Arguments for and Against Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Arguments for and Against Embryonic Stem Cell Research On March 9, 2009, President Barack Obama lifted, by Executive Order, the Bush administrations eight-year ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Remarked the President, Today... we will bring the change that so many scientists and researchers, doctors and innovators, patients and loved ones have hoped for, and fought for, these past eight years. In Obamas Remarks on Lifting the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ban, he also signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the development of a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to government decision-making. Bush Vetoes In 2005, H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, was passed by the Republican-led House in May 2005 by a vote of 238 to 194. The Senate passed the bill in July 2006 by a bipartisan vote of 63 to 37. President Bush opposed embryonic stem cell research on ideological grounds. He exercised his first presidential veto on July 19, 2006, when he refused to allow H.R. 810 to become law. Congress was unable to muster enough votes to override the veto. In April 2007, the Democratic-led Senate passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 by a vote of 63 to 34. In June 2007, the House passed the legislation by a vote of 247 to 176. President Bush vetoed the bill on June 20, 2007. Public Support for Embryonic Stem Cell Research For years, all polls report that the American public STRONGLY supports federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Reported the Washington Post in March 2009: In a January Washington Post-ABC News poll, 59 percent of Americans said they supported loosening the current restrictions, with support topping 60 percent among both Democrats and independents. Most Republicans, however, stood in opposition (55 percent opposed; 40 percent in support). Despite public perceptions, embryonic stem cell research was legal in the U.S. during the Bush administration: the President had banned the use of federal funds for research. He did not ban private and state research funding, much of which was being conducted by pharmaceutical mega-corporations. In Fall 2004, California voters approved a $3 billion bond to fund embryonic stem cell research. In contrast, embryonic stem cell research is prohibited in Arkansas, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Michigan. Developments in Stem Cell Research In August 2005, Harvard University scientists announced a breakthrough discovery that fuses blank embryonic stem cells with adult skin cells, rather than with fertilized embryos, to create all-purpose stem cells viable to treat diseases and disabilities. This discovery doesnt result in the death of fertilized human embryos and thus would effectively respond to pro-life objections to embryonic stem cell research and therapy. Harvard researchers warned that it could take up to ten years to perfect this highly promising process. As South Korea, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, India and other countries rapidly pioneer this new technological frontier, the US is being left farther and farther behind in medical technology. The US is also losing out on billions in new economic opportunities at a time when the country sorely needs new sources of revenues. Background Therapeutic cloning is a method to produce stem cell lines that were genetic matches for adults and children. Steps in therapeutic cloning are: An egg is obtained from a human donor.The nucleus (DNA) is removed from the egg.Skin cells are taken from the patient.The nucleus (DNA) is removed from a skin cell.A skin cell nucleus is implanted in the egg.The reconstructed egg, called a blastocyst, is stimulated with chemicals or electric current.In 3 to 5 days, the embryonic stem cells are removed.The blastocyst is destroyed.Stem cells can be used to generate an organ or tissue that is a genetic match to the skin cell donor. The first 6 steps are same for reproductive cloning. However, instead of removing stem cells, the blastocyst is implanted in a woman and allowed to gestate to birth. Reproductive cloning is outlawed in most countries. Before Bush stopped federal research in 2001, a minor amount of embryonic stem cell research was performed by US scientists using embryos created at fertility clinics and donated by couples who no longer needed them. The pending bipartisan Congressional bills all propose using excess fertility clinic embryos. Stem cells are found in limited quantities in every human body and can be extracted from adult tissue with great effort but without harm. The consensus among researchers has been that adult stem cells are limited in usefulness because they can be used to produce only a few of the 220 types of cells found in the human body. However, evidence has recently emerged that adult cells may be more flexible than previously believed. Embryonic stem cells are blank cells that have not yet been categorized or programmed by the body and can be prompted to generate any of the 220 human cell types. Embryonic stem cells are extremely flexible. Pros Embryonic stem cells are thought by most scientists and researchers to hold potential cures for spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Parkinsons disease, cancer, Alzheimers disease, heart disease, hundreds of rare immune system and genetic disorders and much more. Scientists see almost infinite value in the use of embryonic stem cell research to understand human development and the growth and treatment of diseases. Actual cures are many years away, though, since research has not progressed to the point where even one cure has yet been generated by embryonic stem cell research. Over 100 million Americans suffer from diseases that eventually may be treated more effectively or even cured with embryonic stem cell therapy. Some researchers regard this as the greatest potential for the alleviation of human suffering since the advent of antibiotics. Many pro-lifers believe that the proper moral and religious course of action is to save existing life through embryonic stem cell therapy. Cons Some staunch pro-lifers and most pro-life organizations regard the destruction of the blastocyst, which is a laboratory-fertilized human egg, to be the murder of human life. They believe that life begins at conception, and that destruction of this pre-born life is morally unacceptable. They believe that it is immoral to destroy a few-days-old human embryo, even to save or reduce suffering in existing human life. Many also believe that insufficient attention been given to explore the potential of adult stem cells, which have already been used to successfully cure many diseases. They also argue that too little attention has been paid to the potential of umbilical cord blood for stem cell research. They also point out that no cures have yet been produced by embryonic stem cell therapy. At every step of the embryonic stem cell therapy process, decisions are made by scientists, researchers, medical professionals and women who donate eggs...decisions that are fraught with serious ethical and moral implications. Those against embryonic stem cell research argue that funding should be used to greatly expand adult stem research, to circumvent the many moral issues involving the use of human embryos. Lifting the Ban Now that President Obama has lifted the federal funding ban for embryonic stem cell research, financial support will soon flow to federal and state agencies to commence the necessary scientific research. The timeline for therapeutic solutions available to all Americans could be years away. President Obama observed on March 9, 2009, when he lifted the ban: Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research, from years of lonely trial and error, much of which never bears fruit, and from a government willing to support that work... Ultimately, I cannot guarantee that we will find the treatments and cures we seek. No President can promise that. But I can promise that we will seek them actively, responsibly, and with the urgency required to make up for lost ground.

Your guide to comparing your current job to a new job offer

Your guide to comparing your current job to a new job offer If there’s one thing you can count on as you travel along your career path, it’s that you’ll encounter some challenging decisions along the way- and the choices you make can have a lasting impact on your professional journey as you move forward. Among those challenges you might encounter is the often-dreaded â€Å"position decision.† Does the following scenario sound similar? While at your current job, you’ve been either an active or passive candidate for other positions and at some point, a new offer comes your way. It’s like reaching a big fork in the road on your career path- do you choose to hold on to your current position or take a leap (and a possible risk) and make a change? What factors should you consider when weighing your options? How do you handle this without losing a step in your current workload and responsibilities?The first step in this process is to acknowledge that when you’re faced with making a choice between two options, you need to figure out what determining factors matter to you. These will help you weigh the pros and cons of each, and hopefully will bring you closer to making a reasoned and informed decision.The following are some potential key determining factors that you can use to help you make the right decision.SalaryFor almost everyone in the world of work, salary is one of the primary variables when deciding on a job. You can use salary as a point of comparison when weighing your current job against a potential new one. Does one offer a significantly higher salary than the other? This calculation should include both immediate salary and long-term potential salary. (Remember, your decision shouldn’t just be based on short-term considerations; instead, you should also factor in the long-term potential for each position.) Are the salaries for both jobs in the same ballpark? If so, then move on to other important variables to help you make up your mind.BenefitsMany companies o ffer benefits packages along with salaries as an incentive to join their teams. Use these perks to help you decide which opportunity suits you best. Everything is fair game- from insurance to bonuses and vacation time, tuition reimbursement for furthering your education, and even retirement planning benefits should be on the table. Does one job allow you the opportunity to work remotely, which aligns well with your lifestyle and needs? Does another have paid family leave and you’re looking to start a family? Again- weigh everything, and consider both your immediate and long-term needs and plans.Culture and FitIn additional to more tangible factors like salary and benefits, make sure you consider all of the intangibles that impact your work life. Think about things like environment and culture of the company, along with your relationships with the people and teams you currently or will potentially interact with- because in many ways, these effect your day-to-day work life as m uch as money and benefits. How about the mission of the company you work for vs. the new potential company? Does one of them excite you and energize your more than the other? This can really help bolster your need for professional fulfillment over the long haul.Of course, the potential job is at a bit of a disadvantage here, as you won’t know precisely what it’ll be like to work for that company until you get started. But you do know what your current company is like, and can do some research on your prospective company to help you figure things out. Also, use your experience while interviewing as a guide- were you left with a positive impression of the folks you met? Did you get a good sense of what the environment is like and what things might be like on a daily basis? Did you get to meet any of your prospective colleagues? Use what you learned to your advantage (and consider collecting these key nuggets of information when going on future interviews).LogisticsConsid er the practical â€Å"nuts and bolts† of your job, which come into play when forming an impression of your position. What are the offices or workspace like? Are they comfortable and inviting, and conducive to productivity? How about your individual workspace? Is one more attractive than the other? How do the commutes stack up against each other? By this point you know the drill- make a list of the things that matter to you, weigh one job against the other, and see where things stand.Long-Term GoalsWhat are your professional goals, both in the short-term and across your professional journey? Take some time to consider your answer to this question carefully- it’s an important one. Are you looking for opportunities for career advancement? Are you looking to build your skill set and take advantage of learning opportunities? Do you want to make a difference in your field or industry- or in the world at large? Whatever your goals are, which job is better positioned to help you achieve them? Obviously, this calls for a bit of speculation on your part, but make a job change is always a bit of a leap- but you have the opportunity to make the jump (or not) fully informed and with your eyes wide open.Making a choice as significant as a potential job change is a major life decision, so be sure that you weigh your options fully. Do your homework, think carefully, use your best judgment, and trust your instincts if and when you find yourself at this professional fork in the road, and you’ll be setting yourself up to choose the best path.

Superstition & Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Superstition & Science - Essay Example Neville discovered that the infected beings possessed both the human and vampire-like characteristics and only came out after dawn (Matheson 17). The other characteristic trait was that they could be repelled using garlic. It became a constant battle of survival for this resourceful man who had to go against extreme odds to get what he aspired. At one point Neville captured Ruth, a creature possessing both human and vampire characteristics and one that could go out during the day. Neville’s reaction was that there was nothing eye-catching about them during the day (Matheson 30). Neville was suspicious as to whether Ruth was truly human as she portrayed herself adding to the fact that she was opposed to killing of vampires. Ruth and Neville soon became companion to a point where it developed into a relationship. On his quest to identify the cure for the disease, Neville and the readers discovered that Ruth’s blood samples were indeed infected. Ruth left Neville and revea led that she lived in colony of people who were infected and planned to rebuild their lives. Given that Neville had formed a habit of killing many of Ruth’s kind, he only seems to be in their way and had to be converted before he destroyed her people. The novel concludes by depicting the final thoughts of Neville before he was executed. Part 2: Argument Using the evidence put into play by Richard Matheson, in connection with the 1940s and 1950s timelines, it is clear that there were universal human fears among the American public in 1954. The fear could also be directly linked to the existing, cultural conditions and existing custom of individual identity. From the timelines given, year 1940 to year 1954, it is clear that the American public was fearful of the Cold War and the effects it had on individuals, their health and social aspects. Vampires represented American’s xenophobic fear which manifested with time and was made worse with the onset of a few films made in New York for entertaining the Elite. Hence, most Americans were not fully reassured that the vampire syndrome would come to an end. The sale of surplus war material in 1940s posed a serious risk to the lives of Americans who were at war with other nations. Vampire-like symptoms can be indirectly compared to American public’s fear of the devastating physical changes, illness and decreasing faculties when exposed to biological war materials that were used by their enemies. The public was fearful of loss of individuality as a nation. The manifestation of decaying being that still lingered in the world can be compared to the individual fear of being incapable of recognizing and preventing oneself from encountering pain and suffering that was inflicted once a loved one was lost in the war. The drinking of blood as depicted in Matheson’s book, page 10, of Vampires’ craving to drink Neville’s blood represented the public’s fear of re-occurring problems w hich surfaced during the Second World War. It reprieved the public off its financial and emotional aspects of life. The compelling universal fears manifested in an average American’s mind in 1942 and 1943 where there were atomic bombs being developed as a form of weapon. This may be compared to the views of Americans in regard to Vampires in the society. When the world war two occurred, most countries were affected on a global scope and so was Neville’

Prohibition in America 1920-1933 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prohibition in America 1920-1933 - Essay Example In 1920, the national policy of Prohibition began. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution had been officially ratified banning the sale, transportation and manufacture of alcohol in the US. ‘The Volstead Act of 1919, also known as the National Prohibition Enforcement Act, gave the 18th Amendment some teeth, clearly defining alcoholic beverage as one with an alcoholic content greater than 0.5 percent’ (Schultz 1999). But the enforcement of the Act became difficult as many Americans enjoyed liquor and would even break the law to acquire alcoholic beverages. ‘Rum fleets filled with liquor from Europe appeared off the Atlantic coast. As many as sixteen ships at a time would lie at anchor just outside US territorial waters while smaller boats made the run to safe harbors. The Canadian border was a sieve through which liquor easily flowed’ (Coffey 1975). As a result, the liquor flowed even finding its way to White House. It was a big failure. One of the important effects of Prohibition before repeal includes the declaration of US as officially â€Å"dry† from coast to coast.

Comparisons of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Essay Example for Free

Comparisons of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Essay I think the decisions of both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were unethical and wrong. To start with, they were both dropouts of college. Bill Gates was a drop out of Harvard University and Steve Jobs dropped out of Berkley University. Steve Jobs was adopted where as Bill Gates had his original family. Steve Jobs was a very odd man, to say the least. He was a hippie in the early days of his life. He did drugs such as acid. Bill Gates was a very plain boring person. He loved to play poker and was a very wreck less person in his actions. Steve Jobs did not develop the original ideas of Apple; instead, Steve Wazniack was the original inventor of the Apple Computer. Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs went to MITS wanting to test out the Altair, the owner of MITS gave both Steve and Bill a Altair unit, Bill had to talk the owner into giving him one though because Bill wanted a $4,000 signing bonus. Bill Gates goes to IBM and offers to license them an operating system called DOS, little did IBM know that they did not even have it yet, IBM is willing to buy a license to DOS. Therefore, Bill Gates buys DOS from a Seattle worker for $50,000; when the worker hears that he is willing to give him $50,000 dollars, his jaw hits the floor, and he sells it right away. Steve Jobs is a giant jerk to his employees. He makes them work 90 hours weeks, screams, and yells when they do not accomplish a huge task on a small deadline. He made an employee so mad one time that the employee jumped up and slammed Jobs’ face off the wall. Bill gates on the other hand, is a very caring person when it comes to his employees, he is afraid to over work them and gives them lots of vacation time. Both men are married and have children. Steve Jobs’ tried to deny that he was the father of his first-born daughter Lisa. The Apple Lisa was named so because of her.

Stereotypes in media Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Bringing Down the House† featuring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah is a clever comedy that creatively showcases the sociolinguistic phenomena covered in this course. The film is about a tax attorney named Peter, played by Martin, who stumbles into an online lawyer chat room and meets Charlene, played by Latifah. The two chat frequently, mostly about court cases, and eventually decide to meet in person. When the day finally comes, Peter is greeted at the door with who he thought would be a middle-aged Caucasian woman, but happened to be Charlene, a black woman who just escaped from prison. Thinking this was a mistake, Peter tries to kick out Charlene but is later convinced she is the one who he was speaking with in the chat room. Charlene was able to successfully impersonate a lawyer through speech, and along with a deceiving picture, able to convince Peter she was a petite blonde. During these chats, the two talked about court cases that happened to relate to Charleneâ⠂¬â„¢s predicament with the law. In attempt to clear her name from a crime she did not commit, Charlene researched the judicial system and similar court cases to hers while in prison. Now that she is out, she seeks personal assistance from Peter who has already through the internet, given her support. All throughout the movie the characters contrast in viewpoints, culture, and most importantly for our studies, language. Charlene and Peter represent different language backgrounds which we can analyze as the root of their character development and actions throughout the film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To illustrate generational conflict, the scene when Peter confronts his daughter about her crazy night, best conveys the phenomena. In the scene Peter’s daughter sneaks out of the house late at night to attend an unsupervised party with some friends which involved drinking, smoking, and other activities that make up a parent’s worst nightmare. While at the party, the boy who accompanied her there begins to make sexual advances. Frightened and confused, Sarah calls Charlene who comes to pick her up, teach the boy a lesson, and bring her home safely. This is when Charlene tells Peter what just happened and tries to cool him down before he explodes with anger. By instinct, Peter plans to scold his daughter with an intimidating language, tone, and overall authoritarian speech. Before letting him conti... ...es can lead to difficulty in understanding one who is from a different background. Peter, who we assume was brought up in a suburban environment with the upper class, portrays standard English compared to Charlene who was brought up in a black urban neighborhood which would explain her AAVE speech. Although both speak English, it is simply the variation that arose from class, gender, ethnicity, and other distinct traits that led for misunderstandings to occur. In part of the scene, in attempt to explain her course of actions through her alleged crime, Charlene says â€Å"When Roscoe cracked that doe, I was strait off day heezy and bounced.† After Peter looked at her with a lost look and asked her what she said, Charlene restated the phrase by saying â€Å"I was recently liberated from a correctional facility†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This moment illustrates not only the language variations of English, but the necessity for one to style shift according to their audience. English has m any dialects, pronunciations, and other factors that may require one to adapt temporarily to facilitate communication with somebody who is accustomed to a different form. This was the case for Charlene, as it is for others in the film. Stereotypes in media Essay -- essays research papers â€Å"Bringing Down the House† featuring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah is a clever comedy that creatively showcases the sociolinguistic phenomena covered in this course. The film is about a tax attorney named Peter, played by Martin, who stumbles into an online lawyer chat room and meets Charlene, played by Latifah. The two chat frequently, mostly about court cases, and eventually decide to meet in person. When the day finally comes, Peter is greeted at the door with who he thought would be a middle-aged Caucasian woman, but happened to be Charlene, a black woman who just escaped from prison. Thinking this was a mistake, Peter tries to kick out Charlene but is later convinced she is the one who he was speaking with in the chat room. Charlene was able to successfully impersonate a lawyer through speech, and along with a deceiving picture, able to convince Peter she was a petite blonde. During these chats, the two talked about court cases that happened to relate to Charleneâ⠂¬â„¢s predicament with the law. In attempt to clear her name from a crime she did not commit, Charlene researched the judicial system and similar court cases to hers while in prison. Now that she is out, she seeks personal assistance from Peter who has already through the internet, given her support. All throughout the movie the characters contrast in viewpoints, culture, and most importantly for our studies, language. Charlene and Peter represent different language backgrounds which we can analyze as the root of their character development and actions throughout the film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To illustrate generational conflict, the scene when Peter confronts his daughter about her crazy night, best conveys the phenomena. In the scene Peter’s daughter sneaks out of the house late at night to attend an unsupervised party with some friends which involved drinking, smoking, and other activities that make up a parent’s worst nightmare. While at the party, the boy who accompanied her there begins to make sexual advances. Frightened and confused, Sarah calls Charlene who comes to pick her up, teach the boy a lesson, and bring her home safely. This is when Charlene tells Peter what just happened and tries to cool him down before he explodes with anger. By instinct, Peter plans to scold his daughter with an intimidating language, tone, and overall authoritarian speech. Before letting him conti... ...es can lead to difficulty in understanding one who is from a different background. Peter, who we assume was brought up in a suburban environment with the upper class, portrays standard English compared to Charlene who was brought up in a black urban neighborhood which would explain her AAVE speech. Although both speak English, it is simply the variation that arose from class, gender, ethnicity, and other distinct traits that led for misunderstandings to occur. In part of the scene, in attempt to explain her course of actions through her alleged crime, Charlene says â€Å"When Roscoe cracked that doe, I was strait off day heezy and bounced.† After Peter looked at her with a lost look and asked her what she said, Charlene restated the phrase by saying â€Å"I was recently liberated from a correctional facility†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This moment illustrates not only the language variations of English, but the necessity for one to style shift according to their audience. English has m any dialects, pronunciations, and other factors that may require one to adapt temporarily to facilitate communication with somebody who is accustomed to a different form. This was the case for Charlene, as it is for others in the film.

Scripts

Before Introduction Good evening ladies & gentlemen. As event will be beginning shortly, may we invite everyone to kindly take your seats. Thank you. Introduction Good evening [_____________, ____________] ladies and gentlemen. I’m ___________ and I’m __________ we will be your emcees for this evening. On behalf of Linglingay Association, we would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to grace this blissful occasion. So relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. Opening prayerBefore we start, may I call on _____________ for the opening prayer. Pambansang AwitPlease remain standing for the singing of Pambansang Awit to be lead by __________________. Marching of Officers Before anything else, we would like to acknowledge the key persons who took a great part of this joyous affair. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure to introduce to you the Linglingay Association’s officers. Let’s start off. Please make a stand and march as your name is called. So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, our most distinguished set of Linglingays Association’s officers. Let us once again give them a big round of applause. Message of the PresidentAnd now let’s welcome the Linglingay Association’s Chairperson. Let us give her a big hand for a job well done. Intoduction of Guest Speaker 1Without further ado, we would like to warmly welcome ___________. Sir/ Madam, thank you so much for your support. Speaker 2May I have your attention please, as we welcome _______________. Thank you sir/ Madam for gracing this occasion. Speaker 3Also with us here tonight and it is with great pleasure to have our guest speaker _________. Thank you _______________ for going out of your way to be with us. Speaker 4And now, we are truly happy to have here with us the ______________________ Thank you ___________ for sparing your precious time with us. Speaker 5For our next speaker, Friends lets give a big hand to ______________. Thank you Ma’am, it’s our pleasure to have you with us. Dance numbersAnd now, the moment we have all been waiting for, presenting to you the __________________ for their dance presentation. Thank you for that gracious presentation. Now, May we bring your attention to the dance floor as we welcome ____________________. Asking officials or guest to dance on floorNow may we invite ____________ to be on floor to show his/their talent/s in dancing. Sir the floor is yours. Food In just a few moments ladies and gentlemen food will be served. Enjoy! Ladies & gentlemen, we hope you have been enjoying your food so far. Closing remarksMay we now call on _____________, for tha closing message. With that, on behalf of Linglingay Association, we would like to once again hank everyone for gracing this occasion. We hope that you have enjoyed the celebration as much as we have enjoyed hosting it to you. We wish a flourishing new year ahead of everyone. Thank you. Others Welcome scriptsWe would like to acknowledge the arrival of _____________. Welcome and Thank you for sharing your time with us. We would like to recognize the arrival of _____________. Thank you for coming sir. We would like to acknowledge the presence of _______ ___. Thank you sir,and Welcome to the Linglingay’s Association New year’s ball. Thank youAgain Thank you for your participation, you may now return to your seats. Sir, Madam, Thank you so much for your generosity. Additional scriptsSo I guess that’s about it. I hope I did not miss out anyone. If I did, please be so kind to remind me. There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Holidays like Christmas and New Year bring families together. It refreshes the family ties and friendship that have gone out of date and almost forgotten against the toll of time and distance. Goodbye message to speakersThank you for being with us tonight, sir _________. Have a safe trip! Thank you for sharing your precious time sir ________. Happy new year and have a safe trip. Thank you for gracing this occasion ___________. May you have a safe trip! Welcome the associations and give their names to the emcee (get their representatives for pageants and boy pick up): Message booth: Food for the associations: For the guest speakers: Food for the judges: Game: Trip to JerusalemMs. Gay Linglingay Boy pick upGame ka na ba? (10 per association) Mr. and Miss LinglingayBalloons Disco king and queen Bingo

Assess the usefulness of different sociological approaches to suicide

Durkheim wrote in the 1890s and was one of the first sociologists right at the forefront of establishing and defining sociology as a scientific discipline. Durkheim argued that it was not only possible to apply scientific principles to social phenomena but that it was essential to do so in order to produce useful sociology. His 1897 book suicide: a study in sociology uses his scientific methods to explore suicide. Durkheim chooses suicide deliberately, because as the most individual, private and psychologically driven act it was considered by most not to be a social phenomenon.If sociology could identify social factors and causes of suicide, this would demonstrate the power and impact of society on individual behaviour. So in Durkheim’s view he believes our behaviour is caused by social facts and they are said to be external from the individual, constrain individuals and be greater than the individuals. After Durkheim’s analysis of official statistics on suicide it reve aled some social groups are more likely to commit suicide than others. For Durkheim, the social patterns of suicide he discovered is not a random individual act but as stated by Luke’s social factors play a key role.Durkheim’s work showed a correlation between suicide and social facts like suicide rates were higher in predominantly protestant countries than in catholic ones, Jews were the religious group with the lowest suicide rate, married people were less likely to commit suicide and those with higher education had a higher suicide rate. Durkheim said different forms of suicide related to how much integration and regulation there was in society and this would provide us with a fourfold typology. The term social integration means socialisation into the norms, values and lifestyles of social groups and society.Regulation meaning the control that society and social groups has over an individual’s behaviour. With these two factors Durkheim brings upon egoistic su icide not enough integration. The individual isn’t successfully integrated into groups or society, anomic not enough regulation society has insufficient control over individuals, altruistic too much integration an over integrated individual sacrifices their life for the group and fatalistic too much regulation the individual is too highly controlled by society. Durkheim’s work can also be applied into type of society.As Durkheim states modern societies and traditional society differ from one and other in their levels of integration and regulation. Durkheim discovers that modern industrial societies have lower levels of integration due to lack of freedom this weakens bonds and give rise to egoistic suicide. Whilst, traditional pre-industrial societies have higher levels of integration as the group is more important than the individual and this gives rise to altruistic suicide. Durkheim has been criticised by other positivist sociologist.Halbwachs largely supported Durkh eim’s conclusion but pointed out that the impact of rural versus urban lifestyles on suicide rates hadn’t been considered. Also, Gibbs and Martin argued that Durkheim hadn’t used vigorous enough scientific methods even though he’d stressed how important they were. The key concepts of integration and regulation weren’t defined closely enough to be measured statistically. Gibbs and Martin query how anyone can know how anyone can know what â€Å"normal† levels of integration and regulation are.Interpretivist sociologists have devised alternative theories of suicide they say social reality is not a series of social facts for sociologists to discover, but a series of different meanings and interpretations that each person brings to and takes from each situation. Durkheim’s work is fatally flawed from this perspective because he relies on the unquestioning use of official statistics. According to interpretivists, statistics are not fact the y are a social construction based on the definition of the people who compile them.Douglas takes an Interactionist approach to suicide and he is interested in the meaning that suicide has for the deceased, and the way that coroners label death as suicides. He criticises Durkheim’s study of suicide on two main grounds. One of them being the use of suicide statistics because the decision to classify death as a suicide is taken by a coroner and this may produce bias in verdicts reached. So Douglas feels these are the patterns Durkheim found and that well integrated have friends and relatives who may deny death and this explains their low level of suicide.So Durkheim indicates that suicide verdicts and statistics are based on interactions and negotiations between those involved like friends, doctors and police as they may affect death being labelled as a suicide, rather than it actually being one. That’s why people feel integration plays no dividends. Douglas second point criticises Durkheim for ignoring the meanings of the act for those who kill themselves and for assuming that suicide has a fixed or constant meaning.Douglas backs this up as he notes the cultural differences by Japanese samurai warrior who kill themselves because they have been dishonoured by western society. Douglas also states that we need to categorise suicides according to their social meanings because the triggers and response to suicide are different in different cultures. These social meanings consist of transformation of the soul, transformation of the self, achieving sympathy and achieving revenge.Douglas can be criticised, as he is inconsistent, sometimes suggesting that official statistics are merely the product of coroner’s opinions. At other times, he claims we really can discover the cause of suicide-yet how can we, if we can never know whether a death was a suicide and all we have is coroners opinions? Douglas also produces a classification of suicide based on the supposed meanings for the actors. However, there is no reason to believe that sociologists are any better than coroners at interpreting dead person’s meanings.

How to Take a Test

How to Take a Test Got a big test coming up? While studying is important, it helps to get your head in the game in order to ace an exam. Here are tips to help you make the most of test day. Before You Take the Test Get Some RestA good nights sleep is ideal. If you cant manage that, try for at least a few hours. Eat BreakfastEven if your test is later in the day, breakfast can help with your test outcome. A light, high-protein meal is recommended. Arrive EarlyGet to the test center early enough to get comfortable and relaxed. Prepare Your MaterialsMake sure you have pencils, a watch, a calculator (with good batteries), test forms, and any other required supplies. RelaxTake a few deep breaths. Have a Positive AttitudeDont psych yourself into failure. When You Get the Test Download What You KnowFor science tests, such as chemistry and physics, you may have memorized constants and equations. Write these down. Write down anything you remember that you feel you may forget during the test. Preview the TestScan the test and identify the high-point questions. Also look for easy questions. Mark questions about which you are unsure to skip over until later. Read the InstructionsDont assume you know how to answer a question until you read the directions. Tips for Taking the Test Get StartedStart with a high-point question you can answer. Budget Your TimeWork through the test from highest to lowest point value, answering questions about which you feel confident. In some cases, you may want to write an answer that covers the important points, then go back later to expand on your answer and provide examples. Answer All Questions...unless you are penalized for quessing. If you are penalized for wrong answers, eliminate answers you know are incorrect, then make a guess (if you have eliminated enough answers to risk the guess). Be Sure You Answered All QuestionsDouble-check for completeness. Check Your WorkIf you have the time, this is very important. Science tests are notorious for problems in which answers depend on earlier sections. Dont Second-Guess YourselfDont change your answer unless you are sure of the new answer. 10 Best Tips for Passing a Chemistry Test

How the Marine Corps Prepared Me to Self-Publish Novels

How the Marine Corps Prepared Me to Self-Publish Novels How the US Marine Corps Prepared Me to Self-Publish Matt Leatherwood is a former United States Marine and two-time self-published author. In this guest post, Matt shares how his experience in the Marine Corps inspired him to self-publish novels,  and how returning to the publishing industry after more than a decade-long hiatus has shaped him as an author.Growing up, I recognized I had a unique ability to capture people’s imaginations through the written word. Teachers in middle school and high school called it a â€Å"gift.† I just thought of it as a way to pass the time during boring classes. Once the bell rung, I couldn’t wait to share my latest creation with others. Mr. Bennett, my science teacher, recognized my talent and began reading my work out loud during study halls.For years, I was content with scribbling stuff down on paper, passing it around and getting a reaction. This habit followed me through high school, into college and eventually the Marines.Journaling my experiences in IraqI never wanted to be a writer. That changed on January 13th, 2003, the day my battalion commander stood before me and announced that the Secretary of Defense, acting on orders from the president, had issued our unit a deployment order for the Middle East. My initial thought was, â€Å"I’m going to war, and I’m gonna die.† My next thought was about how I had squandered my writing talent.A majority of my fellow Marines were disturbed by the news. The last time the United States deployed for an armed conflict on a mass scale was slightly over a decade ago (1991). Fear of the unknown was rampant whether anybody wanted to admit it or not. I resolved at that moment to keep a day-to-day journal of things as they unfolded on the ground. This journal tracked my movements from the U.S. to Kuwait into Iraq and back again.My motivation for the journal was to provide my family with a written record of what was going on as I experienced it should I perish - my mother would be most comforted for an in-depth explanation beyond the generic â€Å"killed in action† touted by the military.How the battlefield turned me into a writerI returned back to the U.S. on July 4th, 2003 and was honorably discharged several months later. I still had all the journals I had written but didn’t know what to do with them. It then dawned on me to turn them into a book that my family and others could read to understand the plight of the combat soldier. Those journals became Train to Baghdad, my first book.I had officially become a writer through extenuating circumstances. I can honestly say, if I had never gone to war, I would’ve never taken up writing. So, it is my contention that I was â€Å"drafted† into writing. "I  was drafted to war.  I was also drafted into writing." @M_LeatherwoodJr Why I gave up writing after my first attempt to self-publish novelsI worked daily for eight months, shaping my journals into the book "Train to Baghdad". Because the war was still being fought and I did not obtain clearance from the Department of Defense, I was forced into writing the book as a fictional memoir.Not knowing anything about fiction, apart from what I had learned by reading it myself, I enrolled in the novel-writing program at Winghill Writing School and spent thirteen months learning the craft from the bottom up. I was assigned an instructor, Canadian author Michael Crawley, who had some commercial success and we began working on the first ten chapters of what is now Complicity in Heels.Why self-publishing works for meWorking with Reedsy editor, Angela Brown was a joy. I followed her editorial letter religiously as I revised the manuscript of "Complicity in Heels". There were times when I realized my story had more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. She brought up poin ts I had never even considered when constructing my story. I found myself often asking, "How could I have missed that?" She pushed me past my comfort zone as a writer.Despite my initial, challenging experience with self-publishing, the decision to self-publish my second book was quite easy. The choice felt right because of how it coincided with my Marine background. Self-reliance, discipline, and responsibility are in my blood. I thrive on challenge and adversity, both of which are involved when you self-publish. "I thrive on challenge and adversity, both of which are involved in self-publishing." For others, the traditional publishing route provides security and industry validation. However, both avenues come with a laundry list of pros and cons, so anybody just starting out would be best served to do their due diligence.Looking back on war and the importance of readingContrary to popular belief, there is a lot of dead time during a  war. I too held this misconception of nonstop action, until I found myself in a combat zone - I thought it would be constant engagement with the enemy. After all, that’s what all the movies show: firefight after firefight.   Not so. There are long stretches of action-less time, depending on where you are on the battlefield. Books and mail from loved ones at home are much-desired staples that get you through those times.Often, you don’t know where you are, how long you’re going to be there, or what tomorrow looks like. Orson Scott Card’s  Ender’s Game series got me through those doldrums. I kept a fresh co py of his paperback in the cargo pocket of my uniform and toted that book wherever I went.On the battlefield, books and letters are lifelines. Back home, writing has given me a new path and self-publishing has allowed me to open a new chapter in life. "On the battlefield, books and letters are lifelines." @M_LeatherwoodJr "Complicity in Heels" is available on Amazon for Kindle and paperback. Find out more on Matt’s website!  What has inspired you to be a writer? How has self-publishing influenced you as an author? Leave your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Matt  in the comments below.

Article response paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Response paper - Article Example The outcome of the study gives a clear indication that people can understand vocally expressed emotions despite linguistic abilities, even though culture and the linguistic abilities affect the level to which the emotions can be understood to some extent. Personal Observations/Comments Prior to reading this article, I was aware, albeit I had no quite thought about it that I can identify a person’s emotions based on his or her speech. This article reinforces this knowledge; the authors state that listeners respond to changes in pitch, tone, loudness, quality, and rhythm as a person speaks, forming an impression about the speaker’s emotional state. In a study carried out in 2001, four German actors addressed native people from nine different languages. The outcome of the study indicated that sixty six percent of the participants were able to identify emotional instances such as sadness, fear, joy, anger, and neutral utterances correctly (Pell, Monetta, Paulmann, & Kotz, 2 009, p. 108). The study also confirmed that natives perform better in identifying emotions in their native languages than across new languages. It was also evident that listeners whose native languages were similar to German, the language used by the actors, also identified the emotions better than those from languages with no close relations to German. The article pinpoints that the proper identification of emotions in speech is brought about by vocal cues, rather than linguistic features (Pell, Monetta, Paulmann, & Kotz, 2009, p. 116).This is because utterances are different across different languages. However, most vocal cues are universal, cutting across societies speaking different languages. Nevertheless, it is important to note that some vocal cues are localized to certain cultures due to differences in culture and other social beliefs (Pell, Monetta, Paulmann, & Kotz, 2009, p. 116). Differences in linguistics such as intonation, accent, or rhythm, may also result in differen ces in interpretation. The fact that many researches carried out on the influences of linguistic differences on identification of emotions offer conflicting results means that the effects are subjective. The successful identification of emotional activity is dependent on the audience. Some people may identify certain emotions in a speaker’s speech while others would find no emotion on it. Finally, the successful identification of emotions is dependent on the emotions to be identified. According to findings indicated in the article, seventy three percent of listeners across the language divide were able to identity anger; 66% sadness, with the lowest being disgust at 42%. This is consistent with literature documented by various scholars. Research has also showed no evidence on increased or reduced ability to identify emotions while referring to particular languages; each language displayed a distinct variance from the others, once again indicating that such inferences are subj ective. Excerpts from the Article i. â€Å"†¦The authors found that all listener groups recognized fear,, joy, sadness, anger, and â€Å"neutral† utterances strictly from prosody at above chance accuracy levels† (Pell, Monetta, Paulmann, & Kotz, 2009, p. 108). This excerpt demonstrates that audiences were able to identify emotions from speech positively, giving credence to the concept of

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Project Management - Essay Example Summary of the article and exploration of the raised issues The article identifies Mark Bew as the man who is in charge of ensuring that government contractors subscribe and adhere to Business Information Technology. He heads a government agency whose role is to ensure application of BIM and recounts that significant progress has been achieved over the scope of his work and that of his agency. Even though the application promises a higher level of efficiency and reduced costs, it has been a difficult task convincing both government departments and contractors to adapt BIM. In its scope of reducing the cost of government constructions, the application faces both culture and technology based challenges. While technological developments empower institutions to BIM’s application, only about 33 percent of professionals applied BIM by the year 2011. This was an improvement from the recorded 13 percent in the year 2010 and about 75 percent of the professional who were informed of the application promised to use it in the year 2012. The application has also been poorly defined and this could be a factor to its low rate of use besides different opinions and expectations from stakeholders. The different groups of stakeholders report their developed concerns, to Bew, that are then forwarded to the cabinet for consideration. BIM also operates in different levels of shared information. Level 2 BIM reserves proprietary rights while level 3 BIM is more open. Its information disclosure is however similar to the current impacts of the social media and should therefore not pose serious threats. The swift implementation of BIM and its associated jargon has also identified differences among stakeholders. â€Å"Culture and integration† is one of the bases of such differences, as some of the stakeholders believe that implementing the application requires a preliminary cultural transition and development of a level of integration (Construction Manager, 18). The amount o f information to be shared in the model is another concern of the different stakeholders with opinions that the government would require more than necessary data from subscribing parties. Balancing scorecard in application of BIM is another identified concern because of the government’s procurement need that prioritizes the lowest bidder and the need for BIM compliance since the lowest bidder may lack the compliance as opposed to the most costly bidder. Other issues that application of BIM faces include â€Å"finding a wider audience,† â€Å"integrated project insurance,† and â€Å"charter for new consultants† (Construction Manager, 20). Crotty however identifies a competitive advantage and efficiency from contractors’ application of BIM as benefits because of the precision in description of construction components and ease in identification of contractors’ products (Construction Manager, 2012). Development and application of Building Inform ation Modelling has marked a significant transition in the construction industry, from two dimensional drawings that required multiple representation and could still not be interpreted by computers, to a three dimensional models that are can be interpreted by computer systems (Easman, 2009). The new approach applies computer software for managing data (Chartered Institute of building, 2011). The application has diversified advantages such as