The Advent of Plus Sized Modeling Essay Example

The Advent of Plus Sized Modeling Essay Example The Advent of Plus Sized Modeling Essay The Advent of Plus Sized Modeling Essay PLUS SIZE MODELING: OUR TIME HAS COME Plus sized modeling was something that was frowned upon and mocked when I first began in the industry. If you were not a size two, this career choice was not for you. The attitude of the industry at that time largely contributed to the negative emotions and mentality of most full fgured women that had the slightest interest in wanting to peruse this career path. But, now, things have taken a turn for the better. Plus sized models have recently become more respected and accepted in the world of modeling, media advertisement and socially as a whole due to higher levels of self orth, self esteem and more importantly self love. This new attitude is being shown more by fuller fgured women of today as opposed to the timid, shy and afraid fat girls in the past. Some may argue that plus-size models have made huge steps in gaining respect in an industry that stresses thin is in. More and more full-fgured women have graced high-fashion magazines covers and walked in main-stream fashion shows. Full figured women of today now have role models and mentors that we can be proud of. Beautiful women, which encompass a positive, confident attitude hat should have been displayed all along. An excellent example of such a woman is, Australian model Robyn Lawley. Robyn posed for the cover of French Elle, Vogue Italia, and French Marie Claire. Just recently, Robyn became the first plus size model for Ralph Lauren. One huge step for plus sized women, one huge step for plus sized women kind! For years the most common complaint has been that models are too thin. Over the past few years, the plus sized model is the focus of numerous news articles, magazines, and blogs. The plus-size modeling industry gathers more ttention now than ever before. The fashion industry make claim that they embrace women of different shapes and sizes, but it is obvious from most magazine spreads and standard model sample sizes that what is claimed is only to please the public. Thin models are not only favored, but given many more opportunities to book Jobs than full-figured models. Most would argue that thin models are favored by the industry because that is what society desires. However, I would argue Just the opposite. The public desires thinner models because the industry has convinced hem that thinner is better. Discrimination towards plus-size models or Just average- sized women in general results in body image disputes over the world. Some examples of the full-fgured women and models making their voice heard are Plus Model Magazines editorial Plus Size Bodies, What is wrong with them anyway? and Doves Real Beauty campaign. These two movements fought back against the skinny mold and have brought the plus-size modeling industry to front page news. Doves Real Beauty campaign focused on encouraging women to embrace their bodies egardless of shape or size. The most well known part of the campaign is a photo of women with completely different bodies, yet all referred to as beautiful. The photograph generated a lot of buzz because it showed average size women accepting their bodies. Women are taught by the fashion industry that thinner is better. Everyday women are brainwashed to believe that they are only attractive if people are towards women who are not model thin. Dove started the Dove Self- Esteem Fund. This fund fought to change the Western perception of beauty from uper thin models to making every girl feel comfortable in her own skin. Doves campaign rose awareness to the negatively changing image of what is beautiful. Movements like the Real Beauty campaign are needed to help women with body image and self esteem issues. The modeling industry severely damages the way the world sees beauty. Women with a full-fgure or curves are seen as overweight. Plus- size models have begun to change this false idea put into place by the corrupt fashion-model industry. It is sometimes unclear whether the modeling industry is eally making a change for the better, or if it is Just a fad to embrace full fgured women. In my opinion, any change is a change for the better. Plus size models, full fgured women of today, are constantly changing the age old ideal that a size 2 defines beauty. The higher the level of self esteem, self worth and self love that are held by full fgured women of today will continue to make a positive impact on society, media and in all average sized women in society everywhere. We will no longer tolerate the stigma of being known merely as that fat girl.

The Scarlet Ibis Essays

The Scarlet Ibis Essays The Scarlet Ibis Paper The Scarlet Ibis Paper Who is Your Something? If you think back to your earliest memories, who do you recall being your main caregiver? Most people would remember a feminine figure, whether it be your mother, grandmother or another female relative. Commonly, females take responsibility over young children. In some cases though, a male in the family will take over this nurturing position, much like in The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, in which a young boy decides to help his disabled brother learn to walk. In the text, the reader discovers that males are able to take accessibility for a kid when a female chooses not to and leave the child the same as if a woman were to raise it. William Armstrong, more casually known as Doodle, was born very weak and was subsequently abandoned by his parents, especially his mother. After he was born, his aunt was convinced that he would live, however the first few years of his life were spent lying in a bed with minimal social interaction. Doodle ;s mother did not stimulate him and help him develop like she did with her other son because she had no hope for him. In her mind he was destined to live a life of solitude in a vegetative state. Only an impeccably well timed peek by his brother rescued Doodle from his prison. According to his brother, It seemed so hopeless that its a miracle I didnt give up. But all of us must have something to be proud of, and Doodle had become my something. Over the course of his time with Doodle, Brother filled a crucial hole. He not only took over the role of Mother, but he was also Doodle ;s first teacher and role model. With the constant, take Doodle with you, he plopped into a nurturing and encouraging force, all the while maintaining a healthy sibling rivalry. Some may say that because of the lack of a feminine figure Brother was forced to compensate and provide for his sibling. The true reason the mother neglected to provide for her son is not clear in the text. It could be that because he was sure to die young, she did not want to attach herself to him. In the beginning of the story when Doodle was very sick, he was constantly compared to other things such as a worn out doll and a half-empty flour sack. The family looked at him as though he was inanimate; therefore it would be much easier to let him go, as opposed to someone they had had an emotional connection with. The thought of losing a child was too much for Doodle s mother to bear, and consequently she subconsciously chose to treat him as if he were not a child at all, resulting in Brother having to repair the shattered pieces of Doodle s early life. Even though the brother took full responsibility for Doodle, he was not always selfless. We can infer that the mother was not completely involved in his bringing either, despite his lack of disability. By allowing him to go off on his own, his mother was avoiding spending time and making important memories with him. Through Doodle, the brother was attempting to earn some recognition. In his mind, he taught Doodle to walk and he should get credit for it. Going back to the line But all of us must have something to be proud of, and Doodle had become my something, opens a new door into the brother ;s way of thinking. He was hoping to become his mother ;s something by giving back the child she never truly got to have. The brother was the only one who had hope in Doodle, most likely because he didnt truly understand the circumstances of Doodle ; s birth. He wanted so desperately for his little brother to be like every other boy. He pushed himself and Doodle to succeed while his parents were distracted with trying to forget their second son. Think back to your earliest memory. Just because someone that took care of you was female, doesnt mean they acted as a feminine figure in your upbringing. Because the mother neglected to have hope in Doodle, Brother eve him a new lease on life and acted as his mother figure. No matter your gender We all have a need, whether we are aware of it or not, to care and nurture for young children. While Brother thought he took over because of personal pride, the reality was that his internal instincts were kicking in. We all feel like we must have a something. When all others have lost hope there will be another person to take over to ensure our species survival by raising the new generation. We all feel like we must have a something to care for.

People have become overly dependent on technology Essay

People have become overly dependent on technology - Essay Example Technology can be defined as human innovation that develops systems and applications to meet human needs, to increase the quality of life or to solve problems. To see the impact of technology in the life of an average American, one only has to put himself in the shoes of an average American. Whether you are a student or an adult, you wake up when the digital alarm clock rings, you catch the latest news on television while eating your breakfast, you type documents using your computer, you visit social networking sites to keep in touch with family and friends and when you come home, you rely on the Internet to play online games or to watch your favorite videos. This clearly shows our over dependence on technology. A recent Harris Poll from Harris Interactive reveals that nearly 65% or two-thirds of Americans think that today’s society is very dependent upon electronic gadgets. Despite doubts about technology’s role in increasing personal productivity, the majority of Amer ican consumers is of the opinion that technology will play an important role in the nation’s recovery from financial crisis and in assuring the continued prosperity of the nation. The information was gleaned from an online.If we just stop and reflect how technology has influenced our lives and how we have become so dependent on technology, then we realize that we cannot live without it. With the advent if e-mail and social networking sites, there are no more letters in our mailbox. ... With so many online games and video games, there are fewer children playing outside. Whatever happened to the times when people walked to the stores to buy newspapers, when children played football in the park or when fitness buffs jogged? Instead of finding them in these places, one has to look indoors to find children, teenagers and adults with either a mouse or controller in their hands or on tread mills to exercise. We have become slaves to our technology. Of all the technological innovations, it is perhaps the computer that has the greatest impact on human beings. Computers have found their way into almost every aspect of our lives. They enable us to work from anywhere and keep in touch with family and friends especially those who live far away. They provide us with entertainment, allow us to chat and perform many other functions. Computers with internet connections have made the world a â€Å"global community†. All this is only possible with advanced technology that is m aking us more dependent on its usage. Technology has also helped to increase workplace efficiency. People depend on technology such as phones, computers, fax machines and printers. Imagine an office without such technology. Work will be done at a snail’s pace and there are bound to be errors. Today, even businesses rely on technology. E-commerce, that is the ability to do business globally via websites, has provided a larger market. Businesses are now open 24 hours a day, seven days a Sebastian 3 week. Technology has enabled people to do online shopping from the comforts of their homes. The Internet, cell phones and other technological may have contributed

Feedback Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Feedback - Essay Example In a speech provided by the White House Web site (2009) titled â€Å"Remarks by the president on the home mortgage crisis,† President Barak Obama highlighted how the mortgage phenomenon challenged the American dream and it frightened our nation’s financial system, the strength of our families and communities. President Obama (2009) said that, â€Å"its a crisis that strikes at the heart of the middle class: the homes in which we invest our savings and build our lives, raise our families and plant roots in our communities.† Millions of this country’s citizens ended up losing their jobs and are still at risk of losing their properties. The foreclosure crisis impacted the United States economy dramatically, and I strongly believe that one way to protect ourselves from foreclosures is to control the risk of our financial activities, and as homebuyers we should be well aware of what type of loans we can afford. As homeowners it is essential to take responsibility and take proper actions when it comes down to correctly distributing the household’s budget. According to Petrovich (2008), usually one individual manages the books in the majority of our households, meaning taking charge for bills getting paid and supervising the finances. Moreover, Petrovich (2008) had written that the person in charge knows if the total income is enough to keep up with the expenses. It is easy to review your expenses increases versus the earnings you are bringing home. Are you considering in your monthly balance sheet costs like utility bills or simply groceries? Determining and examining your spending behaviors is crucial to be successful at managing your finances, and have a lifestyle that meets your budget (Petrovich, 2008). But what do we know and why do we care about foreclosures? According Frame (2010), foreclosure can be defined as a legal

Why the Legal Drinking Age Shouldnt be lowered Essay Example for Free

Why the Legal Drinking Age Shouldnt be lowered Essay In the United States, the legal drinking age for all fifty states and the District of Columbia is twenty-one. The drinking age is twenty-one because the government decided this is when a person becomes legally responsible to handle the repercussions of consuming alcohol. The U.S. has the highest legal drinking age in the world. Only four countries in the world have a legal drinking age over eighteen, making the US an exception rather than the rule. Some people may argue that the government should lower the drinking age since you legally become an adult at age eighteen, but I completely understand this law and am totally for it. Underage drinking has become an epidemic that has spread all over the world, but more so in the United States than any other country. This is disturbing because the brain is not fully developed until a person is around twenty-two years of age. Therefore, it should be harder for minors to obtain alcohol, and the legal drinking age should not be lowered. What is alcohol, and where did it come from? Alcohol is a natural substance formed by the reaction of fermenting sugar with yeast. The production of alcohol started about 10,000 years ago. It all started around the Black and Caspian Seas with wine, and slowly made its way around the surrounding areas. Mesopotamia and Egypt were thriving with wine productions by 3,000 B.C. (Narconon). A thousand years later, a Roman God, Dionysus, started appearing in the literature, and was the god of the grape harvest. Then, about 700 years after that, in addition to wine, India started manufacturing beer. This new production spread rapidly, and the Hebrews adopted the new beverage for many different new medicines. After that, the Jews began to use wine and beer in sacred rituals and ceremonies. Although some cultures accepted alcohol, others rejected it completely. Because these alcoholic beverages were spreading so quickly, they raised curiosity. A medical school in Italy began doing experiments, and finally developed something called distillation- a purer, stronger alcohol (Narconon). From Italy, these new drinks spread to England and Scotland, and eventually found their way over to America. Drunkenness became a huge problem in America, so the government passed the Prohibition Act of 1920. Originally, the eighteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited the manufacture, sale, transport, import, or export of all alcoholic beverages. Upon its ratification by the states, Congress voted its approval in 1919. Thus the law was passed, and became known as the National Prohibition Act of 1920 (American Medical Association). The eighteenth amendment was repealed in 1933, which made the Prohibition Act null and unenforceable. After prohibition, most states restricted the minimum legal drinking age to twenty-one. Between 1970 and 1975, twenty-nine states lowered the minimum legal drinking age to eighteen, nineteen, or twenty. These changes were made when other activities, such as voting, were lowered. In between September 1976 and January 1983, the minimum legal drinking age for every state was set at the age of twenty-one. Although this is the law in our country, it is also incredibly easy for minors to obtain alcohol. As always, there are different ways to work around the law. These are issues that must be addressed. Some of these ways include a fake I.D., a minor giving someone money to go buy it for them, going somewhere that will sell to minors, or even stealing it from their parents liquor cabinet. A fake I.D is fairly cheap and also easy to get if you know the right people. For the most part, if you were a minor trying to get alcohol you could go up to any random person, and eight times out of ten that person would go buy it for you. There are also places minors could go to buy it themselves like little gas stations around the lower socioeconomic societies. The reason that these gas stations will sell to minors is because it increases their sales, and because they will get little penalty for selling to minors. If they do get fined for it, the fine isn’t enough to make them stop. Alcohol generally is not secured in most homes so there is easy access for minors who have no fears about taking it from their parents. There has also been the increasing trend of parents not only providing alcohol, but encouraging its use in the home, under the assumption that minors will do it anyway and it’s better to do so in a supervised, safe environment. Underage drinking is one of the biggest problems that the U.S. faces, and is now considered a public health problem. Young adults have the highest prevalence of alcohol consumption than any other age group (Century Council). They also drink more heavily, experience more negative consequences, and engage in more harmful activities. Drinking at any age can have some of the worst effects on you and the people around you. Many young teens that experiment with alcohol believe there are no consequences to their actions. It is actually quite the opposite. Alcohol is associated with driving under the influence, violence  and aggressiveness, sexual activity, smoking, and poor school performance. There are all of these problems, and then some that all started with alcohol. Driving under the influence or a DUI is classified under two categories, and can be given out if the person is under the influence of an intoxicating drink or a combination of an alcoholic beverage and drugs. There are felonies and misdemeanors. The difference between a misdemeanor and a felony is misdemeanor DUI charges means that the charge involved no injury or property damage, and the penalty can be up to 6 months in jail. A felony has injury and/or property damage, and the penalty could be up to three years in a state prison. This number fluctuates depending on the number of misdemeanors or felonies a person has had in the past. These laws are in place to not only protect the youth in America, but to also ensure that other innocent people on the roads do not get hurt. There are plenty of accidents that come from texting and driving already (which is the equivalent to drinking and driving) that to lower the drinking age, I think, would cause more alcohol-induced accidents. Underage drinking already contributes to more than 4,700 automobile wrecks a year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and studies have shown that every twenty-two minutes someone will die of an alcohol related traffic accident (First Eagle Insurance Services). Although you probably think that it could never happen to you, other studies have shown that everyone has a forty percent chance of being in an accident involving alcohol use at some point in their life (Drug Free World). â€Å"Vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for minors age 15-20 years old† (Century Council). Aside from drinking and driving, there is also a two-way association between alcohol consumption and violence or aggressiveness. While individual behavior is shaped in large part by the environment, it is also manipulated by biological factors, and ultimately directed by the brain, but the brain is affected if large amounts of alcohol are consumed. The consumption of alcohol may promote aggressiveness and lead to victimization, which in turn leads to excessive consumption of alcohol. Violence and aggressive behaviors are those that are threatening, hostile, or damaging in a physical or nonphysical way. There have been multiple studies conducted that show there is a link between violent crimes and alcohol consumption. In 2012, the percentages of violent offenders who were drinking at the time of the offense were: â€Å"eighty-six percent of homicide  offenders, thirty-seven percent of assault offenders, sixty percent of sexual offenders, up to fifty-seven percent of men, and twenty-seven percent of women involved in marital violence, and thirteen percent of child abusers† (NIAAA). A lot of times alcohol is accompanied by cigarettes, marijuana, or other hardcore drugs. Many researchers hypothesize that the ethanol in alcohol triggers a feeling of pleasure, and those feelings are reinforced when nicotine is added to the mix. Others think that those who abuse one substance will be more inclined to abuse other substances. Nicotine lowers blood alcohol concentration, so therefore a person who is smoking and drinking simultaneously would have to consume more alcohol in order to reach intoxication. Most people react differently to alcohol than others do. A lot of this has to do with the person’s age, gender, race/ethnicity, physical condition (weight, fitness level etc.), amount of food consumed before drinking, use of drugs/prescription medications, and family history of alcohol problems. Usually when there is a family history of alcohol problems you will often see a history of some other type of disease linked to it. Some of these include: breast cancer, oral cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and cirrhosis of the liver. Twenty percent of alcohol is absorbed directly through the stomach walls into the bloodstream, and reaches all organs and tissues of the body within moments. The other eighty percent is processed through the gastrointestinal system. It is considered a drug, and is a sedative depressant of the central nervous system (Reeves). Alcohol can damage the dendrites at the end of a nerve cell causing disorder to brain functions. It is also capable of rupturing blood capillaries and veins. Aside from damaging nerves and veins, it can also damage the liver. It stops the liver’s ability to process fats, and can cause disease. The high sugar content in some alcoholic or mixed beverages can lead to hypoglycemia and predispose one to diabetes. Alcohol can also alter sleep patterns, basic motor functions, thoughts, and emotions. The consumption of alcohol on or at an above average rate can lead to alcoholism. Women metabolize alcohol more slowly than men. Because it stays in a womans bloodstream longer, it can cause more cellular damage of the kind that can trigger cancer. Alcohol also influences blood levels of estrogen and other hormones in ways that may make cancer more likely. For example, â€Å"compared to women who dont drink at all, women who have three  alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day. Girls ages 9-15 who have 3-5 drinks a week have 3 times the risk of developing benign breast lumps†(Breastcancer.org). These benign breast lumps can be a precursor to breast cancer. From this it is easy to see that the younger that someone starts consuming alcohol, the increased risk of cancer and loss of life is more likely. It might be easy to dismiss this issue as one of personal choice or preference. This discounts the social impact of drinking on society. â€Å"Alcohol costs American employers an estimated $134 billion in productivity losses, mostly due to missed work† (Ensuring solutions.org). The impact is not only economical though. Missed work impacts every worker at a job who must work that much harder to accomplish their work tasks. It also can decrease teamwork and morale due to resentment from the missed time at work, therefore decreasing productivity as well. Additionally, alcohol impacts every workers paycheck in other ways. As a rule, workers in America pay taxes on their pay as part of the social contract. These taxes are used for a variety of federal projects, such as ensuring a strong infrastructure, including maintenance of our highway system. â€Å"Alcohol related crashes costs the public $114.3 billion annually† (MAAD). This is money that could be spent improving our roadways, bridges, and mass transit systems. This would also address shortfalls in other areas of the government budget, such as possibly addressing the furlough of air traffic controllers due to the current sequester. Not only is alcohol affecting society in terms of road safety, it is impacting air safety too. These quotes and statistics are not specifically for underage drinkers but as a sampling of society as a whole we can see that if adults are unable to drink heavily and prolonged without negative effects the same should be true of minors who have not yet developed full brain capacity and critical thinking skills. It is not just physical and social effects that are felt by people who overuse or abuse alcohol. â€Å"Among high school students, those who use alcohol are five times more likely to drop out than those who dont use alcohol. Alcohol is implicated in more than 40 percent of all college academic problems and in 28 percent of all college dropouts† (Alcoholcostcalculator.org). This has a ripple effect. High school and college dropouts on average earn less than  those with secondary and post secondary degrees. This not only impacts the immediate quality of life it has long term effects reaching into retirement. Social Security is based on lifetime earned income. With the reduced earning potential of not having a diploma or degree underage drinkers set themselves up for living on a fixed income once they become old or infirm. This is not the only economic impact. A quick look at Rehabilitation Centers shows price ranges from $2,000-$30,000 for a 28 day stay. This does not include continuing aftercare. There are also legal fees for DUIs or Public Intoxication citations, plus bar tabs prior to the cessation of drinking. â€Å"Out of every $100 American consumers spend, about $1 goes to alcohol† (Vo). The average household income is around $50,000 per year, meaning that on average $500 a year is spent on alcohol, for an approximate lifetime average of $35,000. â€Å"In 2007 the death toll from teen drunk driving accidents was 1,393† (Drug Free World). The economic impact of funeral expenses, which on average total around $6,000, is nothing in terms of emotional cost. Many parents who lose a child end up divorcing, tearing apart families in the process. This may also lead to alcohol or other drug abuse in the parents or siblings, resulting in further economic, social, and societal impacts. It’s a vicious cycle and one that could be avoided by continuing to keep the drinking age at the current level. There are numerous warning signs that a minor may have an issue with underage drinking and it is important for those involved in the minor’s life to recognize these to curb an issue before it begins. These include physical, emotional, family, school, and social problems. Parents, teachers, and friends should look for physical signs such as fatigue, red and glazed eyes, or a lasting cough. Emotional indicators include personality changes, sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self esteem, poor judgment, and depression. The minor may start more arguments, break more rules and withdraw from their family. There will be a decreased interest in school, drop in grades, increased absences, truancy, and a rise in discipline issues. The minor may show a big social change, with new friends, a change in style of dress, and possible problems with the law. This list is not exhaustive, but from the examples given it shows that underage drinkers have a wealth of issues that will affect them negatively for quite some time. With all of this in mind, I do not feel that lowering the legal drinking age would be in our county’s best interest. The government has these laws in place to keep our country and the people in it safe, and if these laws were to change it would send our country into a downward spiral. I feel that the rates of alcohol induced traffic accidents, rates of violent crimes related to alcohol, rates of certain types of diseases, and much more would upsurge drastically. I also feel that if our government doesn’t address these issues with more force and power, minors will keep doing what they have been doing and nothing will change. Works Cited â€Å"Alcohol Alert.† www.pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa38.htm. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). N.d. Web. 25 April 2013. â€Å"Drinking Alcohol.† www.breatscancer.org. 18 January 2013. Web. 4 May 2013. â€Å"Drunk Driving in America.† www.maad.org/media-center. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAAD). N.d. Web. 25 March 2013. â€Å"Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems.† www.ensuringsolutions.org. N.d. Web. 4 May 2013. â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Age.† www.cdc.gov/alcohol/facts-sheets/mlda.htm. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 7 November 2012. Web. 19 March 2013. Minimum Legal Drinking Age: Brief History.† www.ama-assn.org. American Medical Association (AMA). N.d. Web. 19 March 2013. Narconon Drug Information Department, ed. â€Å"Alcohol History.† www.narconon.org/drug-information/alcohol-history. Narcanon International. N.d. Web. 25 March 2013. â€Å"Problems at School.† www.alcoholcostcalculator.org. Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems. N.d. Web. 4 May 2013. Reeves, Pat. â€Å"What Alcohol Does to Your Body.† www.foodalive.org/articles/alcohol.htm. Complementary Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). N.d. Web. 23 March 2013. â€Å"Teenage Drunk Driving.† www.firsteagle.com/tdd.htm. The First Eagle Insurance Services. N.d. Web. 22 April 2013. Vo, L.T. â€Å"What American Spends on Booze.† www.npr.org. National Public Radio. 2013. Web. 4 May 2013.

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Reflective Writing Essays

Teaching Philosophy Education is the means by which a student gains the tools for a successful future. Through education, a teacher is not only teaching facts, but also teaching life skills. Education teaches students discipline, responsibility, and many other life skills. As a teacher, I hope to instill these skills in my students. I also hope to help them develop as adolescents. Education should allow students to fully understand and discover themselves, in addition to giving them the ability to survive in the real world. Education involves respecting every student's race, sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and religion. Education should teach the students to think on their own, and to accept and embrace their individuality. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to teach. Through various tutoring experiences, I have really solidified that decision in my mind. I would really enjoy teaching in a middle school environment. I feel that the middle grades can really make or break a students’ enjoyment for mathematics. I hope to bring an enthusiasm and love for the subject, and spread that feeling to my students. As an educator, I hope to encourage students to do their best and have then accept nothing less. I believe that education is not just about the classroom, it is about knowing your students and encouraging them to grow as individuals. As a teacher, it is very important to build a relationship and understanding with your students. Education is not just about teaching facts, it is about developing a students knowledge about the subject and about themselves. I think it is important to challenge the students while maintaining their confidence. Through interactions with teachers and fellow students, a student will learn how to interact with others. Schools are a structured environment that will give students the groundwork to lead them into the work environment in their future. As a future math teacher, I understand that many students struggle with the subject of math. I don’t expect my students to love math, but I hope that through my teachings they will understand and appreciate the subject. Mathematical concepts are very prevalent in society and by teaching this, I will be instilling useful skills for the rest of their life.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 37

This Square in My Hand My father refuses to go with Mom, so I put on the new suit she bought me earlier this month and accompany her to the candlelit Mass at St. Joseph's. It is a crisp night, but we walk the few blocks required, and soon we are in the very sanctuary where I was confirmed so many years ago. Rows of red and white poinsettias are lined up on the altar, and antique wrought-iron lamps stand guard at the ends of the pews, just like every other Christmas Eve. The candlelight makes the stone building look even more antiquated – almost medieval. And sitting down in the pew again reminds me of when Jake and I were just boys. We'd come to Christmas Eve Mass so excited for the next day, ready to tear into all those presents. But tonight it's just Mom and me, as Jake and Caitlin are spending Christmas Eve in New York City with Caitlin's parents, and Dad is home drinking beer. After some announcements and Christmas hymns, the priest talks about stars and angels and mangers and donkeys and miracles, and somewhere in the story, I start praying. Dear God, I know it would take a miracle to get Nikki to show up tomorrow at the place where we were engaged, but lucky for me, You and I both believe in miracles. As I sit here thinking about this, I wonder if You actually believe in miracles, since You are all-powerful and can do anything. So technically, Your making Nikki show up tomorrow or putting Baby Jesus inside of the Virgin Mary is no more difficult for You than, say, watching an Eagles game – which has been pretty easy since backup QB Jeff Garcia has managed to win three straight. It's sort of funny when I think about it now. If You created the world in only a week, sending Your Son down to do a mission must have been no sweat for You. But I am still glad You took the time to send Jesus to teach us all about miracles, because the possibility of miracles happening keeps a lot of people moving forward down here. I don't have to tell You that I have been working pretty hard on bettering myself since apart time began. I actually want to thank You for disrupting my life, because I would never have taken the time to improve my character if I did not get sent to the bad place, nor would I have met Cliff, or even Tiffany for that matter, and I know this journey has been for a reason. I trust that there is a divine plan in effect, and that is why I believe You will make sure Nikki shows up tomorrow. I want to thank You in advance for helping me get my wife back. I am looking forward to the years ahead, when I can treat Nikki how a woman should be treated. Also, if it is not too much trouble, please allow the Eagles to win on Christmas Day, because a win over the Cowboys will put the Eagles in first place and then my dad might be in a good mood and maybe he will even talk to Mom and me. It's strange, even with the Birds in play-off contention, Dad has been a grinch this holiday season, and it has really made Mom sad. I've caught her crying several times, but You probably already know that since You are all-knowing. I love You, God. I cross myself just as the priest finishes the homily, and then the candles are passed out and lighted while the people sing â€Å"Silent Night.† Mom is sort of leaning against me, so I throw an arm around her shoulder and give her a little squeeze. She looks up at me and smiles. â€Å"My good boy,† her lips mouth, bathed in candlelight, and then we both join in with the singing. My father is in bed asleep when we return home. Mom pours some eggnog and plugs in the lights, and we sip in the glow of the Christmas tree. Mom talks about all the ornaments Jake and I made as little kids. She keeps pointing to painted pinecones, little Popsicle-stick picture frames with our grade school photos inside, and reindeers made from clothespins and pipe cleaners. â€Å"Remember when you made this in so-and-so's class?† she keeps saying, and I nod every time, even though I don't remember making any of the ornaments. It's funny how Mom remembers everything about Jake and me, and somehow I know that Nikki will never love me as much – no matter how much I improve my character – and that's what I really truly love about my mom. Just when we are finishing the last sips of our eggnog, the doorbell rings. â€Å"Who could that be?† Mom asks in a dramatic way, suggesting she knows exactly who it could be. I start to get excited because I think that it might be Nikki, that Mom has arranged the best Christmas present ever. But when I answer the door, it's only Ronnie, Veronica, Tiffany, and little Emily. They all but skip into the foyer and start singing, â€Å"We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.† At this point Tiffany stops singing, but Ronnie and Veronica continue to belt out the first verse, and my mother is all smiles as she listens to the good tidings they bring. Little Emily looks like an Eskimo, all bundled up, but her parents' singing makes her little round face look content. I can even see the Christmas tree lights reflected in her dark eyes. As they sing, Ronnie's family looks like a happy one, and I envy my friend. Tiffany is looking at her feet, but she rejoins the singing when they get to the chorus again. The song ends with Ronnie holding the last note too long, but my mother claps anyway, and then we are all seated around the Christmas tree drinking more eggnog. â€Å"Maybe you want to give your friends their presents,† Mom says. Mom had taken me shopping many times in the past few weeks, and we picked out presents for the people who have helped me get better, because Mom says it's important to recognize the special people in your life around the holidays. Cliff loved his Eagles dartboard, and it turns out that Veronica and Tiffany both like the perfume we purchased – thank God, as I did sniff just about every bottle in the Cherry Hill Mall. Ronnie loves the official NFL leather football I picked out for him so that he can work on his throws, and little Emily hugs the stuffed eagle wearing an Eagles jersey that I picked out special for her, and she even begins to chew on the yellow beak just as soon as she finishes ripping off the paper. For my mom's sake, I keep hoping my father might come downstairs and join the party, but he doesn't. â€Å"And we have a present for you too,† Ronnie tells me. â€Å"Come on, Em. Let's give Uncle Pat his present.† He hands Emily a box, which is too heavy for her to carry, even though she is walking pretty well now, so he and Emily both carry the present over to me. â€Å"For Pap!† Emily says, and then starts to rip off the wrapping paper. â€Å"You want to help me?† I ask her, and she tears the rest of the paper off as everyone watches. Once Emily finishes with the paper, I open the box and fish through the Styrofoam peanuts and find what feels like a plaque of some sort. I pull it out of the peanuts and can see it is a framed picture of Hank Baskett. He's in the end zone with a football in his hand. â€Å"It was taken during the Dallas game,† Ronnie says. â€Å"Read what's written on the picture,† says Veronica. To Pat, You're on the road to victory! Hank Baskett #84 â€Å"This is the greatest present ever! How did you get Baskett to sign the picture?† â€Å"Veronica's cousin's a barber,† Ronnie explains, â€Å"and one of his customers works for the Eagles promotions department, so we were able to pull a few strings. Vinnie said that this was the first request his contact got for a Baskett autograph, and Baskett was actually pretty excited to get a specific request, since his autograph is not in such high demand.† â€Å"Thanks, Ronnie,† I say, and then we give each other one-armed manly hugs. â€Å"Merry Christmas,† Ronnie says to me as he thumps my back. â€Å"Well, I hate to break up the party, but we need to get Emily in bed before Santa comes down the chimney,† Veronica says. As they put on their coats, my mom is putting their presents into a holiday bag with fancy handles and thanking everyone for coming over, saying, â€Å"You don't know how much it means to Pat and me. You've been so good to us this year. You're good people. All of you. Such great people.† And then Mom is crying again, saying, â€Å"I'm sorry. Thanks. Merry Christmas. Don't mind me. God bless you.† Just before everyone leaves, Tiffany grabs my hand, kisses me on the cheek, and says, â€Å"Merry Christmas, Pat.† When she pulls her palm away from mine, I have a square in my hand, but the look in Tiffany's eyes commands silence, so I stick the square in my pocket and say goodbye to Ronnie's family. I help my mother clean up the wrapping paper and empty eggnog mugs, and then she catches me under the mistletoe in the hallway. She's pointing up and smiling, so I kiss her good night, and she reaches up to hug me. â€Å"I'm so glad I have you in my life right now, Pat,† my mother says to me, flexing her arm muscles so hard, pulling my head down so that her shoulder juts up into my throat and it becomes a little harder to breathe. In my room, by the light of the electric Christmas candle Mom has stuck in my window for the holiday season, I unfold the note Tiffany passed me.

Irony In The Canterbury Tales Essay

Chaucer’s Use of Irony in The Canterbury Tales In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer compiles a mixture of stories on a pilgrimage into a figurative depiction of the medieval society in which he lived. Chaucer’s stories have a punch and pizzazz, which, to an average reader, seem uncommon to the typical medieval writer, making his story more delightful. Certain things account for this pizzazz, especially the author’s use of irony. Many of Chaucer’s characters are ironic in the sense that they are so far from what one would expect in the roles they depict, and also the fact that they are larger than life. Every character has his distinct personality with his own behavioral traits. Chaucer also uses irony in his humor, with its unexpectedness and randomness. The wife of Bath is a prime example of one of Chaucer’s characters who is larger than life. She obviously is not what one would expect of a relatively wealthy woman in her time. Her notorious traits such as not only having five husbands, but also marrying a majority of them for wealth and money stick in the mind with their ironic abnormality and appalling connotations: â€Å"ËÅ"Johnny and Dame Alice And I myself, in the fields we went My husband was in London all that Lent; All the more fun for me†Ã¢â‚¬ I only mean The fun of seeing people and being seen By cocky lads; for how was I to know Where or what graces Fortune might bestow’. (273) Chaucer accents her irregular character in this excerpt by portraying her promiscuous actions and her lack of virtue. The wife of Bath also shows irony in her actions by her need for control over others, especially her husbands. † â€Å"ËÅ"So help me God, I have to laugh outright / Remembering how I made them work at night! / And faith I set no store by it; no pleasure / It was to me’ (264)†. Here, the wife of Bath describes her domination and control over her past, old, wealthy husbands. She shows no signs of virtue in her actions to win her husbands, and to literally take their money from them. Because of these ironic, larger than life characteristics of the wife of Bath, she is a character that allows the reader to figuratively develop an intimate relationship with her. She sticks in the reader’s mind, and is a character who is remembered forever due to her unexpected ways and exaggerated traits. The Friar is also an ironic character in his uniqueness and unexpected  traits. Part of this irony is due to the enormous amount of corruption the friar possesses. â€Å"He’d fixed up many a marriage, giving each / Of his young women what he could afford her. / He was a noble pillar to his Order (8)†. In this quote, the unexpectedness totally captures the reader by surprise as he finds out that the Friar actually impregnates women and then marries them to men. This is an ideal quote to show Chaucer’s extra pizzazz in his stories, adding to the appeal of the reader. As the friar’s larger than life traits are exposed, a mental picture develops, to almost as if the reader is in the story. â€Å"Sweetly he heard his penitents at shrift / With pleasant absolution, for a gift / He was an easy man in penance-giving / Where he could hope to make a decent living (9)†. Here, it is seen that the friar is a very worldly man who puts money at a high priority i n his life. Ironically, he took the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, and pathetically breaks all three vows. One of the most ironically corrupt characters in the book is the Prioress. Throughout her tale and the prologue, Chaucer portrays her as someone completely different from what she should be in accord with her vocation as a nun. First of all, the Prioress’ characteristics and actions make it appear that she is going on the pilgrimage not because of her love and respect for God, but instead to travel and to go on an adventure. â€Å"She certainly was very entertaining / Pleasant and friendly in her ways, and straining / To counterfeit a courtly kind of grace, / A stately bearing fitting to her place, / And to seem dignified in all her dealings (6-7)†. This shows that the Prioress is faking her personality, counterfeiting her true purpose of being on the pilgrimage. Also, the Prioress is one of the most hateful characters in the whole story. In the Prioress’ tale, she constantly states her anti-Semitic view towards Jews, implying that the best Jewish person is a dead Jewish person. The ironic part is that the Prioress should be a caring, loving person, for she is a holy representative of God on earth. Strangely enough, the Prioress becomes terrified at the sight of a hurt animal but could care less about Jewish people. â€Å"She used to weep if she but saw a mouse / Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding (7)†. Overall, the Prioress is one of Chaucer’s most ironic characters in his story, and her actions seem unrelated to the vocation of being a nun. Chaucer frequently and successfully uses ironic humor to add to the punch of the story. Because the humor is unexpected and imaginative, it draws from the reader a yearning and interest to read on. The fable of Chanticleer and Pertelote provides an ideal illustration of Chaucer’s humor. † â€Å"ËÅ"For shame,’ she said, â€Å"ËÅ"you timorous poltroon! / Alas, what cowardice! By God above, / You’ve forfeited my heart and lost my love. / I cannot love a coward, come what may’ (216-17)†. Here, it is ironically humorous to not only have animals portraying human traits, but also to create a situation that is comparable to a married couple sitting down at the breakfast table bickering. The humor is directly exposed to the reader due to the unexpected being brought to words, mixed with a tinge of absurdity of the situation. The hilarious irony is that the married couple is actually a rooster and a hen. By using such scenes, Chaucer adds to his stor y a new twist that makes it more gratifying and amusing to read. The randomness of some of Chaucer’s tales also adds to the humor of the story. For instance, it is amusing to think about the randomness of the miller’s tale and the imaginative mind one must have to come up with such a chaotic and hilarious story. The miller’s tale is so intricately laced with puns, sexual jokes, raunchy statements, that it adds an amusing humorous side of Chaucer to the story. Between the stupid carpenter, and the outraged Absolon, dirty scenes are depicted, contributing to Chaucer’s humorous style. All in all, the randomness in Chaucer’s imaginative and unusual comic stories is associated with irony due to the fact that the stories are so unexpected. The ironic and unanticipated characteristics of some of Chaucer’s humorous scenes make the reader laugh, blush, grin, and snicker. â€Å"He lay there fainting, pale beneath his tan; / His arm in falling had been broken double†Ã‚ ¦ They told the town / That he was mad, there’d got into his blood / Some sort of nonsense about â€Å"ËÅ"Nowel’s Flood (105)†. Here, when the carpenter falls from the ceiling in his apparatus to save his life and his wife’s, it is seen how truly random and unexpected Chaucer can be. Overall, irony adds strength and diversity to Chaucer’s story, making his writings more successful. Irony combined with Chaucer’s imagination, wit,  humor, and intelligence makes The Canterbury Tales successful and interesting to the reader. This irony presented in Chaucer’s characters and his humor helps to intensify Chaucer’s writings. Conclusively, the real success of the story relies in the incredible ingeniousness of Chaucer. However, the lack of Chaucer’s use of irony would make the compilation of tales much duller and less unique. Because of this, the irony in the story adds vigor, and it allows for Chaucer to increase his overwhelming success with his readers.

Menkaure and His Queen essays

Menkaure and His Queen essays The sculpture group of King Menkaure and His Queen is positioned in one of the basic types of Egyptian sculpture the Standing/Striding pose. The figure of Menkaure is rigidly frontal, although his head is slightly turned to the right. His left foot is slightly advanced, however the upper body does not respond to this uneven distribution of weight - there is no tilt in the shoulders, nor a shift in the hips. All movement of the figure is suppressed: his muscular arms hang down his athletic body, they are not flexed at the elbow and do not break through the front contour of his thighs. The body remains wedded to the block of stone from which it was carved. The artist does not remove the dead stone between the arms and torso and most importantly his advanced leg is not carved in the round, which contributes to the solid and majestic appearance of the statue. The Queen assumes the same rigidly frontal posture, however her left leg is less advanced than his, which alludes that she is a subordinate figure to her king in this stance she is just echoing the pharaohs decisive actions. She embraces the pharaoh with her right arm placing her hand around his waist; her left arm is bent at the elbow and covering her stomach rests on the kings left arm. There is a space of about couple of centimeters between the statues that widens towards the base, and which makes Menkaure appear standing independently from his female counterpart. In this frontal, striding forward posture the pharaoh looks confident and in control. The Queen, however, cannot be thought of as an independent statue. First of all, the statue of the king overlaps that of the queen: her right shoulder becomes fused with and overlapped by his left shoulder. Second of all, she has both of her arms around him and not the other way around. Although her appearance conveys the message of majesty and serenity, to me she also appear...

Using PHP and HTML on the Same Page

Using PHP and HTML on the Same Page Want to add HTML to a PHP file? While HTML and PHP are two separate programming languages, you might want to use both of them on the same page to take advantage of what they both offer. With one or both of these methods, you can easily embed HTML code in your PHP pages to format them better and make them more user-friendly. The method you choose depends on your specific situation. HTML in PHP Your first option is to build the page like a normal HTML web page with HTML tags, but instead of stopping there, use separate PHP tags to wrap up the PHP code. You can even put the PHP code in the middle if you close and reopen the ?php  and ? tags. This method is especially useful if you have a lot of HTML code but want to also include PHP. Heres an example of putting the HTML outside of the tags (PHP is bold here for emphasis): html titleHTML with PHP/title body h1My Example/h1 ?php//your PHP code goes here? bHere is some more HTML/b ?php //more PHP code ? /body /html As you can see, you can use any HTML you want without doing anything special or extra in your PHP file, as long as its outside and separate from the PHP tags. In other words, if you want to insert PHP code into an HTML file, just write the PHP anywhere you want (so long as theyre inside the PHP tags). Open a PHP tag with  ?php  and then close it with  ?  like you see above. Use PRINT or ECHO This other way is basically the opposite; its how youd add HTML to a PHP file with PRINT or ECHO, where either command is used to simply print HTML on the page. With this method, you can include the HTML inside of the PHP tags. This is a good method to use for adding HTML to PHP if you only have a line or so to do. In this example,  the HTML areas are bold: ?php Echo html;EchotitleHTML With PHP/title;EchobMy Example/b;//your php code herePrintiPrint works too!/i; ? Much like the first example, PHP still works here regardless of using PRINT or ECHO to write HTML because the PHP code is still contained inside the proper PHP tags.

Diana Coole and Samantha Frost argue that social and political enquiry Essay - 1

Diana Coole and Samantha Frost argue that social and political enquiry needs a new ontology which incorporates matter. Why What problem are they trying to address and how persuasive is their solution - Essay Example Coole and Frost insist that emerging realities in the fields of sciences, arts, geography, and other disciplines are sufficient proof that matter contains more active and viable qualities that previously thought. A precise understanding of the case made by the two thinkers regarding the need for ontological reviews of political and social inquiries should begin with an assessment of the new qualities, which they assign to matter. Coole and Samantha argue that matter is an excess and a force. By this, they imply that it can influence actions, activities, and processes in as many areas as it is represented. Furthermore, the two philosophers adopt the position that matter has some form of relationality and an element of difference. According to their argument, these qualities make matter active, unpredictable, self-creative, and productive. These new perceptions of matter foster alternative views regarding the influence and relationship between matter and discourses such as political and social realities. Coole and Frost engages significantly with the problem of dualism, which makes it problematic in dealing with the cultural theory. Within the context of new materialism, the two authors seek to entrench the view that the mind is essentially a material entity. By this position, new materialism challenges the views adopted by transcendentalism and humanism, which emphasize on the duality between the mind and the body. New materialism suggests that the body is the object of the mind and the two are not entirely separate but relate in one uniform continuum. It is important to regard new materialism in light of the different aspects that relate to it. For instance, by emphasizing on the primacy of the material, this new approach promotes the matter to a level that articulates various concerns that relate to the characteristic of various discourses. Other proponents of the position adopted by Coole and Frost suggest that matter feels, suffers,

What Effect do Siblings have on Development Research Paper

What Effect do Siblings have on Development - Research Paper Example The younger one may not get the opportunity to express his feelings better than the older sibling and his thoughts may remain unexpressed. This paper tends to present a literature review regarding the role of siblings on development. Research Section Berger and Nuzzo studied in their research how older siblings influence the motor development of younger siblings. They interviewed parents of 51 sibling pairs to determine the onset of their children’s motor development. They found that in almost all the cases, it was evident that older siblings affected younger siblings’ motor development as the latter crawled and walked much sooner than their elder siblings had. In cases where older ones moved sooner, it was found that the parental resources were inadequate when the younger child was born which affected his motor development. I agree with Berger and Nuzzo because I have observed many children who come at number 2 or 3 in their sibling order and have learnt to move much s ooner than their older siblings. Reid, Stahl and Striano (2010) present a similar research in which they focus on motor development of children in or without the presence of older siblings. In their longitudinal research, infants of age 5-12 months were observed playing. The researchers used Mental Bayley Scale, coded the play in terms of the production of infant goal-directed actions, and concluded that â€Å"infants with siblings produced fewer goal-directed actions at 5 months than infants without older siblings, but at 12 months they produced relatively more goal-directed actions than infants without older siblings† (p.325). I agree with the idea that as the children grow older, they start imitating their elder siblings more and more. Downey (2001) presents a different research in which he talks about family size and its effect on children’s development. He suggests that as the family size increases, the parental resources and their time and energy all get distribu ted so much so that each child gets a little share and not enough. So, older siblings tend to lessen down the cognitive development due to which â€Å"children with few siblings score higher on tests of cognitive skills than children with many siblings† (Downey, 2001). However, I do not totally agree because I believe that parental attention is that kind of abstract source that cannot be lessened with each coming child in the family. Parents have the ability to increase their scope of energy and attention as they deal with more kids. Azmitia and Hesser (2008) studied how older siblings and older peers affect the cognitive development of younger siblings. They conducted a pottest in which younger children got instructions from their older siblings and peers. The researchers found that â€Å"siblings are unique agents of cognitive development† (p.430) and that the children who imitated and followed their elder siblings showed higher pottest scores that those who followed their peers. They also found the older siblings more happily offered their guidance than did the peers. I agree with this because it is natural for a sibling to help another sibling more than any outsider can do. There is a very important research by Begum and Blacher (2010) who studied the influence of gender, age and family