Pop-Music - Beating and Killing Women Essay example -- essays research

Pop-Music - Beating and Killing Women   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What would happen if you found out that a certain type of food was bad for you; would you stop eating it? Similarly, if you found out a certain type of music was bad for you; would you stop listening to it? Wouldn’t you need proof before you make a decision? John Hamerlinck, a freelance writer in St. Cloud, Minnesota uses this article, â€Å"Killing Women: A Pop-Music Tradition†, to make his major point of how popular music is the most common link to violence (241). Hamerlinck voices his concern on the issues of violence in our society and has taken many stands on how violence is generated. Hamerlinck emphasizes that even though the mainstream press seems to have only recently recognized this horrible reality, the signs of our tolerance toward domestic violence have long had a prominent profile in popular culture (240). Through novels, films, and music, the media has effected the way our society thinks, believes, and acts. I agree partly with Hamerli nck about the strong influence music has on its listeners, but I don’t agree with how he supports and concludes his article with the type of evidence he uses. Hamerlinck starts out by supporting the way music promotes violence then suddenly changes his stand to say that music isn’t the cause of violence. How can you trust an author’s word when he switches his opinion by the end of the article?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Hamerlinck’s article, the beginning pur...

Drug Use and Delinquency Essay

Drug Use and Delinquency Response Adolescents may try drugs just to experiment or by feeling pressured into trying the drug by other family members or friends. Drug use among adolescences may lead to delinquency for the fact that an adolescents’ behavior most likely started before the start of drugs or alcohol. I will give a brief explanation on reasons for delinquency and drug use starting with reasons adolescents may start using drugs or alcohol and then describe how drug use may relate to delinquency. According to studies adolescents who experienced substance abuse gave several reasons in why they turned to drugs or alcohol such as â€Å"my friends pressured me† or â€Å"I wanted to feel good and get high,† â€Å"to have a good time with friends,† or to â€Å"escape from my problems† (Titus, Godley & White 2006, p33. ). Adolescents may also be influenced by other negative events that may be happening in the adolescent’s life. Research typically shows the reasons related to starting drugs or alcohol is peer-social behavior, dealing with negative conditions or feelings, or achieving a satisfying state (Titus, Godley & White, 2006). Studies reveal positive and negative emotions in the understanding of deviant behavior in youths’. Most teenagers generally use drugs for gratification however the adolescents who may become addicted say they are unhappy with past decisions or current situations (Brunelle, Cousineau, & Brochu, (2005). There could be many factors in how drug use becomes related to delinquency for example by having family conflict inside the house it could lead to an adolescences delinquency such as damaging property or the start of substance abuse. Research shows adolescents with less supervision and monitoring, more family conflict, and weak parent/child attachment most likely is at more risk in delinquency and drug use (Fagan, Van Horn, Antaramian & Hawkins 2011).

The eNotes Blog A Government of Wolves Ten Writers SoundOff

A Government of Wolves Ten Writers SoundOff Like most of you, I am becoming more and more annoyed by the government shutdown. Yesterday, I heard a sick child will not get his weekly visit with a therapy dog because those non-essential workers had been furloughed. Here are ten quotes from writers, past and present, that may help you channel and articulate your own feelings and frustration with our elected leaders: 1.   A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.†Ã‚   Edward R. Murrow 2.   â€Å"People shouldnt be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.†Ã‚   Alan Moore, V for Vendetta 4.   â€Å"You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasnt that long ago that we were swept away by the Macarena.†Ã‚   Jon Stewart 5.   â€Å"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, and intolerable†Ã‚   H.L. Mencken 6.   â€Å"The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.†Ã‚   Julian Barnes, Flauberts Parrot 7.   â€Å"Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.†Ã‚   Honore de Balzac 8.   â€Å"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress.†Ã‚   Mark Twain 9.   â€Å"Its all very well to run around saying regulation is bad, get the government off our backs, etc. Of course our lives are regulated. When you come to a stop sign, you stop; if you want to go fishing, you get a license; if you want to shoot ducks, you can shoot only three ducks. The alternative is dead bodies at the intersection, no fish, and no ducks. OK?   Molly Ivins 10.   â€Å"Good governance never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders.†Ã‚   Frank Herbert, Children of Dune

Profile of Richard Kuklinski

Profile of Richard Kuklinski Richard Kuklinski was one of the most diabolical, and notorious, confessed contract killers in American history. He took the credit for over 200 murders while working for various mafia families, including the murder of Jimmy Hoffa. Because of his sheer number of kills, as well as his approach to killing, many believe he should be considered a serial killer. Kuklinskis Childhood Years Richard Leonard Kuklinski was born in the projects in Jersey City, New Jersey to Stanley and Anna Kuklinski. Stanley was a severely abusive alcoholic who beat his wife and children. Anna was also abusive to her children, sometimes beating them with broom handles. In 1940, Stanleys beatings resulted in the death of Kuklinskis old brother, Florian. Stanley and Anna hid the cause of the childs death from the authorities, saying he had fallen down a flight of steps. By the age of 10, Richard Kuklinski was filled with rage and began acting out. For fun, he would torture animals, and by the age of 14, he had committed his first murder. Taking a steel clothing rod from his closet, he ambushed Charlie Lane, a local bully, and leader of a small gang who had picked on him. Unintentionally he beat Lane to death. Kuklinski felt remorse for Lanes death for a brief period, but then saw it as a way to feel powerful and in control. He then went on and nearly beat to death the remaining six gang members. Early Adulthood By his early twenties, Kuklinski had earned the reputation as being an explosive, tough street hustler who would beat or kill those who he didnt like or who offended him. According to Kuklinski, it was during this time that his association with Roy DeMeo, a member of the Gambino Crime Family, was established. As his work with DeMeo advanced his ability to be an effective killing machine was recognized. According to Kuklinski, he became a favorite hitman for the mob, resulting in the deaths of at least 200 people. The use of cyanide poison became one of his favorite weapons as well as guns, knives, and chainsaws. Brutality and torture would often precede death for many of his victims. This included his description of causing his victims to bleed, then tying them up in rat-infested areas. The rats attracted to the smell of blood would eventually eat the men alive. The Family Man Barbara Pedrici saw Kuklinski as a sweet, giving man and the two married and had three children. Much like his father, Kuklinski, who was 6 4 and weighing over 300 pounds, began to beat and terrorize Barbara and the children. On the outside, however, the Kuklinski family was admired by neighbors and friends as being happy and well adjusted. The Beginning of the End Eventually, Kuklinski started making mistakes, and the New Jersey State Police were watching him. When three associates of Kuklinskis turned up dead, a task force was organized with the New Jersey authorities and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Special Agent Dominick Polifrone went undercover and spent a year, and a half-disguised as a hit man and eventually met and gained Kuklinskis trust. Kuklinski bragged to the agent about his proficiency with cyanide and boasted about freezing a corpse to mask his time of death. Afraid Polifrone would soon become another of Kuklinskis victims; the task force moved quickly after taping some of his confessions and getting him to agree to do a hit with Polifrone. On December 17, 1986, Kuklinski was arrested and charged with five counts of murder which involved two trials. He was found guilty in the first trial and reached an agreement in the second trial and was sentenced to two life sentences. He was sent to Trenton State Prison, where his brother was serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl. Enjoying the Fame While in prison, he was interviewed by HBO for a documentary called The Iceman Confesses, then later by author Anthony Bruno, who wrote the book The Iceman as a follow-up to the documentary. In 2001, he was interviewed again by HBO for another documentary called The Iceman Tapes: Conversations With a Killer. It was during these interviews that Kuklinski confessed to several cold-blooded murders and spoke of his ability to detach himself emotionally from his own brutality. When on the subject of his family he uncharacteristically showed emotions when describing the love he felt towards them. Kuklinski Blames Childhood Abuse When asked why he had become one of the most diabolical mass murderers in history, he cast blame on his fathers abuse and admitted the one thing he was sorry for was for not killing him. Questionable Confessions Authorities do not buy everything Kuklinski claimed during the interviews. Witnesses for the government who were part of DeMeos group said Kuklinski was not involved in any murders for DeMeo. They also question the number of murders he claimed to have committed. His Suspicious Death On March 5, 2006, Kuklinski, age 70, died of unknown causes. His death came suspiciously around the same time he was scheduled to testify against Sammy Gravano. Kuklinski was going to testify that Gravano hired him to kill a police officer in the 1980s. Charges against Gravano were dropped after Kuklinskis death because of insufficient evidence. Kuklinski and the Hoffa Confession In April 2006, it was reported that Kuklinski had confessed to author Philip Carlo that he and four men had kidnapped and murdered union boss Jimmy Hoffa. In an interview aired on CNNs Larry King Live, Carlo discussed the confession in detail, explaining that Kuklinski was part of a five-member team. Under the direction of Tony Provenzano, a captain in the Genovese crime family, he kidnapped and murdered Hoffa in a restaurant parking lot in Detroit. Also on the program was Barbara Kuklinski and her daughters, who spoke about the abuse and fear they suffered at the hands of Kuklinski. There was one telling moment which described the true depth of Kuklinskis sociopathic brutality. One of the daughters, described as Kuklinskis favorite child, told of her fathers attempt to get her to understand, when she was 14, why if he killed Barbara during a fit of rage, he would also have to kill her and her brother and sister.

Resource Development vs Conservation In Alaska Term Paper

Resource Development vs Conservation In Alaska - Term Paper Example Mining industry in Alaska is wide, which includes exploration, mine development, mineral development, and mineral production. Some of the notable minerals mined and produced in the state include zinc, lead, gold, silver, coal, as well as construction materials such as sand, gravel, and rock (Alaska Miners 1). A quick glance into the 2007 statistics of how mining industry contributed to the economy, it becomes clear that mining plays great role to economy of Alaska. For instance, during the period, about 3,500 direct mining jobs were created in Alaska, in addition to another 5,500 direct and indirect jobs (Alaska Miners 1). In terms of royalties generated from the mining activities, an estimated $340 million in direct and indirect payroll was realized. Out of this sum, $14 million went to the local government revenue through property taxes and payments of taxes; $175 million went to state government revenue, while another $170 million of payments went to Alaska Native Corporation (Ala ska Miners 1). In summary, what these figures indicate is that, mining industry is today one of the primary economic sources for the development and prosperity of Alaska. Nevertheless, in this midst, there have been concerns of mining activities to the social, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects of the communities in which mining takes place. This is particularly of great concern when mega-projects of mining are permitted to be carried in the state whereby, the costs associated with the project may outweigh its benefits. Alaska State’s issues are intricately connected to the natural resources, which for the last fifty years have dominated the economy and politics of the state (Kimura 191). At the same time, it has been observed that these debates are likely to continue into the future and the only likely changes that may be witnessed constitute resources that will fulcrum the future debates, the composition of coalitions that are established to promote and oppose re source development, and the complexity and touch of the issues at hand. Furthermore, debates on these issues are likely to be affected by critical elements of global market forces, conservation concerns, policy directives and judicial decisions, which in turn will affect the decisions associated with developing resources in the state. Chuitna Coal Mining Project in Cook Inlet A proposal has been made to the state of Alaska and the federal government of USA to permit PacRim LP Company to construct Chuitna Coal Project, which is a coal strip mine in Beluga Fields located near Chuitna River (Environmental Protection Agency 3). The project will involve surface mining and export development of coal resources in the Beluga Coal Field located in the

Random Numbers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Random Numbers - Essay Example While practicing the use of random numbers it is highly advisable to choose few random number generators that have an acceptable reputation. Indeed, deriving an excellent random number is still a plight since computation of a series of random numbers cannot be generated by computers. True random numbers generation has turned to be one of the important factors in the increasing levels of innovation. The increase in innovation has made the developing of algorithms that generate random numbers that entail all properties of being true random numbers (Haule, 2014) Malcolm (2010) argues that all output produced by the machines including computers today are totally predictable hence making it impossible for them to generate true random numbers. In today’s world there are various methods of generating random numbers being used. Various methods have been innovated to produce true random numbers and they include use of radioactive decay or quantum system, Lehmer’s multiplicative congruently algorithm from which lots of random number generators are based, pseudo-random generators which are simple and when used together with Monte Carlo or multidimensional integration give a much satisfying result. There are several others like the numerical inversion method which is mostly used to generate Gaussian distributed random numbers. From a real experience of random number generating machine that is online, the resultant random number is quite unpredictable from the start. A continuous use of the random number generator revealed a slight clue of predictability as the results seemed to be shifting towards the larger integer out of the two keyed in. This could probably be due to the narrow integral limit of the numerical algorithm. Pseudo-random generator being one of the easiest random number generators to use and being readily available in various libraries is an excellent generator and is used by several institutions in the globe. They

Slavery in North American Colonies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Slavery in North American Colonies - Essay Example According to the discussion  the spread of tobacco farms and the reducing  population  willing to sign-on as indentured servants in the 1680s' increased the importation of slaves from Africa. African slaves replaced Native American slaves, who were susceptible to diseases of the European origin. The  white  enslavement was by kidnapping or for crimes and debts. According to Robinson, about 600 to 650 thousand slaves came to America against their will. Slaves holders treated slaves as property, to be readily sold and bought. Some owners allowed them to marry, while others imposed  marriage  on their slaves. The sad part is that  slave  marriage  was never recognized  by the states. Slave children did not get spared because they joined others in the  field  when they turned 12 to work from sunrise to sunset.   This paper outlines that  the Anglican Church also raised the issue of liberating the black man by teaching them the Christian principles, but their employees were  adamant  to  allow  this exercise. They had a fear that if the slaves received an education on Christianity they would no longer  accept  to be enslaved. By 1808, over 300000 slaves  were imported, and the rest of the population of slaves were almost all born in the United States. In this same year, the importation of slaves became abolished. As a result, slavery in the non-southern states became history. Between 1700 and 1808, few  real  restrictions of the conduct of  master  toward his  slave  were established, although, they  were considered  as Christian virtues and social norms.