Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Knowin When to Hold em

Knowin When to Hold em Now I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know a thing about poker. If Kenny Rogers hadn’t sung â€Å"The Gambler†, I wouldn’t even know about holdin’ and foldin’. But one thing I do know, there’s a time to submit my works and there’s a time to â€Å"hold† ‘em. And I know that because I came close to lettin’ go at the wrong time. Twenty and excited about entering a radio station’s poetry contest, I rushed through the rules, eager to start writing. All night I lost myself in the narrator, an elderly lady on her porch reliving memories. I chuckled watching the children grow from playing to courting on the porch, I cried seeing the now-empty porch, and rejoiced picturing future reunions on the porch. The next morning, ready to mail my entry, I read the rules again and froze. I’d overlooked â€Å"Whether or not your poem wins, it will become the property of the radio station.† Whoa! With little chance of winning, I could never submit my poem anywhere else or use it myself? Disappointed, I slipped it in a drawer where it stayed for 15 years until I resigned as college professor to enter full time the field of writing and speaking. For my first tour, I retyped the poem on a more modern typewriter and had 100 copies made on plain white paper.  The first evening, in costume as story teller, I quoted a bit of the poem and following as myself, mentioned it would be available afterward. I’d laid out 25 copies with a sign, â€Å"Poems: Donation of any size† and while greeting folks heard a yell, â€Å"Go get more poems!† Already all 25 had sold! I hurriedly brought in 25 more only to hear in another few minutes, â€Å"Go get the rest of the poems!† Except for two to use for copying along the way, all had sold. It was the same each place on the two-week tour. Back home I chose a ream of quality buff-colored faux parchment paper and learned if I’d wait a few days until the store used dark brown ink, the printing could be done commercially for less money. From then on, whether driving or being flown I’ve taken the poems, although Folks want to take something home from an event but not everyone can buy our books or DVD’s. Smaller printed or craft items make buying possible for those who can’t and lagniappe for those who can. (Lagniappe [lan’ yap], an oft-used term here in Southeastern Louisiana meaning â€Å"a little something extra†.) If I’d entered that early contest and won, I’d have received eight copies of a cheap magazine with few readers. BUT, Glad I decided â€Å"No† to â€Å"sold† and â€Å"Yes† to â€Å"hold†!

Friday, November 22, 2019

Explanation of Newspaper Headlines for English Learners

Explanation of Newspaper Headlines for English Learners Many students have difficulty understanding newspaper headlines. This is because newspaper headlines are often incomplete sentences (i.e. Difficult Times Ahead). Here is a guide to the most common exceptions found in newspaper headlines. Noun Phrases Headlines often contain a noun phrase with no verb. A noun phrase describes a noun (i.e. around strange, exotic people). Here are some examples of noun phrase headlines: Under Pressure from BossUnexpected VisitOverwhelming Response of Voters Its useful to ask yourself questions such as: From what? About what? From whom? To whom? etc. when reading these type of headlines. By asking yourself these questions, you can begin preparing yourself for the article. This practice helps the brain prepare itself by starting to think about vocabulary related to the subject. Heres an example: Unexpected VisitThe questions I can ask myself are: From whom? Why was the visit unexpected? Who was visited? etc. these questions will help focus my mind on vocabulary related to relationships, traveling, surprises, important reasons for visits, etc. Noun Strings Another common headline form is a string of three, four or more nouns together (i.e. Country Leader Question Time). These can be difficult because the words dont appear related by verbs or adjectives. Here are some more examples: Widow Pension Pay CommitteeLandscaping Company Disturbance RegulationsMustang Referral Customer Complaint In the case of noun strings, its helpful to try to connect the ideas by reading backward. For example: Mustang Referral Customer ComplaintBy reading backward, I can guess that: There is a complaint made by a customer about a referral program for Mustang cars. Of course, you need to use your imagination for this! Various Verb Changes There are a number of verb changes made to headlines. The most common are: Simple tenses used instead of continuous or perfect forms. For example:Â  Forgotten Brother Appears A forgotten brother has appeared (after a long period of time).Professors Protest Pay Cuts Professors are protesting pay cuts (at the university). The infinitive form refers to the future. For example:Â  Mayor to Open Shopping Mall The mayor is going to open a new shopping mall.James Wood to Visit Portland (Famous actor) James Wood is going to visit Portland soon. Auxiliary verbs are dropped in the passive form. For example:Â  Man Killed in Accident A Man has been killed in an accident.Tommy the Dog Named Hero Tommy the Dog has been named a hero (by the mayor). Drop Articles Perhaps you have noticed in the examples above that both definite and indefinite articles are also dropped in newspaper headlines (i.e. Mayor to Choose Candidate). Here are some more examples: President Declares Celebration The president has declared a celebration.Passerby Sees Woman Jump A passerby has seen a woman jump (into the river).

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The U.S. Economy of Euro Falls Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The U.S. Economy of Euro Falls - Research Paper Example The conclusion Teulon (2011) garnered was also accordance with that of Calomiris (1999): that the probability of the fall of euro is high. For Teulon (2011), the question is no longer whether the euro will survive, but rather on how long the euro will last. With the threat of the impending fall of the euro, one of the important questions that this leads to is its effect to the dollar. In the event the euro will fall, will this affect the economy of United States? This inquiry aims to give some answer to this question. International trade in this globalized world is highly efficient. It is through engaging in the global commerce that a local economy is affected by the economic performance of its trading partners. The exchange rate of the local to the international currency is important since this determines the prices of goods and services from abroad in terms of the local currency. Hence the exchange rate of euro to the dollar plays a significant role in the trade that occurs between them. The countries included in the European Monetary Union are also the trading partners of the United States. The members of the E.M.U. are the following: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. Table A (found in the Appendix) shows the trade in goods of the United States with each country of the E.M.U in 2011. The country imports more goods from the euro area by 87,860 millions of dollars than it exports there. This data might show that somehow, the U.S. depends a little on the products of the euro area for its consumption. As a source of income however, the country doesn’t depend there too much since it buys more from them than what it was able to sell to them. Nevertheless, this data only shows the trade of the U.S. with the euro area. Let us consider another set of data so a more meaningful analysis can be done. Table 1. U.S. Gross Domestic Product for 2011* Com ponent of G.D.P. $ Billions % of G.D.P. Consumption 10,726.4 0.71 Investment 1,914.6 0.13 Net Exports -576.9 -0.04 Government Expenditures 3,030.2 0.20 G.D.P. 15,094.4 100 Table 2. The Net Exports of the United States for 2011* $ Billions % of G.D.P. Exports 2,087.5 0.13 Goods 1,474.4 0.09 Services 613.2 0.04 Imports 2,664.4 0.18 Goods 2,238.0 0.14 Services 426.4 0.03 Net Exports -576.9 -0.04 *Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2012. Gross Domestic Product and Related Measures: Level and Change From Preceding Period. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: FOURTH QUARTER AND ANNUAL 2011 (SECOND ESTIMATE). Retrieved from http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/2012/pdf/gdp4q11_2nd.pdf Table 1 shows important information about the economy of the United States. First, the country is not dependent on international trade for its income or output. The net export is -.04 percent of G.P.D. The country spends more rather than gaining more from it. Since the data used for the trade between the U.S. an d E.M.U. countries has been on the net exports on goods only. From Table 2 we can infer that the net export on goods is equal to -763.6. The U.S. does not earn more dollars in trading with the E.M.U. countries. Instead, it is the euro area that gains more from its trade with U.S. amounting 87,860 millions of dollars in 2011. From these data we can see that in the event that euro falls, the economy of th

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Child Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Child Obesity - Essay Example It is clear that, children not only consume a lot of snacks but also fail to do the necessary exercise. They probably spend their free time watching television, hence become vulnerable to obesity (Berger & Luckmann, 2006). There other cultural and social factors that contributes to the child obesity; some societies believe that children are not safe while playing or walking to school. They tend to compromise their children from exercising, hence contribute to obesity (Brian, 2006). Child obesity has some serious consequences to the life of the affected child as well as the society at large. It can lead to health complication due to excessive weight and postural imbalance. It also affects the psycho-social functioning and the well-being of the affected children, especially in school or social places (Cole, 2001). In other words, the social life of the child will be affected in one way or another. Weight management in children can be a good control of childhood obesity. This can be done by providing appropriate meals and enough physical exercise for the children. ephysical exercise will enhance more expenditure of calories than consumption (Dewey, 2001). In addition to that, the best known strategies should be implemented in order to overcome the problem of obesity in children.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Kings Ghost In Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Kings Ghost In Hamlet Essay During Shakespeares lifetime people were, in general, more religiously devout and more likely to believe in spirits and ghosts. Spirits could be messengers from heaven or evil in nature. This is one reason Hamlet so readily believed his friends when they told him they had seen his fathers ghost; he was also more likely to believe their story because his friend Horatio told it, and he is an intellectual. However, when Hamlet is all too willing to follow his fathers ghost, his friends, Marcellus and Horatio, are very reluctant to follow. Marcellus is reluctant to follow because he is afraid of the ghost. Most people are afraid of the unknown; this would include soldiers, who are used to fighting until the enemy is killed. Marcellus is dealing with a ghost, which he cannot defeat it with his partisan (though he hopelessly offers it), and this scares him. Marcellus is a soldier who is guarding Elsinore, and the ghost is wearing the armor that he wore to defend his land against Fortinbras, the old king of Norway. Another soldier, Bernardo, says, This portentous figure comes armed through our watch like the king that was and is the question of these wars. (Act I, p. 8) When Horatio speaks to the ghost he says, If thou art privy to thy countrys fate, Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, O, speak! (Act I, p. 9) Marcellus and Bernardo believe it is an ominous sign and that perhaps the ghost has come with a warning about an imminent invasion; one that they would have to defend the castle against. Hamlet also thinks something must be wrong if his fathers ghost is in armor. Marcellus is also afraid of the ghost because it leaves just as the cock crows to signal sunrise. He knows that spirits, including evil ones, cannot bewitch during the day time and he is unsure yet weather the ghosts intentions are good or evil, so he does not want anyone to follow it. Marcellus goes so far as to restrain Hamlet when he tries to follow his fathers ghost. Horatio is also reluctant to follow the ghost because he is unsure of its intentions. He is especially weary because he tried twice to speak with the ghost and it would not answer him, it apparently only wants to speak with Hamlet alone. He warns Hamlet that the ghost might convince him to act  without reason and drive him mad. He tells Hamlet not to follow the ghost because it could lead him off a cliff into the ocean. Despite his friends warnings, Hamlet decides to follow his fathers ghost and receive its message. Though Marcellus and Horatio were reluctant, they eventually follow, catching up to Hamlet after he has spoken with the ghost.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Philosophical Anthropology, Human Nature and the Digital Culture :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Philosophical Anthropology, Human Nature and the Digital Culture ABSTRACT: Within contemporary Western philosophy, the issues of human nature and our place in the cosmos have largely been ignored. In the resulting vacuum, the various subcultures that have grown up around the digital computer (the so-called "digital culture") have been actively defining and shaping popular conceptions of what it means to be human and the place of humanity in the digital era. Here one finds an implicit view of human nature that includes recurrent themes such as: an emphasis on mind as information independent of the physical body, the obsolescence of the human body, the elimination of human particularity, the malleability of human nature, and the logic and orderliness of the computer as a metaphor for the cosmos. This view of human nature shares important characteristics with Cartesian and Christian views of human nature long rejected by philosophers. A renewal of the philosophical anthropology movement — devoted to the issues of human nature and humanity's pl ace in the cosmos — permits us to see the inadequacy of the conception of human nature implicit in the digital culture. What am I that I am a human being? What is my place in the nature of things? At the close of the twentieth century, facing the dawn of a new millennium, the goal of paidea or philosophy educating humanity might best be achieved by philosophy recovering and reaffirming its interest in these two anthropological questions. In this essay I defend this claim through an analysis of the view of human nature implicit in the digital culture. For the past several decades, while philosophers have largely ignored anthropological issues, the sub-cultures swirling around computers and other digital technologies have been busy shaping and defining the way in which human nature will be conceived in the next millennium. More often than not, however, these views of human nature are produced in a philosophical and critical vacuum with little thought given to what we as human beings are and what we might become. Philosophers must address this vacuum by renewing their responsibility to speak to these iss ues, once again taking up the work of articulating a philosophical anthropology and providing the guidance on these issues that they once did. Reflection on our nature as human beings and our place in the cosmos has a long tradition in philosophy throughout the world and has surely been a central concern in the history of Western philosophy.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

AMS Final Study Guide

Dances danced to Bebop included the lindy hop and the apple Jack emerged-both also seen as resistive – double v double time (time refers to the speed in bebop) -A type of music that focused on asymmetry and dissonance, made so white artists loudest play it (involved technical mastering), lots of improve that moved away from sheet music. Very similar to Jim Hendrix taking an American style (Jazz) and transforming It to fit a new culture with the wave of Immigrants. Often played In clubs where coot suitors loitered, acted as a form of musical protest and resistance against the white mainstream Jazz.Birth of a new kind of Jazz, one that symbolizes youth and change within American society. Shifted focus from white/swing black/ bebop Bracers Program â€Å"An emergency farm labor plan that was extremely successful at meeting its goal of supplying cheap labor. -After WI there were several â€Å"bracer's† (manual laborers) that stopped working as farm laborers on their own sid e of the border and came to El Paso center to be recruited for agricultural labor. Bracers translates too â€Å"manual laborer who works with arms† The program was started in 1942 by FED and it allowed Mexican agricultural laborers to have a temporary contract.Mexico was viewed as a part of the Allies during WI. Brought hundreds of thousands of Mexican people to the U. S and fostered the Idea that Mexican workers were entirely dispensable and that once they were no longer 1942 and 1947 continued after WWW Operation wetback's† MM Mexican and Mexican Americans who were U. S citizens or legal residents deported back to Mexico. Buffalo Bill -Creator of the popular commercial entertainment business â€Å"Buffalo Bills, Wild West† from 1883-1916, that reduced complex events into romanticizes scenes of the frontier. The creator, William F. Codswallop Bill†-the main attraction of the show- because he was a â€Å"real† man of the frontier who became popular f or killing a young Indian warrior named Yellow Hand, through scalping. -Led people to believe the acts during the show were real, even though they were often traumatized and left out the Indians side of the story -scenes drawn from buffalo bills dime novels and was considered â€Å"American national entertainment† and exemplified American history in an inaccurate way.Buffalo bill is considered the hero and a self-made man. Richard Slotting Reading: From reading Cultural US Imperialism. -Romanticizes view of the American frontier, not an accurate representation. Double -An attempt by African Americans soldiers during WWW; victory at home (against discrimination) and victory abroad with the war. By fighting in the war, they hoped to gain respect and become equals. It was a response to what happened during WI, hen they were promised equality if they fought in the war, but it never happened. It was an attempt by black soldiers in WWW to demonstrate that by helping to win victory in the war, that they could establish conditions domestically for victory over discrimination. It's immediate effect was the end of racial discrimination in the military services -A Philip Randolph and the march on Washington -Double V, double time related to bebop and coot suit, each examples or resistance and fighting the war at home. The Double V Campaign became a symbol of pride for Black Americans during a time when Jim Crows laws were prevalent and so many of he rights that soldiers fought for abroad were denied them at home.Article from The Pittsburgh Courier from James Thompson small acts of resistance that led to a revolution during the civil rights movement Gill Scott-Heron A Jazz and Spoken word musician, Scott-Heron's songs discussed such matters as the superficiality of media and consumerism, as well as the idea that true revolution is not seen through publicity but through the actions of the people that go unpublished. Singer to â€Å"The Revolution Will Not Be Televi sed† in 1970, it was a politically conscious hip hop song, that explained how revolution is not found in hinges that give us comfort like television.It questions where we find resistance, shows how racial issues begin from within and laws are Just temporary solutions to a seemingly permanent problem. -If you want ‘revolution', you can't sit and wait for it to come on your TV. Set Talking about racial equality and thus the â€Å"revolution† will not be put on television; it will be live, as said in the last line. -Nine's ad: The revolution will be not be televised†¦ Yet it was -The significance to class views. Countercultures Hurricane Strain The 2005 Hurricane that devastated Louisiana and, most famously, New Orleans after the levees broke.There was a large disparity between the opinions of the people on the ground and those portrayed by the televised news casting. The film Trouble the Water (2008), addressed the idea that Strain was a man-made disaster oppos ed to a natural one. Showed the depths of structural racism in that there was an unequal distribution of resources based on race. -African Americans were denied assistance, and rescuing was prioritize to whites. In addition, white housing and tourist attractions were restored much faster than black neighborhoods and housing.Demonstrates how racism is still prevalent in society even after the Civil rights Movement, shows how solving racial issues begins from within, and laws are Just temporary solutions to a seemingly permanent problem. Institutional Racism: Racism that is hard to see but usually is stronger racism. – institutionalized racism, hegemony widespread agreement that things were getting better but were truly not for certain colors and poor people Elevation -First truly massed produced suburbs that had identical designs to lower housing costs.Known as the archetype for postwar suburbs across the country -In 1957, Alfred Levity created the first Elevation, a suburban area of standardized homes that rated several suburbs and a defined middle class. It became a symbol of the American dream, but was restricted to white families only, a part of the housing segregation seen back then. Displays the hegemony of racial inequality ideologies, keeping races segregated and whites as â€Å"superior† and blacks and â€Å"others† as â€Å"inferior†. -All residents must be Caucasian so owners had business because whites wouldn't live there otherwise.Documentary: â€Å"Race: The power of illusion† deal with systemic racism in the development of suburbs and the impact of color-blind policy. FAA specifically redline families of color. White flight Malcolm Little The birth name given to Malcolm X, a black Muslim civil rights activist Was part of nation of Islam? Began as a coot suit wearing hustler In Robin Kelly's Riddle of the Coot, he tells the story of Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X, a young African American growing up duri ng the Coot Suit era and an increasing time of forming American identities.He acquired all of the fashionable adornments of the time such as the coot suit and the conk to erase his background and identity. -Committed a series of burglaries targeting wealthy white families He his Scottish maternal grandfather -He endured a lot of pain and self-degradation to kook like a Whitman because he internalized the idea that black people were â€Å"inferior† and white people were â€Å"superior†. Shows the American values at the time, and the segregation of races despite the melting pot mentality.McDonald's A multinational corporation which has, in the past, been indicative of social and economic challenges created by multinational corporation operations. The world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants worldwide since it is a transnational company, as talked about in McDonald's in Beijing by Hanging Yawn. -Represents Americanization and American exceptionalness by in stilling American culture onto there countries through advanced technologies and products.American globalization is spreading American culture and ideologies worldwide, trying to force conformity among other nations to merge the superior American culture. â€Å"I'm loving it† expo transnational: going beyond national boundaries or interests Michael Jordan -Served as an analog to the self-made man and also hinted at how rationalization occurs as we view professional basketball players and athletes in general. -Michael Jordan is arguably one of the greatest basketball players in the NAB. He Joined the Bulls in 1984 and made the team come back alive.Jordan was certainly the most effectively marketed professional sports player and credited for making NAB popular. Famous American basketball player that played on the Chicago Bulls from 1984 to 1998. Was the world's first globalizes sports figure, becoming the global face of Nikkei advertisements worldwide. Importance represents the transnational of Nikkei and the globalization of American culture and values worldwide. Self-made man Marketing based on race â€Å"blackness† as a marketing scheme Nikkei -A transnational cooperation. Just do it† One of the first companies to actually hold a worldwide advertising campaign for its products. Use top athletes to sponsor their products and produces single products in multiple countries ex: â€Å"air Max penny is inspired by a basketball player whose nickname is Penny†¦ Shoe contains 52 separate components produced in five different countries† -Just do it! Is the slogan of Nikkei, which is a transnational corporation. It shows that beyond American imperialism of advancing technologies and products, there is also a globalization of American ideals being sold, a form of cultural imperialism.Demonstrates how the boundary of American ideals spreads past US borders, using production and sale of manufactured goods as a vessel of transport. An example of the spread of American ideas and ideologies Sitcom suburbs -â€Å"cookie cutter† homes -The sass's model of similar houses with an emphasis on the white middle class family. These suburbs were often an example of institutional racial segregation, with â€Å"red zone† areas being unable to get loans and land development. -Sitcoms such as â€Å"Leave it to Beaver† and â€Å"Father Knows Best† in the asses that portrayed a nuclear family living in the suburbs.Portrayed the transmission of gender roles and the ideals of a traditional family, for example women as the housewife that should clean cook and raise the kids, while men are the ones to work outside the house. Represents hegemonic forces reinforcing gender inequality ideologies onto the nation during a time that women were fighting for their independence. An example of state sanctioned racism towards African American homeowners. Also an example of the family unit becoming socially prominent.Sleepy Lagoon Murder/Hank Leaner's -Trial began in 1942 Jose was found on the ground already stabbed and beaten The boys went into the house and fought, came outside and punched Jose but was not responsible for his death Trial went on for 3 months 12 defendants found guilty; Hank was sentenced to life After several advocates tried o get boys out of Jail and finally did, Hank walked out of Jail with a coot suit on -Race was the central part of the riot Riots broke out between Mexican-Americans and army personnel stationed in LA.White Americans believed coot suits were extravagant and unpatriotic during war time. While Mexican Americans saw the trial as discriminatory. Coot Suit Riots (1943): The trials found these Mexican-Americans guilty without any sufficient evidence because of their race: presumed to be dangerous and guilty. Social model of disability The idea of the social model of disability was presented by guest lecturer, Ryan Cartridge. It suggests that there is a public view that there is something inherently different about those we consider to be â€Å"Disabled.As such, there are institutional precedents to treat those with disabilities differently. Race can influence this -White male is seen as the ideal/ normal in our society, so the disabled are held to this standard impairment + scatterbrained Being in a wheelchair limits the person, but not as much as society makes it out to be. -Overcoming narrative Propaganda that says despite the disability people can do things. -Often parameterized -Ex: someone with down syndrome is asked to the prom is put in the newspaper, hen this shouldn't be a big deal If the disabled can do it then so can you. Thus saying that if disabled people want to succeed at something, they only have to try hard. -This type of propaganda is used in the dual purpose of motivating those without disabilities, while simultaneously degrading those with disabilities, by saying that what a normal person has to overcome is equivalent to what a disabled person has to overcome. Concept Explanations: Transnational and Transnational Corporation -The idea that the economy, and especially large corporations, are increasingly operating across several nations.As such, they have vested interests in multiple countries and their economies. Overall the idea that corporations now have global effects rather than local ones -Watson Definition: â€Å"Transnational describes a condition by which people, commodities, and ideas literally cross–transgress– national boundaries and are not identified with a single place of origin. † â€Å"Transnational Corporations are popularly regarded as the clearest expressions of this new adaptation(transnational)†¦ Mode of production controlled from a headquarters complex located somewhere in the First World† -Watson Reading:Transnational, Localization, and Fast Foods in East Asia -McDonald's-localization rather than transnational -Nikkei -Coca-Cola American Capitalism Enlightened sexism -Douglass definition â€Å"Enlightened Sexism is a response, deliberate or not, to the perceived threat of a new gender regime. † -â€Å"insists the women have made plenty of progress because of feminism-aka full equality has allegedly been achieved†¦ So now it's okay to have sexist stereotypes of girls and women† because it's funny since we obsessing over one man, because we all know women â€Å"aren't† actually like that† Where the Girls Are;Enlightened Sexism -goes hand in hand with embedded feminism. American Dream-America's possibilities are limited to select groups of people, in this case women are left out Frontier thesis -The Thesis proposed by American historian Frederick Turner in 1893. It was the idea that American democracy/identity was established by the American Frontier. He stressed that by moving the frontier line it shaped America.. â€Å"Gained new strength each time it touched a new frontier. † Also by push ing out the frontier America was cutting ties with British culture and customs. The idea was that the frontier land was free†¦ Oh wait.Native Americans were there first. The frontier is a place where savagery and civilization meet. Domesticating nature -Homestead Act of 1862 Signed by Lincoln at the beginning/during the Civil War. Meant that Union supporters were the ones granted land†¦ â€Å"Any person†¦ Who has never borne arms against the United States Government. † -First granted 160 acres, increased to 640 acres in 1904. This in itself sets up white privilege through the descendants of homesteaders. Manifest Destiny American Empire The American Empire is the idea that America has, in its past, utilized military tactics to increase land and resource holdings.The Philippines example from class â€Å"taking them for their own good†, as well as the Spanish-American war of 1896 -Hegemony, -American Exceptionalness -American imperialism (ex: eagle spreadi ng its wings over many countries) Reading concept explanation: What does the author mean? What does it mean in a larger context? Example outside of class The Globalization of Michael Jordan by Walter Leveler: â€Å"The September 11 horrors raised, in the most stark and bloody terms, questions about the new capitalism that had shaped American-led globalization of the previous thirty years† (165-66).The terrorists who committed the crimes of 9-11 were a part of AH Qaeda, a religious organization that hated the US for corrupting their homelands and Saudi Arabia. The terrorists saw the US as the source of capitalism which they hate. Where the Girls Are by Susan Douglas: â€Å"American women today are a bundle of contradictions because much of the media imagery we grew up with was itself filled with mixed messages about what women should and should not do, what women could and could not be. This was true in the asses and it is true today' (9). The American woman has thus emerged as a bundle of contradictions, seeking to be simultaneously passive and active, outspoken and diet, selfish and selfless, thrifty and profligate, daring and scared, and who had better know which persona to assume when† double standards The media has done number of things to confuse the roles of women. One such example is the producer ethos versus consumer ethos. At first the media was portraying a producer ethos, but then there was a conflict, because they needed consumers to consume the produce of the producers.Therein lays contradiction nature of the media imposition on women. Magazines; pageants; Double V, Double Time: Bebop's Politics of Style by Eric Lott: â€Å"Bebop was about asking disciplined imagination alive and answerable to the social change of the time† (597). Bebop was not protest music but it was played during a time of protest. I would say that according to black they saw it as more of their own thing not a rebellion Something they had and whites didn't ,. It was something for them to identify with. It was kind of like a voice for them I'd say, not so much a rebellion if that makes sense at all. And while bebop said there was a riot going on, it was hardly protest music† (597) -Double V- African Americans wanting equality at home and actor in Germany -Bebop: fast paced, lots of solos, said to be too loud and aggressive -Wanted something that whites couldn't play. Identity for blacks Change the way people think along with the times, opening up the mind -Bebop was about making a change for blacks, a social change -Bebop, which breaks the paradigms established by its contemporaries, was seen as rebellious to WHITES and seen by blacks as something that was fully theirs. White culture interpret it as another coot suit riot -Punk Rock/metal, EDM? , youth in revolt, counter-culture in general Disability and the Justification of Inequality in American History by Douglas Boonton: â€Å"Thus, while disabled people can be considered on e of the minority groups historically assigned inferior status and subjected to discrimination, disability has functioned for all such groups as a sign of and Justification of inferiority' (34). Disability has been used to justify other historically inferior groups Boonton mentions Women's suffrage, African American civil rights, and restriction of immigration -Women were deemed too emotional to vote, to have rights. Emotionality was used as a disability against women o say that they weren't good enough -Race was used as a disability saying that others were inferior because of something like blindness, deafness, mental illness to justify segregation and immigration restrictions Disability that they weren't as developed.People were too weak. Didn't look strong enough†couldn't enter US- immigration restriction -The same reasons/differences that are used to assign inferiority and give rise to discrimination are the same reasons the people with disabilities use to argue for were h elping out lesser races but really we were going in for land and resources– babe?Immigrations exclusion acts: -Early 20th century: you look like you have poor physique- can't immigrate 1903- epilepsy, insanity- can't immigrate 1907-mental or physical defect which may affect you-can't immigrate Haunted America by Patricia Limerick â€Å"Somewhere in the asses, the term [frontier] might undergo a crucial shift, toward the reality of la frontier and away from the fantasy of the frontier. That shift in meaning will be the measure of great change in this nation's understanding of its own origins† (92). She argues that overall it is not very useful to look back at one's story since all this does is make an individual conscience of the fear to repeat it, and that the only way to learn is through an action. Says that by the white man's conquest we have intertwined the lives of native Americans and Anglo Saxons and we now have a more Joined nation through the tragedies experien ced by both sides. -In terms of ‘la frontier' this is reference to the Mexican American border. Wild west; manifest destiny -The Last Samurai, you can literally draw direct parallels from white men pushing west in America to the new Chinese government extermination of the old Samurai ay of life Cultural studies scholar Priscilla Wald: â€Å"Institutional racism and structural violence share the assumption that the distribution of power through which the state regulates life is a form of violence† (191). Structural and institutional racism see the ways in which people of color are disadvantaged by government where it is avoidable -They aren't given the same opportunities or help as white people -The way that the government doesn't help these struggling races is a how there is structural and institutional racism and it is an act of violence even though it is not direct physical violence. Ignoring them is violence Individual vs.. Institutional racism natural disaster vs.. Structural violence Hurricane Strain: blacks not helped.Tourist (white) parts of the city rebuilt 100% but dominantly black neighborhoods still devastated. Government said they would come in to help but never did. American Studies is about making connections and asking good questions, and then making an argument based on the appropriate evidence. Your essay should engage with the ideas and arguments of at least four different primary or secondary texts from class. The primary texts can include any of the films, songs, novels, memoirs, or poems that we have covered so far in class.Your essay should at least cite one primary or secondary text (but no more than two) from before the midterm. An exemplary essay will have a clearly stated argument that is developed through your examples/ evidence. (You might even want to underline your argument to be absolutely clear). Be sure to explain and analyze the connections you are making between the texts and/or course themes that you are citing. You are not limited to material explicitly discussed in lecture and discussion and, in fact, are encouraged to cite examples that have not been discussed in lecture and discussion as it will reveal

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Controlling Chaos

Eric Santana Controlling Chaos There is a common understanding that growth in any aspect of the economy is a grand concept. However, when growth begins to start spreading out in such a manner that it becomes uncontrollable, there is an inherent issue. Such is the case in David Carle’s essay â€Å"Sprawling Gridlock†. Carle mentions several pervading issues and problems with the rapid growth and spread of Southern California, and outlines measures taken against the expansion.Carle’s resolve and purpose of this essay is to describe and illustrate the issue of the uncontrolled spread of urbanization, and the relation of this rapid growth to the quality of life of its inhabitants. Carle outlines rapid, spread out growth for problems such as traffic congestion, land developers putting pressure on land owners, and the accountability of citizens, businesses, and developers in financing the repairs to this damaged infrastructure.According to Carle, the traffic congestion that was consuming Southern California through the 1990’s was becoming a nightmare that threatened the livelihood of all of its participants. â€Å"Road Rage† was born and was the result of creeping, gridlocked freeways that frustrated commuters spent hours in getting from point A to point B. The spread, development, construction, and growth of urbanized communities along these freeways compounded and multiplied the severity of these congested motorways. This was costing two billion dollars in wasted time and petrol.The correlation between these motorways and the urbanized spread began in the early 1900’s. Back then, the Pacific Electric trolley cars carried more than one hundred million passengers over around one thousand miles of track. The independence an automobile represented appealed to citizens and soon changed the way they commute from â€Å"mass-transit† to â€Å"rapid-transit†. This change begun with the construction of the Arroyo Seco P arkway in 1940 (the first motorway opened in California and connected Downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena).Through 1996, California became paved with over one hundred seventy thousand miles worth of roads. However, the rapid growth and urbanized spread of Southern California did not construct fast enough to keep up with the growing mass of commuters. Solutions such as freeway widening created construction that worsened gridlock initially, created improved congestion once completed, and created a new gridlock after a couple years of growth catching up to transit. This inefficiency and spread gridlock of the Southern California motorways had an unprecedented effect on the quality of life of its citizens.Not only were the half-million hours they spent every day in their commutes having a fiscal effect, but a psychological effect as well. Not only was this evident in the increased number (and methods) of road rage incidents, but also in the manner that the time spent in traffic denied th em their personal independence. The countless hours citizens spent sitting or crawling in traffic made them feel trapped as though they were entirely limited of all ability to control their journey; the very concept that attracted Southern Californians away from timetabled mass-transit, to the complete freedom of the automobile.This growth and spread of urbanized Southern California did not only effect the commutes of their citizens, but it also effected the development pressures of their land. One of the largest population growths of Los Angeles occurred between 1970 to 1990. The forty-five percent increase in population correlated into a three hundred percent increase in developed land area. This increase of population, innovations of the motor ways, the State Water Project, and air conditioning gave birth to fastest growing cities in California (the cities on the outskirts of the Greater Los Angeles area).The spike in the population of these cities created increased pressures on land owners by land developers. The uncontrolled growth and spread of urbanization lead to estates and lands being bought out and developed. The psychological pressures and aesthetic discrepancies these land developers were created had a profound effect on the quality of life of citizens. The example Carle uses to describe the detriment on the quality of life of citizens by developers is the Warne family. The Warne family had owned orange groves on their (undeveloped) land since the 1960’s.After the passing of Henry and Ellen Warne, land developers began placing severe pressures on the descendants of the family. Land developers were already constructing â€Å"planned residential communities† outside their ranch, and were doing everything they could to purchase the last bit of land from the Warne descendants. To compound the pressures they were already facing, estate taxes were to be due that would require the descendants to pay fifty-five percent of the estates total v alue. These state taxes and land development pressures led to several farmers and land-owners having to sell their land (that soon became more developed urbanized â€Å"sprawl†). Although the Warne’s eventually were not forced to have their precious orange groves destroyed and developed, nine acres of land they owned and designated as strawberry fields were completely eradicated by developers. The method in which this land was zoned by the city created a value surpassing millions of dollars, and allowed their estate tax debts to be paid.This example illustrates an extraordinary effect on the quality of life that uncontrolled spread of urbanization manifested. The pressures by land developers and estate taxes not only lowered the quality of life for the land owner, but also for the citizens stuck in gridlock and all urbanized Southern California. The urbanized sprawl and planned residential communities replaced the open space and farmland. In the extreme developed sprea d and gridlock, those large open spaces were like sanctuaries to the urbanized mind.The effect this had on the quality of life was that uncontrolled urbanization was everywhere, and was inescapable. Aesthetically pleasing views of natural land became no longer present in the communities of Southern California, and created a psychological void of â€Å"nature† in the urbanized mind of its citizens. Beyond the physical appeal and traffic congestion, the sprawl was having a negative effect upon air pollution and endangered species as well. Finally, coalitions began deciding that developers, businesses, and citizens must start being accountable in financing repairs to this damaged infrastructure.After California was declared the most urbanized state in the nation, the publication of Beyond Sprawl: New Patterns of Growth to Fit the New California was released in 1995. In this publication, there was a call to arms for â€Å"smarter growth† in developing areas and communities . It also called for the redevelopment of some already developed business and residential districts as well as encourages high-density inhabitance. Beyond Sprawl illustrated that the expenses of public services and infrastructure are hardly ever paid by development profits or taxes incurred to new businesses and residents.This meant that all development that spread out around Southern California had to start financing the marginal costs imposed in the area. The publication figured schools, sewage systems, transportation facilities, water systems and other municipal systems into the equation of calculating infrastructure costs. The total cost of infrastructure repair according to Beyond Sprawl was $24,500 for each new single-family residence; an unrealistic solution to solving the urbanized problems.Accordingly, accumulating additional tax payers to pay into the subsidy pool was the only logistic method of sustaining the subsidization of infrastructure repair and growth. The effect t his would have on the quality of life of individuals in a community would mean less encouragement to engage in government planning and decision making processes due to the distribution of costs. This publication eventually led up to the 1987 growth control initiative on the Orange County ballot.This initiative was forged by citizens to put limits and control on urbanized growth, but was defeated when special interests opposition spent 2. 5 million dollars to defeat the campaign. The effect this had on the quality of life was quite negative because no growth controls were able to get implemented, and nobody could be accountable for financing infrastructure repairs and growth. The effects of the uncontrolled growth and urbanized spread of Southern California are greatly impacted upon its inhabitants.They range from unbearable traffic congestion (wasted time, money, and freedom), to total loss of any natural scenery (open space and farmland destroyed for development). From the species of animals that have become endangered do to these developments, to the pressures of special interest developers upon honest, hard-working land owners. All of these effects have greatly deteriorated and relinquished the quality of life that the citizens of Southern California once moved here to attain. A literal sprawling gridlock has a substantial effect on all aspects of urbanized life.From birth to adolescence, adolescence to adulthood, and adulthood to an elderly age, the urbanized spread influences all aspects of life. During adolescence, an individual growing up in a sprawling gridlock is influenced by the distance and time they must travel to do necessary activities (such as education, recreation, medical attention etc. ). The individual is influenced by the travel they must complete to achieve their tasks. When in route, they do not see open spaced, natural land. They see miles upon miles of pavement and urbanization. This may have a detrimental ffect upon their psyche as th eir minds process the artificial scenery of sprawled gridlock. This urbanized spread influences raising a family by limiting the number of activities a family may do. Due to the incredible gridlock that congested freeways create, families have less opportunity to go new places and do new things. This creates a barrier between families and the outside world. Without the ability to have leisurely outings as a family, the quality of life for that family is dramatically less than that of a family living outside of the urbanized sprawl.Likewise in building a community, the sprawled gridlock limits the possibilities in having a thriving, happy community. Without the ability or land to build and maintain parks, a community is nothing more than a large spread of houses. There is no way for a community to assemble or have recreational activities in the wake of these negative effects. Land developers and sprawling gridlock completely consumed everything, and left nothing more for communities to share. This extremely hinders the building of a happy community.Overall the sprawling gridlock is a complete determent and contradiction to a high quality life of its inhabitants. One may not be able to engage in complete personal freedom and independence if one is caught living in â€Å"the sprawl†. From the congested freeways to the concrete jungle, one cannot escape from the effects of rapid urbanization. The relationship between unregulated urbanized growth and the quality of the life for its inhabitants is a sprawled gridlock indeed.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Improving School Lunches (for Kids and the Environment)

Improving School Lunches (for Kids and the Environment) Now that many schools have stopped selling sodas and other unhealthy vending machine items to their students, improving the nutritional quality of cafeteria school lunches is on the agenda of many parents and school administrators. And luckily for the environment, healthier food usually means greener food. Connecting School Lunches with Local Farms Some forward-thinking schools are leading the charge by sourcing their cafeteria food from local farms and producers. This saves money and also cuts back on the pollution and global warming impacts associated with transporting food long distances. And since many local producers are turning to organic growing methods, local food usually means fewer pesticides in kids’ school lunches. School Lunches Linked to Obesity and Poor Nutrition Alarmed by childhood obesity statistics and the prevalence of unhealthy foods offered to students in schools, the Center for Food and Justice (CFJ) in 2000 spearheaded the national Farm to School lunch program. The program connects schools with local farms to provide healthy cafeteria food while also supporting local farmers. Participating schools not only obtain food locally, they incorporate nutrition-based curriculum and provide students with learning opportunities through visits to the local farms. Farm to School programs now operate in 19 states and in several hundred school districts. CFJ recently received significant support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand the program to more states and districts. The group’s website (link below) is loaded with resources to help schools get started. USDA Offers School Lunch Program in 32 States The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also runs a Small Farms/School Meals program that boasts participation in 400 school districts in 32 states. Interested schools can check out the agency’s â€Å"Step-by-Step Guide on How to Bring Small Farms and Local Schools Together†, which is available free online. Chef Alice Waters Teaches School Lunch Cooking Classes Other schools have taken the plunge in their own unique ways. In Berkeley, California, noted chef Alice Waters holds cooking classes in which students grow and prepare local organic fruits and vegetables for their peers’ school lunch menus. And as documented in the film, â€Å"Super Size Me,† Wisconsin’s Appleton Central Alternative School hired a local organic bakery that helped transform Appleton’s cafeteria fare from offerings heavy on meat and junk food to predominantly whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. How Parents Can Improve School Lunches Of course, parents can ensure that their children eat well at school by forgoing the cafeteria offerings altogether and sending their kids to school with healthy bag lunches. For on-the-go parents unable to keep up with a daily lunch making regimen, innovative companies are beginning to sprout up that will do it for you. Kid Chow in San Francisco, Health e-Lunch Kids in Fairfax, Virginia, New York City’s KidFresh and Manhattan Beach, California’s Brown Bag Naturals will deliver organic and natural food lunches to your kids for about three times the price of a cafeteria lunch. But prices should change for the better as the idea catches on and more volume brings costs down.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Dispelling the One-Page Resume Myth

Dispelling the One-Page Resume Myth Do You Believe the One-Page Resume Myth? I’ve been thinking about the one-page resume myth a lot lately, since it’s college, law school, and business school admissions season. Business school admissions clients have approached me asking if they need to have a one-page resume. My answer is always, â€Å"Read the instructions. Read the fine print.† Some business schools do request a one-page resume as part of their application. If they do, you must deliver. I took one client’s one-and-a-half-page resume and shrank it to one page so he could use it for his business school applications. The formatting tricks I employed did not include shrinking the font size or obliterating any white space on the resume. In general, however, there is no rule that a resume should be only one page. There are many instances when a two- or even three-page resume is not only appropriate, it’s expected. Yet the one-page resume myth persists. Job seekers are being misled that recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals won’t read a resume that is longer than one page. That’s simply not true. You Need a Longer Resume! It IS true that a recruiter or hiring manager will read your resume for just seconds when it is first screened. But this first review is only to determine if you are a match for the position. If you are considered a serious candidate, your resume will be read again. If you believe an HR professional won’t read a two-page resume, consider the resume screening process. The screener’s boss is asking him or her to come up with a handful of people to interview. If you try to condense 5-10 years of experience to fit an artificial one-page limit, your resume will not include sufficient information for the HR person to make an informed decision. Given a choice between a well-written two-page resume or a crammed one-page resume which omits notable accomplishments, the HR professional is likely to choose the longer one. If you submit a two-page resume, the worst that can happen is that the reader decides you’re not a match for the job. But if you do seem to fit the job requirements, that person will want to know even more about you. A well-organized two-page resume can actually make it easier for the screener to determine if you’re a good match for the position. Variations on the One-Page Resume Myth There is a specific myth circulating that if you apply for a job at Google, you need a one-page resume. This myth has been debunked by people with hiring power at Google itself, including Laszlo Bock, Senior VP, who believes that you need one page for every ten years of work experience. And since many applicants to Google are fairly new graduates or even students applying for internships, the 1-page guideline often applies. Some recruiters are vocal about their desire for a one-page resume. The great thing about recruiters, though, is that they’ll tell you what you want and you can always create a one-page resume from a longer one. Keep in mind, however, that recruiters are responsible for less than 25% of job placements, and not all recruiters even subscribe to the one-page limit. College Students and One-Page Resumes College professors also share some of the blame for perpetuating the one-page resume myth. Some professors - who have no connection to the employment world - believe â€Å"their way† is the right way to do things. They provide a template to their students and require advisees to use that format, even if the person is a non-traditional student who has an extensive work history or career path that sets them apart from other job candidates with similar educational backgrounds. While it is unusual for most 21-year-olds to need a two-page resume, some accomplished graduates have enough experience to warrant exceeding one page. When I worked with a Cornell student who was applying for jobs in finance, I quickly discovered that she had more information than I wanted to squeeze onto on one page. We gave her a 2-page resume, and she got a sought-after position at Burger King. She is now a Retail Channels Senior Analyst at UPS – and she got there with a 2-page resume. Online Resumes Resumes submitted online are less likely to be affected by the one-page resume myth. Resumes uploaded to company websites aren’t affected by page limits. And since approximately 30 percent of resumes are only stored electronically, the screener never even knows it’s more than one page. The Long and the Short of Resume Length Length does matter. Your resume should be exactly as long as necessary to communicate what the reader needs to know †¦ and not one word more. When hiring managers and HR professionals are surveyed about resume length, the majority express a preference for resumes that are one OR two pages. The general consensus is â€Å"as long as needed to convey the applicant’s qualifications.† Here are some guidelines for deciding resume length: If your resume spills over onto a second page for only a few lines, it’s worth editing. Try shortening your bullets, or adjust the font, margins, and/or line spacing to fit it onto one page. Don’t bury key information on the second page. If the first page doesn’t hook the reader, he or she isn’t even going to make it to the second page. Don’t be afraid to go beyond two pages if your experience warrants it. Senior executives often require three- or four-page resumes. So do many physicians, lawyers, and professors who might be using a â€Å"CV† in lieu of a resume. Traditional college students and those with five years or less of experience can often fit their resumes onto one page. Most others can (and should) use one page OR two, unless specifically instructed by a school or company. Make sure that everything you include - regardless of length - is relevant to your job target! Don’t make your resume unnecessarily long with less relevant material. Are you looking for help to create a one-page, two-page, or even three-page resume? Need some input on how long your resume should be? The Essay Expert offers hourly and full-service resume services, or get started with  a 15-minute live resume review. A version of this article appears in Executive Secretary Magazine, a global training publication and must read for any administrative professional. You can get a 30% discount on an individual subscription when you subscribe through us. Email  subscriptions@executivesecretary.com  and tell them we sent you.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Firearm and Tort Litigation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Firearm and Tort Litigation - Research Paper Example The right to keep and bear arms is afforded by the Second Amendment, and is given Constitutional Protection since it enjoys the first-tier level of scrutiny (Equal Protection, 2011). Any attempt to infringe this right, as was the case in Bloomberg (City of New York v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp), should be considered a repealing of the Second Amendment, and, hence, unlawful. Suing the arms suppliers and stores is a direct act of this infringement (Burch, 2006); making it difficult to purchase arms by levying a hefty permit fee in the state (O’Connor, 2011) is an indirect, yet equally unlawful act against the Constitution and civil rights of the citizens. Both acts aim to discourage the public from practicing their legal right of bearing arms, and the argument that this could somehow prevent the rampant criminal activities (Burch, 2006) is but weak; the infringement of social rights under Constitutional protection is itself a criminal activity, and to suppress one such act with anothe r is a destabilization of the legal framework (Burch, 2006). The need to protect this right by Law and through the involvement of the Court is well-founded and justifiable.