My Mission on Earth free essay sample

I am here to start the revolution of teenage artists, journalists, photojournalists, and photographers. I am a wave in this ocean, crashing against the steady shore of middle aged writers and media vigilantes. I will continue to fight against the unappealing expectation to â€Å"enjoy being a child†. I will continue to write in my notebook instead of playing kickball with the other kids. Instead of playing with dolls, I will be taking snapshots of the surrounding life forms. My mission is to help other creative teen masterminds pursue their dreams as I am pursuing mine. I wish to inspire those teens to write with everything in their soul. I feel like I am here to help them see their potential. I am here to tell them that they don’t always have to like their writing, but they must believe in themselves. They must keep fighting, or else their love for writing will die out, and a love for writing is a beautiful thing. We will write a custom essay sample on My Mission on Earth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It should be appreciated; not everyone can get that spark or that excitement. And I also believe my mission is to make my name known. I believe everyone’s mission is to leave a mark in some way, to live out their purpose. Mine is to show I am not some random, average teenager; I am not just another black teenager. But I am an intelligent, respectable, and determined African American teenager with a passion for making a name for herself and being a writer. That is my mission on Earth.

Dolphin and Human characteristic essays

Dolphin and Human characteristic essays Since the beginning of life, people have been changing. The way we dress, act, live, and communicate have evolved throughout time. People are very amazing, especially when we do various dangerous stunts. People are friendly, thats why we have pets. For example, A dog is a mans favorite pet. This results that man loves animal. The way animal love humans. Animals are very intelligent, they can learn things very quickly. I honestly think dolphins have the similarity of a person. Dolphins should be considered a person. There are so many things that are in common. First of all, Dolphins behave exactly like a person. Humans give birth to a child which takes 9 months and dolphins give birth to a child which takes 12 months. Just as a person, a dolphins breeds its child. By the way, dolphins are mammals like humans. Also, surprisingly, dolphins live in groups which are their family. Humans live in families as well. They also have emotions that can affect their living, just like humans. Plus, dolphins dont harm humans, however they can easily kill us. This shows us the bond between dolphins and humans. The brain of a dolphin is similar to a human brain than any other animal. The brain of a dolphin is a bit bigger than ours. Dolphins are very brilliant animals. They can pick things up very easily. When you teach a dolphin something, they can learn it very quickly. Dolphins communicate in a way where they whistle instead of speaking like us because they dont have vocal cords. Dolphins have emotions. It depends on how their feeling. For example, If a dolphin is very happy they can do many stunts like flips. Humans in the other hand, when they are happy, we might go to a party and enjoy ourselves. Dolphins use sonic waves to communicate and see the world around them. A dolphin might use their sonic wave to sense a animal that might be near by. T...

ACC501 - Accounting for Decision Making, Mod 3 SLP Essay

ACC501 - Accounting for Decision Making, Mod 3 SLP - Essay Example In this paper we are going to discuss a decision that has recently been made by the ASPCA and its financial implications. The ASPCA is a non-profit organization that is based in New York. It was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866. As the first animal welfare organization in the USA, it took on the humanitarian role of protecting animals by rescuing them from abuse, developing humane laws and establishing a network of countrywide shelters to help carry out a collaboration with animal lovers (www.aspca.org). One of the decisions that was recently made by the ASPCA was a collaboration with Bank of America in terms of issuing a special ASPCA credit card. This card functions very much like an ordinary credit card, but with a lot of benefits and privileges attached. For instance, every time a cardholder uses his or her ASPCA credit card to make a purchase, they will be helping fight cruelty to animals. Every dollar spent in net retail terms gathers points towards discounts, allowances and other privileges in hotel travel and accommodation- and may also result in cash and merchandise redemptions. The ASPCA credit card is being offered at a low Annual Percentage interest rate (APR) in order to attract customers. To apply one must be a Bank of America customer and have applied for online banking services or already own a debit or credit card issued by the bank. Relevant costs related to the decision to issue the ASPCA special credit card are the cost of issue to the Bank, the business expected to be generated by the use of this card and the general acceptability among American users. The low APR seems to be appealing, as well as the plea to contribute to the safety and protection of animals all across the USA. Few people would find themselves resisting applying for this credit card. It not only allows them certain privileges, but also benefits in terms of cash discounts and allowances gained while shopping. In the

Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Cancer - Essay Example Cancer may affect people of all ages, but the chances of occurrence increases with age. Though it is found to affect people all over the world, it is identified as one of the major causes of death in developed countries. Cells do divide and proliferate in most tissues, but the body exercises strict control over the proliferation and death of cells, in order to maintain a balance. The mutations in cell DNA sometimes disrupt this control, leading to cancer. The result is usually a tumor, which may be benign or malignant. Benign ones neither spread to other tissues nor invade others, and is not life threatening except in some cases where their presence compresses critical organs etc. Malignant tumors are life threatening since they invade and spread to other tissues. Cancer can be of many types and are usually identified by the location of the most severe manifestation of the disease. The site of occurrence, character of malignancy, and evidence of metastasis etc determine the severity. Examination of the affected tissue by a pathologist is essential to arrive at a definite diagnosis. Surgery or biopsy is needed to extract tissue. Once identified, there are specific treatments for cancer depending on l ocation, severity and other factors. Common forms of treatment are surgical removal, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Many cancers can be cured by proper and timely treatment. Untreated cancers may eventually result in death. It is commonly believed that cancer strikes for no apparent reason. Such a belief has grown since medical science has so far not been able to identify a direct, one-to-one reason for the occurrence of cancer. However, despite being unable to identify every cause, it has been possible to identify many of the factors that cause cancer. The causative factors are either intrinsic, such as heredity, diet or hormones or extrinsic, such as chemicals, radiation, viruses or bacteria. The common perception that smoking causes cancer arises from this

Rites of passage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Rites of passage - Essay Example felt that the United States of America has the best higher education institutions in the world and also offer numerous opportunities for career growth once I complete my studies. This made the decision to come pursue my higher education in the United States of America much easier. This paper will discuss my transition from high school to college and the challenges encountered. After making this crucial decision, I started making the necessary arrangements. I had to look for the best higher education institution in the United States that would suit my needs. The institution had to be well known, have excellent facilities and staff that would assist me in achieving my goals. I also had to secure admission in the institution. I was also forced to look for the necessary travel documents before I could leave my country. This was crucial as without the travel documents I wouldn’t be allowed to leave for the United States. This was an important stage in my life as I had reached the majority age. This meant that could be a citizen in my own right. This allowed me to be able to convince my parents that I was mature enough to take care of myself in a foreign country miles away from them. As a foreign student, I had to first of all, learn English which is the native language used in America. This proved to be harder than I thought. However, everyone, especially the tutors were very understanding and encouraged me a lot. I also had to leave behind my family and friends. Whom, I had gotten used to seeing and being around. I also had to leave behind the Chinese food and culture. On the positive side, I had gotten my chance to pursue my higher education studies in one of the best universities in the world. It also gave me an opportunity to meet new people and learn about their culture. It also gave me an opportunity to travel the world. Deciding to come to pursue my higher education in the United States has helped become a better person. I have learned how to manage my

Suicide In Pop Music Culture Media Essay

Suicide In Pop Music Culture Media Essay Growing up is hard enough for most teenagers and music has always acted as is an important crutch for them to turn to when times are hard. Music plays a vital role in youth culture and has also become a question of morality when it comes to specific music genres that may be deemed inappropriate because of the content and message their music gives out (Zillmann and Gan, 1997; Ter Bogt, 1997). Some believe particular genres of music are potentially dangerous to young people and the music and its performers are professed as encouraging and propagating adolescent substance use, violating the law for glorification, delinquency (Christenson and Roberts, 1998). Genres which are included in this bracket are heavy metal and rap, having a particularly negative image in the media. In past and current years, the artists of these genres have felt the heat from the authorities that deem their musical content inappropriate material for the younger generation to listen to, believing it is responsible for teen suicides and other negative behavioral (Binder, 1993; Fried, 2003). The Questions Suicide is a popular theme in sub-cultural styles of music. There have been many articles in the press about artists and bands that have been blamed and targeted for the supposed responsibility of teenage fans committing suicide after listening to their music. But is it fair to be so blasà © and blame these artists because their music contains suicidal references? Should the finger be so starkly pointed at these artists? Is it justifiable and fair? If not, who is to blame? The parents? Our education system? The media? All these points will be addressed in this article and concluded thoughtfully after cross-examination and circumstantial evidence presented. The Beginning-Elvis starts it The beginning of this debate started when Rock and Roll, a new genre of music, exploded into the media in the 1950s. Elvis Presley was the forefather and the voice of this generation. He created a new of type of music that people had never heard before; a style of music the younger generation connected with. This voice represented their drive for life, their sexuality and belief in living their lives in the way they wanted, not their parents. This new way was rejected and considered by the authorities as a danger to the youth as they tried to repress this new artist by implementing bans and censorships. Perhaps one of the most famous incidents of censorship was when Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast with Presley only being filmed from the waist up, as his gyratory hip movements were deemed too obscene to air. The older generation shouted about their intense abhorrence and that they regarded this type of behavior to be damaging to the teen generation. They believed that it would create an epidemic and it needed to be stopped. Yet with all this press attention focused on Presley, all this actually did was to swell the desire in the fans for him and his music. This did exactly the opposite to what the authorities wanted and propelled him to fame. They made him into the bad-boy superstar that sold millions of records worldwide by giving him his free publicity. This was the beginning of the extremism of politics in music that would occur in the future. The 70s; a precursor to 1990s accusations In 1972, Gilbert OSullivan spent six weeks at the top of the Billboard charts with the song Alone Again. In this song, OSullivan contemplated throwing himself off a nearby tower because he had been betrayed by everyone. Leonard Cohen threatened to slit his wrists in Dress Rehearsal Rag (1971) for similar reasons. Yet because OSullivans appealed to the conservative Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences society, musical threats of suicide did not provoke anything neighboring on a moral panic in those years. The theme of suicide was incorporated into mainstream pop culture in a thoroughly romantic fashion, just as it had been in romance novels and tragic opera where suicide was common place, yet deemed acceptable in this period. MTV and radio split 1981 was a turning point for dividing the younger and older generations in musical appropriateness. On August 1st, MTV began transmission. It is fair to say that music television has assumed radios responsibility for breaking new acts (Shuker 1994, ch. 7). Radio and MTV became divided down the middle on this generation gap. Radio broadcasts the old, the familiar and the reassuring, while music television assumes responsibility for the new, the unfamiliar and the shocking. FMs audience does not seem to change its tastes or look for the thrill of the new. FMs audience listened to the Eagles in the 1970s on its record players, it tuned into FM in the 1980s so it could listen to the Eagles on its car radios, and now it is the 1990s and it still wants to listen to the Eagles perhaps so it can remember the 1970s. (Turner 1993, p. 145) Commercial radio has emerged since the 1970s as one of the most evidently sites of cultural struggle. This is especially between the baby boom generations, for whom rock radio has become a predictable asylum from the anxieties of life. Yet their children for whom hip-hop, alternative and metal stand for nothing less than the manifestation of their status as musical outsiders. Types of music to blame and court cases Rock critics no longer judge music worth on grounds of composition but instead spew careless stereotypes. Heavy metal is widely generalized to be perceived as dark, depressing music to listen to. Many of the songs are reflective of the artists I-dont-give-a-damn attitude, in visual appearance and dark lyrical content. Heavy metal is the most recent target that is attracting extremist accusations that it induces its listeners to experience occultism and Satanism ranging through to sexism and racism to murderous and suicidal tendencies. (Shuker 1994, pp.260-2). Metal evolved in the 1970s out of mainstream album-oriented rock, typified by bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple which, in turn, had their roots in the blues-based hard rock of 1960s acts like Cream and Jimi Hendrix. But because they were hardening musically at precisely the moment when radio and its coveted baby boomer demographic were softening into adult-oriented formats, metal bands were driven underground, promoting their records by means of relentless touring and by word of mouth. There is no hard evidence to support that heavy metal music is actually instructing its listeners to do bad things, just peoples perceiving this music in this way because it is not happy, bouncy music. A 1993 study showed heavy metal inspired happy feelings in most fans, with the small number of those who reported feeling worse more likely to already suffering mental health problems. Many people feel that it is a cathartic way of venting and getting rid of their frustrations. Is it right to expect the artist to take responsibility when a teen does commit suicide after obsessively listening to their music? Is there any just cause in blaming them because their lyrics contain depressive material? Some people seem to think so. The 80s saw an influx of court cases against artists and it was also the decade that introduced the Parental Advisory stickers. In 1985, Parental Advisory stickers were affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to audio and video recordings in the United States containing offensive language and/or content. Albums began to be labeled for explicit lyrics, after pressure from the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). It has become known as the Tipper sticker because of Tipper Gores visible role in the PMRC. 1985 saw British heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne making his first court appearance on charges that the song Suicide Solution had caused nineteen-year-old John McCullom to attempt suicide, regardless of Osbournes repeated claims that Suicide Solution was written about the death of AC/DCs Bon Scott and that, therefore, it carried a positive anti-suicide message. The case was dismissed on the grounds that song lyrics are protected speech under the First Amendment. Another court case was brought against Judas Priest in 1990, in which the song Better By You, Better Than Me was alleged to have caused the suicide of Raymond Belnap and the attempted suicide of his friend James Vance. What was different about this case was the fact that this case pivoted on the allegation that the band had hidden subliminal messages, buried into their recordings. The attorney for the accusation claimed that satanic messages could be heard when playing the music is backwards. Judge Jerry Carr Whitehead ruled explicitly at the beginning that the court was not interested in the unconcealed lyrical content of rock songs because it was protected by the First Amendment; only the so-called subliminal messages were in question, he ruled, because they did not constitute an open exchange of information. The leading sound expert for the prosecution, attempted to persuade the court that he had expose the backwards words Do it in the song and that this was a clear provocation fo r its listeners to commit suicide. This case was thrown out of court when Judas Priest, defending themselves, chose a section of the song and told the jury that they would hear a certain silly phrase when they played that particular part backwards. Sure enough, this silly phrase is what they heard and the case was thrown out of court.>> This proved that if you are listening hard enough, you can hear anything you want to hear making this claim incongruous. This case, and others like it, went a long way towards legitimizing the once-preposterous claim that subliminal messages are frequent in heavy metal music and that they exert an almost hypnotic power (Billard 1990; Henry 1990, p. 65). Lead singer, Rob Halford, noted in the aftermath of the trial, What we went through . . . we considered that simply an attack on our artistic expression. It was nothing to do with real subliminals.'(Burns 1990, pp. 100-14) The 1980s saw the biggest increase in teen suicides. Lawrence Grossbergs definitive study of American culture under neo-conservatism, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, has woven its political agenda into the mainstream of North American life, where it now manifests itself both as a moral panic. A vote from this book states: In 1940, the major problems were listed as: talking, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, getting out of turn in line, wearing improper clothing, not putting paper in waste baskets. Forty years on in 1982: rape, robbery, assault, burglary, arson, bombings, murder, suicide, absenteeism, vandalism, extortion, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gang warfare, pregnancy, abortion, and venereal disease (Grossberg 1992, pp. 185-8). Teen suicide had reached truly epidemic proportions, and has continued to escalate. The study concludes: Individuals born in the latter part of the twentieth century, are at far greater risk [than their predecessors] for developing [suicide-related] mood disorders and these disorders are manifesting themselves at a younger age (Birmaher et al. 1996, pp. 1,428-30). While it is easy for the conservatives to blame this epidemic on rock music, it is nothing but speculation and there is no hard evidence to back up their ideological views. A 1997 AACAP study entitled Precipitating factors and life events in serious suicide attempts among youths aged 13 through 24 years concluded that the most common occurrence of serious suicide attempts were relationship breakdowns, other personal problems, and financial difficulties. (Beautrais et al. 1997, pp. 1,543-51) Dr Barry Goldfinkel of the University of Minnesota Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, insists: Ninety out of 100 kids who kill themselves meet a psychiatric diagnosis. Kids dont commit suicide just because theyve been treated harshly or lifes dealt them a bad hand. Its the internal process going on, not merely the fact of ones horrible existence. (Wartik 1995, p. 23) Marilyn Manson In the late 90s, Goth-rocker Marilyn Manson arrived on the scene. He was one of the biggest stars that rose through MTV and one of the most controversial to date. He stormed to the top of the charts, catapulting to worldwide fame. Manson was not your average artist. His image has been described as a brickolage of jack boots, leather, lingerie, black lipstick, eerie contact lenses and cadaverous face paint (Hebdige 1979, pp. 102-4; Thigpen 1997, p. 68). He has been arrested for exposing himself on stage and criticized for his indulgence in self-mutilation. His music was inexorably tangled up with criticism of his appearance and the visual content of his videos and he was the next scapegoat for the PMRC to target. In his opening remarks as host of the 1998 Grammy Award Show, sitcom actor, substance abuser and convicted drunk driver Kelsey Grammer promised that Marilyn Mansons skinny white ass would not be appearing on the show. It was a truly extraordinary moment. Referring explicitly to his own teenage daughter, Spencer, Grammer couched this slur in the form of an inside joke for the baby boomer parents of children with seemingly inexplicable musical tastes. In so doing, he affirmed not only the intractable conservatism of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences but also the arrogant hegemony of his own generation within mainstream musical culture. The show proceeded to reward Bob Dylan with Album of the Year, James Taylor with Best Pop Album and Elton John with Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, while lavishing unbridled approbation upon the newest crop of corporate hit-makers, including Babyface, LeAnn Rimes, Hanson and the ubiquitous Spice Girls. Mitch Miller could not have orchestrated a more thoroughgoing tribute to the pop music status quo in America. The influence of music-based subcultures on suicide has been the subject of debate for many years. The above quote goes to show the hypocrisy and the neo-conservatism attitude that has settled in society,just like the text in Grossbergs book, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. When the Columbine High School massacre happened, it was exposed that the teenagers responsible listened to Marilyn Manson. When two girls raped a nun with a crucifix and tortured her to death, it was discovered that they too, listened to Marilyn Manson. Gesticulations were made and the finger pointed at Manson for being responsible for poisoning their minds and making them commits these murders and suicides, through his music. Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman called him perhaps the sickest artist ever promoted by a mainstream record company (Jeffrey 1996, p. 3) and put enormous pressure on his label, Interscope to cease selling his records. This was at the height of Mansons third album Antichrist Superstar. The album had reached Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at Number 3 and Manson had become the perfect scapegoat for the ethical guardians. Much like what had happened with Presley, history was repeating itself and by his position in the charts, it is obvious to see that this press was helping sell more records than ever. It is clear from his autobiography that Manson takes himself and his music very seriously, that his analysis of organized religion is both personal and ideological, and that his music is not intended to induce self-destructive behaviour but to inspire strength and independence. He told a panel for discussion on MuchMusic (Canadas music video network): I see what I do as a positive thing. I try to bring people closer to themselves. That may be further away from God but thats closer to themselves. I think thats a good thing. I think that makes people stronger. . . Im trying to tell people to believe in themselves because thats all that they have to believe in. I think thats a positive thing. (MuchMusic 1996) It seems that Manson is not just a guy with a burning ambition to be an adored Rock star. He is a man that is trying to get people to open their eyes to the conformist ideals of the neo-conservative army which he believes have been trying to brain wash a nation, into believing it needs shelter and protection from themselves. He has fought back against the machine and made his messages loud and clear. A tee-shirt for sale at his concerts summarizes his agenda concisely: Warning, the music of Marilyn Manson contains messages that will Kill God In your impressionable teenage mind, as a result you could be convinced to Kill your mom and dad And eventually in an act of hopeless Rock and Roll behavior you will Kill yourself. Please burn your records while there is still hope. Manson published an open letter on the Columbine killings in Rolling Stone in which he reiterated the critique of American society that has been so forcefully articulated in his music: When it comes down to whos to blame for the high school murders in Littleton, Colorado, throw a rock and youll hit someone whos guilty. Were the people who sit back and tolerate children owning guns, and were the ones who tune in and watch the up-to-the-minute details of what they do with them. I think its terrible when anyone dies, especially if its someone you know and love . . . This kind of controversy does not help me sell records or tickets, and I wouldnt want it to. Im a controversial artist, one who dares to have an opinion and bothers to create music and videos that challenge peoples ideas in a world that is watered-down and hollow. In my work I examine the America we live in, and Ive always tried to show people that the devil we blame out atrocities on is really just each one of us. So dont expect the end of the world to come one day out of the blue its been happening every day for a long time. (Manson 1999) The Answer In the wake of the Columbine tragedy, the authorities are franticly trying to find short term answers to the problem of teen suicides and the bloody massacres that occur along side this. This is a problem that has not been identified and many feel that they are searching for answers in the wrong place. For example, after Columbine, the teenagers were considered to be the enemy when schools in America installed metal detectors at the entrances to stop children bringing guns into school. A short term answer to a continuing problem, surely the education and up-bringing of the child are key factors, (not the tools society hands to them on a plate, ironically)? Tipper Gores Parents Music Resource Center, feels that certain music groups are to blame for the suicides and have attacked the music industry. They professed to say that because one suburban teen had written down the lyrics to Fade to Black before taking her life that this was evidence and Proof that this music was responsible and encouraged the teen to kill themselves. In the year 2007, the next new wave of music has arrived and instead of heavily metal being targeted, emo and hip hop are now seemingly liable. Over a decade on, have we learnt from our past mistakes in teaching our misguided youth? It seems not. Just weeks ago, the Virginia Tech tragedy occurred when another troubled teen went on a rampage, killing his classmates and school teachers and then turned the gun on himself. Parents and schools have renounced their responsibility to these teens. In their absence, a psychiatric empire has been created to provide easy answers through medication. A host of psychiatric drugs provided the easy solution to teen suicide. In the absence of parents and teachers who care, todays suburban teens can pharmaceutically control their feelings. But, t what price? Teen suicides may have declined, but, it seems that these medications have helped some teens externalize their depression, erupting into rage. Of course, blaming the medication for the violence is as wrong as blaming the guns, the music or the violent video games and movies. It is not what teens hear in their music or see in the movies or video games that causes the rage. Its the teens inability to handle their feelings of abandonment. But perhaps people in the public eye should take some responsibility if they are communicating with people on such grand scales, as Rock stars do. Beto Cuevas, the lead singer of La Ley, felt he had to do something when he discovered a fan had committed suicide after finding out she could not meet her idols. This was the last straw in her tragic ending but Cuevas felt he had to do something and thought, that through music, he could write a song that would reach his fans. In many ways its about people helping people, Ive talked to fans who said the song has left them thinking about options. Its a problem we have in our daily lives. Sometimes its as simple as listening to someone, your children. Troubled youths have taken comfort in the darker forms of rock music- just as music lovers of all ages find consolation in the music that seems to articulate their losses, their pain and their grief. The problem lies in lacking parent and community supports. In the wake of two Australian teenage suicides, Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, has called on parents to support their children more. I think the greatest thing that has to be said about this is that parental responsibility in the end is the key to behavior by children. Government cant educate parents if they dont have an instinct for responsibility. And while there are things the Government can do, there is a limit before you start running up against freedom of speech.

The Signalman Analysis

The story begins with the narrator calling â€Å"Halloa! Below there! † into a railway cutting. The signalman standing on the line below does not look up, as the narrator expects, but rather turns about and stares into the railway tunnel it is his responsibility to monitor. The narrator calls down again and asks permission to descend. The signalman seems reluctant, but assents and waits with an air of ‘expectation and watchfulness’. The railway cutting is a damp, gloomy and lonely place. The signalman seems still to be in fear of the narrator, who tries to put him at ease. The signalman appears to have seen the narrator before. The narrator assures him that this is impossible. Reassured, the signalman welcomes the newcomer into his little cabin and the two men speak of the signalman's work. His labour consists of a dull, monotonous routine, but the signalman feels he deserves nothing better, as he misused his youthful academic opportunities. The narrator remarks that the signalman seems a sane and dutiful employee at all times but when he looks to his signal bell at two moments when it is not ringing. The visitor leaves with a promise to return on the following night. Before he makes his exit, the signalman asks him why he used the words â€Å"Halloa! Below! † on his arrival; were they not suggested to him â€Å"†¦in any supernatural way†? The narrator says no. The signalman implores him to by no means call out so again. He says that he is â€Å"troubled†. The following day the narrator returns and does not call. The signalman tells him that he will reveal to him the nature of his trouble, which is that he is haunted by a recurring apparition: he has seen a spectre at the entrance to the tunnel on two separate occasions and that each appearance has foreshadowed a tragedy. In the first instance, the signalman heard the shouted words that the narrator spoke and saw a figure with its arm across its face, waving the other in desperate warning. He questions it but it vanishes. He then runs into the tunnel but finds nobody. Within a few hours there occurs a terrible train crash with many casualties. On its second appearance, the figure is silent, with both hands before the face in an attitude of mourning. Soon afterward, a beautiful young woman dies in a passing train. Finally the signalman admits that he has seen the spectre several times within the past week. It seems to the narrator that the signalman is suffering from hallucinations. During the conversation the signalman sees the spectre, and hears his bell toll out a phantom ring, but the narrator sees and hears nothing of these events. The signalman is convinced these supernatural incidents are portents of a third tragic event yet to happen, and is sick with fear and frustration: he does not understand why he should be burdened with knowledge of an incipient tragedy when he, as a lowly railway functionary, has neither the authority nor the ability to prevent it. The sceptical narrator believes that his new friend's imagination has been overtaxed and suggests taking him to see a doctor. The following day the narrator visits the railway cutting for a third time, and is struck to see a figure at the mouth of the tunnel. This figure is no ghost, however. It is a man, one of a group of officials investigating an incident on the line. The narrator discovers his friend the signalman is dead, having been struck by an oncoming train. He had been standing on the line, looking intently at something, and failed to get out of the way. The driver of the train explains that he did attempt to warn the signalman of his danger: as the train bore down on the signalman the driver called out to him â€Å"Below there! Look out! Look out! For God’s sake, clear the way! † Moreover, the driver waved his arm in warning even as he covered his face to avoid seeing the train strike the hapless signalman. The narrator notes the significance of the similarity between the driver's actions and the actions of the spectre as the signalman had earlier described them, but leaves the nature of that significance to the reader.

Turner (1997) continuously emphasizes the connection

American nation was developing in unique conditions, peculiar in both cultural and geographical sense: ‘The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward, explain American development’ (Turner).European nations were developing within a limited territory; expansion of a nation occurred through conquering other peoples and subjecting them to the nation’s rule. On the contrary, American institutions and society were themselves evolving to meet constantly changing conditions: the ‘expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating American character’ (Turner).American institutions were therefore facing the pressure to expand in order to meet demands of people migrating westwards (Lind). This phenomenon continued and intensified as long as Americans were finding new homes in the west.Frontier is characteriz ed as the line of fast and enduring Americanization. The philosophy of early American development implies changing ‘primitive economic and political conditions of the frontier into the complexity of city life’ (Turner).However, Slotkin (97) notes that the frontier provided Americans with opportunity to illustrate their fast adaptability to changing lifestyle and environment. This is illustrated by the willingness to face the challenges that were being faced in the new lands out west, where human settlement had never been in such huge scale.Therefore, the central conflict of the frontier era is between nature and culture, between savagery and civilization. This conflict is also central to the classical frontier romance ‘Last of the Mohicans’ by James Fenimore Cooper. This paper will separately explore the dynamic of ‘Americanization’ of male and female characters.Male characters will be analyzed along the continuum from the character stuck in th e European values and way of seeing the world (Gamut) through a character that is ready to accept and to learn from the frontier experience (Major Heyward) to the character that feels comfortable with the hybrid identity (Hawkeye). As concerns female character, Cora and Alice will be analyzed as an opposition of a new mixed American identity and classic European whiteness.

Differences Between Hills and Mountains

Differences Between Hills and Mountains Hills and mountains are both natural land formations that rise out of the landscape. Unfortunately, there is no universally accepted standard definition for the height of a mountain or a hill. This can make it difficult to differentiate between the two. Mountain Versus Hill There are characteristics that we typically associate with mountains; for example, most mountains have steep slopes and a well-defined summit while hills tend to be rounded. This, however, is not always the case. Some mountain ranges, such as the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, are geologically old and are therefore smaller and more rounded than more classic mountains such the Rocky Mountains in the western United States. Even leaders in geography, like the United States Geological Survey (USGS), do not have an exact definition of a mountain and a hill. Instead, the organizations Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) uses broad categories for most land features, including mountains, hills, lakes, and rivers. Though no one can agree on the heights of mountains and hills, there are a few generally accepted characteristics that define each. An Attempt to Define the Height of a Mountain According to the USGS, up until the 1920s the British Ordnance Survey defined a mountain as a geographic feature rising higher than 1000 feet (304 meters). The United States followed suit and defined a mountain as having a local relief higher than 1000 feet. This definition, however, was dropped in the late 1970s. There was even a movie about the battle over mountain and hill. In  The Englishman That Went Up a Hill and Down a Mountain  (1995, starring Hugh Grant), a Welsh village challenged cartographers attempts to classify their mountain as a hill by adding a pile of rocks to the top. What is a Hill? In general, we think of hills as having a lower elevation than a mountain and  a more rounded/mound shape than a distinct peak. Some accepted characteristics of a hill are: A natural mound of earth created either by faulting or erosion.A bump in the landscape, rising gradually from its surroundings.Low altitude and elevation, often less than 984-1968 feet (300-600 meters).A rounded top with no well-defined summit.Often unnamed.Easy to climb. Hills may have once been mountains that were worn down by erosion over many thousands of years. Contrariwise many mountains- such as the Himalayas in Asia- were created by tectonic faults and would have, at one time, been what we might now consider hills. What is a Mountain? Though  a mountain is typically taller than a hill, there is no official height designation. An abrupt difference in local topography is often described as a mountain, and such features will often have  mount  or mountain  in their name; examples include Mount Hood, Mount Ranier, and Mount Washington. Some accepted characteristics of a mountain are: A natural mound of earth created by faulting.A very steep rise in the landscape that is often abrupt in comparison to its surroundings.High altitude and elevation, often higher than 1968 feet (600 meters).A steep slope and a defined summit or peak.Often has a name.Depending on the slopes and elevation, mountains can be a challenge to climb. Of course, there are exceptions to these assumptions and some features that would otherwise be called mountains have the word hills in their name. For instance, the Black Hills in South Dakota can also be thought of as a small, isolated mountain range. The highest peak is Harney Peak at 7242 feet of elevation and 2922 feet of prominence from the surrounding landscape. The Black Hills received their name from the Lakota Indians who called the mountains  Paha Sapa, or black hills.

The Eerie and Bizarre of Poe Essays

The Eerie and Bizarre of Poe Essays The Eerie and Bizarre of Poe Essay The Eerie and Bizarre of Poe Essay she describes the relation between the narrator and old mans eye. She writes Madness is an important motif in the story as the narrator insists that he is not mad while detailing his act of murder upon man with whom he had no other problem than his ugly eye(Boucher). The reason why this story is so eerie is because first of all, the narrator is constantly stalking an old man at his apartment. This can be very frightening to the reader because this can actually happen. It may not be so common, but this is something that Poe wrote thats more realistic and practical. On the other hand, stalking someone because of the look of the old mans eye seems very strange. A lot of murders happen because of what people look like but focusing their hate on Just an eye is odd. Even by this little ascription is Popes story, he creates an image of how people can be still cruel to the smallest things. Unfortunately, the old man has to suffer because of the way his eye looked. It is clear that Poe writes an eerie story about the murder of an old man because of his eye. It has been shown that Poe is a man of strange stories. He wrote a short story about leaving a man trapped and left to die. Another story was about a haunted house and the revenge of a woman who was buried alive. Poe gave us the idea that we can never escape death no mater what we do. He wrote about the killing of animals and murders with odd reason.

Fostering Student Success Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fostering Student Success - Research Paper Example g concerns, to wit: (1) all aspects of the issue or problem; (2) what is known, what needs to be known, and how it can become known; (3) what quantitative or qualitative data is needed; (4) who will have the responsibility of obtaining the data about the issue or problem; (5) a formulation of a series of potential solutions to the issue or problem; (6) a selection of the most reasonable solution with supporting rationales; and finally, (7) a definition of how one’s decision will be evaluated. Various cultures have stressed the importance of education in the realm of an ever increasing competitive environment. Qualifications and competencies of individuals are developed with the advancement in theoretical and practical expertise. Higher education poses strategic differences from high school making students virtually insufficiently prepared for its diverse challenges. Fostering student success should therefore be the focus of school administrators to ensure that academic life would prove to be worth every student’s efforts. Students are expected to take accountability and responsibility for their academic performance through prioritizing compliance to requirements. In a book written by Gary L. Kramer (2007) entitled Fostering student success in the campus community, the author indicated several measures to direct students towards the triumphant path. Kramer averred that â€Å"addressing changing student demographics and needs†¦ aligning institutional and student expectations, connecting student-oriented services systemically, organizing and fostering student services for learning, and creating and delivering services for students†¦(are key issues) to achieve success on campus† (Kramer, 2007, xxix). The research aims to proffer issues which focus on the participation and involvement in student study groups as part of organizing and fostering student services for learning. As required, the discourse would provide a discussion of the following issues,

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 13

Research Paper Example They are thus, very important as far as underground movements are concerned. We thus see how such networks are important from a political point of view as well. These websites also open up certain avenues for communication between people who are in conventionally inaccessible positions. Celebrities and politicians are thus, able to connect more directly with their fans and voters. They also help companies and firms to reach out to their clientele through advertisements that are cheaper than other media. Apart from this, it also leads to the creation of communities that would not be possible in the real world. The virtual reality that is created through such networks enables the dissolution of narrow parochial bonds. All of this has a negative side as well as social networks can be used by miscreants and anti-social elements as well. They can also be incorporated into the power structures of our society, thus blunting their revolutionary potential in a certain sense. The immense number of users of Facebook and Twitter bear testimony to the changing face of human relationships. People like Stuart Wooster feel that human relationships are being redefined in today’s world by such social networks. Such networks lead to the creation of a virtual reality that is capable of sustaining itself and people tend to feel connected with other people even without having seen them in a long time (Wooster). Such websites are able to provide one with a sense of being with a lot of friends even if one is not connected to those friends in any ostensible way at a certain point. One may have several ‘friends’ on Facebook whom one may never have met more than once. The conventions that Facebook gives rise to make it possible for several people to be contacted at once, leading to a fragile bond being created between those parties. This makes it possible for people to know about different people at the same