Sunday, May 17, 2009

Precis #2

Precis #2

Movement of Women: Trafficking of Women in the Interwar Era

The trafficking of people was a large issue in the 1920’s. Abolitionists opposed trafficking for the purpose of prostitution. Age issues became a large problem with this type of trafficking, blocking legislation in Europe, especially Britain.




Substance abuse, coping strategies, adaptive skills and behavioral and emotional problems in clients with mild to borderline intellectual disability admitted to a treatment facility: A pilot study

Intellectual disability can sometimes be directly related to drug or alcohol use by clients to treatment facilities. There are many variables in developing a substance related problem, such as gender, mindset, and situation. By measuring coping strategies, doctors can measure the seriousness of a client’s case. Emotional problems are best found out through the testing and observance of coping strategies. The small sample size of 39 clients was not enough to accurately measure full results.


((Not Done))

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Article 4 Link

http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.lib.depaul.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=13&sid=86b92032-8c97-464e-aafe-29a5ab0bd379%40sessionmgr2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl

Bibliography Citations

Michael Mullen
5/10/09
English
Bibliography

Iavchunovskaia, T. M. and I.B. Stepanova. “A Social Description of Female Narcotics Crime.”
Russian Social Science Review. Vol 50.3 (2009): 17-25.

Lagon, and Mark P. “Trafficking and Human Dignity.” Policy Review. Issue 152 (2008-09:)
p 51-61

Leppanen, Katarina. “Movement of Women: Trafficking in the interwar era.”
Women Study International Forum. Vol 30.6 (2007): p 523-533


Didden, Robert et tal. “Substance abuse, coping strategies, adaptive skills and behavioral and emotional
problems in clients with mild to borderline intellectual disability admitted to a treatment facility: A pilot study.” Research in Developmental Disabilities. Vol 30.5 (2009): pg 927-932

Monday, May 4, 2009

Links

http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.lib.depaul.edu/ehost/detail?vid=5&hid=113&sid=6ad515dd-5488-4a96-a9a2-3dc8e0b8111b%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=27872159

Biography

Michael Mullen
5/2/09
Biography

Bruce Lee
(1940-1973)

Bruce Lee was born as Lee Jun Fan on November 27, 1940 in San Francisco, California. His father, a famous opera singer from Hong Kong moved the family to America in 1939, where he appeared in his first film at three months old as a stand-in for another baby. In 1941, after being in America for two short years, the family moved back to Hong Kong. As a child, Bruce appeared in around twenty films, this started at the tender age of six. In his teen years he joined a street gang and started studying kung-fu in 1953. He was sent back to America to live with family there after getting into trouble with the police.
He finished high school and majored in philosophy at the University of Washington. He got a job teaching martial arts to his peers. In this way he met Linda Emery, who he married in 1964. The couple moved to California, where Bruce opened two more martial arts schools. He mostly taught a style called Jeet Kune Do at this time. In the television show The Green Hornet, which aired from 1966-1967, Lee gained a bit of popularity. Afterwards he made guest appearances in Ironside, Longstreet, and most notably Marlowe. Now a family of four (including children Brandon and Shannon), they moved to Hong Kong.
He was the lead actor in Fists of Fury and The Chinese Connection, two immensely popular films in Hong Kong. Both, however, were reviewed poorly overseas in America. By late 1972, he was a star in Asia, and though he had not yet gained fame in America he would be when Enter the Dragon premiered. Unfortunately, Lee passed a month before it was revealed due to a brain edema caused by a painkiller he was using for a back injury. Much controversy surrounds his death.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Poem Assignment

Langston Hughes
1. All of the rivers Hughes mentions are in Africa, I believe he chose these rivers because he is referring to the roots of African Americans.
2. By saying “I am the darker brother” Hughes means that he is Black. He eats in the kitchen because Whites don’t think he contributes to anything other than labor and look down on him. Hughes knows that one day Blacks will get the rights they deserve by saying he’ll be able to eat at the table tomorrow. Hughes is connecting the way America treats Negroes to the way someone is sent away when company comes. His title “I, Too” is important because he too will be able to one day eat in the kitchen and he too will receive fair treatment.
3. Reserved
4. Hughes has a very deep way of writing that doesn’t rely on diction that is hard to understand. He uses writing that is easily understood and uses symbolism a lot. He shows blacks as a race of wisdom and experience. He rarely rhymes through his poems.
5. He wrote on how Blacks were put in all kinds of different cultures and influences but nothing specifically about themselves. I don’t think the same issues are revelant, there is Black History Month and several other holidays celebrating African American culture.
6. Hughes doesn’t really feel that Blacks need to be back in Africa, he feels that Blacks will gain respect in America. With that belief, he wants to change the thoughts of whites. He treat identity as precious, throughout his poems the reader can tell he is proud to be Black.

Claude McKay
1. The harlot is Egypt. Harlot means prostitute, McKay uses this word to describe how the country put itself out there for fame and fortune, not realizing that it was destroying itself by doing so.
2. Blacks are referred to as hogs, rounded up by offensive dogs that mock them. When I think of hogs I think of a lowly, dirty creature that isn’t good for anything but killing. The dogs are the whites, who keep the blacks in place. This is related to slavery because the dominant, numerous, and strong dogs control the helpless hogs.
3. McKay writes in an older style, occasionally using rhymes but not relying on it. I believe he tries to show intelligence by writing this way, intending for whites to read and see blacks as intelligent people.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Admiration

You're the one that taught me right from wrong. You're the one that showed me how to work for what I want. You're the one that is around all the time. You're the one that made me who I am today. You're the one I wish to be like someday. I'm the one who admires you.

Disdain

There is a group that likes to hurt others. These are the bullies. They hurt others simply because someone probably hurt them. They discriminate against those that are different from them. They intimidate those weaker than them. Sooner or later they'll learn their lesson. They will mess with someone they can't beat.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Meaningful Quote Passage

Their Eyes Were Watching God had many memorable phrases with the ability to affect readers emotionally. Hurston put a lot of creative thought into writing this book. The most memorable and true quote I read in the book came in Chapter 18: “Common dangers made common friends. Nothing sought a conquest over the other.” This was written pertaining to the relationship between animals during the big storm in the muck. Though it is applied to animals, it can certainly be used as an example for humans as well.
We may not notice it, but in times of peril we often attach ourselves to everyone we can. This group includes enemies. Just as a snake and mouse will stop their cycle of predator against prey when greater danger is present, we will do the same. For example, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Two planes were crashed into the Twin Towers, and one into the Pentagon. A little less than 3,000 were killed by these attacks. Days before this incident, America was just a normal superpower country. We were divided and distant from one another, just trying to make it for ourselves. After this tragedy things took a complete turn. Now people hang flags on Memorial Day, they joined the Armed Forces, they showed pride in their country. Overall, we became a more nationalistic country. Why? One simple reason. People felt as though their lives were threatened. They felt that things would go bad and they wouldn’t survive unless they became close to the people around them. They did this by volunteering to help and making more friends.
The same thing happened in the story several times. The first time was the creation of the town by Blacks, Eatonville. There were common dangers: Whites, Jim Crow, racism. And that brought this group of people together to become friends, when normally they wouldn’t likely stay around each other. In the storm situation, danger was present to everyone. No one was safe when it came. Beforehand, friends warned Tea Cake and Janie of the dangers. And during the storm the two attempted to help another friend who wanted to sleep. People are much friendlier to each other when they know that lives were at stake.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Money and Class in America

In American culture, money has been directly related to success. We idolize those we see on television or hear on the radio. We respect those who have nice belongings. Power is given to those we see with money. Those that have little to no money are not respected in the scheme of things, no matter how cultured their mind is. This money mindset is both a blessing and a curse, we always aim for prosperity but in that goal we don’t watch out for those around us. In our pursuit of money we will often treat others wrong.
Specifically it’s not money that Americans are after, it’s the things they can do with it. You can judge someone’s character best by paying attention to how they spend their money. Often, a good person will lend it out, donate it, or invest for the future. However, there are those that will continuously buy items that have no significance, they will throw their money away when there are people that only hope for that much. Many rappers throw money to the crowd at performances, this is to show they have it. With this gesture, they expect to be respected. But it cannot be called a donation in this manner. They throw away their money wastefully, to people they don’t know. They have no idea what this person is going to do with the money thrown at them. This is irresponsibility.
Until someone gains money, they will never be fully respected in America. As Lapham says “…if an American success is to count for anything in the world it must be clothed in the raiment of property.” Unless you have a lot of things with a lot of value, you won’t be valuable in many people’s eyes. This is different in other cultures. Native Americans appropriate family and togetherness as valuable. Some other countries describe skill in a craft as valuable. They have gotten over the feeling that money may give people, so why is it that we cannot? Money has become something of a religion in America, and the want of it is growing rapidly. I feel we need to rethink our values.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Death Penalty

I believe the death penalty shouldn’t be allowed in today’s society. It makes no sense in my opinion to take a life to prove that killing is wrong. Another form of punishment needs to be found, one that won’t leave everyone disappointed. Religiously, I believe we are not supposed to kill one another, we leave that to the higher power. Instead, when someone commits a murder, we punish them to the best of our ability. They do deserve their second chances. However, if they go beyond this second chance is a story we will not go into. I firmly believe that when a murderer dies, for natural reasons, they will have a God to answer to, and if they haven’t changed their ways they will receive their just punishment then. However, we must give them a chance to change their ways. They don’t have the ability to fully realize what they have done if we kill them.
This issue is highly controversial however, but I am glad that not too many people are supporters of the death penalty. If they were, I wouldn’t have a chance to meet my cousin. When I was very young, my cousin and his friends beat someone up to the point where they were killed. Fortunately he was only given a prison term, but this prison term was very long. No, what he did was far from correct, but I would truly love to meet this cousin one day. Though it would be sometime after I graduate from college, I know that I have family that has a chance to change and I can help them. I know nothing about him I’ll admit, but I would like to.
If he were dead right now, I wouldn’t have the chance to help him change, or even meet him. I would be losing someone in my life that may have been important. Yes, he did this to someone else, but does that really make it right to do the same thing? I’m fortunate that he didn’t get the equivalent of his crime, and I believe he is too. Hopefully he realizes the blessing he has been given and changes. That is my hope for all of those who get a second chance.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Bernice Bobs Her Hair

An initial response to Fitzgerald story can likely leave today’s audience stunned and confused. However, upon further research of the time period it can be seen as an accurate depiction of people of the 1920s. This was about a rich girl named Bernice who visited her cousin. She soon found out that everyone there saw her as dull and the men didn’t want to dance with her. After threatening to leave she decides to stay and make herself better with her cousin Marjorie’s help. From this point, Marjorie told her what to do to make herself more attractive and she did it. All was working well, until Warren, a boy that Marjorie was with but never really embraced, began to fall for Bernice. Out of jealousy, Marjorie urges Bernice to take up on her constant plan to bob her hair. This was a haircut that was known for rebellious women of the age and was unattractive on Bernice. Warren loses interest and goes back to Marjorie, and Bernice is given much less attention. That night she packs her stuff and as she is leaving Bernice cuts her cousin’s pigtails and throws them on Warren’s porch, bobbing her hair as well.
Fitzgerald told this story using striking detail to capture the audience’s attention. Strong adjective use was apparent throughout the story. From the very beginning Fitzgerald establishes the attitude characters had, and the attitudes they had towards each other. He did this with a narration style that wasn’t first person. We were told of no one’s exact thoughts, instead we had to make inferences. I feel this would keep the reader more interested. It could be seen from an early time that Bernice would be the dynamic character, the one who made a change throughout the story. This was a situation that would not have been uncommon happening today. Of course there would be different speech, but the events that took place are not out of place. The reader can easily relate to the story in this way, and now it has a sort of pathos. For women reading the story, they would likely know how it is being in a situation that Bernice was in. They could possibly know the relationship between Bernice and Marjorie from first-hand experience.
The story had symbolism in it. I feel that hair symbolized the pride of a woman, and how much she cared about herself. Bernice’s constant threat to “bob her hair” brought guys closer because they really wanted to see if she would. Her hair was very long and obviously a source of pride for her. And by cutting it she had lost all attractiveness that had been seen by men before. This showed that men didn’t like her for her attitude change alone, they genuinely thought that she looked good. She had been fooled by Marjorie into cutting her hair to try to prove herself. This could show ethos, for women it is a matter of respect for oneself. Since she didn’t take care of herself, men figured that she really had little self confidence. Readers knew this ahead of time because she was pressured by Marjorie throughout. Once again, pride was symbolized in hair when Bernice cut her cousin’s hair as she was leaving. She threw her cousin’s “pride” on Warren’s doorstep. It is very easy to guess how Warren would feel towards Marjorie from then on.
Fitzgerald’s story was well written, with much details and a greatly established setting. He used pathos and ethos very effectively, combining it with the details to entertain readers. Though this story was written in the 1920s, it can be read the same way today. In reality, there are still situations like these. That points to the timelessness of Fitzgerald’s story.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Salvation

Meaning

1. Hughes narrative explains why he no longer believed there was a Jesus. Because of this experience, he was changed as a person. He grew up without faith in God and felt as though he was lied to at a young age.
2. Hughes decides to stand up and be saved when he realizes that he is holding up everyone in church. He was also being pressured to go by the preacher and everyone else at the church, and he felt he would let everyone down if he did not.
3. The title of Salvation would describe that Hughes was being saved. But from what he was being saved was something other than sin. I believe he named it this because he was saved from the thought of there being a supreme being, saved from the pressure to live life perfectly. The first two sentences opposed each other. Though Hughes was saved, he really was not because in reality he did not believe it in his mind. His aunt told him that when he was saved he would see Jesus, but because he did not, he doesn’t believe he is saved.

Purpose and Audience

1. The purpose in naming the narration is to express feelings from a significant event. The word salvation likely had great significance in Hughes’ life, his life took a complete turn on the day he was saved. By naming it this and narrating the story, the reader can understand the powerful feelings that must go with the word for him. Though he doesn’t believe salvation exists, he has strong feelings with the word. In the text, it says that he waited longer than everyone else to see Jesus, he really wanted to be saved and really believed his aunt. Because nothing his aunt said would take place actually happened, he was heartbroken.
2. Hughes assumes many know of this type of service in the third paragraph. He describes the sermon as “rhythmical.” Many would know of this type of sermon as the average Sunday morning service. He describes the weekly action of the church-goers, and made it appear as though it were a regular church day.
3. Hughes had pressure coming from everywhere. His aunt, the preacher, everyone praying, and people waiting. It became apparent that no one would go anywhere until he stood and got saved. Knowing that he would possibly be looked down upon by not standing was even more pressure. Hughes was given no choice.

Method and Structure

1. Hughes wanted to narrate his own experience with salvation, he did not want to change anyone else’s beliefs or even argue against it. Hughes wants readers to make their own choices, like he made a choice by no longer believing. An argumentative essay would likely be titled: “Salvation, but from What?” I think this expresses Hughes’ thoughts about his experience.
2. Hughes explained how the children were gathered so the reader would know how he got into the situation. He quickly summarizes the sermon, because while he was there it probably seemed to have happened very quickly. However, he spent a lot of time describing the moment when he was asked to be saved. Several paragraphs were used to express his thoughts, feelings, and everyone’s actions. The reader could understand his predicament, and knew how long he felt he sat there. By managing time like this, Hughes exaggerates the important aspects of his experience and cuts out much of the unimportant information. This emphasizes his main point.
3. He used signals during the time salvation was offered to him.
4. A reader can never fully understand an author’s emotion’s unless the author explains every factor and aspect involved. Without knowing of the steps taken, and why they were taken, we don’t know of the experience fully. It is essential that the reader know everything Hughes went through, so the reader feels as though they were there, and learns what Hughes wants them to learn from his experience.

Language

1. More than anything, Hughes feels shame. As described in the last few paragraphs, he was ashamed that he lied to his aunt and everyone else in the church. Throughout the narration, the reader can sense the shame he felt, but could not sense any anger.
2. His child-like style was used because he was only a child at the time. He was going through an experience that was bigger than he first realized it was, making him feel smaller than he really was. Being the focus of attention made him feel as though he were little, and couldn’t do anything but hat everyone wanted him to do.
3. His aunt expected him to see Jesus’ blessings and wonderful things going on around him. Hughes believes that he is going to physically see Jesus. For Hughes, physically seeing Jesus would allow him to believe in Jesus, not just seeing his miracles.

Writing Topics

1. Reserved
2. Often when adults would comfort me as a child they would say ‘Everything is going to be okay.’ When at that time it feels as though nothing will be. A funeral for example, everything would not be okay because that person would never return. Nothing would be the way it was before when thinking about that person.
3. When I am being peer pressured, it is often about lying to my parents about something very small. Something they would never find out and was unimportant. I choose not to lie about these things, because it would help me very little and my conscious would hurt me a lot more.