Service Learning: Working at the Youth Detention Center (YDC) Essays

This semester I have been volunteering at the Youth Detention Center (YDC). YDC is a youth center for those youth ages 13-18 that have committed crimes, from running away from home to cutting the hydraulic brake lines of their parent's car. When is is concluded that the youth can no longer be active members in their communities, they are sent to YDC. There are four different units: H is for the youth that are in court right now but cannot stay at home, E is the girls unit, G unit is for the boys who committed minor crimes and felonies, and F unit is for the boys who committed major crimes and felonies such as sexual assault and dealing drugs. What first drew me to YDC was the fact that an ex-boyfriend of mine almost went there in the eighth grade, and was a troubled kid just like them. I could see a little bit of him in each of the residents and by trying to help them it felt like I was helping him in some strange way. Being a nursing major also makes me think that I can just mothe r the world, so I wanted to work at a service learning site that made me feel like I was fulfilling my mothering goals. The building itself is designed in a circular shape with an enclosed courtyard in the center for activities such as kickball, volleyball, and even skating in the winter. In each unit there are three separate living facilities. Fortunately only two of the facilities are used leaving the other free for different activities. The living quarters are made up of a living room, kitchenette, and an office area for the employees. Surrounding this area are rooms for each of the residents. In their room they have a bed, desk, and toilet; they are allowed to have two books and a Bible, a pair of sneakers, and shower shoes. All three of the li... ...s better understand how to raise their children, I can help kids get out of bad homes, and generally just be there to facilitate in any way possible. Although YDC did not change my career choice it helped me see how I can maximize the effectiveness of my profession to help others. Anytime someone asks me if YDC is a good place to volunteer at I always tell them that it is the most rewarding experience and that everyone should have the opportunity to go. One of my friends, after I told her about YDC, told me that it takes a special person to do what I do each week. I disagree though, anyone can go in for two hours and play cards each week, you get out of the experience what you put in, but I guarantee that going to YDC will affect you in some way. Works Cited Wade, C., Tavris, C., Garry, M. (2011). Psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Aerosol Spray Cans :: essays research papers fc

Aerosol Spray Cans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spray cans produce an aerosol, the technical term for a very fine spray. They do this by means of a pressurized propellant, which is a liquid that boils at everyday temperatures. Inside the can, a layer of gaseous pressure increased, and eventually it becomes so high that boiling stops. when the nozzle is pressed, the gas pressure forces the product up the tube in the can and out of the nozzle in a spray or foam. The propellant may emerge as well but, now under less pressure, it immediately evaporates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First patented in the US in 1941, aerosol spray cans have been used as convenient packages for an ever increasing range of products including paints, insecticides, and shaving cream to name a few. The can is filled with the product to be sprayed and the propellant, a compressed gas such as butane or Freon. The gas is partly liquefied by the pressure in the can, but there is a layer of free gas above the liquid. As the can empties liquefied gas vaporizes to fill the space.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The valve is normal held shut by the pressure in the can, and by the coil spring directly below the valve stem. When the push button is pressed, it forces the valve stem down in its housing, uncovering a small a small hole which leads up through the stem to the nozzle in the button. This allows the product to be forced up the dip tube by the gas pressure in the can. The nozzle is shaped to give a spray or a continuous stream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To produce a fine mist, a propellant is used which mixes with the product. The two leave the nozzle together and the propellant evaporates a soon as it reaches the air, breaking the product in to tiny droplets. The same technique used with a more viscous liquid and a wider nozzle results in a foam. For a continuous stream of liquid or more viscous material, a nonmixing propellant is used, and the dip tube reaches into the product.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The widespread use of aerosol cans using Freon as the propellant led scientists to believe by the late 1970s that the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, which filters out harmful Ultraviolet radiation from the sun, could be destroyed by the large quantities of fluorocarbons in the gas being release into the air. Federal controls were introduced to ban the use of Freon, and other propellants are now employed, notably butane which, however is dangerously flammable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Among young people in United States, conventional drug or alcohol abuse has given away-for an increasing number of teen-agers-to a practice called

Giambattista Vico and the Pedagogy of Heroic Mind in the Liberal Arts

Giambattista Vico and the Pedagogy of 'Heroic Mind' in the Liberal Arts ABSTRACT: Vico's concept of the Heroic Mind forms the pedagogical basis for his view of the liberal arts in university education. It is also the key to understanding his humanist critique of Cartesian epistemology. This essay studies Vico's Heroic Mind concept as revealed in his 1732 De mente heroica Oration, discusses the nature of Vico's challenge to Descartes' view of the human person and of knowledge, and points out the development of Vico's ideas on mind, education, and knowledge from his earlier works. Vico's writings not only offer a portrait of eighteenth century European intellectual and cultural thought, but also prophesy the change, disruption, and dehumanization that result from the exaggerated emphases on rationality as the end of all knowledge divorced from other physical, emotional, natural, or historical contingencies and from a neglect of the de mente heroica concept at the foundation of the humanistic world view. His understanding of the state of learning, wisdom, a nd culture in his own age as well as his exposure to the aversion of the Cartesian mathematical paradigm which discounted the Heroic Mind issues forth in an understanding of the forces driving modern technological society and the problems plaguing contemporary consciousness and life. He has influenced and inspired much modern thinking in sociology, politics, anthropology, language, pedagogy, literature, psychology, and even science. It is the concept of the historical and cultural evolution of the Heroic Mind which Vico passionately pursued in his monumentally creative The New Science. On October 20, 1732 a distinguished Neapolitan Professor of Rhetoric and Eloquence, who ha... ... Jacques. The Technological Society. Trs. John Wilkinson. New York: Knopf, 1964. Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Books, 1995. Verene, Donald Phillip. Vico's Science of Imagination. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1981. Vico, Giambattista. On Humanistic Education (Six Inaugural Orations. 1699-1707). Trs. Giorgio A. Pinton and Arthur W. Shippee. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1993. __________. "On the Heroic Mind." in Vico and Contemporary Thought, ed. Tagliacozzo, Mooney, and Verene. Atlantic Heights, N.J.: Humanities Press, 1979, vol. 2: 228-45. __________. On the Study Methods of Our Time. Trs. Elio Gianturco. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1990. __________. The New Science of Giambattista Vico. Trs. Thomas Goddard Bergin and Max Harold Fisch. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1948.

Coke & Pepsi learn to compete in India Essay

Timing of entry into the Indian market brought different results for PepsiCo and Coca-Cola India. What benefits or disadvantages accrued as a result of earlier or later market entry? Coca-Cola (1990) Benefits: advantages as „Early-Followerâ€Å", possibility to use reliable market information that ´s already existing take-over of standards position as international market leader Disadvantages: expert knowledge of competitors has to be overtaken gain trust of new customers as „anotherâ€Å" foreign company PepsiCo (1986) Benefits: early entry while the market is developing achievement of a good market position enforcement of product standards early impact on local producers (26% market share for Pepsi Food) Disadvantages: high costs for tapping a new market local demand for carbonated drinks very low at that time The Indian market is enormous in terms of population and geography. How have the two companies responded to the sheer scale of operations in India in terms of product policies, promotional activities, pricing policies and distribution arrangements? Coca-Cola Product policies: focus on all beverages that are non-carbonated Kinley Brand of bottled water introduction of new brands, introduction of new size „Miniâ€Å" Promotional activities: build a connection with the youth market Business plan: â€Å"Think local – act local†: Lucky draws where you can win a free trip to Goa, TV campaigns, employing local and regional festivals and sport events, building a connection with the youth: use of music and ballet, short films, work with actors and actresses Campaign slogan: †Cool means coca cola† Retail outlet â€Å"Red Lounge† where the youth can spent time and consume Coke products. Pricing policies: Low prices and later on even reducing of prices (Skimming pricing) Price bundles („Buy one – get one freeâ€Å") Distribution arrangements: Red Lounge Focus on Southern India Pepsi Product policies: bolstering non-cola portfolio and other categories: fruit juices juice-based drinks and water, introduction of new products Promotional activities: Sponsorship of garba, TV campaigns, employing local and regional   festivals and sport events, sponsorship of Cricket and Football as well as a music video with Bollywood stars. Pricing policies: aggressive pricing policy (impact on local producer Parle) Distribution arrangements: focus on northern and western parts of India Which of the two companies has better long-term prospects for success in India? Why? PepsiCo has better long-term prospects for success in India  earlier market entry than Coca Cola  non-cola portfolio makes one-fourth of the overall business in India (e.g. significant player in the packaged water market)   following the consumers lifestyle of sports and exercise through fitting advertisement not as bad as Coca-Cola involved in the pesticide accusation What lessons can each company draw from its Indian experience as it  contemplates entry into other big emerging markets? It’s not possible to transfer the complete marketing strategy from Europe or US to the Asian market. You have to know about the cultural and governmental   specifics of the market where you want to be successful. Communication policy: In India people interpret a policy of silence as guilt so the company has to get into a street fight if something wrong is published.  It’s important to know much about the local market: Which products are sold to which price? Who are the  market leaders? How aggressive is the competition?

Linguistic Reading Response

It is interesting to note that contrary to popular belief, more often than not different pronunciations are the result of different contexts – variances in social settings, the use of formal and informal pronunciations, etc. Unfortunately, Americans have long labored under the misguided assumption, especially where language is concerned, that there is one right way to do something, and all other ways are wrong (Callary 118). Sounds used in language are produced by the human vocal apparatus, thus the term ‘Articulatory phonetics’ to refer to sounds described by the ‘articulations’ (actions) of the vocal tract. We produce speech sounds by modifying a stream of air as we push it by the lungs through the trachea and ultimately out of the oral or nasal cavities, or both (Callary 119). Stated this way the production of speech sounds seems trivial, obvious, and incredibly easy. But the facts of articulation prove otherwise, with the production of even the simplest sound the result of an amazingly complex activity involving coordination of muscles all working in precise timing. Studying language scientifically is quite a challenging and difficult undertaking (as the assigned reading pages illustrate, with all the allophones, phonemes, morphemes, etc.), though people might generally take the nuances of language for granted. Aside from the technical aspects of language, one needs to also consider its other socio-linguistic components – origin, cultural factors, and regional variations, among others. â€Å"A History of the Spanish Language† by Ralph Penny Considering that it is already a ‘dead’ language, it is still pretty amazing that Latin is the ancestor of Spanish (and, by definition, of all other Romance languages), spread by soldiers, traders and farmers of the Western Roman Empire two thousand years ago to the present population of the Spanish-speaking world. Interestingly, Romance languages do not descend from Classical (i.e. literary) Latin, but non-literary varieties, often referred to collectively as ‘Vulgar Latin (Penny 5). ‘Vulgar’ Latin differs only in the sense that is spoken by the Latin-speaking population with little or no school education. In the contemporary scene, there is a significant Spanish-speaking populace within the United States of America with the waves of human migration from Spanish-speaking countries, e.g. Mexico. To a certain extent, Spanish has influenced the development of the English language as it is being spoken in the USA, notably in states with notable Latino populations. â€Å"The African Heritage of American English† by Joseph E. Holloway and Winifred K. Vass In a similar vein to the Spanish-American experience is African-Americanism. Considering that at least 70 percent of the ancestors of Americans of African descent came from the Mande (West Aftican) and Bantu (Central African) ethnic groups (Holloway and Vass xix), it is not surprising that these two cultures contribute substantially to the diverse North American ethnic stock. This is evident in jazz closely associated with black musicians, whose history and origins can be traced to the Old Congo Square of New Orleans. Yet available dictionaries and related works on African-American culture, language and history do not provide comprehensive documentation of linguistic Americanisms, except perhaps for Turner's Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect (Holloway and Vass xix). Moreover, it would appear that the controversial debate over the survival of linguistic Africanisms in North American is still raging, led by the factions of E. Franklin Frazier and Herskovits. For Frazier, the institution of slavery completely destroyed any surviving African culture and consequently, African-American culture developed without any African antecedents. In this way he emphasized African discontinuity, advocating a deculturalization hypothesis. Herskovits on the other hand argued that African cultural influences survived in the New World, retained by process of acculturation and adaptation by the African slaves brought to the Americas (African continuum and continuity in African-American language). List of Works Cited: Callary, Edward. â€Å"Phonetics.† Eds. Clark, Virginia, Paul Eschholz and Alfred Rosa. Language: Introductory Readings. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1985. 113-133. Penny, Ralph. A History of the Spanish Language. 2nd Ed. London: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Holloway, Joseph and Winifred Vass. The African Heritage of American English. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997.

History and Song Essay

Amazing Grace is one of the most poignant song that was ever written whose appeal goes beyond its religious origins to encompass the human struggle and has evolved together with history. The song is based on I Chronicles 17:16 on the words of the Hebrew King David regarding his wonder at the selection of his house with God’s favor. Though there are significant theological content the song, its core themes of deliverance and fortitude have extended its appeal to the military, freedom movements, and social justice. The lyrics of the song are attributed to John Newton, a former slave trader who eventually became a minister in the United Kingdom in the 18th century. According to Newton’s accounts, he wrote the song during a violent storm at sea, he advertantly cried out â€Å"Lord, have mercy upon us† (Rogers). Upon reflection later on in his cabin Newton, who barely knew about religion, reflected upon the episode and realized how faith can be a core in an individual without that person being aware of it at all. It became a very popular hymn in Newton’s preaching work but was only published as Amazing Grace in an 1831 hymnal called Virginia Harmony (â€Å"Amazing Grace†). It had been included in the Olney Hymns used by Newton but had various titles given to it if any (Rogers). There were several tunes used for the hymn before it became popularized in the tune we know today. Some speculation regarding the original tune for the hymns have attributed it to African slave chants which Newton may have been familiar with because of his history with the slave trade. Others have cited that its pentatonic meter suggests that it may have had a melody played with bagpipes or Celtic music (â€Å"Amazing Grace†). There is also some suggestion that the modern version of the melody of the song, particularly in its dramatic qualities, can be traced back in the Cherokee adaptation of the song during the Native American removal (â€Å"Words to Amazing Grace†). The harsh trek to the West allowed little opportunity for them to follow traditional burial rights and the song was used instead because of its commonality with Native American theologies on death (â€Å"Trail of Tears†). The song has had several versions and has even become part of popular music with artists such as Judy Collins giving their own interpretation of the song. The song is often performed with one instrument or one type of instruments. The most popular renditions have been with wind instruments particularly bugle, horns, flute and the bagpipe. The instruments may have been chosen because of the ethereal quality of the melody and its message. Most performance of the song generally starts with a light melody that grows in strength and color as the song progresses. In the UK, the song is often played on bagpipes for military salutes that also has been adapted in America particularly for those who have Celtic ancestry (Rogers). The use of the bagpipes however, is actually a recent trend and was popularized through the 1969 film Alice’s Restaurant by Arthur Penn which in turn allowed it to figure in the counter culture issues. (â€Å"Amazing Grace†). During the American Civil War, the song was both used for military right by Union and confederate soldiers. The song’s popularity then was based on its support of the Protestant theology of â€Å"divine grace†. Many American presidents also The identification of the song with freedom and social justice began with its adoption as the Cherokee National Anthem to commemorate the Trail of Tears during the Native American removal. The song became also popular during both World Wars when allied soldiers with sing the song during the services for fallen soldiers. The popularity of the song during the sixties as social justice movements developed from their foundations in gospel movements. From being a song for memoriam, the use became to highlight the suffering from social injustice and became particularly popular with the Black Power Movement. Similar to the Native American use of the song, many black empowerment movements used the song as a thematic representation of the issues concerning social rights and equality. It was used both to express the motivations of the movement as well as provide its moral and religious basis. Some also attribute its significance to the Black Power Movement because of the association to the African Slave Trade through Newton and his subsequent abolitionist stands (â€Å"Amazing Grace†) The song can be expected to continue in its popularity because of its universal themes. The interpretation of the song ranges from deliverance to self-realization. These components allowed it to be adopted into active action as well as in devotional settings. The song has deep sense on enlightenment which is the reason it became popular with social movements. The line, â€Å"Was blind, but now, I see† is a popular theme in many human rights speeches that called fro social action and reform. The song repeatedly shows a dichotomy to how which affects a person. In saying that, â€Å"T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved,† the song is has a message that it is in recognizing our fears that one is truly delivered from them. Thus, it had an appeal to the military, the oppressed and the marginalized for the connotation of valor and courage. The song’s long popularity and various uses attest to its ability to resonate core human desires fro freedom, salvation and justice. The song’s greatest meaning lies not in its religious aspects but in its belief in the triumph of the human spirit. Works Cited â€Å"Amazing Grace†. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia.14 March 2007. 15 March 2007. â€Å"Amazing Grace Lyrics†. Gospel Hut. 14 June 2006. 15 March 2007. â€Å"Trail of Tears†. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. 13 March 2007. 15 March 2007. Rogers, Al. Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton. 1996. 15 March 2007. â€Å"Words to Amazing Grace†. Littleleaf. 14 March 2007. 15 March 2007. http://www. littleleaf. com/amazinggrace. htm

A Brave New World

Utopia means the idyllic state as first used by sir Thomas Moore as the title of his book in 1516 (Brave New World’s Barron’s Notes by Anthony Astrachan).The Utopia achieved by the world-state in Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World had a terribly High price. A price which, I think is not worth it. Their citizens live in as oblivious and ignorant kind of bliss in world that is free of war, fear, violence, disease and all the other draw-backs of living in the real world (Sybille Bedford, Aldous Huxley: A Biography, 1974, cited in Brave New World’s Barron’s Notes by Anthony Astrachan).The characters from Utopia in the novel do not even know freedom. They are happy and contented in their respective occupations and are satiated by spending their free time wallowing in pleasure even though they are all alike in each class and behave in much the same way as each other save for a few idiosyncrasies Uniformity is stressed and individuality becomes like a sickn ess and all characters who had even a minor difference from other citizens in the same class were cruelly crushed into either conformity or the final escape of death in John’s case.However, if the price of such comforts would be the ignorance of the existence of freedom, an idea that many countless people have died fighting for in the real world, I think Utopia is not worth it.A. Huxley did very well in highlighting this point. John’s suicide after seeing that his beloved joined the mob to watch him suffer is a great point at rejecting the idea of Utopia in the book.Even when John found a place where he could live with all the things that he thought were necessary, including pain, he was followed by a huge crowd which had come to watch him suffer. Seeing Lenina come to watch him whip himself causes him to kill himself.In the novel, Huxley plays with the idea of how technological advances would affect society. In Utopia, humans are grown in bottles. No one has a mother. Multiple copies of a single person can be made in one go. This is a very extreme way to highlight the author’s point, completely removing the â€Å"humanity† from humanity to the point that even the genuine personal bond of parent and child is removed.The achievement of stability is attained by keeping everybody in an artificial state of perpetual happiness and contentment.   Pain and grief is removed from the realm of human emotion thereby removing all the deep feelings we associate with the feeling of being genuinely â€Å"alive†.Citizens in Utopia are encouraged to be promiscuous. Anybody can have sex with anybody they want and vice versa. Family life and the formation of intense personal relationship are obliterated so that these cannot interfere with the stability of society. Love is non-existent. Anybody who’d date or have sex with a single person for an extended period is looked on as weird.I think that the author was successful at highlighting his point. His characters were only secondary to the ideas that he proposed especially considering the time and context when he propounded them. He makes me feel as if the novel’s version of Utopia is not far from becoming a truth. Today’s culture promotes the culture of almost mindless consumption, too much indulgence in pleasure and diminishing of the family.Technology is a result of human endeavor. It allows us to live in a better world with all of our modern necessities and comforts. In this book however, a different view is illustrated. While it acknowledges the former to be true, it declares resoundingly that the opposite is possible also. Technology also has the potential to wipe out the essence of humanity. It can wipe out genuine happiness, individuality, close personal relationships, deep emotions and family.ReferencesBLTC, Brave New World? A Defence of Paradise-Engineering, Retrieved on April 13, 2008, from http://www.huxley.net/index.htmlBLTC, Brave New Wor ld’s Barron’s Notes by Anthony Astrachan, Retrieved on April 13, 2008, from http://www.huxley.net/studyaid/bnwbarron.htmlBLTC, Brave’s New World’s Monarch Notes, Retrieved on April 13, 2008 from http://www.huxley.net/studyaid/index.html