there is a celebration of the Chinese New Year in Chinatown. This celebration lasts for ten days and includes parades featuring the dragon and authentic Chinese costumes. In March, there is the St. Patrick's Day parade down Fifth Avenue, and in June, Fifth Avenue is reserved for the Puerto Rican Day Parade. Whatever culture you are looking to experience, you can find an event for it somewhere in the city.

If the idea of traveling to different ethnic neighborhoods and attending cultural events seems a little overwhelming, you can always experience the culture of New York City by people watching from your own neighborhood. It is always fun to spend a nice day sitting in a park or outdoor restaurant and watching the people that walk by. New York is so diverse that you are bound to see culture right in front of you.

Whether you are excited to visit all the ethnic neighborhoods throughout the city or just want to experience the diversity as you walk around the streets, New York City is the place for you. All the culture and diversity that anyone could want can be found in NYC.

Melting Pot: Our Homes as an Indicator

2012-09-25T15:55:00.000-05:00

Throughout history the United States of America has been described in many different ways. One of the most famous descriptions of the United States was when it was referred to as a melting pot. This description was in reference to the many cultures that made the people of the United States who they are today. The idea is straightforward; in the United States diverse cultures enter with the immigrants who come to the country. These cultures are assimilated into the rest of the country's cultures and soon the grand culture of the United States becomes even grander. This is evident in the homes we design and build for ourselves.

Throughout the country there are many styles of homes that are built. People might argue that with the help of an architect or designer they created their own unique home. But the homes of the United States have been greatly influenced by the immigrant cultures that have entered a great nation throughout our history. This is why you can drive through an American small town and see homes that have benefitted from english country house plans. We innovate, and use the best of what our past cultures have given us.

Now one might argue that the cultures from the old countries did not give us the standard country cottage house plans. This argument would be incorrect. Yes, these types of plans might not have come directly from our descendants from Western Europe, but the settlers of the thirteen colonies moved west into the Appalachian Mountains and took their European knowledge of the single room home with them. Today those ideas have become our modern day country cottage.

Contemporary history, modern history, has shown the melting pot is still at work. In recent times the greatest amount of immigration we have seen is from Spanish speaking countries. What has this meant to homes designs? Look at the newer neighborhoods throughout the country. Even in northern climates we are seeing people using historic spanish revival house plans. This is because we as a country are bringing more and more of the Spanish culture into our own.

House Plans And More loves the diverse culture of the United States and the way our country has blended the beauty of many cultures into our own. We are always trying to be innovative and assimilate new cultures into the plans we create. Visit House Plans and More to view our thousands of house plans ranging from English country house plans to country cottage house plans to historic Spanish revival house plans.

Melting Pot Coupons

2012-09-25T15:52:00.001-05:00

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The melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture. It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States; the melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s. After 1970 the desirability of assimilation and the model was challenged by proponents of multiculturalism, who assert that cultural differences within society are valuable and should be preserved, proposing the alternative metaphor of the mosaic or salad bowl - different cultures mix, but remain distinct.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the metaphor of a "crucible" or "(s)melting pot" was used to describe the fusion of different nationalities, ethnicities and cultures. It was used together with concepts of America as an ideal republic and a "city upon a hill" or new promised land.[citation needed] It was a metaphor for the idealized process of immigration and colonization by which different nationalities, cultures and "races" (a term that could encompass nationality, ethnicity and race) were to blend into a new, virtuous community, and it was connected to utopian visions of the emergence of an American "new man".

While "melting" was in common use the exact term "melting pot" came into general usage in 1908, after the premiere of the play The Melting Pot by Israel Zangwill. Download Melting Pot coupons.

The New Melting Pot

2012-09-25T15:20:00.004-05:00

The term 'melting pot' refers to the idea that societies formed by people of different cultures and religions will produce new social and cultural forms, where these cultures lose their individual characteristics to some degree. So the 'ingredients' in the pot fuse and create a completely new product. Nowadays this term is commonly used - sometimes not correctly. Scientifics and demographers agree that 'melting pot' does not accurately describe Americans' national identity. Bill Frey, American demographer divides the country into three regions, and he labels only one region 'Melting Pot'.

The history of the melting pot theory originates from the time of the first immigration wave. The United States was imagined not only as the land of opportunity but as a society where individuals of all (European) nations are melted into a new race of men. Later, in 1908, I.srael Zangwill used the term as a title for his production - a vision of America as an Eden where all ethnicities and cultures melted happily into a harmonious whole. From that time, the term became widespread.

But today, it seems that the United States is not a melting pot, but rather a 'salad bowl' or a 'mosaic'. Different ethnicities and groups keep their discrete identities, while maintaining relations among each other.

The country has regional characteristics. These regions are being shaped by different immigration and domestic migration flows. 'While it is true that America is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, this diversity is hardly spread evenly across the country' - alleges Frey.

According to his new division (the three regions), the Melting Pot consists of Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico and Texas. These states are home to 74% of the nation's combined Hispanic and Asian populations but only 41% of its total population. Most immigrants cluster into several, mostly coastal metropolitan areas: New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, etc. The overwhelming majority of immigrants come from Asia and Latin America - Mexico, the Central American countries, the Philippines, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

There is a relatively new immigration policy that emphasizes family reunification and encourages migration to occur in chains, connecting co - nationals at both origin and destination. That new policy, a response to charges that the law favored white Europeans, allowed immigrants already living in the United States to bring over their relatives, who in turn could bring over more relatives. As a result, America has been absorbing as many as 1 million newcomers a year, to the point that now almost 1 in every 10 residents is foreign born.

This 'new' melting pot is not mainly a melting pot of Whites, what's more, it's losing Whites. 'These losses are occurring in both the central cities, and suburban communities and reflect a flight from urbanism more than a flight from diversity' - said Frey.

Census 2000 shows that 'migration paths' are changing and different relations have evolved among ethnics. The original theory of melting pot is outdated and does not exactly describe Americans' national identity. Today, there is more emphasis on preserving one's ethnic identity and cultural roots than melt into a unity.