Stiff By Mary Roach ((Chunk 1))

The first four chapters of Mary Roach's morbidly fascinating book STIFF gives details as to what occurs to the cadavers that have been donated to science and to the betterment of studies. Roach elucidates the disparity between a "human" and a "cadaver" , she admits that there must be a disconnect from the deceased. She also speculates the importance of donating your body to science but also realizes that deceased in question deserved or had a right to decide exactly for what purpose their body was used for. It is said that the cadavers are used for many things ranging from things such as cosmetic surgery to crash test dummies.

Application : How does the increasing religious disconnect from one's body foreshadow the future in this situation.

Style : In what ways does Roach's blunt style contribute to her purpose ? What is/are her purpose(s) at this point ?

Entitlement Myths by Michael Kinsley ((Time Magazine))

Michael Kinsley's 2008 essay from the TIME Magazine examines the idea of entitlement as it pertains to social security, the Nations debt and things of that magnitude. It was reported that the the value of everybody assets was $56.5 trillion, but the value of our liabilities was $56.4 trillion. It seems certain that we are now on the verge of owing more than we are worth. The families in the United States and the Government Officials tendency to borrow irresponsibly has ultimately put this nation in an economic crisis. Much of the money from the companies such as social security and medicare, however, give the old age money which untimely deaths entitle to their children and grandchildren. It seems that increasingly the generation passing on is passing on hundreds of thousands of dollars to their future generations,, most of whom didn't acquire the money through hard work but rather through Medicare and Social Security.


Application : Should coming up generations have an entitlement to the older generations rewards ?



http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1874858,00.html

The Narrative of Frederick Douglass

I did not have a favorite passage or scene in the Narrative of Frederick Douglass, but i was pleased when i was able to identify the syntatical devices that he used throughout the text. It allowed me to acquire a greater appreciation for Douglass' work and the effort that he placed into his craft.