body problem essays

mind/body problem essays Of all the topics that are currently occupying the attention of philosophers, the Mind-Body problem is at center stage. It is one of the classical metaphysical issues concerning the relationship between that which is mental and that which is physical. The simple question asked is: what are we? Are we a mind, a body or both? The issue has its origins in the ancient dualism of Plato and since then many solutions to the problem have been offered. D.M. Armstrongs The Mind-Body Problem gives rise to all the possible solutions to the problem. In his writings, he accurately depicts the views of others, as well as his own. Armstrong wants it to be clear that all theories of the mind-body relation get involved in a certain amount of difficulty. The thing that we have to try and judge is what sort of theory seems to come off best [with] all things concerned. It is not and easy task(20). Out of the many possible theories, the Dualistic approach seems to be the weakest in trying to p ose a solution, while the Eliminative Materialistic approach appears to have the strongest hold on answering the never-ending question. According to Dualism, the human person is composed of two completely different substances: the mind and the body. The body, or physical substance, is essentially located and extended in space, inactive, lifeless and unthinking. The mind, or mental substance, is essentially active, living, thinking, and, though located in time, not located in space. Altogether, the human person is some sort of union of a mind and a body(9). This form of Dualism, which seems to be the least plausible in offering a sufficient answer to the mind-body problem, is more commonly referred to as substance dualism. Perhaps the most famous advocate of substance dualism was Rene Descartes, a 17th century philosopher who put forth a tremendous influence on the religious and scientific communi...

A Profile of the Blue Button Jelly

A Profile of the Blue Button Jelly Although it has the word jelly in its name, the blue button jelly (Porpita porpita) is not a jellyfish  or sea jelly. It is a hydroid, which is an animal in the class Hydrozoa. They are known as colonial animals, and sometimes just referred to as blue buttons. The blue button jelly is made up of individual zooids, each specialized for a different function such as eating, defense or reproduction. The blue button jelly is related to jellyfish, though. It is in the Phylum Cnidaria, which is the group of animals that also includes corals, jellyfish (sea jellies), sea anemones, and sea pens. Blue button jellies are relatively small  and measure about 1 inch in diameter. They consist of a hard, golden brown, gas-filled float in the center, surrounded by blue, purple or yellow hydroids that look like tentacles. The tentacles have stinging cells called nematocysts. So in that respect, they can be like jellyfish species that sting. Blue Button Jelly Classification Heres the scientific classification nomenclature for a blue button jelly: Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: CnidariaClass: HydrozoaOrder: AnthoathecataFamily: PorpitidaeGenus: Porpitaspecies: porpita Habitat and Distribution Blue button jellies are found in warm waters off Europe, in the Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, New Zealand, and southern U.S. These hydroids live on the ocean surface, are sometimes blown into shore, and sometimes seen by the thousands. Blue button jellies eat plankton and other small organisms; they are typically eaten by sea slugs and violet sea snails. Reproduction Blue buttons are hermaphrodites, which means that each blue button jelly has both male and female sex organs. They have reproductive polyps that release eggs and sperm into the water. The eggs are fertilized and turn into larvae, which then develop into individual polyps. Blue button jellies are actually colonies of different types of polyps; these colonies form when a polyp divides to form new types of polyps. The polyps are specialized for different functions, such as reproduction, feeding, and defense. Blue Button Jellies...Are They Hazardous to Humans? Its best to avoid these beautiful organisms if you see them. Blue button jellies do not have a lethal sting, but they can cause skin irritation when touched. Sources: Climate Watch. Blue Button: Porpita porpita. Larsen, K. and H. Perry. 2006. Sea Jellies of the Mississippi Sound. Gulf Coast Research Laboratory - University of Southern Mississippi. Meinkoth, N.A. 1981. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Seashore Creatures. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. SeaLifeBase. Porpita Porpita. WoRMS. 2010. Porpita porpita (Linnaeus, 1758). In: Schuchert, P. World Hydrozoa database. World Register of Marine Species on October 24, 2011.

The Mini (car) between 1998 and 2015 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Mini (car) between 1998 and 2015 - Assignment Example On the other hand, many spare parts from the past are still useable in the present. For example, engine mounting has remained the same over the years. This is why the mini is one of the most economic cars of today’s age. The company producing minis was in the year 2000 bought by BMW a renowned high quality and class brand of car production. BMW bought the mini car production from the Rover group that was the original production company. BMW introduced the Mini Cooper in place for the mini cars. The key terms employed in 1998 and before to market the mini cars included low mileage, price friendly and uniquely styled (Thoms 1998). Today’s keywords for mini cars have drawn more attention they include; well-known brand, competitive model, iconic, powerful, hybrid, environmental friendly, laudable and so on. Semantics is the study of what words meanwhile inference involves what one draws from and the conclusions made. The wording used today mean that people are more interested in the brands of the cars than the prices. The conclusion made is that, although pricing is an important factor, more importance is drawn from the status the mini cooper brings. The social contexts of mini car advertisements greatly influence consumer market. They draw the line in most cases of who can fit in to purchase the car and who is the potential buyer. Car modeling defines the use of a car. Through the ads, the mini car’s function is highly emphasized. Whether it is a leisure car or a daily use car. The terms illustrated above to advertise mini coopers today, clearly identify mini coopers as vehicles that are growing in class and even in use. The target market has changed from the lower middle class to upper middle class and first class socially. The competitive nature of the advertisements is just attractive to bring in a more consumer-ready market. Words like powerful, iconic, hybrid and so on are associated with the brands.

Steam Linux OS effect and their golden chance to overtake Windows Essay

Steam Linux OS effect and their golden chance to overtake Windows position in business computer industry - Essay Example Therefore, this fact gives a positive impact to the Steam and Linux OS industry that attract the gamers because it provides a practical service for the gamers and people in the world. Valve as one of the biggest firm in computer gaming industry started to urge people to use Linux OS because of the steam software. Valve realized that people love to be always practical these days, and that Steam provides it all by having many game tools in their system. People can buy million types of games, and upgrade their patches by only having a simple account and a Steam program. Therefore, it makes gamers and people’s life easier because they do not have to surf the website to find the game they need, and sometime the random website can get the computers infected by some spywares, and other viruses. Furthermore, they just can purchase it through this system online without going out to the stores to buy computer CD and install it. However, Valve has to make sure that Linux OS will keep up the quality of the Steam; otherwise, people may run back to Windows if there are no improvements from the recent system. Analysis and Critique: A Golden Chance for Linux OS Every individual need entertainment in their life, and I believe that every single person has ever played games in their life. This is because humans love games; in addition, people are having a strong bond to the world of information technology nowadays. Technology and especially computer or laptop supports the largest part of their life now, which plays a crucial role in people’s life. Individuals prefer to seek the most effective way or practical way for their life nowadays; in addition, they tend to spend more money, and do less effort for a service (Stahie, 2013). Most of the people in the current generation are fond of staying in their houses and use their credit card to purchase what they want from their own computers. Hence, they can have that service from Steam that provides a practical way to pur chase and downloading games. This Steam system services gives the positive impact to Linux OS because people start switching from windows to Linux OS; on the other hand, it inversely affects the other company firm such as windows. On the positive side, if they can improve the performance of Steam system it could be another invention to make the gamers life more practical. However, if we look on the negative side of this invention, sometimes it is dangerous if people cannot control themselves to spend an equal time in playing games and in their real life activities (Stahie, 2013). There are two big firms today in the computer business enjoying a great popularity in the society, as they provide great services in the technology industry. One of the largest businesses that they have is in gaming entertainment, as over a million people are addicted to computer online gaming today. Computer firms use this fact to generate profit for them. A decade ago, Windows led the computer gaming indu stry, back then people could install a CD that had 4-5 games of Valve, Half Life, and they could connect to the Internet and play online with other gamers. Thus, though founded 16 years ago by a couple of refugees from Microsoft, Valve make games that wild-eyed fans play until their thumbs hurt and dawn jabs through the curtains†(Wingfield, 2012). Sixteen Years ago Valve and Half Life worked together with Windows to create a game system that could entertain computer gamers effectively. In addition, there was

Ancient Greeks Essay Example for Free

Ancient Greeks Essay Greek ages were a very unforgiving religious era. Athens was the capital of Greece. Ancient Greeks interpreted the bible and other religious teachings very literally. Kings and their followers believed they were obligated to impersonate the gods. Greek theatre lasted a short time. The changes resulting from the Greek era are infinite. In 1677, Jean Racine, created Phedre. The film was a violent tragedy. The main characters were; Phedre, Wife of the King; Theseus, King of Athens; Hippolytes; Son of the king; Aricia; Princess Hippolytus falls in love with. Theseus killed Aricias six bothers. The play contains violence, anger, deceitfulness. The rulers were certain this were the proper way to honor and obey the Gods. â€Å"Wars were frequent and whenever one occurred all the serfs controlled by the local lords were forced to take part† (Yudkin, P 64). Not everything about this era was negative. Ancient Greece history lasted one century. The entire country did not exceed 150, 000 people (Cohen, Theatre: Sixth Edition P. 59). Genius inventions and developments were invented. Theatre drew crowds. Sometimes, the audience stood up in the pit to watch the performances. They had no technology or measuring devices. Pyramids were built. Epidaurus theatres were built. Seats were hundred of feet up. There were no microphones or audio devices. The actors were at the bottom of the stages. The actors were heard by everyone. Working conditions improved. Education, although not available to everyone, started to become more widespread. Jean Racines, Phedra The overall content of the play Phedre, was tragedy, death and violence. Death was anticipated, not feared. The recognition of life were expected to evolve after death. Everything honored Gods. Their death honored the Gods. The characters in Phedra, saw their death as a celebration. Phedra speaks of seeing her daughter for the last time. â€Å"What! Still are you in love with death? Shall I ne’er see you, reconciled to life, Forego those cruel acts of despair? † Death is part of their life. Then Phaedra responds â€Å"Would I were seated in the forest’s shade! When may I follow with delighted eye, Thro glorious dust flying in full career, A Chariot. † (Racine, Phedra) Phedra could not wait for her final hour. Life expectancies were short. Forty years old were the life expectancy. It was also an honor to the Gods to kill anyone who disgraced their kingdom. All good they did was honored years after they died. Likewise, all disgrace associated with the Kingdom were recognized after death. Panope informs Phedra of her husband’s death. â€Å"Fain would I hide from you tidings so sad, But ‘tis my duty, Madam to reveal them. The had of death has seized your peerless husband, And you are the last to hear of this disaster. The queen, deceived by a vain trust in Heav’n, begs safe return for Theseeus, while Hipplytus his son Learns of his death from vessels that now in port. Phaedra responds â€Å"Ye Gods! † (Racine, Phedra) Slavery was common. â€Å"Most people were serfs and spent their lives in miserable conditions† (Yudkin, P 64). Slavery was not glorified. Death was. Enone is convincing Phedra to live. If she lives her son becomes a king. If she dies, he becomes a slave. â€Å"Madam, Theseus is no more, you must supply his place. He leaves a son, A slave if you should die, but if you live, a king. † Phedra replies, â€Å"To your consent, Yes, I will live, if life can be restored, if my affection for a son has pow’r to rouse my sinking heart at such a dangerous hour. † (Racine, Phedra) Since the king has died, the son becomes the next king. Phedra agreed to live longer. The plays in the Greek era speak as though death is a choice. Every aspect of life was influenced by religion. Music and singing had one purpose. The purpose was to worship the gods. Composers wrote songs with religious meanings and teachings. The Greeks music in theatres began with chanting in church. The chanting by theatre actors was recited the exact same as it was in church. Monks stayed in a chapel for days on end chanting in musical harmony. Monks chanting was described as â€Å"several people may be singing one line in unison, but there is no accompaniment and no harmony† (Yudkin P 65). Songs or what was considered songs, were created from prayers. â€Å"Because Christianity was the dominate religion as well as the principle unifying feature of much of Europe, most of the surviving music from the medieval period was for use in Christian religious services† (Yudkin, P 62-69). As with music, dance had religious meanings. Liturgical dancers in white robes performed in churches and for religious ceremonies. Dancing worshiped the gods, send messages to the gods, and got attention from the gods. Dances interpret bible stories. Sometimes, stories are clearer by acting out the interpretations. Young children and older grandparent’s attention span last longer with music and movements. â€Å"Dance in the west took a separate course from the east in its development. Records of dance during the dark ages are few, although folk dancing and ritual celebrations almost certainly continued† (Cohen, Dance Workshop P. 16-23). Belly dancing progressed. In the Greek era, belly dancing were taught to Middle Eastern women to prepare them for child birth. Midwives borned the babies. They had no fancy hospitals, no medication, or injections to ease the task of childbirth. Belly dancing through a woman’s pregnancy made childbirth much easier. Ballet played an important in religious settings. It was popularized during the Renaissance/William Shakespeare era. In the 17th century, men had to prove they were proficient at ballet before they could hold any positions relevant to legislation. King Louis XIV was a professional dancer. â€Å"The steps as we know ballet evolved out of the 17th century† (Ellison, P 9-11). Ballets were performed for church services, just as liturgical dances were. Athens, or Greece, is famous for training and turning out superior Olympic athletes. A child started training for the Olympics at a very young age. People in the Greek era were Genius that surpasses advanced technology of today. Athens refused to admit defeat. Defeat was not defined as winning or losing one game. Athens may have lost one game. For them the war was not over if they lost. Athens did not allow disabled people into their country. If kings or soldiers were hurt in war, they were not allowed to return to Athens. Grandparents were responsible for putting deformed newborns to death. A disabled newborn was considered a disgrace to the kingdom. Greeks believed they would be punished by the gods if they allowed a deformed newborn to live. Everyone had physical task to do. Women and children had physically active lifestyles. Renaissance era was the beginning of development in all areas. Renaissance theatre focused on humans, not groups. Renaissance was not atheist era. Shakespeare changed what was believed to be religious. In the Greek era, it was anti-Christian to educate a woman. Anyone who educated a woman was killed. Their death was considered a disgrace. The educated woman was killed. Shakespeare introduced the idea of allowing women to perform in theatre. At the time, young boys played all female parts. Phedra was written during the Renaissance or Shakespeare ages. The setting of the play, however were in the Greek ages. Greek theatre established religious beliefs. Renassiance era challenged those beliefs. Greeks were firmly convinced they could not go wrong if honoring the gods. The behavior or actions were not considered. Jean Racine’s wrote Phedre, in the Renaissance era to show how much the beliefs and cultures have progresses since the Greek ages.

The Problem Of Evil Essay -- essays research papers

The Problem Of Evil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is impossible to deny the existence of evil in the world as we as human beings experience pain and suffering every day. It is generally accepted that there are two different types of evil – natural (based on God) and moral (based on humans). Moral evil is caused by human beings and occurs when humans inflict suffering on other people like September 11th, world wars, the Holocaust and other human related travesties. We also inflict evil on animals with testing or hunting for game not using the animals as God intended for fur or food. Humans also have obliterated the environment with pollution, destroying the rainforests and the way we litter and think nothing of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Natural evil is not caused by humans but considered to be caused by God and occurs naturally in the world. Some natural evils could be Earthquakes, droughts and some forms of cancer. However, not all evils can be easily separated into these categories as humans can contribute to natural evils.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cancer is a naturally occurring disease; humans often do things which bring it about. Tobacco for example is the cause of eleven million deaths per year; do you think God believed that humans would actually be dumb enough to put such a harmful chemical into our bodies? No, there was an obvious better way to use tobacco but humans mostly use it in a negative way. Some could look at the problem of evil and sugg...

Family Essay

The Conservative party wishes to try and tackle Homophobia, especially inside sport. The Conservatives also want to make businesses and work places much more LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) friendly. The Conservatives are currently debating to try and make same sex marriages legal. Businesses: The Conservatives are trying to help out smaller businesses, and have already doubled small business rates. Which means 330,000 small businesses will not have to pay any business rates until April 2013. The Conservatives have introduced a National Insurance holidays to businesses outside the South East and London. Big Society: Conservatives are currently trying to encourage volunteering, which is a scheme to bring together young people from different back grounds. The Conservatives have started training Community Organisers to identify local leaders and bring people ogether so that these people can act on what is most important to their community. A nuclear family is a universal term to describe a two generation combination/ grouping usually consisting of a father, mother and one or more children (usually two children). They would live in the same household all together to make up the ‘nuclear family. A nuclear family is a universal term to describe a two generation combination/grouping usually consisting of a father, mother and one or more children (usually two children). They would live in the same household all together to ake up the ‘nuclear family. A nuclear family is a universal term to describe a two generation combination/grouping usually consisting of a father, mother and one or more children (usually two children). They would live in the same household all together to make up the ‘nuclear family. A nuclear family is a universal term to describe a two generation combination/grouping usually consisting of a father, mother and one or more children (usually two children). They would live in the same household all together to make up the ‘nuclear family. A nuclear family is a universal term to describe a two generation combination/grouping usually consisting of a father, mother and one or more children (usually two children). They would live in the same household all together to make up the ‘nuclear family. A nuclear family is a universal term to describe a two generation combination/grouping usually consisting of a father, mother and one or more children (usually two children). They would live in the same household all together to make up the ‘nuclear family. v v A

Is the generation gap myth or reality Essay

It’s well known that new time demands new way of thinking. New way of thinking demands new way of acting. New way of acting arouses misunderstanding on the part of older generation. People usually get used to certain things and some dead small changes can frighten them. Thus, trying to avoid the negative feeling of fear older people try to avoid new trends and spirits of the time. On the other hand, youngsters are eager to introduce some desperately new and young-eyed decisions in order to gain a foothold. In other words, young people want to be creative, bright and want to place themselves on record. As a result, old traditions contradict with new trends and a problem of generation gap shapes up. For example, parents very often try to protect their children from modern entertainments some forbid playing computer games, thinking that computers can’t teach anything to their children, some prohibit wearing extravagant clothes and some prevent their infants from attending concerts of rock stars, fearing that he can fall among evil companions. However, forbidden fruit is sweet. And the offsprings start doing everything on the sly. But when finally parents find it out they can’t stop wondering why do their children conceal their affairs from them? The answer is as easy as ABC: youngsters want to express themselves, they want to get the smell of powder, they want to enjoy independence. On the contrary, the parents want to be sure that their precious offsprings are safe and sound. As a consequence, this leads to misunderstanding, quarrels and insults. Nowadays children start using computers very early. Tweens and teens are so fascinated by them that they spend hours and hours at their personal computers or at computer clubs. The electronic universe replaces their contacts with friends and dominates their life completely. Obsession with computers brings about a mechanical, disillusioned mentality and inhibits their emotional development. The heads of youngsters are also being filled with violent pictures they have seen on TV. Children are very naive and impressionable. And no wonder that they are so aggressive and arrogant in  real life. They are thrown into such a harsh world, especially if they live in a city. These days a lot of parents think that they should be lenient with their children, they should let them find out about life for themselves, they should leave children to develop their own idea of right and wrong. But it’s a grave mistake. Parents should try to protect their children from possible bad influences and give them clear guidance about right and wrong. There is no way to predict how today’s children will turn out. Keeping faith in kids is necessary. They are not bad. They are optimistic. They expect to have a better life than their parents’. And grown-ups – if they are prepared to admit it – could learn a thing or two from their children. One of the biggest lessons they could learn is that enjoyment is not  «sinful ». Enjoyment, is a principle you could apply to all aspects of life. It is not wrong to enjoy your work and enjoy your leisure, to shed restricting inhibitions. It is surely not wrong to live in the present rather than in the past or future. Generation gap is the major reason today why parents and children are moving away from each other. As we all know, the environment has changed, so has the life style and with that changes the mind of children. Today’s generation doesn’t like others interfering in any of their personal matters, they don’t like parents ordering them, and if they try and tell them what’s wrong for them, they misbehave with their parents. The question arises that, what is the reason behind all this. It is the parents’ mistake or is it cause of the generation gap. Generation gap is basically created by the people themselves. They don’t talk to their children and share their own points of views with the children. The point is that the parents are just so busy with their work and jobs that they don’t have time for their family and their children. And they realize it when there has a huge distance between the kids and the parents. The point is if parents give their children some time from their busy schedule then there would be no such problem. Nevertheless the problem of  generation gap can be easily solved. Patience should be the key to the common ground between adults and youngsters. People of all ages must become more tolerant and less selfish and must discuss their troubles in order to conquer misunderstanding. It’s essential that parents give more freedom to their children so that they can express themselves. Whereas children should remember that freedom is not something to be over-indulged in. It’s not difficult to achieve understanding if you are making effort to see a problem from a variety of angles. On the contrary, if you think that your standpoint is the only one true and you don’t want to discuss and listen to other opinions, then the problem of generation gap will become a nightmare of your family.

Free Essays on Eminem

are like a dagger with a jagged edge...†- â€Å"Criminal†, from â€Å"The Marshall Mathers LP† An average rap artist wouldn’t be able to grace the covers of VIBE, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Spin while on a national tour months before their major debut album is released. A mediocre rapper couldn’t say that he’s collaborated with Dr. Dre, Elton John, and Dido, all in the same year. Then again, Marshall Mathers III, better known as Eminem isn’t your average rapper. No other artist has ever been the center of such heated and conflicting debates. He’s hailed as brilliant by some critics and deemed as indecent and disgusting by others. But the controversy isn’t as simple as that. This is an artist and a man who is as complex as he is talented. â€Å"...no labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up... until I met Dre, the only one to look past, gave me a chance, and I lit a fire up under his ass...†- â€Å"White America†, from â€Å"The Eminem Show† Eminem was born in Kansas City, Missouri. During his early years Marshall Mathers and his mother moved between Kansas and Michigan until the age of twelve when they settled in east Detroit. During these years there would be much turbulence to get through. Tragedies including the suicide of his beloved cousin Ronnie and being abandoned by his father threw his world into what could’ve been an irrevocable downward spiral. They would prove to be haunting to the tortured youth. Without stability finding friends and staying out of trouble became all but impossible. Yet the one solace he discovered was rap music. Even while dropping out of high school and working several full time, low pay jobs, he kept an unwavering focus on his music. Between 1995 and 1997 he worked on and released the albums â€Å"Infinite† and â€Å"Slim Shady EP†. Both were considered failures which was disappointing t... Free Essays on Eminem Free Essays on Eminem HIS NAME IS WHAT? HIS NAME IS WHO? HIS NAME IS SLIM SHADY! In the past couple of years, the rap genre of music has slowly but surely taken over the music industry. Today rappers talk about prostitution, drugs and diseases. When will a rapper rap about real life situations that catch society’s ear? Eminem (aka Slim Shady) has accomplished just that. Although people may think that Eminems lyrics are inappropriate, it is absolutely necessary that a man, who has experienced such a burden on his life, be able to share his problems with the rest of the world. Eminem videos should not be removed from much music. Eminem has experienced great problems in his youth. He was born in Kansas City. His father was an alcoholic, who would physically abuse his mother, and cheat on her. His parents divorced at a young age, which left Eminem moving back and forth between Kansas City and Detroit every two to three months. â€Å"I don't like to give the sob story: growing up in a single-parent hom e, never knew my father, my mother never worked, and when friends came over I'd hide the welfare cheese. Yo, I failed ninth grade three times, but I don't think it was necessarily 'cause I'm stupid. I didn't go to school. I couldn't deal." (eminem2000.com/quotes.shtml) Constantly moving back and forth, it was very hard for Eminem to keep a job, succeed in school, but most importantly make friends. "My family has never been there for me.† (eminem2000.com/quotes.shtml) He would get picked on at school, beat up, and would constantly get robbed. Eminems uncle committed suicide after his girlfriend broke up with him. Eminems only escape from his miserable life was to turn to drugs and rap. Eminem was a youth in America going nowhere fast. At the age of 18 he began rapping, and sending in self made cassettes of his work to small time record companies. Everywhere he turned was a different door being shut in his face. A man with such a disturbing chil... Free Essays on Eminem Free Speech, Controversy, & A Guilty Conscience â€Å"My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge...†- â€Å"Criminal†, from â€Å"The Marshall Mathers LP† An average rap artist wouldn’t be able to grace the covers of VIBE, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Spin while on a national tour months before their major debut album is released. A mediocre rapper couldn’t say that he’s collaborated with Dr. Dre, Elton John, and Dido, all in the same year. Then again, Marshall Mathers III, better known as Eminem isn’t your average rapper. No other artist has ever been the center of such heated and conflicting debates. He’s hailed as brilliant by some critics and deemed as indecent and disgusting by others. But the controversy isn’t as simple as that. This is an artist and a man who is as complex as he is talented. â€Å"...no labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up... until I met Dre, the only one to look past, gave me a chance, and I lit a fire up under his ass...†- â€Å"White America†, from â€Å"The Eminem Show† Eminem was born in Kansas City, Missouri. During his early years Marshall Mathers and his mother moved between Kansas and Michigan until the age of twelve when they settled in east Detroit. During these years there would be much turbulence to get through. Tragedies including the suicide of his beloved cousin Ronnie and being abandoned by his father threw his world into what could’ve been an irrevocable downward spiral. They would prove to be haunting to the tortured youth. Without stability finding friends and staying out of trouble became all but impossible. Yet the one solace he discovered was rap music. Even while dropping out of high school and working several full time, low pay jobs, he kept an unwavering focus on his music. Between 1995 and 1997 he worked on and released the albums â€Å"Infinite† and â€Å"Slim Shady EP†. Both were considered failures which was disappointing t...

Fidel Castro Biographical Profile

Fidel Castro Biographical Profile Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (1926–2016) was a Cuban lawyer, revolutionary, and politician. He was the central figure in the Cuban Revolution (1956-1959), which removed dictator Fulgencio Batista from power and replaced him with a communist regime friendly to the Soviet Union. For decades, he defied the United States, which tried to assassinate or replace him countless times. A controversial figure, many Cubans consider him a monster who destroyed Cuba, while others consider him a visionary who saved their nation from the horrors of capitalism. Early Years Fidel Castro was one of the  several illegitimate children born to middle-class sugar farmer Angel Castro y Argà ­z and his household maid, Lina Ruz Gonzlez. Castro’s father eventually divorced his wife and married Lina, but young Fidel still grew up with the stigma of being illegitimate. He was given his fathers last name at age 17 and had the benefits of being raised in a wealthy household. He was a talented student, educated at Jesuit boarding schools, and decided to pursue a career in law, entering the University of Havana Law School in 1945. While in school, he became increasingly involved in politics, joining the Orthodox Party, which was in favor of drastic government reform to reduce corruption. Personal Life Castro married Mirta  Dà ­az Balart in 1948. She came from a wealthy and politically-connected family. They had one child and divorced in 1955. Later in life, he married Dalia Soto del Valle in 1980 and had five more children. He had several other children outside of his marriages, including Alina Fernndez, who escaped Cuba to Spain using false papers and then lived in Miami where she criticized the Cuban government. Revolution Brewing in Cuba When Batista, who had been president in the early 1940s, abruptly seized power in 1952, Castro became even more politicized. Castro, as a lawyer, tried to mount a legal challenge to Batista’s reign, demonstrating that the Cuban Constitution had been violated by his power grab. When Cuban courts refused to hear the petition, Castro decided that legal assaults on Batista would never work: if he wanted change, he would have to use other means. Attack on the Moncada Barracks The charismatic Castro began drawing converts to his cause, including his brother Raà ºl. Together, they acquired weapons and began organizing an assault on the military barracks at Moncada. They attacked on July 26, 1953, the day after a festival, hoping to catch the soldiers still drunk or hung over. Once the barracks were captured, there would be enough weapons to mount a full-scale insurgency. Unfortunately for Castro, the attack failed: most of the 160 or so rebels were killed, either in the initial assault or in government prisons later. Fidel and his brother Raul were captured. History Will Absolve Me Castro led his own defense, using his public trial as a platform to bring his argument to the people of Cuba. He wrote an impassioned defense for his actions and smuggled it out of prison. While on trial, he uttered his famous slogan: â€Å"History will absolve me.† He was sentenced to death, but when the death penalty was abolished, his sentence was changed to 15 years imprisonment. In 1955, Batista came under increasing political pressure to reform his dictatorship, and he freed a number of political prisoners, including Castro. Mexico The newly-freed Castro went to Mexico, where he made contact with other Cuban exiles eager to overthrow Batista. He founded the 26th of July Movement and began making plans for a return to Cuba. While in Mexico, he met Ernesto â€Å"Chà ©Ã¢â‚¬  Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, who were destined to play important roles in the Cuban Revolution. The rebels acquired weapons and trained and coordinated their return with fellow insurgents in Cuban cities. On November 25, 1956, 82 members of the movement boarded the yacht Granma and set sail for Cuba, arriving on December 2. Back in Cuba The Granma force was detected and ambushed, and many of the rebels were killed. Castro and the other leaders survived, however, and made it to the mountains in southern Cuba. They remained there for a while, attacking government forces and installations and organizing resistance cells in cities across Cuba. The movement slowly but surely gained in strength, especially as the dictatorship cracked down further on the populace. Castros Revolution Succeeds In May of 1958, Batista launched a massive campaign aimed at ending the rebellion once and for all. It backfired, however, as Castro and his forces scored a number of unlikely victories over Batista’s forces, which led to mass desertions in the army. By the end of 1958, the rebels were able to go on the offensive, and columns led by Castro, Cienfuegos and Guevara captured major towns. On January 1, 1959, Batista spooked and fled the country. On January 8, 1959, Castro and his men marched into Havana in triumph. Cubas Communist Regime Castro soon implemented a Soviet-style communist regime in Cuba, much to the dismay of the United States. This led to decades of conflict between Cuba and the USA, including such incidents as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Mariel boatlift. Castro survived countless assassination attempts, some of them crude, some quite clever. Cuba was placed under an economic embargo, which had serious effects on the Cuban economy. In February of 2008 Castro resigned from duties as President, although he remained active in the communist party. He died on November 25, 2016, at the age of 90. Legacy Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution have had a profound effect on worldwide politics since 1959. His revolution inspired many attempts at imitation and revolutions broke out in nations such as Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bolivia and more. In southern South America, a whole crop of insurgencies sprang up in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Tupamaros in Uruguay, the MIR in Chile and the Montoneros in Argentina, just to name a few. Operation Condor, a collaboration of military governments in South America, was organized to destroy these groups, all of which hoped to incite the next Cuban-style Revolution in their home nations. Cuba aided many of these insurgent groups with weapons and training. While some were inspired by Castro and his revolution, others were aghast. Many politicians in the United States saw the Cuban Revolution as a dangerous â€Å"toehold† for communism in the Americas, and billions of dollars were spent propping up right-wing governments in places like Chile and Guatemala. Dictators such as Chile’s Augusto Pinochet were gross violators of human rights in their countries, but they were effective in keeping Cuban-style revolutions from taking over. Many Cubans, particularly those in the middle and upper classes, fled Cuba shortly after the revolution. These Cuban emigrants generally despise Castro and his revolution. Many fled because they feared the crackdown that followed Castro’s conversion of the Cuban state and economy to communism. As part of the transition to communism, many private companies and lands were confiscated by the government. Over the years, Castro maintained his grip on Cuban politics. He never gave up on communism even after the fall of the Soviet Union, which supported Cuba with money and food for decades. Cuba is a genuine communist state where the people share labor and rewards, but it has come at the cost of privation, corruption, and repression. Many Cubans fled the nation, many taking to the sea in leaky rafts hoping to make it to Florida. Castro once uttered the famous phrase: â€Å"History will absolve me.† The jury is still out on Fidel Castro, and history may absolve him and may curse him. Either way, what is certain is that history will not forget him anytime soon. Sources: Castaà ±eda, Jorge C. Compaà ±ero: the Life and Death of Che Guevara.  New York: Vintage Books, 1997. Coltman, Leycester. The Real Fidel Castro. New Haven and London: the Yale University Press, 2003.

American Airlines Bankruptcy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Airlines Bankruptcy - Essay Example The airline company which was known to be the worlds largest carrier five years ago was forced into bankruptcy on account of various reasons including mergers and acquisitions which significantly affected its business in terms of reduction in number of customers. The company’s position declined steadily from number one to number 3, over the years behind United Continental and Delta Airlines. Source: CBS News (2011a) Furthermore the profits of the company were steadily declining since a long time now. It reported profits in only one quarter during the entire year in 2007 and recorded losses amounting to approximately $4.8 billion over a period of 3-3.5 years. Various airline analysts and experts estimated these losses to either shoot up or continue throughout 2012 (CNN Money, 2011). The American Airlines have filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization for Industry Competitiveness, bankruptcy protection. This type of bankruptcy is usually used by companies which are struggling financially and have large public debts, in order to reorganize their business. Unlike the other types of bankruptcies the Chapter 11 Reorganization bankruptcy allows the company to seek help in reorganizing its business, by restructuring its debts; prevents the creditors from suing or selling off the debtors assets to pay off the debts; and have the opportunity to resume business and emerge from bankruptcy. (Elias, 2011). The board of Directors at AMR decided to file for bankruptcy under this category considering the best interests of its stakeholders and at the same time gain time to restructure its debts, costs and obligations (American Airlines, 2011). The American Airlines will continue to operate according to its normal flight schedules and no changes will be made in the customer reservations. The operations will resume as usual. The company is likely to honor tickets and