Gay, Straight, And The Reason About Sexual Orientation

It is a fair assumption to say that America is approaching a new age in understanding and accepting the many variations of human sexual orientation. More same-sex couples have fostered children than ever before in our nation s history. Institutions such as military and professional sports have (slowly but surely) began to accept openly gay members. Most importantly, a recent amendment to the Marriage Act of 1961 now defines marriage as a union of two people; an amendment which removed the prohibition of same-sex marriages. These landmarks in the progression of social awareness surrounding sexual orientation are derivative of scientific findings disputing the choice theory. As outlined in Simon LeVay s book, Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why, the result of someone s sexual orientation emerges from the prenatal sexual differentiation of the brain (LeVay 2011: 271) What LeVay means in this context is, whether a person ends up gay or straight depends in large part on how this pro cess of biological differentiation goes forward, with the lead actors being genes, sex hormones, and the brain systems (LeVay 2011: 271). Much research, proven and theoretical, has been done on the concept of what makes people gay. Many factors surrounding socialization in regards to sexual orientation have undergone extensive scientific scrutiny (LeVay 2011: 77). Although there is evidence that suggests social and environmental elements play a role in sexual orientation, it isShow MoreRelatedLGBT Subculture Essay examples1428 Words   |  6 PagesThere are individuals that live in fear of showing their true identity to the world because they simply fear that society won’t accept them for having a different sexual orientation. Society advocates that individuals should be able to be proud of who they are, but yet they judge homosexuals for being different. People are taught not to judge others based on their race or religion, so why do they still discriminate against h omosexuals? The homosexual subculture is not accepted by society, lookedRead MoreDecline of the Traditional American Family: Homosexual Parents1246 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Family: Homosexual Parents The conception that lesbians and gay men may be parents is frequently perceived in today s society as impossible or immoral. 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In regards to homosexuality and bisexuals, some have argued that it may be a choice that these individuals are making.(Levay 2012: 41)Some have even said it is a mental disorder that one can recover from, but there is plenty of data that says otherwise.(Levay 2012: 41)(Levay 2012: 65) I believe diverse sexual orient ations develop in humans due to sex hormonesRead MoreHomosexuality975 Words   |  4 Pagestina gelinas engl 1200 Is Being A Homosexual A Choice? Do people choose to be gay, is it biological, or is there some other explanation? People have their own thoughts on homosexuality. Some people think that being homosexual is a choice, while others argue it’s not a choice. Bisexuality is a choice. Personally, I do not have a problem either way. I would like to try and answer the questions Is it a choice? and What causes homosexuality? Brief History of Homosexuality. The term ‘homosexuality’Read MoreGay Adoption And The United States1412 Words   |  6 Pages Gay parents! Yes I said it.What kind of impact do gay couples have on adoption agencies in the United States? â€Å"An estimated 65,500 adopted children are living with a lesbian or gay† parent (Lifelong Adoptions)​.†Ã¢â‚¬â€¹There are 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents raising about 2 million children in the U.S† (Why Gay Parents Are Good Parents). ​Even though people believe gay adoption will cause children to act different Gay adoption positively affects adoption agenciesRead MoreGay Adoption And The United States1412 Words   |  6 Pages Gay parents! Yes I said it.What kind of impact do gay couples have on adoption agencies in the United States? â€Å"An estimated 65,500 adopted children are living with a lesbian or gay† parent (Lifelong Adoptions)​.†Ã¢â‚¬â€¹There are 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents raising about 2 million children in the U.S† (Why Gay Parents Are Good Parents). ​Even though people believe gay adoption will cause children to act different Gay adoption positively affects adoption agenciesRead MoreSexual Orientation Is A Choice1603 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s society, there is an ongoing argument as to whether sexual orientation is a choice or if it is a preference that one is born with. Due to these conflicting perspectives, many philosophers have written books and conducted experiments in order to determine and justify which viewpoint is accurate. In Simone de Beauvoir’s book, The Second Sex, particularly the chap ter entitled â€Å"The Lesbian†, she illustrated her assumption that homosexuality is a choice through the analysis of their benefitsRead MoreGay Teens: Accepting the Unaccepted1199 Words   |  5 Pagescreating ones sexual identity. All teenagers explore and experiment sexually as part of normal development. These sexual experiments may be with members of the same or opposite sex. For many teenagers, thinking about or experimenting with the same sex may cause nervousness and concerns regarding their sexual orientation. Most teenagers have been brought up to think that homosexuality is wrong, so thats one of the reasons that teens dont make these thoughts known to everyone. I think gay people deserveRead MoreThe Color Of Christ, And Matthew Vine s The Gay Debate1274 Words   |  6 Pagesreligious tolerance and conflict. There were a couple of units that I connected mostly which were the topics of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community regarding re ligious convictions and the overall depiction of Jesus Christ. Media that highlighted these two subjects were Edward Blum’s and Paul Harvey’s â€Å"Color of Christ,† and Matthew Vine’s â€Å"The Gay Debate.† Both readings connect as they both present logical fallacies and current implications that are mainly based on historicalRead MoreNo One Is Born Gay Or Straight, By Jane Ward843 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the article â€Å"No One Is Born Gay or Straight,† issues arose about how people are gay through genetics. Some of the members from the Human Rights Campaign arguably told Herman Cain that being gay is not a choice. The advocacy group wants people to realize that sexual orientation can be affected in other ways. For instance, Cynthia Nixon commented that she decided to have relationships with women, but when the advocacy groups started to pressure her, she changed her statement and said that

Deforestation and its Effect on our Environment Today Free Essays

Deforestation Deforestation is the operation of cut plants and trees because of fuel and architecture expanding and other reasons. Forests are cut down for many reasons. This essay will describe the causes and effects of deforestation, and how can we solve this problem. We will write a custom essay sample on Deforestation and its Effect on our Environment Today or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are many causes of the deforestation. Firstly, Agricultural expansion, large scale agriculture is the main economic factor behind deforestation. Another factor which is Logging for Timber logging especially illegal logging, is a major cause of deforestation. Moreover, road construction is the infrastructure development that contributes most to deforestation because roads encourage immigration and the spread of agriculture into forests, particularly in remote areas where property rights are unclear. What’s more, is the firewood collection, one third of the world’s population uses biomass fuels, mainly firewood, to cook and to heat their homes, together with population growth, this can have a devastating effect on forests in poor countries. Deforestation effect on our environment deeply today. Deforestation resulted in Climate Change, when deforestation occurs, many of the trees are burnt, which resulted in releasing the carbon that is stored in them as carbon dioxide. This leads to greater concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Therefore, the climate will change which cause the global warming. Furthermore, When forests are cut down, this regulation of the flow of water is disrupted, which leads to alternating periods of flood and then drought in the affected area. What then should be recommended as solutions to these problems? For every tree that is cut, three, not two should be planted in its case. We have reached such a critical point that to prevent the desertification so we need to plant more trees. In brief, deforestation is a warning to the worldwide life. It has become a huge concern in today’s life. Deforestation can be solved only if everyone cooperate with each other and stop people from cutting these forests. Remember you can make a change and influence the people around you to save our beautiful planet. Also, Recycling is an option for the richer countries. How to cite Deforestation and its Effect on our Environment Today, Papers

How to Survive a Day in the Life of a Zany Seventeen-year-old free essay sample

If you ever wake up and discover that you are Priscilla Liu, simply follow these guidelines to emerge unscathed. First, wear a fancy orange top, blue pants, purple socks and yellow pair of Converse; look like someone spilled his semester art project on you. March to the kitchen and make breakfast. Today is the cereal and chocolate milk day and not, as you had hoped, the blueberry pop tarts day. When the clock says 7.50 a.m. mechanically shoulder your backpack and leave the dishes on the sink. You are going to school. Out of the corner of your eye, your school bus, which is too small to actually be called a bus, complete with the expressionless driver, is waiting. You climb on, and when the bus – or van – hisses and rumbles forward, you take out a book. A minute goes by and Pablo taps on your shoulder. The two of you then continue concocting a plan for next summer’s backpack trip in Europe. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Survive a Day in the Life of a Zany Seventeen-year-old or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"So we’ll bike to Rome and eat ice cream flavored pizza,† you hear him say smilingly. Wonder whether such a tall tale could be true but decide its foolish to question such obvious facts. At school you shuffle to classes and look forward to amusing conversations with your friends. English classes always entrance you but you listlessly walk to Chinese classes afterwards. Inevitably, lunch arrives and you let out a long sigh. Glance at your watch and hurry to attend the newspaper club meeting. As the staff gets settled, gently remind them that neither saluting nor calling you ‘Chairman Mao’ is necessary. It’s almost ridiculous since â€Å"Priscilla† is a perfectly fine name. There is no taxi home so you start theorizing about how the family planning program in China has failed to decrease the competition in getting taxis. Commend yourself on the brilliant hypothesis on your way home. A hand stretches itself from a shadow behind you. The sight of your bag zipper widely open, revealing its contents throws you into alarm. Panic-stricken, you begin to holler at the culprit, demanding your cell-phone or iPod or wallet or history paper – whatever he stole – back. The culprit, dejected, admits he took nothing. Merrily return to your course and go home. Having a near-death experience has become part of everyday life since you moved to China. Make a mental note to buy pepper spray. Store the foodstuffs in your refrigerator and make a start on the garlic. You are cooking pasta Aglio Olio. Just as any sane person wouldn’t eat macaroni without cheese nor eat cheese without macaroni, you eat dinner in front of the television – you can never watch TV without eating dinner or eat dinner without watching TV. After dinner, wonder why the revolution in 1905 failed to overthrow Russian Czarism and finish your history essay. Change into cotton pajamas and sink into your armchair. Flip to page 77 of Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast and imagine yourself meeting Ezra Pound in his studio. Once the meeting is over, retire to your rustic bed and indulge in the sweet, momentary satisfaction of having gone through yet another day. Turn off the light.

Punishment in America Essay Example

Punishment in America Paper The corrections system in the United States is known for having the highest incarceration rate than any other country and some people believe our punishments are either too harsh or too lenient. In my opinion I believe it depends on the type of crime correlating with the punishment. Not necessarily all of our punishments for crimes are too lenient or too harsh, I would say it relies on the type of crime committed and even specifically the technicalities of the crime. There will always be room for improvement for our sentencing and punishments for crimes, but our penal ode and our laws are written quite well, its all about how you depict the law and what a Judge decides on as far as the punishment goes. Of course there are many factors that go along with sentencing and punishment, but as a whole, with everything considered, punishment in America seems fair for the most part. Three main crimes related to these punishments are white collar crimes, drug crimes along with more serious crimes that result in the death penalty. Many people in America and some states look at white collar crimes as if they are not nearly as important as violent crimes. Although white collar crimes usually havent effected anyone physically, they still have the capability of damaging businesses along with peoples lives, whether it be financially or Just their life as a whole. White collar crime is a sticky subject because there are even cases that I believe were treated too leniently or some that I thought had a fair punishment correlating with the crime. We will write a custom essay sample on Punishment in America specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Punishment in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Punishment in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer One great example of a white collar crime that I believe had a lenient punishment is the case of Chalana McFarland. McFarland was a real estate attorney who was accused of committing acts of fraud, identity theft, mortgage cams, money laundering and other equally devastating crimes. McFarland left lenders with $20 million in defaulted loans by using inflated property values and real estate flipping deals. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $12 million in restitution for her crimes. (Amanda Haury, Sentences For White-Collar Criminals, Investopedia, 5/12/2012). A crime like this one most likely leaves the families involved devastated financially and can tear a family apart. Events like these cannot be fixed simply, even with restitution. I personally would see to it that McFarland receive a heavier punishment for her actions. On the other hand, the case of Thomas Petters is one I feel was treated fairly well and the punishment went along with the crime. Petters was a business mogul who was accused and convicted of money laundering and fraud in a Ponzi scheme that cost investors over $3. billion of their hard-earned money. Petters was sentenced to a 50-year prison term, although the prosecutors recommended a sentence of 335 years. (Amanda Haury, Sentences For White-Collar Criminals, Investopedia, 5/12/2012). If we Petters were to be rosecuted under the full extent of the law he wouldVe faced a life term in prison, which would have been a waste of our tax money along with putting one more person into our already overcrowded correction system . Our next charge related punishment deals vastly with drug charges and how they are being implemented. Statistically incarcerating thousands of nonviolent drug offenders throughout the past few years has cost our states a massive amount of money that could be used elsewhere in the corrections system. (Margaret Dooley- Sammuli, Drug Penalties, California, Drug Policy Alliance, 12/16/2011). For crimes such as having any kind of illegal narcotic on your person, other than marijuana, its automatically a felony offense with the incarceration period of three months. If we dropped the offense from a felony to a misdemeanor, it would save the state a great sum of money and resources. Going along with that instead of incarcerating perpetrators for a minor drug possession charge, we should implement other state programs such as probation. This frees up our correction system along with our judicial system as well. My argument is that the punishment for these minor drug harges are too extensive and harsh. With the proposal of dropping minor drug charges from a felony to a misdemeanor, this would resolve the problem with the punishment related to this crime. The United States remains in the minority of nations in the world that still uses the death penalty for certain crimes. I along with many people in America today still believe that the death penalty is very important in that we use it as a tool in fghting violent pre-meditated murder. One big downside to the death penalty is the possibility that innocent men and women will be put to death. Also financial cost to tax payers of capital punishment is several times that of housing the perpetrator in prison. The punishment relating to this crime is quite fair, although I believe there are many cases in that a person has committed murder but has not received the death penalty for their actions. Of the 22,000 homicides committed every year approximately 1 50 people are sentenced to death (Death Penalty Facts, California, Death Penalty Focus, 3/31/2009). The only real problem I still see relevant to the punishment regarding any crimes that lead to the death penalty, is that there are still nnocent people being put to death and obviously once this is done there is no reversing this action. Generally speaking I would say the death penalty as a punishment is fair and that we are being too lenient in that people who should receive the death penalty are given a life sentence in prison as an alternative. Overall the three main crimes, white collar crimes, drug crimes along with more serious crimes that result in the death penalty all carry punishments that are supposed to correlate with the crime, with the intention of finding grounds between eing too harsh or too lenient. As weve found white collar crimes usually have fair punishments but can be lenient at times Just because they arent violent crimes and although they arent violent crimes they can still have a devastating effect on peoples lives. Drug crimes are deemed to be too harsh as far as punishment goes. If you are charged with a minor drug possession charge, it should simply be a misdemeanor rather than a felony which would equate to harsher punishment and longer sentences. The death penalty is a punishment which isnt implemented enough, but n the other hand if it is implemented it can have negative effects as in executing an innocent person. Death penalty as a whole seems to be too lenient and doesnt have the effect that it should with our communities. In the end the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and nas many punishments that are considered to many as, too lenient or too harsh, but none the less I feel punishment in America is fair regarding most crimes. I feel there will always be room for improvement and speculation for how our punishments are implemented, but as a ountry, punishment is implemented correctly and fairly overall. Works Cited http://www. investopedia. com/financial-edge/0512/sentences-for-white-collar criminals-too-harsh-or-too-lenient. aspx (Amanda Haury, Sentences For White-Collar Criminals, Investopedia, 5/12/2012) http:// www. californiaprogressreport. com/site/drug-penalties-too-harsh anyone (Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, Drug Penalties, California, Drug Policy Alliance, 12/16/2011) http://www. deathpenalty. org/section. php? id=13 (Death Penalty Facts, California, Death Penalty Focus, 3/31/2009)

Saturn Essays - Planetary Science, Rings Of Saturn, Saturn

Saturn Essays - Planetary Science, Rings Of Saturn, Saturn Saturn Saturn is the second largest planet and sixth from the sun. Saturn is most known for its rings, first seen in 1610 by Italian scientist Galileo and identified as rings by Dutch astronomer Christian Huygens in 1655. The rings consist greater than 100,000 single ringlets. It is the most oblate planet because of the rapid rotation of the planet, which flattens Saturn at the poles by about 10%. Its composition is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium. It is mostly liquid, with a small rocky core expected, but not directly observe. At the center, heavy elements have probably settled into the small rocky core with a temperature close to 15,000 C (27,000 F). Saturn also has an international heat source (it radiates more energy than it receives). The gravitational pull causes it to emit three times as much heat as it receives from the sun. Saturns atmosphere is 88% hydrogen and 11% helium, with traces of other gasses. The body of Saturn rotates with a period of 10 hours 39 minutes 25 seconds. The ring system of Saturn is divided into 5 major components: the G, F, A, B, and C rings, listed from the outside to inside (but in reality, these major divisions are subdivided into thousands of individual ringlets). The F and G rings are thin and difficult to see, while the A, B, and C rings are broad and easily visible. The large gap between the A ring and the B ring is called the Cassaini division. The visible rings of Saturn stretch out to a distance of 136,200-km (84,650 miles) from Saturns center, but in many regions they may be only 5 meters thick. They contain rocks, frozen gases, and water ice in lumps. One of the rings is even dense enough to block sunlight. Saturns current number of known satellites is 19. These range in size from Titan, the second largest moon in the Solar System, to small asteroid like objects. The moons are Atlas, Calypso, Dione, Enceladus, Epimetheus, Helene, Hyperion, Iapetus, Janus, Mimas, Pan, Pandora, Phoebe, Prometheus, Rhea, Telesto, Tethys, and Titan. There are extemely high velocity winds in the atmosphere of Saturn have been measured to be as high as 1800 km/hr.

Drought Causes, Types, and Resources

Drought Causes, Types, and Resources Its been a while since youve seen  a chance of rain in your forecast... could your city be in danger of a drought?   Youll be glad to know that although a lack of rain or snow over a period of several days, or even a week, is unusual, it doesnt necessarily mean youre headed for a drought. Droughts are periods (typically several weeks or longer) of abnormally dry and  precipitation-less weather. How dry depends on the amount of precipitation thats normal for a locations climate. A common misconception of droughts is that theyre brought on by periods of no rain or snow. While this certainly can initiate drought conditions, oftentimes the onset of a drought is less noticeable. If youre seeing rain or snow, but are seeing it in lighter amounts a drizzle here and flurries there, rather than steady rain or snow showers this can also signal a drought in-the-making. Of course, you wont be able to determine this as a cause for weeks, months, or even years into the future. Thats because, unlike other forms of severe weather and  natural disasters,  droughts develop slowly from a build-up of small changes in precipitation patterns, rather than from one single event. Atmospheric conditions such as climate change, ocean temperatures, changes in the jet stream, and changes in the local landscape are all culprits in the long story of the causes of droughts. How Droughts Hurt Droughts are some of the most costly economic stressors.  Frequently, droughts are  billion dollar weather events  and are one of the top three threats to population in the world (along with famine and flooding). There are three main ways droughts impact lives and communities: Farmers are often the first to feel the stresses from drought, and feel them hardest. The economic impacts of drought include losses in the timber, agricultural, and fisheries communities. Many of these losses are then passed on to consumers in the form of higher food prices. In less developed countries, once crops fail, famine can become a major problem.   Social impacts include increased chance of conflict over commodities, fertile land, and water resources. Other social impacts include abandonment of cultural traditions, loss of homelands, changes in lifestyle, and increased chance of health risks due to poverty and hygiene issues.The environmental impacts of drought include loss in species biodiversity, migration changes, reduced air quality, and increased soil erosion. Types of Droughts While droughts can be defined in many ways, three main drought types are commonly discussed: Hydrological Drought.  Many watersheds experience depleted amounts of available water. Lack of water in river systems and reservoirs can impact hydroelectric power companies, farmers, wildlife, and communities. Meteorological Drought.  A lack of precipitation is the most common definition of drought and is usually the type of drought referred to in news reports and the media. Most locations around the world have their own meteorological definition of drought based on the climate normals in the area. A normally rainy area that gets less rain than usual can be considered in a drought. Agricultural Drought.  When soil moisture becomes a problem, the agricultural industry is in trouble with drought.  Shortages in precipitation, changes in evapo-transpiration, and reduced ground water levels can create stress and problems for crops.​ US Droughts While droughts dont often cause deaths in the United States, the  Dust Bowl  in the U.S. Midwest is one example of the devastation that can occur.   Other parts of the world experience long periods without rains as well. Even during  monsoon season, areas (such as Africa and India) that depend on seasonal rains will often experience drought if the monsoon rains fail.   Preventing, Predicting, and Preparing for Droughts Want to know how drought is affecting your neighborhood right now? Be sure to monitor these drought resources links: The US Drought Portal  - See how drought impacts your community.The National Drought Mitigation Center - Great details on the difficulties and successes of predicting droughts are available at the NDMC. US Seasonal Drought Outlooks - The National Weather Service provides predictions of the chances of drought across the United States. Updated by Tiffany Means

Woven Textile Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Woven Textile Design - Essay Example Tappets are used for simple weaves in which the number of shafts is limited. Dobby systems involve the use of a pattern chain to control the lifting of the shafts. They are the most commonly used for wool. Jacquard systems control the lifting of each individual end to create almost unlimited patterning possibilities. (Wool Web, 2007) In the simplest type of tappet shedding motion, the shedding cams are mounted on the bottom shaft, and the motion is suitable only for weaves repeating on two picks. By mounting the tappets on a counter shaft driven by gearing from the bottom shaft at the appropriate speed, the repeat can be extended up to eight or ten picks. Bobbies are much more versatile and usually control at least sixteen, and sometimes as many as 36, head shafts. Since the lifting of the shafts is controlled by some form of pattern chain, there is virtually no limit to the number of picks per repeat. Jacquard machines are made in a wide variety of sizes to control from 100 to 2000 or more ends per repeat. A common size controls 600 ends, which, in a cloth with 30 ends/cm, gives a repeat 20 cm wide within which the designer has complete freedom. The lifting of the ends is controlled by a chain of punched cards or by a loop of punched paper (Ministry of Science and Technology, 2006). from high-fashion woollens to heavy technical textiles. ... With the yarn friendly, reed-controlled terry equipment a maximum loose pick distance of 24 mm and thus pile heights of over 11 mm are possible. Rapier has special weft brake which decelerates the weft perfectly to the exact length, thus reducing weft waste to a minimum. A projectile weaving machine with a working width of 390 cm, equipped for denim production, weave a denim fabric in two panels, with a weft insertion rate of over 1500 m/min and special yarn waste reduction. The projectile weaving machine's versatility is proved by the wide range of fabrics it produces. The projectile weft insertion system can be used with all types of yarn, from spun yarns made of cotton, wool, man-made fibres and blends thereof, filament yarns, tapes and monofils for simple standard fabrics, to sophisticated, state-of-the-art technical textiles. A particular strength of the projectile weaving machine is the production of broad fabrics, with working widths up to 6.5 metres. This gives unbeatable advantages in the production of technical textiles, agrotextiles and geotextiles. Given the rising cost of energy, the low power consumption of the projectile weaving machine, together with its minimal maintenance requirement, is an increasingly important advantage. Where maximum efficiency in the production of high-quality standard fabrics made from spun or filament yarns is called for, the latest-generation air-jet weaving machine, demonstrates its strengths. A high weft insertion rate of over 2000 m/min, combined with extensive automation, user-friendliness and small footprint result in top profitability for competitive weaving mills. A maximum working width of 4 metres also allows cost-efficient