Amazing Grace essays

Amazing Grace essays Within the next few pages here I intend to address two issues. First I will try to give a personal review of what I saw this book to hold, and second I will try explain the revelence which this book has to the field of Public Administration. First try to picture children in a slum where the squalor in their homes is just as bad as that which is in the streets. Where prostitution is rampant, thievery a common place and murder and death a daily occurrence. Crack-cocaine and heroin are sold in corner markets, and the dead eyes of men and women wandering about aimlessly in the streets of Mott Haven are all to common., Their bodies riddled with disease, disease which seems to control the neighborhood. This is Mott Haven, in New York City's South Bronx, the outback of this American nation's poorest congressional district, also the setting of Jonathan Kozol's disturbing representation of poverty in this country. The stories, which are captured Amazing Grace, are told in the simplest terms. They are told by children who have seen their parents die of AIDS and other disease, by mothers who complain about teenagers bagging dope and loading guns on fire escapes, by clergy who teach the poor to fight injustice and by police who are afraid to answer 911 calls. Kozol seems to be disparage about the situation of the poor in American today, especially when more and more the poor are blamed for being poor. Kozols portrait of life in Mott Haven is gentle and passionate. Even though rats may chew through apartment walls in the homes of Mott Haven, the children still say their prayers at night. What seems to bother Kozol is that many people do not even want to look at this picture of America, but in Amazing Grace he dares us to recognize it does exist. Kozol spent a year wandering through Mott Haven and its neighboring communities; visiting churches, schools, hospitals, parks, and homes. Talking with...

Developing a Global Water Resource Plan

Developing a Global Water Resource Plan Free Online Research Papers When ancient tribal-man set out in a small canoe with a net and a small fishing pole, none could have envisioned a future where massive fleets of trolling ships could strip the oceans bare of an entire species of fish. As occurs with many of mankind’s modern achievements, the push for more, more, and more will eventually overwhelm and collapse the delicate balance of nature that humanity too often takes for granted. Much research has been done which indicates that overfishing is severely impacting the population of many large ocean-dwelling fish. Interestingly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates that presently swordfish are not in danger and overfishing is not occurring with this particular species. Their report says that the populations of swordfish are â€Å"very healthy† and within range to support maximum yield. (National Marine Fisheries Service, 2009) While this national data seems contradictory to the points presented by the video , it can be said that if the existing practice of overfishing a species continues, it is likely that many of these species will be completely eliminated from this habitat. Overfishing is defined as harvesting more fish from a particular environment or region at a rate beyond that which the fish can naturally repopulate. Current research indicates that over 80% of the large fish population has been stripped from the oceans by commercial fishing enterprises within the last fifty years. Tuna and swordfish, the two most heavily sought after species, were once plentiful in many oceans but now are nearing extinction. It is almost difficult to envision the impact on global markets if these species were to disappear off the face of the Earth. Beyond the obvious inconvenience to mankind, nature’s carefully balanced ecology is disrupted as well. Consider the birds and other marine creatures which rely on fish as a food source. Reducing, or eliminating, a food source has catastrophic effects to an entire ecosystem. With the conclusion that humanity is endangering the balance of nature out of the way, there are some solutions to reverse the course of our careless actions. As discussed by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in the video, the largest impact comes from commercial fishing. A clear first step is to legislatively limit the activities of commercial fishing programs and to promote the idea that commercial enterprises must provide for a sustainable living program within the fish populations that they harvest. To encourage this, limits could be placed on the quantity of fish removed from a particular region as well as limits on the times in which fishing is allowed. Often, seasonal limitations are enforced during mating season to encourage the growth of a population by protecting fertile adult fish. As indicated by the research of Barclay and Cartwright (2007) these actions will help to rebuild the ecosystem and curtail the demise of the larger species of fish. Aside from the creation of new laws, a program of enforcement must be established. Without effective legal enforcement, unscrupulous commercial fishermen could have a significant advantage over those who choose to follow the law. As with any law, if plans are not in place to enforce the program, there is little chance of any successful result. Perhaps the commercial fishing companies which profit heavily off of the destruction of our environment could be made to fund the enforcement of these laws themselves. Through strictly monitored self regulation, these entities can ensure that one another follows the proposed changes necessary to ensure a healthy and thriving marine environment. While the changes proposed are needed, it is likely that they will be difficult to implement and enforce. Environmentalists, such as Jeremy Jackson of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, believe the changes to be necessary and, in fact, dire. Some even believe that the problem is too far out of hand and may not be correctable at this point. Humanity will have to acknowledge some hardship if we are to do what is right. The impact of these proposed regulations will not just hit commercial fishermen. The impact will also be felt to the consumer who may go to a local restraint and order sushi or a fish dinner. As with any supply and demand issue, if the supply is decreased because of ecological restrictions, the cost of the product will rise until the demand is balanced. Interesting research by Logan, et al (2008) shows that often times commercial fisheries will rebrand the fish that they catch with a more common, although misleading name. In their research, they find that several different species of fish are all being sold as ‘Red Snapper’ because of the desirability of that name. This confuses the consumer market and makes it difficult for consumers to effectively make informed choices. While this will affect many, the impact should be seen as insignificant compared to the potential demise of the entire fish population as a whole. Perhaps the hardest hit by the change will be the smaller commercial fisherman. Fishing represents their livelihood. Limiting the size of their catch or the frequency of their activities will certainly impact revenue and income. While the changes are clearly necessary for the protection of a species, the fisherman impacted will undoubtedly feel hurt, singled out, and frustrated. Given this fact, not all fishermen are opposed to taking corrective action. Even Pete Dupuis, the suggested counter-view presented in the video to the ideas of Jeremy Jackson, believes that we should take care of the problem. They understand that the elimination of the fish population will also eliminate their job as fisherman. The balance comes in achieving what the environmentalists want while still allowing the fishermen freedom to have productive careers. This balance does exist. References Barclay, K. and Cartwright, I. (2007). Governance of tuna industries: The key to economic viability and sustainability in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Marine Policy, 31(3), 348-358. Logan, C. A., Alter, S. E., Haupt, A. J., Tomalty, K., and Palumbi, S. R. (2008). An impediment to consumer choice: Overfished species are sold as Pacific red snapper. Biological Conservation, 141(6), 1591-1599. National Marine Fisheries Service. (2009). FishWatch – U.S. Seafood Facts. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Web Page. Retrieved on July 27th from: nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/pac_swordfish.htm Research Papers on Developing a Global Water Resource PlanGenetic EngineeringOpen Architechture a white paperPETSTEL analysis of IndiaDefinition of Export QuotasInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Spring and Autumn

Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Evaluation - Essay Example Although this phenomenon may not be as prevalent as it used to be in the past, there is still some level of continuing prejudice in American communities and learning institutions. It is not surprising that university students sometimes opt to study, live or socialize with other scholars from the same racial background. Nonetheless, encouraging campus diversity is beneficial for students especially in the learning process, even though critics of college diversity programs argue that these programs do not have any educational advantages. Critics of college diversity schemes claim that ethnic based segregation is prevalent among students. The critics also argue that the extensive spread of racial segregation weakens the academic capacity of a genuine multicultural campus community. Additionally, some of these critics hint that college diversity schemes, like Racial Studies programs, African-American historical studies, Black student clubs, and dorms or houses with ethnic themes, promote further separation instead. They allege that this counters the purpose of a diverse community, which is to encourage intergroup interaction and educate students about each other, in order to guarantee productive co-existence as adults. The underlying value of diversity in institutions of higher learning is also an important aspect to consider in this debatable issue. Members of the public generally support the affirmative action, which seeks to overcome discrimination against women and minority groups by providing them access to equal educational opportunities. This is because it supports the democratic principles of equity, fairness, and equality. However, there are people who argue that the affirmative action, which supports campus diversity, also goes against the very ideals which contributed to its creation. This is because; many institutions of higher learning view it as a platform for building their reputation and acquiring extra resources. Despite the critics’ argumen ts against affirmative action and campus diversity, extensive research has examined how students grow and transform as they join diverse college environments. Most of the said academic researched has concentrated on the manner in which campus racial dynamics influence learners’ outcomes. A great portion of the evidence collected supports continued utilization of affirmative action during university admissions. This is because, students benefit from diversity on campus, both at an individual level and educationally. Apparently, interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds enhances learners’ growth and improvement in regard to emotions management, interpersonal skills and mental maturity. This learning benefit is collective, in the sense that, it is experienced by all students whether they are minorities like Blacks, Asians or Hispanics admitted through adherence to the affirmative action, or Whites who form the greater part of university population. Certa inly, majority students in campus that did not previously have a chance to directly interact with minorities can get to know them and their cultural backgrounds. This, in turn, enhances their ability to work with minorities in the future, in a work environment that is increasingly embracing all types of workers. Another kind of diversity is characterized by the connections that scholars have with new concepts, ideas and people in general. Within this type of diverse

Revolutionary China- chinese history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Revolutionary China- chinese history - Essay Example The situation in China changed dramatically after the civil war victory of Mao Tse-tung in 1949, which led to the fleeing of the government of Republic of China (ROC) led by Chiang Kaishek and the Kuomintang (KMT) to Taiwan. This led to the United States to continue its recognition of the ROC government based in Taiwan as both regimes that is the government in Taiwan and the Peoples Republic of China based in mainland fought for legitimacy. This paper seeks to discuss the implications of the recognition of the CCP government in PRC and the GMD in Taiwan in the period 1952 by the United States and whether there is need to change that position. China since 1921 and its Relations with Taiwan After the end of the Qing dynasty, China had undergone several periods of trials and tribulations which it wanted to overcome in the shortest time possible. In 1928, the Kuomintang (KMT), which had ruled China, got into constant conflict with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that made governance al most impossible. The Kuomintang was later defeated and retreated to Taiwan after it had made several political, economical and military missteps. As at the year 1934, Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist leader in collaboration with Song Meiling had called for China to carry out a â€Å"New Life Movement which aimed at the promotion of a regular life guided by four principles and virtues namely ritual or decorum, rightness or duty, integrity or honesty and the sense of shame†.1 These were aimed at promoting morality, dealing with people in their human affairs and whoever violated the rules would fail in the society and they were meant for the prosperity of the nation. According to 2 the new life movement was initiated after Generalissimo realized that military conquest of the community alone would not be enough to remedy the psychological damage that the communist rule had caused. â€Å"†¦communism crushed the spirit people in addition to robbing them or material thingsâ₠¬ . The rules were also meant to instill discipline and social order amongst the members of the society at any moment of the life of the citizens as contained in the â€Å"Essentials of the New Life Movement speech in 1934 by Chiang Kai-shek. The principles were frequently criticized owing to the fact that there was hardly any food, let alone patience for people to exercise them. However, in defense of the movement Meiling argues that â€Å"†¦ if everyone from the highest official to the lowest wheel barrow man would conscientiously practice these principles in everyday life, there would be food for all†3 of the rules. Shih-wei, had argued along similar lines as he saw the communist movement as an embodiment of inequality where the ranking members in the â€Å"rankles† society got more food than they needed, but the lower cadres were given the basic minimum. Ironically, whenever they were asked if they had eaten â€Å"†¦ Party members are expected to lead the rest in a chorus of ‘Yes, we’re full!’†.4 In addition, Chen Xuezhao became sympathetic to the Communist Party after her return to China and found china was faced with deepening national crisis â€Å"†¦ Chen was formally accepted in the year 1945†.5 In her work â€Å"Wandering through the Liberated Zones†, Chen shows her allegiance to the CCP and was published on the eve of the Communist victory. Further, in her

2.1 External Environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2.1 External Environment - Research Paper Example Through environmental scanning, the organization will identify strategic factors that affect its operation. This enables the organization to adjust to the current trends in external environment factors, as it will influence its strategic decision-making process. The sociocultural factors consist of various dimensions that affect the health care organization. These include population growth rate, the population level of education, population employment pattern, the age pattern of the population, lifestyle choices and culture. All these factors interact together to affect the operation of the organization. Today, the number of educated individuals has continued to increase. Many people have access to education due to the various legislations that have subsidized education in different parts of the world. Armed with knowledge regarding their health due to increasing access to the internet, the educated population has demanded quality health care services from the health care organizations. This put pressure on the organization to purchase technologically sophisticated equipment for diagnosis and treatment so as to achieve the needs of the population (Zeshan, 2012). The age population pattern has been changing over time. The population increased over time due to the scientific advances that have led to the development of life-saving medications. These older populations have unique health care demands due to their diversity in terms of, age, life experience, aging process, health habits, attitude and response to illness. This put pressure on a health care organization to come up with services that specifically caters for this population. The world population is made of people with diverse culture in terms of value and beliefs. The values and beliefs affect their health seeking habits. Therefore devising health care services that caters for the unique cultural needs of these populations

Portrayal Of Vampires In Literature

Portrayal Of Vampires In Literature His face was a strong, a very strong, aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils, with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples but profusely elsewhere. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth (Stoker, 1897). For many centuries this crude, bloodcurdling image prevailed what is now known to us as the blood sucking vampire. This description of Dracula, as illustrated by Bram Stoker in 1897, compares nowhere near the handsome, romantic, and charming figure vampires have become in modern day film and literature. Yet what is most interesting, in a rather peculiar way, is to see the irony of such a thoughtless creature becoming a prevalent reflection of modern culture; their unchanging, dead existence representing the ever-changing situations of our conscious and unconscious fears. This essay will seek to critically analyse two well known lit erary texts portraying vampires. Through the description of the vampires appearance, role, function and purpose and the several motifs and cultural myths such portrayals and images are drawn upon, this essay hopes to provide several reasons for the human fascination of such creatures and further suggest vampires represent several cultural beliefs and actions implemented by human society. An obscure sort of figure and a likely representation of both erotic anxiety and corrupt desire, the literary vampire is one of the most powerful archetypes bequeathed to us from the imagination of the nineteenth century (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). Yet, interestingly as times change it seems each age embraces the vampire it needs (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). Prior to the 1970s, the ideal vampire was a portrayal of Bram Stockers Dracula; the captivating, cultured, yet evil Eastern European Count. Since then, as a result of numerous novel publications, including Anne Rices Vampire Chronicles and Stephanie Meyers Twilight, the illustration of the vampire has changed, due to the ongoing transformations in the broader cultural and political mise-en-scene (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). It is mainly through certain motifs and cultural beliefs, both of the past and present, in which the figure of the vampire has transformed. As a prominent figure of time, vampires have represented metaphors for sex uality and power. As of late, while still powerful and appealing, vampires have become a symbol for alienation, choice, societys attitudes towards illness, their definition of evil, and can also act as representations for individual obsession, free agency, self-control, sacrifice and faith. Anne Rices Interview with the Vampire (1976) and Stephenie Meyers Twilight (2008), are just two texts incorporating the fascination of the vampire. However, the texts present several differences; each utilising contrasting ideas in the illustration, function, roles, and purpose of the vampire. Anne Rices Interview with the Vampire accounts the life of a 200-year-old vampire, Louis du Pointe du Pac. Turned into a vampire at the age of 25 by Lestat, Louis story gives audiences two representations of the vampire. Rice steers away from the old portrayal of the creature, captivating this through Louis and Claudia, while also using Lestat as an illustration of the evil, crude, and self-centred vampire. Lestat and Louis are two different vampires; in their appearance, their function, their roles, and their purpose. Louis is the good vampire; humane, genuine and honest. Depicted as beautiful, with utterly white and smooth(Rice,1976) skin, his face a seemingly inanimate as a statue, except fo r two brilliant green eyes( Rice,1976), his hair black, the waves combed back over the tips of the ears(Rice,1976), his shoulders broad(Rice,1976), his figure tall and slender (Rice,1976), his lips silken and delicately lined like any persons lips, only deadly white(Rice,1976), Louis is the image of a different vampire from the one normally envisioned. Lestat, on the other hand is described little in the novel. He is however the opposite to Louis. Illustrated in this book as being 6ft tall with curly blond hair and grey eyes, a short and narrow nose and a mouth that is slightly large for his face(Rice, 1976)), Lestat is charming, attractive and charismatic, but evil. Throughout the novel, Louis relives the moments of how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life (Rice, 2010). He also describes his longing to not hurt but rather to comfort Claudia, who is his only friend and his life. He somewhat becomes a father figure to her, taking it upon himself to care and love her with the last breaths of humanity he has inside (Rice, 2010). Both Louis and Claudia struggle to understand themselves, their purpose, their hatred of Lestat and both become desperate to find somewhere they belong, to find others who understand (Rice, 2010). This is in contrast to Lestat who believes vampires are killers Predators. Whose all seeing eyes see a human life in its entirety, not with any mawkish sorrow but with a thrilling satisfaction in being the end of that life, in having a hand in the divine plan(Rice, 2010). He believes his life has no purpose, a least none that involves being honest and caring, but rather a killer and a monster. Similarly, Twilight, a novel written by Stephenie Meyer, further illustrates the idea set by Anne Rice in her novel. When Bella Swan moves back to her childhood home in order to be with her father, she discovers some things that she never thought were possible. She meets the very mysterious Edward Cullen, who while irresistible and charming, has a certain past which he would rather keep hidden. Determined to find out his dark secret, Bella befriends Edward and the two become close. What she does not realise is that the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk (Meyer, 2008). Although Edward warns her on several occasions that he is not the good guy he seems to be, soon Bella puts together the pieces and comes to the evident conclusion that is a vampire. Meyers vampires are in certain ways very different from Anne Rices image in Interview with the vampire. While chalky pale, palest of all the students(Meyer, 2008), with dark eyes(Meyer, 2008) yet all their features were straight, perfect and angular(Meyer, 2008), their faces all similar, yet different; devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful(Meyer, 2008), as Louis in Rices story, the Cullens are humanised with features most cannot resist. To add to the already humanistic vampire image, Meyer also gives her characters gifts above and beyond the norm (Meyer, 2008). In subtle ways these gifts represent their role and function, and as Edward explains their strongest human traits (Meyer, 2008). Each character brings their gift for good; Edward with his ability to read minds, Alice with her gift to see the future, Carlisle brings his compassion, Esme her ability to love, Emmett his strength, Rosalie her tenacity and Jasper his ability to control peoples feelings and emotions. As with the characteristics of the vampires, Meyer challenges the image of the old vampire by means of changing their purpose. Part of the story revolves around what is means to be a vampire. Constantly, Edwa rd is reluctant to befriend Bella as he still believes deep down he is not superhero, but rather the bad guy. He struggles with his existence, describing himself as the worlds best predator, dangerous (Meyer, 2008) and even at one point he confesses to Bella of his struggle to keep himself from killing, to control his thirst for blood. He does still however feel, as any human, revealing to Bella numerous times he cannot live with himself if he killed her(Meyer, 2008), sounding in a way confused and saddened at the prospect. It is important to also mention the Cullen philosophy. It is explained through Edwards father, Carlisle Cullen that their kind are not killers. Carlisle rebelled against being a vampire, he went to great lengths to destroy himself (Meyer, 2008), fighting hard to resist drinking other peoples blood and looking for an alternative to being the vile monster he feared(Meyer, 2008), finding a way to exist without being evil (Meyer, 2008). Both Interview with the Vampire and Twilight, utilise several motifs, metaphors, and cultural beliefs to illustrate the existence, images, and purpose of vampires. The vampire can in several ways, provide a metaphor for sexuality and power, but can also represent alienation inflicted by society, societys attitude towards illness, its definition of good and evil and can even reinforce individual feelings of obsession, free agency and choice, self-control, sacrifice and faith. Present in both texts, however more profoundly in Anne Rices novel, the original representation of the vampiric metaphors, images and purpose related to sexuality and societys attitudes towards illness are explored. It is interesting to see the close similarities between the idea of death from a vampires bite and the death by disease, associating to a vampires wasting, with paleness, with blood flow from the mouth, night restlessness and alternate burning and chills (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). Interview with the Vampire is of the two texts more inclined to present audiences with the vampire-as-a-disease metaphor, coincidently incorporating cultural events and beliefs present in America at the time. Rice utilises the metaphor to illustrated societys awareness of AIDS and homosexuality. This changing metaphor of sex and violence leads to the homoeroticism of Least and Louis' (Grey,2003) relationship, encouraging mainstream audiences to accept this new way of society and accept homoeroti c protagonists with fewer qualms that normally evincible (Grey,2003). It also uses sexuality to reinforce the image of the old vampires seduction, its ability to attract both men and women, and of the vampire taking the life of its victims. Twilight however, while describing Edward as attractive and mesmerising, it is important to note the metaphor of a vampire being a crude creature is not heavily present in this novel. Instead, Meyer uses the vampires as metaphors for kindness and sincerity, even in some respect using Edward as a figure of goodness and love. Their romance, cosmically disproportionate, is a parable or transparency of the inequalities and responsibilities of the divine-human synergy (Granger, 2009). Edwards love for Bella is forever unchanging and respectful, while Bellas love for him in return is selfless and sacrificial. Written from a religious point of view, the choices which both Edward and Bella make support the idea of free agency; the power for humans to mak e their own decisions and at the same time be responsible for these choices. Both of them pay the consequences for their choices, whether good or bad. In earlier vampire literature, it is important to note vampires were considered related to the Devil. Very few people befriended such creatures, rather using certain symbols to eliminate them. As a result, the belief of faith and religion can be related to the figure of the vampire. The most common for victory were few: armed with crucifixes, wooden stakes, holy water, garlic and occasionally fire and sunlight, good always prevailed (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). Before long anything capable to fend off the vampire, meant those against them possessed great faith. This implied that symbols of faith, when handled by those of less-than-perfect or non-existent faith, might prove ineffective. (Gordon Hollinger, 1997) As in the 1960s and 70s, culture took on a secular view of the world, victims died because of their lack of faith. But as society quickly confronted its loss of faith, vampires lost their ability of their magical arsenal (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). Little is seen of a vampires ab ility to transform into bats and wolves, to crawl on surfaces and disappear in a puff of smoke. And as Louis explains in Rices novel, no such myths exist any longer. The more contemporary vampire exhibits little of the metaphysical, magical, anti-Christian act, but rather his/her own acts are expressions of individual personality and condition (Gordon Hollinger, 1997). This decrease in focus on the vampires metaphysical and religious status supports a loss in the past folkloric characteristics of the vampire. The change from the metaphoric Anti-Christ to secular sinner, from magical to mundane permeates the appearance of and indeed, permits the existence of good as well as bad (Gordon Hollinger, 1997) vampires. And as Edward states in Twilight just because weve been dealt a certain hand it doesnt mean we cant choose to rise above- to conquer the boundaries of destiny that none of us wanted. To try to retain whatever essential humanity we can. (Meyer, 2008) Many argue the contemporary vampire story often represents the very intriguing condition of what we now known as postmodernism, this idea of good and evil. And what better example than the most central motif present in Anne Rices novel. Lestat represents the vampire of the postmodern era; he dismisses any faith, except faith in himself. On the other hand, Louis is the vampire which struggles against becoming the postmodern, evil creature, taking his loss of faith as an illustration for his loss of humanity. The book also portrays Louis as being aware of the question of good and evil, of struggling to accept Lestats philosophy and belief. Claudia also finds herself in a situation where she is caught between two different examples of what a vampire could be and as a result becomes determined to find out the origin of her existence. Good and evil also appears a central theme within Twilight. Meyer uses the Cullens as the good vampires, who harm no one, and James and Victoria as the bloo dsuckers and murderers. On a more personal level, Edward battles between good (his human desire to not harm) and evil (the fact that he is a vampire) suggesting an example of a conscious and human thought process. Thus, it is not what you are born as or what you are made to be that defines your existence, but rather what choices you make based on your own ideas and identity. The vampire today has transformed from an figure of super evil to being simply an alien other, no longer embodying metaphysical evil, no longer a damned soul (Gordon Hollinger, 1997), but rather an metaphor for our awareness of multiculturalism merely ethnic, a victim of heredity (Zanger, 1997 in GH). Both Interview with the Vampire and Twilight depict vampires as outsiders. In Twilight Bella describes her feelings towards this alienation, feeling pity towards the Cullens, pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted (Meyer, 2008). The idea of being alone is also evident in Edwards distance from his family and his school friends. While his brothers and sisters have moved on and formed close relationships, he remained alone. Incidentally, vampires are forced to live away from society in order to keep their existence a secret. Interview with the Vampire also suggests Louis and Lestat are not accepted within society, constantly being illustrated as outcasts, needing acceptance from society but it seeming as if this acceptance can only be found in another of his kind. This theme speaks to almost every individual, as almost everyone has felt alone or alienated at some point in their lives and illustrates societys attitudes towards certain groups of people. Sacrifice, self-control and obsession are several other themes which vampires represent in both texts. Sacrifice is a dominant theme throughout Twilight. While Bella sacrifices everything to be with Edward, it is Edward who makes a decision to be with Bella, to trust her and her intention of keeping his secret. He sacrifices his secret to be with Bella, and while he may be at a loss, his sacrifice can be seen as acceptable when it may be a free choice to gain something greater. Again, the same takes place in Interview with the Vampire, when Louis makes a decision to leave Lestat and sacrifice his life to take care of Claudia and to find more of his existence. Self-control is equally evident in both of the texts. Self-control is very important in Twilight, as it is closely linked to free agency. In order to have free-agency, the Cullens must have self-control, and as a result self-control is in this case a way of overcoming their instinct and a way to create ones wanted life and princ iples. Vampires in both of the texts are not saints, but just like real people they have flaws. And just like real people, they are under the driving force of obsession. Bellas love for Edward, Louis cling to humanity and Lestats belief to kill goes beyond reason, beyond practically. In a way all of these attributes apply to society today, from the ways we make choices, to the sacrifices we make for those we love and our obsessions with love, humanity, and death. The literary vampire has entertained and captured audiences for many years, changing but never completely disappearing. For it is evident every ages does seem to embrace the vampire is needs (Gordon Hollinger, 1997), guiding us along our paths of socialisation, separations and individualisation. Whether the fears are personal, societal, internal, or external, the vampiric metaphor transforms as time passes. The themes of sexual desire, disease, political and social indifference, religion, alienation, good versus evil, and many more represent the vampire figure. All of the themes discussed mirror our current views of boundaries between individuals and society, between one group and the rest. How intriguing it is to see that such social anxieties and personal beliefs are represented through such a creature, one that breaks boundaries between life and death, good and evil, love and fear. And how interesting it is, that the vampire lives on in this modern society of constant conflict, b etween what is real and what is not, between what is private and what is public, in such a way as helping to dissolve the numerous conflicts and the fixed boundaries by means of representation and example. Vampires encourage creative thought and emotional stability, they act as beings we would all rather be, even examples of how we should be. Providing us with a desire to be good rather than evil, vampires have captured the imagination of the twenty-first century. Like flowers perfuming our dreams and beliefs, vampire will continue to capture us with anticipation and dread for years to come.

An Assessment of College Students’ Attitudes and Empathy Toward Rape Es

An Assessment of College Students’ Attitudes and Empathy Toward Rape Methods: The study is a descriptive cross-sectional survey implemented to assess students' attitudes toward rape and empathy toward survivors of rape. A pilot study using 30 college students with a two-week interval was used to establish reliability of the ATR and RES. Subject's birth day, month, and first three digits of their phone numbers were used as identifiers for the retest portion of the pilot study. A two-tailed t test was performed comparing test scores across the 2-week interval. Statistical analysis found a 1.0 correlation for demographic data, .91 alpha reliability coefficient for the ATR, and a .80 alpha reliability coefficient for the RES. Therefore, the ATR and RES were deemed reliable for the study. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess rape attitudes and empathy levels of college students in a selected university setting in North Texas. Sample: A total sample of 300 subjects was needed to ensure representation within a confidence interval of 95% and .05 sampling error. The sample was drawn from the following courses: from the College of Business Administration, the course "Principles of Real Estate" provided 107 subjects; from the College of Arts and Sciences, the course "U.S. History to 1865" provided 89 students; from the College of Education, "Family Life/Human Sexuality" and "Health Emergency/First Aid" were selected, providing 110 subjects. Hypotheses: 1. Students who either have known a rape survivor or have themselves been a survivor of rape, will express more rape-intolerant attitudes toward rape and greater empathy levels toward rape survivors than students who have not known a rape survivor or have been the survivor of a rape. 2. Students with female siblings will report more rape-intolerant attitudes toward rape and greater empathy toward rape survivors than students without female siblings. 3. Female students will have more rape-intolerant attitudes toward rape and greater empathy levels toward rape survivors than those of their male counterparts. 4. Students over the age of twenty-six will demonstrate more rape-intolerant attitudes and greater empathy levels toward rape survivors than the students under the age of twenty-six. Variables: The dependent variables are attitudes toward rape and empathy toward rape ... ...homosexuals. Implications: In future research, it is recommended more exploration of the parameters of men's reactions to female-initiated coercion. A major question raised by this study is how forceful does a situation have to be before men respond negatively to female sexual coercion. This could be answered in a study in which the vignettes are varied by high levels of force. It is speculated that men's responses would also be influenced by sexual outcome of the situation (e.g., oral sex or intercourse) and physical appearance of the initiator (e.g., attractive or unattractive). Because the present study indicated that both men and women anticipate high psychological harm from a same-gender advance, the dynamics of these interactions should also be investigated by further vignette research. Limitations: The major limitation of the present study is that it assessed reactions to hypothetical coercion situations, not actual incidents. Whether victims' reactions to actual coercion will parallel findings of this study can only be determined by more research. However, the present study may serve as a source of ideas, variables and proposed relationships for future investigations.

Depictions of Death and Disease

The use of the word â€Å"plague† is reserved for only the most momentous and devastating diseases in history. This word has been specifically set aside for diseases that strike a certain type of fear into the masses as with the Bubonic Plague, also called the â€Å"Black Death†, and the AIDS epidemic. The word has an effect of biblical proportions and epidemics like AIDS and the Bubonic Plague both display the social reaction to these maladies in the religious connections or rejections made toward both.There is, also, evidence of the unraveling of complete societies due to these illnesses in the abandonment of the sufferers to their fates and the perpetuation of causation of these â€Å"plagues† to stories that confuse and confound communities into states of despair and disillusionment. The swiftness by which the â€Å"Black Death† struck victims to death is opposed to the lengthy period between the contraction of AIDS and a death that is not always certa in or imminent. The words and descriptions of these diseases, however, did spread quite quickly and served as a lens by which society at the respected times viewed the chaos in the world.The Bubonic Plague quickly sickened and killed its sufferers and this swiftness of the disease left little time for people to react, there was no predicting it‘s path, no preventions, and no remedies. People expected death and the â€Å"Black Death† struck the consciousnesses of the people before the illness ever did. â€Å"‘And no bells tolled’, wrote a chronicler of Siena ‘and nobody wept no matter what his loss because almost everyone expected death†¦. and people said and believed, This is the end of the world’† (Tuchman, 413).People also were cited as living joylessly, attending funerals with no tears and weddings with no cheer. With the feeling that this was indeed the end of the world, it was as if an ominous black cloud had accompanied this b lack plague, leaving much room for superstition and little for hysteria. There was little emotional and physical energy left for the afflicted communities to remain gripped in a hysterical frenzy for long periods when death became so commonplace. The feeling at the time was that an evil presence was surrounding the affected areas and this apocalyptic, creeping fear soon was replaced by emptiness.There was no sense in tending to religious ideas, as many people died without being given their rites of death. In this way, many of the positive ideas of God and heaven were abandoned, as the people’s sentiment was that God must have been responsible for attempting to exterminate the human race altogether. In the collective imaginations of religious persons all through the world, the â€Å"Black Death† was proof that the devil had won and God was no longer in support of the once devout.There was little mercy for the sick and parents were even found to abandon their own childre n to their fates. The callousness of the living was written about in such a way that existence during these times was made to seem like a hellish tribulation, those who did tend to their families and the sick however were made to seem like saints. There seemed to be these pious individuals, who were revered as the sober and saintly men at a time when â€Å"men and woman wandered around as if mad†¦.. because no one had any inclination to worry themselves about the future† (Tuchman, 417).The â€Å"Black Death† concept, then became a metaphor for the darkness, disorder, dementia, and despair that was part of the fear that the world was at it’s end and there was no future. The horror of both AIDS and the Bubonic Plague was fueled mostly by the uncertainty of each disease’s origin. Those in the â€Å"Black Death† era looked to astrology and employed adjectives that referred back to nature itself as the culprit. According to Tuchman, the plague was said to be spread by â€Å"sheets of fire†, â€Å"a vast rein of fire† and â€Å"foul blasts of wind†.The metaphors here were probably not so much intended to be metaphors, but instead were parts of folklore that spread just as the disease did. The uncertainty of it’s origin certainly led to wild imaginations and a need for storytelling to put the horror into words, however magnificent and impossible these Eastern stories were. With AIDS, just as with the Bubonic Plague, the idea was that this disease originated from somewhere else, it presented itself as both geographically transcending and personally transforming. In this sense both were socially viewed as an invasion of a community and of the bodies of the afflicted.The wording surrounding AIDS and the â€Å"Black Death† made these afflictions seem like a retribution, as well. With the Bubonic Plague, it was the poor that were looked upon as being the most at risk while AIDS had and continues to have it’s own risk groups. Though both diseases proved indiscriminate in it’s victims with the idea of disease as retribution, there must be scapegoats to cognitively connect this reality. Sontag believes that the way AIDS is portrayed â€Å"revives the archaic idea of a tainted community that illness has judged† (683).The scapegoats, however, are also the so-called â€Å"third world† countries of disease origin, such as AIDS. The same type of confusion and calamity surround the explanations of the origin of the disease. If it is not God’s wrath or some other supernatural event, then a more modern version of the â€Å"Black Death† stories can be found in the belief by some that AIDS was manufactured by man. This is truly the hallmark of AIDS as a modern â€Å"plague†, as the idea of the Bubonic Plague being manmade would not have been possible. This points to the collective imagination of those in fear of both disease and technology, a new phenomenon.Many Africans subscribe to the idea, according to Sontag, that AIDS was manufactured in the United States by the CIA proving their suspicion toward technology and the American government. Americans, conversely, look at the spread of AIDS as originating from a primitive place, where the spread of the disease cannot be stopped by American, conventional technology. In either sense, the fear is projected toward the disease from an origin of an already instilled cultural belief. For Americans it is that what is â€Å"foreign† that is dangerous and to Africans what is American and technological is alarming and suspicious.Sontag effectively explains the outcome of the plague metaphor in that no matter where a person resides geographically or what their beliefs may be as to the origin of what is deemed to be a plague, the malady becomes understood socially as inescapable. She does offer, however, the idea that Europeans tended to believe that they held some moral su periority over the origin of disease, condemning other countries for spreading disease, but failing to observe their own role in spreading disease to indigenous peoples during colonization.However, the diseases spread by Europeans were not viewed as plague-like or morally reprehensible. The idea that morality can be traced to disease and it’s afflictions is an interesting social phenomenon that equates â€Å"sick† with â€Å"dirty† or â€Å"immoral† and â€Å"healthy† with â€Å"moral†. â€Å"Health itself was eventually identified with these values, which were religious as well as mercantile, health being evidence or virtue as disease being evidence of depravity† (Sontag, 686).This is evidence of the cultural values of the early twentieth century, according to the author, in the fact that middle class values and religious observation was seen as a deterrent from disease. Those, who led a life of supposed depravity, however where view ed as not only more likely to become ill, but more deserving of their suffering. AIDS has been portrayed in such a moral sense, that homosexuality and it’s immorality to some is the blame for the â€Å"plague† and a deserved consequence.Sadly, the same callousness that was displayed in the abandonment of suffering children still occurs today in the social abandonment and outcasting of AIDS victims. According to Sontag, the disease metaphor is especially beneficial to anti-Liberals and those that which to address issues of supposed moral decay. Therefore, Conservative opportunists have laden the language associated with AIDS to further political aims. In conclusion both the Bubonic Plague and the AIDS epidemic illustrate the ability of communities and cultures to transmit feelings of fear and the value of many social institutions within the context of a disease spread.Religion, politics, and the accusations and scapegoating of disease origin and spread permeate the spec trum of the social scene when such a heavily laden word as â€Å"plague† is perpetuated. With the fast spread of the first â€Å"plague† the idea that the end of the world was near was common. With the slower spread of AIDS in the Western world, however, a fierce anti-foreign, pro-technology, and anti-Liberal stance has been taken. Just as these diseases can devastate, so can the words and the world as it can slip into disorder and darkness.

School Vouchers essays

School Vouchers essays Education School Vouchers There has been a lot of debate recently over the use of school vouchers. Voucher programs offer students attending both public and private schools tuition vouchers. It gives taxpayers the freedom to pick where their tax dollars go. In theory, good schools will thrive with money and bad schools will lose students and close its doors. Most people feel that taking taxpayer money from public schools and using this money as vouchers for private schools is a violation of the constitution. Most private schools in America right now are run by religious organizations. There has been a lot of controversy over this issue mainly because of the importance of an education in a modern society. School choice initiatives are based on the premise that allowing parents to choose what schools their children attend is not only the right thing to do, but is also an important way for improving education. Instead of a one-size-fits-all model, School choice programs offer parents various options from which to pick the educational settings they believe will work best for their child. However, there is Supporters of school vouchers claim that it levels the educational playing field for lower income families who would have the option to send their kids away from an ineffective poorly funded public schools. Some lower class families feel that their kids would have a better chance with a tuition voucher to go to a private school where more money is spent on education. Many feel that vouchers would undermine public schools, by taking away public money for smaller class sizes, teacher training and innovative curriculum. Also, many feel that vouchers would erode the support for public education. In Milwaukee, voucher schools say they do not give special services to students with disabilities. Most of the voucher schools refused to sign a letter that they will ...

Missteps in Django Unchained essays

Missteps in Django Unchained essays Jamie Foxx recently made a movie, demonizing the antebellum South and the land and peoples of my ancestry once again, providing an occasion for racial agitation between blacks and whites in America, providing false justification for the invasion and displacement of white men in America by way of illegal immigration, and once again providing occasion for men to blaspheme the social structure given to Moses by Almighty God. I have not seen this movie, but from what I understand from reading and watching his introduction of it on Saturday Night Live, this movie will most likely run along the typical Jacobin-Jesuit party lines. Before one comes to make a moral judgment concerning Southern Slavery, one must come to make a judgment on Philosophy in general. How does one know whether something is right or wrong? Come to think of it, how does one know anything at all? When someone honestly studies the history of Empiricism, he will be left empty handed. Secularists cannot define sensation or show how it produces thinking, cannot define what physical reality is, cannot escape the formal fallacy of induction, and cannot demonstrate how mathematics represents our physical reality. Having been disappointed with secularism, the Western man faces 3 primary choices, all of which claim the same Abrahamic root and all of which leave this man with no escape concerning the issue of slavery: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Before I continue I want to make clear that I am not advocating that black people in America today should be enslaved. I suggest that the solutions offered by black civil rights leaders like Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey should be pursued to address the problems associated with the black community in America today. The fact is, the Bible is full of Scriptures concerning slavery and its administration in society. First, I want to make clear that there is a distinction between a slave TRADE and the INSTITUTION of slavery. The former is...

What would be the effects of banning the use of plastic bags Essay - 1

What would be the effects of banning the use of plastic bags - Essay Example He graphically describes the waste situation there points out to the message of boycotting plastic bags, which the locals have proposed. This engenders the extent to which these bags have been abused and misused in both the West and East (Manning 1874). Exposure to such information begs one to question the notion that plastic is indeed a necessary part of human existence. Taking to account the environmental damage it portends one cannot help but to wonder if we would not be better off without it. In his discussion of Lynn offers several facts about, he offers numerous statistics about plastic that bring out the enormity of the situation. Apparently, over 50 percent of the plastic used in the US is simply thrown away to contribute to the pollution problem and Americans throw away more than 31 billion tons of plastic annually (Hasselberger). He proposes several solutions among which are rejecting single packaging where goods as singly packed in plastic instead or in one bag, alternatively people should seek options to the plastic packaging they use. Blockstein, David (1988) in the Bioscience journal, explores another major con of plastics, which justifies regulation. This article detains the attempts of congress to reduce the problem of pollution, which has been found to negatively affect most wildlife directly, or indirectly more so marine animals as evinced by the fact that fishing nets often dredge up plastic waste (Blockstein 19). According to this article, over 3000 fur seals were killed by entanglement in plastic bags result in in suffocation and accounting for 15% mortality of the threatened species (Lockwood 18). It using plastic was banned; there would be a significant increase life expectancy of these and other young animals including sea birds and fish that tend to be negatively affected by the same. However, although this would seem an ideal solution to the problem, a complete ban on plastic bags use and manufacture would not

Foundation of the League of Nations Research Paper

Foundation of the League of Nations - Research Paper Example The Covenant of the League of Nations consisted of short preambles that were developed for the major three objectives and it was drafted in Article 26 of the League of Nations. There were several articles drafted by the League of Nations to address the members regarding the conditions of members, admission and withdrawal, power, nature of the Council and Assembly (Institute for International Law and Justice, â€Å"The Covenant of the League of Nations†).   In case of the disputes between the members and the obligations, rules and regulations were amended and new articles were introduced. To practically apply the peace policy and maintain security, articles were drafted (Tufts University, â€Å"The Covenant of the League Of Nations†).   Success of the LeagueThere were no set standards in Europe before the World War I relating to the management of employed individuals. The League of Nations, in order to develop labor conditions globally with International Labor Organi zation, fixed maximum working hours per day and week. The member countries were specified to mention the minimum wages, benefits of employees and pensions. This step was known to be of great success for the League of Nations. The League was also successful in providing the first passport for the stateless refugees. This was known as the Nansen passport that was the identification of these people (Bowen, â€Å"Understanding International Relations†). The dispute between Finland and Sweden in 1920 regarding the Aaland Island was solved by the League. There were many islands between Sweden and Finland mid-way that generated conflicts between them. Germany and Poland had conflicts between them regarding the industrial area of Upper Silesia. In 1921, the League was successful in solving the conflict and