Children taking on the parental role in their family how it effects Coursework

Children taking on the parental role in their family how it effects school - Coursework Example This has left children stepping into the boots of their parents and playing their role. This paper seeks to examine the effect of children assuming parental roles in their families and its effect on school. In several countries of the world; it is commonplace to meet with children who are assisting parents in their roles or worse still fending for themselves. Studies carried out in Brazil for instance indicate that there is a considerable number of children who are forced to divide their time between schooling and working at home (Hindman, 2011). This not only affects the children’s growth, it also interferes with their achievement in school. Nevertheless it should be noted that estimating the association between assumption of parental roles and schooling could be complicated since children who help out at home may perform poorly in school. Such poor performance in school could discourage the children and give their families a good reason to even neglect their schoolwork more and instead concentrate on parental roles (Ray, 1999).Deliberate parental practices can assist in teaching and inculcating responsibility to children. Research has shown that children who are taught to take care of themselves or their siblings at an early age tend to be more organized and responsible(Stamps,2014).Every child requires opportunities so as to show that they can be responsible not only for their chores, actions, relationships but also schoolwork (Stamps, 2014). Responsibility requires one to be trusted in making appropriate decisions as well as responding for one’s behaviour. This is why it is important that parents start teaching their children lessons regarding responsibility early enough and must be continued throughout the child’s childhood as well as puberty hood (Damon, 2006). An excellent way of teaching and instilling responsibility is by assignment of parental roles to children. Such tasks should be viewed as opportunities and not

Sex Education and Why It Should Be Increased in Schools Essay

Sex Education and Why It Should Be Increased in Schools - Essay Example Teenagers should be made aware about the issue of teenage pregnancy and its consequences by promoting sex education in their schools. Sex education is a term used to describe education about human sexuality. It includes the teaching of human sexual behavior, male and female anatomy, reproduction, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. Sex is a subject to which teens are not properly introduced. People in their teens are only exposed to sex through their friends, media and sometimes through their parents. This makes them unaware of the details linked with sexual intercourse and reproduction. It has been seen that teen pregnancies are most common where the teenagers are not formally educated on the subject of sex. Schools play a very important role in educating the students as it provides an environment for learning. Such an environment is necessary if the teens are to be properly educated about sex. When they are properly equipped with the knowledge, it broadens their view a nd the students can form their own point of view regarding sex. It is also seen that places where education is less common tend to have a higher rate of teenage pregnancies. Contraception and sexually transmitted diseases are the subjects which need most highlighting. ... Hence the sex education teens receive at the hands of their parents is inadequate. This makes it ever so important to include special classes in schools to enlighten the students about sex. A further important thing is the timing at which this education should be imparted. Most of the students that are in their late teens would have already experimented on a sexual relationship. Hence teens should be given classes when they are near puberty so that they have all the knowledge about sex and can think over it before starting a relationship. Rather than focusing on the facts and problems related to sex, teens should be given adequate information to prevent them. They should be taught about problems related to sexuality like complications in menstrual cycles, sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancies. Teens should be told about contraception and how it could be achieved and from where they can get condoms without embarrassing themselves (Davis, 1995). Sex education will undoubt edly prevent a large number of teenage pregnancies that arise due to lack of proper information about the sexual experience. Once it is decided that the schools incorporate sex education in their curriculum, it is imperative to look for a teacher that can cater to teenagers’ needs and understand their psychology. The teacher should be confident and talk to the teenagers like a friend so that they voice their confusions without getting uncomfortable. Also the classes for sex education should be conducted in a single sex environment that is boys should have a class with all boys and the same goes for the girls. With such planning, teenagers will be able to get most out of the class (Irvine,

Factors of Professionalism and Computer Professional Bodies

Factors of Professionalism and Computer Professional Bodies Contents Tutorial One3 Tutorial Two7 Tutorial Three..10 Tutorial ÂÂ   Four..13 Tutorial ÂÂ   Five..15 References.18 Week 1 Professionalism Group Discussion (a) There are many different definitions of a professional. Discuss in general terms what you think are the most important factors to being a profession. Rank the factors you have in order of importance. Consider why you feel some factors are more important than others. There is discussion about who is a professional. Some said professional is a one who is good in particular job or engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career. The group members agreed the definition as follows, a skilled occupation, within an organised framework, having an accepted body of knowledge, structured training, requiring maintenance of skills, guided by a code of conduct A professional is a person who acquires formal certification from professional body based on his academic background or/and work experience and also whose capability could be judged against established standards. All the group members generally agreed that the most important factors to being a profession include high degree of knowledge, association with a professional body, adherence to the code of conduct, structured training, ethical behavior, trusted competence, and commitment to continuous development of a profession. Competence is the ability to identify the problem and solve it by utilising available resources. So it is the most important factor Academic background, academic will help the professional to learn the specialised knowledge of profession. The learnt knowledge may prove a helpful tool for a competent professional. Good communication skills help in dealing with clients, colleagues and superiors. A professional with good communication skills will be able to significantly do well. Reliability/Dependability is a factor of importance and may sometimes supersede other factors. Integrity of a professional drives him/her to follow the work ethics and code of conduct in principle. Self-evaluation and discipline is a factor that motivates the persons to achieve more and to improve the skills. (b) Differentiate between a professional and an expert. Does a professional need to be an expert? As adjectives, the difference between expert and professional is that expert is extraordinarily capable or knowledgeable while professional is of, pertaining to, or in accordance with the (usually high) standards of a profession. As nouns the difference between expert and professional is that expert is a person with extensive knowledge or ability in a given subject while professional is a person who belongs to a profession. A professional is not necessarily an expert. (c)ÂÂ   Is a computer person with a high level of knowledge and skill automatically considered to be a professional? No, cannot be considered as a professional unless he practices and gain experience and perform the activity as a source of livelihood or as a career. Individual Questions (a) The BCS definition of a professional and two other definitions. CompareÂÂ   the definitions, what do they have in common? The BCS considers a practitioner a professional, if one possesses (BCS Professional): Appropriate degrees. Skills and competency. Motivation for self-development (theoretically and practically). Respect for code of conduct. Two other definitions: Person formally certified by a professional body of belonging to a specific profession by virtue of having completed a required course of studies and/or practice. And whose competence can usually be measured against an established set of standards. a professional (of a job) has a high level of education and training. In common it says professional need education and practise. (b) The role of the BCS. The role of the BCS. IT Members representation. To establish relationships with industry and academia. To establish relationships with governments. To work for the betterment of entire human society. (c) An overview of other professional bodies that exist for the IT industry. The Association of Computer Professionals (ACP) is an international body started in 1984. Its key aim is to set and maintain ICT industry standards by providing an independent examination body for ICT professionals. The membership of the ACP is a mix of academic and business professionals within the field of computing. IACSIT is a registered international scientific association of distinguished scholars engaged in Computer Science and Information Technology. The IACSIT members include research and development center heads, faculty deans, department heads, professors, research scientists, engineers, scholars, experienced software development directors, managers and engineers, university postgraduate and undergraduate engineering and technology students, etc. The National Computing Centre (NCC) is an independent membership organization for IT professionals and is the single largest and most diverse corporate membership body in the UK IT sector. Socitm (Society of Information Technology Management) is the membership association for all ICT professionals working in local authorities and the public and third sectors, and suppliers to those sectors. Socitm provides a widely-respected forum for the promotion, use and development of ICT best practice. Set up in 2001, the UKWDA (UK Web Design Association) brings together more than 10,000 British web industry professionals under one supportive umbrella organization. Women in Technologystarted in 2005 with one goal in mind: to help women build successful and satisfying careers in the IT industry. Institute of Analyst and Programmers, The Institution is Britains leading professional organization for people who work in the development, installation and testing of business systems and computer software. The UK IT Association (UKITA) was established as the private sector organization responsible for the development of a credible and thriving IT industry across the United Kingdom. Week 2 Professional Bodiesand the BCS Group Discussion What do you think should be the main roles and purpose of the BCS? To make a better society Share and exchange IT expertise and knowledge Supporting professionals Setting standards and framework To build strong relationship with academia, industry, policy makers and governments to promote IT. What do you consider to be the benefits of becoming a BCS member? Professional development More training opportunities Networking Mentoring Employability Professional recognition in the IT domain Best support from peers through IT forums How do you think your employment opportunities benefit from joining the BCS? BCS provides a platform to communicate with Entrepreneurs, Departmental heads, CEOs etc. This networking helps in getting more employment opportunities. From the video clip it can be seen that role models are important in all professions. From a historical perspective, why are the following people important: Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, Timothy John Berners-Lee, Bill Gates, Gordon More (of Mores law), Philip Don Estridge, Steve Jobs, John Von Neumann? Charles Babbage: Pioneer of programmable computer. Ada Lovelace: The first computer programmer. Alan Turing: Widely considered as the father of artificial intelligence. Timothy John Berners-Lee: The pioneer and inventor of WWW. Bill Gates: Co-founder of Microsoft. Gordon More: The Mores law predicts the technology advancement in computing industry Philip Don Estridge: Father of IBM PC. Steve Jobs: Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. John Von Neumann: The originator and pioneer of linear programming, self-replicating machines, stochastic computing. Discuss three other current role models within the computer (IT) industry, state why they are considered as role models. Today almost all web page use jQuery. jQuery is the most popular JavaScript library in use today, with installation on 65% of the top 10 million highest-trafficked sites on the Web.John Resig is an American software engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the creator and lead developer of the jQuery JavaScript library.ÂÂ   At the very young age created jQuery and with the noble thought he made as open source. To me he is great role model for his hard work and better example in adding value to the society. Dennis MacAlistair Ritchie (September 9, 1941 c. October 12, 2011) was an American computer scientist.He created the C programming language and, with long-time colleague Ken Thompson, the Unix operating system. He is a legend whose inventions are significant to the modern computing. He added value to the society by contributing to the society. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg: Co-founder of Facebook. To create revolution in the social media world. Individual Questions Find two other professional bodies (not BCS) and compare the aims and mission statements of each. Socitm (Society of Information Technology Management) is the membership association for all ICT professionals working in local authorities and the public and third sectors, and suppliers to those sectors. Socitm provides a widely-respected forum for the promotion, use and development of ICT best practice. The National Computing Centre (NCC) is an independent membership organization for IT professionals and is the single largest and most diverse corporate membership body in the UK IT sector. Comparison Most of the aim and mission of the above two are similar . SOCITM delivers Professional development, Peer support, Policy influence, Research improvement NCC delivers a continuum of services including; independent and impartial advice and support, best practice and standards, personal and professional development, managed service delivery, awareness raising and experience sharing. What do you think is common to all profession bodies? Are some more important than others can you priorities? All professional bodies focus on: Gain new skills, competences, experiences and receive credible recognition. Network, collaborate and share practice with peers, suppliers and national programmes. Representing members at appropriate national and regional bodies. Research to enable the organisation in contributing to more effective and efficient public services. In order to establish priority among the professional bodies it is important to consider its global acceptance and credibility. In my opinion ACM and IEEE based professional bodies may be considered as more important. Week 3 Code of Conduct and Digital Identity Group Discussion Do you feel that it is necessary for all professional bodies to have a code of conduct? Yes, I do feel that it is necessary for all professional bodies to have a code of conduct; because it will serve as a guide for individuals as well as organizations. Adherence to the code of conduct will ensure to collaborate, share best practice, access industry-recognized training, and find the very best work. Is there an argument for all professional bodies to have the same code of conduct? For easy understanding and easy accessible same code of conduct can be developed and implemented. So, it will be easily for working across the globe. However, it is possible to have various separate clauses to support certain interest groups depending on the nature of business. What penalties should be included within a code of conduct? Discuss a range of offences and possible penalties Code of conduct should clearly state minor as well as major penalties. For instance, minor penalty can be imposed on misuse of resources; and a warning letter would be sufficient. However, major penalty such as termination from services should be imposed in case of physical violence and bullying etc. Also, restriction to certain benefits and privileges based on poor work ethics may encourage a professional to improve his/her attitude toward the work. State the type/name of Social Media you use and provide details of the type of information you make available. I use social media to connect with friends, search jobs, latest trends and to keep updates with current affairs. Facebook To connect with friends, relatives, current etc. Even now it is used as a platform to sell things. As a computer student, I explore Facebook as I can to know the feature as it is considered as a powerful tool. From election campaign to product launch started using Facebook. I have given my basic details and made details visible only to close circle. Linkedin -HR people uses LinkedIn to recruit people so I have an account. I have provided my education details and skill set available to all to improve my employability. Twitter To follow the trends and get updates. Does the content you post remain private or is it public?ÂÂ   Do you make conscious decisions between private and public posts? Mostly I share useful blogs and posts which doesnt hurt others so I share publicly. However, service provider has access to my posts even if they are private. Personally, I feel that once you have uploaded something it is already in public domain. Can you recall any of the terms of the agreement to the social media site(s) you are using? Is there a case that the terms of agreement should be written in an easy to understand language? No, I couldnt recall any rules. It will be great if rules are made available in other languages too. Provide an argument for keeping social and professional media separately. This will help us in separating private and professional identities as well as lives of other people. Usually professional media such as linkedin.com is accessed by people with mature attitude towards the uploaded contents. Normally social media space is swarmed by internet trolls and people with non-serious attitude toward personal stuff of other people. I would recommend for keeping the social and professional media separate. Provide some guidelines on how to use Social Media wisely? Use account from secure access (HTTPS). Do not access from public systems. Make sure you log out / sign out after access. Set security and privacy up to an appropriate level. Do not post sensitive information. The lecture slides provided a summary only of the BCS code of conduct, read in detail using the link provided in the lecture, the full BCS code of conduct. Summarise the code of conduct of TWO other professional bodies do not use the codes of conduct covered in the lecture/tutorial. The code of conduct of ACM focuses on positive contribution towards human society.ÂÂ   Moreover, honesty and truthfulness are considered as key attributes of members. Finally, respecting the privacy of others is considered as a must trait for any member. Similarly, no discrimination should be made among members based on their ethnicity is the corner stone of IITPs code of conduct. Furthermore, the code also stresses upon integrity, honesty and dignity in its members. Finally, continuous professional development is also an important aspect of this code. Compare and contrast the BCS code of conduct to (a) above. Commonalities: professionalism, dignity, honest, truthfulness and positive contribution towards human society. Contrast: BCS does not tolerate any kind of fraud and bankruptcy as well it does not allow any kind of conflict of interest. Comment on the theme running through each of the Codes of Conduct Following are the main themes of the code of conduct: Discourage discrimination. Positive contribution. Professionalism. Promoting education and reliable practices. Provide an overview of THREE networking sites that may be used for either social and/or professional networking. (i) Facebook online social media and social networking service based in Menlo Park, California, United States. (ii) Google+: Google+ is an interest-based social network that is owned and operated by Google. (iii)Linkedin: A networking site for educational, business and professional purposes (Linkedin) What are the advantages/disadvantage and possible dangers of using a digital presence? Advantages: Networking and marketing, global reach, following the trend. Disadvantages: Privacy breach, data loss/ corruption and may expose to false message. Week 4 Ethics Group Discussion (a) Are the 10 commandments in computer ethics still relevant today? Do they need to be updated? Eg. Is cyber bulling or grooming covered within the rules? The Ten Commandments are mostly relevant today and should be implemented in true letter and spirit (Virginia Tech). However, some scholars think that they are simplistic and restrictive therefore, they can be updated to handle contemporary and future issues. (i)What are Sallys legal responsibilities? Sallys legal responsibilities are professionalism and honesty. (ii) Does Sally have any legal protection? She should have legal protection by law. In case of any grievances employees usually have access to complaint office or other services that support and guide the grieved employee for the best of his/her interest. (iii) Analyse the Case study in terms of the Golden Rule and Utility Principle. Golden rule demands truthfulness and honesty; therefore, Sally should tell the client the real situation. Since untruthfulness and dishonesty may harm large number of humans; therefore, utility principle also demands that Sally should show the exact picture to the client as well as her boss. Sally should have avoided this situation by informing her boss in advance of the current situation. (iv)ÂÂ   Would your analysis of the ethics of this case change if Sally had been present during her bosss conversation with the client, but had not been asked to agree with his assurances? Golden rule and utility principle demand that Sally should communicate right information to the client and specially the boss. (v) What if the client had asked Sally a question, the honest answer to which would contradict her boss? Honesty and truthfulness are key attributes of a professional. On a human perspective, it is also important that her boss should not feel contradicted in front of the client. But it can be tackled with effective communication like Sally telling a suggesting her views that she doesnt the conversation. (vi) Would your analysis of the ethics of this case change if the software was for stock management rather than the control of machinery, with no threat to human safety? Golden rule and utility principle are not sympathy or application specific. Individual Question Jane downloads a copy of an e-book from an illegal file sharing web site. Analyse the situation in terms of the Golden Rule and Utility Principle from both Janes and the authors point of view. This act of Jane is illegitimate contradicting both the Golden rule and Utility Principle. What conclusions can be drawn? Proper actions should be taken against these illegal websites. The education of Golden rule and utility principle should be more propagated. What sort of difficulties are there in applying the Golden rule and the Utility principle? Selfishness and lack of education are two main barriers in applying the Golden rule and Utility Principle. Week 5 Legal Issues Group Discussion As a professional, to what extent do you feel that you should you be aware of the legal issues surrounding IT? A professional should have theoretical as well some practical knowledge of: Software law, software patents, the Internet, data and security (professional legal ethics). Also to secure Intellectual Property (IP) for clients, an IT professional should be well informed on legal obligations and rights in digital world. Create a list of possible holders of data who may be storing your personal data. Do you have a problem with large organisations selling your data? In todays society, should we have such a thing as personal data (exception banking and medical)? Email service providers. Social and professional networking sites. Google cloud storage systems. Search engines. Bank. Mobile Application providers like play store, iTunes etc. Practically, personal data is taken by almost all the applications when we need to use their facilities. They are received by sign up or register form. Discuss the differences between Shareware, Freeware and open source software. Freeware: The software that is available free-of-cost. Shareware: Some utilities of the software are free-of-cost and others are not. Open source software: Source code is available for reusability and modification purposes. As a first thought, identify and discuss some of the legal issues/problems surrounding cloud computing. Reliable data availability should be provided at all time. Data should be well protected and secured. No data loss or corruption. Availability of data should be insured at all locations. Easy and instant access A professional software developer, working for a software house, has been contracted to developing a software package that involves accessing a companys data base. Who does the software belong to: the contractor, the software house or the company? Explain your answer. The software will belong to the contractor because the contractor has initiated the project and will be bearing all the subsequent costs. Also, the contractor would be legally eligible to sell the software to any third party. Who owns the intellectual property rights of the software: the contractor, the software house or the company? Explain your answer. The intellectual property rights may be owned by the software house solely or jointly with the contractor as laid out in the agreement. What if there is a problem with the software and the database is corrupted, who is responsible? Under the event of any software malfunction the software house will stand responsible. It is the responsibility of the software house to ensure the secure and smooth operation of their product and the contractor pays for this service. Discuss: the term hacking; is there ever a case for Hacking? Is hacking always illegal? Google Hack anonymous Hacking is involved in all forms and types of communications. Phone hackers used to make free phone calls and listen to other people talking on the phone. With the internet hacking has a very wide and large playing field. For IT industry hacking is serious issue and it has caused significant losses to many big corporate e.g. Sony, Microsoft and Intel etc. In simple words any activity that involves unauthorized access or falsely impersonating is termed as hacking. In recent times there are several hacking incidents for example US Korea standoff over the hacking reports of Sony Entertainment and governmental information leaks by Anonymous. The term hacking is normally misunderstood; it is not illegal all the time. For instance, police can do hacking to extract information from dubious computers for the safety and security of common people. Summarise the legal issues associated with developing and hosting a web site. Copyright concerns Domain name concerns Trademark concerns Defamation Linking and framing Summarise the details of the Data Protection Act. The Data Protection Act 1998 provides a framework as well as a benchmark that ensures security of individuals personal data. The misuse or illegal access to someones personal data falls under direct breach of civil liberties. Also it is the responsibility of the company to provide safe and secure data access. Data handling should be under the framework of peoples data protection rights. References http://www.directoryoftheprofessions.co.uk/sites-professions-IT-comp.html http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/professional.html https://www.socitm.net/ http://iacsit.org/ http://www.ncc.co.uk/national-computing-centre/ https://www.iabuk.net/about http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/webpage.html http://wikidiff.com/professional/expert http://www.bcs.org/ http://www.sqa.org.uk/e-learning/ITLaw02CD/page_18.htm

Hearst :: Essays Papers

Hearst INTRODUCTION American journalism and mass media were both profoundly influenced by a very dominating figure. In the last decade of the 19th century up until the end of the first half of the 20th century, William Randolph Hearst was a mega-force to be reckoned with. Hearst was a famous American publisher who built up the nation’s largest chain of newspapers. He was also a political figure and one of the leading figures during the Spanish-American War period. In his newspapers, he introduced a sensational journalistic style of writing and spent millions of dollars to fascinate and captivate readers. This kind of journalism was described by critics as â€Å"Yellow Journalism.† During his lifetime, even up until today, he has been respected, feared, loathed and envied by his friends and enemies alike. A man in his position was capable of being the greatest constructor or the most destructive evil of the Nation. BIOGRAPHY On 29th day of April 1863, in San Francisco, California, Phoebe Apperson Hearst, in great torment, gave birth to a boy in her bedroom. The boy was named William Randolph Hearst. William Randolph Hearst was the only child of George and Phoebe Hearst. His father, George Hearst ( 1820-1891 ), was not born into a rich and wealthy family. He did his share of the labor at a lead mine near his home. Mining had always fascinated him even from his childhood years. He later earned the nickname the â€Å"Boy-That-Earth-Talked-To† from the miners he was working with. With tremendous luck, hard working and blessings, he worked his way to become a multimillionaire miner and had also become a United States Senator from California ( 1886-1891 ). His mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst ( 1842-1919 ), was a philanthropist and a school teacher from Missouri. She had gained national fame for her gifts to needy students and educational institutions. While Hearst was a boy, his father traveled throughout the West, from Mexico to Alaska, becoming a partner in three of the largest mining discoveries ever recorded in American history: the Comstock ( silver ) Lode in Nevada, the Homestake ( gold ) Mine in South Dakota and the Anaconda (copper) Mine in Montana.

Barn Burning by William Faulkner Essay

For years, literary works have discussed the difference of nature vs. nurture, William Faulkner’s Barn Burning being one of them. Nurture in the debate refers to the way a person is brought up through his or her life. The argument is that the nurturing of the child in its early years is what ultimately defines how that person will act. On the other hand, another way of thinking is that nature defines who a person is. That it is not how a person is raised or what they grew up around, but who that person is inside. The fundamental difference is that said person is born the way they are going to grow up to be and is not shaped by his or her parents and how they act. In Faulkner’s Barn Burning, Sartoris Snopes is nurtured by his ill-willed father but ultimately takes the high road and chooses to be his own person rather than follow the road of his father. Sartoris’ life had previously been defined by instability and always covering for his father, until they came along the de Spain house. From the beginning of the story, Sartoris wanted to tell the truth at the court room but got slapped by his father for even the thought. â€Å"You’re getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you. Do you think either of them, any man there this morning would?† Mr. Snopes was just trying to make sure that his son would always protect his twisted ways in any future court room. He did not care about teaching his son a life lesson about loyalty or that blood was thicker than water, which was not what the talk that night in the woods was about. It was just simply Mr. Snopes warped way of assuring he would not get in trouble for future acts of harm. And sure enough, there were more acts. Even though Mr. Snopes slapped Sartoris and told him to stay true to his family, the de Spain house sparked a change in Sartoris and marked the end of following his father’s footsteps. His father’s way of raising him was almost a reign of terror. No one ever knew what to expect from him. He was not a good man in any sense of the word. He stole horses in the war from the Confederacy for his own benefit, having no loyalties to either side. The only loyalty he has ever had has been to himself. His wounded leg, as a result of the war, symbolizes the weight he carries around by living his perverse way of life. That is, feeding off of the harm he has caused to others; he has always felt that most people have short-handed him. The incident in the story in which Mr. Snopes ruined the one hundred dollar rug focused on how the leg was the major part of his body that took part in the smearing of the dung. It also was the main factor that let the de Spain’s know he had retur ned the ruined rug. Once they realized that he had permanently altered the rug, it was back to court for the Snopes family. Again, Sartoris witnessed his father being untruthful in the court of law and again his innate nature was to tell the truth. Yet always in the background is the gnawing feeling of what his father would do to him if he was disloyal. So when does he go against what he was raised to do and become his own person? Sartoris’ entire life had been to follow behind his father without question if it was right or wrong. As a small child he might not have wondered whether Snopes’ actions were morally acceptable or not, but as he grew older and developed his own conscious, he soon realized that he was a different person with a different way of thinking than his father. For his father, barn burning was his way of releasing anger and getting back at the people who have done wrong in his mind. Even though the nigger at the de Spain house did not do anything perso nal to him, Snope thought that because he told him he could not be on the rug, that he should destroy it so no one else could be on it either (symbolically.) When his son made the brave decision to tell the de Spain’s about his father’s plan, it was the turning point in his life. He finally diverted from his life-long path behind his father and started to plot a new course for himself. A life that would be defined by justice and virtue. Faulkner’s Barn Burning deals with nature vs. nurture in a coming of age story by which Sartoris untimely chooses nature and to chart his own way in life. After his father’s death, Sartoris Snope is described as walking into the darkness of the woods ahead without looking back and hearing the song of birds in the distance. He is forever cut off from his family and must survive alone. The only thing he has left is his integrity and strong sense of justice, but hopefully for him that is all he needs.

Is Organic Food Better? Essay

There have been many different food trends over the years. We have been told about eating low fat diets, zero carb diets, and now organic. If you are like many others, there is a good chance that you have heard that organic foods are healthier to eat. They contain more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and taste than engineered produce do. Organic foods are also free from insecticides, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, fertilizers and a whole host of other toxic artificial additives, flavorings, colorings and preservatives. Organic foods are better tasting, more nutritional, better on the environment, and ethically more appealing. What does it mean for food to be organic? When food is grown naturally, it is considered organic; that is, without the use of synthetic pesticides, irradiation, artificial fertilizers, or biotechnology. The growing and tending process is what really defines a food as organic. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the soil is thoroughly tested and must be free of chemical exposure for at least three years. The food farmers produce must be free of any chemical or genetically engineered ingredients and must not have been raised or produced with any drugs or hormones. Organic certification procedures require that the food producer and/or distributor keep detailed written records (of where, when, and how the food was produced) and keep the organic food segregated from non-organic food if working with both foods (United). The term â€Å"organic food† is not a new concept. It has been around for as long as agriculture has been on the earth. Food was organic until someone decided to change the way that food was produced. Within the last century a large supply of synthetic chemicals were introduced into the food supply. Farmers, in fear of insects, started using pesticides to kill the insects. They also used synthetic fertilizers (especially nitrogen) to make plants grow fast. Nitrogen-driven growth produces weak, watery, and overly leafy plants which are more vulnerable to insects causing farmers to use more pesticides. Pesticide spraying has contributed to serious health problems for workers on these farms. In the article â€Å"The Truth About Organic Foods,† Jessica. DeCostole writes â€Å"Some studies have linked pesticides in our food to everything from headaches to cancer to birth defects — but many experts maintain that the levels in conventional food are safe for most healthy adults. † Most of the pesticides and fertilizers run off, polluting streams, rivers, oceans, fisheries, and drinking water. Organic farming does not use as harsh of chemicals as conventional farming. This makes it better on the soil and the water supply. People who oppose organic farming argue that organic farming requires twice as much land to grow the same amount of food as conventional farming does. Organic farming may require more land, but it is not double as what conventional farming uses. While organic farming usually requires more land, it is not double. Since the soil is not being depleted, organic farmers can use their land for longer periods of time. Organic farming can also produce higher yields and profits when it is done correctly. According to Jane Goodall in Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating, the top 25 percent of sustainable farmers who farm without the use of chemicals have higher yields than industrial farmers in the United States (161). There’s no question that organic foods are frequently more expensive than comparable conventional foods. Some of this can be attributed to the reduced production costs that can be achieved through commercial fertilizer and chemicals. Some of the price difference can also be attributed to the economies of scale enjoyed by the large multinational food companies, but these food systems are not on a level playing field. U. S. farm policy infuses billions of dollars into the conventional food system and keeps commodity prices artificially low. In the article â€Å"Seriously, Now – Why Aren’t Organics Getting Affordable,† Christy Harrison states â€Å"Conventional crops are heavily subsidized by the federal government in the United States, making them artificially inexpensive. Couple those subsidies — which have been in place since the New Deal — with the cost of cleaning up pollution and treating health problems created by conventional farming, and we’re paying a lot in taxes in order to pay a pittance at the grocery store. † Furthermore, conventional crops have been aided by decades of public and private research and development. Organic food systems receive only a tiny fraction of the agricultural research funds. The problem is not so much that organic foods are expensive; it’s that government policy has made conventional foods too cheap and that hurts farmers, rural communities and the environment. Effectively reducing the price discrepancy requires changes in public policy and strengthened food regulations. As consumers, the best thing we can do to reduce the costs of local and organic is to purchase local and organic. As more consumers choose organic, and a larger network of organic farmers develop innovative practices, prices will inevitably narrow between conventional and organic products. The growing organic market will also induce more public and private investment. Some argue that organic food doesn’t necessarily taste better than conventional food. Taste is subjective though. It is one of the five senses able to detect the flavor of substances. The flavor of food in the mouth is partially contributed to taste. Smell is also a factor. â€Å"The aroma of food contributes up to 80% of what we perceive as taste† (Benefits). The difference between conventional food and organic food is that conventional food contains preservatives to make it last longer. Organic food does not. It is often produced on farms near where it is sold, so it tends to be fresher when eaten. Consumers need to be careful though when buying organic. Multi-national corporations have started to buy some of the organic lines on the market, creating organic factory farms. These farms â€Å"produce monocrops and ship the product cross-country† (Goodall 164). Shipping the food from these monocrops across the country is a bad thing for the environment. Those against organic foods argue that it is not any more nutritious than conventionally grown food. In an interview with Dan Childs of ABC News, Robyn Flipse states â€Å"There is no good evidence that organically grown plants or animals are nutritionally superior to conventionally grown. † Many studies have been attempted to determine if organic food is more nutritious to conventional food, but the problem is variability in how these studies have been conducted. It is difficult to compare findings when there is so much variability (Prosser). It is possible for organically grown fruits and vegetables to contain slightly higher levels of Vitamin C, trace minerals, and antioxidant phytonutrients. It all depends on how it is grown. Foods depend on soil and water for their nourishment, and cleaner soil and water means cleaner food. It is that simple. It is important for us to make a commitment to living a healthier life, and eating healthy is one way to do that. It isn’t just about eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats. We also need to consider food safety, nutrition, and sustainability. How our foods are grown and raised affects the environment as well as our health. According to Samuel Fromartz in Organic, Inc., â€Å"Buying and consuming organic food has come to be viewed not only as a means of avoiding harm, but as a benefit in itself, a personal way of aligning nutrition, health, and social and environmental well-being† (16). Clearly, more research on the possible health benefits of organic foods is needed. That is not the only reason why people are buying them, but it is an important one, and we need more data. Still, it is fair to say that critics are clearly wrong when they try to argue that there is â€Å"no evidence whatsoever† that organics are better than conventional foods. More evidence is needed, but there are some early signs that organic supporters may have been right all along. Works Cited â€Å"The Benefits of Organic Food: Why Organic Food is Better. † Natural Health Guide. Natural Health Guide, 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. Childs, Dan. â€Å"Are Organic Foods Better for You? † ABC News. ABC News, 29 Nov. 2006. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. DeCostole, Jessica. â€Å"The Truth About Organic Foods. † Redbook. Redbook. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. Fromartz, Samuel. Organic, Inc. Orlando: Harcourt Books, 2006. Print. Goodall, Jane, Gary McAvoy, and Gail Hudson. Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating. New York: Time Warner Book Group, 2005. Print. Harrison, Christy. â€Å"Seriously, Now – Why Aren‘t Organics Getting Affordable? † Grist. Grist, 25 Aug. 2005. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. Prosser, Erin. â€Å"Nutritional Differences in Organic versus Conventional Foods: And the Winner Is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Scientific American. Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. United States Dept. of Agriculture. National Organic Program. US Dept. of Agriculture, April 2008. PDF file. Self Evaluation I was not aware of using any of the rhetorical strategies while writing this piece. When I write, I research my topic and just write what comes to mind. It is not something that I think about when writing. As I look back at what I have written, I see that I have used a combination of these strategies. I would say that I have used ethos by using proper grammar. I am always watching my spelling and punctuation while writing. It is something that I cannot ignore. I am not like some people that just write and go back and edit afterward. I do most of my editing as I write. I have shown pathos by trying to appeal to the reader’s emotions about our health and environment. I have shown logos by the credible sources I have used, like Jane Goodall. In this piece, I mention a few of the arguments against organic food and counter them with why they are wrong. There are many who are against organic food, but their reasons for being against it do not hold up well. I was able to show sources that backed up why the reasons against organic food are wrong. I really cannot say that any of the techniques (reading responses, writerly practices, or peer reviews) helped me. The peer review for my rough draft was available for me to review for this paper. It was nice to have some feedback on my paper, though I do not feel it made a difference.