My Family Growing Up By Dr. Cleamon Moorer - 2229 Words

â€Å"We all have the capacity to create our own destiny.† This quote from our first African American president Barack Obama truly resonated with me, along with your story, Dr. Cleamon Moorer, that was purely orchestrated by God. Two highly accomplished and successful African American men, whose lives give me and many others hope that anything is possible as long as you never give up on yourself and more importantly on God. Background: Who am I My family growing up was composed of a strong devoted mother, who was a housewife; an equally strong father who was the provider; an older sister, who taught me how to be true to myself; an older brother, who inspired me to love and live life to the fullest; and an even older brother, who influenced me to dream big. As you read, I was the youngest of four children and was known for being a smartass. I had a question and answer for everything. If I didn’t know all the answers I still had the convincing conviction of my argument like most politicians. In other words, at a very young age I had a thirst for knowledge and to be the great white hope for my family. I came from a household composed of a father making a little over minimum wage that had to be stretched paper thin to raise a family of six. Although we had very little money, we had each other and God. Therefore, I lived in a low income community and was zoned to schools which lacked a lot of materi als and programs needed to provide a quality education that equated to what was

Aldous Huxley s Brave New World - 3277 Words

Brave New World is a cautionary tale about the crushing effects of an authoritarian regime on human individuality. In this satire, Aldous Huxley offers a critique of totalitarianism by creating a single World State government and society. Although the World State’s motto is â€Å"community, identity, and stability,† ironically, the concept of individual identity is all but lost to the citizens of the World State (Huxley). The government controls virtually every aspect of human activity -- from creation to death. In exchange for comfort, happiness, and stability, the people in Huxley’s world give up their free will and sense of self. To make his point, Huxley employs powerful symbols of a mechanical, mind-numbing world where individual identity†¦show more content†¦Bokanovskification, the process used to manufacture identical â€Å"parts† to fit into this machine, employs â€Å"the whole of a small factory staffed with the products of a single bok anovskified egg† (Huxley). The world of the hatcheries is a metaphor for the way totalitarian governments operate to control every aspect of their citizens lives, from beginning to end. The Bokanovsky method of conception dehumanizes people from the moment of birth. Huxley s assembly line imagery shows that individual babies are no more distinct or important than mechanical products. Babies are not born; they are produced. There is no creation of life by a sexual act or an expression of love. There is no individual experience of pregnancy and birth. There is no modern concept of a mother or father or family whatsoever, so humans are stripped of a true personal identity. Without a family, each person lacks unique childhood stories. Without a family, each person belongs to the State. Through the hatcheries, the government is the creator and parent of every child. The few individuals who exercise control over the people are men playing at being God (Kass). As the leaders of the government, they decide what people s social rank will be before they are even born. With the idea that there can be â€Å"no stability without social stability,† the World Controllers create a very strict social order (Huxley). This religious image of the controllers as gods is connected to

Secrets Essay Example For Students

Secrets Essay Im Billy and youre not going to believe the predicament Im in. It all began A week after I started uni I was heavily in debt, and under a lot of pressure from my parents. They had just got divorced and the courts said that I was only allowed to live with my mum because my dad had previously been sent to jail. My mum had been made redundant because she had just given birth to my brother Matthew, and fell ill. My piece of dirt dad was supposed to support us, but he didnt fork out any money us. So with what little money I earned I had to keep my family. On the way to uni I normally stopped in Aldays to buy my lunch, and that day was no exception. I went up to the till to pay for my stuff, when I noticed a small piece of paper, which was all scrupled in a ball. So I unravelled it and at the top it said 57,12,15,37. It was the combination to a safe. I thought oh great Ill get out of debt easy with this piece of paper. I was so excited I forgot to buy my lunch and went to uni without it . After lectures had finished I went back to Aldays and I went round the back, hoping to find a back entrance to Aldays. The street was more like a back alley it was dark, dingy and narrow. It really must have been my lucky day as the back door to Aldays was swinging open in the wind. When I walked past the door, I could see that there was no one in the back room. Before I stepped in I thought I hope the safe isnt hard to find. so I walked in. The room was really well lit , with boxes of stuff piled high , bundles of old newspapers and beside them was a safe. I crept up to the safe and started putting in the combination 57,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦12,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.15à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and 37. Suddenly the safe gave out a tremendous click and it opened. Inside there was several bags filled with different amounts of money inside them. As quickly as I could I shoved them into my bag. SLAM! The door to the shop opened. I was in such a panic that I banged the safe door shut and darted behind a pile of boxes. I peeked over the boxes and two men walked in. One of them was crying with anger, and the other had an innocent look on his face. In an angry but tearful voice one of them said Why?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Why Did you sleep with my wife? In a sobbing voice the other guy said It justà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ wellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.happened. I was drunk. She was drunk. We didnt want it to happen. I thought you were my best friendà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.I wish you were dead. Then he punched the cabinet and steamed out! The other  guy went to follow but he tripped over the cabinet and it came down on him with an almighty crash. I thought I better get out of here before the other man comes back. So I ran out of the back door and emerged into the street. I walked away slowly so I didnt look suspicious. It was easy getting home because there was no trouble from any body. When I got home I went straight to my room to hide the money. I thought nothing else of it until the next day when my mum turned over to the news, there was a story about a murder in the Aldays where I had stolen the money. The first thing that came into my head was, Murder there wasnt a murder, the guy accidentally killed himself. Then it said the victims name was Jamie Knight and the suspected killer was David Jones. It showed pictures of the men that I saw in Aldays. The reporter went on to say Jamie Knight was crushed to death when a cabinet was pushed on top of him. David Joness finger prints were found on the cabinet so the police are treating the death as suspicious. I thought that must have been from when he punched it. The reporter finished it with The court case for this tragedy will be heard on October the 4th. .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b , .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .postImageUrl , .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b , .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:hover , .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:visited , .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:active { border:0!important; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:active , .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5bce6fe05dfb99de0475e008f8b4d79b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Logic and Critical Thinking EssayThis was eating me up inside because I and only I knew the truth, and I was the only one who could do something about it. What happened the next day made it worse I got a letter from the council saying I was to do jury service in the week starting October 4th That meant I had to be on jury for that murder case talk about a twist of luck. * * * Its now October the third and all Ive been able to think about for the last few weeks has been. the murder case Am I going to prove Davids Innocence by telling them what I saw. If I do that I will get put in jail and I would ruin my future, wreck mums life, and god knows what Matthew would think of me. Or I could not say anything and hope that the other jury members think hes not guilty. And now you can see what a serious the predicament Im in . * * * Now its the big day and Im sitting in the jury box. All these people came up to give evidence and all I could think about was Ill go next Ill go next. The people were coming up one by one. then I was just too scared to stand forward so I just wrote not guilty on my card and hope for the best. then one of the jury members took our cards and gave them to the judge. Then in a deep voice the judge said We  find the defendant. All that was going through my head was the words not guilty. After what seemed an eternity the judge said guilty, and I sentence you to life imprisonment. There was a huge cry from the defendant side of the court. I was distraught, how could I ruin other peoples lives like that. When I was walking home all I kept saying to myself was How could I have been so selfish Ive ruined people lives and for what. A few months in jail at best. * * * To Mum This diary explains everything. Im sorry mum I didnt mean to hurt you and Matthew. Im so sorry. When Matthew grows up tell him I love him. I love you mum Billy

You’ve been told in order to write, you need to be inspired. That’s a load of bull. free essay sample

â€Å"You’ve been told in order to write, you need to be inspired. That’s a load of bull. You have all the inspiration you need inside of you. Just unleash it.† These were the words of my teacher, Traci, on the first day of my creative writing summer school. My first assignment last summer was to describe the journey that had brought me there, to L.A., for a four-week writing program. For me, the journey had begun four summers earlier, before eighth grade. That was the summer I decided to become a writer. At the end of seventh grade, my English teacher gave me a summer homework assignment that unexpectedly changed the course of my life. His command was simple: â€Å"Write every single day.† I moaned and groaned. Back then, writing was a chore. Nevertheless, I wrote in my journal daily for ten minutes as assigned. Slowly my ten minutes of writing became an hour. We will write a custom essay sample on You’ve been told in order to write, you need to be inspired. That’s a load of bull. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In my journal, I discussed the books I was reading, the ideas I had. I wrote short stories that continued from one week to the next. By the summer’s end, I was addicted to writing in my journal. When my parents asked me if I had finished my chores, they caught me writing. I protested stealthily, â€Å"I’m doing homework. It’s required.† As my writing grew more prolific, I knew I wanted to spend my life with a pen in hand. The summer ended, but my journals continued. I still carry a notebook with me at all times in case inspiration strikes. Because of my summer journal, writing, which I used to find dull, became my greatest passion. If I wrote an autobiography, my experience last summer in L.A. would be the second chapter of my journey as a writer. For the first time, I was surrounded by other writers my age who understood the frustration of searching for one elusive word, or the joy of piecing a plot together. Everywhere on campus, I could feel the hum of creativity in the air as we bounced ideas off each other. We were responsible for critiquing each other, while our teachers helped us improve our technique. From every assignment my teachers gave me— even the zany ones, like writing a dialogue entirely in slang or a poem using only the words from The Cat in the Hat— I learned how to grasp the fire within me, my passion for writing, and to channel it. I suffered from writer’s block many times while at summer school because every day my teachers demanded new creative material from us, but I learned how to thrive under the pressure. With Traci’s advice in mind, whenever I sought a burs t of inspiration, I would examine my own memories, feelings, and opinions to find something to say. I learned to summon creativity whenever I needed it to fuel my passion for writing. And in the process, I found my voice— the unfaltering words in my heart that I can share with the world.

buy custom MIS Project essay

buy custom MIS Project essay Clicker is a reading tool that has been proved to help students to achieve academic gains. Clicker is used in many institutions around the world with over 1.5 million students using it. Clicker has many tools some of which include: clicker writer which is important in developing the writing skills of a writer, natural voice which encourages self-correction and clicker grids that helps in building writing confidence inter alia. Normally, a portable small receiving station is strategically placed in a classroom so as to gather and record student responses. Depending on the teachers prerogative, each student can be assigned a clicker. Clickers allow for active participation by students as well as providing immediate feedback from the teachers or instructors (Bruff, 2008). There are different challenges that face the clicker software. These challenges can be grouped into five categories depending with the nature of the problem. Some of the common problems include students failing to attend a class, students coming to class unprepared, the instructor not knowing whether or not the students understand, student failing to get the point and students getting bored with what is being taught (Diers, 2009). How clickers work The diagram below is a summary of the process involved in using clickers as an academic tool. More often than not, the details differ but there must be a specific way of accessing information using clickers. In the diagram below, it is evident that there are three major factors that may contribute to the failure to receive a signal on clicker. Primarily, these categories are: transmission errors that involve the sending of information from clicker t the receiver as well as the wireless link between the clicker and the receiver. We also have user interface errors that involve technical issues in the interface and finally User operational errors that are determined by the user setup configuration. According to this fishbone diagram, the above mentioned causes of failure to transmit information on the clicker can be avoided. Business managers should be able to effectively work on the system so as to have more clients. Transmission Errors These can be caused by the four primary issues namely faulty connections, low signal from the main server, faulty equipment as well as hacking. Because of these issues, there is bound to be a problem in the transfer of information to the clicker hence a big problem for the users. In order to find a solution for the users, it is advisable for the system operators to ensure that equipment is in good order while at the same time ensuring that there is always a stand by backup plan to solve any system related issues. User operational issues occur as a result of discrepancies in the user setup configuration as well as the channel of the clicker. Some of the common issues that bring about user operational issues are ignorance on the users side, faulty equipment being used in the entire business as well as wrong selection of channels used in the transmission of the signal from the student to the clicker and finally the receiver. As a remedy for this issue, business managers of clicker systems should ensure that the systems are in good condition. The right connections should be made so as to avoid the possibility of delay or failure in delivering information to the clicker. Finally, when addressing User interface errors, it is important to understand that its primary cause is purely technical. More often than not, issues such as delays in readability of the question on the screen, feedback from LCD display screen on the clicker as well as the user input controls contribute greatly to the final transfer of information to the student. In the event that a company has faulty LCDs in terms of their visibility, or a student enters a question with grammatical or semantic errors, the system may fail to recognize whatever information a user wants to access (Diers, 2009). Technically speaking, clicker has 3 major processes specifically cut out for making it easy for users. Clients will queue as they wait to be served. The first process is whereby one will swipe his or her card which will be automatically detected by the machine, after which the system will display information that the student or user will follow to the latter. Finally, one will go to the check-out area to finalize the process (Chasteen). This is as illustrated in the diagram below. In this regard, clicker provides users with a very easy way of accessing both academic and non-academic material. As a way of improving the flow of information and the AP function thereof, it is important to ensure that these above mentioned factors are carefully taken care of. It is imperative to come up with a completely functional system that will ensure that there are no transmission, user interface and operational errors. It is also important for user to be well educated or sensitized on how to use the said academic tool so as to make work easier. Buy custom MIS Project essay

6 Disappeared LinkedIn® Partner Applications and What to Do About Them †Part V WordPress (and RSS Feeds)

6 Disappeared LinkedIn ® Partner Applications and What to Do About Them – Part V WordPress (and RSS Feeds) The WordPress and BlogLink applications on LinkedIn used to be a reliable way to send weekly blog posts to your LinkedIn profile. All a blogger had to do was download the application and associate the blog’s RSS feed (essentially the link to your blog posts) to LinkedIn. No longer is this convenient feature available. Up until a week ago, I would have suggested a fix that entails requesting your RSS feed to be sent out automatically to your favorite LinkedIn groups, or perhaps starting a LinkedIn group so that you can send your feed to that group. Not anymore. LinkedIn has announced that as of March 15, 2013, users may no longer syndicate RSS feeds to groups through LinkedIn. The pros and cons of this move by LinkedIn have been debated. On the positive side, the elimination of RSS feeds to groups means less potential for spamming. A real person has to go in and post an article, potentially stemming the increasingly overwhelming flow of posts to LinkedIn groups. On the other hand, much of this automated content provides valuable information to group members and spurs conversation and debate. Will the richness of group conversations be diminished without the convenience of automated posting? Time will tell †¦ In the meantime, the question remains: How can you send your value-rich content to your LinkedIn groups? One place to look is the LinkedIn Help topic, Anyone have a workaround for the elimination of RSS feeds in groups? Here are some ideas: 1. Post discussions manually to your LinkedIn groups. Manual posting of articles is a technique I have been utilizing all along, and I believe it provides value to my groups and provides me with visibility. I don’t just post the link to a useful article – I post the entire article so that people don’t have to work too hard to read the content. If you post an article to a group, it helps to ask a question to spur discussion, rather than simply post the article. By simply sticking an article on the discussion page, you risk appearing â€Å"spammy† and are less likely to generate worthwhile conversations about your topic. 2. Use HootSuite to post blog entries to your Activity Updates. The HootSuite option requires establishing a HootSuite account if you don’t have one already. After logging in to HootSuite, hover over the launch bar on the left side of your account. Click on Settings RSS/Atom: Click the + sign to add a new feed. You might need to upgrade to a paid account ($5.99/month) to use this feature. Paste your feed URL in the field provided. Then select the social sites you would like the feed to post to. Edit any other preferred options and Save Feed. 3. Post manually to Activity Updates. A simple, free way to share blog articles is to post the link individually to your Activity Updates. If you blog once/week this solution might be the best one for you. You can add links from either your LinkedIn home page or the Activity bar on your profile. You then have the option of sharing the update on LinkedIn and Twitter. Home page image: Profile Activity bar image: Any blog article links you add will appear on your profile in your Activity section (the top section of the profile). Your updates will also appear in LinkedIn Signal, which is a running account of all LinkedIn updates that can be found under the News menu. Here’s a sample: 4. Post your blog under your Publications section. Add the Publications section to your profile if you dont have it already. Then post a live URL that links directly to your blog for anyone who wants to take a look! Do you have more ideas of how to replace the WordPress application or the group RSS feeds? Please share below! If you want more tips on the effective use of LinkedIn, you might like How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile, the #1 best-selling e-book by Brenda Bernstein! Category:Archived ArticlesBy Brenda BernsteinFebruary 25, 2013

Financial analysis of BMW and Kraft Foods Essay

Financial analysis of BMW and Kraft Foods - Essay Example The researcher states that the profitability ratios of both the companies depict that Kraft Foods has higher profitability in terms of high operating margin, net profit margin and return on equity. Besides, both the firms had maintained their current ratio above 1. With respect to interest coverage ratio, BMW had higher rank than Kraft Foods which indicates that it has strong financial strength in the industry. The current economic crisis of 2008 had impacted on the financial performance of BMW Group. Due to bad financial condition, the spending of customers had reduced considerably which impacted on the expenditure on vehicles. As a result, the automobile industry had faced drop in sales volume. BMW Group was also unable to evade the impact of financial crisis and therefore the group income had reduced by 5% in the year 2008 to 53,197 million Euros. As the international economy was recovering from the clutches of economic crisis by the end of the year 2010, BMW Group was able to rec over its financial position in the automobile market. The global automobile industry has also become stabilised to certain degree. In 2010, BMW Group had experienced severe increase in sales revenue by 19.3% than 2009 to 60,477 million Euros. Kraft Foods is a financially stable company with revenues of 40.4 billion USD in the year 2009. In the year 2009, the total value of net assets of the company was 25.9 billion USD. Despite bad economic conditions, the revenue of Kraft Foods was slightly affected. In 2007, the net revenue was 35,858 million USD which had increased to 41,932 million USD in 2008 (Kraft Foods Inc, 2010). Ratio Analysis Valuation Ratio Price-Earnings (P/E) Ratio Price-Earnings or P/E Ratio is the ratio of organisation’s share price with earning per share. From the analysis of BMW, it can be observed that the earnings per share of BMW Group had decreased considerably in the time of 2008 to 2009 to 0.49 Euro and 0.31 Euro and increased in 2010 to 4.91 Euro. His torically, the P/E ratio of BMW Group was strong and was always more than the industry average which is around 15-25. In the year 2007, the P/E ratio was below average i.e. 8.5 which had increased to 11.98 in 2010 (BMW Group, 2008; 2010). The price earnings ratio of Kraft Foods was

My views on leaders and leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

My views on leaders and leadership - Essay Example It is worth mentioning that effective leadership is vital for organizations in order to survive in today’s challenging business environment (Jackson, 2011). The paper will describe a reflective essay on the conception of leadership which I have observed during my career progress. The objective of the paper is also to describe the most competitive and effectual leadership approach which I have undergone during the journey of my professional life. My views on leaders and leadership According to my perception, leaders guide the followers. If no one follows a particular person willingly, then he/she cannot be termed as a leader. The word â€Å"leader† in my sense is that person who perceives an overall understanding of the operational and managerial duties to be accomplished within an organization (such as a school or a business establishment). Leaders always take the key position in fulfillment of responsibilities or series of tasks. However, the imparting of the title â⠂¬Å"leader† alone is not sufficient to define the philosophy of true leadership. It is my subjective opinion about the leader that a person’s distinct and specialized strengths can place the basis of his/her leadership achievements to be labeled as a leader. Contextually, the central leadership power and personalities are related with personal and special strengths. The leadership strength is again observed to be linked with a particular career, the assigned job roles and duties of a person (Jackson, 2011). In this regard, I have found that no precise and replicable association subsists between individuals in the leadership role and the certain personalities or strengths of those individuals associated with leader. In an organization today, the leadership and followership are positioned in the progressively complex, undefined and dynamic business context with numerous realities on the basis of several values, urgencies and requirements (Jackson, 2011). My views on follo wers and followership According to my viewpoint, the ideology of true leadership necessitates decent followers. Followers can be personified in numerous ways, who are employees, citizens, investors and individuals having faith in their leaders. My belief is that leadership cannot happen without an effective leader-follower association. Yet, at times, frequently followers are given less priority in the leader-follower relationship and are observed with a negative implication. Several professionals believe that becoming a follower is the second appropriate alternative for a person to become a leader. However, my viewpoint perceives that being an effectual follower is just as significant and necessary as being a successful leader. Often, it can be observed that before a person ends up as being an effectual leader in an organization, he/she initially had played the vital role of being a follower with efficiency. Essentially, followership is the capability or readiness of a person to fol low the leader. As leadership is incomplete without followership, no matter how the followers are labeled, they are just central to the ideology of leadership, being equivalent to the importance of organizational leaders (Ricketts, 2009). Leadership theories and experiences The leadership theories serve as a framework

Uranium Mining in New Mexico Essay Example for Free

Uranium Mining in New Mexico Essay Uranium mining and milling has potential economic benefits in creating jobs in the community, and sustaining the high demands of uranium all over the world. But economic factors should not be considered alone. As many people died and suffered from illnesses and diseases of uranium mining and radiation exposure, the proposal to build a new mining company is a great issue and concern for all community leaders and members to consider and debated upon. During the past years, nuclear power has started a debate regarding its potential benefits in the economy and as an alternative source of energy. Pro-nuclear arguments maintain that nuclear energy has less carbon intensity compared to fossil fuels which is detrimental to the environment. However, as details of true carbon analysis of nuclear energy remains unclear, the fundamental critical aspect of using nuclear energy remains to be a debate. This paper presents an analysis on uranium mining and milling in Crownpoint, New Mexico. In the vast Navajo Reservation, towards Crownpoint, approximately 3,000 people lives along the Continental Drive 100 miles northwest of Albuquerque. in the high desert of northwestern New Mexico, many Navajo communities live in isolated and scattered places. The area is surrounded by the color yellow dust of what characterized Crownpoint as a community. Uranium oxide which is highly used as a nuclear energy has been regarded as Crownpoint’s most abundant resource (Begay, 2008). Through the late 1940’s through the mid 1980’s, uranium is gathered from the place. Several mining companies already blasted and hauled truck loads of uranium in the place, and dried the mineral in piles in different areas across the American West. The Navajo tribe occupies areas over western New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The center of the uranium mining is located in those areas and hundreds to thousands of Navajos has worked for the mines (KRQUE News Channel 13, 2008). Today, many abandoned mine places remain. The global production of uranium followed after several years of supplying nuclear weapon programs. Uranium is perceived as a finite resource. During the past years, the availability of uranium is limited, but when further exploration led to further discovery of resources, miners took the advantage of gathering the finite resources (KRQUE News Channel 13, 2008). However, the Crownpoint, New Mexico community has seen the consequences of uranium mining especially to the health problem emerging today. The degraded land is a result of mines closing in the area, however, as efforts to rehabilitate the area entails uranium gathering again, people are concerned for their safety (Shebala, 2008). Exposure to radiation brought by uranium mining and milling is compensated by the government. Uranium miners before the mining areas were closed are in their 70’s and 80’s, and are continuously seeking help from local community health officers to get diagnosed and treated for radiation exposure. During the 1950 to 1990, 500 uranium workers have died from lung cancer (Shebala, 2008). The persisting health problems brought by radiation exposure to uranium have affected the community until today. When the people inhales uranium dust and particles, the mineral stays in their lungs and release high doses of radiation. Uranium may be potential economically-beneficial resources which will help many people have jobs, and helps economy and other sectors in the society (Begay, 2008). However, with the increased and continuous negative effects of uranium mining proves harmful to the people living in the community, people remains to be against uranium mining. Attempts to renew the mining area Currently, there is a new effort to revive the uranium mining areas. The company Hydro Resources Incorporated, a sub company of the Uranium Resources Incorporated of Dallas, plans to use the mining area with a new system (KRQUE News Channel 13, 2008). The people remain to be divided on the issue of building a new mining company in the area. The new mining company will take over Crownpoint and nearby Church Rock. The company promised a new method to take care of the persistent groundwater problems in the community. The company promises the communities better and safer system by adopting a mining system called situ leach mining. The process involves mixing water, dissolved oxygen and sodium bicarbonate which will be then included in the underground uranium beds. The proposed new system will dissolve in the process and it can then be removed, dried and processed (KRQUE News Channel 13, 2008). However, issues and concern were raised in this proposal. The water in the new system will come from the Westwater Canyon Aquifer of Crownpoint, the main source of drinking water for the people in Crownpoint and other surrounding areas. The company planning to work in the site promises a uranium nuclear power industry which will create more job opportunities for the people and maintain safe drinking water. The communities expressed their great concern if the company will start another mining industry. For one, they were concern if the process of underground mining will affect the quality of their drinking water supply. If the process will pollute the drinking water system, they can be infected with serious diseases and health hazards. The Navajo people will become more vulnerable to kidney and other related disease due to poor water quality if the process will be adopted. Crownpoint has already complained about the contamination of uranium in their water supply. Navajo president Mr. Mitchell Capitan in the Crownpoint chapter strongly protests about this plan in the area. He argues that about 15,000 people from surrounding communities travel to their place to gather drinking water because their own water supply is poor. If the only quality water supply is contaminated, this will pose a serious series of problems (KRQUE News Channel 13, 2008). The uranium nuclear energy problem The uranium industry in Crownpoint has long been debated as an issue which relates to degradation of the environment and health problems. Uranium mining has significant economic resources, seen by companies as an opportunity to sustain global needs of the mineral. The uranium companies are strongly advocating that uranium mining will increase economic benefits and create jobs for the community. They also insist that uranium mining is not harming the environment. However, limited data and research does not guarantee this. Companies also failed in addressing key issues in the health of the community, making the community more concerned of their safety. Uranium mining may be beneficial to some extent in the economics of the community, but the issue is not dependent on the money and profit alone. Long-term problems must be addressed, including environmental costs in the energy and water consumption of the people. Crucial environmental aspects in uranium mining must be considered to understand the cycle of the options for the community. Activities in uranium mining and milling must be able to attend to the health care needs, concerns and issues to protect the welfare of the Crownpoint community. References: KRQUE News 13 (2008). â€Å"Uranium poised for N. M comeback. † KRQUE. Retrieved on April 20, 2008, from http://www. krqe. com/Global/SearchResults. asp? vendor=wssqu=uranium. Begay, Christine (2008). New Mexico is to Uranium as Saudi Arabia is to Oil. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved on April 20, 2008, from http://think. mtv. com/044FDFFFF0098990200170098D7E0/. Shebala, Marley (2008). MTV looks at opposing views of uranium. Navajo Times. Retrieved on April 20,2008,from http://www. navajotimes. com/entertainment/031308uranium. php.

The People vs. Orestes :: essays research papers

The People v. Orestes In the last portion of 'The Orestia';, titled 'The Euminides';, Aeschlyus describes the trial of Orestes, who is brought in front of a jury on the charge of matricide. The jury hands in a tied verdict and the goddess Athena casts the deciding vote in favor of Orestes. This of course begs the question: Was Athena's decision fair? I believe that this decision was in the best interest of fairness because Orestes was motivated by Apollo, enraged by the murder of his father, and aggrieved by the vicious cycle of antisocial behavior that was running rampant in his family. Often, jurists, counselors, judges, politicians, and citizens alike are called upon to distinguish the difference (and subsequently choose) between the interests of fairness and justice. While Athena's decision might not have carried out the value of justice, it upheld the advantages of reasonable fairness. The supporting rationalization, I listed above might not have been taken into Athena's consideration of this matter; however, one must consider the practical application of the verdict. This application ceased the Taleonic nature that had befitted the House of Atrius. Although it is difficult to imagine that this action was in the interest of fairness, the applied perspective that the outcome was more important the means, supplied the burden of proof for this acquittal. Many parallels between modern American juris prudence and that applied in Orestes case can be illustrated, with a primary focus on circumstances creating a reasonable doubt. To better understand this concept one should apply the conditions of this case in a modern setting. If Orestes were called forward, on the same charges under the jurisdiction of a United States court of law, would he have been acquitted? Furthermore, would similar circumstances be sufficient to create a reasonable doubt? By my estimation, I would suggest so. It is easy to assume that democratic legal standards (standards of law favored by most citizens) are involved in a constant evolutionary process. Subsequently, one is lead to the interpretation that ancient cultures would most likely subscribe to hedonistic principles; however, examination of 'The Orestia'; proves otherwise. Just like the final decree of Athena, most modern juries would see Clytaemnestra as a catalyst for Orestes homicide. This illustrates that while specific legislations evolve to mirror social change, the foundational essence of democratic trial-law remains unmolested.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Orestes was by no means innocent of matricide.

Right, Duty and Obligation/Responsibility: a Search for Ethical

1 RIGHT, DUTY AND OBLIGATION/RESPONSIBILITY: A SEARCH FOR ETHICAL FUNDAMENTALS By Dr. Ani Casimir K. C 2 1) Introduction: Immanuel Kant gave philosophy four fundamental questions with which it is to concern itself and they are: (1) What can I know? ; (2) What is man? ; (3) What can I hope for, and, (4) Finally, what ought I to do. The latter—‘what ought I to do? ’ is the central subject of ethics,or what is variously called moral philosophy or philosophy of morality. With the concepts of ? right‘, ? uty‘ and obligation‘ and responsibility, we move into the science of ? oughts‘ that define the moral foundation of human society and the stability of its social fabric. The Kantian challenge here is that before we can build a morally strong and ethically virile social order the citizens should know the fundamentals of ? righteousness‘ or the values that build a right and moral citizenship who knows his rights, carries out his duties and co mpels the state, within the bounds of a good moral-legal order, to fulfil its obligations to the citizens. Before we can delve into the meaning of the terms– right, duty, obligation,and its allied responsibility, let us carry out a brief survey of what is meant by ethics or science of morality. 2) Ethics – A Brief View: A lot of people fail to appreciate the fact that back in antiquity, ethics did not constitute an independent study as such,but was part of a bigger course of study. For it was simply known in classical antiquity as the science of ? worth’ or ‘value’ so that what was popular was the study of ? axios’ and not ? ethos‘. Axios’ translates to a meaningful 3 expression ? to be worthy‘ root word for axiology – a more popular science than ethos – the root word for ethics. Ethics meant ? character or the custom‘ so that one can talk about individual character being good or bad and a society‘s custom could be worthy or not. Axiology as the science that propels society and guides her as to what is v aluable, worthy or honourable came from the Greek; it determines and properly classifies the subjects and disciplines which are worthy of being pursued, engaged in or discussed by citizens. From such discussions emerge values which are worthy of emulation by citizens and the state and are classified and codified accordingly. Over time such classifications and codifications became a study and was called ? ethics‘ – or ? worthy of character or valued behaviour. ‘ Professor Egbeka Aja also threw light upon the origins of the ethical science when he did a supportive expose in his book ? philosophy: An Introduction’: ‘Axiology is from the Greek: Axios meaning worthy, of philosophy and logos,meaning discourse. This is the branch that deals with values – both intrinsic and extrinsic values. Values are described as intrinsic when they are pursued for their own sake; while extrinsic values are pursued as a means to other ends. For instance, education can be said have intrinsic value when it is aimed at the improvement of man. It can be said to have extrinsic value when it seen as a means to attaining political power or to acquire material wealth. Axiology can be conveniently divided into the following sub-branches– ethics, aesthetics, social and political philosophy, philosophy of law and education†¦(1) 4 One seminal distinction that has emerged from this classical history is that ethics was only part of a bigger discipline that included law, politics, education and aesthetics. Except in Indian universities, Britain and some Middle Eastern schools, the study of axiology as the science of values (i. e. human values) have almost disappeared. In its place, ethics – its sub-branch– is taking the centre stage as the ? worthy‘ discipline of value for the society. The word ethics comes from the Greek root word – ethos- ? eaning custom or characte’r, defined by professor Aja as: ‘that branch of axiology which is sometimes called moral philosophy. It deals with the values concomitant with human conduct and human character. Ethics should be distinguished from morals or morality. The morals or morality of a person or society are the sum total of all the moral judgements (or moral beliefs or moral beliefs implicit in certain acts or behaviour) of that perso n or society2 3 Right In an ethical sense, a right is any action by man in society seen and interpreted to be into tune with the moral law of a people in such a society. At this juncture, we readily see that right makes us to remember the idea of duty. The concepts of justice, right and fairness, stand to each other as correlatives. But in a legal sense, a right translates into ? a claim which a person can make against others with the backing of the law. The person pressing for a claim to secure his right does so with explicit or implicit knowledge that the law recognizes that right and will justly rationalize his claim to award a compensation where necessary‘. An ethical right must conform to not only the moral law but also to the principles of natural rights embedded in natural law. On the other hand, legal rights must conform to the principles of positive rights whose validity derive from the positive law or the man-made law of the state. Currently there is an increasing movement for the establishment 5 of an African legal system or jurisprudence which will be based upon not only what the law is (positive law) but also what the law ought to be (African public moral values). A June 2008 international conference with the theme ? the law and Africa‘ organised by the Department of Philosophy University of Nigeria, centred upon exploring such possibility of harmonizing state law and African public morality in a new African jurisprudence. Conceptually considered, a right is a moral power that a person possesses to do something, to keep something and to exact something from another so long as the action is not in violation of the law or any attendant obligation. 4 My right, as Dr. Ani Casimir, as a citizen of the Universe and Nigeria in particular could be used to illustrate the morphology of somerville‘s conception of what is a right: Dr. Ani has a right to do something, to keep something, and exact something provided in so doing Dr. Ani does not disregard the rights of others or their interests. So in essence, Dr. Ani‘s right and his enjoyment of them must end where the rights of other members of the society starts. 5 A right is judged by its impact upon the interests of mankind. When a right has a good effect upon others‘ interests it is alled just rights. Otherwise, it is called an unjust right, when it does not promote the well-being of man in the direction of life, liberty, health and reputation. Just rights are interests recognized and protected in law for which people are accordingly punished when they are violated. Violating any of them both in ethics and the law constitutes what is defined as ? wrong’. In other words, when we violate a right we are ? wrong‘ and the law states the punishment for those who have become wrong doers, that threaten the stability of the social order. It becomes immediately clear from the discussion above that we can categorize a right into that of 6 the moral and the legal order. What determines whether a right is classified as moral or legal depends a lot upon its nature, the nature of its source and the importance with which the society within which it operates attaches to it. A moral right invokes a correspondent duty whose violation by the moral agent is against the principles of natural justice. But a legal right is prescribed, recognised, known and protected by the law (positive law). Moral and legal rights are performable and enforceable only within human society and between persons since human beings are rational beings with intelligence to know them and guide their actions accordingly. In what I have insistently decided to call ‘moral sphere’—the stability of subsisting atmosphere of moral values in every society—every right has a corresponding object to which it must perforce relate to. This object makes it possible for the owner of the right to identify and claim his interest, protected and given recognition by the law of the state and the social conscience of the public. The object could either be material, immaterial or even services. In the context of human rights, this is what I define as a social, economic, political or an even environmental benefit, advantage or a constitutional entitlement. Rights can also be classified as either perfect or imperfect. A right is perfect if it corresponds to a duty that is in turn recognized and enforced by the law. A perfect right has both moral and legal correlatives in its source, recognition and execution. In otherwords, we are talking about a moral power that makes a law of society to b enforceable. For according to Nyasani: The enforceability here means that an action, and or criminal, will be taken against a person in breach of it, and if need be, judgement will be executed against him using physical force of the state. where a right is recognizable by the law, the state using its machinery, will have an interest in making sure that the 7 duty of respecting that right is enforced resorting to physical compulsion if necessary. 6 A right can also be classified as either positive or negative. According to the positive right perspective, it enables an individual to receive something more than he already has, whereas under the negative right perspective, the individual goes on to retain what one already has, such as the right to money in his pockets. 7 Another classification of rights is real rights as against personal rights. Real rights (jus in rem) entitles one ? to require that a duty is imposed upon all other persons to respect that person‘s interest? 8 On the other hand, personal rights(rights in personam) ? imposes a duty on a particular or determinate person or persons to respect the other‘s legally protected interested? Professor Nyasani illustrates this new classification with a telling example: My right to the occupation of my house or vehicle is in rem in the sense that all other people†¦ have to respect that right and the interest I have in the house or vehicle if on the other hand, I have my house to a tenant for occupation, the arrangement of its lease and use in between me and him exclusively and that arrangement does not directly enteret other people†¦ this kind of jus in personam which exclusively avails against no other persons but the tenant alone imposes a duty on the tenant to comply with the interert in the property ;eased to him. It is a person to person arrangement which creates an obligation on the party accepting the offer of lease hence personal and not real right with its attendant obligation; on the world at large†¦108 Rights can also be referred to as proprietary and personal if they relate to the person‘s estate, assets and property or to his status or personal condition. 11 Property rights are convertible to monetary values while personal rights relate to status and cannot be converted into money or made an object of commercial exchange. The latter cannot be taken away by any body. This is why such personal rights relating to 8 reputation and the integrity of the human person are described as inalienable and not transferable. On the other hand, proprietary rights are transferable 3 What is a Wrong? As we can see from the foregoing discussion, a right– moral or legal- has several classifications and it is the heart and soul of justice as a virtue. At the opposite end of that pendulum where the first position is occupied by right is what is known as wrong or injury. Just as we did with right, a wrong could be moral or legal in its texture. A moral wrong is an act that is repugnant and contrary to the accepted morals of a community; it is a natural wrong which need not always be a legal wrong10 On the other hand a legal wrong is any act forbidden by law and therefore not contrary to rules governing the proper administration of justice by the state. 11 A legal wrong may not necessarily be a moral wrong. In Britain, for example, the law prohibits the killing of wild games as meat by citizens. But naturalized Nigerians who are living there in Britain are home to a common African delicacy we call ? bush meat‘ as a delicacy. By consuming bush meat Nigerian – Britons who live have committed no moral wrong but they have violated a law prohibiting its consumption in Britain. A legal wrong: don’t kill nor eat wild games; if you do so, it is legally wrong and punishable. 4 Duty/obligation The complexity found in ethical discourses and subjects is fully consummated in the twin concepts of duty and obligation. But we shall attempt to dissemble the complexity through the simple process of marrying the concepts of duty with obligation and drawing out its meaning in bits followed with illustrations. 9 The word duty also comes variously as devoir, il dovere, pflicht or obligation. Duty has to do with the rightness of human actions regardless of whether it has happiness as its goal. Man is seen as having a duty, to live a life of virtue whether it conduces to his happiness or not. In other words, happiness is not that goal of duty but it is what we must do because we have to do it – either in accordance with personal conscience, public morality or the demands of the law. Duty is seen by many ethical scientists as a necessity in human moral conduct that helps to establish a moral society. For Immanuel Kant, duty is relegated to the higher order of the categorical‘ as against conditional or hypothetical imperative – that which we must do when and whenever we are called upon to do it: The categorical imperative makes it the supreme, absolute moral law of all rational, self-determining beings and in such a way that we (as human beginsare able to act on maxims which can at the same time have for their object themselves as universal laws of nature†¦ it posits the necessity of action at an end in itself and not as a possible action posing as a means to something alse that is alled or might be willed†¦12 Kant insists that if there is something whose existence has in itself an absolute worth, that is, something which is an end in itself, that same thing, pursued for its own sake, must become a source of definite laws and that inversely will be the source of a possible categorical imperative13. Kant gave the concept of duty to a humanity that makes public morality a desirable ethical inevitable good for the state and for its citizens a good worthy of being pursued. According to professor Nyasani: The objective principle is that the categorical imperative is beween the supreme practical law and the source of all laws of the will. In this sense then the practical imperative will require everyone of us to act in such a way as to handlet the rest of humanity in the most charitable manner possible so as to see them as an end in themselves and never as a means to an end. It is every one’s duty as a rational being to treat others in the same way as he would like them to treat him. This is the community that Kant so elaborately preached and practised14. 10 We can glean the core idea of duty from the trend of our discussion – duty is a kind of obligation we owe to ourselves, to others and to the society of which we are a members. But duty is a special kind of obligation: Duty as an obligation entails some kind of necessity†¦ not physical necessity by sheer implied command rolled up in the categorical must. It is a moral necessity imposed upon the human – will that ultimately derives its validity and force from the law of human nature which in term upon the eternal law of the author of creation15 5 Duty as Obligation: Duty comes across as a kind of obligation which is fundamental and basic to ny other responsibility we owe to any one because of its divine and natural correlates. As an obligation it comes either as a natural (moral) or legal category. We have a moral duty to obey our parents and not to steal from our neighbour. A moral duty and a legal duty could coincide in the burden imposed upon the individual citizen. If I steal from my neighbour, for example, I could get legal positive measures as punishment. Also, my neglect of my parents could attract social sanctions. So it is the rules that govern particular duties given recognition by their generators (makers) that will make a particular duty either moral or legal. Lacey gives an etymological conception to duty when he relates duty to ? ught obligation, duty-connected to others;‘ we ought‘ suggests a gap which ought to be filled . Obligations are primarily moral or legal. They are also always traced to some moral agent. 16 As against obligation, duty is primarily connected with roles, whether or not there are voluntarily undertaken. Duties tend to be of longer standing and not as ad-hoc as obligation: one meets one‘s obligations as one incurs them, but does one‘s duty or discharges as one incurs them in the normal course of things17 . 11 A ccording to Lacey they have similarities: ?duties and obligations are therefore special kind of things we always ought to perform them since they may be overridden, whether by other duties etc or even by something non-moral 18. Kant, however, has distinguished perfect duties which were absolute and could never be over ridden by other duties or even by, inclinations. As against object of material duties, we have also subjective or putative duties19 which are ? what we think we ought to do? 20 while material duties are ? what we really ought to do21. Finally, we can say with regard to duty that it is an ontological impulse which compels us (by the power of conscience) to act in a particular way, refrain from doing something which could harm or dismay another citizen from enjoying his or her own rights. The object and subject of duty is justice, doing right to oneself and to all . rofessor Nyasani‘s own conception tallies with my dialectical linkage of duty and conscience: It is a positive moral intuition that links in our subconscious conscience that drives an individual to make a crucial decision vis-a-vis the enhancement, protection and preservation of the self and by extension that of the community w hich happens to be the object of any legal legislation and moral norms22. Duties arise from the relationship of parties – say between father and son, husband and wife, duties also arise from commands given to citizens under a statute say tax return. Duties equally arise from contracts for which non-performance may lead to serious damage to public interest. 12 6 Responsibility: How does one‘s duty translate to one‘s responsibility? If I say that I have an obligation to perform a particular task or carry out an action ,can we say it is the same thing as saying that ? I have a responsibility to perform the same task or carryout the action. These questions throw more light on the law segment of our discourse, seeking to know the relationship between a person‘s moral actions, duty and responsibility . what is the single element that holds the three moral concepts together? The word is accountability23. According to Wallace ? responsibility designates a person‘s moral accountability for his actions. The same general idea is expressed by the related term imputability – as a quality of actions, facts or consequences by which they are attributable to an agent, and responsibility is the quality of the agent to which they are attributed. 24 Responsibility can be applied ethico-legally in the following three ways: 1) Descriptive Employment 2) Prescriptive usage 3) Ascriptive application 1) Descriptive Employment: This is the expression of a cause- effect relationship between an agent and an action or a consequence, without implying anything with regard to the ethical character of the act. 2) Prescriptive Usage: This is an expression of a moral obligation bidding one to do or to avoid doing something. For example, when Peter tells his friend Emeka – Emeka it is your 13 responsibility to take care of your parents in the village? It becomes an objective responsibility which Emeka carries for his parents in the village. 3) Ascriptive Application: The term ascribes blame or credit to an agent who acts with or without due conformity to moral norms of conduct. This portrays a more personal and subjective sense of responsibility different from the prescriptive model above. In all moral situation in which the sense of responsibility is questioned, ascertained, prescribed, ascribed or described, before and after the actions, there is a problem introduced when it is no longer a question of one moral agent but two or more agents committing a particular moral action. The name given to that problem is ? cooperation‘ – how to ascertain the degree of responsibility of the agents in carrying out the action. For example, a dead one can aid another living agent to commit evil, but is no longer living. A situation when an agent shares in the intention and modus of an action is defined as formal cooperation. While in a situation such an agent does not share in the intention and refuses to participate on the modus of the action is known as material cooperation because he may unintentionally do something that will lead to the committing of the evil. Conclusion: In dealing with the concept of right, duty, obligation and responsibility as ethical considerations, we have basically dealt, as briefly as we could, with the levers of morality, which is defined as the quality attributable to human action by reason of its conformity to rules according to which it should be regulated. 25 This means that there 14 is, in every society, a subsisting standard to which every human action can be measured. It also means that man is responsible for his moral actions and the consequences. Hence every citizen has a right which the state and every other citizen owe a duty to protect, cherish and promote as an ethical and legal obligation. The moral principles exposed under this chapter become the ethical foundations for the global experience which we define as human rights – which will be treated under another heading in another project. Notes 1 Aja Egbeke, Philosophy: An Introduction, Eungu, Auto century †¦ Ibid p. 13) 2 publishing co Ltd, 1991, p. 12 3 Nyasani; J. M. Nairobi, consolata institute of philosophy press, 1995, 255 4 Ibid 5 Nyasani, Ibid see also Somerville, Francis, Christ is king: A manual of catholic social Doctrine (catholic social Guild, oxford, 1962) p. 12. 6 Ibid pp 29-31 Salomon, John jurisprudence ed. Brullians, London, sweet and maxawell Ltd, 1957, pp 265-266. 8 Ibid 9 Ibid 15 10 Ibid 11 Ibid p. 33 12 Ibid p. 35. 13 Ibid 14 See also imanuel Kant, â€Å"fundamental principles of the metaphysics of morals† oxford, the Clarendon Pr ess, 1954 pp 85-110 15 Nyasani, cit p 22). 16 Ibid p 23 17 ibid 18 Lacey, A. R. A dictionary of philosophy)London, rout ledge and Paul,1976, pp. 148 – 151 19 Ibid p 150. 20 Ibid 21 Ibid 22 H. N. Castanenda Imperative, duties and moral ought, Australian Journal of philosophy, 1966 pp 50-120. 23 Nyasani, Ibid p 24 24 Wallace, W. the elements of philosophy, New York, Alba, House, 2008, p. 53. 25 Wallace, 162

Origins of Cold War Essay

The Cold War was one of the most important historical events in the world, which had created a great impact that is still felt within the international community. The United States and the Soviet Union became the two most influential and powerful forces during this era. The relationship between the two former allies was anchored on political, ideological and economic interests, which at the end of the Second World War came as threats wherein developed bitterness and rivalry for power over the years (Hoesel, 1992). The Cold War which has been referred to as the period of â€Å"elusive peace† dictated that the United States of America as the world’s leading hegemonic power, with the defeat and disintegration of the Soviet Union at the end of the war. The Cold War indeed has been a conflict involving former allies, United States of America and the Soviet Union due to the difference in political ideologies held by the two superpowers (Nosotro, n.d).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The difference in political ideologies caused the development of animosity and hostility between United States and the Soviet bloc. The United States having been supportive of capitalism clashed with the communist Soviet Union (Nosotro, n.d). Although there had been no direct confrontation between the two world superpowers, indirect confrontations among the United States and Soviet allies were enough to assess the impact of the Cold War. Economic, political and military affairs of the two states and their allies underwent massive policy changes in order to keep abreast with the happenings during the Cold War. The â€Å"arms race† was one of the most important indirect military offensives that took place between United States and Soviet Union, both states trying to produce more sophisticated weapons ahead of the other. This in turn created a great impact on the two states’ economic and social services sectors (Kishlansky, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As such, the political allies of both United States and Soviet Union were also affected as both governments of the two states worked towards spreading influences in less developed countries. The series of decolonization became rampant and emphasized in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Africa and Middle East. And as such, the conflicts brought by the Cold War were instantly shifted and transmitted within these areas (â€Å"The Elusive Peace The Cold War,† 1992). References Hoesel, F.V. (1992). The Soviet Union and the United States. Soviet Archives Exhibit. Retrieved August 23, 2008, from http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/soviet.exhibit/intro2.htmls Kishlansky, M. (2005) Civilization in the West, Volume C (since 1789), 7th edition. Nosotro, R. (n.d). The cold war. Hyperhistory. Retrieved August 23, 2008, from http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/big/w30coldwar.htm The elusive peace the cold war. (1992). History World International. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from http://history-world.org/coldwar.htm

Book Smarts vs Street Smarts Research Paper Example

Book Smarts vs Street Smarts Research Paper Example Book Smarts vs Street Smarts Paper Book Smarts vs Street Smarts Paper Essay Topic: Education In 2006, when five hundred dropouts were interviewed, they gave many reasons for leaving school. Forty-seven percent, almost half of the students interviewed said that they left simply because they found their classes were not interesting. I think that a main problem in today’s school systems is that they are not connecting enough with the students and gaining their interest. Many students’ street smarts greatly surpass their book smarts. I believe that instructors can strengthen students’ book smarts by encouraging them to write, read, think, and learn about personal areas of interest. They can accomplish this by taking students on field trips so they actively experience what their learning in the class room, and use these â€Å"street smarts† to build a stronger foundation of what their trying to teach. So what exactly are street and book smarts? There are many definitions of what people believe correctly define them. I think a good definition of a street smart person is someone who uses their life experiences, and common knowledge to make decisions. On the other hand, Urbandictionary. om defines a book smart person as â€Å"Being able to succeed scholastically, and not necessarily in the real world. † I think what it basically comes down to is what is taught through academics, and what is taught through experience. I feel like a mix of both would be the best combination for a student. Gerald Graff, author of â€Å"Hidden Intellectualism† in the book They Say, I Say explains in his writings that intellect does not only exist in the educated form of thinking. He explains that esides the traditional academic intellectualism there can be some forms of hidden intellectualism that does not come from â€Å"book smarts,† or academics, but come from â€Å"street smarts† such as things learned from fashion, sports, or current culture. He expresses that every â€Å"street smart† student has just as much potential as a â€Å"book smart† student. He believes that knowledge does not just come through the classroom, but through everyday experiences. Graff uses his own experiences as a child to back up his reasoning. When he was younger he was very into sports and sports magazines. He states that he â€Å"Hated books, and only cared for sports† (199). Graff explained that he had a hard time balancing his street and book smarts. He wanted to fit in with the â€Å"hoods† and didn’t want to act like he was smarter around them. â€Å"I grew up torn, then, between the need to prove I was smart and the fear of a beating if I proved it too well; between the need to not jeopardize my respectable future and the need to impress the hoods† (200). Graff’s point here is that he found it hard to find a balance between acting too smart, or playing too dumb. Through engaging with friends in conversation about â€Å"Who in school is the toughest† (201) and sports Graff began to â€Å"learn the rudiments of the intellectual life: how to make an argument, weigh different kinds of evidence, move between particulars and generalizations, summarize the views of others, and enter a conversation about ideas† (201). He began to realize that his â€Å"street† conversations made him more intellectual, not less. Graff explains â€Å" I believe that street smarts beat out book smarts in our culture not because street smarts are nonintellectual, as we generally suppose, but because they satisfy an intellectual thirst more thoroughly than school culture, which seems pale and unreal† (202). Basically, Graff is saying that street smarts let the student really get out and experience what they’re learning, so it feels more real to them. Like Graff, Malcolm X has similar experiences regarding book and street smarts. X grew up as a smart child, however when he was in eight grade he dropped out of school. Years later he began committing petty crimes and began coordinating various narcotic, prostitution and gambling rings. X was sentenced to seven years in prison after being arrested and convicted on burglary charges. It was there in prison that he taught himself how to read and write. X was â€Å"Immensely proud to realize that not only I had written so much at one time, but I’d written words that I never knew were in the world† (22). X moved on to be a successful man and fight for equality in the world. Malcolm X obviously had the street smarts, but like Graff he mixed his new book smarts with his street smarts to be successful in life. Both Malcolm X, and Gerald Graff make very interesting points about street and book smarts. I respect what Graff, and X have to say and agree with them, both book and street smarts are very important. I definitely believe that you must have both street and book smarts to be the most successful in life. I really like when Graff says, â€Å"Every â€Å"street smart† student has just as much potential as a â€Å"book smart† student, and knowledge does not just come through the classroom, but through everyday experiences. So many times people think that if a person appears to have more street smarts than book smarts then they don’t have as much potential or aren’t as smart. They think that because book smarts aren’t taught, they aren’t as useful, or don’t make the student as educated. I believe that just having book smarts can’t get you through real life, and just having street smarts doesn’t give you enough education. I like that Graff can identify that both are pretty equally important, and one isn’t much better than the other, as well as much good without each other. I also really like Malcolm X’s story of someone already possessing street smarts, but striving to acquire book smarts. I think it is amazing that someone could be in such a bad situation, and be able to positively use it for good. X definitely had street smarts, but knew that he wouldn’t get anywhere without any book smarts. He realized the importance of having both, and worked hard to learn and become educated. He realized something that some people don’t always grasp until later; in life you need both street and book smarts. I have been an independent studies student for most of my high school education, and have loved every minute of it. Compared to a â€Å"traditional† high school, I have had so much more academic freedom. My school does really well with encouraging students to not just have book smarts from the classroom, but get outside experience to learn. They can turn pretty much anything you’re interested in into a class, and you get credit for it! I have done community service, 4-H, and have been a teachers aid as an elective. Through these three experiences I have learned how to do things that I could have never learned how to do out of a book. Sometimes you can read about something, or be taught, but you never know what it will actually be like unless you can personally live it out. I consider myself lucky to have had the experiences that I did, and be able to learn from experience. On the other hand, public school systems seem to favor teaching their students to make them more book smart. Very rarely will they choose to take the students out of the safe school world, and out into the real world. They instead keep them inside, and try to make them learn by reading. I think that if instructors worked harder to mix book and street smarts students would be more interested in the subjects taught in school. They could do this by taking students on field trips to get them out into the real world to see what’s going on, and how what their being taught ties into the world. Maybe schools could even offer more â€Å"independent classes† so students would be able to experience what their learning like I have been able to do. This way the students can get out, learn by experience, and learn how to be responsible by being their own teacher. It’s obvious that both street and book smarts are needed to get through life. The sad truth is that more and more people are uneducated. Why is this? A large amount of these people, like X, are dropouts from school. School systems and schools need to balance book and street smarts, so their students will remain interested, and have a desire to learn. They need to make learning seem fun, and actually apply it to the real world to students will be able to succeed by themselves.

Baiji - Facts and Figures

Baiji - Facts and Figures Name: Baiji; also known as Lipotes vexilifer, the Chinese River Dolphin and the Yangtze River Dolphin Habitat: Yangtze River of China Historical Epoch: Late Miocene-Modern (20 million-10 years ago) Size and Weight: Up to eight feet long and 500 pounds Diet: Fish Distinguishing Characteristics: Moderate size; long snout About the Baiji The Baijialso known as the Chinese River Dolphin, the Yangtze River Dolphin and (less frequently) by its species name, Lipotes vexiliferoccupies that unfortunate interval between a dwindling number of sightings and functional extinction. This graceful, moderately sized, freshwater dolphin once occupied a thousand-mile stretch of Chinas Yangtze river, but it hasnt exactly flourished in modern times; as long ago as 300 B.C., early Chinese naturalists counted only a few thousand specimens. If the Baiji was imperiled back then, you can imagine the reasons it has completely disappeared today, with over 10 percent of the worlds population lining the shores (and exploiting the resources) of the Yangtze River. Like a patient dying of a terminal disease, extraordinary efforts were made to resuscitate the Baiji when people realized it was about to go extinct. In the late 1970s, the Chinese government established reserves along the Yangtze River for the Baiji, but most individuals died shortly after being relocated; even today, authorities maintain no less than five Baiji reserves, but there have been no confirmed sightings since 2007. It may yet prove possible to reintroduce the Baiji by breeding captive individuals, a program known as de-extinction, but its more likely that the very last Baiji will die in captivity (as has happened with many other recently extinct animals, such as the Passenger Pigeon and the Quagga).

Summary3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary3 - Essay Example In other words, the fear of losing is triggered by competition with others and the attachment to the value of an item. This is the kind of competition that is there in the society. There will always be competition between countries, groups, and individuals. However, it would be important for businesses and marketers to create a social environment which would encourage natural competitive instincts instead of forcing people to act of fear. The outcome of such an environment would be an increase in the level of the audience engagement, which will enhance the value of the products and services. It is not hard to create such social environment to ensure health competition (Maki). People should be allowed to form sub-groups where they can pursue different levels of interests. Open competitions helps everyone to participate and facilitate inter-user contact. Thus for any business or individual engaging in such kind of businesses where competition is involved, the best solution is to create a social environment that is conduce for the overall objectives of the business. Maki. Fear of Losing: Using Competitive Instincts to Your Advantage. (2008). Retrieved on 15th November 2014 from