Journal Entry 5

This was written when Ms. Robinson asked us to write about how we felt whenever taking tests. We had to write about what we heard, saw, felt, ect. I posted this one because my thoughts are scattered, my punctuation is incorrect, and I barely have any complete sentences. This is an example of Poetic license, and I think it effectively executes how I feel when taking tests.

 

We enter the room, throats are gulping. I look around at people holding stacks of paper, reading furiously, trying to get that last little bit of knowledge in. The bell rings. Papers are shuffling, binders are unzipping, rezipping. SLAM. Binders hit the ground. More gulping. The teacher passes out the papers. I feel it, still warm from the copier. Students you may begin. All is silent, or so it is supposed to go. Pencils scratching, erasers tapping, papers flipping, yawning, sighing. Distraction. Chair is squeaking as someone nervously shifts around. TEST TEST TEST. Question after question I answer. I see others turning their papers in. QUESTION QUESTION QUESTION. I stand up, walk over, lay my paper down. Sit down. Bell rings. Freedom.

Journal Entry 4

This entry was a copy change of William Jenning Bryan’s speech. I wrote this entry as an attack on cancer. I like it because I have a lot of emotion whenever it comes to this because I lost a friend due to cancer. I believe my emotion shows through quite effectively.

We have cried, and our tears have been ignored. We have begged, and our desperation has been mocked. We have lost, and our loved ones remain gone. We cry no more. We beg no more. We lose no more. We find a cure.

Journal Entry 3

This journal entry was a response to the question “Does America believe they hold the candle to light the world?” I decided to post this journal because I believe in the points that I made, I also think this is very persuasive.

I think that America does believe that it holds the candle to light the world. I do not believe this is a terrible thing, I actually believe this is a good thing. America was a country founded by rebellions—people trying to escape religious persecution, wanting freedom of speech, freedom to love, freedom. For America to believe they hold the candle to light the world, to spark rebellion in developing countries, I think is an accurate statement. I also think that it will eventually help bring the people of the world together. Today, there is fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Pakistan; today, there is a limit on the number of children a couple can have in China—causing the murder of many baby girls. Today, there is freedom in America. If America did not hold the candle, who would?

Journal Entry 2

Today Ms. Robinson had a fruit called a pomegranate on her desk. She said she was going to let us try it, and I have never had one before. I figured I would and this journal was inspired by my experience. I posted this one because I felt I used very detailed descriptions and I liked how I used repetition to introduce and close the entry.

Pomegranates are intimidating at first, they are foreign, like nothing I’ve ever seen, tasted, smelled before. I hold it in my hand, preparing for our first encounter together. The skin is smooth yet rubbery. The seeds sit on top of the yellow skin, random, like the hair of teenager just woken up. Ms. Robinson, a slender teacher, says we can now taste the pomegranate. I pull it to my lips. Tasting a seed, rolling it in my mouth, there is no taste at this point; just a leathery seed in my mouth. I bite into it, and flavor surged out like a dam breaking. It was tangy, sweet, and sour at the same time. Pomegranates are intimidating at first, they are foreign, like nothing I’ve ever seen, tasted, smelled before: they are amazing.

Journal Entry 1

This journal entry was inspired by Ms. Robinson asking us if we used logic and reason to make decisions or emotion and intuition. I decided to post this because I feel like it explains me well and I feel like I supported my opinion well.

 

I would classify myself as using emotion and intuition to make decisions most of the time. Whenever a hard time comes towards me, I usually react based on how I feel at the time. This, however, is not always the best thing to do, but sometimes it works out. There are things that I absolutely know I have to use logic and reason for, however, in those circumstances I usually over think. I am not entirely upset about the fact that I use emotion and intuition, because it might not always be thought out, but I am usually happy with my decision. I do not necessarily think that using emotion, intuition, logic, or reason is “correct”. I think that people need to use their own method and whatever works for them to make them happier. Emotion and intuition, for the most part, make me happiest.

The Cold Within Analytical Paper

Toni Campbell

Ms. Robinson

Period One

December 19, 2008

The Cold Within Analytical Essay

Helping out someone you hate can be one of the hardest things that you have to face, and when you are put in that situation what would you do? Could you be brave enough to save someone you despise e in order to save yourself? In “The Cold Within”, James Patrick Kinney uses diction, figurative language, and rhyme to project his point that prejudices controlling people’s lives and actions.

The line that Kinney starts his poem with is “six humans trapped by happenstance”. His diction in this line is very important to the overall theme of the poem. By saying “six humans”, it is almost as if he is talking about all humans. If he would have said “people” then we might have different associations with the words. Another curious use of diction is by saying “trapped in happenstance”. Happenstance means an event that might have been arranged although it is accidental. This use of diction is important because by saying that it is accidental, yet almost seems arranged, gives the reader a sense that they are supposed to be there. The fact that he says they are trapped suggests that they do not want to be in the situation, but they cannot escape.

Figurative language plays a vital role in developing the poems theme. “Their dying fire in need of logs” literally means the fire that is keeping them warm, but also stands as a metaphor for their sinful souls. They are committing sins such as racism, envy, arrogance, revenge, and greed. By saying they need to add logs to the fire suggest that they need to help out someone other than themselves, or they will “freeze” to death. Opening up and not being greedy will warm there souls and will save them, unfortunately it has overcome them and is an impossibility.

The rhyme of the poems sets up an easy read. This allows for your eyes to simply guide and take in Kinney’s message: the frigidness of people are what end up killing them. The rhythm is important to the theme of the story because it makes reading the poem faster. This is important because this indirectly shows how fast arrogance, greed, and sin can “kill” you.

James Patrick Kinney effectively portrays his point about hatred killing you by using diction, figurative language, and rhyme. His persuasion in this poem is really helpful in understanding the entirety behind his point. This poem really makes you think about yourself and the lengths to which you would go to either hurt someone else, or save yourself.

Research Paper

Toni Campbell

Ms. Robinson

Period One

November 18, 2008

Healthcare Coverage: Is it really that helpful?

            It is the one thing that unites us all: child or adult, black or white, male or female; we are all the same in the eyes of this disease.  This disease is cancer.  Hearing the words “you have cancer” can cause confused feelings, a sense of hopelessness, and is sometimes interpreted as a death sentence.  Cancer can be treated in many ways such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and clinical trials; all have yet to cure it indefinitely.  As if having cancer is not stressful and disheartening enough, financial problems just add to the list of worries brought upon patients.  Most of these worries come from the actual cost of treatment, troubles with healthcare, and the unpleasant outcomes that coexist with lack of proper healthcare coverage. All of these are serious problems and require immediate attention.

            Cancer is a nondiscriminatory disease that is becoming a problem to the young and the old alike, mainly due to how difficult and expensive treatment is.  There are a countless number of expenses involved with getting treated for cancer:  traveling from doctor to doctor in search for the correct diagnosis, the extended amount of time spent in the hospital, the exasperating tests and procedures that the body has to endure, home health services that have to be provided enable for the patient to return home, the payment of the doctors and nurses, and the actual medicines that are given for treatment. (American Cancer Society).  The cost of these medical necessities alone can range anywhere from $5,000 (EBSCO Industries, Inc.) to $30,000 (Sather) per month.  These statistics do not include out-of-pocket expenses like the cost of fuel, hotel accommodations, long-distance phone calls to doctors and relatives, special foods and supplements, and special clothing and equipment (American Cancer Society). “I didn’t think we should have been charged for parking at the hospital,” says Kristi McKinney, whose son had Acute Lymphatic Leukemia.  The usual situation with common diseases is that their treatments are effortlessly and commonly given, but this is the polar opposite of cancer.  Treatments are recklessly expensive mainly due to the pharmaceutical companies having monopolies on their life saving drugs (Sather).  Jeanne Sather is a woman with cancer whose drugs cost a little over $30,000 per month, noticeably more than most people make in a year.  She takes Herceptin and Avastin, drugs produced at Genentech, Inc. in San Francisco, California (Sather).  There are no generic brands of Herceptin or Avastin, which creates the perfect opportunity for Genentech, Inc. to charge whatever they wish for the drugs that keep Sather alive, and they do.  Not only do drug companies, such as Genentech, overcharge for drugs; they also persuade doctors to over treat patients.  This is a tactic used by pharmaceutical companies to sell more drugs – at the expense of the patients, literally and figuratively.  In the literal standpoint, as Shannon Brownlee from the New America Foundation states, “Americans spend over $500 billion dollars on treatments they do not need […] This carelessness with treatment makes our healthcare prices increase.”  Over treatment not only effects the economy but, it can cause further health issues. “30,000 people die each year from receiving care they did not need.” declares Brownlee. By spending money on what is not needed the prices of healthcare increase as well.

The most common way Americans obtain insurance is through their employer. (EBSCO Industries, Inc.).  For people who only use their insurance merely for annual physical exams and the occasional cold, this is not a major problem for the employee or employer.  However, the populace using their insurance to help pay for the expenditure of cancer treatments can put a large financial strain on their company, especially if they work for a small business (EBSCO Industries, Inc.).  This can make it hard for workers with an illness to receive healthcare coverage from employers for fear of crumbling their businesses. 

            For those fortunate enough to receive healthcare, there are several different plans and policies to choose from.  A Fee-for-Service plan is when an annual deductible is paid, along with monthly premiums; once the patient meets the deductible, the insurance pays for a percentage of each medical bill (American Cancer Society).  This type of healthcare plan gives the patient the luxury of choosing a hospital anywhere in the United States, choosing any doctor, and changing doctors at any time during treatment.  Health Maintenance Organizations, known as an HMO, is the type of plan that covers a majority of the expenses with a minimal co-payment; unfortunately, it limits you to only going to doctors and hospitals within their approved provider network (American Cancer Society).  A type of HMO that is commonly used is a Point-of-Service plan, called a POS.  A POS allows for doctors outside of the approved provider network to be used, but only if they are referred by someone inside the network (American Cancer Society).  A spin-off of an HMO is a Preferred Provider Organization, abbreviated PPO.  A PPO is a mix between a Fee-for-Service plan and an HMO, which allows for most of the bill to be paid but only when a certain doctor or hospital is used (American Cancer Society).  A Flexible Spending Account is a type of insurance that allows patients to use pre-tax dollars for treatment and is paid for by directly taking it from the paycheck (Blue Cross Blue Shield).  A similar insurance plan is a Health Savings Account which permits members to save money into a tax-advantage account, in which money is withdrawn and used to pay for treatments tax-free (Blue Cross Blue Shield). 

            There are other ways that healthcare is given to people who are particularly financially strained.  According to the American Cancer Society, “Many insurance companies make it possible for life insurance policy owners to collect all or part of their death benefits early – before dying – to cover extraordinary expenses.” These are called accelerated benefits and are typically only used by patients with a terminal illness.  For people who have to spend long amounts of time in the hospital, there are hospital indemnity policies; which pay a certain amount of money for each day the patient is hospitalized (American Cancer Society).  Unfortunately, these policies only pay for a certain number of days per year (American Cancer Society).  A catastrophic illness clause is also turned to by people with terminal illnesses, and they have high deductibles but fairly low premiums (American Cancer Society).  This clause comes into play whenever someone has already used their “lifetime limit,” which is a cap as to how much money total an insurance company will provide during a person’s lifetime (American Cancer Society). 

With all this confusion, it would appear that insurance pays adequately for medical bills, but in fact, only two-thirds of the $2.3 trillion dollars used for healthcare actually pays for medical bills (Brownlee).  Out of those two-thirds, $500-700 billion dollars is used for treatments and procedures that we do not need (Brownlee); and to add to the expenses and carelessness, 50% of the tests and procedures that are given have no scientific origin (Brownlee).  The other third of the $2.3 trillion pays for administrative costs (Brownlee).  That is $759 billion dollars, an overwhelming amount of money to be paid for by people who think their hard earned cash is going towards helping with their treatments, not office supplies.  Is if comforting knowing that most health insurance is going towards the purchasing of staples, pencils, and ink cartridges?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        .            Almost half of our healthcare is either wasted or used for administrative costs.

 

There are some people who so severely struggle to pay for treatment that they have to turn to using a viatical.  A viatical is when a person has to “black market” their life insurance policies (American Cancer Society).  This is a very unfavorable method of obtaining money for treatment.  Many people use a viatical because they have to pay for medical bills, hospital visits, hotel rooms, and even food (American Cancer Society).  The biggest downsides to a viatical are that it is irreversible and the patient’s heirs receive no insurance money to pay for final expenses such as unpaid bills and the patient’s funeral. 

Cancer in itself is stressful: all the doctor visits; the medicines; the painful side-effects linked with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and clinical trials; the special foods and specials treatments needed; gas to get from hospital to hospital, hotel to hotel, pharmacy to pharmacy, and the list of expenses is nearly synonymous with a black hole.  They are always in motion, there is always something to be paid for and always something that needs to be done.  With all the chaos associated with fighting cancer, financial struggles should be the last of the patient’s worries; however, this is rarely ever the case.  Healthcare dominates the people of the world’s lives.  The costs of treatments can be almost unbelievable at first, and then a glimmer of hope shines through when healthcare steps in, but only then do patients realize that these are empty promises. Healthcare is nothing more than wishful thinking, but usually results in being uncompensated in the end by turning to the use of accelerated benefits, viaticals, and others.  Healthcare is a serious matter that needs to be resolved.  $2.3 trillion dollars is just too much to waste. Resolving these problems will be hard, but worth it in the long run. To resolve them, we need to have some type of healthcare reform and break monopolies drug companies have.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Brownlee, Shannon. “Why does health care cost so much?.” Health 2008. AARP. 11 November 2008. <http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/health_care_costs.html>

 

“Healthcare coverage: flexible spending accounts.” 2008. Blue Cross Blue Shield. 16 November 2008. <http://www.bcbs.com/coverage/types/healthcare-coverage-flexible.html>

 

“Health insurance and financial assistance for the cancer patient.” Cancer Reference Information 2008. American Cancer Society. 11 November 2008. <http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MLT/content/MLT_1x_Medical_Insurance_and_Financial_Assistance_for_the_Cancer_Patient.asp>

 

“Health insurance and financial assistance for the cancer patient.” Managing Day to Day 2008. American Cancer Society. 11 November 2008. <http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MLT/content/MLT_1x_Medical_Insurance_and_Financial_Assistance_for_the_Cancer_Patient.asp>

 

“Health insurance and financial assistance for the cancer patient.” Topics and Resources 2008. American Cancer Society. 11 November 2008. <http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MIT/content/MIT_3_2X_Medical_Insurance_and_Financial_Assistance_for_the_Cancer_Patient.asp?#Financial_issues>.

 

McKinney, Kristi. Personal interview. 14 Nov. 2008

 

“Ouch! my employees’ drug therapy costs how much?.” EBSCOhost 2008. EBSCO Industries, Inc.. 06 November 2008. <http://wf2dnvr5.webfeat.org/erzxK1194/url=http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=14&sid=9d167c0b-2bc8-4de8-97b6-8bb4bc9fd714%40SRCSM1&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=34548065>

 

Sather, Jeanne. “The (high) cost of cancer treatment: i.” The Assertive Cancer Patient 2007. The Assertive Cancer Patient. 11 November 2008. <http://www.assertivepatient.com/2007/02/the_high_cost_o.html>

The Following of an Ant – FINAL DRAFT

The Following of an Ant

Toni Campbell

The day started like any other: I waking up with a stack of uncompleted homework and books, one of which was The Scarlet Letter, whose pages mocked me with every second I stared at it sitting on the corner of my desk. I took the book in my hand and started outside. It was a clear October day and, although it was fairly cool outside, the sun was high in the air shining down on all it could see. The smell of roses lingered in the air as I walked down the steps. The chirping of birds ringed in my ear. I headed towards my normal reading spot up against the crape myrtle. It was a tall tree with dynamite colored foliage that casts a large shadow on the grass beneath it. It is a shelter, a safe haven, from the sun’s heavy beams. I sat down with my back up against the trunk of the tree and opened to the page where my bookmark was. My curse of procrastination came to surface as I, almost instantaneously, became dissatisfied with my reading spot that usually satiates my need for comfort. Doing anything to put off reading for even a moment longer, I shut my book and stood up in search of a different spot. I relocated to a grassy area near the bird bath and tried once more to show attention to The Scarlet Letter, which failed when I noticed a tiny black ant. It was almost as if I was trying to distract myself when I began studying the little creature.

He was jet black in color and shined as the sun’s rays found their way to him. I could just barely see the miniscule hairs that covered his entire being. His legs, jointed in three places, moved like a pencil being held with nervous hands as he scurried across the earth. His antennae moved in a curious fashion, almost seeming like he was ignoring stimuli that was trying to divert him from his goal. I observed that he was headed straight for a berry. I watched him closely as he neared it. Knowing that ants can lift more than twice there own weight, there was no doubt in my mind that he could lift it. Slowly but steadily, he gathered the berry upon his back, and made his way, once more, across my yard.

There were many objects that seemed to block his way. Dark green, dew covered blades of grass surrounded him like a prison wall. He merely found his way around some; others he climbed over. The grass could not keep him from marching onward with his berry. Jagged pinecones that had fallen from the trees lay in his path, none of which even caused hesitation; he simply walked around. He collided with other insects as well, such as a fuzzy green caterpillar and a garden spider (which I convinced myself not to kill). Neither of these deterred him from his path. He then came upon a puddle of water. It was deep and murky, and fairly large in diameter. I thought surely he can not cross; this shall be the end of his adventure. How wrong I was. The puddle posed no conflict at all as he made his way on the long journey around it.

I was astounded at the little ant’s perseverance throughout his adventure. With all the obstacles he faced, not once did he veer from his path; never once did he drop the berry; not one hesitation was present. He miraculously continued despite the factors of distraction. I was saddened a little as we neared his sandy dome. I knew our time together was coming to an end. I watched him as he entered the hole at the top of his mound. He had finally reached his goal and was on his way to provide his gift to his queen. I wondered how delighted she would be.

That little tiny ant showed me the light, just as the sunlight had showed me him; for it was now that I realized what I had to do. Just as the little ant had done, I must keep my goal in mind and strive to achieve that goal despite distractions that may arise. I stood from my kneeling position, stretched, and began to walk. I passed the puddle, the spider, the caterpillar, and all the pinecones. I did not stop until I reached the grassy refuge near the bird bath where my Scarlet Letter book lay. With the ant in mind, I reached for the book and turned to the page in which I last left. My eyes glided from letter to letter and I allowed my mind to imbibe the words that I previously dreaded to read.

Bush and Patrick Henry CC

President Bush uses many examples of imagery in his speech just as Patrick Henry. “..unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the giving of blood..” was a quote from Bush’s speech and is similar to a quote present in Patrick Henry’s speech, “their clanking can be heard on the plains of Boston!”. They are similar because they both have excellent use of imagery. Bush uses the imagery of blood to symbolise anger and Henry uses chains to symbolise angery and slavery. Both speeches are similar in setup and have a nice flow to them. Both are packed with emotion and both were written (and given) in times are hardship. Henry’s speech was given at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, and Bush’s was given after Sept. 11.

Compare and Contrast –UPDATED

Progression of Women: Journey from The Crucible To Today

            Susan B. Anthony once said, “The day will come when men will recognize women as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in the councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race” (Feminist). Today, this quote is no longer just an aspiration: it has become a reality. The role that women have in society today is dramatically different than what is portrayed in The Crucible, which takes place in 1692, because women have gained more respect and authority from political, economic, and social standpoints.

            In the times of the Salem Witchcraft Trials, women received no political authority. Many women were looked down upon if they tried to have any voice in political matters. In The Crucible, John Proctor had the power to tell Mary Warren that she could not go and be apart of the court (Miller), whereas today, women cannot be stopped in attending the courts. Today, women cannot be stopped in any aspect of politics. In the United States, we not only have women suffrage, we have women running for office to be judges, senators, governors, and even the president! Today, Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin are exerting their rights granted to them by the 19^th Amendment of the Constitution, rights that were non-existent in The Crucible and in 1692.

Women have grown in the economic aspect since 1692 and have gained more respect in the business world. Women in The Crucible were wives before anything else; this is proved in the title of Goody that is given to them in the novel, which means goodwife (Miller). Although women are still titled by their marriage status today, they have more freedom and responsibility than just being a wife and mother. In The Crucible, Elizabeth says, “I took great care” (Miller). The context in which the quote was spoken, Elizabeth was talking about how much time and care she used to prepare a meal for John Proctor, her husband. This is the perfect example of how women spent their lives during 1692. In modern times, women hold their own careers; have their own businesses; and are even CEOs of some corporations. Women today also have some of the jobs that were considered “men’s” work in 1692, such as doctors, lawyers, and even preachers.

Women have achieved more freedom in today’s society than in the society of 1692. In the present day, women are allowed to divorce their husbands, have abortions, are protected against spousal abuse, and are overall viewed as more than just property. In the times of The Crucible, women were not very liberated. Elizabeth is an example of this subservient nature of the women in 1692 whenever she cannot explicitly state how she feels about her husband’s affair because that would put her out of her “place” if she showed any disrespect for John Proctor (Miller). However, this is known to not be the case among women of present time. In the past, women would not have many rights and therefore have more civil liberties today than in times of The Crucible. Having more rights increases the universal outlook of women in society.

There are many differences between the role of women during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the present time of 2008. Women are more active in politics, have raised themselves in the economic world, and their social decisions are more widely accepted. As Princess Diana once said, “People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer [to fulfillment]. Actually a job is better for me” (Feminist). This can be a practicality for women in today’s civilization because of the growth and difference that has come about since 1692. The difference is significant because women would not have the freedoms they do today if lessons were not learned from the past mistakes taking before and shortly after 1692.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

“Inspiring Quotes by Women.” Feminist. 2005. 7 Oct 2008 <http://www.feminist.com/resources/quotes/>.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Austin: Holt Rinehart and Winston, 2005.