Could Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining, live up to the popularity of it's bloody and terrifying predecessor? I have read this bold sequel and can report that it is well worth the read. The dark content and vivid description used in Doctor Sleep, written by Stephen King, intrigued me with it's horrific and grotesque content throughout the novel.
Stephen King's style of writing is narrative and makes the events and settings in the novel come to life in my imagination. King's description of a vision seen by one of the main characters, Dan Torrence, is so detailed that it made me cringe at the visualization of the ghoul so vividly described in this scene. I felt as if I were right there with the main characters in this novel, finding myself wondering how I would handle the supernatural incidents during Abra's introduction if she were my child. King describes beautifully the loneliness and isolation of those characters who are different from the rest of society.
The themes in this novel are addiction and it's consequences, as well as the conflict between good and evil. Human nature seems to contain more good than evil, and the humans in this novel are ultimately trying to help themselves and others be free of the evil forces of the Shining and the True Knot. Rose the Hat may be rueful and terrible, but she does what needs to be done for survival. The True Knot, being the antagonists, can be compared to many dictators and sociopaths in our history. The protagonists, Dan and Abra, are flawed but ultimately good.
The character of Dan Torrence is re-introduced thirty years after the incidents at the Outlook Hotel which took place in King's novel, The Shining. King brings this characters pain and suffering to life. In this story Dan makes one last effort to try and get his life back on track. At one point in the story Dan is told, "Your mind was a black board, booze was the eraser." Overcoming his addictions, Dan used the Shining to help people with various problems, physical and material. I liked Dan's character and sympathized with his pain. I was glad to see him gather enough strength to fight against the evil of the True Knot and his own personal demons.
Doctor Sleep is not only a sequel to The Shining, but stands alone in it's own cell of horror and grotesque description. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great horror novel.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Long Lived Gender Stereotypes CC#3.2
An expository article published to YouGov entitled, "Lasting gender stereotypes in the workplace," written by Kate Palmer, an author for YouGov, Life, and Omnibous Research, expresses that although gender equality has made great strides, there are still gender related stereotypes in the work place that continue to remain.
"The male dominated and top-down office of the 1950's has been replaced with a much greater degree of equality and meritocracy," says Palmer. Over the past five decades gender in the US labor force has changed tremendously for the better. With women rising to the same level of pay as men they are able to become independent and focus on their careers.
According to Palmer, "The transformation has also profoundly affected men." On one hand, men and women are now interacting on an equal professional level, as well as outside the workplace. On the other hand, more men are finding themselves in roles that had once been considered strictly work for women.
Palmer says that although "the overwhelming majority of Americans, and the law, demands equality of opportunity for both sexes," do we really believe that both genders are equally able to perform any job? Most Americans still believe that there are very specific jobs that are gender distinct. Most people, especially men, would disagree that women are well suited to be a firefighter; likewise, most people, mainly women, would feel that a man would not be as well suited to be a receptionist.
These gender stereotypes are worldwide and in many other countries they are far more pronounced than they are in the United States. Equal rights between men and women in the work place have evolved greatly, but there are clearly gender stereotypes that still need to be done away with.
In conclusion, research shows that gender stereotypes continue to exist and vary according to age, education, and even political party.
"The male dominated and top-down office of the 1950's has been replaced with a much greater degree of equality and meritocracy," says Palmer. Over the past five decades gender in the US labor force has changed tremendously for the better. With women rising to the same level of pay as men they are able to become independent and focus on their careers.
According to Palmer, "The transformation has also profoundly affected men." On one hand, men and women are now interacting on an equal professional level, as well as outside the workplace. On the other hand, more men are finding themselves in roles that had once been considered strictly work for women.
Palmer says that although "the overwhelming majority of Americans, and the law, demands equality of opportunity for both sexes," do we really believe that both genders are equally able to perform any job? Most Americans still believe that there are very specific jobs that are gender distinct. Most people, especially men, would disagree that women are well suited to be a firefighter; likewise, most people, mainly women, would feel that a man would not be as well suited to be a receptionist.
These gender stereotypes are worldwide and in many other countries they are far more pronounced than they are in the United States. Equal rights between men and women in the work place have evolved greatly, but there are clearly gender stereotypes that still need to be done away with.
In conclusion, research shows that gender stereotypes continue to exist and vary according to age, education, and even political party.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Gender Roles in the American Working Class CC#3.1
In an expository article published to The Economist entitled, "When women dare to outearn men," by C.O. Berlin, a writer for The Economist, references several published articles discussing the wage of the husband and it's impact on women's careers. The issue of wage inequality is one of the most constraining for women's careers.
According to Berlin, "In a country like America, in which men on average earn more than women, it follows almost naturally that the wife often earns less." Our society has been based on the traditional belief that the man or husband in a marriage should have the responsibility of providing for himself and/or his family. Although women's rights for equality have been recognized, their wages in the work place are generally still lower than men.
Furthermore, Berlin states, "Women with the potential to earn more than their husbands quit their job altogether more often than otherwise similar women in comparable families." In some cases if the husband earns less than his wife, he might be expected to do more at home. Our society has trained men to believe that the wife's place is in the home and that they should not have as much responsibility as the husband in the workplace; thus, if a woman has a higher position at work than her husband, she may quit her job to pacify him.
Researchers, Marianne Bertrand, Emir Kamenica, Jessica Pan state, "As long as the woman earns less, her income does not cause trouble in the marriage." When a woman earns more than her male partner or husband troubles begin to occur within the relationship. The simple fact of a woman earning more than her spouse has an impact on the divorce rate in our country.
Berlin states, "Economists wonder why people with rational expectations enter such a marriage at all." Traditional beliefs about the wages of men and women are slowly changing, and as a result so is the tradition of getting married at a young age. Young men and women in our country are now focusing much more on their careers and wages.
In conclusion, we know that norms and traditions are stubborn. Changing tradition takes time and possibly the revision of certain policies. Society cannot afford to waste the potential that women offer to our economy. We must play an active part in supporting policies in the work place that equalize the gender gap.
According to Berlin, "In a country like America, in which men on average earn more than women, it follows almost naturally that the wife often earns less." Our society has been based on the traditional belief that the man or husband in a marriage should have the responsibility of providing for himself and/or his family. Although women's rights for equality have been recognized, their wages in the work place are generally still lower than men.
Furthermore, Berlin states, "Women with the potential to earn more than their husbands quit their job altogether more often than otherwise similar women in comparable families." In some cases if the husband earns less than his wife, he might be expected to do more at home. Our society has trained men to believe that the wife's place is in the home and that they should not have as much responsibility as the husband in the workplace; thus, if a woman has a higher position at work than her husband, she may quit her job to pacify him.
Researchers, Marianne Bertrand, Emir Kamenica, Jessica Pan state, "As long as the woman earns less, her income does not cause trouble in the marriage." When a woman earns more than her male partner or husband troubles begin to occur within the relationship. The simple fact of a woman earning more than her spouse has an impact on the divorce rate in our country.
Berlin states, "Economists wonder why people with rational expectations enter such a marriage at all." Traditional beliefs about the wages of men and women are slowly changing, and as a result so is the tradition of getting married at a young age. Young men and women in our country are now focusing much more on their careers and wages.
In conclusion, we know that norms and traditions are stubborn. Changing tradition takes time and possibly the revision of certain policies. Society cannot afford to waste the potential that women offer to our economy. We must play an active part in supporting policies in the work place that equalize the gender gap.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Decisions for Obama CC#1.3
In an expository article published to The Washington Post entitled, "Obama has power, determination to make own decision on Syria, administration says," Karen DeYoung, an associate editor for The Washington Post, an award winning reporter, writes about President Obama's authority to make a decision about a military strike against Syria for the use of chemical weapons.
According to DeYoung, "President Obama has both the authority and the determination to make his own decision on a military strike against Syria...." The decision to make a military strike is not necessary a popular one, and many lawmakers are insisting on a chance to take a vote on the issue at hand. A decision of such importance is not one to take lightly, and Congress, along with our allies, specifically Great Britain, feel that at the very least, a plan of "limited action" must be formulated as stated by Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.).
DeYoung further states that Britain's Prime Minister, David Cameron, "having been deserted by rebels in his own Conservative Party, lost a parliamentary vote for provisional authorization for military action in Syria." Cameron plans to respect parliaments decision. Many in the British government feel that the vote is a result of their country's participation in the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, believing the claims about weapons of mass destruction. The occupation of Iraq began as a find and destroy mission, with the initial invasion by the US and Britain looming akin to a tall tree, our troops progression into Iraq, the branches, and our continued occupation, the roots, which kept our troops away from home and in harms way far longer than anticipated. The invasion of Iraq produced no weapons of mass destruction, thus making Britain hesitant to rush to battle again.
A statement distributed by the White House said "The U.S. will continue to consult with the UK government....President Obama's decision-making will be guided by what is in the best interests of the United States. He believes there are core interests at stake and that countries who violate international norms regarding chemical weapons need to be held accountable." Administration officials state that Obama is suggesting a limited cruise-missile strike on Syrian military targets. The decision to plan a strike is based on evidence, coming from our top national security officials, stating that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government killed hundreds of civilians in August in an attack using chemical weapons. The White House, having additional classified information about Assad's "undeniable" chemical attack, has decided to release an unclassified version to the American public.
The use of chemical weapons is in violation of human rights. The issue of human rights affects everyone on the planet. The U.S. and our President, along with our allies have a great responsibility in deciding to take military action in defense of human rights. I can not imagine a government turning on its people with the use of chemical weapons for extermination. Only through education and continued surveillance can we be effective in making a difference in our world.
Keep informed of our government's actions; make a difference by getting involved in the voting process and communication with our congressmen. We are the future leaders, and our decisions will make a difference in our world.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
STEM: An Education Stimulus CC#1.2
In a descriptive article entitled, "A New National Education Imperative," published on October 9, 2013, on Atlantic Media's website, a new approach to education is suggested. STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, can provide American students with the ability to achieve future economic success, and promote the overall growth of our country.
An author for The Non-Profit Coalition STEM Advantage states, "Over the next decade, STEM-related job opportunities in the U.S. are expected to increase by nearly 17 percent." With our country's 7 plus percent unemployment, the number of workers with STEM skills could greatly increase the number of Americans going back into the work force; therefore, this would strengthen our economy. America has around 136,000,000 jobs that are currently occupied, and 14.9 million in 2012 with a 20.6 percent growth expected through 2018 will require STEM Education.
According to Michael Cohen, president of Achieve, a non-profit organization that advises states on many academic matters, "Jobs that require workers to possess technical engineering skills, but not a bachelor's degree - occupations such as mechanics, carpenters, and electricians - are available to American's with technical training, whether they are college educated or not." With such a wide use of these technical skills, the job market for STEM skills will be wide open for students of all backgrounds. The skills taught for students to qualify for these jobs are standardized across the country and are not different from state to state.
"The CORPS - which employs over 36,000 civilian employees world wide - needs more STEM-skilled workers," states Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is necessary for the U.S. to ensure there are plenty of students engaged in STEM and ready for careers in engineering, natural science, and research and development. The implementation of STEM subjects in classrooms from pre-schools to universities is already showing positive results with students performing at higher levels in mathematics.
American students who learn and use STEM skills will make more money. Research shows that 8 of the top college majors with high income were in STEM fields. Employees in STEM jobs earn a wage up to 26 percent more than workers in non-STEM jobs. Not only do STEM jobs help the individual, they will also help our country's economy. Increasing American students proficiency in math to the levels achieved in other countries, like Canada and South Korea, makes it possible for the U.S. to increase our national yearly income by 75 trillion dollars over the next 80 years.
In conclusion, Our state governments should realize the importance of STEM education initiatives in order to ensure the connection between the education of our work force and the economic growth and development of our country.
An author for The Non-Profit Coalition STEM Advantage states, "Over the next decade, STEM-related job opportunities in the U.S. are expected to increase by nearly 17 percent." With our country's 7 plus percent unemployment, the number of workers with STEM skills could greatly increase the number of Americans going back into the work force; therefore, this would strengthen our economy. America has around 136,000,000 jobs that are currently occupied, and 14.9 million in 2012 with a 20.6 percent growth expected through 2018 will require STEM Education.
According to Michael Cohen, president of Achieve, a non-profit organization that advises states on many academic matters, "Jobs that require workers to possess technical engineering skills, but not a bachelor's degree - occupations such as mechanics, carpenters, and electricians - are available to American's with technical training, whether they are college educated or not." With such a wide use of these technical skills, the job market for STEM skills will be wide open for students of all backgrounds. The skills taught for students to qualify for these jobs are standardized across the country and are not different from state to state.
"The CORPS - which employs over 36,000 civilian employees world wide - needs more STEM-skilled workers," states Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is necessary for the U.S. to ensure there are plenty of students engaged in STEM and ready for careers in engineering, natural science, and research and development. The implementation of STEM subjects in classrooms from pre-schools to universities is already showing positive results with students performing at higher levels in mathematics.
American students who learn and use STEM skills will make more money. Research shows that 8 of the top college majors with high income were in STEM fields. Employees in STEM jobs earn a wage up to 26 percent more than workers in non-STEM jobs. Not only do STEM jobs help the individual, they will also help our country's economy. Increasing American students proficiency in math to the levels achieved in other countries, like Canada and South Korea, makes it possible for the U.S. to increase our national yearly income by 75 trillion dollars over the next 80 years.
In conclusion, Our state governments should realize the importance of STEM education initiatives in order to ensure the connection between the education of our work force and the economic growth and development of our country.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Money Matters at HBS CC#1
The question "is class a more divisive issue at Harvard Business School than gender?" is presented to the reader by Jodi Kantor in an expository article published in the New York Times. This article is an extension of a study about gender equality at the school.
Kantor states, "New students are expected to write checks of 300-400 dollars to their sections, the groups whom they take first year classes with, if they want to participate in social events." One example Kantor mentioned was that of second year students who organized a ski trip costing over 1000 dollars per student. These costs pale in comparison to the parties organized by members of "Section X", a secret society of ultra-wealthy students, who take extravagant weekend trips to places out of the country. This type of spending is very divisive depending on a students economic back round.
"Class was the bigger divide than gender when I was at HBS," said Christina Wallace, director of the Startup Institute. Ms. Wallace attended Harvard Business School on a scholarship and was told by class mates that spending more money, as much as $20,000, to fully participate in activities, would make the difference between a "good experience and a great experience." Many readers of the article in the New York Times, who were past alumni, agreed with her comments. This practice places great pressure on the students from middle and lower class back rounds.
"HBS student body is somewhat economically diverse," according to a spokesperson, "with tuition costs alone of more than 50,000 dollars a year." The class of 2013 included students from all types of American families, low to high income. The "global elite" (Section X), typically students from the Middle East and Asia, have far more wealth than the American students, and the American income divide is growing. This results in a student body that is grossly economically mismatched. It is of concern that even within one of the nation's top business schools the ultra-wealthy are segregating themselves by this means.
The problem of economic division in this school is very real. Students have stated that they borrowed tens of thousands of dollars a year to keep up socially. One student said she never invited class mates to her home nearby because she was ashamed of her middle class lifestyle. 'Section X' might even be considered a group of 'bullies' for putting unwanted and unacceptable pressure and stress on those with less money in their attempt to fit in. I can't help but wonder how many other colleges have this problem. With our country's current economic problems, and the fight to find good jobs after college, I hate learn that this type of stress is present for students who already have the burden of student loans. The last thing a person needs to feel is that they must add this type of cost to the existing cost of their education. Division, the separation of groups by economic class or for any other reason, is not an issue the college students in our country should be faced with.
Kantor states, "New students are expected to write checks of 300-400 dollars to their sections, the groups whom they take first year classes with, if they want to participate in social events." One example Kantor mentioned was that of second year students who organized a ski trip costing over 1000 dollars per student. These costs pale in comparison to the parties organized by members of "Section X", a secret society of ultra-wealthy students, who take extravagant weekend trips to places out of the country. This type of spending is very divisive depending on a students economic back round.
"Class was the bigger divide than gender when I was at HBS," said Christina Wallace, director of the Startup Institute. Ms. Wallace attended Harvard Business School on a scholarship and was told by class mates that spending more money, as much as $20,000, to fully participate in activities, would make the difference between a "good experience and a great experience." Many readers of the article in the New York Times, who were past alumni, agreed with her comments. This practice places great pressure on the students from middle and lower class back rounds.
"HBS student body is somewhat economically diverse," according to a spokesperson, "with tuition costs alone of more than 50,000 dollars a year." The class of 2013 included students from all types of American families, low to high income. The "global elite" (Section X), typically students from the Middle East and Asia, have far more wealth than the American students, and the American income divide is growing. This results in a student body that is grossly economically mismatched. It is of concern that even within one of the nation's top business schools the ultra-wealthy are segregating themselves by this means.
The problem of economic division in this school is very real. Students have stated that they borrowed tens of thousands of dollars a year to keep up socially. One student said she never invited class mates to her home nearby because she was ashamed of her middle class lifestyle. 'Section X' might even be considered a group of 'bullies' for putting unwanted and unacceptable pressure and stress on those with less money in their attempt to fit in. I can't help but wonder how many other colleges have this problem. With our country's current economic problems, and the fight to find good jobs after college, I hate learn that this type of stress is present for students who already have the burden of student loans. The last thing a person needs to feel is that they must add this type of cost to the existing cost of their education. Division, the separation of groups by economic class or for any other reason, is not an issue the college students in our country should be faced with.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Short Story Reflection: Jockey Joe
As soon as Mrs. Gillmore, my eleventh grade English teacher, assigned my class the task of writing a short story about a fictional super hero of our own creation, I knew it was going to be an interesting challenge. I feel that being given this particular assignment, which is meant to be based around each of our own thoughts and creative abilities, is an opportunity that will allow our imagination to flow in a way that expresses how we feel about things and how to put it into a creative aspect such as a short story.It was fairly easy when thinking of what type of hero I wanted my main character to be. The part I have most enjoyed so far is the actual creation of my character in Hero Machine 2.5. I enjoyed being able to piece together the super hero that would fit the perfect persona for my story with the options available on the site.
The most difficult aspect of the short story assignment so far has been the creation of the actual plot and storyline. I want to be sure to meet the guidelines as well as provide sufficient and interesting content so as to continually entertain the audience who I intend to be reading my short story. I have so many ideas that it gets frustrating when trying to put them all into place.
The main character I created in Hero Machine is named Jockey Joe. Due to his super human stature, Joe is an outstanding football player with extraordinary abilities. With players from the opposing team flying through the air every time Joe makes contact with one, everybody looks up to him when push comes to shove during a strenuous game. Joe stands a towering 6' 6" with arms and legs as big as the trunk of a tree, making him capable of the devastation he can cause in a football game. Off the field he is known as Jockey Joe, champion to students everywhere who need any type of help, ranging from bullies to turning homework in on time. Representing his school colors, he wears black and orange while performing his superhero-like deeds.
I hope that by the time my short story comes to a close, the message I have attempted to deliver to my audience becomes clear. Jockey Joe is meant to be taken as a popular football jock in high school that is not afraid to leave his comfort zone and stand up for kids that need help. Hopefully through my imagination and developing skills as a writer I can create a short story that is both captivating and meaningful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)