Essay on Marijuana Addiction in Adolescents - 630 Words

Marijuana Addiction in Adolescents Marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs in the Nation and the world. In an article by Gray (2007) he states that â€Å"42% of high school seniors have tried marijuana, 18% have used it in the past 30 days, and 5% use it daily. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, 3.6% met criteria for cannabis use disorder (abuse or dependence) and 2% met criteria for cannabis dependence†. Gray (2007) also explains how easily adolescents say it is to obtain marijuana these days. The article also states that there is evidence to prove that marijuana use may lead to â€Å"hard† drug use, academic failure, and more. With those who use marijuana chronically it may lead to impairing of the immune†¦show more content†¦Since the DSM-IV has been released, significant evidence has been found that withdrawal from marijuana can be supported. Gray (2007) explains that symptoms of marijuana withdrawal may include the following â€Å"emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms th at include anger and aggression, anxiety, decreased appetite and weight loss, irritability, restlessness, and sleep difficulty. Less frequent but sometimes present are depressed mood, stomach pain and physical discomfort, shakiness, and sweating†. Withdrawal for marijuana and most substances usually occurs within twenty-four hours of termination. The symptoms of withdrawal may last from days to weeks. Gray (2007) states that recently adolescents have been the focus of marijuana withdrawal and there have been studies done to observe how adolescents act in a treatment center and on their own. Throughout the process of cessation of marijuana, cravings do occur, just like with many other substances. Gray (2007) says that â€Å"cravings and urges are considered to reflect the fundamental motivational processes that maintain continued drug use†. A paradigm was created to test cravings for marijuana on adolescents who have recently stopped using. In this paradigm a rese archer presents cues associated with marijuana, for example: drug paraphernalia, the sight of someone smoking, the smell of the marijuana, etc. This has shown to increase cravings for the substance, also, a higher heart rate hasShow MoreRelatedMarijuana Is A Safe And Non Addictive Drug1094 Words   |  5 Pagesis Marijuana, which is made from a Cannabis plant (Merrill 308). Many people have come to the conclusion that Marijuana is a safe and non-addictive drug because of the legalization of Marijuana in the United States. Unbeknown to the public, the carcinogenic compounds are actually greater in Marijuana than in cigarettes (Cohen, qtd. in Margolis 9). Subsequently, studies show that Marijuana ultimately impacts every primary system in the body (Margolis 12). Furthermore, over the years Marijuana hasRead MoreThe Psychology Of Addictive Behaviors1333 Words   |  6 PagesPsychology of Addictive Behaviors in the life of Adolescence When dealing with addictive behaviors in Psychology, people find that adolescents are more likely to get involved with addictions and uncontrollable wants with things such as alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex, and much more. With those subjects listed, the age groups more prone to opening up doors to these addictions are the ages of 18-23. This is said for a number of reasons. There is loneliness from living away from home, there is more personalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legal?1604 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana can be a very addicting drug to most people, especially young adults. 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In 1996, California voters passed Proposition (215) making it the first state to allow medical marijuana, Since that time 22 states, the district of Columbia and Guam have enacted similar laws (National ConferenceRead MoreEssay on Alcohol vs Marijuana1537 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol vs Marijuana There is no culture in the history of mankind that did not ever use some kind (kinds) of drugs. Despite the well-known consequences of drug addiction, millions of people constantly consume different legal and illegal drugs. Affecting peoples mind and changing their behavior, drugs become one of the most threatening factors of social risk, resulting in increasing rates of mortality, aggressive and criminal behavior, and dissolution of social ties. This paper is devoted toRead MoreDrug Use On Young College Students1079 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction In 2013, more high school seniors regularly used marijuana than cigarettes as 22.7 percent smoked pot in the last month, compared to 16.3 percent who smoked cigarettes. Sixty percent of seniors don t see regular marijuana use as harmful, but THC (the active ingredient in the drug that causes addiction) is nearly five times stronger than it was 20 years ago. One-third of teenagers who live in States with medical marijuana laws get their pot from other people s prescriptions. The UnitedRead MoreDrug Use Among Medical Marijuana Laws Get Their Pot From Other People s Prescriptions1039 Words   |  5 PagesIn 2013, more high school seniors regularly used marijuana than cigarettes as 22.7 percent smoked pot in the last month, compared to 16.3 percent who smoked cigarettes. Sixty percent of seniors don t see regular marijuana use as harmful, but THC (the active ingredient in the drug that causes addiction) is nearly five times stronger than it was 20 years ago. One-third of teenagers wh o live in States with medical marijuana laws get their pot from other people s prescriptions. The United States representsRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuan A Controversial Issue Essay1299 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Marijuana A controversial issue relating to the legalization of Marijuana has been brought to the attention of the public. Many Americans support the legalization of marijuana for numerous reasons, such as it is a useful aid to alleviate medical ailments and it has a low risk of abuse; nevertheless, others people do not believe that the marijuana should be legalized. When the practical reasoning is involved, however, I believed that the positive impacts of remaining marijuana illegal outweighRead MoreAdolescence And Addictions : Addiction And Addiction894 Words   |  4 PagesAdolescence and Addictions Adolescence that are faced with drug addictions are considered addicts with undeniable habits of drug use and little to no concerns of long term effects on the brain. Most drug additions whether prescription, narcotic, or alcohol, causes detrimental effect on the brain that impacts ones behaviors and thought process in making precise decisions in daily activities. Brain diseases are rapid among drug users for long periods of time that in turn can destroy the ones opportunityRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?911 Words   |  4 Pageswhether Marijuana should be legalized or kept illegal. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in America, of the nearly twenty million current drug users, 14.6 million are using marijuana (National 73) . 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Angels Demons Chapter 121-125 Free Essays

121 The camerlegno erupted through the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica at exactly 11:56 P.M. We will write a custom essay sample on Angels Demons Chapter 121-125 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He staggered into the dazzling glare of the world spotlight, carrying the antimatter before him like some sort of numinous offering. Through burning eyes he could see his own form, half-naked and wounded, towering like a giant on the media screens around the square. The roar that went up from the crowd in St. Peter’s Square was like none the camerlegno had ever heard – crying, screaming, chanting, praying†¦ a mix of veneration and terror. Deliver us from evil, he whispered. He felt totally depleted from his race out of the Necropolis. It had almost ended in disaster. Robert Langdon and Vittoria Vetra had wanted to intercept him, to throw the canister back into its subterranean hiding place, to run outside for cover. Blind fools! The camerlegno realized now, with fearful clarity, that on any other night, he would never have won the race. Tonight, however, God again had been with him. Robert Langdon, on the verge of overtaking the camerlegno, had been grabbed by Chartrand, ever trusting and dutiful to the camerlegno’s demands for faith. The reporters, of course, were spellbound and lugging too much equipment to interfere. The Lord works in mysterious ways. The camerlegno could hear the others behind him now†¦ see them on the screens, closing in. Mustering the last of his physical strength, he raised the antimatter high over his head. Then, throwing back his bare shoulders in an act of defiance to the Illuminati brand on his chest, he dashed down the stairs. There was one final act. Godspeed, he thought. Godspeed. Four minutes†¦ Langdon could barely see as he burst out of the basilica. Again the sea of media lights bore into his retinas. All he could make out was the murky outline of the camerlegno, directly ahead of him, running down the stairs. For an instant, refulgent in his halo of media lights, the camerlegno looked celestial, like some kind of modern deity. His cassock was at his waist like a shroud. His body was scarred and wounded by the hands of his enemies, and still he endured. The camerlegno ran on, standing tall, calling out to the world to have faith, running toward the masses carrying this weapon of destruction. Langdon ran down the stairs after him. What is he doing? He will kill them all! â€Å"Satan’s work,† the camerlegno screamed, â€Å"has no place in the House of God!† He ran on toward a now terrified crowd. â€Å"Father!† Langdon screamed, behind him. â€Å"There’s nowhere to go!† â€Å"Look to the heavens! We forget to look to the heavens!† In that moment, as Langdon saw where the camerlegno was headed, the glorious truth came flooding all around him. Although Langdon could not see it on account of the lights, he knew their salvation was directly overhead. A star-filled Italian sky. The escape route. The helicopter the camerlegno had summoned to take him to the hospital sat dead ahead, pilot already in the cockpit, blades already humming in neutral. As the camerlegno ran toward it, Langdon felt a sudden overwhelming exhilaration. The thoughts that tore through Langdon’s mind came as a torrent†¦ First he pictured the wide-open expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. How far was it? Five miles? Ten? He knew the beach at Fiumocino was only about seven minutes by train. But by helicopter, 200 miles an hour, no stops†¦ If they could fly the canister far enough out to sea, and drop it†¦ There were other options too, he realized, feeling almost weightless as he ran. La Cava Romana! The marble quarries north of the city were less than three miles away. How large were they? Two square miles? Certainly they were deserted at this hour! Dropping the canister there†¦ â€Å"Everyone back!† the camerlegno yelled. His chest ached as he ran. â€Å"Get away! Now!† The Swiss Guard standing around the chopper stood slack-jawed as the camerlegno approached them. â€Å"Back!† the priest screamed. The guards moved back. With the entire world watching in wonder, the camerlegno ran around the chopper to the pilot’s door and yanked it open. â€Å"Out, son! Now!† The guard jumped out. The camerlegno looked at the high cockpit seat and knew that in his exhausted state, he would need both hands to pull himself up. He turned to the pilot, trembling beside him, and thrust the canister into his hands. â€Å"Hold this. Hand it back when I’m in.† As the camerlegno pulled himself up, he could hear Robert Langdon yelling excitedly, running toward the craft. Now you understand, the camerlegno thought. Now you have faith! The camerlegno pulled himself up into the cockpit, adjusted a few familiar levers, and then turned back to his window for the canister. But the guard to whom he had given the canister stood empty-handed. â€Å"He took it!† the guard yelled. The camerlegno felt his heart seize. â€Å"Who!† The guard pointed. â€Å"Him!† Robert Langdon was surprised by how heavy the canister was. He ran to the other side of the chopper and jumped in the rear compartment where he and Vittoria had sat only hours ago. He left the door open and buckled himself in. Then he yelled to the camerlegno in the front seat. â€Å"Fly, Father!† The camerlegno craned back at Langdon, his face bloodless with dread. â€Å"What are you doing!† â€Å"You fly! I’ll throw!† Langdon barked. â€Å"There’s no time! Just fly the blessed chopper!† The camerlegno seemed momentarily paralyzed, the media lights glaring through the cockpit darkening the creases in his face. â€Å"I can do this alone,† he whispered. â€Å"I am supposed to do this alone.† Langdon wasn’t listening. Fly! he heard himself screaming. Now! I’m here to help you! Langdon looked down at the canister and felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw the numbers. â€Å"Three minutes, Father! Three!† The number seemed to stun the camerlegno back to sobriety. Without hesitation, he turned back to the controls. With a grinding roar, the helicopter lifted off. Through a swirl of dust, Langdon could see Vittoria running toward the chopper. Their eyes met, and then she dropped away like a sinking stone. 122 Inside the chopper, the whine of the engines and the gale from the open door assaulted Langdon’s senses with a deafening chaos. He steadied himself against the magnified drag of gravity as the camerlegno accelerated the craft straight up. The glow of St. Peter’s Square shrank beneath them until it was an amorphous glowing ellipse radiating in a sea of city lights. The antimatter canister felt like deadweight in Langdon’s hands. He held tighter, his palms slick now with sweat and blood. Inside the trap, the globule of antimatter hovered calmly, pulsing red in the glow of the LED countdown clock. â€Å"Two minutes!† Langdon yelled, wondering where the camerlegno intended to drop the canister. The city lights beneath them spread out in all directions. In the distance to the west, Langdon could see the twinkling delineation of the Mediterranean coast – a jagged border of luminescence beyond which spread an endless dark expanse of nothingness. The sea looked farther now than Langdon had imagined. Moreover, the concentration of lights at the coast was a stark reminder that even far out at sea an explosion might have devastating effects. Langdon had not even considered the effects of a ten-kiloton tidal wave hitting the coast. When Langdon turned and looked straight ahead through the cockpit window, he was more hopeful. Directly in front of them, the rolling shadows of the Roman foothills loomed in the night. The hills were spotted with lights – the villas of the very wealthy – but a mile or so north, the hills grew dark. There were no lights at all – just a huge pocket of blackness. Nothing. The quarries! Langdon thought. La Cava Romana! Staring intently at the barren pocket of land, Langdon sensed that it was plenty large enough. It seemed close, too. Much closer than the ocean. Excitement surged through him. This was obviously where the camerlegno planned to take the antimatter! The chopper was pointing directly toward it! The quarries! Oddly, however, as the engines strained louder and the chopper hurtled through the air, Langdon could see that the quarries were not getting any closer. Bewildered, he shot a glance out the side door to get his bearings. What he saw doused his excitement in a wave of panic. Directly beneath them, thousands of feet straight down, glowed the media lights in St. Peter’s Square. We’re still over the Vatican! â€Å"Camerlegno!† Langdon choked. â€Å"Go forward! We’re high enough! You’ve got to start moving forward! We can’t drop the canister back over Vatican City!† The camerlegno did not reply. He appeared to be concentrating on flying the craft. â€Å"We’ve got less than two minutes!† Langdon shouted, holding up the canister. â€Å"I can see them! La Cava Romana! A couple of miles north! We don’t have – â€Å" â€Å"No,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"It’s far too dangerous. I’m sorry.† As the chopper continued to claw heavenward, the camerlegno turned and gave Langdon a mournful smile. â€Å"I wish you had not come, my friend. You have made the ultimate sacrifice.† Langdon looked in the camerlegno’s exhausted eyes and suddenly understood. His blood turned to ice. â€Å"But†¦ there must be somewhere we can go!† â€Å"Up,† the camerlegno replied, his voice resigned. â€Å"It’s the only guarantee.† Langdon could barely think. He had entirely misinterpreted the camerlegno’s plan. Look to the heavens! Heaven, Langdon now realized, was literally where he was headed. The camerlegno had never intended to drop the antimatter. He was simply getting it as far away from Vatican City as humanly possible. This was a one-way trip. 123 In St. Peter’s Square, Vittoria Vetra stared upward. The helicopter was a speck now, the media lights no longer reaching it. Even the pounding of the rotors had faded to a distant hum. It seemed, in that instant, that the entire world was focused upward, silenced in anticipation, necks craned to the heavens†¦ all peoples, all faiths†¦ all hearts beating as one. Vittoria’s emotions were a cyclone of twisting agonies. As the helicopter disappeared from sight, she pictured Robert’s face, rising above her. What had he been thinking? Didn’t he understand? Around the square, television cameras probed the darkness, waiting. A sea of faces stared heavenward, united in a silent countdown. The media screens all flickered the same tranquil scene†¦ a Roman sky illuminated with brilliant stars. Vittoria felt the tears begin to well. Behind her on the marble escarpment, 161 cardinals stared up in silent awe. Some folded their hands in prayer. Most stood motionless, transfixed. Some wept. The seconds ticked past. In homes, bars, businesses, airports, hospitals around the world, souls were joined in universal witness. Men and women locked hands. Others held their children. Time seemed to hover in limbo, souls suspended in unison. Then, cruelly, the bells of St. Peter’s began to toll. Vittoria let the tears come. Then†¦ with the whole world watching†¦ time ran out. The dead silence of the event was the most terrifying of all. High above Vatican City, a pinpoint of light appeared in the sky. For a fleeting instant, a new heavenly body had been born†¦ a speck of light as pure and white as anyone had ever seen. Then it happened. A flash. The point billowed, as if feeding on itself, unraveling across the sky in a dilating radius of blinding white. It shot out in all directions, accelerating with incomprehensible speed, gobbling up the dark. As the sphere of light grew, it intensified, like a burgeoning fiend preparing to consume the entire sky. It raced downward, toward them, picking up speed. Blinded, the multitudes of starkly lit human faces gasped as one, shielding their eyes, crying out in strangled fear. As the light roared out in all directions, the unimaginable occurred. As if bound by God’s own will, the surging radius seemed to hit a wall. It was as if the explosion were contained somehow in a giant glass sphere. The light rebounded inward, sharpening, rippling across itself. The wave appeared to have reached a predetermined diameter and hovered there. For that instant, a perfect and silent sphere of light glowed over Rome. Night had become day. Then it hit. The concussion was deep and hollow – a thunderous shock wave from above. It descended on them like the wrath of hell, shaking the granite foundation of Vatican City, knocking the breath out of people’s lungs, sending others stumbling backward. The reverberation circled the colonnade, followed by a sudden torrent of warm air. The wind tore through the square, letting out a sepulchral moan as it whistled through the columns and buffeted the walls. Dust swirled overhead as people huddled†¦ witnesses to Armageddon. Then, as fast as it appeared, the sphere imploded, sucking back in on itself, crushing inward to the tiny point of light from which it had come. 124 Never before had so many been so silent. The faces in St. Peter’s Square, one by one, averted their eyes from the darkening sky and turned downward, each person in his or her own private moment of wonder. The media lights followed suit, dropping their beams back to earth as if out of reverence for the blackness now settling upon them. It seemed for a moment the entire world was bowing its head in unison. Cardinal Mortati knelt to pray, and the other cardinals joined him. The Swiss Guard lowered their long swords and stood numb. No one spoke. No one moved. Everywhere, hearts shuddered with spontaneous emotion. Bereavement. Fear. Wonder. Belief. And a dread-filled respect for the new and awesome power they had just witnessed. Vittoria Vetra stood trembling at the foot of the basilica’s sweeping stairs. She closed her eyes. Through the tempest of emotions now coursing through her blood, a single word tolled like a distant bell. Pristine. Cruel. She forced it away. And yet the word echoed. Again she drove it back. The pain was too great. She tried to lose herself in the images that blazed in other’s minds†¦ antimatter’s mind-boggling power†¦ the Vatican’s deliverance†¦ the camerlegno†¦ feats of bravery†¦ miracles†¦ selflessness. And still the word echoed†¦ tolling through the chaos with a stinging loneliness. Robert. He had come for her at Castle St. Angelo. He had saved her. And now he had been destroyed by her creation. As Cardinal Mortati prayed, he wondered if he too would hear God’s voice as the camerlegno had. Does one need to believe in miracles to experience them? Mortati was a modern man in an ancient faith. Miracles had never played a part in his belief. Certainly his faith spoke of miracles†¦ bleeding palms, ascensions from the dead, imprints on shrouds†¦ and yet, Mortati’s rational mind had always justified these accounts as part of the myth. They were simply the result of man’s greatest weakness – his need for proof. Miracles were nothing but stories we all clung to because we wished they were true. And yet†¦ Am I so modern that I cannot accept what my eyes have just witnessed? It was a miracle, was it not? Yes! God, with a few whispered words in the camerlegno’s ear, had intervened and saved this church. Why was this so hard to believe? What would it say about God if God had done nothing? That the Almighty did not care? That He was powerless to stop it? A miracle was the only possible response! As Mortati knelt in wonder, he prayed for the camerlegno’s soul. He gave thanks to the young chamberlain who, even in his youthful years, had opened this old man’s eyes to the miracles of unquestioning faith. Incredibly, though, Mortati never suspected the extent to which his faith was about to be tested†¦ The silence of St. Peter’s Square broke with a ripple at first. The ripple grew to a murmur. And then, suddenly, to a roar. Without warning, the multitudes were crying out as one. â€Å"Look! Look!† Mortati opened his eyes and turned to the crowd. Everyone was pointing behind him, toward the front of St. Peter’s Basilica. Their faces were white. Some fell to their knees. Some fainted. Some burst into uncontrollable sobs. â€Å"Look! Look!† Mortati turned, bewildered, following their outstretched hands. They were pointing to the uppermost level of the basilica, the rooftop terrace, where huge statues of Christ and his apostles watched over the crowd. There, on the right of Jesus, arms outstretched to the world†¦ stood Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca. 125 Robert Langdon was no longer falling. There was no more terror. No pain. Not even the sound of the racing wind. There was only the soft sound of lapping water, as though he were comfortably asleep on a beach. In a paradox of self-awareness, Langdon sensed this was death. He felt glad for it. He allowed the drifting numbness to possess him entirely. He let it carry him wherever it was he would go. His pain and fear had been anesthetized, and he did not wish it back at any price. His final memory had been one that could only have been conjured in hell. Take me. Please†¦ But the lapping that lulled in him a far-off sense of peace was also pulling him back. It was trying to awaken him from a dream. No! Let me be! He did not want to awaken. He sensed demons gathering on the perimeter of his bliss, pounding to shatter his rapture. Fuzzy images swirled. Voices yelled. Wind churned. No, please! The more he fought, the more the fury filtered through. Then, harshly, he was living it all again†¦ The helicopter was in a dizzying dead climb. He was trapped inside. Beyond the open door, the lights of Rome looked farther away with every passing second. His survival instinct told him to jettison the canister right now. Langdon knew it would take less than twenty seconds for the canister to fall half a mile. But it would be falling toward a city of people. Higher! Higher! Langdon wondered how high they were now. Small prop planes, he knew, flew at altitudes of about four miles. This helicopter had to be at a good fraction of that by now. Two miles up? Three? There was still a chance. If they timed the drop perfectly, the canister would fall only partway toward earth, exploding a safe distance over the ground and away from the chopper. Langdon looked out at the city sprawling below them. â€Å"And if you calculate incorrectly?† the camerlegno said. Langdon turned, startled. The camerlegno was not even looking at him, apparently having read Langdon’s thoughts from the ghostly reflection in the windshield. Oddly, the camerlegno was no longer engrossed in his controls. His hands were not even on the throttle. The chopper, it seemed, was now in some sort of autopilot mode, locked in a climb. The camerlegno reached above his head, to the ceiling of the cockpit, fishing behind a cable-housing, where he removed a key, taped there out of view. Langdon watched in bewilderment as the camerlegno quickly unlocked the metal cargo box bolted between the seats. He removed some sort of large, black, nylon pack. He lay it on the seat next to him. Langdon’s thoughts churned. The camerlegno’s movements seemed composed, as if he had a solution. â€Å"Give me the canister,† the camerlegno said, his tone serene. Langdon did not know what to think anymore. He thrust the canister to the camerlegno. â€Å"Ninety seconds!† What the camerlegno did with the antimatter took Langdon totally by surprise. Holding the canister carefully in his hands, the camerlegno placed it inside the cargo box. Then he closed the heavy lid and used the key to lock it tight. â€Å"What are you doing!† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Leading us from temptation.† The camerlegno threw the key out the open window. As the key tumbled into the night, Langdon felt his soul falling with it. The camerlegno then took the nylon pack and slipped his arms through the straps. He fastened a waist clamp around his stomach and cinched it all down like a backpack. He turned to a dumbstruck Robert Langdon. â€Å"I’m sorry,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.† Then he opened his door and hurled himself into the night. The image burned in Langdon’s unconscious mind, and with it came the pain. Real pain. Physical pain. Aching. Searing. He begged to be taken, to let it end, but as the water lapped louder in his ears, new images began to flash. His hell had only just begun. He saw bits and pieces. Scattered frames of sheer panic. He lay halfway between death and nightmare, begging for deliverance, but the pictures grew brighter in his mind. The antimatter canister was locked out of reach. It counted relentlessly downward as the chopper shot upward. Fifty seconds. Higher. Higher. Langdon spun wildly in the cabin, trying to make sense of what he had just seen. Forty-five seconds. He dug under seats searching for another parachute. Forty seconds. There was none! There had to be an option! Thirty-five seconds. He raced to the open doorway of the chopper and stood in the raging wind, gazing down at the lights of Rome below. Thirty-two seconds. And then he made the choice. The unbelievable choice†¦ With no parachute, Robert Langdon had jumped out the door. As the night swallowed his tumbling body, the helicopter seemed to rocket off above him, the sound of its rotors evaporating in the deafening rush of his own free fall. As he plummeted toward earth, Robert Langdon felt something he had not experienced since his years on the high dive – the inexorable pull of gravity during a dead drop. The faster he fell, the harder the earth seemed to pull, sucking him down. This time, however, the drop was not fifty feet into a pool. The drop was thousands of feet into a city – an endless expanse of pavement and concrete. Somewhere in the torrent of wind and desperation, Kohler’s voice echoed from the grave†¦ words he had spoken earlier this morning standing at CERN’s free-fall tube. One square yard of drag will slow a falling body almost twenty percent. Twenty percent, Langdon now realized, was not even close to what one would need to survive a fall like this. Nonetheless, more out of paralysis than hope, he clenched in his hands the sole object he had grabbed from the chopper on his way out the door. It was an odd memento, but it was one that for a fleeting instant had given him hope. The windshield tarp had been lying in the back of the helicopter. It was a concave rectangle – about four yards by two – like a huge fitted sheet†¦ the crudest approximation of a parachute imaginable. It had no harness, only bungie loops at either end for fastening it to the curvature of the windshield. Langdon had grabbed it, slid his hands through the loops, held on, and leapt out into the void. His last great act of youthful defiance. No illusions of life beyond this moment. Langdon fell like a rock. Feet first. Arms raised. His hands gripping the loops. The tarp billowed like a mushroom overhead. The wind tore past him violently. As he plummeted toward earth, there was a deep explosion somewhere above him. It seemed farther off than he had expected. Almost instantly, the shock wave hit. He felt the breath crushed from his lungs. There was a sudden warmth in the air all around him. He fought to hold on. A wall of heat raced down from above. The top of the tarp began to smolder†¦ but held. Langdon rocketed downward, on the edge of a billowing shroud of light, feeling like a surfer trying to outrun a thousand-foot tidal wave. Then suddenly, the heat receded. He was falling again through the dark coolness. For an instant, Langdon felt hope. A moment later, though, that hope faded like the withdrawing heat above. Despite his straining arms assuring him that the tarp was slowing his fall, the wind still tore past his body with deafening velocity. Langdon had no doubt he was still moving too fast to survive the fall. He would be crushed when he hit the ground. Mathematical figures tumbled through his brain, but he was too numb to make sense of them†¦ one square yard of drag†¦ 20 percent reduction of speed. All Langdon could figure was that the tarp over his head was big enough to slow him more than 20 percent. Unfortunately, though, he could tell from the wind whipping past him that whatever good the tarp was doing was not enough. He was still falling fast†¦ there would be no surviving the impact on the waiting sea of concrete. Beneath him, the lights of Rome spread out in all directions. The city looked like an enormous starlit sky that Langdon was falling into. The perfect expanse of stars was marred only by a dark strip that split the city in two – a wide, unlit ribbon that wound through the dots of light like a fat snake. Langdon stared down at the meandering swatch of black. Suddenly, like the surging crest of an unexpected wave, hope filled him again. With almost maniacal vigor, Langdon yanked down hard with his right hand on the canopy. The tarp suddenly flapped louder, billowing, cutting right to find the path of least resistance. Langdon felt himself drifting sideways. He pulled again, harder, ignoring the pain in his palm. The tarp flared, and Langdon sensed his body sliding laterally. Not much. But some! He looked beneath him again, to the sinuous serpent of black. It was off to the right, but he was still pretty high. Had he waited too long? He pulled with all his might and accepted somehow that it was now in the hands of God. He focused hard on the widest part of the serpent and†¦ for the first time in his life, prayed for a miracle. The rest was a blur. The darkness rushing up beneath him†¦ the diving instincts coming back†¦ the reflexive locking of his spine and pointing of the toes†¦ the inflating of his lungs to protect his vital organs†¦ the flexing of his legs into a battering ram†¦ and finally†¦ the thankfulness that the winding Tiber River was raging†¦ making its waters frothy and air-filled†¦ and three times softer than standing water. Then there was impact†¦ and blackness. It had been the thundering sound of the flapping canopy that drew the group’s eyes away from the fireball in the sky. The sky above Rome had been filled with sights tonight†¦ a skyrocketing helicopter, an enormous explosion, and now this strange object that had plummeted into the churning waters of the Tiber River, directly off the shore of the river’s tiny island, Isola Tiberina. Ever since the island had been used to quarantine the sick during the Roman plague of A.D. 1656, it had been thought to have mystic healing properties. For this reason, the island had later become the site for Rome’s Hospital Tiberina. The body was battered when they pulled it onto shore. The man still had a faint pulse, which was amazing, they thought. They wondered if it was Isola Tiberina’s mythical reputation for healing that had somehow kept his heart pumping. Minutes later, when the man began coughing and slowly regained consciousness, the group decided the island must indeed be magical. How to cite Angels Demons Chapter 121-125, Essay examples

Early Childhood Education Past and Present Essay Example For Students

Early Childhood Education Past and Present Essay Early Childhood Education Past and Present In order to decide how past philosophies, theories and educational models have influenced present Ideas and practices related to early childhood education, we must first decide where we would like to begin. I will start with the ideas of Aristotle, because I believe his Ideas on mà ªlà ©es or Imitations are evident In the evolution of early education, and will always be an integral part of effective learning. Once we understand that children learn and practice what they see in others, we begin to realize the need for dedication and devotion from parents and teachers. Aristotle was a student of Plato who argued for the early removal of children from their parents so that they could be cared for In a school Like setting. (Schwartz 1997) As we look back at history itself, we can see that the role of childhood education has been dependent upon the immediate needs and beliefs of a particular society. There have also been many individuals In the past 200 years who are responsible for creating theories and philosophies based on their observations of children and what Is vital to them as they develop Into adults. However, It Is Important that we recognize owe new ideas are not formed independently, but built upon old ones. As educators, we must utilize what we notice to be effective, as well as the things that impacted us most as children In an educational setting. The strategies and philosophies that Eve implemented in particular are borrowed from several individuals including Erikson, Viscosity and Gardener. Erosions psychosocial theory covers eight stages, each one built upon. And reliant on its predecessor. The first four are of greatest relevance, but the remaining four are worthy of a close look because it Is Important to know where youre going when deciding upon the best way to get there. These stages also remind me of the importance of satisfying basic need, and of considering children as little people who need to believe in success before they can achieve it. Its one of the reasons why I would occasionally go to recess with my students. I was able to observe how they treated and responded to others in a seemingly more relaxed, social setting. For some children, recess Is by far the most stressful twenty minutes of the day. The incredibly minimal amount of time given to y students was another reason I felt it was necessary to attend. I could get a kick ball game set up so they could make the best of what little time they had However, I must be honest, I still love to play, and demonstrating good sportsmanship and a competitive spoilt to my kids was as Important as the preparation for any test we had to look forward to. Lastly, I had a sixth grade teacher who used to do the same thing and I remember it vividly and extremely fondly. Mind Gardeners theory of multiple Intelligence extremely helpful while building inference in kids whose gifts were not overly apparent on the field at recess. I have and will always encourage students to recognize and display these gifts while still maintaining a certain degree of humility (Hyssop 2004) Eve always kept examples of completed activities inside and outside my classroom and anywhere else I could find space In order to, among other things, Initiate discussions about pride as well as OFF TTY our classroom clearly demonstrated ten Tact Tanat comfort Ana Admiralty were held in high regard. An equal emphasis was placed on respect, and this is the rod that was constantly spelled out on the board. As my class or one of my students showed an obvious lack of respect, one of the letters would be erased. They would be put back as we were respectful of one another, and if the word was entirely spelled out on Friday afternoon, we would have a social gathering for the last half hour of the day. If we were to walk into most, if not all early childhood educational settings, we would find many things that were initiated or influenced by past theorists or philosophers. .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 , .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .postImageUrl , .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 , .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:hover , .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:visited , .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:active { border:0!important; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:active , .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1 .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub48b0e39cc6d588d4b66e82e06810ee1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Adversity EssayWe would notice blocks or other creative building materials. There would be areas to encourage cooperative learning, and most would reflect what is thought to be developmentally appropriate for the range of members in the class. When determining what types of play are developmentally appropriate, we need to consider all individuals, and the fact that differences will exist. Members of a class who are either gifted or struggling should not have to suffer because of what is thought to be developmentally appropriate. These differences should be expected, utilized and appreciated. Computers, for example, will run programs with varying agrees of difficulty depending upon what is developmentally appropriate for an individual. As concerns continue to grow over bridging the gap between early education students, government intervention has and will continue to grow. An increase in assessments is inevitable, and even smaller amounts of time will be devoted to active learning, exploration and play. The changes that in fact need to be made are those that reflect the ideas of the great minds of theorists who dedicated their lives in order to determine the most effective methods of early childhood education.

The Pentecostal Movement Has Been Marred Deeply Religion Essay Example

The Pentecostal Movement Has Been Marred Deeply Religion Essay From its origin the Pentecostal motion has been marred profoundly by dirts, as we have documented in our illustrated 317-page book The Pentecostal-Charismatic Motions: Its History and Its Error. If the motion had the comprehensiveness of the Holy Spirit smarm and power that it claims, we would non see such an exhibition of the flesh, but in fact moral and other dirts have continued to blight it in recent history. The followers are some outstanding illustrations: In 1977 ORAL ROBERTS claimed that God had appeared to him and instructed him to construct a medical centre called the CITY OF FAITH. In 1980 he claimed that he had a face to face conversation with a 900-foot-tall The nazarene who told him that he was traveling to work out the City of Faith fiscal jobs. Seven old ages subsequently, Roberts said that God had appeared to him yet once more and told him that he would decease if he did non raise $ 8 million within 12 months. The wild-eyed visions and grim entreaties could non salvage the City of Faith. In 1989 Roberts closed it to pay off debts! Yet the Pentecostal universe in general did non condemn Roberts as a false prophesier and a spiritual hypocrite. Thousands continued to flock to ORU from Pentecostal churches across the state, and 1000000s of dollars continued to flux into Roberts ministry from fleeceable protagonists. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pentecostal Movement Has Been Marred Deeply Religion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Pentecostal Movement Has Been Marred Deeply Religion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Pentecostal Movement Has Been Marred Deeply Religion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In 1989 JIM BAKKER, caput of the really influential Pentecostal PTL telecasting plan went to prison for victimizing his followings out of $ 158 million. He was paroled in 1994 after functioning five old ages of a 45-year sentence. His test brought to illume his munificent life style, which included six epicurean places and even an air-conditioned Canis familiaris house. Prosecutors charged Bakker with deviating to his ain usage $ 3.7 million of the money that had been given to his ministry. Bakker besides committed criminal conversation with church secretary Jessica Hahn and paid more than $ 250,000 in an effort to hush up the affair. Bakker s married woman and the former co-host of the PTL Club, Tammy Faye, divorced him while he was in prison and married Roe Messner, an old household friend whose company helped construct PTL s Heritage USA resort composite. Today Tammy Faye has a non-judgmental ministry to homophiles. She appears at gay-pride events countrywide, including a Tamm y Faye look-alike competition in Washington, D.C. , where she was surrounded by work forces in falsies and pancake makeupaˆÂ ¦ ( Charisma News, November 2002 ) . In January 2000 Bakker told Larry King, Every individual who died in the [ Judaic ] Holocaust is in Eden. Bakker defended this dissident philosophy in a missive to the editor that appeared in Charisma magazine in June of that twelvemonth. A twelvemonth after the PTL dirt foremost hit the universe s headlines, JIMMY SWAGGART, one of the taking Pentecostal sermonizers of modern times, created his ain dirt when he was caught with a cocotte. At the clip, Swaggart had a 6,000-member fold in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a 270-acre central office, a Bible College, an influential telecasting ministry that reached to many parts of the universe ( broadcast on 9,700 Stationss and overseas telegram mercantile establishments ) , and a ministry income of $ 142-million per twelvemonth. Swaggart is the cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis and both can lb the piano, but whereas Jerry Lee pursued a showy stone A ; roll calling Jimmy pursued a showy Gospel calling. A study from a Swaggart campaign in Calgary, Alberta, described the gospel music at acid-rock volumes and said it is a good show with Swaggart hammering off at the expansive piano, sudating and gesticulating like Elvis Presley and working the audience like Frank Sinatra ( The Courie r News, Elgin, Ill. , May 20, 1991, p. 5A ) . Swaggart refused to remain off from the dais for a twelvemonth as the Assemblies of God in Louisiana stipulated for his subject, so he was disbarred but he continued prophesying anyhow. He lost three-quarterss of his telecasting audience and his Bible college pupils and a big per centum of his church members ; his fundss crumbled. But the Jimmy Swaggart dirt was nt over even though he claimed that when he asked God, Lord, do you still desire me to take this work? God replied decidedly, Yesssss! You re in better form today that you ve of all time been before ( Swaggart Back in Pulpit with Tales of Nightmares and Revelation, Religious News Service, May 23, 1988 ; reprinted in Christian News, June 3, 1988, p. 5 ) . In a telecasting broadcast in May 1988 Swaggart had the audaciousness to tout, You are looking at a clean sermonizer! and I do non lie! ( Don Matzat, The Same Ol Jimmy, Christian News, May 16, 1988 ) . Possibly this is because Swaggart had sought reding from Oral Roberts and Roberts had observed devils with long fingernails delving into Swaggart s flesh and had cast them out ( Huntsville Times, Huntsville, Alabama, AP study, March 31, 1988 ; reported from Calvary Contender, April 15, 1988 ) . Just like that. The dispossession did nt last though. In 1991 Swaggart was once more in hot H2O when constabulary in Indio, California, stopped him on a traffic charge and found that the adult female siting with him was a cocotte. In malice of all of this Swaggart is still tittuping, though his crowd is nt really big. On his Sept. 12, 2004, plan he said, I ve neer seen a adult male in my life I wanted to get married. And I m gon na be blunt and field ; if one of all time looks at me like that, I m gon na kill him and state God he died. By the 1980s Pentecostal revivalist PETER POPOFF had a ministry on 51 telecasting channels and 40 wireless Stationss and an one-year income of seven million dollars. He besides held mending campaigns in many metropoliss, during which he would exert a word of cognition by naming out the names, references, and unwellnesss of aliens who were in attending. In 1986 the intelligence broke that Popoff s astonishing disclosures were really broadcast to him by his married woman after she had conversed with members of the audience. She transmitted her information by wireless signal and Peter could hear her voice through a bantam receiving system in his ear. A squad of sceptics discovered the artifice and recorded the private broadcasts utilizing a scanning receiving system and entering equipment ( Los Angeles Times, May 11, 1986 ) . When questioned about the affair by John Dart, faith author for the Los Angeles Times, Popoff replied that his married woman merely supplied him with approxima tely 50 % of the information and the remainder he got from the Lord! Popoff was forced to register for bankruptcy in 1987 but by 1990 he was back in concern with a new book entitled Dreams, which he announced in a full-page ad in Charisma magazine ROBERT TILTON, who was voted one of the most popular Pentecostalists by Charisma magazine readers in 1983 and appeared on the screen of Charisma in July 1985, was the laminitis of the Word of Faith Satellite Network, host of Success-N-Life broadcasts, and laminitis and curate of the Word of Faith World Outreach Center in Farmers Branch, Texas. He taught the Kenneth Hagin Word-Faith philosophies and promised prosperity and healing to those who supported his ministry and exercised religion. He wrote, You are a God sort of animal ( Tilton, God s Laws of Success, pp. 170 71 ) . In 1990 he said: Being hapless is a wickedness, when God promises prosperity. New house? New auto? That s chicken provender. That s nil compared to what God wants to make for you ( John Macarthur, Charismatic Chaos, p. 285 ) . In 1991, when his ministry was taking in $ 80 million, Tilton s imperium was shaken when ABC-TV s PrimeTime Live exposed his excessive life style and his fly-by-night fund-raising patte rns. His estate included an 11,000-square-foot place near Dallas, a condominium in Florida, a yacht, and other assets deserving $ 90 million. The show reported that Tilton s ministry threw 1000s of unread supplication petitions into the rubbish even though Tilton claimed to pray over them. He had even claimed: I laid on top of those prayer petitions so much that the chemicals really got into my blood stream, and I had two little shots in my encephalon ( Robert Tilton, Success-N-Life, November 22, 1991 ) . Though Tilton protested that he was the victim of falsity and sued ABC for libel, the instance was thrown out of the tribunals. Because of the dirt Tilton lost much of his telecasting audience and most of his church members, but he is still on the air and still prophesying the prosperity Gospel and still imploring for contributions and still promising God s approval on those who give. In 1991 Kansas City prophesier BOB JONES tapes were removed from the Vineyard Ministries International merchandise catalog after he admitted to a moral failure ( Lee Grady, Wimber Plots New Course for Vineyard, Charisma, Feb. 1993, p. 64 ) . Jones was utilizing his alleged religious authorization and prophetic anointment to bring on adult females to undress. Pentecostal preacher JAMIE BUCKINGHAM ( 1933-92 ) was the writer of 40 books that sold 20 million transcripts, editor-in-chief of Ministries Today magazine, a editorialist for Charisma magazine, and curate of the 2,000-member Tabernacle Church in Melbourne, Florida. Buckingham began his ministry as a Southern Baptist curate but after being baptized by the spirit at a Full Gospel Businessmen s Fellowship meeting, he became a Pentecostal. Buckingham s spirit baptism made him a extremist ecumenist who called for integrity between Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, and Pentecostalists. In an article entitled Bridge Builders ( Charisma, March 1992, p. 90 ) , he said there is no higher naming than oecumenic span edifice and he praised David Duplessis for constructing Bridgess between Pentecostalists and Roman Catholics, and Judaic rabbi Yechiel Eckstein for constructing Bridgess between Jews and Christians. Buckingham taught that God has promised mending through Christ s expiation, an d when he was diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease in 1990 many Pentecostalists, including Oral Roberts, prophesied his healing. Buckingham said that God told him personally that he was traveling to populate to be at least 100 old ages of age in good wellness and with a clear head. The April 1991 issue of Charisma magazine featured this testimony in My Summer of Miracles. Note the following extract from that article: One twenty-four hours my married woman aˆÂ ¦ all of a sudden spoke aloud [ and ] said, Your healing was purchased at the cross. aˆÂ ¦ Here is what I discovered. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU SPEAK. If you want to alter something, you must believe it plenty to talk it. aˆÂ ¦ If you talk poorness, you ll hold it. If you say you re ill, you ll be ( and remain ) sick. aˆÂ ¦ despite what the physicians said, I refused to state My malignant neoplastic disease. It was non mine. It was the Satan s. I did nt hold malignant neoplastic disease. I had Jesus. The malignant neoplastic disease was seeking to hold me, but THE WORD OF GOD SAID I WAS HEALED THROUGH WHAT JESUS DID ON CALVARY. aˆÂ ¦ I popped a videotape into my VCR and lay down on the couch. aˆÂ ¦ The tape was an Oral Roberts discourse aˆÂ ¦ I came up off the couch, shouting, I M HEALED! My married woman leaped out of her chair and shouted, Hallelujah! For the following 30 proceedingss all we did was walk ar ound the house shouting thanks to God and proclaiming my healing ( Jamie Buckingham, My Summer of Miracles, Charisma, April 1991 ) . Ten months after the publication of this article, on February 17, 1992, Jamie Buckingham died of malignant neoplastic disease about 40 old ages shy of his hundredth birthday. Not merely did Jamie Buckingham lead others astray with his false instruction but he besides deceived himself. The Cathedral at Chapel Hill near Atlanta, Georgia, founded by EARL PAULK, has been plagued with moral dirts and extremist false instruction. At the tallness of his power Paulk was extremely influential. He authored many books, had a big telecasting ministry, was the laminitis of the International Charismatic Bible Ministries, and a prophesier in Bill Hamon s Christian International Network of Prophetic Ministries. Paulk amalgamated the Word-Faith philosophy with Reconstructionist or Dominion divinity and promoted it widely among Pentecostalists. As for the Word-Faith philosophy, Paulk echoes Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland and others when he wrote: Merely as Canis familiariss have puppies and cats have kitties, God has small Gods. Until we comprehend that we are Gods, and get down to move like small Gods, we ca nt attest the Kingdom of God ( Paulk, Satan Unmasked, pp. 96, 97 ) . Paulk merges this Kingdom Now Word-Faith divinity ( that Christians are small Gods with the author ization of Christ on Earth ) with the rule doctrine the churches are to unite and so recapture the universe from Satan and swayer over it before Christ returns. He gives this instruction in books such as Satan Unmasked ( 1984 ) , Held in the Heavens Until ( 1985 ) , and Ultimate Kingdom ( 1986 ) . Paulk wrote in his book The Wounded Body of Christ, We need non inquire whether He [ Jesus ] will come back ; HE CAN NOT. Jesus can merely return when the people of God have reached that topographic point of integrity in which the Spirit and the Bride can state, Come ( p. 73 ) . By 1992, Chapel Hill Harvester Church had 12,000 members and was one of the most comfortable churches in America, but that twelvemonth DON PAULK, who had taken over as senior curate from his brother Earl, admitted holding an improper relationship with a adult female staff member. He resigned but was instantly reinstated by the church council. Allegations were made by a group of adult females about sexual relat ionships with the Paulks and in 2001 another female church member filed a case claiming that Paulk molested her when she was a kid and into her teenage old ages, A but the accusals were denied and swept under the carpet. In August 2005 long-time church member and soloist Mona Brewer and her hubby Bobby, who was a major fiscal protagonist of the church, filed a case against Earl Paulk avering that she was manipulated into being his fancy man for 14 old ages. Brewer says that the members were conditioned to give unconditioned obeisance to the curate, who called himself Archbishop Paulk, and that he taught her that those who are spiritually exalted can hold sexual relationships and it is nt adultery. He called it kingdom relationships. She says that Paulk even shared her with household members and sing Charismatic sermonizers. This instance was featured on CCN s Paula Zahn Now plan on Jan. 19, 2006, but as of March 2006 Paulk s telecasting plan was still broadcast on Trinity Broadc asting Network. In 2000, CLARENCE MCCLENDON, curate of Pentecostal Church of the Harvest International in Los Angeles and outstanding bishop in the International Communion of Charismatic Churches, divorced his married woman and a mere hebdomad subsequently married another adult female. His first married woman, who accused him of begeting a kid out of marriage, took their three kids and moved to Hawaii, but Clarence went right on as if nil had happened and he had all of the support he needed. Charisma magazine observed that in merely a few months, members of his new fold were dancing in the aisles in their new installation, and the gifted immature sermonizer was back on the conference circuit, no inquiries asked. McClendon enjoys the limelight on Christian telecasting, and he portions pulpits with top leaders in our motion ( Lee Grady, Sin in the Camp, Charisma, Feb. 2002 ) . In 2002 ROBERTS LIARDON, curate of Embassy Christian Center in Irvine, California, and influential Pentecostal writer, acknowledged that he had a homosexual relationship ( Charisma News, Jan. 31, 2002 ) , though he was back in the ministry within hebdomads. On September 12, 2004, the Los Angeles Times reported that PAUL CROUCH OF TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK had paid $ 425,000 in 1998 to Enoch Lonnie Ford, an employee at TBN, to maintain him from traveling public with his allegation that they had a homosexual brush. It was after Ford threatened to action that Crouch paid about a half-million dollars to maintain the affair quiet. TBN besides paid 1000s of dollars in debts that Ford had accrued. Crouch denied the allegations and tried to melanize the character of his accuser, which was non hard to make. Ford is a convicted sex and drug wrongdoer, but it seems really unusual that Crouch would pay such a big amount to a adult male if there was no truth to his allegation. Ford wrote his testimony of the matter but it was sealed by the tribunals after Crouch sued to hold the affair squelched. In October 2004 PAUL CAIN, the most outstanding Pentecostal prophesier, was exposed as a homosexual and an alcoholic by Rick Joyner, Mike Bickle, and Jack Deere, who said that Cain had refused to subject to train ( Paul Cain, Latter Rain Prophet of Renown Is Now Discredited, The Plumbline, December 2004 ) . Finally Cain admitted his wickedness, stating, I have struggled in two peculiar countries, homosexualism and alcohol addiction, for an drawn-out period of clip. I apologize for denying these affairs of truth, instead than readily acknowledging them ( A Letter of Confession, February 2005, hypertext transfer protocol: //web.archive.org/web/20050225053035/http: //www.paulcain.org/news.html ) . In November 2006, TED HAGGARD resigned as senior curate of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs and as caput of the National Association of Evangelicals on disclosure of feats with a homosexual cocotte named Mike Jones. Though Haggard denied the accusal at first, he finally admitted his dark side. A missive from Haggard was read to the New Life Church on November 5 in which the initiation curate admitted that he is guilty of sexual immorality and a cheat and a prevaricator. He said, There is a portion of my life that is so abhorrent and dark that I ve been warring against it all of my grownup life. Haggard is a Charismatic, a New Evangelical, and a extremist ecumenist. In October 2005 Haggard said, New Life does nt seek to convert Catholics and the church would neer deter its members from going Catholic or go toing Catholic Mass ( Berean Call, Jan. 2006 ) . In January 2009, Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard as senior curate at New Life Church, disclosed t hat Haggard besides had a homosexual relationship with a member of the church that went on for a long period of clip ( Disgraced Pastor Faces More Gay Sex Allegations, AP, Jan. 24, 2009 ) . In 2007 unlawful expiration suits were filed against Oral Roberts University by former professors avering that the laminitis s boy RICHARD ROBERTS and his married woman LINDSAY misappropriated school money and other impropernesss. Harmonizing to the suit, they spent 100s of 1000s of dollars to fund their munificent life style, including a stable of Equus caballuss for their girls, a $ 29,400 trip to Orlando and the Bahamas aboard a university jet for a girl and her friends, and a $ 39,000 shopping fling at one vesture shop for Lindsay ( Healing ORU, Christianity Today, September 2008 ) . The suit besides alleges that the Roberts place has been remodeled 11 times in the past 14 old ages, that Lindsay spent darks in the ORU guest house with an underage 16 twelvemonth old male, A and that she often had cell phone measures of more than $ 800 per month, with 100s of text messages sent between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. to underage males who had been provided phones at university disbursal ( Oral Roberts University Faces the Blue Screen of Death, hypertext transfer protocol: //shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2007/10/oral-roberts-university-faces-blue.html ) . The professors were fired for seeking to expose the leading s moral weaknesss and fiscal impropernesss. On November 13, 2007, the tenured module of ORU approved a nonbinding ballot of no assurance in Richard, and he resigned as president on November 23, 2007. Lindsay is his 2nd married woman. He and his first married woman, Patti, divorced in 1979. In August 2007 televangelist JUANITA BYNUM accused her hubby, THOMAS WEEKS III, bishop of the Global Destiny Church in Atlanta, of forcing, whipping, choking, and stamping her to the land in a hotel parking batch. The twosome later divorced ( it was the 2nd married for both of them ) , and in November 2008 a sheriff s deputy served Weeks with a notice of eviction from the church belongings because the rent was about a half million dollars in arrears ( Prosperity Gospel on Skid Row, Christianity Today, Jan. 15, 2009 ) . He was besides forced to travel out of his $ 2.5 million state nine estate. Bynum besides filed for bankruptcy, claiming that she is more than $ 5 million in debt ( Weeks able to raise his ministry, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 11, 2009 ) . She lost ownership, through foreclosure, of the $ 4.5 million compound that once housed her ministry. On August 23, 2007, RANDY AND PAULA WHITE, co-pastors of WITHOUT WALLS INTERNATIONAL, a magnetic megachurch based in Tampa, Florida, announced that they were disassociating after 17 old ages of matrimony. Randy said he takes duty for the dissolution, but the twosome finally blamed the two different waies their lives are traveling ( Interruption during Megapastors Divorce Announcement, Tampa Tribune, Aug. 23, 2007 ) . That is non a scriptural ground for divorce. Jesus gave merely one legitimate cause, and that is fornication, yet the two said the split involves no 3rd party on either side. If they are traveling in two different waies, that is sin on both their parts. God says the married woman is the hubby s help-meet and she is to be the keeper of the place ( Titus 2:4-5 ) , and the hubby is to brood with them harmonizing to cognition, giving honor unto the married woman, as unto the weaker vas, and as being heirs together of the grace of life ( 1 Peter 3:7 ) . Randy has spent months transposing to Malibu, California, where he has a beachfront place. Paula, a sermonizer and motivational talker, makes many talking trips to San Antonio, where she late purchased a place and is oversight curate to the Family Praise Center. She besides travels often to New York City where she has a Trump Tower condo and leads monthly services at New Life by Design Empowerment Center. This is unfastened noncompliance to God s Word, which forbids her to be a sermonizer or a curate ( 1 Timothy 2:12 ) . And this is non the first divorce for the two magnetic sermonizers. They have four kids from old matrimonies. In world they are transgressing against God s Word while feigning to be undergoing a test and to be victims of circumstance, and this, unhappily, is typical for charismatics today. When Paula appeared on Carman s show on Trinity Broadcasting Network on September 12 and 13, 2007, she was greeted with loud hand clapping. She told the enthusiastic crowd, Some of the grea test development in the work forces and adult females of God were those in inauspicious state of affairs, those in resistance. You can either gravitate and set your manus to the plough and state, Okay, God, I do nt acquire this one ; I do nt even like this 1. But still what do You hold to state to me? I will non be moved. Joseph and Job could state things like that and take a base on merely swearing God in undeserved hardship, but when you are enduring for your ain wickedness and rebellion to the Bibles that is an wholly different narrative! For what glorification is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your mistakes, ye shall take it patiently? ( 1 Peter 2:20 ) . An article in the Tampa Tribune in May 2007 included statements by former Without Walls staff members who testified that the White persons have shifted their focal point to money and celebrity. They preach a magnetic prosperity message and unrecorded extravagantly. Their place in Tampa is valued at $ 2.22 million and the c ondo in New York, at $ 3.5 million. In November 2008 the Evangelical Christian Credit Union began foreclosure proceedings, demanding payment of a $ 12 million loan on the church s belongings. In August 2008 the four-month long Lakeland Outpouring led by TODD BENTLEY ended in dirt. Some had prophesied that the mending campaign in Lakeland, Florida, was the beginning of a national resurgence and that full metropoliss would be shut down. In fact, it was the Lakeland Outpouring that was shut down after Bentley announced that he was dividing from his married woman ( Todd Bentley, Wife Separating, Charisma, Aug. 12, 2008 ) . A hebdomad subsequently it was further announced that Bentley was stepping down as caput of Fresh Fire Ministries, after the ministry revealed that he had an unhealthy relationship with a female staff member ( Bentley Stepping Down, OneNewsNow, Aug. 19, 2008 ) . In November 2008, the Fresh Fire board said that Bentley was guilty of criminal conversation, and on March 9, 2009, Rick Joyner announced that he had remarried to the same former employee with whom he had had the inappropriate relationship. Besides, an probe by World magazine found that two of the people that the Bentley ministry had reported as illustrations of his best healings have died of their diseases ( Heal or Heel, World magazine, May 23, 2009 ) . The Lakeland meetings began on April 2, 2008, at the Ignite Church, and continued every night in assorted locales for more than three months, with Bentley distributing his medical specialty by banging people on the brow, jostling them, flinging the Holy Spirit, shouting Blah, bombast, bombast, bombast, shouting out, Come and acquire some, and reeling about like a rummy. He has kicked an aged lady in the face, banged a crippled adult female s legs on the platform, kneed a adult male in the tummy, and hit another adult male so difficult that a tooth popped out. We believe in Godhead healing for today, but we do nt believe in Pentecostal showmen who pretend to apostolic mending gifts that they clearly do non possess. See I Believe in Miracles hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wayoflife.org/fbns/ibelievein-m iracles.html. Besides in August 2008 MICHAEL GUGLIELMUCCI of the Assemblies of God in Australia admitted that he had been lying about holding an advanced phase of malignant neoplastic disease. For the past two old ages Guglielmucci, a popular modern-day worship leader and former curate, had claimed to hold terminal malignant neoplastic disease. He even recorded a vocal called The Healer that became a hit and was featured on Hillsong s latest album. For two old ages he allegedly fooled even his married woman and parents and closest friends into thought that he had malignant neoplastic disease. He sent electronic mails to his married woman from bogus physicians, shaved his caput, walked with a cane, and carried around an O bottle. In one church public presentation that attracted tierce of a million hits on YouTube, he sang with an O tubing in his olfactory organ! He claimed that God gave him the vocal after he learned that he had an aggressive signifier of malignant neoplastic disease. Guglielmu cci now claims that he faked malignant neoplastic disease to conceal a longtime dependence to erotica. He is the former curate of one of Australia s largest young person churches called Planetshakers. More late he was the worship leader at Edge Church International, an Assemblies of God fold pastored by his male parent, Danny. Hillsong is the ministry of Hillsong Church in Sydney, the largest church in Australia and prominent in the modern-day worship field. Brian Houston, who co-pastors the church with his married woman, is the caput of AOG in Australia ( which has been renamed the Australian Christian Churches ) . ______________________________ THE PENTECOSTAL-CHARISMATIC Motion: THE HISTORY AND THE ERROR. I have been analyzing and re-examining the Pentecostal-Charismatic motions for more than three decennaries since I was led to Christ by a Pentecostal in 1973 and began to seek God s will about tongues-speaking and the marvelous gifts of the early churches. I have built a big library of stuffs on this topic and have interviewed Pentecostalists and Charismatics and attended their churches in many parts of the universe. I have besides attended big Charismatic conferences with imperativeness certificates. I have approached these surveies with an unfastened head in the sense of holding a committedness merely to the truth and non to anyone s tradition. I am a member of an independent Baptist church but Baptist philosophy and pattern is non my authorization ; the Bible is. Each fresh rating of the Pentecostal-Charismatic motion has brought an increased strong belief that it is unscriptural and unsafe. This book begins with my ai n experience with the Pentecostal motion. The following subdivision trades with the history of the Pentecostal motion, get downing with a study of marvelous marks from the 2nd to the eighteenth centuries. We so examine the motions in the nineteenth century that led up to the creative activity of Pentecostalism and the eruption of tongues-speaking at Charles Parham s Bible school in Topeka, Kansas, in 1901, and at William Seymour s Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles in 1906. We examine some of the major Pentecostal denominations, the Latter Rain Covenent, the major Pentecostal healing revivalists, the Sharon Schools and the New Order of the Latter Rain, the Manifest Sons of God, the Word-Faith motion and its cardinal leaders, the Charismatic Movement, the Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the Pentecostal Prophets, the Third Wave, and the recent Pentecostal dirts. We conclude the historical subdivision with a expression at the Laughing Revival. In the last subdivision of the book we deal with the theological mistakes of the Pentecostal-Charismatic motions ( lauding experience over Scripture, accent on the marvelous, Messianic and apostolic miracles can be reproduced, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of fire, lauding the Holy Spirit, linguas speech production is for today, impeccant perfectionism, healing is guaranteed in the expiation, spirit murder, spirit inebriation, visions of Jesus, trips to heaven, adult females sermonizers, and ecumenism ) . The concluding subdivision of the book answers the inquiry: Why are people deluded by Pentecostal-Charismatic mistake? David and Tami Lee, former Pentecostalists, after reexamining a subdivision of the book said: Very good done! A We pray God will utilize it to open the eyes of many and to assist maintain many of His kids out of such misrepresentation. And Mary Keating, besides a former Charismatic, said, The book is first-class and I have no uncertainty whatever that the Lord is traveling to util ize it in a mighty manner. Amen! ! _______________________________________

Casca and the Assassination of Julius Caesar

Casca and the Assassination of Julius Caesar Publius Servilius Casca Longus, Roman tribune in 43 B.C., is the name of the assassin who first struck Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, in 44 B.C. The symbol to strike came when Lucius Tilius Cimber grabbed Caesars toga and pulled it from his neck. A nervous Casca then stabbed the dictator, but only managed to graze him around the neck or shoulder. Publius Servilius Casca Longus, as well as his brother who was also a Casca, were among the conspirators who killed themselves in 42 B.C. This honorably Roman manner of death came after the Battle at Philippi, in which the forces of the assassins (known as the Republicans) lost to those of Mark Antony and Octavian (Augustus Caesar). Here are some passages from ancient historians that describe the role Casca played in the assassination of Caesar and inspired Shakespeares version of the event. Suetonius 82 As he took his seat, the conspirators gathered about him as if to pay their respects, and straightway Tillius Cimber, who had assumed the lead, came nearer as though to ask something; and when Caesar with a gesture put him off to another time, Cimber caught his toga by both shoulders; then as Caesar cried, Why, this is violence! one of the Cascas stabbed him from one side just below the throat. 2 Caesar caught Cascas arm and ran it through with his stylus, but as he tried to leap to his feet, he was stopped by another wound. Plutarch   66.6 But when, after taking his seat, Caesar continued to repulse their petitions, and, as they pressed upon him with greater importunity, began to show anger towards one and another of them, Tullius seized his toga with both hands and pulled it down from his neck. This was the signal for the assault. 7 It was Casca who gave him the first blow with his dagger, in the neck, not a mortal wound, nor even a deep one, for which he was too much confused, as was natural at the beginning of a deed of great daring; so that Caesar turned about, grasped the knife, and held it fast. At almost the same instant both cried out, the smitten man in Latin: Accursed Casca, what does thou? and the smiter, in Greek, to his brother: Brother, help! Although in Plutarchs version, Casca is fluent in Greek and reverts to it in a time of stress, Casca, well known from his appearance in Shakespeares Julius Caesar, says (in Act I. Scene 2) but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. The context is that Casca is describing a speech the orator Cicero had delivered. Nicolaus of Damascus First Servilius Casca stabbed him on the left shoulder a little above the collar bone, at which he had aimed but missed through nervousness. Caesar sprang up to defend himself against him, and Casca called to his brother, speaking in Greek in his excitement. The latter obeyed him and drove his sword into Caesars side.

These Are the 5 Worst Problems with College Boards AP Program

These Are the 5 Worst Problems with College Board's AP Program SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We’ve talked a lot about the AP Program in the past – why you would take AP classes, how many you should take, and how AP compares to the IB program. But what are some of the major problems with the AP program?In this guide, we'll go over the top five worst problems that the College Board and the AP program are dealing with. We will also explain how you can avoid these problems and get the most out of your AP courses. The Top 5 Problems With Advanced Placement As a brief disclaimer, we don't expect the Advanced Placement program to be perfect, and there are many benefits to taking AP classes, as we've covered in the past. That said, by covering some of the weaknesses of the AP program, we hope to help students make more informed decisions about their schedules, especially in the midst of today's intense college admissions environment. Problem 1: More Tests Taken = More Failed Tests The AP Program is growing too fast for all the new programs to be supported, especially at low-income schools, leading to more failed tests than anything else. As we’ve discussed in the past, the ultimate goal of taking an AP class is to pass the AP test at the end of the year – if you don’t, you’ve basically wasted the $92 you spent on the exam. So it’s a problem if most of the AP growth in recent years comes from failed exams. College Board often celebrates the results of the fast-growing AP Program – nearly 5 million tests were taken in 2017, for example. However, the flip side to this is that with new AP classes and programs come growing pains, especially in schools that don’t have a lot of funding for new AP programs. It takes a few years for a class to really settle in at a high school, and for a teacher to get used to the AP curriculum. It can take a few years for a teacher to master a curriculum. This takes even longer in low-income schools – explaining why a lot of the growth has come in the form of failed AP tests (you can see how the average test score has fallen over time here). A report from Inside Higher Ed looks at this phenomenon: â€Å"The data also show, however, a more than doubling in the number of AP examinees who only achieve test scores of less than 3 on the exam. (Typically a score of three is the minimum required for college credit, and critics of the program have said that increases in the number of sub-3 scores suggest many students may not be gaining from the courses, a contention disputed by the College Board.) These figures grew from 182,429 to 395,925 during the last decade. Likewise, the number of AP exams with scores of less than 3 also more than doubled, from 521,620 to 1,345,988. The data also show significant gaps in participation rates and success rates (scores of 3 and higher) on the AP exams, by racial and ethnic group. White and Asian students are more likely to participate and to get good scores. Black students are much less likely to do so.† In other words, people are questioning how good the expansion of the AP program actually is if it just means more students are failing AP exams every year. There have been concerns for years among teachers about the program growing too fast, and schools being too lax about which students get to take AP. A 2009 survey of 1,000 AP teachers found that "more than half are concerned that the program’s effectiveness is being threatened as districts loosen restrictions on who can take such rigorous courses and as students flock to them to polish their rà ©sumà ©s." In short, there are thousands of students winding up with failed AP tests each year – which is no good for them or their schools. You could argue that the experience of taking an AP class helps students prepare for college, but the fact remains that rapid expansion is not leading to the best outcomes for many students. Problem 2: Too Much Material, Too Little Time Even though many courses have been revamped, AP still tends to be seen as a shallow, memorization-based program, in comparison to IB and home-grown curriculums at other schools. In one blistering critique of AP classes in The Atlantic, a former teacher writes: "the AP program leads to rigid stultification." He complains that by requiring so much material, AP classes lose depth and the opportunity for meaningful learning. Another study, reported in KQED, finds that â€Å"AP courses don’t always teach critical thinking skills or allow students to explore topics more deeply. Instead, they often turn into a race to cover a wide expanse of information, some say.† Okay, this is a slight exaggeration, but you would be surprised at the size of some AP textbooks. This is especially true in contrast to IB, which explicitly focuses on developing critical thinking and writing skills. By requiring students seeking an IB diploma to write an extended research essay, take a class about theories of knowledge, and including more writing on the exams, the IB program emphasizes critical thinking, research, and writing in the way AP classes simply don’t have time for. Even in places where the AP program has revamped classes, like biology, concerns remain. A Washington Post article notes: â€Å"The new curriculum will encourage more work in science labs and less parroting back of formulas, more work on historical thinking and less memorization of historical minutiae. That all sounds pretty good. But it will do little to improve teaching and learning, especially at schools with low-levels of instructional and administrative capacity.Merely asking teachers to spend less time drilling and more time promoting inquiry, in other words, does not make them able to do so, nor does it prepare their students to succeed in such classes.† A New York Times article further explains why it can be hard for teachers to switch over from drilling to experiments and critical inquiry: â€Å"While Ms. Vangos believes the program could inspire students who â€Å"like to think outside the box,† she worries that the new math requirements will discourage others. And with so many cutbacks these days in education budgets, she says, the need to improve lab facilities at many public schools 'is absolutely going to pose a big problem.' Labs in resource-strapped urban schools often don’t have enough of even basic tools, like dissecting microscopes, for their students.† In short, it’s hard to balance the fact that AP courses tend to pack in tons of material with a desire to emphasize critical thinking and accessibility. Especially in schools without many resources. At the end of the day, if you’re in an AP course, you’ll likely find yourself spending more time drilling definitions with flashcards than, say, conducting experiments or reading novels. The new AP Capstone program does attempt to rectify some of these issues. Read more about it here. Problem 3: You Won't Always Get the College Credit You're Expecting The AP Program might not lead to the college credit you want for two reasons. First, AP classes often aren’t always as rigorous as their actual college equivalents, and some colleges are getting stingy about granting AP credit. Again in The Atlantic, the former teacher argues AP classes aren’t actually equivalent to college-level courses: â€Å"Before teaching in a high school, I taught for almost 25 years at the college level, and almost every one of those years my responsibilities included some equivalent of an introductory American government course. The high-school AP course didn't begin to hold a candle to any of my college courses. My colleagues said the same was true in their subjects.† Additionally, in college, your AP course doesn’t always grant you credit. Sometimes it just gets you out of your department's intro courses – which you might want to take anyway to get a more solid understanding of the material. It can be hard to replicate the college experience in a high school classroom. It’s important to note that many schools – particularly large public universities – will give you credit for AP, especially for gen-ed courses. To look at an example of a public university, at the University of Utah (my local state school) you can get tons of AP credit, enough to knock out your general education requirements in high school. However, many private colleges, especially top-tier ones, are shying away from granting AP credit. For some schools, credit policies are drawn on departmental lines. Math and science AP courses get credit more often than History or English. To look at one example of a top-tier school, Princeton, you can get into harder history courses with excellent AP US or World History scores, but you won’t get credit for your high scores. Meanwhile, at Dartmouth, AP courses will no longer be used to grant any credit at all, though they will get students into higher-level classes. I can also speak to AP credit not panning out. Even though I took nine AP classes, and got seven 5’s and two 4’s, none of them got me class credit at Stanford, since Stanford mostly accepts AP credit from math, science, and language classes. However, those AP classes did a lot to help me prepare for Stanford classes – in fact most of my college study skills came from AP classes. In short, if you’re taking AP classes, you should get used to the fact that even though the classes will help prepare you for college, they might not get you credit once you get there. Problem 4: Students Are Overloading Another problem with AP isn’t so much due to the program itself, but how students (and parents!) react to it. Across the country, students are overloading themselves, thinking that taking ten AP classes is the ticket to a selective school. This leads to stressed-out, burned-out students. Plus, taking AP classes doesn’t even guarantee admission into schools like Harvard and Stanford. Some educators describe AP courses as kind of an â€Å"arms race,† where as certain students take more AP classes, others feel pressured to load up with more to compete. Local newspapers have run lots of articles over the last five years about students feeling the need to overload on AP classes. When students overload, they’re much more likely to get overwhelmed by the work and get lower scores on the exams. It also adds to the enormous amounts of stress associated with today’s college admission process. Problem 5: It Can Exacerbate Education Inequality While AP has often been touted as an equalizing force in education, it tends to just perpetuate unequal outcomes. Well-prepared and well-funded students do well on AP tests, and students from less wealthy schools do worse, so the AP program often reinforces education inequality. College Board often touts AP’s expansion into various public and low-income schools as a victory for education. The truth is that low-income schools often struggle to successfully implement AP programs and get students to pass the exams. So what ends up happening is that, similar to the SAT/ACT, the tests simply reinforce the status quo: students at well-funded schools do well, students at less well-funded schools struggle. Plus, the bigger the program gets, the less power it has to set students apart. Inside Higher Edexplores this phenomenon: â€Å"Consequently, their efforts, while well-intended, never address the underlying problems that affect school quality and educational equity †¦.the expansion of the AP Program failed to promote real parity between the educational haves and have-nots. Because once the AP Program reached a critical mass, it lost its functionality as a mark of distinction. Soon, scores of colleges and universities (Dartmouth being the latest) revised their policies around awarding credit for AP coursework or favoring it in admissions reviews. And ultimately, elite suburban and private schools began to drop the program, calling it outdated, overly-restrictive, and too oriented toward multiple choice tests. Thus, while students at Garfield High in East Los Angeles were for a short time doing the same work as students at Andover, the aim of equity proved a noble and elusive dream.† In short, the AP program isn’t living up to its promise of leveling the education playing field in the US. It’s even having the strange effect of causing certain private schools to drop AP and create their own advanced courses – making AP seem less special in the college admissions process. I’m not saying it’s the AP program’s responsibility to fix educational inequality in the US – education inequality is an enormous problem. It will take much more than just one program to fix it. That said, I think it’s important to evaluate how successful programs actually are in trying to fix the problem – especially if they claim to be part of the solution. So Should You Take AP Classes? Given these problems, should you totally give up on AP? After reading through all of those issues you may be having second thoughts. Not necessarily. I still think the AP program can be a great fit for many students. These are the steps you should take to make sure you get the most out of the program, despite its flaws. #1: Take the Hardest Classes at Your School We’ve looked at problems the AP has nationally, but the reality is you still need to take the hardest classes at your school if you’re looking to get into top colleges. That means you should still take AP classes if your school offers them and you're hoping for a top school but do not overload on them. Meet with your guidance counselor to talk about putting together a challenging mix of your school’s classes that doesn’t overload on AP – especially if your school’s AP program isn’t stellar. (Ask your guidance counselor about the pass rates your AP teachers achieve on the exams, and how often they notice students switching out of AP classes, to get a sense of how good the program is at your school.) If you’re aiming for top schools, your goal is to have a transcript that your counselor will report as â€Å"most rigorous† on the Common App guidance counselor report. If your school has AP, this means that, in most cases, you’ll need to take AP classes. But it doesn't mean you have to take every single AP course your school offers. If you overload, you risk stretching yourself too thin. It’s better to pass two AP tests than to fail four! Also make sure that for any AP class you take, you have solid pre-requisite courses under your belt. (For example, don't take AP Biology without having taken an introductory biology class first.) #2: Match Your AP Courses to Your Goals Do you want to get into a top-tier school? Or are you more interested in skipping general ed requirements at your state school and graduating college early? Your answers to these questions can help you decide which AP classes are worth your effort, and which ones aren’t. If you know what your goals are, you can create a smart AP program for you. For example, if you’re trying to avoid general education classes at your local state school, look up which AP courses fulfill these requirements at your state school, and focus on doing well in those. To take just one example, this may mean choosing to take AP Calculus over AP Art History if you’re looking to complete your college math credit in high school – even if you love art! If you’re aiming for a top school, look at AP courses that allow you to explore your interests and show your academic strengths. To continue our example, this may mean taking AP Art History instead of AP Calculus to demonstrate your interest in the fine arts and humanities. #3: Avoid Common Pitfalls First of all, don’t load up on APs just to have AP classes all over your transcript. Take the right number for you. If this means taking fewer AP classes than your friends, so be it! Remember to pick out classes with your own goals in mind. Also, don’t underestimate the exam – you have to study to pass the AP test, even if you think the class is easy! Getting an A in an AP class but getting a 1 on 2 on the exam looks bad. Make sure to take at least two full practice exams before the real thing. Finally, continue to develop your other interests in high school. Don’t take 10 AP classes but sacrifice a key extracurricular or studying for the SAT/ACT. Remember AP classes are just one factor of an advanced high school experience. #4: Focus on the Positive Although we’ve talked a lot about problems with the AP program, I still think it’s a great way to prepare for college. You can get a lot out of AP – by learning to study on your own, developing self-discipline, and mastering challenging material. At the end of the day, how much you get out of AP classes will depend on how much effort you put in. Despite the numerous problems with AP on a national level, and uneven courses at my local high school, I’m really glad I took nine AP classes in high school. By developing my own study schedules before the tests, I honed my self-discipline and study skills. The writing fluency skills I gained from numerous AP history and English courses were also super helpful in college when I found myself with several essays to write at the end of every quarter. In short, even if the AP program leaves something to be desired at your school, you can still use it to develop your skills. Keep in mind that could mean doing extra studying outside of class and taking studying matters into your own hands. What’s Next? Thinking you should take IB classes instead? Get a comparison of the IB and AP programs. While you might think AP is the key to college, think again. Read about how a high ACT/SAT score is the single most important key to improving your admissions chances. Need some help with your ACT/SAT studying? Check out 21 SAT tricks you should be using, and find out the hidden hints in the ACT instructions. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Critical Response Paper 2 Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Response 2 - Research Paper Example The suspension of Frederick is nullified as it did not cross the ethical and moral boundaries. What it did was to inculcate among others Frederick’s own sentiments which were flawed in their own right. He did not know what he was inculcating, and hence is not charged for the same. Had he known he was doing something irresponsible, and still committed to the act, he would have been charged in a manner which was seemingly fit. Therefore I acquit Frederick of any charges against him which are a result of the hate that exists in line with drugs and their usage. I give him the margin as he can spend his life with a sense of understanding and people shall empathize with him in the coming times. In all fairness and going by the rule of law, Frederick stands not guilty and is therefore free from all charges and banishments against him. References Burns, S. L. & Peyrot, M., 2010. Standardizing social problems solutions: The case of court-supervised drug treatment. Research in Social Pr oblems and Public Policy, 17 Giles, S. M., 2010. Coaching to enhance quality of implementation in prevention. Health Education, 110 Reid, L., 2010. The state of public research on over-the-counter drug advertising.

Geomorphology Lab 5 Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geomorphology 5 - Lab Report Example us solution while EC measures the degree to which a solution carries an electric current, calculated as the ratio of the current density in the material to the electric field that causes the flow of current. Consequently, the complex nature of the variability calls for a study, which can provide a succinct explanation to the basis of this phenomenon. Data analysis was an important aspect in testing the hypotheses. In which case, data was collected for ph and EC for the different sites and tabulated. The data was then analyzed from drawing graphs for the different variables: pH vs EC, pH vs. site, EC vs. site. This allowed for testing relationship between stream chemistry and position besides testing that between pH and electrical conductivity. Water samples were collected from specified sites: Clarks River, 2: Bee Creek, 3: MCP unnamed trib. In SedSoilHuman Lab, lab Ph meter and EC meter were calibrated. Ph and EC on the water samples were measured. The results show that change in position contributes to the change in stream chemistry (ph and EC). This can be contributed to external factors such as pollutants, surface runoff and soil erosion. These factors vary within a river basin from one point to another. For instance, both factors affect the availability of ions at a given point. Soil erosion carry with it ions from one point to another so do pollutants add ions to their area of destination (Rajvaidya 45). In which case, increase in ions leads to increase in electrical conductivity of a solution (stream) while it leads to reduction in