Benjamin Franklin Essays (825 words) - Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was born into a modest family, but later became to be one of the greatest statesmen in the country. He shaped this country's course of events, which forever changed the way we live today. Ben Franklin made many contributions to the revolutionary cause. One could say he was one of the greatest fighters in the Revolutionary War. Although he did not fight physically with weapons, he powerfully fought with words. Among many revolutionary contributions, he helped draft and sign the ?Declaration of Independence,? he secured financial and physical aid from France for the war cause, he lifted many laws that were imposed on the colonies by the King of England, and in 1787, and he signed ?The Constitution of the United States of America.? When he met with the assembly meeting over the ?Declaration of Independence,? he addressed the delegates with the statement, ?We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.? During the French and Indian War, he supplied General Braddock and his men with 150 wagons and 259 horses so he could march on Fort Duquesne. Ben Franklin led a small group of soldiers along with his son to Gnadenhuetten to build a fort to protect Pennsylvania from the French and Indian invaders. Within a few weeks, he had three well-fortified forts spaced out over 15 miles and suitable living quarters for the men. If Ben Franklin had not participated in the politics of the American Revolution, the Americans could have easily lost the war. When he went to France to secure financial and physical aid for the war cause, it gave more power to the Americans, which probably led them to win the war. If he had not gone to England to lift the taxes, that could have mean that more British troops most likely would have been sent over to make people pay taxes, which could have lengthened the war. Had he not participated in the war, it most likely would have changed the outcome of the war. It was very interesting the way that Franklin came up with and proved that electricity came from lightning. In 1752, he and his son Billy set out on a stormy night to prove the electricity was generated by lightning. He took a kite and attached a long ribbon to the end of it. He tied a key on the ribbon, about 7 feet away from the bottom, and was flying it as close as he could get it to the clouds. Franklin waited for lightning to strike the kite, which would pass down the ribbon to the key. Then, it struck! He touched the key, and he felt that stinging feeling of a shock! He was right, lightning did generate electricity!! He waited for it to happen again, and he put a special jar around the key, which will trap the electricity inside. Once the electricity was in the jar, he touched it and he fell back to the ground. He was right! Soon after the experience, Ben went to tell his colleagues who had worked on the study with him. To learn more about Ben Franklin would be a great idea. He was one of the leading statesmen in the new America and was a historical figure who shaped our nations history. He was a very bright and intelligent man who could enlighten anyone in many areas of learning. He was an inventor who came up with many ideas which are taken for granted today, such as the post office, or the library, or the fire department, he introduce methods of street paving and lighting, and he found ways to correct the excessive smoking of chimneys. Not too many people know of all the things he invented, and most people would probably be interested in learning about the things he invented or thought of. By reading The story of Benjamin Franklin by Enid Lamonte Meadowcraft, the reader learns of the things that Ben Franklin had invented, or the many Revolutionary contributions he made, or that he signed the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and helped draft the ?Declaration of Independence.? The reader would also learn

An Early History of Forensic Entomology, 1300-1900

An Early History of Forensic Entomology, 1300-1900 In recent decades, the use of entomology as a tool in forensic investigations has become fairly routine. The field of forensic entomology has a much longer history than you might suspect, dating all the way back to the 13th century. The First Crime Solved by Forensic Entomology The earliest known case of a crime being solved using insect evidence comes from medieval China. In 1247, the Chinese lawyer Sung Tsu wrote a textbook on criminal investigations called The Washing Away of Wrongs. In his book, Tsu recounts the story of a murder near a rice field. The victim had been slashed repeatedly, and investigators suspected the weapon used was a sickle, a common tool used in the rice harvest. How could the murderer be identified, when so many workers carried these tools? The local magistrate brought all the workers together  and told them to lay down their sickles. Though all the tools looked clean, one quickly attracted hordes of flies. The flies could sense the residue of blood and tissue invisible to the human eye. When confronted by this jury of flies, the murderer confessed to the crime. Dispelling the Myth of Spontaneous Generation of Maggots Just as people once thought the world was flat and the Sun revolved around the Earth, people used to think maggots would arise spontaneously out of rotting meat. Italian physician Francesco Redi finally proved the connection between flies and maggots in 1668. Redi compared two groups of meat: the first left exposed to insects, and the second group covered by a barrier of gauze. In the exposed meat, flies laid eggs, which quickly hatched into maggots. On the gauze-covered meat, no maggots appeared, but Redi observed fly eggs on the outer surface of the gauze. Establishing a Relationship Between Cadavers and Arthropods In the 1700 and 1800s, physicians in both France and Germany observed mass exhumations of corpses. The French doctors M. Orfila and C. Lesueur published two handbooks on exhumations, in which they noted the presence of insects on the exhumed cadavers. Some of these arthropods were identified to species in their 1831 publication. This work established a relationship between specific insects and decomposing bodies. Fifty years later, the German doctor Reinhard used a systematic approach to study this relationship. Reinhard exhumed bodies to collect and identify the insects present with the bodies. He specifically noted the presence of phorid flies, which he left to an entomology colleague to identify. Using the Succession of Insects to Determine a Postmortem Interval By the 1800s, scientists knew that certain insects would inhabit decomposing bodies. Interest now turned to the matter of succession. Physicians and legal investigators began questioning which insects would appear first on a cadaver, and what their life cycles could reveal about a crime. In 1855, French doctor Bergeret dArbois was the first to use insect succession to determine the postmortem interval of human remains. A couple remodeling their Paris home uncovered the mummified remains of a child behind the mantelpiece. Suspicion immediately fell on the couple, though they had only recently moved into the house. Bergeret, who autopsied the victim, noted evidence of insect populations on the corpse. Using methods similar to those employed by forensic entomologists today, he concluded that the body had been placed behind the wall years earlier, in 1849. Bergeret used what was known about insect life cycles and successive colonization of a corpse to arrive at this date. His report convinced police to charge the previous tenants of the home, who were subsequently convicted of the murder. French veterinarian Jean Pierre Megnin spent years studying and documenting the predictability of insect colonization in cadavers. In 1894, he published La Faune des Cadavres, the culmination of his medico-legal experience. In it, he outlined eight waves of insect succession that could be applied during investigations of suspicious deaths. Megnin also noted that buried corpses were not susceptible to this same series of colonization. Just two stages of colonization invaded these cadavers. Modern forensic entomology draws on the observations and studies of all these pioneers.

Hip Hop and Lyrical Intent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hip Hop and Lyrical Intent - Essay Example The lyrical content of many rappers is highly controversial: songs can often seem very materialistic, racially degrading and misogynistic. Hip hop artists like Kanye West, who are very blatant about their social views and their desire for change, are admittedly difficult to find in mainstream rap. Other artists like DMX often produce songs that are superficially violent and demeaning, but the lyrical content can actually be quite revealing of the modern state of black America. Regardless of controversy, hip hop lyrics have been able to unite American blacks and help them establish a group identity that is essentially the foundation of the continuing civil rights movement. Through this unique use of language, hip hop artists are responsible for not only the unity of American blacks over the past several decades but for the association of many other American minority groups with this common cause. Although it is the lyrical content of hip hop songs that makes them controversial, the interpretation of such songs is completely reliant on the viewpoint of the audience. African-American writer and essayist Gloria Naylor agrees that "words themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them their power" (238); one of her main ideas concerning black American language is that to a small black audience, certain themes and words are expected and understandable. When the audience is made larger and incorporates people that are not black Americans, these themes and slang words seem insulting because they are not a part of normal language for such people. Certainly this theory can be applied to hip hop, since the genre often uses words that are completely reliant on context to be interpreted many different ways. The use of racial slurs by white people is universally insulting however when used by minority groups is often considered a symptom of social unity. Kanye West uses the term "niggas" as a way not only to embrace the word as a part of black American culture but also to highlight the ambiguity of the term: originally used by white people in reference to their black slaves, "nigga" worked its way into the black lexicon and became a way for blacks to label themselves and their counterparts. Given the origins of the word, "nigga" is ambiguous in that it represents slave ownership and degradation of black Americans while simultaneously being used as a unifying force within the black culture. Kanye's song "Jesus Walks" talks about the negative aspects of black urban society and uses the word "nigga" not only because it is a term used by blacks to label themselves but because it emphasizes how many white people view blacks: Where restless (Niggas) might snatch your necklace And next these (Niggas) might jack your Lexus These lyrics portray two simultaneous themes: first, a not uncommon reality to blacks living in segregated neighborhoods, and secondly the stubborn views that many white Americans have of black society. The song puts a spotlight on the cycle that is black urban crime and white authoritarian prejudice: by doing this he wants black people to fully understand their own identity and behavior and to try to rise above what history and modern

The Role of Emotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Role of Emotion - Essay Example The emotion-focused assessment and following therapy follows a process, the two main processes being, interpersonal factors, and emotional cycles. Functional assessment has derived from the applied behavior paradigm. In this context functional means the cause of behavior (Carbone & Zecchini, 2008). The process establishes the function, or cause, of the maladaptive behavior before developing an intervention. This intervention is created from the hypothesized function of the maladaptive behavior. If the intervention is unsuccessful in establishing the function then it is very likely that the results will be ineffective in changing the identified maladaptive behaviours (Starin, 2007). These two therapies though from different psychological schools of thought, and therefore have many differences, nevertheless have several similarities as well. Emotion-focused therapy is a structured, short-term therapy, created in the early 1980s. It is historical based in client-centred, gestalt and existential theories. Client-centred therapies are from the humanistic paradigm, they are non-directive, do not search for interpretations, and center on the client actualizing their potential. Gestalt therapy is based on the theory that the brain is holistic, but that 'getting a whole consistent picture and seeing what the structure of the whole requires for the parts' (Wertheimer, 1959, cited in Gestalt Theory, 2008, p.1). Existential therapy stems from the belief that people are on their own in the world. Therefore, people form their own meanings and values, and have the power to make their own choices. For this reason, every individual is responsible for his or her own happiness. Emotion-focused therapy also has an extensive background in attachment theory, which gives the therapy a broader and more in depth understanding of the client's needs and the problems they are experiencing due to past or present family relationships. The approach focuses on how a person is responsible for their own response patterns to emotional processes. A large amount of research has assessed that this therapy is very effective. Research has shown that between 70-75% of clients who enter into emotion-focused therapy will go into recovery and that nearly 90% will significantly improve (ICEEFT, 2008). Greenburg (2004a) states that emotion can be perceived as a form of information processing which is fundamental to a person's survival, and their ability to adapt to the world around them. Research has shown that emotion can improve memory, help to focus attention, and may influence cognitive processing. In addition, emotion can regulate behavior and help to develop healthy attachments. These processes influence why people will perform certain activities and behaviors. It is not just a result of their beliefs and value systems alone, but also because it makes them feel good or bad. Humans seek to control these feelings by trying to maximize the good feelings and minimize the bad ones. The reactions to these pleasant or unpleasant feelings and the attempt to control them are a person's motivation for action and change. Moreover, these emotions are used to evaluate situations that enhance personal well being and happiness, rather than because they are rational or right (Greenburg, 2004 a). Therefore,

Benefits And Costs Of Using Common Currency In Greece, Germany And Research Paper

Benefits And Costs Of Using Common Currency In Greece, Germany And Eurozone - Research Paper Example 14). As a result of reduced transaction costs, Eurozone nations expected a thirty billion dollar annual savings (The Euro, the European Central Bank, p. 154). Directly as result of eliminating exchange of currencies, the exchange rate volatility was also removed. These exchange rate fluctuations make the trade between countries more risky; because if one currency devalues in relation to other, the marketer of the depreciated currency will be affected by getting less than what his product is worth. Or conversely the buyer of depreciated currency may require paying more than what he originally contracted for (Eudey, pp. 14-15). Exchange rate rish is thus another form of transaction cost which was avoided. Another major benefit of Euro as the common currency was the avoidance of speculation. Before the introduction of Euro, speculation used to greatly occur throughout the Europe. Whenever a currency was thought to be devalued in near future, people used to sell all their holdings in tha t currency. The only solution to the problem of speculation was keeping the interest rates as high as possible to keep the people interest in the currency. These high interest rates were bad for the economy and hindered economic progress in Europe during 90s (Eudey, pp. 15, 16). Adoption of Euro as a common currency thus removed speculation and economies of the member countries could develop and flourish easily without the disadvantages of higher interest rates. Euro also does away with the problem of competitive devaluation of currency among the member nations. Before the era of Euro, European nations used to devalue their currency to increase the exports. Inflation was a direct result of this devalution (Eudey, p. 15). The adoption of common currency did in fact come with many costs as well. The first and the foremost disadvantage of adopting common currency by the Eurozone countries was that by accepting Euro as national currency they surrendered their right to adopt and change t heir monetary and economic policies to suit their domestic conditions (The Euro: Expect, pp. 123). There was another big cost of not being able to adjust the exchange rates between trading countries to eliminate the economic falloffs of individual countries. Even after the adoption of common currency and a unit monetary policy throughout the Eurozone and its many benefits, there is no surety that some member country may not go in recession; and this was the main concern for all the countries. If at any time one country goes into recession, it cannot alter the individual monetary policy and as a result the only option left is to wait, because a change in the monetary policy of all the nations would adversely affect more countries than benefit the country in recession (The Euro, the European Central Bank, pp. 157). Despite of this, the idea of creating a common currency was that by tying many European nations through a common currency, the business cycle of all countries will soon be closely linked to each other and very soon would there be no possibility of recession in one country while stability in other (The Euro: Expectations and Performance, p. 123). However, changes in individual Fiscal policies was allowed. Benefits and Costs of common currency in Greece Recently there has been a debt crisis in Greece and other Eurozone countries which has jeopardized the likelihood of continuing with the Euro. Especially Greece is highly considering to quit the Euro and reverting back to its national currency Drachma. The debt crisis is raising a lot of questions and discussions about the potential advantages and

The Effect of Parenting Styles on Child Development

The Effect of Parenting Styles on Child Development Is parenting really significant? Does parenting have a positive impact on a childs life? One may wonder if his or her parenting style has effectively influenced his or her childs complete development. This paper probes the effects of parenting styles on a childs development. A childs holistic development, specifically psychological (emotional and social) and cognitive (intellect) developments, may be affected by numerous factors. These factors may be biological and environmental, which includes culture, family and more significantly parenting styles. Parenting styles used, though not solitary effects, have an absolute impact on the childs future. According to Baumrind (1971), there are three parenting styles namely authoritative (demanding and responsive), authoritarian (demanding and unresponsive) and permissive (responsive but undemanding). More recently, uninvolved parenting (unresponsive and undemanding) has been recognized as a fourth style. Though each parenting style has varyi ng characteristics, it is crucial for the child to receive both nurture and autonomy in order to obtain adequate development. Parenting styles such as authoritative and uninvolved influence a childs cognitive and psychological development but authoritative parenting is preferred. Every childs cognitive development is impacted by his or her parents parenting style. Cognition pertains to the intellectual process by obtaining knowledge. According to Bjorklund (1989), Cognition involves mental activity of all types. It includes activity that is geared toward acquiring, understanding and modifying information. (p. 4). According to Piaget, children dynamically assemble knowledge by four stages-sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational-as they control and discover their world. It is necessary for parents to be cognizant of the effects of parenting styles on a childs cognition. Berk (2009) stated that, Authoritative child-rearing style-the most successful approach-involves high acceptance and involvement, adaptive control techniques, and appropriate autonomy granting (p. 569). Authoritative parents are affectionate, attentive and receptive to their offsprings wants, yet they implement firm, rational control and are usually demanding. T hey inspire the childs independence and decision making so that the child will be able to make the right choices in life. They encourage dialogues and joint decision making whenever there is a disagreement between parent and child, thus paying attention to the childs perspective and providing sensible supervision is necessary. A childs cognitive development is optimum for independence and decision making skills when experiencing positive and maximum parental support. Hence, an authoritative parent is said to be highly involved in a childs development, offering positive and maximum parental support which encourages the development of a personality. A child reared by the authoritative parenting style exhibits high self-esteem, self control and task persistence (Berk, 2009). In regards to a child who has high self-esteem, positive values and beliefs are passed on from the parents because of their high participation in the offsprings life. For example, the importance of these parental beliefs and positive values are adopted from family discussions and family rules and practices. Research has shown that children reared by authoritative parents have great academic success because the parents are extremely involved in all aspects of their lives and particularly, their academic achievements. Authoritative parents will praise their children for striving; help them with the difficulties they face in their school work and encourage them to do their best. Children given this positive and maximum parental support believe they have the competence to succeed in life. The different areas of a childs development are interconnected thus influencing one another. Psychological development, defined by Encyclopedia Britannica, refers to the emotional and social competence and operation of ones life span. Authoritative parents are demanding-have high hopes and expectations for their children. Benson Hiath (2009) postulates that Children of authoritative parents exhibit low amount of internalizing behaviour such as depression and anxiety and externalizing behaviour such as antisocial behaviour and substance use (p. 290). In essence, offspring of these parents are more socially and instrumentally competent than children reared by other parenting styles. Authoritative parents also show interest in their childs social life. It is important that they know about their childs whereabouts and the friends he or she keeps. Therefore, the child will be less likely to be antisocial in behaviour because of their high autonomy granting. Similarly, it is important to note that though these parents are involved in the childs social life, they do not dictate the type of friends the child should keep. Instead, they provide good advice and allow the child to make his or her own decision. Benson Hiath further states that, Children of authoritative parents are better equipped to cope with life stresses and less likely to succumb to peer pressure, due to the competencies authoritative parents have instilled (p. 290). Based on research presented, it can be concluded that authoritative parenting has a positive impact on a childs complete development. Additionally, a childs cognitive and psychological developments are also influenced by uninvolved parenting. Unlike the authoritative parent, Benson Hiath (2009) believes the indifferent parent is not dedicated to parenting roles and is disinterested in helping foster optimal development of the child (p. 283). The uninvolved parent is said to have little or no participation in their childs development thus the child is likely to have less interest in his or her own development. These parents have either despised their children or probably do not have the time or energy to take care of them because priority is given to their own life problems and stresses instead. In contrast to authoritative parenting, children reared by the uninvolved parenting style display poor emotional control and low self-esteem. Children of these parents are likely to have low self-esteem as well as poor school performance because they feel unappreciated by their parents, due to the parents low acceptance and non-involvement in their lives. For example, a parent who is parentally stressed and shows no interest in the childs academic achievement will not encourage the child to develop academically. As a result the child will become a low achiever because there is no parental guidance and support when he or she gets an assignment and needs parental assistance. Additionally, the child is likely to have difficulties making decisions and expressing views effectively because the uninvolved parents are lacking in the areas decision making and perspective. Uninvolved parents are undemanding often showing little control. A child who feels neglected by his or her parents is likely to have a deficit in his or her psychological development. The child of an uninvolved parent may have behavioural problem such as antisocial behaviours and substance abuse. This is so because the parent-child relationship is poor and so the child is emotionally detached and withdrawn. Due to the lack of positive guidance (no parental values, beliefs and expectations), the child may be led by the wrong type of friends and as a result find himself or herself in a destructive path. For example, parents who are uninvolved in their childs social life set no expectations and allow their child to do as he or she pleases; searching for affection and attention in the wrong places. Studies have also shown that uninvolved parenting, unlike authoritative parenting, has a negative impact on a childs holistic development. From a biblical perspective, a parent should train up a child in the way he or she should go, so when he is old he or she will not depart from it. Research have concluded that parenting plays a minor role in the development of a child and that the impacts are surpassed by the effects of inheritance and society. Despite such claims it is revealed that parenting styles, though not the only influence, wield great effect on a childs development. Based on previous studies, authoritative parenting is preferred because it has the most positive influence on a childs entire development while uninvolved parenting has the most negative impact. Some parents use more than one parenting style in the upbringing of their child; therefore it would be a great idea for uninvolved parents to strive to adapt some values of authoritative parenting to allow the child to develop autonomy, confidence and maturity. Word Count: 1342

The Three Marvins :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

The Three Marvins Marvin Lowery: I think the main things you have to look at in this case are; is Marvin a danger to himself, is he a danger to others in the workplace, what can you as a supervisor do to help the situation? It was stated in the brief that he has caused and accident due to carelessness. I think this proves that he is both a danger to himself and others. There is also the added concern of suicide. I think the best approach would be to talk to human resources about the types of counseling is available. You should also look into community groups that provide help for this specific type of situation. There are also religious organizations that help with bereavement, if applicable. When you have appropriate counselors and community services line up, I would then sit down with Mr. Lowery and discuss the situation. I would try to key in on the fact that you are concerned for Marvin. You know he is a good employee and you do not want to lose him. I would then present him with some options on coun seling. Make him aware of the fact that if he needs more time, that leave without pay is available. I would then reiterate your concern for his well being and that of his coworkers. Let him know that for any help he needs, that you are there for him. Your first concern is for his welfare. Marvin Fletcher I would set up a time to talk with Marvin. I would start off by stating the fact that he is a valued employee. You understand the difficulty he may be having with his children, because both he and his spouse works. I would then let him know that you cannot continuously adjust his schedule to accommodate this. If this is going to be as frequent as it has been then Mr. Fletcher will need to use his sick time and/or vacation time to make up for it. You might ask him whether it is possible for his wife to pick up the kids more often. Reiterate that you understand his situation but you have the rest of the department to think about as well. Note: Before you talk with Marvin you should look into whether flex time is feasible in your department.