Drug Legalization Essay -- Drugs Legal Legalization Essays

Drug Legalization Drug legalization has become a great issue among Americans for many years, and there have also been those that try to stop that legalization. The article, â€Å"Legalizing Drugs is Not the Solution† by Gerald W. Lynch, has a good argument based on facts and incidents that have occurred from drug use. In this article a person thinks twice about what they are really doing when they use drugs, and it is clear as to why legalizing drugs would not be a logical solution As spoken in this essay about the legalization of drugs and its bad effects, Lynch uses a lot of relevance and sufficiency throughout his piece. Relevance is the appropriateness of his evidence to the case at hand (Faigley and Selzer 45). Sufficiency is the amount of evidence cited (Faigley and Selzer 46). Lynch bases his essay on these key factors throughout his whole piece on the legalization of drugs and how it is not the solution. He bases his argument in paragraph 7 on all the bad things that have occurred to various people who have used drugs illegally. He states this through mentioning accidents, deaths, child abuse, sexual abuse, and various other crimes including destruction of property. His evidence proves to be true in proving his point of going through treatment and therapy for drug use instead of legalizing them. This essay is a successful argument because it convinces a person through all that is detailed why legalization of drugs will not work in this society. He describes through his values on the issue of drug legalization and the effects they have on many people. Lynch makes a few value statements through a claim of values, which states an argument for the paper through his personal reasoning (Faigley and Selzer 32)... ...e because if we feel that if we can treat those that are addicted to drug use and dealing, than we can overcome the thoughts about making drugs legal. Lynch uses people’s values and strong facts that prove his many points of interest in this piece. He has a majority of evidence that helps one be able to believe his point of why drug legalization is not the answer. Drug legalization has turned out to not be the answer and it has been proven through much evidence in Lynch’s essay. References: Faigley, Lester and Jack Selzer. Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: A Pearson Education Company, 2001. Lynch, Gerald W. â€Å"Legalizing Drugs Is Not the Solution† Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments. Eds. Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: A Pearson Education Company, 2001. 490-493. Drug Legalization Essay -- Drugs Legal Legalization Essays Drug Legalization Drug legalization has become a great issue among Americans for many years, and there have also been those that try to stop that legalization. The article, â€Å"Legalizing Drugs is Not the Solution† by Gerald W. Lynch, has a good argument based on facts and incidents that have occurred from drug use. In this article a person thinks twice about what they are really doing when they use drugs, and it is clear as to why legalizing drugs would not be a logical solution As spoken in this essay about the legalization of drugs and its bad effects, Lynch uses a lot of relevance and sufficiency throughout his piece. Relevance is the appropriateness of his evidence to the case at hand (Faigley and Selzer 45). Sufficiency is the amount of evidence cited (Faigley and Selzer 46). Lynch bases his essay on these key factors throughout his whole piece on the legalization of drugs and how it is not the solution. He bases his argument in paragraph 7 on all the bad things that have occurred to various people who have used drugs illegally. He states this through mentioning accidents, deaths, child abuse, sexual abuse, and various other crimes including destruction of property. His evidence proves to be true in proving his point of going through treatment and therapy for drug use instead of legalizing them. This essay is a successful argument because it convinces a person through all that is detailed why legalization of drugs will not work in this society. He describes through his values on the issue of drug legalization and the effects they have on many people. Lynch makes a few value statements through a claim of values, which states an argument for the paper through his personal reasoning (Faigley and Selzer 32)... ...e because if we feel that if we can treat those that are addicted to drug use and dealing, than we can overcome the thoughts about making drugs legal. Lynch uses people’s values and strong facts that prove his many points of interest in this piece. He has a majority of evidence that helps one be able to believe his point of why drug legalization is not the answer. Drug legalization has turned out to not be the answer and it has been proven through much evidence in Lynch’s essay. References: Faigley, Lester and Jack Selzer. Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: A Pearson Education Company, 2001. Lynch, Gerald W. â€Å"Legalizing Drugs Is Not the Solution† Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments. Eds. Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: A Pearson Education Company, 2001. 490-493.

The Philosophy and Psychology of Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides

The Philosophy and Psychology of Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides in Aeschylus’ Oresteia There is a consensus among readers of the poetry or plays written in the fifth century that the plays succeed with inspiring profound movement on the audience. The methods or reasons for the reader to be moved by a text are often disputed. Specific to tragic works the concepts of philosophy and psychology are critical elements to understand the cause of the stirred emotions of individuals who response to classical tragedies in a similar manner. Philosophy helps to understand â€Å"why† and psychology â€Å"how† poetry affects and moves human emotion. Philosophy and poetry are united by a common intent. Each searches for an explanation of universal ideals instead of concentrating on the particular. Aristotle described this idea in the Poetics, â€Å"Poetry, therefore, is a more philosophical and a higher thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular† (Aristotle, 68). Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides in Aeschylus’ Oresteia are examples that demonstrate the use of poetry as an explanation of the universal. Antigone deals with the struggle of Antigone, who sought to obey the moral obligation of burying her fallen brother and the dictation of Creon not to bury him. Creon’s dictation represents the particular. Described by Antigone his declaration develops from Creon being the, â€Å"Lucky tyrant—the perquisites of power! Ruthless power to do and say whatever pleases them† (Sophocles, 84). The declaration is seen not to follow the universal cause but it is specific to situation that Polynices had died while attacking Thebes. Antigone insistent to obey the universal code that sh... ...age† (Knox, 137). Sophocles, like many poets, understood the dependence of poetry on its ability to successful implement both philosophy and psychology to their work. Works Cited Aeschylus. The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1977. Aristotle. Aristotle’s Poetics. Trans. S. H. Butcher. New York: Hill and Wang, 1961. Euripides. Ten Plays: Electra and Iphigenia at Aulis. Trans. Moses Hadas and John McLean. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. Knox, Bernard. Introduction and Notes. Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. By Sophocles. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 1984. 131-53. Sophocles. Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 1984. The Philosophy and Psychology of Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides The Philosophy and Psychology of Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides in Aeschylus’ Oresteia There is a consensus among readers of the poetry or plays written in the fifth century that the plays succeed with inspiring profound movement on the audience. The methods or reasons for the reader to be moved by a text are often disputed. Specific to tragic works the concepts of philosophy and psychology are critical elements to understand the cause of the stirred emotions of individuals who response to classical tragedies in a similar manner. Philosophy helps to understand â€Å"why† and psychology â€Å"how† poetry affects and moves human emotion. Philosophy and poetry are united by a common intent. Each searches for an explanation of universal ideals instead of concentrating on the particular. Aristotle described this idea in the Poetics, â€Å"Poetry, therefore, is a more philosophical and a higher thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular† (Aristotle, 68). Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides in Aeschylus’ Oresteia are examples that demonstrate the use of poetry as an explanation of the universal. Antigone deals with the struggle of Antigone, who sought to obey the moral obligation of burying her fallen brother and the dictation of Creon not to bury him. Creon’s dictation represents the particular. Described by Antigone his declaration develops from Creon being the, â€Å"Lucky tyrant—the perquisites of power! Ruthless power to do and say whatever pleases them† (Sophocles, 84). The declaration is seen not to follow the universal cause but it is specific to situation that Polynices had died while attacking Thebes. Antigone insistent to obey the universal code that sh... ...age† (Knox, 137). Sophocles, like many poets, understood the dependence of poetry on its ability to successful implement both philosophy and psychology to their work. Works Cited Aeschylus. The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1977. Aristotle. Aristotle’s Poetics. Trans. S. H. Butcher. New York: Hill and Wang, 1961. Euripides. Ten Plays: Electra and Iphigenia at Aulis. Trans. Moses Hadas and John McLean. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. Knox, Bernard. Introduction and Notes. Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. By Sophocles. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 1984. 131-53. Sophocles. Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 1984.

Commercial. An effective advertisement Essay

Commercial. An effective advertisement Introduction An effective advertisement appeals to the consumer. It should be able to capture and influence their perception of a product. This document evaluates a McDonald’s franchise advertisement and its effectiveness where it is able to capture the efficient working spirit in the staff and consequently the overall high service delivery to the customers. The various aspects that facilitate the effectiveness in the advert will be highlighted. The advert begins with the opening of a McDonald’s outlet early in the morning. One is able to deduce it is the morning since there is the scene of a rising sun and a clock reading six. The staff can be seen readying themselves to get into action. One’s curiosity is aroused as to what they are up to and then the action begins which in this case is the preparation of the various food products. The notable foods in the beginning include coffee and eggs which make one deduce that they are preparing breakfast. The action continues to increase with the next scenes showing the workers now in full swing each attending to their various tasks. Different foods can be seen and heard sizzling in their preparation areas as well as the cranking of the preparation utensils such as the deep frying grill. The various items being prepared include the foods McDonald’s is renowned for which in this case include fries and burger meat. After preparation of the food, the workers then p ackage the various foods. One is able to guess they are the different orders made by the customers. The orders are packed in trolleys to be taken to the counter and delivered to the customers. From packaging the scene changes to the counter where one can see a line of pay points each being manned by a staff. The staff can be seen executing the various orders in this case keying them into the cash registers. The customers then get served with their different orders and they can be seen enjoying. The staff action around the outlet continues up to the nighttime with customers coming in and going until closing time which is symbolized by a background of lights going out in a big city. Apart from being attracted to the frenzy of activity by the staff in the advert, one cannot miss other appealing aspects in this case the background music and the colors. All the action takes place with some instrumental background music. One is able to associate the same with the McDonalds’ stores. In the colors, McDonald’s stores use the red and yellow colors as their theme. The same has been well blended and distributed in the advert. The staff’s black uniform makes it hard for one to miss the yellow and red logo of the McDonald’s. The packaging of the foods also takes place in the famed McDonald’s red and yellow package boxes. With all the staff action, one is able to see that the advert clearly shows the product being advertised in this case the McDonald’s food outlets. The product is prominent in the ad as one is able to identify and see the various foods offered by the outlet such as burgers, fries, hamburgers, drinks such as coffee and ice-cream in their different stages such as preparation, packaging and even their consumption. The target market audience for the advert is the general population as one is able to see the children, the youth and the old enjoying the various foods offered in the outlet with the effective service of the staff. With the kind of business the McDonald franchise transact, in this case a food related one, one is able to identify the target market as the general population since food appeals to all. The customers’ base varies in this case the old, the young, the youth and the middle aged. The actors in the ad include people of different ages in this case the young, the middle aged and the old. The use of the same is significant in that the outlet wants to create an appeal to the different age groups seeing that food is a common aspect in all of them. Evaluating the ad and the objects in it, the ads duration is 54 seconds in which time I felt that it was effectively managed in sending out the intended message to the intended audience. With an ad, the main object being marketed should be well displayed throughout the ad. The same is effectively utilized with the objects in the ad depicting McDonald products and the effective service accompanying the same. For the product, there is a big McDonald’s sign at the opening seen of the ad, the clearly visible logos in the staff uniform, the foods being prepared, the use of McDonald’s theme colors in the packaging and the closing scene with a McDonald sign outside an outlet. For the service, the staff can be seen in their various work stations efficiently carrying out their tasks. I felt that the ad was able to effectively reach out to the intended audience. This is because the ad is able to focus on the specific product they want to market in this case McDonald’s food outlets in the hands of an effective staff. The execution of the same is carried out in a way that it is systematic as all the actions follow each other consequently. The opening of the outlets, the food preparation, the packaging and the consumption are actions that are able to appeal to one to try out the product in such a well-managed setting. References McDonald’s â€Å"Working Together† – To Make Your Day Better. Online video commercial. You Tube. You tube, 13 Aug 2012.Web. 27 Jan 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZCbvpJ4O6c Source document

Conformity Vs. Nonconformity Essay

Nonconformity is a force from one’s personal self to step outside of the norm and bring a sense of individuality to a world in which there is very little originality anymore. As a society, we are ruled by the media. They force their points of views down everyones throats without one’s consciousness even acknowledging so. We walk past billboards, view commercials, peek around all of our social media websites, and all the while our minds are being bred to be biased towards a certain fashion, a certain point of view, as far as even a music choice which is most preferable. To step outside of this commonality in today’s society to the eye doesn’t seem too difficult. In everyone’s minds they are â€Å"unique†, â€Å"original†, and â€Å"creative†. What we don’t notice is how this seems to be what everybody believes, yet the fashion, attitude, whatever is as a phase and a trend. To truly step outside is a great leap and itâ€⠄¢s not simply acknowledging just how original you are, it’s to live your life everyday in not simply the same consistency but in such a way that you aren’t driven to stand out or fit in. It’s a numbness to either side of the spectrum. Being able to cope and not be judged based upon an individual’s nonconformity today is not as hard as it was in the past, however it is still picked upon. It’s only natural to separate the one that does not belong, as seen in many animal species when an animal is bred with a genetic deformity causing it to not belong, thus being shunned by the rest of the basic of the species. Today, even, one of the main controversies is homosexuality. Despite all the recent movements and reformities of the law, gay male and females are still ridiculed. Sometimes to the point of suicide or even such bizarre, violent bullying leading to near fatal wounds and mental scars. So in a sense, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous aphorism is correct. â€Å"For non-conformity the world whips you with displeasure.† From personal experience, I cannot recall a certain point in time when my nonconformity has been looked down upon, however I do believe that I fit in such a space between conformity and nonconformity. If you were to judge based upon pure physical factors, I would say that I do not choose to dress myself in a way to stand out, simply on p ersonal taste with a hint of outside influence. Mentally, I believe I do have an abstract method of thinking. I enjoy questioning things and learning, which is growing more  uncommon in today’s generation. Colleges tend to lean towards the unconventional way of thinking. After a professor has read so and so many papers from his hundreds to thousands of students, things can get a bit repetitive and uninteresting. A writing that stands out tends to create excitement with extra attention. This is how you show yourself, as a student, just the potential that you do harness. The ability to think outside of the box and express your thoughts and perspective in a way that invokes thought is a way to prove not only that you understand yourself, but it also is a way to even provoke questions that would allow somebody to learn something new. However abundant and appreciated nonconformity may be in today’s society in the novel â€Å"Brave New World† by Aldous Huxley, this approach to life is completely opposite. Within the â€Å"Brave New World† conformity is a method in which this society prospers and maintains control. From the time people are born in this society they are ta ught how to think, what to believe, and where they belong. This method forces people to grow just exactly how the government wants them to grow. This society is controlled using various methods. If you feel any sort of emotion, which would then create individuality, you just take a â€Å"Soma†. This drug eliminates every feeling. If you feel sad, take a Soma. If you are overly excited or ambitious, take a Soma. Another method is how it is a norm to sleep around with other people frequently. In today’s society if you practice â€Å"free love† or do not have emotionally attached sex then you are awfully judged and are pegged names that deem you somebody not to get close to. In â€Å"Brave New World† the opposite is so, and if you have sex with a person regularly you are then criticized. This operates control in order to detach love from sex, for love is a feeling which would separate you in this world. John the Savage is an excellent example for what happens when a nonconformist steps foot into this society. After his displeasing trip, he tries to change the way things are run. He spreads word of how he was raised. Even hearing the word â€Å"mother† gives people there an uncomfortable feeling because they were not raised, they were not nurtured, t hey were engineered. After all is said and done John is banished, but before he can reach that point he simply falls to depression causing his most unfortunate suicide at the end of the book. To conform is an easy task for the simple minded. It is a meager achievement to breeze through life without  questioning outside of what you are taught to accept. To go above and beyond displays a true thinker, someone worth remembering for what they believed- a nonconformist.

Denis McDonough

â€Å"What Barack has said is that we can begin withdrawing our troops immediately, and he believes that we can do it at pace of about one to two combat brigades per month. And at that pace, we could get the remaining troops out in about 16 months. This is not an ironclad absolute commitment that at the end of 16 months all of our troops will be out. But he does believe that is the kind of pace that we can do responsibly and safely. † (Interview with NPR, June 2008. ) McDonough has argued for a common-good approach to foreign policy, saying that the U. S. must address problems like global warming and poverty by taking approaches that will benefit other countries as well as the United States. He has spoken in support of a cap-and-trade system and called on the U. S. to make a serious commitment to reducing greenhouse gases. (6) Iraq McDonough opposed the Iraq war from the start and backs Obama’s efforts to withdraw troops slowly from the country, aiming to have all of th em out in about 16 months. He argues that Congress and the president failed to plan for the long-term impact of the Iraq war. He would like Obama’s administration to craft a thorough proposal that lays out what the U. S. ’s specific role will be in Iraq over the next ten years. (7) Intelligence Oversight While at the Center for American Progress, McDonough lobbied for reform of Congressional oversight of intelligence. He argued that Congress must pursue vigorous oversight of the 17 agencies because they operate in such secrecy, ensuring that the intelligence community is behaving constitutionally and lawfully while pursuing their aims effectively. (8) Samantha Power. Q: Though some analysts see U. S. foreign policy woes as a recent phenomenon, you argue that recent foreign policy missteps by current U. S. leaders have exposed and exacerbated long-standing structural and conceptual problems in U. S. foreign policy. Please explain. Power: It is tempting to see Iraq as the source of all our woes now, whereas I see Iraq as the symptom, in some measure, of a number of longstanding trends and defects in American foreign policy. March,6,2008 One example is the US historic predisposition to go it alone. Because we have long undervalued what international institutions have to offer, we believed that we could go into Iraq, and as soon as we declared the mission accomplished, we expected to be able to turn the problem over to others, regardless of how they had been treated in the run up to the invasion. This thinking is very flawed, but not all that new. In a uni-polar world, the Clinton Administration was able to get away with an instrumental relationship with international institutions, but that is harder with the rise of new powers who are willing to challenge the United States in international bodies. It is also harder now that the Iraq war itself has exposed so many US weaknesses. In addition, we long saw international authorization as a luxury, something good for global public opinion, but not very relevant to US national security. But what we have seen, by revealing our indifference to international legitimacy both in the Iraq war and in the practices carried out in our counter-terrorism efforts – the disavowal of the Geneva conventions, prisoner abuse, extraordinary rendition, etc. is that being seen to thumb our nose at international law actually has profound security ramifications, as more and more people seek to take up arms against U. S. citizens and interests. Another longstanding foreign policy flaw is the degree to which special interests dictate the way in which the ‘national interest' as a whole is defined and pursued. Look at the degree to which Halliburton and several of the private security and contracting firms invested in the 2004 political campaigns and received very lucrative contracts in the aftermath of the U. S. takeover of Iraq. Also, America's important historic relationship with Israel has often led foreign policy decision-makers to defer reflexively to Israeli security assessments, and to replicate Israeli tactics, which, as the war in Lebanon last summer demonstrated, can turn out to be counter-productive. So greater regard for international institutions along with less automatic deference to special interests – especially when it comes to matters of life and death and war and peace – seem to be two take-aways from the war in Iraq. Q: Elaborate on your differentiation between ‘power' and ‘influence' as accurate metrics for conceptualizing effective foreign policy. Power: I think that most of us, in a knee-jerk way, tend to conflate power with ‘hard power' – with economic and military power. At the Kennedy School, Joe Nye gave us the concept of ‘soft power' as another component of power. Building on Nye's concept, we would be wise in the 21st century to measure our power by our influence. Influence is best measured not only by military hardware and GDP, but also by other people's perceptions that we, the United States, are using our power legitimately. That belief – that we are acting in the interests of the global commons and in accordance with the rule of law – is what the military would call a ‘force multiplier. ‘ It enhances the U. S. ability to get what it wants from other countries and other players. The third component of influence – along with traditional hard power and legitimacy – is people's perception that we know what we are doing, that we are competent. Here, one cannot overstate the devastating one-two punch of Iraq and Katrina in undermining the global public's and the American people's faith that the U. S. is a competent prosecutor of its own objectives. Even if you disagreed with the Bush administration's decision to go to war, and thought it would do more harm than good, many people assumed that this administration, in pursuing this war, would at least know what it was doing. Whatever its objectives were – again, objectives many of us found suspect or insufficient to warrant the use of military force – we expected this group of experienced professionals to pursue those aims competently, to prepare properly, and to bring adequate resources to bear. We all know now that experience does not translate into competence. The war in Iraq has thus undermined our hard power by overstretching our military and sending us into deficit. It has undermined our perceived legitimacy because we've ignored the will of the international community and committed grave acts of torture, crimes against humanity, and other terrible sins in the conduct of the war itself. But, crucially, as my colleague Steve Walt has put it, we also no longer look like the country that put the man on the moon. Nor does the rest of the world see us, currently, as the country that liberated Europe from two world wars, that devised the Marshall Plan, that helped bring down the Wall. As a result, our ability to get what we want – whether we're talking about ending Iran‘s nuclear enrichment program, halting genocide in Darfur, reforming the UN, or even securing international buy-in for the effort to stabilize Iraq – our influence has eroded such that we are unable to actually achieve our policy objectives Q: You see the U. S. as being more isolated today than it has ever been. Though there have always been ‘America-firsters' among policy makers, why do you think this is especially dangerous now? Power: Traditionally, American isolationism comes about in spurts as the result of very vocal domestic constituencies who believe that engagement with the rest of the world is bad for U. S. interests. Although today there are some in this country who would like to see the United States ‘come home' after its bungled misadventures abroad, most Americans understand that the nature of the global marketplace, as well as the global threats, make this impossible. Yet we are in a period of relative isolation – one that stems less from ascendant Copperhead isolationism at home and more from the way other countries calculate their interests as they relate to the United States. So, in a sense, those countries are retreating from the United States, rather than the United States retreating from them. It's the reverse of what we have seen in the past. What you have are a number of countries -even those with which the United States has long been aligned – who believe that a very close association between themselves and the Bush administration undermines their internal domestic standing. So we see longstanding allies of the United States pushing back against Washington, asserting independent views on everything from global warming and international justice to troubled war zones like Afghanistan, where the U. S. desperately needs the support of its western partners in attempting to stabilize that country. So we are the recipients of isolationism now, you might say, rather than the crafters of it. Q: The focus in discussions of U. S. foreign policy is often on the executive branch, but you place great responsibility on Congress and journalists, and even the public, in relation to U. S. foreign policy. Why? Power: The longstanding habit of governments is to pursue their national interests – to pursue their economic and security interests. That is what governments are for. That is what states are for. The only occasions in which regard for human rights and human consequences are injected into foreign policymaking historically are occasions when the Congress has in sisted upon it or when the press has either shamed the Congress or shamed the Executive Branch into entertaining a broader set of interests which include regard for human consequences abroad. The reason this becomes especially important in the 21st century – in an era of asymmetric threats- is because our systematic neglect of human rights in the formulation of our foreign policy over the years has engendered great resentment. Our abuses in the conduct of the so-called ‘war on terror,' too, have enhanced terrorist recruitment, fueled vitriolic anti-Americanism and, arguably, made it more difficult for us to summon resources from other countries to deal with threats. Human rights abuses have supplied oxygen to the minority of those who hold the United States in such contempt that they want to take matters into their own hands and kill Americans. It's very important, for our national security in the long term, and of course on principle, that human consequences be integrated into our foreign policy, but it's very unlikely historically that this will be done in a top-down fashion. So if the American people or particular constituencies care about particular issues – say Afghanistan, Guantanamo, or Darfur – unless they actually give voice to that concern, whether for its own sake or because they believe that those crises will come back and haunt the United States if they are not dealt with, the only way that the public is going to see their interests in those issues internalized by senior policy makers is if they make it vocally and painfully clear to policy makers that there is a strong domestic political constituency for a change in course. Q: You posit that both the self-image and global image of the U. S. have eroded. How can the U. S. again be seen as a force for good in the world? Power: It's probably going to be a long and windy road to rehabilitation. A crucial step for the United States is to really begin to think in terms of ‘do no harm' and actually ending some of the more egregious aspects of its approach to counter-terrorism. First, in the ‘do no harm' camp: end the practice of extraordinary rendition, where US agents willfully ship terrorist suspects in our custody to countries that we know torture, for the explicit purpose of evading domestic checks on US abuse. Second in the ‘do no harm' camp: close Guantanamo and actually channel its prisoners through internationally respected legal processes. And third, restore habeus corpus to those detainees who are in US custody. To strip a group of individuals – no matter what blood some number of them have on their hands – of the most fundamental constitutional rights sends a signal to the rest of the world that there are two sets of human rights that we believe in: one robust set that Americans get to enjoy, and another much diminished set that those perceived as hostile to us get to enjoy. There are also two sets of individuals – ‘tortureables' and ‘untorturables. ‘ So a first step in our rehabilitation is to rid our conduct of these colossal blemishes on the American character. The second is embedding U. S. antipoverty, anti-disease and democratization policy initiatives within international institutions as part of a grand vision of what the United States actually does stand for – which is trying to ensure that people enjoy the kind of freedom from fear and freedom from want that Franklin Roosevelt promised Americans many years ago. The burden of actually making people secure in their homes is far too steep a burden for one country to handle. We must articulate a vision for human security and then channel US resources through international institutions, which themselves must become more rigorous and accountable. This will over time enhance US standing, but more importantly, it will force other countries – who have delighted in Bush's misfortunes but put little on the line themselves to patrol the global commons – to pick up the slack. Introduction Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) foreign policy agenda has emphasized multilateralism and reinvigorated diplomacy to advance U. S. interests. He has pledged to take steps to end the war in Iraq soon after taking office, to negotiate with the leadership of U. S. adversaries like Iran and Cuba, and to revamp the U. S. approach to free trade to bolster labor and environmental protections. Obama has attracted as advisers a number of top foreign policy experts who served under President Bill Clinton. Those advisers tend to be more independent from party orthodoxy on foreign policy issues, analysts say. Obama's top advisers were opposed to the U. S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, although a number of prominent Democrats, including rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), supported the action at the time. Obama's advisers generally appear to agree with his belief that it is â€Å"important for the United States not just to talk to its friends but also to talk to its enemies. A New Foreign Policy Vision Obama was elected to the Senate in 2005 and serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. Prior to that, his professional experience was primarily confined to Illinois, where he served as a state legislator representing a Chicago district, and before that, a community activist. He has cited his personal background-his Kenyan-born father and a youth spent in Indonesia-as crucial to the development of his world view. Like other presidential campaigns, Obama's draws on a long list of advisers on foreign policy matters. The most senior include several ranking Clinton administration officials, the Brookings Institution's Susan E. Rice, former National Security Adviser Anthony Lake, and former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig. This is a team that's very reflective of Obama, who has made it pretty clear in his speeches and statements during the campaign that he believes that diplomacy has been undervalued over the past few years and that the United States shouldn't fear to negotiate,† says Derek Chollet, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security who advised Jo hn Edwards' presidential campaign. If Obama wins the general election in November, his foreign policy and economic agendas will surely break with the legacies of the Bush administration, experts say. Whether it's our approach to torture, or climate change, or how we're dealing with Iran, to Iraq, to the Middle East peace process you're going to see significant changes,† says Chollet, who is not connected to the Obama campaign. Obama advocates a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions, and has said the United States should invest $150 billion over ten years to advance clean-energy technology. Obama has also been an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, which he opposed from its outset in 2002. He has said he will withdraw troops from Iraq and refocus U. S. military efforts against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. National Security Advisers Obama has stressed his commitment to winning the battle against Taliban forces in Afghanistan. He has also vowed that he would pursue al-Qaeda elements into Pakistan, with or without government permission, if he had strong intelligence the group was planning an attack on the United States. Obama's leading national security advisers include: Denis McDonough , senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, is the national security coordinator for Obama's campaign. McDonough was foreign policy adviser to former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle. McDonough has been outspoken on energy and environmental policy. In June 2007, McDonough urged the Group of Eight (G8) to take action to combat climate change, and warned that current levels of development assistance are â€Å"woefully insufficient† to help underdeveloped nations deal with climate change. McDonough has also said that the United States should do more to â€Å"promote the development of our domestic clean energy sector industry. † McDonough said on a Brookings Institution panel in May 2007 that it is â€Å"far past time† for the United States to institute a cap-and-trade system mandating â€Å"very aggressive reductions† in greenhouse gases, with the goal of an 80 percent reduction over 1990 levels by 2050

“The interrogation” by Edwin Muir

The poem â€Å"The interrogation† by Edwin Muir is about the different ways that people deal with and react in different situations. I think this poem is about a few emigrants who are illegally crossing the border to enter a country they are not lawfully permitted to. The interrogation that the poem talks about is the questioning that these people are put through by the law enforcement troops that these emigrants encounter at the border. We know that the poem is about this illegal emigration because at the beginning of the poem states, â€Å"and then came the patrol;† This confirms that there is a governmental group of people involved. I think the central opposition of the poem is about courage and fear. The way these people choose to handle the ‘interrogation' determines whether or not they will be able to cross the border. If they answer with courage and confidence then they will be much more likely to be allowed through as opposed to if they answer with fear. We know that they reacted unwisely in this scenario because the poem says they â€Å"hesitated† in their approach to crossing the border. This is what led them to be interrogated by the â€Å"patrol†. This has a direct relation to real life; you are more likely to succeed in things that you handle with courage then those that you handle with fear, as fear leads to suspicion. These people are doing an illegal act and we know that they handle the situation with the wrong approach. We are further confirmed that what these people are doing is illegal when the poem says â€Å"Must come out now, who, what we are,† It conveys a sense of deception to the readers. I also think that according to the poem some people, that were confident and came as families were let through to cross the border with ease. This is supported because the poem says, â€Å"The careless lovers in pairs go by,† Near the end of the poem, the poet talks about the response and state of mind of these emigrants. The poem tells us that these people are getting more nervous as they are being questioned more and more. This is a build-up in the poem and it demonstrates how the people are increasingly getting more nervous as this interrogation progresses. We know so from the following lines, â€Å"And the thoughtless field is near. We are on the very edge, Endurance almost done, And still the interrogation is going on.† There is a contrast between the different groups of people shown in this poem because the people that are going in â€Å"pairs† tend not to â€Å"hesitate† when they cross the border, whereas these other people do. This is a contrast between the different ways that people handle situations. We can assume, from the evidence that I have given that it is an interrogation that questions the actions of these emigrants and why they are trying to cross the border. These would be regular routine questions. The fact that the poem is written using â€Å"we† shows that there is more than one and perhaps it's a gang or group of people. However, the impression that is given to the readers is that these emigrants are innocent people just looking for a new home, rather than a group of criminals. The poem is written in clear language and has a lasting effect on the readers. It demonstrates how actions can determine where different people will end up in the long run. It gives the readers a chance to think of how and why some of the people were held back and interrogated while others weren't and crossed this road without difficulty. The effect of the courage and fear aspects is significant and seems like it was the main intention of the reader to highlight those features in the poem. They happen to be very effective techniques in catching the reader's attention. However, the poem is not so predictable and changes its style in which the points are pointed out to the reader often.

Local education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Local education - Essay Example The source of finance acceptable to the institution is the most important factor for many students seeking higher education in American universities, especially international students who have to give evidence of ability to pay for the education. Many students are subjected to a rigorous vetting process to determine their eligibility for financing in cases where they seek for scholarships, grants and loans. The criterion used includes but not limited to; country of origin (citizenship), certain minimum academic qualifications, financial ability, and in some instances work experience, I was lucky to secure financing from the Federal Student Aid program. Having acquired a source of finance, the next major step was enrolling for school and starting my classes. The registration process was long and winding. I started off by obtaining clearance from the finance office after which I was directed to the registrar’s office. At the registrar’s office, I met a long queue of students waiting to be served. I had to wait for 2 hours before my turn came. I submitted the clearance form from the finance office and was subsequently issued with a registration number. From the registrar’s office, I headed for the deans office who now issued me with course application forms. I applied for the course and Units of the first semester. I then had to wait for verification from the programme director and have the application forms stamped. The forms would then be taken to the dean’s secretary for filing. The registration process often is a challenge to new students joining universities. The process involves far too many form filling and verification procedures that would prove a challenge to a freshman especially so for international students who also face language barrier problems. After this process, the dean’s secretary gave me the time table and a manual with all the information I needed to know. The classes were to start the following Monday. Monday