Parents vs. the Media Essay Example for Free

Parents vs. the Media Essay Due to childrens fascinations with violence, recent massacres at schools have been linked to media influence. Often troubled children use the news to gain attention. Many of the children committing these crimes are children that are being teased in school. Most of the children involved in school shootings have never had a past criminal record. Psychologists believe that these troubled children are using the media merely because no one else will listen to their problems. The reoccurrence of copycat crimes is on the rise, and it seems at times we overestimate how much violence is really occurring. The constant struggle between the media and those who feel it is saturated with violence continues on. However, it is difficult to determine whether there is a strong correlation between the two. Parents are uniting around the country to form groups against violence in the media. They believe that the violence in entertainment and the media is to blame for the copycat syndrome. Psychologists believe that children are vulnerable to feelings of psychological injury. Therefore, when children are being tormented they feel a sense of rage and worthlessness. This feeling causes them to look upon society as an enemy. For instance, The Trenchcoat Mafia was a group of teenagers that formed a violent gang, and turned against killed their classmates after seeing the movie Basketball Diaries. They felt isolated from the rest of the school, and believed the only way to gain popularity was through displaying acts of violence. This type of behavior has drastically increased and is seen all over the media. Parents blame the media for over-exposure of school violence. The parents see the media lacking in follow-up stories. These stories should show how it affected the lives of the killers, the victims and their families. Furthermore, the follow-up stories can present a better understanding of the consequences. Rather, the news seems to be showing their viewers almost how to carry out such crimes. On the other hand, the media is simply providing the public with current events. The media reports both positive and negative events. The news provides coverage on the issues that are most appealing to the public. For example, the first school shooting at Columbine began a major controversy. The public became extremely concerned, and safety in schools became a hot topic. The media simply reports on these events, they are not to be held responsible for violent occurrences. Their responsibility is to give coverage on events that affect our society as a whole. Parents should not view the media negatively, but see it as a source of information. Such information can give parents reasons for teaching their children morals. Children that come from broken homes may have been exposed to violence, and use this as a solution to their problems. Parents of these children should provide special psychiatric help to prevent them from becoming violent. If teachers are aware a students extreme misconduct, they should inform the childs parents as well as the schools counselors. Therefore, the school can solve the problem before it gets out of hand. Different approaches have been used to prevent these shootings from reoccurring. The most obvious solution has been increasing the security in schools, such as metal detectors and surveillance cameras. Some schools are simply educating their students about respecting each other, and have seen an improvement in the conduct of the students. When these issues improve, a healthier school will prevail.

Religion Vs Astronomy :: essays research papers

Religion and science have always been in direct competition with one another. The ultimate goal of science is to prove the inexistence of God with facts, while the existence in God is simply based on belief and faith. While 95% of the people living on Earth believe in a superior being of some sort, some might say that religion clouds the minds of otherwise logical individuals and makes it impossible for them to pursue the truth of the Universe. Thus, the debate on which view is the right one continues on, while somewhere in the middle stand religious followers who are also scientists. Many people claim that the belief in religion comes simply from the "need of something to believe in". However, it is difficult to argue against the fact that religion does not include its followers in something greater, then just a "need". It allows for an identification with a greater body of religious believers and for the inclusion in the love of a God. The only thing religion asks for in return is faith in its teachings which is made up of their morals and the existence of the God which they cherish and worship. In the movie "Contact", Ellie Arroway represents many scientists in the world. She is torn between religion and science, however she is unable to rely on the assumed truths of the teachings of religions. Science is the search for truth, it allows her to discover the truth for herself. As Palmer Joss later mentions in the movie, the purity of science is not involved in the furthering of technology. Technology is not the God that science seeks, for it seeks to create no God, science does not believe in any sort of God. As religion accepts the truths written in its texts and taught in its teachings, science continues, through research, to search for "the truth of the Universe".

The Picture of Dorian Gray Vocabulary List

The Picture of Dorian Gray Vocabulary List 1 (Q2) Precis (noun): Make summary of. â€Å"I know she goes in for giving a rapid precis of all her guests. † (Pg. 14) Ravelled (verb): To tangle or entangle. â€Å"†How horribly unjust of you! † cried Lord Henry, tilting his hat back and looking up at the little clouds that, like ravelled skeins of glossy white silk, were drifting across the hollowed turquoise of the summer sky. † (Pg. 15) Candour (noun): The state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression; candidness. All the candour of youth was there, as well as all youth's passionate purity. † (Pg. 26) Sovereignty (noun): Rightful status, independence, or prerogative. â€Å"It has its divine right of sovereignty. † (Pg. 35) Hedonism (noun): Doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good. â€Å"A new Hedonism–that is what our century wants. † (Pg. 36) Staccato (adjective): Shortened or detached when played or sung. â€Å"Suddenly the painter appeared at the door of the studio and made staccato signs for them to come in. † (Pg. 37) Caprice (noun): Sudden, unpredictable change, as of one's mind or the weather. The only difference between a caprice and a lifelong passion is that the caprice lasts a little longer. † (Pg. 38) Vermillion (noun): A bright red, to reddish-orange color. â€Å"†It is quite finished,† he cried at last, and stooping down he wrote his name in long vermilion letters on the left-hand corner of the canvas. † (Pg. 38) Panegyric (noun): Formal or elaborate praise. â€Å"Then had come Lord Henry Wotton with his strange panegyric on youth, his terrible warning of its brevity. † (Pg. 40) Wizen (verb): To wither; shrivel up; dry up. Yes, there would be a day when his face would be wrinkled and wizen, his eyes dim and colourless, the grace of his figure broken and deformed. † (Pg. 40) Divan (noun): A sofa or couch, with n o arms or back, often usable as a bed. â€Å"The hot tears welled into his eyes; he tore his hand away and, flinging himself on the divan, he buried his face in the cushions, as though he was praying. † (Pg. 42) Hansom (noun): A low-hung, two-wheeled, covered vehicle drawn by one horse, for two passengers, with the driver being mounted on an elevated seat behind and the reins running over the roof. â€Å"Come, Mr.Gray, my hansom is outside, and I can drop you at your own place. Good-bye, Basil. It has been a most interesting afternoon. † -Lord Henry (Pg. 48) Indolence (adjective): Disliking work or effort; lazy; idle. â€Å"His father had been our ambassador at Madrid when Isabella was young and Prim unthought of, but had retired from the diplomatic service in a capricious moment of annoyance on not being offered the Embassy at Paris, a post to which he considered that he was fully entitled by reason of his birth, his indolence, the good English of his dispatches, and his inordinate passion for pleasure. (Pg. 49) Collieries (noun): A coal mine, including all buildings and equipment. â€Å"He paid some attention to the management of his collieries in the Midland counties, excusing himself for this taint of industry on the ground that the one advantage of having coal was that it enabled a gentleman to afford the decency of burning wood on his own hearth. † (Pg. 49) Cheroot (noun): A cigar having open ends. â€Å"When Lord Henry entered the room, he found his uncle sitting in a rough shooting-coat, smoking a cheroot and grumbling over The Times. (Pg. 49) Facile (adjective): Moving, acting, working, proceeding, etc. , with ease, sometimes with superficiality. â€Å"He invented a facile excuse, and having taken the vacant seat next to her, looked round to see who was there. † (Pg. 57) Liveried (adjective): Clad in livery as servants. â€Å"At last, liveried in the costume of the age, reality entered the room in the shape of a servant to tell the duchess that her carriage was waiting. † (Pg. 65) Expound (verb): To explain; interpret. Some day, when you are tired of London, come down to Treadley and expound to me your philosophy of pleasure over some admirable Burgundy I am fortunate enough to possess. † (Pg. 67) Cosmopolitan (noun): A person who is free from local, provincial, or national bias or attachment; citizen of the world. â€Å"Makes it quite cosmopolitan, doesn't it? You have never been to any of my parties, have you, Mr. Gray? † (Pg. 71) Brocade (noun): Fabric woven with an elaborate design, esp. one having a raised overall pattern. â€Å"I went to look after a piece of old brocade in Wardour Street and had to bargain for hours for it. † (Pg. 72)

Who Were Some of the Best Women Olympic Skaters

In the 1990s, a national survey named figure skating as Americans second most popular sport. 1st place went to football. Womens skating events are among the most popular attractions for viewers of each Winter Olympics. Adults admire the combination of grace and athleticism while Children — especially young girls — dream of a future as figure skating stars. Flashy costumes and dance moves combine with rigorous feats of strength in the figure skating events. The pairs skating and ice dancing events show women and men in partnership on the ice. Increasingly, women speed skaters captivate audiences as well. The three standards by which early Olympic officials judged whether an event was appropriate for ladies were beauty, form, and appearance. But early in Olympic figure skating history, before Sonja Henie introduced ballet-like moves, and more recently, athleticism in womens figure skating also had strong appeal. Since 1960, womens speed skating, emphasizing speed, stamina, and strength, has been included in the Olympics. While not as popular as the figure skating events, the popularity of womens speed skating has been growing. Is the popularity of womens figure skating a sign that gender stereotypes are alive and well — that women athletes are still more acceptable if they adhere strongly to traditional feminine stereotypes? Or does it just mean that many people are interested in sports that arent about speed, strength, and a little physical violence? Womens world championship figure skating dates back to 1902 when Madge Syers of Great Britain entered the London World Championship and finished second — just behind Swedish male skater, Ulrich Salchow. But the officials, who had not anticipated women entering the event, then barred women from the world championships. In 1905, a separate womens figure skating event was initiated, and Syers won the first two annual championships in that competition. Women Olympic Figure Skaters Some women Olympic figure skaters you should know: Sonja Henie: Norways Pavlova on ice brought ballet moves to the athletic routines. She went to Hollywood and toured in an ice revue, setting a standard many later figure skating champions followed.Barbara Ann Scott: She was nicknamed Canadas sweetheart.Tenley Albright: She was the first American woman to win the Olympic gold for figure skating.Peggy Fleming: She was a media darling and an early superstar.Dorothy Hamill: Her hairstyle and her personality won hearts worldwide while she won the Olympic gold.Debi Thomas: She lost the gold but became the first African American medalist at the Winter Olympics. After a short pro tour, Thomas went to medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon.Katarina Witt: She was an East German skater who dominated the sport and was famous as a touring professional.Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya Harding, and Oksana Baiul: Tonya Hardings husband and associates deliberately injured Nancy Kerrigan, her skating rival. Kerrigan was allowed a berth on the Olympic tea m though she had to miss the trials, Ukrainian Baiul skated to the Olympic gold past both of them.Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan: They were both excellent figure skaters. They were competitors in 1998 when Lipinski upset Kwan to become the youngest medalist in the event.More women figure skaters you should know about include Kristi Yamaguchi, Nicole Bobek, and Carol Heiss. Pairs Skating In pairs skating, male and female partners coordinate their figure skating, sometimes mirroring each other, sometimes complementing each other. Some women pairs skaters you should know: Irina RodninaEkaterina GordeevaTai Babilionia Ice Dancing In 1976, ice dancing was added as an Olympic sport, with more emphasis on dance and artistry and less emphasis on specific figures than figure skating. Some women ice dancers you should know include: Jayne TorvillIrina Romanova Speed Skating Speed skating for men was added to the Winter Olympics in 1924, and womens speed skating Winter Olympics competition dates back to 1960. Some women speed skating champions you should know include: Bonnie BlairCarol Heiss Jenkins