Nature †Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Example Essay Example

Nature – Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Example Paper Nature – Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Introduction Nature – Nurture in Human Developmental Psychology Nature – Nurture in Human Developmental Psychology Nature – Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Body Paragraphs The nature versus nurture controversy is concerned with the comparative significance of an individual’s instinctive features (innatism) against individual experiences (nurture) in establishing or triggering individual dissimilarities in behavioral and physical attributes. The argument as to whether human beings obtain their behavioral characteristics from an inborn source or they are developed from the effects of the environment in which humans live, is not a simple matter. Both of these factors interactively contribute towards shaping the behavior of an individual. A key element in understanding this issue is first understanding the definitions of the terms nature and nurture. The nature aspect of this argument stresses on the extent to which an individual portrays biological predispositions. Conversely, nurture stresses on how much of an individual shows signs of being affected by environmental factors. In reality, a combination of the environment and the genes affects a per son’s development. A good illustration is a person inherits genes for being tall but because of poor nurturing, end up short or average height. Several considerations are present when considering the impasse that exists between nature and nurture such as moral considerations, personality misinterpretations and other complications. The analysis of these considerations will form the next section. There are consequences when taking either side in the debate on nature versus nurture. In arguing when inclined toward nature, most of the arguments are inclined towards scientific explanations. Scientists have placed a great amount of emphasis on racism as a major factor in the analysis of nature. They argue that the race of an individual, which is inherited, plays a crucial role in determining the nature of an individual (Stiles, 2008). Using this argument, scientists propose that the heredity of an individual is the only influencing factor in their nature. Arguing from this point of view is flawed because while heredity is a natural phenomenon, it cannot be said to be the only factor influencing an individual’s behavior. This is because while an individual will inherit certain behaviors from their biological parents, the environment in which they live or grow up will either accentuate or repress their inherent behavior. Scientists acknowledge this contribution by environmental factors but downplay it as being insignificant in a person’s life. In other words, despite the environment and experiences that an individual may encounter, their innate nature ultimately determines their behavior. This line of argument that is inclined towards nature is also flawed in that it crosses the gap between what is fact and what is ideal. By doing so, proponents of nature over nurture wrongly employ values to facts. The continuous subscription to this line of thinking ultimately convinces people that biological stereotypes and behaviors are part of human nature ma king for flawed reasoning. One of the methods of proving this phenomenon is through the IATs tests that illustrated that, despite the broad significance of stereotypes, they influence the decisions and conduct of al people equally (Stiles, 2008). Most scientists reach their conclusions on the nature and nurture issue by assessing the behavior of identical twins. These studies sets have provided a wealth of information on nature versus nurture. Scientists can assess how these subjects behave in different settings, behavior that was strikingly similar and any other elements that can assist in providing knowledge. The Springer and Lewis twins are the best examples of twins that have contributed tremendously in showing the influences of nurture and nature. The argument between nurture and nature could affect the human race in several ways. One of the contributions includes its influence on the health sector. Using conclusions from such studies on nature versus nurture, scientists can di scover new methods of treating critical diseases such as cancer. Solutions to such issues can be discovered using explanations on nature and nurture. From the information currently known by scientists, it can be said that these critical diseases are because of imbalanced nature and nurture and that by closely controlling the nurturing aspect while, at the infant stages, the occurrences of these diseases can be significantly reduced. Such studies could hold an extremely valuable potential for health and man’s lifespan (Lerner, 2002). Nurture over Nature Nurture is equally important in influencing human behavior by influencing the hormones, actions and condition of human beings. Numerous positive and negative environmental inputs influence how an individual will eventually turn out in the future. These factors include nutrition, health, education and other elements that are central in most people’s lives. Several studies on the effect of nurturing on intelligence and hea lth have revealed that it is highly significant in determining how the amounts of these two in different individuals (Clarsk Grunstein, 2010). While not discrediting that natural tendencies are highly significant factors, proponents of the nurture theory assume that these natural factors are non-influential. Conversely, they argue that the behavioral aspects among human beings come from the environmental factors during life experiences. Psychologists such as John Watson have conducted numerous investigations on children that yielded conclusions supporting the supremacy of nurture over nature. He is credited with the famous statement that proposed to bring up children in whatever way he wanted by influencing their environment and upbringing. Nurture theorists propose that an individual’s society is influenced largely by the manner in which they were reared and the environment they were exposed (Lerner, 2002). Nurture as understood by John B. Watson’s in his theory of b ehaviorism argued that human behavior was learned as opposed to being inborn. Humans teach themselves new things by observing and copying other people in their environment. Through these social relations, people construct their diverse characters and behavioral trends. Without social relations, characters usually fail to develop, and distinctive behavior is negligible. Social experiences and interactions build up over several periods and shape the behavior of people to act in certain ways. For instance, studies demonstrate that children who have guardians that take drugs also end up taking the same drugs themselves. Such children picked up and replicated the act of taking drugs from their guardians and through their peers and other means, learnt to accept that it was socially acceptable to take drugs (Witkowski, Inglis Davenport, 2008). A study done by North Carolina State University revealed that environmental factors, for example, lifestyle and locations play a large function whe n specific genes are assumed non-influential. The study analyzed a fixed population of Moroccans who provided results that proved that their environment influenced their behavior. Urban dwellers were found to have increasingly developed respiratory genes because of the congested, polluted air in the cities when compared to rural dwellers. Urban dwellers were also more conscious of polluting the air and engaged in several activities to reduce pollution. This was a classical example of how life in the city changed the behavior of city dwellers even though naturally they were born in a different way. The nurture theory asserts that hereditary influence over conceptual features may be present; however, the ecological factors are the real genesis of individual’s conduct. This includes using conditioning tactics in order to encourage different behaviors in human beings, or change an improbable behavior being displayed by the individual (Witkowski et al, 2008). Conclusion In my opin ion, neither nature nor nurture holds supremacy in determining the behavior of an individual. Nature is significant in an individual’s life because all human beings are born with certain traits within their genes. These traits are inborn and cannot be altered through any man made techniques. Conversely, nurturing introduces artificial behaviors and choices to people by exposing them to different environments. This exposure under different parentage, locations and conditions, teach people behave differently than they would otherwise have behaved. Nurturing in human beings affects many factors such as the intelligence levels and can sometimes override the inborn (natural) traits in an individual. However, despite compelling arguments from both parties, it is evident that neither nature nor nurture alone can satisfactorily influence an individuals’ behavior. Both nature and nurture combine to influence how an individual behaves (Lippa, 2005). The motive for taking such a stand is derived from the evidence provided by several behavioral scientists, and other scholars who have done research on the role of nurture and nature on an individual. Scholars such as John Watson who came up with behavioral theories have proved that even though nature or nurture may offer compelling evidence of its superiority, both of them play equally significant roles in shaping the lives of an individual. References Clark, W. R., Grunstein, M. (2010). Are we hardwired? The role of genes in human behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lerner, R. M. (2002). Concepts and theories of human development. Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum. Lippa, R. A. (2005). Gender, nature, and nurture. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Stiles, J. (2008). The fundamentals of brain development: Integrating nature and nurture. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Witkowski, J. A., Inglis, J. R., Davenport, C. B. (2008). Davenport‘s dream: 21st century reflections on heredity and eugenics. Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. We will write a custom essay sample on Nature – Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Nature – Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Nature – Nurture in human developmental psychology Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Ask Yourself Are You Happy In Your Current Job

Ask Yourself Are You Happy In Your Current Job You’re happy to have a job, of course. But are you really happy in your job? If you want the best of all worlds- i.e. to live to work rather than work to live, then maybe it’s time to ask yourself whether you are actually happy where you are- or whether you could be happier somewhere else, doing something else. Have no idea how to figure this one out? Try asking yourself the following questions.1. What do you care about?Step one is to identify your passion. Figure out what gets you really jazzed up. It might be in a whole different career field entirely- you’ll never know until you do the soul searching necessary to find out. What do you enjoy? Writing? Working as a group? Working with your hands? No idea is too stupid. Figure out what really makes you excited and then figure out how to pursue it as a second step.2. What do you do best?Identifying your strengths is a good next step. Can any of them work laterally? For example, can you move to a slightly different field or totally different position that’s more suited to what you really care about purely by repurposing the skills you already have? Think a bit differently about what you can actually do- not just what you’ve studies and what you’ve been doing.3. Are you proud of your company?Does the company culture make you feel great about working where you do? Is this a challenging environment that also offers rewards and some degree of fulfillment? If you can’t excel where you are, and are not empowered to achieve your very best, then you might consider moving around.4. How’s your boss?This actually makes a massive difference. If you have a good rapport and a relationship built on mutual respect and trust, that goes a very long way toward job satisfaction. If your boss isn’t helping you to grow, then perhaps your happiness will suffer.5. What’s your role?Are you part of the solution? In the challenges facing your company and the world, does your position matter? Does the work you do every day make active gains in working toward an answer? Or do you feel like you’re irrelevant- or just part of the problem? Look back at your job description. Is your role part of the company’s boarder mission? Are you doing work that includes what made you excited to work there in the first place? Or just pushing paper and twiddling your thumbs?6. Is your network growing?A good job is one that will help you to expand your network? If you’re constantly meeting new people and being inspired and challenged by what the other people in your industry are doing, you’ll be much less bored where you are. You might even have a great lead for where to end up next!7. How’s communication?Start paying attention to how your company communicates- with everyone. This includes the interview process. Are people personable? Professional? Punctual with responses to questions and their share of the work? Are the bosses totall y hands off, or does everyone feel like they have a stake in the mission at hand? How are you and others evaluated? Fairly? Constructively?8. How do your colleagues feel?If everyone else is wildly thrilled where they are at your company, and you’ve determined that you’re at least in the right field or job, then perhaps there are deeper problems with your lack of satisfaction than can be fixed by switching careers. But if you uncover a lot of similar gripes to yours? It might be time to go back to Step 1 and start thinking about where you might go next.

The Pantheon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Pantheon - Essay Example The force of the presence of Pantheon as well as its environmental symbolism often works charismatically upon visitors who experience the beautiful reach of its canopied void while passing through its bronze door into the enclosing rotunda. The extensive and influential architectural effects of the Pantheon upon the subsequent buildings are incontrovertible, and documented widely for the design and various aspects of the architecture (Baker 30). The controversial designer of the architecture, Hadrian, had an in-depth architectural brilliance accompanied with deep interest in architecture. He demonstrated inexplicable impudence and superiority in his architectures. Literature reveals that the conception and design of the Pantheon was original. Notwithstanding the fair amount of data and information on the history of the building, the eventual meaning and impression of the building remains in its intricacy and mystery. The description of the Rome architecture, the Pantheon, is presente d with information on its history. The description will cover the interior and exterior descriptions. History of the Pantheon According to MacDonald, the architect of the Rome Pantheon is unidentified. MacDonald states that it is almost certain that Hadrian was not the architect of the Pantheon despite his name being widely suggested as the one. He argues that the construction of the building must have required a thorough going professional to create the drawings and models, calculate the design and construction details and supervise the complex and extracting work as it progressed. Whoever the architect of the Pantheon may have been, the architect stands in relation to the building of Hadrian as Justinian to the Hagia Sophia or Louis XIV to Versailles. Hadrian, the Pantheon as well as the cultural texture of the early second century are all interlinked inextricably. As a result, no doubt exists that Hadrian was the motivating personality behind the conception and design of the Pant heon (MacDonald 12). Hadrian was born in well established colonial family in Roman Spain during the reign of emperor Vespian in 76 A.D. Hadrian was made the emperor upon the death of Trajan who reigned between 98 and 117 A.D. Hadrian reigned between 117 and 138 A.D. The location where the Pantheon was built was earlier occupied by a rectangular sanctuary of similar dedication built by the great minister Agrippa of Augustus, and dedicated around 25 B.C. The building was burnt down twice prior to the accession of Hadrian, and replaced entirely by Hadrian with the current structure. Nevertheless, Hadrian reinstated the original inscriptions of Agrippa, â€Å"Marcus Agrippa the son of Lucius, three times consul, built this,† on his new building. This inscription has led to significant confusion. Up-to-date, the Pantheon is uncommonly said to have been constructed during the period of Augustus Caesar. This date is wide off the mark by approximately 150 years because the inscriptio n in bold bronze letters that spreads across the entablature of the great porch is modern (MacDonald 13). The appropriate date of building the Pantheon is approximated to be the first half of the reign of Hadrian. The architecture was not commenced prior to 117 A.D., and was most probably dedicated around 126 A.D. to 128 A.D. During the second century, the Roman brick makers stamped methodologically a

Why was Caesar assassinated Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why was Caesar assassinated - Essay Example Rome was ruled by a triumvirate consisting of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. However, with the death of Crassus, a conflict raised between Pompey and Caesar. Caesar whose continuous growth in power resulted in the conflict as Pompey saw Caesar as a threat to himself. In January of 49 BC Caesar crossed the Rubican River in Northern Italy while Pompey fled to Greece and within 3 months Caesar managed to control the entire Italian peninsula. Caesar then followed Pompey to Greece and then Egypt where he was presented with the head of Pompey as a gift (â€Å"The Assassination of Julius Caesar, 2004). Caesar thus became the sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire. In spite of support from common man Caesar’s growing ambitions and his growth in power were seen as a threat by many especially by the aristocrats and the members of his own senate decided that he had to be stopped. As Caesar continued to become powerful he declared himself dictator in February 44 BC (â€Å"The Assass ination of Julius Caesar, 2004). The senate thought that he would annul the senate rendering their position powerless and would become a tyrant with his decision being omnipotent. The fear for loss of power, the jealousy of seeing a colleague becoming more powerful, the annoyance at acceptance of people for Julius’s power and the arrogance of Julius led to his assassination. Caesar had always had been the one to show off his power, his arrogance and his lifestyle were a reflection of that. Suetonius and Dio write of how his gestures showed his arrogance. For instance when a senatorial delegate informed him about the honors that were being bestowed on him he received them while sitting at the temple of Venus Gittrix. Suetonius further mentions that he had no restrain over his thoughts and that showed when he spoke.(suetonius) "The republic is nothing but a name, without substance or reality. Sulla was stupid to abdicate the dictatorship. Men ought to consider what is becoming when they talk with me, and lookupon what I say as a law."(suetonius) Such arrogance created a negative image of Caesar and his conspirators believed that it was his power that had corrupted him and the only solution they thought was best for the situation was to assassinate Caesar. In spite of his arrogance common people supported him. They cheered him; they called him rex, Latin for king. They already thought of him as their king, their leader. During the crowning ceremony, when he was offered crown, he refused to accept it. People cheered him even then, they thought of this refusal to accept crown as his refusal to accept power. His conspirators on the other hand thought of this as a tactic to gather popular support and considered it as his arrogance and disregard for the general rules laid by senate. The senators who feared Caesar the most included Cassius, Decius, Cicero, Casca and others. However, their fear and hatred never gathered a concrete decision till Cassius realized t hat Brutus feared and disliked Caesar just as much as they did. It was with Brutus that the conspiracy materialized and led to the assassination of Caesar. Cassius was Brutus’s brother in law and they are considered the main conspirators. Cassius knew that Brutus was popular among common people and hence his involvement in the conspiracy was critical. The reason that he confirmed his involvement on various occasions. â€Å"Cassius, gripping Brutus tightly, asked him, â€Å"What will we do in the senate house if Caesar’

Strategic Plan and Power Point (Community Coffee) Research Paper

Strategic Plan and Power Point (Community Coffee) - Research Paper Example If the way we make the products will be unique, then it is likely to establish a presence in this competitive market. The next tactic will be making the products adopt to the market by ensuring we put into consideration the rules that exist in our area of operation. From this, we will position our brands in such a manner that they can be explained as one big idea, hence leaving an impact to the mind of the consumers (Nieuwenhuizen, 2007). The final steps will be the maintenance of the brand by making sure the consumers never lose interest in it. The second objective in place is to make community coffee go national in the shortest period possible. This might seem as a drawback since it will stress financially, but it is a tactic of its own, and might prove to be rather successful. However, before the business evolves to be national, we must first ensure that a good reputation has been built in the present area of operation. This will make it easier to capture the market as the business will have its own personality established. The third objective is dynamic modes of service provision, depending on the area of operation. In areas that the customer is rather busy and have less time, community coffee will adopt on-the-go service provision, while a slower pace for the rural coffee shops that require a friendlier and slower pace for everyone there is community (Nieuwenhuizen, 2007). The first marketing method is through the media. This involves both television and print media such as daily and weekly newspapers. Although they may be old school methods, they are the most widely used and the most effective tool. On the television, an advertisement that portray the new range of products, and dynamic modes of operation. The second method will be through the use of websites such as those of social media. This is because they are the most accessed websites by both teenagers and adults. An

Textual Analysis of Advertisement | Gender in Advertising

Textual Analysis of Advertisement | Gender in Advertising Liang Wang Perform a close, textual analysis of one of these advertisements. What does it imply about gender and/or sexuality? You should refer to concepts such as sexualisation, postfeminism, and/or stereotypes, and consider both femininities and masculinities. The advertising I choose to perform: In advertisements which targeted at men or women are always objectifies to sell objects. This can be seen in many advertisements like the Axe. Yet according to the codes of gender, men and women are always represented differently in advertising. Men are always shown vigilante and lucid of their surroundings, standing higher up then women, eye open, bodies under controlled as an â€Å"independent, purposeful and clear thinking†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p223) object. On the other hand, women are frequently shown laying down, touching themselves, bending their knees, sitting in a bed or on a chair, eye close, confused, body contorted, dressed up as sexy or sexually available, â€Å"appears subordinate, dependent, emotional and absent- minded†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11)object. The depiction of women in advertisement representations, at the same time, has been a sign as part of a spacious patriarchal system of male dominance. Indeed, in the mainstream advertisements depictions, which emphasis women on getting and keeping a man, especially whin the domestic roles of wife and mother. It has been focused on by many feminist commentators in order to achieve gender equality. However, in nowadays, both femininities and masculinities are represented in many advertisements, though femininities and masculinities do not map onto biological sex, but gender issue is still shown in many different ways. Throughout all forms of advertisements, it is obvious to see that we are live in a sexual world. Magazine advertisements, TV advertisements, commercials and ever internet advertisements are shown in a very sexual way and women are often been the objects of sexualization in the advertisements. â€Å"Sexualization is when a persons value comes only from his/her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics and when a person is sexually objectified†(Media’s Portrayal in Women, Laura Russell, The Sexualization of Women in the Media). Through many advertisements, it is easy to find that women are very sexualized and they are often portrayed as objects that draw men’s attention, even belong to men. According to the AXE shower gel’s advertising, the right side woman is dressed up, wearing a sexy vest in a very sexual way, with her shoulder and arms nude, coiled hair and we can indistinct see her sexy hip shape, while the whole image are sho wn as shown to get â€Å"the dirtier†. The advertising is showing that the women â€Å"need to look good and the need to get male attention†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p225)and the word â€Å"dirtier† is making her seems inferior to men. With advertising such as AXE one, women that choose that they should treat there bodies as sexual subjects, thus, it is lead women to believe that is important and lost their personality. Along with these type of advertisements represented, men start to believe that the sexual picture of women that is what makes them attractive. With this sexualized advertisements that is being depicted in the media is become difficult to women to be accept their own appearance, hence, constantly compare themselves to those sexually images and lost self-confidence. Therefore, many other advertisements and some women’s magazines are inclined to treat women in low-down way, depicting women as o bjects in inferiority, subordination and low social power positions.â€Å"Women’s physical appearances – especially their sexual attributes – are portrayed as their most important assets. This is presented as liberating and empowering†(Brumberg JJ (1997) The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls, Random House). While women’s sexual expression is important in some ways, nevertheless, a woman’s value is not only dependent on her sexual appeal, woman can also be successful and independent with femininities. During the 1970s and 80s second-wave feminism movement, the representation of woman have changed considerably. In the mass media, feminism has had strong criticism of the representations of women in visual world, particular advertising industry, along with the feminism movement, more then others, â€Å"the emphasis on domesticity, deference and traditional romance†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p223) has been displaced by more independent, assertive depiction of femininity â€Å"something that can sometimes include a proud and explicit quest for sex†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p224). Women can be successful and independent, go out and get what they want. Link to the AXE advertising, the feature objectifying image of the naked man with shower gel has referred to as â€Å"post-feminism† that women have the ability to have sexual relationship on their own wants. Moreover, the confidence, successful and independent female figure also continually showing in advertising in nowadays. Chanel’s campaign for its Coco Mademoiselle perfume adverting in 2011, for instance, shown on connotations of women independence, by featuring images with a successful woman with the background song’s lyric â€Å" this is a man’s world, this is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without women or girl† highlighted the independence and assertiveness of female â€Å" they consume autonomously, engage in relationships on their own terms and sometimes manipulate and exploit men†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p224). However, back to the AXE advertisement, both femininities and masculinities are represented in this advertising but shown as different ways. On one hand, the man are presented as active, independent and all he do is cleaning and represented the product in a directly way in order to show his masculinities, on the other hand, the woman in this advertising was shown her femininities as well, but meanwhile, the way that the woman represented the product seems more metaphorically that the purpose of the woman use this product is all about get attention from male. This is against the center of the â€Å"post-feminism† and backword on gender stereotypes. Currently, when it comes to representations of gender, advertisements often fall behind on well established gender stereotypes. However, in particular these days, the media always represented images of women in power, attempted to reverse old established gender stereotypes, these images seems against the more objectification of the role women used to be, so-called ‘challenging’ and even ‘feminist’. In the old times, â€Å"female objectification to the most media depictions of female sexuality†(Dworkin, 1981;MacKinnon, 1988), according to the mainstream media depictions, woman are frequently presented as â€Å"subordinate to and dependent on men†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p222). This phenomenon was also represented on the AXE advertisement, shower gel for men is for clean, yet for women, it is a way to make themself more sexy and attractive in order to catch men’s attention, getting and keep ing them, this advertisement seem to be reinforcing our stereotypical notions of femininities. In addition, commercials are one of the vast source of gender stereotyping that advertisers used in their work to targeted either male or female groups. While, woman are more often represented in commercials, because of they are seems seen as responsible for daily purchases as a householder, however, men always advertise things more masculinities, such as cars, computers or business products, otherwise women are represented femininities rather in the commercials with make-up, clothes and domestic products. And female are often shown in the home or inside environment, not the same as male, men are always shown outdoors. Moreover, the most popular that women presented in advertisements is the figure of housewife, their main problem in life is lack of ideas for housework or dinner, that is very stereotypical. The other stereotype for women is sexy seductresses, the desire of every man. They m ost advertise beauty products and fashion clothes, but they are also arise in the commercials directed to male. Furthermore, woman has been major care is to preserve her appearance, hence, this advertising image of â€Å"perfect femininity and heterosexual success is deemed to act as a ‘window to the future self’†of the audience. As a result, many women has been fall into the perplex with their appearance and body shape, which can have negative influences. Male stereotypes are also various and presented with masculinities as a ‘real man’, â€Å"athletic, successful, professional, seducer with a beautiful woman by his side†(). However, â€Å" the growth of female employment and changes in attitudes towards gender have also contributed to ambiguities in the status of masculinity†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p235). In conclusion, gender issue has always been a controversial problem in advertisement industry, such as the AXE advertising, the concepts of sexualisation, postfeminism, and stereotypes are the main cores of the gender problem. However, along with the growth of feminism, female has been a large part of responsibility for the development of understanding of gender in media and advertisement. Female are should no longer been bounded in the tight ‘vest’, women should have the right to go out and do what they want, moreover, women should dress up for themselves instead of men’s attention. At the same time, the development of understandings of non-heterosexual gays, lesbian and bisexual representations in media or advertisements remind us, the most important link between the enhancement of dominant understandings of gender, sexuality and generally constructions of both femininity and masculinity. Eventually, â€Å" dominant representations of masculinity and femininit y in media tend to be those that are most effective when it comes to the selling of advertising space or, indeed, the selling of consumer goods themselves.†(Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, p241) Reference list Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Media, Gender and Sexuality, patriarchal romance and domesticity, p223 Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Media, Gender and Sexuality, patriarchal romance and domesticity, p223 Media’s Portrayal in Women, Laura Russell, The Sexualization of Women in the Media Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Media, Gender and Sexuality, The enduring gaze, p225 Brumberg JJ (1997) The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls,   Random House, New York Levy, A (2005) Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture, Schwartz Publishing, New York. Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Post-feminism independence, p223 Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Post-feminism independence, p224 Keira Knightley, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume adverting, 2011, background song’s lyric Dworkin, A. (1981) Pornography: Men possessing women. London: Women’s Press MacKinnon, C. (1988) Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on life and law. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Media, Gender and Sexually. Masculinity or masculinities? P235 Matthews, J. L., 2007 Hidden sexism: Facial prominence and its connections to gender and occupational status in popular print media. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 57, 515-525. Hodkinson, P 2013, Media, culture and society, Sage, Los Angeles, ch. 11, Media, Gender and Sexuality, a balanced approach, p241)

Israel and Terrorism Essay -- Threats to World Peace

Introduction: The Conflict, Cause for Optimism, and Skepticism Over the past 55 years conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has led to three wars, years of terrorism, and decades of poverty and displacement resulting in thousands upon thousands of deaths among both peoples. Despite the conflict, Israel has managed to develop its economy thanks in large part to generous foreign aid. Palestinians, however, have largely been living in poverty, under the rule of a corrupt government and in fear of Israeli strength. These harsh conditions have no doubt exacerbated the conflict sparked by the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. The establishment of a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel is supported by many world leaders today as the most feasible strategy for lifting the quality of life of the Palestinian people and thus cooling the conflict which has reached particularly tragic heights over the past 4 years. The death of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Yasser Arafat offers a new opportunity to advance toward this goal as Israel and the U.S. refused to negotiate with him due to his incitement of and support for terrorism, as well as the corruption within his government. The recent election of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, and his effort to fight terrorism and seek negotiations, has been viewed optimistically by much of the world as the first step toward beginning new efforts to move forward with the development of a Palestinian state. However, Abbas cannot negotiate a settlement unless his people support it. Despite views from foreign leaders and societies, and perhaps from Abbas, that a two-state solution is the best option, Palestinians have been taught by the PA for decades that a two-state solut... ...ry 2005. "Ask for Death The Indoctrination of Palestinian Children to Seek Death for Allah – Shahada.† www.pmw.org/il, 3 March 2005. http://www.jewishgrassroots.com/images/Shocking%20images%20of%20Palestinian%20toddlers_files/shocking%20images%20of%20Palestinian%20toddlers.htm, 3 March 2005. Sukhtian, Lara. â€Å"Palestinian Police Won’t Stop Militants.† Washington Post, 14 February, 2005. http://www.standwithus.com/news_post.asp?NPI=259, 4 March 2005. â€Å"Israel blames bombing on militants, Syria.† CNN World. 26 February 2005. http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/02/26/telaviv.explosion/index.html, 27 February 2005. Gilmore, Inigo. â€Å"Abbas orders Palestinian television to clean up its act.† Telegraph News, 6 February 2005. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/06/wmid06.xml&sSheet=/ news/2005/02/06/ixworld.html, 6 March 2005.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Nineteen

SOMEHOW, I STILL LOST. If Adrian were capable of on-the-fly calculations, I'd swear he was using his powers to affect the way the dice rolled. Most likely, he either had some innate and inexplicable Monopoly skills I just couldn't understand – or he was very, very lucky. But through it all, I had fun, and losing to him was a lot better than having Veronica haunt me in my sleep. He continued the dream visits for the next few days, and although I never felt completely safe from her, I at least didn't have her occupying the forefront of my mind at all times. That honor was saved for my weekend trip to St. Louis, which came around more quickly than I expected. Once I was on the plane, the reality of what I was about to attempt hit me. This was it, the point of no return. In the safety of Palm Springs, I'd been able to maintain a somewhat cool and collected attitude. St. Louis had seemed far away back then. Now the tasks ahead of me seemed daunting and kind of crazy. And dangerous. There was no part of this that wouldn't get me into serious trouble. Lying to Stanton. Breaking into top secret servers. Even charming information out of Ian could have repercussions. And really who was I to think I would have any ability to lure secrets from him? I wasn't like Rose or Julia. They had men fawning all over them. But me? I was socially awkward and pretty inept when it came to romance. Maybe Ian liked me, but that didn't mean I'd have some magical power over him. Of course, if that part of the plan with him failed, then I'd be free of my other tasks. Every single part of this was overwhelming, and as I stared out the plane's window, watching St. Louis grow closer and closer, my feelings of dread grew. My palms were too sweaty to hold a book, and when I refused food, it was because of the queasiness in my stomach, not some obsession with calories. I'd gone back and forth on whether to get a hotel room or stay at the facility itself, which provided guest housing for visiting Alchemists like me. In the end, I opted for the former. The less time I spent under the watchful eyes of my masters, the better. It also meant I didn't have to worry about my outfit attracting attention. I hadn't exactly followed all of Adrian's suggestions, but the dress I'd purchased for this trip was a bit racier than my normal business casual wardrobe. Okay, a lot racier. It would have been completely out of place among the modest and neutral-colored attire Alchemists usually wore. But when Ian met me in the hotel's lobby for dinner, I knew I'd made the right choice. â€Å"Wow,† he said, eyes widening. â€Å"You look amazing.† Apparently, his Alchemists sensibilities weren't offended by my outfit. It was a form-fitting minidress that went about to my mid-thigh, with an open back and a disconcertingly low V-neck that gave me cleavage I hadn't even known was possible. Any demureness the dress's long sleeves might have offered was undone by the fabric combination: a beige underdress covered in black and maroon lace. It gave the illusion that I was wearing lace with nothing underneath. The saleswoman had assured me that every part of the dress was supposed to fit that snugly (for once in my life, I'd actually suggested a larger size) and that I needed at least four-inch black heels to make it all work. With the help of a lot of hairpins, I'd even managed to pull my hair up into a bun, which wasn't easy with my layered haircut. I felt conspicuous walking through the lobby, but no one gave me any shocked looks. The few I did get were admiring ones. The hotel was pretty posh, and I was just one of a number of women dressed in holiday cocktail dresses. Nothing scandalous or out of the ordinary. You can do this, Sydney. And wearing a revealing dress wasn't nearly as difficult as breaking into a server, right? Right? I smiled as I approached Ian and gave him a quick hug, which was weird both because it was with Ian and because I felt naked in the dress. This femme fatale thing was harder than I'd thought it'd be. â€Å"I'm glad I got to see you again,† I said. â€Å"I know what an inconvenience this must be, with no notice.† Ian shook his head so adamantly that I almost expected to hear rattling. â€Å"N-no. No trouble at all.† Satisfied he'd gotten a look, I slipped on my coat, a mid-length black trench, and gestured toward the exit. â€Å"Time to brave the elements?† He hurried ahead of me to open the door. A scattering of snowflakes drifted down, resting on my coat and hair. My breath made a frosty cloud in the air, and I had a momentary flashback to traipsing across that field with Adrian. Little had I known that search for Marcus would lead to me running errands for him in a tight dress. Ian had parked in the hotel's front circle drive. He drove a Toyota Corolla, which was made even more boring by the fact that he'd chosen it in white. A little air freshener shaped like a tree hung from the rearview mirror, but rather than the usual pine scent, a small label declared it to be â€Å"New Car Scent.† Mostly it smelled like plastic. I put on a brave face. Marcus really owed me one. â€Å"I made us a reservation at this really great seafood place,† he told me. â€Å"It's close to the facility, so we can head on over to the service right away.† â€Å"Sounds great,† I said. I never ate seafood in any landlocked state. The restaurant was called Fresh Cache, which didn't improve my opinion of it. Still, I had to give it credit for attempts at a romantic atmosphere. Most of the lighting came from candles, and a pianist in the corner played covers of easy-listening songs. More well-dressed people filled the tables, laughing and chatting over wine and shrimp cocktails. The host showed us to a corner table, covered with burgundy linen and decorated with a scattering of green orchids. I'd never seen any up close and was actually quite taken with how exotic and sensual they were. If only I was here with anyone but Ian. I was hesitant to take my coat off. It made me feel exposed, and I had to remind myself of the consequences of Alchemists and Warriors working together. As soon as the dress was unleashed again, I had the satisfaction of seeing Ian melt once more. I remembered Adrian's advice about confidence and put on a smug smile, hoping I gave the impression that I was doing Ian a great favor by allowing him to be in my presence. And, to my complete and utter amazement, it seemed to work. I even allowed myself to indulge in a dangerous thought: maybe it wasn't the dress wielding such power here. Maybe it was me. Opening the menu, I began skimming for a beef or poultry option. â€Å"What do you recommend?† â€Å"The mahi mahi is great here,† he said. â€Å"So is the swordfish.† The waiter stopped by, and I ordered a chicken Caesar salad. I figured they couldn't really mess up the anchovies in the dressing. We were left alone to wait, with nothing to do now but move on to small talk. Ian picked up the ball. â€Å"I suppose you still can't tell me much about where you're at, huh?† â€Å"Afraid not. You know how it is.† I buttered a sourdough roll with what I was pretty sure was exactly half a tablespoon. I didn't want to go too crazy, but I could allow myself a little indulgence since I ordered a salad. â€Å"I can tell you I'm in the field. I just can't say much else.† Ian's attention shifted off my neckline as he stared into the candle's flame. â€Å"I miss that, you know. Being in the field.† â€Å"You used to be, right? What happened?† I hadn't thought much about it lately, but when Ian had accompanied Stanton and me to the Moroi court, he had been pulled from his post to make the trip. He'd been assigned somewhere in the south, Florida or Georgia, I thought. â€Å"Those Moroi holding us prisoner is what happened.† He shifted his gaze back to me, and I was startled at the fierceness I saw. â€Å"I didn't handle it very well.† â€Å"Well, none of us did.† He shook his head. â€Å"No, no. I really didn't handle it well. I kind of freaked out. They sent me to anger management training afterward.† I nearly dropped the roll. I had in no way expected that. If someone had asked me to name the top ten people who needed anger management, Ian wouldn't have even made the bottom of the list. My father, however, would have been near the top. â€Å"How – how long were you there?† I stammered. â€Å"Two weeks, and then I was good to go.† Admittedly, I didn't know the extent of the rage that had landed him in anger management, but I found it interesting that two weeks was good enough to deem him ready to work again. Meanwhile, Keith's scheme to use Moroi to make money had earned him at least two months in re-education – maybe more, since I hadn't heard any updates in a while. â€Å"But they wouldn't let me work in the field,† Ian added. â€Å"Figure I shouldn't be around Moroi for a while. So that's why I'm stuck here.† â€Å"In the archives.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Doesn't sound so bad,† I told him. I wasn't entirely lying. â€Å"Lots of books.† â€Å"Don't fool yourself, Sydney.† He began tearing a pumpernickel roll into pieces. â€Å"I'm a glorified librarian.† Maybe so, but that wasn't my concern. What was my concern was Wade telling me that the archives were on a secure level, one floor up from the surveillance room that held security footage. He'd drawn me a map of each floor, making sure I memorized the layout and the best ways to get in and out. â€Å"I'd still love to see them,† I said. â€Å"I mean, the history they contain is amazing.† Again, not entirely a lie. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, and had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes drop to my plunging neckline again. This wasn't that difficult! Really, I didn't know why I hadn't been using my â€Å"womanly charms† a long time ago. Actually, I never really knew I had any, until now. â€Å"Could you get me in for a tour? Of the archives specifically. You seem like the kind of guy who could get access to . . . a lot of places.† Ian choked on his roll. After a bout of coughing, he glanced up at my face, then my cleavage (again), and then back to my face. â€Å"I'd, um, love to, but it's not really open to the public – I mean, even the Alchemist public. Only those with special scholar access are allowed in. We could look at the general access parts of the building, though.† â€Å"Oh. I see.† I looked down at my plate, pouting slightly, but didn't say anything else. As the waiter arrived with our food, I hoped my silence was making him reconsider what he could be missing out on. Eventually, Ian couldn't take it anymore. He cleared his throat, maybe because there was still bread stuck in it. â€Å"Well, I might be able to . . . you see, the problem is just getting you down to the secure levels. Once you're through that checkpoint, it's not hard to get you into the archives – especially if I'm working.† â€Å"But you can't do anything about the main checkpoint?† I coaxed, as if all real men should be able to do that. â€Å"No, I mean . . . maybe. I've got a friend who works there. I don't know if he's got a shift tomorrow, but he still might be able to help. He owes me some money, so I can use this as a trade. I hope.† â€Å"Oh, Ian.† I flashed him a smile that I hoped rivaled one of Marcus's. â€Å"That's amazing.† I remembered what Adrian had said. â€Å"I'd be so, so grateful if you could pull it off.† My reaction clearly delighted Ian, and I wondered if Adrian had been right about how â€Å"so, so grateful† was translated. â€Å"I'll call him tonight after the service,† Ian said. He looked determined now. â€Å"Hopefully we can make it happen before your flight tomorrow.† I rewarded him by hanging on his every word for the rest of dinner, as though I'd never heard anything quite so fascinating. All the while, my heart raced with the knowledge that I was now one step closer to fulfilling Marcus's task, one step closer to potentially proving a connection to a bunch of gun-toting zealots and the organization I'd served my whole life. The salad was tiny, so I agreed to see the dessert menu after dinner. Ian suggested we share, but that was a little too intimate for me, not to mention unhygienic. So, I ate an entire lemon tart by myself, confident in the knowledge that I was still a long ways from the five-pound mark. When Adrian had told me I'd look healthier if I gained a little weight, he'd added that it would improve my bra size. I couldn't even imagine what that would do for this dress. The Alchemist center in St. Louis was contained inside a giant, industrial building that went undercover as a manufacturing plant. Moroi facilities – the court and their schools – usually posed as universities. How ironic that â€Å"creatures of the night† would live among beautifully landscaped gardens while â€Å"servants of the light† like us skulked in ugly buildings with no windows. Inside, however, everything was pristine, bright, and well-organized. A receptionist checked us in when we arrived at the main desk and buzzed us through, along with many others who arrived for the service. There were golden lilies everywhere. For many, this was a fun-filled family event, and lots of children trailed their Alchemist parents. It made me feel strange as I watched them, these kids who had been born into our profession. I wondered how they'd feel ten years from now. Would they be excited to step up to the plate? Or would they start questioning? The center had three floors aboveground and five underneath. People off the street could hardly just come wandering in, but we still took precautions by keeping the more benign offices on the main floor. As we all walked down the corridor to the auditorium, we passed Payroll, Travel, and Maintenance. All the offices had clear windows looking into them from the hall, maintaining the Alchemist ideal that we had nothing to hide. The secure offices belowground weren't quite so open, however. I'd been in this facility once before for a training seminar, and it had actually taken place in the auditorium we entered for the service. Despite the spiritual theme of tonight's event, the room bore little resemblance to a church. Someone had gone to the effort of decorating the walls with red-bowed evergreen garlands and setting pots of poinsettias on the stage. The room had a state-of-the-art audio-visual system, including a giant screen that gave a larger-than-life look at whatever was happening onstage. The auditorium's seating was so efficient that even those in the farthest corners had a pretty clear view, so I think the screen was just for emphasis. Ian and I found two seats near the middle of the auditorium. â€Å"Aren't you going to take off your coat?† he asked hopefully. No way was I going to unleash the dress in this den of taupe and high collars. Besides, if I kept the coat on, it would just give him something to keep looking forward to. Adrian would be proud of my ability to manipulate the opposite sex . . . and I couldn't help but wonder just how well Adrian would be able to stand up to this dress. Clearly, I was getting overly confident with this new power. â€Å"I'm cold,† I said, pulling the coat tighter. It was kind of ridiculous since the lights from the stage and high number of bodies had already made the room stifling, but I figured since it was so cold outside, I could get away with it. For someone who always seems to be so cold, you sure can warm up pretty fast. â€Å"Sydney? Is that you?† I froze, not from the shock of hearing my name, but from the voice that had said it. I'd know that voice anywhere. Slowly, I turned away from Ian and looked up into my father's face. He was standing in the aisle, wearing a heavy wool suit, with melted snowflakes in his graying dark blond hair. â€Å"Hi, Dad,† I said. Then I saw who was standing beside him. â€Å"Zoe?† It was all I could do not to jump up and hug her. I hadn't seen or spoken to my younger sister since that night I'd been pulled out of bed and sent on my Palm Springs mission. That was the mission she believed I'd stolen from her, no matter my protests. It was the mission that had driven her away from me. I eyed her now, trying to assess where we stood. She didn't wear the blatant hatred she had at our last meeting, which was a good sign. Unfortunately, she didn't look all that warm and friendly either. She was cautious, studying me carefully – almost warily. She did not, I noticed, have a golden lily on her cheek yet. â€Å"I'm surprised to see you here,† said my father. His parting words to me had been â€Å"Don't embarrass me,† so I wasn't really astonished by his low expectations. â€Å"It's the holidays,† I said. Forcing a smile now was far more difficult than it had been with Ian. â€Å"It's important to be here with the group. Do you know Ian Jansen?† Ian, wide-eyed, jumped up and shook my father's hand. Clearly, he hadn't expected a parental meeting so soon. â€Å"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.† My father nodded gravely and looked back and forth between the two of us. Whatever surprise he'd had at seeing me here had just been trumped by me being here with a date. Glancing at Ian, I tried to guess how he'd appear to someone like my dad. Clean cut, respectful, an Alchemist. The fact that Ian tended to bore me was irrelevant. I doubted my father had ever thought much about me dating, but if so, he probably hadn't thought I'd get a catch like this. â€Å"Would you like to join us, sir?† asked Ian. I had to give him credit; he'd overcome his initial shock and was now in proper suitor mode. â€Å"It would be an honor.† At first, I thought Ian was just laying it on thick. Then I realized meeting my father might actually very well be an honor. Jared Sage wasn't a rock star, but he did have a reputation among the Alchemists that, by their standards, was outstanding. My father seemed to like the flattery and agreed. He took a seat beside Ian. â€Å"Sit by your sister,† he told Zoe, nodding in my direction. Zoe obeyed and stared straight ahead. She was nervous too, I realized. Looking her over, I felt an ache from how much I'd missed her. We'd inherited the same brown eyes from our father, but she'd gotten Mom's brown hair, which made me a little jealous. Zoe also looked a lot more put together than the last time I'd seen her. She wore a pretty dark brown cashmere dress and didn't have a single hair out of place. Something about her appearance bothered me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first. It soon hit me. She looked older. She looked like a young lady, like my peer. I supposed it was silly of me to feel sad, since she was fifteen, but I kind of wished she could stay a little kid forever. â€Å"Zoe.† I kept my voice low, not that I needed to worry about the men overhearing. My dad was interrogating Ian. â€Å"I've been wanting to talk to you for so long.† She nodded. â€Å"I know. Mom tells me each time you call.† But there was no apology for dodging my calls. â€Å"I'm sorry about the way we left things. I never meant to hurt you or one-up you. I thought I was doing you a favor, saving you from getting involved.† Her mouth tightened, and something hard flashed in her eyes. â€Å"I don't mind being involved. I want to be involved, you know. And it would've been great! Being in the field at fifteen. I could have a stellar career. Dad would be so proud.† I chose my next words very carefully so that she wouldn't take offense. â€Å"Yeah, but another year with Dad will really be, um, stellar. He's got so much experience – and you want to get as much as you can, believe me. Even if you have to wait for an assignment at sixteen, you'll still be ahead of the rest of us.† Each word out of my mouth made me feel sick, but Zoe seemed to buy it. I wasn't bothered by her wanting to be part of the cause – but it killed me that she was clearly doing it to impress our dad. â€Å"I suppose. And I am learning a lot. I wish I could at least get some field experience – even if it's not my own post. It's all theory with Dad. I've never even seen a Moroi.† â€Å"I'm sure he'll fix that.† I didn't like encouraging this, but at least she was speaking to me. The lights dimmed, ending our conversation. Organ music filled the room, and the scent of frankincense drifted around us. Incense and resin were common components in magic, and my mind was instantly starting to make associations from the spell books I'd painstakingly copied. Frankincense is used to heal burns. It can also be used when casting divining or purifying spells – I immediately stopped that train of thought. Even if I was keeping it to myself, thinking about magic in the middle of an Alchemist church service was pretty sacrilegious. I shifted uncomfortably, wondering what all these people would think if they knew the truth about me: that I practiced magic and had kissed a vampire. . . . Alchemist priests were called hierophants. They performed blessings and offered moral advice, when needed. In day-to-day affairs, they wore suits, but for this occasion, the lead hierophant wore robes that reminded me uncomfortably of the robes some of the Warriors had donned. It was yet another reminder of our shared history – and maybe our shared future. Marcus had been right. This was a mystery I had to solve, regardless of where I stood on breaking the tattoo. I'd attended services like this off and on throughout my life and knew the Latin prayers by heart. I chanted along with the rest of the congregation and listened avidly as the hierophant reaffirmed our goals, his voice echoing through the sound system. Even though the Alchemists' religion had loose connections to Christianity there was very little mention of God or Jesus or even Christmas. Most of his sermon was about how we had to help protect humanity from the temptation of following Strigoi who offered unholy immortality. That warning, at least, wasn't exaggerated. I'd heard stories and even seen for myself what happened when humans decided to serve Strigoi. Those Strigoi promised to turn their servants as a reward. Those humans helped Strigoi spread their evil and became monsters themselves, no turning needed. Keeping those dark vampires hidden was for the good of weak humans who couldn't protect themselves. I paid especially close attention when the hierophant mentioned the Moroi offhandedly in his sermon, as a means to an end in defeating the Strigoi. He didn't exactly inspire warm and fuzzy feelings about them, but at least he wasn't calling for Moroi and dhampir destruction either. I agreed with a good part of the message, but it no longer filled me with the fire it once had. And when the hierophant started droning on and on about duty, obedience, and what was â€Å"natural,† I really began feeling disconnected. I almost wished there was more talk of the divine, like you'd find at a normal church service. With everything going on in my life, I wouldn't have minded a connection to a higher power. Sometimes, when I listened to the hierophant, I wondered if everything he was saying had just been made up by a bunch of people sitting around in the Middle Ages. No holy mandate required. I felt like a traitor when the service ended. Maybe Adrian's joke had been right: I didn't even need Marcus to break my tattoo and connection to the group. Glancing at my companions – and even the other Alchemists in the room – it was clear I was alone. All of them looked captivated by the sermon, devoted to the cause. I was again eerily reminded of the Warriors and their fanatical devotion. No, no, whatever else the Alchemists are guilty of, we have nothing to do with that kind of unhinged behavior. And yet . . . it was more complicated than that, I realized. The Alchemists didn't shoot first and ask questions later or make our members battle each other. We were civilized and logical, but we did have a tendency to just do what we were told. That was the similarity, one that could be dangerous. Zoe and my father walked out with Ian and me. â€Å"Isn't it amazing?† she asked. â€Å"Hearing that . . . well, it just makes me so glad Dad decided to raise another Alchemist in the family. It's good to boost our numbers.† Had that truly been his motivation? Or was it because he didn't trust me after I'd helped Rose? It was infuriating that the only conversation I could have with Zoe centered around Alchemist rhetoric, but I'd take it over the silence of the last few months. In my heart, I longed to talk the way we used to. I wanted it back. Even though she'd warmed up a little, that old familiarity that had once existed between us was gone. â€Å"I wish we had more time,† I told her once our groups were ready to part in the parking lot. â€Å"There's so much I want to talk to you about.† She smiled, and there was a genuineness in it that warmed me. Maybe the distance between us wasn't irreparable. â€Å"Me too. I'm sorry about . . . well, the way things were. I hope we get some time together soon. I . . . I've missed you.† That nearly broke me down, as did her hug. â€Å"We'll be together soon, I promise.† Ian – whom my father now seemed to regard as a future son-in-law – drove me back to my hotel and couldn't stop gushing about how awesome it had been to meet Jared Sage. As for me, I could still feel where Zoe had hugged me. Ian promised he'd get in touch with me in the morning about a tour of the archives. Then, weirdly, he closed his eyes and leaned forward. It took me a moment to realize that he expected a good-night kiss. Seriously? That was how he went about it? Had he ever even kissed anyone before? Even Brayden had displayed a little more passion. And, of course, neither guy measured up to Adrian. When I did nothing, Ian finally opened his eyes. I gave him another hug – with the coat on – and told him how happy I was that he'd met my dad. That seemed to satisfy him. Adrian made his nightly check-in with me once I was asleep later on. Naturally, he wanted to know about my dress. He also kept trying to find out how exactly I'd won Ian over and seemed amused at the few details I decided to give him. But mostly I couldn't stop talking about Zoe. Adrian soon gave up on the other topics and simply listened to me gush. â€Å"She spoke to me, Adrian!† I paced around the reception hall, clasping my hands in excitement. â€Å"And she wasn't mad. By the end, she was happy to see me. Do you know what that's like? I mean, I know you don't have any brothers or sisters, but to have someone you haven't seen in a while welcome you back?† â€Å"I don't know what it's like,† he said quietly. â€Å"But I can imagine.† I was too caught up in my own joy at the time, but later, I wondered if he was talking about his incarcerated mother. â€Å"It's nice to see you so happy,† he added. â€Å"Not that you've been miserable lately, but you've had a lot to worry about.† I couldn't help but laugh at that and came to a halt. â€Å"Are you saying evil witches and espionage are stressful?† â€Å"Nah.† He walked over to me. â€Å"All in a day's work for us. But I'm going to make my way to bed now. You seem like you can get by without me tonight.† He'd visited me every night since Veronica's dream. Most of the trips were short now, but I still knew it was a lot of effort and spirit for him. â€Å"Thank you. I feel like I can't say that to you enough.† â€Å"You don't have to say it at all, Sage. Good luck tomorrow.† Right. Stealing top secret info from a highly secure facility. â€Å"Thanks,† I said again. A little of my mood dimmed, but not all of it. â€Å"No matter what happens, though, patching things up with Zoe makes me feel like this mission is already a success.† â€Å"That's because you haven't been caught.† He cupped my face in his hands and leaned close. â€Å"See that you aren't. I don't want to have to dream visit you in prison . . . or wherever it is bad Alchemists go.† â€Å"Hey, at least I'd have you for company, right?† He gave me a rueful headshake, and the dream vanished around me.

Need For Federal Government Involvement In Educati Essays

Need For Federal Government Involvement In Educati Essays Need For Federal Government Involvement In Education The Need for Federal Government Involvement in Education Reform by____________ Political Science 2301 Federal and State Government OVERVIEW For centuries, generations of families have congregated in the same community or in the same general region of the country. Children grew up expecting to earn a living much like their fathers and mothers or other adults in their community. Any advanced skills they required beyond the three R's (Readin', Ritin' and Rithmatik) were determined by the local community and incorporated into the curriculum of the local schools. These advanced skills were taught to the up- and-coming generation so they could become a vital part of their community. The last several decades has greatly expanded the bounds of the community to almost anywhere in the country or anywhere in the world for that matter. Advances in transportation and communication has made the world a much smaller place then the world we knew as children. The skills our children need to realize parents' perpetual dream of their children having a better life are no longer limited to those seen in the local area. It is becoming more and more apparent that the education system of yesterday cannot adequately prepare students for life and work in the 21st Century. These concerns have prompted people across the country to take a hard look at our education system and to organize their efforts to chance the education system as we know it. WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE? There are two major movements in recent years whose focus is to enhance the education of future generations. The Standards movement focuses on educational content and raising the standards of traditional teaching and measurement means and methods. The Outcome Based Education (OBE) movement is exploring new ways of designing education and changing the way we measure the effectiveness of education by focusing on results or outcomes. STANDARDS MOVEMENT In September 1989, President Bush and the nation's governors called an Education Summit in Charlottesville, Virginia. At this summit, President Bush and the nation s governors, including then-governor Bill Clinton, agreed on six broad goals for education to be reached by the year 2000. Two of those goals (3 and 4) related specifically to academic achievement: * Goal 3: By the year 2000, American students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, history, and geography; and every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our modern economy. * Goal 4: By the year 2000, U.S. students will be first in the world in science and mathematics achievement. Soon after the summit, two groups were established to implement the new educational goals: the National Education Goals Panel (NEGP) and the National Council on Education Standards and Testing (NCEST). Together, these two groups were charged with addressing unprecedented questions regarding American education such as: What is the subject matter to be addressed? What types of assessments should be used? What standards of performance should be set? The summit and its aftermath engendered a flurry of activity from national subject matter organizations to establish standards in their respective areas. Many of these groups looked for guidance from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics who publishing the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics in 1989. The NCTM standards redefined the study of math so that topics and concepts would be introduced at an earlier age, and students would view math as a relevant problem-solving discipline rather than as a set of obscure formulas to be memorized. The National Science Teachers Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science quickly launched independent attempts to identify standards in science. Efforts soon followed in the fields of civics, dance, theater, music, art, language arts, history, and social studies, to name a few. OUTCOME BASED EDUCATION MOVEMENT The decade of the 80s brought numerous education reforms, but few of them were a dramatic shift from what has gone on before. Outcome-based education (OBE) is one of those that is new, even revolutionary, and is now being promoted as the panacea for America's educational woes. This reform has been driven by educators in response to demands for greater accountability by taxpayers and as a vehicle for breaking with traditional ideas about how we teach our children. If implemented, this approach to curriculum development could change our schools more than any other reform proposal in the last thirty years. The focus of past and present curriculum has been on content, on the knowledge

Free Essays on Voluntary Delinquents

Article review of the Voluntary Delinquents: Parents, Daughters, and the Montreal juvenile delinquents’ court in 1918 by Tamara Myers. In her article, Tamara Myers explained that young delinquent that were introduced to probation officers who investigated their work histories social and sexual behaviors and the family relations have led historians to the notion that the juvenile court was a tool from the Bourgeoisie to control the social moral and sexual lives of the working class. She argues that the working class parents were actually at the core of the new juvenile systems and they had an influence over the definition of delinquent conduct. Also, parents brought to court their children and insisted in their rights to have the state discipline them. To prove her thesis, she analyzes the juvenile systems through an examination of the roles of parents, young delinquents’ girls, and court officials in 1918, Montreal. First of all, the author explains that the court depended on the reporting of young delinquents girls by parents and that it revealed a contradiction of opinion between the parents who favored incarceration ( reformatory schools) and Judges who preferred probation ( replace punishment by treatment). Therefore parents institutionalized them because they were faced with state resistance to incarcerate their children, particularly daughters. Then, there is another sub-thesis emerging in her article. She says that her study joins the growing literature on social welfare reforms as a way of controlling the working class, but that the â€Å"clients† and their families played an active role. She also says that the state wasn’t as predominant and diffuses as earlier historians argued. Instead, parents joined the state in regulating their daughters. But then she goes to explain that it is the judges who maintained the ultimate authority in sentencing. Sentences were based on the input of court officials, who were most... Free Essays on Voluntary Delinquents Free Essays on Voluntary Delinquents Article review of the Voluntary Delinquents: Parents, Daughters, and the Montreal juvenile delinquents’ court in 1918 by Tamara Myers. In her article, Tamara Myers explained that young delinquent that were introduced to probation officers who investigated their work histories social and sexual behaviors and the family relations have led historians to the notion that the juvenile court was a tool from the Bourgeoisie to control the social moral and sexual lives of the working class. She argues that the working class parents were actually at the core of the new juvenile systems and they had an influence over the definition of delinquent conduct. Also, parents brought to court their children and insisted in their rights to have the state discipline them. To prove her thesis, she analyzes the juvenile systems through an examination of the roles of parents, young delinquents’ girls, and court officials in 1918, Montreal. First of all, the author explains that the court depended on the reporting of young delinquents girls by parents and that it revealed a contradiction of opinion between the parents who favored incarceration ( reformatory schools) and Judges who preferred probation ( replace punishment by treatment). Therefore parents institutionalized them because they were faced with state resistance to incarcerate their children, particularly daughters. Then, there is another sub-thesis emerging in her article. She says that her study joins the growing literature on social welfare reforms as a way of controlling the working class, but that the â€Å"clients† and their families played an active role. She also says that the state wasn’t as predominant and diffuses as earlier historians argued. Instead, parents joined the state in regulating their daughters. But then she goes to explain that it is the judges who maintained the ultimate authority in sentencing. Sentences were based on the input of court officials, who were most...

Instructors be required to apply a normal cure to grades, rather than Essay

Instructors be required to apply a normal cure to grades, rather than scaling the grades - Essay Example This is because the scores of students are not classified in continuous manner, but judgment on the cutoff points illustrates the attainment of different levels of performance. This means that students can progress to the next level since their grading is based on the relative performance of the whole class. However, this method has a limitation since students may have ignored the subject and attains a poor performance. Consequently, the grading will warrant such students to progress to the next level. Based on the above, the best method of grading students would be the use of the normal curve. This is because the curve provides a clear indication of how the class was attentive to course work. The curve also eliminates the extremities of grade awarding such that all the students grades are considered with an equal level of fairness. In addition, using the normal curve enables elimination of the issue of grade

In the Mood for Love Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

In the Mood for Love - Movie Review Example ses are having an affair with each other, both were very dejected, started to fill the gap in their lives by bringing more emotions to their friendship. The theme of the story was melancholic depicting how two disheartened and deceived people found peace with each other’s company although they thought not to be as their spouses. It has been said that Wong has created moody atmosphere using a combination of mise-en-scene, cinematography and his unique direction in the movie. The most inspiring aspect of In the Mood for Love is its brilliant cinematography. Most of the scenes in the movie were shot with the normal lens in order to avoid visible distortions so that the viewers can feel being the part of the movie themselves. The closed shots and close-ups were taken from the telephoto lens as it gives a feel of personal encounter to the viewer. In an interview, Wong declared that he wanted to shoot a movie like Vertigo by Hitchcock in which most scenes were taken outside the frame leaving the rest on the viewer’s imagination. Many of the scenes were shot from behind the windows, partitions and grills in order to create suspense as asserted by the director. Another important aspect of cinematography is Wong’s direction was the use of tracking shots to slide flawlessly between spaces. (Roger 105). Wong by emphasizing on the cinematography kept most of the scenes longer so that the audience would not be interrupted by the cuts and scene transitions. This also helps the audience in getting indulge within the plot and sink with the story line. Christopher Doyle and Pin Bing Lee, the cinematographers of the movie have been acclaimed great appreciation on the brilliant work they have done in the movie. Critics claim that the missing elements in the movie like music or dialogue in some scenes were amazingly covered by intelligent framing and filming of the characters which give us enough detail about the scene and the story. They used techniques like lowering the