Analysis of Effective Drunk-Driving Campaigns Targeted at Adolescent Drivers Aged 16-19 Years essays

Analysis of Effective Drunk-Driving Campaigns Targeted at Adolescent Drivers Aged 16-19 Years essays According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, 16,653 people died in alcohol-related crashes in 2000, an increase of more than 800 deaths from 1999. This represented the largest percentage increase on record. According to some estimates, about two out of every five Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. These tragic statistics dramatically illustrate that drunk driving continues to represent a serious problem in the United States today. Perhaps even more alarming still are the statistics concerning teenage drinking and driving. Studies have shown that between 14 and 27 percent of teenagers drink and drive, and that as many as 15 percent drive after engaging in binge drinking. Research has also shown that preventions campaigns can play a more significant role in reducing the incidence of drinking and driving in the teenage population. This paper will provide an overview of how the media has been used to promote prosocial behaviors in general, followed by an analysis of the ethical considerations involved in such campaigns. An assessment of the incidence of teenage drinking and driving today and an examination of different types of successful anti-driving and driving campaigns will be followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion. Background and Overview. In recent years, U.S. television networks have started broadcasting crime prevention programs and commercials designed to raise social concerns about AIDS, drunk driving, drug abuse, and child abuse (Brown to describe a broad range of activities by individuals, groups, institutions, and governments. In some cases, crime prevention activities try to reduce crime, fear, and nuisance problems directly by dealing with immediate situations; in other settings, crime prevention activities a...

Studying Abroad Just Go For It! [Interview]

Studying Abroad Just Go For It! [Interview] Have you thought of studying abroad? Probably, yes. However, most likely you are not sitting right now at your laptop in some European country reading this post. That means you are not using your opportunities to spend a semester at some country youve never visited, to learn about their culture and their education. Why are you still in doubt? Probably there are some questions on studying abroad which still bother you and keep you from applying for the program. We decided to help you with that and interview a student who already used her studying abroad opportunity. Judy Su is one of the applicants of Danish Institute for Study Abroad program. She has recently got back home from Copenhagen, where she studied graphic design. She kindly agreed to answer several questions about her time spent in Denmark and share her impressions about the experience she had. We started from the most basic question: How did you decide to apply for studying abroad? I go to the University of Michigan, where study abroad is required for Art Design students. I decided to apply to the Danish Institute for Study Abroad because Ive always admired Scandinavian design, and because my University has a good relationship with theirs. So, making a decision was not a problem for you. What about the application? Is the study abroad application process competitive? To my knowledge it wasnt too competitive given our schools requirement, but the application did include questions about my GPA and required a transcript. Next step after the application is preparation for the trip. A bit of packing advice from Judy: Less clothes, only pictures (no souvenirs) from home, less art supplies. So, your trip started and you arived in Copenhagen. What were the barriers youve faced at first? Obviously, the language. I was lucky that in Copenhagen, nearly everyone speaks English very well. Despite that, all the signs that appear on the streets, public transportation, and in grocery stores (among many other places) are entirely in Danish, so I had to piece things together the best I could. What about other cultural differences youve noticed? It appears that mainly the small things you dont really think about are the most interesting cultural differences. For example, there were bicycles everywhere. It was interesting to get used to looking out for bikes more so than for cars when crossing the street. Another interesting difference is that Danes will almost always wait to cross the street until the walk signal is displayed. Jaywalking results in a lot of glares from those waiting. Lets talk a bit about your studies. What subjects have you studied? Visual Journal, Photojournalism, European Art of the 20th Century, and Graphic Design Studio as my core course. What were the most interesting tasks/projects? In my Graphic Design studio, we were designing an identity for Copenhagen Harbor Farming. For my Photojournalism project, I had an assignment to photograph someone Danish for the semester. We also went for field trips for European Art and Graphic Design. For European Art, we went to Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek to look at their Gauguin collection. Did you get writing assignments while studying in Denmark? What kind of them? Besides being an official blogger for the school, I also did some writing for classes. They were pretty standard papers; I took an art history class, so the majority were for that class. Do they have strict plagiarism policy in college? Does it differ from US plagiarism policies? Yes, but my school was a school specifically for study abroad students, so they followed standard US plagiarism policies. I cant imagine plagiarism rules would be any different in other countries. Youve posted weekly plans in your blog. Did they help you manage your time? The weekly goals were more for me to make the most of my time while I was abroad. I wanted to make sure I didnt miss out on anything that I wanted to see, because I didnt know when I would ever be back. What helped you make your studying more effective? I always found it difficult to get things done in my room (I was sharing my room with two other girls), so I would go to the school and finish work up there. By the way, Judy described her accomodation at Copenhagen on her blog. (quote) The three of us share a bedroom. There are also two bathrooms in my hall. There are people on the floor who have singles too, and all of us have keys to our individual rooms. My building is much more apartment style, so you are living independently†¦ Keep in mind though, there are some DRCs that are more dorm style. Some of the building rules can be a challenge to get used to, especially if you’re used to living in a house or off-campus. In a DRC, you will have an RA, and you will have to follow rules regarding quiet hours, chore rotations, and guests. Would the experience of studying abroad be relevant for your future profession? In what way? Oh, absolutely! I studied graphic design as my core course, and learning about it through an international lens is such a valuable experience. It makes you much more aware of the background and perceptions of your work, and Im glad I was able to learn it this way. In addition, I was just exposed to so much thats different from what I used to see in the States. That definitely helped for drawing inspiration. On her return home in Michigan, US, Judy wrote on her blog: Things here seem kind of like they always have, and it’s only the little things that remind me my semester in Copenhagen wasn’t just a dream. So, we decided to ask Judy: How would you describe your Copenhagen time in just one sentence? Going abroad was one of the most exciting and eye-opening experiences Ive ever had. As a final question, please, give some advice for all the students who are considering to study abroad. Just go for it! I have never heard of anyone who regretted going abroad. Once youre there, make sure you make the most of your time. Studying abroad is such a great opportunity, and you wont want to miss a thing! Thanks, Judy Su, for such an inspirational advice and interesting interview! Hopefully, the thoughts of this cheerful design student will change minds of our readers and help them make the right decision on studying abroad.

Racism and Hooliganism in English Football Coursework

Racism and Hooliganism in English Football - Coursework Example A questionnaire to assess the perception of racism in football was distributed to football clubs and their spectators in the North East of England, and 10% of these questionnaires were returned. The results of this research seem to demonstrate that racism has little influence and plays a minimal role in the production of hooliganism within English professional football at least as a simple causal agent. Racism - the theory that people of one race are superior to another race, and this theory often results in hostility towards the supposed inferior race, and practices of discrimination (Williams 1991). Hooliganism - Although the exact definition of hooligans is rather open-ended, it can be characterised as violence toward opposing fans, players, and referee's or destruction of objects inside or around the stadium. Violent incidents that occur following a game that fans perpetrate is also often considered acts of hooliganism (University of Leicester 2002). Professional football in England still suffers from incidents, trends and traditions which suggest that racism is very much a part of the game. For instance, comments by individuals involved in playing, managing and mediating football in England are suggestive of an acceptability of racism in and around the game (Metro 2007). This has largely been attributed to Britain's colonial past, where it was common place for racial stereotypes to prevail (University of Leicester 2002). Whilst most of this racism has been targeted towards black players, it is also affecting England's reputation for international matches with its European counterparts (University of Leicester 2002, Giulianotti and Armstrong 2003, Spaaij 2006). The fact that black players and white, but foreign, players are the subject of racist comments shows the at the term "racist" is not as simple as it might at least superficially seem. The black players may be targeted because of their "blackness", while the other foreign players are targeted for their "foreignness": but "black" and "foreign" are not synonymous. Some black players are targeted for racist comments by supposedly 'friendly' supporters, i.e. supporters of the team that the black player is playing on. Added to this mix is the element of "hooliganism" in which the hurling of racial epithets from one group of supporters to another is often the precursor to violence, then a complex situation arises. This situation has further been exploited by right wing groups who use football grounds to distribute their paraphernalia; examples include the 1982 World Cup Finals, where right wing organisers were actively recruiting sympathisers, before and

The Principle Of Equality In The Egyptian Constitution Essay

The Principle Of Equality In The Egyptian Constitution - Essay Example Resignation of sovereignty by the people to the government was not, in other words, to be interpreted as the people's having permanently giving up their sovereignty or their having done so unconditionally. Indeed, the very concept of the social contract emphasizes the sovereign rights of the people, acknowledges that a sovereign people have given a certain person, the ruler, their consent to govern over them in exchange for his protection of their rights and liberties, among other things. The social contract is, therefore, the constitution which outlines the legal basis of the state as a moral, political and economic institution and the rights and duties of the citizens within, and the state's responsibilities and obligations towards citizens. The concept of the social contract, as defined and discussed by Locke and Rousseau, shed interesting light upon the phenomenon of modern day constitutions. The constitution, as may be deduced from these theories, is the contract between the government, the state and the ruler and the people. It outlines the duties owed by the ruler to the people and the rights and freedoms of the people within the limits of the law. More importantly, as with any contract, there is a legal obligation to respect it. Indeed, as both Locke and Rousseau concluded, should the ruler violate the terms of the contract, the contract is no longer applicable and the ruler's governance is illegitimate. Accordingly, we may similarly conclude that if a government violates the terms of the constitution, the government becomes illegitimate. It is quite interesting to consider a national constitution as a contract which both parties, citizens and governments, are legally obliged to abide by. It becomes even more interesting when we consider that the violation of the terms of the constitution on the part of the government/ruler, renders that ruler/government illegitimate. This is simply because, were we to apply this as a basic rule, the Egyptian government will, in essence, emerge as an illegitimate entity; an institution which, insofar as it neither abides by constitutional guarantees pertaining to the rights and freedoms of citizens, and constitutional limitations on its authority, has violated the Articles of the Egyptian Constitution. Through an analysis of the provisions of the Egyptian Constitution regarding the equality of citizens and their equal right to political, economic and civil liberties, the research shall initially establish that the constitution defines Egyptian citizens as equal, and endows them with equal political, economic and civil rights. Upon the analysis of the rights awarded minority groups in Egypt, such as Copts and women, the research shall establish that, insofar as they are denied equality, they are effectively denied that which the constitution has guaranteed them. The conclusion to this research shall review the implications of this as regards the legitimacy of the government. 1 The Egyptian Constitution's Provisions on Equality The Egyptian Consti

Major medical condition Essay Example for Free

Major medical condition Essay Virtual communities are a good example of how social exploration is impacted by ICT (and impacts) human interaction. A virtual community is an Internet-based medium where persons can ‘post’ thoughts, ideas, and opinions they would like to share with others. People experience a connection and social interaction through the virtual management of information in a digital medium. The virtual community allows information to be gain an open diversity that promotes the broadening of â€Å"horizons in terms of connecting with people of different backgrounds† (Ward p 101 1999). Citizens of the virtual community are not geographically secluded to their local culture, and therefore the management of information across the virtual community â€Å"seems to add to the interest and depth of the community† (Ward p 101 1999). ICT convergence allows for the Internet to be used for communication in multiple manners. The Internet is the medium where internet telephony, phone text message or SMS, online chat or IM, email, podcast, blog, and so forth take place. There is not another medium for transfer of digital information, but there are multiple and convergent methods (cell phone, computer, PDA) to utilize in the transfer. Internet telephony is one example of ICT convergence that has changes the manner in which society communicates. This refers to technology that enables routing of voice conversations over the Internet or any other IP network. The voice data flows over a general-purpose packet-switched network, instead of the traditional dedicated, circuit-switched voice transmission lines. The home computer or mobile laptop can function as a home based telephone, which allows for multiple social connections to be made. Phone text messages, instant messages, online chat and Short Message Service (SMS) are computer programs that enable two-way typing to connect users to each other. Available on digital networks these allow text messages of written characters to be sent and received via the network message centre to the mobile phone, or from the Internet. If the digital device is powered off or out of range, messages are stored in the network and are delivered at later. This increases the opportunity of social connectivity to overcome the concern of time and place, as messages can now be written and received instantly rather than left on a traditional answering machine, and accessed instantly or at a later time. Society places a profound monetary value on information communication technology. People pay for cellular phone access and satellite television. People purchase subscriptions to access the Internet for the ability to make medical, financial, housing, and even education decisions via digital communication. In 2005, 21 million Americans used the Internet to gain career education (Horrigan and Rainie p 4 2006). 17 million Americans used the Internet to help another person with a major medical condition, where 7 million used the Internet to help themselves deal with a major medical condition (Horrigan and Rainie p 4 2006). Another 17 million used the Internet to choose a college, where 16 million Americans used the Internet to purchase a car, and to make a major financial investment (Horrigan and Rainie p 4 2006). 10 million Americans used the Internet to find housing, and 8 million used the Internet to change jobs (Horrigan and Rainie p 4 2006). Podcasts are a form of digital broadcasting that allows the user to publish audio and video files to the Internet for users to download at anytime. This increases the ability to access media related information. A blog and email are written information that is sent instantly to a destination web site, forum, or individual person. Email is mail or text composed and transmitted on a computer network. A blog is basically a web-based journal that are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog in much the same manner as email, simply by typing the message and pressing send. Another significant example of using information communication technology to achieve a desired goal is the blogging community. Blogging is the act of creating and sharing a blog. A blog is written communication published on the Internet. Blogging has changed the manner in which writers achieve their publishing goals of sharing personal information and stories (Lenhart and Fox p 2 2006). There are about 12 million bloggers in America (persons who maintain a blog). 54% of bloggers â€Å"say they have never published their writing or media creations anywhere else† (Lenhart and Fox p 2 2006). Statistically speaking, that is six million Americans who have utilized a blog by managing information to reach desired writing and publishing goals.

Changing the System :: essays research papers

The "system" is something that people are always out to change. You see people trying to change it all the time, but few are actually successful at changing the system. The system can be a variety of things. In some cases it is the government, it can be the a boss or basically anything or anyone that has some type of control or authority. For some people fighting the system is their livelihood, their mission in life. They try to change the system because of the corruption, because of unjust actions, because they were a victim of it or to seek the truth. In the novels One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main characters are out to change the system. Based on the novel by Ken Kesey, it seems that his perspective on this issue is that the system is in dire need of change. Even if you are not successful in changing the system, it is still very effective that you tried and you set an example for others to follow. Kesey also seems to believe that persistence is key when fighting the system. Kesey believes that even if you change a small aspect of the system it was well worth the fight. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the main character, Randle Patrick McMurphy, fights to change the system in a mental hospital. McMurphy is outgoing, a leader and a rebel. There was a constant power struggle in the novel between the patient's new found savior McMurphy, and the evil Nurse Ratched who rules their wing of the hospital with an iron fist. McMurphy fights to change the system to try to win back the patients' rights and in the process gain more privileges for the patients and himself. McMurphy also seems to get pleasure out of fighting the system. His motives are simple, he wants to help out his fellow patients, his friends, to make their lives better. McMurphy was successful in changing many of the rules and regulations that were imposed upon them by Nurse Ratched. McMurphy was a very inspirational speaker and during the regularly occurring meetings between the patients and the doctors he would rally the patients to fight against Nurse Ratched. Thus he was able to win back some of their rights. McMurphy also uses his cunning wit and his skills as a con man to persuade the doctors into giving the patients more rights and activities. McMurphy is able to con Dr.

Partnership working in services for children and young people Essay

1.1 Explain why working in partnership with others is important for children and young people. Agencies working with one another in partnership is important as it enables information and concerns to be shared, this helps with the overall development of the child. It can be used to keep a child safe from harm,(every child matters Victoria Climbie no agencies involved in her care shared information which resulted in her tragic death).It can identify if a child has any special needs the child can then get support and help. It promotes a good relationship with parents/carers and helps them to feel more confident with the setting and its staff. It also help colleagues share information and observations leading to a greater understanding of child and their development which helps the child receive consistent level of care. Overall working in partnership ofers positive, improved outcomes for children and their families. 1.2 Identify who relevant partners would be in own work setting. Parents ,social services, carers, senco, speech therapist, ofsted, gp ,health visitor, physiotherapist, nursery, colleagues, psychologist, paediatrician and police. 1.3Define the characteristics of effective partnership working. For a partnership between a number of organisations’ to be effective characteristics such as good communication, trust and respect and confidentiality maintained at all times .All partners should have a clear aim that is agreed to ensure the needs of the child are meet. Parents and children should be treated fairly and with respect so that trust can be maintained. 1.4 Identify barriers to partnership working. There are many potential barriers, these can be inconsistency between  professionals. An information barrier, language barrier, incorrect information given, incorrect knowledge, personnel barrier, misunderstanding, poor communication, cultural and or religious attitudes to disability .A parents own education, previous experience, individual practitioners lack of knowledge of other professions, poor staff morale and poor morale from partners. Poor understanding of the aims of partnership and a lack of attention to the development skills of individuals. The wrong or insufficient partners involved and continual shifting of organisational structures and not planning in advance when things go wrong. 2.1 Describe why clear and effective communication between partners is required. Clear effective communication is not only required, it is necessary to achieve the best outcome for all those involved. The key principles of partnership are openness, honesty and agreed shared objectives. All documents should be clear and concise, well written and dated. Any face to face meetings should have minutes taken, an agenda and a plan of action agreed that is sanctioned by all those involved ,all telephone conversations should be recorded ie written in dairy, date, time and with whom and what was discussed. This should then be confirmed by email outlining the conversation. If a breakdown between all partners involved in the Childs care, there may be an emotional, physical or intellectual impact on the Childs development. Identify polices and procedures in the work setting for information sharing. All policies regarding information in the setting are based on the Uks government guidance, these are European convention on human rights. Human rights act. Common law duty of confidentiality. Data protection act 1988 Every child matters. Children’s act 2004. Working together to safeguard children 2006 Information sharing guidance Safe guarding vulnerable groups act 2006 The children’s plan 2007. Criminal records bureau guidance. I have included several polices all of which make sure that the staff know they have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies in order to safe guard children. The manger will disclose any information on a need to know bias only. All staff aim to ensure that parents and carers can share information with confidence and it will be used to enhance the welfare of their child. All development records are confidential and only staff and parents have access unless it deemed necessary to share with partners, personnel records and welfare requirements are also confidential. Each child has a key member of staff ie a named person who is the parents main contact with development and safe guarding issues. We also have clear polices about sharing information and confidentiality, which describe the principles and boundaries of confidentiality and when to share information . 2.3 Explain where there may be conflicts or dilemmas in relation to sharing information with partners and maintaining confidentiality. If you believe or have concerns that a child in your care may be suffering or may be at risk of significant harm, you may be unsure weather your concern constitutes a reasonable cause to believe that this is happening. In a situation like this your concern should not be ignored and you should approach your manger. You should not discuss the matter with anyone who does not need to know and protect the identity of the child and family involved. If you do have concerns it is not advisable to discuss the matter with the family until appropriate partners have been informed and agreed plain of action has been agreed. Sometimes a person may not specifically ask a member to keep information that they have given about themselves or another individual confidential and would of course assume that this is implied, the person may then share this information with others, who are not part of the setting partnership. Sadly there may be a child in your setting, who is believed to have a physical or learning disability. Sometimes a parent may find it hard to cope  and would rather with the not acknowledge the situation and refuse to co operate with the setting. .4 Describe why it is important to record information clearly accurately, legibly and concisely meeting legal requirements. All information must be clear ,accurate and legible. The data protection act states that you should take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of any personnel data you obtain. Ensure that the source of any personnel data is clear. Carefully consider any challenges to the accuracy of information, and consider weather it is necessary to update the information. All information must be correct ,not used for any reason other than the reason it has been collected unless permission has been given. Not usually passed on without permission. Not to be kept for longer than necessary and to be secure. Under the data protection act parents can ask to see information that is held about their children and correct it if necessary and to know how the information is being used. 2.5 Identify how communication and records are recorded and securely stored meeting data protection requirements. We hold written records the purpose of which are to comply with legislative requirements. These demonstrate that statutory and policy have been meet .As tool to provide evidence of work that has been undertaken. That demonstrate accountability in decision making , and to give an account of the children’s history, significant issues and involvement in the setting. Help us analyse and make assessments to help see if goals and aims have been achieved. To provide a reference and a reminder to key worker communicate information to co workers and partners. Show how decisions have been made and in what order. Provide information for responding to complaints. We keep personal details such as name address contact numbers medical details including medical contact numbers. All files are kept in a locked cabinet in the management office, which if left unmanned by management is locked, and locked at all other times only management have access to the keys, so there is no way that anyone can have access unless they first ask management. Only when managements permission has been given, can a person have access to records however they must first sigh and date they have been allowed access and this will need to be counter sighed by a manger. No records are to leave  the building. Only safe guarding officers are able to do this and this applies when there is a need to share information with our partners. Any use regarding safeguarding issues is at the discretion of management. No one is allowed in to be alone in the building other than staff, and no one is allowed alone in the office alone other than management .No pictures of the children are stored on the computer, which are taken for the purpose of their file are printed placed in profile and locked in cabinet. The photos are then deleted from the computer and camera right away.

Independence Day of India Essay

A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new†¦India discovers herself again.† – J.L.Nehru On the eve of India’s independence, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru famous speech â€Å"Tryst with Destiny† marked the beginning of a free India with words symbolizing hope and triumph. India got its independence from the clutches of British rule on 15th August 1947. It was this day when India’s tricolor flag was unfolded by Pandit Nehru on the barricades of the Red Fort at Delhi. Each and every patriotic soul watched with excitement and paid tribute to thousands of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for India’s freedom. The Independence Day of India is a moment of delight and grandeur but to achieve it the nation had to put up a long battle for over two centuries against the British Empire. At last on 3rd June 1947, the last British Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, declared the separation of the British Empire in India into India and Pakistan. The announcement was made under the terms of the Indian Independence Act 1947. Significance of Independence Day The significance of the Independence Day in the existence of a nation is of greater value. The day is much more than merely celebrating the anniversary of India’s free statehood. On this day India attained a major part of Asian subcontinent’s 562 extensively spread territories besides British owned states.

The Beautiful, the Sublime, and the Picturesque

The Beautiful, the Sublime, and the Picturesque The beautiful, the sublime, and the picturesque are three key concepts in aesthetics and philosophy of art. Together, they help to map the variety of aesthetically significant experiences. The differentiation among the three concepts took place in seventeenth and eighteenth hundreds, and is still to these days of some significance, despite the difficulty in pinning down each of the three concepts. The Beautiful The beautiful is a widely employed term, referring typically to aesthetic experiences that are pleasing, while to some extent transcending preferences and needs that are specific to an individual. That is, the experience of something beautiful will please a subject for reasons that reach beyond the subjective inclinations of the subject and that can be experienced also by many - some maintain all - other subjects. It is debated whether the appreciation of beauty rests primarily on a sensory experience of an object of an event, as empiricists maintain, or rather on an appreciation of the object or event that requires understanding, as rationalists maintain. The Sublime The sublime, on the other hand, is a transformative experience typically associated with some negative pleasure and elicited by the encounter of an object or situation whose quantity transcends the limits of our actual grasp. Imagine contemplating the sea, or the sky, an immense quantity of garbage, or a mesmerizing infinite series of numbers: all those experiences can, potentially, elicit the idea of the sublime. To aesthetic theorists of late seventeenth hundreds, the sublime was a crucial concept. By means of it, they explained why it is possible to have aesthetic experiences that are associated with some degree of discomfort or, in the most remarkable cases, to awe. Beauty, they claimed, is nothing like this. In beauty, we do not experience negative feelings and our aesthetic appreciation is not mysteriously associated with that which is experienced. Indeed, the experience of the sublime gives rise to a paradox of the sublime: we find aesthetic reward in having an experience that, at once, we associate with some negative form of pleasure.It has been debated whether the sublime can be elicited by natural objects or by natural phenomena. In mathematics, we encounter the idea of infinity, which may elicit the idea of the sublime. In phantasy or mystery stories we may experience the sublime too, because of what deliberately remains untold. All of those experiences, however, depend on some human craft. But, can nature elicit the idea of the sublime? The Picturesque To make room for a sui generis aesthetic experience of natural objects or phenomena, the category of picturesque was introduced. The picturesque is not indefinite, and yet it allows for some vagueness as to that which elicits the aesthetic response. The view of the Grand Canyon or the view of the ruins of ancient Rome can elicit a picturesque response. We can place some boundaries to that which we are experiencing, and yet the aesthetic worth of the scenery is not attributable to any specific element, which we may term as beautiful.In this three-partition of aesthetic experiences, then, the experience of beauty is the most defined and, perhaps, the most secure. Sublime and Picturesque will be cherished by the adventurous. They are crucial in pinpointing the aesthetic specificity of certain types of literature, music, movies, and visual art.

Origin of the Chinese Zodiac Signs

Origin of the Chinese Zodiac Signs The well-trodden (no pun intended) story of the Chinese zodiac is cute, but a bit trite. The tale usually begins with the Jade Emperor, or Buddha, depending on the teller, who summoned all the animals of the universe for a race, or a banquet, depending on the teller. The 12 animals of the zodiac all headed to the palace. The order that they came in determined the order of the zodiac. The order is as follows: Rat: (1984, 1996, 2008, add 12 years for each subsequent year)Ox: (1985, 1997, 2009)Tiger: (1986, 1998, 2010)Rabbit: (1987, 1999, 2011)Dragon: (1976, 1988, 2000)Snake: (1977, 1989, 2001)Horse: (1978, 1990, 2002)Ram: (1979, 1991, 2003)Monkey: (1980, 1992, 2004)Chicken: (1981, 1993, 2005)Dog: (1982, 1994, 2006)Pig: (1983, 1995, 2007) During the journey, however, the animals got involved in everything from high jinx to heroism. For example the rat, who won the race, only did so through guile and trickery: it jumped onto the back of the ox and won by a nose. The snake, apparently also a little sneaky, hid on the hoof of a horse in order to cross a river. When they got to the other side, it scared the horse and beat it in the contest. The dragon, however, proved to be honorable and altruistic. By all accounts, the dragon would have won the race as it could fly, but it had stopped to help villagers caught in a flooding river cross safely, or it stopped to assist the rabbit in crossing the river, or it stopped to help create rain for a drought-ridden farmland, depending on the teller. Actual History of the Zodiac The actual history behind the Chinese zodiac is much less fantastical and much harder to find. It’s known from pottery artifacts that the animals of the zodiac were popular in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), but they were also seen much earlier from artifacts from the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), a period of disunity in ancient Chinese history, as differing factions fought for control. It’s been written that the animals of the zodiac were brought to China via the Silk Road, the same central Asian trade route that brought the Buddhist belief from India to China. But some scholars argue that the belief predates Buddhism and has origins in early Chinese astronomy that used the planet Jupiter as a constant, as its orbit around the earth took place every 12 years. Still, others have argued that the use of animals in astrology began with nomadic tribes in ancient China who developed a calendar based on the animals they used to hunt and gather. The scholar Christopher Cullen as written that beyond satisfying the spiritual needs of an agrarian society, the use of astronomy and astrology was also an imperative of the emperor, who had the responsibility for ensuring harmony of everything under heaven. To rule well and with prestige, one needed to be accurate in astronomical matters, Cullen wrote. Perhaps that is why the Chinese calendar, including the zodiac, became so entrenched in Chinese culture. In fact, reforming the calendar system was viewed as appropriate if political change was eminent. Zodiac Fits With Confucianism The belief that everyone and every animal has a role to play in society translates well with Confucian beliefs in a hierarchical society. Just as Confucian beliefs persist in Asia today alongside more modern social views, so does the use of the zodiac. It’s been written by Paul Yip, Joseph Lee, and Y.B. Cheung that births in Hong Kong regularly increased, bucking declining trends, to coincide with the birth of a child in a dragon year. Temporary fertility rate increases were seen in the dragon years of 1988 and 2000, they wrote. This is a relatively modern phenomenon as the same increase wasn’t seen in 1976, another dragon year. The Chinese zodiac also serves the practical purpose of figuring out a person’s age without having to ask directly and risk offending someone.

The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living - Essay Example For a philosopher, every life form should have a way of life suitable for it, that is, the life that is in harmony with its nature. But according to human nature, ‘the good’ involves living that kind of life subject to the truly critical use of reason, namely to live such a life implying anything less that it is quite unworthy of such person’s nature. Indeed he stands to find it intolerable and further, that way of life is quite unworthy of such person’s nature, and he/she should not endure the unexamined life, which is in Kant’s words ‘an eternal childhood’ which in essence is a condition of lack of freedom. This paper discuses Socrates’ words "The unexamined life is not worth living". This would help ascertain if such words are any meaningful in human life. "The unexamined life is not worth living." Certainly those are Socrates’ words while at his trial for heresy. Socrates was on trial and said those words intentionally to encourage his students to always think for themselves and challenge the accepted belief of the time. He was condemned to death, although he had the choice of suggesting an alternative punishment. Rationally, it was expected that Socrates could have opted for exile or life in prison, which would have helped him avoid death. But according to Socrates, these promising alternatives would instead rob him of that only thing that would make him useful in examining the beautiful world around him and discussing how well to make it a better place to live. Without his examined life Socrates believed then that there was no point in living. He, therefore, suggested that the Jury should consider rewarding him for his service to the society. This implied that the Athens had no other alternative but be forced to vote for his death punishment. Socrates believed that the purpose of human life would always be personal and spiritual growth. People are not able to grow towards their greater understan ding of their true nature unless they spend some time reflecting and examining their lives (Palmer 34). Just like philosopher, Santayana, observed, â€Å"He who fails to remember the past is condemned to repeat it.† (Karl 11). Lucky enough, people do not have to make a choice between death and examined life. The saddest thing is that most people always avoid living an examined life not because they do not have the time, but because they actively like to avoid examining their own life. Socrates’ words are significantly relevant in every bit of human life, and I unreservedly agree to them. It implies that a person who is not open for questioning by others concerning his action and thoughts certainly lives in denial of such motivations prompting his actions and thoughts. It follows that such an individual wastes his or her life. That kind of life is but a superficial act that reveals nothing new and nothing unique and such a life is not "real" Socrates’ careful cho ice of words provides much color to his quote. The word ‘examined’ might be interpreted to mean to analyze, study, to check condition or health of someone or something, or to inquire. One would imagine that Socrates insists that asking other persons what his quote implies defiles the precise nature. It is, therefore, best for one to have his or her meaning from it. Socrates suggests that ‘unexamined life’ refers to that life whose purpose has at no time been questioned; a