" Double Life Of A Genius "

            “Double life of a genius”, is the title I have created for the story “CODE-BREAKER” by Jim Holt. The author is a well-respected writer, that focuses on topics such as, Science, Ethics and Philosophy for slate. Holt has published articles in New York Times magazine, The New Yorker and is the host of a BBC radio show.

            As I read into the first paragraph, I become startled with facts relating to the death of Alan Turing. The further I venture into the story I easily piece together the thesis. The main idea of Holt’s story is the secret life of Alan Turing and how each secret may have played a role in his death. Eventhough his passing was ruled a suicide there is enough facts to prove otherwise.

            The author’s purpose of this paper is to highlight the successful attributes of Turing’s life, as well to open the secret personal closet of Turing. The intended audience is the general public. Holt is intent on showing the great accomplishments that Turing had made for the military and points out how this intelligent individual was mistreated due to his sexual preference. In addition, Holt also discusses how much Turing’s intelligence impacted the war in a positive fashion and advanced the world through his design of the computer.

            The first quote that I found effective was “ there were only two people who thought the Enigma could be broken: Frank Birch, the head of Bletheleys naval intelligence division, because it had to be broken, and Alan Turing, because it was an interesting problem “(Holt 342). I found this quote fascinating in two ways; firstly, that Turing was the person who broke all of the German military codes, thus making him a possible target for murder. Secondly, that he demonstrated his intelligence level by looking at the huge problem that the British navy faced and then labeled it as interesting, as though it might create a challenge for him. Another other quote That I found helpful in getting a glimpse of Turing’s intimate life was, “ When his eye was caught by a nineteen year old working class youth named Arnold Murray “(344). This quote explained his homosexual affair with a young man that ended ugly. The police were involved and, Turing was charged with “Gross Indecency”(345). However one quote I found to be ineffective was “ The news of Turing’s conviction received no national attention “(345). After all he worked for the military in a secret world where none of his amazing accomplishments were never made public, so the news of his criminal conviction to the general public would have been insignificant.           

            “ CODE-BREAKER” by Jim Holt is an interesting piece as it lays out and informs one about individuals who work in a world where they receive little or no recognition for their contributions and/or accomplishments. I believe Turing’s lifestyle to be a difficult one. A life full of loneliness and isolation that could have played a role in Turing’s demise.

Do you think the death of Turing was a suicide or a homicide?

"The Invisible Combat Line"

“ The Invisible Combat Line” is the title that I have created for the story “ WOMEN CONFRONTING WAR” by Jennifer Turpin. Through research Turpin looks into violence and its relation to giving consent of power. Turpin is a well-respected author and has written several books discussing the roles women assume in a military zone. She also was the dean at the University of San Francisco and holds an associated position at the European University Center for Peace Studies.

            Steaming into the introduction of the story, I quickly notice how Turpin examines women in war torn areas, are measured and taken for granted. As I read further the author narrows her scope and reveals the main idea of the story. I believe Turpin’s thesis is how the military overlooks the many roles of women in war, as well as, the impact that war has had on the female gender.           

The author’s purpose highlights the way the military has abused, mistreated and disrespected women, and viewed females as objects at the disposal of others. Turpin also points out the damaging affects that this abusive cycle has had on women throughout the years. The intended audience for this story is the everyday person. Jennifer Turpin brings attention to this gender issue by visiting historical wartime experiences with the hope that these negative attitudes and actions towards women will not continue. As statistics have shown “ Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”(Santayana, The Life of Reason pg.6).

            This is a powerful quote that I believe connects to Turpin’s thesis,“ Not a puritan: eighteen-year-old, hot blooded soldiers had the right to drink a few beers and chase after young beautiful things of the opposite sex”(Turpin,pg 327). This passage demonstrates the value that the United Nations Commissioner put on the females of Cambodia. In addition this quote also refers to women as “things” and justifies the inappropriate actions of honorable soldiers towards the opposite sex. Another quote that I found effective in portraying how skewed and twisted the U.S Marine Commander’s view was when referring to sex crimes committed by his soldiers, “I think it was absolutely stupid, as I’ve said several times. For the price they pay to rent the car, they could have had a girl”(Turpin,pg327). Unfortunately with this superior officer accepting the rape committed as part of military life, he also is showing his support for prostitution and in turn demonstrating disrespect for women in general. However the one quote I did not feel was strong was “ Brothels linked to United States military bases generally had two separate entrances: one for men of color and another for whites”(Turpin,pg327). I found this quote was heading in the direction of racism, that is a serious problem but not the focus of Turpin’s paper.

            “WOMEN CONFRONTING WAR” by Jennifer Turpin was the type of story that left me feeling informed and educated on a gender in war. However the story left me questioning our military leaders and wondering if this negative point of view is still in action.

How do you think the public could stop the mistreatment of females in war?

Pointing The Emotional Finger

“ Pointing the Emotional Finger” is the name that I have produced for the story “ There Are No Lessons To Be Learned From Littleton”, by Gary Kleck. The author is a U.S born Criminologist with a thirst to design an action plan for gun control in the USA. Kleck has had many articles published that focus on gun control, gun trafficking, gun accidents and he has also written articles for the Criminal justice ethics magazine. In addition to his work on guns and violence, Kleck has also conducted hours of research for Criminal codes regarding guns.

            As I clip into the first paragraph, the author explains the statistics of a violent massacre and then compares this act to other mass shootings with the same variables. Reading further into the tale it was clear through the authors discussion of statistical hints, media frenzy and the emotional diagnosis helped me identify the story. The thesis through the authors discussion of the paper, is the belief that quick fixes, based on emotions stirred up by wall to wall media coverage of a massacre are rarely, if ever, legitimate solutions. When something awful happens, our first response is who did this, why did they do this and what was their motive. We usually base the diagnosis on raw feelings and not on evidence.

            The purpose of this essay was to show the consumer that the violent acts carried out in schools are not the trend, but violent acts as a whole are. In addition the author states how incorrect it is to get a verifiable answer during immediate aftermath of such an event when emotions and opinions are strong. Klecks intended audience is the everyday person that watches the news on a regular basis. He helps shed light on small and large issues regarding increasing patterns of violence.

            “ Thus, long-term or significant social trends may be irrelevant to these murders, however relevant some of them may be more commonplace forms of violence”. This quote helps verify the fact that these murders are not a direct result of school violence, but are just a form of violence in general and even though these acts of violence seem to be taking shape at schools they could happen anywhere. Another passage that was rich with facts was, “ recognize the fame, importance, and sort of immortality have been rewards for previous mass killers”. The author is speaking about young adults who see the news coverage detailing these mass murderers and how these individuals crave fame that comes from their gruesome actions. Perhaps if the media covered the heartache of these tragedies and put less emphasis on the killer young minds might not be so easily persuaded into the wrong direction. However the quote “ consequently, regulation of gun shows was totally irrelevant to preventing any of these massacres”. Even though gun exhibitions might not be as important to this particular case, in the big picture it is better to be part of the solution than part of the problem.

            “ There Are No Lessons To Be Learned From Littleton” is an interesting description of how emotionally charged decisions are not always the right ones. In addition, maybe finger pointing during the aftermath of a traumatic event is not the best approach to find the right answer.

            Why is school violence more prevalent in the USA rather than Canada?

Media The New Age Weapon

     “ Media The New Age Weapon” is the title I have created for the story “ AGGRESSION: The Impact of Media Violence” by Sissela Bok. The author is a Swedish born philosopher, ethicist, and a recipient of the courage of conscience award, as well as, her parents were both noble prizewinners. Bok is also known for her published prose that focuses and debate the ethics and public affairs of society.

     As I cruise into the first paragraph, I notice how the author correlates glamour and aggression in the public eye. The further I read into the story clues start to accumulate and the author’s thesis becomes crystal clear. Bok points out how media violence affects the development of today’s youth and their ability to see right from wrong.

Bok’s purpose of this piece is to express concern and awareness over what is being viewed through the media and how it is translated into action on the streets. The intended audience is parents with hope to educate them on the potential danger lurking in their T.V room.

“ Media coverage of violence, far from declining, has escalated since, then, devoting ever more attention to celebrity homicides and copycat crimes”, is an interesting quote demonstrating how media uses celebrity popularity to boost ratings, as well as, promote these individuals as positive role models in society. In turn possibly glorifying these violent situations in children’s eyes, again questioning their ability to see right from wrong. Another quote I found equally intriguing “ Today, the sights and sounds of violence on the screen affect this learning process from infancy on, in many homes. The television screen is the lens through which most children learn about violence”. This excerpt is powerful because Bok shows how young children are open to learning therefore they are also vulnerable. The mind of a child is hungry for understanding the need to model their behavior after someone or some image that they have learned to admire and or respect. In addition if the children watch T.V more than interacting with their parents, friends or classmates it is proven that the media becomes their model. However the quote “ America may be the only society on earth to have experienced what has been called an “ epidemic of children killing children”, which is ravaging some of its communities today is too general, as there maybe several communities or societies in the world that have this problem without having access to media.

“ AGGRESSION: The Impact of Media Violence” is an excellent description of how the media has plenty of power in shaping our future members of society. In addition Bok’s paper Shedds light on the possible outcomes if this problem is not rectified or stopped. Media violence may not be the main problem, however as the author explains it is definitely not part of the solution.

  In today’s world how can parents stop violent content on T.V when it is run by big company’s whose priority is ratings and not teaching future generations right from wrong ?