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Legislators play the critical role of representing their constituents’ opinions in the state senate.

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Millie Gonzalez

Legislators play the critical role of representing their constituents’ opinions in the state senate. They also make laws that are necessary to ensure the welfare of the citizens of the state. Many times, the members of the House of Representatives in each state go on to serve for many years. One such representative is Senator Millie Gonzalez representing the 3rd District in Hartford, Connecticut. She has been a member of the house since 1997 and recently in 2017; she was elected as the Deputy Majority Leader. During her long term in office, she has brought and supported many bills before the house that have contributed to the welfare of the residents of the state of Connecticut.

Millie Gonzalez was born in Puerto Rico on the fourth of August, 1950 in the town of Adjuntas. She has seven siblings and lived in the town where she attended Adjuntas High School. After her education, she moved to the United States in 1981 and began working as a Deputy Sherriff in the superior court in West Hartford. She was also an Assistant Registrar of Voters in the same district. She has three children; two boys and a girl, with her husband, Ramon Arroyo.

Millie’s political career began in 1986 in the Hartford Town Committee. She held the position for ten years after which she was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives. She represented the 3rd District of made up of several Hartford neighborhoods including Behind the Rocks, Parkville and Frog Hollow. Between 2003 and 2004, she was the Assistant Majority Leader in the house. In the following year between 2005 and 2006, she held the position of Assistant Majority Whip. She continued her streak with a seven-year position as the Deputy Majority Whip-at-Large from 2007 to 2014. After that she was promoted to Chief Majority Whip for a year and eventually, in 2017, she was made the Deputy Majority Leader of the house. She is also a member of the house committees for Public Safety, Appropriations, Security and Housing.

Throughout her political career, Millie Gonzalez has expressed strong views concerning several areas of life including education, law enforcement, healthcare, the minimum wage among many others. To begin, she wants more technical high schools in the state to improve the levels of skill among workers. In addition to this, she has proposed free community colleges in Connecticut which have many advantages. These include easing the financial burden of college tuition as well as the reduction of student debts. Free college would also allow more people to attend college as they work or bring up a family. Free education would be a huge benefit to the residents of the state of Connecticut.

For many years, Millie Gonzalez has expressed her support for reforms in family court. In connection to this, she sponsored a piece of legislation proposing that the best form of parenting for children whose parents are divorced is hare parenting. The only exception should be in cases of child neglect or abuse by a parent. Another bill she sponsored in connection with family court reforms proposes that parental alienation should be defined as a form of child abuse and to recommend children with their alienated parents. Also under Millie’s belt is the 2014 law that sought to limit the use of costly guardian ad litem’s. Following this, in 2019, she sponsored a bill mandating that the ad litems are only employed when deemed necessary in extreme cases approved by the Department of Children and Families. To further add credence to her position on family court, she and fellow hose members prevented the reconfirmation of Judge Jane Emons in 2018. Judge Emons is a controversial family court, and she failed to be reconfirmed although the committee passed a positive vote. To increase public awareness on family court, she organized a public hearing in 2019 on the subject o parental alienation as well as necessary reforms in family court.

On the matter of healthcare, she objected to the cutting of Medicaid for single people. Governor Dennel Malloy brought the proposition. Gonzalez argued that it would be improper to fix the state budget by disadvantaging and discriminating against poor people. In 2015, Gonzalez partnered with fellow representative Jason Rojas to sponsor a bill on housing. The bill stipulated that three-quarters of all affordable housing projects should be built in affluent neighborhoods. The main reason for the proposal was to reverse the trend of constructing low-income housing subsidized by the federal government in the most impoverished areas. The bill was a radical one that would have been transformative and visionary. It garnered a lot of o interest throughout the country, with an article on the proposal appearing on the New York Times. Despite this, the bill never received a vote, and it died.

On the matter of law enforcement, Millie Gonzalez is a strong supporter of body cameras on police to ensure objective evidence on police activities. Body cameras have gained widespread popularity for many reasons. In the same area o law enforcement, she achieved a considerable measure of success in ensuring that family court judge Jane Emons was not reconfirmed to her position. The minimum wage is another area in which Gonzalez expressed her support for an increment. In a bill sponsored by the representative in 2019, it was proposed that the minimum wage be increased until it got to $15. This began with an increase of 90 cents to $11 in 2019, then annual increments of $1 until 2023 when the wage will be $15.

Legalization of marijuana has been the center of debates all over the country, and Millie Gonzalez has not been left behind. In 2019, she sponsored a piece of legislation proposing that the sale and taxation of marijuana be made legal for adults over the age of 21. The proceeds from the taxations would be used to combat some of the effects of opioid use in the state of Connecticut including addiction, depression and other mental and physical illnesses. It is clear that the fight against drugs has failed miserably and the legalization of drugs for adults is one argument that has gained popularity. It is meant to ensure that the profits made by black market trade in drugs are made legal so that the government can collect revenues. Legalization will also ensure a reduction in crimes and convictions related to sale and use of drugs, resources which would have been diverted to more useful areas.

It is evident that the state legislature deals with important issues concerning their constituents’ welfare including housing, health, minimum wage, law enforcement, and education. The House of Representatives in Connecticut has done an excellent job in fulfilling its mandate. Some of the challenges the house faces include budget gaps that prevent efficient delivery of services to the people, the rising costs of healthcare and reform, high cost of education, the challenge of clean energy alternatives and unemployment. The underlying issue in all these problems is inadequate money to meet the state budgets which has led to rising taxes in an attempt to cover the deficits. The bills sponsored by representatives including Millie Gonzalez will be instrumental towards addressing the challenges faced by the state of Connecticut.

Bibliography

Caulkins, Jonathan P., Beau Kilmer, and Mark AR Kleiman. Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know®. Oxford University Press, 2016.

Page, Lindsay C., and Judith Scott-Clayton. “Improving college access in the United States: Barriers and policy responses.” Economics of Education Review 51 (2016): 4-22.

State Representative MINNIE GONZALEZ, Deputy Majority Leader – Proudly Serving Hartford. Connecticut House Democrat. http://www.housedems.ct.gov/Gonzalez/BiographyTompkins, Al. “Top Nine Issues Facing State Legislatures” Poynter. 11 Jan 2009. https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2009/top-nine-issues-facing-state-legislatures/

Narrative Essay

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Narrative Essay

The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favourite movies of all time. I also enjoy watching a variety of other films of all genres, but this particular one stands out for me. I first watched it as a part of a class assignment, but it struck a chord within me. It taught me many valuable life lessons that have been vital in my life.

The film is set in a prison, and the main characters are Andy Dufresne and Red. Andy was in jail for the murder of his wife and her lover. When I first watched the film, Andy’s trial fascinated me. He maintained his innocence despite the prosecutor’s compelling evidence against him. He was however found guilty and sent to Shawshank where he met Red, an inmate at the prison. The movie opens with Red up for a probation hearing which he fails as prisoners always do.

Andy had a hard time adjusting to prison life and remained quiet, but after a while, he opened up to Red. He asked Red to get him a small hammer. Red wonders what Andy could do with a small hammer, a question which I also asked myself. What I like d about Andy in the film was his sense of purpose. When he set his mind on a particular task, he would stop at nothing to achieve it. One such mission was when he dug a tunnel through which he escaped using the tiny hammer Red had gotten him. Andy also expanded the library in prison by writing numerous letters to the state board for donations. It took years, but it finally paid off. I learnt from Andy the meaning of resilience and keeping at a task even when it seems insurmountable.

I have always been curious about prisons, what inmates do. Do they just sit in their cells all day and meditate upon their crimes? Watching the film helped me to understand how prisons work. I felt sad at the treatment that they had to endure in there, but it helped to remember that they had committed crimes that warranted their imprisonment. One of the most challenging parts of the movie for me was watching the warden engage in corrupt activities such as s money laundering. Andy who had been a banker helped the warden keep his tracks clean. Andy seemingly has no choice but to go along with the warden’s activities. At the end of the movie, however, I was quite shocked when Andy escaped and took all the money he had hidden for the warden in various banks. This showed that Andy was a brilliant man who was quite cunning, all along I had believed him to be a helpless prisoner but he trained out to be a sly and shrewd schemer.

Red is one of my favourite people in the film. He is the one on whom all inmates can count to get them anything they wished for a price. He could smuggle all forms of contraband into the prison. I wonder how he did it, considering the prison was quite isolated and guarded. He also gives many of the inmates good advice. The Shawshank Redemption is an excellent film with credible characters and events, and I was left quite affected at the end of it. I have watched it severally just to see how Andy endured the harsh prison conditions for years with a goal of escaping to a far off island in mind. He eventually succeeded in his plan, and I was happy that he did, he had spent so much on preparing for the escape.

Negative Impact of Technology on American Society

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Negative Impact of Technology on American Society

There is no doubt that technology has completely taken over our lives. At home, we have Alexa, Google Home, and other devices whom we can ask any question that pops into our minds. We have our phones and computers that we stare at almost permanently, and we have cars that can drive themselves on autopilot. We can shop online and order food without leaving the comfort of our homes. All these forms of technology have made our lives easier and more efficient, and we use minimal effort for any activity. Communication is almost effortless as we can send texts, make phone calls and video calls in real-time. Many of us would not know what to do without our gadgets and other forms of technology. Technology has brought many positive changes to our lives, but there are also a lot of negative effects. Comparing the benefits and advantages leads to the conclusion that technology has an overall negative effect on American society.

One significant negative effect of technology is its impact on physical health. People spend hours on their tablets, computers, and phones, which affects their bodies in several ways. The American Optometric Association reports that long hours spent on tech devices lead to eyestrain. Some of the symptoms of eyestrain include headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and neck pain. Bad lighting, screen glare, and improper viewing distance are some of the factors that lead to eyestrain. Using smartphones and other gadgets also affects posture and could lead to pain in the fingers, wrists, neck, shoulders, and back. This is due to the bad positions people use when using their gadgets. For children, technology gadgets present additional risks to their physical wellbeing. If left unsupervised, children can spend hours watching videos, playing video games, and browsing through social media. Children need physical activity for proper growth and development. Technology reduces the time they spend on physical activity such as running and playing, leading to problems such as obesity. Obesity creates the risk for other physical illnesses such as diabetes, which are avoidable.

Technology has also changed the way human beings interact. Dr. Azadeh Aalai, an assistant professor at Queensborough Community College in New York, details the negative effect that technology has had on her students. While she was walking to her office, she noticed her students seated on a bench on campus. All of the students were engrossed in their smartphones; none of them raised their heads to talk to one another. Dr. Azadeh explains that she missed the days before smartphones took over the world when her students would have been busy chatting with each other instead of their phones (Aalai 1). This situation is not unique to the college; it happens everywhere. In homes, schools, and public spaces. It seems that people have forgotten how to talk to each other. At times, a person feels like striking up a conversation with a stranger or even a family member at home. Sadly, the person they want to talk to is most likely too busy with their phones. Technology has robbed our society of social skills and interaction.

Another adverse effect of technology is the spread of misinformation. Although this is a problem in many countries, the United States has a particular problem with misinformation campaigns. Technology allows people to interact with thousands of others, and some people use this opportunity to spread misinformation (Akram & Kumar 351). People tend to believe things that they see on the internet without proof. A perfect example of this is conspiracy theories about QAnon. Although people dismissed this conspiracy as mere idle talk at first, the group has grown to influence thousands of Americans who now believe in all manner of false information regarding the inner workings of the government. Another misinformation problem is the anti-vaccination movement. There is a lot of false information on the internet about vaccines causing serious problems in children such as autism, myths that have been debunked by professional organizations such as the CDC. Unfortunately, these misinformation campaigns cause a lot of harm, especially among gullible individuals.

Technology has also affected the mental wellbeing of so many people, leading to mental health challenges. Social media has become a big part of how people connect today. Social media allows individuals to share their thoughts, what they are doing, and keep up with their families and friends. Although all these seem positive, it becomes a problem when people concentrate on social media and create a false narrative about their lives. Social media has created the need for constant attention from others and decreased empathy among people. Vaguebooking is a term described by Berryman and colleagues who conducted a study into social media effects on the mental health of young adults. The study involved 467 young adults who were interviewed about the importance of social media in their lives and its effects on their mental wellbeing. Vaguebooking involves posting vague but alarming information in an attempt to get attention from other people (Berryman et al. 309). When people feel that they do not get approval from social media, they feel lonely, inferior and may even develop depression.

Cyberbullying is another serious issue exacerbated by technology. Many people use false information to create social media accounts so that they can bully others anonymously. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to cyberbullying as they may not be mature enough to ignore false, hurtful narratives spread about them on social media. The Pew Research Center reports that 59% of American teens have experienced bullying on social media. Examples of cyberbullying include name-calling, spreading false rumors, physical threats, and receiving unwanted explicit images and information (Anderson 2). Some teens have even committed suicide due to cyberbullying, meaning that it is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Most of the teens involved in the research project revealed that they feel their schools, social media companies, and the legislature have failed to address the problem.

Technology has also affected the attention span of people, mainly at school or at work. Because people spend a lot of time on social media and other forms of technology, they find it hard to concentrate on other tasks at work or school. They feel the constant need to check on their accounts and keep up with new happenings on social media platforms. Short attention spans affect the person’s output and efficiency. A task that might have taken two hours two complete could take six as the person cannot concentrate long enough to complete it. Students may put off completing their schoolwork as they are too engrossed in social media, and they perform lower than they should.

In summary, technology has had an overall negative effect on American society. Although our lives have become much more manageable, the negatives of technology are more subtle, yet they affect our lives significantly. Over time, individuals will see a deterioration in their physical and mental health, interaction with others, and productivity. People have to be more careful with how they use technology to minimize the negative effects and maximize the positives. Society must not allow technology to completely take away our humanity but use it to promote positive interaction between people and improve lives.

Works Cited

Aalai, Azadeh. “Time to Rethink Our Relationship to Technology.” Psychology Today. 5 February 2018. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-first-impression/201802/time-rethink-our-relationship-technologyAkram, Waseem, and Rekesh Kumar. “A study on positive and negative effects of social media on society.” International Journal of Computer Sciences and Engineering 5.10 (2017): 347-354.

Anderson, Monica. “A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying.” Pew Research Center. 10 April 2018. www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/Berryman, Chloe, Christopher J. Ferguson, and Charles Negy. “Social media use and mental health among young adults.” Psychiatric quarterly 89.2 (2018): 307-314.

Nursing Care of Pediatric Cranioplasty Patients after Traumatic Brain Injury

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Nursing Care of Pediatric Cranioplasty Patients after Traumatic Brain Injury

Hospitals are associated with pain, illness, and death. Patients, as well as families, go through so much pain both emotionally and physically as they seek treatment for their sickness, some of which are life-altering. Children also suffer through this pain and have to be cared for more closely as they do not understand what is happening to them. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), as the name suggests, involves trauma to the head that causes swelling of the brain. When the brain swells, it is necessary to intervene medically to give the brain more space for it to expand. Rachel McCormick delves into the matter of nursing care of pediatric patients after surgical intervention due to TBI. The article makes for an informative and insightful read, both for medical practitioners as well as lay people.

The author begins with an explaining the meanings of the terms what cranioplasty and craniectomy. This is an important starting point as many people do not understand what this means. The background section gives the statistics of pediatric patients that suffered from traumatic brain injury. The accompanying table enables the reader to see the causes of TBI by percentages (McCormick 216). The analysis by table allows the reader to understand the gravity of the matter and understand that the author’s opinion is backed by facts. Logos has been employed in this section by citing facts and figures.

When discussing the importance of craniectomy and cranioplasty, the author’s tone is direct and succinct. She gives details on the measures that are taken to minimize secondary brain injury including “elevating the head of the bed to promote drainage of cerebral spinal fluid, intravenous hypertonic saline or manitol to shift fluid from the intracranial space into the intravascular space, sedation to decrease the oxygen demands of the brain…” (McCormick 215)The author is unbiased and also goes ahead to outline the risks associated with cranioplasties, including that children had a higher success rate as compared to adults. All through the article, the author backs up the information with research that has been carried out previously by other researchers. Such fact-checking ensures that the reader gets an unprejudiced view of the facts relating to pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury. This is an application of ethos where the author convinces the author of her credibility. She goes out of her way to ensure that her information is factual.

The grouping of the paper into sections helps the reader to understand the subject matter without getting mixed up. The author of the article is quite elaborative and gives explanations for each section clearly and directly. While most of the terms used are medical, a layperson reading the report will have an interest in learning the new terminologies and also be curious to learn more about the subject matter. The use of tables and figures breaks the monotony of reading and enables the reader to quickly skim through the statistics and get a sense of the statistics before they finish reading the article. Visual representation piques the reader’s interest even more, and the delivery of the desired information is more straightforward.

The author discusses the care that pediatric patients have to receive in detail and employs pathos to present a more accurate picture. It is evident that traumatic brain injury is a painful and dangerous occurrence that must be dealt with quickly. The surgical interventions are already quite delicate and operating on children makes it even more so. The author gives an example of a 28-year-old patient who had undergone cranioplasty and the significant improvements to her health throughout months (219). This is under the monitoring of benefits in which nurses are tasked with closely monitoring and examining the patients to observe their improvements after a cranioplasty.

On the side of the complications, the author retains her neutral tone. She gives some of the symptoms that are a sign of complications following surgery (McCormick 219). Precautions towards avoiding some of the complications such as hematoma and hydrocephalus. To conclude her article, the author emphasizes the `critical role that nurses have to play in the pediatric care of patients who have undergone cranioplasty. She author says that “Nurses are highly skilled in monitoring benefits and complications in children recovering from cranioplasty in acute care hospitals, rehabilitation settings, and outpatient clinics, and are essential members of the interdisciplinary team.” (McCormick 220)

The article is generally very informative, and the reader is left with far more knowledge of cranioplasties and craniectomies than they had before reading it. The information given about the causes of traumatic brain injury can help those caring for children avoid such occurrences that are preventable. The conclusion of the article is a fitting end to a well-written piece with the author asserting that there still needs to be more research into the subject of both the benefits and complications of a cranioplasty. Research also needs to be done in the area of nursing care. “Comprehensive data on cranioplasty procedures and outcomes can help guide future research.” Even with this conclusion, the publishing of this article is a step in the right direction for the future of research in cranioplasties as well as craniectomies.

Work Cited

McCormick, Rachel. “Nursing Care of Pediatric Cranioplasty Patients after Traumatic Brain Injury: Monitoring Benefits and Complications.” Pediatric Nursing 44.5 (2018): 215-221.

Obama Presidency Policies

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Obama Presidency Policies

President Barack Obama won the 2018 election for many reasons, including failures and issues from the Bush presidency before him. President Bush’s presidency was marked by several occurrences, the most prominent being the war with Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States declared war on these countries in the Middle East in 2001 after the September 11th attacks on the country by terrorists. Retaliation was swift and brutal with the US sending military troops to counter the terror threat masterminds in Iraq and Afghanistan. From the onset, Obama had been against launching a full-on war with the Middle Eastern countries. He declared that the war would be a dumb one and would result in more problems than solutions. As one of his campaign pledges, Obama promised to withdraw American troops from Iraq within six months. In addition to this, he vowed to close down the Guantanamo Bay prison that was used for torture of terror suspects (White). Many Americans believed that the war on Iraq had cost the country a lot in the period leading up to the 2008 election, and Obama appealed to them.

The issue from the Bush presidency that helped Obama win the 2008 presidential election was healthcare. For a long time, the United States had been the only industrialized first world country without comprehensive public health insurance for its citizens. As of 2008, more than 48 million Americans had no health insurance (White), and this was a significant policy area during the presidential campaign. President Obama offered a new healthcare plan famously referred to as Obama care that would ensure that all Americans had access to health insurance. For this reason, President Obama won over many American voters.

Works Cited

White, Deborah. “5 Reasons Why Obama Won the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election.” ThoughtCo. 25 May 2019. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/why-obama-won-2008-3325497

Oedipus’ tragic flaw

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Oedipus’ tragic flaw

Oedipus is the story of a tragic hero by the same name who tries to run away from his fate but fails miserably. At birth, a prophecy regarding Oedipus was made, that he would kill his parents. His father was King Laius of Thebes and his mother, Queen Jocasta. Upon hearing the fatal prophecy, his mother abandoned him by the roadside where he was picked by a shepherd who took him to Corinth where he was raised by King Polybus and his wife Queen Merope as their son. Oedipus heard rumors that he was not their true son and consulted the oracle which informed him that he was destined to kill his father and afterward marry his mother. Shocked, Oedipus fled to Thebes where, unbeknownst to him, the prophecy would be fulfilled. Oedipus tried to do the right thing throughout the story, but in the end, he realizes that he cannot run from his fate (Knox). Oedipus’ tragic flaw is his desire to escape from his fate which ultimately led him to his downfall.

Oedipus is the protagonist in “Oedipus Rex.” The audience of the play forms a strong connection to him. He is seen as a wise and virtuous leader who leads his people in the right way. In Corinth, Oedipus was very uncomfortable with the thought that he may not be the real son to King Polybus. To allay his fears, he decided to consult the oracle at Delphi. The oracle did not give him a direct answer on his parentage, but instead gave him the more distressing news that his father would die by his hand and that he would go on to marry his mother ((Feng). Oedipus assumed that Polybus and Merope must be his parents. To avert the tragedy, he ran away from Corinth and made his way to Thebes. While on his way there, he met a band of travelers who tried to run him off the road. He killed them in self-defense except for one.

Thebes was taken hostage by a Sphinx and Oedipus is the only one who could solve her riddle. For freeing the kingdom, he was crowned king after the death of King Laius. A plague struck the country, and he sent Creon to consult the oracle at Delphi. The oracle explained that the death of King Laius caused the epidemic and it would be eliminated by getting justice for the murdered king. Oedipus embarked on this task, asking Prophet Tiresias to identify the murderer. Tiresias says that Oedipus is the killer and that he is both brother and father to his children. Stunned, Oedipus accuses Tiresias of colluding with Creon to dethrone him (Knox).

Jocasta describes the death of Laius to Oedipus, who realizes that the events sound familiar. Jocasta asks Oedipus to stop looking into the matter, but Oedipus would not stop. Soon after this, a messenger arrived from Corinth to inform Oedipus of King Polybus’ death. The messenger was the shepherd who received Oedipus from Laius’ herdsman and took him to Polybus. Oedipus summoned the herdsman who corroborates the messenger’s story and confirms that King Laius was indeed Oedipus’ father.

The prophecy about Oedipus had come true; he is the one that killed his father while trying to escape the prophecy. He had married his mother, Jocasta. Jocasta hanged herself on learning the truth and Oedipus stabbed his eyes with pins from her dress. Oedipus had left Corinth since he wanted to avoid killing his parents whom he thought to be Polybus and Merope. However, his efforts to escape his fate were what led him to fulfill the prophecy in the end.

Works Cited

Knox, Bernard. Oedipus at Thebes: Sophocles’ tragic hero and his time. Yale University Press, 1998.

Feng, Chunfen. “Oedipus–A Victim of Human Free Will.” (2017).

The concept of real tides

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Tides

The concept of real tides

In a traditional sense, tides refer to the periodical rise and fall of water levels in the oceans and seas. Geologists, oceanographers and other scientists within earth sciences studied this phenomenon based on a simplified model compared to the actual model. Their studies revealed that tides resulted from the gravitational forces of three main celestial bodies; the sun, earth and moon. The moon’s gravity differential field acting upon the earth’s surface was discovered to be the principal tide generating force. Denny and Paine say it is responsible for the two equipotent bulges at opposite ends of the earth surface, which represent high tides due to centrifugal forces and the moon’s gravitational attraction (2). The areas remaining opposite areas represent low tides. This simplified model is however based on the equilibrium theory of tides.

Real tides are however much more complicated. The equilibrium theory of tides assumes that the sea surface that would be in equilibrium with the tide generating forces is elevated, and as such the earth surface is covered with water. The water would then respond instantaneously to these forces. Real tides on the other hand form on the real earth surface which is uneven in many respects. The ocean basins in reality have a very complex topographical bottom and coastal borderlines (Wright, Colling, and Parks 56). Real tides are the outcome of the interference of multiple tidal components by constructive and destructive waves resulting in a mixed wave. Real tides occur with the interference of semidiurnal tides and diurnal tides making them more complex. They are a representation of what actually takes place unlike the equilibrium theory of tides.

The main factors of real tides

In their research, Pham and Martin concluded that there are a numerous factors that directly influence real tides (67). The first factor that directly impacts the movement of water is the position of the sun and the moon. The moon is much closer to the earth compared to the sun. Its proximity and gravity differential field aggregated with that of the sun determine the timing and amplitude of real tides. The second factor is the topographical nature and features of the particular earth surface. In this case mainly land masses, ocean bed and coastal features. The third is the earth’s declination. The earth is tilted at 23°27’ vertically off, this coupled with the earth’s position relative to the position of the sun and moon as the earth revolves around the sun, the moon around the earth and both earth and moon rotating on their own axis (Pham and Martin 73).

Another important factor is the basin oscillation of the particular water body. Pham and Martin add that all water bodies, based on their size and shape, have a natural oscillation period. In any large water body such as oceans, there exists a number of different oscillating basins which affect real tide movement and wave formation, which are based on the degree of resonance with the tidal curvature (81). Cairns for example, is the most northerly part of Queensland, Austria. It is renowned for its frequent tropical cyclones. Most recently, Cyclone Yasi in 2011 resulted in the formation of waves up to 12 meters high at the coast of Cairns. These are as a result of the earth’s rotation and the subsequent blowing wind in the southern hemisphere (Tang, Yong Ming, et al. 18). The moon’s position relative to that of Cairns at the time played a big part. The Coriolis Effect of the earth’s rotation coupled with its inclination and the tide generating forces relative to the position of Cairns are also major determinant factors in the tidal formation in Cairns.

Works Cited

Denny, Mark W., and Robert T. Paine. “Celestial mechanics, sea-level changes, and intertidal ecology.” The Biological Bulletin 194.2 (1998): 108-115.

Pham, C., and Vanessa A. Martin. “Tidal current turbine demonstration farm in Paimpol-Brehat (Brittany): tidal characterization and energy yield evaluation with Telemac.” Proceedings of the 8th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, Uppsala, Sweden. 2009.

Tang, Yong Ming, et al. “A numerical study of storm surges and tides, with application to the North Queensland coast.” Journal of physical oceanography 26.12 (1996): 2700-2711.

Wright, John, Angela Colling, and Dave Park, eds. Waves, tides and shallow-water processes. Vol. 4. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1999.

The Apology by Plato

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The Apology

The Apology by Plato is a narrative of the notorious speaker, Socrates’ speech made at the trial when the states convicted him of not acknowledging the gods. According to the charges, Socrates corrupted the youths through controversial theories and teachings that went contrary to their deity. Additionally, he taught some unlawful ideas that leave an adverse effect on both societies and individuals. Socrates was found guilty of manipulating the young people of Athens and forming false believe in his supernatural deities as opposed to state gods. The term apology originated from the Greek word “apologia,” which means a speech made in defense. In the narrative “The Apology,” Socrates does not necessarily apologize for his actions, but rather defending himself.

For the vast part of the apology, Socrates communicates in a manner that is somewhat very plain and conversational. Socrates warned that he was not accustomed to court system regularities, and instead, he was to apply honesty and directness, just like his character. In his defense, Socrates pointed out that a prophecy orchestrated his behavior by the oracle taunting him as the noblest of all men (Reeve 4). He acknowledges that he has little or no enlightenment when it comes to the world, and at the same time, concluding that he is wiser than other men. It brings about contradiction since how can one say that he is smarter than all people but still so damn and unknowledgeable about the world? It does not make sense. Socrates was determined to spread his peculiar wisdom, but how was he going to execute that? As such, he took the issue of questioning the supposed “wise” men as his moral obligation, not to mention exposing their intellect as negligence. Such charismatic activities won the hearts of many youths in Athens. At the same time, the issue sparked anger and hatred for individuals; he was humiliating.

Philosophy about dialect when an individual puts forward an argument and others might critique, improve the idea, or agree to it. Counter-arguments challenge opinions, and as such, the presupposed “wise” men should have put forward a way to defend their philosophical ideas as opposed to prosecuting someone who was trying to resist their ideologies. Socrates pleads for his defense, making an excellent counter fact against the charges of manipulating the minds of young people of Athens. First, Socrates insists that Meletus, the plaintiff, cares nothing concerning the young people of Athens, not to mention that he lacks real enlightenment on the subject (Reeve 4). Second, Socrates points out that if indeed he was influencing the youth wrongfully, it was unintentional, and that he was standing trials as an innocent person. Lastly, Socrates disregarded Meletus claims that they lacked supporting information or evidence and that there was not even a single witness to affirm Socrates’ charges. The three were fundamental arguments for Socrates’ defense.

Meletus was confronted by the question that if there exists a single person who can choose to be harmed in his/her rightful mind, and Meletus was quick to answer, “of course not” (Hackforth 56). Still, Meletus held that Socrates was deliberately corrupting the youths of Athens. Socrates understands that wicked people are prone to causing harm to both strangers and colleagues. As such, he keeps’ strong ties with his followers and does not intend to harm himself. Hence, Socrates has no intentions or can never have ulterior motives toward the youth. Socrates further added that if he did not intend to manipulate the youth of Athens, then, Meletus charges could not be of any significant value as Socrates charges will be termed as an involuntary misdemeanor.

Usually, when individuals unwillingly engage in crimes, they do not stand trials in the court; instead, they are given sage to give light on the errors of their ways. Why is Socrates standing trials in the court? Perhaps, someone should have tried providing insights to Socrates, and things would have been different, or he could have ceased “manipulating” the youth. Socrates even goes on highlighting that there was nobody who showed any concerns in trying to guide him on his alleged lousy demeanor. So, it still does not appeal as significantly as to why he was brought to court. The court is meant for individuals who are guilty of their crimes as opposed to those who require enlightenment. Throughout Socrates and Meletus’ conversation, it was so explicit and direct, more importantly, intended to humiliate Meletus instead of arriving at the truth (Danzig 12).

Following the case ruling that Socrates was found guilty of the offence, he was requested to suggest a penalty. Socrates jokingly proposes to receive an honor of great meal for being such a fundamental asset to the state services as the basis for what he deserved. Socrates seriously disregarded any attempt to put him in jail or exile, instead of considering to pay a fine. The prosecutor could not buy any of his proposals, and he was sentenced to death. It was pretty much unfair to sentence him to death because there was no evidence, but the law ruled in favor of the people who felt like Socrates was posing a threat to them and their religion. Even so, he accepted the death sentence, and he believed that nobody understands what happens after death. As such, Socrates faced his death with absolute courage as he did not know what death felt like. Socrates could not hesitate to hit out at all jurymen who voted against him, stating that they were more determined to silence him instead of listening to him. He finished by telling them that they have caused more harm to themselves than they have harmed him.

Works Cited

Danzig, Gabriel. “Apologizing for Socrates: Plato and Xenophon on Socrates’ behavior in court.” Transactions of the American Philological Association. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003.

Hackforth, Reginald. The composition of Plato’s Apology. Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Reeve, Charles David Chanel. Socrates in the Apology: an essay on Plato’s Apology of Socrates. Hackett Publishing, 1989.

Urban Planning.

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Urban Planning.

Urban planning is both a technical and political process that is concerned with the development and planning of land use, environment use and its protection. It also deals with the growth and functioning of urban cities and towns and development of infrastructures such as transport, communication and distribution networks. It is also primarily concerned with the planning of resources such as water and air. A few basic principles such as development densities, architecture, sustainability, planning, mission and goals of the urban development are crucial when it comes to urban planning.

Savannah is a coastal city in the state of Georgia that is separated from South Carolina by the Savannah River. It is a city with well-manicured parks, non-modern architecture with a historic district filled cobblestoned squares and parks. Most of the trees found in the district are oak trees covered with Spanish moss and at the centre of the district is the scenic landmark which is the Gothic Revival Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. The city is also known for the presence of horse-drawn carriages.

The initial urban planning of Savannah was done by Oglethorpe in the 1730’s. The Oglethorpe plan was seen to embrace all major themes of enlightenment from science, humanism and even the secular government and would have neither aristocracy nor slavery (Conzen, Michael P., pg 17). The plan also stood out because it embodied the social, military, environmental and philosophical needs of the citizens. The plan was seen to make unique use of squares that led to the city having a street pattern that creates a rhythm of strategically placed openings that gives the town its unique sense of space and solidity in the township.

The basic design unit for the town was the ward. Each ward consists of four residential blocks and four civic blocks arranged around a centre square. Each residential block had ten houses and had a square mile of land for farming. The original numbers of wards laid out in Savannah were six which are now twenty-four (Reps, John William, pg 247). The city, however, does have a modern street grid outside the historic district which also follows the original system of a right of way for gardens, farms and villages that make up the city of Savannah. The streets allowed uninterrupted movement in traffic and the internal streets were designed to be pedestrian friendly. To this day, Savannah retains much of the Oglethorpe original plan and by this has been a reason for increased tourism in the city.

The fact that Savannah still retains its historic, unique city plan is seen to have a negative impact on the neighbourhood in low-income households as gentrification has been rampant leading to displacement especially the low-income households. This can be attributed to the presence of the historical preservation movement encouraging people to return to historic districts. The refurbishing and refining of these houses are leading to an increase in the rent and property taxes of the very houses and thus increasing the rate of displacements for households that can’t seem to afford the high prices. Rehabilitation of the historic houses has led to a movement of high-income earners into these houses as they have ease of access to transport facilities and most end up being nearer their places of work. Rehabilitating and refurbishing the houses into their historic form has led to an increase of tourism in the area which has ended up helping to boost the economy of the town.

The neighbourhood has utilised the land space it has to accommodate ease of transport for both motorists and pedestrians by the strategically placed streets and inner streets. The availability of the kitchen gardens in the historic homes has also helped in the utilisation of land for subsistence agriculture and beautification purposes. The plan and design of the city will not change anytime soon, and this can be attributed to the presence of the Historic Preservation Movement tasked with the role of preserving the historic homes and refurbishing. The areas surrounding Savannah, however, are likely to change to mitigate the negative effects gentrification is having on the city (Levy, John M. , pg 24). There is a task force in place that is dealing with the planning of land use, zoning, affordable housing and development to revitalise and stimulate residents living in the vulnerable neighbourhoods of Savannah. This is also to reduce the negative effects that have been brought about by gentrification.

With the current planning regulations that require urban areas to be zoned, have affordable housing, economic development, education, training and redevelopment programs and economic land use Savannah will end up being a more favorable place to live as it will have integrated both the historic designs and planning and the metropolitan and urban development and planning designs. This will help retain the already existing tourism industry in the city as well as accommodate the low-income households who will not have to lose their houses due to high rent charges and property taxes that are imposed when the area turns to be a boom regarding investments.

Works Cited.

Conzen, Michael P. “The study of urban form in the United States.” Urban Morphology 5.1 (2001): 3-14.

Levy, John M. Contemporary urban planning. Taylor & Francis, 2016.

Reps, John William. The making of urban America: A history of city planning in the United States. Princeton University Press, 1965.

Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

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Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

Since the overthrowing of Gaddafi’s government in 2011, the country faced years of civil war. The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group spearheaded protests against Gaddafi’s government. The group had been in existence since the 1990s and was identified by the United Nations as a terrorist group (Bhardwaj). This group wanted to overthrow Gaddafi and turn Libya into a state under Islamic law. Gaddafi had been in power for 42 years and kept a tight rein on his government, which was ranked among the most corrupt in the world. The United States wanted to see Gaddafi ousted, so on this point their quest was aligned with that of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.

Encouraged by the Arab Spring in other North African countries such as Tunisia and Egypt, the rebels marched across the country in protest of Gaddafi. While most of the protesters were Libyan citizens, a significant number of them were from the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the United States had full knowledge of this fact. From Wiki Leaks documents in 2005, the leader of the rebels Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu was a member of al-Qaeda (Bhardwaj). It is apparent that the U.S. government was aware of the fact the rebellion in Libya was led by terrorist factions yet did nothing since they too wanted to see Gaddafi ousted from office.

Works Cited

Bhardwaj, Maya. “Development of conflict in Arab Spring Libya and Syria: From revolution to civil war.” Washington University International Review 1.1 (2012): 76-97..