Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Chris Bermans Biography

Chris Bermans Biography Introduction Born on October in the year 1955 Chris Berman became a famous sport-caster in America and perhaps that could be the reason they decided to nickname him ‘Boomer’. How Mr. Berman choose his career in the line of TV production is still not clear considering the fact that he had studied and graduated with a degree in history from Brown University.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Chris Bermans Biography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The most notable part of his career life in TV production is his work at ESPN. Although he had studied history in the university, Berman proved that he could also excel in sports broadcasting. After playing in all major Baseball, leagues Derek Jeter can be termed as a legend of the game. Although his case was easy to understand unlike Berman’s case, â€Å"the love for the game† must have been his driving force. The rise of sport shows In the earl y stages of his career, Chris Berman joined ESPN, becoming a very popular broadcaster, and the conclusion is that he was more than a broadcaster who rose up to be a star. Before Chris Bermans era, sport on TV was just for the sake of passing the good or the bad news to the fans (Hatch, 2010). In fact, it is evident that watching sports on TV at that time was not much different from reading a newspaper article on the same. Thanks to Mr. Berman, sport broadcast on TV had to take a new dimension and it has never been the same again. If making the broadcasting lively and full of emotions was to get a copyright then the person to receive this is no other that Chris Berman. TV programs and hosts come and go and as soon as they are off air, their memories on viewer’s mind fade away. This however is very different with Chris Berman and all the shows that he hosted all the way from the ‘sport centre’, ‘Baseball Tonight’ to the most watched ‘Post game sh ow’. In all shows Berman had a way of connecting with the audience because he produced exactly what his viewers expected. His nickname however, has a relationship to the shows that he hosted. In all these shows fun and laughs can be the best words to describe them. Initially, watching sport programs on the television was a serious business and it was not for the purpose of any entertainment. The conclusion is that Chris Berman introduced entertainment in television sport shows. Berman influenced the production of programs that attracted the attention of the viewer (Porter, 1995). Sport shows had been on TV for long enough but most of the times their effect on the viewers passed on unnoticed. This means that the shows did not have an established fan base but after Chris Berman’s shows in ESPN this had to change and these shows started to attract fans.Advertising Looking for term paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As stated by Bender and Steele (2007) â€Å"sometimes TV and sports radio shows have a religious effect on fans. For example, there are many great sports personalities, such as Chris Berman (ESPN) and Dan Patrick (ESPN) whom many sport fans watch consistently.† This is similar to the case of Derek in Baseball game. Berman and the fans The audience or the viewer in the case of Berman is the most important element in any broadcast. Realizing this fact is very important to any TV or radio personality and Berman had his facts right, and in all the shows that he hosted it was all about the viewers. Initially, the TV sport shows broadcasted on television had little concern about the viewer or the fan. In fact, most of them had had a design with the sole purpose of taking the message home. The conclusion is that the fundamental objective of Berman in all his shows was to make or give the fans the opportunity to celebrate what he loved most and that is spor ts. As claimed by Smith and Hollihan (2009) Berman had a personal connection with his viewers in all the shows that he hosted. Berman and Cable TV A cable TV that broadcasted sports 24 hours, seven day a week was a thing that could not be imagined before ESPN and of course Berman. From its humble beginning, ESPN had risen and become one of the most successful sports broadcasting station in the world and attribution of most of this success was to Chris Berman. As Porter (1995) continues to claim, â€Å"Berman’s style suited well in developing of cable TV.† Therefore, Chris Berman contributed to the rise of cable TV similar to Derek in the rise of baseball. Conclusion Chris Berman having received his university education in the field of history ended up developing a career in broadcasting which was a success. Throughout his career, Berman brought a new face in broadcasting of sports on the TV. Before Berman was on TV, the main aim of sport broadcasting was to pass the me ssage. Chris Berman introduced the entertainment in sports broadcasting and he actually proved that the viewer is the most important element in the whole business of broadcasting. He also led to the development of anchors who were viewer minded and finally he contributed to the rise of cable TV. References Bender, C., Steele, J. (2007) Sports fan 101: Score The balance in your relationship. Bloomington: Author House Ltd.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Chris Bermans Biography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hatch, L. (2010, April 20). The incredible Career of ESPN Anchor Chris Berman. Business Insider. Porter, D. (1995) Biographical dictionary of American sports: 1992-1995 supplement for baseball, football, basketball, and other sports. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Smith, A., Hollihan, K. (2009) ESPN: The Company: The story and lessons behind the most fanatical brand in sports. New Jersey: Wiley sons, Inc.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

What to Know About Presidential Appointments

What to Know About Presidential Appointments Presidential appointments come in two forms: those that require the approval of the Senate and those that do not. Aside from Cabinet secretaries and Supreme Court justices, whose nominations require the approval of the Senate, the President of the United States currently has the authority to appoint people to high-level positions within the federal government unilaterally. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), most of these positions appointed directly by the president come with salaries of from $99,628 to about $180,000 per year and include full federal employee benefits. How Many and Where? In its report to Congress, the GAO identified 321 presidentially appointed (PA) positions governmentwide that do not require Senate confirmation. PA positions fall into one of three categories: 67% of the positions serve on federal commissions, councils, committees, boards or foundations; 29% of the positions are within the Executive Office of the President, and the remaining 4% are in other federal agencies or departments.Of those 321 PA positions, 163 were created on August 10, 2012, when President Obama signed the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act. The act converted 163 presidential nominations, all of which had previously required Senate hearings and approval, to positions appointed directly by the president. According to the GAO, most PA positions were created between 1970 and 2000. What the PAs Do PAs appointed to commissions, councils, committees, boards, or foundations and typically serve as advisors. However, they may be assigned some degree of responsibility for evaluating or even creating the organizations policy and direction.PAs in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) often directly support the president by providing advisory and administrative assistance. They might be expected to advise the president on a wide range of areas, including foreign relations, US and international economic policy, and homeland security. Also, PAs in the EOP assist in maintaining relationships between the White House and Congress, the executive branch agencies, and state and local governments.Responsibilities of PAs serving directly in federal agencies and departments are the most diverse. They may be assigned to assist presidential appointees in positions that require Senate approval. Others may serve as US representatives to United Nations organizations. Others may be assigned leade rship roles at highly visible non-agency organizations, such as the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health. In most cases, there are no specific qualifications for PA positions, and since the appointments do not come under Senate scrutiny, they are subject to being used as political favors. However, PA positions on commissions, councils, committees, boards or foundations often have legally required qualifications. How Much the PAs Make First of all, most PAs are not paid a salary. According to the GAO, 99% of all PAs- those serving as advisors to commissions, councils, committees, boards or foundations- are either not compensated at all or are paid a daily rate of $634 or less only while serving.The remaining 1% of PAs- those in the EOP and those serving in federal agencies and departments- are paid salaries ranging from $99,628 to $180,000. However, there are notable exceptions. For example, the Director of the National Cancer Institute is a PA position within the Department of Health and Human Services that receives a salary of $350,000, according to the GAO.PA positions in the EOP and the federal departments and agencies are mostly full-time jobs and have no term limits. PAs appointed to commissions, councils, committees, boards or foundations serve intermittently during terms typically lasting from 3 to 6 years. Other Types of Politically Appointed Positions Overall, there are four main categories of politically appointed positions: Presidential Appointments with Senate confirmation (PAS), Presidential Appointments without Senate confirmation (PSs), political appointees to the Senior Executive Service (SES), and Schedule C political appointees. Persons in SES and Schedule C positions are typically appointed by PAS and PA appointees, rather than the President. However, all appointments to SES and Schedule C posts must be reviewed and approved by the Executive Office of the President. As of 2012, the GAO reported a total of 3,799 politically appointed federal positions, including 321 PA positions, 1,217 PAS positions, 789 SES positions, and 1,392 Schedule C positions. Presidential Appointments with Senate confirmation (PAS) positions are the top of the federal personnel food chain, and include positions such as cabinet agency secretaries and top administrators and deputy administrators of the non-cabinet agencies. Holders of PAS positions have direct responsibility for implementing the presidents goals and policies. During  the fiscal year 2013, salaries for PAS positions ranged from $145,700 to $199,700, the current salary of cabinet secretaries. PAs, while significantly responsible for implementing White House goals and policies, often serve under PAS appointees. Senior Executive Service (SES) appointees serve in positions just below PAS appointees. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, they are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the Federal workforce. They operate and oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 Federal agencies. In the fiscal year 2013, salaries for Senior Executive Service appointees ranged from $119,554 to $179,700. Schedule C appointments are typically non-career assignments to positions ranging from regional directors of agencies to staff assistants and speech writers. Schedule C appointees are typically changed with each new incoming presidential administration, making them the category of presidential appointments most likely to be handed out as political favors. Salaries for Schedule C appointees range from $67,114 to $155,500. SES and Schedule C appointees typically serve in subordinate roles to PAS and PA appointees. At the Pleasure of the President By their very nature, presidential political appointments are not for people looking for a stable, long-term career. To be appointed in the first place, political appointees are expected to support the policies and goals of the presidents administration. As the GAO puts it, Individuals serving in political appointments generally serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and do not have the job protections afforded to those in career-type appointments.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Lack of effective Information Systems (IS) and Applications at Lesley Case Study

Lack of effective Information Systems (IS) and Applications at Lesley Stowe Fine Foods (LSFF) to support cloud ERP - Case Study Example Optimization of information systems affects success of ERP systems; however, this requires considerable amount of skills and knowledge, which in this case lacks in LSSF in helping it solve issues within its IS framework. LSSF’s inadequate information system mainly deals with the company’s internal resources; however, introducing cloud ERP that supports both internal business resources as well as basic Customer Relationship management system points out to the lack of information systems in the organization. The inadequate information system in the organization is unable to cope with demands of the basic system for customer relationship management that may go beyond the organization’s control. Although information technology is able to solve the issues within the company, introducing the IT solution faces the problem of the lack of IT department in the organization that results in a poor information system that is unable to solve the problems. Although, the cloud ERP solution may be implemented under optimal conditions in the organization, the solution would be prone to various challenges and failures in the organization because of the fragmented IS across its sites in Canada and USA. These issues in the company do not support implementation of cloud ERP solution (Compeau & Scott, 2013). Considering that some employees resort to manual activities in accomplishing their tasks, it is clear that LSSF lacks applications that can support the implementation of cloud ERP solution for the enterprise. The need for integration of various functions in the enterprise illustrates the absence of applications and information systems that support implementation of the intended cloud ERP solution. Given that currently the organization’s production, shipping, and inventory management involve manual processes (Compeau & Scott, 2013), it is clear the information system does not support

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Based on Bergen's book (War and Genocide), what were the differences Term Paper

Based on Bergen's book (War and Genocide), what were the differences between the policies of the period 1933-1940 and those of 1 - Term Paper Example Nazi Germany Policies In the book â€Å"War and Genocide: A concise history of the holocaust†, Bergen brings out the difference between policies during the period between 1933 and 1940 and those of the period between 1940 and 1945. She argues that, during the former period, the Nazi policies against their enemies underwent significant changes. These included those towards the Jews, those suffering from hereditary diseases, Gypsies and political opponents. It took place in particular designated areas known as Einsatzgruppen that were conquered from Eastern Europe territories. It was part of their territorial expansion in Europe (154). She mentions the other targeted groups as the disabled and homosexuals â€Å"and others and attacked communists, homosexual men...(viii). A considerable difference is also highlighted with regard to the nature of actions during these periods. In the first years, actions were lighter than during the later years. Bergen shows that the Nazi policy w as moderate between 1933 and 1934. It was also contributed by the lack of agreement on what qualified an individual to be regarded as a Jew. They were afraid to scare voters and average minded politicians. It is at this time that the Haavara Agreement was signed between Nazis and Zionists to ensure that Jews in Germany migrated to Palestine before 1939 and Israel by 1949 (239). The genocide of Jews took part during this time leading to the persecution, enslavement and killing of millions of Jews (169). Immediately after, thousands of Jews were terminated from employment to avoid infiltration of destructive traits (55). These superior or privileged positions were reserved for the Aryan Germans (36). Nonetheless, it is at this time that most Germans were recruited to support the military service. According to Bergen, the members of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi) formed their hatred from the familiar prejudices they had experienced during the pre-Nazi regime in Germ any (1). In this respect, she exposes the attempts made by Hitler to eliminate laws that would stop the Nazis in their quest (48). She contends that the Nazi believed in the scientific legitimacy of this racial doctrine in â€Å"the pseudo-science that grew up around it† (12). The eugenics or racial hygiene program was also include to sterilize and exterminate the victims compulsorily where she indicates â€Å"Hitler introduced a law to legalize eugenic sterilization.... to prevent reproduction by people deemed unworthy† (66). During the later years, different policies including the education system where populist anti-Semitic education was introduced in schools. These blamed the economic problems experienced after the war, unemployment and loss of World War I on Jews. However, during World War II, Nazi accepted Slavs to serve in the occupied territories of their army despite their consideration as sub-humans. It was a measure to deal with the manpower shortages in the military (168). Upon prompting by their leader, the Nazi changed their policies regarding the Croats and Slavs. The Nazi policies became worse hence culminating into the holocaust that was alternatively known as â€Å"The final solution† by Friedlander (246). Additionally, different measures were taken against the persecuted groups. In this sense, she explains how the persecution process took place in different stages. For instance, the National Committee against Nazi persecution and Execution of Jews was developed. Other legal

Sunday, November 17, 2019

How And Why The North Won War by 1865 Essay Example for Free

How And Why The North Won War by 1865 Essay Abstract My research topic for this essay is explain how and why the North won war by 1865. In this essay I will be explaining the various reasons as to why the South surrendered to the North and how it all happened. This war took place from 1861 to 1865 and is ranked as the most deadliest war in American history. The Union or Northern States won the war against the South or the Confederacy. Instead of looking at causes or consequences, in this essay I will go into the reasons as to why did the North win the Civil War. The American South, though raised in military tradition, was to be no match North in the coming Civil War. The manpower on the Union side was much larger and outnumbered the Confederate army strength. The lack of emphasis on manufacturing and commercial interest, the South surrendered to the North their ability to to fight independently. It wasnt the Northern troops nor generals that won the Civil War, but their guns and equipment. From the very first start of the war, the Union had various advantages. The North had large amounts of just about everything that the South did not, boasting resources that the confedaracy had even no means of attaining. (Brinkley, 1991). The Union had large amounts of land available for growing food crops which served for providing food for its hungry soldiers and money for the growing industries. The South, on the other hand, devoted most of their land to its main cash crop: cotton. Raw materials were almost entirely concentrated in Northern mines and refining industries. Railroads and telegraph lines are what the North was surrounded by, but left the South isolated, outdated, and starving. The Confederates were willing to sell their cash crops to the North to make any sort of profit. Little did they know, King Cotton could buy them time, but not the war. The South had bartered something that perhaps it had not intended: its independence. (Catton, 1952). The Norths growing industry had a powerful dominance over the South. Between the years of 1840 and 1860, American industry was steady growing. In 1840 the Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 4 total value of goods manufactured in the United States stood at $483 million, increasing over fourfold by 1860 to just under $2 billion, with the North taking the kings ransom.(Brinkley, 1991). The hidden reason behind this dramatic growth of money is because of the American Industrial Revolution. Beginning in the early 1800s, some of the ideas of the industrial revolution began to get picked up from the American Society. One of the first industries to see quick development was the textile industry, but, thanks to the British government, this development almost never even passed. Years before this, Englands James Watt had developed the first successful steam engine. This invention completely revolutionized the British textile industry, and eventually made it the most profitable in the world (Industrial Revolution). The British government, were astonished with this new material but cautious, so they ended up trying to protect the nation by preventing the export of textile machinery and even the emigration of skilled mechanics. Despite valiant attempts at deterrence, though, many immigrants managed to make their way into the United States with the advanced knowledge of English technology, and they were anxious to acquaint America with the new machines.(Furnas, 1969). People like Samuel Slater can  be credited with beginning the revolution of the textile industry in America. He was skilled mechanic in England, and spent long hours studying the schematics for the spinning jenny until finally he no longer needed them. He emigrated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and there, together with a Quaker merchant by the name of Moses Brown, Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 5 he built a spinning jenny from memory. (Furnas, 1969). This would later become known as the first modern factory in America. It would also become known as when the North had the economic dominance over the South. The South could not seem to accept this after the time passed so they thought they could breakthrough somehow. Another inventor by the name of Eli Whitney set out in 1793 to revolutionize the Southern cotton industry. Whitney was working as a tutor for a plantation owner in Georgia (he was also, ironically, born and raised in New England) and therefore knew the problems of harvesting cotton. (Brinkley, 1991). Until then, the risky task of separating the seeds from the cotton before sale had to be done by slave labor and was not very effiecient. With that being said, Whitney developed a machine which would separate the seed from the cotton swiftly and effectively, cutting the harvesting time by more than one half. This machine, which became known as the cotton gin, had amazing results on the South, producing the highest trend the industry ever had. In that decade alone cotton production figures increased by more than 2,000 percent. (Randall and Donald, 1969). Lots business opportuniti es opened up, including the expansion of the Southern plantations. This was facilitated by the fact that a single worker could now do the same amount of work in a few hours that a group of workers had once needed a whole day to do. (Brinkley, 1991). This allowed slaves to pick much more cotton per day and this led most plantation owners to expand their land. Most of the gains from the cash crop took over the basic necessity of the food crop. In 1791 cotton production amounted to only 4000 bales, but by 1860, production Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 6 levels had skyrocketed to just under five million bales. (Randall and Donald, 1969). Cotton was now bringing in about  $200 million a year, which is a very big change for the south. King Cotton became a fundamental motive in Southern economy. However, during this short time of economic process, the South failed to realize that it would never be fully sustained by King Cotton alone. What it needed was the help of Queen Industry. Eli Whitney knew and realized that the South would not rapidely accept change, so he decided to take his smart mind and ideas back up to the North, where it could be put to good use. He found his niche in the small arms business. A while back, during two long years of quasi-war with France, Americans had been troubled by the lack of rapidity with which sufficient armaments and equipments could be produced. Whitney came out with the invention of interchangeable parts. His vision of the perfect factory included machines that would produce, from a mold, the various parts needed to build a standard infantry rifle, and workers on an assembly line who would construct it. The North, eager to experiment and willing to try anything of economic progress, decided to test this new method of manufacture. It did not take long for the North to make Eli Whitneys dream a reality. The small arms industry was successful. By the onset of the Civil War, the confederate states were noting the fact that there were thirty-eight Union arms factories capable of producing a total of 5,000 infantry rifles per day, compared with their own paltry capacity of 100. (Catton, 1952). During the mid-1800s, the Industrial Revolution dug deep into to the sides of the Northern states. Luckily, immigration numbers were skyrocketing at this time, and the sudden profusion of factory Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 7 positions that needed to be filled was not a big problem. (Randall and Donald, 1969). The immigrants, who were escaping anything from the Irish Potato Famine to British oppression, were willing to work for almost anything and withstand inhuman factory conditions. (Jones, 1993). Although this exploitation was extremely cruel and very unfair to the immigrants, Northern businessmen profited alot from it. By the beginning of war in 1860, the North, from an economical standpoint, stood like a towering giant over the Southern society. Of the over 128,000 industrial firms in the nation at the time, the Confederacy held only 18,026. New England alone topped the figure with over  19,000, and so did Pennsylvania 21,000 and with 23,000.(Paludan, 1988). The total value of goods manufactured in the state of New York alone was over four times that of the entire Confederacy. The Northern states produced 96 percent of the locomotives in the country, and, as for firearms, more of them were made in one Connecticut county than in all the Southern factories combined. The Confederacy had made one mistake and that was believing that its thriving cotton industry alone would be enough to sustain itself throughout the war. Southerners didnt see a need to go into the uncharted industrial territories when good money could be made with cotton. What they failed to realize was that the cotton boom had done more for the North than it had done for the South. Southerners could grow huge amounts of cotton, but due to the lack of mills, they couldnt do anything with it. The cotton was sold to the Northerners who would use it in their factories to produce woolens and linens, which were in turn sold back to the South. This cycle stimulated industrial Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 8 growth in the Union and stagnated it in the Confederate states .(Catton, 1952). Southern plantation owners believed that the growing textile industries of England and France were highly dependent on their cotton, and that, in the event of war, those countries would come to their rescue. The Civil War gave an even bigger boost to the already growing factories in the North. The troops needed arms and warm clothes on a constant basis, and Northern Industry was ready to provide them. By 1862, the Union could use almost all of its own war materials using its own resources. The South, on the other hand, was in desperate need and dependent on outside resources for its war needs. Dixie was not only lagging far behind in the factories. It had also chosen to disregard two other all-important areas in which the North had chosen to thrive: transportation and communicationthe Railroad, the Locomotive, and the Telegraph- -iron, steam, and lightning-these three mighty genii of civilizationwill know no lasting pause until the whole vast line of railway shall completed from the Atlantic to the Pacific.(Furnas, 1969)  During the ante-bellum years, the North had shown a great desire for an effective mode of transportation. For a long time, canals had been used to transport people and goods across large amounts of land which were accessible by water, but, with continuing growth and expansion, these canals were becoming obstacle to many Northerners. They simply needed a way to transport freight and passengers across terrains where waterways didnt exist. The first glimmer of hope came as Americas first primitive locomotive, powered by a vertical wood-fired boiler, puffed out of Charleston Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 9 hauling a cannon and gun crew firing salutes(Catton, 1952). The Railroading industry became a big thing in the North, where it provided a much needed alternative to canals, but could never quite help the South. Much of this could be because Northern engineers were experienced in the field of ironworking and had no problem constructing vast amounts of rail lines, while Southerners, werent very experienced in that area. The Union, with its some 22,000 miles of track, was able to transport weaponry, clothes, food, soldiers, and whatever supplies were needed to almost any location in the entire theater. Overall, this greatly helped the Northern war effort and increased the morale of the troops. The South, however, was lacking on most of this. With its meager production of only four percent of the nations locomotives and its scant 9,000 miles of track, the Confederacy stood in painful awareness of its inferiority.(Randall and Donald, 1969). Another obstacle arose in the problem of track gauge. As the war kept on, the Confederate railroad system steadily deteriorated, and by the end of the struggle, it had all collapsed. Communication, was also a big problem to Southern economical growth. The telegraph had came into American life in 1844. This fresh form of communication greatly facilitated the operation of the railroad lines in the North. Telegraph lines ran along the tracks, connecting one station to the next and aiding the scheduling of the trains. The telegraph provided instant communication between distant cities, helping the nation come together like never before. Yet, the South, unimpressed by this technology and not having Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 10 the money to experiment, chose not to go into its development. By 1860, the North had laid over 90 percent of the nations some 50,000 miles of telegraph wire. Morses telegraph had become an ideal answer to the problems of long-distance communication, with its latest triumph of land taking shape in the form of the Pacific telegraph, which ran from New York to San Francisco and used 3,595 miles of wire (Brinkley, 1991). The North has assuredly won over the South. Northerners, prepared to enjoy the deprivation of war, realized that they were experiencing an enormous industrial boom even after the first year of war. Indeed, the only Northern industry that suffered from the war was the carrying trade. (Catton, 1952). To the South, however, the war was a drain and only made them suffer even more. The South decided not to use two crops which would prove the outcome of the Civil War. Those crops were industry and progress, and without them the South was defeated. Refrences Angle (1967) Paul M. A Pictorial History of the Civil War Years. Garden City, New York: Doubleday Brinkley (1991) American History: A Survey. New York: McGraw Catton, Bruce (1952) The Army of the Potomac: Glory Road. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Furnas, J.C (1969) The Americans: A Social History of the United States 1587-1914. New York: Putnam Jones, Donald C. (1993) Telephone Interview Paludan, Philip Shaw. (1988) A Peoples Contest. New York: Harper Randall, J.G., and David Herbert Donald. (1969) The Civil War and Reconstruction. Lexington, Massachusetts: Heath

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Inner Conflict in Gaines A Lesson Before Dying Essay -- Lesson Before

Inner Conflict in Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "They sentence you to death because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time, with no proof that you had anything at all to do with the crime other than being there when it happened. Yet six months later they come and unlock your cage and tell you, We, us, white folks all, have decided it’s time for you to die, because this is the convenient date and time" (158). Ernest J. Gaines shows the internal conflicts going through the mind of Mr. Wiggins in his novel A Lesson Before Dying (1933). Mr. Wiggins is struggling through life and can’t find his way until he is called upon against his own will to help an innocent man, Jefferson. The help is not that of freeing him at all. Jefferson will get the death penalty no matter what. It is that of making him a man. When Jefferson’s defender tried to get him off the death penalty he called Jefferson a stupid hog, not even a boy. Mr. Wiggins wants to leave the town and everyone in it except for Vivia n, his girlfriend, behind, but he can’t or won’t. Everything is hanging in the balance of what happens to Jefferson. Mr. Wiggins is characterized through a series of changes with the help of one man, Jefferson, throughout A Lesson Before Dying mainly shown in spoken quotes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Wiggins stubborn attitude is shown very early when he says, " ‘Suppose I was allowed to visit him, and suppose I reached him and made him realize that he was as much a man as any other man; then what? He’s still going to die. . . So what will I have accomplished? What will I have done? Why not let the hog die without knowing anything?’ " (31). The way he uses hog is important in knowing that he doesn’t give a lick what happens to this kid. He was talki... ...‘I saw the transformation, Grant Wiggins. . . He never could have done that. I saw the transformation. I’m a witness to that’ " (254). Paul did see the transformation of Jefferson right before he was executed by the electric chair. Jefferson was the only one in the room not scared and he took it like a man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Wiggins is changed in this novel through many internal conflicts that he never could have accomplished without one brave man, Jefferson. The voice he uses is not obvious, but it is there. Mr. Wiggins finally learns that anyone could leave his small town behind; they just need a little help along the way. One final quote sums up all the pains and triumphs Grant has with Jefferson, "Yes, I told myself. It is finally over" (252). Works Cited Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying. New York: Vintage Books Division of Random House, Inc., 1994.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Playground Payback

In the far hills of North Carolina, there was a school called Blue Creek Elementary. It was half a century old, and you could definitely tell. The yellow stained walls of the classrooms had marks from play dough and crayon. The chalk board was cloudy with dust from a thousand words before. The smell of each room was basically the same, chalk clappers and weak tea, and the colour of autumn leaves was present throughout the year. It was January 2002. The climbing frame in the playground was rust incrusted, and the paint was crumbling off, but still was in use as if it was new everyday. No one child was dissatisfied with their school life, they could see nothing wrong with the way they were ruled, the rota they followed or the order they had come to be in for so many years. They were treated equally as each other, by the council they had elected. Every new school year in September there would be an election. Any volunteers would under go a number of campaigns to become the new king of the playground. For the last three years no one had been a match for King Rob. In the last year no one was even prepared to challenge Rob Jenkins, but it wasn't because they were scared, no, quite the opposite. There was nothing wrong with the way he ruled them. He took care of them; he was their agony aunt to their problems, a King Solomon in his own day. He brought them new games, fought for new rights and changed the word recess itself. But all this was about to change, something, or someone was just around the corner. PJ, Felicity, Pikes, Jennie and Russ were playing kickball, a game Jennie ruled without a doubt. It was known to everyone that they were an untouched gang. They had been for years, what seemed like friends forever. PJ was like the leader, although he claimed he didn't know it. His round pot belly and backwards baseball cap were historic trademarks in the playground's history, almost hereditary, as his father was also seen wearing them in his time at Blue Creek. Felicity was thought of as â€Å"the brains†, and she liked it like this. She was studying at a 10th grade level, four years ahead of the rest of her class, but resisted being moved up away from her friends. She had long brown and unruly hair, which she only ever wore up when in P.E, the only school subject she detested. Unlike Felicity, P.E was the only subject Jennie didn't hate. She was an unlimited fan of wrestling, and never once considered herself a girl, apart from when in the presence of her parents. It was the first week back from Christmas break, and there was already a new kid. His name was Prince Dartmoor. He had black, short and curly hair. His face was coloured, and he wore a red white and blue Globetrotters uniform. He had white sneakers, and was bouncing an orange basketball signed by Michael Jordan. It didn't take long for a disorderly crowd to form around him. They were watching something. The gang stared in amazement. Prince was standing in the middle of the playground, at least twenty five yards away from the basketball hoop. â€Å"Ya don't think he's gonna try for do ya?† questioned Russ. He looked at PJ with a sense of honour. He felt that PJ was all knowing all seeing; he would have the answers to anything and everything. â€Å"Nah! Look at him! His stance is all wrong and his arms are flying everywhere, there's no way he'd even come close to-â€Å", PJ halted. Just at that moment, Prince threw the ball with all his might. It climbed the air like a mountaineer, and flew down gracefully, landing through the hoop. For what seemed like a lifetime, no one made a sound, and then out of the blue, the crowd burst into a thunderous applause. The gang was in awe. Even PJ was stunned. Prince looked at PJ with familiarity. PJ didn't know how, but Prince knew who he was, and it definitely seemed that he was planning something. Meanwhile the crowd was dying down, though kept up their pleasure with Prince. He was stepping up onto an overturned box, and someone handed him a loudspeaker. â€Å"Ch-â€Å", he began, but was automatically put off with the alien effect sound that was coming out of the loudspeaker. He switched a button, and restarted, â€Å"Children of Blue Creek playground,† his voice was loud and unyielding. No one made a sound. Everyone's eyes were on him. â€Å"I have down a lot of research before transferring here. I had to find a school where my services are needed, and I have found no other group kept so much in the dark as this one; I am here to put a stop to the treacherous behaviour your ruler has been withstanding. He has made you his servants, while calling you equal. He has held you back from rights you so truly deserve and said you have everything. Listen up, I have someone here to tell you something† Prince finished with a look of confidence. A small, shaking figure was brought through the crowd. His face was irregularly pale, and his black hair was on end. â€Å"My name is Kyle. I go to Belle Fork Elementary, King Rob's cousin used to go there. He ruled the playground there too, up until 6th grade in his fourth year as king, he turned on everyone. No one had seen it coming, but we found out he'd been doing it slowly, making us think it was for our own good.† He halted. â€Å"What he do?† shouted someone from the crowd. â€Å"He changed the rules; slowly as I said, but changed em. First we couldn't have cookies anymore, he'd confiscate em, then we couldn't have snacks altogether, and then†¦ he took away the kick balls. Even if they was our own from home! He'd taken all our games, until there was nothing left. Recess was just kids sittin' around the place. No one was even allowed to speak! And if someone broke a rule, they'd get taken away, no one ever saw Timmy Reynolds again!† Kyle looked in despair at the crowd. They just stared at him, too scared to speak. â€Å"I think everyone here will agree with me that something has to be done before King Rob follows in his cousin's footsteps. My research has told me that his father and uncle did the same thing when they were in their fourth year, and their father before them! I propose we revolt, stopping this cycle dead in its tracks! Now who's with me?† he shouted more confident than ever. And then what followed was a colossal roar of approval, and that was that. The reign of King Rob had definitely come to an end. The crowd followed Prince, half stirred up in the confusion, half hungry for revenge. They came to the Jungle Jim Palace. Prince shouted up to King Rob, â€Å"Rob, your people are in total agreement. You are being exiled! I am a civil kid, so I'll give you 'til next recess to get outta our playground!† the crowd screamed with excitement. PJ, Felicity, Jennie, Pikes and Russ looked at each other for reassurance. They knew, even if they were the only ones who did, that th is was not a good idea. The gang walked away from the mob and came to their territorial kick ball field. PJ turned to the others, â€Å"We gotta something.† â€Å"But what can we do, you saw em out there! There's no way we're ever gonna change their minds!† laughed Jennie. She was stubborn, more so than PJ, so he couldn't argue with her usually. â€Å"It's like our pretty rainbow of life is being painted with black ink, and we're choking helplessly† Pikes recited. His love for poetry never stood down, even in the face of destruction. â€Å"What are we gonna do when it all goes wrong?† Russ panted. He took a deep breath from his asthma inhaler and looked at it panicking. â€Å"I could loose my inhaler! I could end up in hospital! The sky could fall down and we'd all be crushed and go under ground forever and ever and ever and ever an-â€Å", Russ was hit over the head by a scowling PJ. â€Å"Sorry!† Russ twitched. â€Å"I may have a suggestion to our current predicament.† Felicity joisted her words together and flew them out perfectly as ever. â€Å"Now as Jennie said, there is no possible way to overthrow the minds of the children. They are under an exciting grasp, and though deep down they may know it is wrong, they can't consciously tear away from it. But there are definitely some exceptions to this hypnotic phenomenon, us being one, and of course another being, as much as I hate to say it†¦ the Jaimes.† She gave a pause to invite any protesters. â€Å"Oh no! Don't even think I'll ask for their help again! Never! Not in a million years!† Jennie was convinced that the Jaimes were total hypocrites. All they did was wear make up and talk about boys. They were totally against everything she believed in, especially her tom boy criteria. â€Å"I'm sorry Jennie, but it's the only way. They have an almost never ending access to a boys mind, and if we've got to get rid of this Prince, we need all the help we can get.† Felicity stood with authority. Jennie finally, yet dejectedly agreed, as did the rest of the group. The Jaimes Clubhouse was in a large underground shelter they had paid the digger twins to build two years before. Though the outside was plain and misleading, the inside was an interior designer's heaven. There was a lilac carpet, and a purple fur rug. The walls were bright pink, and drapes were icing blue. There was a dark blue sofa, and a mahogany coffee table. The Jaimes were sitting on the sofa when the gang walked in. â€Å"What are you doing here?† said Jaime 1. She had long blonde hair and green surly eyes. She wore a pale blue suit and black soft heels. Although the Jaimes considered themselves equal, they had to distinct each other somehow, and so they were numbered in age order. PJ looked at them with slight pity and disgust. â€Å"We, and don't laugh when I say this†¦need your help† the Jaimes ignored his request and laughed in his face. â€Å"Why would you need our help?† questioned Jaime 3. Number 3 had dark curly hair and was coloured with brown eyes, but had a nicer smile than number 1. She was wearing a yellow suit, only differing number 1's in colour. PJ noticed that they always wore the same thing but in different colours years ago, so he wasn't taken back. Felicity took the role of explaining their problem to the girls, while the rest of the group hoped for a good response. The Jaimes sat and listened carefully, even number 1 didn't speak until Felicity had finished. The Jaimes had been inside while Prince's debut had taken place, so everything was news to them. At the end, their faces looked shocked. Number 1 spoke first. â€Å"So what do you want us to about it? I mean, we are obviously concerned, but how are we supposed to help?† it seemed that they were genuinely trying to help, for the first time ever in PJ's knowledge. â€Å"That's the genius of it! Everyone knows that you guys are at least two years ahead of your age; you act like you're already in high school. Well it seems to me that this Prince guy is at the same level as you, so it wouldn't be a misconception if we thought it was possible†¦for you to, how can I put it, distract him!† Felicity explained with appropriate verbal skill. â€Å"You want us to flirt!† Number 4 caught on. She was wearing the green variety of the suit. â€Å"That's one way of putting it, yes!† Felicity looked at her, expecting disapproval. â€Å"Now you're talking! A way we can put all our uses together! Flirting and lying!† Number two was obviously happy with the proposal. â€Å"Great1 and while you create a few weeks distraction, we can look into Prince, not literally of course! We'll investigate his past, and come up with some proof to convict him of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Felicity thought, â€Å"Something we don't know yet!† The weeks went on, and as far as the gang could tell, Prince was enjoying the act of the Jaimes. Prince had come to be the leader of the playground. He resented anyone proclaiming him to be a king. He said they were all equal, even him. He had produced a short list of laws, which he thought were important if they were to sustain equality, they were: never to downsize another playground associate, always to put others first and never to be selfish. The children of the playground had started up a little chant, and when he heard this, he decided to make it into a regular native song. Whenever there was a meeting, which there frequently was, it would begin with verses of this song, which Prince called Blue Creekers of America. It was sung to the tune of If Your Happy and Your Know it, and went like this†¦ From the Ball field to the swing set we are free, All the way across the playground we are free, When they try to tell us different, We just turn around from infants, If you're a blue creeker than shout out we are free. Don't ever think you'll ever be alone, Think of the playground as your very happy home, If you ever need a hand, Then Prince will understand, If you're a blue creeker than shout out we are free. If you're a blue creeker than shout out we are free! The gang wasn't having much luck looking for evidence (except they knew that kids toys and candy were going missing, even someone's portable television), so PJ, Russ and Pikes decided to take it into their own hands one Saturday night. They snuck out and met at City Hall. Pikes' dad worked there, so it was easy to get the keys. They were all wearing black, navy blue or any other dark colours, though none of the burglar clothing, it would be extremely suspicious if they were seen. They crept into the hall, and saw a door labelled â€Å"Staff only†. This was it. Pikes pulled out a set of keys, and tried three before finding the right one. They opened the door, looking out for any night watchers. They slowly and cautiously walked in the room. There were rows of filing cabinets with letter in alphabetical order above each one. They found row D. â€Å"Dakota, Daniels, Darter, Dartmoor! Got him! Prince Dartmoor. He used to go to Belle Fork. But there's no record of him before 1999† whispered PJ. He couldn't help but feel familiar with this school. â€Å"Belle Fork? That's where King Rob's- Rob's cousin went† noted Russ. He was confused, as were the others. If they went to the same school, why would he need Kyle to tell the story, unless, he was just a pawn in Prince's game play, and that would mean the story wasn't true. They decided to investigate further. They found J for Jenkins, and soon found Rob's dad's and Mum's files. They looked under siblings, and this is where it got interesting. They didn't have any. Rob didn't have a cousin, and the gang had found the evidence they needed. Suddenly, the boys heard a noise from outside the room. It was a guard. They looked hard for a way out, and came to a window. They looked at Pikes. His round chubby body wouldn't fit through that window if a shark was chasing him. â€Å"Go! Take the files! It's the only way!† Pikes forced them. â€Å"But what about you?† Cowered Russ, already hoisting himself up to the window. â€Å"I'll face the consequences alone! Everything comes at a price and this is ours. I'll be grounded for sure, but that's something I'll allow for the sake of the playground, now go!† Pikes courageously whispered. PJ nodded, and within thirty seconds of hearing the guard, PJ and Russ were outside. As they ran with the files tucked in the backpacks, they heard someone shouting, and knew Pikes had been found. On Monday at school was buzzing. The girls had been told to meet PJ, Pikes and Russ in the Jaimes clubhouse, with the Jaimes present naturally. The boys came in a few minutes late, but with plenty of time to spare before the first lesson began. They should them the files, and explained thoroughly what had on the Saturday night. The girls were immediately excited, and were mentally prepared for the removal of Prince. â€Å"Pikes, what did your parents say?† asked Jennie. â€Å"Oh I'm just grounded until I'm fifty. My dad says I could have got him fired, but I think he's just trying to scare me.† Pikes didn't sound his usual self. He seemed down, but was still anxious to get this thing going. The gang and the Jaimes racked their brains to form a plan but finally agreed that one was solid just as the bell went. The playground emptied, and the gang left separately from the Jaimes so as not to cause suspicion. The rest of the morning was spent making preparations. Jaimes 1 and 2 ‘distracted' Prince and the rest snuck around, and secretly spoke to kids they thought were suitable for certain†¦jobs. Pikes and Russ had a very important thing to do. It was morning recess. They went to a wooden gate and heard screams of terror and playful games. They walked through the gate, and entered Kindergarten Territory. They trekked passed the mass of wresting toddlers and painted tribal faces until they got to the Kindergarten King. His name was Lyle, but was called Tootoodyna in a mark of respect. Tootoo was short and fat, with red long hair. He, as the others, had clannish markings on his face, a beaded necklace and wore a grass skirt. â€Å"Morning your highness.† Greeted Pikes. He was well-known to Tootoo, and had been named his big kid friend. â€Å"Tootoo happy to see you big kid friend. Do you want favour?† Tootoo's language was primal, but understandable. â€Å"Yes. The big kids need your help.† Pikes began to explain the plan to the Kindergarten King, and Russ helped fill in things to. After a while, King Tootoo agreed to the plan with ease, and settled terms with the boys. The rest of the morning ran smoothly. The gang and the Jaimes acted normal, not doing much work with the exception of Felicity obviously. They were apprehensive, yet wanted it all the same. They wanted it over. They wanted things to go back to normal. Most of them were wondering what PJ had done. He had told them he had to do something at morning recess, and snuck out of school to do so, but when they asked what it was, he just smiled and said, â€Å"You'll find out.† Lunch came. The cafeteria was almost silent. Most because they could sense something was up, but some because they knew what was up. The gang left the cafeteria ten minutes after entering, and waited for the rest to follow. The gang knew that Prince would be sitting on the Jungle Jim Palace. He had forbidden anyone to touch it, including himself. He said it was a historic figure, one to remind them of the reign of King Rob. Two bodyguards were surveying the entrance. â€Å"We got it!† said Jaime 4 with pleasure. PJ nodded and smiled. The gang hid behind a bush, and watched the Jaimes bring the guards into the clubhouse. It was clear. The playground was starting to fill up by now. It was the perfect time, and there was no going back. PJ lead them to the palace. A few kids saw him and gathered round. What they'd been sensing, this was it. As the gang climbed up, more people gathered round, though no one was saying anything yet. When the last was in the palace, Jaime 3 came out. She spoke to the crowd in a quiet and calm yet commanding voice, â€Å"you have to make sure that Prince doesn't know you're here. Don't make a sound. You'll find out something you deserve to know, just as long as he doesn't think you're here, understand?† â€Å"Why should we listen to you? Prince has done nothing wrong† said one weasel like child. â€Å"Then it won't matter if you hear what he has been doing, if there's nothing wrong with it, like you said. Now go round to the back. We rigged a cup and string phone so you'll hear everything, but when you get there someone will be waiting. When you see them don't make a sound, they're important in all this, and you'll probably change your mind about them soon enough.† Jaime 3 instructed. They did as they were told, and as she said there was someone waiting. King Rob. A few of the crowd opened their mouths, but then remembered Jaime's words and didn't make a peep. They listened through the phone, and recognized the gangs and Prince's voices. â€Å"What are you doing here?† Prince asked angrily. â€Å"Could ask you the same question† replied PJ. His confidence astounded even him and especially Prince. â€Å"We know what you're up to. We know you made up that story and we know what's in this box right here† PJ stepped forward pointing to a large oak toy box, and opened it. There were all of the missing toys and candy. Prince stood there, stunned. He'd been found out, but wasn't going down without a fight. â€Å"Oh yeah, well who cares, you found me out, but as far as those idiots know, I'll tell em you took their stuff, and they'll believe me too, gullible and stupid. They follow my every move and guess what? There's nothing you can do about it!† Prince grew an evil smile. â€Å"Wanna bet?† King Rob entered the room and snatched the evil smile right of Prince's face. â€Å"You know as well as I do that I don't have a cousin, and yet you paid off some kid to lie about it. How much did you pay him? Ten, twenty bucks?† â€Å"Fifteen, but that's not the point. The point is, no one's gonna believe an outlaw and a gang of self righteous twits?† Prince felt safe again. There was no way they'd stop him now, was there? PJ picked up the box, took it to the balcony, and tipped out the contents, but holding the television. Prince was curious. He walked out onto the balcony, and saw the children of the playground listening to every word he'd been saying. â€Å"Fine. So you know. I applaud you all. Good job. But guess what Rob, you may have got out of this one, but I'll be waiting. Every move you make, every step you take I'll be ready to-â€Å"Prince was stopped dead in his tracks. The bodyguards walked up to him and dragged him towards the principle's office. â€Å"But why'd he do it PJ?† shouted someone from the crowd. â€Å"Rob, o you remember the name Jack Hollows?† PJ asked. â€Å"Yeah, he was my best friend up until 3rd grade, when he-â€Å", Rob paused, â€Å"he swore he'd get me back after I pulled down his jeans in the school play.† Rob had had a break through. He knew what was going on. â€Å"Pikes, Russ and I snuck into City Hall on Saturday night. We found out that Prince had lied about that story. Rob hasn't even got a cousin. Then we found out about Prince. There was no record of him before 1999. Then this morning I went home and searched his picture on City Hall records internet. They only give you their name of course, but that's all I needed. It came up with two records. Prince Dartmoor 1999 to present, and Jack Hollows 1991 to 1999. He changed his name right after the play incident, so he could get his revenge without a trace.† PJ gave the crowd a few seconds to mull over the information they had just been given, and then spoke once more, â€Å"So I ask you, are you regretful? Are you sorry? But most of all, do you want King Rob back?† the crowd gave no pause, just a dramatic, deafening â€Å"YES!† Prince (or Jack) was expelled from Blue Creek Elementary for stealing. He and his family moved to Alabama. King Rob was restored to his throne. The Jaimes were given luxuries to go in their clubhouse. The gang were labelled playground heroes, and Pikes was given an honorary stationary kit because of his bravery in City Hall. As for PJ, he was given the job of Royal Assistant. He monitored Jack's movement in Alabama, and checked out any new kids. Blue Creek Elementary was back to where it started, but with more trust, guidance and hope for the future- High School.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Constitution fails to meet the needs of a rapidly changing society

When the Constitution was written by the ‘Founding Fathers back in 1787, they intentionally made it so that it could survive over time. They made it flexable so because they envisaged that there were problems that they could not forsee in the future, these are things such as the Depression of the late twenties and early thirties. ‘The Framers' intended for the amendment process to be the main way of updating the constitution and through time this has been evident. An important part of a democratic government is the accountability of those in power, in recent times we have seen the system in America fail, in part this may be due to the fact that the constitution may be outdated. During Bill Clintons' second term of office there were a number of scandals that rocked the White House, the first being the Paula Jones affair. During a hearing about the Paula Jones affair Clinton stated that he had not had â€Å"sexual relations† with Monica Lewinsky, this turned out to be a lie and Congress attempted to impeach him. The impeachment failed due to the wording of the constitution as it was based on the fact that they believed he had committed ‘a high crime or misdemeanour' but Clintons' lawyers asked for a definition of this and Congress could not give one. This shows that the wording of the constitution was outdated or the constitution was badly worded. There was also a lack of accountability during the Watergate scandal as President Nixon was able to escape with no punishment even though he was part of a conspiracy to commit a felony, all charges against Nixon were dropped by his successor Gerald Ford due to the fact that Presidents have the power to withdraw charges against anybody in America. This shows that there is an essential part of the democratic process missing due to flaws in the constitution. When the constitution was first written in 1787 there was a strong possibility of war, so when the founding fathers drew up the constitution they added in an article which said that all people have the right to bear arms. This article has been problematic ever since. Within the last decade there have been many high profile shootings in schools such as Columbine, this has led to a stronger fight against the gun laws. There are those such as the National Rifle Association who say that that right can not be taken away from them as it is one of their constitution rights but there is a problem with that as within the preamble there is the mention of insuring domestic tranquillity, can this be done when there are children who can gain easy access to guns, there are also the problems with the number of deaths due to gun crimes, the right to life is also mentioned in the constitution. The flexibility of the constitution is crucial to its longevity as if it was too rigid it would not have lasted, there may be the problem though that it is too flexible. Over the years there hav been many changes in the federal system, most notably the introduction of Roosevelts ‘New Deal' which saw the power shift more towards the central government, then there was the move back through presidents such as Nixon and Reagan. During this time the efficacy of the government could be questioned as we saw with the ‘Appropreations Crisis' in 1995, during this time government was shut down for two weeks this was ineffect shutting down the country as federal run services such as the postal service were also closed. A solution was found to stop that happening again, that arrived in the form of the ‘Line Item Veto', this gave the President the power to remove unsuitable sentences or paragraphs from a bill. Eighteen months after its introduction it was scrapped as the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional as it gave too much power to one person. Many considered this as a mistake as it made the legislative process faster as it saved the bill being sent back to Congress. This shows that there is room for improvement within the constitution. Through time the main way to update the constitution has been through the Amendment process. As society and its ideals has changed so has the Constitution, when society started to object to slavery and racism the constitution began to follow, the same with womens rights. There are other problems as I have already mentioned the constitution still protects the pro-gun lobby as it is stated in the constitution that all citizens shall bear arms, after a number of atrocities and the significant rise in gun crime, society is begininng to object but still there is no movement on any new amendments in regards to gun laws. The lack of movement may be due to the constitution being outdated but it may also be due to the power that the NRA and other pro gun groups have but we have seen great trides taken through time such as the moves against racism. The constitution was based on what was happening in the eighteenth century and what the ‘Framers' envisaged would happen in the future, but there would seem to be the ability within it, due to its flexibility, to change with modern society. Through time we have seen how society has changed and not far behind is the constitution due to the amendment process.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Information technology has improved society essays

Information technology has improved society essays The purpose of this essay is to prove that Information Technology (IT) has improved society. I will do this by showing ways that Information Technology has improved safety in society, through the prediction of possible dangers, and as a direct result prevention of injury and loss of life. Society in general is far too broad for the purpose of the essay and must be quantified. For this fact, I have chosen to only look at societies that I consider similar to the one that I live in. I will label them as first world, western societies. Society to me, and for what I believe to be generally accepted, is different groups of people living together. These groups may have different belief systems, values, tastes, religions and so forth, but they all share the same view of reality that determines what they believe to be right and wrong, proper or reprehensible. IT has enabled society to predict imminent disaster and to give enough warning to prevent injury and save lives. The prediction of danger improves safety by warning people who may be exposed to it, and giving emergency services time to prepare when it happens. Through implementation of early warning systems and the use of other IT such as telephone, television, radio and so forth, we are able to warn of the danger and evacuate people in the path of a storm, flood or fire, or warn people of the risk of a tornado. A good example of how IT could have been used to prevent a resulting disaster, was in 1972, Buffalo Creek, West Virginia. A burst dam resulted in a roaring flood, which killed people and destroyed buildings. (Sullivan Today with the use of IT, new methods have been implemented that would avert this kind of danger and resulting loss of life. Data from sensors is feed into computers to monitor water levels and vibrations in dam walls. Satellite images are used to forecast heavy rain that could result in the dam filling quickly. With the use of these...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

French Expression Etre Dans Son Assiette - French Plate

French Expression Etre Dans Son Assiette - French Plate Lets start with a mistake you hear all the time: be careful to not say une assiette (a plate) instead of un sià ¨ge (a seat). Students get confused because the verb for to seat is sasseoir, so they think une assiette is related. Hence the mistake. A Plate Une Assiette We have different kind of plates used for different courses: Les Assiettes Plates (Flat): une petite assiette (une assiette fromage, une assiette dessert par exemple) - smaller plate used for cheese or dessert for example.une grande assiette (une assiette entremet) - a bigger plate, used for the main course.une assiette pain - a very small plate for the breadNote that a very small plate to put under a cup is called une soucoupe.   Les Assiettes Creuses (Deeper Plate) une assiette soupe: soup plate Les Plats (Serving Dishes) There are too many to list: des plats creux (deeper), des plats plats (yes, flat serving dish), and we often sort them by their shape or use : un plat rond, oval, carrà © (round, oval, square...), un plat poisson (for the fish), un plat tarte (pie)... un plat pour le four (for the oven). Ne Pas Être Dans Son Assiette   This weird idiom means to not feel/look well, to feel/look depressed.   Et bien, Camille, à §a va ? Tu es sure ? Tu nas pas lair dans ton assiette.Well, Camille, are you OK? Are you sure? You dont look well. And it has nothing to do with a plate! Actually, it does come from sasseoir, and has to do with the position one is sitting: Lassiette. Its an old French word, that nowadays is only used for horseback riding. We say: un bon cavalier a une bonne assiette. (a good rider has a good sitting position). Otherwise, the French word une assiette is used for a plate, thats all. Note that for the idiom ne pas à ªtre dans son assiette will always be used in the negative, and the possessive adjective will change to agree with the person you are talking about. Regarde Pierre : il na pas lair dans son assiette.Look at Pierre: he doesnt look well.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Categories of Computer Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Categories of Computer Crime - Essay Example codes; the creation of false bank accounts; theft of personal information and misuse of the stolen information; the virus infection created on computers that can hamper the proper software operations and damage records. Today, the biggest crime created through computer use is the electronic financial account transfer (Computer-Based Crime, 2011). To date, identity theft has the fastest growing crime rate in America. Identity theft is the pilfering and illegal use of private information from an unsuspecting individual to access personal financial accounts. The targeted personal data include a victim’s address, birth date, telephone number, social security number (SSN), bank account number, credit card number, or other valuable identification records to be used for the thief’s economic gain. Criminals use this information in opening new credit and depository accounts, applying for home or car loans, leasing homes, apartments or vehicles (Brody, Mulig & Kimball, 2007) applying for benefits, or filing fake tax returns (Palmer, 2006). In worst cases, perpetrators use the obtained private information to take over the victim’s identity, create enormous debts, or use in a criminal activity under the victim’s name (Brody, Mulig & Kimball, 2007). Phishing is a scam that uses volumes of electronic mail messages to attract innocent victims into disclosing private information. A phishing email illustrating a believable problem lures the victim to a fake link that is a replication of the victim’s bank web address; the victim then fixes the imaginary concern and verifies account information and divulges personal identification. Subsequently, the phisher uses the pilfered PIN number, secret code, and identity to drain the victim’s bank account (Brody, Mulig & Kimball, 2007). Pharming is a technically higher form of phishing wherein a virus is unknowingly downloaded on the victim’s computer. The prey keys in a genuine web address but is instead redirected to a

Friday, November 1, 2019

Employee selection method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employee selection method - Essay Example Additionally, the cognitive ability test evaluates the participant’s potential or aptitude to solve job-related issues by providing data about their mental abilities such as mathematical and verbal reasoning, as well as, perpetual abilities such as speed in identifying letter in the alphabet. A good example of cognitive ability test is the aptitude test that is given to prospective employees. The advantages of the cognitive ability test are that it produces various organization outcomes such as success in training and performance. Secondly, this method can be used to predict job performance, especially for complex jobs. Thirdly, the test can be administers through paper and pencil or using computerized methods. Lastly, the method is cost-effective to administer, as the participants are time (Durai, 2010). However, there are various pitfalls that are associated with this method that include that the test is likely to differ in results because of race and gender than any other type of test administers. Lastly, the method is time-consuming in case the test is purchased off- the-