Learning to Cook: Awakening Queer Tastes :: Sexuality Homosexuality Essays

Learning to Cook: Awakening Queer Tastes The initial stages of vegetarian desire are characterized by what may be termed 'epicuriosity' on the part of the food consumer -- an inclination towards food pleasures beyond the meat-centred menus favoured by North Americans -- but often, the transition to a vegan or vegetarian diet is made difficult by the centrality of omnivorism within popular culture. From frozen TV dinners to foie gras, meat's accessibility as a convenient pre-packaged commodity means that animal products are the accepted norm. And, since popular adherence to the principles of omnivorist consumption culture dictates that the rejection of meat-eating be viewed as a cultural transgression, the choice to adopt a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is often met with hostility (not surprising given that aggression and defensiveness seem to be standard responses to the suggestion of difference within western social orders). However, this hostility is especially evident towards young vegetarians for whom the choice to adop t an alternate diet is interpreted as an affront to the 'compulsory carnivorism' that is the social and parental expectation of the adolescent. Therefore, the challenge facing the bold vegetarian is one of articulating her appetites to a meat-oriented populace. Queer Subjectivities in formation A similar obstacle faces the adolescent subjects in Leontine Sagan's Machden in Uniform and Sadie Benning's Me and Rubyfruit, who are forced to express their sexual identities and desires from positions defined as marginal in relation to the normative paradigm of heterosexuality. What these characters are faced with is the supremacy of one model of sexuality that pathologizes all other forms of sexual preference as deviance. The importance of these films is that not only do they represent characters whose expressed desires destabilize dominant expectations of adolescent sexuality but that further, by performing such challenges they offer the potential to contest the very system of socialized heterocentrism which impedes the acceptance of queer sexualities. In Machden in Uniform we are offered a peek into the bourgeoning of such illicit desires amongst a group of girls sharing a dormitory at a German boarding school. The girls are represented as exploring a number of erotic fantasies -- some revolving around male film stars but others centred around their teacher, Fraulein von Bernburg. Within the closed environment of the school, the expression of any type of desire is considered a sinful indulgence but it is the expression of homosexual affection that is the least tolerated transgression.

Disagreements Between Experts in Natural Sciences

What are disagreements? Often an image of an argument between friends or spouses is associated with this word. However, this is very stereotypical because the word can have many interpretations. Disagreements occur in forms other than between individuals. For example, the argument between religion and atheism is a disagreement between two schools of thoughts, and the conflict between the scientist and the public on global warming is a disagreement between two communities of people. These disagreements sometimes narrow our perspective on the issue at hand.It prevents us to see the world with an open-mind to try and work through the conflict. Although this is true, can disagreements aid the pursuit of knowledge? To what extend does disagreements in natural and human sciences aid the pursuit of knowledge? In what ways are the pursuits of knowledge different in human and natural sciences? Human sciences study and interpret experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts associated wit h humans. While natural science gives us insight into the world with the lack of the â€Å"human factor†.Although the human science is generally known to be less â€Å"scientific†, due to the fact that not all variables can be controlled, it is by no means the lesser of the two areas of knowledge. But because of this added â€Å"human factor†, the results from human science experiments normally have a larger deviation from the mean. This means more trials and larger sample sizes are required to overcome this disadvantage. Is there a difference between the disagreements in human and natural sciences? Some theories in human sciences are asserted without a way to disprove it.An example of a theory that is not able to be falsified is Freud’s theory on the ego-superego-id structure of human behavior. Any story could be made up about a patient to explain their psychological problems through the basis of ego, superego, and id, but it does not prove the cause of the disorder. Human science theories in general posit some facts about the internal behavior of an individual based on their outward behavior, and then predict future actions on the basis of the internal facts. We have now disproved Freudian psychology, because it is highly unlikely.But have we really disproved it? The fact that ego, superego, and id do not relate to anything definite prevents scientists to study each individually, thus there is no way to prove or disprove the theory. These unfalsifiable theories lead to a list of theories that could be true, but could not be proven true or false. This prevents the elimination of wrong theories; instead we mark them as â€Å"unlikely†. How do we know which theory to accept as the truth? Thus, a disagreement between two theories in the human sciences can never be resolved with hard evidence.It is rather resolved by weighing the likeliness of the prospect, a very unscientific way to gain support. This is the reason it is harder to reach the truth through the process used by the human sciences. However, this does not mean knowledge cannot be gained from disagreements in human sciences. In fact, it is easy to gain knowledge of trends in observed data, but it is extremely hard to reach the right conclusion based off the data. Theories in natural sciences are known for their falsifiability.They are created to encompass the evidences already present, instead of inferring evidences based on the theories as mentioned in some cases in the human sciences. When there is a disagreement between two theories in the natural science, although there is not always a definite â€Å"winner†, there are always definite â€Å"losers†. If the theory can give an explanation for all of the evidence then it wins a temporary victory. I say temporary because new evidences can emerge that the old theory does not encompass. This is the way to falsify a theory.For example, Newton’s law of gravitation was supplanted by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity when it failed explain the motion of extremely small and extremely large objects. It is when none of the theories provide an explanation for the evidences that we can continue the pursuit of knowledge. Science makes progress precisely because there are disagreements. Without these internal conflicts, science does not renew its basis, and is cold and dead. Just because during the disagreement a theory came out as the â€Å"loser†, does not mean the theory is discarded forever.A â€Å"loser† can undergo small modifications to provide an improved fit to the evidence. Theories might be defeated now but later come out as the new winner. As a scientifically minded individual, I understand that I should not always trust the current paradigms in science. I learned that just a century ago we did not believe that we could land on the moon. Looking back at it now, this belief was absurd. We landed on the moon only sixty-six years after the Wright Brothers. This is the reason as a student I enjoy intentionally creating disagreements when it comes to scientific concepts.These healthy competitions between scientific ideas are what weeds out the weak hypotheses from the strong ones. In the long run, this ability to falsify is what leads humans to discover knowledge and uncover the truth. So in the case of natural science, disagreement leads to a truth to the best of the knowledge at the time. Disagreements in science do not only occur in the form of conflicts between theories. Scientists often produce controversial discoveries that the general public do not want to accept. Why is it in our human nature to resist change?Most of the time change leads to knowledge, but it is almost like we are trying to protect ourselves from the facts. For example, there are many people out there that deny global warming. This is due to the fact that the media puts the spotlight on the controversial scientists that are mostly con fined to non-participants in global climate science. Since their theories are often not published in the scientific journals, they resort to the media to gain support for their ideas. Their poorly evidential theories gain support from the public because most of them trust these â€Å"experts†.I know I stated before that we should never regard anything as impossible, but this is absurd because the theories are asserted without evidence. People are against putting funds to resolve this â€Å"fake† problem, thus prohibits the pursuit of knowledge. Can we ever assert anything without evidence in science? According to the scientific method, an inductive method, any statements must start with observations and evidences in nature. Based on the scientific method, nothing can be asserted without evidence. But the scientific method is only exclusively used in a perfect world, or when you are in elementary school through high school.In the real world of science many researchers d o not follow the scientific method to a tee. They are able to assert a falsifiable statement instead of a hypothesis before their research, and during their research will try to disprove their statement. Although I believe this opens the results to a lot of conformational bias, it is widely used in the scientific community. Disagreements in science do not only occur in the professional field. Many students seek the pursuit of knowledge through classroom discussions. In biology class this year, we were talking about telomeres. I asked Mr.Creighton â€Å"If we age because our cells chop off the ends of our DNA after each replication, how can we produce sperm and eggs which create a baby with young DNA? † This question led to a whole class discussion on the theories of aging. Although there were many disagreements, at the end of the class period, I found myself to have a better understand of the process of aging and cellular division. If the whole class decided that the cutting of telomere was the only theory to the process of aging, then there would not have been arguments, and I would not have gained any new knowledge.Disagreements come in many forms. From verbal arguments to all-out war, disagreements permeate our society. Most of the time they are known to reverse the pursuit of knowledge because it closes the participant’s mind to further ideas, but disagreements in science are different. Scientists understand that their ideas improve with the criticism of their peers, and that is the only way science can advance. However, this does not mean that all disagreements in science promote the pursuits of knowledge, because there are certainly different forms of disagreements in science.Disagreements in humans sciences tend to create a deadlock because none of the ideas can be disproved. The deadlock can be only solved through â€Å"popularity† contests. This can be easily demonstrated in politics. Politicians claim that their policies are the best for the United States. Since there are no ways to disprove them, they are selected mostly depending how they are viewed by the public. Disagreements can occur between two scientists and their theories or ideas, this is constructive because it allows mutual aid to improve their hypotheses. But some disagreements in science can be unconstructive.This is especially true when the public is misinformed and actively prevent the pursuit of knowledge. The public has a need to know the truth. I believe people have to be able to think for themselves and be able to identify pseudo-science from real science. They have to able to identify demagogues from people who are trying to create a better future. Does science have an absolute truth? I do not think so. Science is not a religion, but an instrument for people who want to discover the world through an organized fashion. I appreciate its willingness to entertain disagreements to pursue knowledge.

Growing Up †Lord of the Flies Essay

Growing up is a time of great change. Challenges and difficulties arise for individuals which changes them. This statement has been explored on many levels and can be related to many forms of writing and film. In the novel â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding, the characters are exposed to intense hardship and difficulties. The pressure of being stranded on a deserted island with no means of getting off conflicts with the boys’ knowledge of moral conduct and leadership. Ralph who is a prime example of the vulnerability of children to lurking dangers displays a good sense of leadership and civilized intelligence. He puts his knowledge and skills into practice in all the scenarios he faces. Jack, another character in â€Å"Lord of the Flies† depicts the story of a greedy boy lusting for more and more power. His inhumane behaviour lands everyone in a place where a wrong move can mean the difference between life and death. The film â€Å"Whale Rider† directed by Niki Caro tells the anecdote about a girl named Paikea, after a great legend known to the Maori people. This movie relays the complications of a young girl who tries to be accepted by her grandfather, Koro. Koro, a former leader of the people searches to find the new leader to carryout the duties and traditions he passes on. This person has to be of a strong, dominant, first-born male genre. Ralph is an important individual to the story. He plays the role of a smart, well-adjusted, strategic, natural leader. Through the expedition he faces a journey of self-discovery. Ralph’s relationship with the other boys started off well as he was voted chief. â€Å"Lets have a vote†. Ralph later experienced greater difficulties as the group began to break away because they had other priorities. â€Å"I was talking about smoke! Don’t you want to be rescued? All you can talk about is pig, pig, pig!† Soon the group was down to two: Piggy (a great thinker) and Ralph, however the group became even smaller following the killing of Piggy. This act shows how the absence of law and ethics alters the ways in which a person at a critical age of adolescence behaves and thinks. The fact that there is no adult supervision gives the boys’ the message of no limits in what they do. As the saying goes â€Å"if you cant beat them, join them† this is what happened with the group. Finding that survival in Ralph’s group was much more tougher than that of Jack’s group they decided to join him, leaving Ralph to fend on his own. Jack is a character of high power and control. This helps to understand knowing that he was in charge of the choir/ hunters. â€Å"I ought to be chief,† said Jack with simple arrogance, â€Å"because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.† As an adolescent Jack has already developed an excessive sense of authority. His position in this story can be related to government and politics. He demonstrates the wanting for being on top and draws in people to taking his side and turning them against his competitors. This is a sign of both maturity and childs play. The way in which he uses his power is against the principles of society. The stress of being on a deserted island â€Å"messes† with Jack’s line of thoughts and therefore affects his decision-making. Paikea is a strong-willed, spiritual, self-conscious girl. She illustrates how her determination and belief helped in resolving her crisis. At birth Paikea’s mother and twin brother passed away. She grew up with her grandparents whilst her father travelled the world. As her grandfather searched for the next leader of the Maori people, Paikea secretly learns the teaching of her grandfather to the boys in which he trains to become the next chief. As females were not allowed to participate in such rituals she finds herself in a situation where she feels her grandfather doesn’t want her, â€Å"Why doesn’t he want me?† By sticking by her grandfather after all he put her through, Paikea shows how her love towards Koro remained strong throughout. As an adolescent she becomes aware of her legacy and her role in the tribe. Koro is a man of great strength, power, ability and faith, â€Å"when you extend your tongue you are saying to your enemy I am going to eat you.† In the film Koro goes in search for a new leader of the Maori people however does not realise that the answer to his problems is right in front of his face. He suggests that Paikea is an omen â€Å"When she was born that’s when things started going wrong for us.† After a series of events involving a pod of whales being beached, Koro comes to realise that Paikea was the next whale rider and he accepts her for who she is. As a leader, Koro did not realise the support that Paikea needed during her time of adolescence, as he wasn’t just a leader to her but also her grandfather. Through close observation of the characters and how they were portrayed in each story it is easy to assume that adolescence is a time of great change, not just physically but also mentally and socially. As seen with Ralph and Jack, there are many differentials as well as similarities between each other because everybody has their own techniques in handling situations and the way they react to such complications like being stranded on a deserted island. In â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, William Golding presents his characters as flies, the lord symbolises the leader and as adolescents the children have a position in their life whether they want to lead or follow. Ralph shows a determination for maintaining civilization on the island he exhibits a good sense of maturity, unlike Jack who displays himself as someone who just wants to be head of the pack for the sake of being the superior one. In â€Å"Whale Rider†, Paikea reveals a spiritual side of her; she is seen as mystical and unpredictable. During her time as an adolescent she faces a world of exploration, knowledge and realisation.

Prophet Essays - Christian Eschatology, Purgatory, Prophecy

Prophet Essays - Christian Eschatology, Purgatory, Prophecy Prophet The Prophet Period 4 Patrick Coleman In the prophet it does not tell you how to live, but it tells you how life works. I do not agree with everything that is said, but as a whole I like the message the book sends. I have taken my five favorite chapters, and broken them down for this report. Eating and Drinking- I think he is saying that we do not have to become vegetarians, but we must never take more than we need. I think this applies well to average killing of meat, but when he says we should be sorrowful and apologize to an apple that we bite is where I do not agree. Giving- This is one of the few chapters I totally agreed with. My favorite quote came from this chapter, You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. And then they speak of how the average man does not know how the poor person feels until they have been poor themselves. Crime and Punishment- He takes an interesting stance on punishment by suggesting a sort of purgatory. He says that, And for that wrong committed must you knock and wait a while unheeded at the gate of the blessed. He also says the form of a punishment is living with the crime you did. That you will feel sorrow for what you have done. Death- He says that death is the same as life. They are one, like the river and sea are one. This is the last chapter, because I think it is the hardest for us to understand. And I do not think that we can ever understand death, as we are living. Though, we should not be afraid of it.

How to File Loud TV Commercial Complaints

How to File Loud TV Commercial Complaints If you, like many if not most people, had visions of the government really cracking down on TV stations and cable companies that broadcast annoyingly loud commercials after enactment of the CALM Act, you had a wrong vision. The fact is that the FCC has placed most of the burden for enforcement of the law squarely on TV viewers. The much-desired TV commercial volume control law - the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act - is now in effect, but you can bet your eardrums there will be violations. Heres when and how to report CALM Act violations. Taking full effect on December 13, 2012, the CALM Act requires TV stations, cable operators, satellite TV operators, and other pay-TV providers to limit a commercials average volume to that of the programming that it accompanies. It May Not be a Violation The CALM Act is enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the FCC does provide a simple way to report violations. However, the FCC also advises that not all loud commercials are violations. According to the FCC), while the overall or average volume of the commercial should be no louder than the regular programming, it may still have louder and quieter moments. As a result, says the FCC, some commercials may sound too loud to some viewers, but still comply with the law. Basically, if all or most of the commercial sounds louder to you that the regular program, report it. Broadcasters who fail to comply with the CALM Act regulations face significant financial penalties imposed by the FCC. How to Report a CALM Act Violation The easiest way to file a loud commercial complaint is by using the FCCs online complaint form at www.fcc.gov/complaints. To use the form, click on the Complaint Type button Broadcast (TV and Radio), Cable, and Satellite Issues, and then click on the Category button Loud Commercials. This will take you to the Form 2000G - Loud Commercial Complaint form. Fill out the form and click on Complete the form to submit your complaint to the FCC. The Loud Commercial Complaint form asks for information, including the date and time you saw the commercial, the name of the program you were watching and which TV station or pay-TV provider transmitted the commercial. Its a lot of information, but it is necessary to help the FCC correctly identify the offending commercial from among the tens-of-thousands of commercials aired every day. Complaints can also be filed by fax to 1-866-418-0232 or by filling out a 2000G - Loud Commercial Complaint form (.pdf) and mailing it to: The Federal Communications CommissionConsumer and Governmental Affairs BureauConsumer Inquiries and Complaints Division445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554 If you need assistance in filing your complaint, you may contact the FCCs Consumer Call Center by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) (voice) or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) (TTY).

Retail Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Retail Law - Essay Example The UK law is applicable when selling or leasing goods or services, that are used by individual consumers, family or the household uses. Retailers are prohibited from applying dishonesty, misrepresentations or falsified operations and practices. This act ensures that goods and services sold to the customer are in good condition. On the other hand this act ensures that the retailers make sure that they receive goods from manufacturers or wholesales in good condition for them to sale to the end user. The laws in UK calls for the retail business person to affix a sign to the products sold or put a sign in a place which it can be easily be read by the buyer before he/she can purchase the product. The sign placed should be able to give details of return policy of the seller. If the seller fails to place a sign then, the consumer should be given 20 days in which he/she can return the purchase item and be fully refunded or credited back on his/her credit card. In case a buyer had paid using a cheque, then a seller may delay refunding the money for 10 days to allow the cheque to clear. This law do not apply to products which are outdated. Post season or reduced for sale clearance. It also does not cover special order purchases or buying that involves selling or leasing motor vehicles. This acts the consumer by giving him/her a chance to return items that malfunction back to retailers hence, not losing out. As, for the retailer it ensures that he/she also returns back the same goods to the manufacturer or wholesaler, he/she also do not lose out. (Department of Trade Industry, 2005) Bait and switch advertising This law is not used when the retailer clearly indicates that there are a few items that are available, in such a case then the advert must indicate the number of items offered for sale. The act protects the customer from buying an item based on an advert which is false. Thus ensures that goods advertised are same as sold. To the retailer this is good because he will only advertise what he exactly has. Recording credit card numbers on checks In this law the retailer can request the buyer or the customer to show his/her credit card and then the retailer can record the card insurer and the expiring date. In case a buyer refuses to show his/her card, the retailer then can reject to accept the check. This law does not apply when a retailer has accepted to cash checks as an after sale service for issuer's cardholders in case the issuer of the credit card has accepted to assure payment for its cardholder's checks, or if the buyer having the card do accepts his/her credit card numbers to be recorded on the check. This is a very important act that protects the consumer from fraudulent retailers who can use the consumer credit card number to obtain money with fraudulent. However, for the retailer it will also save him/her from customers who may want to get goods or service with fraudulent means for example, using expired credit card. Sale of goods by description This act defines the rights of the consumer to presume goods to "conform to contract" and the consumer can look for redress if the goods bought are found not to conform to the

This is speech class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

This is speech class - Assignment Example For example the organization, punctuation and rhythm of the speech, there is merit to be found. The phrasing, pauses and iterations were so conceived as fitting to an oral presentation. In this regard the speech worked well with the large audience at the Capitol Hill. One can witness members of the audience hooting, nodding or clapping in approval during pauses in the speech. The repetitive usage of the phrase â€Å"We, the People...† added a sense of gravity to the delivery, as these were the same words with which the Preamble to the constitution begins. It thus invoked a sense of history and continuity from the time of the Declaration of Independence. When one searches the speech for significant policy measures that would benefit the majority of the population there were hardly any. Platitude after platitude forms a tired old pattern. Allusions to ‘unity’, ‘racial equality’, ‘destiny’, ‘security’, ‘bipartisanship’, etc flow fluidly from the President’s tongue. There was nothing concrete to suggest if any of these sentiments will translate into constructive policy measure for the people. Seen in this view the speech can be termed as uninspiring. Although the tenor of President’s voice was serious and its effect on the audience somewhat dramatic, there is little of substance to the entire 20 minute long address to the nation. President Obama covers foreign and domestic affairs without going into specifics. For instance he says that every child in America should have equal opportunity of success. But, whether this means greater infusion of funds for the public education system and an overall reduction in tuition fee is anybody’s guess. Likewise, Obama talked about creating a conducive environment for businesses. Taken as such it is a benign idea; but if he was implying huge bailouts for corporations out of tax-payer money then it is a bad deal for citizens. The President’s equivocations