Saturday, August 24, 2019
Frankenstein Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7
Frankenstein - Essay Example The description is vague simply because Victor does not want to people to know the where about of the creature due to fear of humanitarian principals thatââ¬â¢s why he fears the destructive nature of the creature even though he feels sympathy for the creature. Henry and victor in the book are friends who come together to pursue their dream in creating life. Although they contrast exist among them Victor his more of the old school and the genius behind creating life while Henry s still young and more concerned with real life situation. Justine was implicated in the murder of William by the creature after implanting locket from Williamââ¬â¢s throat into the pocket of Justine while she slept. Justine confesses swearing die before Elizabeth. The creature is supernatural horror straight from our nightmares. He is massive, powerful, and extremely intelligent. He can survive harsh weather especially cold, can watch people without them suspecting, and even puts the locket in Justines pocket while she is distracted. This is completely different from our modern view of Frankensteins creature who is a lumbering, groaning idiot. Victor believes he will be killed on his wedding night. We, the reader, never believe he is the one who will be killed. This is a use of dramatic irony, where the character is not aware of something the audience
Friday, August 23, 2019
The True Nature of Paul's Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
The True Nature of Paul's Case - Essay Example Then, various interpretations by critics using this reading will be proposed. A summarizing conclusion will express this studentââ¬â¢s findings. Paul is introduced by Cather as a young man with brilliant eyes with a ââ¬Ëglassy glitterââ¬â¢, a narrow chest of which he was rather conscious, and a propensity for lying. In an awkward situation at school, he immediately strikes the reader as a typical sexually-ambivalent youth uncomfortable with his whole life situation, especially when relating to male authority in general, and his father in particular (Cather 1905). His teachers have one prickly impression of him, and are bewildered by their own reactions to his confusing character. His ushering job brings him inordinate pleasure, and it is easy for the reader to picture Paul: ââ¬Å"a model usher; gracious and smiling he ran up and down the aisles; nothing was too much trouble for him... his greatest pleasure in life, and all the people in his section thought him a charming boy, feeling that he remembered and admired them.â⬠(Cather 1905). Hating mundane everydayness and bad domestic smells, Paul is disgusted by his fatherââ¬â¢s ambitions for him, aspiring instead for refined garments and maintaining that ââ¬Å"a certain element of artificiality seemed to him necessary in beauty.â⬠(Cather 1905) The reader gets the impression of an aesthetic man, with heightened sensitivity and disgust with coarseness, but not necessarily effeminate. He is very attracted to nightlife and guises of theatricality. But ââ¬Å"always tormented by fearâ⬠, he is ultimately pushed to an act of embezzlement that finances his deepest desire: to impersonate a well-dressed young man in the New York high life. His wishes are not strange in a reading expressly seeking these traits in a protagonist: these are desires and needs of a homosexual still in the throes of determining the origins and causes of his actions, and deciphering what they mean. The
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Current coal burning policy in U.S.A Essay Example for Free
Current coal burning policy in U.S.A Essay Coal is the largest power producer in America. Recently, the International Energy Agency said that until the year 2030, it will remain to be the worlds largest source of power. However, we have to face the consequences of using coal, because of all fuels; it produces the most carbon dioxide, the number one cause of global warming. Research has shown that American coal burning power plants produce up to two billion tons of carbon dioxide per year. (Nao Nakanishi, 2008) Coal is produced from fossil fuels, which come from plants that decayed millions of years ago. When these fossils are burnt, carbon, nitrous oxide, methane and fluorocarbons are emitted. Carbon combines with oxygen when it is released to the atmosphere, to form carbon dioxide. In the atmosphere, carbon dioxide, together with the other gases like nitrous oxide, methane and fluorocarbons form the green house gases. Carbon dioxide forms 76% of the total green house gases. These gases hang in the atmosphere, such that when the sunââ¬â¢s rays hit the earth and reflect back, some are unable to pass through the green house gases. These rays remain in the atmosphere and cause the earth to be 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it should be. The change in the climate causes global warming. The effects of global warming are evident today; increase in diseases like malaria, drought, increased floods to mention just a few. (Hopwood N. etal, 2008) Questions like why coal has to be used as the major electricity producer world wide have been asked many times. The most common answer to this question is that it is found in abundance and is a reliable source of electricity. In addition, it is quite affordable and above all cheapest to produce. However, its demand has become more than its supply so the manufacturers will have too continue manufacturing more of the product. Besides the facts that it has become the back bone of Americas economy, in that if the coal industry failed, there would be a power shortage in the other industries. This explains that economic factors have resulted to coal being a cause for global warming. The diagram below shows the consumption of coal, and the predictions for the future years. (Fueling the future, 2000) It is very sad to know that the American courts have denied the common citizen his right to file for charges against the polluters. This decision has been based on the fact that the common citizen is not harmed by the core emissions to the extent that the harm caused provides sufficient ground for them to file charges. This incident happened a few years ago ion Alabama, where core mines are found. Such an incident is enough proof that even the authorities are now involved in the corruption that comes with core mining. The politicians have not also been left out in the contribution of coal as a cause of global warming. The Bushââ¬â¢s government was a big supporter of coal production. Obamaââ¬â¢s government too has not done much to support the use of an alternate source of energy that is not so hazardous. Even after the historic spill of the coal ash in Tennessee, the coal industry has continued to receive support from the members of the Obama government, who have said that they intend to maintain coal as the major source of energy all over America. The government can come up with other ways of producing electricity like the wind power, the hydro electric power or the solar energy. (Power Stephen etal, 2009). Coal mining imposes threats to human life, at both the external and the internal level. At the internal level, coal affects the health of the workers at the mine fields. They breathe the gas when they are mining, and this can lead to serious problems like diseases such as black chest, which is caused by accumulation of the gases on the chest of the miners. The external effects of global warming due to the coal pollution can be seen in the increased environmental degradation. For example, the open pit method of mining the coal leads to land degradation. There are also the deformities that are seen in children born by mothers who were exposed to the gases found in coal. For example, there is mercury, which may cause the children born to be deformed, or may cause them death. The Tennessee coal ash spill, which occurred late, last year shows the ignorance being displayed by the coal manufacturers. More than fifteen homes were destroyed, while the ones that were nearby were exposed to very hazardous conditions. Studies by scientists showed that the ashes contained heavy metals like lead, arenic among others; which could cause neurological problems and diseases like cancer. The ash spill made brought back a debate that had died a few years ago, whether the government should declare the ash from coal as a toxic and hazardous substance. Officials from the coal mining company said that the ash was ââ¬â¢clean coalââ¬â¢. However, environmentalist are warning that there is nothing as clean coal, which is true because if the ash was clean, then they would not be storing it in the first place, but would be releasing it to the atmosphere. (Shaila Dewan, 12/25/2008). The history of coal The first ever coal to be mined in America was in 1748, and it weighed 50 tons, but today, more than one billion tonnes are produced every year. In 1762, people whom settled in the Wyoming Valley discovered the deposits of coal. By then, Pennsylvania was a flat, moist but hot plain and was mostly covered in swamps. It was estimated that 16 billion tons of coal lied beneath the service, and an estimated 7. 5 billion tons of the coal could be mined. In 1768, the coal was first mined, and the mine was located near Pittston. Between 1776 and 1780, the coal that was discovered at the Wilkes- Berre area was mined. It was then used as an industrial product in 1788, to heat the metals that were used to make iron nails. After the first mining and use of coal in the industries, other uses were also discovered. From then, coal became a major boost to the industrial revolution, and it continues to be used in the industries up to date. A total of 38 states have coal deposits and each has been mined one time or another. Coal mining is one of the reasons for the development of these states since the early 1800s. The uses of coal have improved as the years pass. At first, coal was used for the manufacture of the gas lights. In the 1950s, illuminating gas that was commonly used in Britain was also made from coal. In general, coal was in the past used for the steam engines, as a domestic heat provide and as a fuel for rail roads. Efforts to stop global warming by coal There are environmentalists such as Al Gore, have tried to come up with solutions to reduce global warming by coal. There are such as the use of alternative sources of energy like the solar and the wind power, which do not contribute to global warming. They have argued that the energy sources would be important in the conservation of the environment and the effect of global warming would definitely decrease. There is also the on going research on how the coal gases can be cleaned before they are released to the atmosphere to reduce the level of pollution that they cause. President Obama has supported this move, saying that since he supports the use of coal as the major source of electricity for all of America, then clean coal, free from any toxins would be a good idea to reduce global warming. Review of the research This research has been done through the use of secondary sources. The sources are reliable, some of them on statistical data. However, more research needs to be done on the use of coal as the major source of electricity in America. There, is a need to join the environmentalists in the campaign against the use of coal, and to come up with other methods that are friendlier to the environment. We all have a role to play in the reducing the effects of global warming. Works cited 1) Beacon Theater, January 15, 2004, Al Gore Speaks on Global Warming and the Environment, New York, retrieved on 1/27/2009 from: http://civic. moveon. org/gore3//speech. html 2) Dewan Shaila, 12/25/2008, Tennessee coal ash spill revives issue of its hazards: Herald tribune Retrieved on 1/27/2009 from http://www. iht. com/articles/2008/12/25/america/25sludge. php? page=1 3) District 1 Coal Mine Safety and Health History of Anthracite Coal Mining: United States department of labor, retrieved on 1/27/2009 from http://www. msha. gov/district/dist_01/history/history. htm 4) Fueling the future: American gas foundation, 2000, retrieved on 1/27/2009 from: http://www. fuelingthefuture. org/contents/Graphs. asp 5) History of core use: fossil oils. org 14/19/2004, retrieved on 1/27/2009 from http://www. bydesign. com/fossilfuels/links/index. html 6) Hopwood Nick, Cohen Jordan, (2008), Green house gases and society, retrieved on 1/27/2009 from http://www. umich. edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse. htm 7) John Stuart Richards, 2002, Early Coal Mining in the Anthracite Region, New York, Arcadia Publishing, 2002 8) Kutcha David, 2003, Pennsylvania coal mine history, retrieved on 1/27/1009 from http://www. tccweb. org/penncoal. htm 9) Nakanishi Nao, 11/14/2008. Coal to remain worlds top power source: Energy plan USA, Research and comment, retrieved on 1/27/2009 from: http://www. reuters. com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4AD3CQ20081114? sp=true
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Music Essays Mozarts Piano Sonata Number 13
Music Essays Mozarts Piano Sonata Number 13 Mozartââ¬â¢s piano sonata number 13, K333, composed somewhere between 1779 and 1783. The first movement of Mozartââ¬â¢s piano sonata number 13, K333, composed somewhere between 1779 and 1783, (depending on the historical scholar), is a splendid, nimble piece of composition.à It is full of agility and complexity but manages to still be both very accessible and structured.à It also reflects Mozartââ¬â¢s admiration of and influence by Johann Christian Bach, a contemporary of Mozartââ¬â¢s who died in 1782.à Most musical scholars familiar with both composers agree that the opening motif of K333 bears a very flattering similarity to JC Bachââ¬â¢s Op. 5 no. 3 and Op. 17 no.4 piano sonatas.à Another overall source of influence is the style of the concertos of the time, grandiose and ebullient in style.à The first movement contains numerous concerto-esque flourishes that stray from the standard sonata paradigm, thereby adding an element of boldness to the piece. As far as the genre of piano sonatas go, K333 is otherwise fairly textbook in its construction. What is the significance of this?à The foundation of the sonata structure is the contrast, juxtaposition, and unification, of two musical keys.à Generally, these two keys are known as the ââ¬Ëtonicââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëdominant.ââ¬â¢Ã The sonata establishes these two themes in an expository beginning section, followed by a development section in which, following the establishment of the second key, the tonality is deconstructed and its component musical segments are modified, explored, expanded upon, etc.à At the end of this development section, the piece returns to the tonic key in order to recapitulate the material from the exposition, ââ¬Å"without the shift of key that characterized the exposition, thus harmonically unifying what was previously contrasted material.â⬠(Edexcel, 2001)à The sonata as a general paradigm, then, is inherently a fascinating exercise in ââ¬Ëvoice leading,ââ¬â¢ or the way in which individual musical parts, or ââ¬Ëvoicesââ¬â¢, interact to form chord progressions.à Individual composers were noted for their particular voice-leading styles, as each possessed particular eccentricities and tendencies when it came to tackling the challenge of creatively transitioning from chord to chord within progressions, movements, or entire pieces.à The particular rules, if you will, of the sonata were always challenges that afforded composers, e.g. Mozart, the opportunity to showcase their voice-leading creativity; specifically, how to navigate the tension and journey between the sonataââ¬â¢s tonic and dominant keys.à K333 is no exception and the Edexcel piece is helpful in providing a launching point for understanding Mozartââ¬â¢s approach to K333: K333 is written in 4/4 time and is in the key of B-flat major; it specifically proceeds as follows, per the standard sonata conventions of the time: Exposition: bars 1-63. Development: bars 64-93. Recapitulation: bars 94-165. Bars 1-10 present the tonic key, which is B-flat major.à The musical theme(s) used to present the tonic key is/are known as the ââ¬Ëfirst subject.ââ¬â¢In bar 10, Mozart restates the opening of the piece, except transposed an octave lower.In bar 12, Mozart ââ¬Ëdropsââ¬â¢ an E-natural in the RH (right hand).à The significance of this note is that it introduces a C-major dominant 7th harmony that marks the transition of the piece to the dominant key, F-major, and is a good example of Mozartââ¬â¢s interesting voice-leading choices.In bars 13.4, 14.4, and 15.4, the RH sprinkles a descending group of semiquavers (also known as sixteenth notes) which illustrate that Mozart is, even early on, playfully exploring variations of the first subject ââ¬â even before the introduction of the second.In bar 17.3, Mozart ââ¬Ëdropsââ¬â¢ a B-natural in the LH (left hand).à This note creates a G major dominant 7th harmony, which further punctuates the evolution away from the tonic key of B-flat major.In bar 22, Mozart accentuates the piece with an arpeggiation of a C major chord.à As the piece transitions to the key of F major, the C major chord is to become the new dominant chord; therefore, the arpeggiation is a preview or announcement of sorts of the impending transition.à This is one of many different stylistic manifestations of creative voice-leading.Bars 22-30 introduce the second subject, in the key of F major as mentioned above.à There are rhythmic similarities, however, to the first subject despite the key change.In bars 31-35, Mozart teases the listener by flirting with a transition to the key of G-minor, transitioning briefly for one bar before returning to F major and proceeding traditionally.Bar 64 commences the development section.à The quaver (eighth-note) rhythmic triads featured in Bar 1 are reintroduced and embellished upon by Mozart between bars 64 and 70.Bars 71-86 showcases Mozartââ¬â¢s further propensity to toy w ith the sonata structure by bending its rules without breaking them, per se.à He changes keys here here into F minor briefly, which is unexpectedly dramatic and concerto-like, and the right hand darts to the highest possible F note on a piano.à The darkness suggested by the F minor flirtation is explored further with brief tangents into C minor, E flat minor, and G minor between bars 75 and 86.Bars 87-90 feature an F major dominant 7th chord, which uses the chord of F to signal the imminent transition into the recapitulation section, which will take the piece back to B-flat major.Bars 94-105 feature the commencement of the recapitulation, a complete replica of the initial exposition until Mozart tosses in an A-flat chord in the RH at bar 105, continuing even in the recapitulation to introduce unusual elements.Bars 119-143 features the reappearance of the second subject in nearly identical form as its original presentation, except transposed to the tonic key.Bars 152-165 compri se the coda, which is mostly a duplication of bars 50-63 of the exposition with some flourishes thrown in, showing Mozart refuses to completely adhere to structure for structureââ¬â¢s sake. What is pleasurable about the piece overall, then, is clear.à Mozart is faithful to the stylistic requirements of the genre, not deviating from the overall structure, while being creative with the execution of the interplay between the two keys he employs.à Furthermore, Mozartââ¬â¢s voice-leading technique is bold and enhances the pieceââ¬â¢s complexity, particularly the mood-darkening introduced by his transitions into minor keys, including F minor, and also in his methods of announcing transitions between keys by flourishes or arpeggios. Finally, it is worth mentioning that other technical elements, though perhaps unmoving to an expert, are nonetheless astonishing to a layperson or non-musician.à The tempo Mozart utilizes is astonishingly brisk given the acrobatics required by the composition.à To appreciate the piece is also to appreciate the skill necessary for a person to perform it competently, much less expressively. BIBLIOGRAPHY Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus.à Piano Sonata No. 13 in B flat, K.333, circa 1781 Mozart: Piano Sonata in B-flat K333, first movement in Edexcel A Level Syllabus Analysis [book on-line] (Edexcel, 2001, accessed 11 June 2005); available from http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/resources/k333.pdf
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Are Whistleblowers Heroes or Traitors?
Are Whistleblowers Heroes or Traitors? EDWARD SNOWDEN AND BRADLEY (CHELSEA) MANNING: HEROES OR TRAITORS? Author Note Introduction Paragraph First paragraph: Edward Snowden: Who is he and what has he done? Second paragraph: Edward Snowden: Issues in the law; Is he a hero or traitor? Third paragraph: Bradley (Chelsea) Manning: Who is he and what has he done? Fourth paragraph: Bradley (Chelsea) Manning: Issues in the law; Is he a hero or traitor? Conclusion Paragraph: Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, positive vs. natural law. ABSTRACT Edward Snowden and Bradley (Chelsea) Manning disclosures of secret National Security Agency (NSA) files raises an important question. Are Edward Snowden and Bradley (Chelsea) Manning heroes, or traitors? Ultimately, the author will show how Snowden revealed that the United States government had been mass surveilling the people of America without their permission or knowledge and how Manning revealed ââ¬Å"The Cost of Warâ⬠showing how United States is intervening in the Middle East (Abu Omar abduction, the Iraqi Civilian death toll, and the viral video collateral murder). Furthermore, the author will discuss how the United States Espionage act affects both Snowden and Manning in a way that makes it impossible to explain their reasoning for their actions. INTRODUCTION When is it just to break the law? Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning have faced this question head on. All three are known as whistleblowers. These whistleblowers have disclosed top secret Government intelligence documents to the public and have spareked a worldwide debate concerning the surrender of our privacy for security. Some say that these whistleblowers are traitors. Donald Trump, President of the United States says that whistleblowers like Snowden and Manning are traitors and implies that they should be executed. ââ¬Å" Spies in the old days used to be executedâ⬠(Donald Trump). Others say that he is a ââ¬Å"human rights hero (Amnesty International)â⬠.This story is of particular interest as it raises the question of whether the reason behind breaking the law should help determine the outcome. The purpose of this article is to examine whether these whistleblowers made the right choice in deciding to leak top secret government information. Are these whistleblowers heroes for making the world aware of the grotesque acts that the United States government affiliated to both America and the rest of the world? In Paragraph I, the article will outline who Edward Snowden is, it will explain what information that he leaked and will mention. In Paragraph I part II, the article will define the legal issues that are brought up in respect to Snowden. In paragraph II, the article will outline who Manning is, it will explain the information that he leaked, and will mention the charges that were brought upon him. In Paragraph II part II it will define the legal issues that are brought up in respect to Manning. Lastly, in paragraph III the article will outline Assange and will explain how he is involved in the case. The article will also outline what Assange is charged under. In undertaking this analysis, this article suggest that Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, and Julian Assange are heros, not traitors and should be treated accordingly. However, the article suggests that despite having the best intentions, they should be punished under a lesser sentence. EDWARD SNOWDEN Snowden is a 33 year old former CIA and NSA contractor born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Snowden derived from a family of patriots. His father worked for the military for 30 years, his grandfather retired as an admiral, and his mother to this day works for the federal courts. Snowden decided that he wanted to join the government during the Iraq war. Snowdenââ¬â¢s desire to join the army is evident when he said in an interview that his motive of joining the army was to free people from oppression. Snowden said, ââ¬Å"This is the kind of thing that led me to the army. When they said, ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re going to free oppressed people from a dictator,â⬠I felt that I had an obligation to do my part to see that happenâ⬠(Snowden). Snowden began training for the special forces in 2004 but ultimately failed as he suffered a fatal injury during a training exercise. Snowden was then discharged from the military. Snowden, still wanting to fight for his country, began his tr aining for the CIA in 2006. Graduating at the top of his class, Snowden was deployed with diplomatic cover to Geneva to maintain the CIAââ¬â¢s security network. While undercover, Snowden discovered a program that made him start questioning NSAââ¬â¢s power. The NSA program was called ââ¬Å"XKeyscoreâ⬠. Snowden revealed in an interview that this program filtered information that the NSA collected on a daily base and see everything that a particular person was posting. In an interview with Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Snowden explained the immense reach of XKeyscore. Snowden said, ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s say I saw you once and I thought what you were doing was interesting or you just have access thatââ¬â¢s interesting to me, letââ¬â¢s say you work at a major German corporation and I want access to that network, I can track your username on a website on a form somewhere, I can track your real name, I can track associations with your friends and I can build whatââ¬â¢s called a fingerprint which is network activity unique to you which means anywhere you go in the world anywhere you try to sort of hide your online presence hide your identity, the NSA can find you and anyone whoââ¬â¢s allowed to use this or who the NSA shares their software with can do the same thing. Shortly after working for the CIA, Snowden began working for Dell in Japan to upgrade the NSAââ¬â¢s computer systems and protect from Chinese hackers(Forbes). After working in Japan for a couple of years, Snowden began to work for a company named ââ¬Å" Booz Allen Hamiltonâ⬠(BAH), an American consulting firm with ties to the NSA. This is where Snowden uncovered the Grotesque spying of the American people. So, Snowden then gathered all the data he could about the illicit activities the government was performing and leaked it to The Guardian. Snowden leaked thousands of top secret files Including that government had secret court orders to collect all telephone records and that he the government has a secret software named PRISM. According to The Guardian, PRISM is a software that grants full access to a companys servers and can access private emails, telephone calls etc; The companies are obliged by law to hand over this information. After revealing himself in an interview wit h The Guardian, the United States has charged him with ââ¬Å"theft of government property unauthorized communication of National Defense information, and willful Communication of Classified Communications Intelligence Information to an Unauthorized Person (Caselaw). After evading an extradition from Hong Kong, Snowden claimed asylum in Russia and is presently living there. EDWARD SNOWDEN: RIGHT AND WRONG, LEGAL, AND ILLEGAL In order to analyse whether Snowden is a hero or a traitor we first have to understand the legal issues that his case raises. This article is not arguing whether Snowden broke the law or not but rather raising the question of whether it was a justifiable use of breaking the law. Snowden revealed that the United States forced Verizon to hand over its phone data in a classified court order (The Guardian). The classified court is named United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and was not known to the public until Snowden leaked the court order. The government responded and said that they are within their right to do because of a provision in the U.S patriot act. The U.S Patriot Act, an act signed by Bush just a month the 9/11 attacks, states, ââ¬Å"Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or a designee of the Director (whose rank shall be no lower than Assistant Special Agent in Charge) may make an application for an order requiring the production of any tangible things (including books, records, papers, documents, and other items) for an investigation to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a United States person or to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, provided that such investigation of a United States person is not conducted solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitutionâ⬠. The act also has a provision, stating that their needs to be reasonable grounds to request for this information (LII).In this case, the government had not even considered or stated why this information is relevant and does not even mention why they need the information now. In a unanimous decision the Federal Court of Appeals states why the governments reasoning for obtaining this information is not allowed nor is it constitutionalThe court states, ââ¬Å"[T]he government takes the position that the metadata collectedââ¬Å ââ¬âââ¬Å a vast amount of which does not contain directly ââ¬Ërelevantââ¬â¢ information, as the government concedesââ¬Å ââ¬âââ¬Å are nevertheless ââ¬Ërelevantââ¬â¢ because they may allow the NSA, at some unknown time in the future, utilizing its ability to sift through the trove of irrelevant data it has collected up to that point, to identify information that is relevant. We agree with appellants that such an expansive concept of ââ¬Ërelevanceââ¬â¢ is unprecedented and unwarrantedâ⬠(AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION V. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY). The U.S District Judge in his ruling described the NSAââ¬â¢s capabilities as ââ¬Å"almost orwellianâ⬠.The NSAââ¬â¢s is violating the constitution by spying on itââ¬â¢s people. Without Snowdenââ¬â¢s leak, the ACLU would have never been able to bring this to trial as we would have never knew of it. After the verdict, the government began to introduce. 20 bills all aimed at tackling surveillance in America including the most prominent one The U.S.A Freedom Act (Slate). This act prevents mass surveillance and puts an end to programs like PRISM. By bringing the governments illicit actions to light, Snowden has shown the people of America that the government is breaking the law and acting unconstitutionally and should be considered a patriot. However, despite acting in good intentions, the government is still trying to arrest him. Snowden has sparked debate worldwide. Some say that he is a patriot as he took on immense risk all for the good of the people while some say that he is a spy and should be executed (Donald Trump). Snowden explained in an interview with The Guardian that heââ¬â¢d be okay losing if he had a fair trial., ââ¬Å" If I ended up in guantanamo, I can live with thatâ⬠. This demonstrates his character, as he understands that he is fighting for the people, but if the people thing he is guilty then he deserves to go to prison. This is further demonstrated in an interview with NBC when Snowden revealed that he leaked the documents because of his love of his country and the people in it. (NBC). Instead, of thinking that Snowden committed an illegal act we should think he is a hero because he did the right thing. In Snowdenââ¬â¢s own words, ââ¬Å"We should always make a distinction that right and wrong, is a very different standard than legal and illegal. The law is no substitute for moralityâ⬠. This is not the only time that there has been tension in the law in order for progression. Some examples are; Whether it was The abolition of slavery, and the increased rights of women. ââ¬Å"Laws were broken because the laws were wrong. In Conclusion, the author suggests that he is a hero. The definition of a hero is someone who overcomes adversity often sacrificing their own personal concerns for the greater good. In this example, Snowden has put his country first. Snowden has risked his life and his freedom in order to inform the citizens of America about the U.S governments illegal activities and has still stayed true to the one thing that every American wants to upholdâ⬠¦ The Constitution. Often, heroââ¬â¢s have a code or moral principle that they want to protect. In this case, Snowden wants to uphold his code which is that the constitution should be upheld. Snowden even taken an oath to uphold something so precious to him. As every federal employee has to taken an Oath of Office. The Oath of Office is widely considered ââ¬Å"The Cornerstone of Americaâ⬠(RYOC) and is essentially a vow to protect their country and uphold the constitution. The Oath states, ââ¬Å"I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me Godâ⬠. Snowden protected the one thing he swore to protect. The NSA paints Snowden as a traitor, and says that he broke the oath he has taken by revealing the information but in reality he defended the constitution while the NSA was attacking by illegally spying on itââ¬â¢s people. CHELSEA MANNING Bradley Manning, know known as Chelsea Manning, is a United States Army soldier who served as an intelligence analyst. Manning had a troubled childhood says her sister, Casey. According to Casey, she took care of Manning when she 11 because both parents were alcoholics even to the extent of making her a bottle in the middle of the night(Washington Post).At a young age Manning was considered intelligent, winning top prize at local science fair and even in a state wide quiz bowl (Washington post). Manning became openly game in 2005 when he came back from Wales. When manning came back, Manningââ¬â¢s father reportedly spent weeks trying to convince her to join the military(Washington Post). Manning joined the military in 2007. According to BBC news, Manningââ¬â¢s friends said that she joined the military to pay for college but eventually Manning stated that she had joined in hopes to rid her desires for becoming a woman (BBC). In 2009, Manning was deployed to Iraq as an intelligence analyst. This is where she granted access to the classified information that she had leaked. Manning made contact with Julian Assange in 2009. She gave Assange almost 750,000 classified documents including the famous video Collateral Murder, where it shows the U.S military killing 12 civilians and killing the people who were trying to save the injured. The leaks also included 251,287 U.S diplomatic cables and 482,832 war logs. After leaking the information, she confided in a hacker named Adrian Lamo. Lamo later informed the Army and Manning was arrested in May of that same year. After Manning was arrested, he was charged with 22 offenses including the most serious charge Aiding the Enemy, which could have resulted in life in prison. Manning was sentenced 35 years in prison thus becoming the harshest sentence that a whistleblower has ever received. CHELSEA MANNING: THE COST OF WAR In order to analyze whether Manning is a hero or a traitor, we need to understand his criminal case and the arguments made. Then, like Edward Snowden said, ââ¬Å"We should always make a distinction that right and wrong, is a very different standard than legal and illegal. The law is no substitute for moralityâ⬠. This is true especially for Chelsea Manning as her case is a bit more drastic than Snowdens. Manning stole and released over 700,000 classified documents in order to show us ââ¬Å"The Cost of warâ⬠. Manning has been charged with aiding the enemy for leaking this classified information to the media. The enemy is considered at this time to be Al Qaeda, and Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula. Manning leaked names whoââ¬â¢d had confidential discussions with US diplomats. He also released that the president of Yemen was lying to his own Congress about American drone strikes in his country (The Guardian). In his case, Manning pled to 10 offenses which would have landed him around 20 years in prison. However, the military insisted that he was charged with aiding the enemy and violating the espionage act which would have added a life sentence. Eugene Fidell, an expert in military justice at yale law school, said that even Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the suspected architect of the 9/11 attacks, had greater rights of appeal than Chelsea would. ââ¬Å" If heââ¬â¢s convicted by a military commission in guantanamo, KSM will get a straight shot at the US Supreme Court, He said. ââ¬Å"By contrast, if CAAF denies Manning a review as it does in most cases, he will be out in the coldâ⬠. This shows how cruel the U.S government is towards Manning. At the time manning was 22 years when released those documents. After being arrested, Manning was in solitary confinement and subjected to forced nudity during inspection (Huffington Post). This not only violated his eighth amendment right but also violated article 16 of the convention against torture. Juan Mendez, UN special rapporteur on torture, said that Mannings treatment while he was in prison cruel, inhuman, and degrading. Mendez said, ââ¬Å" I conclude that the 11 months under conditions of solitary confinement(regardless of the name given to his regime by the prison authorities) constitutes at a minimum, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in violation of article 16 of the convention against torture. If the effects in regards to pain and suffering inflicted on Manning were more severe, they could constitute tortureâ⬠(The Guardian). Manning had not been to trial and had been psychologically been beaten by the government. This not only violated his right to physical and psychological integrity, but violated his presumption of innocence. So, what info did Manning give to the public that would warrant such inhumane treatment? Manning released documents that exposed the detainment of innocent people of guantanamo Bay, he revealed ââ¬Å"The cost of warâ⬠in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and he helped fuel pro- democratic movements in the Arab world. After releasing the documents about the war crimes committed in Iraq. Iraq then refused to grant criminal and civil immunity to US troops if their stay was prolonged, thus promptly causing Obama to withdraw them from Iraq saving many American and Iraqi lives. Some of the documents that Manning released were shocking videos showing the war crimes that the US committed. The video ââ¬Å"Collateral Murderâ⬠, released by Wikileaks, shows the disregard for human life and shows various war crimes committed by the U.S government. The video shows a US apache attack helicopter killing 12 civilians including 2 Reuters reporters and wounding two children on the ground in Baghdad in. Then, after they gruesomely killed the civilians, they murdered the people trying to rescue the wounded. Finally, to add insult to injury, a tank ran over one of the bodies cutting the man in half (Youtube). Not only did they murder innocent people but they got away with it until Manning leaked the video. this video depicted 3 war crimes. Section 499 of the Army Field Manual states, ââ¬Å"Every violation of the law of war is a war crime.â⬠According to Article 85 of the First Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, it defines that killing civilians is a war crime. (Huffington Post). In this video, it is clearly seen that not only did they shoot civilians, but they taunted them after their death. One of the gunners in the apache helicopter said, ââ¬Å"Look at them dead bastardsâ⬠(Youtube). They showed zero remorse and even laughed about it. Then, to make matters worse, they violated article 17 of the First protocol. This states that the civilian population ââ¬Å" shall be permitted, even on their own initiative to collect and care for the wounded.â⬠The article then says, ââ¬Å"No one shall be harmedâ⬠¦ for such humanitarian actsâ⬠. In the video collateral murder, it is clearly seen that the gunners killed the good samaritans while they were picking up bodies. Lastly, they violated another section of the army field manual when the jeep drove over the dead body. Section 27-10 of the Army Field manual states that ââ¬Å"maltreatment of dead bodies is a war crime. Not only did they run over the body, but they even laughed ab out it when one of the gunners mentioned it. According to Huffington post, they said that Manning had gone to his chain of command and asked them to investigate the video and other videos but ultimately refused. They also mention that he was obliged to do so. The Huffington Post states, ââ¬Å"Enshrined in the US Army Subject Schedule No. 27-1 is ââ¬Å"the obligation to report all violations of the law of war.â⬠At his guilty plea hearing, Manning explained that he had gone to his chain of command and asked them to investigate the ââ¬Å"Collateral Murderâ⬠video and other ââ¬Å"war porn,â⬠but his superiors refused. ââ¬Å"I was disturbed by the response to injured children,â⬠Manning stated. He was also bothered by the soldiers depicted in the video who ââ¬Å"seemed to not value human life by referring to [their targets] as ââ¬Ëdead bastardsââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ Huffington Post Manning went through the proper chain of command in order to fix the problem but ultimately was told to forget about it. Since Manning was ordered not to reveal classified information that contains the war crimes, it should also be noted that it works vice versa. Therefore, Manning had and performed his legal duty to reveal the war crimes (Huffington Post). In order for Manning to be found guilty under the Espionage act, the prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he maliciously release those files to harm the United States. In court, Manning stated that he released the documents to spark debate about foreign policy in general as it applied to Iraq and Afghanistan. Mannings goal was to inform the public about what are government-the people we elect to govern us- are doing. In this case, they are violating the military guidelines and Geneva conventions. The government also broke the law when they presumed that he was guilty before his trial had begun. President Obama commented on Manning saying that he broke the law before he was tried. Obama said, ââ¬Å" We are a nation of lawsâ⬠¦ He broke the lawâ⬠(The Guardian)!. Not only did Obama prounounce him guilty before his trial, but the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, General Martin Dempsey, also said that he broke the law ââ¬Å"(Stars and Stripes). This poiso ned the well and violated Article 37 of the Uniform code of Military Justice by ââ¬Å"Unlawfully Influencing Action of Courtâ⬠(Truth out). Manningââ¬â¢s lawyer tried to bring Obama to testify in this case, stating that it should be clear why he was needed as he influenced the courts decision. He said, ââ¬Å"The relevancy of these witnesses should be obvious. Each of these witnesses has provided statements that contradict those given by the OCA [Original Classification Authority] witnesses regarding the alleged damage caused by the unauthorized disclosures. Additionally, each of these witnesses is relevant in order to inquire into the issues of unlawful command influence and unlawful pretrial punishment in violation of Articles 13 and 37 of the UCMJ.â⬠â⬠Huffington Post In Conclusion, the author believes that despite the fact Manning broke the rules, the people have to recognize that the rules are very contradictory. Manning has a duty to report all war crimes and tried to report it to his superiors but ultimately they refused. Should his moral obligation end there? It is the authors belief that he put morality over legality and thus should be noted. His obligation is report war crimes and not listen to unlawful orders. By not reporting the crime is to follow an unlawful order and should be recognized. Does this mean that Manning should serve no time? The author believes that regardless of Mannings intent, he still acted recklessly by releasing the files and how he released them. However, the time he served before the trial should have been his sentence after all the cruelty he had received. By definition Manning is a hero as thought through adversity by challenging the United States government and sacrificed himself so that the people could know th e True Cost of War CONCLUSION In conclusion, the author believes that both Snowden and Manning are innocent. Both Snowden and Manning put themselves through adversity for the greater good. In Snowdenââ¬â¢s case he had to leave his home and was on the run from the American government because he leaked information about the mass surveillance going on in America. Similarly, Manning received 35 years in prison, torture from his government because she released information pertaining to ââ¬Å"The Cost of War. The Stare Decisis in this case would be the nuremberg trials of WWII. The Nuremberg trials brought up that even if something is legal that it does not make it moral. This is a case of positive vs. natural law. Natural law says that there is a morality in which law is to reflect and if it morality does not reflect the law then it considered unjust. Positive law states that what is legal is moral. Mostly positive law was used throughout the 20th century until the Nazi regime happened. REFERENCES S. (n.d.). Bradley Manning Prosecution Incurably Infected by Government Misconduct. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/8039-bradley-manning-prosecution-incurably-infected-by-government-misconduct/news/item/#14973142023401&action=collapse_widget&id=0&data= W. (2010, April 03). Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0&t= 50 U.S. Code à § 1861 Access to certain business records for foreign intelligence and international terrorism investigations. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/1861 Chumley, C. K. (2013, July 02). Donald Trump on Edward Snowden: Kill the ââ¬Ëtraitorââ¬â¢. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/2/donald-trump-edward-snowden-kill-traitor/ Cohn, M. (2013, June 05). Bradley Mannings Legal Duty to Expose War Crimes. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marjorie-cohn/bradley-mannings-legal-du_b_3390416.html Cohn, M. (2013, June 05). Bradley Mannings Legal Duty to Expose War Crimes. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marjorie-cohn/bradley-mannings-legal-du_b_3390416.html FindLaws United States Tenth Circuit case and opinions. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-10th-circuit/1719511.html Gallagher, R. (2013, October 29). U.S. Lawmakers Launch Assault on NSA Domestic Snooping. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/10/29/sensenbrenner_and_leahy_s_usa_freedom_act_seeks_to_curb_nsa_domestic_spying.html Greenberg, A. (2013, December 20). An NSA Coworker Remembers The Real Edward Snowden: A Genius Among Geniuses Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/12/16/an-nsa-coworker-remembers-the-real-edward-snowden-a-genius-among-geniuses/#791efdd9784e L. (2016, November 14). Lybio. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://lybio.net/amnesty-international-edward-snowden-write-for-rights/people/ Nakashima, E. (n.d.). Bradley Manning is at the center of the WikiLeaks controversy. But who is he? Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/who-is-wikileaks-suspect-bradley-manning/2011/04/16/AFMwBmrF_print.html Pilkington, E. (2012, March 12). Bradley Mannings treatment was cruel and inhuman, UN torture chief rules. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/12/bradley-manning-cruel-inhuman-treatment-un Pilkington, E. (2013, February 28). Manning plea statement: Americans had a right to know true cost of war Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/28/bradley-manning-trial-plea-statement N. (n.d.). Snowden-Interview: Transcript (Seite 3). Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/netzwelt/snowden277_page-3.html Tate, J. (2013, August 14). Manning apologizes, says he hurt the United States by giving documents to WikiLeaks. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/manning-apologizes-said-he-hurt-the-united-states/2013/08/14/e1de6cb4-0525-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html?utm_term=.3eb26ce44e5a
Monday, August 19, 2019
The Communist Manifesto :: Literary Analysis, Marx
The Communist Manifesto written by Karl Marx in 1848 is noted as one of the most influential political documents in the world. The publication of the book earned Marx the reputation of a prominent sociologist and political theorist. Despite his renown, there are many controversies concerning the ideas and concepts of communism formulated in the papers that are still heatedly debated even today. Marx (1998) opened the book with, ââ¬Å"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.â⬠(p.4). He scrutinized the class differences and social inequality between the Proletariats and Bourgeoisies, two terms he coined to represent social classes that do not own the means of production and social classes that do own the means of production respectively. Since The Communist Manifesto was produced in an era of great social distress, it was the result of Marxââ¬â¢s desire to eliminate the gap between the two classes in order to ameliorate the social, polit ical, and economic conditions of the Proletarians. To achieve equality, Marx encouraged the Proletarians to conspire against the Bourgeoisies to end the exploitation of lower social classes and set up a communistic society where class distinction is a leap of imagination. However, his ideal required changes that a society cannot successfully adapt to and do not ultimately provide equality. Marxââ¬â¢s theories were established upon only class stratification and ignored the many other factors that contribute to the foundation of a society. The entire list of demands that outlines the rules and regulations of communism do not fundamentally offer fairness. Communism disrupts the whole social exchange system which will eventually corrupt the economy of a society. Thus, the theories introduced in The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx are not relevant in modern industrialized societies primarily because they focus only on the issue of class stratification and neglected the other complica tions involved in a society. Marx (1998) believed that ââ¬Å"Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other ââ¬â bourgeoisie and proletariat.â⬠(p.4). It was a vital mistake to polarize the people exclusively on classes instead of taking into account the other factors that contribute to the build-up of a society such as traditions, religious ideologies, trust, laws, cultures, and such. Attempting to create equilibrium between solely the classes will cause new and severe problems that cannot be fixed with Marxââ¬â¢s theories.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Impact of the Technological Advancements of Preserving Food :: Expository Essays
Impact of the Technological Advancements of Preserving Food The consequences of the technological advancements of preserving food in the early days of America are quite profound. In the scope of just 100 years, agricultural business went from being locally owned and operated where goods were produced and sold within the parameters of small towns, to an intricate network of business that spanned the entire continent. Most rural dwellers at the time were self sufficient forn the food that their land provided. This greatly affected the diets, outlook, and consumption patterns of individuals. With an expanded array of foods to choose from, Americans could have a more fine tailored diet according to their nutritional wants and needs. Abundance was the key term, and when there is abundance, there is bound to be creative forces working with it. Now that more food was available to the average person, cooking shifted from being a remedial chore of survival into an art, or hobby. In the late 1800's cookbooks became increasingly popular amongst housewiv es and cooks, which had an impact on what the family ate on a day-to-day basis. Gone were the times of eating bread, salt pork, and corn pone day in and day out, and in came meals tailored to creative tastes. Things like Texas raised roast beef cooked with apples from Washington and sugar from the West Indies was becoming more of a comman and appealing thing. Growing food markets also led to the decline of locally owned and operated farms. Families abandoned their backyard gardening in lieu of the quick and efficient market system. Local farms could no compete with the big-scale farmers outside of the city, who at this time began to seed the future for monoculture food where a plot of land is used primarily for growing one particular crop. With a declining number of people actually working the land, our internal biorhythm clock has been altered and re-adapted to the market economy. Instead of a crop being harvested a certain time of the year, people focused on the time in which the meat man or egg man was going to be in town. With refrigeration also came an increased knowledge in the field of food nutrition. People were becoming more conscious with what they put into their body and the farmers were there to supply. Studies by the American Food Administration began to come out more and more, informing citizens of the nutritional value of foods that influenced their buying.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)