The Gullah or Geechee Community

The Gullah or Geechee Community The Gullah people of South Carolina and Georgia have a fascinating history and culture. Also known as the Geechee, the Gullah are descended from African slaves who were prized for their ability to grow crucial crops such as rice. Due to geography, their culture was largely isolated from white society and from other slave societies. They are known for having preserved a tremendous amount of their African traditions and language elements. Today, approximately 250,000 people speak the Gullah language, a rich mixture of African words and the English that was spoken hundreds of years ago. The Gullah are currently working to ensure that future generations and the general public know about and respect the Gullah past, present, and future. Geography of the Sea Islands The Gullah people inhabit many of the one hundred Sea Islands, which stretch along the Atlantic Ocean coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. These marshy tidal and barrier islands have a humid subtropical climate. Sea Island, St. Helena Island, St. Simons Island, Sapelo Island, and Hilton Head Island are some of the most important islands in the chain. Enslavement and Atlantic Voyage Eighteenth-century plantation owners in South Carolina and Georgia wanted slaves to work on their plantations. Because growing rice is a very difficult, labor-intensive task, plantation owners were willing to pay high prices for slaves from the African Rice Coast. Thousands of people were enslaved in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, and other countries. Before their voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the slaves waited in holding cells in Western Africa. There, they began to create a pidgin language to communicate with people from other tribes. After their arrival in the Sea Islands, the Gullah blended their pidgin language with the English spoken by their masters. Immunity and Isolation of the Gullah The Gullah grew rice, okra, yams, cotton, and other crops. They also caught fish, shrimp, crabs, and oysters. Gullah had some immunity to tropical diseases like malaria and yellow fever. Because plantation owners did not have immunity to these diseases, they moved inland and left the Gullah slaves alone in the Sea Islands for much of the year. When the slaves were freed after the Civil War, many Gullah bought the land that they worked on and continued their agricultural way of life. They remained relatively isolated for another one hundred years. Development and Departure By the mid-20th century, ferries, roads, and bridges connected the Sea Islands to the mainland United States. Rice was also grown in other states, reducing the rice output from the Sea Islands. Many Gullah had to change their way of earning a living. Many resorts have been built in the Sea Islands, causing lingering controversy over ownership of the land. However, some Gullah now work in the tourism industry. Many have left the islands for higher education and employment opportunities. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spoke Gullah as a child. The Gullah Language The Gullah language has developed over four hundred years. The name Gullah probably derives from the Gola ethnic group in Liberia. Scholars have debated for decades over classifying Gullah as a distinct language or merely a dialect of English. Most linguists now regard Gullah as an English- based Creole language. It is sometimes called Sea Island Creole. The vocabulary is comprised of English words and words from dozens of African languages, such as Mende, Vai, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. The African languages also greatly influenced Gullah grammar and pronunciation. The language was unwritten for much of its history. The Bible was recently translated into the Gullah language. Most Gullah speakers are also fluent in standard American English. Gullah Culture The Gullahs of the past and present have an intriguing culture that they deeply love and want to preserve. Customs, including storytelling, folklore, and songs, have been passed down through generations. Many women make crafts like baskets and quilts. Drums are a popular instrument. The Gullahs are Christians and attend church services regularly. Gullah families and communities celebrate holidays and other events together. The Gullah enjoy delicious dishes based on the crops they traditionally grew. Great efforts have been made to preserve the Gullah culture. The National Park Service oversees the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. A Gullah Museum exists on Hilton Head Island. Firm Identity The story of the Gullahs is very important to African-American geography and history. Its interesting that a separate language is spoken off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The Gullah culture will undoubtedly survive. Even in the modern world, the Gullah are an authentic, unified group of people that deeply respect their ancestors values of independence and diligence.

Music and the Positive Effects on the Human Brain Professor Ramos Blog

Music and the Positive Effects on the Human Brain composer Music is a huge part of human culture, past and present. It has the power to activate every part of the brain. Music can also affect our vibration, and our behavior but most importantly, our brain. Professional musicians have stronger communication between brain hemispheres, superior working memory and are better in subjects like reading and math. People tend to listen to music whilst they are doing something to pass the time. What they dont know is that their brain is still memorizing words and sentences at the same time as their mind is listening to music. There is meaning in music and it can be use to communicate things and induce people to act a certain   way. As author I. Clifford Rose writes in Neurology of Music: â€Å"Music, rather than simply being a complex sonic pattern produced and received for aesthetic or hedonistic end, can better be interpreted as a communicative medium.† Meaning that music is not just sound it is a form of communication that is used througho ut the world in many different ways. Positive Effects: In recent scientific studies, it has been shown that music can modify the brain structure. A study of the university of cornwall has shown that listening to heavy metal music induces people to be less sociable and lowers their willingness to do things for the common good. However if they are introduced to upbeat music it can bring a positive effect on ones teamwork ability. â€Å"With listening to upbeat music, it helps them tune out the static in ones voice so you can understand them better.† states Kraus in the article, Get Engaged by Julie Deardorff. People who like the same music can most times share similarities in likings. It states that our brains will not stop developing till our late twenties early thirties. Our minds are constantly being changed day to day from the music that we listen to. People who listen to heavy metal tend to be calmer where as the people who listen to something like hip hop it helps. Hip hop explains the persons life so most people can relate to hip hop more than heavy metal. Most heavy metal songs dont really make sense because they scream a lot. In hip hop you generally understand what they are saying because it is more clear and most rappers rap about their life and how they grew up and what they went through. The more people tend to connect with one another the more they will be willing to work together against or on something. A persons mind is so much more capable than what most people take it as when it comes to multitasking. They can be working on cleaning the house and nine times out of ten they would think that they finished it fast because their mind is focused on the music rather than the task at hand. While it easy to multitask it is also easy to get sidetracked meaning if they start to really like the music that they are listening to they will spend countless hours on finding a new song with the same upbeat tone. It is both a gift and a curse which is said in the article ‘The Need To Minimize Distractions’ by Michigan State University. While it is very rare that you are able to do multiple things that require thinking you find your mind jumping from one thing to the next instead of doing them both at the same time. The people who are able to both things without even thinking are considered very gifted. 1.Music helps learn new things: Music in a different language tends to teach people long after the time period where there brain has stopped developing. Songs in a different language help you learn a new language if you like the song you will want to know what it means and then look it up and sing it. 2.Music helps babies grow healthy: Music can also make a positive effect in child development, the amazing effect a melody has on the mind starts even before birth. Recent studies have shown that children exposed to classical music in the womb exhibit a positive change in physical and mental development after birth. Companies still continue to market classical music to parents of children so they can listen their way to greater intelligence. (Peter Van Eerden 2017) 3. Playing an Instrument Makes you smarter: The brain seems to be a sponge for music and, like a sponge in water, is changed by it. The brain’s left and right hemispheres are connected by a big trunk line called the corpus callosum. When they compared the corpus callosum in 30 non musicians with the corpus callosum in 30 professional string and piano players, researchers led by Dr. Gottfried Schlaug of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston found striking differences. The front part of this thick cable of neurons is larger in musicians, especially if they began their training before the age of 7. (Begley,Sharon 2000) The ability of music to trigger memories of ones own life experiences is, for many people, an everyday occurrence. This article uses material from an in-depth qualitative study of adults memory narratives, which reveals the potential for music to encapsulate memories and associated affect on a scale that extends from singular moments to collections of memories situated within distinct temporal boundaries. (Istvandity, Lauren 2014 Works cited Begley Sharon: Music on the mind. Newsweek, July 24 2000 Julie Deardoff: Get Engaged: Involving students show greater gains in speech processing, reading, December 16 2014https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2014/12/how-music-class-can-spark-brain-development/ Istvandity, Lauren: The lifetime soundtrack Popular Music History August, 2014 Volume 9 Issue 2 Peter Van Eerden Will Listening to Music While Pregnant Make Your Baby Smarter? August 28 2017https://news.sanfordhealth.org/childrens/will-listening-to-music-make-your-baby-smarter/

Portfolio-Advancing Career Development Coursework

Portfolio-Advancing Career Development - Coursework Example My past experiences have played an incredibly essential role in facilitating the achievement of the required aptitude and skills for future career development (Yorke and Knight, 2007). Despite having worked in various organisations I have as well learnt several technical skills through class work and team work. As a qualified professional, I aim at becoming a prominent professional and an entrepreneur in local and global market. Despite aiming at becoming a prominent global entrepreneur, I as well plan to become a role model to numerous young professionals with a vision of becoming managers and directors of universally well-known multinational organisations. The career advanced portfolio below therefore gives an overview of my career advanced portfolio explaining the student current achievement as well as future career expectation. The Jaguar Land Rover Company is a popularly known global premium automotive brand. The company employs over 20, 000 passionate and talented employees in its global outlets. Moreover, the company sells more than 300,000 units in over 175 countries in global market. The company main production plant is in United Kingdom. The Jaguar Land Rover Company has several graduate job opportunities in varies parts of the world which include: purchasing, finance human resource management, information technology as well as marketing and sales job opportunities. The Peugeot Company has total revenue of 59.9 pounds. The company has sold over 3, 549, 416 vehicles in its global markets. Peugeot Company as well operates in more than 160 countries globally. The company has 208,649 employees worldwide and dominate more than 13% in United Kingdom stock market. Information technology, human resources finance and logistics are some of the available opportunities in Peugeot Company. The Santander Company is a retail bank. The bank has employed 170,000 employees in its global outlets. The bank has 90 million customers in the global market.

Common core assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Common core - Assignment Example 312 shows that 25 is greater than 12. 1+8=11-2, illustrates that the sum of 1 and 8, is equal to the difference 11 and 2. Geometry is the final topic illustrated in the book. The topic has three major subcomponents. Firstly, students are required to understand and construct shapes with several attributes. For instance, a rectangle has four equal sides with four equal angles. There are eight Mathematical practice standards, as illustrated by the P-12 common core mathematics standards. The standards aim at enhancing the teaching and effective understanding of mathematical concepts (Higgs, 2002). This paper focuses on analyzing the Mathematics practice at the second learning grade. The first standard entails understanding and striving to solve a problem. The grade two students depend on objects and pictures to effectively analyze and solve problems. For example, drawing and counting circle to assist in solving simple sums like 3+5=8. The leaner draws s circles, and then another five circles. The answer is achieved by counting all the eight circles. The second standard entails reasoning quantitatively. Quantitative reasoning involves developing adequate representation of the mathematical problem, analyzing the units involved, and knowing meaning of quantities. Quantitative aspect also entails understanding and flexibly applying several operations properties . 3+1=4, illustrates analysis of the addition unit. The third standard is making viable arguments, and also critiquing the quantitative opinion of others. The second grade learners have the ability of reasoning inductively concerning data. The students can develop arguments through applying concrete referents like actions, drawings and objects. The students can learn, read and also listen to the arguments of peers and also the teachers. The second grade students can effectively identify a

New Military Interrogation Rules Essay Example for Free

New Military Interrogation Rules Essay The film â€Å"In the Name of the Father† had been based on occurrences that occur even in real life. The film gave us a close look on how our justice system could be manipulated in order to suit the wishes of certain people. The film showed innocent people being convicted and accused of the crimes they have done. The fact that those guilty of the crimes confessed their wrongdoings did not hinder the police from punishing the innocent people. The film showed how unfair the British system of Justice is. It showed how the police made use of their positions in order to justify their brutality. They have even made it a point to use brutality in order to make innocent people confess of the crimes they have not made just as can be seen on one part of the movie wherein Gerry had been beaten by the police in order to write a false confession of the sin he did not make. Another annoying part on the movie had been the fact that his father had been charged as an accomplice and thus he had also been taken into prison where he died. The very fact that his innocent father had been made into a criminal and had died in prison grilled Gerry a lot and thus he did everything in his power in order to clear his father name as well as his own, thus the title â€Å"In the Name of the Father†. Denying their prisoners food, and beating them into pulps can be seen on most part of the movie and the police did not stop their brutality until the prisoners confessed for the sins they have done. Dogs are treated in better ways than the prisoner had been treated by the police in the movie. The things the police did goes against the principle of what justice ought to be like. In fact, the brutality did not even ceased when the real crime offender admitted his sin. The police covered the happenings for such a long time until a lawyer came and meddled with their affairs. Of course, the unfairness of the justice system is not as bad as it used to but it does not necessarily mean that the unfairness of the justice system is no longer present on our society as of today. Being forced to sign a false admission by using police brutality as well as involving the suspect’s family on his hardship is still happening today. I mean there are those who are condemned as criminals and their family suffers almost the same level of torture the suspect’s suffer simply because they are related to the suspect. There are even times that even those people close to you are also accused of as accomplice even though the police do not have any sufficient evidences. Often times, we are deceived into thinking that those who are in power is doing things for the common good without realizing the fact that they have been doing things to ensure no one’s good but their own. There are certain rules on the interrogation tactics that are legal to use nowadays but it does not stop some people from abusing their power and still going on with the interrogation tactics being prohibited by the law. We should bear in mind that some interrogation tactics are not allowed nowadays. However, they still happen. There are many cases being reported about police brutality which necessitates improvement however, no such improvements ever happen because police brutality is still very common up to this point in time. The subjects of these abuses are mostly poor people because they do not have the means necessary to demand for justice and thus their voices are seldom heard. Innocent people are being convicted of crimes which they know nothing about. All of us should acknowledge the fact that certain interrogation tactics are banned by the government because they are unjust and it goes against the principle of human rights. Kantian ethics would tell us that each human ought to be treated with respect and not simply as a means to an end. Even using its anti thesis, utilitarianism, police brutalities would still not be justified since it goes against the principle of greatest good for the greatest number of people since only those who hold power could benefit from the rotten way the government works and thus it could lead to the disturbance of the peace within a society. However, these does not stop some people in power from disobeying the law and this could go on forever unless the citizenry decides to do something about it. Reference: CBS News. (2004). New Military Interrogation Rules [Electronic Version]. Use Of Aggressive Tactics Barred; 300 Iraqis Released From Abu Ghraib. Retrieved May 21, 2007 from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2004/05/15/iraq/main617654. shtml. Sheridan, J. , George, T. (Writer) (1993). In the Name of the Father. In L. OConnor, G. Byrne T. George (Producer).

Effect Of Temp On Endo And Ectotherms (metabolism) :: essays research papers

Animal metabolism consists of the utilization of nutrients absorbed from the digestive tract and their catabolism as fuel for energy or their conversion into substances of the body. Metabolism is a continuous process because the molecules and even most cells of the body have brief lifetimes and are constantly replaced, while tissue as a whole maintains its characteristic structure. This constant rebuilding process without a net change in the amount of a cell constituent is known as dynamic equilibrium (Grolier1996). In the combustion of food, oxygen is used and carbon dioxide is given off. The rate of oxygen consumption indicates the energy expenditure of an organism, or its metabolic rate (Grolier1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Metabolic rate is directly linked to the core temperature in an animal. An ectotherm, or cold blooded animal, warms its body mainly by absorbing heat from its surroundings. The amount of heat it derives from its metabolism is negligible. In contrast, endotherms derive most or all of its body heat from its own metabolism (Campbells,p899). Because ectotherms do not produce their own heat, they cannot actively ensure their ideal temperature for an ideal metabolic rate (aquacult.htp).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the following experiment, we will attempt to examine the relationship between metabolic rate and environmental temperature in both an ectoderm and an endotherm. I predict that for the ectotherm, the metabolic rate will increase as the outside environment temperature will increase. I also predict that the metabolic rate in the endotherm will remain relatively the same as the outside environment temperature changes. I also make the prediction that the ectotherm will have much lower metabolic rates than the endotherm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The procedures for this experiment are those that are referred to in Duncan and Townsend, 1996 p9-7. In our experiment however, each student group chose a temperature of either 5 C, 10 C, 15 C, or 20 C. Each group selected a crayfish, and placed it in an erlenmeyer flask filled with distilled water. The flask’s O2 levels had already been measured. the flask was then placed in a water bath of the selected temperature for thirty minutes, and then the O2 levels were measured again. Each group shared their findings with the class. The metabolic rates of the mouse were conducted by the instructor and distributed. We also did not use the Winkler method to measure the O2 levels. We used a measuring device instead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The results of this experiment are shown in the compiled student data in Table 1 below.

Court System of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico had a distinct legal system to that of American legal system till the American solders landed in 1898 . The Puerto Rico’s structure including civil law rules, institutions, procedures and legal culture were undergone important transformation. There is a change in the civil law jurisdiction to the civil law-mixed law and other areas such as legal structures, processes, culture and actors. This paper examines the current legal system of the Puerto Rico and critically examines 3 states (Virginia Islands, Hawaii and New Jersey) court structures.It also provides the proposal for the court structure of Puerto Rico on par with these 3 states. Brief introduction of Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States. The President is USA is the chief of state and elected Governor. It has control over the internal affairs and without the interference of the USA. The major differences between Puerto Rico and the 50 states include e xemption from some aspects of the Internal Revenue Code, its lack of voting representation in either house of the U.S congress (Senate and House of Representatives), the ineligibility of Puerto Ricans to vote in presidential elections, and its lack of assignation of some revenue reserved for the states. Judicial system in Puerto Rica is directed by Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is comprised of 7 judges (a chief justice and 6 associate justices) named by the Governor. The structure of Judicial System includes a Court of Appeals, Superior Court, a District Court (Civil & Criminal), and Municipal Court. There are 12 judicial districts.The Commonwealth of Puerto Rica also has a district court comparable to those of the state of US. Each district court has a least one district judge and can have more than a score of district judges, as well as a clerk, a United States Attorney, a United States Marshall, one or more United States Magistrates, bankruptcy judges, probation officers, cour t reporters, and their staff. The federal government, located in San Juan, is represented by 2 district judges and the procurator, who is named by the President of the United States. The Federal court has final authority of the ELA.Distinctive features of the American Judicial System includes the adversary system, the common law system, predefined rules for conducting litigation, reporting of judicial proceedings and the publication of court opinions. There are 94 federal judicial districts, including at least one district in each state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico. The appeal courts take the appeals from the district courts located in the circuit and also from the federal administrative agencies.The Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal judiciary . The judicial system of Puerto Rico is based upon Spanish Law upon which is based the on United States judicial system. The Puerto Rico legal court system includes a district court, a superior court, an appellate court and the Puerto Rico Supreme Court as apex court. Decisions of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court can be appealed to the Federal Court for Puerto Rico and to the U. S. Supreme Court as a lost resort. Hawaii state judicial system features appellate courts and trial courts.Appellate courts include the Hawaii Supreme Court and the Intermediate Court of Appeals and the trial courts include the Circuit, Family and District courts and functions four judicial districts. The judicial system of Virginia Islands consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the General District Courts and the Circuit Courts . The structure of New Jersey's court system is very simple featuring Municipal courts, Tax Court, state Superior Court, which includes the trial courts, an Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court.All the above mentioned court systems such as Hawaii, Virginia islands and New Jersey has dif ferent set of court structures . Except in the criminal and constitutional fields, Puerto Rico’s legal system substantially remained that of the Spanish civil law . Puerto Rico state’s highest court: The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico is the highest court of the Puerto Rico, which is analogous to one of the U. S state supreme courts established in San Juan. The ultimate judicial authority lies within Puerto Rico for interpretation and deciding on the question of local commonwealth law.The Constitution and the laws of Puerto Rico determine the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and works similar way to the state Supreme Courts in the United States. It has concurrent jurisdiction to interpret federal laws, unless the Supremacy Clause requires otherwise. The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico used the common law to resolve the private-law issues and later drifted to methodical research integrating the civil law into the civilian context . Comparison of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico with the Virgin Islands, Hawaii and New Jersey’s Supreme Courts.The Supreme Court of Hawaii hears appeals for writs of certiorari to the Intermediate Court of Appeals and applications for transfer from the Intermediate Court of Appeals. It also hears reserved questions of law from the circuit courts, the land court, and the tax appeal court, certified question from the federal courts, applications for writs, complaints on elections and it makes rules of practice and procedures for all state courts, licenses, regulates and disciplines attorneys and judges. The New Jersey Supreme Court composed of a chief justice and six associate justices.It takes up the appeals from the lower courts involving capital cases and cases in which a panel of appellate judges has disagreed. It also hears the cases of great public importance. The Superior Court has broad jurisdiction in addressing the legal needs of the Virgin Islands community. The Court hears all local trial matters including civil, criminal, family, probate, landlord-tenant, small claims and traffic. It also acts as a court of appeals for decisions of all governmental officers and agencies . Puerto Rico’s Appellate Courts: U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is the appellate court for the District of Puerto Rico.The Circuit Court of Appeals established in 1994 sits in San Juan and it is the intermediary level between the courts of first instance and the Supreme Court. With the consent of senate 33 justices were named by the Governor for the Circuit Court of Appeals. Most sittings are held in Boston, but the court sits for two weeks each year in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and occasionally at other locations within the circuit. First Circuit is the smallest of the thirteen United States courts of appeals Composition of U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is five active (six authorized) and four senior judges. Juan R.Torruella is the chief judge of the Puerto Rico duty station appoi nted by the Reagan. The established procedure for the eligibility of the Chief Judge is that he must be below the age of 65, serving court actively at least one year and have not served as a Chief Judge earlier. The appellate courts for the other states in comparison are U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for Hawaii. U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for Virgin Islands and U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for New Jersey. The Hawaii appellate courts are comprised of the Supreme Court and the Intermediate Court of Appeals.The Intermediate Court of Appeals of Hawaii hears all appeals from trial courts and state agencies in the State of Hawaii composed of 6 judges. It is having discretionary powers to hear cases without prior suit in civil cases or cases in circuit court or the tax appeal court and also when the parties agreed upon the facts of the controversy. The U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for Virgin Islands composed of 14 active judg es. The chief judge should have the same eligibility criteria as if the Puerto Rico has. U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for New Jersey is composed of 14 active judges.Puerto Rico’s Municipal Courts Municipal courts have the jurisdiction to hear minor civil and less serious criminal cases with in the region under the powers conferred by the constitution and the other law . Puerto Rico’s municipal judges, serving for five years, and justices of the peace, in rural areas, decide cases involving local ordinances. Municipal Courts of New Jersey usually has jurisdiction to take cases such as motor vehicle and parking tickets, minor criminal-type offenses, municipal ordinance offenses and other offenses including fish and game violations.Municipal Court judges are usually appointed by the Mayor of the municipality, with the advice and consent of the council, and serve a term of three years and eligibility set by the statute and he should have 5 years of practice experience. The Municipal Court of the Virgin Islands’ was named as the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands and having jurisdiction over all civil actions and criminal matters. Territorial court is now changed to superior court by means of Bill No. 25-0213. Hawaii does not have Municipal Courts.County and local ordinance and traffic violations are tried in state circuit and district courts. Puerto Rico’s Major Trial Courts: The nine superior courts are the Puerto Rico’s Major trial courts. The term of the superior court judges is 12-years. The superior courts were divided into 13 districts in 2003 and have original jurisdiction of not exceeding $10,000 in civil cases and also in minor criminal cases. District courts also hear preliminary motions in more serious criminal cases . The Hawaii trial courts include the Circuit, Family and District courts.The courts are structured geographically: Puerto Rico constitutes one judicial district and held at Mayaguez, Ponce and San Juan according to United States Code Title 28, Part I, Chapter 5, Sec. 119. The Hawaii appellate courts are comprised of the Supreme Court and the Intermediate Court of Appeals. The trial courts include the Circuit, Family and District courts. The Virginia's court structure has District Court, at the lowest level, to the Supreme Court at the highest level. The Circuit Courts is at the second lowest level, and the Court of Appeals at the next level.The Chief Justice and the Supreme Court will function as the administrative body for the entire Virginia court system. Structure of New Jersey's court system is the simplest in among all the court structures. Municipal courts, Tax Court, state Superior Court, which includes the trial courts, an Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court are the basic type of the courts. Judges appointment: Justices for The Supreme Court, The Appellate Court, The Court of First Instance (composing of Superior Court and Municipal Court ) appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico with the consent (majority vote) of the Senate and retires at the age of 70.The Circuit Court of Appeals includes 33 justices. Justices and judges in US are appointed under the Article III of the constitution by the president of the US with the majority vote of senate for life time . Judicial and Attorney ethical standards The Code of Conduct for United States Judges According to the code of conduct duties of judge are 1. Upholding the integrity and independence of the judiciary. 2. Avoiding impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities. 3. Performing the duties of the office impartially and diligently. 4.Carrying out extrajudicial activities for improving the legal system and the administration of justice. 5. Regulating extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with judicial duties. 6. Regularly filing reports of compensation received for law-related and extra-judicial activities. 7. Refraining from politi cal activity . Attorney ethical standards 28 C. F. R. PART 77—ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR ATTORNEYS FOR THE GOVERNMENT The Department of Justice makes sure that its attorneys perform their duties in accordance with the highest ethical standards through implementing 28 U. S. C.530B and guide attorneys concerning the guidelines imposed on Department attorneys by 28 U. S. C. 530B. Conclusion: The Puerto Rico courts and legal structure had under gone a drastic transformation under the U. S rule. Now it has its own court structure with some limitations. In spite of very simple court system the New Jersey's legal system is effective. Two step appellate review process in Virginia court system is also a good for the better scrutiny of the case . The courts systems of Hawaii, Virginia Islands and New Jersey have a good court structure and can be ideal for the court structure of Puerto Rico.Reference: 1. Carlos R. Soltero, (2006) Latinos and American law: landmark Supreme Court cases, Univer sity of Texas Press. 2. William Miller, (2006), Evolving Internet reference resources, Haworth Press. 3. Virginia Courts†. Virginia Judicial System. 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. http://www. courts. state. va. us/courts/courts. html 4. State Court Caseload Statistics, 2003, Retrieved from http://www. ncsconline. org/D_Research/csp/2003_Files/2003_SCCS_Charts1. pdf 5. Juan R. Torruella, (1985), The Supreme Court and Puerto Rico: The Doctrine of Separate and Unequal, Editorial UPR.6. Vernon V. Palmer, (2001), Mixed jurisdictions worldwide: the third legal family, Cambridge University Press. 7. SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, Division of St. Thomas/St. John, Retrieved on April 2, 2009, http://www. visuperiorcourt. org/ 8. Timothy F. Fautsko, (2003), Workload assessment model for the Puerto Rico municipal court, Retrived on April,2. http://contentdm. ncsconline. org/cgi-bin/showfile. exe? CISOROOT=/spcts&CISOPTR=105 98. Puerto Rico – Judicial system, (2007), Advameg, Inc. Retrieved on April 2, 2009, http://www. city-data.com/states/Puerto-Rico-Judicial-system. html 10. Leonidas Ralph Mecham, The Federal Court System, in the United States, Retrieved from http://www. uscourts. gov/library/internationalbook-fedcts2. pdf 11. Leonidas Ralph Mecham, The Federal court system in the United States, Retrieved form http://www. uscourts. gov/library/internationalbook-fedcts2. pdf 12. Order No. 2216–99, 64 FR 19275, Apr. 20, 1999. 13. Marie Wayson (2008), Virginia Court System: Function and Purpose, Retived on April 2, 2009, http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/724285/virginia_court_system_function_and. html

Philosophy Reflection Essay

This was my first major introduction into the study of philosophy, and I can honestly say that it has had a major impact on my belief system. Many of my views have been changed and my overall view on life is much different than it was five months ago. To me, the two most interesting works were the Tao and The Mind’s I. The Tao describes a really interesting way of life. Of all the philosophies we’ve read, it is the simplest and most beautiful. Instead of scanning for hidden meanings and analyzing all parts of life, Laozi just tells us to live life. Do no more than you have to do, but do everything you have to do. He tells us not to worry about death and just live life. I honestly think very simple and peaceful way of living can bring us much more happiness than we have now in our current society. However, the only way it can be implemented is if everyone follows the Tao, and that is nearly impossible in our current society. We should honestly try to live simpler lives and see the beauty of everyday things. The other work that really impacted me was The Mind’s I. I’m not sure if it qualifies as a single work, but there were several important themes that really interested me and changed some of my views. The section that really interested me the most was the section describing intelligent machines and animals, and their relationship to humans. I had always considered humans superior to animals due to their intelligence and ability to communicate. I never thought too much about the idea of intelligent animals and even machines and their relationship to humans. An intelligent machine or animal that can communicate definitely would be on the same evolutionary level as humans, and thus there could be no way to justify creating an intelligent robotic servant or helper without harkening back to the ideology that prompted slavery. Also, destruction of this machine or animal would be equivalent to murder. However, I still so no moral objection to creating an intelligent robot, as long as we give it its own freedom, just as we would to one of our children. Its may be considered playing God, but if we are his greatest creations, we should have the right to test our limits. Only through a recreation of consciousness done and understood by us can we begin to understand our own consciousness as well as ourselves. I had never really thought about technology in this way and never seriously questioned the origin of my consciousness, so the Mind’s I really forced me to think about life in a different way. Throughout the term, I not only changed and reconsidered many of my views; I discovered things that I subconsciously believed without really thinking about it. My beliefs not only changed, I discovered beliefs that I never knew I had. Some of these views surfaced when reading certain works like The Mysterious Stranger and Nietzsche. Although these two works didn’t change my deep-set views that much, it was interesting to see my instinctual beliefs get challenged. I discovered I was a pretty moderate thinker, but these readings caused many of my views on life to change. However, I still disagreed with many of the views expressed in class discussions with certain works, like the Tao. But then I realized that the Tao is designed to have different meanings to everyone who reads it so they could find their own way of life and thus doesn’t lend itself well to class discussions. I saw that the way philosophy has evolved over the years mirrors the way society has changed throughout history. The older philosophies that we’ve read, like the Tao and Plato’ work, seem to try to tell us how to live our lives to get the most happiness and satisfaction out of it, and how to find the way or see the light. The more modern philosophies seem to disregard the idea of a true path and tell us how to live in the best way, but they don’t guarantee happiness from it. The most interesting pieces for me were a mix of the modern and older philosophies, like Nietzsche and Socrates’ Apology (I guess because he lived in a ancient but modern society). Even though they were completely different and I completely disagreed with one of them, they were much more compelling to me. One important thing that I learned is that I hate reading about something that I agree on, I dislike having my views â€Å"proven†?by another writer and rather read new ideas and opinions. From all the texts read and discussions we’ve had this year, it’s hard to highlight just three things that I learned. One of the most stimulating texts to me was The Circular Ruins. Especially when read right after Is God a Taoist, this simple story made me reconsider all my beliefs on existence and God. Just like the main character was, we are kept in the dark about our condition, where we came from and how we exist. We claim an all-mighty God as our creator, and call ourselves superior beings in his image. However, whose to say that we are not just insignificant nothings, created by another being of no importance. Would that make us less real and important? From this story I learned to stop attaching importance and purpose to everything I do. Maybe there is a reason we don’t know where we come from; perhaps we don’t want to know. Another important lesson came from Reservation Blues. The main characters all had to deal with finding a cultural identity while trying to escape the trap of the white man. The only ones who made it out were the ones who had a strong cultural identity. They knew themselves and identified with their past before they attempted to escape the reservation. Victor and Junior either tried to ignore their past or couldn’t come to terms with their heritage. They tried to escape before they were ready, and couldn’t cope with the failure. The book’s point, despite the suicide and Victor’s destruction, was amazingly positive, it showed that if you come to terms with your past and yourself you can overcome any obstacle set against you, but you must have this understanding or you will destroy yourself. From The Razor’s Edge I learned a lot about the purpose of life from each of the vastly different characters. At first, it seems like the point of the story is that there is a difference between what we want and what makes us happy and fulfilled. Suzanne, Gray and Elliot all got what they wanted yet all seem to live unhappy, unfulfilled lives. Further inspection showed that they all are living the life that they fully wanted and expected to live, and they are perfectly content. Isabel wanted both Larry and high society type of life, and thus is disappointed with her life because she couldn’t have both. Larry didn’t know what he wanted out of life, so he took basically a timeout from the real world, went into seclusion and discovered what he wanted out of life. Now he, knowing full well what he wants, is the most satisfied of all the characters. The lesson to be learned is that happiness is completely relative, and thus you cannot call anyone a failure unless he considers himself one. Also, it’s all right to take some time out of the real world and relax, take a step back and see what you really want to do next. In the end, this class really has changed my views on the best kind of life. I still believe that you need to live the type of life that will make you the happiest and most satisfied, but I don’t think that most people know what type of life that is. If you don’t have a passion, don’t force yourself into any profession. Explore the world and find something that really interests you otherwise you will get forced into a miserable life that you hate. If you have a passion, you have to follow it. You have to come in terms with who you are; understand and remember your past and childhood. We have to examine our lives to discover what we really want, then try to find it. We must simplify our actions, and we have to stop overanalyzing other’s actions and words. We have to lose our ego and sense of shame, and stop caring what people think of you. This is the simplest way to live and live happily, without having to adjust your actions to fit what other people expect from you. We have to stop fearing death and keep on living life in the happiest possible way. This will be the happiest, simplest and best life for everyone.

Face Culture in China

'Face' Culture in China Although in the West we talk about â€Å"saving face† on occasion, the concept of â€Å"face† (é  ¢Ã¥ ­ is far more deeply-rooted in China, and it’s something you’ll hear people talk about all the time. What Is 'Face'? Just like in the English expression â€Å"saving face,† the â€Å"face† we’re talking about here isn’t a literal face. Rather, it’s a metaphor for a person’s reputation amongst their peers. So, for example, if you hear it said that someone â€Å"has face,† that means that they have a good reputation. Someone who doesn’t have face is someone who has a very bad reputation. Common Expressions Involving 'Face' Having face (æÅ"‰é  ¢Ã¥ ­ ): Having a good reputation or good social standing. Not having face (æ ² ¡Ã©  ¢Ã¥ ­ ): Not having a good reputation or having bad social standing. Giving face (ç »â„¢Ã©  ¢Ã¥ ­ ): Giving deference to someone in order to improve their standing or reputation, or to pay homage to their superior reputation or standing. Losing face (ä ¸ ¢Ã¨â€ž ¸): Losing social status or hurting one’s reputation. Not wanting face (ä ¸ Ã¨ ¦ Ã¨â€ž ¸): Acting shamelessly in a way that suggests one doesn’t care about one’s own reputation. 'Face' in Chinese Society Although there are obviously exceptions, in general, Chinese society is quite conscious of hierarchy and reputation among social groups. People who have good reputations can buoy the social standing of others by â€Å"giving them face† in various ways. At school, for example, if a popular child chooses to play or do a project with a new student who’s not well known, the popular child is giving the new student face, and improving their reputation and social standing within the group. Similarly, if a child tries to join a group that’s popular and is rebuffed, they will have lost face. Obviously, a consciousness of reputation is quite common in the West as well, especially among particular social groups. The difference in China may be that it’s frequently and openly discussed and that there is no real â€Å"brown-noser† stigma associated with actively pursuing improving one’s own standing and reputation the way there sometimes is in the West. Because of the importance that’s placed on the maintenance of face, some of China’s most common and most cutting insults also revolve around the concept. â€Å"What a loss of face!† is a common exclamation from the crowd whenever someone is making a fool of themselves or doing something they shouldn’t, and if someone says that you don’t even want face (ä ¸ Ã¨ ¦ Ã¨â€ž ¸), then you know that they have a very low opinion of you indeed. 'Face' in Chinese Business Culture One of the most obvious ways in which this plays out is the avoidance of public criticism in all but the direst of circumstances. Where in a Western business meeting a boss might criticize an employee’s proposal, for example, direct criticism would be uncommon in a Chinese business meeting because it would cause the person being criticized to lose face. Criticism, when it must be, is generally passed along in private so that the criticized party’s reputation will not be hurt. It is also common to express criticism indirectly by simply avoiding or redirecting discussion of something rather than acknowledging or agreeing with it. If you make a pitch in a meeting and a Chinese colleague says, â€Å"That’s very interesting and worth considering† but then changes the subject, chances are they didn’t find your idea interesting at all. They’re just trying to help you save face. Since much of China’s business culture is based on personal relationships (guanxi å… ³Ã§ ³ »), giving face is also a tool that is frequently used in making inroads into new social circles. If you can get the endorsement of one particular person of high social standing, that person’s approval and standing within their peer group can â€Å"give† you the â€Å"face† that you need to be more broadly accepted by their peers.

Definition and Examples of Plots in Narratives

Definition and Examples of Plots in Narratives Every story that you read follows a series of events that range from the introduction of a conflict to begin the story and a final resolution at the end; this is the plot of your story. Basically, it’s what happens throughout the narrative, and it appears in in both fiction and non-fiction work. When you write a plot summary, you’ll essentially condense a novel into a short essay, touching on the key points of the material. You’ll want to introduce the main characters, setting of the story, and the main conflict of the narrative, including the five basic components of the plot: introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and finally, a resolution. Some outlines will break down a plot into more segments (exposition, inciting incident, central conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) but the premise is the same - a pattern of rising and falling action that looks essentially like an arc  or a bell curve when you consider the level of drama the characters experience. Understanding and Introducing the Conflict To properly summarize a plot, start by figuring out the main problem that the story will solve. This could come from understanding the main characters, who are crucial components of the plot. Who are they and what are they trying to achieve? Most characters have a mission to accomplish, often it is finding, saving, or creating something or someone. Understand what drives the main characters, and that will help you in the first step to summarize the plot. The conflict that we discover at the start of the narrative will get kicked off by an inciting incident that triggers the rising action, which grows over time. In Shakespeare’s â€Å"Romeo Juliet† we are introduced to two characters from feuding families who ultimately fall in love. The conflict comes from their love for each other despite their families’ disapproval. Rising Action and Climax The rising action will introduce key components of a story that build upon the drama and conflict. This is where we see Romeo Juliet marry in secret, and Romeo Tybalt engage in a duel that ultimately leads to Tybalt’s death. Eventually, the action and conflict hit what is called the climax, the point of no return. This is the peak of excitement, fear, drama, or whatever the emotion is that relayed through the narrative. You’ll want to tie together the rising action and the catalyst for conflict. The climax could lead us on a journey of positive resolution or even a journey of tragedy, but it will often change the characters in some way and is the reason why the problem can now start to be solved. In Shakespeare’s story, there are essentially two points of climax: Romeo is banished and Juliet refuses to marry Paris. Falling Action and Resolution Finally, as you work your way back from the climax to the resolution, you’ll want to focus on how the main characters respond to the peak of action. Some aspect of the climax will trigger a response in the main characters which will drive them towards the final resolution. Sometimes, you’ll even find that the main characters learn a lesson and grow as individuals, but either way, the resulting actions shift the story and begin the falling action. Juliet drinks the potion which causes Romeo to believe she has died and kills himself. Upon awakening and discovering that her love has died, Juliet does the same. Eventually, the story will return back to the original baseline resulting in a final resolution. In â€Å"Romeo Juliet† the resolution isn’t that they both have died, but rather, the action their families take in response to their deaths, the end of the feud. Creating the Summary Remember that the plot is not the same as the theme of the narrative. If you’re not sure what the difference is between the plot of a story and the theme, you’re not alone. While the plot is what happens, the theme is the underlying idea or message within a story. The plot is concrete occurrences within the narrative, but the theme can be more subtle and even at times, implied. The theme can be harder to discern whereas the plot is more obvious. In Romeo Juliet, we see themes of love and hate that appear throughout the plot. Don’t forget, the key part of summarizing a plot is that you’re summarizing. You don’t need to include every detail that you encounter. When you read the text, it’s important to pay attention to what happens and where you see action coming into play, and write down key moments. Look for the basic information of who is involved, what are they doing, when are things happening, where is the action happening, and why? Take notes and even write down things that you’re not sure if they are vital at that moment, but seem interesting or important. When you finish the story, you’ll be able to review your notes and better understand what aspects of the narrative were most important and start to eliminate the notes that don’t enhance the plot. That way, when it comes time to summarize the plot, you can easily pare down your notes and have an outline of what happens and the crucial moments that represent each of the five components of the plot.

Module Effect on Sociological Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Module Effect on Sociological Identity - Essay Example The study of sociology is critical to my life as it has enhanced my sociological identity. The study of Sociology helped me to identify the link between Psychology and Sociology. The study of Sociology enabled me to realize that human psychology is very delicate, where a slight experience can cause an immeasurable impact on a person’s life. Distortion of family dynamics, personal growth, and group behaviour can occur due to the insensitivity of the human psychology to other people’s feelings. Anthony Giddens, a renowned sociologist, defined sociology as the scientific study of humankind’s social life societies and groups (Comte, 2010). This implies that sociology is a group aspect, and any diversion of a single group member from group norms causes widespread effects on all members. I believe that before the discovery of modern science and sociology, most people thought that spirits and gods were responsible for natural disasters such as earthquakes, thunderstorms, destructive rainfalls, barrenness, and mental illnesses. The discovery of Sociology that deals with family matters, culture, religion, language, and poverty has enabled people to acquire more intelligence and change their viewpoints towards various occurrences of life (Tischler, 2011). It is, therefore, critical for human society to study sociology and understand its connection to the world occurrences if we are to enhance the quality of our lives. The primary reason for studying sociology is that it has an impact on our daily lives. If the study is taken earnestly, valuable models and lessons to improve our lives will be generated (Heywood, 2007). The science is intended to make the future world a desirable place for the generations to come.

What Makes PPP Different Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What Makes PPP Different - Article Example This includes all-time internet connectivity to help students access the E-library, smart board, Online courseware ( Blackboard ) – Student’s work samples ( LINK ), Dyned – labs, Online Campus TV Streaming and Banner System. Students may also register for courses and request for advising from their esteemed mentors online in the privacy of their homes. PPP offers state of the art facilities and services that students may freely avail of. This is to ensure that students are ready for globalization and to groom them for prospective employment right after university studies. One essential factor is the use of English, the international language, as the main medium of instruction. Aside from this, student competencies are honed in PPP’s clubs and activities. These competencies, namely: Communication, Teamwork, Critical Thinking / Problem solving, Technology, Professional, and Leadership Skills are the core skills PPP intends to develop and master in all the students. PPP is the university students’ partner in plotting their career paths. Even as students, they are already trained in the hiring process of companies, so they are knowledgeable in crafting impressive resumes and answering tricky interview questions. They are assessed of the skills they gain using the Learning Outcomes Assessments that track their performance progress all throughout their university career. Their performance profile shall be used to build upon their portfolio as tangible evidence of their achievements in university. This E-portfolio will be accessible online for future employers and for the students’ professional use. What is impressive about it is that not only do they present a degree but also evidence of their working experiences. Personal services such as financial aid for deserving students as well as health and counseling services are available at PPP.