Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Nominative Case in Russian Usage and Examples

The nominative case in Russian—Ð ¸Ã ¼Ã µÃ ½Ã ¸Ã'‚Ð µÃ »Ã'Å'Ð ½Ã'‹Ð ¹ Ð ¿Ã °Ã ´Ã µÃ ¶ (imeNEEtelny paDYEZH)—is the basic case and serves to identify the subject of a verb. All nouns and pronouns in Russian dictionaries are given in the nominative case. This case answers the questions Ð ºÃ'‚Ð ¾/Ã'‡Ã'‚Ð ¾ (ktoh/chtoh), which translate as who/what. Quick Tip The nominative case in Russian identifies the subject of a sentence and answers the questions Ð ºÃ'‚Ð ¾/Ã'‡Ã'‚Ð ¾ (ktoh/chtoh), meaning who/what. Its equivalent in English is any noun or pronoun that is the subject of a verb. When to Use the Nominative Case The nominative case can be dependent or independent. Independent Nominative Case The independent nominative case can be used as: The subject of a sentence (fulfills the nominative function) Examples: - Ð Ã ²Ã'‚Ð ¾Ã ±Ã'Æ'Ã'  Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã ´Ã'ŠÐ µÃ'…Ð °Ã ». (afTOboos padYEkhal)- The bus arrived. - ЛÐ °Ã ¼Ã ¿Ã ° Ð ·Ã °Ã ¶Ã ³Ã »Ã °Ã' Ã'Å'. (LAMpah zazhGLAS)- The lamp/light came on. In both of these sentences, the noun is in the nominative case and is the subject of the sentence. A noun or pronoun in a one-word nominative sentence (fulfills the nominative function) Examples: - Ð Ã ¾Ã'‡Ã'Å'. (noch)- Night. - Ðâ€"Ð ¸Ã ¼Ã °. (zeeMAH)- Winter. A vocative, that is, a word or a sentence that is used to address someone directly, usually by their name, using intonation to include emphasis or specific meaning. Examples: - Ð Ã °Ã'‚Ð °Ã'ˆÐ °, Ð ²Ã ¾Ã ·Ã'Å'Ð ¼Ã ¸ Ã'‚Ã'€Ã'Æ'Ð ±Ã ºÃ'Æ'. (naTAsha, vazMEE TROOPkoo)- Natasha, pick up (the phone). - ЛÃ'‘Ã'ˆÐ °! (LYOsha!)- Lyosha! (affectionate or shortened form of the name Alexei) Dependent Nominative Case The dependent nominative case is used as: Part of a complex nominative predicate, meaning that a noun or a pronoun is used together with a verb to form a predicate. Sometimes the verb itself is replaced with an em dash. Examples: - КÐ ¾Ã ½Ã µÃ'† – Ð ´Ã µÃ »Ã'Æ' Ð ²Ã µÃ ½Ã µÃ'†. (kaNYETS - DYEloo VYEnets)- All is well that ends well. - ОÐ ½ – Ã'Æ'Ã'‡Ð ¸Ã'‚Ð µÃ »Ã'Å'. (OHN - ooCHEEtel)- He is a teacher. As an additional nominative (Ð ¿Ã'€Ð ¸Ã »Ã ¾Ã ¶Ã µÃ ½Ã ¸Ã µ - prilaZHEniye), which is a noun or a pronoun that adds information to another noun, including proper names. Examples: - ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ¹ Ð ºÃ ¾Ã »Ã »Ã µÃ ³Ã °-Ð °Ã ½Ã ³Ã »Ã ¸Ã'‡Ð °Ã ½Ã ¸Ã ½ Ð ½Ã µ Ð »Ã'ŽÐ ±Ã ¸Ã » Ð ¾Ã ¿Ã °Ã ·Ã ´Ã'‹Ð ²Ã °Ã'‚Ã'Å'. (moy kaLYEga-angliCHAnin ny lyuBIL aPAZdyvat)- My colleague the Englishman didnt like to be late. - Ðâ€"Ã'Æ'Ã'€Ð ½Ã °Ã » Ð Ã'Å'Ã'Ž-ЙÐ ¾Ã'€Ð ºÃ µÃ'€ Ð ½Ã °Ã ¿Ã µÃ'‡Ð °Ã'‚Ð °Ã » Ð µÃ'‘ Ã' Ã'‚Ð °Ã'‚Ã'Å'Ã'Ž. (zhoorNAL New-Yorker napyCHAtal yeYOH statYUH)- The New Yorker Magazine published her article. Nominative Case Endings What Are Declensions? Before we look at the endings in the nominative case, it is important to understand what we mean by declensions in the Russian language. Most Russian parts of speech, including nouns, are declined by numbers (singular/plural), cases, and sometimes genders. When deciding which ending to use when declining a noun by case, you should look at what declension it is rather than what gender, as it is the declension that will determine the correct ending. There are three main noun declensions in Russian: 1st Declension: Includes all feminine nouns that end in Ð °/Ã'  as well as masculine and common nouns that end in Ð °/Ã'  when in the singular nominative form. Example: - Ð ´Ã µÃ ²Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ºÃ ° (DYEvachka)- A girl 2nd Declension: Includes masculine nouns that have a zero ending in the singular nominative form and neuter nouns that end in Ð ¾/Ð µ in singular nominative form. A zero ending is an ending that is not present in a words current form, although other endings are present in the words other forms. Example: - Ð ºÃ ¾Ã ½Ã'Å' (singular, masculine, ending in a zero ending). (kon)- A horse 3rd Declension: Feminine nouns with a zero ending in the singular nominative form. Example: - Ð ¿Ã µÃ'‡Ã'Å' (singular, feminine, ending in a zero ending). (pyech)- A stove Additionally, a group of nouns that change their endings outside of the usual rules are called heteroclitic and can be considered to form a fourth declension. Declension (Ð ¡Ã ºÃ »Ã ¾Ã ½Ã µÃ ½Ã ¸Ã µ) Singular (ЕÐ ´Ã ¸Ã ½Ã' Ã'‚Ð ²Ã µÃ ½Ã ½Ã ¾Ã µ Ã'‡Ð ¸Ã' Ã »Ã ¾) Examples Plural (ÐÅ"Ð ½Ã ¾Ã ¶Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ð ²Ã µÃ ½Ã ½Ã ¾Ã µ Ã'‡Ð ¸Ã' Ã »Ã ¾) Examples First declension -Ð °, -Ã'  Ã' Ã µÃ ¼Ã'Å'Ã'  (semYA) - family, feminineÐ ¿Ã °Ã ¿Ã ° (PApa) - Dad, masculine -Ã'‹, -Ð ¸ Ã' Ã µÃ ¼Ã'Å'Ð ¸ (SYEMyee) - families, feminine, pluralÐ ¿Ã °Ã ¿Ã'‹ (PApy) - Dads,masculine, plural Second declension "zero ending," -Ð ¾, -Ð µ Ã' Ã'‚oÐ » (stol) - table, masculine, "zero ending"Ð ¾Ã ºÃ ½Ã ¾ (akNOH) - window, neuter -Ã'‹, -Ð ¸, -Ð °, -Ã'  Ã' Ã'‚Ð ¾Ã »Ã'‹ (staLYH) - tables, masculine,pluralÐ ¾Ã ºÃ ½Ã ° (OKnah) - windows, neuter, plural Third declension "zero ending" Ð ½Ã ¾Ã'‡Ã'Å' (noch) - night, feminine, "zero ending" -Ð ¸ Ð ½Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ¸ (NOchi) - nigths, feminine, plural Heteroclitic nouns -Ã'  Ð ²Ã'€Ð µÃ ¼Ã'  (VRYEmya) - time, neuter -Ð ° Ð ²Ã'€Ð µÃ ¼Ã µÃ ½Ã ° (vyremeNAH) - times, neuter, plural Examples: - Ð Ã °Ã'ˆÐ ° Ã' Ã µÃ ¼Ã'Å'Ã'  Ð »Ã'ŽÐ ±Ã ¸Ã'‚ Ð ¾Ã'‚Ð ´Ã'‹Ã'…Ð °Ã'‚Ã'Å' Ð ½Ã ° Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã'€Ð µ. (NAsha syemYA LYUbit atdyHAT na MOrye)- My family likes to go on vacation to the seaside. - ДÐ ²Ã µÃ'€Ã'Å' Ð ¼Ã µÃ ´Ã »Ã µÃ ½Ã ½Ã ¾ Ð ¾Ã'‚Ð ²Ã ¾Ã'€Ð ¸Ã »Ã °Ã' Ã'Å'. (dvyer MYEDlena atvaREElas)- The door opened slowly. - ÐÅ"Ã'‹ Ð ´Ã ¾Ã »Ã ³Ã ¾ Ð ±Ã'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ¸Ã »Ã ¸ Ð ¿Ã ¾ Ð ³Ã ¾Ã'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã'Æ'. (my DOLga braDEEli pa GOradoo)- We wandered around the city for a long time. - Ð Ã °Ã'ˆÐ ¸ Ð ¿Ã °Ã ¿Ã'‹ - Ã'Æ'Ã'‡Ð ¸Ã'‚Ð µÃ »Ã' . (NAshi PApy - oochityeLYA)- Our Dads are teachers. - ПÐ µÃ'‡Ã'Å' Ð µÃ'‰Ð µ Ð ´Ã ¾Ã »Ã ³Ã ¾ Ã'‚Ð µÃ ¿Ã »Ã ¸Ã »Ã °Ã' Ã'Å'. (pyech yeSHO DOLga tyepLEElas)- The stove remained warm for a while longer. - КÐ °Ã ºÃ ¸Ã µ Ã'‚Ð µÃ ¿Ã »Ã'‹Ð µ Ð ½Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ¸ Ð ·Ã ´Ã µÃ' Ã'Å'! (kaKEEye TYOPlyye NOchi zdyes)- The nights are so warm here! - Ð’Ã'€Ð µÃ ¼Ã µÃ ½Ã ° Ã' Ã µÃ ¹Ã'‡Ð °Ã'  Ã'‚Ð °Ã ºÃ ¸Ã µ. (vryemeNAH syCHAS taKEEye)- These are the times now.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

A Critical Discussion of Blaise Pascals The Wager Essay...

A Critical Discussion of Blaise Pascals The Wager In the gambling world bets are made based on odds, the probability or likelihood that something would happen. In the court of law, cases are decided upon by the weight of evidence presented by the respective parties. The common link between these general scenarios is that decisions are made based on some outside evidential factor. The more probable something is likely to happen, or the more evidence presented in favor or opposed to something, the greater the tendency that a decision will coincide with that probability or evidence. This kind of logic has also been used when arguing about the existence of God. It has been argued that God’s existence is necessary based on the logic†¦show more content†¦Pascal starts off his essay by stating that, â€Å"If there is a God, He is infinitely incomprehensible†¦He has no affinity to us.† (Pascal, 78) This already poses a problem with the argument he is about to present in support of believing that God exists. The m ain question becomes, if there is a god and that this god is incomprehensible, then what is the point in believing whether or not such a being a actually exists? It would obviously follow that we would never come to a full understanding of this god, and any efforts to believe in or worship him would be in vain. Are we just to believe that this god exists and that’s all, or is there a code of conduct that is to follow this belief? How do you act in a manner that is pleasing to being that you do not and never will wholly understand? Pascal goes on to state that once we have made this rational decision to believe in God then we start to act like we believe in this god and from practicing these actions habitually your belief will strengthen Pascal, 78). The problem here lies in the basis of the strength for this belief. To make a decision and then act on that decision seems pretty consistent; but, to make a decision and have that decision become a belief based on habitual actions does not follow at all. Is this belief that your holding to a product of sincerity of habit? If you start to act youShow MoreRelated A Rational Look at the Abortion Controversy Essay3888 Words   |  16 Pagesinside and outside of biomedical ethics today is abortion. The discussion received a new impetus at the release of the controversial abortion drug RU-486, a pill to increase access to abortions and let women get them privately from their own doctor instead of facing shouting protesters at clinics.2 As is the case with all controversial issues, there are very passionate people on both sides of the fence. Unfortunately, a heated discussion on abortion can easily and quickly turn into a battle of rhetoric

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Big Man on Campus free essay sample

The day had come! After waiting years for thisglorious occasion, I had arrived at a new plateau, both physically andspiritually. I had been through this exercise many times, yet today something wasdifferent. I had a feeling I would be victorious. I gasped one large breath andinflated my lungs. With the inhalation came confidence. I envisionedcongratulatory pats and a wide smile on my mothers face. My name wasannounced and a strong sense of calm overwhelmed my body. My mom whispered a fewwords of encouragement and wished me luck as I ascended the platform. Aftermomentarily pausing, a familiar maternal hand nudged me forward. There it was,the machine Id been battling for 17 years, and here was my chance to conquer it.First with the left foot, and then with the right, I stepped onto the scale. Thechill of the metal on my feet was startling, but my attention shifted as thenurse approached and it became apparent that some adjustment was necessary. We will write a custom essay sample on Big Man on Campus or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thenurse prodded the black measurement indicator to 97, 98, 99 it didnt looklike the scales were tipping. I shrieked, All right! for never beforehad two nines appeared together when measuring my weight. The nurse moved theweight from the 50-pound position to, dare we say, the 100-pound mark. A hushfell. Could it be? Was it possible? Yes, he did it! Jason Roffenbender topped 100pounds! While some people are vertically challenged, I am challenged bothvertically and horizontally. Since my introduction to this world through thePlexiglas windows of an incubator, I have always been the little guy.I cried in kindergarten when my mother had difficulty locating corduroy pants inmy size sans the embarrassing snaps between the legs. When I was old enough foryouth basketball, the elbows of other players found their ways to my eyes, orworse yet, rested on my head during team meetings. I had a short career in LittleLeague, in part due to my almost non-existent strike zone. Pitchers pretty muchwrote me off as an automatic walk, which was helpful to my team, but detrimentalto my morale. Although my height has come to a halt, and I find my clothing inthe childrens section of most department stores, I am still growing A successful college essay! Jason now attends James MadisonUniversity.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Technology Beneficial or Harmful Essay Example

Technology: Beneficial or Harmful Paper Argumentative Essay on Is Technology Beneficial or Harmful? Throughout the vast history of humanity, humans have always used their innovative and cognitive skills to create tools to better improve their chances at survival on this planet. This technology advancement first began in the Stone Age when man fist discovered that stone could be utilized as both a harvesting tool and hunting weapon; which gradually developed into spears, bows and arrows, and swords. And as time pressed on, one of the most important and influential inventions since the beginning of time was designed in the shape of a circle: the wheel. However, unlike in earlier times, the evolution of technology in the past 60 years has been growing so rapidly that society has scarcely been able to keep up with it on a global scale. And due to this accelerated development of technology, accurate assessment and critical reflection on our dependency of these new technologies has been greatly hindered. So if one were to consider all the consequences and results of today’s technology objectively, could our dependency on modern day technology be viewed as positive or negative outcome? Both sides of this argument have solid, valid claims, but do the pros outweigh the cons or are the benefits of technology not worth the potential harm it can cause to our society. As the advancement of technology drastically rises, society’s dependency for these technologies also rises, however, this correlation can prove exceedingly beneficial for the people of this era. The improvement of medical technology has been especially helpful in maintaining the health and well-being of millions of people around the world suffering from various diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology: Beneficial or Harmful specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Technology: Beneficial or Harmful specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Technology: Beneficial or Harmful specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Story of the Trojan War essays

Story of the Trojan War essays Most information that the world has today that deals with the history of ancient Greece are in the literature from the time. Great epics such as the Iliad and the Odyssey, from the unknown poet Homer, make up most of the literature that has ever been found from this era. The problem with getting our history from literary sources is that when Homer first recited his Iliad he was actually trying to entertain, so all of the information might not be accurate, although based on actual events. Also, in the Greek culture, it was common to allow the credit for certain kinds of deeds to go to their gods or goddesses, which today's historians just suppose to be allegorical references. But, if the gods or goddesses do not exist, then how did the Trojan War start in the first place? The story that most people know as to what started the war is a myth involving the goddesses and what archeologists have so far found; no one is exactly sure what started the war. First, the Greek myth that most people have given credit for the history of how the Trojan War started: A sea nymph, Thetis, was getting married to Peleus, a mortal. All of the gods and goddesses were invited to this great wedding, except Eris, a rather unpopular goddess. When Eris discovered that there was a wedding going on that she had not been invited to she decided to get back at all who went. She decided to roll an apple into the reception of the wedding, but she put an inscription on the apple that intended it for the most beautiful goddess at the wedding. When the apple rolled in and the inscription was read Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all felt that she, respectively, was the most beautiful and should get the apple. All three goddesses begged of the gathered gods to choose, but all of the gods ref used to make an enemy of the other two that he did not choose. So finally, someone suggested that the three goddesses should let a mortal choose; Priam's son, Paris, was designated to cho...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Timeline of Roman Emperors and Common Groupings

Timeline of Roman Emperors and Common Groupings This list of Roman emperors goes from the first emperor (Octavian, who is better known as Augustus) to the last emperor in the West (Romulus Augustulus). In the East, the Roman Empire continued until Constantinople (Byzantium) was sacked in A.D. 1453. This takes you through the standard period of Roman emperors, from the end of the 1st century B.C. to the end of the 5th century A.D. During the second period of the Roman Empire, the Dominate - as opposed to the earlier period which was known as the Principate, there was an emperor at Constantinople as well as the one in the West. Rome was originally the capital of the Roman emperor. Later, it moved to Milan, and then Ravenna (A.D. 402-476). After the fall of Romulus Augustulus, in A.D. 476, Rome continued to have an emperor for almost another millennium, but that Roman emperor ruled from the East. Julio-Claudians (31 or) 27 B.C. - 14 A.D. Augustus14 - 37 Tiberius37 - 41 Caligula41 - 54 Claudius54 - 68 Nero Year of the 4 Emperors (ends with Vespasian)68 - 69 Galba69 Otho69 Vitellius Flavian Dynasty 69 - 79 Vespasian79 - 81 Titus81 - 96 Domitian 5 Good Emperors 96 - 98 Nerva98 - 117 Trajan117 - 138 Hadrian138 - 161 Antoninus Pius161 - 180 Marcus Aurelius(161 - 169 Lucius Verus) The next cluster of emperors is not part of a specific dynasty or other common grouping, but includes 4 from the year of the 5 emperors, 193.177/180 - 192 Commodus193 Pertinax193 Didius Julianus193 - 194 Pescennius Niger193 - 197 Clodius Albinus Severans 193 - 211 Septimius Severus198/212 - 217 Caracalla217 - 218 Macrinus218 - 222 Elagabalus222 - 235 Severus Alexander More emperors without a dynastic label, although it includes the year of the 6 emperors, 238.235 - 238 Maximinus238 Gordian I and II238 Balbinus and Pupienus238 - 244 Gordian III244 - 249 Philip the Arab249 - 251 Decius251 - 253 Gallus253 - 260 Valerian254 - 268 Gallienus268 - 270 Claudius Gothicus270 - 275 Aurelian275 - 276 Tacitus276 - 282 Probus282 - 285 Carus Carinus Numerian Tetrarchy 285-ca.310 Diocletian295 L. Domitius Domitianus297-298 Aurelius Achilleus303 Eugenius285-ca.310 Maximianus Herculius285 Amandus285 AelianusIulianus286?-297? British Emperors286/7-293 Carausius293-296/7 Allectus293-306 Constantius I Chlorus Dynasty of Constantine 293-311 Galerius305-313 Maximinus Daia305-307 Severus II306-312 Maxentius308-309 L. Domitius Alexander308-324 Licinius314? Valens324 Martinianus306-337 Constantinus I333/334 Calocaerus337-340 Constantinus II337-350 Constans I337-361 Constantius II350-353 Magnentius350 Nepotian350 Vetranio355 Silvanus361-363 Julianus363-364 Jovianus Here are more emperors without a dynastic label.364-375 Valentinianus I375 Firmus364-378 Valens365-366 Procopius366 Marcellus367-383 Gratian375-392 Valentinianus II378-395 Theodosius I383-388 Magnus Maximus384-388 Flavius Victor392-394 Eugenius 395-423 Honorius [Division of the Empire - Honorius brother Arcadius ruled the East 395-408]407-411 Constantine III usurper421 Constantius III423-425 Johannes425-455 Valentinian III455 Petronius Maximus455-456 Avitus457-461 Majorian461-465 Libius Severus467-472 Anthemius468 Arvandus470 Romanus472 Olybrius473-474 Glycerius474-475 Julius Nepos475-476 Romulus Augustulus

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Heart and Lungs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Heart and Lungs - Essay Example lung is a respiratory organ that carries oxygen into the bloodstream from the atmosphere and frees carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the atmosphere. It is a vital organ that most breathing animals posses. Each of the lungs is situated in either side of the heart close to the spinal column. This is the case among animals with complex life forms such as mammals. The heart and lungs should operate efficiently to ensure enough oxygen reaches the organs. This forms the vascular and the respiratory systems. The lungs hold the air that is taken from the environment before releasing it into the blood. Thereafter, the heart circulates the blood into the entire body. The oxygenated blood flows to the body from the lungs as the deoxygenated blood flows from the body into the lungs (Scharf, Pinsky, & Madger, 2011). The whole process commences at the heart that has the two atria and ventricles. The veins in the right atrium and ventricle receive blood. Concurrently, the deoxygenated blood flows into the heart through the right atrium. The relaxation of the heart muscle then causes the release of blood into the right ventricle from the atrium. Consequently, right ventricle pushes the blood into the Pulmonary Artery via the Pulmonary Valve (Batzel, Kappel, Schneditz, & Tran, 2007). The pulmonary artery then delivers the blood to the lungs where it undergoes purification. After the purification, the oxygenated blood rescinds to the heart through the Left Atrium (Batzel, Kappel, Schneditz, & Tran, 2007). The heart muscles relax again causing the left atrium to send the blood in to the left ventricle. In the end, the heart pushes the blood out delivering it to the entire body. The lungs are the sites of respiratory gas exchange. These gases are oxygen and carbon dioxide. The bronchioles and alveoli deliver blood into the lungs. The bronchioles split from the trachea extending to the lobes of the lungs. It is fundamental to notice that the alveoli are tiny sacs surrounded

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Jose Clemente Orozco's Zapatistas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jose Clemente Orozco's Zapatistas - Essay Example One can see that interpretation helps a viewer to perceive an artwork from a different angle of view. The artwork consists of different figures (animate and inorganic) in different sizes. To be specific, the rocks and hill in the artwork is symbolic of inorganic objects in different sizes. On the other side, the horses and human figures represent life in different sizes. These objects/figures in different sizes provide proper balancing to the artwork. The upright, parallel, and slanting lines indebted to the figures provide proper rhythm to the artwork as a whole. To be specific, the swords, caps, and dress in the artwork results in wave like rhythm in the artwork. Besides, the painter is deeply interested in the usage of contrasting colors in the artwork. The different shades of dark brown, blue, and yellow are used in the artwork. This is helpful to project the focal point (armed soldiers, captured revolutionaries, and women) as the central figure. In my opinion, the artwork is sym bolic of the artist’s view of human life. The artist considers that vegetative life without intellectual development is wastrel. In addition, one must be ever ready to protect one’s individual rights. Still, the painting portrays how dictators can crush the self-confidence of the mass. Beyond the artistic elements, I like this artwork because the same is symbolic of the social responsibility of art. Summing, Orozco’s artwork is symbolic of the influence of art, which can be used as an innovative medium for social criticism.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Game and Basketball Essay Example for Free

Game and Basketball Essay Basketball has been a part of my life since I was eleven years old. To me basketball isnt just a sport, but a stress relief from schoolwork and a place where I can just be myself. Anytime I start to feel the stress of school, my family problems or work, I always use basketball as my way of getting away. The moment I step out onto the court I feel refreshed. My mind warps into this place of peace and I feel like I can do anything. I even sometimes believe that basketball is in my blood. I play representative and domestic basketball. Representative is when a player is on a real team that has practices and a playbook, domestic is when your just playing around with your friends. I do find that playing representative is way more enjoyable. The fact that Im playing with guys of the same age as myself, that have the same interest as I do, and the fact that there all as serious about basketball as I am is pretty cool too. Training and preparing for my games one of the hardest parts of the game. To play basketball, you have to be in good shape. We run, non-stop, for some days, this keeps our fitness levels up to the standards expected of us. Honesty I dont mind that kind of pain because I know that my skills are improving form all the training that we do. On other days, trainings usually consist of skill drills and running through the strategic motion plays for out basketball games. Overall, I play because I LOVE the sport. The best part of the week is when I have games. When the final bell of school rings, I become exited about the game that I have been preparing so hard for. The best part of the season is the finals. Everyone is so exacted to be there. Being able to play in the finals and knowing that if you win you get a trophy is very motivating. Having your friends and family cheering for you on the court sides is also motivating as well (but also nerve ranking too). Every time you score a goal and hearing everyone roaring with excitement, is the most motivating thing when your out there on the court. Basketball has grown to be a tremendous piece of my life. I know that many people think that basketball is just a sport, but for me, its a way of living life. **Questions- Step 1: introduce yourself and let the coach know that your interested in the team. Step 2: describe your #1 strength as a player Step 3: wat do u hope to get out of your college experience **Answers- My name is Tyreek Wardlaw. I am African American weighing at one hundred and thirty pounds with a five foot six height. I am very interested in playing college basketball as i move on to the next challenge in my life. My number one strength in the way I play basketball is my mindset and mental skill of the game. I have a high basketball IQ and a positive attitude for basketball even if myself or my teammates are struggling throughout a game or even a season. Being a point guard I think the most important thing is to stay focused and keep your head in the game. A point guard shouldnt get frustrated after a bad call or a bad shot, he should keep his mind clear and think positive throughout the whole game. A positive point guard equals positive results. In my college experience I hope to succeed academically. Not only do I want to play basketball but I want to become something more when I get out of college. I know its going to be hard work but Im ready for the challenge. I hope that your interested in me enough so that I can play the game I love at your college.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

Nuclear power is a relatively new method of supplying the ever growing population with the electricity that is required. Although the majority of people are unsure of how generation occurs, nuclear power provides roughly 17% of the world’s power. (Rich, Alex K...) This makes nuclear power a deciding factor in how the race progresses in technology and energy fabrication as it is able to produce mass amounts of electricity in short periods of time. The limit potential for nuclear power is unclear in not only energy but also weaponry and some medical uses. The fact that uranium and the radioactivity that comes with it are used in facilities and other inventions often lead people to distrust the inventions which, while not entirely un-called for, hinders progress and leads to fables and tales around nuclear energy, its creation, and the nuclear power plants that are springing up around the world. This causes nuclear facilities to slow in their development which only makes things w orse because as things progress the facilities will only get increasingly safe as long as they are handled professionally. (Rich, Alex K†¦) Some of the slanderous fables around nuclear power include things like claiming that nuclear facilities cannot operate during droughts and water shortages. (Kharecha, Pushker†¦) While nuclear power is accompanied by several risks, it can also be the solution for various global strains and difficulties. Nuclear power is generated through a process known as nuclear fission which occurs when the uranium molecules are placed in the water. This process causes the water to heat up to boiling point and generates steam, from there it operates like most other power plants by using the steam to turn turbines and create energy. Stea... ...ut. It has been shown that raising passive temperatures in a nuclear facility by only one degree Celsius reduces the production amount by 0.4%. (Linnerud, Kristin) Nuclear power may lead to some extensive breakthroughs in multiple fields for better or for worse in the case of humanity and its survival. It’s a topic that people need to take a bit more seriously as it holds the chance to make or break the future for earth and its inhabitants. Greater risks have greater rewards and as observance of nuclear products and ideas deepen then so do the products yield, perhaps into infinity. While nuclear power is accompanied by several risks, it can also be the solution for various global strains and difficulties. Sufficient energy for the world is a huge goal to tackle and requires the use of any efficient resource we have, especially when the source has so much potential.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Free College Essay

I personally don’t believe that college should be free. Making it free would only serve to limit the value of the education while filling colleges with students that have no business/need there. College would become nothing more than a 4 year extension of high school if it were free. As things are now, society needs about 25% of the population to have a college degree for the jobs that require one and about 30% of the population has a degree. As a result, you hear from a lot of people that believe that they wasted time getting the degree because it’s not serving them as an employment enhancer. Further, nothing is truly free. Were college free to all students, someone would still have to pay those bills. Public education is already the single largest expense of non-federal governments and a huge part of the federal expense. Increasing the scope of free public education would also significantly increase the costs involved – those costs must be borne by someone. So, you either pay for it now as tuition or you pay for it for the rest of your life in the form of taxes but either way, you’ll pay for it. And then there’s the very valid point that all people aren’t really â€Å"above average† in intellect and therefor all people aren’t capable of attending and graduating from college. Our society would like to pretend that everyone is equal in motivation and intelligence but we know that’s not really true. Don’t we? What would be the result in terms of quality if we made college completely free to anyone? Add to that problem – costs keep some people from attending. This is only bad in-as-much as it limits those individuals personally. But it’s just that barrier that makes it possible for others to attend – college seats are not an unlimited resource of which we have plenty. There are only so many colleges with so many seats and more people would like to have those seats than can. If we removed the cost barrier then the competition for seats would be even greater and we’d still not have solved the problem of universal higher education. We’d need to have as many colleges as we have high schools to truly solve that problem. Then we’d need as many professors to teach in them in. Just a few of the arguments against your position that you might want to prepare to counter in your essay. There are many people that believe the compulsory secondary school education movement (‘create 100% HS graduates†) was a mistake too. While being well educated is very good at the individual level – society still needs people to do jobs that those who keep gaining more education simply don’t want to do.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Is College Worth It? Essay

I think we all can agree that getting an education is a vital process that is crucial for being successful in our society, but does getting a college education guarantee one’s success? I know, with the cost of a college degree rising 1,120% within the past 30 years, many of us do not want to wait and find out ourselves. Although getting a college education may not guarantee one’s success in the job market, one thing that comes with a college education is almost certain; thousands of dollars in debt. 2 out of every 5 loan borrowers are delinquent at some point within the first 5 years of repayment according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy. This shows that almost 50% of people who take out loans are having some sort of trouble repaying it. With an accumulative amount of 1. 2 trillion dollars in debt that students get themselves into a year, I am not surprised. This brings up the question: Is College worth it? A College education is an investment all on its own, but will your investment pay off? â€Å"The question is whether or not you will get your return on the investment in actual financial capital or human capital or emotional capital or social capital†, according to Professor Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University (Coleman Korva). Getting a college education does not guarantee you any financial success by any means. In the 2011-12 academic year, the average net cost for a full-time student at an in-state public university was about $15,000 for tuition, fees, room, board, books and incidental expenses, according to the College Board (Clark Kim), and an out of state college is nearly three time that amount. At the same time, only 27 percent of college grads have a job related to their major right out of college (Plumer Brad). Even though only 27 percent of college grads got a job related to their major right out of college, 62 percent of U. S. college graduates had a job that required a college degree right out of college (Plumer Brad). That is a better number, but there is still 38 percent that either doesn’t have a job, or has a job that doesn’t require a degree. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to end up flipping burgers when I’m done with college. Part of making College a worthwhile investment is picking the right major. The right major can lead to a whole lot of available jobs. I know that we all have different dreams and want to pursue them, but we got to face the facts; some majors aren’t doing so hot right now in the job market. Based on high initial unemployment rates and low initial median earnings of full-time, full-year workers, artistic majors are horrible right now. Recent college graduates of from ages 22 to 26 can expect an unemployment rate of 10. 5 percent, well above the national average (Goudreau Jenna). Those who do manage to snag a job are met with only a median salary of just $28,000. Due to a high unemployment rate and low median salary, most art majors will not be getting much in return for attending college. That is just one of many majors that aren’t doing well too. Other majors that aren’t worth the investment include Sociology, Psychology and Nutrition. Engineering on the other hand is one hot ticket right now in the job market. The top major for achieving a high salary is engineering (Still Daniel). Out of all the engineering majors, petroleum engineering tops out with a salary of $90,000 right out of college. Aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, and electrical engineering are not too far behind either. Engineering in General seems to be the way to go if you want your investment to pay off. Other worthwhile majors include Computers, Mathematics, and Pharmaceutical sciences. These majors are what makes going to college a worthwhile investment. The current job market is looking for jobs relating to these majors. Even though a job isn’t guaranteed after college, it would still be a good investment. Now we all know that college is a good investment if you make it be, but is there really a difference between someone who has a college education and someone who has a high school education or lower? â€Å"It’s a tough job market for college graduates, but far worse for those without a college education,† says Anthony P. Carnevale co-author of the study conducted at Georgetown University’s Center of Education and the Work Force. During the Great Recession in 2007, Millions of jobs vanished from the job market, but students with bachelors degrees who had jobs did not decline (International Business, Times). At the same time, the 55 percent of high school graduates who did have jobs even before the recession, fell to 47 percent after it (Perez-Pena Richard). As if people without a college education didn’t have it hard enough already. Now the amount of jobs that require a college education is on the rise, while people without a college education are being left in the dust. On average, people with a college education make much more than someone with a high school diploma too. The average income of a high school graduate is around $28,700. Compared to the average income of someone with a bachelor’s degree being $53,800. In a lifetime, someone with a high school education, on average, would accumulate $940,000 dollars of income while someone with a bachelor’s degree makes almost twice that amount at $1. 8 million dollars. This is because employers generally think that people with a college education are smarter than one with a high school education. Making the ones with a college education more prone to learning new skills a job requires. This is why you see a lot of high school graduates and people who never went to any school working at fast food restaurants. The job market is a really important factor when considering if college is worth it, but one has to consider the amount of debt one will accumulate afterwards. With nearly 20 million Americans attending college each year, (Chronicle of Higher Education) two-thirds of them end up graduating with some sort of debt (Denhart Chris). How much debt you may ask? The amount of debt that college students have accumulated by the time they graduate exceeds the 1. 2 trillion dollar mark (Denhart Chris). This makes student loans the second highest form of consumer debt, behind mortgage loans. This can really discourage someone from going to college. It can especially discourage someone from going back to college after dropping out because, most likely, the individual would be in some sort of debt already. Also, one does not want to go to college just to be in debt afterwards with no steady source of income. Attending college is becoming more and more vital with each passing year. A lot more jobs are beginning to look for more people with a college education. The question one needs to ask themselves though would be, â€Å"Is College worth it? † Without a doubt college is expensive. The majority of college graduates end up going into some sort of debt when they graduate. It is up to the student that is attending college though to determine if it is worth it for them or not. They need to ask themselves, â€Å"Will I be making my money back. † It is up to them to choose a major that is doing really well in the current job market. I know we all have different interests and goals, but if one wants a higher chance of being successful they would choose a major that is doing well. They also need to consider the fact that it is getting harder and harder to get a good job that doesn’t require a college education. People with a college education generally make much more too. I’m sure nobody wants to be working at their local McDonalds after they spent so much money going to four years of college. So invest in college, pick a good major, and get a good education because soon a college education will be in high demand and you will be on the top of the list. Work Cited Clark, Kim. â€Å"How Much Does College Actually Cost? † CNNMoney. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. Features, Forbes Special. â€Å"How The $1. 2 Trillion College Debt Crisis Is Crippling Students, Parents And The Economy. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 07 Aug. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. Goudreau, Jenna. â€Å"The 10 Worst College Majors. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 11 Oct. 2012. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. International Business, Times. â€Å"6 Charts On Why College Is Worth Its Cost. † International Business Times 17 Aug. 2012: Regional Business News. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. Kittle, Cameron. â€Å"Degrees of debt: UNH grad says college degree was worth it, but debt burden looms large. † Telegraph, The (Nashua, NH) 14 Aug. 2012: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. KORVA, COLEMAN. â€Å"Is A College Education Worth The Debt?. † Tell Me More (NPR) (n. d. ): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. PEREZ-PENA, RICHARD. â€Å"Benefits of College Degree in Recession Are Outlined. † NY Times. N. p. , 9 Jan. 2013. Web. Plumer, Brad. â€Å"Only 27 Percent of College Grads Have a Job Related to Their Major. † WonkBlog. N. p. , n. d. Web. Weissman, Jordan. â€Å"How Bad Is the Job Market For College Grads? Your Definitive Guide. † The Atlantic. N. p. , 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Water Wars essays

Water Wars essays Drinking a glass of water from our faucet is second nature to us. It is hard to believe that in view of the fact of the limited water resource we have, we may not be able to enjoy the vast amount of water we selfishly consume. It is a true embarrassment how San Diego and other big counties, such as Los Angeles, are erroneously accusing the Imperial Valley of having too much water for our own good. What these full-size cities do not recognize is that if it was not for our farming and field workers, they would not have there food on the table. It seems a little exaggerated, but just the way the economic cycle flows, the Imperial Valley receiving this amount of water is for a good and instrumental motivation. We require that water, not to quench the thirst of our peoples craving but only to feed the soil and allow our agricultural process to continue producing lots of our fruits and vegetables that we lay on our table to feed our offspring and loved ones. One good way to break this common knowledge to the capital desiring community that wants our rightfully given water is to tell them in laymens terms what in reality is going on. It in fact is not too hard to comprehend that the longer a shower you take. The more water you are going to waist. If we set a timer in our showers, for five minutes, and try to beat the record of showering under those five minuets, we can accumulate a whole lot of water just by making water conservation a diversion or a competition where the grand prize is cash. I think they should make water conservation like daylight savings. An additional way of helping our communities understand the true significance of water is to educate them. Tell them the actuality of how wasting water or snatching Imperial Valleys water concern every person. Not just by creating laws that no one really understands, but by making everyone conscious of the damage that we are causi ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Get Into College - Step by Step Guide

How to Get Into College - Step by Step Guide Getting into college isnt as difficult as most people think it is. There are colleges out there who will take anyone who has the tuition money. But most people dont want to go to just any college - they want to go to their first-choice college.   So, what are your chances of getting accepted to the school that you want to attend the most? Well, they are better than 50/50.  According to UCLAs annual CIRP Freshman Survey, more than half of students get accepted to their first choice college. This is no accident; many of these students apply to a school that is a good fit for their academic ability, personality, and career goals. Students who get accepted to their first choice college also have another thing in common: They spend a good portion of their high school career preparing for the college admissions process. Lets take a closer look at how you can get into college by following four easy steps.   Get Good Grades Getting good grades might sound like an obvious step for college-bound students, but the importance of this cannot be ignored.  Some colleges have a range of grade point averages (GPA) that they prefer. Others use a minimum GPA as part of their admissions requirements. For example, you may need at least a 2.5 GPA to apply. In short, youll have more college options if you get good grades. Students with high-grade point averages also  tend to get more attention from the admissions department and more financial assistance from the aid office. In other words, they have a better chance of getting accepted and may even be able to get through college without accumulating too much debt.   Of course, it is important to note that grades aren’t everything. There are some schools that pay little or no attention to GPA. Greg Roberts, admissions dean at the  University of Virginia, has referred to an applicants GPA as meaningless. Jim Bock, admissions dean at Swarthmore College, labels the GPA as artificial. If you dont have the grades you need to meet minimum GPA requirements, you need to seek out schools that focus on other application components beyond grades.   Take Challenging Classes Good high school grades are a proven indicator of college success, but they are not the only thing that college admissions committees look at. Most colleges are more concerned with your class choices. An A grade has less weight in an easy class than a B in a challenging class. If your high school offers advanced placement (AP) classes, you need to take them. These classes will allow you to earn college credits without having to pay college tuition. They will also help you develop college-level academic skills and show admissions officers that you are serious about your education. If AP classes aren’t an option for you, try to take at least a few honors classes in core subjects like math, science, English or history. As you are choosing high school classes, think about what you want to major in when you go to college. Realistically, youre only going to be able to handle a certain number of AP classes in a single year of high school. You are going to want to choose classes that are a good match for your major. For example, if you plan on majoring in a STEM field, then it makes sense to take AP science and math classes. If, on the other hand, you want to major in English literature, it makes more sense to take AP classes related to that field.   Score Well on Standardized Tests Many colleges use standardized test scores as part of the admissions process. Some even require minimum test scores as an application requirement.  You can usually submit  ACT or SAT  scores, though there are some schools that prefer one test over another.  A good score on either test will not guarantee acceptance to your first choice college, but it will increase your chances of success and can even help to offset bad grades in certain subjects. If you dont score well on tests, there are more than 800 test-optional colleges that you can consider. These colleges include technical schools, music schools, art schools and other schools that don’t view high ACT and SAT scores as indicators of success for the students that they admit to their institution.   Get Involved Participating in extracurricular activities, charities, and community events will enrich your life and your college application. When picking your extracurriculars, choose something that you enjoy and/or have a passion for. This will make the time you spend on these activities much more fulfilling.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Industrial action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrial action - Essay Example If we are to look into this problem 17 years ago, it was stated that A 1990 survey of working time found that just over one in 16 employees in Britain had their working hours calculated on an annual basis.(1) At present there are a lot of workers that are being paid in output basis rather than the time they consume to finish the work. These works includes the likes of care giving, freelance jobs, journalists and the likes. The kind of workers that are included in these fields are paid in an output basis which most of the companies does, because according to the companies, these people are not required to attend regular working hours and the hours that they consume in fulfilling their tasks are not that identical and this prompted these companies were compelled to do such acts. However, this scheme was not accepted by majority of the workers and this scenario oftentimes creates conflicts and clashes between the workers and the employers. There are accounts that workers are either offered with favorable amount in order for the companies’ make the workers feel that they are compensated. In this way, the workers would think twice in bringing work related matters to the court, particularly the rights of the workers that are deprived by some of the employers. However, workers and managers must know their duties and their limitations. Furthermore, Abramson claimed this vintage virtue stating â€Å"Wherever authoritative roles exist, they differentiate between those who command and those who obey. Moreover, in any organization we can differentiate between those who participate in the hierarchy of command, regardless of their position in this hierarchy, and those who are subordinate.† This means that whatever the circumstance, the workers must comply with the kind of leadership his manager employs. If we are to base it in a British management perspective which deals with relationship with

Friday, November 1, 2019

Legalizing Marijuana is The Solution, not The Problem Essay

Legalizing Marijuana is The Solution, not The Problem - Essay Example Legalizing marijuana is the solution and not the problem. Already in the medical domain, there is some scope for legal use of marijuana under supervision. There are physical and psychological benefits of smoking marijuana for those suffering from a number of painful and distressing diseases. Much like alcohol, marijuana relaxes the muscles and creates a sense of well-being. When it is processed in a professional way and distributed legally, it causes no social problems. Any negative effects from smoking marijuana arise from the fact that it is prepared by unqualified people and sold in unregulated fashion on the streets. Prices and quality are difficult to control, and this creates risk for both buyers and sellers. Most seriously of all, the illegal status of the drug encourages gangs to become involved, and this, in turn, makes violence more likely. All of this would vanish overnight if marijuana were to be legalized. The legalizing of marijuana does not mean that it should be handed out to anyone, and especially young people, whenever they want it. A responsible, legal sales regime, with appropriate minimum age requirements, would ensure that the vulnerable are protected. It is time to end the prohibition of marijuana, just as we did for tobacco and alcohol. Legalizing marijuana solves multitude problems and it is time for the state to carry out its duty of care for the people, rather than abandoning them to the unregulated markets of the streets.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Macroeconomics Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macroeconomics Bachelor - Essay Example It was noted that Central Banks have been successful in their policies which controlled inflation particularly in controlling insulating countries from shocks such as high oil prices. This mechanism will be explained using various macroeconomic principles. The money supply is directly linked with inflation as shown in the famous Quantity Theory of Money (QTM). This model links the level of money supply to the level of prices of goods and services sold, thus inflation. The famous equation of the TQM is MV = PT, where P is the average price level, T is the volume of transactions of goods and services, V is the velocity of circulation, and M is the money supply in the economy. From this equation, we can see that money supply and price level have direct relationship. We should note that TQM assumes that V and T are constant in the short term, leaving only M and P variable. Consequently, when the money supply doubles, the price level in the economy also doubles. Thus, Central Banks can either increase or decrease the money supply in order to do the same in inflation. In the statement being analyzed, Central Banks are able to avoid wage-price spirals (which are considered P in the QTM) by pursuing a contractionary monetary policy. According to Mishkin (2004), lowering the money supply is done by raising discount rates which discourages bank borrowings, open market sale which tightens reserves and monetary base, and raise the reserve requirement among banks which shrinks the available funds for banks to grant as loans to borrowers. Also, another method usually done in open economies and has replaced monetary targeting is called inflation targeting. Inflation targeting is "an economic policy in which the central bank of a country estimates and makes public a projected or 'target' inflation rate and then attempts to steer actual inflation towards the target through the use of interest rate changes and other monetary tools (Inflation Targeting 2006)." Instead of directly controlling inflation by changing the level of money supply, central banks opted to manipulate interest rates. As interest rates and inflation are inversely related, the central bank raises interest rates if inflation appears to move above its target. Meanwhile, if inflation appears to be below the target, the central bank will lower interest rates. This policy has been adopted first by New Zealand in 1989. Inflation targeting has also been adopted by countries like the United States, Britain, South Korea, and Brazil. Inflation targeters have also set a time horizon over which to reach their targets. This usually depends on how high the starting rate of inflation is relative to the desired rate. Since, inflation targeting requires transparency; central banks periodically release inflation reports, and press statements (IMF 2003). 2. Outline the effects of such monetary policy on price expectations in the central bank's domestic economy. Inflation targeting, in order to be fully effective in curbing hyperinflationary expectations require transparency which

Monday, October 28, 2019

Relationship Between The Catholic Church And Chivalry

Relationship Between The Catholic Church And Chivalry Except for the occasional knighting conferred by the Queen of England, actual knights in shining armor are basically extinct. Despite this, the principles that govern chivalry, a defining quality of knighthood, merit closer inspection to understand the relationship between chivalry and the Catholic Church and the sociological impact on the Medieval Era and on society today. In no order of precedence, I will explore the seven of the principles that help to define chivalry as practiced by Epic (definition) or Chivalric Heroes (definition), compare those principles to some of the basic principles of Christianity as practiced by the Catholic Church, and weigh the sociological impact on both the Medieval Era and Society today. The first of the seven principles is fair play. According to dictionary.com fair play is just and honorable treatment, action, or conduct (dictionary.com). It was an expected custom for knights to show chivalry. One way in which a knight demonstrated chivalry was to show fair play when participating in jousting. Under the rules of fairplay knights were expected to show self discipline, practice mercy and justice, and never attack an unarmed enemy. Because jousting, also known as tournament, was a very bloody sport which often resulted in death or dysentery, the Statue of Arms for Tournaments was established in 1292. In the article The Historical Sport of Jousting Dmedley states: they were required to abide by the ideas of chivalry and fair play reducing the abhorrence of the church considerably (Medley). The second principle for consideration is valor. Valor is typically identified with heroism. To further understand valor, it serves to understand who was considered a hero during medieval times. According Anniina Jokinen in the article Heroes of the Middle Ages Morton W. Bloomfield said: the original hero in early literature was probably based on the king who died for his people, the warrior who defeated the tribes enemiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦these men were celebrated in song and story and presented again to the people so that they could participate in their magic (Jokinen). The custom of celebrating heros through song and story gave rise to what we know today as Epic Literature. According to Jokinen, Bloomsfield went on to say: Epic literature is a stately, solemn celebration of national life in the heroic age. Its heroes are simple men, versed in the activities of common lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they are leaders not through class status or wealth or even birth, but through the excellencies of heart and mind and hands. Their motives are linked with the practical necessities of life (Jokinen). Men of valor were expected to inflict harm or pain as an act of revenge on behalf of those who were wronged or in defense of the weak and innocent. They were also expected to be courageous and not to abandon a friend, an ally, or a noble cause. Good examples of heroes who epitomized valor are Beowulf and Sir Gawain of Sir Gawain and the Green Knights. Beowulfs noble cause was the fight for the survival of his tribe or nation. Sir Gawains fight was not for a tribe or nation, but was a fight for his ideal. Though Beowulf knew that he might not return from his fight with the dragon, he did not let that fact sway him from his cause. Though Gawain was weary, he traveled through the land for a year in search of the green knight. Both men showed courage even though the stakes were high with little or no chance of overcoming them, both men worked toward the noble causes without retreating. Next, is the characteristic of honor. It was customary for a man of chivalry to keep his word since any departure from the principles of chivalry was uncharacteristic. Men of chivalry did not betray the trust of a friend. Honor is one of the cornerstones of chivalry. For example in Beowulf and in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, they were both committed to keeping their words. Beowulf took on the challenge of helping King Hrothgar defend against the terror inflected by Grendel. Despite the challenges that Beowulf met, he remained committed to his word. The same is true for Sir Gawain. In his quest to keep his promise and meet the Green Knight a year and a day later, Sir Gawain, though there were temporary setbacks designed to stop him from showing up at the Green Chapel, remained committed to his word. The fourth characteristic of chivalry is Courtesy. Today, we use the word courtesy to characterize the expressions please, thank you, excuse me. We also use it to describe the practice of holding doors open and shaking hands. However, in the 14th Century the word courtesy was used to define much more. According to the article Important Ideas, Concepts and Terms in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight because the root of the word is court the word courtesy is deeper than its modern use as we know it. The article states: To be courteous means to uphold and demonstrate all of the high values and virtues of the Kings court. Therefore, courtesy means to be faithful, virtuous, a defender of truth, a fighter of the devil, and a resister of temptation (Masterworks of British Literature). Interestingly, most people today misinterpret courtly love. In this era, courtly love is commonly associated with basic gentlemenly overtures that are superficial compared to what courtly love represented in medi eval times. For example, today, a man is generally expected to fall in love with a woman who is not already engaged or married. The man will show his intentions by doing nice things for lady. Generally, sexual relations should not take place before the wedding, however, it is customary for the couple to show affection by a kiss or holding hands; some couples engage in sexual activities as part of their courtship. Paradoxically, in medieval times, and during the fourth period of chivalry the knights generally fell in love with ladies who were already taken. These knights showed courtesy by doing nice things for the lady, just as men do today, but these knights could at no time disgrace themselves, the women, or the king, by having any level of sexual contact. Sir Camelot is famously known for violating this principle of chivalry because he had sexual contact with Genevere. It can be surmised that courtesy as a characteristic of chivalry held a strong christian value as it showed the strength of the men to keep themselves from yielding to temptation. The fifth characteristic for evaluation is loyalty. In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, when the Green Knight showed up in King Arthurs court the Knights around the table were clearly scared. The Green Knight teased the Knights of the Round Table. In Beowulf, Grendel terrorized the King and his people. The teasing by the Green Knight and the terrorizing of Grendel represented tests of loyalty for the Knights. One of the first expectations of loyalty was loyalty to God, the Sovereign Kingdom, and the Code of chivalry. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain epitomized loyalty when they rose to defend the Sovereignty of the Kingdom. Next, men of chivalry were expected to be generous and to show hospitality to strangers. Lord Bertilak showed hospitality to Sir Gawain. Of course, Sir Gawain did not recognize Lord Bertilak as the Green Knight. So for all intents and purposes, Gawain believed that he was being treated with generosity and kindness because to Lord Bertilak, Sir Gawain was a stranger. Incidentally, the practice to generosity and hospitality to strangers are common to chivalry and to Christianity. The seventh and final principle of chivalry for consideration is Piety. Men of chivalry were grounded in their faith, dependant on God, the saints, and Mary, and opposed the infidel. The Code of Chivalry is a fusion of Christian values and Military practices. Christian values are interwoven in the fiber of chivalry. For example, jousting or tournament was not acceptable until the sport adhered to the Statue of Arms of Tournament which allowed it to garner the favor of the Catholic Church. As with chivalry, the spiritual principles of the Catholic Church are based on their belief in God, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. As a result of their spiritual beliefs the Catholic Church has a strong core of moral values. The value system include the principles of human dignity, respect for human life, association, participation, protecting the poor and needy, solidarity, human equality, common good, stewardship, and subsidiary. Basically all of the moral principles are self explanatory. What may not be so obvious is how some of the principles work in concert for the common good of humanity. For example, the principles of solidarity and subsidiary provide a balance in working for the common good of all the people. Solidarity works best when a higher authority is in control as in the case of law. If every man in a society was left to police himself, undoubtedly that society would be chaotic. However, my having a central law enforcement agency, the common good of that society is taken care of by the higher authority. In the case of subsidiary, the people of the society are generally left to make the decisions that would best serve that community. For example, it is the people of a community who generally name a street within their community. Therefore solidarity and subsidiary work to bring about the common good. Another set of Catholic values that work together are those of human dignity, respect for human life, and human equality. While human dignity and human life are derivative of Godly principles that give rights to individuals that humanity should not violate, the principle of human equality are of the laws of the land that should be available to every citizen of the nation. As with the first set of principles mentioned, these three principles work to ensure the overall common good of humanity. For these reasons the Catholic Church is against social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty. The principles of association and participation recognize individuality while seeking to promote unity. The principle of association holds that an individual is not only sacred but also social and as such is better off relating to others than being alone. The principle of participation requires that all people take active roles in shaping the socio economic, political and cultural values in their community. Indisputably, there are more similarities between the Catholic Faith and chivalry than there are differences. The similarities are as prominent as they are because the Catholic Church played an important role in the development of chivalry. The role of the Catholic Church is very apparent in the the first two of the four periods of chivalry. The major differences between the Catholic Church and chivalry are in the latter periods of chivalry in which there was a clear departure from many of the ideals of the Catholic Faith. The four periods of chivalry are time of The Crusades , of Military Orders, of Secular Chivalry, and of Court Chivalry. The first period of chivalry, The Crusades, lasted from 1095 to 1099. During this crusade, Knights rescued holy places from Moslem dominiation in Palestine. In exchange for this protection, the church took care of knights by conferring on them special privileges which protected them from the law of the land. The second period is the time of Military Orders which dates from 1147-1149. Out of the necessity of continual protection of the Holy City, knights vowed perpetual warfare against the infidels. Religious and spiritual laws were fused and chivalry reached the level of its highest acclaims. The third period was the era associated with the practice of Secular Chivalry and lasted from 1189 to 1192. In this period chivalry lost its religious ideals and became more of a romantic overture. It is said that Literature contributed to the decay of chivalry. Knights were mo re concerned with the love of a woman than with the love for country or for God. The fourth and final period is that of Court Chivalry . In this final period which lasted from 1202 through 1204, chivalry became a court service. Knights were no longer crusaders, they became courtiers and instead of making oaths in chapels and on crosses, they now made vows on emblemic birds. Chivalry was reduced to a futile pasttime and an empty promise, a staunch departure from the principles that were foundational to the order of chivalry. Undeniably, there is as much irony in the practices of Chivalry and of the Catholic Church as there is in any other practice. The irony of chivalry is woven in some of the very principles that guided Knights. For example, Knights were expected to protect the weak so of course, the peasants were protected. Wrong! The principles of chivalry did not extend to the common people known as peasants. In the Chivalric Code the word weak was a description ascribed to the women and children of nobility not the poor and needy as many might be inclined to believe. As a matter of fact, the relationship between Knights and peasants was that of servant and master or predator and prey. Knights often slaughtered peasant men by the hundreds and young peasant girls were often sexually exploited by Knights. In an article entitled Chivalry during the Reign of King Edward III Rich Larson writes: Between the warlike, religious, and courteous aspects of chivalry, there were many inherent contradictions within the ideals of chivalry. Even though these contradictions existed, it seems as if they were often ignored. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦For example, in his description of the siege of La Reole, Froissart writes that the towns-people suffered greatly, but he does not speak negatively of those attacking the town (Froissart 49). In this, just as in other descriptions of Froissart, the ferocity of warfare and any negative effects it may have do not seem to be attributed to chivalry, even when it was chivalric knights who were contributing to the death and destruction that took place (Larson). The peasants during medieval times were enslaved not only by virtue of their class, but also by virtue of the crippling fear caused by the violence that surrounded them. In exchange for protection, for a very long time, peasants accepted the exploitation of the Lords and of the Knights. Accordingly to the article The Barbarian West on Honolulu.hawaii.edu which states: It is important to understand why people would enter into this kind of unequal relationship. The answer is simple only by giving into the demands of the military elite, only by agreeing to this exploitative reciprocal agreement, could a defenseless peasant hope to survive the violence of this age. To survive, to achieve some kind of stability, millions of people suffered repression, impoverishment and exploitation (honolulu.hawaii.edu). Like the Code of Chivalry, the Catholic Church was also oxymoronic in its virtues. Peasants, the poorest of people, were expected to pay taxes to the church; the tax was called a tithe equal to 10% of their earnings and they also worked the land owned by the church. It seems that the church should be giving to and providing for the needs of the peasants, not taking what little they had from them. Another criticism of the role of the Church during Medieval Times was that the church condoned bloodshed. Heretics and infidels were killed to protect the teaching and the property of the church. Though the end does not justify the means, it was believed that the killing was for the greater good. During Medieval Times the church offered forgiveness of sins and protection to knights for killing in their line of duty to protect the Church and State. Given the irony in the Chivalric Code and in the Catholic Church, It is hard to ignore the sociological impact of both of these establishments during the Medieval Period and how the effects of those principles helped to shape our society today. Both are in some way responsible for the creation and or, the enforcement of the Class System and Slavery, Torture, Unfair Labor Practices, Taxation, and Civil Wars. The Feudal System or the Class System which included military, social, and political power structures had five divisions of people; there were Kings, Bishops, Barons, Lords, and Peasants. Peasants were the farmers of the land and boons that did other manual workers. While the overt practice of the Class System is taboo, there are still remnants of the Feudal System in Germany. The similarities of the Feudal System and the Caste System which exists in places such as in India and in Haiti are remarkably close. Though in todays societies there are laws that abate many of the injustic es of human rights such as unfair labor practices and excessive taxation, and limit the practices of inhumane treatment such as torture, there are many who are still considered second class citizens, many who are overtaxed without proper represented, and just as many who experience torture in more sophisticated manners and by more structured means. In summation, one could argue that the contributions of the Knights under the Chivalric Code and those of the Catholic Church based on its christian values are substantial enough to overlook the misdeeds since the bad practices are no longer condone. Equally, one could argue that because the Catholic Church supported chivalry, and because the Catholic Church is responsible for mass murder by approving the Crusades during which times many lives were lost, and because the church had unfair labor practices by requiring the peasants to pay taxes in the form of tithes, just as the Vassals required them to do, that the church is hypocritical in its teachings that call for respect and protection of human life. It is true that understanding history is important in understanding the present. Undoubtedly, the principles of the Catholic Church and of Chilvary may be compared to a coin, each having two sides. Which ever side of the coin one may examine, one thing is clear, all things considered, in every good there is some bad and in every dark cloud is a silver lining, therefore it is important for one to know what is important to him or her and find a way to keep a balanced perspective.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Health Care Reform: Losing More Than You Think Essay -- Health Care

President Obama has made healthcare reform a priority since the beginning of his presidency. Obama wants to implement a system similar to Medicare. As defined by Dictionary.com Medicare is: â€Å"a U.S. government program of hospitalization insurance and voluntary medical insurance for persons aged 65 and over and for certain disabled persons under 65†. This government based health insurance would still allow private insurance companies to stay in business. Another way Obama wants to change the health insurance companies is to expand coverage and improve the care given. What this means is people with cancer could possibly get health insurance in a case where no one else would cover them. This will also help to lower insurance plan costs. There are pros and cons to Obamas healthcare plan, but it might not be worth the cost or the problems to try and enact it. Under the government plan, businesses would be required to pay a fee for subsidizing insurance, or they would be required to supply mandatory healthcare for employees. If mandatory healthcare laws were required, it would raise the cost of hiring new employees and would possibly limit employers from hiring new prospects. Every American would be required to buy insurance based on the government’s idea of â€Å"acceptable insurance.† Even if people were happy with their current insurance, they could be forced to change policies if their current insurance policies do not meet the government’s â€Å"acceptable† standards. This could put Medicare in competition with private insurance companies. People would be able to choose taxpayer-subsidized plans or private insurance, but subsidies and cost-shifting would make the government plans ultimately have more appeal. Through government research st... ...people will suffer the consequences of an inferior health system if the government enacts Obamas proposed healthcare system. Works Cited Coffin, Bill. "Bad Medicine." National Underwriter / Life & Health Financial Services 115.4 (2011): 16. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Jeffrey B. English, M.D. "2011: Health Insurance Increases, Obamacare Responsible." Basil & Spice 14 Sept. 2010: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. "Medicare." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 08 Apr. 2012. . "Mitt Romney Says 'Flawed' Obamacare Should Be Rejected. (Cover Story)." Human Events 65.28 (2009): 1. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Tanner, Michael. "OBAMACARE: Seven Bad Ideas For Health Care Reform." USA Today Magazine 138.2770 (2009): 14. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

How far did Alexander III bring political and social change to Russia? Essay

Alexander II was assassinated by terrorist in 1881, leaving Russia and its problems to his son Alexander III. Changes were to be made, socially and politically in every aspect if he were to avoid the unfortunate events that ended his father’s reign. To begin with a change that occurred during his reign was rusification. In 1885 Russian was made the official language of Russia and other languages were forbidden in documents in schools. This was successful in some ways as it made communications easier, however, it caused such a social change to Russia it sourced anger form other nationalities, leaving Muslim groups offended. This could have triggered uproar. Also pogroms (Russian pale) were introduced. The government actually encouraged organisation to go into Jewish settlements and attack them, as a consequence to this thousands of Jews left the country causing a big social and political change. As the Jews were very productive and made up many of the upper class, they were goo d for their money e.g. the government got lots of money through taxing their land. When the Jews left they also left a hole to fill in the Russian economy, however this reinforced nationalism and only affected the minority of the population. Foreign investments made huge changes socially and politically to Russia. As Russia had no middle class they were unable to build up an economy so other countries situate businesses and invested in Russia this was successful at creating additional jobs also causing more factors of wealth and economical growth, still, working condition were poor and other countries were benefiting to much, using Russia for political influences and their resources such as oil in order to make a large profit. A special court was set up which had no jury this sped up the whole process protecting the government and others against harm also stopping anyone from bribing the jury, this was a social change as it put criminals under pressure repressing opposition, for example in 1887 many from the Peoples Will were arrested and the leaders executed, without the court this process would not of been as efficient. Although attempts of his assignation were still made nether him or any of his political party were k illed during his reign this shows a huge change compared to the time of his father. These groups never dominated Russia due to Alexander’s repression and censorship. Censorship also prevented opposition parties from trying to claim more support but this meant people lost their freedom of speech and their opinions producing a tense relationship between the government and its people as they felt there was secrets that were being hidden and they should know what political state their country is. also the Okhara (secret police) were introduced which produced political safety imprisoning any opposition but evan this caused some unhappiness as the minority believed he cared more about his own wellbeing then the one of his people. One major success during the reign of Alexander III was the acceleration of industrial development that continued even after his reign. Witte most associated most with this policy he was the minister of finance, He also encouraged foreign investment because of this Russias coal, iron, steel, and oil production grow massively. Railway routes and tracks also, giving important access to other countries making them socially and politically beneficial allowing Russians to communicate and spread their trade effortlessly without facing difficult terrain. The urban labour force grew rapidly. For example the population of St Petersburg and Moscow increased by over double between 1863 and 1897.due to imployment of thousands in factors. Wages, hours of work and housing conditions were usually very poor. This was especially true in Moscow. Government attempts to improve conditions were poor causing political and social frustation.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

American Psycho: Obsession comes from the inability

To be successful and functional members of society, we must always be evolving with its changes. But once we grow negligent towards other aspects of our lives, and focus on one only, negative effects inevitably follow. Obsession renders us dysfunctional citizens due to our inability to maintain balance in our lives, and to accept understand ourselves as we are. In the novel, American Psycho, by Bret Gaston Ellis, Patrick Bateman, a Manhattan socialite, Is a caricature by which the horrors of obsession are demonstrated.These fixations demonstrate that obsession comes from the inability to accept oneself. In the following paragraphs, we support our argument by considering the fixations of Bateman with physical beauty, success and Jealousy, and murder and gore. Batsman's fixation with physical beauty are clearly seen when he Is engaged in bragging and putting his wealth on display for the audience and later, for emphasis, cleansing with expensive products. Bateman spends his days In Ind ulgence of wealth; he snorts cocaine, goes to clubs, and feeds his addiction to expensive labels. Take the ice-pack mask off and use a deep-pore cleanser lotion, then an herb-mint facial masque†¦ I use the Bright tooth polisher and next the Interplay tooth polisher†¦ In the shower I use first a water-activated gel cleanser, then a honey- almond body scrub†¦ L always use an aftershave lotion with little or alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out, and makes you look older. † (26-27) He is motivated by his need for physical beauty to spend hours of every day fulfilling extensive cosmetic and exercise rituals.He is very specific about his products, settling for no less than â€Å"a deep-pore cleanser lotion,† and â€Å"an herb-mint facial masque. † HIS routines are detailed carefully so as to avoid any damage to his beauty, such as using alcohol, which â€Å"dries your face out, and makes you look older. † This obsession Is born from his In security about his physical attractiveness. Throughout the book, Bateman is portrayed as being anxious about his looks, asking, â€Å"WOWS my hair? † (232) on numerous occasions. When he is uncomfortable in a social situation tit an ex-girlfriend, Pee immediately becomes self-conscious, â€Å"What? I panic, immediately touching my hair. â€Å"Too much mousse? † (236). Later in the book, he expresses his concerns about becoming addicted to exercise. When confronted, he states, â€Å"You can always be thinner, look better. (372)† This obsession with his physical appearance clearly derived from his inability to accept himself physically. Batsman's dissatisfaction with his career is apparent when he expresses his frustration about being a useless member of the Pierce & Pierce firm which his father rustically owns.This dissatisfaction cultivates into an obsessive Jealousy of Paul â€Å"Hello, Owen,† I say, admiring the way he's styled and slicked back his hai r, with a part so even and sharp it†¦ Devastates me and I make a mental note to ask him where he purchases his hair-care products, which kind of mousse he uses, my final guess after mulling over the possibilities being Ten -X. â€Å"(1 1 1) From the introduction of Paul Owen in the novel until his murder, Bateman remains fixated on Omen's success and handling of a prestigious account.There are numerous occasions in which he asks or thinks about this such as, â€Å"Owen is standing near the bar†¦ I'm about to walk over and mention something about that damned Fischer account†¦ † (185). Batsman's obsession with Omen's successful career comes from the dissatisfaction with his own. This is apparent when asked about work Patrick expresses frustration saying, â€Å"l Just don't want to talk about†¦ Work†¦ I hate it. â€Å"(237). As Batsman's fixation with Paul Owen and his success grows, he is less and less able to accept himself, and his failing career u ntil he is able to murder Owen ND rid himself of his obsession.Such actions clearly imply that Batsman's obsession was born from his inability to accept himself. Batsman's inability to accept and understand himself cultivates in an obsession with murder and gore. This is demonstrated throughout the novel when he murders, rapes, and tortures several people for little to no reason. He is incapable of accepting and coping with his pain and thus becomes fixated on inflicting it upon others. â€Å"My pain is constant and sharp and I do not hope for a better world for anyone, in act I want my pain to be inflicted on others.I want no one to escape, but even after admitting, I gain no deeper knowledge of myself†¦ † (201) Bateman expresses sorrow over not being able to understand himself, or to cope with and accept the pain of psychopaths. This lack of connection with himself results in his dissatisfaction with his life, because of which he does not hope for â€Å"a better world for anyone† and inflicts his pain unto others. His inability to accept and understand his own pain is the origin of his uncontrollable obsession with murder and gore.Patrick Batsman's insecurities and the obsessions derived from them are reflective of the issues modern society is confronted with. The obsession with physical beauty as a product of low self-esteem, the obsession with others' success as a product of one's inability to achieve their own, and the obsession with bringing pain upon others as a product of pain within oneself are the struggles that Patrick Bateman represents that will perhaps resonate forever with mankind; all of which support the argument that obsession originates from the lack of acceptance and understanding of oneself.