The Meaning of Life in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay -- Song of

The Meaning of Life in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Our culture seems to be fascinated by the unknown and specifically that which pertains to things of an eternal nature such as Heaven, angels, God and the meaning of forever. These things cause us to think about what we can't see and even allow us to engage ourselves in questioning the meaning behind our existence and what our purpose is here on earth. Some of these may be humorous and take on the realities of human nature while others stir something inside ourselves that cause us to take a deeper look at life. In Whitman's "Song of Myself" #44, he appears to be doing just that-- looking at life from a different perspective for a while. He begins with a challenge to mankind by saying, "What is known I strip away... I launch all men and women forward with me into the unknown. The clock indicates the moment ... but what does eternity indicate?" (1133-1136) It is as though he is asking each reader to join him in the exploration of the unknown, forgetting about the moment, and what the clock says and really considering what forever signifies. I don't know if you've ever sat down and actually thought about eternity... I mean really thought about it to the point that your brain seems like it's going to explode, but forever is a long time. It never ends...... and this is something that we as humans cannot fathom because in our lives everything has a beginning and everything has an end--anything other than this is viewed as incomprehensible. Whitman suggests that there is a certain cycle which keeps repeating itself as the years go on, indicating that perhaps eternity is made up of years of processes happening over and over again. His first example is of a bottom... ...rces" have combined, the end product is your soul. Whitman appears to have a sense of security in himself, being able to recognize where he came from ("Before I was born out of my mother generations guided me" 1163) and knowing that his life is a collaboration of efforts on many parts to make him who he is. Eventually, this would seem to indicate that it is the completion of one's soul which leads to ultimate satisfaction. Our lives will eventually lead to an eternity...and it is crucial that we take the time to evaluate our soul's future as well as its current status. Whitman clearly emphasizes the importance of looking at life as a whole and not just the moment. Through a biographical narrative of parts of his own life, urges us look at where we've been and all we've been through...look at all those who have impacted our life and realize the big picture. The Meaning of Life in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Essay -- Song of The Meaning of Life in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Our culture seems to be fascinated by the unknown and specifically that which pertains to things of an eternal nature such as Heaven, angels, God and the meaning of forever. These things cause us to think about what we can't see and even allow us to engage ourselves in questioning the meaning behind our existence and what our purpose is here on earth. Some of these may be humorous and take on the realities of human nature while others stir something inside ourselves that cause us to take a deeper look at life. In Whitman's "Song of Myself" #44, he appears to be doing just that-- looking at life from a different perspective for a while. He begins with a challenge to mankind by saying, "What is known I strip away... I launch all men and women forward with me into the unknown. The clock indicates the moment ... but what does eternity indicate?" (1133-1136) It is as though he is asking each reader to join him in the exploration of the unknown, forgetting about the moment, and what the clock says and really considering what forever signifies. I don't know if you've ever sat down and actually thought about eternity... I mean really thought about it to the point that your brain seems like it's going to explode, but forever is a long time. It never ends...... and this is something that we as humans cannot fathom because in our lives everything has a beginning and everything has an end--anything other than this is viewed as incomprehensible. Whitman suggests that there is a certain cycle which keeps repeating itself as the years go on, indicating that perhaps eternity is made up of years of processes happening over and over again. His first example is of a bottom... ...rces" have combined, the end product is your soul. Whitman appears to have a sense of security in himself, being able to recognize where he came from ("Before I was born out of my mother generations guided me" 1163) and knowing that his life is a collaboration of efforts on many parts to make him who he is. Eventually, this would seem to indicate that it is the completion of one's soul which leads to ultimate satisfaction. Our lives will eventually lead to an eternity...and it is crucial that we take the time to evaluate our soul's future as well as its current status. Whitman clearly emphasizes the importance of looking at life as a whole and not just the moment. Through a biographical narrative of parts of his own life, urges us look at where we've been and all we've been through...look at all those who have impacted our life and realize the big picture.

Can We Reduce the Rate of Juvenile Crime and Violence? :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

â€Å"Palm Beach County, Fla. -- On May 26, 2000, 13-year-old Nathaniel Brazill shot his teacher, Barry Grunow, with a .25 caliber handgun in school. Palm Beach County prosecutors tried Brazill as an adult for first degree murder. The jury found Brazill guilty of second-degree murder and the judge sentenced him to 28 years in an adult facility. After his release, Brazill will face two years of house arrest and five years of probation.† (Klug) Does this sentence seem too harsh, or perhaps too lenient? Without knowing all of the details involved in the case, it may be harder to decide what would be the best thing to do with 13-year-old Brazill. What specific details would a person need to know in order to sentence him properly? Has he ever done this before? What were his motives? Is he from a rough neighborhood, living in a bad family situation? Maybe all of these things don’t matter in determining Brazill’s sentence, and he should just be punished according to his crime. If you’re having a hard time deciding, you’re not alone. Since the juvenile court’s introduction in 1899, there have been debates over whether or not the court is effective in treating juveniles. Brazill’s case demonstrates the view that the juvenile court is not working, or is not sufficient to deal with cases as serious as Brazill’s. This is evident in the fact that he was sent to adult court as a 13-year-old as opposed to being tried in the juvenile court. The recent shift toward trying more juveniles as adults is a plain indicator that the juvenile justice system is not working. No one will disagree with that. However, people will disagree on what the system is supposed to be doing in the first place, and how we as a nation should go about fixing it. There are many different approaches to how juveniles should be dealt with, and each approach is extremely complex. One of the main factors that causes the complexity is that with each approach comes certain doctrines on the differences between juveniles and adults.

Light Bulbs Research Argument

Research Argument Essay In today’s world, people are more concerned about saving the environment than they have been in the past, and the choices that they make today about the light bulbs in their homes can play an important role in the future of the environment. Light bulbs are an every day object in homes across the World today and range from the less energy efficient incandescent light bulbs (normal light bulbs), the more energy efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, and the most energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. In order to help save the environment people need to make the change to energy efficient lighting, which will also help them save money, and even though they need to be recycled, the process is easy. With all the talk about being â€Å"green†, as stated by Carolyn Milton, â€Å"for the new year I'm going to be more green conscientious,† making the simple change of a light bulb could be a good solution. Most American’s always talk about trying to save the environment and reduce emissions so they spend thousands of dollars to buy electric and hybrid cars, when if they would simply change out their outdated light bulbs they could make an even greater impact on reducing greenhouse-gases. As stated by Caplan, â€Å"Electric lighting currently accounts for 19% of the world’s electricity use, pumping as much greenhouse-gas pollution into the atmosphere ever year as half the world’s cars. In the debate about the deteriorating environment, power plants have always been referred to as a source of the world’s issues, but by making the switch to energy efficient light bulbs people can help reduce the amount of power plants, â€Å"Replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL will keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb. If everyone in the U. S. used energy-efficient lighting, we could retire 90 average size power plants. Saving ele ctricity reduces CO2 emissions, sulfur oxide and high-level nuclear waste† (Energy Efficient Lighting). Energy efficient light bulbs save money by not only helping the environment but they can also leave more money in people’s wallets in the tough times of today. â€Å"An ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months† (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs for Consumers). People like to save energy, not only for the environment, but also because it can help save them money in the long run, â€Å"I would try any one that would use less energy,† Lacy Broughton. If a person switches to energy efficient light bulbs they will notice the difference in the price of their electricity bill because energy efficient light bulbs use less watts, â€Å"A single 18 watt CFL used in place of a 75 watt incandescent will save about 570 kWh over its lifetime. At 8 cents per kWh, that equates to a $45 savings† (Energy Efficient Lighting). By using energy efficient light bulbs you can also save money by not having to be inconvenienced in constantly having to change out and buy new light bulbs all the time, â€Å"Compact fluorescent bulbs have a higher lifespan as compared to incandescent light bulbs. They have a lifespan which ranges from 6,000 to 15,000 hours. This presents a definite contrast to the 750 hours to 1,000 hours that make up the life span of an incandescent bulb† (Dahne). The most common energy efficient light bulbs are the CFLs, which contain mercury and have to be recycled and disposed of properly when no longer in use. Some people avoid making the switch to energy efficient light bulbs because of the dangers that could come with mercury, but in reality, â€Å"A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2. mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time† (Energy Efficient Lighting). Disposing of CFLs is easier than people would like to admit since, â€Å"Burned out CFLs can be dropped off at Home Depot and Ikea stores† (Energy Efficient Lighting). If the mercury in CFL light bulbs is still concerning then people can always switch to LED lights, â€Å"that last five to 10 times as long as CFLs, contain no mercury and use far less energy† (Caplan). If every American home replaced just one light bulb with and ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year† (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs for Consumers). There are many choices for energy efficient light bulbs, some with mercury and some without, but overall all will help save the environment and save people their money. Saving the environment will not only help the lives of people living today, but will help the lives of all the people living for generations to come, so switch to energy efficient light bulbs and help save the world. Works Cited Broughton, Lacy. Discussion Interview. 1 November 2009. Caplan, Jeremy â€Å"Better Bulbs. † Time 174. 4 (2009): 54. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 19 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs for Consumers. † Energystar. gov. Energy Star. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. . Dahne, Tom. â€Å"Learn all About Fluorescent Bulbs. † Psychicarticles. co. uk. Psychic Articles, 03 Oct. 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. . â€Å"Energy Efficient Lighting. † Eartheasy. com. Eartheasy. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. . Milton, Carolyn. Discussion Interview. 5 November 2009.

Rome Italy essays

Rome Italy essays I had learned I was being sent to Italy in March of 2000 for a machine tool exhibition. I found out the happy news just before leaving work. Excitedly I jumped into my car and started my journey home. As I drove home down I-95 through all of the usual evening traffic I just kept thinking about ho I was going to tell my husband we were going to Italy. That night I continuously paced the floor looking out of my bedroom window to see if my husband was home from work yet. As he drove up in our driveway I ran outside to tell him the good news. I said, Nick guess where we are going in March? Before he could even say where I yelled out Italy! Italy, he said with a puzzled look on his face. I then explained the situation with work and said to him since if I have the opportunity to go I thought it would be a great idea for you to come along with me. I suggested scheduled some time before the show for the two of us to travel around Rome. Later that night it was settled we would sched ule a couple of days to tour Rome before the exhibition. It seemed like forever before we would finally be on our way, but then before I knew it we were on the airplane and the flight attendant is announcing fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing into Leonardo da Vinci airport. After arriving at the airport we had to transfer to a train that would take us to the city center. It was about a 30-minute train ride. Along the ride I was getting my first look at Rome, mostly the colorful countryside with the rows of sunflowers that were so splendid with bright yellow centers, and green leaves that were so full of life. Just pass the beautiful field of sunflowers was a small farmhouse made of stone. You could see the smoke coming out of the chimney and the farmers working their land. Upon arriving at the main train station, Stazione Termini in Italian, the excitement was building I c ...

How to Monotask Your Way to Writing Productivity

How to Monotask Your Way to Writing Productivity How to Monotask Your Way to Writing Productivity Jane Harkness is a freelance writer for Freedom. Freedom blocks distracting websites and apps across your devices so you can focus on what matters most.It’s easy to assume that multitasking will allow you to do double the work in half the time - after all, if you’re doing two things at once, your productivity must skyrocket, right?Not quite. Unfortunately, while we may feel that our productivity increases when we multitask, practical results and countless studies tell us otherwise.When you multitask, you’re not working on two tasks at the same time - you’re actually rapidly switching between tasks without giving your brain the time it really needs to completely focus on each one. Bouncing from one task to another and back again results in â€Å"attention residue,† clouding your concentration. Learn how to monotask your way to writing productivity âÅ"… Multitasking: a habit to breakIn our age of digital distractions, it’s tough to avoid multitasking, and many of us have made it a habit. Pausing your writing session to check your email, looking at a text in the middle of a paragraph, or talking on the phone with a freelance client while researching a separate project all qualify as multitasking.But because these tasks seem so basic and unavoidable, we rarely stop to consider that this could be having an impact on the quality of our work or our productivity.Multitasking and switching between screens can make you feel more productive in the moment, but in the long run, it’s eating up time that you could  be spending on your hobbies, creative projects, or relaxing with family and friends.If you want to step up your performance and reclaim your time to have more opportunities to do what you love, it’s time to say goodbye to multitasking and get familiar with the concept of â€Å"deep work† and the practice of monotasking.Have you ever tried monotasking? If not, will you try it now? Tell us in the comments below.

Environmental Factors Shaping PepsiCos Marketing Essay Example

Environmental Factors Shaping PepsiCos Marketing Essay Example Environmental Factors Shaping PepsiCos Marketing Paper Environmental Factors Shaping PepsiCos Marketing Paper This paper will review the article, identify environmental factors that shape the organization and impact marketing decisions, and discuss how technology plays a role in those decisions. Alternatives to Ackermann view of social responsibility to the companys marketing decisions and activities will be analyzed, along with explanations of how ethical issues can make an impact. The accuracy of the articles forecasts will be reviewed and further supportive references to conclusions made will be gathered, if necessary. Global and Domestic Factors Several macro-environmental factors shape the PepsiCo Corporation and impact marketing decisions. Demographics, economic climate, ecological and lattice issues, technology, and cultural concerns all affect where the company is headed desires and the decisions the company makes. Each issue affects the company differently, but when combined together, the environmental factors can wreak havoc on a companys bottom line if not addressed appropriately. On the other hand, if a company has the ability to recognize these factors, can address them, and be prepared to think on its feet, then the factors can be used to the companys advantage. The Ackerman article discusses PepsiCo investment into the Chinese market. When it comes to the environmental factors, Pepsi must adjust its marketing strategy to fit the audience rather than trying to fit the audience to its strategy. For example, current demographics in the United States reflects an aging population as the nations Baby Boomers are now reaching retirement age with most of them having grown up with Pepsi and Coca- Cola. 12. 5% of the U. S. Population is over the age of 65, compared to China, where only 7. % of the population is over age 65 (Monasteries, 2009). According to Ackerman (2008), Pepsi plans to invest $1. 0 billion into the Chinese markets, which is significant considering that currently the worlds economy is relatively poor. The author believes that the plan to invest in the Chinese market is optimistic and that the company faces the challenge Of slow growth in China, a decline in U. S. Sales and the impact of the stronger dollar on international sales (Ac kerman, 2008, Para. 2). How wise is the decision to invest in a country during a period of world economic decline? Pepsi made similar ventures in the Eastern European and Russian regions that proved to be profitable. According to Jonathan Fenny, a Wichita Capital Markets analyst, Pepsins strategy is to build platforms ahead of demand to some extent and continuing to support platforms even during times of economic weakness (Ackerman, 2008, par a. 5). Success is not guaranteed in the Chinese market, but if Pepsi has been able to achieve positive demand for its products in the past in other challenging markets, the company just might be able to drive growth in this market as well. Technology Another example that affects PepsiCo is technology. Technological advancements are happening at a faster pace than ever in the 21 SST century ND companies must be ready to take advantage of them or be left behind. Advertising decisions must be made with technology in mind, such as making use of electronic billboards vs.. The old standards, which can appeal to PepsiCo technologically savvy target audience in China youth and young adults. The money that Pepsi plans to invest will also Ana able the company to develop new products and expand local research and development efforts. In order to cater to the Chinese audience, technology plays a role in developing products due to the use of computers and other equipment. Comparing Views Social responsibility and ethics Ackerman (2008). Seems to believe that PepsiCo move to invest heavily in the Chinese market can appear to be bullish, yet optimistic. The author points out negatives concerning the venture, such as the value of the dollar in the market, economic downturns and sinking financial profit reports. However, perception of the authors view of the companys social responsibility is high, since she States that investing in China will create new employment opportunities due to expansion of R D facilities, manufacturing opacity and sales force. Thousands of new jobs are expected to be created in China because of the investments (Ackerman, 2008, Para. 11). Ethically speaking , providing employment to the unemployed, especially in poor regions, will increase quality of life for the Chinese, while at the same time, increasing revenue as more people are able to afford to purchase Pepsi products. Not only that, Ackerman states that the company is business driven, which typically suggests a business model where a company takes ethics into mind. Since Pepsi has been able to invest in global markets, rated jobs and improved quality of life standards in the past, the company shows that it holds to an ethical guideline by striving to repeat success in new global markets. Another view of Pepsins social responsibility and ethical stance by Michael seem proves to be positive as well. The article covers Pepsins CEO Indri Annoy, her personal views and her vision and goals for the Pepsi Corporations future (Seem, 2008). Taking into consideration the struggles with obesity that the United States faces, Annoy convinced the company to sell Pizza Hut, KEF and Taco Bell in 1 997, acquired the Tropical many in 1998 and helped engineer a $14 billion takeover of Quaker Oats, maker of Storage in 2001 in order to be able to offer healthy alternatives to PepsiCo consumers (Seem, 2008). Annoy and PepsiCo have pledged by 201 0 that half of the firms revenue will come from healthful products and that the company will eschew fossil fuels in favor of wind and solar (Seem, 2008, Para. 7). The company will also campaign against obesity. According to Land (2008), the Pepsi Bottling Group has maintained significant environmental and ecological commitments. So far the company has been able to save over 300 million gallons of water, 1 6,000 tons of plastic, and has been able to offset 100% of the companys U. S. Electricity by making conscientious manufacturing technological and operations decisions. In a savvy public relations move, Pepsi includes in its marketing strategy the release of an environmental annual report to generate positive publicity about its commitment to citizenship, responsibility and ethics. After reviewing the Ackerman, Seem and Land articles, the writers view Of PepsiCo stance on social responsibility and ethics is positive. Pepsins efforts o consider the environment, increasing employment in oppressed countries, and taking on health initiatives bolsters the companys social image. Accuracy The Ackerman (2008) article quotes Pepsi CEO Annoy saying We are enormously confident in the continued prosperity of China. Confidence is found in this statement and confidence seems to have been used in the qualitative and quantitative data gathered to make the marketing decision to invest in China. When such a stance is taken and a company, in this economy, makes such a significant financial decision, the factual data outlined in the article can be concluded be fruitful. The article provides past examples of Pepsins ventures into foreign markets that provided SUcceSS and the statement that its business is driven by building platforms ahead of demand to some extent and continuing to support platforms even during times of economic weakness sums up the companys strategy because it shows the company properly plans ahead, using past successes as a foundation (Ackerman 2008). Seams (2008) article showed how the background and positive personal beliefs of PepsiCo CEO have flowed over into the positive marketing, manufacturing and socially responsible decisions of the company. The article also touched on the growing mentality of the United States and global market attitudes on important issues that make a global impact, including health and environment. Land (2008) reported specifically on the companys environmental efforts, which are beginning to shape the company for the future, which looks positive. Reporting specifically in numbers the results of Pepsins efforts to strive to be a company focused on citizenship, social responsible ¶/ and ethics help support the writers conclusions. Conclusion PepsiCo strives to remain one of the leading beverage and snack companies in the United States and abroad and takes into consideration the environmental factors, both domestic and global, that affect the companys marketing and business decisions. Pepsins plan to invest in the Chinese market will prove to be a successful venture due to past achievements in similar markets.

The Role of Utmost Good Faith in Insurance Law Case Study

The Role of Utmost Good Faith in Insurance Law - Case Study Example This difference in approaches to contracts in the US and the UK will illustrate how the UK will uphold claims even if questionable on the strict guidelines of the contract and material fact; whereas the US relies more on the concept of good faith and how this applies to the material fact. The basis of Hansen Bancorp Inc et al v US is that the Court of Federal Claims had erred in its judgment and the breach of contract by the US government was total therefore the appellants of the Hanson Company were entitled to restitution on all counts. This decision stems from the question whether there has been a total breach of contract if there has been a total breach of contract restitution is available. The court decided there was a total breach because the US government had come to a contract and Hanson had committed its resources to fulfill its duties; however, the US government had failed to complete its obligations, therefore, fulfilling the criteria of a total breach of contractual obliga tion. This decision is primarily an exercise in the power of the contract and its adherence, which cannot be avoided even if the breaching party is the government. The case of Hansen Bancorp heavily relies on the adherence of the contract and contract law; whereby once the parties started to act on the contract then it is only fair that the other party follows through with their contractual obligations. This case does not fudge along the lines of what may not constitute the total breach of the contract.... judgement and the breach of contract by the US government was total therefore the appellants of the Hanson Company were entitled to restitution on all counts. This decision stems around the question whether there has been a total breach of contract, if there has been a total breach of contract restitution is available; however without total breach this remedy is not available. The court decided there was a total breach because the US government had come to a contract and Hanson had committed its resources by fulfilling its duties; however the US government had failed to complete its obligations therefore fulfilling the criteria of a total breach of contractual obligation. This decision is primarily an exercise in the power of the contract and its adherence, which cannot be avoided even if the breaching party is the government. The case of Hansen Bancorp heavily relies on the adherence of the contract and contract law; whereby once the parties started to act on the contract then it is only fair that the other party follows through with their contractual obligations. This case does not fudge along the lines of what may not constitute total breach of the contract. Rather the courts take a very logical and straightforward approach considering each part of the dealing to ensure that a total breach has occurred. The court identifies that a breach is an act or failure to act that impedes the fulfillment of the contract by one of the parties, where the other party has fulfilled their obligations or all the obligations they are able to prior to action by the other party. This approach ensures that the original contract is the most important factor in determining a breach and if the actions of a party are obviously impeding the contract then there is a breach of contract, i.e.