2009 Edition

In today’s world of high-speed technology, an old art is dying out—good writing. Because people practice incorrect grammar due to their preferred ways of communication such as Internet slang, emotions, and texting language, superior writing skills are diminishing. When people do not practice good writing skills daily in their own lives, their success in writing papers and oral communication are greatly hindered. In this essay, the benefits of writing effectively are explored.

The ability to understand a variety of subject matter was illustrated in this assignment for Dr. Joel Gramling’s History of Biology class. Poppy Paradise describes the unique relationship of humanity and analgesic substances through a historical approach to discovery. The impacts of opiates and their derivatives permeate economical, religious, cultural, and national boundaries. Although possibly problematic, the powerful medicinal effects of opiates and their derivatives remain unique in their anti-anxiety, antidepressant, and pain relieving qualities.

Darfur is known as one of the most troubled regions of the world, but little is known about the specific problems or hurdles that these neglected people face on a day-to-day basis. This paper addresses the specific problems associated with gender-based violence as a weapon of war in this most troubled region. It is used as a method of control and dominance in order to make one group dominant over another. Completed over the summer of 2008, the research was conducted by the author while at an internship at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

Alexandria may appear on the outside as another typical city, yet thousands of years ago, this was both a place of essential intellectual growth and mystery. Certainly the mixing of the Islamic, Jewish, and Egyptian cultures contributed significantly to the spectacular nature of this city, but often it is wondered how the library of such a great city disappeared suddenly. This paper discusses the culture of the city in depth and the theories of the demise of the library.

A major source of political disconnect in Iraq revolves around the production of oil and distribution of the revenues generated. Iraq’s oil resources are in high demand internationally as well as domestically. The Iraqi government must find a way to effectively deal with the repercussions of creating an oil economy, which will have dire consequences for the future of the country. A solution that will take into account sectarian divides, international interests, and the future of Iraq as a whole must be reached. The potential exists to find an oil solution that could have a unifying effect on the nation as well as setting the groundwork for greater education, technology, and industrial opportunities in the region. The future and stability of Iraq rests with finding a successful means of handling their main yet, nonrenewable resource, oil.

In my paper Dystopian Societies in Modern Literature, I discuss the many ways in which the nightmare futures of Dystopian fiction serve as warnings to the possible courses that our world may take should we fail to protect our individual freedoms. Aspects such as the elimination of the family or totalitarian control by a government are common themes in these novels. We may use these novels to learn and to respect the influence we have on our futures, and the vital importance of guaranteeing our personal liberties so that these fictional societies are never realized. The paper analyzes the role the family and government form in these novels and attempts to draw a connection between them, in order to understand the common cause that brought about these fictional futuristic nightmares.

A History of Infectious Disease Control is a brief look at how historical outbreaks of infectious diseases were handled, and how the actions taken affected the future of infectious diseases. Three basic requirements are necessary for the control of infectious disease: discovery, containment, and destruction. In past outbreaks, these three almost never went hand in hand, and although it proved fatal it taught mankind a great deal about how to deal with it better in the future. Three of the major outbreaks in history were the Great Death in London in 1665, the Plague Riot in Moscow in 1771, and the Influenza Pandemic of 1918. From these historically significant outbreaks the world learned a great many lessons, and many of the protocols in existence today to control outbreaks are a direct result of these tragic events in history.