Literacy is excellent Essay Example for Free

Literacy is excellent Essay â€Å"Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names† (Shah 1). Malcolm X describes his experience and struggle not being able to read or write until he got into prison. All he could ever do in prison was sit there, so he figured he would make light of his incarceration. So what he did was study a dictionary and read books to gain a better understanding and learn much more than he had before. Then with doing that, it made him feel free and empowered with his newly found intelligence now knowing what other people had discussed and had read. Malcolm X came up in a segregated time in the United States where black men and women weren’t allowed to be well educated or earn much of a living. Only having an 8th grade education can keep you trapped in your own mind. Therefore, the significance of literacy is immeasurable due to the fact that it is limitless on what you can do with it. Reading and writing has impacted our lives forever and in so many different ways. Write a letter, text a number, or do homework in a textbook. All these situations and more are due to the fact that people over time and now can read and write. The way we first started communication was through drawings known as hieroglyphics; that then transformed over time into different letters and we could finally write down information. That advancement led us to be able to keep records, talk to people without being face to face, and just write down information. â€Å"In my slow, painstaking, ragged handwriting, I copied into my tablet everything printed on the first page, down to the punctuation marks† (Malcolm X 641). Literacy was hard for him to pick up because it was new to him, and also he didn’t have the resources or materials we do now to help him. Communication since then has exploded to the point of other people learning how to read and write other languages and schools being opened to teach a number of new people how to read and write. Communication therefore led us to advancements in communication. We can now talk to someone halfway around the world without spending a fortune for travel fares. The human race in total can read and write so well that we have taught machines like computers, cars, and phones to now read; something we didn’t have just around 20 years ago. Without communication there could be no advancements and without advancements there could be no communication. Therefore, learning to read and write is key in everything we do and come up with. My cousin also had a problem with reading and writing all through school, and even after he graduated. Unlike Malcolm X, when he was younger he kept trying to give up on doing it because it was frustrating and confusing to him. He hated having to learn something he never understood properly and regrets trying to give up for all those years because it’s still a problem now. Having that happen to him has deterred me from me giving up on something I don’t understand so it doesn’t get worse for me or stay a problem forever. Cognate to Malcolm X, I tried over and over to be at least semi-literate in everything I could. For example, when I was in middle school I would always watch the Lincoln high school NJROTC spin rifles and I knew I would do that one day. So in ninth grade I practiced hard and finally learned how to do just about everything they can do and was able to be in the parade. Also cognate to Malcolm X, I believe learning to be literate in anything takes hard work, concentration, and dedication to the fact that you have to pay attention and learn what to do. Works cited page Shah, Anup. â€Å"Poverty Facts and Stats. † Global Issues. 07 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Sep. 2013. . X, Malcolm. Literacy behind Bars. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Reading. Ed. Richard Bullock and Maureen Daly Goggin. 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 2013. 460-63. Print.

Characteristics of a Modern Nation State

Characteristics of a Modern Nation State Describing the characteristics of modern nation-state by giving describing Nation, State Nation-state The nation is a culture group residing within the territory of the political state. A group of people are considered a nation if (1) they are permanent residents of a defined territory, (2) they exhibit some form of government, (3) they have a common culture, and (4) they declare themselves to be, and are considered by others to be, sovereign. When a group becomes a nation, older loyalties to family or tribe must be subordinated to the new political order, and a common literature, history, and a sense of a common future develop (Walter, 2004). States are independent political unit that claim exclusive jurisdiction over defined territories and over all of the people and activities within them. The governments are not always able to exercise this jurisdiction completely, but states can encourage or even force patterns of human activities to conform the political map. (Rubinstein, Service, Science, , 2002) The continuous growth in size and complexity of societies led people to seek political organization first in clans based on kinship, later in tribes that were collections of clans, and finally in city-states. Around the fifteenth century, city-states gradually began to emerge as nation-states. A nation-state is a specific form of state, which exists to provide a sovereign territory for a particular nation, and derives its legitimacy from that function. In the ideal model of the nation-state, the population consists of the nation and only of the nation: the state not only houses it, but protects it and its national identity. The nation-state did not always exist, and most of the present nation-states are located on territory that once belonged to another, non-national, state. They came into existence at least partly as a result of political campaigns by nationalists. The establishment of a nation-state can be considered the central demand of any nationalist movement. Japan is considered a nation as it has defined territories, government and the residents share a common culture. Moreover Japan traditionally seen as an example of a nation-state and also the largest of the nation states, with population in excess of 120 million. It should be noted that Japan has a small number of minorities such as Ryukyu peoples, Koreans, and Chinese, and on the northern island of Hokkaido, the indigenous Ainu minority. However, they are either numerically insignificant (Ainu), their difference is not as pronounced (though Ryukyuan culture is closely related to Japanese culture). Japan is also seen as a state due to the limited authority powers of the Emperor he is seen as a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the constitution as the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people. Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected members of the Diet, while sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people (National Diet of Japan, 2007) The Emperor effectively acts as the head of state on diplomatic occasions. Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan. Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan, stands as next in line to the throne. Nation-state in Japan express a shared identity of its own population, it has national symbols, above all a national flag and a national anthem, often a wide range of national emblems. In fact it promotes the Japanese national identity in almost every area of human social and cultural life, from the national library to the national airline. Additionally it attempt to create and maintain national unity, and at least a minimal internal uniformity. Nation states have a cultural policy and a language policy for this purpose, and the educational system is often subordinated to this goal. The desire for uniformity had positive economic effects, because nation-states generally try to reduce internal disparities in income and regional GDP. Most have a regional policy for that purpose. How the United States fits the criteria of and functions as a modern nation-state The United States acts a modern nation-state as it is a sovereign territory as it includes a group of people who want to have their own government; furthermore Territories are geographical areas under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state, Sovereignty means authority to control, Territories are elements of states and we know that the united states of America have 50 states, the United states maintain borders and subdivide their territory for governmental purposes. The common values shared between Americans since the United States was founded in the 18th century, Americans have defined themselves not by their racial, religious, and ethnic identity but by their common values and belief in individual freedom (Friedman, 2008). Goals of American Foreign Policy The goals of U.S. foreign policy can be said to include the following: First, the central goal is to protect the nations physical security. This is a primary goal of every nations foreign policy, but the United States has been more successful in it than most. In fact, since the War of 1812, no foreign armies have occupied the continental United States. In contrast, the nations of continental Europe were overrun twice in the twentieth century and repeatedly in the nineteenth century. However the threat of terrorism may change the state of our security. A second goal is to protect the physical security of the principal allies of the United States. For instance, since World War II, the United States has committed itself to protect the nations of Western Europe through NATO), as well as to protect nations on other continents: Japan, South Korea, and Israel. European Union as a transnational entity: Discuss the major events which lead to the establishment of the European Union. From the ideas of establishing sovereign state characterized by a union federation and the association of sovereign member states confederation the main development in Europe was on supranational foundationwhich is the method of decision-making in multi-national political communities, wherein power is transferred or delegated to an authority by governments of member states, this was carried out to tomake war unthinkable and materially impossible (Fontaine, Europejskie, 2003), the most important events which lead to the establishment of the European Union were the foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952, which was included six nations acted like an international organization serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union. The ECSC was the first organization to be based on the principles of supranationalism, later The Treaties of Rome were signed on 25 March 1957, by The Six countries, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. The first Treaty established the European Economic Community (EEC) and the second Treaty established the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom). They were the first international organizations to be based on supranationalism, after the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) established a few years prior. Later two new communities were created separately from ECSC, The executives of the new communities were called Commissions, as opposed to the High Authority. The EEC would develop a customs union between members and Euratom would integrate sectors in nuclear energy. In 1973 the European Union started to witness expansion to include new member states. This process began with the Inner Six, who founded the European Coal and Steel Community (the EUs predecessor) in 1952. In 1992 Maastricht Treaty was signed on February 7th which established the European Union when it came into effect on 1 November 1993 became effective; since then, the EUs membership has grown to twenty-seven with the most recent expansion to Bulgaria and Romania in 2007. Major institutions and nations which forms the European Union. The European Union is composed of 27 sovereign Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The contemporary function of the European Union. The function of the European Union (EU) is to enable closer relations between the member states. This is in order to make the most of the collective abilities of the member states, for example free trade, freedom of movement, freedom of job choice. It enables a lot of the beaucracy that used to be involved with those issues to be by passed. The EU was also formed as a counter balance to the position of the United States as the only global super power. The E.U does not belong to specific country, each member state has a say in the running of the EU. The EU was formed mainly out of need for stability in Europe after the Second World War, and was a product of firstly economic agreements, which still form the main basis of todays EU. Describe two examples of foreign policy objectives for the European Union. The first objective of the EU is to use a decisive diplomacy to be a key player in international issues ranging from global warming to the conflict in the Middle East. The basis for the EUs common foreign and security policy (CFSP) remains soft power: the use of diplomacy backed where necessary by trade, aid and peacekeepers to resolve conflicts and bring about international understanding. The second objective is to have governments in charge, foreign and security policy is one area where essential authority remains with EU governments, although the European Commission and, to a lesser extent the European Parliament, are associated with the process. Key decisions are taken by unanimous vote. Analyze how nation-states and transnational entities engage in foreign policy to achieve their interests. Analyze how nation-states and transnational entities engage in foreign policy to achieve their interests analyze the consequences of this interaction for international politics. Nation-states interests basically shapes the foreign policy of a nation, as the Nation-states needs; for instance when development is needed in the economical section the foreign policy of that nation changes to meet the needs for nation-state objectives therefore it starts to establishing or maintaining good relationship with other nations to enhance trade business. Taking the United States as an example; the United States signed the North American free trade agreement (NAFTA) on January 1st 1994. Linking the US, Canada and Mexico. Another example is when Americans felt the lack security after September 11th attacks; the foreign policy of Unites States lunched war on terror which involved in a war against extremists in Afghanistan and another war to disarm Iraq from the possessing alleged weapons of mass destruction, Similarity the EU nation-state which represent the interest of all EU countries by shaping the foreign policy to maintain the peace in Europe and the efforts to reduce global warming. In conclusion the development of national states has been of vital importance in the modern world. Principally, the loyalties and beliefs of nationalism have been motivating forces in the organization of complex, technological societies in the urban-industrial period. They have also been important forces in establishing and maintaining international antagonisms. References Fontaine, Pascal, Europejskie, Uniwersytet. (2003).Studia europejskie. 2003. Friedman, K. (2008). American identity: ideas, not ethnicity. Retrieved from http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/February/20080307154033ebyessedo0.5349237.html National Diet of Japan, Initials. (2007, January 10).The Constitution of japan. Retrieved from http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/law/index.htm Rubinstein, David, Service, British, Science, British, , Brit. (2002).International bibliography of sociology. Routledge. Walter, C., Opello, (2004).The Nation-state and global order: a historical introduction to contemporary politics. Boulder, US: LYNNE RINENNER.

Resistance to Change in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay example

   Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of an individual whose carefully constructed world crumbles as his culture is assimilated into a colonizing society. This character, Okonkwo, is prestigious within his community, and in most respects views himself and is viewed by his neighbors as an honorable man. Yet for all his seeming honor, Okonwko self-destructs when his world begins to change. Although the value system held by Okonkwo's village may differ somewhat from that held by other cultures, his particular experience during colonization is universal. When Okonkwo defines himself as an honorable man and thinks back upon his life achievements that have made him so, he focuses most strongly upon his ferocity. He has "brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat" in a wrestling match (Achebe 3). Furthermore, his "impatience with unsuccessful men" causes him to "pounce on people quite often" (4). Although it is sometimes problematic for him, Okonkwo's violent and impulsive nature generally earns him great respect in his society. par tab Okonkwo's second most obvious trait is his "inflexible will" (24). This trait enables him to survive the year of the yam famine and build up his prosperous compound, despite his "grim struggle against poverty and misfortune" (27). Okonkwo becomes very proud, knowing that this success "was not luck." He thus believes that he controls his own fate: "Okonkwo said yes very strongly; so his chi agreed. And not only his chi but his clan too, because it judged a man by the work of his hands" (27). As a self-made man, Okonkwo has learned that he can attain his goals through ferocity, violence, tenacity, and stubbornness. His repeated successes have made ... ...ten, to preserve their integrity to their self-image and heritage, individuals intensify their ethnic behavior in the face of obliteration. For many such as Okonkwo, this is a suicidal act, if not literally, then at least socially, politically, and economically. Sources Cited and Consulted: Achebe, Chinua.   Things Fall Apart. Oxford: Heinemann, 1996. Culross, Melissa. "Chinua Achebe and Things Fall Apart." Postimperial and Postcolonial Literature in English. Internet. http://landow.stg.br/ own.edu/post/achebe/ things.htm l. Irele, Abiola. â€Å"The Tragic Conflict in the Novels of Chinua Achebe†. In  ChinuaAchebe’s Things Fall Apart:  A Critical Companion. Delhi: Worldview, 2003. Kortenar. Neil Ten, â€Å"How the Center is Made to Hold in  Things Fall Apart†.  In  Chinua Achebe’s  Things Fall Apart: A Casebook. Ed. By Isidore Okpewho. Oxford; OUP, 2003.

Is Formal Schooling Necessary for Children to Develop Cognitively :: essays papers

Is Formal Schooling Necessary for Children to Develop Cognitively The choices parents have today on how and where to educate their children has expanded compared to many years ago. There is your neighborhood school, a private school, a charter school or another option, which is growing in popularity--home schooling. Studies show many advantages to home schooling. One being that it is not necessary for a child to attend a formal schooling to develop cognitively. The popularity of home schooling under goes much criticism. Some educators say children that are home schooled are receiving gaps in their student learning because parents may not be qualified to provide well-rounded education. Studies show that home schooled children excel in there studies. Developing (cognitively) as good if not better then children in a formal schooling setting. In the 1950's, there were approximately 15,000 persons home schooling. These figures are a "guesstimate" as many people just kept their children at home without reporting to the state. Most people home schooled for religious reasons; some were prosecuted, even jailed. Today every state recognizes the right to school your own children. States set their own regulations and conditions, hence different laws for each state. Today because of better record keeping the estimate of home schoolers is nearing 2 million. The reasons given today for home schooling are varied from religious, political, philosophical, and dissatisfaction with public schools. Teaching and cognitive development outside of school does not have to resemble teaching and cognitive development in school. Cultural experience can be the basis for development at home and in one's community throughout one's compulsory school years. People can successfully do things differently than schools. For example, it has been widely publicized in America that adolescent girls' self-esteem fades in high school, but in a book about home schooled adolescent girls the opposite was found: If one has thought seriously about the structure and assumptions of compulsory schooling, it is hard to read the psychological literature that asks, "How can we get girls to identify with their own goals?" or even "How can we help girls to discover their real interests?" without thinking about the fact that school is in direct opposition to these concerns... ...People in school do not say to students, "What can we do for you?

The Physics of Space Shuttle Re-Entry :: physics science space

When in orbit the shuttle is positioned so that it is moving nose-first and the top of the shuttle is pointing towards the earth. The shuttle is positioned "bottom up" so that the black bottom will radiate the heat from the sun more effeciently. Step one for the shuttle is to turn around so that it is moving stern-first and then it fires it's engines in order to slow the shuttle so that it will drop out of orbit. Next the shuttle flips over so that it is right-side-up when it enters the atmosphere. Between step three and four the shuttle burns any excess fuel that it may still have so that there is less of a danger of explosion when the fuel tanks get hot durring re-entry. Step four is where the shuttle maintains an angle of about 40 degrees from the vertical and maintains an approach so that the shuttle slows down. After slowing to a speed where the shuttle can maneuver it will "fly" (remember, the shuttle has no more fuel so it has only one chance to land) in some final S shaped cu rves to slow some more and then land at a designated airport (as shown below). How Does the Shuttle Turn or Maneuver in Space? The basic means of movement for the space shuttle can be explained in Isaac Newton's laws F=Ma and for every action, there is an equal and oposite reaction. The force, on the space shuttle, is equal to the mass of the shuttle multiplied by its acceleration. By burning fuel in a rocket engine on the back of the shuttle, a force on the shuttle equal to the mass of fuel being "thrown" out the stern of the craft multiplied by its acceleration. This basic physics formula is very important to the shuttle getting up into space and to the beginning of its deceleration on its return to earth. Thus it has a very real impact on weather the shuttle will survive the trip through the earth's atmosphere back to land. When the shuttle first enters the earth's atmosphere it is traveling at speeds topping 30,000 km/h. The shuttle has to decelerate to 0 km/h after it lands. The acceleration that it must endure to slow the shuttle is an incredibly large force on the structure of the craft. When the shuttle is entering the atmosphere it must enter at an angle window of only a few degrees.

Alan Freed and the Payola Scandal Essay

In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, during a time of shifting cultural identity, many Americans who held conservative views found themselves caught in a socio-cultural predicament. The social dynamic of urban communities had begun to change as more African-Americans moved from the Southern United States into the Northern and Western regions of the country. This diaspora meant better jobs and homes for African-Americans and ultimately translated into more spending power among this portion of the population. While many sectors were positively impacted by this increase in African American spending power, participants of exclusionary practices were destined to suffer. An example of this suffering was evident in the music industry where the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) had monopolized the music licensing industry until the Broadcast Music Incorporation was formed and began to provide affordable music licenses to those musicians previously excluded by ASCAP. This development signaled a â€Å"changing of the guard† and the ASCAP found that the change was ultimately not in their favor (Hood-Ancklewicz 3). The individuals who supported and encouraged the proliferation of this social revolution were labeled responsible for the growing lack of â€Å"social stability† and would be contended with under the guise of a quest for morals and justice. In 1959 the House Subcommittee launched an investigation into the existence of rigging in popular game shows and at the urging of ASCAP expanded that probe into the music industry. Given his nonconformist attitude, unapologetic support of rock n’ roll music, interracial dance parties and â€Å"frenzied† stage shows, Alan Freed became the most popular fatality of the payola scandal. Alan Freed was not the only person guilty of accepting â€Å"payola†, but he was among the most visibly linked to the promulgation of rock n’ roll. Alan Freed has been credited with being the first to popularize the title Rock n’Roll in relation to this particular music genre. Additionally, he was the first to encourage integration by hosting wildly successful interracial Rock n’ Roll stage shows with solely African American performers. Freed also made no attempt to control the pandemonium created by his exhilarating lineup of performers, which generally resulted in teens dancing in the aisles, screaming wildly at performers and storming venues for the opportunity to participate by any means necessary. The â€Å"firsts† associated with Freed helped to solidify his image as the Father of Rock n’ Roll and conversely sealed his fate as the scapegoat of the payola scandal. Mainly targeting radio stations and well known deejays and record executives, including Freed, the â€Å"clean cut† Dick Clark and, others linked to the popularization of rock n’ roll music. The payola investigations made radio executives across the nation nervous. Many of the stations began to enact measures to ensure that they would not be implicated in any wrong doing and as a result began to require that their disc jockeys sign disclosure statements, divest themselves of questionable outside interests and cooperate with investigators as necessary. Those disc jockeys that refused to do so were fired. Many deejays resigned some suggesting that payola was as much a part of the system as any other widely held production practice, while others simply confessed to accepting cash and other gifts in exchange for promoting records. Alan Freed refused to sign documents on the moral grounds that doing so would negatively impact his â€Å"reputation for integrity† as a result Freed was fired from the radio station (Segrave 110). Freed admitted that he had accepted valuable gifts but, he explained â€Å"not in front. If I’ve helped somebody, I’ll accept a nice gift but I wouldn’t take a dime to plug a record. I’d be a fool to; I’d be giving up control of my program† (Segrave 80). The end of the payola scandal dawned with Alan Freed disenfranchised from his livelihood. Freed was forced out of the concert promotion business, blacklisted, arrested, fined three hundred dollars and given a six month suspended sentence and though by modern standards this punishment may seem mild, compared to the punishment of other deejays it was among the most calculating and exacting punishments delivered. While some critics argue that the scandal did not end Freed’s career it is clear that â€Å"justice† was not doled out equally among all offenders (Palmer 136). Dick Clark, who was also investigated, was questioned about outside interests that he held with various publication houses, record presses, talent firms, etc. Clark minimized the number of investments reported to the committee, his employers supported his claims that he had divested those interests. Following the investigation it was learned that the claims of divestment were not only false but that Clark had also deflated the number reported to the subcommittee. Clark was ultimately exonerated and never seemed to be in any real danger of losing his livelihood, while Alan Freed was left destitute (Segrave 110). By many accounts Freed’s success in the music industry was instantaneous and was bolstered by the unwavering support of his interracial teen audience. In 1952 when Freed held the Moondog Coronation Ball an estimated 30,000 teens stormed the venue causing the event to be closed down by the local police department. Soon after this incident Freed took his stage shows on tour and was arrested and charged with inciting a riot after a similar occurrence in Boston. Freed moved from Ohio to New York where his success continue to grow exponentially (Palmer 23). Of note among Freed’s perceived â€Å"shortcomings† was the fact that all of Freed’s performers were African-American and even when â€Å"sanitized† versions of African-American songs were available Freed still preferred and continued to promote the original versions (Palmer 136-139). The image of rock n’ roll (leather jackets and sideburns) upset the sensibilities of larger society and as a result when the investigations into payola, a practice that had existed in various formats for years, became public knowledge and the House Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight had the support and the fuel necessary to effect change, Alan Freed became target number one. Rock n’ roll was shunned by the more conservative personalities in American society and as a result was blamed for many societal ills. Few expected the genre to last, disgusted by the lack of perceived merit in the rock n’ roll genre, many of the ASCAP members and conservative American public denied its â€Å"staying power†. In her1956 article for the Miami Herald, Phyllis Battelle quotes an unnamed source as saying â€Å"Perhaps the only hopeful thing about rock n’ roll is that it’s so bad. It cannot endure indefinitely† (Batelle 4C+). This sentiment comforted few Americans while others focused on the reasons why rock n’ roll was not a viable music form. Rock n’ roll on the other hand continued to reinvent itself, to influence and morph into different genres. The influence of rock n’ roll is heard clearly in other genres now and has become as intrinsic to the American cultural legacy as payola in the music industry. Though rock n’ roll waned for a short period of time it ultimately was revived by the British invasion which also revived the folk and R&B genres (Hood-Anklwicz 4). Ironically the integrationist mentality that was once a part of rock n’ roll music faded in the early sixties undoubtedly influenced by the newly sanitized radio and broadcast environment, the loss of charismatic personalities such as Alan Freed and the stress of the continuously changing cultural dynamic in American society. Fears like those expressed in segregationist propaganda like the American Nationalist went unfounded as rock n’ roll eventually became racially segregated once more. Dick Clark’s clean cut presentation of rock n’ roll minus the tilting pelvises and gyrations, minus the dancing in the aisles and frenzied pandemonium, minus the leather jackets and sideburns was to become the popular music among whites while African American performers performed for largely African-American audiences (Palmer, 146). Many African American performers of the rock n’ roll era have credited Freed with the breaking of social barriers and have recognized his attempt to encourage integration among young Blacks and Whites. Before concluding that Alan Freed was ultimately made the example for being all things rock n’ roll, it is imperative to note that the practice of payola was never absent from the music industry, it â€Å"has never been and is not now illegal†. The 1960 law passed, did not make the practice illegal but made the failure to report payola illegal (Segrave,vii). While the concept of payola presents an ethical flaw in the system it is nonetheless a flaw that is as inherent to the music industry as is manipulation to the industry of politics. The great professor and historian, Lord Acton, is quoted as saying, â€Å"power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely†. This notion is evident on both ends of the rock n’ roll spectrum on one end Alan Freed was said to â€Å"be drunk with power† (Palmer 23), so much so that he failed to see the danger in overbooking venues, was charged with encouraging riotous behavior among teens and a general failure to realize the detriment that would come to his livelihood if he continued to challenge the prescribed social norms of the 1950’s. On the other end of the spectrum is the American government who continues to support censorship and participate in the creation of scapegoats when suitable to the larger political agenda. Overall, Alan Freed was a trendsetter who was perhaps â€Å"before his time† and thereby was punished accordingly for going against the grain. He lived as the champion of rock n’ roll firsts and died tormented by opportunities unrealized.

Captains Log

We arrived two days ago on this island from Telepyus, Land of the Laestrygonians with heavy hearts, grieving for the loss of our dear comrades. In our sorrow we lay on the shore for two days and two nights, wailing and crying at the pain and anguish we felt for our lost companions. But now I feel that I have to move for the sake of my remaining crew, otherwise I believe we will stay here forever, wallowing in our grief. I am going to leave the men here while set off alone to explore, it would be pointless trying to make the men move now. Half of the crew and myself are now sat on the beach, awaiting the return of the other half of the crew. After my last entry I set off and came to a rocky height and as I became close to the top of it I could see a cloud of reddish smoke rising, as I got closer and closer to the top I saw that it was coming from the chimney of a house in the distance. I was unsure of how I felt at the sight, I was left in two minds, whether to press on forwards and investigate or not. After some deep thought I made the decision n to go back to the shore and try to find some food on the way, the welfare of my men must come first, I would then split the men in to two halves and leave half on the shore and the I would send the other half to explore the island I think that it is best to only let half go incase of any danger, that way if any crew are lost it will only be half or less. I cannot risk loosing any more crew after what happened with Antiphates and the Cyclops. On my way back the Gods must have been in my favour because I came across I stag, which I managed to kill and although it was a brute of a thing I could just manage to put it over my shoulder and drag it back to the shore where I greeted my men warmly and we ate the meal. The meal did seem to boost their morale, which is what I had hoped; I hoped that it might encourage them that we were going to be fine. After we ate we slept and this morning half of the men set off to explore led by Eurylochus. Eurylochus returned alone, claiming that the rest of the men were turned into pigs by a witch named Circe. He told me that when he and his men had reached the Palace of Circe they had heard a beautiful voice singing while working on a loom, one man had said that whoever was inside must have been either a Goddess or woman, she called out to them and invited them inside. But Eurylochus, being a very suspicious man, suspected a trap and did not go in, so Polites led the men and in their innocence they followed him inside. Then he told me that the men had been fed and given drinks of yellow honey with Pramnian wine which she tipped with a noxious drug. The men were then herded into a pigsty and fed acorns and forest nuts, they grunted like pigs but their minds were as human as before, but with no memory of their native land because of the drug. After hearing this news I threw my sword in its silver scabbard over my shoulder and grabbed my bow and told Eurylochus to take me back with him by the same way he had come. But he threw his arms around my knees and begged me to let him stay where he was, so I let him stay because if I had pursued my order, it may have caused a mutiny because he would have disobeyed my order making me look like a bad leader, or and the rest of the crew may have been swayed to the point of view that I had bad judgement , after all my judgement wasn't always perfect, I hadn't been very cautious where the Cyclopes and Laestrygonians had been concerned and perhaps it may have been better if I had have been. So I let him stay and kept up a better image rather than risk looking unkind and uncompassionate. But although Eurylochus will no be coming with me I still have to go on because I cannot loose any more men, so I am going on alone to retrieve my comrades, I'll set off now. I have just returned back to the beach after my encounter with Circe. Soon after leaving the shore I was surprised to meet up with Hermes, who told me that I should eat a special herb called Moly which would stop Circe's powers affecting me. He then instructed me to go on to the palace and accept Circe's offerings, but when she strikes me with her stick I should rush at her with intent to kill her and she will beg for me to go to her bed. He said that if I slept with her she might rob me of my courage and manhood so I should get her to swear an oath before hand so that she wouldn't, and that after I had been in bed with her she would let my men go. I ate the herb and then went on to the palace and when I got outside I called to her and she let me in and fed me and then she offered me a goblet of yellow looking honeyed wine, but I knew that it was drugged, and just like Hermes had told me I drank it and it had no effect thanks to the Moly. Next she hit me with her stick and shouted â€Å"Off to the pigsty and lie down with your friends†, so I snatched up my sword and rushed at her as if I meant to kill her, she slipped beneath my blade, grabbed my knees and burst into tears. She then asked me who I was and where I came from but before I could answer she said that I must be Odysseus because Hermes had once told her that a man named Odysseus would come to her palace and suffer no effects from her drug. She then asked me to join her in her bed and get to trust each other. I could not deny a Goddess, and it was for the sake of my crew, Hermes had told me to accept this offer and although I could not help but think about my wife in Ithaca I knew that to get back home to her I would have to sleep with Circe, so I followed her to her bed, but not before getting her to swear a solemn oath that while they were in bed she should not rob me of my courage and manhood. After I had slept with Circe she told me to return to the shore and collect my men and bring them back to the palace so she could offer them food, drink and fresh clothes, and she let the men out of the sty and turned them back. I got to the shore and told my men the good news, that their friends were now human again and that we all had a feast waiting for us at Circe's palace. But Eurylochus did not take this as good news; he told the men not to trust me and said that I had almost cost them their lives before and that it was my fault we had lost so many men before as it was me who always led the men into danger, like when I made the men go into the Cyclops cave and stay there, and when I lost the men on the Land of the Laestrygonians. I was so enraged by his defiant outburst I considered drawing my sword and lopping his head off there and then but my men held me back and calmed me down. They said that they would come with me and Eurylochus could stay with the ship if he didn't want to come, however he came anyway, if only through fear but we all knew that he was terrified of Circe's Palace too. So now we are all going ahead to Circe's Palace, although my blood is still boiling over what Eurylochus said. I have just had the most difficult day of my journey so far, for after I collected my men and took them to the Palace of Circe, after some persuasion we when to the Palace where the two partied of men met and cried in joy at the sight of each other and we stayed there and ate and drank and bathed and rested for a whole year. It was so relieving to be able to rest and relax that I didn't realise that we'd stayed that long, until the men came to me today and reminded me that we should be on our way because they wanted to get home. I felt like a bad leader for getting so engrossed with this lifestyle that I forgot about their feelings and the time. We feasted for the rest of the day and then as night fell I went to Circe and clasped her knees in supplication and I told her what I felt and how the men felt and asked her to keep the promise she had once made me about sending me home. That is when she told me this dreadful news; to get home I must first go down to the underworld, into the Halls of Hades and consult the soul of Teiresias, who was the only person who could tell me the way home. These terrible words struck me hard and my heart sank, I felt like I had no more reasons for living. But If I ever wanted to return home I had to do this, it was heart breaking but it had to be done. What would be worse was that I would have to tell the crew. I found out from Circe that I would have to set up my mast and wait for the north wind to blow my ship on its way, she said I would come to a wild coast and Persephone's Grove, I should go to the specific place she stated then dig a trench as long and wide as a mans forearm, I should go round the trench and pour offerings to the dead and after that I should sprinkle white barley and begin my prayers and make Teiresias a separate offering of a the finest jet black sheep of my flock. Then there would be more sacrifices of a ewe and ram and pray some more until I would be able to talk to Teiresias who could give me a route home. As if this news hadn't been hard enough I now had to tell my comrades the same thing and get them to agree. Then one of the younger men who had gotten drunk last night herd me calling the men to wake up and he leapt up and fell off the roof and broke his neck and went straight to Hades. Then I broke the news to the men, it was so had to tell them but I had to do it or we will never be able to return to our beloved homes. When I told them they were broken hearted and deeply upset and Circe put the animals for the sacrifice on the ship for me. The men have agreed to go on the next step of our journey home; I just hope that we will prevail.