Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Advantages and Disadvantages of the European Union Research Paper

Advantages and Disadvantages of the European Union - Research Paper Example The discussion will also briefly look at the criteria followed by the states in order to be part of the European Union. Before the World War II took place, the world did not experience common cases of International organizations (alliances) as there are seen today. However, the war served as an eye-opener in that a majority of the states became open for cooperation towards creating these unions. This has largely been attributed to the widespread crisis, both economic and political, that had hit the world following the harrowing war. This prompted the creation of most of the organizations seen today with the European Union being one of them. As a brief history of the European Union, the idea of the alliance was incepted in 1949 and implemented in 1951 when the first founders of the Union came together for the formation of an alliance. The six member nations, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Luxembourg created what was first referred to as the Council of Europe. Their main objective was to unify the region while also proclaiming peace which was a much-needed necessity following the WWII. Following this was an expansion of the body and consequently, a new name was adopted in 1957- The European Economic Community. As the name suggests, the body was determined to create and facilitate free trade between member states. In the next 50 years, various countries have joined the body and in 1993, the body adopted the name The European Union, which is what it is known today. Currently, the union comprises 27 member states in Europe with the latest members, Bulgaria and Romania having joined the body in 2007 (S ajdik & Schwarzinger, 2008). The European Union is governed by various policies and guidelines that have been formulated over the years in response to various emerging needs in the alliance. Today, the union allows citizens of the member states to move freely within the encompassed

Monday, October 28, 2019

Self-Driving Cars Are Smart Essay Example for Free

Self-Driving Cars Are Smart Essay The self-driving car is a car that allows a passenger to travel safely and quickly to their destination without human driving (Marsico, 8). These vehicles are also known as â€Å"autonomous cars†. If the self-driving cars are available, people are no longer had to worry about their own safety while driving on the road and also they don’t need a driver license. The drivers will have more freedom to do whatever they wish while inside the car including reading, texting, eating, and sleeping. The vehicle also can set up the speech limit that driver doesnt have to worry about when the police going to meet them. The self-driver cars are also can save our life because every year the new report accidents are caused on the road due to the human drive. â€Å"In 2009, the technology company Google began developing a fleet of a self-driving car. These vehicles are just stepping away from being totally autonomous. They already travel along U.S. roadways. Currently, people who ride in Google’s robotic cars are able to take control at any time† (Marsico, 29). Technology has changed the way we live in many ways, some including being able to communicate with people that we know around the world. It also made things a lot easier like homework and learning. As we can see today the car manufacturers continue to experiment with the new technology. The self-driving car is one of the cars that experiment with the car manufactures. The cars first may need a GPS system to get a rough idea of where they are and where they need to go (Marsico 18). They also have a bunch of sensors to constantly scan the area around them looking for any hazards- whether that another car or a bicycle, or even a rogue bird (Barone). For Google self-driving cars these sensors include a camera to see, and radar and lasers to map out the area (Barone). The self-driving car also monitoring 360 degrees around the car which much better than what a distracted driver could do (Stewart). Most important and challenging facet of self-driving cars is the software that makes them run (Barone). This has to take in all the data from the sensors and GPS and even things like traffic and weather conditions and make decisions based on that. It determines how to steer, stop, and go and everything else involved in getting you from point to point. According to the Katie Marsico said, â€Å"In fact, experts have suggested that self-driving automobiles might around 30,000 lives a year in the United State†. As we can see today some of the people are driving and always cause the accident. The car that we drive today is easy and many people can drive them. They become popular and help people to travel place to place, save time and energy. Workers are able to transfer some important things with the help of the car. Using a car is comfortable and easier than using public transportation. Driving a car has also some disadvantages, such as buying and running a car need a lot of money, even more for a good quality one that is not too old. There are a lot of things to pay for insurance to cover the cost of crashes or theft, maintenance, parking charges, license fees charged by the government, and repair. When too many cars try to go the same way, the traffic will go slow them all and may cause the accident. According to Watson said, â€Å"More than thirty –four thousand America lost their lives to automobile accidents each year†. The car accident is caused by human-made by a driver who is drunk, sleeps and distracted (Watson 46). If the self-driving becomes popular we may not see the accident because the car will do everything for us. The computer in the self-driving cars are don’t drink, send texts message or fall asleep. We don’t have to worry about keeping our eye on the road and in addition people can be more productive while traveling (Marsico 10). The car also can use the less gasoline because â€Å"fuel contributes to pollution this would benefit the environment too† (Marsico 38). The self-driving cars have also some disadvantages because when they are testing the self-driving car had run the red lights or been in a minor collision (Davies Para 1). I worry about a self-driving car made of the computer. If computer software got virus how can we do? For those who do not know how to use the computer how will they fix their car? It will cost a lot of money to let the shop fix. The amount of software and technology that’s required to build self-driving cars is likely to be quite expensive. Consumers may not want to pay such high costs for self-driving cars. According to Katie Marsico said, â€Å"The technology that makes the self-driving cars works will probably add between $3ooo and $10,000 to car prices† (Page 42). The car also can run on the computer if the hacker can decide that they like your car and can hack the system to unlock the doors to get inside or start the car and drive it away. They can also shut down your vehicle while it is driving you at high speeds and you end up in a fatal crash (Alex Hern Para 3). If the car can drive by them self we may not need the parking lots. Many people might get around with shared vehicles that never have to park (Barone). As we can see today millions of Americans make a living by driving trucks, delivery vans, and taxis. When the technology of self-driving cars takes their job, what will happen to their livelihoods? They depend on their paycheck and if the paycheck is no longer work, the person and his family often cannot afford to pay their living. The families will end up with losing a home and they cannot afford to move into another residence and will end up their life with homeless.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Case #1- Toyota :: essays research papers

Toyota Revs up U.S. Sales Threats: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Japanese market is getting more competitive and Toyota is loosing sales to Nissan and Honda. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chevrolet and Ford are selling better in the U.S. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"Toyota takeover† is not assured. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Japanese manufactures gaining a foothold in the US market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American companies are working to update the styling of their cars. Opportunities: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exploiting the U.S. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attaining more local managers in order to Americanize. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Import taxes and current risk are reduced by manufacturing 2/3 of the cars U.S. and keeping revenues and expenses in U.S. dollars. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spending salaries on 123,000 American employees at their facilities. Strengths: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Understanding the US consumer needs and wants. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toyota will likely pass Ford’s sales in the near future. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Known for their effectiveness in long-term planning. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not as dependant on Japan anymore. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utilizing American designers to compete effectively in the U.S. market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American competitors have been slow to respond to Toyota’s threat. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The development of a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a company, Toyota is beginning to set better long-term goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Getting accepted as an â€Å"American Brand† Weaknesses: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning, Toyota had a very conservative approach to goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Failure to recognize a market opportunity to introduce a full-size truck. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slowing economies in Southeastern Asian countries. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loosing money in Japanese market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traditionalists inside Toyota do not like where the company is headed and want to stick to old ways. Ford 2 Toyota uses a multi-domestic strategy in their U.S. auto division. The company is international and caters to each country’s needs in which they do business. For example, in the U.S., Toyota has hired designers and managers in order to gain a better understanding of what Americans want. The cars Americans are buying today were manufactured here in the U.S. Thus, Toyota has kept their headquarters in Japan but is catering to consumers using different products and marketing strategies throughout the world while not treating the globe as a whole. This decision was based on information from the book as well as class lectures on chapter 8. According to the textbook, it seems quite possible for Toyota to achieve their corporate goals.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Public Education Essay

A free public education is one of the many aspects of American culture that makes it one of the most desirable countries in which to live.   In fact, education in America has been a standard duty of the government, particularly the states, since public schools were begun in the days of the pilgrims and pioneers.   Unfortunately, as the years progressed, education became more complex and more rigidly structured. Conversely, achievement seemed to lag behind the acceptable level.   Therefore, learning for learning’s sake was replaced by the trend towards higher and higher standardized test scores.   Bush’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate pushed schools and teachers into greater accountability processes.   Schools created scripted curriculum guides that left little room for creativity.   The competitive march towards the highest scale score was on!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unfortunately, to the school systems, its employees and its students, failure to march properly carried stiff penalties.   Schools faced a variety of sanctions if scores did not rise to the appropriate level or at the appropriate rate.   First, schools faced state or even federal intervention. Evaluative and prescriptive teams would enter the schools to mandate changes in policy, curriculum and even staffing.   Another obstacle was parental choice.   For the wealthier, private schools have been an alternative to lagging public schools for years, but in the early 1990s, the school voucher plan made this option viable to a wider spectrum of families.   Ultimately, the voucher propositions never passed the state legislatures (Pipho, 1994). A few years later, charter schools developed outside the sphere of both public and private schools.   These charter schools developed as a way to reform schools and received funds from private organizations and business.   The idea took off even though researchers are quick to note that charter schools have done little to raise test scores (Vine, 1997)   Lastly, the idea of merit pay directly appealed to the pocketbooks of teachers and administrators by offering monetary reward for good scores.   While observers feel it is wrong to base a teacher’s pay just on his test scores, researchers feel that â€Å"because the amounts involved are relatively small, it’s worth experimenting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Keller, 2006).   Each of these new options moved American education closer and closer to the idea of privatizing schools.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The privatization of schools has now expanded to include the realm of educational consulting.   These high-paid individuals are hired by the school systems to aid individual schools in planning strategies for curriculum, classroom management, discipline, finance, and teacher recruiting, to name a few (Sheffer, 2002).   In 1994, the Minneapolis school system became the first to hire a consulting firm to run their district.   In California, the state superintendent of public instruction was a man who had a background in business as a consultant who helps financially ailing corporations (Pipho, 1994). In 1997, Phyllis Vine reported that twenty-eight states had passed legislation to provide for the hiring of management companies.   In the last nine years that number has grown, with both positive and negative reactions from the customers.   Teachers complained that the new curriculum was too restrictive and gave them no freedom to teach what they wanted.   The consultant responded by asserting that restrictiveness was needed to get the teachers, kids and schools back on track (Hayden, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The decision to link private business to school systems does make sense for some.   Sheffer notes that â€Å"the obvious similarities between academic work and consulting are the emphasis on analytic thinking, writing and the focus on research† (2002) Thus, more and more states are turning to educational consulting firms to help them refocus on their educational goals.   On such state is Mississippi.   Mississippi, as a state, has typically been at the bottom of lists comparing states’ educational achievements.   In the 2005 Smartest State rankings published by Morgan Quitno Press, Mississippi fell two spots from the previous year to 49th   (â€Å"Vermont,2005†). Spencer, (2004), attempts to explain the state’s low achievement and scores by pointing to the socioeconomic and achievement gaps between white students and minority students.   Even in younger grades, the black and Hispanic subgroups lagged behind the white students in language and reading.   In middle school, the gap widened alarmingly.   Ninety-six of white students scored at proficiency or better in language, and 94% scored at this same level in reading. But Hispanic students’ numbers were 9 percentage points lower in both areas than whites, while black students were 8 points lower in language and 19 points lower in reading.   He goes on to note that the problem got progressively worse in the 1990s.   Overall, by high school, â€Å"only one in 50 Hispanic and black 17-year-olds can read and gain information from specialized text-such as the science section of a newspaper – compared to about one in 12 white students† (Spencer, 2004). Yet, when education officials like Randy McCoy, who is the Tupelo Superintendent, are confronted with these figures, they are quick to point out that students of all races do well and students of all races do not do well.   The fear seems to be that teachers will be accused of teaching students of different races differently.   Yet, Mike Walters, who is a former Tupelo Superintendent, agrees that the achievement gap is due to a difference in expectations. He points to the strongest teachers and notes that their students, regardless of race and socioeconomic status, achieve.   Walters offers, â€Å"We are not expecting students to achieve, and expectations are everything† ( Spencer, 2004).  Ã‚   The Tupelo district is about 65 % white with most students from lower income homes.   Its scores have held steady in the low 80% passing range with an odd surge into the mid 90s in 2003 (â€Å"Mississippi DOE Test Data†).   JBHM has recently started working with the Tupelo Municipal schools. (â€Å"Experience,† n.d.). One way Mississippi is trying to combat their ailing system is by restructuring its testing program.   In September of 2000, the Mississippi Board of Education (MBOE) approved State Board Policy IHF-1.   IHF-1 changed the graduation requirements beginning with the freshman class entering in 2000.   Among the requirements was to pass the subject area test English II, generally administered in the 10th grade.   Thus, the first available scores for the class entering in 2000 were recorded in 2001 (â€Å"MBOE,† 2000).   This group was expected to graduate in 2004. Another way is by hiring a local educational consulting group to help them work with curriculum.   Former Tupelo Superintendent, Mike Walters is now a consultant with the JBHM Education Group in Jackson.   JBHM is a general consulting agency that also operates the JBHM Education Group, LLC.    This group was opened in 2000 as â€Å"an educational management services company with a mission of assisting school communities in their efforts to better organize themselves, and, in turn give the families the support needed to ensure the success of their children† (â€Å"Services,† n.d.).   According to the group, the consults go into the schools and analyze the areas of need as specified by the hiring body.   They then, if directed, design a curriculum fashioned after Robert Marzano’s â€Å"viable curriculum,† one of his eleven factors of student achievement (Marzano, 2003) JBHM’s mission was developed by Mike Walters and cofounder Gary Bailey.   It is simply â€Å"to enhance a school’s ability to prepare children for success† (Vickers, 2005. p. 3).   JBHM has focused recently on developing curriculums for algebra, biology, English, United Sates history and middle school math.   Walters says, â€Å"These are highly-structured, full-blown plans that start with day one and go through the end of the school year† (Vickers, 2005, p. 3) JBHM, as of their most recent website posting, serves 34 school districts in Mississippi.   The do work in other states, including their contract deal of March 2006 totaling 1.6 million dollars to work with the Caddo School District in Louisiana (Brumble, 2006).   They achieved this contract by boasting statistics that ninety percent of the schools they assisted showed a rise in test scores (Brumble, 2006).   Undoubtedly numerous Mississippi schools are on this list. According to the Mississippi Board of Education Agenda from September 10, 2004, a contract was approved with the JBHM Education Group to â€Å"assist in providing technical assistance to implement the school improvement process in Priority Schools (â€Å"MBOE,† 2004).   As explained in a news release dated December of 2004, â€Å"Schools that do not meet achievement goals or show expected academic improvement receive a ranking of Level I (Low Performing) with the lowest of these deemed ‘Priority Schools’ †Ã‚   (â€Å"Town Meetings†¦, 2004). Part of the new Board Policy IHF-1 makes passing the English II test required for graduation for the graduating class of 2004, who were first tested in 2000/2001 school year. These first scores were used for developing scale scores, according to the Mississippi Statewide Testing Program website. The English II test, which replaces the previous language and reading tests mentioned in earlier, has been consistently difficult for low achieving schools in Mississippi.   Betty Rose Breazeeale, the Lamar County testing coordinator, agreed by saying that she recognized the need to work on the English II, adding that â€Å"It is our lowest score, and I think that’s a statewide problem† (Mees, 2005).   According to the Mississippi Department of Education Subject Area Content Test website, the English II test   measures knowledge of language conventions, reading comprehension and effective writing skills†¦The test consists of two separate administration:   English II Multiple Choice and English II Writing†¦The 85 multiple-choice, passage-based items are divided into two sections:   Language Conventions and Reading Comprehension.   The writing test includes four writing prompts – two narrative mode prompts and two informative mode prompts.   Students will select and respond to one of the narrative prompts and one of the informative prompts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the MBOE approved the contract for JBHM to consult in Priority Schools statewide in 2004, some districts had already contracted its services well before then.   These districts paid for the services themselves through grants or other local funding mechanisms.   The Tunica school board hired JBHM Education Group for the 2000/2001 school year (Hayden 2002).   The Hinds district is actually featured on the JBHM Education Group website, boasting its rise in scores from 2001 to 2003.   Others, like the North Bolivar and Neshoba joined the club as a result of the Priority School initiative administered by the MBOE.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All scores on the English II tests may be compared to the figures reported on the Mississippi Statewide Testing Program website administered by the MDOE.   They report figures for 2002 as 70% passing the multiple choice reading and 84% passing the narrative/informative writing test.   In 2003 these percentages rose to 78 and 94 respectively, and settled into 85% and 84% narrative/89% informative for 2004.   It should be noted that in 2004, the state began reporting the writing portion of the test as two separate scores, listing the narrative first, then the informative.   Analysis seems to indicate that scores dropped slightly when this shift took place with the greater drop being in the narrative score (â€Å"MDOE Test Data†). One of the first schools to take advantage of the JBHM consultants, the Hinds AHS school is worthy of its spot on the JBHM website.   Hinds County School District is a fairly large district.   Hinds AHS is described as a rural, integrated school with an average to below-average socio-economic base (â€Å"Hinds AHS,†Ã‚   2006). Beginning with passing rates at only 18% on the English II multiple choice test and 40% on the writing portion when JBHM came aboard, they jumped to 22%   and 55% respectively in one year and, from there, to 77% and 92% respectively in the second year ( â€Å"MDOE Test Data†) . For the county itself, which contains seventeen high schools in the area of Clinton,   Mississippi, the scores went from passing rates of 72% (reading) and 75% (writing) in 2001 to an 81% in reading and a an 83% in writing (â€Å"Mississippi Test Data†).   In the JBHM-operated school (Hinds AHS), more remarkable gains were noted, while other high schools showed less of an improvement.   It is hard to deny Hind AHS’s phenomenal rises in English II scores.   They started out well below the rest of the county and ended up with a passing rate higher than the district average. The Tunica district, an even more rural, plantation area of Mississippi has a past that is â€Å"rooted in Tunica’s plantation lifestyle and its racial separatism. Tunica is a tiny white island in a majority black county† (Parker, 2002).   Ã‚  Rose Fort High school, associated with JBHM since the onset of the new testing requirements, is comprised of extremely poor black students with only 1 % white and 1% other racial students (â€Å"Rose Fort High,† 2006).   JBHM director Mike Walters recognizes how Tunica’s social issues are reflected in its education when he says, â€Å"Tunica is in a community-building stage right now.   They are divided racially still.   You can’t just dump money in a community like that and expect things to happen.   It’s going to take a long, long time. (Hayden 2002).   Despite its circumstances, however, this single Tunica high school has also made some significant gains in English II scores.   The data was not recorded for 2001, but the 2002 scores of 33% passing on the multiple choice portion and the 57% passing on the writing portion jumped to 54% and 83% respectively in only one year (â€Å"MDOE Test Data†).   Again, the advances are astounding. Lamar school district also serves a rural county.   It, like Tunica, far exceeds the state average of students on free and reduced lunch, which is generally the yardstick for measuring the socioeconomic population of a school.  Ã‚   The only difference is that students in Lamar are predominantly white.     Only one high school of the four reflects a more integrated population (â€Å"Lamar High Schools, † 2006).   Their English II scores have shown growth as well.   The reading and writing scores have risen from the 87 and 89 percent passing to highs of 92 and 95 percent passing in two years with an odd dip in the reading multiply choice scores in 2004. (â€Å"MDOE Test Data†).   Even though Lamar began in a less desperate situation, its gains with the help of consultants are also significant.   Though the percentage gain seems less impressive, most educators realize that gains like this are harder to achieve as students scores improve and that each subsequent gain is definitely cause for celebration. Neshoba school district located in Philadelphia, Mississippi, is a more integrated district that has shown gains through the use of consulting.   Classified as a small town district, the students in Neshoba’s four high schools are more integrated than those in Lamar or Tunica . While more students than the state average qualify for free or reduced lunch, they are socioeconomically better off than Lamar or Tunica students (â€Å"Neshoba County,† 2006). Paid for by a NCLB grant, JBHM began consulting in Neshoba County for the current, 2005/2006, school year to aid primarily with English II and Algebra I in its high schools (Edwards, 2006). The county’s English II scores in 2002 were 67% passing in reading and 76 % passing in writing.   The scores rose in 2003 to 85% and 89% respectively, but then in 2004 rose to an 89% in reading but fell to 86 % in writing (â€Å"MDOE Test Data†).   Some schools fared worse than others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The system hopes to post scores in the 90s with the consulting firm if the teacher can get on board.   Joey Blount, principal of Neshoba Central High School, admits to Edwards that the presence of the consultants and the frequent observations make his teachers nervous.   â€Å"Anytime you’ve got people coming to observe your work, it’s going to be an uncomfortable situation† (Edwards, 2006).   Superintendent for curriculum and instruction Beth Jackson concurs.   â€Å"Change can be very difficult for a lot of people, but in some areas we needed change.   We weren’t happy with our test scores.   I think they (the teachers) realize we needed to change, but some are better at it than others (Edwards, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Likewise, the administrators in Moss Point and Meridian Schools are also impressed.   Tressie Harper, Moss Point Superintendent, is proud of the gains made in her students’ English II scores.   Moss Point has been working with JBHM since 2003 and in that time has noticed a steady increase in reading scores from 55% in 2002 to 60% in 2003 to 63% in 2004 (Vickers, 2005 and â€Å"MDOE Test Data†) to 75% in 2005 (â€Å"Moss Point High School,† 2005). As in Neshoba and Lamar, the writing scores seemed the most erratic rising from 74% to 91% to 71% to 75% in the same four years (â€Å"MDOE Test Data† and â€Å"Moss Point High School,† 2005).   Perhaps this could be explained by the aforementioned change in the reporting of writing test scores in 2004.   It is possible that the focus of the test shifted slightly at that point as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Likewise, the single Meridian high school shows similar improvement in English II with a three year rise in percentage passing scores from 2002 to 2004 from 57 to 74 to 77.  Ã‚   The writing scores showed a similar rise (â€Å"MDOE Test Data†).   Sylvia Autry, Meridian Public School Superintendent claims that she has worked with several educational consultants and that JBHM has been the â€Å"most focused† (Vickers, 2005, p. 3).   Both Moss Point and Meridian are characterized by a slightly higher black than white student body with the majority on free and reduced lunch (â€Å"Moss Point High School, † 2006)   and â€Å"Meridian High School†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   North Bolivar is another recent addition to JBHM’s client list.   A year ago, the MBOE asked the Governor to deem the North Bolivar School District a state of emergency.   This designation is reserved for school districts that have over half of the schools meeting Priority School status.   State Superintendent Hand Bounds issued to investigations and concluded that the students’ needs were not being met (â€Å"Mississippi Board†¦,† 2005). North Bolivar is an exceptionally poor small town district which is 97% black.  Ã‚   Its reading scores have barely reached 80% (â€Å"MDOE Test Data†).   Score released in 2006 will tell whether or not JBHM will be successful there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clearly JBHM consulting or any consulting agency is not necessary for all school districts.   Wealthier more urban areas such as Jackson and Laurel counties consistently post English II scores in the high 80s high 90s.   However, when one compares the multiple choice   scores of Hinds AHS (77% reading), whose population is significantly more challenging based on socioeconomic factors, to Jackson’s (85% reading) , the aforementioned achievement gap appears to be closing. The exact role that JBHM plays in this factor is undetermined since all factors cannot be factored in statistically.   For example, the threats of school closings and consolidations due to a lack of funds plague systems across the country as will as in Mississippi.   One mother in Lamar district commented about the dip in Lamar’s 2004 reading scores; â€Å"They [the students and teachers)] went through so much with the school closings†¦Everybody here was upset. The teachers were upset. If it weren’t for that fear, the scores probably would have been just as good as last year [2003]† (Mees, 2005). In addition, the 2005 hurricane season devastate education in many parts of Mississippi. About 160,000 students in 271 public schools in 44 school districts in the path of the hurricane have been impacted, said Steve Williams, special assistant to the state superintendents. State Superintendent Bounds said that some schools were unable to have classes for 2-3 months.   Some schools were completely destroyed (Hayden, 2005).   Clearly this crisis would impact test scores at all levels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One thing is clear.   Schools are in need of support services from somewhere.   Initial data seems to indicate that consulting firms, while not the perfect answer, do provide the structured support that some schools need.   Their exorbitant costs will be prohibitive for some school districts, but perhaps with grant programs, they may still benefit from their services.   As the first decade in 2000 pulls to a close, school reform will be steadily underway.   The extent of the change and the consultant’s role in it remain uncertain, but hopeful. References Brumble, Melody. (2006).   â€Å"Caddo School Board Debates Merits of Consulting Proposal.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Shreveport Times.   Retrieved March 29, 2006 from www.shreveporttimes.com/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20060321&Category=NEWS†¦. Edwards, Jeff.   (2006).   â€Å"Neshoba Schools Employ Consultant to Improve Scores.†Ã‚   The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Neshoba Democrat.   Retrieved March 28, 2006 from www.neshobademocrat.com/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   print.asp? ArticleID=12190&SectionID=2&Subsectional. â€Å"Experience.†Ã‚   JBHM Education Group, LLC.   Retrieved on March 26, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.jbhm-edgroup.com/experience Hayden, Cathy. (2002). â€Å"Schools and More Money:   Plenty of lessons learned.†Ã‚   The Clarion- Ledger. Retrieved on March 29, 2006, from http://orig.clarionledger.com/news/0210/14/m01.html. Hayden, Cathy.   (2005).   â€Å"Angry Parents Want Shelby Schools Chief Fired.† The Clarion-Ledger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved March 30, 2006 from http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20051113/NEWS/511130388/1†¦. â€Å"Hinds AHS.† (2006).   SchoolTree.Org.     Retrieved March 30, 2006, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://mississippi.schooltree.org/counties-page1.html Keller, Bess. (2006).   â€Å"Florida Ready to Demand Bonuses Based on Test Scores.†Ã‚   Education   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Week.   Retrieved March 30, 2006 from http://www.edweek.org/agentk-12articles2006/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   02/22/24fla.h25.html?print=1. â€Å"Lamar High Schools.† (2006).   SchoolTree.Org.     Retrieved March 30, 2006, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://mississippi.schooltree.org/counties-page1.html Marzano, Robert J.   (2003). â€Å"11 Factors.†Ã‚   What Works in Schools.   Retrieved March 30, 2006   from   http://www.whatworksinschools.org/factors.cfm. Mees, Reuben. (2005).   â€Å"Area Schools Show Mixed Results on Tests.† Hattiesburg American. Retrieved March 29, 2006, from http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050818/NEWS01/50 8180301/1002&template=printart. â€Å"Meridian High School.† (2006).   SchoolTree.Org.     Retrieved March 30, 2006, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://mississippi.schooltree.org/counties-page1.html â€Å"Mississippi Assessment and Accountability Reporting System.† (2006)   Mississippi Department of Education.   Retrieved March 30, 2006,   from http://orsap.mde.k12.ms.us:8080/MAARS/indexProcessor.jsp. Mississippi Board of Education.   (2000).   Graduation Requirements. (State Board Policy IHF-1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New Graduation Requirements).   Retrieved March 29, 2006, from http:///www.mde.k12. Ms.us/ACAD/ID/newgrad.html. Mississippi Board of Education. (2004).   Agenda. Jackson, MS:   4th Floor Boardroom Central High. â€Å"Mississippi Board of Education Approves Asking Governor to Declare State of Emergency in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   North Bolivar School District.† News Release. (2005). Mississippi State Board of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Education.   Jackson, MS:   Communications Dept. MBOE. â€Å"Mississippi Department of Education Test Data Retrieval System.†Ã‚   (2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mississippi Department of Education.   Retrieved March 29, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ACAD/TD04/S9D3LST.HTM. â€Å"Moss Point High School.† (2005).   Great Schools.Net Retrieved March 28, 2006 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/achievement/ms/649 â€Å"Moss Point High School.† (2006).   SchoolTree.Org.     Retrieved March 30, 2006, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://mississippi.schooltree.org/counties-page1.html â€Å"Neshoba County.† (2006).   SchoolTree.Org.     Retrieved March 30, 2006, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://mississippi.schooltree.org/counties-page1.html Parker, Laura.   (2002). â€Å"Abandoned Education:   Tunica’s schools struggle with leftovers and neglect.†Ã‚   APF Reporter 18 (2).   Retrieved March 30, 2006 from www.aliciapatterson.org/APF1802.html Pipho, Chris. (1994). â€Å"Taxes, School Boards, and Higher Education.†Ã‚   Phi Delta Kappan 75 (5),   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   358-359. â€Å"Rose Fort High.† (2006).   SchoolTree.Org.     Retrieved March 30, 2006, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://mississippi.schooltree.org/counties-page1.html Sheffer, Hadass.   (2002).   Careers in Educational Counseling.†Ã‚   The Chronicle of Higher   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Education.   Retrieved March 28, 2006, from http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2002/06/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2002062801c/printable.html. â€Å"Services.†Ã‚   JBHM Education Group, LLC.   Retrieved on March 26, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.jbhm-edgroup.com/services Spencer, Mack.   (2004).   â€Å"Achievement Gap.†Ã‚   Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved March 30, 2006 from http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   =59381&pub=1. â€Å"Town Meetings Scheduled for Priority Schools† News Release. (2004). Mississippi State Board   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Education.   Jackson, MS:   Communications Dept. MBOE. â€Å"Vermont Named Smartest State.† (2005).   Results of the 2005 Smartest State Awards.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved March 30, 2006, from http://www.morganquitno.com/edpress.htm Vickers, Harriet S. (2005) â€Å"Educational Consultant Business Sees Fast-Paced Growth:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ‘Employees have bought into our mission,’ says JBHM Education Group president.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mississippi Business Journal 27 (19), 3. Vine, Phyllis.   (1997).   â€Å"To Market, To Market†¦The School Business Sells Kids Short.† The Nation 265 (7), 11-16.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Characteristics of Exploration Literature

Characteristics of Exploration Literature: †¢ Explorers were first & foremost navigators, not writers. †¢ Explorers had a specific audience in mind; they were reporting back to the main land †¢ The American Dream is evident †¢ Indians are always considered inferior †¢ Reports were not always accurate Verazzano: Verazzano’s Voyage †¢ North Carolina up to Canada †¢ Wrote to the King of France who funded the voyage; N. C. cedar trees †¢ â€Å"The complexion of these people is black, not much different from that of the Ethiopians; their hair is black and thick, and not very long, it is worn tied back upon the head in the form of a little tail. †¢ â€Å"Our sailors in the boat seeing a great fire made up, and their companion placed very near it, full of fear, as is usual in all cases of novelty, imagined that the natives were about to roast him for food. † †¢ â€Å"By searching around we discovered in the grass a very cold woman and a young girl of about eighteen or twenty, who had concealed themselves for the same reason; the old woman carried two infants on her shoulders, and behind her neck a little boy eight years of age; when we came up to them they began to shriek and make signs to the men who had fed to the woods. †¢ â€Å"We found them fairer than the others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¢ American Dream: Resources that the land has & space. Champlain: Voyages of Samuel de Champlain : The Voyages of 1604-1607 †¢ Est. Quebec; compares in his writing †¢ â€Å"We saw eighteen or twenty savages, who came to the shore and began to dance. † †¢ â€Å"We did not wish them harm, although it was in our power to avenge ourselves. † †¢ â€Å"As for weapons, they have only pikes, clubs, bows and arrows.It would seem from their appearance that they have a good disposition, better than those of the north, but they are all in face of no great worth. Even a slight intercourse wit h them gives you at once a knowledge of them. They are great thieves and, if they cannot lay hold of any thing with their hands, they try to do so with their feet, as we have oftentimes learned by experience. I am of opinion of that, if they had any thing to exchange with us, they would not give themselves to thieving. †¢ â€Å"It is necessary to be on one’s guard against this people, and live in a start of distrust of them, yet without letting them perceive it. † †¢ Single-Minded, descriptive of the natives John Smith: The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles †¢ Started traveling at 16 yrs old; Captured in Turkey and sold as a slave; thinks much of himself, he spent most of the voyage in chains in the boat on the way to Jamestown. †¢ 7 out of 105; He was a leader; 35 were gentlemen, Smith was a leader, 38 stayed alive. Wrote in 3rd Person; adventure; New England (he named it) †¢ â€Å"Smith little dreaming of that ac cident, being got to the marshes at the river’s head, twenty miles in the desert, had his two men slain (as is supposed) sleeping by the canoe, while himself by fowling sought them victual: who finding he was beset with 200 salvages, two of them he slew, still defending himself with the aid of a salvage his guide, whom he bound to his arm with his garters, and used him as a buckler.Yet he was shot in his thigh a little, and had many arrows that stuck in his clothes but no great hurt, till at last they took him prisoner. † †¢ â€Å"From Penobscot to Sagadahoc. This coast is mountainous, and isles of huge rocks, but overgrown for the most part, with most sorts of excellent good woods, for building houses, boats, barks or ships, with an incredible abundance of most sorts of fish, much fowl, and sundry sorts of good fruits for man’s use. †¢ â€Å"And surely by reason of those sandy cliffs, and cliffs of rocks, both which we saw so planted with gardens and corn fields, and so well inhabited with a goodly, strong, and well proportioned people, besides the greatness of the timber growing on them, the greatness of the fish, and the moderate temper of the air (for of five and forty not a man was sick, but two that were many years diseased before they went, not withstanding our bad lodging and accidental diet) who can but approve this a most excellent place, both for health and fertility.And of all the four parts of the world I have yet seen not inhabited, could I have but means to transport a colony, I would rather live here than anywhere; and if it did not maintain itself, were we but once indifferently well fitted, let us starve. † †¢ â€Å"So freely hath God and his Majesty bestowed those lessings on them [that] will attempt to obtain them, as here every man may be master of his own labor and land, or the greatest part (if his Majesty’s royal meaning be not abused) and if he have nothing but his hands, he may set up his trade; and by industry quickly grown rich, spending but half that time well which in England we abuse in idleness, worse, or as ill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¢ â€Å".. here man, woman and child, with a small hook and line, by angling many take divers sorts of excellence fish at their pleasures; and it is not pretty sport to pull up two pence, six pence, and twelve pence as fast as you can haul and veer a line; he is a very bad fisher [that] cannot kill in one day with his hook and line one, two, or three hundred cods, if they be sold there for ten shillings a hundred, though in England they will give more than twenty, may not both servant, master and merchant be well content with this gain?If a man work but three days in seven, he may get more than he can spend unless he will be exceedingly excessive. † †¢ â€Å"Thus though all men be not fishers, yet all men whatsoever may in other matters do as well, for necessary doth in these cases so rule a commonwealth, and each i n their several functions, as their labors in their qualities may be as profitable because there is a necessary mutual use of all. †¢ My purpose is not persuade children from their parents, men from their wives, not servants from their masters, only such as with free constant may be spared: but that each parish, or village, in city, or country, that will but apparel their fatherless children of thirteen or fourteen years of age, or young married people that have small wealth to live on, here by their labor may live exceeding well. † †¢ Pg: 48: How we owe our God †¢ Reasons for settling Jamestown: o Gold o God o Glory †¢ American Dream: Middle-Class Utopia William Bradford: Of Plymouth Plantation, Book 1 Orphan when very young, very religious (16 yrs old); self-taught; 1621 elected Governor, served 33 years total; wife fell overboard and died; very humble. †¢ Pilgram: Israelites following Moses; â€Å"God’s chosen† †¢ â€Å"What coul d now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace? May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: â€Å"Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto to Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity,† etc. † †¢ Obstacles faced by Pilgrams: o The ocean (sea sickness) The crew of the Mayflower ? â€Å"There was a proud and very profane young man, one of the seamen, of a lusty, able body, which made him the more haughty; he would always be contemning the poor people in their sickness and cursing them daily with grievous execrations; and did not let to tell them that he hoped to help to cast hald of them overboard before they came to their journey’s end, and to curse and swear most bitterly. But it pleased God before they came half seas over to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was hims elf that first that was thrown overboard. o The wilderness (winter upon arrival) ? â€Å"But here I cannot but stay and make a pause, and stand half amazed at this poor people’s present condition; and so I think will the reader, too, when he well considers that same. Being this passed that vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before in their preparation (as may be remembered by that which went before), they had now no friends to welcome them nor inns to entertain or refresh their weather-beaten bodies; no houses or much less towns to repair to, to seek for succour.It is recorded in Scripture as a mercy to the Apostle and his shipwrecked company, that the barbarians, when they met with them (as after will appear) were readier to fill their sides full of arrows than otherwise. † o Indians (attack on beach; savages take tools, etc. ) o Non-Puritans o Self-Doubt ? â€Å"And for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of that country know them to be sharp and violent, and subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to travel to known places, much more to search an unknown coast. Besides, what could they see but a hideous and esolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men-and what multitudes there might be of them they knew not. † †¢ Mayflower Compact o Plain style- Puritan trait †¢ Puritanism: o Main Class Movement; got their name from their enemies †¢ Puritans Beliefs: o God is omnipotent and good o Individuals are either saved or damned @ birth o The Bible is God’s direct communication to man and should be read daily o No hierarchy should govern the church o Biblical scholars, saw themselves as God’s chosen people o Affliction and Adversity were necessary Puritan Characteristics o Emphasized Education o Introspection was a Puritan trait (journals) o Wrote in â€Å"plain style† (American style comes from) o Only Biblical forms of literature- non fiction †¢ Anne Bradstreet: †¢ The Flesh and Spirit o Introspection (Puritan trait) o â€Å"One Flesh was called, who had her eye on wordly, wealth and vanity; The other called Spirit, who did rear her thoughts unto a higher sphere† o â€Å"Dost dream of things beyond the moon, and dost thou hope to dwell there soon? afterlife; she had doubts) o â€Å"Come, come, I’ll show unto thy sense industry hath its recompense. What canst desire but thou mayst see true substance in variety? Dost honor like? Acquire the same, as some of their immortal fame; and trophies to thy name erect which wearing time shall ne’er deject. For riches dost thou long full sore? Behold enough of precious store. Earth hath more silver, pearls, and gold than eyes can see or hands can hold. Affect’st thou pleasure?Take thy fill, Earth hath enough of what you will, then let not go, what thou mayst find, for things unknown, only in mind. † ( What not have things that you can feel instead of just hoping? ) o â⠂¬Å"This City pure is not for thee, for things unclean there shall not be. If I of heaven may have my fill, take thou the world, and all that will. † (Reaffirms her faith) †¢ To My Dear and Loving Husband o Sex was meant to only have kids †¢ A Letter to Her Husband, Absent upon Public Employment o Breaking of Stereotypes Mary Rowlandson: A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration †¢ A captivity narrative is a psychological drama that includes: o A Loss of freedom (being caught) o Self- Realization (hardships) o Redemption (gets away from the Indians) o â€Å"The Lord hereby would make us the more to acknowledge his hand, and to see that our help is always in him. † o â€Å" I then remembered how careless I had been of Gods holy time, how many Sabbaths I had lost and misspent, and how evily I had walked in God’s sight; which lay so close unto my Spirit, that it was easier for me to see his presence for ever.Yet the Lord still shewed mercy to me, and upheld me; and as he wounded me with one hand, so he healed me with the other. † o â€Å"Yet I can say, that in all my sorrows and afflictions, God did not leave me to have my impatience work towards himself, as if his wayes were unrighteous. But I knew that he laid upon me less that I deserved. † o â€Å"Before I knew what affliction meant, I was ready sometimes to wish for it. Also read  Driver’s Ed Module Reflection JournalWhen I lived in prosperity, having the comforts of the World about me, my relations by me, my Heart chearfull, and taking little care for any thing; and yet seeing many, whom I preferred before my self, under many tryals and afflictions, in sickness, weakness, poverty, losses, crosses, and cares of the World, I should be sometime jealous least I should have my portion in this life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (jealously) o â€Å"Affliction I wanted, and affliction I had, full measure (I thought) pressed down and running over; yet I see, when God calls a Person to any thing, and through never so many difficulties, yet he is fully able to carry them through and make them see, and say they have been gainers thereby. And I hope I can say in some measure, As David did, It is good for me that I have been afflicted. † †¢ Crosscurrents †¢ Settler’s views of Indians have envolved: o Manageable Child-like o Friendly (Bradford) o Threat o Enemy †¢ Spectral Evidence ( John Winthrop) o The Trial of Margaret Jones: â€Å"Her behavior at her trial was very intemperate, lying notoriously and railing upon the jury and witnesses, and in the like distemper she died. The same day and hour she was executed, there was a very tempest at Connecticut, which blew down many trees. † o Mary Towne Easty: â€Å"I petition to your Honors not for my own life, for I know I must die and my appointed time is set, but (the Lord knows it is) that if it be possible, no more innocent blood may be shed, which undoubtedly cannot be avoided in the way and course you go in†¦.The Lord above, who is the searcher of all hearts, knows that as I shall answer it at the tribunal seat that I know not the least thing of witchcraft–therefore I cannot, I dare not, belie my own Soul. I beg your Honors not to deny this my humble petition from a poor dying innocent person, and I question not but that the Lord will give a blessi ng to your endeavors. † †¢ Cotton Mather †¢ The Wonders of the Invisible World o Characteristics of Puritanism that supported Salem witch trials: †¢ Affliction is necessary and good †¢ Watchdog mentality (neighbors) †¢ No Fiction was allowed (drama) †¢ God’s chosen people vs. Satan o Lasting effects of Salem Witch Trails: †¢ Hastened the Demise of Puritan Dominance †¢ Accused is Innocent until proven guilty

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Sex Education is the Only Way to Eliminate Many Issues, Including Teen Pregnancy

Sex Education is the Only Way to Eliminate Many Issues, Including Teen Pregnancy Sex Education – Teach It! Every society has its array of problems. Rape, incest, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are just a few examples of societal issues regarding sexual intercourse between human beings. Thankfully, sex education is incorporated into many curriculums all over the world – teaching preteens about the birds and the bees, about the reproductive systems, etc. – and it’s certainly effective in cutting down on these problems; but sex education does not and cannot on its own eradicate rape, incest, teen pregnancy, and STDs; it needs the help of two other elements, as well: 1) Legalizing prostitution between consenting adults should not only be legal but encouraged. 2) Every school district in the world should teach middle and high school students personal finance, success planning, and entrepreneurial skills. A World Void of Sex Education Would Change the Way Humans Live Sex education is certainly a big piece of the pie. Without it, there is no direction in which to steer one’s life; a world void of sex education would change the way humans live – people’s lives would be entirely reactive, rather than proactive. With no sex education, it would be normal for 13-year-olds to give birth; or for men to rape others; for people not to practice safe-sex methods and use contraceptives, and then get abortions as frequent as flu shots, or even contract and spread sexually transmitted diseases like colds. But, no – we in America begin sex education generally around our fourth-grade year in school, just a year or two before puberty sets in. There may be some Family Health segments in the middle-school curriculum, but by the time we enter high school, we no longer see sex education in the classroom. That is a problem in the effort to eliminate these major problems that most societies face. Do you want to eliminate these problems in society? Then also legalize prostitution for adults, age 18 and up. The world should use the Netherlands as an example. Cities like Amsterdam have â€Å"red light† districts, with prostitutes, exotic dancers, and peep shows. The government regulates the field like any health job – with health checks, certain health standards, and codes, and so on. If countries were to enact laws legalizing prostitution (the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment), then the number of rapes, instances of incest and STDs would plummet. When adults have quick access to sexual intercourse, they satisfy a powerfully motivating instinct, one that too many people cannot reason within, and so they rape others; or people (teens included) have impulsive, random sex with strangers, then contract AIDS. In addition to sex education, legal prostitution would eliminate many problems in society. It should be legal and eve n encouraged, especially when it comes to sex-hungry young adults. Sex Education Doesn’t Solve Everything In addition to sex education, school systems should also incorporate courses that teach middle and high school students the principles of success, of life planning, goals, business and entrepreneurship and personal finance. This would help cut down on, if not one day completely eradicate, various societal problems – such as teen pregnancies, for one, because it would encourage and train students to look way into the future to see what kind of life they wanted to live, the career they wanted to have, the person they wanted to be. They would see their future and make goals for success and develop a plan that gets them to this objective – and most times, they will see that having a child too young and starting a family before they even finish college is a life full of financial and emotional strain. These courses would help students take control of their lives, planning them out step by step and making goals for themselves to ensure their success. This would certainly cut down on problems like teen pregnancy and unprotected sex. Let’s conclude this argument by saying once again that sex education is of course an effective method in preventing such issues like teen pregnancy, but there is more to it than that. Equally important is the legalization of prostitution, which would cut down on rape, incest and other sexually related crimes: people would have the option of paying for their sex, and it’s more humane than them taking their sex, stealing it from the protesting bodies of unwilling people. Also, when we teach young people how to have success, they don’t make bad decisions, such as an unwanted pregnancy.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Jacksonian Times

Kohls ideas of the â€Å"Age of Jackson† or â€Å"The Jacksonian World† were mainly different than the Historical stereotypes of this age. He thinks that the Whigs are the ones had most of the power in politics and the economy of this time. Its not that the Whigs were better than the Jacksonian’s or anything like that they just had an outlook about life that was quiet different than the Jacksonian outlook. Jacksonian’s thought that they were always being used in some way or form, and looked for the bad in everything. Whigs looked for the good in everything and were ready and happy for economic and social change. Jacksonian’s have a big issue with economic inequality throughout this book. They think that the Whigs true cause is to own the economy. Kohl defines a Jacksonian Democrat as a man that is torn between the demands of character and his society. Jacksonians were bound up with conflict inside themselves at this time of history. Although Jacksonian’s did change as society and the economy changed they were always looking for someone or something to point a finger at or talk about. These democrats were always thinking of how they were being misused. The Jacksonian’s had three names for the types of people in their world. â€Å"The Jacksonian world was made up of victims and victimizers, the fettered and the free, and outsiders and insiders† (Kohl, 22). The â€Å"victim and victimizers† idea first came about when Jackson wasn’t elected to the House of Representatives in 1824. Jackson was furious when he wasn’t elected, and spoke out about it in his speeches after the election. He thought that Adams and Clay had cheated him out of the House. As Jackson gave more and more speeches his feelings just kept getting stronger and stronger until he finally began to speak out that not only him, but the people had also been cheated in this election. The Jacksonian’s were the farmers and laborers, and things of that n... Free Essays on Jacksonian Times Free Essays on Jacksonian Times Kohls ideas of the â€Å"Age of Jackson† or â€Å"The Jacksonian World† were mainly different than the Historical stereotypes of this age. He thinks that the Whigs are the ones had most of the power in politics and the economy of this time. Its not that the Whigs were better than the Jacksonian’s or anything like that they just had an outlook about life that was quiet different than the Jacksonian outlook. Jacksonian’s thought that they were always being used in some way or form, and looked for the bad in everything. Whigs looked for the good in everything and were ready and happy for economic and social change. Jacksonian’s have a big issue with economic inequality throughout this book. They think that the Whigs true cause is to own the economy. Kohl defines a Jacksonian Democrat as a man that is torn between the demands of character and his society. Jacksonians were bound up with conflict inside themselves at this time of history. Although Jacksonian’s did change as society and the economy changed they were always looking for someone or something to point a finger at or talk about. These democrats were always thinking of how they were being misused. The Jacksonian’s had three names for the types of people in their world. â€Å"The Jacksonian world was made up of victims and victimizers, the fettered and the free, and outsiders and insiders† (Kohl, 22). The â€Å"victim and victimizers† idea first came about when Jackson wasn’t elected to the House of Representatives in 1824. Jackson was furious when he wasn’t elected, and spoke out about it in his speeches after the election. He thought that Adams and Clay had cheated him out of the House. As Jackson gave more and more speeches his feelings just kept getting stronger and stronger until he finally began to speak out that not only him, but the people had also been cheated in this election. The Jacksonian’s were the farmers and laborers, and things of that n...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Charles Tex Watson and the Manson Family

Charles Tex Watson and the Manson Family Charles Tex Watson went from being an A student in his Texas high school to being Charles Mansons right-hand man and a cold-blooded murderer. He led the killing spree at both the  Tate and LaBianca  residences and participated in killing each member of both households. Found guilty of killing seven people, Watson is now living his life out in prison, he is an ordained minister, married and father of three, and claims he feels remorse for those he murdered. Charles Watsons Childhood Years Charles Denton Watson was born in Dallas, Texas on December 2, 1945. His parents settled in Copeville, Texas, a small impoverished town where they worked at the local gas station and spent time at their church. The Watsons believed in the American dream and worked hard to provide better lives for their three children, of which Charles was the youngest. Their lives were financially modest, but their children were happy and following proper paths. Early Teens and College Years As Charles got older he became involved in his parents church, the Copeville Methodist Church. There he led devotions for the church youth group and regularly attended the Sunday night evangelistic services. In  high school, he was an honor roll student and a  good athlete and earned the reputation as a local track star by breaking records in high hurdles. He also worked as the editor of the school paper. Watson was determined to attend college and worked at an onion packing plant to save money. Living in his small hometown was beginning to close in on him and the thought of gaining freedom and independence by attending college 50 miles away from home was appealing. In September 1964, Watson went to Denton, Texas and began his first year at  North Texas State University  (NTSU). His parents were proud of their son and Watson was excited and ready to enjoy his newfound freedom. At college academia quickly took a second seat to going to parties. Watson joined the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity in his second semester and his focus switched from his classes to sex and alcohol. He participated in some of the fraternity pranks, some more serious than others. One involved stealing, and for the first time in his life,  he had to disappoint his parents by admitting he broke the law. His parents lectures failed to deter his wish to get back to the campus fun. Watsons First Exposure to Drugs In January 1967 he began working at Braniff Airlines as a baggage boy. He earned free airline tickets which he used to impress his girlfriends by taking them for weekend trips to Dallas and Mexico. He was getting a taste for a world away from Texas and he liked it. During a visit to a fraternity brothers home in Los Angeles, Watson was taken in by the psychedelic atmosphere of drugs and free love which took over Sunset Strip during the 60s. From Texas to California Against his parents wishes, by August 1967, Watson left NTSU and was on his way to total freedom Los Angeles. To keep a promise to his parents to finish college he began attending classes at  Cal State  in business administration. His cherished frat clothes were tossed away for the cooler hippie look and his preferred high switched from alcohol to marijuana. Watson enjoyed becoming part of the group who separated themselves from the establishment and they accepted him. Within months of being there, Watson took a job as a wig salesman and quit Cal State. He moved to West Hollywood and  then to Laurel Canyon in a house behind the strip. His mother came to visit him just one time after he was hurt in a serious car accident. Unimpressed with his lifestyle, she begged him to return to Texas and although a part of him wanted to return to his hometown, pride kept him from going. He would not see her again until after he was on the run for  killing  seven people. Watson began dealing marijuana and he and his roommate opened a wig shop called Love Locs. It closed quickly and Watson began relying on drug dealing to pay for his new Malibu beach home. His desires to earn money soon dissipated to wanting to get high, go to rock concerts and lay on the beach. He finally evolved into what he thought was a full-time hippie and he felt he had found his place in the world. The Meeting That Changed His Life Forever Watsons life changed forever after picking up a hitchhiker who was Dennis Wilson, a member of the rock group, the Beach Boys. After arriving at Wilsons Pacific Palisades mansion, Wilson invited Watson up to see the house and meet the people hanging out there. He was introduced to various people, including Dean Moorehouse, an ex-Methodist minister, and Charlie Manson. Wilson invited Watson to return to the mansion anytime to hang out and swim in the Olympic-sized pool. The mansion was filled with dropouts who hung out doing drugs and listening to music. Watson eventually moved into the mansion where he mingled with rock musicians, actors, children of stars, Hollywood producers, Charlie Manson and members of the Manson Love Family. He was impressed with himself, the boy from Texas rubbing elbows with the famous and he was drawn to Manson and his family, drawn to Mansons prophesizing and to the relationship his family members seemed to have with one another. Heavy Hallucinogens Watson began doing heavy hallucinogens regularly and became consumed by a new drug-induced perspective in which he believed love and deep bonds to others were formed. He described it as a kind of connection even deeper and better than sex. His friendship with Dean had deepened as well as with many of Mansons girls, both of whom encouraged Watson to rid himself from his ego and join the Manson family. Joining the Manson Family Wilson began to pull away from the regulars who were living in his mansion after complaints of sexual child abuse circulated. His manager told Dean, Watson, and others living there that they would have to move. With nowhere to go, Dean and Watson turned to Charlie Manson. Acceptance wasnt immediate, but in time Watsons name changed from Charles to Tex, he turned over all of his possessions to Charlie and moved in with the family. In November 1968 Tex left the Manson family and moved to Hollywood with his girlfriend, Luella. The two were financially comfortable drug peddlers and Tex changed his dirty hippie image for a more stylish Hollywood look. As the couples relationship fell apart, Texs desire to reunite with the Manson family grew. By March 1969, he was back at Spahn Ranch and back in the inner Manson circle. But the family focus had changed into something sinister something the family called Helter Skelter. 10050 Cielo Drive For several  months, Manson spent long hours talking about Helter-Skelter. But the revolution was not happening quickly enough for Manson and a plan to kick-start things went into place. On August 8, 1969, the first phase of Helter-Skelter was to begin. Manson put Tex in charge of family members Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian. He instructed Tex to go to 10050 Cielo Drive and kill everyone inside the home, make it look bad, but most importantly make sure each girl participated. The Tate Murders With Watson in the lead, the four entered the home of actress Sharon Tate-Polanski. Once inside they brutally beat, stabbed and shot all occupants inside the home including the eight-month pregnant Sharon Tate, who begged for her babys life and cried out for her mother as they stabbed her 15 times. Also found shot to death was 18-year-old Steven Earl Parent, who was visiting the caretaker and caught by the Manson group as he was leaving the residence. The LaBianca Murders The next day Manson, Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten and Steve Grogan drove to the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Manson and Watson entered the home and bound the couple, then Manson left and sent in Krenwinkel and Van Houten. The three stabbed and beat Leno then his wife Rosemary. They then scrawled on the walls in blood, the words Healter Skelter (sic) and Kill the Pigs. Manson had issued the order to kill but left before the killing began. Donald Shorty Shea On August 16, 1969, just eight days after the Cielo Drive murders, police raided Spahn Ranch and rounded up several members on auto theft charges. After the raid the family headed for Death Valley, but not before Manson, Watson, Steve Grogan, Bill Vance and Larry Bailey killed ranch hand Donald Shorty Shea. Manson believed Shea was a snitch and responsible for the raid. Leaving the Manson Family Watson stayed with the Manson family until the first of October 1969, then he decided to return to Texas. But the dramatic change from when he first left home in 1964 to who he was five years later made it difficult to stay. He decided to go to Mexico but felt the strong pull to go back to Charlie and his real family. He then flew to L.A. and made his way closer to where the family was staying, but stopped short because he believed Charlie would kill him if he did return. Watson returned to his family in Texas, only this time he cut his hair and began trying to blend into his unfamiliar family world. He reunited with an old girlfriend and his drug use became minimal. The future began to show an inch of promise with parts of his old life returning. All of that stopped on November 30, 1969, after he was arrested for the Tate and LaBianca murders and charged with seven counts of murder, charges his mother took years to accept and believe. Tex Watson Charged With Seven Murders Some of the members of the Manson family had provided the D.A.s office in Los Angeles with what they heard around the ranch the days following the murders, but it was Susan (Sadie) Atkins who couldnt resist bragging about the Manson family and the murders while in Sybil Brand Institute for Women in Los Angeles. Later she told the same story to the grand jury and described Watsons involvement in the murders. It was not long after that Tex was located in Texas and arrested. After fighting for extradition back to California for nine months he was finally returned on September 11, 1970. By this time Manson, Sadie, Katie, and Leslie were in their third month of trial. The extradition process prevented Watson from being tried with the group. It also allowed Tex the opportunity to find out who was being blamed for what crimes so when it came time for his trial he knew what to admit to and what was already being blamed on the others. Mental Breakdown Once in California, Watson began suffering from acute paranoia and regressed to a fetal state, stopped eating and reached 55 pounds before being sent to Atascadero State Hospital for a 90-day evaluation period to see if he was fit to stand trial. It was not until August 2, 1971, that Charles Tex Watson would finally go on trial for his brutal murders. The Trial:   District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi had successfully prosecuted the others involved in the Tate-LaBianca murders and now began the trial of the last, and most culpable of all parties involved. Dressed in a suit and holding the Bible, Watson pled not guilty by reason of insanity yet was sane enough to admit on the stand only those crimes which he knew the prosecution was already aware. He failed to admit to killing Sharon Tate or being with Charlie when the LaBiancas were first taken captive and bound. After two and a half hours of deliberation, Charles Tex Watson was found sane during the murders at the Tate and LaBianca homes. For his crimes, he received the death penalty. Born Again, Marriage, Father, Author Tex spent from November 1971 until September 1972 on death row at San Quentin. After California outlawed the death penalty for a short time, he was moved to California Mens Colony in San Luis Obispo. There he met Chaplain Raymond Hoekstra and became a born-again Christian. Charles Watson, five years after merciless murdering seven people in cold blood, was teaching Bible studies which eventually led to his forming his own prison ministry Abounding Love Ministries. During his stay at the Colony he wrote an autobiography called, Will You Die for Me in 1978, he married Kristin Joan Svege and in 1979 he gained the trust of Suzanne Struthers (Rosemary LaBiancas daughter) who fought for his release during a 1990 parole hearing.; Through conjugal visits, he and his wife had four children, however, in 1996 conjugal visits were banned for prisoners serving life sentences. Where Watson is Today Since 1993 he has been at the Mule Creek State Prison. In 2003, he and his wife divorced. To date, he has been denied parole 13 times. Sources Desert Shadows by Bob MurphyHelter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt GentryThe Trial of Charles Manson by Bradley Steffens

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The Effects Of Modern Technology on Our Lives Essay

The Effects Of Modern Technology on Our Lives - Essay Example development of technologies another kinds of production are also growing up while labor force is becoming cheaper and that allows satisfying all consuming needs of constantly increasing world’s population. But which is the most important, technologies made possible the appearance of new opportunities for communication and quick access to any information we need. But there are certain disadvantages of technology development as well. It became almost impossible to control the amount and quality of produced information, though it is a powerful tool for mind control. The fast rates of production catastrophically reduce a quantity of resources in the world, and at the same time â€Å"overproduction† takes place. So consumers’ needs constantly grow, resources are depleting, but massive production keeps increasing, rising people’s needs. The development of military technologies funded by governments raises a general level of military conflict possibility. It is impossible to imagine our modern world without technologies; we don’t even notice how we aren’t able to live without them anymore. To estimate the effect of modern technology on our lives and definitely say that they are either something good or bad is absolutely unreal. The point is that technologies may controversially effect on our life they constantly do both cause harm and make our lives easier. It is hard to argue that the contribution that modern technologies have brought in our lives’ progress is almost unevaluated, because the opportunities we have now through the technological invasion are much wider than even ten years ago. The first aspect of the contribution we have to consider is definitely a fast development of modern science. At the very beginning of huge rise of technologies scientists were scared that technologies may destroy classical science, because the matter of science is to look for the essence of nature, it deals mostly with philosophical problems of â€Å"why?† and â€Å"how?†.

Why you personally want to be a chemical engineer Essay - 1

Why you personally want to be a chemical engineer - Essay Example These are some of the reasons why I want to be associated with this field of engineering because it allows me a great deal of opportunity to learn new and novel aspects, and thus get acquainted with the explosives and chemicals which are included within this field of education. By becoming a chemical engineer, I have a host of options up my sleeves. I can explore the sub-field of biochemical engineering, metallurgy, plastics engineering or even fuel cell. This is an exciting prospect for me and I would always like to be a part of this valuable field which is making waves throughout the world for all the right reasons. Since chemical engineers discern the basis of developing fruitful and economically feasible ways of making use of materials and energy, their work becomes even more satisfying at the end of the day. I would employ chemistry and engineering to foresee a positive change from the raw materials into useable products, which will shape up the world

Friday, October 18, 2019

Sexual Exploitation of Children Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Sexual Exploitation of Children - Research Paper Example To be precise, these offences have created a huge impact on children’s developmental needs, which in turn, at a larger scale, may impose strong negative impacts on the society as well. Sexual abuses involve a huge amount of psychological sequel and imposing a serious impact on the personal development of the children (Bonnar-Kidd, 2010). However, it has been observed that the child sexual abuses are often the result of physical aggression committed from the end of the offenders, which can be controlled by developing the mental state of the abuser to a certain extent. Hence, with this understanding, societies have today become engaged with developing their strategic rehabilitation programs to curtail the instances of child abuse (Bloom, 2004). Emphasizing this particular issue, the research aims to identify the rehabilitation program for child sex offenders as well as the identified effectiveness of such programs towards reducing the cases of sexual abuse of children to offer e ffective solutions from a critical perspective. Sexual offenses can take place on a wider spectrum that might be committed in the form of rape and other crimes. Sexual offenders have been prevalent in all the sections of the society wherein most of the cases were referred to as inter family issues. The child sexual abuse, also referred as child molestation, that have been occurring in the various sections of the society, are further observed to impose strong negative impacts on the mental and cognitive developments of the child victims (Tabachnick & Klein, 2011). It is quite evident that majority of the offenses often remains unrecorded, leading to the failure of the authority to take proper steps that would allow to effectively handle the effect of the instance (Gelb, 2007). Owing to the fact that the victims of the sex offenses are mostly children who lack adequate awareness or

Need to add more on the paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Need to add more on the paper - Essay Example Such students pose future detrimental effect to employers in a sense that they tend to enter the job market half-baked. Managers looking to outsource competent fresh and innovative minds who with a little coaching can be on top of their game, risk ending up approving candidates with the little cognizance of their expected performance. On the other hand, employers are vulnerable to making unintended decisions with respect to higher education in the event of other better options that could have been given first priority. The managers looking to recruit in the same way suffer the propensity of having to deal with the rigorous task such as micromanaging its employees. Such situations could emerge in the occasion of hiring uneducated staff as opposed to educated individuals. It is known that the human resource would tend to be inclined in reasoning and equally efficient in service delivery and resource management to yield targets. In summary, operations managers looking to hire could best consider devising a benchmark for assessing incumbent candidates when outsourcing employees as they stand to benefit from future prospects that come with dealing a manageable team that is goal-inclined and better placed in developing logical ideas in strategic marketing options. Higher education presents the need for better scrutiny on how educational institutions should reform their learning standards with the view of the current situations present that operational managers have to deal with when recruiting personnel in the diverse job

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Review article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 18

Review - Article Example The methods of evaluation from the circadian rhythms are illustrated through the article with the results and discussions being used to draw conclusions on the findings of the research. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the different band strain and the impact of the difference in brand strain to develop the necessary understanding of the differences. The findings indicate that each of the three frq mutants described segregates as a single-gene nuclear mutation that alters the period length of the circadian clock (Feldman and Hoyle 611). The finding illustrates that the mutants are different from the band which determines the clock as conidial banding or not. The limitation of the study is on the failure to indicate the different position of the mutants indicating how close they are linked. The study helps in determining the link between the bands and the mutants evaluated in the study. The findings of the study indicate the difference because of the failure of the screening methods. The authors agree that the screening method did not favor mutations on any particular chromosome making the study effective. However, the authors agree that their study was not conclusive because several factors were not examined in the

Literary Analysis over the short story, The Ones Who Walk Away From Essay

Literary Analysis over the short story, The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas - Essay Example The house does not have windows and is generally poorly ventilated. The incidence of the forsaken child in the Utopian City basically indicates a rotten foundation on, which the city rests upon. In addition, the author describes a scenario where the Omelas are informed that their success and general happiness can also be achieved by keeping the unfortunate child in a filthy and isolated room. Despite the fact that they are disgusted by this act, they later accept and their desire to achieve maximum happiness and success supersedes their humility towards the child. This is an incidence that symbolizes the selfishness of a Utopian Society; it symbolizes a scenario where the society is characterized by self-centered people who do not care about other people, rather focus on undertaking activities for their personal gains. Moreover, the writer goes further and indicates that indeed some of the residents of Omela were not pleased with suffering of the child and decided to leave the city never to come back. This is symbolism; it indicates a typical modern society where certain biased decisions are made by a few individuals to satisfy their personal interested, while less powerful people are compelled to adhere to the requirements of such decisions or forever never raise concerns. This is indicated by the elderly people who leave the city and never comes back. The residents of Omela are also not sure whether the child is human or not; some people claim that the child is sub-human and decide to refer to him/her as â€Å"it†. This is an indication that the society may be characterized by individuals who perceive other people as â€Å"less† humans can be subjected to torture as a symbol of sacrifice in order to benefit the society. The fact that some people may be perceived as sub-humans is a great symbol on how some people within the society feel more important than others and are

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Review article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 18

Review - Article Example The methods of evaluation from the circadian rhythms are illustrated through the article with the results and discussions being used to draw conclusions on the findings of the research. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the different band strain and the impact of the difference in brand strain to develop the necessary understanding of the differences. The findings indicate that each of the three frq mutants described segregates as a single-gene nuclear mutation that alters the period length of the circadian clock (Feldman and Hoyle 611). The finding illustrates that the mutants are different from the band which determines the clock as conidial banding or not. The limitation of the study is on the failure to indicate the different position of the mutants indicating how close they are linked. The study helps in determining the link between the bands and the mutants evaluated in the study. The findings of the study indicate the difference because of the failure of the screening methods. The authors agree that the screening method did not favor mutations on any particular chromosome making the study effective. However, the authors agree that their study was not conclusive because several factors were not examined in the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Most Significant Moment of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Most Significant Moment of Life - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the true essence of our life is exhibited through the little moments of joy or sorrow that are dear to us and are close to our hearts. These moments may be seemingly minor and trivial but become the most treasured and meaningful memories. These noteworthy moments adorn our past for our lifetime and have an evergreen effect on our future. Not just joyous incidents, some heart-wrenching episodes affecting our dear ones or our surroundings can also remain etched in our memories. Such incidents serve as reminders of the realities of life and the ups and downs it encompasses. On the other hand, the beautiful and worthwhile episodes shared with our family, favorite pets, colleagues, and friends prove to us every day the worthiness of life. These precious memories give us the necessary boost we need when we are drowned in the daily chaos and obligations. The researcher’s Granddad possessed a very full of life and admirable personality. The author enjoyed the most when she used to spend her time at her grandparent's house. Every single moment the researcher spent with her granddad was filled with affection and a feeling of warmth. Even now when she thinks of even the most inconsequential episodes she spent with her granddad, the author is reminded of his honesty and kindness that reflected her personality. Childhood is a part of your life where the tiniest of gestures have a deep impact on one’s personality. The researcher’s granddad showed the importance of family, the significance of kindness and gave her the confidence that is needed to become a self-assured young girl that she is today. The author always worshipped his lively personality, the way he laughed and made jokes with his companions. His authoritarian personality with the spirit of kindness and love that, he had in abundance, especially for the researcher. Her granddad always took special care of her and the author used to accompany him most of the time. One particular incident has left a deep impact on the author’s mind and she still finds that she related to it some way or another. During one particular summer vacations, when the author was in 6th standard she went to her granddad's house as a part of her usual annual routine. As usual, the author spent the bright lively summer days in her grandparent’s house cherishing each and every moment. Summer vacations were a time which she used to wait for eagerly. It was an occasion when the researcher got the chance to spend time with one person who made her feel special through his affectionate soul and kind gestures. Granddad brought home a little, frail puppy that looked scared and homeless. Its innocent round eyes stared at the author with fear in them. Granddad had found him on his way home in a deserted street without its mother. The researcher was amazed and quite amused by this little creature. The puppy was just like a little baby; small, fragile and completely dependent on others. Granddad gave the puppy to the author and told her to take special care of the little creature. That day he taught the researcher a lesson that she followed the rest of her life. It was something that was obvious from his way of life and his personality. He taught her love and affection for family. He told her that if today the author takes care of the little, defenseless creature, it will grow up tomorrow and return her the kindness and affection she showed to it.  

Monday, October 14, 2019

Philosophies from Aquinas, Augustine, and Irenaeus and other theologians Essay Example for Free

Philosophies from Aquinas, Augustine, and Irenaeus and other theologians Essay The study of religion and philosophy is infinitely confronted with the problem of evil and its broad association to sin. In facing this debacle, there is a tendency for religion to deny the existence of evil and clearly explicate that it is a mere event in the undeveloped minds of people. Religion may also uphold that there is a competent rivalry between evil and good as evil can be considered as a rival authority, containing power equal to the divine good. It can also be derived that evil is the imperfect cooperation in the good explained under the presence of a deity deemed as omnibenevolent and omniscient. Some response concerning the evil include that debates which inculcate that the true free will cannot be established without the possibility of evil. This idea can be translated to the notion that humans are not able to understand and comprehend God, that spiritual growth and development necessisitates suffering and that evil is the impact of effect of the fallen and disrupted world. Many disciplines have attempted to provide a concrete definition of evil and sin and the proposed assumptions on the connection of evil to sin have encountered denials coming from other scholars. In this paper, multiple philosophies and valuable insights concerning the association of evil to sin will be explored. The teachings of Thomas Aquinas, Irenaeus and Augustine and of others will be discussed in order to define evil and sin, describe the relationshipof evil to sin, and to explicate the difference and the causality of sin and evil in the contemporary world. This papers central focus is on the inquiry: Every evil is sin, but is every sin evil? The Teachings of Thomas Aquinas on Evil and Sin The concept of evil by Thomas Aquinas and his entire miscellany of philosophy are naturally grounded upon the teachings of the St. Augustine who created a philosophical theological position on evil. Evil is an English noun that is commonly used today to describe anything that is undeniably horrendous, particularly in the aspect of human behavior. However, Thomas Aquinas says that the term evil has more inclusive sense than evil does for people. According to Aquinas, â€Å"we are dealing with evil whenever we are faced by whatever can be thought of as a case of falling short. † For Aquinas, there is no evil substance in the world and neither God nor man creates evil. In saying this Aquinas proves that the world is â€Å"created and governed by a perfectly good God who is also omnipotent and omniscient. † This teaching negates the argument of humans who say that each time some of the good stray aways from an object then it is evil. Aquinas says no this argument by declaring that no evil exists materially. Aquinas explicates that human beings are wholly good but have the tendency that some of their goodness will be removed. Aquinas strongly argues that there is a â€Å"serious sense in which it can be thought of as lacking in being. † Take for instance the thought of Adolf Hitler as wholly good. This example may raise several criticisms since Hitler has enjoyed being a household name for evil, but it is to illustrate Aquinass concept of evil caused by the removal of good. For Aquinas, Hitler is good- he has competent brain, his physique is complete, and he almost bares resemblance to God. But Hitler has some of his goodness removed when he tries to rule the world with tyranny. According to Aquinas, â€Å"evil is there only in the sense that something is missing. † Aquinas continues to say that â€Å"what is not there cannot be thought of as made to be by the source of the being of things. † In this sense, Aquinas follows Augustines thought and says that God can never be the cause of evil because evil is not an actual thing but the â€Å"absence of a good that ought to be present. † What causes people to be bad is the gap between who they are and how they should be but are not. Aquinas points rules out his concept of evil by illustrating that there will be no badness unless there goodness yet there can be goodness without any badness. In the aspect of sin, Aquinas writes that it is not the disobedience of irrational authority, but it is a violation of well-being. According to Aquinas, heologians may describe sin as an act againts God and philosophers may signify it as opposed to reason, but it is St. Augustine who aptly defines sin. Aquinas explains that it is more accurate to define sin â€Å"as being contrary to the eternal law rather contrary to human reason, especially since the eternal law includes many things beyond the scope of reason, such as matters of faith. † Even though Aquinas is an advocate of the philosophy of Augustine, he recognizes that the Augustine sometimes talks only about will in describing sin. Aquinas explains thaat the exterior act, which is the veruy substance of the sin, is evil itsefl and thus it is necessary to include exterior acts in the definition of sin. † However, Augustine and Aquinas both agree that the sin is evil because it harms and diminishes natural good. Aquinas takes into consideration the application of the natural law. According to Aquinas, â€Å"when it is said that all sins are evil but not because they are prohibited, that prohibition is understood as an act of positive law. † Aquinas emphasizes that since the natural law comes fron the eternal law and acts of positive law are derived from the natural law, then all sins are evil. It is argued by Aquinas that evil is the privation of good and an individual can identify the extent of privation by what is left after such action. In this idea, Aquinas is stressing that â€Å"what remains of good after every sin is the same, since there remains after every sin the very nature of the soul and the freedom of choice by which humans can choose good and evil. † Aquinas tells that all sins are equal and are evil. The focal point of Aquinas in saying that all sins are evil and that all sins are equal is the only main source capable of commanding humans what they ought to be. As a theologian, Aquinas gives emphasis to God as the main source the nature and eternal and divine law. Aquinas says that â€Å"since all are the same in turning away from God, all sins are equal. † For Aquinas, every sin is evil because it is a deviation from reason and law. Aquinas describes sin as having no cause because it has the nature of evil. It has been discussed earlier that evil is the removal of goodness whats is lacking in humans as a wholly good. Aquinas emphasizes that what is missing cannot be thought of as made to be by the source of the being of things. The same goes for sins. This concept makes both sin and evil as original which thrive on will that act against reason and divine moral law. Same with evil, God can never be the source of sin. Likewise evil can never be the cause of sin. In this sense, the evil of punishment serves as the sequel to sin. He compares evil of guilt to sin and declares that they have no difference. In saying that sin has a cause, Aquinas is quick to clarify that such cause is not necessarily a cause for sin can be impeded. This musing denotes that if there should be a necessary cause for sins, then people will keep on making sins since there is a cause inherent to them that makes them commit sins. Such notion echoes the perspective of Aquinas on whether sin has an internal cause. Aquinas argues that if sin has an internal cause, then man would always be sinning and since it has a cause, there will always be an effect. Aquinas also defines sin by mentioning virtue. Aquinas says, â€Å"But sin is evil because it takes away virtue. Therefore, all sins are equally evil, since every one of them equally takes away virtue. † Aquinas thinks of sins as contrary to virtues and that all virtues are equal. Therefore, Aquinas reaffirms that all sins are equal. He also come up with the idea of malice that is the equalizer of all sins. Aquinas says that â€Å"sin has malice in relation to turning away from God. † This feature in relation to the deviation from God states that circumstances tag the malice of sins as being more serious. Aquinas adds that â€Å" if circumstances should themselves have malice, they constitute species of sin and if they should not in themselves have any malice, there is no reason why they should make the sins more serious. † On the on the hand, the diversity in sins that other arguments are pointing to is a mere presentation of morally indifferent genus. Overall, Aquinas writes that all sins are evil in a sense that they both result in being unnatural, the failure of the natural rule that man ought to observe and obey. Evil and Sin According To Augustine Many of St. Augustines teachings on evil substantiate Aquinas concept. They both believe that the immutable God created only good things and He alone is the source of all being. Augustine negates all forms of theological and metaphysical dualism and puts great emphasis on God who is wholly good. According to Augustine, there is no dualism existing in the problem of evil. The thought of evil as not a being, a thing, or substance or entity liberates him from the Manichaean dualism,the belief that there exists two powerful beings, the good and evil. He realizes that all the God created are metaphysically and ontologically good in their being. He proposes that if evil were a being, a thing or an entity, then the problem fo evil will not be solved because it has a source. If the evil comes from God, then God is not all good and if it does not come from God, then He is not the powerful creator of all things. Augustine says that God is a spiritual and not a corporeal being and he â€Å"rejects Manichaeisms materialistic dualism but embraces a different dualism between corporeal and spiritual beings, with God, angels, and human soul falling into the latter class. † Upon rejecting the Manicheism and its simple concept on the origin of evil, Augustines obliges himself to establish an alternative solution to the origins of evil and starts to proclaim that evil represents a free deviation from God and is not a positive entity in its own right. All of the works of the immutable Creator of men are revelations of Gods nature and therefore, all of His works are of wholly good. Both Augustine and Aquinas believe that evil does not come from God. In his struggle concerning the confusion over evil, Augustine further says that the evil is not something that is completely real biut only fragment that is dependent on that which is absolutely real. According to Augustine, evil is not a thing or substance but he is aware of its existence and that it can be divided into three kinds. Metaphysical evil is the lack of mans perfection not because of his given nature but because they all fall short of complete perfection that only God can obtain. This is not actually considered evil. The second kind is the physical evil that is the privation of a certain perfection because of nature. This kind is being justified by Augustine together with the other theologians as under the jurisdiction of the general order of nature. The third kind if the moral evil, the only real evil. It is a sin or an act opposed to the will of God. The source of the moral evil is the faculty of free will in which man is able to turn away from the right order and deviate himself from the will of God. Augustine says, â€Å"sin is so voluntary that there is no sin unless it is voluntary. † He implies that there needs to be an act of moral will in any sin or the consent to turn away from God and to His will. Augustine emphasizes that moral evil is truly a sin for there is a consent. Sin settles itself in the free will, option, intention, and the motion of the soul, which instigates a wrong order into the world. Evil is â€Å"nothing but a privation of good until at last a thing ceases altogether to be. † An evil will is a kind of will that deviates away from God, the creator. Moreover, Augustine says that it is a disordered love and will, the wrong conformity to Gods will. The writings of Augustine on sin are associated with his Christian definition of evil. Augustine defines sin as the movement or the deviation of will endowed to humans away from God. He furthers his discussion of sin by stating that God can never be the author of sin just as He can never be the source of evil. Such movement of the human will away from the God the Creator is also referred by Augustine as the misdirection. According to him, as there is a misdirection on evil will, there is also a misdirection in the aspect of sin. Augustine explains that â€Å"sin is therefore an error or untruth and based upon the misconception of what is good for us. † Augustine says that when people choose to sin, they must have an intention of obtaining goodness or getting rid of something bad. He suggests that sin is more than an intellectucal error, it is the â€Å"misdirection of the will. † Augustines musing on sin as the misdirection of human will is demonstrated in mans pursuit of happiness or pride. Augustine notes that pride is the â€Å"an appetite for inordinate exaltation,it when the soul cuts itself from the Source to which it should keep close and somehow makes itself and becomes an end to itself. † Augustine continues that inordinate exaltation takes place when the â€Å"soul is inordinately pleased with itself, and such self-pleasing occurs when the soul falls away away from the unchangeable Good which ought to please the sould far more than the soul can please itself. † He also validates his definition of sin by saying that what the people do for the sake of goodness ends in something negative or bad , and what people do in making things good ends in just making things worse. Augustine explains this paradox by writing that â€Å"except that the happiness of man can come not from himself but only from God, and that to live according to oneself is to sin is to lose God. † This paradox explicates that sin is the possibility of man to focus on himself rather than on the all-knowing God. It is therefore suggested that, based upon the writings of Augustine, not all sins are considered evil due to the categorization of evil involving nature. Irenaeus On Evil and Sin Little is known about Irenaeus and his works are mostly generated fromScriptures and the biblical domain. The understanding of sin found in the works of Irenaeus of Lyons has some contradictions when compared to the dominant Christian perspective influenced by Augustine in the fifth century. Irenaeus of Lyons interprets Genesis as the disobedience of man with Adam acting like an impulsive child. Irenaeus thinks of sin as pains and errors which grow. He says that there is no such a things as original sin or guilt that man inherited from his forefather, Adam. It is seen that he has a different view of the mans fall compared to the teachings of later writers particularly Augustine. This idea posits that Irenaeus thinks of of the fall of Adam and Eve is not a rebellion against God the Creator but is a concrete illlustration of the failure of man to rise to greater heights and that humanity does not lose its original perfection. His view concerning the fall of the humanitys forefatther raises many questions as it does not seems to be based on Scripture but it is derived solely from his rational interpretation. He further suggests that the without loss of life and the presence of evils, humanity will not repent. Unlike, Aquinas and Augustine, Irenaeus imparts that evil comes from God. In this idea, it is clearly manifested that Irenaeus upholds that the appearance of evil is of righteous purpose. According to him, the elements which appear evil, like death are planned by God. He says, â€Å"it is for this reason therefore that Paul calls Adam himself the pattern of the one to come because the Word, the artisan of the universe, had sketched out in advance, in order to prepare the ground for himself, the future plan of the human race in its relation to to the Son of God, with God first of all establishing natural man order, quite obviously, that he might be saved by spiritual man. † In the said notion, Iranaeus outlines two distinct phases. Iraneaus writes that the â€Å"creation of humanity comes first, secondly comes its perfection through the incarnation of the Son, Christ Jesus, who transmits the Spirit of the whole human race. † It is evident that the advent of Christ is the sole purpose behind the creation of Adam. It is written that Irenaeus â€Å"does not identify evil with sin. † It is because he acknowledges the two types of evil. The first type is the physical evil that Irenaeus refers to as â€Å"arising from the nature of the creature for its is due to the opposition of contrary forces or to the sequences of events that obey natural laws: what seems to be an evil in the short run is a good on the cosmic. † According to Irenaeus, the second type of evil is the moral evil that he considers as sin. He declares that this type of evil is sin because it arises from the â€Å"jealousy of Satan and or certain angels who lured Adam into transgression. † Influenced by the writings of Johannine, Irenaeus defines sin as the â€Å"condition of human existence rather than a collection of individual actions. † According to Irenaeus of Lyon, moral evil is to be considered as a sin because it reflects Gods original design that is putting man into the test. This type of evil is generally accounted for mans free will and his ability to discern right from wrong. Irenaeus says that â€Å"God had foreseen the angels sin as well as that of man, including the consequences, and he had sanctioned it. † Iraneaus places sin in history and writes that the fall of man is the gradual spread of evil because of the inevitability of personal sin, not as a particular shift in the human nature. Moreover, Irenaeus has made a comparison between the natural person and the perfection of the person to describe sin. According to him,body and soul constitute a natural person while the perfect human being is made up of body, soul and spirit. The inclusion of Gods spirit is the essence of Irenaeus idea of the redemption. People have been redemeed and have been saved so that they may flourish into what God wants them to be. For Iranaeus, not all sins can be considered as evil as man is not accountable for some existing evils such as those coming from the natural disasters known as natural evils. The only evil that can be deemed as sin are the moral evils caused by the selfishness of humanity. Sin and Evil According to Other Theologians Lactantius is one of the Christian thinkers to respond to the problem of evil and sin referring solely to Gods laws. According to Lactantius, the â€Å"chief good of the humanity is not to be found in the theories of the philosophers, for these have to do things common to animals as well as humans or things not available to all humans. † He refers to the one and true God as the chief good and the things which meant to satisfy the body that perishes as not good at all. For him, pleasure, power and wealth are not good and anything and the disobedience of Gods laws are evil and sin. Reinhold Niebuhr belongs to the category of formative Christian moral theorists. He says that sin is â€Å"inevitable but not necessary. † He furthers his explannation of sin by stating that the â€Å"temptation to sin lies in the human situation itself. † Niebuhr stresses that the will and freedom endowed to man is the basis of his creativity and it is also his temptation. While Irenaeus declares that people need evil to spiritual grow, Niebuhr upholds his realist theory that people do not need sin and no perfection can completely liberate human beings from the reality of sin. Walter Rauschenbusch is included into the group of thinkers who deal with the importance of sin in salvation. According to him, â€Å"when we undertook to define the nature of sin, we accepted the old definition, that sin is selfishness and rebellion against God , but we insisted on putting humanity into the picture. † He further explains that the description of sin as selfishness will be accepted for as long as the humanity is perceived as a great solidarity with God thriving on it. He emphasizes that if sin is selfishness, then â€Å"mans selfishness consisted in a selfish attitude, in which he was at the centre of the universe, and God and all his fellowmen were means to serve his pleasures, increase his wealth and set off his egotisms. † He also rescue the dosctrine of the origin of sin from literal interpretations by recognizing the active sources of sin in the later generations and in the contemporary period. He was criticized upon recognizing that both goodness and sinfulness can be determined by social environment. Rauschenbusch explains that what can be evil is dictated by the society and the same goes for sin. He says that the good maybe forced to do bad while the bad maybe forced to do good as dictated by the society. Conclusion In the tradition of religion and theology, the definition of sin is related to the problem on evil. The question addresed in this paper is whether sin leads to evil or evil leads to sin. The definition of evil and sin according to several theologians were explored in this paper in order to understand the relationship between evil and sin. Based from the literatures studied, it is said that the relationship between evil and sin can be associated with reconciliation, salvation, the fall of Adam and the society itself, and morality. It is clearly manifested that the connection between sin and evil can be interchangeable such that evil can lead to sin and sin can lead to evil. The interchangeable connection is due to the observed judgement that evil and sin have the same feature as the deviation from what man ought to be. In this sense, all evil can be sin but not all sins are considered evil due to the fact that sin comprises only the moral and spiritual side of the humanity. The inquiry on whether every sin is evil is answered on the definition of evil in which various theologians categorize into various theories. This paper has observed that every theologian has his or her own conception on evil and sin and it is evident that their concepts have been derived from other theologians who took insights also from other thinkers. This is to say that evil and sin can be both the same in a sense that they both have the same characteristics constructed by thinkers who draw insights from their influences. BIBLIOGRAPHY Aquinas, Thomas. â€Å"The Subject and Approach of the De Malo,† in On Evil, eds. Richard J. Regan and Brian Davies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Aquinas, Thomas, Summa Theologiae: Volume 25: Sin. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Lacoste, Jean-Yves, ed. Encyclopedia of Christian Theology, Vol 1. New York: Routledge, 2005. Mann,William E. â€Å"Augustine on Evil and Original Sin,† in The Cambridge Companion to Augustine, eds. Eleonore Stump and Norman Kretzmann. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Wogaman, J. Philip. Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction. Kentucky: Westminster/John knox Press, 1993.