Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Journal - Essay Example Is it truly desirable to be free from the social bonds and obligations of a community? I am not convinced. I would argue that money, more than any good or service, has been commoditized in our economic system and created alienation. The last three decades have seen an explosion of money, commodity markets and communications which now beginning to bear the consequences. Whatever else this period of ‘globalization’ brings about, it represents a rapid society extension to a more comprehensive level than the 20th century norm which categorized society with a nation-state. So as to live in this world together, we must devise new ways of executing things for each other which go beyond our attempts on achieving local self-sufficiency (Holmes 13). I term this historical process ‘commoditization’. In history, commoditization has been closely related to the social extension by means of money and markets. Money is unique because its value is not inherent but ascribed. In a barter system absent of money there is obvious and immediate benefit for both parties in an exchange. When utilization of a fiat currency is employed, it means that benefits are not immediate (they are at least one step removed) and assumes that the currency will be recognized by future trading partners. In this system, money should function as a means to an end and be perceived as a proxy for goods and services. All value to money is ascribed – once a currency is no longer recognized as valid, it is useless or literally â€Å"not worth the paper it’s printed on† (Holmes 46). Since money must be widely recognized as legitimate in order to be useful, it also functions as a form of social control. The issuer of money implicitly offers a contract to users wherein the latter will follow the rules of the former. Participation in a nation’s economy is dependent on an individual’s willingness to use that nation’s form of currency. A few of my own journal works tie into this theme. The first pertains to the differences in lending that I have observed in my personal life and comes from a journal entry I wrote on September 24th. Specifically, if one friend lends another a good or service of relatively low value, there is no expectation of reimbursement. However, if the same value amount of money were to be exchanged between friends, an expectation of reimbursement would exist. This is an example of the commoditizing and alienating effects of money that Hyde discusses. It begs the question: why is the exchange of money an alienating and impersonal interaction? I believe part of the answer lies in the fact that money is not available for immediate consumption. It is instead a credit, or â€Å"IOU† that can be redeemed in a later transaction. Related to this is the fact that in the United States it is considered impolite to give money as a gift. Another journal entry was about an interesting news story I read on October 18th. The story, â€Å"Seizure of Ship From Argentina Forces Shake-Up,† by Emily Schmall, came from the New York Times. It was about a US hedge fund, Elliot Capital Management, which seized an Argentine ship that had docked in Ghana. The fund is owed $370 million by the Argentine government as a result of its 2001 default. I was struck by the fact that a private enterprise such as a hedge fund could find backing from courts in the US and Ghana to seize a government asset. Though Argentina is appealing their case to the

A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and realit

A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and reality in the play A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare, it is a play about lovers and includes madness, mayhem, magic and illusion. The title tells us of the inevitable confusion to come, as in Elizabethan times ‘A Midsummer Night’ was a festival linked with mayhem and chaos, and the fact it is a ‘dream’ conjures up ideas of illusion and fantasy. The play has two settings, Athens which represents reality, order and daylight and the woods, the world of the fairies, which symbolize illusion, magic, and a place of darkness. There are three main groups of characters the courtiers, the workmen and the fairies whose actions form four different plots within the play. 1. The wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta 2. The love affairs between Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena 3. The workmen’s play, its planning, rehearsal and performance 4. The quarrel between Oberon and Titania A Midsummer Nights Dream itself is an illusion, and to enjoy it you must temporarily suspend reality. Love is an important theme in the play, whether it is true love or induced by magic; it inhibits people’s ability to distinguish what is real or simply an illusion. The play begins in Athens, with the preparations for the forthcoming marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons. The use of these characters at the beginning of the play gives it a real sense of importance. Egeus enters with a complaint against his daughter Hermia; she refuses to wed Demetrius who has her father’s consent to marry her, but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Egeus believes his daughter could not possibly truly love L... ...thing beautiful and magical. There are references throughout the play to moonlight; this helps to set up the nighttime scenes, as the play would originally have been played in the daytime. The moon was thought to affect people’s behaviour. This idea is portrayed in the play; the characters act irrationally during the nighttime scenes, and appear to gain clarity as the daytime returns. The young lovers awake, unsure of what they have experienced, and believe they have simply been dreaming. Puck has the final speech in the play and speaks directly to the audience; he refers to himself and his fellow actors as shadows within a dream, this reminds us that we have been part of an illusion just like the characters in the play. He ends asking the audience to clap this signals the end of the performance, and the illusion created by ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’. A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and realit A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and reality in the play A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare, it is a play about lovers and includes madness, mayhem, magic and illusion. The title tells us of the inevitable confusion to come, as in Elizabethan times ‘A Midsummer Night’ was a festival linked with mayhem and chaos, and the fact it is a ‘dream’ conjures up ideas of illusion and fantasy. The play has two settings, Athens which represents reality, order and daylight and the woods, the world of the fairies, which symbolize illusion, magic, and a place of darkness. There are three main groups of characters the courtiers, the workmen and the fairies whose actions form four different plots within the play. 1. The wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta 2. The love affairs between Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena 3. The workmen’s play, its planning, rehearsal and performance 4. The quarrel between Oberon and Titania A Midsummer Nights Dream itself is an illusion, and to enjoy it you must temporarily suspend reality. Love is an important theme in the play, whether it is true love or induced by magic; it inhibits people’s ability to distinguish what is real or simply an illusion. The play begins in Athens, with the preparations for the forthcoming marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons. The use of these characters at the beginning of the play gives it a real sense of importance. Egeus enters with a complaint against his daughter Hermia; she refuses to wed Demetrius who has her father’s consent to marry her, but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Egeus believes his daughter could not possibly truly love L... ...thing beautiful and magical. There are references throughout the play to moonlight; this helps to set up the nighttime scenes, as the play would originally have been played in the daytime. The moon was thought to affect people’s behaviour. This idea is portrayed in the play; the characters act irrationally during the nighttime scenes, and appear to gain clarity as the daytime returns. The young lovers awake, unsure of what they have experienced, and believe they have simply been dreaming. Puck has the final speech in the play and speaks directly to the audience; he refers to himself and his fellow actors as shadows within a dream, this reminds us that we have been part of an illusion just like the characters in the play. He ends asking the audience to clap this signals the end of the performance, and the illusion created by ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’.

Bullying and School Essay

Bullying has become one of the most serious issues facing our schools today. We’ve all heard the sad tales of children, some as young as 11, committing suicide because they could no longer deal with the bullying they experienced in school. In July 2008, the U.S. Congress began work on legislation for H.R. 2262, the Safe School Improvement Act, which would require schools to collect data, establish disciplinary guidelines and develop a system for registering complaints to combat bullying in our schools. However, as school counselors we can’t wait for laws to be passed to take action. We need to make a difference now. I started my quest to stop bullying at Midway Elementary School in Midway, Utah, six years ago. I attended conferences, read books and studied various programs. I learned a lot about the statistics and issues but little about specifically what to do. So I began taking steps to develop a program that would help my school and others combat school bullying. In my search for knowledge I discovered a fascinating study by Dr. Kenneth Merrell from the University of Oregon on the effectiveness of school bullying intervention programs. The study results showed that bully intervention programs, especially those aimed specifically at bullies, were effective in raising the level of awareness among students and staff but did little to reduce bullying behaviors. Merrell, along with others, recommend a schoolwide comprehensive approach to bully prevention. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, programs cracking down on individual bullies rarely work, but when there is a sch oolwide commitment to end bullying, it can be reduced by up to 50 percent. Program Framework As my program evolved over the years I identified four hallmarks of a successful schoolwide bully prevention program. Lead to systemic change: Successful programs bring about systemic change. The factors contributing to bullying in any school environment are complex and nebulous. The only way to have an impact on these critical factors is to cast a wide net. There must be change at all levels in the school environment and in the community. You are literally changing the culture of the entire school. You need to utilize all existing programs and resources such as comprehensive school counseling programs, positive behavior interventions and supports, character education, the parent-teacher organization, schoolwide discipline programs, grade-level teams or professional learning communities and more. Garner commitment from all: Schoolwide bully prevention programs require commitment from all stakeholders. Although your school may have a small team to oversee the bully prevention program, collaboration among administrators, school counselors, teachers, students, parents, secretaries, custodians, lunch workers, librarians, bus drivers, etc. is essential for success. Teach comprehensive strategies and skills: Effective programs are comprehensive. Teaching students about specific issues related to bullying is only one aspect of an effective schoolwide program. There are many supporting concepts and social skills you also need to address, such as conflict resolution, tattling vs. reporting, respect, accepting differences, teasing, cliques, relational aggression, cooperation and more. Effective data analysis will help you identify many of these specific needs. Continue year after year: Many times schools will bring in a pre-packaged bully prevention program, have a big anti-bullying campaign, raise a lot of awareness and then call it good. Effective bully prevention programs are not a one-shot deal. Effective prevention programs are nonstop. They require intervention, data to assess the program’s effectiveness and components, and ongoing specific targeted interventions for bullies, their victims and the bystander population. Key Components Eight key components, best implemented sequentially, have led to the success of Midway Elementary’s bully prevention program. Administrative support: An extremely important aspect of starting a bully prevention program is soliciting the support of your school administrators. Without strong and effective leadership, systemic change is difficult. As leaders in the school, administrators should become experts on bullying issues. They should form a bully prevention team and identify a go-getter staff member to lead this team. The administrators need to develop an anti-bullying code of conduct and communicate it to all stakeholders, especially students. Most importantly, administrators should establish the tone and expectations for students and staff and outline clear and consistent consequences for students who violate the anti-bullying code of conduct. Consequences should be based on a level system for first and subsequent offenses. It is important to follow district guidelines when establishing the level system. School administrators should utilize a behavior referral system to provide valuable data. The behavior referral system should include specific information that will help provide meaningful data to identify areas of concern and needs. Administrators should involve parents of both victims and bullies, especially for repeat offenders, to discuss concerns, outline consequences and form a strategic plan to stop the bullying behaviors. Schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports program: If your school doesn’t have a PBIS program, I would highly recommend implementing one. Use the PBIS program to establish clear schoolwide rules. The rules should be specific to location, taught to all students and posted throughout the school. Introduce desired behaviors, clearly teach them and then model them. Once you’ve taught the behaviors, reinforce student compliance using a variety of incentive programs. Use data to measure the effectiveness of your program and to identify ongoing areas of concern. Data: I use two types of data, behavioral referral data and surveys given to students, parents and staff. Data can provide baseline information, measure the effectiveness of your program, discover areas of concern and identify chronic bullies and their victims. Online surveys will help gather subjective data to assess stakeholders’ level of concern, to measure student awareness and knowledge, to solicit input from staff members and to assess parent perspectives and concerns. Office behavior referral data provide objective data for analysis. Behavior referral forms or systems should include information directly related to bullying. By regularly reviewing these data, you can identify types of bullying, locations, repeat offenders and victims. Upon identifying specific problems, bully prevention team members should develop a plan of action to deal with the issues. Staff training: All staff members should receive training to include definitions of bullying, types of bullying, effects of bullying on victims, school code of conduct and expectations, legal liability based on state law and, most importantly, how to intervene when they witness bullying incidents or a student reports it to them. Make sure your staff training includes teachers, administrators, specialists, secretaries, lunch staff, custodians, aides and bus drivers. Student awareness and education: Give all students a basic introductory lesson including definitions for bullying, types of bullying with examples, school code of conduct and expectations, what to do when they are bullied or how to help others as bystanders. Students need to learn about the importance of speaking up and supporting each other with the skills they learn. Establish a common language for discussing bullying issues, and post it in every classroom and in key locations throughout the school. Critical social skills training: Once you’ve taught them the basics, students need additional information and skills to increase their level of awareness and to deal with bullying issues. At Midway Elementary, we’ve spent time on topics such as tattling vs. reporting, conflict resolution, teasing, relational aggression/cliques, cooperation, caring, respect and any other topics that come out of the stakeholder surveys or behavior referral data. Develop classroom guidance lessons to specifically address these needs, and teach students the skills and knowledge necessary to reduce the problem. Targeted interventions for bullies and victims: Data analysis will help you identify chronic bullies and their victims. These students most likely will need highly targeted interventions and supports. When it comes to intervention for bullies there is no silver bullet. The factors contributing to the reasons why children bully others are complex and often almost impossible to identify. Research also suggests that interventions such as out-of-school suspension, peer mediation and group counseling for bullies aren’t effective. Effective interventions include individual counseling/education on issues such as developing empathy; perspective taking; social skills training; anger management; conflict resolution; and identification of psychological disorders such as ADHD, depression and anxiety. Teaching bullies pro-social leadership roles and opportunities for self-competence and success may also be useful. Behavioral strategies such as behavior contracts, check-in/check-out programs, parent meetings, etc. may also be required to facilitate change. It is also important to provide intervention for repeat victims, especially chronic victims. Interventions may include providing an adult advocate, individual or group counseling, social skills training, peer support, structured recess, etc. You may need to refer some students to outside help for more therapeutic interventions to address self-esteem issues, depression and anxiety. Program generalization: Once you’ve taught pro-social behaviors in the classroom, you need to generalize these newly acquired behaviors to various conditions and situations. An effective PBIS program is a great way to teach, model and reinforce desired behaviors. Give appropriate incentives to students who demonstrate the desired behaviors along with verbal praise providing specific examples of why the student is being rewarded. Other program generalization ideas may include: * Posters placed in key locations throughout the school to remind students and staff about the bullying code of conduct and a schoolwide common language. * Buttons worn by both students and staff as a symbol of the school’s commitment to stop bullying. * Student â€Å"spotlight† programs to celebrate students who are positive role models. * Assemblies and student pledges to kick off the school year and to promote school commitment or unity. * Parent and community education via parent/teacher conferences, parent newsletters, school Web sites, community newspaper articles, PTA and community council meetings. School bullying and hazing issues are complex and multifaceted. They require a comprehensive approach to increase the probability of addressing many of the contributing factors. School counselors are in a unique position to promote a comprehensive approach because of their training and expertise in the social and emotional wellness of children and adolescents. School counselors who are trained in the ASCA National Model are familiar with the use of data to drive programs and the delivery of interventions. School counselors understand the importance of early intervention and prevention to promote positive outcomes in behavior and academics. Systemic change requires leadership and, as John Quincy Adams said, â€Å"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.† Parents can play a central role to preventing bullying and stopping it when it happens. Here are a few things you can do. * Teach kids to solve problems without using violence and praise them when they do. * Give children positive feedback when they behave well to help their build self-esteem. Help give them the self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in. * Ask your children about their day and listen to them talk about school, social events, their classmates, and any problems they have. * Take bullying seriously. Many kids are embarrassed to say they have been bullied. You may only have one chance to step in and help. * If you see any bullying, stop it right away, even if your child is the one doing the bullying. * Encourage your child to help others who need it. * Don’t bully your children or bully others in front of them. Many times kids who are bullied at home reactby bullying other kids. If your children see you hit, ridicule, or gossip about someone else, they are also more likely to do so themselves. * Support bully prevention programs in your child’s school. If your school doesn’t have one, consider starting one with other parents, teachers, and concerned adults. When Your Child Is Bullied Many kids are embarrassed to be bullied and may not tell their parents or another adult right away. If your child comes to you and asks for help with a bully, take it seriously. Many times, if kids aren’t taken seriously the first time they ask for help, they don’t ask again. Even if your child doesn’t turn to you for help, you can watch for these warning signs that he or she is being bullied. Kids who are bullied often experience * Withdrawal * A loss of friends * A drop in grades * A loss of interest in activities he or she previously enjoyed * Torn clothing * Bruises * A need for extra money or supplies If you think your child is being bullied or if your child has told you that he or she is being bullied, you can help. Parents are often the best resource to build a child’s self-confidence and teach him or her how to best solve problems. Here are a few ways you can help * Talk to your child’s teacher about it instead of confronting the bully’s parents. If the teacher doesn’t act to stop the bullying, talk to the principal. * Teach your child nonviolent ways to deal with bullies, like walking away, playing with friends, or talking it out. * Help your child act with self-confidence. With him or her, practice walking upright, looking people inthe eye, and speaking clearly. * Don’t encourage your child to fight. This could lead to him or her getting hurt, getting in trouble, and beginning more serious problems with the bully. * Involve your child in activities outside of school. This way he or she can make friends in a different social circle. Some children seem to be bullied all the time, while others rarely get picked on. Why do some kids seem to attract all of the bullies? Kids who are bullied often * Are different from other kids, whether by size, race, sexually, or have different interests * Seem weak, either physically or emotionally * Are insecure * Want approval * Won’t tell on their bullies When Your Child Is a Bully It’s hard for any parent to believe that their child is a bully, but sometimes it happens. But just because your child bullies doesn’t mean that he or she will bully forever. Parents are one of the best resources to help their child stop bullying and start interacting positively with their classmates. Your child may bully if, he or she * Lacks empathy and doesn’t sympathize with others * Values aggression * Likes to be in charge * Is an arrogant winner and a sore loser * Often fights often with brothers and sisters * Is impulsive What you can do to stop your child from bullying * Take it seriously. Don’t treat bullying as a passing phase. Even if you’re not worried about long-lasting effects on your child, another child is being hurt. * Talk to your child to find out why he or she is bullying. Often, children bully when they feel sad, angry, lonely, or insecure and many times major changes at home or school may bring on these feelings. * Help build empathy for others and talk to your child about how it feels to be bullied. * Ask a teacher or a school counselor if your child is facing any problems at school, such as if your child is struggling with a particular subject or has difficulty making friends. Ask them for advice on how you and your child can work through the problem. * Ask yourself if someone at home is bullying your child. Often, kids who bully are bullied themselvesby a parent, family member, or another adult. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying/what-parents-can-do How can parents help to prevent bullying at their child’s school? * Talk with and listen to your kids – every day. Research shows that approximately half the children who have been bullied never tell their parents about it. Children are often too ashamed of themselves to tell anyone; sometimes they feel that no one can help, not even their parents.1 * Spend time at school and recess. Research shows that 67% of bullying happens when adults are not present. Whether you can volunteer once a week or once a month, you can make a real difference just by showing up. * Be a good example of kindness and leadership. Your kids learn a lot about power relationships from watching you. Any time you speak to another person in a hurtful or abusive way, you’re teaching your child that bullying is ok. * Learn the signs. If you suspect that your child might be bullied, talk with your child’s teacher or find ways to observe his or her peer interactions to determine whether or not your suspicions might be correct. * Create healthy anti-bullying habits early. Help develop anti-bullying and anti-victimization habits early in your children, as early as kindergarten. Coach your children what not to do – hitting, pushing, teasing, being mean to others. Equally if not more importantly, teach your children what to do – kindness, empathy, fair play, and turn-taking are critical skills for good peer relations. * Help your child’s school address bullying effectively. Whether your children have been bullied or not, you should know what their school is doing to address bullying. Research shows that â€Å"zero-tolerance† policies aren’t effective. What works better are ongoing educational programs that help create a healthy social climate in the school. * Establish household rules about bullying. Your children need to hear from you explicitly that it’s not normal, okay, or tolerable for them to bully, to be bullied, or to stand by and watch other kids be bullied. If your child is bullying, you can help him or her find other ways to exert their personal power, status, and leadership at school. Work with your child, his or her teachers, and the principal to implement a kindness plan at school. * Teach your child how to be a good witness. Children can often effectively diffuse a bullying situation by yelling â€Å"Stop! You’re bullying!† Must bullies stop within 10 seconds when someone tells him or her to stop. * Spread the word that bullying should not be a normal part of childhood. Some adults hesitate to act when they observe or hear about bullying because they think of bullying as a typical phase of childhood that must be endured. It is important for everyone to understand that all forms of bullying – physical, verbal, social (gossip, rumors, exclusion from the group), and cyberbullying are NOT a normal part of childhood. * Adults (teachers and parent volunteers) in the classroom should be aware of class social structures. Which children typically affiliate together? Which children are leaders and socially influential? Which children are socially marginalized? Purposefully pairing and grouping children so that children who bully and those who are victims can work together helps to prevent bullying outside the classroom.

The Debate over Affirmative Action - 1307 Words

Perhaps one of the most divisive issues in the United States is race. While most Americans would rather not talk about it, there are still issues surrounding race that will strike the interest of most citizens. This is perhaps nowhere more true than the debate over affirmative action. Although the United States has made great strides in improving race relations over the past forty years, affirmative action continues to be one of the most controversial policies in America. It has rattle the halls of higher education. It has appeared on the steps of the Supreme Court. And it has divided not only different racial groups, but even members of a single racial group. In fact, I’ve heard some of the most heated conversation over affirmative action between two African Americans. Like myself, many other African Americans believe this policy is one the most effective strategies for leveling what has long been an uneven playing field. However, critics of affirmative action believe this ki nd of reform does an injustice to the idea of merit. Though no one can deny that minorities and women have made significant steps towards autonomy and equality in American society, there are still wide economic disparities between these groups and white males. While theses issues and controversies surrounding affirmative action can not be resolved easily, the question remains: do we still need affirmative action in America? I say yes, affirmative action was and is needed to achieve full gender andShow MoreRelatedAffirmative Action1559 Words   |  7 PagesRESEARCH PAPER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INTRODUCTION Affirmative Action is an employment legislation protection system that is intended to address the systemized discrimination faced by women and minorities. It achieves this by enforcing diversity through operational intrusions into recruitment, selection, and other personnel functions and practices in America. Originally, Affirmative Action arose because of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s desire to integrate society on educationalRead MoreDoes Affirmative Action Make Moral Sense?1084 Words   |  5 PagesDoes affirmative action make moral sense? A moral being is one capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct, but a big question that follows concerns the idea if there even is such a thing as â€Å"right conduct.† â€Å"Whatever can be proved to be good, must be so by being shown to be a means to something admitted to be good† (Mill 6). In John Stuart Mill’s book, â€Å"Utilitarianism,† he states this notion where an individual assumes good things are good without knowing why they’re good. Defined fromRead MoreAffirmative Action vs Reverse Discrimination Essay1614 Words   |  7 PagesAffirmative Action or Reverse Discrimination Colleen Koehn Business Law 1038 Instructor Jackie Sexson March 1, 2010 South University Online There has been a large debate in recent years if affirmative action has gone against the American way, has affirmative action caused reverse discrimination? The establishment of affirmative action was put into place to create equal rights for racial minorities, ethnic minorities, women, the physically disabled and those who served in the militaryRead More The Affirmative Action Debate Essay1642 Words   |  7 Pagesthis essay, affirmative action in education is defined as: â€Å"policies and programs designed to advance equality of educationalopportunity for individuals from groups that have suffered systematic historical discrimination† (Mickelson 29). What is being referred to here is race-based affirmative action, or the act of taking into consideration an applicant’s race in the college admissions process. This is a hot topic all over the United States and has been for quite a while, the debate raging betweenRead MoreAffirmative Action1571 Words   |  7 PagesN ame Professor Name Management 11th November 2011 Affirmative Action Thesis: Affirmative Action has helped many women and minorities in entering the job market. 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Should thisRead MorePros And Cons Of Affirmative Action1548 Words   |  7 PagesAffirmative action is defined as â€Å"an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women sought to achieve a multicultural staff through affirmative action; also: a similar effort to promote the rights or progress of other disadvantaged persons† (Affirmative Action, n.d.). Affirmative action is a government policy that ensures that diversity is maintained in schools and in the workplace. It’s designed to assist individuals overcome previousRead MoreEssay on Presidential Debates511 Words   |  3 PagesPresidential Debates Making a decision is a very important part of life that every person, at one time or another, has to make. Options are always available when someone has to make a decision. In choosing a President for our country, we have to look at our candidates and decide which ones beliefs can help the country the most. We get to hear the Presidents opinions through the debates. This year, although we had numerous candidates, the only two that were allowed to participate in the debates was ViceRead MoreRacial Inequality And Affirmative Action900 Words   |  4 Pagesbarriers, President John F. Kennedy created the affirmative action program to provide equal opportunities for everyone, whether in education or in the workforce. Even if this was a program created in the 1960’s, problems continue to present itself as shown through the many court cases, such as Brown vs. Board of Education, Fisher vs. University of Texas, Grutter vs. Bollinger et al, and Hopwood vs. State of Texas. Thus, racial inequality and affirmative action continues to be a controversial topic evenRead MoreAffirmative Action : African American And Hispanic870 Words   |  4 Pageswithout affirmative action. Since Santiago was both African American and Hispanic he dealt with identity issues and stereotypes throughout his adolescent life. Even though affirmative action is supposed to make attempts to improve opportunities for groups that were historically excluded it is still a form of discrimination itself. The preference of one race over another is discrimination despite the fact if the group is gaining benefits. Contemporary society still takes on the controversial debate over

Difference Between Form1.Hide and Unload Me in VB 6

Hide and Unload are techniques in Visual  Basic 6—VB.NET does things differently. In VB6, you can see the difference clearly by creating a form with a CommandButton component and a test statement in the Click event. Note that these two statements are mutually exclusive, so only one can be tested at a time. Visual Basic 6 Unload Statement The Unload statement removes the form from memory. In most simple VB6 projects, Form1 is the startup object so the program stops running too. To prove this, code the first program with Unload. Private Sub Command1_Click()  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unload MeEnd Sub When the button is clicked in this project, the program stops. Visual Basic 6Hide Statement To demonstrate  Hide, run this code in VB6 so the Hide method of Form1 is executed. Private Sub Command1_Click()  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form1.HideEnd Sub Notice that Form1 disappears from the screen, but the square End icon on the Debug toolbar shows  the project is still active. If youre in doubt, the Windows Task Manager that is displayed with CtrlAltDel shows the project is still in Run mode. Communicating With a Hidden Form The Hide method only removes the form from the screen. Nothing else changes. For example, another process can still communicate with objects on the form after the Hide method is called. Heres a program that demonstrates that. Add another form to the VB6 project and then add a Timer component  and this code to Form1: Private Sub Command1_Click()  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form1.Hide  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form2.ShowEnd Sub Private Sub Timer1_Timer()  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form2.Hide  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form1.ShowEnd Sub In Form2, add a Command button control and this code: Private Sub Command1_Click()  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form1.Timer1.Interval 10000 10 seconds  Ã‚  Ã‚  Form1.Timer1.Enabled TrueEnd Sub When you run the project, clicking the button on Form1 makes Form1 disappear and Form2 appear. However, clicking the button on Form2 uses the Timer component on Form1 to wait 10 seconds before making Form2 disappear and Form1 appear again even though Form1 isnt visible. Since the project is still running, Form1 keeps appearing every 10 seconds—a technique you might use to drive a coworker batty one day.

Being Black And Living With A Heart With Problems

Ashlee’ Robinson Professor Elliott English 100 11 December 2013 Being Black and Living with a Heart with Problems According to the National Institution of Health News, as many as 1 in 100 black men and women develop heart failure before the age of 50, 20 times the rate in whites in this age group, heart failure developed in black participants at an average age of 39, often preceded by risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and chronic kidney 10 to 20 years earlier. Black mean that most likely developed heart failure were either obese or had diabetes when they were younger. According to the CDC of Vital Health Statistics, 60.1% of African-American males are overweight. Religion, culture, history, friends, family, and†¦show more content†¦Many kids now are to electronically smart and attached to their electronics soon if parents don’t take action more of our children will become obese along with developing the problems that come along with being obese. According to the American Diabetes Association 14.7 or 3.7million of All African Americans ages 20 years or older have diabetes: 20-80% of African American males have or will develop diabetes, those with type 2 diabetes 80-90% are obese. Hypertension is also a risk factor that plays a role in congestive heart failure. According to WebMD, high rates of high blood pressure in African-Americans may be due to the genetic make-up of people of African descent. It is stated that about 41% of blacks in the United States have high blood pressure compared to the 21% of whites with high blood pressur e. Also blacks living in the United States are known to have the highest obesity rate than of any other country. Congestive heart failure is when the heart weakens and the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body, or enough oxygen to the lungs. The picture shows a healthy heart and the proper flow and a heart that has the condition congestive heart failure. You can see that the heart on the left is slightly bigger in a sense. The condition narrows the arteries in the heart causing it hard to pump blood throughout the body. The symptoms of CHF: shortness of breath when laying down, fatique and weakness, edema (swelling of any organ or body

British Political Issue Free Essays

Assess the impact of the media on the course and outcomes of a contemporary British political issue. You should choose one of the issues covered in the course.The Media, and its Influence on the Fortunes of Political LeadersIn a pluralist democracy, the media can have a very powerful effect upon politics, so powerful in some instances that it can shape outcomes of important political issues. We will write a custom essay sample on British Political Issue or any similar topic only for you Order Now Leadership of a party, therefore, is a precarious position to be in, owing to the persistent and pervasive influence of newspapers, television, radio and the internet. Events surrounding Iain Duncan Smith’s reign as leader of the Conservatives illustrate the extent of this influence.Since the demise of spectrum scarcity in 1946, British politicians have been continually scrutinised by the media through television, newspapers and more recently the internet. Milton’s 17th century concept of the ‘freedom of the press’ has allowed independence from government manipulation and the ability to talk more honestly and freely about politicians. However, the impartiality of the information depends on the fair-mindedness of journalists and the editorial policy.In the first half of the 20th century, people used to attend political rallies where they heard the great politicians of the day. At smaller rallies other political voices could also be heard. Radio brought these debates into people’s houses. With the advent of television came a completely new dimension. Not only the voice of politicians were heard but their personalities were exposed too. It was not enough to be an able politician with excellent policies but Political figures had to be ‘good on the box’, in a sense ‘actors’.Kennedy and Nixon’s presidential duel in 1960 first exemplified the importance of image and style; Kennedy was clean-shaven, and had a clear charismatic phraseology. Nixon looked pale, unshaven and disorientated. His poor performance contributed to his election defeat. One could say that politics has become that of a ‘spectacle’, staged to the minutes detail in order to attract and persuade voters.Technology has increased the immediacy and potential of the media, with 24-hour television channels and internet sites allowing faster dissemination of news. Localised party election meetings have been replaced by intricately crafted media events where ‘self-image’ and ‘sound bites’ are vital for capturing the snapshot interest of the quite often-preoccupied British public. Party politics have subsequently been diluted and reduced to simple slogans that can be expressed in the shrinking time available in the evening news.After the ‘iron lady’ left Downing Street in 1991, the Conservatives have struggled to regain both the image and the charisma of Margaret Thatcher. Her successor John Major was subject to the form of media scrutiny still affecting the Conservative Party today. In 1997, the normally. Tory biased Sun had this headline during the build up to the general election -The Sun Backs Blair†(The Sun,1997); although this swing in favour of Labour arose because of anticipation and previous disappointment rather than political preference.In 2001, Duncan Smith was elected after the failure of William Hague to revive the Conservative Party and improve their chances in the general election. The opportunistic media criticised Thatcher’s radical poll and fuel tax policies in the 1980’s and left the Conservatives with a rather burdensome shadow looming over them. Refusal to forget Thatcher’s legacy has meant that tabloid papers have continued to apply lowbred anti-Conservative personalisation – increasing trivialisation and some elements of contempt towards Conservative MP’s. John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and more recently Michael Howard have all been victims of personalisation; attributed to them chiefly by tabloids. John Major was the ‘grey man’- the avuncular shadow of Margaret Thatcher’s former self, William Hague was the’high school debater’, Iain Duncan Smith was ‘the old-soldier’, and Michael Howard is the ‘dracula’ type according to Anne Widdecombe -the Shadow Home Secretary. Perhaps the main reason for the prevailing criticism is the inability to equate the archetypal figure of Tony Blair. His TV personality, combined with his great technical ability as an extempore speaker make him unrivalled.Up until Iain Duncan Smith was unseated, a number of allegations were made about his conduct within office. He was alleged to have misused the parliamentary secretarial allowance by paying his wife. However, many believed him to be on his way out of office anyway, and that the claims were inconsequential to the security of his position. This is perhaps, exemplifies an attempt to frame Smith. Budge’s framing theory emphasises the way in which the media can influence politics and the way in which people see and understand it.Fast-forward syndrome is a common occurrence in modern politics due to the fast, free flowing information that is available world-wide. Issues change throughout the course of time, affected by crucial events, which can eventually be laid to rest when new information is discovered. An example of this is the perpetual real time coverage of the Iraq war. Newspapers said Conservative prospects were ‘promising’ under Howard’s leadership, when only hours ago under Smith, they had been ‘beyond repair’. Optimism however can be premature in politics, as Iain Duncan Smith can testify.When he triumphed over Ken Clarke in September 2001, the media claimed he was the man to resurrect the Tories’ and compete with Labour; Baroness Thatcher called him a â€Å"fine young man with exceptional potential†(Thatcher,2001). Unfortunately for the Tories, September 11th distracted attention away from Duncan Smith’s introductory campaign. Scotland on Sunday also revealed precautionary optimism by saying: â€Å"Any democrat, regardless of political hue, should welcome the rebuilding of the parliamentary opposition into an incisive and effective team.†(Scotland on Sunday,2003)A few months down the line, he was criticised from all quarters including by members and ex-members of the party like Anne Widdecombe, Michael Heseltine and Crispin Blunt. Blunt resigned because he believed that Smith was a â€Å"handicap† to the party; Blunt of course was unaware that his comment would lead to a bombardment of insults in his direction -even from Duncan Smith critics. Thatcher concluded by lamenting the ineptitude of Smith calling him â€Å"the worst leader in the history of the Conservative Party†(Thatcher,2003). Broadsheets and tabloids emphasised the remark, which would mark the end of Smith’s reign as leader. A substantial amount of newspaper coverage in the past three months was aimed at the Conservative Party, its ministerial fallouts and declining popularity. Duncan Smith questioned party loyalty and urged MP’s to â€Å"unite or die†. After the ‘overacted’ performance of Smith at the Conservative Party Conference in October 2003, even right of centre broadsheets like the Daily Telegraph started denouncing him, predicting his resignation â€Å"within weeks†(Riddell, 2003). It was: â€Å"the most desperate day in the history of the Conservative Party† (Riddle, 2003). One of the papers to retain its loyalty was The Sun who criticised the ‘backstabbing’ Tories for squandering time and urged them to continue denouncing the government.Left wing opposition has arisen in the form of tabloids such as the Daily Mirror, who sloganised the Conservative Party’s cabinet reduction strategy -which gives double the department responsibility to some of the members. The Mirror branded them â€Å"The Dirty dozen†. The Mirror’s main concern was that some MP’s were given the responsibility of two departments instead of one, indicating perhaps less emphasis on important issues like Health and Education.Rupert Murdoch’s media ownership could have had an impact on the Conservative leadership. Owning The Sun, The Times, The News of the World and the Sunday Times -as well as 35.4 percent of BskyB, means that he is extremely powerful. He was a staunch Tory supporter in the 80’s and 90’s and has shifted his opinion of the leaders recently until the recent appointment of Michael Howard. Murdoch’s position was cautious, but nevertheless significant in terms of media influence. â€Å"We will have to see how the Tory front bench looks,† Murdoch told BBC television on Friday. Although he was anti Euro, Murdoch at times backed Blair’s Government, exemplifying the alternating ideological influences of media moguls over issues like party leadership.Failure to project his authority in the Commons was one of Smith’s natural downfalls and perhaps undermines the argument that the media were responsible for his dismissal. In comparison with new leader Michael Howard, he did not have the ability to â€Å"alter his delivery while changing the mood of the house† (Fraser Nelson, 2003). Nelson also points out the striking differences in the chamber atmosphere; Smith would encourage a few mumbled utterances from his backbenchers, whereas Howard managed to gain a rumbustuous approval in his duel with Blair Prime Ministers Question Time. Michael Howard has already claimed BBC approval for his debating skills in the chamber; for example, his fight against excessive business beaurocracy and taxes, his clash with Blair over the conduct of Children’s Minister Margaret HodgeA recent Guardian poll suggested that the Conservatives still lagged behind Labour on 38%(The Guardian, 2003). The alternating and sometimes contradictory multiplicity of ‘facts’ displayed by left and right wing papers will no doubt have an effect on their loyal readership. However because these statistics only represent part of our democratic society and could be manipulated, the public’s attitude to the leadership of the Conservative Party could be misdirected. Instead of polls representing the public’s attitude -‘Reinforcement Theory'(Budge, 1998)- they might shape it into the image presented by the media rather than by theirs -‘Agenda Setting Theory'(Budge, 1998). People’s opinions are changeable. Human beings think and act in crowds as well as individually, and if newspapers give the impression that most people have a particular viewpoint their willingness to have a more open mind can be affected. If a political party then makes mistakes and gains a reputation, not only will it find it difficult to detach itself from the previous deficiencies, but also it will inevitably be further damaged with the growth of investigative journalism. The issue of Iain Duncan Smith’s leadership downfall therefore was not solely influenced by the media, but was a result of perennial antagonism against an ailing party. The initial optimism of Michael Howard’s leadership could diminish when he gets involved in policy confrontation, and the media continue with their routine cynicism -which can influence the publics opinion on party leadership. REFERENCES Unknown Authorship, Scotland on Sunday, 2001Fraser Nelson, Scotland on Sunday, 2003Margaret Thatcher, Daily Mail, September, 2001Margaret Thatcher, Daily Mail, September, 2003Peter Riddell, The Times,2003Budge I, 2001, The New British Politics(Second Edition), Media Theories, Longman 2001, page 294-297 Unknown Authorship, 2003, http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031114/325/edzpq.html visited on the 19/11/03WEBOGRAPHYhttp://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,947736,00.html visited on the 23/11/03http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,1083855,00.html visited on the 23/11/03http://quickstart.clari.net/qs_se/webnews/wed/cd/Ubritain-politics-analysis.RJbq_DOT. htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3225615.stm visited on the 24/11/03http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3161070.stm visited on the 20/11/03http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2408891.stm visited on the 16/11/03http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3223185.stm visited on the 17/11/03 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/polls/story/0,11030,1088270,00.html visited on the 29/11/03BIBLIOGRAPHYNegrine, R, (1989) Politics and the Mass Media in Britain(second edition), Routledge, LondonBudge, I., Crewe, I., Mckay, D., Newton, K., 2001, The New British Politics(Second Edition). Longman 2001, pages 299-307 How to cite British Political Issue, Papers