Into the Unknown

Into the Unknown The precipice of change is an unsettling place to be. We were there four years ago when we were seniors in high school, and were sure many of you are there now. We find ourselves here again, trying to figure out what to do after we graduate.   It’s scary.   For the past couple of months, we’ve been imagining futures where we get some industry experience, first picturing ourselves in the 10+ companies we applied to, and then in one of 3 companies that called us back for onsite interviews.   Around the time of our first rejection from one of those 3, we decided last-minute to apply to grad school. And just 2 days ago, we officially were rejected from the last company we thought we still had a chance to work at.   We honestly don’t know what’s going to happen next year. We’ve become well acquainted with Rejection â€" their firm handshake, respectful nod, and “Thank you for your interest.” So we’ve tried preparing ourselves for the reality where maybe we won’t get into grad school, and maybe take a gap year, or scramble to find a job. We didn’t get to participate in Nisha’s Spotify post, because we don’t use Spotify, but if we did, we are sure one of our top 5 songs would have been Into the Unknown from Frozen 2.   We watched the movie with our 7 year old cousin, and it was so much fun. Watching a kid’s movie always puts us in an “everything will be okay” headspace. It immerses you in a story, beautifully crafted and visually stunning, that’s not your own. And while we might have had our media-critique glasses and awe-of-animation glasses on for parts of the movie, everything came off when the musical numbers started playing. When Into the Unknown started, there was just an incredible feeling in the air. Listening to the exciting vamp in the background, beating like a heart, while seeing Elsa slam open the balcony doors, all building up to Idina Menzels huge belts gave us a greater than life feeling, just utterly hope-FULL.01 Maybe thats why our dream is to eventually work on animated films â€" to give other people the feeling of hope that these movies always give us   After watching this uplifting movie, and spending time with our family during thanksgiving, we continued listening to Into the Unknown on repeat.  We found ourselves being encouraged by the song. Elsa sings Into the Unknown when she hears a mysterious voice calling to her. In the beginning of the song, she is afraid of the potential danger that might come from following this voice. But by the end of the song, she enthusiastically decides to go ‘into the unknown’, embracing the mystery, and welcoming the unanswered questions, with the courage and faith to face any challenges ahead. Watching an interview with Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, writers of all Frozen music, just made us love this song even more. Kristen describes how the chorus of this song, from a musicology perspective, tells the story of the entire movie. Into the unknown Into the unknown Into the unknown Ah-ah, oh-oh Ah-ah, oh-oh, oh, oh She describes that the first Into the unknown is an octave. It feels safe, because we know octaves. The second Into the unknown goes up to a ninth, and comes back to the octave. Its stepping a toe outside of what you know, and then coming right back. And the third Into the unknown, she describes, goes up to an eleventh. This one represents Elsa finally going into the enchanted forest, going into the unknown .02 We do not know music theory very well, so we are sorry in advance if we paraphrased Kristen incorrectly The mindset we went through during the undergraduate college application process, and are now going through during the graduate application process, mimics this transition in a way. We first would imagine ourselves in the safety schools we applied to â€" the ones close to home that felt familiar and concrete. Then we would begin to toy with the idea of a school less familiar â€" in a city weve never lived, in a world we could only imagine. We would have a constant internal dialogue with mind and heart, mind coldly saying No, theres no way and heart optimistically responding But what if! This dialogue persisted as we applied to MIT EA, got deferred, and all the way till pi day. It was honestly kind of exhausting. Because we never went up to the eleventh. We never fully embraced the unknown, the feeling of not knowing. And thats what we are trying to do differently this time around. It took Elsa bravery to trust that everything will be okay as she trekked into the enchanted forest, and it is inspiring us to take the same bravery into our graduate applications. This bravery may seem unrealistic, and maybe even foolish, but it’s helping us move forward and we hope that it can help you too. Lets go into the unknown, together.   Maybe that's why our dream is to eventually work on animated films â€" to give other people the feeling of hope that these movies always give us back to text ? We do not know music theory very well, so we are sorry in advance if we paraphrased Kristen incorrectly back to text ?

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder ( Fasd ) - 1603 Words

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder â€Å"Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications† (HHS, 2005). FASD refers to conditions such as: fetal alcohol syndrome including partial FAS, fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol related neurodevelopment disorder, alcohol-related birth defects. The conditions that are involved with FASD can range from mild to severe and it is not likely that two people share the exact same symptoms. FAS is defined as a medical diagnosis involving four key features: alcohol exposure, growth deficiently, certain facial features, and brain damage. Infants who have been exposed to prenatal alcohol rarely show all symptoms of the medical condition FAS. Other terms have been used to describe the implication involved with FAS. Frequently used terms are: Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Alcohol-related Birth Defects. A child with Partial Fetal Alcohol syndrome exhibits only some of the physical signs of FAS and will likely have both learning and behavioral difficulties. A child suffering from Alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder will demonstrate signs of neural damage, problems with memory, poor social skills, and learning difficulties. Children diagnosed withShow MoreRelatedFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder ( Fasd )1451 Words   |  6 PagesPei,†Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) refers to the diagnoses of damage caused to the fetus by alcohol exposure† (2012). It is the cause of abnormalities in children and can include effects such as communicating, socializing, controlling emotions, learning, remembering, understanding and following directions, and daily life skills. Some of the abnormalities caused by this disorder includes wide-set and narrow eyes, growth problems, and nervous system abnormalities. Having this disorder lastsRead MoreFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder ( Fasd )1727 Words   |  7 Pagesdrink during her pregnancy as it can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a fairly new disorder. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during her pregnancy. Unfortunately, the issue has evolved into a moral panic due to the stigma. There is stigma for the mothers for drinking during pregnancy and the children having FASD. While FASD doesn’t discriminate social eco nomic statusRead MoreFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ( Fasd )1992 Words   |  8 Pageseffects of maternal alcohol consumption, women are still continuing to consume alcohol while pregnant. Fifty three percent of non-pregnant woman drink alcohol, and despite health warnings, twelve percent of pregnant mothers in the United States still consume alcohol (Pruett Waterman Caughey, 2013, p. 62). Fetal alcohol exposure is also believed to be widely underreported in the United States (Pruett et al., 2013, p. 66). Current research concludes that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption,Read MoreFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder ( Fasd )2000 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a general term consist disabilities when a mother consumes alcohol during her pregnancy. The medical prognosis of FASD includes: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (PFAS), Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) and Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD). Moreover, teratogen is a harmful agent that can interrupt the development of an embryo. For instance, alcohol is teratogen. As per Health Canada, FASD is a leadingRead MoreSchool-age children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have complex clinical profiles and900 Words   |  4 PagesSchool-age children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have complex clinical profiles and often struggle to socially communicate in effective and successful ways (Coggins, Olswang, Carmichael Olson, Timler, 2003). It has been estimated that elementary school–age students may spend up to one-quarter to one-half of their school day engaged in paper-a nd-pencil tasks, which include handwriting (McHale Cermak, 1992). Difficulties with handwriting can affect many aspects of a child’s participationRead MoreMarisa Leathers. Kathleen Mccoy. Development Of The Exceptional1537 Words   |  7 PagesChild April 16, 2017 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Discovered in 1973, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders were recognized from a specific pattern of cardiac, craniofacial, and limb defects between unrelated infants. The one thing the infants all had in common was that they were all born to alcoholic mothers (Bradshaw). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, also referred to as FASD for short, can lead to numerous physical and mental defects and disorders alike. These defects and disorders range from mild toRead MoreAdvances Of Treatment Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Essay1255 Words   |  6 PagesAdvances in Treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2015), in 2011 to 2013, one in ten pregnant women reported consuming alcohol in the past 30 days. Additionally, one in 33 women admitted to binge drinking during pregnancy (CDC, 2015). Consummation of alcohol during pregnancy is one of the leading causes for developmental disabilities. The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is being increasingly used to refer to theRead MoreLanguage Impairment Of Children With Autism1355 Words   |  6 PagesChildren With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder† from the Journal of population therapeutics and clinical pharmacology The purpose of this study was to identify pronounced deficits in the language of children with FASD. There were fifty children in this study. 27 of the children (10 female) with FASD, and 23 typically developing control children (9 females), ages 5-13. The children with FASD had been diagnosed with an alcohol related disorder. This study analyzes language in children with FASD in orderRead MoreThe Disorder Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome1018 Words   |  5 Pagesexplain the the disorder Fetal Alcohol Syndrome .This paper will aim to discuss what the disorder is ,it s history how it is diagnosed and the treatment and prevention of this disorder. Taking a sip a int hip Introduction :Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing(Bible-Judges 13:7).It has been known throughout history that the effects of alcohol use in pregnancyRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1984 Words   |  8 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are identified as a category of birth disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. These can include physical or intellectual anomalies, such as cardiac, skeletal, visual, aural, and fine or gross motor problems. (Callanan, 2013) Prevention would involve alcohol use prevention programs for women who are pregnant, and treatment for FAS and FASD would be aimed at helping those affected realize their full potential through both

A Speech On The S Car Essay - 2357 Words

â€Å"Today’s your day, Ez. Get in the fuckin’ car.† Abe shouted from the driver’s seat, even though I was already making my way over to the car. I walked towards the passenger doors before he corrected me. â€Å"Not in the back. I saved shotgun for ya.† It was only a couple months since I became an official a part of the gang, and I already got to sit up front with Abe. I got in the small electric car and thought about the precious seat. Solo said he worked to impress Abe for five hundred forty seven days (or a year and a half) before he got shotgun, but now he was back sitting behind him. His blond curls were squished against the door to make room for Sus’s gigantic arms. â€Å"Took you long enough, kid.† Cob greeted me as I closed the door. He called me ‘kid’, even though I was two years older. He was old enough to still be in high school, if he could afford that shit. Abe turned the key as the door slammed. The recorded rumble of a muscle car hummed from the speaker on the grill, which signaled the car was on. We drove from my apartment on the north bank of the river, across the bridge into South Side. â€Å"You’re gonna love this place, Ez,† said Abe pointing to the overgrown skeleton of steel in front of us. We drove into the discarded shamble of concrete until the chaos gave way to weeds a few miles down. Without slowing down, Abe swerved into an abandoned construction site and skidded to a stop. We got out of the car and walked through the columns of rust, broken slabs of concrete,Show MoreRelatedInformative Speech Electric Cars Word1039 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Informative speech Electric Cars Introduction Attention Getter: Central Idea: State an interesting new facts about electric cars. Preview of main points: Today I am going to talk about history of electric cars, where is electric cars today and finally we will explore what is to come of electric cars in the future. Body I. The history of the electric cars A) Where do the electric cars come from? B) When they was billed in the US? C) How they grow up in our country? II. Where are theRead MoreThe Death Of Princess Diana974 Words   |  4 Pagesin the organizational method of narration. The method of organization is extremely obvious since the author is not making any connection with the audience just stating facts. BBC states in their article, Diana, Princess of Wales, has died after a car crash in Paris (BBC np). The author is too formal and does not give any emotion throughout the paper. Since the connection with the audience is lacking, part of the rhetorical triangle is missing making the article ineffective. 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Ernesto contemplates the Inca?s civilization; writing how something so beautiful, the Incan civilization could be replaced by something so ugly, the modern city. This scene is full of color and is very vividly displayed. ThisRead MoreDoublespeak : Language That Deliberately Disguise Or Reverses The Meaning Of Words905 Words   |  4 PagesYou may go to a car dealership and may find that they use synonyms for words. For instance you may hear â€Å" pre-owned car† or â€Å"previously experienced car† when all that really means is â€Å"used car†. An often used phrase would be â€Å" using the facilities† which really means â€Å"using the restroom†. As seen in the examples doublespeak can be used to make the negative reality better or simply sound p olite. 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The Yoshida Doctrine Free Essays

string(107) " Japan gave the former the chance to control the latter by the mere presence that it has in their country\." Every foreign relation that a Nation-State enters is always self-serving. A country enters into an agreement with another for the purpose of achieving its national goals, and preserving its national security. When a country is in need of aid, whether in the economic or defense facet, the first option that that country would take is to enter into relations with other nations, and the first country on their list would be the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on The Yoshida Doctrine or any similar topic only for you Order Now The United States has been the World Superpower since time immemorial, dominating the world in almost all aspects. Consequently, when countries are in need of aid, the US is their first option in mind to turn to. When Japan was grappled by the crippling effects of the Second World War, their intuition dictated for them to enter into foreign relations with the US – Thus, the Yoshida Doctrine was born. The doctrine was named after Yoshida Shigeru, a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954, during the critical transition period after World War II (http://www. newworldencyclopedia. rg/entry/Yoshida_Shigeru). This paper aims to give an overview on the foreign relations of Japan on a global level focusing on the present time period. Times are changing in unimaginable ways. There have been great changes which can be viewed as positive or negative depending on whom the observer is; in this case, the relations between Japan and the US. What was once an acceptable agreement in the past may now be of little or no importance when applied to the present. Often times we hear the quote: â€Å"the only thing constant in the world is change. With this in mind, everything that a country would enter must be done with utmost clarity, and must take into consideration the circumstances of every case which may be applicable to it. The circumstances which may have warranted the application of the Yoshida Doctrine in the past may not anymore be applicable at present; thus, there would be a need to abolish or amend certain provisions of the aforementioned agreement for the proper application thereto. The Yoshida Doctrine was the product of an agreement between then Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida with the United States. The agreement was made to help Japan recover economically from the effects of the World War II. To be able to achieve this, Japan heavily relied on the United States for its military protection. This was the tactic seen by then Prime Minister Yoshida to alleviate the effects of the war and to help it recover as a nation economically. It can be said that the Yoshida Doctrine that Japan entered with the US was bilateral and asymmetrical. The doctrine was bilateral mainly because it was an agreement only between the US and Japan. Also, the doctrine was asymmetrical for the reason that the agreement was leaning more on the US’ benefit. At first glance, the doctrine truly is beneficial for Japan; however, in the long run, this benefit would be at the expense of Japanese national dignity. At the time of the Cold War, the doctrine dictates that the US will leave economic matters to the Japanese government. On the other hand, defense issues will be handled by the US. This would mean that the US would act in behalf of the Japanese military in handling Japanese defense. The military is an instrument of a state that holds the monopoly of the legitimate use of violence. The military is tasked to defend the nation-states’ people from internal and external threats, and to maintain peace and order. These are the traditional roles of the military. A state’s hold on its military is essential to its survival, and for the assurance of its sovereignty. If one is to be nuance about the situation concerning the Yoshida Doctrine that the US would handle matters on Japanese military on external defense, then this would mean that positions in the United Nations most especially the seats in the United Nations Security Council, the United States would as well hold. It is of utmost importance to point out that although I would like to prove that Japan could defend itself and stand on its own, it is still important for it to become a member of the United Nations Security Council. Being a member of the United Nations is crucial, since this international organization plays a huge role in fostering unity amongst the member countries. Japan is already a member of this prestigious organization and it should build on improving its relations with it. The United Nations was established in order to foster peace and unity among those countries who are parties to it. The United Nations does not seek to trample on the manner by which a country runs its government but aims for each of its country members to abide by its generally acceptable principles such as peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and the like. As such, the members of the United Nations are in agreement that it is important to respect the rights of the different sovereignty that are part of it. This is important because it would give a sense of peace of mind to governments of the various member Nation-States since it knows that it has the freedom to govern its people without any outside influence, while at the same time knowing that it has alliances from other countries which would be of help when the need arises. There is no direct evidence that the United States benefited from the Yoshida Doctrine. But, a closer look into the agreement would reveal that the United States was able to influence Japan to a formidable extent. The United States has been touted as the most powerful country at present; consequently, every country would aspire to establish a relation with it, in one way or another. The presence of the United States military force in Japan gave the former the chance to control the latter by the mere presence that it has in their country. You read "The Yoshida Doctrine" in category "Papers" The Yoshida Doctrine has already served its purpose, and its dictate on the Japanese government at the present is no longer applicable. The doctrine’s purpose of giving Japan economic aid in exchange for handling the Japanese military has long since been able to establish itself. On the economic aspect, Japan is considered as one of the top countries in terms of economic growth. A country as rich as Japan has sufficient amount of resources needed to sustain its military workforce. At present,, It would be a very crucial decision to stray away from the Yoshida Doctrine since this may result to having a strained relation with the United States. However, it is still possible to enter into peaceful negotiations with countries to maintain their diplomacy with each other. At the present, Japan can now stand on its own both financially and on the level of security. This country has mastered economic policies with proofs from its domestic growth in colossal amounts.. Every government must have sufficient amount of income in order to support its needs such as education, livelihood, military, infrastructure and other relevant projects. The economic growth being enjoyed by Japan signals stability for their government. A crucial decision to remain free from the influence and dependence of the United States is a very difficult decision for Japan. However, these are risks that a government must be willing to take. The security force of any government should be taken seriously. The military is akin to the commander in chief of any organization. The military should pledge its loyalty to only one government otherwise, various problems and conflicts may arise. If the United States would continue to extend its aid to Japan pursuant to the Yoshida Doctrine, then I believe that the presence of the former in the latter country is there for the wrong reasons. This is where the argument becomes significant that an amendment of the doctrine is in order. The initial understanding of Japan and the United States is that the latter would extend its military service to the former to help it recover economically. I believe that this concern is no longer of issue at this day and age. The agreement should be rendered moot and academic. If Japan would still want to have the United States military force to be present in their country then a new agreement is in order, so that it would correspond to the present need thereof. As history would tell us, it is safe to say that too much alliance with a particular country affects the independence of that country. Whether the party concerned likes it or not, there will be decisions that it has to make in consideration of the country with whom it has an agreement with. This could adversely affect the foreign policy of that particular country to the prejudice of its constituents. It would be best for Japan to keep its alliance with the United States to a minimum and focus instead on its relations with, not only the United Nations, but more so, with all the other countries as well. It is better to maintain a good and harmonious relationship with the United Nations which is composed of several countries than to focus on enhancing its relations with a single country. The relationship of Japan and the United States could be eventually criticized to the prejudice of both countries. If Japan would continue its close relations on this intimate level with the United States it could be regarded as a country which would do everything and agree on anything that the latter agrees on. It is very important for any country to have independence and liberty free from any form of outside influence. I believe it would be best for Japan to nurture is relationship with other countries than to focus on the United States. For instance, Japan can improve its relations with countries with whom its relationship is not as strong as with the United States. Japan has a good head start, it is already a member of the United Nations and of the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors or more commonly known as G-20. The G-20 is composed of 19 countries and of the European Union whose aim is to address global economic issues. The group is composed of, United Kingdom, China, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, these countries among others. The point of the matter is that Japan should improve its relations with these countries instead of merely being complacent with its relationship with the United States. Japan should nurture its relations with France, China, Mexico and other countries comprising G-20 as this would be of great and beneficial advantage for their country. Japan has already proven its loyalty to the United States, thus, it is now time for it to move on to other countries. Japan may instead work on enhancing its relations with its neighboring countries in order to work on more policies for their benefit. Every country needs to maintain diplomatic relations with every possible government in order to better achieve its goal. Further, it can also be argued that the resources of Japan should be shared not only with the United States but with all other countries that are desperately in need of it and vice versa. The United States should not only favor those countries with whom it is able to receive something but it should also strive to allocate its resources even to those with whom it is unable to gain in return. It may sound ideal; however, it only means being civil. It only means living under agreements where profit is not the main reason for living. On a political aspect, the Yoshida Doctrine was made during the time of then Prime Minister Yoshida. The factors by which Then Prime Minister Yoshida was surrounded with may no longer be applicable at this present time of Prime Minister Taro Aso. The situation of Japan during the post World War II period is entirely different than today. Through several years, Japan has evolved politically. When Japan was still on the verge of recovery from the effects of World War II, it needed to have an ally to be able to rise up again. As such, then Prime Minister Yoshida, entered into an agreement which was to be known as the Yoshida Doctrine with the United States. In 2009, many years after World War II, Japan is regarded as the third largest economy. Japan has gained this status after years of hard work. Japan is considered as technologically advanced and has been accepting more and more investments, making it economically self sufficient. Statistics show that it has 0% population below poverty line. The relation of its economic growth with its political aspect is important. A government that has a flourishing economy is self-sufficient, thus, its government is capable of standing on its own. Thus, the Yoshida Doctrine would no longer be applicable at this time. Although it can be argued that it would be very difficult to just suddenly nullify the Yoshida Doctrine since there is a risk of misinterpretation on the part of the United States. Such act would consequently invite questions regarding Japanese intentions or its loyalty, still, a thorough study of this matter is proper for the best interests of Japan. Prime Minister Aso is faced with different challenges that his leadership and term has to face. The leaders of any government should view every agreement on a long term basis. Any crucial agreements being made should be examined in the light of all factors such as economic, military, or political aspects. A leader must always bear in mind that he is merely the representative of the country that he represent, he does not occupy the position to establish personal or beneficial interests for his own agenda. Instead, the thinking should always be two steps ahead. There should be a projection of circumstances with a thorough analysis of every possible conflict that may arise as a result of any agreement or treaty. Any agreement that a country seeks to enter must not be for the benefit of the reigning political party or person occupying the highest position of the land. The underlying reasons for entering into any agreement must transcend the political interests of a particular party. With this, it can be said that a revision of the Yoshida Doctrine is in order so that it would be made to adapt to the present situation facing Japan. The Yoshida Doctrine affected Japan’s foreign policy post World War II to a great extent. Japan surrendered its military force to the United States since it wanted to rehabilitate its economy which was destroyed by the war. As a result, the United States was tasked to take control of the military defense of Japan. Up to this day, Japan has maintained strong ties with the United States. Japan took the risk of allowing the United States to take control of their security while it was busy with gathering resources for its economic recovery. This set-up has its consequences that are being felt even to this day. When Japan agreed to enter into an agreement with the United States it did not look far into the future since it was merely concerned with the situation, post World War II. There was lack of foresight in analyzing the future. The criticism that could be raised today is that, as a result of the Yoshida Doctrine, Japan now finds it hard to gain â€Å"independence† from the United States and to gain a representing seat at the United Nations Security Council. If the Yoshida Doctrine be not amended, Japan will forever bear the stigma of being an ally of the United States. Japan has surrendered a very powerful weapon to the United States that is their military force. It can be said, that this would also result to giving up a big chunk of their sovereignty and independence as a country. Japan must re-examine its position and its resources. It must look at the bigger picture and determine whether or not it is still profitable for it to maintain close ties on this level with the United States. Japan must have given itself options and widened its horizons by thinking twice when it surrendered its military force in favor of another country, in this case, the United States. If the situation would be taken from a bigger perspective, avoiding any myopic view of the matter, a problem could be detected. One aspect that we can see is that the Yoshida Doctrine does not support the resort to war as a means to resolve conflicts. On the other hand, the United States is known to be active in supporting its military workforce by engaging in war with other nations to eliminate terrorists. There seems to be a conflict of principles undertaken by these two countries who aim to work as one. When the need arises for Japan to follow United States orders on the military aspect, Japan would have no voice and would have to abide by the agreement that it has entered with the United States. Japan is therefore left with no voice, no autonomy and no independence to protect its own country through ways that it believes in. The amendment of the Yoshida Doctrine would not totally cut the ties of Japan from the United States. It merely seeks to place Japan on its proper place. The leaders of Japan should take this matter seriously if it does not want to be forever bound to the doctrine that should have long been amended. Too much of everything is bad. A middle ground should be established between the ties that bind Japan and the United States. There should be room left for the government officials of Japan to exercise its decision making when it comes to defending the security of their country. Japan may use the experiences that it has acquired from the United States during those times when the latter has extended its aid to the former. From here, Japan could form its own strategy, its own plan, a defense system that it can call its own, free from any influence by the United States. In this way, Japan would gain more respect from other countries and could set a good example for other nations, giving the idea that a strong nation can do anything on its own with a little help from others. If, after a thorough analysis of the situation, Japan believes that it is not ready to go on an all out independence from the United States, then it may enter into an agreement with the latter that would still give them enough freedom to decide on their own. The United States in this regard would merely be there to guide Japan, instead of totally taking away the military sovereignty and independence of the latter. I am of the opinion that the Yoshida Doctrine should be reshaped to be made more applicable at this present time. Japan has long been able to stand on its own and has since recovered from the crisis that it was faced with in the past which necessitated surrender of the military to the United States. Independence of any country, free from any external influence should be the guiding principles of any nation since it must learn how to stand on its own. It would not however hurt to seek help from another country but this does not mean that one should have total reliance thereto. Japan should begin to reexamine and delve deeper into its motive for its close alliance with the United States. The United States has its own concerns and issues to address independent of Japan. This means that the United States always has to look out for its country first and foremost without having to consider the stake that other allies have over it. Throughout the years from the 1970’ up to the present, many things have transpired. Japan has flourished economically, the United States became involved with defending its country by resorting to war, terrorism has become the major problem of the United States and so on. Japan should begin to take a different course from its overdependence with the United States, it should start taking the path that would give it more independence from the latter. To end my article, let me share with you a line that deserves to be pondered on: â€Å"Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men. † This quote that was once uttered by Mortimer Adler fully encompasses the relationship that Japan has with the United States. If Japan puts its national sovereignty on its lists of priorities, then Japan must rethink its relationship with the United States, and think more than twice on their future transactions. How to cite The Yoshida Doctrine, Papers

Machiavelli Man Or Monster Essays - Italian Politicians

Machiavelli: Man Or Monster? When most people think of the word Machiavelli, they usually think of evil. Nicolo Machiavelli is often thought of as a devil. Indeed, shortly after the books publication, he was vilified. Only recently has he started to be thought of as a perceptive analyst, with a unique knowledge of human nature (Curry, 5). Francis Bacon, a noted writer, philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, has been quoted as saying, We are much beholden to Machiavelli and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do. His landmark book, of course, is the brief, intense, and powerful book, The Prince. When most people think of him, they only remember this book. However, he had many other talents. He is the writer of several comedies, including La Mandragola, Clizia, and The Woman From Andros. He was the first author of the history of Florence, his hometown. He was given the standard humanistic education available, which taught him logic, rhetoric, grammar, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music (Curry, 17). At the age of 29, he was elected to the post of second chancellor, probably thanks to friends of his father. He soon became secretary of the Ten of War, Florences military and foreign affairs council. This means he was to report to the Ten of War on diplomatic matters, and as messenger in negotiations. His real work, of course, was more involved, and himself often assisted on sensitive issues himself (Curry, 31). Throughout this work, he displayed what was to become steadfast dedication. In 1502, Machiavelli was sent to meet the inspiration for The Prince, Cesare Borgia. At the time, Borgia was rapidly gutting a new domain for himself, something the Ten of War found threatening, of course. Machiavelli was in shock and awe when he saw how Borgia dealt with plotters who intended to kill him: he had them killed at dinner. However, he relied on fate than his ability (Curry, 1502). Eventually, Borgias luck ran out, and his empire fell apart when he became sick (Machiavelli, 118). In 1507, Machiavelli and a friend, Piero Soderini, proposed a militia to defend Florences interests. Until this point, Florence had used mercenaries, which had proven useless in several campaigns. The proposal was accepted, and the Nine of Militia was formed, with Machiavelli as secretary. He is regarded as a highly successful tactician, and wrote a book on the subject, The Art of War. Within two years, the city of Pisa was regained. Pisa had been a source of constant embarrassment, it being lost in 1494 and staying intact after two failed campaigns (Curry, 32, 40). Then, three years after that, the Medici, the old ruling family, took power again. Machiavelli was dismissed from his posts and tortured for a month. Luckily, in March, the pope died, and the new pope came from the Medici family. Florence became a papal land and amnesty was declared. Knowing he was still unsafe, he left the city of Florence and retired to his private farm. There he adapted to a completely different style of life, by day overseeing work, reading poetry, gossiping, drinking, and playing games with the locals. At night, he would change dramatically. He would enter the house, exchange his day clothes for his robes of state, and begin to write. The fruit of this labor was The Prince, written to win favor with the Medici family (Curry, 42-48)(Machiavelli, 31). The Medici, however, had no need of him, and his political leanings made him a liability. He realized that he would not be re-hired, and turned to writing. His first known play, La Mandragola, was written in 1518. It is a black comedy, and every bit as lewd as modern comedies (Machiavelli, 67-106). He started becoming active again as a political thinker, and soon found himself writing another book, The Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, or as its known today, The Discourses. It is the longest and most original of Machivellis work, and absolutely essential, because it shows that he doesnt believe in immorality for its own sake, and that the strongest, most united state is the republic (Curry, 86-88). In 1519, as his work on The Discourses was finished, the Medici ruler of Florence died.

Slavery is The South essays

Slavery is The South essays Slavery played a dominating and critical role in much of Southern life. In the struggle for control in America, slavery was the Souths stronghold and the hidden motive behind many political actions and economic statistics. By dominating Southern life, slavery also dominated the economic and political aspects of life in the South from 1840 to 1860. By the 1840s and 50s the Southern economy had almost completely become slave and cash crop agriculture based. Without slaves in the south a person was left either landless and penniless or struggling to get by on a small farm. However, even though slaves dominated the southern economy, slaveholders only included about 2 to 3 percent of the population. This small percentage was the amount of people successful in a slave based, cash crop agricultural, Southern economy. Therefore, the Southern economy was controlled and dominated by those who did and did not have slaves. Furthermore, with the high demand for Southern items in Europe and Northern America more slaves were needed in the South to produce these cash crops. Without slaves there would be no cotton, tobacco, or sugar production and without these integral items the Southern economy would absolutely fail. The South depended on slaves to fuel their economy and therefore slavery dominated their economy. Between 1840 and 1860 many political issues, debates, and actions were inflamed by slavery. As America grew, the South wanted more slave states and the North wanted more free states to increase their hold in politics. One important act that fueled the slavery dominated political world of 1840 to 1860 was the Kansas and Nebraska act written by Stephen Douglas. This act repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and called for popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska which under the Missouri Compromise had been free. The Missouri Compromise was originally an act to ...

Biography of James Whitey Bulger

Biography of James Whitey Bulger James â€Å"Whitey† Bulger (September 3, 1929–October 30, 2018) was an infamous Irish-American crime boss associated with the Winter Hill Gang in Boston, Massachusetts. He was given the nickname â€Å"Whitey,† a name he greatly detested, because of his pale skin and fair blond hair.  In June 2013, at age 85, he was convicted of dozens of counts of racketeering, including complicity in eleven murders. Fast Facts: James "Whitey" Bulger Known For: Notorious crime boss who led Boston’s Winter Hill Gang in the 1970s and 80sBorn: September 3, 1929 in Everett, MassachusettsParents: James Joseph Bulger Sr. and Jane Veronica Jean BulgerDied: October 30, 2018 in Preston County, West Virginia Early Life Bulger was born in Everett, Massachusetts on September 3, 1929, but later moved to a housing project for low income families in South Boston along with his parents, two sisters, and two brothers. One of his brothers, William, would go on to be the president of the University of Massachusetts as well as of the Massachusetts State Senate. In school, he was cited for being restless and argumentative with both the nuns at his Catholic school and the teachers from his later years in public school. Starting at age 13, Bulger was frequently arrested, sometimes for violent crimes but more often for larceny and other thefts. In many instances, the cases were dismissed, or Bulger was found not guilty, or he won an appeal. In January 1949, Bulger joined the Air Force for nearly four years. Despite being arrested for robbery, rape, desertion (AWOL), and grand larceny, he was never sentenced and instead was honorably discharged from the Air Force in August 1952. Prison Sentence Upon his return from the Air Force, Bulger resumed his criminal behaviors, robbing freight trains and selling the contents on the street. Eventually, he connected with Carl Smith, an Indiana bank robber, with whom he stole tens of thousands of dollars from banks across the United States. Despite dying his hair in an attempt to avoid recognition, Bulger was arrested in a Boston nightclub for armed robbery of the various banks. He willingly named his associates, including Smith, in exchange for leniency. Regardless of this cooperation, he was sentenced to 20 years in a federal penitentiary. He first served in Atlanta Penitentiary where he was a subject of the CIA’s MK-ULTRA experimentation, which researched methods of mind control in exchange for a lessened prison sentence.  He was transferred three times before being granted parole in 1965 after serving nine years. Winter Hill Gang Bulger returned to find Boston in the midst of a gang war. He began working for the Kileen Brothers, then turned on the Kileen gang and began to side with the Mullen Gang, then finally joined the Winter Hill Gang with his close partner Steve Flemmi. In 1971, Bulger and Flemmi were approached by FBI agent John Connolly, who grew up with the Bulgers and even looked up to Whitey’s younger brother Billy. The two gangsters became informants for the FBI, whose main objective was taking down the Italian Mafia. With the protection of the FBI, Bulger began to put out hits on long-standing enemies, knowing that he could easily mislead his handler by pointing to someone else as the perpetrator. Flemmi and Bulger also killed Flemmi’s long term girlfriend Debra Davis, since she knew of their relationship with the FBI. Though she was officially reported missing, the FBI allegedly covered this up and reported that she was seen alive in Texas. Connolly consistently tipped of Bulger and Flemmi to the FBI’s investigations and he became a fierce protector of the two gangsters. Many others within the FBI and the Massachusetts State Police consistently protected them as well. Bulger and Flemmi quickly became the ring leaders of Boston’s organized crime as they took over leadership of the Winter Hill Gang. During this period in the 1980s, they became involved in arms trafficking, further racketeering, and extortion of drug dealers, among other things. He was especially involved in supporting the Irish Republican Army by sending caches of arms and ammunition to the Irish terrorist organization. Downfall and Manhunt In 1994, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Boston Police began investigating Bulger and his associates for gambling charges (not any of the murders). Connolly, who had since retired, warned Bulger about the impending arrest. Bulger fled Boston in December 1994. Flemmi refused to flee and was imprisoned, but cooperated with the authorities understanding that he was protected as an FBI informant as long as he did not admit to any murders. However, Bulger’s other associates, realizing that Flemmi would name them in his testimony, told investigators about the murders that took place throughout the 1970s and 1980s. John Martorano and Kevin Weeks provided most of the information which also led to the realization that the FBI had been instrumental in covering up many of the murders. In 1999, former agent Connolly was arrested for alerting Flemmi and Bulger to the FBI’s impending arrest. A year later, he was charged for racketeering and second degree murder, since the information he provided the two men led to their decision to kill the two men whom were under investigation for ties to the Winter Hill Gang. He was given a 10 year federal sentence and 40 year state sentence. During this period, Bulger was still at large with his girlfriend Catherine Greig. For 16 years, he moved around the U.S., Mexico, and Europe without capture. He was eventually found and captured in his Santa Monica apartment after an intense media campaign in which he was consistently featured on programs such as America’s Most Wanted. Convictions and Death Bulger was ultimately convicted of 31 counts of racketeering, after he pled not guilty to 32. Of these counts he was also charged for 11 out of the 19 murders that he was indicted for. On November 23, 2013, Bulger was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 5 more years. He has also been indicted in Oklahoma and Florida, but the two states have yet to pursue a trial which could end in the death penalty. At age 85, Bulger entered United States Penitentiary Coleman II in Sumterville, Florida. On October 29, 2018, he was transferred to the Federal Penitentiary in West Virginia. The next morning, he was killed by multiple inmates at the penitentiary. James â€Å"Whitey† Bulger’s legacy remains that of a notorious Boston crime boss who kept relationships with both state police and the FBI, which allowed him to conduct massive criminal operations for decades. Although Bulger made claims that he was never an FBI informant, a litany of witness testimony and other evidence contradicts these assertions. Because of his association with the FBI, Bulger lost much of his prestige within crime circles and is sometimes referred to as the King Rat. Sources Cullen, Kevin. Whitey Bulger: Americas Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt That Brought Him to Justice. Norton, 2013.â€Å"Whitey Bulger Bio Profiles Bostons Most Notorious Gangster.† New Hampshire Public Radio, 2014, www.nhpr.org/post/whitey-bulger-bio-profiles-bostons-most-notorious-gangster#stream/0.â€Å"Whitey Bulger: The Capture of a Legend.† The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Aug. 2013, archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/bulger-timeline.html#/#time256_7543.