"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." Langston Hughes (poet, playwright, author--1902-1967), Following Hughes' suggestion, I continue to hold fast to many dreams and keep them alive every day: They are striving to be the best Christian, wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, and professional as possible. My life up to this time gives me much personal satisfaction. I am fortunate to be part of a loving family and also a public servant, citizen and U.S. Veteran. I am also fortunate to live in such exciting times. Regardless of who wins the election, although admittedly I am partial to Barack Obama for his leadership and inspiration, it truly is a special time for our country. American history is being made with two women candidates, an African-American, a Catholic, a Jewish contender for Vice President, and such a major age difference between candidates. This indeed shows the diversity of thought and background

As its name implies, the role of a neutral in providing third-party assistance is not to take sides or do judge who is right to who is wrong (Liddle). Jones (1998) explains that the resolution will not be accepted by one or both parties if the neutral is not accepted as a person with no recognizable bias to the personalities and issues involved in the dispute. This is certainly the most obvious and the most important responsibility of the neutral. However, the job of the neutral is far more complex than many realize. Before the mediation process even starts, the neutral and the parties must establish ground rules (The role of the mediator). These make clear the purpose of mediation, explain how the mediation process works and identify the expected behaviors of all parties. Setting ground rules is particularly important because it will set the

The eighteenth century provided a great time for revolutions with the Europeans meaning to take over as much land as they could from the rest of the world. The American territory proved to be very important for the British and for the French especially. After the division of the territory between the two, the British were keen on taking as much advantage as they could from their part of America. The event made the colonies reluctant to sharing the largest parts of their profits with their mother country. Following along a period of intense negotiations and quarrels between the two camps, the situation became tensed. The tension left the colonists with a revolution which would lead to their independence as their best option. The American Revolution began in 1775 following a decade of conflicts between the British government and the colonists. (Encarta 1997-2008) There were several social and economic reasons for starting a revolution but the main causes were politically based as there

Motherhood can be a stressful experience and it can become even more complex when fraught with guilt. In the short story, I stand here Ironing, Tillie Olsen transcribes a mother's reconstruction of her life to frame her guilt properly and possibly purge herself of the same. The physical action of the iron as it goes back and forth is juxtaposed with the mental process of reflection on the past and the present. "I stand here ironing, and what you asked me moves tormented back and forth 1 with the iron." (p. 12) A guilt-ridden mother reconstructs her past to understand her daughter's present behavior, blaming herself for possible neglect as Emily was growing up. As mother goes back to fetch her past life, we as readers get a glimpse of Emily's childhood. There are few intrusions that bring her back to the present like "I put the iron down" (p. 12); "Ronnie is calling. He is wet and I change him" (p. 17); "She is coming." (p. 19). But this journey of recollection ends

As I said before, it is really hard to "like" this work, because it is so hard to read. The situations are so realistic that they are hard to read, especially when the reader knows that these are real situations for many girls, and that is horrible to think about. This chapter especially puts the idea of incest right in the forefront, and discusses it frankly and openly, and it is heartbreaking to think about. For example, Precious finds out she has HIV and says, "I know I ain' the only one that got it, even though that's how it feels. But I'm probably the only one get it from they daddy" (Sapphire 111). It is disgusting to think that a father could do this to his own daughter, and it is clear that she will be scarred her entire life. She says, "How is something a memory if you never forgit?" (Sapphire 112) and that is so difficult to read, let alone comprehend. So, no, I really do not "like" this work, but I appreciate the book and what the author is trying to accomplish, and it is hard to put it down, even though the

The ancient Greeks and Chinese philosophers were studying and writing about human nature in their writings. Thucydides found human nature to be main course of the aspects of politics. The world has changed a great deal since then and yet, human nature appears to have remained the same. It is undisputable that the latest discoveries of technology gave humanity a fourth dimension. The most precious of the gain of humanity through technology is communication and the possibility to travel faster than ever anywhere on the planet. Human nature is characterized by curiosity and inclination toward research. Humans always questioned everything and this was the chance for technology to thrive. Human nature is characterized by opposite features, like generosity and desire to do justice, but also by greed, self-interest, vanity and the pursuit of happiness. All these motivated scientists to look for answers, regardless of their reasons. Technology enhances people's lives, makes capitalism po

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the novel "Push" by Sapphire. Specifically it will respond to the fourth chapter of the book. This is a book told in the real language of the streets, about a girl who is living a horrible life. It illustrates the hopelessness of life in the ghetto, and how far removed most people are from this horror.

Introduction In this day and age, where the vast majority of American shoppers select their meat and dairy products from a refrigerated section in a grocery store, people simply do not think about the origins of their food. When Americans do think about their food, the majority of them probably have an image of animals raised in a stereotypical rural environment, cows eating in a pasture, pigs lolling around in mud, and chickens scratching in the dirt of a large pen. However, the reality of most modern American farming is that it is big business, not a family enterprise. While animals may be kept on a farm, these are not farms like those evoked by images of children's animal play sets or even historical American pastoral images. On the contrary, these are farms that can raise hundreds of thousands of animals at each time. These farms are all about producing food in the least expensive, most productive way possible. Unfortunately, those goals are oftentimes incompatible wit

1.Introduction Jane Fonda has become a well-known name throughout the world not only because of her status as a Hollywood film star, but also because of her advocacy and activism with regard to certain social and political issues. She has been an outspoken opponent of war and particularly the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War, as well as many contemporary issues, such as genital mutilation in Kenya. Very often her artistic concerns have coincided with her prevailing social and political views. At the same time Fonda's personal life has been characterized by a certain degree of turbulence, personal problems and issues. The following outline of her life as an actor and activist is not intended to be exhaustive but is intended rather to highlight periods and events that illustrate the interconnections between her role as an artist and actor and as a social commentator and activist. 2.Early years Jayne Seymour Fonda was born in 21 December 193

Vatican II was a great revolutionary moment in the history of the Catholic church, when the windows were thrown open and the modern world let in. With sessions running between October 1962 and December 1965, it brought together around 3,000 bishops from all corners of the world, and changed every aspect of church life-including a new emphasis on the role of the laity, and a new spirit of dialogue with other churches and the secular world. (The Religion Report, 2002) Vatican II served, in many ways as a catalyst to change within the Catholic church and Catholic education. The demonstrative focus of the faith, during the 1962-1965 meetings of the church was specifically associated with a new ecumenical standard, as the church vowed to demonstrate greater responsibility for its place within the world, as a point of historical standards but more importantly as a newly invigorated center of faith and hope in a changing world. The world in which Vatican II firmly placed the Roman Catholic C

Qualitative research is any research method or design that does not rely on numerical findings but instead relies on findings that can be termed subjective. Some examples of qualitative research are oral histories, open ended (rather than numerical) question answering, interviews that end in materials that are not quantifiable but still none the less demonstrate a finding that is pertinent to the research question and of course observational data which cannot be quantified but creates a picture of the materials being studied, without being obtrusive to participants. (Trochim, 2001, pp. 152-167) There are many reasons to utilize a qualitative research design, the most pressing of which is specific individual understanding of phenomena being observed rather than measured and or tested in a hypothesis. "Qualitative research refers to a deep holistic exploration and description of an identified phenomenon in the field. The purpose of qualitative research is to elicit understanding an

The polar ice caps are some of nature's most impressive features because, while they may seem like frozen chunks of ice, they are actually indicators of life on Earth. Maynard Miller maintains that polar ice caps can be defined as "domelike glacial masses, usually at high elevation" (Miller). The cover the North and South poles, including outreaching areas such as the Artic Ocean and Antarctica. While they appear to be domelike, they can vary in thicknesses. Some parts of the ice caps are only a few meters thick while other areas are "several miles" (Science Online) thick. They remain frozen year-round and they serve as "sources for glaciers that feed ice into the polar se

On the one hand the Jungle Book tales are innocent, lively stories filled with talking animals, averted dangers, and moral conundrums. Their exoticism does not necessarily impart any political message. The names of characters and the jungle setting evoke the mystery and magic of India without implying moral inferiority of Indian culture. On the other hand, Kipling's stories epitomize the underlying themes and assumptions of new imperialism. By portraying the dark-skinned people like Mowgli as being raised by wolves in the jungle and communing with beasts, Kipling suggests that Indians are primitive, savage, animalistic and therefore sub-human. Their jungle culture is pitted against the modern European industrialized city. The juxtaposition of civilization and savagery is at the heart of the Jungle Book and one of its core themes. That theme was prevalent among Europeans around the turn of the 20th century and especially those whose families were actively involved in colonies like

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the novel "Push" by Sapphire. Specifically it will respond to the first three chapters of the book. This is a book told in the real language of the streets, about a girl who is living a horrible life. It illustrates the hopelessness of life in the ghetto, and how far removed most people are from this horror. It was hard to "like" this work, because it is terribly difficult to read. The language is raw and illiterate, and the situations are awful. At one point, Precious, the mai

Gang violence presents one of the most significant crime problems in the United States. It is however hardly a recent problem. Indeed, according to Johnson & Muhlhausen (2005), the phenomenon has been a part of American urban life since as early as the American Revolution. Gang violence can range from crimes as petty as thieving and robbery to more major criminal activities such as drug and arms trafficking, as well as alien smuggling, armed robbery and murder. Indeed, so serious is the problem in some states that authors such as Johnson & Muhlhausen warn of threats to public security. There are various reasons for the establishment and thriving of gangs, and concomitantly a variety of solutions are offered to curb the problem. Globalization is noted as one of the culprits in the success of gang activity in the United States (Johnson & Muhlhausen, 2005). Indeed, the authors note that groups established in Los Angeles some 20-40 years ago now thrive as a result of their links to Mexi

Philip Dick's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is an interesting though complex piece of fiction that criticizes the influx of technology in our world through the use of robots. Androids in this novel are robots that appear like humans but lack the capacity of empathy and hence are not actually humans. They are either enslaved or hunted down for enslavement. Some try to pass as human beings in order to avoid enslavement but aggressively hunted down by bounty hunters like Rick Deckard, the protagonist of the novel. The novel's main premise can be described in one single sentence- men are selfish by nature and want to maintain their supremacy on earth. But that is not exactly all. On deeper analysis, we realize that technology is the main crux of the issue. It is technology that is pitting man against robots and at the same time, allowing men to dominate the rest of the species because they are the only ones who can use this technology effectively. But the premise hits again: ma

Descartes' Archimedean point is "I think, therefore I am," although the phrasing for that principle is not to be found in Meditations on First Philosophy, but in one of his earlier works. However, he arrives at the same conclusion in Meditation II, which focuses on the fact that the human mind is more easily known than the human body. In order to understand the significance of his point, which is that, if he is thinking, he must exist, it is important to understand what theories he rejects prior to that point, and the great things he discovers from that starting point. Therefore, the concept that thought equals existence is both a conclusion for Descartes and a beginning point. In Meditation I, Descartes begins by looking at those basic assumptions that he has taken as truths, and wondering which of those he can call into doubt. He comes to the conclusion that he has to cease believing in these assumptions, if he can find a reason to doubt is present opinions.

INTRODUCTION Jean Watson's Ten Carative Factors may be applied to teaching handicapped students and as well, these factors present a method of teaching that is likely to be successful and to instill self-dignity in handicapped students in the learning process. I. HUMANISTIC-ALTRUISTIC SYSTEM OF VALUE The first carative factor is one that when used in teaching the handicapped student, vests in the student true value of who the student is and as well vests value in the students abilities. This instills in the student self-worth and dignity in the learning process. II. INSTILLATION OF FAITH-HOPE Teaching the student in the spirit of faith that they are able to learn and in the spirit of hope for their learning experience provides the student with the capacity to have faith in themselves and with hope for their own learning experience rather than causing the student to feel that their learning experience is somehow diminished because of their handicap and learning disabil

Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor are two of the most recognizable early American poets. In addition to this contemporary similarity they are also both American Puritans, with significant opinions and beliefs that reflected the ideal of the puritan, with respect to God in history, the importance of heaven, in contrast tot eh material finite world and sin. Bradstreet and Taylor, shared a great deal, in style of writing as well as content and reflected their beliefs in these works. Martin, an expert on early American literature, speaks of all three of these concepts with regard to Taylor and Bradstreet, in conjunction with the Puritan standard espoused by those who remained in Europe and continued to write, treatise upon faith and piety. Although the metaphors and analogies of Bradstreet's Meditations are drawn from her own experience, the form is that of the ritual discipline of emotions intended to help the sinner take stock of moral shortcomings in order to be prepared to receive God

The institution of slavery was based on the premise of a distinct racial hierarchy in which blacks were to be considered and treated as the property of whites. A concept alien to us a century and a half hence, the principle of human ownership based upon skin color is a dubious one when one considers the ambiguity of racial categorization, the unnatural condition of this subjugation and the essential immorality in denying one the freedom of his own life. That notwithstanding, slavery and racism are two very distinct elements of American history and identity, with the institution and its eventual banishment both contributing directly to the cultures of both blacks and whites, even all this time later. It is, in fact, the gap in time which has caused the obscurity of the slave experience, with the fragile racial parameters of modern America persisting with infrequent acknowledgment of their origins. Science-fiction author Octavia Butler utilizes an unusual vehicle to close this gap. I

1. The Cold War was caused by the differences in idealism between the Western and Eastern superpowers. Yet, that idealism was not necessarily the reigning idealism of the people within the nations of the United States and the Soviet Union. Many citizens within the Soviet Union and its satellite nations proved to abhor the tyrannical Communist regime of Stalin and his predecessors. However, there were forced to adopt the nationalization seen in Communism. The United States used this tyrannical image to po

The era of the 1950's presented a wave of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Yet, the 1956 revolution of Hungary is relatively unknown to the pages of modern history. Unlike the better known nations which fought against their Soviet-friendly governments, Hungary was left to push out their tyrannical regime without global intervention from the United States. Yet, how could the Unite

Changes within the Iron Curtain of Soviet Russia varied greatly based on the individual in power. Stalin represented a conservative and nationalist regime, which was later de-Stalinized by Nikkita Khrushchev. Yet this change was also reversed in some ways when Loenid Brezhnev took power and began the move to industrialization once again. Along with periods of relative nuclear peace, Brezhnev also planted the seeds of tension in Afghanistan where it continues to fester even today. As the 1920s dwindled, Stalin began implementing a complete socialist renovation within the borders of the Soviet Union. He manipulated party politics to eliminate his rivals and placed himself in ultimate power. During his "First Five-Year Plan," Stalin began to quickly industrialize the lagging Russian country side. He also centralized the nation's economy and nationalized small businesses and industries, (U.S. Library of Congress, 1989). Stalin also manipulated the unions within the

1. Germany served as a stage for the tensions of the Cold War. Between the years of 1945 to 1989, the country of Germany was split into fractured regions controlled by Western and Soviet powers. As the Cold War grew more intense, the region portrayed a physical arena for the tensions to play out. Many Germans trapped in East Germany attempted to flee into the West. The tyrannical governments of East Germany were heavily juxtaposed by the Western influenced West Germany. Therefore, during the Cold War, Germany served as a manifestation of the ex

Vietnam looked toward the French for assistance in fighting the Communists. Ho Chi Men was successful in establishing a regime in northern Vietnam before the French could return and reestablish her forces in 1945. France was able to reestablish forces in South Vietnam but negotiations between Vietnam and France lead to "considerable opposition for France...to give in to the Vietnamese independence movement" (Noble 1165). While it was Ho Chi Min's desire to be free from the French, he wanted to associate with the Chinese even less. He is reported to have said, "I prefer to smell French dung for the next five years than smell Chinese dung for the rest of my life" (Davidson 1195). The French did enter but in 1946, France "deliberately provoked" (1165) an incident that destabilizes negotiations and began hostilities. For the next eight years, the two were engaged in a difficult conflict, which drained the French economy. While the United States did not want to become involved with the wa