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Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr.-an American professional basketball player

2023-07-05T10:41:47.067-04:00

Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats and earned third-team All-American honors in 2012. After being selected by Portland with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Lillard was unanimously voted the NBA Rookie of the Year. Nicknamed Dame Time for his history of making big shots in the clutch, he has received seven NBA All-Star and six All-NBA Team selections, the only player in Trail Blazers franchise history to do so. In October 2021, Lillard was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He also won a gold medal on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo. Using the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A., Lillard has enjoyed moderate success as a rapper. His first studio album, The Letter O (2016), charted in the Billboard Top 200, while his second and third albums, Confirmed (2017) and Big D.O.L.L.A. (2019), placed on the indie charts. In 2021, he released a fourth album, Different On Levels The Lord Allowed. As a freshman at Weber State, Lillard averaged 11.5 points per game and was named the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Sky. In his sophomore year, he raised his scoring average to 19.9 points per game and led the Wildcats to the conference championship. At the end of the season, Lillard was named Big Sky Player of the Year as well as honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press. In 2010–11, Lillard led the Big Sky in scoring with 19.7 points per contest before suffering a foot injury ten games into the season that forced him to take a medical redshirt and sidelined him for the rest of the year. As a redshirt junior, Lillard averaged 24.5 points and led the nation in scoring throughout most of the year but ended up finishing second to Oakland University's Reggie Hamilton. On December 3, 2011, against San Jose State, Lillard scored a college career-high 41 points, including a game-clinching three-point play to give Weber State a 91–89 double-overtime win.[13] At the end of the year, he was named to his third first-team all-conference selection and won his second Big Sky Player of the Year award. Lillard was also a finalist for

Can Article 25 Arbitration Serve as a Temporary Alternative to WTO Dispute Settlement Process? Bashar H. Malkawi

2018-11-25T08:53:31.543-05:00

EFL TEACHERS’ CONCEPTUALIZATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES OF CRITICAL THINKING

2018-05-17T03:36:21.5-04:00

Test Specifications and Blueprints: Reality and Expectations

2018-05-08T22:13:10.467-04:00

RINGKASAN JURNAL Heriyanto, Dodik Setiawan Nur, “Solusi Intervensi Kemanusiaan Sebagai Penyelesaian Konflik yang Terjadi Pasca Kudeta Presiden Mursi di Mesir

2017-12-24T11:59:03.78-05:00

RINGKASAN JURNAL, Solusi Intervensi Kemanusiaan Sebagai Penyelesaian Konflik yang Terjadi Pasca Kudeta Presiden Mursi di Mesir

2017-12-24T11:53:48.48-05:00

INTERPOL NCB ISLAMABAD

2015-01-28T09:47:57.24-05:00

My ideal career

2007-11-24T03:53:10-05:00

Doing something handful for my motherland and living with honour and integrity justifies the career chosen to be "ideal". That is why,my career I have chosen is to be an army officer.An army officer once in a lifetime gets an oppurtunity to pour his/her love for the country.Fighting against the mighty soldiers of rival, struggling hard to protect his/her soil surely proves his/her impassionate patriotism.By doing these,he gain gains the honour and integrity to live up with. By embracing the career,I would devote my service solemnly to the public.I would protect my nationality from various threats and keep my home defense stiff and intact.Restoring the people's rights,establishing and implementing the laws and enforcements in an unparalleled way and upholding the grip of people's faith and confidence would be my principal tasks towards the civilians. Establishing the career,I would rather prefer to be an honest servant of my country and its people. It is this honour of living which makes it specially "ideal".This career would transform me into a different being of nature.The sensation of the mothertongue and a witty sparking tinch of integrity allure and provokes me with fullstream patriotism. This career is not chosen for caring loads of money and appreciating popularity,but rather a career chosen where a person earns the honour of livng and integrity to serve the country with an aim bagged with discipline. choosing such a profession commands a lot of respect in the society.The leafy baggy green cap and the camouflaged mixture of green petals of uniform mesmerizes me,right since my childhood.The bold look of my concern,sense of nationality and the feeling of confidence weakens the enemy in the battlefield.He is looked upon as a messiah by the civilians.No matter,how powerful and country maybe,it's powerless without its defense soldiers.There are many careers that offer more money,power and glamour but none commands the respect and dignity of an army officer. All these are but transitory things,that are there today and gone tomorrow,but the status and service of an army officer does not diminish.On the other hand,if he practices his career nobly,it increases and multiplies with the passage of time. The road to realising my dream is not easy nor do i expect it to be so.I would have to pass the competitive exams of military academy before i could gain entry to cadet college. This is my dream,my ideal career,my aim of life,which i do hope will come true one day.I shall leave no stone unturned to turn my career into reality,for i believe that our success and

My ideal career

2007-11-24T03:52:45-05:00

Genius or Athlete?

2007-10-09T04:04:08-04:00

In our new generation of sport oriented children, a vast variety of sports teams are presented in our schools. Many sports from hockey to soccer are an option for students at the majority of the schools in Canada. These sports teams are all time consuming and competitive which proposes the concern of a students grades while participating in these sports: Will they suffer? The proposed solution is that only students attaining above average grades may be permitted to participate in these extra curricular sports teams. The opinion of many is that this restriction will give the students achieving a lower grade average a greater chance to achieving a higher grade average. The option of participation in school sports teams should be presented to all students who are passing their courses because athleticism leads to a better quality of life. All students are not necessarily able to achieve above average grades. Canada’s students are all different and have different learning capabilities, some students achieve level fours and others may achieve level twos. Some students permitted to participate may be achieving above average levels in applied courses while others achieving below average in academic classes are restricted from their participation, this is unfair considering a student in academic classes achieving below average could most likely achieve above average in applied courses. Finally, some students, of a lower poverty level, do not have access to certain luxuries such as computers, thus their grades may suffer due to their lack of riches. Without the option of school organized sports, a student may loose his/her chance at a good future and improved quality of life. A student’s only opportunity at attending university or college may be an athletic scholarship. Some students are unable to afford the expenses of college and therefore are in need of a scholarship. Athletic scholarships are first presented to the lesser privileged student athletes. A talented child not permitted to participate in his or her sport of choice may go unnoticed by scouts and could loose his/her chance at being drafted into a sports team and playing at a professional level. A majority of professional athletes are noticed while playing in varsity sports. To conclude, children require confidence and teamwork in their everyday life and school work that sport teams

Ways to avoid plagiarism in essays and papers

2007-02-19T10:37:18-05:00

One of the most valuable things in

Ways to avoid plagiarism in essays and papers

2007-02-19T10:36:54-05:00

One of the most valuable things in

Enhanced Performance Through Assertiveness in Work Situations

2007-02-14T12:05:49-05:00

The increase of pressure on the managers and their staff is very much evident in the present scenario. Coping with the pressure should start with oneself. Therefore each one has to develop special skills to deal with the pressure situations. Assertion is a key skill for dealing with the difficult events that help in facing daunting challenges like the following: 1. Tedious and nasty jobs could be assigned. 2. Someone else takes the credit for all the work done by an associate, which is very prevalent in the present scenario. 3. Being assertive at home and performing dismally at work. 4. Being pulled by the work/home balance and not being in a position to get an even kneel. Assertiveness is most appropriate for dealing with the people in threatening situations. An assertive behavior has two elements. Verbal behavior with the choice of words and phrases and the second one is the non-verbal assertiveness with the choice of gestures and facial expressions. It is a developmental programme which helps people of all ages to be more confident and able to say the right thing the right way, with an enhanced possibility of achieving the right outcome. The first major reason for learning assertiveness is because assertive people get more than what they want which is a worthwhile goal, it may not be possible to be 100 percent successful to get what one wants. the second reason being the managers feel good about themselves and also they would act really quickly in unanticipated situations. Assertiveness is apparently simple if looked in a generic viewpoint and action oriented. Its easy to be assertive as elders if one has learnt the skill while young. In difficult work situations , invariably managers react by being aggressive. They say too much too loudly and often over react only to regret it later. At the other extreme they become passive, silent hold back saying and doing nothing, later feeling bad about the inadequate performance and become unhappy. In both the cases it will be adding to the their already performed inadequate image of themselves. It is important for the managers to be assertive not only to get more of what they want but also feel better about themselves and their behavior. The benefits of being assertive for the self and the organisation 1. The manager can manage his stress levels effectively.

HOW TO ENJOY SOUND SLEEP

2007-02-13T14:55:21-05:00

A sound sleep is required for a sound mind and healthy body. Inability to sleep (Insomnia) is a common malady of our age. Everyone experiences insomnia at times during his life. It is a product of daily tensions and anxieties. Patients suffering from mental disorders sleep very little and often wake up too early in the morning. Some chronic diseases can also produce insomnia. A baby sleeps for about sixteen hours; an adult man sleeps for an average of eight hours, while a woman for about seven and a half hours. There are some variations. Some people get by very effectively for six hours; others need as much as nine or ten. As people grow older, they usually need less sleep. SLEEP CYCLE: The twenty four hour cycle of sleep and waking is known as Circadian Rhythm. It is a kind of physiological clock, regulated by pineal gland at the top of the brain stem. Once set, it keeps good time. People feel disturbed by “Jet Lag”, because then physiological clock is out of phase with the time zone. It takes about one week to reset itself. USEFUL TIPS FOR A SOUND SLEEP: 1) Mental relaxation is essential for sound sleep. Don’t think over your life problems when going to sleep. This builds up tension and leads to insomnia. Nothing will make a person relax more liker simple faith in the fact that God is caring for everything. He is the author of true peace in the heart. 2) I f you simply can’t sleep on a given night, get up and do something else. Do something which you like most, work on your hobby or read anything that tends to relax the body, tends to induce sleep. Any thing that is done regularly by a person as part of the process of getting to sleep helps that person get to sleep. 3) My vote is strictly against the sleeping pills. There are innumerable side effects of all drugs used for the treatment of insomnias. One should always avoid these drugs. 4) Coffee as strong tea work as “stay away” agents because they act as central nervous system stimulant. Don’t take coffee or tea when going to sleep. It is better to have a glass of milk. 5) A comfortable and easy bed is the first requirement for a peaceful sleep. Moreover to ensure good

Editing department of ProfEssays

2007-02-13T11:40:40-05:00

Having written their essays or academic papers, lots of students feel uncertain whether everything is correct in their works. For those who have any doubts concerning spelling, grammar mistakes or content of essays, term papers, academic papers, admission essays, research papers, compositions, book reports, case studies we have developed our editing service. If you send us your piece of writing we will eliminate all your mistakes both: grammatical and content ones. After supplying your works to our editing service you can relax and be confident that

Decisions and Their Affect on the Path of My Life

2007-02-09T00:18:53-05:00

Every day a person makes hundreds of decisions. Some of these include the mundane things in life: What am I going to wear? What do I eat for breakfast? However, each person at some time comes to a point in their lives when they must choose a path. This event is appropriately named a “crossroad” because that decision could entirely change the direction of one’s life. This event does not happen just once in a lifetime although each time it could mean something totally different. I myself, at the young age of sixteen can think of many instances when I hit a “crossroad.” Therefore, one can only imagine how many times this would happen to a full grown human being. With any decision comes satisfaction, regret, and a philosophical curiosity of what could’ve been. One of the major decisions of my life thus far would be my decision for a high school. Repeatedly through childhood, we are told that our high school years are the ‘best of our lives.’ Therefore, I knew I would have to choose carefully where I wanted to spend the next four years. I could’ve gone with the simple decision; I could’ve gone with the flow. Most of the people in my elementary school were naturally going to the home school, Notre Dame. In fact, I was days away from the same fate. However, one day while sitting in class the day before Mayfield applications were due I spontaneously thought that I should just go for it. I had a lot of the typical worries, such as many of my friends not being there, but decided to take the leap of faith. Today, I couldn’t be more satisfied with my decision. My love of drama and the theatrical arts has developed me into a totally different person, who I believe was there and hidden all along. I have met great friends who I can’t imagine my life without. Furthermore, I have seen many of my old friends who chose my rejected decision of going to Notre Dame and have changed from the people I knew into someone else due to an environment that I believe to be different than Mayfield. I remain more than satisfied with my life choice that will forever shape my future. Although satisfaction is a product of many decisions, regret is a product that seems to stand out a lot more. One situation that

Physical Wellness: For anyone who has to write a gym term paper on personal fitness

2006-12-05T01:39:31-05:00

Physical fitness can most aptly be defined as the body's ability to complete daily activities without becoming too sore, without becoming too fatigued, and without getting out of breath. The concept of physical fitness involves three distinct factors, which are: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and nutrition. It is imperative for one to allot an ample amount of time to each of these factors, as well as following a program specially suited to his or her needs. A major component of physical wellness is cardiovascular fitness. Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the circulatory system to provide oxygen-rich blood for energy to the body’s organs. A person’s pulse is the throbbing of arteries produced by the contractions of the heart. One may read his or her pulse at either the wrist or the neck. A person’s resting heart rate is his or her heart rate at rest. To calculate this, one may simply count the beats of the heart per minute. A person’s maximum heart rate is the maximum number of times his or her heart can beat in one minute. To calculate this, one may simply subtract his or her age from 220. The target heart rate is the number of times one’s heart should beat per minute when exercising. This is between 60- and 90-percent of one’s maximum heart rate. To increase cardiovascular fitness, one should develop a program that follows the principles of “FIT” training. For frequency, one should do an exercise between 3 and 5 times per week. For intensity, one should base how hard he or she exercises on the target heart rate. For time, one should start slowly, but gradually increase to approximately 45 to 60 minutes per day. Before engaging in this type of program, one should stretch and loosen up his or her muscles, and he or she should allow the muscles to cool down after an exercise, mostly by walking until he or she is near the resting heart rate. An example of a good cardiovascular fitness program that I would follow is: Day 1 at track: Warm-up (5 minutes) Slow jog (20 minutes) Walk (5 minutes) Slow jog (20 minutes) Cool-down (5

african americans in sports

2006-11-27T21:48:06-05:00

African Americans have had a rough time trying to participate in major athletics in the past. Some sports, such as baseball took large aspirations for the athletic community to integrate black athletes into their major league sports. African Americans have made great strides in the world of sports in the United States. Sports in America show extremes in culture and it’s the passion to succeed that unites most of America. African American athletes have been able to participate in America’s several professional sports leagues since the inception of sports in America. But due to their race they have not always been given the chance. As sports grew into an American pastime they also grew on separate fields with race as a dividing line. Up until the 1940's most sports events were separated because of race. Only a few African Americans dared to follow their dreams and cross over the racial line in these times. For those few African Americas they became the prime symbol of their race. They had their whole race riding on their shoulders. If this wasn’t a large enough burden to start with, they also had to endure teasing, harassment, and belittlement just to play the sport they loved. Moses Fleetwood, Paul Robeson, Chuck Cooper, lastly William Tecumseh Sherman Jackson paved the way for future black athletes in their respective sports. All of these men were the first to break the white and black barrier. Moses Fleetwood for baseball, Paul Robeson for football, Chuck Chopper for basketball, and William Tecumseh Sherman Jackson for track and field. What these great athletes coped with is unimaginable but their achievements won’t be forgotten. Baseball is truly America’s pastime. The sport was played all the way back in colonial America, in the 1700's. As America was the melting pot of cultures, several cultures contributed to this game we call baseball. Baseball became such a popular sport that in 1869 the first Plourd 2 professional baseball team was organized. By 1876 eight-professional teams were made up and they formed the first baseball league. The two earliest African American baseball players to join all white teams were Bud Fowler and Moses Fleetwoods Walker. Bud Fowler played for the Keokuk in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He was the only African American player on the team. Fowler never gave up on his goal to play in the major leagues and

Forensic

2006-11-13T13:16:20-05:00

Forensic was been defined as an boundary specialty related to influential use of psychiatry, the appliance of psychiatric principles, theory, and practice to legal issues for legal ends. “Its psychiatric fact finding for legal purposes.” (Curran, McGarry, Petty, 1980, p. 658) The major question for the trained investigator is what approach does the behavior of the offender provide into his own personal morals, and how does that lend to the motive and signature of the offender. Essentially, what do the circumstances say about the present, past, and future behavior of the offender. The substantial evidence has to a starting point of the offender’s profile. Behavioral examination and the crime view might be misleading in the investigation, for this reason the purpose of investigation must only be on the behavior of the offender in regard the physical elements of a certain crime at hand. Offender profiling is a technique of recognizing the performer of a crime which involves the examination of the character of the offense and the behavior in which it had been committed. Different aspects of the personality makeup of the criminal are determined by his choice of the actions during, before, and after the crime. This data is combined with other relevant details and physical evidence, and afterwards compared with the features of known types of personality and mental abnormalities with a purpose of developing a useful description of the offender. A successful examination of severe criminal offenders engages broad behavioral profiling that takes strong skills from both the law enforcement community and mental health. With the growing amount of serious offenses and people’s suffering, the need for cooperation, objective profiling, and communication between both fields starts to become more self evident. Some of the primary attempts to make profiling were made by Darwin. He developed a theory that humans came from f the apes, and some Italian Lumbroso was persuaded that convicts were close to the ape in relationship, rather than folks that abide law. “He went around the prisons and measured 9,000 heads and announced that you could identify a villain because they looked like throw backs to the apes. In this profiling study it was stated that criminals had great big ears, large jaws, broad sinuses and cheekbones.” (James Burke, Connections 2 Series, video, The Learning Channel) Later studies started to go ahead of the bumps and became more profound with the brain. The FBI’s Profiling Unit can

Forensic

2006-11-13T13:16:16-05:00

Forensic

2006-11-13T13:16:03-05:00

Forensic

2006-11-13T13:15:50-05:00

Forensic

2006-11-13T13:15:25-05:00

American justice system

2006-09-20T13:43:51-04:00

american justice system over the past twenty years, psychologists have conducted a great deal of research on the phenomenon of eyewitness identification. many laypersons believe that human memory works like a videocassette recorder (brigham and bothwell, 1983, p. 18). in essence, we remember what we see and can reproduce those recollections when needed. psychological studies indicate, however, that memory is really a complex process consisting of three stages: (1) acquisition, (2) retention, and (3) retrieval. in each of these stages, various factors can alter a witnesss perception of an event and render it unreliable (brigham and bothwell, 1983, p. 20). the acquisition stage covers the witnesss perception of the original event (loftus, 1981, p. 105). factors in this stage fall into two categories: event factors and witness factors. as their names imply, these factors describe the circumstances surrounding the event and the witness, respectively. an event factor is something inherent in an incident which affects ones ability to perceive it accurately. one event factor is the duration of the event. in general, the reliability of an eyewitness identification diminishes as the viewing time decreases (loftus, 1981, p. 105). for example, the woman, who saw the robber for over thirty seconds, was in a better position to make a reliable identification than the man who saw the robber for a much shorter period of time. a witness factor is a factor inherent in a witness which affects that persons ability to perceive (loftus, 1981, p. 110). for instance, the woman may have felt stress and fear because an unknown man accosted her on a deserted street late at night. this stress may have affected her ability to process information about the man even before he actually became outwardly violent. the effect of stress on identification depends upon the level of stress. at low levels of stress, a witness is inattentive to many details and not likely to be accurate (wells, 1988, p. 17). at moderate levels, memory improves, because a witness is better able to focus. at high levels, it becomes difficult for a person to concentrate and store the details of an event. indeed, when one is concerned with self-preservation, there is a tendency to ignore anything not necessary for survival. the retention stage spans the interval between the occurrence of the event and the recollection of information about it. accuracy in identification decreases as this interval increases (lipton, 1977, p. 90). it

american justice system

2006-09-20T13:43:36-04:00

Be thankful.........

2006-09-16T19:36:25-04:00

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy. If you awoke this morning with more health than illness you are more blessed than a million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness

Capital Punishment

2006-08-27T17:03:29-04:00

In Death penalty has no place in U.S., Cynthia Tucker has concluded that she is against the death penalty. The issues that she has raised are the questions; does America need the death penalty? Is Capital Punishment an effective penalty? Yes. The death penalty protects society and keeps order in Justice. Capital Punishment does not stop people from killing one another. However, the only thing it mainly does is stop a known killer from killing innocent people. I believe that it is the correct punishment for those who commit crimes bad enough to deserve death. The United States uses the death penalty as a punishment for the more sever criminals like murderers and rapists, most of their convicts are guilty. Few on a rare occasion, one innocent person is put to death by capital punishment United States say this only happens on a rare occasion, that rare occasion should never happen. In some cases in the United States and in Canada the wrong people are accused of crimes that they did not commit. Since the 1900’s, in the United Sates, there have been at least four cases where an innocent person is executed.(Fletcher,M.) Four innocent people executed each year for a mistake made by the use of Capital punishment. The cases of innocent people put to death cannot compare to the criminals who deserve it. John Wayne King deserves the death penalty. For John Wayne King there is no excuse for this kind of behavior in the killing of James Byrd Jr., The act was evil. Some people believe that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. However, we need to have the death penalty in force for those criminals who do commit such crimes. Life in prison does not stop these crimes from being committed. The death penalty does. With the criminals in jail for life, there is a possibility that they could break out and kill again. The criminals could be up for parole. We are keeping criminals fed and clothed with the know fact that they are killers. Many criminals ask for the death penalty.” Confessed killer Aileen Wuornos, the subject of the 2003 movie Monster, said she wanted to "get right with God" before her 2002 Florida execution”. (Willing,R. ).

Assimilation Copyright

2006-07-22T16:40:39-04:00

Civilization, the thing that makes humans different from the other animals on this planet, is the ability to pass knowledge down from generation to generation with each successive generation building on the knowledge of all generations that came before. It is this “human knowledgebase” which has allowed us to progress to the point we are at today and it is this knowledgebase that is now under attack, an attack that threatens the very roots of civilization. In 1790 George Washington signed into law Copyright Act of 1790, which granted a temporary monopoly on the knowledge to authors, and inventors of that knowledge with a limitation of 28 years. The reason for this temporary monopoly was to allow Authors and Inventors a reasonable return on their labors. (note I didn't say maximizing profits) After that 28 years was up the knowledge became part of the human knowledge base and civilization could once again build freely on that knowledge. All copyright and patent law in the US is based on an article in the Constitution, which granted congress the power "to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." At the time it may have seemed like a good idea to grant a temporary monopoly in order to allow authors (copyright) and inventors (patent) time to profit from their writings and discoveries and this article became the bases for both copyright and patent laws. However the founding fathers were very careful not to make the mistakes Europe had made in creating a monopoly. They specifically worded the constitution to allow for authors and inventors to get a fair return but also to prevent copyright and patents from being used as a control mechanism to control knowledge which was the reasoning behind Copyright in Europe. This was a very important difference between the power granted to congress in the constitution and what had happened in European copyright laws. Also notice that the words "fair return" were used instead of "maximize profits". Copyright is not about maximizing profits, it's possible to get a fair return even with limited copying going on, in fact it was legal to copy as long as money wasn't involved up until 1976 when our copyright laws were changed. Since that time, many revisions have been

The Lives of Tragedy in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter and The hundred Secret Senses

2006-07-05T20:13:38-04:00

In the Elizabethan period it was assumed that a play ending in death was a tragedy, but in recent years we have come to understand that to live on is sometimes far more tragic than death. Tragedy is phenomenon that has been repeatedly reported throughout the media. Whether it is infidelity, abduction, or a loss of something significant, tragedy is there. It affects people’s lives but especially those who experience or were close to the victims of tragedy. To simplify, a tragic life can be understood as a life full of misfortune, bad experiences or sadness. In the novels The Bonesetter’s Daughter and The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan, tragedy is portrayed through the lives of the characters Lu Ling and Kwan respectively. These characters lead a tragic life as they were neglected, manipulated and experienced the loss of their loved ones. Within both novels, Lu Ling and Kwan were neglected. This neglect contributes to their tragic life, because they were under appreciated and taken for granted. In the novel The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Amy Tan starts off by describing the character Lu Ling as a caring, but misunderstood mother. She was constantly neglected by her daughter Ruth, even though her intentions were sincere. This treatment of neglect contributed to her tragic life, because it depicted her as insignificant in the eyes of her daughter. This was evident at a dinner party hosted by her daughter Ruth where Tan writes “‘So busy, so success,’ her mother had said when Ruth told her she didn’t have any free time to see her. ‘Not free,’ Lu Ling added, ‘because every minute must charge money, what I should pay you, five dollar, ten dollar, then you come see me?’”(Tan, 44) The degree of neglect illustrated by this passage is seen as being quite severe and sums up their mother-daughter relationship. Lu Ling acknowledges that she is being neglected and even goes as far as offering to buy her daughter’s attention. Lu Ling’s life is neither perfect nor mediocre, but a tragic one. She had loved Ruth, but this love is not reciprocated when her daughter becomes a woman. This neglect in the relationship can be dated back to when Ruth was a child, which is demonstrated in this passage: ‘No! Luyi, stop! What are you doing? You

THE POWER OF COMEDY

2006-06-19T22:50:41-04:00

THE POWER OF COMEDY! Mark What is Comedy? Some people have the misconception that comedy is the actual opposite of drama. However under closer examination it is apparent that Comedy is that of a dramatic work. Dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and that usually contains a happy resolution of a conflict. Comedy keeps the world in motion, it allows people to shrug off rude comments, laugh at one another, and it creates a casual environment. There are many types of comedy: irony, satire, sarcasm etc. All are used in making the world more enjoyable. However, comedy consequently has the potential to make someone laugh as well as being offended. Laughter is a universal phenomenon however although comedy is as well, but only in a selective material to a selective audience to what you find funny enough to laugh. Two Interviews I conducted two interviews with a friend from work: Alex who performs stand up comedy at local bars from time to time and a close personal relative of mine named Travis. (Please Note out of the respect of confidentiality I have replaced their real names with fictitious names.) My main question to them was “What is comedy and what they think its main function is? Here is what they had to say. I used a tape recorder and wrote their answers verbatim. Interview ALEX: “You know as a comedian as ironic as this may seem, I am not necessary looking for my audience to get a laugh, (although I sure don’t wanna make them cry) I am more interested in seeing the reaction in their faces and body movement. I know I am not the funniest comedian out there, I don’t claim to be. If you get an audience who is reacting to your jokes they are at least

Contrast Between 2 Restaurants You Eaten In

2006-05-23T14:41:33-04:00

What is a restaurant? A restaurant is a public place where meals can be bought and eaten. There are many restaurants which can be found in Subang Jaya. There are two restaurants which I often go to have meals, and they are Restaurant Kim Gary and Restaurant Ming Tian which located near to the Sunway Pyramid. From these two restaurants, they have some contrasts on the foods, hygiene, and the services. Firstly, I would like to discuss about the foods between these two restaurants. The foods in Restaurant Kim Gary are delicious but specifically on certain choices. The foods they have in the menu are like baked cheese rice with beef, Hong Kong spaghetti, French bread and many more. Most of the foods are baked with cheese. Foods in Restaurant Kim Gary has reasonable price although the foods in Restaurant Ming Tian are slightly cheaper than the Restaurant Kim Gary. This is because Restaurant Kim Gary uses good ingredients for their recipes. Besides, the foods in Restaurant Ming Tian are delicious too but apparently more choices than Restaurant Kim Gary. In general, Restaurant Ming Tian is more to the many food stalls. However, I prefer to have meals at Restaurant Ming Tian. Secondly, I move on to cleanliness between the two restaurants. When comes to this topic, I would say that Restaurant Kim Gary has good hygiene than Restaurant Ming Tian because they have good management on taking care of the dirts, spilled drinks, and so on. Other than that, the manager of Restaurant Kim Gary divided the place to have meal into two areas which are the smoking area and non-smoking area. These two areas provided are based on the customer needs because there are some customers do not smoke and some customers smoke. As for Restaurant Ming Tian, the hygiene of it is opposite to Restaurant Kim Gary. This is because the Restaurant Ming Tian is an open wide food stall; they open their stall on the side road or parking space which is near to the its restaurant. It doesn’t have categorized areas for smoking and non-smoking area. Thus, I would prefer go to Restaurant Kim Gary because it has good hygiene. Lastly, I will talk about the services between the two restaurants. Restaurant Kim Gary has the better services than Restaurant Ming Tian. The waiters in the Restaurant Kim Gary are fully trained so they can serve their

Building the Dream

2006-05-20T04:12:39-04:00

“Building the Dream” Everyone has a dream or a goal in life. Whether it is to obtain fame or riches matters not but it is how we as individuals go about achieving our hopes and dreams. It is in this that we derive great satisfaction in our successes as we stand atop the great mountain of achievement and look down on all that we have overcome. Obtaining ones ambitions requires work and perseverance, in the land of California we seem to be surrounded with infinite possibilities as to what we can achieve, but many do not realize this and take it for granted as they flee to other places in search of their dream only to then realize that they had left it behind. In James Rawls’ essay “California: A Place, A People, A Dream”, Rawls gives his interpretation of the “California dream”, as well as identifies the paradoxes that are often associated with that dream. He says that “The California Dream is a love affair with an idea, a marriage

interactive classroom versus non-interactive class

2006-04-19T11:03:10-04:00

Willmott once said,” education is the apprenticeship of life.” True it may sound but education has its own constraints too. Importance of education lies in ‘how’ it is imparted than ‘what’ is imparted. Educationists worldwide suggest that there exist two types of teaching methods. One is where the teacher speaks i.e. authoritarian classroom and

school sport should not be compulsory

2006-04-09T09:18:40-04:00

I strongly belive that sport at school should not be compulsory for the following reasons: The General assembly of United Nations and the beckration of human rights states: Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to thier children. Therefore schools can not make the decision whether students do physical education or not. If schools were to make physical education(p.e), a optional subject, schools would see better academic results and better sports results because people that want to do sport would be able to concentrate more on sports, and people that do not want to can focus more on academic studies. Also, when someone does not show an interest to sport they let the people in the team that do want to do sport down. Sometimes p.e can turn into an Elite activity. Elite sport: The decision to pursue an elite activity means allocating it a greater amount of time of time. Making it a priority ahead of other activities and eliminating other projects. One time in p.e our teacher had given our class a gymnastics assesment that we got one class period to practice but were told to use our own time to get together in our groups to practice in our own time. I am only 12 years of age and I love doing p.e. But now that I was told to do this debate, I think that I should have focused more on my academic studies instead of gymnastics because I need to pass my academic exams when I am older not p.e. If anyone has ever told you that 'if you do not do sport you will get fat' then it is absoloutely rubbish. You can still eat healthy, non fatty food and be slim. People often do not realise that you can also do sport out of school you do not have to do it in scnool. Sport has a broad meaning. Sport means all forms of physical activity that take's place through casual or organised participation. So walking to school is a casual sport. Think about basic things you do everyday and it will fall under casual sport. Many p.e teachers are in experienced and there is a lack of teachers. So what is the point of doing p.e with an un-experienced teacher? According to the education watchdog ofsted, one in five schools continue to lack even adequate sporting facilities, so what is the

school sport should not be compulsory

2006-04-09T09:17:11-04:00

I strongly belive that sport at school should not be compulsory for the following reasons: The General assembly of United Nations and the beckration of human rights states: Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to thier children. Therefore schools can not make the decision whether students do physical education or not. If schools were to make physical education(p.e), a optional subject, schools would see better academic results and better sports results because people that want to do sport would be able to concentrate more on sports, and people that do not want to can focus more on accademic studies. Also, when someone does not show an interest to sport they let the people in the team that do want to do sport down. Sometimes p.e can turn into an Elite activity. Elite sport: The decision to pursue an elite activity means allocating it a greater amount of time of time. Making it a priority ahead of other activities and eliminating other projects. One time in p.e our teacher had given our class a gymnastics assesment that we got one class period to practice but were told to use our own time to get together in our groups to practice in our own time. I am only 12 years of age and I love doing p.e. But now that I was told to do this debate, I think that I should have focused more on my accademic studies instead of gymnastics because I need to pass my accademic exams when I am older not p.e. If anyone has ever told you that 'if you do not do sport you will get fat' then it is absoloutly rubbish. You can still eat healthy, non fatty food and be slim. People often do not realise that you can also do sport out of school you do not have to do it in scnool. Sport has a broad meaning. Sport means all forms of physical activity that take's place through casual or organised participation. So walking to school is a casual sport. Think about basic things you do everyday and it will fall under casual sport. Many p.e teachers are in experienced and there is a lack of teachers. So what is the point of doing p.e with an un-experienced teacher? According to the education watchdog ofsted, one in five schools continue to lack even adequate sporting facilittes, so what is the

The Man Who Brok 1000 Chains- Morality vs. Legality

2006-02-06T21:56:58-05:00

When looking at as issue as right or wrong, it is imperative that the issue be categorized into either a matter of legality or morality. While some may be both, the simple fact that an action may be immoral does not qualify it as necessarily illegal. The film A Man That Broke A Thousand Chains, based on the true story of Robert Elliott Burns, showcases many examples of morality and legality. If an action is immoral, that means it defies one’s moral code and is commonly perceived as “wrong” based on what one values. If an action is regarded as illegal, it is one that breaks a law and requires just punishment. Once he escaped out of the Georgia camp, he made a move to Chicago, where he found a quaint boarding house to live in. The lovely female owner and Robert soon became very close; he told her his secret after she read it in his writings. They loved each other, though he did not want a commitment. After blackmailing Robert into marrying her, she became very jealous and ended up letting his secret out after she became very angry for not receiving enough attention. Being a big businessman of a huge magazine, this move was devastating. He was then sent back to the camp in Georgia, losing not only his fortune from business, but his new found love, Lillian. Though turning in an escaped convict is more legal than not, being what one would call a “tattletale” on account of being jealous or angry is wrong. His wife’s decision to turn her love over to the police was an act that showed cold-heartedness and most would say is wrong, since it seems wrong and foolish to incriminate one’s close friend. Though this action resulted in legal issues, this one case was a moral case. When Robert first left home, he was desperate for money and was convinced to join a man who promised some profit. Unfortunately, Robert went with the criminal and was pulled into an armed robbery. Robert unwillingly followed the criminal’s orders and held a shopkeeper at gunpoint. As a beginning of the unfair tale, Robert was the only one captured and was tried. No matter his unwillingness or disagreement to the armed robbery, he still took part in it. An armed robbery is quite obviously legally wrong; it is illegal to steal money, and more illegal yet

Case of the Shipwrecked Sailors- Prosecution

2006-02-06T21:55:27-05:00

In the “case of the shipwrecked

Bye Bye BirdieA Holocaust of the Children

2006-01-31T17:47:56-05:00

If the United States government implemented a law that told couples they could only have one child, how soon would a protest be in place? The answer is immediately, because it is not the government’s place to restrict the reproductive rights of any human being. However, this atrocity is taking place in China at this very moment. This law is known as the one-child law. This policy was introduced by Chairman Mao to help ensure that the flood prone, famine-ridden China could feed its people by reducing its population (China Steps Up). The one-child policy essentially states that couples living in the cities may only have one-child, unless one or both of the couples are from an ethnic minority, or they are both only children, in which case they my have two. In most rural areas a couple my have a second child after a break of seven to ten years. These exceptions are allowed in order to keep the population from having a dramatic recession (China Steps Up). Those who live within the city and have more than one child must abide by the extra birth policy, which requires that the couple must pay an extra tax for the apparent burden they impose on society, because they will use more of communist China’s public resources, which is said to be unfair to those who follow the one-child law (No Relaxation). The regulations also prohibit single women who become pregnant from giving birth (China’s “One Child” Policy Coercive). According to the Chinese government “The one child policy has proven, overall, to be successful in having kept approximately two hundred and fifty million births from happening since 1979,” (China Steps Up) however, at what cost does this so called success take place? One of the most noticeable problems with the one child law is the ratio of men to women; there are approximately one hundred and fifty two males for every one hundred females, all in all that’s about sixty million more men than women (China Steps Up). China’s fertility rate, statistically, is 1.8, which is greater than Germany’s 1.2, but below that of the United States’ 2.1 (China’s One Child Rule). The unbalanced ratio is caused by two factors, the first being that there are naturally one hundred and five males born from every one hundred females. The second, because there

Cause and Effect: Serious Studies on Laughter

2006-01-31T17:42:23-05:00

Why did the frog cross the road? Because he was glued to the chicken! (Du Dun Chh). Even though this joke isn’t very funny you still laughed. Laughter is caused by a great number of situations, from bonding with one another, to asserting dominance, to being a vocal filler. The effects of laughter can be very medicinal, and it’s often called the “Best Medicine.” Laughter is very contagious. Even just listening to someone else laugh makes us laugh. For this reason, the once popular Tickle-Me-Elmo Doll, became a must have, Elmo’s laugh made us laugh. (A Big Mystery…). The contagiousness of laughter may stem from the fact that laughter has been one form of strong social bonding for millennia. When you laugh with people you become relaxed and comfortable around another. (Poking Fun). Another reason people laugh besides social bonding is the Superiority Theory. This theory states that “people laugh to assert that they are on a level equal to or higher than those around them.” (Poking Fun). A proven example of this would be the fact that employees crack less jokes than their superiors. Another example of the Superiority Theory has to do with men and women. Studies have shown that men make more jokes around women, and women tend to laugh more around men. Also, men tend to laugh much louder around men, than they do around women. (Poking Fun) Laughter can also take the place of a breath or pause while speaking, and there for doesn’t interrupt the structure of the sentence, becoming a vocal filler. When laughter becomes a vocal filler, it shows that laughter is subconscious. An example of this would be when you’re talking, and you’re not sure what to say next, so you say “um?” We don’t decide to laugh, it simply happens. This is why one cannot laugh on command. (A Big Mystery…). Laughter is one of the best stress relievers. When you laugh it releases “happy” endorphins into your system. For this reason, and many others, laughter is often referred to as the “Best Medicine.” (Weed, 93) It is also thought that humor can strengthen your immune system, and control your pain tolerance. Laughter has also been shown to lower ones anxiety level, and possibly even increase

History of the Restaurant

2006-01-12T07:23:41-05:00

The word “restaurant” according to the majority of contemporary dictionaries is defined as an eating-place, an establishment where meals are prepared and served to customers. By this definition, restaurants, by whatever name they have been given, are almost as old as civilization (Davidson, 1999). Modern historians, however, take a different view, that “restaurants” are a recent innovation and can be defined as a particular establishment where one goes to select prepared items of food, arranged on an individual plate, for a predetermined fee. Where ones sits at individual tables, alone or with acquaintances and samples exotic dishes, these are the constituents for what we commonly address as the “restaurant”. Contrarily, inns and taverns have served food to hungry patrons for millennia but I am not concerned with the mere serving of food, in this essay I will focus instead on how and where it is served. A restaurant, of the original meaning was the name for a restorative broth, a thing rather than a place. In the fifteenth century a restaurant was a consommé or bouillon (Spang, 2001) cooked with precious gemstones, which, as it was rumoured, had medicinal uses and instigated good health. Up until the eighteenth century, restaurants were for those too fragile to eat a solid meal at night. Restaurants were cooked often without the addition of any liquid and sometimes composed purely of meat, cooked for so long that all of the matter, including bone, flesh and skin, had broken down to liquid essences, allowing it to reach the consumer partially digested. Restaurants were eaten, or drunk rather, in a restaurateur’s room, where one lounged and sipped quietly and there was no socialising or frivolity, perhaps like an 18th century urban spa for the delicate (Flandrin & Montarri, 1999). In 1765 a man named Boulanger, also known as “Champ d’ Oiseaux” (Flandrin & Montarri, 1999), purveyor of a restaurateur’s room near the Louvre, was not content in just serving restaurants to the frail. Boulanger began to serve sheep feet in a white sauce, which stepped largely on the toes of the caterers’ guild. The French work force at the time was highly compartmentalised and held together with bylaws into twenty-five different guilds. The butchers were to sell raw domestic meat, only rotisseurs sold prepared game, charcutiers sold sausages and hams, vinegar-makers sold vinegar, pastry-cooks sold pastry (Flandrin & Montarri, 1999) and

American Blue Jean Baby

2005-12-06T06:01:56-05:00

Pop Culture is expressed in the mass circulation of items from areas such as fashion, music, sports and film. After deliberating among several distinguishing items of pop culture that have affected my life, I settled on one of particular significance in American pop culture. The ‘invention’ of blue jeans greatly preceded my birth and is a pivotal piece of history for women and fashion. Whereas jeans were once clothing for workers and a status symbol of physical labor, they now adorn the most beautiful of women as pop culture and designer fashion. Blue jeans have helped make me who I am and have helped to form my outlook and perspective on American feminism or the lack thereof. In 1853, Levi Strauss began a wholesale clothing business in order to provide strong denim clothing to the California Gold Miners who wanted clothing to be tough enough to withstand the physical demands of mining. Blue jeans were only meant for the working man and were never conceived of becoming a fashion icon by women everywhere. After all, the women’s rights movement was just getting starting around this time. My great-grandmother, as well as every woman she knew, were restricted to being bare-foot and pregnant while caring for her husband and children. Women never conceived of wearing anything but the long skirts that their mothers had worn. Blue jeans slowly became symbols of pop culture when in the 1930’s western movies and the American cowboy wore jeans on the big screen. Popularity was spurred when the American public watched heroes wearing blue jeans. They soon became synonymous with teen rebellion. My grandmother at the age of 17 was once caught wearing her brother’s jeans while working in the tobacco field. She was punished with her father’s leather belt because young ladies were taught that their reputations would suffer if they did not dress and act properly. By the time my mother was a teenager in the 1960’s, the individualization of jeans began as people experimented with different styles and decorations such as patches, embroidery and wild colors. My mother’s favorite styles were the bell bottomed and hip-hugger jeans. She once told me that her hip-huggers were what won over my father. Jeans were quietly transforming from a necessity in the workplace to a sex symbol for women. The

Gay Priests struggle with Vatican’s Rules

2005-11-28T00:04:40-05:00

I chose this article in the New York Times because it is a moral issue which is stirring up controversy in religion and media. In the rapid change of social norms in today’s world, we are given a topic that mixes both the new generation of people and the old traditional way of living. My evaluation of this subject has left me in an interesting situation; and caught between moral or social customs. Rachel Zole wrote this editorial in the NY Times and in doing so helped voice out Rev. Fred Daley’s belief who was one of the first priests to expose his sexual orientation. What the author is trying to do is help people understand the situation plus persuade the reader to understand and side with the Reverend. The crisis that is taking place in the church is, because homosexuality is not morally accepted, the Vatican is passing a set of rules which forbids any “known” gay persons to enter the church and also “back up the teaching with documents that can set new restrictions on candidates entering priesthood” (12-13). The document excludes most gay men from the priesthood, banning in strong and specific language candidates “who are actively homosexual, have homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture.” The document appears to make exceptions only to allow priesthood for candidates who experienced “transitory” homosexual tendencies that were “clearly overcome” at least three years before ordination as a deacon, the last step before priesthood. There are an estimated 2,300 priests and clergymen that are participating in the church who considers them to “be morally unstable.” The document draws a clear line in banning active homosexuals and what many experts said is a less clear line in also banning candidates for the priesthood. As a conservative and a church person, I am against a priest who has any sort of known homosexuality in his background to be even considered a candidate. The church is one of the last places left in the world that is free of violence and persecution and shouldn’t be corrupted with and priest who thinks he might have a different sexual preference. With the rising number of people attending church, it wouldn’t be suitable for a young child to get exposed to such dishonesty and shape his/her opinion in a way contradictory to what the church believes. I disagree with the article because it is stated by

respect

2005-11-13T02:48:16-05:00

Respect It is something everyone wants, not many

respect

2005-11-13T02:48:06-05:00

Respect It is something everyone wants, not many

Bean Bags and the 1960s

2005-10-25T08:58:26-04:00

The 1960s was the start of a new era in design, an exciting and changing cause of ideas and experimentation, with new looks, colours and materials being constantly introduced due to changing technology. A new generation of designers were rejecting the ideas and values of 1950s organic modernism by experimenting with new materials such as plastics, to create new furniture in vivid colours and fluid shapes. Any homes that were design conscious would contain Scandinavian chairs and stainless steel cutlery, Italian lighting and glass. The Danish designer Verner Panton and the Italians Joe Colombo and Anna Castelli-Ferreri seized the change of times to experiment with plastic and “fluid” materials to capture the futuristic style of the 1960s design, which introduced the Pop aesthetic to furniture and interiors. Furniture began to “break the rules” as they raced to develop plastic stacking chairs just like the tubular steel pioneers of the 1920s. Panton officially became the first person to develop the inflatable furniture. From plastic chairs and blow-up furniture, Bean Bags were introduced in 1969. In the 1970s, interior and home design became an increasingly wild ride. In general, the mood darkened with many worldly affairs due to the Vietnam War and political unrest. Many conservatives such as Paolo Deganello and Ettore Sottsass rejected the modern movement, and designer of inflatable furniture Verner Panton lost his place in the centre of the design scene. One concept that was not lost was the idea of using polystyrene in furniture. In particular, its use in creating the first bean bag by 3 Italian designers in late 1968. Paolini, Teodoro and Gatti were the three responsible for creating the “Sacco” as it was originally known. Cesare Paolini was born in 1937, Genua and Franco Teodoro and Piero Gatti were born in Turin in 1939 and 1940 respectively. They started working together in the field of design in 1965 specializing in architecture, decoration, industrial and urban design, product development and graphic and corporate images. In 1968, they introduced their most famous creation, the "sacco", which became to be more commonly known as the "bean bag". It became an instant worldwide phenomenon, and a leading icon of the 1970s. It is displayed in galleries and museums and was awarded worldwide. It was originally described as an "anatomical armchair" and was the first mass produced bean bag furniture. They were constructed of vinyl and filled with polystyrene, which were quite

mers ideas on whether to go on to sixth form: PLEASE TELL ME IF IT IS ANY GOOD

2005-09-19T18:11:34-04:00

ESSAY ON THE CHOICES OF A STUDENT AFTER GCSE. Today many youngsters have little comprehension of their options when choosing whether to continue their education beyond GCSE. This contributes to the reason why so many children opt to leave school at this point. The choice should solely depends on the actual person and their future targets and responsibilities, though there are factors, such as the studentâ€™s past experience of school, that sway their eventual decision, despite the fact that these factors may not be relevant in the slightest. For this reason, I personally feel that countless potentially prosperous individuals are being cheated out of the life they, at one time, aspired to have. In a recent analysis studying the amount of students staying on at school until age 17, Britain was shown twenty-fifth lowest out of the twenty-nine countries inspected. Education ministers are warning young children that leaving school early creates an increased likelihood of obtaining an under-skilled, low-wage job. Youngsters have a limited understanding of how insignificant some features of their lives are when deciding upon further education. Some choose not to continue their schooling because of completely irrelevant reasons such as how much they like their teachers or their friends! Students, who do so, have many different incentives to stay on after GCSE, each one mainly dependent on their career ideas and goals. Students who wish to ultimately enter university will almost certainly continue their education beyond the compulsory section of it, as universities will not accept candidates lacking qualifications (A levels) that are needed to acquire a degree. Most highly educated careers require a suitable degree, and youngsters who do not achieve the necessary A levels will be unable to obtain this. Those who do manage to achieve the needed qualifications have a better chance of obtaining a well-paid job. Potential actors, artists and musicians may decide to enrol in a suitable college that is dedicated to the art they wish to pursue. Some youngsters are under the wrong impression that higher education will not help them achieve such dreams and simply delay the process of becoming an actress, singer or an artist. This of course is incorrect. Qualifications in your chosen â€œartâ€? will increase your chances of obtaining work. Higher education gives students the chance to be more knowledgeable in their subject

Judicial Merrit retention in the state of Florida

2005-08-05T23:30:26-04:00

Merit Retention Merit Retention is a system of appointing State Supreme Court Justices that was established in Florida in the 1970’s. Whenever a State Supreme Court vacancy occurs, a Judicial Nominating Commission submits to the Governor the names of three to six nominees, from which he must select one to fill the opening. Once appointed, the new Justice’s name will appear on the ballots in the next election, with the question, of whether or not he or she should remain on the bench. New Justices face their first merit retention vote as soon as the next statewide general election is held. If the Justice is not retained in office, the appointment process will be repeated. If the Justice is retained however, she or he will serve a six-year term beginning in January following the “merit retention election.” Florida State Supreme Court Justices then face another retention vote in the general election occurring shortly before their six-year term concludes. If a Justice is not retained then, the Judicial Nominating Commission and the Governor will replace him or her. Additionally, the Florida Constitution institutes a mandatory retirement age for all Justices who reach the age of 70 (FL Supreme Court, 2005). According to proponents of the merit system, when united with a stipulation for intermittent retention elections, “merit” selection allows an accommodation between the conflicting concepts of judicial independence and accountability, though many people question whether retention elections actually ensure any consequential degree of accountability at all. Critics cite that because incumbents appear for retention without an opponent, judicial retentions are generally very low-key affairs, which result in negligible voter interest in, and knowledge about, the Judges qualifications and past performance. As in nonpartisan elections, voters also have no cues to tell them who to vote for. Consequently, voter drop-off has been more considerable in retention elections than in both partisan and nonpartisan judicial elections. Moreover, generally all judges are habitually retained in office, regardless of their qualifications or past performance (Webster, 1995). Personally, I don’t think that the type of merit retention system that is in place in Florida should be extended to the US Supreme Court or the Federal courts. The entire thing seems a bit haphazard to me. Everyone I know who votes, always votes that judges should be retained. Certainly there couldn’t be any type of national retention election for Supreme Court

cricket-a game of passion

2005-07-12T17:11:55-04:00

Liberal Arts Education: Thinking—The Consequences

2005-05-15T21:17:23-04:00

Liberal arts is a generalized term for a broad range of subjects including history, philosophy, and literature. These courses do not necessarily provide a solid foundation for a trade or profession, a lot of students ask or think “why am I taking this class?” or “why is it necessary to take a class that is not really going to help me become a doctor or lawyer?” The answer is that although they do not directly relate to there chosen area of study they expand horizons, give us a solid general knowledge base and establish better reasoning skills. They allow for question, exploration and deduction of ideas, thoughts and themes. For these reasons and many more they are a valuable and crucial part of an education. I’m going to try and compare the men to the women in the texts we have studied. It almost seems that the men lack certain skills that the women posses and that these skills could be obtained from studying liberal arts. When we begin our college education we are becoming adults. We are expected think for ourselves and accept full responsibility for our actions. I think that liberal arts classes act as a catalyst to this process. Among the general population of adults it is believed that teenagers act impulsively, not thinking before acting and certainly not thinking about the consequences. This sort of reckless behavior is predominant in the male characters of the texts we have studied. Take for example when Tiresias, the blind prophet, in Sophocles, Oedipus the King, says: “How terrible—to see the truth When the truth is only pain to him who sees!” (p. 626 Lines 359-360) Oedipus does not take the time to think about what the blind man was saying. He acts rashly, making him foolish. This shows the lack of a liberal arts education. He wanted instant gratification. Tiresias even tells Oedipus that he “is the murder [he] hunt[s]” (pg 630 Line 413). Oedipus does not even pause for a moment to reflect on the prophet’s words. A liberal arts education teaches us how to sit down and think things out and how important this process is. I think that if he had sat down privately with Tiresias and talked things over or even stopped to listen to him that the outcome would, perhaps, have been different. Another example of the male characters lacking certain skills that can

the impact of European invasion upon the Aboriginals of the frontier

2005-05-08T03:29:09-04:00

The European invasion of Australia in 1780 impacted upon the lives of all the Aboriginal people that lived in and around the invaded areas. When Captain Cook landed in Australia, he declared it as Terra Nullius, and this alone gives a significant insight as to the mentality of the British and their willingness to acknowledge the Aboriginal people and the importance that the land played in their daily lives. ‘Historians, for the most part, accepted this assumption, assuming or arguing that the expansion of the Australian frontier was an inexorable process that saw a ‘higher type’ of race or society assert its dominance over the ‘ vanishing race’. (Crotty & Eklund, 2003, p. 329) As the invaders brought with them their laws, ideals, diseases, livestock and people, the need for land increased and settlers began to venture outwards from the main settlements, the frontier broadened and the Aboriginal population began to shrink. The encroachment upon the land meant that many Aboriginal people were now being forced to come into closer contact with the Europeans. In doing this, the frontier affected the Aboriginal people in ways that ensured that their lives would never be the same and that European ideals affected their lives not only on the frontier but for generations too follow. The invasion of the Australian frontier affected areas in Aboriginal lives such as dispossession, disease, large-scale violence, which led to resistance. This essay will attempt to discuss and define each of the above mentioned aspects with reference to ongoing debates over the nature of the frontier by some well know Australian historical writers. This essay will then discuss some of the affects that the above-mentioned factors had on the lives of Aboriginal people during the Frontier era in Australia’s history. The area of land ownership and dispossession is a controversial issue due to the fact that Captain Cook and those that were to follow did not acknowledge the Aboriginal inhabitants as being the custodial owners of the continent. This fact was due to the ideals that the Europeans held as to what humans should live in; they did not see any European style dwellings or villages, they could not see any visible boundaries. Therefore the Europeans declared that The Aboriginal inhabitants held no ownership of the continent and thus declared it Terra Nullius. The Europeans could did not understand that the Aboriginal people led an itinerate lifestyle, and that

Scotland - Pride or shame?

2005-04-22T17:56:00-04:00

Gazing round the streets of Glasgow at around one in the morning, I fill with shame. Police sirens scream in exasperation and drunken fights cloud my eyes. The smell of alcohol and stale cigarette smoke advances towards me, making the food in my stomach churn. This is hardly a sight to be proud of I think, as I begin to realise just how ashamed I am of being Scottish. Although some people may argue over Scotland’s good points. For example some of the scenery we hold is beautiful and that we have kept many historical buildings in tact over the years, for example the Robert Burns cottage in Ayrshire or a large tourist attraction: Edinburgh Castle. Also, many people are unaware of how traditions, such as the kilt are still worn, even amongst young people. I am one of millions of Highland Dancers from around the world and the majority of my dancing is done wearing the traditional Scottish dress. I feel extremely proud when wearing my kilt to dance as the tartan makes me feel a part of the real heart of Scotland. I feel this has kept tradition alive and is something Scots should be proud of. However, I still feel little pride in my country. My first argument in the shame of Scotland is the way we are sometimes associated with a high rate of heart disease. This is because of the awful diet of the majority of the Scottish people. Fast food overtakes healthy meals and particularly young Scots eat more food considered ‘junk’ than anywhere else. Obesity is a common problem in Scotland due to this lack of nutritious food and lack of exercise of the Scottish people. Figures show that one in five children in Scotland aged 12 is clinically obese. Does this not show that our country isn’t valuing its food and health? This in itself is a significant reason to be ashamed of being from Scotland. Alcohol abuse in Scotland also gives me, and many others, reason to feel shame. In Scotland, 93% of men and 87% of women aged 16-74 drink alcohol, according to the Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity of Adults in Private Households 2000. Alcohol is classed as a drug and I consider alcoholics to be drug addicts for this reason. Scotland is infamous in its struggle with drink. Violent crimes recorded by the police rose by 11% in the last quarter

beach

2005-04-16T07:18:46-04:00

Fine white sand clung on to my damp feet as I ambled along the beach. It was a lovely afternoon and the sun was shining brightly above the horizon, with the sea soaking up some of its radiant rays, reflecting the others, and shimmering vibrantly under the sky. I could see dark outlines of birds flying way over the mountains, flapping their wings and soaring higher and further away until they were so small that they could hardly be seen. I walked towards the edge of the water and small waves collapsed gently against my feet, reaching up to my ankles. A pleasant feeling of relaxation poured over me, then the wave gently pulled back, drawing the sand from under my feet and making it seem like the ground beneath my feet was moving. I turned around and scanned the rest of the beach. The sand was glistening brightly under the suns rays, and a tender and slightly humid zephyr had picked up and rustled gently through my hair, sending a brief shiver down my spine. I turned back and walked up the beach, more sand particles sticking to my soggy, wet feet and making a depression in the sand as I took each step. I sat myself down beside a small pile of deposited coral and stared as far out as my eyes could see. As the afternoon moved on, nearing evening, before the sun was about to set, the firmament was a blend of colours. There was a mélange of pinks, oranges and reds scattered across the sky. The sea itself was tranquil and serene, mirroring the shades of the sky and forming lively reflections in its waters and the sand still slightly glimmered in the gentle light of the sun. As evening took its place, the waves were getting bigger by the hour as the wind picked up speed. The sun began to set more quickly now and soon enough, it disappeared behind the mountains, leaving only faint rays to be seen just above the horizon. Then, they too vanished. The sky was growing darker was filled with the sound of thousands of birds chirping, making their way home. Soon enough, darkness poured itself over the entire beach and the sounds of the birds vanished as quickly as they had come, and nothing but the sound of thick silence, so palpable that I could almost taste it was

comparative essay

2005-04-05T09:00:02-04:00

A Comparative Essay After reading Americas Constitutional Soul, by Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr., and The True and Only Heaven, by Christopher Lasch, I came to the realization that while they have varying ideas on many topics, they have similar conservative views regarding citizenship and civil rights.Specifically, Mansfield discusses his belief that people are best served through arepresentative government and does not believe that all citizens should be allowed to rule directly (Mansfield 141). In this regard, Mansfield contends that people, in general, tend to be irrational and rely too much on feelings as opposed to reasoned conclusions (Mansfield 29-30). Therefore, if a trueform of participatory democracy were practiced where all citizens have the right to activelyparticipate in the decision-making processes, Mansfield believes that our society would not benefit. Mansfield, in maintaining his views that citizens are easily swayed by their feelings instead of by intellectual reasoning, believ! es that professional, special interest groups that are savvy enough to capitalize on this human weakness, would sway the votes of the majority and earn themselves a majority vote. To combat this problem, Mansfield believes (as did our Founding Fathers when theycreated the Electoral College), that a representative form of democracy is the more viable form of government which will better suit our society by assuring that rational, unselfish decisions will be made which will ultimately be needed for the progression of our free and democratic society(Mansfield 29-30).Furthermore, in continuing with our discussion of citizenship, I believe that Mansfield believes that through the use of formal, government institutions, citizens are able to rise above self-interest. He points to the fact that our United States institution is an institution of formalizedbehavior. This document requires that actions be formal. According to Mansfield, the United States Constitution is documente! d proof that citizens want self-government and that they have the ability, through formal processes set up by institutions, to rise above self-interest (Mansfield 151). Similarly, Christopher Lasch seems to have the same doubts about citizens ability toeffectively decide on matters of importance. Through his discussions of Walter Lippmans writings, Public Opinion and The Phantom Public, Lash appears to agree that the use of self-governing is not an effective form of Democracy (Lasch 364). Lasch goes on to further set forth that the old ideas of citizenship are out-dated and that, in fact, citizens can no

Atticus and Boo Radley character analysis

2005-03-22T02:00:23-04:00

To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely an excellent novel in that it portrays life and the role of racism in the 1930’s. A reader may not interpret several aspects in and of the book through just the plain text. Boo Radley, Atticus, and the title represent three such things. Not really disclosed to the reader until the end of the book, Arthur "Boo" Radley plays an important role in the development of both Scout and Jem. In the beginning of the story, Jem, Scout, and Dill fabricate horror stories about Boo. They find Boo as a character of their amusement, and one who has no feelings whatsoever. They tried to get a peep at him, just to see what Boo looked like. Scout connects Boo with the Mockingbird. Mrs. Maudie defines a mockingbird as one who "…don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us" (94). Boo is exactly that. Boo is the person who put a blanket around Scout and Jem when it was cold. Boo was the one putting "gifts" in the tree. Boo even sewed up Jem’s pants that tore on Dill’s last night. Boo was the one who saved their lives. On the contrary to Scout’s primary belief, Boo never harms anyone. Scout also realizes that she wrongfully treated Boo when she thinks about the gifts in the tree. She never gave anything back to Boo, except love at the end. When Scout escorts Arthur home and stands on his front porch, she sees the same street she saw, just from an entirely different perspective. Scout learns what a Mockingbird is, and who represents one. Arthur Radley not only plays an important role in developing Scout and Jem, but helps in developing the novel. Boo can be divided into three stages. Primitively, Boo is Scout’s worst nightmare. However, the author hints at Boo actually existing as a nice person when he places things in the tree. The secondary stage is when Mrs. Maudie’s house burned to the ground. As Scout and Jem were standing near Boo’s house,

How have changes in our national identity been reflected in Australian drama?

2005-03-07T09:52:44-05:00

The word identity has a significant meaning in the contemporary world. It means more than being an independent nation or a geographical location. It has something deeper and more complex which is concerned with the lifestyle, thoughts, faith, arts, sport and how we respond cross-culturally to the values of heroes. Since the early twentieth century, Australia's national identity has been mirrored through its arts programs and use of drama and theatre. However, there has been significant change in the way Australia’s drama has reflected this national identity. In the early 1900’s, less Australian drama appeared on stages around the country, and we were mainly home to foreign works such as Shakespeare. There was a slow increase in the projection of national identity through drama up until the late 1940’s and early 1950’s where Australia's theatre industry hit a boom. From that period onward, the country’s dramatic talent and literary works only enhanced. Plays such as The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, A Touch Of Silk, The Removalists and No Sugar were some of the most influential representations of Australian culture to date. They all portrayed the ‘battling’ way of life through Australian eyes. To our modern day, Australia's national identity is still being strongly reflected through the use of stage drama. The story of Australian drama had very humble beginnings. Mud huts with improvised stages, lit by candles were not uncommon. The actors were convicts of penal settlements and would put on very small productions of English restoration comedies. Australia’s theatre industry was all “imported culture”. The first Australian play written by an Australian was The Bushrangers by David Burn, in 1829. Before the 20th century, Australian drama was not particularly effective in conveying prominent issues and themes of the time – partly due to political censorship prevailing then, and a lack of ability to describe an Australian ‘identity’ through drama. With federation in 1901, there were increasing demands for a national theatre which truly reflected Australian life. A number of Australian writers were inspired by the growth of national theatre in Ireland and the emergence of a new realism in theatre through the plays of Ibsen, Chekhov and Shaw and the works of Stanislavski, and by the beginning of the 20th century, there was a new nationalistic current surging through Australian theatre. Although the British theatre was still the popular trend, the nationalistic current was sustained by the growth

thinking about friendship

2005-02-23T06:30:06-05:00

Some people think that they are good person and they can prove to be a good friend of any person. But in today’s context, it is something impossible work. As in present day a two friend shall not be a good friend in some context. As from my point of view, the philosophy of friendship is that; don’t make too much friend, “I means to say about those two people who share their feeling with each other”. Thus I want to say that don’t make too much friend, make few friend one or two, but in such a way that they understand you and you understand them. And then you will have strength to face the whole world, because at that time you will have a support of good friend, as that friend will be every where wherever u want. But think about that time when you expect that the person, you are thinking and admiring that s/he understands you and have believed in you. But once you get too know that what you was thinking is not correct and you are wrong at some place. This is thing about which I want to say through this platform to every reader. Philosophy that was drowns by a small misunderstanding. I am not going to tell what happen between two friend, but in indirect way I want to warn the readers that make a good friend, by keeping one thing in mind, that whenever there is any misunderstanding try to solve it by mutual communication. Because a small thing will when becomes a big thing you just can’t imagine? So keeping these entire thing in my mind, I made a good friend, everything was going fine, and I have a better thinking and a great intension towards my friend. But one day something happen for which I was not prepared and I have even not think about it in my dreams, that it will ever and ever happen. A small misunderstanding, which from my point of view was not big thing, but my friend see it in some other different way and a whole friendship, believe trust was shattered into pieces. A great shock changes the way of my life and my small philosophy of friendship was stated wrong and absurd. But as the life didn’t stop so I start making some more friend, and much many friend, in the opposite direction of my philosophy,

How To: Make a Proper Pot of Coffee

2005-01-26T18:41:32-05:00

How-To Let me just say that I am addicted to coffee. I’ve got to have my daily fix at least several times a day; when I wake up, around lunch, before I go to work. Truth be told, If coffee were booze, I’m pretty sure I’d be a drunk. I don’t know what you might think, but just any coffee isn’t good coffee. Take Starbucks for instance, it smells great, but they brew it so strong that drinking a whole cup can cause your heart to beat a couple seconds fast. I don’t like my coffee to be that strong. After all, drinking a cup of coffee shouldn’t be painful. I like a good robust aroma and a strong distinct flavor. Making descent coffee is a skill that has to be learned and practiced. I guess they just don’t teach very well at Starbucks. The first thing we need to talk about is the water you’ll put in the pot. I find that six to eight cups is sufficient for just myself. You’ll want to fill the pot to a little over the 8’ marker on the side. Tap water should be fine, but filtered or bottled water will have a better flavor after it heats. Make sure you fill the pot liberally because the heat inside the machine will cause some of the water to evaporate. Remember, we don’t want our coffee to be too strong. Once you’ve filled the pot with water, pour it out into the receptacle at the top of the percolator. Close the coffee maker’s lid and put the pot back into its place. Above the pot you should find the filter basket. Give it a pull, and the whole basket should come out. I like to rinse the basket out before I make new coffee, just to get all the old excess out. Take the basket to the sink and run some cold water through it for a couple of seconds. Wipe it out afterward with a paper towel and then bring it back to the counter. Take a paper coffee filter from the pack, and place it in the basket. I like to use the brown non-bleached kind. I think it’s healthier, but any kind will do. Now that the

The Modern Pentathalon

2005-01-19T21:40:43-05:00

The Modern Pentathlon The Pentathlon is a contest of 5 sports- jumping, running, wrestling, throwing the discus and hurling the spear or javelin that occurred between the same contestants on the same day. The contestant who won three events was considered the victor; but that was in the Ancient Greek times, now the modern day Pentathlon is very different. The sports The sports that make up the modern Pentathlon became part of the Olympic Games in 1912 at Stockholm, Sweden. The modern contest includes pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, show jumping and cross-country running. Only the equestrian event (the show jumping) has changed significantly since the 1912 Olympic Games. It has changed from a 5000 metre cross-country course to a 600 metre stadium-jumping event. In the modern Pentathlon points are awarded for each individual performance and the contestant with the highest point total is declared the winner. Modern Pentathlon competitions were open exclusively to men until 1977, when the women’s modern Pentathlon was officially introduced at the World Championships is San Antonia, Texas. The Modern Pentathlon is not just for the Olympics; competitions are held regularly the lowest age group is under 14’s and you cannot compete in the Olympic modern Pentathlon until you are eighteen or above. Shooting Air pistols are used in this part of the modern Pentathlon. Competitors must stand at a distance of 10 m away from the target and fire 20 shots on command at the target they have 40 seconds to aim and fire at the target before they have to shoot again. Scoring Shooting targets vary in size but most are marked out concentric rings to give scoring zones ranging from 1 point on the outside ring to 10 points on the 2 inner rings (show target and describe it). The targets have 2 different background colours white on the outside and black in the middle. If a shot hits between 2 lines it scores the higher point. Fencing Competitors use épée swords; they have a stiff, triangular, fluted blade, which have a maximum length of 110mm and they are wired at the point for scoring. Athletes face every other competitor in the competition and the first person to score a point within the time limit wins the fight. The Piste Fights take place on a piste a mat that covers an area of floor of 1.8m wide and 14m long. Along side the mat is an electronic scoring kit. All this makes up the

Peru

2004-11-20T23:08:15-05:00

Nature vs. Nurture

2004-11-20T23:02:58-05:00

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Auto Biography (fictional) Friend or Foe

2004-11-17T13:02:15-05:00

FRIEND OR FOE Back when Humphrey B. Bear and Lift Off supplied us with our knowledge and Captain Planet was every kid’s idol, I was beginning Preschool. It was the stage in our lives when all the little boys and girls wanted to be vets, doctors, firemen and ballerinas. Progressing from Kindy into Preschool is considered an important milestone in a child’s life, an enjoyable experience to be remembered forever. But it’s not when you’re the new kid. From the very first time I met Jade Dickson, I hated her. She had red hair and was wearing a pink poker-dot frilly dress with shiny, black Mary-Jane’s and a pair of white frilly socks. She was perfect. She was a Poo! Everyone loved her, everyone that is but me. The reason being Jade Dickson was everything I wasn’t, and all too quickly I became the lone figure in the corner. There my jealously turned into a deep hatred. I guess everyone needs friends though. After a week all by myself in that lonely little corner of classroom 12A I got angry. I’d had enough of being called “Nigel no friends”. I decided to make Jade’s life hell. I’d make them all hate her as much as I did. Jade was popular for one reason, (other then being perfect that is) she had the worlds best doll… The Special Edition Cabbage Patch Kid. Everyday she’d walk into school pushing that doll along in a bright blue stroller looking like she owned the place. Jade had named the doll Laura, after her best friend. Jade always dressed the doll in the exact same outfit as her. The same pink poker-dot frilly dress with shiny, black Mary-Jane’s and white frilly socks right down to a matching pale pink ribbon. It was sickening to see such a sight. After another long week of feeling sorry for myself, I decided on a plan of action. I would ruin her doll for good. I figured if she didn’t have a good doll anymore no one would like her. I spent that morning in my corner all alone, as per usual but I couldn’t help but smile. Jade didn’t know what I had planed for her that day. At nap time after everyone had fallen into slumber land, I grabbed Laura and got a black permanent marker out of my bag. The others gradually woke up and a faint whispering could be

buddhism

2004-11-15T03:18:04-05:00

The Mesopotamia Essay-Why it was the greatest civilization?

2004-11-10T01:59:17-05:00

Mesopotamian- The Great Civilization The “Land Between the Rivers” has been a foundation of both savage barbarism and a great civilization. Mesopotamian culture reached its best moment between ca 3000-550 BCE. Yet, much of Mesopotamian culture is ignored, despite its rich heritage. An immense amount of the great early civilizations developed in the land known as Mesopotamia. It can be proven, in fact without any question, that because of Mesopotamia’s wide-ranging trade routes, its tremendous intensification in law and ruling, and the growth in technology that occurred, that Mesopotamia was one of the greatest civilizations to have ever existed. For its time, Mesopotamian culture had the enormous trade routes. Its trade network extended across the sands of Egypt to the deserts in India. Egypt, in itself, had an excellent trade route with its access to the Mediterranean Sea. Mesopotamia, nevertheless, had trade routes not only in Egypt, but in many other locations to the east as well. All previous trade routes had been limited from village to village. Through its widespread trade route, it can be seen that Mesopotamia was a great civilization. Mesopotamia did not only have trade routes as a demonstration to its greatness, but a promising government as well. As Mesopotamia was racked with barbarian invasions, the rise of some of major rules and laws were made which affects the laws that are made today. At least six law codes have been found in Mesopotamia. The earliest one is the Sumerian Code of Ur-Nammu, dating to the twenty-second century B.C.E. Others include the Code of Lipit-Ishtar, the Code of Eshnunna, Middle Assyrian laws, Hittite laws, and Neo-Babylonian laws but the most famous one is the Code of Hammurabi. King Hammurabi’s appropriately titled system of codified law, which is seemingly harsh in today’s view, but was proclaim as a just and fair law back in its day. The Mesopotamian had clay tablets, which contained written laws and deeds of property receipts and court decisions. The Mesopotamian had a well-designed system of laws. Historians are not knowledgeable enough to know how the first king came into power, but they did rule. As villages grew bigger and bigger and turned into communities, the people running the affairs of the community became more important. With a great deal of expansion in law, it is obvious to construe that Mesopotamia was one of the greatest civilizations ever to have existed. Aside from its incredible

Triple Jump

2004-10-08T10:54:46-04:00

To those unfamiliar with Triple Jump, the sport seems to be a very abnormal activity at a first glance. It seems to be very unnatural and extremely punishing to the body. But once one gains familiarity with the event it becomes evident that the Triple Jump is just a sophisticated

Why Abortion Should Be Illegal

2004-08-29T20:01:09-04:00

Why Abortion Should Be Illegal On January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court legalized abortion. When it ruled that abortion was legal, the court not only gave women the right to choose, but also gave the unborn babies a right to die.(Roe vs. Wade) Since that day, millions upon millions of unborn children have been ripped apart, burned with saline solutions, and sucked from their mothers’ wombs. With every abortion that occurs another inaudible scream from the unborn child is silenced and the rights of the child are taken away. If someone were asked if murder was wrong, the general answer would be yes. When that same person is asked if abortion is murder, the answer may be yes, but most likely the answer is no. Yes, abortion is wrong. The lord said, “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 33:13) Why do most people believe that murder is wrong, but do not agree that abortion is not murder? The reason for this contradiction is that most people believe that the unborn infant is not a human, but an organ or part of the woman’s body, which would make the act of aborting the child just the same as removing an appendix. This problem, of when life begins, stems from inconsistencies, which come from the case of Roe vs. Wade. The Supreme Court interrupted that by the Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments that “a woman has the right to an abortion.” The court that day, however, did not rule when life begins for a human. If society is to assume that a fetus is human the second it leaves the uterus then what is the unborn baby three minutes from birth. When an unborn baby is aborted, society must realize that an organ was not taken out, but a living human being. Vincent J. Collins, M.D., a professor of anesthesiology and the author of one of the leading medical textson the control of pain writes, “Certain neurological structures are necessary to pain sensation: pain receptive nerve cells, neutral pathways, and the thalamus.” These neurological structures are significantly developed at eight weeks after conception and are in full use by thirteen weeks. By this time, there is no question that the preborn baby has the ability to feel

Bartleby, the Scrivener

2004-07-24T17:57:20-04:00

Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener”: A Story of Wall Street Herman Melville presents this story through a nameless narrator who is the lawyer. An elderly lawyer who sees himself as a good businessman, helping wealthy men transact with mortgages, title deeds, and bonds. The lawyer introduces us to one of the strangest man he has ever known, Bartleby. The lawyer has already employed two other scriveners, Nippers and Turkey. Nippers suffers from eating disorders while Turkey is a drunk, but the office continues to operate since in the mornings Turkey is clear-headed even though Nippers is bad-tempered, and in the afternoon Nippers has comforted down even though Turkey is drunk, so both balance into one worker. Ginger Nut, the office boy, receives his name from bringing little cakes to the other scriveners. Bartleby arrives after answering to an ad; the lawyer hires the forlorn looking young man in hopes that his tranquility will calm the temperaments of the other scriveners. Bartleby is requested to help proofread a document he has copied, he simply replied, "I would prefer not to." This is the first of many refusals. The narrator is not only shocked but irritated with Bartleby as well. Bartleby from now on will take part in less and less duties in the office. The lawyer tries numerous attempts to reason with Bartleby. Bartleby continues to respond the same way when requested to do something or give any information about himself he always replies: "I would prefer not to." One day, while the lawyer decides to visit the office, he finds out that Bartleby has been living in the office. Bartleby is an isolated man. After all, nights and Sundays on Wall Street is like a ghost town. The Lawyer does not know how to feel since he is confused and feels revulsion and pity for Bartleby and his peculiar behavior. Bartleby is continuously described as ghost like and pitiful. Bartleby always refuses duties, until at last he is not working at all. The lawyer cannot get rid of him. The scrivener seems to have a strange power over his employer, and the narrator feels pity and can’t do anything to hurt this hopeless man. The lawyer’s attempts to rid of Bartleby are

Compare and contrast two main theories of ‘crime and deviance’.

2004-07-02T14:01:10-04:00

‘‘a diabetic at work without a recent insulin injection approaching the lunch break may become tense, erratic, short tempered, but that behaviour does not constitute a criminal act’’ (Kelly, Holborn and Makin, (1983) sited in; M. Haralambos and M. Holborn (2000)) It is regarded amongst sociologists that physiological characteristics do not cause criminal or deviant behaviour. This paper will look at a few of the main functionalist and conflict theories of crime and deviance and conclude with which one, in relation to the title, provides the largest body of evidence. Functionalist theorists argue that crime and deviance is caused by ‘structural tensions’ where as conflict theorists argue that ‘deviance is deliberately chosen, and often political in nature’. Functionalists argue that people commit crimes because there is something wrong with the society the individual is in, and that this is what causes the individual to commit crime. Crime is caused by the structure of society. Conflict theorists argue that the criminal makes a choice to commit a crime ‘‘in response to inequalities of the capitalist system’’ (Giddens, 2001, Pg 272) Starting then, with Albert Cohen, a subcultural functionalist, who based his studies on the lower classes, Cohen found that lower class children were disadvantaged at school and thus disadvantaged in light of general success in life. Cohen said the lower class were at a disadvantage before they had even started to achieve! Most lower class children, he argued, do not have the same starting position as middle class children. Because of the difference in class Cohen believes the lower class children suffer from ‘status frustration’ (Haralambos and Holborn, (2000), Pg 357). Following this frustration with their position in society Cohen put forward the theory that these lower class children develop a subculture where ‘‘the delinquent subculture takes its norms from the larger culture but turns them upside down’’ (Haralambos and Holborn, Pg 357). Cohen stated that the success achieved within this subculture related to earning their goals which were perceived (by the delinquent) as unattainable within society. This he argues is the cause of crime and deviance. Cohen’s claim that lower class children are frustrated at being disadvantaged in society, that they have less opportunity to succeed, this indicates quite blatantly that society is not equal. Bernstein stated in Giddens that language differed according to class. Bernstein came up

Cellphones

2004-06-20T02:32:41-04:00

Cellphonesâ€¦ The complexity of my life came when I began to own my first cellphone. I acquired it last December 7. I thought that it could bring me good benefits like to call my mom if I get home late. I desired it to be of simple use but then it had become part of my stressful life. You see, some of my well-meaning friends miss-call or drop-call me late at night! Oh, I really hate those times when Iâ€™d wake-up and answer those callsâ€¦ I get really busted when they just want to say â€œhelloâ€? and ask me what Iâ€™m doing. Iâ€™d want to say â€œIâ€™ am a sleepy-head right now no please go to sleep and Iâ€™ll get my beauty restâ€? but I canâ€™t. I just entertain them and when the call finishes, my eyes would be wide awake and canâ€™t get to sleep. Another thing that really pisses me off is when new numbers appear on my message inbox. I had to go under guessing games or ask who this texter is. I end up not getting worth of my peso or the bad thing I would always think off is it was just a mis-send. Lastly, some of my guy friends give their friends my number. I just hate it when they text me, â€œHi! Cn u b my txm8?â€? getting the information from one another could cause a 20 pesos payment to Globe Telecom. It is the root of why my best friends have ill feelings towards me because I got no load when they text me. If I can get hold of things which could make living move complex, am I living still a simple life? Simplicity entails happiness consists of accepting what you have and what you are. I accept who I am but the thing I accepted makes me unhappy. That simple thing that I thought would give me blessings made me curse people and myself. Maybe, I might not have lived according to my means. It just means that Iâ€™m showing off what I am not. Just like my cellphone. I use it when I really need it but when friends have problems, I always do my best to be available to them all the time, I text them and give them advices but it drains my energy when all the efforts I have given them goes down to the sink. Most of the

What is language? What are its functions, advantages, and limitations?

2004-06-01T11:43:38-04:00

Language is a written code used for communication or for the displaying of data. There are two different types of language: Mathematical (numerical) and natural (e.g. English). An advantage to natural language is to ease the difficulties of communication. An advantage of mathematics as a language is that problems can be solved in an organized and easy-to-follow order. Both types of languages have their limitations. A limitation of natural language is that it is subjective. A limitation of mathematics as language is that it is not used a form of communication. Natural language is a form of communication developed over thousands of years as humans developed civilization. From prehistory up to the present language had been evolving. Spreading information by the use of language is a type of communication. For example, if I tell someone the temperature is 32° C outside in Milan, Italy, I am spreading information by using language in the form of communication. An advantage of natural language is that communication is easy. With a vast vocabulary, a listener can have a general (or specific) idea about what is being told to him/her. Also, some ideas can only be expressed in language. For example, philosophy would be impossible to express without language. There are some limitations to natural languages. There are many natural languages spoken in the world. Therefore one may not be able to converse with people from different countries. In order to converse with people from different language-speaking countries, one must learn the language. Another limitation of natural language is that certain things cannot be expressed using it. For example, some situations in history were so bad that no words can express them fully (a situation could be the treatment of slaves in colonial America). Music is a form of language that is better suited to expression. Also, there are more ways to interpret natural language. One individual may read a passage in a story and interpret in differently then someone else. This is common in literature. Tone is also sometimes hard to determine especially in e-mail messages. Functions of mathematics or numerical languages are that problems can be solved orderly and in an easy-to-follow sequence. Without mathematical languages a lot of things would not be possible. For example, architecture would not be possible without math. As a result, we would not have large buildings to live in. Technology would not be possible without math

the evolution of the world

2004-05-20T15:33:07-04:00

Since the early 1800’s people have been trying to figure out the natural world. In the beginning we thought that creationism was the explanation for everything. This was the idea that a higher power had a hand in the origin of the universe, the earth, and all of its beings. Scientific creationism is a belief in six ideas. First the universe, and everything in it were created by a higher power using supernatural processes. Second these creations took place simultaneously around ten thousand years ago. Third the universe today is virtually unchanged since its creation. Fourth living forms may undergo limited change within “kinds” of organisms, but no “kinds” give rise to other “kinds”; they were all created separately. In other words, there has been no evolution of any species. Fifth the data from the geological and fossil records documents events which have taken place over about ten thousand years. How so much change could have occurred over such a short period of time is accounted for by the claim that those records are largely the results of a single major world wide catastrophe. We know this belief as Noah’s flood. Sixth there is scientific evidence in support of their model, and at the same time there are serious scientific problems with the model proposed by standard evolutionary science. Evolution is sometimes said to be not a “fact” but just a “theory.” (Gould 58) When these ideas are subject to the stringent methodology of science, not one shred of evidence can be found to support the second, third, fourth, or fifth idea of the scientific-creation model. The first idea is not scientific at all, since it can not be tested, or disproved. Making the ideas proposed by the scientific creationists not scientific, instead it is pseudoscientific. (Gould 58) Some of the most important early concepts which have lead us to where we are today, are the concepts of deep time, catastrophism, uniformitarianism, evolution, and natural selection. The first published and widely accepted date of creation was published by Bishop Ussher in 1650. His belief was that 2004 BC was the date of creation (class notes). This was proved to have been false by James Hutton in his 1795 book Theory of the Earth. Hutton’s idea of deep time (The theory that the

Snuff Films

2004-05-19T20:40:16-04:00

So, you do not believe in snuff films, eh? Well, they are unfortunately a fact. There is one documented case of such, and it comes from the October 1st 2000 London Observer: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,375883,00.html I am not claiming that this is a world-wide phenomenon and that there are snuff films being made in every major city, but YES there are snuff films out there, made in Russia, that depict murder and unbelievable torture on film for the sole purpose of making a profit (a true "snuff" film). What is interesting is how LITTLE PRESS this has been given, seeing as this is the ONLY proof that snuff exists. Just one article.... Makes you wonder if there were not more snuff film makers out there that were not, for one reason or another, ever reported to the international press. Of course, of this I have no proof. Yet.... if you read the article carefully, you realize that the mastermind behind the making of these videos, and all of his accomplices except one, were set free back in 2000

Research Paper: The benefits of homework

2004-05-11T00:45:55-04:00

The Objective: Through comprehensive research I have read and studied many conflicting viewpoints about the importance and benefits of homework. I hope that with this paper I will explore why homework has been under scrutiny. I also want to show how researchers were vital in determining effective methods for improving student achievement. At the forefront of those studies was Professor Harris Cooper. Due to Cooper’s studies a new understanding of why homework is important and how homework can and should be assigned came about. His ideas, influenced and motivated by other’s research, help promote the adoption of homework policies. This paper also discusses the positive and negative effects homework can have on children and ways to overcome the negative, creating a positive and effective learning tool. Everyone is familiar with homework. By definition, homework is work, such as schoolwork or piecework, that is done at home (American Heritage, 2000). By the time students arrive at college, they have adopted certain attitudes about homework and certain approaches to doing it. Unfortunately, these attitudes and approaches are likely to be carry-overs from high school or even earlier academic experiences when homework had a different nature and purpose. The 20th century has been a time of great debate over the importance and benefits of homework. On average, homework accounts for approximately 20 percent of American students’ academic tasks. However, little attention is paid to the topic of homework in teacher education (Cooper, 2003). Now, more people are starting to research and document the nature and purpose of homework as researchers are finding both positive and negative effects of homework. From the early 1900’s to the 1940’s most educators agreed on the importance of homework. At that time, homework was usually memorization or drills. In the 1940’s educators began to question the positive effects of homework. When the Cold War came about in the 1950’s America was ushered into a new kind of war against the Soviet Union. There was a nationwide movement to improve education and student performance. Homework became a tool to cultivate a pupil’s achievement (Roget’s 2004). In 1960 opponents of homework emerged and condemned homework saying it was deterring the psychological development of students (Cooper, 2001). Since the 1960’s the importance and effects of homework have been under scrutiny. Many school boards and parents became confused about the role of homework and the importance being placed on it. Many

1955

2004-05-05T01:35:14-04:00

A BUSY DAY IN 1955 I awoke to a low rumble of thunder, and rolling out of my warm, comfortable escape of down pillows, slowly ambled to the window. Teardrops of rain, persisted from the day before, and slowly slid down the windowpane as the wind shrieked. The dreary mood of the day seeped through my body as I pressed my forehead to the glass, feeling the chill. I slipped into my navy blue slippers and padded into the kitchen. As I began brewing a fresh pot of coffee my dog, King, caught my eye. He was drenched to the bone, sitting diligently at my feet, with the Baltimore Sun still securely held in his mouth. A couple beef jerky’s later, I was finally able to sit down with my coffee and explore the happenings of the day before. A frown formed on my face as I read the date of the newspaper to myself (January 2,1955). “Talks On Asia Opposed; Russia Offers To Free 2 Americans In Prison” was the first article I read. It said that the two Americans were going to be let free, but only if 11 Soviet children were returned from Germany. Russia promised that the Americans were in good health. I then continued to read through the paper looking for more international news. “Reds Losing Hold In Hungary” caught my attention. It went on to explain about people in Hungary who were not supporting the Communist regime anymore. There was a large fear that the Hungarian people may rebel. After that I moved on to another article about communism titled, “4,549 Reach Saigon From Enemy North.” It was about American troops that let thousands of refugees from Ho Chi Minh’s home province go. They had been under his rule for nine years and were led safely to Saigon. After reading all of these articles I realized that there wasn’t much going on at the international level so I decided to continue browsing the paper. As I continued to flip through the paper I realized that there were

PSU soccer Field

2004-04-20T22:42:14-04:00

PSU Soccer Field: So often we don’t take the time to explore the many wonderful and unique places right here in out own back yard called Portland. If we did and let our senses take over not only would we find the experience fun, but we’ll also find the beauty and peace our city as to offer. As I walk up to the area of Portland State University soccer field, I’m aware of the sound of cars making their way through traffic. Tires on pavement, engines running, brakes squeaking, and horns honking. When I finally reach my destination, I hear the laughter of children playing, and friends talking. People of all kinds are engaged in activities, some organized, some not. On the field clusters of people are standing around waiting for a game to begin. Some kids are in a circle just kicking the ball back and forth. Others are stretching and I spy on the coach on the sidelines standing there mentally preparing himself for a game. I look around and sense a spent of joy and fun is in the air. To be out in such a beautiful day in Portland. Birds are chirping and I can see a slight sway of trees as a light breeze goes by. This is beauty at its finest. Gazing up all I see around me are magnificent multi million dollar homes scattered all over the hilltops of Portland. Sort of like they are keeping a constant watch over the city. The various shades of green all meet together covering the hills with an abundance of trees and bushes. All around flowers are starting their lives, blooming in all colors. As I go and take all this in, the sun beating down on me is absently try to play with a blade of grass forgetting for a moment that I’m sitting on astro turf. The fake grass seems out of place here when all around me nature is at its finest. Still it doesn’t take away from the beauty I have found here at the place. Breathing deep the smell surprises me. The air smells so fresh. It’s the kind of air that when mixed with sun makes everything feels clean, and renewed. Closing my eyes I clear my mind and let my sense take over to remind me of all I have taken in this day. A sense of peace comes over me. I am

Arcitecture. in Anc. Rome

2004-03-23T08:58:15-04:00

The Roman society, like any other, had its humble beginnings. The history of their architecture runs virtually in step with the history of their empire to an extent. As the Empire expanded so did the architecture, and as Romans became more magnificent their architecture followed. Roman architecture had its humble beginnings as a form of worship. The first Roman architects were the ancient priests and dwellers who made areas of sacrifice and worship for their gods. At first, their homes were simple huts but as they grew smarter and more aware of their surroundings, they erected monumental sites for their gods. ‘“This space shall be for worship and for nothing else; it shall be four-square; … whatever is done or said in this holy space the gods shall be aware of; whatever comes … shall be a sign from the gods.’” (Brown 10) So, like many arts, Roman architecture’s roots are embedded in the worshiping and homage paid in religion. The Romans were, of course, not the first to unveil and practice many of their building philosophies; however, they built like no other society before them. Their methods incorporated efficiency and sophistication to construct a whole new look. So with the rise of the Romans and the everlasting hail of Caesar after Caesar and Emperor after Emperor, Roman architecture expanded and influenced building over the world. Unlike the Empire, though, Roman design did not die at the hands of the Germanics, or rather at the hands of self-destruction; it continued to expand and play a part in every major style throughout history. Today, a look at any bridge, tunnel, skyscraper and most buildings will reveal a Roman influence. Even through its empire’s own tribulations and defeat, architecture has stood as an everlasting symbol of what Rome once was, and what the rest of the world is today. To conclude, Roman architecture cannot be looked at as a mere time period or cultural event, for its ramifications lie beyond cultures and beyond time itself. Roman architecture is not a variable, it is, and forever will be, a constant. Unlike cultures before them, the Romans were not intimidated by the curve, “Greece, like the Orient, had been shy of the curve.” (Brown 20) It had proven very difficult for predecessors to successfully negotiate an angled surface; it not only took great skill, but the right kind of material and design. The

Trying Juveniles as adults

2004-02-18T04:45:03-05:00

How would you feel if someone in your family was brutally murdered by an adolescent? With the increasing amount of crime being committed by juveniles, officials are trying to come up with ways to prevent such transgression from ever occurring. More and more teens are committing crimes they know they can get away with because of their age. Juveniles know how far they can go before they really get themselves into trouble they cannot get out of. Usually when you are being tried as a juvenile the punishment is less severe. If a juvenile commits murder he or she has the knowledge of the crime they have committed. Juveniles should be no less accountable than adults, and treating them as such may also help to deter crime. However, juveniles differ from adults in more than just their age. They do not possess an adult’s capacity to judge and allowing them to be tried as adults is inconsistent with many other laws addressing juvenile behavior. Imagine that you are a parent whose son or daughter has been killed by a 14-year-old. The teenager is brought to court, found guilty of the crime and the judge sentences him to two years in a juvenile facility, after which he will be free with not even a criminal record to follow him. Many people see these light sentences that some juveniles receive for serious crimes as being a mere slap on the wrist and demand that a greater action is taken. Dr. Don Boys, of the Christian Conservative think tank Common Sense for Today and a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives, has a forceful argument against leniency: We are told that kids murder, mug and maim because they grew up in poverty; however, poverty doesn’t cause crime; crime causes poverty! Juveniles, like adults, commit crimes because they choose to do so. And they must be held accountable…. When young criminals kill and rape, they should be treated like adults, even executing them! Most of us are horrified at that thought, but if capital punishment can be defended then who is to say one must be 21? If a 16-year-old commits a vicious murder, who says he should not pay with his life? … So the message to kids should be clear, concise and conclusive. No free ride until 18. No anonymity. No blaming poverty, parents of potty training for criminality. No more community

Transitions to Agriculture

2003-12-08T05:39:18-05:00

Transitions to Agriculture The transition in the common mode of subsistence, from hunter-gatherer to agriculture, marks an important stage in the development of mankind. During the time of this transition, humans experienced an increase in their social, political, and technological complexity. A number of varying hypotheses have been put forward to explain the causes of agriculture’s origin, as well as its effect upon the human population. However, due to the lack of definitive data in much of the archaeological record, it is often difficult to discern the validity of theories suggested to explain either events leading up to, or the consequences of the Agricultural Revolution. Agriculture is defined as the “planting of multipropagators of domesticates or cultivars in relatively large plots or fields” (Macneish 1992:11). Agriculture involves changes both in humans’ use of the earth as well as in the structure and organization of human society. Agriculture is often accompanied by use of ceramic containers, extensive forest clearing, cultivation of hard-shelled cereals which can be stored for long time periods, invention and adoption of technologies for farming, with an increase in sedentism and population, as well as an increased pace towards more complex social and political organization (Price and Gebauer 1995:6). The process of agricultural domestication seems to be self-perpetuating and begins an increased dependency on cultivated foods rather than on wild resources. Once a commitment to this way of life is made, the necessity of maintaining food production transforms the basis of the society, making a return to the original state improbable or impossible (Smith 1976:17). Definitive signs of plant cultivation first appeared in early Neolithic villages in the Near East around 7500-7000 B.C. Food production within the area was based on the domestication of approximately nine species of local grain plants (Zohary and Hopf 1988:207). These early domesticated species include emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, barley, lentils, peas, bitter vetch, chickpeas, broadbeans, and flax (Zohary 1986:5-6). Zohary and Hopf describe several techniques which are used to date the origin and spread of cultivated plant species. The analysis of archaeological evidence, such as carbonized plant remains; impressions left on pottery, daub, and bricks; parched plant remains; waterlogged preservation; preservation by oxides of metals; digested or partly digested remains, can help to determine the age of the species. Other methods can include analysis

frontline

2003-11-23T08:15:46-05:00

Frontline The term ‘truth’ is defined as the unbiased and actual portrayal of an event or situation. However, in the context of the area of study, it is shown that truth may be consciously or unconsciously manipulated whenever representation occurs. . Through the satiric television series Frontline, in particular the episodes the Siege and Smaller Fish to Fry; two contrasting photos representing the Boer War (by) in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend magazine and the poem ‘Mirror’ by Sylvia Plaith, the assertion that our access to the truth is impeded by those with power is justified. The techniques used to explore these ideas include filmic and dramatic devices such as characterisation , satire, irony and humour; visual devices such as lighting, positioning and visual juxtaposition; and poetic devices such as personification and metaphors. Frontline acts as a comic, but deceptively insightful parody, through which current affairs programs and their motto of “conveying the truth” is mocked. The show highlights the unorthodox influence those with powerful assert over society’s access to the truth. This is demonstrated by the episode the ‘Siege’ and ‘Smaller Fish to Fry’. The exaggerated immoral and unethical actions of the Frontline characters serve to highlight the true value, such ratings and image driven programs, hold for conveying the ‘. Both episodes employ the device of visual juxtaposition of the on-air and the ‘behind the scenes’ activities and work ethics of the team. The realistic quality of filming in the “behind the scenes” aspects of each episode serves to portray the real truth of the situation. Thus in itself Frontline the series also attempts to represent the truth. The episode “The Siege”, satirises the integrity claimed by journalists. The Frontline team deliberately distorts and manipulates the “truth” in order to increase ratings during a Hostage Crisis. They view the event as “mundane”, and instead of conveying the simple yet “uninteresting” truth of the situation, prefer to sensationalise the event to heighten the buzz on the story. Parody is used continuously to comment on the ways the media manipulate the truth. For example, Marty’s crouched pose a mere five kilometers from the scene whilst reporting, is intended to ‘ look like he’s really in danger”, an obvious sensationalism of how the media attempts to imitate real life situations. This example also demonstrates the manner in which representation influences meaning. The fabrication of Marty’s “dangerous” situation lends the story a

FCC vs Pacifica Broadcasting Foundation

2002-12-09T13:00:00-05:00

In 1978 a radio station owned by Pacifica Foundation Broadcasting out of New York City was doing a program on contemporary attitudes toward the use of language. This broadcast occurred on a mid-afternoon weekday. Immediately before the broadcast the station announced a disclaimer telling listeners that the program would include "sensitive language which might be regarded as offensive to some."(Gunther, 1991) As a part of the program the station decided to air a 12 minute monologue called "Filthy Words" by comedian George Carlin. The introduction of Carlin's "routine" consisted of, according to Carlin, "words you couldn't say on the public air waves."(Carlin, 1977) The introduction to Carlin's monologue listed those words and repeated them in a variety of colloquialisms: I was thinking about the curse words and the swear words, the cuss words and the words that you can't say, that you're not supposed to say all the time. I was thinking one night about the words you couldn't say on the public, ah, airwaves, um, the ones you definitely wouldn't say, ever. Bastard you can say, and hell and damn so I have to figure out which ones you couldn't and ever and it came down to seven but the list is open to amendment, and in fact, has been changed, uh, by now. The original seven words were shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits. Those are the ones that will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor, and a bourbon. (Carlin, 1977) A man driving with his young son heard this broadcast and reported it to the Federal Communications Commission [FCC]. This broadcast of Carlin's "Filthy Words" monologue caused one of the greatest and most controversial cases in the history of broadcasting: The FCC v. Pacifica Foundation. The outcome of this case has had a lasting effect on what we hear on the radio. This landmark case gave the FCC the "power to regulate radio broadcasts that are indecent but not obscene." (Gunther, 1991) What does that mean, exactly? According to the government it means that the FCC can only regulate broadcasts. They cannot censor broadcasts, meaning, the FCC has the power to determine what is offensive in the matters of speech. Before this case occurred there were certain laws already in place that prohibited obscenity over radio. One of these laws was the "law

parliamentary sovereignty

2002-12-07T13:00:00-05:00

When we talk about 'Parliament' and 'parliamentary sovereignty' what exactly do we mean? Firstly we must take the word 'Parliament' to mean not the actual Houses of Parliament themselves but instead the Acts passed by Parliament with the consent of the Commons, Lords and the Queen. The doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty is about the relationship between those who create the Acts (Parliament) and those who must apply them (courts). The argument we find ourselves trying to answer is who in fact has the supreme power? Is it the law makers or those who must apply the law? To present an analogy of the problem we could ask who has supreme power in a game of football or rugby. Is it the governing body who make the rules or is it the referee who must apply the rules in each game using his discretion as each situation occurs. The analogy may seem crude but judges find themselves in the exact position of referees. The question therefore remains, who is supreme? When Dicey published The Law of the Constitution in 1885 he identified parliamentary sovereignty as meaning that, 'Parliament has, under the English constitution, the right to make or unmake any law whatever; and further that no person or body is recognised by the law of England as having a right to override or set aside the legislation of Parliament.' To look at this much quoted statement in more detail we can find a lot of evidence to support his view. It has been shown over the years that courts are totally unwilling to question the legitimacy of statutes unless there is some question as to them not being passed using the correct procedure. As long as an Act has passed through both Houses and received the Royal Assent judges will not argue whether or not a statute should or should not exist but will merely try to apply the statute. One of many examples of this is the case of Edinburgh & Dalkeith Railway Co. v Wauchope (1842) 8 Cl & F 710. In this case a man was appealing to the court against a private Act obtained by the railway company as it adversely affected him. The court however would have nothing to do with it and Lord Campbell pronounced, '...all that a court of justice can do is to look at the Parliamentary roll: if from that it should appear that a

Significance of Judicial Precedence

2002-12-07T13:00:00-05:00

Describe the Operation of the System of Judicial Precedent and assess its Present significance in the Law of England. There are many different sources of Law in England, which include statutes, case law, deligated legislation, custom and European Law. Each one of these sources has varying importance and this essay will be examining one of the major contributors to English Law, Judicial Precedent (or Case Law). Judicial Precedent can be seen as a process where by a judge must follow any decision that has been made by a higher court in a case with similar facts. “Precedent is the life blood of legal systems” and therefore this essay will follow how judicial precedent works within the various courts of England, and will be assessing whether it has a negative or positive impact on the Laws of England. Since 1865 Law reports have been published under the control of the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting . These Law reports, as they are known, have priority in court as the judge who heard the case sees and revises the report before it is published. There are also other private reports such as the All England Reports which are also revised by the judges concerned with the case . These Law Reports make up the Case Law within the English Legal System. From these cases it is important to know what to take as precedent and what we can ignore in order to find the ratio decidendi. The ratio decidendi of a case is defined as principle of law used by the judge to arrive at his decision along with his reasons for doing so . A judge may also include statements that are obiter dicta which are statements that are said in passing. When a judge is deciding a case he does not usually distinguish between statements that are ratio decidendi and those which are obiter dicta, and therefore it up to subsequent judges to approve what the ratio decidendi of a case is. These decisions then form precedents which must be followed by other judges even if they disagree with them. Obiter dicta do not form precedents Within the system of Judicial Precedent there lies a hierarchy of courts meaning that lower courts are bound by decisions made by higher courts. The House of Lords is the highest appeal court (excluding cases concerning European Law) and all courts are bound by its decision.

Jigsaw Learning

2002-12-03T13:00:00-05:00

A Periodical Report on the Jigsaw Technique

A re-emerging technique in today’s classrooms is the jigsaw technique. The jigsaw classroom was first used in 1971 in Austin, Texas (Aronson). It was developed as a way to reduce racial tension in a newly desegregated school district. After many fights and an environment of constant hostility, a research was conducted. The main contributing factor to this hostility was determined to be the competitive environment, between the newly mixed races, in the classroom. In an attempt to move away from the more competitive classroom and to achieve a more cooperative one, Professor Aronson conducted the first use of the jigsaw strategy. It was first introduced to fifth graders who were to learn about the life of Eleanor Roosevelt (Aronson). The children were arranged in small group that, deliberately, varied greatly in race ethnicity and gender. Each student would then be responsible for a specific part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life. This is important because in many social groups, some students are viewed as outcasts or “losers.” In one instance during the inaugural use of the jigsaw, for example, an observer heard students calling one little boy names like “stupid” or even making fun of his ability to speak English. Instead of admonishing the group, the observer only pointed out one fact, “Talking to Carlos like that might be fun for you to do, but it is not going to help you learn anything about what Eleanor Roosevelt accomplished at the United Nations---and the exam will be given in about 15 minutes” (Aronson). In the following weeks, Carlos’s group soon realized that in order for them to perform well, they in turn needed Carlos to perform well on his assigned task and therefore took a more encouraging approach (Aronson). Results like the example mentioned earlier are not rare. Many studies have proven the opposite. Children involved in jigsaw teaching like their classmates more (Aronson). Both white and African American students hated school less and the absenteeism rate among these students dramatically dropped (Aronson). Children involved in jigsaw also out-performed their counterparts who remained in a competitive classroom environment (Aronson). In the increasingly diverse student bodies of todays schools, there is a need to implement techniques and curriculum that apply to a vast array of cultures. The jigsaw technique is one way of accomplishing this. The entire success or failure of a group depends on the support of the group,

Does the law relating to Obscenity and Blasphemy constitute too great a restriction on freedom of ex

2002-11-26T13:00:00-05:00

The right to freedom of expression is a fundamental right, which has not traditionally been prescribed by law, but can be considered more of a moral right. However the enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law, Article 10 of which creates a right to freedom of expression. Article 10 (1) states “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. The right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.” However this right to free speech is qualified and not absolute as Section 10 (2) imposes a number of restrictions upon its exercise; “The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the reputation or rights of others.” Two of these “restrictions prescribed by law” are the criminal offences of Obscenity and Blasphemy, which abridge freedom of expression in order to protect individuals and in some cases the public in general, against harm to moral integrity and uphold standards pf public behaviour as well as protecting religious sensibilities. The extent to which they constitute a restriction on freedom of expression, however, is a contentious issue and will be considered in due course. The law on obscenity is aimed at protecting those who come to it willingly, against moral harm, which the obscene article is said to threaten. It guards moral integrity or protects some public interest in maintaining moral standards in a way, which overrides personal freedoms. Consequently any expression that contravenes accepted standards of social morality is potentially subject to restrictions. Such restriction on peoples expression is justified by the ‘harm’ principle as developed by John Stuart Mills whereby expressive material may only be restricted/interfered with if can be shown to cause harm to others. However there are divergent views on what constitutes ‘harm.’ Some attribute the narrower definition, limiting it to physical or psychological harm that is scientifically evaluable. Others, instead of concentrating upon material harm are prepared to include moral and ideological harm within the definition, which is less

European Union - When and to what extent are directives ‘directly effective’?

2002-11-26T13:00:00-05:00

The European Community has had a decidedly significant impact upon the legal systems of the Member States. It was established in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, the main objectives being to develop stability throughout Europe by means of encouraging a closer union between member states. It has evolved a long way since having developed its own institutions and an autonomous legal system, with laws that bind each member state ultimately enabling it to regulate the rights and obligations of its members. It achieves this primarily through Treaties, a primary form of EC legislation that forms the basis of all other European Law. However the effect of EC treaties is unlike that of any other international agreement as the latter bind only states at an intergovernmental level and do not of themselves give rise to rights or interests which the citizens of the states can have enforced before their own national courts even if they are designed for the protection of individuals. Although the text of EC treaties do not indicate that their provisions will be any different, the ECJ has taken its own view as to the nature and effect of treaties known as the doctrine of ‘direct effect.’ This jurisprudential concept means that individuals are able to derive rights directly from community law, which can be enforced in their own national courts. It is a private species of enforcement, placing control in the hands of ordinary individuals as distinct from the public enforcement mechanism of community law as contained in Article 226 of the Treaty of Rome which enabled the Commission to bring proceedings against member states for breaches. This system was deficient in many ways as, not only was it unable to cope with the increasing work load and had insufficient remedies, it was political in nature. Direct effect, on the other hand, has allowed individuals to play a role and has potentially brought the community into the lives of every citizen. However despite its significance, it is important to put it into context of the many types of community law, not all of which entail direct effect or which can only be directly effective in certain circumstances, such as directives. The judicial foundations for direct effect were laid down in Van Gend En Loos (1963) a case which arose when the applicant was charged an import duty by Customs and Excise that had been increased to 8%

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the present defence of Insanity?

2002-11-26T13:00:00-05:00

It has been well-established feature of the English legal system that rules of criminal law are addressed to rational and responsible persons who have the capacity to control their actions and understand and comply with rules. Persons lacking such capacity should not be held criminally culpable even if some wrong may have been done, as it is believed that they are “sick rather than evil.” It is from this central concept that the defences of Insanity and, to some extent, Diminished Responsibility derive. Whilst the latter was more recently established by the Homicide Act in 1957, Insanity is stems from an 1843 common law authority and has perpetually been at the centre of controversy. Although in principle it plays an important role in both protecting interests of mentally disordered by providing means for their treatment and protecting public interests in subjecting such dangerous persons to restraint, the lack of clarity over its precise scope accentuated by its antiquity has led to absurd decisions which undermine its credibility. The extent to which diminished responsibility alleviates its inherent deficiencies and provides a better guide to kinds of mental disorders that should exempt persons from criminal liability is however questionable. The main difficulty for both lies in determining a dividing line between sanity and responsibility on one hand and insanity and irresponsibility on the other. The question of insanity may arise at the time of the trial if there are concerns that the defendant is unable to appreciate the significance of the trial and is thus ‘unfit to plead.’ Whilst prior to 1991, such an individual would be incarcerated in a mental institution without proof that the crime had been committed, the Criminal Procedure (Unfitness to Plead) Act holds that if a there is a finding of ‘unfitness’ the defendant may only be incarcerated after the definitional elements of the crime have been proved before a jury. This has strengthened the law and brought it more in line with human right requirements. More significantly, where the defendant is considered fit to plead there is the vital question of the defendant’s state of mind at the time of the alleged offence. The rules that provide guidance in determining this issue were laid down in M’Naughton 1843 in which the House of Lords delineated the circumstances in which the accused cannot be held legally culpable for his conduct. Rules state that a person is presumed sane

Healthy Eating

2002-11-24T13:00:00-05:00

The dietary guidelines are: Eat more fibre, eat less salt, sugar and fat. These guidelines were introduced because people were dying prematurely of heart attacks and other similar illnesses. Fibre is made up of a number of different complex substances which are all types of carbohydrate. They are only found in plants and come mainly from the plant cell walls. However, foods which are rich in

Media Essay - Comparing Advertisements

2002-11-24T13:00:00-05:00

In this essay I shall be revealing how advertisements are put together. I am comparing two advertisements, first I will discuss the Citroen xsara advertisement by concentrating on how the advert was filmed, and how the advert was put together, what the advert is trying to say about the car and how it says it. Then I will be analysing the RAC advertisement looking at the same key points. I will finish the essay with a conclusion.

Citroen Xsara

The establishing shot is of a man looking through a pair of hairdressing scissors. After that he talks about himself a little, and is angry, he starts talking about the car, and mentions all the extra bits (air conditioning etc.) in a bad sort of way, almost putting the car down and making it look bad. Then, at the end of the advert he gets his tie stuck in the door as he shuts it, and says "Gordon Bennett" all the time he speaks, he talks in an exaggerated French accent. The advert has been filmed using a lot of humour. The advert is filmed in different ways for the two main parts of it. Black and white is used when the Frenchman is in view, and changes to colour to show off the red, sporty car, this may be to show that the car is better than the Frenchman, because it is in colour. The camera moves a lot, and is a little shaky when it is filming the Frenchman, and is backing off because of his anger, and is a lot stiller when it is filming the car, like it is soothing and steady. There are a lot of close ups and different camera angles during the part without the car, which also exaggerates the Frenchman's anger and jumpiness but only a few simple shots are used elsewhere, as the car is more important, and clearer views are needed. The Frenchman is in a room full of clutter at first, but then it cuts to the car in a simple white area with the lights visible, as if it were looking at a photo shoot for a beautiful model from a distance. There are a lot of short rapid cuts during the first part, and fewer in the second because of the presence of the car. All of this is trying to tell the viewer that the car is better. Humour is used

The Notion of Crimes against Humanity as a Human Right

2002-11-15T13:00:00-05:00

"Inter arma silent leges" -Roman maxim War and law have had a constant relationship between each other ever since the existence of conflict as a collective phenomenon. The regulation of the state of war, whether stemming from tradition, custom, certain codes of conduct and, ultimately, law, has evolved throughout the centuries together with the notion of war. The idea of a "Crime of War", or war crime, is not new to the modern legal vocabulary. Unorthodox practices during a war have been branded as war crimes in many scenarios of conflict. However, these war crimes were not in themselves punishable in any international court (mainly due to the practical non-existence of such legal apparatus before the United Nations) and were very much a notion without a consequence, a general concept floating above the aftermath of wars , and not affecting individuals as such but rather relying on the concept of state responsibility. It is only since the development of a doctrine of Human Rights, of fundamental, documented universal principles, that such crimes have materialised into a legal cast due to the development of the notion of "Crimes against Humanity" and its derived breaches. The concept of "Crimes against Humanity" has been a product of very recent historical, political and social developments which has brought war crimes under a different light in international law, and very much under the scope of Human Rights, which have impregnated the law of war as an international, codified phenomenon in many ways. As a provision, it was the initial step which began a whole new approach from part of the international community towards certain abuses against civilians during periods of war and also during peace-time. Certain practices became theoretically "illegal" in a very broad sense within the international community, criminalising governments, collectives and individuals, whether military or civilian, and covering the commission of crimes both in an individual basis as well as in a collective sense. Conventions have arisen after the appearance of this idea, as well as resolutions and other relevant legislation emanating from international bodies and organisms (mainly the UN). The ultimate reason for these provisions to arise, in theoretical terms and laying aside political considerations, has been the protection of the human being as an individual, regardless of geographical, political or social factors and circumstances, and hence has become a "Human Right", so to say, in its own right. Crimes against Humanity as

Just Outcomes in Australian Courts - Azaria Chamberlain and Walsh Street Cases

2002-11-09T13:00:00-05:00

The legal system aims to achieve just outcomes, however the perception of justice varies between individuals, the legal system and society in general. A ‘just outcome’ cannot be simply defined, so a working definition is developed instead. A just outcome is said to be “a result of any process or procedure on individuals and society within the operation of the legal system that is seen as fair or proper by the majority of society”. Justice can be procedural and substantive. Procedural justice is attained where the process for reaching a decision is fair and just. Substantive justice is where the final outcome is fair and just. A ‘just outcome’ is measured by four principles: fairness, equality, mechanisms and values. Fairness is achieved by the unbiased treatment of the accused and an independent judiciary. Equality is achieved by the accused being treated impartially and the law being applied to all people in the same way. Mechanisms are the facilities provided by the legal system to produce a just outcome. Values are ideals and opinions of society in general, formed from moral, social, economic or political beliefs. Conversely, the principles of just outcomes can be restricted by negative operational factors: structural, access and cultural/socio-economic. Structural factors like criminal trial procedure, rules of evidence and the role of the jury negatively affect the attainment of just outcomes. Cultural factors like media bias further hinder the attainment of just outcomes. The two outcomes being examined are the Chamberlain Trial (1982) and the Walsh Street Trial (1991). The Chamberlain trial involved the disappearance of nine-week-old Azaria Chantel Chamberlain from Ayers Rock Camping Ground on 17 August 1980. Alice Lynne Chamberlain claimed her daughter was taken from the family tent by a dingo. Police maintained that Lindy had killed Azaria in the family car and when new evidence was uncovered a second coroner’s inquest was held. Subsequently, Lindy was placed on trial for murder in the NT Supreme Court. The jury unanimously found Lindy guilty of murder and sentenced her to life imprisonment with hard labour. Her husband, Michael Chamberlain, was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact and given an 18-month suspended sentence. The Walsh Street Trial involved the murder of two police constables in South Yarra on 12 October 1988. The police alleged that Trevor Pettingill, Victor Pierce, Anthony Farrell and Peter McEnvoy plotted to kill two officers after their associate, Graeme Jensen

Australian Gun Reform Laws

2002-11-09T13:00:00-05:00

The Firearms Act 1996 (Vic.) was passed by the Victorian Parliament on October 31st 1996 in accordance with the National Agreement on Firearms which aimed to create uniform gun laws Australia wide. The Act repealed the Firearms Act 1958 (Vic.) and the Firearms Act (Amendment) 1983 (Vic.) and established prohibitions on certain people and guns. Under the Act, a ‘prohibited person’ was defined as anyone who had served a jail term for an indictable, assault or drug related offence or subject to a domestic violence intervention order. New categories for guns were created and gun owners had to pass certain requirements and demonstrate genuine reason for owning a firearm as well as provide appropriate storage for the weapon. Strict fines and jail sentences were established for offenders, but owners of newly prohibited guns were able to surrender their weapons and receive compensated under the national guns amnesty. Categories C and D guns (including semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and pump-action shotguns) were prohibited unless the applicant could prove a specific use for the weapon such as professional farming or hunting and that Category A or B weapons was insufficient. Category E included machine, teargas and shot guns and rifles shorter than 75cm. Category E license applicants had to prove the firearm was required for police or military duties. Handguns, were classified in their own category and had tighter requirements for ownership. The reasons behind the change in gun laws were both social and political. Between 1987 and 1996, 136 people were killed in gun massacres alone. After the Hoddle and Queen Street massacres of 1987, great public concern arose and the Victorian premier tried to tighten gun laws. The Strathfield massacre of 1991 intensified the debate in Sydney and subsequently importation of semi-automatic weapons was banned nationally. As Australia became more urbanised, 90% of the nation realised the need for stricter gun laws to assure their safety and security by restricting the availability of high powered weapons and banning convicted criminals and domestic violence offenders from owning guns. In 1996 the Australian Institute of Criminology found that the majority of people killed with guns were killed in states with relaxed gun laws. Furthermore, gun deaths dropped 30% after tougher Victorian gun laws were introduced in 1987. People saw this correlation between stricter gun laws and fewer gun related deaths, exemplified by the Port Arthur massacre (where Bryant was able to own a

Football and Rugby - Compare and Contrast

2002-10-24T14:00:00-04:00

When someone mentions physical sports, the most physical that come to mind are football and rugby. Each sport would be called physical because there are big hits and both require physical and mental toughness. Though football and rugby are similar, they are different along the lines of equipment use, rules and players. Equipment use amongst football and rugby players are different. Football players use a helmet, hip pads, thigh pads, a tail pad, shoulder pads, and knee pads to protect players who have a size disadvantage. Also the use of pads and helmet enables a football player to take big hits and not be as damaged if they didn't have a helmet at all. Rugby, however, uses no pads at all when hit there is nothing to absorb the shock making it harder to recover. The rules in football and rugby are more different than similar. In football after being tackled the offence has 45 seconds to pick a play, hike the ball, and attempt to score a touchdown. In football's point system a touchdown is worth six points, a field goal is worth three points, a safety is worth two points, which tackling the offence behind the defense's goal line, or two point conversion and one point for an extra point otherwise known as P.A.T., point after touchdown. After being tackled a rugby player has several options: running with the ball until downed or until there is another chance to pass the ball, kicking the ball down field, or immediately passing the ball to teammates. If the scrum half chooses to pass the ball, the teammates attempt to advance the ball forward and across the opponents' goal line. In rugby when some team scores it is called a try, which is worth five points. After scoring a try, a team is entitled to attempt a conversion similar to that in American football. In rugby the conversion kick is taken from anywhere on a line perpendicular to the goal line at the point that the ball was touched down. If the kicked ball passes over the crossbar and between the uprights, the team is awarded two additional points for the conversion. The players in football and rugby are also different. In football the players a lot more size variation because players are designed to do specific jobs such block throw catch and run. There are no players that do all three.

Football - Running Back

2002-10-24T14:00:00-04:00

A good running back is an essential for a good football team, but a great running back is essential for a championship football team. A great running back consists of one with speed and agility, strength and power, and the last and most important component is heart and determination. These are the necessities for a great running back. Speed and agility are needed to get to the line of scrimmage as fast as possible in order to gain as much yardage as possible when opportunities, or big holes, are created by the linemen. Speed and agility are also necessary in order to gain separation from the opposition when one has passed the line of scrimmage. Once the running back has passed the defensive linemen, he can depend on his quickness and ability to accelerate, decelerate, and shift his body weight to out maneuver the initial running defenders. After the running back has gotten past the initial running defenders, the defensive linemen and line backers, it will be his speed that will determine if he scores a touchdown because in order to score he must past the fastest men on the field- the corner backs and safeties. Power and strength are needed to establish ones physical presence on the field. A strong and powerful runner gives hits better than he takes hits. If the running back can give good hits to all who attempt to hit or tackle him, it will enable him to instill fear into the hearts of his opposition. By instilling fear it will make the opposing team miss tackles. Another reason power and strength are necessary is because each one makes it hard for the running back to get tackled. For example, having a powerful lower body enables running backs to push piles, drag would-be tacklers, and gain critical yards in short yardage situations. The last and most important component is heart and determination. Having heart and determination defines a great running back. A running back's willingness to play through pain, the ability to dig deep within himself and strive for the extra yard, and ability to take excruciating hits, no matter how much it may hurt, and dust himself off while jogging back to the huddle with the ball handed to him right after the hit, is what defines heart and determination. There are running backs that lack one of the physical components mentioned, but heart and determination can

Love In Campus

2002-08-28T14:00:00-04:00

I haven't decided which topic to dewell on until I heard of a story, the same story that happened again between my classmates this term. Another pair of boyfriend and girlfriend had said goodbye to each other, leaving only the good memories of the sweet past and a miserable future in front. Someone once told me " there are no rights or wrongs in love" after he was turned down by a girl. However, he ended up his comment with " I don't believe there is true love in campus now", which surprised me most. Another boy, who is one of my best friends, after bidding farwell to his girlfriend, said he still loved the girl so much although it was her who wanted to leave him, which also made me deeply impressed. Although I have witnessed or have heard of many sotories about the love in campus, most of which were ended with tear,sadness and misery, I still firmly believe that there is true love in campus.It may come from a slight trembling in the heart, it may stem from appreciations between good friends and it may have made its way from a pure-hearted talk on a certain occasion, but it does exist and it will not die out as long as human beings remain as emotional creatures. There are many reasons for university students try to find a girl friend or a boy friend.Some want to prove their attractiveness while many of them want to get rid of the loneliness and fastidium of the campus life, still some others just want to have a try on everything including love, but among them, there are people who have really found the resonance of their hearts, and the harmony of their minds between the two of them. And there are people who have devoted themselves into loving each other without demanding return. Love means not ever having to say you are sorry,because love only calls for bona fides, for the true feelings between the two, and understandings of the two under any circumstances. Devotions to love help build a ever-lasting and unfaded love in spite of time, distances and misunderstandings. Many people regard love in campus is immature and somehow childish. But first love is true love, which is as pure as a piece of crystal and as immaculate as a fine blue sky.And it's not sophiscated compared with the love outside the

Define the key concepts associated with the cognitive perspective

2002-07-30T14:00:00-04:00

Attention is what enables people to process information about the world around us, and is constructed of channels. A channel is a single event or stream of information that enters a person’s senses. A person can only attend to one channel at a time, filtering out all other sensory information. Someone’s attention to one channel can be disrupted by interference, which occurs when multiple items or events compete for our attention. Since people have limited resources, their attention suffers when they are distracted. People must attend to something in order to commit it to memory (the retention and use of prior learning), whether it be short-term or long-term. Within a person’s short-term are an inner ear and an inner voice, which make up a phenomenological loop. The phenomenological loop is the part of short-term memory that rehearses verbal information. Short-term memory helps us keep information in mind over a short period of time. Language is a system of communication based on symbols or gestures that can vary across individuals and allow for new forms and meanings. In order to understand and use language properly, one must attend to the rules of the language and commit them to memory. Languages are composed of a particular syntax (the rules of sentence structure that determine how people interpret and understand phrases and sentences in a particular language). Another important component of language is called a phoneme, which is a unit of sound that is used in spoken language. Each letter of the alphabet represents one or more phonemes, such as “a” and “b”, and there are also combination phonemes such as “ch” and “sh”.

How have these concepts been tested empirically?

The concept and rules of attention have been tested empirically through a study called dichotic listening. In this experiment, subjects hear two voices at a time, and they must listen and process the words of only one of the voices. The results of the experiment showed that the subjects were unable to process the content of the second voice, which suggests that there are limits to the capacity of our attention. Interference has been explored through studies such as the following: people were asked to repeat the words they heard over headphones as the voice said them, and to memorize a second list at the same time. The second list was presented in one of three ways: the subjects either heard spoken words, saw written

Power

2002-07-15T14:00:00-04:00

Power is, as anyone will tell you, a tantalizing addiction. The natural human craving for power derives from the simple

Knowledge

2002-07-15T14:00:00-04:00

Throughout the ages, man has always used his idea of correct knowledge as a way of pushing himself higher, a way of reaching a new plateau of superiority. Whether or not this knowledge proves to be true is superficial. The only matter of any importance

Infinity

2002-07-15T14:00:00-04:00

Throughout all of the stellar cosmos, there is only one absolute (debatable):

Negro Leagues - Black BaseBall Life

2002-07-07T14:00:00-04:00

The Color Barrier

Due to the color of their skin and their past history, blacks were unfairly denied the privilege to play Major League Baseball; it has remained a period of shame for baseball. Not only did the white players not accept Blacks as equals, on or off the field, the public did not either. Because of the determination and strong perseverance, the blacks were able to overcome what many thought was not achievable. The events that took place during the early 1900s changed the history of baseball forever. Americans started playing baseball on relaxed teams, using local rules, in the early 1800s. By the 1860s baseball jumped in popularity, some people said it was America's "national pastime." In 1869 the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first paid team and are considered the first professional team. In 1871 the first professional baseball league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, was started. Then in 1876 the first major league, the National League, was formed. African Americans played baseball during the 1800s. By 1860s some popular black amateur teams were Colored Union Club in Brooklyn, New York, and the Pythian Club, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All the black professional teams started in the 1880s. Some of the teams were the St. Louis Black Stockings and the Cuban Giants (of New York). This really showed how the public felt; amateur and professional baseball were mainly segregated. One of the few black players on an integrated professional league team was Moses Fleetwood "Fleet" Walker, a catcher for the minor league Toledo Blue Stockings. In 1883, the Chicago White Stockings did not take the field against the Blue Stockings because of Walker being on the team. The Blue Stockings manager said that the game be played, and Anson gave in. When the Blue Stockings joined the American Association in 1884, Walker became the first African-American major leaguer. In July 1887, the International League banned future contracts with black players, even though it allowed black players already under contract to stay on its teams. These are two of the events that helped form the color line, which segregated baseball until the 1940s. During the 1890s, most professional black players were only allowed to play in exhibition games on colored teams on the barnstorming circuit. Players on major league teams also barnstormed in cities and towns after the regular season was over. In some places black teams and white teams played

Sirs Aguecheek and Belch

2002-06-26T14:00:00-04:00

Observations & Lessons learned, by an alcoholic, through characters, Shakespeare introduced in his Twelfth Night: Sir Andrew Aguecheek, conspirator, or innocent bystander? Sir Toby Belch, is he a cunning freeloader, or a drunken clown? Moreover, who, metaphorically speaking, will drown in the end? N.B., Olivia questions Feste the fool [actually a professional witty fool]: “What’s a drunken man like, fool?” Feste replies: “Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman. One drink too many makes him foolish; the second makes him mad [crazy]; and the third drowns him” She and Feste were discussing her cousin, Sir Toby “wondering if he should require detoxification”(1.5.95-97) following a display of drunkenness in her chambers. One reading Twelfth Night for the first time might believe the clowns Feste and Fabian are at the heart of humor: not so, they are actually bystanders, or assistants to who I feel are the antagonists, Sir Toby and the chambermaid Maria; yet, Sir Toby and his cohort Sir Andrew are at the core of humor throughout the play. Sir Andrew however, is by no means an antagonist; besides, he is simply too dim-witted to antagonize anyone, and to his credit somewhat admits his flaws (2.3.79-80). He is like a child, or pawn; always subservient to Sir Toby, who takes full advantage of his childlike qualities. In Fabian’s words “He’s your dear little puppet, Sir Toby” (3.2.46). Following this line a perplexing issue arises; Sir Toby’s reply to Fabian “I’ve been dear to him, about two thousand pounds” (3.2.47). Implying that he has given, or loaned Sir Andrew money, yet throughout the text one is led to believe that Sir Toby is cleverly sponging from Sir Andrew, e.g. Toby to Andrew “Thou hadst need send for more money…Send for more money knight,” (2.1.176-81) Is the cunning Sir Toby lying to Fabian? Sir Toby has been the focus of this writer’s attention during the introduction to Shakespeare’s work. One will learn from his character that Sir Toby’s chicanery and eccentric behavior are brought about by his addiction to alcohol.

Epigram by: Thomas Love Peacock

O’ not drunk is he who from the floor, can rise alone, and still drink more. But drunk is he, who prostrate lies, without the power to drink or rise. Feste, and Maria allude to Sir Toby’s addiction in the following statements, “If Sir Toby would quit drinking you’d [Maria] be as witty a young wench as any in Illyria” (1.5.23-25).

What is the Best Way to Learn?

2002-06-16T14:00:00-04:00

During my past learning experiences, I have found myself in many different learning environments. Many of my past learning experiences I can compare to the concepts in Paulo Friere’s “The Banking Concept of Education”. In many of the classroom experiences there is either a “banking” concept where you learn, memorize and repeat or on the other hand a “problem-posing” concept which tends to be more hands on. Personally I prefer a problem-posing environment, because of my strength to be involved and work with many different types of people. I feel when I am working in a “hands-on” environment I tend to learn more. Many agree such as Paulo Friere, author of “The Banking Concept of Education”, who does believes in “Problem-posing” and completely disagrees with the “banking” concept. Many beg to differ such as teachers and parents who prefer the banking concept because of the simple fact that it has always been the traditional way of learning. Whereas “Problem-Posing” is not the traditional way of learning, but establishes an environment for a student to learn efficiently. My decision to endorse the “Problem-Posing” concept over the “Banking” concept class is due to a past experience that I had in school in a problem-posing classroom. In the 9th grade I was enrolled in a Health Class that was not an ordinary classroom. In this class the decisions were all yours. The class was not simply based on the “learn, memorize, and repeat” concept which tends to be a characteristic of a “banking” style classroom. The class consisted of many projects and presentations of research where you were expected to present in front of a class for a test or quiz grade. Surprisingly you were graded by your peers . I feel that in these situations I encountered less stress and was given the opportunity to be very creative and become self-expressive. Honestly, how creative can you be with a paper and pen, then stressing over if you have the right answers or not, and then leaving the class stressing for weeks over the “F” you may receive? This is a characteristic of a “banking” style class. I honestly feel that when you are in a “banking” style class you can not express your creativity and will suffer in the long run because you will not be able to express yourself in new environments. Freire feels that oppression in our society prevents students

Face Off: Rice vs Muscle

2002-06-15T14:00:00-04:00

It is a warm summer’s day; the heat rises from the pavement as the roar of engines and smell of gasoline surround you. With a throaty growl the first car pulls up to the line on the drag strip in front of you. Its large V-8 pounds as it pulls up to the starting mark. An annoying whine announces the challenger, a smaller car covered in decals and brand names. Its four cylinders hum as it stops, ready to go. The light flashes green and both cars jump into action. As the front wheels leap from the pavement, the eight cylinders power the 4000 pounds of Detroit muscle down the track. Beside it, the much lighter Japanese “Rice-Rocket” squeals down the track with a whine of a turbocharger issuing from under the hood. But from the beginning the race was over, the American muscle car once again leaving the Rice-Rocket sucking its exhaust. This is the scene at drag strips all over North America. Domestic automobiles defeat the imported cars time and time again but they just don’t give up. It is not only at the drag strip where domestically built cars come out on top. In everyday life a domestic car is a much better choice for many reasons. I will spend the next little while convincing you of this point. Please stick around for the ride. If you talk to an import driver and tell him that domestics are better, at some point he is going to come out with the same old argument of “Power per litre”. What this means is the amount of horsepower an engine gets per litre of displacement. Because most imports have smaller engines they must get a good power per litre rating to move the car. Because domestics use larger engines they do not need this. But even some domestic cars using smaller engines get good power per litre marks. Here are just a couple domestic cars getting over 100 horsepower per litre and they have larger engines then most imports. A Pontiac Solice with a 2.2L engine gets about 240hp, which equals out to 120hp/L, a Dodge Spirit R/T also with a 2.2L motor gets around 224hp, which is 102hp/L. And if this is not enough, there is a very common engine used by enthusiasts all over North America that gets 169hp/L. That means if a 1.8L Honda engine were this efficient

Boy Scouts v. Dale

2002-05-19T14:00:00-04:00

James dale first joined cub scouts in 1978 at age 8, following in his families scouting tradition. He then became a boy scout in June of 1981. He was the model of a perfect scout. He was delegated to the National jamboree, a summer camp staff member, and a dedicated fund-raiser for the BSA. During High School he was even a member of naval junior ROTC, where he served as a company commander. In June of 1988, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout, which is awarded to just 2-3 percent of all scouts and is the scouts highest honor. After his 18th birthday, in August 1988, Dale applied for a adult membership and was asked to become an assistant scoutmaster of his former troop. Dale went on to go to college at Rutgers University where he came out of the closet about being gay. He soon joined then became co-president of the Rutgers University Lesbian Gay & Bisexual Alliance. In the summer of 1990he attended a conference for high school teachers, guidance counselors, and principals about reducing the risk f suicide by gay teenagers. While at the conference a local newspaper interviewed Dale, who openly admitted that he was gay, on the needs of lesbian and gay youth. After BSA officials saw the coverage Dale, they sent Dale a letter in the mail saying that his adult membership had been revoked. They gave no reason, it was only after writing them back that dale found out that the reason that his membership had been revoked was because BSA “specifically forbid membership to homosexuals.” Dale sued the BSA for reinstatement in 1997, the appellate division of New Jersey ruled in his favor. The states highest court unanimously upheld the verdict in August 1999; it ruled that the BSA like other large organizations holding themselves out as open to the public, is a public accommodation subject to the stat Law Against Discrimination. Both courts cited BSA’s size, it’s self-presentation as “open to all boys” and privileged relationship with local, state, and federal government. BSA is chartered by congress, receives benefits and special access from the military, state agencies, municipalities, police and fire department, and even public schools, which sponsor 20% of the troops. The BSA took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court on April 26, 2000. In addition to the two briefs, one BSA and one from James Dales attorneys. There were 21 amici

The Freud Museum

2002-05-14T14:00:00-04:00

The Freud museum is a small ‘house museum’ which was formerly the home of Sigmund Freud and his family when they escaped the Nazi annexation of Austria. Thus Nazi persecution of Freud led to the extraordinary environment in which he had developed his epoch-making theories being transported, in its entirety, from Vienna to London. It remained the family home until his daughter Anna Freud (1895-1982) died, and it was her wish that the house should become a museum to commemorate her father’s life and work. The Museum was opened in 1986. The museum contains: Ground floor: Freud’s library (where it is interesting to notice Shakespeare’s, Goethe’s, Haines’s and Multatoli’s books in his bookshelf’s), his study and consulting room (where we can see his original analytic couch and a remarkable collection of antiquities). Freud collected thousands of antiquities during his life from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, as well as Buddhist and Daoist objects from China and the Far East. These objects not only refer back to the religion, mythology and social life of the cultures, which created them. Freud was himself working during the heyday of ‘heroic’ archaeology (remember Indiana Jones) and he likened his psychological procedures to the work of archaeology. Also on the ground floor it’s the Conservatory & dining room that looks out onto the garden (which was designed by his architect son Ernst.), the kitchen, the Hall, the scullery, the WC, the entrance lobby and finally the shop (located in what was previously the loggia of the house designed also by his son) where you can buy various objects such as antiquities (Replicas), books, photographs, pens, mugs etc. On the First floor it’s a small exhibition room, which depicts aspects of Anna’s work and character, Anna Freud’s bedroom, “The Anna Freud room”, a Video room, 2 bathrooms and the balcony. The “Interpretation of Dreams” exhibition is displayed all around the museum. In my opinion the function of the museum is the educational potential of it, covering a variety of areas, from social history, biography and medical history, to mythology, art & design etc. However, given the nature of Freud’s ideas, we are keen to encourage an interpretative attitude to the collection. For instance, why did Freud collect so many objects? What did specific objects mean to Freud himself? What are the reasons why we ourselves collect things? Many topics can be explored in the museum, which are of

Football and Business

2002-05-10T14:00:00-04:00

Decisions are a part of everyday life. While some can affect lives for a day, others affect a lifetime. There comes a time in one’s life when he will need to select a career or a certain field to concentrate in, in order to make a living. A career that is most suited for a person’s desires can be chosen after making a conscious effort to review the positive and negative sides of both options. The fields of football and business are difficult to have careers in. There are many obstacles and steps involved in getting into either field. Most business managers will not hire an unmotivated, unskilled, unreliable worker, they want, “intelligence, passion… enthusiasm, ability to cope with turbulent environments, and marketing experience.”(Martin) These traits only come to those who wish to achieve. For football however, there are two ways of getting in. Some people are just born with a knack for football. The parents are 5’11” and 5’10’ and their kid will grow to be 6’5”, with speed like a cheetah and hands that seem to have glue on them. The other possibility on how to get into the NFL is hard work. Getting down to the nitty-gritty and pushing your mind and body to its limits are the attributes useful in achieving success. As well as personal characteristics, there are some physical characteristics that go with both fields. According to lawyer Norman Katnik, an associate of Katnik & Katnik Law, “Anyone can be a business man, short, fat, tall, skinny, white, black, anyone, but not everyone can play football. Typically linemen are 6’4” 280 pounds, running backs are usually 200 pounds and quarterbacks are usually 6’2”.” Another way to get in to either field is by a persons performance, such as degree in Business Administration or, for the athletes, finishing four to five years of college. The accomplishments will allow business officers and general managers to recognize those that have achieved the things that will distinguish them in their specific fields. There are requirements needed in order to start a business. “Sometimes times are rough, you’ll need ‘stick-to-itiveness’ and you’ll need to put blinders on and focus or you will lose track of what you were trying to achieve,” said Katnik. “I was even forced to work sixteen-hour days, which amounted to over seventeen hours a week. It seemed as though my family had become second to

Myths - Explaining the Unexplained

2002-05-06T14:00:00-04:00

Myths, according to most of today's society were made up for many different causes. Some of these reasons include entertainment, tradition, legends, and to teach write from wrong. Although that is correct in some cases, myths are primarily used to explain the unexplained. They explain natural phenomena that cannot be explained in other ways and with concrete facts. A long time ago there was no such thing as scientists and technology. Ancient civilization could not give logical reasons for things like night and day, mountains, the ocean, the sky and many other everyday geographical structures. Myths were made up to give people answers for the impossible to answer questions. One prime example of this is in the myth "The Creation of the Universe and Life". This story is of Yoruban origin. Their people and culture settled just north of the Niger River and have roots that can be traced all the way back to 300 B.C. This myth explains how land was made and how it transformed into what it is today with all the mountains and valleys. Obatala, the favorite of Olorun, who is the ruler of the sky and the most powerful and intelligent god, wants to put something of interest below the sky where all the gods live. Underneath the sky is one big ocean full of marshes. So Obatala wants permission to build solid land. After being granted permission he finds out that he needs a variety of materials. They consist of: a long gold chain that could reach the ocean from the sky, a snail's shell full of sand, a white hen, a black cat and a palm nut in a bag. Obatala gets all of this and begins to climb down the gold chain to reach the bottom; he reaches the end of th e chain but has not yet reached the ocean. The helpless god calls up to Orunmila, his advisor. Orunmila calls down and tells him to dump the sand down then throw the hen. He does so and miracles start to happen. " The hen fluttered down, landed upon the sandy waters, and immediately began to scatter the sand by scratching at it. Wherever the sand fell it formed dry land. The larger piles became hills, while the smaller piles became valleys"(World Mythology 404). As you can see the Yoruban people did not have the technology to realize that natural causes and

Granger v. Gough [invitation to treat v. offer]

2002-05-05T14:00:00-04:00

"The transmission of such a price-list does not amount to an offer to supply an unlimited quantity of the wine described at the price named, so that as soon as an order is given there is a binding contract to supply that quantity. If it were so, the merchant might find himself involved in any number of contractual obligations to supply wine of a particular description which he would be quite unable to carry out, his stock of wine of that description being necessarily limited. I entertain, I confess, a very clear opinion that the Solicitor-General was quite right in arguing the case on the assumption that no sales were made in this country." Lord Herschell Just over one hundred years ago the above ratio-decendi was given in what was at the time a case concerned with alleged back taxes owed by Grainger & Son. Grainger & Son (henceforth referred to as G&S) were British wine merchants who as a side venture passed on the price lists of a French wine producer to their customers. G&S received a commission on any orders placed with said producer and paid tax on this commission. Gough claimed that tax was payable on the whole value of these sales not just the commission element. Monsieur Roederer (henceforth Mr R) was a wine producer located in France. He decided whether to accept orders the orders gathered by G&S or not. The reason for this being that the wine was shipped out ahead of any payment being received and Mr R wanted to vett his customers credit worthiness. The wine was shipped directly to the customer in the UK from France. Most customers settled their accounts directly with Mr R. A few customers instead made payment to G&S who would pass on to Mr R any amounts in excess of the commission they happened to be owed. In summary the flows of events are: Mr R, located in France, sends price list to G&S in Britain G&S distribute price list Customer places, for want a better word, an order with G&S for wine produced by Mr R G&S forward order to Mr R Mr R dispatches wine to customer Mr R dispatches bill for said customers wine to G&S for onwards transmission G&S forward bill to customer Customer sends payment to Mr R – occasionally made to G&S who forward this to Mr R Mr R sends receipt to customer G&S pay tax on commission received G&S maintained that they entered

Does trail by jury need reform?

2002-05-05T14:00:00-04:00

Question: How far do you agree with the proposal that trial by jury should be radically reformed? (note this is an English law essay)

In the last year a number of legal reforms have been proposed by the current government. Firstly there are the Mode of Trial Bills, currently No. 2 is going through it’s readings. No.1 failed to make it through the hose of Lords. Then there is the Auld report that recommends a radical restructuring of the court system and cutting down on the number of cases that are tried by the Crown Court. One area that all of these projects seek to reform is trial by jury as it is claimed to expensive, open to abuse and time consuming for all parties involved. There is no historical right to trial by jury. The Magna Carter makes no reference to it, popular misconception not withstanding. Its first occurrence in a recognisable form can be seen the twelfth century, during the reign of Henry II. Here the jury consisted of the accused friends and neighbours rather than today’s dozen randomly selected adults. Previous to this the jury was a Norman convention made up of 12 men prepared to swear on oath as to the persons innocence. Failure to get the dozen men confirmed guilt since oaths then had a religious zeal and no one would run risk of eternal damnation by lying under oath. Trial by ordeal ceased in 1215 after it was condemned by pope innocent III. Trial by battle, to the death between accuser and defendant, existed by statute at the same time and was not repealed until 1819. A important and unique part of the English legal system is that of summary trail by magistrates. In this a panel of, usually, three lay people hear the case and decide on fact, guilt and any punishment. Magistrates account for upwards of 97% of all judicial hearings today. In 1855 such was the workload of indictable cases coming before the common law courts that an act was passed allowing such cases to be settled without a jury if the parties agreed to it. This attempt to speed up the wheels of justice created the “either way” cases that are now being blamed for slowing the same wheels down. Over the next 150 years more offences were added to the either way list and more cases lost their entitlement to trial by jury most

Fashion: A Tyrant Whom We Are All Forced To Obey

2002-05-03T14:00:00-04:00

Oops! Britney Spears has done it again. She has yet again topped the list of the worlds worst dressed stars, taking the title of The Worlds Worst Dressed Woman of 2000. Out of a total of 63391 votes from a poll taken ‘who needs a fashion makeover’ Britney was second and first place was taken by Britney’s rival, teenage pop sensation Christina Aguilera. After hearing the results, a fashion stylist who used to work for fashion magazine Marie Claire said, ”No surprises for guessing who’s crying for a fashion makeover. Christina Aguilera looks like the worst little whorehouse in Texas in her ‘Moulin Rouge’ garters and stockings. And what’s with the hair? She looks like a cross between a bird and a lion with that wild mane that has taken quite a beating. Honestly girl, sack your stylist! What works for Gwen Stefani does not always work for everyone!” What this fashion stylist says does not affect Christina’s millions of fans! So no matter what Britney looks like and no matter what she wears, at the end of the day she remains to be the Pop Princess of the century and a hero of many people. So now the only question that remains unanswered is why do people dress the way they do? Is it just a sense of style or are we dressing to make a fashion statement or are we dressing just to be dressed or are we forced to go along with the crowd and obey the fashion tyrant? We all try to keep up with fashion, looking around for the latest garb, but there is also a small percentage of people who don’t follow fashion and they are some times termed as weird, but in their own way, they have a sense of style. The whims of fashion have changed drastically over the years, from maxis to minis and bell-bottoms to skin tights. Fashion designers have made modesty a thing of the past, designing clothes that are appealing to the eye. Years ago women strived to be modest and to dress modestly but today the more of your body left uncovered, the more you are adored. Keeping up with fashion is important and your first impression counts! If two people apply for an office job it is more likely that the applicant wearing a suit would get the job rather than the applicant in shorts and a T-shirt. How

The Criminal Law of People's Republic of China - What are the guiding principles and characteristics

2002-04-29T14:00:00-04:00

Criminal Law is enacted in accordance with the principle of combining punishment with leniency. The Law governs Tasks, Basic Principles, and Scope of Application of the Criminal Law, Crimes, Punishments, The Concrete Application Of Punishments, Crimes of Endangering National Security, Crimes of Endangering Public Security, Crimes of Undermining the Order of Socialist Market Economy, Crimes of Infringing Upon the Rights of the Person and the Democratic Rights of Citizens, Crime of Encroaching on Property, Crimes of Disrupting the Order of Social Administration, Crimes of Endangering the Interests of National Defense, Graft and Bribery, Crimes of Dereliction of Duty, Crimes of Violation of Duty by Military Personnel Supplementary Articles. Criminal Law was Adopted by the Second Session of the Fifth National People's Congress on July 1, 1979 and amended by the Fifth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress on March 14, 1997. Criminal Law, in 452 articles, comes into effect on October 1, 1997. In the PRC ideology has infected its understanding of the cause of crime. Instead of being connected to human nature or malfeasance as in the West, the prevailing view has been that crime is a result of a class society. The thesis is that in a truly socialist and classless society the causes of crime and immorality would be rooted out and thus there would be no need (or at least only a minimal need) for an elaborate apparatus of social order and management of criminal activity. Of course, since 1949 when the PRC established, it has become increasingly obvious, even to the officials of the PRC that crime has continued and that many crimes have no plausible or traceable class-based explanation. So the socialist theory of crime eradication has been quietly dropped. What this means ultimately is that Chinese moral culture will have a continuing need to control crime and minimize its occurrence and effect in the society. PRC was also affected by a series of political events and class struggle. Such political events made the situation became worse and because of the chaos of political atmosphere, the rule of law is totally impossible in China for the period 1950-1980, until the end of Cultural Revolution. In the PRC, especially in its anti-crime campaigns of the 1980s persons who engaged in criminal or illegal activity were considered "enemies of the people". In fact, not all anti-social behavior is handled by the courts. There are matters handed by the

Every communication event is to some degree intercultural

2002-04-29T14:00:00-04:00

Intercultural communication is very common in modern society, it appears in every stage of society. It includes in different situation of communication such as in interpersonally, small groups, public speaking or media. That¡¦s why intercultural communication is the basic element of communication because each time we communicate with others in different situation, it is highly related to the intercultural communication, as its coverage is very wide. In society, we meet different kinds of people every day, they come from different cultural background and this is a type of intercultural communication. Specifically, we meet a person who is foreigner and contains different beliefs, values, religion, or ways of behaving; it can be a kind of intercultural communication. Through communication, we exchange and compare different point of views in cultural, values, or ways of behaving. Such as people from Write to Black, or people from Hong Kong to Philippines, both culture are

Breaking Traditions

2002-04-26T14:00:00-04:00

Tradition is an important part of everyone's life. Others hold tradition above everything else. Adults feel that it is very important to follow these established customs and cannot even imagine rebelling against them although they may be hurtful in some ways. They may not even remember the reason for these customs in the first place. Throughout the centuries, youth have been pressured by the "older" and "wiser" adults of their generation as they continue to accept traditions and customs. All people have in some form or other heard the remark, "Change is good." That may be true, but the fact still remains that change is inevitable. Currency, religion, and even marriage changes over time, but the way people adapt or react is the defining line between man and animal. Elderly people fear change because they fear what is not readily understood, and if there is one thing that is difficult to understand, it is where their reactions from broken traditions originate from? The youth of today are more eager to squander their funds on materialistic items. This was not so during the 20th century. People of that era were forced into a grim and sudden takeover known as the “depression” over the populace. Their need for food and money then has been a continuing factor that is still affecting their choices in life today. The people of that period of time today are cautious of a possible reoccurrence, and to prevent it from affecting them and people around them severely, they stress saving as much as possible if any such incident will occur. In some way people of the depression era have a right to feel outraged about what people of this era are doing with their money. The people who have experienced the depression are doing all they can in order to save their children and grandchildren from the hardships that confronted them. In the religions of Islam and Judaism, people of each of the faiths have similar teachings and standards. For example, in Judaism, they believe that the Sabbath day should be kept holy, and that you should follow the Ten Commandments, the laws of God. Their diets consist of kosher foods, and they have there own New Year’s, Rosh Hashanah. Islam is similar, in that its believers adhere to the five pillars, which is similar to the ten commandment, and their diet must primarily consist of kosher products. Both

Andrea Yates

2002-04-26T14:00:00-04:00

Charged with five horrific murders, Andrea Yates faced the death penalty. Believed Satan controlled her, Mrs. Yates was convinced her children were not developing correctly and they needed to die to be saved. Andrea Yates admitted to drowning her children one by one after two years of contemplating this psychotic act. People cannot imagine the horror of what Yates did to her children, drowning them in the bathtub, one by one. Even chasing down the oldest one in order to do it. I believe that the enormity of her crime caused a cynical nation to shudder. These articles lend themselves to children who are murdered by their mothers, in light of the trial of Andrea Yates. Andrea Yates admits to the drowning of her five children. Mental illness is often the reasoning behind this uncontrollable violence. Statistic shows that these deadly acts go back in time and are extremely common today. “In 1999, 485 children under the age of five were murdered. Their parents committed Fifty-six percent of the killings. Sadly, a mother kills one of more of her children at least once every three days in America”. (Mothers and Murder) There are many motives that a severely depressed mother may endure. Women will sometimes kill their children through abuse and/or neglect that have gotten out of hand. Sometimes mothers murder in order to seek revenge on a spouse or lover, while others will kill a newborn after an unwanted pregnancy. A very high percent of these women are found to be mentally ill. In other cases, postpartum depression, which affects a minimal percent of new mothers, has been known to attribute to many ill-fated actions. In the Yates’s case, according to testimony, Yates believed she needed to murder her children because they were “tainted”. These thoughts or beliefs reflect profound mental illness. Some mothers suffering from this type of psychosis may also believe they are marked by the devil or believe death free the children’s souls from other evils. No one has doubted that Mrs. Yates is insane; the psychiatrist who interviewed her the day after the killings called her “one of the most severely mentally ill people she had ever examined.” (A dark State of Mind) Andrea Yates knew her actions were wrong when she called for help to the operator. A jury may convict her on this action alone, Yates was considered to have been both suicidal and

Economics of Sex

2002-04-23T14:00:00-04:00

This mini-paper is to study how people of different moral standard choose their one-night-stand partners. At a late stage of this paper, I will state the limitations of this theory. Assumptions: 1. Beauty and moral standard can be quantified. 2. People are utility-maximizing. Almost all actions involve costs, needless to say having one-night stands. People of differnet backgrounds have different moral standards. For example, christians may have higher moral standards than people who left school very early do. A person does an one-night-stand at a cost of his moral standard. For example, if the moral standard of a person offers him 5 utility, his one-night-stand partner

Math Disabilities

2002-04-20T14:00:00-04:00

There seem to be many problems within the American educational system today. Most of the problems refer back to the differences in the students that undergo the education system. Some of these students are handicapped, some are not motivated either at home or by themselves, and some have learning disabilities. The world of learning disabilities is large and seems to receive the least amount of attention. Learning disabilities are apparent in some children while in others they remain hidden. One example of a learning disability exists in children that speak languages different from English, which is spoken the most in schools today. Children that speak different languages seem to have the most trouble in math because their memory works differently, their organizational skills are different and they lack the symbolic understanding that English speaking children possess. Psychologists have also found that there is a link to children with language disabilities, their mathematical skills, and their reading skills. This is especially seen in word problems. “When solving story problems, children must understand complex language and solve problems presented in meaningful contexts.” (Jordan p. 569) The most apparent problem found amongst children that are language impaired is their symbolic understanding. This weakness is also found amongst children with other disabilities. The main problem with symbolic understanding is that the children do not seem to realize that things can stand for other things. “They may fail to come to terms with the notion that one coin can stand for two other coins” (Grauberg p.3) It is understood that children with a problem with symbolic understanding most likely suffer from other learning disabilities. “Such children are most probably learning-impaired in a wider sense, but they are often found in special language units and in special schools for children with language impairments.” (Grauberg p. 3) Children who seem to have the most problems with symbolic understanding are the ones that are known as being semantic or pragmatic. These types of children are able to use the symbols that are numbers and letters. However, they can only use them as they learned them causing the children to be unable to see the symbols as constructs which, only stand for a meaning. “In general, such children will have difficulty in applying acquired number skills to new situations”. (Grauberg p.4) Some children with very large problems in language development seem to just give up on learning mathematical skills at a

A Dialogue With Plato

2002-04-12T14:00:00-04:00

As I walked through the Professor Einstein’s massive laboratory I remembered how lucky I was to be his assistant. At the back of Einstein’s laboratory was a special top secret room that I had never been allowed access to. The professor was meeting the president and wouldn’t be back until Thursday so I’d be safe checking it out just this once. I opened the door and was disappointed to only find a small table with a large book laying open on top. I took a closer look and the only words the book contained were “Plato 328 B.C.” I shut the book and was about to leave when I heard a whirling of hidden machines and a bright flash of light, suddenly I was in a sunny grove wearing a toga, sitting next to me was a man writing on a scroll labeled “The Republic.” I realized must be Plato. Plato: Ah hello my young friend, you must be one Professor Einstein’s students. How can I help you? Jacob: I really have to get home if the professor realized I used his machine he’ll be furious. Plato: Really? You don’t want to ask me anything? Jacob: Well I guess. In my time there are many different types of government. What is your idea of the perfect form of government, an ideal state? Plato: An ideal state would be based on the model of the soul; we’ll get to that later. The ideal state has three castes in which everyone would know their place, The Philosopher Kings, the Guardians, and the Laborers. The Philosopher Kings rule society. The Kings would not be a monarchy, they are the ones who train their minds to reason, and have gained wisdom. Above all, the Philosopher Kings must reason, because the creation of a good state depends on its ability to be governed with reason. It is not enough to govern with senses, because they are based on the body and our unreliable. The Philosopher Kings must come to decisions based on sound reason. Then there are the Guardians who protect society and must aspire to courage. Neither the Philosopher Kings nor the Guardians raise children; have a family life, or own private property. They should focus their entire lives on serving the state. The vast number of people though would be laborers, made up of farmers, artisans and merchants. The Laborers are the ones who provide for society. They

Sex Ed.

2002-04-07T14:00:00-04:00

At some point during your youth, your parents probably took you aside and after several minutes of blushing and throat-clearing gave you the Reader's Digest version of the birds and bees. (The folks apparently never realized that you had learned about sex in far more detail several years earlier from a friend in your preschool finger painting class.) But just what did we learn about the actual birds and bees, not to mention the thousands of other species of animals that share the Earth with us? They preen, they strut, they lure and, if all goes as planned, they have sex. You might be surprised by some of the following sexual facts and oddities concerning members of the wild kingdom. Unless that kid in your preschool class already covered this material. Warning: Some of these tidbits are not for the faint of heart. If you haven't had the "talk" yet, you might want to be accompanied by an adult before you proceed. Perhaps the most astounding part of sex in the animal world is the sheer size of some of the sex parts themselves. Were you aware that one testicle of the average Blue whale can weigh up to 100 pounds? You can imagine the problems this causes. This startling fact might explain why you almost never see a Blue whale wearing shorts in public. Whales also hold the record for having the largest penises. A fact which they never fail to mention at parties, by the way. In large Rorqual whales the penis can be up to 10 feet long, with a diameter of up to one foot. Female Rorqual whales are notoriously cheery. Now you know why. But bigger isn't always better, necessarily. It is also interesting to note that insects hold their own record as well. If the largest animals have the largest sexual organs, it would follow that the smallest animals, insects, possess the most diminutive. While too small to be measured precisely, it is estimated that the smallest penis on the Earth is a fraction of a thousandth of an inch in size. Ladies, this will be welcome news to that insecure husband or boyfriend. And now the answer to that other question on your mind. Which animal is the proud owner of the longest sperm? Oddly, in this case, sperm size is not related to the size of the animal. In fact, the longest sperm amongst the mammals is produced

Heimlich maneuver - My Dad Saved Me, I Saved My Brother, My Brother Saved Me...

2002-04-06T14:00:00-04:00

Certain lessons that a child learns earlier in life will have a great effect on them later in life. For example, if a child learns to share at an early age that child will learn how not to be selfish later in life. Since children are known for getting into things that they have no business doing people should learn life saving techniques The Webster dictionary defines the phrase Heimlich maneuver as "an emergency skill used to dislodge an object stuck in the windpipe by applying pressure to the abdomen below the ribs". This skill is a very important technique that everyone should learn at a very early age because one can never predict if they will have to use it later on in life. Since my dad learned this skill (Heimlich maneuver) earlier in life my brother and I are alive to this day. First, at an early age I learned my first life saving technique called the Heimlich maneuver. The first time this technique was taught to me was when i choked on a piece of hotdog that my dad cooked for me when I was little. When I first started choking it felt like I was standing in a room without any oxygen present. I was standing in the kitchen next to the counter eating a hotdog and before i knew it I swallowed a piece of hotdog without chewing it first. After i started choking I ran to my dad and he immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the peice of hotdog that was blocking my airways. As soon as my dad dislodged this object from my airway I turned around and gave him a hug for saving my life. After all was said and done little did I know that I was going to have to turn around and perform the same thing on my younger brother. Second, later on in life I did not think that I would have to use this skill, until my brother choked on a piece of candy. The day that my brother had this incident he brought a twenty-ounce soda and a bag of mints. While my grandmother was paying her gas my younger brother put a piece of candy in his mouth and drank some of his soda right behind it and accidentally swallowed the mint without thoroughly chewing it which caused the mint to block his air path.

Main Functions of the Law

2002-04-02T14:00:00-04:00

“Ideally, a legal system should reflect the needs and aspirations of its society at any given time.” What do you consider to be the main functions of the law in our society? To consider this question, you have to define exactly what ‘law’ is. My definition of law is ‘rules to live by.’ The two main functions of the law are to

Distinguish between Thinking and Knowledge

2002-03-22T13:00:00-04:00

In the real world, each of us is considered different because people have different opportunities, different purposes, and different way of thinking. And of course, people cannot have the same thinking as another. As individuals, we base our thinking on what we know or our knowledge. Our knowledge is another aspect of thought, which we have chosen to accept. Individual thinking is an important quality that every person performs. I think that every single person is unique and that no two people are the same. Therefore, no two people can ever think the same exact thoughts or feel the same exact feelings. Every person will have his or her owns personal ideas about a particular object or subject. That is one reason there are so many different perceptions for any one object. Therefore, no two people will can the exact same thoughts or feeling on the same object In my life, I have to think a lot to deal with reality. I have to control my own destiny. It is very important to me to realize that I control my life with my mind. I can only do what I think I can do and only become what I think I can become! This is why I must keep a positive thought in my mind if I want positive things to happen in my life. I must use my body of knowledge to think and make appropriate choices. It is very hard to define exactly what thinking is. Again, people have different opinions. In my opinion, the basic sources of knowledge come from observation, experience, and research. These facts are considered in processes of thinking, and we then have understanding and intelligence. Knowledge understands facts, but thinking is being able to use these facts in a meaningful way. Knowledge gives me the facts of the problem, but to solve the problems, I need to analyze the problem critically in order to be successful. Carl Sagan in “Can we know the universe” believes that our knowledge is limited by our perceptions since experience cannot give us full knowledge of particular subject. “Our perceptions may be distorted by training and prejudice or merely because of the limitations of our sense organs, which of course, perceive directly but a small fraction of the phenomena of the world.”(P.132). Even so, we must use the “body of knowledge”(P.132) that we have to try our best to process

Prior Restraint Can Be Accepted

2002-03-15T13:00:00-04:00

Some people believe that there are no circumstances under which prior restraint of the press, either print or broadcast, should be accepted or tolerated. I disagree with that statement and do believe there are certain times when prior restraint should be accepted or tolerated. This is not an issue that is or should be taken lightly because I am in strong agreement with protecting the First Amendment, however in specific and special cases I can understand the government feeling the need to intervene. First of all, I agree with Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes during the case of Near v. Minnesota 283 U.S.697 (1931)., when he says that it is appropriate that the government can stop publication of material when it incites violence. I mean, it is possible for publishers to produce articles with highly debated arguments without being offensive or without using fighting words. In this case of starting violent acts, how is it possible to be in agreement with the argument that punishment of the press after publication is good enough censorship? I cannot see that it is good enough censorship when the violence has already begun. I believe in not letting the problem begin as opposed to trying to correct it once it takes place. But this is where people may say --well, where do we draw the line between what may or may not incite violence? To this I answer, we have seen what has incited violence in the past, and if we begin with that we have a good starting point. Then go from there, and take into consideration the possibility that some of the concerns from the past may not still be highly debatable currently. I also believe prior restraint is acceptable when the national security is at stake, for example, during time of war or when it could cause harm to the nation. I believe there are things that the government does and knows about that should not be revealed to the general public. Therefore I believe it is fair for the president to have the right to classify documents as top secret. In the case of U.S. v. Progressive, 467 F. Supp. 990 (1979)., Progressive was attempting to publish an article about the hydrogen bomb. The government said the article presented "immediate, direct and irreparable harm to the interests of the United States" (Pember 2001). In this case I agree with the courts decision

We Are Predetirmined As Humans

2002-03-15T13:00:00-04:00

In Leger Wood’s essay “Determinism: Free Will Is an Illusion” he argues that humans are determined by some cause for all of our actions. The philosophical controversy of free will versus determination has been argued, discussed, written about and studied so much that it has become over done and monotonous. However, I do agree with Wood that humans are determined by some cause. Explanations for cause may be from evidence of introspective psychology, morals, religious issues, physical science, physiology, behavioral psychology and sociology. In this essay Wood gives us the libertarians’, or free willists’, explanations for free will, refutes them and gives us other evidence that humans are actually determined. To begin, libertarians and determinists both have strong explanations of their beliefs in introspective psychological evidence. The libertarians say our decisions are “without a sufficient and adequate natural cause.” They also believe that the human mind is always aware that it is making a decision at each chance it gets. They believe there is proof of these choices by having retrospective feelings of remorse after having made a decision they feel like they could have chosen otherwise. Saying that oneself may choose otherwise is a very big portion of the basis on which libertarians make their thesis. To them, there is a possibility of saying “I could have done otherwise than what I did.” Also, decisions are decisions no matter how important or trivial they may be. They include imagining other alternative, weighing the alternatives and then the choice of action. Here, one may have two or more equal choices so he must weigh them to decide, according to the libertarians. However, if the choices were equal, then the mind would remain suspended and one would never come to a conclusion. It is not an inner-force making the decision, but it is by chance or from opposing forces that will eventually make one choice seem better than the other. This is a huge point to the determinists along with several other involving introspective psychology. Including that the feeling of freedom after having made a decision, as libertarians claim to feel, is only a sense of relief after having a great deal of stress, tension and indecision and actually the feeling of freedom is an illusion. Also, it is easier to say that one could choose otherwise in prospect or retrospect. For example, if one were making a decision to stop

Winter Gold 2002

2002-03-15T13:00:00-04:00

The life of an international athlete is hectic and can be very stressful. Just the training itself can be taxing on anyone. For instance; and

Owning a book

2002-02-23T13:00:00-05:00

In order for a student to read a book and fully engage themselves in the experience, the student need to be able to “own” the book, both physically and mentally. Writing in a book is a part of the experience of reading and understanding a novel that Dr. Adler discusses in his 1940’s speech. In order to write in the

Naive Realism - short essay

2002-02-13T13:00:00-05:00

Naive realism is just a way of looking at the world. Also called common sense realism, things are perceived directly as they are. True naive realists would never sum up or analyze their views, because they do not consider them views but the way things obviously are. However, I will do my best to illuminate them: "I, the naive realist, am a human being. There is the physical world, the space where everything exists and the time in which everything happens. There are many things in this physical world, each largely separate from the other and persisting over a span of time. Time is divided into 'now,' which is real and experienced, 'the past,' which once existed but now does not, and 'the future,' which does not exist yet but will. "My senses give me direct knowledge of reality. If I see a chair, it is because there is a chair physically where and when I see it. There are exceptions, such as when I am dreaming or watching a movie, but these are rare and obviously not real. "I can know things through my senses, through thinking about things, and through communication with other people. Other people's beliefs may be correct or not, but beliefs of people I respect, and beliefs held commonly by most people in my society, are usually true." Science used to support naïve realism to a certain point, that is to say, things being what they seem was the easiest, and the only answer in the not-so-distant past. However, eventually classical science broke away from naïve realism in a major way. Scientists drew a line in the sand between “objective reality” and “subjective perception.” All of a sudden, the grass wasn’t really green and the sky wasn’t blue, in fact, they had no color at all. Color became the interaction between light, the object, and the human eye. For example, if I’m looking at a red rose, science says that the light from the sun hits the flower, which both absorbs and reflects the light. A small portion of that reflected light hits the human eye, which puts aside most of it and instead focuses on an even smaller portion that we call visible light. It then ignores most of the visible light and focuses again on a smaller, stronger portion, which my eye would translate as the color red. Science, therefore, gave birth to a

Euthyphro: Conflicts in the Divine Command Theory

2002-02-10T13:00:00-05:00

In his dialogue Euthyphro, Plato poses the question of whether the gods love what is holy because it is holy or whether it is holy because the gods love it. The corresponding question in terms of ethics is whether God loves the good because it is good or whether it is good because God loves it. Divine command theorists give a clear and unequivocal answer to this question in the area of ethics: they maintain whatever is good is good only because God wills it to be good. This has serious implications for how divine command theorists live their everyday lives. Moral decisions are ultimately made on the basis of what God commands, not what reason tells us. We have to turn to God for the answer to all our questions about how to act. They claim that no matter what God commands, it is right just because God commands it. There simply is nothing more to say about it. However, divine command theories do not strongly correspond with all religions. They fit best within a monotheistic religion in which God is all-good. Christianity, Judaism and Islam all meet this requirement. Yet divine command theories make little or no sense within either a Hindu or a Buddhist worldview. For Hindus, two things count against the divine command view of ethics. First, it’s a polytheistic religion where there are many gods, who are not necessarily in agreement with one another (similar to ancient Greek gods). Second, the gods are not all-good; they, too, are a mixture of good and evil. These Hindu gods neither always act good nor always give good advice to mankind. The situation is quite different in Buddhism, for there simply is no personal God in the Buddhist religion. Consequently, the idea that something is good because God wills it simply has no place. One of the most difficult issues for divine command theorists to answer is the question of how we can come to know God’s will. The difficulty is not that no one claims to know God’s will. Rather, the problem is just the opposite: too many people claim to know God’s will, and they have quite different ideas of what it is. Why should we believe that any one of them has any greater claim to being right than any other? Perhaps God’s will is revealed in sacred texts of great moral caliber - but which

Determinism and Free-will

2002-02-10T13:00:00-05:00

Suppose that every event or action has a sufficient cause, which brings that event about. Today, in our scientific age, this sounds like a reasonable assumption. After all, can you imagine someone seriously claiming that when it rains, or when a plane crashes, or when a business succeeds, there might be no cause for it? Surely, human behavior is caused. It doesn't just happen for no reason at all. The types of human behavior for which people are held morally accountable are usually said to be caused by the people who engaged in that behavior. People typically cause their own behavior by making choices; thus, this type of behavior might be thought to be caused by your own choice-makings. This freedom to make your own choices is free will. Determinism, a philosophical doctrine against freedom, is the theory stating that all events, physical and mental (including moral choices), are completely determined by previously existing causes that preclude free will. This theory denies the element of chance or contingency, as well as the reality of human freedom, holding that the "will" is not free but is determined by biological, environmental, social, or mystical imperatives. Since every event in our lives is determined by outside causes, then we are just some sort of robots. Freedom, on the other hand, is rooted behind the idea that we do have control over the choices we make, thus having free will, a requirement for being morally accountable for an action. But if determinism is true, and we have no control over the choices we make, then we do not have free-will; and therefore, nobody can ever legitimately be held morally accountable for anything. Our common practice of thinking of others and ourselves as accountable is simply not justified! There are those who think that our behavior is a result of free choice, but there are also others who believe we are servants of cosmic destiny, and that behavior is nothing but a reflex of heredity and environment. The position of determinism is that every event is the necessary outcome of a cause or set of causes, and everything is a consequence of external forces, and such forces produce all that happens. Therefore, according to this statement, man is not free. If we accept the determinist argument and assume human behavior as a consequence of external factors rather than of free choice, then we must realize that our

Examinations exert a pernicious influence on education

2002-02-02T13:00:00-05:00

Let us begin the discussion by defining the limits of the three keywords, examinations, pernicious and education, in the above statement. Examination is a form/means of testing a person’s ability to perform in a particular subject which may be academic or non-academic. Pernicious means something which is harmful or has harmful effects. Education is anything a person learns from the time he is born to the time he dies. This includes all academic and non-academic subjects which may be good or bad. Having defined the keywords, the bases of the argument has been formed and now let us start by discussing the pros of the topic. The student appearing for the exam takes it under extreme tension and pressure because he knows that he has only one chance to prove his worth and if he fails, he will be left behind for the rest of his life. Of course he can re-take the exam after a period of a year or so but since he had failed it once, it wouldn’t be the same. His momentum of studying would have been broken and his failure would serve as a discouraging factor. As a result he would probably show a worse performance the second time and end up losing a year. The other point in favour of the topic is that the student may be good at the subject itself but may not be a good examinee because he may not be able to attempt fully the question in the set time period. This may not give a chance to the student to express fully and in a comprehensive manner, his opinions and views. Take the example of this essay. If I were given this essay in the examination, I may not be able to explain each and every point properly because of the limited time I would have been allotted. Let us now make an assumption that the student is able to finish the question in the allotted time. However, his handwriting is difficult to understand and his paper is filled with scribblings towards the end. The student has no knowledge of the examiner nor of his mood/state of mind at the time of checking. So, what happens if the examiner is in a frustrated mood? First of all, his temper grows as he stares at the untidy paper lying in front of him. Then he takes a deep breath and starts reading

Creatine

2002-01-16T13:00:00-05:00

Creatine should be allowed for use by teenagers because it is a natural substance in the body. Research has shown no side affects in taking creatine. Creatine may improve your performance in athletics. In the paragraphs that follow I will try to show you why I believe creatine is a safe substance to take. What is Creatine? Creatine is a simple amino acid molecule we all have in our body. “Creatine is made up of the three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. Our body produces creatine (it is made in the liver) and we also can get creatine from our diet. At any given time the average person has about 120 grams of creatine stored in their body.”(creatine-only.com) “Our body makes one gram each day from protein. We also eat about one gram of creatine each day from meats such as beef, chicken, or fish.”(Nucare) So by taking a creatine supplement you can put more creatine in your body that you can use as energy. So what does creatine do for you? This is only in theory because we know little about what actually goes on inside the body. 1) Creatine provides additional energy for your muscles: In your body you have a compound called ATP. Think of ATP as an energy containing compound. The body can very quickly get energy from an ATP containing compound. The body has other sources of energy but they take longer to convert into a useable energy source. When you are doing an intense quick burst activity, your muscles need a quick source of energy. That immediate energy comes from ATP. Unfortunately, we do not have an endless supply of ATP. In fact, our muscles only contain enough ATP to last about 10-15 seconds of maximum exertion. When ATP is used, it becomes ADP a useless product. Where creatine comes in is that the majority of creatine that is stored in the muscles bonds with abundant phosphorus stores in the muscles and is converted into Creatine Phosphate. The CP is able to react with the ADP in your body and turn “useless” ADP back into the “super useful” energy source - ATP. More ATP in your body means more fuel for your muscles. 2) Volumization of your muscles: It is the process of pulling fluid into the muscle cells and thus increasing the volume of the muscles. Creatine has shown to pull water into your muscle cells,

Success

2002-01-06T13:00:00-05:00

What makes a person successful? Does money, parents, or background guarantee success? The definition of success varies with each person, but to me one of the most essential definitions of a person’s success is the impact they have on other people. Most of us hold pre-conceived notions of different socioeconomic backgrounds than our own. While people are truly impacted by these factors, some people can overcome them and reach success. Many people throughout history have prevailed over such obstacles as poverty, poor education, and poor parental guidance. For example, Abraham Lincoln had to struggle for a living and for learning, but he became a great leader and president. In my life, I have encountered a special person who has taught me that people really can overcome obstacles. The person who has taught me this important lesson is a special friend of mine. I met her when I was young and had no idea of the obstacles she had confronted or would face in the future. I realized that she was underprivileged, because she could not participate in expensive activities. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she found a way to learn and participate. For example, we would teach her fundamental gymnastics skills and she would practice at home. The thing that impressed me about her was that she never acted like she felt underprivileged, in fact, she always seemed proud of her family and her life. As we became better friends, I learned more about her and started to understand her troubles. As we entered middle school, I began to notice the small amount of clothes she had to wear and how crowded her undersized trailer seemed with five people living in it. I learned that she had lived in various cities and had numerous father figures. You would never hear her complain and she was always smiling. Now that we are in high school, she has made so much of herself. She has not only succeeded academically, but morally and socially. She has become one of the most caring and understanding friends I have. My friend has taught me more than any class or test. She has educated me about life. She has a “reach for the stars” attitude when I need guidance. She has showed me that anyone can overcome obstacles. I have learned to appreciate what I have and other people differences. It is easy to envy other people,

Slang: A Transitional Language

2001-12-21T13:00:00-05:00

Throughout a child’s developmental years most surrounding adults (such as parents, teachers and caretakers) act as principal models for standard speech and grammar skills. Children learn to interact with others through constant attempts to emulate the various styles and melodies of communication that are demonstrated all around them. At some point during this long process of edification, kids become young adults with a need to cultivate a sense of individualism. Dialogue takes on a whole new style, and peers have more influence than ever on vocabulary development. This paper will explore the development and usage of slang, paying close attention to the key role it plays in the transition from dependence to independence, for it is during this period of growth that language will become an important tool in self-discovery. According to the Web Site The Learning Network, slang is a vernacular vocabulary not generally acceptable in formal usage. It often conveys a cutting, sometimes offensive, no-nonsense attitude and lends itself to poking fun at pretentiousness. Just about every culture and sub-culture set has it’s own version of a local vernacular, most of it derived from commonly used words, and sometimes developing into standard speech. According to Judi Sanders, creator of the College Slang Page, the noun form of slang refers to nonstandard terms or the nonstandard usage of standard terms. It is a kind of informal language that generally follows the grammatical patterns of the language from which it stems, but reflects an alternate lexicon with undertones of familiarity. Slang develops in all parts of speech, including verbs, adjectives and complete reference phrases, which give the speaker a broader range of vocabulary to share thoughts, ideas and experiences. It intertwines with standard speech giving it local and personal flavor. The process of “slanging” involves the creation and use of jargon, and may entail both nonverbal and verbal cues. For example, the inflection and tone with which a word or phrase is spoken can transport it from Standard English into the realm of slang. As in any language, slang reflects the experiences, beliefs and values of its speakers (Sanders). It rallies people around common attitudes and creates a sense of community for all those drawn in. It is not a dialect all it’s own though; slang is an enhancement of language in the native tongue. It adds color, style, and texture, and turns up the volume to ten on the

Are people who excel in sports more likely to be given a break?

2001-12-06T13:00:00-05:00

When looking at a topic such as this one. You need to ask yourself the following questions: Are athletes given special privileges? Do those with more power than the players affect the outcome of an athlete? Over time, athletes have been helped but there also has been people that were not helped, chosen to take the fall. Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden are two men that seem to be given every chance in the world. They repeatedly have been suspended by MLB. And they repeatedly get let back in to play again. They are two examples of stars being allowed to play after serious offenses. Shoeless Joe Jackson was supposedly involved in the Black Sox’s scandle of 1919. They said that he took a bribe to throw the series, but he played his heart out in that series. Joe hit the only home run and batted .375 to lead all players. But he was still black listed by the Major Leagues and stricken from the record books. Joe wasn’t involved in the throwing of the series, but found guilty mostly to save Mr. Comiskey’s good name. Pete Rose bet on baseball that is known. But he still swears that he never bet on his own team. When he was caught he was banned from baseball. It was a serious offense but it seems minor in all that athletes get away with today. He bet on baseball, he should be punished, but not to allow one of the best baseball players of all-time into the Hall of Fame seems stupid. These two players are two examples of athletes not getting special treatment. Ray Carruth was sentenced to 19-24 years, convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and shooting to harm an unborn child. This was a case that could go both ways. Did Ray get punished more by the jury because he was an athlete or did he get of easy by not getting murder 1 because he was an athlete. There were many athletes that testified on his behalf. This might have swayed the jurors. Even on a broader sense other famous people are given second and third chances. Robert Downey Jr. has been arrested countless times, but he keeps on doing T.V. and movies. But is it the athletes in control or is it the people that pay their salaries. The owners and the boards really decide on how a

P.E.Contemporary - Nash's functional/dysfunctional model

2001-11-21T13:00:00-05:00

To analyse performance with regard to Nash’s functional/dysfunctional model we must first look at what this model represents. Nash’s functional/dysfunctional model represents the idea that each performer behaves differently whilst playing their sport, due to their personality. It ranges between +3 and -2 but the average player will be around a 0 and +2. However, a person may have an experience or have a reaction which could be classified as a -2 reaction even if they are normally a type 0 or type +1. At the highest (most functional) end of Nash’s scale, is the type +3 person. These people play their sport in the true spirit of the game and so respects the rules and appropriate codes of conduct and shows great sportsmanship. In other words they are honest enough to not need a referee. They also often show creative flair, as their sport is their passion and they are good captain material, being inventive and helping to coach their fellow team mates. The best sporting example of a type +3 is Gary Lineker when he played professional football. He rarely lost his temper and was a superb character, who played because he loved football. As we move down the scale we have a range between +2 and 0. This is where the majority of sports performers will be placed. These people are usually those who have a certain amount of gamesmanship, they will obey the rules set but will push them to their limit in order to gain an advantage. They may even show reluctance to observe the referee’s ruling. Some are in the game purely for entertainment values, to relieve boredom or to play the clown. At the dysfunctional end of the scale, we have the people who fall into either a -1 or a -2 type. Those in the -1 category often argue with the referee and are devious in order to get their own way. They often push themselves so far in order to win (either fairly or unfairly) that they injure themselves and consequently become even more agitated and frustrated at themselves. They are unable to cope with the stress of sport. Indeed, some say the whole idea behind sport is to test oneself to the absolute limit. They are also often associated with excesses. both in and outside their sporting careers, such as drink and drugs. An example of this sort of person may be Robbie Fowler

Recklessness and Criminal Liability

2001-11-14T13:00:00-05:00

Explain the role of recklessness in determining criminal liability. In everyday language, recklessness means taking an unjust risk. However its definition in law is different to its ordinary English meaning and careful direction as to its meaning in law has to be given to the jury. There are two types of recklessness, which exist, subjective recklessness, also known as Cunningham recklessness, and objective recklessness, which is also know as Caldwell recklessness. (Caldwell recklessness only applies to criminal damage). For a defendant to be guilty under Cunningham recklessness he must have consciously undertaken an unjust risk. He must realize that there is a risk involved but if he continues to carry on with his conduct, then he is reckless. A case to illustrate this is R v Cunningham – Cunningham pulled a gas meter of a wall in a house intending to steal money. He broke the main gas pipe, releasing gas into the rest of the house which was inhaled by the old lady that lived there. The C/A quashed the conviction due to a miss-direction by the trial judge as to the word ‘malicious’ under S.23 O.P.A 1861-maliciously administering a poison “we wish to make clear that the test is subjective that the knowledge of appreciation that the risk of some danger must have entered the defendants mind even though he may have suppressed or driven it out”. This case defined this type of recklessness therefore called Cunningham recklessness. Caldwell recklessness is different, firstly it only applies in cases of criminal damage. The case of MPC v Caldwell created new and much wider tests for recklessness. Caldwell was an ex-employee of a hotel and nursed a grudge against its owner. He started a fire at the hotel, which caused some damage and was charged with arson. This offence is defined in the Criminal Damage Act 1971 as requiring either intention or recklessness. On the facts there was no intention and, on the issue of recklessness, Lord Diplock stated that the definition of recklessness in Cunningham was to narrow for the Criminal Damage Act 1971. For that act, he said, recklessness should not only include the Cunningham meaning, but also go further. He said that a person is reckless as to whether any property would be destroyed or damaged if: 1. He does an act which in fact creates an obvious risk that property would be destroyed or damaged and 2. When he act he has either

Administrative Law - Europeanisation and Proportionality

2001-11-11T13:00:00-05:00

What is ‘Europeanisation’? With regards to the principle of proportionality is this europeanisation a valid idea? What is ‘Europeanisation’ and what effect is it having on our British administrative system? In the last 50 years with the introduction of the European Union there has been a massive impact on both the changing of law in the UK and the way in which powers are focused. Because of the influx in European cases, the law that has followed has affected the English Administrative legal system dramatically. A key issue that is relevant here is that British law must conform to European Union Law1, therefore every issue that is assessed in Europe, every case or change in legislation and then maintained in law, must be taken in to consideration, and must not be overlooked by the British government. The underlining factor here is that, regardless of whether one desires such a change in law,European Union Law is affecting the power delegated to public and private bodies in the UK. More specifically with regards to administrative law it is the way in which a public and both private body can affect the citizens of our country. It is the concept of ‘Proportionality’ that bleeds nicely into the europeanisation of our British Administrative system. In a number of European countries there is this principle of proportionality that expresses ‘administrative measures must not be more drastic than necessary for attaining the desired result’2. It is through an application for judicial review that the principle of proportionality has been used in Europe. It was Lord Diplock, in the G.C.H.Q3 case that classified four types of reasoning why an application might come to light. We know already that three of them; Legality, procedural propriety and rationality are strong in argument. It is this forth controversial theory of proportionality that causes writers the most problems. Proportionality is by no means a novel subject and has been gradually accepted into the ranks of other European countries for some time. However philosophical one might be in explaining what exactly it is, it will always embody a basic principle of fairness. At present it is not really what proportionality does that is an issue, it is the intentions of the theory, and in attaining a fair trial it creates a balance for both parties that should in theory resolve with a fair and reasonable conclusion. In many of the cases such as R v Intervention Board for

Does poor communciation cause conflict?

2001-11-11T13:00:00-05:00

Is most conflict in an organisation is caused by poor communication? If we had perfect communication would conflict cease? Consider for example, an e-mail asking for some information “yesterday” to stress how important this request is. The sender thinks e-mails are great as they travel at the speed of light and spell things out in black & white. The recipient may consider that if its in a e-mail then it can’t be that urgent because servers can loose, misdirect or delay an e-mails transmission. They may also consider that as the information was wanted “yesterday” its already too late to be effectively utilised. Both parties saw the same communiqué, neither read the same message. Each will blame the other for failing to communicate properly and conflict may result. E-mail flame wars are a high tech twist on whispering campaigns. And like the system of claims & loyalties in a feudal states the smallest e-mail spat can spiral out of control with careless use of the C.C. and B.C.C functions. Drucker (1977)says that there are four fundamentals of communication:

communication is perception of the recipient not the utterance of the instigator

communication is expectation in that recipients will heed only what they are expecting to hear

communication makes demands of the recipient that they become someone, do or believe something

communication and information are different and largely opposite - yet interdependent Employees need to know a number of things such as what is expected of them, how they are performing and how can they advance. If these are not communicated, on a regular basis, then role or expectation conflict will develop and motivation decline as the employee is berated for failing to meet the goals their superiors [are convinced they] assigned them. But if this is all the communication they receive they may begin to feel like machines. According to Pearson & Thomas there are three levels of communication that employees need, these being: Must know discussed above. Should know which includes significant staff changes and company/market developments. Then could know which although having no operational impact makes life more interesting. Office gossip is only a could know but probably the communication that really binds a company together. Barring security, legal and share price sensitive data everyone should be able to find out anything. Those who can’t access what they need or interests them will resent it. The corporate magazine is often viewed from the shop floor

What are states? Compare and cotrast different theories of the state

2001-11-04T13:00:00-05:00

The main purpose of the state is to shape and control almost every human activity. Where the state does not shape or control it regulates, supervises, authorizes or proscribes . According to Heywood, a state consists of five key categories. Firstly, a state must be sovereign, in which it is able to exercise absolute power over its own affairs in standing above all other associations including the government and groups in society. Secondly, it must consist of public institutions, which must serve the public interest of the population, not just the private interests of a few individuals. Thirdly, citizens of a state must accept the state’s authority in a process known as legitimation. Fourthly, the state is an instrument of domination as it must have sufficient ‘muscle’ to over-ride any other opposing groups as well as able to uphold laws. Lastly, a state must have territoriality; thus it must be recognised by other states as having defined geographical borders . Many political scientists are at odds with one another about what states are and thus may reject Heywood’s definitions. In this essay three confronting views will be discussed. These include Heywood’s view that was just briefly summarized. Secondly, The Pluralist view, which argues that the state is like a neutral arbitrator that tries to keep the peace between different groups. Lastly, the Marxist view that argues that the state is an instrument of the capitalist classes will be discussed. These views will be compared and contrasted. In theory, states are sovereign. That is they exercise supreme authority within their own territory. According to Heywood, a sovereign state can exercise total power on its citizens. For example, a state may enter into treaties, declare war, or adopt any other course of action without another country's or a rival domestic group’s consent. It is clear that throughout the world there currently are many states where their government does not have absolute power on its own affairs . When a civil war breaks out in a certain state, the government certainly loses its sovereignty throughout the country. It is interesting to ask oneself whether that ‘state’ ceases to be a state. If the answer is yes, then there are a considerable less number of states then we had previously imagined. A few examples where a state does not have absolute power over its territory include Russia, where the civil war in Chechnya undermines

Plumbing/HVAC

2001-10-30T13:00:00-04:00

Plumbing/HVAC provides many job opportunities that are extremely available, require quick and easy training, and careers that yield considerably high wages. Low cost training and high paying jobs make plumbing/HVAC a exceedingly valued field. Most of the training to become a service man only requires two years of classes or less in most cases. Plumbing /HVAC jobs one of the most rapidly increasing employment opportunities in the world, and they offer involvement in business ownership. Plumbing is the background for all other major trades whether it is refrigeration or heating ventilation. The first of three major types of plumbing is construction plumbing. Construction plumbing usually requires more than two years of training, but it is also one of the highest paying, fastest growing service jobs. The U.S Department of Labor is estimating that there are over 90,000 jobs in construction plumbing alone, and they are also predicting a 17% increase of jobs in this field. Construction plumbers need stamina to carry supplies and sit in awkward positions for hours at a time. Trade plumbing on the other hand requires only two years or less of training, and it has been said to be easy to pick up as well. Plumbing is a versatile business, because you are not confined to an office or desk. Plumbing offers jobs almost anywhere thought possible. Jobs in an office, jobs outdoors, and even jobs overseas are available in this widespread business. The job of being a plumber changes rapidly due to all the new inventions, and better methods of conservation brought up by innovative plumbers. Innovative plumbing or scientific plumbing is mainly dealing with higher technology and will obviously require more training than average. Scientific plumbers find new ways to conserve energy and upgrade modern plumbing equipment. Plumbing dates back as far as2500 B.C and it will always be in high demand, so job security will always be there for a plumber. Although one planning on entering this or any other HVAC field may want to strongly consider joining a workers union, because an average wage for a union worker can be as much as $15.00 higher when compared to a non-union worker in the plumbing/HVAC business. Heating ventilation is an important factor in people’s homes and businesses, because being comfortable is one thing the human population has come to enjoy. Scientific ventilation involves creating blueprints for plans on new ways to vent building

Descartes and the Material World

2001-10-29T13:00:00-04:00

Can you doubt that the material world exists? If you can't, does it follow that Descartes' method of doubt is useless? It is very difficult to know for certain if the material world exists or not because we are dealing with metaphysical philosophy. Metaphysical philosophy is the branch of philosophy concerned with the basic nature of reality. Its aim is to give a systematic account of the world and the principles that govern it Rene Descartes, a French philosopher during the 17th century came up with many arguments concerning existence. Descartes is called a dualist because he claimed that the world consists of two basic substances, matter and spirit. Matter is the physical universe, of which our bodies are a part. The human mind, or spirit, interacts with the body but can, in theory, exist without it, Descartes argued. Descartes wrote pieces of writing known as ‘The Six Meditations.’ During these meditations he attempted to rule out anything that can be doubtful. “So, for the purpose of rejecting all my opinions, it will be enough if I find each of them at least some reason for doubt,” he commented. The results of these meditations will be discussed in detail. Although Descartes is very influential to modern philosophy, it came with a price. Many philosophers attacked Descartes’ arguments critically. One example where Descartes’ arguments have been attacked is in the book by John Cottingham. These arguments will be discussed further in this essay. In Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes first considered the strongest reasons that might be used to show that he could never be certain of anything. He clarifies that everything that humans accept as true have been acquired from the senses or through the senses. Although our senses are our most “trustworthy friend,” they tend to deceive us from time to time. “It is prudent never to trust completely those who have deceived us even once ,” Descartes argues. In mentally sane beings, the best example where our senses may have deceived us is in our dreams. When we dream, we rarely know we are actually dreaming. So in turn, while dreaming, we are perceived with a “false” reality. These arguments included the idea that perhaps we might be dreaming, so that nothing we seem to perceive is real. There are though universal laws in which even if our physical existence is doubted still exist. For example, Mathematics and Geometry

Are Poeple who excel in sports more likely to be given a break?

2001-10-21T14:00:00-04:00

Let Kids be Kids

2001-10-13T14:00:00-04:00

“You better enjoy ‘em while you can,” a man says as he passes my son and I playing at the park. “I know, “ I reply glancing at my son, “it seems like yesterday he was a tiny baby. I wish he wouldn’t grow up so fast.” I have had this conversation with many passing strangers. I have always treasured the time that my son and I share. And I have to admit, he is growing fast. Now that teething, toilet training and temper tantrums are old memories scribed in the baby book, it is now time to start the next volume of my son’s life…education. I’m not talking college just yet; I’m talking about the foundation on which the building blocks of education is built…kindergarten. But now I have to make a decision as to whether to send my son to kindergarten all day or the traditional half-day. Despite the trend of full-day kindergarten programs, my son will attend kinder-garten for only half of a day. Although formal education will be part of my son’s early development, it will not be a replacement for day care and it will be used in conjunction with the education he receives at home. Most of all, my son will not attend full-day kin-dergarten because I want to let him be a kid. He is already growing up way too fast and he has plenty of time in the years ahead to get an education. According to Dianne Rothenberg’s research, “the majority of five-year-olds in the United States today are more accustomed to being away from home much of the day” (“Full-Day or Half-Day Kindergarten”). But that’s the majority. My son is part of the minority; he is at home for much of the day. Since my husband and I work opposite shifts only four hours of in-home day care are needed. Economically, all-day kindergar-ten would be more feasible because I could eliminate most of my day care expense. Con-sequently, this would become tax payers’ day care expense. Full-day kindergarten re-quires more teaching staff and classroom space; more teaching staff and classroom space requires more funding. “This year, Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) declined to fund a $60 million proposal for statewide all-day kindergarten, saying it was too expen-sive and too controversial” (“All-Day Kindergarten Boosts Reading”). All-day kinder-garten is viewed to be more of a public day care rather than an educational program. Research

Mathematics and Our Future

2001-10-05T14:00:00-04:00

Mathematics has been a part of life since life began and is not about to go away. Rosie O’Donnell has been quoted recently in Newsweek as saying that math should no longer be taught because “we have computers (and) no longer need to know why 3x2y/4.” Although not all mathematics is useful in everyday life there still are an indefinite amount of examples of it being practical and informative. From tennis, government, and even to a student’s car buying experience, math is an essential skill for everyone. It makes advancement in today’s marketplace easier and can lead to a more satisfying life. Those with a mathematic type major learn to think more abstractly and find ways to adapt easier. These critical thinking skills are essential to achieve

Knowledge Is Power

2001-09-29T14:00:00-04:00

Knowledge can be defined as the fact or state of knowing. There are many different aspects of knowledge. Knowledge comes from many different places. There are great numbers of philosophers who have tried to describe where knowledge comes from. Also knowledge can be divided into different parts according to the way we receive knowledge. There are many things that related to the knowledge of something. The development of questions in philosophy about knowledge began back in the day of Plato. They are still around today. These questions are the hardest to answer. Also these questions are used to give background on a lot of philosophies. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. This theory asks three questions: what are the sources of knowledge? What is the nature of knowledge? And is our knowledge valid? Knowledge is believed to come from four different sources. The sources each have their own way to look at the world. The appeal to authority is the first source of knowledge. We learn things about the past from the testimony of others. The experience of the person who gives you the testimony is the actual source. Although authority is used a lot as a source of knowledge, this is only a secondary source. Another source is the senses through empiricism. The realm of knowledge is given to us through all of our perceptions of something concrete. Whatever someone sees, hears, touches, smells, and tastes then is made into an idea that becomes a part of the knowledge that person can receive. The philosophy of pragmatism is similar to empiricism. The next source is rationalism. Rationalists say that thinking is a source of knowledge. They also say that the mind has the ability to discover truth by itself, or knowledge is obtained by comparing ideas with ideas. The things that the senses detect are just raw material of knowledge in rationalism. The last source is intuition, or the direct apprehension of knowledge that is not the result of conscious reasoning or of immediate sense perception. Intuition has four different ways that it is connected with being a source of knowledge. First George Santayana believed intuition was the awareness of the immediate data of consciousness. He said that intuition is in the knowledge of oneself and one’s own life. The second is that intuition is actually just a combination of one’s past experiences and thinking. It comes from subconscious

Dreaming the square root of negative one: Jacques Lacan and space-time relativity

2001-09-26T14:00:00-04:00

(c) 1998 by Daniel du Prie The resistance of dreams to the transparency of the egoic consciousness, as opposed to structural meaning per se, lies not in their 'objective presentation', that is, in the way in which objects appear phenomenologically in terms of an eidos, under the order of the symbol. It lies, rather, in a noetic resistance, in an opacity on the order of the image, the imaginary: a lacking in the 'narrative' flow of meaning as it flows forwards in time, the non-conformity of the ordered text. Or so it appears at first glance. Dreams seem to hide from imaginary order, protesting against a psychological model of sense/reference. This due to the trieblich (drive-ish) source of dreams' contents. In this frame, it appears that when I wake from this dream, or that one, confused, it is not so much because there were no recognisable signifiers, symbols or objects: the cat in my dream I know as a cat, that tram I understand as a tram, the gun looked like a gun which shot bullets and killed the monster. To my understanding, it is in the diachronic flow that meaning seems to elude me. In the syntagmatic disjunctions, dislocations and disordering of the 'normal', everyday and waking flow of signifiers' differences and associations. Not these as such, but in the flow thereof. The diachronic flow of signifiers which appears transparent due to repetitive reification in the meaningful discourse of the everyday is undermined and turned upside down in my night-life. It is because the cat is eating pizza with knife and fork, because the tram has now become a train (while I was not looking), because shooting the monster had 'nothing' to do with 'anything else' in my dream narrative that meaning escapes my consciousness. These alien patterns of flow alienate me from my dreams' meanings. I am aware, generally, that this lack of meaning is grounded in the manners by which the wish-fulfilments of my Triebe (drives) tend to function, as Freud has variously written, that is, dreams are "disguised fulfilments of repressed wishes" (see endnote 1) [emph. in original]. However, the signifying chain generated by this or that Trieb (drive) in this or that dream by the unconscious is radically obscured in its translation to the symbolic by the censor: that is, in the Trieb's translation subject to law and reality, which need to preserve their own particular

History of Basketball

2001-09-20T14:00:00-04:00

The game of basketball has evolved a great deal throughout the years. Basketball was invented on December 21, 1891. The inventor of the game was a Canadian clergyman, James Naismith (Joseph Morse, 1973). The game of basketball was fashioned from fragments of other games, seeking to eliminate flaws of indoor rugby, soccer and lacrosse. Naismith also borrowed aspects from the children’s game “Duck-on-a-Rock,” in which children tried to knock off a rock from a boulder by tossing smaller rocks from about 20 feet away (Lauren S. Bahr, 1995). There has been no question that basketball was first played in the United States. In fact, the first game was played at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School, now called Springfield College. (Joseph Morse, 1973) Naismith invented basketball as an alternative to the calisthenics and marching his students practiced to keep fit in the winters (Lauren S. Bahr, 1995). Basketball was a simple game, which consists of a ball and a basket. The very first ball that was used was a soccer ball until 1894 when an actual “basketball” was invented. The basketball was slightly smaller, about 30 inches in diameter (William D.Halsey, 1975). While, the first baskets that were used were two peach baskets that were hung from the balcony of the gymnasium (Frank G. Menke, 1970). By 1906, the peach baskets were replaced by metal baskets with holes in the bottom. These holes were placed in the basket so a long pole could be used to poke the basketball out of the basket. This was better then in the early days, when a ladder was used to climb and fetch the ball out of the basket. Finally, in 1913 a hoop with a net was invented so the basketball could fall freely to the ground (Lauren S. Bahr, 1995). In my opinion, the invention of the hoop and net was a major step in the game of basketball. Due to the free falling ball the game’s tempo increased which allowed the game of basketball to develop even more. In 1893, due to the overzealous spectators interfering with the basketball, the backboard was invented. The first backboard was constructed out of wire mesh, then wood and now it is made out of glass so the backboard does not interfere with the viewing of the game (Lauren S. Bahr, 1995). Around this time, there was no name for this game. Students wanted to call the

Philosophy: A Comprehensive Definition

2001-09-16T14:00:00-04:00

The word ‘philosophy,’ by definition, is extremely vague and ambiguous. It can be related to anything to do with thought, perception, and even basic human existence. Therefore, in defining philosophy, perhaps it is easier to simply state what it may or may not involve rather than trying to find a concrete and simplified definition. Philosophy includes the studies of logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology. Logic deals with the principles and systems of reasoning. It is the method by which we deduce and interpret information. Ethics involves the principles of morals and the judgment of “good” and “bad” conduct. Aesthetics is the appreciation of artistic beauty and taste. Metaphysics examines the nature of reality and its relationship to the supernatural. Epistemology studies the very nature of knowledge itself. Through its development, philosophy has also touched virtually every intellectual discipline possible. These include, but are

The Hero

2001-09-07T14:00:00-04:00

The word hero is not used today as it was many years ago. Back then a hero was a warrior who fought and killed his enemies to save many lives. Today we know there are many types of heroes. For example, Martin Luther King changed the lives of many and was considered a great hero though he never fought or killed anyone. A hero is anyone who changes anyone’s life in a positive way. The classic definition of a hero is a strong courageous man who fights evil to defend the lives of the innocent. Many times he would be a made up story hero. Superhuman strength would be the most important characteristic of what a hero would be given in one of these adventure stories. A hero also had to be fearless, caring, and famous. His enemies would include supernatural beings like a monster, a witch or the infamous dragon. Having made up heroes raised the spirits of many during their hard times. Not all heroes were made up. War generals like the notorious Napoleon were considered heroes for their heroic warfare. George Washington led the American Revolution to bring freedom to thousands of Americans. Firefighters risk their lives to rescue the lives of many civilians. The police force place their lives on the line everyday to make the world a safer place. Risking your life for someone else creates a hero. You also don’t have to kill anyone, conquer foreign land, or risk your life to be a hero. Anyone who influences anyone else by saving or helping save their lives is a hero. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the lives of millions of people by bringing justice to minorities. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest heroes, led a nonviolent revolution to free his country. Even a parent can be a hero to his or her child by leading them in the right direction. All teachers are heroes when they make it their job to teach a child anything that will help them in life. You don’t have to go to great lengths by risking your life to make a difference in someone else’s life. There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country lives mostly minorities. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination

Electric Deregulation

2001-08-16T14:00:00-04:00

In the past electricity pricing was controlled by regulation. The roots of modern day regulation can be traced all the way back to the late 1800's and found in the form of antitrust. By the beginning of the 20th century, the U.S. government had formed many regulatory commissions. The main goal of these regulatory commissions was to create a reasonable rate structure that would be appealing to both producers and consumers. While this system has worked for many years, it eventually came under heavy criticism. Many people wanted open competition among electric power producers. Although this was once believed to be an impossible proposal many states have accomplish it. Massachusetts is just one state where legislation applied to create competition among electric power producers is not only favored by the people of the state, but has also provided significant rate reductions as well. The term regulation refers to government restrictions on firms’ decisions over price, quantity, and entry and exit. Each factor of an industry must be regulated for producers and consumers to truly benefit. The control of price does not mean setting one fixed price, but involves the creation of a price structure for purchasing electricity during peak and non-peak times. The control of quantity refers to the government's attempt to control the amount produced. For example, in the electric industry, it does not make sense to have a lot of small power plants produce electricity. However, at the same time one company cannot be allowed to monopolize the industry and set prices at its own discretion. Another factor in this problem is the control of entry and exit in the electric industry. By controlling who can enter the industry, the government can control who produces the electricity and how much of it they produce. The attempt at regulating price in the electric industry is a complex one. The idea is not only to minimize the cost to consumers, but also to create a rate structure that will entice the electric company to remain in the industry. The regulatory commission wants the electric company to have a reason to innovate so that they will be able to provide cheaper power in the future. However, if the commission captures all gains from innovation in the form of lower prices, then the electric company has less incentive to undertake any type of innovation. Therefore, a compromise must be reached which would

Language Acquisition and Innateness

2001-08-03T14:00:00-04:00

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Basketball Then and Now

2001-07-13T14:00:00-04:00

"Hello everyone and welcome to the NBA Finals game one! We will be right back to cover the tip off on NBA on NBC!" This is what you would hear nowadays when TV as completely changed the game in the NBA. Before, it used to be real hard working people who had talent and entertained us by playing the game of basketball. It was a time of great skill and amazing shots. Until Television came along... Now, the game has gotten more popular at the expense of having over-paid players playing for the fame, not enjoyment. They act aggressive and make mean faces to the cameras after a spectacular dunk. These type of players have completely changed our view of the NBA. It gets more serious on the rucker parks in New York. It's all about showing off there and there is virtually NO good sportsmanship in the game. That's why I believe that we, the next generation should do something about this attitude crisis that we have here. We should try our best to have good sportsmanship WHERE EVER WE GO. Please look at what the human society has come to. But, don't

Living Wills

2001-07-09T14:00:00-04:00

Living Wills, sometimes called Advanced Directives, are legal documents accepted in all 50 states. They clearly define a person’s wish to decline life-support or medical treatment in certain circumstances, usually when death is imminent. Generally, a living will takes effect when a person becomes terminally ill, permanently unconscious or conscious with irreversible brain damage. A living will also allows a person to state with particularity the forms of treatment are wanted and not wanted. For example, if a one does not want artificial life support, then sign the living will stating that desire. It is also important to discuss your beliefs and wishes with you family, spouse and other people whose opinions you respect, such as clergy, physicians, attorney or an accountant. Living wills are recognized in every state, but each state has different requirements. If someone is interested in making a living will, contact an expert in the state that you live in, such as a hospital, local agency on aging or local bar association. To help ensure that the living will be honored, give copies to family members, physicians, lawyer and other involved in caring for the person’s welfare. Federal law now requires most health care facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, HMOs and home health agencies) to ask patients if they have a living will or would like to complete one. Can Medical Care Legally Be Stopped If There Is NO Living Will? When there is no written document, a spouse or close family member may still request that treatment be withheld if the patient cannot do so, but the request could be denied. The way states and health care providers handle such cases varies widely. Typically, a doctor or hospital representative will meet with a person’s family to discuss what that person’s wishes were. In some cases a health care facility may want to withhold or provide life support against a family’s wishes. In some cases a formal hearing may be held to determine how to proceed. How To Make A Living Will The rules for preparing a living will vary from state. Some states require that the document be signed with the same formalities required for execution of a will, but many state recognize the effectiveness of more informal declarations. Generally a living will:

Should Be in Writing.

Should Be Signed and Dated.

Should Be Signed Voluntarily

Should State Specific Treatments It is evidence of the patient’s wish, and it is the patient’s wish that

Never to late

2001-07-07T14:00:00-04:00

Many older students are making their way back to school The number of older, more “nontraditional” college students are growing. These students say that maturity and life experience give them a clear advantage in the college classroom, and many advisors agree. No matter how old or young one is; it is never too late to start working toward an educational goal in becoming a college graduate! Remember the dream within us sits waiting to spread forth and become a reality. It is only the lack of belief in ourselves that stops us from achieving those things with the heart, and it is only through our own understanding, ability and perseverance that we see them become realities. Until then, they are little more than visions in a crystal ball, with no chance of development. Some would-be students believe it is too difficult to pursue a college degree, believing they are not smart enough or personally powerful enough to see a degree through. And, no doubt, it is no walk in the park, but is and will be the most personally fulfilling and rewarding experience and personal achievement that life will bring, second only to a beautiful, long lasting marriage or having children to share ones life with. The first step in achieving ones college goal, is believing in yourself and making a commitment to yourself and education that no matter what the next few years bring in personal circumstance or situation that ones priority is achieving their college dream, and nothing will stand in ones way in achieving them. It is only the student with this most positive and certain attitude that will succeed. Otherwise, difficult circumstances and situations are sure to arise, and without this attitude, students are sure to follow a voice within them that says, “It’s too difficult, why not just quit!” And that will be the end of that. But with a positive and certain goal the voice within will remind the student of the dream, the band playing pomp and circumstance and the diploma in hand. And the struggle will seem well worth it. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), by 2010, 16 million people will be enrolled in American colleges and universities – over half of them adults. Not Your Average College Freshman Why return to school? Some people want to finish a degree begun earlier in life but interrupted by career decisions or family responsibilities. Others decide to

Education Starts At Home

2001-06-29T14:00:00-04:00

Some parents think that once their children are at school, they can relax and let the education system take control. But this is not the case at all. As research shows, parents have an even greater influence on their children’s academic results than the school does. Most of a child’s ability to communicate, to relate to teachers and peers and their attitude to learning, is formed from home. Parents can help give their children a head start, by beginning their education at home. Many parents don’t realise how they can help their children at home. Things as simple as baking a cake with their children can help them with their education. Measuring out ingredients for a cake is a simple form of maths. Another example of helping young children with their maths is simply planning a birthday party. They have to decide how many people to invite, how many invitations they will need, how much the stamps will cost, how many prizes, lolly bags, cups, plates, and balloons need to be bought, and so on. Children often find that real life experiences help them to do their maths more easily. Another way that parents can help their children with their maths, is to give them pocket money. It does not have to be a large amount, and they may have to do chores to earn it. This not only teaches them about the value of money, but they may need to use basic maths to work out how long they will have to save to buy the special toy that they want. This means that children are developing their money sense, as well as their maths skills. Reading to children at an early age can give them a head start when they start school. But parents should not stop reading to children when they do start going to school. They still like to be read to, and it can help to increase their sight vocabulary as well. Parents can also help their children with their reading skills by providing them with reading opportunities. Parents can read their children books, signs, magazines – or anything else that interests them. Teaching children the alphabet whilst they are young, can also help them with their spelling and reading. Providing children with the right equipment can help with their education. Giving them a quiet place where they can work, read and do homework, with a good reading light

Theatrical Practitioners: Konstantin Stanislavski System

2001-06-25T14:00:00-04:00

As an actor using Stanislavski’s system, how would you use his ideas on ‘imagination’, ‘units and objectives’ and ‘emotion memory’ in the preparation of a role? Stanislavski’s principle theory of acting was that of psychological realism. In other words, acting should be an art that teaches an actor how to consciously produce natural action; it must teach the actor “how to awaken consciously her subconscious creative self for its superconscious organic creativeness,” and how to consciously create action that is usually subconsciously expressed as a result of conscious thought. He discovered that there is no inner experience without outer physical expression, but if an actor on stage performs only physical actions, this violates the psycho-physical union and her performance is mechanical and dead. Therefore Stanislavski protested against “mechanical” acting, exploitation of art, bathos, the art of representation, “theatricality” and the “star” system, and aimed to create a real, artistic, scenic truth by examining the psychological aspects of life by manipulating the subconscious via conscious physical action. This would ensure believability, not only for the actor but for the audience too. In order to prepare an actor for a role so that it relates back to these concepts, Stanislavski developed a number of rehearsal and performance techniques such as imagination, units and objectives and emotion memory. These techniques were designed in order to help an actor awaken her consciences, and eventually achieve psycho-physical involvement. Stanislavski said that “Imagination creates things that can be or can happen.” An actor must develop her imagination and learn to think on any theme; this will help the actor to adapt easily to any role. As a playwright rarely gives details of a character’s past or future, an actor must complete her character’s biography in her own mind in order to possess a greater understanding of the character’s psyche. Knowing extra withheld details about a character will give depth to the actor’s performance and will give the actor a greater perspective and “a feeling of movement in the role.” Stanislavski referred to this as “predicted circumstances”; i.e., knowing what has happened before the scene opens and knowing what will happen after the play ends. An actor should not truthfully believe the reality of events on stage, but she should believe in the possibility of events. The “magic if” transforms the character’s aim into the actor’s aim. An actor must try to answer the question “What would I do if I

Performing a Full Golf Swing

2001-06-25T14:00:00-04:00

To begin executing the proper golf swing, your feet must be shoulder width apart. When gripping the club, place the club in the joints of your left fingers with the thumb pointing down the center or slightly to the right of the shaft. (This is written for the right-handed golfer, all left-handers must reverse everything). Place the pinky of the right hand in between the index and middle fingers of your left. Do not grip the club any tighter than you would a baby bird. The next step is the placement of the ball with respect to your stance. Firstly, with mid range irons the ball should be placed in the center. With high irons and wedges, the ball should be toward your right foot. With low irons and woods, the ball should be towards your left foot or the front of your stance. Secondly, the ball must be placed at the correct distance with respect to how far it is from your body. Your knees should be slightly bent and your arms should be pointing nearly strait down. The club should be at an angle in which the head is flat on the ground. The back swing is the part of the swing that many golfers struggle with. First, keep your right elbow close to your right side the entire time. Second, your left arm should be practically straight. This rule is not that strict, some bending is acceptable. Next, the turning of your body can best be done by imagining a rod down your spine from your pelvis to the back of your head. You must rotate your body around this imaginary rod. When rotating, start with your shoulder, not waist. Your waist will move slightly following your shoulders. During this process, your head should move very little. It should certainly not move up and down. Fourth, the path that the club follows in your back swing is called the swing arc. This swing arc should be about 45° with respect to the vertical. The fifth step is at the top. Here you must “cock” your wrists and point the club at the target. This isn’t as important as the “cocking” of the wrists. Many golfers do not execute a full golf swing and the club does not point at the target. This is acceptable. A final check is to look at what your legs are doing. Both knees should

How To Get Better At Basketball

2001-06-23T14:00:00-04:00

Hey all you amateur basketball players out there. Read this to find out how to improve your game! Tip 1: To be a great basketball player, you first must know your strengths and weaknesses. Big tall people don't need to shoot threes and short people shouldn't be in the middle struggling to get rebounds. Very physically able players should use that to there advantage to jump higher, run faster, and play better than their opponents. Not very strong or fast players should use fakes and their brains to score points. Tip 2: Team mates hate ball hogs, especially ball hogs who don't have any skills. Team mates respect passers who can penetrate and pass. Tip 3: If you're on a fast break and there aren't any defenders, then you don't need the whole team running down the floor, duh. Some people should stay back on defense. Move 1: The Drop Step This is a move to help you get to the basket. While your powering off the dribble and about to take a lay-up, instead of the two steps, you can land of your two feet at the same time, pump fake, and then get in the air again and shoot the ball. This helps your self from tripping over legs because you can easily jump over them. Move 2: The Jumper While your putting the moves on the defender but you're not getting anywhere, bounce the ball "behind" your back, not "around" your back (there is a difference), then jump backwards, catch the ball in your hands and shoot it. This move shakes off your defender for enough time to give you space for a good shot. Move 3: The Spinning Crossover Start with dribbling the ball with either hand, then cross over to the other hand but while its still in the other hand, spin around that way to bring it back to your right. For example, let's say you start with your right hand, once you take the ball to your left hand the defender might move to the left thinking you will go that way. Instead the bring the ball back around to the right again giving you enough space to burn past your defender and "take him to school." Work on these moves until your comfortable doing them during the game because playing during practice is very different from playing during the game. There is pressure during the game and you might stop doing good moves and revert

Qualities of a good language learner

2001-06-18T14:00:00-04:00

As this essays contains graphics I suggest that you

Australian Court Hierarchy

2001-06-13T14:00:00-04:00

The term “Court Hierarchy” is a very important word in the law world in modern society. It’s definition gives a very clear and concise meaning to the law industry. The phrase can be split into two words to be easily dealt and understood. The word “court” is from a Greek derivative “cohors” or “cohort” meaning courtyard or retinue. It’s definition from the dictionary certainly portrays the law as a very important and distinguished practice. “a. A person or body of persons whose task is to hear and submit a decision on cases at law.” “b. The building, hall, or room in which such cases are heard and determined.” The word, “hierarchy”, however, has a more powerful and specific relation to the law world. It is a Greek derived word and originally came from the word “hierarkhia”, meaning the rule of a high priest. “a. A body of clergy organized into successive ranks or grades with each level subordinate to the one above.” “b. A series in which each element is graded or ranked.” By placing these two words together, it has a responsibility of giving the public a definition of one of the most important practices portrayed by the Court System of Australia. Court Hierarchy is the term given to the system in which the Courts of Australia are split into different levels to deal with different matters by different levels of severity. The jurisdiction of courts’ is very important due to the fact that different courts deal with special matters differently from another court. The term jurisdiction means “a. The right and power to interpret and apply the law.” This means that the different courts of Australia deal with matters according to severity and relevance of that particular case to be heard in the highest possible court. This is the how the courts of Australia deal with which cases are heard in a specific court. No two courts have the same areas of jurisdiction even though it is a fact that the same case can be appealed and heard in a different court. The higher court which heard the appeal can over-rule the previous verdict. Jurisdiction brings efficiency to the court system allowing minor cases to be filtered through the court system and brought up and heard by the most appropriate court. In the Court Hierarchy System, there are six courts all together. The names of each from the highest and

Imported Cars

2001-06-13T14:00:00-04:00

Picture yourself in Orange County, California. As you walk on the gravel covered road, you spy a bright neon green Honda Prelude. When you take a close look, you will see all kinds of logos. Pokemon, Honda, Greddy, Mugen, Transformer, TriZone, Kamikaze, Weapon R, Neuspeed, Barely Street Legal, HKS, Xenon, DC Sports, Catz, Nakayama, Venom, Napolex, Tokico, Momo, Honda Sport, and Street Glow are all popular logos you can find anywhere. As you turn a cheek, the sun’s bright beam is reflecting off the shiny chrome wheels. Since it is hurting your eyes, you turn around; right in front of you is a sticker that says “Greddy Racing Exhaust System”. As your eyes wonder downward, you see the 4.5-inch exhaust tip. You stand up and leave with a huge smile and say, “That is going to be my car one day”. Stickers are the main characters in import car shows. You can always get stickers of anything and about anything if your car is great, as any import car owner hopes it to be. To have millions of people admire your car as much as you do, your car will need to be unique by using manufacture logos. The manufacture owner then gives you their logos, turbo chargers, leather seats, exhaust systems, and so on. It is obvious that import cars are more for looks then speed. Spoilers are the main item for dressing up the rear of the car. You can always keep the old-fashion manufacture spoiler that came with your car, but the spoiler that really makes heads turn are the custom made ones. Favorites among the custom spoilers are the samurai sword holder and the high wing. The high wing is made for looks and little for speed. The only true owners of the high wing spoilers are Toyota owners. Samurai sword holder spoilers are basically the same as three-piece spoilers. The three-piece spoilers are only for looks because they do not have the aerodynamic figure or slick designs. (Chang 44) Every running car has to have an exhaust system. If you want a lot of speed, you would want a racing exhaust system. A racing exhaust system contains a racing header, a provision pipe with a custom tip. Mini draggers are another approach for looks, sound, and some speed. You can hear a mini dragger from miles away. My mommy always told me “If you can’t say anything nice

Cricket in Australia in the 1920's

2001-05-29T14:00:00-04:00

Cricket is a game now played all over the world. Back in the 1920s there were two main teams, Australia and England. The Ashes are a series of cricket test matches between Australia and England. The first Ashes test ever played was on March 15th 1877 in Australia. Since then Ashes tests between Australia and England have flourished numbering a series approximately every three years. The overall Ashes results are in favor of Australia, while since 1989 the Ashes series have all been won by Australia. The 1920’s Ashes saw a more even event with England winning two series, Australia three. Although Australia won 13 tests to England’s six with six draws all in England. The first Ashes series in Australia was in 1920-21. This series was dominated by Australia winning all five tests. This was the first English team to tour Australia since the war, but it was delayed by an outbreak of typhus on the passenger ship carrying the English team. Australia placed seven test debutants under the captaincy of Warwick Armstrong, and yet they seemed too experienced and too good for England. The team was; W. Armstrong, W. Bardsley, H. Collins, J Gregory, C. Kelleway, A. Mailey, G. McDonald, W. Oldfield, C. Pellew, J. Ryder and J. Taylor. The first test in Sydney never from the outlook looked like a two teamed race, rather a spectacle to see how much Australia could win by. Armstrong won his first of many tosses and decided to bat first, Australia making 267 on a pitch favoring the bowlers. England, on the second day crumbled being spun out for a feeble 190 and in reply Australia made 581, with centuries to Collins the opener and Armstrong the captain. This meant England needed 658 on the last two days. Australia’s superior bowling attack dismissed England for 281, 377 short. The second test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was no closer. Australia batted first and made 499 with centuries to Pellew and Gregory. Australia then bowled England out for 251 with inspirational Gregory taking 7/69. Enforcing the follow on, Australia’s bowlers took advantage of the mental state of England and bundled them out for 157 winning by an innings and 91 runs. The third test in Adelaide beginning on January 14 was by far the closest test. Australia winning the toss decided to bat for the third time in a row. On a ‘road like’ pitch

Requirements for an Apophantic Sentence

2001-05-13T14:00:00-04:00

Logic, as it appears in its everyday form, seems to stand on its own, without any requirements to needed to justify its existence. However, it is commonly overlooked that "logic is the science and means of clear . . . communication." Consequently, many sentences are regarded as logical, which in reality are illogical. It can therefore be found that the language used to communicate this logic must be carefully constructed using a certain format in order to form a logical statement. The requirements in such a sentence include a subject, the verb "to be", a predicate containing information that is relevant to the subject by means of the verb "to be", an adjective, and it must have correct reference numbers. Therefore, logic must consist of sentences of a certain kind, in order to be formatted with the intention of revealing or displaying something. It is because of the former items that a logical sentence cannot exist unless it contains all of the previously mentioned grammatical parts. The definition of a subject is: the object in a sentence about which something is said. A logical sentence can, therefore, not exist without a subject, for the simple reason that nothing can be revealed about an object that has not been revealed to the potential obtainer of the logic. Simply stated, if there were no subject, the logical sentence would have nothing to show something about. "Being seems to be presupposed in every apophantic sentence," and it is for this reason that the verb "to be" is required in all sentences of that sort. A verb is that which displays action, existence, or occurrence. Nothing can be displayed concerning the subject of the logical statement unless the subject exists, unless it "is." A predicate must also be present in a logic sentence, and it must be relative to the subject by means of the verb "to be." It is necessary for the subsistence of such a sentence because of the previous definition of the subject. The subject is the item about which something is said, and the predicate is the part of the statement that says something about the subject. In other words, nothing can be revealed about the subject in a logic sentence unless something is said about that subject. However, the predicate must be tied to the subject by the verb "to be", otherwise the result would be that the predicate would be making

Freedom

2001-05-13T14:00:00-04:00

Freedom is often spoken of in what can be referred to as a

Torture

2001-04-30T14:00:00-04:00

Ronald D. Cretlinsten contends that torturers acquire the ability to cope with the moral dilemmas of inflicting pain upon and murdering their fellow humans primarily through the processes of “routinization” and “dehumanization”, and also through the notion of “authorization” (191). With such as the case, an individual adept in the art of torture would necessarily have learned to be cruel, however, that argument neglects the very reality that many engaged in such activities are intrinsically perverse, and in fact willingly and happily do harm to others. The prevalence of torture throughout the world can be accounted for in part by the process of “routinization” in which a regime, in essence, desensitizes a given torturer to the atrocities that he is committing in its name. In such a process “what is being done to someone transforms into what is being done: information gathering” (191). The task of amassing information and confessions eclipses the reality in which the torturer lives; this is achieved through peer pressure from fellow torturers “to be a man”, by intense physical and emotional training, and through the employment of propaganda claiming that the torturer is fulfilling his duty and doing the right thing as his victims are immoral enemies of the state (192). In short, the torturer becomes disoriented and unable to decipher the actuality of his existence. This disorientation is caused by repetition, or “habituation”, in addition to the development of the “task-oriented frame of mind”; according to one Chilean ex-torturer “. . . after . . . not wanting to . . . but wanting to, you start getting used to it [and there] definitely . . . comes a moment when you [no longer] feel [anything] about what you are doing” (191). The “dehumanization” of one’s victims does wonders to calm any qualms or misgivings an individual may experience about injuring another man. By evoking fear in the torturer and therefore, a sense of being threatened by a given enemy, the regime in power causes the torturer to feel obliged to defend against such a threat. Consequently, he will torture his fellow man to procure some valued piece of information and in doing so remove himself from a precarious position and subdue his enemies all at once. Such enemies are viewed as evil and little more than monsters. A victim is rarely referred to by his or her name or by any other humanizing characteristic, rather

A Man's Vendetta

2001-04-27T14:00:00-04:00

What’s stopping us from killing one another in spite or anger? Do we fear the law, or do we fear the punishment? The Law is a deterrent but let us question this, we do not harm others because we fear being punished and not because we know that we do not bear any right to do so. Sounds nebulous? I wouldn’t kill someone I hate more because of the punishment I will face than the fact that I will grieve his family. Lucid? Which is why, in the land of the Free where people have been numbed to the long arm of judiciary that such vindictive killings and shootings have occurred. It is a terrible thought this, that Singapore is a safe country because the society has welded an iron whip on our lesser selves. As the world integrates and such binds weaken, what may result in future is something to genuinely fear for. Put together the fact that the human is arcane and vacillates to his fancy, do you sleep safe at night? It is a strong polemic that secular influences are far graver in determining the “villainity” of an individual. Even so, a strict upbringing is hardly a fortifying insurance. It is then questionable whether this individual refrains from doing something wrong because he knows that it is or that he will be convicted and melted suitable punishment! For if it were the later, this individual is simply a walking time bomb. Imagine the day when he realizes that his locks and chains do not cuff anyone but himself that he breaks them open, what happens then. Which brings us then to those who suffer from psychological disorders. It is unshakeable that we do not understand how we work. Do not question this unless you can control your behavior like the ranger who draws his revolver slick from his holster. How does one come about to have a manic depressive disorder? Or even a rage control problem? Ruling out those that are hereditary and taking into account that psychiatrists are raking in an impressive clientele, what remains? The pressure of society to perform and to conform or otherwise be swept is too stifling for many. We are free spirits, how can we live caged like a pet. Yet we are wholly accountable for this society we create. Silly we are, humans in our own shell. We are definitely not in control; we can’t control the weather, how we want

History and the Human Sciences as Systems of Knowledge

2001-04-24T14:00:00-04:00

“What are the main difficulties human scientists confront when trying to provide explanations of human behaviour? What methods have been invented to circumvent these difficulties and to minimize their influence on the results that are obtained?” Although many people in the field of human sciences try to get their disciplines to be recognized as pure sciences, there are many differences that distinguish the natural sciences from the human sciences. There is a certain kudos that comes with the natural sciences that people in the human sciences crave, but human sciences can never be like the natural sciences. This is what causes there to be difficulties with human scientists trying to explain their science. They lack the definite, and factual ground on which the natural sciences are based. When a natural scientist hypothesises that when he heats some water to 100 degrees, it will boil. And then after an experiment, it is shown that it does, one can not argue that perhaps on another day the water wouldn’t feel like boiling at 100 degrees, or that perhaps it was only boiling at that temperature because there were people watching. Water boiling at 100 degrees is a scientific fact. It will occur every time the experiment is carried out. However, in the field of human sciences, these facts do not exist, and this makes it very difficult for a human scientist to prove any of his theories, or speculate on situations with any authority. The reason for this is that the study of human sciences involves, obviously, human behaviour. Human behaviour does not follow the same patterns that are observed with particles of matter, or certain metals, it is almost totally unpredictable. However, the human sciences do use similar methods of attaining knowledge to the natural sciences. The methods by which the human scientist attains knowledge has the same basic principles to that of the natural scientist. They have hypotheses which they test through observing, and analysing their observations. However, in the natural sciences, the observer is quite distinct from the experiment, as an astronomist is distinct from the planets and stars that he is observing. Whereas, in the human sciences, a human is the observer, and humans are the experiment. This complicates things. In every science there are theories. In the natural sciences these theories can be proved true or false, and therefore it can be determined whether these theories have an

Constitutions Abroad

2001-04-21T14:00:00-04:00

The Constitution of the United States of America is unique in many ways. It is also has various similar qualities from the constitutions of other countries around the world. The constitutions of Switzerland, Poland, and Germany have commonalties with that of the United States’ constitution because they all talk about freedom and personal liberty, use the separation of powers as an effective way to run the government, and the elections process. Article 2 of the Swiss Constitution states that, “The Swiss Confederation protects the liberty and rights of the people and safeguards the independence and security of the country.” This article is very similar to that of the First Amendment of the United States’ Constitution. This amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Freedom and basic personal liberties such as these are widely exercised in many worldly constitutions. However, this is not the only shared characteristic that the U.S. Constitution shares with those of the rest of the world. Other countries such as Poland have the effective system of the separation of powers working with them, as does the United States. We all know that the separation of powers was established so that no one specific group in the government would be able to dominate our country. This concept is very much like Poland’s way of keeping the power out of one single unit. Article 10 of the Polish Constitution states: The system of government of the Republic of Poland shall be based on the separation of and balance between the legislative, executive and judicial powers. Legislative power shall be vested in the House of Representatives and the Senate, executive power shall be vested in the President of the Republic of Poland and the Council of Ministers, and the judicial power shall be vested in courts and tribunals. Because more than one country uses this method and has been successful for quite some time, it is safe to say that this particular way of running the government is fair and effective. Other effective measures have been taken by the U.S. to ensure a smoothly operated government. Much like the Constitution of the United States, the German constitution holds the law of fair, free, and secret elections.

Family Albums: A practical analysis

2001-04-21T14:00:00-04:00

Since their inception in the 1860s, family albums have played an important role as the promoters of familial ideology and treasures of familial memory. ‘Most family photograph albums in containing a great variety of items, both identified and unidentified, from different periods and of varying quality,’ held together by their collective identity with the family (Schoeman, 1996: 8). The function of familial photography is to ‘fix perception and memory, represent a method of preserving memories, document important moments and confirm social relationships and fact of belonging’ (Tobiassen, 1990). When photographs are stored in albums the process ‘resembles the writing of family history’ (Tobiassen, 1990), and are thus a resource constituting an important mnemonic aid in the construction of a family narrative, although Tobiassen omits any thought that the photograph album is probably the closest that most families will ever approach to narrativising and transmitting their individual and collective familial experiences for later generations. Early portrait photographers stressed the importance of the photograph as a moral stabilizer for families and the social fabric, "… family photographs sustained sentimental ties in a nation of migrants." (Alan Sekula, 1986) These sentimental ties, especially those produced by viewing photographs of deceased loved ones, enabled families to document their lives as they happened, and to remember those who had predeceased them, thus forming a seemingly cohesive "history" on which to build a nation. Therefore, family photographs can be considered cultural artifacts since they document the events that shape families' lives and so the recording of family history becomes an important endeavor. In many cases, photographs are the only biographical material people leave behind after they die (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). However, the impact of family photo albums extends beyond merely recording history. Interpretation of family structures, relationships and self is possible through viewing family photographs. Interpretation of meaning behind photographs assumes that they are a means of communication (Entin, 1979). Much like family storytelling, photographs indicate relationships within and among the family. The family photo album is indeed an easy way to initiate outsiders to family history (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Photographs pose as good conversation starters allowing potential family members, such as future daughter/son-in-laws, to be introduced to family customs and traditions. An important factor to keep in mind when interpreting photographs is the fact that they are produced by choice. Choices about who, what, when and where to photograph can reflect much about the photographer as the

Arguments

2001-04-19T14:00:00-04:00

Discussions on various topics come up anywhere there is people with certain thoughts. These discussions will come up from out of nowhere and from anywhere. When a discussion becomes a heated debate as two parties utter back and forth then it is an argument. Winning those arguments, whether you know or do not know what you are talking about, is a great feeling. Here is how to win arguments, when you have no clue of what the argument entails, by making things up, using meaningless but weighty-sounding words and phrases, and by using snappy comebacks. Making things up is harder than it seems. Made up phrases just cant be off the top of your head, they have to be thought out. Suppose, in a Peruvian economy argument, you are trying to prove Peruvians are underpaid, a position you base solely on the fact that YOU are underpaid, and you are damned if you are going to let a bunch of Peruvians be better off. DON'T say: "I think Peruvians are underpaid." Say: "The average Peruvian's salary in 1981 dollars adjusted for the revised tax base is $1,452.81 per annum, which is $836.07 before the mean gross poverty level." This second statement suggests the same thought, yet expresses it in a way that sounds more sophisticated and in turn the arguer looks better. Next, use meaningless but weighty-sounding words and phrases. To do this, a list needs to be entered into memory. Stylish words and phrases include: let me put it this way, in terms of, vis-à-vis, per se, as it were, qua, and so to speak. Memorize Latin abbreviations such as "Q.E.D.," "e.g.," and "i.e." These are all short for "I speak Latin, and you do not." Here's how to use these words and phrases. Suppose you want to say: "Peruvians would like to order appetizers more often, but they don't have enough money." Nobody wins arguments talking like that. But you WILL win if you say: "Let me put it this way. In terms of appetizers vis-à-vis Peruvians qua Peruvians, they would like to order them more often, so to speak, but they do not have enough money per se, as it were. Q.E.D." Only a fool would challenge that statement. Finally, use snappy and irrelevant comebacks. Having an arsenal of all-purpose irrelevant phrases to fire back at opponents when they make valid points is great for a final blow. The best are:

Time Devices

2001-04-10T14:00:00-04:00

Definition of "'Time"': Term used to describe how long it takes to an event to occur. Time is used to classify events to "Events that happened" and "Events that will happen". It seems that time passes in the same pattern, and that time is equal to all but the "Theory of Relativity" proves otherwise. "Time is a relative thing" according to Einstein, which came out with the theory of Relativity. History of time: Records of time keeping are found 25,000 years ago, but of course, they weren't as accurate as now a days. Man used nature to indicate time e.g. Full Moons. It is widely suggested today that time was kept in a "Calendar"' way. This means that they divided the time into big units and could only tell the time in specific occasions. e.g. a normal person, 20,000 years ago couldn't tell his partner the time at any given period. He had to wait that the moon would go full, or the sun will dawn, or by looking at the stars, etc. They almost couldn't describe when in the future, a thing is to happen. They would say something like "In 2 full moons and a high sun we'll go hunting". He couldn't tell exactly in how many hours or minutes things will happen because as I said before Nature was his time keeper + The term "Seconds", "'Minutes, "Hours", etc, didn't exist back then. As mankind evolved, better ways to keep track of time were found. Man invented more and more devices as he evolved, and some of these devices are listed in the next section: Clocks: A time device used to keep track of the passing time. A clock must have 2 basic components: 1. Power Source 2. A "Release Power" source. Up till the beginning of the 1800's, sun clocks were the leading time devices worldwide. During the 14th century, the Italian Donadi family were the first to draw numbers on those sun clocks. The invention of the spring for clocks during the 16th century and the pendulum in 1671 were the first steps toward the replacement of the sun clocks with mechanical clocks. The hand clock (watch) was invented by A French Company named Berege back at 1810. During the 1800's a drastic advancement has occurred in mechanical clocks with the invention of the naval time keeper which is used up till today by sailors to find their position in an area. During

Herbs

2001-04-09T14:00:00-04:00

Your studying for your final exams when all of a sudden you feel it coming on. A headache. It’s definitely your worst one yet, and to make matters worse, you’ve only just started studying an hour ago. It’s probably from going over all those problems in the small print of your text book. The test is tomorrow and the pain in your head is so unbearable that the only way known to make it go away is to go to bed. But, in the back of your mind, you know that you haven’t finished studying yet and if you go to bed now, you’ll definitely fail the test tomorrow. Does this problem sound familiar? How many of you can say that after continuously studying, your head starts to pound ? Well, there is no need to worry about failing anymore, because, believe it or not, there is a new way that studies are showing that can relieve your headaches, lower you stress levels, and actually make you relax more. Believe it or not, the newest way to make all those things I just said happen is by using herbs. Now I know what your thinking, herbs, aren’t they just used for cooking? Well, not anymore. In this speech I’m going to tell you what type of problems herbs can be used to treat, which herbs to use, and how to apply and prepare them. When it comes to what problems herbs can be used for, their are so many. Common problems that teenagers have nowadays are headaches, stress, acne, colds symptoms, and depression. These problems can usually occur around finals, flu season, and just out of the blue. Also, as teens get older, they have more freedom and would hate to be stuck in the house sick or with a terrible headache when a massive party is going on . Now, teens won’t have to make their parents pay money for medicine that taste disgusting and takes days to make them feel better. They can just use different types of herbal treatments that aren’t that hard to make and can make the pain go away faster. Now, you can’t just use any herbs for these problems. Their are over 100 herbs commonly used, and not all of them are used for the same problems. When it comes to headaches, the most known herbs used to make them go away is betony, willow,

Identify and explain the stages of grief experienced by the dying.

2001-04-08T14:00:00-04:00

1: Shock-Denial: This stage is when the patient first hears about his/her illness, and this is where the patient is saying "no, not me" and "it can't be me". During this time they will also ask a numerous amount that "is the results wrong", or "could you check my results again please". 2: Rage/Anger: There are two things to remember when dealing with this stage, which is that; anger is never personal, its more generalised. This means that no matter what, the patient never blames the people around them, but prefers to blame her/himself, or sometimes the whole world. Another part of the Rage/Anger stage is the "Why me" mini stage. This constitutes the patient to ask the people around him/her, but more prominently God. This behavior leads up to the bargaining stage. 3: Bargaining: This stage is when the patient has accepted his/her fate temporarily. This is so as it may seem that s/he is under control so s/he can bargain, more easily sway the recipient. The most usual case of bargaining is with God, for example "If you let me live one more day, ill become a good Christian and go to church everyday". These patients never really do what they promised. They maybe try to bargain with a member of the hospital staff, as well. This is not the final peace, only a temporary truce. 4: Depression: - Reactive This mini-stage is when the patient starts to feel despair because s/he can't hold or see in some cases their kids, or see another sunrise, et cetera. This is when memories of their life come back to them on their hospital bed. This is further accentuated by preparatory silent grief. This is when they wish they could do something they always used to, but hasn't missed it until it is gone form them, in example they would like to see their children again. - Weaning off This other mini-stage is out of the two the most serious, due to the patients unwillingness to see people, the number of visitors goes down less and less. This is where the patient has none or only marginal cares about the outside world, politics, or when. The male patients in this stage have a major problem, because dealing with this level of depression makes them want to cry. This is hard due to our society where it is a 'disconcerting' look at the man's sensitivity. The man is ashamed of himself if he

The Process of Grieving

2001-04-08T14:00:00-04:00

Grief is a range of emotions and behaviours shown by people when confronted with a sudden loss. This range is divided up into a number of stages, or a process of grief. Doctor Granger Westburg developed 10 stages that illustrated these emotions linked with behaviour and then was followed by a number of people who developed another process of several stages based on this original theory. Doctor Westburg discovered that grief is a process, not a state, after observing these faced with loss. He noted 10 stages, which are: shock; emotional release; isolation; physical symptoms; complete inability to cope with life; guilt; anger; inability to get back to normal activities; a return to reality; and then back to normal. These stages occur mainly in order, but some show later or arise when something affects the person the wrong way, this is when they go through several stages at one time. In the film "Thunder in my Head" were shown a woman, Bekky Saunders, a month after her husband died in a car accident. This movie is seen at her first back at work. At work, a discussion with her boss activates a chain reaction of stages, from anger to isolation, which then leads to emotional release and some physical symptoms. These all include some anger towards her husband and the police, isolation because she wants to spend the night at home. She, during the night, is overcome with sadness that she has to sit down, wear the dead husband's coat, as well as walking around her house yelling out words of bereavement and distress. All through the day she is angry with everyone, including her mother. Her friend that she has always been with at nights since the accident was forced to come back in the early hours of the morning to Bekky's house. Bekky was disrupted by her friend, from her grieving process by the friend coming over. On the same scale is the grieving process for the dying, outlined and illustrated by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. This theory consists of: shock/denial; rage/anger; bargaining; depression (which is broken into two groups - reactive and weaning off); and finally acceptance. The first stage, is apparent when the patient hears the news for the first time, and starts saying phrases like, "no, not me" and "it can't be me". The patient then goes to denial, saying "the results are wrong", or "could you check

Real Estate

2001-03-26T14:00:00-04:00

Mathematics – Knowledge of numbers, their operations, and interrelationships including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications Economics and Accounting – Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar Education / Job Zone Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed EDUCATION: Most of these occupations require a four- year bachelor's degree, but some do not. JOB TRAINING: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. School Programs REAL ESTATE: <http://www.explore.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/mentor.plx?major=REAL+ESTATE> An instructional program that prepares individuals to develop, buy, sell, appraise, and manage real property. Includes instruction in land use development policy, real estate law, real estate marketing procedures, agency management, brokerage, property inspection and appraisal, real estate investing, leased and rental properties, commercial real estate,

Pure Competition

2001-03-19T13:00:00-04:00

There are many industries. Economist group them into four market models: 1) pure competition which involves a very large number of firms producing a standardized producer. New firms may enter very easily. 2) Pure monopoly is a market structure in which one firm is the sole seller a product or service like a local electric company. Entry of additional firms is blocked so that one firm is the industry. 3)Monopolistic competition is characterized by a relatively large number of sellers producing differentiated product. 4)Oligopoly involves only a few sellers; this “fewness” means that each firm is affected by the decisions of rival and must take these decisions into account in determining its own price and output. Pure competition assumes that firms and resources are mobile among different kinds of industries. No single firm can influence market price in a competitive industry; therefore a firm’s demand curve is perfectly elastic and price equals marginal revenue. Short-run profit maximization by a competitive firm can be analyzed by comparing total revenue and total cost or applying marginal analysis. A firm maximizes its short-run profit by producing that output at which total revenue exceeds total cost by the greatest amount. A complete firm maximizes profit or minimizes loss in the short run by producing that output at which price or marginal revenue equals marginal cost, provided price exceeds minimum average variable cost. If price is less than average variable cost, the firm minimizes its loss by shutting down. If price is greater than average variable cost but less than average cost, the firm minimizes its loss by producing the P=MC output. The firm minimizes its economic profit at P=MC output if price exceeds average total cost. Applying that MR(=P)=MC rule at various possible prices leads to the conclusion that the segment of the firms short-run marginal cost curve lying above its average variable cost curve is its short-run supply curve. The market price of a product will equal the minimum average total cost of production it its in the long run. At a greater price, economic profits would cause firms to enter the competitive industry until those profits had been competed away. At a lesser price, lesser would force the exit of the firms industry until the product rose to equal average total cost. The long- run supply curve is horizontal for a constant-cost industry, up-sloping for an increasing cost industry. The long-run equality of price and

The Australian Constitution and the Use of Convention

2001-03-16T13:00:00-04:00

The Constitution of Australia is a written document, which came into effect when the six colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. It consists of eight chapters and 128 sections and lays down a set of laws or restraints by which the Federal Government must operate. It establishes the composition, procedures, functions, and powers of government, government authorities, such as the Governor General and other essential institutions. The Constitution is the basic framework for a civilised and well-governed Australia. However in the recent past, reason for parliamentary and federal concern has been thrust into the limelight. In addition, there has been a growing need for judicial interpretation and the ever-present reliance on convention. The Australian Constitution has several primary features. Such aspects include the preamble and covering clauses; Chapter one which establishes the Federal Parliament and the respective roles of each house; the Federal Executive Council and provisions for the Governor General are outlined in Chapter 2; Chapter 3 covers the Judiciary and establishes the role of the High Court; in Chapters 4 through 7 other issues of the constitution are founded, particularly those pertaining to the economy; and Constitutional change in outlined in Chapter 8. The preamble is an introductory statement that outlines the sources of authority and the mission, objectives and scope of the constitution. Chapter one states that Federal parliament shall consist of the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives (sect 1). The Senate is designed to act as a States house, while the House of Representatives performs as the Peoples House. Exclusive and residual powers are fore grounded and the procedure for overcoming conflict between the two houses is also outlined. Chapter 2 focuses primarily on the Federal Executive wing of government and the Governor General. Executive power is vested in the Governor General as the Head of State; there is no mention of the executive role of the Prime Minister. The composition and procedures of the Federal Executive Council are founded in this chapter also. The Judiciary are the chief concern of Chapter 3. In this the role and foundation of the High Court is inaugurated, as well as issues surrounding appeals to the Privy Council, dealt with. Chapters 4 through 7 are written in regard to the Australian economy and trading, preservation of the states and conditions by which a new state may be started. Chapter 8, the final chapter,

Histories Maladies

2001-03-08T13:00:00-05:00

It seems these days that our world's history is becoming more and more misconstrued and misused. Everywhere you look or read about history, someone has made a massive blunder. Facts become fiction and fiction fact. And it's always done so to someone or some group's benefit. Take the history of slavery, for example. This always controversial subject has been a key element in the history of our United States of America for many generations, and will be for many more. But the truth, rather the complete truth is not taught in school. Why? Because if it was there are certain groups of people that would be outraged. This is not a racist or prejudiced view, but people who seem to believe that others should be held accountable for what their ancestors did to the others' ancestors will always hold a controlling voice in what is taught in history. Where did this point come from? Simple: as we all know, native Africans were sold into slavery during American colonial times. That has never been disputed. What is not taught, however, is who sold them into slavery. And why is that? Because if it were taught, that controlling minority would lose it's control, not just over history, but politics, education and more. And what's more about slavery is that it wasn't only Africans who were sold into slavery during the course of mankind, but also Jews, Arabs, Irish, Scottish, English, Germans... The list goes on. In fact, every major ethnicity or nationality has had members of it's ancestry enslaved at some point in time. It's nothing that hasn't been performed for eons. But why do we concentrate so hard on the slavery of Africans? Because we have to. Another problem with history as it is taught is religious persecution. Christianity for many centuries has complained that it is persecuted constantly throughout history. Yes, that's true, but Christianity fails to point out that it itself is one of the worst religions when it comes to persecuting other religions. The Crusades are a prime example of persecution performed by Christianity. No religion is exempt from having been persecuted or having performed persecution. But we're not allowed to know that. The Jewish religion is another example. Always one of the most fiercest anti-Christian religions, Judaism is known for being persecuted. Although true enough that their religion has most definitely suffered the worst religious abuse they too participate in the active

The Folly of Logic, The Freedom of Truth

2001-03-04T13:00:00-05:00

Logic can very often restrain us from recognising the truth when it is presented to us. Allow me to begin by asking a question. What is man? Who are we indeed? We struggle, we grapple, we strain, grasping for truth that is always there, but we feel is out of our reach. We make ourselves prisoners by our own embankment of logic, an instrument that we work too hard. An ox that we send to the field, but provide no water for, driving it on, past exhaustion; a tool that we abuse without having even a miniscule sentiment of remorse. Who are we to think that we can fit our world, our emotions, our lives, our beliefs into neatly packaged little boxes? What right do we have to fit anyone or anything else into our own little spheres we have somehow managed to contrive? Us and our logic! What pharisees we are, what fools we can be! We think we know best; we make our little plans and we analyse our little strategies until there’s nothing left but jargon. We argue our points away until our memory is lost as to what our question was is the first place. Who cares about answers! They won’t help! Answers are of no use. I just want my opinion out there and my voice to be heard. Well, a lot of help that is when everyone is screaming so hard that all becomes numb and meaningless and silent. Just watch then as our individual universes we’ve been able to construct explode into oblivion, leaving us broken, desolate, torn. We are then left begging for love, starving our spirits in desperation, frantically stripping away our own will. What simpletons we can be! Can we not see the truth that has all this time been staring us blatantly in the eyes? Stop grasping, I ask you, be still! Stop bellowing and just be calm! The truth is simple. The truth is bare. We need only to shred those strategies, burn those boxes, and clear the table to see the truth we’ve left buried there, watching us, hoping we will acknowledge it. Will we do that? Will we put away our pride, our ego? Will we stop putting everyone and everything on trial and just realise the truth that so eagerly awaits us? Let’s do that, will we, so that we can rest our eyes on the

Analysis of a Motivational Speech by Queen Elizabeth I

2001-03-03T13:00:00-05:00

The human desires of greed, wealth, and power have been embedded into the world's history as political figures have led invasions of other countries countless numbers of times. Whether invaded or being invaded, a country requires strong and capable leaders to see them through this difficult time. In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I of England gave a motivational speech to her troops using the rhetorical devices of diction, imagery, and sentence structure to motivate her subjects positively and to instill the fear of the pending invasion in their hearts. The queen uses positive diction, sentence structure, and imagery in her effort to motivate her people to defend their country from their Spanish invaders. She uses diction to praise and motivate her subjects. The queen refers to her people as "faithful" and "loving," praising their "loyal[ty]" and "goodwill." These positive words allow her subjects to see her as a caring, kind leader whose praise urges them to fight for their country. She also uses the words "noble" and "worthy" to describe her people's task of protecting their country against invasion. The use of such praising words makes her people see the task as important, and it will instill a sense of duty in their hearts to protect their kingdom. The queen further motivates her people by implementing the use of sentence structure. In the beginning of her speech, she says, "we have been persuaded." In the second half of her first sentence, she says, "I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people." Her use of the royal "we" and then her transition to "I" symbolizes her descent from the throne literally to speak to her troops on the field and figuratively by referring to herself as I. This will encourage the troops to see her as a fellow Englishman and not a distant queen. The queen also uses sentence structure when she says, "I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder," and, "By your obedience.., by your concord.., and your valor.., we shall shortly have a famous victory." She speaks listing three things at a time, giving her speech rhythm. The mention of her three positions shows her as generous and powerful, causing her troops to respect and admire her. The listing of the three characteristics of her troops shows her faith in them and infuses in them a determination not to let

How a Bill becomes a Law

2001-03-02T13:00:00-05:00

The road a bill takes to becoming a law is a long and tedious process. First, the proposed bill goes through the House of representatives. Once the bill has been approved by the House, it is then begins its journey through the Senate. After the bill has been endorsed by the Senate, the houses of congress then meet in conference committees to prepare the bill to be sent to the White House. To summarize, the path the bill takes to become a law is a fairly complex impediment. Now to begin, the bill must primarily go through the obstacles of the House. First, a sponsor introduces the bill by giving it to the clerk of the House or placing the bill in a box called the “hopper”. The clerk numbers and gives a title to the bill and is then entered in the House journal and in the Congressional Record in a procedure called the first reading. Immediately following the first reading, the Speaker of the house assigns the bill to a certain committee. The House has about twenty standing or permanent committees of which each has jurisdiction over bills in a specific area. The committee then studies the bill by hearing the testimony of experts or other interested people. In some cases, a subcommittee (140 in the House) conducts the study. The committee may revise and release the bill by reporting it out, or lay it aside so that the house cannot vote on it by tabling. Because the standing committee only chooses what they think is worthwhile, most bills die in committee, this is called “pigeon-holed”. Before the bill goes to the floor for consideration, a bill reported by a standing committee is placed on one of five specific calendars: union calendar, house calendar for public bills, private calendar, consent calendar (no opposition), or a discharge calendar. The Rules Committee may call for quick action on the bill, limit debate, and limit or prohibit amendments. otherwise, a bill might never reach the house floor. The consideration of the house begins with the second reading of the bill. The third reading by title only, comes after any amendments have been added. If the bill passes a simple majority of only one more then half the votes, it goes to the Senate. This stage of how a bill becomes a law is very fair in the fact that there are limitations

The Essence of Pop Culture

2001-02-27T13:00:00-05:00

“Talk about Pop Music, Talk about Pop Music…” was one of the most catchy phrases of the 1980’s. Just as in the 80’s, today we see many characteristics of “pop culture” effecting our lives. But, what is “pop culture?” I spent some time online trying to answer my question and time after time I was led to the same direction: pop culture is what we see, hear, speak, and are otherwise exposed to on a daily basis. The infomercials we see late on television, the billboards we see on the side of the road, the junk mail we receive, the links on the web pages we visit, and the radio commercials we hear all tie together to form this idea of pop culture. These, plus many other aspects, form our minds and teach us how to be culturally smart. To be culturally smart is to understand and know pop culture. For example, if someone were to say “BUD!” it is automatically assumed that they would get a “WIES” in reply. If a person were to say “Just Do It!” Nike would be directly thought of. What elements define “Pop Culture?” Television stars, such as Drew Carey; musicians, such as Santana; public figures, such as Monica Lewinski; politicians, such as Bill Clinton; athletes, such as Michael Jordan; large corporations with their slogans; and movies are all, but not limited to, pop culture. In a Journal I found online of a study of pop culture, it compared the link of religion and a pop culture icon, Star Wars. The study was conducted with people and it read: “The comparisons and shared philosophies behind earthly religion and Luke Skywalker’s adventures, compound into many different avenues. It is easy to see that the intertextuality working between holy scriptures and the astral script of Star Wars produces an icon that just as readily accepts believers and disciples into its signification, as it does those moviegoers who seek a more temporal escape from reality. Why do many suspend belief while watching Star Wars and not while reading the bible? If Luke doesn’t seem to sway you in the direction of the force, play with the transcendence of Skywalker like the Vatican plays with the text of the bible, and soon you’ll have a new icon of salvation.” This section from the journal explains that people are not looking at the full picture of the Bible (Christianity in this

The Four Fundamental Freedoms of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of Canada

2001-02-07T13:00:00-05:00

Ignorance, pride, hatred and a disregard for the wellbeing of others in society. These are the seeds allowing the roots of activities promoting racial discrimination to sprout. Out of that, comes the growth of a fearful social epidemic, in which uneducated persons put their destructive thoughts and viewpoints into action. These criminal activities have been dubbed “Hate Crimes” and have plagues society as far back as one can remember. Hate Crimes, in varying degrees, can consist of something as minute as a derogatory comment, to something as serious as an act of murder. The common thread is that the offence was committed because of the victim’s ethnicity or race. Hate Crimes violate the human rights of society, and rob minorities of the dignity and respect they deserve. Everyone is entitled to live free from discrimination and harassment. However, this entitlement is infringed upon when Hate Crimes are committed. (Mandel, 11) The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a controversial approach to protecting the rights of citizens. Section 2 outlines the fundamental rights and freedoms of all peoples in society, in an attempt to ensure the protection of all civil liberties. However, in many cases, these freedoms can act as loopholes, clearing offenders of the hate crimes they continue to commit, posing a threat to the livelihood of minority communities in Canada. (Dickinson,146) 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom of conscience and religion; (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and (d) freedom of association. The freedoms, as stated above serve as a controversial ‘gray area’, in which Section 2 of the Charter can be manipulated and ‘bent’ to serve as both offence and defense in the judicial reasoning of crimes based on racial prejudice. Freedom of Association and Freedom of Assembly are two closely related rights. Both liberties, provided by Section 2 of the Charter, “protect the freedom of individuals to join together to form a union” and the right to gather together for the purpose of lobbying peacefully, in the hopes of reaching a common goal (Coombs, 27). In British Columbia’s past, Nazi Fundamentalist groups have attempted to gather publicly and demonstrate against ethnic integration, and spout their views on how the White (Aryan) race is superior to all other minorities. Much of this activity is not tolerated by authorities because “the good of the many outweighs

Leadership

2001-01-28T13:00:00-05:00

Leadership comes in many different forms but they all are heading toward the same goal; and that is to communicate with people. Some people are silent leaders and lead by example some are more vocal. Nevertheless, whatever type of leader you are, there are certain criteria that must be met. For example being a good role model, being dependable, being trust worthy, these are all things that a true leader must possess. However, all leaders have their strengths and weakness and these are a few areas in which men and woman striving to become leaders often have trouble dealing with. All to often leaders become over defensive and it beings to tear away at the seams of a cohesive unit. A little defensiveness is healthy self-protection...like your immune system. Excessive defensiveness will prevent you from learning from your mistakes after all, why do anything different, if all your mistakes are someone else's fault? Feeling angry because of changes imposed from above? Attack the stupidity of your bosses and you will feel better! This move can be self-defeating if it stops you from understanding their rationale and coming to terms with your own resistance to change. If you have healthy self-esteem, you should be able to admit your mistakes if you have low self-esteem you will either be too hard on yourself for even small mistakes, or you will overreact and defensively never admit them! When you anticipate the failure of one of your projects, do you start telling people why it will fail? You are setting up your defenses in advance so you will not have to create them after the fact. Advance defensiveness can even facilitate failure. Some people will even sabotage their own projects, when they start to think they will fail, if they can do so in a way that ensures their getting off the hook. Recognizing and avoiding your own excessive defensiveness is not easy if you have developed a pattern of protecting a fragile self esteem in this way. However, you will not keep up with the demand in today's competitive market to learn faster if you do not confront this issue for yourself. Assertiveness - you may think you are assertive just because you rant and rave at times. Maybe you often give in to others, kidding yourself that you are just being reasonable. So how can you say "no" to your boss or

Bliss: Conquered By Few

2001-01-28T13:00:00-05:00

Happiness: "is a feeling of great contentment or pleasure." "Wow, look at that BMW! Would I ever be happy if I had one of those!" "I wish money grew on trees!" "I'm so happy; I just won a free trip to Florida!" Do these statements sound familiar? Because of the major economical changes in today's society, people as a whole understand and accept the feeling of happiness as a reward after accomplishing a success. Society's way of thinking leans heavily toward the understanding of happiness being achieved only when a material reward is prominent. This is considered the norm. People in today's western societies live in a 'material world' because of the complicated life human beings have created. The growth of material thoughts over time has caused the collective conscience to believe that material objects bring a sense of happiness. This may be true, but happiness is only the outer surface of true contentment known as BLISS (a state of complete happiness). The concept that bliss and happiness are related directly but are not equal in meaning is understood by few people. Pamela Michael's The Gift Of Rivers and Dan Millman's mini-series, Way Of The Peaceful Warrior followed by Sacred Journey Of The Peaceful Warrior are three books proving that the doors to complete happiness only open when a person fully understands and accepts the unexplained realities of life's many unanswered questions. Total control over one's inner self leads to the concept of eternal bliss. Understanding the significance of life, the control of the mind, the unity of all things, and the realization of time will release the mind of many puzzling questions that are in a realistic sense, pointless. Complete happiness will not be achieved unless the mind is able to fathom the completeness of life even though many unanswered questions lie in that plane. To prevail against the mind you have to step forth, above and beyond the plane of thinking created by society and into a different realm of thought. If somebody took your brain, would you still have your mind? It is obvious that without a brain, all that was known would be lost. The mind is controlled entirely by the existence of the brain. "The brain is real, the mind isn't" (Millman, 1984, p.62). The mind is created by the absorption of new information and data. However, the mind isn't created until the brain takes the newly

Writers

2001-01-17T13:00:00-05:00

Writers develop original fiction and non-fiction for books, magazines, newspapers, online distributions, newsletters, television, movies, and radio. They either select a topic or are assigned one by an editor. Research is needed to write fictional stories, and non-fictional stories, and this is done by personal observation, library research, Internet research, and interviews. Established writers, people who work on their own and not through a business, can sell their work to publishers, publication enterprises, manufacturing firms, public relation departments, and advertising agencies. Writers work in two types of conditions; either in a comfortable, private office, or in noisy rooms filled with the sound of keyboards and computer printers. Writers are researching all of the time. The most common research is done by telephone interviews, and library interviews. Being a writer may require travel to diverse places, such as factories, offices, laboratories, ballparks, or the theatre. This is done so that they can catch the setting of these places and know what goes on. Writers occasionally work overtime to meet deadlines or to cover late-developing stories. Deadlines and erratic work hours may cause stress, fatigue, or burnout. Their workweek usually runs 35-40 hours, if things run smoothly. Today, writing is a very competitive occupation. In 1998, writers and editors held 341,000 jobs in the United States. Still, though, the employment of writers is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2008. This is because the demand for publication is growing. Opportunity for advancement is limited, and writers usually stay where they started, such as freelancers, who often leave because they cannot earn enough money. The valuable qualities of a writer are creativity, curiosity, and a broad range of knowledge, self-motivation, and perseverance. The most important quality, and the most important leadership skill, is business ethics. A writer must demonstrate good judgment and a strong sense of ethics when deciding what material to publish. The ability to concentrate amid confusion and the ability to work under pressure is also essential. A college degree is generally required for a position, but most employers first look for a broad liberal arts background, and prefer to hire people with degrees in communications, journalism, and English. Writers must be able to express ideas clearly and logically so that a reader will understand. But most of all, a writer should love to write. The median annual earnings for both a writer and an

Job Shadowing

2001-01-05T13:00:00-05:00

I selected to job shadow my mom actually because I couldn’t find anyone to shadow in the career that I wanted, so my only other choice was to do my mom. I wasn’t really too interested in doing that job at first, but that’s what I needed to do. I spent my day watching and helping my mom checking out stock systems and how it works. I was also able to use the office equipment. I wore nice black pants with a nice sweater. We left the building for lunch, and went somewhere else to eat, like my mom does a lot of the time. During the interview, I asked her the questions, and she answered, explaining as she went along, and I was not able to catch it all. So I learned a whole lot about the job by doing the interview. I left at about 2:00 to 3:00 (I am not too sure exactly when) because my mom had some important work she needed to do, that I really couldn’t help with. My favorite experience that day was actually finding out how stocks work, saving money, and information like that. The work area where I went was inside a building. The employees aren’t alone; there are other people’s desks near by. This job is certainly not hectic and tense, its more quiet and clam. Sometimes people are walking by, or come in to talk to them though. There are a lot of glass windows, whether it for looking outside, or into the more private office, there is quite a lot of glass, and desks are scattered throughout the building. Some of the equipment used is copy machines, fax machines, and printers. There are computers and phones on the employee’s desks. By shadowing my mom, I learned a whole lot about trading and selling stocks. I also learned how the employees have to deal with clients that have problems or questions about their stock. So I know what kind of skills I need, and what I have to do to be a stockbroker. This experience of job shadowing won’t really impact my future career decision, because although it was a good and informational experience, it’s not really the kind of career I want to do when I get older. I do think this was a valuable program for junior high school students. I think this because the students should be

Procrastination

2000-12-29T13:00:00-05:00

Procrastination-the act or habits of putting things off till the end out of laziness… Almost every student knows this dreaded word. They know if picked up, disaster happens with a sharp decline in school marks. But what they don’t realize is that procrastinating can actually benefit you in school. It can make you work harder, faster, and more efficiently on school assignments. Even life skills in the real world can be created from procrastinating. Helps you work harder, faster, and more efficiently, you say? Yes, that’s exactly what I said. It sounds like an impossible thing, however if you’re like me or any other sensible person that wants a fairly good mark on the next assignment, procrastinating can help you. When you are wanting to strive for that better mark and the bad habit hits you hard, you think it’s a bad combination but waste no more time thinking about it. Just let the time pass by. While your friends are working hard on it, go play, and do the things you like but still allow enough time to complete the assignment. When time comes to do it, it should be cramming time to get it done to the best of your ability. It actually helps you, because it gives that need of drive to actually still maintain a good mark on it. And what about efficiency? That’s easy, when you have your daily homework piled on to your assignment, the need to get the assignment done kicks in. You will feel less of a need to do other things that you normally do, and cut down on the breaks, including the old rest up and watch TV. one. Also essential life skills in the real world become developed through procrastinating. In the busy world of work, everyone knows that that boss of yours will always set impossible deadlines. And the knowing of having to get it done perfectly and fast is always on the employer’s mind. When already experienced through procrastinating, you will already know the field of trying to cram a lot of work into a very little time frame. And the planning and setting could be done in your sleep. Procrastination can honestly boast you to higher levels of achievement. It makes you nervous and deadlines will be hanging from your head. It helps set a planning stage for you, and makes you aware of the other tasks also the

Britney Spears - A Woman I Admire

2000-12-28T13:00:00-05:00

There are many women that have an impact on my life; however, the question is how many of them do I look up to? Of course the most obvious person is my very own mother, but that made me think who else deserves to join this circle of reverence. Some names entered my mind, but do I really admire them? It is clear that women that enter my daily life like Oprah Winfrey have an impression on me, but impact and admiration do not always go hand in hand. Then I realized who I really admire: Britney Spears. The teen pop idol singer Britney Spears is a woman that I look up to for many reasons. She has tantalized the entire world's youth with her incredible voice. By doing so, she serves as a role model for many of the young people growing up in today's society. Although Britney is only 19, she already has had a major effect on a multitude of people. Not only does she reach the eyes of the five year old, but she also influences teenagers and adults alike. There are not many people who you have accomplished this phenomenon, which is why I give her my full respect. Britney is not only a singer, she is a mentor as well. Through her song writing, she has passed along her ideas and life experiences. In her song "Dear Diary," Britney gives a personal account of her encounter with a boy. "Dear diary/I can't get him off my mind/And it scares me/ 'Cause I've never felt this way." Growing up, many of us have to face certain social anxieties and pressures. Through this song, it shows that she also has to deal with these feelings. This is an important message to send because many kids feel alienated growing. This song shows them that they are not the only ones experiencing these feelings. She has helped many people in this way through her singing. I also admire her because it is not easy for her to sing about her personal accounts knowing that she has such a large audience. This shows that she cares about the people she affects; the quality of a true role model. Another instance where this aspect of Britney shines through is in her song, "My Only Wish This Year" from the album Platinum Christmas. In one part of the song, Britney says,

Teaching Methods

2000-12-14T13:00:00-05:00

When comparing and contrasting the hands on method to the lecture method many people prefer the hands on method. This allows the students to further understand what the teachers are trying to teach. By using this method a majority of the students will learn more, and learn at a quicker pace. There are many good qualities in using a hands on method for learning. One reason is that way the students get to know each other better. They learn ways to get along and work well together. By having students work out the problem, they are more apt to remember it in the future. Looking at it from a teacher’s standpoint, by having all the kids work in front of class, it is possible to make sure the students are doing their own work. This also can help show how far along the student is, and how much of the reason they’ve learned. The most important thing about hands on work is it’s fun. When students are having fun, they will learn more. This could even create better behavior from the students. There are also a few bad qualities about using “hands on”. First off, if the students are working in a group it could get out of hand. They might start talking, disobeying rules, and stop working on their assignment. If this happens it keeps everyone in the class from learning. Even those who want to do the work can’t just because of all the distractions. Another bad thing is sometimes items may be wrecked or stolen if the activity involves traveling somewhere else. In many ways lecturing has it’s advantages. When lecturing a teacher is able to express more to the class then by taking time for a hands on example. More can be covered in a littler amount of time if all the teacher does is talk. Lecturing forces students to take notes. Therefore, they have material to go back over in case a test comes up. Also by lecturing the classroom is kept under order. More times the students stay quite and listen rather then talking to others. Many times there can be bad points to lecturing. One thing is that it’s usually boring. Everyone would agree that it’s no fun to sit and listen to someone talk while all you do is take notes. This is the reason for many people falling asleep in class. Sometimes it becomes

The Days

2000-12-14T13:00:00-05:00

It all happened so fast; it felt like a dream. I wish I could tell everybody my story but no one is listening now. Yeah, that was the best: the dreams we had. Nothing mattered except for those otherworldly dreams. Every day, Louie and I would wake up, whether it be in a high school boiler room or a urine-soaked alley, and talk about what we dreamt. He used to always have dreams with that Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters in them. We talked about it for a while and came to the conclusion that Louie probably just wanted to sleep on a pillow. A long time ago I had a dream that Louie and I were rabid monsters and we beat each other into bloody pulps. We had a good laugh about that one. That's what kept us going day after day: dreams. Well, dreams and our "business partnership." See, we didn't hobble up to you like sick dogs and beg you for a nickel or a cigarette. We took whatever the hell you had on you. We were so good at it, too. It was all about picking the right people at the right time. Friday nights, we used to drink a 12-pack and approach people in a raging frenzy using a toy squirtgun as a concealed weapon. It was hilarious. Don't get me wrong, though: being nineteen and homeless wasn't "fun." Checking 45 year old women's pockets for money was the closest I had been to getting some in three years. I looked like the garbage that I slept in. The only time I showered was when Louie and I could afford to rent a cheap hotel room for the night. But above all, Louie and I hated being cold. Those biting Detroit winters used to suck the life out of us and not give it back until April. The date and time didn't matter in the winter; all that mattered was that you were cold. Our dreams really did keep us alive at those times. Your mind is all you've got when the rest of your limbs are numb with frostbite and hunger pulsates through your body. Louie was such a great guy. I just wish I could go back down there and talk to him. We could talk about nothing for hours upon hours. Louie would make me forget that I hadn't eaten in two days. In February, we

Why is Communication so Important?

2000-12-12T13:00:00-05:00

It is essential that everyone is capable of reading, writing, and communicating in an articulate and organized manner. Unfortunately, many American students lack the necessary skills needed for effective communication. It is contradictory that there are so many illiterate students in this current age that many define as 'the age of the information superhighway.' It seems as though many of America's students are unaware of the importance of communication and literacy. Clear and effective language use is a most important and practical utility; it is the vehicle we use to convey information. An 'information superhighway' without vehicles is futile. Without effective language utilization, it is impossible to convey thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Students must have the capacity to absorb and convey information to, at least a minimal level. Standardized test scores are not showing strong enough verbal skills. The latter is an indicator that more emphasis should be placed on language skill development at an earlier period in the education process. Language is the basis of any education. Whether one wishes to pursue a study in literature or science, language arts are indispensable. It is impossible for one to present a lab report or to comprehend a calculus text if he/she is unable to achieve literary discipline. Those who are able to dynamically utilize their literary skills have a plethora of information available to them. They can employ such resources as libraries and the Internet. Therefore, it is essential that, to take advantage of all available resources, one must have a solid foundation consisting of literary knowledge. The most fundamental form of communication is speech. After one's methods of speech are developed, it is then possible to migrate to more sophisticated areas of communication. It is relatively easy to communicate in America. Many people live in countries where there are dozens of dialects. Communication can be chaotic in countries such as China. My communication skills are constantly improving. In my essays and speaches, I practice careful grammar and syntax. To achieve dynamic communication skills, I devote much time and patience to reading as much as I possibly can. Exposure to as much literature as possible can only amplify ones literary skills. Many students consider reading a novel or analyzing a literary work as a tedious and monotonous task. Many students regard the assignment of a novel as a task imposed on them by instructors who wish to complicate their lives. The

Women’s Dormitory

2000-12-11T13:00:00-05:00

Studdmann is a dormitory located on the campus of Concordia University in down town Austin Texas. It is not a men’s dormitory nor is it a coed. Studdmann is an all women’s dorm. I focussed on the on the dorms dynamics, “examining the interpretation that student’s give to there interaction’s with one another (Kendall, 349).” There are many different types of interactions that take place in the dormitory. Interactions between female and female along with female and male students. The Interactionist Theory is clearly seen at the dorm. The setting is an important part of the Interactionist Theory ( The sociological approach that views society as the sum of the interactions of individuals and groups (Kendall, 489)) of observation. It determines how and when to interact with the students. Studdmann is a two-story dorm located on the south side of the campus. As you enter the dorm you walk down a short hallway. At the end of the hallway is a large lobby. The lobby contains many chairs, couches, and tables arranged in four sections. There are a few coke machines in the lobby also. A TV is located in the back left corner of the lobby. From there the dorm is divided into wings, an East Side and West Side. The down stairs is split in two by the lobby. Each side contains fourteen rooms. The upstairs is one long hallway containing forty rooms. There are two large restrooms on each side of the upstairs hallway. The dorm is a community restroom dorm, which means everyone uses the same facilities. The dorm rooms each contain two beds, two-book shelves and two desks. All my observations were taken from actions inside the rooms. The setting is similar to any other dorm I’ve been in. However, the occupants are what are different to me. The differences are obvious. For instance, the occupants are female. They live a completely different life than that of mine. Their behavior and actions is that of complete difference than males. All of the occupants were involved in some sort of activity in a dorm room. I observed six different rooms. One to six students occupied each room. Mostly female with a few visiting males mixed in. I never got the names of the student I observed afraid that it would alter the outcome of the project. I numbered each room and alphabetized the students. Room One was the first

Enigmatic Quirigua

2000-12-05T13:00:00-05:00

One of the last lowland Mayan cities to collapse, existing well into the 9th century, Quirigua, lies today in the still grasses of the Motagua Basin. This 1,200 years old Mayan city is the focus of the article. The ruins of Quirigua are found amidst a banana plantation established at the turn of the century by the United Fruit Company. Some of the executives of the United Fruit Co. were interested in archaeology and decided to keep the central plaza from being plowed over. The surrounding smaller buildings are now part of the banana plantation. Nine monolithic sandstone monuments, called stelae, with dated texts of hieroglyphs, defining the beginnings and the end of the Classic Period of Maya Civilization, from about 300 to 900 AD, is what makes Quirigua an attraction to archeologists. The stelae remain the principal written chronicles of this lost civilization, as well as the key to their highly advanced calendric system. Other Mayan centers erected stelae much earlier and in greater profusion, but the stelae at Quirigua are unsurpassed in their style and technique. Like most Mayan monuments, they were erected to commemorate the passage of time, significant historic events, and also served as “billboards advertising the kings‘ standings with the Maya gods“ (as the author of the article points out). During its brief period of erecting stelae, from the early 8th century until 810 AD, Quirigua was one of only two cities to regularly erect monuments marking the end of five-year periods (the quarter-katun, or hotun). The enormously heavy material needed for the construction of the stelae had to be transported from large distances and there is no evidence to show the usage of wheels or animals. These huge monolithic sculptures, weighing up to 65 tons, were artfully carved without the benefit of metal tools. Stone chisels, driven by other stones or wooden mallets, were the only tools available; and yet the Mayan sculptors achieved such a high level of artistry; the carvings, apparently, were done before the stones were lifted up to their vertical positions. This fine collection of gigantic stone sculptures is arranged in a regular pattern on the main plaza at Quirigua, the Great Plaza. The city is believed to have served as an important way station between Copan and Tikal. The greatest leader of Quirigua, during whose reign seven of the nine stelae were erected, was Cauac Sky (or Kawak Sky) founder of

Can you love someone too much?

2000-12-04T13:00:00-05:00

What a question to ponder! I have tried writing this essay many times and have realized that this is a very difficult topic. “Is it possible to love someone too much?” If you look at the question you first must define what love is and what it means to you before you can determine if it is actually possible to love someone too much. The Webster Dictionary defines love as “profoundly tender, a passionate affection for another person”. In my opinion, to love someone is to care not only about them as a person but also about their well being. You can love a person even if that individual does not feel the same way about you, or if the person just doesn’t understand why you are feeling this way toward him or her. It’s like when you’re a little kid and your parents tell you all the stuff not to touch, not to do, and they keep on reminding you over and over again. They’re reminding you constantly, not to get on your nerves, but because they don’t want you to get hurt. They love you, and because of this strong feeling of love, they want to make sure you are safe. To love someone is to have such strong feelings, so deeply felt that your life would not be complete or the same without them. You would do anything in the world to be with them and you will do absolutely everything for them because it feels good and right. This reminds me of a song by Canadian artist Brian Adams Everything I do I do it for you. He sings of a strong love in this song. A love that everything he does makes him feels so good and it feels so good because he is doing everything for her, the one he loves. The same feeling is described in the poem The Faultless Painter. In this poem there is a man named Andrea who will do anything for this girl whom he loves very much, but this feeling is not mutual. He makes promises, paints pictures and gives her the money to give to her lover because of gambling debts. This is what he means when he says: “I’ll work then for your friends friend, never fear” “More gambling debts to pay” “While hand and eye and something of a heart are left me, work’s my ware, and what’s

Samoan Language

2000-11-29T13:00:00-05:00

Samoan is a rich language that remains the principal language of the people of Samoa. The Samoan language is exquisite and quite easy to learn and is similar to other languages in the pacific region. “Samoan is a branch of the Austronesian Language, formerly called Malayo-Polynesian language, one of the word’s largest language families, both in terms of numbers of languages-more than 700-and geographic spread-covering islands and some mainland areas from Madagascar in the west to Easter Island and Hawaii in the east” (Amerika Samoa). “The Austronesian language is divided into two branches: Formosan, the languages spoken by about 200,000 people in Taiwan; and Malayo-Polynesian, comprising the rest of the language in the Austronesian family” (Encarta Online). As a student finishing up his 2nd year of the Hawaiian Language, I was amazed to find several words in Pouliuli having the same meaning in Hawaiian. Therefore, this report will focus on the Samoan language; it’s rules, pronunciation, and the similarities and differences between the Samoan language and the Hawaiian language. The Samoan language cannot be considered as strong language, and few letters of the alphabet are put to use. “D and B are never used; H, R, and K are of rare occurrence, which are found in words that have been introduced. All words have a vowel termination, and their etymological forms are constructed by the employment of particles attached to the roots, thereby forming agglutinative or polysynthetic words. The Samoan language is comprised of only fourteen letters-five vowels, A, E, I, O, U, and nine consonants, F, G, L, M, N, P, S, T, V, --H, K, and R only occurring in words of foreign origin” (Neffgen 3). The Samoan language now contains many introduced words, which have been distorted by added vowels or substituted consonants, in order for native speakers to articulate them. Samoan vowels have long and short versions. The language is generally pronounced as in romantic languages such as Spanish and Italian. In print the long vowel sound is represented by the presence of a dash or macron over the vowel. Here is a chart on how to pronounce each vowel. Vowel Long Short A Bath But E Eh Bet I Feet Bit O Raw Gone U Pool Pew Source: Samoan Sensation “Samoan consonants are pronounced the same as in English, with the exception of G, which sounds like the NG as in song” (Samoan Sensation). The Hawaiian language and Samoan language are quite similar because they both come from the same language family. While the

Heroes and Villains

2000-11-26T13:00:00-05:00

Is a hero a person who wears tights and a cape and goes around saving the world? And is a villain a person who schemes evil plots against the hero? Even though heroes and villains might be seen differently through the eyes of individual people, we all know that not all heroes and villains are recognized for their actions. A hero can be somebody as big as Superman or someone like your mother and a villain can be somebody like Charles Manson or a fictional character such as DR Evil from Austin Powers. There are many different types of people in the world and sometimes you are at the right place at the right time and do something good or you can make wrong decisions and do something that is very bad. The hero and villain I will discuss with you, my audience, is Michael Jordan and Jeffery Dahmer. Two very well known people. Michael Jordan is an idol to not only me but to many other people of many different ages. He was an exceptional basketball player leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and along the way; he was MVP of the league numerous times. He is the best player in my opinion to ever play the game. However, He is not only a good basketball player he is also a good businessman. He was a representative of ballpark hotdogs, Gatorade, and Nike just to name a few. He was always looking for opportunities to make money as any good businessman does. Even now, he is the co-owner of the Washington Wizards. Yet this is not why I look up to him, I look up to this man because he is a hard worker. He put many hours of work into his game everyday, working out to get better even on game days unlike almost everybody in the league. He was always trying to improve. He also was always a good showman. You will never see him in an interview or in a picture with something bad to say or with out a smile on his face. He knew many younger kids looked up to him and he made an effort not to disappoint anyone, always having a good positive mental attitude. He is just an all around exceptional person. The villain I will discuss with you is Jeffery Dahmer. He was a very sick and twisted person.

The Process of An Essay

2000-11-16T13:00:00-05:00

Do you know how to write an essay? Writing an essay could be easy or hard. Some students cannot do it well and that is why they hate it. You can find the writing as something interesting and important for your own future. If you do not know how to write an essay, there are several steps that you can follow. There are three basic steps to write an essay; discovering a topic, supporting the thesis, and editing the essay. Through these steps, you can write an effective and clear essay. First of all, you need to get some information and materials to discover a thesis and a topic sentence. For example, you can use prewriting, which can be freewriting, making a list, and questioning (Langan 23-32). The freewriting technique is to help you write sentences or phrases without worrying about spelling or grammar mistakes. Freewriting is a good way to overcome mental blocks about writing. You can also learn the habit of thinking how to start writing a rough draft. Another helpful technique is making a list, also known as brainstorming. You start writing ideas and details that relate to your subject. Brainstorming can help you put the ideas in chronological order. Questioning is also a good method to find ideas and details. For example, questioning yourself such questions include Why? When? Who? And How? (Langan 23-32). Asking these questions can be an effective way of getting yourself to think about specific topics. Secondly, the next step is supporting the thesis. Usually, you need three supporting paragraphs and those can be the body parts of the essay. You should organize adequate and specific details. Supporting paragraphs consist of concrete evidence such as giving examples, getting direct quotes, and personal experiences (Langan 55). Each one has the importance of making the essay clearer. Now you have an outline of the essay. Then you arrange an introductory and concluding paragraph based on the thesis. On the other hand, using opposing ideas or questions in the introduction is one way to make the essay more interesting, because it gets the interest of the reader (Langan 87-89). Finally, you should edit your essay for its contents and style. Editing is one of the important stages of the writing process. It is as important as prewriting, outlining, and drafting. Revising includes checking the structure, the grammatical accuracy, and the contents of the paper (Langan 34-36). Editing involves

Christmas Traditions

2000-11-15T13:00:00-05:00

In every culture or tradition we have our different ways to celebrate Christmas. In Latin culture we have our unique way to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. We of course have religious ceremonies as well as our traditional food, like the famous ponche, posole, and tamales. But we also celebrate as whole family members house. We have music, we dance, and of course we stay up all night. The most important way to celebrate our posadas is to have baby Jesus the house. The posadas are one of the typical events during a Christmas celebration in Latin America. A posada consist of walking and looking for a place where Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph can spend the night and rest before continuing with their long journey to Bethlehem. Two persons usually represent Saint Joseph and Virgin Mary. In this event, all the people of the community come and participate in this mini-recreation. All the people sing, pray, and even cry when asking for a posada. They use candles and incense to accompany these two Saints. They usually walk all over the neighborhood to find a place. They go from house to house asking for permission to stay and spend the night to rest. Part of a posada is to have people denied the use of their house. So Mary and Joseph continue with their search, until they get to the house that lets them stay. This house is usually decorated with flowers, jade, statue of animals and lights. The people offer food for all the participants and music. Piñatas and contests are also part of a posada. All the children participate in breaking the piñata. The adults stay to pray and celebrate that they found a place for Saint Joseph and Virgin Mary. The families celebrate Christmas by making tamales, pozole and their favorite traditional beverages such as ponche and champurado. The most popular Christmas treat is tamales. To start making the tamales we use dough of corn. We mix this with water and salt. There are two kinds of tamales; one would be sweet tamale. They make this by using pineapple and sugar. The second one is the chili tamale. This tamale is made with pork or beef and chili. Anther favorite Christmas food is pozole. To make pozole you first boil the meat. When the meat is ready add the hominy. The chili is just to give a good

Petty Lawsuits

2000-11-15T13:00:00-05:00

Are we Sueing for a Purpose? People today are not sueing to rectify matters. There is no purpose in lawsuits today. I believe everyone is out to get an easy buck through the judicial system. It is almost inevitable if people spill hot coffee on themselves that they will win a lawsuit against the company that served them that coffee. People believe that nothing is their fault and that someone (the defendant) should pay. The problem with the judicial system today is that people are sueing all the time and winning in court with ridiculous cases. Take this case in North Carolina for instance. A Dallas couple is sueing Kmart for $23 million dollars because some Kmart employees harassed and accused the Dallas couple of going through their garbage. The employees were fired and the Dallas couple sued for $23 million. Fortunately the couple didn’t receive all that money, there is a state law capping punitive damages which forced the judge to reduce it to $250 thousand dollars. The plaintiffs feel that they have been mistreated and that Kmart should reconcile with them by paying them off. The couple states at the end of court that “they believe us. That the most important thing, they believe us.” Obviously that is not the most important thing to them for they are trying to appeal the state law which caps their $23 million. And if that’s not greedy enough, the week before the jury awarded them $18,985 in compensatory damages. So the couple was awarded $268,985 for being accused over something as petty as going through a stores trash. Anyone can differentiate one fraudulent case from another. I understand that the Dallas couple is trying to clear their name from shame. But trying to appeal the already huge sum of money and going for more shows just how greedy these people really are. They got what they wanted, for the people to believe them. Everyone believes them now, and on top of that, they were awarded a nice some of money. There are people out there who really do deserve some kind of compensation for negligence, harassment, or anything else that might have gone wrong. For example, a Gastonia man who already has enough appeal to pity has yet another problem to deal with. He is a paraplegic who awoke to find a rat eating at his leg to the bone. Due to

Albanian Teenagers

2000-11-14T13:00:00-05:00

Depending on the respective culture, the life of a teenager can vary greatly. Certain cultures demand more from their teenagers in terms of family obligations than do other cultures. For example, the typical social life of a teenager whose heritage is tied to Northern Albania demands that the teenager honor his or her family’s wishes above all else. The obligations and the respect that an Albanian teenager shows towards his or her family are very important, and that is what keeps the family tied to each other, and form a bond that not anybody can break. Being an Albanian teenager myself, and getting raised in Northern Albania gave me the knowledge to get to know the exact demands that the parent puts towards the child, and the obligations that the child is supposed to fulfill. The first rule is “The parent is always right” it doesn’t matter what the situation is, you always have to listen and obey. I think that that rule is very right, because the child doesn’t know anything, and they should now rely on what their mind says but on what the parents say. Also with this rule the child understands that the only person he can listen and know it is right is the parent. This makes the parent-child bond much stronger. The society around the Albanian children had a great impact on you too, because if you don’t follow the rules of the society then you would be considered a very “bad” person, and everybody would point you out for something you did. Also there were cases when the teenager would be pushed away from the family and the village. For example the most important demand that an Albanian girl has to fulfill is not to date or have sexual intercourse with anybody except for her husband after her marriage. You are expected to do that, and if you don’t then you would be considered the lowest person of all, and you wouldn’t find a man to marry you. Also your family is the one who chooses your husband, except for some cases you had no choice on your mate. If you choose him then he has to be Albanian and definitely from the same religion. For the boys is more different, because they have more choices and they don’t have as many limits as girls have. It seems that everything sounds so brutal and not fair

Veterinarian

2000-11-07T13:00:00-05:00

Veterinarians are doctors who treat diseased and injured animals and give advice on how to care and breed healthy animals. The first veterinarian appeared around 2,500 B.C. in Babylon and China. There are two main types of vets. For example, there are large animal veterinarians that work with cows, horses, elephants, and numerous other large species. But there are also small animal veterinarians that work with smaller species, such as companion animals (pets). There are many different places of employment for veterinarians. Some veterinarians work at zoos. These veterinarians take care of the sick or injured zoo animals. Their job is very hard because the medical problems can be multiplied greatly to all the zoo’s species. There are also companion animal veterinarians. They take care of the general public pets. Out of the 56,000 veterinarians in the United States, half are companion animal veterinarians. Food inspector veterinarians work at inspecting meat. They check meat for diseases, so that the people who consume the meat will not get sick. Food inspectors check about 100,000,000 animal carcasses a year, out of that about 1,000,000 pounds are condemned. There are also veterinarians that checkup on sporting animals, they help racing horses, greyhounds, ostriches, etc. Marine veterinarians are just about the same as zoo veterinarians, but they deal with water animals like whales and dolphins. Some veterinarians also work as professors, teaching college students about veterinary medicine. A veterinarian’s job is considered a good one because they usually make a good deal of money, especially if they own their own business. The average income of veterinarians in private practice was $57,500 in 1995. The starting salary of a veterinarian is somewhere around $23,000 per year nowadays. But veterinarians in more established careers make around $40,000-$60,000. But those who work for the federal government (meat inspectors) are considered to make less. Veterinarians also require much more education to be what they are. There are 27 colleges in 26 states that meet veterinary medicine accreditation standards. The required G.P.A. to get into a veterinary college is from a 2.5-3.2. Veterinarian students usually complete about a 4-5 year program in college. But some colleges require that students complete at least 2 years of general college. While in veterinary college students do laboratory work in anatomy, biochemistry, and other scientific and medical subjects. To become a full service veterinarian you have to acquire a D.V.M or a degree as a

The general theory of love

2000-11-01T13:00:00-04:00

Assumptions: 1. All people are of the same quality. 2. All people are constrainted maximizers. 3. One can only stay with an opposite sex at a time. In this passage I would like to make a hypothesis to explain and predict how long a person will stay with his/her mate. It may be wrong, but it is interesting. When one stays with his/her mate, he/she forgoes the chance to stay with another opposite sex. If he/she expects he/she can find a better mate, he/she will leave his/her existing mate and go into "market". But he/she bears a risk that his/her expectation may be wrong - there may not be a better opposite sex

Cookies vs. Doughnuts

2000-10-11T14:00:00-04:00

Cookies and doughnuts are both yummy treats, but they also have their advantages and disadvantages. Cookies for instance can be produces with relative ease in any kitchen using flour, water, sugar and eggs. Doughnuts on the other hand are not usually made at home, hence all of the doughnut shops. This is one disadvantage to doughnuts; they are relatively difficult to produce. Doughnuts are made from the same ingredients as cookies, but they also have east in them to give them a more beadlike quality than unleavened cookies. Cookies are traditionally made by combining the ingredients listed and adding something like chocolate or nuts. The cookies are then baked at around 375 degrees for about eight minutes or until they are golden brown. They are then allowed to cool and then they are served. Doughnuts are not as simple as coolies. The dough must be prepared using flour, water, eggs, and then another ingredient; yeast, to add the tiny air pockets that make the dough rise and to make them so edible. After the dough has risen, it can be shaped into the familiar ring shape either by rolling it into snake-like portions or, more commonly, spreading the dough thickly over a flat surface using a device not unlike a cookie cutter. The popular doughnut shop, Krispy Kreme ® has developed a doughnut extrusion process that results in their distinctive rosette shape with curved vertical ridges on the sides. After the dough is shaped, it is cooked using hot oil or fat. This oil is at a much higher temperature than that used to bake cookies. The dough is then cooked to produce a golden-brown crust on the outside while still maintaining a soft core. Sugar may then be applied. This consists of little more than putting sugar and flavoring on the outside of the doughnut in the form of icing, powered sugar, or a glaze which is which is a shell of sugar coating the doughnut. Cake doughnuts are also produced this way using fewer eggs to give them a less airy, more cake-like texture. Adding fruit or nuts to the dough before cooking can change this process, or jelly or custard may be added after cooking through injection. As plainly illustrated, both cookies and doughnuts are sweet indulgences, using familiar flavoring and additives. They also have striking differences such as the cooling methods, and accepted eating times. For instance, people don't

The Meaninglessness of External Causes

2000-10-09T14:00:00-04:00

Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites Some philosophers say that our life is meaningless because it has a prescribed end. This is a strange assertion: is a movie rendered meaningless because of its finiteness? Some things acquire a meaning precisely because they are finite: consider academic studies, for instance. It would seem that meaningfulness does not depend upon matters temporary. We all share the belief that we derive meaning from external sources. Something bigger than us – and outside us – bestows meaning upon our lives: God, the State, a social institution, an historical cause. Yet, this belief is misplaced and mistaken. If such an external source of meaning were to depend upon us for its definition (hence, for its meaning) – how could we derive meaning from it? A cyclical argument ensues. We can never derive meaning from that whose very meaning (or definition) is dependent on us. The defined cannot define the definer. To use the defined as part of its own definition (by the vice of its inclusion in the definer) is the very definition of a tautology, the gravest of logical fallacies. On the other hand: if such an external source of meaning were NOT dependent on us for its definition or meaning – again it would have been of no use in our quest for meaning and definition. That which is absolutely independent of us – is absolutely free of any interaction with us because such an interaction would inevitably have constituted a part of its definition or meaning. And that, which is devoid of any interaction with us – cannot be known to us. We know about something by interacting with it. The very exchange of information – through the senses - is an interaction. Thus, either we serve as part of the definition or the meaning of an external source – or we do not. In the first case, it cannot constitute a part of our own definition or meaning. In the second case, it cannot be known to us and, therefore, cannot be discussed at all. Put differently: no meaning can be derived from an external source. Despite the above said, people derive meaning almost exclusively from external sources. If a sufficient number of questions is asked, we will always reach an external source of meaning. People believe in God and in a divine plan, an order inspired

Death, Life and the Question of Identity

2000-10-09T14:00:00-04:00

Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites A classical point of departure in defining Death, seems to be Life itself. Death is perceived either as a cessation of Life - or as a "transit zone", on the way to a continuation of Life by other means. While the former presents a disjunction, the latter is a continuum, Death being nothing but a corridor into another plane of existence (the hereafter). Another, logically more rigorous approach, would be to ask "Who is Dead" when Death occurs. In other words, an identity of the Dying (=it which "commits" Death) is essential in defining Death. But what are the means to establish an unambiguous, unequivocal identity? Is an identity established through the use of quantitative parameters? Is it dependent, for instance, upon the number of discrete units which comprise the functioning whole? If so, where is the level at which useful distinctions and observations are replaced by useless scholastic mind-warps? Example: if we study a human identity - should it be defined by the number and organization of its limbs, its cells, its atoms? The cells in a human body are replaced (with the exception of the cells of the nervous system) every 5 years. Would this imply that we gain a new identity each time this cycle is completed? Adopting this course of thinking leads to absurd results: When humans die, the replacement rate of their cells is infinitely reduced. Does this mean that their identity is better and longer preserved once dead? No one would agree with this. Death is tantamount to a loss of identity - not to its preservation. So, a qualitative yardstick is required. We can start by asking will the identity change - if we change someone's' brain by another's? "He is not the same" - we say of someone with a brain injury. If a partial alteration of the brain causes such sea change (however partial) in the determinants of identity - it seems safe to assume that a replacement of one's brain by another will result in a total change of identity, to the point of its abolition and replacement by another. If the brain is the locus of identity, we should be able to assert that when (the cells of) all the other organs of the body are replaced (with the exception of the brain) - the identity will remain the

Launching Aircraft from an Aircraft Carrier

2000-10-07T14:00:00-04:00

When an aircraft is launched off the flight deck of a ship at the beginning of the day, it starts off by fueling up. While the plane is fueling up the pilots are down below in their ready rooms getting briefed from their commanders for the days mission. The wind speed is checked by the ships crew on the bridge where they steer the ship, if there is no wind the ship speeds up to make just the right amount of wind and then reports to the pilot’s that the wind is at the correct speed and the ship is in position for launch time. The

A Letter about Trust

2000-09-11T14:00:00-04:00

Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites The Narcissistic condition emanates from a seismic break of trust, a tectonic shift of what should have been a healthy relationship with his "primary objects" and the transformation of his self into the subject of love. Some of these bad feelings are the result of deeply entrenched misunderstandings regarding the nature of trust and the continuous act of trusting. For millions of years nature embedded in us the notion that the past can teach us a lot about the future. This is very useful for survival. And it is also mostly true with inanimate objects. With humans the story is somewhat different: it is reasonable to learn from someone's past behaviour about his future behaviour (even though this proves erroneous most of the time). But it is mistaken to learn from someone's behaviour about other people's. Actually, most psychotherapy is nothing but the effort to disentangle past from present, to teach the patient that the past is gone and has no reign over him anymore, unless the patient lets it to. Our natural tendency is to trust, because we trust our parents. It feels good to really trust. It is also an essential component of love and an important test. Love without trust is dependence masquerading as love. We must trust, it is almost biological. Most of the time, we do trust. We trust the Universe to behave itself according to the laws of physics, our army not to go mad and shoot us all, our nearest and dearest not to betray us. When trust is broken, the feeling is that a part of us dies, is hollowed out. Not to trust is abnormal and is the natural result of bitter or even traumatic life experiences. Mistrust or distrust are induced not by our own thoughts, nor by some device or machination of ours - but by life's sad circumstances. To continue not to trust is to reward the people who wronged us and made us distrustful in the first place. These people have long abandoned us and still they have a great, malignant, influence on our lives. This is the irony of the lack of trust. So, some of us prefer not to experience this sinking feeling: not to trust and not to be disappointed. This is both a fallacy and a folly. Trusting releases enormous amounts of mental energy, which could

College: Time to finally "shed my skin"

2000-08-12T14:00:00-04:00

College is the greatest opportunity in the world. Where else would I be able to study what I want to study, rather than what I am made to study? Nothing sounds better to me than going to school everyday and learning about subjects and issues than I am realy interested in. In college I intend to major in psychology and minor in music. I have chosen psychology because

Differences between University and School

2000-06-27T14:00:00-04:00

In recent years, although tertiary education is certainly popular among Hong Kong students. It is unlikely that all students can easily catch the ways of studying at starting university. Therefore, we need to know actually what great differences between studying at university and school in order to adjust our ways of studying more effective to achieve the tertiary education. In this essay, I will try to examine their differences in terms of the characteristic of teachers and students, students¡¦ time management and motivation as well as the modes of assessment Firstly, the characteristic of teachers and students in school and at university has great differences. The school teachers dismantle to translate the textbooks word-by-word from limited information-based, and whether the students understand the lessons or not, they can passively copy down the information and refers to their notes later at home and memorizes them. However, the university students are no longer allowed to sit quietly and negatively throughout the class. They are being demanded to discuss academic matters or cooperate with other classmate to perform projects. They are require to find sources, gathering information and put them into order. As Marshall and Rowland (1993, 34) pointed out, ¡¥the ability to think critically is a generic skill that are expected to acquire in the undergraduate education and transfer to daily life, future or current work.¡¦ Therefore, the tutors at university who offer not only textbook instructions but also helps students to think critically and independently by encouragement. Besides, students can choose and adjust their own learning style independently from freely choices of materials provided at university. Another important difference in students time management that is mainly affected by the learners motivation in school and at university. The motivation of school students is comes from parents and teachers, who reward or punish students for keeping up their studies. Students are unexpected to plan or do anything besides follow the timetable and study schedule from teachers. When a student moves on to undertake university study at undergraduate level, there is demanded to be more self-motivated and independent learning. Such as plan a learning programme that takes into consideration time available for study. As Marshall and Rowland (1993, 41) shown that, ¡¥if students are studying at a distance in tertiary education are needed to be particularly careful in setting priorities and balance a certain time between work and study, family and social life.¡¦ It

Advertisers take us for Spend-thrift Fools

2000-06-17T14:00:00-04:00

ADVERTISING a collective term for public announcements designed to promote the sale of specific products or services. Advertising is a form of mass selling employed when the use of direct, person-to-person selling is impractical, impossible, or simply inefficient. It is to be distinguished from other activities intended to persuade the public, such as propaganda, publicity, and public relations. Advertising techniques range in complexity from the publishing of simple notices in the classified-advertising columns of newspapers to integrated marketing communications, involving the concerted use of advertising in newspapers, magazines, television, and radio, as well as direct response, sales promotion, and other communications vehicles in the course of a single campaign. From its unsophisticated beginnings in ancient times, advertising has flourished into a worldwide industry. In the U.S. alone in the early 1990s, about $138 billion was spent in a single year on advertising to influence the purchase of products and services. Advertising falls into two main categories: consumer advertising, directed to the ultimate purchaser, and trade (or business-to-business) advertising, in which the appeal is made to business users through trade journals and other media. Both consumer and trade advertising employ many specialised types of commercial persuasion. A relatively minor, but important, form of advertising is institutional (or image) advertising, designed solely to build prestige and public respect for particular items. Each year millions are spent on institutional advertising, which usually mentions products or services only incidentally. Another minor, but increasingly popular, form of advertising is co-operative advertising, in which the manufacturer shares the expense of local television, radio, or newspaper advertising with the retailer who signs the advertisement. National advertisers occasionally share the same space in magazine advertising. For example, makers of pancake flour, of syrup, and of sausages sometimes jointly advertise this combination as an ideal cold-weather breakfast. Advertising may be local, regional, national, or international in scope. The rates charged for the different levels of advertising vary sharply, particularly in newspapers; varying rates also are set by newspapers for amusement, political, legal, religious, and charitable advertisements. Advertising messages are disseminated through numerous and varied channels or media. In descending order of volume, the major media are newspapers, television, direct mail, radio, magazines, business publications, outdoor advertising, and farm publications. In addition, a significant amount of all advertising is invested in miscellaneous media, such as window displays, free shopping-news publications, calendars, blimps, sky writing by aeroplanes, and even sandwich boards

Breaking Up

2000-06-16T14:00:00-04:00

She cried, cried on my shoulder and asked me for a chance, a chance to be with her again. But her simple request was finally refused. Before seeing her tears, I couldn't know how deeply she loved me. If her tears and her love to me is postively related, she loved me as a mother loves her only son. But why did she treat me as her friend, her helper, her listener, just sometimes her boyfriend? The saying that we never care the things we now enjoy is true. When I loved her as deep as the sea is, she didn't care me much. Now when I am tired to her, she asked me for a chance to care me as much as she had never done. But it is too late. Promises are nice, but hardly kept, and they should not be easily made, or disappointments are expected. Her tears made me feel sorry and guilty,

Dying As A Result Of Fraternity Hazing

2000-05-30T14:00:00-04:00

Hazing (subjecting newcomers to abusive or humiliating tricks and ridicule) has always been seen as a secretive campus activity when it comes to fraternities and pledging. As a result, Dr. Mark Taff resorted in his article that, "..a series of 168 cases of injuries and deaths related to fraternity hazing activities...[occurred] in the United States between 1923 and 1982" (2113). Young college men are being hospitalized and even worse, dying, just for a couple of friends that give them a sense of belonging. The major causes of hazing are the students' wanting a sense of belonging in a big college campus, the college's infrequent knowledge of what occurs in fraternities, and the unwillingness of fraternities to change tradition. Since hazing has been around for more than a century, one cannot expect the practice of hazing to stop all together. It will probably take years before hazing perishes from the fraternity scene. Nevertheless, until an end is put to hazing, solutions can be used to make hazing less common, until it no longer exists. These solutions that may be able to put an eventual stop to hazing, in the long run, are better education about fraternity hazing, stricter laws to prevent hazing from occurring, and more intervention from college administrators. Stories of hazing incidents are all too common in the news media today. It would not be out of the ordinary, upon opening the newspaper, to read the testimony of some fraternity pledges "'We were taken to a deserted park and blindfolded...We sat on our knees for an hour. Then they began slapping us on the back of our necks, real hard, and then they started pouring hot wax down our back'" (Milloy CL). Also, an article stating that "...A sophomore at Alfred University in New York was locked in a car trunk with two others and told to drink a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, wine and a six-pack of beer, one wintry night in 1978. He died of alcohol poisoning and exposure" (O'Connor 32). Fraternities are getting away with hazing practices, every single day. If a stranger did this to a civilian, they would automatically be arrested and imprisoned. The humiliations of hazing are said to build bonds between pledges and fraternity brothers. According to fraternity beliefs, the theory goes, if you and a couple of friends go through fraternity initiations, drinking excessive amounts of beer and being beaten by fraternity members

Conformity

2000-05-24T14:00:00-04:00

A Japanese proverb says, "The nail that sticks out will be hammered down." Society tries to place many rules on us as individuals as to what is acceptable and what is not. We must decide for ourselves whether to conform to such a social decorum. We are taught as soon as we are old enough to grasp the idea that it is bad to be unique and to avoid being different. At some point, however, we must decide within ourselves whether to spend every day trying to be like everyone else because society says we should or living each day true to ourselves. Our strength as a person is proven through what we decide. E. E. Cummings once said, "To be nobody but yourself-in a world which is doing it's best night and day to make you like everyone else-means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting." The benefits of being true to ourselves greatly outweigh any negative aspects of choosing that path. One of the most obvious advantages of being true to ourselves is that people will see us, perhaps for the first time, without a mask. People will see what we are really like on the inside. They will see our talents, imperfections, and preferences. Then they will have the opportunity to accept us on our own terms. As we work to show our true selves to society, we may discover things about ourselves we did not already know. We all have God-given talents of which we may or may not be aware. After we stop hiding whom we truly are, our talents will have the opportunity to come to the fore. Second, society teaches us to conform by not thinking for ourselves. We are simply told how to solve a problem or accomplish a task. We are never taught why or how something works. If we do not attempt to break out of that mold, we will never get to the point where we wonder why or how things work. A young child constantly asks "why?" He has yet to realize that it does not matter, according to teachers and leaders of society, why the sky is blue. It only matters that it is blue. Perhaps there is an underlying fear that if we begin to question innocent things like the color of the sky we will one day begin

Skating

2000-05-22T14:00:00-04:00

Imagine that you've just turned 16 and your parents bought you a brand new Mustang. You're cruising on the street at approximately 25 miles per hour. So maybe you're not breaking the speed limit, but everyone's staring. You feel the light breeze through your hair. Then you're in the air, 12 feet high. Finally, you land on your back and come this (gesture 6 in.) close to cracking your skull. What happened? You were skating. As Aaron Spohn, a well respected ramp builder for the National Inline Skate Series, Extreme Games, and many pro inline skaters, said, When you tell someone you are an in-line skater, you automatically assume they envision you sporting a tangerine body suit, waist pack and a pair of wraparound neon sunglasses.S1 Or maybe you see me as one of those with $35.00 generic skates, moving my arms more than my legs and rolling down the street at a rate of 1 mile per day. This is not the type of skating I am talking about. I'm talking about aggressive inline skating. Maybe this aforementioned misconception is due to the many aspects of inline skating, and the amount of people involved. About 12.3 million kids are currently inline skaters.2 There is a 57.2% rise in participation in inline skating from last year, compared to basketball, which dropped 4.9%, and football, which rose only 5.8%.3 This is obviously a growing sport, and it's one that you're probably already doing. Whether or not you want to do inline aggressive skating, it is one of the best all around sports because it provides benefits to three core areas: physical, social, and mental. I believe I started inline skating in about seventh grade, and I would have to say I had no life before then. But I guess now, I still don't have a life because all I do has to do with inline skating and its representation as a sport, which is why I am giving this speech. In the summer I skate every day for 4 or more hours. I have been acquainted with the manager of Team Paradise, a nationally recognized mail order store. I have also helped in the production of CDS Detroit products, made locally in Grosse Pointe. Today I would like to talk to you, using my personal experience along with knowledge gained from magazines and other sources, about the physical, social and mental

M1 Garand Rifle

2000-05-22T14:00:00-04:00

Intro I am doing this report on the M1 Garand for Mr.Walker 182's History Class. The Garand is a fascinating World War II semi-automatic rifle. In the sub-sections below I will describe the developement history of the gun, the service history, and info on different versions. I wanted to add diagrams of the M1 rifle but the pictures are copyrighted and I was not able to download but the diagrams could be found at http://www.chestnutridge.com/gchart.asp Development History The origins of the United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1 begin around August, 1900, when Captain O.B. Mitcham wrote to the Chief of Ordnance at Springfield Armory about "the question of automatic small arms is now being taken up seriously in Europe." Not much was done by the U.S. Army until just before and during the U.S. entered the World War I. Many rifles were tested, most of which were tested were attempts to convert the M1903 rifle from bolt-action to semi-automatic. It was during this time that John Garand, then a young man of 30, moved to New York City from Canada after the United States entered World War I. After learning of the arms problem, he decided to try to make a rifle and got financial backing from John Kewish. Garand's first rifle was built and tested before Hudson Maxim, who suggested the rifle be presented before the Naval Consulting Board. Governmental officials then determined Garand's rifle had merit and arranged to pay Garand $35.00 per week for his services, with Kewish paying the other $15.00 per week of Garand's pay. This arrangement later caused Kewish to claim Garand cheated him of his share when the M1 rifle was adopted eighteen years later. After his first design was turned down by the military, Garand was transferred to Springfield Armory in November, 1919. During the next five years, Garand created many rifle designs, but they all had one thing in common: the primer of the spent cartridge was used to operate the rifle's action. When the military changed the design of the M1906 cartridge, Garand could no longer use this operating principle. It was at this time when John Pedersen arrived with a new design in a totally new caliber, .276. Pedersen was an expert of his day in weapons design, so the military then ordered Garand to build his rifle design around the new .276 caliber. Between 1927 and 1931, the military

Nietzsche

2000-05-08T14:00:00-04:00

When Nietszche stated that 'evil' was the term given to noblemen by resentful people, he in-fact was referring to something of a much broader base- the Hebrews under the reign of the Pharoah and the creation of their religion. In these circumstances, we must start by defining nobility and how these

The Zodiac Killer

2000-05-04T14:00:00-04:00

The late 1960’s and early 1970’s represented a great deal of things to a great deal of people. To the San Francisco Bay area, as well as the rest of California, the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s represented terror, fear, and death. What started out as a seemingly random, but brutal murder on the night of October 30th, 1966, turned out to be the start of a series of horrific murders that would span 2,500 suspects, 56 possible victims, and over 400 miles. On the calm, cool night of December 20th, 1968, a young seventeen year-old named David Arthur Faraday was getting ready to take a young sixteen year-old named Betty Lou Jensen on her first date. David arrived at Betty’s house, picked her up, and promptly proceeded to Lake Herman Road, a well known "lover’s lane" of the local teenagers. After a while, a car, possibly a blue Valiant, pulled up next to David’s 1961 brown and beige four-door station wagon, and a man got out. "Framed only in silhouette, the man appeared to be stocky in build and slightly heavy, with an eerie sense about him" (Tina 3). The man requested that the teens get out of their car, but they refused. Upon hearing David and Betty’s refusal, the man pulled out a gun, and fired a round into the right rear window, shattering it with incredible force. He then moved to the front of the car and fired another round into the left tire. Stricken with panic, David and Betty rushed out of the car, but the man was there to meet them. Betty was able to scramble out, but David wasn’t so lucky, as he was met with the cold, hard barrel of a gun pressing behind his left ear. "The shot made a deafening blast, as the bullet entered David’s head at a horizontal angle, blowing it apart" (Tina 3). With David out of his way, the killer turned his attention back to Betty. "He pursued her through the woods, his gun drawn, and shot her five times in the back from less than ten feet away." (Tina 3). The killer then got back into his car, and drove away as quickly as he had appeared. David, amazingly, was still alive, and bleeding profusely from his wounds, but Betty was dead. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, David was able to give

The Truth of Dreams

2000-05-04T14:00:00-04:00

Dreams, what are dreams? For many years I have wondered what dreams are made of. After much thought and deliberation I have stumbled upon three possible answers to this question. First of all, I think it could be a period of total escape from reality and all of the problems that reality brings with it. Second, I believe that dreams provide a time of contemplation of past mistakes and what would have been the outcome if a different choice would have been made. Third, I think dreams may contain the simple answers to difficult problems which the mind overlooked and disregarded as to basic of a solution for such a complex problem. The day is stressful, and through the day one does not always have a time to rest and relax. Dreams provide a way to relive this stress. It does this by allowing the mind to escape to anywhere it desires. Thus allowing eight hours to be anything one’s heart wants and needs. Dreams may be the only way for one to live out their “dreams.” We all know we make mistakes, we can not help but to make mistakes, it is human nature. Dreams provide us with an open opportunity to look back and analyze the mistake and choice. Looking close at a mistake and its eventual consequences along with the choices one did not make and consciences one did not receive provides us with a golden opportunity to not make the same mistake again. Answers, everyone needs answers to one’s problems to live. Problems from where one will find one’s next meal to what sort of life is in the outer most part of the solar system. All day long the brain thinks of very complex answers to these highly complex problems. Sometimes, and only sometimes the simple answer is better than the complex answer, but if one is looking for the complex answer how can one find the simple answer? Dreams, while asleep one’s brain can not function on the same level as when one is awake. Therefore, when one is asleep and is still looking for the answer one will not have any other except the simple answer to think about. This will show one the correct answer so one will have it when one wakes up the next morning. There they are, my three most likely theories on what dreams are for. As one reads this paper one

Art, Literature and Society from 1955-1970

2000-04-02T14:00:00-04:00

Fear and Loathing in a Clockwork Age Ah! The noble search for identity. That intangible achievement that all artists lust after and lay in torment over. And during the post war era that struggle reached incredible magnitudes. The world cried out for legions of anti-heroes, who were only virtuous in their unapologetic and brutally honest lack of virtue. And the art world provided as many counter culture messiahs as was needed to "Damn the Man". The Beats, hippies, and punks are evidence that behind the white picket fence of suburbia lay an America that wanted more out of life than the sugar coated portrayals of domesticity and patriotism it received from pop culture. The unfortunate side of authenticity often lead to the conclusion that autonomy was an impossible dream and that just mere existence required an individual to compromise his integrity. The post-war generation developed an interesting love-hate relationship with the mass culture of it’s time. Some, like Andy Warhol, embraced the inevitability of mass culturalization in order to control the beast (yes, this is a reference to Revelations). While others recognized the American Dream as being a hypocrisy and so chose the Golden Eternity instead. The Beat generation and early hippies sought to separate themselves from mainstream society where they believed they could start anew and fully experience life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The flower child philosophy was in fact very Transcendental, minus the stuffy New England mentality. The sexual, spiritual, and intellectual freedom and autonomy that characterized the Haight-Ashberry scene were closer to the Whitmanesque ideal than anything achieved during his life time. Postwar America was extremely prosperous from the stand point of the middle class white suburbanite. The only problem was that not everyone fit that mold. And even those who were born into that environment often found it’s conventions limiting and unfufilling. At home the issues facing minorities went, for the most part, ignored. Jim Crow laws were allowed to stand in the south until major Supreme Court decisions like Brown v. Board of Education declared segregation to be unconstitutional. But even still that did not solve the problem of good old fashioned prejudice, which was as rampant as ever. And not every woman was delighted to once again be her husband’s house servant. The war machine of WW2 had given many women their first pay check. And the sense of power and freedom even menial

Liberal/Conservative Traits in Editorial Columnist Donald Kaul

2000-04-01T14:00:00-04:00

Donald Kaul, a Tribune Media Syndicate’s newspaper veteran of twenty five years, can be said to be famous for his often sarcastic but astute observations on everything from campaign reform to "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Occasionally a letter to the editor appears in the newspaper protesting his remarks, usually from a self-proclaimed, right-wing conservative calling him a "bleeding heart liberal." What exactly do these terms mean, however? Are they absolute in what they represent? In general, a conservative opposes social programs and government intervention in business practices. They usually stress Judeo-Christian values as a solution to most issues. Conservatives are opposed to affirmative action, unions, and taxation-- especially of the rich, since they are the ones who provide jobs for the rest. A liberal believes government intervention is necessary to provide all people with equal opportunities before the law. Their most sacred tenets are progressive taxation, welfare, and public education. Liberals stress diversity and individual civil rights. Donald Kaul exhibits more traits of a liberal, although he is a moderate in his beliefs. The subject matter in the articles analyzed were the separation of church and state, gun control, environmental protection, capital punishment, and the rivalry between Republicans and Clinton.The subjects Kaul writes about are not regional at all; they affect every citizen of America in any region. Broad topics that many can relate to, including current events and popular television shows, are covered in his columns in a satirical way. Often he criticizes issues with an unusual perspective, conveying his message with no fear of rebuke. One example of this is his criticism of William Bennett, the so-called "Virtue Police Chief," as being nothing more than "a pompous blowhard who is easily our single most overrated intellect." A person reading Kaul’s column for the first time may be surprised to discover the author is painfully blunt and to the point, unlike many writers who make desperate efforts not to offend anyone. Donald Kaul is a very sarcastic writer in general. Speaking still of Bennett, he further surprises the reader by saying, "It must be swell to be that much better than other people". What honesty! Being somewhat cynical myself when it comes to the media, I can give Kaul credit for saying what was on everyone else’s mind when they were too scared to do it themselves. An effective tactic when writing his columns is his use

Surviving the Last Plantation

2000-03-26T14:00:00-04:00

Self-preservation, natures first great law, All the creatures, but man, doth awe. -Andrew Marvelle Love, family, and small thrills are but three things to live for. Sometimes they are the only things to live for. Sometimes they are what drive us to survive. For some of the inmates at Angola State Prison, there is little to live for and they still survive. Daniel Bergner once stated, "We live for whatever it is possible to live for…" (168). But what do the inmates of Angola live for? What brings meaning into their lives? Many of the inmates at Angola have been convicted of capital crimes. Many have no chance for parole. They still survive; they still find a reason to live. They find meaning in their lives. Before purpose and survival or redemption and salvation can be discussed, an idea of what Angola is must be produced. The warden of Angola is a large man by the name of Burl Cain. Some believe that he is the reason for Angola being what it is. Bergner believes different: The striking tranquility at Angola—confirmed by the ACLU’s National Prison Project and Louisiana’s own watchdogs—could not be credited to Warden Cain alone. Twenty-one years ago conditions had been so anarchic and murderous a federal judge had ruled that the prison "shocked the conscience" and breached the Eight Amendment’s guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment. Reform had begun then. […] [Warden Cain] aimed not merely at warehousing inmates safely, but at rebuilding them, at redeeming them, whether in terms of his Southern Baptist belief or in religious terms more broad ("Love thy neighbor…") or simply in the sense of learning to live in some valuable way, without the impulses that lead to destroying others…. (24-25) Though Bergner only carries this thought through the beginning of his stay at Angola, it is till a viable description of the institution. With this rough idea of Angola in mind, the inmates of Angola can be discussed. Their reasons for living can be shared. Carey "Buckkey" Lasseigne was convicted to live imprisonment at Angola at the age of 22 (Bergner 220). "He was separated from his wife the month after the killing, and they have since divorced. But they had been back together since his first year at Angola" (Bergner 221). That is part of what kept Buckkey going; part of what gave him a reason to live inside Angola. His wife is only part of

Exercise

2000-03-22T13:00:00-04:00

What is exercise? The actual definition of exercise is; to use repeatedly in order to strengthen or develop, but to make it simpler, exercise is doing programs and workouts to keep fit, for example, running, hiking, bicycling, and any active sport. Most Americans do little or no exercise during work or rest hours. Today there aren’t many jobs requiring intense physical activity. Instead of walking, people use automobiles or public transportation. Instead of being physically active, people usually watch TV in their free time. Some sports such as bowling, golf, and tennis (doubles) provide some exercise, but do not provide as much exercise as other more vigorous sports. Exercise is very important and is beneficial both physically and mentally. When you exercise, you feel better about yourself because you are fit or your getting fit and you feel that you have accomplished something that was hard to strive for. The benefits of physical activity is it gives you more energy, it helps you in coping with stress, it improves self-image, and it increases resistance of tiredness. Exercise does not only keep you fit, it also reduces your chance of heart attack. Various studies have shown that the chance of heart attack is two times more likely to happen to an inactive person than a more active person. It really all adds up because with exercising, you burn off calories, which keeps you at your desirable weight, which lowers your risk of heart disease. There are risks in exercising though. The major risk in exercising is injury to the muscle or joints. This happens when a person exercises too hard for too long, this mostly happens to people that have been inactive for a while. In some situations, people have died while exercising. In these situations, most of the deaths have been by overexertion in people who have had heart problems. For people who are under the age of thirty, these heart conditions are usually from heart defect present at birth. For the people that are over the age of 40, the heart condition is usually coronary artery, which is the buildup of deposits of fats in the heart's blood vessels. A lot of these deaths have followed by warning signs such as chest pain, lightheartedness, fainting, and extreme breathlessness. These are symptoms that should not be ignored and medical attention should be advised immediately. Exercising too hard is not good for anyone, however, and

Socrates

2000-03-19T13:00:00-04:00

Socrates believes that the everyday world is an illusion compared to the world of knowledge. People are often too distracted by money and materialistic things to appreciate truth and reality. Socrates says, “the capacity for knowledge is innate in each man’s mind.” This exemplifies the point that man has the ability to look into the world of truth, but when one is caught up in superficiality then truth does not receive the attention and glory that it should. This is why Socrates feels that the arts, such as poetry, should be censored; it would help decrease the digression of society’s intellect. In today’s world television and movies are complications that only hinder the thought processes in society. When people are consumed in the shallow world, they see reality as mere shadows compared to truth. Many times, violent images seen in movies will remain in a person’s mind. This obsession with violence and action takes away from concentration on “the good” and does not benefit society. “The bad” does not change when one is exposed to it, “the bad” changes the person. So, by limiting this exposure to violence one can focus on finding “the good.” “The good”, according to Socrates is “the source not only of the intelligibility of the objects of knowledge, but also of their being and reality.” When the mind is preoccupied with the desultory world, it does not see truth; that which is important and real. Television today is geared towards brainless viewing. MTV shows display fast images that do not require any thinking, but only keep the eye entertained. This is a form of “eye candy” which is society’s form of entertainment, rather than looking for the meaning of life and the good in the world. Viewers are sucked into this and no longer care about anything other than instant pleasure. Not all pleasure is considered good, and this type of instant pleasure is not. Pleasure should not be taken to the extreme, because it will then be unhealthy for the mind and the body. Socrates explains that the mind, body, and soul must all be in unison in order to be healthy, then happiness will ensue. Moderation is a key element to contentment and should be practiced in today’s society. Many people search for happiness by engulfing themselves in life’s highest pleasures, others look for contentment by over-working themselves to try and be the richest.

Procrastination

2000-03-05T13:00:00-05:00

What does procrastination mean? Is it the stereotypical meaning of laziness? And this word, “procrastinate” has over time become derogatory and insulting. It has also been applied to the newest generation of the world. I have heard many comments from older folks that, “those teenagers are so lazy, they wait till the last minute to do anything.” But as Dennis Sell comments in the teenager’s defense, “It isn’t procrastination if you intend to do it.” I hope that this doesn’t become a question on the future resume. “Do you procrastinate, please check yes or no.” A wonderful lot of people would be out of the job; very talented people that just have a time trying to become “perfect.” Procrastination is a way of life and a person has to be good at it to play the “lazy” game. What does procrastination really mean? I’ve adopted a quote that now guides my everyday life; “My work is best when I am under pressure.” Most of my better essays are written in the ten minutes I have before my next class period when it’s due. Sorry Mr. Bush and Mrs. Swafford, and any other teacher that have been subjected to my messy rushed handwriting (not that Mr. Bush minds, I’m still failing his class. And his e-mail address is… just kidding). Procrastination is character building. The rare few who can handle the pressure often have rushed lives, or many deadlines, whichever applies, but the point is that they can handle the pressure that procrastination gives and they come on top. My father designs computer boards and his superiors are often changing what they want the board to do, but my dad can handle those people and their strict deadlines that are ludicrous because of the little time given. But because he procrastinated in high school, he knows what to do and how to control himself in these situations. He hasn’t thrown himself off a cliff yet after about ten years of the strenuous work, that has to count for something. Procrastination is like many other things. It has its good and bad points, just like eating. A person must eat to live, but it makes people gain weight and there is a surplus of obese people in our nation, yet is also saves many lives a day like in Ethiopia. Procrastination can make or break a person. One can either handle the pressure or

Soccer

2000-02-26T13:00:00-05:00

Soccer is a popular sport played all over the world. Even though it has only been popular in the United States for the past 30 years, soccer has been a long time favorite most everywhere else. The sport dates back to the Egyptians, who played games involving the kicking of a ball. Now, the sport has grown to a global pastime, including men’s and women’s teams, and the World Cup (which is played every four years). Soccer originated with kicking games played by people in ancient civilizations. The modern version came about in the early nineteenth century, in England. It started as a game involving kicking and handing, but later this branched off into two separate sports: rugby and football (which is what the English call soccer). Around the late nineteenth century, English soccer began spreading over Europe. Other countries also caught on, but the United States was one of the most reluctant, and one of the last to implement soccer as a national sport. The North American Soccer League (NASL) was formed in 1968. But it didn’t gain popularity until the 1970’s. The modern game of soccer has a simple goal: kick or head the ball in to the goal of your opponent’s team. Basically, there is also one simple rule: No one except the goalkeeper may use they’re hands to play the ball. Soccer is a simplistic sport. Eleven members of each team defend their side of the field to prevent the ball from being forced into their goal, which results in a point scored by the team kicking the ball. There are only three officials involved during play: The referee, and two linesmen. The equipment used in soccer is also very simple. In addition to the field itself, all that is needed for a game is two goals (eight feet high and eight yards apart) and a ball. Each player wears hard plastic or padded shingaurd, covered by long socks, for protection during play. Cleats are also worn for traction on the field. A goalie may also wear a special padded shirt, and gloves to protect his or her hands. A standard field, as regulated by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (or FIFA), has a length between 100 and 130 yards, and a width of between 50 and 100 yards. The rules of play for soccer have deliberately been kept simple. The referee makes most of

Aristotle's view on the nature of human life: Is it correct?

2000-02-26T13:00:00-05:00

Is life really about the 'money', the 'cash', the 'hoes', who has the biggest gold chain or who drives the shiniest or fastest car, who sells the most albums or who has the most respect? Aristotle challenges views, which are similar to the ones held and shown by rap artists such as Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G., by observing that everything in the universe, including humans, has a telos, or goal in life. He states that the goal of a human life is to achieve happiness or eudaimonia. I believe that Aristotle is completely correct in his reasoning of the purpose of human nature. He even explains how happiness is different for every person, and each different type of person has a different idea of eudaimonia. He then goes on to talk about how a person must do all things in moderation, not doing the excess but at the same time doing just enough. This idea, called the "golden mean of moderation" was the backbone support to Aristotle's idea of human telos because it concluded that living a virtuous life must be the same for all people because of the way human beings are built. Aristotle argued that the goal of human beings is happiness, and that we achieve happiness when we fulfill our function. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what our function is. The function of a thing, or its telos, is what it alone can do, or what it can do best. Like the function of the eye is to see, Aristotle declared the human being as the "rational animal" whose function is to reason. Thus, according to Aristotle, a happy life for human beings is a life governed by reason. Aristotle believed that a person who has difficulty behaving ethically is morally imperfect. His ideal person practices the "golden mean of moderation." He believed that this moral virtue, of which happiness comes from, is a matter of avoiding extremes in behavior and finding the mean between them. Aristotle conceives happiness not primarily as an exercise of virtue in private or with friends, but as the exercise of virtue in governing an ideal state. Hence, a person who acts for his or her own well must also act for the good of all fellow citizens. Aristotle points out that honor, pleasure, and wealth are the things believed to make people happy. He stated that honor is superficial because it

Free-will and Determinism: Conflict and Choice

2000-02-26T13:00:00-05:00

Suppose that every event or action has a sufficient cause, which brings that event about. Today, in our scientific age, this sounds like a reasonable supposition. After all, can you imagine someone seriously claiming that when it rains, or when a plane crashes, or when a business succeeds, there might be no cause for it? Surely, human behavior is caused. It doesn't just happen for any reason at all. The types of human behavior for which people are held morally accountable are usually said to be caused by the people who engaged in that behavior. People typically cause their own behavior by making choices; thus, this type of behavior might be thought to be caused by your own choice-makings. This freedom to make your own choices is free will. Determinism, a philosophical doctrine against freedom, is the theory stating that all events, physical and mental (including moral choices), are completely determined by previously existing causes that preclude free will. This theory denies the element of chance or contingency, as well as the reality of human freedom, holding that the "will" is not free but is determined by biological, environmental, social, or mystical imperatives. Since every event in our lives is determined by outside causes, then we are just some sort of robots. Freedom, on the other hand, is rooted behind the idea that we do have control over the choices we make, thus having free will, a requirement for being morally accountable for an action. But if determinism is true, and we have no control over the choices we make, then we do not have free-will; and therefore, nobody can ever legitimately be held morally accountable for anything. Our common practice of thinking of others and ourselves as accountable is simply not justified! There are those who think that our behavior is a result of free choice, but there are others who presume "we are servants of cosmic destiny or that behavior is nothing but a reflex of heredity and environment." The position of determinism is that every event is the necessary outcome of a cause or set of causes, and everything is a consequence of external forces, and such forces produce all that happens. Therefore, according to this statement, man is not free. If we accept the determinist argument and assume human behavior as a consequence of external factors rather than of free choice, then we must realize that our explanation

Why Athletes are Good Role Models

2000-02-20T13:00:00-05:00

Ever since the ancient years, we have admired athletes and the hard work that they do to achieve their goal of winning. We idolize them and wish we were more like them. What happens though when the realization sinks in that they are human too and that some of them do get greedy and selfish? A lot of athletes are model citizens that you should really look up to, but there are also some bad apples in the bunch that ruin it for everyone. Athletes can inspire young people to work hard so that their efforts can pay off, but no one is pure and flawless. Greed does take a hold of some players, but they shouldn't be the ones we devote all of our attention to. We should look at the positive things that people do. The media does not go around reporting all of the good things that these people do, just the bad things and their mistakes. They are only human just like the rest of us. Are these people safe for our children to idolize to look up to? I think that the answer is YES!If you were watching the news, would you really want to hear about all of the charities that an athlete has donated money to? It would be interesting at first, but you would get tired of it afterwards. That is why the media never covers anything like this. We all know that they really don't care about anything else except for a hot topic. The truth really does not mean anything to them. This we notice in all the cases that the media jumps to wrongful conclusions, such as the Richard Jewel case and the Olympic bombing and the TWA flight 800 that blew up over New York. The media jumped to numerous conclusions that had us lost. Do you think these people worry about what fund raiser Michael Jordan attended and about what Shaquille O'Neal did on Thanksgiving for the needy? No. They are more interested in what color Dennis Rodman's hair is and what he wore last night at Excalibur. I had to go through days of research to find out that Chicago Bears star Chris Zorich has started a full scholarship at Notre Dame for inner city youths that get accepted to the school, but can't afford it. He plays for our city's football team, and we have

Thinking, Values, and Beliefs

2000-02-11T13:00:00-05:00

Ideology is a way of thinking that reflect the social needs and political doctrines of an individual or group. There are many different people and different circumstances this results in a variety of different ways of thinking, values and beliefs. Our ideology grows with us from childhood. From the moment you are born the family influence begins to impact your thought process. A child is like a sponge that absorbs ideas and beliefs. Beliefs are taught to a child in subtle ways such as just listening to the parents and their opinions from everything including politics, social problems, moral issues and even opinions about how others behave. It is within the family unit that a person learns their moral values. It is from their parents that a child is taught right and wrong. Often this is through religious training. Religious beliefs or the lack of religious beliefs has a great influence on a person's beliefs and values. In the early years a child looks to their parents as the final authority on any subject. It's not uncommon to overhear a child explain something as being absolutely true because their mommy or daddy said so. As a child grow's older they see the world through outside influences such as the school system, the media, and their peers. School is often a child first opportunity to think for themselves. They experiment with ideas and values of their own. School teaches children to use a critical thought process. One way where this is done is if a child is given an opinion in a debate and they must find reasons to defend a certain viewpoint. They are exposed to a wide variety of viewpoint and opinions. Another source of influence on values and beliefs is the media. Free speech guarantees the rights of anyone to express their opinions. Children begin to form new beliefs and ideas of their own, the family influence is still there, but just not as strong. Also, peers become a major influence on a young person's thinking. To express their newfound values a child will often go through a stage of rebellion where they reject a lot of their parent's values. This doesn't mean that they have taken on a whole new belief system. It just means they are expanding the values, thinking, and belief system from the home with new ideas and thoughts. The country where you are

Dissertation on Pain

2000-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Pain is a universal constant. It is a reaction to anything detrimental to one's well-being or comfort. In any form of reality, it must exist. Pain is never any easy experience, but it is necessary. After all, can one truly appreciate pleasure without pain? Or realize the relief that comes when pain is absent? Pain also strengthens. Pain increases tolerance for itself, but also allows the body to increase its defenses against injury. It is a warning of injury, and an indication of what shouldn't be done. And still it cannot be appreciated. In short, pain hurts. Pain exists in both main realms of humanity: the physical and the mental. Physical pain can be very difficult, but it is the easier of the two. In the physical realm, things are black and white. Something hurts, something is injured, and the body takes steps to correct it. There is always the correct path to take, and in most cases, the body can effect repairs automatically. Any assistance that you give it are helpful, but you have very little conscious responsibility for the reparations. Most physical pain heals, although it can leave permanent damage behind. In the end, though, it is the emotions that come from the physical pain that hurt more than the actual sensation. Emotional pain is far more injurious. For it is here that we lose our objectivity. No matter how much we put the two together, our actual being does not lie in the body. The body is not US in the truest sense. It is simple the vessel in which we travel. Any injury that happens to the body is outside our actual consciousness, and therefore separated to a certain extent. Certainly, the body is a part of us, but it is rather an extension of that consciousness that lies in the brain, the two of them working in sync. Emotional pain hits us where we live, literally. It is inside where we can't reach, and what we don't truly understand. The eye sees not itself, and so it is with the brain. Logical conclusion from emotional pain is impossible, because our logic is affected by our emotional center. We cannot observe the brain from its exterior, and so our efficiency in dealing with the problem is greatly impaired. To make matters worse, there is no black and white. No matter has been transposed, no physical wound has been

Ambition

2000-01-19T13:00:00-05:00

That formidable force that makes one believe that one needs what one usually only desires; that mind-set that is really more of an entity that sits on ones shoulder, and relentlessly screams “further, further”; that asset that makes those who are not zealous, jealous... That is ambition. Ambition has been the backbone of every army! Through those great ancient Egyptian wars, through Persia, through Hastings, through Waterloo, through the native American/greedy colonist battles, through the world-wars, through the Balkans, and through every other great conflict that has ever existed but that I am unable to cite, each party was blessed by pure and passionate ambition...ambition to win at whatever cost necessary. Surely only the collective force of ambition found in a battle is liable to cause as much suffering and damage as has been caused by all battles that have ever been lost or won? Even the weakest, most injured warrior who persevered has been touched not by insanity, but by raw ambition, and even the most perturbed and exasperated warlord is supported not by his schemes, but by the ambition to realise them. Ambition is the ultimate wonder of the world! Ambition made all seven of them and more...shouldn’t it be regarded as their veritable (no matter how intangible) superior? From the conception to the design to the construction to the completion, ambition was the proverbial foreman, as once again we see that collective zeal create a phenomenon...thus... Ambition is the source of all that is good and all that is evil! It makes the wonders and it makes the wars. Ambition is the winner and loser of every game! Every footballer, every chess player, every marathon runner, every duck-legged Olympic walker smells of fervour which seeps from the pores of their ambition. When years of dedication pass the baton to ambition, there is a sage to be reckoned with. One only wonders why in spite of the eternal paradoxical query “what would happen if an irresistible force met with an irresistible force?”, someone always has to lose? Ambition makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise! Doesn’t it? Observe this immortal quotation of Henry Ford: "Whether you think you can or you think you cannot, you are right" The truth he successfully conveys is that we are the scribes of our own destiny. It is ambition that makes us think we can be successful, and lack of ambition that makes us think we cannot. Ambition and Luck are

Skin Care

2000-01-17T13:00:00-05:00

The eyes are described as the windows of the soul, the mouth as the courier of thought, and the nose as the servant of olfaction. The skin is just the frame to the picture. Unfortunately, many judge themselves according to this frame. They could either have feelings of content or censure of their own physical features. Good health and self-esteem go hand-in-hand during the process of exercising and establishing good health habits. The skin's clarity of acne, wrinkles, and sunburns is merely an assistance to their stature of confidence. Having healthy skin is a step to confidence. Becoming worry-free of appearances is Practicing good sleeping, eating, and drinking habits lead to the success of a healthy looking person. Adolescents need about 8-10 hours of sleep a night, and adults need less than that. However, the body needs to rest and save energy for ongoing activities. Eating properly from the four basic food groups maintains the balance of proteins and nutrients. Fluid consumption of water is more recommended by doctors than the choice of soft drinks that are out on the market. Water provides plenty of water is a the key to have that fresh natural look. When actress, Rebecca Gayheart, (the commercial model of Noxema) was interviewed by Shape magazine in the 1998 November issue, she said, "My beauty routine is basically plenty of sleep and lots of water." Exercising regularly will circulate blood and keep skin firm and toned. Getting involved in an activity that a person enjoys, they are most likely to be happy and look more healthy. Having to be the largest organ of the human body, the skin's main function is to protect the body from microbes. Because of the large coverage of the skin over the body, it would be encouraged to take care of its texture and form. Many desire healthy looking skin that is smooth and firm. The attraction for this desire makes the market place booming with industry in order to fulfil the consumers' desire. Viewers at home can be guaranteed to see some type of commercial advertisement on TV that focuses on the integument and appendages of hair, make-up, lotions, or nail products. Keeping the face clear promotes good self-esteem and confidence to one's appearance. Good skin can save time from make-up. When a girl wants to step out for a night of the town, the pimples and blemishes on her

Cultural Analysis on Death and the Afterlife

2000-01-16T13:00:00-05:00

If there is one constant in this world, it would surely be death. Dying is an unavoidable part of life. Indeed, everything that lives will at sometime die. The fear of death is held by everyone. Perhaps it is the correlation of death with pain or the unknown state of the human consciousness after death, maybe a combination of both, that creates this fear. The fear felt is undoubtedly universal, however, the ways in which it is dealt with are varied and diverse. The concept of human mortality and how it is dealt with is dependent upon one’s society or culture. For it is the society that has great impact on the individual’s beliefs. Hence, it is also possible for other cultures to influence the people of a different culture on such comprehensions. The primary and traditional way men and women have made dying a less depressing and disturbing idea is though religion. Various religions offer the comforting conception of death as a begining for another life or perhaps a continuation for the former. Christians, for example, believe that souls that have lived by the words of their God will exist eternally in heaven as divine beings themselves. This conception of an afterlife is generally what we people who are residents of the Unitied States hold to be true. For American culture has its roots in Europe and European culture was and is still influenced by Christian faiths. Similar to Christianity, the Hinduism also eases the fear of death by presenting a life after death. Disimilarities present themselves in the two faiths concerning exactly what kind of afterlife is lived. Believers of the Hindu faith expect to be reincarnated after their demise, either as an animal or human being depending on the manner in which their lives were carried out. These ideals have influenced our culture though our use of language and thought. The implications are apparent in the common references to one’s past lives. For instance, if someone has a natural talent for music one may refer to the person as being once a talented musician in a past life. A religion which describes death as a continuation of existance is held by the Crow tribe of middle America. They viewed death as a journey with the final destination as a place where all their anscestors have gone before them. This notion of an afterlife eased the tribes assimilation

Pez

2000-01-01T13:00:00-05:00

Pez was invented in 1927 in Vienna, Austria by an already accomplished candyman named Edward Haas III. The word "Pez" comes from the German word for peppermint, which is phefferminz. You take the first, middle, and last letters, put them together and you get Pez. When Edward Haas first invented Pez it was originally a breath mint for adult smokers, thus the first dispenser which came along in 1947, naturally, looked like a cigarette lighter. In 1952 Edward Haas brought his business to America and did extensive research with his products and the way children had grown attached to them. So in 1952 the first fruit flavored Pez was introduced along with the first Pez dispensers with character heads on them. The first flavors of Pez included cherry, lemon, orange and strawberry. These were the flavors that Edward thought the children would like the most. Dispensers In 1947 when the first Pez dispenser was invented it looked like a cigarette lighter and the "characters" that we know Pez by were not introduced until 1952. It is not certain, but some experts think that Mickey Mouse, and several other Disney characters were the first to appear on the top of dispensers. The top selling dispensers of all times are Mickey Mouse, Santa, and Dino the dinosaur from the Flinstones. Since the beginning of dispensers, over 275 different characters have been featured on top of a dispenser. Before 1987 dispensers did not have "feet". Feet are the two tabs on the bottom of the dispenser that help it stand up straight. The new Pez "regulars" are a remake of the first dispenser that looked like the cigarette lighter. The new regulars have no feet. Pez dispensers are made in and imported from Austria, Czech Republic, China, Hungry, Hong Kong, Yugoslavia, and Slovenia. The dispensers are sold at local Toys R Us, K-mart, Walmart, Wallgreens, Target, Eckard Drug, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and many other stores. Some dispensers like Bubble Man are only available through Special order direct from the Pez Candy Co. The most money ever paid for a single Pez dispenser was $3,600 brought at auction for a Big Top Elephant dispenser. Dispenser Tags There are two different types of tags on Pez dispensers. The first type is the patent

Terrorism

1999-12-20T13:00:00-05:00

Over the past Century, terrorism has evolved from random killings to massive plans for terrorist groups. To understand terrorism you must first describe it. There have been many different definitions of terrorism. The one that truly describes it is; Terrorism can not specifically describe terrorism because people will interpret it differently. Many experts believe that terrorism is an abstract concept with no essence, a single definition cannot account for all the possible uses of the term, many different definitions share common elements, the meaning of terrorism derives from the victim of target. Even with no definite conclusion terrorism can be divided into 5 categories: Simple Violence or threatened violence intended to produce fear or change. Legal Criminal violence violating legal codes and punishable by the state. Analytical Specific political and social factors behind individual terrorist acts. State-sponsored Terrorist groups used by small states and the Communist bloc to attack western interests. State Power of the government used to terrorize its people into submission. With the definitions described one can now put a terrorist organization into a specific group. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is an analytical terrorist group, even though they can be part of each. The PLO was created in 1964 during a meeting known as the Palestinian Congress. This was an effort to give a voice to the many Palestinians that were located in refugee camps in Lebanon. The leader of the group is one of the most recognized terrorists in the world, Yasser Arafat. It did not take long for sub-divisions to break off of the PLO. Most of these groups felt they could better achieve Palestinian liberation. The most notable of these groups were the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, and al-Fatah. The PLO changed its main theory to the destruction of the state of Israel in 1967. This caused massive terrorist acts against Israel, which resulted in hundreds of casualties on both sides. In 1974 the PLO changed into not just a terrorist group to a group which included political elements. Some members of the PLO did not like this idea and founded another sub-division called the Rejectionist Front. At this time Arafat took over all control of the PLO. Arafat provided support for highjacking a major cruise ship. With help from the PLF

Death Leads To Matuarity

1999-12-19T13:00:00-05:00

In the entire life cycle of a human being, teenage stage is the fun, memorable, and some time the wild part. In this teenage stage, the teenagers experiment with everything without caring about the consequences. For most people, the life prior to the teenage stage is the most exciting part because there are no worries; every thing is fun. When the teenage life begins, most of their behaviours change while adapting to various habits. They follow good and bad behaviours as the result of influences from their parents, friends, teachers and the society they live in. These behaviours and societal norms combined with enthusiastic nature makes teenagers do various things. The result of their activities gives them the basic knowledge of the real world. Dead Poets Society, by N.H. Kleinbaum, and A Separate Peace, John Knowles, are two novels that focus on the difficult journey towards maturity and the adult world of the teenage boys. They focus on the learning experience of friendship and self esteem through the death of others. Both John Keating and Finny (Phineas) are great leaders who face many difficulties in achieving their goal and often become the victims. Dead Poets Society opens with Keating being a substitute teacher for an English class and encouraging his students to make their lives meaningful and extraordinary by referring to the word “Carpe Diem” (25). This is the Latin word for seize the Day and he wants them to seek out their dreams and to believe in themselves. Keating believes that education requires the student to think for himself. He must be free to question and to learn in the way that he learns best. A Separate Peace opens with Finny being portrayed as a brave sixteen years old boy who strongly believes in and encourages other students in his class to act upon their wishes. Both characters are optimistic about making a change in other people’s lives to make them better. Keating encourages the students to write poems to express their feelings. Finny on the other hand, encourages his friends to skip classes and do wild things like jumping off the tree. Neil, one of Keating’s students, follows his wishes and disobeys his father. At the end, Neil kills himself when his father decides to take him out of school. Yet Keating is blamed for Neil’s death and is expelled from his position. The persistent theme of A

Moral Political City

1999-12-12T13:00:00-05:00

Plato and John Rawls give to us an account of a moral community in which they both presupposed different views of the human person as order to such community. In this paper, I will attempt to examine what this moral political community is according to Plato and John Rawls. My thesis will support Plato's idea of moral political community which is better than John Rawls because it presents a community with order and a concern for the well being of all not just one. According to Plato in the words of Socrates, " I assume that if a community has been found properly, it has everything it takes to be good." The keywords from this phrase being "found properly" and "has everything to be good." In what follows I will defend this claim: first, by explaining briefly some divisions Socrates made in order to form the moral community; then, I will present the modern viewpoint of a moral political city by John Rawls; Finally, I will comparing these two points of view, and I will show that even though John Rawls view point seems to be more pleasant to many people in today's society, Plato's view point is a better choice for a community to choose. In the Republic, in which Plato describes the meeting of Socrates and others to discuss the ideal community, Socrates first provided us with a class of farmers and worker to meet the basic needs of the community. He says "one member must be a farmer, another a builder, and another a weaver." After providing people with the basic needs, Socrates provides another class, the guardians, to protect the city's goods. Socrates says, "We need an army to go out and defend all the community's property and all the people." This army Socrates named the guardians. Next, Socrates makes a division out of the class of the guardians to be auxiliaries who will act as the militia, and other to be the guardians proper who will look over the welfare of all the community. Socrates says, "Shouldn't we decide which members of this particular class will be the rulers and which will be the subject." After making these distinctions Socrates, then, makes a story in order for the people to understand why a city is formed in a manner that it needs guardians, auxiliaries, and workers. Socrates says,

"Although all of you citizens are brothers

Hot 107.1- interview with a radio personality

1999-12-11T13:00:00-05:00

When I'm in a car riding down the street there is only one radio station that I really enjoy, KXHT 107.1. The music they play is quite specific. They are a hip-hop and R&B station that plays mostly southeastern groups. Hip-hop is quite new to me having really only gotten into it in the early years of high school were as I liked rock since childhood. It was for this reason and a few others that I decided to interview a personality from Hot 107 as they are nicknamed. Memphis is the first city that I have been to that has a station such as Hot 107 that plays only rap and R&B. Most other places will only have songs that are mainstream and then they are only played on the dance music stations. The other main reason I chose KXHT was its involvement on the campus at the University of Memphis. For my assignment I chose to interview one of the daytime radio personalities named Playboy. Playboy is actually a 25-year-old gentleman by the name of Tre Munson. For his current job, radio personality and promotion assistant, he goes on the road and DJ's for special events both live and not. Most recently he and another disc jockey, Kid Fresh, hosted a step show in front of the UC at the University. He has done parties, concerts, charity events, and many other functions. About two weeks ago he also covered the after party for Method Man and Red Man, two nationally known rap music artists. Though he has only worked at the station for a few years he has already started on his way up the corporate later. When he originally came to the station he did so by the means of simply filling out a job application. He did not meet with success at his first couple of attempts. He actually had to go in and fill out quite a few and after that had to keep calling and pestering them until the finally offered him a job. Not the job he wanted, however, he was first just a support member for a street team. He felt that it was still a good way to get his foot in the door and he would be able to show the station he could do more for them elsewhere. After a few months of street team he was finally selected to become a

Gender Bias in Language

1999-12-08T13:00:00-05:00

Language is a very powerful element. It is the most common method of communication. Yet it is often misunderstood an misinterpreted, for language is a very complicated mechanism with a great deal of nuance. There are times when in conversation with another individual, that we must take into account the person's linguistic genealogy. There are people who use language that would be considered prejudicial or biased in use. But the question that is raised is in regard to language usage: is the language the cause of the bias or is it reflective of the preexisting bias that the user holds? There are those who believe that the language that we use in day-to-day conversation is biased in and of itself. They feel that the term mailman, for example, is one that excludes women mail carriers. Then there are those who feel that language is a reflection of the prejudices that people have within themselves. That is to say that the words that people choose to use in conversation denote the bias that they harbor within their own existence. There are words in the English language that are existing or have existed (some of them have changed with the new wave of "political correctness" coming about) that have inherently been sexually biased against women. For example, the person who investigates reported complaints (as from consumers or students), reports findings, and helps to achieve equitable settlements is ombudsman (Merriam Webster Dictionary) (Ombudsperson here at Indiana State University). This is an example of the gender bias that exists in the English language. The language is arranged so that men are identified with glorified and exalted positions, and women are identified with more service-oriented positions in which they are being dominated and instructed by men. So the language used to convey this type of male supremacy is generally reflecting the honored position of the male and the subservience of the female. Even in relationships, the male in the home is often referred to as the "man of the house," even if it is a 4-year-old-child. It is highly insulting to say that a 4-year-old male, based solely on his gender, is more qualified and capable of conducting the business and affairs of the home than his possibly well-educated, highly intellectual mother. There is a definite disparity in that situation. In American culture, a woman is valued for the attractiveness of her body, while a

My Goals and Aspirations

1999-12-01T13:00:00-05:00

It is sad how my expectations have gone down with every year of high school, but I guess that is just what the real world is all about. I started my freshman year out talking about wanting to be a doctor or a scientist or a millionaire. I am about to leave high school not having a clue on what I want to do with my life. I has been hard to observe my grades going from practically straight A's as a freshman to the sad state of nearly having my credits denied this senior year. But now that I know that one has to face the responsibilities for every decision one makes, I might be ready to make some smart ones. No, I do not think that I can become a brain surgeon or a world-renowned scientist or, unless I win the lottery, a millionaire but I can try to do my best to become all that I can be with the options that I have. The marines, army, air force, and navy call my home non-stop, but I have already shot those options down. I am also not going to limit myself to just a high school diploma and enter the workforce. My parents do not think it is wise for me to enter a junior college, and I don't think that is wise either. But I do think that I can still salvage some of my parents' hopes for me but registering into The University of Houston for a year and then transferring to a more acclaimed university such as The University of Texas or Northeastern University in Boston. I have though it over and I think I might want to major in something that would get me into becoming a stockbroker. My parents have wanted me to get into computer programming because they say that is where the growth sector is, right now, for employment. But somehow, I just do not think that is what I want to do with my life, too boring for me. I guess my main goal in life is just to be happy. The American Dream of having a wife that I am in love with, a stable job, loving children, and a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, and a dog named Clinton would be just fine for me. But the truth is that I do

School and Work

1999-12-01T13:00:00-05:00

Juggling work and school, finding time for having fun, and liking what someone does, these are some of the problems that plague young adults today. If a person that fits those requirements is looking for a little extra income, this writer knows just what the doctor ordered. Working as a waiter is a very fulfilling job, especially for a young adult student. With flexible hours and uniforms, decent pay, and working in a fun atmospherewith many different types of people, being a waiter is an excellent job for a student. Being a waiter at a trendy restaurant is like being a host at a party, making money all the while. If a young adult have a difficult time trying to find time to do their homework and other things like partying, being a waiter is very convenient. Most restaurants offer flexible hours in which one only has to work five to six hour shifts. Waiters can also request what type of schedule they would like to work. Most restaurants' waiter staff is usually comprised of college and high school students, thus, they are more than likely willing to schedule you conveniently around classes. Plus, most nights, waiters will be out in time to do homework and other important things. Another thing, which might seem menial, is the casual guidelines for uniforms in most places. A lot of restaurants allow waiters to wear regular blue jeans and the restaurant's tee shirt to work. This might not seem like a big deal, but when one gets out of class and have to be at work in fifteen minutes, changing shirts is a lot easier than having to go home and put on a real uniform. Also, when a waiter has all this cash in their pocket after work and home is twenty minutes away, it is very convenient to not have to go all the way home to change completely before going out for the evening. Working at a restaurant is also a very laid-back occupation. Not very many jobs enables an employee to interact with so many different people. In a restaurant environment, every person's job is interrelated with someone else's, and in that way, everybody relies on one another. By doing this, the staff tends to bond together. Eventually, a new employee will be buddies with the people they work with. At the end of a hard shift, all the waiters

Breaking Up

1999-12-01T13:00:00-05:00

Once in a person's lifetime, everyone finds this one perfect person whom they fall hopelessly in love with and live happily ever after. That is a mere fallacy, in the real world, this simply does not happen. Yes, people do have common interests and therefore develop romantic involvement, but it is basic common sense that these relationships have a life span and simply cannot last. Real life relationships are definitely more like "The Real World" rather than "Romeo and Juliet". Romanticism is wonderful in itself, and thus two people can live in heavenly bliss, but it all must come to an end somehow. It is a fact of life that couples do break up, and there are many reasons why. There are countless reasons, ranging from cheating to lack of sex to abuse, attributing to breakups. One reason why couples might break up is money or a lack thereof. If one partner in a relationship is always paying or keeping up all the bills, his/her partner just might grow tired of it and decide that it is a valid reason to separate. For example, a woman who is always lending her boyfriend money for his rent, car note, and social expenses will probably eventually grow tired of it and leave him. More reasons why couples separate, addictions often result in ugly breakups. Whether it is an addiction to drugs, sex, gambling, or whatever, hardly anyone would be willing to take that on an everyday basis. Most people would agree that it is not pretty to see someone throw their life away on addictions. It is simply not attractive and thus, not many people would want to be with someone with an extreme problem like that. An unfortunate reason for a breakup, physical disabilities, also occurs at times. This can range from a paralyzing accident to impotence and infertility. To some people, having children is the most important priority in their adult life. Having a partner whom is unable to have children can very much hinder a relationship. Thus, it will not last. Likewise, having a partner who has a paralyzing disability might be too much for someone to take. Being with a person, who becomes handicapped, though unfortunate, is a big burden to place on a person. Growing apart, an instance in which two people just do not feel attraction towards each other anymore is very commonplace, resulting in an end of a relationship.

Relationships

1999-12-01T13:00:00-05:00

Whether it occurs in the home, at work, or many other places, human beings maintain relationships everywhere they go. People have different types of relationships. A person keeps a relationship with their mother, pastor, friend, and boss, but those relationships are all different. There are many different elements to analyze when discussing a relationship. Many factors are involved, such as amount of time spent, amount of intimacy, types of activities participated in, and dependability of the relationship. The first type of relationship a person typically has, are ones that are formed within a religious setting, such as a church, temple, or synagogue. The amount of time spent within this relationship varies depending on how much type an individual devotes to his or her religion. However, the amount of intimacy is usually very high, as one divulges most, if not all, of their personal problems and issues. The relationships formed within the religious setting is usually dependable in that one can rely of the people within the religious circle for advice and counsel, through the bond of a common faith. One participates in limited activities within this relationship, ones that are exclusive to activities that are in the religious setting, such as church bake sales and Sunday mass. Secondly, another type of a common relationship are formed within a club setting such as athletics and parties. The people one encounters in these types of settings may be very close to them, but only within the boundaries of a club. For example, two people on a football team may shed blood, sweat, and tears for each other, but not necessarily be the best of friends after the season. In sports, the time spent with each other is usually a lot, a couple of hours every day at the very least. The amount of intimacy shared within athletics is not always abundant. The information shared between usually shared between teammates stays within the boundaries of the particular sport in which they are participating. Likewise, dependability is not required for purposes other than those related to athletics. For example, a football player can depend on his teammates to block for him in the game, but not to pay off his mortgage. Activities shared with teammates are most often limited to athletic practices, games, and gatherings related to the particular sport. In comparison to athletics, party friends are similar in many ways. People who go to the same

Application Essay

1999-12-01T13:00:00-05:00

"If you try hard you'll succeed, just keep on trying," my mother always says. As far back as I can recall, my parents have always said remarks such as this one. They have always been major influences in my life, giving me enthusiasm, courage, strength, and the ability to keep progressing forward. Another influence in my life is my boyfriend, James a.k.a. "Buddy", who has showed me the outcome of hard work. Whenever I am down or need a little encouragement, Buddy has always been there to push me in the right direction. There are many instances in which I can recall Buddy getting me out of a jam or helping me out with a problem, whether it be serious or sometime minute. As I grew up, I have experienced many trials and triumphs. Also, I have discovered who and/or what friends really are. After many times soul searching I have found out that my parents are the only ones who will always be there for me. They have persuasiveness that makes reach all my potential despite the many barriers in my path. My mother dropped out of school when she was 16, and my dad dropped out when he was 14. When they had kids, it was expected for us children to accomplish what our parents never did. I find it a challenge to make them understand that it can be done. They've influenced me to become the person that I am today, and the person I want to become. I met my boyfriend roughly two years ago. He was not a very bright student, academically, in high school. By the time his senior year came around he changed his attitude. He wanted to do something with his life and become somebody. After a year of hard work and dedication, he ended up in a junior college in California. He's in his second year of college and doing well academically. His dedication and hard work in the past two years have rewarded him with a football scholarship to LSU. Football has always been a major goal in life for him. My boyfriend, Buddy, has persuaded me in so many ways that it pays off to work hard. He's always set an example for me and says, "If I can do it, so

Beer: The Production History and Consumption Of Beer

1999-11-28T13:00:00-05:00

The first and most important step in brewing is cleanliness. "Brewing is ninety percent janitorial," said Frederick Bowman, founder of Portland Brewing. (Bowman) The first step in the actual brewing process is malting. Malting is what is done to the barley to prepare it for brewing. The steps of the malting process release the starches that are contained in the barley, while minimizing haze and off-flavors. Grain is allowed to soak in 60° F. water to increase the moisture content of the grain to about 40-45%. The grain is usually spread out on the floor of the germination room, or some other container. These grains are kept at a temperature of about 60° F. The germination is complete when the sprout has grown to about 3/4 the length of the grain and the hard part of the grain, or the shell, has turned soft. The goal for germination is for the starches within the grain to break down into shorter lengths. At this shorter length stage, the grain is called green malt. Kilning is the next stage after the grains have sprouted. Kilning is the process of drying the grain in the kiln where the temperature is slowly raised during the 30-35 hour period. After kilning, the result is finished malt, with soluble starches and developed enzymes. These grains each have a different and distinct flavor depending on how long they are cooked in the kiln. (Porter) After the malting, the grain is ready for milling. Milling is the cracking, and crushing of the grain. This procedure is controlled carefully so as to break the grain while keeping the husk as large and as intact as possible. Milling allows the grain to absorb the water it will be mixed with later as the water will extract sugars from the malt. The malt will now be mixed with warm water in the mash tun. This vessel holds the grain and water mixture for a period of time. Two important things will take place in this step. One is to break down proteins to the more soluble and usable amino acids, providing food for the yeast and foam for a nice head on the beer. The second thing is to break down the starch to simple sugars so yeast can convert them to alcohol and carbon dioxide. (Porter) Mash filtration consists of filtering the converted mash by gravity or pressure in a lauter tub

Why do people help others?

1999-11-27T13:00:00-05:00

To discuss why people help others we must consider whether people are by nature selfless or selfish. The dominant view today in psychology is of universal egoism; that we are fundamentally selfish, and that altruism (helping motivated by the wish to benefit another person) an impossibility. One form of universal egoism is Piliavin et al’s "arousal: cost-reward" model, whereby faced with a potential helping situation we weigh the probable costs and rewards of alternative courses of action, then arrive at a decision which produces the best outcome for ourselves. Darley and Batson (1973) conducted an experiment into the effect of the cost time in the decision to offer help. They found that 63% of students with plenty of time to get to their next lecture helped a man clearly ill in the doorway, whilst 45% who were right on schedule helped, but only 10% of those who were late. However, although a natural setting was used, as an experiment this evidence is not very ecologically valid. The Sociobioligical approach also sees helping as egoistic, but in terms of the individual maximising their inclusive fitness (increasing the chances of their genes being passed on), rather than their personal fitness. This seems to be the case when we look at the apparent altruistic behaviour of various species. For example, when a honey bee dies when stinging an enemy, "...by their sacrifice they are increasing the reproductive chances of their fertile relatives thus ensuring that their genes are transmitted to future generations." (Wilson, 1976). Socio-biology can therefore account for self-sacrifice and impulsive helping. It could also help us to understand racism. Piliavin found that there is evidence of racism occurring in our decisions to help when he found that blacks were much more likely to help a black drunk, and whites a white drunk. This suggests that we are less likely to help those with the least genes in common with us. Chagnon & Bugos (1979), in an analysis of fighting in Southern Venezuela, found that the likelihood of a person helping another was strongly correlated with their genetic relatedness to the person. However, how do we account for cases of altruism on the part of animals who are not related? This could be explained by the fact that all members of a species have an element of shared genes even if not at all closely related. Trivers (1971), however, proposed the principle of delayed reciprocal altruism, whereby animals

Transcendentalism

1999-11-25T13:00:00-05:00

A literary and philosophical movement called transcendentalism developed in the United States in the first half of the nineteenth century. This movement is a reaction to certain eighteenth century rationalist doctrines and involves the rejection of strict Puritan religious attitudes. (Parrington 375). Transcendentalism is strongly influenced by Deism and opposes the strict ritualistic and dogmatic theology of all established religious institutions. (Parrington 375). Transcendentalist’s of this period are opposed to weakening Calvinistic views regarding the corruption of human nature. (Parrington 375). Transcendentalism is described as a natural religion of democracy because it claims that divinity is in every human and therefore the universe. This suggestion that the individual is potentially divine can also support the religion of aristocracy. (Buell 168). The major influences are romanticism, idealism, self-examination, democratic individualism, nature, and mankind among others. (Parrington 375). Buell describes writings of this time as having “a semi-religious focus toward nature and a direct link with the universe, individual, and self.” (Buell 267). The American writer Henry David Thoreau is considered to be the most representative writer of Transcendental thought. He writes philosophical essays in which he describes nature and individualism and writes of civil disobedience in literature for the very first time. (Eulau 119). Thoreau’s essay, also called “Resistance to Civil Government” is considered to be one the most famous political essays representing Transcendentalism of the era. (Vivas 317). This essay is published anonymously, but major writers of this period recognize him as the author. (Hyman 24). There are over twenty five tenets of American Transcendentalism, however there are basic principles universally held by all transcendentalists. (Ruben 2). Thoreau writes about some of these elements in “Civil Disobedience”. The first holds the individual as the spiritual center of the universe who ultimately holds the key to the cosmos itself. (Ruben 2). Every individual is to be respected because all of us have a part of the Oversoul in ourselves. (Ruben 4). Thoreau suggests thisbelief of individualism and self because he does not reject Goddirectly, but describes the individual and the world in terms of the individual. (Ruben 2). The second element states that the structure of the universe duplicates the structure of the individual self and all knowledge, therefore begins with self- knowledge. (Ruben 2). Thoreau strongly believes the individual and his relationship with nature is foremost to self-knowledge and compares this belief to Aristotle’s “know thyself”. (Ruben 2). His claim is

Psychologists

1999-11-24T13:00:00-05:00

Psychology is the study of human behavior, how we think, feel and act. Psychologists study both normal and abnormal behavior to understand it. Psychologists also try to use what we learn from that study to help people change aspects of their behavior that they want to change. Areas of psychology are clinical, industrial, and developmental. Careers in Psychology offer varied opportunities. Employment opportunities for capable psychologists are expected to be slightly better than average over the next several years. However, if you're interested in a career in Psychology, you should know that the training program to become a psychologist is a long one. There is also stiff competition for places in graduate training programs in Psychology. So why major in Psychology if it is going to take so long? First of all, it is an interesting profession that offers the opportunity to increase the well-being of one's life. It requires critical thinking skills, statistical reasoning skills, and research design skills. Also a major part of being a successful psychologist is having practical knowledge about people and a charismatic self. People who want to major in psychology usual get a 4-year degree at a university. During the first four years, the student obtains scientific and clinical knowledge in Psychology. It is also possible to get an internship during the third year of schooling. As well, students will get some opportunity to see what applied practice in Psychology will actually look like by taking courses and seminars in areas of special interest. Following the undergraduate degree, a two year program of graduate studies in Psychology in a university will lead the student to a Master's degree. Part of that two-year program will usually involve completing a research project in Psychology. Some areas allow persons with a Master's degree in Psychology to be registered as a psychologist. However, many people, particularly those who want to practice in a specialty area of Psychology, will go on to complete their doctoral degree in Psychology before becoming registered or licensed to practice. This will take another three to four years of study on average. As part of the doctoral program, students will complete a more complex research project in Psychology that will serve as their doctoral thesis. They will also complete an intensive one-year internship program outside the university that will prepare them with the clinical skills they need to practice Psychology following completion of their

Equality

1999-11-18T13:00:00-05:00

A young man lives in a place where the word "I" does not have meaning. It is a society where there are no individuals. It is, however, a place where you strive to serve your brothers. Equality 7-2521 was taught from birth that the individual is not important. He is in a crazed society where the only form of government is collectivism. Equality, at age 21, has absolutely no freedom. He is a a strong, tall young man who stands about six feet. However, in this society, anyone who is six feet tall was considered to be evil. His dream of going to the House of Scholars is lost and he is sent to the Hose of Street Sweepers instead. Here the rules are very strict. He is not allowed to laugh or sing for any reason. These are a couple of hardships that Equality has to face so far in this mixed up society. His troubles get greater and greater until finally he does something about it. All through his life, Equality thinks he is not capable of accomplishing anything. Through time though, he discovers that he is capable of doing many things by himself and more importantly that he is an individual. When he is in the tunnel, he discovers a light. This provides him with the confidence that he is able to do things. Other experiences, such as falling in love with Liberty and seeing his reflection in the pond also help him to believe in himself as a strong individual. Equality later realizes that he has commited sins as he was growing up. He thinks by showing his invention to the House of Scholars that he would be forgiven for his wrongdoings. He hopes to show his invention to society and find a way into the House of the Scholars. He also wants to prove that being tall does not make you an evil individual. He feels that he has sinned because he was sent to the Palace of Corrective Detention when he did not reveal where he has been. He wishes to be forgiven for being sent there. Even though entering the tunnel is against the law, he feels that he is going to discover things that would improve the society that he is living in. Equality tries to get the House of Scholars to accept him for the last time. He finds out when

Morality is Culturally Relative

1999-11-16T13:00:00-05:00

Within this world that we live on, there is an enormous amount of people. Each of these people belongs to different cultures and societies. Every society has traits and customs that make it unique. These societies follow different moral codes. This means that they will may have different answers to the moral questions asked by our own society. What I am trying to say is that every society has a different way of analyzing and dealing with life's events, because of their cultural beliefs. This is claim is known as Cultural Relativism. Cultural Relativism is the correct view of ethics. 1. Different societies have different moral codes. 2. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another. 3. The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many. 4. There is no "universal truth" in ethics-that is, there are no moral truths that hold for all peoples at all times. 5. The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society; that is, if the moral code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that society. 6. It is mere arrogance for us to try to judge the conduct of other peoples. We should adopt an attitude of tolerance toward the practices of other cultures(Pojman,1996,p.360). Above are six claims that help explain the notion of Cultural Relativism. This essays arguments will help to illustrate them directly and indirectly. It will be clear that the true answer to the question of ethics is, Cultural Relativism. The definitions listed are words used through out the paper and can be used as a reference. Cultural Absolutism- Holds there is exactly one right answer to every "What I should do in situation X?". Cultural Relativism- "Views moral validity in terms of social acceptance" Society- Organized or interdependent community Ethics- set of moral principals Morality- degree of conformity to moral principals; moral conduct; science of morals Values- desirability, or qualities on which these depend; one's principals, priorities, or standards. The subject of murder is probably the most common issue thought to be a moral absolute. What I mean is, people think it is wrong to kill another human being. This is not always the case; murder has its place in many cultures. In Rachels article, the Eskimos practice infanticide as well as the killing of elders. The elders are too

Pain: A Part of Life

1999-11-16T13:00:00-05:00

"There is much pain that is quite noiseless; and that make human agonies are often a mere whisper in the of hurrying existence. There are glances of hatred that stab and raise no cry of murder; robberies that leave man of woman for ever beggared of peace and joy, yet kept secret by the sufferer-committed to no sound except that of low moans in the night, seen in no writing except that made on the face by the slow months of suppressed anguish and early morning tears. Many an inherited sorrow that has marred a life has been breathed into no human ear." George Eliot (1819-80), English novelist,editor. Felis Holt, the Radical, Introduction (1866). What is pain? In the American Heritage Dictionary, pain is referred to as "an unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder." The word is rooted in Middle English, from an Old French piene, from Latin poena, meaning "penalty or pain", and from Greek pointe, meaning "penalty." Pain is a very realistic problem that many individuals face daily. People can wear pain on the outside like a mask, hiding them from the world, but it also can hide deep within them waiting to be freed by some emotional circumstance. Oddly enough, pain is one on the most feared apprehensions in the mind of humans, yet in some situations, is the most rejoiced. In this paper I will take a close look at pain, from it's true meaning to real life occurrences in which pain is a reality. We all know what pain feels like, for everyone has experienced it at one time in their lives. There are two dimensions of pain; the physical and the emotional pain. Physical pain is a sensation of pure discomfort. For example, when you are walking through your house and stump your toe on a table leg, you don't just stand there and say, "That hurt." You yell loudly to the world (either nice or naughty) that you stumped your toe. The physical aspects of pain can vary greatly from a sharp prick with a shot to the excruciating pain of childbirth. Emotional pain has to be the most horrid, in my opinion, of all types of pain. It feels as if your insides are being wrenched out. When my girlfriend and I broke up, I felt as if she had ripped my heart out

History of Haiku

1999-11-08T13:00:00-05:00

In Japan, short poems have a long history. The earliest Japanese poetry such as that of the Manyoshu, written in 759 A.D., includes stirring narrative, dramatic and short lyrical poems which scholars believe were originally written as part of the pre-Buddhist or early Shinto ceremonial rituals (Haiku). This anthology includes anonymous songs and prayers designed to celebrate and pacify the gods, prayers for safe voyages, formal eulogies on the death of an Emperor or Empress and courting, marriage, planting and harvesting rituals. The 5 syllable, 7 syllable, 5 syllable haiku has evolved and been reinvented many times over the centuries. One such form is the 31 syllable waka composed of five 5-7-5-7-7 syllable phrases. Developed as the early imperial court of the late eighth century consolidated cultural, social and political forms, the waka took its place as one of the important regularized poetic forms of the period. Within imperial circles, minor officials and scribes gained recognition as poem-providers and word specialists due to their ability to compose waka (Haiku). Nevertheless, early Japanese poetry went beyond official usage. In the 14th century, an intellectual game developed where one person would write the first half of a waka-like poem, and another would complete it, adding the two 7-syllable stanzas.As many as four people took part in composing such poetry in what developed as a serious poetic form, with many complicated rules to ensure that the elegant court-poetry diction and aesthetic ideals were maintained. However, in large social gatherings where Japanese rice wine, or sake, was often served, participants became inebriated and started writing haikai, comic linked verse, which ignored many of the rules and allowed any subject matter at all, from the truly crude and erotic to pure slapstick, daffy comedy. According to Dr. Kerkham, it was this lower-level poetic form which Matsunaga Teitoku, haikai master, tried to clean up and popularize and teach to his student Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). Basho's haiku, written while travelling around Japan, made him one of Japan's most celebrated poets. By the time of his death, Basho had more than 2,000 students. Today as interest in haiku continues to grow outside of Japan, Basho's fame is becoming increasingly international. Other poets such as Buson, Issa, Ryokan, and Masaoka Shiki, the father of modern haiku, also gained fame as major haiku poets helping to make it a poetic form popular in all corners of the world. Works Cited

Haiku.

My 'Five Selves'

1999-11-04T13:00:00-04:00

My five selves are physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual. My physical self is quite healthy because I fulfill the requirements of the FITT principle. The letters of FITT represent frequency, intensity, time and type. My intellectual self is interesting because I am mainly right-brained which means that I tend to use my creativity more than my mathematical skills. I am also a visual learned which is connected to me being right-brained. My social self consist of friends, family, and my surroundings. I spend most of my time at home with my family. Whenever I am with my friends, I observe their behaviours and listen to their opinions. I am more of an independent type of person. Being with different people has influenced me into appreciating different cultures and beliefs. I have learned things that have now been incorporated into my own set of beliefs and values. I greatly value freedom of thought, friends and family. My emotional self deals with feelings and my ability to handle the demands of life. The spiritual self is all about my beliefs, values, religion and my life philosophies. By satisfying the needs of all five selves, the result can be holistic wellness which is the ability to feel good about myself and others. Physical fitness is having ample energy and the ability to perform daily activities without being exhausted. My energy usually depends on the amount of sleep and food I get. If I have too much or too little sleep, I don't look forward to the day and am not enthusiastic about doing things. If I do not have a complete breakfast, it affects my energy level. When I have a good breakfast, and enough sleep, I can go through a whole day with enough energy and alertness to do many things. I have relatively good flexibility because I stretch a lot which increases the range of movement around my joints. I have muscular endurance which means that I am able to do repetitions over a length of time. Althought I have muscular endurance, I do not have muscular strength. I do not find that I am able to lift extremely heavy objects. I have adequate agility because I can move with speed and can change direction fairly quickly. My ability to balance myself changes very often. Sometimes I can balance in awkward positions, and other times I cannot. I have good speed

Auctioning Personal Property

1999-11-02T13:00:00-04:00

The sale at public auction of personal property in the United States has a rich history and has been successfully used for three centuries. Auctions are one of the best businesses and are ranked in the top ten businesses in the world to sell personal property. Auctions are the best way to liquidate your property, sell your personal property and to get cash in your pocket. First of all, auctions can help you liquidate or downsize personal property, such as furniture, clothes, automobile and jewelry. Instead of throwing unwanted goods away call an auction house to sell it for you. You never know what you might be throwing away that can be turn into cash. Another good reason to auction is personal property will bring the highest market price at the auction through competitive bidding. This is when two or more persons who want the same item and keeps bidding the price up until it reaches a fair market value. By law you most have a least two persons present to conduct an auction. Then the highest bidder buys it for the final bided price. In advertisement for auction houses that catches must people eyes is to get fast cash selling personal property. The advertisement means just that you can get money within fourteen days or less after the auction house sells your personal property. The auction business has been around for a long time with a good track record for selling anything that has a price or doesn't have a price. Through statistics, the price of all property is set from a fair market value in which auctions control sixty five percent of today's prices on all property. So why not get the most out of personal property by selling it at the auction? An individual has to read the contract that the auction house writes because it could read that they might not get paid until the last item of their personal property gets sold. Some auctioneers are known for keeping back one of two items from an individuals personal property back until they have their next sale. This way an auction doesn't have to pay the individual until the following sale or when the last piece off property was sold. Make sure in the contract that it has a date that all personal property will be sold by. Sometimes you may ask the auctioneer to get paid the next

The Use of the Word Love

1999-10-25T14:00:00-04:00

Six months after I met a young man, he expressed to me how much he loved me. Being sixteen years old, I thought it to be very flattering but I could not accept him saying this to me. The word, love in the romantic sense, is something that would take so much out of me to say to a person. Love is something that you express to someone that you can not, in any way, see living your life without. The last time I saw the young man who supposedly loved me, was on my seventeenth birthday when he told me I was a waste of his time. Love is the strongest emotion and most powerful word anyone can say to someone else. Some people use the word love everyday as though it is not as big of a deal as it really is. Jewel's song, "Always," illustrates a definition of love. The first line of the song totally defines love in the same way I do with, "Please don't say 'I love you,' those words touch me much too deeply." With this one line, my entire definition of love is presented. There are other things people can love: a pet, family members, certain kinds of food but these are all loved by a different kind of love. There are millions of ways you can love, but this kind of love does not happen all the time to a person. It is the kind of love that is not there at the beginning, but grows inside you. This kind of love is for another person that you can not see your life without, even though at one time it was without that person. To express this to someone is to propose to commit your life to that other person. The other person may not feel the same way and that is why it is hard to accept someone saying that. One expressing their love to another is the greatest compliment one could ever receive for they are wanted in someone else's life forever. There are some people that do not understand the meaning of love and use it all the time as though it was just some word that makes people happy. The young man who told me he loved me also told me a month later that I was a waste of his time. He is an example of someone

Baby sitting

1999-10-10T14:00:00-04:00

Four-year-olds can be a nightmare or a gold mine if you know what to do. Most of us have had encounters with a few of them whether they be our brother's and sisters or our neighbors' children. Next time you have an encounter with one you might want to consider the following tips. Toddlers have LOTS of energy, they might run you around the table for hours before they tire. I can honestly say that every child has some sort of favorite character from Batman to Barbie to tellietubbies they will always have one. It might help to find in advance what their favorite TV Show is and there favorite characters so you can plan to watch a video or play with some figures of there favorite character. To help the kids to get into their nightclothes you might want to bribe them into it. Like for example you might say "I'll let you have a pop-sickle or some popcorn if you can get ready for bed." But one thing you must ALWAYS remember is to never ever ever under any circumstance give them sugar before bedtime. Now that you understand how to get them calmed down you should relax by letting them watch a Disney movie or a TV show. Kids under five should be in bed by no later than eight thirty no matter what the kids say. I think parents and any experienced baby-sitter will agree this is the most difficult task of the night. Almost all kids will fight to the death to avoid going to sleep. Some methods can vary from child to child depending on the attitude of the kids. First things first to avoid some conflict you should tell them at least an hour in advance when they will be going to bed, this gets rid of the argument "you never told me I had to go to bed at eight o clock." Next as bedtime arrives you should make sure they are ready for bed, teeth brushed, is your bed ready do you have your nightclothes on? Now for the most dreaded thing "Okay Marco and Amy its time for bed," is the way it should sound in a nice calm soothing voice. If there is an argument you can start off with being nice like saying "oh really? Well if you don't go to bed I might just have to tickle

notes on theories of mass communications

1999-10-08T14:00:00-04:00

This is NOT an essay - it is a collection of notes which are the foundation of an 800 word comparison of two articles regarding the place of humanities in university studies, and the roles of mass communication. Part 1 (800 words - 30%) You will be given two short readings by the end of Week 3 of the Semester. Identify the approach or approaches used in each, and with reference to the features and examples of the identified approaches as presented in Subject materials, justify your answer. Andrew Riemer's article, "Cannon or Fodder?" (The Weekend Australian, 16-17 November 1996) can be identified as having both Idealist and Leavisite approaches within the text. This is indicated in several passages of the text: "My colleagues in the Department of English were irresponsible...They were trivialising the discipline...by allowing undergraduates to sidestep the so-called canonical writers...in favour of whatever transient phenomenon or writer of small talent happened to be their latest obsession." "They were reprehensible ... in encouraging their students to impose simple sub-Marxist, sub-feminist templates on complex and mysterious works of literature ... Milton's Eve reduced to a mere victim of the patriarchy." "Alluring though it might be, we cannot recover intellectual integrity by turning back the clock." "Cannon or Fodder?" (The Weekend Australian, 16-17 November 1996) When looking at the approaches as they are presented in the Subject Materials, one is able to identify them as clearly being both Idealistic and Leavisite. Our Subject Book indicates that the Idealistic view of culture has been "conceived in the humanities and in journalism and popular social commentary ... a realm of moral, spiritual and aesthetic values which exist largely independent and above society". Further, this view states Culture was isolated from society - autonomous because it had to be abstracted from one way of life (pre-industrial) and then transmitted and extended to another (allegedly inferior) way of life to 'save' that society. The Leavisite concept of culture is still common and is firmly bound up in the theory of mass society and mass culture. Mass communications are seen to hold a crucial and privileged place in mass society, taking over the role of creating and distributing the values and information common to a society. Mass culture, unlike high culture, is unable to transcend its time and place and offer any kind of lasting truth to its audiences and, at worst, positively damages them. Critics of Leavis have questioned the narrowing of 'culture' to literature. ...idealist concept

Prejudice

1999-10-02T14:00:00-04:00

As I walk down the aisle, the sales clerk glares at me with contemptible eyes, watching every move I make, unquestionably thinking if she turns her head for the slightest moment that I will slip everything of value into my purse. Prejudging people for their appearance is a common practice that humans perform. People are not only ridiculed for their color, as many might contemplate, when thinking of "prejudice", but also for many other things. Some of them including your age and sex. In the last three and a half decades, racism has taken a dramatic turn. During the 60s many civil rights programs were created to protect the African Americans. After the Civil War, many rights were legally established for the blacks. Now, the black community is not only being increasingly respected by Caucasions, but they are also being idolized by millions of people all over the world, or all different races. The most popular watched sport in America, NBA basketball, is played by over 87% of the African decent, and black individuals are topping the charts in rock, pop, and ragea music. Ageism is also a prejudice problem in our society today. Though many piople think that this is not a serious problem, everyday, people are being harrassed for their age, whether they are "too old" or "too young". I have dealt with this problem myself, as many other teenagers have. When walking into many stores, I am asked to leave my purse or back pack at the front of the store and I am often times followed around by employees of the store to "prevent theft". Theft is a dilemma that many businesses have to deal with, but when it gets to the point of being untrusted due to your age, it's ridiculous and innapropriate. Men and women's rights in society have never been equal. Though many American citizens would agree women have less rights than men, in some cases that can be beneficial, including times of the war and working days (before the world war), when women rarely worked out of their house. But for all of humanity's society, women have been taken advantage of due to their physical disadvantage under men. However, sex issues of today are decreasing, but sexism will never diminish to the point of complete equality. I believe that prejudice is a result of fear and ignorance. You could almost call prejudice the end result of

Genesis Notes

1999-09-28T14:00:00-04:00

Genesis 1-11 Cosmological Stories Etiology- deep human question that a story answers Genesis 1: How many days did it take for God to make the earth? Seven 1. Light a. Night b. Day 2. Sky 3. Dry land Let water divide Vegetation 4. Stars Genesis 2: How were man/woman created? Man from dust, Woman from rib Why do people want to marry? They are to leave their parents to go with their spouse What is our purpose? To watch over the Garden and the world Adam- from Adamah- thing from dirt Ruach- God¡¦s breath, wind, spirit- makes Adam a living being Eve- mother of all living things; 1st woman Eden- delight, place for Adam and Eve Anthropomorphic- having human-like qualities Immanent- God very present Transcendant- outside, beyond, detached from creation Omniscience- All Knowing Autonomous- free to choose Sin- 1) disobedience 2) pointing the finger 3) blaming someone else 4) don¡¦t accept responsibility Genesis 4 "h Sons of Adam and Eve: "h Cain- farmer; rep of agrarian culture "h Abel- Shepherd; rep of nomadic culture "h Themes: "h Jealousy and murder "h Origins of violence "h Forsaking responsibility "h Mercy and capital punishment "h Gifts to God "h Cain- fat portions "h Abel- fruit of the earth "h God favors Abel "h Cain kills Abel out in the field "h God tries to get a confession by asking and not accusing "h Cain is the first murderer "h Capital punishment "h Penalty: "h Gets a mark for "h Protection "h Punishment "h Guilt "h Banished to land of Nod "h Land of wandering "h Form of guilt "h Settled existence Genesis 5 "h Geneology- family line "h Begins with Adam -> Noah Genesis 6:9 ¡V 9:17 Terms: "h Gilgamesh "h Babylonian myth of flood "h Gilgamesh becomes a god "h Same as Moses "h God of Babylonians can¡¦t sleep because of racket so he floods the earth "h 40 "h May be a symbol for a long time "h Constantly used in the bible "h Berith "h Covenant, promise "h God makes Beriths "h Put your life in Beriths "h Hebrew tradition "h Terrah "h Saving vessel "h "h Dove "h Peace "h New Command "h All can be food for people "h Don¡¦t eat animals for food "h Except they can have life blood "h You may not kill people "h Capital Punishment "h God will Provide Genesis 12-50 Patriarchal Stories "h Rooted in specific time/ place "h Main characters "h Are social unlikelies from the same family with which whom God makes a Berith "h All experience a theophany "h Manifestation of God "h Berith involves Land and Blessing extended to the future "h Foundation for J, C, I "h Judaism "h Christian "h Islam, Muslim "h Rich in drama and suspense "h Cliffhangers! "h Names reveal character of person, place "h Isaac means laughter "h Abraham means father "h Nomadic "h Everyone is on the move "h Ger "h Wanderer, sojourner, pilgrim "h First father "h Abraham Genesis 11:27-32 "h First patriarchal

The Mall

1999-09-15T14:00:00-04:00

"Let's go to the mall." This comment is one of the few statements that can be heard coming from the mouths of both sexes. While typically associated with shopping, and thus automatically, and unfairly, females, going to the mall has mutual attractions to both males and females. Since the massive increase of shopping malls in this country, the popularity of "going to the mall" has increased a thousand fold for everyone. For females the reason that "going to the mall" is so popular is very clear. Females were always taught that their rightful place is at home taking care of their families (this statement is aid without trying to sound chauvinistic). When the car made a sudden impact on the world during the middle part of the century, even more responsibility's were added to the wife's list of "to do's." The wife no longer just took care of the family. She now was able to go out and shop for food, clothes, or anything else that her family may need. In a sense the wife now had more freedom to take care of the family by being away from the home more. Today women are no different then their 1950's counterparts. While contemporary women are much more free-minded about their own place in society, there still lies the motherly instinct to go out and purchase for the family. This instinct may change in time, but until that change occurs this cause shall remain as the chief reason why women "got to the mall" or "go shopping." On the other hand, males go for a completely different reason. The malls are where all the new toys are. This may sound childish, and theoretically unscientific for a cause of male insurgence at malls, but the statement lies in fact. Whenever a new computer product, sports equipment, or "masculine" item show up, one of the first places that these new toys are showed off are at center concourses in malls. Nowhere else in the world can a person see flocks of guys leaving their wives at jewelry stores to watch a woman who looks like she was sculptured by a Greek master work-out on some new, crazy-looking contraption (which I hear can be very dangerous if a person likes his credit account, or if he doesn't have a very trusting wife). Another chief reason for men going to malls is because that location is

Changing the American Language

1999-09-14T14:00:00-04:00

My brother and i are alike in that we both often have very strange dreams. A couple of months back, he dreamed that he was driving in Mexico with his best friend Jacob, when he got pulled over by the Mexican police. When asked if he was drunk, he replied with, "Of course not, sir. I dislike drunk drivers. I disapprove of drunk drivers. I discringe drunk drivers." Hearing this, the police simply let him go. As he was driving away, however, Jacob turned to him and said, "Dude...discringe?" After reciting this story to me the next morning, he asked, "Amber...is discringe a word?" When i told him that it wasn't, he decided that from then on it would be, and ever since has been using it as part of his everyday vocabulary. After hearing him use this made-up word as if it were real for awhile, I realized that he was right. Discringe, although not a real part of the English vocabulary, ought to be a real word, as should many other expressions used in everyday vernacular. There simply aren't enough words to express the many varying and complex emotions we have. Because of the fact that it would add to the creativity of our language, help students differentiate between proper and improper grammar styles, and let us express ourselves in ways that before were very difficult to achieve, the English language ought to be revised to accommodate the changing needs of our society. From "spanglish" to ebonics, the English language is constantly being manipulated into all sorts of different forms to best suit its purpose. This is part of what makes the American culture so unique. Our language comes from three basic sources: what was brought over from the mother country, England, during settlement a mix of different languages and cultures all brought together into what is called the "melting pot" of American society and lastly, experiences and social reforms brought about by the ever-changing needs of a growing country. The third reason, however, has largely been neglected by professors and bureaucrats alike as a viable source of new vocabulary. Although many terms that are commonly used in everyday speech are perfectly functional as well as able to express their intended purpose, they simply are not acknowledged as part of what is considered to be "proper" grammar. For instance, the term "How are you doing?" has evolved into "How

The Sound and the Fury (Madison Scouts)

1999-09-13T14:00:00-04:00

The roar of extreme sound emanates from a football field. It is clear that this is not an ordinary high school marching band playing at a football game. These are Drum and Bugle Corps, boasting an instrumentation of all brass and percussion instruments. This arrangement of instruments can create an enormous amount of sound, sometimes louder than a rock music concert. Due to their thorough auditioning processes, they have a group of musicians, who can play extremely well, all of whom are brought together to entertain the crowds on their three month tour in the summer. Their goal is not just entertainment, but to end up on the top of the order when all is said and done at the championships. In 1972, several Drum and Bugle corps, who wanted to perform competitively against each other, embarked on a venture to create their own rules of performance. The original rules were set forth by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, from whom competitive Drum Corps w!as given birth. The competing units had little to say in any modification of rules. From this new coalition, Drum Corps International (DCI) arose. The Madison Scouts, one of these charter members of DCI, were originally formed as a division of a Boy Scout troop in 1938, so that Madison would have their own Drum and Bugle Corps to resemble the Racine Scouts Corps. Each year 125 men, ages sixteen to twenty-one, come together for three months, practicing an average of eight hours every day in the summer, to put together the production for the coming competitive season. Each year the Madison Scouts thrill audiences with their talent and power, creativity, and an emphasis on entertainment to consistently become one of the crowds' favorite corps. Amazing us with the sound they can generate, the Madison Scouts are known as "The guys who can blow the corks right out of their spit valves". This is an unattainable feat, unless you are using tremendous amounts of air and pressure most professional players cannot do this. The Madison Scouts are noted for tapping into this unbridled power which their musicians possess. They utilize extreme variation in dynamic levels. Like adjusting the volume on a stereo, this is how loud and soft the ensemble gets as a whole. They create an atmosphere on the football field which draws in the audience. Their soprano bugles are renowned for

Cricket-Spitting Back by Popual Demand

1999-09-13T14:00:00-04:00

Cricket-spitting contest! Intresting and true. There is an annual Bu bowl at Purade University in Lafayette , Ind. Where people come and taste food made with insects , see a honey bee exhibit and taste the honey those bee's are making , go to a insect petting zoo and touch insects , and see the famous cockroach race! That's not all , they have a contest with people that spit cricket carcass's. This is so popular they have a drawing to see who will be spitting. This Bug Bowl has been going on for eight years. It does have a very important purpose, you get to learn more about insects. This was a very useful article. It showed me a different way of learning about insects. Just think of all those people that were able to look at bee's making honey then getting to taste the

Volunteer Paper

1999-09-13T14:00:00-04:00

For my volunteer paper I wanted to volunteer at an animal hospital or shelter since I am majoring in Pre-Vet. Then I decided to do something different. I chose to student teach 1st graders at Mckinley Elementary. It is very surprising to me that I chose to do this. I always said that I hated kids and had no desire to ever work with them I even said I would never give birth to any kids because I hated them so much. The thing is that I actually enjoyed my experience very much. I chose this activity because I wanted to try something different that I thought I wouldn't like. The teacher that I did this volunteer work for was my 1st grade teacher at Mckinley Elementary when I went to school there back in 1986. The reason that I hate kids so much is because had a really bad experience with them. In the summer of last year I baby-sat these kids across the street from me that moved here from New York. They were the kids from hell. They were so annoying, and ungrateful. For instance they always asked me to buy them Taco Bell, and when I did, they would say, "why did you buy me this?", or "I want more, you better buy me more." I hated them. I was so stressed from them that I would cry at night. I really didn't want to baby-sit them anymore but I felt bad if I said no. So I thought I couldn't judge all kids on those three. I had to give others a chance, and didn't want to give up on having kids. I did many fun and exciting things while I was working with these kids at Mckinley. The first day Mrs. Aiken introduced me. She said, " Boys and girls this is Taysha, and I was her teacher when she was your age." They were all in awe. They couldn't believe that I had her as a teacher. The first kid I helped was a black girl named Shontele. I helped her with her math work and reading. I taught her to group thins in Math when you are adding or subtracting. For example: Say you have ten subtract three. I told her to put ten into groups of five, then cross out three, and count how many there was left. She enjoyed that and

Health Benefits of Ergonomics

1999-09-04T14:00:00-04:00

Ergonomics involves designing workplaces and work tools to be used easily, efficiently and effectively by people. The overall goal is to promote health and productivity in the workplace. Where ergonomic principles are not applied, chronic musculoskeletal disorders such as tendinitis of the arm and hand, eyestrain injury and back injuries may be common. Most people are concerned when they cannot use parts of the body like they know they should be able to use them. People are often unaware of ways to prevent injury, and ergonomics will introduce methods that will help reduce those injuries. Chiropractors recommend using ergonomics in a professional environment as well as at home. Following simple guidelines can help prevent injury to the arms and hands, eyes, and back. Everyday activities at work, home, or play can cause wear and tear on muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves. Problems can be a direct result of poor posture, repetitive motion, and excessive force or pressure to any part of the body. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides ergonomic consulting services to companies, labor organizations and government agencies. In an environment where Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and the associated workers' compensation costs continue to increase, these services are directed to identifying the risk factors to such disorders and assisting clients in reducing the hazards created by these factors. INTRODUCTION Increased or constant productivity is a concern of every employer. Employers want to know that their employees are doing their best. Therefore, employers should strive to make the work environment suitable for productivity. The ergonomics program is designed to do just that. In most cases, a happy employer leads to happy employees. Purpose The purpose of the ergonomic program is to make employers aware of injury prevention. Such awareness can to increased productivity, a decrease in the number of worker's compensation cases, and a decrease in number of lower back injuries. The information provided to you in this proposal will make you, as an employer, see the necessity of applying ergonomics to your working environment. Studies have shown that with increased computer use, the numbers of Repetitive Motion Disorders has tripled since 1979. Scope These ergonomic consulting serves are provided by trained and experienced industrial engineers and health professionals. The range of services include: Workstation evaluation and modification;

Job evaluations combined with recommendations for modifications;

Tool design to reduce hand and forearm fatigue;

Training of employees and supervisors in ergonomic concepts, proper work break patterns and exercises;

Assistance with the evaluation and selection

Chirstmas

1999-08-25T14:00:00-04:00

Christmas The year's most celebrated holiday is celebrated on December 25th, both in homes and churches worldwide. The meaning for Christmas is to recognize Christ's birth, of which the exact date is not known. During the fourth century the Bishop of Rome set December 25th as Christ's birth date. Some authorities claim that the choice of December 25th was made because it coincided with Chanukah, Mithraic's feast of the sun god, and the people of northern Europe's winter solstice feast. The winter solstice is the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the noon sun appears to be farthest south. (All About American Holidays, 1962 Encyclopedia Encarta, 1998) The Saturnalia was celebrated for seven days, during the period of time when the winter solstice occurred. During this, slaves were given freedom, gifts were exchanged, and banquets and happiness prevailed. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) Holiday Greenery Evergreens, the symbol of eternal life, have long been used for Christmas time decorations. The Christmas wreath represents everlasting life and God's endless love for us. Kissing under a mistletoe supposedly started out when early Roman enemies stopped fighting when they met under a mistletoe. Holly is the most known Christmas greenery, and there are several legends about it, one is that Jesus' crown was made of holly, and the holly berries represented his blood. (All About American Holidays, 1962) The Christmas tree: The Christmas tree is an evergreen trimmed with lights, decorations, and tinsel, is derived from a "paradise tree", or the tree in the Garden of Eden. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) The use of the Christmas tree began early in the 17th century, in Strasbourg, France, spreading from there through Germany and then into northern Europe. In 1841 Prince Albert introduced the Christmas tree to Great Britain, where from there immigrants brought it to the United States. (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) Santa Claus The beginning of gift giving during Christmas started from the three wise men, with their three gifts for the Christ child. Since then people have made up different things to tell their children where their Christmas presents came from. The historical Saint Nicholas was known in early Christian legends for saving storm-tossed sailors, standing up for children, and giving gifts to the poor. Although many of his stories can't be proven true, his legend spread throughout Europe, and he was soon know for his extreme generosity and gift giving. Many stories include him riding through the

Swiming Health Report

1999-08-22T14:00:00-04:00

HISTORY OF SWIMMING Swimming was invented before recorded history. Humans discovered how to swim by accident. A person probably fell into the water and struggled to shore using a dog-paddle stroke. There was an Egyptian hieroglyph for swimming dating from 2500 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans made swimming an important part of their military training programs. There have been known swimming contests that were organized in Japan as early as the 1st century BC. During the Middle Ages in Europe, swimming declined in popularity. People felt that the water was contaminated and a source of disease. Not everyone feared the water, however, Louis XI reportedly swam daily in the Seine. During the early 19th century, swimming enjoyed a revival, especially in England, Lord Byron swam the Dardanelles river, to prove that the mythological hero Leander could have done it. Organized competitive swimming began in England in the 1840s. In 1844 the British were surprised when two American Indians demonstrated the efficiency of a method of swimming similar to the modern crawl. The British still swam with the head above the water, a holdover from the days when people believed that the water was contaminated. An overhand stroke was introduced into England in 1873 by J. Arthur Trudgen, who had seen South American Indians using this method to swim really fast. When the flutter kick was introduced, the modern "Australian crawl" was born, and this stroke has since become the most common and most important swimming stroke. FITNESS COMPONENTS To swim well u need to know how to coordinate your arms and legs to get you through the water. At first you will probably need to have lessons. Also to swim u need agility and just gravity. Swimming also requires balance and quickness in some cases. Not much is needed to know if you want to swim. Swimming improves heart and lung efficiency, enhances muscle strength and endurance, improves flexibility, and reduces stress. It's easy on the joints, and uses more muscles than most other forms of exercise. Although swimming burns a great deal of calories, recreational swimmers tend to lose less weight than would be expected from other types of aerobic activity. Scientists say that cold water removes heat from the body, stimulating appetite to keep the body warm. Exposure to cold water may encourage the body to maintain fat stores for insulation. To lose weight by swimming, its necessary to cut down on the calories you

Tribulations of the Self (sociology)

1999-08-21T14:00:00-04:00

What constitutes the 'tribulations of the self' in contemporary society, according to Anthony Giddens? Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. This essay will seek an explanation of what constitutes the 'tribulations of the self' according to Anthony Giddens (1991). In the first part of this paper, I discuss some central ways language has been viewed focusing the review on social constructivist writings as well as those stemming from the study of human development. In the second part of this paper, I discuss data that leads to the reconsideration of aspects of the language - selfhood interface. I conclude by suggesting some future avenues of research. First the essay will outline the various tribulations that Giddens describes in 'Modernity and Self-identity' (1991). A tribulation of the self is a test or trial for the self, that involves some degree of severity. Many of these tribulations that Giddens outlines are to do with the anxieties brought about by different aspects of life and how the individual deals with them. The first tribulation that Giddens examines is the influence of risk and doubt. Feelings of anxiety arise when the individual doubts or takes risks. Such anxieties may be reduced by adhering to a faith or religion. Often these will dictate a certain lifestyle that either reduces doubt and risk or allows the individual to think about them less (Giddens, 1991). This was certainly the case in pre-modernity. Today more anxiety arises with the awareness that there are several possibilities and choices to do with decisions about life. Anxieties caused by risk may be more often caused by the risk calculations than the risks them selves (Giddens, 1991). Risk taking is an important part of life, people take risks every day and some become so much part of a routine that they appear no longer to be a risk. There are certain risks that are beyond our immediate control. Such as 'ecological disaster, nuclear war or the ravaging of humainity by as yet unanticipated scourges' (Giddens, 1991. p 183). Those who spend all their time worrying about such things are not considered normal yet they are sources of anxiety (Giddens, 1991). Among other things there is awarness of high consequence risks and the notion that 'things go wrong' (Giddens, 1991. P182) are going to cause anxiety in every day life. The next tribulation Giddens examines is 'ontological security, anxiety, and the sequestration of experience' (1991. p

Personal Goals

1999-08-21T14:00:00-04:00

As the most of my peers, I have been asking myself a question, what is it really I want out of my life? This question has been bothering many people, and not only the college students who are trying to figure out the path which will lead them to the comfortable life. One might ask, what is that comfort that we all are striving for? Is it a state of mind or is it some unknown world that we are so eager to enter? Well, it varies from person to person, it depends on the life that the person has left behind when the decision to go to college was made. There are several aspects of our lives that could influence us and the future decisions that we'll make. The biggest part of our decision making is the way we were raised and the culture we have got used to. Many Americans believe that the success depends on the family background that you have. There are those who say that if the person was raised in a rich family, all opportunities are available to them and there is a high! chance that the person will live a comfortable life. The same people are saying that if the person was raised in a poor family there are too many obstacles to overcome and most of the time these barriers on the way are too hard to cross. On the other hand, there are those people who say that the America is the land of opportunities and any person could achieve his/her goals if they set their mind to it. It is true that being born in the rich family helps a great deal during the course of your life. You are brought up in the household that provides the best conditions for exploring the world of knowledge. There are no worries about the basic needs like food, shelter or security, and all the resources are provided thanks to the excessive amount of money. Being rich allows people to worry less about the material things and more about the fundamentals of the learning and knowledge. Being born in a rich family also means meeting people and making the contacts earlier in life, which will later be helpful in that most difficult step of finding the first job. There is also the morality, which comes from the conditional learning of the environment that person

The zipper

1999-07-02T14:00:00-04:00

The zipper is a very common fastener used to secure all kinds of things, especially clothing. But the zipper wasn't always around. Before the zipper was invented, buttons were used in fastening clothes, and so were hooks and eyes that had to be fastened manually. When the zipper first came out, it was somewhat of an oddity; it wasn't widely accepted. But slowly, more and more people started noticing its convenient applications, and soon it could be seen everywhere. The zipper started off as a novelty, and because of its convenience, it is now a necessity. The first zipper was invented by Whitcomb Judson. He devised it to do up boots, and got the device patented on August 29, 1893. He called it the "clasp locker". The clasp locker was much bulkier than the zipper we know today. It was a series of two rows of hooks and eyes that could be fastened by a "slider" (which was the most important part of Judson's invention). Another big difference from today's zipper is that after zipping up the fastener, the slider would detach right off the garment. Then to open the clasp locker, the slider would be re-attached at the top of the locked clasps, upside down, and then pulled down. About a year after the patents were issued, a close friend of Whitcomb Judson, named Harry Earle, and a lawyer named Lewis Walker met up with Judson, and they formed the Universal Fastening Company. They weren't very successful. One of the main reasons was that the clasp locker didn't work very well. The fastener frequently jammed, and easily rusted. But in April of 1896, some Post Office Department representatives went to the company and inspected the Judson fastener on a mailbag and pronounced it satisfactory. Twenty mailbags equipped with the fasteners were ordered. That was one of the first orders Universal Fastening Company got, and it wasn't repeated. It's assumed that the mailbags were discarded due to faulty fasteners. While Judson tried to improve his fastener, the company struggled to get customers. But soon they weren't so worried about trying to sell it, and more worried about finding useful applications for it. In early promotion, it was described as a "20th century device". Also "remarkable in its simplicity, rapidity, security, utility". The fastener would be shown applied to skirt plackets, gloves, corsets, boots, shoes, and leggings. A little later in the decade, Judson

Soccer

1999-06-07T14:00:00-04:00

Introduction Soccer is the world's most popular sport. It is the national sport of most European and Latin-American countries, and of many other nations. Millions of people in more than 140 countries play soccer. The World Cup is held every four years. Soccer is one of the most famous international sports. Soccer is known world wide and is played in the Olympics. In a soccer game there are two teams of 11 players who try to score a point by kicking a ball into the opponents net. Soccer is played on a rectangular field with a net on each short side of the field. All players must hit the ball with their feet or body and only the goalie is allowed to touch the ball with his/her hands. There are many things you can do to condition yourself to play. Soccer the way we play it came from England in the 1800's. Soccer was not that popular until the mid-1900s. Today soccer is very popular and it is one of the nations fastest-growing sports. There are many exercises and drills you can do to improve how you play soccer. There is also many physical conditioning that players can do. Soccer can help you stay fit and healthy. Many people can play soccer and benefit from it. Soccer is very fun and a great recreational sport. History of the Activity Games similar to soccer were played in China as early as 400 BC. In about 200 AD the Romans played a game in which two teams tried to score by advancing a ball across a line on the field. The Romans passed the ball to one another but they never kicked it. London children in about 1100 played a form of soccer in the streets. During the 1800's the people of England played a game similar to soccer. Many rules changed and each person interpreted the rules differently. In 1848 a group of school representatives met at Trinity College in Cambridge and drew up the first of soccer rules. In 1863 English soccer clubs founded the Football Association. By the late 1800's soccer began to spread to the rest of the world. The Canadian Soccer Association was established in 1912 while the United States Soccer Federation was set up in 1913. The first World Cup Championship was in Montevideo, Uruguay. Since then it has been played every four years except during WWII. During the 1970's

Education of Gifted Children

1999-06-06T14:00:00-04:00

Started in the 1970's, America's Gifted & Talented programs are used to enhance the curriculum of students included in either category in order to challenge and strengthen their unique abilities. These students are usually provided a separate class with specialized lessons in all areas and a teacher with a special degree in gifted education. I feel that it is important that the teacher was a gifted student who would know what the students must face as "above average" members of their school. The job market for gifted education offers a wide range of opportunity and gifted teachers are needed all over the country. One of the earliest programs for gifted and talented students was set up in 1974, at The Old Donation Center, in Virginia Beach. Students scoring within the top 3% of students on an assessment test are referred here to be further challenged. These students are considered gifted and have special teachers and classes to promote development of their talents and minds. Programs like this began to pop up around the nation in the 70's; however, gifted students were looked down upon by teachers, parents, and peers. Many people considered them to be "freaks" because they were different. They didn't understand the implications of the terms "gifted" and "talented". Most people simply expected gifted students to act more mature or to be geniuses, even though gifted students are the same as other children in their needs as human beings. Some gifted students were forced to grow up too fast and some simply ignored the fact that they were smarter than others, thus, they were lost in the shuffle. The irony of it all is that gifted-ness seems to run in families and the children of these repressed gifted students are, themselves, gifted. But what exactly is a "gifted" student? Students (elementary & secondary) are given a repertoire of tests. These tests check IQ, psychomotor ability, specific academic aptitude/talent, creative and productive thinking, leadership ability, and skills in the visual and performing arts. The main requirement, the IQ, is tested by a standardized IQ test (remember, however, that IQ tests are not always perfectly accurate). Ratings are given to each bracket of IQ scores: 85-99 Lower normal 100-114 Upper normal 115-129 Bright 130-144 Gifted 145-159 Highly gifted 160+ Above profoundly gifted If a student receives a rating of "gifted" or higher (130+), he/she is considered to be a gifted student and is introduced into the designated programs. These

Silk - research method

1999-05-09T14:00:00-04:00

Do you know the process that goes into making silk? Many people over look this fine, luxurious garment. When I first heard that we had to do an I-search, I was overwhelmed by the choices. I made many changes before finally settling on this topic. When I first though of how to make silk, I didn't think that it would be that hard with the right tools. Although I knew that the fibers came from the silk worm's cocoon I still didn't know how they got it unraveled. I also thought that they only made silk in China. There are many things that I didn't know about making silk. When I thought of doing this topic I didn't think that it would be to easy either. I thought that I would have to go to more than one source to get the answer. I have one main goal for writing this I-search. That is because it is an assignment. If I wanted to know about this topic I wouldn't spend this much time on it. In the begging I wanted to do the topic "Is biological weapons worth the destruction that they cause on the planet?". Then I thought to myself, "There isn't a really right answer because everyone will have a different P.O.V. Now I had to come up with a better question, on that has a true answer. Then I thought to myself again, "Do you know how monorails work?". I didn't answer myself because then I would be crazy. But the first book I looked in I found the answer, so I dropped that idea. My last and final I-search topic would be, "How is silk made?". I think that that answer may be fairly easy to find, but it's a topic that interested me because my grandma has been to China and has seen that places where they (The Chinese) make the silk. She also showed me the cocoons that they take the thread from. On the first day that I started looking for the answer my English class went to the library. From there I combed the library for the answer. My first stop was an encyclopedia. The first random book that I pulled from the shelf was called Encyclopedia America. That one wasn't much help. It only told me how silk worms are cultivated. That didn't bother me much, because I was confident that I would

Love

1999-04-08T14:00:00-04:00

Benjamin Franklin once said, "If you would be loved, love and be lovable." Love is something we are all in at least one time or another in our life. There are many different meanings for the word love and many people interpret it differently. Love as defined by Webster's dictionary is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. When you love someone you care not only care about them as a person, but also about their well being. When they are hurt, you feel hurt and when they are in pain you feel pain also. Their physical and emotional problems are not only theirs, but they are yours as well. To be in love means to care about that person so deeply that your life would not be complete without them. The fact that you cherish one person so much is a blessing to some, as well as a gift. The following fable tells of an orphan girl who had all the happiness in the world. "There is a wonderful fable about a young orphan girl who had no family and no one to love her. One day, feeling exceptionally sad and lonely, she was walking through the meadow when she noticed a small butterfly caught unmercifully in a thornbush. The more the butterfly struggled to free itself, the deeper the thorns cut into the butterfly from its captivity. Instead of flying away, the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy. The young girl rubbed her eyes in disbelief. 'For your wonderful kindness,' the good fairy said to the girl, 'I will grant you any wish you would like.' The little girl thought for a moment and then replied, 'I want to be happy!' The fairy said, 'Very well,' and leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the good fairy vanished. As the little girl grew up, there was no one in the land as happy as she. Everyone asked her the secret of her happiness. She would only smile and answer, 'The secret of my happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl.' When she was very old and on her deathbed, the neighbors all rallied around her, afraid that her fabulous secret of happiness would die with her. 'Tell us, please,' the begged. 'Tell us what the good fairy said.' The lovely old woman simply smiled and said, 'She told me that everyone,

Changing Use of Language

1999-03-19T13:00:00-04:00

I chose to find the entomology of a word that most people can usually not go through a day without using at least once, computer. With the explosion of the personal computer in the last ten years, most households in America own at least one. However, the meaning of the word "computer" has changed in the last century. The word itself is found in text as far back as 1646 when Sir T. Brown said, "The calendars of these computers." The use of "computer" in this sense, as defined by the OED, is one who computes; a calculator, reckoner; a person employed to make calculations in an observatory, in surveying, etc. Then, around 1897, the use of "computer" began to change. In the January 22 edition of Engineering, this usage appeared: "This was... a computer made by Mr. W. Cox. He described it as of the nature of a circular slide rule." This usage began the change of the definition. In the supplement to the OED, "computer" is now defined as a calculating machine; an automatic electronic device for performing mathematical or logical operation. The word "computer" stems from the verb "compute" which came from the French comput-r and the Latin computa-re. It was formed by adding com - together and putare - to clear up, settle, reckon. Together, "compute" means to estimate or determine by arithmetical or mathematical reckoning; to calculate, reckon, count. Then from the word "compute", the suffix "er" was added giving us the definitions we have for computer today. 2) In an effort to further understand language, the field of psycholinguistics formed to study the psychological side of language. Language has many different functions such as communication, expressing emotion, explaining ideas, to create relationships, and recording ideas. Without the use of language, it would be nearly impossible to explain the history of anything. Language allows for the communication that is necessary for survival. It is not only humans who benefit from language either. Bees use a complex system of a dance and buzz to show the hive where to find food, and birds use different chirps to communicate. One psycholinguistic, Hockett, said that all languages have some aspects that are the same at some level which he called Linguistic Universals. One aspect of Linguistic Universals is the broadcast transmission, which says that language is public and that anyone around the message will pick it up. Another aspect of language is

Urban Transportation

1999-03-02T13:00:00-05:00

The development of urban transportation has not changed with the cities; cities have changed with transportation. In the early years of transportation it was the mass transit of horse and buggies or electric rail cars that shaped cities. Then as the automobile became affordable to the public, personal transportation redefined the city as it was known. It is the automobile and the movement to the suburbs that has public transportation struggling to make money today. The very first transportation was with the horse. Then someone came up with the idea to pair a horse up with a buggy. Now four to six people could be carried at one time. These horse and buggies began to be common sight in cities and public transportation was born. Before the horse and buggy people were confined to the distance they could walk, so cities could not grow much. People lived in the central business district because that is where they worked. Now with the simple horse and buggy, people that can afford the transportation can move a mile or two out of the central city (Guathier 174). The big explosion of growth and increased ridership came at the turn of the century. The cause of this explosion was the electric streetcars that were installed in many cities. Whichever direction the rail lines were laid down and the streetcar moved, people began building their homes in that direction. The automobile was just getting its beginning and people were depending on public transportation to get them to work. As the streetcar's tracks expanded east and west, the city's population shifted that way as well. People did not need to be in walking distance of their workplace anymore, but in walking distance of the nearest pickup point of the streetcars (Guathier 175). As streetcars increased their length of lines and service, the public increased their choices of residential locations. People with higher incomes were able to move out of the central part of cities and into outer areas (Guathier 174). This also fostered the concentration of different ethnic groups within separate neighborhoods (Guathier 175). This separation reversed the intermingling that had been taking place during the late 1800's between various economic groups and the different ethnic groups in the cities. Social stratification and sorting of different groups throughout the city was rapidly increased thanks to the streetcar spreading out the cities (Guathier 175). As cities spread out in the

Baseball and American Popular Culture

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Baseball is an integral part of American pop culture. Many Americans grow up with baseball, playing it before they can even count all the bases. It is glorified, taught, and fed to us. When we play baseball, we find a respect for the game. The respect we gain from playing it has turned the game into a tradition of American culture. It has formed itself into the business of professional baseball, namely major league baseball. Professional players have become recognized all over the world. They are sought out and admired by fans. Because of their popularity, these players have written books, endorsed commercial products, and found successful and rewarding careers by playing a game. According to Wallup, author of Baseball: An Informal History, baseball has been apart of our culture since the mid to late nineteenth century(Wallup, p16). Our great grandparents, grandparents, and parents have been brought up with it and our parents teach the sport to us. When the notion of baseball comes to mind, a feeling of nostalgia and tradition come to me. Many of my feelings and memories originate from my childhood. I remember a beautiful summer day. My dad and I arrived at the baseball stadium to watch the game. We walked up the concrete walkway inside the stadium. The concrete walls and floors made my surroundings drab and grey. Finally, we made it to entrance into the stadium. I came out of the dark tunnels into the bright sunlight. The first thing to catch my eye was the vivid rush of color. Underneath the fluffy white clouds and their deep blue canvas, I could look down and see players in vibrant red and blue uniforms warming up for the game. The well-watered grass on the field was a brighter green than any other grass I had seen. The outfield seemed to be so perfect. It appeared that each blade had been cut by hand. The edge of the infield, where the dark, watered-down dirt met the intensely green grass was a precise and well-defined contrast. We sat down and I took in my surroundings. There were men walking up and down the stairs selling various concessions. They had peanuts, beer, soda, ice cream, popcorn, and many other tempting treats. The players soon finished their warm-ups and the crowd became frenzied with excitement. The game was about to start. Baseball has its own traditions in America

Ebonics

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Ebonics, which stands for Ebony + Phonics is a new term that Linguistics use to describe Black Dialect or Black English or many of the other names that it has been given for more that 350 years.. has been in the news recently but it is definitely not a new topic. Ebonics is a "language" that is a combination of "proper English" and a combination of African languages. Because of this combination a pattern was formed on how certain words are said such as this and that, would be pronounced dis and dat. In all words the "Th." sound sounded like a "D". There was also another pattern formed such as, no tense indicated in the verb, no "r" sound and no consonant pairs. These are just some of the many patterns that were created when Africans were forced to learn the English language. History states that around 1619, during the slave trade, ships collected slaves not just from one nation but from many nations. Although they were all Africans certain areas spoke different languages. Some Africans spoke Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa. They were then separated from each other and had to travel with people whom the could not understand. Captain William Smith wrote: ...There will be no more likelihood of their succeeding in a plot... The slaves then had to learn English so that they could have some form of communication with their masters. Their native language and English would be combined and they would speak African-English pidgin. As the slaves began to learn how to communicate with each other, their words would merge into one common word that they could all understand. This is one of the ways that the language became mixed with English. When the African slaves had children they talked to them in African English pidgin. The slaves taught the children both languages so that they could communicate with the slaveowners and to other slaves. As each generation went on the Africans began to speak better English but there were still word that were never spoken correctly or said in proper form. In Georgia and other southern states there were blacks who were not brought from Africa and quite a few knew how to speak standard English. Around 1858 over 400 slave from Africa were brought straight to Georgia and none of them knew a word of English.(Smitherman) Being that these two groups merged together they adapted each others language

Quotes About Life

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

"The answers to life's problems aren't at the bottom of a bottle: they're on TV!" Homer Simpson "It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." W. Somerset Maugham "Life is painting a picture, not doing a sum." Oliver Wendell Home, Jr. "The great end of life is not knowledge but action." Thomas Henry Huxley "Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive" Elbert Hubbard "It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." W. Somerset Maugham "The great end of life is not knowledge but action." Thomas Henry Huxley "Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." Michael Landon "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Helen Keller "If there is a sin against life, it consists

Relationships

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

I. Introduction Last fall, 700,000 men gathered at our nation's Capital to focus on mending relationships. Their goals were to help men end adulterous behavior, quit abusing and neglecting the women and children in their lives, and renew their promises to their families. Knowing this, it is hard to understand why this rally would be seen as a threat rather than honorable. Imagine 700,000 men acknowledging the areas in which they've failed and wanting to take responsibility for their actions. My father was one of these men. Knowing him in the capacity that I do, anything or anyone that can make him acknowledge his imperfections is to be admired! Now why am I telling you this? Why does it matter? People perceived these men as a threat. They were neither welcomed nor respected for taking a stand in what they felt was important. This matters because Conservative Christian thinkers are forced to face this type of discriminating judgement daily. II. One article that I read pertaining to the Promise Keeper gathering was titled "Invasion of the Promise Keepers." (a) I found this rather ironic. Why would men eager to finally take responsibility be seen as "invading?" As a woman, I would rather be with a man who openly admitted that he wasn't always right and who respected and honored me, than to be with a man who did not. (b) Evidently, however, not all women want to be appreciated. Many openly condemned them for their attempts. Protestors of both genders greeted these men with the phrase "racist, sexist, homophobe, go home." III. In an issue of Time, one reporter addresses this type of religious discrimination. He states that "the fight is not so much over what people ought to believe; it is over what they can say, and where, and to whom." He then goes on to give the following examples: (a) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the sentence of a murderer who killed a 70-year-old woman with an ax because the prosecuting attorney cited Biblical law in requesting the death penalty. (b) In Decateur, IL, an elementary, public school teacher demanded that her seven-year-old students mark out the word "God" printed in their phonics book. (c) In Oak Park, IL, a private Catholic hospital was not allowed to erect a cross because it could potentially offend some the town's residents. IV. As one who has experienced this particular type of discrimination, I have often wondered why

Sin is Ignorance - Socratic definition of sin

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Sin is ignorance. This is well known Socratic definition of sin which, like everthing Socratic, is an opinion always worthy of attention. The difficulty with the Socratic definition is that it leaves undetermined how ignorance itself is to be more precisely understood, the question of its origin, ect. That is to say. even if sin be ignorance(or what Christianity would perhaps

Public Speaking

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

In the past, I have participated in a lot of classes and training dealing with many different topics, but unfortunately, public speaking and/ or communications was not one of them. In fact, the last class that I

Law: Gideon vs Wainright

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

The framers formed this country with one sole document, the Constitution, which they wrote with great wisdom and foresight. This bountiful wisdom arose from the unjust treatment of King George to which the colonists were subject. Among these violations of the colonists' rights were inequitable trials that made a mockery of justice. As a result, a fair trial of the accused was a right given to the citizens along with other equities that the framers instilled in every other facet of this country's government. These assurances of the citizens' rights stated in the bill of rights. In the Sixth Amendment, it is stated that, "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right...to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence." A first reading of this phrase one might be think that this right, that which gives a person accused of a crime to have lawyers for his defense, is common knowledge being that it is among the most basic rights given to the citizenry of the public. However, the simple manner in which this amendment is phrased creates a "gray area", and subject to interpretation under different circumstances. The legitimacy of the right to mount a legal defense is further obscured by the Fourteenth Amendment which states, "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States." As a result, many questions begin to arise which seek to determine the true right of the accused to the assistance of counsel. Should legal counsel be provided by the government if the accused lacks the funds to assemble a counsel for his defense? Or, on the other hand, does this amendment set the responsibility of assembling a defensive counsel on the accused even if he or she lacks the funds to do so? Also, do the states have the right to make their own legislation regarding the right of the indigent accused to have counsel appointed to them in the state trials, or does the Fourteenth Amendment prevent this? The Supreme Court was faced with answering these questions in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright. In June of 1961, Clarence Earl Gideon, a fifty year old petty thief, drifter, and gambler who had spent much of his life in and out of jail was arrested in Panama City Florida. He was charged with breaking into a poolroom one night

The German-Great Britain Trade Rivalry in Comparison to the US-Japan Rivalry

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

The German-Great Britain trade rivalry like theU.S.-Japan trade rivalry involved a rising power cutting intothe trade of an already dominant trading power. There wereseveral causes of the German-Great Britain trade rivalryaccording to Hoffman. The first was German's industry's zealin procuring new contracts and expanding markets. They didthis by fulfilling contracts even if they were very small andconstantly trying to stay up with market demand. Second,Germans had a knowledge of languages that the English firmslacked. Third, German industry was aided by their government.In contrast Great Britain did not even supply consularassistance in helping develop markets in British colonies.Fourth, British trade was hurt by the conservatism of Britishmanufacturers who were unwilling to develop new markets orhold onto those it already possessed. These four factors arejust some of the factors that helped German industry grow andrival that of Great Britain. These four factors are all very similar to theJapan-U.S. trade rivalry. Japan like Germany was able tocatch up to the U.S. because the U.S. was large and arrogantand refused to believe it could face competition from Japan.Like Britain, U.S. industry believed that they could holdonto markets and would not face competition. British and U.S.industry were startled by the fast rate of growth andindustrialization that allowed Germany and Japan to transformthemselves quickly into trading rivals. This fast rate ofgrowth also caused friction between both sets of countries.Relations between Germany and Great Britain were damaged asthey bickered over markets in particular colonies in Africa .This is similar to the friction between the U.S. and Japanunfair trading practices and closed markets. Both the U.S. and Great Britain in response to losingmarkets toyed with the idea of economic nationalism andtariffs. As Britain lost markets to Germany many in Britainfelt that Britain should adopt tariffs on goods while othersknown as the free traders believed that a free tradewould benefit Britain by creating markets. This split betweenTariff Reformers and Free Traders is similar tothe split in the U.S. between those in favor of free tradeand those opposed to it. Germany's grab for new markets inthe 1890's through commercial treaties such as the 1891treaty with Austria-Hungry is similar to both the UnitedStates and Japan's free trade zones with neighboringcountries using treaties such as ASEAN and NAFTA. The German-Great Britain trade rivalry is different thenthe U.S.-Japan trade rivalry because a large sector ofJapan's market for selling goods is the United States who itis competing against; this was not true of Germany. BothBritain

Body Language

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

What is Body Language? Definition: Body Language is communication through gestures or

The Roswell Incident

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

The people of the world have always had a mysterious belief that Earth wasn't the only planet in the universe that supported life. This belief dates back to ancient times when heavenly and demonic stories were told of gods who strode across the skies on their golden chariots. Tales as far fetched as Zeus who threw lightening bolts from his fingertips to stories as credible as the American Indian's Cachinas, who supposedly taught them to farm and saved them from numerous disasters. The Egyptians, who built their mammoth pyramids with only the use of man power, used hieroglyphics. These same hieroglyphics have been unofficially documented as being similar to symbols found on unidentified aircraft wreckage found in several incidences over the past fifty years (Montgomery 225-32, 236-37). Are these stories all mere coincidence? Some researchers think not and have continued to unveil new evidence that is believably true. Recently, new facts have been brought up on the most documented UFO (unidentified flying object) sighting of all time: the Roswell Incident. The Roswell Incident is a UFO crash that occurred at 11:30 p.m. on July 4th, 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico (Randal 10). Mac Brazel, a local New Mexico rancher, discovered a considerable amount of unusual debris while riding out on horseback early in the morning to check his sheep after a night of intense thunderstorms. He reported to Sheriff George Wilcox after driving into Roswell, that the aircraft had created a shallow gouge several hundred feet long and was scattered over a large area. Sheriff Wilcox then notified authorities at the Roswell Army Air Field and with the assistance of his deputies, proceeded to investigate the matter. Shortly after the 509th Bomb Group arrived from their station 35 miles away (Walker 38), they closed off the area for a number of days and retrieved the wreckage. The debris was initially taken to Roswell Army Air Field and eventually flown to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio (Jeffrey). Before the military could intervene, the event had already been witnessed by more than one-hundred people. Local police, fire squad, and curious members of the Roswell community make up these people. A lot of them were part of the initial recovery team and are now telling their stories that have been bottled up for nearly a half of a century (Randal 11). According to one unnamed witness of the Roswell recovery team, The crash site was

The Anti-Trust Case Against Microsoft

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Since 1990, a battle has raged in United States courts between the United States government and the Microsoft Corporation out of Redmond, Washington, headed by Bill Gates. What is at stake is money. The federal government maintains that Microsoft's monopolistic practices are harmful to United States citizens, creating higher prices and potentially downgrading software quality, and should therefore be stopped, while Microsoft and its supporters claim that they are not breaking any laws, and are just doing good business. Microsoft's antitrust problems began for them in the early months of 1990(Check 1), when the Federal Trade Commission began investigating them for possible violations of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts,(Maldoom 1) which are designed to stop the formation of monopolies. The investigation continued on for the next three years without resolve, until Novell, maker of DR-DOS, a competitor of Microsoft's MS-DOS, filed a complaint with the Competition Directorate of the European Commission in June of 1993.(Maldoom 1) Doing this stalled the investigations even more, until finally in August of 1993, (Check 1)the Federal Trade Commission decided to hand the case over to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice moved quickly, with Anne K. Bingaman, head of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ, leading the way.(Check 1) The case was finally ended on July 15, 1994, with Microsoft signing a consent settlement.(Check 1) The settlement focused on Microsoft's selling practices with computer manufacturers. Up until now, Microsoft would sell MS-DOS and Microsoft's other operating systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) at a 60% discount if that OEM agreed to pay a royalty to Microsoft for every single computer that they sold (Check 2) regardless if it had a Microsoft operating system installed on it or not. After the settlement, Microsoft would be forced to sell their operating systems according to the number of computers shipped with a Microsoft operating system installed, and not for computers that ran other operating systems. (Check 2) Another practice that the Justice Department accused Microsoft of was that Microsoft would specify a minimum number of minimum number of operating systems that the retailer had to buy, thus eliminating any chance for another operating system vendor to get their system installed until the retailer had installed all of the Microsoft operating systems that it had installed.(Maldoom 2) In addition to specifying a minimum number of operating systems that a vendor had to buy, Microsoft also would sign contracts with

Truth and Belief

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

James is a believer in the pragmatic theory of truth. He draws a relationship between the good and the true. The true is not an separate entity from good, but is one of the species of good. Truth is defined as the "name of whatever proves itself to be good in a way of belief..."(p298). He continues in explaining truth as having a 'good' property because of definite assignable reasons. He uses a situation of having no good in true ideas, where the knowledge is worthless and the only useful ones are the false ideas. This situation leads to the problem of the opinion of truth. The current notion of truth is divine and precious, but if true ideas have no good and are worthless then

The Guardian Ad Litem Program

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

The Guardian Ad Litem Program represents children who appear in the state courts. These children have not committed any crime but are victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment. The program is comprised of volunteers who represent children in the courts, making sure they do not become victims of "the system". Each volunteer works

Positivism

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Positivism is the belief that "scientific naturalism" is the foundation of knowledge and truth. Leszek Kolakowski wrote "Positivism is a normative attitude, regulating how we are to use such terms as 'knowledge','science','cognition', and 'information'. Positivism rejects the theories of theology and metaphysics because they don't have proof that they are true. Positivism is a philosophy that has many theories for the whole spectrum of life. They include the theory of knowledge as discussed above, the theory of society, the theory of morality, the theory of language, the theory of mind. Positivism's theory of society says that there are two laws that govern society:static and dynamic. Statics, according to Positivism is the basis of sociology and "consists in the investigation of the laws of action and reaction of the different parts of the social system."(Dale, 1989) Dynamics "studies the laws of [social]

Planning Retirement

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

People of all ages should begin planning for retirement and managing their money well so they are ensured enough income when they do retire. Retirees estimate that people will need 71% of their pre-retirement income to maintain their current lifestyles. Stocks and 401(k) plans are recommended. Facts Nonretired Americans with household incomes that average more than $50,000 assumes they won't be able to retire until age 59. More than a third of affluent retirees with children and grandchildren are helping to support them financially, as are 29% of all retirees. Also, nearly a quarter of all retirees whose parents are alive are helping them financially. Fully 48% of the affluent who aren't retired as well as of all people surveyed who aren't retired believe they have to work part time in retirement. Only 23% of well-off retirees and 16% of all retirees polled are working today. Affluent nonretirees estimate they'll need only 53% of their pre-retirement income to support their retirement lifestyles. But well-off retirees say they actually require fully 71%. Fully 25% of affluent nonretirees think it's likely they will run out of money before they die vs. only 12% of well-off retirees. Affluent retirees single biggest regret is failing to put more money in tax-deferred retirees said they invested the maximum the law permits, compared with only 48% of the affluent nonretirees polled. Strategies

1. Figure out how much income you'll need in retirement. Retirees told us that to support their lifestyles they typically require 71% of their pre-retirement income, which is much more than many of them expected while they were employed. In fact, nearly two in five retirees said they're spending more an average of 26% more than they thought they would. Our poll found that nonretirees think that retirement they'll need a mere 53% of their current income. For most of them, that will not be enough.

2. Start saving for retirement early. Retirees second biggest regret is that they didn't begin saving at a younger age. An early start is especially crucial for women, whose financial security late in life lags men's at an alarming rate.

3. Make full use of all your tax-advantaged investing options. Well over half of today's retirees (58%) invested the maximum amount allowed in IRAs, 401(k)s and other tax-deferred retirement savings accounts.

4. Put more money in stocks. Fully 41% of retirees wish they had invested more heavily in stocks.

5. Take good care of your health physically and financially retires

The Union Leader: The School's Secret to Success Leads to Its Shame

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

For the past many years the Stratfield School in Fairfield, Connecticut has been a school where a parents were preparing his or her son or daughter for the Ivy League Level. For some reason or another, the students in this school scored 40 percent higher that all of the other nine local elementary schools on the standardized tests. Unfortunately the only thing that was different in this school was that they were unknowingly cheating. It was proven that many of the answers that were marked incorrectly were changed, and of the answers changed 89 percent were changed from wrong to right. Something seemed fishy for a long time, and it took a man by the name of Jeffrey Matthew's being elected on the School Board to help find and solve this dilemma. Well the principle, whether committing the actual crime, or having total knowledge of it, resigned his post at the age of 57, and after the $206,000 cost of the investigation, the students of Stratfiels School are