Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Research paper - Essay Example They claim that consumers who have a traditional thanksgiving meal consisting of turkey increase the level of serotonin in their brain which reduces the chances of impulsive buying. In order to validate these claims 2 lab studies were conducted. The studies showed that participants who had had been given a tryptophan rich beverage preferred to buy the product through layaway financing than through credit card. Layaway financing allows the consumers’ time to actually consider whether the purchase is necessary and if they can afford it. The authors claim that this occurred due to increased amount of serotonin in the brain which is produced by a tryptophan rich diet. The authors claim that their research can make the consumers aware about the type of foods which should be consumed by them before going for shopping. This will reduce unnecessary purchases and reduce their credit card debts. The major critique of the article is the methodology which has been adopted by authors for their study. The study 1 was completely online and there was no way of verifying the authenticity of information. The participants were also asked whether they would like to by a DELL computer. The response provided online by the respondents may be completely different than how they actual react in the shop. Some of the participants may say they are very likely to buy the product as they didn’t have to actually spend the money at that time; others may have given guarded responses in the study. It has been well documented that answers given during a survey cannot be used to gauge the actual shopping responses. This puts a question mark over the validity of the study 1. Similar criticism can also be made regarding the leeway financing option which was given to consumers in the study 2.Although they may claim to go for leeway financing but consumers can behave differently on the shop floor under pressure from friends ,relatives ,shop owners, sales persons or even fellow

Concerns Regarding Both the Understanding and the Use of Culture Essay

Concerns Regarding Both the Understanding and the Use of Culture - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the world economy has grown in recent years. International trade has been the motivating force behind it. But with the more recent technological developments as well as reduced trade blockades, growth in trade is definitely on the rise. Developing countries have also stepped on this bandwagon, extracting the best out of their own respective economies through trade internationally as well as locally - within the country. The integration of trade into the world economy has really proved helpful for the developing countries as they can promote economic growth, development as well as poverty reduction within themselves. Further, the companies which are ready to use upgrade their human resources regimes are thus the ones who have found success in all relevant quarters of their business. With this necessary incorporation, they have been able to look at the ethical side of things as well since the moral grounds have been set in a proper manne r and there are as such no apprehensions to state the least in the present times. A business can move from a position of stability to one of a complete unstable stance as it acquires different means of gathering the market and its driving factors that come along with it. The firm has to change its position with the changing times otherwise it will literally vanish away from its competitors and more so the customers, for which it actually exists.

James Beard Essay Example for Free

James Beard Essay James Beard was one of the most famous chefs of the 20th century. He was born May 5, 1903, and died January 21, 1985. Beard was well known for bringing French cuisine to the American middle and upper class population, and being the first to bring cooking to television. Julia Childs once described James â€Å"Beard was the quintessential American cook. Well-educated and well-traveled during his eighty-two years, he was familiar with many cuisines but he remained fundamentally American. He was a big man, over six feet tall, with a big belly, and huge hands. An endearing and always lively teacher, he loved people, loved his work, loved gossip, loved to eat, loved a good time. † This is what made him so renowned in the field of cooking, his love, passion, and willingness to learn as much as possible about culinary arts. James Beard will forever be in history though his 20 books, numerous writings, his personal foundation and the many awards and scholarships that go out named after him On May 5, 1903, James Beard was born in Portland, Oregon. His mother, Elizabeth Beard ran the Gladstone hotel, and his father, John Beard, was employed at the city’s customs house. Both his parents also had a love for cooking. The family spent many summers vacation at the beach in Gearhart, Oregon. This is where James was first introduced to the unique local foods of the North West. His family would fish, gather shellfish and wild berries, and then prepare their meals with whatever the found or caught in the area. Beards recalled his earliest memory of his interest in food was the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905, when he was only two years old. Beard reminisced in his memoir saying: I was taken to the exposition two or three times. The thing that remained in my mind above all others, I think it marked my life, was watching Triscuits and shredded wheat biscuits being made. Isnt that crazy? At two years old that memory was made. It intrigued the hell out of me. At only two years of age, Beard developed a love for cooking. When James was three, he got malaria and had to stay in bed. His mother and their Chinese helper took care of him and fed him. This gave him time to really enjoy the food. This is when he began to be influence by Chinese culture and there cooking habits, along with his mother’s cooking abilities. Both of these would help him later in life in culinary arts. Once he was out of bed he was back to his normal life, vacation at the beach, and spending time with his family. Another spot that James liked to go to was Seaside, a town only 3 miles away by train. There was an ice cream stand there, West’s Dairy, which was a popular hangout among the kids his age at the time. They had five cent milkshakes, and 28 flavors that included tutti fruity of course, along with cherry, wild blackberry, and blue huckleberry. Beard once said â€Å"It was probably the best five cents worth of anything I have ever had†. There were even times when James would walk the 3 miles so he could save his five cents on the train fare and use it for spending at the ice cream stand. Later on in his life, Beard went to college briefly at Reed College in Portland, from which he was expelled due to homosexual activity. Beards memoir states: By the time I was seven, I knew that I was gay. I think its time to talk about that now. † The James Beard Foundation said says in 1923 Beard went on the road with a theatrical troupe. † In the 1920’s, Beard briefly lived in France. There he observed French cuisine at their many bistros. He became a Francophile due to the influence the French culinary culture had on him. The James Beard Foundation said â€Å"he lived abroad for several years studying voice and theater, but returned to the United States for good in 1927. Initially training for being a singer and actor, for years Beard tried to get into the movie and theatre business but had no success. In 1935 he gave up and realized that was not the route he needed to take. This is when he and his friend, Bill Rhodes, decided that they need to capitalize on the cocktail party trend that was sweeping the nation and they opened their own catering company. In 1937, he opened up a small shop for his business, called Hors dOeuvre, Inc. † At that moment, Beard realized that his future was in culinary arts. This then led to the publication of Beards first cookbook in 1940, Hors DOeuvre and Canapes, a collection of his catering recipes based on cocktail foods. Then World War 2 came around, and rationing problems brought his business to a halt. Beard spent most the years during the war in Puerto Rico, Rio de Janeiro, Marseilles, and in panama with the United Seaman’s Service setting up sailors’ canteens. He also spent some of this time in cryptography. In 1945, Beard returned to New York City and completely devoted himself to his work in culinary arts. In 1946, James Beard starred in the first cooking show ever aired on television, I Love to Eat, on NBC, which began his rise to infamy. He started appearing on other television shows, and the radio. He started contributing the writing of many famous articles and columns such as Womans Day, Gourmet and House and Garden. He ran his own restaurant, and began consulting other restaurant owners and food producers. In 1955, he opened The James Beard Cooking School. For the next 30 years, he taught men and women the art of cooking. He didn’t only teach at his own schools in New York City and Seaside, Oregon, but around the world to culinary groups and other schools. The main lesson that he tried to instill in upcoming American chef was the preparation of truly good food using fresh American ingredients. James Beard died at the age of 82 on January 1, 1985. He was cremated and his ashes were spread over the beach at Gearhart, Oregon, where he spent his summers as a kid. Beard started out with nothing but a catering company and a love for food, and became one of the most famous Chefs in history. He was known as â€Å"The Dean of Cuisine† and â€Å"The Father of Gastronomy†, and the name James Beard will always be in culinary arts history.

“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Mirror† by Sylvia Plath Essay The poem â€Å"Mirror† by Sylvia Plath is told from the point of view of a mirror hanging up on a wall. This mirror has, over time, been privy to the tears of a woman over who she sees in it, desperate grasps at moonlit lies, and the endless speculations of a pink with speckles wall. â€Å"Mirror† is a poem that probes into the corners of human nature, beauty, life, and death, reflecting back their truths to readers as good mirrors do. In this poem, readers can see the truth about themselves reflected among the words as though the poem itself is a mirror, too. Just as the poem reflects truths to readers, so the mirror in it reflects truths to the woman it sees every day. It is objective about everything it observes in the woman, for it can have no biases simply owing to the nature of its stature. The description the mirror gives of itself in the first few lines is that â€Å"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions./Whatever I see I swallow immediately/Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike./I am not cruel, only truthful-/The eye of the little god, four cornered.† It is giving, true to its nature, a frank description of itself—nonjudgmental and unprejudiced of its admirers. Mirrors never have and never will pass any judgment on their gazers. They leave that for the gazers themselves to do, and they always do just that, as is human nature. The mirror prides itself on that same clear-cut honesty of the faces it regurgitates back for judgment. It is almost arrogant about it, refusing to falter in its own perfection for a moment, even as â€Å"she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon† which cast false shadows upon her face. It continues to reflect the woman honestly, even though she cannot see it, so that when she learns of the lies and turns back, there she is in all her self-perceived imperfection. Not one person, the woman of the poem included, has ever been judged by a mirror, but rather through it. It is because of it that the woman can see her outer self, so also because of it, she sometimes forgets her inner self. She forgets the pink behind the speckles on the wall of her face, seeing only that the speckles are marring the beauty of it. The mirror, however, does not see the destruction the woman sees, for she is the only one of the two who has the desire to judge. She was the only true master of herself, but she ended up caving in under her preconceived notions of society’s view of her. She became a slave to the mirror and her interpretations its truths. One of these truths is age. No one has yet achieved immortality, and so death is still a formidable foe. Mirrors  reflect the coming of this rival in the rivulets and creases found in a face of age, and many people obsess over this manifesting. In the poem, according to the mirror, â€Å"I am important to her. She comes and goes./Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness./In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman/Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.† The woman in the poem â€Å"h as drowned a young girl† in her obsessions, aging her into â€Å"an old woman . . . like a terrible fish.† With each day, the manifestation becomes more pronounced because â€Å"Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.† She wasted away in front of that mirror so that now, death â€Å"Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.† She hates the mirror’s honesty on the matter, but cannot turn away. She is unable to resist knowing that death is creeping ever closer every day. She lives her life, it seems, around that knowledge, convinced that she should not be as she is. She is, as the poem says, â€Å"Searching . . . for what she really is.† She is unaware that all around her, death is marking others down for capture with the lines of age. All she knows is that she has gone from â€Å"pink, with speckles† into a world of darkness that she disapproves of seeing in the mirror. She does not seem to under stand that in fact, no one will be left unaffected. â€Å"The eye of the little god† will seek out everyone from all four corners of the globe. In the end, her obsession kills her, the â€Å"terrible fish† having finally made it to the surface. The woman in the poem lives and dies within it, mirroring any and all readers’ lives in that. The poem offers up a universal reflection of a person for readers to judge themselves. After all, it is a mirror and that is what mirrors do.

The Problem of Grade Inflation

The Problem of Grade Inflation Grade Inflation: Is A the new C? Quinn, my 9-year-old stepson played on a little league baseball team. He attended most of the practices and played in all the games. I asked one day who won the game today? He looked to his father for the answer. I asked, doesnt he know if his team won? It seems that this little league bent the rules of baseball. Well, they didnt just bend the rules they made up their own rules making sure all the players played, no one struck out, five runs and the other team was up you get my drift. Then to top it off they held a party at the end of the season where everyone received a trophy. I was frankly appalled. Being rewarded just for participation. The prevalence of grade inflation is effecting students, professors and institutions. Students are receiving higher grades than earned. A has become the new C. If our educational system is failing to grade appropriately for attainment of knowledge that students supposedly are there to gain, then what does it all mean? It would seem suitable to compare it to giving every person on a sport team a trophy just for participating. It is a deceptive practice and ethically wrong to give a grade when it truly is not achieved no matter what the reason. The purpose of this argument on grade inflation is to convince students, professors, parents and institutions that the practice of grade inflation must stop. Everyone is affected by the strength or weakness and by the fairness or unjust attributes of our educational system. Grade Inflation has many repercussions. Students receiving higher grades make it difficult to discern the average student from the above average student from the exceptional student. Problem Analysis In my research, I have found educators agreeing that grade inflation is a problem. Over the past decades claims of grade inflation in American higher education have been ubiquitous, with ample evidence documenting its prevalence and severity (Arnold 2004; Summary Weber 2012; Carter Lara, 2016, p. 346). As stated by Rojstaczer 2003, The data indicate that not only is C an endangered species but that B, once the most popular grade at universities and colleges, has been supplanted by the former symbol of perfection, the A (p. A21) It is important to note the causes of grade inflation in the first place. As stated by Rojstaczer and Healy (2010), Faculty attitudes about teaching and grading underwent a profound shift that coincided with the Vietnam War (see graph below). Many professors, certainly not all or even a majority, became convinced that grades were not a useful tool for motivation, were not a valid means of evaluation and created a harmful authoritarian environment for learning. Added to this shift was a real-life exigency. In the 1960s, full-time male college students were exempt from the military draft. If a male college student flunked out, chances were that he would end up as a soldier in the Vietnam War, a highly unpopular conflict on a deadly battlefield. Partly in response to changing attitudes about the nature of teaching and partly to ensure that male students maintained their full-time status, grades rose rapidly. Then there seemed to be a lull in grade inflation until the 1980s when grades b egan to rise again. A new ethos had developed among college leaders. Students were no longer thought of as acolytes searching for knowledge. Instead they were customers (Rojstaczer Healy, 2010). Â   Note. Reprinted from Grade Inflation at American Colleges Universities, by Rojstaczer, S. Two of the more frequently cited sources of grade inflation are faculty status and faculty evaluations Hall (2011 p.146). Professors at some institutions are dependent on good evaluations from students. If the evaluations are not favorable and grades are low, then the teacher becomes suspect. Simply stated, the higher the course grade, the happier the student, and the higher the ratings on the faculty evaluations completed by those students Hall (2011). Motivating the student becomes an issue when the common grade is A. I found support that it becomes extremely difficult for professors to grade honestly because it can be viewed as a sign of poor quality education by the professor, his ratings go down and consequently enrollment in the institutions in future years will suffer. In an article by Stroebe (2016), he discusses grading leniency encouraged by universities. Evidence is presented that the positive association between student grades and their evaluation of teaching reflects a bias rather than teaching effectiveness (p. 800). This cyclic process has only resulted in more problems. Poor student performance in subsequent courses tend to become apparent. Stroebe, a professor in the department of social and organizational psychology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands deliberates the notion that grading leniency or grade inflation is likely to demotivate students. He presents that students overestimate the amount they learn based on the grade they receive. Institutions are at fault here as well and may be the one of the biggest proponents to perpetuating the vicious circle. As Hall (2012) explains in her article, institutional interests also tend to have a significant impact on the prevalence of grade inflation in higher education. With more and more cuts to educational funding, many colleges and universities find themselves struggling to balance their budgets. Students who are happy with their grades are students who are much more likely to remain enrolled thereby filling classroom seats and paying tuition fees (p. 147). An issue that has revealed itself in my research is academic entitlement. The attitude of many of the students today is that they have the right since they are the procurers. (Hall, 2012 p.148). Thought provoking questions are asked by researchers as to the reasons of academic entitlement. As Greenberger, Lessard, Chen Farruggia (2008) ask, What are the circumstances that foster the behavior and attitudes of academic self-entitlement: i.e., expectations of high rewards for modest effort, expectations of special consideration and accommodation by teachers when it comes to grades, and impatience and anger when their expectations and perceived needs are not met? (p. 1194). Rebuttal against grade inflation Then there are those with opposing viewpoints that grade inflation is nonexistent. As Kohn (2002) states, Even where grades are higher now as compared with then, that does not constitute proof that they are inflated. The burden rests with critics to demonstrate that those higher grades are undeserved, and one can cite any number of alternative explanations. Maybe students are turning in better assignments. Maybe instructors used to be too stingy with their marks and have become more reasonable. Maybe the concept of assessment itself has evolved, so that today it is more a means for allowing students to demonstrate what they know rather than for sorting them or catching them out (p. B8) My rebuttal is that over the years attitudes have changed not only of the students, the professors and the institutions. Institutions are not just interested in being the best in providing education, they are not interested in the education business, they are interested in the business of education. Simply put how to make the most money. Professors are interested in keeping their jobs by keeping institutions happy with them. If they give poor grades institutions will think that their teaching ability is poor and students, since they are paying for their education, feel entitled to get good grades or they may give their instructor an unfavorable evaluation. My interview was with a young physician who went to undergraduate school in 2001 then on to medical school, a residency program and an internship. She is currently a practicing physician in a large group practice. One of my reasons for the choice of interviewee is that in the line graph illustrated previously she falls in the time when A is the most popular grade given nationwide. I formulated my line of questions only to be side railed by the very first question; When you were in college, were you aware of grade inflation practices? Her answer was no. Well, I continued, there are quite a few articles written about grade inflation and how prevalent it has become. It has been steadily increasing over the last twenty years. Have you notice that your grades were inflated? She indignantly said, absolutely not! I worked my butt off for every grade I got! the conversation continued as I strove to gain some glimmer of grade inflation recognition. Have you noticed any fellow students getting As that did not put in an A effort? The answer was no all the students I was with were hard working and deserved the grades they received. After the unexpected denial or unawareness of grade inflation could my interviewee fit into the category of entitlement? I decided that it was a case of a hard-working student with drive, motivation and determination to receive the grades that she deserved. She grew up in a time of entitlement, and yes, she does exhibit some of those qualities but she works hard to this day. She may have grown up in the age of entitlement but she is a child of achievement. I would know since she is my daughter. Solution Hall (2012), Argues that in the fight against grade inflation what is lacking are the basic principles of instructional design. There is no framework in place in institutions for measures to prevent grade inflating propensities and actions. Anyone who investigates the sources of grade inflation will ultimately find themselves pointed in the direction of the students themselves. The attitude of many of the students today is that they have the right since they are the procurers. (Hall, 2012 p.148) My experience with attending Chamberlain College for Nursing is that the courses are set up to allow the professors to grade honestly. The grading rubric is beneficial to the student who now knows exactly what is expected of him or her. It makes it a more objective approach to grading. As Kelly (2017) describes, Here are three reasons why I find rubrics truly effective. First, rubrics save time because I can simply look at your rubric and mark off points. Second, rubrics keep me honest, even when Ive had a horrible day . I feel much more objective as I sit before my mountain of papers. More important than these two reasons, however, is that when I have created a rubric beforehand and shown it to my students I get better quality work. They know what I want. They can also see right away where they lost points (p. 1) Benefits I agree with Hall in her analysis of grade inflation. I can see that there are many facets that are all contributing to the problem. Solving one issue will not resolve the problem. Grade Inflating practices are fundamentally wrong. It involves a faculty member to award a grade that is higher than earned. Although it is recognized as being an issue, the inappropriate conduct continues. Hall not only describes the various causes and the rationale why grade inflation continues, but she offers a framework that consists of a different approach to combating the problem with specific objectives, instruction and assessment. It sounds very much like the grading rubric. According to Stevens and Levi (2005), At its most basic, a rubric is a scoring tool that lays out the specific expectations for an assignment. Rubrics divide an assignment into its component parts and provide a detailed description of what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable levels of performance for each of those parts (p.3 ) Conclusion In conclusion, with instructors lowering their grading standards, A has become the most ordinary grade on college campuses. Its like buying a dozen eggs with medium, large, extra-large and jumbo all mixed in one carton. With no true evaluation of students performance, you dont know what youre getting. Students have a sense of entitlement that parents and the environment we live in have fostered over time. Students expect an A with minimal effort. This can be demotivating and discouraging for students who truly give it their all. When there are no guidelines or enforced regulation of grades, the grades given in higher education will have less and less meaning. Its time to stop giving trophies just for participation. References Ad Hoc Committee on Grade Inflation. Final Report of the Ad Hoc Committee Task Force on Grade Inflation. American University, Washington, DC. (October, 10th, 2016).http://www.american.edu/facultysenate/upload/Senate-report-on-Grade-Inflation-Final-10-20-16.pdf. Arnold, R. A. (2004). Way That Grades are Set is a Mark Against Professors. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Carter, M. J., Lara, P. Y. (2016). Grade Inflation in Higher Education: Is the End in Sight? Academic Questions, 29(3), 346-353. Doi:10.1007/s12129-016-9569-5 Caruth, D., Caruth, G. (2013, January). Grade Inflation: an issue for higher education. Turkish Journal of Distance Education. v.14, n. 1, p. 102-110. ISSN: ISSN-1302-6488. Fauer, J., Lopez, L. (2009, October). Grade Inflation: too much talk too little action. American Journal of Business Education. v.2, n.7. Greenberger, E., Lessard, J., Chen, C., Farruggia, S. (2008). Self-Entitled college students: contributions of personality, parenting, and motivational factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (April 4th, 2008), 37:1193-1204. DOI 10.1007/s10964-008-9284-9. Hall, R. A. (2012). A neglected reply to grade inflation in higher education. Global Education Journal, 2012(3), 144-165. Kelly, M. (2017). Creating and Using Rubrics: Make Your Life Easier with Rubrics. About Education. (Updated February 03, 2017). http://712educators.about.com/cs/rubrics/a/rubrics.htm Kohn, A. (2002). The dangerous myth of grade inflation. The Chronicle of Higher Education. November 8th, 2002. 49(11). Rojstaczer S., Healy C. (2016). Where A is ordinary: The evolution of American college and university grading. 1940-2009. Teachers College Record, ID Number: 15928. http://www.tcrecord.org Rojstaczer, S. (2016). Grade Inflation at American Colleges and Universities. www.GradeInflation.com. (March 29, 2016). Rojstaczer, S. (2003). Where all Grades are Above Average. The Washington Post. January 28, 2003. A21. Stevens, D., Levi, A. (2005). Introduction to Rubrics: An Assessment Tool to Save Grading Time, Convey Effective Feedback and Promote Student Learning. Stylus Publishing, LLC. Sterling, Virginia. Stroebe, W. (2016). Why Good Teaching Evaluations May Reward Bad Teaching. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(6), p. 800-816. DOI:10.1177/1745691616650284 Summary, R., Weber, W. (2012). Grade Inflation or Productivity Growth? An Analysis of Changing Grade Distributions at a Regional University. Journal of Productivity Analysis 38.95-107.

Water Girl :: Original Writing

Anne stood on the beach, paralysed with fear. Around her she could vaguely hear the sound of her mother’s terrified screams. She knew there was something she had to do, but her mind was blank, and her legs wouldn’t move. Then, a memory filled her mind. A horrible memory... She was standing on another beach, a small, cold beach. Preparing to go into the water for a swim, when she heard a scream. Looking up, she saw her best friend, Amelia, wave her hand frantically, and then she went under. At first, Anne thought it was a joke. "Huh, just like Amelia to do something like this". But when her friend didn’t resurface, Anne started to panic. She started running, and then swam, for her friend’s life depended on it. The current was so strong. Anne’s mind was swirling. What was she going to do? The water kept pulling her back towards the shore. Then Anne caught a glimpse of Amelia, being swept away into the vast ocean†¦ A few days later, Anne was standing on the alter of St. Brigids church, reading a special poem that she had written in the memory of Amelia. As she was reading the second verse ,when a verge of tears suddenly washed over her, and she knew she couldn’t go on. She finally whispered, "I love you Amelia, please forgive me", before running off the alter... Anne’s little brother, Joe, was playing on the beach, building a sand-castle. Nobody noticed when he toddled off into the water. Suddenly, his mother started screaming at the top of her lungs. "Joe! Oh my God, Joe!" Every body looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, there was Joe, a good bit out from the shore. And he was in trouble. Suddenly, Anne’s memories of Joe came flooding back. His laugh, his little cheeky smile. She loved her little brother, with all her might .She had to do something! And fast! Anne raced towards the water. She swam with fast, powerful strokes. She could see Joe’s little face bobbing in the water. Then for a moment it disappeared. Finally she reached the spot where he went down. Water Girl :: Original Writing Anne stood on the beach, paralysed with fear. Around her she could vaguely hear the sound of her mother’s terrified screams. She knew there was something she had to do, but her mind was blank, and her legs wouldn’t move. Then, a memory filled her mind. A horrible memory... She was standing on another beach, a small, cold beach. Preparing to go into the water for a swim, when she heard a scream. Looking up, she saw her best friend, Amelia, wave her hand frantically, and then she went under. At first, Anne thought it was a joke. "Huh, just like Amelia to do something like this". But when her friend didn’t resurface, Anne started to panic. She started running, and then swam, for her friend’s life depended on it. The current was so strong. Anne’s mind was swirling. What was she going to do? The water kept pulling her back towards the shore. Then Anne caught a glimpse of Amelia, being swept away into the vast ocean†¦ A few days later, Anne was standing on the alter of St. Brigids church, reading a special poem that she had written in the memory of Amelia. As she was reading the second verse ,when a verge of tears suddenly washed over her, and she knew she couldn’t go on. She finally whispered, "I love you Amelia, please forgive me", before running off the alter... Anne’s little brother, Joe, was playing on the beach, building a sand-castle. Nobody noticed when he toddled off into the water. Suddenly, his mother started screaming at the top of her lungs. "Joe! Oh my God, Joe!" Every body looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, there was Joe, a good bit out from the shore. And he was in trouble. Suddenly, Anne’s memories of Joe came flooding back. His laugh, his little cheeky smile. She loved her little brother, with all her might .She had to do something! And fast! Anne raced towards the water. She swam with fast, powerful strokes. She could see Joe’s little face bobbing in the water. Then for a moment it disappeared. Finally she reached the spot where he went down.

Essays on Rape -- Catharine MacKinnon Susan Estrich Essays

Essays on Rape Only Words, by Catharine MacKinnon is a collection of three essays; each essay argues her claim that sexual words and pictures should be banned instead of Constitutionally protected under the First Amendment as free speech. In her first essay, â€Å"Defamation and Discrimination,† MacKinnon takes the stance that pornography is sex, and should not be treated as speech, but as a sexist act. She claims that pornography is an action, just as, â€Å"a sign saying ‘White Only’ is only words, but †¦ it is seen as the act of segregation that it is.†(MacKinnon 13) MacKinnon claims that other action words, such as death threats, are banned, pornography should be banned as well. According to her essay, pornography rapes women. First, the photographers select already victimized women to be photographed, and thereby re-victimizing them. Then each man who views the pornography uses the ideas he attains from it to force his own sexual partner to perform the acts in the pornography. In the second essay, â€Å"Racial and Sexual Harassment,† MacKinnon states, â€Å"if ever words have been understood as acts, it has been when they are sexual harassment.†(MacKinnon 45) She explains how written words can have the same effects on a reader as an action. They can evoke the same fear and violation as a physical threat of rape. In her final essay, â€Å"Equality and Speech,† MacKinnon suggests that the words as actions that she has describes in her previous essays should be subject to a group defamation lawsuit. She states that the Constitution protects speech that promotes sexual inequality. She feels that the Fourteenth Amendment should cover the discrimination allowed in the First Amendment. Susan Estrich’s Real Rape is an essay preaching proposed changes in rape statutes. Estrich first describes, in great detail, the history of rape legislation in England. She follows pertinent cases through history, citing changes and analyzing the effects of those changes. Estrich bases her findings on summaries, dissents, and other legal documentation. She then describes the current law, and evaluates how it has changed the way in which the court views rape. Throughout her essay, Estrich makes a distinction between classic rape and simple rape. She defines the former as aggravated rape by a stranger, and the latter as rape by a date or acquaintance. Estrich focuses on simple ... ... although it can be used to hurt, it can also be used to bring aid and information to those in need. Imposing limits on freedom of expression would dampen our nation’s uniqueness and suppress the voice of the people. Her idea that pornography acts as sex and can therefore be banned because it is no longer speech is ludicrous and rash. The repercussions of such an amendment would change our society to one of ultimate government control. The examples that she gives to relate pornography to racism are limited in scope. She suggests that because Henri Matisse’s â€Å"The Blue Nude†(Matisse) portrays an unclothed female that a man may, in her words, â€Å"get off on,†(MacKinnon 58) it should be banned. The line between art and explicit pornography is not one that the government should be able to draw. The government should, however, protect victims from physical acts of rape as Susan Estrich describes. Bibliography: Estrich, Susan. Real Rape. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1987. MacKinnon, Catharine. Only Words. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1993. Matisse, Henri. The Blue Nude. The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland.