Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Al Capone and Probation Essay - 1252 Words

Al Capone is the single greatest symbol of collapse of law and order in the United States during the Prohibition Era. The act of Prohibition brought power to Al Capone, which he used to expand his organized crime activities into a stranglehold over the city of Chicago. Liquor trade became very profitable during Prohibition, and the struggle for control over the bootleg empire erupted into a full-scale war between rival gangs in Chicago. Capone gradually came to symbolize all the criminal evils of prohibition; to many throughout the world, he became the symbol of a lawless nation#. Publicity grew around the actions of Capone, with accounts of his sordid activities published in newspapers along with his image of power, money, and†¦show more content†¦Using his authority, Capone was able to spread corruption throughout the system. He terrorized voters, invaded polling places and seized ballot boxes, he was able to handpick the candidates into city offices and became the undispu ted ruler of Chicago. Capone contributed freely to the campaign funds of his political friends, and he supplied men for election boards and delivered repeat voters. Officials in return, granted Capone almost complete immunity from the law (police force) which provided him with protection not only for liquor rackets, but for the spread of all other criminal activities.# nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Combining the power of his money and his reputation, Capone’s gang moved into high places of government, into legitimate businesses, labour unions, employer’s associations, industrial racketeering, the protection rackets, blackmail and extortion. Ensuring complete protection from the law, Capone also enhanced â€Å"older† forms for crime, such as vice, crooked gambling, robbery, larceny, kidnapping and killing for hire. Capone established control of public services and private corporations, he bought his way into the manipulation of stocks and owned copious amounts of real estate throughout Chicago. # nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Naturally, the demand for liquor drastically increased during Prohibition and Al Capone seized this opportunity. UsingShow MoreRelatedAl Capone Essay1485 Words   |  6 PagesSCARFACE Capone Born in New York City, in 1899, by parents Gabriel and Teresa Capone, Alphonse Capone was blessed with a historical blend of ruthless gangster in his blood. Al Capones parents immigrated to the United States in 1893, from Naples, Italy. Al Capone came from a huge family. He was the fourth oldest of nine children. At birth, Capones parents never would have believed that their son, Alphonse Capone, would grow up to be a murderous thug without remorse. As a child, Al Capone wasRead MoreWas Prohibition Successful in the 1920s?551 Words   |  2 Pagesthe 1920s, when the mafia raised a considerable amount of money by selling alcohol underground. They even became more wealthy and powerful then the local government and took control of city affairs. Probably the most famous, and infamous mafia was Al Capone, who was a Italian descent grew up in New York City, and later started to smuggling illegal alcohols into Chicago city in the 1920s. He also participated in elections and controlled government officials by using patronage. In the late 1920s he hadRead MoreMarijuana: Cause and Effect1064 Words   |  5 Pagesillegal is it causes people to resolve their disputes themselves instead of through law enforcement (Nick). This means that street gangs would have significantly less power than what they have now. A good analogy is how much power prohibition gave to Al Capone and other mob related persons. Americans who want marijuana legal d on’t like giving street thugs power and money. Marijuana legalization makes us all safer, especially the kids. This is because of one simple fact, drug dealers don’t ask to see IDRead MoreCriminal Law : A Profound Impact On All Americans2096 Words   |  9 Pagesfrom 1980 to 2008 has quadrupled from roughly 500,000 to 2.3 million people. Studies show that â€Å"Today, the US is 5% of the world population and has 25% of world prisoners. Combining the number of people in prison and jail with those under parole or probation supervision, 1 in every 31 adults, or 3.2 percent of the population is under some form of correctional control† (â€Å"Criminal Justice Sheet†). According to the FBI’s Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime report there has been a 1.8 percent drop in violentRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Violence1249 Words   |  5 Pagesmarkets. There isn’t a solution to stop gun crime completely because it is impossible. Weapons are necessary for self-defense. Guns manufacture decades ago are still in households across the world. In certain circumstances, thorough tactics for probation meaning greater communication with police officers, and increased surveillance in neighborhoods prone to violence have reduced crime. Community programs formed together with law enforcement also work better. An example of a court case that entailsRead MoreEssay on Plea Bargaining Assignment4461 Words   |  18 Pagesyears.   1931: Al Capone brags about his light sentence for pleading guilty to tax evasion and Prohibition violations. The judge then declares that he isnt bound by the bargain, and Capone does seven and a half years in Alcatraz.   1969: To avoid execution, James Earl Ray pleads guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. and gets 99 years.   1973: Spiro Agnew resigns the vice presidency and pleads no contest to the charge of failing to report income; he gets three years probation and a $10,000Read MoreRace And Crime Of The Criminal Justice System6937 Words   |  28 Pageshalf of the Latinos or Hispanics surveyed said that they have had some type of court interaction. When referring to court interaction this ranges from serving on a jury, attending court on a criminal matter, being arrested, being on parole or probation, serving jail or prison time, or being a sworn witness in court. â€Å"More than two-in-ten (21%) Hispanics say they or an immediate family member served on a jury in the previous five years. Hispanics over age 55 (30%) are more likely to say they orRead MoreThe Devil’s Harvest Essay2832 Words   |  12 PagesAmerican citizens occupy prison space for marijuana offenses. Law enforcement repeatedly wastes valuable time and resources trying to catch and prosecute non-violent marijuana offenders. Over tens of thousands of people are punished with fines, probation, property seizures, civil santions, employment termination, and revoked drivers licenses annually. Despite these criminal and civil sanctions, cannabis continues to be readily available, and widely used (website, â€Å"Marijuana: The Facts†). MarijuanaRead MoreLaw Enforcement in the 21st Century15936 Words   |  64 Pagesboundaries. Most police chiefs are appointed at the discretion of the mayor or city manager and lack contracts protecting them from unjustified termination. As a result, the average tenure of most police chiefs is only three to six years (Swanson et al. 2001). Although for the most part similar in nature to municipal police departments, township police departments can vary greatly with regard to law enforcement powers and authority. Well-developed townships often operate with responsibilities close

Monday, December 16, 2019

My Favourite Writer Free Essays

My Favorite Writer Robert Lynn Asprin, living in New Orleans, was born in 1946. He grew up in campus Ann-Arbor, in environment of book shops, museums and libraries. Since childhood he has got used to appreciate a variety in everything, study at Michigan University and services in army during the Vietnamese war have only strengthened this habit. We will write a custom essay sample on My Favourite Writer or any similar topic only for you Order Now Definitively Asprin’s outlook as a writer was generated 12 years which he has worked in accounts department of small firm – one of the American branches of corporation â€Å"Copier†. Interests and hobbies of the author are extremely various – from fencing and music to fishing and sewing. By own recognition of the writer whom he only was not – the teacher of fencing, the Mongolian commander, the bookkeeper etc. Asprin begins from science fiction novels – more precisely, from science fiction action, sound, but quite traditional, like â€Å"Cold War of Money† (1977), his popularity was brought to him by cycle of novels â€Å"World of thieves†; he is till now the editor-in-chief of this cycle together with his wife Lynn Ebby. Since â€Å"the World of thieves† Asprin becomes that Asprin which is read by millions, – the magnificent master of a comic science fiction and fantasy. After â€Å"The World of thieves† have followed â€Å"Ful’s Company† and well-known â€Å"Mythical Cycle†. In my opinion â€Å"Mythical Cycle† is so good that you can read it in one breath. However if in â€Å"Myth† except humor would be nothing, he wouldn’t receive that popularity what deservedly uses. Asprin’s books are distinguished by that, that you can see our daily life. Asprin’s heroes are real as we and relations between them are not less real, that certainly is a sign of the big literature. They love each other, scoff one at another, support and reject as well as we. How to cite My Favourite Writer, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Explain the principle of the separation of powers free essay sample

Explain the principle of the separation of powers found in the US Constitution. The separation of powers is the main underlying principle of the US Constitution whereby political power is distributed amongst the three branches of government the legislature, the executive and the Judiciary. The branches act both independently and interdependently. The idea was originally of French political thinker Baron de Montesquieu, it was then incorporated by the Founding Fathers into the 1787 codified document. The principle was adopted by the Founding Fathers due to their fear of totalitarianism. Montesquieu argued for separation of powers in his book LEsprit de Lois, where he stated that separation of powers will avoid tyranny When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person there can be no liberty. On the contrary to the US, the UKs powers are fused; the Prime Minister is both the executive and part of the legislature. We will write a custom essay sample on Explain the principle of the separation of powers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the US system there is also a separation of personnel, this means that no person can be a member of more than one branch at the same time. When Senator A1 Gore was elected vice-president in 1992, he had to resign from the Senate. Similarly, in 2008, Barack Obama too had to resign from the Senate. In this sense, the three branches are fully disconnected. The term separation of powers can in fact be deceptive. As the institutions are separate and not the powers. Richard Neustadt, an American political scientist specialising in the United States presidency, cleared up this perplexity in 1960. He wrote The Constitutional Convention of 1787 is supposed to have created a government of separated powers. It did nothing of the sort. Rather, it created a government of separated institutions sharing powers. Therefore, this doctrine is best thought as one of shared powers where the powers are shared through a series of hecks and balances. This separation of power is entrenched in the first three articles of the Constitution, Article l, section one, and states that all legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States. While Article II, section one, certifies that the executive Power shall be vested in a President and lastly Article Ill, section one, confirms that the Judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court. Due to the nature of an entrenched and codified constitution these statements will be very difficult to change and for the eason of the Founding Fathers ideals of limited government, it is almost certain tha t this principle will never be threatened. The principle of separation of powers is important because it is seen as the cornerstone of the American political system. History has shown that unlimited power in the hands of one person or group in many cases means that others are suppressed or their powers curtailed. The separation of powers in a democracy is to thwart abuse of power and to preserve freedom for all. The separation of powers enables the system of checks and balances. The branches re independent yet co-equal and the Founding Fathers believed that each should check the powers of the others.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Police Technology Essays - Video Surveillance, Prevention

Police Technology Taylor R. Harrod Grantham University Author Note Please address all correspondence regarding this essay to [emailprotected] Abstract The use and development of technology is created with the purpose of making our lives easier. This is also true for police officers who are using new technology such as body cameras, Google Glass, and brain fingerprinting. These examples of technology are helping police departments across the country fight crime, solve cases, and keep our communities safe. Technology Police departments are starting to utilize developing technology such as body cameras, Google Glass, and brain fingerprinting in order to be more efficient and to solve crimes. Body cameras protect not only citizens, but also police officers by capturing footage of crime scenes, accidents, and altercations. Some people find that body cameras violate the fourth amendment to practice unlawful searches and seizures, however, they do not because police officers wearing body cameras is public knowledge, therefore any footage the body cameras capture is also public knowledge. This footage can also be used to solve cases, to capture moments that police officers or citizens may not have seen, and also to protect citizens and police officers alike. Body cameras protect police officers by keeping them honest and also to prove their innocence in times where the media distorts their image; they also protect civilians in similar ways. Google Glass is a technology that has been recently released and used by police officers to connect real life moments to the departments record system. Police officers can take real life footage of traffic and parking violations and it will record the time, date, location, and license plate number and send it directly to the departments database. This technology saves officers time and in turn, money. This is another example of police officers using technology to their advantage in order to serve and protect our communities. " Brainwave Science , has developed technology that helps police do just that. Brain fingerprinting uses brain scans to capture how a crime suspect's brain reacts when being questioned by police and determines whether a person being questioned remembers a particular item or situation. Police are then able to potentially identify or eliminate suspects based on these scan results." (University of Cincinnati, 2017). This is relatively new technology that is still in development and testing. Once completely implemented into police departments, this will help solve cases much faster, help determine innocence and help police departments more efficient. Body cameras, Google Glass, and brain fingerprinting are all examples of new developing technology that police departments are implementing in order to be more efficient and effective. These technologies will help police officers continue to serve and protect our communities and better our criminal justice system. References Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice. ( n.d. ). Retrieved December 12, 2017, from https://cjonline.uc.edu/resources/news/five-fascinating-police-technologies-that-really-exist/ Research on Body-Worn Cameras and Law Enforcement. ( n.d. ). Retrieved December 12, 2017, from https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/technology/pages/body-worn-cameras.aspx

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on Satire In Gullivers Travels

SATIRE OF GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Jonathan Swift’s satirical prose, Gulliver’s Travels, is the subject of a wide variety of literary critique and social interpretation. Although many readers, at first glance, take this tale to be simply a fantastic narrative of a common man and his encounters with unusual locations and people through several journeys, further inspection reveals Swift’s true purpose of creativitysatire. Using the contemporary style of the Travel Narrative, Swift is able to insert his own personal criticisms of modern life into the experience of Gulliver. Swift focuses entirely on satirizing humanity in Book IV of Gulliver’s Travels. Gulliver, representing a common man, encounters a wide variety of characters along his travels, each representing a subject Swift wishes to criticize. His satire ranges from relatively simple political criticism in his experiences in Book I and II to a socio-political criticism in Book III, to the social, philosophical criticism of man in Book IV. If Book IV is read literally, with no knowledge of satire, it appears to be another bizarre journey of Gulliver, no more unusual than his other travels. It is obvious, however, that Book IV criticizes the nature of man as a rational being. Of interest to the readers of today is Swift’s choice of creatures inhabiting this land; There is a barbaric, man-like creature dubbed the Yahoo and the civilized, good-natured horse-like creature, the Houyhnhnms. â€Å"Upon the whole, I never beheld in all my Travels so disagreeable an Animal, or one against which I naturally conceived so strong an Antipathy† (IV,193). His opinion of the Yahoos contrasts with his opinion of the Houyhnhnms. The Houyhnhnms think Gulliver is another Yahoo capable of outstanding intellect, but Gulliver is offended that they want to classify him as a Yahoo. â€Å"I expressed my Uneasiness at his giving me so often the Appellation of Y... Free Essays on Satire In Gulliver's Travels Free Essays on Satire In Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift’s standard satirical technique of irony is best exemplified with the use of vivid, nameless descriptions. In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift sets out describing something, neglecting to bestow a name on it, purposefully trying to create a vivid picture in your head. Once his description reaches its apex, and you truly believe you know what he is talking about, he names it something completely different. A perfect illustration of this is seen when the Yahoos are first being introduced in chapter 1. Swift writes, â€Å"Their heads and breasts were covered with a thick hair†¦ they had beards like goats, and a long ridge of hair down their backs, and the foreparts of their legs and feet†¦.† His vivid description continues on, further cementing a picture in your head of a wild, repugnant animal. In a pure ironic fashion, he waits until the middle of chapter 2 to let you know that this detestable animal most resembles a human being. Another depiction of this technique can be found in chapter 12, when he writes about inhabitants of a land being massacred by groups of men looking for their gold and jewels. You are led to believe he is talking about ruthless men, pirates for example, but you soon find out he is describing the divine act of colonialism. Swift’s use of irony is highly affective as a means to a satiric end, because of its shock effect. He takes mankind’s virtues, like the moral excellence we attach to our governmental practices, and turns them into vices. He causes you to stop, examine, and rethink all your old assumptions. For further debunking of man’s vices and follies, Swift turns to the fantastic Yahoos and Houyhnhnms. He use these two characters, each positioned completely on opposite ends of the rational spectrum, as a means for showing the fault of man when he is governed by either pure emotion or pure reason. The Yahoos, although human in form, are savage animals in character; they serve as a depictio... Free Essays on Satire In Gulliver's Travels SATIRE OF GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Jonathan Swift’s satirical prose, Gulliver’s Travels, is the subject of a wide variety of literary critique and social interpretation. Although many readers, at first glance, take this tale to be simply a fantastic narrative of a common man and his encounters with unusual locations and people through several journeys, further inspection reveals Swift’s true purpose of creativitysatire. Using the contemporary style of the Travel Narrative, Swift is able to insert his own personal criticisms of modern life into the experience of Gulliver. Swift focuses entirely on satirizing humanity in Book IV of Gulliver’s Travels. Gulliver, representing a common man, encounters a wide variety of characters along his travels, each representing a subject Swift wishes to criticize. His satire ranges from relatively simple political criticism in his experiences in Book I and II to a socio-political criticism in Book III, to the social, philosophical criticism of man in Book IV. If Book IV is read literally, with no knowledge of satire, it appears to be another bizarre journey of Gulliver, no more unusual than his other travels. It is obvious, however, that Book IV criticizes the nature of man as a rational being. Of interest to the readers of today is Swift’s choice of creatures inhabiting this land; There is a barbaric, man-like creature dubbed the Yahoo and the civilized, good-natured horse-like creature, the Houyhnhnms. â€Å"Upon the whole, I never beheld in all my Travels so disagreeable an Animal, or one against which I naturally conceived so strong an Antipathy† (IV,193). His opinion of the Yahoos contrasts with his opinion of the Houyhnhnms. The Houyhnhnms think Gulliver is another Yahoo capable of outstanding intellect, but Gulliver is offended that they want to classify him as a Yahoo. â€Å"I expressed my Uneasiness at his giving me so often the Appellation of Y...

Friday, November 22, 2019

PSAT Practice Testsâ€Updated for New 2015 PSAT

PSAT Practice Tests- Updated for New 2015 PSAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're looking for PSAT practice materials, you've come to the right place. This guide contains all free PSAT materials, which you can download- including 10 PSAT practice test PDFs. Unfortunately, since the PSAT's 2015 makeover, the College Board hasn't released a ton of practice tests. Luckily, though, you can still use old PSAT practice tests effectively to prepare. Before getting to the practice questions, we'll go over some of the changes made to thePSAT in 2015. If you care about your PSAT score, read carefully so you don't waste your time studying the wrong things! How Did the PSAT Change in 2015? Let's start by going over some of the main changes to the PSAT so you'll be able touse older PSAT practice tests with a critical eye. In 2015 the College Board changed the PSAT in an attempt to make it more relevant and useful to students. It's possible they were also trying to addresscriticisms of inequityand find a way to stay competitive with theincreasingly popular ACT. The content on both the PSAT and SATis meant to be evidence-based and grounded in real-world situations. Rather than testing obscure vocabulary and rarely used concepts, the PSAT now reflects the skills and abilities you'll need to succeed in both college and your career. Below, we'll take a closer look at the content and skills changes on each of the three PSAT sections: Reading Writing and Language Math If you're using old PSAT practice questions, it's important to be aware of these changes so that you can ultimately study the right material! PSAT Reading Changes Here is a brief overview of the major changes to the PSAT Reading section: The current PSAT does not have isolated Sentence Completion questions. Instead, it tests more commonly used vocabulary words within the context of passages. Reading passages often include charts, graphs, and/or pictures.You will be asked about the relationship between a passage and the data being represented. You are expected to practice evidence-based reading. You will have to find a specific line in a passage that demonstrates style, tone, point of view, theme, etc. You will also be asked to identify the one or two lines in a passage that helped you answer a previous question. The following official sample question shows how the PSAT will ask about your understanding of a relatively common vocabulary word in the context of a larger passage (passage not shown): PSAT Writing and Language Changes The PSAT Writing and Language section has changed in two key ways: The PSAT now asks youto edit the grammar of sentences within passages, rather than that of stand-alone sentences. Passages on PSAT Writing often includegraphs, pictures, and/or tables. Here's an example of a PSAT Writing questionthat deals with data (graph not shown): PSAT Math Changes Here are some of the main ways the PSAT Math section has changed: PSAT Math questions now relate far more to real-life situations in areas such as business, science, and the social sciences. Grid-in word problems have multiple parts. The Math section focuses far more on algebra and data analysis than it does on geometry. Here’s a sample PSAT Math question from the College Board: Now that you're aware of these major changes, you can adapt your approach as you prepare with practice materials from the last few years. Read on to see the PSAT practice tests,and learn how to use these tests to get a high PSAT score. Bonus: Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: Official PSAT Practice Tests (2015-Present, Current Version) The College Board has released bothonline sample PSAT questionsandtwo PSAT practice tests with answer keys. You can download both tests as PDFs along with the scoring guides and answer explanations to use after you finish your practice testing: PSAT Practice Test 1 - Score Your Test- Answer Explanations PSAT Practice Test 2 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations In addition, the College Board created an online prep program in partnership with Khan Academy. While this program is geared specifically toward the SAT, it can help you prepare for the PSAT, too, since the two tests are so similar. Although free practice materials for the current version of the PSAT arerather limited, you can still find a large number of practice test PDFs for the old version of the PSAT. Find the tests below, and then read on for some tips on how to make the most of both new and old practice tests. Official PSAT Practice Tests (Pre-2015, Old Version) We’ve compiled eight old official PSAT practice test PDFs for you to practice with. Download them here (note that the answer keys are included in the last few pages of each PDF): PSAT Practice Test PDF 1 PSAT Practice Test PDF 2 PSAT Practice Test PDF 3 PSAT Practice Test PDF 4 PSAT Practice Test PDF 5 PSAT Practice Test PDF 6 PSAT Practice Test PDF 7 PSAT Practice Test PDF 8 You can also find decent-quality PSAT questions from Peterson’s, which offers a half-length PSAT test if you create a free account with them. As you know, these older PSAT materials don't reflect the format or content of the current version of the PSAT. However, most still test the same fundamental skills and knowledge. So how can you use these old PSAT questions to get ready for the PSAT? How toUse PSAT Practice Tests Effectively: 3 Key Tips Regardless of whether you're using current or old PSAT practice tests, it's important you know how to use them effectively.Our three tips below can help youmake the most of PSAT practice tests in your prep. #1: Take the Test in a Realistic Environment Part of getting the most out of PSAT practice tests is making them feel like the real deal. On test day, you'll take the PSAT in a quiet classroom with other test takers; therefore, you'll want to find a similar environment to take your practice tests in, such as a library. If you try to take a practice test at a park or at the same time your family's watching TV, you'll likely find it difficult to focus, thereby lowering your score. This score will not be an accurate snapshot of your strengths since you didn't take the test in a realistic environment. Additionally, it's best to take each test in one sittinginstead of spread up over several days. This way, you'll not only get a realistic testing experience but can also get used to the length of the test bybuilding up your test-taking endurance. #2: Abide by Official Time Limits While it's important to take each PSAT practice test in one sitting, it's also important to take the test in accordance with official PSAT time limits.What do I mean by this? Basically, never give yourself more time on any section, as doing so can dramatically raise your score and give you an inflated sense of how you're actually scoring on the PSAT. To help you out, here are the time limits on each section of the PSAT, along with the approximate time you'll have per question: PSAT Section Total Time # of Questions Time per Question Reading 60 minutes 47 77 seconds Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 48 seconds Math No Calculator 25 minutes 17 88 seconds Math Calculator 45 minutes 31 87 seconds The Reading section offers the most time and also has the most questions. Meanwhile, despite the differences in total time and number of questions in the two Math sections, you'll still have around 87-88 seconds per math question (No Calculator and Calculator). The Writing and Language section has the second-highest number of questions (44) but gives you the least amount of time per question (48 seconds), so be sure to work fairly quickly here. Note that it'll be more difficult to replicate these time frames on old PSAT tests since the sections and questions are so different. (We'll talk more about how to use old tests in the following section.) #3: Review Your Answers Once you finish taking a PSAT practice test, it's time to check your answers and score your test. But don't just look at your score and call it a day- take some time to go through all the mistakes you madeand figure out what your biggest weaknesses are. The best way toreview your mistakes is to record the types of questions you got wrong, as well as the specific mistakes you made, in a "mistakes" journal. For example, if you missed an algebra problem, you'd write "algebra" as the question type and the specific reason you think you got the question wrong, such as "forgot formula." Make sure to use your test's answer guide to help you figure outwhy you might've missed certain questions. After you've gone through your test, look at your mistakes journal to determine whether there are any patterns to your mistakes. For instance, do you typically struggle withevidence-based Reading questions? Math word problems? Writing questions dealing withfragments and run-on sentences? Once you know what your weaknesses are, you can then customize your PSAT prep to focus more on honing the skills that are most challenging for you. How to Make the Most Of Old PSAT Practice Tests Although many official PSAT tests are outdated, they're certainly notuseless. In fact, these old ones test many of the same reading comprehension, grammar, and math problem-solving skills you'll need for the current PSAT. To make the most of these older official practice tests, you just have to shift your focus toward the skills that are still relevant while ignoring questions that no longer matter. Here are our seven tips for doing this effectively: Focus on evidence-based Reading:The current PSAT is all about using evidence and context to find an answer.If a set of passage-based Reading questions asks you about tone, style, or argument, don’t just try to look for the right answer among the options you're given. Instead, find the specific line in the reading passage that provesyour answer is right. Ignore Sentence Completion questions:You'll no longer encounter these questions on the PSAT, so just skip them entirely. Shift gears with vocabulary: Practicedetermining meaning through context, and make sure you understand subtleties of connotation. Focus on structure and organization:The current PSAT tests your understanding of the structure and organization of whole passages rather than that of stand-alone sentences. Therefore, as you’re reading a passage, take notes on its organization and make sure you understand its main and supporting ideas. Pay attention to graphs, tables, and charts:Try to understand the data and information represented in graphs. If there's no accompanying passage, trywriting your own paragraph to describe the information. On the flip side, consider how the data presented in a passage could be represented visually. For practice, useproblems from your math/science classes, as well as data interpretation questionsfrom the ACT Science section. Choose your math problems: Focus onalgebra, data analysis, and word problems,and spend far less time on geometry. Since the current PSAT involves multi-step grid-in problems, be sure to write out all the steps you take to answer a question. Also, remember the age-old adage: show your work. Learn the grammar rules tested:Both the old and current PSAT testsimilar grammar rules. Be sure to learnthese, as you'll need to be able to recognize grammatical errors in context. How Else Can You Prepare for the PSAT? Since the PSAT is so similar to the SAT, materials for the SAT are good practice. The PSAT is also very similar to the ACT, so ACT prep can be helpfulas well. Another tip is to challenge yourself in your classes. Develop advanced reading and writing skills by reading a variety of genres and writing frequently. In your math and science classes, focus on data analysis and work on your ability to interpret or represent data in graphs, charts, tables, etc. All of this preparation will not only help you get a high PSAT score, but will also help youget ready for theSAT. Since both exams are meant to test and sharpen your real-world reasoning skills, this kind of preparation should behelpful forall kinds of problem-solving in your day-to-day life. What's Next? High scorers on the PSAT might qualify for National Merit.Learn what it takes to becomea National Merit SemifinalistandNational Merit Finalist, as well as how towin the scholarship. Are you wondering whether to take the PSAT before your junior year? Check out these guides to consider whether you should take the PSAT as a freshman or sophomore. Are you curious about how the PSAT compares with the SAT? Read this complete guide to the SAT and learn all about the test. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions, 10 official SAT practice tests, and personal feedback on your essays from an expert instructor. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Legalizing marijuana can help economy and people with their illness Research Paper

Legalizing marijuana can help economy and people with their illness like cance ,hiv, multiple sclerosis or chronic pain - Research Paper Example And, since users do not fear prosecution and are not stigmatized, they are more likely to seek treatment, which is an added bonus. Plus, criminalizing marijuana causes many problems - a drain of resources and manpower used to fight the war on the drug; the drain of not realizing tax revenue from the drug; and the loss of revenue that can be used to do research on the medicinal properties of the drug. Because of these problems, coupled with the fact that Portugal shows that our country does not need to fear that legalizing drugs will result in a substantial increase in drug use, legalization is the best idea for marijuana. The body of this paper will describe the problems with prohibition, then show the Portugal example, show the benefits of legalization, then come to a conclusion. The Controlled Substances Act has classified marijuana as a Schedule I substance, which makes it subject to the highest level of governmental control (Duncan, 2009, p. 1703). One of the reasons for this restriction is that marijuana is commonly thought of as a â€Å"gateway drug† – in other words, users of marijuana often get involved with harder drugs (Duncan, 2009, p. 1705). Other reasons are that prohibition allegedly â€Å"reduces marijuana trafficking and use, thereby discouraging crime, improving productivity and increasing health† (Miron, 2003, p. 1). Current drug policy punishes users and distributors alike. The reason why users are punished are because they ostensibly inflict harm on others; inflict harm on himself; that marijuana makes users â€Å"unproductive members of society† and that marijuana use is immoral (Blumenson & Nilsen, 2009, p. 6). According to Duncan (2009), billions of federal budgetary dollars have been committed to combatting marijuana distribution and usage, with this budget growing every year. In 2009, the budget for combatting all drugs was $14.1

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

English - elements of poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English - elements of poetry - Essay Example Sometimes, it works to look at the poem according to structure and note how one word or an entire line is associated to another within stanzas. In particular, I have observed that a poet’s choice of couplet, tercet, quatrain, cinquain, or sestet has something to do with the manner he would wish to convey the connotative essence of the piece. It is fascinating to know that poetry at present goes beyond a standard measure or is not confined to follow a limited structure and form for whether a poem is comprised of a lyrical, narrative, or descriptive features would necessarily depend on the main purpose of the author. Rhyme schemes make a good ingredient if the poet opts to express much delight in sound when writing in free verse which is not restricted by metrics. By personal experience, even if I prefer to go for an unrhymed blank verse, I discover significance in the proper application of sound and imagery for these elements effectively communicate the intensity of emotion or idea which the poet desires for the reader to comprehend besides symbolism. Explicating a poem is a way of providing it a literary analysis on the basis of its theme, figurative elements or devices employed during the writing process which may as well include consideration of the poet’s timeframe, historical setting, and other influences from which to draw further clues regarding the objectives and context by which a poem is written. I have specifically learned that one may not merely explicate a poem at random, stating what is conceived or felt without sufficient basis on the relevant lines of a work. Having read a poem more than once, I have managed to figure that analytical efforts to interpret a poem require profound examination of the techniques as the poet operates between mood and music. Normally, it is convenient to detect the tone at the initial stage for this says much about the subject and

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Time pressure on ambulance drivers Essay Example for Free

Time pressure on ambulance drivers Essay Ambulance drivers are required to make decisions on which route to follow under time constraints because every second is counted to save a life. Timmons, 2007 indicated that â€Å"Decision makers are susceptible to cognitive biases when operating under stress, i. e. , high workload, time pressure, and information ambiguity†, pp4. A cognitive bias is defined by Haselton et al. (2005) as the tendency to search for information and alternatives that prove their preconceptions and to discount information that disproves their preconceptions. Kowalski-Trakofler et al. (2003) carried a study to discuss human judgement and decision making under stress. The authors selected recent literatures and carried out a field work to discuss the affect of stress on emergency responders. They examined coping with stress under time constrains on expert emergency teams. It was concluded from this research that â€Å"stress restricts cue sampling, decreases vigilance, reduces the capacity of working memory, causes premature closure in evaluating alternative options, and results in task shedding†, ( Kowalski-Trakofler et al. 2003, p282). They have mentioned a study that identifies emergency decision makers’ behaviours under stress. This study concluded that these people under stress â€Å"not only have the effects of their own stress response and its resulting consequences, the information they must base their judgments on is often unclear, faulty and incomplete†, p. 283. The over all conclusion of this study was that the stress under time pressure narrows the decision maker focus whether working individually or in groups Impact of traffic congestion on response time: 2. 7 Shortest path algorithm Shortest paths’ calculations are unavoidable in road network analysis applications including emergency medical services such as ambulance navigation systems, (Liang, 2005). The shortest path (or minimum weight path) is defined as calculating the least total distance weight or least time weight paths between two locations (Derekenaris et al. , 2000). The quickness of calculating the shortest route for EMS is essential to reduce the respond time needed to route the ambulance vehicles from the dispatch location to the incident scenes (Liang, 2005). Liang pointed out that the problem arises when finding the shortest routes in big urban cities which contain huge road networks that are associated with massive amount of real world roads information(such as traffic information, name of roads, etc) and associated with the available capabilities of the hardware for example the amount of memory used to run this algorithm. Engineer (2001) considered two systems that controls and calculate the shortest routes in EMS. First, a centralised system which runs by ambulance control centre personnel, while the other system is called decentralised system in which the shortest path is calculated on board of the vehicles and this system is usually have limited memory and storage capabilities. He mentioned that an optimal algorithm to find the shortest path in less time is essential especially for decartelised system Zhan and Noon (1998) distinguished three types of shortest path algorithms which are single pair, single source and all pairs shortest paths algorithms. Single pair calculates the shortest path between two points in a network, while single source algorithm calculates the shortest path from a point to all other points in a network and finally the all pairs algorithm calculates the shortest path between every pair of points. Borri Cera (2005) explained single pair shortest path algorithm by assigning a first point and second one on a road network. It is possible to calculate the shortest distance between these points by minimising the value of distance linked with each point on the network (also known as impedance) taking into consideration that the a distance variable is associated with each point on the network. They also pointed out that the shortest path can be calculated according to different variable rather than distance one, such as â€Å"time or monetary cost†, pp 954. There are many algorithms for solving shortest paths which have been formulated over the years as a result of different research studies in different fields such as geography, computer sciences and transportations (Goldberg Radzik, 1993). However, there are three main used algorithms, which are Dijkstras algorithm, Restricted Search Algorithm and A* Search algorithm. ArcView Network Analyst extension uses a modified Dijkstar’s algorithm that does not only finds the shortest path from one point not another but also it was built to facilitate quick access to the topology of the network data (ESRI help, 1992). In addition, the modification includes a custom memory to manage and deal with very large networks.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Gary Sotos Like Mexicans: Personal Experiences :: essays research papers

Gary Soto's Like Mexicans: Personal Experiences My decision to write in response to Gary Soto's work, â€Å"Like Mexicans† was influenced for the most part because of the similarities between myself and Gary Soto, and our families included. Gary Soto is a Mexican American male, who grew up in the San Joaquin Valley in the industrial part of a town called Fresno. His grandparents came to this Great Valley in search of creating a better life for themselves and their families. I am also a Mexican American male who was born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley in a small town called Porterville. My grandparents migrated with their children, my mother, father, and their brothers and sisters in hopes of creating a better life for themselves as well. At the time economic betterment meant working as a hired slave for minimal income and keeping your mouth shut. After all, you were nothing more than a wetback who came to America to reap her benefits.(This ludicrous ideology is still present today) Gary Soto's grandparents and my grandparents, although they ma y be a generation behind one another, I am sure were exposed to many of the same hardships and or social barriers. It was not uncommon back then as it is not uncommon today for Mexican families with minimal work skills to be forced into the fields to work with their children alongside in hopes of escaping poverty. For the most part such families remained poverty stricken due to unfair and illegal wages and work conditions. However irrelevant this all may sound, facing similar hardships or obstacles will often create a sense of unity among those who are affected by such conditions. In short, I feel that not only do Gary Soto and I share a common ethnic origin, but all that comes with our origin, be it pride, shame, or ideology. "Like Mexicans" is a short story in which Gary Soto is constantly being reminded that he should marry his own kind. His own kind being one of Mexican descent, and of poverty and refraining from others, especially â€Å"Okies† as his grandmother used to always say. Soto ends up marrying a Japanese woman, not a Mexican. But he still has to deal with his internal struggle and acceptance of this choice. One cannot be looked down upon for questioning oneself and the decisions one makes, especially when it comes to marrying after being raised in a household that reinforced the belief , â€Å"Marry Your Own†. My mother and my father never told me that I should marry one of my own.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Fahrenheit 451 Part 1 Responses

Fahrenheit 451 Part 1 Responses 1. The significance of Montag seeing his reflection in Clarisse’s eyes is that it shows that Clarisse is different. She is special. In this dystopia that Ray Bradbury has made, Clarisse is the one unique part of the society, the â€Å"flaw. † 2. In the childhood memory that Clarisse caused Montag to recall, Montag was a child and the power went out in his house. Montag’s mother had lit a candle. He found an â€Å"hour of rediscovery, of such illumination that space lost its vast dimensions and drew comfortably around them,† and both mother and son transformed, hoping that the power doesn’t come back on. . The two mannerisms, of Montag, that Clarisse pointed out were that Montag laughs at the things she says, regardless of if they’re funny or not, and that he doesn't take a few minutes or some amount of time to think before answering her questions. 4. The Mclellans were looked at as peculiar because they would d o things such as leave all the lights open in their house, stay up, and talk with eachother. Clarisse’s uncle would often get jailed for doing something â€Å"wrong† and against the law. 5. Clarisse asks Montag, â€Å"Are you happy? † and this is significant because this question loops in Montag’s head for the rest of the book.This question sparks this so-called â€Å"revolution† in Montag’s head. 6. The extended metaphor that describes Clarisse through Montag’s eyes when he went inside his home was, â€Å"She had a very thin face like the dial of a small clock seen faintly in a dark room in the middle of a night when you waken to see the time and see the clock telling you the hour and the minute and the second, with a white silence and a glowing, all certainty and knowing what it has to tell of the night passing swiftly on toward further darknesses but moving also toward a new sun. † 7.Clarisse  is inquisitive and thoughtful , and, at first, seems to irritate Montag because she challenges his beliefs with her questioning. In a society where reading, driving slowly, and walking outside are outlawed a conversation is rare, Clarisse’s love for nature and curiosity of people is extremely peculiar. She is forced to go to a psychiatrist for behaviors like hiking and thinking independently. Her family, and especially her uncle, is behind all of this. At night, the McClellan house’s lights are on contrasting with the surrounding area’s silence and darkness.Montag accuses Clarisse of thinking too much. In the end, Clarisse opens Montag’s eyes, and recognizes that he is different from everyone else. Before they met, Montag was full of fascination with only of the fire. Montag’s feels fascinated by Clarisse, yet he also feels pressured. Clarisse takes Montag’s â€Å"mask of happiness†, and forces him to confront the deeper reality of the situation. She is like a ref lection of himself. He feels that she is connected to him in some way, as if she had been waiting for him, around the corner.As Montag looks back on his meeting with her, the encounter seems more and more important and significant. 8. The bedroom is shared by Montag and his wife, Mildred. It is cold and the opposite of homey. The significance is that Montag refers to  the room  as â€Å"empty†, and then says that it is not physically empty because Mildred is laying there, but feels empty, characterizing Mildred. 9. Clarisse McClellan is a beautiful and â€Å"crazy† seventeen-year-old who introduces Montag to the world's potential with her innocence and curiosity.She is out-casted from society because of her peculiar habits, which include hiking and asking questions, but she and her family seem happy with themselves and each other. 10. Clarisse says Montag is different from other firemen in that he stops for her and is willing to have a conversation with her. Most f iremen tend to just walk away and let her babble on to herself, but Montag seems interested in the things that Clarisse says. 11. The mechanical hound is a man-made monster. It is a â€Å"hollow† enforcer that kills things that it is programmed to.It either kills or disables its â€Å"target†. Physically, the hound has eight-legs. A needle from its nose stuns, paralyzes, wounds, poisons, and/or kills its victim. 12. Antisocial: unwilling or unable to associate in a normal or friendly way with other people, but, in the case of this novel, antisocial means someone who is odd, peculiar, someone who doesn’t follow the â€Å"rules† of society. This term is used for Clarisse. 13. Clarrise says that people don't talk anymore. If they do talk, it is about something superficial that have no real meaning or anything of that sort behind them. 4. Montag asks if burning books had always been a fireman's role in the society. The other firemen are shocked the question. This question offends their comfortable belief system, and Montag is dismissed as someone who is misinformed, but this is just the beginning of Montag’s â€Å"awakening. † 15. The woman said, â€Å"Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out. † Beatty later explains this to Montag and the others.In 1655 a man named Latimer said this to his fellow Nicholas Ridley before they were burnt alive for heresy. Just like the firemen are ready to burn the books for their beliefs, the woman is ready to burn for her books and beliefs. Montag steals a few books and lays awake all night thinking about the powerful message that the woman had said. 16. Montag feels horrible for the old woman, but, at the same time, he feels jealous of her. She is standing up for what is right, but he hides behind his title. He steals books from her house and hides them to later read.Even though he feels bad fo r this, he is actually rebelling. 17. Their job is not to put out physical fires, as it should be, but to put out the fire of discontent. As long as people remained â€Å"happy,† everything worked out. â€Å"Intellectuals† became very unpredictable and dangerous people. People who read books and thought for themselves molded ideas against the government. Firemen became the â€Å"guardians of people's comfort†. They destroy books before people could read and use them to form ideas. These ideas could threaten equality and happiness of the people in society.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

A study of the psychology of belief with reference to the influence of Freud

For many people, religion has been a pillar of our society for as long as we can trace back. A psychologist however, would argue that religion developed from the day that the people of our society started questioning their existence. As Sigmund Freud, physiologist, doctor, psychologist and the father of psychoanalysis, is generally recognised as one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the twentieth century, we need to consider his analysis of religion when approaching this topic. However as some of Freud's theories were developed over a century ago is it really possible to apply them to our society today, especially as our society is so multicultural and faith still holds a key role within many people's lives? According to Sigmund Freud religion is an â€Å"illusion† we as a society or as individuals, conjure up for ourselves, for a number of key reasons. The first and most essential reason Freud claims we turn to religion is as a way of expressing psychological anguish from our childhood. The second is we turn to religion as a way of overcoming and preventing dangers from the natural world, in hoping to gain control â€Å"the necessity of defending oneself against the crushingly superior force of nature. † The third is that religion is used as a stress relief, stress that has developed from living in a suppressive society that condones the expression of sexual desire. A final key reason Freud developed is that we follow religion to prevent the feeling of helplessness we can get when we no longer have the protection of our parents or guardians: â€Å"And thus a store of ideas is created, born from man's need to make his helplessness tolerable and built up from the memories of the helplessness of his own childhood and the childhood of the human race† I shall address Freud's key idea to begin with: religion is a way of expressing psychological anguish. All of Freud's work is focused around the idea of our unconscious or our subconscious. Freud claimed that as children, any emotional torment we may suffer, instead of dealing with it directly at the time, we suppress it in our unconscious mind, only to channel it into another outlet later in life as an obsession or repulsion of any particular aspect of life. This is referred to as sublimation. One of the ways in which a person may choose to â€Å"channel† their negative experiences is through religion. This link was brought to Freud's attention as he began to notice similarities in his patients' obsessions in relation to the source of their compulsive behaviour as to that of a religious person and their faith. Both have a symbolic meaning to the follower and have a set ritual – failure to complete this ritual (however regular it may be) leads to guilty feelings of regret. Seeing this comparison Freud came to the conclusion that religion is another form of neurotic illness that stems from our unconscious. Freud then began to address the matter of what suppressed feelings from childhood actually were. It is through this thinking he developed the concept of the â€Å"Oedipus Complex â€Å". This suggests that as children, young boys hold loving feelings of a sexual nature for their mothers. Through this they develop feelings of envy and hatred for their fathers. Due to the society we live in the Oedipus complex has to be suppressed as it is not acceptable behaviour but the sexual urges, Freud claims, are still there. It is these urges that are pushed to our unconscious that later come out in obsession or infatuation with something – obviously in this case – religion. â€Å"Thus religion would be a universal obsessive neurosis of humankind. Just like the obsessive neurosis in children it springs from the Oedipus complex, the relationship with the Father† As mentioned before Freud made a direct link between psychological anguish and guilt and religion and guilt. Freud put forward a process that humans use to channel their guilt, particularly that of a sexual nature from the Oedipus/Electra complex. In an attempt to rid themselves of these feelings of guilt the person develops idols or Gods. By doing this they feel they can repent for their guilt by worship or sacrifice to these idols. Initially the idol may be a representation of the child's Father yet later on, in the same way the Father is rejected through Oedipus, the God is changed to an animal of a primal sort. The animal becomes sacred and inflicting harm upon the animal becomes a sin. Sacrifices are made to and worship becomes a ritual. This first stage of sublimation Freud labelled as animism. The second stage is, however, called religion. During this stage, the animal develops the status of a God and once again takes the form of the father figure thus completing the cycle from Oedipus to religion. As Freud said â€Å"I put forward a suggestion that mankind as a whole may have acquired its sense of guilt of its history, in connection with the Oedipus complex† Closely linked to this is the theory that religion is used as a â€Å"stress† relief, stress that is placed on us by the society we live in. The stress that is caused by the suppression of our natural urges as children. This stress forces us to channel our libido into other areas of thinking and working, areas in life that are more socially acceptable. As I explained previously it is common for this area to be religion and worship. Freud's second theory for religion is that we use religion as a way of protecting ourselves or overcoming fears from the natural world. The problem of evil and suffering and religion has long being a conflict for many philosophers and psychologists. It is through this conflict that â€Å"St. Augustine's Theodicy† was developed. St. Augustine based his arguments on the Bible and his theodicy suggests that God is perfect and created the world perfectly. Created things are susceptible to change and evil comes from angels and human beings that chose to turn away from God. Augustine concluded that God cannot be blamed for creating evil since evil is not a substance rather than a deprivation (a lack of good) and it is not logical to say God created that deprivation. Despite this theory and many others that have been presented to us since the problem of evil and suffering is what gives science a higher appeal than religion to many people living today but it is also, according to Freud why we invent religion in the first place. Religion offers us a â€Å"reward† for any suffering we may have inflicted upon us during our lifetime and adds meaning to life and its purpose. Otherwise we would be suffering unnecessarily and there would be no point to continue with life. Also through prayer and worship we feel we can control naturally occurring events that can cause us suffering such as death, illness, natural disasters etc. We do this in an attempt to abolish our fears of things we cannot control or change and hope to have some power over them through religion. Freud's next point is not dissimilar to the ideas of Karl Marx. Marxists would claim that religion is encouraged by the state to enforce order in society. Freud suggested a purpose for religion is that it is developed to give us a reason to obey authority. Regardless whether it is state authority or religious authority according to Freud people develop an attitude that â€Å"Everything in our world is an expression of the intentions of intelligence superior to us, which in the end, though its ways and byways are difficult to follow, orders everything for the best. We feel that if we disobey we shall not be rewarded, or worse punished for our crime or sin and we, by consequence, do not disobey. Freud came to the conclusion that religion must be overthrown for society to develop and progress. A final key reason Freud presents for humans fabricating religion is to prevent the feeling of helplessness we can get when we no longer have the protection of our parents or our guardians. This is simply that we develop â€Å"Gods† in order to protect ourselves, so we have someone to care for us and someone to look up to in the same way that we as children looked up to our parents. When Freud's theories were first published they were considered deeply controversial, interestingly though people took interest in what he said and took his psychoanalytical theory very seriously because at the time science was starting to make it's breakthrough and Freud's explanations were fresh and appealing to many. However whether theories that were developed over a century ago can still be relevant today is a different consideration. For Freud's work to still be relevant today, when science has developed further than psychology, which in comparison is considered the â€Å"soft science,† there would have to be some evidence to support the basics of Freud's theory. Freud based his â€Å"Oedipus Complex† on the ideas of Darwinism, a stage of life in prehistoric men when the family unit was the â€Å"primal horde†. It consisted of a mother a father and offspring. As the dominant male the father would scare off any male threat to the female. This continued until all the male offspring joined together and turned on the father and eventually killed him. The idea of religion stemming from guilt is not such a controversial one, particularly linking to sexual guilt and religion. Religious figures have often condemned sexual activity for the use of anything other than reproduction. Figures such as St. Augustine (who was greatly influenced by Plato) viewed sex and sexual desire as â€Å"having been implanted by the Devil at the time of the fall† as Peter Vardy explains Augustine claimed that it was best to avoid all sexual activity even within wedlock. If the situation should occur when sex was needed for reproduction then the man â€Å"should descend to his task with a certain regret. † Peter Vardy also outlines the common Catholic teaching which even today, in what we like to consider a sexually liberated society is still very traditional in it's approach, namely: – – Masturbation is sinful since this means using genitalia for a purpose for which they are not intended – Sex can never have pleasure or the expression of love as its main object since, again, this means using genitalia for a purpose for which they were not intended Homosexuality, if it is practised, is deeply sinful as this means using genitalia for a purpose for which they were not intended since procreation cannot result and it is â€Å"against nature† So considering people are still raised to believe sex for any other reason other than reproduction is sinful, it is easy to see why sexual feelings may lead to feelings of guilt. Particularly as sexual feelings are present throughout all stages of childhood that Freud identifies in the following ways: from birth to the age of eighteen months the child goes through what Freud named the â€Å"Oral Stage. This is to say all gratification of learning is gained through the mouth (feeding, chewing, sucking fingers etc. ) From eighteen months to three years the child progresses into the â€Å"Anal Stage† this normally happens when the child goes through potty training and often as a result develops fascination in anus and faeces. The period of time between three and six years of age was coined as the â€Å"Phallic Stage† and it's during this stage that the child develops features of the Oedipus complex (if male) or the Electra complex (if female). After the initial rush of feelings from the phallic stage have passed the child falls into the â€Å"Latent Stage† during which Freud claims there is no sexual development but this could be due to a suppression of the sexual feelings from the â€Å"Phallic stage. † The final stage of childhood according to Freud is the â€Å"Genital Stage† and depending on how the child's feelings from their younger years were dealt with, this is the time when sexual desire develops and is explored deeper. So if a child is raised to deny themselves the sexual feelings their body releases then they may begin to feel sinful or guilty for having these feelings in the first place. Therefore for Freud to find a link between sex, guilt and religion is not entirely controversial. This all acts as evidence towards Freud's theories and the relevance they hold in our society today. However, that said, there is plenty of reason why Freud's theories are not at all relevant to us in such a developed society. Freud has been criticised for focusing on the link between a father figure and a â€Å"God† in religions such as Judaism and, of course, Christianity. He fails to address eastern cultures and religions, which are based on worship of female idols or Goddesses,† such as the Egyptian Isis cult and Buddhism who have no one single object of worship. One of Freud's major critics, Bronislaw Malinowski, who went on to write a book called â€Å"Sex and Repression† disputed Freud's theory that religion develops from sexual guilt caused from the Oedipus complex. He points out for Oedipus to be a complex it needs to be universal. You cannot apply a complex such as Oedipus to matriarchal tribes in which the male is not dominant and takes the role of a nurse. Malinowski also brings to our attention the lack of evidence for â€Å"Oedipus† within the animal kingdom, as Darwinism only applies to early mankind. Also there is less evidence of â€Å"Oedipus† leading to religion in our society today as it is becoming increasingly secular and fewer people are turning to religion. This could suggest that the Oedipus complex does not occur, or if it does it does not have a link to religion. It is more likely, however, that all children still do go through the Oedipus complex but as our society is more sexually liberated people are allowed to express sexual desire in other ways rather than it becoming sublimated and channelled into religion. Another key criticism of the â€Å"Oedipus Complex† is the suggestion that religion is a cause of the complex rather than a result of it. If it was not for religion then, it is possible, these sexual urges would not have been suppressed at an early stage and a complex would not begin to develop. It could be just a possible that a child was made to feel guilty about the loving feelings towards his Mother and as a consequence developed a complex (Oedipus. ) Rather than the â€Å"Oedipus Complex† leading to religion. Another more general criticism is that even if religion is a cause or result of guilt, or fear it still works as a â€Å"Buffer† between the soul and reality. It is essential to society, as, music, art or literature as it is an expression of self and belief. Therefore it is not sound to suggest, as Freud did that religion must be overthrown. † Donald Winnicott essentially presented this criticism of Freud's work but is the popular feeling of many today. Psychology self – help book â€Å"Love is the Answer† presents the argument that some none – religious responses to misfortune of frustration e. g. Cynicism has actually been shown to be bad for physical health. So a â€Å"religious† view (of forgiving and repenting) might actually be health giving to us, and to dismiss it from our society would be to dismiss this positive outlook on life. So Freud's theory may have been apt for his society, a society built on religious structure, and some of his points may appear to justify the behaviour of people today. But I feel that in the twenty-first century when we are all encouraged to express our beliefs, ideas, sexuality and â€Å"bare our souls†, a theory based on suppression (even if it is unconscious) seems radical. I think religion itself has become more liberal and has resulted in many â€Å"branches† of Christianity all with a different strand of tradition. Some â€Å"branches† base their morals on the word of the Bible where as others feel that we have to â€Å"update† the word of God and adapt it to how we live today. To apply a theory from a century ago is to digress, in the same way technology has evolved, and our knowledge of our universe and surroundings have developed, we have to advance spiritually. We have to question what we already know, even if this means abandoning Freud's theories and all its implications.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Audrey Hepburn 7 Essays

Audrey Hepburn 7 Essays Audrey Hepburn 7 Essay Audrey Hepburn 7 Essay Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She really was blue-blood from the beginning with her father, a wealthy English banker, and her mother, a Dutch baroness. After her parents divorced, Audrey went to London with her mother where she went to a private girls school. Later, when her mother moved back to the Netherlands, she attended private schools as well. While vacationing with her mother in Arnhem, Holland, Hitlers army took over the town. It was here that she fell on hard times during the Nazi occupation. Audrey suffered from depression and malnutrition. After the liberation, Audrey went to a ballet school in London on a scholarship and later began a modeling career. As a model, she was graceful and, it seemed, she had found her niche in life until the film producers came calling. After being spotted modeling by a producer, she was signed to a bit part in the European film Nederlands in 7 lessen (1948) in 1948. Later, she had a speaking role in the 1951 film, Young Wives Tale (1951) as Eve Lester. The part still wasnt much, so she headed to America to try her luck there. Audrey gained immediate prominence in the US with her role in Roman Holiday (1953) in 1953. This film turned out to be a smashing success as she won an Oscar as Best Actress. This gained her enormous popularity and more plum roles. One of the reasons for her popularity was the fact that she was so elf-like and had class, unlike the sex-goddesses of the time. Roman Holiday (1953) was followed by another similarly wonderful performance in the 1957 classic Funny Face (1957). Sabrina (1954), in 1954, for which she received another Academy nomination, and Love in the Afternoon (1957), in 1957, also garnered rave reviews. In 1959, she received yet another nomination for her role in The Nuns Story (1959). Audrey reached the pinnacle of her career when she played Holly Golightly in the delightful film Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961) in 1961. For this she received another nomination. She scored commercial success again in the espionage caper Charade (1963). One of Audreys most radiant roles was in the fine production of My Fair Lady (1964) in 1964. Her co-star, Rex Harrison, once was asked to identify his favorite leading lady. Without hesitation, he replied, Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. After a couple of other movies, most notably Two for the Road (1967), she hit pay dirt and another nomination in 1967s Wait Until Dark (1967). By the end of the sixties, after her divorce from actor Mel Ferrer, Audrey decided to retire while she was on top. Later she married Dr. Andrea Dotti. From time to time, she would appear on the silver screen. One film of note was Robin and Marian (1976), with Sean Connery in 1976. In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador to the United Nations UNICEF fund helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she retained until 1993. She was named to Peoples magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. Her last film was Always (1989) in 1989. Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993 in Tolochnaz, Switzerland, from colon cancer. She had made a total of 31 high quality movies. Her elegance and style will always be remembered in film history as evidenced by her being named in Empire magazines The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Bronte Jane Eyre

The situation when Jane in locked in the Red Room occurs because she has retaliated against John Reed hitting her and the fact that she is being punished for doing so. The mere fact that she is being locked in the Red Room can already accumulate sympathy within the reader because she is seemingly being very unfairly punished whereas her cousin John has attacked her already and managed to escape any punishment whatsoever. However in the events leading up to being locked in the room, the reader could not feel sympathy for Jane Eyre as she did in a way bring the punishment upon herself for attacking Mr. Reed in the first place. If she has not retaliated she would have not been locked in the room. Most readers however probably do feel sympathy for her as she was acting more in self-defence. She was also unfairly spoken too as they were dragging her to the room itself as they say things like ‘she's like a mad cat' and do not seem to be letting her give an explanation at all for her ac tions, and only listening to what John had too say. They make sure that she knows her place by telling her that ‘You are under obligation to Mrs. Reed' and that she is ‘less than a servant'. These are not kind words and the reader will probably feel sympathetic as she is being treated as a worthless object. The room that she is sent too is a dark and unpleasant place with memories of the dead Mr. Reed. For a child of Jane's young age it would seemingly be very distressing for her, and with the added experience of her seemingly seeing a ‘ghost' of some kind, it would be a terrible experience. Even if the reader has not felt sympathy for Jane before this incident they would surely feel so now, as she is in a distressing situation alone. When Jane first screams out for help from someone it does seem as though people are coming too help her as Bessie and Abbot come to open the door and ask her what is wrong and what has made her cry for help.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Eastern European democratisation has greatly increased the number of Essay

Eastern European democratisation has greatly increased the number of presidential regimes in Europe. Explain and comment - Essay Example he masses with the environmental factors that have significant impact and which are capable of influencing any future recourse to the formation of a new political equation. Indeed, increasing democratization of Eastern and central European states into presidential regimes is an exemplary example of the dynamics of evolving society and the reorganization of political blueprint that have laid the foundation of democratization. The historical background of the political instability of Balkan region, in the last hundred years, aided and abetted the cause and consequences of the recent wars. Before the World War I, greater part of Balkan region was ruled by large empires. Serbia and Bosnia was under the rule of Ottoman Turks and greater part of Croatia was dominated Austria-Hungary jointly. Serbia became the first Slavic region to revolt against the bad administration and looked at Russia for military support. Though the Turks suppressed the uprising, they realized that further discontent among the Serbs may influence Russia to give support so in 1829, they gave more autonomy to them. The autonomous status provided to Serbia, made it more politically ambitious and it had its eyes on Croatia and Bosnia so that it could gain access to sea route and thereby become economically independent. WWI was all about power and territorial gain and had involved almost all the political powers including Bulgaria, Greece etc. By the end of WWI, ‘Kingdom of Serbs, Croat and Slovenes’ was created which included Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The Balkan region was greatly influenced by the communist Russians whose economic dependency played vital role in their political alignment. During and after WWII, under the influence of USSR, Balkan region consolidated into strong communist states to counter the Allied forces led by America, Britain and France. The disintegration of USSR and emergence of Boris Yeltsin as the popular leader