Free Essays on Two Directions For America

Americans face a critical decision about the direction of our country, not just in 2004 but for the long term. One is the conservative path for America: tax breaks for the wealthy that do little for the middle class while saddling us with massive debt; government by and for corporations that is indifferent to the struggles of everyday families; and a radical and destabilizing foreign policy that has overburdened our military and left our nation less secure. The other is a progressive path for America: Middle class tax breaks, affordable health care, and increasing economic opportunities to help the middle class. The progressive path for America is one that believes every American should have the opportunity to make the most of their lives given their talents and ambitions. Government has an important role in helping people reach their potential by promoting good paying jobs at home, supporting affordable health care for all, and providing quality education as the foundation of an increasing quality of life. Honest and fair government that puts the needs of citizens above all else. The progressive path honors our democratic values by focusing on what is right and necessary for all Americans, not just those with high paid lobbyists and political or financial clout. And a strong and measured foreign policy that fights our enemies everywhere and earns respect for American values and intentions. As former President Clinton stated earlier this week, "Strength and wisdom are not opposing values." America must relentlessly hunt down and eliminate fundamentalist extremists who aim to destroy our way of life. But in doing so, we must uphold our basic values, honor our international allies and prove to the world that the American way is a just and righteous way toward global security.... Free Essays on Two Directions For America Free Essays on Two Directions For America Americans face a critical decision about the direction of our country, not just in 2004 but for the long term. One is the conservative path for America: tax breaks for the wealthy that do little for the middle class while saddling us with massive debt; government by and for corporations that is indifferent to the struggles of everyday families; and a radical and destabilizing foreign policy that has overburdened our military and left our nation less secure. The other is a progressive path for America: Middle class tax breaks, affordable health care, and increasing economic opportunities to help the middle class. The progressive path for America is one that believes every American should have the opportunity to make the most of their lives given their talents and ambitions. Government has an important role in helping people reach their potential by promoting good paying jobs at home, supporting affordable health care for all, and providing quality education as the foundation of an increasing quality of life. Honest and fair government that puts the needs of citizens above all else. The progressive path honors our democratic values by focusing on what is right and necessary for all Americans, not just those with high paid lobbyists and political or financial clout. And a strong and measured foreign policy that fights our enemies everywhere and earns respect for American values and intentions. As former President Clinton stated earlier this week, "Strength and wisdom are not opposing values." America must relentlessly hunt down and eliminate fundamentalist extremists who aim to destroy our way of life. But in doing so, we must uphold our basic values, honor our international allies and prove to the world that the American way is a just and righteous way toward global security....

Male Sexuality in Ancient Rome

Male Sexuality in Ancient Rome Modern sexuality offers a two-tiered dichotomy based on sexual preference. A homosexual is characterized by his exclusive sexual preference for same-sex relationships. Similarly, a heterosexual favors exclusive sexual relationships with members of the opposite sex. Ancient sexuality, on the other hand, finds its basis in status. The active partner, i.e. the partner of a higher social status, assumes the role of the penetrator; whereas, the passive partner, i.e. the partner of inferior social status, takes on the penetrated position.(www.princeton.edu/~clee/paper.html) - Malakos Our modern preoccupation with sexuality has depended on a distinction between homo- and hetero-. That gender-changing operation and other, less dramatic transgender behavior are blurring our neat borders should help us understand the very different Roman attitudes. Today you can have a lesbian who was born a man and a gay male who was born a woman or a male in prison who behaves in ways that to the outside world appear homosexual, but to the prison, ​the  community does not, alongside the more traditional homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual roles. How Did the Romans See Gender? Instead of todays gender orientation, ancient Roman (and Greek) sexuality can be dichotomized as passive and active. The socially preferred behavior of a male was active; the passive part aligned with the female. The relation between the active and passive partner is thought of as the same kind of relation as that obtaining between social superior and social inferior. - Malakos But before I go further, let me stress: this is an oversimplification.   To Be an Ancient Roman Male in Good Standing ...Walters makes a crucial distinction between males and men: Not all males are men, and therefore impenetrable. In particular, he refers to the special nuance of the term vir, which does not simply denote an adult male; it refers specifically to those adult males who are freeborn Roman citizens in good standing, those at the top of the Roman social hierarchy those who are sexually impenetrable penetrators Craig A. Williams Bryn Mawr Classical Review of Roman Sexualities And... ... since the concepts heterosexual and homosexual did not exist, but there does seem to be a high degree of correlation between the conduct of men identified as cinaedi and that of some men now labeled homosexuals, though it must be appreciated that the modern term is clinical while the ancient one is emotional and even hostile, and that both have been imposed from outside. Richard W. Hoopers Bryn Mawr Classical Review of The Priapus Poems To be an ancient Roman male in good standing meant you initiated penetrating acts of sex. Whether you did this with a female or a male, slave or free, wife or prostitute, made little difference as long as you were not on the receiving end, so to speak. Certain people were off-limits, though, and among them were free youths.This was a change from the Greek attitude which, again to simplify, condoned such behavior in the context of a learning environment. The ancient Greek education of its youth had begun as training in the arts necessary for battle. Since physical fitness was the goal, education took place in a gymnasium (where physical training was in the buff). Over time the education came to encompass more academic parts, but instruction in how to be a valuable member of the polis continued. Often this included having an older male take a younger (post-pubescent, but still unbearded) one under his wing with all that entailed. Although later Romans sometimes asserted that homosexuality was imported from Greece, by the close of the 6th century B.C.E, Polybius reported, there was widespread acceptance of homosexuality [Polybius, Histories, xxxii, ii]. Lesbian and Gay Marriages For the ancient Romans, who claimed to have adopted other passive behaviors from the ancient Greeks, free youths were untouchable. Since adolescents were still appealing, Roman males gratified themselves with youthful slaves. Its thought that in the baths (in many ways, successors to the Greek gymnasia), freedmen wore a talisman around their necks to make it clear their naked bodies were untouchable.

LAW OF TORTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LAW OF TORTS - Essay Example Trespass is identified as a form of redress in case of direct or indirect injury and the system also recognises other civil actions such as defamation as going to be explained in detail below. In the case of tort law, the person who suffers injuries is called a plaintiff and the person who has inflicted those injuries is called a defendant. It is of paramount importance for the claimant to be able to prove that the negligent behaviour of the defendant has caused injuries or loss of business. There are traditionally three elements in the tort action which the plaintiff has to prove in order to be successful in winning the claim. There is need to prove that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, the defendant breached that duty by falling below expected standards and the defendant’s conduct caused the plaintiff to suffer physical or economic harm (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Tort+Law). Where it can be proved, recovery for loss can be effected by the court of law. As going to be discussed in detail below, there is need to establish three elements in tort action. Tort action also encompasses negligence which is described as the act of doing something a reasonable man would not do and a plaintiff must prove in such a case that the defendant owes a duty of care (Donoghue V. Stevenson 1932). The House of Lords in the case of Capiro Industries vs. Dickman (1990), proposed the adoption of the following conditions where the three stages should be taken into consideration which include; foreseeability, proximity as well as reasonability. In some cases it may not always follow that a duty of care exists but common sense ought to prevail to avoid an otherwise serious injury to another person or loss of business or profit. Due to the fact that a person may deliberately expose someone to danger or a situation which can cause losses leaves him liable to negligent behaviour where he is

How Religions Impact Food Practices of the Followers Research Paper

How Religions Impact Food Practices of the Followers - Research Paper Example The author of the paper tells that Muslims generally follow the Koran which has laid down a number of rules concerning food but within Islam itself, there are many different sects that observe dietary rules depending upon the degree of orthodoxy. The Koran permits that only animals with a cloven hoof can be consumed. According to this, pigs, carnivorous animals, and birds, except chicken are forbidden. The law also states that animals have to be slaughtered in a ritualistic manner by making an incision at the jugular vein and draining the blood. This slaughter has to be accompanied by prayers so that the meat becomes legitimate (halal) for consumption. Otherwise, food is prohibited (haram). A prayer during slaughter is to acknowledge that life is sacred and one must kill only with God’s permission. Prohibited foods include pork and pork-derived foods, including lard and bacon. Meat that is halal must have the blood drained from it and must be slaughtered in a humane fashion. S ome Muslims eat kosher products because the dietary laws are similar to the Jewish dietary laws. Utensils have to be clean an uncontaminated by haram substances. Shellfish or sharks are not permitted because only fish with scales are permitted for consumption. Alcohol is totally permitted. During the month of Ramadan, which is the fasting month, except young children or very old or ill, have to fast from sunrise to sunset, without any food or drink. Pregnant, lactating women and menstruating women are exempted for the time being but have to make it up sometime during the year.

The United States Vs. The European Union: An Ethical Analysis of Software Patents :: Patents Compare Contrast Essays

The United States Vs. The European Union: An Ethical Analysis of Software Patents Introduction Patents have become a major part of technology in our society. The overall purpose of patents is to promote the disclosure of innovations so that others may make improvements based on those new technologies, while at the same time rewarding those who came up with the invention. They give the inventor of an innovation a monopoly of their innovation for a limited amount of time. After the time period has expired, anyone is free to use the innovation as they wish. Patents have worked well over the past century, enabling innovators to make technological improvements that would have been impossible without the help of prior inventions. Software Engineering is an engineering field that is very new relative to the other areas of science and engineering. Software Engineering is very different from any other kind of engineering. Ethically it is unreasonable to be able to apply the old patent laws to this new field of Software Engineering, without making any modifications to the laws. Software patents are not wrong entirely, in that it is still good to provide rewards to those who innovate. According the United States patent system, ideas are not patentable, while innovations are patentable. Software engineering blurs the line between ideas and innovation, in that software can be viewed as both an idea in the sense that it is a series of mathematical expressions, or it can be viewed as an innovation in that it can be delivered as an executable product. If patents are to be issued for software, a different system of laws governing software innovations needs to be established. The discrepancy on how to treat patents in software is illustrated by the opposing stances of the United States (who issues software patents) and the European Union (who does not issue software patents). History of Patents The main idea behind patents is to promote technological innovations. For there to be technological innovation for society as a whole, two things must happen. First, people must be able to study other people's innovations in order to further technology in society, because they can use the ideas of others to make even greater innovations. Second, people must have incentive to innovate. The most obvious solution to the first idea would be to make all innovations public, so that as soon as someone invents something, others are free to build off of it to further technology.

The Palette of Narmer

The Palette of Narmer: Historical archives or political propaganda The Palette of Narmer The Palette of Namer is an Ancient Egyptian artefact, pre-dating the Early Dynastic period. This clay tablet depicts the legacy of King Namer, but due to its mysterious nature, it is still unknown if these depictions are a historical record or a tool of political propaganda. Based on its size, shape and detailed images it is apparent that this palette was not used for daily purposes or historical archives.With further inspection of the images on the palette, it is clear that the chief purpose of the piece was not to record the historical ventures of King Narmer but to assert his kingship and dominance over Ancient Egypt. Political propaganda is a form of communication, usually visual, that has a main purpose of influencing people towards a cause or position by showing only one side of the argument. This persuasion technique is used in the detailed depictions on the Palette of Narmer to promote hi s dominate power over his subjects.King Narmer is shown as a large, god-like figure who towers over those around him, all other characters on the palette are shown following or being overpowered by Narmer. The other figures on the palette have the appearance of fear as Narmer rules over them with an iron fist. This applies fear and seeks to build support by installing anxieties into his subjects, enemies and all who gaze upon the palette. Through these techniques we can see that the main intension of the artefact was to show Narmer as Egypt’s ultimate authority figure.Throughout the panels of the palette we see Narmer asserting his dominance over many different people. On the top panel of the front side of the pallet, Narmer is depicted inspecting ten decapitated enemies slain in battle, once again in attempt to install fear. He again is drawn much larger than those around him, and is holding a mace in his left hand and a flail in his right, which is a traditional symbol of k ingship. In the next panel we see the taming of two wild animals; these mystical creatures have often been interpreted as a metaphor for the unification of Upper and LowerEgypt under King Narmers command. This unification of Egypt’s regions was seen as a major victory for Narmer, which plays another role of propaganda; people naturally desire to be on the winning side, showing Narmer’s victory is a technique to convince people that his leadership is effective and again reassures his power. The scene on the bottom panel of the front of the palette portrays a bull conquering his foe and attacking the walls of a city with its horns.In this image the bull is to be interpreted as King Narmer, showing his strength and power as he defeats and kills his enemy. The wall can be thought of as Lower Egypt as he conquers it and unifies Egypt. The reverse side of the palette is mostly taken up by a large and detailed image of a man, undoubtedly Narmer, striking down upon an enemy. N armer has his opponent by the hair, bagging for mercy on his knees, showing Narmers pure ferocity and god like stature. These images can be interpreted as Narmers conquest of Lower Egypt. This again plays on the fear associated with propaganda.On the very bottom panel of the reverse side of the palette, two fallen enemies under the feet of Narmer. These conquered foes are representations of towns that Narmer has vanquished. Each panel on the palette is a celebration of King Narmer, and his brave conquests; showing him as an almighty and feared leader, successfully using propaganda to build his reputation, gain supporters and strike fear into his enemies. Weaved throughout the palettes details are several subtle symbols that help project King Narmer personal propaganda to help him secure his kingship.These hieroglyphs can be interpreted to have different meanings, but are very similar and all point to the depiction of the sheer power of Narmer. A reoccurring symbol of the bovine, a s ign of strength and force, surround the Kings name (in serekh) on both sides of the palette, referring to his bull-like vigour and power. A falcon is shown on the back side of palette, the falcons head was commonly associated with Narmers name, and represents his rule. These animals are used as representations asserting King Narmers virtue and endowment.The theme of higher archery is apparent on the palette; the treatment of the others is degrading, making Narmer appear supreme. The enemies are made evident on the palette, all represent with as smaller man, naked, and cowering at the mercy of Narmer. The King is dressed in the traditional short skirt, with an animal’s tail and a crown upon his head, demonstrating his royalty. This illustrates the different side of the spectrum, follower and leader; allowing Narmer to again place himself above everyone else.On both sides of the palette, a man standing behind the king is depicted holding Narmers sandals in his left hand and a b asket in his right, the fact that the king is shown barefooted, suggests that this man is a servant to the king; this illustrates the king’s superiority. There are two actual images of King Narmer on the palette; on the front side he is shown wearing the Red Crown, which is associated to Lower Egypt, while on the reverse side he is shown wearing the White Crown, a representation on Upper Egypt. Having equal representation of both Upper and Lower Egypt by, the association of their unification is made.Each symbol, large or small, has an effect on the subconscious, making you see the argument in favor of Narmer. These symbols attribute to the appearance of Narmer, helping him gain respect and support through the use of propaganda. The exact details of the palette cannot be fully proven as historical facts, but with the common propaganda techniques present on the tablet, it discredits the validity of the events. It is still unknown if the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt occu rred under the control of Narmer.The Palette of Narmer has created scholarly debate among the historical community, whether it proves the unification of the Egyptian regions or was used only for self-promotion. The answer to the question hinges on the images within the palette inscription, the sheer nature of the depictions suggests that the palette does not prove that King Narmer unified Egypt in the Pre-Dynastic Period. The exact use of the palette is undiscovered to this day, but based on its size and the images on its surface it is apparent that it was used for the sole purpose of personal propaganda through subconscious control by King Narmer.References: Kinnaer, Jacques, â€Å"The Ancient Egypt Site. † The Ancient Egypt Site. 30 June 2011. (8 October 2012) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Kinnaer, Jacques, â€Å"The Ancient Egypt Site. † The Ancient Egypt Site. 30 June 2011. [ 2 ]. Kinnaer, Jacques, â€Å"The Ancient Egypt Site. † The Ancient Egypt Site. 30 June 2011 [ 3 ]. Kinnaer, Jacques, â€Å"The Ancient Egypt Site. † The Ancient Egypt Site. 30 June 2011.

Journalism Inform, Entertain and Brainwash Essay

Journalism: Inform, Entertain and Brainwash As a journalist, the first thing we learn is what are the major functions of the media. In Chapter Four of Print and Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Examination by Ed Applegate, according to William L. Rivers, Wilbur Schramm, and Clifford G.Christians, authors of Responsibility in Mass Communication, the three major functions of the media are to inform, entertain and persuade. However, current articles in the media, especially magazines, have me questioning whether or not these functions actually do exist. The three major functions of the media as stated are to inform, entertain and to persuade. But what exactly is news? According to Thomas Berry, First, news is any printable story†¦show more content†¦In order for news to be true, you must have information to back up your statement, such as evidence or an eyewitness account. Mr. Berry also states that news is also at least a set of facts that have been presented to the reporter as truth. This idea can be somewhat presumptuous also because just because somebody said something is true, it doesn’t mean that it is. The only way you can prove a witness is telling the truth or that evidence is accurate is to RESEARCH and INVESTIGATE your story completely and thoroughly. If you don’t, then your story will look like a piece of swiss cheese. I agree on the last three counts: proximity is necessary when getting to your target audience, recency (or timeliness) is an important element because news should be current and up t o date at all times (unless the piece is over a certain time span; then sometimes timeliness isn’t an important factor), and finally the element of unusualness: this will make the story more interesting to the reader. Mr. Applegate states that for instance, most, if not all, stories that are written follow a particular formula. Other constraints include deadlines and even sources. Also, information seems to be getting more complicated because of jargon, technical terms, and government gobledegook: thus, reporters sometimes have to interpret the news for readers. According to Curtis D. MacDougall, To interpret the news it is necessary to understand it, and understanding means more than