Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The international space station Essay Example for Free
The international space station Essay Space explorations by the United States, and perhaps, by any other nation, are fueled by the desire for human exploration and scientific discovery (Griffin, 2007). The ultimate end could be the possibility of establishing a habitat in space. As ambitious that vision may be, the construction of an International Space Station is considered as a step towards that direction (Griffin, 2007). The international Space Station is a construction in space where astronauts and other experts could study the possibility of living and working in space. The building of the space station is seen by NASA as one of the steps towards making the United States a â€Å"spacefaring nation†(Griffin, 2007). Picture 4. The International Space Station (ISS), is considered as the â€Å"the most complex construction feat ever undertaken. †Photo retrieved from www. nasa. gov/ Current NASA Projects In accordance with Bush’s vision for space exploration, NASA is currently studying and developing lunar habitats that could be used in building an outpost on the Moon’s surface. This outpost is intended to serve as a base camp that could accommodate researchers and experts when necessary, but is stable enough to be left without supervision (NASA, 2007). NASA intends to use the outpost in its study of the moons natural resources. This study is a necessary step in the preparations for America’s ultimate goal of journeying to Mars (NASA, 2007). Below is a photo of a test structure of a lunar habitat, which is yet to be tested by NASA on the ground. Picture 5. Test structure of a lunar habitat. Photo retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/inflatable-lunar-hab. html Bush’s Space Mission Bush’s vision may be ambitious, as it pushes the American scientific community to the limits of its capability. It is also ambitious because it is very costly, not only in money, but also in other resources, such as manpower. Thus, debates on the topic usually revolve around the propriety of allotting portions of taxpayers’ money on space explorations when they could be used in funding other, more pressing, national concerns. Nevertheless, the utility of space explorations and studies being conducted for such purpose cannot be denied. Even in the present time, when space explorations can still be considered conservative, practical and invaluable uses of space technology have been discovered, such as â€Å"image processing used in medical scanners, foetal heart monitors and insulin pumps†(BBC News). Future discoveries of other uses of space explorations are anybody’s guess. The important thing to realize in this matter is that discovery of new and yet unexplored terrain, such as space, the Moon, and Mars should not be seen as a wasteful and futile occupation. Where the means allow such studies and explorations, such activities shall be pursued because precious finds may be waiting as a result. These ventures, however, must be kept in check such that important services such as welfare, health, and education of the populace would not be sacrificed because the latter are more pressing issues that need to be addressed. References 1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon. BBC News. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://news. bbc. co. uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/21/newsid_2635000/2635845. stm Boeing. What is the Space Shuttle? Retrieved March 6, 2007, from www.boeing. com/hsfe_shuttle/what_is. html Bush unveils Moon and Mars plans. BBC News. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3395165. stm Camping on the Moon Will Be One Far Out Experience. (2007). Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. nasa. gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/inflatable-lunar-hab. html Griffin, M. (2007). Why Explore Space? National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. nasa. gov/ Hunt, K. (2007). Budget crunch will delay NASAs first manned moon flight. USA Today. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2007- 03-01-moon-delay_N. htm Lane, E. (2004). Bush: Moon Return by 2015, Space shuttle to be retired. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. newsday. com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-bush-space- 0114,0,4190003. story? coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines The History of Moon Exploration. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. telescope. org/nuffield/pas/moon/moon7. html The Washington Post Writers Group. (2007). Going Back to Moon will be Uplifting Endeavor. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. kansascity. com/mld/kansascity/news/opinion/16828980. htmÃ'Ž
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
African American Women in Early Film Essay -- Hollywood Movies Film Bl
African American Women in Early Film      In early film many African American actresses portrayed roles as mammies, slaves, seductresses, and maids. These roles suppressed them not allowing them to show their true talents. Although they had to take on these degrading roles, they still performed with dignity, elegance, grace and style. They paved the way for many actresses to follow both blacks and whites. These women showed the film industry that they were more than slaves, mammies, and maids. These beautiful actresses showed the film industry that they are able to hold lead parts and even carry the whole cast if need be. Phenomenal actresses such as Hattie McDaniels, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Waters, Nina Mae McKinney, and Dorothy Dandridge, to name a few, are African-American stars who paved the way for so many African-American actresses today despite the hardships that they were faced with. These women displayed beauty, intellect and talent, which allowed the stars that followed that they do not have to just settle for stereoty pical roles. In early film there was much propaganda and even today, which lead to these demeaning roles that they had to betray, Professor Carol Penney of Yale-New Haven writes, â€Å"Film is one of the most influential means of communication and a powerful medium of propaganda. Race and representation is central to the study of the black film actor, since the major studios reflected and reinforced the racism of their times. The depiction of blacks in Hollywood movies reinforced many of the prejudices of the white majority rather than objective reality, limiting black actors to stereotypical roles†(1).      Hattie McDaniels, a trailblazer amongst African-American film, acquired many firsts for African-American actors. McDaniels was the first African-American to sing on the radio, first to receive an Oscar for best supporting actress in Gone with the Wind. She was also the first African-American to star in a sitcom in 1951 that featured an African-American actress in the title role (Pax 1). â€Å"McDaniels appeared in more than three hundred films during the twenties and thirties. Her career was built on the ‘Mammy’ image, a role she played with dignity†(Smith 7). She received much flack from the blacks because of the roles she played in film and on radio. Blacks felt that she was degrading the race but her reply was to these views were... ...reen and feel that they are beautiful too. Work Cited The African-American Almanac, 1997. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. â€Å"Ethel Waters.†Online. 10 March 2005. Available: www.http://www.redhot           jazz.com/waters.html. â€Å"Honoring Black History Month.†Pax Stars. Online. 10 March 2005.               Available: www.http://www.pax.tv/bios/one-bio.cfm/hattie-mcdaniel. â€Å"Nina Mae McKinney.†South Carolina African American History Online. Online.           11 March 2005. Available: www.http://www.scafam-hist.org/aahc/. â€Å"Pearl Bailey.†Black History: Virginia Profiles. Online. 13 March 2005. Available: www.http://www.gatewayva.com/pages/bhistory/1996/bailey.shtml. Penney, Carol. â€Å"Black Actors inamerican Cinema.†Yale-New Haven Teachers          Institute. Online. 12 March 2000. Available:                                   www.http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/cirriculm/units. â€Å"Pioneer black actress Dorothy Dandridge has a famous cast of modern-day               admirers.†Online. 12 March 2005. Available:                               www.http://ohio.com/bj/fun/tv/0299/002827htm.
Monday, January 13, 2020
Analysis of John Howard Griffin’s “Black Like Me†Essay
John Howard Griffin’s research should undeniably be considered sociological. He began with a theory, if he became black he could help understand the difficulties between races as both a white man and a black man in the south and with this knowledge develop a means to bridge the gap. With this information he developed a micro-theory, trying to explain a limited part of human behavior; why is there hate among blacks and whites? He collected his data in a process of explanatory research. He needed to test his theory in order to elaborate existing explanations. He gathered all his data and went through all research methods in the hopes of explaining his theory. He followed the research process; developed a question, took into account what would be needed to answer the question, decided how to get this and conducted it as ethical as a black-white southerner could. He used a meta-analysis in examining the information. Griffin improved the description of the relationship while developing explanations for the cause of such activity and aimed to advance research in this area by gathering new knowledge. Finally, when he gathered all his information he released it to the mass media. Although it takes the form of a journal it should still be considered sociological research. The diary method is, in fact, beneficial. Instead of conducting a cross sectional form of research in which information is gathered at one particular time, Griffin, using the diary, conducted a longitudinal study. With such a study change can be identified and a broader understanding will develop in the hopes of answering the research question. Of coarse when such a research method as a diary is used questions arise as to its validity and reliability. It can be assumed that the reliability of Griffin’s work is quite substantial. He had an insider perspective due to his covert observation and participant observation. His information was derived from a large population across more than one state, while still focusing on the southern parts of America. All the persons mentioned in the diary shared the same belief; whites were limiting the black potential. Then it must be asked whether the diary was biased or not. Since it was, in reality, a diary, the information published could be selective. This then questions the validity of the research. There is no doubt that Griffin had opinions on the topic before it was investigated. However, the research was also very generalizable. This should help to alleviate many of the doubts towards the ethics of the means of research. Since human behavior is very complex it is difficult to narrow down the independent variable. All doubts on validity aside, the research was conducted in a meth od of sociological nature. It was a combination of participant observation, covert observation and unstructured interviews. For example, Griffin had conversations at the YMCA with other black men, or on the bus between New Orleans and Mississippi. These weren’t done with an outlined set of questions; they were conducted by way of one oppressed African-American to another. In conducting his research in such an unobtrusive manner Griffin helped the media identify the setting, the human and social environment, their activities and behaviors, and non-verbal communication. In this method Griffin wasn’t looking to prove causality, rather looking to support his argument in hope for change. With all this taken into account it can be summarized that Griffin followed the research process and used sociological methods. Norms are generally defined as an aspect in society in which an expected behavior binds a certain group of people. However, norms can be applied to many different areas. It can mean placing a set standard for achievement on a certain communal grouping based on the accomplishments of the average person from that grouping. It can also mean a characteristic that is representative of a social group. Or norms can be considered a common practice, belief or custom . However when dealing with norms it must be understood that they apply differently depending on the context of the situation. Much like social norms vary from legal norms. Social norms were the predominant force Griffin encountered throughout his research. Although legal norms played a particular part, judgment was based on the structures of mutual belief, not necessarily judicial. For example, the â€Å"whites†of the southern United States were holding the assumption that the â€Å"blacks†were sexually demented and intellectually impaired (Griffin, 1962: p. 114). The southern white majority assumed that African-Americans were so open about their sex lives that they even performed activities in the streets and in front of children. They also believed that the blacks wanted white woman sexually and that due to their lack of education all they knew was their natural instinct to reproduce. They assumed this behavior to be applicable to all African-American men. As Griffin tries to explain, he can find no inferiority amongst the blacks; â€Å"These characteristics don’t spring from whiteness or blackness, but from a man’s conditioning†(Griffin, 1962: p. 92). Role taking is a critical part of fostering any sober understanding of a relevant society. It involves looking at things from a different viewpoint. This assists us in understanding how different groups perceive us. We have to know what we look like through others eyes. In order to achieve this we must first understand their mind frame. John Howard Griffin goes through great lengths to achieve this. He understands that it is practically impossible for him to fully comprehend what life is like for a black man, while being a white man in the southern United States. Thus he undergoes pigment therapy that redefines his life. Griffin darkens his skin in order to appear as though he were a black American, in the hopes to achieve an unbiased account of African-American life in the deep south. By infiltrating the seemingly distinct society and adapting to the practices of that society Griffin has undergone role taking. When in New Orleans, Griffin’s first area of research as a black s outherner, he quickly learns of the limitations enforced only by the fact that his skin color was different. By becoming the minority studied, Griffin was not only able to study, first hand, the accounts of racism, but he was also able to emotionally attach himself to the African-American society. Alienation is the separation between â€Å"parts or the whole of the personality and significant aspects of the world of experience.†This term can have many meanings depending on the situation and for whom it is intended. In terms of Griffin’s book, alienation was the physical segregation and the emotional feeling of inequality and unequal opportunities based on skin color. Alienation was evident throughout Griffin’s experiences. Separate waiting rooms at bus stations, separate washrooms and fountains, isolated living areas, the inability to purchase food and drinks at certain stores, the inability to rest in certain areas, unequal job and education abilities, all formed the feeling of alienation. (Griffin, 1962: p. 92) Griffin realized that this division, both physical and emotional would have to be overcome in order to attain a greater appreciation as a race. Griffin and many blacks alike thought education was the key to destroying the norm of alienation. â€Å"Equal job opportunities†¦ That’s the answer to much of the tragedy of our young people†(Griffin, 1962: p. 44). According to Griffin there were two problems that caused this alienation and lack of motivation to change, they were: the discrimination against the Negro and his discrimination against himself (Griffin, 1962: p. 45). According to Griffin then, it was not only the fault of the whites that the blacks were in the situation they were, it was partly the fault of the blacks as well. Stereotypes are formed when the characteristics of a certain group of people are based on the generalized characteristics of a few. They are most often used to simplify that which we have difficulty understanding, in order to make it more predictable. As W.I. Thomas taught, what we believe to be true will be true in its consequences. Throughout history racial stereotypes have always existed. Perhaps, though, the most dominant stereotypes have been placed against African-Americans. They have been thought of as uneducated, immature, unmotivated, criminal, violent and sexual predators. However, as Griffin points out, the sins the whites commit are the same as the blacks. Except for the fact that blacks are deprived of the â€Å"pleasures of the spirits†. They feel like a lesser person so in order to acquire that feeling of accomplishment and manhood they engage in such activities (Griffin, 1962. p. 91-93). After all, it is the white man who, all through the book, is intrigued by the sexual natures of the black race. It is the whites who hire black prostitutes and it is the whites who violently punish the blacks. Not only are the stereotypes revealed, they are identified as completely illegitimate. In one instance on a bus in New Orleans Griffin attempted to offer an elderly lady a seat by indicating with his eyes that there was an empty one beside him. He thought she would be sympathetic, however she disrespectfully replied, â€Å"What’re you looking at me like that for?†Implying that there were sexual desires instead of kindness behind his offering (Griffin, 1962: p 25). Reductionism in sociological research places limits on what can be considered as causes when attempting to explain a range of human behavior. Griffin may have been affected by reductionism due to the fact that he was writing a sociological paper. As a result he may have focused on such limited topics as norms, stereotypes and alienation. An economist, however, may have looked at the economic prosperity in the south compared to other parts to explain the racial tensions. Perhaps even the government would be to blame for enforcing racism through propaganda and unequal laws. A biological reductionism would be trying to reduce the problem down to the genes of the human being or as a revolutionary process. In order to achieve a full understanding of the situation, all accounts should be measured, not only those which apply to a specific field. Therefore, the validity and reliability of the research can be questioned. For example, in Griffin’s book, he focuses only on the stereotypes of society, not where they come from. He doesn’t attempt to answer why whites feel hatred towards the blacks, only that it exists. Perhaps the underlying problem is purely situational. The south is known for its farms and small communities, but does this problem exist in the larger cities throughout North America? And if it doesn’t, why not? If it doesn’t exist than it is strictly environmental. Griffin mentions that there are those people who are not actually racist, but they fear showing any sympathy towards another race. What causes this fear? There must be some form of pressure from somewhere that causes this racism. All these questions must be answered in order to truly define the problems between African-Americans and Caucasians. Griffin did a fine job in writing the introduction to racism, however he left the body blank.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Effects Of Alcohol On New Zealand Essay - 1054 Words
ALCOTROL ORGANISATION Introduction Alcohol is one of the most abused substance in New Zealand. According to NZ Drug Foundation (2014), 1/3 of the families in New Zealand have a member that is alcoholic. These are alarming because alcohol problems are somewhat unrecognizable. Thus leading to abuse and dependency in time. Alcohol leads no good to one’s body. According to WHO (2007), alcohol is one major factor that causes more than 200 diseases and injuries. Also, it could lead to developing further into health problems such as behavioural and mental disorders and also it could lead to cancer and liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular diseases. One of the factors that lead to violence and accidents. Alcotrol Organisation was established due to consistent crimes related to alcohol intoxication. One-third of recorded of police crimes in the year 2008-2009 was committed by an individual who is intoxicated, cited by the Auckland Public Health Service (2010). The organisation aims to reduce and stop crimes related to alcohol intoxication. The Organisation vision is to make the country a pleasant place to live. The Alcotrol made a list of their objective strategic plans in order to guide them to reach or achieve their mission and vision. These objectives were studied well for further implementation with the help of the government and other businesses and businesses. Awareness is one of their objectives that schools should include in their studies the effects and the disadvantagesShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Alcohol On New Zealand1469 Words  | 6 PagesEASE UP ON THE DRINK. Alcohol is the most commonly used recreational drug in Aotearoa New Zealand. While females traditionally consume less alcohol than males, there are a number of reasons for looking more closely at women and their consumption and related harm. 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