Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Govt paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Govt paper - Essay Example President, the use and custodianship of the Great Seal, and the execution of the White House’s protocol functions. As may be deduced from the stated, therefore, the office of the Secretary of State is an extremely influential one, with its associate powers reaching far beyond those assigned to the Vice-President. It is precisely because of this that, even though the Secretary of State is fourth in line to the succession of the presidency, this particular office has been traditionally viewed as a stepping stone to the Presidency. Indeed, several secretaries of state, including Thomas Jefferson, were later elected to the Presidency (DeConde, 1962). Given the importance of the defined office, it is useful to research the occupation of those who filled this position and comparatively analyze the historical retention rate of Secretaries of State between Democratic and Republican Administrations. Focusing on the time period from 1897 to the present, history shows that there were thirty-two U.S. Secretaries of State. Many had had a career in politics prior to their appointment and, several had been appointed to various offices in previous administrations. Only three of the thirty-two had had an army career which, in light of this office’s primarily being a diplomatic one, is understandable. Similarly, only four were university professors/academics while a total of six had been career diplomats prior to their appointment. As regards the majority, records show that seventeen were lawyers (â€Å"Federal Government,† 2006) A more critical analysis of the facts outlined in the above leads to an interesting conclusion. While both Democratic and Republican Administrations display a comparable tendency to select their secretaries of state from amongst those who have a legal background, the Republicans have a much more pronounced preference for university professors, having appointed three of the four which served, than

Monday, October 28, 2019

Platos Apology Essay Example for Free

Platos Apology Essay Platos The Apology is an account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates speech, however, is by no means an apology in our modern understanding of the word. The name of the dialogue derives from the Greek apologia, which translates as a defense, or a speech made in defense. Thus, in The Apology, Socrates attempts to defend himself and his conductcertainly not to apologize for it. For the most part, Socrates speaks in a very plain, conversational manner. He explains that he has no experience with the law courts and that he will instead speak in the manner to which he is accustomed: with honesty and directness. He explains that his behavior stems from a prophecy by the oracle at Delphi which claimed that he was the wisest of all men. Recognizing his ignorance in most worldly affairs, Socrates concluded that he must be wiser than other men only in that he knows that he knows nothing. In order to spread this peculiar wisdom, Socrates explains that he considered it his duty to question supposed wise men and to expose their false wisdom as ignorance. These activities earned him much admiration amongst the youth of Athens, but much hatred and anger from the people he embarrassed. He cites their contempt as the reason for his being put on trial. Socrates then proceeds to interrogate Meletus, the man primarily responsible for bringing Socrates before the jury. This is the only instance in The Apology of the elenchus, or cross-examination, which is so central to most Platonic dialogues. His conversation with Meletus, however, is a poor example of this method, as it seems more directed toward embarrassing Meletus than toward arriving at the truth. In a famous passage, Socrates likens himself to a gadfly stinging the lazy horse which is the Athenian state. Without him, Socrates claims, the state is liable to drift into a deep sleep, but through his influenceirritating as it may be to someit can be wakened into productive and virtuous action. Socrates is found guilty by a narrow margin and is asked to propose a penalty. Socrates jokingly suggests that if he were to get what he deserves, he should be honored with a great meal for being of such service to the state. On a more serious note, he rejects prison and exile, offering perhaps instead to pay a fine. When the jury rejects his suggestion and sentences him to death, Socrates stoically accepts the verdict with the observation that no one but the gods know what happens after death and so it would be foolish to fear what one does not know. He also warns the jurymen who voted against him that in silencing their critic rather than listening to him, they have harmed themselves much more than they have harmed him.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

A Comparison of Freedom in Secrets and Lies, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, and Beloved :: comparison compare contrast essays

Freedom in Secrets and Lies, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Beloved      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The word freedom has a different meaning for everyone based on their individual circumstances. Webster's Dictionary also provides many definitions for freedom, the most   relevent to this paper being: a) the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action; b) liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another. I believe that Webster's Dictionary explains freedom the best when it states that "freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated." Since it is really a philosophical question whether a total absence of restraint is really possible, or even desirable, I think mine and most people's general use of the word tends to be more on the side of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.      The two movies Secrets and Lies and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Toni Morrison's novel Beloved all deal with different types and degrees of freedom and the lack there of. Secrets and Lies is about a middle-aged woman who had to grow up at a very young age and never had the freedom to enjoy, or even have, a childhood. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the story of a group of patients in a mental hospital who's routine lives are forever changed by a newly committed patient who's life is anything but routine. Beloved follows the shattered lives of the family of an ex-slave living in Ohio after the end of the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery. Even though each deal with very different circumstances, by comparing the lives of each set of characters in these three stories many parallels can be drawn between them. The freedom restrictions imposed in each story are all different, yet the characters' actions are similar. The characters go to drastic lengths when there freedoms are infringed upon, the most drastic occuring when a newly achieved freedom is lost. Before understanding a new freedom the characters have no problem living without it. However once new freedoms are realized the characters are unrelenting in their fight to preserve them.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Shadow Kiss Chapter 9

Nine WITH SO MANY MOROI tracing their roots back to Eastern Europe, Orthodox Christianity was the dominant religion on campus. Other religions were represented too, and I'd say all in all, only about half of the student body attended any sort of services regularly. Lissa was one such student. She went to church every Sunday because she believed. Christian also attended. He did it because she went and because it made him look good and seem less likely to become Strigoi. Since Strigoi couldn't enter holy ground, regular church service provided a small front of respectability for him. When I wasn't sleeping in, I showed up at church for the social aspect. Lissa and my friends usually hung out and did something fun afterward, so church made for a good meeting spot. If God minded me using his chapel as a way to further my social life, He hadn't let me know. Either that, or He was biding his time before punishing me. When the service ended that Sunday, however, I had to stick around the chapel, because that was where my community service was going to happen. When the place had cleared out, I was surprised to see one other person had lingered with me: Dimitri. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked. â€Å"Thought you might need some help. I hear the priest wants to do a lot of housecleaning.† â€Å"Yeah, but you're not the one being punished here. And this is your day off too. We – well, everyone else – spent the whole week battling it out, but you guys were the ones picking the fights the whole time.† In fact, I noticed now that Dimitri had a couple bruises too – though not nearly as many as Stan had. It had been a long week for everyone, and it was only the first of six. â€Å"What else would I do today?† â€Å"I could think of a hundred other things,† I noted dryly. â€Å"There's probably a John Wayne movie on somewhere that you haven't seen.† He shook his head. â€Å"No, there isn't. I've seen them all. Look – the priest is waiting for us.† I turned around. Sure enough. Father Andrew stood at the front, watching us expectantly. He'd taken off the rich robes he'd worn during service and now stood in simple slacks and a button down shirt. He looked like he was ready to work too, and I wondered whatever happened to Sunday being a day of rest. As Dimitri and I approached to get our assignments, I pondered what could have actually made Dimitri stay here in the first place. Surely he hadn't really wanted to work on his day off. I wasn't used to puzzles with him. His intentions were usually straightforward, and I had to assume there was a simple explanation now. It just wasn't clear yet. â€Å"Thank you both for volunteering to help me.† Father Andrew smiled at us. I tried not to scoff at the â€Å"volunteering† reference. He was a Moroi in his late forties, with thinning gray hair. Even without much faith in religion, I still liked and respected him. â€Å"We aren't doing anything particularly complex today,† he continued. â€Å"It's a bit boring, really. We'll have to do the regular cleaning, of course, and then I'd like to sort the boxes of old supplies I have sitting up in the attic.† â€Å"We're happy to do whatever you need,† Dimitri said solemnly. I repressed a sigh and tried not to think of all the other things I could be doing. We set to it. I was put on mop duty, and Dimitri took over dusting and polishing the wooden pews. He appeared thoughtful and intent as he cleaned, looking like he actually took pride in his work. I was still trying to figure out why he was here at all. Don't get me wrong; I was happy to have him. His presence made me feel better, and of course I always loved watching him. I thought maybe he was there to get more information out of me about what had happened that day with Stan, Christian, and Brandon. Or maybe he wanted to chastise me about the other day with Stan, where I'd been accused of jumping into battle for selfish reasons. These seemed like likely explanations, yet he never said a word. Even when the priest stepped out of the sanctuary to go to his office, Dimitri continued working quietly. I would have figured if he'd had anything to say, he would have done it then. When we finished the cleaning, Father Andrew had us haul box after box of stuff down from the attic and into a storeroom at the back of the chapel. Lissa and Christian frequently used that attic as a secret getaway, and I wondered if having it cleaner would be a pro or a con for their romantic interludes. Maybe they would abandon it, and I could start getting some sleep. With all of the stuff downstairs, the three of us settled on the floor and began sorting it all out. Father Andrew gave us instructions on what to save and what to throw out, and it was a relief to be off my feet for a change this week. He made small talk as we worked, asking me about classes and other things. It wasn't so bad. And as we worked, a thought came to me. I'd done a good job convincing myself that Mason had been a delusion brought on by lack of sleep, but getting assurance from an authority figure that ghosts weren't real would go a long way toward making me feel better. â€Å"Hey,† I said to Father Andrew. â€Å"Do you believe in ghosts? I mean, is there any mention of them in – † I gestured around us. † – in this stuff?† The question clearly surprised him, but he didn't appear to take offense at me calling his vocation and life's work â€Å"this stuff.† Or at the fact that I was obviously ignorant about it all, despite seventeen years of sitting through services. A bemused expression crossed his face, and he paused in his work. â€Å"Well †¦ it depends on how you define ‘ghost,' I suppose.† I tapped a theology book with my finger. â€Å"The whole point of this is that when you die, you go to heaven or hell. That makes ghosts just stories, right? They're not in the Bible or anything.† â€Å"Again,† he said, â€Å"it depends on your definition. Our faith has always held that after death, the spirit separates from the body and may indeed linger in this world.† â€Å"What?† A dusty bowl I was holding dropped out of my hand. Fortunately, it was wood and didn't break. I quickly retrieved it. That was not the answer I'd been expecting. â€Å"For how long? Forever?† â€Å"No, no, of course not. That flies in the face of the resurrection and salvation, which form the cornerstone of our beliefs. But it's believed the soul can stay on earth for three to forty days after death. It eventually receives a ‘temporary' judgment that sends it on from this world to heaven or hell – although no one will truly experience either until the actual Judgment Day, when the soul and body are reunited to live out eternity as one.† The salvation stuff was lost on me. The â€Å"three to forty days† was what caught my attention. I completely forgot about my sorting. â€Å"Yeah, but is it true or not? Are spirits really walking the earth for forty days after death?† â€Å"Ah, Rose. Those who have to ask if faith is true are opening up a discussion they may not be ready for.† I had a feeling he was right. I sighed and turned back to the box in front of me. â€Å"But,† he said kindly, â€Å"if it helps you, some of these ideas parallel folk beliefs from Eastern Europe about ghosts that existed before the spread of Christianity. Those traditions have long upheld the idea of spirits staying around for a short time after death – particularly if the person in question died young or violently.† I froze. Whatever progress I'd made in convincing myself Mason had been brought on by stress instantly vanished. Young or violently. â€Å"Why?† I asked in a small voice. â€Å"Why would they stay? Is it†¦ is it for revenge?† â€Å"I'm sure there are some who believe that, just as some believe it's because the soul has trouble finding peace after something so unsettling.† â€Å"What do you believe?† I asked. He smiled. â€Å"I believe the soul separates from the body, just as our fathers teach us, but I doubt the soul's time on earth is anything the living can perceive. It's not like in the movies, with ghosts haunting buildings or coming to visit those they knew. I envision these spirits as more of an energy existing around us, something beyond our perception as they wait to move on and find peace. Ultimately, what matters is what happens beyond this earth when we attain the eternal life our savior bought for us with his great sacrifice. That's what's important.† I wondered if Father Andrew would be so quick to say that if he'd seen what I'd seen. Young or violently. Both had applied to Mason, and he had died less than forty days ago. That sad, sad face came back to me, and I wondered what it had meant. Revenge? Or could he truly not find peace? And how did Father Andrew's theology about heaven and hell fit with someone like me, who had died and come back to life? Victor Dashkov had said I'd gone to the world of the dead and returned when Lissa had healed me. What world of the dead? Was that heaven or hell? Or was it another way of referring to this in-between state on earth that Father Andrew was talking about? I didn't say anything after that, because the idea of a revenge-seeking Mason was so startling. Father Andrew sensed the change in me, but he obviously didn't know what had brought it about. He tried to coax me out. â€Å"I just got some new books in from a friend in another parish. Interesting stories about St. Vladimir.† He tilted his head. â€Å"Are you still interested in him? And Anna?† Theoretically, I was. Until we'd met Adrian, we'd only known of two other spirit users. One was our former teacher, Ms. Karp, who'd gone completely nuts from spirit and become a Strigoi to stop the madness. The other person was St. Vladimir, the school's namesake. He'd lived centuries ago and had brought his guardian, Anna, back from the dead, just as Lissa had me. It had made Anna shadow-kissed and created a bond between them too. Normally, Lissa and I tried to get our hands on everything we could about Anna and Vlad, in order to learn more about ourselves. But, as incredible as it was for me to admit, I had bigger problems right now than the ever-present and ever-puzzling psychic link between Lissa and me. It had just been trumped by a ghost who could possibly be pissed off over my role in his untimely death. â€Å"Yeah,† I said evasively, not making eye contact. â€Å"I'm interested†¦but I don't think I can get to it anytime soon. I'm kind of busy with all this†¦you know, field experience stuff.† I fell silent again. He took the hint and let me work on without further interruption. Dimitri never said a word throughout any of this. When we finally finished sorting, Father Andrew told us we had one more task before our work was done. He pointed to some boxes that we'd organized and repacked. â€Å"I need you to carry these over to the elementary campus,† he said. â€Å"Leave them off at the Moroi dorm there. Ms. Davis has been teaching Sunday school for some of the kindergartners and might be able to use those.† It would take at least two trips between Dimitri and me, and the elementary campus was a fair distance away. Still, that put me one step closer to freedom. â€Å"Why are you interested in ghosts?† Dimitri asked me on our first trip. â€Å"Just making conversation,† I said. â€Å"I can't see your face right now, but I have a feeling you're lying again.† â€Å"Jeez, everyone thinks the worst of me lately. Stan accused me of glory-seeking.† â€Å"I heard about that,† said Dimitri, as we rounded a corner. The buildings of the elementary campus loomed up in front of us. â€Å"That might have been a little unfair of him.† â€Å"A little, huh?† Hearing him admit that thrilled me, but it didn't change my anger against Stan. That dark, grouchy feeling that had plagued me lately sprang to life. â€Å"Well, thanks, but I'm starting to lose faith in this field experience. Sometimes in the whole Academy.† â€Å"You don't mean that.† â€Å"I don't know. The school just seems so caught up in rules and policies that don't have anything to do with real life. I saw what was out there, comrade. I went right to the monster's lair. In some ways †¦ I don't know if this really prepares us.† I expected him to argue, but to my surprise he said, â€Å"Sometimes I agree.† I nearly stumbled as we stepped inside one of the two Moroi dorms on the elementary campus. The lobby looked a lot like the ones on the secondary campus. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"Really,† he said, a small smile on his face. â€Å"I mean, I don't agree that novices should be put out in the world when they're ten or anything, but sometimes I've thought the field experience should actually be in the field. I probably learned more in my first year as a guardian than I did in all my years of training. Well†¦ maybe not all. But it's a different situation, absolutely.† We exchanged looks, pleased over our agreement. Something warm fluttered up in me, putting the lid on my earlier anger. Dimitri understood my frustration with the system, but then, Dimitri understood me. He glanced around, but there was no one at the desk. A few students in their early teens were working or talking in the lobby. â€Å"Oh,† I said, shifting the weight of the box I held. â€Å"We're in the middle school dorm. The younger kids are next door.† â€Å"Yes, but Ms. Davis lives in this building. Let me try to find her and see where she wants these.† He set his box down carefully. â€Å"I'll be right back.† I watched him go and set my own box down. Leaning against a wall, I glanced around and nearly jumped when I saw a Moroi girl only a couple feet away. She'd been standing so perfectly still, I hadn't noticed her. She looked like she could be mid-teens – thirteen or fourteen – but she was tall, much taller than me. The slimness of her Moroi build made her look even taller. Her hair was a cloud of brown curls, and she had freckles – rare among the normally pale Moroi – across her face. Her eyes widened when she saw me looking at her. â€Å"Oh. My. God. You're Rose Hathaway, aren't you?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said with surprise. â€Å"Do you know me?† â€Å"Everyone knows you. I mean, everyone heard about you. You're the one who ran away. And then you came back and killed those Strigoi. That is so cool. Did you get molnija marks?† Her words came out in one long string. She hardly took a breath. â€Å"Yeah. I have two.† Thinking about the tiny tattoos on the back of my neck made my skin itch. Her pale green eyes – if possible – grew wider. â€Å"Oh my God. Wow.† I usually grew irate when people made a big deal about the molnija marks. After all, the circumstances had not been cool. But this girl was young, and there was something appealing about her. â€Å"What's your name?† I asked. â€Å"Jillian – Jill. I mean, just Jill. Not both. Jillian's my full name. Jill's what everyone calls me.† â€Å"Right,† I said, hiding a smile. â€Å"I figured it out.† â€Å"I heard Moroi used magic on that trip to fight. Is that true? I would love to do that. I wish someone would teach me. I use air. Do you think I could fight Strigoi with that? Everyone says I'm crazy.† For centuries, Moroi using magic to fight had been viewed as a sin. Everyone believed it should be used peacefully. Recently, some had started to question that, particularly after Christian had proved useful in the Spokane escape. â€Å"I don't know,† I said. â€Å"You should talk to Christian Ozera.† She gaped. â€Å"Would he talk to me?† â€Å"If you bring up fighting the establishment, yeah, he'll talk to you.† â€Å"Okay, cool. Was that Guardian Belikov?† she asked, switching subjects abruptly. â€Å"Yeah.† I swore I thought she might faint then and there. â€Å"Really? He's even cuter than I heard. He's your teacher, right? Like, your own personal teacher?† â€Å"Yeah.† I wondered where he was. Talking to Jill was exhausting. â€Å"Wow. You know, you guys don't even act like teacher and student. You seem like friends. Do you hang out when you're not training?† â€Å"Er, well, kind of. Sometimes.† I remembered my earlier thoughts, about how I was one of the few people Dimitri was social with outside of his guardian duties. â€Å"I knew it! I can't even imagine that – I'd be freaking out all the time around him. I'd never get anything done, but you're so cool about it all, kind of like, ‘Yeah, I'm with this totally hot guy, but whatever, it doesn't matter.'† I laughed in spite of myself. â€Å"I think you're giving me more credit than I deserve.† â€Å"No way. And I don't believe any of those stories, you know.† â€Å"Um, stories?† â€Å"Yeah, about you beating up Christian Ozera.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. Now rumors of my humiliation were trickling down to the lower campus. If I walked over to the elementary dorms, some six-year-old would probably tell me she'd heard that I killed Christian. Jill's expression turned momentarily uncertain. â€Å"But I didn't know about the other story.† â€Å"What other story?† â€Å"About how you and Adrian Ivashkov are – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I interrupted, not wanting to hear the rest. â€Å"Whatever you heard, it's not true.† â€Å"But it was really romantic.† â€Å"Then it's definitely not true.† Her face fell, and then she perked back up a few seconds later. â€Å"Hey, can you teach me to punch someone?† â€Å"Wai – What? Why would you want to know that?† â€Å"Well, I figure if I'm going to fight with magic someday, I should learn to fight the regular way too.† â€Å"I'm probably not the right person to ask,† I told her. â€Å"Maybe you should, um, ask your P.E. teacher.† â€Å"I did!† Her face looked distraught. â€Å"And he said no.† I couldn't help but laugh. â€Å"I was joking about asking him.† â€Å"Come on, it could help me fight a Strigoi someday.† My laughter dried up. â€Å"No, it really wouldn't.† She bit her lip, still desperate to convince me. â€Å"Well, it would at least help against that psycho.† â€Å"What? What psycho?† â€Å"People keep getting beat up around here. Last week it was Dane Zeklos, and just the other day it was Brett.† â€Å"Dane †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I ran through my knowledge of Moroi genealogy. There were a gazillion Zeklos students around. â€Å"That's Jesse's younger brother, yeah?† Jill nodded. â€Å"Yup. One of our teachers was so mad, too, but Dane wouldn't say a word. Neither would Brett.† â€Å"Brett who?† â€Å"Ozera.† I did a double take. â€Å"Ozera?† I had the impression she was really excited to tell me things I didn't know. â€Å"He's my friend Aimee's boyfriend. He was all bruised up yesterday – had some weird things that looked like welts, too. Maybe burns? But he wasn't as bad as Dane. And when Mrs. Callahan asked him about it, Brett convinced her it was nothing, and she let it go, which was weird. He was also in a really good mood – which was also weird, since you'd kind of think getting beat up would bring you down.† Somewhere in the back of my mind, her words tickled a memory. There was some connection I should be making, but I couldn't quite grasp it. Between Victor, ghosts, and the field experiences, it was honestly a wonder I could string words together anymore. â€Å"So can you teach me so that I won't get beat up?† Jill asked, clearly hoping she'd convinced me. She balled her fist up. â€Å"I just do this, right? Thumb across the fingers and swing?† â€Å"Uh, well, it's a little more complicated than that. You need to stand a certain way, or you'll hurt yourself more than the other person. There are a lot of things you need to do with your elbows and hips.† â€Å"Show me, please?† she begged. â€Å"I bet you're really good.† I was really good, but corrupting minors was one offense I didn't yet have on my record, and I preferred to keep it that way. Fortunately, Dimitri came back just then with Ms. Davis. â€Å"Hey,† I told him. â€Å"I have someone who wants to meet you. Dimitri, this is Jill. Jill, Dimitri.† He looked surprised, but he smiled and shook her hand. She turned bright red and became speechless for a change. As soon as he released her hand, she stammered out a goodbye and ran off. We finished up with Ms. Davis and headed back toward the chapel for our second load. â€Å"Jill knew who I was,† I told Dimitri as we walked. â€Å"She had kind of a hero-worship thing going on.† â€Å"Does that surprise you?† he asked. â€Å"That younger students would look up to you?† â€Å"I don't know. I just never thought about it. I don't think I'm that good of a role model.† â€Å"I disagree. You're outgoing, dedicated, and excel at everything you do. You've earned more respect than you think.† I gave him a sidelong glance. â€Å"And yet not enough to go to Victor's trial, apparently.† â€Å"Not this again.† â€Å"Yes, this again! Why don't you get how major this is? Victor's a huge threat.† â€Å"I know he is.† â€Å"And if he gets loose, he'll just start in on his crazy plans again.† â€Å"It's really unlikely he will get loose, you know. Most of those rumors about the queen letting him off are just that – rumors. You of all people should know not to believe everything you hear.† I stared stonily ahead, refusing to acknowledge his point. â€Å"You should still let us go. Or† – I took a deep breath – â€Å"you should at least let Lissa go.† It was harder for me to say those words than it should have been, but it was something I'd been thinking about. I didn't think I was a glory seeker like Stan had said, but there was a part of me that always wanted to be the one in the middle of a fight. I wanted to rush forward, doing what was right and helping others. Likewise, I wanted to be there at Victor's trial. I wanted to look him in the eye and make sure he was punished. But as time went on, it seemed less likely that that would happen. They really weren't going to let us go. Maybe, though, maybe they'd let one of us go, and if it should be anyone, it should be Lissa. She'd been the target of Victor's plan, and though her going alone stirred up that nervous idea about how maybe she didn't need me to guard her, I'd still rather take the chance and see him put away. Dimitri, understanding my need to rush in and take action, seemed surprised by my unusual behavior. â€Å"You're right – she should be there, but again, it's nothing I can do anything about. You keep thinking I can control this, but I can't.† â€Å"But did you do everything you could?† I thought back to Adrian's words in the dream, about how Dimitri could have done more. â€Å"You have a lot of influence. There must be something. Anything.† â€Å"Not as much influence as you think. I've got a high position here at the Academy, but in the rest of the guardian world, I'm still pretty young. And yes, I did actually speak up for you.† â€Å"Maybe you should have spoken up louder.† I could sense him shutting down. He'd discuss most things reasonably but wouldn't encourage me when I was just being a bitch. So, I tried to be more reasonable. â€Å"Victor knows about us,† I said. â€Å"He could say something.† â€Å"Victor has bigger things to worry about with this trial than us.† â€Å"Yeah, but you know him. He doesn't exactly act like a normal person would. If he feels like he's lost all hope of getting off, he might decide to bust us just for the sake of revenge.† I'd never been able to confess my relationship with Dimitri to Lissa, yet our worst enemy knew about it. It was weirder even than Adrian knowing. Victor had figured it out by watching us and gathering data. I guess when you're a scheming villain, you get good at that stuff. He'd never made the knowledge public, though. Instead, he'd used it against us with the lust charm he'd made from earth magic. A charm like that wouldn't work if there wasn't already attraction in place. The charm just cranked things up. Dimitri and I had been all over each other and had been only a heartbeat away from having sex. It had been a pretty smart way for Victor to distract us without using violence. If anyone had tried to attack us, we could have put up a good fight. But turn us loose on each other? We had trouble fighting that. Dimitri was silent for several moments. I knew he knew I had a point. â€Å"Then we'll have to deal with that as best we can,† he said at last. â€Å"But if Victor's going to tell, he's going to do it whether or not you testify.† I refused to say anything else until we got to the church. When we did, Father Andrew told us that after going over some more things, he'd decided he really only needed one more box brought over to Ms. Davis. â€Å"I'll do it,† I told Dimitri crisply, once the priest was out of earshot. â€Å"You don't have to come.† â€Å"Rose, please don't make a big deal about this.† â€Å"It is a big deal!† I hissed. â€Å"And you don't seem to get it.† â€Å"I do get it. Do you really think I want to see Victor loose? Do you think I want us all at risk again?† It was the first time in a long time I'd seen his control on the verge of snapping. â€Å"But I told you, I've done all I can do. I'm not like you – I can't keep making a scene when things don't go my way.† â€Å"I do not.† â€Å"You're doing it right now.† He was right. Some part of me knew I'd crossed a line †¦ but just like with everything else recently, I couldn't stop talking. â€Å"Why did you even help me today?† I demanded. â€Å"Why are you here?† â€Å"Is that so strange?† he asked. He almost looked hurt. â€Å"Yes. I mean, are you are you trying to spy on me? Figure out why I messed up? Make sure I don't get into any trouble?† He studied me, brushing hair out of his eyes. â€Å"Why does there have to be some ulterior motive?† I wanted to blurt out a hundred different things. Like, if there wasn't a motive, then that meant he just wanted to spend time with me. And that made no sense, because we both knew we were only supposed to have a teacher-student relationship. He of all people should know that. He was the one who'd told me. â€Å"Because everyone has motives.† â€Å"Yes. But not always the motives you think.† He pushed open the door. â€Å"I'll see you later.† I watched him go, my feelings a tangle of confusion and anger. If the situation hadn't been so strange, I would have almost said it was like we'd just gone on a date.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Islam Studies Jahiliyyah Essay

The essay shall explore the concept of the jahiliyyah and demonstrate the importance and impact it has to understand the origins and development of Islam. The Jahiliyyah is a core and critical part of the foundations of Islam, that certain elements of the jahiliyyah were borrowed, adopted and developed; whilst other elements were discarded as Islam evolved. It is important as aspects of the jahiliyyah period continues to have an influence after the advent of Islam. Elements of the jahiliyyah such as the geographical location; the political, social and religious life; pre-islamic literature, rituals of the Ka’ba and the role of Women have shaped the understanding of Islam. The term ‘Jahiliyyah’ means the period of ignorance or barbarism; reflecting the Arabian culture before the birth of Muhammad(Mvumbi, 2010). The concept reflects the period in which Arabia had no dispensation, no knowledge of Allah or one God and no revealed sacred text (Hitti, 1987). The Jahiliy yah represents a cultural milestone, as Muslims believe they transitioned from an period of ignorance to the period of knowledge and enlightenment (Armstrong, 1991). The religious situation of Jahiliyyah is important to examine in order to understand Islamic monotheism. The religious situation of pre-Islamic shapes one’s understanding of the origins and developments of Islam, as Islam is a civilization, culture and religion. The importance of the concept is because Islam developed and built on a previous Arabian religion. Firstly the understanding the geographical location and characteristics of that period would inform and shape one’s understanding of Islam and culture. The Arabian peninsula is covered with desert and divided in two sectors: the north and the south(Mvumbi, 2010). The geographical characteristics influences the cultural and religious situation.The northern part were a pastoral society and the southern part had permanent settlements such as Yemen and th e Bedouin lifestyle (Mvumbi, 2010). Areas such as Yemen were important because of its advanced civilizations, fertile land and rich agriculture. Most areas were hospitable, rich in food and water, and trades such as spice trades (Hoyland, 2001). The desert created a harsh environment with extreme conditions, the climate varied from north to south influencing people of the time to be nomadic (Brockelman, 1960). The nomadic lifestyle created sub-cultures which led to the diversity of languages. The trade, agriculture and linguistics are central notions that have had significant importance to Islam religion and culture (Goodman, 1999). . For example, it is believed that Muhammad was a trader who stimulated the growth of trade in Mecca (Goodman, 1999). It is strongly believed that Islam and arabian’s spiritual consciousness was born the vastness of the desert, this strongly emphasise why it is important to understand Jahiliyyah as the roots of Islam begin in this period (Mvumbi, 2010). The Arabians within that period believed in religion, were more polytheism focus than the monotheism perspective of today. They believed in deities, these deities were the daughters of Allah, the supreme God (Husayn, 1982). They built temples for their idols in particular at Makka it was the most religious place. These notions of Jahiliyyah reflect Islam; as the Islamic faith was first revealed in Makka and the fact that Arabians had the notion of a supreme one and only God prior to the rise of Islam (Mvumbi, 2010). The surrounding religion such as Judaism and Christianity whom had a monotheistic faith influenced the Arabians and Islam of today. This reinforces that Arabia prior to Islam shared unity of God before Muhammad (Mvumbi, 2010). These key principles demonstrate that Islam was a revival and continuation of Jahiliyyah and this stresses the importance of that concept. Another element of the Jahiliyyah period was the political and social life, such as the Bedouin society. The political structure was tribal based, that consisted of individuals who participated in larger groups (Weissleder, 1978). This tribal aspect reflects the adopted leadership of Muhammad; as tribal rulers were seen as an arbitrator than a ruler (Weissleder, 1978). This political structure influenced the Shura system. The legal system of this period was based on tribal or customary law which influenced the Islamic communities of today(Weissleder, 1978). This element reinforces why Jahiliyyah period shaped the origins and understanding of Islam. Similarly the social integration of pre-Islamic shapes our understanding of Islam. The no tion of social integration developed within the Byzantine and Sassanic period (Hoyland, 2001). The Sassanic dynasty influenced the Islamic administrative system, it was also the aftermath of the competition dwelling between the two dynasties (Hoyland, 2001). Although these dynasties were competitive they shared a common values such as being imperialists and harmony (Hoyland, 2001). The imperial commercial network meant that the leaders had to negotiate and political rapports were created with the empires and harmony prevailed. The Bedouins became the foundational symbol of Arab nationhood identity (Hoyland, 2001). They became the nationhood identity through their significant oral transmitted poetry and written Arabic literature, which became the basis and core language and humanity of Islam (Hoyland, 2001). The pre-Islamic poetry was very fine and unique, it became the linguistic standard of the interpretations of the Qu’ran. It is noted that the pre-Islamic poetry was a central aspect of tribal humanism and in a sense contributed to Islamic humanism (Hoyland, 2001). This once again support that the pre-Islamic period intertwines with key principles of Islam and shapes one’s understanding that Islam adopted foundational principles. Along with the highly praise Arabic poetry and language, is the adopted style of language such as Saj of Kuhhan. The rhyming structure a distinguishing feature of Saj became Arabic prose (Hoyland, 2001). The style of Saj is evident within the Qu’ran, by understanding the style one may understand the socio-cultural context that this emerged from; as well as how the pre-Islamic language has been adopted by Islam. Another adopted principle of the pre-Islamic period was the role of the Ka’ba and religious practices. It is important to explore the rituals of the Jahiliyyah concept to notice the similarities, adoptations and continuation of principles that is reflected in Islam. For example, during the Jahiliyyah, there was sacred truce period to the Ka’ba which occurred for three months, the annual pilgramage which is now the ritual of the Hajj for Muslims (Armstrong, 1999). The only other difference of the role of the Ka’ba was during that time within the Ka’ba there was three hundred and sixty idols of worship within the Ka’ba (Armstrong, 1999). The practice of Islam such as fasting could be reflected in the pre-Islamic practices however it was the exclusion of hunting and sexual activity (Armstrong, 1999). So rituals that were practiced throughout the pre-Islamic period were adopted and integrated into Islam. By examining these rituals it reinforces the importance of understanding the pre-Islamic period. By understanding the concept of Jahiliyyah one would understand the continuity, the improvements and changes of principles demonstrated within Islam. These changes, adaptation can be viewed through the ideals of women and marriage within the pre-islamic period and the ideals of women and marriage in Islam. For example, pre-Islamic period; endogamy, polygamy and polyandry were common. Whereas, Qu’ranic revelations indicates the focus on polygamy rather than polyandry; however it was revealed at the time where the socio-context had increased numbers of widows. Similarly, the idea of an temporary marriage, this within pre-Islamic period was instigated by a woman; however in the Shiite practice it is only permissible by the man. This notion parallels with divorce, women were allowed to dismiss their husbands; however with the Shari’s women are disadvantaged when in attempt to divorce. The gender inequality is reflect in women’s roles as well. Women in pre-Islamic period were given a status, they were involved in divination and had a religious function; they also had the status of entertaining. However, Orthodox Islam has rejected the principle of giving women status and equality. The role of women within the pre-Islamic period reflects how Islam does not always adopt the principles of pre-Islamic period, but rather rejects some notions. As the essay demon strated the period of Jahiliyyah has significantly contributed to the success of the Prophet Muhammad’s mission. Significant features of the Jahiliyyah such geographical location; the political, social and religious life; pre-islamic literature, rituals of the Ka’ba and the role of Women have shaped the understanding of Islam. These features have demonstrated the Islamic religion within context of it’s origins and development. By understanding the concept of the Jahiliyyah one can understand which features are adopted, integrated, improved and rejected as Islam evolved. References Armstrong, K, 1991. ‘Jahiliyah’ in Muhammad: A Western Attempt to Understand Islam. 1st ed. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd. Brockelman, C, 1960. History of the Islamic peoples. New York: Capricorn books. Goodman, D, 1999. Pre-industrial Cities and Technology. London: Routledge Hoyland, R, 2001. Arabia and the Arabs: From the Bronze Age to the Coming of Islam. 1st ed. London: Routledge. Husayn, M, 1982. The life of Muhammad. Lagos: Academy Press. Mvumbi. 2010. Introduction to Islamic theology: A study of some major theological issues . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cuea.edu/mvumbi/images/stories/PDF/ClassNotes/INTRODUCTION%20TO%20ISLAMIC%20THEOLOGY.pdf. [Accessed 14 May 13]. Schuon, F, 1976. Understanding Islam. 1st ed.London: Unwin Paperbacks Weissleder, W, 1978. The Nomadic Alternative. Chicago: Mouton Publishers

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Some say diamonds are a girls best friend my best Essays - Beauty

Some say diamonds are a girl's best friend my best Essays - Beauty Some say diamonds are a girl's best friend my best friend is make up. I started wearing makeup at the age of 10. You might be thinking "whoa that's a young age but as early as about the 4th grade I started getting acne scaring. I'm 18 now and have gotten comfortable. with makeup, I've used so many different brands and products that I know can decide if something is a good buy or not. Many people who are not regular make up wearers may struggle on what to buy as far as brand and quality; I am here to help. To some people makeup is like a foreign language. UN experienced makeup users usually make the mistake of buying a lot of low quality makeup product from the local grocery store instead of the mall. High end makeup in most cases is better than drugstore makeup. The qualities in high end makeup I appreciate are the foundation color ranges, color pigmentation of eye shadows and blushes and the photo quality. High end makeup is easily surpassing drug store make up. the first thing you want to look at when you are deciding which one to buy is the color range and accuracy. For women of color often time we have trouble matching ourselves to a foundation color. when you shop high end foundation Sephora has a range of brands that carry many different shades and brands. There are many high-end brands with a broad spectrum of colors in Sephora are Makeup Forever, Kat Von Lock It Foundation, Nars, Giorgio Armani, and many more. The shade and undertone of the foundation can be chosen just to fit you as well, which is very vital when you want the best fit. Often people get the right shade of make up with the wrong undertone and look like a red-hot pepper or an oom-pah Loompa. When shopping high end, there is usually a clerk or makeup artist there to advise you on what is best for your skin wither that be brand, shade or coverage. For example, I used to wear mac but I went into Sephora and I told t hem the issues I was having with my mac foundation so what they did was matched me with a quality foundation which in my case is Kat von D. The process in a high-end beauty store makes shopping very Hassel free and there are so many options that you're guaranteed to get what you need. Lip stick, eye shadows, and blush are all things that need to have good pigmentation to be good products. When you get high end makeup the pigments of the shades will be so rich that is will make your heart melt and your eyes water with joy. When the pigmentation is good it good little goes along way. By using more pigmented products you can use less each use because a little will go a long way. When you shop high end, you are liable to find a lot higher quality liquid lipsticks such as Kat von D, Stella, Laura Mercier, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, and many more. You will also find very pigmented eye shadows. A great benefit when you shop for high end shadows are a lot of times you can create your own eye shadow pallet by choosing your own eye shadow trays (Anastasia Beverly hills makes that and option and so does Sephora). I use urban decays' eye shadow pallets and I know that too faced has beautiful eyeshadow as well. When it comes to lipsticks I use kit von d's liquid lipstick, Seph ora's collection of lipstick, smash box lipstick and Anastasia Beverly hills lipstick.; all those lipsticks were creamy, did not dry my lips out at all, and lasted all day. So, in this case eyeshadow blushes and lipsticks are better off purchased in high end stores if you want the best quality. The last thing that is highly important thing is that high end makes up (when it's the right shade and blended) does not typically flash back. When you're out with your friends or a guy you always want to make sure that the foundation you purchase is good quality and doesn't flash

Monday, October 21, 2019

STAT 1350, Quiz #11, Summer 2014 Essays - Probability And Statistics

STAT 1350, Quiz #11, Summer 2014 Essays - Probability And Statistics STAT 1350, Quiz #11, Summer 2014Name _______________________________________ 1.If I toss a fair coin five times and the outcomes are TTTTT, then the probability that tails appears on the next toss is A) 0.5. B) less than 0.5. C) greater than 0.5. D) 0. E) 1. Ans: A 2.If I toss a fair coin 5000 times A)the number of heads will be close to 2500. B)the proportion of heads will be close to 0.5. C)the proportion of heads in these tosses is a parameter. D)the proportion of heads will be close to 50. Ans: B 3.When two six-sided die are rolled, the probability of getting a one on both is 1/36. This means that A)of every 36 rolls, exactly 1 will have both die be one. B)the odds against both die being one are 36 to 1. C)in the long run, the average number of ones is 1/36. D)in the long run the outcome that both die are one will occur on 1/36 of all rolls. Ans: D 4.The odds against racehorse #9 (named Southern Comfort) winning this years Southeastern Derby are 7 to 3 (7:3 odds against winning). What is the probability that Southern Comfort will win this years Southeastern Derby? A) 7/3 B) 3/7 C) 0.7 D) 0.3 E) 0.73 Ans: C 5.The Virginia State Lottery Commission states that the probability of winning a prize in their new scratch-off ticket lottery is 0.31. What are the odds against winning a prize in this new lottery game? A) 69 B) 69 to 31 C) 31 to 69 D) 31 E) 1 0.31 = 0.69 Ans: B 6-10. Suppose you have a hat containing ten balls numbered from 0 to 9. You draw one ball at random and discover that it numbered 7. 6.If you place the ball back into the hat, what is the probability that you pull out the 7 ball on your next draw? A) 0.5 (either you draw a 7 or you dont) B) 1/10 C) 1/9 D) 0 E) 1 Ans: B 7.If you place the ball back into the hat, what is the probability that you pull out the 3 ball on your next draw? A) 0.5 (either you draw a 3 or you dont) B) 1/10 C) 1/9 D) 0 E) 1 Ans: B 8.If you do not place the ball back into the hat, what is the probability that you pull out the 7 ball on your next draw? A) 0.5 (either you draw a 7 or you dont) B) 1/10 C) 1/9 D) 0 E) 1 Ans: D 9.If you do not place the ball back into the hat, what is the probability that you pull out the 3 ball on your next draw? A) 0.5 (either you draw a 3 or you dont) B) 1/10 C) 1/9 D) 0 E) 1 Ans: C 10.If you do not place the ball back into the hat, what is the probability that you pull out even-numbered ball on your next draw? A) 1/10 B) 1/9 C) 5/9 D) 5/10 E) 0 Ans: C 11.A collection of possible outcomes from a random phenomenon is called A)a standard deviation. B)a median. C)an event. D)an average. E)a probability. Ans: C 12.A _______________ for a random phenomenon describes all the possible outcomes and indicates how to assign probabilities to any collection of outcomes. A)standard deviation B)median C)probability model D)boxplot E)scatterplot Ans: C 13.A friend rolls a cheap 6-sided die many times. He reports that the probabilities of the possible outcomes are about as follows: Outcome123456 Probability0.20.20.20.10.10.2 Is this a legitimate assignment of probabilities? A)Yes. B)No, the faces must all have the same probability. C)No, the 3 and 4 faces are opposite each other, so they must have the same probability. D)No, the total probability for all faces is wrong. E)No, not all the values given are possible values for a probability. Ans: A

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to Conjugate Regretter (to Regret) in French

How to Conjugate Regretter (to Regret) in French As you might suspect, the French verb  regretter  means to regret. While the English-French similarity makes remembering the word easy enough, it still needs to be conjugated to make a complete sentence. Its not a very challenging verb, though, and French students with some experience will find this lesson relatively easy. The Basic Conjugations of  Regretter Regretter is a regular -er verb, so transforming it to mean regretted, regretting, or will regret uses the same endings as most French verbs. If you have previously studied common words like tomber (to fall) or tourner (to turn), the same rules you already know will apply here. The conjugation patterns are most apparent in the indicative mood, which includes the frequently used present, future, and imperfect past tenses. The chart will show you, for instance, that an  e  is added to the verb stem (regrett-) to form  je regrette  (I am regretting). If you add  -ions, you get the imperfect  nous regrettions  (we regretted). After a few verbs, these endings become easier to remember and practicing regretter in simple sentences will also help. Present Future Imperfect je regrette regretterai regrettais tu regrettes regretteras regrettais il regrette regrettera regrettait nous regrettons regretterons regrettions vous regrettez regretterez regrettiez ils regrettent regretteront regrettaient The Present Participle of  Regretter The present participle of regretter uses the same -ant ending as all other regular verbs with this ending. This gives you the word regrettant, which, at times, can act as a noun or adjective as well as a verb. Regretter  in the Compound Past Tense In French, the compound past tense is known as the  passà © composà ©. It requires two elements, the first of which is the present tense conjugate of the auxiliary verb  avoir. The other is the  past participle  regrettà ©. The two combine to form phrases such as  jai regrettà ©Ã‚  (I regretted) and  nous avons regrettà © (we regretted). More Simple Conjugations of  Regretter You will find a few more basic conjugations helpful in your French conversations. For instance, should you feel that the act of regretting is uncertain,  the subjunctive  can help you imply that. Similarly,  the conditional  says that someone will have regrets only if something else happens as well. Both  the passà © simple  and  imperfect subjunctive  are literary forms. Theyre used almost exclusively in French literature rather than conversation, though they are good to know. Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je regrette regretterais regrettai regrettasse tu regrettes regretterais regrettas regrettasses il regrette regretterait regretta regrettà ¢t nous regrettions regretterions regrettà ¢mes regrettassions vous regrettiez regretteriez regrettà ¢tes regrettassiez ils regrettent regretteraient regrettà ¨rent regrettassent Should you find yourself needing to use  regretter  in short and very direct statements, you can use  the  imperative.  The main thing to remember here is that the subject pronoun is not required: use  regrette  rather than  tu regrette. Imperative (tu) regrette (nous) regrettons (vous) regrettez

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Poverty-Inequality Reduction in India Term Paper

Poverty-Inequality Reduction in India - Term Paper Example With about two third of the population living in the rural area, even urban poverty stems from the rural migration to the city. This paper is to take as through the various ways taken by the government in trying to reduce poverty. Besides, a person should be in a position to understand the poverty and inequality experienced in India. In addition, it is vital to understand the human poverty in India for the proper understanding of the topic of poverty inequality reduction in India. India has been experiencing a less impressive growth when compared to China; however, compared with other developing countries the economic growth in India has been more impressing. The GPD of India has been on the rise for the last two decades. One of the major attributes to this growth in GDP, is based on the fact that India has experienced a reduction in population growth. In increase in the per Capita and the GDP has been linked to the amount of structural change (Ghosh, Madhusudan, pg 3). The rate of investment has increased over time. This situation has made India to have an increase in per capita growth, and this stands to about 36% increase, from the periods of 1990s. At the same time, the GDP level of Agriculture has decreased and is now found on the predictable line. However, not all sectors have experienced some economic growth or development. For instance, since 1990s, the secondary sector has not experienced some growth. On the sector of the tertiary sector, really incr eased and now accounts for almost half of the income of the nation. The change experienced in the output shares did not go hand in hand with an equal change in the workforce distribution. This has been continuing despite of the reduction on the agricultural share and the collapse of employment generated from agricultural in the current decades. For the last two decades, the investment high rate has not contributed to a grater

Friday, October 18, 2019

Venice Biennale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Venice Biennale - Essay Example   Antonio Fradeletto was selected General Secretary and grew to become probably the most persuasive people of the time period. Owing to his diplomatic talent he was associated with the choice of the performers, the set-up of the expedition, and eventually the development of the international pavilions.The Venice Architecture Biennale is the world's grandest festivity and display of the model of structures. Which, as architecture is either an art or a business, signifies it hovers between becoming an ethnic festival as well as a business fair. And also, as architects will surely have an extremely high understanding of the significance of their work, their displays can together appear like a collection of contending pitches in the exchanging of opponent varieties of genius. Consecutive admins of the biennale – another one is approved every time – are aware of this. The portion of their task is to put a style for the entire event, which is fundamentally a huge list of ex positions and debates, so they want to devise ones which emphasize that architects are not at all times egomaniacs, but they really possess an important duty to wider and flourishing culture. "Less Appearance, More Ethics" was the authorized title tag a few years back in the past. (Crow, 1996) It had been "People Meet in Architecture" in the year 2010. It really is, and constantly, huge. The part uses up the 16th-century corderie of the ammunition dump of the Venetian republic, great rope-making events hundreds of meters extended.   

Philosophy - sexism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Philosophy - sexism - Essay Example This concept marks the drawing line between having a male and female within a society. It is on this basis that Frye is trying to show that sexism and gender is a very significant matter. According to her prepositions and perceptions, various actions between men and women lead us to believe that women are very different, that sex/gender is the most important thing, and that these behaviors must represent something biologically about women (Frye). Reading through Frye’s concepts, it becomes clear that children that are born with imperfectly formed genitals, a body that’s doesn’t seem to develop towards â€Å"the norm† of the gender, are given cosmetics, surgeries, medicines, therapies, etc in order to fit the picture sharply towards the gender. It is like they’re being punished. This probably is one of the most interesting parts within the reading. What’s more, it is the demand of the world that suggested all this. This follows the fact that all these have been planted in our conscious

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Critique - Essay Example Brene Brown authored an article titled â€Å"Time to get off the cell phone† and in this article the author states that we dehumanize people who serve us by using our cell phones and he even suggests that we need to stop dehumanization them and respect them (Brown, 2009). Brown tells us that two women talked on their phone all the time even while they were getting manicures. The manicurists thought those women don’t treat them as human beings. Brown even states that on his visit to to Barnes & Noble, she witnessed another woman who never acknowledge the clerk but talked on her phone when she asked the clerk to do something for her. Furthermore, when Brown visited Chick-fil-A drive-through, her phone rang. She answered it since she thought it was her son’s school calling. She quickly got off the phone and apologized to the cashier. The cashier was grateful since people usually don’t â€Å"see them†. Brown even states that she worked as a waitress when she was in college. She always felt bad when she was treated as an object. She explains that people usually don’t show enough respect to servers, but â€Å"treat bosses/doctors/bankers with the utmost respect†. Brown states respect has now become dependent on â⠂¬Å"race, class and privilege†. People complain about customer service these days, but the real problem is that customers are the ones at fault as they do not treat service providers in a respectful manner. Martin Buber wrote that â€Å"I-it relationship† takes place when we treat people like objects and â€Å"I-you relationship† takes place when we treat people as human beings and with empathy. Brown concludes that when we talk on the phone, we dehumanize the person we are interacting with. She suggests we need to stop dehumanizing people and show respect to each other because â€Å"we are hard-wired for connection†.   Brown also says â€Å"If we dont have the

Adult Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult Communication - Essay Example In the United Kingdom if one to ask for a rubber, the individual would receive an erasure made of rubber. Across the Atlantic in the United States of America, if one were to ask for a rubber, the individual would receive a rubber condom. Exchange of the same information has produced different results. Hence for a better understanding of what communication stands for it needs to be defined as the process of managing messages with the intention of creating meaning. Having understood the more realistic meaning of communication, communication competence has more to it then just the ability to exchange information clearly with another individual using a common system of symbols, signs or behaviour. There is an element of a goal in communication, which is sharing of meaning and this has a connection with the thoughts and feelings of another individual. The acceptance that communication is goal driven also suggests that communication is strategic. This understanding of communication provides us with the means for abetter understanding of communication competence, as now it suggests that communication competence is not just communicating with accuracy, clarity, comprehensibility, coherence, expertise, effectiveness and appropriately. Communication competence is better expressed as the situational ability to set attainable and appropriate goals for achievement and to maximise the achievement of these goals through employing strategies of the knowledg e of self, others, context, and the elements of communication theory to bring about adaptive communication performances. As communication competence involves competence there is a need for measurement. Communication competence can be measured through the determination of whether the goals of interaction have been achieved and the extent to which they have been achieved. This in my view is the meaning of communication competence (Rueben, 1976). Teams are made up a small number of individuals different in

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Critique - Essay Example Brene Brown authored an article titled â€Å"Time to get off the cell phone† and in this article the author states that we dehumanize people who serve us by using our cell phones and he even suggests that we need to stop dehumanization them and respect them (Brown, 2009). Brown tells us that two women talked on their phone all the time even while they were getting manicures. The manicurists thought those women don’t treat them as human beings. Brown even states that on his visit to to Barnes & Noble, she witnessed another woman who never acknowledge the clerk but talked on her phone when she asked the clerk to do something for her. Furthermore, when Brown visited Chick-fil-A drive-through, her phone rang. She answered it since she thought it was her son’s school calling. She quickly got off the phone and apologized to the cashier. The cashier was grateful since people usually don’t â€Å"see them†. Brown even states that she worked as a waitress when she was in college. She always felt bad when she was treated as an object. She explains that people usually don’t show enough respect to servers, but â€Å"treat bosses/doctors/bankers with the utmost respect†. Brown states respect has now become dependent on â⠂¬Å"race, class and privilege†. People complain about customer service these days, but the real problem is that customers are the ones at fault as they do not treat service providers in a respectful manner. Martin Buber wrote that â€Å"I-it relationship† takes place when we treat people like objects and â€Å"I-you relationship† takes place when we treat people as human beings and with empathy. Brown concludes that when we talk on the phone, we dehumanize the person we are interacting with. She suggests we need to stop dehumanizing people and show respect to each other because â€Å"we are hard-wired for connection†.   Brown also says â€Å"If we dont have the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Essay on Law and Politics. Can the United Nations meet the key

On Law and Politics. Can the United Nations meet the key challenges facing the international community today - Essay Example Along with this evolution of humans and territories, the political setup, which ruled villages, also evolved and new political setups came into being, to rule cities, provinces or states and importantly countries. So, this evolution and establishment of different countries and their government setups have necessitated the formation of a single, omnipresent overseeing organization. The organization that will look after, how the various countries ‘interact’ in sensitive issues, collude in issues which are detrimental to the third country, their internal affairs etc, etc- the list is an lengthy one. In total, a global government to govern the entire globe or world was the need of the hour and so United Nations (UN) was established in 1945. But, the image of ‘global government’ was compromised by the unilateral actions of few countries. So, this paper will discuss how UN despite this contemporary challenge of unilateralism by some countries is still relevant and optimally functioning with the tag of global government UN was started or raised from the ruins of the Second War mainly as an international organization that can prevent any further occurrence of World wars and to look after the basic issues concerning the world population. On 25 April 1945, the ‘seeding’ for the UN was ‘laid’ in San Francisco, when the UN Conference on International Organizations was held with representatives of national governments, non-governmental organizations and important leaders of the world countries participating in it. They were involved in the drafting the UN charter. That charter and thereby the United Nation Organization came into being two months later on June 26, 1945. Around 50 nations who attended the conference and provided their inputs for the drafting of the charter signed the charter, becoming UN members. In course of time, more countries joined it, raising its strength to over 200 countries, giving

Crevecoeur in America Essay Example for Free

Crevecoeur in America Essay Hector St. John Crà ¨vecoeur is certainly not one of the greatest figures of American history, but he can at the very least be credited with having been witness to a great deal of some of the key events that lead to the inception of the United States of America in the 18th century.1 Crà ¨vecoeur saw the burgeoning nation under many different angles during different periods of American history2. This coupled with the fact that as a foreigner who lived in the colonies he was able to step back and appraise American life and culture and be also able to see it from the inside. This essay will focus on the American life of Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur and attempt a sketch of how his life took place and how the colonies and the new American nation affected him. Firstly we will examine Crà ¨vecoeur’s life in the colonies, including his living conditions, regions he inhabited and his overall situation during his time there. Secondly, we will review his experiences in the colonies and North America. Thirdly we will attempt to see how, when and by whom was Crà ¨vecoeur influenced during his time in America and what effects this had on both the United States of American and Crà ¨vecoeur himself. Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crà ¨vecoeur – or St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur as we would later know him – would first set foot in North America in Canada in 1754. Fighting under the Montcalm during the French-Indian War, Crà ¨vecoeur left Canada for the English colonies where he worked as an itinerant merchant allowed him to envision many aspects and parts of North America. In 1759 he eventually settled down in Orange County in New York and became a citizen of the colony, changing his name to John Hector St. John.. Crà ¨vecoeur took up a life of farming and raised a family, while still keeping in touch with the outside world albeit staying out of its affairs almost entirely. After the upheaval of the Revolutionary War and a five-year long return to France, Crà ¨vecoeur eventually returned to New York in 1783 in the capacity of First Consul of his Christian Majesty to the State of New York. In this lofty position Crà ¨vecoeur toiled to establish trading between the American  colonies and the French crown. In addition he also informed France and through France, Europe of what the lives, people and the continent of North America was truly like. Although Crà ¨vecoeur’s sojourns in the colonies were no doubt a source of great pride and accomplishment, they were also a time of hardship, suspicion and uncertainty. St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur’s experiences in North America and the colonies within were varied. In turn his life there was filled with successes. After being a competent soldier for France he became a farmer and raised a family that he loved and was proud of. He eventually reached a position of at least symbolic power where he found himself in a position to both help his motherland as well as foster greater understanding, appreciation and maybe even prosperity for a land and a nation that had been his home for most of his life. However, if one were to equate Crà ¨vecoeur’s experiences on the continent to be purely idyllic one would be sorely mistaken. In addition to the hardships of rural life he also had to experience suspicion and imprisonment during his time there. Crà ¨vecoeur, although naturalized as an American, was still very much a Frenchman. Although very much liberal for his times Crà ¨vecoeur still retained a healthy respect for religion and monarchy, twin pillars of the French elite. He was also enamored with English society and government, considered far more liberal and egalitarian by the French philosophers still under the reign of an absolute monarchy. His first book was in fact dedicated to Abbot Raynal whose work â€Å"Histoire philosophique et politique des à ©tablissements des Europà ©ens dans les deux Indes† (1770) inspired him to think about America and his situation. Furthermore, Crà ¨vecoeur’s own experiences and his reading of instilled him with the idea that the American colonies, with their religious tolerance. Although ultimately addressed to the higher strata of society, designed as a sort of quaint picture of pastoral utopia, his works are ultimately a celebration and an accolade to the workingman a nd the lower classes of the time. Crà ¨vecoeur is even sometimes credited with being the inventor of what would become the American Dream. Colonial American shaped Crà ¨vecoeur. The hardships of the rural life began to change his view of the rural idyll that we first see in his writings. The dangers of that life and the unrelenting and often unjust vagaries of the elements, neighbors and country life bore down on him. Although still somewhat in awe of some of the leaders that permitted the Revolution some of his writings tell a tale of disillusion with great leaders and the hero worship that resulted with some of the heroes of the American Revolution, namely Washington. The Revolution further marred Crà ¨vecoeur’s utopian take on the colonies and also the English themselves. To say that Crà ¨vecoeur is an interesting character of American history is an understatement. Having been witness to three distinct phases of colonial America. These are the pre-revolutionary period, the actual American Revolution itself and its aftermath. These various periods and stages in his life affect him deeply and modified his writings and his views. In conclusion, Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur embodies many things that characterized colonial America as both a land brimming with opportunity and a place and time steeped in brutality and harshness. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Patchell, Thomas â€Å"J. Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur† in Early American Nature Writers ed. by Daniel Patterson (London: Greenwood Press 2008), 103 Plotkin, A. Saint-John de Crevecoeur Rediscovered: Critic or Paneygyrist? French Historical Studies, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Spring, 1964) 403-404 Plumstead, A. W. â€Å"Crevecoeur: A â€Å"Man of Sorrows† and the American Revolution† The Massachusetts Review, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Summer, 1976) 287-288 St. John de Crevecoeur, John Letters from an American Farmer, 1783, ed. Albert Stone (New York, NY: Penguin American Library, 1981), 226-227 St. John de Crevecoeur, John Qu’est-ce qu’un Amà ©ricain? (ed. Howard Rice) (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1943

Monday, October 14, 2019

What Is Strategic Spatial Planning Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is Strategic Spatial Planning Environmental Sciences Essay Introduction Strategic spatial planning is arguably an approach which rails against the discourse of the scientific rational comprehensive models of planning which has and still does hold a large influence in current modes of planning. This short essay will hopefully explain to planners why a strategic spatial planning approach is more conducive in the current context which we find ourselves in. This will be done through answering a set of questions which will clarify the approach, its purpose and methods, how it differs from rational comprehensive approaches of master planning and land use planning, why planners should use it, what can be expected from it, and its usefulness. What is Strategic Spatial Planning? Strategic spatial planning is a method to help solve complex spatial problems through creating strategic visions and new spatial identities. According to Kaufman and Jacobs (in Albrechts, 2001) strategic systems originated in the US around the 1950s due to the need for rapidly changing and growing corporations to plan effectively and manage their futures at a time when the future seemed unclear. In Europe, strategic spatial planning dated back to the 1920s and 30s, and was used to direct the activities of others (Mastop in Albrechts, 2001). From Albrechts (2006) it can be understood that the word spatial brings into focus the where of things, the creation and management of special places and sites as well as the interrelations between different activities in an area, and significant intersections and nodes within an area. This spatial focus allows for a more effective way of integrating different agendas such as, economic, social, and cultural and their spatial impacts (Albrechts, 2006). The word strategy has its roots within a military context; in ancient battle armies would work out a strategy prior to the battle on how best to overcome the enemy. It is understood that this type of strategy had four basic elements an accurate understanding of the real situation, realistic goals, focused resources in areas where they would be most effective, and persistence of the action until the desired outcome is achieved (Albrechts, 2010). These elements are strongly rooted in systems of strategic spatial planning. In its entirety, strategic spatial planning is a process which is directed at a limited number of strategic key issue areas. It determines an areas strengths and weaknesses in the context of its opportunities and threats; it scans external trends, and the resources that are available. It gathers major public and private stakeholders and allows for a broad and diverse process of involvement. It develops a realistic long-term vision along with strategies in order to manage and influence spatial change. Importantly it is orientated towards decisions, actions, results, and implementation, in the short, medium and long-term (Albrechts, 2001). It is indeed impossible to understand material places and social nodes such as the city, the city-region and the region in terms of a one-dimensional hierarchy of scales (Albrechts, 2010:6). This definition illustrates that strategic spatial planning is not a single concept or procedure, but it is a set of concepts, procedures and tools that are tailored carefully to whatever situation is presented (Albrecht, 2001). Moreover it is a development-led approach and a transformative and integrative, public sector-led, and socio-spatial process through which a vision, coherent actions and means for implementation are produced; these are then able to shape and frame what a place is and its potential of what it may become (Albrechts, 2006) How does it differ from MASTER PLANNING and LAND USE PLANNING? In order to understand the difference one needs to understand the rationale of land use planning and master planning. Land use planning is a process of planning which is concerned with the location, intensity, form, amount, and harmonization of land development required for a variety of spatial uses; such as housing, industry, recreation, transport, education, and agriculture. A land use plan in this instance basically embodies a proposal as to how land should be used within a set of considered policy as expansion and restructuring progress in the future (Albrechts, 2004). Traditional land use planning is a more passive planning approach aimed at controlling land use through a zoning system and through regulations. This according to Albrechts (2006) seems unfit for bridging the gap between plan-making, political decision-making and implementation. This was one of the reasons why the need arose for a different type of planning a move away from regulatory policy and instruments to a development-led approach which aims to intervene more directly, coherently and selectively in social reality and development strategic spatial planning (Albrechts, 2006). For Albrechts (2001) strategic spatial planning is to a certain extent rendered towards an integrated socio-economic course of action that supersedes the mere focus on land use planning. For Master Planning on the other hand, Friedman (2007) found that it is almost a universally accepted form of planning practice. His survey found that in country after country, cities through their governments are mandated to produce master plans. Essentially within these master plans countries specify future land uses and location decisions. Master planning is a completely static practice and according to Friedman (2007) it needs to be rethought as it is out of line with the dynamic flows of globalisation. Friedman (2007) defines master planning as being typically municipal plans rather than regional plans, and as being exclusively concerned with land use rather than with the total spectrum of urban policy issues. They are drawn up by a specialized branch of municipal government rather than through a wider process of collaborative deliberation, and the process used to draw up master plans and getting them approved takes years thus rendering them out-dated by the time they can be implemented. Also they are top-down, with relatively minimum citizen participation, and lastly when it comes to large scale projects; master plans are often set aside to allow for necessary changes in land use and circulation patterns (Friedman, 2007). Opposing this, spatial planning is derived not from an official, mandatory character like master planning but from a role that coordinates instruments closely intertwined with urban policy formation and the design and implementation of large-scale projects. Spatial planning involves a range of actors that include communities, government officials and private stakeholders. The main purpose of spatial planning is not to mandate particular land uses as is in the instance of master planning but to allow for a better coordination of urban policies and large-scale project developments across space, to test alternative policies and designs through revising their social implications, and to allow for an informed public discourse about them (Friedman, 2007). In cities such as the new downtown peninsula of Vancouver, master planning has been abandoned for systems of spatial planning in which planning proceeds by way of involving public hearings, bargaining, and negotiations. The results of this transition over a period of 25 years are testimony to the viability not only of the Vancouver model but also of the more abstract spatial planning model (Friedman, 2007). What are its main PURPOSES and METHODS? Strategic spatial planning as mentioned earlier is used for complex problems where authorities at different levels and different sectors and private actors are mutually dependant (Albrecht, 2001). The model designs plan-making structures and develops content, images and decision frameworks which can influence and manage spatial change. It is about constructing new ideas and processes that can carry these structures through, thus generating ways of understanding, ways of consensus, and ways of organising and mobilizing for the purpose of exerting influence in different arenas (Albrecht, 2006). Both is the short and long term, strategic spatial planning focuses on framing decisions, actions, projects, results and implementation, and incorporates monitoring, feedback, adjustment and revision of the outcome. Its purpose therefore is not a new ideology preaching a new world order but as a method for creating and steering a better future for a place based on shared values (Albrechts, 2006). Albrechts (2006) goes further on to explain that the seven main aims of a strategic project are to develop an integrated innovative approach for the various project types; to develop a fully operational framework based on sustainability; to develop tools for quality management; to broaden the multi-actor/multi-level policy settings and to evaluate current settings; to disseminate the approach; to develop an educational model; and to establish a network of knowledge between researchers, professionals, and governments (Albrechts, 2006). The capacity for these projects to deliver the desired outcome is dependant firstly on the system itself and on the conditions underlying it such as structural constraints, and political, cultural, and professional attitudes towards spatial planning. The planning process is not intended to flow smoothly from one phase to the next. It is a dynamic and creative process wherein new views and facts that arise today may alter the decisions made yesterday (Albrechts, 2010). This illustrates that it is never a fixed process but is in a continuous start of change from beginning to end. The visions and frames which guide this process are never a given, rather they are to be constructed. The process of envisioning is the process by which groups develop visions of future states for themselves, their organisations, city, or their region that are clear, powerful and realistic. Essentially this means that the visions are to be constructed within a specific context and scale regarding issues that are of interest within that space and within a particular combination of actors. This is to be done within a method that fully recognises the conditions of power, inequality, and diversity. The vision describes a city or region as it may look like in the future, and it must appeal to the long-term interests of actors who have a stake in the city or region (Albrechts, 2010:8). Why do this kind of planning? Strategic spatial planning projects conduct an in-depth study of the area, thus giving preference to the location being affected over anything else. With this these projects study external trends and the resources available therefore allowing for a broad and diverse process. Also, by making use of this type of planning, planners are able to target a variety of areas; including urban, rural, and economic areas (Albrechts, 2006). In the instance of urban areas, strategic urban projects are useful as they aim to consolidate, transform, restructure or reuse the urban areas for new and emerging demands from public and private actors. With regards to rural areas, strategic projects are useful as they aim to transform rural and suburban dynamics into a more sustainable and qualitative form of development while not forgetting to enhance the cultural meaning of these spaces. Lastly, economic areas are seen as an important part of the effort to keep up international economic competitiveness. Strategic projects seek to turn away from the old concept of business parks spatial concept and management to a focus on the requirements of firms that are to be translated into specifically designed employment locations (Albrechts, 2006). And what can we expect from it? This question can be divided into two parts; we as planners and we as the public and private actors. First, the essay will intend to the address the latter part. Strategic spatial planning projects are strategic to achieve visions, goals, and objectives from a variety of policy sectors, and are to integrate the community being affected. Visions is arguably one of the most important factors of strategic projects as they are expected to be placed within the specific context, place, time and level, and are to regard specific issues that are of interest to the different actors (Albrechts, 2006). Essentially what can be expected from strategic spatial planning projects is a critical analysis of the main processes and structural constraints which shape spaces, which adds into a realistic, dynamic, integrated, and indicative long-term vision. It will provide a plan for short-term and long-term actions, a budget, and a flexible strategy for implementation (Albrechts, 2010). In terms of the projects eventual implementation, it will provide credible commitments to action engagement and a clear and explicit link to the budget thus allowing for citizens, private-sector, different levels of governance, and planners to enter a consensus (Albrechts, 2010). We as planners will expect a different set of tools, tools which will guide the planner on what to expect when acting as a strategic spatial planner. For Albrechts (2010), he finds it unthinkable that the planner should act merely as a neutral observer and refrain from playing a role in the construction of visions and images. Instead, Albrechts suggests that planners should be necessarily involved, and instrumental in substantiating, formulating and implementing images and visions. This is a logical perspective, as if planners merely observe, there expertise in certain situations are not shared, and their usefulness would be greatly undermined. Strategic spatial planners are to instead, challenge their own mental discourse which limit their creativity, and start anew thus allowing for their creativity and resourcefulness to flow and to be used in formulating, designing, and building new concepts and discourses (Albrechts, 2010). How useful is it? Strategic spatial planning is a flexible process that deals with complex problems and is able to mend to a wide range of problems, but also deals with each problem uniquely. This characteristic makes the approach very useful as it applies to a range of different issues. For example; the city of Barcelona started using a strategic planning approach in 1988 in order to enhance the cooperation between the public and private sector with the hope that the enhancement will strengthen the position of the city as a candidate for the Olympic Games (Albrechts, 2010). The city of Turin which was inspired by Barcelona also undertook a strategic approach in the mid 1990s, for Turin this formed the basis for rethinking the potential of a former monopolistic town that had been highly affected by the rise of the automobile industry. The aim for Strategic spatial planning here was to transform Turin into a European metropolis a city of activities and know-how (Albrechts, 2010:5). For the city of Bilbao, the vision was to transport the city into the economic, financial, and cultural capital of the Atlantic Arc. Lastly, for Prague, strategic spatial planning focused on integrating the city into European structures (Albrechts, 2010). From this it is clear that strategic spatial planning is applicable to a diverse range of issues and can adapt easily to what is required in the context for which it is envisioning, thus rendering it a useful approach to planning. Conclusion From the information discussed in this essay the approach of strategic spatial planning has been explained. Through using such an approach to planning it can be deduced that spaces can be become more active and interactive both on a local scale and the sectors within that scale and on an international scale. In short, episodes of strategic spatial planning informed by relational complexity concepts which accumulate sufficient power to travel effectively and have enduring material and mental effects should be judged in the long-term in terms of their capacity to enrich the imaginative resources, creative energies and governance cultures through which quality of life and experience of diverse citizens and stakeholders in particular places are likely to be enhanced. (Healey, 2006:19)

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Future In Technology Essay -- essays research papers

Can you imagine a machine so big it dwarfs entire planets? Can you imagine a machine with a single goal, a single purpose? Can you see it, hovering in space, blotting out the stars, so big it bends thought? Can you imagine a machine so complex that no human has ever even tried to understand it, and yet the machine exists because humans built it in the first place? A machine consisting of entire worlds, entire ecosystems powered by chemicals and energy regulated by computers that build and program themselves. Imagine these worlds connected by transport and communications systems, always kept up to date automatically, and modified as needed by the people who live in these habitats. Can you imagine a machine that makes money obsolete, anything you need is anticipated designed and made ready as fast as physically possible? Can you imagine this machine whose soul purpose is to keep hundreds of millions of multiplying people alive and happy at all times, growing bigger and bigger, growing more complex in the race to stay functioning, replacing its own parts by better parts designed by the machine itself, making it able to design and build even more complex parts, until the machine curves in on perfection, but never really reaches it. Can you imagine a machine with these capabilities being forced to purify and expand itself in order to fulfill trilli ons of people's needs? Can you see it being forced to build computers fast enough to plot every atom in a planet simply to manage th...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Policing Function

Policing Function University of Phoenix CJ/394 – Criminal Organizations SC11BCJ06 February 13th, 2013 Policing Law enforcement in the United States is a very unique component of the criminal justice system. Police Officers are thought to be the guardians of the gate; however, there are different levels of law enforcement that police cities, counties, and states. Law enforcement is broken down into different agencies. According to Grant and Terry (2008, p. 3-15) four levels of law enforcement exist in the United States; Most cities and counties have their own municipal and county law enforcement agencies which include city police and sheriff departments such as the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Each state has its level of law enforcement as well; example of state law enforcement agencies include the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Warden.On the federal level agencies such as the Fede ral Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are accountable for all federal jurisdiction. Briefly, this report will outline the various perspectives of policing as they apply to the various agencies of law enforcement in the United States. Since the inception of the United States common laws, rules, and regulations have been enacted to preserve society; this report will identify and outline possible changes in current laws.In addition, the impact of possible changes as they apply to policing will be underlined. Levels of Policing Municipal and County As mentioned earlier, law enforcement in the United States is broken up to different levels and categories. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2013), United States local law enforcement makes up two-thirds of 18,000 law enforcement agencies. The first level of policing consist of the municipal and county law enforcement agencie s. The aforementioned level of law enforcement is the majority of policing in the United States.Local and county law enforcement officials are by far the most depended on agency in society throughout the United States. Municipal law enforcement agencies are often seen patrolling neighborhoods, responding to calls for service or enforcing traffic laws. According to Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13), â€Å"Large local law enforcement agencies often are responsible for investigating serious violent and property crimes in their jurisdictions, compared to half of state agencies (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000). In addition to the many duties that are bestowed on to the police, local law enforcement is called upon for non-emergency and non-essential law enforcement needs. An example of the aforementioned is a call for service because a cat is stuck in a tree; again the call is non-emergency, however it is a call for service that officers respond to daily. County level policing usually con sists of the Sheriff’s Department; however, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13) suggest some counties do have a larger police force that would account for the jurisdiction of a county.Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13) state, â€Å"in some jurisdictions this office is dissolved into a county police force that functions much the same as municipal police. † Typically the Sheriff’s Office assumes jurisdiction in larger unincorporated areas; the scope of their duties revolve around enforcing court orders, court summons, or working the county jails. In some counties, the Sheriff’s Department’s functioning purpose is to provide police services much like a regular police agency, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13-14).Grant and Terry (2008, p. 14) states, â€Å"In some jurisdictions, the sheriff’s office is entirely law enforcement focused, with no other responsibilities. † State In addition to the local and county police, each state has its own category of l aw enforcement. In the state of California the following agencies serve as a component in law enforcement: the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Department of Fish and Game (Warden), California Lottery Security and Law Enforcement. State Law enforcement agencies are capable of arresting and xecuting search warrants, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 14). Other functions of state level policing include state investigations, collaboration with local and county law enforcement agencies, highway traffic enforcement and investigations, and enforcing state laws. Essentially, law enforcement on the state level may conduct basic law enforcement duties; however, most state police agencies are specific such as the CHP or the California Lottery Security and Law Enforcement. Federal Federal law enforcement includes agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and the ATF.In general federal law enforcement agencies can only enforce federal laws, where as local and state law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction o ver local and states matters, per Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 15). In 2002, the Homeland Security Act was enacted; said act recognized multiple federal law enforcement agencies as part of the new Department of Homeland Security. Prior to the aforementioned act two major federal agencies were prevalent in law enforcement: the Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 15).Some federal policing duties include the following: investigations, inspections, federal court, security, and protection. Changes Among the many changing laws in the United States, there are a few that could prove to be an immense impact on society, more so on policing. The recent proposal for tougher gun laws and the use of advanced technology to police society seem to be on the horizon for today’s society. On December 14th, 2012, Adam Lanza, the shooter in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting murdered twenty children and six adults; Lanza used an â€Å"assault rifle† and some other weapons to carry out the aforementioned crime.Since the Sandy Hook incident the push for tougher gun laws has been proposed, thus causing a split in society. Currently the proposal is for a ban on â€Å"assault rifles† and ammunition sales. Some of the issues revolve around identifying certain weapons as assault weapons and limiting the amount of bullets allowed in a magazine. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states, â€Å"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed† Cornell University Law School (n. d. ).Historically, it has been proven that criminals don’t abide by the rules set forth in society. Should a tougher gun law or an assault weapons ban be imposed, the Second Amendment will be infringed on. Currently, society is split on wanting tougher gun laws; however, th e other half are supportive of their right to bear arms and weapons ownership. One may wonder how this may pose as a challenge in the future of policing. The fact of the matter is law enforcement is meeting that challenge in today’s society; they are being asked to comply with a movement of recovering weapons from the streets and from responsible owners.The positive outcome from the aforementioned action revolves around recovering unwanted and potentially dangerous weapons; however, contrary to making society a safer place, the aforementioned action also promotes an opportunity for criminals to capitalize on. One should consider the negative result of not being able to have more than eight bullets, much less not owning a gun for protection. Criminals do not abide by the rules and regulations that have been enacted, thus there lack of concern for others.Considering the aforementioned point, the rise is crime, specifically violent crimes such as robbery, assault with deadly wea pons, murder, and home invasions are all very possible. It is possible for the police to be understaffed while trying to combat the forecasted spike in crime. In addition, lots of innocent people could potentially be harmed or killed. Technology The recent proposal for using unmanned drones to assist police officers in the field is being met with mixed emotions as well. Many citizens feel as if their Constitutional rights are being violated; particularly the Fourth Amendment in the United States Constitution.Unmanned Drones also known as Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) would assist the police departments in field operations as they fly around and provide vital real time information giving law enforcement the edge on crime fighting. The issue that arises centers around the government violating the Fourth Amendment; having the UAV fly around in a large city such as Los Angeles makes many citizens wonder if the police are using this for actual police work as opposed to randomly checking on them for non-policing monitoring. The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution suggests United States citizens should be secure in heir own person and home; in addition that Amendment also include their personal papers and effects shall be free of unreasonable search or seizure from the government, and no warrant issued without probable cause. With a UAV flying around the city it is safe to assume many citizens will feel violated. In the future this will most definitely be an asset to law enforcement; however, it will come at the cost of freedom, privacy, and trust in law enforcement. Conclusion In this report the author briefly outlined the different levels of law enforcement in the United States.Each level of policing has certain function within society, from the local and county level to the federal level. Though every level has different functions throughout law enforcement, they still seem to provide basic services in regards to policing; in addition, all levels co llaborate amongst themselves to help combat crime and provide solutions to preserve peace and a sense of security in society. Furthermore, two examples of current laws have been expanded on, giving a forecast of how they will change and impact law enforcement in the future.References Cornell University Law Shcool: Second Amendment. (n. d. ). Retrieved fromhttp://www. law. cornell. edu/constitution/second_amendment Cornell University Law Shcool: Fourth Amendment. (n. d. ). Retrieved fromhttp://www. law. cornell. edu/constitution/fourth_amendment Grant, H. B. , & Terry, K. J. (2008). Law Enforcement in the 21st Century (2nd ed. ). Retrievedfrom The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Bureau of Justice Statistics: Local Police. (2013). Retrieved fromhttp://bjs. ojp. usdoj. gov/index. cfm? ty=tp&tid=71