Taoism-Tao Te Ching, Dao De Jing, or Daodejing Essay

Taoism-Tao Te Ching, Dao De Jing, or Daodejing - Essay Example Although, it is imperative for the survival of all creations yet it displays modesty by providing immeasurable benefits to all creations. Likewise, we should profit people without reason. It bends around obstacles, flows in places that people despise; instead modifies itself for the advantage of others. Although, every living creature is dependent upon it yet it humbly flows downwards, no place is too low for it. ‘Good dwelling on the ground’ can be interpreted as constructing dwellings which are strong enough to protect us. Depth of mind implies that one should meditate over matters in life and should not assume everything to be simple. Everything can be accomplished by using our mental faculties to the maximum. Moreover, it enlightens us that the worth of a gift lies not in its value but with the intent it is given. Good gifts are those which are given without any concealed motive. It accentuates the principal of honest and sincere speech. Words spoken are irreversible hence one should not indulge in flattery and fabrication. Honesty and integrity should be embedded deeply in ones character to live a righteous life. an honorable ruler is impartial . Injustice might profit a ruler temporarily but eventually he will have to pay for the consequences of his actions. One should try becoming knowledgeable and adept in his profession to attain better earning and promotion. Timeliness is the essence of a good deed so one should be compassionate to other people’s needs. Lastly, he identifies that a good solution is which benefits everybody .People benefiting in a situation should put themselves in place of those are at the losing end to come up with the best remedy for all. This chapter highlights the significance of curbing ones desires. Only when we abandon the path of needless desires, can we follow the path to spiritual development and get into contact with our inner self. He quotes examples reasoning why one should restrain from

Critically discuss how ratio analysis can help in the prediction of Essay

Critically discuss how ratio analysis can help in the prediction of bankruptcy - Essay Example t on the basis of financial ratios and used for predicting company’s bankruptcy are: logistic regression, multiple discriminant analysis, and probit models (Ramana, Azash, Ramakrishnaiah, 2012). By analyzing and interpreting financial statements using different ratios and techniques shareholders, potential investors, bankers, analysts and all other potential stakeholders can gain valuable information about the financial status of a company, its borrowing power and solvency position (Yap & Yong, 2010). Financial ratio variables are used for assessing the financial information and historical trends of financial performance of a business, which in turn serve as good indicators of financial troubles ahead (Yap & Yong, 2010). However, there are also some criticisms of accounting-ratio-based models. Some researchers suggest that the accounting ratios have limited capacity for predicting bankruptcy as accounting information is usually formulated to describe the financial condition of the company, assuming that it will not go bankrupt (Hillegeist, Keating, Cram & Lundstedt, 2004). Thus, for example, Hillegeist, Keating, Cram & Lundstedt (2004) have concluded that traditional accounting-based measures (such as accounting ratio analysis) are not sufficient enough for predicting the probability of bankruptcy. Ramana N, Azash S, Ramakrishnaiah K, 2012. ‘Financial performance and predicting the risk of bankruptcy: A case of selected cement companies in India’, International Journal of Public Administration and Management Research, vol. 1(1), pp. 40-56. Yap B, and Yong D, 2010. ‘How well do financial ratios and multiple discriminant analysis predict company failures in Malaysia’, International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, 54,

Race Determining Music Preference Essay Example for Free

Race Determining Music Preference Essay Music in the United States is a reflection of the nation’s multi-ethnic population with regard to its diverse array of styles. The most famous of these genres include; rock n roll, country, rhythm blues, jazz, hip-hop. The developments of most of the genres of music began during the civil war period. During this time the roots of such popular forms like blues, gospel, jazz, as well as country took shape. In the early 20th century there forms of music emerged as the core of American popular music and later underwent evolution to such styles as rhythm and blues, rock and roll and hip-hop (Daniel Gilbert Perret, (2005). Music integrates South American social and cultural identity, entailing social class, race and ethnicity among many others. The link and co relationship between is perhaps the to potent of all the factors within the United States than any other. Race seems to the most potent determiner of musical mean within America. The evolution of the Afro American musical identity as a result of disparate sources form Africa as well as Europe has consistently been the main theme within the music domain and history in the United States. During the mid 1800s, the Afro American had developed a district folk tradition that was well-recognized and very wide spread. African American techniques, their instrumentation as well as images were integrated and became part of what was then known mainstream music. Via spirituals, slave songs as well as minstrel shows. Through jazz, rhythm and blues, and blues and later on through rock n roll, soul a swell as hip-hop. Even through all these genres were accepted and adapted by all races within the United States they were developed from an afro American styles as well as idioms before eventually setting to become very common in consumption as well as performance that had no racial boundary. Differently, country music was driven from the European and an African context as well as Hawaiian and Native American. The untied states due to her diverse culture and her propensity to taking in influences form across the globe and building characteristically new methods through which artists can culturally express themselves. Even though many aspects of the American aspects of the American music is traceable back to certain specific origins it is usually inherently difficult to put claim on any respective original culture as the source of any musical element, because of the even evolving American music through transplanting as well as techniques of hybridizations, instruments and genres (Blush, Steven (2001). Very distinctly American music stems form the cross-cultural hybridization through a very close interaction. For instance, during slavery mixed persons form various tribes in very closely enclosed living quarter resulted in a shared musical tradition that was done through an extended hybridization. The process which music was being transplanted between various cultures within the United States brought with it various implications. For example, the revival of folk during the mid 1900s appropriated the music of different village person, partially to enhance particular political causes. The use of Afro American techniques as well as images, instruments during performances by white Americans have been on the rise since the mid 1800s. The music industry in the United States has been very active with her attempts to make popular white performers of African American music due to their palatability to mainstream as well as middle class American. From this process such many stars like Benny Goodman, Eminem as well as Elvis Presley have emerged in various genres of music. The nature of folk music within the united is as varied as the nature of her multi-ethical culture. Generally, the Native Americans have each played their variety of folk music, which has basically been spiritual. In its development stage spirituals was basically expressions of religious faith, and was a common song by slaves on southern plantations. It however, spread out of the south in the late 1800s. Its diversification increased with emergence of fekleg in the early 1900s as well as the rise of the singing preachers from which the gospel type of music originated (Chase, Gilbert (2000). Blues on the other hand is conglomeration of African folk songs, shouts as well as field hollers. It emerged form the rural south during 1900-1910. It was characterized in its use of the blue scale with a flatted/in determinate third. The various ethnic communities that have migrated to the untied have managed to keep alive the folk traditions of the culture and usually providing a characteristically American styles with foreign flair. The European musical tradition was imported to the United States with the advent of the first colonialists. This classical traditional music is deeply rooted within the traditions of the European art, as well as concern music. Majorly of American tried to work entirely with their music centered on the European models until the 1800s. By early 1900s, many American composers started incorporating such disparate elements into their musical art, from the jazz and blues to the Native American music. Big corporations that produce in both small and large scale largely dominate the music industry in the untied states. Often, these companies do not appeal to large audiences, as such small companies have sprung up to fill the void left. They produce in various styles with ranging variety that appeal to very large audiences. These small firms are normally built on the foundation of a core fun base that may happen to be strategically located in one region. The largest make music industry is that centered on Latin music. This kind of music has greatly impacted on the popular American music and was a very essential component in the development of jazz music. In view of this it is sufficient to conclude that to a greater extent race has a bearing on the preference of the type of music one performs or listens to this is born out of the fact that part of a child’s development stage, the cognitive part begins to encode the mothers language from the womb until he or she reaches the external environment (Daniel G. 2005). Thus, even if there are many Americans who have crossed the racial lines as has music still the culture is a determinant the choice of music.

How to Organize and Run Effective Meetings Essay -- Workplace Meetings

INTRODUCTION Workplace meetings can be considered as essential but one of the most inefficient components of a corporate environment. Project managers can significantly influence the project performance by proactively influencing and controlling the dynamics of project meetings. This can ultimately generate highly valuable outputs in achieving team integration and consensus. ISSUES WITH MEETINGS Experts widely concur that there are too many meetings than required and most meetings are a waste of valuable time (American Marketing Association, 2011). Meetings can tend to get long and futile. Unfortunately, most of the meetings are hampered by vague agendas and directionless discussions. An attitude of low commitment creeps in and leads to dwindling participation. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS Detrimental effects of unproductive meetings on a project are generally overlooked. In this essay I will attempt to examine meeting dynamics, including the five Ps (purpose, product, participants, process, and probable issues) and develop a reference cookbook for organizing and running meetings. INITIATION PHASE Strategy Meeting: The purpose is to analyze if a suggested business need fits with the organization’s strategic framework and vision (Tammy Adams, 2008). Products of this meeting include developing an initial draft of the business case, aligning it to overall organizations strategies. The participants should be low in number and include senior executives, sponsors and business process experts who would analyze the direction of the project. The process should focus on dividing the meeting in short segments and focus on individual items at a time. The possible issues could stem from to not presenting the complete data for the busine... ...p://www.the-program-manager.com/project-management/how-to-organize-an-effective-meeting/ PMI. (2004). Quickbooks. (2009, December 16). Project Closeout Meeting Agenda - DOC. Retrieved 4 12, 2014, from docstoc: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/19614443/Project-Closeout-Meeting-Agenda Schwalbe, K. (2012). Information Technology Project Management. Boston MA: Cengage Leaning. Tammy Adams, J. M. (2008). Project Meeting Facilitator: Facilitation Skills to Make the Most of Project Meetings. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. UGM Consulting. (2009, July 23). Strategy Design and Facilitation: The UGM Consulting Approach. Retrieved 4 12, 2014, from UMGConsulting: http://www.ugmconsulting.com/Effective%20strategy%20design.pdf Vick, J. (2012, January 12). Project Management: How to Run Team Meetings. Retrieved 4 12, 2014, from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW0CjH95K3Q

Three West African Kingdoms

To what extent did geography determine the location of the three West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhai? Ghana, Mali and Songhai were the three largest Kingdoms to exist in the history of West Africa. They were located in West Africa during the 11th, 14th and 15th century. West Africa is the region in the western part of the African continent, it lies approximately 15 ° north of the equator. Geography is the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere.These three prominent western african kingdoms flourished due to strategically located trade routes, abundance of natural resources and diverse types of land. These three factors primarily determined the location of the kingdoms and sustained and supported their societies. The existing trade routes greatly influenced the location of where the empires were built and expanded upon. One of the most commonly used and oldest trade routes in the world is the Trans Sahara route which crosses the Sahara desert and leads to the West African coast.As a result to the location of this trade route all three empires were located south of the desert to be the first civilization traders would reach after their journey. Map A (Trade Routes in Western Africa at the time of the Mali Kingdom) shows the location of the kingdoms in relation to the different trade routes coming from and to western Africa. This gave the kingdoms the direct link to different cultures from Europe, Asia and India whom all frequented this path. As the kingdoms prolonged more routes were opened up, leading northeast across the Sahara for example.As well as this, the positioning of trade routes allowed the empires to stabilize a flourishing economy with little risk of failure. The kingdoms proximity to the routes gave the population exactly what they wanted from all over the world. Merchants coming from Europe, Asia and India brought a variety of goods to Africa, including ceramics, silk, spices, camels and slaves. These items co uld be traded for a range of natural resources the West African region was enriched with. Not only could items be traded, but the kingdoms were able to enforce taxes on all trades within the area.The Ghanaian King imposed taxes on all people passing through the kingdom; in return he provided soldiers who protected the trade routes from unwanted intruders. The king also created the system of silent barter. An issue faced by people who traded with Ghana was the language barrier. To eliminate the use of language in trade, silent barter was used to trade goods. The location of the kingdoms in relation to the trade routes, the use of taxation and the system of silent bartering made trade with West African Kingdoms safe and efficient, helping them become prime trading centers.The western African region was enriched with large quantities of different natural resources, which not only allowed trade and economic success but also helped prosper a sustainable civilization. As shown in Map B (M ineral Resources of W. Africa), the area occupied by the kingdoms was filled with natural resources such as gold and iron. Also shown on Map B, the areas to the north and south of the kingdoms were rich in common salt, iron, titanium, copper, diamonds and zinc.Even though the region of the kingdom might have not been the location with the largest quantities of resources, their territories were in the middle of the northern and southern trade in Africa, allowing them to be in control of all internal African trade. The access to valuable resources subsequently allowed the economy to depend largely on trade and due to its economic success earned the title â€Å"Gold Coast†. Not only were natural resources used for trade, however they were also used to advance machinery and tools in order to sustain and develop the empires.Metals such as iron and copper were used to create tools (Image of iron tools found in western Africa on right), weapons and to increase efficiency of work. Ir on smelting and manufacture was not only prominent in West Africa but also among the Nok culture of Nigeria and various other parts of the continent. The productions of iron tools let agriculture, hunting and warfare progress and improve, and soon became a fundamental part of life. In conclusion, the diversity of natural resources found in the area helped flourish the economy and extend the technology and knowledge of the population in the kingdoms.The West African regions was not only a center of trade and home to many natural resources but also possessed a number of different types of land which were successfully used to increase agriculture and make a self-dependent society. As indicated on Map C (Land use in West Africa), this region had a combination of permanent crops, arable, grazing and forest land. Native plants such as pearl millet, sorghum and cowpeas were grown in large quantities to feed the majority of the population. This permitted the population to adapt to farming a nd agriculture using the land for different crops.In addition, West Africa is also coastal region bordering the Atlantic Ocean as shown on Map D. This gave the advantage of having fertile soil near the coast all year round. The European influence and steady trade greatly encouraged farming and consequently led the region to become extremely agriculturally productive as merchants would be looking for places to stock up on food and supplies whilst passing through the trade routes. Alongside this, the introduction of iron farming tools enhanced the production of crops immensely.This contributed to the many ways of how the African kingdoms became successful and self-sufficient civilization. After close examination, it can be concluded that a efficiently managed system of trade routes (including taxation and silent barter), diverse use of the different types of land (including arable, grazing and forest land) and an abundance of natural resources which were used to the kingdoms’ a dvantages, Ghana, Mali and Songhai were able to sustain themselves by using the geographic factors available. Word count: 1,044

East 1

The Article Review By: Efrain Gonzalez Jr. Law/421 March 10, 2013 Chuck Ward In this article review the author will present an article that specifically related to e-business and intellectual property. The information provided in this review will identify different types of and legal protections for intellectual property. The information describes, provide, and analyze the legal issues of e-business to include intellectual property, privacy, ethics, and security. The first piece of information that will be discussed is various types of legal protections for intellectual property.There are several different types of legal protection for intellectual property, and the primary legal mechanisms for protection of intellectual property are: the patent which only provides one right to disallow others from do things which are allowed in the patent. An example would be, any process being performed using genetic engineering in the United States required a license from Stanford University to US Patent 4,237,244 (the Cohen-Boyer patent) but this expired on December 11, 1997.The copyright would be the next protection that gives authors of published work the ability to be protected by the law of copyright infringement. The protection for copyright is 70 currently 70 years but it also much narrower than the patents because what is actually written down, and derivative works are written down. An example of copyright protection would be a published books, electronic publishing, software, and diagnostic questionnaires. Trademarks would be another protection because the trademarks protect words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that separate, and analyzes goods and services.The difference with trademarks is that they can be renewed forever, and patents cannot, but as long as it represents and is used for business purposes only. Know-hows are basically the technical knowledge and experience to do certain things, but the difference with know-hows is that there not protected under the law, but it does hold a significance value if one doesn’t understand or isn’t able to practice an invention. Trade secrets are very important and protected because these are secrets among companies who compete with other organizations and the secrets give them an upper hand against the competitors.Trade secrets protect biological materials and software. Masks works is the last protected and it basically is a series of related images whether fixed or encoded. Masks works are similar in protection under the law to copyright. The legal issues of e-business are the rise of internet and global marketing because small business owners do not want to hear about intellectual property right because they feel that it is a waste of time and money, and those two are very important for small business owners.The privacy and security issues of the e- business can start at viruses getting through the computer which can hurt a small business because the customers may not feel comfor table and secure about shopping online due to viruses, spams and emails being sent out to customers and business associates, and the viruses can end up shutting down the organization system through the computer.Hackers can get into financial statements, and different business accounts and personal client information that can lead to major problems like identity theft and a firewall would have to be put in place to block unauthorized individuals access to business information. Loss of important data can also be a major issue for a small business due to privacy and security scandals. A back up protocol would have to be put in place so that the company can regain access to important information, and loss business files needed to effectively run the organization.Ethics also plays a major role in many different issues related to the e business because security and privacy are the number one ethical issues of the e business even though companies are aware of hackers and are protecting the information, the issue is maintain the online security at all times due to expense and new technology allow hackers to become more advanced at hacking through the internet.The privacy issue plays a big part with the e business because the digital storage and back up files leaves behind important information that can be used against the organization, the employees of the organization, the customers of it, and the potential investors that invest in the company. In conclusion this article review has when into detail and explained the different types of laws that fall under protection of the e business, and the legal protection provided within the laws. The review has described and provided examples of each, analyzed the legal issues of e-business to include intellectual property, privacy, ethics, and security.This review has provided every aspect of the law and legal protection under the e business along with the many different issue it faces on a daily basis. References Retrieve from : http://www. nytimes. com/2009/08/06/business/smallbusiness/06guide. html? _r=0 Retrieved from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/DownloadList. aspx? assetMetaId=975fc4-9d85-4785-93f4-867c4ee6986d&assetDataId=ba00b38d-2bb3-465c-b189-549fe15eedf4 http://www. ebusinesscounsel. com/clients/e-commerce-a-internet-law

Why You Should Avoid These Racial Terms

Why You Should Avoid These Racial Terms Ever wonder which term is the appropriate one to use when describing a member of an ethnic minority group? How do you know if you should refer to someone as â€Å"black,† â€Å"African American,† â€Å"Afro American† or something else entirely? Better yet, how should you proceed when members of the same ethnic group have different preferences for what they’d like to be called? Say you have three Mexican  American friends. One wants to be called â€Å"Latino,† the other wants to be called â€Å"Hispanic,† and another wants to be called â€Å"Chicano.† While some racial terms remain up for debate, others are considered outdated, derogatory or both. Find out which racial names to avoid when describing people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Why â€Å"Oriental† Is a No-No What’s the problem with using the term â€Å"Oriental† to describe individuals of Asian descent? Common complaints about the term include that it should be reserved for objects, such as rugs, and not people and that it’s antiquated- akin to using â€Å"Negro† to describe an African American. Howard University Law Professor Frank H. Wu made the comparison in a 2009 New York Times piece about the state of New York banning the use of â€Å"Oriental† on government forms and documents. Washington State passed a similar ban in 2002. â€Å"It’s associated with a time period when Asians had a subordinate status,† Professor Wu told the Times. He added that people link the term to old stereotypes of Asians and the era when the United States government passed exclusion acts to keep Asian people from entering the country. Given this, â€Å"For many Asian Americans, it’s not just this term: It’s about much more†¦It’s about your legitimacy to be here,† Wu said. In the same piece, historian Mae M. Ngai, author of Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America, explained that, while the term â€Å"Oriental† isn’t a slur, it’s never been widely used by people of Asian descent to describe themselves. â€Å"I think it’s fallen into disfavor because it’s what other people call us. It’s only the East if you’re from somewhere else,† Ngai said, referring to â€Å"Oriental’s† meaning- â€Å"Eastern.† â€Å"It’s a Eurocentric name for us, which is why it’s wrong. You should call people by what (they) call themselves, not how they are situated in relation to yourself.† Due to the history of the term and the era it evokes, it’s best to follow the leads of New York State and Washington State and delete the word â€Å"Oriental† from your lexicon when describing people. When in doubt, use the term Asian or Asian American. However, if you are privy to someone’s specific ethnic background, refer to them as Korean, Japanese American, Chinese Canadian and so forth. â€Å"Indian† Is Confusing and Problematic While the term â€Å"Oriental† is almost universally frowned upon by Asians, the same isn’t true of the term â€Å"Indian† when used to describe Native Americans. Award-winning writer Sherman Alexie, who is of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene ancestry, has no objection to the term. â€Å"Just think of Native American as the formal version and Indian as the casual one,† he told a Sadie Magazine interviewer who asked the best term to use when referring to America’s indigenous peoples. Not only does Alexie approve of the term â€Å"Indian,† he also remarked that â€Å"the only person who’s going to judge you for saying ‘Indian’ is a non-Indian.† While many Native Americans do refer to each other as â€Å"Indians,† some object to the term because it is associated with explorer Christopher Columbus, who mistook the Caribbean islands for those of the Indian Ocean, which were known as the Indies. As a result of the error, people indigenous to the Americas overall were dubbed â€Å"Indians.† Also problematic is that many hold Columbus’ arrival into the New World responsible for initiating the subjugation and decimation of Native Americans, so they don’t want to be known by a term that he’s credited with popularizing. It’s worth noting, though, that the term â€Å"Indian† is far less controversial than the term â€Å"Oriental.† Not only haven’t states banned the term, there’s also a government agency known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, not to mention the National Museum of the American Indian. On that note, the term â€Å"American Indian† is more acceptable than simply â€Å"Indian† because, in part, it is less confusing. When someone refers to â€Å"American Indians,† everyone knows the people in question don’t hail from Asia but from the Americas. If you’re concerned about the kind of reception you’ll receive by using the term â€Å"Indian,† consider saying â€Å"indigenous peoples,† â€Å"native peoples† or â€Å"First Nations† peoples instead. But the wisest thing to do is to refer to people by their specific ancestry. So, if you know a particular person is Choctaw, Navajo, Lumbee, etc., call him that rather than using umbrella terms such as â€Å"American Indian† or â€Å"Native American.† Spanish Is Not the Catch-All Term for Spanish-Speaking Peoples Ever heard a person referred to as â€Å"Spanish† who isn’t from Spain but simply speaks Spanish and has Latin American roots? In some parts of the country, particularly cities in the Midwest and on the  East Coast, it’s commonplace to refer to any such person as â€Å"Spanish.† Sure, the term doesn’t carry the baggage that terms such as â€Å"Oriental† or â€Å"Indian† do, but it’s factually inaccurate. Also,  like the other terms  covered, it lumps diverse groups of people together under an umbrella category. In actuality, the term â€Å"Spanish† is quite specific. It refers to people from Spain. But over the years, the term has been used interchangeably with the various peoples from  Latin America  that the Spanish colonized. Due to intermixing, many of the colonized peoples from Latin America do have Spanish ancestry, but that’s only a part of their racial makeup. Many also have indigenous ancestors and, due to the slave trade, African ancestry as well. To call people from Panama, Ecuador, El Salvador, Cuba and so on as â€Å"Spanish† is to erase large swathes of their racial backgrounds. The term essentially designates people who are multicultural as one thing- European. It makes about as much sense to refer to all Spanish-speakers as â€Å"Spanish† as it does  to refer to all English speakers as â€Å"English.† Colored Is Outdated but Continues to Pop up Today Think only octogenarians use terms such as â€Å"colored† to describe  African Americans? Think again. When  Barack Obama  was elected president in November 2008, actress  Lindsay Lohan  expressed her happiness about the event by  remarking  to â€Å"Access Hollywood,† â€Å"It’s an amazing feeling. It’s our first, you know, colored president.† And Lohan’s not the only young person in the public eye to use the term. Julie Stoffer, one of the houseguests featured on MTV’s â€Å"The Real World: New Orleans,† also raised eyebrows when she  referred  to African Americans as â€Å"colored.† More recently,  Jesse James  alleged mistress Michelle Bombshell McGee sought to defuse rumors that shes a white supremacist by  remarking, I make a horrible racist Nazi. I have too many colored friends. What’s to explain for these gaffes? For one thing, â€Å"colored† is a term that never completely exited American society. One of the most prominent advocacy groups for African Americans uses the term in its name- the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. There’s also the popularity of the more modern (and appropriate) term â€Å"people of color.† Some people may think it’s okay to simply shorten that phrase to â€Å"colored,† but they’re mistaken. Like â€Å"Oriental,† â€Å"colored† harkens back to an era of exclusion, a time when  Jim Crow  was in full force, and blacks used water fountains marked â€Å"colored† and sat in the â€Å"colored† sections of buses, beaches, and restaurants. In short, the term stirs up painful memories. Today, the terms â€Å"African American† and â€Å"black† are the most acceptable to use when describing individuals of African descent. Still, some of these individuals may prefer â€Å"black† over â€Å"African American† and vice versa. â€Å"African American† is considered more formal than â€Å"black,† so if you’re in a professional setting, err on the side of caution and use the former. Of course, you can also ask the individuals in question which term they prefer. You may also encounter immigrants of African descent who wish to be recognized by their homelands. As a result, they prefer to be called Haitian-American, Jamaican-American, Belizean, Trinidadian, Ugandan or Ghanaian-American, rather than simply â€Å"black.† In fact, for the 2010 Census, there was a  movement  to have  black immigrants  write in their countries of origin rather than be known collectively as â€Å"African American.† Mulatto Is a Don’t Mulatto arguably has the ugliest roots of the antiquated terms on this list. Historically used to describe the child of a black person and a white person, the term reportedly originates from the Spanish word â€Å"mulato,† which, in turn, originates from the word â€Å"mula,† or mule- the offspring of a horse and a donkey. Clearly, this term is offensive, as it compares the union of human beings to that of animals. Although the word is outdated and offensive, people still use it from time to time. Some biracial people use the term to describe themselves and others, such as author Thomas Chatterton Williams, who used it to  describe  President Obama  and rap star Drake, both of whom, like Williams, have white mothers and  black fathers. While some biracial people don’t object to the term, others balk at its use. Due to the word’s troublesome origins, refrain from using this term in any situation, with one exception:  When discussing opposition to interracial unions in early America, academics and cultural critics often refer to the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"tragic mulatto myth.†Ã‚   This myth characterizes mixed-race people as destined to live unfulfilling lives in which they fit into neither black nor white society. When speaking about this myth, those who still buy into it or the period when the myth arose, people may use the term â€Å"tragic mulatto.† But the term â€Å"mulatto† should never be used in casual conversation to describe a  biracial person. Terms such as biracial, multiracial, multiethnic or mixed are usually deemed non-offensive, with â€Å"mixed† being the most colloquial word on the list. Sometimes people use the terms â€Å"half-black† or â€Å"half-white† to describe mixed-race individuals. But some biracial people take issue with this because they believe these terms suggest that their heritage can be literally split down the middle like a pie chart when they view their ancestry as completely fused. So, as always, ask people what they wish to be called or listen to what they call themselves.