Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admissions Essay Example for Free

Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admissions Essay Are colleges giving students a good value for their investment? What are individuals gaining from higher education? (179) These are some of the questions that authors Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, college professors, posed in an excerpt from their book, Higher Education? How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids-and What We Can Do About It. Unfortunately, their findings are grim. They feel that colleges have lost track of their basic mission to challenge the minds of young people. The authors make nine proposals that colleges may want to consider, beginning corrective action on delivering a better valued education. The proposal , make students use their minds, resonated with me the most. Hacker and Dreifus felt that students should become more thoughtful and interesting people while attending college. They go on to outline in this proposal that colleges should persuade students to choose impractical studies as a way to receive a better return on their investment. That Liberal Arts programs produce more thoughtful and interesting people is a point well taken; but that it equates education with better value has not been substantiated. The value of anything is solely determined by the recipient. Redirecting students away from, and downgrading Vocational Programs does not ensure a good education. Most students would agree that the reason they are attending college is to prepare for a career. The statistic Hacker and Dreifus cite, that 64 percent of undergraduates are enrolled in vocational majors (180), supports this reasoning. It is without question that impractical studies will challenge the mind, and foster creativity in students. However, to charge colleges with the mission to persuade students that the path to a valuable education is through impractical studies is presumptuous when it comes to value. Vocational studies do have value and should be treated with the same respect as Liberal studies. If the authors’ research had gone beyond assumption and interviewed recent graduates of the two programs in  question and then presented those results, more stock could be taken in swaying students towards impractical studies. By the time students have reached the end of their undergraduate studies, they know that repaying the accumulated debt is priority. Aligning ones studies, whether impractical or vocational, with a career would result in a favorable disposition regarding value of the education one has received. This value motivates students to go in the first place. Hacker and Dreifus say that students should become more thoughtful and interesting people while at college (180). For most, these two traits are innate. Only requiring development by parents during primary stages of life. The quest to become an interesting person is not learned in the classroom. If ones primary goal in college is to become more interesting, they are wasting their money. Hacker and Dreifus ask what should happen to students at college. Simple, they should be gaining knowledge to help them become self-supported adults, productive members of society. According to Hacker and Dreifus, the undergraduate years are an interlude that will never come again (180). However, there is not an optimal time to attain a college education. The best education is received by the person who wants it; age is irrelevant. While Hacker and Dreifus claim that the offspring of professional parents are the only ones seizing the opportunity of a valuable education, blue collar workers and the working poor will repudiate the idea that they are not rearing college bound students ready to answer the call of higher education. There are many examples where the children of non-professional parents have succeeded in college. Being classified as poor or lower class is the very element that propels them to college to do better than their own parents. The upshot of all this is that the value of a college education is truly determined by the person who has acquired it, not by the amount of debts incurred to attain it, nor by what they chose to study.

The Playground Of The Gods :: essays research papers

The Playground of The Gods Cathy Spellman's, The Playground of The Gods is an exuberant novel which deals with murder in a remote tropical paradise but can further be read as an illustration of man's ignorance and invasion of nature. "Do it big, or stay in bed."( Larry Kelly). These are words that Thoros Gagarian lives by. He is one of the wealthiest men in the world and when picking his private paradise, only one place on earth could serve his needs and fantasies. This place is Mora Utu-The playground of the Gods-a green jewel in the placid blue expanse of the South Pacific, the most luxurious and seductive private preserve anywhere on the planet. Once his prized-possession has been found, Thoros immediately ships the island natives to a different island and brings in his construction crews to hurriedly build his paradise in order to have it ready for a celebratory visit by 12 of his close friends. In the introduction to the story, Cathy Spellman makes clear the notion that the protagonist, Thoros Gagarian views himself as an indestructible god. Her descriptions of his haste purchase of his Island paradise shows a man for whom their is no boundaries. His arrogance is further displayed in his building of his compound. Spellman's voice of reason comes from a spiritual Mexican couple who are Thoros's servants. They not only warn but predict of many consequences to the ignorance to which nature is being shown. â€Å"Nature will not permit alteration on such a scale.†(Emilio, 114). However, these warnings are ignored by the men who do not appreciate a bizarre servant couple speaking of things which money can't buy and power can't control. This is when Spellman's utilization of irony comes into the picture. A member of the party catches a tropical fever, yet he can't be cured because the tree which possesses the antidote was destroyed in the creation of the facility. This is followed by a serendipitous chain of events which is climaxed

Kings David and Solomon: from 10th Century B.C.E. to Present Day Controversy

Kings David and Solomon: From 10th Century B. C. E. to present day Controversy Introduction Perhaps the most famous Old Testament Kings, as well as two of the most famous Hebrew heroes of all time were, King Solomon and his father King David. Their stories have been told time and time again throughout the ages: passed down orally for centuries, then later reproduced and shared all over the globe as intricate portions of many historical religious texts including the Torah, the Koran and the Holy Bible. Biblical sources include: I Chronicles, I Kings, Ecclesiastes, as well as the accounts of many prophets.Furthermore, King David and King Solomon have been attributed to writing several Old Testament books including: the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and various Psalms. Historically, David is known for uniting the Kingdom of Israel, replacing Hebron and making Jerusalem its capitol, as well as establishing a dynasty that was held sacred in the hearts and hopes of the Jews for centuries after its demise. His son and successor Solomon is most noted for advancing David’s kingdom and for building the First Temple.In fact, according to Abba Eban (1999), author of over half a dozen historical reference books on Jewish history as well as the PBS television series â€Å"Civilization and the Jews,† â€Å"Solomon’s Temple was the crowning glory of a building program that rivaled those of the Pharaohs† (p. 50). Archaeologists claim to have found remnants of Solomon’s Temple as well in the form of a tablet dated tenth century B. C. E. (Carpenter, 2003, p. 46). However, not all historians and archaeologists agree to the authenticity of the tablet or even to the extent of King David and King Solomon’s rule.Recently, controversy has erupted concerning whether or not, King David and King Solomon, of the Old Testament (also known as the Jewish Bible) were actually the â€Å"grand builders of the united north-south monarchy in An cient Palestine† attributed to them through the Bible and said to unravel after their demise (Halken, 2006, p. 41). The Legacies of David and Solomon According to Rogerson (1999): It is no surprise that David should be one of the most important figures in the bible. As printed in the tradition his achievements were outstanding.Before his reign Israel was a defeated vassal people. Within a few years David made Israel free, and even extended his control over some small neighbouring peoples. Before his reign there was no one dominant political or religious centre in Israel. Within a few years Jerusalem had obtained a centrality that it never subsequently lost (p. 82). David was born around 1040 B. C. E. in Bethlehem, Judah (Castel, 1985, p. 87). He grew up the youngest of eight sons of Jesse, and has been linked with the Ammonite royal family (Rogerson, 1999, p. 78; 2 Samuel, 10: 1-2; 17:25-7).As a teenager David joined the entourage of Israeli King Saul as a minstrel and harpsic hord player. It was during this time period that he first gained notoriety when he defeated the ominous giant Goliath armed with a mere slingshot. In 1 Samuel 18:20-30 it states that with a dowry of 200 Philistine foreskins he married King Saul’s daughter Michal. Unfortunately, David’s marital bliss was cut short by the jealousy of his new father-in-law. Already a seasoned warrior David was praised as a military force with songs proclaiming â€Å"Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands† (Rogerson, 1999, p. 78).While fleeing Saul’s armies to the south, David accomplished a great many military victories alongside his former enemies the Philistines, as described in 1 Samuel. Though his military reign started as an almost nomadic band with him a â€Å"robin-hood like bandit-chief,† his strategic prowess was realized by the Judean elders and he was proclaimed King of Judah in Hebron, c. a. 1010 (although some texts have him proclaiming himself King of Judah) (Castel, 1985, p. 89; Halkin, 2006, p. 41). He unified the Israeli tribes to the north and Judah to south and became the ruler of all of Israel seven years later following the death of King Saul c. a. 000 B. C. E. (Castel, 1985, pp. 87-89; Grant, 1984, pp. 75-78; Learsi, 1949, pp. 49-51; Rogerson, 1999, pp. 79-80; 2 Samuel, c. a. 1100-1010 B. C. E. , pp. 505-555). In a brilliant political move David took over the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and made it the capitol of the new United Kingdom of Israel â€Å"thenceforward to be honored as the City of David† (2 Samuel, 1997, pp. 505-555; Eban, 1999, p. 47). Moving the capitol to Jerusalem was an ingenious move on David’s part since it placed him geographically between the northern tribes of Israel and the former Judah. This also unified the Hebrew nation politically since Jerusalem was a fresh tart, not being formerly of Israel or Judah. In order to unify the nation religiously David (with the help o f King Hiram of Tyre) built a palace on Mount Zion where he housed the Ark of the Covenant (Castel, 1985, p. 90; Eban, 1999, p. 49; Halkin, 2006, p. 43; Learsi, 1949, p. 55; Rogerson, 1999, pp. 81-82). He then set out to expand his kingdom taking over and taxing all of Canaan (Rogerson, 1999, p. 82). King David ruled Israel for the next 33 years (Castel, 1985, p. 89; Harkin, 2006, p. 41). Unfortunately the house of David, like many great monarchs (especially those who practiced polygamy) faced great diplomatic personal odds.Among them was internal dissent including a great deal of â€Å"palace intrigue† that was coupled with David’s personal struggles involving subduing his strong passionate nature (1 Samuel, 1997, pp. 439-504; 2 Samuel, 1997, pp. 505-555). As for Solomon, his controversial legacy began before his birth with the scandalous circumstances surrounding his parents union. His mother, Bathsheba, had been married to another man when David saw her, had her, an d then had her husband put to death by placing him on the front lines of battle (Rogerson, 1999, p. 85). Since Bathsheba was a favorite of David’s he promised her that her son would be his successor.It took some clever maneuvering but Solomon was proclaimed King of Israel in c. a. 960 (Harkin, 2006, p. 43). Solomon’s reign was characterized by his diplomatic matrimonial choices, made in order to enhance his trade routes and expand his Kingdom. His first betrothal was to one of King Hiram’s daughters, solidifying his kinship with Tyre. This provided him with the materials necessary to build his father’s Temple. Another strategic marriage was to an Egyptian pharoah’s daughter. As a dowry the pharaoh burnt down the city Gezer and gave it to Solomon.All in all Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (Eban, 1984, p. 49-50). Historical and Archaeological Controversy In the last several years there has been an abundance of historical and archaeological d ebate over the reigns of King David and King Solomon. According to Harkin (2006) archaeologist Israel Finkelstein and author Neil Asher Silberman state that, kings David and Solomon, though â€Å"genuine historical figures† were but â€Å"bandit chiefs† (p. 41). Finkelstein believes that Israel could not have reached its peak during the reigns of David and Solomon in the 10th century, but rather in the 8th or 9th.Finkelstein’s account relies wholly on the lack of archaeological evidence to prove the existence of the monumental architecture described in the biblical accounts of David and Solomon (Harkin, 2006, pp. 41-48). However, their opinion is countered by several archaeological discoveries that have occurred over the last several years, resulting in their evidence being described as â€Å"†¦tendentious†¦like a conspiracy theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Harkin, 2006, p. 48). According to Blakely (2002) two maps of tenth century BC. E. ere uncovered providing archaeological evidence of King David and King Solomon’s kingdom (p. 49). Then in 2003 a possible breakthrough discovery was made: a piece of sandstone was unearthed said to be the first documented archaeological evidence of Solomon’s temple. Researchers at the Geological Survey of Israel examined the tablets and found them to be â€Å"almost certainly genuine† (Carpenter, 2003, p. 46). According to Bar-llan University archaeologist Gabrial Barkai, these tablets â€Å"could be the most significant archaeological finding in yet in the land of Israel† (Carpenter, 2003, p. 6). Further proof of the existence of King David and King Solomon’s kingdom was the amazing find of a 3000 plus structure by archaeologist Eilat Mazar which debunks Finkelstein’s claim that David and Solomon were nothing but â€Å"bandit chiefs† (Halkin, 2006, pp. 41-48). Conclusion The tedious process of gathering archaeological information certainly takes time. Not just time but a great deal of clever maneuvering, as well as ready manpower and abundant monetary resources. Even if you do have permission to dig, there is modern day architecture to be worked around.One just cannot go around up heaving present day civilizations in order to prove the existence of past civilizations. However, in the case of kings David and Solomon their existence has been proven time and time again. Backing up the biblical account is the â€Å"Tel Dan Stele† an Aramaic text uncovered in 1993 dated 835 B. C. E. which boasts of Hazael King of Damascus’ victory over northern Israel’s king Jehoram son of Ahab and southern Judah’s Ahaziahu of the house of David (Halkin, 2006, p. 48).

Public Health Nursing - 911 Words

According to the author, the assumptions to action research prior to the process were mostly based on the perception that of Public Health Nursing as just caring for the sick. The author focuses on nursing roles in providing care to help solve the complex problems that is threatening the southern state of Virginia. However, after carrying out the research on the various evolutionary stages, it was discovered that Public Health Nursing was more than that. Also, the author assumed the need to emphasize collaboration and partnerships with communities and populations. As such, it involved the understanding of cultures, politics, economics and other psychosocial problems which in one way or the other affected the people’s health. These core competencies are necessary to implement community participatory in health promotion. The central complex problems include the frail elderly population, teen mothers, homeless individuals, smokers, overweight or obesity and youth substance use an d prevention (Kulbok, Thatcher, Park, Meszaros, 2012). Kulbok, et. al, (2012), define public health nursing practice as â€Å"the perspective, knowledge base, and the focus of care, rather than by the site in which these nurses practice. Additionally, from the author’s point of view she found out that Public Health Nursing (PHN) is a type of model that encompasses a one-way flow of resources from a nurse to a patient. The participatory action research involved the community or the focused-populationShow MoreRelatedNursing And Public Health Nursing1537 Words   |  7 PagesName three historical nursing leaders and explain how their contributions impacted community/public health nursing. 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