Anthro: Human Studying Essay

1. How do physical anthropologists use the scientific method? Give an example. 2. Create an appropriate question, hypothesis and test for the following observation: The right scapula (shoulder blade) tends to be larger than the left in humans. 3. Explain the difference between a theory and a hypothesis. Please provide an example for each. 4. Describe the major subfields in anthropology? Describe each in terms of what they study. 5. Compare and contrast Darwin’s theory of natural selection and Lamarck’s theory of acquired characteristics. How are they similar and dissimilar? 6. Many people argue that evolution is â€Å"just a theory†. Define theory and then describe how evolution does or does not fit the definition. 7. How is natural selection related to environmental factors? How can selective pressures change? Give an example (HINT- think of the peppered moths) 8. How do RNA and DNA differ in structure and function (purpose)? 9. Describe the structure of the DNA molecule in as much detail as possible. 10. Describe the nucleus and ribosomes as they relate directly to the process of protein synthesis (HINT- you’ll need to briefly explain protein synthesis to fully answer this question). 11. Explain why it is important that the end result of meiosis is different than the end result for mitosis. 12. It is true that all organisms (humans, animals, etc) have the same structure of their DNA as humans. Please explain then why we all don’t look the same, if we all have the same A, T, C and G’s in our body. 13. Discuss some possible medical outcomes of the human genome project. 14. Explain Mendel’s Principle of segregation. 15. Explain how two parents who do NOT express a particular trait in their phenotype can nevertheless produce children who express the trait. Please give a specific example where this could occur. 16. Describe how the trait Sickle Cell Anemia demonstrates DNA mutation, inheritance principles, and the stages of evolution. The stages of evolution can be remembered using this saying: Genes Mutate, Individuals are Selected, Populations Evolve. In your answer, please describe what initially caused Sickle Cell Anemia (NOT what it does in your body†¦but what originally brought it on- HINT- THINK DNA), how one can inherit it, and why we can’t get rid of the S allele. 17. Explain how founder’s effect can lead to a descendant population that differs greatly from its parent population over a relatively short period of time. 18. Is race a valid, biologically meaningful concept? Why or why not? 19. Discuss how adaptations to local environments have likely influences the evolution of skin color in different geographic regions of the world. 20. What is the difference between Allen and Bergmann’s rules? 21. What is the difference between an acclimatization and an adaptation? In your answer, please give an example for each. 22. How is lactose intolerance a good example of an adaptation? In your answer, please explain what lactose intolerance is, and why we see it only in certain population

How To Overcome The Problems And The Advantages And Dis Advantages Of Using Survey Method

a. ) Discuss the problem which a researcher might encounter when conducting social surveys. Explain how to overcome the problems. b. ) Explain the advantages and dis advantages of using survey method. According to chrishnaswami O. R (2003) social survey is defined as a fact finding study. It is a method of research involving the collection of data directly from a population or a sample there of a particular time.It must not be confused with the mere clerical routine of gathering and tabulating figures for it requires expert and imaginative planning careful and rational interpretation of findings. Omari I. M defined social survey research as probably the best method available to the social scientists interested in collecting original data for describing a population too large to observe directly. Survey may be used for descriptive explanatory and exploratory purposes.Although this method can be used for other units of analysis such as group or interactions it is necessary that some in dividual persons are used as respondents or informants. In social survey data maybe collected by methods like observation, interviewing and questionnaires . social survey has the following characteristics, it is always conducted in a natural setting, it seeks responses directly from the respondents, it can cover a very large population and it covers a definite geographical area for instance a city, district or a state. The following steps are involved while collecting a survey.The first step is selection of as problem and its formulation followed by the preparation of a research design then operation of concepts and construction of measuring indexes and scales then sampling then construction of tools for collection of data and their pretest then field work and calculation of data then processing data and tabulation then lastly reporting. A researcher might encounter certain problems while conducting a survey study, the following are the problems which a researcher might encounter wh ile conducting social survey. A sample survey is subject to sampling error.Its findings must be interpreted in the light of this error. The survey method depends primarily on verbal behavior; the respondent can give untrue or misleading answers hence a survey is subject to response errors. A survey is also subject to errors of measurement, implicit, iniquity attitude, abilities behaviors and other personal traits. There is a limit of the number of items of information that can be collected in a single survey. There is an optional length of time for an interview hence the extent of data requirement should be delimited to the tolerance of the respondents.The survey methods alone are in adequate analyze adequately the complex fabric of social organization . it is also not well suited to studies of historical development. Social surveys are very expensive in terms of time and cost. Hence an individual cannot afford to carry out an extensive survey out of these resources. Having seen the problems which a researcher might encounter the following are the ways through which a researcher can use so as to overcome those problems, The researcher must make sure that the research topic is clearly defined to him/herself .this will enable the researcher to state the problem clearly to his/her respondents. The researcher should be clear both about the information that is required about the topic and the reason for wanting this information for him/herself. The researcher should make sure that the topic has been properly defined for the respondent that is by avoiding the use of abstract words and jargons Researchers should make sure that they ask questions that are relevant to the respondents.He /she should avoid asking hypothetical questions/abstract questions and should also avoid asking for information that requires the respondent to have remembered things that they are likely to have forgotten. This will reduce misleading answers. The researcher should make sure that the qu estions asked are not biased . he/she should ensure balance in the introduction, should also ensure that the sets of response options are balanced and should avoid words that are likely to invoke different reactions or stereotype reactions from respondents.The researcher should eliminate complexities so that the respondent can easily understand the questions . this is by avoiding asking two or more questions at one time, avoid using words with several meaning. Check whether the question has been simplified to its simplest form and avoid using too many vocabularies in the question. The researcher should, ensure that the respondents understand what kind of answer is needed. The researcher should also avoid asking ambiguous questions b) Explain the advantages and dis ad vantages of using survey method.The following are the advantages of survey research The survey method facilitate the drawing generalization about large populations on the basis of representative sample The survey method is flexible to permit the use of various methods of collecting data like observation interviewing and questionnaire. Social surveys sensitize the researcher to unknown problems, the collection of data from respondents through interviewing or mailing often uncovers facts previously unknown to the researcher.The quality of data collected is not dependent on the personal impressions, skills and objectivity of single researcher. The information is gathered from a sample. Generalization can easily been drawn by studying large number of respondents in using effective sample techniques. Social surveys deliver objective accurately measured scientific data which can be easily put into statistical form. Having seen the advantages of the survey method . the following are the dis advantages of social survey methods, In social survey the most important questions might not be asked, this is due to the limit of time.However the researcher might find it difficult to ask, more questions due to poor response and negative reactions from the respondents hence not getting the expected answers. Misinterpretation due to the language used. Respondent may not be well familiar with the language which the researcher use as a result misunderstanding rises due to lack of clarity to the respondents hence sometimes giving out an irrelevant answer to the question asked by the researcher.A single survey is done with a specific planned time and since time is limited the number of items to be collected must also be limited to put in planned time hence leaving out some others items to be collected to make the whole survey complete and worth fully needed facts found. Social survey is very expensive in terms of time and cost. an individual cannot afford to carry out an extensive survey out of his resources. The concepts and forms of language used in the survey maybe misinterpreted hence lead the respondent to tell lies. This creates limitation to the researcher on terms of facts finding hence can lead to false conclusions

Leadership 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Essay

Leadership 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey - Essay Example Deposits into someone’s account increases their trust, fondness, and confidence of their depositors. The result of these deposits is an intense relationship that allows for the tolerance of mistakes. 4. Under the proactive habit, one looks at the appropriate areas in their lives that they can concentrate on. These aspects, such as family and health on which time and energy are focused, form the circles of concern. Some of the items within these circles are controllable while others are beyond real control. The problems that all people face can be solved through the proactive approach. 6. Achieving something such as an establishment requires physical and mental dedication. Building a physical location requires the mental conceptualization of the same. This mental picture is the basis of the plan through which the physical object or item is achieved. Conceiving an excellent mental picture results in outstanding physical creation. This form of achievement is common in proactive people. Reactive people unconsciously direct the mental creation. 7. Everyone should have a purpose in life. People express their values and missions on a daily basis, either knowingly or unknowingly. One should define their personal statement so as to realize their purpose in life. Without a personal mission statement, one risks losing focus on their life’s purpose. 8. It is important to identify tasks that need to be done. Assigning priorities to tasks is essential in knowing the things that are urgent and require immediate attention. It also helps one classify items according to their importance. The tasks under one’s responsibility can be grouped in a quadrant. This quadrant relates the importance of a task to its urgency. The quadrant help’s one arrange tasks according to priority and thus manage time well. 11. A highly productive person should carefully plan their week to ensure they utilize it efficiently.

Suicide and Pesticide Use among Pesticide Applicators and Their Essay

Suicide and Pesticide Use among Pesticide Applicators and Their Spouses in the Agricultural Health Study - Essay Example is associated with the exposure to the "organophosphate pesticides." Even with the many deaths associated with the use of pesticides such as OP and the chlorpyrifos, the articles sole purpose focuses centrally on how the organophosphate pesticides(OP) results to suicide among the users and their spouses in the agricultural health study (Beard, et al., 2011). As per the methodology, the article focuses on the agricultural health studys cohort (1993-1997) who provided data on the lifestyle and the demographic factors, and pesticide use and exposure at the beginning of enrollment (1993). Most of these applicators were men with women forming the most spouses. The information was recorded systematically according to the age, the location, the sex, and the health diagnostic of the cohort. The authors also assessed the rate of exposure of each individual, the statistical methods used was the "COX proportional regression model." The main reason for choosing the model was that it would show the estimated hazard ratios, another model used in the article includes the stratifying models. In the stratifying model, the categorization was in terms of using protective gear (chemical resistant gears), the number of children, and the location (Beard, et al., 2011). Under the Cox model, the researchers investigated both the applicators and their spouses combined, this is because the data gathered relating to the spouses was too little, hence could not be analyzed alone. Later the covariates associated with suicides in both age-adjusted and age-adjusted models and the unadjusted models, under this they used the "Schwarz Bayesian and the Akaike information criterions." Under the stratifying models the researchers compares the HRs using the two strata, these models included the race and the marital status. The marital status and the race categories include the individuals that had ever used pesticides and those diagnosed with diabetes. The authors results collected showed that the

Cash flow, gearing and working capital & liquididty ratio analysis Essay

Cash flow, gearing and working capital & liquididty ratio analysis - Essay Example In the year, 2011 the company net cash flows from operating activities was  £3658000 compared in to  £3147000 in 2010. This is 16.42% increase in the cash inflows meaning that the company realized improved cash from its day-to-day operations. From the cash flow statement, the positive improvement can be attributed to the increase in profits from continuing operations from  £2924000 in 2010 to  £3557000 in 2011 (Zytronic, 2011). The increase in depreciation cost on property, plant, and equipment increased the not cash inflows because in determining the net cash inflows the values are added back since the does not account for any actual cash flows. In 2011 for instance, the depreciation value was  £802000 meaning that the company incurred more depreciation cost because of the increase in the assets. The improvement in the cash inflows could be much more if the company could have reduced the values of inventory and receivables in 2011. The increase in inventory from 85 in 2010 to 166 in 2011 and of receivables from  £356000 in 2010 to  £647000 in 2011 is significant and adversely reduced the cash inflow figures in 2011 (Zytronic, 2011). At the same time, the increase in trade and other payables made the net cash flow from operating activities to improve. Finally, tax paid is also a component of the operating cash flows. In 2010, Zytronic paid a tax of  £65000 compared to  £821000 in 2011. The increase in the tax obligation between the two years is attributed to the increase in the profit recorded by the company. Tax is charged as a percentage of profits and therefore an increase in the profits would automatically translate in increased tax expense which as an outflow. The second component of the cash flow statement is the cash flows from the investing activities. Investing activities are those activities that a company puts its resources in order to earn profits, increase its capital assets in

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 29

Research Paper Example However, the case was dismissed since Ali sued the human resource director rather than United States; therefore, the complaint was dismissed based on the deficiency of jurisdiction. Comparing the case of Ali v Rogers and Jack’s case both cases base complications on nationality issues. However, Jacks case base more ideas on employees rather than states. The case between Ali v Rogers base legal ideas on public vessels Act and Admiralty Act should have developed a case against United States rather than the human resource director. Therefore, both cases are dismissed because of insufficient jurisdictions in the two cases (Ali v. Rogers, 2015). Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Peabody 2001, alleging Peabody implementation of tribal hiring was illegal (EEOC v. Peabody, 2010). It was alleged that Peabody violated Title VII of Civil rights Act 1964. Additionally, Peabody had violated Title VII of record keeping requirements. In jack’s case, Jack was accused of violating the company’s records on laws touching policies of the Grocery just as EEOC case v Peabody. According to Zeinali v Raytheon business case, the court of appeal reversed the district court judgment (The Recorder, 2011). The court maintained federal precedent in excluding judicial evaluation of security authorization verdicts had no interest on employees’ and, therefore, discriminating against a private employer. Comparing, the case with Jacks, security issues have been addressed in Zeinali case by developing critical security issues for employees while Jacks case, security of employees is not taken into consideration. In July 2011, a black employee from South Africa called Jack secured recruitment as a chief security officer in a California grocery store. In the second week of work at the store, Jack spotted a white female customer robbing items from the store. Jack alerted Chris to assist her in stopping the theft at

Police in the United States of America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Police in the United States of America - Essay Example The police aim to give a safe and secure environment to the public. In order to achieve this objective they are bound to maintain peace in public. They are aimed to save the residents' rights and public turbulences. The police also intend to stop those situations which may end up in public violation and disorder. Police ensures the public of safe and sound environment and expects the public to cooperate with them. In collaboration with other bodies, the police sketch out local safety policies which plan to encourage safer societies, decrease and combat offenses and conflicts, and promote comfort in the localities concerned. Hence if the duties of the police are to be analyzed it can be said that the role of police is to enforce law in such a manner that the public peace is maintained. This is because if law is enforced on the citizens the police department may get an aggressive reply. Thus the police should work according to the requirements of the public. They should take care of th e tiny things which the public need. They should handle situations of violence with care and heed. For e.g. if an angry mob is protesting against a certain situation then the police should not directly use aggressive methods against that mob. This is because if aggressive methods are used against them the public law and order situation could be disturbed. I.e. seeing the brutality of police against that mob another mob could possibly arise and revolt. Similarly in other situations the police department should be careful in tackling the problems of the public. Police officers in the United States are the most severe and troublesome reason of the human rights violation in the state. The infringements continue all around the country, in countryside, suburban, and metropolitan regions of the state, done by a range of law enforcement workers as well as local and state police, sheriff's sections, and federal forces. Police have occupied in unwarranted shelling, cruel beatings, deadly choking, and unreasonably rough behavior. Whereas the quantity of continually offensive officers on any force is in general small, the authorities in charge, together with law enforcement managers in addition to local and central government management frequently fail to take action with certainty to control or penalize such steps. A faction of the police officers is worsening the image of the whole department. And as mentioned above it is quite difficult to bring this faction to justice. Although the other faction of the police officers are quite working according to their standards still there is a need that corruption and racism is removed from the police department in the U.S.A. However it can be said that to a certain extent the police department of the USA has been successful. But as mentioned above the police department in the USA also has some flaws which need to be rectified. As the police are the main law enforcement agency it is their duty to maintain public order in the state. However the stance of the police should not be to enforce laws on the civilian but to maintain the situation of public law and order. If police is taking steps that are causing indiscipline then they must change their course of work. Their aim is

Cambrian Explosion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cambrian Explosion - Research Paper Example Parker defines it thus: â€Å"The Cambrian explosion is the evolutionary episode in which all animal phyla attained complex external forms.† (Parker, 2003, p. 9) The phylum is the body plan of an animal, and in the period before 543 million years ago, called the Precambrian era, there were only three distinct animal phyla, whereas at 538 million years ago, there were 38, and this phenomenal increase is what gives rise to the term â€Å"Cambrian explosion.† Some aspects of this theory are, however, disputed, and there are studies which support a much more gradual development of the 38 animal phyla over a much longer time, reaching back long before the so-called explosion period from 543 million years ago. This paper examines the key arguments in favour and against the phenomenon known as the Cambrian explosion concludes with some reflection on what the implications of the Cambrian explosion debate are for modern science. Most scholars agree that there is a step-change in the fossil record at around 543 million years ago. There are some problems, however, in assuming that this surviving record showing a sudden increase in phyla variation gives us a true and complete picture of what actually happened. As scientists discover and analyse further samples, and as new technologies emerge which allow different kinds of analysis, the picture can change dramatically. Above all, it must always be remembered that the preservation of specimens is largely a matter of chance, and there is always the possibility that key pieces of evidence have not survived, or have not yet been discovered: â€Å"While fossils provide the only tangible evidence for the origin of animals, some key early metazoan fossils are rare and many lack informative characters, making the derivation of a rigorous phylogenetic hypothesis based solely on fossil data difficult.† (Cartwright and Collins, 2007) Referring to new technologies such as comparative genomics , Cartwright and Colli ns conclude that â€Å"currently available genomic data supports the origin of a complex genome predating the Cambrian radiation, with the ancestral genome possessing the molecular toolkit necessary for an ‘explosion’ of body plans and complex traits.† (Cartwright and Collins, 2007) This position modifies the theory of the Cambrian explosion only slightly, since it theorizes a large number of evolutionary changes before 543 million years ago, at the molecular level, which then had the effect of causing a rapid divergence of organisms in the Cambrian explosion period. Factors external to the animals then prompt the adaptations that we see in the physical record. Some of the more popular science books propose single factors as â€Å"triggers† for the Cambrian explosion, such as changes in the way that light affected the earth which in turn prompte the evolution of sight, which had the effect of increasing pressure on organisms to avoid being seen and eaten b y other organisms (Parker, 2003). The importance of the Burgess shale deposits in British Columbia, Canada is recognized as a crucial piece of evidence and has been labelled as the indicator of a â€Å"Big Bang† in animal evolution. (Carroll, 2005, p. 138) The diversity of forms is explained in terms of adaptation to changes in the environment: â€Å"Genes in the tool kit are important actors in this picture, but the tool kit itself represents only possibilities, not destiny. The drama of the Cambrian was driven by ecology on a global

My Experience and Understanding of Adventure-Based Counselling Essay Example for Free

My Experience and Understanding of Adventure-Based Counselling Essay According to Neill (2004), ‘Adventure therapy is the use of adventure-based activities and/or adventure-based theory to provide people with emotional and/or behavioral problems with experiences which lead to positive change in their lives.’ Adventure therapy is also â€Å"programming aimed at changing [specified] dysfunctional behavior patterns, using adventure experiences as forms of habilitation and rehabilitation† (Priest Grass, 2005). The underlying philosophy of adventure-based counseling (ABC) is experiential education and it stresses on one’s personal improvement through full value contract, adventure wave and challenge by choice (Schoel, Prouty Radcliffe, 1988). After several lectures, different skills were explained and even applied on ourselves. In this essay, these theories and experience will be discussed. Adventure-based counseling is part of the means of experiential learning. Educational psychologists usually define learning as â€Å"a change in the individual caused by experience† (Slavin, 1986, p.104). Through various experiences, people can learn from them and gain personal growth. Kolb (1984) suggested an experiential learning cycle, pointing out four essential elements of experiential learning, which are experience, review, conclusion and planning. Applying to Adventure-based counseling, experience means some challenging activities for groups or individuals. Review means encouraging individuals to reflect, describe, communicate and learn from the experience. Conclusion means concluding past and present experiences and planning means applying new learning in the future. There are several learning theories explaining how experiences can lead to learning, which means behavioral changes or cognitive developments. Operant conditioning proposed by Skinner states that successes, praise, positive feedbacks or rewards can act as positive reinforcers so that the subjects would be reinforced to act the same way again. Similarly, failures, punishments or negative comments would act as negative reinforcers which deter the subjects to act again (Skinner, 1968). In adventure-based counseling, participants would face some challenges and act. Some actions would lead to positive results, which would further reinforce participants to act in the same way when they face similar situations again. Some actions lead to negative results, which make them aware and change their behaviors next time. This can be applied also to changing of personalities and problem-solving skills. Undesirable personalities will be discouraged by failures or negative feedbacks while desirable personalities will be reinforced. Bandura suggested social learning theory that people can learn through observational learning and modeling (Bandura, 1986). Through observational learning, people would imitate others’ behaviors and learn from others’ successes or failures. In adventure-based counseling, when participants face the challenges individually, they would imitate what other participants do, or take others’ successes and failures in dealing with the challenges as example. So when they face the challenges, participants would improve along the sequence. When encountering group challenges, participants would imitate the socially desirable behaviors of their group mates or remind themselves not to behave socially undesirably after observing their group mates’ failures. This can enhance participants’ social skills. In cognitive aspect, James Coleman (1977) differentiates between the information assimilation process of the regular classroom and the experiential learning process. In traditional classrooms, knowledge is taught to students through direct instruction and they simply memorize the knowledge. Through information assimilation, the learners are expected to move from cognitive and symbol-processing sphere to the sphere of action through applying the general principles learned into novel situations. Experiential learning is in a reversed order, which involves actions sufficiently repeated that the learner is able to generalize from the experience. However, it is more etched into the brain as the learning can be associated with concrete actions and events, not just abstract symbols or general principles (Mllre, Priest, 1990). There are some important principles of adventure-based counseling, namely â€Å"Full Value Contract† and â€Å"Challenge by Choice† (Schoel, Prouty Radcliffe, 1988). â€Å"Full Value Contract† means an agreement among group members to value one’s own ideas and needs without ignoring or discounting others. â€Å"Challenge by Choice† means ‘individuals can choose their level of participation in any activity.’ (Neill, 2007) During our lectures, our lecturer Lau Sir has explained different theories by involving us to play games. After playing games, Lau Sir would explain how the games worked, the meaning of different procedures, and what can we learn throughout them. In the first lecture, a game ‘throwing the chicken’ was played. It is an ice-breaking game, aim at knowing the names of group members. Although it is a very easy game, it has lots of micro-skills included. At the beginning, Lau Sir has asked did anyone feel afraid of the chicken, which could show his caring to the participants, in order to build up the relationship between the leader and the participants. After one round of the game, Lau Sir required the participants to repeat the process, but with a faster speed, the participants would then move their chairs towards the center. This is using indirect intervention method, helping them to get closer and involve more into it, without directly telling them to sit closer or involve more. The other micro-skill ‘Challenge by Choice’ was also frequently used during lectures. For example, the ‘throwing the chicken’ game in the first lecture, the ‘trust ladder’ in the second lecture and different games during the overnight camp. All of these may only be just simply asking the participants that whether they want to play, but it was vital as it shows the respect to the participants. These skills were the easiest thing being omitted, but without it, the counseling work may be affected or even have some adverse effects. Although half of the lectures have passed, there is one more High-event Challenge Day and several lectures. I am looking forward to learn more different skills in counseling and leading games. Reference List Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social-cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Coleman, J. A. (1977). Differences between experiential and classroom learning. In M. T. Keeton (Ed.), Experiential learning: Rationale characteristics, and assessment, pp. 49-61. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Mllre, J. C. Priest, S. (1990). Adventure education. State College, DA: Adventure Publishing. Neill, J. (2004). Adventure therapy definitions. Retrieved from http://www.wilderdom.com/adventuretherapy/adventuretherapydefinitions.html Neill, J. (2007). Adventure-based counseling (ABC). Retrieved from http://wilderdom.com/ABC/ Priest, S., Gass, M. (2005). Effective leadership in adventure programming (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Schoel, J., Prouty Radeliffe,P. (1988). Islands of healing. A guide to adventure based counseling. U.S.A: Project Adventure. Skinner, B. F. (1968). The technology of teaching. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Slavin, R. E. (1986). Educational psychology: theory into practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

The Lasting Impresion of Reality Tv and Its Lack of Moral Essay Example for Free

The Lasting Impresion of Reality Tv and Its Lack of Moral Essay So in order to keep up ratings shows were forced to show what people wanted to see. As our country has slowly let go of morals and standards, its people have been forced to adapt. Reality television has been forced to diminish all possibilities for ever being labeled as moral. It has taken a direction for the worse and shows today lack little meaning or value. In its most current state, television shows force its younger viewers to grow up faster, making younger and younger kids do adult things. These reality shows exemplify things such as sex, drugs, violence, and self-harm. Television producers these days simply have no problem exposing the youth to this rubbish. In fact, the producers are specifically targeting the youth with their unmoral and controversial shows. They often reward the rebel characters with extra TV time or book them for another reality show, while the moral and respectable characters are made out to be boring and hardly ever get rewarded. America keeps asking what is making each generation less and less moral, but they fail to recognize what kinds of examples are being set. Children have not become more influential, they simply have been influenced by worse things. In the past few years, there has been a major change to reality television that diminishes its moral teaching reputation. From music videos of half naked women to reality shows full of betrayal, lies, and more vulgar than most can handle, the state of American television is in trouble. So where can you turn to when you want to avoid these unmoral shows and watch something good for a change? Well there is no clear-cut answer. Sadly, even some of the biggest networks such as CBS and NBC have started targeting the young crowd with shows that are completely inappropriate. The only solution to this problem is to simply search around a bit to find the perfect show for you. Use sites such as TVguide. com and Amazon. com to check out some reviews and customers opinions on the show before you start getting into it..

Prehistoric Culture Culture in the Stone Age

Prehistoric Culture Culture in the Stone Age CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: Prehistory is a term used to denote the long period of time before people began making written records. Some people believe that prehistoric people had lived on earth for millions of years before writing was invented more than 5,000 years ago. Recent finds of prehistoric fossils have led some scientists to believe that the first hominids, or human like creatures may have appeared in Africa seven million years ago. They think that a large range of different hominid species developed over the next millions of years. Some scientists think that the first species of Homo, the genus to which humans belong, emerged about 2.5 million years ago and that their successors eventually began making stone tools, mastering the use of fire, living in cave entrances and simple shelters. Scientists hold that modern humans first appeared in Africa more than 160,000 years ago, eventually leaving that continent to spread across the whole world. In Europe, they are thought to have lived at the same time as another species, the Neanderthals. When the Neanderthals died out, modern humans became the only hominids left on earth. Some of our hunter gatherer ancestors eventually took up farming, and their early settlements gradually grew into cities and formed the basis for the first civilizations on earth. After people found time to devote to art, religion and trade, the invention of writing finally marked the end of the prehistoric period. Prehistory is about sets of sites, artifacts and landscapes from the past which we try to understand in the present, putting the evidence we have in the context of their contemporary environments, both physical and social. The chronological scheme for understanding prehistory, the so called Three Age System, was mainly developed in Europe. The three-age system is the periodization of human prehistory into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies; the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The Stone Age was divided into two by the start of farming, with the Old Stone Age(Paleolithic, with its own three divisions-lower, middle and upper) succeeded by the New Stone Age(Neolithic). The metal age of bronze and iron(the Mesolithic Age), it was thought saw the development of tribal societies with sophisticated farming and the ability to build monuments like hill forts or create metal objects. Some of humans greatest achievements were made by prehistoric people. They created the worlds first languages, and learned to make tools and clothes and to control fire. They invented art, religion, farming, boats, and the wheel. Prehistoric people also settled the world, from the Arctic to the deserts of Australia. All the evidence that we have for our prehistoric past comes from material remains-objects and sites-that ancient people have left behind. It is the task of archaeologists to find and interpret this evidence. Many prehistoric sites have been discovered by accident, such as Seahenge in England, an ancient wooden monument revealed by the tide in 1998. Other prehistoric features, including standing stones and burial mounds, stand out in the landscape. The first question archaeologists ask about any prehistoric site is, How old is it?. 1.1 WHAT IS CULTURE ? Term traditionally used in prehistoric archaeology to define a specific collection of portable material objects, most often stone and bone tools, that exhibit similarity in a number of variables and that are found within a delimited region and time period. Culture also refers to a shared system of learned behaviors, passed on through several generations and thus characteristic of particular groups or communities. In this sense, there is considerable debate over whether humans are the only living primate species with culture, and, if so, when culture first appeared. At one extreme, only anatomically modern humans are considered to have possessed culture; at the other, chimpanzees and even certain species of cercepithecoid monkeys (macaques, baboons) are described as exhibiting culture in the form of long-term learned behavioral differences between populations. 1.2 EVOLUTION: The theory that living things evolve with time, giving rise to new species, was first proposed in the 1790s by English scientist Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802). But there was no convincing explanation as to exactly how a species might evolve. Then, in 1859, Erasmuss grandson Charles Darwin (1809-1882) published The Origin of Species, in which he explained that evolution was driven by a process he called natural selection. Darwins theory led to the conclusion that humans and apes had evolved from a common ancestor. Hominization is the evolutionary process that results in the present human being. It was a very long process. The first ancestors of the human beings appeared about five million years ago. We call them Australopithecus. They were quite similar to chimpanzees. Two million years ago a new human species called Homo Habilis appeared. They made tools of stone and lived on hunting and gathering. Homo Habilis and Australopithecus lived in Africa. Homo erectus appeared a million and a half years ago. They were similar to Homo habilis but they made more perfect tools. They had a greater technological development. This species discovered and learned how to use fire. Home erectus remains have been found out of Africa, in Europe andAsia. Homo antecessor is an extinct human species discovered in the Atapuerca site ( Spain). He appeared about 800,000 years ago. Most probably he is the oldest European. He is a common ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. Then, about 100,000 years ago Homo sapiens appeared. This species is divided into two subtypes: Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis or Neanderthal man and Homo sapiens sapiens. Neanderthal man looked like us but he was more robust and sturdy. This species became extinct. Homo sapiens sapiens is the species we belong to. Archaeologists have found remains of Homo sapiens in America and Australia. The continent where human beings first appeared is Africa. Homo erectus were the first human beings to leave Africa. Their remains have been found in Asia, Europe and Africa. In America and Australia, there are no remains of Homo erectus.The only vestiges that archaeologists have found there belong to Homo sapiens. There are several characteristics that make human beings different from other similar species: they invent tools thanks to the evolution of their intellect; they can walk on two legs (biped walk) so they can work with their hands; they have an opposable thumb, which, for example, allows them to make tools or write; and., finally, the fact that learning is possible because human beings develop a symbolic language and have a long childhood. Homo Neanderthalensis Homo Erectus Homo Sapiens Austrelopithecus The basic timeline of Prehistory is dominated by the so-called Old Stone Age or Paleolithic era, which lasted (roughly) from 1,600,000 until 10,000 BCE. It spans three periods: (1) Lower Paleolithic (2,500,000-200,000 BCE) (2) Middle Paleolithic (200,000-30,000 BCE) (3) Upper Paleolithic (40,000-10,000 BCE). After this comes a transitional phase called the Mesolithic period (sometimes known as epipaleolithic), ending with the spread of agriculture, followed by the Neolithic period (the New Stone Age) which witnessed the establishment of permanent settlements. The Stone Age ends as stone tools become superseded by the new products of bronze and iron metallurgy, and is followed by the Bronze and Iron ages. CHAPTER 2: PALEOLITHIC AGE: The period, also known as the stone age, encompasses the first widespread use of technology-as humans progressed from simpler to more complex developmental stages-and the spread of humanity from the savannas of East Africa to the rest of the world. It is generally said to have begun approximately 500,000 years ago and to have ended about 6,000 B.C.E. It ends with the development of agriculture, the domestication of certain animals, and the smelting of copper ore to produce metal. It is termed pre-historical, since humanity had not yet started writing-which is seen as the traditional start of (recorded) history. Knowledge of human life at this time is confined to generalities. Scientists do not have records of individual lives or of the achievements of individual contributors to human development. As technology enabled humans to settle in larger numbers, however, more rules were needed to regulate life, which gave rise to ethical codes. Religious belief, reflected in cave art, also be came more sophisticated. Death and burial rites evolved. As hunting and gathering gave way to agriculture and as some people became artisans, trading implements they produced, even larger settlements, such as Jericho, appear. Art and music also developed as some people had more time for leisure. Human society emerged as more self-consciously collective. People became aware that they faced the same challenges, so co-operation was better than competition. In the early Paleolithic period, each clan or family group regarded themselves as the people to the exclusion of others. Strangers may not even have been thought of as human. With settlement, this changed and community identity became more important than individual identity. 2.1 MATERIAL CULTURE DURING THE PALEOLITHIC ERA: IMPLEMENTS AND TOOLS: Implements are essentially an extension of human limbs-the extension of the fist and tooth with the stone ; the arm with the stick; the hand or mouth with a bag or basket. If an implement such as a stone, picked up and thrown, is the beginning of human technical process, that progress becomes unlimited once the tool is developed. The tool-the implement to make implements-creates the possibility of producing far more different types of implements than could by simply selected from nature. The process of making tools, first by chipping from stone, then by grinding, and finally from metal by hammering and casting, underlies all our modern techniques of dealing physically with material objects. Through the practice of tool making, men learned the mechanical properties of many natural products and thus laid the basis for physical science. Paleolithic means Old Stone. In the Paleeolithic objects were made of stone, wood and animal bones. Most objects were made of stone and that is why this period was also called Stone Age. The technique to make tools and objects out of stone was very simple. They knocked two stones together until they got small pieces from one of them. These pieces became cutting objects. They used them to hunt and cut animal skins and meat. Examples of objects made of wood and animal bones are: harpoons, needles and lances CLOTHING: Partly from the need to carry things about, at first only food and implements, came the custom of attaching objects more or less permanently to the body, wherever a convenient hold could be made, in the hair, round the neck, waist, wrists and ankles. These attachments tended to become distinctive and ornamental. Feathers, bones and skins were added. Then came the crucial discovery that furry skin helped to keep people warm on cold nights and in winters. From this came clothes, first in isolated skin, cloaks and skirts then sew and tailored garments. FOOD: Food sources of the early hunter-gatherer humans of the Paleolithic Age included both animals and plants that were part of the natural environment in which these humans lived, often animal organ meats, including the liver, kidneys, and brains. They consumed little dairy food or carbohydrate-rich plant foods like legumes or cereal grains. Current research indicates that two-thirds of the energy was derived from animal foods. FIRE AND COOKERY: Fire was discovered about half a million years ago. For human beings in the Paleolithic Age it was one of the most important discoveries. The climate was extremely cold and with fire they could heat and light their caves, cook their food and frighten wild animals away. How man came across fire and why he dared to tame and feed it is yet to be discovered. The preservation and propagation of fire must at first have been frightening, hazardous and difficult. At first it must have been used to warm the body on cold nights. Cooking could only have come once the camp fire had become an established custom. Just as the tool is the basis of physical and mechanical science, so is fire the basis of chemical science. First of all came the very simple and essentially chemical practice of cooking. It is from the accidental use of fire that the more specifically controllable and scientific uses of fire in pottery and later in metal-making first arose. It was not very difficult to roast meat on sticks, but boiling represents a real problem, the solution of which was to lead to further great advances. The crucial discovery, was that by coating a basket with thick clay it could be put on the fire and actually improved in the process. In time it was discovered, probably towards the end of the Old Stone Age, that the basket could be dispensed with and clay pottery made that would hold water and stand fire. PRIMITIVE ART: For this, we have the evidence of the most detailed knowledge of nature possessed today by all tribes still in the hunting phase and by the large part that animal dances play in their ceremonies. All this is shown by widely dispersed cave paintings, drawings and sculptures, which are almost exclusively of animals. These representations don not stop at the outside of the animal, often bones, heart and entrails are also shown giving evidence of the origin of anatomy arising from the cutting up of game. A rock painting at Bhimbetka, India, a World heritage site. 2.2 SOCIAL BASIS OF PRIMITIVE LIFE: LANGUAGE: The cooperation of several individuals in the pursuit of food with their bare hands or with unshaped sticks and stones is possible only by the use of gesture or words. Early language must have mainly dealt with the getting of food, including the movements of people and the making and using of implements. Language must have been, from the very beginning, almost entirely arbitrary and conventional. In each community the meaning of sounds had to win acceptance and be fixed by tradition into a complete language capable of dealing with the totality of material and social life. FOOD GATHERING AND HUNTING: DIVISION OF LABOUR The general ecological character of the human groups was determined at first almost exclusively, later very largely by how they got their food. To begin with they must have collected anything they could eat-seeds, nuts, fruit, roots, insects etc. All primitive people still surviving have passed into the next stage where food gathering is supplemented by hunting large animals. The necessarily small social groups of the early Stone Age maintained their continuity through the women, while the young men for the most part must have gone off and mated with girls of other groups to which they then attached themselves. This corresponded to an economic division in which the women collected fruits, nuts, grains while men caught game and fish. The further development of big game hunting a mans business increased mans importance as a prime food-getter. It may be that this, combined with the extra strength, aggressiveness and skill that went with it, led towards the end of the Stone Age to the dominance of men over women. RELIGIOUS/BURIAL CUSTOMS: A number of archeologists propose that Middle Paleolithic societies such as Neanderthal societies may also have practiced the earliest form of totemism or animal worship. Animal cults in the following Upper Paleolithic period, such as the bear cult, may have had their origins in these hypothetical Middle Paleolithic animal cults. The oldest known burials can be attributed to the Middle Paleolithic Period. The corpses, accompanied by stone tools and parts of animals, were laid in holes in the ground and sometimes the corpses were especially protected. In some cases, the findings give the impression that the dead were to be held onto. Whether or not that meant that the dead were to be cared for lovingly or that their return was to be feared, it implies, in any case, a belief in life after death in some form. But it is not necessary to infer a belief in separate souls; rather, it could also indicate the concept of a living corpse. SACRIFICES: Sacrifices (i.e., the presentation of offerings to higher beings or to the dead) appear as early as the Middle Paleolithic Period. Pits with some animal bones have been found in the vicinity of burial sites; thus, it is a likely possibility that they represent offerings to the dead. There is a dispute over the interpretation of the arrangement of the skulls and long bones of bears, since they are deposited in such a manner that it is hardly possible to discern a profane explanation. It is assumed that they had a cultic or magical significance. Most likely, certain parts of the prey, such as the head and the meaty shanks, or at least the bones with brain and marrow, were sacrificed. Even if it cannot be definitely stated who the recipient of these sacrifices was, analogies with present-day primitive phenomena make it likely that a part of the prey was offered to a higher being who was believed to dispense nourishment. CHAPTER 3: MESOLITHIC ERA: The Mesolithic period is a transitional era between the ice-affected hunter-gatherer culture of the Upper Paleolithic, and the farming culture of the Neolithic. The greater the effect of the retreating ice on the environment of a region, the longer the Mesolithic era lasted. So, in areas with no ice (eg. the Middle East), people transitioned quite rapidly from hunting/gathering to agriculture. Their Mesolithic period was therefore short, and often referred to as the Epi-Paleolithic or Epipaleolithic. By comparison, in areas undergoing the change from ice to no-ice, the Mesolithic era and its culture lasted much longer. The Mesolithic is characterized in most areas by small composite flint tools microliths and microburins. Fishing tackle, stone adzes and wooden objects, e.g. canoes and bows, have been found at some sites MESOLITHIC CULTURES: As the ice disappeared, to be replaced by grasslands and forests, mobility and flexibility became more important in the hunting and acquisition of food. As a result, Mesolithic cultures are characterized by small, lighter flint tools, quantities of fishing tackle, stone adzes, bows and arrows. Very gradually, at least in Europe, hunting and fishing was superceded by farming and the domestication of animals. The three main European Mesolithic cultures are: Azilian, Tardenoisian and Maglemosian. Azilian was a stone industry, largely microlithic, associated with Ofnet Man. Tardenoisian, associated with Tardenoisian Man, produced small flint blades and small flint implements with geometrical shapes, together with bone harpoons using flint flakes as barbs. Maglemosian (northern Europe) was a bone and horn culture, producing flint scrapers, borers and core-axes. MESOLITHIC ROCK ART: Artworks created during the Mesolithic period reflect the arrival of new living conditions and hunting practices caused by the disappearance of the great herds of animals from Spain and France, at the end of the Ice Age. Forests now cloaked the landscape, necessitating more careful and cooperative hunting arrangements. European Mesolithic rock art gives more space to human figures, and is characterized by keener observation, and greater narrative in the paintings. Also, because of the warmer weather, it moves from caves to outdoor sites in numerous locations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. For example, in Africa, a number of bushman rock paintings were found in the Waterberg area which date from about 8,000 BCE. In India, the paintings in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, derive from Mesolithic artists. A good deal of Australian Aboriginal art (eg. from Arnhem Land) dates from Mesolithic as well as Paleolithic periods. Most of the Aborigines ancient artwork i s stylized rock painting, often executed in a symbolic or abstract manner as many were created from a birds eye view. MESOLITHIC SCULPTURE: As well as these stylized cave paintings, the Mesolithic era also featured more 3-D art, including bas-reliefs and free standing sculpture. Early examples of the latter include the anthropomorphic figurines, typically embellished by animals, uncovered in Nevali Cori and GÃ ¶bekli Tepe near Urfa in eastern Asia Minor (now Turkey), dating to 9,000 BCE. The mesolithic statues of Lepenski Vir (eg. The Fish God) in Serbia date from about 5,000 BCE and depict either humans or hybrid figures, part-human, part-fish. MESOLITHIC DECORATIVE CRAFTS: Other examples of this type of new portable art include adornments, like bracelets and painted pebbles, together with decorative drawings on functional objects like paddles and weapons. Ceramic art was also developed, notably by the Jomon culture an early highpoint of Japanese Art whose sophisticated pots have been dated to the 11th millennium BCE. Their clay figures and vessels were typically decorated with patterns created by impressing the wet clay body with cord and sticks. Chinese pottery begins during the Mesolithic period. MESOLITHIC MASTERPIECE: The Thinker From Cernavoda (5000 BCE) One extraordinary example of Neolithic art is the sculpture known as the Thinker From Cernavoda (c.5,000 BCE), discovered in the lower Danube in Romania. It belongs to the Hamangia culture, usually classified as a Neolithic culture practised in Dobruja (Romania and Bulgaria) on the right bank of the Danube in Muntenia, and in the south, but may be connected with mesolithic hunter-gatherers. The uniqueness of the sculpture stems from the fact that the figure is neither a hunting or fertility idol, but simply sits in deep thought. A near-perfect illustration of a thinking Neolithic man. CHAPTER 4: NEOLITHIC OR NEW STONE AGE: Neolithic means New Stone Age. This was a period of primitive technological and social development, toward the end of the Stone Age. Beginning in the 10th millennium BCE (12,000 BP), the Neolithic period saw the development of early villages, agriculture, animal domestication, tools and the onset of the earliest recorded incidents of warfare It is characterized by the discovery of stone implements that were polished, and, in particular, the stone axe that was bound to a wooden handle. There were also numerous arrow-heads that were found. Also found was the beginning of a sort of agriculture, as well as the use of plants and seeds. Evidences of hunting revealed that there were hunters among Neolithic humans. There is also evidence revealing the domestication of animals, such as dogs, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Hunters began tending the herds that they hunted. Also discovered are evidences of pottery, plaiting and weaving. In the Mesolithic period, people built up knowledge about harvesting wild foods. In the Middle East, they specialized in gathering the seeds of wild grasses. Between 10,000 and 9000 bce, people learned how to store and sow seeds of plants, which then changed as a result of human selection. Wild wheat has brittle stalks that shatter when ripe, releasing grains to be spread by the wind. People harvested wheat with larger, intact ears, which stayed longer on the plant and eventually created a new wheat with heads that no longer shattered. People also began to control the breeding of animals, such as sheep. They had become farmers. This new period of prehistory is called the Neolithic (New Stone) Age. 4.1 VILLAGE AND RIVER CULTURE: The characteristic economic and cultural unit of the Neolithic age is the village. Village economy is strictly limited in scope and possibility of change. Even where it involves thousands of people, as in some African villages today, it remains an economy in which nearly all the people are occupied most of the time in agricultural pursuits or in the production of locally made and locally used goods. The first step towards larger scale of operations occurred when people tried to practice agriculture in the wide alluvial valleys of rivers which flowed in their lower courses through aris lands. They may have started from the low river banks where seeds could be sown in the wet mud and then gradually cut back the marshes and cleared the river channels. Alternatively, the practice of agriculture in small upland valleys may simply have been pushed downstream step by step into the great valleys. In some such way, a new kind of agriculture based first on natural then on artificial irrigation came into being. 4.2 SOCIAL ORGANIZATION: During most of the Neolithic age, people lived in small tribes of 150-2000 members that were composed of multiple bands or lineages. There is little scientific evidence of developed social stratification in most Neolithic societies; social stratification is more associated with the later Bronze Age. Although some late Neolithic societies formed complex stratified chiefdoms similar to Polynesian societies such as the Ancient Hawaiians, most Neolithic societies were relatively simple and egalitarian. However, Neolithic societies were noticeably more hierarchical than the Paleolithic cultures that preceded them and Hunter-gatherer cultures in general. The domestication of animals (c. 8000 BC) resulted in a dramatic increase in social inequality. Possession of livestock allowed competition between households and resulted in inherited inequalities of wealth. Neolithic pastoralists who controlled large herds gradually acquired more livestock, and this made economic inequalities more pronou nced. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION: We can conclude by saying that Prehistoric culture refers to human evolution and development that occurred before the discovery of writing. For a short cut, this period is sometimes called the Stone Age. As the sciences of Geology, Paleontology, Anthropology and Archeology have developed, they have, by our time produced a vast, complex body of knowledge about the dawn of the human mind. If we correctly evaluate modern discoveries and proposed hypotheses, it can help us understand human nature and shed light on modern human problems. What is the role of reason in the life of mankind. Question One. What does our current knowledge about prehistoric times tell us about the use of reason in the prehistoric culture? Question Two: How do we use our personal, modern day reason in order to answer Question One. In order to examine the role of reason in prehistoric times, it first behooves us to understand the role of reason in our own lives here and now.

HOVENSA: Economic Boost and Environmental Disaster Essay -- Environmen

By far the largest private employer in the Virgin Islands, HOVENSA has decided to cease operations, despite the ongoing economic crisis plaguing the territory which desperately relies on the refinery’s vital tax revenues. Nevertheless, the company cites its present fiscal woes as the primary reason behind such a brash decision. In so far as, fluctuating oil prices brought on by various world events, in concert with other minor details including the manner in which the plant is run and the amount of expenditures incurred, have caused the oil giant to generate about $1.3 billion dollars in losses. What seems odd are the events is the surrounding environmental issues which have plagued the plant during 2010 and 2011, which caused the Environmental Protection Agency to sanction the company with a $700 million dollar mandate. Such legal action taken was the result of a series of mis-steps with the refinery’s engineering/environmental protection practices, resulting in one of the worst environmental disasters to hit the territory. HOVENSA came about as a new joint venture in the region between parent company, Hess Oil, and state owned oil company, Venezuela National Oil Company. Beginning in 1966 however, we notice that the precursor to HOVENSA, Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corporation, was seen as more of an economic miracle rather than a disaster in the making. Years subsequent to 1966 witnessed a continued expansion of the oil refinery petroleum producing capacity, essentially elevating it from what was known as humble operation to what would be considered to be a monolithic organization. Whether that included the refineries increased capacity from 45,000 barrels a day to well over 500,000 barrels a day, or the company’s innovative te... ...vironment is once again held paramount. Works Cited 1) Blackburn, Joy. 2011. "EPA launches HOVENSA air quality study." Virgin Islands Daily News, The (St. Thomas), February 16. 2) "Nation's Second Largest Refinery to Pay More Than $5.3 Million Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations." Allvoices. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. . 3) "Government De Jongh Seeks Federal Assistance in Aftermath of HOVENSAClosure." Governor John P. DeJongh. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. . 4) "HOVENSASt. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. .

The Great White Father Myth - A Hypocritical Belief :: Synthesis Essays

The Great White Father Myth - A Hypocritical Belief  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In the informative article "The Great White Father Myth," the author Stan Steiner discusses the stereotypical view that the white man has created of himself as the hero, conqueror, and savior. He labels this view as "The Great White Father Myth," and begins by talking about the silent role the Indians have taken in the face of their Great White Father. Steiner supports his view of the white man's superiority as being nothing more than a myth, by discussing the crimes the white man committed against the Indians were silenced. The Indian Wars and the White man's desire to civilize the Indians were illustrations of the myth that whites were superior. Although the article contains a one-sided view of the events between the Europeans and the Indians, the fact that the white man is hypocritical in the view of himself as the Great White Father comes through very accurately and strongly. This idea is shown very evidently even though Steiner never comes out and defines what the Great White Father Myth is. He shows what he means through examples. Basically, through illustrations he shows that he feels the myth is that whites are superior beings of the human race. This created identity makes their values, religion, and culture the ideal goal for other races to follow. Since the white race is the "father" it is his duty to punish and change anyone who is different. In "An Indian Story of the Sierra Madre," the typical white hero and savior image of the Great White Father Myth that Steiner describes comes through. Captain Ben, who is the white cowboy hero, knows everything. In the beginning, he knows that the Indians are near just by looking at some birds over head. In his mind, Ben knows without even seeing them that they want to kill him and his men. As a result of this conclusion, smart Ben devises a scheme to kill the Indians and saves the day. After the massacre, he finds money with the Indians and knows automatically that they stole it. Captain Ben, being the savior and all around good guy, recovers the money and intends to find its owner and return it. The story continues in this same stereotypical fashion (DeQuille 242). This is how the white man pictures himself in comparison to the Indian: white = good and red skin = bad.

Organizational Citizenship Behavior Essay

Human Resource Management (HRM) is defined as the organizational function that focuses on recruiting, management, and the directing of the employees that work in the organization. It also deals with compensation, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. Even though the HR functions evolved, some things never change. Since most companies will always need the traditional HR functions such as hiring and firing employees, providing pay and benefits packages, training and developing the workforce, and dealing with employer – employee conflicts. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is a concept defined as the set of additional activities that are beneficial to an organization and its employees. These activities are not required in a formal way; that is, they are not stated in a contract nor required by the company. OCB is commonly a behavior of employees towards their company and vice versa. It is clear that the organization’s HRM plays a vital role in implementing OCB through creating a well-established relationship between the organization and the employees. Rousseau and Geller argued that this relationship’s status is critical in the amount of OCB produced by employees where the company must deliver first a few requirements. (cited in Morrison, 1996). Schuller states that each company’s HRM has a set of principles and values that are integrated in its overall philosophy, which includes a respectful treatment of its employees (cited in Morrison, 1996). According to Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, and Sowa, how effective is an organization in applying that philosophy is related towards how much the employees feel appreciated in their work place and therefore related to the amount of OCB displayed (cited in Morrison, 1996). OCB is present in all companies and can be considered a cycle. In fact, the HR department encourages OCB through several actions, which pave the way to creating a healthy organizational culture where the company protects its employees who are devoted to their company. This report will discuss OCB in Middle East Airlines (MEA) by taking a closer look at the employee – company relationship and the company – employee relationship. Literature Review on Organization Citizenship Behavior How Companies Encourage OCB In order for employees to work on achieving OCB, the human resource management has to work on some issues to help encourage each individual to participate in developing the company. The management must ensure that several things should be well done: Social Exchange, ldentification with Organizational Objectives, Empowerment, Selection and Socialization, Evaluation and Rewards, Rules and Job Descriptions. In an organization, Blau identified two types of relationships that tie the management and the employees together: the economic relationship and the social relationship (cited in Morrison, 1996). Konovsky and Pugh’ analysis states that it is more likely for employees to perform OCB under good social conditions than economic (cited in Morrison, 1996). Organ claims that this fact is due to several reasons: First, social relationships allow employees to have feelings of mutual trust with the organization and they will build long-term relationships with the management. This will encourage employees to help enhance the image of their company by practicing OCB. Second, the social relationship is one that is ambiguously defined, that is it does not have clear boundaries; therefore employees will more likely include certain citizenship acts in their job tasks (cited in Morrison, 1996). The identification of the employees with the organizational objectives is crucial for achieving OCB. That is because each individual will adopt and familiarize with the values and principles of the company, and hence become a part of its system, which will give a feeling of belonging and an encouragement for being part of the progress of the company. For employees to achieve OCB, Conger and Kanungo believe that they must be first willing to do so, and that is by being encouraged and empowered (cited in Morrison, 1996). Bowen and Lawler claim that many benefits are generated as a result of empowerment. First, it will shorten the time of response of employees to serve their customers. Second, the relationship between the employees and the customers will be more enthusiastic and kind. Third, it will allow the employees to be more innovative and generate ideas for the benefit of the company (cited in Morrison, 1996). Selection is the first phase of the entrance of an employee into a company. During this stage, Shore and Tetrick claim that each individual becomes aware of the job responsibilities in his field. Also, it is through this stage that the company indicates to the employee the responsibilities that the company has towards him as well, such as security, progress and training; hence it identifies a two-way relationship. This will lead to a feeling of respect and interest from the other party, which will lead to employees achieving OCB (cited in Morrison, 1996). Selection is also important in what is referred to by Chatman as person-organization fit: by learning about the organization’s objectives, the employee becomes aware that he or she will be chosen not solely for their job qualification, but for their compatibility with the work environment as well (cited in Morrison, 1996). Socialization as defined by Van Maanen and Schein is when the company prepares the new employees with the set of knowledge, approaches, and behaviors that they should apply in order to fit into their roles (cited in Morrison, 1996). Similar to selection, socialization is about showing the new employee that the relationship with the organization is based on social exchange. This can be clarified through such processes as orientation that holds within it more value than it shows. Chatman claims that socialization also familiarizes the employees with the company’s objectives and values not to mention that it plays a vital part in the empowerment process. (cited in Morrison, 1996). There are two extremes stated by Jones in applying socialization. The first is a highly institutionalized one where the new employees are separated and offered a common learning program. The second end is highly individualized, where employees are left on their own to engage in informal relationships with their fellow employees and to have self-learning experiences. There is however one disadvantage to socialization: when the objectives are clearly defined for employees, they tend to perform solely what they were expected to (cited in Morrison, 1996). Therefore, a company that seeks employee OCB will tend to have a more individualized socialization. OCB by definition includes the set of actions performed by employees that are not asked by management, therefore it is not directly rewarded. Thus, to encourage employees into applying this behavior, O’Reilly and Chatman believe that the company should employ indirect means that will encourage them to do so. That can be done by giving a reward to the organization’s performance as a whole. This will be helpful in two ways: first, it will further familiarize the employees with the company’s objectives and this way they will tend to act more upon achieving those goals through citizenship behavior. Second, by giving an award for the entire company’s performance, the organization will indirectly inform the employees that their job goes beyond what is clearly specified and limited into a certain role or department (cited in Morrison, 1996). According to Bowen, Siehl, and Schneider, when the company imposes a high number of rules and regulation, it is limiting and discouraging the employees’ ability to perform tasks outside their field of work, therefore limiting the OCB that can be achieved in that organization. A high number of rules will clearly define the limits of the economic exchange relationship between the employees and their company which will diminish their will to achieve OCB by determining exactly what the employees are asked to do and not to do and preventing them from engaging in any other action that is indirectly rewarded even if it benefits the company as a whole. Hence, in order for employees to want to perform citizenship behavior, the company must reduce its rules and thus create a social exchange relationship (cited in Morrison, 1996). Like rules and regulations, if a company describes the employees’ job in a very precise and narrow matter, it will reduce according to Bowen and Lawler the citizenship behavior applied by its subordinates. Employees will then have extremely well defined tasks to perform with no regard to any other company-wide actions. That way the exchange relationship between employee and company will more likely to be economic, not to mention that it reduces empowerment by limiting the resources needed by employees such as knowledge and skills to taking action towards OCB (cited in Morrison, 1996). How Employees Exercise OCB: To achieve organizational citizenship behavior, employees must practice different means. First, as Organ defines it, helping behavior is critical and evident in creating inter-employee relationships. Such behavior can be noted in the simplest acts such as when an employee assists his co-worker when the latter is overstrained with his paperwork or any other task being done. Second, according to Organ as well, sportsmanship, another dimension of OCB, is the ability to accept criticism and unfortunate events in the company without complaints, verbal or written. Consider a meeting for a marketing idea where employees are brainstorming. When the group rejects someone’s idea and the latter accepts that without being offended, he/she is considered to have a sense of sportsmanship. Third, organizational loyalty is a major concept when it comes to having a constructive organizational culture. This is evident whereby when employees are loyal to their company, they would feel safer and more content about the workplace and the organization’s culture. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) Individual initiative, a fourth aspect of OCB, is represented in taking on additional responsibilities and engaging in task-improving actions without being asked to do so. This also includes encouraging others to do so, which helps the company as a whole improve. (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) An example is when an employee suggests to adopt a new method of performing a task, which he/she knows will improve the way things s done. Related to this is self-development, which is yet another dimension of OCB. According to George and Brief, self-development pertains to voluntarily engaging in development courses that are not required from the company in the attempt of improving one’s skills and broadening one’s knowledge. (Cited in Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) For instance, an employee could learn about upcoming seminars and training sessions and inform his colleagues of their dates. A different aspect of OCB is civic virtue, which can be defined as a commitment to the organization as a whole. This takes place through engaging in governing the organization indirectly, looking out for its best interest, and protecting it from threats. (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) A simple example of this is turning off the lights after having used the restroom. Similar to this is organizational compliance, the last dimension of OCB, which is when an employee complies with the company rules and regulations whether or not the latter is being monitored. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) Returning to work right after having finished the permitted lunch break is an example of organizational compliance. It is crucial to note that all these behavioral aspects of organizational citizenship behavior are not part of the work contract or job description. Factors that diminish OCB: Several factors antecede and affect organizational citizenship behavior. Such factors can be set into four basic categories: employee characteristics, organizational characteristics, task characteristics, and leadership behaviors. The influence of these categories on OCB can be either positive or negative. It is evident that OCB is present in all companies, whether on a noticeable scale or an imperceptible one. This report will be depicting the negative relations between OCB and its antecedents, whereby, according to studies done in a meta-analysis by Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, and Bachrach, it has been found that organizational and task characteristics have little impact on OCB relative to individual and leadership behaviors which have greater impact on OCB. Employee or individual characteristics affect the presence of OCB and how much the latter contributes to building a constructive organizational culture. Taking two extremes, one can consider an employee who is indifferent of his/her company’s interest. The latter would surely not engage in activities pertaining to civic virtue, thus not exercising good citizenship behavior. The other extreme is an employee who is very concerned about the company’s interest and always seeks to attain goals that hold the company’s benefit. Such employee is more likely to be engaged in the different dimensions of citizenship behavior. To go back to the bigger image, an employee’s characteristics help in determining how well OCB is exercised in an organization. Indeed, it is found that the existence of OCB increases with the increase of employee loyalty and concern to the organization, and decreases with indifference to the greater benefit of the company and the rewards granted for good citizenship behavior. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) Leadership behaviors are quite correlated to the presence of citizenship behavior in an organization. According to another meta-analysis reported by Podsakoff, MacKenzie, and Bommer in 1996, leadership behaviors are mostly positively related to OCB, whereby most leaders reward citizenship behavior within performance in general, which increases such behavior in the company as employees are aware of such rewards. The only negative leadership behaviors are contingent and non-contingent punishment behavior as well as leader specification of procedures. This is due to the fact that employees feel confused as to why leaders perform contingent punishment, thereby decreasing their citizenship behavior. Non-contingent punishment is a discouraging factor by itself, which makes it obvious why it negatively affects OCB in an organization.

Reaction Paper to Chapter 6: Sedative-Hypnotics: the Other Depressants

Rachel Johnson Chemical Dependence: chapter reaction paper 10/24/12 (due 10/23) Chapter 6: Sedative-Hypnotics: The Other Depressants Brief Summary This chapter described sedative-hypnotics. They were said to be depressants to the central nervous system that produce a calming effect and cause sleep. This category of drug is abused because it produces pleasurable responses and because it gives a feeling of relief from stress and worry. The chapter goes into detail explaining barbiturates and how they work, and specific barbiturates that have been popularly abused in the past.This chapter also explains how some sedative-hypnotics have been found to be physically addictive while others have not. Different types of tranquilizers are described, along with others antianxiety medications and these are both explained as being drugs that people abuse and become dependent upon. Categories of inhalants including aerosols are also discussed and described as not being physically addictive, but cre ating of a drunken-like state such as is obtained from alcohol use when they are abused.What was learned In reading this chapter I learned which drugs are included in the category of those that produce sedative-hypnotic effects. I also learned about many products that are not intended for ingestion that are used as drugs such as aerosols and commercials solvents, which produce sedative-hypnotic effects. Because many sedative-hypnotic drugs are used and abused by people to produce sleep, this chapter taught me alternatives that are healthier for getting to sleep that do not involve any drug intake.Overall I also learned how these types of drugs are different from other types and what separates sedative-hypnotics into their own category. Personal insights This was another overwhelming chapter for me because I did not even really have a grasp that this was a category of drugs before reading the chapter. Now I have a better-rounded grasp of what substances are included in the world of a bused drugs.I feel frustration after reading this chapter because it added so many more types of drugs and substances that are abused to how many I have already found out about so far, and I don’t feel like I will ever be able to keep all the differences between categories and individual drugs straight. How this chapter helped me in learning to understand the disease of addiction The biggest thing I took away from this chapter that helps me to understand the disease of addiction is that not all abused substances are addictive in every way.Some drugs/substances are not physically addictive, but they can still be abused because of the good feelings obtained through their use. This is true for aerosols and commercial solvents; no physical dependence has been found to these substances when abused, but they are continuously abused by people because of the feelings of euphoria they can produce. So I understand better that some abused substances do not produce physical addiction, bu t are still abused and still have very dangerous effects.

Film Paper My Big Fat Greek Wedding Essay

For my paper, i have decided to write about My big fat greek Wedding and Philadelphia. I will say that I really enjoyed watching both films and there are a lot of interesting things to dicsuss about them. Both films varied in the amount of societal implications and interpersonal concepts but there were was plenty of it. Initially, i had trouble finding a good connection between the two films but i will be talking about something that i think both of these films do a good job of portraying. Both of these films are very interesting and i can honestly say i learned from them. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was absolutely hilarious in my opinion. In a sense the entire movie was about this relatively old below average looking greek girl who lived in a culturally bias greek family that wanted her to get married to a greek man. Her name is Tula and she is a smart girl working for the familys greek restaruant almost religiously day after day without a â€Å"life† as her father implies, which basically means she hasnt found a greek man yet. She eventually meets a non-greek man who she falls in love with and wants to marry but she is stressed out because she is afraid of her family reacting in a horrible way. Eventually, things somewhatwork out between both sides of the family and tula gets married. Love is a funny thing, what almost breaks the family apart brings them together in the end. There are a lot of interpersonal concepts in this movie but i think the biggest ones would be emotions, issues of self, and culture. From the beginning of her life, Tula was always looking down on herself and comparing herself to the other non-greek kids. She wanted to fit in with the cool culture and not with her greek family. She wasnt a good looking girl and her life never looked like it was going to get better. This obviously bothered her but she had no passion or drive to get her going. she gave up on trying because she created a distorted image of reality and opportunity. Well, until she met the love of her life, Ian Miller. This is where emotions played an even bigger role in the movie. Before Tula met Ian she was emotionally dead but when they fell in love Tula literally came to life. Change started with small emotions but eventually it led to her physical appearance, happiness, and view of life. Its amazing what love can do to a person. The concept of culture in this movie really is a funny topic. The entire family is so far greek that anyone else is not just considered inferior, but bad. Tulas father is the best example of bias because he relates everything back to the greeks and he always has a story to tell about his culture. His pride blinds him and the rest of the family from seeing people as they really are. Despite these issues, the family surprisingly accepts Ian into the family with a few exceptions ofcourse. At the end of the movie, Tulas father gives a humorous story basically stating that no matter what our differences are we are all just people. I think this film was trying to teach people alot about family and love. You can get rid of your friends or boyfriend/girlfirend but its much more difficult to get rid of your family because they are always going to be there. I learned to be a lot more grateful for my family after watching this because i could see the beauty in imperfection. We dont need to have the picture perfect family that we often try to portray. Honestly, That concept can go for all aspects of life. We are so hard on ourselves that we often try to be someone we are not just to gain approval from someone we dont even know. How sad is that? This movie showed that true love covers a multitude of things and people are willing to work through the storm to find a place of happiness and peace. In the end, love is what everyone really wants. Many things fade in life but people are loving until the day they die. Philadelphia is a movie that i had never heard of before this class. So i was very excited to watch it, especially because it starred Tom Hanks and Denzel washington was in it. The movie was Primarily focused on Andrew Beckett, a relatively young and bright lawyer who had a very promising future working at the largest corporate law firm in Philadelphia. Although he lives with his partner Beckett is not open about his homosexuality at the law firm, nor the fact that he has AIDS. He is eventually promoted to an important assighnment but his boss gains suspicion which ends up escalating to becket getting fired over a silly computer drive problem. Beckett beleives that someone set him up because he has AIDS and he goes to great lengths to get justice. He finally meets a lawayer named Wheeler who is willing to take a stand with him in court and bring justice to the situation. In the end, becket and wheeler win the case but beckett is rushed to the hospital after a nasty day at court. Beckett was finally ready for death because he got what he wanted, justice. This movie displayed a lot of interpersonal concepts but i will be talking mostly about perception and issues of self. You can only imagine how Beckett must have felt as a gay man with AIDS in the early 1990s. So much hatred and discrimination that people didnt even want to sit next to him. It really must be an awful feeling and the movie shows that the one thing worse then physical death is to be socially dead but still physically alive. what is the reason to keep on living in a situation like that? Beckett wasnt completely ashamed of his homosexualtiy but he kept it a secret after hearing his boss make horrible jokes about gays in the locker room. Its understandable to conceal that information in Becketts situation but it made things a lot more difficult for him in the long run. I think the movie showed the audience a different perspective on homosexualtiy. I had feelings of sympathy and empathy throughout the movie as i did feel bad for beckett but i honestly could not put myself in his shoes. I could imagine but i have never been in a situation remotely close to his so it was hard for me. The movie showed that Homosexuals arent these evil creatures or contagious diseases that need to be eradicated immediately or avoided. They are people with emotions, dreams, and thoughts just like everyone else. These two films do not seem connected in many ways at first glance but there is more to it then meets the eye. In both movies you have these main characters who are facing issues of self, emotion, and culture. It is hard to go against what society and culture say is the â€Å"right† thing to do. It takes a lot of courage to do that and that is exactly what Tula and beckett had. Both acts of courage also sparked life and innovation to the people around them, particularly the family members. I think both of these films displayed family in a big way. You got to see family intertwined with the main character in both films throughout the good times and the bad. You also got to see the love of family through hardships which always sparks my interest because it often goes beyond reason. Even when there are differences love often overcomes and it was cool to see the acceptance of family in both films. I really enjoyed watching both films. My Big Fat Greek Wedding really had me laughing while Philadelphia made me put my thinking cap on. I personally value a lot of the family union and tradition you see in My Big Fat Greek Wedding because my family is very similair. I could relate to the movie in a lot of ways while i couldnt relate to Philadephia as much. Philadelphia had more of an emotional impact on me as it had a bitter sweet ending. It just got me thinking a lot about other peoples feelings and beleif systems. You never really know what is going on inside a persons life. Everyone Face has a story behind it and its not right to judge anyone. I could say i gained more appreciation, patience, and love for family and i got to see a different perspective on people as individuals. In this example, its the life of a homosexual man but i can apply the knowledge i gained to varios situations and people.

Plot and character outlines Essay

   He also wants different colored rabbits that he can feed with the alfalfa that he will collect. Lennies dream doesn’t come true as his child like nature means that he tries to stroke Curly’s wife’s hair and not wanting her to scream he breaks her neck. He then flees to the â€Å"brush† where George told him to hide if anything went wrong. George wanting to protect Lennie from the pain of being hung decides instead to shoot him in the back of the head similar to the way Candy’s dog was so mercilessly killed. Another character who has a dream is Candy. Candy is a decrepit old man who is described as a â€Å"swamper† who lost his hand at the end of his useful life on the ranch. He wishes to join George and lennie to escape the ranch. His dream is to join George and lennie and seeks security in his old age. He is desperate and determined to make it happen as he is afraid he will end up like his dog as he will be sacked as soon as he becomes too old to do any work. Candy is considered useless as he only has one hand â€Å"I got hurt four years ago†¦ they’ll can me pretty soon†. Candy’s only friend on the ranch was his dog who was shot and so he seeks company and doesn’t want to be lonely any more, wants company in his old age â€Å"I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs† Candy’s dream doesn’t come true as he has to abandon his plans as lennie is killed and George has to leave town as many of the men at the ranch believe that he might have been conspiring with lennie. At this Candy,s American dream is crushed. The next character who dreams is Crooks. He is a black stable hand, lives by himself in the harness room, a shed attached to the barn. Injured when a horse kicked him, Crooks has a body that is bent to the left because of his crooked spine. The stable hand has many horse care items in his room, as well as personal belongings he keeps because he is a more permanent tenant. He is a proud man but he feels segregated from the other guys and so spends most of his time in his room reading. He used to own his own hand but he lost it He dreams of one day being accepted and being able to â€Å"sit in the bunk house and play cards† he wants to be able to fit in and find his own place in society, have somebody that he can talk to â€Å"A guy needs somebody to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody†. He wanted to join George and Lennie but he pulls out after George finds out that Lennie and candy have been talking to crooks about the land and Crooks’ wanting to avoid disappointment decides that it is best he pulls out as George is not happy. Curly’s wife also has a dream. Curly’s wife is a seductive, pretty woman who not happy with her marriage to curly seeks excitement and a new life â€Å"A show came through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’t let me†¦ If Id went, I wouldn’t be livin’ like this, you bet†. she doesn’t like Curly’s and says he is a â€Å"mean guy† she is also happy when Lennie breaks Curly’s hand as she says â€Å"it’s good you busted curly up†. Her dream is to become a big movie star as she makes reference to â€Å"Nother time I met a guy, an’ he was in pitchers†¦ he says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soon’s he get back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it†¦ I never got that letter†¦ I always thought my ol’ lady stole it. † Her dream was to go on stage and entertain as she also tried to run away with the circus A show came through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’t let me†¦ If Id went, I wouldn’t be livin’ like this, you bet. † this makes reference to the fact that she is lonely as the only woman on the ranch and resents her life. Curly’s wife trys to leave the ranch when she comes across lennie and they get talking, she lets Lennie touch her hair but he gets carried away and ends up killing her. Her dreams of fame and belonging are dashed as she dies before she gets the chance to leave the ranch. The last character who has a dream is Curly. He is the boss’ son, a young, pugnacious character, once a semi-professional boxer. He is described by others, with some irony, as â€Å"handy†. He is very jealous and protective of his wife and immediately develops a dislike toward Lennie. He is married but his marriage is a shame as his wife feels lonely and spends half her time supposedly looking for curly. His wife could be described as a promiscuous as she seems to take a interest in the other men on the ranch. Curly is a small guy and doesn’t like big guys, â€Å"like all small guys, he don’t like big guys† His dream was to become a professional boxer but he had to stay on the ranch, he feels insecure and possessive of his wife, as she has a promiscuous personality. â€Å"Seems like Curly is cockier than ever since he got married†. His dreams were dashed as he had to stay on the ranch and was not allowed to follow his dream, this may be why he is so bitter and angry . He also cannot even keep his wife as she seems to wander off a lot. His dreams are further crushed as his hand is badly damaged in a fight with Lennie. As his hand is broken he will never be able to fight again, as well as the shame of being beaten by someone who is considered to be mentally handicapped really damaged his reputation. To sum up, most the characters in the book have a dream of some sort. All of the characters dreams in the book ‘of mice and men’ do not come true . Lennie and Georges dream is slashed by Lennie killing Curlys wife and her dreams are slashed as she is killed but Curly’s wife dose finally decide to leave Curly which was part of her dream. Candy’s dream dies with Lennie as George is not interested in the farm anymore. Crooks had his dream when he used to own his own bit of land but it was taken away from him and so his dream was crushed. They chased their dreams but none of them came true which has reference to the American dream which many people chased but most never achieve. By marc di-trolio Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Air Bud Essay

Air Bud Essay Air Bud is not like any other kids movie. With a touching story line and clever effects, Air bud is a movie anyone can enjoy regardless of age and gender. Symbols play a surprisingly interesting role in the movie, Air Bud. One case of symbolism is the church courts representation of Josh. When Josh primarily discovered the church court shortly after moving into the area, the church court was chaotic and disordered, similarly to Joshs feelings. After transforming the church court, Josh thrust down the fence and broke through his own barriers. Josh rediscovered something hidden under layers of leaves-himself. Within himself, or rather, the church court, Josh also found his father and Buddy. Joshs father was always watching over Josh even though the body wasnt there physically, and Buddy filled gap left by the father in Joshs life. In the church court that symbolizes Josh, Josh found not only himself but his dad and Buddy. The first identification of the dog that Josh found in the church court, the piece of cloth, became a symbol of Buddy. The cloth was dirty and torn when Josh found it in a bush. However, by the time Joshs mom found it, the cloth was clean. This corresponds to how Buddy was dirty and unwanted when Josh first found him, but under the care of Josh, Buddy became clean and loved. The love is evident when Joshs mom put the clean cloth beside the picture of Josh with his dad. Buddy was a part of their family. Similarly to Joshs dad, Buddy was also forced to leave for a period of time. Josh mended the cloth which symbolizes Buddy, a member of Joshs family. One aspect of Buddy that Josh could not completely heal was Buddys fear, shown through newspapers. Buddys deep fear and distrust in humans resulted from being abused with newspapers in the past. In an attempt to hide his fear, Buddy buried the newspaper each morning. Fear, however, returns regardless of how well you hide it. The source of fear-Norm Snively-appeared after Joshs mom found the buried newspapers. Therefore, instead of continuing to avoid fear, Buddy surpassed his fear at the end of the movie when he tore apart Norms newspaper. The newspaper symbolizes the fear Buddy learns he cant avoid. The church court, the piece of cloth, and the newspaper are some symbolism effects from the movie, Air Bud. The director produced the movie with impressively decisive and insightful details. Watching Air Bud once is not enough to understand the full depth of the movie.