A Time

A perfect specimen of the Flemish oil painting style with its attention to the tiniest details, the picture under the title The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger is truly a masterpiece embodying the ideas and world vision of the XVI Century.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Time-Travel to the Renaissance Epoch: Behind the Velvet Curtain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With a distinct scent of the German, namely, the Augsburg (Bavaria) culture, this piece makes one plunge into the 1533 and see the world through the prism of the then philosophical ideas. Indeed, if there is anything that can intertwine the Bavarian and the Flemish, this is the painting by Holbein. With help of his peculiar style, the two cultures came as close as ever, making the philosophies of the two countries merge. Taking a closer look at the picture, one can notice that time proved completely helpless to make any damage to it. Each de tail is still there, perfectly outlined and impeccably expressed. It is truly unbelievable that the size of the picture correlates with its grandeur and magnificence – the canvas make 81Ãâ€"82.5†. Created with careful strokes of oil paint on oak panel, this masterpiece is shot through with the spirit of the Renaissance. Depicting the two ambassadors, the painting makes an impression of a piece of the Renaissance life frozen for a moment for the people of the future to see it. Depicting numerous details, the painting creates an impression of a part of real life snatched from 1533 and put into the frame of the XXI century. On a second thought, the picture can tell much more than merely the historical traits of the epoch and the details of the Renaissance epoch. Helping the spectator understand the art of the Renaissance from within, the picture reveals the ideas and philosophies of XVI century together with the temper of the artist and the thing a that inspired him and g uided on his way to creating this masterpiece. It is obvious that the picture is rectangular, which is the most frequent and the most logical picture shape. Since the piece embraces the entire room and the two people in it, it cannot be square – to show the spaciousness, Holbein uses the rectangular and two-dimensional shape.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It must be also mentioned that the use of the light in the picture is quite unusual. With help of the shadows and spots of light, the author emphasizes the most important parts of the picture an places the less significant ones into the background. Thus, the two ambassadors are in the limelight of the picture in the literal sense of the word, whereas less important details are left in the periphery. One more peculiar thing about the painting is the color casts used y the author. With help of the dark-green background, Holbein created the atmosphere of calm meditations and the air of political secrets. It is remarkable that the other colors, including the shade of red, are dark as well, with the white color being the only exception. Although it is clear that tae painting must have a hard and somewhat rough texture, it seems as if the painting were made of velvet. Looking at the dark-green curtains, one cannot help feeling the wish to touch the material and see it swaying in the candlelight. Though this is merely an illusion, the painting does leave a feeling of something extremely soft and refined. Despite the fact that at very first sight the picture might seem a bit shallow, further on it reveals the special depth that the spectator had no idea about previously. Since the people in the picture are set in a single line, the illusion of a flat image is retained for a while; however, as time passes, the spectator catches the play of light and shadow that create additional spaciousness. Leading in the backg round of the picture and beyond its actual boundaries, this spaciousness sets the imagination of the spectator loose, making him/her see the world of the XVI Century in its beauty and innocence. With help of the lines in the picture, Holbein makes the impression of the striking reality complete. It is peculiar that the even and straight lines of the table and the devices in the picture are combined with the natural curves and roughness of the curtain, the folds of the ambassadors’ dresses, etc. Altogether, this draws a distinct line between the world of nature and the artificial world of the mankind. What strikes most in the painting is that it looks completely real. Each detail, each shadow and line makes the spectator dive deep into the Renaissance epoch. Even the eyes of the ambassadors seem live and haunting. Looking wise and breathing with the new ideas and scientific innovations, this piece of Renaissance culture can take one five centuries back. With help of this amazi ng picture, time traveling becomes possible. With help of this amazing piece of the XVI Century Renaissance art, one can feel the pulse of the great scientific discoveries and even greater expectations. For a moment, it seems that the world has held its breathe to meet the future – the XXI Century.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Time-Travel to the Renaissance Epoch: Behind the Velvet Curtain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on A Time-Travel to the Renaissance Epoch: Behind the Velvet Curtain was written and submitted by user Wra1th to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Locke And The Rights Of Children Essays - Rights, Empiricists

Locke And The Rights Of Children Essays - Rights, Empiricists Locke and the Rights of Children Locke firmly denies Filmer's theory that it is morally permissible for parents to treat their children however they please: "They who allege the Practice of Mankind, for exposing or selling their Children, as a Proof of their Power over them, are with Sir Rob. happy Arguers, and cannot but recommend their Opinion by founding it on the most shameful Action, and most unnatural Murder, humane Nature is capable of." (First Treatise, sec.56) Rather, Locke argues that children have the same moral rights as any other person, though the child's inadequate mental faculties make it permissible for his parents to rule over him to a limited degree. "Thus we are born Free, as we are born Rational; not that we have actually the Exercise of either: Age that brings one, brings with it the other too." (Second Treatise, sec.61) On top of this, he affirms a postive, non-contractual duty of parents to provide for their offspring: "But to supply the Defects of this imperfect State, till the Improvement of Growth and Age hath removed them, Adam and Eve, and after them all Parents were, by the Law of Nature, under an obligation to preserve, nourish, and educate the Children, they had begotten." (Second Treatise, sec.56) Apparently, then, Locke believes that parents may overrule bad choices that their children might make, including self-regarding actions. Leaving aside Locke's duty of self- preservation, his theory permits adults to do as they wish with their own bodies. But this is not the case for children, because their lack of reason prevents them from making sensible choices. To permit a willful child from taking serious risks to his health or safety even if he wants to is permissible on this theory. Parents (and other adults as well) also seem to have a duty to refrain from taking advantage of the child's weak rational faculties to exploit or abuse him. On top of this, Locke affirms that parents have enforceable obligation to preserve, nourish, and educate their children; not because they consented to do so, but because they have a natural duty to do so. 2. The Problem of Positive Parental Duties The first difficulty with Locke's theory of childrens' rights is that the positive duty of parents to raise their children seems inconsistent with his overall approach. If, as Locke tells us, "Reason teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his Life, Health, Liberty, or Possessions." (Second Treatise, sec.6), it is difficult to see why it is permissible to coerce parents to provide for their offspring. In general, in Locke's scheme one acquires additional obligations only by consent. Even marriage he assimilates into a contract model: "Conjugal Society is made by a voluntary Compact between Man and Woman " (Second Treatise, sec.78) We should note that in section 42 of the First Treatise, Locke affirms that the radically destitute have a positive right to charity. "As Justice gives every Man a Title to the product of his honest industry so Charity gives every Man a Title to so much out of another's Plenty, as will keep him from extream want, where he has no means to subsist otherwise." But this hardly rules out relying on voluntary charity if it is sufficient to care for all those in "extream want." Quite possibly, this right would never have a chance to be exercised in a reasonably prosperous society, since need would be minimal and voluntary help abundant. Moreover, it is hardly clear that the duty to provide for the extremely needy rests only on some sub- group of the population. This passage seems to make it a universal duty of all of society's better-off members. For these two reasons, then, it would seem hard to ground positive parental duties on the child's right to charity. For if the number of children with unwilling parents is sufficiently tiny, and the society in which they are born sufficiently rich, the preconditions for exercising the right do not exist. Moreover, there is no reason for parents, much less the parents of a particular child, to have a duty to that child; more plausibly, all

Revolutionary Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Revolutionary Era - Essay Example The user interface of the website is quite friendly and data has been arranged under multiple headings linked to separate pages. For instance, the correlation of slavery to the constitution leading to a revolutionary war is presented in detail on a separate page. The Laughter Genealogy website contains historical material including maps, photos and articles about early North America. This website is a great source of information for researchers seeking genealogy, books and military resources. However, the complexity of website makes it hard to find an article of interest. The information ranges from recent news articles to earlier American history explorations. Little effort has been made to keep the menus simple and relevant. Additionally, the recency and authenticity of the presented information is also questionable with a number of errors corrected by audience from time to time. However, as a reference and research center, it contains various valuable historical images not availab le in many other resources. Both of these websites are providing history scholars with a very comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of American history. However, they still cannot be regarded as complete resources on American history. The controversial questions raised and discussed in Digital History website articles should be researched deeply and presented thoroughly to avoid bias and confusions among scholars.

Compose an essay addressing Chinas one-child policy. Why was this

Compose an addressing Chinas one-child policy. Why was this policy determined to be the best option for China to reduce population growth What is the - Essay Example The policy was effective in reducing the overall population growth, however, this action was not without negative ramifications. In 2006, China had a population of over 1.3 billion people, and is predicted to grow to just over 1.4 billion by the year 2050 (â€Å"2006 World†, 2006). This makes China the most populous country in the world today. However, because of implemented measures to reduce its rate of population growth, in 2050, it is projected to be the second most populated country just behind India (â€Å"2006 World†, 2006). In the 1960s and 1970s, when the population seemed to be increasing out of control, the use of contraceptives began to be promoted vigorously, which gradually resulted in a drop in fertility rates in China (Kent & Haub, 2005). The most popular contraceptive method used continued to be female sterilization and intrauterine devices (IUDs), followed by oral contraceptives (Kend & Haub, 2005). This was successful in lowering fertility rates, however, the Chinese government still believed a more rigid policy must be implemented to successfully contain the population rate. The history of China’s population control has fluctuated between encouraging births at certain times in its history, while actively prohibiting births at another (Love, 2005). In 1949, the same year the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was created, the regime encouraged births to â€Å"increase the rate of socioeconomic development and to strengthen the county† (Love, 2005, p. 143). In fact, the leader of the Chinese Revolution, Mao Zedong, publicly announced that a large population would be a very good thing for China because out of all the things in existence in the world, â€Å"people are the most precious (Zedong, as cited by Love, 2005, p. 143). The population grew so fast during that time, that only a few years later, policy changes were implemented. In 1954, birth control was discussed openly by the PRC, however, only four years later in 1958, Mao

Police Organizations And Administration Criminology Essay

Police Organizations And Administration Criminology Essay There is an old adage that states, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Sadly, many people in the law enforcement community seem to think that the history of police work began the day they first put on their badge and gun belt. Because of this reason, each form of progress in law enforcement tends to be viewed as something completely innovative, without any historical background. This is truly the case in todays society in regards to community policing. In order to grasp a better understanding of the debate over community policing in our present time, officials within law enforcement should be knowledgeable of its history. History proves wrong to all of the outlandish claims made by some of the supporters of community policing and also warns against forgetting the important lessons of the past. It shows us that the idea to change policing strategies have been a continuous theme since the beginning of municipal policing. Most importantly, it reminds us that are problems in todays society, while very serious, are nothing new to the world of policing. Modern law enforcement history began about 181 years ago with the creation of the London Metropolitan Police District in 1829. By forming a new police force, the British Parliament tried to deal with the rise in crime rates in and around the nations capitol, attributed at the time to the fast urban growth, unconstrained immigration, alcoholism, high poverty, radical political groups, unsupervised juveniles very poor infrastructures, and merciful judges. The philosophy taken on by Sir Robert Peel, the first chief of the London Metropolitan Police, has become the traditional model for all British and American police organizations. These principles include the use of crime rates to determine the effectiveness of the police, the importance of a centrally located publicly accessible police headquarters, and the value of proper recruitment, selection, and training (Patterson, 1995). Possibly the most lasting and significant advancement was the establishment of regular patrol areas, known as beats. Before the creation of the London Metropolitan Police in 1829, the police, whether it was either civilian or military, only responded to a crime after it had been reported. Areas were not patrolled frequently; any crime prevention or arresting of criminals in the act of committing a crime took place coincidently. As part of Sir Robert Peels strategy, he would place his officers in specific geographic zones and held them responsible for preventing and stopping crime within these zones. He based this strategy on his belief that the officer would: 1) become known to the public, and citizens with information about criminal activity would be more likely to tell a familiar figure than a stranger, 2) become familiar with people and places and thus better able to recognize suspicious persons or criminal activity, and 3) be highly visible on their posts, tending to deter criminals from committing crimes in the immediate vicinity (Patterson, 1995). In order for Peel to put into action his beat model, he instituted a paramilitary command structure. Though Peel truly believed in civilian control, he also understood that only military discipline would ensure that his constables, to us known as officers, would actually walk their beats and enforce the law on Londons streets. Early American policing came about roughly similar to that of the London police. By the time of the Civil War, most of the populous U.S. cities had established municipal police departments. These police departments, just like the London police, had adopted a paramilitary structure. Police officers were required to wear distinguishing blue uniforms and foot patrol their assigned beats. However, there was a difference between American and London police officers. The American officers were allowed to carry a gun on their belt. They were also under the control of a politically appointed local precinct captain, unlike the London officers. By the turn of the century, the progressive movement began to promote professionalism in law enforcement as one of the basic components of rehabilitating municipal politics (Patterson, 1995). There was a true concern about corruption and violence in local police agencies that ultimately resulted in States taking over of some of the city departments. Eventually, that led to the formation of new State police agencies that would be free from corrupting influences of local area politics. Reformers fervently tried to protect the police from political obstruction and simultaneously preserve local government control. Founded in 1893, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) implemented a civil service personnel system and the centralization of power in powerful executive positions which would be able to control the politically united precinct captains. Reformers also wanted to change the responsibilities of police officers in American society. During the 19th century, police officers were doing more social work than law enforcement. American police officers were busy enforcing health and building codes, securing housing for the homeless, building and supervising playgrounds for children, and even finding jobs for ex-convicts (Patterson, 1995). Reformers felt that the social work being done by American police officers provided too many chances for political preferential treatment and was a waste of resources. They felt the American police officers time should be allotted to fighting and preventing crime. Technological and scientific advancement played a pivotal role in American policing. The forensic sciences introduced ballistics, chemistry (e.g. DNA), and fingerprinting. The technological advancement came in the form of the automobile, telephone, and the radio. These advancements took policing to an unprecedented level. Radios were installed in patrol cars which allowed for police officers to respond to emergency calls received by the police switchboard. The use of automobiles during the beat also had a great impact. It allowed for police officers to observe the area that they were patrolling from a distance while also allowing them to respond to any incident that might have occurred in another area in a timely manner. As time went on, professionalism within local police agencies encountered several problems. Many police agencies became divided between the older generation of officers and the newer college-educated officers. Advanced education contributed to greater levels of disappointment with the more everyday aspects of policing. With higher demands put on policing, such as being more efficient and objective, it caused officers to become detached from the community and go against any route that any elected political leader might have. Many people also questioned whether professionalism within local police departments was really taking place. Many departments implemented a civil service merit system to deal with hiring and promotion. A code of ethics was also implemented. Many of these departments supported their practices through knowledge based on experience (Patterson, 1995). None of the departments conducted any true scientific research, nor did they require any form of higher learning (coll ege degree) to be able to work in the field. It became evident in the past 40 years that professionalism was failing. With all the assassinations, urban riots, and gang violence that was taking place, the citizenry lost their trust in the polices ability to protect and serve them. The first organized resistance using the basic concept of community policing can be found in Skolnicks case study of the San Francisco, California, Police Departments Community Relations Unit. In 1962, the San Francisco Police Department formed a specialized unit based on the notion that police would give help to reduce crime by reducing despair; by acting as a social service agency to ameliorate some of the difficulties encountered by minority group persons (Patterson. 1995). The members of the unit were uneasy of the mission put forth on them due to the fact that they were not sure on what methods they would be applying in order to serve any of the minority population. Another problem that this specialized unit faced was how to maintain its identity as a police organization and at the same time to win the confidence of the minority group populationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ordinarily considered a police problem (Patterson, 1995). Subsequently, the relationship of trust between the community a nd the unit resulted in complaints of misconduct against other police officers. The program was inefficient and quickly disbanded. A new strategy came about in the 1970s called team policing. Advocates of team policing recognized that: In recent years, due in part to changes in the social climate and in part to changes in police patrol techniques (more patrol cars, less foot patrol), many police agencies have become increasingly isolated from the community. This isolation makes crime control more difficult. (Patterson, 1995). Much like Sir Robert Peels strategy of placing an officer responsible for patrolling a specific beat, team policing assigned a team of police officers to a specific geographic area in order for them to learn about the neighborhood, its people, and its problems. Since team policing involves a team of people and not an individual, the chances of corruption are reduced. The concept of team policing appealed to many major American cities; cities tried employing different forms of it within the community. The different forms of team policing attempted in American cities failed. One of the main r easons why team policing failed was because it placed more effort on long-term problem solving than on quick response to incidents. Other reasons were that it violated the chain of command and also interfered with detectives and other specialized units in the police departments. The term community policing is basically made up of police philosophies, strategies, and tactics known as problem-oriented policing, neighborhood-oriented policing, or community-oriented policing. Just like team policing, the goal of community policing is that the officer(s) that is assigned to a specific beat will create a bond between himself and the community. Community policing encourages police officers to pursue higher education and conduct research on proposed methods of policing. Community policing officers dedicate a substantial amount of time performing social work. However, they also work independently and creatively to find solutions to the problems they encounter on their beats instead of merely responding to emergency calls and arresting criminals. (Patterson, 1995). By doing this, community police officers are able to make many personal contacts in the community. All of the standards of community policing coincide with the values of police culture: crime fighting, stan dard operating procedures, and a paramilitary chain of command. Community policing consists of three key components. The first is community partnerships which are defined as collaborative partnerships between the law enforcement agency and the individuals and organizations they serve to develop solutions to problems and increase trust in police (Wikipedia, 2010). The second component is organizational transformation which is the alignment of a law enforcement agencies organizational management practices, structure, personnel, and information systems to support community partnerships and proactive problem solving (Wikipedia, 2010). The final component is problem solving which is the process of engaging in the proactive and systematic examination of identified problems to develop and rigorously evaluate effective responses (Wikipedia, 2010). Community policing has received favorable reviews from politicians, academic scholars, public administrators, the media, and, most importantly, the general public. Despite the positive support that community policing has received, it has gone through some upheavals at the operational level in almost every place that it has been implemented. When comparing modern community policing against the first forms of community policing in America, there are a number of significant errors that are noticeable. Even though community policing was accepted by many people that were in and out of the public eye, the reality was that the program was only put into place when there was grant funds available. If there were funds, then the next issue would be which neighborhood groups would the specialized unit need to operate in. The priority was placed on funding and which neighborhood to appease than actually coming up with a strategic management plan. Another problem was that many of the officers that were involved in community policing appeared unsure of who to serve and how to serve them. They used different techniques that ranged from enthusiastic social work to forceful street crime policing. Many of the cities that tried to implement community policing did so by using small, specialized units in well-defined neighborhoods. This caused a negative reaction within other communities because other residents felt ignored by the police. It also caused a rift between police officers because there was a perception that community police officers play by different rules and do not have to respond to the same possible violent calls that other officers have to take. Personnel evaluations and lack of efficiency are two other issues within community policing (Friedmann, 1996). In regards to personnel evaluations, many cities have been slow to change their forms of evaluating officers. They are still using traditional indicators, such as calls handled and arrests made, to evaluate performance instead of evaluating officers on their efforts to solve problems. Lack of efficiency is a major issue because community policing is truly labor intensive. Foot patrols, a key component in community policing, was discarded by prior generations because it was not a cost effective way to deliver police services (Patterson, 1995). Due to the shrinking tax base in cities and public demands for leaner government, there are few opportunities to make community policing effective. Decentralization and permanent assignments are considered to be two focal elements of community policing. Unfortunately, these two elements conflict with the professional model (Friedmann, 1996). One of the first changes made by the IACP was the implementation of a more centralized authority and also a mandatory rotation of assignments for officers. An unplanned consequence of community policing was that in order for officers to get to know their beat, they would have to be able to spend a significant amount of time in the community building relationships with the residents. The relationships formed between officers and citizens lead to an increased in corruption and biased behavior by officers. Crime is a natural condition of society. Police administrators, police officers, political leaders, and the public need to accept the inevitability of crime in order to avoid being deluded into unrealistic expectations by new programs (Patterson, 1995). It is important to realize that top to bottom organizational changes in policing are inevitable. These changes, however, do not represent a novelty in policing. The changes that are occurring in policing today are a consequence of a long history of problems encountered since the beginning of policing. It is pivotal that police administrators learn the history of policing and the lessons that have been learned from the past. If they do, they will be better prepared for the uncertain and challenging future.

Encountering Conflict Essay

Conflict, whether we choose to admit it, is a part of life. Conflict may be sparse in a persons life, and most of which is over trivial things, but when faced with a conflict great enough, the very fibre of a persons being is tested, and how they react proves what kind of person they are. This testing only occurs when one is taken far from their comfort zones, and is such often difficult to see. This is not the case in regards to those involved in the witch trials of Salem in 1692. As one of the many who were prosecuted during the Witch Trials, John Proctor, born March 30, 1632, faced something that changed changed his life in a rather drastic way. Proctor thought of himself as a man of honesty and integrity and one who pursued the truth and did little to hide it in any way. His nature was perceived in both good and bad light, often being too critical. Regardless of his nature, he was tried unjustly on false claims made by Abigail Williams. During these trials he was accused of witchcraft, was convicted and brought to prison. Weeks after his arrest, he was bidden to confess to witchcraft and to sign a document to prove it. After signing the document, Proctor wanted to keep the document from being nailed above the door of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. He did this to not tarnish his name, and that of his family’s, any more than he must. This resistance took great courage, knowing what would come as a result of his actions, that being the taking of his life. Sombre as this may be, an amount of good had come of this, Proctor had ultimately proved that he was the man that he thought he was, a man of justice, pride and ultimately honest man. Another man who was prosecuted as a result of these trials based on false accusation and meeting a similar fate to Proctor was Giles Corey.

Zombies Rogerian Argument

Zombies have taken over. They dominate television shows, movies and anything else related to pop culture and have become increasingly more popular as the years progress. Whether it’s a mob of zombies sucking the brains out of a helpless victim on the big screen or zombies terrorizing families on television shows, it is hard to ignore the gory entourage. Fans of zombie lore generally fall into two categories: those who are attracted to the popularity of zombies and see them as purely amusement and those who not only are amused by zombies, but can also see the possibility of fiction becoming reality. The possibility of a zombie apocalypse is very real and terrifying; and most of the population simply wouldn’t survive. No one is safe. Now is the time to prepare and learn about the potential threat and to ensure–above all else– survival. For hundreds of years zombies have conjured images of the reanimated dead, mindlessly searching for the next meal of human brains. While this may be true in Hollywood, zombies actually started out as mindless servants who worked on farms in Haiti, where voodoo was the main religion in practice. Voodoo priests of priestesses are believed to use medicinal concoctions which can bring the dead back to life as zombie slaves, who were then worked out in the fields. This became such a problem in Haiti that family members would guard the graves of loved ones until they were certain the body had begun to decompose, as voodoo only works on the freshly dead. (Real Zombies, 1) At any rate, many people simply do not believe in the possibility of a single zombie, let alone a zombie apocalypse. The notion of a human being brought back to life as a blood thirsty creature does sound far-fetched, and as of yet there have been no documented cases of the typical Hollywood zombie. It is human nature to resist ideas that are so outlandish and terrifying, especially given the seeming lack of proof surrounding a zombie invasion. Normally, such things can be chalked up to a simple fad taking hold of the nation’s youth as a result of cinematic glamour and the growth of social networking. Normally, most people would agree that the zombie craze will be short lived and would certainly not amount to the apocalyptic infatuation that seems to have taken hold of the populace. We always seek the rational, the explainable, the safe. Unfortunately, like history has proven time and again, inexplicable events can often change our views of what is rational and real. There is a very real and poignant possibility that we could be faced with a zombie infestation, and it could occur at any time. The conditions are right. From a scientific standpoint, the ingredients for a devastating zombie outbreak are primed and ready, with some needing only a slight evolution of a bacteria, virus, or even parasites. Toxoplasmosa Gondii is a rather terrifying parasite that can only breed in the intestines of a cat. While that may not seem unusual, the parasite actually lives and grows on rats. In order to be ingested by felines, the parasites take over the rats brain and make it scurry towards where cats habitate. What makes this even more horrifying is that over half of the human population are already infected with Toxoplasmosa and it has been scientifically proven to alter the personality of those who are infected. It would only take a few changes in the parasites to occur either naturally or in a lab before we become slaves to a parasite. Neurotoxins are second on the list. Neurotoxins are poisons(naturally occurring or man-made) that can be used to slow bodily functions to the point of being legally declared dead. They can also be used to bring those people back in a trance-like state with no memory; essentially leaving them as a shuffling, mindless husk. One case in Haiti tells of a Clairvius Narcisse, who was legally declared dead by two doctors but was found 18 years later wandering around a village. A voodoo preist had been using neurotoxins to make Clairvius into a zombie to work his fields. Next is the virus that causes Mad Cow disease. The virus turns cows into enraged attack animals, and when ingested by humans it manifests as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This disease causes hallucinations, lack of coordination, muscle twitching and rapidly-developing dementia that an turn intensely violent. Neurogenesis is also capable of creating zombies. Neurogenesis is the act regrowing brain cells, or entire brains. This sounds great, but a lab who expiraments in neurogenesis has proven that is can cause the brain to die from the inside out; destroying parts of the rain that make us human first. It destroys the cerebral cortex and leaves only basic motor functions and instincts behind. Lastly are nanobots, which are microscopic, self-replicating robots that scientists have used to attach to viruses. These nanobots can survive even after the host dies. Now there are studies that aim to use nanobots to replace damages neural connections in the human brain. They can rewire your thoughts and survive after host death–what could possibly go wrong? (Wong,5) In lieu of the overwhelming scientific evidence that supports the possibility of a zombie apocalypse, it is imperative that the human race be prepared for such an event. It is essential that we strive to get in shape and remain healthy not only for longevity, but also for survival. The reality of the situation is that, quite simply, one cannot possibly deny that science is constantly evolving. There are weapons of warfare, both biological and chemical, that can cause mass dementia, insanity, and eventually death. Wiki,1) Is it so hard to imagine a weapon being forged that could enslave humans by destroying their minds and making them a mindless horde? Suddenly, the concept of a zombie apocalypse doesn’t seem so far fetched. While the vast majority may, thanks to the exaggerations made by Hollywood, not believe in the possibility of a zombie take-over, it is important to remember that anything is possible with the amount of technology that continues to constantly evolve. By keeping in shape, memorizing escape routes at home and being constantly aware, human-kind may stand a chance against a plague of undead. The presence of parasites able to take over brain functions, neurotoxins able to control the body, miniscule robots poised to take over the brain and viruses able to reduce humans into demented, tortured shadows of a creature, it is essential that preparations are taken in the event one of those things should evolve. The reasoning is simple and appeals to human nature: it is better to be safe, than sorry.