Civilizations and Heroism in the Epic Poems of Gilgamesh...

Heroism is a theme that has appeared throughout history in the literature of different civilizations. Heroes represent the principles and ideals associated with the varying morals of each individual society. The literature of Mesopotamia and Western Europe is a prime example of this. Beowulf, an Anglo-Germanic tale and The Epic of Gilgamesh, of the Sumerians, demonstrate perfectly, the ability of civilizations to convey the values and customs of their society through their literature. The setting for Beowulf is Scandinavia, before the time Christianity had spread its course. Beowulf, the title character is the hero in this tale. He possesses many of the typical heroic traits such as strength, courage, loyalty and the ability†¦show more content†¦He knowingly risks his life while never backing out of the commitments he made, even when death is inevitable. The heroic traits of Beowulf allow him to achieve the great feats, which he accomplishes in this legend. The charact er of Beowulf exemplifies the Anglo-Germanic cultural values of a hero. He consistently displays what is of importance morally to this civilization. To this group of people, courage, strength and loyalty were the most important aspects of their culture. Beowulf fights the monster Grendel, knowing that he must do it without any weapons. This kind of strength is strived for by the Anglo-Germanic people. Fighting the mother of Grendel and the dragon, basically by himself, show how courageous of a man he was. Beowulf is loyal to his people as well. As a king, he fights the dragon, who is not directly as much of a threat to Beowulf, but more to the people that he rules over. Knowing the dangers of fighting this beast, he does it out of loyalty for the people who rely on him. Beowulf is a great hero, both by the standards of the Anglo-Germanic people and by the standards of what t takes to be a hero today. Gilgamesh, as a hero, varies from Beowulf, however still represents what is of importance to the culture of which he was created. He is not as pure by the standards of our society today. He still possesses the great strength and courage of a typical hero, however he is a very insensitive tyrant, and claims the rightShow MoreRelatedA Critical Appraisal of: Beowulf and Gilgamesh Essay examples1640 Words   |  7 PagesA Critical Appraisal of: Beowulf and Gilgamesh There are many differences and critical comparisons that can be drawn between the epics of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Both are historical poems which shape their respected culture and both have major social, cultural, and political impacts on the development of western civilization literature and writing. Before any analysis is made, it is vital that some kind of a foundation be established so that a further, in-depth exploration of the complex natureRead MoreBeowulf And Gilgamesh Essay1975 Words   |  8 PagesEnglish Essay Compare the Beowulf poets presentation of the battles with Grendel and his mother with the Gilgamesh poets depiction of Gilgamesh battles with Huwawa and the Bull of Heaven. Fame and glory have been the most admirable characteristics in the middle Ages and even before Christ in the ancient civilizations. The epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf are stories of heroism and immortality gained through fame. The aim of the main characters, Beowulf and Gilgamesh, is to be a good warrior byRead MoreBeowulf and Gilgamesh2014 Words   |  9 PagesEnglish Essay Compare the Beowulf poets presentation of the battles with Grendel and his mother with the Gilgamesh poets depiction of Gilgamesh battles with Huwawa and the Bull of Heaven. Fame and glory have been the most admirable characteristics in the middle Ages and even before Christ in the ancient civilizations. The epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf are stories of heroism and immortality gained through fame. The aim of the main characters, Beowulf and Gilgamesh, is to be a good warrior byRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost2283 Words   |  10 Pagessince time immemorial, and has been the only way of passing culture on to future generations for millennia. From this tradition, the Epic arose, tales of mighty heroes, gods, and monsters, told in the form of poems to convey ideals, beliefs, and traditions. Hundreds of Epics have been written, and among them, many stand out, especially Virgil’s The Aeneid, Beowulf, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost, as they prove to be impactful and useful in the analysis of changes in the relationship between divinity

Medicine and Thesis Statement Free Essays

Some people think old buildings should be destroyed and replaced with modern buildings. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Study foreign language at overseas is beneficial or not agree or disagree with extent? D? u hi? u trong d? bai: Only, the most important, some, all, necessary, many M? d? u: NP†¦. Brings the negative and positive that lead to wide discussion. We will write a custom essay sample on Medicine and Thesis Statement or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thesis statement: Example 1 Some people believe that it is acceptable for young children to undertake jobs that they are paid for, whereas others believe that this is wrong and should be illegal. This essay will discuss both sides of the issue. Example 2 At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice, others believe that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal. Example 3 At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice,  I believe  that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal. 2) Agreeing or Disagreeing Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine. However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? A thesis statement that  agrees with the opinion: Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. However, I strongly believe that this form of medicine does not work and is possibly a danger to those using it. A thesis statement that  disagrees with the opinion: Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates onventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I am unconvinced that it is dangerous, and feel that both alternative and conventional medicine can be useful. A thesis statement that  partly agrees with the opinion: Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I agree that for certain conditi ons this type of medicine is ineffective and could even be dangerous, but for some illnesses it is a good alternative choice. Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste of money. Governments must invest this money in public services instead. To what extent do you agree with this statement? These days, the government spends a large part of its budget not only on public services, but also the arts. Although I agree that it is important to spend money on public services, I do not think spending on the arts is a waste of money. 3) Other Essays Problems and solutions: Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems. Sample thesis in bold: Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas. Both governments and individuals have a duty to find ways to overcome these problems. Causes and Effects: The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend. Over the last ten years, Western societies have seen close to a 20% rise in the number of children who are overweight. This essay will discuss some reasons why this has occurred and examine the consequences of this worrying trend. Advantages and Disadvantages: In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use the money to improve public transportation. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution? Traffic congestion in many cities around the world is severe. One possible solution to this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car drivers and use this money to make public transport better. This essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of such a measure. How to cite Medicine and Thesis Statement, Essay examples

Health and Cultural Determinants Culture & Health

Question: Describe about the Health and Cultural Determinants for Culture Health? Answer: Shaman is a political clout in the village of Hypothea. This village is located in a remote area of the world. There is a language barrier because Shaman belongs to a different culture whereas the doctor who had a visit in that village is a Christian1. The doctor has been assigned the duty of identification of epidemiologic factors that contributes to a number of diseases in that area. He also needs to introduce the public health measures in order to improve the well-being of the villagers. He suspected that the villagers are suffering from tropical diseases. For that, the doctor needs to develop a relationship with Shaman because he alone has been identified as the factor for doctor to be unsuccessful in doing his research. This is because Shaman had an aura of fear in this village and no one is allowed to speak without his permission. Therefore, the doctor needs to develop a bond of trust and respect with Shaman. This is due to the reason that interpersonal relationships play an important role in constructing the knowledge, promoting and preventing the health care and traditions to be continued2. He needs to make a conscious decision at first place and as an active step so as to make a difference. He needs to increase his level of knowledge and awareness about the culture to which Shaman belongs to as well as of the other people who are living in that village of Hypothea. In addition to building the relationship with Shaman, the doctor also needs to build the relationship with other people who belong to different cultures. Also, because there is a language barrier which is acting in their way to effective communication, the doctor can make the efforts towards knowing and learning about the language spoken by Shaman and local villagers so that he could understand whatever they are speaking and communicate with them easily. Doing this, would make the doctor as well as Shaman to feel comfortable in each others company. The doctor can also read about the histories of those people. He should make notice of the communication style followed by Shaman and other indigenous people of Hypothea3. He need to make Shaman understand that there are societal influences and forces that isolate the people belonging to different religions, ethnic groups and economic groups from each other. The doctor also needs to remember that showing the care and love is a fundamental aspect of any relationship. This is because everyone wants be cared about and also caring makes the relationship real4. This can sometime result in melting the heart of other person and breaks their rigid attitude towards them. He can indulge in different activities with the villagers and can behave in a friendly manner with them. The doctor needs to be willing to take risks in his life and need to motivate himself so that he can overcome this barrier and can then identify the relationship between the cultural determinants of disease. Thus, the above mentioned efforts can help the doctor to establish a friendly relationship with Shaman as well as in building the working relationship with him. References Arnault DS. Cultural Determinants of help seeking: A model for research and practice. Res Theory Nurs Pract. 2009; 23(4): 259-278. Parrish P, VanBerschot, JA. Cultural Dimensions of Learning: Addressing the Challenges of Multicultural Instruction. Int Rev Res Open Dis. 2010; 10(2): 1-19. Ely RJ, Thomas DA. Cultural Diversity at Work: The Effects of Diversity Perspectives on Work Group Processes and Outcomes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 46(2): 229-273. Watson WE, Kumar K, Michaelsen, LK. Cultural Diversity's Impact on Interaction Process and Performance: Comparing Homogeneous and Diverse Task Groups. The Academy of Management Journal, 36(3):590-602.

Philosophy Of Mind Essays - Philosophy Of Artificial Intelligence

Philosophy Of Mind In this paper I plan to show that Searle is correct in claiming that his Chinese Room Analogy shows that any Turing machine simulation of human understanding of a linguistic phenomenon fails to possess any real understanding. First I will explain the Chinese Room Analogy and how it is compared to a Turing machine. I will then show that the machine can not literally be said to understand. A Turing machine has a infinite number of internal states, but always begins a computation in the initial state go. Turing machines can be generalized in various ways. For example many machines can be connected, or a single machines may have more than one reader-printer under command of the control. The machines are set to accept input and give output based on the type of input given. When comparing the Turing machine simulation of understanding to actual human understanding you ca see the story given as input, and the answers to questions about the story as output. In the Chinese Room Analogy Searle supposed that he was locked in a room with a large batch of Chinese writing referred to as "scripts". By using the term "script" it is meant to say that this first batch of Chinese writing is the original or principal instrument or document. Further more in this case he is said not to know any Chinese, either written or spoken. The Chinese writing is described by Searle as " meaningless squiggles". Next he is presented with a second batch of Chinese writing referred to as a "story". The term story here is meant to describe the second batch to be an account of incidents or events that will be used to make a statement regarding the facts pertinent to the incidents or events that will follow. Accompanied with the second batch of writing is a set of written rules written in English that is meant to be used for correlating the two batches called a "program". The "program" given to Searle is meant to used as a printed outline of a particular order to be followed to correlate the Chinese symbols. The rules, or the "program", will allow Searle to correlate the symbols entirely by their shape. Finally a third batch of Chinese symbols is presented along with further instructions in English, referred to as "questions". The "questions" are implemented as a way to interrogate Searle in such a manner that his competence in the situation will be given. These "questions" allow the third batch to be correlated with the first two batches. It is supposed in this analogy that after a while he becomes so good at following the instructions to manipulate the symbols, while giving the correct answers, that is becomes impossible for a man from outside the direct point of view to distinguish his answers from that of a native Chinese speaker. The Chinese Room Analogy goes a step further when he is given large batches of English, called "stories", which he of course understands as native English speaker. The story in this case is to be used just as it was in the previous case, to describe the batch as an account of incidents or events that will be used to make a statement regarding the facts pertinent to the incidents or events that will follow. Much like the case with the Chinese writing questions are asked in English and he is able to answer them, also in English. These answers are indistinguishable from that of other native English speakers, if for no other reason that he is a native speaker himself. The difference here is that in the Chinese case, Searle is only producing answers based on manipulation of the symbols of which have no meaning to him, and in the English case answers are given based on understanding. It is supposed that in the Chinese case, Searle behaves as nothing more than a computer, performing operations on formally specified elements. An advocate of the strong AI (Artificial Intelligence) claim that if a question and answer sequence much like the case with the Chinese symbols, a machine is not only simulating human ability but also that the machine can be said to literally understand a story and provide answers to questions about them. Searle declares that in regard to the first claim where machine can literally be said to understand a story and provide answers, that this is untrue. Obviously in the Chinese Room Analogy even though the inputs and outputs are indistinguishable from that of native Chinese speaker Searle

Learn Why Onions Make You Cry

Learn Why Onions Make You Cry Unless youve managed to avoid cooking entirely, youve probably experienced the burning and tearing from vapors that cutting up an onion produces. Cutting an onion bursts its cells, producing a chemical process which releases the contents of those cells into the immediate atmosphere, causing you to tear up as you slice and dice. Acid Effect Amino acid sulfoxides form sulfenic acids as you slice into an onion. These enzymes which were isolated are now free to mix with the sulfenic acids to produce ​propanethial S-oxide, a volatile sulfur compound gas which wafts upward and into your eyes. This gas reacts with the water in your tears to form sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid burns, stimulating your eyes to release more tears to wash the irritant away. Stop Crying There are a few ways to curb the chemical process which causes you to cry when cutting an onion, including: Cook the onion. Cooking inactivates the enzyme, so while the smell of cooked onion may be strong, it doesnt burn your eyes.Wear  safety goggles or run a fan. This actually prevents the vapors from the compound  entering your  eyes or blows the compound vapors safely away.Refrigerate the onion before cutting. Cooling slows reactions and changes the chemistry inside the onion. The same effect can be accomplished by cutting the onion under water.Use stainless steel. The sulfur-containing compounds also leave a characteristic odor on your fingers. You may be able to remove or reduce some of the smell- and tears- by wiping your fingers on a stainless steel odor absorber. Other Methods A few more proven methods for avoiding the waterworks while cutting into or preparing an onion involve  cooking prep methods such as locating the root, removing the bulb and even slicing lengthwise before dicing. So, take heart: With a little preparation and an understanding of basic chemistry, you can slice, dice and cook an onion without ever shedding a tear.

Business Law1

Business Law1 Essay The full name of the first company I chose is Entrust Technologies Inc. The state and year of incorporation is Texas in 1996. The company was a spin-off of Nortel Networks. The worldwide headquarters for the corporation is 4975 Preston Park Blvd Suite 400 Plano, Texas 75093. The Chief Executive Officer and President of the company is John Ryan. The number of shareholders is in the 26, 000 range and the stock is traded on the NASDAQ. The ticker symbol for the corporation is ENTU. The CUSIP number is _________. The price range of Entrust Technologies from 1998 1999 was $24 upon opening on January 1, 1998 and its close was $60 on December 31, 1999 (See chart 1.1, attached to back of paper full year price range). The corporation has many subsidiaries that it recognizes: Entrust Technologies Limited, Entrust. net, Entrust Technologies (United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan), Entrust Technologies GmbH (Germany) and CygnaCom Solutions. Entrust Technologies Inc. provides products and services to ensure secure electronic communications and transactions over the Internet, Extranets and Intranets. (http://biz.yahoo.com/p/e/entu. html) The company is ahead of its game in the Internet business. A lawsuit was filed against the company in February of 1999 by Surety technologies, Inc. The lawsuit involved the supposed infringement of patent rights on the part of Entrust Technologies. Surety said they developed a digital timestamping method using hash and sign. They claim it was their method and only theirs. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled for Entrust claiming that the patent covering the special hash -and- sign method used by Surety was not a new thing. Any company could use the technology to better their communication systems by timestamping electronic documents. The lawsuit and verdict proved to the rest of the world that Entrust Technologies is ready to advance all companies with special devices to make their business run a little bit smoother. The verdict was handed down in November 1999 and gave ENTU a very strong third quarter. Their revenue increased from $13.0 million to $22.6 million in one year. The lawsuit benefited, not hampered the business practices of Entrust Technologies. There are literally hundreds of competitors in the computer services business. AutoBytel Com Inc., Agency Com LTD, Publicard Inc, Zapme Inc., Knot Inc. and Paychex Inc. are just some of the companies that compete in the business with Entrust Technologies (See 1.2, attached file regarding the competitors). VectorVest rates the long-range outlook for the stock poorly in most areas. They rate stocks well that are steady and predictable. All the stocks are rated on a 0.00 2. 00 scale, a relative safety greater than 1.00 is safe and below 1.00 is not a safe buy. ENTU was given a relative safety of 0.71, very poor. The relative value is a 0. 82, also poor. When a stock has a relative safety and value greater than 1.00 the earning rate will increase and shares will increase in value. Entrust was given a relative timing rating of 1.04, which is fair in this field. The trend established is fair and might last depending on the stocks dependability. VectorVest also suggests that ENTU is overvalued and having a high-risk dividend because it does not pay a dividend. This also shows that ENTU has not dividend growth and that indicates future outlook and past history. In conclusion, Entrust Technologies has a below average safety with below average upside potential. This reflects the stocks potential and almost ensures below average, inconsistent returns. Reesegroup.com rates ENTU as having no interest at this time. Entrust Technologies Inc. was a good buy. I disagree with the critics on this one. When I bought the stock on January 20th it was at $56 and it rose up and down slowly to 92 .

Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Reading Response - Essay Example FK realizes two opposing sides in America and in the world, he increases the appreciation of his message to the audience by using rhetoric effectively. Kennedy welcomed the responsibility of dealing with friends and foes alike in order to become a global representation of peace. To achieve this, he shared his energy with the people and made each person in the audience realize that these goals were achievable once everyone played their role towards their achievement. Clearly, he shows the role each opposing force can play in order to solve problems affecting and bring peace to America and the world. This is clear when he states his idea by asking opposing nations to propose ways of controlling arms in order to "bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations† (Kennedy). Metaphorically, Kennedy appeals to his audience illustrating his vision for a world that respects freedom and liberation of people. In this regard, he voices his vision to help realize and respect freedom by offering "to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty" (Kennedy). This metaphor allows the audience to realize his vision of ending past injustices and becoming more aware of his vision in ensuring liberation of all people in the world. On the other hand, Kennedy shows intentions of ensuring justice in the world by telling dictators that, "those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside" (Kennedy). In conclusion, calling people to action remains the basis of the whole speech. However, his use of figure of speech is impressive and helps him put his message in such a way it resonates well with the audience. On the other hand, his message remains vital in the current world where conflicts are the order of the day. It is therefore important to ask whether America and the world can learn from this speech. In addition, is there any leader in the world who can currently rise and lead the

The Importance of Providing a Quality-learning Environment for a Essay

The Importance of Providing a Quality-learning Environment for a Person with MDVI - Essay Example Teachers and families of MDVI children have a significant role to play in partnership with other organizations as early as childhood (LaVenture, 2007). Most importantly, role models should be available in this environment to help people with MDVI understand how they fit in the local society. They can be taught to work in teams and to sustain friendships. Providing a favorable environment will help these challenged individuals to overcome social awkwardness, protect themselves, and to ensure they realize their sexuality where necessary. Sarah is a twenty one year old adult with CHARGE syndrome. She has coloboma in her right eye and micropthalmia in her left. Sarah has a moderate hearing impairment and uses Makaton to communicate. She is very social and loves being around people. She has a moderate learning disability and as she has eating difficulties, her food intake needs to be monitored. Due to a heart condition, she missed a lot of schooling. Despite poor balance, Sarah likes to walk independently but when tired needs the use of her wheelchair. She is able to orientate herself well in her classroom/workshop but can get easily lost once outside. From this case study, Sarah is a MDVI young woman, who seems to associate easily with people and thus there is a high chance of her learning with ease. However, much has to be done to ensure that she takes meals and to encourage her do some activities on her own. The most motivating feature about her is that she is able to orient herself precisely in her classroom, meaning that she can develop knowledge and skills to enable her pursue her studies further. When working with people with such impairments, multidisciplinary teams such as teachers need to consider several principles such as demonstrating a number of academic studies and writing skills that are most consistent to their physical challenge.  

Obesity in Black American Women Essay Example for Free

Obesity in Black American Women Essay Culture, Biology and Lifestyle Cause Forty Nine Percent of Black American Women to be Obese Abstract. Obesity is a major factor in health today. Certain ethnic groups and genders suffer from obesity more than others. Around 49% of all Black American women are classified obese today. There are many reasons for this. But the three the Black American women are susceptible to are culture, lifestyle and biology. Forty nine percent of Black American women are obese. This is an over representation compared to 38% of Latina women and 33% of non-Hispanic white women. (Phelan, Johnson, Wesley). Many factors determine a person’s weight and health status. Economics, lifestyle, diet, culture, biology and society all affect a person’s body size and composition. Culture, biology and lifestyle have the largest impact on why Black American women are obese. Health, economic and societal implications of obesity are overwhelming and affect every person in this country. The medical community defines obesity as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is simply a comparison of weight to height. The actual formula is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A BMI of greater than 25 but less than 30 is considered overweight and a BMI of greater than 40 is considered morbidly obese. BMI is a comparison of weight to height, not fat to height. BMI is a useful tool for most of the population, but does not work well for heavily muscled people, such as body builders. Fat is damaging to health. Muscle is not. The general population knows that obesity causes diabetes and heart problems. But obesity is much more severe than that. Obesity causes health problems that many find eye opening. Obesity causes hardening of the arteries, increased cholesterol and cardiac failure. In addition to damaging the heart and arteries obesity causes cancer. Twenty percent of all cancer related deaths in women are attributed to obesity (Dixon). Fifty percent of all Type II diabetes patients are obese. (Dixon). Obesity is associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome and fatty liver disease (Kogiso, Moriyoshi and Nagahara). Obesity causes many more not so well known, but still very concerning health issues. Thirty one percent of all arthritis patients are obese. (Dixon). Sixty three percent of women who suffer from osteoarthritis are obese (Dixon). Obese women show a 37% increased risk of depression (Stunkard). Obesity can cause infertility and pregnancy complications (Phelan, Edelman). It even can reduce the effectiveness of birth control. Obese people are three times more apt to suffer from sleep apnea (Visscher, Seidell). And for the real shocker, 300,000 deaths per year in the United States alone are attributed to obesity! Obesity is only second to smoking in preventable deaths per year in the US. (Visscher, Seidell). The reasons nearly half of all Black women in the US are obese are complex and many. We can point our finger at economics, lifestyle, society, biology, diet, culture. Culture, lifestyle and biology are the primary reasons 49% of Black women in the US are obese. Studies have shown that culture can have a profound effect on body size. Several studies have found that the Black American population has a preference for larger body size (Johnson). Portia Johnson, in her article, Scholarly Perspectives on Obesity in Black American Women, references a 2002 study that shows that African American men prefer African American women with a larger body size. The same author also cites a 2006 study that shows that African American women â€Å"describe a model of health that speaks to the Black womens cultural belief that a larger body size is ideal† (Johnson). African women also have a preference for larger bodies. A 2006 study on ethnic Zulus, Zulu migrants to London, and Anglo Londoners show a preference for larger body size by the Zulu migrants and the ethnic Zulus (Brewis 88). Each participant in were shown gray scale images of women of known BMI. The participants were asked to choose which image represented the most healthy and attractive body. The Anglo Londoners chose a BMI size of 20, the ethnic Zulus chose BMI 26 and the migrant Zulus chose a BMI of 24. Dr. James Kirby and colleagues made the interesting discovery that simply living in a community with 25% or more non-Hispanic blacks increases ones propensity of being overweight (Kirby et al). Similarly Dr. Kirby discovered that living in a community of 25% or more Asians decreases a person’s propensity of being overweight (Kirby et al). Kirby surmises this is due to the availability of healthy food, parks, sidewalks and recreation facilities in each community. Kirby found that a predominance of black Americans live in communities with fewer recreational facilities, gyms, parks and fewer choices of healthy food than other ethnicities. The same study also found more fast food restaurants and convenience food stores in predominately black and Hispanic American communities. Perhaps the most convincing evidence is in the words of African American women. In her article ‘Voices from the Inside: African American Womens Perspectives on Healthy Lifestyles’ Jill Rowe interviewed African American women on healthy lifestyles and food choices. One woman explains eating in African American culture as: It’s almost like every person in my family has something they cook real good and I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. When you go to your mama’s house, I’ve always gone to the refrigerator. That’s how African Americans show their love. From the birthday parties, to when you have company. My family, when we’re happy we eat. When we’re sad, we eat. We eat when we’re married, we eat when we’re born, we eat when we die. It’s always, who’s bringing the fried chicken and pound cake. (Rowe) Culture can significantly affect a person’s weight. But we should also be aware that biology can affect weight too. Researchers have found that Black American women have a lower Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). RMR is the rate at which energy (calories) are metabolized to keep organs functioning at rest. Black American women have a lower RMR than white or Hispanic women. This means they burn fewer calories throughout the day and function more efficiently than white Americans making it harder to lose weight (Johnson). A 1996 study found that the Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) of black American women was lower than for Caucasian American women. The researchers measured the REE of each participant and found that the Black women had a REE of 1790 calories per day at rest, while the Caucasian women had an REE of 1949 calories per day at rest. Simply put this means that Caucasian women burn, on average, 250 more calories per day at rest than Black American women do. This makes it harder for black women to lose weight (Johnson). Researchers have also discovered that Black Americans have an over expression of fatty acid transport protein. This means that more fat is delivered to fat storage cells making it easier for Black Americans to store fat than white Americans (Barakat). Researchers have measured and found more upper body fat in Black Women compared to white women. A larger below the skin level (subcutaneous) fat level was found in Black Women as compared to white American women (Conway). Diet and exercise are part of a persons’ lifestyle and both have a significant impact on weight and health. Several studies have proven that Black Americans eat more sweetened foods as compared to European Americans. Portia Johnson and colleagues cite a 2000 study on preference for sweet food amongst African Americans and European Americans. The study offered taste tests to each ethnic group and compared how each group responded to sweets. The researchers discovered that Black Americans ate more of the sweetened foods offered at various intervals during a taste test (Johnson). They conclude that African Americans could be using a sweetened food to compensate for greater perceived stress causing greater weight gain and obesity. Angelia Paschal and colleagues examined the results of a study on self-reported diet and exercise habits of African American men and women. They found that 55-75% of the women in their study rarely exercise. They also found that 76% of all participants did not eat the minimum daily requirements for fruit and less than half met the minimum requirements for vegetables. Not surprisingly this study reports that 62% of participants were diagnosed with hypertension and 14% were diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels and/or diabetes (Paschal et al). A study that compared fitness of Latina American women to Black American women found similar results. â€Å"More than one-half of the women reported engaging in no regular physical activity. However, the substantial variability in the number of minutes exercised per week points to the need to investigate methods to enhance the duration of physical activity. † (Sanchez-Johnsen et al). Genesis, a church based health and fitness program aimed at Black Americans, found that many of the participants did not correlate obesity with poor health. The participants in Genesis completed a self-reported survey where only 16% indicated they were obese, but when clinically measured 87% were found to be overweight or obese. This indicates that participants failed to connect excess weight with medical risk, possibly due to cultural conditioning, personal denial or not associating body weight with health risk (Cowart et al). It is not all gloom and doom for women of color in the US. Culture, biology and lifestyle are all things that can be changed or at least worked with to lose weight and gain fitness. There are several programs in this country aimed at overall fitness for Black American women. The Genesis program has worked with black Americans through churches and found this combination very successful. Genesis provided health and diet education, exercise prescriptions and a motivation partner. Some of their successes include a 71% less soda consumption, fried meat consumption was reduced from 91% to 55%. The percent of respondents reporting no exercise at all went from 45% at the start of the program to 27% on the post pilot survey (Cowart et al). Just as diet, lifestyle and culture can be changed so can biology. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) can be raised by obtaining a leaner body mass as muscle is more active than fat. Withers and colleagues have proved this with a study conducted on 49-70 year old women. Their study has found that aerobic training in older women increases RMR. They compared active women to non-active women and found that the active women had a significantly higher RMR. Having a body composition of more lean mass to fat mass greatly has â€Å"implications for increased independence and improved quality of life. † (Withers et al). Black American women have special challenges and considerations in weight loss and fitness. They face a culture that encourages eating and appreciates large body size, a more efficient metabolic system that uses fewer calories at rest, a propensity for their bodies to store fat, and a lifestyle that makes diet and exercise difficult. Yet knowing these challenges is half the battle. With knowledge, the support of the community and their family, and commitment they can overcome these challenges and reach a goal of lifetime fitness and health. Works Cited Barakat, HA. â€Å"Obesity; Overexpression of Fatty Acid Transport Proteins May Contribute to Obesity in Black Women. † Science Letter. 7 Feb 2006. 1218. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Brewis, Alexandra. Obesity Cultural and Biocultural Perspectives. New Brunswick. Rutgers University Press. (2011). Print. Conway, Joan. â€Å"Ethnicity and Energy Stores†. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 62. 5. Nov 1995. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Cowart, Luvenia. et al. â€Å"Designing and Pilot-Testing a Church-Based Community Program to Reduce Obesity among African Americans. † ABNF Journal. 21. 1. (2010). 4-10. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Dixon, John. â€Å"The Effect of Obesity on Health Outcomes. † Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. Vol. 316. Issue 2. 25 Mar 10. 104-108. Endocrine Aspects of Obesity. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Edelman, Allison. â€Å"Special Feature: Do We Have a Problem? Obesity and Contraception. † OB GYN Clinical Alert. Dec 2011. n. pag. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Johnson, Portia; Yvonne Wesley. â€Å"Scholarly Perspectives on Obesity among Black Women. † ABNF Journal. 23. 3. (2012). 46-50. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Kirby, James, et. al. â€Å"Race, Place, and Obesity: The Complex Relationships among Community Racial/Ethnic Composition, Individual Race/Ethnicity, and Obesity in the United States. † American Journal of Public Health. 102. 8. Aug 2012. 1572-1578. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Kogiso, Tomomi. et al. â€Å"Clinical Significance with Fatty Liver Associated with Metabolic Syndrome. † Hepatology Research. Vol. 37. Issue 9. Sep 2007. 711-721. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Paschal, Angelia. et al. â€Å"Baseline Assessment of the Heath Status and Health Behaviors of African American Participating in the Activities for Life Program: A Community Based Health Intervention Program. † Journal of Community Health. 29. 4. Aug 2004. 305-318. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Phelan, Sharon. â€Å"Obesity in the American Population: Calories, Cost and Culture. † American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Volume 203, Issue 6, Dec 2010. 522–524. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Rowe, Jill. â€Å"Voices From the Inside: African American Women’s Perspectives on Healthy Lifestyles. † Health Education and Behavior. Vol. 37. Dec 2010. 789-800. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Sanchez-Johnsen, Lisa. et al. â€Å"Ethnic Differences in Correlates of Obesity between Latin-American and Black Women. † Obesity Research. 12. 4. Apr 2004. 652-660. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Stunkard, Albert. â€Å"Depression and Obesity. † Biological Psychology. Vol. 54 Issue 3. 1 Aug 2003. 330-337. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Visscher, Tommy, Jacob Seidell. â€Å"The Public Health Impact of Obesity. † Annual Review of Public Health. (2001). 355-375. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Withers, RT. et al. â€Å"Energy Metabolism in Sedentary and Active 49- to 70-yr-old Women. † Journal of Applied Physiology. Vol. 84. Apr 1998. 1333-1340. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Bibliography Brewis, Alexandra. Obesity Cultural and Biocultural Perspectives. New Brunswick. Rutgers University Press. (2011). Print. Brewis’ book is a must read for anyone studying, researching or working in health, weight management or fitness. The author takes a look at obesity from an anthropologist’s standpoint. Where did obesity originate? How does if effect certain races/genders more than others? These are some of the questions answered. The author has lived in different cultures and worked with different ethnicities obtaining answers to some of the mysteries surrounding weight gain. She has uncovered reasons why obesity is prevalent in the United States and other countries. And discusses why some ethnicities are more vulnerable to weight gain after migrating to the United States or other developed nations. The author has studied the culture of the Pima Indians of both the US and Mexico and explains why obesity affects the US Pimas more than the Mexican Pimas. Brewis also explains why some ethnicities find larger body weigh acceptable and why some ethnicities have larger males than females and why they find this perfectly normal. Biagioli, Brian. Advanced Concepts of Personal Training. National Council on Strength and Fitness. (2007). Print. This book was by a medical doctor. This manual is applicable to anyone interested in learning more about physical fitness, nutrition, physiology, body composition and exercise mechanics. It is the National Council on Strength and Fitness’ guide for all their certified personal trainer candidates. The manual contains 540 pages with many illustrations explaining obesity, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Body Mass Index (BMI) and physiology. This manual includes chapters on special populations such as women, children and special needs individuals. HBO The Weight of the Nation. HBO Documentary Films; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institute of Health. Et al. Various actors/directors. (2007). DVD. This is a four part documentary on obesity in America. Each part is approximately one hour long. The parts consist of consequences, choices, children in crisis and challenges. The films explore why the United States is facing an obesity crisis, and what we can do about it now. Various health experts narrate the films. Interviews are conducted with a host of citizens dealing with obesity right now. They tell in their own words the challenges they face. There is significant commentary and interview on ethnicities, females, citizens living in inner cities and the issues surrounding obesity and weight gain. The Skinny on Obesity. Perf. Robert Lustig et al. UCTV Prime. 12 Apr. 2012. Web Video. This video series plays on UCSF Prime TV online. Dr. Robert Lustig is endocrine expert at the UCSF Children’s Hospital. This is a seven part series that tackles the basics of the obesity epidemic such as sugar, hormones, fast food, childhood obesity, and endocrine system. Each part is about 15 minutes long. Only a basic understanding of health and physiology is needed to fully understand concepts presented. Platkin, Charles. The Automatic Diet. New York. Penguin. 2005. Print. This book discusses how to slowly improve your diet over time with small changes. Dr. Platkin holds a master of public health and is one of the nation’s leading public health advocates. He writes The Diet Detective, a syndicated article that appears in hundreds of newspapers throughout the country. His book takes the reader through small steps of diet and lifestyle changes that together create a whole new diet makeover making healthful eating simple and thus ‘automatic’.

Different Interpretations Of Religion Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Nearly everyone has some conception of religion. In fact, sometimes it appears that there are as many definitions of it as there are people† (Schmidt 9). Not only does each person have his or her own way of defining religion; each person has his or her own way of practicing religion. Studying these different practices can be difficult. There have been many people who have studied religion and through many different methods. While some people share similar findings, each person has his or her own interpretation of religion. Michael Malloy found three major patterns in his studies of religion. These patterns can be seen in many religions, especially Hinduism. The first pattern Malloy describes is the way each religion contacts the sacred. There are two ways that Hindus contact the sacred. One is through the Vedic Hinduism sacrifice, and the other appears in Upanishadic Hinduism, which is through mystical orientation, where a person â€Å"seeks union with a reality greater than ones self† (Burke 11). The sacrifice follows a scheduled routine in which many priests are present to ensure the event’s accuracy. The sacrifice is used to contact the gods in an attempt to please them so that they improve relations with the gods. This will help the sacrificer receive things from the gods that he asks for. â€Å"Usually the sacrificers praised the god for deeds they wanted the gods to repeat, such as the release of rain on the earth† (Srauta Sacrifice 76). Often sacrifices dealt with the natura l aspects in life, the things the people could not control on their own. In The Katha Upanishad, Nachtketa asks the King of Death for the secret of morality. â€Å"Ask for cattle, elephants, horses, gold,† says the King of Death (Burke 39). Nachtketa declines these offerings so that he may obtain the knowledge of immortality. The King of Death tells him to know Brahman. Brahman is sacred to the Hindus. Through mystical orientation Hindu’s try to reach this knowledge of Brahman. â€Å"Often techniques for lessening the sense of one’s individual identity (such as seated meditation) help the individual experience a greater unity† (Malloy 11). Hindu’s use seated meditation, yoga, to control the body, senses, breath and mind to reach a state where they can find Brahman. The second pattern Malloy describes is the importance of worldviews in a religion. Each religion has a different way of seeing the worl... ...d people†¦the abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness† (Marx 41). For all people religion provides something different. To some, living by way of religious practices is the only way they see fit to live. Religion is an explanation that comforts them. Other people find religion as a paralyzing element in the world, which holds back the cognitive development of people and the development of society. There are no certainties, except that there are no right or wrong views in terms of religious opinions, because every person has his or her own opinion. Works Cited Burke, T. Patrick. The Major Religions. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Inc, 1996. Freud, Sigmund. â€Å"Religion As a Wishful Fulfillment.† Issues in Religion. 2nd ed. Ed. Allie M. Franzier. New York: D. Van Nastrand Co, 1975. Malloy, Michael. Experiencing the World’s Religions. California: Mayfield Publishing Co, 1999. Marx, Karl. â€Å"Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right.† On Religion. Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1955. Schmidt, Roger. Exploring Religion. California: Wadsworth Publishing Co, 1988.

The Battle Against Emotions

Emotion is a word that best represents the feeling of a person. An individual can have more than one emotion and explore how it impacts him/herself as a whole. The growth of an individual is well attached to their emotions; and often times, emotions are used as a weakness. However, weakness of emotion also allows for growth in an individual. In the novel Soucouyant, written by the Canadian author, David Chariandy explores the theme emotion as weakness. Chariandy explores this common theme, as the growth of the character develops using the relationship between the mother and son. This relationship is used to show how different emotions have been created in use of a weakness to the character. Caramba, the son of an ill mother, tries to the best of his ability to be a successful care taker. However, the emotions of Caramba unfold as he reveals how he truly feels. Caramba learns to overcome his guilt about abandoning his mother as he comes to terms with his remorse that portrays his anger, his mother’s failing memory that connects to his childhood and the patience he discovers he has when care-taking for her. However, the result leads to Caramba crumbling furthermore inside and attempts to commit suicide. The growth of the character will slowly unfold the weaknesses caused by emotion in connection to the actions of the character. There are several different emotions that a human can feel. There are times where emotions over take the power and ability to control our minds. The greatest difficulty one can experience is to feel that they are responsible for a problem which has no solution to it. Just as Caramba, the protagonist of the novel, shows how he let his emotions over-rule his ability to think with a stable mind. The fact that his mother is unwell and he cannot help her frustrates him. His anger is shown as he screams â€Å"†¦because she’s not just some goddamned patient of yours, she’s my mother†¦! † (Chariandy 82). The frustration of Caramba and the anger he holds within himself shows as he yells at the nurse for treating his mother as an ordinary patient. The emotions of Caramba over took his sense to think straight, causing an outburst which created a moment of weakness for him. The emotion allows the character to evolve showing how much he cares for his mother. As the protagonist realizes this, he pitches in a helping hand to the nurse trying to fix his mother a meal. However, patience is lost by him when his mother does not reply to him. He then shouted to his mother, â€Å"can you shut up and tell me, Mother? Can you please just shut up for a moment and tell me? † (Chariandy 46). The character conveys his emotion of anger as he does not get a response from his mother when trying to help her. Caramba’s character understands and acknowledges the way he had spoken to his mother which appalled him and all the others. It is evident from this quote however, that Caramba understood the indecency in which he spoke to his mother allowing him to better recognize that he cannot repeat that mistake once again. The constant battle with his inner self presents itself yet again as he cries to the nurse screaming in a fit of rage â€Å"who the f*** are you to judge me, anyway? † (Chariandy 85). Caramba learns from this outbreak how much he is hurt deep down inside for leaving his mother and realizes that his inner conflict with himself has taken over him. As much as he tries to act normal and speak politely, he finds himself losing his anger in fits of rage making him understand how much trouble he is having coping with his mother’s illness and his absence from her. The unmistakable remorse and guilt are both apparent and these huge outbursts were just a cry of anger for him to release how he truly felt. The fact that he had his emotions trapped inside him troubled him and caused these flare-ups. However, the growth of his character through these explosions of anger fighting his inner conflict made him realize that his guilt and remorse cannot be an excuse to justify his actions and rude behavior. The growth of his character shows, as he understands that his emotions were just a weak moment for him to cry out loud by releasing anger to those in front of him. Caramba’s development shows for every single quote and supports the thesis showing an inner conflict which he expresses by crying aloud in anger to his mother and the nurse. Eventually, he understands that he cannot continuously carry the burden of his mother’s illness upon his shoulders. He learns to accept that his mother’s condition is not due to him leaving her. Caramba’s behavior proves how anger is used as a weakness as the guilt he had within himself for leaving her is still existent. He understands after each of these incidents that he needs to overcome the guilt and continue living ithout guilt or sorrow. A person’s past can play a huge role in their present. The connection that’s created may form a greater effect on the person more than the present moment they may be living. Other times, the connection from childhood memories to present day may introduce a sense of vulnerability. Caramba, the main character witnesses this happening to him as he reminisces of the past. He tries to see into his mother’s expression and cannot do so. This makes him wonder what is going through the mind of his very ill mother. He thinks to himself, â€Å"I remember Mother looking up into a cloudless sky, an infinite blue. I couldn’t read the expression on her face. After this, everything seemed to change. † (Chariandy 38). As much as he wanted to understand what his mother was thinking, it was difficult for him to do. Therefore, he left his mother alone letting her stay at peace with her own thoughts. Moreover, the bond of the two became stronger as they spent more quality time together. The growth of his character shows in the time that he spends with his mother reconnecting his bond and has flashbacks of memories. He understands he cannot help her but also realizes that he cannot see her as she is either. Caramba does not like to know about his mother’s illness and what stage it has processed to as he was just a little boy at the time. They visited the doctor once as a family for his mother; the doctor provided them with information about the condition his mother has. Returning home, he tried to read through the pamphlets provided and wasn’t strong enough to fulfill his need of becoming knowledgeable about his mother’s condition. His actions spoke louder than his words. Caramba thought, â€Å"I couldn’t use this. I couldn’t go further. I put the pamphlet back and joined Mother in the living room, determined to see her my own way. † (Chariandy 41). The vulnerability of Caramba exceeded far beyond words as he was a little boy at the time who wanted to believe his mother was not suffering from a serious case of Dementia. This allowed for a stronger bond between mother and son, as he did everything he could to help her through her illness as a child. The fact that he was not able to help her financially, being so young made him feel sad which is why he just wanted to view his mother in his own way; normal. Coming back to present day in the novel, as he returns home to see his mother, he sees first-hand how fragile she’s become. The older she got, the sicker she became. However, despite being so old and ill, she still knew how to have a good time. Mother and son got up for a dance and he was impressed at his mother`s memory. Caramba thinks â€Å"She moves briskly about the room. I struggle to keep up, astonished both by her energy and her memory of the moves. † (Chariandy 44). The bond between them grew even more so as they dance with one another. Caramba is speechless seeing his mother dancing and remembering every move as he struggles to keep up. This makes him feel fragile while she demonstrates the stronger character despite being ill. He feels weak and does not know how to express his feelings of vulnerability and astonishment at the same time. The growth of Caramba is impacted throughout the novel with vulnerability and flashbacks of his childhood strengthening the bond between mother and son. As he better understands that he cannot be blamed, rather help her with her illness like his childhood days; he would be happier. However, the little boy inside of him feels helpless trying to understand how his mother can remember some things and not others. The failing memory of Caramba’s mother proves how fragile Caramba had become. He understands that his past and present are two different times. However, there are times when Caramba is reminded of his past, proving this to be a weakness for him. His emotions take control of him as he realizes the difference in his mother and himself from the past and the present. Patience is a virtue, so it’s said. It’s much easier to rehearse the saying then it is to demonstrate it. However, Caramba shows patience fairly well as he understands that the condition his mother is suffering from is not his fault. Instead of feeling guilty further, he could help her with the things she is nott capable of doing herself which is exactly what he does. As he knows his mother does not have the ability to do much for herself, he becomes more caring and nurturing, and helps her with everything he possibly can. Caramba says, â€Å"I can bathe you. You can? I can do it too. I’m your son. She nods warily at this. I accept the bag of sugar from her and guide her upstairs to the bathroom. † (Chariandy 83). Although there is a nurse to provide assistance to Caramba’s mother, he chooses to help his mother on his own showing patience opposed to outbursts of anger. He really shows patience with his mother as he leads her upstairs to bathe her. This mother and son time also strengthens the bond between them helping him to stay patient longer when helping her. His character builds a stronger support system by helping his mother with his every task and creates an awareness and strength for greater patience as well. His mother has an accident shortly after she had been bathed and Caramba being kind and caring tries to help her yet again. However, this time around, he was in for a surprise as his mother refuses his help feeling embarrassed at the incident that had occurred. Caramba witnesses â€Å"She’s soiled herself again and she’s standing in a corner of her room with liquid clots running down her legs, her face breaking. ‘It’s alright, Mother. Let’s go to the bathroom and clean up. No. Go away. Come, Mother. We have to go now. No! Go away! Way, way. Don’t be silly, Mother, you can’t stay in that†¦state. Leave me! ’ She screams. † (Chariandy 84-85). Caramba was brave and extremely patient with his mother knowing that it was not going to be easy to make her understand that it was going to be alright. Therefore, he slowly tried to make his way and instead, his mother screamed aloud as if he’d done something wrong. Despite the loud screaming and shock that he felt, he still stayed calm and tried to help his mother into another set of clothing after bathing her yet again. Caramba demonstrated patience very well in these events that occurred. The fact that he was not able to explain to his mother in words how he could help her however, show her when the opportunities were granted increased his tolerance for his mother; allowing him to present his patience. Caramba had the opportunity to display his patience once more when his mother grew a little older and acted more childish than ever before. He said, â€Å"I eventually persuade her to trust me with the fuzzy noose†. (Chariandy 108). These series of events caused Caramba to recognize how much his mother needed him, built patience and made him understand that this was the only way he could really overcome his guilt for leaving her in the beginning. He became more aware for his mother’s needs and satisfied her by taking care of her. Patience really portrayed the weakness as an emotion for Caramba because his patience was limited before. Though, he began to understand better that his mother’s illness is not of his fault which means there was no need for guilt. Once he overcame his guilty feeling that had been hurting him for so long, he realized the more he lent a helping hand to his mother, the more she would appreciate him and their bond would strengthen. The strength and patience used by Caramba is shown as a weakness because he slowly breaks apart inside himself. He examines his ill mother very carefully and tries to take care of her the best he is capable of doing so. He watches his mother become sicker however, still shows endurance until the end. Emotions always play a big role in a person’s life as they are the main key to understanding people. Caramba, the protagonist of the novel, tries his levels best in trying to understand his very sick mother. As he tries to do so, he understands many things which allow him to make an emotional connection. Caramba overcame his guilty feeling that had possession of him for a long period of time. He understood that his character developed more as he accomplished relieving himself of anger, strengthening his bond with his mother with her empowerment to lose memory, and patience being used to help her with her inabilities to fulfill tasks. In conclusion, emotion is portrayed as weakness and shows how a human can express and grow from how they may be feeling. Emotions should never be able to control our minds and disable our ability to think wisely and correctly. Moreover, emotions should be used to explore and understand ourselves better.

My sisters wedding

I had the pleasure of meeting my sister, Jamie, for the first time. Jamie is four years younger than I am and we share the same biological father, Ben. Our Grandmother brought us together, she planned a day for my family and my sister to meet at Sea World. Jamie and I were very similar, we had the same nose and smile, and we resembled our biological father, who we both have only met a few times In our lives. It was a terrific day, and when It was over and before It was time for us to return home, my sister invited me to her wedding.This essay is about her adding. I arrived at the Baltimore Airport on a warm but breezy late Friday afternoon. The airport was very busy, all of the people scurrying around, looking for flights, bags, and loved ones. I found a cab and proceeded to my hotel. The cab driver was very quiet, he hardly spoke a word, only asking for the address. Baltimore is very different from Florida in almost every aspect. The highways are always much busier, and the curves o f the roads make It hard to keep up with if you don't know where you are going.The view was the cab window was Joyous, all of the trees, all of the hills, I was leaning excited. We arrived at my hotel, I checked In and found my room. Room #513; It was on the fifth floor and had a wonderful view of a big park, one king size bed with a fluffy bright comforter, and a bathroom with a huge soaker tub. I was happy. My cell phone rang; it was my Grandmother asking how my flight and my room were. We talked for a while, and she let the rest of the family know I landed safely. The loud ticking clock on the wall reminded me that it was getting late.I said goodbye to my Grandmother and went to find that amazing tub. The hotel room phone startled me with its very sharp and shrill ring; it was my wake-up call. Today was brunch with the family and then the wedding, both at a romantic Bed and Breakfast in the woods. I arrived right on time. All of my family from my Grandmother's side was there, Aun t Cindy and her husband Troy, my cousins, Sarah, David, Lynn, Crystal, Robbery, and all of their family, my other Grandparents, Joe and Cell, and many people I haven't yet met. The room had such an excitement to It, everyone talked about the plans of the day.Jamie called me over ND we sat and chatted, I met her soon-to-be husband, Kevin, and their daughter Skylark. Skylark was four years old and very talkative and happy, â€Å"Are you coming to my Mommy and Daddy's wedding? † she asked. â€Å"Of course! † I stated and she continued to talk about her dress and how it matched her Mommy's and her part in the wedding. As brunch came too close; the wedding party took their separate black limos to the venue. The rest of the family stayed and chatted for a bit. I arrived at the venue with my Grandmother. The place was gorgeous, it was a large cabin nestled in the woods with a peaceful pond behind it.The wedding took place in front of the pond, with the Officinal standing at t he front of the aisle, and the bridesmaids and groomsman walked slowly to Join him. Everyone In the crowd was Just glowing. There were cameras flashing and people crying. The ceremony was beautiful and ended right at sunset. All of the guests were given a sparkler for the recession, and it looked amazing against the dark sky. The party moved into the huge with her new husband as they were dancing up a storm. What a glorious day it was and my family and I were so glad to be a part of it.

The Battle of Iwo Jima essays

The Battle of Iwo Jima essays War is hell. Theres no doubt about it. Its so terrifying that it sends chills down peoples spines just thinking about. It is the one thing that can give freedom, yet at the same time suck the life-the soul from someone. Picture this: you just landed on a foreign beach with thousands of other invading American soldiers. The sound of bombs exploding all around you is deafening. The enemys fire has already made it impossible to take a step let alone breathe. Theres panic, but its an organized panic. Your sweating palms are loosening your death grip on your assault rifle. You sense the ice rushing through your veins. Fear. Bullets are whizzing past your head ever which way, and your fellow soldiers are being gunned down as if they were tissue paper. There are screams of extreme pain and agony. The stench of dirt and warm blood makes you feel nauseated. The only thing you are thinking about is getting out of there alive and in one piece. This may seem like just another scene you only see in movies, but this is similar to what actually happened at the battle of Iwo Jima. This historic battle was one of the most significant battles during WWII. First of all, the island of Iwo Jima was of strategic importance to both Japan and the United States. This 7.5 square mile sulfurous island was vital to Japan because it was considered to be Japanese turf, and it was located only 650 miles from Japans capital city, Tokyo. In all of Japans 5,000 year history, no foreign army has every set foot on Japanese soil (Japanese). If the U.S. invaded Iwo Jima, the significance of that would surely turn some heads. To the Japanese leadership, the capture of Iwo Jima meant the battle for Okinawa, and the invasion of Japan itself, was not far off (Battle). Iwo Jimas importance, to the United States, was none other than its convenient location. Iwo Jima rested halfway ...

HRD Intervention and an Appropriate Evaluation Research Paper

HRD Intervention and an Appropriate Evaluation - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that the process model, explained in Phillips, focuses on the inputs from different forces – throughout the time frame of the process, on the basis of a number of measures, these including: reaction and contentment; application and execution; learning, business impact, return on investment and the area of intangible benefits. The model, also focuses on the techniques of isolating the effects of the program – from the effect of other influences. The need for the usage of ROI models centers around the increasing training and education budgets of organizations, which continues to rise day after day; increasing accountability issues; and the increasing internal rivalry resulting from the inflating budgets. This paper declares that the ROI model adopted must be applicable to all kinds of data – hard and soft, cover costs and offer a realistic track record of the venture. In building an effective model, these key areas must be included: an evaluation framework, the ROI process replica, the operating philosophy and standards, the implementation of the ROI framework, and the case practice and applications exercise. There are four elements given focus during the selection of the data collection methods, these including assessment purposes, the instruments under usage, the levels of application, and the timing for the implementation of the process. ROI calculations, which are used by many organizations, are used, towards meeting the demands of high-ranking stakeholders. The process centers on the creation of value-added contribution of training and education – through a model that is preferred by the different parties within the framework – these including executives and administrators (Phillips, 1994). Though the model presents a hard-felt dilemma for most organizations, there is an imminent need for ROI – which answers questions on accuracy, appropriateness, and necessity (Kimmerling, 1993). Further, the process must be applied on the basis of a sound framework –

VIII Hazadous Chemical Chemistry multiple choice and two essay

VIII Hazadous Chemical Chemistry multiple choice and two questions - Essay Example By applying the inverse square law here, with an initial reading of 6300R at a distance of 1 foot, then at 3 foot after applying the inverse square law of radiation i.e. I=Io/r2, the Geiger Counter would show a reading of 700R. A unique characteristic of radioactive elements is that they continue to emit radioactive rays which causes them to decay. Time after which the number of atoms of a radioactive substance are reduced to half is known as Half-Life. The half-life of plutonium is around 87.7 years. So if Dr. Brown has 1.2 x 106 atoms of plutonium in 1985, we can calculate the number of atoms of plutonium after 352 years to be 74292.Plutonium-238 is a radioisotope which has an atomic number of 94. Now we know that the atomic number of an element identifies its protons and electron so the number of protons in Plutonium-239 is 94. Atomic weight of plutonium-238 is 238 and atomic weight is a sum of protons and neutron. So to find the number of neutrons we would have to subtract number of protons i.e. 94 from the atomic weight i.e. 238 and we would get 144 which is the number of neutrons in plutonium 238. Ans. Different levels of exposure to radiation have different effects on the human body for example, radiation levels of 10-50 cause nausea, vomiting and alters blood chemistry whereas levels higher than this such as 55-75 lead to nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue and weakness. When the level of radiation is increased at 90-100 the effects become a little dangerous such as hemorrhage. On further increase in the level of radiation such as 100-400, a person may even die with complications of severe hemorrhage. 1000 level of radiation would prove fatal with internal bleeding, rupture of the internal lining of the GIT, and would eventually cause death. CNS breakdown with destruction of neurons is observed on an exposure to the level of 2000 or more (epa.org). The incidents of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island in the years 1986 and 1979 provide us

Effect of mentoring in education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Effect of mentoring in education - Essay Example Beyene and colleagues (2002) defined mentoring as a process in which two people engage in a mutually beneficial mentor-mentee relationship. Practically, the role of the mentor is also reflected within the definition. For example, the mentor's role is to serve as a model of appropriate attitudes, values, and behaviours for the mentee; to convey unconditional positive regard; and to provide a forum in which the mentee is encouraged to talk openly about anxieties and fears. At work, the mentor should interact informally with the mentee, thus maintaining a positive and informal relationship. Beyene and colleagues (2002) state that the role of the mentor is to provide emotional support, information, advisement; to share values, facilitate access to key networks, motivate, be a role model, and protect the mentee. Also, the mentor should provide activities that allow for shared information. The purpose of mentoring in educational setting can often be both complex and highly difficult at times. Common mentor programs have similar purposes and those include helping someone inexperienced learn a new job, improving instructional performance via modeling by an experienced teacher, attracting the best candidates by using mentoring as a recruitment tool, and responding to local or state mandates. From the critical perspective, there are several key things that can make an individual a stronger, more effective mentor in education setting. It has been encouraged that individual mentors not forget the importance of serving as a nurturer. Often, when workloads become heavier and deadlines quickly approach, the nurturing component can be mistakenly abandoned. Through... In an earlier quantitative study, Stroot and colleagues (1999) surveyed 85 first-year teachers in a large urban school district. The survey focused on the components of teaching and the role of the mentor. The researchers asserted that mentoring programs are necessary to assist first-year teachers in transition into the urban school setting. Often, first-year teachers are not given the transition support necessary for classroom success; thus, mentoring can provide much needed assistance to ensure success in the classroom both for the mentee and for the students. According to Darling-Hammond (2003), mentoring is a strategy that will retain first year teachers in the field. Everston and Smithey (2000) conducted a study with two school districts to examine the efficacy of using a research-based mentoring program to assist mentor teachers in supporting their mentees. The researchers collected data using questionnaires, narrative records, classroom observations, weekly summaries of mentor ing meetings, and ratings of student behaviours in the classroom. Everston and Smithey (2000) noted that mentees of the mentors who participated in a research-based mentoring program were more organised, managed instruction at the beginning of the year, and established more workable classroom routines. Additionally, the mentees noted better student behaviour in the classroom. Overall, trained mentors were able to provide more effective support to their mentees.

Eating disorder and dental implications Annotated Bibliography

Eating disorder and dental implications - Annotated Bibliography Example Female students aged 15–18 years were the subpopulation included in the research with a total of 1,203 participants. The general outcome of the research indicated that severe risk behavior for EDs was appreciably related to TE, but not with DC. A total of 1,203 female adolescents aged 15-18 in Belo Horizonte Brazil (with a population of 2.5 million inhabitants), participated in obtaining the results of this research. Organized statistical analysis and the large sample size signify that the research was of high quality. Random selection of the participants made the research reliable. Additionally, performing a pilot test also enhanced the reliability and validity of the study. The article is intended for people in the medical field, as well as adolescents with a risk of dental disorders due to bad eating behaviors. The special features in this article are three tables that describe the characteristics and distribution of the population as well as the results. The sources were o bjective because all the researchers involved have respectful testimonials. Limiting the participant’s gender in this research may have an effect of the general results, suggesting the weakness of this study. This study strength is its ability to obtain additional findings through observation hence the information can be generalized to the entire

Online Shopping In India

Online Shopping In India Online shopping is the process of researching and purchasing products or services over the  Internet. The earliest online stores went into business in 1992, and online  retailing  took over a significant segment of the retail market during the first decade of the twenty-first century, as ownership of personal computers increased and established retailers began to offer their products over the Internet.   Consumers across the globe are increasingly swapping crowded stores for one-click convenience, as online shopping becomes a safe and popular option. Online shopping has some advantages over shopping in retail stores, including the ability to easily compare prices from a range of merchants, access to a wide selection of merchandise, being open 24*7 and the convenience of not having to drive to a physical store. But despite that the online shopping cannot replace the experience of shopping in a retail store or the entertainment value of going to a mall or market. A customer who knows exactly what he or she wants can look it up online, read and compare the information, and purchase from the site that offers the best price or service. But a shopper who is uncertain what to look for, or who just enjoys browsing through items on display, will prefer a retail store where the merchandise can be seen, handled and sample. The dà ©cor, music and arrangement of goods in a retail store creates a multi-dimensional shopping environment that cannot be duplicated online. For many people, going shopping at a mall, department store or market is a form of entertainment and a social experience. Many people who are currently unfamiliar with computers and do not feel comfortable using the Internet to shop are not likely to change their habits.   The Future growth will come through improvements to the shopping process on existing Web sites; the implementation of more online shopping sites by existing retailers; the coming of age of a younger, more technology-oriented generation; and the introduction of novel goods, services and online shopping experiences. The growth of online shopping in developing nations like India will occur as more people acquire personal computers and credit cards. Global Arena Online shopping, or the use of the Internet to gather information on products and services, has already shown significant growth globally. The Nielsen survey, the largest survey of its kind on the topic of  Internet shopping  habits, was conducted from October to November 2007 and polled 26,312 Internet users in 48 markets from Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East. When The Nielsen Company conducted its first survey into online shopping habits two years ago, only 10 percent of the worlds online population (627 million) had made a purchase over the Internet. Within two years, this number has surged by approximately 40 percent to a staggering 875 million. The burgeoning popularity of online shopping is a truly global phenomenon. Online shoppers can be found scattered across the globe, but the worlds most avid Internet shoppers hail from South Korea 99 percent of Internet users in South Korea have shopped online. German, UK and Japanese consumers come in a close second. US consumers are slightly more recalcitrant, clocking in at number eight. Indian Scenario While the Internet and the World Wide Web are continuing to expand at a rapid pace, the development of electronic commerce has been slower. Surveys indicate many Indian Internet users employ the developing interactive medium to shop or browse for information on products and services, but a far smaller percentage has actually made purchases online. The number of people and hosts connected to the net has increased worldwide. In India too, Internet penetration has became more widespread. Online shopping though a small proportion of the Internet activity is believed to increase in the coming years. Some of the prominent factors leading the change are greater Internet penetration, fall in prices of hardware, fall in the price of Internet communication, development of better and more reliable technologies, and increased awareness among the users. Some of the various ways in which online marketing is done in India are company websites, shopping portals, online auction sites, etc. E-commerce may not have taken off in India the way it should have, yet prospects are bright. India is expected to be the third largest Internet market in the world in the next five years (Source Ac Nielson). The advantages are there for both buyers and sellers and this win-win situation is at the core of its phenomenal rise, as it is believed that e-commerce transactions will represent the largest revenue earner especially in the business to consumer (B2C) segment in India. Indian customers are increasingly getting comfortable with online shopping, and there is a higher acceptability for the concept. India has 25 million Internet users and more is now turning to online shopping. There has been an influx of online shopping sites in India with many companies hitching onto the Internet bandwagon. The revenues from online shopping are expected to increase tremendously. According to IAMAI, the average number of transactions per month in India has gone up from 2 lakh in 2003-04 to 4.4 lakh in 2004-05 and has doubled to 7.95 lakh transactions per month in the year 2005-06. The online sales during the festival season had increased rapidly especially during Diwali and Ramzan which recorded a sales of Rs115 crore, a 117 per cent increase from the Rs53 crore in the year 2004-05 (source IAMAI). These figures clearly show that online shopping has truly come of age and consumers are keen to shop on the net. Effective customer communication on products plus reduced shipping costs and timely delivery has helped online marketers to seize a slice of the Rs 115 crore sales. Though a miniscule amount in the global context, the Indian online shoppers population would make its presence felt quite remarkably. The potential of the Indian e-market can be gauged from the fact that 16 percent of Indian consumers want to buy online in the next six months, making it the th ird most online-potential country after Korea (28 percent) and Australia (26 percent) (Source:IMRB). This is an indication of a growing breed of Indian consumers who are not only better equipped but also more confident of the online transactions. LITERATURE REVIEW The consumers attitude towards online shopping is known as one of the main factors that affects e-shopping potential (Michieal, 1998). Though attitudinal issues are thought to play a significant role in e-commerce adoption, however social-demographic variables such as the gender, income, age, and nation also affect customers in purchasing. In a study of customer satisfaction and repurchase behavior, Mittal, Kamakura Wagner (2001) divided consumer characteristics into six social-demographic variables. They were gender, age, educational background, marital status, children, and living area. A review of empirical studies in this area shows several things. Many studies have found that typical online buyers have used the Web for several years, and because of their familiarity, they searched online for product information and purchase options (Bellmanet al., 1999). There was also evidence that the Internet shopper was convenience-oriented (Donthu Garcia, 1999; Korgaonkar Wolin, 1999), innovative and variety-seeking (Donthu Garcia, 1999). He or she did not appear to be brand-or price-sensitive (Donthu Garcia, 1999). From a consumers viewpoint, Yao (1998) who researched the purchase behavior of online shopping in demographic variables and behavior variables angle, found that different age groups affected customers product choice in price. Sheth (1983) considered that consumers purchase preference would affect their intention. Considering that Internet shopping, is still not at the mature stage of development, not too much is known about consumers attitudes towards adopting this new shopping channel and factors that influence their attitude toward (Haque et al., 2006). That means that, through motivation and perception, attitudes are formed and consumers make decisions. Thus, attitudes directly influence decision making (Haque et al.,2006). Attitudes serve as the bridge between consumers background characteristics and the consumption that satisfies their needs (Armstrong and Kotler, 2000; Shwu-Ing, 2003). Because attitudes are difficult to change, to understand consumers attitudes toward online shopping, can help marketing managers predict the online shopping intention and evaluate the future growth of online commerce. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research study is to investigate online Indian consumer behaviour, which in turn will provide E-marketers with a constructional framework for fine-tuning their online strategies. The objectives of this research are: To study the attitudes and behaviour of Indian consumer regarding online shopping. To evaluate the contribution of online shopping in India. To understand the issues and challenges of online shopping in India. To analyze if the Indian online buying behavior is affected by demographics, cultural and social characteristics. To identify factors which determine online shopping. To examine the satisfaction level of online purchases of Indian consumers. To investigate the future and growth of Online Shopping in India. HYPOTHESIS: Keeping in mind the above objectives and in order to address the problem in the most effective manner the following hypotheses have been formulated: There is no significant difference between the frequency of online buying among male females Indian consumers. There is no significant difference between the Indian consumers educational background and their online purchase intention. There is no significant difference between the income of regular online shopper and occasional online buyer. There is no significant difference between the convenience orientation of consumers who make frequent online purchases or those who purchase occasionally. There is no significant difference in the dominance of usage of shopping online between the Generation Y shoppers (those born after 1977) and other online buyers, that is, people over 45 years of age. RESEARCH METHODOLGY: The general purpose of the study is to conduct a descriptive research on the customer attitudes and behaviors for online shopping in Indian setting. To this end exploratory or qualitative research tool would be used, which can help better understand and gain data that, shows how consumers make online shopping. Sampling designs chosen for use in this research is non-probability judgment sampling. A non-probability sample group would be used and the surveys would be mailed and distributed among the Internet users chosen. As discuss by Cavana et al.(2001), when time or other factors become critical, non-probability sampling is generally used. By using this sampling design, no probabilities are attached to the elements in the population under research. However this research may able to collect preliminary information in a quick and inexpensive way. In judgment sampling, the researcher uses his/her judgment in selecting information rich units from the population for study based on the populations parameters to answer the research question. Five hundred surveys would be conducted because it is considered to be a large sample size to se rve the purpose of the research. A combination of primary and secondary research techniques would be used to collect the data to meet the objectives. The primary research would be conducted across Delhi through structured consumer survey questionnaires administered among all the people who use Internet through judgmental sampling. Any person who meets the criteria would be a potential sample unit for the survey. According to Sekaran (2003), surveys type is a useful and powerful method in finding answers to consumer behaviors research. To carry out the research, the questionnaire consists of a combination of several types of questions. Also the researcher will seek to review related literatures of consumer behavior on online shopping. After data collection the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) would be used for data analysis. Various tests would also be conducted like T Test, Z Test, Factor Analysis. These methods would help to reach an answer and come up with results to prove the findings. SCOPE: Today Internet is not only a networking media, but also as a means of transaction for consumers at global market. Internet usage has grown rapidly over the past years and it has become common means for delivering and trading information, services and goods (Albarq, 2006). Since online shopping is growing tremendously in the current business scenario it is imperative to study how consumers make purchase decisions on the Internet. With the advent of Internet shopping, consumers are faced with an overwhelming amount of product offerings, and consequently have a greater degree of freedom to choose among many different alternatives. Internet shopping carries a number of different characteristics than traditional shopping methods. In India the Internet has taken root and grown along many fronts in the past decade. The research assumes significance since marketers have endeavored to cater to this growing segment of consumers. Research undertaken within India on the profile of Internet shoppers is piecemeal and incomplete. This empirical research intends to explore into this issue, this study among the Internet users will help marketers to plan highly focused online campaigns in the future. PROPOSED CHAPTERIZATION: Keeping in mind the objective of the research, In this research proposal, the background, context and theme of the study would be presented first; then the objectives of the study and the research statements would be formulated. Here, vital concepts, questions and assumptions shall be stated. Finally, the scope and limitation of the study, methodology to be used and the significance of the research will be discussed in detail.    So, proposed table of contents for the research are as follows Acknowledgement Executive Summary Table Of Contents List Of Tables List Of Figures Chapter 1 Introduction In this chapter the background to the research area is presented. This presentation leads to a discussion of the issues within the research area which further leads to the formulation of a research question. This research question will be answered later in this thesis. The purpose of this thesis is also presented. Chapter 2 Literature Review This chapter includes a review of relevant and supporting theories for this research. They begin with broader theories of segmentation and online buying behaviour before two models relevant to the empirical study is presented. Chapter 3 Research Methodology The means that were used to conduct this research will be presented in this chapter. This includes the methodological approach, the research strategy, method of data collection, the sample and quality standards. The methodology is chosen to fulfil the purpose and aim of this thesis. Chapter 4 Analysis Findings The results of the empirical study will be presented in this chapter. The empirical findings will assist in the analysis of results presented in chapter five. The extent by which data analysis done would depend on the amount and quality of data collected through primary and secondary research. Principle objective in such a process of data analysis would be the use of statistical tools wherever required which could include the use of worksheets in excel. This would involve extensive discussion with industry representatives to get an accurate and valuable opinion. Based on the analysis suitable analysis and recommendations would be fixed. Chapter 5 Conclusion The conclusion answers the research question and presents implications for marketers. It answers whether the purpose of the research has been achieved. Chapter 6 Recommendations And Limitations In this chapter the limitations of this research is presented as well as recommendations for future research in online communities References This research has referenced the following reputable sources Literature, Journals, Articles, and Websites Appendices

Edgar Degas :: Essays Papers

Edgar Degas Edgar Degas was a French artist, some people would refer to him as the expert of drawing the human figure in motion. He was known as an Impressionists, and was different from all the other artist of his type. Edgar Degas was a person who, at certain times, brashly defied propriety and common social practice. Although he could be the nicest person, at times he would go into rages during social gatherings, becoming hostile with the people who disagreed with his ways and opinions. Edgar Degas was born on July 19, 1834, at Saint-Georges in Paris. His father was a French banker, and his mother was an American from New Orleans. While Degas was growing up his idol was the painter. He began his artistic studies with Louis Lamothes, a pupil of Ingres. After studying there he moved on and started classes at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. In 1854, he left and went to Italy. For 5 years he stayed there and studied Italian art, mainly works. Edgar Degas was known as an Impressionist. The Impressionist were artist who exhibited their works of art in independent shows from 1874 to 1886. It was the common desire to make an open forum for artist to show their work that united the group. The word "Impressionist" was created by the critic Louis Leroy after seeing paintings in the first Impressionists exhibition in April of 1874. The name that Leroy gave his article in the French periodical was Charivari "Exhibition of the Impressionists" and sarcastically protected the new style of painting that ignored details, bared brushstrokes, and put unblended colors beside each other. Just like most of the French public, Leroy did not take into consideration the works by Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar as art that deserved serious attention. In 1859 he returned to Paris. There he painted portraits of family and friends and many historical subjects, where he used both classical and romantic styles. In the late 1860’s he switched to contemporary themes, painting both theatrical scenes and portraits with big emphasis on social and intellectual implications of props and setting. Around 1868 Degas began to get recognized as an artist. During the early 1870’s, the female became Degas’s favorite theme. In his studio he sketched from a live model and put poses together in groupings that illustrated rehearsal and performance scenes. In 1872 he visited some of his relatives in Louisiana, he painted The Cotton Exchange at New Orleans, which is his only picture that was aquired by a museum in his lifetime.

Juvenile Justice Essay

Morals usually are the guiding principles in just about everybody’s life. Humans generally tend to do what is considered to be â€Å"right† and astray from what is â€Å"wrong†, but in some cases, people choose to do what is considered â€Å"wrong†. However, people believe that children should be dealt with much more lightly because they’re not adults yet. On the other hand, I disagree that children should be exempt from punishment, and I fully agree with the four justices that believe a child who commits a heinous crime should be punished with a prison sentence of life without parole. The eighth amendment bans cruel and unusual punishment to protect its citizens. If a child commits a murder and goes unpunished, is that not a cruel punishment for the victim’s family? In Jennifer Jenkins’ â€Å"On Punishment and Teen Killers†, she states that there is: â€Å"no regard to the impact on victims’ families†(10). The jus tice system is not doing its job if it is not getting justice for the victim’s family. Therefore it would be unconstitutional for the law to not punish the criminal for their heinous crime. Additionally, there have been researches and studies conducted in order to answer why teenagers act the way they do. Research shows that the brain is the very reason for these children’s actions. In Paul Thompson’s article â€Å"Startling Finds on Teenage Brains†, he claims, â€Å"massive loss of brain tissue loss occurs in the teen years† and that it is, â€Å"only being lost in the areas controlling impulses, risk-taking, and self-control†(7). This may explain why children act in this horrific manner, but it does not give them an excuse to commit crime. A rebuttal to Thompson’s claim of defense would be Marjie Lundstrom’s article â€Å"Kids are Kids-Until They Commit Crimes†, when it points out: â€Å"they’re only kids. That is, until they foul up. Until they commit crimes†(4-5). Kids are kids until they choose to make an â€Å"adult decision† and commit a serious crime. Whether the criminal is eleven or seventeen, they are making a conscious decision to engage in a crime. Based on the premise that morals do not substantially change from young adulthood to adulthood, the offender should know that their crime is wrong. Thus, the punishment should be mandatory as a result of the offender’s actions. Children should pay their dues, even if that means life in prison without parole. If crime is dealt with lightly now, it will only get worse as time progresses. A wise and responsible decision needs to be made so that society can have a more safe and secure future.

Infidelity across the country Essay

There is a rise in infidelity across the country. It is becoming more common; affecting everyone from celebrities, presidents, married couples, and new lovers. People are more openly talking about infidelity. Infidelity has been on the rise for some time now and is expected to continue to rise. Free dictionary.com defines infidelity as unfaithfulness to a sexual partner especially a spouse. Infidelity statistics show cheating is on the rise; over 50% of both men and women have had a sexual relationship with a person other than their spouse during their marriage. There are many different causes and effects of infidelity, mostly negative, but some can be positive. One possible cause is availability and opportunity. There are so many options of cheating—emotional, cyber, and sexual. There are even more ways to hide it, most believe they will not get caught. When the opportunity arises, it is too tempting for most people to pass up. I took a survey in the class to see what fellow classmates believed was the most common cause of cheating. 60% believed that a change in perspective is the leading cause to infidelity. Another cause is technology. Technology makes cheating easier than it ever has been. Numerous people visit online chat rooms and dating sites. Several of those people stay in contact with their online friends, on a daily basis. According to the infidelity statistics nearly 60% of internet users flirt over internet. 40% of them have engaged in sexual conversation. 50% have contacted their online friends. Online porn directly contributes to divorce. There is a direct correlation between online infidelity and sexual affairs. Some people cheat for the thrill of the adrenaline. Knowing cheating is prohibited, they get a rush or high. These people want to avoid boredom in their life. They feel their life is predictable and they want to live on the edge. Familiarity can also play a role in cheating. As time passes, people know their partner very well; this can lead to lack of excitement. If excitement is found elsewhere it can drive a person to cheat. These people believe the grass is green er on the other side. When they become attracted to another they act on it. There are emotional feelings which can lead to infidelity. If one partner feels they are superior to the other, they believe they should cheat. They justify their  behavior by feeling they deserve to be with someone equal to them. Another factor is unexpressed anger or a desire to get even. If a partner has previously been caught cheating, the non-cheater may decide to cheat. They believe if they cheat, both will be equal, thus making them feel better. This type of reaction tends not to play out well, for either side. There are physical factors that play into infidelity. Not all people age gracefully. Some people cheat if they get the chance. They want to prove they still can. As their age increases, their self-esteem decreases. They begin to wonder if they are still attractive to the opposite sex. Many people get into an affair just for the affirmation they still have it. Another physical factor is the environment they grew up in. If children are raised in a home where parents or other family cheat, they believe it is perfectly alright. Young individuals are taught, by family and friends, to believe that monogamy is unnat ural and cheating is acceptable. They then apply this learned behavior to their own life. This further increases the trend of continuous cheating. Another cause of the increase in cheating is different sexual experiences. One sexual partner may be more experienced, leaving them bored with their less experienced partner. Some people have a sexual addiction, like Tiger Woods. He had an amazing life, #1 golfer, nice house, beautiful wife, good family, but it still wasn’t enough for him. He admitted to multiple infidelities while married. He also confessed to having a sexual addiction, which he sought treatment for. However, this could not save his marriage; it ended with a public divorce. Celebrity affairs impact the rise in cheating. These affairs are made public, talked about on TV, in magazines, and on the radio. The mistresses are followed by the press, offered money for their story, and become celebrity-like overnight. The most recent public example is focused on General David Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell. The General worked for the CIA, he willingly resigned after news of the affair was made public. In his resignation note he stated, â€Å"I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as a leader of an organization [CIA] such as ours.† Not only did this have a negative impact on his marriage, but his life long career as well. The most well-known affair would be with President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Clinton struggled with the decision to talk publically about the  affair. He contacted a friend for advice on if he should come out with the truth. He stated â€Å"I didn’t do what they said I did, but I may have done so much that I can’t prove my innocence.† His friend advised him to tell the truth, he said the American people will forgive adultery but not lies. People spoke of impeaching him, but this never happened, he finished out his term. The effects of cheating are devastating. It affects the person on the receiving end more than it does the cheater. Infidelity can have effects on both partners. Not all relationships can make it through this hard time. A majority of people affected by infidelity want to let the relationship go and move on. The person, who was cheated on, ends up with a shattered self-image. He/she is infected with severe self-doubt and blame. They can’t help but become depressed or even suicidal. This could cause them to lose faith/trust in both people and relationships. People directly affected by infidelity are more likely to be insecure or angry. If they do not seek professional help it could result in continuous problems. Most effects of cheating are negative, but there are a few positive results. Infidelity could cause one, or both partners, to seek much needed professional help. Some issues can be worked through, but require both time and work. If a couple makes it thru an occurrence, they could form a stronger bond, and become thankful for what they do have. The most critical/significant cause of cheating is a lack of emotional intimacy. Over time, the love almost dies. Couples make the poor choice to remain in these dead relationships for long periods of time. The need for love and feeling of importance is crucial to the survival of a relationship. If a partner feels neglected they may seek love from an alternative source. Spending too little time with a partner leaves them feeling their needs and/or desires are unmet. Women are more prone to cheating if they feel unaccepted, and unloved. When affection is missing it can drive an individual to cheat. The rise in infidelity has a tremendous impact on the lives of many people. There is a marriage crisis in America. In 2010, less than 50% of Americans were married. A half century ago almost 75% were married. Happiness in marriages has dropped, and divorce rates have gone up. If something is not done to decrease infidelity, theses rates will continue to go up.