Sarah Palin Essay Example for Free

Sarah Palin Essay John McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate, recently announced his choice for running mate as Sarah Palin, little-known Governor of Alaska, Since this announcement, dialogue in the media, between aisles in the supermarket, and around the dinner table has been abuzz. â€Å"How can she do it? † they ask. Palin is a mother of five beautiful children, including her youngest who was born with Down syndrome. It was recently announced that Palin’s oldest daughter Bristol, 17, is five months pregnant herself. Many people in the public believe Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy casts a negative light on this candidate’s skills as a mother. Others argue that her child’s actions or disabilities have nothing to do with her ability to serve our country well. Sarah Palin’s entry into this already crazed election brings back the long debated question of whether or not it’s truly possible to â€Å"have it all. † I’ve been surprised that women are so drastically divided on this topic. My expectations were that women would support a female candidate and communicate empathy for her challenges and ability to balance motherhood and a career. Instead, Sarah Palin has been the target of numerous harsh, and even abusive, media reports and expressions of public opinion. As a mother and another female professional working to further my career, I can relate to Sarah Palin’s struggle and the stigma she faces in our society. It may seem as though the United States has adopted a mindset of gender equality, but even a self-labeled feminist was quoted by the Boston Globe to say, â€Å"I dont really understand how she can be governor  with all those kids to deal with, never mind Vice President of the country! My research revealed Sarah Palin’s husband works part-time and is able to dedicate much of his time to raising the children. If we don’t believe a politician can be an effective leader and a good parent, then why don’t we question the family roles of all the men that have occupied these offices for centuries? Sarah Palin has already proven her ability to balance remarkable responsibilities during her role as Governor. An article titled â€Å"Questions for a Superhuman Mom† claims Palin breastfeeds her son during meetings and has even fired a chef appointed to the Governor’s mansion so she could cook her family’s food. I consider these actions evidence that Palin has already shown creativity and dedication to meet the challenging demands of both her family and her job. The criticism Palin and her family have received following the announcement that her daughter is pregnant is both unfair and wrong. While Bristol will undoubtedly need the support of her family to raise her child as a young mother, isn’t that an ideal circumstance for any young parent? Even if Bristol’s teenage pregnancy is viewed as a mistake, I don’t believe that reflects on the leadership potential of her mother. The fact that her mother has apparently accepted this reality and chose to announce it with dignity, surely anticipating harsh criticism, indicates this candidate is honest, straightforward, and willing to stand behind what she believes in despite potential backlash. It should also be noted that we do not know this young woman or any of the circumstances that surround her pregnancy. According to many of the same media reports that unfairly portray Sarah Palin, Bristol plans to marry her unborn baby’s father and the two have been dating for nearly a year. Teenage love might be peak our interest as news consumers, but what does it really have to do with the role of a leader? Like other women, I can relate to Sarah Palin. None of our families are perfect, but she loves and accepts each of her children with pride. During the Republican National Convention, Palin addressed the nation and introduced her family. After a captivating speech, she was joined by all of her children and her husband. Many political figures might have opted to leave their children or entire family out of the spotlight in light of that day’s controversial media coverage on Bristol’s pregnancy. Critics have a point that little is known about Palin’s stance on several noteworthy issues, but she should be given time to communicate her plans and provide evidence of her performance. So many of Palin’s personal decisions have been picked apart by the media, but few people have taken the leap to extrapolate her parental decisions as a positive sign for her appointment to Vice President. Palin is willing to send her own son off to war. She made the unusual decision to continue a pregnancy knowing her child would have a disability because she believed she and her husband could meet the challenge. She’s been a member of her children’s school’s PTA for longer than she’s been in office and she’s dedicated her scarce time and energy to improving schools. If it’s acceptable to criticize Sarah Palin for her personal life, I think it’s only fair to consider her strength as a well-organized and dedicated mother as a sign that she should also be given a chance to continue proving herself as a leader. Whether or not I choose to vote for McCain and Palin has nothing to do with my admiration her acceptance as this country’s first female Vice-Presidential candidate. She’s already proven there are many different kinds of feminists, mothers, and leaders. Before the media latched onto the finding that Bristol Palin is pregnant, much discussion swirled around the fact Sarah Palin’s youngest son, Trig, has Down syndrome. Sarah Palin and her husband have graciously shared their personal reaction to their son’s prenatal diagnosis and provided their pro-life beliefs as explanation for why they made a different decision than 80% of parents given the same news. Trig’s cognitive disability will offer new challenges for the Palin family, but by all accounts they have the financial resources and willingness to meet his needs and nourish his development into a happy, healthy young citizen. Mothers of children with Down syndrome are divided in their support of Sarah Palin, but many are eager for a public official to so closely understand their struggles with education, housing, healthcare, and equal rights for people with disabilities. I agree with mothers of other children with Down syndrome who feel like many in the media are being unfair to label their children as burdens making it impossible for one to parent and lead a balanced life. One mother of a five year old child with Down syndrome has been quoted in the Boston Globe to say, â€Å"If she has support, the sky is the limit. While I disagree that Palin can’t be or shouldn’t be a political leader because she’s a mother, my life experience tells me she will need support. If elected, any and all additional supports she and her husband might need would be available in Washington DC. She’s been able to manage four children for several years in a number of leadership positions, but perhaps the harsh critics are right. Maybe with the addition of a child with Down syndrome and the pregnancy of her young daughter, Sarah Palin will need reinforcements to provide what her family needs. Is that such a horrible possibility? It seems odd that many members of the Democratic party profess whole-hearted agreement with the quote, â€Å"It takes a village to raise a child. † Yet if Sarah Palin suggested she or her family might benefit from support, it would be viewed as an utter failure of her ability to â€Å"have it all. † I hope Americans realize that there’s no harm in supporting each other and accepting the fact that there are many different ways to lovingly raise children. Many single mothers expect to be treated as equal professionals. It’s a dangerous accusation to make that even with support a woman can’t simultaneously function well as a leader and a parent. I’m still educating myself about the views of Palin and all the candidates, but our shared experiences make her a political and public figure that I can relate to in several ways. If anything, her addition to this election makes it more interesting to me and perhaps a more important turning point for our country.

The Belbin Exercise :: Business and Management Studies

The Belbin Exercise Introduction During term 1 of our module I took part in 2 exercises and a Belbin test. During the 2 exercises and test I learned many skills and new ideas that will aid me in the future. Report The first element of group work that we did was the Belbin exercise. This was to ascertain you’re most effective ‘group role’. From the results we were arranged into groups which contained a mixture of roles. My role was company worker. I neither agreed nor disagreed with the result as part of me could see the logic behind the result and part of me saw myself with a position of higher authority. I don’t think the way the groups were formed made any difference in the first exercise. Maybe under different circumstances our different roles could have become more apparent. From taking part in the two exercises I have learned that planning is vital to any type of work, especially group work. I think the reason behind this is because without planning nothing is done efficiently. I have also learned that communication is very important; our second exercise was totally dependant on verbal communication. Although we had a slow start we eventually started to communicate effectively and solved the problem very fast. In the first exercise we were in smaller groups, my group contained seven people, including myself. During this exercise all group members contributed evenly. In the second exercise we worked in a much larger group, I noticed that some people didn’t contribute at all and the bulk of the discussion was coming from the same people. Although this happened the exercise was done swiftly and effectively. Good communication skills were demonstrated during the second exercise. Group members put their point across in an orderly way and the other group members listened well and contributed. During this exercise we didn’t necessarily have a strategy but we did operate a good effective system. We had one person that people fed information to, and that person then made notes of the information onto the whiteboard. Once all the information was gathered we were then able to come to a conclusion. My group also showed good communication skills in the first exercise. We had to come up with a group opinion of which person deserved the use of the available kidney machine. The way we came to our decision was to firstly decide a priority order individually, then by using a

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 25

When I got back to the vampire house, the moon was hanging high in the sky. Lexi was sprawled on the sofa, her eyes closed as she listened to Hugo play the piano. The piano was so out of tune that the music he pounded out, which was supposed to be a rousing revolutionary march, sounded more like a funeral dirge. Still, I couldnt help but pull Lexi up, whirling her around in an impromptu dance. â€Å"Youre late,† Lexi said, ducking out of the twirl. â€Å"Or were you on anotherdate?† â€Å"Or killing more humans?† Buxton asked, entering the room. â€Å"Are you in love?† Percy asked, leaning his elbows on his knees and glancing up at me jealously from the corner table, where he was playing a game of solitaire. Percy clearly loved women, but his childlike face made him look like a boy of fifteen, and often the women he was most attracted to assumed Lexi was his mother. I was thankful Id been turned into a vampire at the age I had been. I shook my head. â€Å"Imnotin love,† I said, wondering if I was saying it to convince myself. â€Å"But Im settling into the routine at the freak show. I think Im learning to like New Orleans.† â€Å"Thats great news,† Buxton breathed sarcastically. â€Å"Buxton.† Lexi glanced at him reproachfully before turning her attention back to me. â€Å"Did you forget our plans?† I racked my brain, but finally shook my head. â€Å"Im sorry.† Lexi sighed. â€Å"Remember–Im taking you shopping. I may be a vampire, but I still have a womans vanity, and it simply doesnt suit me to be surrounded by men in ill-fitting clothing. What would the neighbors think?† She laughed, amused by her own joke. â€Å"Oh, right.† I inched toward the stairway. â€Å"Maybe we could go tomorrow? Im exhausted.† â€Å"Im serious, Stefan,† Lexi said, taking my arm. â€Å"You need clothes, and its a tradition of sorts. I took those two gentlemen in for fittings, and look at them now,† she said, nodding toward Buxton and Hugo as if exceptionally pleased with her work. It was true. From Buxtons high-collared blue coat to Hugos well-tailored britches, theydidlook handsome. â€Å"Besides, you dont have a choice,† she said mischievously. â€Å"I dont?† â€Å"No.† Lexi opened the door with a flourish. â€Å"Boys, were off. When we come back, you wont even recognize Stefan, hell look so handsome!† â€Å"Bye,handsome!† Buxton yelled sarcastically as the door clicked closed. Lexi shook her head, but I didnt mind. In an odd way, Id gotten used to Buxton. He was like a brother of sorts. A brother with a potentially fatal short temper, but one Id gotten used to managing. Together, Lexi and I walked companionably into the cool night air. I saw Lexi looking at me out of the corner of her eye, and I wondered what she saw. I felt I was living three distinct lives: In one, I was a loyal brother, in another I was a new member of a club I didnt quite understand, and in the third I was a young man placing my trust in a human woman–a woman whom I had staked my own flesh and blood to save. The trouble was, I wasnt sure how to seamlessly live all three lives. â€Å"Youre quiet,† Lexi said in midstep. â€Å"And†Ã¢â‚¬â€œshe sniffed the air–â€Å"you havent been drinking human blood. Im proud of you, Stefan.† â€Å"Thanks,† I murmured. I knew she wouldnt be proud of me if I told her about the conversation Callie and I had shared. Shed say that I was too impulsive, too naï ¿ ½ve, that Id made a huge mistake telling Callie my secret. Although I hadnttoldas much asconfirmedher remarkably accurate suspicions. â€Å"Here we are,† Lexi said, stopping at a nondescript wooden door on Dauphine Street. She took a slim metal hook from her pocket and jiggled it in the lock of the front door. After a moment, it clicked open. â€Å"And now, the shop is open for business.† Lexi spread her hands wide, perching on a stiff leather ottoman. â€Å"Take your pick.† A dozen mannequins with puffed-out chests held court in the store. One in a tweed jacket lifted its arm in a wave, while another in a sailors cap had a hand above its eyes, as though staring straight out to sea. Bolts of fine fabrics were propped up against the back wall, and a row of cuff-links glistened under glass. Stacks of ready-made shirts kept silent watch over the darkened shop, and a few cravats spilled out of a drawer. Lexi crossed her ankles beneath her skirts and gazed at me, a look of pride on her face as I pulled a camel-hair coat off a mannequin and draped it around my shoulders. I stood stiffly, waiting for approval, as I had done when my mother had taken me shopping. â€Å"Well, I cant tell when you stand there as wooden as a mannequin. Walk around a bit. See what you think,† Lexi said with an impatient wave of her hand. I rolled my eyes but took a turn around the room, acting like the rich men Callie and Id seen at the burlesque show. I held out my hand to Lexi with a flourish. â€Å"Care to dance?† I said in an exaggerated British accent. Lexi shook her head, amusement evident in her eyes. â€Å"Okay, I get it. Its a little too dandy. How about that one?† She angled her chin at a mannequin in black trousers and a gray coat with red piping. I removed my jacket and pulled the coat around my shoulders. Lexi nodded, her eyes taking on a faraway look. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† I asked. â€Å"My brother,† she said. I thought of the boy in the portrait, his eyes so much like Lexis. â€Å"What about him?† Lexi picked up a silk cravat and laced it between her fingers. She didnt look at me as she spoke. â€Å"After our parents died, I started taking walks with a boy who was a vampire. He asked if I wanted to live forever. And of course I did, because I was young, and whowouldn'twant to always be young and beautiful? Also, if I turned, it meant Id never have to leave Colin. Hed already lost so much, and I thought, well, at least he could know that hed never lose me.† â€Å"Was Colin a vampire?† Lexi pulled the cravat through her fingers and cracked it like a whip. â€Å"Id never do that to someone I loved.† The image of me forcing Damon to drink from Alice, the barmaid in the tavern back home, flashed through my mind. I looked down, not wanting Lexi to sense what Id done to someone I loved. â€Å"So what happened?† â€Å"People got suspicious. I didnt know then how careful we needed to be. My brother was growing up, and I was staying the same. People wondered. And there was a siege, and our house was torched. And the irony is, I escaped and Colin didnt. And he was the innocent one. He was only sixteen.† â€Å"Im sorry,† I said finally. I tried to imagine Lexi as a human, leaning on the arm of the man who had promised the world to her, just as Katherine had promised the world to me. I pictured him spiriting her away to a dark alley, taking just a little blood at first, asking her to drink his, then stabbing her through the heart to complete the transformation. Lexi waved her hand, wiping away the image of herself as a young girl. â€Å"Dont be sorry. It was more than a century ago. Hed be dead anyway by now.† She appraised me. â€Å"That jacket looks good on you.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said. Suddenly the weight of my discussion with Callie felt heavy in my stomach. â€Å"I have a plan to save Damon,† I blurted out. Lexis head jerked up, her eyes flashing. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Tomorrow night. Callies helping me.† I allowed my eyes to meet Lexis. â€Å"Damons back at Laurel Street. Her father will be out of the house at a card game, so well free Damon then.† â€Å"Did you tell Callie what you are?† she asked, her voice low and hard. I chewed on my thumb. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Stefan!† â€Å"She guessed,† I said defensively. â€Å"And I trust her.† â€Å"Trust!† Lexi spat. She stood up so abruptly the ottoman toppled over. â€Å"You dont know the meaning of the word. Callie is the daughter of Patrick Gallagher, who just forced your brother to fight a mountain lion to the death. How do you know this isnt some elaborate plan to imprison you, too?† â€Å"How stupid do you think I am?† I challenged, stepping closer to Lexi. â€Å"I may be young, but I have good instincts.† Lexi gave a derisive snort. â€Å"You mean the same instincts that landed you backed up in a butcher shop with three vampires surrounding you? The same instincts that led you to murder that woman on the train?† â€Å"Im still here, arent I?† â€Å"Because of me! And the boys back at the house. But I will not allow you to drag us into confronting Patrick Gallagher, of all people.† â€Å"No ones dragging you into anything!† I yelled in frustration. â€Å"Just because you let your brother die doesnt mean Im going to let mine! I owe him that much.† â€Å"You ungrateful child!† she spat, pushing me with all her force against a gold-framed mirror. I fell as the mirror shattered around me. One large shard cut a large gash across my arm, but it barely hurt. Instead, I was shocked by Lexis strength. Id seen it before, but Id never been on the receiving end. Lexi towered above me, her eyes glittering. â€Å"You need to learn your place, and you need to learn it fast. Youre a vampire. And vampires donotconsort with humans.† I leaped to my feet and pushed her away from me. She flew across the store and landed against the bolts of fabric. â€Å"This one does, if it means saving Damon,† I growled. Then I stalked out of the shop and into the blackness of the night.

John F. Kennedy s President Of The Cuban Missile Crisis

Thirteen Days In October of 1962 a pressing matter arose during John F. Kennedy’s presidential term. It was made apparent that the Soviet Union was holding and building missiles in Cuba, it was named the Cuban missile crisis. Being a dangerously close country to the United States, JFK knew he needed to make a smart and safe decision, and fast. Kennedy had suspicions that this option would cause a third World War and end in a nuclear fallout. Kennedy’s determination to be a participative leader was effective in the fact that he met with many people before making any decision on how to act next and the country was aware about the ongoing dilemma. He acted in a modest way that would prevent any country or individual to claim â€Å"victory† throughout the entirety of his time in office especially in the Bay of Pigs. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the thirty-fifth president of the United States of America, the Harvard graduate after being elected into the congress, and for the senate became one of the greatest democratic presidents of the United States. Although his time in office was short due to his assassination in 1963, he made a plethora of important, and world-saving actions and decisions. It took thirteen days for the US and Soviet Union to come to a consensus on the issue of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the end, the agreement was that if Russia removed and disassembled the missiles in Cuba that the United States would be required to extinguish their missiles that were housedShow MoreRelatedJohn F. Kennedy s Decision Making Process1186 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction A president s ability to adapt to changes and learn from mistakes is a quality that separates a good leader from a great one. In considering the governmental history of the United States, John F. 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