Effects of the French and Indian War

Effects of the French and Indian War Why do I think the French and Indian war created America? Much of historians work on the creation of America has focused primarily upon the War of Independence and its great influence in shaping the institutions of the American state. This scholarly focus upon the War of Independence as the cradle of America has meant that the French and Indian war has rather less significance in the popular imagination than it merits. It is the aim of this essay to demonstrate that the French and Indian war was not just a mere precursor to the much more widely recognized American War of Independence but rather a seminal event in its own right that had a profound effect on the course of American history. The French and Indian war sowed the seeds for the creation of America as we know it today. The noted historian Fred Anderson believes that the importance and influence of the French and Indian war was such that he terms it â€Å"the war that made America.†[1] The argument that the French and Indian war created America shall be made with the expositio n of the following points: Firstly, the war changed the colonials’ view of their own standing within the Empire. They believed that they had proved themselves as equals but their status had not undergone a similar conversion in the eyes of the Whitehall. Secondly, the removal of the French threat from North America led some to question why they needed to continue in their relationship with the British. Thirdly, the French and Indian war led to the Royal Proclamation of 1763 which denied the expression of the colonies’ determination for further westward expansion. Finally, the cost of the French and Indian war, and the wider Seven Years War  led to increased taxes being imposed upon the colonies, taxes that were increasingly seen as an unjust imposition. All of these factors outlined converged to produce the thirst for independence from the British Crown and led ultimately to the creation of America. The French and Indian war initiated a cultural shift which led the colonials to conceive of themselves as equal partners in the [British] empire†[2], an idea that put them at odds with their British overlords and ultimately led to conflict with the British Empire and the eventual creation of a independent America. The colonists assumed that their efforts in the war had proved their status as equal members of the Empire. They were, in their own opinion now ‘partners in Empire.’ There was a sense of pride in belonging to the Empire. Benjamin Franklin celebrated â€Å"not merely as I am a colonist, but as I am a Briton.†[3] In a mood of rejoicing, New York erected statues of King George III and William Pitt. However, the British did not agree that the colonists had earned their newfound status as partners in Empire. The views of the British had not altered, the belief in the Empire’s hierarchy and the primacy of the Crown remained. These competing vision s of empire[4] were irreconcilable and meant yet further division between the two sides. The Treaty of Paris (1763) saw France lose all of its North American territory east of the Mississippi save for the two small islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. This routing of the French led the colonies to question quite why they should remain tied to the British. There was now no common enemy to unite them. In 1773 the royal governor of Massachusetts stated that had Canada â€Å"remained to the French none of the spirit of opposition to the Mother Country would yet have appeared.†[5] The removal of the French threat that resulted from the conflict fostered an atmosphere in which the colonials began to give birth to their own ideas of democracy and self-rule thus providing them with the intellectual and philosophical ammunition with which to attack British imperialism The British were concerned that the colonies western frontiers should not expand any further, lest it aggravate the Indian tribes and thus provoke a further spate of conflicts. Furthermore, Britain’s new North American Empire, minus the French, was vast and any efforts to enlarge it yet further risked rendering it ungovernable. As a result the Royal Proclamation of 1763 prohibited further westward expansion beyond the Appalachian Mountains. The ejection of the French from North America meant that the colonists’ desire for further westward expansion grew stronger at the very time when such expansion was denied by the Crown. In the eyes of the colonials the war had opened up the vast North American continent for further expansion and settlement. A 1763 famer’s almanac summed up the prevailing mood; â€Å"But now behold! The farmer may have land for nothing†¦Land enough for himself and all his sons, be they ever so many.†[6] Something had to give and the issue of pushing back the frontiers soon brought the colonies into conflict with the Empire and added to the clamor for independence. Ironically the imperials expansionist ambitions of the settlers brought helped turn them against the impositions of the British Empire. The huge cost of the French and Indian conflict, and the wider Seven Years War meant that British debt spiraled as a result. To help ease this financial burden a greater taxation was imposed upon the colonies. This fiscal burden, along with the philosophical objections no taxation without representation went the famous cry – made the colonies further question the wisdom of British rule. Protecting the continent had cost the British dearly and relative to British taxpayers the colonists paid less in taxes even though they were more prosperous. A prewar British debt of  £73 million had grown to  £137 million postwar[7] and the burden of administering North America was now more costly because the Empire had expanded so greatly. The colonists objected to paying what they saw as arbitrary taxes to a distant parliament where no colonist sat. Furthermore, the new taxes came at a time when the colonial economy was suffering a downturn, making them even more resented. The rebellio n over taxes, the Stamp Act in particular, also had the effect of confirming British suspicions that the colonists longed for independence and helped set the colonist on a collision course with the Mother country. In conclusion, this paper has demonstrated that the French and Indian war was a crucial contributing factor in the creation of an independent America. Whilst the American War of Independence may get much of the glory, the events of 1754–1763 clearly sowed the seeds for the colonies’ break away from the British Empire. It did so due to four key reasons. Firstly the war encouraged the colonials to view themselves as equals yet their status had has not undergone a similar conversion in the eyes of the Mother country, leading to discontent in North America. Secondly, the removal of the French threat also meant the removal of the common enemy that united the colonies and Britain, thus leading the colonists to question their ties to the Crown. Thirdly, the French and Indian war, due to the vast expansion of the North American empire, resulted in Royal Proclamation of 1763 which denied any further westward expansion, the very expansion that the settlers desired. Finally, the c ost of the French and Indian war, and the wider Seven Years War led to increased taxes being imposed upon the colonies who resented paying what they felt were arbitrary taxes to a distant parliament, especially in a time in which they were experiencing an economic downturn. All of these factors combined to stoke the fires of independence and rebellion in North America leading to the creation of an American nation free from imperialism. As Anderson argues, without the French and Indian war â€Å"American independence would surely have been long delayed†[8] Bibliography Anderson, Fred, Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766 (London: Faber Faber, 2000) -, The War That Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War (New York: Penguin, 2006) Fowler, William M, Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754-1763 (New York: Walker, 2005) Jennings, Francis, Empire of Fortune: Crowns, Colonies and Tribes in the Seven Years War in America (New York: Norton, 1988) McLynn, Frank, 1759: The Year Britain Became Master of The World (London: Jonathan Cape, 2004) Taylor, Alan, American Colonies: The Settling of North America (London: Penguin, 2001) Footnotes [1] Anderson, Fred, The War That Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War (New York: Penguin, 2006) [2] Anderson, Fred, Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766 (London: Faber Faber, 2000) [3] Taylor, Alan, American Colonies: The Settling of North America (London: Penguin, 2001), 437 [4] Anderson, The War That Made America , 746 [5] Taylor (op cit) 438 [6] Ibid. 437 [7] Ibid. 439 [8] Anderson, Crucible of Wa,r xi

The Hippie Movement, a Counterculture

The Hippie Movement, a Counterculture Carlee Campuzano A counterculture, as described by sociologists across the world, consists of a group that does not follow and/or rejects the simplest norms, values, and practices of the larger society and replaces them with their own. Countercultures can be controversial or just plain weird to members of society, but they have individual purposes that gave them significance at that time and even today. In the 1960s, the prominent Hippie Movement arose and sparked interest all over the United States through their rejection of cultural norms and values concerning dress, hairstyle, work, and raising children (Thomas). Make love not war, the hippies emphasized. This saying along with others summarizes the beliefs and motives of the Hippie Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Influencing law, politics, and everyday life, hippies did not care what others thought of them in the slightest (The Hippie Movement). They lived happily while supporting political causes that they found best for the happiness and health of the people of our nation. Outside of political thinking, hippies had views of sex, drugs, and rock n roll that countered the popular cultural influences during the 60s. No hippie was the same as another, and their individualism contributed to the way they felt vibes or energies, and focused on liberty and self-expression (Issitt). Flowers, peace signs, bright colors, tie-dye, ripped jeans, and long hair and facial hair for men became the perceptible fashion for hippies as they wandered outside of the social norm (The Hippie Movement). Culture began to change in America during the post-World War II era, and once the Vietnam War began, hippies spoke out and became famous through their peaceful protests to bring the troops home. Historians pinpoint their locations of origin as mainly the Haight-Ashbury part of San Francisco, California, and the East Village of New York City (The Hippie Movement). Eventually the hippies gathered in small villages or areas of their own, and in 1965, the first hippie commune was established in the outskirts of Trinidad, Colorado entitled Drop City (Issitt). Among the first hippies, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters in California and Oregon contributed to the counterculture, taking long road trips in colorful school buses, growing their hair long, wearing bizarre fashions, and taking the drug LSD, which was legal at this time (Cogswell). Smoking marijuana was also an important part of hippie culture, for they sought a life free of stress. Because of the youthful age of the hippies durin g their derivation, parents feared that their children would want to drop out of school and join the movement, desiring to take their own path of self-discovery (The Hippie Movement). The hippies reached their peak in historical significance during the summer of 1967, which history refers to as the Summer of Love. During this summer in San Francisco and numerous other cities across America, Canada, and Europe, hundreds of thousands of hippies gathered to express their value of free love. Here, their well-known nickname of the flower children surfaced. In 1969, the Woodstock Festival in New York marked another milestone for hippies, where they embraced music and peace. Jimi Hendrixs distinguished performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at this festival signified the political aspirations of the Hippie Movement: to reconsider general society and its impact on the people (Cogswell). Coverage of these events by the press led to a growth in the movement, but not for long. After the exultant time for hippies of the 60s, and after the Vietnam War concluded, their counterculture slowly declined due to crime, drug addiction, and maturing (Perera). The Hippie Movements ideo logy did not completely diminish because of the middle school and high school students during the 60s, who in the 70s and later decades continued aspects of hippie culture (Issitt). Elements of the Hippie Movement do still appear today in the 2000s, however, they are just not as controversial or odd as they were during their time of emergence. Developing a sociological perspective allows one to view the behavior of groups in a systematic way, and a sociological imagination gives one the ability to see the connection between the larger world and personal lives (Thomas). The hippie counterculture caught the eye of people all over the country as their cause spread, and soon enough philosophers, writers, musicians, activists, politicians, and the nations youth gathered inspiration from them. Hippies nearly invented the political stance of liberal, socially supporting a sexual revolution and feminism. During the decades of the counterculture, immense social conflict occurred within the United States; although political activism was not the main focus of the hippies, they brought attention to the wrongs of some conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, the civil rights struggle, the Cold War, and the nuclear disarmament movement. They also stood against government laws that banned recreational drugs. The peace symbol, which many Ameri cans know and love today, made its first appearance during the hippie era to symbolize nonviolence. Overall, the Hippie Movement impacted the entire world in the way that it strived for things uncommon in the American culture at the time, causing America to increase its introduction of international culture (Issitt). Ethnocentrism, or the tendency to view ones own culture as superior to all other cultures, definitely surfaced during the decades of the Hippie Movement (Thomas). Americans, especially those who were most patriotic, looked at hippies as inferior, weirdos, and a definite counterculture. Hippies celebrated any activity that brings pleasure, such as drugs, music, and sex, and the larger society viewed this aspect of their movement as provocative. The liberal hippies were living inside of a larger culture that they felt was dominated by conservative values and materialism. During the 60s, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement angered some members of society, and the way in which hippies supported individual rights and freedoms arose similar feelings. Focusing on a pleasant society and cooperation as the peaceful pursuit of ones happiness, hippies were viewed as chaotic. The group is specifically depicted as a counterculture because of their emphasis on changes in major cu ltural stereotypes. Sex, for example, was looked at as a form of self-expression, passion, and love rather than something that should remain within marriages, a norm of this time period. Additionally, few Americans had concern for the environment in the early 60s, so the hippies environmentalism shed new light on a rising movement (Issitt). The hippies did not possess ethnocentrism as Americans did, for they viewed everyone as equal. Cultural relativism defines as the belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards (Thomas). Average Americans completely judged and criticized the hippies, looking at their movement as indiscriminate, unhygienic, and irresponsible. In a society where equality for women was not generally accepted, the hippie women leaving their homes to join the movement brought them the risk of severe judgement of others. Americans must have understood that the hippies acted the way that they did for a reason; they desired to express themselves and to rid their lives of negative energy. Sociologists refer to the behavior of the hippies as deviant behavior, which means they surely act opposite of the norm (Issitt). They did so because of their desire to alternate the demanding, negative aspects of American society. The Hippie Movement, although controversial at that time, appeals to me in the way that hippies supported peace and individualism, as do I. Apart from the drugs and crime, I admire the outlook on life in which the hippies braced; they sought stress-free lives where negativity is marginalized. They mainly focused on love, and I believe everyone should incorporate aspects of hippie ideology into their lives. They envisioned a world of cooperation and sharing where everyone spreads love to one another, and their pure love for the world inspires me to do the same. Their spirituality was the opposite of self-centered, which a majority of Americans had at the time and still do. Hippies were the ultimate model for the term counterculture, as a majority of sociologists would agree, and their movement overall served significantly to the world and sociology all together. References Cogswell, Ned. The History of the Hippie Cultural Movement. 16 November 2016. Culture Trip. Web. 7 March 2017. Issitt, Micah L. Hippies: A Guide to and American Subculture. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Press, 2009. Text. Perera, Thivanka . Why the Hippie Movement Declined . 29 September 2016. Culture Trip. Web. 7 March 2017. The Hippie Movement. n.d. Web. 2 March 2017. Thomas, W. LaVerne. Sociology. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston , 2003. Text.

Going to College while in the Military Essay examples -- Education Car

A college education is an essential step towards a successful military career. To some enlisted members, continuing or starting a college education may seem difficult to do. My decision to continue a college education was easy. Being stationed at an Air Base for a year has given me an opportunity to do so without being sidetracked by some of life’s daily responsibilities. Since it is an unaccompanied tour and I have no choice but to live in dorms, going to college is much easier then back in the states. Being stationed here has given me great opportunity to dedicate all my free time towards a college degree. After going to the Education Center I was very pleased. Right now the Air Force will pay one hundred percent of my college tuition fees. So the first thing I did was set a goal. I planned to start small; first working towards my Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) degree. The CCAF is the only degree-granting institution of higher learning in the world dedicated exclu sively to enlisted people (The Insider: Air Force Education Programs, par. 4). A CCAF degree, which is equal to an associate degree, helps in numerous ways. Many Air Force special duty assignments require enlisted members to have a CCAF degree. For example, to become a Military Training Instructor or T.I., the member applying is required to have a CCAF degree. The path towards a college degree may be challenging; however, the rewards seem to be endless. Some of my co-workers apparently do not have time to take advantage of a free college education. Working as aircraft maintainers cuts into their free time. It can be tough not knowing if tomorrow will be a twelve or fourteen hour shift. Of course who would want to sign up for classes if one cannot attend th... ...have to take away from all of one’s free time. Taking at least one class per term can allow plenty of time to enjoy off duty hours. Online courses allow for military members to deploy without worrying about missing classes and all of the important material covered. CLEP and DANTES tests require little or no studying and save time and money while still helping to earn college credits. -With education being a major contributor to successful military careers, it takes a commitment to self-improvement and a great deal of motivation to continue or start a college education. After knowing all available options and benefits, making a decision should be simple. Besides obvious career benefits, a college education broadens horizons and allows Airmen to change their outlook on the world. Works Cited The Insider: Air Force Education Programs. 24 Jul. 2003. 13 Mar 2005.

Meat Consumption

23 May 2011 One Bite At a Time Most Americans are aware of global warming, cancer, heart disease and the fact that the earth’s supply of good water is diminishing. In an effort to conserve our planet people drive hybrid cars, recycle, and use low energy light bulbs and appliances, which is great. However, most Americans are unaware and uninformed about how meat effects global warming, our health, and how much of our planet’s water and resources meat production consumes.Meat contributes to global warming, increases risk for cancer, causes heart disease and uses a tremendous amount of resources to produce, therefore people need to be informed about what they are eating through food labeling and Surgeon General warnings, as well as cutting back to appropriate portion sizes. Farming used to do good things for our planet, where as now its causing harm due to mass production and factory farms. â€Å"Traditionally, farm animals played a useful role . . . they ate grass, crop wastes, and kitchen scraps that people could not eat and turned them into good that people could eat.Their manure provided the soil with needed nutrients . . . the animals pulled plows and provided services that enhanced human life†(Robbins 233). Things have changed drastically since the days of simple farming. Today, â€Å"With the expansion and mechanization of animal farming . . . there are now 20 billion livestock on Earth- more than triple the number of human beings†(Robbins 234). The problem with having so many livestock on earth is that the manure that used to provide soil with nutrients now releases nitrous oxide, which contributes to global warming. According to the U.N Food and Agriculture Organization â€Å" Worldwide livestock farming generates 18% of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions . . . all the world’s cars, trains, planes and boats account for a combined 13%†. However it’s more than just the manure contributing to global warming. FAO estimates that 70% of former forest covers were cut down to make room for grazing. This is a problem because â€Å"Lost forest cover heats the planet, because trees absorb CO2 while they’re alive . . . when they’re cut down or burned, the greenhouse gases are released back into the atmosphere†(Walsh).Cutting back on meat, or eliminating it all together would be a great way to help preserve our planet and much cheaper than a hybrid car. If meat production continues to grow, not only will it keep contributing to global warming, it will continue using the earth’s precious resources. The amount of food and water needed for farming is obscene. Water is something that we take for granted. There is no replacement for water, so when there is a 3 to 1 ratio from livestock to humans, why are we wasting so much of our earth’s precious water on livestock? Forty-two percent of the fresh water available to us in the United States is used for agricul ture† (Silverstone 25). Granted it’s not all devoted to animals, and the amount of water needed to produce meat varies in different parts of the country.In California, according to the Water Education Foundation, to produce one pound of California beef the amount of water required is 2,464 gallons; comparatively a pound of tomatoes only requires 23 gallons of water (Robbins 236-237). Think of how much water California would save if everyone cut back on meat. Then there is the other problem, how much food we use to feed the livestock. Sixty million acres of the United States are devoted to growing hay primarily for livestock, while we only use 13 million acres to grow fruits and vegetables†(Silverstone 25). If there were less of a demand for livestock, that would enable us to use the land devoted to growing hay for growing vegetables, fruit and other plant based foods while using considerably less water. Not only is meat taking a toll on the environment, it’ s taking a toll on the heath of America. Eating meat, especially the portions Americans eat, cause Heart Disease and increase a person’s risk for Cancer.The facts that there are triple the amount of livestock on earth means only one thing, that humans eat entirely too much meat. In fact, â€Å"The average person in the industrialized world eats more than 176lb of meat annually†(Walsh). People would argue that we need meat to survive, but in fact meat causes more harm than it does good because of saturated fats and cholesterol. â€Å"Cholesterol is found only in animal foods and is particularly concentrated in organ meats and eggs†(Davis and Vesanto 27), therefore, it would be hard to argue that cutting back or eliminating meat would be a bad thing.Another major problem is that meat contains a ton of saturated fats, which raise a person’s blood cholesterol and causes plague to clog arteries, clogged arteries lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks (S ilverstone). â€Å"More than anything else, blood cholesterol determines your likelihood of having a heart attack†(Marcus 10). There have also been many studies that link meat consumption to cancer. â€Å"Researchers at the University of California at San Diego have isolated a sugar molecule that shows up in many cancerous human tumors . . Not only does Neu5Gc seem to build tumors, our human bodies produce antibodies against Neu5Gc, which causes inflammation, helping the tumors to grow even more†(Silverstone 17). The connection between eating meat and cancer from the research done at UC San Diego is that the sugar molecule Neu5Gc comes from red meat and is not produced in the human body (Silverstone). In America people have a hard time recognizing that what they eat contributes to disease, they would rather put blame on smoking and drinking when it comes to cancer.However, â€Å"The American Cancer Society estimates that 75 percent of all cancers are the product of ou r environment and lifestyle . . . 30 to 40 percent of all cancers are caused by diet†(Davis and Melina 32). The consumption of meat has also been liked to Osteoporosis; â€Å"When you eat meat, your blood becomes acidic . . . In order to balance all the acidity, your bones come to the rescue by releasing some of their minerals†(Silverstone 17). â€Å"Diets†, in America revolve heavily around meat and dairy products; no wonder cancer is the second leading cause of death.These are significant problems because Heart Disease and Cancer are the number one and two killers in America. â€Å"Almost one of every two Americans will die from Heart Disease . . . 40 million diagnosed with heart disease, and 1. 5 million a year having heart attacks†(Marcus 8). There is no denying that disease is developing at a rapid pace. Everyone knows someone who had or has cancer or heart disease. They are awful diseases, and â€Å"a high-fat, animal based diet is the single most s ignificant cause of death from heart disease†(Marcus 3).If people cut back or eliminated animal products from their diets, not only would they be eating less of the foods that cause their bodies harm, they would be eating more nutrient rich foods (fruits and vegetables) that help fight off and prevent disease. â€Å"Doctors like Dean Ornish and John MacDougall have discovered that plant-based diets have the power to reverse heart disease, diabetes, even cancer†(Silverstone 7). One might argue that eating vegan or vegetarian is expensive; but would you rather pay a little bit more at the grocery store now, or pay for an xpensive heart surgery or chemotherapy because of what that inexpensive meat did to your body? There are some things already being done in an effort to get Americans to cut back on meat, but they aren’t enough. Yes, there are more vegetarian options at grocery stores now; you no longer have to go to a specialty market to get vegetarian options. In major chain grocery stores like Ralph’s and VONS, they carry vegetarian brands of non-meat items like Boca and Garden burger; you can buy tofu, tofurkey, non-dairy cheese, yogurt and milk.The only problem is that its not always easy to find, they usually have a separate â€Å"heath food isle† where they keep all the non-animal products. Then there is the John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. They have started a global movement to get people to cut back on meat by reinventing a campaign called Meatless Mondays that was based on a campaign used during WW1 to conserve food for soldiers. In 2003, they recreated Meatless Mondays as public heath awareness program to help Americans reduce their risk for preventable disease by cutting back on meat. It was originally endorsed by over 20 schools of public health and is now global.Countries, hospitals, restaurants and Universities around the world are joining the movement for Meatless Mondays; it could always ge t bigger though. If there was backing from our government like there was during WW1 just think of how much larger this campaign could get. During that time, â€Å"The effect was overwhelming . . . In November 1917, New York City hotels saved some 116 tons of meat over the course of one week†(Meatless Mondays). If the U. S food administration made the same effort today, the United States could be one step closer to a healthier population. There needs to be a Surgeon General’s warning on meat products.The duties of the Surgeon General are to â€Å"Protect and advance the health of the nation through educating the pubic, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities, and, providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to protecting and improving the public’s health†(Surgeon General). If the Surgeon General serves as â€Å"America’s doctor†, and is concerned advocating for disease preventio n, they should take a serious look at promoting a low fat plant-based diet. According to â€Å" Dr. William Castelli, director of the Farmington Heart Study . . a low-fat plant-based diet would decrease an individual’s risk of heart attack by 85 percent†(Silverstone 16). The government, starting with the Surgeon General, also needs to do their job in educating the general public on what meat does to their bodies. Everyone is familiar with the Surgeon General’s warning on cigarettes, that smoking causes cancer and increases you risk for heart disease; if eating meat causes heart disease and increases risk for cancer and other diseases like osteoporosis it is important people know what they are putting in their bodies just like cigarettes.Food labeling needs to be the same for meat as it is for every other food product. Almost everything you buy these days has a nutrition label except for fresh meat and poultry. At the end of 2009 the Department of Agriculture pro posed a solution that forced grocery stores and supermarkets to provide nutrition facts. However, the solution doesn’t work because the grocery stores and supermarkets don’t have to put it directly on the package; they can put the nutrition facts on a poster, pamphlet, or anywhere in the store that is available to customers if they request (Hurley and Liebman).If they were forced to add the nutrition facts directly to the package on fresh meats just like every other food product out there, it would at least inform people on what they are putting into their bodies and reduce the amount of meat purchased, and therefore reducing the amount of meat produced. Restaurants need to decrease portion sizes and offer non-meat items. â€Å"The U. S department of Agriculture says that a typical serving of steaks, roasts, chops and poultry parts is just 3 ounces†(Hurley and Liebman).Most restaurants typically serve a six-ounce chicken breast, and the size of a steak ranges fr om 6 to 12 ounces. That is a huge problem right there, no wonder obesity is a problem in the United Stares. If restaurants were required to serve the appropriate serving size recommended by our government and health officials, there would be less people eating meat, which would once again lead to less meat being produced. Another problem with restaurants, especially chain restaurants are that they don’t always serve non-meat items. I have worked for T.G. I Friday’s for the past seven years, and they don’t even serve a veggie burger. Restaurants should be required to serve a vegetarian option. Most people love dining out and if they had non-meat options it would allow them make healthier decisions and help contribute to the reduction of the amount of meat produced. If Americans want to do their part in conserving our planet while reducing their risk for heart disease, cancer and other nasty diseases they need to consider how what they eat effects themselves and t he environment.The government needs to provide guidelines and Surgeon General warnings to help inform and guide our nation to eating less meat and living a healthier lifestyle. If we all do our part one bite at a time we will have a healthier nation, reduce the amount of harm farming is doing to our planet (because their would be less livestock on earth), as well as use less of our earth’s precious resources.Works Cited â€Å"A Campaign Becomes a Movement†. Meatless Mondays. n pg. n. d. Web. 11 May 2011. Davis, Brenda and Melina, Vesanto. The New Becoming Vegetarian. Summertown, Tennessee: Healthy Living Publications, 2003. Print. Hurley, Jayne and Liebman, Bonnie. â€Å"The Kindest Cut†. Nutrition Action Health Letter. 37. 8 (Oct 2010): pg. 13. Web. 11 May 2011. Marcus, Erik. Vegan The New Ethics of Eating. New York: Mcbooks Press, 2001. Print. Office of Surgeon General. â€Å"About the office of the Surgeon General†. Surgeon General. n. pg. n. d. Web. 9 May 2011. Robbins, John. The Food Revolution. San Francisco: Conari Press, 2001. Print. Silverstone, Alicia. The Kind Diet. New York: Rodale Inc, 2009. Print Walsh, Bryan. †Meat: Making Global Warming Worse†. Time. Sept. 2008:n. pg. Time. com. Web. 3 May 2011.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay

A critic has written that a family at the centre of the party â€Å"is clothed with the atmosphere of the south as with a garment. † How important is the setting of â€Å"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof† to the play’s dramatic impact? You may consider: – The bed sitting room of the stage set – The wider, geographical setting of the Mississippi Delta – The values of the play of the society revealed in the play In my opinion, the setting of the play is vital to the level of dramatic impact for a number of reasons. The main themes behind â€Å"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof† are represented and shown through the setting of the play. For example, the whole play is situated around the bedroom sitting area to put forward a key theme of the play: sexuality. If the setting wasn’t relevant to themes of the play, the audience would find it difficult to fully understand key elements of the play that Tennessee Williams was trying to put across. The bed sitting room in which the play is based around belongs to Brick and Maggie, two main characters. The irony of this being that bedrooms are assumed to be private and personal, yet it’s the most invaded room in the house. A prime example being when Big Mama, Brick’s mother enters the bedroom, commenting on how she â€Å"hates locked doors in a house†¦ † Maggie’s responds lightly by stating that â€Å"†¦ people have got to have some moments of privacy,† only to receive the invasive and ignorant reply â€Å"No, ma’am, not in my house. † Even as early as Act One, we witness the couple’s privacy being denied. The bed sitting room is also where many secrets of the family are eavesdropped on and later revealed. Again, as early as the start of Act One, Maggie reveals that â€Å"The walls in this place have ears,† clearly, it’s not only Big Mama being prying into the couple’s affairs. It’s also greatly ironic that the scorching heat outside is completely conflicting to the â€Å"heat† inside Maggie and Brick’s bedroom. It becomes increasingly apparent as the play develops that there are blatant problems facing the couple’s sexual relationship, again emphasising the recurring themes of sexuality, homosexuality and mendacity. The fact that the play is based around the bedroom of Brick and Maggie also helps the audience gain a better understanding of their characters, especially Brick’s. Not once throughout the entire script does Brick approach another character; it’s always the other characters that approach him. This shows the audience how reserved Brick is and how he likes to keep himself to himself, despite him being in such high demand with his fellow family members. These qualities of Brick are vital in the understanding of the play’s plot. The geographical setting of the play also greatly affects the dramatic impact. The play is set in the irritatingly hot Mississippi Delta, symbolising both the argumentative tension between characters such as Mae and Maggie and also the sexual tension between characters like Maggie and Brick. The plantation itself is relevant to meanings behind the play and its dramatic impact. Being built on very fertile land, the plantation shows the irony of Maggie’s great desire to become pregnant, contrasting with Mae who has six, irritating children. It also reinforces that the family are staying on Big Daddy’s property. Big Daddy has the power over both his wife and his sons, for it’s his decision as to who will inherit the land. â€Å"I’ll tell you what they’re up to, boy of mine! – They’re up to cutting you out of your father’s estate†¦ † The question of which son gains Big Daddy’s estate occurs regularly, causing conflict between the two couples. Whilst enhancing dramatic impact, it also represents the themes of mendacity and money. The history of the plantation itself relates strongly to the theme of homosexuality. Two homosexual men (Peter Ochello and Jack Straw) used to own and live on the plantation whilst Big Daddy worked there. With no family to pass the land onto, they handed it over to their loyal employee, Big Daddy. Knowing the history behind the place, the audience almost expects the theme of homosexuality to occur once again and indeed it does, this time with Brick and his friend Skipper. The South itself is also relevant to the play’s dramatic impact and putting it into context. With knowledge of the Civil War, slavery and enormous amounts of racism that took place in the South which was to some extent still very much present in the time the play was set, the audience is able to gain a better understanding of smaller characters and their relevance. Language is used for example that today would be considered racist such as when it says â€Å"A negro voice answers. † The black servants are mere voices in the play because of the script’s context. The South’s battle to cling onto slavery is reflected in the characters when some try desperately to cling onto their past. For example when Brick tells Big Daddy â€Å"†¦ Skipper and I went into pro-football after we left ‘Ole Miss’ because we were scared to grow up†¦ † The family values in which the play is set on is responsible for a lot of dramatic impact. Mae and Gooper’s lack of family values and determination to do whatever it takes to inherit Big Daddy’s plantation contrasts wonderfully with Big Mama’s determination for everybody to get along with one another, â€Å"We must all love each other†¦ † The great contrast allows the audience to delve, even further into the themes of money and family. It’s shown through the play’s entirety that money values only destroy families. The sexual values of the time were to have lots of babies as May and Maggie show us. May is constantly competing with Maggie, using the fact that she’s childless to win arguments, â€Å"Maggie , honey, if you had children of you own you’d know how funny that is†¦ † Maggie also feels the need to lie at the very end of the play by telling her family that she’s pregnant. The homosexual value of the play is quite relevant as Brick finds refuge in his bedroom and by drinking large amounts of alcohol to escape his homosexual feelings. Both women being expected to have lots of children and Brick having to turn to drink in an attempt to block out unwanted feelings are due to the time that the play was set and what was expected in society. The religious values of the play are to reflect Williams’ own feelings on the matter, creating great dramatic impact at the same time. Reverent Tucher, the family’s local reverent doesn’t even take religion seriously. He says â€Å"Did you all know that Halsey Bank’s widow put air-conditioning in the church†¦ † The reverend’s main worries are of money and his personal comfort in the church which contradicts everything Christianity stands for. Williams illustrates the characters of Brick and Big Daddy as being intelligent men, with lots of general knowledge and common sense. Therefore when he makes it apparent that neither of them believes in religion, he’s making a very controversial statement, especially among the outwardly religious society of 1950s Southern America. To conclude, the overall setting of the play has proven to affect the plot of the play, hidden symbolism, qualities of the characters and the key themes behind the play. Without specific references to the setting, the amount of dramatic impact would be absolutely minimal, probably resulting in the audience not fully understanding the points that Williams most wanted to stress and losing interest in the play altogether. So yes, the setting of the play is imperative to the play’s dramatic impact.

Hong Kong’s Environmental Problems and Solutions

lmovementHong Kong’s environmental problems and solutions Hong Kong is one of the top financial centers in the world. Thus, the environmental quality of Hong Kong is very important. It is because the environmental quality is indirectly linking to the image of Hong Kong. Moreover, the living standard of Hong Kong residents is also under influencing of the environmental quality. However, Hong Kong is now surviving serious environmental problems. Poor air quality, noise problem and heavy traffic loads are the three important problems of Hong Kong.The members of Hong Kong should try their best to tackle these problems. Problem of air quality in Hong Kong is serious so we need to try our best to solve it. Three are two main reasons that causing the serious air pollution problem in Hong Kong. One of them is the increasing number of vehicles. Another is the huge amount of pollutants from industrial production. First of all, vehicle is a significant source of air pollution in Hong Kon g. Commercial vehicles like buses and trucks always emit a huge amount of pollutants.These pollutants contain large amounts of particulates that worsen the air quality. Secondly, the pollutants from industrial production are giving a helping hand in causing the air pollution problem. During the process of industrial production, energy conversion is always taken place. However, energy conversion operation will give out a certain amount of pollutant. For example, nitric oxide is formed when industrial combustion takes place. Air pollution has deep influence on human as well as the natural environment. For the human, the main influence is the health effect.American Academy of Family Physicians (2010) explained that people who affected by air pollution will suffer from difficulty in breathing, coughing and even worsen their respiratory disease. In more serious case, the effect of air pollution may induce the permanent disease. For the natural environment, air pollution will intensify th e problem of global warming. As there are a lot of particles emitted to the air, the heat released from the land will trap by these particles. Thus, the earth will become more and more hot. Once the global temperature is increase, more energy is generated in order to reduce the temperature.However, more particles are emitted through the generate process. Thus, it will become a cycle. As we know the seriousness of the air pollution, we should take actions to deal with the problem. â€Å"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government gives high priority to controlling both street-level air pollution and smog. † (Environmental Protection Department, 2011) To reduce the pollutants emitted from vehicles, the Environmental Protection Department (2011) pointed out that the government has adopted a tighter fuel and vehicle emission standards and strengthens vehicle emission inspections against smoky vehicles.These measures can effectively control the pollutants emission from vehicles. One the other, the waste gas giving out from industrial production should also be regulated. The government can install system on power generation plant and develop green energy power to reduce the emission of suspended particles. As a result, pollutants from industrial production can be largely reduced. We should take immediate actions to solve the serious noise problem in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong's economy has grown in  recent decades, so too has the noise that comes from transport, construction, commercial and industrial sources in this compact, densely populated city. † (GovHK, 2011) There are two main sources of noise pollution in Hong Kong. They are noise from transportation and industry. Transportation is the main source of noise pollution. Because of their mobile nature, the areas under their influence can be extended. Vehicles produce the most extensive noise effect compare to trains and aircrafts. It is because it is difficult to control the noise produced from vehicles.The source is thus difficult to chase as they are mobile. Heavy trucks, higher speed cars and frequent stop and start of cars always produce higher level of noise. On the other hand, industry is another important source of noise. In construction industry, high level of noise is always produced from the use of equipments. There are piling, compressor and bulldozers that produce high level of noise. Moreover, noise will also produced in manufacturing industry. During the operation of machines, noise is generated. Noise has more impacts than we expected. It will affect our health, daily life and environmental quality. The most immediate and acute health effect of excessive noise is impairment of hearing. † (Singh. N, 2004) Prolonged exposure to noise can damage our ear cells. This may caused temporary or even permanent hearing loss. Also, noise can violate our cardiovascular system. It will make us hard to focus and concentrate as well as causing headaches. For the effect on our daily life, people’s working efficiency will be affected. Under noisy environment, teaching and learning will become less effective. Teachers and students need to pay more effort on concentrating on their work.To tackle the noise problem, the Environmental Protection Department (2011) purposed to reduce traffic noise through careful land use planning. Better road planning will divert the noisy road from the residential areas and thus reduce the disturbance to the residents. Lastly, there is an urged to deal with to problem of traffic congestion. â€Å"The problem of traffic congestion in Hong Kong is caused by the lack using of public transport† (Lo I, 2004). Hong Kong is such a small place but there are a few million vehicles on the roads. We can see that there are a lot of private vehicles running on the road everyday.The increasing of private vehicles increases the demand of the usage of the roads. As more and more vehicles are riding on the roads at the same time, the road system will then cannot afford. Traffic congestion occurs. Another cause of traffic congestion is less well-planned road system in Hong Kong. In Central, traffic congestion is common. It is because of the poor road system. Many vehicles will rush to Central at the rush hour, but the poor road system cannot help to divert the vehicles flow rate. So many vehicles are concentrated in Central and caused traffic congestion.What are the impacts of traffic congestion? Firstly, Lo I. (2004) claimed that people are needed to pay heavy time cost for traffic congestion. The wasting of time may lead to the loss of business, late for work and school. So traffic congestion can also cause the economics loss. In addition, the image of Hong Kong will also be affect. Hong Kong is an international financial center that gives the world an image of efficient. However, traffic congestion will make the damages of this image. People will wonder why Hong Kong, such a well-developed c ity, is having the problem of traffic congestion.So, measures should be taking to relieve this problem. The government should have a better road planning in order to release the heavy traffic burden in Central. Education cannot be avoided in order to educate the citizen to use more public transport. To conclude, poor air quality, noise problem and traffic congestion are the three issues that the government needs to deal with. These problems are not only affected the people’s standard of living but also the image of Hong Kong. It is no doubt that the Hong Kong people should focus on these problems and solve them together.

Gun Violence And Gun Control The Right To The Second...

The United States Constitution was constructed from a set of rules, also known as amendments. These were written with the intention of securing the basic rights of all United States citizens. It usually serves as an outline for the laws of the land by dictating the powers of the people and what is acceptable under the watch of the United States government. The history behind these amendments began in 1789 when it was proposed and drafted by James Madison. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. (History.com Staff 2009) Most issues that become significant enough to discuss are, for the most part, never completely solved. Coming up with a solution that every person would be†¦show more content†¦It recruited each free healthy white male native between ages 18 and 45 into a neighborhood volunteer army organization. In present day times, this has been extended to the greater part of our male society paying little mind to race. To further build on this point, the state of Florida clearly defines that everyone within Florida is also in the Militia. â€Å"The militia consists of all able-bodied citizens of this state and all other able-bodied persons who have declared their intention to become citizens.†(The Florida Senate) Meaning that regardless of gender or race, every person who is a citizen or intends to become a citizen is considered a part of that militia. There is a theory that has been popularized called â€Å"The collective rights theory.†(Strasser 2008) A collective rights theory asserts that citizens do not have an individual right to own and possess guns. This theory, which claims that the second amendment was written for the military, is incorrect. The collective rights theory infringes and undermines the rights of the militia. Thinking back to how this country was founded, the colonists fought a revolution against the Crown in order to gain independence. A shadow revolutionary government was formed and Militias were trained to prepare for armed conflict. Furthermore, the second amendment is a failsafe for the citizenry to take back power from their own government, should it ever become tyrannical. Therefore the citizenry also needs to be able toShow MoreRelatedSocial Issues Of Gun Control1424 Words   |  6 PagesThe issue of guns is one of the most prominent social problems in the United States, and every time after th e shooting incident, the voice of gun control became to rise and the debate of banning guns emerge again. What People can do is only to offer their condolences, griefs and protests for gun violence, and stand for moments of silence. People still don’t have any law of gun control in return even if in the face of these bloody statistics. 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While Gun Control Activist believe we should take precautions to protect people from gun violence. The republicans typically are against gun control while democrats are for gun control. Gun control is a hotRead MoreThe Crime Rates Of Murder And Suicide1018 Words   |  5 PagesStamper Class: GE102 Date: November 18, 2015 â€Å"Gun Control in America† The crime rates of murder and suicide is increasing due to guns being handled by different people in our society. Should the American government enforce new gun control laws in our country? This topic matters because gun control will make the country a safer place to live in. However, some people believe that gun control will take over citizen’s rights and isn’t a great idea. Gun control should be enforced by the government because

Is There Any Objectivity in Journalism and Public...

First of all I would like to examine the job of a journalist strongly believe that the main skill a journalist should have is the ability to get the news or information and give it to the people without changing it. By being honest and telling the truth and by having reliable sources, a journalist manages to gain respect and esteem. In order to be a good professional, a journalist has to work in many levels. It is very important to make research, to take photos or videos and to be sure of the authenticity of the story. Then the story should be written with objectivity before being published to newspapers, magazines, websites, the radio or on TV. People should be informed properly. If the information or the facts are presented as they are,†¦show more content†¦So someone who wants to be objective must put over if he has any interest of the event, also to have clear mind and be able to transfer exactly what he saw or listened. In addition, that person who is going to transfer a fact it cannot have a bias. On the other hand a subjective person is when he sees something and when he has to transfer it to others he says the fact as it happened but he also tells his opinion. It is exactly the opposite of objectivity. To sum up, someone who wants to be objective must not judge things from his point of view alone, but in terms of reality, because if he tells his opinion then it comes a subjectivity. As we said above a journalist must be objective. The meaning of that is to transfer the facts as they are without using his or her opinion. According to that, we can say also that journalists have benefits or reasons to hide the truth or to change it because they may lose their jobs if they write something that can offend a person who is high in the hierarchy and if he does something like that he can lose his job. In addition, according to the article â€Å"What is the Difference Between Public Relations and Journalism†? (Tony 2010) Rogers, it gives us an example about a journalist who has to write for an event that happened in a school. It was about a disease which