Reading Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Reading Journal - Essay Example The story continues when Lengel, who is the manager at the supermarket, comes and confronts the girls on their dressing at that time. Apart from being a manager, we are told he teaches at Sunday school to mean that he is a man of God. He condemns their dressing and even insists that it is against the policy of the supermarket to dress that way. That kind of dressing was meant for the beach. Because of this confrontation, Sammy sees this as an embarrassment to the women and in the juncture quits his job, and downs his work tools. This gesture is not noticed by any of the women. Lengel tries to persuade Sammy that it was going to be hard for him to without a job but he listens to none of that and walks out of the supermarket. This story is rich in themes that are outright from the events of the story. One of such themes is that of growing up in life. The story is told of a young man who is in his adolescent age of 19 years. The boy, Sammy, experiences adolescent changes and attraction to the opposite sex. Both Sammy and Stokesie react to the beauty of the women in the supermarket. They react to their appearance in a sensual manner by observing their moves and body features. The women are also in their youth probably the same age as that of Sammy. They dress in a way that the old like Lengel deem indecent but Sammy sees nothing wrong with it. This is shown by the event where Sammy wants to quit his job because he purports that the manager has embarrassed the girls. These issues happen to the youth as they grow up. They fail to distinguish love and relationship issues and end up making choices that are regrettable in a way. Sammy is infatuated with one of the women whom he nicknames as Queenie and he literally stares at her and even gets jealous of the way the woman blushes at Lengel’s confrontations. He is so crazy about the woman that when they have been â€Å"embarrassed† he gets annoyed and

Comment on the various sorts of love shown in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Comment on the various sorts of love shown in Romeo and Juliet Essay Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy based around a pair of young lovers. The play is set in 12th century Verona where a pair of families, the Capulets and the Montagues have been feuding for many years. The play revolves around Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet falling deeply in love and the events that befall these two forbidden lovers. The play covers an array of different types of love and love related issues from brotherly love to bodily lust, Shakespeare uses the characters to portray stereotyped ideas of love and how it affects people. Before even the first scene is out, the play has already touched upon the idea of brotherly love. Benvolio, the cousin of Romeo, finds Romeo in a state of near depression and says to Romeo What sadness lengthens Romeos hours? With this line Shakespeare is showing Benvolios concern as a man might unto his brother. Romeo is sad because he has fallen in love with a girl, Rosaline In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. However Romeos chosen spouse does not return the affection, as Romeo states She will not stay the siege of loving terms. Benvolio offers to Romeo the idea of looking for a different more attainable woman. He gives this advice in order that his cousin may once again be happy thus showing his affection for Romeo. Throughout the play Shakespeare writes about light when referring to love, he talks of it in the prologue before the play is even afoot A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; It does not stop here however, on Romeos first encounter with Juliet he says O she doth teach the torches to burn bright Meaning that she brings light to his dark troubled state of mind, where there was the haze of rejection her light shines through brightening his mood. Again in scene two upon meeting with Juliet his love Romeo compares her presence to light But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? To Romeo meeting Juliet is like the sun rising, just as the sun lights up the world she lights up his mood and, as the sun clears the morning mist, so Juliet clears the fog of his mind leaving it clear. I think Shakespeare uses these references to light to show that in dark times often love can show the way. Perhaps showing that in the face of a problematic social environment love can be a beacon to those who embrace it. When Romeo first visits friar Lawrence in Act two Scene three they speak of Romeos newfound love for Juliet and change of heart to Rosaline With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no; I have forgot that name, and that names woe By this he is telling the friar that he has not only stopped doting on Rosaline but, has in fact undergone a total change in spirits forgetting the woes he had over Rosaline. However the Friar speaks of the doubts he had for the sincerity of Romeos love for Rosaline in the first place Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. This implies that Romeo, whilst sounding outwardly convincing lacked the meaning behind his words. Shakespeare is again using a characters opinion to influence that of the audience, in this case Romeos love for Rosaline may well have been true but due to the friars opinionated speech the audience is cast into doubt on the matter. The friar also chides Romeo about his use of elaborate metaphorical language when talking of love, telling him to be plain, good son, For in order for Friar Lawrence to absolve Romeo he must first be able to understand him. Yet it is not just the friar who is suspicious of Romeos decorative words, Juliet had already commented on the way he talks in Act two Scene two O swear not by the moon, thinconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. Romeos allegorical promises do not hold well with Juliet because in his words no definition can be found merely elaborate metaphors. However Juliets complaints go unheeded for later Act two Scene six Romeo is again using exotic language in order to describe his love for her Unfold the imagined happiness that both Receive in either by this dear encounter. Juliet however responds by saying Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament; They are but beggars that can count their worth, But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth. What Juliet is saying here is that unlike Romeo she cannot sum up her love for him in words. Shakespeare uses strong negative imagery such as beggars and conceit to display Juliets exasperation with Romeos continuing usage of needless ornate speech. But despite Juliets doubts and Romeos misleading words there is an overwhelming love between the pair that cannot go unnoticed. Even upon their first meeting Romeos feelings for Juliet are obvious Did my heart love till now? He directs this phrase at Juliet before the two have even met. Yet when they do at last meet Juliet shares with Romeo not one but two kisses, the second induced by Juliet Then have my lips the sin that they have took These shows of affection in the time in which the play was written would be unheard of upon a first meeting. This shows just how the pair truly epitomise the phrase Love at first sight for they did not let the fact that they were total strangers hinder the strength of their feelings even if the feeling was simply lust. However as of yet we cannot tell whether Romeo is sincere in his love this time rather than just lustfully infatuated as he was with Rosaline, the cousin of Juliet. However he proves himself later in the act by saying Call me but love, and Ill be new baptised; Henceforth I never will be Romeo By this he is offering to change his name if it would make Juliet love him and be with him. During Shakespearian times it was no small feat to denounce ones name, there was a lot more weight placed upon names back then, especially if it was a name of high social standing as was Romeos. This proposal shows the true and serious nature of Romeos newfound love. However it is not simply Romeo who makes such a bold offer for earlier in the scene Juliet says be but sworn my love, And Ill no longer be a Capulet To the audience Shakespeare was writing for this selfless act on both their parts would have convinced the audience that their love was true. Another factor that Shakespeare played upon to influence his audience into believing that Romeo and Juliets love was true was his use of Religious language upon their first meeting. If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Shakespeare deliberately uses this language to symbolise a number of things. Firstly that Juliet like a shrine is untouched or virginal this theme is recurrent through the first two acts of the play. Secondly it However not all Shakespeares examples of love are so romantic for instance Juliets mother The Lady Capulet says to Juliet considering the offer of marriage from Paris So shall you share all that he doth possess, By having him, making yourself no less. This shows a very materialistic side to Lady Capulet it also implies that the reason she is married to Lord Capulet might not necessarily be because they are in love. It portrays a much more dutiful love between Juliets parents perhaps Lady Capulet loves Lord Capulet simply because they are married rather than being married because they are in love. This type of relationship was common in Tudor times because often romanticism was overlooked in the face of bettering oneself financially. Paris show of affection for Juliet is not without a sense of duty he, as was proper in those days, approaches Lord Capulet for his daughters hand in marriage But now, my lord, what say you to my suit? At this point Capulet believes his daughter to be too young for marriage yet he encourages young Paris to woo her in order that she may fall in love with him down the line And too soon marred are those so early made. Might be referring to the marriage of himself and lady Capulet that has now become loveless and hollow. He as a loving father does not wish this upon his own only child so through Paris persistence Shakespeare shows another form of love, the love of a father for his daughter. Yet not all Shakespeares characters believed in such an honourable love. In his opening scene there are two servant men talking between themselves, there speech although on the topic of fighting generally is rife with sexual innuendo and pun. For example Ay, the heads of maids, or their maidenheads, take it in what sense thou wilt This line seemingly innocent to the reader of our time has a very rude meaning in Shakespearian language where maidenhead means virginity, in this sense the two are talking of having sex with virgins, more than a little less noble than the good Paris. They speak also of pushing women to the wall because of their weaker build; this all shows little true emotion and a very physically sexual type of love if indeed it can be referred to as that at all. Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet was a revolutionary piece when it was written because it showed just how love can move people in an age where marriage for social or financial gain was the norm. Over nearly five hundred years Shakespeares language and story line has captivated the hearts and minds of generations of lovers with its unique mixture of reality and fantasy. Romeo and Juliet is one piece of Shakespeares work that will remain a true timeless classic.

Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Interventions

Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Interventions Restorative justice is a holistic philosophy and a concept as it encompasses the offender, the victim and the society in which the offence was committed. It aims to bring a conclusive end to the offence committed by making some type of reparations for the malice inflicted, the hurt caused and the deepening of the urge to re-offend. Restorative justice, although a part of the criminal justice process, is not a part of the criminal justice system as one of its goals it to alleviate the damage caused by the criminal justice system on the offender and the victim. There are many explanations of the concept of restorative justice (Zehr, 1990, 1997; Van Ness, 1996; Van Ness Strong, 1997; Sherman Strong, 2007; Amour et al, 2008). This shows that the concept remains hard to define (McCold, 1999; Brazemore Schiff, 2001; Latimer et al, 2005; Pranis, 2007). However, at a United Nations Convention, a working definition was adopted and titled the Marshall Definition (McCold, 1999; Newell, 2002) the following is his definition: Restorative justice is a process whereby parties with a stake in a specific offence collectively solve how to deal with the aftermath of the offence and its implications for the future (Marshall, 1999). Mier (1998), attempts to define restorative justice without any reference to two of the circles namely the victim and society. In a later definition Menkel-Medow (2007) acknowledges Marshalls definition but attempts to be more concise: restorative justice in its most idealised form attempts to repair, restore, reconcile and rei ntegrate offenders and victims to each other and to their shared community. However, the United Nations and the Council of Europe have agreed that there are differences in the terminologies and ideologies on restorative justice (Roche, 2001; Mier et al, 2001; Johnstone et al, 2006). With or without an accurate definition the concept of restorative justice has been in use since the early 1970s in Canada and after became widely used and identified with; Victim offender mediation (VOM), conferencing, circles, victim assistance, ex-offender assistance, restitution and community service. Whereas retributive/criminal justice focuses on punishment, the restorative paradigm emphasizes accountability, healing, and closure (Umbriet, 1998) and looks at the offence as on the person and not on the state. One of the major consequences of restorative justice is the healing or closure for the victim of the offence. For too long the victim was made to suffer the offence many times over in the criminal justice system and in some cases feel a level of disrespect, as the case was dragged through court, this caused the victims to run that gauntlet of emotions over again and sometimes being unable to cope with those feelings they skip hearings or even cause the case to be quashed letting the offender go free and feeling that he had the advantage (Graef, 2000; Herman Webster, 2005; Newell cited in Edgar, 2002.; Menkle-Medow, 2007; YJB, 2008) In the criminal justice system the victim is hardly ever given an opportunity to explain how the have been impacted by the offence and sometimes are not even given the chance to meet their offender in court, this can cause repression of emotions and further scaring, they are given very few real opportunities to become an active participant in the court pr ocess because the criminal justice system is all about the offender and not the victim (Herman Webster, 2005; Umbreit 1998; YJB, 2008). In restorative justice the emphasis ideally should be on all three sections relating to the offence; the victim, the offender and the society/community (Newell, 2002; Schiff, 2007; Marshall 1999) surrounding the offence, however a little more emphasis is placed in many cases on the victim, this type of mediation (Graef, 2000) makes the victims feel that they are an important factor (Graef, 2000; Crawford et al, 2003; Herman Webster, 2005; Angel, 2005; Kubanzky, 2007 cited in Sherman Strang, 2007). With restorative justice the victim feels a since of vindication understanding the reasons, if any, behind why they were targeted for the offence which sometimes lead to an understanding that this will not happen to them again, at least not by the hands of the same offender and that they were not the cause of the offence being inflicted upon them (Umbri et, 1998; Graef, 2000; Herman Webster, 2005; Green 2007). As a result of restoration the victim is able to put a face to the crime and not be assailed with the fear that the culprit is still out there; watching them; even living next door to them or possibly a friend, they are more satisfied with the result (McCold et al 1998; Strang 2002; Sherman Strang 2007; Tudor, 2002.). The victims feel comfortable and are able to reintegrate themselves into society as a productive member (Umbriet, 1998; Marshall 1999; Graef, 2000). In cases where the victim is allowed to decide the retribution of the offender they can feel a sense of justice as the sentence is exactly what they want in order to feel retribution for the crime committed this assists in repairing the harm caused (Herman Webster, 2005; Schiff, 2007). Restorative justice is seen in these cases to be much more rehabilitative than any correctional programme in the criminal justice system because it is the human side of the offence (Graef, 2000; Herman Webster, 2005; Tudor, 2002.) and it places emphasis on repairing relationships which are the tapestry of society (Schiff, 2007). Linda Radzik (2007) argues that restorative justice focuses heavily on the ability of the offender to take positive restorative action (Graef, 2000), she continues to point out that in all cases in order for this action to be fully restorative it must be sincere and voluntary (Umbreit 1994; Menkle-Medow, 2007). It must also be offered for the right reasons and must also be married with other sincere and voluntary efforts on the part of the offender, such as a change in behaviour (Radzik, 2007). Radzik (2007) also goes on to outline the necessary steps the offender needs to complete in order to be considered reformed under the restorative justice concept. One of the main consequences of restorative justice is that the offender is able to heal in a more positive and possibly holistic manner, thus limiting the impact of his suffering, to the criminal justice method of public shaming, this type of indirect shaming does not rehabilitate the offender but usually leads to further anger being internalised and then released as further offending (Graef, 2000). Within this system the offender is treated for the offence, this treatment may be for the psychological, psychiatric or other underlying problem which is underlying the offence committed and may not be limited to traditional medicated treatments but may take the form of counselling, examination of self and emotions and understanding the impact of their actions (Umbriet, 1998; Graef, 2000; Radzik, 2006; Schiff, 2007; Menkle-Medow, 2007). Sutton (2002) states that the restorative justice process provides a concrete manner in which offenders can confront their own behaviour and the damage i t causes. He goes on to say that the object is not to punish the offender of the prisoner but to show how they can become a part of the community even a prison community. Braithwaite (1989 cited in Graef, 2000) countered with the argument that shaming can be a useful tool in the restorative process and once used wisely forms a part of the offenders rehabilitation, this is called rehabilitative shaming. In order for restorative justice to work and healing to take place, the offender must take responsibility for their own actions and the effect on those impacted (Graef, 2000). Walgrave (2007 p.562) agrees that crime is a public event. The following excerpt sums up the result of the act of taking responsibility by the offender: In the restorative process, the victim has the opportunity to witness the offender taking responsibility for his or her actions and apologising for his or her behaviour. For the offender, this means taking responsibility for what happened, but doing so in a context in which he or she is reassured that he or she need to be defined by that action now ostracized forever by family, friends and community. Traditional processes tend to stigmatize both the act and the actor, in the restorative process the two are distinguished so that the offender having acknowledged responsibility and made reparations, can earn his or her way back to acceptance by the community (Brazemore, 1998 cited in Schiff, 2007 p.231). Another important result of the restorative justice process with respect to the offender is its effect on the offenders family. In many instances there are reports of the family of offenders having to hide from the public or even move to other countries, states and deny any relationship with the offender because the public is willing to take their revenge on the family if they cannot have the offender (Tudor, pp 16-19, 2002). This occurs too often to the detriment of the family and the offender. The offender usually look to their family for support, comfort and love no matter how heinous the crime, however if the family or support unit feels endangered by the actions of persons who are not in favour with the offender then they may not want to be in contact or may fall on foul deeds at the hands of another in society who in angry. The offenders also need a support system in order to reintegrate as a productive and valued member, usually loved ones are the bridge which they use to rega in trust and acceptance from society, if this is not there then there maybe a relapse (Graef, 2000, Sutton, 2002). In many cases restorative justice limits the suffering on the family of the offender. Sutton (2002) takes this a little further by proposing that prisons should be seen as extensions of the community and not a separate entity because it makes the offenders visible and he indicates that the prisons are community service vehicles or working communities (Graef, 2000; Sutton, 2002) and need to be seen as such, this he says is achieved through restorative justice. Through this restorative process the offender is able to re-evaluate their actions and use the network of support which is given to ensure that they never re-offend (Graef, 2000; Schiff, 2007). A recent briefing report on expenditure in the criminal courts by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (2010) indicated that expenditure in the criminal courts system rose by as much as thirty-one percent to  £1027.89 million within the past three years, while staffing fell by fourteen percent (1,088 staff members) and the number of cases brought to the Crown Court increased by seventeen percent. This is a significant expenditure on any government for a criminal justice system. It is neatly summed up by Schiff (2007) when she stated that the criminal justice system assumes that the government is responsible to address all stakeholder concerns. Pranis (2002) made mention of the skyrocketing cost of punishment, and noted that restorative justice required much less monetary investment as it is about healing and reparations. While Menkle-Medow (2007) stated that restorative justice is less costly and more efficient in monetary and deterrent effects. Due to the fact that restorative justice responds to crime and offences without utilising salaried members of the system (police, legal aid, lawyers, magistrates, clerical personnel, prison personnel, in-house counsellors and hospitals) and solutions within the system (correctional facilities, jails and hospitals) the cost of the offender and victim is much less (Marshall, 1999; Sherman Strang, 2007; Menkle-Medow, 2007). Even delays within the criminal justice system cause increases in cost. In a paper by the Barrow Cadbury Trust there are calculations showing the various costs and savings of diversions of cases from the criminal justice system to the restorative justice and juvenile system. It shows tremendous saving from these diversions in a period of one to five years. Diversions to restorative justice conferencing will realise a savings of  £7,050 per offender; diversions from custody to community orders via changes in sentencing guidelines will realise a savings of  £1,032 per offender and diversions fr om trial under adult law to trial under juvenile law following maturity assessment is likely to produce a lifetime cost saving to society of almost  £420 per offender (Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2009). This will produce significant savings over the life of some cases where preparatory time is high and the chances of winning the case is low This is summarised by Sherman and Strang (2007) in the following quote ..one is to reduce the use of courts for processes that fail to bring offenders to justice. A second is to reduce the use of prisons for offenders whose incarceration does not prevent total crimeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The unintended consequences coming out from the positive side of restorative justice as listed by the National Institute of Justice (2007) involves such things as the co-option of restorative process for coercive or punitive ends; undue offender orientation and the expansion of social control. However according to the National Institute of Justice (2007) these are to be resisted. From the above references and studies conducted restorative justice has shown itself to be not only cost effective but also very effective in reintegrating and re-establishing some sense of normalcy in the lives of some if not most of the victims which were involved in the process. More research needs to be conducted on the variables of restorative justice which in more countries to be able to come to firm and conclusive statements regarding the concept. This research will also bring conclusion to thoughts from Miers et al (2001) who says that restorative justice is time consuming and labour intensive beset by communication problems and delays. Even if restorative justice does not become a mainstream section of the system, it can quite possibly be integrated into the present criminal justice system to deal with offenders or criminals (Walgrave, 2007 p. 569). In this manner he is countered by Sherman Strang (2007) with the following summary views on the effectiveness of restorative j ustice: Crime victims who receive restorative justice do better, than victims who do not, across a wide range of outcomes, including post-traumatic stress. In many tests, offenders who receive restorative justice commit fewer repeat crimes than offenders who do not. In no large-sample test has restorative justice increased repeat offending compared with criminal justice Diversion from prosecution to RJ substantially increases the odds of an offender being brought to justice. Restorative justice can do as well as, or better than, short prison sentences, as measured by repeat offending. Restorative justice reduces stated victim desire for violent revenge against offenders. With these above successes the must be some place in the system for restorative justice.

The Effects of Japanese Civil Society on Policy-Making :: Government Political Science Japan Papers

The Effects of Japanese Civil Society on Policy-Making I. Introduction My interest in this project began after studying Japan for four years as an undergraduate and realizing I knew relatively little of the country’s political atmosphere. I assumed after reading Western political scholars’ views on the subject, that it was a relatively homogonous nation and only after the Occupational Authority entered Japan had the country emerged with democratic ideals and a true notion of liberal rights. It is true that citizens’ movements are a comparatively recent modern phenomenon in a country filled with millennia of rich cultural and political history. Still today, however numbers of Westerners, including some scholars, see Japan through Orientalism’s foreign and exotic eyes and continue the assumption that hierarchy rules politics and the working class disengages themselves from day-to-day politics. This paper not only attempts to present a broad understanding of Japan’s political history, but also show how civil society has transformed from early Meiji society to post World War II restructuring. While outsiders believe democracy and liberal rights are an inherently novel part of Japanese culture, this paper illustrates the historical basis for a rich electorate, thriving with individual and interpersonal interest in freedom, rights, and the political environment around them. The cleavages that divide civil society and the government policy-making in Japan have been written about at length. The groups examined in this paper, including the Meiji Popular Rights Movement and the post World War II environmental movement, formed organizations to address the conflict that constantly attacked their personal values. In each case, the government refused to proactively respond, from the lack of representation during the late 19th century to the pollution that destroyed lands and lives in the 1960s and 1970s. Both of these groups asked for policy changes from local governments in order to promote their efforts through political participation, and some of these measures progressed to national levels. From the beginning of the Meiji Restoration to today, Japan exhibits dramatic progressive political awareness and engagement, therefore I deny any allegation that Japan was undemocratic until General MacArthur’s restructuring in 1945. Throughout the scholarly debate and the execution of factual evidence, three problems arise in the comparative analysis of the two examples. The first consists of the argument that Japan’s civil society, specific to the two time periods analyzed in this paper, was formulated directly within and of the state.

Compare of the Poets Present Emotions in the Poems In Paris With You and Ghazal

In these poems, the poets use a range of techniques to present feelings and emotion from the point of the speaker. Ghazal is in the style of a traditional Persian love poem, which puts forward powerful imagery and metaphors, in an attempt to summarise the emotion of love, while In Paris With You is a playful attempt to woo a previous lover in a more informal, colloquial way. Ghazal, as mentioned before, is written like a love poem. However, one may consider it an example of role reversal- unusually; it is written from the point of view of a woman, not a man.Although it is not a sonnet, the form of poem is a Ghazal- this is a type of song, of mystical love poetry: we can thus compare it to a sonnet in the way that love is explored as a theme. It is structured in rhyming couplets- these can be described like poems themselves, as they capture the speaker’s strong feeling of attachment. These also contain refrain words, which help to drive in the points being made, such as â€Å" me†, which forms part of the weak rhyme scheme.The love in the poem can be seen in the first stanza- â€Å"If I am the grass and you the breeze, blow through me/ If I am the rose and you the bird, then woo me†. These examples of natural imagery mean we can see how the idea of the speaker and the person they address being together is beneficial- in fact, drawing from the imagery, we could go further and say that the idea is a natural (good) thing. Another emotion present is longing. This is the feeling of desperation to be with the other person talked to.Focusing on the language used, Ghazal makes extensive use of metaphors to explore the relationship between the speaker and the person they feel love for. Many of the metaphors are in the form of pairs of items or objects that complement each other, reflecting the way in which the speaker sees the relationship. For example, â€Å"what shape should I take to marry your own, have you- hawk to my shadow, moth to my flame â €“ pursue me? † showcases the idea that the speaker is willing to transform to suit the other, in â€Å"†¦what shape†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This could also be a cue to the reader that the writer is perhaps lacking in some confidence..Another example is â€Å"If you are the rhyme and I the refrain don’t hang/ on my lips, come and I’ll come too when you cue me†: using enjambment to keep the poem flowing like a song. Also, the two sides of a relationship are likened to being like the â€Å"rhyme† and â€Å"refrain†, which suggests a sense of the two people being one unit together. This refrain could be the word â€Å"me†: because it appears so frequently in comparison, it could be a representation of the lover showing inferiority to the one she loves, and desperation. In Paris with You is a poem with a theme of longing also.The speaker is this time a man recounting a relationship he had moved on from. Perhaps this could have been partly due to a certain partiality to drinking alcohol, which we are told about in â€Å"And I get tearful/when I’ve had a drink or two†. â€Å"I'm on the rebound† shows that it must have been rather long-term, if he is describing a recovery from it. Unlike Ghazal, which is less clear about the outcome, In Paris with You suggests that the relationship is a reality. The poem, unlike Ghazal, is made up of two stanzas of about 5 lines, which deal with the run-up to the situation, and then a longer one in the middle,.It could be argued that this represents a pause for thought, as then the mood, or tone, of the poem changes, as in the next two stanzas, the speaker focuses on enjoying the present, such as â€Å"that crack across the ceiling/ and the hotel walls are peeling/ and I’m in Paris with you†, which shows that the speaker does not care for the surroundings when he is with the woman he loves. Indeed, this could be described as the summary of the poem, o r meaning- us being together is far more important than being in traditional romantic and beautiful locations, such as the Notre Dame (more beautiful than romantic), which he promptly tells to â€Å"sod off†.In terms of language, the opening is not like Ghazal’s in the respect that it starts with the negative â€Å"but†, to discourage the person he is talking to from â€Å"talk(ing) to me of love†. This is an opportunity to recognise the colloquial nature of the poem, such as the use of the phrases â€Å"an earful†, and â€Å"sod off to sodding Notre-Dame†. This contrasts heavily with the more formal, overwritten tone present in Ghazal. We can also see this as the speaker makes words to carry on his rhyme scheme, such as â€Å"wounded/ marooned†, which brings a playful nature.Similarly, the final stanza draws heavily on the phrase â€Å"in Paris with you†, to show the importance of being with the person he wants to be with, and then â€Å"am I embarrassing you? † is used to add to the teasing nature of the tone. Looking to the tone, which we have just looked at, I believe that another emotion brought forward is playfulness, in the way that more orthodox methods of seducing people are turned down in favour of just being with each other, albeit in a way that uses references to â€Å"embarrassing† ideas about romance, and love poems.In conclusion, the two poems Ghazal and In Paris with You deal with the same topics of love and longing, using techniques such as imagery, contrast, and metaphor achieve these pictures, but the latter feels more like a pastiche to the first in the way that its colloquial and abrupt humorous tone is a juxtaposition to the comparatively formal of the first.

Wallace Stevens, Death of a Soldier Essays

Wallace Stevens, Death of a Soldier Essays Wallace Stevens, Death of a Soldier Paper Wallace Stevens, Death of a Soldier Paper Alita Wright, ENG 311 Module 4, February 6, 2011 Depicting war into words is a strange and melodramatic practice, which can mean something different to each person. When my grandfather thinks of war, he thinks of friends and family that have lost their lives and the pride he feels that he defended his country and came home. My father, his own son, believes that war is a useless practice that wastes money and lives and holds no real purpose. My own beliefs are such that I can see the value in defending democratic beliefs, knowing that there is a price that must be paid to defend them. I am not so naive to believe that there is not a price for our freedoms and that many people all over the world would like to have the same freedoms and others would like to take them all away. Each author writes their story in their own words to share their views and leave them open to our interpretations. In Wallace Stevens’ poem, â€Å"The Death of a Soldier† he depicts that death is swift, unemotional and comparative to the season of autumn. Just as autumn dies swiftly and poignantly, a soldier’s death is just as cold and ill fated. â€Å"As in a season of autumn. The soldier falls. He does not become a three-days personage,  imposing his separation, calling for pomp. † This statement reflects that no time or expectation of memorial is taken or required. Comparatively William Faulkner’s â€Å"Two Soldiers† depicts this same kind of defense and pride. The story is about two brothers, one older, one younger who hears of the bombing of Pearl Harbor at the same time, but has different thoughts and views. The older brother leaves to enlist in the military and join the war. The two brothers are inseparable in their life and the youngest brother believes that this will continue. In his eyes he can bring water and firewood for the soldiers, being too young is not even a thought for him. He wants to do his part as well, as long as he is with his brother. The brother feels that he has to defend his country. The two brothers have the same type of pride and spirit that a soldier should. No expectation or belief of coming home is thought of in either the story or the poem. A soldier does what he has to in order to defend his beliefs and is proud of the accomplishments made for their country and for the freedoms being ttacked. Whether or not someone believes war should happen, it does occur and lives are lost. The best memorial we can give is to be proud of the sacrifice and remember that the price is high and we should never take it for granted. : Stevens, Wallace. The Death of a Soldier. Select Writers of the Twentieth Century. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2005. Faulkner, William. Two Soldiers. Select Writers of the Twentieth Century. Boston, MA: Pear son Custom Publishing, 2005.

Free Essays on Wliiiam Mckinley

William McKinley was born on January 29,1843 in Niles, Ohio. He died on September 14, 1901 in Buffalo, New York. He was a lawyer, a congressman, and a governor for the state of Ohio. His term was from 1896 to 1901. The Spanish-American war was the most significant event during McKinley’s presidency. He hated the brutality involved in Spain’s efforts to suppress the insurrection in Cuba. McKinley wanted to give Spain every opportunity to leave the island without American interference. He pressed Spain to reform Cuba, then to grant autonomy, and then to give it freedom. Spain denied to do America’s bidding. Finally convinced that Spain would not free Cuba, McKinley asked congress in April for authority to intervene. Congress approved a declaration of war on April 25. The Spanish-American war was brief, but successful. After the war the U.S. received the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico from Spain. Cuba became free. The rest of William McKinley’s presidency was mainly focused on taxes and tariffs. He called a special session of congress to revise the tariff upward. In 1896 customs duties earned $160 million in revenue for the U.S., the largest component of government income. Various internal revenue duties brought in approximately $145 million. Alcohol taxes earned $114.5 million, tobacco taxes brought $30.7 million, and stamps brought $260,000. McKinley increased tariff income both as a means of encouraging the expansion of domestic industry and employment of American workers. Through most of 1897, the McKinley administration pursued an international agreement to include silver, along with gold, as an acceptable backing for the major European currency. McKinley said that he would use silver only if England, France, Russia, and Italy would go along. It failed in late 1897. In 1900, he signed the Gold Standard Act, which formally placed U.S. money on gold standard. All currency was fully backe... Free Essays on Wliiiam Mckinley Free Essays on Wliiiam Mckinley William McKinley was born on January 29,1843 in Niles, Ohio. He died on September 14, 1901 in Buffalo, New York. He was a lawyer, a congressman, and a governor for the state of Ohio. His term was from 1896 to 1901. The Spanish-American war was the most significant event during McKinley’s presidency. He hated the brutality involved in Spain’s efforts to suppress the insurrection in Cuba. McKinley wanted to give Spain every opportunity to leave the island without American interference. He pressed Spain to reform Cuba, then to grant autonomy, and then to give it freedom. Spain denied to do America’s bidding. Finally convinced that Spain would not free Cuba, McKinley asked congress in April for authority to intervene. Congress approved a declaration of war on April 25. The Spanish-American war was brief, but successful. After the war the U.S. received the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico from Spain. Cuba became free. The rest of William McKinley’s presidency was mainly focused on taxes and tariffs. He called a special session of congress to revise the tariff upward. In 1896 customs duties earned $160 million in revenue for the U.S., the largest component of government income. Various internal revenue duties brought in approximately $145 million. Alcohol taxes earned $114.5 million, tobacco taxes brought $30.7 million, and stamps brought $260,000. McKinley increased tariff income both as a means of encouraging the expansion of domestic industry and employment of American workers. Through most of 1897, the McKinley administration pursued an international agreement to include silver, along with gold, as an acceptable backing for the major European currency. McKinley said that he would use silver only if England, France, Russia, and Italy would go along. It failed in late 1897. In 1900, he signed the Gold Standard Act, which formally placed U.S. money on gold standard. All currency was fully backe...

What you need to know about background checks for your next job

What you need to know about background checks for your next job Let’s get right to the facts about this one. You should expect an employment background check on the path to your next job. Conservative estimates show nearly three quarters of all employers perform some sort of background check on every new hire. While mandated by law in some cases, clearing a background check is a necessary condition for the great majority of new hires. The number one concern for employers is workplace safety.For precisely that reason, employment background checks include multiple dimensions and draw from several sources of information. Employers use background checks to determine the risk a candidate represents regarding occupational safety, criminal behavior (e.g., theft, violence, bribery), and creating hostile working conditions.The specifics of what an employment background check includes differ according to the role, organization, or industry. Almost one half of candidates say they are unsure of what employers are investigating during an employment bac kground check. Between 30 and 50 percent include reviewing a candidate’s credit history.Though estimates vary, at least nine percent (.pdf) of all employment background checks reveal derogatory information about a candidate. Our research shows that one-third of all jobseekers are concerned that information in their background will interfere with getting hired.Yet for many good candidates, an instance of background blight on its own is not enough to disqualify. But it does involve an additional set of conversations between the candidate and employer to determine whether past mistakes are relevant to the current job and future performance.Some basics of employment background checksEmployment background checks are often conducted by third-party vendors. Therefore, jobseekers should become aware of their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which governs such transactions.As mentioned earlier, background checks investigate several areas of a candidate’s histo ry. Because workplace safety is paramount, nearly every candidate is investigated for criminal history. For most candidates, a background check will also include confirming identity, employment history, education, and professional credentials.For some roles, ongoing illegal drug use is a focus, and may require a pre-employment drug test. Other roles will look at DMV records and driving history. Less common are medical history and Workers’ Compensation claims.Some candidates can expect more rigorous background checks. Positions of high trust will necessitate additional scrutiny, especially handling valuable assets or offsite work on another’s property. The same applies to positions that involve driving, operating tools or machinery, or handling hazardous materials.Senior managers, especially those with fiduciary responsibilities, can expect scrutiny of their financial history, as can anyone in a position to bribe or be bribed. And candidates being hired for roles that e xpose them to confidential or secure information, including trade secrets and intellectual property assets, will also be investigated thoroughly.The three things to sweatWhat you say about yourself not matching what the employer finds in your background check reportOne rule of thumb for clearing a background check is whether â€Å"candidates are who they say they are.† Employers can make a case for hiring a candidate who has been upfront about a prior lapse of judgment. But employers cannot do so with candidates found having a current lapse of judgment in representing themselves truthfully. The most common areas that candidates falsify are education, professional credentials, and employment history. When discovered, it is an immediate deal breaker, even if you’re the CEO.If in doubt, contact the applicable keeper of records. It is very easy for employers to do, and likewise for job candidates wanting to verify their past accomplishments.False, inaccurate, or misleading information appearing in your background checkAs much as you’ve been truthful about yourself, you can’t necessarily expect the system to vouch for you. Background checks can and do contain wrong information, which can cost jobseekers dearly.Data brokering is a sketchy and unregulated business, operating in a legal grey area and increasingly outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Even post-GDPR, custodians of your background data have neither the resources nor the incentives to maintain its integrity. That includes reporting bureaus with whom employers contract for background checks, and especially the sources from which they scrape your background data.It is a good idea for all jobseekers to do as much detective work on themselves as possible. Start by ordering a free credit report. Always request a copy of an employer background check report if your state allows it. Do what you can to obtain DMV and court records, along with any prior background check reports. Consider using a paid service if any doubts linger.Derogatory background information bringing about the end of the conversationIf your background contains a criminal conviction, it does not necessarily mean an automatic disqualification.Most employers treat discovery of derogatory background information on a case-by-case basis. As a rule, it is handled very conscientiously and discreetly, and only among need-to-know persons, typically the recruiter or an HR representative and the legal department. Together they review the facts and determine how best to proceed to ensure fairness and regulatory compliance, yet maintain workplace safety.When should a candidate with derogatory background information discuss it with an employer?  Experts advise one of two courses. If it relates to something fundamental about performing the job (e.g., a candidate for a driving job having a DUI conviction), then it needs to be discussed early in the process. That allows both the candidate and the recruiter to determi ne whether there is a workaround. If on the other hand, it is not directly relevant to performing the job, then it should be brought up later, at the point when it is clear to the candidate that a job offer is probable.In either case, the candidate needs to demonstrate that as an exit of the criminal justice system, the past has been resolved, present obligations are being satisfied, and the future represents no greater risk to the employer than any other candidate. It also provides the candidate with a unique opportunity to apply the tried and true CAR technique to demonstrate his or her value, in an extraordinarily vivid and impressive way.The bottom lineBackground checks are often complicated. Employers must follow numerous regulations and procedures, which are subject to frequent change. Therefore, employers are typically advised against having a blanket background check policy.For jobseekers, it is worthwhile to find out what employers see. Anything you can do to make things ea sier for the employer is mutually beneficial. Show that you are low risk, and use your experiences to demonstrate your value just like any other top candidate. And always be truthful, no matter what’s in your background.LiveCareer  offers assistance to job seekers at every step of the journey. Access free  resume templates  and  resume examples, plus a  cover letter builder  and advice on how to answer  interview questions  of all stripes.

GLOBALIZATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GLOBALIZATION - Essay Example In the opinion of (Steger 22), in later part of the 20th century, the world found economic growth as ulterior factor for progress and power so, nations standing aloof meant retrogress and backwardness to them. To have a rational analysis of economics in globalization phenomenon, I have structured this essay in two main sections. First section discusses correlation between global environment and local issues. Further, second section exhaustively deals with implications of poverty on global environment as well as on local level. In this section, argumentative approach is taken regarding what poverty literally means to global environment as well as to local one. Finally, this paper ends up with a detailed Globalized world has a logical association with local issues because, local issues profoundly influence global environment. In this highly globalized world local problems become international and international concerns have implications on local level so, there is strong relationship between global environment and local issues. These issues include many things such as: concerns relating to environmentalists, third world countries, and critics of capitalism, business organizations and trade unions of rich countries. Further, health issues, labor rights, cultural issues and issues of national integrity also have nexus with international environment. International arena is more concerned with dealing with these problems as they pose threat to unification of the world driven by communication, transportation and information technology. International scenario is concerned with issues of environmentalists because global world does not seem to have same environmental conditions across the globe. Further, global warming which has serious implications for some countries, but has a sunny side for others, has seriously affected globalization process. In this connection, world

Sappho of Lesbos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sappho of Lesbos - Essay Example Sappho’s poetry exhibits an intense relationship with the Greek Goddess of Love Aphrodite. Indeed, Sappho was involved in a thiasos, a cult organized to worship the goddess Aphrodite with poems and songs. In the poems Sappho’s relationship with goddess can be seen at times to reflect intense devotion, and at other times Sappho implores the goddess to grant her wishes or end her torment. In a poem titled ‘To Aphrodite of the Flowers at Knossos’ Sappho calls for the goddess to leave Krete and come and join her. In the final stanza she refers to the goddess deferentially as â€Å"Queen Aphrodite† and asks her to exultantly â€Å"pour heavenly nectar into gold cups.† This poem demonstrates Sappho’s thematic concern with Aphrodite as a celestial entity to be adored. In ‘Hymn to Aphrodite’ Sappho envisions the goddess as an entity towards which she pleas for help with a reluctant lover. In this poem Aphrodite responds, â€Å"â⠂¬â„¢Whom,’ thou criest, "dost wish that sweet Persuasion / Now win over and lead to thy love, my Sappho?† Like many other poems, this one shows the relationship between the goddess and poet to be intimate and developed. Throughout Sappho’s poetic oeuvre we witness her conflicted relationship with the effects of romantic love. While a large amount of Sappho’s poetry concerns love, she characterizes it as equally emitting anguish and salvation. In a fragment titled ‘The Blast of Love’ she writes, â€Å"Like a mountain whirlwind / punishing the oak trees / love shattered my heart.† Fragments like this which lament the throes of love, can be contrasted with other work where she revels and languishes in the powerful emotion. In a fragment called ‘To Eros’ she writes simply, â€Å"You burn me† While direct and simple, the sentiment characterizes Sappho’s conflicted nature with love. Even a quick perusal of

Theories of management (learning diary) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Theories of management (learning diary) - Essay Example Through this session, a deeper understanding of reasons why leadership and management are so closely related has been obtained by studying the trend of evolution of leadership concept with respect to management. Most of these theories have been based on different attributes of leaders, which made scholars define leadership and theorists theorize the concept of leadership. When these attributes no longer seemed to exist and/or situations had changed, the contingency theory of leadership emerged based on incidents and changing nature of management and demands. A concise view of leadership from emerging contemporary perspectives of management further throws light on how leaders are made and what makes leaders emerge. different viewpoints and ideologies. In general, it can be explained in relative terms based on the qualities and skills possessed, and situations. The underlying essence of leadership is to guide others and set new directions to achieve a goal or accomplish a task. The present leadership philosophy is an outcome of great leaders’ achievements of past. The leaders of past were not involved in management, but were able to direct, guide and mobilize people systematically for achievement of a common cause. Most of such known leaders from history are remembered even today, for example, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi to name a few, were leaders who changed the world through their principles based on humanity and spirituality. On the contrary, Adolf Hitler is also counted among the leaders of the world known for his able administration and creation of strong military regime that was able to devastate the entire world. These perspectives could be the precursors of development of different leadership concepts. the first to define leadership based on management functions including planning, organising, leading and controlling.

CJ403 wk2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CJ403 wk2 - Research Paper Example This is one common characteristic of white collar offenders. They are always affluent people who believe that they will get their way through illegal and fraudulent measures. These people always engage in crime in a bid to maintain their position and outlook in the society (Keel, 2008). This is one scenario that is common in most people who commit white collar crimes, they are in good high paying jobs and most of the time they are least likely to be suspected on any involvement in crimes. Another factor that is common with white collar crime offenders is the fact that on average they are in their forties (Shover and Hochstetler, 2006). This is an age that is slightly older than that of other offenders that carry out the other types of crimes. This may be attributed to the fact that people in this age group are in a rush to make money and may not be patient to follow the proper channels of doing that, thus they resolve to work related crime since they perceive that the possibility of being discovered is low. These offenders are also very highly educated and intelligent (Benson & Simpson, 2009). They are the ones that hold high positions in their places of work. This ability gives them the opportunity to understand various work structures hence using the information to carry out some fraudulent activities within the organization. In addition to this, most white collar offenders do not view themselves as criminals because crime is not their predominant activity. Therefore, they always tend to distance themselves from other groups in the same category such as organized crime offenders (Shover & Hochstetler, 2006). This is despite the fact that most white collar crime is actually planned and involve a number of people who know that what they are doing is illegal and try to cover up for it by other legal activities. Dishonesty and lack

King Arthur Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

King Arthur - Essay Example Geoffrey also translated an ancient book titled â€Å"History of the Kings of Britian†, which was most likely highly elaborated upon in his hands. This was the first work to cover the life of King Arthur in much detail. It was taken as truth until around the 17th century. Modern historians trace much of the content of Geoffreys â€Å"History† to Celtic mythology and other Breton writings, as well as some historical works tying the content back to actual events of the time period. â€Å"Life of Merlin†, another of Geoffreys writings, was both written and placed into the timeline after â€Å"History of the Kings of Britian†. However, since Merlin appeared in the original â€Å"History† as well, his role was made more mythical by extending his lifespan to an impossible degree. Geoffrey did this in order to make the events in â€Å"Life of Merlin† and â€Å"History† agree with each other, even though it is most likely that the Merlin from â€Å"History† and the Merlin in â€Å"Life of Merlin† were two different people. As a reward for his work, Geoffrey was first named Bishop of St. Asaphs and then Archbishop Theobald. However, he was unable to fill this role well due to the Welsh revolution that was taking place. In addition, he died shortly after being named Archbishop, and was never really able to enjoy being elected to the position. I selected this reading because it is more interesting for me to learn about real historical figures and the background of the stories than it is to study the life of characters that never existed. Geoffrey of Monmouth is the man responsible for the popularity of the Arthur stories we know and love today; this alone makes him worthy of further study. This reading attempts to be as historically accurate as is possible. There are probably errors, given the scarcity of records that remain about Geoffrey of

Supernaturalist View Found in Civilizations Essay

Supernaturalist View Found in Civilizations - Essay Example Believers of supernaturalism argue that any event that goes beyond scientific understanding does actually exist just as the same way as natural occurrences do. This view can be supported by the fact that natural phenomena such as rainbows, lightning and floods were interpreted in ancient times as having some kind of unearthly causes behind them. Another school of thought believes that each so-called supernatural phenomenon is explicable through the knowledge of science. Now the root of controversy surrounding these two conflicting beliefs lies in the fact that there is no universally accepted definition of 'natural'. We may say that any event that takes place in accordance with natural and scientific laws is natural. In other words, any natural event can be seen or perceived, and can be affirmed by a set of proved principles. Having said that, we cannot really set a parameter by which we can verify, for instance, the existence of God. Hence, the controversy remains when it comes to d raw a borderline between the supernatural and the natural. The Code of Hamurabi, laid down in the eighteenth century B. C., is a source of much historical as well as divine interpretation especially the way it is addressed to the Babylonian Gods. Elements of supernaturalism can also be traced in the Judeo-Christian tradition where the Ten Commandments enlist moral and religious duties to be followed to show obedience to the Almighty. This revered set of imperatives has been in use in many civilizations including the Roman and in the Middle-East. Egypt, the country of myths and mysteries, has innumerable supernatural elements to be explored. The Pyramid of Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid, is a source of wonder for historians, scientists and archeologists alike. Many folklores and legends are associated with this gigantic and awe-inspiring construction. The preternaturalism is vividly depicted in the treatise of Herodotus: "[he] brought the country into all sorts of misery. He closed all the temple, then, not content with excluding his subjects from the practice of their religion, compelled them without exception to labor as slaves for his own advantage". (Tour Egypt, 1996) Evidences of supernaturalism are widespread in prehistoric cave paintings that have been found in many parts of Europe. Based on the timeline, these paintings are classified to three main epochs - Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Mesolithic. The literary significance of such art forms is of immense worth, considering how they have been preserving the essence of proto-European culture. The marvels of prehistoric sculpture are to be explored in the North European megaliths. Carved with symbolisms that substantiate physical and ideological beliefs surrounding the areas dwelt by the first Northern farmers, researches on the construction of megaliths have thrown light on the contemporary cultural and ritualistic landscape of the northern parts of Europe. The 'Emergence Myth' and the 'Creation Myth' carried by the Anasazi Symbolism are two of the most prominent religious structures from the New Mexico region. The 'Emergence Myth' tells about the sacred Spirits or the Kachinas, whereas the 'Creation Myth' is about the origin of the earth. (Granite School District Teacher Quality Center, 2004) The power of magic, divination and demonology was literally

CJ403 wk2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CJ403 wk2 - Research Paper Example This is one common characteristic of white collar offenders. They are always affluent people who believe that they will get their way through illegal and fraudulent measures. These people always engage in crime in a bid to maintain their position and outlook in the society (Keel, 2008). This is one scenario that is common in most people who commit white collar crimes, they are in good high paying jobs and most of the time they are least likely to be suspected on any involvement in crimes. Another factor that is common with white collar crime offenders is the fact that on average they are in their forties (Shover and Hochstetler, 2006). This is an age that is slightly older than that of other offenders that carry out the other types of crimes. This may be attributed to the fact that people in this age group are in a rush to make money and may not be patient to follow the proper channels of doing that, thus they resolve to work related crime since they perceive that the possibility of being discovered is low. These offenders are also very highly educated and intelligent (Benson & Simpson, 2009). They are the ones that hold high positions in their places of work. This ability gives them the opportunity to understand various work structures hence using the information to carry out some fraudulent activities within the organization. In addition to this, most white collar offenders do not view themselves as criminals because crime is not their predominant activity. Therefore, they always tend to distance themselves from other groups in the same category such as organized crime offenders (Shover & Hochstetler, 2006). This is despite the fact that most white collar crime is actually planned and involve a number of people who know that what they are doing is illegal and try to cover up for it by other legal activities. Dishonesty and lack

Supernaturalist View Found in Civilizations Essay

Supernaturalist View Found in Civilizations - Essay Example Believers of supernaturalism argue that any event that goes beyond scientific understanding does actually exist just as the same way as natural occurrences do. This view can be supported by the fact that natural phenomena such as rainbows, lightning and floods were interpreted in ancient times as having some kind of unearthly causes behind them. Another school of thought believes that each so-called supernatural phenomenon is explicable through the knowledge of science. Now the root of controversy surrounding these two conflicting beliefs lies in the fact that there is no universally accepted definition of 'natural'. We may say that any event that takes place in accordance with natural and scientific laws is natural. In other words, any natural event can be seen or perceived, and can be affirmed by a set of proved principles. Having said that, we cannot really set a parameter by which we can verify, for instance, the existence of God. Hence, the controversy remains when it comes to d raw a borderline between the supernatural and the natural. The Code of Hamurabi, laid down in the eighteenth century B. C., is a source of much historical as well as divine interpretation especially the way it is addressed to the Babylonian Gods. Elements of supernaturalism can also be traced in the Judeo-Christian tradition where the Ten Commandments enlist moral and religious duties to be followed to show obedience to the Almighty. This revered set of imperatives has been in use in many civilizations including the Roman and in the Middle-East. Egypt, the country of myths and mysteries, has innumerable supernatural elements to be explored. The Pyramid of Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid, is a source of wonder for historians, scientists and archeologists alike. Many folklores and legends are associated with this gigantic and awe-inspiring construction. The preternaturalism is vividly depicted in the treatise of Herodotus: "[he] brought the country into all sorts of misery. He closed all the temple, then, not content with excluding his subjects from the practice of their religion, compelled them without exception to labor as slaves for his own advantage". (Tour Egypt, 1996) Evidences of supernaturalism are widespread in prehistoric cave paintings that have been found in many parts of Europe. Based on the timeline, these paintings are classified to three main epochs - Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Mesolithic. The literary significance of such art forms is of immense worth, considering how they have been preserving the essence of proto-European culture. The marvels of prehistoric sculpture are to be explored in the North European megaliths. Carved with symbolisms that substantiate physical and ideological beliefs surrounding the areas dwelt by the first Northern farmers, researches on the construction of megaliths have thrown light on the contemporary cultural and ritualistic landscape of the northern parts of Europe. The 'Emergence Myth' and the 'Creation Myth' carried by the Anasazi Symbolism are two of the most prominent religious structures from the New Mexico region. The 'Emergence Myth' tells about the sacred Spirits or the Kachinas, whereas the 'Creation Myth' is about the origin of the earth. (Granite School District Teacher Quality Center, 2004) The power of magic, divination and demonology was literally

Reign Over Me Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Reign Over Me Evaluation Essay Depression affects all people. Reign Over Me is a movie that deals with a character in a grave state of depression. In Charlie Fineman’s (Adam Sandler) case depression hits hard and leads to a major behavioral change. Fineman blocks out major parts of his life including his college roommate, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle). After running into him on the street, it takes a while for this encounter to jog his memory of his best friend. We learn later that this depression is due the death of his three daughters and wife in a plane crash. The news devastates Fineman. He cannot function in society the same and loses purpose in life, as well as belief in himself. Instead of letting this distress out and working to recuperate, Fineman shuts everybody out and tries to hide from the truth. This can be a serious problem in today’s society. Many people are embarrassed or too hurt to try to move on and they let what happened dictate their individual future. In this film, directed by Mike Binder and produced by Jack Binder and Michael Rottenberg, the message of depression and its effects is relayed quite clearly. This movie relates to the real world very well; it also helps open up the eyes of many who do not understand what depression can do. Reign Over Me deals with a character who has the biggest part of his life taken from him in an instant. While others cannot tell how much Fineman is suffering by his actions, the loss of his family crushes him. Instead of mourning he falls into a deep state of denial where he almost forgets their existence. An important theme throughout is Fineman trying to fix the wrongs he did to his family, like snapping at his wife about kitchen remodeling or not taking his shoes off. Although they are just little things he makes sure nobody comes in his house with their shoes on and remodels the kitchen several times. These small acts show that he still remembers. There is a scene in the movie where Fineman opens up to Alan, his former roommate. Although he would not open up to the therapist, he tells Alan all about what happened. It was in brief but in this scene you get to see how much recalling his past hurts. Just saying his daughters’ names makes him cry. This scene demonstrates how hard it is for Fineman to talk about his life. Throughout the film, we learn little by little the events  that took place. Outsiders and even his in-laws think that he is disrespecting his deceased loved ones. They do not understand why he does not carry a picture of his family with him or even have one in his house. They take it to the point of wanting to have him committed until he finally talks to them and explains how hard it is to live each day and how hard it is to see them or anybody because he sees his family everywhere. There are many critics and naysayer to this movie as well as supporters. Most of the reviews I read really concentrated on the part played by Adam Sandler. Adam Sandler shoulders a very dramatic character in this movie and this side of him is underappreciated. He is notoriously known for his funny facial expressions and antics. This leads people to believe he can’t play a serious role but in Reign Over Me he hits a home run. The same reviews were not so critical about Don Cheadle. He played a part he is used to playing combing a normal act with the occasional funny quote or joke to keep the viewers on board. The actors play out a very realistic scenario. The ir parts are down to earth and don’t undermine or take away from the message of the movie. From my own personal judgment the movie Reign Over Me takes the viewer into a world many people don’t or won’t ever see. It combines excellent acting with a reasonable story-line that relays a meaningful message. They story is not far-fetched and is very comparable to the realities of many people today. As far as the acting is concerned, both actors play a side the viewer is not accustomed to seeing compared to other movies Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle are known for. Other movies like, Billy Madison (Adam Sandler) or Brooklyn’s Finest (Don Cheadle), these actors have very different parts. This movie shows the talent in each of the individual actors. Both actors play off each other during the movie which takes much skill and created a wholesome and tasteful production. Many scenes are not verbatim and the skill of the actors to improvise makes for an entertaining movie watching experience for the audience. I personally recommend this film to anybody from young adults to the elderly and all of the above. Reign Over Me doesn’t only tell a story but will also tug the heart of the audience in a serious and dramatic rollercoaster ride. The movie may have many critics but I think both actors did a wonderful job throughout the film keeping the audience entertained for the entire two hours and forty minute movie. The debate is on! Go watch the movie today  and take into consideration the many sides and create your own opinion. Works Cited Internet Source – O., Scott. Who Else but an Old Buddy Can Tell How Lost You Are?. New York Times 23 Mar 2007. 1. 2/9/11 . Movie – Reign Over Me. DVD. Sony Pictures UK, 2007.

Immune Responses of Cytokine Adjuvented DNA Vaccine

Immune Responses of Cytokine Adjuvented DNA Vaccine KOTLA SIVAREDDY Title for the Ph.D Thesis â€Å"Study on Immune responses of Cytokine Adjuvented DNA vaccine (genes coding for structural proteins) for FMD delivered by cationic PLG micro particles†. Objectives: To clone gene coding for structural protein of FMDV in eukaryotic expression vector (pC DNA) under CMV promoter. To clone bovine interleukin 18 gene in suitable cloning vector and express the same in Bacterial/yeast expression system for characterization of expressed recombinant protein. To construct a vaccine construct consisting of FMDV P1 (structural), 3C (Viral protease), and Bovine interleukin 18 genes in eukaryotic expression system under CMV promoter (pC DNA). To study the expression of the vaccine constructs in vitro in BHK-21cells. PLG micro particles’ preparation and characterization. To study the immune responses of the DNA vaccine in experimental animals (guinea pigs / cattle). Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) caused by foot-and mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an infectious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, and poses a serious threat for animal health and exacts an economic toll on the livestock industry. FMD viral genome is a positive-sense single stranded RNA of approximately 8.5kb. The viral RNA genome is translated as a single polypeptide precursor that is subsequently processed by virus-encoded proteases 2A and 3C to produce the structural and non-structural proteins required for virus assembly and replication. One of the initial polypeptide cleavages, mediated by the 2A protein, is a co-translational cleavage at its own C terminus to release it from the 2B protein. The viral 3C proteinase subsequently processes the structural protein precursor, P1-2A, into the capsid proteins, VP0, VP3, and VP1, and the non structural peptide, 2A. These proteins then self assemble to form empty icosahedral capsid particles that contain 60 copies of each protein. Immu nological studies have identified linear and conformational sites that are present on both empty capsids and virions, and antiserum raised against either form has the same serological specificity. Thus, the structural protein precursor, P1-2A, and the 3C protease of FMDV are desirable immune antigens for new vaccine development. In countries where disease eradication has not been achieved, vaccination plays a crucial role in its control. Although inactivated virus vaccines effectively prevent FMD, they have several limitations like short duration of immunity, incomplete viral inactivation and virus escape from vaccine producing facilities. As a result, alternative approaches are being investigated, including the construction of modified live virus, subunit vaccines, synthetic peptides, naked DNA plasmids. DNA vaccination which offers several promising features i.e., DNA is convenient to manufacture and store, its production is safe, sequences from circulating strains can be easily i ncorporated in the vaccines, and it also allows the discrimination of the infected from the vaccinated animals. Several reports have shown the efficiency of DNA vaccination to induce protective immunity in the mouse model. However, the primary difficulty with DNA vaccination is its poor immunogenicity in target species. Cytokines are being used as molecular adjuvants by co administering with DNA vaccines to improve the efficacy of the vaccine. Cytokines play an important role both in the development of a functional immune system as well as in the responses of the organism to infection. Interleukin18 (IL18) is a potent interferon ÃŽ ³ (IFNÃŽ ³) inducing factor (IGIF), enhances Th1 immune responses. Recent studies have shown that IL18 also promote Th-2 type responses and increases dendritic cell (DC) number in lymph nodes in mice. In addition, IL18 has been used as an adjuvant to DNA vaccines for classical swine fever virus, pseudo rabies virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory sy ndrome virus.IL18 was co expressed along with FMDV VP1 in Pichia as fusion protein has enhanced humoral responses and marginally the CMI response in mice. Recombinant fowl pox co-expressing FMDV P1 2A3C and IL18 enhanced the immune responses and gave higher protection in swine Many other studies have shown the positive effect of plasmid encoding the IL-18 as a molecular adjuvant on DNA vaccinations. Efficacy of DNA vaccine could be improved by the inclusion of adjuvants and good vaccine delivery systems. Importantly, cationic microparticle with adsorbed DNA induced enhanced immune responses in comparison to naked DNA and this enhancement was apparent in all species evaluated, including nonhuman primates. Cationic PLG microparticles appear to be effective predominantly as a consequence of the efficient delivery of the adsorbed DNA into DC. Following administration, the micro particles are also very effective at recruiting DC to the injection site, and the micro particles also protect adsorbed DNA against degradation in vivo. A second useful property of micro particles is that they can present multiple copies of antigens on their surface, which has been shown to be optimal for B cell activation. The main advantage of this type of association is the efficient immobilisation of plasmid DNA on the microparticle surface without compromising its integrity. Moreover, after administration, the release of cationic DNA complexes from the surface appeared to facilitate the transfection of cells .At this point, it is not completely understood, whether the adsorption on cationic micro particles can protect plasmid DNA from cleavage through endonucleases after administration in vivo. Nevertheless, release of cationic DNA complexes is expected to provide better protection as compared to release of free DNA. Beside their inherent safety and ease of administration, they improve the DNA capture by antigen presenting cells (APC) and stimulate APC maturation. DNA delivery via PLG has been successfully used to vaccinate against several infections in mice, guinea pigs and even in macaques models. 1. AMPLIFICATION and cloning of gene sequence coding for P12A 3C FMDV serotype ‘Asia1’ gene coding for the polyprotein, P1-2A (2.3 kb) was amplified from viral genome, of the serotype ‘Asia1’ polyprotein gene, using VP4L (Bac) and 2AR (E.coR1) primers. Cloned in to pC DNA at E.co R I, BamHI sites. Ligated and transformed in to DH alpha 5 cells. Transformants are screened by colony PCR by using insert specific primers. Orientation was checked by PCR. Insert release was confirmed by RE digestion by using E.co R I, Bam HI. 3C coding sequences were amplified from clone available in lab. 0.6 Kb was amplified .The purified amplicon was digested and ligated in to p C DNA and transferred in to competent DH5à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡ cells upon screening by PCR and by re digestion positive clones were conformed. 2. Cytokine amplification (IL18) and cloning in prokaryotic / yeast pC DNA expression vector and characterization of expressed protein. Interleukin 18 (IL18) modulates immune functions by inducing interferon–Î ³(IFN-ÃŽ ³) production and promoting Th1 immune responses. In the present study I amplified and cloned the sequence (582 bp) encoding full length bovine IL18 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with Phytohaemoglutinin (PHA). Nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequence of the cloned IL18 showed an identity of 86-98% with IL 18 sequences of the other ruminants compared. The insert was sub cloned in to eukaryotic expression vector (PcDNA) .The specificity of the expressed IL 18 was confirmed by western blotting. The insert was sub cloned in to pET 32a vector and expressed in E.Coli as fusion protein of 42kDa. The specificity of the expressed IL 18 was confirmed by western blotting. The biological activity of the purified protein was analysed for its ability to induce IFN-ÃŽ ³ production in PBMC as measured by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative polymerase cha in reaction (qPCR). IL18 anti FMD viral activity was conformed in vitro in BHK-21 cells by using plaque assay; viral replication was quantified by Real time PCR, ELISA and titration assays. 3. Study of the expression of the constructs in vitro in BHK-21 Cells Expression of cloned P12A3C and IL18 genes were studied in mammalian expression system for confirming the frame and intactness. The P12A3C, IL18 genes cloned under Eukaryotic promoter was transfected in BHK 21 cells with lipid based lipofectamine. Subsequently, the proteins were confirmed by Western blotting by using using anti FMDV serotype ‘Asia’, serum from experimentally infected cattle. IL18 transfected cell lysate showed 18 KDa by using human IL18 Mab. 4. PLG microparticles preparation and characterization The PLG/CTAB micro particles were prepared using a solvent evaporation technique essentially as described previously and briefly, the micro particles were prepared by emulsifying 10ml of a 6% (w/v) polymer solution in methylene chloride with 1ml of TE buffer at high speed using an soniprep. The primary emulsion was then added to 50ml of distilled water containing CTAB (0.5%, w/v). This resulted in the formation of a water/oil/water emulsion which was stirred at 6000rpm for 12h at room temperature, allowing the methylene chloride to evaporate. The resultingmicro particles were washed in distilled water by centrifugation at 10,000 Ãâ€" g and freeze dried. The plasmid construct was adsorbed onto the microparticles by incubating 100 mg of cationic microparticles with 100 mgs (1 mg/ml solution) of plasmid DNA at 40C for 6 h. The coated microparticles were then separated washed with TE and freeze-dried. Amount of plasmid adsorbed on PLG particles was quantified by eluting the DNA by 0.2 N NaOH (incubation for 10 h at 4 0C and measuring the Optical Density (OD) at 260 nm. Blank PLG micro particles controls were run simultaneously to deduct background value. The size distribution of the micro particles was determined using a particle size analyzer and electron microscopy. 5.A. Evaluation of the Immunological response of various DNA vaccine constructs in guinea pigs. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) can be controlled by regular vaccination and restricting the movement of animals infected in the endemic countries.. DNA vaccine construct was made with P1-2A3C coding sequences of serotype Asia1 in p C DNA. To evaluate the optimal dose of the construct in guinea pigs, the plasmid was coated on cationic Poly Lacto-co-Glycolide (PLG) micro particles was injected in to guinea pigs at 2,5,10,15,20,30 ug doses intramuscularly. Sera samples collected from the vaccinated animals at 21st dpv were evaluated for immune response by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Serum neutralization test (SNT) and MTT assay. Maximum ELISA / SNT titers and MTT stimulation indices were observed at 10  µg dose which also gave 83% protection when the guinea pigs were challenged with homologues virus. 10ug was found to be the optimal dose to guinea pigs. P12A3CpCDNA and bovine IL-18 pcDNA plasmids were constructed under CMV promoter and the coated with Cationic PLG microparticle, immune response of the co administered constructs was evaluated in guinea pigs. Both the plasmids constructed under CMV promoter and 10 µgs each of the plasmids were inoculated intra muscularly in guinea pigs with a booster dose at 21st day post vaccination (dpv). Both humoral and cellular immune response were analysed by IgG1, IgG2 enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Serum neutralization test (SNT) and MTT assay. Th1, Th2 cytokine profile was analysed by real time PCR and the phenotyping of T cell sub population in the peripheral blood was performed by flowcytometry. The results have sown significantly higher humoral and cell mediated immune responses in P12A3CIL18+PLG group than P12A3C IL18, and inactivated virus vaccine inoculated groups. Similarly, higher CD4, CD8 population and Th1, Th2 cytokine levels were seen in former group. P12A3CIL18+PLG vaccine protected all the six animals when challenged with homologous virus compared to five in inactivated virus vaccine group respectively. These results have shown that the plasmid encoding for P12A3C pcDNA when co inoculated with IL18 and PLG induce higher and protective immune responses, suggesting rBoIL-18 and Micro particles has a potential to enhance the efficacy of vaccine against FMD. 5. B Evaluation of the Immunological response of various DNA vaccine constructs in Cattle. Healthy male cattle calves of local breed ( Hallikar Breed) of 6 months to one year age group were purchased from local village shandy( cattle market). These animals were housed in healthy animal shed facilities available at IVRI Animal experimental station at Yelahanka , Bangalore. After initial quarantine the animals were bled and the sera were screened for FMDV antibodies for serotype Asia 1 by SNT. The FMD antibody free animals were divided in to 6 groups of six animals each namely Group I to Group IV. All the group were vaccinated with each construct with 200 ug injected by intramuscularly except conventional vaccine group injected with 2 ml of FMDV Inactivated vaccine. One group kepted for control group (vaccinated with PBS) .After 21 st days of first vaccination with same amount booster dose was injected P12A3CpCDNA and bovine IL-18 pcDNA plasmids were constructed under CMV promoter and the coated with Cationic PLG microparticle, immune response of the co administered constructs was evaluated in guinea pigs. Both the plasmids constructed under CMV promoter and 200 µgs each of the plasmids were inoculated intra muscularly in calves with a booster dose at 21st day post vaccination (dpv). Both humoral and cellular immune response were analysed by IgG1, IgG2 enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Serum neutralization test (SNT) and MTT assay. Th1, Th2 cytokine profile was analysed by real time PCR (ÃŽ ³IFN, IL4, IL2, ÃŽ ±IFN, IL12, IL25,TLR-4,TLR3,TLR-2,IL8,IL10) and the phenotyping of T cell sub population (CD4 and CD8) and intracellular cytokine molecules (ÃŽ ³IFN, IL4, IL2) in the peripheral blood was performed by flowcytometry. The results have sown significantly higher humoral and cell mediated immune responses in P12A3CIL18+PLG group than P12A3C IL18, and inactivated virus va ccine inoculated groups. Similarly, higher CD4, CD8 population and Th1, Th2 cytokine levels were seen in former group. P12A3CIL18+PLG vaccine protected four out of six animals when challenged with homologous virus compared to 3 in inactivated virus vaccine group respectively. Non structural proteins,ELISA conformed in challenged animals.These results have shown that the plasmid encoding for P12A3C pcDNA when co inoculated with IL18 and PLG induce higher and protective immune responses, suggesting rBoIL-18 and Micro particles has a potential to enhance the efficacy of vaccine against FMD Journal papers and conference/seminar papers from Doctoral research work 1. Expression of Bovine (Bos indicus) interleukin-18 inEscherichia coli and its biological activity.Kotla Siva Reddy, Dowlathabad. Muralidhar Rao, Hosur Joyappa Dechamma,Veluvarthy V.S. Suryanarayana and Golla Ramalinga Reddy.Published in Microbiology and Immunology 2010; 54: 564–567. 2. Enhancement of DNA vaccine (P12A3C-pcDNA) efficacy against Foot- andMouth Disease by co-administration of Interleukin-18 expressing (IL18pcDNA) plasmid in Guinea Pigs. Siva Reddy .K. Muralidhar Rao.D., Badrinaryana.M. Suryanaryana.VVS. and Reddy G.R. Accepted in FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. Dec -2010 1–9. 3. Dose optimization of Cationic PLG micro particle coated DNA vaccine against Foot and Mouth Disease in Guinea pigs. Siva Reddy, K.,Rashmi., B.R., Muralidhar Rao, D., Dechamma H.J., Banumathi .N., Suryanarayana V.V.S and Reddy .G.R. accepted in J.of Life science.(Article in press) 4. Cytokine profile studied by Real time PCR in FMDV antigen stimulated Bovine PBMC cells. Siva Reddy .K., Muralidhar Rao,D.,PrabhuDas,K., Suryanaryana.VVS., Reddy ,G.R. Accepted in Journal of Biotechnology , Bio engineering and Bio –Informatics. (Article in press). 5. Bos indicus Interleukin 18 complete coding sequence published in NCBI Gen bank .SivaReddy,K., Muralidhar Rao,D., Dechamma,H., Banumathi,N.,Suryanaryana,V. and Reddy,G. Acc.No. FJ985771 6. Enhancement of DNA vaccine (P12A3C-pcDNA) efficacy against Foot- andMouth Disease by co-administration of Interleukin-18 expressing (IL18pcDNA) plasmid in Guinea Pigs. Siva Reddy .K. Muralidhar Rao.D., Badrinaryana.M. Suryanaryana.VVS. and Reddy G.R. Presented in Society for applied biotech biotechnology (SAB) annual conference at Dharmapuri Dec 17,18 7.Bovine Interleukin -18 inhibits Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus Replication in BHK- 21 cells. K. Siva Reddy, D.Murali Dhar Rao, Kakoli Ahmed, H.J Dechamma N.Bhanumathi ,VVS Suryanarayana ,G.R Reddy presented at VIROCON 2010 XIX National Conference RECENT TRENDS IN VIRAL DISEASE PROBLEMS AND MANAGEMENT SVU Tirupathi, Mar 18-20 ,2010 . 8. Cationic Micro Particle (PLG) coated DNA vaccination Induces a long term immune response and Protective Immunity against Foot –and-Mouth disease virus. K. Siva Reddy, Rashmi Dechamma N.Bhanumathi ,VVS Suryanarayana ,G.R Reddy Presented at VIROCON 2010 XIX National Conference RECENT TRENDS IN VIRAL DISEASE PROBLEMS AND MANAGEMENT SVU Tirupathi, Mar 18-20 ,2010. 9. Dose response studies of ID- p VAC (SECRETORY VECTOR CONSTRUCT) coated on cationic PLG micro particles against FMDV in guinea pigs. Siva Reddy K., Reddy G.R. Presented at SBC Annual conference Impact of Basic and Translational Research on Medicine, Agriculture and Industry, IIT Madras 18-20 DEC -2008. Communicated Articles 1. Cationic Micro Particle (PLG) coated DNA vaccination induces a long term immune response and Protective Immunity against FMD in GuineaPigs. Siva Reddy ,K ., MuraliDhar Rao,D.,Rashmi, B.R., Dechamma H,J., Banumathi.,N., Suryanarayana V.V.S and Reddy G.R Communicated in to Vet Immunology and Immunopathology(Under review). 2. Bovine Interleukin 18 inhibits Foot and mouth disease virus replication in BHK-21 Cells. K. Siva Reddy, D.MuraliDhar Rao, K.PrabhuDas, VVS Suryanarayana,G.R Reddy communicated in to Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry. 3. Enhanced efficacy of a Foot and mouth disease DNA vaccine (P12A3CpcDNA) by adsorption onto cationic PLG microparticle in guinea pigs .K. Siva Reddy, D.MuraliDhar Rao, K.PrabhuDas, VVS Suryanarayana ,G.R Reddy communicated into International journal of Immunopharmacology.

Thomas More and the Utopian Dream Essays -- Thomas More Utopia Philoso

More and the Utopian Dream    To some, it can be paradise, to someone else a heaven on earth, and still to others it can mean the Garden of Eden, the New Jerusalem, or even Biosphere 2. What we have come to know as "Utopia," or, "Any idealized place, state, or situation of perfection; any visionary scheme or system for an ideally perfect society" (Neufeldt 1470), is just a name that was coined for us by Sir Thomas More for an eternal idea. There were centuries of utopian ideas before More came up with his idea for Utopia, but he has become the father of the word's meaning. Some of the previous ideal ideas were sources of information for More's book, just as More led the way for hundreds of other Utopias. Today Utopia is just another word in the dictionary, but it took years to develop it into what it is today. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. . . and it was very good" (Bib. Gen. Ch. 1, vs.1, 31). According to biblical doctrine, the earth was in a perfect state after God had created it. There was no sin, and the two inhabitants were pure in thought. The Garden of Eden is the first utopian state that we have on record. Ezekiel said that the Lord, Himself, called it "the Garden of God" (Ch. 28, vs. 13); God, being the supreme of all perfect, could only have a perfect garden. But even the most perfect things, it has been proved, can not be perfect forever; that is the way God planned it. There must be opposition in all things, so Satan was allowed to enter into the picture. First Eve, then Adam partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, a sin in the eyes of God. This was God's plan though, and it led the way for the rest of the world. A little further on in the Bible we find out about the ultima... ...lliam, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Utopia. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Neufeldt, Victoria, ed. Webster's New World Dictionary of American English. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1988. "Sir Thomas More." Luminarium. Online. Internet. http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/tmore/htm. 16 Nov. 1997. Space Biospheres Ventures. "The Biosphere 2 Project - A Laboratory For Global Ecology: The Experiment Proceeds With New Crew." Sep. 1993. Online. Internet. http://www.biospheres.org/newcrew.html. 22 Nov. 1997. Tarnas, Richard. The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World Views. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. Tod, Ian, and Michael Wheeler. Utopia. New York: Harmony Books, 1978. "Utopia." Catholic Encyclopedia. Online. Internet. http://www.knight.org/advent/cathen/15243A.htm. 25 Oct. 1997 Thomas More and the Utopian Dream Essays -- Thomas More Utopia Philoso More and the Utopian Dream    To some, it can be paradise, to someone else a heaven on earth, and still to others it can mean the Garden of Eden, the New Jerusalem, or even Biosphere 2. What we have come to know as "Utopia," or, "Any idealized place, state, or situation of perfection; any visionary scheme or system for an ideally perfect society" (Neufeldt 1470), is just a name that was coined for us by Sir Thomas More for an eternal idea. There were centuries of utopian ideas before More came up with his idea for Utopia, but he has become the father of the word's meaning. Some of the previous ideal ideas were sources of information for More's book, just as More led the way for hundreds of other Utopias. Today Utopia is just another word in the dictionary, but it took years to develop it into what it is today. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. . . and it was very good" (Bib. Gen. Ch. 1, vs.1, 31). According to biblical doctrine, the earth was in a perfect state after God had created it. There was no sin, and the two inhabitants were pure in thought. The Garden of Eden is the first utopian state that we have on record. Ezekiel said that the Lord, Himself, called it "the Garden of God" (Ch. 28, vs. 13); God, being the supreme of all perfect, could only have a perfect garden. But even the most perfect things, it has been proved, can not be perfect forever; that is the way God planned it. There must be opposition in all things, so Satan was allowed to enter into the picture. First Eve, then Adam partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, a sin in the eyes of God. This was God's plan though, and it led the way for the rest of the world. A little further on in the Bible we find out about the ultima... ...lliam, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Utopia. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Neufeldt, Victoria, ed. Webster's New World Dictionary of American English. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1988. "Sir Thomas More." Luminarium. Online. Internet. http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/tmore/htm. 16 Nov. 1997. Space Biospheres Ventures. "The Biosphere 2 Project - A Laboratory For Global Ecology: The Experiment Proceeds With New Crew." Sep. 1993. Online. Internet. http://www.biospheres.org/newcrew.html. 22 Nov. 1997. Tarnas, Richard. The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World Views. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. Tod, Ian, and Michael Wheeler. Utopia. New York: Harmony Books, 1978. "Utopia." Catholic Encyclopedia. Online. Internet. http://www.knight.org/advent/cathen/15243A.htm. 25 Oct. 1997

Cons Of Cloning :: essays research papers

Many people say that everyone in the world has a twin. Today, science and technology has the ability to make this myth reality through the process of cloning. I am strongly against cloning for many reasons. People should not utilize cloning because it would destroy individuality and uniqueness, cause overpopulation, animal cruelty, it is against morals and ethics, and it violates many religious beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to strongly argue against cloning, there must be an understanding of its process and what exactly it is. Simply stated, a clone is a duplicate just like a photocopy. A good example of such â€Å"copies† that occur are identical twins, which are duplicates of each other. â€Å"The first step of DNA cloning is to isolate a complete gene and is to chromosomal sequences and then to gradually begin flaking the chromosomal sequences of a single DAN molecule. Then the DNA clone can be electronically labeled and used as a probe to isolate the chromosomal sequences from a collection of different types of genes, which should contain cloned sequences that would represent the whole gene. This action will produce new sets of cloned cells identical to the mother cell. The new set of cells are isolated and likewise the simplified process is repeated all over again until the cells form a complete organ. In order to produce a complete organism the DNA must be alte red in a variety of way to come out with the finished product to be the complete organism.† In simple terms, a cell is taken from a donor woman. Then an unfertilized egg is taken from a second woman. The DNA from the cell is removed and transferred to the egg. The egg is then implanted into a surrogate mother. The resulting baby is genetically identical to the original donor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Human cloning destroys individuality and uniqueness. â€Å"What makes people unique is the fact that we have different genes and cloning would lose these important parts of our bodies makeup.† There would be less of a variety of people and everyone would be the same. This would not only be the good qualities, but also the bad that would pass on. Since clones and the original donor will look alike and have the same DNA, it would be nearly impossible to tell the difference. Overtime, they would lose their individuality and uniqueness. For example, say a crime was committed.