The Hole In The Net :: essays research papers

Our social safety terminate has a hole in it. The fibers of the net bedecaying the hole is acquiring bigger. More people are falling through,and the people with the least military strength are holding the most of theweight. Three to four million Ameri butts are homeless fit to theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 5.5% cannot find jobsaccording to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, and the figure is overtwice that in the 20-24 yr old age group, according to the Departmentof Education. A very shrink minority of these people are sucking off thesystem, but the considerable majority just had a bad break. Such is the story of gibe and Megan, as told by author Jonathan Kozolin his Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Book exhibit winner Rachel and HerChildren Homeless Families in America. Peter was a carpenter and shewas a homemaker who raised their five children. They lived in a neat,working flesh apartment building in New York City. Peter didconstruction for earthly con cern housing projects, and had a vast array oftechnical skills and legal documents I did carpentry. I painted. I could dowallpapering. I earned a upkeep. We spent Sundays locomote with ourchildren on the beach. It may sound like this was a happy family, musical accompaniment the American Dream. Perhaps they were -- they were selfsufficient for all of the 12 old age that they had been married, they hada steady income, a close and loving family, a home, and a chance fortheir children to do even better than they had d sensation. Then the firestruck. They came locomote home after hearing the news, only to find that every(prenominal)thing had been destroyed. The children lost their darling dog and cat,Megan lost her grandmothers china, but Peter possibly lost the most histools. Since the fire, he has not had a job, because a carpenter withouttools might as well not have eyes. He explained that for every job hehad, he would add a new tool to his collection. But they all went up int he blaze. When Kozol first met them, they were living in a welfarehotel in New York, where they had been living for two years. They cantget out because federal assistance programs (better known as welfare)tell them that their family limit for an apartment is $366 a month --this with seven family members living in New York City. (In comparison,thats about the rock bottom bell for a week in a New York City oneroom motel.) In their two room apartment, the entire household is falling

Computers and Their Impact :: Technology Papers

Computers and Their Impact The essential increase in the use of figurers has drastically changed the lives of numerous people. Computers, as Sherry Turkle in Who Am We discussed, initially were used as simple calculators, yet done the years they have come to be valued as more(prenominal) than simple machines (442). The calculator has gained new qualities, it is not only used as a calculator, but now it entails simulation, navigation, and interaction (443). With the increase in computer usage, comes new softw be that attracts peoples attention even more. Adults, adolescents and even children find themselves losing move through of time when they sit down and play on the computer for half an hour and suddenly realize that thirty minutes has turned into a couple of hours. As changes occur in technology, we must also s brush aside the effect these changes will have on individuals. We must realize that individuals are vulnerable to the virtual world and that they can get lost. Our need for a practical philosophy of self-knowledge has never been greater as we struggle to slay meaning from our lives on the screen (456). The computer can serve many purposes, such as an aid for research, finishing homework and even as a means for keeping in touch with loved ones, but it can also cause an individual to get lost in the virtual world. This topic sparked my interest when aclose coadjutor of mine began to notice changes in her boyfriends attitude. Her problems began when her boyfriend bought a laptop computer. He had never had a computer before, so this was something new and exciting for him. Within a couple of weeks my friend began to notice changes in his attitude. Suddenly, she noticed he spent hours a sidereal day in front of a computer screen. He was fascinated by the internet and the immense amount of resources it had to offer. His free time no time-consuming consisted of spending quality time with his friends and significant other, rather he demonstrate b rowsing the web more fascinating and worthwhile. My friend suddenly appoint herself competing against a machine for her boyfriends attention. My friend is not the only one who has go through problems due to the amount of time her boyfriend spends on the computer. My cousin for example, can spend hours a day playing computer games and surfing the net. interestingly enough, he denies spending so much time on the computer.

A Critique of Arguments Against Taking Future Generations Into Account

A Critique of Arguments Against Taking Future Generations Into Account In doing the readings for this week, I noniced that there were fewarguments in favor of ignoring restore for coming(prenominal) generations. A largepercentage of the authors seemed to feel that it is our moral province to at least replete the well being of future generations into government note in our decision-making (Note these authors also provided us withpowerful arguments as to why we corroborate a moral obligation to futuregenerations). In trying to go into out why there were so few arguments onthe an different(prenominal) side of the issue, I realized that there simply arnt many slipwayto argue against our moral responsibility to future peoples. I would liketo shortly address the weaknesses in arguments which suggest that weshould not factor the well-being of future generations into ourdecision-making. I would then like to address the issue of whetherproviding for future peoples give result in pr oblems for the presentgeneration. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I provide discuss aweakness which I launch in only of the articles, which is in talking somuch about future concerns,it sack be easy to lose track of the immediacyof environmental concerns for generations who ar already alive.The only real arguments which we read against concern for futurepeoples were found in the Heilbroner article. Heilbroner quotes twodifferent economists, both(prenominal) of whom seem to raise the identical question whyshould I care how long the human species lives? iodine of the economistsstates that we cant necessarily say that generations who are yet unbornare any better off if they are born than if they are not (quoted in Pojman277). The... ..., I critiqued the two economistsquoted in Heilborns article. To return to them for a minute, both menseemed to miss the point which I just mentioned -- the environmentalcrisis is not simply a matter of whether or not humans survive. Instea d,it is a matter of how we are able to live over the next equalise ofcenturies (and possibly beyond). Will the world continue to be plagued by rebellion cancer rates? Will the air be adequate to suspire withoutdeveloping illness or asthma? Will our children have forests to toy in?The answer to these questions lies clearly in our hands and in ourwillingness to take responsibility for the consequences of our actions.Regardless of whether the consequences will occur in twenty minutes, triaddays or a year, we must be willing to typeface up to reality instead of alwaysturning to look the other way.

Characters in A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger Essay

Characters in A holy Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger The characters in Salinger?s ?A Perfect Day for Bananafish? seem to exist in opposite worlds. On atomic number 53 hand, Salinger creates Muriel to represent materialism and superficiality and on the other hand, he creates Sybil to interpret justification of the child- exchangeable innocence rarely found in society. Salinger?s main character, Seymour, is aware of the superficiality expressed in Muriel?s world and chooses not to be apart of it. Seymour wants to be a part of the simple overbold world that Sybil represents. Nevertheless, Seymour find himself trapped between two worlds unable to see the one he desires. Therefore, Salinger bases ?A Perfect Day for Bananafish? on Seymour?s disillusionment with life and his in magnate to regain a child-like perception of the world. Salinger?s portrayals Seymour and his world are described below. Sybil is composed of all the characteristics Seymour is seeking. She is young, i nnocent and uncomplicated and therefore not polluted by the materialism, mistrust and snobbery cognize to society. Further more than, her actions suggest that she relates to Seymour because he seems to act like a child some similar to herself (for example Sybil feels secure around Seymour but feels insecure when sit down with her own mother). This would imply that Seymour does not appear abnormal to her because she, unlike most, she has the ability to see through his exterior and is not intimidated by what she has found. In the later part of the story she continually repeats the phase ?see more glass?(10) using the term ?glass? to describe her own eccentric ability to see through the transparency of superficial people (much like her own mother). What Seymour respects... ...g that was originally molded to portray the image society would acquit of a ?Lady? of her caliber. In turn, it does not seem to matter who Muriel is in Salingers?s story but what she represents. In con clusion, Seymour is similar to the bananafish as he swam his way up the stream of life ingesting the materialism and superficiality that ultimo him on his journey. Half way up the stream he halt pondered why he had even bothered in the first place. right off he cannot go back down the stream (to Sybil) against the current and cannot subscribe to continue (with Muriel). At this point Seymour is described as having ?banana pyrexia? or becoming so engulfed in materialism. His only rational cream would be to stay in the banana hole and die. Work CitedSalinger, J.D. nightspot Stories A Perfect Day for Bananafish. United States Little, Brown and Company Limited, 1991.

Snap Shot of a Dog Essay -- English Literature Essays

Snap Shot of a chase afterJames Thurber is a famous and popular American generator and artist. His zany prose and drawing are never gay because the enthusiasm is dampened by melancholy. His grand characters are mostly animals whose balance of life is distorted and disturbed by a malignant fate.Snap Shot of a Dog is taken from THE THURBER CARNIVAL which contains his most impressive work. Many of his writings and drawings deal with dogs. He understands them and he has the gist of being able to communicate his understanding to the reader.This fade is typical of Thurber. It is both humorous and serious as his writings ordinarily are. The story flows along easily and smoothly and the reader has the impression that the generator is talking to him. The writer looks upon the dog sympathetically and at times affectionately. Rex was the plant of the authors pet dog. He was no doubt a dog of his own type who was fond of adventures. This account is as such written objectively. The dog has been dead long ago. The memory of the dog is quench fresh in the mind of writer when he wrote this story. Rex was a bullshit terrier. He has a strong built. Indeed he was a beauty. The writer and his two brothers loved it dearly. He was a faithful dog and carried break through all the orders of his maters. There was nothing impossible in his world.The writer describes trustworthy qualities of his pet. Though he was strong and pugnacious yet he never started the fight. He had a gentle nature. He never bit anybo...

The Prioress Tale :: essays research papers

The Prioress levelProloguePrioress, now it is your time,Speak up loud, be non a mime.Fine then, Ill tell you a tale from my mother,Twill be unique, hostile any other.My story will teach you change isnt well(p),Understand it you will, make you better it should. The TaleAcross the town and down the streetPeople stopped to try out his delicious treatSweet, thick and full of custardy goodnessThere was a man, not Elliot NessWho fulfilled the Bronxs pudding needs.A racy man, he was, pudding was his seedTo plant on the earth to grow.The luncheon rush on Monday was quite slow,But pud cosmos k late not what to do.So he shut down his shop and put on his shoeAnd walked right home and started to nap,He fell asleep quick, unlike dripping maple sap.All of a sudden something made him scream,Was it a seizure, no it was just a dream.The dream inspired him to rethink his lifeShould he shut down his shop or kill himself with a clapper?No, pud Man thought to himself,Just remodel the shop and p ly some novel shelves.Change his image and his shops image too, Add impertinently flavors of pudding, none tasting like poo.The next day Pudding Man began his plan,New recipes, new store front, new sign that read Pudding Man.Even with the new image, no business came.In fact his new image was incredibly lame.Then Pudding Man began to think,Appeal to new customers, along the lines of a mink.Ill cater to animals of all different kind,Ill make new recipes that I think up in the mind. disinfect the world is what Pudding Man did, Looking for new ingredients, like Beruitan Malkafid,Venezuelan Tapioca and Chinese Vanilla Bean,Would make his pudding quite peachy keen.And for medallion add a bone or catnip His pudding was so good, his dog licked his lip.Pudding Man thought to himself, I beginnert know what I should,Oh well, Ill make it up, just tap on wood.He opened for business at a tooshie to eight,He arrived early, not to be late. The first customer strolled in at 746,Hoping for goo business, he prayed not for a jinx.The customer brought in his pet porcupine.My pet pine likes pudding, and yours looks quite fine.The man told our jovial Pudding Man. So,He ordered a bowl of Mongolian Poe.What is exactly Poe, my good fellow?Pudding Man didnt know but he acted quite mellow.Ummmmmit tastes likes a mixture of apples and grapes.But what Pudding Man didnt know, is that Poe was the snot of apes.

Setting and Theme in Barn Burning Essay -- William Faulkner American L

All stories, as all individuals, are plant in a context or setting a time, a place, and a culture. In fact, characters and their relationship to others are better understood in a specific context of time, place and atmosphere, as they relate to a proposed theme or central point of a story. Abner is revealed as a sadistic character who confronts his son with the choice of keeping his loyal ties to the family or parting for a heart on his give with no familial support. Sarty is Abners son, a young boy torn by the words of his paternity and the innate senses of his heart. Sarty is challenged by an internal conflict, he wants to disobey his father, yet he knows that if he leaves he will have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. We will take a look at the setting, specifically the era in which William Faulkners Barn impatient took place. The circumstances contact Abners barn burning also play a crucial usage in finding the underlying message or the theme eyesight as how it i s not always the obligation of an individual to support some other family member when his or her choices do not morally coincide with ones own ethical choices. Setting plays a vital part in establishing the context for the events that take place in any piece of literature. Barn Burning was set in the 1930s, a time when the Great Depression produced big(p) social and economic problems among the people of the era. The economy was not stable. National riches was not spread evenly. Instead, most of the money was in the hands of the wealthy. pocket-sized farmers like Abner were forced to grow crops as a source of nourishment during this time of unemployment and overpriced goods. Abner had a difficult time providing for his large family, which was why he went abo... ... Sarty could never again return home. Richard Bach put it high hat when he said, The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, hardly of respect and joy in each others life, which represents S artys deviance from his fathers wishes. Although everyone was affected by the Great Depression, they did not have to live like savages. Abner could have farmed a larger variety of crop and established a reputable break for himself to become one of the leading salesmen of the area. Sarty was conflicted with keeping his loyalty to his blood ties or leaving. Sarty made an intelligent choice of disobeying his father and abandoning his family for a legitimate life on his own, one in which he did not have to steal, destroy, or lie to live a meager life. Sarty probably left in hopes of some day becoming like Major de Spain, a human of intelligence and wealth.