Saturday, November 30, 2019
Lance Armstrong Legendary Biker Essay Example
Lance Armstrong: Legendary Biker Essay He is considered to be the best cyclist of all time and arguably one of the greatest of athletes of the 20th century. His name is Lance Armstrong. And if one takes a pause and pronounces his name slowly he gets a foreboding of things to come – that this guy carries a lance like the mythical knights of old and that his arms are strong like a workhorse that will not quit. Indeed his name alone warns that there is more than meets the eye with Lance.In the last decade or so, he experienced great victories and triumphed over his competitors in the Tour de France as well as triumphed over a terrible sickness, the most dreaded Big C – and in his case it is testicular cancer. In beating the odds, surviving chemotherapy and collecting seven Tour de France victories made him bigger than life. It is therefore interesting to examine his life using the principles of mythology found in John Campbells book on the same subject matter.This paper will take a more in-depth analysis of the three major parts of a mythic heros quest or journey and compare it the life of Lance Armstrong. The question can be phrased this way, what were the factors and the life experiences that shaped Armstrong into an iconic figure? And aside from the circumstances surrounding his life are there any other forces that molded his character. The following pages will show that aside from the events that transpired in his life, Armstrong was guided by an inner sense of greatness, which according to mythology expert Joseph Campbell is the first part of a journey in bringing to life the hero from within.BackgroundThe CallLance was only 16 years old when he realized that he was called to be an athlete, specifically a world-class cyclist. It was around this time when he decided that it was time to play with the big boys (Young, 2005). In the first serious contest that he joined, the organizers of course find his suggestions ridiculous and would not permit him to join the competition. But Armstrong pleaded with them and convinced them that it is worth the try. In the end he was declared the winner. So began his career as a professional cyclist.Armstrong was so close to dying and now very much thankful that he survived the ordeal. The following will show that Armstrong did not only come from the fiery fires of testing only to become a great athlete. The experience in the Valley of the Shadow of Death made him a better person with regards to benevolence and compassion towards others. He did not only inspire future athletes but even those who may not have heard of the Tour de France. It is a testament to his greatness and heroism.The Power of MythUsing Campbell’s model of understanding mythology there is no doubt that Armstrong’s life story resembles that of a typical mythic hero from land of the far, far, away and once upon a time. This is important because it will explain why people are drawn to him like flies to honey and why there is a universal ap peal to his story.The Going Out or DepartureIn Joseph Campbell’s model the first part of the hero’s journey starts with the call of which he has to respond or decline. In the life of Armstrong the call did not come from a prophet, a herald, or even an authority figure in his life. It would help to remember that he grew up without a father. His call came from within; perhaps when he saw his first bike he felt that urge to race. And he was indeed born to ride. His departure or his going out came at this point when he began his journey to become a professional athlete.The ReturnIn the third part of the hero’s journey is the return. In this part the hero is expected to return triumphantly to vanquish his foes or to claim what was his. It can be a bride, an inheritance or a kingdom. But there is more to it than getting glory, part of it is the sharing of what the hero had learned, experienced or acquired while in the testing phase of his journey.Armstrong satisfied b oth. He came back into the real world after living in and out of the hospitals and undergoing chemo treatment. When he emerged from the world of the sick he returned triumphantly to cycling and took Tour de France by storm. In the process putting together back-to-back wins, a world record. But this is simply the beginning. He also established a foundation to combat cancer and to help those who are in need.Works CitedArmstrong, Lance Sally Jenkins. Every Second Counts. New York: Broadway Books, 2003.Armstrong, Lance Sally Jenkins. It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. NewYork: Berkley Trade, 2001.Campbell, Joseph. The Power of Myth. New York: Random House, Inc., 1991.Livestrong. 23 April 2007. Lance Armstrong Foundation. 23 April 2007.http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.jvKZLbMRIsG/b.594849/k.CC7C/Home.htm.Young, Ian. Lance Armstrong: Champion for Life! Minnesota: Red Brick Learning, 2005.Question 3 and 5 (Editing, Proofreading, Learning new fonts, APA format, and u se of bullets)Beautiful AfricaIf one talks about natural beauty, there is nothing that compares with Africa. And if there was indeed an Eden, a God created paradise on earth one can find it in Africa.  It is a continent difficult to describe and one has to visit at least once before crossing over to the next life. It is a continent teeming with wildlife and boasting of spectacular geographic formations. Moreover, this region has an amazing collection of flora and fauna and even its people are never boring. To all serious travelers out there, Africa should definitely be on your list.This paper will describe the beauty of Africa through its famous landmarks, exotic places to visit, and world renowned tourist destinations. Yet since the land mass of Africa is daunting a study this short will only be able to come up with limited information and so there should be no more waiting, it is time to start this whirlwind tour.African ContinentEach and every time one mentions the name Africa , the following usually pops into mind: ·Ã‚        Exciting and heart pounding Safari into a reservation area; ·Ã‚        Seeing a group of wild animals roaming free; ·Ã‚        The Sahara Desert; ·Ã‚        Exotic wildlife; and ·Ã‚        The extraordinary people of Africa such as the bushmen and the many painted faces of tribes people.For the average guy it may take a little longer to realize that Africa is not only about the land of the Lion King like Zimbabwe, Botswana or Kenya but it is also the continent where one can find equally famous countries such as Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco (see de Bruyn, 2004). A visit to Egypt with its Nile River and its equally famous ancient pyramids will surely satisfy even the most jaded adventurer.If indeed Africa is composed of many nations and not unlike Australia, a continent controlled by one government then it is understandable that aside from the land and the people one of the other reason why Africa continuously fills the headlines is due to politics. And politics is the root cause for most of the negative things that are happening to this continent. An example would be the brutal slaying of fellow Africans and the ever present threat of genocide made in one tribe and issued to the next. There have been many killings and it can be considered as the main reason why others are hesitant to visit some parts of this continent.Going back to the topography of Africa it is a wonder to behold a variety of land formations and as mentioned earlier the variety can be best understood by listing a few prominent places, like Egypt and Morocco. Now, the mere mention of Egypt and Morocco is enough for one to realize that truly this continent is one of a kind in terms of scenic beauty. There is no need to elaborate on the fact that there is more to Africa than meets the eye.Referencesde Bruyn, Pippa. (2 004). Frommers South Africa. New Jersey: Wiley Publishing, Inc.Part IQuestion 4 (Coherence and stitching together related ideas)Skills and Patience Needed in Dog TrainingA well-trained dog is a pleasure to its owner and to others. For a dog lover there are only a few things that can rival the feeling of satisfaction and deep joy of knowing that connection between owner and pet. A well-trained dog shows an unbelievable bond between man and animal and those who has seen this interaction will surely envy the proud owner. A pet lover with a dog that has learned a few tricks and obeys voice commands can join any gathering and can instantly become the life of that party – so to speak. The dog owner will regale the audience with a well-practiced repertoire of activities and the crowd will surely roar in approval.But it is also no secret that dogs are not easy to train. Indeed, dogs can be difficult to train. This conclusion should be adjusted depending on the breed and age of the do g. But one can argue that generally speaking it requires more than a willing owner to train a dog to perform crowd-pleasing tricks. Those who want train their dog must be willing to accept that patience is a necessity. There is no quality product that can be made overnight. There must be a need for a dedicated work ethic to produce an animal who responds to the voice of the master.Furthermore, the owner of the canine must also be prepared to accept that it requires skills to modify dog behavior. If the current owner does not have the skills to train his dog then he must look for a competent trainer. When that pet owner has found a skilled dog trainer then he will realize that at the hands of a master, the dog behave in such a way that make one conclude that dog training is not a chore for dogs. And finally, the trainer will do an excellent job of making the pet owner believe that his dog loves to please him.Part IIComparing Yahoo.com and MSN.comAside from Google.com and Microsoft.co m, there is arguably no other website that receives a significant amount of hits on a daily basis than Yahoo and MSN NBC’s website. At a casual glance one can immediately conclude that both sites are a mirror-image of each other. It is difficult to know who is copying whom. Both sites are focused on providing a wealth of useful content as well as eye-pleasing visuals.Yahoo.com and MSN.com are both on top of their games because the administrators of these websites made it a top priority to create a functional site. This is immediately evident when one hits the link that will guide the user to each respective site. There is no problem loading message that greets today’s harried Internet surfer and information junkie. And when the cyber addict has reached the said websites he or she is greeted with a well-ordered and well-designed website.But as hard as both companies would try to make that perfect website there are factors that forces them to push the envelope and make t hem go over the edge some of the time. The following factors pose a challenge to design and functionality: ·Ã‚        Need for advertising; ·Ã‚        Need for great content and useful information; ·Ã‚        Need for appealing visuals; ·Ã‚        Need for new ideas, new gimmicks; ·Ã‚        Need to be unique to stand out from the crowd; ·Ã‚        Need for security; and ·Ã‚        Need to cut across language, culture, gender, and race.In the race to provide all of the above it is clear that Yahoo.com has the edge over MSN.com. Yahoo sports a better look and offers more variety than MSN without overdoing it too much. In the hope of being popular MSN tries so hard to cram so much info into a very limited space. The reader can sometime feel overwhelmed because there is so many to choose from. Yahoo’s desig n team wins in creating a tightly-packed site but the user is guided into the center of the website where much of the most important headlines can be seen.With MSN one has to scan the pages a couple of times to find out which of the many headlines should be read first. Moreover, Yahoo’s color combination is more eye-catching than that of MSN. The light blue theme can appear dull to some surfers but then again MSN may be reaching out to the more senior surfers – those who are in the 60s age bracket and understandably this age group wants to tone it down a bit.At the end it is easy to give the award for the better website to Yahoo.com. MSN may argue that they are also targeting the older generation of cyber users but there are more teenagers as well as the young age bracket group surfing the net as compared to those who belong to the 60s and 70s age bracket. Furthermore it is easier finding your way in Yahoo than in MSN. That is the best argument in favor of the winner t o this head-on collision.; Lance Armstrong Legendary Biker Essay Example Lance Armstrong: Legendary Biker Essay He is considered to be the best cyclist of all time and arguably one of the greatest of athletes of the 20th century. His name is Lance Armstrong. And if one takes a pause and pronounces his name slowly he gets a foreboding of things to come – that this guy carries a lance like the mythical knights of old and that his arms are strong like a workhorse that will not quit. Indeed his name alone warns that there is more than meets the eye with Lance.In the last decade or so, he experienced great victories and triumphed over his competitors in the Tour de France as well as triumphed over a terrible sickness, the most dreaded Big C – and in his case it is testicular cancer. In beating the odds, surviving chemotherapy and collecting seven Tour de France victories made him bigger than life. It is therefore interesting to examine his life using the principles of mythology found in John Campbells book on the same subject matter.This paper will take a more in-depth analysis of the three major parts of a mythic heros quest or journey and compare it the life of Lance Armstrong. The question can be phrased this way, what were the factors and the life experiences that shaped Armstrong into an iconic figure? And aside from the circumstances surrounding his life are there any other forces that molded his character. The following pages will show that aside from the events that transpired in his life, Armstrong was guided by an inner sense of greatness, which according to mythology expert Joseph Campbell is the first part of a journey in bringing to life the hero from within.BackgroundThe CallLance was only 16 years old when he realized that he was called to be an athlete, specifically a world-class cyclist. It was around this time when he decided that it was time to play with the big boys (Young, 2005). In the first serious contest that he joined, the organizers of course find his suggestions ridiculous and would not permit him to join the competition. But Armstrong pleaded with them and convinced them that it is worth the try. In the end he was declared the winner. So began his career as a professional cyclist.Armstrong was so close to dying and now very much thankful that he survived the ordeal. The following will show that Armstrong did not only come from the fiery fires of testing only to become a great athlete. The experience in the Valley of the Shadow of Death made him a better person with regards to benevolence and compassion towards others. He did not only inspire future athletes but even those who may not have heard of the Tour de France. It is a testament to his greatness and heroism.The Power of MythUsing Campbell’s model of understanding mythology there is no doubt that Armstrong’s life story resembles that of a typical mythic hero from land of the far, far, away and once upon a time. This is important because it will explain why people are drawn to him like flies to honey and why there is a universal ap peal to his story.The Going Out or DepartureIn Joseph Campbell’s model the first part of the hero’s journey starts with the call of which he has to respond or decline. In the life of Armstrong the call did not come from a prophet, a herald, or even an authority figure in his life. It would help to remember that he grew up without a father. His call came from within; perhaps when he saw his first bike he felt that urge to race. And he was indeed born to ride. His departure or his going out came at this point when he began his journey to become a professional athlete.The ReturnIn the third part of the hero’s journey is the return. In this part the hero is expected to return triumphantly to vanquish his foes or to claim what was his. It can be a bride, an inheritance or a kingdom. But there is more to it than getting glory, part of it is the sharing of what the hero had learned, experienced or acquired while in the testing phase of his journey.Armstrong satisfied b oth. He came back into the real world after living in and out of the hospitals and undergoing chemo treatment. When he emerged from the world of the sick he returned triumphantly to cycling and took Tour de France by storm. In the process putting together back-to-back wins, a world record. But this is simply the beginning. He also established a foundation to combat cancer and to help those who are in need.Works CitedArmstrong, Lance Sally Jenkins. Every Second Counts. New York: Broadway Books, 2003.Armstrong, Lance Sally Jenkins. It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. NewYork: Berkley Trade, 2001.Campbell, Joseph. The Power of Myth. New York: Random House, Inc., 1991.Livestrong. 23 April 2007. Lance Armstrong Foundation. 23 April 2007.http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.jvKZLbMRIsG/b.594849/k.CC7C/Home.htm.Young, Ian. Lance Armstrong: Champion for Life! Minnesota: Red Brick Learning, 2005.Question 3 and 5 (Editing, Proofreading, Learning new fonts, APA format, and u se of bullets)Beautiful AfricaIf one talks about natural beauty, there is nothing that compares with Africa. And if there was indeed an Eden, a God created paradise on earth one can find it in Africa.  It is a continent difficult to describe and one has to visit at least once before crossing over to the next life. It is a continent teeming with wildlife and boasting of spectacular geographic formations. Moreover, this region has an amazing collection of flora and fauna and even its people are never boring. To all serious travelers out there, Africa should definitely be on your list.This paper will describe the beauty of Africa through its famous landmarks, exotic places to visit, and world renowned tourist destinations. Yet since the land mass of Africa is daunting a study this short will only be able to come up with limited information and so there should be no more waiting, it is time to start this whirlwind tour.African ContinentEach and every time one mentions the name Africa , the following usually pops into mind: ·Ã‚        Exciting and heart pounding Safari into a reservation area; ·Ã‚        Seeing a group of wild animals roaming free; ·Ã‚        The Sahara Desert; ·Ã‚        Exotic wildlife; and ·Ã‚        The extraordinary people of Africa such as the bushmen and the many painted faces of tribes people.For the average guy it may take a little longer to realize that Africa is not only about the land of the Lion King like Zimbabwe, Botswana or Kenya but it is also the continent where one can find equally famous countries such as Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco (see de Bruyn, 2004). A visit to Egypt with its Nile River and its equally famous ancient pyramids will surely satisfy even the most jaded adventurer.If indeed Africa is composed of many nations and not unlike Australia, a continent controlled by one government then it is understandable that aside from the land and the people one of the other reason why Africa continuously fills the headlines is due to politics. And politics is the root cause for most of the negative things that are happening to this continent. An example would be the brutal slaying of fellow Africans and the ever present threat of genocide made in one tribe and issued to the next. There have been many killings and it can be considered as the main reason why others are hesitant to visit some parts of this continent.Going back to the topography of Africa it is a wonder to behold a variety of land formations and as mentioned earlier the variety can be best understood by listing a few prominent places, like Egypt and Morocco. Now, the mere mention of Egypt and Morocco is enough for one to realize that truly this continent is one of a kind in terms of scenic beauty. There is no need to elaborate on the fact that there is more to Africa than meets the eye.Referencesde Bruyn, Pippa. (2 004). Frommers South Africa. New Jersey: Wiley Publishing, Inc.Part IQuestion 4 (Coherence and stitching together related ideas)Skills and Patience Needed in Dog TrainingA well-trained dog is a pleasure to its owner and to others. For a dog lover there are only a few things that can rival the feeling of satisfaction and deep joy of knowing that connection between owner and pet. A well-trained dog shows an unbelievable bond between man and animal and those who has seen this interaction will surely envy the proud owner. A pet lover with a dog that has learned a few tricks and obeys voice commands can join any gathering and can instantly become the life of that party – so to speak. The dog owner will regale the audience with a well-practiced repertoire of activities and the crowd will surely roar in approval.But it is also no secret that dogs are not easy to train. Indeed, dogs can be difficult to train. This conclusion should be adjusted depending on the breed and age of the do g. But one can argue that generally speaking it requires more than a willing owner to train a dog to perform crowd-pleasing tricks. Those who want train their dog must be willing to accept that patience is a necessity. There is no quality product that can be made overnight. There must be a need for a dedicated work ethic to produce an animal who responds to the voice of the master.Furthermore, the owner of the canine must also be prepared to accept that it requires skills to modify dog behavior. If the current owner does not have the skills to train his dog then he must look for a competent trainer. When that pet owner has found a skilled dog trainer then he will realize that at the hands of a master, the dog behave in such a way that make one conclude that dog training is not a chore for dogs. And finally, the trainer will do an excellent job of making the pet owner believe that his dog loves to please him.Part IIComparing Yahoo.com and MSN.comAside from Google.com and Microsoft.co m, there is arguably no other website that receives a significant amount of hits on a daily basis than Yahoo and MSN NBC’s website. At a casual glance one can immediately conclude that both sites are a mirror-image of each other. It is difficult to know who is copying whom. Both sites are focused on providing a wealth of useful content as well as eye-pleasing visuals.Yahoo.com and MSN.com are both on top of their games because the administrators of these websites made it a top priority to create a functional site. This is immediately evident when one hits the link that will guide the user to each respective site. There is no problem loading message that greets today’s harried Internet surfer and information junkie. And when the cyber addict has reached the said websites he or she is greeted with a well-ordered and well-designed website.But as hard as both companies would try to make that perfect website there are factors that forces them to push the envelope and make t hem go over the edge some of the time. The following factors pose a challenge to design and functionality: ·Ã‚        Need for advertising; ·Ã‚        Need for great content and useful information; ·Ã‚        Need for appealing visuals; ·Ã‚        Need for new ideas, new gimmicks; ·Ã‚        Need to be unique to stand out from the crowd; ·Ã‚        Need for security; and ·Ã‚        Need to cut across language, culture, gender, and race.In the race to provide all of the above it is clear that Yahoo.com has the edge over MSN.com. Yahoo sports a better look and offers more variety than MSN without overdoing it too much. In the hope of being popular MSN tries so hard to cram so much info into a very limited space. The reader can sometime feel overwhelmed because there is so many to choose from. Yahoo’s desig n team wins in creating a tightly-packed site but the user is guided into the center of the website where much of the most important headlines can be seen.With MSN one has to scan the pages a couple of times to find out which of the many headlines should be read first. Moreover, Yahoo’s color combination is more eye-catching than that of MSN. The light blue theme can appear dull to some surfers but then again MSN may be reaching out to the more senior surfers – those who are in the 60s age bracket and understandably this age group wants to tone it down a bit.At the end it is easy to give the award for the better website to Yahoo.com. MSN may argue that they are also targeting the older generation of cyber users but there are more teenagers as well as the young age bracket group surfing the net as compared to those who belong to the 60s and 70s age bracket. Furthermore it is easier finding your way in Yahoo than in MSN. That is the best argument in favor of the winner t o this head-on collision.;
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
The Good Earth; Importance of the Setting Essays
The Good Earth; Importance of the Setting Essays The Good Earth; Importance of the Setting Essay The Good Earth; Importance of the Setting Essay In the book The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, the setting is very essential, as it is with most all books. The setting shapes the entire book, and it could not have been set in a different time or place and still have had the same effect. Throughout the book there are hardships as well as times of prosperity, but there is no validity that the city is a â€Å"bad†place and the country a â€Å"good†place, for both good and bad happenings fall upon the people from both places.Without the setting, or with a different setting, the book The Good Earth would be an entirely different story. The Good Earth has a setting that sets the hardships that Northern China faced; drought, flood, famine, cold, heat, and war. The setting also creates character by putting important obstacles in the paths of the characters in the book. How each character deals with these obstacles shows what kind of character they are, and helps to create the plot of the book itself. The themes of the book a re also created by the setting.The setting especially effects Wang Lung, for conflicts influenced by the setting proves one of the themes that â€Å"the land has control of the life of a farmer†. A different time or setting would completely change the story, and it wouldn’t of had the same effect. Wang Lung’s love for the earth is the main driving force in his life. The only thing Wang Lung loves with consistency is the earth, because the earth is consistent as well. He always returns to the land and yearns for it w
Friday, November 22, 2019
A Discussion on Moral Issues of Cosmetic Surgery
A Discussion on Moral Issues of Cosmetic Surgery Cosmetic Surgery Cosmetic surgery is a surgical procedure that is done on body parts that are healthy, and has the purpose of improving appearance. Cosmetic surgery has become more common over the years, especially in the United States. However, many are bringing to attention ethical problems related to the increasing percentage of people who have undergone this procedure. While some critics make a few good points about moral issues of cosmetic surgery, many who bring up the ethical issues of the procedure do not make strong enough arguments. Just like any other surgery, cosmetic surgery is a procedure that comes with many risks, but it is still an important one that should continue to be taught to and performed by physicians. Stephen Coleman writes a great defensive argument for cosmetic surgery in his â€Å"A Defense of Cosmetic Surgery†, which specifically excludes reconstructive surgery. Coleman makes an accurate point by stating that cosmetic surgery can be morally justifiable for actors and actresses because the want for these surgeries are based off of their desire to sustain their jobs. (176) People on television are often critiqued on their physical appearance, and this can skew the hiring process for actresses and actors to role in movies and television shows. This especially affects women in the Hollywood industry. Women are strongly pressured to have certain physical features, and to display those features while playing their roles for media. This leads many actresses, female singers, and female models to undergo breast augmentation, breast reduction, abdominoplasty, and many other cosmetic surgeries to look appealing for the general audience and for directors to hire them for media role s. Even though it is sexist and unfair to hire women solely based on their looks, it is the reality of the world we live in today and many women in the media industry are forced to look a certain way to keep their jobs. This suggestion that is reasonable for women in Hollywood to undergo cosmetic surgery can be further expanded to any person looking for a job, seeking a job, or looking to get a better job. Several studies have come to the conclusion that attractive people are more likely to be get call backs for job interviews, get promoted, and get paid more compared to unattractive people. While attractiveness can be seen as subjective, there are certain beauty standards that people are held to such as facial symmetry, a youthful appearance, and large sexual body parts. Since having certain physical features would make a person more successful in terms of careers, it would be ethical for a person to seek to attain those features. However, not every person who wants cosmetic surgery is doing so to have a successful career. As Coleman states in his argument, many of the first plastic surgeons performed plastic surgeries to alleviate problems that other people had on a person’s appearance. He gives a great example saying that many Jewish, Black, and Asian people underwent the surgery to avoid prejudice. These minorities had cosmetic surgery done in order to fight against stereotypes and to conform to the standards of beauty at that time. (Coleman 177). However, Coleman is not seeking to defend these types of surgeries. I disagree with Coleman when he states that surgeries of these circumstances do not fit his definition of cosmetic surgery. Coleman states that surgeries that are performed to relieve serve psychological stress, decrease functional disturbances, and increase physical appearance outside a normal variation should really be considered reconstructive surgery. (173) I argue that surgeries performed to have a more successful career and to decrease stereotypical features of a certain race are definitely cosmetic. They are not medically necessary and some are only performed to fit within Caucasian physical appearance norms, which should not be the standard of attractiveness. Despite my disagreement with Coleman on these issues, I agree with his main argument, which brings the topic of autonomy into the picture. Coleman argues that since autonomy is a basic human right, then people should be allowed to get surgery solely for the purpose of increasing their physical appearance. It would be unethical to shame people into not getting cosmetic surgery or to ban cosmetic surgery. This would be a violation of patient autonomy. Even though there may be risks associated with cosmetic surgeries, just like any other surgery, it does not cause any direct harm. Therefore it could also be argued that beneficence is also a factor that could come to play, because cosmetic surgery increases physical appearance and does not inflict intentional harm. (Coleman 178-180). While Coleman makes the argument that cosmetic surgery is ethical because it respects patient autonomy, Franklin Miller suggests patient sovereignty is a topic that should as be discussed in regards to cosmetic surgery. Miller argues that some physicians and medical companies promote cosmetic surgeries by planting subliminal messages in advertisements for men and women by suggesting that they would look better if they undergo cosmetic surgery. He argues that the field of cosmetic surgery is more business than it is medical. While Miller does raise good points, I believe that these advertisements do not increase the likelihood of people undergoing cosmetic surgeries. Miller suggests that physicians are planting the idea in people’s minds that their bodies should be modified. (Miller 355) However, people are fed these ideas everyday. From actresses to models, people are constantly shown what makes someone physically attractive. People always look up to those in the media, and wa nt to look like those actresses and models. Therefore it would not be accurate in suggesting that physicians are the ones planting these new ideas that our bodies are not perfect. Many physicians are capitalizing on Hollywood’s portrayal of perfect looking people, but it is not an idea that they made themselves. I also argue that not all cosmetic surgeons are doing their jobs simply for the money. Many physicians perform cosmetic surgeries because they actually care about the well being of people and want to help patients in whatever way they can. If a patient would feel better in undergoing cosmetic surgery, then it would be ethical for a doctor to perform the surgery. Also, if one were not thinking about getting cosmetic surgery, advertisements would not suddenly make them believe that they would need the surgery. Advertisements for cosmetic surgeries simply make it more accessible for those seeking to get the surgery. Overall cosmetic surgery should not be an ethical problem. The two main ethical theories that are upheld through cosmetic surgery are nonmaleficence and autonomy. Physicians are doing no harm to the patients that they perform the surgery on, and performing the surgery would be respecting patients’ autonomy for those who want to enhance their physical appearance. Cosmetic surgeries are also beneficial because they can increase one’s self-esteem, increase likelihood of a successful career, and can help people avoid discrimination due to physical features, thereby avoiding psychological harm. In conclusion, cosmetic surgery is a procedure that should be treated like any other surgery, as it causes no direct or intentional harm, and can increase the overall mental health of a patient.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
How to implement a dual language program in an established elementary Dissertation
How to implement a dual language program in an established elementary public school - Dissertation Example However, a person is not born speaking a language, it is learned and through a learning process that starts at the time of birth (Fielding, 2009). In reference to the work done by linguist Noam Chomsky, Mason describes language to be a â€Å"specific skill†. Elaborating on Chomsky’s description of language as an inherent faculty, Mason in his lecture â€Å"Learning Language†said that man was born with a set of rules related to language in his head and he called these set of rules â€Å"Universal Grammar†(Learning Language, n.d.). Acquiring the First Language Children show a natural tendency towards language acquisition. Language acquisition occurs through the numerous experiences of everyday life (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, n.d). Acquiring language without any systematic effort is called first language acquisition. Language acquisition takes place during conversation; when adults talk, children respond and thus grasp the basics of a langu age being spoken (Moloney, 2007). The pattern of interaction between parents and children may differ with cultures but the rate at which the children develop as language users remains the same throughout the world (Clark, n.d). Children learn the language they are exposed to (Garcia, 2009). Every child learns the first language without the need of any formal lessons (Pinker, 1995). Clark has described language acquisition among children as a part of the overall physical, social and cognitive development of a child. In Clark’s opinion, children between ages 2 and 6 can rapidly acquire a language and mostly by the time they turn 6, they are proficient language users. Although a lot has been said and written about the development of language in a child, a great deal remains to be explored. The language of a child is a constantly developing process which undergoes many changes. The children seem to acquire the first language quickly, early and with few mistakes (Linden, 2008). A child’s experience with language and his interaction with others teach him the sound-meaning relationship and help him comprehend the purpose it represents. Although the rate at which children acquire first language skills may differ, there is little difference in the pattern of development between the languages (Clark, n.d) According to Clark children acquire communicative competency naturally and inherently, and then develop an understanding of the grammatical rules of the language. The structure of the language develops with thinking abilities and social interactions of the child. As the language skills develop, children become conscious of the social situations around them and learn to think and behave accordingly (Pinker, 1995). Second Language Acquisition Stephen Krashen (2009), a well known linguist identified the difference between learning and acquisition. In his theory of the second language acquisition, Krashen defined acquisition as a subconscious and instinctive process of constructing the structure of a language quite similar to the way a child picks up his first language (Krashen, 2009). Learning on the other hand is a conscious process based on formal instruction and involves conscious learning of a language (Schutz, 2007). Krashen (2009) has described learning as â€Å"less important than acquisitionâ€
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Project Design, Implementation & Evaluation Essay
Project Design, Implementation & Evaluation - Essay Example the Micron Software solves the situation by creating an interface through which the users of the system can maintain data for accountability, integrity, reliability, transparency and foe easy audit (Leffingwell 2000, p. 28). The system will therefore solve the challenges with paper based operations and produce fast tracking of reports in a customized manner. It will reduce or possibly eliminate the cases of data loss and mismanagement. The system to be developed in this project is expected to be interactive in accepting and processing the user input data, and generating output in form of dialogues and reports. The system has to be easy to study so that the clients, operators and users can learn it easily. Even without user guide or progress documentation, the system requirements have to be clear and comprehensive. There have to be consistency in the system functions such that it performs all the action indicated. For example, if the button is indicated as â€Å"Close†, then it has to close the current form. The system is expected to accept data input from the user, perform financial operations and then generate an output from the product and the data kept in its historical database. The system also must do data validation during the input to ensure that each field accepts the right form of data. For example, the field for date should not accept any form of data apart from date. The system has minimum requirement of features and hardware properties which limits its development for example, the size of the memory available, the speed of the processor and the size of the hard disk. The constraints can be caused by failure to meet the basic requirements of the development environment. Other constraints arise from information policy, system response times, and system interfacing with other related application software, the capacity of the networks and compliance issues. The minimum requirement of memory size for example is a RAM of 2GB and hard drive of 500GB. In
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Comparing Political Philosophies Essay Example for Free
Comparing Political Philosophies Essay Social contract or contractarian (use at least two philosophers in your description) Classic liberalism or libertarianism (use at least two philosophers in your description) Marxism (use at least one philosopher in your description) Communitarians (use at least one philosopher in your description) Capabilities approach (use at least one philosopher in your description) Follow your descriptions with a conclusion answering the following questions: How are these theories similar to one another? How are they different from one another? Do you find one philosophy more compelling than the others? If so, why? Contractarianism The social contract or political contract is a theory or model, originating during the Age of Enlightenment, that typically addresses the questions of the origin of society and the legitimacy of the authority of the state over the individual. Social contract arguments typically posit that individuals have consented, either explicitly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler or magistrate (or to the decision of a majority), in exchange for protection of their remaining rights. The question of the relation between natural and legal rights, therefore, is often an aspect of social contract theory. The most important contemporary political social contract theorist is John Rawls, who effectively resurrected social contract theory in the second half of the 20th century, along with David Gauthier, who is primarily a moral contractarian. Marxism Under Marxism, outdated class structures were supposed to be overthrown with force instead of being replaced through patient modification. It held that as capitalism has succeeded feudalism, it too will be removed by a dictatorship of the workers called socialism, followed quickly and inevitably by a classless society which governs itself without a governing class or structure. It was jointly developed in the 19th century by two lifelong German friends living in London Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and it forms the foundation of communism. Classical Liberalism Classical liberalism is a political philosophy and ideology that emerged as a response to the Industrial Revolution and urbanization in the 19th century in Europe and the United States. It shares a number of beliefs with other belief systems belonging to liberalism, advocating civil liberties and political freedom, limited government, rule of law, and belief in free market. Classical liberals were more suspicious than conservatives of all but the most minimal government and, adopting Thomas Hobbess theory of government, they believed government had been created by individuals to protect themselves from one another. Comparison -Marxism is completely centrally controlled economy in which labor is directed (the government tells you where you will work) and goods and services are rationed based on a bureaucratic determination of need. Liberalism is when the government has an obligation to make sure that people live comfortably regardless of a persons actual contribution to making their own comfort possible. So while they wish to control the financial situation they generally favor a high degree of social freedom. Contractarianism suggests that the central assertion of social contract approaches is that law and political order are not natural, but are instead human creations. The social contract and the political order it creates are simply the means towards an end  the benefit of the individuals involved  and legitimate only to the extent that they fulfill their part of the agreement. References http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Social_contract http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Classical_liberalism http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/Marxism. html Philosophy: The Power of Ideas (8th ed. ) (Moore and Bruder).
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Klu Klux Klan - KKK :: American History
KKK The Klu Klux Klan called themselves the white knights because they rode around on horses. They wore white sheets over their heads and dressed their horses in white sheets and rode in neighborhoods where black people lived. They brought terror into the lives of the African Americans. The symbol of the Klu Klux Klan was the burning cross. A KKK member once stated, "We do not burn the cross to symbolize the destruction of it, but to enlighten it." The name Klu Klux Klan derived from the Greek word "kuklos," meaning circle or wheel. The Klu Klux Klan was considered to be a "fraternal organization." It grew out of the Civil War to protect and preserve the white race. It was to ensure the "voluntary separation" of the races. In many cases that meant the termination of blacks, Catholics, and Jews. The Ku Klux Klan is one of America's oldest and most feared groups. Motivated by the dream of a world with only one race, the KKK uses violence and does things that are against the law to support their cause. They have been in the shadows for over 130 years, and occasionally continue to succeed in America's society today. The Ku Klux Klan began during the rebuilding process after the Civil War in the Southern United States. The southern people had suffered a lot from the effects of the Civil War. Many of them lost their homes and plantations; many also lost friends and loved ones to the war. In 1865, six men from a small town in Tennessee began what has grown to be the largest and most feared "hate group" in the United States. The men decided to make a club to help relieve the stress of the times. All of the men were poor and could not afford to make uniforms for the group, so they decided to use plain, white sheets. They wore the sheets over their backs and put pillowcases on their heads. They also draped the sheets over their horses. In the beginning, the men only wanted to play pranks on people to try to cheer them up after the terrible war. But the people were more frightened than they were cheered up. They soon figured out what they could do with these fearful pranks.
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