If you ask around your friends and family whether they agree or disagree with the death penalty, chances are they are for it. I think the majority of Americans today would want to see the man or woman that killed their family member be put to death. The conventional view is that the punishment fits the crime and the death penalty is the best way to stop a person from killing a human being. As of today there are only 15 states that do not use the death penalty including the District of Columbia. I believe that the death penalty is not a reasonable punishment for a person who is convicted of murder.
The reason I disagree with the death penalty is not only because it is cruel and unusual, but also because it sends the wrong message. Why would you use murder to show that murder is wrong? Of course you want to make sure there is accountability for the crime but the death penalty sends the wrong message, it is more an act of revenge than a form of punishment. This kind of philosophy just leads to an endless cycle of violence that does not give any sense of closure to the victims family in my opinion. Would you rather see a murderer have to suffer for the rest of his or her life behind bars or take the easy way out?
Another reason that backs up my opinion is the total cost of the death penalty versus keeping that inmate behind bars. Most people do not realize that it costs almost double to carry out a death sentence rather than keeping that individual in jail for the rest of their life. This is because the process for the death penalty is allot greater especially with the appeal process. It is not unheard of for an inmate to be on death row for 10-20 years, and in that time the case can be re-examined and new evidence can be brought up. This means that the tax payers in that state have to pay for judges, attorneys, representatives, clerks and of course a court room to look at all of the facts. By law an inmate has the right to appeal the sentence which can also take up time that could be used to look at a new case, with courtrooms being backed up today this only adds to the problem.
People in America can argue back and forth on their beliefs on the subject all day but there is only one deciding factor to be looked at, does the death penalty work? If you were to look at the murder rate by state for the last decade, the top 10 states on that list all use the death penalty. States like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Maryland are all on the top of the list and surprisingly enough, all are in favor of the death penalty but the numbers are getting larger each year. This is evidence that the death penalty is certainly not working like people thought it would, it seems to be the complete opposite. Instead of scaring a person into not committing a crime like murder the best option seems to be life in jail.
If you take a look at the facts it is obvious that the death penalty is not the right way to go about punishing a murderer. Instead, states like Texas are trying to pass laws to speed up the process. The number one reason for states like Texas who use the death penalty is that it creates a crime deterrent better than life without parole which judging by the numbers out there is not working as they had planned. For those who say that justice is better served take into account that jail is a very hostile and violent environment and no one wants to be kept in a cage for 23 hours a day like an animal. Wouldn't it make more sense to make a convicted murderer serve life in jail without the possibility of getting out rather than having them serve a few years and eventually get "put to sleep" by the state? I agree with the fact that jails today are overflowing with inmates and more are being built just to keep up with the increasing number of people in those jails, but most of inmates are not in there for murder. The majority of people in jail are there for non violent crimes and drug related charges, which is causing an over population in prisons. All of this adds up in my opinion to the fact that the death penalty should be abolished in every state and instead force a person convicted of murder to serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Statue Of Liberty
Sources
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/stories/2009/10/31/hans30.ART_ART_10-31-09_A10_GNFGOFF.html?sid=101
http://www.ohranger.com/statue-liberty/history-statue-liberty
http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Eihist.html
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/19/221228.shtml
Questions
What does the statue symbolize?
What is Ellis Island?
How did the statue lead to immigration problems we have today?
Who gave the Statue of Liberty to America and why?
Why was Ellis Island closed down?
How can America solve the immigration crisis?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Text Wrestling Final Draft
In Robotic Nation by Marshall Brain, he argues that in the future, jobs in America will be replaced by robots. These jobs include manufacturing, restaurants and retail stores, police and fire-fighters, doctors and nursing jobs, teachers and counselors, robotic pilots and even robotic actors and actresses. ATM's and self-service checkout lines marked the beginning of what Brain calls the "robotic revolution."
The first robot was the ASIMO which was created by Honda. Brain believes that over the course of two decades of research and development engineers will be able to refine it and create robots that can move with the precision and grace of a ballerina. By 2030 Brain predicts that the first human equivalent robot will come out, by around 2040 engineers will refine the robot and start replacing them with humans in the workforce in fields like fast food industry and housekeeping/janitorial work. And jumping to 2055 Brain believes that over half of the American workforce will be unemployed due to the fact that every regular job that had been filled by a human being in 2001 was now filled by a robot instead.
If one were to look at the evidence in our past it is not that far fetched claims Brain, in 1900 people would never have believed we would be able to fly to the moon. He talks about Moore's Law which says that CPU power doubles every 18 to 24 months and how if Moore's Law is put into connection with robots this means they will keep getting more and more advanced until they will be able do things that humans do possibly even better. Brain explains how over the course of fifteen years starting in 2001, self service checkout lines proliferated and evolved until nearly every retail transaction could be handled in an automated way. This resulted in nearly 5-million jobs in the retail area lost. However, he still thinks that in the future the magnitude of jobs lost will be catastrophic.
I don't believe that half of Americans jobs will be taken by robots as Brain states because we will never fully trust those robots in areas such as police and fire-fighting, teaching, manufacturing and flying airplanes. Humans have done these things for many years without problems so why change that? However, I do believe that a considerable amount of jobs in the service sector will be lost due to the country's fast changing technology. It doesn't take a genius to know that self service check-out lines are a much quicker and hassle free way of buying groceries. If you look at the fact that we are experiencing the lowest employment growth since 1939, its hard to believe that something will not be done to fix this problem. His argument does raise a few questions that all people living in this country should seek to find an answer to. Like why isn't the economy creating new jobs now to counter the loss of jobs thought to happen in the future? And what will those new jobs be?
I think that he does an excellent job in pointing out the fact that jobs will inevitably be lost in the years to come. If you take a look at the 2000 Census he shows you in his writing you see that there were 114 million employees working for 7 million companies that year. If you take out about half of those employees believed to lose a job to a robot that's around 57 million people. That's an extremely large number of unemployed people in America and if these numbers are true, new jobs for humans will definitely have to be made. As far as the belief that by 2055 robots will take over half of Americans jobs only time will tell.
The first robot was the ASIMO which was created by Honda. Brain believes that over the course of two decades of research and development engineers will be able to refine it and create robots that can move with the precision and grace of a ballerina. By 2030 Brain predicts that the first human equivalent robot will come out, by around 2040 engineers will refine the robot and start replacing them with humans in the workforce in fields like fast food industry and housekeeping/janitorial work. And jumping to 2055 Brain believes that over half of the American workforce will be unemployed due to the fact that every regular job that had been filled by a human being in 2001 was now filled by a robot instead.
If one were to look at the evidence in our past it is not that far fetched claims Brain, in 1900 people would never have believed we would be able to fly to the moon. He talks about Moore's Law which says that CPU power doubles every 18 to 24 months and how if Moore's Law is put into connection with robots this means they will keep getting more and more advanced until they will be able do things that humans do possibly even better. Brain explains how over the course of fifteen years starting in 2001, self service checkout lines proliferated and evolved until nearly every retail transaction could be handled in an automated way. This resulted in nearly 5-million jobs in the retail area lost. However, he still thinks that in the future the magnitude of jobs lost will be catastrophic.
I don't believe that half of Americans jobs will be taken by robots as Brain states because we will never fully trust those robots in areas such as police and fire-fighting, teaching, manufacturing and flying airplanes. Humans have done these things for many years without problems so why change that? However, I do believe that a considerable amount of jobs in the service sector will be lost due to the country's fast changing technology. It doesn't take a genius to know that self service check-out lines are a much quicker and hassle free way of buying groceries. If you look at the fact that we are experiencing the lowest employment growth since 1939, its hard to believe that something will not be done to fix this problem. His argument does raise a few questions that all people living in this country should seek to find an answer to. Like why isn't the economy creating new jobs now to counter the loss of jobs thought to happen in the future? And what will those new jobs be?
I think that he does an excellent job in pointing out the fact that jobs will inevitably be lost in the years to come. If you take a look at the 2000 Census he shows you in his writing you see that there were 114 million employees working for 7 million companies that year. If you take out about half of those employees believed to lose a job to a robot that's around 57 million people. That's an extremely large number of unemployed people in America and if these numbers are true, new jobs for humans will definitely have to be made. As far as the belief that by 2055 robots will take over half of Americans jobs only time will tell.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Ethnography Essay
I will never forget the first time i hopped on a dirt bike. I was about 7 or 8 years old and after watching my older brother Matt ride in circles in our backyard for about an hour i decided it looked easy enough for me to try. So me, being the adventurous kid that I was, went outside and got on his Honda XR50. He taught me how to shift and to hit the kill switch in case of emergency. I clicked the gear up and took off, making it about 10 feet forward until the bike tipped over. I looked over at my older brother embarrassed, only to see him laughing at my expense. Ever since that day I was hooked and Freestyle riding became the thing to do for me and my brother.
As Matt got older, he got into racing Motocross which was a whole different level of riding. It involves a closed off-road circuit equipped with jumps, whoops, burms, sharp turns and riders traveling at very high speeds all to see who get to the finish line the fastest. For him, this was a whole different world and a completely different culture. As the years went on the trophy's in his room piled up and the terminology he used to describe his races became seemed like a different language.
So one day I decided to go to one of his races to see what it what all the fuss was about. Little did I know i was stepping foot into another world.
I sat and watched Matt make sure his bike was ready for the upcoming race, treating it like a new born baby. After loading it into the trailer he checked to make sure that he had all of his equipment. I was shocked to see how much gear he had to wear. He made sure he had his two helmets with goggles, an extra in case his first one broke. Then he packed his yellow racing jersey along with pants and boots. Over his outfit, the sport requires you to wear protective gear which made him look like an alien. He packed his plastic chest protector, elbow guards and a race collar which goes around your neck protecting a rider from breaking their neck. Along with those came knee and shin guards, (which look similar to a soccer players) a kidney belt, gloves and last but not least his boots. I helped him throw his equipment, gas/oil cans and a very heavy toolbox into the trailer and we headed out to Crow Hill Motor Sports Park in Templeton Mass.
As soon as we got there, the place was crowded and riders were all working on their bikes. I could hear the high pitched roar from the small arena as there was a two-stroke race going on. The races were split into two separate competitions, the 2-stroke circuit and the 4-stroke circuit. We parked in the half full parking lot and unloaded his Red, KTM SX 450. Matt left me to stay with the bike while he went and signed up for the upcoming race. I sat on the bike and started the engine and almost simultaneously a flock of teenagers with fox racing sweatshirts and flat brimmed hats came over to check out the bike. A skinny kid with a bunch of tattoos asked me what year the bike was so I told him it was made in 2004, he continued to ask a series of random questions about the bike and nodded silently after each answer. When Matt came back the crowd dispersed and he geared up for his race which started in about an hour.
To pass the time I walked around the outside of the arena to check out all of the dirt bikes that my brother would be racing. There were bikes of all makes and colors like blue Honda CRF's, red Yamaha YZ's, green KTM XC's, and even a pink Kawasaki KX. All I could think was this place is a dirt bike rider's dream. Some guys even had truck's that matched the color of their bike.
An announcement from a loudspeaker came on saying that it was almost time for the next event so all riders must report to the starting gate.
There were no seats in this arena so everyone gathered behind a yellow string, the place was filled with screaming parents and adrenaline junkies holding signs that read "Ride or Die" and "Race with your heart." It was a 8 lap race that took place on a 2 minute dirt track. The thing that i noticed first was a 15 foot jump with a 6 or 7 foot gap which had a checkered finish line above.
As the riders all found a spot at the starting gate the tension seemed to rise, they all started their bikes at once and a cloud of white smoke filled the air. You could smell the exhaust and the gasoline almost like sticking your nose in a muffler. The competitors all waited patiently with their eyes fixated on a set of lights signaling the start of the race. In what seemed like an eternity it went from blank, to yellow and then on to green and the bikes took off like a cannon. My heart skipped a beat as a few riders tipped over from being so bunched up but I realized none of them were Matt because I could see his green and black helmet in the middle of the pack. The riders were going around turns at such high speeds you were almost sure they would crash off course. The bikes were zipping past the crowd leaving a gust of wind behind and each person on their bike was shifting like their life depended on it.
Once the race was over, the top three times were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals which looked more like a rolled up piece of tinfoil tied onto a paper ribbon. But none of them seemed to care as long as they won. Matt finished 6th out of about 15 but seemed happy with his own performance.
We stayed and watched a few races after loading everything back onto the trailer. It was a very eye opening experience to see how many people were so passionate about the sport and I was surprised to find out how competitive it really is. I challenge anyone at any age to go to one of these motocross events and not get amped up after hearing 15 engines all roaring at the same time while each rider is lined up sitting on their bike waiting for the light to turn green.
As Matt got older, he got into racing Motocross which was a whole different level of riding. It involves a closed off-road circuit equipped with jumps, whoops, burms, sharp turns and riders traveling at very high speeds all to see who get to the finish line the fastest. For him, this was a whole different world and a completely different culture. As the years went on the trophy's in his room piled up and the terminology he used to describe his races became seemed like a different language.
So one day I decided to go to one of his races to see what it what all the fuss was about. Little did I know i was stepping foot into another world.
I sat and watched Matt make sure his bike was ready for the upcoming race, treating it like a new born baby. After loading it into the trailer he checked to make sure that he had all of his equipment. I was shocked to see how much gear he had to wear. He made sure he had his two helmets with goggles, an extra in case his first one broke. Then he packed his yellow racing jersey along with pants and boots. Over his outfit, the sport requires you to wear protective gear which made him look like an alien. He packed his plastic chest protector, elbow guards and a race collar which goes around your neck protecting a rider from breaking their neck. Along with those came knee and shin guards, (which look similar to a soccer players) a kidney belt, gloves and last but not least his boots. I helped him throw his equipment, gas/oil cans and a very heavy toolbox into the trailer and we headed out to Crow Hill Motor Sports Park in Templeton Mass.
As soon as we got there, the place was crowded and riders were all working on their bikes. I could hear the high pitched roar from the small arena as there was a two-stroke race going on. The races were split into two separate competitions, the 2-stroke circuit and the 4-stroke circuit. We parked in the half full parking lot and unloaded his Red, KTM SX 450. Matt left me to stay with the bike while he went and signed up for the upcoming race. I sat on the bike and started the engine and almost simultaneously a flock of teenagers with fox racing sweatshirts and flat brimmed hats came over to check out the bike. A skinny kid with a bunch of tattoos asked me what year the bike was so I told him it was made in 2004, he continued to ask a series of random questions about the bike and nodded silently after each answer. When Matt came back the crowd dispersed and he geared up for his race which started in about an hour.
To pass the time I walked around the outside of the arena to check out all of the dirt bikes that my brother would be racing. There were bikes of all makes and colors like blue Honda CRF's, red Yamaha YZ's, green KTM XC's, and even a pink Kawasaki KX. All I could think was this place is a dirt bike rider's dream. Some guys even had truck's that matched the color of their bike.
An announcement from a loudspeaker came on saying that it was almost time for the next event so all riders must report to the starting gate.
There were no seats in this arena so everyone gathered behind a yellow string, the place was filled with screaming parents and adrenaline junkies holding signs that read "Ride or Die" and "Race with your heart." It was a 8 lap race that took place on a 2 minute dirt track. The thing that i noticed first was a 15 foot jump with a 6 or 7 foot gap which had a checkered finish line above.
As the riders all found a spot at the starting gate the tension seemed to rise, they all started their bikes at once and a cloud of white smoke filled the air. You could smell the exhaust and the gasoline almost like sticking your nose in a muffler. The competitors all waited patiently with their eyes fixated on a set of lights signaling the start of the race. In what seemed like an eternity it went from blank, to yellow and then on to green and the bikes took off like a cannon. My heart skipped a beat as a few riders tipped over from being so bunched up but I realized none of them were Matt because I could see his green and black helmet in the middle of the pack. The riders were going around turns at such high speeds you were almost sure they would crash off course. The bikes were zipping past the crowd leaving a gust of wind behind and each person on their bike was shifting like their life depended on it.
Once the race was over, the top three times were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals which looked more like a rolled up piece of tinfoil tied onto a paper ribbon. But none of them seemed to care as long as they won. Matt finished 6th out of about 15 but seemed happy with his own performance.
We stayed and watched a few races after loading everything back onto the trailer. It was a very eye opening experience to see how many people were so passionate about the sport and I was surprised to find out how competitive it really is. I challenge anyone at any age to go to one of these motocross events and not get amped up after hearing 15 engines all roaring at the same time while each rider is lined up sitting on their bike waiting for the light to turn green.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Rough Draft
Thanksgiving Day Memories
Ever since I can remember my favorite holiday has been Thanksgiving. Some of the greatest memories occurred at my grandmothers house on this joyful holiday. My family would all gather at her house early in day to feast and catch up with one another. This all changed last year when my grandmother passed away at the age of 78. She was a very happy women and an extremely good cook. When i first found out we would no longer be getting together at her house I was devastated, all of the great times I had there flashed in my head like I was there again.
Waking up bright and early on a crisp November day eager to visit family members and eat a ton of food. There was always cars lined up down the street because of such a big family we have. It was always the same walking into her house. The smell of stale smoke, the colorful paintings on the wall, a beautiful crystal chandelier hanging over a long marble table where we all eat. All added to a very comfortable feel entering her home. I always get the feeling of deja-vu every time I enter the house, my aunts are all sitting at the dinner table gossiping while my grandmother is cooking at the stove and all of my cousins and uncles are sitting on the couch watching the Thanksgiving football game.
As we wait for our feast, I usually sit and talk with my two cousins Nick and Avery. The three of us were born in the month of November, 1989 so needless to say we are very close. Nick is short with long, shiny black hair and always had a smile on his face. Avery is very tall with dirty blond hair and a scar under his lip from a dirt bike accident he suffered back when we were younger. We all have the same general likes and dislikes from sports to music.The three of us have been riding dirt bikes together since we were about 8 or 9. I can remember teaching Nick how to shift while tearing up my backyard in the process. Another thing i will never forget is listening to my grandfathers stories of his youth and how things were when he was our age. He is a short, jolly old man with long grey hair. My younger cousins would all sit in front of him while he would tell them his far-fetched stories with a glass of whiskey on the rocks in his hand and a lit Marlboro in between his wrinkly fingers. His stories would always stop abruptly as the smell of a well cooked meal lingered in the air as the meal was complete.
Dinner was always the best part of the day, there was dish after dish of everything you can imagine lined up in an orderly fashion. At the front of the table was the chicken and turkey, my grandmother always made sure to separate the white meat from the dark. Next, was the meatballs and sausage mixed with a savoury red tomato sauce. After that came the squash and buttery mashed potatoes with steaming hot gravy poured on top. As you got further down the line your plate would be piled so high up with food you had to stack everything on top of each other. There was sweet baby corn, stuffing and my all time favorite a spicy shrimp my grandmother specialized in. I can taste the meal just thinking about it. My grandmother always made everything the same it seemed like she had cooking down to an exact science. During the meal you would never hear a peep from the family because everyone was so busy chowing down their meal. After everyone was done we would all relax on the couch and sometimes fall asleep. I knew I would miss her cooking when my grandmother had passed.
I felt like Thanksgiving would never be the same again, but aside from her cooking and the setting it still remains my favorite holiday. The mood is still cheerful and my grandfather still tells his far-fetched stories with the same drink in his hand. For some reason I dreaded the day the year after she had passed fearing that it would never be the same or it somehow would be awkward without her there to enjoy the day with us. But i realized that although the scene may change, your family will always remain the same.
Ever since I can remember my favorite holiday has been Thanksgiving. Some of the greatest memories occurred at my grandmothers house on this joyful holiday. My family would all gather at her house early in day to feast and catch up with one another. This all changed last year when my grandmother passed away at the age of 78. She was a very happy women and an extremely good cook. When i first found out we would no longer be getting together at her house I was devastated, all of the great times I had there flashed in my head like I was there again.
Waking up bright and early on a crisp November day eager to visit family members and eat a ton of food. There was always cars lined up down the street because of such a big family we have. It was always the same walking into her house. The smell of stale smoke, the colorful paintings on the wall, a beautiful crystal chandelier hanging over a long marble table where we all eat. All added to a very comfortable feel entering her home. I always get the feeling of deja-vu every time I enter the house, my aunts are all sitting at the dinner table gossiping while my grandmother is cooking at the stove and all of my cousins and uncles are sitting on the couch watching the Thanksgiving football game.
As we wait for our feast, I usually sit and talk with my two cousins Nick and Avery. The three of us were born in the month of November, 1989 so needless to say we are very close. Nick is short with long, shiny black hair and always had a smile on his face. Avery is very tall with dirty blond hair and a scar under his lip from a dirt bike accident he suffered back when we were younger. We all have the same general likes and dislikes from sports to music.The three of us have been riding dirt bikes together since we were about 8 or 9. I can remember teaching Nick how to shift while tearing up my backyard in the process. Another thing i will never forget is listening to my grandfathers stories of his youth and how things were when he was our age. He is a short, jolly old man with long grey hair. My younger cousins would all sit in front of him while he would tell them his far-fetched stories with a glass of whiskey on the rocks in his hand and a lit Marlboro in between his wrinkly fingers. His stories would always stop abruptly as the smell of a well cooked meal lingered in the air as the meal was complete.
Dinner was always the best part of the day, there was dish after dish of everything you can imagine lined up in an orderly fashion. At the front of the table was the chicken and turkey, my grandmother always made sure to separate the white meat from the dark. Next, was the meatballs and sausage mixed with a savoury red tomato sauce. After that came the squash and buttery mashed potatoes with steaming hot gravy poured on top. As you got further down the line your plate would be piled so high up with food you had to stack everything on top of each other. There was sweet baby corn, stuffing and my all time favorite a spicy shrimp my grandmother specialized in. I can taste the meal just thinking about it. My grandmother always made everything the same it seemed like she had cooking down to an exact science. During the meal you would never hear a peep from the family because everyone was so busy chowing down their meal. After everyone was done we would all relax on the couch and sometimes fall asleep. I knew I would miss her cooking when my grandmother had passed.
I felt like Thanksgiving would never be the same again, but aside from her cooking and the setting it still remains my favorite holiday. The mood is still cheerful and my grandfather still tells his far-fetched stories with the same drink in his hand. For some reason I dreaded the day the year after she had passed fearing that it would never be the same or it somehow would be awkward without her there to enjoy the day with us. But i realized that although the scene may change, your family will always remain the same.
Monday, September 21, 2009
My Personal Essay
It took me about two weeks to decide what my topic for the personal essay should be. I thought about certain points in my life that were important, devistating and life-changing. After thining of these experiences i wrote them all down and took out ideas that were incriminating or ones that i did'nt feel comfortable writing about. I finally chose my topic and started jotting down ideas i can use in my essay. Next step --writing it.
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