Swim and Punishment †A Narrative Essay

Swim and Punishment – A Narrative Essay Free Online Research Papers When I was a forth grader in China, I was always told by my teachers that I couldn’t go to swim where there was no lifeguard because we were still young. I always kept it in mind as my rule. One day, a day I was really out of control, and broke the rule. It was an extremely hot summer. The sun was raised to burn up the whole continent. Rain had not been seen for a couple of months already. People were like chicken within an oven, wait to be driven crazy. 37 degrees Celsius was the common temperature at southern China. I myself was an active kid, wouldn’t just stay home. One day, I was asked to hang out. First, we met each other at school as usual. We didn’t wear shirts due to the hot weather. As usual, we went to a store in the front of school to buy some litchi juice. I remembered that litchi juice was our favorite drinks because it was so cheap and tasty. After buying the supplies, we decided to walk around the countryside. That was what we usually did while we were all bored and didn’t know what to do. It was also a good way to resist heat because of the trees. We were walking through boundless fields where nothing can be seen except for green. We would like to feel the silence rather than talking a lot. Suddenly, silence was broken by a loud voice. â€Å"River is over there, let’s go and swim.† a friend of mine yelled out. â€Å"No, we can’t. We will be caught by our teachers.† I responded without any thinking. â€Å"No problem, man. It is so damned hot now. The depth of the water is only like 6in. Nobody will report to the teachers, right?† he argued. I could see his desire to swim through his eyes. I wasn’t sure what I should do at this moment. Soon after, they jumped into the river. I was still standing there and considering my rule. I looked at the sun and the water. Suddenly, there was an impulse came out of my mind. I closed my eyes and jumped into the water. By that time, I was still comforting myself by saying stuffs like â€Å"the depth of water is only 6in, it will be ok.† By that, I wasn’t feeling guilty anymore. Instead, we lie down and set ourselves in the water, like heated rocks in cold water. That feeling was so good for me by that time. Sun could not make fun of me anymore because my body was protected by cold water. And then we decided to play a game called capture. One person would be an eagle, the rest would be chicken. I chose to be a chicken. Then we started running. Running at the water was so different from the land. The water made my feet much heavier. Because of that, I was the first chicken to be caught. By that time, I had nothing to do except for waiting. Then I decided to splash water to them. As soon as they noticed what I had done. They stopped the game and splash water to each other. It was not sunny day anymore. The water we splashing water was like rain, dropped on our bodies. I thought it was the best rain I had ever met. It cooled down my body as well as my mind. After an hour, we all decided to leave. The day after, we went to school. We were all called by our teacher. She had noticed what we had been done yesterday. I didn’t know for sure how she knew it. She was like a lawyer, kept asking us questions. I was just standing there like a piece of wood, without saying anything. Finally, the question period was over. I was thinking this would be ended up with it. But I was wrong, she needed us to hand copy a 10-page essay twice and turn it in tomorrow. She also set up a conference with our parents. The following years, I still couldn’t figure it out how she knew it. Maybe I would never know, like a locked box stayed in my mind forever. Still, I didn’t think I was wrong about that because the depth of the water was only 6in. It wouldn’t be any problem for a forth grader. The punishment I paid for it was undeserved. Even so, every time I watch people play at the water, those little happy scenes will appear again in my mind. Research Papers on Swim and Punishment - A Narrative EssayThe Spring and AutumnThe Hockey GameMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationBringing Democracy to AfricaPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyStandardized TestingQuebec and Canada

American Perception V.S Kite Runner Perception

S went thru the most tragic, life changing, mind conflicting event of all time. On September, 11, 2001 terrorist flew two plans into the Twin Towers in New York City. The terrorist attack on 9/11 devastated and ruined an enormous amount of American lives. Weather an American lost a friend, loved one, or relative, every American lost something valuable that day. Americans lost their right to feel safe: at work, at home, or at popular locations. The last time American safety was threatened was during World War II. U. S citizens are not use to war or violence happening in their country, unlike the Middle East. Americans do not reacted positively, when tragic situation happen. Their reaction to 9/11 changed the American perception of Afghanistan and Muslim culture. Americans lost all their trust for Muslims. That lack of trust between them created a whole new stereotype. Stereotype: A general statement or word, fit to describe a specific group of people. The American stereotype created to describe Muslims is anyone who is Muslim or from the Middle East was sent to America, to destroy their wealthy non dictated, country. National Geographic Channel says,† Afghans who fled their homeland for a new life in the United States are troubled to find themselves subject to suspicion and mistrust on the basis of their nationality and religion. † Based off of this information, Muslims are all being put into one pile, stereotypically. Afghanistan man who goes by the name of Fouzia Afshari says,† We are good people, we are civilized† who volunteers at Mustafa Center, an Afghan Perreault 2 Culture Academy near Washington D. C â€Å"We are not that type of Afghan people are thinking about right now. † Fouzia Afshari is a Muslim, obviously he is not a terrorist or out to get America, the controversy is the attackers were not American. By not being American, the terrorists allowed Americans to lose trust in a whole country of people. Muslim people will have to deal with the uncertainty of ever gaining American trust back or the American perception of Afghanistan should not be based off of what a handle full of Muslims did,but based on actual facts. Khaled Hosseini book The Kite Runner portrays Afghanistan realistically V. S the American Perception. (National Geographic news website) Clearly, the American Perception of Afghanistan is a little farfetched. The perception is not based on Afghanistan or Muslim culture, but based on what a hand full of Muslims did (AKA 9/11). The terrorist attack traumatized Americans, giving them a stereotypical perception. Typically, when a person thinks of war, immediately people think of other people being shot left and right, bombs exploding everywhere. Americans think that the terrorist attack was the Middle East declaring war on them. From that point on, Americans believed that the Afghans that were not fighting U. S troops off, were all sitting at a table brainstorming how their going to attack America next. Some Americans were so devastated that they will not go anywhere near Muslims or anyone from the Middle East because of their stereotypical perception. Muslims own about 75% of the gas station and covenant stores in the United States. Americans that will not associate with Muslims will go farther out of their way for gas. Americans think that Muslims do not like Americans because of the U. S troops in the Middle East and when an American goes to a Muslim gas station, their receiving less gas. Even in an unstable economy Americans still go out Perreault 3 of there way for gas, allowing Muslims to see that Americans truly view them all as terrorist. For Afghans and Muslims it is confusing for them to understand why the America perception is so ridiculous. The perception is not only based on 9/11, it is also has to do with Americans not being given the full picture of the war in Afghanistan. The media diffidently confuses Americans. Josh Meyer stated in his article Gap between the U. S perception and reality in Iraq, Afghanistan, author posits † While Americans are given one media report after another about how Afghanistan is filled with exploding bombs, attacking hordes of the Taliban and a lawlessness that pervades every corner of the war torn nation, the real story is a more nuanced one. † Americans are given exaggerated reports on what’s happening in Afghanistan. The media is 100% to blame for the skewed version of the Afghanistan war Americans have. Based on that version of the war Americans make false actuation, which hurts the Afghanistan and Muslim population. (Josh Meyer) The American perception of Afghanistan upsets Muslims and makes it harder for their people to come to America. Muslims who are leaving Afghanistan are on America’s side. They are fleeing their own homeland and coming to start new in America because they do not agree with how their country is being ruined. Afghans come to America for the freedom that is taken from them in Afghanistan. Naweed an Afghan woman tells National Geographic channel â€Å"No art, no radio, no television, painting, drawing-nothing is allowed. Education for women is not allowed. Music is not allowed, they call it satanic. That’s why we are strongly working to keep our culture alive here in America. † Naweed is one of many who wants to feel at home. For Muslims America is their new homeland, but because of the American perception the majority of Perreault 4 afghans feel out of place. â€Å" I’m raising my kids here and I don’t want to feel like I don’t belong here. But, that’s what I feel here as an Afghan and a Muslim. † said Alina to the National Geographic Channel, adding: â€Å" I don’t want to lose another home. Afghans don’t want to come to America they rather live in their own country where feel at home, but they have no choice. Yet hope remains that Afghanistan will one day be in the hands of peace-loving Afghans and everyone will see the truth. (National Geographic Channel) Afghanistan was once a country where Afghans could be successful and wealthy. Th en the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and the Taliban was created, but took a turn for the worst and the U. S army went to help the people in Afghanistan. When the Soviet Union was defeated the Civil War still continued. The Taliban was created to go in and unify the country. The Taliban comes form the word student- that’s what it means. The Taliban is made up of students that went to religious schools in Pakistan and former fighters, who use to fight in the war against the Soviet Union. The Taliban is what made Afghanistan a terraces place to live. After the Taliban brought peace to 80% of the country, they became power hunger and started to take away Afghanistan’s freedom. Even with the Taliban dictating Afghanistan, Josh Meyer, author of Gap between the U. S perception and reality in Iraq, Afghanistan, author posits says, â€Å" Anyone in this room could go to Kabul now and have a fairly good time. There are restaurants and there are bars,† and the streets are not a shooting gallery with various factions trying to kill each other, while armed insurgents are also trying to U. S and coalition forces. â€Å" The Taliban Is not a very large insurgent group. † Josh Meyer is trying to inform Americans that Afghanistan is not Iraq, but it is still not a place where all Afghans can make a living. (Josh Meyer) Perreault 5 The Kite runner is the perfect example of how Afghanistan is not Iraq, but not a place where all afghans can make a living. Author Khaled Hosseini tells a story about Amir and Hassan these two Afghan boys who grew up together, but where separated by Amirs will to make his farther proud and the Soviet Union invading. Amir betrayed Hassan by watching him being raped by Asseft because Hassan was a Haraza. Guilt ate at Amir until he framed Hassan for steeling and Hassan and his father left in embarrassment. Shortly after Amir and BaBa ( Amirs farther) took a journey to America. Where Baba had to run a gas satiation and sell items he bought at a yard sale at the local flee market. Before Baba and Amir came to America they were wealthy. So wealthy that Hassan and his father were Baba servants. Afghanistan is not as poverty strict end as Americans thought it was. Amir and Baba did not come to America to destroy it, he came to America because Kabul was not safe and he hoped Amir could receives the best possible education in America. Baba and Amir were in America for two years. For those two years Baba would by a jar of fruit form the same people everyday with cash. One day Baba had no money, he wrote a check out instead. When the man asked for Id Baba exploded, â€Å"He wants to see my license? Almost two years we’ve bought his dam fruits and put money in his pocket and son of a dog wants to see my license. † Amir says, â€Å" They’re suppose to ask for Id† Baba says,† Dose he think I’m a thief? What kind of a country is this? No one trusts anybody. † Baba thought that the man working thought he was steeling when the man asked Baba for Id. Baba was offended. Years down the road Amir is told that Hassan died in Kabul. Hassan was shot in the back of the head because a Talian member thought him and his family where living in Amirs old house instead of in the hut outside made specifically for servants. Amir felt responsible because if he Perreault 6 and Baba would of stayed Hassan may still be alive. For Hassan he is an Afghan who should fled from Afghanistan. Amir and Baba could of stayed in Afghanistan. Khaled Hosseini book portrayed Afghanistan well and realistically. (Khaled Hosseini) The American Perception of Afghanistan is not realistic or based on actual facts. The Kite Runner diffidently grasps and gives a better understanding of Afghanistan. Unfortunely, Afghans who come to America will have to deal with the mistrust Americans have towards them like Baba. The American Perception is not do to Americans not educating themselves. It is because of terrible media reports. Bergen the author of The Longest War: Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda says, â€Å" It is not being well communicated to the American public that the afghan war is nothing like the Iraq war, the media has to take responsibility for that. The differences between Afghanistan and Iraq couldn’t be more stark. † Bergen wants people to know that the media is portraying Afghanistan as a war torn place like Iraq, when they are both completely different. Afghanistan is not in as big of an up roar as the media made it. Instead of relying on the media to prove Americans with the proper information, Americans should educate themselves, stop listening to everything they hear. Also Americans should not rely on electronics and once in a while pick up a book or ask someone who is Muslim to explain what’s going on. (Bergen) American Perception V.S Kite Runner Perception S went thru the most tragic, life changing, mind conflicting event of all time. On September, 11, 2001 terrorist flew two plans into the Twin Towers in New York City. The terrorist attack on 9/11 devastated and ruined an enormous amount of American lives. Weather an American lost a friend, loved one, or relative, every American lost something valuable that day. Americans lost their right to feel safe: at work, at home, or at popular locations. The last time American safety was threatened was during World War II. U. S citizens are not use to war or violence happening in their country, unlike the Middle East. Americans do not reacted positively, when tragic situation happen. Their reaction to 9/11 changed the American perception of Afghanistan and Muslim culture. Americans lost all their trust for Muslims. That lack of trust between them created a whole new stereotype. Stereotype: A general statement or word, fit to describe a specific group of people. The American stereotype created to describe Muslims is anyone who is Muslim or from the Middle East was sent to America, to destroy their wealthy non dictated, country. National Geographic Channel says,† Afghans who fled their homeland for a new life in the United States are troubled to find themselves subject to suspicion and mistrust on the basis of their nationality and religion. † Based off of this information, Muslims are all being put into one pile, stereotypically. Afghanistan man who goes by the name of Fouzia Afshari says,† We are good people, we are civilized† who volunteers at Mustafa Center, an Afghan Perreault 2 Culture Academy near Washington D. C â€Å"We are not that type of Afghan people are thinking about right now. † Fouzia Afshari is a Muslim, obviously he is not a terrorist or out to get America, the controversy is the attackers were not American. By not being American, the terrorists allowed Americans to lose trust in a whole country of people. Muslim people will have to deal with the uncertainty of ever gaining American trust back or the American perception of Afghanistan should not be based off of what a handle full of Muslims did,but based on actual facts. Khaled Hosseini book The Kite Runner portrays Afghanistan realistically V. S the American Perception. (National Geographic news website) Clearly, the American Perception of Afghanistan is a little farfetched. The perception is not based on Afghanistan or Muslim culture, but based on what a hand full of Muslims did (AKA 9/11). The terrorist attack traumatized Americans, giving them a stereotypical perception. Typically, when a person thinks of war, immediately people think of other people being shot left and right, bombs exploding everywhere. Americans think that the terrorist attack was the Middle East declaring war on them. From that point on, Americans believed that the Afghans that were not fighting U. S troops off, were all sitting at a table brainstorming how their going to attack America next. Some Americans were so devastated that they will not go anywhere near Muslims or anyone from the Middle East because of their stereotypical perception. Muslims own about 75% of the gas station and covenant stores in the United States. Americans that will not associate with Muslims will go farther out of their way for gas. Americans think that Muslims do not like Americans because of the U. S troops in the Middle East and when an American goes to a Muslim gas station, their receiving less gas. Even in an unstable economy Americans still go out Perreault 3 of there way for gas, allowing Muslims to see that Americans truly view them all as terrorist. For Afghans and Muslims it is confusing for them to understand why the America perception is so ridiculous. The perception is not only based on 9/11, it is also has to do with Americans not being given the full picture of the war in Afghanistan. The media diffidently confuses Americans. Josh Meyer stated in his article Gap between the U. S perception and reality in Iraq, Afghanistan, author posits † While Americans are given one media report after another about how Afghanistan is filled with exploding bombs, attacking hordes of the Taliban and a lawlessness that pervades every corner of the war torn nation, the real story is a more nuanced one. † Americans are given exaggerated reports on what’s happening in Afghanistan. The media is 100% to blame for the skewed version of the Afghanistan war Americans have. Based on that version of the war Americans make false actuation, which hurts the Afghanistan and Muslim population. (Josh Meyer) The American perception of Afghanistan upsets Muslims and makes it harder for their people to come to America. Muslims who are leaving Afghanistan are on America’s side. They are fleeing their own homeland and coming to start new in America because they do not agree with how their country is being ruined. Afghans come to America for the freedom that is taken from them in Afghanistan. Naweed an Afghan woman tells National Geographic channel â€Å"No art, no radio, no television, painting, drawing-nothing is allowed. Education for women is not allowed. Music is not allowed, they call it satanic. That’s why we are strongly working to keep our culture alive here in America. † Naweed is one of many who wants to feel at home. For Muslims America is their new homeland, but because of the American perception the majority of Perreault 4 afghans feel out of place. â€Å" I’m raising my kids here and I don’t want to feel like I don’t belong here. But, that’s what I feel here as an Afghan and a Muslim. † said Alina to the National Geographic Channel, adding: â€Å" I don’t want to lose another home. Afghans don’t want to come to America they rather live in their own country where feel at home, but they have no choice. Yet hope remains that Afghanistan will one day be in the hands of peace-loving Afghans and everyone will see the truth. (National Geographic Channel) Afghanistan was once a country where Afghans could be successful and wealthy. Th en the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and the Taliban was created, but took a turn for the worst and the U. S army went to help the people in Afghanistan. When the Soviet Union was defeated the Civil War still continued. The Taliban was created to go in and unify the country. The Taliban comes form the word student- that’s what it means. The Taliban is made up of students that went to religious schools in Pakistan and former fighters, who use to fight in the war against the Soviet Union. The Taliban is what made Afghanistan a terraces place to live. After the Taliban brought peace to 80% of the country, they became power hunger and started to take away Afghanistan’s freedom. Even with the Taliban dictating Afghanistan, Josh Meyer, author of Gap between the U. S perception and reality in Iraq, Afghanistan, author posits says, â€Å" Anyone in this room could go to Kabul now and have a fairly good time. There are restaurants and there are bars,† and the streets are not a shooting gallery with various factions trying to kill each other, while armed insurgents are also trying to U. S and coalition forces. â€Å" The Taliban Is not a very large insurgent group. † Josh Meyer is trying to inform Americans that Afghanistan is not Iraq, but it is still not a place where all Afghans can make a living. (Josh Meyer) Perreault 5 The Kite runner is the perfect example of how Afghanistan is not Iraq, but not a place where all afghans can make a living. Author Khaled Hosseini tells a story about Amir and Hassan these two Afghan boys who grew up together, but where separated by Amirs will to make his farther proud and the Soviet Union invading. Amir betrayed Hassan by watching him being raped by Asseft because Hassan was a Haraza. Guilt ate at Amir until he framed Hassan for steeling and Hassan and his father left in embarrassment. Shortly after Amir and BaBa ( Amirs farther) took a journey to America. Where Baba had to run a gas satiation and sell items he bought at a yard sale at the local flee market. Before Baba and Amir came to America they were wealthy. So wealthy that Hassan and his father were Baba servants. Afghanistan is not as poverty strict end as Americans thought it was. Amir and Baba did not come to America to destroy it, he came to America because Kabul was not safe and he hoped Amir could receives the best possible education in America. Baba and Amir were in America for two years. For those two years Baba would by a jar of fruit form the same people everyday with cash. One day Baba had no money, he wrote a check out instead. When the man asked for Id Baba exploded, â€Å"He wants to see my license? Almost two years we’ve bought his dam fruits and put money in his pocket and son of a dog wants to see my license. † Amir says, â€Å" They’re suppose to ask for Id† Baba says,† Dose he think I’m a thief? What kind of a country is this? No one trusts anybody. † Baba thought that the man working thought he was steeling when the man asked Baba for Id. Baba was offended. Years down the road Amir is told that Hassan died in Kabul. Hassan was shot in the back of the head because a Talian member thought him and his family where living in Amirs old house instead of in the hut outside made specifically for servants. Amir felt responsible because if he Perreault 6 and Baba would of stayed Hassan may still be alive. For Hassan he is an Afghan who should fled from Afghanistan. Amir and Baba could of stayed in Afghanistan. Khaled Hosseini book portrayed Afghanistan well and realistically. (Khaled Hosseini) The American Perception of Afghanistan is not realistic or based on actual facts. The Kite Runner diffidently grasps and gives a better understanding of Afghanistan. Unfortunely, Afghans who come to America will have to deal with the mistrust Americans have towards them like Baba. The American Perception is not do to Americans not educating themselves. It is because of terrible media reports. Bergen the author of The Longest War: Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda says, â€Å" It is not being well communicated to the American public that the afghan war is nothing like the Iraq war, the media has to take responsibility for that. The differences between Afghanistan and Iraq couldn’t be more stark. † Bergen wants people to know that the media is portraying Afghanistan as a war torn place like Iraq, when they are both completely different. Afghanistan is not in as big of an up roar as the media made it. Instead of relying on the media to prove Americans with the proper information, Americans should educate themselves, stop listening to everything they hear. Also Americans should not rely on electronics and once in a while pick up a book or ask someone who is Muslim to explain what’s going on. (Bergen)

Comprehensively describe Cicero's On the republic, Marcus Aurelius Essay

Comprehensively describe Cicero's On the republic, Marcus Aurelius Meditations, Job from The Hoy Scriptures, and St. Augustine's the city of god - Essay Example General structure of the treatise is the following: it consists of six books – each two books are dedicated to each day of conversation. Every day is devoted to the discussion of a certain question: books I and II debate over the best state system , reveal the development of constitution, and give outline of Roman history. Books III and IV discuss philosophical justification of concept of the state (proceeding from idea of justice). And, at last, books of V and VI question the qualities of the best statesman. Extensive parts of the text were lost, only fragments have remained from books V and VI. The treatise comes to an end with a certain deification – a dream vision of Scipio Aemilianus in which he meets Scipio Africanus. The last predicts brilliant fortune to the adopted grandsonand, at the same time, explains to him that people who truly serve the fatherland, deserve immortality and eternal pleasure. This part of the whole treatise became the most famous due to the fact that it was commented by Macrobius who excreted the large parties.Cicero speaks about such sources, as Plato, Aristotle, Theophrastos (and in general the school of peripatetics) besides repeated name of Plato, it is possible to find references on Polibio. â€Å"Meditations† of Marcus Aurelius can be considered the culmination of ancient philosophy with its constant reflections about the nature of human soul, God, and destiny. Marcus Aurelius, one of the greatest Roman Emperors, had passion for philosophy, which, in his opinion, allowed revealing the sense of real life. His famous work was written in the last days of his life in continuous process of thinking, and has a form of personal notebook. There is no particular order of the entries, and occasional groups of quotes are used randomly. The topics of reflections may simply be repeated throughout the book. Therefore, taking into account that

Ethical issues on end of life care Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical issues on end of life care - Term Paper Example This paper discusses the ethical issues concerned with terminally ill patients. It is an important issue that must be discussed convincingly to make last days of the patients fulfilling. In the recent times, the ethical issues on end of life care have increasingly become much more important than being major concern for increasing Medicare bills or the inability of medicines to provide the palliative care that patients deserve in their last days of lives. The author has cited the case of Sara Monopoli, who was pregnant and at the last stages was diagnosed with metastatic cancer that is incurable. The exhaustive treatment that she underwent was testament to the deteriorating quality of her life. Apart from the huge Medicare expenses, the author rightly questions the efficacy of a system that deprives patients of the right to die in dignity and gives them hope when none exist. Author has referred Harvard Researcher, Nicholas Christakis who had interviewed doctors of nearly five hundred terminally ill patients as to how long they expected their patients to survive and then followed the progress of the patients. Sixty three percent over-estimated the time. It was revealed that though doctors were aware of the futility of medicines but they could not tell the same to the patients and made them undergo treatments which could, if at all, only slightly prolong their lives. They also knew that quality of lives of patients would be adversely impacted by the treatment but they went ahead just because the patients wanted them. Indeed, the doctors’ inability or deliberate intention to with-held the important issue that death is imminent and quality of life would be impacted is wrong. According to Act Utilitarian of Bentham, action which results in the happiness of one and all is a good act. ‘When choosing a course of action, one should always pick the one that will maximize happiness and minimize unhappiness for the greatest number of people’ (Bentham fro m Rosenstand p.176). While the doctors and surgeons knew that with incurable conditions, it was a long medical struggle with death being imminent, they did not try to discuss as to how one would wish to live last days. Interestingly Kant’s moral philosophy is a case in point as he asserts that people rationalize their actions according to what they deem as morally good (Schneewind, 1990). Hence, under the circumstances, it seems that doctors under medical oath, deemed it morally right to talk about death when it could be prolonged. The article has carried lot of research and shows that as against ordinary medicine’s goal of extending life, hospice and other palliative care hugely help terminally ill patients to have quality life that is cherished by family and facilitates peaceful death. Most importantly, the family and carers have less cases of depression after the death of the dear ones when they die in the hospital’s intensive care unit, burdened with technol ogy driven aids and devices. The Hospice makes effort to reduce pain at the last stages but just try to ensure that they have ‘fullest possible lives’ with their family and friends. As author asserts that death only comes once, hence, dignity in death must be observed or discussed with family and

Tupac Shakur Biography Essay -- essays research papers

Tupac Shakur 1971-1996 Born: June 16, 1971 in New York, New York, United States Died: September 13, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Ethnicity: African American Occupation: Rap Musician, Musician, Actor "Don't shed a tear for me ... / I ain't happy here / I hope they bury me and send me to my rest / Headlines readin' murdered to death."--from "If I Die Tonight" on Me against the World (1995) BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY With his tattoo-splattered physique, piercing deep-set eyes, and shaved head, Tupac Amaru Shakur came across as middle America's worst nightmare, the darkest strain of hip-hop. To fans, Shakur was only "thuggin' against society, thuggin' against the system that made me," as he once rapped. Like some other rappers, Shakur was criticized for his sexist lyrics He celebrated his mother, Afeni, but was equally capable of debasing women in his music. The contradictions hardly ended there. In his last video, "I Ain't Mad at Cha," Shakur--newly arrived in Heaven--saluted an old friend for quitting the "thug life." In "Only God Can Judge Me," Shakur foresaw death bearing down on him, yet seemed unable to tolerate his rival, The Notorious B.I.G. and B.I.G.'s mentor, Sean "Puffy" Combs. Shakur's "Hit 'Em Up," the last single issued during his twenty-five-year lifetime, set new highs of profane rage against B.I.G., who was later gunned down after Shakur's own untimely death. Yet millions of fans found something meaningful in Shakur's troubled life and lyrics, like a thirty-two-year-old Detroit accountant buying her first Shakur album. "I've never supported that kind of music," she told the Detroit News, "but there was something so tragic about the way he died ... It's almost like I'm looking for answers." Politician Jesse Jackson also tried to explain Shakur's downfall and apparent appeal, telling the Los Angeles Times: "Sometimes the lure of violent culture is so magnetic that even when one overcomes it with material success, it continues to call." Acting bug bit early From his June 16, 1971, birth in New York City, Shakur's life read much like an epic melodrama. His mother, Afeni, and father, Billy Garland, belonged to the Black Panthers, a militant group dedicated to achieving racial equality. Just two years earlier, in 1969, Afeni and then... ...'s murder, "just a sad, ugly feeling, very creepy, very hollow," he said. "No art, no life, just ashes." Larger-than-life Vibe chief executive Kevin Clinkscales, however, advised fans against anymore "rumor-mongering," which he found disrespectful to Shakur's family. "These are not comic-book heroes," he told USA Today. "These are real people." That said, however, most agree that Tupac Shakur has won the larger-than-life immortality he craved so much. The sightings and resurrection theories place him in a select club that includes the late Kurt Cobain, Doors singer-poet Jim Morrison, and Elvis Presley. On that score, fans need not fear, as poet Nikki Giovanni acknowledged in her own tribute, "All Eyez on You": "don't tell me he got what he deserved he deserved a chariot and / the accolades of a grateful people / he deserved his life." Nor did Giovanni stop there, getting her own "Thug Life" tattoo to honor Shakur's memory, telling the Chicago Tribune: "Young black men are in a holocaustic situation." So long as that persists, fans insist, Tupac Shakur's musical legacy will be hard to deny.

Instructional strategies exam essay Essay

Teachers are constantly challenged to ensure that teaching strategies employed in the classroom are appropriate the learning styles and experiences of the learners. As far as possible instructional strategies should be modified to take into consideration the unique characteristics of individual learners and aim to discover the best way forward when dealing with specific learning styles. Cooperative learning strategies are useful in teaching learners who function best in learning sessions that take into concern their individual needs, interests and abilities as well as provide opportunities for interaction and discussion with and among other learners. Constructivists have long established that learning cannot be separated from real-life experiences as both share a symbiotic relationship (Huang, 2002, p. 28). Bringing real-life situations into the learning environment will facilitate and enhance learning while knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in learning provide opportunities for additional life experiences. Cooperative learning strategies have a great amount of flexibility in the classroom and make it possible for the teacher to effectively match learning style to teaching strategy. Cooperative learning strategies are therefore quite attractive for adult learners as there is a multiplicity of activities and tasks that can be brought into any one learning experience to make learning not only effective but meaningful. These strategies are also useful in ensuring that learners have some amount of freedom and independence, as well as participate actively in their own learning. In a learning session using cooperative learning strategies individuals can be assigned to interest groups at the beginning of the session. Interest groups are individuals who may share either the same background or viewpoint. Interest groups are assigned either based on the particular task to be covered in the lesson or based on previously defined characteristics such as favorite type of food, music, TV shows etcetera. This is simply to ensure that all learners feel a sense of belonging by being able to identify with at least one other person in the group and therefore all will be motivated to actively participate in the lesson. Countless authors have pointed to the merits of using small groups as an effective teaching strategy to ensure participation and involvement (see Slavin, 2000). At the beginning of the lesson students are presented with the objectives and given precise guidelines of what they will be required to do throughout the lesson. Each group, that would have been identified previously, is given a particular aspect of the lesson to report or focus on and even within the group each member is assigned a specific responsibility and, of course, made aware how his/her role fits into the group task and the general lesson. In this way students will be accountable, not only for their own learning but also for the learning of the rest of the members who will be dependent upon him/her to correctly complete what is required. Kounin is famous for stressing this concept of accountability in learning. He also argues that it is essential to maintain the involvement of all students in all aspects of the lesson (as cited in Slavin, 2000, p. 373). Direct instruction often cannot be avoided in delivering lesson content depending on the material to be covered and may be essential in some cases. Thus in this setting direct instruction has its place but is supplemented with other strategies to ensure its effectiveness in meeting lesson objectives. To make a topic more meaningful and of immediate interest to the learners suggestions are gathered as to possible topics to explore, that can be aligned well with the overall curricular goals. By using the direct teaching method the teacher delivers the content to the entire class but each group is at that time paying particular attention to the aspect that is most relevant to the task they had been previously assigned. Visual aids and demonstrations, as appropriate, are used to enhance the impact of the lesson. A PowerPoint ® presentation would be particularly attractive to learners incorporating computer graphics, animation and even sound so that learners are able to interact with the lesson on a variety of levels. An alternative to the direct teacher or a supplemental to it would be to invite an outside speaker to deliver the specified topic. This guest speaker could be someone that the class nominates or someone that has expertise as well as being able to gain the interest and attention of the learners. Using either direct teaching, the PowerPoint ® or the guest speaker the group function is still maintained. At the end of these sessions groups meet to collaborate on completing the task assigned. In completing this task learners use problem solving skills to ensure that objectives are met. Working collaboratively group members have to explore alternatives for solving the problem or accomplishing the task that has been assigned. Included in the discussion is a decision on what aspect of the presentation is relevant or irrelevant to the task they have been assigned and the most appropriate way of organizing their work. They will also have to choose the most appropriate form in which to present their information. Each group is required, whether as a part of the session or in a subsequent session, to present their task to the rest of the class. As a part of the task description the teacher allows each group the flexibility of choosing whatever approach they feel will best be suited to presenting their information to the entire class. Role-play, simulation, demonstration, presentation or any other method could be adopted by the learners based on their individual preference. Alternatively all groups could role-play their particular scenario. Role-playing can be used to develop problem solving skills and to assess how much and how well learning has occurred. There is still a considerable amount of flexibility in that the groups use their own styles and ideas to come up with an appropriate situation to depict the problem they were assigned to. All members of the group will be required to roll-play ensuring that group activities are not manipulated by a specific set of learners and so that some learners do not opt out. Feedback of course, in any learning context is essential. Peer evaluation in this situation is useful. A discussion can ensue after each group role-plays or presents. Other classmates give feedback on the same issues and present possible alternatives to the solution that was taken or discuss why the option taken was the most appropriate for the particular issue at hand. Additionally comments relevant to the lesson could also be made. Learners in the small-group and large-group context are therefore able to cooperatively learn from each other by sharing ideas and making suggestions. Evidently learners are given a lot of independence within the specific guidelines and a lot of self-directed learning takes place. All these are essential for learners to make the most out of learning sessions and are preferable to techniques that are teacher-centered rather than learner-centered. In this way learners are actively participating in learning not just being passive listeners and observers. Throughout the lesson the teacher plays the role of facilitator or guide but the learners are the ones actively involved in the learning experiences and thus they would reap much more benefit. References Huang, H. (2002). Toward constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 33(1), 27-37. Slavin, R. E. (2000). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. (6th ed. ). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

How The Renaissance Changed Over The Time - 1287 Words

The renaissance to me is a very interesting topic and a very important era. A lot changed during this time period that caught my attention. My research will be on the renaissance and on 1 artists from that time period. I will begin by discussing how the renaissance changed over the time and how art was involved. In addition, I will be discussing about 1 artist and there history, following by the materials and techniques he use. The renaissance is also known as the new birth of resurrection. During the 200 years between 1400 and 1600, Europe had some great reveals of drawings, fine art paintings and architecture mostly in Italy. During this era there were lots of discoveries. There was a desire to explore the features of nature and the†¦show more content†¦Around the age of 14, da Vinci began a lengthy apprenticeship with an artist named Andrea Del Verrocchio in Florence. Where he then learned a variety of skills like metal working, leather arts, carpentry, drawing, painting and sculpting. His earliest known work is a pen and ink drawing of a landscape in the Amo valley. He later started his own work shop. Using his inventive skills, da Vinci sketched war machines such a war chariot with blades mounted on the sides, and armored tank propelled by two men cranking a shaft and even an enormous crossbow that required a small army of men to operate. He believed studying science made him a better artist. Leonardo thought the ability to see was mankind’s most important sense and most important organ. Da Vinci began to seriously study anatomy and dissect human and animal bodies. He’s drawings of fetus in utero, the heart and vascular system, sex organs and other bone and muscular structures are some of the first human records. In addition, to his investigation da Vinci studied botany, geology, zoology, hydraulics, aeronautics and physics. He also sketched His observations on loose sheets of papers and pads that he tucked inside his belt. He placed the papers in his personal notebook and arranged them with four themes, painting, architecture, mechanics and human anatomy. His filled dozens of notebooks with drawn