The killer inside me by Jim Thompson Research Paper

The killer inside me by Jim Thompson - Research Paper Example More than the description of the crimes, what is more important is his cynical state of mind, which gets reflected in the way he needles people around him especially by his words which often bore them. He declares his sickness to be perhaps of psychosomatic origin. However Lou Ford on the outside leads the normal life of a respectable cop who is well like by his superiors especially Sheriff Maples. It is the perversion of Lou’s mind, whether it is about sexual encounters or pure cases of murder that gives shape to the plot with an underlying motive of exploring the bifurcated personality of Ford. The novel begins with Lou’s encounter with the proprietor of a restaurant and before that a waitress of the same place. Lou Ford comes to the readers as a fine, polished kind hearted person unless he begins drawling his sentences during his conversation with the proprietor. Lou does not carry a gun because he does not think about crooks like the way people do. Despite being a c op, he thinks that people are â€Å"a little misguided. You don’t hurt them, they won’t hurt you. They’ll listen to reason† (Thompson 4). ... The author switches the opinions about Ford quite briskly as the narrator states, â€Å"I liked the guy—as much as I like most people, anyway—but he was too good to let go. Polite, intelligent: guys like that are my meat.†(Thompson 4) the last phrase gives a hint about his perversion of mind. He purposely tries to bore him with philosophical talks while he knows very well that people dislikes a bore and â€Å"If there’s anything worse than a bore, it’s a corny bore† (Thompson 5). The moment he begins drawling out long sentences he finds that the proprietor is eager to quit the conversation. So Lou gets a sadistic pleasure in teasing people around him. The novel also introduces us to Bob Maples, the sheriff who trusts Lou a lot and is ready to back his decisions without knowing what they are. The readers come to know of his sickness directly for the first time when he meets Joyce Lakeland. One comes to know of the sickness he went through and encountered for the first time when he was fourteen years old. With a deeper thought one can perceive that this sickness is related to sexual perversion. It is aroused once again after a long time when he meets Joyce. His sexual perversion is aroused when he enters into a bickering with Joyce after she finds him holding her gun. By revealing his identity she begins to get violent with him and hits him hard. It brings out the long dormant sickness inside him and he is engaged into a violent sexual assault on her. Even a while before this happens he tries to get away as fast as he can because he fears that â€Å"She’s talks. She’d yell her head off. And people would start thinking, thinking and wondering about

What Is Knowledge from the Meno Essay Example for Free

What Is Knowledge from the Meno Essay The opinions which we believe and are right, are called â€Å"true opinions†. According to Plato’s dialogue from The Meno, when true opinions remain stable they can serve equally as well as knowledge until people forget their opinion or change their mind some time later. Knowledge is â€Å"tied down† by giving the reasons why it is so. Opinions, even if beautiful, can â€Å"escape from a man’s mind† without justification. Moreover, opinions lead less reliability compare with knowledge (Gendler, Siegel Cahn, 2008, P344). Therefore, people should prefer knowledge to opinion since the former is more correct and lasts longer. Opinion functions as well as knowledge when the opinion is right or true. For instance, a person who does not know how to turn on the computer eventually turns it on by pressing buttons randomly. Thus, true opinion and knowledge work the same at this point. However, this true opinion may not be replicable or reliable over time. For this, the person would need the knowledge that computer start buttons contain a certain logo. Plato argues that knowledge is superior to true opinion. He says that true opinions are not willing to remain long, and they are not worth much, until one ties them down by giving an account of the reason why they are correct (Gendler, Siegel Cahn, 2008, P344). We can see that mere true opinion is not stable, and it can be fleeting. For example, we see the moon, and may first think that the moon shines by itself if we do not have any knowledge about this. The next day, if we do not see any moonlight, we may think that the moon does not shine by itself. Although the latter idea is correct, and could serve as well as knowledge for a time, our opinion can change unpredictably. On the other hand, if we have knowledge that the moon reflects sunlight, we understand that the moon does not shine by itself. Knowledge gives more consistency and predictablily than true opinion. Furthermore, opinions are weak because they can be influenced by feelings, and emotions can occur at any time, anywhere. For example, if I am in a good mood on a sunny day, I think my cat is cute when it is running around. If it rains the next day, the weather makes me annoyed, and I think my cat is naughty when it is running around. In this example, the opinion that my cat is naughty has no justification because the cat did not change its behavior to make it naughty. With justification and knowledge, people can develop civilization and improve their quality of life in areas such as space exploration, transportation, education and medicine. For example, without a foundation of reliable knowledge, we could not develop safe medicine or safe airplanes; the risk and expense of basing our lives on true opinion is too great, because it has not been justified. Plato has defined knowledge as having three components: truth, belief and justification. First, it must be accurate and we must believe it. For example, when we say this coffee is hot, it must be hot, and we must believe it is hot. Second, by justification, Plato means that we must have reasons explaining why it is correct and prove our idea. If not, it is an opinion rather than knowledge. However, if we can prove our opinion, it becomes knowledge. For instance, recent news said that an Italian experiment had unveiled proof that fundamental particles known as neutrinos can travel faster than light. As we know, in the past people thought the speed of light was the fastest. After the experiment had been conducted and evidenced the result, this new information led people to correct their old opinion because they had better justification. When we find out that our old idea is wrong and have a new idea with justification, the old idea no longer has justification. This is the reason why truth, belief and justification have to be involved in knowledge. In Plato’s view, true opinions function as knowledge only when people understand the reason behind the truth or have evidence of it. For example, if my sister holds a cup of coffee and walks into classroom, her classmates will probably think that the coffee belongs to her. This would be a true opinion if I had bought the coffee for her. On the other hand, people who had seen me buying the coffee for my sister would regard this information as knowledge. In sum, true opinion contains truth and belief, but it does not have justification. Plato illustrates this idea with the image of Daedalus’s statue. Daedalus is a skillful craftsman and artisan. His statues were so realistic that people thought it could run away. Therefore, Plato mentions the statue as a metaphor for true opinion which will be forgotten by people over time. â€Å"To acquire an untied work of Daedalus is not worth much, like acquiring a runaway slave, for it does not remain, but it is worth much if tied down, for his works are very beautiful (Gendler, Siegel Cahn, 2008). † The tied-down statue symbolizes knowledge, and the ropes are the reasons why, the justification. This metaphor perfectly shows the relationship between opinion and knowledge. Through reading Plato and his teacher Socrates’ dialogue, I understand the differences between opinion, true opinion and knowledge. I also found out why knowledge is more important than true opinion. Opinion will not be valid all the time. In contrast, knowledge is more stable because it contains justification, and therefore, is superior to true opinion. Plato’s basic definition of knowledge and its three parts provides a clear basis for further philosophical discussion, such as what is accepted as logical and solid justification.

Elephantiasis :: essays research papers fc

I did my report on filariasis, which is more commonly known as elephantiasis. Elephantiasis is the late phase of filariasis. Filariasis is a tropical mosquito born parasitic disease causing obstruction of the lymph vessels. In some people the presence of the worm causes a tissue reaction that causes the lymph flow to be blocked. This blockage produces lymphedema which is a swelling and can eventually lead to a tremendous enlargement of an extremity or organ. When elephantiasis follows repeated infection, parts of the body -- particularly the legs -- become grossly enlarged and the surrounding skin hardens and ulcerates. Certain types of elephantiasis can be treated surgically. Elephantiasis of the legs is usually treated with elastic bandages and frequent elevation of the legs. The leg and foot, may swell to elephantine size. There may be allergic reactions like itching and localized swelling. The body may also react by causing calcium tissue to be deposited around the worm, walling it off and eventually causing its death. In humans, the mature worm lives tightly coiled in the lymphatic vessels where they reproduce. The female holds the fertilized eggs in her body. Later the embryos, called microfilariae, are discharged alive. An interesting feature of these worms is the periodic swarming of the microfilariae in the bloodstream. In most species swarming takes place at night. The embryos can be taken up by an insect only when they are in a human's bloodstream. They develope into infective larvae in the insect, which is the intermediate host. These hosts are various genera of mosquitoes, notably A?des, Anopheles, and Culex. Within 10 to 11 days after ingestion by a human skin they migrate to the lymphayic vessels

Dilema at Day-Pro Essay

The crossover point is the rate at which the NPV of the two projects are equal. NPV has a direct relationship between NPV and Economic Value Added. The NPV shows how the shareholders’ wealth would be increased if the project is accepted. The goal of the company is to increase shareholders’ wealth, thus NPV shows the better way in choosing the right decision to achieve their goal. NPV method implicitly assumes that the rate at which cash flows can be reinvested is the cost of capital, whereas the IRR method assumes that the firm can reinvest at the IRR. NPV method is better because it selects the project that adds the most to shareholder wealth. Tim can show that the MIRR is the more realistic measure to use in the case of mutually exclusive contracts by explaining that by using MIRR, they can avoid the multiple IRR problems and at the same time explain that since reinvestment at the cost of capital is generally more correct, the MIRR  which assumes that CFs from all projects are reinvested at the cost of capital rather than on the project’s own IRR (in the case of IRR), is a better indicator of a project’s true profitability. Tim could also state that with the use of MIRR, the company can avoid some conflicts encountered when comparing NPV with IRR. With the use of MIRR, they can minimize the conflict between the two, just like when the two projects being compared have equal size and same life, both NPV and MIRR leads to the same decision. The company can also arrive at the same decision when the two projects being compared have equal size and different life. Using Profitability Index can help in deciding which project to choose because it gives the ratio which allows us to measure the proportion of money returned to money invested. Thus by profitability index, it allows us to compare investment opportunities that requires us different initial investments. The higher profitability index will be chosen because it gives higher possible return in the amount that is to be invested. In short, in the dilemma of Day-pro, Synthetic Resin must be chosen because it gives a higher return in spite of the high initial investment. However, in using this method, the analyst will ignore many factors, such as risk, cost of capital, and liquidity of the project. Thus, the company must consider or decide first on what factor they will base their decision in choosing a project. Being more conservative in revenue projection will give us an idea that the project is less liquid because they projected a longer period of time before the company can earn back the invested amount. Moreover, it also indicates that they considered the possible risks that may occur in the project along the way. The chance of overestimation and underestimation of the project is less possible that make it more realistic. Thus, the Synthetic Resin project is more reliable and accurate. Knowing that the synthetic resin would require extensive and longer time before it could be implemented, it will cause doubt on the part of the Board to choose this  project because it only says that Synthetic Resin project is less liquid compared to epoxy resin and the company will be tied longer to this project before it can regain the invested capital. However, looking at the other side of the coin, synthetic resin gives a higher return in spite of its flaws and its risks. On the other hand, Epoxy Resin seems to be more liquid and less risky and the return of this project is less compared to the Synthetic Resin. As a result, the board might be more attracted to Epoxy Resin. Still, the decision of the board depends on what they give importance or emphasis in choosing a project. And since the Board has a strong preference in using rates or return as its criteria, we would recommend to the Board to choose Synthetic Resin.

Hum/105 World Mythology

Many volcanoes and mountains stretch across the world; however, all volcanoes and mountains are not considered sacred. Mount Fuji and Mauna Kea function as sacred places rich with mythical elements that have a functional role in culture, and are comparatively similar. Mount Fuji was once a sacred place only accessible to men for spiritual enlightenment, but is no longer strict on visitation. Although ceremonies remain held during climbing season to this day, many people view the ritual as more a cultural experience instead of a religious one. Japan has two other mountains, but neither is as sacred or rich with religious and mythological Japanese culture. Mount Fuji is one of the most sacred places in the Japanese culture. Every year thousands climb to the shrine every summer. Traditionally the climb to the shrine on the peak was a religious movement and women were not allowed to make the journey. This climb usually required the wearing of white robes (O'Meara, 2006). Today thousands come to climb generally during â€Å"climbing† season from July 1st to August 26th. Many believe that this place is very sacred and many believe it to be spiritual (O'Meara, 2006). People commonly believe that ascending this mountaintop is to bring luck and the more one climbs the better. The mythic belief retains empowerment because the mountain also serves as a national emblem (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 350). Some have climbed at least 100 times. At the start of each climbing season two religious sects hold sacred ceremonies to begin climbing season (O’Meara, 2006). Some have marathons ascending and descending the mountain. Many believe it to be unlucky to ascend any other sacred mountaintop. Climbing Mt. Fuji is one of religious tradition. Tradition states that the mountain is split into three parts from peak to base. The grassy areas represent the mundane world. The forest line represents the transient line between this world and the world of the gods. The burned areas with a thick layer of volcanic ash represent the realm of the gods and Buddha. The idea of ascending and descending the mountain represent travels between the world of the living and the dead. With each passage one could receive purity and have the sins of this world washed away (Fujisan, 2009). Shintoists believe Mount Fuji is sacred to the goddess Sengen-Sama. They also believe the mountain itself to be an embodiment of nature. Another religious sect believes that the mountain itself is a sacred being which contains a soul. The Buddhists believe the mountain is a gateway to another world (Sacred-Destinations, 2009). Mount Fuji is a sacred place and has been since the first inhabitants of Japan. Buddhists believe the mountain came to be around 286 BC after an earthquake that formed the mountain as well as the Lake Blwa, the largest lake in Japan (Sacred-Destinations, 2009). This mountain is a very sacred part of Japanese religion and for years people treated it as such. Today it is more of an attraction and the religious meaning has been lost a little. Mount Fuji seems to be more of a tourist hotspot than a spiritual place, one in which souvenirs can be bought. Mt. Fuji or Fuji San refers to the most sacred mountain in Japan. Mt. Fuji is such a natural symbol and sacred not only to the Shinto and Buddhist but also for most Japanese people. The name â€Å"Fuji† is a local Ainu word that means â€Å"deity of fire† because of the often-volcanic eruptions (Mount Fuji, 2011). The Japanese built a shrine about 800 A. D. to the gods to help calm the erupting volcano. Mount Fuji later became home to a Shinto goddess Konohano Sakuya Hime â€Å"the Goddess of the Flowering Trees. † The Shinto goddess Koyasusama is also known as the goddess who grants easy childbirth. The Shinto goddess has â€Å"shrines at the base and summit of Fuji† where there is a fire ceremony at the conclusion of the climbing season (New World Encyclopedia, 2009). The Fujiyoshida’s Sengen Shrine is the main Sengen Shrine positioned on the north side of the mountain. The shrine stands in a dark forest and is set off the road lined with stone lanterns and tall cedar trees. In the past the Shrine was a starting point for climbing Mt. Fuji, and these hikers would start their ascent with a prayer at the shrine. Buddhist found Fuji as a â€Å"symbol of meditation† and calls its â€Å"summit zenjo,† that is a Buddhist term that describes perfection of a meditative state (Mount Fuji, 2011). Japanese Buddhists revere the mountain as a gateway to another world. â€Å"Shugendo practitioners established the first climbing route to lead pilgrims to Fuji’s summit† (Mount Fuji, 2011). Today pilgrims continue to climb Mount Fuji. Some stop to worship at the shrine of Konohana Sakuya Hime, pray at the summit altars, or ritually circumambulate the volcano’s crater† (Mount Fuji, 2011). Aokigahara, also known as the Sea of Trees is another sacred and mythological place that lies at the base of Mt. Fuji. The Sea of Trees are associated with demons in Japanese mythology, haunted by the ghost of people left to die. Mauna Kea is a tr aditional mythical place that compares to Mount Fuji. Mauna Kea is a volcano found on the big Island of Hawaii. In Hawaiian mythology, the peaks of the island of Hawaii are sacred. Only high-ranking tribal chiefs were allowed to visit the peak. Mount Fuji is the central figure in the neisho-e work. The Japanese consider Mt. Fuji to be sacred and is a symbol of national identity (Wikipedia, n. d. ). Mount Fuji is also considered to be a symbol of beauty. The mountains are also a sacred place because the higher the mountain the closer the mountain’s reach to heaven. Some sacred mountain can sometimes be just a mythical thought, depending on the meaning or the purpose of the mountain. Mount Fuji, located in Japan, is the highest mountain with an active volcano. Japan has Three Holy Mountains. Mount Fuji is the mountain the sightseers go see when they are in Japan. The other two mountains in Japan are Mount Tate and Mount Haku. Some people think that the meaning of Fuji is immortal, but no proof has been determined on that issue. Many Japanese writers have used Mount Fuji in their artwork, literature, and as a background picture in several movies. Mount Fuji was sacred to the point that woman were not allowed to go to the mountain. The volcano inside Mount Fuji is currently said to be active, but has a very slim chance of erupting. Mauna Kea is also considered to be the most sacred mountain in Hawaii. The tribal chiefs were the only ones allowed at the top of the mountain. Mauna Kea is one of the best sites that people can visit for astronomical purposes. Mauna Kea is an inactive volcano, unlike Mount Fuji, and is among five other volcanoes in Hawaii. Hawaiian Law implements visitor restrictions on Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea is sacred, and portrayed as the first born of the father of the sky (Wakea) and the mother of the earth (Papa). Mount Fuji and Mauna Kea are active volcanoes. Both volcanoes are sacred places where tribal chiefs are the only ones allowed to go to the top. The mountains are sacred because of developing the highest point closest to heaven. Mount Fuji last erupted in 1707-08. Mauna Kea last erupted was about 4,600 years ago. Both mountains have that attractive cone shape, and are hotspots of their location. Once a sacred Japanese religious site, Mount Fuji has become more of a tourist attraction. This volcano became a shrine to Gods, and later to the Goddess of the flowering trees. Similar to Mount Fuji in sacredness and Goddess mythology is Mauna Kea, another volcanic mountain. Mauna Kea’s myth embodies the mountain as Poliahu the Snow Goddess, the first child of the sky father and earth mother (Lovingthebigisland’s Weblog, 2009). Both sites are rich with mythology, culture, and both are sacred places. Although Mauna Kea has limits on who may ascend, Mount Fuji is open for all to climb. Both Mount Fuji and Mauna Kea retained their sacred status because of their heights being closest to heaven. References Fujisan (2009). Mt. Fuji and religious beliefs. Retrieved from http://www. fujisan-3776. jp/english/religiouis_beliefs/religiouis_beliefs. html. Leonard, S. , & McClure, M. (2004). Myth & knowing: An introduction to world mythology. New York: McGraw-Hill. Lovingthebigisland’s Weblog. (2009). The Hawaiian snow goddess poliahu and the summit of mauna kea. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://lovingthebigisland. wordpress. com/2009/02/05/the-hawaiian-snow-goddess-poliahu-and-the-summit-of-mauna-kea/. Mount Fuji. (n. d. ). Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Mount_Fuji. New World Encyclopedia. (2009). Mount Fuji. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from http://www. ewworldencyclopedia. org/entry/Mt. _Fuji O'Meara, D. (2006). Mount Fuji. Faces (07491387), 22(5), 6. Retrieved from EBSCOhost History. com (1994-2009). Mount Fuji. Retrieved from http://www. history. com/topics/mount-fuji. Sacred-Destinations (2009). Mount Fuji. Retrieved from http://www. sacred-destinations. com/japan/mount-fuji. Sacred Land. (2011). Mount Fuji. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from http://www. sacredland . org/mount-fuji/. Wikipedia. (n. d. ) The great wave off kanagawa. ASK. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from http://www. ask. com/wiki/The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa.

Teachings of the Living Prophets †Theology Essay

Teachings of the Living Prophets – Theology Essay Free Online Research Papers Teachings of the Living Prophets Theology Essay In a spiritually turbulent world, General Conference is a wonderful haven. The messages from the General Authorities never fail to bring the Spirit and inspire us to draw closer to Christ; it is clearly evident from their pleadings that they who speak in Conference desire nothing greater than our eternal happiness. The April 2002 meeting certainly was no exception. Those who spoke chose a myriad of topics with which to focus their message, but a general theme appeared in every talk- the world is spiritually dangerous, but Christ’s example and Gospel give us the sole means by which we can fight the influence of Satan, improve, and progress. The meeting opened with President Hinckley’s characteristic optimism. It was the first Conference since the Olympics took place in the same city, and our Prophet had nothing but good, inspiring news about the Church’s positive influence and growth as a result of that international event. He tells us, â€Å"out of all of this came something wonderful for the Church† (Ensign, May 2002 5). The media, which in general had outdated and otherwise prejudiced concepts of the Church, quickly discovered that they were mistaken. They wrote kind things about our institution that were not only positive but accurate. In a spiritually treacherous world, President Hinckley has given us hope and assurance that we are on the right team- that we who follow the Church of Christ are doing what is going to be not only temporally but eternally beneficial. Elder Hales also spoke of the benefits of the last Olympics. His talk centrally concerned the concept of emerging into light out of darkness; the Church has certainly accomplished this with the recent events in Salt Lake City. However, Elder Hales continues to expound on this concept of â€Å"marvelous light† by explaining that the ultimate example of light is Jesus Christ. â€Å"I bear my special witness that Jesus Christ ‘is the light and the life of the world’† (Ibid. 71). Only by pursuing and looking toward our Savior and His teachings as the ultimate light source can we survive the turbulence of the worldly forces around us. In the following talk, President Hinckley enhances this point by likening the darkness to the unknown in front of us. He says that faith is the light by which we can progress into that unfamiliar. â€Å"We reach toward the unknown, but faith lights the way. If we will cultivate that faith, we will never walk in darkness† (Ib id. 73). Elder Russell M. Nelson speaks of this faith as a foundation against the stormy darkness of the world and the burdens it can cause. This foundation is two-tiered. First, of course, there is the immovable foundation of the Lord’s gospel- our Savior’s teachings in amalgamation as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But on a second level, our individual faith is a foundation. Elder Nelson says, â€Å"We know that God lives and that He loves us. Standing on that firm foundation, we can reach up and find strength to endure the heavy burdens of life† (Ibid. 76). Certainly, building a foundation of faith in Christ’s gospel is essential to withstand the buffetings of the world. Faith as a foundation is fundamentally important, but how do we progress from there? Elder Scott expands on the principle of faith with the concept of â€Å"full† or â€Å"true† conversion. He tells us, â€Å"Stated simply, true conversion is the fruit of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience† (Ibid. 25). Not every member of the Church is fully converted; conversion and Church membership are not synonymous terms. However, by building the foundation of faith, repenting when necessary, and striving to be obedient in a consistent manner, we can attain â€Å"full conversion.† Being fully converted means that we are fully equipped to combat Satan and his influence. But more importantly, Elder Scott stresses the point that this process brings about what the prophets ultimately desire- our happiness. Often heard coupled with this â€Å"happiness† is that wonderful word â€Å"peace.† What an ephemeral concept in these turbulent days! Nevertheless, Elder Ballard reminds us how to obtain peace despite our tremulous surroundings. Peace is not found through unchaste activities, or through actions devoid of charity, pleasurable as they may be. Peace is not found in any manner of wickedness. â€Å"Peace- real peace, whole-souled, to the very core of your being- comes only in and through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ† (Ibid. 88). Though location of this peace may be difficult at times, the Lord is always willing to help us obtain it, and the greatest way we obtain help from the Lord is through prayer. We all need the Lord’s help. It is all fine and great to preach obedience and champion progression, but we cannot really go too far without assistance from our Heavenly Father. Luckily, we have His help when we need it. James E. Faust teaches, â€Å"[prayer] is recognition that we need help beyond our own ability† (Ibid. 59). Most assuredly, this is true. God has allowed us to be on the Earth at this time, but He has not done so without promise of His loving assistance. Heavenly Father cannot assist us, however, without an action to assist. President Monson relates how the success of the Tahitian sea captains can be attributed to a single poignant phrase- â€Å"They pray and they go.† In other words, they do not pray for safety and success and then sit at the docks. Faith for them is how it should be- a belief and an action. President Monson later admonishes, â€Å"Let us †¦ be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Let us pray; then let us go and do† (Ibid. 51). Through faith in the Gospel and subsequent application of that faith, we will be able to withstand the storms of this world just as the Tahitians navigated the tempests of their islands. Never has correct application of our faith been so important as it is today. President Hinckley speaks of the tragic evils of spouse abuse, abuse of the elderly, and the malevolence of child abuse. Molestation and abuse of children is a terrible problem; Elder Boyd K. Packer’s talk on children gave an even further assurance that this evil is one of the greatest plagues of our modern era. The Prophet counsels that our behavior and actions â€Å"must be above reproach† (Ibid. 52). Although he is speaking specifically to priesthood holders, this council certainly has universal application. No one, of course, is perfect. The Lord loves us anyway. Elder Maxwell assures us that â€Å"the Lord has said consolingly, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’† In addition, â€Å"He has also promised to make weak things strong† (Ibid. 38). And Elder Holland, in his talk on the â€Å"other prodigal,† makes it clear that Heavenly Father loves us- â€Å"insecurities, anxieties, self-image and all† (Ibid. 64). In addition, we are given friends to help us progress in our quest to become like Christ, as Elder Eyring points out. Sometimes these friends bring us to the Gospel and sometimes they provide reinforcements in the battle against the world. The battle against the world is raging fiercely in these latter days and the Gospel of Jesus Christ provides the only true and lasting counsel against its onslaught. Elder Dallin H. Oaks reflects in his talk that he is â€Å"grateful for the warnings of the scriptures and Church leaders on things to avoid† (Ibid. 35). He then describes the importance of taking on the â€Å"whole armor of God† to be able to withstand the last days. The rest of his talk is also wonderful in its description of the ability of the Church to assist in our progression. He makes it clear that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can truly improve and fight against the evils of pornography, alcohol, drugs, and gambling, to name a few. Elder Wirthlin calls these vices â€Å"nets,† and likens them and other addictive or worldly pursuits to the nets of Simon Peter when the Lord called out to him, â€Å"follow me.† In other words, they may be difficult to leave becau se they are so comfortable, addictive, or pleasurable. We can imagine it was a big thing for Peter to leave his nets- they were, after all, his livelihood and he was no destitute fisherman by any means. Elder Wirthlin summarizes his point by telling us, â€Å"Jesus the Christ is ‘the way, the truth, and the life: no [one] cometh unto the Father, but by [Him]† (Ibid. 17). Basically, following Christ is the only way to avoid the pitfalls of the world and come â€Å"unto the Father.† Just as he opened optimistically, President Hinckley exuded similar hope and faith in his brief closing remarks. Probably the most significant of those remarks was his hope that, â€Å"Each of us should be a little better for this rich experience. Otherwise, our gathering has been largely in vain† (Ibid. 90). Implicit in this statement is the inference that the purpose of the General Conference was to help us improve and progress. Obviously, then, we should not ignore or passively take in the talks given at Conference. Even in this world, with its spinning tempestuous wickedness and plummeting standards, our ultimate goal still remains to progress toward eternal happiness by following the teachings of Christ. It may be more difficult than it has been. It may require a little more effort. But this is why we have prophets today: to guide us and teach us the Gospel of Jesus Christ- the only path to attain joy on Earth and happiness in the eternities. 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Identification, Placement, or Provision of Appropriate Instruction to Low Income Gifted Students

Identification, Placement, or Provision of Appropriate Instruction to Low Income Gifted Students Introduction  ­ Demographics of Florida have recorded overwhelming changes in the recent years due to the increased population as well as enrichment of human race diversity. The city is identified with a large population of students in the available schools, who are inclusive of all human races.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Identification, Placement, or Provision of Appropriate Instruction to Low Income Gifted Students specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The students’ achievements of set goals are widely determined by the extent of recognition by the Bureau of education, the low income gifted students not being an exception. Gifted children entail those individuals that have high potentials of achievements, though disadvantaged by the fact that they come from low income earning families. The 2000 demographics table of recognition has been constructed in a way that makes rampant challenges identifiable (Brody , 2004). The discussion in this paper is aimed at investigating challenges associated with the identification, placement, or provision of appropriate instruction to low income gifted students. Challenges to low income gifted students A countless number of challenges are identified in regards to the identification, placement as well as provision of the essential instruction to those students that are gifted and coming from low income families in Florida. Inequality in representation is very evident from the recent 2000 demographics. The fact that the city holds all types of races in the general population and the fact that the same rate should be viewed in school populations, there needs be equal treatment for all students. However, the largest numbers that are catered for in the placements to special programs are whites while very few numbers of other races are catered for. The inequality challenge goes beyond the national level for it is rampantly extended to the district level (Br ody, 2004). Additionally, there exists a disproportional representation of the students in regard to linguistic, cultural as well as the ethnic diversity. The consideration is based on the racial lines and hence giving room to the aspect of tribalism to take preeminence in the operations of gifted students programs. In the process, the low-income gifted students who should be considered for special education are not catered for.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The issue of ethnicity is identified with persistence over the years and also the failure for the educational curriculum to offer ample instructions to those students that are talented in one way or the other. The long standing challenge has been that of the high percentage of minority students with special needs as compared to their enrolment to the gifted and talented students programs. The immigrant’s student s into Florida have very small numbers of those considered as compared to those of the white’s students. This problem is identified with a disproportionate representation in the schools. In response to this, the current research reports indicate that the future of Florida is bound to encompass large numbers of diverse racial lines, thus becoming a multiracial area. This also accounts for a rise of the numbers of students of immigrants to higher levels that those of whites, making it a problem if this tribalism challenge continues thriving (Karnes and Johnsen, 2005).  Moreover, there is the prevalence of favoritism challenge, which entails offering special consideration to some individuals more than the others are considered. The demographic representation of the year 2000 indicate some parts of those that are white gifted students being given a priority over the rest, though they are racially similar. The counties, though in the same city do not use an identical criteria fo r the consideration of gifted low income students, and those in some areas benefit. The major long-standing problem is even that having ghost students being in the special school programs, who take up the positions of the genuinely needy. This form of favoritism diverts the funds that are to help the gifted low income students into no noble utilization. The extension of this challenge is also extended along racial lines in regard to the identification and placement of the gifted low income students into the appropriate programs. Furthermore, the fact that the challenges are long standing is an implication that no policies have been put into place to safeguard the gifted low income students to help them achieve their dreams by the prevailing government (Karnes and Johnsen, 2005). The usefulness of the information in identifying this subgroup in a school The information herein provided is crucial in the identification of such a sub-group in my school. The fact that no school in the wo rld will comprise of students of a similar race helps release the importance regarding every person as a human creature regardless of their origin.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Identification, Placement, or Provision of Appropriate Instruction to Low Income Gifted Students specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More My school though does not emphasize on such programs will need to come up with the best strategies to identify such groups. The gifted students are quite innovative since are those people with an extra knowledge in regard to innovation but sometimes never get a chance to achieve their dreams. The information is also valuable in the evaluation of how best a government, an institution or an education has been able to assist needy students. It is also important in addressing the issue of inequality in learning institutions as well as governmental realms. The change of placement and identification policies is only p ossible when appropriate environmental scanning has been performed to identify such challenges (Cline and Schwartz, 1999). Conclusion The placement, identification and meeting of instructional needs of gifted low income students in Florida have been overwhelmed by some rampant challenges in the recent years. The rampancy of inequality, favoritism as well as tribalism is known to have been long-standing over the years. However, the identification of these challenges has a rationale of identifying such groups in my school as well as addressing them. However, more research should be conducted to come up with the sources of these rampant challenges associated with the identification, placement, or provision of appropriate instruction to low income gifted students References Brody, L. (2004). Grouping and acceleration practices in gifted education. NY: Corwin Press, 2004. Cline, S. and Schwartz, D. (1999). Diverse populations of gifted children: meeting their needs in the regular classro om and beyond. NY: Merrill Prentice Hall. Karnes, F. and Johnsen, S. (2005). Identifying gifted students: a step-by-step guide. Texas: Prufrock Press Inc.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More