...One of the most important issue in the last 10 years to face the United States is the impending movement to revamp education. It’s not big secret that this system in place is no longer effective, with test scores nearly the bottom in comparison to fellow industrialize nations. One suggestion has been to take what works from Japan’s system, which scores routine test at or near the top of global results. It’s a great idea on paper, but with cultural differences and ideals might make a transition hard and could be met with resistance. However, taking the best elements from Japan’s system and combining those with our own might be the best solution available. A glance at the numbers make a compelling argument why adopting the Japanese way of approaching education. In a study done by the UCLA in 2008, it was revealed that of the high school students who graduate, an average of 2.4 million a year, 25% cannot read or write at the eighth-grade level. The standards being taught, which change on a year by year basis has made the system useless which allows students to be pushed through without learning the necessary skills need to advance to the next grade? Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind act is even more of an issue, and is the main reason why these numbers are now a sad reality. Even more disturbing the high number of high school dropouts, which stands at a rate of 33 percent each year. What makes this number more alarming is that without any type of program...
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...the unruly American West. The Ohio River became a border between slave and non slave states. This put it in the minds of northerners that slavery was slowly coming to an end, but to some southerners The Northwest Ordinance protected them against western competition. Slave owners with the intention of expanding west were naturally upset. In short the Northwest Ordinance only helped drive the wedge between the North and South even further. 2. he French and the United States had a past of disliking eachother. The French looked down upon the United States, and in turn the British and French had been enemies for years before the American Revolution, so the Colonists adopted that disdain for the French. However, In the Battle of Saratoga the American's get the upperhand. This gets the attention of the French. The French then notice that America and the British...
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...One of the hottest news topics today involves police brutality and the violence perpetrated on African Americans today. Upon first glance, it appears to have escalated and, to many, is racially motivated and very one sided. However, this issue has a history, a very long and painful history. As a result of the original civil rights movement championed by many including Malcolm X, there is a deep seated distrust and anger towards our police and our government for many things including segregation, lack of representation, gerrymandering, criminalization and violence towards the African American community to name only a few. In 1964, Malcolm X rallied in the speech...
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...------------------------------------------------- ASSIGNMENT July 15, 2015 sTUDENT NAME July 15, 2015 sTUDENT NAME Civil rights movement Primary Source- Staff, H. (2009, July 15). Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved from History.com: http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement This source on Civil Rights Movement was created in 15th July, 2009 by history.com staff which was published by A+E Networks. Social liberties developments are an overall arrangement of political developments for fairness under the watchful eye of the law, that crested in the 1960s.[citation needed] In numerous circumstances they have been portrayed by peaceful challenges, or have taken the type of crusades of common resistance went for accomplishing change through peaceful types of resistance. In a few circumstances, they have been went with, or took after, by common distress and furnished insubordination. Subsequent to perusing the article I comprehended that the principle point of the fruitful African-American Civil Rights Movement and different developments for social liberties included guaranteeing that the privileges out of every other person on earth were and are just as ensured by the law. These incorporate yet are not restricted to the privileges of minorities, ladies' rights, and LGBT rights. It triggers the thought regarding how these individuals saw viciousness over numerous decades. The primary point of the effective African-American Civil Rights Movement...
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...positive outlook on most things. While her sister, Cora, is a protector, Alice is more often than not the protected. When the Native American’s attack their group headed to Fort William Henry, Cora instantly shields Alice. She often frets over Alice, from the time their riding toward Fort William Henry to even when they are safe within the fort’s walls. This does not seem unusual to Alice as she often takes it in stride and returns to her usual cheerful self when the conflict is over. In relation to believability, Alice is more believable than Cora is for the time period; Alice does not possess the same unrealistic knowledge as Cora. However, some of Alice’s mannerism toward the beginning of the movie are just as unrealistic as Cora’s knowledge; she is often oblivious to the destruction around her, and even if she does notice it, she often believes that it can be dealt with by someone else and moves passed it. Her first amount of real character development takes place halfway through the film when she tells her sister that she “cannot be an innocent schoolgirl any longer,” and she goes to see if she can provide any help in Fort William Henry’s infirmary. If it is possible, Alice Munro has an even more unrealistic love life than her sister. Her love affair with the Mohican Uncas, if it can be called a “love affair,” is simply a few passing glances. The most romantic moment that the two of them share is when he tries to save her and takes a knife to the gut, and she then decides...
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...anger and fear, making it easy for King to gain support and sympathy. Additionally, King’s paragraph in his letter explaining why it is challenging to wait for the end of segregation is one that is exclusively devoted to rousing the emotion of the reader. The main theme throughout the paragraph is King’s desire for the clergymen to understand the situation from the African American’s point of view. He says, “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights.” (12) The unison that King creates between himself and African Americans as a whole with the word “we” is an appeal to feeling. Instead of viewing King as a single man standing against oppression, or the blacks of Birmingham as one inconsequential subgroup, they are seen as one unified everlasting group of outraged citizens. Overall, King’s renowned literary use of emotional appeals in both works allows him to gain the understanding of his audience in order to better convey his overarching message to them. In conclusion, Martin Luther King Jr. has a specific style of writing that can be identified by anyone at first glance. His use of allusions and emotional appeals separate his work from others and allow for him to effectively develop his theme of racial injustice. Some may say that content is more important than style, but in the case of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and “I Have a Dream” they participate in interplay together to create a magical message that will be...
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...Who is the reluctant fundamentalist? “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” is a tale of where two different cultures clash. The novel is told through the point of view of a Pakistani by the name of “Changez”, who has a cross-culture love who speaks with a complete stranger (American). But ultimately the question that arises when one reads this book is who the reluctant fundamentalist is? The most obvious answer is “Changez” is he really the only one? To determine whether or not Changez is a fundamentalist, one must decipher his past and consider his changes since. But strangely enough for a book with the title, “reluctant fundamentalist” Changez mainly refers to the fundamentals of finance, his time in America, his elite training at Princeton and employment at the company Underwood Samson. At Princeton, Changez was an overseas student who worked harder than the majority of others due to his “hunger” for greatness. After Princeton he joins Underwood Samson in the hope to become an acceptable, high-class American. Underwood Samson is based on meritocracy that doesn’t changes its ways. The culture of Underwood Samson forces the people to work to the best of their abilities and ignore anything else- merit is all that matters, forcing one to become an economic fundamentalist- whether you like it or not, live with it or quit. The corporate world that Changez once desired required him to wear a suit and shave to fit in. In Erica’s sphere, he must prove his worth by mentioning both Princeton...
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...Unlike Janie’s previous two spouses, Tea Cake treats Janie like a partner. Still, their relationship is not seamless, problems arising when Tea Cake becomes envious of another man: “Before the week was over [Tea Cake] had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession” (203). Following this incident, other residents around the Muck voice to Tea Cake how lucky he is to have a woman who does not strike back and has skin light enough to bruise (204). Even Tea Cake, who Janie describes as “a glance from God,” uses physical force to assert dominance (148). As a result, the significance of the novel becomes evident: regardless of southern African-Americans’ capacity for independent success and liberation from white authority, women remain under patriarchal oppression, and they will continue to unless an aspiration for individualism is...
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...First and foremost, Elizabeth Moreno will need to research the French culture a little more. It is important for Elizabeth to not do anything that may disrespect or belittle any of the management staff as her kinesic behavior can put her in this position. As per this case, French managers are suspicious of most technical communication and would rather “face-to-face meetings and on-site consultations”. Chances are they will be paying close attention to Elizabeth’s non-verbal language during her visit with them. For example, something as simple as posture can be misinterpreted. To Europeans, “a relaxed posture in business meetings may be taken as bad manners or the result in poor upbringing” (Deresky, pg 133). Americans such as Elizabeth wouldn’t think twice of a relaxed posture in a business meeting. It would also be wise of Elizabeth to obtain an English/French translator. Even though the universal language in her highly technical field is English, using the right words at the right time in the right manner is essential to making this assignment a success. In Exhibit 4-2 (Deresky, pg128), we see a classic example of how words can be perceived differently even though the same language is being spoken. The American boss is looking for his Greek employee to be accountable for his role within the company and make sound decisions based on American culture whereas the Greek employee is looking for orders to be given from his American boss based on Greek culture. Also note in this...
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...Fast Food Workers’ Rights At a glance it is easy to see that the winning formula for the high economic success in the fast food industry is comprised of cheap food and cheap labor. Their ability to sell food at a low price in a matter of minutes caters to families or individuals limited on time or money, and in many cases both of these factors are of equal importance. Inordinately the consumption of low cost labor in the fast food industry has resulted in an underpaid and under protected workforce. In many ways limitations on workers’ rights in the fast food industry have been instrumental in the high profitability of the corporations that dominate it; however, the formation of unions or other sources of support for fast food workers would have implications on the price and/or quality of the final products sold. These implications, in particularly the price of the food, would force a complete restructure of the expectations and needs of customers who currently frequent the restaurants. A key element in sourcing low cost labor has been the excessive employment of teenagers. The fast food industry has exploited the needs and vulnerability of teenagers in order to create a high turnover workforce that is willing to accept low wages and easily taught. The industry has capitalized on assembly line production models, which require little skills from the workers; however, the machinery necessary for these conditions is often times dangerous and violates OSHA guidelines for...
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...necessary to hold his remaining supporters and to forestall English Recognition of the Confederacy” (Hofstadter 168-169). Despite the Proclamation’s glory that exists today, Hofstadter argued that the political component played an integral role in Lincoln’s decision to pass the Emancipation Proclamation. While today we see Lincoln’s Emancipation as a heroic act of morality, we must not let that cloud our vision of the impact that war measures had on Lincoln’s decision to pass the Emancipation Proclamation. I wholeheartedly support Hofstadter’s argument and believe that the complicated nature of the Emancipation Proclamation lends well to my argument that the future interpretations are also more complicated than they might seem upon first glance. In the same way that the circumstances surrounding Lincoln’s presidency such as battle victories and English recognition of the Confederacy impacted his decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, the context of future presidencies also affected the way certain president's viewed the...
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...There is an epidemic in America and it is called “Childhood Obesity.” “Obese,” from the Latin word “obesus,” means “grow fat by eating.” (Dalton, 2004) This term’s origin suggests that overeating is the major cause of the obesity epidemic. Teaching obese children to eat less is essential. But modifying behavior is no simple task, and eating too much is not the sole cause of obesity. Other factors play a role and must be understood in order to reverse this epidemic and produce healthier children. The growing number of obese children in America are victims of an epidemic just as surely as if they were infected by a virus. Americans tend to think of an epidemic as an outbreak of a contagious illness. But to physicians the sudden increase in obesity rates that have occurred in the twentieth century is every bit as unexpected as an outbreak of a new infectious disease and has triggered an alarm that might greet the rising of polio. Julie Gerberding, the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the fall of 2003, declared obesity the number one health threat facing America. (Okie, 2005) The causes (nature) of this epidemic are complex and include genetic, biological and behavioral factors. These include, but are not limited to poor eating habits, overeating, the lack of exercise, family history of obesity, cardiac, endocrine or neurological problems, life changing events or stress, along with family or peer problems and low self-esteem or emotional...
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...I. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Katherine Anne Porter's reputation as one of American’s most distinguished writers rests chiefly on her superb short stories. She explores the psychology of her characters by revealing their outward actions. Overall Porter is known as a writer of tremendous clarity. Her works have been compared to that of Faulkner and Hemingway in their stylistic beauty. However, she herself creates this unique style and constructs it into remarkable objective pieces full of imagery and symbolism. Porter focuses on the darker side of reality but uses her own sort of humor to lighten her writings. In addition, her works are often focused in such Southern locations as Mexico, Texas, and the Southwest in general. "Miss Porter tends to write a story by sending the mind of a character to trouble the past, turning facts into myths and myths into mythologies; then to return, freighted and ready... In stories of this pattern, the characters are normally motionless, like statues: their memories move with their desires, but these are the only movements...In Miss Porter's best stories the past is so rich that it suffuses the present and often smothers it, and even when there is nothing more there is enough. But this means that her characters are utterly dependent upon the past for their development." (Donoghue, 1965) II. ABOUT THE STORY The story is abstracted from “50 Great Short Stories”(Crane, 1952). The plot of “theft” begins on a frozen moment in which the protagonist, who is...
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...According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than one third of U.S. adults—more than 72 million—people and 17 percent of U.S. children are obese. From 1980 through 2008, obesity rates for adults have doubled and rates for children have tripled, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education level or geographic region have increased markedly. (“Obesity: Halting the Epidemic by Making Health Easier: At a Glance 2010.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. Aug.17, 2010) Statistics like this show the vast majority of obesity cases are not caused by disease or genetic condition. Obesity is not some unpreventable illness that is all of a sudden killing people – it’s a lifestyle choice. Like smoking, drinking and illegal drug use, eating yourself to death is a decision. In fact, in 2010 a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine stated that the health conditions and diseases caused by being obese have killed more people than smoking. But, why don’t obese people get treated like smokers? Why do so many Americans feel sympathy toward the obese and disgust for the smoker? Why do we as Americans feel it is perfectly sound to discriminate against people who are killing themselves through the use of legal and illegal drug use, but protect, sympathize and support people who choose to kill themselves through food and a lethargic lifestyle? When was the last time you saw a famous heroin addict on TV talking about...
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...Boycotting The NFL, An Immature Response to the NFL and its Mishandling of Players Associated With Domestic Violence Domestic violence riles up adamant feelings of loathe and righteous anger inside the hearts of Americans all over the United States. It’s a topic that headlines news channels, papers, and radio stations everywhere, especially when it involves high profile people constantly in the public eye like congressmen, actors, or more recently, former NFL and Raven’s running back Ray Rice. I’m sure that by now you have seen or at least heard of the recent events involving former NFL and Raven’s running back Ray Rice and his then fiancé Janay Palmer. “On February 15, 2014, Rice and Palmer were both arrested and charged with simple assault following an altercation where Rice attempted to cause bodily injury to J. Palmer, specifically by striking her with his hand, rendering her unconscious. A few days later on February 19, 2014, TMZ Sports released a video of Rice dragging Palmer, who looked to be unconscious, out of an elevator. The surveillance footage provided visual record of the aftermath. On July 24, 2014 the NFL suspends Ray Rice for two games without pay and fined him $58,000”(Time). The other day in my college English class this topic thrust its way into our midst. The alarming news of this terrible domestic violence incident alone seemed enough to invoke rage and abhorrent from our general public, however, the reaction to the NFL’s response in this incident proved...
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