Animal Testing Pros Essay Example for Free

Animal Testing Pros Essay Animal testing is basically making use of animals in experiments carried out for the betterment of human lives. These animal experiments are carried out by universities, pharmaceutical companies and even by students and researchers at medical schools. These animals are either bred specifically for carrying out experiments or are caught from their wild habitat and locked up in cages. There are some pros that motivate scientists to carry out experiments on these animals. So, what are some of the good things that support the torturing of these poor animals? Lets see some of these animal testing pros that makes proponents of animal experimentation argue for use of animals in research. Animal testing helps in finding ways to help save lives of animals and humans by testing lifesaving drugs and processes. A few animals tend to react the same way like humans in response to certain diseases and allergies. This helps the scientists find a cure for certain diseases by studying these animals. Open heart surgeries, coronary bypass surgery and heart transplantation are some of the procedures that came into existence by carrying out experimentation on dogs. Insulin for diabetes, lifesaving antibiotics, etc. have been made by experimenting on animals. Contagious diseases like smallpox, measles, chickenpox, rubella, polio, rabies, mumps, etc. were brought into control due to vaccines made by carrying out experiments on animals. About 99% of the human genes are similar to that of the chimpanzees as well as a few other monkeys. Thus, experimenting with these animals gives  scientists an idea about their possible reaction in the human body. As it is immoral to experiment on humans, chimpanzees and other monkeys remain the only option. Treatment for scarlet fever, tuberculosis, complex surgical procedures for humans were tested OK for humans through animal testing. Tests for vaccines for diseases like AIDS is being carried out on animals. The common animals used for these tests include rats, mice, rabbits, monkeys, dogs, goats, horses, etc. Chimpanzees share about 90% of their genetic make up with humans. These animals have similar reactions and somewhat similar inner organs to humans that help in determining the effects of drugs and procedures on humans. Many transplantation operations were first carried out on animals, that helped determine and save lives for humans. Animals are not only tested for making lives of humans better, but for the betterment of animals themselves as well. People often overlook the fact, that may breakthroughs in veterinary medicine has occurred due to this experimemntation. Animal surgeries, animal antibiotics, etc. have all come into existence, due to testing. Thus, animal testing pros prove it is very vital in saving not only the lives of humans, but those of animals as well. Cell cultures are useful only when one needs to see the side effects at molecular level. In order to see other physical side effects such as rashes, acne, wheezing, cardiac problems, etc. one needs to use animals. Although, animal physiology is not similar to human physiology, the results acquired after animal testing, help gauge their effects on humans. Animal testing helps in figuring out the safety of drugs on humans, before scientists begin the human trail. You dont want people getting adverse reactions to these drugs and adding more woes to their misery. The animal trials help minimize the chances of human death during clinical trials, saving pharmaceutical and medical organizations millions of dollars in compensation. Also, animals, like mice and rabbits, reproduce very quickly. This gives the researchers a chance to see the effects of the experiments on the progeny too. Now, let us see some of the arguments against animal testing. Animal Testing Cons When we speak about animal testing cons, there are plenty of emotional and ethical issues staring in our faces. The first con is the issue of pain the animal must be going through. Although, it is claimed none of the animals were hurt in the test, but how can one be 100% sure? Not all handlers are alike and some just jab the needles through their body, keep them in cramped up spaces, with little or no food sometimes. Animals cannot speak, so how can we determine whether or not and the level of pain the poor creature is going through? Animal testing statistics show many creatures lose their lives during the course of experiments. Some lose their limbs, eyesight, hearing ability, etc. All in the name of saving human lives. Agreed, when people say millions of animals are killed worldwide for food. But, you cant compare that with the months of torture the animals go through while the experiments are on. Wouldnt you prefer being killed in one shot, rather than enduring poking needles, cuts and poisonous chemicals being injected into your system and being kept caged in a really small space for what seems like all eternity? You may wish to escape the dreaded place that smells of disinfectants, chemicals and may be sure death, but cannot. There are many animal rights group that claim killing animals is inhumane. Animal testing in cosmetic industry as well as a household products is not worth the life of a poor animal. Experimenting using animals also proves to be a bit expensive. This is because the cost of housing, feeding caring for the animals is quite high. Animals are in a great deal of stress as they are not living in their natural habitat and the controlled environment may take a toll on their minds. Also, some claim animal experiments can be misleading as an animals response to a drug cannot be absolutely similar to a humans. People are now suggesting use of tissue culture, statistics and even computer models for carrying out the test. Animal rights also exist and abusing  someone weaker than us is not right. The death of animals due to an experiment gone wrong is similar to murder of a human who was tested against his will. In human tests, at least humans are asked whether they would like to sign up legally for being tested. There are legal papers and documents that safeguard the rights of the human subject and compensate him for any kind of loss. Animals however, are never asked for their opinion and have never had their rights safeguarded. The obvious explanation being they do not have the understanding capabilities of humans. This does not give us the right to use another life for our benefits. To find a cure for cancer, the animal cells are forced to grow abnormally, so that experiments can be carried out to find a remedy. With stem cell research and genetics getting a push, animals are subjected to further animal cruelty. Hybrid animals and cloning is carried out on the poor animals who are injected with genes of other animals within an embryo of another species. The resultant being a cross, that is either malformed or dead before being born. Do we have the right to reduce the dignity of animals by forcing mutations on them? You can see both the sides of animal testing facts tilt the scales of the balance equally. Animal testing helps saves lives of millions of humans, but in turn, thousands of these animals lose their lives. It is an open fact, not all handlers and researchers handle the animals with care. Computers cannot predict an outcome, just the possibility and tissue culture cannot predict the physical implications of a drug like rashes, cardiac failure, etc. Similarly, testing cannot accurately prove the implications of drugs and procedures on humans. Pulling away babies from their mothers before they even get a chance to open their eyes, is not being human. Breeding animals only because you want to check the outcome of your drug on hapless babies is wrong. Till an experiment is a success, torturing hundreds of animals, be it a mice or monkey is rather totally unethical. It has been proven that over 92% of drugs that claim to pass the animal trials fail when tested on humans by the Humane Society of the United States. This debate on animal testing pros and cons will continue till  scientists do not find an alternative to this cruel process of animal experimentation. You can decide for yourself, whether you are for, against or just a mute spectator to animal testing. Every coin has two sides, so does animal testing. It is now up to each one of us to decide, which side do we choose. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/animal-testing-pros-and-cons.html The question of legalizing marijuana refers to whether or not Americans should be allowed to legally grow, sell, buy or ingest marijuana. At present, the U.S. government claims the right to, and does, criminalize the growing, selling and possession of marijuana in all states. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this federal right in two separate court cases: In 2001, U.S. v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative, which overturned California proposition 215 which, in 1996, legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes. In 2005, Gonzales v. Raich, which again upheld the right of the federal government to ban marijuana use in all states. (See page two of this article for specific Pros Cons of Legalizing Marijuana.) What Is Marijuana? Marijuana is the dried blossom of cannabis sativa and cannabis indica plants, leafy annual plants with parts that are used for as herbs, animal food, medicine and as hemp for rope-making. The flowers contain psychoactive and physiologically active chemical compounds known as cannabinoids that are consumed for recreational, medicinal, and spiritual purposes, per Wikipedia. Why is Marijuana Banned in the U.S.? Before the 20th century, cannabis plants in the U.S. were relatively unregulated, and marijuana was a common ingredient in medicines. Recreational use of marijuana was thought to have been introduced in the U.S. early in the 20th century by immigrants from Mexico. In the 1930s, marijuana was linked publicly in several research studies, and via a famed 1936 film named Reefer Madness, to crime, violence, and anti-social behavior. Many believe that objections to marijuana first rose sharply as part of the U.S. temperence movement against alcohol. Others claim that marijuana was initially demonized partly due to fears of the Mexican immigrants associated with the drug. In the 21st century, marijuana is  illegal in the U.S. ostensibly due to moral and public health reasons, and because of continuing concern over violence and crime associated with production and distribution of the drug. Latest Developments On June 23, 2011, a federal bill to fully legalize marijuana was introduced in the House by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA.) The bill would remove marijuana from controlled substance classification. On February 25, 2009, Attorney General Eric Holderannounced that that federal agents will now target marijuana distributors only when they violate both federal and state laws. The impact of Holders statement is that if a state has legalized marijuana, then the Obama administration will not override state law. To date, thirteen states have decriminalized marijuana for medical purposes only. In 2010, States Move to Loosen Marijuana Laws In November 2010, Californians defeated a ballot proposition that Californians over age 21 would be able to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, and grow their own plants on a plot up to 5 feet by 5 feet large. Washington, New Hampshire and Massachusetts state legislatures are slated to consider marijuana legalization bills in 2010-2011. And more than 20 other states are considering bills to otherwise loosen criminalization of marijuana use and possession. President Obama Avoids the Marijuana Question When asked at a March 2009 online town hall about marijuana legalization, President Barack Obama avoided a serious answer, and laughingly demurred I dont know what this says about the online audience. But, no, I dont think that is a good strategy to grow our economyWrote an irritated college newspaper columnist at State University of New York at Geneseo: Many people were disappointed by his reaction, as Obama did not offer any counter-arguments and completely ignored the potential medical and social benefits of ending the prohibition on marijuana. Yes, some who wish to see marijuana legalized use it for recreational purposes, but the other benefits cannot be ignored. Cannabis is known to ease pain disorders, including the side-effects cancer patients experience throughout treatment. In addition to this, legalization would strike an enormous blow to organized crime, free up the overflowing prison system and reduce violence along the  Mexican-American border. Obama Supported Decriminalization in 2004 However, in a 2004 appearance at Northwestern University, then Illinois politician Obama told a crowd, I think the war on drugs has been a failure, and I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws. (See page two of this article for specific Pros Cons of Legalizing Marijuana.) Background The following are milestones of federal marijuana enforcement in U.S. history: Prohibition, 1919 to 1933 As use of marijuana became popular in response to alcohol prohibition, conservative anti-drug campaigners railed against the Marijuana Menace, linking the drug to crime, violence and other bad behaviors. 1930, Federal Bureau of Narcotics established By 1931, 29 states had criminalized marijuana. Uniform State Narcotic Act of 1932 Pushed states, rather than federal authorities, to regulate narcotics. Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 Restricted marijuana to persons who paid an excise tax for certain medical uses of the drug. 1944, New York Academy of Medicine Report finds that marijuana does not induce violence, insanity or sex crimes. Narcotics Control Act of 1956 Set mandatory prison sentences and fines for drug offenses, including for marijuana. 1960s Counter-Culture Movement U.S. marijuana use grew rapidly. Studies commissioned by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson concluded that marijuana use did not induce violence. 1970 in Congress Repealed mandatory penalties for drug offenses. Marijuana was differentiated from other drugs. Per PBS, It was widely acknowledged that the mandatory minimum sentences of the 1950s had done nothing to eliminate the drug culture that embraced marijuana use throughout the 60s 1973, Drug Enforcement Agency Created by President Nixon. 1976, Conservative Christian Groups Led by Rev. Jerry Falwells Moral Majority, rising conservative groups lobbied for stricter marijuana laws. The coalition grew powerful, leading to the 1980s War on Drugs. Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 Pushed for and signed by President Reagan, the Act raised penalties for marijuana offenses, and established harsh mandatory three strikes sentencing laws. 1989, New War on Drugs Declared by President George H.W. Bush 1996 in California Voters legalized marijuana use for cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and other patients, via a doctors  prescription. 1996 to 2008 12 other states legalized medicinal marijuana use, albeit with widely varying restrictions. Most states cant implement their programs, though, as the Bush DEA executed a series ofsurprise raids on marijuana clinics, arresting both sellers and patients. The White House claimed that federal law held precedence over state legislatures. MAIN SOURCE: Condensed from materials produced by PBS and WGBH/Frontline.

Human Resource Management Chinese Restaurant

Human Resource Management Chinese Restaurant The people aspects comprise an integral element when setting up a new business. The component relate to the decisions and considerations on what kind of a workforce would be appropriate for a particular kind of business, where it should be sought from and how it should be hired. Cognisant of the centrality of staff to the success of a business therefore, it would be important for Vivienne and her brothers who intend to set up a Chinese restaurant in Newcastle to cautiously approach the people aspects of their business otherwise they would be risking failure of the restaurant. Based on the key facts presented in the scenario, this paper seeks to explore the steps that Vivienne and her partners ought to follow in recruiting staff for the restaurant, where they should attract the desired employees from, how they should design the jobs at the restaurant and the legal considerations they should take into account. Key facts in the scenario The trio, Vivienne, Walter and Stephen have agreed on the type of restaurant they intend to set up; in essence, a Chinese restaurant with excellent seafood as its specialty and that incorporates Hong Kong style dumplings and yum cha. Another key issue is that the trio want the restaurant to be renowned for professional service; a milestone which they seek to achieve by attracting and recruiting members of staff who are efficient, knowledgeable and friendly. The trio is also interested in staff members who will be a little bit hip so as to draw youthful patrons and also attract families. It is also discernible that the trio intends to create a restaurant that will offer great value for money to the targeted clientele by the virtue of providing great service and great food. Another fact is that the business would need decor preferably Chinese for it to effectively bring out the desired Chinese restaurant image. This would however not be complete without being complemented by hiring of a vibrant team of young and female Chinese wait staff. Another relevant piece of information is Viviennes pertinent educational background in hospitality and human resource management as well as her brothers knowhow in accounting and law, knowledge that will be handy in not only addressing the people aspects of the investment but also the related legal and financial issues. Viviennes interest in cooking and diverse knowledge in recipes and food will also be useful in helping identify and recruit the most suitable and qualified chef for the restaurant. Steps that Vivienne and her brothers should take to successfully fill the jobs in their new restaurant The first step that they should take is competency profiling. The step would entail an analysis and determination of specific competencies including knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and skills that the staff for their new restaurant should possess for them to be effective in service delivery (Morrissey, Compton, Nankervis, 2014). These may include openness to customer input or suggestions, training in food safety, friendly and patient, excellent people skills, functional familiarity with ordering information systems and the cash register, excellent planning and customer-oriented skills, good interpersonal skills with both customers and colleagues, proven hands-on experience, hands-on problem solving skills, youthful and in excellent physical condition. Having identified the requisite competencies, the next step should be attraction of the desired employees based on the identified competencies. The recruitment process should take the form of job adverts encouraging individuals of Chinese descent who possess the requisite qualifications to apply for employment in large numbers at the restaurant. The next step should entail initial screening of the applications received and final selection of the most qualified persons for the wait staff, server and chef positions. It is however imperative that the recruitment, screening and selection processes are undertaken systematically and relevant aptitude, attainment and ability tests applied to eliminate bias and ensure only candidates who are suitable are hired to fill the available positions (Nankervis, Baird, Shields, Coffey, 2017). It is also crucial that the final selection process if varied based on the specific position being filled to ensure the pertinent requirements particular to th e job are thoroughly addressed (Nankervis et al, 2017). Where the employees should be sourced from The employees for the new Chinese restaurant should be sourced from China Town. By targeting this locality, the trio would be able to attract the most appropriate passionate young and female Chinese staff for the job. Their parents expansive network in the expansive Chinese hospitality community in Sydney would also be integral in helping tap into the rich human resource at the disposal of the community. The trio should also seek to attract and recruit from the Chinese community living in and around the Newcastle neighbourhood. This would be important in that it would help give the restaurant a more local feel to the target clientele living in the region thus lessening the likelihood of the establishment being viewed as foreign and out of touch with the tastes and preference of both the overseas students and the Chinese people living in the town. By targeting these localities as the source of employees, the new restaurant will be assured of staffs that are familiar with the intricacies of the local Chinese hospitality industry. This will enable the restaurant to run its operation in manner that enables it to compete effectively with other rival establishments. The course will also ensure recruitment of individuals who are familiar with the various menu options of Chinese restaurants thus guaranteeing the ability of the staff to present an array of menu alternatives the customers. Recruiting from the Australian Chinese community will also have the unique advantage of providing access to employees who are conversant with both the English and Chinese dialects which will augment the ability of the staff to establish relationships with customers, take orders, advice on best drink and food options as well as respond to and effectively address customer queries. Legal concerns worth considering When recruiting employees for the new Chinese restaurant the most outstanding legal issue that should be put into consideration relates to discrimination (Morrissey, Compton, Nankervis, 2014). The fact that the trio prefers Chinese waiters and mostly female and young could comprise a basis for discriminatory recruitment practices claims by those who may feel segregated by the specifications. In this respect, should the trio put out an advertisement for the positions specifying being Chinese or having Chinese roots as a condition of employment at the restaurant, they would risk being accused of unlawfully discriminating against persons based on their ethnicity. As a secular establishment, the new Chinese restaurant would have no legal rights to segregate against people on any basis and could thus the losing party should such proceedings be brought against it by an aggrieved entity. To address the legal concern, the trio should strive to put out job advertisements that would communicate to the intended audience the preference for Chinese candidates in a manner that is lawful. In this regard, the trio should desist from directly rejecting applications from individuals of other ethnicities and races by incorporating in the advertisement the requirement that the applicants should be knowledgeable in Chinese menu options, mannerisms and food culture. Application of the preference in this manner would help make the job advertisement non-discriminatory and thus eliminate the legal risk of the business being perceived as engaging in discriminatory recruitment practices (Morrissey, Compton, Nankervis, 2014). Ways in which the jobs should be designed to make them as interesting and challenging as possible To begin with, the trio of Vivienne and her two brothers should seek to achieve a tight fit between people aspects and business strategy (Compton Morrissey, 2001). This can be achieved through linking of the recruited employees and their roles with the strategic needs of the restaurant to ensure efforts by the staff contribute directly to the growth of the business. However, the approach could prove indifferent to the interests of the staff and hence care should be taken to dampen down the negative undesired effects (Budhwar Aryee, n.d.). Remedial measures including efforts to enhance the businesss skills inventory and encourage innovativeness with a view to improve the overall competitiveness of the restaurant business should be adopted (Snell, Shadur, Wright, 2000). The measures would be critical in averting situations where the business may become misfitted to the extremely dynamic business environment of today by ensuring its flexibility and ability to adapt to the necessary c hanges in the industry. In addition, the trio should provide opportunities for growth for their employees. This could be achieved by encouraging them to be proactive in problem solving vis-a-vis the day to day challenges that characterise the restaurant business. This would see the employees become more involved in efforts to enhance and nurture the reputation of the business as well as reorient their focus towards ensuring customer satisfaction. In effect, this would help make the jobs of the employees both interesting and challenging thus impacting positively on their motivation and overall job satisfaction as well as averting employee turnover (Nankervis, Baird, Shields, Coffey, 2017). References list Budhwar, P., Aryee, S. (n.d.). Chapter 1: An Introduction to Strategic Human Resource Management. Retrieved from https://www2.cipd.co.uk/nr/rdonlyres/cd5ee14a-ef5c-46da-bfcc-a8634f63193f/0/shrm_chapter_01.doc.doc Compton, R. L., Morrissey, B. (2001). Strategic Human Resource Management Beyond the rhetoric. Keeping Good Companies, 176-178. Morrissey, B., Compton, R. L., Nankervis, A. R. (2014). Effective Recruitment and Selection Practices (6th ed.). Sydney: Oxford University Press. Nankervis, A., Baird, M., Shields, J., Coffey, J. (2017). Human Resource Management: Strategy and Practice (9th ed.). South Melbourne: Cengage Learning. Snell, S. A., Shadur, M. A., Wright, P. M. (2000). Human Resources Strategy: The Era of Our Ways (CAHRS Working Paper #00-17). Ithaca, NY: CAHRS/Cornell University.

Cyberlaundering: Anonymous Digital Cash and Money Laundering :: essays research papers

Cyberlaundering: Anonymous Digital Cash and Money Laundering Copyright 1996 R. Mark Bortner The author hereby grants the right to copy this article in its entirety or any portion thereof by any means possible and to distribute such copies freely and without charge. The author simply requests that when a portion of this article or its entirety is included within another work, that such copied material be clearly and correctly cited to. Presented as final paper requirement for Law & the Internet (LAW 745). A seminar at the University of Miami School of Law. Introduction This article will explore the latest technique in money laundering: Cyberlaundering by means of anonymous digital cash. Part I is a brief race through laundering history. Part II discusses how anonymous Ecash may facilitate money laundering on the Intenet. Part III examines the relationship between current money laundering law and cyberlaundering. Part IV addresses the underlying policy debate surrounding anonymous digital currency. Essentially, the balance between individual financial privacy rights and legitimate law enforcement interests. In conclusion, Part V raises a few unanswered societal questions and attempts to predict the future. Disclaimer: Although the author discusses this subject in a casual, rather than rigidly formal tone, money laundering is a serious issue which should not be taken lightly. As this article will show, fear of money laundering only serves to increase banking regulations which, in turn, affect everyone's ability to conduct convenient, efficient and relatively private financial transactions. Part I Humble Beginnings In the beginning, laundering money was a physical effort. The art of concealing the existence, the illegal source, or illegal application of income, and then disguising that income to make it appear legitimate 1 required that the launderer have the means to physically transport the hard cash.2 The trick was, and still is, to avoid attracting unwanted attention, thus alerting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other government agencies 3 involved in searching out ill-gotten gains.4 In what could be described as the "lo-tech" world of money laundering, the process of cleaning "dirty money" was limited by the creative ability to manipulate the physical world. Other than flying cash out of one country and depositing it in a foreign bank with less stringent banking laws,5 bribing a bank teller, or discretely purchasing real or personal property, the classic approach was for a "smurf"6 to deposit cash at a bank. Essentially, platoons of couriers assaulted the lobbies of banks throughout the United States with deposits under the $10,000 reporting limit as required under the Bank Secrecy Act.

The Film Swades by Ashutosh Gowariker Essay -- India Indian Film Movie

Swades After the international success (including an Academy Award nomination) of Lagaan (2001), writer-producer-director Ashutosh Gowariker’s follow-up is at first glance a very different film: whereas Lagaan gave new life to the Hindi â€Å"historical† film by being located entirely in 1893 and in Champaner, an imaginary Indian village, Swades opens with a shot of the globe that zooms down into contemporary Washington DC, where its hero, so unlike the earlier film’s simple villager Bhuvan, is a manager working on NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement project. Whereas Bhuvan, lacking the ability to converse in English, nevertheless has to learn the wily ways of the British colonial rulers in order to literally beat them at their own game, Mohan Bhargava (Shah Rukh Khan), the hero of Swades, is apparently a fully assimilated, literally globalized scientist who skillfully handles a press conference in high-tech, jargon-laden English. And whereas Lagaan begi ns with the imposing voice-over of Amitabh Bachchan’s immaculate Hindi, that language won’t be heard in the â€Å"Hindi† film Swades for almost ten minutes, and then as hybrid â€Å"Hinglish† spoken by Mohan and his colleague Vinod. But Swades soon draws Mohan back to his native India and to Charanpur, another imaginary village, in search of his beloved Kaveriamma (veteran actress Kishori Ballal, most notable in Kannada theatre, film, and television), the humble woman who raised him but who he has shamefully neglected following the death of his parents in a car crash when he was in college. Once the film adds a romance with Gita (Gayatri Joshi in her film debut), a village belle and schoolteacher of the feisty and independent sort, and begins to focus upon a goal (the generation o... ..., auditions, and â€Å"Social Relevance Information.† The latter consists of a summary of India’s caste system â€Å"complied only for the purpose of the film and necessarily does not coincide with any other researched sources.† Truly interested viewers might nevertheless be encouraged to seek out â€Å"other researched sources.† Works Cited Jigna Desai, â€Å"Planet Bollywood: Indian Cinema Abroad† in East Main Street: Asian American Popular Culture. Ed. Shilpa Dave, LeLani Nishime, and Tasha G. Oren. New York: NYU Press, 2005. Sunaina Marr Maira, Desis in the House: Indian American Youth Culture in New York City. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2002. Vijay Mishra, Bollywood Cinema: Temples of Desire. London: Routledge, 2002. Arvind Rajagopal, Politics after Television: Hindu Nationalism and the Reshaping of the Public in India. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2001.

Small Soldiers, Ally Mcbeal, Junger’s The Perfect Storm, and Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt :: Comparison Compare Contrast

The Movie Small Soldiers, The Television Show Ally Mcbeal, Junger’s Novel The Perfect Storm, and Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt The movie Small Soldiers, The television series Ally Mcbeal, Junger’s novel The Perfect Storm, and Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt fall into the larger category of methods of entertainment. All of these methods of "entertainment" are stories, each have common elements of stories, and are writings in themselves. The Movie and show started out as screen plays, so they have the elements that plays and novels have. To learn from these elements you must look at the good and the bad, and sometimes you find that you learn more from the bad ones than from the good. Small soldiers uses imagination to get its story across. Mainly written for entertainment purposes and because small fighting toys sell with little kids that all wish that their toys could come to life. That ever captivating written action or violence that keeps our short attention spans is used constantly in this movie, and is basically what the movie is about. The movie although having much of the trash elements of a bad action film, does have a meaningful moral, mainly, just because something looks monstrous or grotesque doesn’t mean that it is evil. The good guys, GI Joe buff fighters, who are ruthless killers for the American way and look human are the toys with the real evil side, loving torture and killing and doing anything to kill the enemy. The Monsters lead by Archer a furry wolf like creature who does not look human and are grotesque in some ways are really sweet, adorable, good, and help a little boy sort through his problems with girls and his dad. Small Soldiers kept the attention of the audience, especially the younger audience, and still, in a way, got the moral message across. While to some it might have been a waste of time, the way that it kept the attention of a particular audience, catering to a specific watcher, is important, for these things must be taken into consideration when I am writing. I must know my reader, and my reader’s main thoughts and feelings, what will keep my readers attention so that I can most effectively get my message across. Tone in writing is very important in this way. If I was writing for a bunch of children

Discuss the Importance of Visual Perception Essay

Sexual development is an important personal characteristic that contributes to ones self-worth. It is the way one sees him or her independent of one’s anatomic appearance. The way one feels and the way one is acknowledged by society and the environment can make the difference between being happy or unhappy. Whether or not one’s choice is accepted by others can also influence how one lives. Unfortunately, sexual development is often confused because it is most often assumed to agree with one’s appearance. Very often, it does but sometimes it differs. Simply because something seems or is supposed to be a certain way due to one’s societal expectations, does not mean that it always will be. Things are not always the way they appear and it takes much greater knowledge and understanding to accept people for what they are, even if it does not go along with what one learned. Keywords: Gender, male and female, hormones, environment Sexual Development Everyone possesses a gender identity, which most often matches one’s anatomic appearance. One’s sexual development can be either male or female or even something in between. Is sexual development truly so important or does it not play that significant of a role? Maybe this example will help everyone come to a better conclusion about this subject. A healthy baby boy was born to very happy parents. However, about eight months into his life, something happened and his genitals were horrifically destroyed. His biggest male appearance at that age, his penis, did not exist anymore. His parents, completely disturbed by the accident, heard about a psychologist who was able to assign sex to children whose genitals were destroyed or not there for another reason. According to Culbertson (2009), â€Å"If it is not created, then the child will be assigned a grammatical gender (in the Western world, all children must be either a boy or a girl), which may or may not match that childà ¢â‚¬â„¢s social gender as it evolves over the course of childhood† (para. 14). Very often, when a parent chooses the sex for his or her own child due to the circumstances, it seems to work very well. However, prenatal hormones also influence these factors in either working or not. Nevertheless, it did not work in this case and this boy began to live  an unhappy life as a girl. Time went by and many problems occurred until she saw another psychologist. Her parents finally told her what happened and she began the transformation into a male. It seems like being a male made him happier once again and he even married and became a stepfather. However, this story does not have a successful conclusion, as David Reimer committed suicide at the age of 38 (New York Times, 2004). This tragic story shows that one’s sexual development matters. It also explains that there is more than one factor that contributes to one’s sexual development. Therefore, the author of this paper will try to provide a better understanding into how gender identity and sexual development happens. The interaction between hormones and behavior will be explained and what role it plays in finding his or her own gender indentify in sexual development. As usual, it will also use the help of biopsychology and the environment to provide a better answer for the reader. The author hopes that the reader will not only establish a deeper knowledge about this subject but mostly that he or she will walk away with more understanding for individualism. Determination of Sexual Development Many different factors come into play determining one’s final sexual development. It is very important to acknowledge that not everything that appears a certain way also will perform as such. One’s anatomy might indicate being a male or female; however, this does not mean that this is actually how a person views him or herself. Chromosomes play a very important role in developing sexual organs. Sexual chromosomes, such as XX and XY, help determine sexual differentiation. For instance, XX chromosomes will lead to the development of a female while XY chromosomes develop a male. In addition, the sexual X chromosome and non-sexual chromosomes can do more and possess the ability of developing either sexual genitals. This is why the exposure to hormones before and after one is born is so significant. Hormones are responsible for one’s biological development. Therefore, it is very interesting to find out that the Y chromosome directs the glands to releases male sex hormones. Furthermore, hormones present during pregnancy will most likely affect the nervous system. It is important to acknowledge that every embryo is bisexual and has the ability to develop into a male or female until the end of the first trimester and  the ability of hormones, which will the determine the kind of system, the Mà ¼llerian system or Wolffian system, one develops (Carlson, 2007). It is clear that hormones influence sexual development and help one to not only view him or her as male or female but also feel as such. For instance, hormones also influence feminine and masculine characteristics. As stated by Berk (2004), â€Å"Masculine and androgynous children and adults have higher self-esteem, whereas feminine individuals often think poorly of themselves, perhaps because many of their traits are not highly valued by society†(p. 263). Children and Sexual Development One is not born knowing everything about him or herself. The way one is brought up, the environment, and different beliefs, just to mention few, all help one come to that conclusion. Children are not born with the knowledge of what his or her anatomy and gender identity is; they learn it at a certain age. To be even more exact and according to Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus (2008) â€Å"Most children first become aware of their anatomic sex by about the age of 18 months. By 36 months, most children have acquired a firm sense of gender identity† (p.167). Therefore, one’s social learning and cognitive development also affect gender identity and sexual development. Children are influenced first by their parents and then by other authorities, peers and even the media. Another very important theory that should be considered in how one comes to their gender identity is the gender schema theory. This theory knows the strong influence one’s cognitive development and the environment play together. This happens by setting either masculine or feminine categories with which one can identify more. So for instance, boys play only with specific toys and girls do the same. Either gender is criticized by not following these rules or these rules are even pre-set by others. Parents buy gender specific toys and stores even categorize their sections by age and gender. These examples show how much other factors help one choose his and her gender identity and therefore influence one’s sexual development (Berk, 2004, p. 263). Still, even though one’s appearance normally goes along with one’s preference, there are times when this does not happen. Maybe this is one of the reasons why it takes so many to open up and let everyone know how he or she truly  feels. This may also be one of the reasons why so many never say anything and hurt themselves or even end their lives. This is why it is especially important for parents and other authorities’ roles to avoid stereotyping and allow the possibility of acceptance even if it does not go alone with one’s thin king and the social agreement. Furthermore, this can be explained by examining the behavior of intersexuals. Intersexuals’ gonads differ from their sexual appearance yet they are brought up by how they look. However, many express difficulty indentifying with being either male or female. This provides the clear evidence of the interplay of biological factors and the environment contributing to one’s sexual development (Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus, 2008). However, indentifying with either one seems to be important. Quoted by Gross: Both males and females reported that gendered expectations at home involved educational success. For females, gendered expectations at school involved being interested in fashion and boys. For males, gendered expectations at school involved being interested in girls and participating in non-academic activities like sport (Gross, 2009). Biological Psychology Biological psychology plays an important role and considers different factors when explaining what and how sexual differentiation and sexual development is determine. It acknowledges that a person’s brain influences one’s behavior; this behavior resembles male or female characteristics and will be categorized as such. However, biological psychology also knows that it is not so simple explaining a human and there are many other important aspects in one’s life, which cause certain things to occur. Therefore, not only the brain but also, hormones, heredity, the environment, cultural upbringing, and one’s choices will determine either a traditional or a non-traditional role with which one can better identify. Determination of Greater Influence As everyone differs from each other, so too differ each individual’s influence. For instance, someone could have been exposed to prenatal hormones that normally would determine how one turns out to be, but then they were prone to the influences of his or her environment and turned out completely opposite. Therefore, saying which has the greater contribution  is a difficult decision to make. There is evidence for both such as, being raised as a male and resembling one should surely let one know that is how they should feel. That does not happen all the time. If the answer would be so clear, then one should be able to know what causes female homosexuals to have higher levels of testosterone, as human biology or a certain lifestyle can increase the level. This is why it is, most likely, the interplay of both that contribute to this occurrence, leading to uncertainty of the main cause. Conclusion One’s looks do not indicate how one feels and certain important factors contribute to one’s sexual differentiation, gender identity, and sexual development. Surely, it matters to try to find the correct answers because they may provide more understanding to human nature. So maybe one day, much clearer resolutions can be provided. However, in the mean time, one should always keep in mind that every individual tries to be his or her best and to be acknowledged is what, in the end, counts and makes a truly good person. One way of doing so is â€Å"by making it illegal to discriminate in employment, public accommodation, credit, housing and education based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity†( Journal of Property Management, 2007).

Сauses of the Protestant Reformation

The term â€Å"Protestant Reformation† is used to describe what was originally an effort to â€Å"reform† Western or Catholic Christianity (the term Catholic means â€Å"universal†) but ended up creating a separate tradition. Several stages can be identified as part of the Reformation, beginning with Martin Luther (1483-1546) in Germany then shifting to John Calvin (1509-1564) and Huldrrych Zwingli (1481-1531) in Switzerland (206). Reforming ideas later spread to England, leading to the Church of England (Anglican) breaking from Rome (1533) and the growth of many Protestant denominations, such as Methodist, Baptist and Congregational.Luther’s nailing of his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg in 1517 is widely considered as launching the Reformation but earlier people, ideas and movements contributed toward Luther’s actions. Political and religious factors both lie behind the Reformation. First, religious then political causes o f the Reformation are discussed below. Among several â€Å"forerunners† of the reformation was John Wycliffe (d. 1384), the English Bible translator and his disciple Jan Huss (1372-1415) of Bohemia. Earlier movements and attempts to reform the Church also lie behind the Reformation.Many wanted ordinary Christians to read the Bible for themselves and blurred the distinction between lay and ordained. One of the major emphases of the reformation was the â€Å"priesthood of all believers. † Direct access to the bible in vernacular languages, not in Latin which few lay people spoke or read, was regarded by Catholic priests as dangerous, by-passing their priestly role as mediators. Luther, an Augustinian monk and professor at Wittenburg, became convinced that the Church substituted itself for â€Å"faith†, acting as if â€Å"salvation† was a commodity that could be bought and sold, which the Pope did in the form of indulgences.Preoccupied with â€Å"justificat ion,† Luther determined that faith is God’s free gift; it cannot be earned by good works or bought from the church. He also criticized the wealth and political power of the Church. He renounced celibacy, arguing that the Christian life is a vocation that should be lived out in the world. Protestants rejected papal authority; gave priority to the bible, recognized two (as compared with seven) sacraments, baptism and communion (some jettisoned the concept of â€Å"sacrament†); gave communion in both kinds (as compared with only bread) and taught the priesthood of all believers.Behind these Protestant emphases was discontentment with a Church that was dominated by priests, practiced many traditions that could not be traced back to scripture and that was preoccupied with wealth and power at the expense of spirituality. Such practices as buying church offices (simony), clerical marriage or the keeping of mistresses as well as the sale of indulgences, all compromised t he Church’s moral and spiritual authority. Faith for Protestants usually involves a personal experience of renewal. You are not born a Christian but become Membership of a Church does not mean that you are necessarily a true believer.Invention of the printing press, too, made placing the Bible at the center possible because more and more people could now read the bible. Translation also facilitated this process. The above also had political implications. Much money went from countries such as the German states to Italy to pay for building churches or to maintain the lavish lifestyle of popes and bishops in Rome. Earlier, during what was called the investiture controversy of the 11th and 12th centuries, the Pope had vied with kings and princes over who had the right to appoint church officers, with the Pope claiming that only he had the right to do so.In fact, there was also historical tension between the Pope’s claim to be the ultimate temporal as well as spiritual aut hority and kings who saw themselves as ruling directly under divine authority with no need for papal approval. Following Luther’s denunciation of indulgences and of other beliefs and practices, several German princes supported his new movement, asserting that they had the right to choose which version of Christianity would be the â€Å"church† within their state.Effectively, this was what Henry VIII did when he declared that the Church of England was independent from Rome, that it was the established church of his realm. Henry became head of the Church of England. In theory, the Popes saw the Church as â€Å"above† the state, since they legitimized kingly succession. In Protestantism, the Church tends to be regarded as â€Å"under† the state, or as a partner in running the state. Luther and other reformers were in part successful because they had the support of political leaders.From the perspective of kings and other temporal rulers, weakening the power of the Pope and retaining money within their own states was a significant factor. For Luther and his fellow reformers, the Reformation had more to do with matters of the heart. Luther experienced a personal transformation while preparing his lectures on the Book of Romans and it was this experience that prompted his ideas about â€Å"faith alone†, â€Å"grace alone† and â€Å"scripture alone†. Yet without the support of temporal rulers he would probably have been convicted of heresy and executed.Rather than single out one or several causes of the Reformation as the most important, arguably, what lies at the root of the Reformation was a new spirit of humanism that was sweeping Europe. Luther was no â€Å"humanist† but he did want to give Christianity back to the people and in a sense to individuals, who would study the Bible, undergo personal, individual religious experiences and who would not have to answer to an external sources of authority. No one wou ld stand between a person and their God, although kings tried to do so as stamped out alternatives to their choice of a state church. . The Renaissance has been called the `birth of modernity. `Why? The â€Å"Renaissance† describes the period from about 1300 to about 1600, although historians disagree about the exact parameters. Historians actually identify several â€Å"renaissances† such as the English renaissance and the Scottish renaissance although the term is often restricted to the Italian renaissance. â€Å"Modernity† can be a misleading concept, because what was thought â€Å"modern† in the 1920’s seems old-fashioned in the opening years of the 21st century. The word means â€Å"re-birth†.Following the Black Death, which emasculated the population of Europe killing about a quarter of the population, some people decided that if life was short they ought to become as much as possible masters and mistresses of their destiny. Life was t oo fragile to be subject to a great many limitations and controls. The typical Renaissance Man did not confine himself to a single area of interest but studied a wide range of disciplines. Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) for example was a scientist, an inventor, an artist, a anatomist, musician, visionary, musician and engineer.Arguably, Da Vinci did not want to miss out on any aspect of learning that was accessible to him as a human individual. He wanted everything that life could afford him. One contributing factor behind the emergence of the Renaissance was the rediscovery of classical learning aided by the influx of Greek refugees from Constantinople after 1453, when it fell to the Ottomans. Scholars from the East brought with them copies of Aristotle, Plato and other Greek masters. Other forgotten texts traveled to Europe via the Muslim world through Spain. The City-state of Florence was instrumental in developing Renaissance ideas.Some suggest that after the Black Death merchant s and workers gained importance. Since they were fewer in number, they could demand higher wages and more privileges. In smaller states, their importance was magnified. More wealth led to more interest in spending their leisure time pursuing learning and other interesting activities. Previously, scholarship had been dominated and policed by the Church to ensure that ideas though dangerous and contrary to Christian teaching did not develop. Lay people now turned to serious academic endeavors and were less concerned with conformity to Christian ideas.What many saw in the classical texts was confidence in humanity itself, in human ability to shape the world, to control human destiny. The way in which the human form was depicted in Greek sculpture testified to the nobility of the human form. Renaissance men such as Petrach (1304-1374) actually thought that ancient times were superior and wanted to reconstruct the past. Ancient knowledge of the functioning of the human body suggested the uniqueness of â€Å"man† among other creatures. All of this shifted the human to the center. Renaissance thought is not characteristically atheist but it is generally classed as â€Å"humanist†.Much scholarship focused on the humanities, that is, poetry, grammar, history, moral philosophy and rhetoric and there was a deep concern with how men and women could live virtuous lives. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) famously said that â€Å"man is the measure of all things† which can be taken as the motto of the age. The Renaissance was also given a boost because wealthy people decided that patronizing art and learning was worthwhile. In what sense did the Renaissance prefigure or give birth to modernity? Modernity here is understood as the age of mature humanism. God is no longer thought to supervise and pre-ordain human affairs.The Church is no longer the guardian of learning. Knowledge is that which can be empirically proven, regardless of whether the Ch urch approves or not. While many â€Å"great men† of the Renaissance still believed in God and in eternal punishment or reward, others began to distance themselves from religion. Some tended to think that God created the world and humanity but then stepped aside, leaving people to determine their own destiny. Modern thinkers do not look to religious doctrines to determine â€Å"right† from â€Å"wrong† but see notions of morality as socially agreed constructs which are therefore fluid and subject to change.A thinker such as John Stuart Mill (1806-73) argued that a world free of religion would be more moral because people would act not in order to earn a reward but simply because an act was moral. Spinoza (1632-77) produced a system of ethics that was derived from rational thought, not from scripture. The idea that humans, by ingenuity can cure diseases, shape the world to suit their needs, redeem past mistakes by new feats of engineering and skill, puts â€Å"h umanity† at the center and all but makes God redundant.God becomes either wishful thinking or a dangerous idea, one that prevents people from taking responsibility. Historians, though, are divided on whether the Renaissance was a bridge from the Middle Ages to modernity or whether nostalgia for the past was so rampant that it could not prepare for an unknown the future. Or, even if Renaissance people did glorify the past this was in order to improve the world in which they lived and the world in which their children and their children would later live. Renaissance people were confident that human skill could make the world a better, more attractive place.The impetus to know the world led to the great explorers, which in turn inspired the more recent quest to reach the stars. Arguably, Renaissance people looked back to take what was best from the past so that humanity could move forward. Thus, modernity has its roots in Renaissance conviction that man is the measure of all thin gs. 2. The Early Middle Ages are often referred to as the `Dark Ages. ` Why? Was there any learning during this period? Dividing history into periods and naming them is problematic because not everyone agrees on how time should be divided.Characterizing an era by its main ideas or ethos, such as â€Å"Renaissance†, â€Å"Enlightenment† may be better than using such terms as â€Å"Middle Ages† or â€Å"Modern† because what can now be called â€Å"Middle† will later be nearer the start of written history. What is now â€Å"modern† will seem antiquated. The term â€Å"Middle Ages† may remain appropriate when applied to the period between the classical and the Renaissance, that is, from the 5th to the 13th centuries, although the Renaissance is sometimes included in the late Middle Ages, ending in the 15th century.Defining historical periods by describing their ethos depends on establishing a consensus about what characterized them. It wa s the Renaissance thinker, Petrarch (d. 1374) who first referred to the early Middle Ages (roughly end of fifth to end of ninth century) as the Dark Ages. Petrarch believed that the classical world was superior to the age in which he lived, itself characterized as a period of â€Å"re-birth†, that is, of reviving ancient ideas. Consequently, for Petrach, the period between the end of the classical age and the beginning of the Renaissance was â€Å"dark†.The term ‘Middle Ages† was also coined by a Renaissance period scholar, Flavio Biondo (d. 1463) who distinguished the classical, the Middle and the modern periods. For him, modernity began around about his own time, or perhaps from the Fall of Constantinople (1453). During the Dark Ages, Learning was rare, confined almost exclusively to the Church and many clergy were badly educated. Europe was divided, since the attempt to unite the former provinces of the Roman Empire as the Holy Roman Empire failed.The Ca tholic Church was the only pan-European organization and this may have hindered the development of science because little other than theology was taught or studied. There was hardly any serious historiography and literature, all in Latin, was almost exclusively hagiography or related to theology. Poetry, creative and imaginative writing, fiction, was conspicuous by their absence. Art did exist but was controlled by the Church and comparatively few great buildings or cultural artifacts were produced, although some were. Examples of great art are the illuminated mss of the Bible, such as the Book of Kells.Certainly, there was a great deal of superstition during the Dark Ages and anything that the Church authorities could not understand was condemned. This included some ancient knowledge of medicine, dubbed â€Å"witchcraft† and spiritual practices that challenges the Church’s authority, such as Celtic Christianity in Ireland, Scotland and Wales where women played a great er role and nature was reverenced. In fact, however, there were centers of learning where non-religious subjects were explored: some monasteries were isolated but maintained libraries where away from the prying age of the protectors of orthodoxy forbidden ideas were explored.The term â€Å"dark ages† highlights the contrast between the age of discovery when development took place in many areas, in science, medicine and technology from the Renaissance on and the earlier lack of progress or achievement. Yet others argue that some important aspects of modern life have their roots in the Dark Ages. For example, although the experiment of unifying Europe under the Holy Roman Empire failed, the Catholic Church did represent a unifying ideal. People were conscious of belonging to an entity that was larger than their political unit. People saw themselves as belonging to the same race, with the same rights.The idea of the whole globe as a common habitat may stem from this early unders tanding of human unity. The idea that everyone, even rulers were subject to the same law and the use of juries of peers can be traced back to the Dark Ages. The jury system remains fundamental to how justice operates in the modern world. In Art, realism was a feature during the Dark Ages, laying foundations for later developments such as the Romanesque and Gothic styles. Universities emerged just after the end of the Dark Ages and cannot have appeared from nowhere, that is, the idea of the University must have some roots in the so-called Dark Ages.The oldest Universities in Europe such as Bologna, Paris and Oxford taught the arts, law, medicine as well as theology. Enough people versed in these subjects but who were not themselves graduates of universities must have existed to teach relevant courses. Presumably, they were the products of monastic centers of learning that had pushed the boundaries of knowledge beyond theological topics. Thus, the term â€Å"Dark Ages† may refl ect the perspective of Renaissance scholars more accurately than it does those of modern scholars.On the one hand, the Renaissance is depicted as the beginning of modernity or as its precursor, suggesting that modernity built on antecedents and did not materialize spontaneously, appearing ex nihilo. Similarly, some ideas from the Dark Ages such as early contact with Muslim learning in Spain, may have laid foundations on which the Renaissance built. Pre-Renaissance Europeans were not completely ignorant about classical thinkers, for example. There may be better ways of dividing and characterizing history, although both terms â€Å"Dark Ages† and â€Å"Middle Ages† have had a long shelf life.