Solent Essay free essay sample

However, it is not the purpose of this paper to examine these in detail. Instead, it will present two perspectives. The first agrees that standards are in decline and suggests some of the reasons for this: that technology enables increased academic cheating leading to a lowering of skills gained by students; that some institutions are lowering their pass standards in order to retain students; and that the cost of a degree forces too many students into part-time work and away from their studies.The opposite perspective asks whether these factors have the greatest impact when competition for university places is constantly on the increase, and industry demand for graduates is also very high. It also argues that academic skills and standards are increasingly being replaced by vocational or pragmatic skills and standards by both the new universities and by employers. Stuart Dent 2 Falling Standards The first issue that has an effect on university standards is that of the use of technolog y for cheating. We will write a custom essay sample on Solent Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Recent surveys (such as that conducted by the Association of Teachers and lecturers reported in BBC News, Jan 2008) suggest that that plagiarism is on the rise, in large part due to the ease with which computer technology allows copying of other peoples work. For the detent, the act of plagiarism means they are not gaining the skills and knowledge they would through a proper academic approach. In 2004, 25% of university students admitted committing plagiarism to some degree although more were suspected of cheating.Now over 80% of higher education institutions use Turning, a plagiarism detection programmer which sends out alerts if a copy has been made. (Education Guardian, 2006) There has also been a rise in students buying off-the-shelf essays. This is a relatively new service run by certain websites where student can log on, tell a specialist what hey are meant to be covering in an essay, and for a small fee, the essay is sent directly to them. This is problematic for all parties i nvolved even reaching out to potential employers. The student will lack the various skills that the university has promised to provide and therefore they go into the work place ill-equipped for the job. The second issue falls on the other side of the grading equation: the falling standards in assignment marking. A recent case at Vermouth University alerted external examiners to the possibility of seriously falling standards in assignment marking. A Professor Backhand ailed a quarter of his students because he deemed their work not of university standard, and the externals agreed.However, another member of university staff stepped in and graded the papers so all the students passed. (Alderman, 2008) This case highlights the potential problems involved in individual institutions awarding their own degrees not set to a national standard. A third issue with an impact on falling standards in student writing, and their work in general, is the subject of money and fees. University fees for the 2008/2009 academic year stand at EH,145 for EX. students and EH,200 for Stuart Dent 3 international students at all institutions (AAAS,2008). Nowadays, students have to pay their own fees.For those choosing to go to university despite the cost, the danger is that part-time work will over-shadow studying as students will be forced to work long hours in order to pay their bills. On a student website a member asked whether it was worth becoming a prostitute in order to pay off their debts and a third of the 1 32 voters agreed that they would. (Guardian Notebook, 2008). Although this is an extreme case, it highlights the point that standards may fall as students are forced to spend all their study mime at work in order to fund their university experience. Rising Standards In contrast to the last issue raised, it seems that the EH a year fees have not put students off applying for university for the academic year 2008/09. There has been an 8% rise in applications since last year meaning that competition for places in higher education is very high. This year Oxford had to turn away approximately 5000 students who achieved three As in their A- levels. Bristol and Manchester Universities also reported similar situations (Curtis, 2008).The high cost of attending university brings up the possibility hat, outside an elite of students from high-income families, only people who really intend to do well in higher education will pay. Despite the fact that critics argue A-Levels are getting easier because a record number of students are achieving top grades (Ibid), it can also be assumed that more teenagers are working harder for the top grade in order to get into university. With more students applying for university, places are harder to come b y; more students want to prove that they are good enough to be accepted. With this rise in A-Level achievers, universities are putting up their offer grades for prospective students. Traditionally the top universities would offer a student a place as long as they achieved three A grades at A-Level Stuart Dent 4 which is a total of 360 AAAS points. This year, with the standard of students so high, some courses at places like Cambridge have a ISAACS point average of 552 which means that people are getting at least four As and one B.A second indicator of rising standards is that university graduates are still considered valuable assets to major companies. Competition for graduate jobs is also at a record high. With a large percentage of young people having degrees there can be several hundred applications for one job. Large corporate companies like Merlin and Lloyd TTS now run successful graduate schemes in order to train people to be an asset to their company, proving that graduate input to these businesses is invaluable. Graduates are accepted onto the schemes dependent on passing a series of assessment test that can be grueling and highly skills based. Without a university education, these tests would be near impossible, showing off that the graduates coming out with degrees are well trained and are capable of contributing to a large company. A further development which may seem to have an impact on the employability of university graduates, and hence give evidence to the high standards they achieve, is the growth in new universities providing vocational courses.Vocational courses are favored and praised by employers in the industry as they take the pressure off employers to train new employees, and students are getting a wider knowledge of their chosen area, meaning they are better informed to make business decisions (The Times, 2008). This is not in any way condemning the more traditional degrees; It simply shows that universities are producing more all-round graduates, capable of going into a wid e range of industries. In their nature, vocational qualifications depend less on traditional academic standards for their evaluation.A vocational course, whether technical or creative, may rely much more on practical evaluations such as lab reports, experiment records or portfolios that encourage students to participate in and develop the kind of work-specific tasks and skills they will need to go on to industry. Stuart Dent 5 Some academics may criticism the newer types of institutions offering vocational degrees, arguing that these devalue the core degrees (science, geography, history etc). However, university league tables show that the odder university is very popular.Further, the types of qualification and skills provided by these universities are vital to modern industry. Less Ebbed, Vice- chancellor of Bedsores University argues, The UK has the largest creative sector in the ELI. The creative industries account for 7. 3 per cent of the economy. Innovation-active universities have played a major role in contributing to the success of the creative industries, by providing graduate- level education. The creative economy has been a key driver in the revisiting of cities and regions previously reliant on manufacturing industry.The Government should work with partners to challenge popular misconceptions that some creative industry courses are academically trivial and lack professional relevance. (Times, 2008) Formerly lower-ranking institutions such as Nottingham Trend, Napier and Southampton Solvent are beginning to make more of an impression on league tables with more students going straight into jobs after graduation and scoring higher in teaching criteria. Southampton Solvent University in particular has climbed 8 places on The Times Good University Guide with a 71% student satisfaction rate (The Times, 2008).In the context of traditional academic standards, and specifically academic writing, it could be argued that vocational education leads to a dropping or lowering of standards, given the emphasis on more practical forms of assessment. However, the opposing and very persuas ive argument is that what is represented is not a drop of standards, but a change in expectations to reflect a much more pragmatic approach to what a well- rounded and work-able university graduate is capable of. The high demands of the workplace, and the expectation that graduates enter it skilled for employment make a shifting of standards inevitable. Stuart Dent 6The Future The rise of the new university means that the shape of higher education is changing and developing. Students are encouraged to be more creative, express their own opinions and explore what they want out of their careers. Academics may not approve but employers do and this is proved by the fact that vocational students are coming out of university and getting jobs. There will always be jobs for people who come out of Oxford and Cambridge with good traditional degrees but national industries are becoming more rounded due to the wide variety of people graduating and people do attend university in order to get the job they want.As a result, commercial forces may dictate that, rather than seeking graduates who have well rounded academic writing skills, they will be looking for graduates who can show evidence of skills that have a much more direct application in any given specific field of employment. The increase in technology-enabled cheating may not have such a dramatic impact on the quality of graduates as has been feared. Stuart Dent 7 Conclusion The increase in plagiarism nationally could signify that the standard Of some students work has dropped dramatically. Instances of university departments lowering their pass standards also suggest this.However, the increasing variety of both traditional and vocational courses leads to a change in university teaching and assessment, and a change in expectation of what skills a well-rounded university graduate should achieve. As the emphasis on skills moves from academic to practical, the threat of academic cheating is lessened. This is emphasized by the fact that graduates are increasingly in demand from industry because of the skills they bring to the workforce. In this country, the growing cost on individual students taking degrees has meant that more students need to take on work during their studies.

Usa Patroit Act Essay

Usa Patroit Act Essay Usa Patroit Act Essay The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. The bill is 342 pages long and makes changes, some large and some small, to over 15 different statutes. Under the Patriot Act, American law enforcement personnel have far more authority than they did before. This change in authority is designed to ensure that law enforcement can act quickly apprehend terrorists. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, many figures in government wanted to grant law enforcement more powers to observe unusual activity and act upon it. Many of the terms in the act could be perceived as too much to civil liberties, a major concern for some Americans. Surveillance capabilities were greatly expanded under the act, which also increased regulation of financial transactions which are suspected to be tied to terrorist activity. It also greatly enhanced the ability of law enforcement to monitor foreign nationals in the United States, deporting them if it is deemed necessary. The act also allows law enforcement to execute warrants for searches and wiretapping without notifying the object of the warrant. It also increased the scope of authority on domestic terrorism, leading to serious consequences for radical organizations like the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front. to be simply put, it takes away your civil rights if you are under investigation of being a terrorist. they can even imprison you and arrest

The Development of Western Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Development of Western Thought - Essay Example The Lower Paleolithic, ending with the Mousterian, left no works of art. Consequently, the Upper Paleolithic or Reindeer age, so called because this animal is the characteristic feature of the fauna corresponding to a cold and dry climate analogous to that of the steppes and tundras. (Lewis, 201-45) The Reindeer age commences with the Aurignacian culture and terminates with the Magdalenian. Between the end of the first and the appearance of the second is inserted a period known as the Solutrian, which seems to have existed only in certain regions and to be of but secondary interest from the artistic point of view. The age of the European Paleolithic civilizations corresponds roughly to the Pleistocene period of the geologists. Although their chronological succession appears to be fixed in an almost definite manner, their absolute dates remain undetermined and have been variously estimated by the authorities. After the most moderate estimates the Aurignacian would be placed at from twenty-five thousand to sixteen thousand years before our era, the Magdalenian at from sixteen thousand to twelve thousand. A certain number of the activities classed among the fine arts probably existed in Paleolithic times. A number of wall paintings have been considered as representing dances. (Halverson, p.3) This interpretation, however, is not conclusive, but the representation of several disguised individuals, by analogy with savages, renders the existence of the dance in the Magdalenian highly probable. The dances once admitted, it is likely that, as among the savages and for psychological reasons, they were accompanied by music, if only that of the voice. As for musical instruments discovered in the excavations, some tubes of bird bone considered by Piette as the elements of the pipes of Pan are more probably needle cases. Perhaps one could see a primitive flute in the bone of a hare perforated with several holes, found in an English Paleolithic cavern. In several stations, a number of the phalanges of the antelopidae or cervidae, notably of the reindeer, have been found pierced near their extremities. These are currently considered as whistles comparable to those made by our children with apricot seeds. Their use as whistles is not impossible, but in some of them, notably the most ancient, dating back to the Mousterian levels, the hole is not produced by manual work but by the teeth of carnivorous animals. As to architecture, it is probable that the Paleolithic peoples inhabited, besides the rock shelters and caves where their hearth levels have been found, wattle huts which appear to be represented by figures called "tectiforms," engraved or painted on the walls of caverns. Another form of art, personal decoration, was highly developed among the Paleolithic peoples, as among the savages, to say nothing of the civilized races. Whatever the differences in nature or technique, the works of Paleolithic art form on the whole a homogeneous ensemble. Different culture levels of the same station have yielded almost

Nobody Gets Married Anymore, Mister by Gerry Garibaldi Article

Nobody Gets Married Anymore, Mister by Gerry Garibaldi - Article Example The author predicts in the article that although money, reforms, and the gleaming porcelain hold great importance for the schools they can hardly make a good impact on the minds of the children. The reason is that urban teachers and students are facing such problems, which are associated with the mindset of children, which cannot be changed due to reforms. â€Å"Urban teachers face an intractable problem, one that we cannot spend or even teach our way out of teen pregnancy†. In the remaining part of the article, the author describes her experience of dealing with her pregnant students. The author mainly emphasizes her encounter with a girl named Nicole who is likely to become a teenage mother. Along with Nicole, who has been the focus of the author in the whole article, the author also highlights her experience with another student, jasmine, who gave birth to a child nearly six months ago. In the end, the author tells us about Data Wall, which is a strategy for the teachers to produce data about the progress of the students. My own belief about the issue of teenage pregnancies is somewhat conservative. I believe that teenage pregnancies result in creating many social and health problems. The government of the U.S.A provides considerable benefits to the unwed teenage mothers, which is one of the main factors behind the increase in the rate of teenage pregnancies. Jansson states, â€Å"Refusing or severely limiting public benefits to teenage mothers, will reduce out-of-wedlock birthrates†. Some girls do not get pregnant intentionally. Such girls forget using pills or other contraceptive methods during sex, so their chances of getting a pregnant increase. Such pregnancies also give rise to illegal abortions, which is another ethical issue.

Views on the U.S. Constitution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Views on the U.S. Constitution - Research Paper Example The first three points out distinct rights and responsibilities of the three branches of the national government, the legislative branch, the executive branch. The fourth is about the states and their rights as well. In all the provisions covered by the four major parts, it is clear that these are still very general. This may be considered as a sign that the government itself, led by the Founding Fathers, was still wanting in experience. However, as an outline of governance, it can be said that the US Constitution had already provided the bases of what kind of society and country would be built in the succeeding years. It is clear that it's being less detailed had become an advantage. This provided the succeeding governments and policymakers the opportunity to introduce amendments to the Constitution itself and to create laws that would further add substance to it. Aside from the role of legislation in improving the Constitution, the judicial branch also contributed to making it more applicable to current realities. This is done through judicial reviews, wherein the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and applies it in order to judge certain cases. If no such judicial reviews or legislation were done, the US Constitution would certainly be inadequate and as a document that was created immediately after the country was founded, it would have lost its relevance already. The major strengths of the US Constitution may not be found in its original version or the one ratified in 1787. Instead, it can be found in the succeeding amendments made, particularly the Bill of Rights. It is in the Bill of Rights that every citizen in the country is granted is assured of his rights as a both as a human being and as an American. The Bill of Rights is essentially what makes the Constitution and the country not just democratic in words but also in practice. The original version that was ratified in the early years of the nation was basically meant to establish a governmenta l organization so that the business of ruling a country could immediately begin. It was only correct that such concern was immediately addressed more than anything else at that time. However, once the government is in place, it was urgent that the rights of the citizens be immediately enshrined in the Constitution. In fact, â€Å"the great strengths of the US Constitution lie in the civil and political freedoms it accords citizens† (Blau & Moncada18). The original US Constitution definitely had many flaws and weaknesses. One glaring weakness was that there was no Bill of Rights at all. Again, this may be explained by the fact that the framers of the Constitution were more concerned with the organization of the government, which was only natural considering that the country had just been established and a sovereign state had to take over. This weakness, however, was promptly taken care of with the First Amendment and the rest of the Bill of Rights. The US Constitution still ha s a weakness though. It is clear that the states have been granted with too many rights that it would seem that the federal government would not be able to perform its responsibilities the well (Kommers & Finn 39). The federal government has to refer to the will of the states whose perspectives may be based more on what they individually see as distinct governing bodies instead of being a part of one nation.  Ã‚  

The Amityville Horror Analysis

The Amityville Horror Analysis For many, buying a new house symbolizes a fresh start. For first time home owners, it may be a sign of self fulfillment and accomplishment. But what if your dream home had a violent and tragic past? What was once the start of something great, turned into a terrifying nightmare? The Amityville Horror misfortune and haunting depict just that. The families that have lived there endured torment and hell, their stories becoming a legend over time. The DeFeo family were the first inhabitants of the infamous Amityville house. Ronald DeFeo, nicknamed Big Ronnie, and his wife Louise were newlyweds who decided the make a family. The first born was Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr, nicknamed Butch on September 26, 1951. As a child, Butch was overweight and a loner. He was constantly teased at school, and his home life was no better. Big Ronnie disciplined Butch with no mercy. Hot tempered, Big Ronnie often took out his frustrations on Butch, and was seen as a man of authority, not to be reckoned with. Later in his teen years, Butch began using amphetamines, losing most of the weight and becoming bigger, leaner and stronger. His school issues were better; however his life at home continued to be the same, with him and his father fighting relentlessly, sometimes resulting in physical fights. (Osuna, 2003). On one occasion, during a heated argument, Butch pointed a 12 gauge shot gun, with the intention of shooting him. However, the gun did not g o off. Some say this foreshadows the upcoming events. (The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d.). On July 29, 1956, Louise DeFeo gave birth to a daughter, Dawn Theresa DeFeo. Then, on August 16, 1961, Allison Louise DeFeo was born, followed by Marc Gregory DeFeo on September 4, 1962. The last child to be born into the family was John Matthew DeFeo on October 24, 1965. Fed up with living in Brooklyn, New York, the family decided to look for a new home. They eventually settled on a lavish house on 112 Ocean Ave in Amityville, Long Island. The dutch colonial, built in 1925, had two stories, six bedrooms, attic, basement, a gamble roof, an in ground swimming pool, and a boathouse that sat at the edge of Amityville creek. The house was long and narrow, the front showing the half-moon windows, looking somewhat like eyes, overlooking the street. The inside of the house was quite regal. The interior walls were covered in red velvet texture. In the dining room, a luminous crystal chandelier hung over the long dinner table, which seated 6. After moving in, the family decorated the living r oom with statues and paintings, which were in the living room. In the midst of it were a beautiful large fireplace and a baby grand piano. There were also self portraits made for everyone in the family, which was strung along the walls leading up the stairs to the second floor. (Osuna, 2003). It was seemingly the perfect house to raise a big family and dog, Shaggy. The family even placed a sign that read high hopes that hung on a lampost on the property, signifying the new beginning. (Anson, 1977; The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d.). Though the DeFeos had their dream house, the violence still persisted. Butch began using hardcore drugs such as heroin and LSD. He also started committing petty theft. All the while, he was working with his father at Big Ronnies car dealership. Not satisfied with the amount he was being paid, Butch devised a plan to gain more. Given the order to deposit $1,800 in cash and $20,000 in checks into the bank by a staff member, he fabricated a lie, being said he was robbed on the way to the bank by an acquaintance in on the deal. He would then split the money with him. Around 12:30 pm, the two set off for the bank. Two hours later, the men came back to the dealership and declared they had been robbed at gun point. Big Ronnie was enraged and called the local police. After their arrival, they questioned Butch, who immediately became edgy and ill-tempered. He soon became violent with the allegation of lying. A few days later, Butch was summoned to the police station to point out the possible thief. After agreeing, Butch eventually backed out at the last minute. After hearing about this, Big Ronnie became livid, and came to his own conclusion about the incident, and Butch was to blame. He confronted his son at work and belittled him with insults and threats. (The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d.). In the early evening of November 13, 1974, at a nearby bar called Henrys, which was located down the street from the Amityville house, neighborhood friends gathered for drinks ad conversation. Around 6:30 p.m, Butch raced in, face flushed, beads of sweat running down his forehead, and out of breath. Trembling, he yelled that someone had shot both of his parents. Butchs best friend, Robert Kelske ran over to his friend to console him. Robert rallied up patrons at the tavern and they all packed in Butchs 1970 blue Buick Electra 225, heading towards the house. Though it was merely down the block, Robert sped down the street, arriving in seconds. (Osuna, 2003). Quickly, the men ran inside. The house was quiet. Not a single sound was heard except the barking of Shaggy. The men hurried up the staircase, Robert leading. He knew exactly where the master bedroom was located, for he was an avid visitor to the DeFeo residence. Upon arriving to the second floor, the men were instantly greeted with a foul stench, the smell of death. Bracing himself, Robert opened the bedroom door and flipped the light switch. In the bed lay Big Ronnie and his wife Louise. At first sight, it was clear to see a bullet hole in the back of Big Ronnie DeFeos back. Pools of blood surrounded the couple. Dried blood had formed and ran from the wound. Louise DeFeos wounds were not easily seen, for she was snuggled beneath the comforter, however it was clear that she was not sleeping. (Osuna, 2003) Feeling lightheaded, Robert, started back downstairs, taking in what he had just discovered. Another member of the group, John Altieri, began to search the remaining rooms, which belonged to Butchs brothers and sisters. The first room to be checked by John, was that of John, 9 and Marc DeFeo, 12. John DeFeo lay lifelessly in his bed, his Knicks jersey devoured in blood. Lying in a neighboring bed was Marc, face down on his stomach. On his back was bullet wound, indicating how he was slain. (Osuna, 2003). The next to be found was Butchs sisters, Allison, 13, and Dawn, 18. Both were found in bed, dead via gunshots. Gruesomely the girls were shot in the head, though it was difficult to pinpoint the exact entrance wound; there was too much blood to know. Dawn was shot in the face in which half of it was splattered around the innocent girls bedroom wall. After these horrible murders were discovered, the police was called. By 7:00 p.m., the DeFeo residence was infested with officers and in vestigators. Instantly they looked to Butch for answers, seeing as how he was the sole survivor. (The True Story of the DeFeo murders, n.d.) Detectives Gasper Randazzo, Gerard Gozaloff, and Joseph Napolitano were assigned to interrogate Butch. When first asked what might have happened to his family, Butchs answered that the mafia was to blame. Louis Falini, an infamous hit man was the person to shoot and kill his family. Butch had said the hit man committed these crimes out of revenge for a fight the two of them had. Butch feared for his own life, and the police decided to take him back to the station for protection. In his written statement, Butch declared that he had went to bed at 2:00 AM that night. Then, at 4:00 AM, he reportedly heard the toilet flush in the upstairs bathroom, and that his family members were still alive and well. After tossing and turning, Butch decided since he could not fall back asleep, he would head into work early. He went on to say that he left work early and hung out with friends, all the while trying to reach his family, but failing. After returning home, he claimed to have slipped through the kitchen window and then discovered his parents bodies. That is when he raced to the bar. (The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d.) The motive did not hold well for long. After intense examination of evidence in the home, it was apparent that the ammunition used in the murders, was that of Butchs .22 and .35 marlin rifles. Also, through the questioning of Robert Kelske, police found out of Butchs gun infatuation and the rocky relationship between him and his father. At 8:45 a.m., November 15, Butch was read his rights. After hours upon hours of questioning, and evidence pouring in that Butch was in fact inside the house during the murders, his story began to change. Now he was insisting that Louis Falini had held him at gunpoint around 3:30 a.m. and took him to each of his relatives room and to watch them be murdered. However, there were more holes in his story that Swiss cheese. Soon the truth came out. There was no mafia hit on the family. No one was to blame but Butch, who confessed he was the murderer in this statement, It all started so fast. Once I started, I couldnt stop. (The True Story of the DeFeo Murde rs, n.d.) The truth was, on the night of the murders, around 3:00 a.m., Butch casually walked into his parents room and shot and killed them. He then proceeded to do so with his brothers and sisters. It was estimated the killing spree took just 15 minutes. He then cleaned himself up and hid the evidence (gun, bloody clothing, etc). Eerily enough, after the killings were done, he continued his daily routines and went about his day. He went to work, and hung out with friends, as if he hadnt just murdered his entire family. (Eblin, 2007; The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d.) Nearly a year after the murders, Butch finally went to trial on October 14, 1975. William Weber was assigned to be Butchs defense attorney. His defense was that his client was not in his right mind when he committed these murders and offer to plea insanity. After questioning on the stand, Butch gave even more bizarre stories on how is family was murdered, going as far as saying his sister Dawn was the one who killed, not him and he killed out of self defense. He also claimed he heard voices from inside the house telling him to murder his family. When shown a picture of his family members, and asked if he had killed him, Butch answered, As far as Im concerned, if I didnt kill my family, they were going to kill me. And as far as Im concerned, what I did was self-defense and there was nothing wrong with it. When I got a gun in my hand, theres no doubt in my mind who I am. I am God. (The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d.). After weeks of trial, the jury spent two weeks deliberating t he fate of Butch DeFeo. The question was, was he the victim of insanity, or a cold blooded murderer? The results were in; the vote was 12-0. On November 21, 1975, Ronald Butch DeFeo Jr was found guily of 6 accounts of second degree murder, and sentenced to 25 to life on each case. Till this day, Butchs home is the New York State Department of Corrections. (Eblin, 2007; The True Story of the DeFeo Murders, n.d) The house remained vacant for 13 months after the murders. George and Kathy Lutz, also newlyweds, wanted to start afresh. The two had sold their own properties, in order to purchase one they can share together along with Kathys children from her first marriage, Daniel, 9, Christopher, 7, and Melissa Missy, 5, and their Malamute/Labrador mix named Harry. The couple came across the Amityville home from an ad in the newspaper. Like the DeFeos, the Lutz fell in love with the house. The realtor had told them about the horrible incident that took place there, for which gave the couple their reservations. However, after discussing the fact amongst themselves and the children, the Lutz decided to ignore the negative past, in hopes of starting a brighter future. (Anson, 1977; Belanger, 2005) The Lutz bought the house at a price of $80,000, considered to be a bargain. The family moved in on December23, 1975. The DeFeos furniture remained in the house, which some may consider creepy, but for the Lutz, it was a bonus to have the elegant furnishings. A friend of George insisted of blessing the house upon hearing about its history. Having no qualms, George decided it would bring no harm and agreed, seeking out Catholic priest named Father Ralph J. Pecoraro (Father Ray). When Father Ray started his blessing on December 23, after flicking holy water and beginning to pray in an upstairs bedroom, he heard a low masculine voice demand get out .Leaving the house, Father Ray did not inform the Lutz of what he heard, instead telephoning George the day after to advise him to stay clear of the room in which he heard this voice. As it may, the upstairs room, intended to be a sewing room, had formerly been Marc and John DeFeos bedroom. (Anson, 1977; Belanger, 2005) At first, the Lutz noticed nothing unusual about the house. There were cold spots throughout the house, but they insisted it was just a draft. Thinking nothing out of it, the Lutz continued to make a home in the Amityville house. However, through the days to come, strange occurrences began to take place. George describes hearing doors slam in the middle of the night. Id be lying in bed and Id hear the front door slam shut, Lutz said. Its an unmistakable sound in that house you absolutely knew that was the front door. Id go downstairs and the dog would be asleep at the door, nothing would be disturbed, and the door would still be locked. So you start questioning yourself. He also describes hearing what he thought to be a clock radio going off downstairs, sounding like a marching band, with hard footsteps. After running downstairs to check the noise, nothing was present, just their sleeping dog. (Belanger,2005) Kathy Lutz was having her own experiences in the house. One night, Kathy and George awoke and found Kathy to be 40 years older than what she was, the hair wild, a shocking white, the face a mass of wrinkles and ugly lines, and saliva dripping from the toothless mouth. George describes. By morning, her looks returned to normal. Kathy had also recalled having the feeling of being embraced by someone, even smelling perfume. However, she insists this did not feel threatening, but comforting. More days went by, and the paranormal activity became worse each day, hearing more mysterious footsteps throughout the house. One day, Kathy came across a hidden room. It was painted red, and was hid behind a massive bookshelf. The realtor had not told them about this room, so they decided to see the original house structure. The room had not been on it. George explains the room as being big enough for two people to sit. He goes on to say, The room had odors coming out of it, and they werent always t here, and there was no pipe access for sewers or anything like that. We took Harry down there, and he just wouldnt go in. He backed away. Its the only time I can recall him ever cowering from something. That was just one of those discoveries in the first few weeks of moving in. The room soon became to be known as The Red Room (Belanger, 2005; Anson, 1977) Soon, George and Kathy were not themselves. They rarely left and had no desire to leave the house. George seldom went to work, and began to lose weight. Instead of going out with friends, they invited them over. It was in these instances when not only George and Kathy heard mysterious noises, but so did their company. A fact that both made the Lutz happy for not thinking theyre crazy, but also horror because it was the evidence that what was happening was real. (Belanger, 2005) Night after night, George would wake up at 3:15 am, always having the urge to check on the children and the boathouse. Numerous times George had locked the boathouse doors, and within returning to his room, the doors were already swinging open. Coincidentally, this was the estimated time the DeFeo family was murdered. He would be awoken by the front door slamming on occasion, only to find the door tightly shut with the dog asleep in front of it. He also began drinking at a bar called The Witches Brew, a bar that which was Butch DeFeos favorites and a regular customer. Kathy would have horrible nightmares about the murders of the DeFeos nearly every night. They were so detailed, Kathy could pinpoint the exact sequence and how they were murdered. The children also began sleeping on their stomachs, the position in which the bodies of the DeFeo children were found. Missy, their youngest child, began talking frequently about an imaginary friend, Jodie. Missy said Jodie could take on any form, but was often seen as a pig like creature with red glowing eyes. She told Missy her and her family was going to live there forever. One night, while checking the boathouse, George had seen a pair of red eyes glaring at him from Missys bedroom window. It was suggested that this was Jodie. Huge cloven footprints outside the house in the snow had also been found. (Anson, 1977; The Real Amityville House: Seperating Fact From Fiction, n.d.) It was not only the family that was becoming different, but so was the house. Many times, the family would notice an odd, black substance dripping from the keyholes on the door. Jello-like substances were also being found scattered on the floors on the house. There were still immense cold spots, once recording to be a 40-50 degree difference from what the thermostat indicated. Flies had started to infest the house, despite the fact it was the middle of winter. Hundreds of flies were always found in one room; the sewing room, and there was no use in killing them, because they repeatedly came back. And on some nights, Kathy and George even experienced being levitated right off their bed. (Anson; 1977; The Real Amityville House; Seperating Fact From Fiction, n.d.) After decided enough was enough, they decided to bless the house themselves on January 8, 1976. While in the process, George held a silver crucifix and the two spoke the words of the Lords Prayer. In the living room, George could hear a group of voices telling them Will you stop?! By mid January, the Lutz had their final night in the house. The Lutz claims the events of that final night was too terrifying and they have no wish to speak about it. They decided to pack a few belongings, rallied up the kids and dog, and head to Kathys mothers house. But even then the phenomena did not end. George and Kathy recalled slime coming up the staircase towards them and also claims they levitated again. The Lutz did not return back to the house, even for their possessions. It had only been 28 days since they first moved in. (Anson, 1977; The Real Amityville House; Seperating Fact From Fiction, n.d.) The Lutz moved to San Diego and say they were finally freed from the presence inside the house. They stayed married until the late 1980s until they divorced. In 2004, Kathy died of emphysema, and George died in May of 2006. The two still remained close until their deaths. The house still stands today. It was newly renovated, with a new address and new owners. The new owners claim they have not experienced any kind of paranormal occurrences since they have been living there. The intensity of this story has been the base of many books and movies depicting the events that took place in this house. Because of the numerous movies made, most popular question asked if it the haunting was real or a hoax. However the Lutz participated in a polygraph test, in which they both passed with flying colors. (Anson, 1977; The Amityville Horror Official Website, n.d.)

Lessons on Divorce :: essays research papers

Divorce, of Course, of Course Bridget Burke Ravizza wrote the article, â€Å"Selling Ourselves on the Marriage Market† and is an assistant professor of religious studies at St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI. After talking with an unnamed group of college students, she discovers that â€Å"These college students have grown up in a society in which nearly half of all marriages end in divorce.† She also reveals â€Å"they are fearful that their future marriages will go down that path, and some question whether lifelong commitment can—or should—be made at all.† Furthermore, Ravizza finds that â€Å"students are bombarded with messages about sexuality and relationships—indeed messages about themselves—that seem to undermine authentic relationships.† Simply put, culture has accepted divorce as a â€Å"normal† thing and has already begun to affect the next generations. The surveyed students are so fearful of divorce, they are, in essence, afraid of marriage a s well. They even go to the extreme of avoiding divorce by saying they may not get married at all to prevent the â€Å"undermining of an authentic relationship.† The fact of the matter is, as the polled students infer, that half (if not more) married couples do get a divorce in today’s society. Whether or not this unfortunate trend will continue down through the following generation is a theory yet to be proven, though it would make sense. The article is missing a few necessary citations, however. I noticed no reference given as to whom Rachel Greenwald is or what her expertise are in relation to the subject. She is simply referred to by her best-selling book, Find a Husband After 35: Using What I Learned at Harvard Business School. Likewise, the theologian Paul Wadell is referred to by nothing other than his book Becoming Friends: Worship, Justice and the Practice of Christian Friendship. Also, the poll discussion with the college students at the beginning of the article is not given a source or from what part of the country the college was located. I agree with the article’s thesis. Divorce has slowly seeped its way into the â€Å"normal† way of life and is running rampant through our country and Americans have become numb and desensitized to its abhorrence. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more prominent and society equates this as normal. The Funk and Wagnall’s Dictionary defines divorce as the â€Å"Dissolution of a marriage bond by legal process or by accepted custom.