martial Essay Example

martial Essay Example martial Essay martial Essay Martial arts From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The martial art of boxing was practiced in the ancient Thera. Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, entertainment, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development. Although the term martial art has become heavily associated with the fighting arts of eastern Asia, it was originally used in regard to the combat systems of Europe as early as the 1 550s. An English fencing manual of 1639 used the term in reference pecifically to the Science and Art of swordplay. The term is ultimately derived from Latin, and means arts of Mars, where Mars is the Roman god of war. [l] Some authors, most notably Donn F. Draeger, have argued that fghting arts or fghting systems would be more appropriate on the basis that many martial arts were never martial in the sense of being used or created by professional warriors. [2] Contents 1 Variation and scope 1. 1 By technical focus 1. 2 By application or intent 2 History 2. 1 Historical martial arts 2. Folk styles 2. 3 Modern history 3 Testing and competition 3. 1 Light- and medium-contact . 2 Full-contact 3. 3 Martial Sport 4 Health and fitness benefits 5 Self-defense, military and law enforcement applications 6. 1 Martial arts fraud 7 See also 7. 1 Equipment 8 References Variation and scope 6 Martial arts industry Martial arts may be categorized along a variety of criteria, including: Traditional or histo rical arts and contemporary styles of folk wrestling vs. modern hybrid martial arts. Regional origin, especially Eastern Martial Arts vs. Western Martial Arts Techniques taught: Armed vs. narmed, and within these groups by type of weapon (swordsmanship, stick fghting etc. and by type of combat (grappling vs. striking; stand-up fighting vs. ground fighting) By application or intent: self- defense, combat sport, choreography or demonstration of forms, physical fitness, meditation, etc. Within Chinese tradition: external vs. internal styles By technical focus Unarmed Unarmed martial arts can be broadly grouped into focusing on strikes, those focusing on grappling and those that cover both fields, often described as hybrid martial arts. Strikes Punching: Boxing (Western), Wing Chun Kicking: Capoeira, Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Savate Others using strikes: Karate, Muay Thai, Sanshou Grappling Throwing: Jujutsu, Aikido, Hapkido, Judo, Sambo Joint lock/Chokeholds/Submission holds: Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hapkido Pinning Techniques: Jujutsu, Judo, Wrestling, Sambo Another key delineation of unarmed martial arts is the use of power and strength- based techniques (as found in boxing, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo and so on) vs. echniques that almost exclusively use the opponents own energy/balance against them (as in Tai chi chuan, aikido, hapkido and aiki Jiu Jitsu and similar). Another way to view this division is to consider the differences between arts where Power and Speed are the main keys to success vs. arts that rely to a much greater extent on correct body-mechanics and the balance of the practitioners energy with that of the opponent. In all such delineations, aspects of many arts, if not most, c an fall within both camps, regardless of which way the defining line is viewed (striking vs. rappling or power vs. energy/balance). Most arts have features on both sides of any such dividing line. Weapon-based Those traditional martial arts which train armed combat often encompass a wide spectrum of melee weapons, including bladed weapons and polearms. Such raditions include eskrima, silat, kalaripayat, kobudo, and historical European martial arts, especially those of the German Renaissance. Many Chinese martial arts also feature weapons as part of their curriculum. Sometimes, training with one specific weapon will be considered a style of martial arts in its own right, which is especially the case in Japanese martial arts with disciplines such as kenJutsu and kendo (sword), boJutsu (stafO, and kyudo (archery). Similarly, modern Western martial arts and sports include modern fencing, stick- fghting systems like canne de combat or singlestick, and modern competitive rchery. By application or intent Combat-oriented Main articles: Combat sport and Self-defense Many martial arts, especially those from Asia, also teach side disciplines which pertain to medicinal practices. This is particularly prevalent in traditional Indian martial arts which may teach bone-setting, and other aspects of traditional Indian medicine. [3] Martial arts can also be linked with religion and spirituality. Numerous systems are reputed to have been founded, disseminated, or practiced by monks or nuns. For example, gatka is a weapon-based Indian martial art created by the Sikhs of the Punjab region of India. Japanese styles, when concerning non-physical qualities of the combat, are often strongly influenced by Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Concepts like empty mind and beginners mind are recurrent. Aikido, for instance, can have a strong philosophical belief of the flow of energy and peace fostering, as idealised by its founder Morihei Ueshiba. Traditional Korean martial arts place emphasis on the development of the practitioners spiritual and philosophical development. A common theme in most Korean styles, such as taekkyeon and taekwondo, is the value of inner peace in a ractitioner, which is stressed to be only achieved through individual meditation and training. As with most other East Asian martial arts, the Koreans believe that the use of physical force is only Justified through defense. Systema draws upon breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as elements of Russian Orthodox thought, to foster self-conscience and calmness, and to benefit the practitioner in different levels: the physical, the psychological and the spiritual. [4] Some martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like settings for various reasons, such as for evoking ferocity in preparation for battle or showing off kill in a more stylized manner. Many such martial arts incorporate music, especially strong percussive rhythms. (See also war dance. ) History Pankratiasts fighting under the eyes of a Judge. Side B of a Panathenaic prize amphora, c. 500 BC. Main article: History of martial arts Further information: Martial arts timeline Historical martial arts Main articles: History of Asian martial arts and Historical European martial arts Further information: History of boxing and History of fencing The oldest work of art depicting scenes of battle, dating back 3400 was the Ancient Egyptian paintings showing some form of struggle comparable to the stocks; 6] and dating back 3000 BC in Mesopotamia (Babylon), reliefs and the poems of the first signs of a struggle were found. 6][7] In Vietnam, dug drawings and sketches from 2879 BC certain ways of combat combined with the use of a sword, stick, bow, and spears. [6] Chinese martial arts originated during the Xia Dynasty more than 4000 years ago. It is said the Yellow Emperor Huangdi (legendary date of ascension 2698 BC) introduced the earliest fghting systems to China. The Yellow Emperor is described as a famous general who, before becomin g Chinas leader, wrote lengthy treatises on medicine, strology and the martial arts. One of his main opponents was Chi You who was credited as the creator of Jiao d, a forerunner to the modern art of Chinese wrestling. The foundation of modern Asian martial arts is likely a blend of early Chinese and Indian martial arts. During the Warring States period of Chinese history (480-221 BC) extensive development in martial philosophy and strategy emerged, as described by Sun Tzu in The Art of War (c. 350 Legendary accounts link the origin of Shaolinquan to the spread of Buddhism from India during the early 5th century AD, with the fgure of Bodhidharma, to China. [9] In Europe, the earliest sources of martial arts traditions date to Ancient Greece. Boxing (pygme, pyx), wrestling (pale) and pankration were represented in the Ancient Olympic Games. The Romans produced gladiatorial combat as a public spectacle. A number of historical combat manuals have survived from the European Middle Ages. This includes such styles as sword and shield, two-handed swordfghting and other types of melee weapons besides unarmed combat. The most famous of these is Johannes Lichtenauers Fechtbuch (Fencing book) of the 14th century, which today forms the basis of the German school of swordsmanship. Likewise, Asian martial arts become well-documented during the medieval period, Japanese martial arts beginning with the establishment of the samurai nobility in the 12th century, Chinese martial arts with Ming era treatises such as Ji Xiao Xin Shu, Indian martial arts in medieval texts such as the Agni Purana and the Malla Purana, and Korean martial artsTaekkyeon from the Joseon era and texts such as MuyeJebo (1598). Historical martial arts in both Asia and Europe are mostly based on such records of the late medieval to early modern period (1 5th to 17th centuries; see also Kory). European swordsmanship was trained for duels until the Napoleonic era, and developed into sport fencing during the 19th century. Modern boxing originates with Jack Broughtons rules in the 18th century, and reaches its present form with the Marquess of Queensberry Rules of 1867. Europes colonization of Asian countries also brought about a decline in local martial arts, especially with the introduction of firearms. This can clearly be seen in India after the full establishment of British Raj in the 19th century. [10] Similar phenomena occurred in Southeast Asian colonies such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Folk styles Main article: Folk wrestling All over the world, there are traditional styles of folk wrestling, and in some cases also stick fighting, rooted in local culture and folklore. In East and Southeast Asia, these are forms such as Korean, Khmer or Mongolian wrestling and Japanese sumo, in South and Southwest Asia Indo-Persian Pehlwani and Dravidian malla-yuddha, in Central and Western Asia Turkic (Uzbek, Tatar) styles; in Europe, there are Icelandic, Swiss and various English wrestling traditions. African folk wrestling includes the West African style of Lutte Traditionnelle. While these arts are based on historical traditions of folklore, they are not historical in the sense that they reconstruct or preserve a historical system from a specific era. They are rather contemporary regional sports that coexist with the modern forms of martial arts sports as they have developed since the 19th century, often including cross-fertilization between sports and folk styles; thus, the traditional Thai style of muay boran developed into the modern national sport of muay Thai, which in turn came to be practiced worldwide and contributed significantly to modern hybrid styles like kickboxing and mixed martial arts. Modern history Further information: Modern history of East Asian martial arts Late 19th to early 20th century The mid to late 19th century marks the beginning of the history of martial arts as modern sports developed out of earlier traditional fghting systems. In Europe, this concerns the developments of boxing and fencing as sports. In Japan, the same period marks the formation of the modern forms of Judo, Jujitsu, karate, and kendo (among others) based on revivals of old schools of Edo period martial arts which had been suppressed during the Meiji Restoration. [citation needed] Modern muay Thai ules date to the 1920s. In China, the modern history of martial arts begins in the Nanjing decade (1930s) following the foundation of the Central Guoshu Institute in 1928 under the Kuomintang government. Western interest in Asian martial arts arises towards the end of the 19th century, due to the increase in trade between the United States with China and Japan. [citation needed] Relatively few Westerners actually practiced the arts, considering it to be mere performance. Edward William Barton-Wright, a railway engineer who had studied Jujutsu while working in Japan between 1894-97, was the first man known to ave taught Asian martial arts in Europe. He also founded an eclectic style named Bartitsu which combined Jujutsu, Judo, boxing, savate and stick fghting. Fencing and Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the 1896 Summer Olympics. FILA Wrestling World Championships and Boxing at the Summer Olympics were introduced in 1904. The tradition of awarding championship belts in wrestling and boxing can be traced to the Lonsdale Belt, introduced in 1909. 20th century (1914 to 1989) The International Boxing Association was established in 1920. World Fencing Championships have been held since 1921. As Western influence grew in Asia a greater number of military personnel spent time in China, Japan and South Korea during World War II and the Korean War and were exposed to local fghting styles. Jujutsu, Judo and karate first became popular among the mainstream from the 1950s-60s. Due in part to Asian and Hollywood martial arts movies, most modern American martial arts are either Asian-derived or Asian influenced. [11] The term kickboxing ($ y 5 was created by the Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi for a variant of muay Thai and karate that he created in the 1950s. American kickboxing was developed in the 1970s, as a ombination of boxing and karate. Taekwondo was developed in the context of the Korean War in the 1950s. The later 1960s and 1970s witnessed an increased media interest in Kung Fu, influenced by martial artist Bruce Lee. Jeet Kune Do, the system he founded, has its roots in Wing Chun, western boxing, savate and fencing. Bruce Lee is credited as one of the first instructors to openly teach Chinese martial arts to Westerners. [12] World Judo Championships have been held since 1956, Judo at the Summer Olympics was introduced in 1964. Karate World Championships were introduced in 1970. Jackie Chan, one of the best known Hollywood actors and martial artists. Following the kung fu wave in Hong Kong action cinema in the 1970s, a number of mainstream films produced during the 1980s contributed significantly to the perception of martial arts in western popular culture. These include The Karate Kid (1984) and Bloodsport (1988). This era produced some Hollywood action stars with martial arts background, such as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris. Also during the 20th century, a number of martial arts were adapted for self-defense purposes for military hand-to-hand combat. World War II combatives, Kapap (1930s) and Krav Maga (1950s) in Israel, Systema (Soviet era Russia), San Shou (Peoples Republic of China). The US military de-emphasized hand-to-hand combat training during the Cold War period, but revived it with the introduction of LINE in 1989. 1990 to present During the 1990s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became popular and proved to be effective in mixed martial arts competitions such as the IJFC and PRIDE. 13] The K-1 rules of kickboxing were introduced in 1993, based on 1980s Seidokaikan karate. Jackie Chan and Jet Li are prominent movie figures who have been responsible for romoting Chinese martial arts in recent years. With the continual discovery of new Medieval and Renaissance fighting manuals, the practice of Historical European Martial Arts and other Western Martial Arts are growing in popularity across the United States an d Europe. November 29, 2011, UNESCO inscribed taekkyeon onto its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List. 14] Testing and competition Testing or evaluation is important to martial art practitioners of many disciplines who wish to determine their progression or own level of skill in specific contexts. Students ithin individual martial art systems often undergo periodic testing and grading by their own teacher in order to advance to a higher level of recognized achievement, such as a different belt color or title. The type of testing used varies from system to system but may include forms or sparring. Steven Ho executing a Jump Spin Hook Kick Various forms and sparring are commonly used in martial art exhibitions and tournaments. Some competitions pit practitioners of different disciplines against each other using a common set of rules, these are referred to as mixed martial arts competitions. Rules for sparring vary between art and organization but can generally be divided into light-contact, medium-contact, and full-contact variants, reflecting the amount of force that should be used on an opponent. Light- and medium-contact These types of sparring restrict the amount of force that may be used to hit an opponent, in the case of light sparring this is usual to touch contact, e. g. a punch should be pulled as soon as or before contact is made. In medium-contact (sometimes referred to as semi-contact) the punch would not be pulled but not hit with full force. As the amount of force used is restricted, the aim of these types of sparring is not to knock out an opponent; a point system is used in competitions. A referee acts to monitor for fouls and to control the match, while Judges mark down scores, as in boxing. Particular targets may be prohibited, certain techniques may be forbidden (such as headbutting or groin hits), and fghters may be required to wear protective equipment on their head, hands, chest, groin, shins or feet. Some grappling arts, such as aikido, use a similar method of compliant training that is equivalent to light or medium contact. In some styles (such as fencing and some styles of Taekwondo sparring), competitors score points based on the landing of a single technique or strike as Judged by the referee, whereupon the referee will briefly stop the match, award a point, then restart the match. Alternatively, sparring may continue with the point noted by the judges. Some critics of point sparring feel that this method of training teaches habits that result in lower combat effectiveness. Lighter-contact sparring may be used exclusively, for children or in other situations when heavy contact would be nappropriate (such as beginners), medium-contact sparring is often used as training for full contact Full-contact Further information: Full-contact Full-contact sparring or competition, where strikes are not pulled but thrown with full force as the name implies, has a number of tactical differences from light and medium-contact sparring. It is considered by some to be requisite in learning realistic unarmed combat. 1 5] In full-contact sparring, the aim of a competitive match is either to knock out the opponent or to force the opponent to submit. Where scoring takes place it may be a ubsidiary measure, only used if no clear winner has been established by other means; in some competitions, such as the IJFC 1, there was no scoring, though most now use some form of Judging as a backup. [16] Due to these factors, full-contact matches tend to be more aggressive in character, b ut rule sets may still mandate the use of protective equipment, or limit the techniques allowed. Nearly all mixed martial arts organizations such as UFC, Pancrase, Shooto use a form of full-contact rules, as do professional boxing organizations and K-1 . Kyokushin karate requires advanced practitioners to engage in bare-knuckled, full-contact parring while wearing only a karate gi and groin protector but does not allow punches to the face, only kicks and knees. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo matches do not allow striking, but are full-contact in the sense that full force is applied in the permitted grappling and submission techniques. Martial Sport Main article: Combat sport Several martial arts, such as Judo, are Olympic sports. Martial arts have crossed over into sports when forms of sparring become competitive, becoming a sport in its own right that is dissociated from the original combative origin, such as with western fencing. The Summer Olympic Games includes Judo, taekwondo, western archery, boxing, Javelin, wrestling and fencing as events, while Chinese wushu recently failed in its bid to be included, but is still actively performed in tournaments across the world. Practitioners in some arts such as kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu often train for sport matches, whereas those in other arts such as aikido and Wing Chun generally spurn such competitions. Some schools believe that competition breeds better and more efficient practitioners, and gives a sense of good sportsmanship. Others believe that the rules under which ompetition takes place have diminished the combat effectiveness of martial arts or encourage a kind of practice which focuses on winning trophies rather than a focus such as cultivating a particular moral character. The question of which is the best martial art has led to inter style competitions fought with very few rules allowing a variety of fighting styles to enter with few limitations. This was the origin of the first Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament (later renamed IJFC 1: The Beginning) in the U. S. inspired by the Brazilian Vale tudo tradition and along with other minimal rule competitions, most otably those from Japan such as Shooto and Pancrase, have evolved into the combat sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Some martial artists compete in non-sparring competitions such as breaking or choreographed routines of techniques such as poomse, kata and aka, or modern variations of the martial arts which include dance-influenced competitions such as tricking. Martial traditions have been influenced by governments to become more sport-like for political purposes; the central impetus for the attempt by the Peoples Republic of China in transforming Chinese martial arts into the committee-regulated port of wushu was suppressing what they saw as the potentially subversive aspects of martial training, especially under the traditional system of family lineages. [17] Health and fitness benefits Martial arts training aims to result in several benefits to trainees, such as their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. 18] Through systematic practice in the martial arts a persons physical fitness may be boosted (strength, stamina, flexibility, movement coordination, etc. )[citation needed] as the whole body is exercised and the entire muscular system is activated. Beyond ontributing to physical fitness, martial arts training also has benefits for mental health, contributing to self-esteem, self-control, emotional and spiritual well-being. For this reason, a number of martial arts schools have focused purely on therapeutic aspects, de-emphasizing the historical aspect of self-defense or combat completely. [citation needed] According to Bruce Lee, martial arts also have the nature of an art, since there is emotional communication and complete emotional expression. [citation needed] Self- defense, military and law enforcement applications Main articles: Hand to hand combat and Self-defense U. S. Army Combatives instructor Matt Larsen demonstrates a chokehold. Some traditional martial concepts have seen new use within modern military training. Perhaps the most recent example of this is point shooting which relies on muscle memory to more effectively utilize a firearm in a variety of awkward situations, much the way an iaidoka would master movements with their sword. During the World War II era William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes were recruited by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to teach their martial art of defendu (itself drawing on Western boxing and Jujutsu) and pistol shooting to I-JK, US, and Canadian pecial forces. The book Kill or Get Killed, written by Colonel Rex Applegate, was based on the defendu taught by Sykes and Fairbairn. Both Fairbairns Get Tough and Appelgates Kill or Get Killed became classic works on hands of this include European Unifght, the US Armys Combatives system developed by Matt Larsen, the Israeli armys kapap and Krav Maga, and the US Marine Corpss Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). Unarmed dagger defenses identical to those found in the manual of Fiore dei Liberi and the Codex Wallerstein were integrated into the U. S. Armys training manuals in 1942[19] and continue to influence todays systems along with other traditional systems such as eskrima and silat. The rifle-mounted bayonet, which has its origin in the spear, has seen use by the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, and the British Army as recently as the Iraq War. [20] Many martial arts are also seen and used in Law Enforcement hand to hand training. For example, the Tokyo Riot Polices use of aikido. Martial arts industry Martial arts since the 1970s has become a significant industry, a subset of the wider sport industry (including cinema and sports television). Hundreds of millions of people worldwide practice some form of martial art. Web Japan (sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs) claims there are 50 million karate practitioners worldwide. [21] The South Korean government in 2009 published an estimate that taekwondo is practiced by 70 million people in 190 countries. [22] The wholesale value of martial arts related sporting equipment shipped in the United States was estimated at 314 million USD in 2007; participation in the same year was estimated at 6. 9 million (ages 6 or older, 2% of US population). [23] R. A. Court, CEO of Martial Arts Channel, stated the total revenue of the US martial arts industry at USD 40 billion and the number of US practitioners at 30 million in 2003. [24] Ultimate Fighting Championship generated a revenue of about USD 250 million in 2008, about 90% of the entire Mixed Martial Arts industry. [25] Martial arts fraud Asian martial arts experienced a surge of popularity in the west during the 1970s,

How to Create a Perfect Bright Futures Application

How to Create a Perfect Bright Futures Application SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Florida Bright Futures scholarships are great funding options for Florida residents who want to stay in the state for college or vocational school. All three awards are easily renewable, which means you could significantly cut your college expenses for several years. You might think there’s some complicated paperwork involved in submitting the Florida Bright Futures scholarship application. As it turns out, much of the process is streamlined and automated - you actually don’t have to jump through too many hoops to apply. The eligibility requirements are a bit of a different story, but once you meet those, the application process should be pretty easy. In this post, I'll briefly explain about eligibility requirements before moving on to the application timeline. I'll end with tips and strategies you can use to submit the best possible Bright Futures application. Bright Futures Requirements for Eligibility The first step in submitting a successful Bright Futures scholarship application is to make sure you’re actually eligible for the scholarship. This isn’t something you can do at the last minute- meeting eligibility requirements for these awards requires more long-term thinking. General Scholarship Requirements Here are the general requirements that apply to all Bright Futures Scholarships: You must be a Florida resident and US citizen or eligible non-citizen(this is determined by your college). Youmust complete the Florida Financial Aid Application by 8/31 of the year of your high school graduation. Youmust earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high school or a registered Florida Department of Education private school. Youcan’t have been convicted of (or pleaded no contest to) a felony charge. You must be accepted by and enroll in a degree or certificate program at an eligible Florida public or independent postsecondary institution (postsecondary = college, vocational, or professional program). You must be enrolled for at least 6 (non-remedial) credit hours per term. Specific Scholarship Requirements There are different minimum GPA, ACT/SAT, and service hour requirements for the three Bright Futures scholarships. The most competitive scholarship is the Florida Academic Scholars Program (FAS), followed by the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS), and then the Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV). Note that these requirements are only valid for students graduating high school through 2020. Florida legislature recently passed a bill that will raise the SAT minimums for students graduating in 2021 and beyond. This chart outlines some of the most important requirements for the FAS and FMS programs (you don't need to take both the ACT and SAT- one will do!). SCHOLARSHIP WEIGHTED GPA MINIMUM ACT MINIMUM SAT MINIMUM SERVICE HOURS FAS 3.50 29 1290 100 hours FMS 3.00 26 70 75 hours FMS- Homeschooled students without official transcripts 3.00 27 1220 75 hours The GSV program is a bit different when it comes to eligibility requirements. The minimum GPA required to qualify for the GSV program is 3.0, weighted, in non-elective courses. The service hours minimum requirement is 30. GSV test score requirements are a bit more detailed (note that you only have to take one of the following exams, but you can't mix and match subsections fromdifferent tests): Exam Subsection Score minimum ACT English 17 Reading 19 Math 19 SAT Reading 440 Math 440 P.E.R.T. Reading 106 Writing 103 Math 4 There's some more fine print when it comes to eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures scholarships. To get more detailed information on meeting all of these requirements, check out our Bright Futures guide. 4 Steps to Applying for a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Much of this process is automated- you won’t have to do much extra work outside of submitting the Florida Financial Aid Application and keeping an eye on your app to make sure everything is processed correctly. If all of your eligibility requirements check out, you can start the application as early as December 1. Step 1: Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) The FFAAopens December 1 each year. YourFlorida Bright Futures account login information will be sent to you after you submit the FFAA. Just remember that you must submit your FFAA by August 31 of the year that you graduate from high school, or you won't be eligible for a scholarship award. Step 2: Take the ACT or SAT and Submit Your Scores The good news is that you’ll have to take either the ACT or SAT for college applications anyway. Send your scores to any Florida public college or university to ensure that the Florida Department of Education- the institution that reviews Bright Futures applications- receives them. Step 3: Submit Your Official High School Transcripts More good news:many schools will submit your transcripts automatically for consideration. Still, it's a good idea to check in with your guidance counselor about whether you need to take any additional steps. Step 4: Keep the Information in Your Account Updated There are a bunch of things you can (and should) manageonce you get your Bright Futures account information: Monitor your reported service hours. Update your postsecondary institution: once you’ve been accepted to/enrolled at a FL college or vocational school, you would make a note of this in your account. Update any demographic information. View your eligibility determination: check your account once everything’s been submitted to see if you’re eligible for the scholarship. Application Timelines There are two Bright Futures timelines to be aware of if you're ready to start the application process: Early Evaluation and Final Evaluation. If you can plan for the Early Evaluation timeline, you could potentially learn about Bright Futures eligibility as early as March. Early Evaluation If your transcripts are submitted for early evaluation (based on academic progress in the middle of the last year of high school and test scores for tests taken by January 31), you’ll get an eligibility notification posted to your online account. These postingsmay begin in March, according to the Florida Department of Education. Final Evaluation All students whose final transcripts are submitted following the last high school term will get an eligibility notification posted to their online account. These postings may beginin July, again according to the Florida Department of Education. How to Make Your Application Stand Out Now that you know a little bit more about eligibility requirements and the application process, you can focus on making your Bright Futures application the best it can be. The good news: aside from making sure you meet all eligibility requirements, there isn’t much you have to do to make your application â€Å"stand out.† If you meet the requirements for the FAS, FMS, or GSV scholarship, you’ll receive the scholarship- it’s as simple as that. The bad news: the eligibility requirements are strict. There’s no grayarea- you either qualify because you meet all requirements, or you don’t (no matter how close you are) and don’t get a scholarship. There are some eligibility loopholes and exceptions for out-of-state, homeschooled, and GED students- learn more about them in our requirements guide. The best Bright Futures success strategy will focus onmeeting eligibility requirements as early in your high school career as possible. The following tips will help you do that, starting right now. Coursework All Bright Futures scholarships require students to complete a certain set of high school courses. You’re likely to meet all coursework requirements if you went to high school in Florida. If you suspect there may be a problem, schedule ameeting with your guidance counselor. GPA It's difficult to significantly raise your GPA in a short period of time. Focus on your grades by picking a realistic GPA minimum starting your freshman year. If you're struggling to meet your goal, here are some ways to bring up that GPA: Take classes that are appropriate for your skill level. If you're unsure about which classes are most appropriate, meet with your guidance counselor to discuss. See teachers for extra help in weak subject areas. Ask about extra credit assignments if possible. Check out our guide on raising your GPA. Community Service The earlier you start reporting your community service hours, the fewer hours per week you’ll need to volunteer. If you start chipping away at this requirement as a senior, you'll have to set aside 2-3 hours a week for community service; if you start as a freshman; however, you'll only need to volunteer 1-1.5 hours every two weeks. You can't earn any money for your community service hours, but you can kill two birds with one stone and look for positions where you can get interesting professional experience. Start by asking friends and family for suggestions- make sure you're working with a legitimate agency who will reliably track your hours. Finally, set a schedule. Go at the same time every week or every two weeks so you don't fall behind on completing your hours. If you need some help brainstorming, check out our guide to thebest places to do community service. What's Next? The Florida Bright Futures scholarships aren't your only options for paying for college. Read more about top scholarship programs for high school juniors and high school seniors. Although it's less exciting than applying for scholarship programs, you can maximize the amount of money you'll get for college by knowing your way around financial aid. Learn about the financial aid application process and specific aid programs, like the Pell Grant and Perkins loan. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Three stages in the international product life cycle theory Essay

Three stages in the international product life cycle theory - Essay Example Production of a particular product in a certain region is based on market analysis regarding resource availability, needs, and purchasing power of the target market. The characteristics of this stage are that the sales volumes and prices are high. At this level, the demand is greater than the supply with little competitors in the niche thus allowing for expansion of the business. Furthermore, at this stage the advertisement is at its peak with the technique having tremendous effect on the target market. During the growth stage, international imitators have had no chance to create imitations at a cheaper price that eventually destabilizes the market. A good example of a company that vividly elaborates this stage is Chinese Tecno Mobile Phone Company. The company based in the most populated country came up with a product to meet the demand for cheap Smartphone. The company realized massive profits in 2004 when it started. The next stage of the cycle is the maturity stage. In this stage, the demand becomes level, and the rate of increase of sales is reduced. At this level, the imitators have had enough time to create a product that creates competition in the available market at a cheaper price. However, esteemed customers who enjoy services of the original product which explained a level demand of the product as no new customers are using the product. Producer of the original product at this stage might opt to reduce prices if competition on the available market becomes stiff. The decreased sales volume and prices lead to a reduction in the amount of profits realized at a specific financial period (Funk,  2004). A good example of this is the Antex Knitting Meals located in Los Angeles. The profits realized by the company after establishment in 1979 were high compared to the current profits selling 2.7 million yards of fabric per week. Currently, the company sales add up to 1.5million yards of fabric per week. Decline is the

Death Penalty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Death Penalty - Research Paper Example The proponents of the penalty derive their arguments from the fact that is cheaper than holding convict for life, and acts as a deterrence to crime. However, the proponents are tasked with a heavy burden of proof assignment that has not been successful so far. This leads to the question whether the death penalty deters crime The paper seeks to answer the question through an argumentative approach. According to Amnesty International USA, the assertion that the death penalty reduces murder rates are flawed (Amnesty USA n.d). The fundamental basics to prove that it does not deter crimes are evident in the murder statistics difference between states that employ the death penalty and the states that do not use the penalty. According to the said statistics, it is seen that states that do not have the penalty have lower rates of capital crimes as compared to others. Consequently, the penalty is not popular among the public. The pie chart shows the public opinion about death penalty and its effect in deterrence of crime. Sources indicate that people who commit capital crimes are commonly under the effects of drugs and or alcohol. The claim implies that the persons are not conscious enough to reckon the repercussions of the crime they are committing. Death penalty is not part of their reasoning at the time when they are consumed by rage or fear. It follows that a crime will be committed, with or without death penalty laws. Thus, death penalty is not sufficient to deter crime in such incidents. Another reason that taints the deterrence assertion is that criminals do not expect to be nabbed after committing an atrocity. Suspects in murder cases do not consider the probability of being arrested and facing charges for the crime. Instead, they consider the possibility of walking free (Michigan State University 2000, p.3). In these cases, the fangs of the death penalty do not scare the criminals from their actions. The same implies that criminals do not weigh their

Home School Essay Example for Free

Home School Essay It has come to the attention of many that the debate over home schooling has been getting more brutal each and every day. Below is reassurance on why the board should offer this marvelous opportunity to these students. Every student is different, each has its own learning curves; some more then others. I am for home school because students can be overwhelmed by the large amount of work, students can get off task easily in traditional school, and if a student is home schooled, the student is the center of attention. When students go to traditional school, there are a lot of other students. Being with so many other students can be overwhelming for some, not all. For the students that it is too overwhelming for, why shouldn’t those students get an equal opportunity to do there best in school? If it is school were talking, then throw in the conversation of life as well. Without good schooling, students will be unable to get into a good college, without college, well it is kind of sad for the rest of their lives. As the Board of Education you want students to succeed in school, and in life, well then tell people to stop trying to slow down there education and the process in which students and parents educate. A positive in being home schooled is not getting off task. If the students do not have a large amount of distraction, then the want for distraction will be eliminated. Students get off task very easily (Trust me). An example of an off task student is a student talking to another student, thus far not hearing the teachers instructions. By keeping them on task then that is a great way to destroy a learning curve or learning curves. Another positive in home school is, the student is the center of attention! In any traditional school, there is a lot of students that do not understand or get the concept of a focus of study. Teachers have many students and may not always be available to make the focus of study more clear to the student. Home school guarantees the idea of a student never being left behind. What is the point of putting a student through school and the student only grasps bits and pieces, when the student could understand it all and probably even learn more then the average student in traditional school. To conclude this essay, please remember that home schooling is a great opportunity. Students are different and need special attention. I am for home school because students can be overwhelmed by the large amount of work, students can get off task easily in traditional school, and if a student is home schooled, the student is the center of attention. If the student can afford and have the means to do so, let home schooling happen!

Immigration :: essays research papers

For many immigration to the United States would be a new beginning during 19th to early 20th century. There were many acts and laws to limit the number immigrating to the United States. Many of these acts were due to prejudice and misunderstanding of a culture. One such act was the Chinese Exclusion Act. Form this one act many immigration laws and acts were made against foreigners. They hoped to control the number of immigrants arriving on the American shores. The Chinese Exclusion Act of May 6, 1882 was just the beginning. This act was the turning point of the U.S. immigration policies, although it only directly affected a small group of people. Prior to the Chinese Exclusion Act there was no significant number of free immigrants that had been barred from the country. Once the Chinese Exclusion Act had been in acted, further limitations on the immigration of ethnic groups became standard procedure for more than eight decades. Irish catholic, Mexican, and other races were not allowed the same freedoms that others were allowed. Even after a family had been here for generations there were not given the same freedoms. Since the arrival of the first Chinese Immigrants, racist hostility towards the Chinese always existed. They were predominantly male laborers, concentrated in California. They were vital to the development of western mining, transportation, and agriculture. Other races were also discriminated against, the Irish were not allowed to get jobs or live in certain areas of the cities. By 1880, the great fear of German-speaking and Irish-Catholic immigrants was over. Employers, who still sought worker-immigrants, and not just temporary workers, looked increasingly to southern and eastern Europe. When Italians, Greeks, Turks, Russians, Slavs, and Jews arrived in the United States in numbers, however, new anxieties arose about making Americans of so many different kinds of strangers. An 1880 this act gave the United States the one sided right to mandate to li mit or even stop the immigration of Chinese laborers. In effect canceling the right of the Chinese to enter the country. Congress quickly complied and made a ten-year bill that the President signed on May 6, 1882. While exempting teachers, students, merchants, and tourists the Act suspended immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. The law was renewed for a second ten-year period in 1892 and then made "permanent" in 1902. Chinese Exclusion Act had set a pattern for many other immigration laws and acts to come.

The Backgrounds of Thami and Mr. M

As a young individual, Thiamin was not able to see how his education was so structured and influenced by the government. However, as time progresses, Thiamin cannot appreciate the education, for the people that control what is taught in the schools also force him to live through the horrendous conditions of apartheid. He admits that his education is a political reality in his life. At the end of the novel, Thiamin is faced with a very difficult decision. He ultimately decides to escape the nation because he knows he cannot join the mob and the violence of the people that killed Mr.. M. Thiamin wants change in SouthAfrica. He realizes that the best way to accomplish this goal is to start over in a new place. Standing around in the same township accomplishes nothing, and Thiamin realizes this is not the proper method to bringing about change. Mr.. M has suppressed Thiamin in a tiny environment for all these years, and he finally feels the need to break out and let his voice be heard. M r.. M grew up in a time where apartheid was not present. He had basic freedoms and he was not treated so harshly as the colored are treated in the apartheid period. Mr.. M turns a blind eye to the problems that are present in South Africa.He still believes that modern day South Africa is the same as it was many years ago. It is hard for Mr.. M to fathom the struggle of the colored people in South Africa because everything was integrated when he was a child. This makes it very difficult for Mr.. M, for over a short period of time he was stripped of his basic freedoms. Mr.. M believes that true change lies in the hands of the children, for they are the ones that have a future possibility of sparking change in society. Contrary to Team's belief that education is a politically based system, Mr.. M sees education as a chance to transform his dents into fighters.He wants to give his students inspiration and motive to rebel and question the system of apartheid. Mr.. M also favors education because he is lonely and depressed. Mr.. M deeply values the relationships that he creates with Isabel and Thiamin. It does not seem as if Mr.. M has a significant other in his life. It is strange that he holds such a personal bond with Isabel and Thiamin, and he continues to push them to be active members Of the team so he can spend time with them. He turns Thiamin into the authorities in hopes that it will cause him to return to school.

Neuroanatomy Paper Essay

The limbic system is a diverse collection of cortical and subcortical regions that are crucial for normal human behavior (Martin, 2003). According to Martin (2003), nineteenth century neurologist and anatomist recognized that damage to particular parts of the human brain were associated with disorders of emotion and memory; these lesions , unlike those of the cerebellum, occipital lobe, or cortical regions around the central sulcus, for example, spared perception and movement. This research lead to the understanding that the neural systems of emotions, learning and memory, and their interconnections, are grouped into a single system, called the limbic system. Based on Martin (2003), brain structures for emotions, learning and memory have been conserved throughout much of the vertebrate evolution, reflecting the common and important need for these functions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The diverse functions of the limbic system include important roles in learning and memory and in emotions – and their behavioral and visceral consequences. According to Martin (2003), many of the structures have a C-shaped configuration; the limbic system has three C-shaped components: (1) the limbic association cortex, (2) the hippocampal formation and fornix, (3) and part of the amygdala (bed of stria terminalis) and the stria terminalis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hippocampal circuits are engaged in consolidating explicit memories, such as the conscious recollection of facts, and in forming spatial memories; the hippocampal formation works closely with adjoining entorrhinal cortex, so much so that the two are functionally inseparable (Martin, 2003). According to Martin (2003), these structures receive complex sensory and cognitive information from the limbic association cortex; damage to the hippocampal formation or entorrhinal cortex, depending on the extent, can result in severe and pervasive anterograde amnesia. As Martin stated, in this form of amnesia, impairments occur in semantic memory, such as knowledge of facts, people, and objects, including new word meaning, and the episodic memory of events that have a specific spatial and temporal context, such meeting a friend last week; and by contrast, patients with hippocampal damage are capable of remembering procedures and actions (i.e., implicit or non-declarative memory), and they retain the capacity for a variety of simple forms of learning and memory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The output neurons of the hippocampal formation are pyramidal neurons, similar to the neocortex covering most of the cerebral hemisphere, and they are located in the hippocampus and subiculum (Martin, 2003). Two output systems can be distinguished within the fornix, from the subiculum and the hippocampus; although these systems are involved in the cognitive aspects of learning and memory, it is not yet understood how their functions differ.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The innervations of the limbic system by the major neurotransmitter regulatory systems appear to be particularly important for normal thoughts, moods, and behaviors. This conclusion is based on the observation that many of the drugs used to treat psychiatric illness – the disorders of thought, such as schizophrenia, and of mood, such as depression and anxiety – selectively affect one of the neurotransmitters systems; this neurotransmitter system have direct and widespread connections with the limbic system (Martin, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pyramidal cells of the entorhinal cortex send their axons to the dentate gyrus to synapses on granule cells, which is the perforrant pathway. Based on Martin (2003), it is not known how the myriad connections of the entorhial cortex and hippocampal formation are organized to play a role in memory consolidation; however, an important clue exists: the strength of many synapses in the hippocampal formation can be modified under various experimental conditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The amygdala has three major divisions, which collectively are involved in emotions and their behavioral expression: the basolateral nuclei, the central nuclei, and the corticomedal nuclei References Martin, J. H. (2003). Neuroanatomy: Text and Atlas. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.   

Thomas Edison3 essays

Thomas Edison3 essays Thomas A. Edison and his Kinetographic Motion Pictures. Rutgers University Press. This book gave me a lot of the information I needed on the basic history of Thomas Edisons work in the motion picture industry. There were also pictures which helped me better understand the information. Thomas Alva Edison: inventing the electric age. Adair, Gene. 1996.Oxford University Press: New York. This book also gave me information on his inventions with pictures. It also gave me information on other work that Edison did and why he was interested in inventing devices for the movie industry. Motion Pictures, History of. http://encarta.msn.com (6 Dec. 2000). Microsoft Encarta This online encyclopedia also gave me information on not only Thomas Edisons contribution to the movie industry, but also the whole history and origins of movies ...

Four Studying Tips for an Essay Test

Four Studying Tips for an Essay Test Test day is here. You’ve packed your brain full of definitions, dates, and details, preparing for a marathon of multiple choice and true false questions, and now you’re staring at a single, solitary, terrifying essay question. How could this happen? You’re suddenly fighting for your life (okay, a grade), and your only weapons are a blank piece of paper and a pencil. What can you do? Next time, prepare for the test as if you know it will be an essay test.​ Why Do Teachers Use Essay Questions? Essay questions are based on themes and overall ideas. Teachers like to use essay questions because they give students the opportunity to express everything they’ve learned over the weeks or months, using their own words. Essay test answers reveal more than the bare facts, though. When submitting essay answers, students are expected to cover lots of information in an organized, sensible manner. But what if you prepare for an essay question and the teacher doesn’t ask one? No problem. If you use these tips and understand the themes and ideas of the test period, the other questions will come easily. 4 Essay Question Study Tips Review chapter titles. Textbook chapters often refer to themes. Look at each relevant title and think of smaller ideas, chains of events, and relevant terms that fit within that theme.As you take notes, look for teacher code words. If you hear your teacher use words like â€Å"once again we see† or â€Å"another similar event occurred,† make note of it. Anything that indicates a pattern or chain of events is key.Think of a theme every day. Every few nights as you review your class notes, look for themes. Come up with your own essay questions based on your themes.Practice your essay questions. As you do, make sure you use vocabulary terms found in your notes and text. Underline them as you go, and go back to review their relevance. If you take effective notes and think in terms of themes as you study each night, you’ll be prepared for every type of test question. You’ll soon find that, in understanding the theme of each lesson or chapter, you’ll begin to think more like your teacher thinks. You will also begin to form a deeper understanding of the test material overall.

How Far were the Parlements Responsible for Bringing About the End of Essay

How Far were the Parlements Responsible for Bringing About the End of the Ancien Regime - Essay Example This essay declares that the rage of Parlements against the government, the economic collapse and the financial downturn of Frenchmen paved way for the commencement of revolution. All these events took rise during the regime of King Louis XVI, debilitating the extent of his influence on the masses. Amongst all these factors, the parlements owing to their contravention against the King, are considered to have prominently led to the initiation of this revolution. This paper sheds light on the extent to which the parlements could be held responsible for bringing about the end of the Ancien regime. It also illuminates the motivation that made the parlements to take this stance against the government particularly in the era of the King Louis XVI. This paper stresses that the magistrates of court having prominent authority during the Ancien regime were referred to as the Parlement. Doyle elaborates, â€Å"the parlement of Paris was the highest court of appeal in a vast jurisdiction covering approximately one-third of the kingdom† . Parlements were the magistrates assigned by the government to register any law passed by the ruler and also, generally, to provide judgments on the cases that were brought before them. This is not to be implicated that parlements were merely unauthorized people working under the king’s dominance. Rather, these happened to be noble and prominent figures of those times, highly respected by the society as well as the government.

Social change idea proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social change idea proposal - Essay Example Earlier on, the pressure arising from mental problems in children was less and normally teachers tended to look the other way, reprimand or counsel such children. However, these tendencies cannot work anymore. (Burke, Robert W & Myers, Barbara Kimes). The heavy curriculum and peer pressure requires a student to perform despite his or her difficult background. On the other hand, teachers find it difficult to perform their teaching duties as well as take on the role of counselors. If it were a question of a few handful of students beset with mental health, it would not have bothered the teachers so much. However, the number of such students is quite high and is increasing. Moreover, children are exposed to teachers much of their time. Hence, there is the need to integrate a relationship that goes beyond teaching alone. The child must be able to see the teacher as his or her guide and friend. The responsibility of the teacher in developing such a relationship is quite high although it is possible to achieve within reasonable time. It is equally important for parents to make themselves available to their children so that there is no gap which may prove debilitating later on. The child is only the tip of the iceberg in the social environment where repeated failure to attend to the child’s needs have pushed the child to gangs, drugs and violence. In such scenario the values taught and practiced by teachers challenge children to notice them and follow suit. The child’s background plays a vital role in the assessment of his mental health in the classroom. It is mainly children from broken families who suffer mental difficulties (Lipsett, Anthea). Irrespective of the origin of the problem, the school has become the place where the child finds opportunity to nurture and grow. In the school, the teacher plays the pivotal role in shaping the child’s life. So, even if the school has separate counselors to deal