The Life of a Gangster free essay sample

The life of a gangster living in the hood worrying about the getting caught up with police more than losing their life. The streets are a beast and death is around the corner, seeing drug sales to the dope fiends but that doesn’t really mean to much when your family starving. All you want to do is make a way and it seems that the only way is to keep it straight â€Å"G†. Growing up in a low income neighborhood nobody thinks that a little kid out the projects will make it, many don’t, feeling like there’s nobody that cares. Some say that’s what turns a heart cold, kills the little kid soul from a young age. Some also say that many kids were doomed from birth, as in being raised in a household with gangbanging, drug dealing, and shoot outs. These kids seem to be the most common in modern days gangsters. We will write a custom essay sample on The Life of a Gangster or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Growing up a little boy lived on 5 Martin Luther King Dr. in Charleston South Carolina; he grew up in the midst of gangs, drug dealing, and shootouts. The little boy name was Michael Bright he was born on September 16, 1992, the day he was born his Father was gunned down in a bloody hail of gun fire. After that day it was the beginning of the end for a child that had to be raised in the middle of a gang related violent confrontation, that lasted the over a decade after his birth. When Michael â€Å"lil Mike Bad Azz† Bright was 15 years old he was already a convicted felon, he hung with his older brother and the G’s (Gangsters) at this time lil Mike Bad Azz was a BG (Baby Gangster). They were part of the gang known a G-Shine changed by his older brother Killa Kam from GKB or Gangster Killer Bloods. He put in so much effort to show his brother that he had what it took to be a â€Å"G†, he would go as far as shooting his gun at their enemies but he never actually hit anybody. The day that he went to jail the first time it was for procession of marijuana, you would have thought that he would have learned but this would be the first of many arrests dealing with lil Mike Bad Azz. His older brother Killa Kam tried to prevent lil Mike from having to go through this Gangster life style, Killa Kam was the only person that lil Mike would listen too. On January 1, 2009, Killa Kam was on his way back to their house from hanging with some friends and they stopped at a red light and a van pulled up next to the car and unloaded a heavy arsenal of bullets from Assault Rifles. Killa Kam was brutally murdered on January 1, 2009 never made it to the house. When the news came back, lil Mike knew that the Crips had everything to do with this so he went even harder with his gangster ambitions. Lil Mike started selling Drugs that he bought from the Connect (Drug Lord) and 3 years later he was the Connect and started being referred to as Kilo Mike. He was called that because the amount of work (drugs) that he had and was able to obtain from all of the hard work (doing crimes for higher rank in the gang) that he put in on the streets. It was almost like it was meant for him to be a â€Å"G†; he would go to jail on Friday and be out by Monday. He feared nobody but could you blame him? He lost his Father on the day he was born and he lost the only father figure he’s ever known in Killa Kam when he was only 16. Now he’s 19 and on a path of destruction, His crew is getting smaller he’s starting not to trust anybody. Kilo Mike was always high, had so much of it he was always high off his on supply. Everybody started to seem like enemies to him, he was in a state of paranoia so bad that he slept with guns around him just in case somebody got through his security. It was so sad to see how the Gangster Ambitions took Kilo Mike from wanting to pursue this life style into wanting to run away from it. The contemplation of suicide ran heavy on his mind, but all he could see is his brother Killa Kam telling him to fight until it’s your time. Kilo Mike was something like a Ghetto legend he started giving gifts, food on holidays and school supplies at the end of the summer to the kids in his neighborhood. He just knew if Killa Kam and even his father was alive they would both be proud of how he’s using his wealth and fortune to give back. But the streets grasp pulled him back in and he assassinated on September 16, 2016 at the young age of 24 in front of his house. The life he represented and wanted to prove that he was just like his Father and Brother, was the same life that took his.

buy custom Health Care Policy Brief essay

buy custom Health Care Policy Brief essay Prevention/Reduction of Childhood Obesity in Shelby County, Tennessee Obese and overweight children constitute about 30 percent of American children. Since this is a big number, pressure is mounting on the entire public health care system. However, the levels of obesity vary from one county to another making it necessary to employ specific measures in specific places. Therefore, I take this opportunity to propose a bill on the prevention and reduction of childhood obesity in Shelby County, Tennessee. It should be noted that medical expenditure on childhood obesity in Shelby County has risen almost tripling in the last two decades. The persistent increase in these medical expenses is becoming a heavy burden for the taxpayers. Apart from the cost burden of childhood obesity for the taxpayers, obese children are exposed to the risk of developing chronic diseases and psychological problems. Such children may develop a variety of diseases including high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart diseases, and diabetes. These chronic diseases are among the leading causes of death in Shelby County. Approaches that Can Be Used to Solve Childhood Obesity in Shelby County, TN I acknowledge the fact that the Shelby County Government has dedicated its efforts and resources to deal with childhood obesity through various pieces of legislation. However, the intensity of the situation calls for the use of more approaches including but not limited to the following: Introducing nutrition education in the early school years; Enacting a legislation that stipulates the type of school nutrition; Introducing thorough physical education programs in schools. Introduction of Health Eating Education in Schools Education is purposed to impart knowledge in people in a variety of areas. However, more emphasis has been put on exposing children to knowledge that would enable them to contribute to stabilizing the economy and being self-reliant. In the area of nutrition, children are mainly taught on the different types of nutrients that are contained in different types of food. Students should also be taught on the proportions that they should take in. They should understand that when they take in more nutrients than their bodies need, the excess is converted and stored in their bodies. Children should be made aware of the health benefits of healthy eating habits (Moss, 2014). Such strategy will work best if healthy eating is incorporated into te school curriculum. The weakness of this strategy is that it will increase the syllabus workload. Therefore, it is bound to face opposition from teachers and other educationists. Enacting Pieces of Legislation that Regulates Schools Nutrition It has been observed that consumption of junk food has risen to quite high levels in the past two decades. Such phenomenon has been observed not only in Shelby County but also in other parts of the country. Fast or junk food is rich in fats, which makes it dangerous when consumed in high amounts. It also lacks fiber and therefore, go through the digestion process considerably fast. Organism copes with the high speed of digestion by storing more of what is eaten. Most children prefer this type of food since they find it tastier. Thus, they have to be monitored to ensure that they do not exclusively feed on it. Therefore, schools that have breakfast and lunch programs should mainly provide students with vegetables, fruits, and other types of food that is rich in fiber such as whole grain baked products like brown bread. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), this approach was enacted school nutrition legislations in 2011 in Massachusetts and Mississippi, and it has registered success in those states. The weakness of this strategy is that it may interfere with childrens preferences. Therefore, it is likely to face opposition from the children. Introducing Mandatory Physical Education Programs in Schools In 2008, the USA Department of Health and Human Services issued guidelines on physical activity for the American citizens. The department recommended that people engage in rigorous but enjoyable physical activity for 60 minutes daily (Lavie, 2014). However, people have not been keen on observing the recommendations of the Department of Health and Human Services. For instance, some schools in Shelby County have not been closely monitoring students physical activities. Therefore, education officials should ensure that all schools set a side time for physical activities and that learners are supervised during such sessions. The fact that almost 30 percent of children do not exercise even as few as three days a week is worrying. Schools opt to set aside for exercise because physical education is costly and diverts attention from academics at the same time. Shelby County education officials should appeal for a budgetary allocation to fund physical education. Although all the states have their own standards of physical education, more sttill has to be done. The weakness of this measure is that it has cost implications. It requires more funds to initiate and therefore, will face opposition from parents and the government. Conclusion The National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2014) concluded that enacting a legislation that stipulates the type of school nutrition is the most recommendable measure to take. Therefore, specifying what children should eat both at home and in school would largely help reduce childhood obesity. Besides, children need help in making choices and therefore, the decision on the appropriate food cannot be left to them. Besides, children are generally active and do not require pushing all the time to participate in physical activities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Since the government cannot dictate what children eat at home, it can make use of this measure in schools. Also, this measure does not require additional expenses. The county assembly must enact this policy to save the children from the dangers of obesity. Buy custom Health Care Policy Brief essay

Abraham Lincoln and American History

Even as a boy, Lincoln showed ability as a speaker. He often amused himself and others by imitating some preacher or politician who had spoken in the area. People liked to gather at the general store in the crossroads village of Gentryville. Lincoln’s gift for telling stories made him a favorite with the people there. In spite of his youth, he was well known in his neighborhood. In 1834, Lincoln again ran for the legislature. He had become better known by this time, and won election as a Whig. He served four successive two-year terms in the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. During his first term, he met a young Democratic legislator, Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln quickly came to the front in the legislature. He was witty and ready in debate. His skill in party management enabled him to become the Whig floor leader at the beginning of his second term. He took leading parts in the establishment of the Bank of Illinois and in the adoption of a plan for a system of railroads and canals. This plan broke down after the Panic of 1837. Lincoln also led a successful campaign for moving the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield. While in the legislature, Lincoln made his first public statement on slavery. In 1837, the legislature passed by an overwhelming majority resolutions condemning abolition societies. These societies urged freedom for slaves. Lincoln and another legislator, Dan Stone, filed a protest. They admitted that Congress had no power to interfere with slavery in the states where it existed. They believed â€Å"the promulgation of abolition doctrines tend rather to increase than abate its evils. *1 Their protest arose from the legislature’s failure to call slavery an evil practice. Lincoln and Stone declared that â€Å"the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy. â€Å"*2 Later, Lincoln continued with his dream to become part of the law. He wanted to become president. On March 4, 1861, Lincoln took the oath of office and became the 16th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Lincoln denied that he had any intention of interfering with slavery in states where the Constitution protected it. He urged the preservation of the Union. Lincoln warned that he would use the full power of the nation to â€Å"hold, occupy, and possess† the â€Å"property and places†*3 belonging to the federal government. By â€Å"property and places,† he meant forts, arsenals, and custom houses. Lincoln’s closing passage had great beauty and literary power. He appealed to â€Å"the mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land. † The attack on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War. Lincoln met the crisis with energetic action. He called out the militia to suppress the â€Å"insurrection. He proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports, and expanded the army beyond the limit set by law. He then led the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the greatest crisis in U. S. history. During the Civil War, Lincoln’s first task was to win the war. He had to view nearly all other matters in relation to the war. It was â€Å"the progress of our arms,† he once said, â€Å"upon which all else depends. † But Lincoln was a peace-loving man who had earlier described military glory as â€Å"that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood–that serpent’s eye that charms to destroy. *4 The Civil War was by far the bloodiest war in U. S. history. Lincoln became a remarkable war leader. Some historians believe he was the chief architect of the Union’s victorious military strategy. This strategy called for Union armies to advance against the enemy on all fronts at the same time. Lincoln also insisted that the objective of the Union armies should be the destruction of opposing forces, not the conquest of territory. Lincoln changed generals several times because he could not find one who would fight the war the way he wanted it fought. When he finally found such a general, Ulysses S. Grant, Lincoln stood firmly behind him. Lincoln’s second great task was to keep up Northern morale through the horrible war in which many relatives in the North and South fought against one another. He understood that the Union’s resources vastly exceeded those of the Confederacy, and that the Union would eventually triumph if it remained dedicated to victory. For this reason, Lincoln used his great writing and speechmaking abilities to spur on his people. If the Union had been destroyed, the United States could have become two, or possibly more, nations. These nations separately could not have become as prosperous and important as the United States is today. By preserving the Union, Lincoln influenced the course of world history. By ending slavery, he helped assure the moral strength of the United States. His own life story, too, has been important. He rose from humble origin to the nation’s highest office. What did Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation do to help the Civil War? It declared freedom for slaves in all areas of the Confederacy that were still in rebellion against the Union. The proclamation also provided for the use of blacks in the Union Army and Navy. As a result, it greatly influenced the North’s victory in the war. The 11 states of the Confederacy seceded from the Union in 1860 and 1861. They seceded primarily because they feared Lincoln would restrict their right to do as they chose about the question of black slavery. The North entered the Civil War only to reunite the nation, not to end slavery. During the first half of the war, abolitionists and some Union military leaders urged Lincoln to issue a proclamation freeing the slaves. They argued that such a policy would help the North because slaves were contributing greatly to the Confederate war effort. By doing most of the South’s farming and factory work, slaves made whites available for the Confederate Army. Lincoln agreed with the abolitionists’ view of slavery. He once declared that â€Å"if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. â€Å"*5 But early in the war, Lincoln believed that if he freed the slaves, he would divide the North. Lincoln feared that four slave-owning border states; Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri, would secede if he adopted such a policy. In July 1862, with the war going badly for the North, Congress passed a law freeing all Confederate slaves who came into Union lines. At about that same time, Lincoln decided to change his stand on slavery. But he waited for a Union military victory, so that his decision would not appear to be a desperate act. On Sept. 22, 1862, five days after Union forces won the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation. It stated that if the rebelling states did not return to the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves to be â€Å"forever free. The South rejected Lincoln’s policy, and so he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Lincoln took this action as commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. He called it â€Å"a fit and necessary war measure. † The Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free a single slave, because it affected only areas under Confederate control. It excluded slaves in the border states and in such Southern areas under Union control as Tennessee and parts of Louisiana and Virginia. But it did lead to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, which became law on Dec. 18, 1865, ended slavery in all parts of the United States. As the abolitionists had predicted, the Emancipation Proclamation strengthened the North’s war effort and weakened the South’s. By the end of the war, more than 500,000 slaves had fled to freedom behind Northern lines. Many of them joined the Union Army or Navy or worked for the armed forces as laborers. By allowing blacks to serve in the Army and Navy, the Emancipation Proclamation helped solve the North’s problem of declining enlistments. About 200,000 black soldiers and sailors, many of them former slaves, served in the armed forces. They helped the North win the war. The Emancipation Proclamation also hurt the South by discouraging Britain and France from entering the war. Both of those nations depended on the South to supply them with cotton, and the Confederacy hoped that they would fight on its side. But the proclamation made the war a fight against slavery. Lincoln†s decisions and Emancipation Proclamation led to the 15th amendment which freed slaves. Without it, life today would be much different. He changed life for all Americans, black and white. How did the Pacific Railroad Act have an impact on American History? It provided for the building of the nation’s first transcontinental rail line. Abraham Lincoln was in office when the Pacific Railroad Act was signed. He made a huge impact by signing the act. It was the first step to trading with other states that were far apart and new ways of transportation. States could now trade meat and states could focus on the products that are most practical for their part of the country. The act gave two companies responsibility for building the railroad. The Union Pacific was to start laying track westward from a point near Omaha. The Central Pacific Railroad was to lay track eastward from Sacramento. Congress granted both railroads large tracts of land and millions of dollars in government loans. Work began on the Central Pacific track in 1863 and on the Union Pacific in 1865. The railroads faced the gigantic task of crossing the rugged Rockies and the towering Sierra Nevada. To obtain the necessary labor, the Central Pacific hired thousands of Chinese immigrants to work on the railroad. Thousands of European immigrants worked on the Union Pacific. On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the two railroads finally met at Promontory, Utah. North America became the first continent to have a rail line from coast to coast. By the end of the 1800’s, the United States had five transcontinental rail lines. The Canadian Pacific Railway (now CP Rail) completed Canada’s first transcontinental line in 1885. It extended from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British Columbia. The completion of these rail lines opened vast regions of the continent to settlement and trade. How did the sayings of Abraham Lincoln help people? Abraham gave many speeches in his life that inspired people to be all that they can be and do what is right. Gettysburg Address is a short speech that United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. He delivered the address on Nov. 19, 1863, at ceremonies to dedicate a part of the battlefield as a cemetery for those who had lost their lives in the battle. The principal speaker was Edward Everett, one of the greatest orators of his day. He spoke for two hours. Lincoln was asked to say a few words, and spoke for about two minutes. Lincoln wrote the address to help ensure that the battle would be seen as a great Union triumph and to define for the people of the Northern States the purpose in fighting the war. Some historians think his simple and inspired words, which are among the best remembered in American history, reshaped the nation by defining it as one people dedicated to one principle–that of equality. Lincoln wrote five different versions of the speech. He wrote most of the first version in Washington, D. C. , and probably completed it at Gettysburg. He probably wrote the second version at Gettysburg on the evening before he delivered his address. He held this second version in his hand during the address. But he made several changes as he spoke. The most important change was to add the phrase â€Å"under God† after the word â€Å"nation† in the last sentence. Lincoln also added that phrase to the three versions of the address that he wrote after the ceremonies at Gettysburg. Lincoln wrote the final version of the address–the fifth written version–in 1864. This version also differed somewhat from the speech he actually gave, but it was the only copy he signed. It is carved on a stone plaque in the Lincoln Memorial. Many false stories have grown up about this famous speech. One story says that the people of Lincoln’s time did not appreciate the speech. But the reaction of the nation’s newspapers largely followed party lines. Most of the newspapers that backed the Republican Party, the party to which Lincoln belonged, liked the speech. A majority of the newspapers that supported the Democratic Party did not. Edward Everett, the principal speaker at the dedication, wrote to Lincoln: â€Å"I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes. *6 Abrahams two minute speech had more of an impact that a two hour speech. Lincoln touched many hearts and others despised him. It does not matter if they liked him or not, they were still affected by his words and actions. Abraham Lincoln affected the U. S. in many different ways. He led the United States during the Civil War, one of the most brutal battles in history. Lincoln helped end slavery in the nation and helped keep the American Union from splitting apart during the war. Lincoln thus believed that he proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting form of government. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, second inaugural address, and many of his other speeches and writings are classic statements of democratic beliefs and goals. Lincoln, a Republican, was the first member of his party to become President. He was assassinated near the end of the Civil War and was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln was the first U. S. President to be assassinated. Without President Lincoln life today would be much different. We have him to thank for a lot of the great accomplishments in history. Abraham Lincoln and American History Even as a boy, Lincoln showed ability as a speaker. He often amused himself and others by imitating some preacher or politician who had spoken in the area. People liked to gather at the general store in the crossroads village of Gentryville. Lincoln’s gift for telling stories made him a favorite with the people there. In spite of his youth, he was well known in his neighborhood. In 1834, Lincoln again ran for the legislature. He had become better known by this time, and won election as a Whig. He served four successive two-year terms in the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. During his first term, he met a young Democratic legislator, Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln quickly came to the front in the legislature. He was witty and ready in debate. His skill in party management enabled him to become the Whig floor leader at the beginning of his second term. He took leading parts in the establishment of the Bank of Illinois and in the adoption of a plan for a system of railroads and canals. This plan broke down after the Panic of 1837. Lincoln also led a successful campaign for moving the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield. While in the legislature, Lincoln made his first public statement on slavery. In 1837, the legislature passed by an overwhelming majority resolutions condemning abolition societies. These societies urged freedom for slaves. Lincoln and another legislator, Dan Stone, filed a protest. They admitted that Congress had no power to interfere with slavery in the states where it existed. They believed â€Å"the promulgation of abolition doctrines tend rather to increase than abate its evils. *1 Their protest arose from the legislature’s failure to call slavery an evil practice. Lincoln and Stone declared that â€Å"the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy. â€Å"*2 Later, Lincoln continued with his dream to become part of the law. He wanted to become president. On March 4, 1861, Lincoln took the oath of office and became the 16th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Lincoln denied that he had any intention of interfering with slavery in states where the Constitution protected it. He urged the preservation of the Union. Lincoln warned that he would use the full power of the nation to â€Å"hold, occupy, and possess† the â€Å"property and places†*3 belonging to the federal government. By â€Å"property and places,† he meant forts, arsenals, and custom houses. Lincoln’s closing passage had great beauty and literary power. He appealed to â€Å"the mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land. † The attack on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War. Lincoln met the crisis with energetic action. He called out the militia to suppress the â€Å"insurrection. He proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports, and expanded the army beyond the limit set by law. He then led the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the greatest crisis in U. S. history. During the Civil War, Lincoln’s first task was to win the war. He had to view nearly all other matters in relation to the war. It was â€Å"the progress of our arms,† he once said, â€Å"upon which all else depends. † But Lincoln was a peace-loving man who had earlier described military glory as â€Å"that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood–that serpent’s eye that charms to destroy. *4 The Civil War was by far the bloodiest war in U. S. history. Lincoln became a remarkable war leader. Some historians believe he was the chief architect of the Union’s victorious military strategy. This strategy called for Union armies to advance against the enemy on all fronts at the same time. Lincoln also insisted that the objective of the Union armies should be the destruction of opposing forces, not the conquest of territory. Lincoln changed generals several times because he could not find one who would fight the war the way he wanted it fought. When he finally found such a general, Ulysses S. Grant, Lincoln stood firmly behind him. Lincoln’s second great task was to keep up Northern morale through the horrible war in which many relatives in the North and South fought against one another. He understood that the Union’s resources vastly exceeded those of the Confederacy, and that the Union would eventually triumph if it remained dedicated to victory. For this reason, Lincoln used his great writing and speechmaking abilities to spur on his people. If the Union had been destroyed, the United States could have become two, or possibly more, nations. These nations separately could not have become as prosperous and important as the United States is today. By preserving the Union, Lincoln influenced the course of world history. By ending slavery, he helped assure the moral strength of the United States. His own life story, too, has been important. He rose from humble origin to the nation’s highest office. What did Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation do to help the Civil War? It declared freedom for slaves in all areas of the Confederacy that were still in rebellion against the Union. The proclamation also provided for the use of blacks in the Union Army and Navy. As a result, it greatly influenced the North’s victory in the war. The 11 states of the Confederacy seceded from the Union in 1860 and 1861. They seceded primarily because they feared Lincoln would restrict their right to do as they chose about the question of black slavery. The North entered the Civil War only to reunite the nation, not to end slavery. During the first half of the war, abolitionists and some Union military leaders urged Lincoln to issue a proclamation freeing the slaves. They argued that such a policy would help the North because slaves were contributing greatly to the Confederate war effort. By doing most of the South’s farming and factory work, slaves made whites available for the Confederate Army. Lincoln agreed with the abolitionists’ view of slavery. He once declared that â€Å"if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. â€Å"*5 But early in the war, Lincoln believed that if he freed the slaves, he would divide the North. Lincoln feared that four slave-owning border states; Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri, would secede if he adopted such a policy. In July 1862, with the war going badly for the North, Congress passed a law freeing all Confederate slaves who came into Union lines. At about that same time, Lincoln decided to change his stand on slavery. But he waited for a Union military victory, so that his decision would not appear to be a desperate act. On Sept. 22, 1862, five days after Union forces won the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation. It stated that if the rebelling states did not return to the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves to be â€Å"forever free. The South rejected Lincoln’s policy, and so he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Lincoln took this action as commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. He called it â€Å"a fit and necessary war measure. † The Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free a single slave, because it affected only areas under Confederate control. It excluded slaves in the border states and in such Southern areas under Union control as Tennessee and parts of Louisiana and Virginia. But it did lead to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, which became law on Dec. 18, 1865, ended slavery in all parts of the United States. As the abolitionists had predicted, the Emancipation Proclamation strengthened the North’s war effort and weakened the South’s. By the end of the war, more than 500,000 slaves had fled to freedom behind Northern lines. Many of them joined the Union Army or Navy or worked for the armed forces as laborers. By allowing blacks to serve in the Army and Navy, the Emancipation Proclamation helped solve the North’s problem of declining enlistments. About 200,000 black soldiers and sailors, many of them former slaves, served in the armed forces. They helped the North win the war. The Emancipation Proclamation also hurt the South by discouraging Britain and France from entering the war. Both of those nations depended on the South to supply them with cotton, and the Confederacy hoped that they would fight on its side. But the proclamation made the war a fight against slavery. Lincoln†s decisions and Emancipation Proclamation led to the 15th amendment which freed slaves. Without it, life today would be much different. He changed life for all Americans, black and white. How did the Pacific Railroad Act have an impact on American History? It provided for the building of the nation’s first transcontinental rail line. Abraham Lincoln was in office when the Pacific Railroad Act was signed. He made a huge impact by signing the act. It was the first step to trading with other states that were far apart and new ways of transportation. States could now trade meat and states could focus on the products that are most practical for their part of the country. The act gave two companies responsibility for building the railroad. The Union Pacific was to start laying track westward from a point near Omaha. The Central Pacific Railroad was to lay track eastward from Sacramento. Congress granted both railroads large tracts of land and millions of dollars in government loans. Work began on the Central Pacific track in 1863 and on the Union Pacific in 1865. The railroads faced the gigantic task of crossing the rugged Rockies and the towering Sierra Nevada. To obtain the necessary labor, the Central Pacific hired thousands of Chinese immigrants to work on the railroad. Thousands of European immigrants worked on the Union Pacific. On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the two railroads finally met at Promontory, Utah. North America became the first continent to have a rail line from coast to coast. By the end of the 1800’s, the United States had five transcontinental rail lines. The Canadian Pacific Railway (now CP Rail) completed Canada’s first transcontinental line in 1885. It extended from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British Columbia. The completion of these rail lines opened vast regions of the continent to settlement and trade. How did the sayings of Abraham Lincoln help people? Abraham gave many speeches in his life that inspired people to be all that they can be and do what is right. Gettysburg Address is a short speech that United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. He delivered the address on Nov. 19, 1863, at ceremonies to dedicate a part of the battlefield as a cemetery for those who had lost their lives in the battle. The principal speaker was Edward Everett, one of the greatest orators of his day. He spoke for two hours. Lincoln was asked to say a few words, and spoke for about two minutes. Lincoln wrote the address to help ensure that the battle would be seen as a great Union triumph and to define for the people of the Northern States the purpose in fighting the war. Some historians think his simple and inspired words, which are among the best remembered in American history, reshaped the nation by defining it as one people dedicated to one principle–that of equality. Lincoln wrote five different versions of the speech. He wrote most of the first version in Washington, D. C. , and probably completed it at Gettysburg. He probably wrote the second version at Gettysburg on the evening before he delivered his address. He held this second version in his hand during the address. But he made several changes as he spoke. The most important change was to add the phrase â€Å"under God† after the word â€Å"nation† in the last sentence. Lincoln also added that phrase to the three versions of the address that he wrote after the ceremonies at Gettysburg. Lincoln wrote the final version of the address–the fifth written version–in 1864. This version also differed somewhat from the speech he actually gave, but it was the only copy he signed. It is carved on a stone plaque in the Lincoln Memorial. Many false stories have grown up about this famous speech. One story says that the people of Lincoln’s time did not appreciate the speech. But the reaction of the nation’s newspapers largely followed party lines. Most of the newspapers that backed the Republican Party, the party to which Lincoln belonged, liked the speech. A majority of the newspapers that supported the Democratic Party did not. Edward Everett, the principal speaker at the dedication, wrote to Lincoln: â€Å"I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes. *6 Abrahams two minute speech had more of an impact that a two hour speech. Lincoln touched many hearts and others despised him. It does not matter if they liked him or not, they were still affected by his words and actions. Abraham Lincoln affected the U. S. in many different ways. He led the United States during the Civil War, one of the most brutal battles in history. Lincoln helped end slavery in the nation and helped keep the American Union from splitting apart during the war. Lincoln thus believed that he proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting form of government. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, second inaugural address, and many of his other speeches and writings are classic statements of democratic beliefs and goals. Lincoln, a Republican, was the first member of his party to become President. He was assassinated near the end of the Civil War and was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln was the first U. S. President to be assassinated. Without President Lincoln life today would be much different. We have him to thank for a lot of the great accomplishments in history.

Marriege & Family Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marriege & Family - Assignment Example Young girls and boys are taught how to view marriage as a lifetime commitment and prepare adequately for it. I was fortunate enough to learn the values that should govern the marriage institution from a tender age. When I became of age and was ready to get married, I knew that I needed to find someone who could complete my life. I was well aware that I needed to have good qualities so that I could have something to contribute to my marriage. Therefore, I began to cultivate good qualities that define a noble wife before I got married. When I met my husband, I did not rush into a relationship. I ensured that I got to know him well enough and understood his strengths and weaknesses. Before we got married, we prepared adequately for our union. The most critical preparation was making decisions that could define our lives in marriage (Rubio 44). For example, were clear about the number of children we wanted to have, as well as how we would share responsibilities within our family. I ensured that we had similar perspectives regarding the most important aspects of life. Notably, two people cannot have exactly the same perspectives. However, some fundamental issues in marriage cannot work out if people have different perspectives. When I was sure that I could spend my life with him, we began to formalize our relationship. Finally, we held a beautiful wedding that marked the beginning of our marriage. We held a church wedding that symbolized our commitment before God and people. Therefore, it was obvious that separation or divorce was not an option from the start. My culture has strong values attached to marriage and does not condone divorce. The men in our society have learned to appreciate the social views concerning marriage. In addition, our men are willing to make marriages possible. In addition, the cost of marrying a woman is too high to consider divorce. Although many people may consider our society highly

Advanced corporate reporting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advanced corporate reporting - Case Study Example In this report, we will discuss the differences between rules-based and principles-based of revenue recognition standard. Then, we will discuss the recognition criteria for revenue in both the old and new standards. The consistency of the new standard with conceptual framework will also be discussed. This will be followed by discussing the implications of new standard implemented and consequences of the significant changes. Rules-based standards as the name implies, provide sets of detailed rules that must be followed when preparing financial statements. Non-compliance of rules could cause a fine punishment or possible of lawsuits. With rules-based accounting standards, it will help to reduce the risk of misstatement of financial reports and increase the accuracy of financial information, given the explicit instructions for every situation as the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) of the US may anticipate (DePamphilis 2012, 327). However, rules-based standards can be very complex too when preparing financial statements. Some people might look for loophole of rules and regulations to manipulate organisations’ financial figures. Principles-based standards are general guidelines that accountants must use as basis to prepare the financial statements. It is a simple way to apply and provide guidance for accountants to ensure good reporting. Under rules-based, there is less disclosure as what is required is to follow the rules required under a given standard. An example is different old standard on revenues where there is need to follow the requirement for a company is a specific industry to follow the industry specific requirement to recognize revenue. The principles-based accounting standard will have less rules but much will depend on the professional judgement of the accountant who will prepare the financial statement as properly guided the principles of preparing the accounts. In other words, under the

The Tyranny of Choice Essay Example for Free

The Tyranny of Choice Essay Happiness is a long standing abstract concept. It starts from choosing the best options there is, induced by properly allocating and utilizing resources, and maintained when one can truly enjoy the gains from it while accepting the imperfection of his or her choices. And as such, every individual is always in search for happiness and well-being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Utility and happiness are two intertwined notions (Verme, 2007, p. 2). The quest for attaining true happiness starts with choosing which options are best and what things should be utilized. The result of which comprises a persons well-being. The choices that an individual makes greatly affect the level of satisfaction one attains.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the relationship between well-being and choice is ultimately complicated and not at all predictable. In making a choice, a person is usually thwarted by the abundance or lack of choices. Sometimes, the wideness of choice varieties creates a great amount of confusion for the person and as such it also increases the probability that the choices he or she might make will become regretful. The same way that the lack of choices gives a person a limited space of discovering better options. As such, opportunity costs engraved in every option open for an individual contribute to confusion, thus making it harder to choose and at the same time increasing the chances of regretting whatever choice that was made (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 2-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Making choices is immensely complex. Thus it causes people to become weary and conscious on selecting their options in order to avoid making choices that they will soon feel sorry about in the end. Individuals develop a false sense of looking for the â€Å"best option†, or settling down for a â€Å"good enough† choice. These kinds of individuals are labelled as either maximizers or satisficers (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 4-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maximizers are individuals who are most keen on looking for the best option. They tend to strive hard in achieving this goal at the expense that in the process of their quest for looking for the best possible choice present, they are being daunted by the appearances of more choices. In the end, they become less satisfied of the choices they have made and they are more prone to experiencing regrets and depression (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 2-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, satisficers are individuals who aim on ending up with a choice that is â€Å"good enough† for them. They seek not the best there is, but on finding something that can adequately meet their standards and is equally useful and worthy of their choice. These people experience less depression on the event that the option they chose did not work out as satisfying   as possible. They are more probable to be happy with their choice because they do not expect too   much from it, and hence are quite surprised when they gain positive effects from it (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 4-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given the complexity of making choices, the people are still and always keen on the gift of freedom of choice. Even though the process of choosing makes people vulnerable to regret and depression, the right to choose what people think is best for them adds to the happiness and well-being that a person can attain. The freedom of choice and how it is always linked to peoples fulfillment is always an integral factor in measuring happiness (Verme, 2007, p. 3).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As such, it is a false notion for maximizers that the absence of choices will make them less prone to regrets. The same goes for satisficers that more choices will make them more happy. Being happy and satisfied rests on the individuals choice. To become truly happy, a person should know how to appreciate what he or she has; being contented with the choice he or she has made and stop thinking of what might have been if he or she decided to chose another option; and most importantly, do not expect too much out of something. Choosing something that is good enough can become the best choice if a person knows how to handle his or her priorities well. References Schwartz, B. (2004). The Tyranny of Choice. Retrieved June 27, 2008, from www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bschwar1/Sci.Amer.pdf Verme, P. (2007). Happiness and Freedom.   Retrieved June 27, 2008, from www.ppdoconference.org/session_papers/session15/session15_paolo.pdf

Gender-Based Notions of Homoerotic Love: Sappho and Plato’s Symposium

Gender-Based Notions of Homoerotic Love: Sappho and Plato’s Symposium The poetry of Sappho, and the speeches in Plato’s Symposium both deal primarily with homoerotic love, although Sappho, one of the only female poets in Ancient Greece, speaks from the female perspective, while Plato’s work focuses on the nature of this love between men. There are several fundamental elements that are common to both perspectives, including similar ideals of youth and beauty, and the idea of desire as integral to both views on love. Despite these similarities, however, there is an important distinction, which can be understood in terms of Pausanias’ concepts of Common versus Celestial Love, where Sappho’s view represents Common Love, and the larger view of Symposium represents Celestial Love. While Sappho’s work is very much grounded in the physical realm, Plato emphasizes that true love is centralized in the mind, and that it is an intellectual and philosophical phenomenon. Pausanias, who delivers Symposium’s second speech, explains some of the societal norms governing male homoerotic affairs. The rules by which a lover (an older man) and his boyfriend (a young man who has probably not yet grown his beard) may behave are rigid, and strongly enforced by the society’s moral code. Pausanias reveals that the convention of this relationship is pursuer/pursued: â€Å"our society encourages the lovers to chase their boyfriends, and their boyfriends to run away: this enables us to find out whether a given lover and his beloved are good or bad† (184a). Pausanias emphasizes the moral element further when he discusses the circumstances under which it is acceptable to gratify a lover. It is acceptable when â€Å"the ... ...otional) need of a lover. Sappho, who represents female homoeroticism, and Plato, who’s Symposium addresses many aspects of male homoerotic love, share some fundamental aspects of love, but their views and objectives are largely different. The latter’s goal is essentially intellectual satisfaction, while the former’s is more directly linked with physical beauty and desire for physical closeness, not characterized by grand moral and intellectual ideals. This is not to say that the love between Sappho and her lovers, was solely based on sexual desire. It is certainly wrong to assume that, in light of the Symposium’s perspective, they were mindless, sex-driven lesbians. I would argue, rather, that this love, is more real, more common, and more universally accessible, whereas the love in Symposium is highly specialized, and accessible exclusively to men.