Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Example

Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Example Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Essay Topic: The Godfather Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Violence in Movie Theaters Adams Mike. Batman movie massacre a reflection of violent video games, TSA violence against citizens and psychiatric drugging of young white men. Natural News. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from naturalnews.com/036535_Batman_massacre_shooting.html Summary The shootings at the cinema hall in Colorado were the work of a medical student; James Holmes who had psychotic problems brought new questions about the content that the media were exposing to the public. Wearing a costume similar to the evil character Bane in the film â€Å"The Dark Knight Rises†, Holmes managed to kill 12 moviegoers and scare hundreds of other viewers. The best explanation of the incident was given by a doctor who claimed that Holmes was on psychiatric drugs. As a result, his behavior closely resembled that of the 1999 shooters in a Columbine high school. Violent video games were also cited as being part of the causative agent in the rise of aggressive behavior among young men. Assessment Most disturbed young men were permanently on psychiatric drugs that helped them lead a sane life. The detached behavior of randomly shooting people in a cinema hall is a side effect of exposure to severe violence and suicidal tendencies that were worsened by the constant attachment to violent games such as Batman, Mortal Combat or other fighting games. The mainstream media has also failed in the efforts to curb unnecessary exposure of the public to violence that may cause them to act in a manner similar to what they see on the silver screen. These violent young men also showed signs of depression, anger and suicide in their behavior. Reflection Young men are easily influenced by what they see and hear in the cinemas. I would propose that the media stakeholders should desist from embracing violence as a good thing and instead focus on reducing the effects of the violence on the society. In addition, those individuals who are on psychiatric drugs should be closely monitored by their immediate family members in order to ensure that they do not spiral out of control. The issue of gun laws should also be raised, and especially the access that young or mentally troubled individuals have to these weapons. Cieply Michael. A studio with violence in its bones. The New York Times. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from nytimes.com/2012/07/26/movies/warner-brothers-and-its-decades-of-violent-films.html Summary Warner Studio has produced many action films for over six decades but their focus has been on producing action films. The latest report of violent activity that was related to the Warner studios happened when the â€Å"Dark Knight Rises† was being launched by Warner. The movie was marked by a deadly shooting by an overzealous psychotic fan of Batman. Within the same week, Warner decided to postpone the launching of another movie â€Å"Gangster Squad† which was a hard edge film that portrayed the crime and activity between the police and mobsters within Los Angeles. Assessment The trailers for the movie â€Å"Gangster Squad† showed a group of mobsters shooting inside a movie theater. The trailer might have been the reason why the shooting happened during the launch of the Dark Knight. The people who had access to the trailer most probably saw how the shooting took place and this planted the idea of performing a shootout in a cinema hall. When the public went to watch the premiere of the Dark Knight Rises, the shooter had a similar opportunity to relive what he saw in the trailer. The Warner Company also had a problem between maintaining business volumes and providing the public with violence-free content. Reflection The Warner Company has produced many films with the violence them and the effect of their films could be contributing toward the increased violence in America. In my opinion, the Warner Company was squarely responsible for the shooting that took place in the cinema hall. The responsibility of demonstrating acts of violence should also come with an additional liability that the intended audience should be warned of the consequences of watching these violent scenes. This would be similar to warnings on medication or even alcoholic beverages on the potential harm of the consumption of these products. Johnson H. John. Who should be blamed for the violence at movie theaters? Jet. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.ke/books/jet Summary The article was written in 1991 when a myriad of violence erupted at the cinema halls where moviegoers had gone to watch the movie New Jack City. The movie featured gangsters and other criminal activities, violence and drug trafficking. The movie triggered rowdiness among the youth who did not manage to get a ticket to the premiere launching. The scuffles also claimed the lives of three police officers. The producers of the film claimed that they made anti-violence and anti-drug statements before the movie was shown. Warner Bros. Company was also involved in providing the security at the cinema halls. Assessment New Jack City was a movie that changed the way people perceived crime and gangster activities in the United States. The effect that the movie had was so intense that most of the cinemas that were showing the film pulled it down after a few hours. The movie had triggered riots, demonstrations and looting all over Los Angeles. Most of the chaos started from the cinema halls immediately after the movie had finished playing. The screening of shootings, gang activity, and rape and drug abuse showed to the viewers that these actions were not prohibited. The movies also had features of institutional racism in it. Reflection The younger generation within America has discovered that they could gain attention by expressing violent behavior. The movie New Jack City was the best movie to tap into this unsuitable energy by the youth. The movie also set the trends for fashion and lifestyles for the youth that has shaped them into irresponsible young adults. The younger generation should be counseled that the use of violence is wrong in any situation. Movies and other form of entertainment glorify violence as a part of life and the youth pick this up as a form of expression, thereby escalating the problem. Lupkin Sydney. Colorado Shooting Recalls History of Theater Violence. ABC News. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/US/colorado-shooting-recalls-history-theater-violence/story?id=16823347#.UGFFD81RQac Summary Lupkin discusses the recent theater shootings that happened in Colorado. He mentioned the other historical shootings that also happened in different cinemas across America. Lupkin took up an academic approach toward attempting to explain the increased violence within theaters. According to the scholars from Emory University Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry, people go to the movie and behave as if the events occurring in the movie were part of their real life. The reaction by people who read books by Corleones was much less aggressive than those who saw the same films in the theater. People who read novels, comics or printed stories are categorized by the university professor as being slightly different from the movie watchers. Assessment The online source was highly relevant and helpful as it discussed the academic explanation of the cause of violence among movie viewers. The objective of the article was to discuss the instances of violence in the theater and the scientific and sociological explanations behind the increased violence. The article also described the way in which the movies influence the behavior of the viewers by making violence seem rather acceptable. Reflection This article showed the real effect that the movies had on the audience. The article also had real life instances of people who triggered violence and how they were related to aggression in movies. After reading the article, I had the right frame of mind to understand the reason behind the increased aggression among moviegoers who see violent movies. Indeed, movies and other form of media are becoming more interactive, thereby making the audience feel that the events portrayed are real. As a result, frequent moviegoers have the potential of becoming more aggressive if the violence they perceive as being normal is present in many of the movies they watch. Rolfe Dick. Movie violence then and now. The Dove Foundation. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from dove.org/columns/1997/column9704.htm Summary The movies seem real to the audience, and they invoke real and abundant feelings. Certain movies activate emotions and behavior that go beyond the sympathy for the character in the screen. An example would be seeing many action movies having violence to a point that it (violence) becomes normal and acceptable. Some of the famous movies that have been flagged for violence include â€Å"The Godfather Part III† and â€Å"Boyz in the Hood†. A â€Å"Godfather† showing in 1991, in New York, turned awry when two groups of men started arguing and exchanging fire that killed a 15-year-old bystander. Book readers are less susceptible to violence as compared to movie watchers. The book readers do not see the actual happenings and so they are less activated emotionally as compared to television viewers. Assessment Filmmakers have made many changes in the industry to an extent that violence and aggressive behavior has been presented as attractive, desirable and acceptable. Watching violent films have had negative effects within the society. First, the young people in society have had degenerative and disruptive behavior, and second, they encourage violent criminal activity. Reflection This article held technical descriptions on how the film industry made violence and aggression a normal part of the society. The article also gave a chronological narration of the violent occurrences within movie theaters. I gained valuable information after reading on the sociological side effects of the violence that was being broadcasted in the media. I would have a lot of criticism for the state of chaos existing within the film industry that lets them approve violence in society. The fact that watching violence on television and in the movies also increases the nature of aggression by the audience seems to be overlooked my companies only interested in entertaining and making money. This is opposed to the potential for harm that these forms of media have to those who are most vulnerable in the society. Rosenbaum, Jonathan. Movie Wars: How Hollywood and the Media Conspire to Limit What Films We Can See. Chicago, IL: A Cappella, 2000. Print Summary Rosenbaum discussed the controversial topic of the cinema and its role in society. He expressed that the vale of the cinema was often undermined by many people who frequented the premises. The book discusses the stages that stakeholders in the film industry go through from production, distribution and promotion of films. Companies such as Miramax engage in activities such as hoarding movies to deny other companies from distributing them. The book also criticizes the corporate cinematic culture and other behaviors such as denying the moviegoers the right to choose what movies to offer. Assessment The cinema industry is extremely powerful and influential in the way it manipulates the production studios, market researchers, publishing concerns and advertisers. The influence spreads to the way in which the films are made and the themes that are chosen for these films. The cinema industry has expounded on the violence themes to an extent that they influence how people think, act and interpret real life situations. Reflection The influx of various themes such as violence within the media can be understood as a plan by the media stakeholders to predetermine what the audience can watch in the cinemas. The result is a society flooded with violence because the entities responsible for controlling what the public can see and this has obviously failed as more and more people prefer to watch violence such as wrestling, reality fighting shows and extreme action movies. These same cinema bodies are responsible for censoring what the public can see through parental guidance. However, the adherence to these restrictions is not upheld as most young individuals have access to violent media and only a small proportion of their parents keep tabs on what the youth are watching. Rowles Dustin. The 10 Most Horrific Incidents of Off-Screen Movie Theater Violence. Pajiba. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/the-10-most-horrific-incidents-of-offscreen-movie-theater-violence.php Summary Rowles analyzed the ten most horrific theater violence incidents that caused the death of many cinemagoers. A police officer stabbed a16-year old boy because he refused to leave the hall. This incident was reported in 2009. Earlier episodes that occurred in America were triggered by irate clients who were disappointed either by the services, the movie or the psychological disturbances among the moviegoers. The Philadelphia shooting of 2008 where a man was shot by another because his family was too loud is a case of psychological instability. Assessment The online article was extremely dependable and provided a lot of information on the reasons as to why people engage in aggressive behavior within and around cinemas. The article categorized the reasons for violence as psychological, physical or exaggerated gang activity. Most of the reports of these violent incidents indicated that the perpetrators replicated most of the violent scenes that they saw in the films. The article was specifically organized in the way it presented the film that was being shown, the violent incident that occurred in the theater and why the reaction occurred. Reflection This source displayed the way in which human beings have a behavior change after seeing violent movies. The article taught me that human beings could be easily influenced by the things they see, hear and experience. Violence for such people becomes an option when they are confronted with difficult situations. From the article, violence seems like a learnt behavior. As a result, the overexposure of young individuals to violence results in an increase in their aggressive behavior, especially since these individuals are easily influenced by their surroundings.

Definition, Usage, and Examples of Italics

Definition, Usage, and Examples of Italics Italics  is a style of typeface in which letters slant to the right:  This sentence is printed in italics. Verb: italicize. In handwriting, the equivalent of italics is underlining. As shown below, italics are most commonly used for the titles of works that stand by themselves, such as the names of books, films, and video games.  Another customary use of  italics is  to give emphasis to key words and phrases in a sentence. Although its important to use italics appropriately in formal, academic  writing, italic type is not always available in less formal communications, such as in emails and text messages.   Etymology From the Latin, Italy Guidelines for Using Italics As a general rule, italicize the titles of complete works: Albums and CDs:  1989  by Taylor SwiftBooks: To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper LeeMagazines and journals (print and online): Sports Illustrated, Slate, and  Journal of LinguisticsNewspapers: The New York TimesMovies: The MartianPlays:  A Raisin in the Sun  by Lorraine HansberrySoftware programs:  Microsoft PowerPoint  Television programs: Doctor WhoVideo games:  Grand Theft Auto VWorks of art: Nighthawks  by Edward Hopper The titles of comparatively short works- songs, poems, short stories, essays, and episodes of TV programs- should be enclosed in quotation marks. As a general rule, italicize the names of aircraft, ships, and trains; foreign words used in an English sentence; and words and letters discussed as words and letters: These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.From 1925 to 1953, a passenger train named the Orange Blossom Special brought vacationers to sunny Florida from New York.There is no danger that Titanic will sink. The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers.Come kiss me, and say goodbye like a man. No, not good-bye, au revoir.Every word she writes is a lie, including and and the. As a general rule, use italics to emphasize words and phrases- but dont overwork this device: Then I started reading this timetable I had in my pocket. Just to stop lying. Once I get started, I can go on for hours if I feel like it. No kidding.  Hours. Observations Italics rarely fail to insult the readers intelligence. More often than not they tell us to emphasize a word or phrase that we would emphasize automatically in any natural reading of the sentence.Think of italics as butterflies that might swoop across the page, allow them to flit about, land here and there, softly; gently; dont treat them as a blanket that must spread itself across the entire page. The butterfly approach will bring a dash of color; the blanket approach will darken everything.Underlining is to... handwritten papers what italics are to more formal publishing... Today the only widespread use of underlined text is to denote clickable links in Web documents. (The newspaper convention, which I use as a newspaperman and which was also a response to a technical inability to use italics, is quotation marks for book, movie, and other titles.) Pronunciation ih-TAL-iks Sources Title sequence of the original  Star Trek  TV series Phillip Franklin, Vice President of White Star Line William Graham, Chats With Jane Clermont, 1893 Mary McCarthy on Lillian Hellman J. D. Salinger,  The Catcher in the Rye, 1951 Paul Robinson, The Philosophy of Punctuation.  Opera, Sex, and Other Vital Matters. University of Chicago Press, 2002 William Noble,  Nobles Book of Writing Blunders (and How to Avoid Them). Writers Digest Books, 2006 Bill Walsh,  The Elephants of Style. McGraw-Hill, 2004

Should English be the official language in the United States Essay - 1

Should English be the official language in the United States - Essay Example Instituting English as a national language would not have effects on what people spoke on daily lives. It only applies when individuals are conducting official duties and they can be punished for conducting official matters in any other language other than English (Liu and Sokhey 2). This means that individuals can continue to converse in their preferred language in their personal settings, but only hold onto English for official or public speaking. In contrast, there is the issue of that if English was a unifying factor as many claim, then the native English speakers who spurred the American Revolution could not have done that if it were the case. This is regarding that English language has been the language of communication in America for the longest time now. Moreover, instituting language as the official language would act as a disadvantage for the no-English speakers in the US including the international students. Considering that conducting any official language in any other language other than English could be punished, and then these individuals would have to stay out of public or official matters for a while before they learn how to communicate in English. In addition, making English an official language could lead to the banning of other languages learned in schools including German or French. The reason is that there would be no use of such languages other than if an individual is willing to work in other foreign countries.

Research Methods-Planning and Evaluating Research based on a Essay

Research Methods-Planning and Evaluating Research based on a Questionnaire - Essay Example The effectiveness of the selection process relies on the amount of knowledge on the researchers’ hands concerning sampling (Cohen & Lea, 2004). The sample population should be enough to address the issue at hand and as a researcher, one should avoid biased sample sizes ensuring that the sample size is neither excessive nor small. Questionnaires can be administered and be distributed in a number of methods depending on the study’s scope. The different ways in which questionnaires can be distributed includes using postal services, telephone, electronic, and through personal administration or self-reports. All the methods used in the distribution of questionnaires as pointed out depend on the scope of the survey undertaken in terms of costs and time (Kalof & Dan et al., 2008). Administration of questionnaires to a sample in far locations is best distributed according through postal, telephone, and electronic mode. The three methods are effective in cost reduction while at the same time ensuring the researcher gets the input of respondents in far areas (Patton & Patton, 2002). However, the most effective form of distribution is through personally administered questionnaires or self-reports. This method involves the interviewer or researcher administering the questionnaires to the respondent physically. Th e physical presence of a researcher is important in the provision of guidance and clarification to respondent while at the same time ensuring they establish a rapport with their respondents (Patton & Patton, 2002). Self-reports and personally administered questionnaires yield high response rates in comparison to other modes of distribution and thus researchers should ensure they use it as a tool for research. Likert scales are important components of research especially when conducting a survey with the aid of questionnaires. The scale can be described as an ordered scale where respondents are availed with options to

Germany increase in Britain in the 1936-1939 Essay Example for Free

Germany increase in Britain in the 1936-1939 Essay The policy of appeasement had reached its heights by the period between 1936 and 1939. It was felt by many to be the best policy at the time, as it allowed Britain to buy herself some valuable time in order to delay the inevitable war. Opposition during 1936, when appeasement was first seen as really taking the forefront of foreign policy, was small and weak. However it was by 1939 that the opposition had swelled gradually under opposition leaders such as Churchill to the point where there were only few people who truly believed that a long-lasting period of peace would arise from this idea of appeasing the enemy. Over this period of time, both public opinion and Parliamentary opinion would lean towards the opposing side, based a series of factors that had changed in this 3 year span of time. A poorly-prepped military and defense services, a lack of trustworthy allies, Hitler’s legitimate claims and a change in public opinion all contributed towards a shift in beliefs. Opposition to the policy of appeasing militaristic powers began to grow after Hitler took power in Germany and it became clear to many in Britain that he would carry out his expansionist aims. Some of appeasements most vocal opponents came from within government, from people such as Winston Churchill and the Labor party, more significant was the publics strong anti war stance beginning to slowly shift as they learnt more of Hitler and the rise of fascism. However this did not mean that they were strongly in favor of pursuing war with Germany as Chamberlain was greeted like a hero when he returned with â€Å"peace for our time† following the Munich Agreement. Having already known of how crippling the economic costs were following WW1 the idea of pursuing conflict with another foreign power was considered unacceptable. This was compounded by the fact that events occurred so soon after the Wall Street Crash, Britain simply could not afford another major loss of her monetary funds in order to prepare for war. Appeasement was believed to be the answer to Britain’s needs, by deploying a policy of appeasement Britain could use the time it gained to find allies and develop British defenses and technology. By 1936 intelligence reported that German rearmament was already under way and that Britain had to get its armaments up to a sufficient standard. However in order for armament spending to increase the Government would have to raise taxes and focus their spending upon military. A raise in taxes would also inevitably lead to public outcry and loss of government support. Even if sufficient funds were acquired in order to reach the amount of armaments needed there was only one working armaments factory in the whole of Britain that could produce weapons fit for modern warfare. Due to the Ten Year Rule the state of Britains armed forces was essentially desolate, this meant that much of Britain’s armed forces required updated weaponry if it ever were to stand a chance against Hitler’s formidable Third Reich. For example Spitfires and radar were rather new to the world of air defense systems, however they were in short supply at the beginning of 1936 despite it being British technology. Spending focus upon defenses was suggested by the Inskip Report as opposed to any other offensive tactics. However, after 1938 the readiness of the British army had certainly improved, and Chamberlain had confidence that if war was to come, Britain would be ready to take Germany on. German power had been exaggerated greatly, especially the power of the Luftwaffe through propaganda and the sheer numbers who attended the infamous Nuremburg Rallies. The time bought with appeasement had consequently allowed Britain to build up a strong naval blockade in order to strengthen its naval security and rearmament spending increased sufficiently. During this period the Territorial Army had also doubled in size. Appeasement provided Britain with extra time to develop her armaments and develop a defense plan in preparation of the oncoming war. There was little opposition to this from the officials in Parliament, however as the military and defense services were brought back to their former strength, the idea of opposition started to re-emerge. One of Britain’s key aims during the period was the perpetual search for a strong ally, by averting the war through appeasement, Britain had given herself time to try and ally her herself with the USA. While the USA may have followed an isolationist policy she was still the largest power in the world and would have been a strong diplomatic and military ally. France was something of a wreck, thanks to Britains doing, and had tried her best to prepare herself for German invasion by creating the Maginot Line the previous decade. Britains desire for allies had even turned eastwards in the direction of the USSR, who until that point had only been seen as a need to allow Germany to rearm. However, the Communist nation could have helped the Western powers against Germany and Japan in the Far East. At first appeasement was used to try and gain favour with any potential allies. However, as opposition grew the lack of emerging allies forced Britain to try ‘kindling’ a relationship with the USSR. It was believed by many, specifically Chamberlain, that Hitler had legitimate claims for his conquests in Europe. The reoccupation of the Rhineland was enough to be seen as a legitimate grievance even though it was outlawed in 1919 at Versailles. Despite this, Britain did not see her as a sufficient threat just yet and refused to act upon the reoccupation. By 1936 Germany had gained the status of ‘Ultimate potential enemy’ and this led to a concern that Germany would be enticed by Italian and Japanese expansionist aims, and considering they were also ‘UPEs’ this could spell further disaster for Britain. With the Mediterranean under threat and the Suez Canal with it and the Empire in the Far East under constant vigilance, trade and the Empires safety were put as higher priorities than Germany. Even the union between Germany and Austria had little effect, the Anschluss was not opposed by Chamberlain, considering that that a staggering amount of those in Austria rejoiced at the idea of being reunited. Rather than try to cause conflict by splitting them up, appeasement allowed them to get back together without much trouble. This act of appeasement found little opposition within Parliament, however as 1938 approached opposition started to gain a foothold, Hitlers reactions were becoming increasingly aggressive- Kristallknacht had shown a far darker and more menacing side to the dictator and had displayed to many the true extent of the oppressive regime within Germany. This was seen as a repeat of The Night of the Long Knives four years previous. Hitler’s grievance at first seemed to be legitimate and therefore was a driving reason as to why Britain continued to appease Germany. Nevertheless as his tactics became more aggressive and he started to threaten the surrounding countries it became apparent that appeasement no longer satisfied him, this led to critics of Chamberlains policies such as Churchill developing a larger power base against appeasement. British public opinion swayed greatly throughout the period and vastly impacted British foreign policy. Although the fear of rearmament was strong in the public opinion, it was the additional fear of the outbreak of war that started to swing their opinions towards appeasement during 1936-38. The Spanish Civil war had provided a glimpse of what future warfare would be like, and the terrifying realization of the destructive power one country could inflict on another was nothing like what had been previously experienced. In 1937, Guernica had showed the devastation that could be brought about by terror-bombing. This served as another reason why appeasement should be maintained as it was considered a more sound option than sparking a war, this was something that the public supported wholeheartedly. However it was clear that attitudes had started to change as 1938 approached. Opinion polls had gradually started to show support for other methods, as shown in the 1938 poll which asked what Britain should do if Germany acted hostile to Czechoslovakia as a large proportion of polls suggested that Britain should rearm and prepare for conflict. Still highly influenced by public opinion, Government policy seemed to switch to a more anti-German undertone. This switch was seen in the increased rearmament revenue expenditure in 1938. The public now wanted Britain to take on a stronger stance against Germany and this resulted in increased pressure upon Chamberlain to boost the armys numbers. At first public opinion was strongly in favor of appeasement, this was due to reluctance of diving into another war war. However when war was no longer avoidable, it was within public interest that Britain prepare for war in any way she could. Opposition to appeasement did increase between 1936 and 1939, but at a steady pace. Appeasement was originally pursued in order to protect British interests; the protection of her Empire, finding suitable allies, and preparing for war via defense and military spending, as well as to prepare the public that war was coming. Opposition to Hitler and the appeasement of Germany did increase between 1936 and 1939, but at a steady pace as the true aims of Hitler became evident and it became clear that the British government could not make him back down. In parliament the stance of the labour party had changed drastically from favouring. The public’s willingness to support independent states at this time shows that it was Hitlers continued actions in 1938 that pushed many people into opposing appeasement or even advocating war. Churchill was used as a figurehead in which opposition to appeasement could rally behind. Appeasement was originally pursued in order to protect British interests; the protection of her Empire, finding suitable allies, and preparing for war via defense and military spending, as well as to prepare the public that war was coming, however towards the end of the period when Hitler started to set his sights on further expansion the mood changed in Britain and appeasement was no longer a feasible option.

Social Interaction Influence Cognitive Development Essay -- Psychology

Social interaction plays an important role in people’s life starting from the early childhood as infants interact with their caregivers and build the emotional attachment that is the base for future relationships. By social interaction with others children learn how to communicate, play and behave in particular situation. Berk (2009) proposed the overview of the literature that concentrates upon the early attachment and its importance. Knowing the influence of social interaction on child development in the first few years, the essay is going to elaborate upon the implication of social interaction on the development of cognition. Cognitive development as Lee & Gupta (eds.) claimed is the term that refers to acquisition and development of knowledge and cognition, namely the processes such as memory, language, and problem – solving and drawing. When elaborating upon cognitive development, the three main aspects can be distinguished: the understanding of the objects by chil dren, their ability to imitate caregivers and children’s ability to hold representations of the world (Oates, Wood & Grayson, 2005). All of the aspects play an important role in developing cognition of children and provide the explanation for the understanding of children’s learning influenced by social relationships and practices. In the essay there is going to be an emphasis on the social interaction between children and their caregivers and peer relations. To consider whether social interaction is a fundamental basis for cognitive development of children, there is going to be presented the overview of the literature that concentrates upon it. There are two fundamental theoretical frameworks that touch upon the subjects, namely the work of Piaget (1926) and Vygots... ...interact with their caregivers and through interaction not only their cognitive abilities are shaped by also their personality and behaviour in later stage of their life (Triandis & Suh, 2002). The essay is considering the background that social relation flourishes, namely interaction child – adult and peer relations. Through their early experiences with others, children develop their understanding of the world. By simple activities that are carried out on daily basis between children and caregivers, children are able to gain the meaning of new techniques and learning strategies, they expand their existing knowledge and experience new things. The interesting aspect is to elaborate on social interaction within different groups of children. Although the cognitive abilities may not fully develop in every child, social interaction encourages and prompts the progress.

To Kill a Mockingbird Passage

â€Å"If you had a clear conscience, why were you scared? † â€Å"Like I says before, it weren’t safe for any nigger to be in a—fix like that. † â€Å"But you weren’t in a fix—you testified that you were resisting Miss Ewell. Were you so scared that she’d hurt you, you ran, a big buck like you? † â€Å"No suh, I’s scared I’d be in court, just like I am now. † â€Å"Scared of arrest, scared you’d have to face up to what you did? † â€Å"No suh, scared I’d hafta face up to what I didn’t do. † â€Å"Are you being impudent to me, boy? † â€Å"No suh, I didn’t go to be. † This was as much as I heard of Mr. Gilmer’s cross-examination, because Jem made me take Dill out. For some reason Dill had started crying and couldn’t stop; quietly at first, then his sobs were heard by several people in the balcony. Jem said if I didn’t go with him he’d make me, and Reverend Sykes said I’d better go, so I went. Dill had seemed to be all right that day, nothing wrong with him, but I guessed he hadn’t fully recovered from running away. â€Å"Ain’t you feeling good? † I asked, when we reached the bottom of the stairs. Dill tried to pull himself together as we ran down the south steps. Mr. Link Deas was a lonely figure on the top step. â€Å"Anything happenin‘, Scout? † he asked as we went by. No sir,† I answered over my shoulder. â€Å"Dill here, he’s sick. † â€Å"Come on out under the trees,† I said. â€Å"Heat got you, I expect. † We chose the fattest live oak and we sat under it. â€Å"It was just him I couldn’t stand,† Dill said. â€Å"Who, Tom? † â€Å"That old Mr. Gilmer doin‘ him thataway, talking so hateful to him—† â€Å"Dill, that’s his job. Why, if we didn’t have prosecutors—well, we couldn’t have defense attorneys, I reckon. † Dill exhaled patiently. â€Å"I know all that, Scout. It was the way he said it made me sick, plain sick. † â€Å"He’s supposed to act that way, Dill, he was cross—† Page 202 He didn’t act that way when—† â€Å"Dill, those were his own witnesses. † â€Å"Well, Mr. Finch didn’t act that way to Mayella and old man Ewell when he crossexamined them. The way that man called him ‘boy’ all the time an‘ sneered at him, an’ looked around at the jury every time he answered—† â€Å"Well, Dill, after all he’s just a Negro. † â€Å"I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ‘em that w ay. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that—it just makes me sick. † â€Å"That’s just Mr. Gilmer’s way, Dill, he does ‘em all that way. You’ve never seen him get good’n down on one yet. Why, when—well, today Mr. Gilmer seemed to me like he wasn’t half trying. They do ’em all that way, most lawyers, I mean. † â€Å"Mr. Finch doesn’t. † â€Å"He’s not an example, Dill, he’s—† I was trying to grope in my memory for a sharp phrase of Miss Maudie Atkinson’s. I had it: â€Å"He’s the same in the courtroom as he is on the public streets. † â€Å"That’s not what I mean,† said Dill. â€Å"I know what you mean, boy,† said a voice behind us. We thought it came from the tree-trunk, but it belonged to Mr. Dolphus Raymond. He peered around the trunk at us. â€Å"You aren’t thin-hided, it just makes you sick, doesn’t it? † Page 203

What Is the History of Easter

If Easter is a holiday that was created because of Jesus, then where did all the eggs and bunnies come from? Well, as I have said many, many times before, Christianity is based on much older religious texts. (Many of which were destroyed to keep the origins of Christianity a secret. Hence why they've burned so many libraries throughout history) If you want to know the long, drawn out history of Easter, then I shall share it below. Easter History : Christian and Pagan Traditions Interwoven The history of Easter reveals rich associations between the Christian faith and the seemingly unrelated practices of the early pagan religions.Easter history and traditions that we practice today evolved from pagan symbols, from the ancient goddess Ishtar to Easter eggs and the Easter bunny. Easter, perhaps the most important of the Christian holidays, celebrates the Christ's resurrection from the dead following his death on Good Friday. . . a rebirth that is commemorated around the vernal equinox, historically a time of pagan celebration that coincides with the arrival of spring and symbolizes the arrival of light and the awakening of life around us. Ostara, Goddess of Spring and the Dawn (Oestre / Eastre)Easter is named for a Saxon goddess who was known by the names of Oestre or Eastre, and in Germany by the name of Ostara. She is a goddess of the dawn and the spring, and her name derives from words for dawn, the shining light arising from the east. Our words for the â€Å"female hormone† estrogen derives from her name. Ostara was, of course, a fertility goddess. Bringing in the end of winter, with the days brighter and growing longer after the vernal equinox, Ostara had a passion for new life. Her presence was felt in the flowering of plants and the birth of babies, both animal and human.The rabbit (well known for its propensity for rapid reproduction) was her sacred animal. Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny both featured in the spring festivals of Ostara, which were initially held during the feasts of the goddess Ishtar | Inanna. Eggs are an obvious symbol of fertility, and the newborn chicks an adorable representation of new growth. Brightly colored eggs, chicks, and bunnies were all used at festival time to express appreciation for Ostara's gift of abundance. History of Easter Eggs and Easter Candy The history of Easter Eggs as a symbol of new life should come as no surprise.The notion that the Earth itself was hatched from an egg was once widespread and appears in creation stories ranging from Asian to Ireland. Eggs, in ancient times in Northern Europe, were a potent symbol of fertility and often used in rituals to guarantee a woman's ability to bear children. To this day rural â€Å"grannywomen† (lay midwives/healers in the Appalachian mountains) still use eggs to predict, with uncanny accuracy, the sex of an unborn child by watching the rotation of an egg as it is suspended by a string over the abdomen of a pregnant woman.Dyed eggs are given as gifts in many cultures. Decorated eggs bring with them a wish for the prosperity of the abundance during the coming year. Folklore suggests that Easter egg hunts arose in Europe during â€Å"the Burning Times†, when the rise of Christianity led to the shunning (and persecution) of the followers of the â€Å"Old Religion†. Instead of giving the eggs as gifts the adults made a game of hiding them, gathering the children together and encouraging them to find the eggs.Some believe that the authorities seeking to find the â€Å"heathens† would follow or bribe the children to reveal where they found the eggs so that the property owner could be brought to justice. Green Eggs . . . . . . and Ham The meat that is traditionally associated with Easter is ham. Though some might argue that ham is served at Easter since it is a â€Å"Christian† meat, (prohibited for others by the religious laws of Judaism and Islam) the origin probably lies in the early pr actices of the pagans of Northern Europe.Having slaughtered and preserved the meat of their agricultural animals during the Blood Moon celebrations the previous autumn so they would have food throughout the winter months, they would celebrate the occasion by using up the last of the remaining cured meats. In anticipation that the arrival of spring with its emerging plants and wildlife would provide them with fresh food in abundance, it was customary for many pagans to begin fasting at the time of the vernal equinox, clearing the â€Å"poisons† (and excess weight) produced by the heavier winter meals that had been stored in their bodies over the winter.Some have suggested that the purpose of this fasting may have been to create a sought-after state of â€Å"altered consciousness† in time for the spring festivals. One cannot but wonder if this practice of fasting might have been a forerunner of â€Å"giving up† foods during the Lenten season. Chocolate Easter bunn ies and eggs, marshmallow chicks in pastel colors, and candy of all sorts, most of which are given out as personalized gifts during Easter . . . these have pagan origins as well! To understand their association with religion we need to examine the meaning of food as a symbol.The ancient belief that, by eating something we take on its characteristics formed the basis for the earliest â€Å"blessings† before meals (a way to honor the life that had been sacrificed so that we as humans could enjoy life) and, presumably, for the more recent Christian sacrament of communion as well. Shaping candy Easter eggs and bunnies to celebrate the spring festival was, simply put, a way to celebrate the symbols of the goddess and the season, while laying claim to their strengths (vitality, growth, and fertility) for ourselves.The Goddess Ostara and the Easter Bunny Feeling guilty about arriving late one spring, the Goddess Ostara saved the life of a poor bird whose wings had been frozen by the snow. She made him her pet or, as some versions have it, her lover. Filled with compassion for him since he could no longer fly (in some versions, it was because she wished to amuse a group of young children), Ostara turned him into a snow hare and gave him the gift of being able to run with incredible speed so he could protect himself from hunters.In remembrance of his earlier form as a bird, she also gave him the ability to lay eggs (in all the colors of the rainbow, no less), but only on one day out of each year. Eventually the hare managed to anger the goddess Ostara, and she cast him into the skies where he would remain as the constellation Lepus (The Hare) forever positioned under the feet of the constellation Orion (the Hunter). He was allowed to return to earth once each year, but only to give away his eggs to the children attending the Ostara festivals that were held each spring. The tradition of the Easter Bunny had begun.The Hare was sacred in many ancient traditions and was associated with the moon goddesses and the various deities of the hunt. In ancient times eating the Hare was prohibited except at Beltane (Celts) and the festival of Ostara (Anglo-Saxons), when a ritual hare-hunt would take place. In many cultures rabbits, like eggs, were considered to be potent remedies for fertility problems. The ancient philosopher-physician Pliny the Elder prescribed rabbit meat as a cure for female sterility, and in some cultures the genitals of a hare were carried to avert barrenness.Medieval Christians considered the hare to bring bad fortune, saying witches changed into rabbits in order to suck the cows dry. It was claimed that a witch could only be killed by a silver crucifix or a bullet when she appeared as a hare. Given their â€Å"mad† leaping and boxing displays during mating season as well as their ability to produce up to 42 offspring each spring, it is understandable that they came to represent lust, sexuality, and excess in general.Medie val Christians considered the hare to be an evil omen, believing that witches changed into rabbits in order to suck the cows dry. It was claimed that a witch could only be killed by a silver crucifix or a bullet when she appeared as a hare. In later Christian tradition the white Hare, when depicted at the Virgin Mary's feet, represents triumph over lust or the flesh. The rabbit's vigilance and speed came to represent the need to flee from sin and temptation and a reminder of the swift passage of life.And, finally, there is a sweet Christian legend about a young rabbit who, for three days, waited anxiously for his friend, Jesus, to return to the Garden of Gethsemane, not knowing what had become of him. Early on Easter morning, Jesus returned to His favorite garden and was welcomed the little rabbit. That evening when the disciples came into the garden to pray, still unaware of the resurrection, they found a clump of beautiful larkspurs, each blossom bearing the image of a rabbit in i ts center as a remembrance of the little creature's hope and faith.Ishtar, Goddess of Love, and the First Resurrection (also known as Inanna) Ishtar, goddess of romance, procreation, and war in ancient Babylon, was also worshipped as the Sumerian goddess Inanna. One of the great goddesses, or â€Å"mother goddesses†, the stories of her descent to the Underworld and the resurrection that follows are contained in the oldest writings that have ever been discovered. . . the Babylonian creation myth Enuma Elish and the story of Gilgamesh. Scholars believed that they were based on the oral mythology of the region and were recorded about 2,100 B.C. E. The most famous of the myths of Ishtar tell of her descent into the realm of the dead to rescue her young lover, Tammuz, a Vegetation god forced to live half the year in the Underworld. Ishtar approached the gates of the Underworld, which was ruled by her twin sister Eresh-kigel, the goddess of death and infertility. She was refused ad mission. Similar to the Greek myths of Demeter and Persephone that came later, during Ishtar's absence the earth grew barren since all acts of procreation ceased while she was away.Ishtar screamed and ranted that she would break down the gates and release all of the dead to overwhelm the world and compete with the living for the remaining food unless she was allowed to enter and plead her case with her twin. Needless to say, she won admission. But the guard, following standard protocol, refused to let her pass through the first gate unless she removed her crown. At the next gate, she had to remove her earrings, then her necklace at the next, removing her garments and proud finery until she stood humbled and naked after passing through the seventh (and last) gate.In one version, she was held captive and died but was brought back to life when her servant sprinkled her with the â€Å"water of life†. In the more widely known version of the myth, Ishtar's request was granted and s he regained all of her attire and possessions as she slowly re-emerged through the gates of darkness. Upon her return, Tammuz and the earth returned to life. Annual celebrations of this â€Å"Day of Joy†, were held each year around the time of the vernal equinox.These celebrations became the forerunners of the Ostara festivals that welcomed Oestre and the arrival of spring. A section on the Goddess Inanna (the Sumerian version of the Goddess Ishtar), her myths and symbols, is included with the myths of the goddesses at this website. Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, the dawn that arrives with resurrection of life, and the celebration of spring all serve to remind us of the cycle of rebirth and the need for renewal in our lives. In the history of Easter, Christian and pagan traditions are gracefully interwoven.

Twin Studies and Adoption Studies essays

Twin Studies and Adoption Studies essays Studies of identical twins, particularly if the twins are separated at birth, are thought to provide some insight into the nature versus nurture debate. Twins have the same genetic material, but may be brought up in different home environments. There have been some controversial, small studies of twins that show a striking tendency for twins to exhibit the same mental disorders. Critiques of these studies have revealed evidence that sometimes a twin exhibits the behavior of the other twin in sympathy, and even with twins separated at birth there may be controversy as to the definition of the disease in question (Joseph 2002:75). What constitutes Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity disorder versus normal behavior is controversial and often highly subjective, depending on who is diagnosing the individual, and this is of course impossible for the same individual to do so in separated at birth comparisons (Joseph 2002: 76). Also, the culture at large may over- or under-diagnose certain diseases at the same points in historical time. Other studies consider that although genes may have an influence upon behavior, there is always an interaction between genes and the environment. For example, the balance of evidence suggests a modest genetic effect on both normal drinking and alcoholism in men, though similar evidence for women is so far lacking, in other words, genes play a role, and twins are more likely to be alcoholic than random pairs of individuals, but the correlation is not absolute (Murray, Clifford One excellent example of a class of diseases that may seem to run in families but is not genetic are nutritional deficiency disorders, such as pellagra, scurvy, or rickets, caused by malnutrition and poverty. Although to a layperson there might seem to be a genetic correlation, if one twins diet i...

Use Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Files in a Delphi Application

Use Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Files in a Delphi Application Delphi supports the display of Adobe PDF files from within an application. As long as youve got Adobe Reader installed, your PC will automatically have the relevant ActiveX control youll need to create a component you can drop into a Delphi form. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Heres How: Start Delphi and select Component | Import ActiveX Control...Look for the Acrobat Control for ActiveX (Version x.x) control and click Install.Select the Component palette location into which the selected library will appear. Click Install.Select a package where the new component must be installed or create a new package for the new TPdf control.Click OK.Delphi will ask you whether you want to rebuild the modified/new package. Click Yes.After the package is compiled, Delphi will show you a message saying that the new TPdf component was registered and already available as part of the VCL.Close the package detail window, allowing Delphi to save the changes to it.The component is now available in the ActiveX tab (if you didnt change this setting in step 4).Drop the TPdf component onto a form and then select it.Using the object inspector, set the src property to the name of an existing PDF file on your system. Now all you have to do is resize the component and read the PDF file from your Delphi application. Tips: The Adobe ActiveX control installs automatically when you install Adobe Reader.  Step 11 can be completed during runtime, so you can open and close files programmatically as well as resize the control.

Email Pragmatics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

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