Teaching Strategies

The book â€Å"Dharma Punx† was written by Noah Levine, the son of bestselling author and Buddhist teacher Stephen Levine. As a writer, he uses a natural, conversational and empathic voice to narrate his story in order to reach out to others who have gone through the same ordeal as he did.This book, which was written in a very thorough narrative serves more or less as his autobiography, focusing primarily on what would probably the most turbulent moments of this life when drifted from one â€Å"movement† to another, from punk rock to drugs and alcohol which nearly sent his life crashing down to the point of self-destruction or suicide which he attempted several times, hence the title of the first chapter is â€Å"Suicide Solution† (Levine, 2003, p. 1).The starting point of Levine's story was at the detention facility where he was confined and at the time, he was going through withdrawal symptoms as the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol were being flushed out o f his system. It was at this point that he would begin to retell his tale on how he got into that situation. Born in 1971, his parents hailed from the â€Å"hippies† generation of the 1960's where they revolted against the establishment at the height of the Vietnam War and one of their mantras was â€Å"Make Love, Not War!† as well as the overflowing freedom of expression of their generation that also indulged in free drugs and sexual promiscuity as well, thereby making the term â€Å"psychedelic† an understatement for their generation that turned to drugs as a way to escape a harsh, brutal and cynical reality they wanted to repudiate.They were trying to create their own brand of utopia but somehow, this would not be perfect as well, and this would be reflected in Levine's own family.  In his childhood years in the late 1970s and early '80s, Levine loved to skateboard but partly out of curiosity and influence, he got hooked into punk rock and often watched pun k-rock concerts as well as looking the part of a punk rocker by the time he was in his teens. Punk rock was to his generation what the psychadelic â€Å"hippie† movement was to his parents. Levine said that the situation of his generation made them turn to this fad – like him, the youth of his generation had to cope with problems like broken homes, irresponsible parents who were either alcoholic or drug dependents; there was no responsible adult who could guide them.His parents had divorced by then and he would spend time with each of them, shuttling between their homes in California and New Mexico. Both his parents remarried but his mother's second marriage was fraught with trouble and the irony of that was she met her second husband in a meditation retreat while his father was able to move on and remarry a woman whom he truly loved and gave him a happier marriage (Levine, 2003, p. 5). However, without his â€Å"enlightened† father around to guide him, the youn ger Levine was susceptible to the temptations of the materialistic world.By the time he was six years old, he already began smoking marijuana and was also trying out other banned substances as well like cocaine. This also came hand in hand in partaking of alcohol which would stay with him for most of his youth. He was so addicted into drugs and alcohol that by the time he was in high school, he had become very violent, often getting into trouble ranging from brawls to vandalism that he was arrested several times for such behavior, something he appeared to have welcomed, owing to his punk rock influence, his own way of defying authority.He eventually dropped out of school and lived like a vagrant, often stealing to support his habit (Levine, 2003, pp. 21-24). In his recent detention in 1988, the point where he was at his very low that his road to â€Å"enlightenment† would begin. When his father visited him, he was the one who had set him on the path by encouraging him to try meditation (Levine, 2003, pp. 3-4). At first, Levine regarded Buddhist teachings as â€Å"bullshit† but the moment he made an effort to try it, he underwent a profound transformation.He began the 12-step program and started attending meditation sessions. He was eventually released and he started on a new path in life. Over the next few years, Levine worked hard on his spiritual growth, even practicing celibacy and taking a pilgrimage to the Far East in search of enlightenment and even meeting and learning from the Dalai Lama himself! He would eventually finish his studies by getting a college degree but he did not stop there.He went further and obtained a graduate degree in counseling psychology as well. He followed in his father's footsteps by also becoming a Buddhist teacher and of all the places where he would like to teach, he chose to be at the very same detention facility where he used to be remanded. Although he is a totally reformed and transformed individual, there i s one thing from Levine's past that he has not repudiated, his passion for punk rock. He still listens to punk rock, and still acts, looks and dresses the part.He still sports tattoos but the difference now is that his tattoos are Buddhist-inspired such as the lotus flower and Sanskrit inscriptions, making Levine a look-alike of Hollywood actor Vin Diesel famous for his role as agent â€Å"XXX† where he would also sport tattoos. One of the things Levine discovered about Buddhism is that it is very open-minded into tolerating anything that would compliment it. Buddhist teachings, particularly the Zen school of thought, say that if an individual can be one with that particular subject, that is also Buddhism.Levine himself will attest that punk rock, contrary to what conservative thinkers may think, is not anathema to society at all. This is, of course, looking at it from a Buddhist perspective. Other people tend to view punk rock as wild, violent and to a certain extent, destru ctive. As Levine would also admit, he turned to punk rock as a way of defying the status quo of his generation, much like his parents were part of the â€Å"hippie† movement as an expression of defiance of the status quo of their own generation as well (Levine, 2003, p.  34).The nice thing about Buddhism is that it has a way of channeling the excess energy away from the destructive path. If there was one other thing that Levine learned from his enlightenment, it is that death is not the answer to his problems when he was attempting to commit suicide. For most people, to take one's life is the way of the loser, notwithstanding the â€Å"samurai† concept of suicide where they would take their own lives to erase the stigma of the shame. It does not apply here and this can be interpreted in several ways.From the Hindu/Buddhist perspective, there is the concept of â€Å"karma† and reincarnation where one's conduct in the present life would have an influence on what will become of them in the next. While these beliefs recognize death (as a natural occurrence), it does not encourage people to commit suicide. Based on â€Å"karma,† the one who commits suicide might find himself or herself reincarnated in a much lower life form because of this and surely, no one would like to be reborn as an animal or a microscopic organism!In most beliefs, death is not the end, but rather the beginning of the next phase, provided it would be allowed to take its natural course. Committing suicide would disrupt the grand design for the individual in the universe. One notable aspect of Buddhist Dharma is the direction one's path will be, depending on the choices made. Levine's somewhat troubled past serve as the basis of his writings and teachings. â€Å"We all sort of have a different doorway to dharma or spiritual practice. Suffering is a doorway.For me it was the suffering of addiction, violence and crime which opened me at a young age, 17 years old. I w as incarcerated, looking at the rest of my life in prison and thought, ‘Maybe I will try dad's hippie meditation bullshit. ‘ Suffering opened me to the possibility of trying meditation. † (Levine, 2003, p. 246) All in all, â€Å"Dharma Punx† is not only an autobiography, it is a spiritual journey of one individual who has endured probably the worst life can throw at him, send him on the wrong direction but through corrective â€Å"enlightenment,† was able to bounce back and become spiritually whole again.And if the spirit is â€Å"whole,† the physical body will follow as well. Noah Levine went through hell and came out of it intact. If this were to be applied in international relations, one thing Buddhism can teach is violence and hatred is not the answer to the problems in the world. Buddhist teachings teach compassion and empathy and if nations would like to establish close relations with one another, they have to begin by establishing a spir itual connection which is first done by â€Å"letting go† of one's self.Buddhism teaches that the reason why there is so much suffering in this world is due to worldly desires. In international relations, the struggle for power often puts nations at odds with one another and this often leads to wars. Buddhism teaches the opposite, in letting go of these desires and to empathize. In doing do, not only are friendly relations established, but one's own interests will be met by others and one need not worry about it anymore.Finally, â€Å"Dharma Punx† is a very enlightening book which is highly recommended to anyone, not necessarily to those who went through the same ordeal as the author went. The author had been there and had done that yet he would not encourage anyone to go through it. Nevertheless, the book is very helpful for anyone who needs to be steered to the right direction of real happiness which is something no worldly goods can provide.

Advantages of Genetic Engineering in Animals

Advantages of Genetic Engineering in Animals How successful would the Enviro-pig be if released into the general pig population in terms of longevity of the trait and continued benefits to the environment? And do the ethical issues stacked against the Enviro-pig validate its modified presents in the genepool? DNA is the foundation of all genetic material found in every living organism on earth. Commonly known as its full name Deoxyribonucleic acid, it is an electrically neutral group of atoms held together in a chemical bond known as a molecule . In this case a biomolecule produced by a living organism composed of nucleic acid, carbohydrates and proteins . This mixture is coiled in two biopolymer strands forming adouble helix. Biopolymers being a biomolecule of a polymer , which is a large molecule, composed of monomers . These biopolymer strands are composed of thirteen nucleotide monomers bonded in a chain, in turn called a polynucleotide . Nucleotides being singular polynucleotides composed of a nucleobase (co ntaining nitrogen). Being split into four bases each nucleobase is as followed: Guanine (C 5 H 5 N 5 O): Pairing in sequence with cytosine, guanine is derived from purine. Purine is an organic compound structured from a pyrimidine ring fused to an imidazole ring (called a pyrimidine-imidazole ring ). The base is represented as ‘G’. Adenine (C 5 H 5 N 5 ): Similar to that of Guanine, Adenine is derived from purine. In addition it’s an important part of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the nitrogenous base adenine bonded to a five carbon sugar. These molecules have the ability to phosphorylise and add phosphate groups to other molecules. This allocation of phosphates allows energy to be released. It is this energy which is used in the cells of living organisms. The base is represented as ‘A’. Thymine (C 5 H 6 N 2 O 2 ): Combining with Adenine this nucleobase is often replaces with uracil in RNA . It is also the common cause of mutations in DNA. When in the presence ofultraviolet light, radiation causes alterations in the DNA molecule that inhibit normal function. These â€Å"kinks† are referred to as pyrimidine dimers . The base is represented as ‘T’. Cytosine ( C 4 H 5 N 3 O) : Pairing with guanine this base is a pyrimidine derivative. A heterocyclic aromatic ring that when as cytosine triphosphate (CTP) can performance as a co-factor to enzymes, able to transfer a phosphate to transfigure adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Nucleotides of a DNA stand line up so each sugar and phosphate molecule connects. As said an adenine only pairs with a thymine and a cytosine only pairs with a guanine. The sugars are linked together by phosphate clusters via phosphodiester bonds, branching between adjacent sugar rings. The dual helix is stabilized by the bases of hydrogen bonds, before bunching together and constricting a vase line of rungs. All are curled to gether with multiple strands to form a chromosome . Being such a delicate sequence of codes , all of which contributing towards every characteristic in an organism, if altered or affect in a minor way a secession of errors and mutations can occur. Mutation is when an alteration of a nucleotide arrangement in the genome causes changes in an organism. Even if by a small change, the structural integrity of a creature can differ. But if this large sequence of coding is only effect in one base, in one strand, located in a single cell, the error theoretically should not affect the creature. However through Protein synthesis and mitosis a fault can replicate and spread.

Supply chain information management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Supply chain information management - Essay Example In the initial stage, distinctive procurement strategy of the company relied on three principles such as, maintain optimal amount of inventories such as books, rely on local wholesalers such as Ingram Book Company and also take help of the selected wholesalers to design and source the electronic catalogue of the book. For example, during late 1990s, Amazon maintained only 5% inventory level of its total order in its relatively small warehouses. Rest of the 95% of orders were sourced after receiving orders from customers. In such situations, Amazon quickly submits the purchase order to wholesaler for the book title which was not included in its own inventory. After receiving the purchase order from Amazon, wholesaler quickly sent the shipments and the shipment had arrived within 2-3days (Hammond 2005). In later years, when the volume of order had increased, Amazon established tie ups with book publisher to get better discount on shipment (48% on selling price) in contrast to discount rate (41% on selling price) by wholesaler (Hammond 2005). ... ater to the growing demand for books, e-books in cost and time efficient manner and another important thing was that, Amazon had realized the potential of online selling after witnessing the success of competitor eBay. After realizing the potential of selling in white space, Amazon transformed its business model in order to change the service-profit equation and offer superior value proposition to customers. The company included all sorts of easily shippable consumer goods along with books in its service portfolio in order to increase choice for customers and revenue margin by selling these items. Then Amazon started offering commission-based brokerage service to participants in online auction and also included third-party sellers in their value proposition list (Johnson 2010). Amazon has created a virtual market place in its website, where buyers and sellers can meet and bid for a particular while Amazon earns the brokerage from the participants in the online bidding process. Hence it can be said that, Amazon has transformed itself from direct sales company to a company which is able to provide sales and service in simultaneous manner. During late 2007, Amazon has enhanced the potentiality of its web service platform and offered Lab126 which was basically Kindle e-book reader. At that time, the concept of e-book was relatively new among customers and players in publishing industry but such obstacles never haltered the growth Lab126 platform. Amazon had created a seamlessly integrated iTunes like online platform for readers to subscribe, read and transact e-books which was widely successful. It is evident from the business model transformation of Amazon that the company never hesitated to take risk to launch innovative and high-margin offerings and created market for

1.Compare the civilization in the Indus Valley with the civilizations Essay

1.Compare the civilization in the Indus Valley with the civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Consider such factors as geography, social structure, technology, economics, religion, etc - Essay Example However by 2500 BC the two great cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were well established. There is not known evidence to state whether this civilization was inspired by Mesopotamia and Egypt or had the local development on its own. The changes in environment, population and evolution of technology are the reason for emergence of the civilized societies. The quality of the cities built by baked bricks of same size proves the knowledge of planning and development and their priority to maintain hygienic conditions. Although the houses were of different sizes yet the city possessed remarkable egalitarianism. The streets were laid in a grid pattern with houses protected from any pollution and thief’s intruding. City obtained the desired water from wells and drained the waste water to the closed drains proving the improved drainage and sewage system. There were no temples or pyramids in the city during Indus civilization unlike Ziggurats (temple) of Mesopotamia, that were built high with houses of priests, shopkeepers and merchants in city center and government buildings around the Ziggurats and the houses were made of mud-bricks but the pyramids, temples, palaces and tombs made of stone and rich in art and architecture in Egypt. The Indus civilization was laid by the river Indus that played a vital role in the lives of people by Indus as it provided fertile land for agriculture purpose. The Deccan Plateau and Himalayas located around the valley protect the people of Indus civilization from invaders. While the Mesopotamia civilization laid by the rivers Tigris and Euphrates with mountains on the east and deserts on the west of Mesopotamia. Egypt civilization laid by the river Nile on north is bound by dessert on east, west and south protecting from all influences, thus evolving on its own. The Indus Valley people used animals like camels, oxen and elephants as means of transportation. The carts

Social, Economic, And Political Changes Caused By Globalization Essay

Social, Economic, And Political Changes Caused By Globalization - Essay Example Global wealth is currently shifting from less heavily populated American and European regions to the more heavily populated Asian region because of globalization. According to Lieber and Weisberg (2002, p.274), globalization helps people all over the world in the creation of a stronger and stable world. Supporters of globalization believe that globalization benefits the world through the promotion of such ideas like human rights, democracy, and freedom and that it enhances the success of the world through free trade, free investment, and better technology. According to Dharam Ghai (2003), free market and private enterprise are extremely important in determining the success of globalization. Cross-cultural businesses have been increased a lot as a result of globalization. Imports and exports between different countries were also increased because of the liberalized rules affected in many countries as part of globalization. Despite all these arguments in favor of globalization, some pe ople believe that globalization is nothing but imperialism. It should be noted that imperialism is the process of taking over of a weaker nation by a stronger nation (What is imperialism, n.d.). Critics of globalization believe that capitalist countries like America and UK are trying to loot the wealth of developing and underdeveloped countries in the name of globalization. Globalization is labeled as Americanization by the opponents. They pointed out that instead of globalization, glocalization is necessary for a country to progress properly. It should be noted that glocalization is the process of integrating local markets into world capitalism. It refers to a concept in which individual, group, organization, product or service upholds the local standards even while operating internationally.

African and american politics of social change Article

African and american politics of social change - Article Example and for the fact that they are portrayed negatively by the society, the young black men in the American community have undergone extremely harsh treatment from authorities compared to the white young men. This article is purposefully out to understand the aspects surrounding the young black men in the American society; it also seeks to examine ways in which the government and the stakeholders can offer assistance in order to help the young black men engage in reasonable and fruitful activities in terms ameliorating their lives; through mentorship, as well as conducting restoration for those who have reached extreme levels of drug abuse and criminal activities. This article also seeks to identify the main problems faced by the young black men, as well as the causes of those problems. An initiative was initiated by president Obama this past month dubbed My Brother’s keeper; this enterprise aims to enhance the survival opportunities of young black men. This is a positively vital effort intended to aid the young black men as it is considered one of the most vulnerable groups in the society. As indicated earlier in the article, there is a likeliness of young black men leaving the school system and engaging in criminal activities, therefore attracting the attention of disciplinary and administrative systems such as juvenile and criminal justice structures. Disagreements have sprung up regarding the basis of the complications, but a few are doubtful that drastic measures must be undertaken to address the problems. Obama highlighted a number of interventions one being a program based in Chicago known as becoming a man; this program has the aim of curbing the violent nature of the teenagers through teaching cognitive social skills for example self-control, the ability of studying the reactions and intentions of others more accurately as well as conflict resolution. Naturally, most young individuals have short vehemence and upon provocation they tend to lash out at

Casd Briefing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Casd Briefing - Essay Example President Nixon refused to comply, arguing executive privilege. At issue: Does the President’s inherent right to safeguard certain information make him entirely immune to judicial review? President Nixon (through his counsel, James St. Clair) argued that the special prosecutor, functioning as an employee of the Department of Justice, made any request for White House audiotapes an internal matter to be resolved within the Executive Branch. In sum, the Judicial Branch was overstepping its Constitutional authority by intervening in the matter. Special prosecutor Leon Jaworski argued that the audiotapes in question almost certainly contained direct evidence of a criminal conspiracy, to wit, to commit obstruction of justice. Procedural history: Special prosecutor Jaworski secured a subpoena in Federal District Court (Judge John Sirica, presiding) requiring White House compliance with demands to surrender certain audiotapes, in April 1974, requiring the White House to surrender the tapes no later than May 31. The White House refused to comply. Both Jaworski and St. Clair (the President’s counsel) concurred in requesting the Supreme Court hear the appeal from the Sirica decision—‘certiorari before judgment,’ a procedure allowing the matter to proceed directly to the Supreme Court without an intervening hearing and decision rendered by the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit—which motion was granted. The Court heard arguments on July 8 and delivered its unanimous opinion on July 24, 1974. 3 The law: There was not specific statute at issue. However, certain language in the Constitution appears relevant. That document makes no reference to executive privilege, although it privileges Members of Congress in matters relating to debate (Art. I, sec. 6). Article II (the Presidency), provides, inter alia, that â€Å"The