Analysis Of The Book The Sergeant - 1644 Words

The sergeant looked around the room quickly finding two clean towels that were lying on the floor after the cart that had held them been toppled over sometime earlier. He stuffed one directly into Miller’s wound itself, and it instantly started turning crimson. He then wrapped the other around Miller’s neck holding the first towel tight to the wound. He than took off his belt using it as a tourniquet that helped to keep the towels tight around Miller’s throat. It was the only thing he could think of that would help keep the blood loss at a minimum even though having the belt tight around Miller’s neck was now causing him to have much harder time breathing. â€Å"Alright, let’s get Miller the fuck out of here.† The sergeant†¦show more content†¦Dr. Rachel Ackerman approached slowly, tremulously, through the door of the control room and entered the lab. She had hidden in the control room under the table that held machinery used to reco rd data. â€Å"Are you Okay?† asked Sergeant Barnes. â€Å"Yes, I think so,† she timidly replied. â€Å"What happened in here? What was your team doing in here? What the fuck are these things?† Jamieson demanded of her. â€Å"Not now, Jamieson† Sergeant Barnes said. â€Å"Dr. Ackerman, do you know how many of these things there are?† The sergeant than asked her. â€Å"Well...† she said but then began quivering, her voice becoming barely audible as she began breaking down into intense sobs. She worked to get it together. â€Å"There were originally three test subjects... then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she paused again not knowing how to explain what had happened next. â€Å"We†¦ We administered an agent my husband had been working with that was theorized to help preserve and prevent cell deterioration and then†¦ then the cadavers just†¦ two of them†¦ they just started moving.† â€Å"You can tell us all about what happened lat er. I need to know how many of these things are out there.† â€Å"I don’t know†¦ two, I think, but then†¦ Dr. Roberts and my husband, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She began to lose it again. â€Å"Alright, just take a deep breath.† said Sergeant Barnes trying to show patience. â€Å"I think we got both of them. The two that your team was working with. And, for the rest of the

The Main Factors Of The Communist Manifesto - 1680 Words

The conditions that Karl Marx deems necessary for a communist revolution have not manifested themselves in the present day, presenting challenges for communist ideology. As our society has gradually been regressing further away from these prerequisite conditions, a number of new factors have become present that challenge the relevance of the Communist Manifesto. The first of these factors to be addressed is globalization in the modern world. Ever since the age of imperialism, globalization has served to spread capitalism and its effects across the world. This globalization did not occur as predicted by Marx, with â€Å"capitalism spreading across the world† and uniting the proletariat of every nation against the bourgeoisie (Munck 51). Instead, as discussed earlier, globalization took a different route, forcing an interconnectedness between every nation, and ultimately between their economies and politics. This interconnectedness, led by the industrialized nations of the West throughout the past two centuries, has generated â€Å"a movement towards democracy† and nationalism, as opposed to revolution and supranational communism (Munck 52). While Karl Marx predicted globalization and interconnectedness through capitalism, he did not predict it to unfold as it did. Currently, this globalization has only worked to secure capitalism, as the industrialized countries promote it throughout the rest of the world, as seen repeatedly in U.S. intervention in foreign affairs. Consequently, thisShow MoreRelatedConflict Theory, Karl Marx, and the Communist Manifesto Essay1321 Words   |  6 PagesConflict Theory, Karl Marx, and The Communist Manifesto In order to understand Marx a few terms need to be defined. The first is Bourgeoisie; these are the Capitalists and they are the employers of wage laborers, and the owners of the means of production. The means of production includes the physical instruments of production such as the machines, and tools, as well as the methods of working (skills, division of labor). The Proletariat is the class of wage-laborers, they do not have their ownRead MoreCommunist Manifesto By Marx Engels1031 Words   |  5 PagesAfter firstly briefly reading part of â€Å"communist manifesto† from The Marx-Engels Reader, I have a general understanding about The Communist Manifesto presents an analytical approach to the class struggle (historical and present) and the problems of capitalism. I am more like concerning on bourgeoisie and proletarians. The reason I interested in this section because it introduces and explains the final conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. 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While Smith, in his Wealth of Nations, wrote in favor of capitalism, Marx, in his Communist Manifesto, was a harsh critic of the system and declared its inevitable destruction and consequent rise of the working class. According to Marx, history is a series of class struggles that rise and fall according to economic changes. Marx claimed thatRead More The Political Impact on Humans Essay1225 Words   |  5 Pagesof the central government distinguishes the differences between them. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels both thought about their current government and how they could create a form of government that would surpass their existing one. The Manifesto of the Communist Party politically influenced the Marxist society, other societies of his time, and our modern day society. Marx and Engels were both reform thinkers and philosophers. They wanted to bring about a radical change; they sawRead MoreThe Communist Manifesto By Karl Marx1364 Words   |  6 PagesThe Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, has become one of the world s most significant pieces of political propaganda written to this date. The main contributor to the book was Karl Marx. Marx was born on May 5th, 1818 in Western Germany. When he turned seventeen he enrolled at the University of Bonn to study law. Due to his social misbehavior, his father had him transferred to the University of Berlin, which had a stricter regime. During this time at college, heRead More Karl Marx and His Beliefs About Society Essay1608 Words   |  7 PagesEuropean society was the Industrial Revolution, which introduced new ways to make life easier in terms of the production of goods, and make life as simple as possible. 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In 1847, both marx and eagles founded a Communist League in London, England. the publisher then drafted Marx and Engels to write â€Å"The Communist Manifesto,† as it was published the following year. this is the point where people believe Marx went on to createRead MoreViolence Is The Fundamental Factor That Defines The Meaning And Practice Of Colonization1607 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Fanon, violence is the fundamental factor that defines the meaning and practice of colonisation. In Fanon’s chapter â€Å"On Violenceà ¢â‚¬ , he writes predominately about the centrality of violence in resisting colonial rule. However, violence is not limited to playing a significant role in just colonisation. Marx and Engels’ The Communist Manifesto encompasses ideas of violence in social revolution and communism. In Marx’s theory, Marx writes of a Communist Revolution. 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Kennedy And Nixon Essay Example For Students

Kennedy And Nixon Essay Both John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were elected to Congress in 46, a year inwhich the New Deal took a serious beating as the Republicans regained control ofCongress on the slogan Had Enough? Nixon of course, had campaignedagainst incumbent Jerry Voorhis on an anti-New Deal platform, but its oftenforgotten that when JFK first ran for the House in 1946, he differentiatedhimself from his Democratic primary opposition by describing himself as afighting conservative. In private, Kennedys antipathy to thetraditional FDR New Deal was even more extensive. When Kennedy and Nixon weresworn in on the same day, both were already outspoken on the subject of theemerging Cold War. While running for office in 1946, Kennedy proudly told aradio audience of how he had lashed out against a left-wing group of YoungDemocrats for being naive on the subject of the Soviet Union, and how he hadalso attacked the emerging radical faction headed by Henry Wallace. Thus, whenKennedy entered the House, he was a nything but progressive in hisviews of either domestic or foreign policy. It didnt take long for these two toform a friendship. Both were Navy men who had served in the South Pacific, andboth saw themselves as occupying the vital center of their parties. Just as JFKlashed out against the New Deal and the radical wing of the Democratic party, sotoo did Richard Nixon distance himself from the right-wing of the Republicanparty. Nixons support of Harry Trumans creation of NATO and the aid packagesto Greece and Turkey meant rejecting the old guard isolationist bent of theconservative wing that had been embodied in Mr. Republican SenatorRobert Taft. Indeed, when it came time for Nixon to back a nominee in 1948, hissupport went to the more centrist Thomas E. Dewey, and not to the conservativeTaft. Kennedy decided to go into politics mainly because of the influence of hisfather. Joe Kennedy, Jr. had been killed in the European arena of World War IIand so the political ambitions of the famil y got placed on the shoulders ofJohn. Nixon, however, got involved in politics by chance. While celebrating theend of the war in New York, he received a telegram from an old family friendindicating that they needed someone to run against the Democrat Jerry Voorhis. Nixon was excited by the proposition and so began his political career. Oneaspect of this book that really impressed me was the detail that Matthews putinto describing the campaign strategies of each man. Kennedy was a man whowanted to practically buy his position. Relying almost solely upon his fathersinfluence and money, he achieved any goal that was put forth. By donating massamounts of money and even pinning twenty-dollar bills to the jackets ofcitizens, he bought his votes by any means necessary. Also, Kennedy made gooduse of his sex appeal. Knowing that he was handsome, he won over thousands offemale voters by having tea-parties. On the contrary, Nixon did nothave an unlimited supply of money, influence or good looks. He had to rely ongood campaigning and smear tactics. Nixon too tried to use war stories and theself-made image of a war vet trying to build a life for himself. This did notwork as well as his other ideas, though. Nixon hired people to dig up all of thepolitical di rt on Voorhis that was out there. Once material was found thatclaimed that the NC PAC endorsed Voorhis, he resented it at a clutch momentduring a live debate. This shocked both the crowd and Voorhis and gave the seatin Congress to Nixon. (pgs. 36-38) The careers of Nixon and Kennedy becameintertwined. Both were young congressmen who had been in the war and both hadhad no previous political experience. When they were both elected to theCongress in 1946 they were placed on the Board of Education and Labor together. .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 , .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .postImageUrl , .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 , .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:hover , .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:visited , .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:active { border:0!important; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:active , .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8 .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7d660a2ad967b1827df918901ef025c8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Genocide EssayWhen Nixon was elected Vice-president in 1952, Kennedy was elected a Senator andthe two were assigned offices directly across from each other. Matthews does anexemplary job of showing how the two politicians were often grouped together. Hefocuses on the fact that they were from the same class. He alsoshows how they were elected for the same positions and assigned to the sameprojects and became friendly with each other. Having offices adjacent to oneanother makes a relationship grow. All this helped to build the drama thatsurrounded the election of 1960 for President. The two men that came to theCapitol together all of the sudden were running against each othe r for thecountrys highest position. The election became the classic battle of thepopular kid versus the nerd. Kennedy portrayed the all-American high school boy. He was handsome, charming, and had love for his country. Nixon, however, was thetypical outcast. He was not as charming or handsome as Kennedy was. He hadrelied on hard work and making his opponent look bad as means of getting ahead. In this case, popularity won and Kennedy became the President. America made wayfor the administration that would be known as Camelot. EveryAmerican learns about the myth of Kennedy and Nixon. John F. Kennedy isportrayed as one who was one of the greatest people that this nation everproduced. He was loved by all and was a president who only made good choices forhis country. He stood up to Nikita Khrushchev and Cuba and saved the world fromnuclear destruction. He tried to save the Cuban people from Communism and triedto help the South Vietnamese from the same fate. Richard M. Nixon, however,remains a man that the United States hates to admit that existed . He isremembered as the man who appeared ghastly next to Kennedy in the Great Debateof 1960. His presidential administration is one that stole and deceived to getahead. Nixon was a leader that lied to his citizens, the ones that voted himinto office twice. Matthews makes sure that all of these myths are disposed andthat no biases are shown. He reminds the world of the Kennedy tactic of relyingsolely on money and looks to win campaigns. He tells of the ill-fated and hardlythought-out Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. Kennedy was trying to give the Cubanpeople help that they obviously did not want. No one remembers this though. Kennedy was the man who okayed the United States sponsored assassination ofSouth Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem. This led the way for a complete coupand the eventual weak political position that forced the country to succumb tocommunism. The author shows that Nixon was not the horrible man that he isalways remembered as being. He lets it be known that Nixon was a hard worker wholoved his country and it democratic tradition. Matthews remembers Nixons fightagainst communism and his attempts to rid the government of its few communistsympathizers such as Alger Hiss. He suffered the coldness of a president whothoughtlessly gave his vice-president no respect or credit for any decisions. With the common bonds of age, and mutual sentiments on the New Deal, the ColdWar, and their centrist positions within their parties, the two enjoyed afriendship that would endure until the 1960 presidential campaign destroyed it. If Matthews puts any bias at all, he makes Kennedy look worse and Nixon lookbetter. He makes Kennedy look as someone who never really had any politicaltalent. He looks as someone who was just relying on money from his father. Onethe contrary, Matthews shows Nixon as one who has gotten a bad rap. He shows himas one who overcame adversity to help his country and who took a few downfallsalong the way. He was one who became tired of constantly battling Kennedy afterKennedy and the thought of fighting another Kennedy drove him to do things heotherwise would have not done. This book did a tremendous job portraying andinter-weaving two very important figures of the century. Matthews put all theinformation into a format that was easy to read and enjoyable. In my opinionthis is a very relevant and intresting story that needed to be told. TheAmerican people deserve to know that the man they hold with such a high regardwas not that great. Also, they should know that the man they all hate was no tthat bad a guy. This book gives the american people a good idea of what went on,and it may have been to the suprise of many americans.

The Themes of the American Dream, Racism, and White Privilege in Between the World and Me, a Novel by Ta

The Themes of the American Dream, Racism, and White Privilege in Between the World and Me, a Novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates Essay In the novel Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes to his son about such serious issues as the American Dream, racism, and white privilege in order to teach him how to survive in the world. He uses words that are complex, but rather inspiring, trying to describe his understanding of the world through his personal experiences and the experiences of other people. Ta-Nehisi Coates tells his story using specific narration in order to create a message of empowerment to his son, and as a mother, I will have shared that information with my child or children as well, because it is crucial for them to struggle through life and still thrive when I am not there to guide them. In the long run, my children, like Coates’s son, will be prepared and will be successful at what they do. We will write a custom essay on The Themes of the American Dream, Racism, and White Privilege in Between the World and Me, a Novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Throughout the novel, Coates discusses the concept of struggle and how it has impacted him. Specifically, at the beginning of this novel, he discusses the struggle of the African American community and how as a â€Å" body† they continue to be bashed and belittled. However, in this section of the novel, he discusses in detail about the concept of the struggle through the experience of Dr. Jones. In this quote â€Å"There was no one else in the house.. Christmas tree was still standing at the end of the room, and there were stockings bearing the name of her daughter and her lost son, and there was a framed picture of him — Prince Jones — on a display table† a meeting with Dr. Jones is pictured with a detailed description of a living room. He notices that there are pictures of her children, along with the one with her son who was killed by a police officer (Coates 136). This quotation shows such concepts as emptiness and hopelessness. As he walks into the l iving room to see that â€Å"no one else in the house,† this demonstrates a lonely presence of Dr. Jones’s life ( Coates 136). However, there is a stronger message that outweighs this lonely presence – a lesson, which learns that obstacles should not be in the way of living life. As the â€Å"Christmas tree was still standing.. bearing the name of a daughter and lost son† it shows that no matter they are no longer in Dr. Jones life physically, she continues to celebrate and live her life in remembrance of them ( Coates 136). The purpose of this message is to tell that struggle is necessary to move forward and in order to do that you have to embrace it. I would have similarly discussed this point the way the author did it, but with the personal experiences of my mother for she has been impactful throughout my entire life. With this, Coates also uses Dr. Jones character to discuss the benefits of struggling and how this has impacted her. It is reflected in this quote â€Å"I felt in the presence of Dr. Jones. When she was in second grade, she and another girl made a pact that they would both become doctors, and she held up her end of the bargain. But first, she integrated the high school in her town. In the beginning, she fought the white children who insulted her. At the end, they voted her class president †¦ it brought her so far into their world† he discusses that the unspeakable strength she has been demonstrating since the childhood resonates with him and that she is a role model who will teach his son her strength and how he should carry himself. Specifically what this quote teaches readers and Coates’s son, in particular, is that it shows the importance of strength and ways how to overcome obstacles that may stop a person from giving all of their full potential to what matte rs to them most. As he describes that sticking to your â€Å"end of the bargain† it will make you a powerful individual for yourself and you would have â€Å"fought†¦who insulted† you ( Coates 139). Learning from the example is necessary to see things from a different perspective other than your own, especially those who are influential to you. Besides teaching my children about struggling through my mother’s example, I would also use my personal story to discuss the impact on struggle and how this has made me successful. .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe , .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .postImageUrl , .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe , .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:hover , .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:visited , .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:active { border:0!important; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:active , .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u526238613b6ed386a6bcab5bdad22dbe:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Jennifer Lopez EssayBody Paragraph: Communication As it is important to direct these messages to readers and to the people that are influential, it is also important to maintain such relationships that can allow the teachings to inspire the listeners. Understandably, as Coates discusses these concepts, he makes the mistake of not discussing them with his son. Through the quote †I have never asked how you became personally aware of the distance †¦but I know that it happened to you already, that you have deduced that you are privileged and yet still different from other privileged children, because you are the bearer of a body more fragile than any other in this country. What I want you to know is that this is not your fault, even if it is ultimately your responsibility† he confesses that he has made a mistake about not discussing him of what he knows about racism. However, he also discusses with his son the fact that because he is now informed about this, he reassures him that this is not his fault and he should not even be burdened by this (Coates 137). This is beneficial for teaching concepts like this to those you care about because it shows the importance of honest communication between families to maintain good relationships. As he notes that he has â€Å"never asked† him about the dark concepts that exist, he understands that this would have been essential to understanding his son’s approach to the world and these concepts ( Coates 137). Although he explains that he made this mistake, he also shows compassion toward his son as he explains to him that he is the â€Å"bearer of a body† ( Coates 137). Ideally, I would have already established friendly and honest relationships with my children because they are my everything and it is just a fundamental thing to do. However, maintaining this relationship is something I would learn from Coates because he is able to discuss with his son about these concepts openly and for him to be able to do that creates a bond between fath er and son. Coates’s carefully selected diction and organization of Between the World and Me is beneficial for me to teach my children the same way like Coates teaches his son about the world and what he has learned from it. This reflective piece is taken from his own experiences and the experiences of those he feels his son will lead by example. As a mother, I would like to have my children learn through my reflections and the others I care about the rules of life.

Free Essays on Plagues And Peoples

, I just do not possess the knowledge on this subject to feel that I have the right to make any judgmental comments on this critically acclaimed book. I do understand the ideas William McNeill explains in Plagues and Peoples, but I only understand them in a very broad, general way. To explain this book in one sentence from my point of view would be to say that disease had an extraordinary impact on humanity throughout history. The publisher comments on this book saying â€Å"Plagues and Peoples was an immediate critical and popular success, offering a radically new interpretation of world history as seen through the extraordinary impactpolitical, demographic, ecological, and psychologicalof disease on cultures. The history of disease is the history of humankind.† The history of disease is the history of humankind. This powerful comment from the publisher ultimately represents the impact of this book. I may not be able to represent my feelings towards this book as well as the publisher did, but I do understand the importance of McNeill’s ideas about how disease effected humankind and I am simply amazed in how it effected history the way that it did. I find it ironic that this book is so original in the way it discusses the effects of disease on the history of humanity, because after McNeill points all this out to us in this book it seems so obvious, and I feel like this should have alrea dy been thought about in the development of humankind. Now, thanks to this book, these ideas are not only considered, they are very respected, recognized, and t... Free Essays on Plagues And Peoples Free Essays on Plagues And Peoples Plagues and Peoples By: William H. McNeill A critic is defined as a person who forms and expresses judgments and finds faults. As an average college student I do not even feel like I have the say to find faults and express judgments about William McNeill’s Plagues and Peoples. This book is simply on a level that I have not managed to achieve comprehensively, in other words, I just do not possess the knowledge on this subject to feel that I have the right to make any judgmental comments on this critically acclaimed book. I do understand the ideas William McNeill explains in Plagues and Peoples, but I only understand them in a very broad, general way. To explain this book in one sentence from my point of view would be to say that disease had an extraordinary impact on humanity throughout history. The publisher comments on this book saying â€Å"Plagues and Peoples was an immediate critical and popular success, offering a radically new interpretation of world history as seen through the extraordinary impactpolitical, demographic, ecological, and psychologicalof disease on cultures. The history of disease is the history of humankind.† The history of disease is the history of humankind. This powerful comment from the publisher ultimately represents the impact of this book. I may not be able to represent my feelings towards this book as well as the publisher did, but I do understand the importance of McNeill’s ideas about how disease effected humankind and I am simply amazed in how it effected history the way that it did. I find it ironic that this book is so original in the way it discusses the effects of disease on the history of humanity, because after McNeill points all this out to us in this book it seems so obvious, and I feel like this should have alrea dy been thought about in the development of humankind. Now, thanks to this book, these ideas are not only considered, they are very respected, recognized, and t...

The Penalty of Death by H.L. Mencken

The Penalty of Death by H.L. Mencken As shown in H.L. Mencken on the Writing Life, Mencken was an influential satirist as well as an editor, literary critic, and longtime journalist with The Baltimore Sun. As you read his arguments in favor of the death penalty, consider how (and why) Mencken injects humor into his discussion of a grim subject. His satirical use of the persuasive essay format uses irony and sarcasm to help make his point. It is similar in mode to Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal.  Satirical essays like Menckens and Swifts allow the authors to make serious points in humorous, entertaining ways. Teachers can use these essays to help students understand satire and persuasive essays.  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ The Penalty of Death by H.L. Mencken Of the arguments against capital punishment that issue from uplifters, two are commonly heard most often, to wit: That hanging a man (or frying him or gassing him) is a dreadful business, degrading to those who have to do it and revolting to those who have to witness it.That it is useless, for it does not deter others from the same crime. The first of these arguments, it seems to me, is plainly too weak to need serious refutation. All it says, in brief, is that the work of the hangman is unpleasant. Granted. But suppose it is? It may be quite necessary to society for all that. There are, indeed, many other jobs that are unpleasant, and yet no one thinks of abolishing them- that of the plumber, that of the soldier, that of the garbage-man, that of the priest hearing confessions, that of the sand-hog, and so on. Moreover, what evidence is there that any actual hangman complains of his work? I have heard none. On the contrary, I have known many who delighted in their ancient art, and practiced it proudly. In the second argument of the abolitionists there is rather more force, but even here, I believe, the ground under them is shaky. Their fundamental error consists in assuming that the whole aim of punishing criminals is to deter other (potential) criminalsthat we hang or electrocute A simply in order to so alarm B that he will not kill C. This, I believe, is an assumption which confuses a part with the whole. Deterrence, obviously, is one of the aims of punishment, but it is surely not the only one. On the contrary, there are at least half a dozen, and some are probably quite as important. At least one of them, practically considered, is more important. Commonly, it is described as revenge, but revenge is really not the word for it. I borrow a better term from the late Aristotle: katharsis. Katharsis, so used, means a salubrious discharge of emotions, a healthy letting off of steam. A school-boy, disliking his teacher, deposits a tack upon the pedagogical chair; the teacher jumps and the boy laughs. This is katharsis. What I contend is that one of the prime objects of all judicial punishments is to afford the same grateful relief (a) to the immediate victims of the criminal punished, and (b) to the general body of moral and timorous men. These persons, and particularly the first group, are concerned only indirectly with deterring other criminals. The thing they crave primarily is the satisfaction of seeing the criminal actually before them suffer as he made them suffer. What they want is the peace of mind that goes with the feeling that accounts are squared. Until they get that satisfaction they are in a state of emotional tension, and hence unhappy. The instant they get it they are comfortable. I do not argue that this yearning is noble; I simply argue that it is almost universal among human beings. In the face of injuries that are unimportant and can be borne without damage it may yield to higher impulses; that is to say, it may yield to what is called Christian charity. But when the injury is serious Christianity is adjourned, and even saints reach for their sidearms. It is plainly asking too much of human nature to expect it to conquer so natural an impulse. A keeps a store and has a bookkeeper, B. B steals $700, employs it in playing at dice or bingo, and is cleaned out. What is A to do? Let B go? If he does so he will be unable to sleep at night. The sense of injury, of injustice, of frustration, will haunt him like pruritus. So he turns B over to the police, and they hustle B to prison. Thereafter A can sleep. More, he has pleasant dreams. He pictures B chained to the wall of a dungeon a hundred feet underground, devoured by rats and scorpions. It is so agreeable that it makes him forget his $700. He has got his katharsis. The same thing precisely takes place on a larger scale when there is a crime which destroys a whole community’s sense of security. Every law-abiding citizen feels menaced and frustrated until the criminals have been struck downuntil the communal capacity to get even with them, and more than even has been dramatically demonstrated. Here, manifestly, the business of deterring others is no more than an afterthought. The main thing is to destroy the concrete scoundrels whose act has alarmed everyone and thus made everyone unhappy. Until they are brought to book that unhappiness continues; when the law has been executed upon them there is a sigh of relief. In other words, there is katharsis. I know of no public demand for the death penalty for ordinary crimes, even for ordinary homicides. Its infliction would shock all men of normal decency of feeling. But for crimes involving the deliberate and inexcusable taking of human life, by men openly defiant of all civilized orderfor such crimes it seems, to nine men out of ten, a just and proper punishment. Any lesser penalty leaves them feeling that the criminal has got the better of societythat he is free to add insult to injury by laughing. That feeling can be dissipated only by a recourse to katharsis, the invention of the aforesaid Aristotle. It is more effectively and economically achieved, as human nature now is, by wafting the criminal to realms of bliss. The real objection to capital punishment doesn’t lie against the actual extermination of the condemned, but against our brutal American habit of putting it off so long. After all, every one of us must die soon or late, and a murderer, it must be assumed, is one who makes that sad fact the cornerstone of his metaphysic. But it is one thing to die, and quite another thing to lie for long months and even years under the shadow of death. No sane man would choose such a finish. All of us, despite the Prayer Book, long for a swift and unexpected end. Unhappily, a murderer, under the irrational American system, is tortured for what, to him, must seem a whole series of eternities. For months on end, he sits in prison while his lawyers carry on their idiotic buffoonery with writs, injunctions, mandamuses, and appeals. In order to get his money (or that of his friends) they have to feed him with hope. Now and then, by the imbecility of a judge or some trick of juridic science, they actu ally justify it. But let us say that, his money all gone, they finally throw up their hands. Their client is now ready for the rope or the chair. But he must still wait for months before it fetches him. That wait, I believe, is horribly cruel. I have seen more than one man sitting in the death-house, and I don’t want to see any more. Worse, it is wholly useless. Why should he wait at all? Why not hang him the day after the last court dissipates his last hope? Why torture him as not even cannibals would torture their victims? The common answer is that he must have time to make his peace with God. But how long does that take? It may be accomplished, I believe, in two hours quite as comfortably as in two years. There are, indeed, no temporal limitations upon God. He could forgive a whole herd of murderers in a millionth of a second. More, it has been done. Source This version of The Penalty of Death originally appeared in Menckens Prejudices: Fifth Series (1926).

To what extent have Standard Charges improved the practice of planning Literature review

To what extent have Standard Charges improved the practice of planning obligations in the United Kingdom - Literature review Example The most common form of Standard Charge in relation to planning is the, so called, ‘roof-tax’, which is a tariff imposed ‘on development’ (Syms 2010, p.206). Despite the initial concerns regarding the role and the value of Standard Charges, it has been proved that the specific measure could help towards the improvement of planning obligations in Britain. The ways in which the above target is achieved are analytically explained in this paper; reference is made to the potential differentiation of Standard Charges from other, similar, approaches of planning obligations practice, such as the negotiated approach. 2. Critical review of planning obligations practice The framework of the planning obligations practice in Britain has been extensively examined in the literature; the contribution of these obligations in community development has been considered as one of the most important causes of this phenomenon. However, the emphasis on the planning obligations prac tice has been also related to various political interests, as analytically explained below. ... In accordance with Ratcliffe et al (2009) in their initial form, planning obligations were considered as ‘land-use/ amenity – related gains and social/ economic – related gains (Debenham et al. 1988 in Ratcliffe et al. 2009, p. 16). Another characteristic of planning obligations system in Britain is that the specific system is based ‘upon negotiation and bargaining’ (Ratcliffe et al 2009, p.16). It is assumed that planning obligations system is not fully standardized, but it can be rather transformed and customized in accordance with the needs of each particular case. In this context, flexibility is an additional characteristic of planning obligations system; it is this characteristic, which can result to problems for the effective operation of the specific system, a gap that is covered through Standard Charges, as they are analytically explained below. The planning obligations practice in Britain has to address a series of issues, the most important of which is the demand for increase of development across the country. In a report published by the House of Commons in 2006 reference is made to the need for urban development in the greater London area (House of Commons, 2006, p.198); furthermore, it is explained that the planning obligations practice could help the efforts of the London borough – and the Councils of the surrounding boroughs also – to support land development across London so that the housing needs of the local population to be covered. In the above context, it is made clear that the planning obligations system in London ‘should ensure that increases in value are captured and used to support infrastructure investment to maximize capacity and sustainability’ (House of Commons 2006, p.198).