Is the U.S. seeking to contain Russia Research Paper - 1

Is the U.S. seeking to contain Russia - Research Paper Example CON: No the U.S. is NOT seeking to contain Russia because: 1. Diversification of natural supplies is beneficial for all countries involved. 2. Russia has a strong position in the global energy market. 3. Diversification enhances the opportunity for competition. 4. Russia is also fully aware of the economic realities and acts accordingly. 5. European continent is capable of managing its own affairs and dealing with any threat imposed by Russia. 6. Russia’s position is increasingly being weakened by the revolution of shale gas, as well as the increasing popularity of LNG. Some people might think that the US government is presently instituting efforts to ensure its dominance and control on Russia. Recent news reports indicate that the US government is presently placing immense pressure on the Greek government to cancel the sale of its famous gas operator, DEPA to Gazprom, which is a major oil supplier in Russia. The US is immensely concerned that the massive Russian state-owned g as company that is a monopoly that supplies at least 90% of Greece’s entire gas consumption. This is bound to further augment Russia’s position in the region, and detrimentally affect Greece’s overall economic situation. This will place Russia in a position of extreme power, which may enhance the country’s supremacy in the greater European region (Lynch 99). In addition, the US is seeking to exert its control on Russia in order to deter the latter country’s instigation of communism in the European region. Russia was a former super power whose dominance in the region was deterred through the use of military force. Capitalist countries such as the US initiated conflict with Russia in order to deter Russia’s supremacy in the European region and ultimately the infiltration of communism in the rest of the world. Therefore, the US seeks to control Russia in order to deter Russia’s dominance in European or the rest of the world. This positio n would threaten US supremacy in the global political, economic and social front (Escobar 10). The US is also concerned that Russian company Gazprom’s acquisition of DEPA would enhance Moscow’s position in the complicated geopolitical game, hence enhancing the opportunities of Russia’s South Stream pipeline turning into the primary source of imported oil in the entire Southern European region. This would detrimentally affect major oil alternatives that enjoy US favor, for instance the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline and Nabucco pipeline (Barylski 12). Moreover, Greece is not the sole member of the European Union, which is presently subject to US lobbying regarding Russia’s assumed ambitions within the European continent. The same efforts have been adopted concerning the Czech Republic regarding its nuclear energy plans. The government of the Czech Republic is presently aiming at capitalizing onanti-nuclear energy sentiment within the neighboring countries, Austri a and Germany, which was triggered by the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The Czech Republic is presently seeking to modernize and expand its Temelin plant, with two additional reactors expected to be added by the year 2025 at the cost of $10 billion. This will allow for the increase of exports to other European countries. At present, there are only two key bidders for Czech Republic’s nuclear energy; the Westinghouse domiciled in the US and Amtomstroyexport, which is located in Russia. In January of 2013,

Transpersonal Psychology Essay Example for Free

Transpersonal Psychology Essay The field of Transpersonal Psychology is the fourth field of psychology in addition to psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic psychology which covers the concepts regarding â€Å"Near Death Experience reality’, ‘dream reality’ and ‘waking reality’. According to Lajoie and Shapiro from the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, â€Å"Transpersonal psychology is concerned with the study of humanity’s highest potential, and with the recognition, understanding, and realization of spiritual and transcendent states of consciousness. (Lajoie and Shapiro, 1992:91). However, Walsh and Vaughan started to criticize the many definitions of transpersonal psychology and referred it as the branch of psychology which studies transpersonal experiences which can be experienced during a distorted consciousness and other phenomena related to realms of mind and consciousness. (Walsh Vaughan, 1993, p203). Near Death Experience Near Death Experience (NDE) has been regarded as a phenomenon connected with several aspects such as the after-life experience and physiological experience that has both spiritual and psychological effects depending on how it is perceived. According to Jansen and Phil, â€Å"NDE is an altered state of consciousness of potentially great importance to psychology, philosophy, religion, medicine, neuroscience, art, and humanity in general. The mystery which it represents is of universal significance.† (Dr. Karl Jansen MB.ChB., 1998). According to Jody Long, a person who experienced NDE integrates it to his existing belief and strengthens their sense of spirituality which may involve change of religion. (Long, 2003) Generally, Kenneth Ring (1980) classified NDEs on a 5 stages in progression: 1. feelings of peace and contentment; 2. a sense of detachment from the body; 3. entering a transitional world of darkness (rapid movement through a long dark tunnel: the tunnel experience); 4. emerging into bright light which maybe a religious figure; and 5. entering the light. According to van Lommel, et.al., based on the clinical studies, some factors that lead to NDE include cardiac arrest, postpartum loss of blood, anaphylactic shock, coma, asphyxia, suicide, apnoea, near-drowning and serious depression.(van Lommel, 2001) However, it was observed that there are quite similarities among the description of NDEs and the skeptics understood it to be attributed to the pathology of the dying or reviving brain as suggested by Dr. Vladimir Negovsky. (Pravda, 2004). Dream Reality: A dream, as defined by American Heritage Dictionary (1978), is â€Å"a series of images, ideas, etc., occurring in certain stages of sleep.† Physiologically, it is commonly understood to be the product of the subconscious brain in processing waking reality and oftentimes outside the control of the dreamer. Eventually, studies showed that there is an exemption in lucid dreaming where the dreamer can control some aspects of the dream and experience it clearly. Stephen LaBerge, a popular experimenter has defined it as dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming. The clarity of the lucid dream signifies good dream recall. Practicing the control of the dream and recreating it may sometimes need tests to determine whether one is dreaming or not. Most common reality tests applied includes pinching oneself, holding one’s nose, or facing a mirror.(LaBerge, 1993) According to Eugen Tarnow, lucid dreaming is similar to NDE in that the persons involved both recall them with clarity. Both gives color and sound and become part of a long-term memory even during waking life. During waking life an executive function interprets long term memory consistent with reality checking. (Long, 2003) This coincides with Grosso’s observation that both stem from the same matrix of consciousness and involve the same mechanisms. (Grosso, 1983) It can also noted that as the NDErs consciously knows that they are experiencing reality, so the lucid dreamers knows that they are dreaming. It was shown in a study entitled Dreams and NDE that dreams rarely reproduced any part of the experience. (Long, 2003) This became the strongest evidence that NDEs and dreams are generally different states of consciousness.   Another way to interrelated the dreams, NDE and waking life is by looking at the thickness or thinness of boundaries an individual may have. According to Abraham Maslow â€Å"an individual’s capacity to experience transcendent states depends on a quality of openness that permits them to occur. (Kohr, 1983) p.171 Apparently, the â€Å"thicker† or more rigid the person, the less dreams the person recalled while the â€Å"thinner† or more fluid the person, the more dreams and waking reality blended. REFERENCES: Lajoie, D. H. Shapiro, S. I. (1992). Definitions of transpersonal psychology: The first twenty-three years. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, Vol. 24. p. 91. Walsh, R. Vaughan, F. (1993). On transpersonal definitions.Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 25 (2) 125-182 Dr. Karl Jansen MB.ChB., M. M. S., D. Phil (Oxon), MRCPsych. (1998). Ketamine Near Death and Near Birth Experience. Retrieved February 26, 2007, from http://www.lila.info/document_view.phtml?document_id=91 Grosso, M. (1983). Jung, Parapsychology, and the Near-Death Experience: Toward a Transpersonal Paradigm. The Journal for Near-Death Studies, 3(1), 19-22. Kohr, R. (1983). Near-Death Experiences In, Altered States, and Psi Sensitivity, Anabiosis. The Journal for Near-Death Studies, 3(2), 169-172. LaBerge, S. a. L., Lynne. (1993). The Light and Mirror Experiment Nightlight 5(Summer), 10. Long, J. A. a. L., Jeffrey. (2003). Dreams, Near-Death Experiences, and Reality Retrieved February 26, 2007, from www.nderf.org van Lommel, P. e. a. (2001). Near Death Experience In Survivors of Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective Study in the Netherlands. The Lancet( 358 ), 2039-2042.

Edgar Allen Poe: An analysis

Edgar Allen Poe: An analysis Here is something to ponder: Edgar Allan Poe once expressed, Dream dreams that no one has ever dreamed before (Poe, The Raven). Even if a person is only a little familiar with the life of this prolific writer, he can immediately identify some irony in the former quotation. It is very ironic in the sense that a man who suffered such incredible losses in his life was still able to pursue his dreams. Edgar Allan Poe came from a life of poverty, but is now considered one of Americas most prolific writers. Indeed, the reality that Poe came from nothing makes his achievements, as both a writer and a person, even more awe-inspiring. Therefore, Poe is certainly right about his wise saying, as it reflects the story of his life. Perhaps he was so successful because he wrote about his own life and both his physical and mental experiences. All of the unfortunate events in his life serve as the framework for many of his famous pieces, including Annabel Lee, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. In fact, many of his themes delve into the things Poe experienced in his life, particularly death. The life of Edgar Allan Poe is characterized by various unfortunate events, which influence the themes of his writing: love, lust, and death. The first and most prominent is the presence of a deceased or dying woman. This is no surprise as all the women in Poes life died from tuberculosis. In Annabel lee, the title character happens to be the deceased woman. It is unclear to whom Poe addressed Annabel Lee as his mother, adoptive mother, and wife were all candidates (Peltak 91). Many believe the deceased character represents all the women he loved and lost (Peltak 91). Regardless of who she personifies, she is idealized as a youthful, beautiful lady. There is also a relation between decaying beauty and the physical signs of tuberculosis. The physical signs of tuberculosis include pale, luminous skin and red cheeks which corresponds to the victim in Annabel Lee as her beauty faded away (Peltak 15). Perhaps Poe is successful at raising the dead so believably because it was such a constant fact of his life (Peltak 15). Another aspect of Poes poetry that reflects his personal life is the element of the grieving man. Poe was left grief stricken after the death of his mother, adoptive mother, and wife. The feeling Poe experienced is similar to the torture and grief the man in Annabel Lee exhibits. In this circumstance, the speaker is a surviving husband or lover. The narrator laments his lost love, his beautiful Annabel Lee. The plot twist at the end of the poem is that the narrator ends up in the sepulcher by the sea. Such an action can be a sign of the narrators true love. The narrator almost seems obsessed with the love the two shared, which is analogous to his relationship with Virginia. A prominent theme is the love of beauty and the mourning of its passing into death (Otfinoski 6). The repetition of the name Annabel Lee proves how much this woman meant to the grieving man. Poe truly wants the reader to experience the same pain he felt after losing the loves of his life. The insanity of the narrator impacts the poem immensely. The narrator thinks Annabel Lee was taken away because people were envious. He believed her death was supernatural rather than an illness. After the death of Annabel Lee, the narrator is left in solitude, and thus becomes insane. Edgar Allan Poe was left in complete solitude various times in his life since he was abandoned by both father figures and all the women he loved died. Poe was also known as a depressed and morbid man, especially during the last few years of his life. The gothic themes of perversion, death, and insanity all reflect the pain in his life. More importantly, they contain a meaning throughout the work itself. Insanity is present as the narrator experiences a destruction of his mind, body, and soul. The plot is twisted because the reader discovers that the narrator may be in the tomb with Annabel Lee at the end of the poem. Death is important to the narrator as he ponders what happens before, during, and after passing away. All of the former themes have an underlying meaning that is related to Poes life. He experienced perversion, death, and insanity in his life and making them all of the major themes of his works is the way he conveys himself. Poes best known poem, The Raven, was published in 1845 and certainly made Poe famous. The poem became so famous that people referred to Poe as the raven' (Oakes 3). Similar to Annabel Lee, specific themes in The Raven correlate to Poes personal life. Some important themes to make note of include insanity, death, loneliness, and the element of supernatural. Each theme is relevant to Poes life in at least one perspective. The most obvious theme is the longing over a lost loved one. Specifically, the talking raven reminds the narrator about his dead love, Lenore. Although Poe mourned the deaths of various women in his life, many critics believe this poem was written for his wife, Virginia. When The Raven was published, Virginia had been wasting away from tuberculosis for three years (Peltak 13). It is strongly believed that The Raven was written in portrayal of the tragedy that existed for the two lovers (Oakes 2). Nevermore is the ravens repetitive message that is instantly recognizable even outside the context of the poem (Peltak 12). The effective repetition of this phrase gives the poem a dramatic intensity that carries the story and the reader to an ultimate realization (Otfinoski 5). The narrator, who is the mourning husband, finally realizes that his soul will Nevermore be freed from the shadow of his former love (Whiting 36). It is very possible the intensity and intricacy was intended as a mea ns to represent Poes complex life, especially regarding women. He lost one loved woman after another, and mourned each death more than the other. The repetition of the demonic message, Nevermore emphasizes Poe will no longer be reunited with his deceased mother, adoptive mother, and wife. Poe is extremely talented in his ability to intensify his prose and give his audience an alluring mix of accessibility and mystery (Peltak 12). Critics are convinced that it is a mystery and increase of anxiety that allows The Raven to resonate generation after generation. Yet, despite the element of horror and fantasy, The Raven is ultimately a Poem about remembering (Peltak 13). The steady reply of Nevermore haunts the narrator, who is unable to reconcile the loss of Lenore, and thus loses insanity (Peltak 13). The husband serves as a grieving man who goes insane by the end of the poem. The raven refuses to leave the door of the library, just like the pain from Lenores death will never fade. A few parallels between Poes life and literature can immediately be recognized. The grief-stricken narrator resembles Poe because both men will never be relieved from the death of a loved one. The maddened narrator reveals that the raven remains in the library and that he can never be free of its torment, just like Poe will never be free of the torment of his grief (Peltak 12). It is also clear that Poe correlates the death of a loved woman to the loss of beauty because Lenore is idealized as youthful, beautiful, and perfect (Peltak 16). This also implies the beauty he saw in the women he lost, which possibly sparked more despair. Poe stresses the concept of beauty like no other writer. Since Poe views beauty as perfection, and it is impossible to attain perfection, it is essentially impractical to maintain beauty. This statement is feasible because Poe lost all beauty in his life; nor was there anything beautiful about his life. The loss of beauty only deepens the torture the grieving narrator experiences. Poes emphasis on Lenores beauty greatly affects her husband and drives him insane. The themes of death, loneliness, and insanity are not only evident in The Raven, but also in Poes life. The supernatural element is the talking raven. Poe definitely believed in the supernatural because he thinks death is somewhat supernatural. For instance, in Annabel Lee, the narrator believed Annabels death was utterly supernatural. Because both Poe and the characters of his stories believed in the supernatural, they were often seen as insane. In The Raven, the narrators madness is sparked by the ravens taunting; he is convinced the raven will never leave. The financial anguish and Virginias death drove Poe to depression and self-destructive drinking (Peltak 37). Poes downfall is very similar to the destruction of the narrators mind, body, and soul. The narrator becomes depressed because he will Nevermore see his love again, thus his breakdown begins. He is lonely after the death of his wife, which is analogous to Poes loneliness after Virginias death. After her death it was nearl y impossible for Poe to find stable love and support. Like Annabel Lee and The Raven, the recurrent themes of death, perversion, and destruction of the mind, body, and soul are only a few of the numerous themes found throughout The Fall of the House of Usher. When first studying The Fall of the House of Usher, the reader will immediately note that Roderick Usher is mentally sick. Because of his mental illness, Roderick represents the mind, which evidently reflects the mental conflict Poe suffered in his life. Between his depression and the addictions, it is fair to say that Poes life gad been mentally rough. Roderick Usher characterizes all of Poes mental battles. Poe was certainly, attracted to ghost stories and the supernatural (Otfinoski 4). It is no wonder why he is fascinated by horror stories since his life was similar to one. Both are full of death and madness. Since the male represents the mind, it is logical that the female signifies the body. Rodericks sister Madeline is physically sick. Madelines illness essentially reflects the illness the women in Poes life had. The tortured or grieving man, dying or deceased woman, a supernatural element, a creepy or gloomy setting and various symbols and omens are all easily recognizable in The Fall of the House of Usher. The crumbling house with a crack provides the gloomy and creepy setting in The Fall of the House of Usher. It would be unreasonable to expect a man who has experienced a great amount of death and loneliness in his life to write about cheerful subjects. Madeline, the body, needs Roderick, the mind, to die. Both represent to halves of the whole which indicates an incestuous relationship. Edgars relationship with Virginia was indeed incestuous, since they were cousins. After Madeline and Roderick die, the house, representing the soul, splits and falls. Since Poe experienced all the elements within his story, it was probably relatively simple for him to include such great detail and intensity. It happens to be this personal intensity, more than any other literary characteristic, that makes Poes best tales so haunting and unforgettable (Otfinoski 4). In Poes literature, the same terrible themes occur in story after story (Otfinoski 4). Every theme and element is relevant and related. The enigmatic quality of the strange is evident in the gloomy setting and perverted plot twist. Madeline was alive all along, and eventually kills her brother causing the house to fall. There were many strange aspects of Poes life, particularly the fact that the three women he loved the most died of the same disease. The destruction of the mind, body, and soul exemplified through the downfall of Roderick, Madeline, and the crumpling house. The collapse of Poe and the people in his life can be easily seen through this ambiguous symbolism. Just like the rest of Poes literature, there is insanity, which is mostly epitomized by Roderick. It would take an infinite amount of pages to explain every correlation between Poes life and Annabel Lee, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. However, it is most essential to recognize that he expresses his emotions through the imperative themes of his literature. Every poem and story contains relatively the same elements: a grieving man, deceased women, the supernatural, insanity, love, and of course, death. The redundancy of these themes indicates the importance of these elements, and also how much they impacted Poes life. The tortured and grieving man concurs with Poes loneliness all throughout his lifetime. The deceased or dying women symbolizes the writers mother, adoptive mother, or wife who left him alone after death. Poes feelings toward love and death are very unique and are shaped by the events in his life. Poe loved all three women and venerated their beauty, even after they died. There is always a character that goes insane in Poes literature, which acts as a r eflection of Poe himself. Poe is a literary genius because he is successful at turning the unfortunate troubles of his life into the major themes of his stories. Life threw him terrible situation, but with them he created literature, both brilliant and expressive.

The Ethics of Terrorism: Employing Just War Principles Essay -- Terror

The Just War tradition has been seen as a leading perspective on the ethics of war since the writings of St Augustine were rearticulated by Thomas Aquinas. It attempts to provide a framework which validates just conflicts, whilst at the same time applying limits so as to prevent unrestrained warfare. Today, its core principles can be divided into two broad categories: ‘jus ad bellum’ (just resort to war) and ‘jus in bello’ (just conduct in war). For a war to be just, numerous criteria must be satisfied within these categories. In recent decades non-state terrorism has become increasingly high-profile; indeed, in the twenty first century it has dominated the global political agenda. It is pertinent therefore, to question whether terrorism can be ethically assessed using the Just War tradition.In this essay, I will argue that it is possible to ethically evaluate terrorism by employing Just War principles. I will show that terrorists can satisfy the most important criterion of the Just War tradition. Firstly, they can represent a ‘legitimate authority’ and can have a ‘just cause’. Secondly, terrorism can be a ‘last resort’ and offers a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. Finally, whilst many terrorists do adhere to the principle of ‘discrimination’, the notion of ‘non-combatant immunity’ and civilian innocence is over-simplified. Furthermore, terrorists may perceive themselves to be in a ‘supreme emergency’, therefore mea ning the rules of war cease to exist. Terrorism can satisfy the principle of proportionality. However, before I begin my argument, I must establish a working definition for ‘terrorism’; an important and controversial issue in itself. Walzer describes it as ‘like rape and murder†¦ an attack upon the innocent’ (2005... ...Family Research Council, Accessed Online: 07/11/2010 Roberts, Adams, (1989), ‘Ethics, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism’, Terrorism and Political Violence 1 (1), pp. 48-70 Schmidt Alex P, and Jongman Albert I, (1998) ‘Political Terrorism’ (Amsterdam, Transaction Books) Smilanski, Saul, (2004), ‘Terrorism, Justification and Illusion’, Ethics, 114, July pp. 790-805 Valls, Andrew, (2000), ‘Can Terrorism Be Justified’, In Andre Valls (ed.), Ethics in International Affairs, pp. 65-80 Walzer, Michael, (1992), ‘Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations’, (New York: Basic Books) Walzer, Michael, (2005), ‘Arguing About War’, (Yale Nota Bene) Wilkins, Burleigh Taylor, (1992), ‘Terrorism and collective responsibility’, (New York : Routledge) US State Department, (2005), ‘Country Reports on Terrorism’, Accessed online: 15/11/2010 The Ethics of Terrorism: Employing Just War Principles Essay -- Terror The Just War tradition has been seen as a leading perspective on the ethics of war since the writings of St Augustine were rearticulated by Thomas Aquinas. It attempts to provide a framework which validates just conflicts, whilst at the same time applying limits so as to prevent unrestrained warfare. Today, its core principles can be divided into two broad categories: ‘jus ad bellum’ (just resort to war) and ‘jus in bello’ (just conduct in war). For a war to be just, numerous criteria must be satisfied within these categories. In recent decades non-state terrorism has become increasingly high-profile; indeed, in the twenty first century it has dominated the global political agenda. It is pertinent therefore, to question whether terrorism can be ethically assessed using the Just War tradition.In this essay, I will argue that it is possible to ethically evaluate terrorism by employing Just War principles. I will show that terrorists can satisfy the most important criterion of the Just War tradition. Firstly, they can represent a ‘legitimate authority’ and can have a ‘just cause’. Secondly, terrorism can be a ‘last resort’ and offers a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. Finally, whilst many terrorists do adhere to the principle of ‘discrimination’, the notion of ‘non-combatant immunity’ and civilian innocence is over-simplified. Furthermore, terrorists may perceive themselves to be in a ‘supreme emergency’, therefore mea ning the rules of war cease to exist. Terrorism can satisfy the principle of proportionality. However, before I begin my argument, I must establish a working definition for ‘terrorism’; an important and controversial issue in itself. Walzer describes it as ‘like rape and murder†¦ an attack upon the innocent’ (2005... ...Family Research Council, Accessed Online: 07/11/2010 Roberts, Adams, (1989), ‘Ethics, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism’, Terrorism and Political Violence 1 (1), pp. 48-70 Schmidt Alex P, and Jongman Albert I, (1998) ‘Political Terrorism’ (Amsterdam, Transaction Books) Smilanski, Saul, (2004), ‘Terrorism, Justification and Illusion’, Ethics, 114, July pp. 790-805 Valls, Andrew, (2000), ‘Can Terrorism Be Justified’, In Andre Valls (ed.), Ethics in International Affairs, pp. 65-80 Walzer, Michael, (1992), ‘Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations’, (New York: Basic Books) Walzer, Michael, (2005), ‘Arguing About War’, (Yale Nota Bene) Wilkins, Burleigh Taylor, (1992), ‘Terrorism and collective responsibility’, (New York : Routledge) US State Department, (2005), ‘Country Reports on Terrorism’, Accessed online: 15/11/2010

Descriptive essay Essay

I turn the key and hear the old engine turn over a few times, struggling to get going. Eventually it starts. The engine sounds rough when cold, but with a few quick revs, it starts to sound a little better. The â€Å"check† light flashes at me until I press the brake pedal to let the car test the brake lights, or press the â€Å"check† button on the roof near the sunroof adjustment switch, between the two visors. When I press the â€Å"check† button, seven small, red, LED lights brighten to show me that they are functioning properly. They are there to warn me of low oil, or low coolant, or to let me know if any brake lights, taillights, or headlights are not working. Clicking the sunroof button reclines the glass above my head. The sun beams into the interior and heats the leather. From the front seats, the pealing and fading grayish-silver paint on the hood is visible. The dark brown dashboard has several cracks, is dusty, and feels smooth to the touch. The tan glove box is protected by lock and secured with all the important documents. The modern stereo was installed improperly and sometimes different speakers fade in and out, and the stereo needs a nudge to get the sound to play in those speakers again. The dashboard lights are very dim at night, and can hardly be seen. The center console contains the dark-brown gear shifter, and around that are four window switches that correspond to the two power windows. Sitting upright in the driver seat gets the sweet smell of food. Fries, Burgers, spilled sour patches, and beef jerky (luckily it only the smell that fills the air, and not the actual food products). Once it starts rolling, the windows go down and the only smell that’s present is the scent of New Jersey pollution. Gas from the vehicle in front of me drips off and skims my tires. The smoke that people are blowing out from cigarettes ahead fills my surroundings with remembrance of death. The car sounds old, and it seems the engine makes a lugging noise while accelerating. The brakes squeal while braking, and sometimes the dark-brown leather steering wheel vibrates. After long trips, the car smells like burnt oil, but when fresh, the car smells like aged leather. If the heat is turned on, the car can become quite warm when fully warmed up, but the air conditioning does not work, so it’s never colder in the car than it is outside. The car tastes like †¦ well I actually don’t know because I don’t lick my car.

Standardized Testing

Standardized Testing Free Online Research Papers Standardized testing is a highly debatable topic in which one may choose to or not to limit the usage of standardized testing. These tests should be removed from all high schools nation wide. High stakes testing groups students together, limits educational possibilities, and sets up students for failure. Standardized tests are tests that, house concealed biases. In fact on the 2006 English ten High School Assessments most of the reading selections were about or related to colored people and their hardships. Standardized test makers are supposed to remove biases from the tests however the test makers failed to accomplish this task as the passed the English 10 HSA. As I sat at my desk with my test laid out in front of me I soon realized as I read through the selections that I would have a slight difficulty retraining the answers the text in order to answer the brief constructed responses. Personally I had problems understanding the plot nevertheless what was going on to tie the sections of the story together. Thus hindering my ability to answer the BCR’s which were related to the selections. Many American high school students and their families believe that standardized tests are unfair for many reasons. For example parents believe that the tests set students up for failure later on in their life. Another example of this is the fact that as of the of 2005 the graduating class of 2009 all proceeding classes must pass four out of four high school assessments . As well as this , many students find it difficult to pass tests with questions that are worded in an awkward manner. Students are given time in class to prepare students for the test , if students use this time then the students stand a greater chance of passing the test. It is also unfair to pass students onto the next grade even though the student may not have acquired an equitable education. The cause of many students being failures is the simple fact that good teachers are fired because they teach the old tests and when it comes time for the students to apply what they have learned, they fail the tests. Standardized tests also misinform the public. For example, as teachers begin to review the old tests, they soon realize that the information may very well be placed on the new years exams. As teachers hit on specific key points that were covered on the old tests, they unknowingly lower their schools average testing scores because they are only covering the old information covered and not the new topics which have replaced some of the other old topics on the tests. Most standardized tests are not released to the public until it is almost time for the tests to be distributed. High stakes testing is also only a narrow slice of a child’s knowledge. Tests such as the HSA, the SAT, and the PSAT do not measure the non school related topics, standardized testing only measures academic knowledge. These tests do not take it account the environment in which every student enters when he/she leaves the school at the end of every day. Some environments include such factors as poverty, hunge r, and even student mobility. All of which can limit how well a student can focus. There are other and better ways to evaluate the ability of a student . For example if a teacher keeps track of a students behavior then the teacher can tell exactly how well a student behaves during certain activities. As well as this each teacher could document a students work. If a teacher tracks a students work, then the teacher, student and the student’s family may be able to tell which topics the student is doing , both, well and poorly in. Performance assessments are a direct evaluation of effort on the students behalf. Recall learning task reports provide useful materials for teachers and the government information on how much funding to give to schools. A schools major funding/educational decisions should not be made solely on an average test score. High stakes testing punishes not only students but the teachers also. Teachers are punished for things of which they cannot control. Tests such as these distort and weaken the curriculum as it houses forms of instruction which fail to engage the students in education. Tests which dictate the testing environment , also limit education improvement. Thus , high stakes (standardized) testing actively hurt s genuine education improvement. Research Papers on Standardized TestingMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesResearch Process Part OneEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenGenetic EngineeringPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesHip-Hop is ArtThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseTrailblazing by Eric AndersonBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X