Gifted Children †Blessing or Curse? Essay -- Exploratory Essays Resea

Largely ignored by the social sciences, the study of gifted students is of utmost importance. Though there are varying degrees of giftedness, it is widely recognized that those with intelligence quotients of over 130 are "gifted", as these IQ’s place them in the top five percent of the population. Gifted children have an insatiable desire to learn, to explore. They learn with very little help from adults. They are also marked by their persistence, energy, and obsessive interests. Most of them can read by age four, some even earlier, for gifted children are endowed with prodigious memories for verbal and mathematical information. They not only excel at logical and abstract reasoning; they are also interested in philosophical issues. Blessed with some many positive qualities, gifted children are often overlooked even when they’re plagued by problems. As gifted children represent only a small percentage of the student population, the public neglects many of their needs. Faced with pressures from their families, schools, peers, and themselves, gifted students become socially challenged. Thus, it is necessary for society to learn more about the stresses endured by gifted students, so that someday many of these problems can be eliminated. The independent variables include pressures from family, school, and peers. The dependent variables are the socially challenged gifted children. The intervening variables include family support, the economic status of the family, the skills of the teachers, the student’s learning style, the age of the gifted children and their peers, and the motivational level of the gifted student. Primary research was conducted through two interviews and 50 surveys. A teacher of gifted student was interviewe... ...y Relationships and the Gifted.Washington, DC. Available http://www.nagc.org/CounGuide/family.html 1998 Orange, Carolyn. "Gifted students and perfectionism." Roeper Review 20, 1 (Sept-Oct 1997) Silverman, Linda Krega."How Parents Can Support Gifted Children." ERIC Digests 16 Apr 2000 Silverman, Linda Krega. "Through the lens of giftedness" Roeper Review 20, 3 (Feb 1998) Tolan, Stephanie S. "The Lemming Condition" Roeper Review 20, 3 (Feb 1998) Webb, James T. "Nurturing Social Emtional Development of Gifted Children" ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education Reston, VA. Available http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Disgests/ed372554.html June 1994 Weber, Patricia. "Mental Models and the Identification of Young Gifted Students: A Tale of Two Boys" Roeper Review 32, 3 (Feb 1999) Winner, Ellen. Gifted Children New York: Basic Books, 1996.

The novel, Silas Marner by George Eliot :: English Literature

The novel, Silas Marner by George Eliot Silas Marner The novel, Silas Marner by George Eliot is a prime example of a tale which enlists the use of the literary archetype of the quest. Silas Marner is a lonely man who lives in the town of Raveloe with nothing but his hard-earned gold to console him. His call comes unexpectedly when a man by the name of Dunstan Cass steals the money. This marks the point where Marner sets out on his quest to find the gold. The protagonist’s other in the novel is in the form of Dunstan’s older brother, Godfrey Cass. While Silas and Godfrey are complete opposites on many levels, they are ultimately the same person. Godfrey is a man still in his youth, who has been blessed with a luxurious lifestyle, whereas Silas is portrayed as a miserly old man. Differences in social class aside, both Silas and Godfrey are lonely; a product of their own actions. Godfrey is lonely because he chooses not to tell Nancy of his secret marriage, and Silas is alone because he chooses not to associate with the townsfolk. That is, until he is called upon to do so with the theft of his gold. Silas is aided by his adopted daughter Eppie, who acts as the helper, or guide. Silas’s journey is both physical and psychological. At first, Silas sets out to discover who it is that has stolen his money, and means to get it back, and has no intention of punishing the thief. It is evident that this is not the quest the author has in mind for him. Through the journey of raising Eppie, George Eliot has Marner discover true happiness, even though it is not what he set out for in the first place. Even though, through the events that transpire, Marner is able to get back his stolen money, in the end, he is able to obtain a treasure far greater than the gold he anticipated, that is, happiness with another person. At the conclusion of the novel, Silas Marner is a man who has transformed from a cold-hearted and lonely person, to one who has found love and acceptance in another. One of the major themes George Eliot employs is that of the individual versus society. Throughout the novel, Silas is contrasted to the community in which he is situated. In Lantern Yard, Silas is excommunicated because the rest of his church does not believe in his innocence, and in Raveloe, Silas is seen as a crazy witch doctor of sorts. Most people feel it is safe to stay away from him, and Silas

Essay --

During the early 1970s, formal financial reporting standard setting activities were commenced. On 10 September 1971, a technical committee was formed in 1971 with the remit to act on a letter dated sent by Bank Negara to the President of Malaysian Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA). Nowadays, MACPA is now known as Malaysia Institutes of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA). MACPA was set up by individuals as a private association in 1958 (Susela 1999). After an extended pause marked by a high level of inactivity, the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) was approached to develop a standard in 1987. MIA has been set up in 1987 by the State as a statutory body to regulate the accounting profession. Therefore, both MACPA and the MIA committed to a process of joint work towards the objective of the development of a Malaysian accounting standard for goodwill. Based on Ahmad & Ishak (2003), an element of that agreed course of action, on July 1, 1987 the President of MIA and the President of MACPA signed a joint Circular to members enclosing a questionnaire inviting com...

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay

INTRODUCTION Why do businesses need innovation is simple, the world is changing at a rapid speed and no one can predict what is coming in the future. Organizations are facing many new types of vulnerabilities everyday. Innovation helps to determinate the strategic management within an organization and prepares organizations for the unforeseeable change and to make the change. Although very organization have different priorities, or balance the unique issues of their own, ignoring the innovation, or implementing the strategic plan inefficiently can bring risks of losing key employees, inefficiency of the operation, and lose competitive advantages to the competitors. This paper will create a new division for Starbucks Coffee Co. Using this division as an example to explain the importance of the innovation in company’s vision, mission, and values, and how it related to strategic management. THE NEW BUSINESS MODEL Starbucks Corporation, doing business as Starbucks Coffee, is an American global coffee company and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Today, with more than 21,000 stores in 65 countries, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. And with every cup, the company strives to bring both their heritage and an exceptional experience to life. (Starbucks.com) Since the first Starbucks opened in 1971, the company has a goal to share great coffee with friends and help make the world a little better place. (Starbucks.com) To better server Starbucks Coffee’s customers, and provide quick and easy coffee for the people who have to fight the morning or anytime traffic, Starbucks coffee co. has purposed a new business model of Self Severed Coffee Machine. This new Machine will be located outside of Starbucks stores, shopping centers, and large office buildings to better server the consumers who does not have time to wait in line and get their favorite cup of coffee. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES In this tough economic climate, Starbucks needs to compete smart, this means to stay a step head on ensuring the best response to customers’ need and demand. It is often to see a line of customers either inside the store or in the drive through. While we appreciate the their patience to wait in line, we also share their frustration. It is our intention to ensure everyone loves his or her coffee. While we are proud that every cup is made to earn our customers’ satisfaction, we are also spending a considerable amount of time on making them. The Self Served Starbucks machine has an ability of produce majority flavors of the coffee, which our customer likes. Simply pay the cash, wipe the credit card, or scan the mobile Starbucks App on your smartphone, the machine will make a fresh brew cup of coffee in just 45 seconds. With this machine outside of store or mall, our customer can save time on waiting in line. Even more convenient, the machines outside of the office building not only can save our customer a trip to the coffee shop in the morning, also be able to enjoy a hot fresh coffee when they sat down by their desk. This new machine can ensure the competitive advantage by its product differentiation, more focused group on customer service, and operational efficiency. MISSION VISION AND VALUE Starbucks’ mission is a reason for the company’s existence. With the unique style of combining both, our vision and mission statement is â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.† (Starbucks.com) To align with this mission statement, our new division’s mission statement is to † bring the best quality coffee and convenience to our customers on the go, one machine at the time† This mission statement reflected the company value and beliefs to show our costumers that we care, it will also guide our employees on understand and establish what the company truly does. A good mission statement inspires employees and provides a focus and direction for strategic planning. While mission statements vary from organization to organization and represent the distinctness of each one, they all share similar components. (Mission and Vision Statements, 2010) The new division’s mission statemen ts include descriptions of Starbucks’ target market, the geographic domain, and concern for survival, growth, and profitability. SWOTT ANALYSIS Being the giant leader of the coffee and snacks industry, Starbuck coffee company needs to develop a strong strategic plan through the analysis of SWOTT. SWOTT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and trends. A SWOTT analysis identifies strengths and weaknesses within a company, and outside opportunities and threats. The most important parts of a SWOT analysis specify the actions that correspond to the elements the company identify. By using the results of the analysis to improve the situation of the new division, we can reduce the likelihood of developments that negatively affect the business while improving performance. (Smallbusiness.Chron.com) EXTERNAL SWOTT Starbuck is currently in the retail coffee and snacks industry. The  self-serve coffee machine will be able to satisfy customers not just a cup of coffee but also tea, water and juice, which Starbuck currently provide in the store. The loyal based reward programs provide customers with convenience, giving presents, and increasing frequency of the machine visit. Although there will not be any customer service involved, but the efficiency of leveraging technology with the capability of mobile App will still attract customers. The machine will provide extra ideas on the screen related to recycling and reducing waste; this is a great way to communicate with people about the social responsibility initiatives of the company. Due to the economic crush in 2008, this industry has experiencing a major downfall in sales. Because of the sensitivities to the macroeconomic factors, most of industry consumers have to give up extra expenses such as over priced drinks, snacks, and food. However, with economy slowly recover, consumers will start feeling the relaxation of the financial situation, it is safe to say, this industry will has a considerable amount of growth in the near future. With Starbuck having the most of market share in the industry, they have a monopolistic competition. By far the biggest threat the company face is the mature stage of the industry. Dunkin donuts, McDonalds, or Pete’s coffee are all the main pressure on Starbucks. Starbucks brand recognition and the convenience of the self-severed machines differentiates itself, the brand and the machine will draw more customers’ attention, gain competitive advantages for the company. INTERNAL SWOTT The self-served Starbucks coffee machine will be located in some of the most prime and strategic location across the city such as universities, office buildings, and grocery stores. They will primarily targeting mid-income individuals and students. This strategy will gain competence due to the customer convince factor. The Starbuck coffee-pricing factor does pose a weakness to some targeted consumers; however, the self-severed machine will be 5% cheap because there are no labor costs involved. Expansion into a global market is an opportunity for these machines. Starbucks has a great growth potential in further expanding into the emerging and developing  markets. The company can leverage their size, experience, financial prowess and efficiencies to make new market share. (Forbes.com) Starbuck has putting significant amount of time and money on training their employees. Their employees are known for highly knowledge and experienced. They are the main assets of the company and they are provided with great benefits like stock option, retirement accounts and a healthy culture. This effective human capital management translates into great customer services. It was rated 91st in the 100 best places to work for by Fortune Magazine. (CNN.com) The internal threat for Starbucks currently is the change of life style and taste choices of consumers. More and more customers are shifting towards healthy foods and drinks; this treading can hurt the coffee culture of the company, even to industry in the future. BALANCE SCORECARD The Balanced scorecard is a management system that enables organizations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. It also provides an organization with feedback of both the internal business processes and external outcomes, which allows for continuous improvement of strategic performance and results. Develop the strategic objectives for the new division of the Starbuck in the balanced scorecard format in the context of key trends, assumptions, and risks. The strategic objectives are measures of attaining the new vision and mission. Below are the three strategic objectives for each of the four balanced scorecard areas identified (Financial, Customer, Process, Learning and Growth). FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE How to gain the market share is the objective in financial perspective. This is aggressive strategy the new division can use to power our organization and weaken the competitors. The new † Self served coffee machine† can gain market shares by: One: New technology. This market has always been a high growth market, and high growth markets has less competitors, it means they will not fight our  efforts as fiercely. Two: Innovation. This new machine is absolutely a breakthrough innovative idea once it is release into the market. Innovation can help the new division obtain large market share. Three: Strategic Alliance. The new machine can advertise other products, which is great choice when drinking coffee. If the alliance company can help with founding, we can lower our coffee price. This is efficient way to lure customers from competitors. CUSTOMER VALUE PERSPECTIVE How do we create value for our customers are the objective for the customer perspective? Customers are the key factor to an organization success. Creating value for our customers in three ways: One: New Value. This is the most challenging way to impress customers. By setting new machines by the office buildings or school parking lots will be most convenience for people do not have time to stop for coffee in the morning, or anytime during the day. Two: More value. The machine will provide the same product as in a Starbucks coffee store, but cheaper. Three: Better Value. To expend on the existing value, the customer will be able to purchase snake from the machine. The addition product provided will simply delivering more powerful impact to consumers. PROCESS OR INTERNAL OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE How we measure the new division performance? The new division will have its own survey attached to the machine. Customers are the top choice for us to know what does the new division do to make them come back for more. Also, customers can leave feedbacks and advice via Facebook, Yelp, or preferred  social Media. Our new division will make huge impact on the organization, because it will release the busy traffic in the morning for the store location. LEARNING AND GROWTH (EMPLOYEE) PERSPECTIVE There is no employees’ turn over or retention involved with the â€Å"Self served machine† However, the mechanics are needed for the daily maintenance and refill. The new technology will notify the mechanic department if the machine needs any attention or checkups. COMMUNICATION PLAN While having a strategic plan, mission and vision Statement is crucial for the new division, but crafting and developing this plan is only the half of the battle. To have a communication plan is one of the most important factors after the plan and analysis is finalized. Although the new division will not have any human operating the machine, there are still the needs of new policies and procedures to be carried out. The effective of these policies and procedures are most likely effect the success of the plan. For example, machines maintenance schedule, or refill of the machine. Failure to take communication plan into account can cause disastrous. MONITORING AND CONTROL Our new business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines key elements of how we going to operate this new division. The plan typically includes an assessment of the market and the competition, operating budget breakdown, and short and long-term business goals. (smallbusiness.chron.com) There are three suggest way to monitor and control our new plan: CREATE PLAN REVIEW DATES Any new business plans within an organization needs to be reviewed on a regular basis, especially the expectancy of the busy traffic with the new  self-served machine. The new division management needs to set a date, this can be quarterly or annually, to review the long-term and short-term goals. Conducting the comparative analysis will help to ensure the strategic plan is on the right path. DEVELOP A TRACKING SYSTEM The management team of new division needs to develop a new tracking system to assess how the sales are doing regularly. For example, if the target sales goal is 5000 cups per month, then track the sales weekly or twice a month to monitor and control the process. Monitor key elements frequently. Key elements of the business plan include research on the market and competition as well as revenue projections. Each of these elements is subject to rapid change, and the management team should remain aware of where you stand with regard to these issues. (Smallbusiness.chorn.com) COORDINATE BUSINESS AND MARKING PLANS Our new division will have both business and marketing plans. Sometimes, they overlap in several ways. For example, if the Marketing plans calls for a major launching campaign with the media, but the business plan’s revenue prediction rejects that plan, then the managers needs to revise the plan to stay on track. ETHICS WITHIN THE NEW DIVISION Ethical behaviors and organization social responsibility is one of the key factors to bring large benefits for the business. With the new self-served coffee machine, it attracts customers with Starbucks signature products, thereby to boosting sales and revenue. It will create more jobs, therefor, help with unemployment. It will also attract more investors and keep the company’s share price high, therefor, protecting the business and employees’ benefits. CONCLUSION The fact is brutally simple: the accelerated change within the business world is unavoidable. Evidence shows in current business world, customers are changing their needs and interest each day, markets are relentlessly unstable, and competitors are more aggressively capture any chance possible at new ideas. With technology advances faster and faster, and modifying the traditional strategic management that it touches, Innovation has become what shapes the current strategic management trends, and the right strategic management is the key to business success. References: Starbuck. Retrieved from: http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/our-heritage Mission and Vision Statements. Retrieved from: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements.html History of Starbuck. Retrieved from: http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/our-heritage How to Monitor & Control Your Business Plan. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/monitor-control-business-plan-41401.html by Lisa McQuerrey, Demand Media The new plan of the Starbuck coffee. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/01/31/starbucks-global-coffee-giant-has-new- growth-plans/ Why Perform a SWOTT Analysis? Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/perform-swot-analysis-5050.html 100 best company to work for. Retrieved from: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2013/snapshots/94.html

Catch-22 Essay

Joseph Heller was a famous and well-renowned author in the United States, often remembered for his most famous book Catch-22. Heller was born on May 1, 1999 in Brooklyn, New York to first generation Russian-Jewish immigrants. When he was five, his father died due to an unsuccessful surgery, and his mother and siblings struggled to survive in the carnival-like atmosphere in Coney Island; some scholars hypothesize that this environment was a major source of Heller’s wry humor and irony that eventually made him famous. Though it is largely unconfirmed if Heller was an aspiring author during his childhood, many people credit The Illiad as a notable book that was influential to him in his youth. A year after Heller graduated from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corp, and by 1944 Heller flew 60 combat missions for the Allied forces in World War II. He was awarded an Air Medal and a Presidential Unit Citation. After the war, Heller married Shirley Held in 1945 and they had two children. Heller also took advantage of the G.I. Bill which allowed him to study English at the University of South Carolina and New York University. By 1949, Heller had received an M.A. from Columbia University as well. He spent some time as a instructor at Penn State University and also at Yale University before working as a copywriter, most notably for Time Magazine. Heller’s most celebrated book is Catch-22. Published in 1961, it is a novel about a World War II pilot who tries desperately to get out of combat flying, but continually finds himself doing just that. Initially, the novel was slow to be recognized in the United States, but eventually it was critically acclaimed and eventually sold over ten million copies. It is often noted for it’s satire and dark comedy. The book became so popular that even the title was coined into an everyday term to describe an impossible solution to a dilemma. The idea for Catch-22 came from Heller’s personal experiences from World War II. The feelings that Yossarian and the other bomber pilots felt were taken directly from his own personal feeling and problems he suffered while on duty. Heller was able to make it out of the war, but the experience tortured him and it took until 1953 before he could start writing about it. The war experience turned Heller into a â€Å"tortured, funny, deeply peculiar human being†. After publication in 1961, Catch-22 became very popular among teenagers at the time. Catch-22 seemed to embody the feelings that young people had toward the Vietnam War. It was joked around that every student who went off to college at the time took along a copy of Catch-22. The popularity of the book created a cult following, which led to over eight million copies being sold in the United States. In addition to Catch-22, Heller wrote about another half-dozen novels, along with a number of plays, screen writings and short stories. Most notable was his second novel, Something Happened, published in 1974, as it went on to be listed on New York’s Best-selling novels. Though it is not as popular as Catch-22, some scholars suggest that Something Happened was the more sophisticated and better written piece of literature. Catch-22 The story follows Captain Yossarian of the Army Air Corps, a B-25 bombardier who is stationed on the island of Pianosa off the coast of Italy during World War II. Yossarian and his bomb squadron friends endure a farcical, absurd existence in where bureaucracy and moronic superior officers prevent them from ever leaving the dangers of war. Yossarian wishes to be evaluated as insane by the squad flight surgeon, rendering him unfit to fly. However, to be evaluated, he must request the evaluation, an act that is considered sufficient proof for being declared sane (Heller 55). This was the first of many lose-lose situations, or Catch-22’s shown in this story. Throughout the novel, Yossarian’s main concern is that people are trying to kill him. Clevinger, a highly educated fellow airman who’s optimism causes Yossarian to hate him, and accuse each other of being crazy. In a conversation with Clevinger, asks â€Å"Who, specifically, do you think is trying to murder you? † â€Å"Every one of them,† Yossarian told him. â€Å"Every one of whom?† â€Å"Every one of whom do you think?† â€Å"I haven’t any idea.† â€Å"Then how do you know they aren’t?† (24) Yossarian and the other airmen are particularly distraught by the rising number of missions required to have fulfilled their military duties and be sent home. Despite Yossarian’s desperate measures to avoid more combat flights, he always ends up back in the plane. As the novel progresses through its loosely connected series of recurring stories and anecdotes, Yossarian is continually haunted by his memory of Snowden, a soldier who died in his arms on a mission when Yossarian lost all desire to participate in the war. After a darker tone is established for the last four chapters, including the deaths and disappearances of many of his friends, Yossarian rebelliously refuses to fly more missions. Colonel Cathcart offers Yossarian a deal: Yossarian will be sent home if he promises to praise his commanding officers. If he refuses, he will be court martialed. Realizing that such a bargain would betray his fellow soldiers, Yossarian refuses to sell-out. The story ends on a slightly optimistic note; Yossarian tries to escape this conflicting choice by fleeing to neutral Sweden, where he would be live in danger of being court martialed for desertion. Key plot points are scattered intermittently throughout the book in a non-chronological manner. These are told from differing points of views, and slowly the reader learns more of each event from each iteration, with the newly revealed information telling something deeper about the situation – its cause, its consequences, when it happened, or the punchline for a joke set up in prior references to that situation. Heller tends to repeat things a lot – words, catchphrases, references to events, and important scenes. These repeated events serve as touchstones through which readers can become oriented again in a story that is often wildly absurd, circular, and difficult to follow. For example, the death of Snowden is rendered in all of these ways, first as the subject of casual comments (where it is not even clear that Snowden has died), then as the occasion for brief, inconclusive scenes, finally as the novel’s most powerfully dramatized episode (337-340). The early references are naturally confusing because they allude to a scene not yet fully rendered. Mr. Heller died a long time ago, so it is impossible to know for sure, but I sincerely doubt that the relative lack of structure of Catch-22 is an accident. It’s a parallel to the chaos, muddle, and ineptitude of bureaucracy. Parts that stood out to me AKA Ideas Catch-22’s In Catch-22 The most infamous example of this paradoxical situation was summed up earlier. However, there are many other catch-22’s that can be inferred from the behaviors and interactions of these cartoonish characters. When Yossarian is courting the prostitute Luciana, he thinks he falls in love with her. He express his desire to marry her, but she replies that she will not marry him. He asks why not, and she replies that he is crazy. When he asks why she thinks he is crazy, she responds that he must be crazy if he wants to marry her. Just as he cannot avoid flying dangerous combat missions, he cannot convince Luciana to marry him. The military police chase the whores away from Yossarian’s favorite place in Rome. When asked what right they have to do this, they reply, â€Å"Catch-22.† Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything that you can’t stop them from doing (407).† â€Å"And if you ask to see Catch-22, the law says they don’t have to show it to you.† â€Å"What law says they don’t have to?† â€Å"Catch-22†³Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (p. 398). Major Major is a commander who doesn’t command. He hates dealing with people, and is somewhat frightened of them. He therefore instructs his receptionist/orderly that, whenever he is in his office, any visitors should be told he is out. When he leaves his office (sneaking out the back window), the receptionist can send visitors in to see him. In short, the only time you can see Major Major in his office is when he’s out. If he’s in, you can’t see him. â€Å"That’s some catch, that Catch-22,† he observed. â€Å"It’s the best there is,† Doc Daneeka agreed (55).† Snowden’s Secret While building up to the book’s powerful emotional climax , Yossarian’s vague recollections of Snowden and Snowden’s secret are stated. Yossarian is motivated not by a selfish instinct for survival but by his final understanding of Snowden’s secret. One must say final because a first version of this secret is offered in an earlier rendering of Snowden’s death: â€Å"That was the secret Snowden had spilled to him on the mission to Avignon – they were out to get him.† (172). Much later, Snowden’s secret is significantly redefined. It is revealed that Snowden was hit with flak, and literally spilled his guts on Yossarian. He felt goose pimples clacking all over him as he gazed down despondently at the grim secret Snowden had spilled all over the messy floor. It was easy to read the message in his entrails. Man was matter, that was Snowden’s secret. Drop him out a window and he’ll fall. Set fire to him and he’ll burn. Bury him and he’ll rot, like other kinds of garbage. The spirit gone, man is garbage. That was Snowden’s secret. Ripeness was all (440). It is the spirit which counts, not matter. To capitulate to Cathcart would be to kill the spirit, to deny the distinction between man and other forms of garbage. Yossarian cannot do this even though it would insure the physical safety he has pursued so zealously, for he has finally learned the secret embedded in the entrails of all the Snowdens: men and women must protest against the forces that would render them garbage or they are indeed nothing more than droppable, burnable, bury-able matter. This event, not revealed until the penultimate chapter, and the revelations that spilled out of it explain Yossarian’s supreme fear of dying. â€Å"He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt, and his only mission each time he went up was to come down alive.† (29). It is the same priority of self-preservation that creates conflict within Yossarian. He is determined to save his life at all costs, but genuinely cares deeply for his friends in the squadron and is traumatized by their deaths. His nightmarish flashbacks to the horror of Snowden’s death came from the realization that his own body was just like Snowden’s – as destructible and fragile as his. In the end, when Yossarian is offered safety for either himself or his entire squadron, he is unable to choose himself above others. So he is stuck in one final catch-22: life is not worth living without moral concern for the well-being of others, but a moral concern for the well-being of others can put your own well-being at risk. On a semi-related note, it was much more difficult to google Snowden because of the recent news on the NSA and how they [comment removed]. Absurdity Absurdity in the form of a character’s actions is a common theme in Catch-22. Yossarian’s strategies for surviving the war, mess officer and syndicate-running Milo, Cathcart’s blind ambition, and the background of Washington Irving all reflect unreasonable behaviors. In the order of most understandable to least understandable actions, Yossarian constantly tries to avoid combat flight with an â€Å"by any means possible† approach. He frequently checks into the hospital for â€Å"a pain in his liver that fell just short of being jaundice,† the fictitious Garnett-Fleischaker syndrome, and exploiting his unnaturally high running temperature of 101 degrees (7). He orders his pilot to perform extreme evasive action at the earliest signs of flak, peaking when he threatens to kill pilot and close friend McWatt during some risky aerial maneuvers. After he made up his mind to spend the rest of the war in the hospital, Yossarian wrote letters to everyone he knew saying that he was in the hospital but never mentioning why. One day he had a better idea. To everyone he knew he wrote that he was going on a very dangerous mission. â€Å"They asked for volunteers. It’s very dangerous, but someone has to do it. I’ll write you the instant I get back.† And he had not written anyone since (8). He postponed a dangerous mission during the Great Big Siege of Bologna by poisoning the whole squadron. Yossarian also snuck into his squadron’s operations tent and moved the bomb line on the map forward, leading to his superiors believing that their air raid was no longer necessary. Even though Yossarian is the protagonist and one of the sanest characters introduced, he is still prone to behave in absurd fashion. Milo had used his business acumen to take advantage of markets in the entire theater of war, and had consolidated his influence and wealth into the M & M Enterprises. In a short while, he controlled the international black market, played a role in the global economy, and used air force planes from all over the world (Axis and Allied) to deliver his shipments. And everybody had a share. Milo contracts with the Americans to bomb the Germans, and with the Germans to shoot down the incoming bombers. One evening after dinner, Milo’s planes begin to bomb Pianosa; he had landed another contract with the Germans. Many men were killed or injured in the attack. Everyone demands that M & M Enterprises be disbanded forever, but Milo shows them how much money they have all made, and the survivors quickly forgive him. An example of absurd leadership is seen in Colonel Cathcart’s ambition to become a general. Seen as nothing more than inhuman resources, Cathcart volunteers his bomber group for every mission, even the most dangerous. On these bombing runs, it was deemed more important to get good aerial photography of explosions rather than to actually hit the target. While other bomber groups only required 50 missions to go home, Cathcart keeps raising the amount of required missions to 60, 65, 70, 80 missions. Cathcart hates Yossarian almost as much as Yossarian hates him. When Yossarian publicly refuses to fly any more missions, Cathcart jumps at the opportunity to have him court martialed, but his right hand man, Colonel Korn, talks him out of it, advising him that a dismissal from the military is exactly what he wants; Cathcart instead decorates him to ensure that he will stay in the service. First signed as a forgery by Yossarian in the hospital, the name Washington Irving (or Irving Washington) is soon adopted by Major Major, who signs the name because the paperwork with Irving’s name on it never comes back to him. Washington Irving is a figment of the imagination who is, in a sense, the perfect person to deal with bureaucracy: because he does not exist, he is ideally suited to the meaningless shuffle of paperwork.

Acquisition Of Metaphor Through Teaching Culture Education Essay

The research survey will critically analyse the acquisition of metaphor through teaching civilization to Iraqi scholars of English as a 2nd linguistic communication. Additionally, the research will convey to illume the assorted challenges confronting different Iraqi scholars when analyzing English as a 2nd linguistic communication through metaphors. It will besides seek to supply recommendations that will assist get the better of the challenges every bit good as how best to utilize metaphors in assisting Iraqi scholar learn English. Due to globalization characterized with free motion of people, capital goods and services, it has come to be of paramount significance for all human races to endeavor to larn at least a foreign linguistic communication ( MacArthur & A ; Littlemore, 2008 ) . As a consequence a figure of states particularly in Middle East have resorted to larn such linguistic communications as English to assist them get by with the bubbling phenomenon of globalisation. However their desire has been marred with a figure of challenges particularly when such mechanisms as utilizing metaphors are used. It is deserving observing that bookmans such as Straub, 1999 suggested that the best manner to learn a foreign linguistic communication to pupil is to utilize their civilization. This can be done successfully when the pupils are made cognizant of their civilization every bit good as supplying them with some sort of meta-language in order to speak about civilization ( Low et al.2008 ) . The research is of a batch of importance as it closely analyzes acquisition of metaphors by non English speech production Iraqi pupils. The findings will be of importance to assorted stakeholders such as instructors of English as Second Language ( ESL ) , pupils, instruction sectors, other research workers and larning establishment at big every bit good as Non-governmental Organization, The developed recommendations will be adopted by larning establishments to assist them successfully teach pupils English, a linguistic communication that is non native to them. Not transporting out this research will clearly picture that the assorted ways of integrating metaphors in learning English, the challenges faced will non be brought to visible radiation. Research inquiry Based on the research subject, three major inquiries were developed to steer the survey. These are How are metaphors used through teaching civilization to assist Iraqi pupil learn English? ( Littlemore, 2009 ) What are the challenges confronting both instructors and pupil when utilizing metaphors? What are the major recommendations that will assist control the above said challenges and surrogate English acquisition? Literature reappraisal The chief aims of learning civilization to pupil are it assist them to develop a clear comprehension of the fact that all show behaviours that are profoundly rooted from civilization, societal variable/ demographic features do every bit good as topographic point of abode do impact on how persons communicate, stimulate their rational wonder with respects to certain civilization hence promoting empathy towards others, developing ability to advert but a few ( Littlemore, 2003 ) . This therefore was seen as an avenue that can be successfully used to learn English via metaphors. It is of import to bear in head that legion theories have been brought Forth to assist reply the inquiry, how do scholars get foreign linguistic communication? Traditionally, grammar interlingual rendition methods were used to learn pupils foreign linguistic communications. It entailed memorisation of long list of vocabularies that were translated. Later in the old ages, the focal point shifted to coming up with linguistic communication accomplishments such as authorship, listening, reading and speech production. Whether wittingly or unwittingly the phase of learning foreign linguistic communications actively involved utilizing metaphors ( Littlemore, 2004. One renowned bookman, Light created a metaphor with the purpose of assisting set up the assorted elements of grammar so that it could be used to learn English as 2nd linguistic communication. Leeboard held that metaphors and associating theories, â€Å" portion the attempt to form thought by puting in gesture an interaction between familiar and or comprehensible on one manus and the thing to be explained on the other. † Metaphor has the ability of showing significance by mentioning to a different conceptual sphere and has been thought as a vehicle through which cognition is transmitted. Harmonizing to Laoff & A ; Johnson, 1980 metaphors are â€Å" poetic imaginativeness and the rhetorical flourish – a affair of extraordinary instead than ordinary linguistic communication. † The major types of conceptual metaphor normally used are structural metaphor, â€Å" the beginning sphere supplies a moderately drawn-out cognition construction for the mark construction † . They help increase linguistic communication understanding. Ontological metaphors are those that have abstraction and represent something deep for case objects or a individual. Learners are made to visualise experiences via objects. Last, orientation metaphors provide even less conceptual construction for mark constructs than ontological 1s. Their cognitive occupation, alternatively, is to do a set of mark constructs coherent in our conceptual system ( Kovecses, 2002 ) . Data aggregation The research will use a assorted research design method. It is of import to observe that theoretical survey calls for deeper excavation of assorted literatures runing from diaries, publications, books, other signifiers of literature and from the cyberspace ( Boers & A ; Littlemore, 2000 ; ) . Qualitative research will besides be employed in the survey ; the attack seeks to contextualize the research by plunging the research worker into the survey scenario every bit good as with the survey topics. Hypothesiss are developed and informations is collected and the consequences tend to be subjective. A instance survey as a sub type of qualitative research is used to guarantee that the survey is flexible plenty to give the research worker room to look into issues that were non antecedently thought of and could be deserving being brought to visible radiation ( Tabachnick & A ; Fidell, 2000 ; Littlemore, 2004 ) . Anterior to existent aggregation of informations, a pilot survey will be carried out in order to assist set the questionnaires whenever deemed necessary. Questionnaires will be used to roll up relevant information ; I will administer them to respondent situated in the targeted establishment of higher acquisition and would be collected subsequently at an in agreement day of the month. Harmonizing to Beiske, ( 2002 ) questionnaire covers a big population at a clip as they would be distributed to different participants at a clip and be collected subsequently or at the same twenty-four hours depending on the willingness of the responded in turn toing the inquiries, due to it being standardized they are more nonsubjective, informations collected from questionnaire are easy to analyse, due to acquaintance with the tool, responded will non be discerning, it is besides really cost effectual as compared to confront to confront interviews, the tool besides reduces prejudice. The questionnaires will be issued to who are in a place to Iraqi pupils in higher instruction as they are in a better place to supply the needed set of informations. Additionally, instructors will besides be sought after to give more penetration. Harmonizing to Littlemore, 2001 the major job with questionnaires as a tool of informations aggregation is that there is inclination of respondent to bury critical information, they may reply the inquiries superficially when it is a long one, to counter this I developed a short but really inclusive questionnaire, due to standardisation, there is no room for account incase respondents misinterpret or make non understand the inquiries ( Littlemore, 2005 ) . The information will be collected from Iraqi pupils in higher instruction and will be done over a span of one month. As indicated by Littlemore, 1995 ; Littlemore & A ; Chevalier, 1997 some of the ethical consideration includes the followers ; the targeted sample populations that will be involved in the survey to supply relevant information are to be informed about the same in progress. The grounds for transporting out the study every bit good as how they stand to derive from the survey will besides be brought out clearly. As good, research moralss demands that the information be sought after by the research worker will be provided in good religion, and voluntarily without any influence be it pecuniary or otherwise for case giving of inducements, wagess, and gifts. It is of import to observe here that the rights and public assistance of the participants involved in the survey must be protected and guaranteed. To make this, their individualities will be kept confidential. Furthermore, the information collected while beging for informations is to be kept confidential and opt non to be used in any other purpose apart from what was ab initio intended for ( Low & A ; Littlemore, 2009 ; Littlemore, 1995. ) . Methods of analysis After informations aggregation, coding will be done. SPSS statistical package will be used in analysing informations. To set up which point airs as being the greatest challenge in utilizing metaphor in learning English, a cross tabular matter analysis will be done. Similarly, correlativity and arrested development analysis will be done to prove the relationship between the challenges and acquisition of metaphor through civilization instruction. Descriptive statistic will be used to picture demographic features every bit good as other variables. This will be in signifier of tabular arraies, graphs and charts ( Chambers et al. , 2004 ) . Original part The paper will make full the spread in literature sing major challenges confronting metaphor acquisition through teaching civilization. More significantly, the recommendations to control these challenges will be a encouragement to the literature in linguistics. The research subject has non been tackled and presented for an award of any grade in any establishment of higher acquisition hence it is my ain piece of work. It will put land to further understand the whole issues with respects to challenges and what can be done in future to control such jobs in linguistic communication acquisition particularly English to non native talkers ( Boers & A ; Littlemore, 2000 ; Littlemore & A ; MacArthur, 2006 ) .

Bowling for Columbine

According to Megan McArdle, â€Å"Since 1982, there have been at least 62 mass shootings* across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Twenty-five of these mass shootings have occurred since 2006, and seven of them took place in 2012. † Violence in schools as well as the country is on the rise at an alarming rate, raising questions about gun control. After viewing the documentary Bowling for Columbine, I was intrigued. What follows is a summary of the documentary viewed and my thoughtful reaction.First, the shocking information and summary of school shootings and gun control must be understood. Throughout the documentary, shocking information on school shootings is shown. On April 20, 1999, the town of Littleton, Colorado was changed forever by the violent acts of two students at Columbine High School. According to the documentary, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold started their morning off by bowling at a local bowling alley. Harris a nd Klebold then proceeded to the high school equipped with ammunition and guns legally purchased at Kmart.Along with the firearms and ammunition, Harris and Klebold were dressed in long, black trench coats, earning them the name, â€Å"Trench Coat Mafia†. Once at the school, pipe bombs were set-off, ensuing mass chaos. Harris and Klebold then fired over 900 rounds of ammunition on students and teachers, killing 12 students and 2 teachers followed by committing suicide. After ignoring pleas, the National Rifle Society (NRA) held a pro-gun rally in Littleton, Colorado a mere Ten days after the school shooting at Columbine.Charleston Heston, NRA President, caused quite a stir when asked to leave and take his guns with saying, â€Å"you can pry them from my cold dead hands†. After Columbine, schools locked down on their students. Many schools enforced new uniform policies to ensure weapons could not be concealed in clothing or other places. Along with clothing options, the definition of weapons changed from guns and knives to paper, chicken strips, hair color, paperclips, kilts, and even finger pointing while saying ‘pow-pow’. Numerous things have been blamed for the violence that occurred at Columbine.Some of these things include music, video games, movies, race, the media, bullying, and in Littleton, Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest manufacturer of weapons and is responsible for many of the weapons used in wars. On April 20, 1999, President Clinton dropped the biggest assault on Kosovo the war had seen. Lockheed Martin built the majority of the bombs and missiles used. Columbine was not the first and sadly, not the last of school shootings and violence in America. Before the Columbine shooting, Timothy McVey, Terry Nichols, and James Nichols bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.James Nichols was the only member that was not convicted, although all of the planning and bomb construc tion was done on his organic farm in Decker, Michigan. Moore went to visit Nichols on his farm to interview him on his stance on gun control and the Oklahoma City Bombing. Nichols, along with Klebold and Harris, used the Anarchist Cookbook to make many of the bombs used in their acts of violence. When asked why not use words instead of violence, Nichols replied, â€Å"The pen is mightier than the sword. But you need to have a sword too if it doesn’t work†.Gun Control in America is a very controversial issue. While many states have laws against guns, Virgin, Utah mandates that all citizens must own a weapon. Every year, the United States has over 11,127 killings by guns, while German, France, Canada, U. K. , Australia, and Japan have a combined total of 973 killings per year. Many things such as divorce, poverty, violent music and video games, and a history of violent behavior in the United States have all been speculated as causes for school violence.While there have b een many things blamed as a cause for violence, statistics show that murders have decreased by 20% but the media coverage has gone up by 600%. Each night, the media portrays America as a scary place full of nightmares around every corner, ensuing fear and panic in the general public. In Canada, new coverage is more positive and viewers are not being pumped full of fear daily. While the factors are the same, the rates for violence are far fewer. There is a misconception that Canadians do not own guns, but each family has an average of 7 guns per household.With less fear and violence, it is common for Canadians to keep their doors unlock, a theory tested and proved to be true by Moore. Once again tragedy struck in Flint, Michigan on February 29, 2000, when 6-year-old Dedrick Owens shot and killed his classmate, Kayla Rolland. Flint, Michigan has close to 87% of people living below the poverty line and many are enrolled in the ‘Welfare to Work’ program. The welfare program has many single parents riding a bus for over an hour one-way to a minimum wage job, often leaving children unattended, being the case with Dedrick Owens.Left unsupervised, Owens was able to access a gun and bring it to school. Many people wanted Owens tried as an adult, although he was only 6 years old. Eight months after the shooting, Heston and the NRA arrived in Flint, Michigan for the â€Å"Get Out and Vote† campaign. Heston was criticized for, once again, showing up to a town of a recent school shooting. When interviewed by Moore, Heston became very upset and stopped the interview when asked why he comes to towns to hold rallies after school shootings. Next, my thoughtful reaction to the documentary along with questions.While I found the documentary to be very interesting, I feel that it focused too much on being a smear campaign towards the NRA and showed very little on Columbine, yet the title was Bowling for Columbine. Instead of conveying the severity of the massac re, Moore downplayed the situation by calling Harris and Klebold ‘boys’. By doing this, Moore made it seem as though Harris and Klebold did not understand what they were doing as well as making them seem more innocent. In reality, Klebold and Harris â€Å"had begun thinking about a large massacre as early as April 1998 – a full year before the actual event† (Rosenberg 1).Throughout the documentary, Moore creates a lot of false impressions, many of them being with Charleston Heston. For instance, Moore splices many of Heston’s speeches to make it seem as though he is a villain. One particular quote, â€Å"From my cold dead hands† was taken from a speech done one year later in South Carolina, not at the rally held 10 days after in Denver, Colorado shown in Bowling for Columbine. Moore also makes Heston seem like a racist when in fact, Heston worked with Martin Luther King Jr. in protests and helped break Hollywood’s color barrier (hardyl aw. net).Along with false impressions, I was left wondering where Moore got his statistics and information seeing as he listed no sources. According to Moore, in 2002 there were 11,127 deaths by guns in the United States when it is actually closer to 8,000 (Hardy 1). While the documentary had many things I did not agree with, there were a few that I appreciated. The film opened my eyes to the violence that goes on each day throughout the World. Gun control is a major issue that needs to be addressed, especially the issue of determining how people can obtain weapons and ammunition.At the end of the film, Moore and two survivors from Columbine get Kmart to stop selling weapons and bullets. Personally, I think this was the most honest and sincere part of the entire documentary. In conclusion, there are many things that I learned after viewing Bowling For Columbine. What followed was a summary of the documentary along with my thoughtful reactions. When asked what he would say to Harris and Klebold if he had the chance, Marylin Manson replied, â€Å"Nothing! I would listen, that’s what nobody did†. Perhaps violence in schools, as well as life, could be reduced if people just took the time to listen.Works Cited Hardy, David T. Bowling for Columbine. David T. Hardy, Apr. 2003. Web. 12 Mar 2013. McArdle, Megan. Department of Awful Statistics: Are Mass Shootings Really On the Rise? The Daily Beast, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. Rosenberg, Jennifer. Columbine Massacre. About, N. d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013 Bowling for Columbine According to Megan McArdle, â€Å"Since 1982, there have been at least 62 mass shootings* across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Twenty-five of these mass shootings have occurred since 2006, and seven of them took place in 2012. † Violence in schools as well as the country is on the rise at an alarming rate, raising questions about gun control. After viewing the documentary Bowling for Columbine, I was intrigued. What follows is a summary of the documentary viewed and my thoughtful reaction.First, the shocking information and summary of school shootings and gun control must be understood. Throughout the documentary, shocking information on school shootings is shown. On April 20, 1999, the town of Littleton, Colorado was changed forever by the violent acts of two students at Columbine High School. According to the documentary, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold started their morning off by bowling at a local bowling alley. Harris a nd Klebold then proceeded to the high school equipped with ammunition and guns legally purchased at Kmart.Along with the firearms and ammunition, Harris and Klebold were dressed in long, black trench coats, earning them the name, â€Å"Trench Coat Mafia†. Once at the school, pipe bombs were set-off, ensuing mass chaos. Harris and Klebold then fired over 900 rounds of ammunition on students and teachers, killing 12 students and 2 teachers followed by committing suicide. After ignoring pleas, the National Rifle Society (NRA) held a pro-gun rally in Littleton, Colorado a mere Ten days after the school shooting at Columbine.Charleston Heston, NRA President, caused quite a stir when asked to leave and take his guns with saying, â€Å"you can pry them from my cold dead hands†. After Columbine, schools locked down on their students. Many schools enforced new uniform policies to ensure weapons could not be concealed in clothing or other places. Along with clothing options, the definition of weapons changed from guns and knives to paper, chicken strips, hair color, paperclips, kilts, and even finger pointing while saying ‘pow-pow’. Numerous things have been blamed for the violence that occurred at Columbine.Some of these things include music, video games, movies, race, the media, bullying, and in Littleton, Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest manufacturer of weapons and is responsible for many of the weapons used in wars. On April 20, 1999, President Clinton dropped the biggest assault on Kosovo the war had seen. Lockheed Martin built the majority of the bombs and missiles used. Columbine was not the first and sadly, not the last of school shootings and violence in America. Before the Columbine shooting, Timothy McVey, Terry Nichols, and James Nichols bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.James Nichols was the only member that was not convicted, although all of the planning and bomb construc tion was done on his organic farm in Decker, Michigan. Moore went to visit Nichols on his farm to interview him on his stance on gun control and the Oklahoma City Bombing. Nichols, along with Klebold and Harris, used the Anarchist Cookbook to make many of the bombs used in their acts of violence. When asked why not use words instead of violence, Nichols replied, â€Å"The pen is mightier than the sword. But you need to have a sword too if it doesn’t work†.Gun Control in America is a very controversial issue. While many states have laws against guns, Virgin, Utah mandates that all citizens must own a weapon. Every year, the United States has over 11,127 killings by guns, while German, France, Canada, U. K. , Australia, and Japan have a combined total of 973 killings per year. Many things such as divorce, poverty, violent music and video games, and a history of violent behavior in the United States have all been speculated as causes for school violence.While there have b een many things blamed as a cause for violence, statistics show that murders have decreased by 20% but the media coverage has gone up by 600%. Each night, the media portrays America as a scary place full of nightmares around every corner, ensuing fear and panic in the general public. In Canada, new coverage is more positive and viewers are not being pumped full of fear daily. While the factors are the same, the rates for violence are far fewer. There is a misconception that Canadians do not own guns, but each family has an average of 7 guns per household.With less fear and violence, it is common for Canadians to keep their doors unlock, a theory tested and proved to be true by Moore. Once again tragedy struck in Flint, Michigan on February 29, 2000, when 6-year-old Dedrick Owens shot and killed his classmate, Kayla Rolland. Flint, Michigan has close to 87% of people living below the poverty line and many are enrolled in the ‘Welfare to Work’ program. The welfare program has many single parents riding a bus for over an hour one-way to a minimum wage job, often leaving children unattended, being the case with Dedrick Owens.Left unsupervised, Owens was able to access a gun and bring it to school. Many people wanted Owens tried as an adult, although he was only 6 years old. Eight months after the shooting, Heston and the NRA arrived in Flint, Michigan for the â€Å"Get Out and Vote† campaign. Heston was criticized for, once again, showing up to a town of a recent school shooting. When interviewed by Moore, Heston became very upset and stopped the interview when asked why he comes to towns to hold rallies after school shootings. Next, my thoughtful reaction to the documentary along with questions.While I found the documentary to be very interesting, I feel that it focused too much on being a smear campaign towards the NRA and showed very little on Columbine, yet the title was Bowling for Columbine. Instead of conveying the severity of the massac re, Moore downplayed the situation by calling Harris and Klebold ‘boys’. By doing this, Moore made it seem as though Harris and Klebold did not understand what they were doing as well as making them seem more innocent. In reality, Klebold and Harris â€Å"had begun thinking about a large massacre as early as April 1998 – a full year before the actual event† (Rosenberg 1).Throughout the documentary, Moore creates a lot of false impressions, many of them being with Charleston Heston. For instance, Moore splices many of Heston’s speeches to make it seem as though he is a villain. One particular quote, â€Å"From my cold dead hands† was taken from a speech done one year later in South Carolina, not at the rally held 10 days after in Denver, Colorado shown in Bowling for Columbine. Moore also makes Heston seem like a racist when in fact, Heston worked with Martin Luther King Jr. in protests and helped break Hollywood’s color barrier (hardyl aw. net).Along with false impressions, I was left wondering where Moore got his statistics and information seeing as he listed no sources. According to Moore, in 2002 there were 11,127 deaths by guns in the United States when it is actually closer to 8,000 (Hardy 1). While the documentary had many things I did not agree with, there were a few that I appreciated. The film opened my eyes to the violence that goes on each day throughout the World. Gun control is a major issue that needs to be addressed, especially the issue of determining how people can obtain weapons and ammunition.At the end of the film, Moore and two survivors from Columbine get Kmart to stop selling weapons and bullets. Personally, I think this was the most honest and sincere part of the entire documentary. In conclusion, there are many things that I learned after viewing Bowling For Columbine. What followed was a summary of the documentary along with my thoughtful reactions. When asked what he would say to Harris and Klebold if he had the chance, Marylin Manson replied, â€Å"Nothing! I would listen, that’s what nobody did†. Perhaps violence in schools, as well as life, could be reduced if people just took the time to listen.Works Cited Hardy, David T. Bowling for Columbine. David T. Hardy, Apr. 2003. Web. 12 Mar 2013. McArdle, Megan. Department of Awful Statistics: Are Mass Shootings Really On the Rise? The Daily Beast, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. Rosenberg, Jennifer. Columbine Massacre. About, N. d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013 Bowling for Columbine According to Megan McArdle, â€Å"Since 1982, there have been at least 62 mass shootings* across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Twenty-five of these mass shootings have occurred since 2006, and seven of them took place in 2012. † Violence in schools as well as the country is on the rise at an alarming rate, raising questions about gun control. After viewing the documentary Bowling for Columbine, I was intrigued. What follows is a summary of the documentary viewed and my thoughtful reaction.First, the shocking information and summary of school shootings and gun control must be understood. Throughout the documentary, shocking information on school shootings is shown. On April 20, 1999, the town of Littleton, Colorado was changed forever by the violent acts of two students at Columbine High School. According to the documentary, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold started their morning off by bowling at a local bowling alley. Harris a nd Klebold then proceeded to the high school equipped with ammunition and guns legally purchased at Kmart.Along with the firearms and ammunition, Harris and Klebold were dressed in long, black trench coats, earning them the name, â€Å"Trench Coat Mafia†. Once at the school, pipe bombs were set-off, ensuing mass chaos. Harris and Klebold then fired over 900 rounds of ammunition on students and teachers, killing 12 students and 2 teachers followed by committing suicide. After ignoring pleas, the National Rifle Society (NRA) held a pro-gun rally in Littleton, Colorado a mere Ten days after the school shooting at Columbine.Charleston Heston, NRA President, caused quite a stir when asked to leave and take his guns with saying, â€Å"you can pry them from my cold dead hands†. After Columbine, schools locked down on their students. Many schools enforced new uniform policies to ensure weapons could not be concealed in clothing or other places. Along with clothing options, the definition of weapons changed from guns and knives to paper, chicken strips, hair color, paperclips, kilts, and even finger pointing while saying ‘pow-pow’. Numerous things have been blamed for the violence that occurred at Columbine.Some of these things include music, video games, movies, race, the media, bullying, and in Littleton, Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest manufacturer of weapons and is responsible for many of the weapons used in wars. On April 20, 1999, President Clinton dropped the biggest assault on Kosovo the war had seen. Lockheed Martin built the majority of the bombs and missiles used. Columbine was not the first and sadly, not the last of school shootings and violence in America. Before the Columbine shooting, Timothy McVey, Terry Nichols, and James Nichols bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.James Nichols was the only member that was not convicted, although all of the planning and bomb construc tion was done on his organic farm in Decker, Michigan. Moore went to visit Nichols on his farm to interview him on his stance on gun control and the Oklahoma City Bombing. Nichols, along with Klebold and Harris, used the Anarchist Cookbook to make many of the bombs used in their acts of violence. When asked why not use words instead of violence, Nichols replied, â€Å"The pen is mightier than the sword. But you need to have a sword too if it doesn’t work†.Gun Control in America is a very controversial issue. While many states have laws against guns, Virgin, Utah mandates that all citizens must own a weapon. Every year, the United States has over 11,127 killings by guns, while German, France, Canada, U. K. , Australia, and Japan have a combined total of 973 killings per year. Many things such as divorce, poverty, violent music and video games, and a history of violent behavior in the United States have all been speculated as causes for school violence.While there have b een many things blamed as a cause for violence, statistics show that murders have decreased by 20% but the media coverage has gone up by 600%. Each night, the media portrays America as a scary place full of nightmares around every corner, ensuing fear and panic in the general public. In Canada, new coverage is more positive and viewers are not being pumped full of fear daily. While the factors are the same, the rates for violence are far fewer. There is a misconception that Canadians do not own guns, but each family has an average of 7 guns per household.With less fear and violence, it is common for Canadians to keep their doors unlock, a theory tested and proved to be true by Moore. Once again tragedy struck in Flint, Michigan on February 29, 2000, when 6-year-old Dedrick Owens shot and killed his classmate, Kayla Rolland. Flint, Michigan has close to 87% of people living below the poverty line and many are enrolled in the ‘Welfare to Work’ program. The welfare program has many single parents riding a bus for over an hour one-way to a minimum wage job, often leaving children unattended, being the case with Dedrick Owens.Left unsupervised, Owens was able to access a gun and bring it to school. Many people wanted Owens tried as an adult, although he was only 6 years old. Eight months after the shooting, Heston and the NRA arrived in Flint, Michigan for the â€Å"Get Out and Vote† campaign. Heston was criticized for, once again, showing up to a town of a recent school shooting. When interviewed by Moore, Heston became very upset and stopped the interview when asked why he comes to towns to hold rallies after school shootings. Next, my thoughtful reaction to the documentary along with questions.While I found the documentary to be very interesting, I feel that it focused too much on being a smear campaign towards the NRA and showed very little on Columbine, yet the title was Bowling for Columbine. Instead of conveying the severity of the massac re, Moore downplayed the situation by calling Harris and Klebold ‘boys’. By doing this, Moore made it seem as though Harris and Klebold did not understand what they were doing as well as making them seem more innocent. In reality, Klebold and Harris â€Å"had begun thinking about a large massacre as early as April 1998 – a full year before the actual event† (Rosenberg 1).Throughout the documentary, Moore creates a lot of false impressions, many of them being with Charleston Heston. For instance, Moore splices many of Heston’s speeches to make it seem as though he is a villain. One particular quote, â€Å"From my cold dead hands† was taken from a speech done one year later in South Carolina, not at the rally held 10 days after in Denver, Colorado shown in Bowling for Columbine. Moore also makes Heston seem like a racist when in fact, Heston worked with Martin Luther King Jr. in protests and helped break Hollywood’s color barrier (hardyl aw. net).Along with false impressions, I was left wondering where Moore got his statistics and information seeing as he listed no sources. According to Moore, in 2002 there were 11,127 deaths by guns in the United States when it is actually closer to 8,000 (Hardy 1). While the documentary had many things I did not agree with, there were a few that I appreciated. The film opened my eyes to the violence that goes on each day throughout the World. Gun control is a major issue that needs to be addressed, especially the issue of determining how people can obtain weapons and ammunition.At the end of the film, Moore and two survivors from Columbine get Kmart to stop selling weapons and bullets. Personally, I think this was the most honest and sincere part of the entire documentary. In conclusion, there are many things that I learned after viewing Bowling For Columbine. What followed was a summary of the documentary along with my thoughtful reactions. When asked what he would say to Harris and Klebold if he had the chance, Marylin Manson replied, â€Å"Nothing! I would listen, that’s what nobody did†. Perhaps violence in schools, as well as life, could be reduced if people just took the time to listen.Works Cited Hardy, David T. Bowling for Columbine. David T. Hardy, Apr. 2003. Web. 12 Mar 2013. McArdle, Megan. Department of Awful Statistics: Are Mass Shootings Really On the Rise? The Daily Beast, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. Rosenberg, Jennifer. Columbine Massacre. About, N. d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013