Autobiography †What life means to me? Essay

I was born on 28th of April 1991. I started my education from a nearby primary school called Ladybird. I was living with my parents, three brothers and my sister. At the age of 5 I was in class 1 in Toronto School of Academic Excellence. In 1996 I had an outstanding vacation to Canada for 2 months. We liked it so much that we visited to Canada again in 1998 and 2000. What life means to me? â€Å"In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away†. â€Å"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile†. Unforgettable Moments Some memories are unforgettable. I have two moments to share. One of them is a happy moment whilst the other one is sad. However I will share the sad one first so I can end my autobiography with a happy ending. It was about one of the most burning hot afternoon, the temperature would have been around 35 to 40 degree centigrade. I was with my brother in the car, and my dad was sitting on a bench across the street, outside the AGA Khan Hospital. My mom was in the hospital for a routine check up. I wanted to go to my dad across the street. As my brother was sleeping in the car, I decided to go by myself. I could see my dad talking to a person next to him. I was only 7 years old. As I was young and immature, without looking right and left, I started crossing the road and headed towards my dad impatiently. When I was only half way across unexpectedly I heard tires screeching and felt a sudden rush of pain coming from my legs. It happened all so quickly. Within a jiffy I was laying flat on the street crowded by dozens of people. When I gained consciousness I saw my mom crying and sitting beside me in the car and holding me in her arms. I saw my feet covered with by mom’s blood soaked scarf. The first hospital we went to said that they couldn’t do anything because it was a police case. Due to lack of time and excessive bleeding from my feet and bruises on my head, we couldn’t wait for the police so they told us to go to another hospital that do not have stringent rules about police case victims. So my dad drove as fast as he could. He was driving through the hot dry wind. And the frigid wind screamed across the wilderness. Finally, we got there on time and the doctors bandaged my feet and cleaned up my bruises. I was ordered to have three days of bed rest. My brother got told off, as he ought to have taken care of me. But still my dad calmed down after looking at me. I felt sorry for my brother and I knew it was entirely my fault. I learned a lesson in this incident that â€Å"never cross the road without someone older than you or if you are mature enough then you should look around before crossing the road. Well that was the bad part. Now it’s time for the good part. I don’t really remember when this happened as it is a bit of a blur in my memory but still I managed to remember the gist of it. It was before my ninth birthday. When my dad took me to the market to buy some groceries. When we were going inside the grocery shop, the bicycle shop next to it caught my eyes. I was crazy about bikes. When I saw my dad busy buying groceries, I sneaked outside and started exploring the different bikes and their advanced mechanisms like their smooth brakes. I just could not get my hands off those bikes as, I had always dreamed of having one. I started to visualize myself with each one of those bikes, riding swiftly down the streets, smashing through the autumn breeze. I was so engrossed in my day dreaming that I didn’t hear what the shopkeeper said but his interruption broke the chain of my dreams. I asked the shopkeeper how much would the bike cost to which he instantly replied â€Å"18000 rupees†. I started to wonder that this was too expensive and would take a lot of my months pocket money to get to 18000 rupees and probably by that time I would not have so much of a crave for those bikes. I was so disappointed that I left the shop without saying a word. I went back to the grocery shop and started looking for my dad. A voice came from behind â€Å"Salman I am behind you†. I ran towards him excitedly. I wanted to tell him about the bikes but I thought to myself that they are too expensive. I should just let them go. Looking at my facial expression, my dad asked me â€Å"what’s wrong do you want to say something son? † I sighed, and said â€Å"No it’s ok†. We walked back home together and I was quiet for most of the journey, still imagining those fascinating bikes. The next morning when I woke up my mom wished me happy birthday and hugged me. There was no one at home. My brother and sister had already left for school and my dad was at work. I waited for them to come back so I could cut my chocolate cake topped with cherry and vanilla icing. It looked so delicious. I just could not wait to get a mouth full of the soft chocolate. Everyday my dad used to be home by six in the evening but for some reason he was late. I waited for him anxiously so that I could cut my cake and open up my presents. Finally he was home at seven and surprisingly he was not alone. He had bought me the same bike. I could not believe my eyes. I was completely gob smacked. I stood there for a couple of minutes staring at the bike. It seemed too good to be true. I was jumping all around with excitement. After I had released my excitement, I started to look at my dad and I tried to work out â€Å"how he knew that I wanted this bike†. I was still thinking about it when he started to answer my thought by saying â€Å"I saw you at the bicycle shop and I was very aware of your passion for bicycles† I was completely astonished that he even knew what I was thinking just by reading my face. He continued saying that â€Å"Parents always know about their children’s needs†. I thought â€Å"that just explains it all†. It was the best birthday I ever had. These are some of the moments I wanted to share with everyone. I can’t forget these two episodes of my life. They play a very important part in my life.

Introduction to Computer Application & Systems Essay

Introduction to Computer Application & Systems March 6, 2012 Dr. Xuan Yu ? Technology has gone from the days of the pony express to advancing at a rate of a mile a minute to now evolving to what seems like the speed of light or faster. With such a fast paced environment of change in technology, policies and laws must adapt to be compatible to those advancements in order to provide the best method to govern the laws and policies and protect its people. This paper will explore how technological advancements have influenced crucial changes in two essential policies: the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA). The Electronic Communications Privacy Act, an extension of the Federal Wiretap Statute, was endorsed in 1986 (Justice Information Sharing, 2010). This was a necessary implementation with how technology was diversifying ways to communicate and share information. In order to oversee and safeguard technological advancements such as email, cordless and cell phone communications, and electronically stored data the federal government had to amend and sometimes put into operation new policies. These policies, like the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, minimize many ethical issues that came along with the development of these advancements. As technology experimented with ideals such as wireless connection, it gave way to many unethical and at times illegal practices. Ethical issues that the Electronic Communications Privacy Act had to address included accessibility and privacy; information could be shared outside the confinement of a person’s home or business. The government needed to find a way that would control and guard how this information was access, collected and stored. Implementing the Electronic Communications Privacy Act allowed government officials to include devices outside the scope of the Federal Wiretap Statute. Eight years before the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, financial businesses latched on to this idea of transferring information which cause governmental official to step in and implement the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. This ct is intended to protect people who engage in transferring and sharing private financial information such as bank account numbers and personal information through devices such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and point-of-sale terminals

Making Moral Decisions

There are many things we must consider before we make any type of decision. First off, we must think about how our actions are going to affect us and those around us. We must follow the golden rule, â€Å"do unto others as you would have them do to you†. We should also be sure that we have fully good intentions, but we must remember that good intentions do not justify evil means. In addition, we must think about performing the action around our loved ones and try to decide if they would approve or disapprove. If you were to follow the golden rule, â€Å"do unto others as you would have them do to you†, decision-making would be simple. In reality, however, we all know that making a decision is actually quite difficult. Often, we do not think of the other person in the situation, we only think of ourselves and how it will affect us. If we followed this rule with all of our decision-making, the outcome would be less likely to hurt anyone or anything. Another important point to consider before making a decision is that we must remember to always have good intentions. We must also remember that good intentions do not justify evil means. This means that even if we do something we good intentions and the outcome is evil, the action is still evil. If we have truly good intentions during our decision-making, the outcome will be good and moral. If we have any bad intentions at all, then the outcome will reflect these bad intentions and the situation will turn out evil. A smart thing to ask ourselves before making a decision is, â€Å"Would I be proud to do this in front of my mom? † If our answer is no, then the decision we have made probably is not a good one. If we know that our mother wouldn’t approve of what we are doing or what we are about to do, then why would we do it at all? If we think of this question during a time when we are making a decision, we are more likely to make a good choice. If we use all of these techniques in our decision making, we will be able to make better choices. We will hurt others less, and furthermore hurt ourselves less. We will also be able to stay on track and stay moral. We will always keep our good intentions in mind and push out the bad ones. Lastly, we will be able to make better choices in our lives and lead ourselves down a better road.

From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation Essay

From 1781 to 1785 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government. The main goal of the Articles was to allot as much independence as possible to the states compared to the idea of a central government for fear of conflict with Britain. Despite the many advantages of its systematic rule it did not provide enough power to the Congress in order for them to adequately control commerce, land expansion and regulate taxes. This was very expected since the Articles of Confederation were a starting point and this article was used to persuade individual states to adopt a more powerful form of government in the future. After the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, a loose confederation was formed and granted power to a controlled extent. A house of Congress was also established which allotted each individual state one vote. Congress dealt with many important issues such as improving the military and anything relevant to homeland security, declaring wars and loaning money. One prominent conflict was the fact that Congress does not have the adequate power to regulate commerce and trade between foreign countries. This presented a significant problem because states started enforcing individual laws of which Congress had no say in. In turn, this rendered Congress helpless in making laws regarding to taxation and tariffs. In a sense, the Americans were taking full advantage of the lenient government, often passing laws without consulting the Congress. Many states refused to pay tax to the congress stating that it was preposterous and claiming that they saw many similarities to the policies of the British Parliament. In 1782, outspoken representatives from the Rhode Island assembly wrote a letter stating how it was ludicrous that they were subject to paying taxes to the government (Document A). Under the Articles of Confederation the Federal government had no power to coerce the states into complying with their tax demand. This was a dire problem since the government needed to tax the individual states to pay for the debts that were amassed during the war. The Articles of Confederation did not have any control over the economy thus creating much conflict within the states. John Jay, in the year of 1786, tried to negotiate with Spains Minister Diego de Gardoqui because he felt as if it was Americas right to be able to navigate the Mississippi River. This was a difficult feat because not only was America, a newly found nation, going against Spain, a predominant country, but America at that point did not have a strong military to defend their standpoint. The army was growing discontent as the Congress repeatedly failed to pay them. The Articles of Confederation, although flawed, provided a good foundation for the newly founded nation. It was used as a basis in the Constitution and we still feel its effects today. It provided coverage for many important factors in a nation that is ruled based on unity between people and states, independence granted to states, how bills are passed, land dispersion and many other imperative factors. It was apparent that without the Articles of Confederation there would not of been initial agreement amongst the states. Bibliography: 5 Steps to a 5 AP US History. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.

A Lesson Before Dying

He tagged along with two men who were on their way to a liquor store. The storeowner began arguing with them, and a shootout occurred. The storeowner and the two men died, and Jefferson was left at the scene of the crime alone with the gun. He was arrested and tried for murder. Jefferson’s lawyer argues in court that Jefferson is nothing but a hog, and therefore incapable of committing such a crime. The jury still brings back a guilty verdict. Upon hearing the lawyer’s speech, Jefferson’s godmother, Miss Emma, wishes for Jefferson to die like a man, not a hog. She asks Grant for help, as he is an educated man. He despises the wrongdoings done to his fellow black men, but he does not want to get involved in Jefferson’s case. However, after immense amounts of force from his aunt Lou, he agrees to try to help Jefferson. Jefferson resists Grant’s attempts to reach him. Grant spends many uncomfortable visits in the cell with Jefferson. When Grant attempts to teach Jefferson about dignity, Jefferson insists that dignity is for humans, not hogs. He imitates a hog and tries to anger Grant with ignorance, but Grant keeps his cool. Each visit ends in failure, but Grant continues to try to reach Jefferson. On his fourth visit, Grant gets Jefferson’s attention with a conversation about his final meal. Jefferson admits that he wants a gallon of ice cream because he almost never had any. This conversation begins to break down the barrier between Grant and Jefferson. Grant buys Jefferson a small radio and brings him a notebook to write down whatever thoughts come to his mind. Jefferson promises that he will, and by Grant’s next visit, Jefferson has filled a page with thoughts on the difference between hogs and men. Amidst Grant’s visits with Jefferson, he regularly visits with his girlfriend Vivian for advice and comfort. Grant continually suggests that they run away from their hometown and their past in the South. The Reverend Ambrose is unable to reach Jefferson, and instead asks Grant to save Jefferson’s character and soul. Jefferson asks Grant if he believes in heaven and Grant replies that he does not, but his atheism does not make him a good man. In fact, Jefferson will save even Grant’s soul if he carries the cross like Jesus did. Grant explains that the blacks in the quarter have always been enslaved to white men, and that when Jefferson was called a hog, the entire black community was degraded even more. Now, Jefferson has the opportunity to stand up for his race. In March, the governor sets the execution date for two weeks after Easter. People young and old from the quarter come to Jefferson’s cell to speak to him. Jefferson realizes that he has become much more than an ordinary man, let alone a hog, and that his death will represent much more than he thought. Grant cannot find it in himself to attend the execution. At the time of the execution, he orders his students to kneel at their desks and pray for Jefferson. After the execution is over, Grant finds himself numb, heavyhearted, and crying. The protagonist and narrator of the novel is an African American school teacher in his twenties. Grant is intelligent and witty, but also a bit hypocritical and depressed. Spending his life in an extremely racist community has made him bitter. He has no faith in himself, society, or his religion-or lack thereof. He does not believe anything will ever change in the south, and that escape is the only option. He fears getting involved in possible lost causes. This attitude makes him demean responsibility, and he is testy against his aunt for forcing him to help Jefferson. Over the span of the novel, however, he learns to accept responsibility for himself, for his actions towards other people, and for his role as an educator and leader for change in his community. An honest, quiet, young black man of below-average intelligence, Jefferson is a normal citizen of Bayou. When his lawyer calls him a â€Å"hog,† Jefferson takes the name to heart and begins to consider himself a lowly barn animal far less than any human being. He becomes withdrawn and sulky, accepting his death sentence and therefore becoming a symbol of his oppressed people. Grant tries many times to fix Jefferson’s mental state. He believes that Jefferson can become the positive change the black community needs. One of the many themes in A Lesson Before Dying is redemption of one’s death. With its consistent references to Jesus Christ and his crucifixion, this novel implies that a man’s death can be a meaningful and even uplifting to a struggling community. Jefferson has had a quiet life, working as a plantation worker for years and never misbehaving. When convicted for a crime he did not commit, Jefferson is acting like the animal the whites think him. However, his death sentence liberates him, and he finds the strength of the Lord. By the end of the novel, Jefferson understands that by dying like a man, he is more of a man than any of the white men who wrongfully convicted him of murder. He knows that by refusing to surrender his morality in his final moments, he will uplift his community. For these reasons, he walks to his execution with his head up, and witnesses say he is the strongest man in the room. A Lesson Before Dying is a very inspiring novel for many young people on how their lives and the way they carry themselves affects their community. Gaines used commonly spoken southern dialogue in his novel to portray the characters in a very life-like and historical sense. Although the general aspect of the theme was well played throughout the whole story, Gaines’ pacing was entirely too slow for my taste. It seemed like the first fifteen chapters where very repetitive. Grant basically is arguing every chapter with Tante Lou about seeing Jefferson. The book could’ve been reduced in chapter size significantly. Once Grant started going to see Jefferson, however, the plot and action in the story started rolling.

Lev S. Vygotsky's Sociohistorical School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lev S. Vygotsky's Sociohistorical School - Essay Example aradigm in psychological research, which would surpass narrow objectivism of behaviorism and subjectivism of James’ and Wundt’s introspective psychology. It focuses on human development in order to make a general conclusion about the work of the mind in active state. Vygotsky and his followers focused on non-adaptive nature of character and mechanisms of development of higher mental functions. Defining the main purpose of psychological observations as the objective study of human consciousness, members of Vygotsky’s school discovered a role of cultural considerations and cultural mediators such as a word, sign, symbol, myth, in the development of higher mental functions, personality development and its phenomena. According to his socio-historical theory, the main difference between a man and animal is conditionalism of human behavior and development due to socio-cultural factors. There are two types of human mental functions, â€Å"natural† - organic and â€Å"higher† - social and cultural. The first are predominantly determined by genetic factors, while the latter are formed on the basis of the first under the influence of a social impact. The importance of socio-historical conception of Vygotsky is not so much in justifying symbolic determination of human consciousness, as in the attempts to understand a sign, symbol, text as a tool for expanding consciousness into socio-historical perspective which is not imposed on a subject by society, but is chosen, in a varying degree of self-consistency, from

Individual Critique Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Critique - Literature review Example 2.0- SYNOPSIS FROM THE ARTCILE The article pointed to the importance of following factors behind the economies resisting growth: The recovery from recession receive great impact from the social factors Exports of a country has a great role to play in the recovery specifically in the net exports Role of debts and foreign direct investment is also critical. Impact of united currency in the overall recovery of countries (Walker, 2013). 3.0- ACADEMIC ALLIGMENT The article asserting the agreed upon definition of recession that paved way for the economy resisting to recovery. Among large number of factors with economic and financial strategies that play role in the economic recovery, the article highlights the dominant impact of social factor. The importance of the social factor is insisted with fact that despite the high public debt levels of Germany beyond the agreed 3% of GDP (BBC, 2012); the market considers Germany as safe heaven for investment while considering Spain and Italy in tro uble. Exploration of working conditions behind provided evidence that Spain, Italy and France had heightened the private debt (as shown in figure below) during economic growth boom to increase investments and resultantly raised the wages. (BBC, 2012) In the similar duration Germany has maintained the wages level and has developed greater export base. Hence, despite being hit by recession Germany has a positive outlook while consumers in mentioned countries are concerned with paying up debts and increased competitive wage rate has low spending sentiment thereby resisting recovery with social factors (Economou at el., 2012). Moreover, the increased resistance of French economy to recover can also be traced to have a greater contribution from similar factors as given below: (BBC, 2012) Hence unlike the dominant economic notion of high negative impact, public debt only on economic recovery is contrasted with current situation. Moreover, the increased pressure of controlling the public d ebt is also countered with continuing positive outlook of German economy. Strategy of German economy is to increase export with control wage rate developed trade surplus and hence the economy is in better position to attract foreign direct investment while the economies in trouble, in contrast, are facing trouble of huge trade deficit with piled up imports as referred below: (BBC, 2012) The current conditions of France to revisit its growth estimates along with relaxing labor laws also assert the realization of over burdened economy. While deteriorating condition points to the piling up of all factors of trade deficit, extensive government borrowing along with private borrowing as well as the labor law problems. Hence, assessment highlights reasons for controlling the debt in all in a broader context of all mentioned factors; unlike traditional theories that posed all pressure on public spending only. However, this does not refer any relaxation for public debt going beyond the set l imits and due importance of controlled public debt still retains the elementary position in economic betterment. The other highlighted factor that is making exports expensive and costing the economic recovery of countries in trouble is the increased attention to strengthen the united currency. In contrary to foundation stones for Euro that promised growth in jobs and exports, the strengthening Euro has started