Medecine Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medecine - Personal Statement Example I exuberantly thought I would be showing my companions a wonderful sight of fireworks and they will be thankful they were with me. Nevertheless, my enthusiasm turned into a nightmare when our eyes started to burn. We bawled our eyes out because of the dreadful event and as a result of the tear gas fired by the army. I quickly turned back, pulling my brother and cousin who were already shrieking. As the older person among us, I strove to have my wits intact. I took my brother and cousin home. I went out again with a purpose in mind. On my way out, I saw several women, children and elderly people crying and screaming by the roadside as policemen scoured the area, striking civilians who fought. There were fear and cries of anguish all around and the sight was just unbearable. Covering my eyes with a cloth, I went to the nearest vegetable shack. I once read that onion bulbs can be used as protection against tear gas and so I bought as many as I can carry. I cut the onions in half and handed them to my family and some people who were suffering, crying for help outside our home. I instructed them to squeeze the onion s near their eyes so that the gas released from the onions will irritate their eyes and help get rid of the tear gas. When I was sure that my family members were safe in our house, I went out to see how things were going outside. There was chaos everywhere. Policemen were checking every person’s belongings as they tried to go home safely, vehicles were stopped for hours for the policemen to complete their inspections and those who fought against them were hurt. Masked, uniformed men were scattered around the area. They had shields to protect themselves from people who protested against such inhumane actions. Behind them were tanks where tear gases were expelled from. The army was in stark contrast with the unarmed civilians who wanted nothing but to stop the bloodshed and live peacefully. Bloody victims, destroyed cars, suffering and angry people, women

Mexican War and the Spanish American War Essay Example for Free

Mexican War and the Spanish American War Essay Both the Mexican War and the Spanish War were a result of unfair treatment against weaker nations. The origins of the Mexican War lay with the United States and its expansionistic policies. Most Americans believed they had a divine right to bring their culture among others, because they were superior. This belief was put forth by Manifest Destiny, which had been circulating around the United States for a long time. The ignorance possessed by the Americans show no courtesy toward the Mexicans. Under the administration of President Polk, America adopted an aggressive expansion policy that often ignored many inferior countries. In 1492, it was Spain whom sailed across the Ocean and colonized the Amerindian nations of the Western Hemisphere. At its greatest extent, the empire that resulted from this exploration extended from Virginia on the eastern coast of the United States south to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America excluding Brazil and westward to California and Alaska. The ambitious United States paid no attention to Spain and aggressively sought more territory and influence in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. The war started when the United States declared war on Spain after the sinking of an American vessel (Battleship Main) in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. They war ended on December 10, 1898 after the unfair Treaty of Paris, in which Spain lost all of its overseas possessions including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, Guam, and many others. Both the Mexican War and the Spanish American War were a direct result in the abusive ways of superior power and influence. Manifest Destiny was more encouraged when Polk became President. He was elected president because of his strong support in bringing Oregon and Texas into the Union. President Polk was clearly the antagonist when he sent troops under General Zachary Taylor into land that Mexico held sovereignty, sparking a war. Polk now drafted a message to Congress: Mexico had passed the boundary of the United States, had invaded our territory and shed American blood on American soil. Whether the Mexicans had fired the first shot or the Americans, whether the armies were on Mexican territory or American territory, Polk got his war. Despite the plea of innocence, Mexico cannot escape blame for the war. Mexico never had a strong centralized government to negotiate with a foreign state. Mexico was never even  successful in governing themselves for the time being. Mexico was on the verge of bankruptcy and their army was inadequately trained and equipped. The country was awash with political turmoil throughout the war, indeed, throughout the century, making it near impossible for them to ever conduct a sound defense of the country. Nevertheless, the United States, as a superior nation under Polks Presidency assumed an aggressive war like attitude toward Mexico without consideration of the Mexican stance. The conflict between the Spanish and Americans grew dramatically when General Valeriano Weyler began implementing a policy of Reconcentration that moved the population into central locations guarded by Spanish troops and placed the entire country of Cuba under martial law in February 1896. The American government was once again looking to exploit their defenseless neighbors and gain more influence in the countries. The main targets were Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Cuba was the first to initiate its own struggle for independence from Spain. America, being the closest superior power intervened in Cubas affairs. The Philippines were also growing intolerable to Spanish rule, and the United States took interest in the Philippines. Following its declaration of war against Spain issued on April 25, 1898, the United States added the Teller Amendment asserting that it would not attempt to exercise hegemony over Cuba. Under Commodore George Dewy at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1st, the Spanish fleet under Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo was destroyed. The most disrespect followed the signing of the Treaty of Paris when Spain lost all of its overseas possessions. The superior powers, such as the United States, are always looking to profit themselves. During the Mexican war and the Spanish-American War, the dominance and ethnocentric ideals that America held flourished in many un-called-for, disrespectful disputes. The aggressive stance the troops held under Zachary Taylor under the orders of President Polk did not give room for negotiation. If the United States did not get what they wanted, they would insist by force, not by allowing the inferior nation in their eyes to make suggestions that regard their country and dignity. Both the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War resulted because of the unfair and unjust treatment that the United States held in their so-called foreign policy. Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html A People A Nation 6th Edition The Mexican American War Memorial Homepage -from UMAN The Mexican American War Memorial Homepage -from UMAN Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html

Sports and women Essay Example for Free

Sports and women Essay Gender Bias in American Sports: Lack of Opportunity, Lack of Administrative Positions and Lack of Coverage in Womens Sports Submitted by: Erik F. Person, CSCS, Doctoral Candidate, USSA â€Å"In the early days, female volleyball players were cautioned not to expose too much . A hundred years later, they were encouraged to expose more†. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Women’s Sports. pg. 281. â€Å"If people want to come check us out because they’re scoping our bodies, I don’t have a problem with that, because I guarantee they’ll go home talking about our athleticism†. pg. 283. â€Å"These women are as deft at handling the ball as they are lipstick†. pg. 262. â€Å"Let’s face facts here. Lesbians in the sport hurt women’s golf†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Laura Davies is built like a tank†. pg. 66 â€Å"The reason for this [media frenzy dubbed Annamania] is simple: She’s blond, she’s flirtatious and she’s pretty. Never, ever, underestimate the power of a male sports editor smitten.† pg. 52. â€Å"The Olympic Games should be a solemn and periodic exaltation of male athleticism with internationalism as a base, loyalty as a means, arts for its setting, and female applause as reward.† Pierre de Coubertin. Idiot’s Guide. pg. 31. â€Å"If there are two people the same, would I prefer to see women coaching women? As role models, I think it’s important. But not to sacrifice a program.† Pat Babcock. N.Y. Times. 2002 Copyright (c) 2002 2010 United States Sports Academy. All rights reserved. All submitted material, once approved by the Editorial Board and published, becomes the prop HomeGender Bias in American Sports: Lack of Opportunity, Lack of Administrative Positions and Lack of Coverage in Womens Sports Submitted by: Erik F. Person, CSCS, Doctoral Candidate, USSA â€Å"In the early days, female volleyball players were cautioned not to expose too much . A hundred years later, they were encouraged to expose more†. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Women’s Sports. pg. 281. â€Å"If people want to come check us out because they’re scoping our bodies, I don’t have a problem with that, because I guarantee they’ll go home talking about our athleticism†. pg. 283. â€Å"These women are as deft at handling the ball as they are lipstick†. pg. 262. â€Å"Let’s face facts here. Lesbians in the sport hurt women’s golf†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Laura Davies is built like a tank†. pg. 66 â€Å"The reason for this [media frenzy dubbed Annamania] is simple: She’s blond, she’s flirtatious and she’s pretty. Never, ever, underestimate the power of a male sports editor smitten.† pg. 52. â€Å"The Olympic Games should be a solemn and periodic exaltation of male athleticism with internationalism as a base, loyalty as a means, arts for its setting, and female applause as reward.† Pierre de Coubertin. Idiot’s Guide. pg. 31. â€Å"If there are two people the same, would I prefer to see women coaching women? As role models, I think it’s important. But not to sacrifice a program.† Pat Babcock. N.Y. Times. 2002 Introduction Women in America have made tremendous strides in the last 100 years of American history. Politically, women gained the right to vote in 1920, through the 19th amendment. In the workforce, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 allowed women the right to equal pay for the same job as their male counterparts. In the sports world, women gained the right to play in 1972 by way of Title IX of the Educational Amendments. In spite of these strides however, gender bias continues to exist. It is difficult to think of a greater injustice which effects the majority of people in the United States. According to the 2006 U.S. Census Bureau, just over half of the U.S. Population is female, (50.7%), yet bias against women, the majority, persists. Due to the strong traditions of our patriarchal society, women continue to face an uphill climb. Gender is the neutral term for the two sexes, male and female. Bias is defined as unreasoned judgment, a bent or tendency, prejudicial. (Merriman’s Collegiate Dictionary, 1993). Gender bias then, is to show favor or partiality, toward one of the sexes exclusively because of gender. Or said in the negative, to not show impartiality based upon gender. In spite of these gender neutral definitions, it is clear in American culture, that gender bias has been and continues to be highly slanted against women. From the academic setting of classrooms (Bailey 1992) and college admissions, to the workplace with lower salaries, (AAWU report, 2008) lack of job opportunities and bleak forecasts for advancement, women continue to be discriminated against. The hegemonic male culture, consciously or not, creates an antagonistic environment for females. Nowhere is this more true than the environment of sports. Opportunity Bias One of the three prongs of the Title IX law has to do with equal participation opportunity in proportion to student enrollment as it pertains to federally funded centers of education. While millions of girls have benefited from the implementation of Title IX, there are still playing fields where females are still unwelcome. Traditional wisdom, that girls are only suited for activities which emulate the aesthetic side of sports such as gymnastics, ice skating, cheer leading, etc., persists, along with the notion that females should not engage in high physical contact activities such as wrestling, football or rugby. While TitleIX mandates equal opportunity, it does not mandate equal opportunity in specific sports. American football for example does not have an exact feminine equivalent, so girls are given other options besides football. (Volleyball, field Hockey). Options do not always mean equal. Gender bias occurs not only because there is no football team for women to play on, but rather that is only the outcome of the larger problem. The real gender bias has to do with the male, and sometimes female, attitudes of what defines masculinity and what defines femininity. Due to the pervading male influence, gender typing occurs early during a girl’s development. Gender typing is attributing qualities, characteristics, attributes, temperaments, demeanor and behavior due to a gender. That is, making generalizations about a person, and how they act or should act, based upon preconceived notions and definitions of their gender. Through the power of suggestion, gender socialization begins at a very early age. Subtly, or not so subtly, a girl hears messages throughout her life that females aren’t good at math and science, and proficiency in math and science are needed to become, for example, a space traveler, so the logical conclusion for her is that she can not go into space. The argument that, â€Å"if girls had the ability to become astronauts we would see more of them†, is self defeating when we have not given them the opportunity to do so in the first place. More plausibly, is that a self fulfilling prophecy has occurred. Expectations have shaped a behavior, which in turn shapes future expectations. This cycle usually conforms to the dominant cultural theme, and in our example, the dominant theme is male supremacy. Interestingly however, not all female athletes share the feminist view. McClung and Blind, (2002) found in the vast majority of their interviews with female college athletes, a desensitized attitude toward women’s sport issues. In their study, women said things such as â€Å"we feel privileged to play college sports†, as opposed to a right, and â€Å"gender equity issues are not important to me†. The main reason sighted for the lack of passion was due to lack of time, and other obligations. The sports world is biased against women in terms of opportunity in the professional ranks as well. Title IX has helped women with participation opportunity but only in educational settings, and speaks nothing of post college athletics. With the relative success of the WNBA more women basketball players have the opportunity to make a living playing a professional sport. Relative to the men’s opportunities however, economically it pales in comparison, $55,000 versus $4,000,000 (the average salary). Without the potential prospect of playing professionally, girls devote less time to the sport, focusing rather on other pursuits such as relationships, and academics, further establishing thegender logic in American culture that women are not interested in sports for the long term, or that they do not have the commitment needed to pursue athletics as a vocation. Again, this is a self defeating argument, as the WNBA has shown. Several franchises have been able to maintain healthy fan bases in the short 12 years history of the league. Part of the issue with lack of professional opportunity for women is linked to sponsorship bias. Companies looking to use sports to market their product do not look to women’s sport first. Companies are concerned with getting a return on their advertising dollar. The perception is that their return will not be as great if they invest in women sport teams. Whether it be through product endorsement contracts with specific athletes, facility or venue sponsorship, or capital investment in a specific team, corporations view the WNBA as a second rate, at best, investment. Justified as a reasonable business decision, the purse holders have a profound negative affect upon a team, the league in general, and women’s sports as a whole. Understandably, companies have a responsibility to be prudent investors for their constituents. However, at the same time, they may be missing an opportunity to pair their product with a market they have yet to completely associate it with, say 51% of the population. This liquidity issue in women’s sports is closely tied with the bias of the media. Even with the advancements of the LPGA and the USWTA, Greendorfer suggests that women â€Å"are still confined within ideological structures of patriarchy†. Media Bias Arguably, the media creates fans. Several men’s professional and collegiate teams have national audiences. Notre Dame football, New York Yankees, Penn State football, Dallas Cowboys, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, to name a few. The reasons for each of these teams captivating a large and diverse audience are many and as varied as their fan base. The media, along with many other variables (such as the location of the team, franchise or team history and legacy, colorful characters, and team success), play a role as to how that team is perceived by the public. Within the greater public are potential fans. Television coverage, magazine articles, radio broadcasts etc., all influence whether a team will garner a national fan base. Men’s sports have known that â€Å"exposure pays† for a long time, and with the increasing technological ability to feed fans the sport information they want, it would seem to be a relatively easy task for the networks to maneuver women’s sports coverage more toward the front web and paper pages. The very important 1996 work of Messner et al. details the shortcomings of media coverage of women’s sports, and the bias they exude. Messner and his colleagues analyzed and compared the 1993 NCAA basketball championship coverage for both men and women. Their conclusion, in part, was that â€Å"the television industry actively builds audiences for men’s games while failing to do so for women’s games†. (Yiannakis. p.330). This is no small point. Potential sponsors look at viewer ratings to determine potential investments. If ratings are lower than they deem necessary, the event will not be a target. However, without the media covering the event adequately, that is to say, billing it with the same hype, energy, enthusiasm and professionalism as the men’s games, fewer viewers are most certainly likely. Without the national exposure, women’s sports will continue to be a second rate investment because that is what the networks have created. Messner says that the network’s position is â€Å"we’re just giving the fans what they want†. The counter to that is, â€Å"they want that because you have made it more inviting to want that. The circus is more fun when there’s three rings instead of two. The media also appears to be bias against women’s sports by the way the events are covered. The shear quantity of coverage is a fraction of the men’s coverage. Messner found during the 1993 basketball tournaments, for example, that 41 stories ran for the men, and only 10 for the women, the men’s stories ran longer than the women’s, were more in depth, and had more video footage. In short, the media was telling the viewing audiences which of the two events they wanted you to watch, which was of better quality, and in the long run, building an audience of viewers so they can charge future sponsors top dollar. Television networks have the ability to build audiences, and they choose to with men’s sports. Another way media is bias against women and proliferates gender typing is by the way women athletes are spoken of. Messner points out, that even collegiate mascot names for women’s teams, con notate a feminine, softer version of the male equivalent. The Lions as compared to the Lionesses. Or the Lady Bear Cats, emphasizing the female version of the game as opposed to just the game. Messner makes the jump that this is a type of gender marking, reminding the audience that they are watching something other than a basketball game. In fact the very name of the the two basketball tournaments is very telling, from â€Å"The Final Four† to â€Å"The Women’s Final Four†. Making this distinction, Messner argues, gives the women’s tournament a patronizing tone. Messner makes many other salient points regarding coverage differences between the men’s and the women’s tournaments, all indicating that women’s sports are a niche, and men’s is mainstream. One of those differences is how women are portrayed in the media. Tradition holds that women are weak, or at best, not as strong as men, that they are the softer sex, the more emotional, the more aesthetically pleasing, beautiful. In other words, if society was going to accept the new members on their playing fields it was going to be done on their terms. Their terms included the sexualization of women’s sports. From the quotes on the first page of this paper we can see the varied opinions within the women’s sports movement. Those varying opinions have caused controversy and confusion. On the one hand, women want nothing more than to be given equal opportunity to play and equal coverage from the media. Further they wish to be respected for their physical abilities and skills. They wish to be rewarded for their sporting achievements. On the other hand, some women athletes believe they they can not get the exposure needed to win over large numbers of fans unless they give the fans another reason for coming to their events besides observing athletic ability. In the modern women sports media market this â€Å"neanderthal mentality† (as Mariah Burt Nelson once quipped) has translated into women being regarded, identified and valued more for how they look than how they perform. Recent stories of tennis stars Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova and the Williams sisters attests to this fact. While added â€Å"exposure† has given women’s sports more exposure in the media, perhaps it is not the exposure they had hoped for, and further it does send mixed messages to younger women athletes who are the future of the movement. In effect the male hegemony has won again, trivializing women’s sports. Unable to stop the cultural freight train they saw coming with Billie Jean King, a man’s world has set the switches and the tracks so as to control the train’s next stop reducing women’s sports to a public peep show, the impact of the social order is preserved. Ironically, this media bias is also rampant among female reporters who don’t know which cause to fight for, their career or the social injustice that is gender inequality. Female football sideline reporters of the major television networks, are asked to be both sexy and competent. When ABC was asked why they hired a female the response was, â€Å"we know that 40% of our viewing audience for these games are females. They need someone on the screen they can relate to†. I’m sure the other 60% of the viewing audience didn’t object. Monday Night Football hired a new sideline reporter to replace Melissa Stark. As Randy Sandomir reported in the N.Y. Times on the story of the new hire, Clearly there are conflicting agendas within the movement to curb gender bias. Purists of the movement may be getting a queasy feeling in their stomach, while the new generation of women liberals subscribe to the old entertainment adage that â€Å"even bad press is good press†. Administration Bias Briefly I will conclude with the third area of gender bias in women’s sports. Prior to the implementation of Title IX in 1978, 90% of women collegiate sports were being coached by women. According to the 2007 Knight Commission on Sports, the NCAA watchdog, 42% of women collegiate teams are being coached by women, an all time low. Further only 18 % of all college athletic directors, 12% of all college sport information directors, and 27% of head athletic trainers, are women. (2% of men’s collegiate programs were being coached by women in 2004.) Coakley considers part of the reason for this change to be the more lucrative contracts for women’s coaching positions. Geno Auriemma, the head coach of the University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball team will earn over 2 million dollars this year in salary and endorsements. Once the big money started coming in to Women’s basketball in the early 1990’s, men started vying for the positions with more determination. Whereas before the success of basketball powerhouses such as Connecticut, Tennessee, LSU and Stanford, women’s jobs were generally not considered as serious positions. Money changed all that. Women’s sports is caught between a rock and a hard place. If they advocate for stronger pay, men come in and take over the coaching positions. If they ask the public to look at their athletic skills, there will be no fan base. If they ask us to look at other parts of their bodies, they are thought to be prostituting themselves to the highest bidder, all in the name of recognition. When women accept this role it reinforces the traditional male / female value system which they have tried to distance themselves from. The proverbial glass ceiling for women in the sports work place is illustrated when we consider that 80% of sport communication positions are held by men. Women will continue to face an uphill battle for equal opportunity to play, equal representation in the coaching ranks, and equal media attention due to the male culture of superiority, but the women’s sport movement is doing no favors for themselves when they send mixed messages to both sides of the tracks. The freight train has arrived, now it just needs a conductor.

Components and Functions of the Synapse

Components and Functions of the Synapse B. The connection between two neurons is called a synapse, a term derived from the Latin word that means â€Å"to grasp.† The synapse consists of many components that are essential to the flow of information from one neuron to another. Through an outline of these components, we can begin to understand how processes such as synaptic transmission are possible. In regards to our understanding of the synapse, it is important to note the accomplishments of Charles Scott Sherrington and his initial work that first outlined the basic properties of the synapse. One of the properties, reflexes, or automatic muscular responses to stimuli was demonstrated by pinching a dogs leg in his experiments. Sherrington demonstrated that a short delay occurs before the dog flexes the pinched leg and extends the others. This finding is important because he discovered that transmission through the reflex arc is slower than transmission through an equivalent length of axon. This led him to conclude that the delay must occur where one neuron communicates with another, a concept he introduced as a synapse. Sherringtons work outlines other basic properties of the synapse such as temporal and spatial summation. Temporal summation is a concept where a single stimulus (a single pinch) is too weak to reach threshold to produce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. When stimuli occur in succession (i.e., pinching the dogs foot several times), however, the combined effect can be enough to produce an action potential, thereby causing a reflex. With spatial summation, several stimuli occurring at different points on the body combine their effects on a neuron. By pinching multiple places on a dogs body, for example, the combined effect can be enough to produce a reflex. Sherrington work also infers the property of inhibitory synapses. This is a concept where after a reflex (action potential) occurs, hyperpolarization causes the cell to become more negative, therefore making it difficult for another action potential to immediately occur. As technology has improved, so has our understanding of the mechanisms of the synapse. Before we can understand the components and functioning of the synapse, however, it is important to first consider neurons. Neurons have the responsibility of producing all of our movements, thoughts, memories, and emotions. There are four major types of neurons: motor neurons, sensory, interneurons, and projection neurons. Each of these neurons shares a common structure and function. For example, the soma, or cell body, contains the cells nucleus, most of the cytoplasm, and structures that convert nutrients into energy and eliminate waste materials for each of these neurons. This quality is not unique, however, as this is also a component of any cell in the body. The quality that separates neurons from other cells are dendrites, extensions that branch out from the soma to receive information from other neurons, and axons, which extend like a tail from the cell body and carries information to other locations. Branches at the end of the axon culminate in swellings called bulbs or terminals. The terminals contain chemical neurotransmitters, which the neuron releases to communicate with a muscle or an organ or the next neuron in the chain. As introduced earlier, the connection between two neurons is called a synapse, a site where most communication among neurons occurs. To clarify the function and purpose of the synapse, it is important to understand the sequence of major chemical events that occur at the synapse. At the site of the cell body, neurons synthesize chemicals that serve as neurotransmitters, specifically peptide neurotransmitters. The neuron then transports the peptide neurotransmitters to the axon terminals. Action potentials then travel down the axon where at the presynaptic terminal, the action potential enables calcium to enter the cell. The calcium then releases neurotransmitters from the terminals and into the synaptic cleft (the space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons). Next, the neurotransmitter binds to the receptor, diffusing across the cleft and altering the activity of the postsynaptic neuron. This alteration also causes the neurotransmitter molecules to separate from their recep tors. Finally, reuptake of the neurotransmitter occurs, recycling neurotransmitters back into the presynaptic neuron. All of these events lead a successful transmission at the point of the synapse. There are different types of synapses used in the flow of information from neuron to neuron. Axodendritic synapses, synapses of axon terminal buttons on dendrites, terminate on dendritic spines, small synaptic buds that cover the surfaces of many dendrites. Also common are axosomatic synapses, synapses of axon terminal buttons on somas. Although axodendritic and axosomatic synapses are the most common synaptic arrangements, there are several others. For example, there are dendrodendritic synapses, which are capable of transmission in either direction; and there are axoaxonal synapses, which can mediate presynaptic inhibition. Also, there are directed synapses, synapses at which the site of neurotransmitter release and the site of neurotransmitter reception are in close proximity. This is a common arrangement, but, there are also many nondirected synapses in the nervous system. Nondirected synapses are synapses at which the site of release is at some distance from the site of receptio n. In this type of arrangement, neurotransmitter molecules are released from a series of varicosities along the axon and its branches and thus are widely dispersed to surrounding targets. Because of their appearance, these synapses are often referred to as string-of-beads synapses. In conclusion, with the initial contributions of Sherrington and with what is known about neurotransmission today, we have been able to outline the basic components and functions of the synapse. The synapse, in turn, is an essential component for the transmission of neurons, which enables the human body to respond to events in the environment. By acting as a â€Å"bridge† between the neurons, the synapse is helping to control human movements, thoughts, memories, and emotions. The synapse is truly a necessary component in the human body.

anne frank :: essays research papers

DIARY OF ANNE FRANK Living in the peaceful land of Holland during the 1940's could never prepare the characters in this story for the devastation that was about to unfold. At first this story starts with Anne in a happy environment. Then things take a turn for the worst. This story has many settings over a long period of time, from 1939 to 1945 the war lasted. Through that time the story goes from Holland to a concentration camp then to another concentration camp. The story is told from the perspective of a young girl named Anne Frank. Anne was a normal Jewish girl who had normal problems like school and boys. She had always daydreamed about being a movie star. She was a very intelligent girl and liked to write. She liked to write so much that if she couldn't be a movie star she wanted to be a writer. Anne was very good at writing and wrote about the things that happened to her, her family and her friend with very unique and detailed wording. Hannah, like Anne lived in Holland. Also like Anne, Hannah was very friendly to all the people that she met and had many friends. Hannah and Anne were good friends, although Hannah had always teased Anne about being young, because Hannah was a month older than her. Meip Geis was a friend to Anne. When the franks were in hiding the were brought food by Meip. Meip was somewhat naive to the situations that surrounded her. She did not have the same intelligence or insights that Mr. frank possessed. She was very defiant and outspoken and had many close friends such as Hannah and Anne. Mr. Frank, the father of Anne was a very good man. He was smart, kind and very caring. Even when times were at there worst in the concentration camp, he help the men in his barracks."He is like a saint" one prisoner said to Anne, while speaking through the gate. All was well in Holland. Anne had just arrived at Hannah’s to ride bikes together to school. That day when they came home they found German soldiers at their house. They had come to take away their bicycles. Before long many more privileges were taken away from the Jewish people. Then Hannah heard the news that Anne was moving to Switzerland. This news was not true however because Anne had actually gone into hiding .

Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Modern Psychology Essays -- Doct

Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Modern Psychology Due to the fact that I recently finished reading Spirit and Will by Gerald May, I find my perception of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus filtered through that book. May, a psychiatrist from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, D.C., makes a rather courageous attack on a sacred cow, modern psychology. He asserts that "Psychology is fundamentally objective, secular, and willful whereas the core identity of religion is mysterious, spiritual, and willing" (10). He criticizes religion for having sold out to psychology in its attempt to remain "relevant." Like Dr. Faustus, we have pursued knowledge with a passion in order to master ourselves and our environment. Psychology represents just one of those areas of knowledge. Through a combination of drugs, behavioral conditioning and psychotherapy we have become relatively successful in altering behavior or even basic emotions and states of consciousness--so much so that religion seems only too happy to borrow ps ychological techniques to fill the pews of churches or to satisfy the hearts of its worshipers. May targets three primary attitudes in psychology: the coping, happiness and growth mentalities (11-21). It is true that psychology can help us to cope with stress, to achieve a measure of happiness and to transform our difficulties into opportunities for personal growth and increased creativity. But valuable as this may appear, it cannot provide us with an ultimate reason for living. In the past we believed that religion could solve all our problems (physical, mental or spiritual) if we turned up the piety level another notch; now we have swung too far in the other direction. As human beings we h... ...f Vanholt who longs for a dish of ripe grapes in the dead time of winter (854). California spares us from selling our souls to the devil for such a cheap trick. Too late Faustus realizes that the devil drives a hard bargain. The supernatural thrills lose their attraction, eventually bringing despair and then more hopeless revelry. No matter how spectacular the advances of humankind (and we have perhaps only glimpsed the beginning of technological miracles), a world unwilling to submit to God only succeeds in finding new ways to lose itself in boredom or destruction. Works Cited Abrams, M. H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol I. Fifth ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 1986. Chesterton, G.K. Tremendous Trifles. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1909. May, Gerald. Spirit and Will: A Contemplative Psychology. New York: Harper & Row, 1982.

21st Century Advertisement Tactics Essay -- essays research papers

21st Century Advertisement Tactics At first glance you see an incredibly handsome man embracing an enchanting young lady. The two appear to in love. They are all alone, kissing in a dark gloomy subway station. How can this be an advertisement for men ¡Ã‚ ¦s shoes? Most advertisements use appealing visuals like these to sell their products. Many of those techniques are illogical, deceptive, and some may even be considered too erotic. The attached advertisement for shoes employs many of these techniques in campaigning their product to customers. It promotes shallow values (sex appeal), it was illogical, and even deceptive. This advertisement was geared more for men. It is an ad for men ¡Ã‚ ¦s shoes and was found in a magazine geared for men. The magazine Maximum is geared generally toward the male crowd. The most prominent figure in the advertisement is what appears to be a couple, dressed in dark dull colors, standing in a subway kissing. However, at the bottom of the advertisement a bright tan colored shoe appears to jump out at you from the dismal dark back round. This advertisement is a prime example of using color to promote a product. The tan shoe is bright in contrast to the dismal bland appearance of the background. It seems to jump off the page and grab your attention. Clearly in this advertisement color was used to help elaborate on the product. The use of color is only one of the many techniques advertising companies can use to embellish their product. Sometimes they may...