Jomo Kenyatta Early Days to His Political Awakening

Jomo Kenyatta was the first President of Kenya and a prominent leader for independence. Born into a dominant Kikuyu culture, Kenyatta became the most famous interpreter of Kikuyu traditions through his book Facing Mount Kenya. His younger years shaped him for the political life he would come to lead and holds an important background for the changes in his country. Kenyattas Early Life Jomo Kenyatta was born Kamau in the early 1890s, though he maintained throughout his life that he did not remember the year of his birth. Many sources now cite October 20, 1891, as the correct date. Kamaus parents were  Moigoi and Wamboi. His father was the chief of a small agricultural village in Gatundu Division of the Kiambu District, one of five administrative districts in the Central Highlands of British East Africa. Moigoi died when Kamau was very young and he was, as custom dictated, adopted by his uncle Ngengi to become Kamau wa Ngengi. Ngengi also took over the chiefdom and Moigois wife Wamboi. When his mother died giving birth to a boy, James Moigoi, Kamau moved to live with his grandfather. Kungu Mangana  was a noted medicine man (in Facing Mount Kenya, he refers to him as a seer and a magician) in the area. Around the age of 10, suffering from a jigger infection, Kamau was taken to the Church of Scotland mission at Thogoto (about 12 miles north of Nairobi). He underwent successful surgery on both feet and one leg. Kamau was impressed by his first exposure to Europeans  and became determined to join the mission school. He ran away from home to become a resident pupil at the mission. There he studied many subjects, including the Bible, English, mathematics, and carpentry. He paid the school fees by working as a houseboy and cook for a nearby white settler. British East Africa During World War I In 1912, having completed his mission school education, Kamau became an apprentice carpenter. The following year he underwent initiation ceremonies (including circumcision) and became a member of the kehiomwere age group. In August of 1914, Kamau was baptized at the Church of Scotland mission. He initially took the name John Peter Kamau but swiftly changed it to Johnson Kamau. Looking to the future, he departed the mission for Nairobi to seek employment. Initially, he worked as an apprentice carpenter on a sisal farm in Thika, under the tutelage of John Cook, who had been in charge of the building program at Thogoto. As World War I  progressed, able-bodied Kikuyu were forced into work by the British authorities. To avoid this, Kenyatta moved to Narok, living amongst the Maasai, where he worked as a clerk for an Asian contractor. It was around this time that he took to wearing a traditional beaded belt known as a Kenyatta, a Swahili word which means light of Kenya. Marriage and Family In 1919 he met and married his first wife Grace Wahu, according to Kikuyu tradition. When it became apparent that Grace was pregnant, church elders ordered him to get married before a European magistrate  and undertake the appropriate church rites. The civil ceremony didnt take place until November 1922. On November 20, 1920, Kamaus first son, Peter Muigai, was born. Amongst other jobs he undertook during this period, Kamau served as an interpreter in the Nairobi High Court  and ran a store out of his Dagoretti (an area of Nairobi) home. When He Became Jomo Kenyatta In 1922 Kamau adopted the name Jomo (a Kikuyu name meaning burning spear) Kenyatta. He also began working for the Nairobi Municipal Council Public Works Department under Water Superintendent John Cook as a store clerk and water-meter reader. This was also the start of his political career. In the previous year Harry Thuku, a well-educated and respected Kikuyu, had formed the East African Association (EAA). The organization campaigned for the return of Kikuyu lands given over to white settlers when the country became the British Crown Colony of Kenya in 1920. Kenyatta joined the EAA in 1922. A Start in Politics In 1925, the EAA disbanded under governmental pressure. Its members came together again as the Kikuyu Central Association (KCA), formed by James Beauttah and Joseph Kangethe. Kenyatta worked as editor of the KCAs journal between 1924 and 1929, and by 1928 he had become the KCAs general secretary. He had given up his job with the municipality to make time for this new role in politics. In May 1928, Kenyatta launched a monthly Kikuyu-language newspaper called Mwigwithania (Kikuyu word meaning he who brings together). The intention was to draw all sections of the Kikuyu together. The paper, supported by an Asian-owned printing press, had a mild and unassuming tone and was tolerated by the British authorities. The Territorys Future in Question Worried about the future of its East African territories, the British government began toying with the idea of forming a union of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika. While this was fully supported by white settlers in the Central Highlands, it would be disastrous to Kikuyu interests. It was believed that the settlers would be given self-government  and that the rights of the Kikuyu would be ignored. In February 1929, Kenyatta was dispatched to London to represent the KCA in discussions with the Colonial Office, but the Secretary of State for the Colonies refused to meet him. Undeterred, Kenyatta wrote several letters to British papers, including The Times. Kenyattas letter, published in The Times in March 1930, set out five points: The security of land tenure and the demand for land taken by European settlers to be returned.Improved educational opportunities for Black Africans.The repeal of Hut and poll taxes.Representation for Black Africans in the Legislative Council.Freedom to pursue traditional customs (such as female genital mutilation). His letter concluded by saying that a failure to satisfy these points must inevitably result in a dangerous explosion -- the one thing all sane men wish to avoid. He returned to Kenya on September 24, 1930, landing at Mombassa. He had failed on his quest for all except one point, the right to develop independent educational institutions for Black Africans.

The Generation Of Financial Struggle - 1506 Words

Generation Uncommitted: The Generation of Financial Struggle It is now commonly known for the current young generation to be known as the generation that is continuously suffering from an ongoing economic conflict of debt that may grow even worst in the future. The scholars of the Research Network on Transition to Adulthood used hard data to claim that economic factors far outweigh the psychological ones noting â€Å"The current changing timetable of adulthood has given rise to a host of questions about whether current generations of young people are more dependent on their parents, less interested in growing up, and more wary of commitments.† There are many reasons to pay great attention to the struggling trend of the young as it definitely†¦show more content†¦With all this financial crisis among many young individuals, it is can be easily inferred that this results in a great pushback on individuals achieving â€Å"financial independence† and â€Å"reachin g adulthood.† Society often defines individuals as reaching adulthood when they become economically stable and are able to take major responsibilities, such as having children. Many older generations criticize the younger generation for being more reliant on their parents. An article on Time.com written in November 2015 by Charlotte Alter displayed several statistic sources that show Millenials breaking records on living with their families and are more financially dependent. The U.S Census released a graph that showed that 15.1% of individuals aging 25-34 are still living with their parents, the highest proportion since 1960 according to demographer Mark Mather. It is not surprising why this many Millennials are still living with their parents when accounting for the difficult job market, and of course student loans. An article written by Travis Mitchell on USNEWS.com, one of the most popular websites for college data, said that public national university tuition spiked by a staggering 296% from 1995 to 2015. Tuition has nearly tripled while minimum wage has just more than doubled since 1995. With such a low wage and high tuition, what happens when your parents are not

Horseshoe Market free essay sample

Dragon has been on the winning streak since his shoes were arranged with two aluminum shoes on his front hoofs and two steel shoes in jack. Crediting success to the horses shoes raises many eyebrows in the horse world. Defining which shoes are best for any particular horse would be beneficial for both the market and consumers. The predicament in this market is the lack of scientific proof to which (aluminum or steel) has the upper hand in the horseshoe market. Problem The problem is that neither consumers nor merchants know whether the steel or aluminum horseshoe is best for any particular horse.Users base their decisions on many variables such as the horses gait, the track, hoof shape and the weather, but also their opinion. The situation that needs to be addressed here is the lack of scientific proof to which horseshoe is best for any certain horse. We will write a custom essay sample on Horseshoe Market or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Situational Analysis Strengths Horseshoes have been around for many centuries and are a must in the horse industry, especially the racing business. As long as horses are being raced and used for competitions, a type of horseshoe will be necessary to keep on the market.The strongest part of the shoes is the need for them in the horse industry worldwide. Weaknesses The horseshoe market is driven by opinions not facts. This is a weakness cause misunderstanding and confusion about which type of metal is best for a particular horse leads to incorrect information about the products on the market. Incorrect information can lead to poor decisions in the future of the horse industry. Opportunities The horse industry is far from coming to a close.Between racing, rodeo, shows, and pleasure riding, the industry is only growing and providing opportunities for the horseshoe market to grow and flourish. With the science and technology we have now days growing at the speed it is, the ability and opportunity will arise soon enough for new types and forms of reechoes. Threats Though science and technology could be seen as an opportunity to benefit the horseshoe market, it could also be considered a threat if not utilized. There is a chance that there is or will be the science out there to put horseshoes out of order.Alternatives Alternative One For some it would Seem like a silly solution for any marketing issue, but there is always the alternative to do nothing. Because there is almost an even split in the market between steel and aluminum, it has caused confusion and talk in the industry but yet no big problems have risen up. That being said it has en going on for so long and yet the market is quite balanced with no super power. Due to this alternative working in the past, it seems that letting it continue on this way could be a valuable alternative for the future. Alternative Two Getting a clear and educated understanding of which type of horseshoe is best for any given horse seems like a very possible solution alternative. This would give the entire market something easy to see and allow them to make wiser choices for their horses and businesses. This may sway the market to one side a lot more than the other but gives clarity to those within the industry. For this type of clarity, it would entail a lot of scientific research on the industries part.Alternative Three Though this idea is farfetched and optimistic, creating a completely new type of horseshoe is also an alternative for this market. With the science and technology growing the way that it is, this is where the opportunity would arise for the horseshoe market to expand. Coming up with something new and improved could possibly help the market as well. Proposed Solution After careful consideration, I would recommend alternative two. Because the racket is so balanced and doesnt seem to be suffering or in any danger, doing anything drastic like creating a new product appears to be irrational.

Nurse Informatics Specialist free essay sample

Technology allows health care providers to collect, store, retrieve and transfer information electronically. More specific discussion of IT in health care is challenging due to lack of specific definitions, the volume of applications and a rapid pace of change in technology. Information technology has the potential to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of health care. The health care system generally uses less IT than other industries. IT increases the ability of physicians, nurses, clinical technicians, and others to readily access and use the right information about their patients to Improve care. Studies have shown that better technologies leads to better care. Nursing Information Specialist is a nurse who integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice. Nursing Informatics Specialist supports consumers, patients, nurses , and other providers in their decision making in all roles and settings. This support is accomplished through the use of information structures, Information processes, and Information technology [ANA, 2008]. We will write a custom essay sample on Nurse Informatics Specialist or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nursing Process is the corner stone of Professional Nursing Practice. Standardized Documentation, Information Management, Process re- engineering, research and evidence collection used by Informatics Nurses impact the Nursing process. Nurses are the largest single group of health professional who directly influence the quality of most health service provided and outcomes. Most nurses are not adequately trained in information technology. As computers become increasingly important, nurse informatics specialists will become even more important in bridging the gap between clinical care skills and technology. The demand for all types of nurses is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years. In general, the more training, certifications and experience a nurse has, the more demand there will be for his or her skill set. The nursing occupation depends on accurate and timely access to appropriate information to perform great variety of professional activities involved in patient and community care [Jacqueline Garity 2009]. Nursing information integrates technical knowledge, quality control and the clinical and administrative documentation of services provided. Clinical Nurse Information Specialist is responsible for participating in planning, development, training, Evaluate. We have a clinical Nurse Information specialist employed in our hospital since it’s also a teaching hospital. Our Nursing Informatics Specialist supports the nursing work processes using technology. INS re – engineer clinical workflow and facilitate change management between the acute care, ambulatory care, home health and outpatient settings. INS supports the software development, Long – term care. Tele health. She analyzes clinical and financial data, promotes and facilitates access to resources and references, enhances continuity of care. The clinical Nurse Information Specialist provides nursing content to standardized Languages. INS is responsible to improve relationships between providers and recipients of health care. Primary goal for them is to enable cost savings and productivity. The scope of INS varies from Administration, leadership and management. She analyzes compliances, integrity management, consultation, facilitation, integration development. She conducts research to improve professional and educational development of information technology and develops policy for hospital settings on information technology. The primary benefit of having the clinical information specialist will be within the domains of task support and decision support. The task support field has been revolutionized through the implementation of the electronic medical record in conjunction with EPIC. The universalization of the electronic medical record will increase the accessibility of patient information to clinicians as well as increase the amount of data available for clinical use, reducing medical error significantly. However, the greatest tool to increase the standardization of care, reduction of practice pattern variation, successful and effective diagnosis, and correct care path choice will result from the development of Information system facilitating true interdisciplinary care. Clinical Information specialists offer the possibility to improve the quality and reduce the cost of care by influencing medical decisions at the time and place that these decisions are made. Our clinical Nurse Information specialist would alert physicians and Nurses when outlier results are returned from data entry of laboratory testing. The data attained for a specific patient can then be compared to the general population to indicate whether the data is within the normal fit or is an outlier that may require further analysis. Such a practice would induce the physician and Nurses to notice certain data that may otherwise go unnoticed, and therefore, alter the diagnosis of the patient. A physician may enter a possible diagnosis into the system and then receive feedback from the system regarding the plausibility of such a diagnosis being true. This allows physicians to receive guided feedback during their consideration of similar diagnoses, which may be significantly different based on their appropriate care path. Nurse Informatics specialist promotes all these resources and references. INS brings a improvement in key relationships with providers and care recipients. According to the Human Resources Department in our facility the information Nurse Specialist derives an annual salary of $74,295. She has a certification as a Nurse Information Specialist from American Nurses Credentialing Centre [ANCC]. She enables Identification of computer technologies that can benefit nursing: keep abreast in the changes in the fields of computers and information technology, including new hardware and software that will benefit the nurse and patient. She is the person who checks the proper functioning of computers before they are made available in the patient setting. INS trains the health care workers on how the system works, the importance of accurate data entry, and how the system will benefit them, and more importantly how it will improve patient outcomes. All these things are the benefits to the organization. Since INS enables continuing education and proper documentation of processes Medical errors from charting and diagnosing is decreased. This improves the efficiency and quality of patient care. INS conducts researches on IT products before buying any type of IT applications in the organization and there by focuses in business of the organization. All these factors benefit the organization financially and help to reduce the unwanted expenditures. Health care Information specialists act as change agents [Englebardt Nelson 2002]. INS communicates and coordinate with other Information system department regarding patient’s diagnosis, discharge planning, Education, teaching and transitions of care. She manages all information related to nursing process and patient care delivery. Since Epic has various applications, INS communicates and works with IT to ensure smooth flow of EPIC to enable patient care without any hindrances. She serves as a change agent to establish new clinical protocols linking clinical system. She has made changes and has redesigned the clinical process to improve the patient care in conjunction with implementation of clinical system. INS serves as link between IT and health care providers to improve the standard and quality of care. Ongoing researches are conducted in the campus by the INS and Nursing leadership to drive new plans of care. Current trends in the Information technology will not only lead to increased spending in the health care arena but also an accelerated growth of the acceptance and spending of health care information technology. The necessity for innovative and dependable clinical information systems with decision support capabilities is crucial. Increasing systems’ acceptance depends on the culture of the hospital as well as the involvement of physicians, Nurses and Information Nurse Specialist. The involvement of all health care professionals in the selection and implementation of the system from the outset is essential. Not only will this ensure support, but as a result the frequency of communication is likely to increase amongst one another. In turn, this frequent consultation and communication is likely to better the quality of patient care as well as the nurse-physician- patient relationship.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essays

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essays Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essay Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essay Vertigo is a 1958 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock that has stood the trial of clip in the horror genre. It is considered to be one of the seminal movies in the genre non merely because it set the tone for the movies to follow but besides because it exhibited legion characteristics and techniques that would function to revolutionize the manner in which films were made. The camera angles. usage of infinite. filming. particular effects and sound all contribute to the overall consequence achieved. As such. this essay will analyze each of the above with a position to reasoning that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a maestro category in utilizing cinematic techniques for consequence. The first technique of note is the manner in which camera angles are used in order to make an ambiance of fright. giving the feeling that the characters are traveling in one barbarous circle. The usage of the camera â€Å"†¦ simulates panicked feelings of acrophobia ( fright of highs ) felt by Scottie Ferguson ( James Stewart ) . † ( Pramaggiore A ; Wallis. 2004. p. 127 ) . For illustration. at one point in the movie. a stairway is filmed from the really top. This non merely alludes to the cyclical nature of the narrative because the bell tower stairway is so round but besides narrows the shooting. The semblance of falling from a great tallness is fostered in this shooting and so in others. like that in which Stewart appears to be standing on the shelf. Furthermore. the camera angles besides link straight to the semblance of infinite: â€Å"†¦ serves as a templet for cardinal subjects: the topography of a metropolis and its environing countryside matched by quandary of sexual pick. guilt and compulsion. † ( Orr. 2005. p. 137 ) . The position from the bell tower ever appears to be black. therefore mirroring the overtones of the secret plan. The sound used besides highlights the cyclical nature of the narrative. In an interview in Sight and Sound. Scorsese pointed out that â€Å"†¦ the music is besides built around spirals and circles. fulfillment and desperation. Herrmann truly understood what Hitchcock was traveling for – he wanted to perforate to the bosom of compulsion. † ( 2004 ) . Scorsese’s appraisal is right and this is typified by the scenes in which Madeline and Judy fall to their deceases. The sound is similar in both cases and actively signifies the sarcasm that the get downing point of the film is besides the terminal. However. it is non merely the usage of music that has a important impact of the tone of the film but besides the silence. Hitchcock uses silence improbably good and merely provides duologue as and when he has to. For illustration. even the confession scene at the denouement of the film is non as full of vocabulary as it may be in other movies. Wordss are used meagerly and to do a point. Particular effects and cinematographic techniques are non used every bit meagerly as the duologue in an effort to convey the tenseness desired. Hitchcock doubtless used rear projection in Vertigo: â€Å"Foreground and background tend to look starkly offprint. partially because of the absence of dramatis personae shadows from foreground to play down. partially because all background planes tend to look every bit diffuse. † ( Bordwell A ; Thompson. 1996. p. 244 ) . This is an illustration of both of these characteristics and there are legion illustrations of this in the movie. such as the point at which Novak and Stewart snog against the background of the ocean. The histrions were filmed and so imposed on a natural background. therefore waiving the usage of shadow. As such. there is something innately unnatural about it. which follows the secret plan. The movie stock is besides color and this besides helps to extinguish the usage of visible radiation and dark. therefore enhances this peculiar consequence. In decision. there can be small uncertainty that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a maestro category in utilizing cinematic techniques for consequence. There are legion techniques used within the film to assist lend to the cyclical and slightly claustrophobic atmosphere. Again. this serves to rise the tenseness. The saving usage of duologue and first-class usage of sound effects. when paired with the movie stock and clever camera angles. surely enhance the narrative and finally allowed Hitchcock to make one of the best cinematic illustrations of horror in history. Bibliography Bordwell. David A ; Thompson. Kristin. 1996. Film Art: An Introduction. 5th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Orr. John. 2005. Hitchcock and Twentieth Century Cinema. London: Wallflower Press. Pramaggiore. Maria A ; Wallis. Tom. 2005. Movie: A Critical Introduction. London: Laurence King Publishing. Scorsese. Martin. 2004. The Best Music in Film. Sight and Sound ( September 2004 ) . [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. bfi. org. uk/sightandsound/filmmusic/detail. php? t=d A ; q=42 [ Accessed 10 May 2010 ] . Vertigo. 1958. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA: Paramount Pictures.

Word Choice Reluctant vs. Reticent

Word Choice Reluctant vs. Reticent Word Choice: Reluctant vs. Reticent â€Å"Reluctant† and â€Å"reticent† are both adjectives that mean â€Å"unwilling.† They also look similar written down, so it’s no wonder people use these terms interchangeably. But there is a difference between â€Å"reluctant† and â€Å"reticent,† so check out our guide to make sure you can use them correctly. Reluctant (Unwilling or Slow to Do Something) To be â€Å"reluctant† is to be unwilling or hesitant to do something. For example: I was reluctant to leave before the fireworks. You can use this term in any situation where someone is resistant to something, so it has a wide range of possible uses. This flexibility is reflected in the origins of this term, which comes from a Latin word meaning â€Å"struggle.† As such, if we are struggling to bring ourselves to do anything, we can say we feel â€Å"reluctant† about it. Reticent (Unwilling to Speak) While â€Å"reticent† also implies being unwilling or hesitant about something, it applies specifically to speaking or revealing our thoughts and feelings: Tom was reticent about why he left the party. Here, we’re not saying that Tom was â€Å"reluctant† to leave a party. We’re saying he was unwilling to tell us why he left the party. We can also use â€Å"reticent† to describe someone’s character in general: Hannah has been reticent for as long as I’ve known her. Even in this case, though, the word â€Å"reticent† suggests that Hannah is quiet and reserved in particular. It does not mean she is â€Å"unwilling† in other ways. And we would not use reluctant to describe a personal trait like this. Again, looking at the origins of this word can help us understand how it is used in modern English: â€Å"reticent† comes from reticere, which means â€Å"silent† in Latin. Thus, if we are â€Å"reticent,† we are being quiet about something. Reluctant or Reticent? Although some now use â€Å"reticent† to mean â€Å"unwilling† in any context, it would be a mistake to do this in formal writing. So to avoid errors, remember that â€Å"reticent† has a more specific meaning than â€Å"reluctant†: To be reluctant is to be unwilling to do something. To be reticent is to be unwilling to speak or reveal your thoughts. If you can remember this distinction, you should be able to use these terms correctly. But if you want to be extra sure that your writing is error free, you can also submit a document to our outstanding proofreading service.

Economic Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic Report - Essay Example As people find gainful employment, they may get married and settle down, or alternatively call their friends and neighbors to the new cities. The engines of economic growth thus provide an impetus for housing as people look for or develop suitable establishments that can be called a home or a place of residence. In turn, demand for housing units signifies that there are economic opportunities in a certain area. It must also be seen that the housing sector itself is a provider of gainful employment to a number of other industries such as masonry, steel, plumbing, water, power and other utilities, painting, upholstery and what not- the list seems endless. Once we have become aware of this, we can truly see the importance that demand and supply for housing units will have and does have on the economy of any nation, including Scotland. This paper is divided into three parts. Part A will present an analysis of the Scottish housing market for the first decade of the new millennium (2000-20 10). It will look at the major factors affecting demand, supply and price of housing units. In the process of analysis, it will also seek to determine whether the housing sector in Scotland is volatile or not and what are the reasons for this. Part B will go on to review specifics regarding the reasons for the ups and downs in the housing sector. Part C will differentiate between factors that are indigenous to Scotland and factors that may affect the whole of the UK housing sector. It will then end with recommendations to be implemented that when done, will hopefully reduce the volatility of the housing market in the UK in general and in Scotland in particular. PART A Analysis of the Housing Market in Scotland (2000-2010) Available data shows that the average number of new housing units established per year in Scotland since the 1980s was 20,000 units; these have however peaked at 25,000 in 2007 and there has been a decline since then to around just 17,000 units in 2010. This declin e was seen in the years 2009 and 2010. The average UK house price was ?163,244 at the end of 2010, with London being the most expensive region in the UK overall, and Edinburgh leading the price rise in Scotland. In Scotland, the average price of a house was ?137,491, indicating a decrease of 2 percent over 2009. Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire were areas that had recorded a housing demand growth of 4 percent over the year ending December 2010. These areas have benefitted from strong and stable economic opportunities. Conversely Dundee, Angus, Lothian and Falkirk have been the lowest performing areas where demand fell by as much as 3 percent in the 12 months ending December 2010 (Scottish Housing Market Review, 2007 & 2010). Major Factors Affecting Demand, Supply and Price of Housing Units A look at the housing market in Scotland over the last decade (2000-2010) indicates that there have been some major factors affecting the demand and supply for housing units over the stated period. Generally it has been seen that demand for housing units has been spearheaded by the changing demographics in the cities, the economic climate and rates of interest and inflation. The opportunities for employment and living conditions impact upon the rate of migration of people to the major cities, and the number and types of housing units demanded are also dependant

Creative Nonfiction Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creative Nonfiction Film - Essay Example Prior to the actual Zaire fight, the two fighters proudly stated that each boxer will knock out the other opposing boxer (Denby 123). The film’s drama environment heightens as each boxer convinces the general public, especially the movie audiences, that the opposing boxer is no match for the other boxer. Just like the personal essay, the movie is filled with heated conversational element. Further, the film may contain themes of honesty, confession, and privacy. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film correctly centers on the theme of honesty (Lopate, Getting Personal: Selected Essays 197). Muhammad Ali originally keeps espousing that all Americans should be honest (Lopate 130). Muhammad Ali espoused that Americans should stand up for their beliefs. Muhammad Ali refused to join the Vietnam War. The boxer insisted that the United States should meddle with the internal affairs of another country, Vietnam. For refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War, Muhammad Ali w as convicted and jailed for five years. Muhammad Ali theorized that the Vietnam people should be entitled to their privacy from being intruded by the United States army. Likewise, Muhammad Ali confessed to the people that he is willing to be jailed for his political belief on the encroachment of the United States on Vietnam’s political issues. Furthermore, the film may include issues that contract or expand the self. Specifically, the film may focus on the behavior of the person of film protagonists and antagonists. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film rightfully shows that Muhammad Ali consistently espoused that he can easily knock out the crowd favorite. The crowd favorite is the defending world heavyweight champion, George Foreman. Muhammad Ali proves to his critics that he was right. In the Zaire fight, Muhammad Ali was able to knock out George Foreman. When Foreman fell to the canvass, the boxing referee counted out the defending champion, the seemingly unstoppable George Foreman (Gast 1). The film clip starting from 1:01:08 to 1:08:02 time lapse correctly shows the real life boxing match between the two boxing gladiators. The audience can see how George Foreman unloaded several punches onto Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali leaned on the ropes to prevent falling onto the boxing ring canvass. After Foreman slo wed down his boxing pace, Muhammad Ali pounced on the unsuspecting Foreman. As expected, Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman while keeping the movie audiences on their feet awaiting the final outcome. As expected, the film correctly shows Muhammad Ali exchanging pleasantries with a girl. The Film clips also show the time frame of the activities from the 40:02:00 movie scene to the 40:39:00 time lapse film scene. The film captivates to audience by making the films more realistic. Moreover, the film may include challenging the status quo. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, Muhammad Ali correctly fought hard and long against the status quo. The status quo requires all able-bodied United States citizens to join the Vietnam War. The United States law punishes any American citizen from rendering the required services within the United States army. Muhammad Ali insisted that his new religion, Islam, prohibits him from joining the United States

Cost Accounting Essay Example for Free

Cost Accounting Essay If you are starting out in a new business, especially a service/manufacturing business, understanding the cost accounting system and which cost accounting system will work best for your company, is the first step to being successful. Once you find someone to help you navigate those waters, let them help you sail the rough seas of direct and indirect inventory, direct and indirect labor costs, and how to allocate factory overhead as well. While it all may sound confusing, having the right person with the right knowledge and advice, can make all the difference to you and the success of your business. We learned in Chapter 19 that cost accounting systems calculate, register, and record product costs. Once these costs have been recorded, administrators and supervising personnel can use these costs for setting their product prices, controlling operations and developing financial statements. These reports can play an important role in the financial decision making process for your company so it is imperative that they are accurate and detailed. There are two different types of cost accounting systems. There are called job order cost systems and process cost systems. While both systems are used by manufacturing companies, the job order cost system is used by companies that manufacture custom products or groups of products that are alike. The process cost system, on the other hand, is chosen by manufacturing companies that make units of a product that are impossible to tell apart and are produced using a continuous production process. Once you have chosen your type of cost accounting system, you will need to know what types of costs that will need to be reported and the difference in those costs. First, you have direct materials cost and indirect materials cost. Direct materials costs are materials that will be used as an essential part of the finished product. For example, for an electrician, direct materials would be receptacles and wiring. To be considered and classified as a direct materials cost, it has to be used as an essential part of the finished product and it has to be a significant portion of the total cost of the finished product. If it does not fit these two requirements, then it is considered an indirect materials cost, or factory overhead cost. â€Å"Indirect materials are materials used in the production process, but which cannot be linked to a specific product or job. Alternatively, they may be used in such insubstantial quantities on a per-product basis that it is not worthwhile to track them as direct materials† (Bragg) .An example of an indirect materials cost, or factory overhead cost, for an electrician would be electrical tape and solder. Next, we have direct and indirect labor costs. As with direct materials costs, labor costs must also meet the same two requirements to be labeled direct labor costs. They must be an essential part of the finished product and must be a significant portion of the total cost of the finished product. If they meet these two requirements, these labor costs are considered direct labor costs. If they do not meet these requirements, they are indirect labor costs, or factory overhead costs. The janitor who cleans the building incurs labor costs for the company; however, the janitorial costs are not an essential cost of manufacturing their product. As a result, the janitorial labor costs are indirect labor costs, or factory overhead cost. So what are factory overhead costs and how do you measure and record it? Our textbook describes both in detail. Factory overhead costs are indirect costs of the product. As previously mentioned, these can be materials and labor costs that do not directly enter into the finished product. Some examples include: Heating and lighting the factory Property taxes on factory buildings and land Depreciation on factory plant and equipment Sandpaper, glue, buffing compound Power to run the machines Salaries of production supervisors Because factory overhead costs cannot be directly earmarked to jobs, they are instead, applied to jobs using a common measure related to each job. This common measure is called an activity base. The activity base used to apply overhead should reflect the use of factory overhead costs. Factory overhead costs are usually applied to jobs using a predetermined factory overhead rate computed as follows: Predetermined FactoryEstimated Total Factory Overhead Costs Overhead Rate = Estimated Activity Base For example, if a company estimated a total factory overhead cost of $50,000 for the year and the activity base as 10,000 direct labor hours, a predetermined factory overhead rate of $5 per direct labor hour is computed using the estimated amounts at the beginning of the period. Predetermined factory overhead rated are computed because managers need information about the product cost of each job in a timely manner. With timely information, managers can fine-tune manufacturing methods or product pricing. Remember, during each step of your manufacturing process, identify and record every cost as well as determine whether the costs are direct, indirect, or factory overhead. Keeping up with these costs will help you determine the final cost of each unit and whether or not to make any changes necessary for a more profitable future. Works Cited Bragg, Steven, â€Å"What are Indirect Materials?† Questions Answers – Accounting Tools 1 June 2013. Warren, Reeve and Duchac. ACCT 1101 Chapters 18-26 Managerial Accounting. Ohio: Cengage, 2012. Print.

Writing a Personal Narrative :: Personal Narrative Writing

Purpose and Audience Personal narratives allow you to share your life with others and vicariously experience the things that happen around you. Your job as a writer is to put the reader in the midst of the action letting him or her live through an experience. Although a great deal of writing has a thesis, stories are different. A good story creates a dramatic effect, makes us laugh, gives us pleasurable fright, and/or gets us on the edge of our seats. A story has done its job if we can say, "Yes, that captures what living with my father feels like," or "Yes, that’s what being cut from the football team felt like." Structure There are a variety of ways to structure your narrative story. The three most common structures are: chronological approach, flashback sequence, and reflective mode. Select one that best fits the story you are telling. Methods Show, Don’t’ Tell Don’t tell the reader what he or she is supposed to think or feel. Let the reader see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the experience directly, and let the sensory experiences lead him or her to your intended thought or feeling. Showing is harder than telling. It’s easier to say, "It was incredibly funny," than to write something that is incredibly funny. The rule of "show, don’t tell" means that your job as a storyteller is not to interpret; it’s to select revealing details. You’re a sifter, not an explainer. An easy way to accomplish showing and not telling is to avoid the use of "to be" verbs. Let People Talk It’s amazing how much we learn about people from what they say. One way to achieve this is through carefully constructed dialogue. Work to create dialogue that allows the characters’ personalities and voices to emerge through unique word selection and the use of active rather than passive voice. Choose a Point of View Point of view is the perspective from which your story is told. It encompasses where you are in time, how much you view the experience emotionally (your tone), and how much you allow yourself into the minds of the characters. Most personal narratives are told from the first-person limited point of view. If you venture to experiment with other points of view, you may want to discuss them with Miss Burke as you plan your piece.

Indebtedness

Indebtedness Today one can say it is near impossible to succeed without an education past the high school level. With universities knowing this the cost of attendance has raised drastically. Some may argue that taking out loans is well worth the long time debt that comes with it. Others may say loans are not something they would recommend and would rather pay out of pocket. Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and US Bank(who is one of the only banks award scholarships based of random picks) are just a few from of list of the top financial institutions to provide aid to students in America.Bank of America has implemented another company called Monster. They run a program that goes cross country to over 200 campuses and teach them about how to manage money and budget for necessities. This includes credit cards and other loans from Bank of America. This program is free to any student who wants the general knowledge and Dennis Morey states that â€Å"Bank of America is committed to students a nd their long term success†. Wells Fargo offers multiple pay back options and even allows students to have a cosigner just in case something isn’t working for them.They offer call centers and help lines that provide you with plans on paying back loans and also encourage you that loans are not bad and could be stepping stones to a better future. Institutions such as Chase try to help ones financial situation by only allowing them the amount of tuition minus other aid. This insures that no one student has accepted a bigger responsibility than can be handled. This keeps the amount of debt that they could have down to a more controllable amount.They also exercise payback right away plans. This keeps a student from having such a heavy burden once they are finished with school and have moved on to a life after studies. SunTrust bank takes a different approach. Through the process of getting a student loan they take you through the necessary steps of seeing if you qualify for any scholarships and grant money this helps reduce the initial amount of money needed to attend a college our university.After that they check to see if you qualify for federal loans that may not have any interest. This helps students in the long run because what they borrow is what they have to pay back nothing more is added on. Sources http://www. suntrusteducation. com/PayingForCollege/Students/UnderGraduate. html http://www. chasestudentloans. com/ https://www. wellsfargo. com/student/ http://newsroom. bankofamerica. com/press-release/consumer-banking/monster-and-bank-america-promote-smart-money-management-skills-among-

Physical activity for children Essay

Physical Activity for Children This essay will explore the areas of children’s development. The age groups which will be discussed within it are children from the ages of two too six years of age and children from the age of six too eleven years of age. The areas of development which will be covered are physical, intellectual, skill and psychological. The author will then conclude by making reference to the effect on physical activity for children and why it can influence them for the rest of their lives. Physical development Children between two and six years have slow and steady gains in height and weight, especially in the legs which account for 66% of their total increase in height. Females tend to have growth spurts two years before males, but when males have spurts they have them for a longer period of time developing heavier bones and stringier muscles as well. Between the ages of six and eleven the average children’s legs continue to grow very quickly while the head will be disproportionately large, the bones also tend to increase in length and density, gradually as they grow towards adolescence. Intellectual development Children between the ages of two and six years tend to be egocentric and selfish and don’t consider other people’s feelings. They also tend to do something quickly even if it involves hurting another child’s feelings, they will not consider the consequences until after they have done it. At this age children also find it difficult to learn from experience so they could make the same mistakes over and over again. Time and place could also be a confusion at this age and not having a complete understanding of your surroundings. From the ages of six to eleven the child can start to learn from experience although, they still have a tendency to do something without thinking about it. When the child reaches about seven or eight years they will start to understand that time goes by at a uniform speed and can perhaps arrange plans from day to day, but the past and the future still remain a mystery to them. Skill development Skill development in a child between the age of two and six is very basic, the early on stage of the physical development, This is when they will be learning skills like running, jumping, balancing and throwing. Girls tend to have more skill when it comes to co-ordination, things like hopping and skipping but boys are usually better when it comes to running, jumping or throwing, which is why boys mostly play sports like football and rugby and girls are mostly into gymnastics and dancing. From the ages of six to eleven years children’s ball skills can also be developed, this could involve dribbling the ball using their feet or catching it with their hands. It is in this age group that the child will play different kinds of sports and will eventually decide what sport they are suited to. Psychological development The psychological development in a child between two and six years old includes them imitating other children, if another child does something they will feel that they have to do it as well. Other children also start to become more important to them as they will form groups, they will also compare each mostly to see who the best is. They also still have to be told what to do at this age. From the age of six to eleven friends start to become a lot more important and can play a crucial role within their lives influencing their attitudes, beliefs and behaviour, they may also want to take part in a certain sport or activity just because their friend does it. In this age group they will also start listening to other people’s points of view and decide whether they agree with it or not. They will also start to understand working as part of a team and how it is important when difficult situations may occur within their life. Douglas P (2013) states that â€Å"exercise is paramount in the development of today’s children† This true statement emphasises that children can use physical activity to develop each of the areas, physical, intellectual, physiological and skill level, giving them a better way of life. This will also keep them fit and healthy decreasing the risk of things like illnesses or obesity.

Native Title Law In Australia

Native Title Law In Australia On June 3rd 1992, the Australian High Court trailed a man that would change property law in Australia, as we knew it. The case of Eddie Mabo vs. The State of Queensland was the first successful case to bring about recognition of the concept of native title in Australia. Native title is the name given to the traditional land system of indigenous Australians, which was developed over thousands of years. In 1992, with Mabo, the Australian High Court finally recognized that Australia was not simply an empty piece of land when Captain Cook sailed up the coast in 1770 and claimed the eastern part of a continent which had already been occupied by our indigenous people for at least 40,000 years as a piece of British real estate.Unlike 'land rights', which are created by governments, 'native title' is a right that existed before the coming of the Europeans to Australia.As you can imagine the concept of native title have had important consequences for property law in Australia. The precedent c ase judgement overthrew the legal fiction of 'terra nullius' stating that the land of Australia had belonged to no one when the British arrived in 1778. The judgement found that a native title to land existed in 1778 and may continue to exist provided it has not been extinguished by later government acts and provided Indigenous groups continue to observe their traditional laws and customs.In the Native Title Act 1998 it was decided that a claim of native title could be made over land in Australia, provided the following two elements are satisfied:(a) ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ That those indigenous people (Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders) claiming the land or waters can prove a continuing association with the land claimed (physical, cultural or spiritual).(b) ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ ÂÆ'‚‚ That th ere has been no act...

Critiquing is not Editing

Critiquing is not Editing â€Å"Critiquing† is not â€Å"Editing† â€Å"Critiquing† is not â€Å"Editing† By Maeve Maddox A reader writes about a problem she is having with a friend who is critiquing her manuscripts. . . . whenever I use personification, alliteration, or any sort of figurative language, [the friend] edits it out. We have two very different styles, and I’m wondering if she is right in editing my work so drastically that it changes the style, or if my style is really far too â€Å"flowery†, as she puts it. Critiquing is not the same as editing. If the friend is â€Å"editing drastically,† the result is no longer a critique but a rewrite. The chief purpose of a fiction critique is to enable the writer to improve a manuscript by getting rid of unnecessary exposition, character inconsistencies or pointless dialogue. Thoughtful critiques from other writers can help the writer focus on essentials. What exactly is the writer’s purpose? Who is the protagonist? What does the protagonist want? Does each chapter advance the plot? I belong to a writing critique group. Everyone in it has a different style and different preferred genres. We also have various pet peeves relating to grammar, spelling and idiom. However, individual style is something we are very careful about respecting. For one thing, different genres call for different language. For another, every writer must develop a distinctive voice. A writer’s voice may include some flowery language. We respect style, but that’s not to say that we avoid commenting on language we feel is inappropriate or over the top. We make suggestions, but we don’t presume to edit unless we are asked to. It’s always up to the author to accept or reject any comments or objections. To the writer being critiqued I say: Its your voice. Its helpful to have others read our work and comment on structure, story line, believabilitythat kind of thing. We do not profit from readers who want to rewrite our work to their own specifications. Critiques should be honest in pointing out plot weaknesses, omissions, and other flaws, but they shouldn’t attempt to recast the author’s work according to the reader’s vision. In submitting your work for critique it’s a good idea to be specific about the type of feedback you want. If your reader’s comments are consistently hypercritical and make you feel bad, get another reader. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 101Best Websites to Learn English7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing

Student Entrepreneurship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Student Entrepreneurship - Assignment Example The assignment "Student Entrepreneurship" tries to determine various factors that are responsible for deterring or motivating the students from becoming an entrepreneur. Past researchers reveal significant statistics, where one in four working Americans is expected to be self-employed. But the real matter of concern for the growth of the economy is a self-dependency of youth who brim with fresh ideas and innovative thoughts for establishing new businesses and being recognized as successful entrepreneurs in the near future. This study aims to identify and analyze the preference youth holds for visualizing himself as a future employer or a competent employee. Entrepreneurship is about taking risks; hence it clearly depicts the true nature, behavior, and characteristic of an individual. Uncertainty and ambiguity clouds a business, thus the risk pervasiveness or evasiveness trait can also be evaluated. Our current study would certainly facilitate in comprehending the above areas of concern. Entrepreneurship is the act through which systematic and organized knowledge, experience, skills and other related attributes could be well applied for establishing a creative idea and transforming it into a well-planned course of action. Entrepreneur, on the other hand, is the person who initiates entrepreneurship. He is the one who creates abundant job opportunities, facilitates wealth creation, applies modern and innovative tools and techniques and gives a valuable contribution towards the advancement of economic growth.... LITERATURE REVIEW ‘Entrepreneurship is the act through which systematic and organized knowledge, experience, skills and other related attributes could be well applied for establishing a creative idea and transforming it into a well planned course of action. Entrepreneur on the other hand is the person who initiates entrepreneurship (Cooper, C A & Dunkelberg W. C., 1987). He is the one who creates abundant job opportunities, facilitates wealth creation, applies modern and innovative tools and techniques and gives a valuable contribution towards advancement of economic growth (Schumpeter, J. A. (2000). In words of Amar Bhide, there is no perfect description of an entrepreneur. He can be a dynamic personality or a gregarious one (Scherer, R. F., Brodzinski, J. D., & Wiebe, F. A, 1991). He can possess analytical skills or intuitive. Entrepreneur may be risk averter or risk taker (Gartner, W. B, 1988). Past researches have also been conducted to explore (Gallaway, J. H & Bernasek A, 2002) influence on entrepreneurship. It has been observed that different reasons are responsible for motivating individuals for the same. For females, independence and sense of achievement are the driving factors while for male family businesses were considered as the top most factor for motivating individuals to opt for entrepreneurship. The past researcher’s have stated that there is a lot of difference between the way the business is actually conducted and the manner in which it is comprehended by the people at large (Shane, S., & Venkataraman, S, 2000). Greg Watson in his findings has revealed that businesses are driven by corporate business ethics which is defined distinctly by different individuals. Statistics display that US

Unknown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Unknown - Essay Example A villain is the epitome of insanity and cruelty. And there is none crueler or more insane, than the Joker. A villain who has truly made an impact, the Joker has caused a lot of damage in the most inventive ways possible in the movie, game and comic book series. He managed to kill Robin (Jason Todd), he was the one who paralyzed Barbara Gordon and in the animated series we saw how the Joker literally destroys Tim Drake (Levitikuz). In the movies, he is shown to be the one who killed Batman’s parents, he is the one who kills Talia in Arkham City and it is the Joker who turns Gotham’s most loved citizen, Harvey Dent, into the villain we know as Two Face. He has had a major impact in the Batman Universe, more so than any other villain. He is cruel in his ways and his relentless inflictions have caused a lot of damage (Levitikuz). Behind all other villains, lies the motive of power or world domination. So be it Lex Luthor or Thanos, their motivation is known. But when it comes to the Joker, his motivation and his plan of action is simply not known. He could conduct a twisted social experiment like that in the Dark Knight Movie involving bombs on two ships, to either send a message or just for the heck of it. This is truly dangerous because one cannot guess what it is that the Joker wanted to accomplish with his madness. His volatile nature is what makes him so dangerously villainous (Holder). The joker is everything insane, immoral and wrong. He plays dirty and he has no rules or laws. Other villains like Doom have self-imposed rules which they follow or have lines which even they won’t cross. But the Joker has no such limit. There is no rule he will not break, no line that he will not cross and no limit he will not go to. He fights till the very end and he fights with no holds barred. In the movie, we see him making a getaway in the school bus right when the school bells ring, he makes the victims look like a

Into the Wild (Book) - Jon Krakauer (Author) Essay - 1

Into the Wild (Book) - Jon Krakauer (Author) - Essay Example Nevertheless, a person should not let past mistakes define his/her life since they are not part of your life now (Krakauer, 80). In the book, Chris’s time in the wild is described, about how he survived living inside a bus in the forest, alone and injured, having to fend for himself by hunting and collecting berries. He stayed in the forest for some time, reading a book of Doctor Zhirago. His life in the wild was not a smooth one, as he endure hardships, being that he was alone and hungry, and this made him weak. Chris died 112 days after he left home for the wild, and it took another 19 days for his body to be discovered. Chris’s mother feels the pain for her loss, and she will feel this pain for a long time, since it was her son who was found dead in the forest. Chapter 13 shows how losing a loved one is a painful experience to endure. Losing a loved one is a terrible occurrence that can happen to anyone. The pain takes time to heal, and depending on the relationship that was present before the death, a person can take days to years for the pain to heal. The lack of acceptance about the loss is just but the start of a long journey of mourning and grief. The period of mourning and grief is important as it helps take the pain away from their minds. The scenario where the mother endures the death of her kid is an everyday occurrence. People die, their loved ones mourn, and only time tells whether they will move on with their lives or not (Krakauer,

Desistance Rehabilitation And Reintegration

Desistance Rehabilitation And Reintegration When a criminal is able to stop the behavior that characterizes his or her criminal activities, the gradual process involved is what is termed as desistance. Apart from the fact that it has practical applications for probation workers with criminal offenders from the community, desistance also has a strong link and connection in the rehabilitation of a criminal. However, theories of desistance when compared to the theories of the onset of criminal behavior have been much neglected and underdeveloped in the history of criminology (Smith, 2007). It is therefore a good sign when studies of desistance increase drastically especially since the last twenty years; this has been particularly noticeable after the development of the life course theory that was done by Sampson and Laub. But as Piquero (2004:103) explains, continued research has been significantly affected by methodological and theoretical issues. Moreover, theorists in the field have not been able to come up with a universal de finition of desistance. Consequently this paper endeavors to create a workable definition of desistance and to furthermore give a preview of the updated main facts and theories of desistance. Understanding desistance Oxford Dictionary defines desistance as, to desist or to stop doing something; cease or abstain. Applying this definition to criminology is however a bit technical. The big question is usually about time, if a criminal is able to stop a certain criminal behavior for four weeks for example, is it correct to classify him or her as an accomplished case of desistance? What is the recommended time for one to be sure that he or she is free from the crime? If future behavior can best be predicted by looking at past behavior, and if recidivism and relapse are the rule rather than the exception, then how does a precise definition of desistance be formulated? (LeBel et al, 2004). Laub and Sampson (2001) as a matter of fact agree that a definition of desistance cannot be made, they support that the questions in a particular research best deduce the definition of desistance for the researcher (cited in Maruna, 2006). According to Shadd Maruna, for a habitual offender, any recognizable time spent without doing any crime is called primary desistance. However studies on recidivism and relapse cannot be complete without an outline of achieving long term desistance. Maruna goes on to therefore state that secondary desistance is when a criminal is able to change his identity and take an almost permanent direction to a life free of the initial crime that was a norm in his behavior. Studying secondary desistance is important as it seeks to understand how initial offenders can be able to keep a distance from their crimes. Desistance is therefore not the final result of the end of a crime; it is actually the process that is gradual and continuous till the end result of successful desistance. Sampson and Laub (2001) acknowledge that there is a huge difference between the stopping an offence and the continuous change to a crime free lifestyle. They mark that as compared to theories of offending, desistance theories have not yet been fully studied and explained, however desistance is now understood as the procedure necessary for acquiring a n accomplished state of non-offence. It is important that a criminal who wants to change must be willing to change his or her self identity and concept to be able to grasp the full context of change. Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) explain that on the contrary it is a common occurrence to find ex-offenders who have undergone desistance commit other acts of deviance, (cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003: 298). Desistance is therefore basically the ability of a former criminal to be able to completely withdraw from a crime and to maintain being in that state regardless of the challenges involved when trying to keep away. Some of these challenges are social stigma, return to criminogenic environments after release from prison, homelessness, addiction, and limited career and educational opportunities (Richards and Jones, 2004). Career criminals are those who have been criminal offenders for a considerably long period of time (Maruna, 2001). According to Laub and Sampson (2003), career criminals rather than small time offenders should be given more attention in researches on desistance. However another major problem in the study of desistance is the availability of completely successful offenders in desistance to the researchers in the field (Maruna, 2001; Burnett, 2004). Total desistance to many ex-offenders is quite a hard step as most of them usually end up going back to their initial criminal tendencies (Piquero, 2004). Addiction is a very significant factor that is more often overlooked yet its contribution to the whole process of desistance has a major impact on the ability of a criminal to completely change. It is therefore important to understand the connection between the two before arriving at a definition of desistance. From a number of researches it has been recognized that the link between addiction and criminal activities is actually very strong. A drug addict is therefore more likely to engage in crimes (Maruna, 2001). Moreover the cause of addiction and criminality are as a matter of fact very similar. Frisher and Beckett (2006:141) found that a large percentage of drug abusers are very active members in criminal gangs. Therefore, when defining desistance, it is necessary to note that the complete resistance of both criminal offending and drug abuse must be realized (Maruna, 2001). To achieve the purpose of this paper desistance can be described and defined as the initial process allowing quality desistance from drug abuse, criminality and other forms of deviance for an ex- criminal. Quality desistance in this case is the is the total termination of previous criminal behaviors together with other possible forms of deviance like drug abuse for at least ten years accompanied by a change in the identity of an individual. Desistance theories Ageing Age has been found to be a significant factor in criminology, as one grows older it is noted that their level of criminality greatly reduces. (Smith, 2007; Sampson and Laub, 2003; Gluecks, 1943; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003; Gottfredson and Hirschi, 1990; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003). In 2000 in the United Kingdom 19 year olds were found to have committed crimes fifty times more those which men of over fifty years had committed. According to research the total lifespan of a criminal is usually general considering factors like early deaths, imprisonment and when a criminal is evolving to avoid being detected (Maruna, 2006). In a research of 411 criminal males in London, Farrington (1990) found that as the criminals grew older, their crimes reduced greatly with time but this however depended on different types of crimes (cited in Smith, 2007). For example, burglary is at its highest at age 20 while fraud and drug abuse offences record their highest at the age of 25 all the way to 30 as burglary sets on a steady decline afterwards. Nevertheless for the persistent hardcore criminals into their 70s, there was a clear connection between their age and their crime rates according to studies by Laub and Sampson (2003, 2005, 2005b). Furthermore they realized that alcohol and drug offences were their highest in the mid- thirties as compared to other offences. They finally came to a conclusion that both age and the type of crimes affect the whole process of desistance as well. However there have been different explanations to the not clear age crime curve. Developmental criminologists have been able to link the ag e of an offender and the capability of total desistance to childhood related issues. (Mulver et al, 1988; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003; Nagin, 2005; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2005a) Offenders are therefore divided into two distinct groups, the adolescent and the persistent adult offenders. As a result it will be evident that in their late teens the adolescents will be able to grown out of crime and will be able to work on their social circles basically due to their education and good social integration skills. Academic failure, broken relationships and neuropsychological handicaps on the other hand doom the adult offender to a life of deviancy (Moffitt, 1993; 1994; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003). This theory therefore separates offenders into two distinct groups each with very unique characteristics determined by childhood factors, and only those who fall into the correct group have any hope of desistance. Sampson and Laub (2003; 2005a; 2005b) have strongly criticized this developmental approach to explaining desistance, and state that, there is no such thing as a fore-told life course persister (2003:179). They explain that desistance is achievable for ant type of offender no matter which group they are in whether adolescent or adults. According to them childhood fa ctors of offence do not determine desistance but instead help to explain the whole process of desistance. Gottfredson and Hirschi claim that offenders simply stop offending because of the natural aging of the individual (1995; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003). They point out that for any organism there is always a stage of discontinuity that applies to criminology and the study of desistance and its links with age. Therefore desistance is a natural process for any offender. Maruna (2001) however does not fully agree with this because according to him desistance, especially at the beginning, takes a huge amount of emotional, psychological and even physical effort and resources. Gluecks (1943) agrees with this too because he highlighted that desistance was the result of a process of maturational reform, meaning, an offender gradually grows out of crime (cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003). This maturation process usually starts after age 25 when a criminal is able to settle down as the crime rate reduces gradually. However this theory has similarly been criticized as it does not probe into th e meaning of age; instead it assumes that the process of aging itself is responsible for desistance (Maruna, 2001; Sampson and Laub, 2003). Acknowledging that age is a significant factor in desistance, Sampson and Laub (1992) state that maturational reform does not satisfactorily explore its significance in relation to social bonds and life turning points (cited in Maruna, 2001). Life Course Theory A significant study on 500 men up to the age of 32 was carried in the 1930s and 1940s by the Gluecks (1943; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003; 2005a; 2005b). Sampson and Laub later on in an impressive research followed up on 52 of these men and investigated on their criminal career to the age of 70. They found out that the causes of desistance and persistence are actually opposites, namely the development of social controls, structured routine activities and purposeful productive human agency (Sampson and Laub, 2003; 2005a; 2005b; 2006). Their finding indicated that job stability, military service and marriage were able to positively contribute to achieving desistance. These turning points were realized in the process of desistance whereby an offender seeks to start a new life by changing location or even starting a new job like entering the military for example. This however does not necessarily involve starting over, sometimes these offenders work to gain back and maintain their orig inal contacts like a job or a marriage in their quest to stop their criminal tendencies. Whichever path desistance takes these turning points often lead to: a knifing off of the past from the present opportunities for investment in new relationships that offer social support, growth, and new social networks forms of direct and indirect supervision and monitoring of behavior structured routines that center more on family life and less unstructured time with peers situations that provide an opportunity for identity transformation and that allow for the emergence of a new self or script These factors, they explain are true and are not affected by the type of marriage and the crime life of an individual , though informal, cohabiting and parenthood have also been linked to successful desistance (Sampson and Laub, 2006; Katz, 1999). Individuals with none of these social bonds are also more able to stop offending because, they have nothing to lose. Rebecca Katz (1999:13) indicates that, families of procreation may play a significant role in developing desistance since family influences self control and delinquency. Life course theory emphasizes on the strong influence of the social environment to offending explaining that absence of criminal peers reduces the chances of an individual ever engaging in offences and consequently attitudes and beliefs favorable to conformity will develop (Warr, 1998; cited in Sampson and Laub, 2003). Life Course Theory contradicts the link between developmental theories in criminal careers and desistance. It agrees that adulthood experience s are essential as well but to some point more significant in establishing the possible trajectory of desistance (2003). Offenders desist as a result of individual actions (choice) in conjunction with situational contexts and structural influences linked to key institutions that help sustain desistance. As such we argued that desistance is a process rather than an event, and that It must be continually renewed. This fundamental theme underscores the need to examine individual motivation and the social context in which individuals are embedded. (Sampson and Laub, 2003:171) Agency Yet another essential element that has been pointed out as key in achieving successful desistance is agency. (Burnett, 2004; Maruna, 2001; McNeill, 2006; Maguire et al, 2006; Maruna, 2001; Sampson and Laub, 2005 a). The theory of rational offence understands the fact that a criminal is able to make decisions based on his judgment of what is good or bad according to him in his crime life. Agency therefore works hand in hand with rational choice in the key decision making processes of a criminal. Agency is important since it assists in the overall process of making a rational choice. Furthermore, considering the often irrational patterns of offending of many criminals, and the many economic and social constraints offenders live under, rational choice theory alone cannot account for decisions to desist (Burnett, 2004; Sampson and Laub, 2005b). In their study of the Gluecks men Sampson and Laub (2005a) found that agency was a vital component in successful desistance. There is more to the structural support in the process of desistance, agency is required to offer the determination and persistence part of the equation. Agency determines the will to keep moving on and only those who are persistent will be able to manage the whole process. This will to desist and the internationalization of responsibility to overcome the challenges offenders face as they undergo desistance (Maruna, 2001), is very difficult to measure or predict and introduces a seemingly random component into life course turning points, making neat prediction inherently a difficult endeavor (Sampson and Laub, 2005a:177). Moreover it is a quintessential component in the study of desistance and persistence in a criminal career that has however not been fully researched to date. In their research of the life course theory of life Sampson and Laub assert that they have been seeking to explain the importance of the human agency as an aid in understanding desistance and other deviance forms (2003:177). Knifing offà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ ones past, has come out to be a vital element to describe the ability to be able to accomplish a successful desistance for some individuals. To achieve this voluntarily, agency is necessary since it is one of the most difficult things to do and needs a lot of determination. It is a process that is more often accompanied by cutting all past contacts and establishing new ones for example geographical location and family. Most importantly though, Maruna et al (2006a) explained that it can as well involve internal change, or a change in the way the offender views themselves, their past, and their environment. This change in the individuals thinking is vital for the maintenance of long term desistance (Maruna, 2001; Sampson and Laub, 2003; 2005a; Maguire et al, 2006). Contemplation time was found to be a crucial moment that assisted in creating a turning point to desistance according to a study by Margaret Hughes (1998). And it was found that the opportunity to contemplate came as a result of a change in geographical location, imprisonment and residential treatment programmes. Hughes participants found their desire to change develop when they removed from the usual environments and being able to get ample time for self actualization. Social identity Researchers have tried to explain the phenomenon whereby some individual are able to sustain long term resistance while others do not, and it has been discovered that apart from agency, an individuals self identity change is similarly necessary. The chance of an ex-offender remaining crime free very much depends upon developing a new identity, and new values and beliefs that were not compatible with criminal offending (Burnett, 2004). For sure, a significant amount of work done in rehabilitating offenders and addicts, such as 12 Step and cognitive behavioral therapy, targets change in the individuals self-perception (Maruna, 2001). Each and every individual, whether an ex-offender, offender or normal citizen has a unique self identity through which their actions are guided upon, it is therefore as a result of this mechanisms that give people the different circumstances they exist in. Crucially, self-narratives provide a subjective account of the meanings that offenders place upon changes and turning points in their lives (McNiell, 2006).More often though not a fact; self narratives have been of assistance when people seek to explain their actions. Narratives very often change throughout the life course and understanding narratives, helps individuals realize the significance of past and present events in our lives (Sampson and Laub, 2005a). In a desistance study in Liverpool, Shadd Maruna investigated the different self narratives of two distinct groups of offenders whereby one persisted and the other desisted, to account for the changes in ex-offender identities (Maruna, 2001). He was able to find out that both the desisting and persistent criminals actually had more or less the same personality characteristics and were not as agreeable and conscious as the general population. Self-narratives are the only components that divided the two groups after thorough interviews. Active offenders had what Maruna described as a, condemnation scriptà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ (2001), meaning, they saw life as an unfortunate abyss of hostility and uncertainty. They believed that circumstances had pushed them to their present situation and there was nothing they could do to change things and that the authority pushed them even further away. Desisting ex-offenders on the other hand had a positive outlook on their past and present and this is wha t assisted them to continue with their desistance process. It is this self-narrative that may be the tool needed for successful desistance. The self-narrative of the ex-offenders holds a version of the truth that is often quite different from historical truth (Maruna et al, 2007). This self narrative attaches a psychological component to the real facts of the past and creates a purpose and meaning in the life of an offender. This is what brings about the positive outlook and assists in achieving desistance. In a study focused completely on religious changes of rehabilitated offenders, Maruna et al discovered that their self-narrative was interestingly changed by their conversion experience (Maruna et al, 2006b). As a result the importance of this self narrative is once more highlighted as it helps an offender realize that the past can be changed and that the future has a hope even for those in long sentences. The offender is therefore able to have a new sense of identity, empowerment, purpose and forgiveness. The self narratives of most offenders in the desisting group have a common characteristic Maruna describes as, the redemption scriptà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ (2001). This is basically the belief that an offender is a good person and that his or her past was merely as a result of circumstances of crime, recidivism and addiction. As a result of this, the offenders are able to endeavor to live new lives as they continue in with their desistance. They are then able to view themselves as role models with the necessary knowledge and experience to advice and educate the next generations, something Maruna calls, Making Goodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸. The major difference therefore between the desisting offenders and the persistent ones is the positive energy they surround themselves with. Confidence and self belief are as a result pointed out to be essential qualities as they guide an offender to understand that their past was a necessary component for them to be where they are at the present. This redemptive narrative helps them realize that they are not their past and that their future is what that matters. The acknowledgement of a supreme power beyond them has also been a contributing factor in the lives of these offenders. This is because they realize that their past might have been a plan to give them the positions they hold in the present, like being counselors and youth leaders. This moral superiority and change from the past, according to Maruna, is to make up for long stretches of lost life. During desistance according to Stephen Farrall some offenders undergo long periods of creating new social identities (2006:85). However much these offenders change, it is not forgotten that they acknowledge they are responsible for their criminal past. The idea that reformed criminals accept blame and feel shame for all of their crimes is not supported by research (Maruna, 2007). Successful offenders in desistance often admit to the guilt of their past but they however rationalize their actions and justify or blame themselves and accept that circumstances might have pushed them to criminality. Sometimes however they do not accept their actions and believe that the society pushed them to crime. Such a belief system would not encourage an ex-offender to accept responsibility for breaking laws that they perceived to be based on middle class values, and representative of a society that had neglected and mistreated them (Maruna, 2001). The Liverpool Desistance Study prove that a concurrent characteristic of the redemption script is an offender accepting to take control of changing his future however they do not acknowledge their past crimes. An internalization of full responsibility for their future, including the determination to overcome the many obstacles they will face, seems to be a defining feature of successful desisting ex-offenders. Maruna (2001:88) summarizes the themes of the desisting persons narrative as: an establishment of the core beliefs that characterize the persons true self an optimistic perception (some might say useful illusion) of personal control over ones destiny the desire to be productive and give something back to society, particularly the next generation Moffitt Adolescence-Limited and Life-Course-Persistent Antisocial Behavior: A Developmental Taxonomy Moffitts (1993) concept of dual taxonomy of offending similarly tries to explain the processes of desistance and persistence. Moffitt (ibid) outlined that offenders can be grouped into two; adolescent limiteds and life persisters. Moffitt proposes that the two groups are different and unique from each other in their offence and desistance processes, with the life course persisters having a different aetiology to the adolescent limited offenders. It is explained that they may be suffering neurological problems that affects their cognitive and learning skills. This is therefore evidenced by poor social skills even in the family leading to the various forms of anti social behavior and poor self control Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990). Early signs of antisocial behavior are a common characteristic of life course persisters (for example under-age drinking, premarital sex) as a result they are often excommunicated from their initial societal setting because of poor behavior, development and social bonds. Early signs of antisocial behaviors like these are normally a clear indication of a persistent criminal career in the future. This will be in connection to the age graded theory meaning there patterns of crime will be different and theirs will be a continuous cycle of events of affected marriages, work, education and relationships. Moffitt continues to explain that unlike life course persisters, adolescent limited offenders are not affected by any neurological problems and are able to successfully develop their social networks and cognitive skills. Therefore the causal factors for their criminality are connected to the gap between social development, age and desires. Age for example prevents them from engaging in adult behavior like sex or drinking. As a result of deviance from their desires, they tend to associate with the life course persister leading to the growth of their deviance. However, due to their developed social skills and academic success they are likely to be able to change more easily if they choose desistance. This is because they will be able to depend on their strong social bonds for support. Maruna (cited Laub Sampson 2001) explains that finding continuity in the criminality maybe be caused by methodology, by concentrating on dispositional traits to the exclusion of other personality traits. People can be able to change as Laub and Sampson write, even if their characteristic personality traits do not change radically with time. In order to understand desistance , researchers need to explore other aspects of personality such as offender self-perceptions or personal strategies Maruna (cited ibid). Narrative script There are two distinct narrative script types in the desistance literature that highlight how criminals really view themselves and their societal roles. For the persisters their script usually has a concurrent theme of condemnation. More often they blame external conditions like poor family relations and lack of education for their criminality. They generally have an external locus of control. In contrast the offenders who finally become successful in desistance have a redemption script. They are complete opposites of the latter and are fully responsible for their actions. As a result they make a positive choice to stop the crime by accepting rehabilitation programmes. They are described to have an internal locus of control. Factors that influence the particular narrative script that gets adopted by a criminal are majorly internal factors such as personality and genetics especially after rehabilitation. A higher chance of a redemptive script is noted to be as a result of intense rehabilitation. A probation workers relationship with an offender has also been linked to affect desistance. It is there important for these officers to have empathy skills that are crucial in the process of guiding an offender to desistance as they strive to be able to re-integrate back into the society. Relevance of desistance theory The desistance theory is relevant in a number of different applied and academic professions. The desistance theory to researchers may provide a foundation to be able to examine the different factors that contribute to the cessation of a criminal offence from a theoretical view. The desistance theory allows for a number of different crimes in history and their approaches like the Lombrosian biological positivism, to have consideration in the present society which has an evident difference in its ways of thinking. As a result criminology is more understood and its relationship with other disciplines like psychology, politics and social policy acknowledged. This will consequently allow the development of collaboration for a positive cause of reducing re offence rates. The desistance theory on a practical level has assisted the criminal justice system (CJS) to identify possible solutions to cases of reoffending of successful candidates of desistance through for example initiating community based sentences. This kind of programme is sure to gradually decrease the number of criminals in HM Prison Service institutions for short periods. Studies have shown that short-term sentences in prisons for example (those for less than six months) often lead to increased crime rates after release. This is well explained by the fact that these short-term prisoners to not undergo complete metamorphosis from not covering all the rehabilitation programs. Their exposure to the hard core criminals in the prisons who have been there for longer and have been experienced criminals also contributes to their overall change. In addition desistance theory assists in the continuous development of training programmes for the respective professionals responsible for working with ex-offenders in the community. For example the Probation Service (see Narrative script section, above). Controversies It is important for the general public to realize that desistance is achievable and takes time. Offenders should therefore not be viewed as bad people who cannot live with others even after rehabilitation programs. The public is therefore advised not to discriminate these groups of people in their society. Reintegration cases of offenders back into the society have always caused massive outrages by a large percentage of the public community. There are numerous related cases of such circumstances that have often been quite difficult and delicate to handle. For example in 2011, the case of the reintegration of Jason Owen who was initially convicted of playing some part, albeit minimal, in the widely reported death of Baby P (now known to be Peter Connelly) in 2007, and after serving his sentence for causing or allowing the death of Peter he was later released in 2011. The Sun newspaper immediately kicked off a campaign to find him. Readers were urged to write and report to the newspaper of any knowledge of his whereabouts. There was an article in the same newspaper that sent sentiments of outrage over the fact that the ex-convict had actually tried to find a job. This is a clear indication of how the effort of successful psychological research can be nullified by news reports in the popular media. This kind of outrageous reporting is especially a common characteristic of Tabloid newspapers. Their influence over the public is often impressive and they are as a result able to manipulate and affect the attitudes of the wider public towards their view of desistance and offenders. As a result of this, future recidivism is often developed gradually due to the ill-informed public. Newspapers then use this recidivism as proof of their initial correctness. Conclusion

Option For Prosperity :: essays papers

Option For Prosperity In an advanced information age economy, lifetime earning prospects depend on the quality of education more than ever before. Americans are free to make decisions about their health, college education and welfare. We can choose what to eat, how to exercise, whom to marry and which candidate deserves our vote. All of these choices shape us into the people we are today. The growing trend in home schooled children demonstrates that parents are utilizing their freedom of choice in order to help improve their child’s education. â€Å"It is hard to ignore indictment of the nation’s academically underachieving, morally irresolute, disorderly, and often scary public schools† (Anderson). Home schooling is a necessary option because it is more flexible than public schools, it tailors learning to the needs of the children, and it provides a stable environment for a well-rounded education. Today’s public schools are engulfed so much in a specified curriculum, instructors are there to inform other than teach. Home schooling gives families more flexibility with teaching their children. â€Å"Most home schooling students spend their time at libraries, museums, factories, nursing homes, churches, community colleges, a parks department, or elsewhere† (Lines). These varieties of opportunities for students to experience positively broaden their adolescent minds. Familiarities with knowledgeable occurrences outside of the classroom help shape children’s understanding of the world. Those people who are against the at home learning process feel that it deprives the children of interactions necessary for learning. However, with the freedom from a nine-hour school day, kids have the possibility to venture and actually experience the books instead of just reading them. For example, â€Å"John was able to go to Africa with his grandfather for two weeks and we did not worry about him missing school—southern Africa was his school† (Sale). Most home schooled students do not have the opportunity to go to Africa but, there are always possibilities opposed to spending much of one’s youth inside brick buildings. Other benefits of being schooled at home are that the learning process can be tailored to fit the students’ needs. Under the strict curriculum in which public schools provide, the government determines the pace that students have to learn. It is a known fact that there are not two children alike so how is it possible to teach them all the same way.

A Fear of Looking Foolish

Humor is a read way to scatter the feeling of being foolish. Keep in mind that who you are being foolish in front of are humans and there isn't one of them who hasn't been foolish themselves. I agree in this quote â€Å"Our wisdom comes from our experience, and our experience comes from our foolishness† from Sac Guitar, it symbolized that being foolish is not bad as we know, it is the experience that made us more brave from our mistakes. One more quote that eve found on Google â€Å"Its always the fear of looking stupid that stops you from being awesome† fromKier Sacs, just remember that quote and try to relaxed and have faith on yourself when you are doing something–then you'll just find that you made it through. The root cause of all our excellence, all our ability, is fear.. We are afraid afraid to look bad, afraid to make a mistake, afraid to look like a fool in front of others. So we make sure that we are prepared. We make sure we are in control. We like to do well at anything that we do, it is never a pleasure to be bad at anything.But it is fear, a deep fear that motivates us more than anything else. It's always the fear of looking foolish that stops you from being awesome so release yourself from the fear of being foolish. Know that there are times when it will happen. Deal with it with humor and move on. Whatever you do don't let the fear of looking foolish stop you from doing what you want to do. As far as I know, no one has ever died from looking foolish. Yes, it hurts on the ego, but does little other damage if we don't let it get to us.Always remember that looking foolish is all part of being human so onto be scared of looking foolish just be who you are don't mind what people might think to you. There is a lot to be learned from taking risk and not being perfect. Don't let the fear of making mistakes and looking awkward stop you from taking risks and living life to the fullest. We're going to mess up. We're going to make mista kes. We're going to break things. While we try hard not to do that, the glory, the hero within us comes to play not when we're perfect, but when we recover. Mistakes will be made, accidents happen, and you will screw up.

Analyzing Bertrand Russell Essay

I believe what Russell was stating was that we not only need to nourish our bodies, we also need to tend to our minds as well. We must be careful not to sink into monotony, because when we do we tend to fall back to the base instincts of operating on routine rather than using our minds. When this happens we risk starving ourselves intellectually. The whole basis of philosophy is that there is no right answer, philosophers debate and never come to any real conclusion. Basically the foundation of philosophy is the opinion of one or many, and when an answer has been validated, it shifts from opinion into fact. Once it becomes a fact, it falls into the science of facts vs falsehoods. One example would be the original thought of the sun revolving around the earth, at the time that was a Fact. After much research it became disputed and opinionated. Now, everyone knows for a fact that the Earth is revolving around the sun instead of vice-versa Is there a God? This question will remain insoluble because science cannot prove or disprove the existence of a higher power. Is there intelligent life in out there? This chance of this question being answered is relatively higher than the previous. But currently it is insoluble due to a lack of interest in that field. Is there an afterlife? This will be insoluble because it is impossible to discern due to it being impossible without experiencing it first-hand. What is the meaning of life? This question (for some reason) is on many peoples minds, but to most it will remain a mystery. When is the end? This day and age seems to be riddled with people who are doomsayers, who think they can see the apocalypse approaching. But in truth, no one knows how it will end, its all speculation. To me it sounds like Russell is attempting to explain that the journey through life tends to wear on most people, until they just shuffle from one day to the next, from â€Å"cradle to grave†. They ask no questions, have no wonderment at life’s mysteries, and are content to take things at â€Å"face value†. For those of us who look at life and question what they experience or see, it leads to discussions with others, which sometimes leads to conclusions. The apple falling on Newtons head (be it a metaphorical or a literal) led to the question of gravity and how it effects objects. Despite this question leading into a purely scientific/mathematical field, I still believe it was a philosophic question, as I am sure Newton discussed his ideas with his colleagues. This being said, I believe Aristotle said â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † because to accept things that you see without question leads you down a very simplistic path with no knowledge gained, whereas a life full of questions and curiosities can open up doors, not just in an individuals life but in the lives of all mankind. It is this difference that makes a life worth living. In my opinion, Russell believed that a life boxed in by religious or political restraints on free thinkers stifles not only the individual, but humanity as a whole. The questions we pose to ourselves and others have potentially world changing effects, whether they be for good or bad. Comparing Bertrand Russell to Perictione is the common comparison of yin and yang. Bertrand seems like he wants the questions encountered through life to remain insoluble while Perictione speaks as if he wants to break down everything to its basic components and discover the truth in how they operate. The reason why I am studying philosophy is truly to cure me of my narcissism, things are very black and white to me and it is hard to see any shades of gray between the two. To me there is right and wrong, facts and fallacies, despite the fact that life and all things contained therein are rarely so simple. If I can break myself of this pattern of feeling like my opinion is superior to others then I feel like I can grow intellectually.