Toumin Essay-Baseball players using steroids should be banned Essay

Toumin -Baseball players using steroids should be banned - Essay Example One of the fundamental lessons and guidelines that kids are taught include saying no to drugs. However, in various sports publications and reports, the public has been made aware that the role models, Major League Baseball (MLB) players were reported to violate rules by using steroids that can damage the game and themselves repeatedly. In this regard, one contends that professional baseball players who use steroids should be banned from the game. MLB has faced and dealt with many issues in regards to players violating rules and policies resulting in suspension. However, players have been banned from baseball for serious offenses. For example, Pete Rose, former manager of the Cincinnati Reds and the all-time Major League leader in hits, was banned from baseball for gambling; and ultimately banned from the Hall of Fame (PETE ROSE STILL BANNED FROM HALL OF FAME). Marge Scott, former owner of Cincinnati Reds, was banned from baseball for saying racist slurs about African Americans and homosexual comments. Ferguson Jenkins, former Texas Rangers player, was banned for having possession of drugs trying to clear U.S. Customs. If these individuals mention were banned, the use of steroids, which is a greater offense, would ultimately be prevented through eliminating all players proven to have used it in the game. In an article written by Sari (2010), sports players are predominantly identified to manifest prolific use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), noted to have been synthetically obtained from testosterone, â€Å"the sex hormone that stimulates development of male sex characteristics and growth of muscles and bones† (68). Steroids were also reported to include performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) which likewise encompass human growth hormone (HGH) (Schmotzer, Kilgo and Switchenko). The reasons for using non-therapeutic

Supply and Demand Analytical Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supply and Demand Analytical Paper - Assignment Example Everybody knows that Apple compete with quality for it to remarkably set a highly competitive price for its product offerings. In the case of Apple, competitive price does not necessarily mean to be lower prices compared to its competitors’. In fact, in most of the time, it is higher than the others. However, it is clear that there is an ongoing high demand for Apple’s iPhone products despite its comparatively higher price than the competitors’ offerings’. The law of demand states that the price is highly associated with the number of quantity demanded and vice versa. This means that there will be more quantity demanded for a certain offering if the price goes down or as the price goes down, more quantity for the product will be demanded. As stated in Figure 1, the law of demand simply states that price has a linear relationship with the number of quantity demanded. However, knowing that Apple sells iPhone products at a price higher than its competitors’, considering a staggering increase of its revenue and profit, is an indication of increasing demand for its product offerings. On the other hand, there is a significant indication that the use of mobile phones has become a reality or part of life. In Europe alone, there was an ongoing perception that there will be no enough available frequency to satisfy the demand for talking, texting and surfing the Net on mobile phones (O’Brien). The broadcast spectrum is simply becoming a limited commodity for as long as more users are inclined to buy mobile phones and use them for either talking, texting or surfing the Net. As a result, there is no question as to why there is an increasing demand for Apple’s iPhone even if it was set at a higher price. Mobile phones, particularly smart phones, are not just wants but are becoming strong basic commodities. Apple has continued innovation of products that have improved functionalities that are known to use wider broadcast spectrums. In this case,

Compare and Contrast 2 Movies with Platos Allegory Essay Example for Free

Compare and Contrast 2 Movies with Platos Allegory Essay Humans depend on their five senses to confirm the authenticity of the reality that surrounds them, but how would they react when their comfort zone they call â€Å"the truth† is wrong? In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Plato answers that question with a series of symbols. The same symbolic meanings can be found in the 1999 film of The Matrix (directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski) where the protagonist Thomas A. Anderson is a man living two lives. Thomas is an average computer programmer by day but hacker Neo by night. Thomas is an obedient citizen; on the other hand, Neo has never been satisfied with the reality that has been spoon fed to him since he was born and has been searching for the truth through computers. When Neo is targeted by the police, Morpheus (a legendary computer hacker) contacts Neo and awakens him to the real world. Because of the obvious similarities, the dimensions present in The Matrix could be compared with Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In The Matrix, Morpheus makes a perplexing point of â€Å"If real is what you feel, smell, taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain† (The Matrix) and continues to question â€Å"what is real? † (The Matrix). This argument then leads to Morpheus revealing the real post-apocalyptic world where machines who call themselves the â€Å"Sentinels† rule over humans. Morpheus explains that the Sentinels created a reality stimulator (the â€Å"Matrix†) to control humans. The Matrix is built to feed humans a false world and is manipulated by artificial knowledge. This make-belief world befits Plato’s representation of the ignorant world â€Å"the cave†. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the cave is to symbolize the warped world that the everyday people would perceive as the one and only â€Å"reality†. Not forgetting the ultimate truth, Plato symbolizes it with the â€Å"world above the cave†. In The Matrix, the dark, machine-ruled world is The Matrix[’s] rendition of the world above the cave. Wanting to share the truth, Morpheus opens the door of the ultimate truth to Neo by giving him the choice between the blue and the red pill. If Neo was to choose the blue pill, it was a choice to continue living in the Matrix’s blissful ignorant illusion whereas if he chose the red pill, he will be able to embrace the hidden truth. Morpheus’ red pill is a portrayal of â€Å"the tunnel† in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. The red pill and â€Å"the tunnel† are to symbolize the path to more information and to become more open-minded. After choosing the red pill, this path awakens Neo to the new world and Morpheus trains and teaches Neos mind to be strong enough to comprehend and differentiate the truth from the Matrix. Neo’s training of the truth is a depiction of Socrates the freed prisoner being pulled to the light because both dimensions are to symbolize the education the one has to go through to further understand the world and its surroundings. In Plato’s allegory, Socrates journey suggests that without the assistance of education and with the little knowledge one has, one is incapable of comprehending new information which makes the â€Å"tunnel† essential for enlightenment. After learning the ultimate truth through Morpheus’ education process, Neo realizes that the spoon that fed him information his whole life was a lie and that â€Å"there is no spoon† (The Matrix). Eventually Neo reacts to the world’s reality with acceptance and he believes that he lives in â€Å"a world where anything is possible† (The Matrix). Neo acknowledges and stomachs the actuality of the Matrix; however, Cypher (another â€Å"disciple of the truth† Morpheus had trained) loathes the truth and would much rather revert back to an ignorant Matrix citizen. As a portrayal of Plato’s allegory’s â€Å"rejection of the truth†, Cypher teams up with Agent Smith (the antagonist of the film) to catch Morpheus and prevent the spread of knowledge. The reasoning behind Agent Smith rejection of the truth and role to silence Morpheus is because the Sentinels (the robots that rule earth) believe that if the humans realize the false world that surrounds them, the humans might revolt which will inevitably lead to the dethroning of the Sentinels. Agent Smith’s role is The Matrix[’s] representation of Plato’s â€Å"guards†, because â€Å"the guards† are responsible for keeping the ignorant prisoners (which, in The Matrix[’s] terms, are the humans) from learning about the real world. Agent Smith’s hatred towards the real world is evident when he says â€Å"I hate this place, this zoo, this prison, this reality†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Matrix). Both Agent Smith’s and Cypher’s â€Å"rejection of the truth† leads to Cypher’s betrayal to Morpheus’ trust and consequently leads to several valued â€Å"disciples of the truth† deaths. Cypher’s double-crossing unfaithfulness progresses the plot and the flow of The Matrix[’s] and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave[’s] story leads to the â€Å"execution of Socrates† (ie. Neo’s death). The â€Å"execution of Socrates† is Plato’s metaphor of the information censorship when the ultimate truth is not accepted by the general public. Although Neo is revived in The Matrix, his death is essential because it is the a representation of the general public’s rejection to the one and only hope to understanding the ultimate truth and it also shows the consequences of the general public’s lack of better judgment. Neo was not revived until Trinity and the other â€Å"disciples of the truth† portrayed their hope and acceptance for Neo. When Neo was revived, Neo was able to defeat Agent Smith (â€Å"the guard†) and is now able to spread the legitimacy of the Matrix. Even though Plato ended his allegory with the â€Å"execution of Socrates† to better convince his audience that any information censorship will lead to no progression, The Matrix revived Neo to depict what could of happened to Socrates if the truth was accepted (which eventually be the general public’s acceptance of the truth). After analyzing and comparing The Matrix and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, one can see that the two are very similar and are trying to get the same messages across. Through character development, themes, and symbolism both allegories were able to demonstrate the path to knowledge is often concealed by the faulty ideology the complacent majority desperately cling unto. Without the willingness to evolve and buildup of what we, as humans, know to further understand the misinterpreted world (ie. The reality), no positive progression will occur.

Ancient Egypt’s Comparison with Mesopotamia

Ancient Egypt’s Comparison with Mesopotamia Ancient Egypt’s farming system compared with Mesopotamia Ancient Egyptians had an easier life compared to the other ancient civilizations because of their reliable agriculture system. Geography played a big role, especially in farming. Due to geography, Mesopotamia and Egypt had different farming methods, weathers, environment, and flooding seasons. In fact, Egypt’s great farming system led them to have better conditions to farm than Mesopotamia because of flooding, the rivers and irrigation and the farming tools that they used. Economy, crops, flooding, and the weather varied between Mesopotamia and Egypt. Geography, flooding seasons, different farming tools, and methods led Egypt to have a better agriculture system than Egypt. The difference between geographies, which includes the environment, was the main factor that the farming was different in Mesopotamians and Egyptians. Flooding influenced farming in Mesopotamia and Egypt. However, flooding helped Egypt but it influenced badly in Mesopotamia. Egypt is settled on the world’s longest river, the Nile, which flows from south to north because of the geography of land. Unlike Mesopotamia, Egypt had a predictable flooding seasons. Farmers, knowing when to expect floods, were able to schedule growing seasons around when crops needed water. Not only did flooding help with good timing with farming, but it also provided rich soil from the flooding. The Nile River floods between June and October (Louis, and Jennifer). After floods, there would be a fertile land along the river which Egyptians used to plant and grow things such as fruits and vegetables (Gill, 29). Flood played a big role in farming and growing crops in Egypt. On the contrary, growing crops were more difficult for Mesopotamians because of the difference in geography. Mesopotamia had limited natural resources because of the unpredictable floods (David, 117). Farmers had no prediction when it was going to flood, which gave the farmers hard times finding the right season to farm. Unlike Egyptians, Mesopotamians lived in the city-states which were based on farming and trade. The city-states were a group of small cities which needed unity with one the other. Also, they were isolated from one another geographically and so the independence of each city-state became important. Farming played a big role in city-states. However, Egypt did not have a good environment, especially the flood was the main problem. Floods destroyed villages and took many lives (David, 121). The floods sometimes caused rivers to change courses and due to this farmers had a lot of trouble with crops. Sudden floods forced Mesopotamians to create an organized agricultural sys tem to help them with farming and growing crops. Mesopotamia was very dry, hot and had little rainfall. Farmers had hard time finding water for their crops. Farming was hard for Mesopotamians due to the hot weather and bad environment conditions (David, 122). Flood was not the only cause of having different farming system, but also due to using different tools and farming methods. Using different tools in farming and farming in different environment such as soil and weathers led Mesopotamia and Egypt to harvest different crops. Egyptian grew a lot of crops due to good weather and soil. Egyptian farmers grew crops such as wheat, barley, vegetables, figs, melons, pomegranates and vines (Barrow). Also, they grew flax which was made into linen (Barrow). Out of all the crops that the Egyptian farmers harvested, the most important crop was grain because ancient Egyptians used grain to make bread, porridge and beer (Barrow). Moreover, grain was the first crop that they grew after inundation. Once the grain was harvested, they grew vegetables, such as onions, leeks, cabbages beans and lettuce (Barrow). Crops differed between Mesopotamia and Egypt because of the environment, but also due to the different tools that they used to farm. Ancient Egypt ian had simple farming tools such as winnowing scoops, hoes, rakes, flint-bladed sickles and ploughs (Barrow). Farming methods, and tools also took a big role in Egypt to have a reliable farming system. Moreover, Egypt was geography isolated by deserts, mountains and seas which allowed their crops to grow well. Mesopotamia had only few crops to grow due to the geography and flooding which influenced the Economy. Due to unpredictable floods, Mesopotamians did not know when to farm. For some farmers, when it was time to harvest, flooded unexpectedly and swept away all the crops. However, the farmers raised few crops which were grains, fruit, vegetables, and barn yard animals. One of the methods that the farmers used was by filling the containers with seeds. Cows would pull plow seed and the seeds would go into the ground (Louis, and Jennifer). Mesopotamian people invented the seeder plow, which enabled farmers to carry out the tasks of seeding and plowing at the same time. The plow created a long, narrow trench made in the ground as seed was dropped into a funnel (Gabriel). The Mesopotamians further enhanced the technology of the plow by learning how to use ox to power it (Gabriel). There were few farming methods, however, Mesopotamia did not have enough methods than Egypt (Louis, and Jennife r). Due to the lack of farming methods, the Mesopotamian farmers hand harvested most crops. Because of the unpredictable flood, and lack of farming tools and methods, Egypt had a better profit in crops and had developed farming system. Along with the farming methods and tools, Mesopotamian and Egyptians were both influenced by geography (McIntosh, 56). Egypt, irrigation led to an increased food supply and helped water dry lands with streams, canals, or pipes. Due to irrigation, farmers could plan for the seasonal flooding. Nile River played a big role in farming because the river provided silt whenever there was a flood, so Egypt was ready for flood and they did not have to worry about the right time for farming. Also, after floods, there would be a fertile strip along the Nile River that was about 12 miles wide (Louis, and Jennifer). Moreover, this benefited the soil, due to this they had rich fertile soil which was good for farming. Not only good fertile soil land, but also the economy boosted. Farmers had a lot of profit due to growing crops. Crops were able to boost the economy because of irrigation. This increased food supply, fertile lands, canals, pipes, and farmers suffered less. Due to Egypt’s geogr aphy, economy boosted because of crops. On the other land, Mesopotamia had hard time with their economy because of their geography. Mesopotamia depended on Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, however, they sometimes brought unpredictable floods (Wallenfels, 28-29). Unlike Egypt, Mesopotamia was overwhelmed with a large amount of silt. This silt was a constant cause of problems in the manmade irrigation systems (Grigg, 22). Not only the silt was the problem, but also the salt was the problem. Right below the surface of where Mesopotamia was, there was a large cluster of salt deposits. This high saline content of the soil made farming in Mesopotamia much more complex and difficult than it was in Egypt. Also, any time the irrigation waterways were not able to be maintained, a lack of the large food would result. Due to the salt deposit and overload of silt caused a decline in economy and crops in Mesopotamia (Grigg, 21). Above all, Egypt had better and suitable environment to grow crops which developed their farming skills as well as their economy. Also, there were many farming methods and tools which led them to grow more crops, and no longer had to do hand harvested crops. Egypt’s distinguished geography, farming methods, and farming tools helped to set them up to be more advanced and outstanding society than Mesopotamian civilization. Works Cited Bertman, Stephen. Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia. New York: Oxford UP, 2005.  Print. Cline, Eric H., and Jill Rubalcaba. The Ancient Egyptian World. New York: Oxford UP, 2005.  Print. David, A. Rosalie. Geography of Ancient Egypt. Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt. New  York: Facts On File, 2003. 117-22. Print. Louis, and Jennifer. Farming and Agriculture of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Farming and  Agriculture of Egypt and Mesopotamia. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014. Roaf, Michael. Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. Arlington, VA: Stonehenge, 1992.  Print. Wallenfels, Ronald. World Eras, Volume 8: Ancient Mesopotamia, 3300-331 BCE. Detroit: Gale,  2004. Print. Gill, Vernon Dale, Tom (1974). Topsoil and Civilization, University of Oklahoma Press. Grigg, D.B, (1974). Agricultural Systems of the World. Cambridge University Press. Jacobsent, Thorkild (1982). Salinity and Irrigation Agriculture in Antiquity, UndenaPublications. Leonard, Jonathan Norton, (1973). The First Farmers, Time Life Books. Louis, and Jennifer. Farming and Agriculture of Egypt and Mesopotamia.Farming and Agriculture of Egypt and Mesopotamia. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.

Willa Cather’s A Lost Lady - Captain Daniel Forrester Essay -- Willa

Willa Cather’s A Lost Lady - Captain Daniel Forrester   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Willa Cather’s A Lost Lady, Captain Daniel Forrester is a gardener at heart. His lifetime is spent encouraging growth, whether of railroads, personal lives or flowers. His philosophy is to dream â€Å"because a thing that is dreamed of in the way I mean is already an accomplished fact† (44). Close friends described the Captain as clearly looking like â€Å"†¦ pictures of Grover Cleveland. His clumsy dignity covered a deep nature, and a conscience that had never been juggled with† (39). Because of his clear conscience Captain Forrester became a rich soil for many around him to take root in. As this soil, he could always be in the background and many never noticed how important he was until he was missed. Once the Captain’s career outside his home ended he truly opens up to the peacefulness of nature, including his flowers, which eventually illustrate the phases of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The location of the Forrester’s homes gives a hint towards Captain Forrester’s dreams throughout his life. They had seasonal homes, spending â€Å"†¦winter in Denver and Colorado Springs,-left Sweet Water soon after Thanksgiving and did not return until the first of May† (23). Of three places they stayed during the year, two of them had optimistic names, encouraging ideas of eternal springs, which would be wonderful places for gardening. During the summer at Sweet Water, â€Å"The wild roses were wide open and brilliant, the blue-eyed grass was in purple flower, and the silvery milkweed was just coming on† (10). This picture of wild blooms is a reflection of Mrs. Forrester enjoying summertime, complimented with her barrenness of winter. Niel who enjoyed Mrs. Forrester staying on in Sweet Water throughout the winter noticed â€Å"The frosty air had brought no colour to her cheeks,-her skin had always the fragrant, crystalline white ness of white lilacs† (26). This picture of Mrs. Forrester displays a reproduction of the nature around her. That same day as Niel gave Mrs. Forrester a ride home, â€Å"The poplars looked very tall and straight, pinched up and severe in their winter poverty† (28). Throughout A Lost Lady Mrs. Forrester reacts to the seasons as a rose does. With the Captain around he quietly gives her the support she needs, reacting to all of her seasonal needs, always supplying an endless supply of sweet or spring water.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Capta... ...tain gone could it be seen that: It was Mrs. Forrester herself who had changed. Since her husband’s death she seemed to have become another woman. For years Niel and his uncle, the Dalzells and all her friends, had thought of the Captain as a drag upon his wife; a care that drained her and dimmed her and kept her from being all that she might be. But without him, she was like a ship without ballast, driven hither and tither by every wind. She was flighty and perverse. She seemed to have lost her faculty of discrimination; her power of easily and graciously keeping everyone in his proper place. (130) Mrs. Forrester was the rose of her husband, who carefully tended her. Without his leadership she slowly became a memory of a rose garden who eventually mangled its self into a briar rose patch. From before the couple met Captain Forrester thought as a gardener, applying his technique throughout his life. He grew the railroads and his fortunes until he could no longer and then he appreciated his organic companions, which kept him company through the twilight of his life. Throughout A Lost Lady it is easy to see who is the beautiful flower many admire, and who keeps it lively.

Exploring the Hindu Religion Essay -- Philosophy Religion Essays

Exploring the Hindu Religion The statement "everyone is a Hindu" is an extremely broad one that is open to much interpretation. This owes partly to the fact that Hinduism itself is a broad and vast religion with many ways of following. In this paper I seek to explain that the statement "everyone is a Hindu" is a worthy one because Hindus have a sense of interconnectedness in all organisms and life on earth, and that the ultimate goal of a person is to join the rest of the universe in "moksha." Additionally, the attribute of the Hinduism that lends well to the statement is that Hinduism is a very hospitable religion that not only requires no specific adherence or conversion, it stresses the understanding of other religions as well. If one ascribes to a particular religion, surely that person believes that his or her religion holds for everyone. This person would feel that there is only one god or Supreme Being that rules over the universe and all its peoples. In Islam this god is known as Allah; in Christianity He is known as Jehovah. This is one argument that could apply to any religion however. In Hinduism on the other hand, the idea of a Supreme Being is much more of an abstract concept rather than a tangible being, and is known as "Brahman." The idea that Brahman is the "everything" or Supreme Reality is what makes the statement "everyone is a Hindu" a notably pertinent one in relation to Hinduism. Hindus have a sense of interconnectedness that pervades throughout everything in the universe: all plants, animals, people, and the cosmos. Brahman is the sacred force that holds everything together is. It is the ultimate reality that is unseen in the karmic cycle of birth and death, called samsara, which Hindus believe we... ...ital to Buddhism. I have shown that the universality of Hinduism, its broad sense of welcoming to people of any creed or faith, and its decentralized nature are all factors that lend to the assertion "everyone is a Hindu." The central concept of Brahman in Hinduism as a sacred unexplainable force that ties everything in this world together make everyone a Hindu. In addition, everyone is seen as striving towards the same goal to reach moksha, to shed the bondage of being reborn in a human body in order to finally attain union with the Supreme Being. Although it could be said that there are "330 Million Gods," there is no acceptance required of these particular deities in Hinduism, only an acknowledgement that there is a Supreme Being. The statement that "everyone is a Hindu" is a compelling one that is substantiated by the universal ideas and concepts of Hinduism.

Short Story evaluation template

A good short story includes the following: Interesting & appropriate title plot Theme / message Narrative style: telling a story Structure: Introduction, development, conflict, climax, resolution / conclusion Strong Introduction & conclusion: Introduction hooks the reader, conclusion leaves a lasting Impression on the reader. Conflict/ Issue / problem: Introduced & resolved. Suspense: The story must hold the reader's Interest.The problem presented early In the story Is developed steadily so that the reader's curiously Is stimulated; the reader then becomes more and more Involved In the story. Suspense reaches the highest point at the climax: this is the point where the problem Is resolved In some way. This then leads to the resolutions of the story. Tense: clear and consistent Distinctive tone: formal, informal, chatty, lively, exciting etc.. Strong, interesting and varied characters Narrator: who tells the story?Clear point of view: first / third person Paragraphs Good punctuation, spelling & grammar Setting: time & place Varied range of expression: adjectives, verbs, similes, metaphors, sensual images language, color, varied sentence length (short & long: allows description and creates tension & suspense) Dialogue: gives a good insight into characters, life styles, personalities, relationships Proof read: have you answered who, what, when, where, why & how questions Resolution: open or closed ending.