Climate and Pollution Related?

Every year there are changes in climate in different parts of the world. Some of these changes are
due to natural causes. However, some climatic changes are caused by air pollution and these
changes may increase.
If the pollution affects the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the results are likely to be
serious. Carbon dioxide constitutes only a small part of the atmosphere. But it has an important
function in maintaining the balance between radiation from the sun entering the atmosphere and
radiation leaving the Earth. Some of the radiation is absorbed by the Earth and some is radiated
back into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents some of the radiation
from leaving the atmosphere. Thus the heat remains in the atmosphere and carbon dioxide helps
to prevent the temperature of the Earth from falling.
If the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increased as a result of air pollution, the
temperature of the atmosphere may rise. This might eventually cause the ice in the north and the
south poles to melt. If this happened, the sea level would rise and parts of the Earth would be
flooded. The likelihood of this happening is remote, but the possibility exists.
There is also a fairly strong possibility that the dust level in the atmosphere will rise as a result of
industrial pollution. This dust pollution will reflect sunlight back into space. If this happens, less
sunlight will reach the Earth and the temperature will fall.
Another danger comes from the destruction of the Earth's vegetation, such as the forests of
Brazil, which are being cleared to make way for farmland and cities. Trees use carbon dioxide
and their destruction may upset the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The Environmental Revolution

Since the first time having blown bubbles in my Open Water class, I've logged over 100 dives.
This love for diving has evolved into an intense passion towards protecting the ocean, and all of
its inhabitants. I've chosen to put my love for the ocean into action, as an environmentalist.
Actually, this passion extends out towards efforts that look to help all the planetary domains gain
protection. As such, I appreciate when others take the time educate me on those other realms for
which I know less about. To be an environmentalist, one must choose the cause which resonates
within ones sole, and run with it. One must be willing to educate people about the environment
while being open to education from those people who support other causes. Together we can
help each other towards learning how to become a true "Environmentalist".

We must all encourage positive collaboration and education as opposed to being against
something. For example, sharks are being decimated to near extinction simply for their fins. The
fins are used to make Shark Fin soup, a delicacy popular particularly in Taiwan and Singapore. It

would be easy to blame these communities for creating the demand. However, in conversing
with Asian environmentalists, they liken the culture around eating Shark Fin soup to the culture
surrounding Americans eating turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. There are ongoing efforts to
educate these people, by members of their own community, on just how dangerous this cultural
practice is and the devastating impact this could have on their (our) world if all the sharks were to
disappear as a result.

Environmentalists everywhere are making a difference! Famous restaurants have taken

endangered Swordfish off their menus, these same restaurants are buying wild-caught salmon
(and boosting the economy of local fisheries in the process), laundromats have started selling
green detergent, this just to name a few of these enlightened changes. This is how the
"Environmentalist" can begin the revolution. Just find something you believe in and make a
stand. One by one, we can make our planet a cleaner place to live, steeped in healthy biodiversity for generations to come.
Importance of My Home Environment

There were many instances in my life that have shaped my values, intellect, and academic
or career goals. I was raised by my parents to become a hard worker, independent, and caring
young adult. I was taught how to be all these qualities by a combination of experiencing and
witnessing them first hand.

I quickly learned at a very young age the value of hard work. Both of my parents had
worked hard to achieve their dreams of a nice home, cars, and financial stability. Their working
hard not only paid off financially, but they taught my two brothers and I, that working hard was
imperative to life. I was given a set of chores and an allowance every week, which taught me
responsibility and how to manage money. I also realized that cooperation goes hand in hand with
hard work. My brothers and I would help each other with our chores from time to time. I did not
know that cooperation works on a larger scale in the workplace, that sometimes one needs help to
achieve their ultimate goal.

Growing up with two older brothers taught me to be unselfish, patient, and respectful.
Being the youngest of three, I learned I would not always get what I wanted. I would have to be
patient and wait my turn for a lot of things, such as the telephone and bathroom. I was glad that I
was able to grow up with siblings to teach me these lifelong lessons. All three of us had to be
respectful of each other or we would risk getting in trouble with my parents.

My parents raised me to be independent, which I can say that I am. I learned that I cannot
always rely on other people and that I need to do things for myself, I control my own destiny. If
I needed or wanted something done, then I would have to do it myself. I got a job in order to take
my financial independence from my parents, one step further. At the same time, I was learning
responsibility.

My father had always put pressure on me to be school oriented. I played numerous sports,
but was required to maintain decent grades in order to participate in my athletic leagues. I had to
study each night and prepare for all my tests to do well. There were sometimes when studying
was the last thing on my mind, but I still managed to set aside a little time to look over my
schoolwork. I was forced to balance my academic life with my athletic life. If I were not
brought up to do well academically, I would not have the desire to take my education to a higher
level.

The combination of my family's influence and my own will power has molded me into a
self-reliant, well-rounded young adult. Hard work, determination, and a clear academic focus are
lifelong lessons that I learned through example and experience.
Personal Narrative- Feng Shui and Natural Environment
Leaf through a gardening magazine. Click the remote control to a home-decorating TV channel.
Most likely one of these media -- if not both -- will offer a feature on feng shui, a Chinese
concept. The basic idea of feng shui is to attract and open a flow for ch'i -- harmony/beneficial
energy -- by the way we decorate our homes and/or plan our gardens. Might we also recognize
feng shui as influencing our lives by the natural environments we visit?
I grew up in a house surrounded by a flora abundant yard graced with a miniature diverse forest
of elm, maple, oak, larch, birch, and staghorn sumac trees. Likewise we had a variety of shrubs:
mock orange, burning bush, bridal wreath, forsythia, and pussy willow. While I no longer visit
this childhood playground, over the years I have nurtured my allure to the outdoors by seeking
out places that provide me with the creative energy/harmony of ch'i. Let me introduce you to one
of these.
The weeping willow no longer leans out parallel over Lake Sinnissippi. Maybe a spiraling wind...

Off-highway Vehicles on the Public Lands

Public land. "Public," meaning everyone owns it. Every United States citizen has a right to
recreate on the lands preserved for us. So, what does that mean? There are a lot of us, and we all
have different ideas of what's fun to do outside. How do we decide which activities can be
allowed without someone getting their toes stepped on? If the land belongs to all of us, and we
have a responsibility to preserve it for generations to come, then how should we manage it?

Off-highway vehicles (OHV), which include snowmobiles, four-wheelers and dirt bikes,
are the mode of choice for millions of Americans who want to experience the outdoors. They're
blamed for irreparable damage to the environment, and touted as one of the most enjoyable ways
to spend time with friends and family outside. Environmentalists insist that much harsher
restrictions of OHV use on public lands are vital to preserving fragile ecosystems. OHV users
say they follow the rules already in place and don't need any more.

Many members of each group see the issue as black and white. However, OHV use on
public land is much, much more complex than that. Many parties are involved, ranging from
government agencies, environmentalists, private landowners, various recreation user groups, and
the public in general. It is not only possible, but also very necessary to include everyone when
making decisions about a specific area of public land. Only through compromise can a plan
come about that is truly best not only for all parties, but also for the land itself.

Environmentalists are some of the most argumentative and relentless people around.
They view compromise in any form as a step backward. When the environment is compromised
for anything, they say, we all lose. Their opinion isn't unfounded. We all are a part of a global
ecosystem, and whether we like it or not all of us are affected by what happens to it.
Compromise means that the environment lost ground to something else, like oil companies or
housing developers, which get profits at the expense of everyone else. When it comes to OHVs
on public land, many major environmental groups like the Sierra Club are pushing hard for
severe restrictions and even bans in some places.

Off-highway vehicle users tend to view a compromise the same way environmentalists
do, but for different reasons. They consider themselves responsible citizens exercising their right
to use the public lands. Their freedoms are just as important as anyone else's, and they are afraid
of having them taken away. When a compromise between OHV users and environmentalists
occurs over a piece of land, the OHV users generally lose access to areas of land they previously
enjoyed.

As difficult as each group seems to be, it is possible for them to reach a satisfactory
agreement over land management. With the help of a mediator, skiers and snowmobilers in the
Sawtooth National Forest managed to work together to come up with a plan for their area that
designated where each activity was appropriate. Through compromise, they were able to come
up with a plan more likely to be followed by each group because they were the ones deciding
where the lines were drawn. Regulations that are followed by everyone also benefit the
environment. The two groups not only came up with a plan they could all agree on, but they also
learned to trust and respect each other. (High Country News, 1/15/01)

Compromise among interest groups regarding OHV use is possible. Making a blanket
statement that the vehicles are either permitted everywhere or permitted nowhere is not only
useless and unfair, but damaging as well. No one likes to be told they can't do something they
like, and strict rules that can't always be enforced aren't likely to be followed. Off-highway
vehicles do cause quite a bit of environmental harm, especially when they aren't used
responsibly. There are a lot of areas they shouldn't be allowed in, but kicking them off of the
public lands entirely isn't a solution either. There are a lot of us, but there's also plenty of room if
we can learn to get along, and most importantly, to give a little bit.

Is the War on Terrorism also a War on the Environment?

As the U.S. prepares to respond to the ghastly terrorist attacks of September 11, the hard task will
be to choose among effective options while minimizing the costs. Environmental concerns might
seem trivial and even unpatriotic at a time like this, but the environmental effects of military
action pose long-term dangers that we would be foolish to ignore. Thinking in environmental
terms at this moment should not be surprising. We must be alert to the likelihood that aggression
toward the United States may increasingly take the form of environmental terrorism, including
biological and chemical warfare. Even conventional attacks create environmental risk. Witness
the concern over asbestos exposure for rescue workers at the World Trade Center. Terrorists may
not care about such things, but we should. Our military response should be tailored to minimize
and mitigate collateral environmental damage wherever possible. Environmental losses are
casualties too. They ought to be included in our strategic thinking about where and what to strike.
This is in our national interest. Patriotism and environmentalism go hand in hand.

As the President has made clear, our response will come at a price. One of the costs, which will
affect all of us down the road, will be environmental degradation. Depending on where and how
we strike, we risk exposing large populations, including our own troops, to lethal toxic

substances. We have some experience with the long-term effects of exposing military and civilian
personnel to potentially dangerous chemicals such as the defoliant Agent Orange in Vietnam and
a variety of toxic agents in the Gulf War. These health effects can be devastating.

Just as terrorism knows no borders, neither do environmental problems. Those environmental

harms that do not affect foreign civilians or our own troops directly will eventually come home to
roost in the form of polluted air and water, destroyed habitat, and even climate change-which
affect us all. Surely, the environmental devastation from the Gulf War (recall oil fields ablaze)
ought to give us pause. Environmental losses that occur half way around the world will not
observe geographic boundaries.

In addition to human casualties, our counter-attacks might ravage fragile ecosystems. An

ecosystem sounds awfully abstract compared to the concrete image of those toppling towers and
the compelling figure of Osama bin Laden. But environmental problems are real and they are
serious. Ecosystem health is crucial to the viability of future generations.

Domestically, the terrorist attacks and plans for our response have necessarily pushed every other
priority off the national agenda. Here too, however, we should be careful. The understandable
need for bipartisanship will weaken the Democratic and moderate Republican opposition to
Bush's environmental agenda which, prior to September 11, included ambitious plans to open
millions of acres of public lands to drilling, including the pristine Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge, and to favor fossil fuel burning over renewable energy. Conflict in the Gulf may
embolden the administration in its quest for greater oil independence, without any accounting of
the environmental consequences.

Many of the Bush administration's environmental initiatives, which ought to be subject to debate,
will slip under the radar, including the budget proposal to shift a significant percentage of EPA's
enforcement capacity to the states. Environmental rulemaking on matters like arsenic levels in
drinking water, once front page news, will now likely be relegated to the background. Ironically,
the administration's recent multilateralism in seeking broad support in the new war on terrorism
stands in sharp contrast to its unilateral decision to abandon the Kyoto Protocol, the international
agreement to control greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming. Let's hope that
this new spirit of cooperation prompts a reconsideration of that decision when the dust settles.

As Prime Minister Tony Blair has said, terrorists place no moral limits on their actions. They will
stop at nothing. It is fair to suggest that in a crisis, some matters must be put to one side. But even
if this war is inevitable, the environmental effects of our response both at home and abroad

require careful consideration because of their serious long-term implications. The environment is
often thought to be an issue for the wealthy, a luxurious concern best addressed in times of
prosperity. But it is exactly in times like these that we ought to be especially mindful of the
fragility of the planet we are now trying to repair.

The Environment and Big Business

Since the rise of environmental awareness, business and industry have always considered
environmentalism a waste of time, only getting in the way of profits and production. From the
perspective of business, environmentalists push for regulations and restrictions on businesses
which cost them more money and frequently restrict some of their practices. What business an the
economy doesn't know is that they can actually save money by being environmentally
responsible, while protecting the very resources they depend on . The protection of the
environment not only has intrinsic value, but also economical value. Business and industry, can
also benefit. These factors can lead to a newly developed economy that protects what it needs
instead of destroying it. Despite historical differences between advocates of business and the
environment, the fact is the two can and must utilize eachother for the future success of both.

It is important, in order for the economy to see the environment worth something, to put an
economic value on it. For this reason, a group of scientists for the Center for Social and
Economic Research on the Global Environment have developed an economic valuation for the
environment. According to them, it is necessary to impute a value to environmental goods or
services (Pearce et al, online). This value is necessary because the economy needs to see that the
protection of the environment can prove cost worthy to business and industry. The purpose of
valuation is to show true costs of using up scarce environmental resources. It is a way for
environmentalists and economists to put a dollar figure on the services the environment provides.
Robert Costanza, an ecological economist from the University of Maryland, has done just this.
The estimate of services provided by ecosystems worldwide is 33 trillion dollars annually,
surpassing the gross national product of al the countries on earth combined by eight trillion
dollars (Zimmer 105). The environment provides services not only commercially, such as timber,
but also in less visible ways. For instance, forests protect from soil erosion, which proves costly
to correct. With these facts in mind, depleting ecosystems an resources proves costly, while
protection them can only save money.

Business and the American economy has much to gain by altering their current practices. One
prime example of how protection the environment can prove beneficial to a company is a
program created by 3M called Pollution Prevention Pays. This program creates incentives to
prevent hazardous and toxic wastes by changing processes, redesigning equipment, and
recovering waste for reuse or recycling. Since the program was designed in 1975, 3M has been

able to save over $537 million, while reducing its air pollution by 10,000 tons, its wastewater by
one billion gallons and its solid waste by 410,000 tons (Hawken 61). This is one example of a
business making money fro preventative waste, while becoming environmentally responsible.
While at the same time, not being environmentally responsible can cause businesses to lose
money. The cost of cleaning up waste can be extremely expensive, while reducing waste and
recycling can prove worthwhile. From a surface view, it would appear that the American
economy doesn't need to make any change to its current practices. After all, the U.S. is one of the
wealthiest nations in the world. The problem rests in the foundation of the economy. America was
founded on and flourishes because of its natural resources, most of them non-renewable. These
resources, such as petroleum, natural gas an timber, will run out someday, it is inevitable.
Research of programs to prevent this or to incorporate alternate forms of energy have barely been
researched. Perhaps the reason for this is that actions that deplete lands an species are rewarded in
the market, because they are less expensive, while actions that preserve them are not (Schuss and
Western 329). It is much less expensive, for instance, to buy a car that is fueled by gasoline than
to buy a car that runs on hydrogen, even though hydrogen is a renewable resource an produces
barely any waste.

As Paul Hawken, an environmentalist and author of "Ecology of Commerce", explains, "the

single most damaging aspect of the present economic system is that the expense of destroying the
earth is largely absent fro prices set at the marketplace" (13). Market prices set for products don't
include the cost that future generations will have to pay to clean up the mess the current economy
is fueling right now. An economy based on the rapid depletion of its own non-renewable
resources is certainly destined for doom, while protection of these resources will save the
businesses or corporations money while protecting what fuels it.

Works Cited

Hawken, Paul. "Ecology of Commerce". HarperCollins Publishing. 1993.

Pearce, David, Hadker, Nandidn, Whittington, Dale, and Dominic, Moran. "Economic Values and
the Environment in the Developing World".
http://unep.unep.org/unep/products/eeu/ecoserie/ecso14/ecos141.htm.
Schug, Mark, C. and Western, Richard, D. "An Economic Perspective on Protecting the
Environment". Social Education v61 n6. October 1, 1997. Pgs 329-330.
Zimmer, Carl. "The Value of the Free Lunch". Discover. January 1998. Pgs. 104-105.

Alternative Fuels

The environment is a hotly debated topic in today's society. Some of the subtopics that are going
to be discussed are going to be those related to the way technology is changing, what industries
are doing to help prevent further pollution, some of the methods used in paper recycling, and
some discussion of renewable energy sources. For the most part, this section of the research
paper, unlike the other sections, is going to attempt to discuss some of the ways the public has
been dealing with, and are finding new ways to deal with environmental problems that we are
presently facing.

There are currently three main sources of pollution: they are, water pollution, waste pollution,
and air pollution. Of these three forms of pollution, the one that affects our health most directly is
air pollution. Scientists believe that all cities with populations exceeding 50,000 have some
degree of air pollution.1 Some sources of air pollution include emissions of sulfur dioxide and
other noxious gases by electric power plants that burn high-sulfur coal or oil.2 Air pollution can
range from factory emissions, to auto emissions, and even house hold product emissions such as
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), once found in abundance in spray containers and has been
drastically reduced in these products.

Air Pollution has been that target of some of the most complicated legislation ever discussed. In
1970, the United States Congress passed legislation aimed at curbing sources of air pollution and
setting standards for air quality.3

One of the strongest weapons against industrial pollution that many factories are currently using
to combat air pollution is a scrubber. A scrubber is a series of filters placed in smoke stacks and
other points of industrial emissions to try and filter out many of the contaminants that tend to be
released into the atmosphere.

In addition to factory emissions, auto emission pollutants have also been reduced by the use of a
tool that has been around for quite some time, the catalytic converter. Because gasoline is not
completely utilized upon combustion, many toxic gases are able to escape in the form of exhaust.
A catalytic converter is a box-like device that is placed somewhere in the exhaust system between
the point of exhaust release from the engine, to the actual release of the exhaust to the
environment. A catalytic converter works by transforming harmful gases through a series of
chemical reactions to essentially non-harmful gases. Catalytic converters have been proven to be
very beneficial in reducing the amount of harmful gases released into the atmosphere.

Instead of just trying to reduce auto emissions, car companies are also researching alternative fuel
sources. The most popular forms of alternative fuels currently are electricity, which can be
harnessed directly in the form of solar energy from the sun and stored in batteries, or natural gas
which is a much cleaner burning gas.

In addition to wanting to know what was being done to prevent the air from becoming more
polluted, students also wanted to know something about recycling, and what methods are used to
turn old waste into new products. Many reused paper products are normally turned into cardboard
boxes and tissue products. Rarely is paper that is collected reused as reading/writing paper again.

One of the largest waste products in the United States today is paper. It has been found that the
U.S. is currently collecting between 26 and 30% of all paper wastes for recycling.4 One
astounding fact is that the U.S. also exports 22% of this paper waste, which amounts to some 28.9
million tons of paper, abroad to European countries and to countries in the Orient.5

How many trees saved by recycling is still not clearly known. It has been widely reported that
every ton of paper, if made from 100% recycled fibers, saves approximately 17 trees.6 In reality,
the number of trees required to generate a ton of paper depends on many factors including tree
size, species, and the type of pulp and paper being manufactured.7

For a paper to be reprocessed into a new product, many steps must take place during the
transformation. A process known as deinking must be utilized. There are many methods of
deinking and each uses different physical and chemical properties or sometimes both to make a
new white pulp again. Some of these process are discussed and listed below.

Washing is a process whereby detergents, wetting agents, and other chemicals are added to make
the ink hydrophilic (attracted to water). Another method used is called Flotation. This process
makes the ink hydrophobic (repelled by water). The pulp is continuously aerated and the air
bubbles attract the in particles as they rise up to the surface. Dispersion is a process that involves
breaking up the ink particles to such a small degree that they cannot be seen by the eye. Theses
are just some of the methods used to recycle old paper in to new pulp.

In addition to the recycling of various wastes into new products, another topic that is of great

interest to environmentalists is alternative or renewable power sources. Some of Nature's most

cleanest power sources are solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, and geothermal energy.

Solar devices now exist that are capable of supplying all the energy needs of a residence,
including electricity, water and space heating, and space cooling.8 Some of these devices are too
expensive to be put into use by the average homeowner. The problem that faces many of today's
researchers is too make this technology competitive with other forms of energy that are already in
use.

Hydropower cannot be used directly by the homeowner, however, while still a better method of
harnessing power in a cleaner manner, it still has environmental drawbacks. Hydropower has the
capability of liberating a country such as the U.S. from any foreign power sources such as oil.
The process of obtaining energy from water is quite simple because the kinetic energy of water is
what is being utilized. Water is first damned up, and then allowed to flow over turbines which
spin and thus form energy. The rate at which water passes by these turbines can be controlled.
One of the major drawbacks of this form of energy is the damage it can do to surrounding
ecosystems. Lowlands behind damns now become lakes, and fish have a harder time of getting up
streams to reproduce. "Nature's" natural balance can be altered quite severely but new methods of
getting around these problems have been, or are currently being developed.

Hopefully this paper has been able to give you, the reader, more insight on some of the possible
solutions to today's environmental problems. As one can see, there are clearly many alternatives.
It is just a matter of acting upon them and instating these alternatives.

The Destruction of the Rain Forests (and the Earth)

Rain forests are disappearing at a drastic rate. Industry is usually at the root of this destruction of
one of natures resources. Land is needed for highways, agriculture, livestock, or to expand a city.
Other times the trees themselves are needed by lumber companies of countries that themselves
lack to forests necessary to meet their countries demands such as Japan. Environmentalists are
deplored by this destruction refuting that bio-diversity is being lost, an ancient way of life is
being lost as "people of the forest" are being forced out of their homes, new diseases are being
stirred up and that the earth is a living organism and man is behaving like a virus.

Some third world countries clear cut the land with a slash and burn technique to build

roads or highways such as the massive Brazilian superhighway. This highway stretches to one
end of Brazil to the other. However as with many of these roads it leads into the jungle and just
ends. Billions and billions of trees and animals are killed for these roads to nowhere for the sake
of progress.

Simple farmers have always cleared the land for their crops. This damage is only minute
compared to that of what happens when large plantations are planted. Such companies as CocaCola clear hundreds of acres to grow orange crops. These oranges are then sent back to the
United States to be used in Minute Maid orange juice. Coca-Cola isn't alone, Tropicana, Ocean
Spray, and most concentrates contain rain forest oranges. The problem with using this soil for
agriculture is that all the nutrients are depleted within one to two years and is dead from that time
on. The land is dead for centuries to come.

Other times the land is needed for large herds if cattle. Without trees to protect the land
from erosion from the cows, this land is trampled continuously with the cattle consuming all of
the grasses as well. Once it rains the soil is further eroded away leaving the land barren and dead
with more trees needed to be cut down so that the process could start all over again. The sad thing
is that this is cone to cut livestock prices. Such restaurants as Burger king use rain forest beef
since it is so cheap. Burger King is the better known of all rain forest beef users but not the only
one. Most fast food chains are suspected of using rain forest beef along with some supermarkets.
However since companies are not required to state where their product originates it makes it very
difficult if not impossible to trace who is using what.

Other times theses lesser developing countries need land to support their own growing
populations. These countries are unable to build sky scrappers so they spread their cities into the
jungle. These homes are merely shacks not really like a home though.

All of these matters are from the direct concerns of money. Developing countries hope
that these highways will bring in foreign businesses as well as help there own commercial
businesses expand and become more efficient. These projects also help in tourism promotion. In
regards to agriculture and livestock, developing countries cost less to use that modernized
countries such as the United States. These countries cannot afford to build expensive housing so
they build tiny shacks for their people but expand into the forest.

Environmentalists on the other side of the fence argue that animal diversity is being lost.
Currently about one species a day is lost from the forest. This could have a drastic affect on the
food web. If a certain species of animal becomes extinct then another species dependent on that

animal for food will also become extinct and so on. These forest contain the most bio-diversity
over any other type of biome in the world.

An ancient way of life will also be lost as these forest go. These forest are inhabited by the
last of the hunting and gathering tribes left in the world. One example of this is the Penan. These
people live on the island of Borneo in the Province of Sarawak under the Malaysian government.
These people live in tiny huts that extend a few feet off of the ground and live on grubs and local
plants with an occasional monkey for dinner. These people are forced from this peaceful way of
life to live in dirty government shacks filled with diseases never before encountered by these
people. Other times hunting and gathering tribes resist moving and face direct confrontation with
logging companies. Here common practice is to call in the military. Luckily these people know
the forest so well that they can hide and not be found easily. One such case is that of Joseph
Maler. This Swedish environmentalist has been living with the Penan for eight years while being
persued by the Malaysian government and well as the Mitsu Corporation, Mitsubishi. However it
appears that hunting and gathering people will lose their way of life much as did the American
Indian.

These rain forest are home to many diseases as well as animals. These diseases range
from malaria to ebola. Many new and deadly strains of malaria are being released as logging
leaves pools of water to breed mosquitoes that spread the disease. Yellow fever is also mutating
from these practices. Other diseases such as ebola are released as man digs deeper into the heart
of the jungle. These diseases are a way for nature to defend itself which leads me to the last point
to be made about rain forest destruction.

The Gaiia hypothesis states that the earth is a living organism and humans inhabit that
organism. Such as cancer invades the human body slowly killing a person. Or as a deadly virus
raises your body temperature as that person feels as if his or her innards are being ripped out.
This is what is happening to the earth as man destroys these rain forest. These are the lungs of the
earth and may have a drastic affect if lost. Global warming, ozone depletion, new and more
deadly diseases, and loss of rainfall all may be a direct cause of rain forest destruction.

In conclusion, Rain forests are a valuable resource and should not be squandered away by
man. These forests should be preserved as a critical balance in nature. But the modern age is that
of money. It doesn't matter what is done as long and money is either saved or earned. However,
the human race does not take into consideration of what happens if these forest are destroyed. It
affects the earth and may lead from a green planet to a dead planet in the end. After all, once gone
these forest can never grow back.

Environmental Ethics

As college students, we should live in the spirit of peace for the good of all human beings and for
the care of creation. At this moment in history, at the beginning of the third millennium, we are
saddened to see the daily suffering of a great number of people from violence, starvation, poverty,
and disease. We are also concerned about the negative consequences for humanity and for all
creation resulting from the degradation of some basic natural resources such as water, air and
land, brought about by an economic and technological progress which does not recognize and
take into account its limits.

Almighty God envisioned a world of beauty and harmony, and He created it, making every part
an expression of His freedom, wisdom and love (cf. Gen 1:1-25).

At the center of the whole of creation, He placed us, human beings, with our inalienable human
dignity. Although we share many features with the rest of the living beings, Almighty God went
further with us and gave us an immortal soul, the source of self-awareness and freedom,
endowments that make us in His image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26-31; 2:7). Marked with that
resemblance, we have been placed by God in the world in order to cooperate with Him in
realizing more and more fully the divine purpose for creation.

At the beginning of history, man and woman sinned by disobeying God and rejecting His design
for creation. Among the results of this first sin was the destruction of the original harmony of
creation. If we examine carefully the social and environmental crisis which the world community
is facing, we must conclude that we are still betraying the mandate God has given us: to be
stewards called to collaborate with God in watching over creation in holiness and wisdom.

God has not abandoned the world. It is His will that His design and our hope for it will be
realized through our co-operation in restoring its original harmony. In our own time we are
witnessing a growth of an ecological awareness which needs to be encouraged, so that it will lead
to practical programs and initiatives. An awareness of the relationship between God and
humankind brings a fuller sense of the importance of the relationship between human beings and
the natural environment, which is God's creation and which God entrusted to us to guard with
wisdom and love (cf. Gen 1:28).

Respect for creation stems from respect for human life and dignity. It is on the basis of our

recognition that the world is created by God that we can discern an objective moral order within
which to articulate a code of environmental ethics. In this perspective, Christians and all other
believers have a specific role to play in proclaiming moral values and in educating people in
ecological awareness, which is none other than responsibility towards self, towards others,
towards creation.

What is required is an act of repentance on our part and a renewed attempt to view ourselves, one
another, and the world around us within the perspective of the divine design for creation. The
problem is not simply economic and technological; it is moral and spiritual. A solution at the
economic and technological level can be found only if we undergo, in the most radical way, an
inner change of heart, which can lead to a change in lifestyle and of unsustainable patterns of
consumption and production. A genuine conversion in Christ will enable us to change the way we
think and act.

First, we must regain humility and recognize the limits of our powers, and most importantly, the
limits of our knowledge and judgment. We have been making decisions, taking actions, and
assigning values that are leading us away from the world as it should be, away from the design of
God for creation, away from all that is essential for a healthy planet and a healthy commonwealth
of people. A new approach and a new culture are needed, based on the centrality of the human
person within creation and inspired by environmentally ethical behavior stemming from our triple
relationship to God, to self, and to creation. Such an ethics fosters interdependence and stresses
the principles of universal solidarity, social justice, and responsibility, in order to promote a true
culture of life.

Secondly, we must frankly admit that humankind is entitled to something better than what we see
around us. We and, much more, our children and future generations are entitled to a better world,
a world free from degradation, violence and bloodshed, a world of generosity and love.

Thirdly, aware of the value of prayer, we must implore God the Creator to enlighten people
everywhere regarding the duty to respect and carefully guard creation.

We should, therefore, invite all men and women of good will to ponder the importance of the
following ethical goals:

1. To think of the world's children when we reflect on and evaluate our options for action.

2. To be open to study the true values based on the natural law that sustain every human culture.

3. To use science and technology in a full and constructive way, while recognizing that the
findings of science have always to be evaluated in the light of the centrality of the human person,
of the common good, and of the inner purpose of creation. Science may help us to correct the
mistakes of the past, in order to enhance the spiritual and material well-being of the present and
future generations. It is love for our children that will show us the path that we must follow into
the future.

4. To be humble regarding the idea of ownership and to be open to the demands of solidarity. Our
mortality and our weakness of judgment together warn us not to take irreversible actions with
what we choose to regard as our property during our brief stay on this earth. We have not been
entrusted with unlimited power over creation, we are only stewards of the common heritage.

5. To acknowledge the diversity of situations and responsibilities in the work for a better world
environment. We do not expect every person and every institution to assume the same burden.
Everyone has a part to play, but for the demands of justice and charity to be respected the most
affluent societies must carry the greater burden, and from them is demanded a sacrifice greater
than can be offered by the poor. Religions, governments, and institutions are faced by many
different situations; but on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity all of them can take on some
tasks, some part of the shared effort.

6. To promote a peaceful approach to disagreement about how to live on this earth, about how to
share it and use it, about what to change and what to leave unchanged. It is not our desire to
evade controversy about the environment, for we trust in the capacity of human reason and the
path of dialogue to reach agreement. We commit ourselves to respect the views of all who
disagree with us, seeking solutions through open exchange, without resorting to oppression and
domination.

It is not too late. God's world has incredible healing powers. Within a single generation, we could
steer the earth toward our children's future.

WORKS CITED:

The Holy Bible (Revised Standard Version). San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1996.
The Ethics of Cloning
Regardless of what our future holds, it will be based on the decisions we make today. Those
decisions can be made using the Utilitarian Theory which states that we are doing good for the
greatest number of people. Using Rule Utilitarianism "which maintains that a behavioral code or
rule is morally right if the consequences of adopting that rule are more favorable than
unfavorable to everyone. (IEP)" is justifably noted that if a consensus is formed on the basis of
rules that govern cloning, and these rules are broken, the appropriate punishment will result. This
is because cloning a human will not benefit the society as a whole, it would do more harm than
good. We all have rules that govern our society over what is right or wrong and we know that
these rules are set forth to maintain order. We have laws because it benefits the majority of the
people.
Principles of Consequences state that when looking at the end result, the correct action will be
the action that produces the greatest amount of happiness (Ursery). To decide if human cloning
produces the greatest amount of happiness we have one question still in need of an answer is
"Are human embryos really human?" Well, the term 'human' proceeding the term 'embryo' should
adequately answer the question. The embryo are cloned from human tissue, contain human DNA,
thus there is likely a 100 percent chance that the embryos are indeed human, as opposed to being
tadpole embryos. Therefore, biologically speaking a clone is no less a human than you or I. And
using that human for tissue simply because he/she was cloned rather than conceived does not
validate the notion, nor skip around the moral and ethical implications of taking the life of
another human being. Death is not a happy occasion therefore it does not produce the greatest
amount of happines to the majority of the popluation.
The bad consequences out way the good, therefore we cannot assume that the benefit of
human cloning will solve life's problems. To this day we have yet to find a cure for the common
cold. This is because most diseases have a way of surviving, as did the human race during the ice
age. Everything finds a way to adapt to it's environment and if the benefits major benefit for
cloning is to cure diseases, then we are at a loss. The fight for life "survival of the fittest" can
sum it up. If we result to cloning as a means for reproduction, then who is to say that our bodies
might not adapt to this, only allowing for this type of reproduction? Only then will we realize
that in our effort to gain knowledge and power over every other living thing, did we fail.
Everything on this earth has to be in perfect balance, and when we continue to tamper with
Mother Nature, she finds a way to fight back. For example, the ozone layer is being depleted
because of chemical agents produced and released into the atmosphere by man. As a result, the
ozone layer can longer protect our skin as it used too, causing more cases of skin cancer every
year. I believe that if you push someone, or in this case, something (Mother Nature) hard enough,
she will push back. We need to take things as they are given to us, the good and the bad. When
we try to beat the odd, sometimes the odds beat us.

Human Cloning is Evil

Human cloning would certainly lead to social harm. If an individual led a distraught or
irresponsible life, would the clone be inclined to follow in his footsteps? Because of negative
publicity, this clone's life may already be in the road to destruction prior to even becoming a
clone. Would you want to be the clone of Hannibal, who devoured his victims after he murdered
them?
Cloning would also lessen the worth of an individual and diminish the respect for life. If
humans feel they can be replaced, like that of an object, then disposing of a human life would
come at no great cost to their conscious. Resulting in perhaps a killing spree that would have no
type of harsh punshment. As it stands, it is difficult to lose one loved one, but the thought of
losing several would be a disaster.
Match has launched a second opposition party called CATCH (Coalition Against The Cloning
of Humans). Together both MATCH and CATCH joined forces with MCD (Movement for
Christian Democracy). All three opposition parties have a concern about the mutation of genes.
This is because the technique's are extremely risky. The main worry is the possibility that the
genetic material used from the adult will continue to age so that the genes in a newborn clone
could be more on the day of birth, this is what the cloning of Dolly concluded. It took 277
attempts to clone Dolly, the clones before her were disfigured and contained severe
abnormalities.
The Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II made a recent statement against cloning of all life
forms. The Vatican issued statement specifically condemning the cloning of humans but has not
come out officially against cloning of other animals. If God would have wanted us to clone
ourselves, he would of given us a way for a-sexual reproduction. But because we were made to
reproduce bi-sexually, this is the only way we should continue to do so. However, in contrast to
the opinions of their peers, some Jewish and Muslim religious leaders testified before the
National Bioethics Advisory Commission that they feel that embryo and cloning research might
provide discoveries that would lead to an appropriate way to counter infertility.
Others feel that the emotional pressures on a teenager trying to establish his or her identity is
also a concern. How will a child be able to distinguish between her mother, and her sister, will
they be one in the same? Then there is the possibility of incest. For example, if a father sees his
wife's clone grow up into the exact replica (by appearance) of the individual he fell in love with,
would a sexual relationship with his wife's twin be wrong? Technically there would be no incest,
however, if he raised this child as his own, it would be hard to determine. Cloning denies an
individual to their own unique identity.
Croning believes that there would be no line drawn, cloning would go too far. For example, if
there is anticipation of a war, would it be ethical to clone "soldiers"? Creating an army to win a
war, using these "soldiers" as a type of disposable robot to fight and help win.

And finally the majority of the anti-cloning population believes that although cloning may
produce and individual with the same genetic inheritance, it is not possible to replicate the
environment in which the individual was raised. The individuals environment is where the talents
become enough to become "great." As said many times before, "We are a product of our
environment."
Sources Cited
http://www.match.org.uk/about_MATCH.html.
Cloning and Bioethics
Bioethics, which is the study of value judgments pertaining to human conduct in the area of
biology and includes those related to the practice of medicine, has been an important aspect of all
areas in the scientific field (Bernstein, Maurice, M.D.). It is one of the factors that says whether
or not specific scientific research can go on, and if it can, by which rules, regulations and
guidelines it must abide by.
One of the most recent and controversial issues facing our society today is the concept of
cloning. On February 23, 1997, Ian Wilmut, a Scottish scientist, along with his colleagues at the
Roslin Institute and PPL Therapeutics, announced to the world that they had cloned a lamb,
which they named Dolly, after Dolly Parton, from an adult sheep (Mario,Christopher). The two
share the same nucleic DNA, but differ in terms of their mitochondrial DNA, which is vitally
important for the regulation of the cell. The media and the press ignored this fact, and thus
claimed that Dolly and her 'mother' were genetically identical, which sparked a fury of outcry all
around the world. The technique of transferring a nucleus from a somatic cell into an egg cell of
which the nucleus had been removed, called nuclear transplantation, is an extension of research
that had been ongoing for over 40 years.
Up until now, scientists thought that adult cells could not be "reprogrammed" to behave like a
fertilized egg and create an embryo, but the evidence obtained by Dolly's success prove
otherwise. The issues of cloning have been around for a long time, starting with the publication
of Joshua Lederberg's 1966 article on cloning in the American Naturalist. The public's interest
has been perked by many sci-fi books, films, and movies including Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel
"Brave New World," 1973's "Sleeper," the 1978 film "The Boys from Brazil". Most recently, the
movie "Multiplicity" dealt with replicating Billy Crystal over and over (Mario, Christopher). The
ethical, legal, and moral issues aroused by cloning have been raised by previous projects, and are
now simply emerging again, with its focus on three major points: the shift from sexual
reproduction with that of asexual replication of existing genes; the ability to predetermine the
genes of a child; and the ability to create many genetically identical children
(Report/Recommendations of the NBAC).
The public responded to Dolly with a mixture of fear and excitement, questioning the benefits
and the disasters that could happen in the future if research was to continue. From a poll taken by
Maurice Bernstein, M.D., the results showed that 72% of the votes said that cloning should be

prohibited by law. They believe that cloning for any reason would be an unethical and immoral
thing to do. A common misconception of cloning is that it is the instantaneous creation of afullygrown adult from the cells of the individual. Also, that an exact copy, although much younger, of
an existing person could be made, reflecting the belief that one's genes bear a simple relationship
to the physical and psychological traits that make up a person.
This is one point that those against cloning are often worried about. That the clone would have
no soul, no mind, no feelings or emotions of their own, no say in how their life will be with their
destiny predetermined for them, and that each individual clone would not be unique. They are
also afraid that the clone will not be treated like a person, more like a worthless second copy, or a
fill-in for what was there but now is lost. Although the genes do play an important part, its the
interaction among a person's genetic inheritance, their environment, memories, different life
experiences, and the process of learning that results in the uniqueness of each individual (Mario,
Christopher).
The risks involved in cloning people as well as animals are of a much greater magnitude than
many people realize. Our society needs to begin weighing in the dangerous consequences before
making any solid conclusions, because cloning may wind up costing us much more than we
bargained for. The most beneficial result that cloning can present is the ability to create organs.
But, we must realize the risks involved as well. There would most likely be many failures before
there were to be even one success, and there is no substantial evidence that this would even be
possible. So, the risks seem to greatly outweigh any possible benefits.
The Cloning Debate

The first attempt in cloning was conducted in 1952 on a group of frogs.

The experiment was a partial success. The frog cells were cloned into other
living frogs however, only one in every thousand developed normally , all of
which were sterile. The rest of the frogs that survived grew to abnormally large
sizes. In 1993, scientist and director of the in vitro lab at George
Washington University, Jerry Hall and associate Robert Stillman, reported the
first ever successful cloning of human embryos. It was the discovery of invitro fertilization in the 1940s that began the pursuit to ease the suffering
of infertile couples. After years of research, scientists learned that "in a
typical in-vitro procedure, doctors will insert three to five embryos in hopes

that, at most, one or two will implant" (Elmer-Dewitt 38). And that "a woman
with only one embryo has about a 10% to 20% chance of getting pregnant through
in-vitro fertilization. If that embryo could be cloned and turned into three or
four, thechances of a successful pregnancy would increase significantly"(ElmerDewitt 38).

The experiment the scientists performed is the equivalent of a mother

producing twins. The process has been practiced and almost perfected in
livestock for the past ten years, and some scientists believe that it seems only
logical that it would be the next step in in-vitro fertilization. The procedure
was remarkably simple. Hall and Stillman "selected embryos that were abnormal
because they came from eggs that had been fertilized by more than one sperm"
(Elmer-Dewitt 38), because the embryos were defective, it would have been
impossible for the scientist to actually clone another person. They did however,
split the embryos into separate cells, as a result creating separate and
identical clones. They began experimenting on seventeen of the defective
embryos and "when one of those single-celled embryos divided into two cellthe
scientists quickly separated the cells, creating two different embryos with the
same genetic information" (Elmer-Dewitt 38). The cells are coated with a
protective covering "called a zona pellucida, that is essential to development"
(Elmer-Dewitt 38), which was stripped away and replaced with a gel-like
substance made from seaweed that Hall had been experimenting with. The
scientists were able to produce forty-eight clones, all of which died within six
days. Other scientist have been quoted saying that although the experiment is

fairly uncomplicated, it had not been tested before because of the moral and
ethical issues surrounding an experiment such as this one. Some people believe
that aiding infertile couples is the only true benefit to cloning human embryos,
and fear that if the research is continued it could get out of hand. Other
advantages that have been suggested include freezing human embryos for later use,
in the event that a child should get sick or die. If a parent has had their
childs embryos cloned and frozen and their child dies at an early age of crib
death, the parents could have one of the frozen embryos de-thawed and implanted
into the womb. Nine months later, the mother would give birth to a child that
was identical to the one they had lost. Or if a four year old child develops
leukemia and requires a bone marrow transplant. A couple could implant a prefrozen embryos clone of their first child and produce an identical twin as a
guarantee for a perfect match. The parents would therefore have identical twins
that were four years apart. The disadvantages are endless. If this type of
technique were exploited and used in vain, we could be heading down "a tunnel of
madness"(Elmer-Dewitt 37). "Researchers have developed DNA- analysis techniques
to screen embryos fordisorders, but the procedures require snipping cells off
embryos, a process that sometimes kills them"( Elmer-Dewitt 39). It is expected
that the idea of throwing away an embryos because it is disease ridden will
throw pro-life activists into a frenzy (Elmer-Dewitt 39). It is one thing to
exercise the freedom of chose to abort an unwanted child for whatever reason,
but to throw one a way due to a pre-understanding that it carries a disease, in
my opinion, is unethical. These types of possibilities are producing moral and

ethical debates among ethicists the world over. Most countries have set
regulations concerning cloning human embryos and in some countries it is an
offense punishable by law and requires incarceration . Between the medical
contributions and the ethical questions surrounding cloning human embryos, it is
unlikely that we will have the opportunity to discover if further research to
Hall and Stillmans experiment could actually produce human beings.

References

Elmer-Dewitt, Philip. "Cloning: Where Do We Draw the Line?" Time Magazine.

November 8th, 1993: 37-42.

Questioning Human Cloning

To consider the cloning of another human being forces me to question the very concepts of right
and wrong that make us all human.
Until the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be successfully cloned, it was thought that
the ability to clone an adult human was impossible or would only be possible somewhere in the
distant future! But that has all changed with the birth of Dolly and the explosion of advances in
the field of Embryology and genetic screening. These advances are leading the way forward for
the cloning of an adult human, which brings up many new ethical and complicated questions that
I feel must be addressed by the scientific community and the public, before these advances can
reach there full potential.
As with any scientific or technological advance, it brings around questions that I feel must be
answered: Do the pros out weight the advantages, and more importantly; is it right? Will Human
Cloning become a brave new step in fighting disease and improving the quality of life, or will it
lead to dehumanisation and a new genetic underclass?
People say and strongly believe that biologists are cloning human embryos only to see how far
they can push the scientific barriers. However not all things are corrupt, I believe, as do the

leaders of Great Britain, that it is possible that the reasons behind Human Cloning, Embryology
and genetic screening may be legitimate. Cloning could help improve the life of future
generations. Although I still prefer the idea of these scientists spending all this money and their
effort on finding a cure for a disease that has or will affect many of us in one way or another:
cancer! I still keep an open mind about this subject as most of the embryologists and biologist's
claim that they are doing this as they feel that they have a duty to the improvement of our society,
or even perhaps a moral obligation. To this end the techniques have been offered to society as an
option for the improvement of humanity. The human race is in the early stages of defining human
cloning and what it means. The human race is defining it as a science as opposed to an art or
religion, specifically a kind of science that is called Biotechnology. Biotechnology is the study
into the design and manufacture of the human body.
I believe that we must all ask ourselves what this mean. Should it be allowed and is it right? A
Time Magazine poll (March 10th, 1997) reported that 74% of those asked believe that it is
against God's will to clone humans. However, thinking that cloning humans is playing God is not
actually true as no one can actually prove what God's intentions were when crating the earth and
the creatures on it? There is substantial disagreement as to what God' s will is, but what I find
interesting in this argument is something I read in an article "Cloning: Will They Soon Clone
Human Beings?" by Garner Ted Armstrong who wrote: " Anyone who has truly proved God
exists; that God isn't only Creator, but Life giver, Designer, Sustainers, and Ruler over all his
creation, knows that the human family began with one man, and that a wife, miraculously created
form his own body and as unique and original a creation as Adam himself, formed the first
family. Though God's miraculous creation of Eve was far from cloning, it is interesting to note in
passing that God's own Word says He used Adam's rib-physical bone and tissue - to create Eve."
This shows, to me, that God had to clone Adam to create Eve's body structure, which could be
argued that is what biologists and embryologists are only doing following in God's foot steps and
not playing God.
I firmly believe, after taking all this information in and weighting the positive and negative
aspects of human cloning, that it is a decision of difficulty. Human cloning and cloning research
shouldn't be made illegal because it may provide a cure for cancer, it probably will provide a
valuable basic research and possible spin off technologies related to reproduction, development,
and cures for deadly diseases, and finally prohibiting it would violate the fundamental freedom of
scientific inquiry and for the human species to advance. Which would only cause controversy and
confusion of what is really at stake.
As always there are the negative aspects: with genetic engineering and human cloning it is
possible to use these in the arsenal of ethnic cleansing creating inequality in our society which
would be the beginning of many wars, and that's some thing that the scientits, biologists and
embryologists, as well me, don't want to see. All I can say is "is it right?" I say yes, but that is not
for me to decide that is up to the individual.

Human Cloning Debate and Life Issues

The use of cloning to produce "Dolly" the sheep has prompted a public debate about cloning
humans. This issue has quickly become linked with the issues of abortion and embryo research.
What is cloning?
Cloning is a way of producing a genetic twin of an organism, without sexual reproduction. The
method used to produce Dolly the sheep is called "somatic cell nuclear transfer": the nucleus of a
body cell ("somatic cell") is transferred into an unfertilized egg whose nucleus has been removed
or rendered inactive. A tiny electric pulse may then stimulate development of the resulting
embryo, which is an almost exact genetic twin of the creature that supplied the nucleus. It may be
technically possible to use this procedure to reproduce human beings.
What does cloning have to do with embryo research?
A great deal. Cloning a human being or other large organism begins by artificially producing an
embryo of that species. To produce one live sheep, "Dolly," scientists created 277 sheep embryos;
276 died or were discarded. Experiments in human cloning would involve the creation and
destruction of human embryos on a massive scale.
Didn't the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) propose a ban on cloning?
Not really. It proposed a five-year moratorium on use of cloning to produce a "child," meaning a
live-born child. This would allow unlimited cloning to produce human embryos, so long as the
embryos were then destroyed. Such experiments could be used to refine the procedure and test its
likelihood of causing birth defects. After years of destructive experiments, the ban on allowing
live birth could be reconsidered. So NBAC's proposal is not a ban on cloning but a permission
slip for experimenting on embryos and a mandate for destroying them. This approach is reflected
in S. 1602, a bill introduced by Senators Kennedy and Feinstein to prohibit transferring a cloned
human embryo to "a woman's uterus." Under S. 1602, researchers could clone embryos and
experiment on them without limit; they would violate the law only if they failed to throw away
the embryos afterwards.
What does human cloning have to do with abortion?
Quite a bit, because bills like S. 1602 would enforce a ban on "cloning a human being" by
mandating the destruction of all cloned human embryos. This would mark the first time Congress
has ever declared that human embryos are not humans and are worthy only of destruction.
How have pro-life legislators reacted to the Commission's proposal?
They have introduced well-crafted bills that actually ban the use of cloning to produce human
embryos, instead of banning live birth for embryos already produced by cloning. For example,
Senators Bond, Frist, Lott and others have introduced S. 1601, which bans the use of human
somatic cell nuclear transfer to produce an embryo (including a preimplantation embryo). This

bill bans the use of cloning technology on humans, instead of banning pregnancy or live birth.
What is the current stance of the biotechnology industry?
A number of biotechnology companies, which have a commercial interest in the possibilities of
cloning, oppose the Bond/Frist/Lott bill as an infringement on their freedom to explore new
avenues of research. They support the Kennedy/Feinstein approach: Allow unlimited cloning and
experiments on cloned embryos, so long as the embryos are later discarded.
Why do these companies want to produce human embryos by cloning?
Some companies want to clone embryos so they can refine the procedure and ultimately produce
live-born children by cloning. The procedure could then be offered to infertile couples, people
who want to copy themselves, etc. Other researchers are more interested in the cloned embryos
themselves. The ability to produce large numbers of identical embryos by cloning may make it
easier, for example, to test the effect of different stimuli or toxic drugs on human development -differences in outcome could readily be attributed to differences in the stimuli, since the embryos
themselves would be identical. Cloning could produce an unlimited supply of human "guinea
pigs" for controlled experiments, dissection to produce cell lines, etc.
How do these commercial interests argue against a real ban on human cloning?
They do not say they favor human cloning or destructive embryo experiments, because they
know public opinion would be against them on those grounds. Instead they argue, for example,
that the Bond/Frist/Lott bill and similar proposals are vaguely worded and will end up banning all
kinds of procedures to which people have no ethical objection -- e.g., cloning cells, tissues, and
animals.
What is the truth about these claims?
They are false. The Bond/Frist/Lott bill bans cloning only when it produces a human embryo. A
similar House bill by Rep. Ehlers specifically exempts use of cloning to produce "animals other
than humans" or to produce "molecules, DNA, cells other than human embryo cells, or tissues."
What can we expect from this debate in the near future?
Cloning advocates and pro-abortion groups will complain that "abortion politics" is interfering
with scientific research. Pro-life groups will point out that legislation is necessary to prevent an
abortion mentality from driving the future of scientific research.
The Inappropriateness of Cloning
December 1998, researchers at Kyunghee University in South Korea claimed to have produced
the world's first human embryo clone. The scientists involved said they destroyed the object soon
after seeing it divide several times. ACT itself claimed in the November of that year that it had

fused the genetic material from a human cell with the empty egg from a cow to make a hybrid
embryo.
If ACT do succeed in producing full human blastocysts then the feasibility of therapeutic and
reproductive cloning would be substantially increased. How is that for word choice? Genetically
identical stem cells could potentially be created to cure degenerative diseases (therapeutic
cloning), and certain infertile couples could finally choose to conceive a genetically Related child
(reproductive cloning). While both procedures are somewhat controversial, the substantial
benefits for the patients and potential parents could be argued to outweigh the ethical cost of
actual human cloning. Some of the benefits of human cloning are Rejuvenation. Dr. Richard
Seed, one of the leading proponents of human cloning technology, suggests that it may someday
be possible to reverse the aging process because of what we learn from cloning.
Human cloning technology could be used to reverse heart attacks. Scientists believe that they
may be able to treat heart attack victims by cloning their healthy heart cells and injecting them
into the areas of the heart that have been damaged. Heart disease is the number one killer in the
United States and several other industrialized countries. These things will help the world in need,
but what will be the circumstances?
Human cloning is one of the world's biggest issues today. With everything being said like, human
cloning could drop the aging process and that it could keep the world going for many more years.
Maybe the worlds not suppose to be like that. Isn't that why god created humans the way he did
for a reason. Human cloning is doing nothing for the economy except taking tax money for their
experiments. Human Cloning is doing something that is really not expectable in our society
today. Is human cloning really needed, or is it just something to spend millions of dollars on?
That is the question most people are asking today. Scientist still today cannot give the world a
legitimate reason why human cloning is needed or necessary.
The people who are against human cloning need to come forward and help do something about it.
Help others realize that it's not right to make another of god's creations unless do or die
circumstances. Cloning one of something that was very knowledgeable could be excepted if it
was to prevent world war or something, but who is to know if that is possible. If you really think
about it, it is probably not. People also need to understand the fact that to find out if things like
those are possible scientists have to experiment with cloning. But do they really do that. They
take it as far as they can and use as much money as they can to try things that aren't needed.
Scientists are going to get to a certain spot with this issue, and then realize they don't have the
money to exceed this experiment. Then what do they do just stop? Or do they keep taking the
hard-earned money we work for? People want to know so much about this human embryo
cloning, but that have to wake up and realize that we are all going to end up paying for the study.
People don't take the time to think on that side of the issue, they are just too dam stubborn.
There should be very limited exceptions made on human cloning. Like cloning something small
and see how it does in our environment. Make sure it's not dangerous. Its not right for scientist to
go out there spend millions of dollars on something they "think" might work, when there is many
more needs in world that should come first. Like starving people, homeless people. There are
thousands of things I could name, and I know and you know that those are the things that should

come first. People know that's what we have scientist for.

Experiments like this. Lets spend all that money on something else like, finding a cure for AIDS
or something like that. People need to help convince the world that it's just not right. Especially at
our time in the world, you know with the Terrorist attacks and all.
If they had a press conference or whatever, knowing how the entire world feels about human
cloning, it would make a big difference. Maybe they have had one, but the world really needs to
get its priorities straight. Hungry children come first.
Work Cited
Bower, John. "Effects of Human Cloning" Bad or Good. March 7,1994
http://www.objectivistcenter.org.pubs/nav
Travis, James. "Human Artificial Chromosomes Created" Nature Genetics. April 5, 1997
http://www.reproductivecloning.net/hosting/news/news8.html
Smith, Simon. "Human Cloning Foundation" The Benefits of Human Cloning. January 10, 1998
http://atheism.about.com/cs/humancloning/
Torence, John "Embryo Cloning Corporation" How to Clone an Embryo. June 8, 1995
http://www.biofact.com/cloning/human.html
Adams, Darrell "Human Cloning Rates" Right or Wrong. November 22, 1998
http://www.reproductivecloning.net/hosting/news/news8.html
Capital Punishment Essays An Eye for an Eye

Life is a precious gift from God. Even when a person has no material
possessions, life is still possessed. In light of these observations it
is logical to assume that murder, the taking of another's life, is the
most heinous of crimes. Undeniably, penalties imposed upon criminals
should match the crimes committed. Therefore, the worst crime possible,
murder, should receive the worst penalty possible, death.

One argument against the death penalty is the Bible tells us not to

murder. Murder is the unlawful killing of one human being by another.

The death penalty is the lawful killing of a human being after a trial by
peers. So by definition the death penalty is not murder, but justice.
Furthermore, as stated by Ed Koch, a former US Government official, "the
execution of a lawfully condemned killer is no more an act of murder than
is legal imprisonment an act of kidnaping". Finally, the same Bible that
condemns murder also advocates "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".
This statement could be further developed to include a life for a life.

It is argued, the death penalty should be banned to prevent the

execution of innocent individuals unjustly convicted of capital murder.
Statistically this has occurred; however, given the lengthy appeals
process, all but few ultimately die, innocent or guilty. The above
statistic applies to all crimes, from theft to kidnaping. Should no one
be punished because of shortcomings in the judicial system? Obviously,
society could not function within a system devoid of law enforcement,
because where there is no law, there is chaos.

Some argue that death is too good for capital offenders. This position
favors inhumane and unlawful disciplinary actions like torture and life
imprisonment. Though some think it not harsh enough, the death penalty
delivers justice quickly and effectively. Capital punishment is more
humane than life imprisonment. For example, a murderer sentenced to life
must endure his entire existence imprisoned, which is a type of torture.

On the other hand, a murderer sentenced to death is executed. Punishment

is final.

Finally, people argue that punishing violence with violence is not

civil or effective. This view is correct; however, in the case of the
death penalty, violence is not being committed. Violence is the use of
excessive force in order to intimidate or destroy. The death penalty
involves a lengthy appeals process, the just processing of a criminal, and
when the time occurs, a solemn and precise execution. This procedure is
in no way violent and is completely civil and effective.

Death by execution is deplorable. Government mandated executions are

not exempt from this statement. For society to function in a meaningful
way and its citizenry to feel safe and secure, individuals must be
confident that criminals will be apprehended and dealt with in a fashion
commensurate to their crimes. The death penalty achieves this. Although
it has been contested on the grounds that it is against God's will, it
risks the unnecessary execution of an innocent person, it is not harsh
enough, and it is too violent, the death penalty is necessary to preserve a
safe and orderly society.

Capital Punishment Essays - Capital Punishment Around the World

The essay pans the whole world and presents the death penalty practices. In the last paragraph the

paper focuses on the USA exclusively.

Over half the countries in the world have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice:
* 75 countries and territories have abolished the death penalty for all crimes
* 14 countries have abolished the death penalty for all but exceptional crimes such as wartime
crimes
* 20 countries can be considered abolitionist in practice: they retain the death penalty in law but
have not carried out any executions for the past 10 years or more
making a total of 109 countries which have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. 86
other countries retain and use the death penalty, but the number of countries which actually
execute prisoners in any one year is much smaller.(Death)
More than three countries a year on average have abolished the death penalty for all crimes in the
past decade. Over 30 countries and territories have abolished the death penalty for all crimes
since 1990. They include countries in Africa (examples include Angola, Cte d'Ivoire, Mauritius,
Mozambique, South Africa), the Americas (Canada, Paraguay), Asia (Hong Kong, Nepal),
Europe (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine).
(Ibid)
Once abolished, the death penalty is seldom reintroduced. Since 1985, over 40 countries have
abolished the death penalty in law or, having previously abolished it for ordinary crimes, have
gone on to abolish it for all crimes. During the same period only four abolitionist countries
reintroduced the death penalty. One of them, Nepal, which reintroduced the death penalty for
murder, has since abolished it for all crimes; one, the Philippines, has resumed executions, but
there have been no executions in the other two (Gambia, Papua New Guinea).(Should)
During 2000, at least 1,457 prisoners were executed in 27 countries and 3,058 people were
sentenced to death in 65 countries. In 2000, 88 per cent of all known executions took place in
China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the USA. In China, the limited and incomplete records available to
Amnesty International at the end of the year indicated that at least 1,000 people were executed,
but the true figure was believed to be much higher. In Saudi Arabia, 123 executions were
reported, but the total may have been much higher. Eighty-five people were executed in the USA.
At least 75 executions were carried out in Iran. In addition, hundreds of executions were reported
in Iraq but many of them may have been extra-judicial.
International human rights treaties prohibit anyone under 18 years old at the time of the crime
being sentenced to death. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the American
Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child all have provisions
to this effect. More than 110 countries whose laws still provide for the death penalty for at least
some offences have laws specifically excluding the execution of child offenders or may be
presumed to exclude such executions by being parties to one or another of the above treaties. A
small number of countries, however, continue to execute child offenders. Seven countries since
1990 are known to have executed prisoners who were under 18 years old at the time of the crime

- Congo (Democratic Republic), Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, USA and Yemen. The
country which carried out the greatest number of known executions of child offenders was the
USA (15 since 1990).
. The Death Penalty in the USA
* 85 prisoners were executed in the USA in 2000, bringing to 683 the total number executed
since the use of the death penalty was resumed in 1977.
* Over 3,700 prisoners were under sentence of death as of 1 January 2001.
* 38 of the 50 US states provide for the death penalty in law. The death penalty is also provided
under US federal military and civilian law.
WORKS CITED:
Death Penalty Information Center
"Should It Be Reintroduced?"

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/
http://www.publicdebate.com.au/is/1/bg.html

Capital Punishment Essays - Is the Death Penalty Effective?

Imagine, a good friend of yours. Better yet, imagine a loved one, perhaps a little brother or sister
or son or daughter. Now try to imagine life without them, simply because the murderer thought
that he was above the law. Who knows, maybe he or she was just bored and decided to take a life.
What if someone took the life of your child or loved one? What are we to do about the person(s),
such as these murderers who decide that they can take a loved one's life. Obviously, anyone who
takes one's life, other than self defense, should not ever be let out into everyday society to
function in everyday life, because such as this are from normal. Those that prey on the weak will
always prey on them. A majority of those convicted and sentenced to capital punishment were
"repeat offenders that continually prey on the weak and innocent
Some Statistics
* Thirty-seven out of fifty (37 of 50) states currently hold laws authorizing the death penalty.
* Most executions are carried out in the Deep South.
* Currently there are more than 2000 people on death row
* Because of various legal interferences, a majority of executions will be stalled.
The death penalty is applicable in cases involving murder, but it becomes clearly easy to come up
with this suggestion of punishment in cases involving the murder of the ones put in charge of

protecting us and our community. Killing a cop is like shattering or killing that "thin blue line that
seperates between civilization and anarchy"(Cop, 1). Police officers are the ones who keep the
streets safe for our society and uphold our society's beliefs. It is just I better than anyone else and
nobody is going to tell me what to do.
The deterrence factor is the likeliness of one not to committ a crime as a result of being aware of
the consequences of the crime. Many argue that the death penalty does not deter.
However, by simply convicting a person to confinement for a certain crime with an easy
sentence, is much like receiving a simple slap on the wrist for committing serious crimes.
Punishment, when speaking on serious terms, is socially valuable because it deters criminals from
repeating their crimes and may keep others from repeating the same acts. If in fact the deterring
effect misses its point, it is the fault of the justice system the all the red tape found behind it. At
its current standing, the system is viewed as a joke because no authority is taken, no one believes,
let alone fears, the system. Both the lengthy time and the high expense result from innumerable
appeals, including many technicalities which have little nothing to do with the question of guilt or
innocence. If these wasteless amount of appeals were eliminated or at least controlled, then the
procedure would be much shorter, less expensive and more efficient.
Many argue that the death penalty violates human rights, yet, they do not question the reason or
action that got the convict on death row in the first place. Every person has an equal right to life,
"until they take another's life, then all bets are off (News, 2). Society does not understand that
when a convict on death row is executed it is because they, themselves took some innocent
person's life which caused them to be put there. The only impression given about the death
penalty should be the fact that murder is a crime punishable by death. The death penalty is in no
way hypocritical it simply shows a country that murder has very serious consequences and has a
fit and just punishment (News, 3). The main purpose here is to instill fear in other men, to show
that this will not be tolerated and justice comes first, always.
Conclusion
Anger is simply an expression of caring about one's moral community and society needs more
men and women who care for each other and who do for the sake of others. It is passion which
allows us to act for reasons having nothing to do with selfish or mean calculations. Nothing but
the simple desire for justice to be served influences the upholding of the death penalty. Punishing
is the only way we have any chance at preserving our moral community and passion also acts as a
protector. The death penalty is not a settled issue and, indeed, continues to an issue of enormous
emotion and importance. It, therefore, will always accompany controversial and difficult debate.

Capital Punishment Essays - Murderers and Rapists Deserve Another Chance!

When turning on the television, radio, or simply opening the local newspaper, one is bombarded
with news of arrests, murders, homicides, serial killers, and other such tragedies. It is a rare

occasion to go throughout a day in this world and not hear of these things. So what should be
done about this crime rate? Not only is it committing a crime, but today, it is signing your life
over to the government. This is a risk one is taking when he decides to pull a trigger or plunge a
knife, but is it really up to our justice system to decide one's fate? There are many issues that
address this question of capital punishment such as religion, the effect on society, restitution
being denied, the possible "wrongly accused", and the rights of the convicted. But how often do
these concepts creep into the public's mind when it hears of our 'fair, trusty' government taking
away someone's breathing rights?

The Bible states "Thou shalt not kill," and this being a sin should have to be amended within
oneself. However, the Bible also states "Don't judge others' personal convictions." It is the
government's responsibility to punish people that disobey the law to keep our world in tact but is
it their right to take away their lives? It is a Christian's responsibility to point out to those who sin
that they do so and this country, trusting in God as it says it does, should do just that. So if the
government stands strongly by this statement that's on the dollar bill, may they line up all the
liars, adulterers, Buddhists, thieves, covetous and murderers at the chair. If they shall look into
this one sin as so evil may they see all ten commandments so holy.

The society is so confused as to what is "right." More and more children are becoming murderers
themselves. The reason is obvious: they see that if they kill someone they go to jail, get the death
penalty, and the government, who they know as the "good guy" kills them for punishment.
Lesson learned: the finger is pointing to its own actions. Learning morals is only as hard as
people make it. Why complicate things?

Some people think that restitution is granted when one is sentenced to the death penalty.
However, if a loved one is murdered and his family feels justice in having the murderer done the
same, is it not considered equally demented? Forgiving and forgetting are entirely out of the
question, but one should consider the concept of regret and remorse. Just as one feels terrible and
wishes the benevolence of their neighbor when wrongfully driving through his yard, surely a
murderer may feel the same. One is only human and no one can expect any more. A mistake is a
mistake, no matter whom it may harm or what destruction it may cause.

There's always the chance of the innocent being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A handful
of evidence from a strong lawyer could sentence someone to life in prison, and even the death
penalty. One could be spending and ending his life in captivity for simply walking down the
wrong street on the wrong day. Should he have to serve the time that's not rightfully his and take
the needle that shouldn't prick his skin? It's a small fault in the justice system that is not easy to
overcome, but that's someone's life, and not knowing the truth could be devastating.

Abraham Lincoln declared, "All men are created equal." This statement of truth has obviously
been left out of consideration in the court room. The man that sits upon the bench in this room is
no more entitled to justice than the one that sits in the defendant's seat. Everyone deserves a
second chance because they are all capable of reformation. Is the reasoning not simply to teach a
lesson that one punishes another? The offender should have the chance to go back into the world
and prove himself honorable. May he that makes no mistakes take the rights of he that made the
big one. A crime is a crime, be it desiring a brother's wife, or shooting her. Only is it the latter that
the world may see and condemn. He that carries a false tongue should sleep no sounder than he
that carries a poisonous heart.

If solving corruption with immorality is the world's remedy for reconciliation, then why not chop
off the thief's hand? "An eye for an eye" was the justice of the ancient. It is now a modern world
based on logic and transformation. Must we commit a crime to justify another? If capital
punishment was solely based on punishing the wrongdoers, there would be no one left to inject
the needle or pull the lever. Everyone would be trying to fit into the chair.

Medical Perspectives on the Death Penalty

In the study involved in this essay, we consider the medical perspectives on capital punishment,
beginning with our own country and then viewing them in other countries where medical
developments have recently occurred regarding the death penalty.

Following concern about the introduction of an execution method (lethal injection) which
threatens to involve doctors directly in the process of execution, the World Medical Association
Secretary-General issued a press statement opposing any involvement of doctors in capital
punishment. The 34th Assembly of the World Medical Association, meeting in Lisbon some
weeks after the issuing of the press statement, endorsed the Secretary-General's statement. The
Resolution was revised in Edinburgh in October 2000 and now says:
''Resolved, that it is unethical for physicians to participate in capital punishment, in any way, or
during any step of the execution process.''

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) testing is impacting the death penalty. For what is believed to be
the first time in US legal history, DNA testing was conducted which had the potential to

exonerate a man posthumously. Ellis Wayne Felker was executed in Georgia, USA in November
1996 after being convicted of rape and murder. Lawyers for Ellis Wayne Felker had gained access
some weeks before his execution to the prosecution's files on his case and found undisclosed
evidence which had not been subjected to DNA testing. However the execution went ahead on 14
November. Three newspapers and a television network obtained an order under the Georgia Open
Records Act to perform DNA tests even though Mr Felker was dead. However the tests
reportedly proved inconclusive, neither linking Mr Felker to the death nor clearing him of the
crime.

In another case in Virginia, USA, DNA testing led to the absolute pardon on 2 October of Earl
Washington, 17 years after he was convicted of the rape and murder of a woman. He was not
released immediately, however, as the state governor declined to set him free decreeing that he
should remain in prison to finish serving a 30-year sentence for a separate burglary and assault
conviction. His lawyers contended that had he not been convicted of capital murder, state figures
showed that he would have served an average term of 10 to 11 years imprisonment instead of the
17 years he had served. [He was eventually released on parole in February 2001.]

Since 1973 over 90 people who had been sentenced to death in the USA have been proved
wrongfully convicted; of those, ten were exonerated as a result of DNA testing. A poll conducted
jointly by both political parties in 2000 showed that when reminded of cases in which death row
inmates had ultimately been released on the basis of DNA evidence, 64% of Americans favoured
a temporary halt to executions while steps were taken to ensure that the system worked fairly.

A key provision under the proposed ''Innocence Protection Act'' introduced into Congress in June
is a requirement that states establish some legal forum in which death row inmates could bring
forward exculpatory evidence from DNA testing, even after the expiration of time limits for new
evidence and appeals.

Rejecting a resolution from the American Association of Public Health Physicians, delegates of
the American Medical Association (AMA) attending their annual House of Delegates meeting in
June refused to endorse a call for a national moratorium on executions. The AMA decided that
the death penalty was not a medical issue but a legal one. However they endorsed more use of
appropriate forensic techniques such as DNA testing in capital cases. Despite rejecting the
resolution on a proposed moratorium the existing policy of the AMA precluding physician
participation in executions remains in place.

Lethal Injection in Thailand may be realized soon. In January a bill to change the method of

execution to lethal injection was endorsed by the Cabinet of Thailand. The Corrections
Department, in order to assess opinions on this change, invited representatives from the Justice
Ministry, the Department of Probation, the Institute of Forensic Medicine, the National Police
Office, the University Affairs Ministry and the Public Health Ministry to a meeting in March to
discuss the proposal. However medical officials from the Public Health Ministry refused to
discuss the issue of the execution of criminals by lethal injection, deeming the topic to be a gross
violation of medical ethics. General support for the proposal however was given by the Justice
Ministry, the Department of Probation, the Institute of Forensic Medicine, the National Police
Office and the University Affairs Ministry. The Public Health Ministry also maintained that taking into account medical ethics - health professionals could not teach Corrections Department
staff how to give lethal injections. Dr Supachai Khunnarattenapruek, Deputy Permanent
Secretary and Secretary-General of the Medical Council said the Council wished to distance itself
from participating in any debate on the topic. He also rejected the suggestion that organs of
criminals be used in transplants, maintaining that the taking of organs ''was not the business of
physicians''.

It's Time to Save the Planet

Regret. Think back to your childhood. Do you remember those infamous words "No playing ball
in the house," and do you remember that feeling of terror as you tried to reconstruct your mother's
favorite porcelain figurine? Its poor mutilated body shattered beyond recognition. Immediately
your mind thought, "If I fix it before she finds out, it will be O.K. I just have to sneak the glue
from the kitchen," but it was too late. She had heard the noise and came to see what had
happened.

Regret. Now onto those reckless teenage years. Do the words, "The tree jumped right out in front
of me" sound familiar? How did you react when you climbed from the car to see the fender and
grill intertwined into a mass of metal? And oh, that nice shiny paint scarred with streaks of metal.
Did your heart start to pound and your palms sweat as you thought of your parents reaction?

Regret. As an adult you didn't expect that old recliner that went to the dump last week to mean
that much? You didn't think you would miss its worn, comfy cushions. How could you have
known? And now there was no way to get it back.

The earth, unfortunately, isn't a figurine or a car or a recliner. Man did not create nature, yet we
feel we have the right to use it in whatever manner we see fit. And like those items, one day we
may regret what we have done. We will look for a way to fix the Earth, a way to make it better,

and one will not exist. We cannot glue the ozone layer back together. We cannot paint over the
missing trees of the rain forest. We cannot buy a new species of animals. Our actions today have
long term consequences. Are we ready to deal with them?

"Unchopping a Tree" by W. S. Merwin is a fictional essay that explores in detail how a chopped
tree can be reconstructed by man. Its futuristic views challenge the mind like a hopeful dream of
redemption. Merwin describes how the pieces of the tree, even the splinters, must be gathered
and pieced together like a puzzle. A special fixative holds everything back in place just as it had
once been. Merwin makes the reader aware of what a pain staking task rebuilding a tree is. In
reading this essay, I realized just how impossible it is to reconstruct our environment, and that we
must protect it from further damage.

We, the human race, are solely responsible for the deteriorating environment. I believe that while
we have improved our living status, we have endangered every other species. We prevent fires
that replenish the soil, add chemicals to the water, and block the sun with thick smog. The current
status of the world is our making. Our expanding knowledge is the cause and ultimately must be
the solution. Merwin makes a similar statement about with whom the responsibility rests. "Even
in the best of circumstances it is labor that will make you wish often that you had won the favor
of the universe of ants, the empire of mice, or at least a local tribe of squirrels, and could enlist
their labors and their talents. But no, they leave you to it. They learned with time. This is men's
work"(Merwin 453). I believe we currently have the adequate knowledge to take responsibility
for our actions. Unfortunately, our knowledge is not the same as Merwin's; we only hope that one
day we can rebuild a tree.

While I believe we must correct the wrongs of the past, I know we have limitations. Like the
rebuilding of a tree, certain things cannot be fixed. "We do not have the spider's weaving
equipment, nor any substitute for the leaf's living bond with its point of attachment and
nourishment"(453). This, however, is no reason not to try. We must remember that the
environment is based on a chain of cause and effect. What good will it do to replant a forest if we
continue to poison the stream that runs through it? I believe in order to succeed we must break
the negative chain of events. As Merwin describes the reconstruction of a tree, he mentions the
possible damage to the area around the tree. "Almost always it involves, in itself, further damage
to the area, which will have to be corrected later"(454). Preserving the environment will not be an
easy task, but it is not impossible.

A major step towards a healthy environment is a true realization of what we have done in the
past. I think this was Merwin's main goal in "Unchopping a Tree". I agree and believe the weight
of our mistakes provide incentive to prevent further pollution. Mother Nature's creations are
extraordinary. We do not have the ability to recreate them. Even in "Unchopping a Tree", Merwin

emphasizes, "When the splinters are perfectly complimentary, the appropriate fixative is applied.
Again we have no duplicate of the original substance"(454). Nature cannot be manufactured on
an assembly line. Its beauty is unique and demands appreciation as Merwin also implies, "There
is a certain beauty, you will notice at moments, in the pattern of chips as they are fitted back into
place. You will wonder to what extent it should be described as natural, to what extent manmade"(454). Though we cannot go back and make the world as it once was, man must be aware
of past mistakes to prevent their repetition.

I believe the world has yet to learn its mistakes. Like Merwin, I too wanted to make you think,
beyond statistics, how much our environment matters. I think that one day we may find ourselves
lost in hopelessness and asking as Merwin asked, "What more can you do? What more can you
do?"(455). I fear the response will be, "But there is nothing more you can do. Other's are waiting.
everything is going to have to be put back."(455). If we let the degradation of the environment to
continue, I fear that soon the job will be insurmountable and we will be paralyzed with regret. It
is up to the whole human race to end it before "Everything is going to have to be put back"(455).

Merwin, W. S. "Unchopping a Tree." In A Forest of Voices, Eds. Chris Anderson and Lex
Runciman. MountainView: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1995. 453-455.

Efficacy of School Voucher Programs

Will school choice significantly improve educational standards? This is the fundamental question
in school choice policy debates. Are vouchers the solution or do they just compound the
problem? Teachers unions believe school choice will destroy the public school system, a
mainstay of government responsibility. Yet others argue that the failings of public education are
the fundamental reason why certain groups are held back from advancing their place in society.
Who is right? More importantly, whose interests will win out?
Supporters of school vouchers say that the entity of school choice does indeed exist currently-but only for affluent families. Children in affluent families can be sent to whatever school a
parent desires, they argue. However, low-income families are restricted in their options and thus
are forced to send children to subpar educational institutions. This has the effect of perpetuating
the cycle of receipt of poor education leading to low-income jobs in the future. The only way to
break this cycle of inequality is to intervene at the point of education. Supporters contend that
leveling the playing field for educational access will lead to greater equity on a larger scale.
Opponents question the quality of education in private schools which are not regulated by the
State. Schools in which teachers may not be credentialed and curriculum varies from school to
school. Such opponents, including many Congressional Democrats, say that voucher programs
rob needed cash from local public schools. "Vouchers will not reform our public schools, they

will only serve to weaken them," says Robert Chase, president of the National Educational
Association, the nation's largest teachers' union. Opponents believe that withdrawing money from
already underfunded public schools will simply exacerbate the problem.
Huckleberry Finn - Moral Choices
There were many heroes in the literature that has been read. Many have been courageous and
showed their character through tough times. Through these tough times they were forced to make
important decisions and this is where you get the real idea of who is deserved to be called a hero.
The most influential though of all these was Huckleberry Finn. Through the innocence of
childhood he is able to break through the societal pressures that are brought on him and do right.
In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you meet a rebellious young teen named
Huck Finn. Huck is not your everyday hero especially in the beginning of the novel but slowly
through the story his mature, responsible side comes out and he shows that he truly is the epitome
of a hero. Huck is forced to make many crucial decisions, which could get him in serious trouble
if not get him killed. Huck has natural intelligence, has street smarts, which are helpful along his
adventure, and is assertive. Huck has always had to rely on himself to get through things because
he is from the lowest levels of white society and his dad is known more or less as the `town
drunk." So when Huck fakes his death and runs away to live on an island he is faced with yet
another problem, which revolves around the controversial issue of the time of racism.
While living on the island he meets Jim who was a slave but Huck soon learns that he has ran off
and now in the process of making his way up north to Canada. Here Huck is faced along with his
first tough decision, to go with Jim and help him, or just go and tell the officials of a runaway
slave and get the reward. Huck reluctantly joins Jim and promises him to get him to free land for
the sake of a good adventure but he still feels guilty to be conversing with a runaway slave let
alone help him escape. Along the way Huck has many challenges, which are just like this one.
This is truly remarkable for a child to be able to break away from the influence of society and go
with his heart and do what is right especially when it was considered wrong.
The thought of helping a slave and actually treating them like a normal human being was totally
unheard of at the time, down south. That's why this story is so great because a boy is able to
ignore all that has been taught to him about blacks and go do whatever he feels is the right thing.
Huck's decision in his moral confliction truly impressed me with how courageous Huck was for
the sake of his friendship and how he didn't take any regard to the law. Twain shows that there is
hope for the future and that if an ignorant child can realize how awful slavery was then someday
the nation will wake up and put a stop to it.
In conclusion, Huck Finn through all the trials he was put through voluntarily for his friendship
with a runaway slave, Jim, proves just why he deserves to be called a hero. Huck had many
difficult, moral choices which he was forced to make along his journey and for those reasons
Huckleberry Finn is able to be called a hero.

Choice and Responsibility in Death of a Salesman, Young Goodman Brown, and No Exit
Sartre and his existentialist philosophy have been subjects of curiosity for me for years. Only
recently, after taking a philosophy class, have I begun to grasp some of the major principals of
existentialism. Though I'm unsure about some of the peripheral arguments and implications of
existentialism, the core of the system appeals strongly to me: Human beings are themselves the
basis of values and meaning, and in this sense values are real--evolving, developing, and real.
Existentialism places the individual at the center of things, gives him a sense of empowerment
and responsibility, and erects a bridge on which Man can find his way out of many of the traps
and snares he constructs for himself. Sartre's character in the play "No Exit," Orestes, finds such
freedom and, in a humanist sense, is one of the most enviable characters I encountered in this
course.
How can this be? Orestes commits two murders and is exiled from his rightful kingdom, barely
escaping with his life. What is enviable about him? Orestes possesses a certain mental and
emotional freedom at the end of the play that other fictional characters (and even real people)
have not attained in far less dire circumstances. Orestes is a testament to the power of the
individual to determine for himself what he will do, and why, without allowing others to direct
his actions or his responses. He is the supremely inner-directed individual, taking responsibility
for his acts, and thereby taking control of his whole life. In today's world, where people
commonly feel disenfranchised and powerless, Orestes' personal reality is an enviable reality.
Orestes strongly reminds me of Biff Loman in "Death of a Salesman." In the beginning of both
dramas, these characters struggle with the demands of outer circumstances as opposed to their
own needs and desires. Finally, each character chooses to listen to their inner promptings, and
they then find an inexhaustable source of strength and affirmation. Orestes' statement, "For I...am
a man, and every man must find his own way...I am doomed to have no other law but mine," is an
echo of Biff's assertion, "I know who I am, kid." Each character chooses and follows his own
path. They kill their "Buddhas," transcend their circumstances, and create a personal, empowered
reality of their own.
My praise for Orestes' and Biff's choices speaks for me because I agree with how they dealt with
their lives. Some might call it egotistical to base one's actions on an internal scale of values but,
to me, it seems that I am the only thing in this world I have any control over; therefore, my self
must be the source and basis of my resources. Such a view protects me from outer circumstances,
as it did for Orestes after the murders, because he found a free path through others'
condemnations and judgments. This was precisely Electra's failure: she lacked the courage to
believe in and trust herself and so fell victim to the judgments of others. Such was also the case
with Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown." Though Goodman Brown caught a glimpse of a
reality his community strove to deny, he lacked the courage and faith in himself to pursue this
discovery and eventually replace his lost illusions of the community's values with a perception of
reality and a value system that was uniqu! e to himself. He couldn't find within himself the
strength necessary to take the next step, from disillusion to freedom, that Orestes and Biff were
able to find. Biff's brother, Happy, is a final example of someone who couldn't, or wouldn't, break
away from the safe harbor of conformity and test himself in the open seas of life.

No one denies that blazing one's own path through life is difficult, arduous, and often surprising.
Materially and socially, it is often unrewarding. But I cannot think of an emptier or more
horrifying feeling than waking up one morning and realizing I had lost touch with the only thing
a person can ever really have, a sense of self. No matter how much money I had, this experience
would brand me as a failure in my own eyes. Conversely, no matter how little success I might
manifest in the world, as long as I maintained my personal integrity, I would view myself as a
success

Moral Guidance Key to Eradicating Teen Drug Abuse.

The "Just don't do it" slogan from Bob Dole's anti-drug campaign may, upon a cursory
evaluation, appear to be an inefficient way of confronting the growing problem of national drug
abuse. After all, it is hardly reasonable to believe that a potential drug user will specifically
consider these words before deciding whether or not to get high.

However, this slogan, and the man that stands behind it, represent a sorely needed, value-oriented
stance on the issue that has been lacking in the Clinton administration. The president's cavalier
attitude has been responsible for a dramatic increase in drug abuse among teenagers.

While Clinton's baby boomer generation has dismissed aggressive anti-drug campaigns as
ineffectual, the truth is that tough approaches to the problem have proven to be very successful.
The Nixon, Reagan and Bush administrations are direct examples of this.

When Richard Nixon began his first term, use of marijuana and heroin had reached an all-time
high. In response, he vowed to wage a national attack on narcotics abuse which involved
reducing the flow of drugs into the country while stepping up drug treatment programs.

Nixon began his work by arranging for the extradition of noted heroin chemists, and sent
ambassadors to negotiate narcotics agreements with foreign countries. Turkey, which provided
about 80 percent of the U.S. heroin supply promised a complete cessation of its production in
exchange for $35.7 million in aid.

On the national level, the Nixon administration further proved its dedication to the cause by

legalizing the use of drugs to combat addiction and by encouraging anti-drug commercials and
television programs.

Although many were doubtful that these measures would have any impact, they did help to
dramatically curtail drug abuse. In 1975, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
announced that while the purity of heroin had declined, the street price was four times greater.
The result was a marked decline in heroin abuse.

Unfortunately, the Carter administration failed to continue the vigorous anti-drug campaign. In
fact, President Carter at one time advocated that marijuana possession be legalized. It is little
wonder that, in the absence of strong moral leadership, by 1979 half of all teenagers were
experimenting with the drug. Fortunately, Reagan was elected at this crucial time, and was
succeeded by George Bush, who both strongly supported drug interdiction. Between the years of
1979 and 1992, teenage drug abuse was reduced by one-half.

The fluctuation of drug abuse statistics in accordance with changing political leadership is not
coincidental. It is a direct reflection of the importance of presidential guidance on this issue.

The Republican presidents that took an aggressive anti-drug stance helped to drastically
ameliorate the problem of addiction. Under their leadership, societal attitudes towards drug use
changed. The belief that taking drugs was morally incorrect became more widespread. Most
importantly, they proved that the war on drugs is not a losing battle. Parents, educators and law
enforcement officials do not have to accept drug abuse as a growing and irreversible trend.

Sadly, the Clinton administration appears to be espousing Carter's apathetic stance on the issue.
For the first part of his term he appointed a surgeon general who voiced support of drug
legalization, and reduced the amount of resources available to the White House drug office.
Evidence has emerged indicated that members of his own staff have taken drugs, and it is no
secret that they have been subject to regular drug testing.

Most dismaying is that instead of denouncing his attempt to experiment with marijuana, President
Clinton has made light of the subject, cavalierly joking about it on Music Television. If the
President of the United States does not vehemently condemn the action of taking drugs, how can
society expect today's youth to attach any stigmatization or sense of shame to drug abuse?

In the wake of this record, it is not surprising that the use of heroin among teens has more than
doubled in the last year. Last month 32 out of 4,500 teenagers surveyed admitted to using the
substance in the past year. In 1995, the number was just 14. In another survey it was shown that
in the same one year period the number of teenagers who responded that they do not expect to
take drugs in the future has dropped by 35 percent.

Recent polls have further shown that the problem appears to be rooted in the fact that many baby
boomer parents experimented with drugs in their youth, and subsequently expect that their
children will do the same. Eighty-three percent of parents who had never smoked marijuana
believed it would be a "crisis" if their children were to experiment with drugs, as opposed to just
58percent of parents that had smoked marijuana. These statistics show that, under Clinton's
liberal example, a large segment of our society has resigned itself to accepting drug use as a part
of our culture.

While it is true that catchy slogans will not win the war on drugs, they are a small step toward
changing the attitude of indifference that has made this battle increasingly difficult to fight.

Our permissive culture and inadequate presidential leadership have played a negative role in
curtailing drug addiction among teens. It is time to elect a president whose party has proven itself
to be effective with this important issue. If elected, Bob Dole has vowed to make monthly
speeches against drugs. He has also promised to reduce drug abuse among teens by 50 percent by
the end of his first term.

While Clinton supporters doubt this claim, the same reduction has been accomplished under
previous Republican administrations. In any case, Bob Dole would not continue to send Bill
Clinton's messages of ambivalence to today's youth, and it is clear that firm moral guidance is the
key to eradicating the problem of teen drug abuse.
The Nature of Food in Popular Culture

Since the dawn of the television and movie era, the act and consequences of eating have been
portrayed inaccurately. After reviewing nearly a hundred years of motion picture and television
archives even the most thorough investigator would be hard-pressed to find a realistic depiction
of food. These industries are known for responding to social change in other capacities such as
the role of women in society and ever-changing social norms; but when it comes to food, the

movie and television industries remains unchanged in its incorrect perception of eating habits.

The film industry has a history of responding to changes in society. Movies and television shows
now present women and minorities as equal and they no longer condone spousal abuse or
spanking children for wrongdoing. This was not always the case. In the 1950's sitcom, "I Love
Lucy," the central character Lucy was seen putting makeup on her face to simulate a bruise. She
did this so her husband wouldn't hit her after she made some kind of mistake with the dinner she
was cooking. In that era, a plot line such as this was viewed as acceptable; but a similar plot
would be loudly protested in modern times. Today's television viewer sees a much different
woman in entertainment programs. Women are depicted as strong and independent characters and
spousal abuse is never condoned. In this instance, popular culture responded to a change in
American culture. Another example of this would be the changing role of blacks in the film
industry. In movies made before the 1960s, black characters were rarely portrayed as anything
more than porters, janitors, or factory workers. During the civil rights movement, however, we
started to see a more representative depiction of African-Americans in culture. For example,
Sidney Poitier in "To Sir with Love" was viewed as a major stride for racial equality in the film
industry. And now, an African-American actor, Denzel Washington, is considered one of the most
popular Hollywood stars. In both of these cases, popular culture reacted to a transitioning society
and created a different product.

Yet, when dealing with food, popular culture has not responded to social change. As society now
approaches the 21st century, food has become an increasingly volatile issue. In the United States,
subjects like eating disorders, obesity, and unhealthy eating habits receive much attention from
the media and the medical community. In fact, eating disorders and healthy eating habits are
stressed in most high school health curriculums. Despite the importance of these emerging
dysfunctions, movies still portray food and eating unrealistically. Attractive characters eat what
they want, when they want, and their bodies remain healthy and strong. Characters in the popular
sitcom "Friends" have eating habits that most doctors would consider ghastly, but the six actors
are all extremely attractive, seemingly unaffected by their diets. These same habits would be
extremely harmful to the average person and would be loudly opposed if put into words and
advertised in the public; yet popular culture ignores this fact.

Food is held to a double standard in popular culture. Filmmakers who make violent movies claim
to do so because society is violent and they have a responsibility to show the audience reality.
The same argument is repeated for the use of profane language, sex, and low social standards. Yet
even though eating disorders and the proliferation of junk food into the human diet are rampant in
our society, no screen writer or moviemaker seems willing to show this reality. Perhaps it may
seem like a trite detail that doesn't concern modern audiences or perhaps modern audiences want
to see the attractive characters taking on the unattractive personal habits that the average
American embraces. Either way, food and food alone is allowed special treatment in the eyes of
the movie industry.

The image and importance of food is greatly distorted in popular culture. Though, movies and
television have adapted to cultural change in the past, they seem to ignore changes in eating
habits. Some argue that movies represent the society from which they emerge. If a society is
crime-ridden, its movies will contain a great deal of violent content. If a society uses profane
language, that same obscene vocabulary will be utilized on screen. These concepts, though
disputed by many, are widely considered valid by numerous communication theorists. Yet, when
it comes to simple a simple biological issue like eating, the movie industry blatantly ignores
social reality. This theory holds true in nearly all forms of cultural expression.

Food Consumption

Not all people eat the same food, but there are some connections between who people eat with
and what types of food they eat. Throughout life, people live with different people or alone and
they eat different food. Most people live with their family when they are young, then move out
and live on their own, then sometimes get married and have their own family, and then live once
again on their own or with their spouse.

While living at home, parents usually make food for their children. They make dinner for the
family, and it is usually healthy. The children eat fairly healthy because even when they make
food for themselves, the food in the house is probably fairly healthy. Not only do the children eat
pretty healthy, the parent or parents do too. They make meals for the family and they mostly have
all food groups included. They can prepare a lot of food and most of it will get eaten. For
example, a parent can make a bag of frozen vegetables, and most of it will get eaten by the
family. If a person living on their own wanted vegetables, the bag would have more servings than
needed. When someones food is prepared for them, they will be very willing to eat it and they
will not need to do any work themselves.

When children move away from home and go to school, the school cafeteria makes food for
them. This food is made for many people and there is a large variety. Overall it is healthy and
people eat it because it is good, but mostly because it is prepared for them.

When children move away from home and do not go to school but live on their own, they do not
always eat very healthy. No one makes food for them, and they do not want to take a lot of time
to prepare food for just themselves. Also, they do not want to make a large amount of food for

just one person and have too much food left over. This is true for anyone who lives on their own.
People who live alone only need to make enough for one person, and they always need to make it
themselves unless they go out to eat. Food that is easy to prepare is not usually very healthy.
Microwave dinners, hot dogs, pizza, and macaroni and cheese are some examples of food that is
convenient to make. Most of this food is not very healthy. This type of food is good for just one
person, because there is not too much left over.

When people start their own family, they make food for their spouse and their family. They will
usually prepare meals, with mostly healthy food. There is no longer a need for TV dinners,
because they would no longer be convenient. For a family, a meal is convenient.

When people are old and live on their own or with one other person, they usually do not go to the
work of making an entire meal. They make food that is easy to prepare. If they made a meal,
there would be too much food for just one or two people.

Snacks like chips, cookies, and pop are very convenient. "Junk" food does not need to be
prepared. It is easy to just grab and eat. This food is not very healthy, but people living on their
own often eat a lot of it because it is handy. Eating out at fast food places is also very easy. It is
already cooked, and it tastes good. There is some healthy food, like salads, available at fast food
places but most people do not order the salads. Ordering pizza or cooking frozen pizza is also
very convenient. Most food that is easily ready to eat is not very healthy.

People who live alone or with one other person could eat with other single people or other
couples. They could take turns preparing food for each other and it would be much healthier than
eating microwave dinners. It would also be nice for them to not always have to make food for
themselves. People could get together with other people that live in their neighborhood or in their
apartment complex. It would not only be good because they can eat healthy food, but it would be
fun because they can talk to other people and be social.

Not all people are the same, but who they live with does change how they eat. People live with
different people throughout their lives, and their eating habits change along with their living
arangements. When people eat with a large group of people, they usually eat healthy meals.
When they eat alone or with just one other person, they eat convenient food, which is not very
healthy.

Food Consumption Among American Teenagers

American teenagers eat many different types of food. Some teenagers today are starting to pay
attention to health warnings about what they put into their bodies. Those that do not will greatly
impede how healthy they are later in their lives.

There are so many food choices that can be made throughout each day. Lack of time due to
homework, sports participation, and social lives can hurt healthful eating. This is not necessary
though. So many foods are available to us.

Speaking from experience, college students (in their freshman year) can be placed in a couple of
dietary categories. Some teens are stereotypically what one may consider to be normal. These
students usually just pick up whatever food is convenient. Teens eat what looks appetizing at the
moment that they feel hunger coming on. This youthful portion of the population completely
disregards all fat, sodium, and calorie content of the materials that they place in their mouths.

There are many foods that the casual consumer will automatically obtain. The main items of
consumption include sugar-laden colas, candy bars, and chips. Fried foods such as hamburgers
and French fries, as well as Mexican foods, are especially popular treats. Pizza is a large
component of this food group as well.

A second class of eaters lies at the opposite extreme from the casual consumer. These students,
the "health nuts", have paid attention to what their mothers have tried to convince their children
to eat since childhood. In the long run, these students will be better off than the casual consumers.
In their later years, the healthful consumers will have fewer myocardial infarctions (heart attacks)
and their arteries will be much less likely to be clogged. Bagels, fruits, and salad (with little or no
oily dressing) are the foods of choice among this healthy bunch.

A third class of teens may include the students who eat a combination of nutritious and unhealthy
foods. These teens may eat poorly at one meal and will turn around and eat sensibly at the next.
Mood plays a large part in what these students choose to eat.

Because life is so busy for everyone in the `90s, our diets, including those of teenagers, have

gone downhill quickly. As lives get busier, fewer people are at home to cook and eat nutritious
meals. It is often much quicker to run to a fast food restaurant. At restaurants, every member of
the family can order what they wish to eat. This often avoids conflicts at home as well. There is
always someone, usually the teenager, that has a problem with the menu. If one wants to, they are
able to order meals that are not too high in fat and calorie content. Most eating establishments
such as McDonald's or Hardee's have salads or sandwiches with chicken. Many people enjoy
going to the fast food places specifically for unhealthy food, however. It is often a treat to go get
a burger or to go out for pizza. Our culture has embraced such activities.

Teenagers especially buy hamburgers over salads because they are generally cheaper than the
vegetables. Teens are on very tight budgets, and if they need to buy something to eat, it is going
to be the item that fills them up the most for the least amount of money.

Items such as hamburgers and French fries are not just staples of the American diet, they are
important finger foods. American teens need foods that can be consumed during car trips while
driving to work or to a social gathering. Salads are not easily eaten with one hand.

Companies are now starting to make foods that are lower in fat, sodium, and calorie content.
Many teens believe that they can eat more of these items because they have less of the unwanted
nutrients contained within them. Often these foods are not much better nutritionally than the
original product.

This leads to the next problem of snacking. Breakfast is rarely eaten anymore because it is just
too difficult to get up an extra ten minutes early. By lunch time, teens are usually famished. They
may not get enough to eat for their noon meal and as a result, snack for the remainder of the day.
Snacking may not be such a problem if we make a conscious effort to eat fruits and vegetables
instead of cookies and chips as most teens choose to do.

Teens may also snack due to the fact that they are bored and need something to do within their
group of friends. Going out for pizza or other food is very commonplace in our society. During
study sessions, snacks are necessary parts of the learning process. Snack foods keep hands and
mouths busy while the brain is busy absorbing material.

Eating may occur more often if students stay up into the early hours of the morning studying.
Students frequently must stay up very late to finish last minute assignments. Obviously junk food

will be consumed at 3:00 a.m. in the morning. No one is going to make the effort to cut up some
carrot sticks or make a fruit salad at that hour.

Life for teens seems to center around food, and that fact will probably never change. Due to
hectic lifestyles and the fact that many teens are still growing, copious amounts of food will be
consumed during these years. As Home Economics (or Family and Consumer Science, as it is
now called) teachers throughout the country have said, "the key is to eat in moderation". Will it
ever be possible for teenagers to break their bad eating habits?

Nutrition: A Key to Success in Sports

Certain foods can make a difference in sports competition. Conditioning, strength, and speed
have been the focal points of athletic training for years; however, the research on nutritional
elements indicates their importance to an athlete's optimal performance. Knowing the proper food
to eat before, during, and after a physical activity can help an athlete in achieving their desired
performance.

The most important nutrient categories are starches, minerals, sugars, and electrolytes. Starches
and minerals fit into the area of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are
polysaccharides (many sugars bonded together). Because of the multiple bonds, polysaccharides
are able to store energy for later use. Simple sugars make up the other group of carbohydrates.
The bonding structures of simple sugars are much less advanced that than those of complex
carbohydrates. This allows for the burning of simple sugars in an athlete's body. Electrolytes are a
category of their own because they are helpful to an athlete all of the time, whether energy
storage or energy burning is needed.

Minerals are a group of compounds that allow for endurance in an athletic competition.
Potassium is a common mineral associated with muscle cramping. A lack of potassium is the
cause of muscle cramping during a sporting event. Minerals must be taken in at least six hours
before the time of activity. Due to the complexity of minerals, they are not easily transported to
the muscle cites most in need of replenishment.

Complexity of compounds is the reason they must be absorbed long before the physical activity.
Starch a main area of complex carbohydrates. It has several bonds. Starches are tightly bound

carbon molecules and have several attaching elements. This bonding complexity is the reason
starches are capable of retaining large amounts of energy. These compounds should be taken into
an athlete's body prior to intense physical activity because an energy storage supply is necessary
when simple compounds are completely oxidized.

The athlete's body is able to burn simple carbohydrates quickly. This leaves him/her drained
minutes into the sporting event. Examples of simple carbohydrates are sugars and electrolytes.
Their bonding patterns are opposite that of starches. Loosely bonded elements are stripped of
electrons through oxidation. This is the reason for quick energy production and subsequent usage.
Studies have concluded that premiere athlete may be capable of enduring for a longer time on
simple sugars than an average athlete; however, he/she would have increased duration with the
backup of complex carbohydrate.

Yet, simple sugars have advantages in athletic competition. During a sporting event, quick energy
can be a vital factor in success. Intense physical activity over an extended period of time will use
all of the stored energy taken in before hand. The athlete's body needs energy quickly in order to
continue. Sugars and electrolytes are the best source of energy during the event. Simple
carbohydrates give the body a "boost" when it becomes run down or until it has time to oxidize
other complex energy compounds.

An athlete must eat the proper foods and drink the correct beverages before, during, and after
intense activity. Prior to the action foods such as potatoes and pasta should be eaten. These are
two of the highest sources of starch among all of the foods. Excessive amounts of salt on the
pasta or potatoes are unnecessary. Salt will lead to the retention of excess water under the skin.
For the highest results, foods high in starch should be eaten several hours before the event. Fruits
and vegetables will deliver several minerals into the body. Bananas bring potassium into an
athlete's body. This in important because potassium reduces the risk of muscle cramping during
the event. Water is a mainstay in any athlete's body. It contains electrolytes, which are necessary
in the body before, during, or after a workout.

During competition sugars and electrolytes are necessary. Powerbars are a type of candy bar
made specifically for sporting events. They carry simple saccharides needed for rapid oxidation.
Other candy bars have the same saccharides; however, additives harmful to optimal performance
are included. Beverages such as Gatorade and Powerade are another pathway to taking in simple
compounds. These drinks are high in electrolytes and simple sugars. Water has electrolytes but
special drinks have a higher concentration. The increased concentration allows for higher
absorption into muscle cells.

Foods containing starch, sugar, protein, and other compound categories should be used to
replenish the athlete's body following competition. This is especially important if the athlete is
planning on competing in the near future. Intense action diminishes the body's stored compounds.
The amount of replenishment needed varies with the activity and the athlete.

What an athlete takes into his/her body has the capability of helping or hindering performance.
Exceptional athletes can become drained of energy if they have not taken in the correct dietary
supplements before engaging in a sport. Knowing the proper supplements can increase stamina
when it is needed. The importance of an appropriate diet has been overlooked in the past. Though
conditioning, strength, speed, etc. are still very important to an athlete's success, nutrition has
become a contributing factor in peak performance. Athletes must be aware of this and make the
changes in their diet accordingly.
Artificial Life or Natural Death?

Euthanasia has been a hotly debated about topic for the past couple of
decades, but has recently been thrust into the limelight by many controversial
court and hospital decisions.

Euthanasia is defined as the "mercy killing" of a person who is brain

dead, terminally ill or otherwise at death's door. This usually, but not
necessarily, affects people who are are separated from death only by machines.
Whether you personally believe "mercy killing" is a viable solution in a
hopeless situation or not the proponents for both sides provide arguments that
can be quite convincing. Supporters of euthanasia say that it is such an
improbability for a miraculous recovery and a return to a normal life that it is
not worth putting the patient through all the suffering and agony that
prolonging their life would cause or the fortune of hospital bills that you
would pay. The opposition feels that it is not right for people to abandon other

members of the human race because there is always a chance, even though it is a
small one, that they will regain all functons and return to a normal life.

There are many cases in which euthanasia is acceptable. Brain death is

one situation which merits euthanasia. It is also one of the more common cases
where euthanasia is requested. Brain death is when all brain activities cease.

The lines are fairly well drawn in the law about patients who are
suffering but are still compotent, but when the law is asked to determine the
fate of a lingering, comatose, incompotent patient the lines begin to blur. In
many cases the courts turned to the patient's family, but what if there are not
any or they disagree? In such cases who decides? In a controversial decision a
Massachusetts court allowed that it would invoke its own "substitute judgement"
on behalf of a mentally ill woman. In a second case mentioned in the January 7
issue of Newsweek, a Minnesota Surpreme court turned to three hospital ethics
committees to review a dying loner's case, followed their collected wisdom and
ordered him off the respirator so that he could have a dignified death. "It is
the first time ethics committees played a significant role in the court" says Dr.
Ronald E. Cranford. Still the easiest way to know and respect the patient's
wishes is through a simple piece of paper called a living will. (18)

It was stated, in the Bible, by the same preacher in Ecclesiastes who

said there is a time to be born and a time to die also said there is "A time to

search and a time to give up" (Ecclesiastes 3:6)

We need the honesty to admit death and the courage to discontinue life
extending measures, because of the extreme amount of funds that go into
supporting a brain dead, comatose, or terminally ill patient for any amount of
time. Although brain dead and comatose patients do not feel pain terminally ill
patients do, so is it not better to stop the pain that prolonging life would
cause?

It also seems to me that the brain dead patient lying in the hospital
bed coupled to machines is unlike the person that you knew and loved. In U.S.A.
Today a situation was written about that promotes this way of thinking, it says
"Typical is the inert body of an eighty two year old woman, victim of a massive
coronary, lying day after day hooked up to tubes and wires with no prospect of
returning to consciousness, much less to last week's vitality which her daughter
remembers as she says, 'That is not my mother lying there'." (34)

Many think that "We should be very careful in terms of our technological
miricals that we do not impose life on people who, in fact, are suffering beyond
our ability to help."

In Christianity Today January, 1990 there is a statement that I think is

the epitome of all that advocates of euthanasia say and believe, "In todays
society, where technological advances have given us the power to prolong the

quantity of life long beyond what many believe is life with any dignity or
degree of quality, pulling the plug or removing the tube should not be
considered a sin of commission, murder, or suicide ; but a humble
acknowledgement of our finitude." (6)

Should we ever give up on our friends and family, isn't there always a
chance of normal life? "After an accident that seems to wipe out all or most of
its victim's vital functions, it is often impossible to read the future. The
person might someday surprise us, wake up, and walk." (Christianity Today Jan
1990 p.6)

Is it not better to attempt to keep them alive and they still die a
natural death than to not try and give up all hope on our loved ones? The
Cruzan case is one example where a comatose girl named Nancy needed a loving,
praying, and caring family. She did not need a family that would just give up on
her and let her slip into the eternal sleep of death.

Is it fair that people that barely new the patient are the ones to
choose the patient's fate. Like the time a Minnesota Surpreme Court turned to
ethic committees, followed what they said and killed a dying man. (Newsweek Jan.
7,1985 p.18) I do not see how people who never even met the patient before he
was condemned to die are knowlegeable of the patient's wishes or realy even what
the family desires. (18)

The Holbrook case is one example where a man was miraculously revived
after being in a coma for eight years after he was hit on the head with a piece
of firewood. Effie Holbrook said that she never gave up hope on her son. Her
prayers were answered February 25, 1991 When Conly Holbrook, called her name.
Holbrook then told his mother the names of the two people he said hit him. After
the assault, he was in a coma for three months before they had to remove part of
his skull to relieve pressure on his brain. He had been in a comatose state ever
since.

Living Wills are growing in popularity since the numbers of "mercy

killings" have grown. A living will is a declaration of the desire for a natural
death. It is a means of retaining control over what happens at the end of your
life, even when you are no longer able to express your wishes.

To many people, the fear of a lingering death is worse than the fear of
dying, and a Living Will permits you to make certain choices when there is not
doubt that you are compotent. North Carolina and many other states have adopted
Living Will laws. North Carolina has recognized them since 1977. G.S. 90-321
provides that if an idividual has declared in the proper manner a desire that
his or her life not be prolonged by extraodinary means, and if attending
physician determines the individual's condition is terminal and incurable and is
confirmed by another physician, then extraodinary means may legally be withheld
or discontinued.

When you sign a Living Will the decision does not have to be a permanent
one. You may revoke a Living Will at any time by destruction of original and
all copies or by communication of your intention to evoke the will.

The line between whether euthanasia is acceptable or not is quite fine

and we all need to be careful when it comes to the point of euthansia. You must
have your priorities straight before you make a final decision on your, or
someone elses, fate. Would you want to be killed? Would you want your wife
killed after a car wreck or would you rather allow her or you to go on living by
life support? Euthanasia is so touchy that most people would never, and should
never want, to have to make this decision between life and death.

Supreme Court and Virtual Child Porn

On January 22, 2001, the United States Supreme Court granted the government's petition for
review on the issue of the constitutionality of the 1996 Child Pornography Prevention Act
(CPPA) in which Congress sought to modernize federal law by enhancing its ability to combat
child pornography in the computer era. (Holder)

CPPA classifies an image that "appears to be" or "conveys the impression" of a minor engaging in
sexually explicit acts as "virtual" child pornography. Such images include a photograph of a real
child that may be scanned, replicated and manipulated by computer to create a sexually-oriented
photo, or a wholly fake child that may be generated solely by computer graphics.
By enacting this law, Congress recognized a loophole in the child pornography law, in that
technological improvements have made it possible for child pornographers to use computers to
"morph" or alter innocent images of actual children to create a composite image showing them in
sexually explicit poses.

With this in mind Congress intended to (1) ban computer-generated images that are "virtually
indistinguishable" from those of real children, (2) to protect the privacy of actual children whose
innocuous images are altered to create sexually explicit images and (3) to deprive child abusers of
a "criminal tool" frequently used to facilitate the sexual abuse of children. (Child)

As reported in the July 2000 Obscenity Law Bulletin, the Ninth Circuit in Free Speech Coalition
v. Reno, 198 F.3d 1083 (9th Cir. 1999), struck down CPPA as a content-based restriction on
protected speech not in furtherance of any compelling government interest because the prohibited
images are not of actual children. According to that Court, "Because the 1996 Act attempts to
criminalize disavowed impulses of the mind, manifested in illicit creative acts, we determine that
censorship through the enactment of criminal laws intended to control an evil idea cannot satisfy
the constitutional requirements of the First Amendment."

This ruling splits with other circuits: United States v. Hilton, 167 F.3d 61 (1st Cir. 1999) ("The
government's interest in addressing these forms of child pornography is no less powerful than in
instances where an actual child is used and abused during the production process. We will not
second-guess Congress's decision to address the social ills posed by the various types of virtual
child pornography."); United States v. Acheson, 195 F.3d 645 (11th Cir. 1999) ("Notwithstanding
the risk of suppressing protected expression, Congress and the states are entitled to greater
leeway in the regulation of pornographic depictions of children...)

In March 2000 in United States v. Pearl, the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Northern
Division, upheld CPPA against vagueness and overbreadth challenges. The Court rejected the
Free Speech holding and aligned itself instead with Hilton and Acheson finding the language of
the statute "sufficiently narrowly tailored to promote the compelling government interest in
preventing harm to actual children, based on substantiated Congressional findings that virtual
pornography was used to seduce actual children into sexual activity, and thus comported with free
speech guarantees."

WORKS CITED:
Child Pornography Prevention Act.

http://www.politechbot.com/docs/cppa.text.html

Holder v. Free Speech Coalition, Docket No. 00-795).

http://www.ballononecommerce.com/ballononecommerce/updates/ch46upd.html

Virtual Design in Architecture

Virtual Reality has become the fastest growing trend in the architecture world. Slowly, virtual
reality is drastically altering the architect's design process. Typical architecture supplies, like Tsquares, triangles, lead and ink, are being replaced by computers and plotters. These computers
would allow the designer to visually construct a building and virtually walk through it before it is
actually built.

This new virtual project would provide the architect with many helpful uses. It would assist in the
brainstorming of new ideas, allowing the designer to play around with new issues without making
anything permanent. It also would help finding and correcting problems in a plan. For example, if
a door does not seem to work well, the designer can easily see the problem and amend it without
tremendous frustration. Virtual reality would also aid in presenting a potential plan to clients
before it is final. This way the plan could be changed to suit the buyer while they are watching,
saving lots of valuable time. Architects benefit immensely from this new technology.

Computer Aided Design, or CAD, is the actual term for this new age drawing. AutoCAD is the
most popular microcomputer drafting program and is what most schools teach and most
architects use. Other programs are being developed rapidly and are supplying AutoCad with
competition. Theses programs allow the designer to "walk" inside their potential building. This
gives the architect a chance to interact with the design as each new element is added to the plan.
As one architect said about a particular program, "you move freely, viewing the design from
many different perspectives...it is a completely interactive spatial presentation, in fact, you could
walk up to a wall, cut a hole in it, and instantly see the trees outside." The architect can, not only
move the objects, but actually move around inside of them.

Virtual reality, along with the internet will add yet another level in the advancement of
architecture. It will allow the architect to confer with other architects all over the world. By using
the concept of a "virtual organization," the participants are able to consult and work together on
several projects scattered around the world at any one time. For example, an architect in
Charlottesville can work on a project with an architect in Japan, allowing them to both get input
from the other. This gives the members of this organization a way to present their work to a
larger, different range of architects and receive more help.

Another use of this "virtual organization" is presenting designs and plans to clients that may be
across the country. This would broaden the range of architects and clients since a client could
pick from any in the world, rather than in close range. In one of these actual conferences, each

participant would have a window on their computer that would provide access to the project
being discussed. Each person would be able to talk and manipulate the plan without damaging the
first idea. This provides a much quicker way of finalizing a plan.

The internet along with CAD would also assist in the education of architects. The traditional
architecture activities would take place on line, including the desk crit, the building of models,
the consulting of other visuals, the pin-up and the actual jury. It would greatly benefit by
providing the student with an opportunity to expand their learning and research. The student
could show and discuss their work with professors at other universities and architects around the
world. Portfolios would be much more compact, being held on a single diskette. Obviously,
computers and virtual reality assists the architect in design enormously.

The use of virtual reality in architecture is definitely beneficial to their design, however, some
architects wonder if the use of computers in the initial stages of learning is detrimental. Most
believe that a student needs a backbone knowledge of the basics using the traditional methods
before working towards the use of computers. Despite these feelings, computers are still
becoming more and more prevalent in the architecture world. Because of this, many architecture
schools are introducing virtual reality and CAD much earlier.

The Mississippi State School of Architecture, for example, introduces CAD into their curriculum
earlier than usual. Every student is required to own a personal computer that will run autoCAD or
some design program by their second year. This is controversial since the students are hardly
given an introduction before they are "thrown into" CAD. At UVa, however, the student is not
required to take a CAD class until third year after a complete introduction into architecture.

In addition to the education of future architects, the price of design programs is also a disputed
topic. The computers and the programs are expensive, especially in its early stages. Program
prices ranged from under $100 to millions of dollars to replace complete studios with computers.

Nevertheless, in spite of the controversial topics, virtual reality has helped to make a giant step
forward in technology for architects. The use of computers will aid in the design process
tremendously for architects of the future. Russ Herschelman, an architect, proves this feeling
when he said:

"Since we started using it, change orders are one tenth of what they used to be, and our cost of

producing accurate perspective drawings, even with numerous changes, is less than 1/2 of what it
used to be. But the biggest plus is that our clients are much happier. It has completely
transformed the way we do business."
Works Cited
Raker, D. and H. Rice. Inside Auto CAD. Thousand Oaks, CA: New Riders Publishing. 1985.
Thomsen, Christian. Visionary Architecture: From Babylon to Virtual Reality. New York: Prestel.
1994.
Netscape: Virtual Reality, walkthrough, Virtual Worlds, Virtual Environments, 3- Dimensional
Design, Dimensional Design.
Sources Cited
Benefits and Dangers of Virtual Reality
Although still in its, infancy, virtual reality will have a substantial effect on our future way of life.
Virtual reality already has made astounding progress in the world of commercial design, and it is
predicted to have a tremendous impact on everyday life as well. Virtual reality, when more
available, will have various uses ranging from recreation to basic communication. The
applications of virtual reality into different fields of occupations and research will have both
positive and negative effects on our society.
Virtual reality can be defined as a, "technology that enables users to enter computer generated
worlds and interface with them three dimensionally through sight, sound, and touch" (Newquist
93). Virtual reality combines computer simulation and visualization into a single, coherent whole
(Peterson 8). Researchers say it embodies an attempt to eliminate the traditional distinction
between the user and the machine. Virtual reality is intended to provide a means of naturally and
intelligently interacting with information (8). Virtual reality is contending to be the interface of
the future, allowing ordinary users to use their senses to interact with complex data.
Virtual reality is a new exploration in science and technology using advanced and complex
mechanics. Virtual reality allows for users to go far beyond simply looking at a computer screen.
Instead, the user puts on a special suit or gloves equipped with fiber-optic sensors. These fiberoptic sensors are able to interpret body positions. The user also wears special goggles that have
video screens and audio attachments. This equipment allows for the user's complete immersion
into a 3-D, computer generated, model of reality (Carr 37). The use of a two-way data transfer is
what enables this interaction with an alternate reality to occur. Fiber-optic and electronic cables
are attached to the virtual reality equipment in order to record the user's movements (Newquist
93). These cables then send this information, called motion data, to workstations which modifies
the graphics in the model. The new information is then sent back to the users headset, displaying
a graphic and audio world that is time with his or her movements. It is because of this cabling
process that the action/reaction information is continually updated (93).

In order to effectively create a 3-D environment for the user, virtual reality combines the
elements of immersion and interactivity. Immersion is the user's contact with the virtual reality
with as many senses as possible including; sight, hearing, and touch. The degree of an
individual's immersion into an alternate world depends on how many senses are in contact with
the virtual reality equipment. Interactivity includes the concept that the user can move around,
touch things, and talk in this virtual environment (Carr 39). Together these factors make possible
the effect of a completely realistic atmosphere.
Virtual reality has reached far beyond the interest of only computer scientists and engineers. It
has also peaked interest in many other fields including; communication and telecommunication
industrialists, artists, the entertainment industry, the medical field, the military, and major
businesses and industries. While once believed to excel in mainly forms of entertainment, namely
high-tech video games, virtual reality is rapidly becoming an advanced means for
communication. Virtual reality technology allows for users to observe and access information in a
number of ways. It is this aspect that is increasingly appealing to large businesses and
corporations. Virtual reality, once perfected, will have widespread use in these particular fields.
Almost all advances in technology have an impact on society at large, and virtual reality is
definitely one of them. Virtual reality will have major effects, both positive and negative, on our
society in the future. While presently only in the beginning stages, virtual reality could change
our future way of life drastically.
Some of the positive implications of virtual reality will be used in order to prevent mistake or
practice trial and error. For example, in the medical field simulated surgery would serve in the
training of new doctors and medical students. Experimentation with new procedures on simulated
patients could become possible as well. In the military the use of flight simulators has been a
practice for years. The use of virtual reality would provide even more advanced, realistic
situations for military training in flight as well as in combat. Virtual reality in businesses and
corporations would provide tremendous means of communication and equal access to data. For
example, rather than search through file cabinets on a computer desktop, the user will be able to
actually open the file drawers and flip through the files his or her self (Carr 40).
There are also several drawbacks to this technological advance and its foretold widespread
incorporation into our society. The present cost and the complications with the virtual reality
equipment are two of the main negatives facing scientists. For example, the head set sometimes
cannot keep up with the natural movements of the user's head. The issue of dehumanization in
our society is a another negative aspect. It is essential to our existence that we maintain a
humanistic mindset and not become overrun by a technology immersed world. Virtual reality, if
as widespread as predicted, could result in a significant decrease in human interaction in the real
world. It's advantageous for building stronger companies and so on; but what will our society turn
into if everyone is walking around in goggles and gloves pretending they are somewhere that
doesn't even exist?
In addition, virtual reality defeats the traditional view that fantasy is unattainable. In a way
fantasy and what we cannot obtain is intrinsic to our existence. People may begin to spend more
and more time in their preferred "virtual or fantasy world" and less time in reality. One researcher
says that if, "people eventually use virtual reality technology for the same amount of time that

they spend watching TV and using computers, some users could end up spending more than
twenty years inside virtual reality" (Biocca 14). If we begin to lose our hold on distinguishing
between fantasy and reality, our entire world will become uncertain. While virtual reality is a
colossal accomplishment in the science world, there must be some limitations on its incorporation
into our society.
Works Cited
Biocca, Frank. "Communicating Within Virtual Reality: Creating a Space for Research." Journal
forCommunication 42.4 (1992): 5-22.
Carr, Clay. "Is Virtual Reality Virtually Here?" Trainingand Development 46.10 (1992): 36-41.
Newquist, Harvey P. "Virtual Reality's Commercial Reality." Computerworld 30 March 1992: 9395.
Peterson, Ivars. "Looking Glass Worlds." Science News 4 January 1992: 8-10.
Virtual Reality is Reality

In his essay, "A Rape in Cyberspace," Julian Dibbell wrote about a violent event that occurred in
LambdaMOO, a virtual reality community. To some, Dibbell states, this event was nothing more
than "spidery flitting of fingers across standard QWERTY keyboards" (450). On the other hand,
to the victims it was much more. In his essay one of the victims was quoted as saying " ...[I] have
thought about it for days. He hurt us both" (453). The effect that the virtual event had on the
victim was obviously real; thus, this event effected their real life. According to Heim, the author
of "The Essence of VR," virtual reality is "an event or entity that is real in effect but not in fact"
(16). Is it the effect of a matter or the fact, materiality, of a matter that depicts how real an event
is? If it is the fact, there is a distinct line between virtual reality and real life. However, if the
impact that an event has on a person's life is what makes an event real, then virtual reality is very
real and the line between virtual reality and real life is very faint if it exists at all.

The use of virtual reality is increasing in many areas of society such as: communication, business,
education, and medicine. Perhaps this increase will cause the lives of all people, even those who
do not use computer technology which is typically thought of as the medium for virtual reality, to
be impacted. It is important to know if and where the line between virtual reality and real life
exists due to this steady increase of virtual reality use. This essay will provide evidence focusing
on how the line is slowly disappearing as virtual reality is shaping the way medicine effects our

health and livelihood.

The ways in which virtual reality impacts peoples' lives are rapidly increasing, especially with the
increased use of virtual reality in medicine. One example of this is in the testing of colon cancer.
An article from ABCNews entitled "The Wonders of Virtual Surgery" states that, "the American
Cancer Society predicts that 96,500 people will get colon cancer in 1998, and 47,700 will die of
it." Using virtual reality doctors would be able to look inside organs by making CT scans into
three-dimensional images. This would allow doctors to look for diseases such as colon cancer
with much more ease for the patient. The procedure used to be much more invasive involving the
insertion of a colonscope up the patient's rectum. Since the procedure is now less invasive more
people may be willing to get screened (Wonders). This will effect the reality of literally thousands
of people since early detection of prostate cancer can help in curing it. Another disease, which
may be easier to fight using virtual reality technology, is breast cancer, which according to the
American Cancer Society has killed 43,900 people in 1998 alone. This new type of diagnosis
would use a "three-dimensional imager" which would discover a tumor and then diagnose it
immediately (Space). According to "Space Tech vs. Breast Cancer," an article from ABCNews
says that this will hopefully "replace painful and clumsy mammograms." Like colon cancer, early
detection of breast cancer can also help in the elimination of it. Once again the reality of
thousands of people will be changed with the use of VR.

Virtual reality will not only change the reality of how diseases are diagnosed, but how the
medical field can provide for its patients. When using virtual reality, Heim explains,
"communications can go beyond verbal or body language to take on magical, alchemical
properties" (21). A higher level of communication between doctors and patients influences the
treatment that doctors can provide. At this level of communication the problems may be better
understood. In an August 1997 issue, Byte magazine interviewed Jaron Lanier and described him
as a "pioneer and proponent of virtual reality." During this interview, Lanier discusses how
"apply[ing] the power of networking to the VR world" would allow a "more sophisticated way of
communication about their shared environment" (Byte). While still in surgery, surgeons being
able to discuss with each other any problems they run into during the procedure can also enhance
the care provided (Byte). This will have profound and immediate effects on each patient by
decreasing the chances of error in surgical procedures.

Jaron Lanier brings up the idea of using virtual reality as an "interface to control different surgical
instruments at the end of a fiber-optic channel in keyhole surgery." In doing so "we can create a

new body for the doctor, where his or her fingers become the scissors in a virtual model" (Byte).
John W. Hill who is the writer of "Telepresence Technology in Medicine: Principles and
Applications" explains "telepresence technology allows surgeons to experience surgery as if their
hands and eyes were effectively inside the patient's closed abdomen, enabling them to work with
improved skill and dexterity." Telepresence also allows surgeons to operate on patients that aren't
even in the same country as they are (Hill 569). This allows patients to get the best possible care
that they can since how far they have to travel to get treatment will no longer be a factor. The
costs of procedures may also be cut because people will not have to see a specialist if they do not
want to. As Hill states, "with telepresence, the user can remotely perform complex tasks without
the need of specialized training" (Hill 569). Another benefit for the patient is that telesurgery
causes "the patient to heal from surgery in one-tenth the usual time because telepresence surgery
leaves the body nearly intact" (20), according to Heim. People will no longer have to take as
much time off from their daily lives after having an operation, this is another way virtual reality
can influence a person's life thus destroying any line between virtual reality and real life which
may have existed before.

"Carving Out Real-Life Uses for Virtual Reality," an article from the New York Times, reports
that virtual reality could cause "better prepared surgeons and lower-risk surgery" along with
"shorter hospital stays and fewer malpractice suits" (Holusha 11). Surgeons can practice
procedures without having to do so on actual patients, hence refining their skills for when they do
perform on patients. One piece of technology that allows surgeons to do this is the Phantom,
which was created in 1993 by Thomas H. Massie at the age of 24, with the idea originating from
J. Kenneth Salisbury. The Phantom can simulate touch, which combined with "mind-bending 3-D
illusions" has already been used in a lab for a virtual biopsy of a brain tumor. The procedure felt
like the real thing to Dr. Thomas M. Krummel, who performed the virtual biopsy (Schultz 1).
This new advancement in medical training combined with the use of virtual reality in diagnoses
of diseases and in surgical procedures illustrates how the line between virtual reality and real life
is disintegrating.

The advancements which have been made in the medical field with virtual reality cause profound
outcomes in peoples' lives. As virtual reality improves the medical world it also improves the
lives of patients and their families. What is done in virtual reality in the field of medicine carries
over into peoples' everyday lives. This shows that what happens in virtual reality and real life are
not two separate things. The already undefined line between virtual reality and real life is
continually becoming fainter due to the fact that virtual reality is no longer just for computer
junkies. It has now become a very real aspect of our society.

Works Cited

"American Cancer Society." American Cancer Society-Cancer Facts and Figures. 6 Oct. 1998 .

Byte. "Beyond Goggles and Gloves." Byte 22 (Aug. 1997): 32.

Dibbell, Julian. "A Rape in Cyberspace." CyberReader . Ed. Victor J. Vitanza. Needham Heights:
Allyn and Bacon, 1996. 448-465.

Heim, Michael. "The Essence of VR." CyberReader . Ed. Victor J. Vitanza. Needham Heights:
Allyn and Bacon, 1996. 16-31.

Hill, John M. and Joel F. Jensen. "Telepresence Technology in Medicine: Principles and
Applications." IEEE 86.3(1998): 569-579.

Hodges, Larry, Max North, Dorothy Strickland, and Suzanne Weghorst. "Overcoming Phobias by
Virtual Exposure." Communications of the ACM 40.8(1997): 34-39.

Holusha, John. "Carving Out Real-Life Uses for Virtual Reality." New York Times 31 Oct. 1993:
11.

Schultz, Richard. "Call It Palpable Progress." Business Week 9 Oct. 1995: 93-94.

"Space Tech vs. Breast Cancer." ABCNEWS. (Oct. 1997). Accessed 14 Nov 1998.

"The Wonders of Virtual Surgery." ABCNEWS (Apr. 1998). Accessed on 14 Nov 1998.

Impact of Charley on Willy in Death of a Salesman

Charley had a huge impact on Willy in the play Death of a Salesman. Willy is jealous of Charley's
success. Repeatedly, Willy would go to Charley's to borrow money to pay the bills. Biff and
Happy were failures; Willy refuses to recognize this because Bernard, Charley's son was so
successful. Charley's effect on Willy has caused him to become extremely spiteful.
At the end of every week, Mr. Loman found himself at Charley's feet, begging him for money.
Charley continually gave him the money to keep him quiet. This is ironic because Willy thinks
that he is so much better then Charley, when in fact he was just incredibly jealous. When Willy
was fired from his job, his only friend Charley offered him a job. Willy reprimanded Charley for
insulting him. This made a very clear assertion of Willy's jealousy.
In Willy's eyes, his children were remarkable. They were, popular, good at sports, and intelligent.
When in reality Biff and Happy were rapidly declining. Charley would try to tell Willy about his
kids. Willy never listened because it pained him to see Bernard more successful then Biff and
Happy.
Charley was content with his life. His son was happily married with two sons. His job was going
great. Willy on the other hand was scared of life itself. He lied to his family and Charley about
everything. Repeatedly he contradicted himself. He said that blue-collar workers were stupid and
were not going anywhere. However, he would brag to Charley about all the work he did around
the house. Willy was never happy with what he had. He always thought he could have better.
If Willy just listened to his family and his friends, then he might still be alive. Willy ignored
reality. He was a jealous, selfish person. He liked to make things bigger than they were. Charley
helped Willy realize this. However, it was already too late. There was no turning back, he was
going to kill himself, and no one could stop him.

The Destruction of Willy in Death of a Salesman

Willy Loman is a travelling salesman who has worked for the Wagner firm for 34 years. He is
now 61 years old and his job has been taken off salary and put on commission. He has a family
and he boasts to them that he is "vital in New England," but in fact he isnt vital anywhere. Willy
has many strong beliefs that he strives to achieve.
He wants to own his own business and he wants to be "bigger than Uncle Charley" and especially

he wants to be a great success and he tries to emulate Dave Singleman. He wishes to die the
"Death of a Salesman" and have many buyers and salesmen mourn for him. He also tries to be a
good father, and husband.
However Willys aims in life have been useless as he hasnt really achieved anything. He got
fired by Howard, his sons are both failures and they abandoned him in a restaurant toilet. His
relationship with his wife is plagued by his guilt for committing adultery. He has to borrow $50 a
week from Charley. He cant even keep his mind on one thing for a long time. He cant drive a
car. Willy gets so fed up with all of these things that he wants to commit suicide and eventually,
he does. This topic suggests that Willys deterioration occurs because the principals he believes
in. To a large extent this is true.
After 34 years of Willys life, he loses his job. To a normal person under normal circumstances,
being retrenched is a time when you feel useless. But for Willy, since everything else is going
wrong at the same time, he feels like a useless old man. Willy thought that just because he named
his boss, that he would have a secure future with the company but as Charley said "them things
dont mean anything? You named him Howard, but you cant sell that." Even though Willy
wasnt even getting paid a salary, Howard didnt want him to even represent the company in case
Willy "cracked up" again.
Although Willy is mostly destroyed by his own ideals there are other things that destroy him as
well, like Howard, Happy and Biff. Willy is emotionally destroyed when Howard fires him.
Then, both of his sons disown and abandon him in Franks Chop House. Both Happy and Biff left
their father talking to himself in the bathroom while they wanted to have a good night out with
the girls. That also destroyed Willy because it showed that his sons didnt really care if he lived
or died.
Willy cant even drive a car though because he cant keep his mind on anything for a long period
of time. In the past he has had a few car accidents because his mind keeps wandering "Where are
you guys, where are you? The woods are burning! I cant drive a car!" Willy knows though that
he is deteriorating and that nobody can help him except for him.
Willy Loman, is indeed a low man. He has a very low self esteem and the only person that
really doesnt love him is himself. Willy had great goals (ideals) in practice, but the only thing
that he didnt realize is that if he didnt achieve those goals it wouldnt be the end of the world.
Willy took it a step to far though, he thought that his life wasnt worth living anymore, therefore
Willy Loman was definitely destroyed by his own ideals.
Willy as Tragic Hero in Death Of A Salesman
Willy Loman is indeed a pathetic and tragic hero of Death of a Salesman. His problems stem
from his own delusions, the American Dream turning sour, and misunderstanding his job and
family. All of this tells the story of everyday people in American society. His environment is
changing faster than his beliefs which is why he is in the dilemma that he is in now.
His own delusions are a result of his failure to succeed in life. He still believes he is popular,

respected and good looking. But at age 63, he is none of these. Nobody liked him that much since
very few people came to his funeral. His delusion was that there would be people across the
country coming to the funeral. However, in those moments that he begins to realize the truth, his
wife Linda while understanding his situation, supports his delusion. She say to him that "you're
the best looking man in the world". But the truth is that being popular and good looking is not
how you would succeed in the world now. It would be through hard work and perseverance.
The American Dream has long turned sour for him. At the beginning of his life, he remembers
traveling in a wagon going westward. His parents conquered the new frontier and succeeded. His
brother Ben went "into the jungle at 17 and came out rich at age 21". For a while, the American
Dream was alive in Willy too. He helped stake out new territory by selling his goods, his son Biff
was going to go to university with a scholarship and
he had a home with no apartments closing on him. But now, he was forced to work on
commission at an old age and was fired later by his godson. His favored son Biff had wandered
about the country doing odd jobs for many years, his friend's son Charlie was successful and his
home was now surrounded by apartment buildings which blocked out the sunlight. He was not a
success in selling , he failed to raise his sons and his beliefs were just delusions. Only through
hard work and perseverance would he achieve his goal of success but he decided to go along the
lazy route and failed.
Willy Loman misunderstood his family and job with profound reprucssions. He totally
misunderstood his occupation by trying to sell himself than the products. He could not hope to
succeed because there was virtually nothing to advance on him. People could buy into him
because there was nothing to sell in the first place. Because of t his, he eventually lost his job. His
family was something he equally misunderstood. His wife and two children did not let him know
that they knew the truth about him. They would tell him t hat his beliefs were wrong and that they
knew he was trying to kill himself. They did n ot always support him. As Biff was leaving the
restaurant, he told Happy to take care of his father.
Happy rejected him and he told the 2 girls he had picked up that Willy was not his father but was
"just a guy". Willy left the restaurant very humiliated. His son Biff no longer had the same ideals
as Willy or respected him much after his affair with Miss Francis. He had instilled the idea along
with Linda that they had the ability to save him but they didn't. He later dies to escape the
repercussions of the problems he has caused himself.
The pathetic and tragic hero of Death of Salesman is Willy Loman. He had a bright future but
later got lost along the way. This is the story of the "Low Man". Many believe in ideals like
Willy's, many have had the American Dream fail and many did not see that their family lost their
way because of them. It is a tragedy that a man with so much potential lost everything by
believing in the wrong things and never realizes his situation.
Death of a Salesman: Willy R Us

Willy Lowman is a character that most anyone can identify with. He has

two sides to his life; On one side he creates an image of being

successful, well liked, and bold. On the other side he feels old,
unsuccessful, defeated and disliked. He maintains the successful image
to comfort his wife and friends. This veil of success becomes thinner
and thinner until he lingers between fantasy and reality of the cruel
world, often changing back and forth in the course of a conversation.
The core of Willy's slow painful demise into nothingness is based upon
his beliefs. Willy thinks that success is not what you know, but who
he knows and how well he is liked. These beliefs he instills in his
sons, who find themselves adrift and meaningless just like their
father. In addition Willy sees the world changing, and his own
inability to change with it, will seal his fate. He misses the open
land and the smell of flowers in the summer, the pollution and high
rise apartments add to Willy lies dismal existence. An example of
Willy's shift from fantasy to reality is during his conversation with
his wife about the Chevy. He thinks the car is fantastic, the best ever
built. Later he and his wife discuss some bills that were paid, and
when told about the bill to get the Chevy's carburetor fixed, he says
that they ought to prohibit the manufacture of the car.

Willy Loman is finding himself less and less capable. He dreams of

making it big and has visions of Uncle Ben who gives him advice on how
to get rich, but never the kind of advice Willy wants to hear. Willy
is concerned about his image. He is a great showman who can brag and

flaunt like the best of them, and as witness to the hard truth of his
failure he continues to weave fairy tales and live in fantasy. Willy
wants his sons to be better off and more successful than him, but he
has already corrupted them, and they too claim achievements well beyond
reality. Biff comes to the reality of his position in life in the
opening of the play. He knows he is not cut out for the business world.
Biff prefers to move back to Texas and work on a farm. Although he
realizes working on the farm won^t make him successful, he knows that
it^s his calling in life. Happy who is fairly stable and comfortable in
his work, prefers to continue with the charade, and the deception so as
long as it! makes life easier for him. Although his sons will not be
successful, I think Willy Loman did the best he could. Willy is not
to blame for his sons disappointments, although he has delayed their
success by giving them false ideas about success.

The family situation is that of the standard dysfunctional family. The

mother is upset by her sons because they have no respect for Willy and
show no concern for his decline. Willy loves his wife, but often
mistreats her, cuts he off in mid conversation and belittles her. Biff
begins to hate his father because of the constant pressure to succeed,
along with his fathers adultery and abuse of his mother. However Biff
still cares very deeply for his father deep down inside. Willy's
favorite son is Biff; however Biff is also a continual source of

disappointment for his father because of his inability to assert

himself in the business world. Happy is most like his father in the way
that he much prefers fantasy over reality. Happy is willing to continue
with pretending everything is all right so as long as it makes life
easier. The conflict is Willy versus nature. Nature being the
environment and Willy's inability to change and conform to it^s dynamic
and changing nature. The characters in this play are easily understood
because of their similarity to most people who find themselves washed
up in this game called life. People watching the play can easily
identify with these characters who represent the average working class
family. Nobody wins in the end because it^s real life. The father kills
himself, hoping that the insurance money will send his family on their
way to success; and in actuality the insurance money from his death
will heal no wounds, or right any wrongs.

The Death of Willy in Death of a Salesman

A controversy engulfs Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman. Was Willy a victim of modern
American society, or did he simply lack the morals and ethics to achieve success and happiness?
Willy Loman is a victim of the American capitalistic machine, as evidenced through his
frequently ambivalent attitudes concerning the importance place on pride and being well liked, as
well as the self delusion he displays in his affair and many other aspects of life.
One of the many false, contrived attitudes contemporary America instills in its citizens is a very
fierce pride, in which they cannot accept criticism and are blind to reality. Willy Loman took such
a pride in his work, claiming himself to be vital in New England (Miller 14), and
concurrently viewed himself as a failure. Although Willy was wonderful with his hands
(Miller 138), he saw any profession in carpentry or construction as an inadequate measure of
success, although he was aware that he took pleasure in putting up a ceiling or repairing a porch.
As a traveling salesman, the ultimate symbol of an American occupation and one he so revered,

Willy also saw himself as a failure.

But I gotta be at it ten, twelve hours a day. Other men I dont know do it easier. I dont know
why I cant stop myself I talk too much. A man oughta come in with a few words Im fat. Im
very foolish to look at (Miller 37).
Even after being fired by Howard Wagner, Willy was too proud to accept a job offer from his
neighbor and good friend, Charley. Willy failed in selling because he couldnt succeed living life
by a false standard of making money by lying and cheating, despite the pride he sporadically took
in it.
The business world places great emphasis on being well liked. Willy assumed these business
values as his own, maintaining that a man can end with diamonds here on the basis of being
liked (Miller 86) and coincidentally acknowledged that his colleagues had little respect for him
and ridiculed him when he attempted to make a sale. He equated having success in life with
earning money and keeping up appearances, rather than the greater value of love that he received
from his family, which resulted in him teaching this to his sons, Happy and Biff, which
consequently resulted in their unhappiness and failure.
Denial, in more recent years, has been considered a justifiable means of avoiding an
uncomfortable situation. This very thing played a large role in Willy Lomans lifestyle. Years
after having an affair during his marriage to Linda, Willy denied to himself that he took part in
this betrayal, in spite of the fact that it was one of the main things contributing to his delusions.
He felt relentless guilt over the affair, but continually tried to ignore it and push it to the back of
his mind. He realized the severity of what he had committed when Biff, as a young man, caught
him in a hotel with his mistress. Willy suggested that when Biff grew up, he would understand
what had transpired and rationalized that you mustnt overemphasize a thing like this (Miller
120). This, combined with Willys seeming disrespect for Linda, proved to leave an impression
on his sons. Willy left the same legacy to Happy, who continued to treat women in the similar
manner. Although Willy was extremely remorseful for his adultery and truly loved Linda, he was
never able to admit this and make it blatantly clear.
Parents in the nineteenth century have continuously been pressured to encourage their children to
succeed in life. Willy Loman evidently felt confused as to whether it was necessary to push his
sons, particularly Biff, into the business world to ensure their success in life, or to encourage
them to do just what they felt impassioned to do. While discussing their son with Linda, Willy,
within a few lines of the play, said both Biff is a lazy bum! (Miller 16) and Theres one thing
about Biffhes not lazy (Miller 16). He knew that, while not succeeding in the business world,
Biff still had potential to succeed in what he truly wanted to achieve. As Elia Kazan once said,
Willy is one vast contradiction, and this contradiction is his downfall (1). His frequent
ambivalent attitudes on pride, being well liked, success and his affair contribute to this
contradiction, and portray Willy Loman as a victim of little more than a capitalistic paradigm.
Death of a Salesman is a thoughtful criticism of the moral and social standards of contemporary
America and the confusion it infuses in its citizens - Willy Loman is simply a victim of the
deterioration thereof.

Works Cited
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.
Kazan, Elia. Notebook. New York, 1960. A Theater In Your Head. Ed. Liza McAllister. Williams.
Oct. 2000.
Pinkmonkey. 3 Oct 2000. *http://www.pinkmonkey.com/ MemberFrame.asp*.
The Deplorable Willy Loman of Death of a Salesman

For those of you that don' t know what deplorable means then you
need to check out the tragic play "Death of a Salesman", by the American
writer, Arthur Miller. The main character of this story is Willy Loman,
who is almost the walking definition of this word. The life of Willy Loman
is portrayed as a tragic existence for these few reasons; he was a
ghastly role model for his sons, a inconsiderate and unfaithful husband,
he allowed one incident to affect the rest of his life, and finally, he
killed himself, when he still had so much to live for.

First of all, Willy was a dire role model for his two sons Biff and
Happy. He was a loving and giving father, but he always treated Biff
better than he did Happy. Biff was the all-star quarterback and everyone
in the city loved and admired him. Willy was no different, he always put
Biff before anyone else in his household, which is something that a father
should never do to his family. Willy's love for his sons was very apparent,
however he set in them very low moral values. For example, Willy told Biff
and Happy to run up the street and steal some sand to finish some steps,

which tells them that stealing is OK. This is a trait set in him by his
father, which proves to haunt him his entire life. Willy was also a cheat,
whether it was adultery or simple card cheat, his dishonesties certainly
rubbed off on his children, and proved to be the downfall in their lives.

On the other hand, Willy affected more than just his sons life
with his deceit. He greatly altered his own when he was caught in the mist
of an affair with a meaningless prostitute, by his beloved son Biff. This
event proved to be the turning point in these two individuals lives.
Willy's wife Linda, was a great women who certainly didn't deserve the
heartache and disrespect that Willy gave her. For instance, on many
occasions in the story Willy is talking to his sons, and Linda will simply
try to state something until Willy orders her to, "shut up." This
unfaithfulness and disrespect to his mother is what proves to drive Biff
away from his dream of football and his father whom he so dearly loved.

Consequently, Biff dropped out of school and ruined his sparkling

future in football. So, as time past on, the boy that everyone just new
was going to be something special seemed to be casting it all away. This
realization was to much for Willy to handle. So instead of accepting the
harsh facts that his extraordinary son was "a dime a dozen", he chose to
live his life in the past. He decided to live off of memories of the time
when Biff was still in the spotlight and he was his best friend. These
memories would cause Willy to slip into a dream state, where he talks to

himself and more times than not talking to Biff. He also has this
hallucination of his dead brother Ben coming back and talking to him. This
sort of denial to real life causes Willy be more unsuccessful than before
as a salesman and a liability on the roads. In due course, he was unable
to fulfill his job as a traveling salesman, so after thirty-four years he
was fired. This incident left Willy feeling worthless and ashamed of
himself.

As a result, Willy decides to follow his brother Ben, not to Africa

or Alaska but to the thereafter. So he deliberately wrecks the car and
kills himself, in hopes of leaving Biff twenty thousand dollars from a life
insurance policy, about which he tells Ben, "can you imagine that
magnificence with twenty thousand dollars in his pocket?" Willy says this
a few seconds before he walks out the door. Nonetheless, Biff never did
get any money because insurance doesn't pay in the case of a suicide, so
Willy's death was completely in vain. The day of Willy's funeral, Linda
finally made the last payment on their house, so they were completely free
of debt, therefore they really didn't need any money. So all he really did
was leave alone one grieving widow and two heartbroken sons.

In conclusion, Willy Loman was a sad man who's only dream was
burned in front of his eyes and held to haunt him the rest of his life. He
was a loving but horrible father and unfaithful husband, who in the end

only measured himself and his family up to what they had become and seeing
no reason to go on took the easy way out and killed himself. If only Willy
had accepted what he had and was grateful for that, the entire Loman family
would have been much better off.
Willy Loman Didn't Have What it Takes - Do You?

The business world of today isn't all `peaches and cream'. The harsh reality of the business world
is people are mostly interested in one thing, money. This reoccurring trait we have seen has
plagued the business world for a millennia. As seen in the play Death of a Salesman, Willy
Loman, the main-character, falls victim to this evil trait. Willy always a hard-worker was fired for
his lack of profit for the company he worked for. The injustices dealt to people everyday in the
business world can be seen through the experiences of Willy Loman.

The business world has no room for compassion, specifically for the individual. Most companies
cut loose those members of their community whom hurt their profits however what about those
who do neither? Howard, the boss of Willy, fires Willy on the basis that he isn't being productive.
Willy having worked for the company 34 years had gone from making a salary to working for
commission. This slump of Willy's is due to the exhaustion of his job on the road. At the age of
63 Willy would have to get up at 3 in the morning, and drive hundreds of miles to places such as
Florida from his home in Manhattan to try to make a sale. However, more often then not he
wouldn't make one. Howard knew that the road job for Willy was very tiring as shown when he
put Willy on commission. However, when Willy went in to see Howard about getting a desk job,
Willy was met with disrespect and greed. Howard's explanation to his reason is .".. you gotta
admit, business is business." (Act II 60) This quote shows clearly that because Willy wasn't
producing anything he was of no worth to the company. However, we know that Howard has the
means by which to employee Willy through his references such has having a maid and his recent
purchase of the tape recorder. Howard's greed leads him to ignore the fact that Willy has worked
for this company for 34 years and has never asked for a favor before. Thus the individual, Willy,
was shown no compassion because of Howard's greed and was fired because of it.

The ubiquitous idea of `the harder you work the more you will succeed' is proven wrong by Willy
through his attempts at success. As seen throughout the play Willy has always tried his hardest.
He was willing to wake up early and drive hundreds of miles by himself, to attempt to get a sale.

However, lately we have come to find out that Willy hasn't been making any sales. He has been
borrowing $50 a week from his neighbor, Charley, to pay for his expenses. We know that Willy is
exhausted from driving when he say, .".. I absolutely forgot I was driving... I went on again--and
five minutes later I'm dreaming' again and I nearly--[He presses two fingers against his eyes.]"
(Act I 3) Willy would be going on these trips and would never completely rejuvenate his energy.
It could even be seen while reading when he presses his fingers to eyes as representations of how
tired he is from working so hard. Another example can be seen when Willy went to speak with
Howard about getting a desk job. As explained in the previous paragraph, Howard took the
opportunity when Willy came to speak with him to fire Willy. However, Willy pleaded with
Howard to give him his old job back. He begged Howard just to let him keep his job but Howard
persisted.

The business world only wants you for profits subsequently you are seen as expendable. Willy
having worked for the company for 34 years has put a great deal of time and effort and yet is
tossed away. It seems as if because he isn't the biggest and the best that he is worthless and that is
exactly how he was treated. Howard showed little to no respect for Willy when they were
meeting. Willy comments to Howard that, " You can't just eat the orange and throw the peel
away--a man is not a piece of fruit!" (Act II 62) Willy attempts to show Howard that he can't just
have him when he was in his prime, you have to take him for who is not who he was. However,
Howard chooses otherwise and fires him. Putting Willy out of work unable to produce an income
for his family, which thus lead to Willy killing himself.

Although tragic, Willy's downfall serves as a warning to others. This whole play demonstrates
that the business world is a cruel and nasty place. Through Willy's experiences we can see clearly
that the business world is something that can be underestimated. Willy was a tragic hero who
only wanted to be a salesman who was liked. We must learn from Willy's shortcomings and hope
to have better luck than he did.
The Characters of Willy Loman from Death of A Salesman and Torvald Helmer of A Doll's
House

In the stories "Death of A Salesman," and "A Doll's House," there are many similarities. I went
on to pick one character from each story whom's similarity interested me the most. The
characters I picked were Willy Loman from "Death of A Salesman," and Torvald Helmer of "A
Doll's House." I picked these characters because of their motivation to make it to become
successful.

Willy Loman, a sixty-year-old traveling salesman, is having trouble lately because he can't seem
to keep his mind on the present. He keeps drifting back and forth between reality and memory,
looking for exactly where his life went wrong. Having been demoted to a strictly commissions
salesman, as he was in the beginning of his career, Willy begins to wonder what missed
opportunity or wrong turn led his life to this dismal existence.

Torvald Helmer is businessman who has recently been promoted to the position of Manager of
the Savings Bank. A scrupulous man, Torvald lives his life according to society's norms both
professionally and personally who feels reputation plays a big part in his success. Both stories
are about a climb for success that leads to betrayal. The story "Death of A Salesman," comes
with the symbolic meaning of the death of an "American Dream," or the ridding of illusion as it
applies to the American Dream. The story "A Doll's House" the title reflects the main character's
life and how she was treated like treasure such as a doll.

Both Willy and Torvald lives are similar to the fact that they are both trying to provide for their
families, but in the end they discover a great loss. Willy Loman a salesman and a firm believer in
the "American Dream," had the notion that any man can rise from humble beginnings to
greatness. Willy Loman motivation to become successful was he felt that he believes success
comes from being well liked not worrying about qualifications and being popular you well
always come out on top.

Willy is a Multifaceted character who portrayed a deep problem with sociological and
psychological causes and done so with disturbing reality. Willy also starts to lie on the amount of
sales that he is making whenever his wife asks him about his sales. Torvald on the other hand
pushes his limits to get what he wants to become a success. Torvald pushes the hand by laying
off a friend who he felt was not respecting him by calling him on a first name basis.

Both Willy and Torvald had money issues, which was another similarity for both men. Willy
Loman's money issues were that he had gotten fired; he couldn't pay his mortgage and provide for
his family to me he was just a failure at everything he did. I felt that Willy Loman had a little
existence of his failure because he said, "After all highways, and the trains, and the appointments,
you end up worth more dead then alive" (Miller Pg 1924). This statement is a sad reflection on
the state of mind that Willy is in due to the unfortunate combination of his ideals and the change,
which has occurred, in his society. Torvald's money issue was that his wife has a spending
problem and he was trying to handle his wife spending issue. Torvald also felt that there's
something constrained, something ugly even, about a home that's founded on borrowing and
debt. Torvald, however, worries about his economic problems in the past and are not in the clear
as yet. He speaks down on frivolous methods of spending money and planning.

Betrayal was a main concern in both stories. Willy from betrayed his family by having an affair
and lying about his job situation. In another sense Willy himself got a piece of betrayal from his
boss Howard. I quote "You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away. A man is not a piece of
fruit" (Miller Pg 1916). Basically, Willy felt that he was used and when his services weren't
needed elimination was the next option.

Torvald found out about his wife betrayal through a letter that was written which stated what his
wife had done. Torvald stated to his wife "I find that you're a liar, a hypocrite even worse a
criminal" (Ibsen Pg 1814). Torvald actually tells his wife how he feels for the first time, which
he learns he doesn't really love his wife like he says he does.

In conclusion both characters loses out by failure to come to reality. Torvald from "A Doll's
House," place in society means so much that even after learning of his wife deception he decides
to keep everything the way its been just to save the appearance of his household. Torvald also
was a person who is very aware and cares so much of what others may think of him and of his
own reputation.

Willy Loman as Victim in Death of a Salesman

Critics have hotly debated the question of whether Willy Loman is a

tragic hero or whether Death of a Salesman is a tragedy. Dramatic tragedy
was invented and defined by the Greeks. Aristotle said a play has to have
four elements to qualify as a tragedy: 1) noble or impressive characters;
2) the main character's discovery or recognition of a truth or fault in
himself ; 3) poetic language; and 4) the ability to arouse and then soothe
the audience's pity and fear.

Some critics consider that whether Death of a Salesman is a

tragedy or not is debatable on all four sections, while others think the
play meets all these criteria. When Arthur Miller began reading plays in
college, Greek tragedies made a profound impression on him. He says that he
was drawn to the Greeks "for their magnificent form, the symmetry." "That
form has never left me; I suppose it just got burned in." However Arthur
Miller argued that times have changed- "we no longer live in an era
dominated by kings and queens- and so maybe our definition of tragedy
should change, too." Changing ideas on the qualities of a "modern tragedy"
means also changing the qualities of a "modern tragic hero". A tragic hero
is someone with the dedication to die for a belief, but also someone who
has a tragic flaw or limitation that defines him as a character and makes
the tragedy happen. Willy is intense and passionate and cares about his
dream enough to sacrifice his life to it. He has alternatives, but he
chooses to live in a certain way that brings about his downfall that is the
difference between Willy and his salesman neighbour Charley who chooses

other ways of achieving success.

As soon as Death of a Salesman opened, critics began writing about

its relation to Greek tragedy, usually pointing out that Willy doesn't
qualify as a tragic hero. Miller replied to these critics with an essay
titled "Tragedy and the Common Man." He said that Death of a Salesman does
have a shattering emotional impact on the audience that corresponds to that
of a Greek tragedy. It also shows the inevitable movement toward death of
the protagonist with growing self-awareness, the single story without
subplots and a clear beginning, middle and end, and the unity of time, as
Death of a Salesman takes place within the course of about twenty-four
hours. Miller is adamant that Death of a salesman has many elements that
allow it to qualify as a Greek tragedy but, he is more concerned with the
idea of modern tragedy and how Willy Loman is a tragic hero in modern
society.

Though he is a common man or a Low-man as his name suggests, Willy

was described by Miller as "a very brave spirit who cannot settle for half
but must pursue his dream of himself to the end." Though Willy did not have
great intellectual powers, the first of Aristotle's qualities, he did
experience self-awareness- otherwise he would not have killed himself when
he realised his life was meaningless. The question of why Willy commits
suicide is of course central. The title Death of a Salesman raises it even

before the play begins. The forces that drove Willy to kill himself were
perhaps; escape, from the empty and bitter reality of his life; revenge,
for his sons' disrespect and resentment; power, in taking action when
everything seems hopeless; courage, to lay down his life; victory, finally
being able to make a profitable deal, and, by redeeming his life insurance
policy, giving his son a fortune, understanding, that he went wrong, this
is the true realisation and is similar to King Lear at his death with
Cordelia. So Willy Loman wreaks havoc on his own life and on that of his
sons. The blight of his own confusion is visited upon them. His final
attempt to make a legacy for Biff and Happy is his suicide, which he feels
will earn the $20,000 of his insurance policy

Willy wants to make an impression, to be remembered after his death,

to "give something" to Biff and Happy, and his inability to do any of these
haunts him. Once he realises his life has been futile: he is old, has
achieved little, is scorned by his peers and his sons. Willy comes to face,
the absurdity of life, and it is for this reason that "attention must be
paid." As Linda says "A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man,"
this reinforces the idea that a tragic hero must no longer be a man of high
moral stature, he need not have the power or largeness of a King but he can
be an ordinary "Lowman" to be influential on an audience and because Death
of a Salesman is also a criticism of the moral and social standards of
contemporary America, not merely a record of the particular plight of one
man. And, also, it presents Willy as a victim of the deterioration of the

"American dream".
The Alienation of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman

It is often stated that society is very judgmental. It can be seen

in movies, literary works, or just an everyday walk of life. Arthur Miller
chooses to portray society's prejudice against the protagonist, Willy Loman,
in his play, Death of a Salesman. Society, in this case, rejects Willy
Loman because he isn't upper class, and because he is getting up in age.
Many occurrances highlight society's judging of Willy, including him being
fired, the "spite" that he recieves from his sons, and the way he alienates
himself. All of these eventually lead to the downfall of a strong,
determined, but confused character.

Perhaps the most defeating action that happened to Willy was the
loss of his job. All he had ever been in life was a salesman, therefore it
was the only trade that he was any good at. When he had the conference
with Howard, he had his hopes up. Willy had regained his confidence in
himself and was ready to take control of his life at a very crucial time.
However, Howard crushed all of that by firing Willy, simply because he
thought Willy, "needed some rest." Actually, Howard never intended to give
Willy his job back. He was merely trying to take Willy's position because
he didn't believe Willy could hack it anymore. This is a reflection of
society's present day treatment of the elderly. Younger generations now,

move older people into rest homes and try to keep them out of public view,
for risk of embarassment. This is reflected by Howard's statement, "I
don't want you to represent us anymore." Society's assumption of Willy's
capabilities, in this case, cost him his job.

A second occurrance that displayed Willy's alienation happened in

his own family. Biff doesn't believe whatsoever in his father and has no
hope for him at all. Biff even says in act one that his father has no
character. Biff is a perfect symbol for society in the play. Biff knows
his father has problems, but even as a son, "can't get near him." Even
though he accepts his father as a fake later in life, Biff tries over and
over again to reach his father and to help him, but an unseen barrier
prevents Biff from doing so. Happy is the type that knows what's going on
with his father, but won't try to help him. Although it is never actually
said verbatum, it is obvious that Willy has some kind of mental problem
that needs some attention. Yet even in his own home, he can't get any help
because his family can't bring it upon themselves to help him. This
instance depicts the way society would rather, "Let someone else handle
it," than take action and go against what is popular. This example is
probably the saddest and most heartbreaking part of the play.

A final instance of Willy Loman's alienation is the way he excludes

himself from society. Subconciously, Willy knows what his capabilities and
his problems are, and he exiles himself socially. That could very well be

the reason behind the "conversations" he has with himself throughout the
novel; he feels like he can't talk to anyone else. Willy has a war going
on in his mind, and he is helpless toward ending it. He knows that he can
do well in life and be the man he should be, but he just can't seem to
piece together the correct method of doing so. It's because of this that
he continually defeats himself, and repeatedly fails. Willy Loman wants to
be the best at anything, particularly selling and being a provider for his
family. However, his character is one who owns nothing and makes nothing,
so he is constantly at the far bottom of the totem pole. Even the
merchandise that he sells, which is his expertise, doesn't belong to him,
and just helps to keep him down in the business world and away from society.
Perhaps Willy's alienation is symbolized by the garden he wishes to grow in
his back yard. His back yard is small, fenced in, and unable to bear a
fruitful garden. Likewise, Willy Loman's position in the working world is
constricted, away from everyone else, and won't let him become successful.
Willy was his own worst enemy, a man who couldn't accept himself. Society
added fuel to the fire by not accepting him either.

It is human nature to be judgemental of things, and especially

people. Willy Loman was no exception to this. Yet, Willy was already down,
and society kept him there. He lost the job that he'd worked at faithfully
for thirty-four years, simply because the younger owner couldn't bear with
having an older, less succesful salesman representing the company. Willy

is sealed off from his family, especially from his sons, because of an
unseen force that causes an inability to communicate. Finally, he can't
fight the predicament that society placed him in, because deep down, he
can't accept the fact that he's not what he wanted to be in life. All of
the actions that alienated Willy Loman validate the prejudice and bias of
society.
The Narcissistic Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman

Many dilemmas throughout the recent decades are repercussions of an individual's foibles. Arthur
Miller represents this problem in society within the actions of Willy Loman in his modern play
Death of a Salesman. In this controversial play, Willy is a despicable hero who imposes his false
value system upon his family and himself because of his own rueful nature, which is akin to an
everyman. This personality was described by Arthur Miller himself who "Believe[s] that the
common man is as apt a subject for a tragedy in its highest sense as kings were" (Tragedy 1).

An additional segment of his common human nature is Willy's self-centeredness. Although one
might say that the American Dream is imposed upon him by the society, Willy himself creates his
dream. Willy supports this claim when he praises Dave Singleman's career to Howard: "And
when I saw that, I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want" (Miller 81). His
nostalgia for a non-existing future is also proven by the fact that no one else in his environment
has a similar, impossible dream: "If he were not wearing the rose colored glasses of the myth of
the American Dream, he would see that Charley and his son are successful because of lifelong
hard work and not because of the illusions of social popularity and physical appearances" (Spark
11). Surely the false ego and pride predicted to come from his assured success are the bridges that
prevents Willy from seeing through his fake dream, pushing him to persuade the rest of his family
to worship it along with him.

Biff sadly bites the apple when he realizes his fate:

Willy! I ran down eleven flights with a pen in my hand today. And suddenly I stopped, do you
hear me? And in the middle of that building and I saw--the sky. I saw the things that I love in this
world. The work and the food and the time to sit and smoke. And I looked at the pen and said to
myself, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I don't want to be?
What am I doing in an office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is
out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am! Why can't I say that, Willy? (Miller
132)

From then on he is a changed man and tries to extricate Willy from his sea of confusion. But
Willy is pushing the boat down to stay afloat instead of getting in it. When he finally realizes
what the people around him are trying to do, he finally ends up drowning. Letting Biff continue
living on a worthwhile life, he submits to his inner voice, which is Ben, and commits suicide. A
good comparison to Willy's life is the story of Sisyphus: "The gods had condemned Sisyphus to
ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own
weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile
and hopeless labor" (Camus 119). Like Sisyphus, Willy attains nothing in his life, no matter how
hard he tries, but the mere happiness of controlling his own worthless fate.

He does so because of his narcissistic personality, which drives him to do everything in the play
for himself. He manipulates his kids to achieve his avaricious plans with the goal to win his own
battle for dignity. He lacks empathy and throughout the play, willfully avoids self-examination by
creating his own universe. His schizophrenia keeps the suspense rippling the play as intended by
Miller: "Tragedy, then, is the consequence of a man's total compulsion to evaluate himself justly"
(Tragedy 1). This suspense is Willy's fallacious hope transmitted to the audience, his struggle to
evaluate himself justly. As intended originally, "Miller was going to name this play `Inside his
head' " (Death 1). Miller wants the spectators to experience the internal conflicts inside Willy's
mind. He wants one who analyses the text to understand the motivations behind the selfish and
malevolent intentions of Willy. Furthermore, he wants the reader to realize that Willy is above all
a common man imbedded with the sinful nature of man.

Finally, many hermeneutics are proposed by critics about how to perceive Willy. But an
evaluation must be made of the detriment he solicits to the society. Society has not to adapt to his
needs, and because he can't see this fact he perishes as a human being. His failure and lack or
excess of determination to succeed is his will to do harm. This misuse of will causes a break in
the Loman family. "Willy Neglects to instill in his sons the moral values a parent should teach a
child" (Murphy 3). Then it would follow that he would be responsible for his death and the
jeopardy his loved ones are left behind with. After all, it wasn't a dream that drives the car into a
brick wall. It is he. His death is an intentional suicide, a crime.

Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman's Version of the American Dream

*Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman focuses on the American Dream, or at least Willie
Lomans version of it. *Willie is a salesman who is down on his luck. He "bought into" the belief
in the American Dream, and much of the hardship in his life was a result. *Many people believe
in the American Dream and its role in shaping peoples success. Willy could have been
successful, but something went wrong. He raised his sons to believe in the American Dream, and
neither of them turned out to be successful either.
By the time Willy got to be an old man, his life was in shambles. *One son, Biff, was a hopeless
dreamer who wasnt able to hold on to a job. He could have been successful through an athletic
scholarship, but he blew the chance he had to go to school. Happy, the other son, had a job, but
was basically all talk, just like Willy. Now near the end of his career as a salesman, Willy realizes
his whole life was just a joke, and the hopes he placed in the American Dream were misguided.
At the end of the play, his only hope is to leave something for his family, especially for Biff, by
taking his own life and leaving his family the insurance money. Through his death, Willy thinks
he can achieve success and fulfill his dream.
Arthur Miller provides us with a character who is both pathetic and tragic. Willy Loman spent his
life chasing a false dream. His failure to live the "true" American Dream was what brought about
his own downfall.**

Essay Two

*In Millers Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans warped view of the American Dream caused
tragedy in his family because he stressed the importance of popularity over hard work and risktaking over perserverence. *Willy grew up believing that being "well-liked" was important to
becoming a success. He believed that being well-liked could help you charm teachers and open
doors in business. *He is proud that the neighborhood boys flock around Biff and respond to
Biffs athletic abilities, and in the same breath scoffs at the nerdy Bernard, who is too focused on
school and his studies to be popular. Even though Biff turns out to be a failure as an adult, Willy
holds on to the hopes that a business man who Biff met years ago will offer him a terrific job if
Biff can be his old likeable self and recapture the confidence and grace he had as a teenager. Near
the end of the play, Willy encounters the once-nerdy Bernard, who is now a successful lawyer
about to argue a case before the Supreme Court. Willy can only shake his head in wonder at lifes
ironies, with his own son turning out to be a loser and Bernard a successful lawyer. *He still
doesnt see that Bernard got to be successful through years of study and hard work.
*Willys warped view of the American Dream also included the belief that successful people
were risk-takers and adventurers. *He laments the fact that he never took his brothers offer to
move to Alaska to make his fortune. He envisions Biff, the once-great high school athlete,
becoming a success through starting a sporting goods company. He believes people would be

drawn to the company by Biffs charisma, athletic ability, and Loman name. Willys last-ditch
effort to make something of his life by killing himself in an automobile "accident" and handing
over the insurance money to Biff is another scheme destined to failure. *In contrast, we see his
friend Charlie, who is living the real American Dream. Charlie has worked hard and perservered
in the business world, successful enough to give money to Willy just to help him pay his bills.
*Arthur Miller shows us that the American Dream is valid, but those who hope to substitute
popularity and lucky breaks for hard work are likely to fail.

Continue scrolling down the page to see a color-coded breakdown of the parts of this essay and
get a sense of how the parts contribute to "fill in the spectrum" and provide references to the
concept and proposition, justification statements, and plenty of detail to support the proposition.
Red: States or summarizes the concept being covered and the proposition.
Blue: Justification statements that serve as key organizing ideas
Black: Detail statements that summarize specific information from the play and support the entire
essay. Note that the details make up more than 50% of the total.

In Millers Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans warped view of the American Dream caused
tragedy in his family because he stressed the importance of popularity over hard work and risktaking over perserverence. Willy grew up believing that being "well-liked" was important to
becoming a success. He believed that being well-liked could help you charm teachers and open
doors in business. He is proud that the neighborhood boys flock around Biff and respond to Biffs
athletic abilities, and in the same breath scoffs at the nerdy Bernard, who is too focused on school
and his studies to be popular. Even though Biff turns out to be a failure as an adult, Willy holds
on to the hopes that a business man who Biff met years ago will offer him a terrific job if Biff can
be his old likeable self and recapture the confidence and grace he had as a teenager. Near the end
of the play, Willy encounters the once-nerdy Bernard, who is now a successful lawyer about to
argue a case before the Supreme Court. Willy can only shake his head in wonder at lifes ironies,
with his own son turning out to be a loser and Bernard a successful lawyer. He still doesnt see
that Bernard got to be successful through years of study and hard work.
Willys warped view of the American Dream also included the belief that successful people were
risk-takers and adventurers. He laments the fact that he never took his brothers offer to move to
Alaska to make his fortune. He envisions Biff, the once-great high school athlete, becoming a
success through starting a sporting goods company. He believes people would be drawn to the
company by Biffs charisma, athletic ability, and Loman name. Willys last-ditch effort to make
something of his life by killing himself in an automobile "accident" and handing over the
insurance money to Biff is another scheme destined to failure. In contrast, we see his friend
Charlie, who is living the real American Dream. Charlie has worked hard and perservered in the
business world, successful enough to give money to Willy just to help him pay his bills. Arthur

Miller shows us that the American Dream is valid, but those who hope to substitute popularity
and lucky breaks for hard work are likely to fail.
Death of A Salesman: Willy An Idiot with A Dream
A common idea presented in literature is the issue of
the freedom of the individual in opposition to the
controlling pressures of society. Willy Loman, the main
character in Death of A Salesman by Arthur Miller,
epitomizes this type of person; one who looks to his peers
and co-salesman as lesser individuals. Not only was he
competitive and overbearing, but Willy Loman sought after an
ideal that he could never become: the greatest salesman
ever. Determined to make money, Willy became uncontrollable
and somewhat insane. Through his dialogue and actions,
Willy Loman portrays a character of insecurity, persistence,
and unknown identity.
From the very beginning of his life, Willy Loman
experienced problems with his popularity and personality.
His last name is a pun on a "low man." He is at the bottom
of the business world as an unsuccessful salesman. In
addition, his theories on life and society prove to be very
degrading, not to mention influential to his mind set every
day. Willy believes that being well-liked and having a
personal attractiveness, together, can bring success, money,
and many friends. Ironically, Willy does not have many
friends and many people do not like him. With a beauty
unlike others, Willy thinks that doors will open and
problems will all disappear.
As a salesman, Willy developed many hindrances that
caused his mind to deteriorate. His life as a salesman was
built on a dream that he witnessed as a child. At an early
age, Willy heard of a salesman, Dave Singleman, who could
make his living out of a hotel room. Singleman was very
successful and when he died, people from all over the
country came to his funeral. It was this ideal that Willy
Loman sought after. All he ever wanted was fame,
popularity, and a few friends. Unfortunately, when Willy
died, not a single person went to his funeral. His life,
one that was spent trying to become another person, namely
Dave Singleman, was a waste as no-one even wanted to see him
buried.
In reflection of his career with the Wagner Company,
many other problems arose that forced economic difficulties
on him and his family. He was determined to live by ideals
that placed him above everyone else. It was with these lies

and illusions that Willy's life began to lose its' air of

reality. He lost his identity, courage, and dignity
throughout New England as a salesman. And as he explained
often, "I have friends...They know me up and down New
England." Realistically, though, Willy was not successful.
He did not have friends and people did not like him in New
England.
"With his self-identity weakened and undermined, Willy
lost his grasp of things in general." (P.P Sharma, critical
analysis) He spent hours on hours dreaming of the past.
Thinking of himself and his son Biff who had potential, but
did not take advantage of it. Biff was Willy's inspiration
as a father. He had the determination to become a great
football player, not to mention make something with his life
and the Loman name. However, Biff flunked math and threw
all of his opportunities away. It was with these
circumstances that Biff and his father began to separate.
Willy always promised his sons prosperity and good-fortune,
but he could not give that to him and when he lost Biff, his
life became an even larger failure.
In other memories and illusions, Willy often replays
the moments with his brother, Ben. Specifically, the time
when Willy was offered a job in Alaska; the job which would
have made him an enormous amount of money haunts Willy every
time he tries to sell his Wagner stockings, only to have his
sales come up lame. With low sales and age, Willy decided
to ask for a job in New York. And it was at this time that
his company decided to stop paying by salary, but solely on
commission. And for a man who cannot sell well, the loss of
a salary is very detrimental to his well-being. "Although
Willy is aware, maybe dimly and imperfectly, that he is not
cut out for success in the world of trade and commerce, he
nevertheless nurses the dream of getting the better of
everybody else. And this leads him into an alienation from
himself, obscuring his real identity." (P. P. Sharma,
critical analysis)
Willy's life would have been more satisfying had he
engaged himself in more physical work that would occupy his
mind. His life was situated on a dream for success and
prosperity. When it never arrived, Willy spent a lot of
time, just brainstorming how to make his life what he wanted
it to be. Putting his family aside, Willy committed a
terrible sin. In Boston, during one of his business trips,
Willy cheated on his wife. He met a woman who would be very
cheap for an evening, and as a boost of confidence, Willy
spent the night with this low-class woman. Unfortunately,
his son Biff, who was surprising his father in Boston,

walked in on the two, thus causing a situation that would

forever haunt Biff. His thoughts of his father as an
influential salesman in New England were all lost. What
appeared, instead, was the belief that his father was a
loser with no potential to ever support his family. It was
at this time that they their lives spread apart.
Using that situation as a downfall and the many others
that occurred in Willy Loman's life, it was not surprising
when he killed himself. In search of happiness, Willy
believed that he could give his family what they wanted if
he only left the world. But, his dreams were wrong, as his
family did not even care enough to go to his funeral. He
died for things that he had lived for- his sons and
illusions of prosperity. Ironically, though, his life was
not worth the happiness of his son's. And his life was
definitely not worth the sacrifice that he made for them his
entire life.
Willy Loman died still unsure of his status in the
business world. He wanted success and money, but at the age
of sixty-one, he realized that these goals would never be
reached. His identity was lost and his presence on earth
unknown. Willy Loman was influenced by society in that he
could not overcome the pressures of selling and making
money. His life long dream was happiness, but that never
came either. The pressures of society killed a man who once
had courage and determination. But, as his life moved
further, Willy Loman lost his ability to see the world
clearly. All his eyes could observe was despair and
insecurity. It was through his beliefs that he decided to
end his unhappiness, by ending his life. Willy Loman died a
lost identity, but one that found himself for a brief period
of time; long enough to end his life forever.

The Human Body

The human body is made up of a number of different systems. Each system has a separate
function, but some work together.

One system is the skeleton, which serves to support the body and protect the internal organs. The
respiratory system enables us to breathe and take oxygen into the blood, which moves around the
body by means of the circulatory system. The digestive system enables us to take in food needed
for growth. Waste matter is ejected from the body by means of the urinary system. The nervous
system controls the other systems and enables human beings to think.

The endocrine system consists of various glands, such as the thyroid, sex and adrenal glands. The
function of these glands is to secrete chemicals, known as hormones, into the blood. These
hormones control various processes in the body, such as growth, sexual activities and digestion..

Each system is made up of organs. The lungs, for example, are part of the respiratory system. The
heart is an organ in the circulatory system. The liver functions as part of the digestive system and
other systems.

Every organ is composed of several kinds of tissue. Epithelial tissue, which includes the skin,
forms a covering over organs. Connective tissue supports and holds together parts of the body
and includes bone and cartilage. Other types of tissue include nerve tissue and blood tissue.

All tissue consists of cells. These are so small that they are measured in thousandths of a
millimeter and can only be seen with a microscope. Each cell is covered with a thin membrane
which surrounds a nucleus, and a jelly-like substance, called cytoplasm. This in turn contains
minute particles, each with its own special function.

Saturday Morning Visitors

As far as I am concerned, the unpardonable sin is someone dropping by our house before noon on

Saturdays.

Since I go to school and work too, Saturday is the only day of the week on which I can be lazy
and sleep late. Therefore, I am late getting my housework done. By Saturday, my house is
completely in ruins; anyone who is blessed with a six-year-old boy can understand what I am
talking about. As an example, it is not uncommon to walk into the living room and find an old
ragged sheet or quilt stretched across a couple of chairs-this serves as his tent. This is the exact
time some people decide to come by to see us. As the visitors come in, I hurriedly snatch the tent
down, but immediately wish that I hadn't for under it are Chewbacca, Hans Solo, Luke
Skywalker, C3PO. And R2D2. Trying nonchalantly to push these Star Wars creatures aside with
my bare foot, I suddenly stop. My foot has come in contact with some unknown substance-it is
oozing up between my toes. I look down and silently blaspheme the makers of Green Slime. As I
gently remove my foot from this green wad, some of it continues to cling between my toes.
Pretending that it doesn't bother me, I lead our guests into the dining room, hoping it will be more
presentable. Much to my dismay, it does not look any better, for there, on the table, are the
remains of my daughter's midnight snack. The remains include a black banana peeling that looks
like a relic from The Dark Ages; an empty glass with a dried milk ring; two stale blueberry popups; and a pile of orange-red carrot peelings. My daughter is a border-line vegetarian, so the latter
does not surprise me.

Having removed the residue from the table and seated our early birds, I am brought to the second
reasons why I dislike having company on Saturday mornings. Remembering my in-bred Southern
manners, I ask if I can get our guests something to eat or drink-when it hits me like a two-byfour-I have nothing to offer. This is grocery shopping day. I scrounge around the kitchen and find
a piece of molder cheese and a box of stale Ritz Crackers. As I humbly set this before my guests,
I am wondering if they like grape Kool-Aid. I fix a pitcherfull-all the while limping along and
hating the slime that ha "set up," like concrete, between my toes. Finally, I sit down with my
friends and try to start a conversation, wondering why they are staring at me.

As their gawking continues, I take a quick inventory. No wonder they are staring at me-I would
finish in first place in a Phyllis Diller look-alike contest. A slow red begins creeping up my neck
as I realize that I'm still in my gown and housecoat, hair in disarray, no makeup, and green slime
between my toes. Yet, I have no alternatives but to sit and endure, because my children are still
asleep, and my husband left early to make hospital rounds (or was it to get away from home?).
My company doesn't stay long-they have already seen enough. I smile and say, "y'all come back
now, hear?"

Since the morning is already ruined, I think I'll finish up the cheese and crackers, drink another
glass of Kool-Aid, leave the slime between my toes, and go back to bed.

A Visit to Italy

The capital city of Italy is a very extraordinary place to visit. The population of Rome is well
over two-million. The people there are very friendly and are extremely proud of their country.
Rome is a beautiful bustling city that has a moderate cli mate. The temperature usually stays
around eighty degrees. The main way of transportation is by bus.

The side walk cafes are very popular in Rome. The cafes were always populated with happy
Italians and a few curious tourists. The most preferred cafe was the Cafe S. Petro. this cafe was in
perfect walking distance from the Vatican city. The Vatica n city is were the pope lives. The main
meals served at the cafes varied from pizza to tortillini. The pizzas were not exactly like Pizza
Hut's pizza. They were crispy thin with very few toppings available. Most pizzas came with
cheese, pepperoni and a watery tomato sauce. The tortillini had soft, medium-length, hollow
noodles with more watery tomato sauce. Another favorite at the cafe was the lasagna which was
unbelievably delicious. After having tasted the pizzas and the tortillini, I was not exp ecting the
lasagna to be so tasty. The lasagna was packed full of hot meat, zesty cheese, and a tangy tomato
sauce. It was not out of the ordinary to see Italians, instead of eating at the cafe, talking with their
friends and sipping on hot cappucino.

The streets in Rome were always swamped with motor scooters, three-wheeled cars, and buses.
Although, the main way of transportation are buses, Italians also scooted around on their motor
scooters. The scooters were more convenient because the scoote rs could easily slip through
traffic jams. The parking was very hazardous for people because some cars would be blocked in
by a small car that was parked vertical between two horizontally parked cars. Car accidents were
very common in Rome. When two pe ople had a car accident, they would just wave or yell at
each other and drive hurriedly away. The police were not notified and there was no question of
who would pay for the damages.

The worst part about Rome were the buses. These buses were jammed tight with people who
were sweaty and excessively vulgar. The buses were small in size, the color was a dull blue, and
they contained only a few seats that were rarely available. The men on these buses were
extremely vulgar in their actions. Because we had to stand so close, the men had chances to pick
my pockets or place their hands on my bottom. Once this incident happened, I had to practically
shove them off. This did not bother them, they would just move on to the next woman.

Over all, Rome is an exciting place to visit because it has so many attractions to offer. This trip
will always be special to me because I got to see a different culture and had many entertaining
experiences. I would advise anyone who was going to ta ke a trip to go to Italy because it is
surely an amazing place to visit.

Commentary on Essay

This essay also received a "C."

The writer attempts to include too much information in the first paragraph, including comments
on the area's climate, transportation, and the citizens' disposition. The paragraph gives little
foreshadowing of the essay.

The writer inappropriately uses past tense in paragraph 2 because she has not yet established a
setting. This second paragraph also contains spurious information. The writer does not identify
the "we" in paragraph 4, obfuscating the potentially interesting incident. There is a comma splice
in paragraph 4 and a subject/verb error in the same paragraph.

The writer employs few original or effective descriptives. The attempt at vivid descriptions in
paragraph 2 reads like a poorly-written advertisement.

The Roller Skating Rink

Adolescents like to have a place they can call their own. In the fifties, teenagers hung out at the
malt shop, sipping cherry cokes and rockin' with Elvis. Today, in small town USA, they're jam
skating while listening to the favorite group of the month. I was amazed to find a microcosm of
life blooming on a 70 x 160-foot cement slab known as a roller skating rink.

As I entered the building which housed the rink, the warm, nostalgic scent of popcorn hit that part
of my brain where dusty, cobwebbed memories live, memories of my own adolescence. I made
my way past a group of exuberant teenagers at the snack bar until I reached the skating rink.
Skinny, hard benches, made for small butts, lined one wall. I took a seat and scanned the rink. My
eyes paused to read a sign; white, block letters on a black background warned, "Skate at Your
Own Risk."

Two young men swaggered past me: confident, heads held high, eyes focused on their
destination. I leaned over, looking down the long row of benches, curious to find out where they
were going. Their confidence lagged a bit as they approached a large group of their peers,
including several young ladies. All of them exhibited signs of discomfort as the girls crossed their
arms over their nubile bodies and the boys tried hard not to stare.

Abruptly, a silent signal sent the entire assembly to the benches. Pairs of dexterous hands laced
up skates as quickly as possible, while other hands aided in conversation that only the listener
was allowed to hear. I was struck by the intimacy of this scene. They all knew each other well.
They had come together in the freedom of this one place to share and explore without the
encumbrance of parents, teachers, or any other meddlesome adult. I sat bolt upright, feeling very
much like someone who had accidentally stumbled into a room full of naked people.

Attempting to recover from my embarrassment, I was suddenly startled by a cacophony . . .

music, perhaps? It must have been music, because I glanced down to find my foot tapping away
to a beat long forgotten. As if on cue, young people from every corner of the room flocked to the
rink. The awkwardness their bodies had expressed off the rink had been replaced by a grace not
unlike the albatross. They were clumsy in their approach to flight, but, once airborne, they were a
soaring sight to behold.

I was mesmerized by the effortlessness of their movements, weaving in and out, endlessly
circling. Skates became a blur of color: green, purple, blue, pink, red--speeding by fast and
furious. I felt the rush of wind on my face as I caught the musky scent of cologne mixed with

sweat. A swirl of communication was taking place, none of it involving speech. The tactile sense
had kicked in: punching and shoving of young lions trying to impress their ladies of choice,
bodies brushing by each other, and the gentle touch of hand on arm. A statuesque blonde, six
inches taller than her partner, slipped. "Catch me, I'm falling on purpose," her body language
seemed to say. Eye contact was prevalent. Most skaters continually scanned the rink, found the
one they were looking for, and BAM!! eyes quickly darted away. This testing of emotional waters
went on for several hours; boys and girls trying on relationships of men and women like kids
playing dress up in their parents' clothes.

I remembered the sign, "Skate at Your Own Risk." At the time, I had worried about broken arms
and legs, but as I watched the dance unfold on that skating rink, I realized that these young
people risk so much more. The pain of rejection, the fear of making fools of themselves, and the
devastation they feel when they believe that they have, makes life for these adolescents a risky
business. Perhaps that sign should have read, "LIVE at Your Own Risk."

A Beautiful Place

I think we all have a beautiful place in our mind. I have a wonderful place that made me happy a
lot of times, many years ago. But sometimes I think that I am the only person who likes this place
and I'm asking myself if this place will be as beautiful as I thought when I will go back to visit it
again. Perhaps I made it beautiful in my mind.

This place is meaningful to me because it is part of the county I loved, is part of the county where
I grew up and is part of my childhood. This place is in the country in an old region named
Appalachia, a small piece of the Appalachian Mountains, in a town named Pikeville.

Pikeville is a polluted town because of the coal industry. People live in apartment or
condominium buildings because of its little space available. I grew up in one of the many
buildings in Pikeville admiring from my bedroom window the beauty of the mountains, always
exploring with my eyes the forest or the meadows, looking for a clean and quiet place. And, I
found one on a hill in the back of the town. It is about 100 feet square, it has seven old trees, wild
flowers and a lot of bugs and ants during summer time.

I used to go there to sit down on a rock and watch the town and my trees. There was a very old
tree, a maple tree, with a huge trunk. The others were smaller, three in the back, three on my left
side and the old maple tree on my right. There were flowers, many kinds, white, yellow, purple
and blue. It was nobody's place. Nobody owned that hill, but it was beautiful and peaceful and I
dreamed many times about a white house over there.

I think that, these kinds of places are meaningful to people because they are natural and people
can be there alone, away from their everyday life.

I used to go there to be alone or to dream with my eyes open admiring the blue sky or the clouds.
I liked to go there to lay down on the grass, listen to the wind, kiss the flowers and watch the
leaves moving. It was hard to go up the hill to get there, but I wanted to see everyday my seven
trees, to see how the color of the leaves changed and to feel the softness of the grass.

I used to go there with a reason or with no reason at all. I knew that I had to be there to forget
who I am, to breath and re-feed myself with hope. That was the only place I could go to dance, or
sing, or cry. That place was part of me. The wind was part of my breath, the leaves were part of
my song, the flowers were part of my purity and the trees were my friends that I used to hug
every time when I got there.

I used to go there even in winter to play with clean snow. In my native town, even after a fresh
snow, we got a gray-black layer of soot over the snow. All the town was covered with dirty snow.

During winter time my place was still beautiful. My trees had branches full of white, heavy snow.
The flowers, the birds, the grass were gone, also the rock I used to sit on was hard to be found,
but it was still peaceful, quiet and especially clean. The snow angels I made kept watch over this
natural splendor.

This place is far, far-away in time and space, part of my childhood and my adolescence. It means
a lot to me because it is beautiful and natural, is a clean and quiet place in a world of noise and
dirty air. This place is maybe beautiful just in my mind, but it is one of the few friends I had, back
in Romania. I really hope that the new construction will spare this place and others like it, for
these are the places that can bring us happiness.

Grandmother's House

My grandmothers house has a very special place in my heart. I lived

with my grandmother for many years when I was little. Her house always
seemed to have something about it that set it apart from all the rest. As
you walk into the front door of her house you notice a long, slender
stairway that led up into the main hallway of the house. The strong smell
of cigarette smoke is quite evident when you reach this point. Yes, my
grandmother did smoke.

My grandmother's house was always full of laughter and many cheers.

Our family used to call it Grand Central Station. There was always someone
over her house visiting whether it be family or friends. My grandmother's
doors were always open to everyone no matter what. When my grandmother had
company she would tell us very seriously to act nicely in front of them or
she would be very upset at us.

My grandmother always sat in the kitchen of her house. This is

where she would drink her hot black coffee with no sugar and smoke her
Virginia Slim cigarettes. She would sometimes sit in her kitchen for hours
upon end and watch the ducks and the geese swimming by on the river and if
it were warm enough outside she would crumble up some bread and feed it a
little at a time to them.

In the summer time my grandmother and whoever happened to be at the

house would sit out on the sundeck for hours and talk about anything and
everything imaginable; she was known as the neighborhood gossip queen. The
sundeck was a place for everyone to sit and relax in the warm sunny breeze.
My grandmother was a very spontaneous person, she did what she wanted to at
the drop of a hat and nobody ever stopped her. She was always very active
in many thing like Veterans Auxiliary, making crafts, cooking, cleaning,
etc., but always had time for the ones she loved.

Living at my grandmothers house was indeed alot of fun because she

was so easy going with me. She allowed me to do all the things that I
wanted to do and dreamed about. She was always willing to lend me a hand in
anything that I needed. She was a highly giving person to everyone around
her and she never asked for anything in return. She always had a ear to ear
smile that would brighten up anyone's day if it wasn't going to well.

My grandmother had a very softhearted voice that I remember sung us

to sleep when we were little. She would wait with us until we fell deep
asleep and in the morning she would wake us with the smell of hot freshly
cooked breakfast on the table. Even as we got older she always tried to
baby us when we were around her. My grandmother was the kind, gentle,
loving, caring grandmother every child dreams about having.

My grandmother passed away two years ago and it has been a very
rough two years trying to cope with such a big loss. After she died I moved
out of her house because I was so overwhelmed by the thoughts of her not
being there. It was almost like her kindred spirit still moved about inside
the house. She always said that when she died she would always be around to
watch over us and to take care of us and I think that is exactly what
happened.

I find it very difficult to go to my grandmothers house now that

she has passed, but from time to time I will stop by. Even today, when I
walk into the house I can still smell the Virginia Slim cigarettes she
smoked and sometimes I swear I can hear her talking. When I walk into her
kitchen I expect to see her sitting at the table drinking her coffee and
smoking, but she is never there.

My grandmother was a very big influence on my life. She always

instilled the best and finest qualities in me and always insisted that I be
the best that I can be. She had a special knack for everything she did. She
was always full of joy and tried to spread her happiness to everyone around
her and I think that is what I miss most of all now that she is gone.
The Good Old Truck
My dad bought his red Dodge Dakota truck in 1995. When he got the truck it had already hit a
deer and two cows. Since he has owned it, its value has gone down considerably, even though he
has spent more money fixing it than he paid for it. If it was worth as much money as it has cost to

keep it running we could sell it and buy a new car. It is red with a stripe down one side-- yes, only
one side, the other side has no stripe, I have no idea why this is. There is also a huge dent above
the right hind wheel that occurred when a horse tried to jump in the back of the truck. The new,
improved, revamped bumper is bent slightly down from the deer and other things that it has hit.
The back of the truck is mostly full of my dad's horse shoeing stuff. It is in no way neat or in any
kind of arrangement. There are always empty horseshoe boxes piled to the brim. Underneath the
boxes, balls of twine are entangled in old non-usable horseshoes.
If you get inside of the truck, you enter a whole different place than the outside world. Notice that
I said if you get in; what I mean by this is you can't get in through the passenger side unless
someone opens it from the inside. The driver's side door doesn't open all of the time, and when it
does you can't possibly slam it hard enough to get it to shut all of the way. Most of the time the
passenger side is overheaped with trash, mostly empty pop bottles and cans.
Inside it usually smells like horses. My dad shoes horses for a living, so the smell is on him and
then is transferred to the seats and anything else that he touches. Also, he keeps his apron in the
cab of the truck and it definitely smells like horses. Once in a while when I get in, I get a sniff of
a mixture of vinegar and dust. The smell of vinegar comes from the homemade fly spray that my
dad makes, and the smell of dust is from all of the dirt that is that has gathered in the corners on
the dash.
Once I finally get past the aroma of the truck I proceed to turn the key and hope it will start. Most
of the time when I turn the key it does nothing more than click. My dad warned me about this and
instructed to me that if I kept on trying it would eventually start. So I proceed to give it a few
more turns until it finally starts. Once it has started I don't get my hopes up, because within about
five to ten seconds it usually sputters, revs up, and dies. So then I have to attempt the starting
process again. It usually takes at least two tries before it will stays running.
The fun part begins when you actually drive the "rust bucket," as my little brother calls it. The
manual on the truck explains that you are supposed to shift between 2500 and 3000 Rpm's. This
is impossible if you want to go over 30 miles per hour. I get up to about 4000 Rpm's before I start
to think about shifting. It seems like there needs to be another gear between third and fourth.
When I shift to fourth the revolutions per minute drop from 4000 to 1000 and I end up losing
speed instead of gaining speed. When I am able to shift into fourth--when I am going down hill-there might as well not be any more gears. Fifth gear is nearly impossible to use. Every once in a
while I accidentally shift into fifth gear. I'm quickly reminded that that is not a good idea when
I'm thrown into the steering wheel from the truck lurching and jolting forward and backward. I
have to leave for my destination 10 minutes earlier than I would normally leave when I have to
drive the red truck. Forty-five miles per hour is almost unattainable.
I usually try to avoid having to drive the old "rust bucket," but every once in a while my parents
leave it at the school for me to drive home. I try to be the last one to leave just in case it dies on
the way out. When I am blessed with the opportunity to drive the dented, 1988, red Dodge
Dakota, I appreciate not only better vehicles but also more enjoyable places.

The Photo

This picture, probably the only one in existence of all my friends together, has more meaning
than it seems. At first, it appears to be nothing more than a happy congregation of teenagers, all
from the ages of fifteen to sixteen. In the background you can see a fence enclosing a sand
volleyball court. My friends that are kneeling on the bottom row are Shawn (who is affectionately
known as Goose because of his long neck and his last name being Gosselin) and Paul. The ones
on the top row are, from left to right, Brad, Matt, Kayla, Charlie, Jenny, Greg, Brent, and Daniel.
I am at the far right side. You can tell by the expressions on some of their faces, especially Paul's,
that they weren't quite ready for the picture to be taken, for more reasons than one. First, there
was someone else taking a picture at the same time. Also, most of them never could have guessed
that the picture would have to be taken in the first place. After all, I was supposed to be with them
forever, right? Wrong. This was my going-away party.

I made the decision to come to Baylor early in 1999 while my freshman year was still in session.
At first, people thought I was joking about leaving, but when I persisted in telling them, they had
no choice but to accept my decision. I had spent most of my life with some of these people, while
some I had known for less than a year. I didn't think about that in the beginning. At first I was
excited to go, but about the time of this party, the anxiety of leaving hit me like a sledgehammer.
The party was August 10th. I left for Baylor ten days later on August 20th. Those ten days were
some of the most anxious of my entire life. Was I willing to give up my happy existence to step
into an unknown world of doubt? Well, as you may have guessed, since I am writing this paper, I
was willing to take that chance. The question of whether it was worth it or not has yet to be
answered.

I had no idea the party was going to happen. I assumed I was in for nothing more than a standard
family night out when I piled into the car with my mother and sister. I suppose I should have
suspected something when my mom said she was in the mood for Pizza by the Pound. Her
suggestion may not seem odd at first, but you have to realize she had never been there before. I
didn't even suspect something secret was going on when we first arrived in the parking lot of the
small, locally owned pizza place. But then I saw three of my friends' mothers' cars. Despite the
chink in the plan's armor, I was still fairly surprised when I went out back and most of my best
friends burst out of the small building used for storage.

Pizza by the Pound is home of some of the most fattening, artery-clogging, great-tasting pizza
you can ever imagine. After one taste, just the thought of it makes your mouth water with
anticipation. The management of the place was wise enough to put in a sand volleyball court, a
ping-pong table, and a couple of pool tables outside to make it more family oriented than it used
to be. In the past it was mostly known for adults wanting to get to know Mr. John Barleycorn a

bit better than they should. Despite the drinking inside, there was always fun to be had outside
with the right group of kids, just like the group at my party. We played our own version of
football on the volleyball sands with a volleyball, ate the delicious pizza, listened to bad country
music from the jukebox (as if there are any good types of country music), and recorded messages
on my family's camcorder. Looking at the picture, I can still feel the fine grains of sand sifting
between the toes of my quickly moving feet and hear the cheers of my team drown out the music
as we score a touchdown.

Overall, the party was great fun, and I was given some nice things to remember people by, such
as a t-shirt with my friends' comments, memories, and thoughts on it. I miss all of them now
since I'm away at boarding school, but I keep in touch through e-mails and written letters. I know
I'm missing a lot in their lives, but the choice to leave was for the best in the end. And hey, I got a
cool party out of it, right?
The Church Picnic
On Sunday August 22nd, the Delta Church of Religious Science had its first annual picnic. It was
a gorgeous day at Contra Loma Reservoir in Antioch. The breeze gently ruffled the leaves as the
branches of the shade trees swayed over the picnic tables. Although the mercury soared to 95
degrees, the heat was not oppressive. The Delta Church, having only formed last October, is
relatively small with only seventeen members. Considering that, the turnout of thirty people for
the picnic was outstanding. The picnic lasted four hours as conversations lingered, food was
devoured and games were played. Throughout the day the sound of laughter echoed in the breeze
as families and friends spent quality time together.
Contra Loma Park has an excellent set-up for groups. Instead of a traditional tableside small grill,
the group picnic area has an extra-large BBQ centrally located among several tables. Everyone
prepared his or her meal simultaneously on the grill. Church members were notified at Sunday
services to "bring your own meat to BBQ". Thanks to Bill Cecil and his advance preparation, the
BBQ coals were ashen and hot when everyone arrived. The food as it cooked on the grill filled
the air with a variety of pleasing smells. There were hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, chicken and
mouth watering ribs.
In addition to the main course, everyone brought at least one potluck dish. The table was filled
with appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Betsy and Reggie brought a homemade cheese ball that
was half gone before some Church members could even make it over to that side of the table.
Sunday school teacher Lonnie contributed her favorite recipe, a seven-layer Mexican dip served
with homemade tortilla chips. And that was just the appetizers! Mary Anne's deviled eggs saw
many a second helping, as did Faye's potato salad. There was a terrific tasting green vegetable
salad that included tomatoes fresh from Reverend Kay's home garden. Patti's crock-pot full of
BBQ beans hit the spot with its thick molasses sauce.
But the desserts really took center stage; Carol and Tim brought their ice cream making machine.
The goal was to make ice cream; the fun was the team effort it took to produce the ice cream.

Homemade ice cream requires a lot of hand cranking. Several of the attendees took their turn at
the crank. A few of them boasted that the sore arm muscles they had entitled them to first
servings. No one disagreed as the first helpings of melt-in-your-mouth vanilla ice cream were
scooped out of the machine. Chocolate frosted cake, brownies and Rev. Kay's homemade fruit
torte complemented the ice cream.
As the digestive juices started to flow, and a relaxing feeling was in the air, a call came from one
of the teen church members, "Let the games begin!" First on the agenda was an egg toss.
Reverend Kay was having so much fun throwing the egg she became over zealous. The egg flew
right over Mike's head. SPLAT! The twelve-year-old identical girl twins were in the finals against
the senior couple. Age and experience prevailed. Dave and Faye were the winners of the egg toss
competition.
As everyone was cleaning gooey, drippy egg off various limbs and body parts, Bill decided to
start the next game by himself. The game was supposed to be a water balloon toss fashioned after
the egg toss. Bill had another idea. He thought his wife, Lonnie, needed some cooling off.
Unfortunately for Bill, just as he heaved the water balloon towards Lonnie, she moved. Bill's
balloon hit Mike in the center of his stomach with a big splash. One thing led to another and a
water balloon fight ensued. Everyone got into the act, from Reverend Kay's elderly mother to
Carol's one-year-old daughter, Cassidy. The roars of laughter coming from the Church group
were truly contagious. The pure enjoyment experienced by all during that water balloon fight
prompted another group nearby to applaud when it ended.
As the day was drawing to a close, several picnickers were engaged in exhilarating conversation,
while others relaxed peacefully under the shade trees. The youngsters, accompanied by their
parents, had headed over to the beach area. The older children swam and played water games in
the reservoir. The younger ones built sandcastles by the shore. The wind had picked up slightly,
providing welcome relief as the afternoon temperature was steadily rising. The time had come for
the first annual picnic of the Delta Church of Religious Science to come to an end. It had been an
astounding success. The food was delicious and the games had been thoroughly enjoyed.
Everyone went home praising the organizers of the event for a job well done. The participants
also deserve credit. Together they made the Church's first picnic a huge success.
My Home

Each year millions of dollars are spent on therapy because people want to re-live their childhood.
These people discover late in life that childhood was the time period where the most meaningful
parts of life were. Things from our past don't just fade away, they are part of us, and most people
greatly miss them weather they know it or not. My most meaningful place is my parents' house
because it is a symbol of reliving my childhood, indulging in good times, and just plain feeling at
home.

Childhood is the time in life where personality traits are formed and memories haven't yet taken a

sentimental feeling. Now that those times are gone, I remember running through the
neighborhood with my friends and many other happy times where I knew I was having fun. The
time my brother and I were playing hockey in my living room was fun. It was a friendly game,
and we even had the cushions form the couch set up so nothing would get broken. Little did we
know one stray puck would have us replacing drywall at 11:30 PM so our parents wouldn't see it,
but, like everything else, we did it because it was enjoyment. My theory on life is, in order for
something to be meaningful, you have to want it. I don't always want the irresponsible times of
discovery that were my childhood back, but I do strive for the feelings I had toward life when I
was there. Having a pleasant attitude all the time may not be possible this day in age, but I know
it's a good feeling when you can. I can recall these memories at any time, but they are especially
present when I am at my home. It's not just because most of these things took place while I was at
home, but because I actually feel like I can do everything again while I am there. In this aspect,
my parents' home is a giant playground of memories with every toy I can imagine.

I don't live far from this home. I've decided to make it a habit to visit every Sunday with the rest
of my siblings that have moved on. I recall lots of fighting when we were children. We weren't
dysfunctional or anything, but like most families, the children argued. Since I have been here,
even if it has only been three weeks, I've noticed that these once dreaded Sunday dinners are a lot
of fun. I can converse with my older brothers and sisters like never before. Eating dinner is no
longer a rush to gulp the food down as fast as possible go we can go back to playing, but a dinner
table with people passing the mashed potatoes around, laughing, and enjoying eachother's
company. Leaving the house may have push my family apart a little, but coming back to it glues
us back together stronger than ever. We even plan things like golf outings so we can spend more
time with each other. I have made my home a sort of symbol of this which is another reason I
have named it the most meaningful place to me.

Dorm life is uncharted territory. I've never had a room of my own. In fact, I didn't have my own
bed until I was nine. Now, the situation is the same, but there is a perfect stranger in the room
with me. He's a great guy, but we still know little to nothing about each other. When I shared a
room with my brother it was normal, but this is Greek. I adjust, slowly, to a new life, but know
what home should feel like. My dorm hasn't yet become a place where I can kick off my shoes
and sleep on the floor by the heating duct like all of those winter mornings in the past. My older
sister and I would do that all the time. Every morning before school, when the heat kicked in, we
would stop whatever we were doing, and get in a blanket in front of the heating duct on the floor.
The view wasn't as great as a fireplace, but we had the window with the wonderful snow falling
to keep our attention. That is my definition of home. Were you can be sitting in the weirdest
position in the world, perfectly comfortable, including knowing the people who see you doing it
might laugh, but won't judge you by it. At home, I could walk form the living room to my kitchen
on my hands and excluding some strange looks, things would continue as normal. An example
was one time last year, it was homecoming week at my High School. In the mood of school sprit,
my best friend and I made blue and gold super hero outfits, representing our school colors, put on
our capes, painted our faces, dyed our hair, and went off to school. I'll never forget the look on
my dad's face when we exited the bathroom, but I was perfectly comfortable with it. I don't think

my hall-mates in Mary Jo would feel the same way. My house is the only place right now where I
feel at home. That is one of the most important reasons my house is meaningful to me.

Something is meaningful because you put it in your heart. As the old saying goes, "Home is
where the heart is.". Through reliving my childhood, the happiness I've experienced, and the
feeling it causes to be there, I know that my home is possibly the most meaningful symbol I could
ever have.
My Dad

I'm embarrassed to say my first thought was that of relief when my mother called to say that he
was dead. It had been five long years and I was completely exhausted trying to deal with him.
Finally, it was over. In the last few weeks, his health had worsened, so I had called the nursing
home that Sunday morning and asked the supervisor if I should drive the 130 miles to see him.
She said he wasn't doing very well, but that he seemed to have nine lives; one minute he was at
death's door, and the next he was sitting in the recreation room having another cigarette. It's a
good thing I didn't make the trip, because less than an hour later, my mom called to say it was
over.

I remember when I first noticed that there was something wrong with Dad. I lived only about a
mile away from my parents, and I walked over a couple of times a week to visit. That particular
day as I walked up the driveway toward the back door, he stepped out of the garage and
whispered in a secretive voice that he needed to talk to me. He was concerned that his backyard
neighbors were growing marijuana behind their garage and he insisted that I come with him to
take a look. Their fence was less than a foot away from the back of their garage, and it was
apparent to me that there wasn't enough room for them to mow behind it. In the meantime, my
brother showed up, and we both assured Dad that having grown up in the 1970s made us
somewhat experts on marijuana and this wasn't it; it was just weeds! We thought we'd heard the
end of it until my mom called the next day to tell me that he'd gone out during the middle of the
night with a flashlight to take clippings off of the offending plants and had taken them to the
police department for identification. They assured him they were just weeds, but thanked him for
being such a good citizen.

It was a short time later that I remarried and moved 130 miles away. He went downhill really
quickly after that. First, he started having minor accidents with the car. He'd back out of the
driveway really fast and slam into the car parked across the street. When the neighbors would
come out to inspect their damaged car, he'd yell at them for having the nerve to park across from
his driveway. Then one day he disappeared at 5:00 a.m. No one had any idea where he was until
my sister who lives in a Chicago suburb received a call from the police in Lake Villa Park,

Illinois, at midnight. It seems they found him standing outside of his car, completely disoriented.
He explained to the police that he was forty years old, and was returning from a fishing trip. He
was convinced he was close to home because he noticed that he was on Walnut Street. The only
problem is, he lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He had been in Illinois for most of the day,
blowing through all the tollways without paying, and even stopping for gas and driving off. That
was the last straw for my brother; Dad's driving privileges were history.

Through all of this, my mother steadfastly refused to put Dad in a nursing home. Then, one day
his health really started deteriorating. He was in the hospital for a heart problem, when a doctor
and a social worker spoke to her, finally convincing her that it was time for a nursing home. She
couldn't take him back home again. He was at the nursing home about an hour when he got
dressed and walked right out the front door, got on a city bus, and headed for the casino. The
nursing supervisor was in hot pursuit, finally catching up with him at the bus transfer station.
Now, he was off to a locked Alzheimer's home. It was there that his health problems finally got
the best of him. All those years of smoking and diabetes and heart problems finally took their toll.
I was relieved to know that the stress was finally over. No more phone calls that started with
"Guess what he did now?"

After all I'd been through I had forgotten about the real man that was my father. He had been
retired from Procter & Gamble Paper Products for about twelve years at the time of his death. But
people who worked for my dad twenty years before he retired came to his wake. "He was the best
boss I ever had." "I'll never forget how understanding your dad was when my wife and I had
problems. He was so supportive." "Your dad was so much fun; he made work a really nice place
to go every day." For hours, the people just kept coming, waiting in line to speak to my family. I
could finally reflect on the person he'd been before and put the past five years behind me.

He was the man who had grown up with an alcoholic father and had to get a paper route at a
young age to help buy food for his family. He was the man who served as a medic in the U.S.
Navy at Pearl Harbor during World War II. He was the man who raised money for United Way
every year. He was the man who felt that earning a living would help the disabled feel useful
again, so he arranged for them to be paid for repackaging products from Procter & Gamble. He
was the man that shoveled snow for all the elderly neighbors and made sure his kids knew better
than to accept money for helping someone in need. He worked hard, made a good living, and was
a wonderful father and husband.

And it finally occurred me just how lucky I'd been.

My Bedroom

Do you ever wonder why certain places mean so much to certain people? When I think of my
bedroom, I realize why some people are touchy about who goes in their room or who has been
touching things in their home, it is because those things are important to them and may have
some meaning. Places like my bedroom are places where we can relax and be comfortable and I
think that is why it is important to people, because we can be ourselves and feel comfortable, we
can also just sit down and rest our bones and relax. Another important reason is we can go there
when we want privacy, we can just shut our door, maybe even lock it, and tell everyone in our
household not to bother us. Also our rooms hold most of our personal belongings and those things
are important to us and we do not want anyone else to touch them or in some cases go near them.

Bedrooms are a place where we can be comfortable and we can sit back and relax. When we are
tired or not feeling the best we can go to our room, shut our door, and lay down and relax. Maybe
even turn on some music or read a book or magazine. My bed is where I like to retreat to when I
want to relax. I have a double bed with four pillows and my favorite comforter. It is a Little
Mermaid comforter, I know it is childish but it is soft and warm. And of course my Tickle Me
Elmo sits on my bed and keeps me company. A lot of times I just lay down and close my eyes and
daydream about places I'd like to see or think about things that make me happy. One thing we
should not do is think about things we need to get done or anything that makes us feel stressed
because then we'll never feel relaxed. I usually try to stay away from these sort of thoughts and it
usually works out well.

The reason my bedroom is so important to me is because my room holds all of my personal

belongings, which are very important to me. Also my room is a comfortable place to study or just
to relax.

I can also have privacy whenever I want it by resorting to my room, this may be hard for some
people if they share a room. Whenever my mom is nagging at me or when I'm stressed out with
school or work, I like to go into my room and just be myself. All my belongings in my room
surround me and make me realize everything is going to be all right. It gives me a sense of
security.

The way my room is set up makes it kind of cluttered, but that is the way I like it and I don't care
what anyone says. As you first come into my room, to the right is my dresser. My dresser is full
of things like perfume, jewelry, hair ties, my alarm clock and just a bunch of junk, mostly things
that come out of my pockets at the end of the day. The dresser itself is brown with six drawers,
sets of three side by side. Diagonally across from that is my curio cabinet which holds all of my
porcelain dolls, the cabinet is a light brown with glass shelves. Next to my bed which is in the

middle of the room is my entertainment center which holds my stereo and pictures and just odds
and ends. Everything is worth keeping.

I believe that other people feel the same way about their rooms and homes, it gives people a sense
of security in a way that you can control what goes in your room and who goes in your room. It
sort of gives people power which may mean a lot to some people. My room holds almost all of
my personal belongings, which I think almost everybody's rooms do. I am sort of protective of
the things in my room because a lot of my belongings have sentimental value. My most treasured
items are my collection of porcelain dolls which are placed neatly in my curio cabinet. I have
about fifteen dolls and if anything would ever happen to those dolls I would be extremely upset
and very furious. Nobody, except myself, is allowed to touch them, not even my mother.

I'm sort of a pack rat so I keep everything from old clothes to my childhood stuffed animals
which are all neatly sitting on my hope chest in my room. My hope chest is filled with things I
will need in the future like towels, cooking utensils, blankets, old picture frames and other little
things, these things mean a lot to me because a lot of these objects belonged to my late
grandmother and I am honored to own them. I treasure all my belongings and do not like other
people to move or to borrow without asking and I think that a lot of people feel the same way.
When someone touches our things we get upset and I think in a way we are sort of honoring our
possessions.

What my point is that everybody has something or some place that is important to them and has
meaning and a lot of times it is people's bedrooms and homes because it belongs to us and we
cherish these places. Bedrooms are a place of comfort and in some cases a sense of security. It is
a place of privacy when we need to be alone or just to sit down and take a load off. We can just
be ourselves. So the next time someone gets touchy when you are handling their things just
remember how much your things mean to you and their stuff is important to them, don't forget
that your bedroom is always there for you to relax, unwind and maybe just to look at.
My Room

A secluded island with warm sandy beaches, a sunset over high cropped mountains, or the beauty
and serenity of silence in a magnificent forest. A special place could as extravagant as those or as
simple as your favorite cozy chair. They reach out with much more than picturesque or comfort
qualities. Some of our dearest memories happen to us in these places. Maybe it is because of the
comfort we find there, the connections we have that make us feel a certain way, or is it because
they add to our identities. They become a vital part of who we are. We could not function
properly if that place were to suddenly disappear. You are definitely more likely to go out and do

something that you enjoy because you will get more out of it. We need to have happy places and
joyous thoughts. Without either of them, I believe, that the world would fall apart. Everyone
would become so overly stressed out that the world would be full of more violence than there is
now.

My room is meaningful to me because it was not always my room. It was my sisters first. Lisa is
now married and pregnant. I remember all of the times that I spent in her room. How we used to
play cards and watch movies on the weekends. All of our traditions. The Advent and Christmas
season is when we had our most special traditions. Every Christmas Eve we would watch "It's a
Wonderful Life" and "Meet me in St. Louis" before we would go to midnight mass. She would
always ask me if I had a room of my own. Of course I always told her no. A few times she would
try to throw me out, but it never worked. Although I annoyed her sometimes she was the one
person that I could tell anything too. She listened intently to all of my stupid questions and would
try her hardest to answer them. We always stuck together when trouble surfaced. I would comfort
her when she had boy trouble and she made sure that I was okay when our grandparents died so
closely together. I guess I love my room more now since I have all of these wonderful memories
in it. Boy if those walls could talk. I really miss her and the times that we shared. I do not get to
see her much, especially now that I am here in Iowa and she is in Chicago.

Besides being my hangout for umpteen years I am also most comfortable in my room. There I am
surrounded by my loves. I have a passion for stuffed animals. I have collected large, small, plain,
and ornate animals. I have never given away any one of my treasured animals. I still have, in my
possession, the first stuffed animal that I ever owned. It is a tiny yellow dog with squeaky ears. I
was told that my grandma gave him to me when I was a baby. I think that I have lost track of how
many animals I actually have. At least a quarter of my floor and the entire top of my bookcase is
crammed with my menagerie. My zoo ranges from the mightiest of lions and leopards, to the
gentleness of dolphins, to the craziness of the Looney Tunes characters. There must be at least
sixty residing in my room by now. Yes, I have even jumped onto the Beanie Baby band wagon. I
have accumulated around forty or so in the past six months. My most precious resident, though, is
a dog that my mother made for me when I was younger. He is a fairly large tan dog with medium
sized chocolate brown spots. He goes everywhere with me. Right now he is over in Mary Ben! I
would not be me if I did not have that dog around. He represents all of the love that my mother
has given to me over these past seventeen years.

Besides stuffed animals, my room is wall papered with equestrian posters. I have always had a
love and respect for horses. I rode solidly for about two and a half years. I was a hunter-jumper. It
was one of the most liberating times of my life. I felt like I could do anything. I had to learn how
to work with the horse not against the horse. We were a team. That was really hard to get used to
because I am so tiny compared to those gentle beasts. Now I just ride for fun whenever I can. I
recently had a crash course in western riding when I went to Arizona this year for spring break.
That was the best spring break that I ever had. I could get up at dawn and watch the stallions and

mares frolic in the corrals before our breakfast rides. I am always in awe of their majesty. I love
to watch them run. People think that they are clumsy creatures. I compare them to graceful
ballerinas. To me they look like they are flying. Horses just have a grace about them that I do not
understand.

I think that my room means so much to me because it also represents how I have grown into who
I am. Also it shows how I have become more independent and moved on in my life. The process
that I have gone through in preparing myself to move away form home and come here. It also
portrays how I can not fully leave my past behind me. I had to bring my room to college with me.
I brought my tan and chocolate brown dog, along with several other animals, and posters of my
horses and other zoo animals. I also made collages of my family and friends so that they would
always be with me wherever I am. I would be lost without my room or the objects and memories
about it that I hold so dear. It is my haven. I can do anything there.
A Special Cat

A companion is someone you have a special connection with, someone you can talk to about
your problems and who will listen. A companion is someone who doesn't judge you but likes you
for you. I had one such companion. It wasn't your usual companion though. She wasn't another
person. She was my pet cat, Squeaky.

Squeaky had been a part of the family for as long as I could remember. She was with me since
I was two and a half years old. At that time in my life, I didn't see Squeaky as anything but
another play toy. But as I grew older, I saw that she was much more than a toy. In March of 1991,
we moved. The adults in the family were busy packing things up and transporting them to the
new house. My grandma was entertaining my sister and me. After the last load was unpacked,
Mom realized that Squeaky wasn't at the new house. My cousins jumped in the car and went back
to pick up my very frightened cat. Once she was in the new house, she immediately darted
upstairs. She found comfort among my belongings. There she stayed until my aunts and uncles
left. When she realized it was only my immediate family left, she began to wander about. She
made sure all of our stuff had made it safely. She seemed to understand that this was to be our
new home and gave her approval.

She wasn't your ordinary cat. Of course she looked like any other cat with her long white fur
and patches of brown and black spots. But there was more to Squeaky than her appearance. She
had a personality that made her seem almost human. If I ever had a problem and needed someone
to talk to, Squeaky seemed to always be there to listen. In high school, it seemed like I was
always in disagreement with one of my friends. My emotions would be eating me up inside and I
would need to release them. Often at night, I would sit in my room balling my eyes out. The

moment I would shed my first tear, Squeaky would enter my room. She would then jump up on
the bed to join me. I would talk, and she just listened. She would snuggle against me as if she
were reassuring me that everything was going to be all right. Squeaky always seemed to look out
for me. Anytime I was ever sick, she would curl up beside me on the couch. She would remain
there until she knew I was feeling better. I thought it would be like that forever. She would still be
with me when it came time for me to make a life for myself. I always pictured she would be with
me every step of the way.

But I found out that it was all wishful thinking.

It was the summer before my junior year in high school. I was in Ohio spending my usual oneweek summer vacation at my cousin's house. The week was about coming to a close, and I would
be heading back home. The week had been a blast. We had gone to Cedar Point Amusement Park
and Six Flags Ohio. The world record roller coaster at Cedar Point was awesome. But I still
couldn't wait to get home to see Squeaky. Earlier that week, my mom had called, and I asked how
Squeaky was doing. My mom reported that Squeaky wasn't eating and that she was going to take
her to the vet. All that ran through my mind was that it was her old age catching up with her.
After all, she was sixteen years old. So I wasn't too concerned about her.

When my mom arrived to take my sister and me home, she informed me of the vet's diagnosis.
Suddenly, the joy and anticipation of seeing Squeaky was gone. The vet had diagnosed her with
feline leukemia and AIDS. Hearing the news of Squeaky's condition felt as if someone had
stabbed me in the heart with a knife. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. My mom tried to
reassure me that she would be fine, but I knew better than that. I always expected Squeaky to die
naturally. Never in my lifetime did I think I would be faced with the decision I had to make once
I returned home.

Once I was at home, a dark cloud seemed to cast over me. I was afraid to go inside and see
Squeaky. I feared she would look as if death had already taken her. But I gained the courage and
went inside the house. Squeaky was lying at the end of the couch. She definitely looked different.
Her white fur appeared to be a grayish-black color. The sight of her brought tears flooding down
my face. I couldn't believe all of this had happened to her in the short while I was gone. I felt
guilty that she was deathly ill while I had the best time of my life. I felt like I should have been
there for her as she was always there for me. As I looked at her, my mom took me off guard with
the decision I had to make. I had to choose if this was the quality of life I wanted Squeaky to
have, or have the vet put her to sleep forever.

Over the next couple of days, Squeaky seemed to perk up with my presence. She started to eat
more and move around. She went everywhere I went in the house. I thought at this point in time
she was doing fine and deserved to live her life. But later that week, her movements began to
slow. She looked as though every little movement caused her pain. As I looked into Squeaky's
eyes, they appeared tired. It was almost as if she was trying to tell me she wanted to go to sleep,
but that she would need my help in doing so. As hard as it was for me to accept, I knew what I
had to do. On July 6 of 2003, an appointment was made for Squeaky's last trip to the veterinarian.
My Friend Jim

Jim was a guy I used to hang out with back when I was in junior high. He was a really good
friend to me, and since I was new to the school, he made me feel like I wasn't alone. We would
play basketball a lot and play his Nintendo whenever I went over to his house after school. He
was kind of tall, so when we played basketball, he would usually beat the snot out of me because
he was taller than I was, so I couldn't block any of his shots. Behind the basketball player though
was a really shy guy who never would say anything to hurt my feelings. He would laugh all the
time, but it was sort of fake, as if there was something underneath.

Jim grew up in Colorado, back in the mountains, and his dad was a construction worker and his
mom a certified dietician. He had an extreme love for the Chicago Cubs, and whenever they
would play in Colorado, he would be the first one at the game. His uncle owned some apartments
in Rock Falls and had become ill, so his father packed up everything from Colorado and moved
to Rock Falls.

Life in Rock Falls was great at first for Jim. We would be together a lot, doing all sorts of
things. Both of us were enjoying our years of junior high, and preparing to be together for high
school, but things started to change with him. His dad went out of town more and more, leaving
just Jim and his mother in the house for months at a time. When Jim's dad was away, Jim would
command his mother to do everything he said. One time when I was over, Jim was screaming at
the top of his lungs for his mother to go to McDonald's and get him some food. He was very
vindictive with her. She told him that she had no money and that she would just fix something for
dinner. Jim always got his way though, and would not stop screaming at her until she agreed to
go get him his food. I told his mom that I was sorry for what he had said to her, but she just asked
me if I wanted something too, and I declined, but when she came back, she had gotten something
for me, just so Jim wouldn't yell at her.

While Jim's dad was away, he treated his mom like crap. There were days when he would sleep
in and make his mom call him off school. He had turned into a slob. His hair was down past his
ears, he had started to gain weight, and he had a sick look to him. He was no longer happy about

anything and never wanted to play basketball anymore. All he wanted to do was to sit alone in his
bedroom and watch television. Whenever I would call, his mom would say that he was sleeping
and that there wasn't anything she could do to get him up. I had my license by then, so we could
do more stuff together, but Jim never wanted to do anything besides sit at home in his basement
and be lonely.

Jim's dad came home maybe once a month, and stayed for about a week at a time. Jim would
be so happy to see his dad, and he went to school all the time, cleaned himself up so he looked
normal again, and would be nice to all of his friends. He wanted his dad to see that he was doing
well back home. He wanted people to come over to play basketball and have fun. He even invited
people to swim in the pool. Things would go great for Jim. He would be so happy, but as soon as
his dad would go away, Jim changed his character again. He was no longer a nice blond-haired,
blue-eyed nice guy, but an evil, harsh person that had turned for the worse.

I stopped hanging out with Jim because I couldn't stand to be around him anymore. He had
started hanging out with the wrong crowd. He was accepted by all the losers who did drugs. He
was arrested at his house for having an underage drinking party while his father was away. He
hardly spoke to his mother anymore, and when he did, it was sinful, dirty things that a person
should never say. He would curse at her and tell her that he hated her, and that he wished that she
would die. I was just finishing up high school by then and was beginning my quest to find the
money to further my education at the college level.

Jim's wish was granted earlier this year. Jim's mom died of breast cancer. She had tried for so
many years to help Jim put his life in the right direction, but Jim would have no part in it. Jim's
father was home when Julie died, and Jim was playing the good son card. Ron, his dad, never
found out about Jim's anger towards his mother, and Jim was finally happy because his father was
home for good, but he was too late. Jim failed his junior and senior years of high school by doing
drugs and drinking all the time. All his friends left him, even the ones who did drugs with him.
He found out too late what he had put himself and his mother through.

I saw Jim at the mall a couple of weeks ago. He was wearing a Cubs shirt and looked like the
guy that I used to hang out with in junior high. I asked him what he was going to do about school,
and he said that he planned to get his GED and try to put his life back together. He was back to
his tall and skinny figure, and it seemed like we could be friends again someday. I found it sad to
know that he finally learned his lesson at the cost of his mother's life. She would have done
anything for that boy to get ahead in the world, and perhaps dying the way she did taught Jim a
lesson to make something of his life, because you never know when it will end.
Ehd of descriptive essays

Beginning of ..;expository essays

All We Need is Love

In the course of one's existence, one is constantly striving to achieve

the pinnacle of their abilities, a certain excellence within themselves, and a
balance between themselves and their society.

Unfortunately, as we near the end of the millenium, society is failing

to provide us with the appropriate means in order to realize that goal. So as we
prepare for the next century, we must recognize that there are many problems
that we must alleviate before this world can become a better place.

It may well be that the nation cannot survive--as a decent place to live,
as a world-class power or even as a democracy--with such high rates of children
growing into adulthood unprepared to parent, unprepared to be productively
employed and unprepared to share in the mainstream aspirations.

Various programs are springing up to help children. However, like the

welfare program, for the most part these programs are aimed at alleviating
symptoms rather than correcting the cause of the problems. More prisons, more
policemen, gun control, the FBI, and V-chips to block violent programs on TV
will never stop crime and violence. When we devote time, money and effort toward
problems and symptoms -- without correcting the cause -- the problems and

symptoms grow and spread like creeping crab grass.

But as an individual, what can one do? The answer is simple. All one has
to do is love. Love is the solution to all of the social problems in our society.
Adequate love will eliminate evil, crime, violence, mental suffering, the
suffering of innocent children, dysfunctional families, the break-up of families,
restlessness, discontent, unhappiness--all that is ugly, deplorable, and
destructive.

But before one can love others, one must learn to love himself. One
cannot love himself until he frees himself from fear and false beliefs. One is
not free until he discovers that is truth that sets us free from those fears and
false beliefs.

And it is that truth that has the power to render our families loving,
happy, harmonious, functional and stable. Truth has the power to obliterate all
social problems ... crime, violence, spousal abuse, child abuse, drug abuse, etc.
Love and truth are intertwined. We cannot live in harmony with truth
without being loving, and we cannot love unconditionally without being in
agreement with truth.

To discover truth, one needs not learn anything new. One needs only to
unlearn obscure, fearful false beliefs. Truth remains when one frees himself

from fears and false beliefs. To put it another way, when we rid ourselves of
false beliefs, what we believe is true.

When enough people learn how and where to discover truth, in due time,
love, joy, peace and harmony will reign on this planet. Crime, violence, mental
suffering, the break-up of families, child abuse, spousal abuse, drug abuse -all that is ugly and deplorable -- will cease, and this planet will be the
utopia it was always meant to be.
Teenage Runaways

A news bulletin flashed across the television. Interrupting my favorite program, a news reporter
announced, "Missing teenagers." The reporter went on to state that a group of young teenagers
had been reported missing for the last twenty-four hours. It was later reported that the teenagers
had run away, and they had left a note demanding more independence. The teenagers were from
wealthier homes; therefore, the parents of the missing children could not understand the reason
their children left home. The teenagers later stated, "We are almost grown; give us our space."
Teenage runaways are becoming a problem in America. Each year, many teenagers run away
from home because of troubles with discipline, communication, and attention.

The first girl that the news reporter interviewed said, "The discipline in my house is out of
control." The girl continued to give examples to back up her statement. She said that she couldn't
be two minutes late for her curfew. She would be grounded a week for every minute she was late.
There were to be no phone calls after 9:30 p.m. She couldn't talk to boys on the phone at all. If
she was caught breaking the rules, she lost all of her telephone privileges. She had to have an
adult with her at all times. Her last statement was, "I know my parents are doing all of this out of
love, but give it a rest. Let me grow up!"

The reporter asked another girl a few questions. The girl began the interview with the statement,
"My parents do not understand me. I know they are trying, but give me a break. They want to talk
to me all the time. Our communication is outrageous." The girl continued to tell the news reporter
about the problem. She said that her mother wanted to know about everything going on in her
life. Her mother wanted to talk about her sexual experiences; she wanted to know how it felt to be
drunk, and her mom would ask her daughter to share her spiritual thoughts with her. "My mom

wants to be my friend. I understand that, but some things are better left unsaid," the girl said in
closing.

The last teenager that the reporter talked to was a young boy. His first remark made toward his
parents was, "Leave me alone!" He told the news reporter that his parents gave him too much
attention. The boy said, "I am an only child, and my parents want to know every move I make.
They are so concerned. They are too concerned." The young boy said that his parents would not
let him play outside because they were afraid he might have allergies. He could not play video
games because it was bad for his eyes. There were no sweets allowed because they were hard on
his teeth. "I could go on and on," the boy stated, "but I will end with this: leave me alone."

Some believe that the main cause of runaways is neglect, but not in this case. These teenagers left
home as a result of too much discipline, communication, and attention.

The Hazards of Moviegoing

I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture won the Oscar in 1980 or who
played the police chief in Jaws, they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I
want to go out to the movies. The problems in getting to the theater, the theater itself, and the
behavior of some patrons are all reasons why I often wait for a movie to show up on TV.

First of all, just getting to the theater presents difficulties. Leaving a home equipped with a TV
and a video recorder isn't an attractive idea on a humid, cold, or rainy night. Even if the weather
cooperates, there is still a thirty-minute drive to the theater down a congested highway, followed
by the hassle of looking for a parking space. And then there are the lines. After hooking yourself
to the end of a human chain, you worry about whether there will be enough tickets, whether you
will get seats together, and whether many people will sneak into the line ahead of you.

Once you have made it to the box office and gotten your tickets, you are confronted with the
problems of the theater itself. If you are in one of the run-down older theaters, you must adjust to
the musty smell of seldom-cleaned carpets. Escaped springs lurk in the faded plush or cracked
leather seats, and half the seats you sit in seem loose or tilted so that you sit at a strange angle.
The newer twin and quad theaters offer their own problems. Sitting in an area only one-quarter
the size of a regular theater, moviegoers often have to put up with the sound of the movie next
door. This is especially jarring when the other movie involves racing cars or a karate war and you

are trying to enjoy a quiet love story. And whether the theater is old or new, it will have floors
that seem to be coated with rubber cement. By the end of a movie, shoes almost have to be pried
off the floor because they have become sealed to a deadly compound of spilled soda, hardening
bubble gum, and crushed Ju-Jubes.

Some of the patrons are even more of a problem than the theater itself. Little kids race up and
down the aisles, usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back
to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious noises. Adults act as if
they were at home in their own living rooms and comment loudly on the ages of the stars or why
movies aren't as good anymore. And people of all ages crinkle candy wrappers, stick gum on their
seats, and drop popcorn tubs or cups of crushed ice and soda on the floor. They also cough and
burp, squirm endlessly in their seats, file out for repeated trips to the rest rooms or concession
stand, and elbow you out of the armrest on either side of your seat.

After arriving home from the movies one night, I decided that I was not going to be a moviegoer
anymore. I was tired of the problems involved in getting to the movies and dealing with the
theater itself and some of the patrons. The next day I arranged to have cable TV service installed
in my home. I may now see movies a bit later than other people, but I'll be more relaxed watching
box office hits in the comfort of my own living room.
Long Range Effects of the Internet on Society

Whenever any major development in society is conceived, such as when phoneswere introduced,
problems ensue. The internet, because of it's modern nature is not really well dealt with when it
comes to existing legislation.

The solutions to anyproblems with the 'net are so complex that any legislation that could ensue
might threatento infringe upon the rights and privileges that Americans enjoy today.
"Virtualcommunities could help citizens revitalize democracy, or they could be luring us into
anattractively packaged substitute for democratic discourse."(Rheingold 276) "What if thehopes
for a quick technological fix of what is wrong with democracy constitute nothingmore than
another way to distract the attention of the suckers while the big boys divideup the power and the
loot."(Rheingold 278) "All too often the regulatory and policymechanisms of government have
been subverted by the industries they exist to control. Although this takeover has not usually been
intended by the formulators of thesemechanisms or the laws setting up agencies, many factors
lead to this corporatedomination when the regulation involves a rapidly changing area."(Hiltz
445)

Accordingto Rheingold, everything is eventually somehow commodified. "The First

Amendmentof the Constitution's Bill of Rights protects the citizens from government interference
intheir communications-the rights of speech, press, and assembly are communicationrights.
Without those rights, there is no public sphere. Ask any citizen of Prague, Budapest, or
Moscow."(Rheingold 282) "Just as the ability to read and write and freelycommunicate gives
power to communicate gives power to citizens that protects themfrom the powers of the state, the
ability to surveil, to invade the citizen's privacy, givesthe state the power to confuse, coerce and
control citizens. Uneducated citizens cannotrule themselves, but tyrannies can control even
educated populations, givensophisticated means of surveillance."(Rheingold 289) "This assault
on privacy, invisibleto most, takes place in the broad daylight of everyday life.

The weapons are cashregisters and credit cards. When Big Brother arrives, don't be surprised if
he looks like agrocery clerk, because privacy has been turning into a commodity, courtesy of
betterand better information networks, for years."(Rheingold 291) "The most insidious attackson
our rights to a reasonable degree of privacy might come not from a politicaldictatorship but from
the marketplace." "But high technology is often very good atrendering laws moot."(Rheingold
294) "While a few people will get better informationvia high-bandwidth supernetworks, the
majority of the population, if history is anyguide, are likely to become more precisely befuddled,
more exactly manipulated."(Rheingold 297) Hyper realists believe that, "The replacement of
democracy with aglobal mercantile state that exerts control through the media-assisted
manipulation ofdesire rather than the more orthodox means of surveillance and
control"(Rheingold 297) is the path of the future. In 1978 there were people predicting what the
future was tobring. "Privacy and security are well known issues. What is new ... is the
indirectknowledge about individuals that can be gained by the records of an individual's activity:
who the person communicates with; what types of discussion are enjoyed; with whombusiness is
done or transactions are made; hoe he or she votes on issues or answerspolls."(Hiltz 457)

According to Bill Clinton, yesterday the laws of America caught upwith the technology of today.
This statement has exposed the problems with legislatingtechnology. He went on to say that this
bill has been ten years in the making. In this dayand age, when technology advances at an
exponential rate, how can society afford to bestifled under inadequate legislation? There is little
legislation, besides that whichprotects children and personal safety, that governs society's
relationships. Although thecurrent legislation does not directly attempt to do this, it in effect does.

Bibliography:
Hiltz, Starr Roxanne and Murray Turoff. The Network Nation, human communicationvia
computer. Reading Mass.:Addison-Wesley, 1978.

Rheingold, Howard. The Virtual Community, homesteading on the electronic frontier. Reading
Mass.:Addison Wesley, 1993.
Superstitions

Mysterious happenings are all around us today. I personally have done extensive studies in the
histories of many of these superstitions, from the common to the absurd. Science tends to claim
that all superstitions are pointless, and, in some cases, I agree, such as the fear of black cats, but
the fact of the matter is that some superstitions come from a rich pre-Christian background. Many
superstitions have been doubted since the rise of science, but it has been said that "In spite of
advances and science, people are still superstitious." First, today's superstition is yesterday's
magick; second, many people still practice the old ways; and finally, even common people
practice. Superstitions are a part of our everyday lives and always have been.

First, today's superstitions are yesterday's magick. Magick is the term practitioners use to
describe the direct but subtle influence over reality; magic is a term for stage tricks. Long before
the age of science, magick was a common element in every religion, even Christianity. Even
science in its beginning, was based on old magicks like numerology, begun by Pythagoras, and
alchemy. Since then, we have several leftovers from the old ways, my favorite of which is
knocking on wood. The ancient Celts (pronounced Kelts) began this practice as a way of thanking
the wood fairies, who were seen as mostly responsible for good luck. Today, when speaking of
one's good fortune, it is common to knock on wood, though most people do not know why.
Despite science's attempts to turn the old ways into useless or forgotten superstitions, the
remnants of them are still around.

Second, many of us still practice magick, roughly 10,000 in America. Collectively, the religion is
known as Wicca, though not all Wiccans practice magick, and not all of those who practice magic
are Wiccan. Obviously, the scientific community would prefer to believe that we are either
insane, delusional, or con-artists, but none of that is true. I have seen magick work and have done
it myself. In fact, my favorite way to gain the trust of a new friend is by granting him or her one
wish, as long as the wish is not too grand; as I said before, magic is subtle. When the wish comes
true, I have a new friend who is willing to do almost anything for me. Whether scientists like it or
not, there are those of us who still practice the old ways and take them seriously.

Finally, not only do Wiccans practice the old ways, but normal people also use them in their
everyday lives. True, the intent is not there, which is essential to magick, but the practice is. For
instance, placing parsley on meat to prevent food poisoning, planting holly around the house for
protection, using basil in food that is meant for a lover to induce lust, and the aforementioned

knocking on wood are all still practices. Whether people know it or not, they are incorporating
the old ways, sometimes in the form of superstition, into their everyday lives.

In conclusion, science would have people believe that magick does not exist and that
superstitions are the creations of pointless fears, but the fact is that people do practice
superstitions and the old ways, and I have seen them work. In spite of advances in scientific
knowledge, people are still superstitious, and I believe they have a good reason to be. Today's
superstitions are yesterday's magick, people do still practice the old ways, and even common
people practice a little. As it stands now, Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the United
States, so it does not look like superstition is on the way out. Scientists would like to get rid of
the old ideas, but that will never happen.
Eating Disorders

It seems like every little girl dreams of becoming a model. They want to be thin and pretty like
the models they see on television and in magazines. Often the desire becomes an obsession and
young girls see "thinness" as being a needed characteristic. For many girls, the teenage years are
spent trying to acquire this look. Females are trying diets and are exercising like it is a
competition to see who can lose the most weight the quickest. The obsession of many young girls
over their appearance or weight has led to a growing number of people who have developed an
eating disorder to try to deal with their lack of self-esteem or other related problems.

Eating disorders are a serious health problem. Personal Counseling & Resources says that eating
disorders "are characterized by a focus on body shape, weight, fat, food, and perfectionism and
by feelings of powerlessness and low self-esteem." Three of the most common eating disorders
are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating or compulsive eating disorder. According
to Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, a person with anorexia "refuses to maintain
normal body weight for age and height" and "weighs 85 percent or less than what is what is
expected for age and height." A person diagnosed with bulimia has several ways of getting rid of
the calories such as binge eating, vomiting, laxative misuse, exercising, or fasting. The person
might have a normal weight for their age and height unless anorexia is present. The signs of a
compulsive eater include eating meals frequently, rapidly, and secretly. This person might also
snack and nibble all day long. The compulsive eater tends to have a history of diet failures and
may be depressed or obese (Anred.com).

There are many reasons that can contribute to the cause of eating disorders. One of the main
reasons seems to be the obsession over every little pound a person is wearing. Sometimes low

self-esteem or depression from any number of causes can usher in the eating disorder. Other
times compulsive exercising can help shed the pounds but leave the enthused unhealthy looking.

There are other possible causes to this widely known health problem. The media bestows a great
deal of beauty and thinness on television and magazines that are viewed by many people daily.
Everyone has the desire to look like the actors and actresses do but, in reality, it just will not
happen for most of us. Abuse, whether it be physical, emotional, or sexual, can also contribute to
the development of an eating disorder (Something-Fishy.com). Such abuse to victims can leave
them with a lack of trust and low self-esteem. An unfavorable relationship a person has with
others is also a contributing factor to disordered eating habits. The world is so competitive that
any mention from parents, siblings, peers, significant others, or co-workers about a person's
weight or appearance can lead to the onset of an eating disorder.

There really is no single reason that a person acquires an eating disorder. Many factors are
considered when making a diagnosis for a person with this problem. Causes like the ones
mentioned above play such an important role in eating disorders. Is it really so important that in
order to look like the super models people are willing to give up food and starve themselves to
death for a little satisfaction on the outside? The look of a person on the inside is what really
matters.

Sources Cited
Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. "Definitions." Welcome. 17 Sept. 2000.
<http://anred.com/defs.html>

19 Sept. 2000.

Personal Counseling and Resources. "Eating Disorders." Personal Counseling and Resources.
22 Nov. 1997. <http://www.coun.uvic.ca/personal/eating.html> 13 Sept. 2000.
Something Fishy. "Abuse." Website on Eating Disorders. 5 Sept.2000.<http://www.
something-fishy.org/prevention/abuse.php> 13 Sept. 2000.
Something Fishy. "Anorexia Nervosa." Website on Eating Disorders. 5 Sept. 2000.
<http://www. something-fishy.org/whatarethey/anorexia.php> 13 Sept. 2000.
September 11 and Europe's Contempt Toward the U.S

Lest we forget the heroic resolve of our many European "allies," the French surged forward into
the fray last week. Well, perhaps "surging" isn't quite the word, and the "fray" has become a
meager affair as of late. Their token gesture to join the U.S. and Great Britain in orchestrating a
Northern Alliance victory amounts to little more than tactical cowardice, a dashing display of
minced words and foot-dragging that only the French seem capable of. However symbolic the
gesture, the French and their European counterparts tend to deliver such offerings of goodwill
sealed with the usual stamp of anti-Americanism.

The irritating Euro-superiority complex recently surfaced over the issue of extraditing captured
terrorists to the United States. In September, Spanish authorities infiltrated the Soldiers of Allah,
a radical Islamic group based in Madrid with links to al Qaeda. The operation led to 14 arrests of
key al Qaeda operatives and shed new light on the financing of bin Laden's operations preceding
the September 11 attacks. Hundreds of millions of pesetas (i.e. millions of dollars) flowed
through this unit of al Qaeda's financial network. Despite this damning evidence, Spain still sniffs
at the thought of extraditing the detainees to the U.S.

And what is the source of Spain's moral indigestion? The "backward" American justice system,
of course. After all, the U.S. still employs such barbaric anachronisms as the death penalty (and
even worse, a solid majority of Americans seem to support it). As evidenced by the continual
stalling of Spanish diplomats, the moral burden of any extradition to a country as primitive as the
United States is simply too much for the collective Spanish conscience to bear. The fate of al
Qaeda operatives must not be abandoned to the crude methods of American jurisprudence.
Instead of rejecting such anti-Americanism, the 15 members of the European Union echoed
Spain's sentiments in their sanctimonious reports to the press.

The Bush administration's establishment of military tribunals further inflamed the E.U.'s
righteous indignation. Several countries kindly reminded the U.S. that sending the al Qaeda
henchmen across the pond would violate the EU's extradition ban against countries that use the
death penalty. This was consistent with what seems to be the E.U.'s role of the meddling whiner,
seizing some disputable moral high ground to voice complaints instead of solutions. Perhaps the
most annoying aspect of most European indignation is its paternalistic tone, as if the Americans
were still reckless colonies in need of a scolding.

Europe's contempt toward the U.S. runs the gamut of issues, from the Kyoto protocol to missile
defense to banana exports. Europe's growing enmity of Israel, however, is especially confusing. A
recent article by Bret Stephens in the op-ed pages of the Wall Street Journal outlined the causes of
Europe's Arab appeasement policy. While post-World War II Europe favored Israel out of guilt,

Europeans now urge Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Of course,
Israel's blunt rejection of such suggestions from former supporters further inflames Europe's
thinly veiled animosity.

The recent proceedings in Brussels hardly remedy the mutual distaste. A Belgian court has
commenced hearings against Ariel Sharon for crimes against humanity for the 1982 Sabra and
Chatilla massacres. As Israel struggles with the day-to-day carnage wreaked by Hamas, Belgium
readjusts its blinders and proceeds with litigation. The case somehow finds Sharon culpable for
the crimes of a Lebanese mercenary who participated in Hafez Assad's mass murders. Though the
proceedings appear secondary to a state facing daily suicide bombers, the trial's symbolism merits
concern. Specifically, European disapproval of Israeli operations bodes ill for the U.S. In a world
that confuses the Middle East's conflicts with U.S. policy, half-hearted European support for
Palestine strengthens the anti-American rhetoric on other issues.

Europe's numerous faults must not overshadow all of its redeeming qualities, of course. Joschka
Fischer, head of Germany's Green party, has been downright hawkish since the terrorist attacks.
Though the irony of the situation may leave an unpleasant aftertaste-Fischer's colorful rsum
includes, as the New Republic recently discovered, an assault against a policeman in his radical
youth-his unfailing support of the American bombings contrasts sharply with the reaction of the
rest of Germany's foreign ministry. Great Britain also never hesitated to join the war on terrorism,
moving beyond voiced sympathy to decisive troop deployment in support of U.S. forces. In the
House of Commons, Tony Blair has built British support for the war on terrorism and established
himself as a steadfast friend of America.

Much to the disappointment of Americans at home, such examples remain far too rare. More
often the U.S. must endure the pompous moral preening of the European countries, whether their
daily grievance concerns missile defense or CO2 emissions. Perhaps the war on terrorism will
provide our allies with a bit of perspective; then again, the U.S. campaign might incur more
disdain than praise. As the struggle against terrorism extends beyond Afghanistan's borders, some
countries will undoubtedly harp about unilateralist decisions. Europe, however, should reconsider
its reflexive contempt for U.S. policies. In the wake of September 11, America deserves respect,
not reproach-why should Europe begrudge us this decency?
Women in the Media

The Psychological Power of the Media to Trap Women in A Role. The power of advertising to
change, shape and mold the public's opinion has had a major impact on the lives of women.
Women are the main target for many advertisements and are used in many forms of advertising.
The media has historically used propaganda to define who women are and what they should be.

The time period following WWII maybe one of the greatest examples of how completely media
can control the ideas of the society on a specific group of people.

During WWII women were encouraged to go out to factories and work to support the war effort.
This gave women a sense of need and belonging that many had been left out of before they had
the opportunity to persue any type of career in an acceptable manner. With the men away at war,
women were encouraged to find work outside the home due to a lack of factory workers who
could produce war goods. Once the war ended, however, this propaganda not only stopped- it
abruptly changed.

Once the men were back in the states there was an excess of workers. Men came back form war
to find that there were no jobs or that their wives were occupying them. With production
plummeting after war time highs there were few jobs to offer the men returning home. This
started a media blitz on women. Women were encouraged to return to the home and take care of
their families. Women's magazines were overflowing with ideas on how to make a perfect wife
and mother. It was obvious that if you weren't happy making your family your job, there was
something wrong with you as a woman.

The problem was that women were unhappy; President Kennedy commissioned a report on the he
status of the American Woman due to the magnitude of this problem (Schneir 38-47). The report
basically said that women were unhappy with the idea that they were fundamentally only
responsible for being wives, mothers and homemakers; they had nothing they could associate as
their own accomplishments.

Another study came out in 1963; it was called The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. "What
she detected was a concerted campaign since the end of WWII to convince American women
they could achieve happiness in life only through marriage and motherhood-an ideology she
labeled "the feminine mystique"" (Schneir 48-9). Friedan's research also lead her to find an
enormous amount of articles in women's magazines by supposed experts devoted to telling
women that they should seek their fulfillment in being a wife and a mother. The fact that more
women were going to college and becoming better educated only lead to more discontent and the
idea of having courses on marriage and motherhood in college was brought up. If a woman was
unhappy with her status she knew from what everything she read told her that something was
wrong with her; she was not fulfilling her duty as a woman.

The Influence of the Media on Women's View of Beauty and Self-Worth Another way in which
the media has had a great influence over women is by controlling the image of what is beautiful

for a woman in our society. The more technology that is created, the more unrealistic our ideas of
the "perfect" woman become. "The body beautiful is a woman's responsibility and authority. She
will be valued and rewarded on the basis of how close she comes to embodying the ideal.
Whatever the current borders of beauty, they will always be well defined and exceedingly narrow,
and it will be a woman's task to conform to them-for as long as humanly possible" (Chapkis 14).
This leaves little room for interpretation to the idea of beauty. There is no flexibility in it; the
media creates an image and women try to live up to it.

Women are forced to live within the constraints that the media puts on them because these
constraints become societies "ideal." The media can even go so far as to pick a hair color that
society will adopt as more desirable for themseles. One study showed that from 1950-1980's
there was an inordinate amount of blondes in advertisements and in magazines. Even Playboy
portrays blondes as sexier. The study also showed that 84% of women think that men prefer
blonde haired women, in reality only 35% of the men interviewed preferred blondes. This kind of
distortion is something that the media perpetuates in the minds of women. It is important that
women start to differentiate myth from fact when the media is concerned. Many disorders that
women have when image is concerned come from trying to perpetuate a beauty myth inflected by
the media. Media needs to be held accountable for the societal ideas that they are perpetuating.
Until larger perameters are made for beauty, no one, not even the models can fit the "ideal."

Works Cited
Cash, Thomas F.. Sex Roles. "The American Image of Beauty :Media Representations of Hair
Color for Four Decades." vol.29, 113-23, 1993.
Chapkis, Wendy. beauty secrets. Southend Press, USA. copyright, 1986.
Covell, Katherine and Kyra Lanis. Sex Roles. "Images of Women in Advertisements: Effects on
Attitudes Related to Sexual Aggression." vol.32, 639-49, 1993.
Schneir, Miriam. Feminism In Our Time. Vintage Original Press, N.Y.. 1994.
Variety in Television Shows

There are many different television shows today, practically one for every person in the family.
Comedies, dramas, action-adventure all these different forums of television, but they all seem to
be about the same people. Threw all the different verity of shows on TV all the characters have
common similarities with each other. They are mostly composed of white people and the upper
class.

Even if the show claims to be about the working class the characters are usually never seen
working or even warring about money, they also never have a problem paying rent or buying new
clothes. This gives a false image of the working class. The lack of a divers cast also misleads the
audience the black population is expected to outnumber the white population in this country by
the year 2009. Yet all major television stations don't have many if ant minority in their shows.
This leaves most of America's people unrepresentative on television. If these stations where
trying to portray the middle class they did not do so in an affective manor.

Looking at the show "friends" the whole cast is composed of white actors and never has a
minority ever been represented in the show. All the characters have jobs but are never seen at
them, occasionally we see Monica in the kitchen where she works, or Rachel in the Coffey shop
doing anything but work. Even with the unusual appearance at work the characters still seem to
have great apartments and seem fashionably beautiful. "Friend" is one of the most popular shows
on television today. How is that possible, the answer is that executives who write and produce the
shows have no idea what its really like for young adults in society today. They assume things
about the American public and pass it on as the real thing. This in turn is digested by the
American public and watched because theirs nothing else that is entertaining enough to keep their
attention the reason why television shows seem the same is because they are made and produced
by the same people with a formula that is followed by others. Look at the show "Will and Grace"
it seems to have broken the mold of the usual sitcom. Its based on a gay man and a straight
woman, vary different right, wrong.

The cast still is all white and except for a short stint by a black character that lasted for only a few
episodes no other ethnic group has been represented. Again the characters are hardly ever seen
working, grace is constantly seen in her office but never seems to do any thing there. Will is a
high priced lawyer that never goes to court, and jack is a struggling actor who still lives in an
upper Manhattan apartment. Wills sexuality is always talked about but never seen. Everyone
knows he's gay but, he doesn't date much, and is to wrapped up in graces life to have his own. Yes
the show has gone along way to bend the cycle of sameness in television but it does not break it.

UPN, and The WB are the only stations that seem to be making an attempt to change the
Hollywood pattern in television. The WB was apart of the teen seen the movement that started to
involve younger adults in the entertainment field. With shows like "Dawson's creek", "Buffy the
"vampire slayer" and" seventh Heaven" they began to shack up the format a little bite. These
shows also contained all white cast but the WB also had a line up of black actors in there own
shows. UPN also had there own line up of minority shows such as "girlfriends", "the Parkers",
and "The Hugles" a refugee from ABCs lineup. Both stations are respected in their field but are
staggering in ratings.

It's a little troubling that the only two stations that are making an attempt to have shows that truly
reflect the American people are the ones that are doing the worst in the ratings. Is it that America
rather see white actors warring Calvin Kline complain about their minimum paying jobs in
comedic fashion or is it that the shows on UPN and The WB aren't funny enough. I don't have the
answers for that one. The only thing I can say is that the other stations have been around for a lot
longer and have a lot more funding and loyal viewers to support them. We shouldn't count UPN
or WB out just yet, there rating increase ever season and with a new audience to witness the
variety maybe after awhile UPN and The WB will come into their own.

With the same cast of characters and recycled plotlines you may ask why do people still watch
television. I think that people want to be lied to they want the fantasy that cant come true. If you
talk about the average American you talk about someone who has an income of less then twelve
thousand dollars, has some collage but may not have graduated, and has a nine to five job. With
the stress of life on those person's shoulders they want to be able to relax after work and be
entertained, unfortunately the only source of entertainment is the same kind of shows that lie to
them and make them believe that life is better then it is.
McViolence in McAmerica

The United States was born in a spirit of freedom and democracy, yet also with a strong belief in
the use of individual and group violence. The Revolutionary War lasted seven years and
succeeded in its goal of a new and independent nation. It also began our two-century-long love
affair with the gun, as four hundred thousand victorious citizen-soldiers helped proclaim the right
to bear arms (Goldstein 480).

America was born with a gun in hand and the desire to use it. But where did the violence begin
and what can Americans do to stop it? These are the questions American's repeat every time they
encounter violence in our fair country. Arnold Goldstein's "Violence in America" and The
Violence Policy Center's "Teddy Bears", conclude that America is a violent nation.

What caused America to be so violent? It seems that America's fascination with violence began
during the civil war. It continues to claim importance in the minds of Americans even to this day.
Throughout the centuries following the war, America's fascination with violence has been fueled
by particular circumstances. It's written that during the eighteenth century, during the migration to
the western United States, "Self-reliance, independence, and impatience with the poorly
developed laws and law enforcement of the day were also part of this mentality (Goldstein 481)."
Because of this save yourself mentality, people began to take the law into their owns hands and
dole out local justice. People wanted to be the rugged law enforcer that saved the day. That

particular myth seemed to be the most well know, but the least effective.

Also during this century, a massive immigration occurred that only fueled the amount of
violence that existed in the industrialized cities. "The ingredients in this great, human melting pot
often mixed poorly and often resulted in high levels of individual and group violence directed at
these immigrants, especially in the cities (Goldstein 481)." The violence that ensued occurred
because of the cultural differences and lack of adaptation between American citizens and the
immigrants that came to America to make their fortunes.

The nineteenth century went on to incorporate the Civil War as it's crowning violence
achievement whereas the twentieth century claims "vigilante aggression (Goldstein 481)" as well
as both world wars. America's interdependence on guns only seems to grow through every
century and every war or war-like skirmish. According to Goldstein, "Much of the recorded
violence in America in the late 1800s and early 1900s was group violence associated with the
industrialization of our country (Goldstein 481)". The immigration was due to the opening of
jobs and the chance to make a fortune and the outcome of the flood of immigrants was the group
violence that ensued.

Goldstein states, "We are also a country in which for more than two hundred years our people
have insulted, injured, assaulted, abused, raped, and murdered one another at levels that are
dismayingly high and seem to be growing (Goldstein 482)." America was born from violence
and it only grows exponentially as the century's progress and people become more immune to the
horrifying displays of violence seen every day.

This century's weapon of choice seems to be the gun. According to "Teddy Bears,"

Guns kill 32,436 people in the United States in 1997. From 1994 to 1997 there were 140,938
gun-related deaths in the United States. In 1997, for every time a firearm was used by a civilian
to kill in self-defense, there were 4 unintentional deaths, 43 criminal homicides, and 75 suicides
involving forearms (VPC 492).

Everyday in America, the violence increases in all conflicts and statistics prove that the deaths,
resulting from these encounters, occur because of the proliferation of guns in America. Violence
seems to be ingrained in American culture. A reader can almost question, how much of the
violence is part of our genetic makeup and how much of the violence occurs because we are

taught it? America was born from violence and will continue to be violent until we either settle
our differences or kill off the population.

Since the creation of the gun centuries ago, strife, conflict, and violence have only occurred.
America is a more violent nation because of the number of guns and the ease with which a person
can attain one. But with or without guns, there will always be violence in America. Since living
in America, the melting pot, one must understand that there are to be differences between people,
but at the same time and these differences make America what it is: a place of freedom that
guarantees the right to make your own fortune once here. And that person must adapt and be
understanding in order to avoid the violence that can occur. No matter who it is, they've
encountered the violence that exists in America. Every human sees it and becomes more immune
to it, The Violence Policy Center writes warning posters about it, and Arnold Goldstein can write
an essay about how the violence in America started. So even though the Revolutionary War gave
our country freedom, it also began a losing battle with violence that ceases to release America
from its cold steel hands.

Works Cited

Goldstien, Arnold P. "How Did We Get Here?" Violence In America. Creating America:
Reading and Writing Arguments. Eds. Joyce Moser and Ann Watters. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle
River: Prentice Hall, 2002 (480-482).
Violence Policy Center. "Teddy Bears." Creating America: Reading and Writing Arguments.
Eds. Joyce Moser and Ann Watters. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002 (491-492).
We are the Plague, We are the Cure

Why is it that the fate of our nation seems to be in a downward spiral of

despair? It seems as if everywhere you turn, you are greeted with grim visages
of violence and misery. What is this plague which afflicts our society and has
taken away the innocence and happiness of past generations? Our society is

condemned to its current state due to its individualistic desires. If man is the
downfall of himself, then is he also the plague of his society?

You might believe that only recently with the advent of the Internet are we
pushing ourselves too far, but this is far from the truth. This problem has hung
as a spectre over society since its origin. In Genesis 3, we are first
introduced to this plague on society. As Adam and Eve wandered the Garden of
Eden, they were tricked by the serpent into eating from the Tree of Knowledge.
After condemning all three for their disobedience God commented that, "the man
has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:22) This
plague continues to today. If you think about it, we are all becoming
increasingly dependent on technology. In a recent work by Bill Joy, this thought
really hit home. To think that soon, "People won't be able to just turn the
machines off, because they will be so dependent on them that turning them off
would amount to suicide." This is what our dependence will cause, and this
dependence is cause by our desire to push ourselves harder than is necessary.
(Joy 2) As you can see this problem began when society did, and will not end
until society does also.

Technology and history are not the only fields in which society's plague are
present, however. Recently, it seems as if every time you open the newspaper you
are greeted with a declaration of 'breaking' news on the Presidential election.
For hundreds of years, this process seemed so simple. Of course, there were

times when society's little evil would spring up and try to do damage. In a few
cases it has succeeded, Andrew Johnson's impeachment and Richard Nixon's
resignation are prime examples. (American Presidents) However, today's election
has been totally overrun by these problems. Both candidates are too concerned
with trying to hang on until the smoke clears to concern themselves with the
people. This focus on individuality rather than society in general, especially
in a field such as politics, is a sad truth.

Where do we go from here though? In 1516, St. Thomas More laid down the
prototype for an ideal constitution, in his book "Utopia." (Hudleston) More's
work was the account of a fictitious traveler who happened upon the island of
Utopia whose society was ruled by collective reason rather than by individual
power and greed. (Cliffs Notes) This is what our society needs. A clearly
defined set of laws to follow in everyday life to keep us from continually
pushing the envelope too far. The Utopians were content with their lives. Even a
belief as simple as, "why anyone should be so fascinated by the dull gleam of a
tiny bit of stone, when he has all the stars in the sky to look at (More 89),"
speaks volumes about them. Partial blame for our society's failure to fully
succeed is our inability to comprehend the larger picture because of our focus
on the details. This is where the Utopian society is a level above. Their
government has laid out the details, so the inhabitants can fully immerse
themselves in discovering the bigger picture in life. Utopia is defined as, "an
ideally perfect, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects."
(Dictionary.com) More's fictional land truly lives up to the definition of its

name. The reason they are the example and should be for all societies was their
desire to put away one's own wants and desires. The Utopians selflessness is
what made them the model for all societies.

To truly understand the problems of our society it might be easiest to take a

glimpse at a society gone wrong. The roots of Karl Marx's "The Communist
Manifesto," lay deep within Thomas More's "Utopia." Yet, it seems somehow as if
Marx's vision is of a Utopia gone wrong, a dystopian. The idea seems so
wonderful until you try to make it a reality. The class struggle between the
poor proletariats and the wealthy property-owning bourgeois.. (Marx 18) Karl
Marx did succeed in molding the basis of More's philosophy of Utopia into his
own Communism. When he tried to make a reality of this he failed though.
However, it is not his fault. To make the society he envisioned succeed you have
to be willing to put aside your own self for everyone else. Communism failed
because its hard for a person to surpass their own individualistic desires of
self for a common goal.

It seems as if we are destined to live with our plague. We have been afflicted
by it from the ealiest days of society up until the time in which we currently
find ourselves. Through examination of our own culture, that shown in Thomas
More's "Utopia," and in Karl Marx's "The Communist Manifesto the single unifying
thread of society seems to be individuality. The problem with society is that it
is made of individuals. Greedy, power-hungry individuals. The plague is not

caused by politics, government, or Big Brother but rather by ourselves. The

human desire for personal success overrides any chance of each individual
working towards the advancement of society rather than himself. The problem with
society, the evil behind it is us. We are the plague.
Family Life is Good for You

Marriage and the family continue to weaken in a number of countries. In Canada, close to 1.2
million couples were living in a common-law relationship in 2001, up 20% from 1995, the Globe
and Mail newspaper reported July 11, 2002. By contrast, the number of married couples
increased just 3%, to 6.4 million from 6.2 million, over the same period.

The figures come from Statistics: Canada's General Social Survey, which collected information
on relationship ties, marital splits and new unions.
In 2001, almost 90% of Canadian men and women aged 50 to 69 had started their conjugal life
through marriage. But among men and women aged 30 to 39, the study found that fully 40%
were expected to choose a common-law relationship as their first union. For women aged 20 to
29, the percentage is estimated to reach 53%.

The appeal of marriage has dropped most significantly in traditionally Catholic Quebec. There,
only 26% of women aged 30 to 39 are expected to choose marriage to start their conjugal lives.
One-third of women in Quebec had married their common-law partner at the time of the survey,
compared with 59% of women in the other provinces.

The Canadian situation mirrors England's situation. On Nov. 26, 2001, the Telegraph revealed
that government statistics show that the number of cohabiting couples in England and Wales has
reached more than 1.5 million, with four in 10 children now born outside marriage, compared
with one in 10 in the 1970s. The number of couples living together is expected to double over the
next 20 years.

Ireland too has seen big changes in family structures, the Irish Independent observed May 20,
2002. In 1994, one in every four children was born outside marriage. Now, more than one in
every three children is born to single mothers and the rate of first births to unmarried mothers is

increasing at 20 times the rate of first births to married women.

The Irish Independent cited a study titled "Family Formation in Ireland" by Helen Russell and
Tony Fahey that looked at cases of non-marital births and followed them up five years later. They
found that only half the children born outside marriage between 1993-1997 were in a two-parent
situation by 1997.

And in continental Europe, more children are being born out of wedlock. The trend is more
notable in Northern Europe, though changes are taking place everywhere, the New York Times
reported March 24.

In Norway, 49% of all the births in 1999 were to unwed parents. In Iceland, the figure was 62%.
France came in at 41%, in 1998, the last year for which figures were available. In Italy,
comparatively few children are born to unwed parents -- 9% in 1998. But even there, the old rules
are breaking down and many couples are living together before marriage, reported the Times.

In the United States the median age for marriage among men is now 27, the Washington Times
reported June 26. The article quoted researchers Barbara Dafoe Whitehead and David Popenoe,
of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University, who had just published their 2002 State of
Our Unions report, titled, "Why Men Won't Commit: Exploring Young Men's Attitudes About
Sex, Dating and Marriage." The report is based on interviews with 60 single men, 25 to 33, who
live in four parts of the country. They found that since young men are able to indulge in a
sexually active single life -- often with a live-in girlfriend -- they "are in no hurry" to marry.

Nevertheless, men tend to fare better if married: A 20-year study of 20,000 men carried out at the
University of Warwick has found that those with wives live an average of three years longer than
single men, and earn an extra 3,000 ($4,700) a year, the London Times reported Jan. 29.
Researchers think that the differences between married and single men is partly owing to the
healthier lifestyle that marriage encourages, and also to a desire to impress their partners and
feather their nests. Married men drank less alcohol and ate less fatty food. Couples were also
more likely to have lower stress levels as they shared worries and watched for signs of illness in
each other.

Those findings were supported by a study published a few weeks later, by researchers from the
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the State University of New York-Oswego. The

U.S. researchers studied data from 12,366 patients who participated in the seven-year Multiple
Risk Factor Intervention Trial, according to a Reuters report Feb. 10.

Women also benefit from marriage, a recent Heritage Foundation report showed. The report
concludes that domestic abuse in the United States is twice as high among women who have
never married than among those who have, the Washington Times reported April 15. Moreover,
children of divorced or never-married mothers are six to 30 times more likely to suffer from
serious abuse than youngsters raised by both biological parents who are married.
The report's findings are based on an analysis of the 1999 results of the National Crime
Victimization Survey, which the U.S. Justice Department has conducted since 1973.

And a new study shows that even those who remain in an unhappy marriage end up being happier
than those couples who divorce. According to a July 12 report in the Canadian daily National
Post, about half of the divorcees studied were happy five years later, while two-thirds of those
who stayed put found happiness over the same period. The study also showed that divorce did not
enhance self-esteem or alleviate depression. The team of researchers, led by University of
Chicago sociologist Linda Waite, analyzed data on 5,232 married adults interviewed for the
National Survey of Families and Households.

Yes, it would seem that family life is the good life!

Communism and its Unfortunate Flaw

Throughout the course of history, colonies, city-states, and countries alike

have attempted different forms of government. From monarchies to anarchies, it has remained
clear what manner of government works best, both for the economy and the people- a capitalist
society. Capitalism breeds competition and individual accomplishments. Unfortunately Karl
Marx did not feel this way when he published his short piece, The Communist Manifesto, a cry
for all those in favor of a communist world to stand up and unite. According to Marx, the
capitalist form of government "has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has
reduced the family relation to a mere money relation" (82). He goes on to describe more of these
crimes the government, notably the bourgeoisie, has inflicted upon the populace, the proletariat.
Yet Marx proves to over-generalize himself on a majority of issues. Although communism is
itself almost infallible theoretically, it simply cannot exist in the overwhelmingly competitive,
capitalist world that exists today. George Orwell's Animal Farm is an exceptional example that
illustrates the faults of communism. In this fictional tale similar to the Russian Revolution of the
early 1900's, a group of farm animals overthrows its corrupt farmer and forms its own society.

The parallels to communism become clear as all

animals are made equal and work toward the same goal of building their farm. Unfortunately,
human nature and competition sink in, as the intelligent pigs become the all-knowing leaders.
This is not so much to say that competition is a negative aspect of the economy; on the contrary,
it has been very much an overall positive influence. Communism also does not take into account
that human nature has a tendency to create competition. People strive to do their best, for when
they do they are most often rewarded. Communism does no such thing, and provides for one of
the main flaws that attributes to its failure.

In Marx's ideal communist world, the entire populace is equal, and shares everything. There
is no competition, and no one is rewarded more or less based on his or her individual
achievement. Yet with this newfound sense of a worldwide sharing, there, in theory, is no
poverty or hunger. Marx advocated free public education and tax rights for the common people,
and believed communism should occur in more economically advanced countries. He discusses
in his manifesto how the proletarian factory worker is exploited by his bourgeoisie, and then later
by "the lower strata of the middle class-the small trades people, shopkeepers, and retired
tradesmen" (88) as they go about their daily lives. Marx encourages all levels of the middle and
lower classes to bring to a halt these relentless attacks on each other-the very same people with
whom they should be fighting the bourgeoisie. This situation draws parallels to the Los Angeles
Riots of the early 1990's. The destruction and violence ruined neighborhoods, while not even
addressing the real problems at hand. Accordingly, as Marx proclaims, the proletarians must stop
their constant attacks on one another, and concentrate on the bourgeoisie. With this must come a
massive uprising, calling for "working men of all countries, [to] unite!" (121).
However, Marx did not foresee his ideal society revolutionizing itself into the totalitarian regime
for which it is now known. He did not take into account that calling for a massive bloody
revolution would lead to so many problems. This is where human nature takes its course. It is
simply human nature that causes certain individuals to rise to power, even in situations where one
is not anticipated.

George Orwell's Animal Farm proves to be an excellent example of this. The revolution,
inspired by Old Major and led by Snowball and Napoleon, occurs and a series of drastic new
changes transpires. The more intelligent pigs begin the process of establishing new laws,
organizing the chores and educating the others. Among the other original seven
"commandments", the final is viewed as the most important: "All animals are equal" (____). The
theme of "Four legs good, two legs bad" (____) becomes of the utmost importance to these newly
freed farm animals, who rely heavily on the thoughts and ideas of Snowball. Unfortunately for
all parties involved, the concept of human nature finally becomes an issue, as a power-hungry
Napoleon runs Snowball off the farm and forcefully proclaims himself as a sort of dictator. This
is where the idea of communism begins to fall apart, both in the novel and realistically speaking.

In Animal Farm, the pigs rise to power while oppressing all rights of the other animals. In the
real world, communism takes on many of the same outcomes. It is simply not true that one's
social structure determines how a society behaves, for look at Marx's ideal social structure of
communism. Greed and competition found their way in Cuba, the Soviet Union and China, and
they are now or once were economical disasters to many. If these behaviors, courtesy of human
nature, are allowed to go unchecked in one or a small group of people, disaster strikes. It has
been proven time and time again throughout history. When Napoleon's greed and power got out
of hand, all other animals suffered. Marx's ideal society simply cannot exist successfully in the
world today, as human nature makes a mockery of it.

It is human nature to want those possessions that one cannot have. It is also human nature to
want to be powerful, wealthy and successful. Human nature drives the populace to do their best
in life, for hard work almost always has its rewards. Simply speaking, there is human nature in
all of us. It cannot be referred to as a negative characteristic, for many times it has been
responsible for outright goodness in life. In conclusion, it is human nature that creates the
separation between the exploited and the exploiter, not the social structure in which one lives. If
this were the case, Karl Marx's communism would be a raging success in the world, instead of
the economical and social failure for which it is now known. Human nature has caused this
failure. A person's need for power can sometimes be far too great, thus affecting the final
outcome for his or her entire people. It is the social structure in which one lives, however, that
can keep this from becoming a problem. Marx's flaw was that he did not provide for this
situation, thus causing his theory's downfall.
narrative essays

The Importance of Positive Thinking

"WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR THINKING, you change your beliefs; when you change your
beliefs, you change your expectations; when you change your expectations, you change your
attitude; when you change your attitude, you change your behavior; when you change your
behavior, you change your performance; when you change your performance, YOU CHANGE
YOUR LIFE." Rob Geis
I passionately believe that people can make what they want out of their lives. Since I begain high
school, I have been preaching to other students about positive thinking, and how it can change a
person's life. I have helped many students develop a more accurate self-concept. I have explained
to students how the brain works, how to set goals, simple relaxation techniques, how to use
creative imagination, and how to eliminate stress.
Despite the negative circumstances that we all face, there are many positive aspects of all our
lives. All we have to do to be happy is focus more of our attention on the positive than on the
negative. My beliefs in this area are not unfounded. There are many books written on this subject

that give factual evidence that the way we think profoundly affects our lives. I am currently
working with several high school faculty members to implement my class lesson plans into
several classes already offered at the high school. I am very excited about my progress thus far,
and hope to see some of my ideas become reality soon.
My ultimate goal is to motivate more students to realize their full potential.
Leadership and Responsibility

If you want to lead me

You'd better find a better way
'Cause your life is speaking so loud
I can't hear a single word you say.

Anyone who has talked to me about leadership has mentioned that you are not a leader unless
someone is following you. This is true, but implies more than what is seen at first glance, that if
someone is following you, you are a leader whether you like it or not. And with leadership comes
responsibility, a lot of responsibility. To be truthful, I do not always like to have responsibility or
have to worry about what others see when they watch me. Being a leader requires that I keep my
integrity.

In my work as a camp counselor this past summer, I found that campers looked up to me when
they knew that I was one of the people in charge. I had to make sure I did not abuse my power or
freedom as a worker. I had to lead by example, the best way to lead. If trash needed to be picked
up off of our dorm room, simply asking my campers to clean it up would not go over well. I
needed to get down on the floor with them and start the process, show them that I was not above
them but that I was willing to do more than just give the commands. I found that I commanded a
lot more respect when I joined them. Leading from above is not as effective as leading them on
their level by example. Actions must line up with words.

I Am Not a Fan
The essence of being a fan eludes me. Why anyone would want to even admit to being a fan
baffles me. Why does anyone, any where, ever deserves lusty, t-shirt tearing hysteria. Who are

these proudly professing "fans" who wait patiently for autographs, pictures, a stray hair even,
from their stars? Who experiences life fullfilment upon shaking hands with a celebrity? What
kind of delusional state of low self-esteem do you exist in?
Even, the quiet fan, the conversational admirer, is an enigma to me. Owning multiple copies of
anything by one person seems like a waste. Who needs all the versions available "uncut," "live,"
"abridged," the "best of's," "highlight films," "documentaries," and the absurdly popular "Diaries
of?" Being able to reguritate facts from your collection of paraphenalia hardly qualifies as a
conversation skill.
As a participant in every day life and an occasional watcher of VH1, the flaws of humanity seem
glaringly obvious to me. Our lying, cheating, addictive, vindictive human nature is nothing to
brag about. Sure, the occasional creative soul can produce some great music, eloquent writing, or
profound thought. I can appreciate, admire even, that song/book/philosophy. But transfering my
admiration for a moving melody/paragraph/theory to the soiled ego that created it is foolhardy
and illogical.
I don't want your sweaty clothes, broken guitar, dried up pen, or old house. I don't need to see
where you were born, had your diaper changed, and suffered a bad case of shingles. You can keep
your advice on how to organize my medicine cabinet feng sui style, uniquely acessorize my
spring wardrobe according to your newest purchase, and achieve personal happiness based on
tips you received in rehab.
I am not a fan.
Life is a White Water River

Life is a white water river. At first I paddle slowly along the

uncharacteristically-calm waters to school. I have got to steel myself to
keep up with the tiresome work that lies ahead of me.

The heavy waves of work pound me tirelessly as I attempt to manoevour

around the feared whirlpool of depression, which at any given time can pull
me under and swallow me alive.

While in the river, which I call life, I have to be in control at all

times; I must quickly steer and paddle away from the massive rocks and
devouring waves. When travelling along a rough river, it is essential that
the rafter be a quick thinker, and only the experienced rafter can outwit
the many perils that lie ahead.

Sure, I am apt to make mistakes, I can only imagine how many times waves
have knocked my raft over while learning; I can only imagine how many rocks
my raft has crashed into when I did not recieve a top mark; I can only
imagine how many dreadful times my usually sturdy raft has almost been
pulled into the whirlpool of depression.

On the other hand, there are many positive aspects to this white water
river with its exhilarating highs and its anticipated lows. There are many
interested people whom I may accidentalily bump my raft into on my way, and,
of course, the river can give me the ultimate thrill of knowing that I have
managed to succeed the dastardly rough-waters. then, as the water begins
to flow smoothly again, I can relax and cherish the experience, and
anticipate the dangers and hard work that lie ahead.

I Shall Overcome

My teacher, my favorite teacher, my source of inspiration and stability, tells me I may wake up
tomorrow and be happy. Perhaps so - I've been wondering lately if I'm manic-depressive, and
such a drastic shift in temperament would fit the pattern.

But today I drift upon an endless, empty sea of despair. Like Blanche Dubois, in A Streetcar
Named Desire, I have no cleft in the rock of the world.

My family never says I can succeed - my own mother tells me that I never know where I'll end
up. When I look around me at home, where I live, all I see is people who have given up. From the
group of old men who get drunk every night, to my friend who has the ability, but not the drive,
to do her schoolwork so she can attend college, all I see around me is people who have lost the
will, the ambition, to do something more than merely exist.

Even at school, I see it. Friends who, for no other reason but laziness, choose a community
college instead of a four-year university. Teachers satisfied with saving only certain students from
the tyranny of other teachers and administration.

And within myself. Even as I sit here, lamenting my own anguish, the class swarms busily around
me, engaged in a debate I should be involved in, too.

I've temporarily conceded to the weakness I despise in others. But I have also realized that being
and doing all the things I expect of myself does not guarantee my happiness.

I won't give up, though. I'll keep doing the best I am capable of doing, despite my seemingly
deplorable circumstances. I can overcome adversity. All I have to do is try. And I will - I promise
myself. It's time for me to speak.
Essays - I Will Make a Difference
I think that it is important for me to look around and ask myself what kind of things I can do to
help my country. Recently, at school, we collected money for the Red Cross. We had to explain
over and over to the students that it didn't matter if you gave one dollar or twenty dollars.
Whatever you give will help others and be appreciated. Even though I am too young to make a
big impact on the people involved in the tragedy, I feel like my small part may have let them
know that people everywhere care.
It's true that we all need to make a difference in times of crisis and need, but we also need to
strive to make a difference each day. I know that I can make a difference in the lives of many

people by simply lending a helping hand or showing kindness to others. I try to take the time to
cheer up my grandmother and older friends in the nursing home by paying them a visit. I know
my parents stay very busy and it helps them out when I come home and lend a helping hand
without being asked. I can help a friend with their homework, or sometimes help by just being
there to listen to them.
I can also make a difference in the community where I live. Last year my class held a car wash to
raise money for the Animal Shelter. We went to visit the dogs there and I realized that the money
we raised made a difference for some of them. Another time, my class did a project on litter and I
realized that it was important for everyone to pitch in to help their community. It doesn't matter if
it's your country, your community, or your family; it's always important to make a difference.
Whatever you do will help others and be appreciated.
Essays - Ambition and Passion

I go to camp every year and allow myself to love people, dreading the day when I will have to
depart from them. I claw at each moment, attempting to hold on to time. I do this even though I
know from the beginning that as soon as I enter I will be hurled towards the last day, towards the
end, towards good-bye. And it breaks my heart. Yet every year, I'm just so grateful to have had
my heart broken.

If there is one secret to living life it is passion: passionate love, passionate hate, passionate hope,
passionate joy, passionate work, passionate play, passionate pain and despair. Feel things to the
tips of your fingertips, to the center of your soul. It's the only way that you'll get something worth
getting out of life. It's the only way that you'll realize everything that I've attempted to tell you in
this letter, because heaven knows that I am merely giving you words, not experience. Live your
life so that you may, in the end, be able to sit around a table and eat, drink, and be merry with
your family and friends and tell stories. That's where your happiness is, in the ability to laugh at
your life and cling to it dearly at the same time.

The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved,
desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing,
but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles. -Jack Keroac

Dream and hope and live your life to accomplish something, but never let ambition get in the way
of your passions. Do things to do them, not to get them done. In that spirit you may fly by the
seat of your pants through life and hopefully love every minute of it.

No Wasted Time

The first piece of "serious and literary" grown-up fiction I remember reading without duress was
All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren. I was fourteen, and for the past two years my
pleasure reading had consisted entirely of science fiction-I consumed one book per day in this
genre. Not all of this time was wasted, but the diet had become a little monotonous.

The students a year ahead of me in high school were assigned to read Warren's novel. I picked up
a copy in a study hall, to while away fifteen minutes of tedium. In that amount of time I was
hooked. First edge of cynicism on its poetic valences. When I had read more of the book I was
taken by the richness of its meanings, how thoroughly and thoughtfully the sense of every action
and episode had been interlocked with all the others. I had wanted to be a writer before, but I had
known that this was what a book could do, or that this was how you did it.

I reread All the King's Men half a dozen times, for me it was a portal to a whole lot of other
serious fiction, but the novel itself holds up very well under such intense poring.

George Garrett once said that one of the problems of student writers is that they were fed a diet of
masterpieces. Masterpiece fiction is too well made for you to figure out how the writer did it. To
pick up technique, the thing to do is read genre. Where the screws and slots are apt to be more
obvious. So two solid years of science fiction weren't wasted after all! But to that I can add that if
you have the patience (the obsession?) to reread a masterpiece novel a few dozen times, then its
tactics and mechanics will begin to be visible. In that sense All the King's Men was a good
instructor for me.
The First Person Narrative Wuthering Heights
In Emily Bronte's text Whuthering Heights there are various characters that
exercise some form of narrative function and their roles interrelate with
their versions of what happens. The novel in presented in the first person
narrative throughout, with the bulk of the story being presented via three
main characters; Lookwood, Nelly Dean and Isabella with other characters at
time presenting there own small insights.
The first-degree narrator in Emily Bronte's text Whuthering Heights is
Lookwood. His voice is the first we hear from the outset of the novel and
essentially the entire story consists of the contents of Lookwood's diary
which e has compiled from various sources, including diary entries, the back
of books, stories that Nelly Dean tells him and his own first hand

experiences.
Lockwood is described by Dr. Tony Miller in his tutorial on Whuthering
Heights as "A complete outsider...The London man, vein, convinced of his own
attractiveness, partronising to Nelly, he says 'Goodness, you are very
clever for a servant!'" is essence Lookwood is portrayed as a fool and he
has a very specific role to play in the text. Lookwood's primary function is
to demonstrate how not to understand the extraordinary people and events in
Whuthering Heights through bringing in his own assumptions about the
inhabitants of Thrush Cross Grange and Whuthering Heights Lookwood fails to
full understand these extremely complex characters. Look wood acts as a
reminder of the specialness of the people that we meet throughout the
progression of the story.
Nelly Dean is the person through whom we hear the bulk of the story, she is
telling Lockwood of her own experiences and the experiences of others, which
have been told to her. At times this becomes a little awkward when Nelly
begins to tell of things that other people have told to other people, who
have told other people who have told her. Although this awkwardness is
justified by the vividness, directness and credibility that is exercised
through this form of narrative. Nelly is an "ordinary common sense person",
according to Dr. Tony Miller
Facing My Fear
I'm 17 years old, and I still can't dangle my feet over the edge of the bed in the dark. I know that
clammy hands with coarse hair across the knuckles will grab my ankles and drag me down to a
black hole of terror. Of course, this is never a conscious thought when my foot strays over the
edge of the mattress, but an icy chill of fear shoots up my spine, and I quickly jerk my wandering
limb back to safety.
I should have discarded this childhood fear a long time ago, but it's been with me for decades. It's
familiar and comfortable. Besides, sometimes I'd just rather deal with monsters under my bed
than take on real life.
For instance, I was a horribly shy kid, with no social skills or grace. More than anything, I
yearned to be noticed as the popular, outgoing girl I knew I was, instead of the awkward nerdette
everyone saw. But being noticed was also my worst fear because my shyness usually led to yet
another social disaster.
After the long and painful process of emerging from my shell, I cherish my individuality. But
how far can I push this self-expression? What if no one likes the real me?
When I was little, I had this terrible, recurring dream that the devil was chasing me off a cliff into
a raging river. And I can't swim. But my hero, Superman, would always fly in and rescue me just
in time.

Now, in my late teens, I'm vaguely uneasy about what awaits me in old age. I know that many
older people do just fine. But what about those that don't, because of illness or poverty or finding
themselves alone? It's not the devil chasing me now, but mortality.
If you're alive and honest, fear never really goes away. All you can do is learn to face it. Maybe
being human means always having to dangle over some edge or other, with the devil advancing
and the unknown lurking below. Maybe Superman will arrive in time, and maybe I can snatch
my foot back from the brink. Then again, maybe not.
Moving Beyond Fear

Love in all its forms is the best gift. The giving of it enriches the lives of both the giver and the
receiver. So why is it that there are so many people in this world with no love in their lives.

Some people will say that they are too choosy or that they haven't found the right person yet.
Others wail about their own inadequacies, thus being undeserving of love. Still others claim that
love is an emotional trap that nature has fashioned in order to propagate the species and that
intellectuals should raise above these sort of animal instincts.

The reality is that these people are all trying to rationalize a basic fear that we all share. The fear
of rejection. We fear that by showing our love we will risk a painful, ego damaging denial. It
must therefor be better to wait until there is little to no chance of refusal before making an offer.

This sort of thinking is sadly misleading in many ways. Love is not something that needs to be
returned. It is not something that can be refused. If love exists then it exists. There is no reason to
believe that we are only good people if those we love also love us back. The trouble is that most
of us have been practicing holding our love back for so long that we believe there will only be
one person out there that we can love and so that person had better love us or we will be forever
unloved.

If we were to change our thinking, we might see the lie that we have been chained to for so long.
Look around you and see all of the people in your life worthy of love. You should be free to care
for these people. Show your feelings through word and action. Perhaps through your courage
they will find the strength within themselves to escape their own cage. But even if they don't you
will feel free. You will have let go of one of life's most powerful fears and it will make you feel
free.

The Limits of Narrative in Heart of Darkness

Early English novelists depicted a very general reality; that is, what many observed to be "real" is
what found its way into the narratives. For example, several novels of the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries emphasize, or entirely revolve around, the idea of social status. Samuel
Richardson's Pamela addresses a servant's dilemma between her morals and low social position;
the hero of Henry Fielding's Tom Jones must also confront his "low birth." Jane Austen famously
portrayed class struggles in nearly every one of her novels. These texts all represented the world
at its face; the actions of the characters spoke for their "reality," and the narrator was simply the
descriptor of these events. The novels conformed to a very narrow world-view, limited by popular
thought. True, there was much to explore within this confinement, as shown by the range of
commentary in the texts. Still, as stories they could only offer what society observed: a kind of
reality by consensus. As Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness demonstrates, modernism rejected
the aims and methods of realism, and claimed the inner self represented the real more closely
than the public world. Furthermore, realism appeared to represent the world wholly and
concisely. Conrad's novel rejects this, and instead exposes the failure of language to describe a
complete reality. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow himself is incomplete, and so is his narrative. He
is forced into imprecise language, resigned to using negative modifiers and repeating inexact
words. He struggles to tell his story satisfactorily, and by his own admission, his telling is
deficient. The limitation of language, then, becomes the focus of the novel. In spite of its
incompleteness, or even because of it, Heart of Darkness achieves a truer expression of reality
than any previous work of "realism."

For all his dialogue in Heart of Darkness, Marlow's character is remarkably vague. What is
known about him comes directly from the man himself, and he gives a sparse biography. As
scholar Michael Greaney writes, "Fully fledged characters tend to be fleshed out with personal
history, family background, home address; apart from a solitary aunt in Brussels, Marlow has
none of these" (Greaney 58). This demonstrates the modernist rejection of realism's conventional
characters. We cannot depend upon anyone but the unreliable Marlow himself for background or
motives. One might attempt to discern Marlow from his narrative, but as he himself is
incomplete, his own words are suspect. There is, of course, the anonymous narrator that frames
Marlow's story. However, he reveals little beyond Marlow's status as a "wanderer" and atypical
"propensity to spin yarns" (Conrad 3). Before Marlow begins this particular yarn, however, the
primary narrator gives a telling word of caution. For Marlow, he explains, "the meaning of an
episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a
glow brings out a haze. . . ." (3). Marlow's story cannot make a tidy package, and meaning is not
conveniently revealed at the conclusion. Rather, meaning hovers about the tale, always obliquely
present. The primary narrator gives further warning, saying he and his company aboard the Nellie
"knew we were fated . . . to hear about one of Marlow's inconclusive experiences" (5). Thus,
there is notice from the outset that the obscure episode will lack a convenient denouement, if it
contains one at all. To wit: the narrative to follow deliberately rejects conventional storytelling.

In discussing narrative, we must be aware of the differences between telling a story and writing
one. An obstacle to understanding Heart of Darkness is deciding whether to read it as the
spontaneous speech of Charlie Marlow or the careful writing of Joseph Conrad. In truth, it is a
meld of the two, and one must be conscious of the duality of the work; Conrad meticulously
crafted Marlow and his flawed discourse. In his book The Great Tradition, critic F.R. Leavis
mistakes the imperfect language of Marlow for weak writing by Conrad. He attacks the author's
supposed "adjectival insistence," his term for the misuse of modifiers, in this case negative ones:

"There are . . . places in Heart of Darkness where we become aware of comment as an

interposition, and worse, as an intrusion, at times an exasperating one. Hadn't he, we find
ourselves asking, overworked 'inscrutable', 'inconceivable', 'unspeakable' and that kind of word
already?-yet they still recur. Is anything added to the oppressive mysteriousness of the Congo by
such sentences as: 'It was the stillness of an implacable force brooding over an inscrutable
intention'?" (Leavis 177)

Leavis answers expectedly that, in fact, nothing is gained: "The actual effect is not to magnify but
rather to muffle." His reasoning is valid, but his premises are misguided; he assumes it is Conrad,
not Marlow, who is doing the muffling. Leavis fails to realize Marlow chooses these words
because he cannot precisely relate his experience. His lacking description of the still Congo is his
own failing, and a trait deliberately given him by Conrad.

Leavis virtually omits Marlow from his arguments, to the point where one suspects he cannot
separate narrator from author: "Conrad . . . feels that there is, or ought to be, some horror, some
significance he has yet to bring out. So we have an adjectival and worse than supererogatory
insistence on 'unspeakable rites', 'unspeakable secrets', 'monstrous passions', 'inconceivable
mystery', and so on" (179). Again, this is a fitting criticism of the narrator, but not necessarily of
the author. Marlow hopes these adjectives amplify his meaning, when they only add to the
obscurity of the narrative. This is Marlow's weakness, not Conrad's.

Similar to Marlow's use of negative modifiers is his repetition of ambiguous nouns that he
struggles to define. Whereas a writer has the luxury of reworking and compacting sentences, the
orator must think aloud until he hits upon meaning. When Marlow ponders imperialism, he says,
"What redeems it is the idea only. An idea at the back of it; not a sentimental pretense but an idea;
and an unselfish belief in the idea. . . ." (4). He repeatedly returns to the "idea," but cannot isolate
a suitable definition. Later, when Marlow is steaming toward the Inner Station, he recounts the ill
feeling of observing the natives, and is forced to describe "earth" and "man" obscurely, with their

antonyms:

"The earth seemed unearthly. We are accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered
monster, but there-there you could look at a thing monstrous and free. It was unearthly, and the
men were- No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it-this suspicion of
their not being inhuman. They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what
thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity-like yours-the thought of your remote kinship
with this wild and passionate uproar." (32)

Marlow continues for some time, still trying to say what might be written in a brief sentence or
two: "Watching the natives, the world seemed a paradox; it was thrilling to consider these
monstrous savages as distant relatives." However, a more "composed," conventional version
feigns authority, as it disguises the thinking process. It is this process that leads to discovery,
though it may be only a temporary conclusion. There are several more subtle examples of this.
He constantly refers to the "stillness" and "darkness," never finding better terms. He defines a
man's "inborn strength" at first as "his own true stuff" (32). The list goes on.

At one point, Marlow breaks from the narrative to examine his limits. When trying to evoke the
effect Kurtz's name had upon him, he says to his listeners,

"He was just a word for me. I did not see the man in the name any more than you do. Do you see
him? Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dreammaking a vain attempt because no relation of a dream can convey the dream sensation . . . No, it
is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one's existencethat which makes its truth, it's meaning-it's subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We
live, as we dream-alone." (24).

Marlow believes experiences are inherently indescribable. He essentially refutes the authority of
any one perspective, even his own. This is demonstrative of modernist novels, in which, as
Jeremy Hawthorn writes, "the self [is not] its own source of authority-which rarely means that
any alternative source of authority is readily available" (Hawthorn 61). Thus, we see the primary
struggle in Heart of Darkness is between Marlow and his own narrative.

The tale is incomplete in not only character development and prose, but also structure. After all,
Marlow's recollection is triggered by its meaning, and not necessarily its plot. That said, he
probably did not have an ending in mind. Though his revelation of his lie to the Intended comes
very near the "end," there is no closure in the traditional sense. This event actually wants more
explanation, but Marlow only trails away, failing to give his story the refined narrative arc one
expects, and fulfilling the frame narrator's promise of an "inconclusive experience." The lack of
resolution reflects Daphna Erdinast-Vulcan's supposition that "The Modernist narrative seems to
have renounced the consolations of form and closure. . . . The structuring force of the end, the
promise of a final coherence, give way to an acute self-consciousness, a subversion of narrative
frames and boundaries and a mistrust of the predicative capacity of closure" (Erdinast-Vulcan 7879). She goes on, saying, "the theme of the Modernist narrative seems to be the collapse of
narrativity" (79). Indeed, we see in Heart of Darkness that Marlow not only struggles against the
"mysterious stillness" of the Congo, but against the breakdown of his own story as well.

Yet, all of this is to demonstrate the primary feature of modernist writing: the rejection of
nineteenth century realism. Since Marlow the storyteller is flawed, his story falters as a result.
The novel effectively reduces each to their flaws, but does not attempt to hide its limitations
behind a manufactured authority. It is this absence, or seeming absence, of controlled writing that
brings Heart of Darkness closer to "the real" than any authoritative work of realism.

Works Cited
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. 1902. New York: Dover, 1990.
Erdinast-Vulcan, Daphna. The Strange Short Fiction of Joseph Conrad. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1999. 78-108.
Greaney, Michael. Conrad, Language, and Narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2002. 57-76.
Hawthorn, Jeremy. Studying the Novel. 4th ed. London: Arnold, 2001. 60-61
Leavis, F.R. The Great Tradition. New York: Stewart, 1950. 173-82.