“Why College Education Is Important to Me” Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Why College Education Is Important to Me† Essay Each year, thousands of people throughout the United States go to college. Depending on individual’s ambition or needs, in predicate logic, various high School graduates go to college for different reasons, including just having fun. However a college education gives you more options and a better life. Why College education is important to me, Primary because if I go to college I will gain skills that I will use for the rest of my life, college education is a solid investment for my Future. I’ve always wanted to be a business man, because business degrees can Help you advance your career and secure positions that you cannot get with a DAVIS 2 High school diplomat. There are other important benefits to college education, such as an Informed citizenry, making better decisions, and appreciation of literature. Secondary, a college education gives opportunities to grow financially and Morally. A college education is absolutely necessary to me because it is the key to Success and has no age limits. Better education gives you the qualification to Better jobs and it gives you more self-confidence. Bobby Scott quoted â€Å"It is Virtually impossible to compete in today’s global economy without a college Degree.’ Knowledge is not innate, but it is learned and shared, Finally a college education is important to me more knowledge I Have more money I get. I have dreams like everybody else, I dream One day after I get married before me and my wife start a family, I would love to Visit some countries; to travel with my wife, I would love to see Paris one day, I DAVIS 3 Would love to visit Barcelona, Italy, Spain, Quebec, Macedonia, and I want to do Mission around the world but especially in Haiti, cause I always wanted to be able To help my people, and my family. But if I don’t have Enough money saved this will always be a dream. After I receive my college Education I will have better opportunities, better ways to earn more money, if I Have a great paycheck I will have a better saving, and I will be able to realize my Great dreams. If every year, Thousands of people throughout the United States go to college, I Want to be one of the thousands; college education is very important to Me because; if I go to college I will gain skills that I will use for the rest of my life, a College education gives opportunities to grow financially and morally, a College education is important to me because more knowledge I have more DAVIS 4 Money I get. This is why college education is important to me.

US Justice Departments Case Against Microsoft

US Justice Departments Case Against Microsoft Explain how economic theories and evidence can help in understanding the US Justice Departments recent case against Microsoft, and in Microsofts defense against the accusations. The continuing legal case against Microsoft began initially in September 1996 when the Department of Justice claimed that Microsoft forced computer makers to take Internet Explorer. By January 1997, Microsoft controlled 85% of the operating systems market. By August 1997 Microsoft and Apple Computers had agreed to a $250 million collaboration over various products and programs including most definitively making Internet Explorer bundled with Apple computers as its default browser. Within the next two months the Department of Justice created a suit claiming that Microsoft violated its 1995 consent decree, disallowing Windows operating system to be tied to any other products. Thus beginning a four year roller coaster of trial and appeals leading to presumed wins and losses for both sides, concluding with a November 1, 2002 settlement, finally approved on June 30, 2004 in a U.S. appeals court, citing it is in the public’s interests. Throughout this case in many courtrooms and in front of numerous trial lawyers and judges a number of economic theories have been introduced and cited in the rulings for and against Microsoft. Beginning in December 1997 when Department of Justice Thomas Penfield Jackson, whom later was targeted as bias against Microsoft, stopped Microsoft from requiring the distribution of Internet Explorer with Windows 95 claiming theories of market â€Å"lock-in†, a spoke in the wheel of â€Å"path dependence†. Judge Jackson disputed that Microsoft Windows operating system owes the bulk of its market success to the high number of applications written for it. Also claiming â€Å"lock-in† theory in that Microsoft was barring applicants to enter the market despite the fact that consumer and product tests and reviews showed Windows continuously beating out IBM’s OS 2, which ironically was compatible with Windows and yes came with a browser and had numerous applications writt en for it. Jackson pushed to label Microsoft as going against the Sherman anti-trust laws by reducing Netscape’s market share to create a monopoly over the operating system markets claiming a viable case of â€Å"path dependence.† Path dependency is an argument that presumes that technology markets involve a danger of being â€Å"locked-in† to an inferior technology when subject to changes in the network as the better product is not always the winner and in fact winning and losing is highly based on sheer luck and past historical events. Once â€Å"locked-in† there is little opportunity to switch to the superior of the products as the costs of changing are made very high to protect the monopolistic company. There are many opponents to the theory of â€Å"path dependence† created by Brian W. Arthur. The major point of discrepancy is that Windows dominance throughout the operating system market was created by its economic efficiency and its position can be quickly eliminated with the introduction of system of better quality. Claims also include the caution that if â€Å"lock-in† theories are generally accepted the number of suits filed will increase drastically as many markets are subject to market effects and high seller concentration. This ultimately can be detrimental to the entire marketplace, damaging industry growth creating unsure investors with the inability to seek refuge within productivity effects on a scale base. According to the U.S. courts, Microsoft was establishing â€Å"barriers to entry† and therefore in need of priority anti-trust intervention. The fear being that regardless if a new entry to the market had a superior product to the Microsoft operating system, Microsoft would still ultimately dominate the marketplace as the costs to switch would be tremendous, lying entirely in the hands of the consumer, as all of Windows and each of its compatible applications would be rendered useless, thus creating a â€Å"lock-in† for Microsoft despite its inefficient capabilities. The example disputed throughout numerous debates was that of Macintosh would have been the better solution, however Linux despite being superior would be unable to overcome its â€Å"lock-in† position. The concluding solution: Judge Jackson rules on June 7, 2000, ordering Microsoft to break up and form two separate companies, one producing Windows operating system and the other to handle software app lications, including a barring from uniting for up to ten years. Again opponents to the â€Å"path dependence† claim that Microsoft’s dominance was in fact due to its superior products and a break up of the company would create a detrimental effect to welfare of technology, hampering innovation for years ahead. Bill Gates stated the break up would set Microsoft back some ten years. Also that the anti-trust laws cannot hold the same conditioning they did one hundred years ago over markets such as soy bean production as today’s high-tech markets are subject to rapid innovation and change that promotes aggressive behavior within the industry to stay ahead. This was the basis for the June 14, 2000 appeal by Microsoft over the District Court’s judgment. The appeals court ruled in favor of resisting Microsoft’s need to split into two companies but sided with the District Court in that Microsoft continually abused its monopoly standing within the software business. The major point in fact is that both courts presumably agreed that Microsoft’s success was largely attributed to luck and the â€Å"lock-in† effect coupled with switching costs stifling consumers, rather than pointing to its efficiency contributing to its success. The contradiction that was introduced by the appeals courts against the â€Å"lock-in† theory is that under the â€Å"lock-in† theory only a monopolistic break up could disrupt the network effect cycle and restore the deteriorated competition as cited by the district court. But if this â€Å"lock-in† theory were to hold strong then the appeals court decision to not separate Microsoft would ultimately contribute to its dominance. According to the Justice Department’s economic experts, the break up of Microsoft would create higher prices to accommodate both of the companies that would be trying to maximize profits by creating products that are complementary instead of the current production of a single product. In a surprise turn of events the ruling was turned in favor of Microsoft, claiming, as stated earlier, Jackson’s previous statements to journalists were sufficient evidence of his bias against Microsoft. The Supreme Court, on August 7, 2001, reversed the ruling that Microsoft was an illegal monopoly. On September 6, 2001 the Department of Justice states that it no longer seeks to pursue either the break up of Microsoft or the bundling issue at the center of the case. The next month followed with an approved settlement between the Department of Justice and Microsoft over anti-trust charges, however nine states still sought stricter infractions against Microsoft, seeking to have Internet Explorer placed within the public domain, along with other commitments including the ability of computer makers to remove some Windows features. Following lawsuits have followed, including suits by AOL Time Warner and Sun Microsystems, Inc., both settled through monetary resolve. Finally, on Jun e 30, 2004, the U.S. appeals court approved Microsoft’s settlement with the Justice Department, saying it is in the public’s interest. As the above stated is the path Microsoft has traveled to continue it process of continuing software market innovation, it is necessary to look at what allowed many companies and the justice system to confront and challenge Microsoft’s work ethic and productivity. To speak from the side of Microsoft, Microsoft dominates in software markets where reviews and evaluations show they have the best products and do not in markets where other products are superior. Also, under monopolistic practices traditional views of economics suggest that prices are maximized to maximize profits, however within all the markets where Microsoft has a substantial holding prices have fallen dramatically. Also, the â€Å"lock-in† theory stresses that technology industries get stuck with low quality products, but history shows that in high-tech markets, superior products eliminate inferior ones, as was the case with the superior Excel over Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Word over the inferior WordPerf ect. Reviews are the main contributor to the success of these products. Reviews gave landslide wins to both Excel and Word, where Microsoft Money was the inferior product to Quicken it failed. According to the Justice system these products carried â€Å"path dependence† that â€Å"locked-in† the inferior products (from which of these products the statement is directed is unclear) and therefore â€Å"locked-out† innovative newcomers. Examples of â€Å"lock-in† are products that become highly publicly used such as the telephone or VCR become the norm and consumers will relinquish from trying others products that vary from the standard. The antagonist to this is that the high-tech market changes so rapidly that competitive advantages have a short lifespan. Also, that consumers are able to handle the concept that if everyone knew another product was better and more efficient would not someone find a way to cut the costs to switch to the superior product. Evid ence clearly suggests that yes a single product leading to increasing returns for the company often dominates markets such as software markets, however its replacement often happens at a record speed when a product comes along that is clearly superior. Think of game play consoles; Nintendo GameCube was almost placed into extinction with the introduction of Playstation 2 and Microsoft Xbox, whose prominence will not be countered with the introduction of Xbox 360 and soon Playstation 3. To counter the anti -trust issue against Microsoft, economists have argued that Microsoft has neither raised its prices nor restricted the output of its products, both traditional elements within a monopoly. Microsoft, on the other hand, offers good quality products at prices that are attractive to consumers and this has lead to Microsoft’s large market share. The problem that lingers is why has a company that has made good products at good prices been placed under such large scrutiny. Three ideals that have allowed firms to be exposed are arbitrary law, perfect competition, and economic versus political power. The antitrust laws rely heavily on arbitrary language that reflects the arbitrary rulings within perfect competition. Consider pricing, if one sets its prices above it competitors it can be seen as trying to monopolize, setting prices below can reflect unfair competition or restraining trade and if prices are similar to that of competitors the charge can be a scheme to fix prices. Therefore regardless of any price you set you are in violation of the anti-trust laws. Who is prosecuted is ultimately up to the prosecutors and whom they see as firms that hold large market share or whom is enjoying large profits. Also under the anti-trust laws, the â€Å"essential services† doctrine states that ‘a product or service that becomes widely used and relied upon loses it private character and effectively becomes private property, to be shared with rivals and the government.’ Presumably the Windows operating system became a red mark under this doctrine. The unfortunate factor is that firms are penalized for making great products that are successful. Also, consider the charge that Microsoft held a monopolizing market share. This definition is subjective to the prosecutor as well. Microsoft holds approximately 5% of the worldwide market share, but has 50% of the PC software market and 80% of the software for Intel based PCs. What is the determining factor to decide where a Monopoly is created? The result is that Microsoft has been forced to self-regulate to avoid constant prosecution, and this is the path to slower innovation. Perfect competition is the ideal theory not on how competition actually works but instead on how it should work. Ideally every market should be saturated with a great number of firms and impending newcomers to the market, with each firm holding a small share of the market. Entrance into the market should be cost-free and no firm can change its pricing to change its market share and products should be indistinguishable. Under such profits are rendered non-existent as any profit would be considered an imperfect market and after covering costs the ideal situation is a firm showing a loss. This is in theory but in reality there is no industry that is like this as all of the entrants would decease due to a lack of the ability to survive. This ideal of perfect competition was one of the theories used to combat Microsoft. The concept of economic power versus political power is the ideal that many suits brought up as antitrust suits are contrived as revengeful plot to gain back market share that has been taken from the initiating party. Instead of creating products that are more efficient and more able to compete. The difference between economic and political power is that economic power is the power to create and produce using intellectual capability to achieve no successes, trading voluntarily to the advantage of all parties. While political power is power used to force and punish, involving physical aggrandizement used to overpower other parties. Microsoft is a leading cooperative producer flaunting only economic power. The powers that restrain them are not consumers, for which profit from Microsoft creating economical and efficient products, but instead the rivals bring suit not in the interest of the overall market but only in fear of losing even more share of the market. Traditional economic theory promotes that economic efficiency is derived from price and quality, which determine the outcome within the market. Though the court doesn’t mention the theory of path dependence explicitly, the evidence provided by the plaintiffs strictly resembles the elements enlisted under the Arthur theory. ‘The argument is that a positive feedback loop due to static economies of scale and demand-side network effects led to the so-called intractable ‘chicken-and-egg’ problem, which caused a ‘Microsoft-winner-take-all’ and a ‘Mac-OS/2-Linux-loser-gets-nothing’ solution. Microsoft is also blamed for being an inferior lock-in standard today due to positive feedback. There is no statement claiming that Microsoft gained its dominant market position simply by chance and was able to out do Apple in the battle for the predominance in the OS market in the mid 1980s. There’s also no explicit statement that Microsoft would have been an inferior technology inspired by early luck in comparison with its early competitors in the mid 1980s. Concerning the early technology selection problem during the standard battle between Microsoft and Apple, there’s no link with ARTHUR’s theory within the court’s argumentation. As a result, Microsoft is not explicitly blamed for having been an inferior solution in the past. But Microsoft is implicitly blamed for being an inferior lock-in standard today who gained its dominant market position in the past by positive feedback and whose predominance is protected by the applications barrier to entry. The court claims that Apple Macintosh, OS/2 and Linux haven’t been able to overcome the applications barrier to entry which implies that these alternative OSs are thought to be at least of the same or even of better quality than Windows because no competitor with worse quality could compete effectively with the incumbent. In this respe ct, the court argues completely according to ARTHUR’s theory that there’s almost no possibility to ‘unlock’ the Microsoft monopoly. The judge doesn’t mention explicitly the term ‘inferior lock-in monopoly’ but also demonstrates that Microsoft isn’t believed to survive due to superior product quality but simply by anti-competitive means, which protect and enhance the applications barrier to entry.’ (1a.) Fortunately, for the future innovations within the software market and the constant advance, Microsoft is free to create new efficient products at reasonable products for the future to come. That arbitrary economic theory almost crushed this opportunity and stalemated the innovation process speaks volumes about the need to produce legislation that can be accurately held accountable to guide all firms. Whether there need be strict rules to account for different markets and product types to discern between never changing marketplaces to industries that turnover a week at a time is left unclear. Regardless, Microsoft is not evil for creating a profit on an increasing returns agenda, that is what is available in markets that hold market share and volume advantages. References: JACKSON (1999), U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust-Division, p. 6. Ohios sad legacy of antitrust: John Sherman to Betty Montgomery By James A. Damaskweb, July 1998 Law and Economics of Microsoft vs. U.S. Department of Justice: New Paradigm for Antitrust in Network Markets or Inefficient Lock-In of Antitrust Policy? By Marc-Peter Radke Stuttgart-Hohenheim ISSN 1618-5358, 2001 www.findlaw.com Wired magazine issue 3.10: The More you Sell, the More you Sell. Law and Economics of Microsoft vs. U.S. Department of Justice New Paradigm for Antitrust in Network Markets or Inefficient Lock-In of Antitrust Policy? By Marc-Peter Radke, Nov. 2001 www.cnn.com

Platos Apology Essay -- The Apology Socrates Plato Philosophy Essays

Plato’s Apology In the retelling of his trial by his associate, Plato, entitled â€Å"The Apology†; Socrates claims in his defense that he only wishes to do good for the polis. I believe that Socrates was innocent of the accusations that were made against him, but he possessed contempt for the court and displayed that in his conceitedness and these actions led to his death. In his defense, Socrates claims over and again that he is innocent and is not at all wise, â€Å"†¦for I know that I have no wisdom, small or great.† Throughout the rest of his oration he seems to act the opposite as if he is better than every man, and later he even claims that, â€Å"At any rate, the world has decided that Socrates is in some way superior to other men.† This seems to be his greatest mistake, claiming to be greater than even the jury. Socrates was accused of bringing false gods into the polis and corrupting the youth. The only false god was himself. For he might have presented himself in such a way to his many followers. These followers were mostly, as he says, wealthy young men with not much to do. This I could imagine is where a good deal of his conceitedness comes from, being almost worshipped be others. These men followed all of his teachings and practices, including the condescending cross-examinations, which were probably the worst of his acts. Socrates high respect for himself also may have started with the oracle from Delphi, when Chaerephon, â€Å"†¦asked the oracle to tel...

What Knowledge Should be Conveyed in Our Public Schools? :: Teaching Education

What Knowledge Should be Conveyed in Our Public Schools? Education has always been an indispensable part of our lives. Through out the centuries there was a problem in specifying who can attend to school, for example women were not allowed to do it, but luckily this obstacle has already been overcome, and this matter is beyond dispute. However, there is another dilemma, one that has not been solved yet. The question is what knowledge should be conveyed in the process of teaching – should schools communicate only erudite theory, or should they also have other aspirations? Naturally, there are different points of view on this case. The first cause to approve the fact that academies ought to have additional aims in tutoring is that they play an important part in bringing young generations up. It is said that parents are those who are to raise their children, but indisputably school is the place where youth spend most of their time. Hence, it is a good place for passing on the information that will help juvenility live their future lives. Consider the example of having sexual education at school, a dilemma which is at issue nowadays. The subject is not easily brought up and this results in the fact that young people leaving school know more about the reproduction of protozoa than about sexual and psychological aspects of human’s lives. This may cause tremendous problems. But the case of having sexual education at school is not the only matter. The truth is that the strict academic knowledge itself is usually useless in real life, and so it may not be worth paying attention to it. Let us be honest – who needs to know when two trains setting off from two different cities and moving with a different speed will meet? People should be better thought to fill in the gaps on a cheque or thousands of other blanks instead of learning all those worthless things. Nevertheless, there are also reasons for concentrating only on academic facts in schooling. First of all, schools were created exactly for that purpose. The world is spinning faster and faster, and people should concentrate on expanding their wisdom in order to survive in this reality. Our world needs more and more specialists in different domains and, frankly, people have to be the best to achieve anything, and gaining knowledge in maths, physics and other subjects helps young people make a success.

Water Recycling, Desalination, and OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) :: Water Conservation

There are many technological solutions that could potentially help to alleviate the current water shortage on Oahu. For the purpose of this paper, our group has chosen to discuss what we believe to be the top three most feasible technological solutions. In order of current usability they are; 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water recycling 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Desalination 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) Water Recycling   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water recycling here on Oahu is an important part of ensuring a sustainable water supply for future generations. Through the natural water cycle, the earth has recycled and reused water for millions of years. Water recycling generally refers to projects that use technology to speed up these natural processes. Recycled water can reduce much of Oahu’s aquifer water demands, as long as it is adequately treated to ensure water quality appropriate for the use.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The recycling of water has many benefits. The main benefit is that by recycling water, we are saving ground water for other uses. Another benefit is that recycled water is safe and has been used for over 40 years, with no negative human or environmental side effects (HWRF). Because the amount of precipitation on Oahu changes varies, sometimes the island goes through drought. With water recycling, the amount of secondary effluent available for recycling is always greater than the demand of it, therefore making it virtually drought proof. Also, recycled water can be produced at a price that is cost-effective, when compared with other methods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water recycling facilities on Oahu have been in place since 2000 (HBWS). The Honouliuli Water Recycling Facility in Eva, is the largest recycling plant on Oahu. The plant was built next to the City and County of Honolulu’s waster water treatment plant, which provides the recycling plant with secondary effluent as the base for the recycling process. Currently, the facility has the production capacity of 12 million gallons per day and produces two grades of recycled water. R-1 water is used for irrigational uses and Reverse Osmosis (RO) for industrial uses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The facility is currently capable of producing up to 10 mgd of R-1 water, which is the highest level of treatment as designated by the Hawaii DOH. R-1 water is used throughout the state of Hawaii for golf course irrigation, landscaping, and agriculture. The RO water is used for industrial uses such as boiler feed water for producing high-grade steam, cooling tower water, and process water for refineries. The facility currently has an RO capacity of 2 mgd. Both types of recycled water begin with the same secondary treated effluent from the Honouliuli WWTP.

Linen and Laundry Service in Off Premise

Different types of hotel in the Philippines Many people visit the Philippine Islands each year in order to enjoy its picture perfect views and Asian hospitality. Luckily, there are several types of hotels available in the Philippines that make it possible for anyone to afford a trip. Whether you're looking for student-budget type lodging, luxurious accommodations or something in between, the Philippines has got you covered. Luxury Hotels Luxury hotels are available across the Philippines and are an ideal type of hotel if you're looking for refined surroundings.They're a great option for honeymooners or anyone who wants to be treated like royalty for a while. This type of lodging facility will ensure that you are fully pampered and leave you feeling like your money was very well spent. Consider these top- rated luxury hotels located in the Philippines. Diamond Hotel, Manila This 27-story, five star hotel is located in Manila and radiates class and elegance. It's located in a great are a, Just minutes away from museums, parks, convention centers and shopping malls. Your accommodations, from the sheets on your bed to the towels in your bathroom, are guaranteed to be top-of-the-line quality.If you stay here, take advantage of the exquisite guestrooms, bars and restaurants. Location: Rosa Blvd. Core. Dry. J. Quintus SST. Manila 1000 Web: Demimondaine. Com Marimbas Blurter beach resort, Zebu Indulge yourself at the Marimbas Blurter Beach Resort in Zebu. Choose from rooms located on the beach wing (including bungalows), the garden wing, or the Mama Spa wing and enjoy authentic Filipino hospitality. This is the ideal hotel to book if you're looking for relaxation and deluxe accommodations. Location: Marimbas, Buying, McCann Island Zebu 601 5 Web: www. Blurter. Com. PH/marimbas/home. P Budget Hotels A budget hotel is ideal for business travelers and those who don't require frills and want to save some money. There is a variety to choose from across the Philippines and al l offer affordable rooms and Filipino hospitality. If you're looking for a comfortable bed and great bargain, opt for a budget hotel while in the Philippines. The Legend Hotels organization has hotels all across the Philippines, including the Legend Villas, Legend Palatal, Mayhap Manor, Cabana Cloacae, Cabana Cuba and Cabana Papas. Each one is owned and managed by Filipinos, which give them n authentic Filipino flavor.They offer value rates that make rooms affordable for many people and each room is different from the others. Location: 2650 A. Boniface SST. , Magmata City 1233 Web: Lighthouses. Com. PH SST. Alien's Inn, Magmata This boutique-style budget hotel in Magmata has a great sense of charm. It provides guests with basic amenities and is a practical choice for any traveler. Enjoy yourself in the inner courtyards and take in the classic architecture during your stay. Location: 7461 Scintilla Street, Poi del Pillar Magmata City 1230 web: Scintillating. M Hostels Hostels are the best solution for the budget traveler who likes to meet new people from all over the world. By staying at a hostel in the Philippines you can save a substantial amount of money each night, making the overall cost of your vacation much lower. Prices per person, per night, range anywhere from $5 to $50. Here are a few excellent hostels to choose from. Townhouse Manila You can't beat paying less than $10 for a bed. The Townhouse opened in 1986 and has served as a comfortable place to sleep for people from more than 85 countries.

Persuasive Writing Essay

The next type of writing we will do is the persuasive essay. In this essay, you will be working to convince your reader of the rightness of your point of view on a specific topic. As I have already said, in some ways every type of writing is a form of persuasion: you are always trying to make your reader see the correctness of your opinion. In this assignment, however, you will stake out your position on a particular topic and argue forcefully and explicitly in favor of it. As always, you want to state your opinion explicitly in your thesis statement (of course, without saying, â€Å"I think that. . . .†). As always, you also want to pick a topic that is fairly focused, narrow, and specific: pick a topic that you can adequately discuss in four to five paragraphs. I will say it again: it is always better to say a lot about a small topic than to try to say a little bit about many aspects of a large topic. (For those who are counting, that is the 3,248th time I have said that thi s year.) Use the first paragraph to state and fully explain your thesis. The rest of your essay should then be the marshalling of evidence in support of your thesis statement and an explanation of and commentary on your evidence. Facts are necessary to support your thesis, but by themselves facts are not enough. You need to explain and comment on them fully; show how these facts support your view and not the view of the opposing side. Try to find three or four really strong pieces of evidence to support your opinion. There is no way you can say everything or think of every point; choose the strongest evidence you can. While arguing in favor of your position, you should also include arguments against the opposing view. For example, if I am writing about the wrongness of capital punishment, I should also include arguments showing the wrongness of arguments made in favor capital punishment. Try to anticipate the other side’s arguments. That will show you are thinking and will also strengthen your argument. In general, it is best to work from your weakest to your strongest argument. As usual, conclusions are difficult. End with a strong, powerful concluding paragraph that brings together your various ideas but does not merely restate them. Certainly do not end by saying something like, â€Å"For all these reasons . . . .† I have listed below a few sample thesis statements and a number of possible topics. Please do not be  limited by my suggestions. As with any piece of writing, you will do the best job if you write about something you care about. I will give you a sample essay. Your essay should be 1-2 pages typed or 4-5 sides handwritten, double-spaced either way. The essay is due Tuesday, 30 January. It is worth 100 points. We will work on the essay in class; you can always show me drafts. Do your best. SAMPLE TOPICS the dress code (or, better yet, some more significant and meaningful issue at school!) your allowance or curfew or some other family issue gun control, abortion, capital punishment (or any other political issue) your view on dating or relationships advocating for a particular religious or spiritual practice: for example, meditate everyday the need for more late-night activities for teenagers the war in Iraq of course, anything else you feel strongly about SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS Limiting civil liberties is not an appropriate way to keep this country safe from terrorism. Capital punishment is an unjust and immoral way to punish criminals. A vegetarian diet is a sensible and meaningful response to world starvation and environmental destruction. The dress code provides a meaningful way to minimize the economic competition between students and unite them in their common academic purpose. A vegetarian diet is a sensible and meaningful response to world starvation and environmental destruction. So many Americans are often caught up with finding the â€Å"perfect† diet. While such a diet does not exist, a vegetarian diet provides significant health, environmental, and political benefits. Choosing such a diet is a simple but significant way to make a real difference in one’s own life and the world. First of all, a vegetarian diet is far more healthful than the traditional  American diet that emphasizes meat. A meat-free diet is higher in fiber, lower in saturated fat, and richer in a wide range of vitamins and minerals than a meat-based one. While we do hear conflicting evidence about the various health claims of different diets, nutritionists and scientists seem to agree that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides the greatest health benefits. Some people might say that a vegetarian diet is boring: quite the contrary. Compared to the relatively few kinds of meats and ways to prepare them, there are scores of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes and almost countless ways to prepare them. A meat-based diet also puts far too much protein into the body, taxing the kidneys and wasting expensive food. As it is, Americans eat too much protein; eating a vegetarian diet is one way to reduce our intake of excessive and expensive protein. Eating a diet based on fruits and vegetables also creates less environmental havoc than a meat-based diet. Raising the animals necessary for the traditional meat-laden diet requires large amounts of land, mountains of processed feed, and the disposal of tons of waste. But a family of four could, if necessary, live for a year off the fruits, grains, and vegetables produced from a few acres of land. And, once the crop is taken, there are few or no ill effects. If the agriculture is done organically, vegetarian eating has even fewer harmful effects upon the land. In an age of diminishing arable land and resources and increasing populations, we need to find ways to get the most nutrition from our land use. A vegetarian diet provides such efficiency. Finally, a meat-rich diet consumes many more scarce resources than a vegetarian diet. It takes about 800 pounds of cattle feed to produce one pound of beef. In a world in which nearly one-fourth of the planet’s population is malnourished or starving, a meat-based diet is simply a luxury we can no longer afford (if we ever could have). In good conscience, it only makes sense to eat lower on the food chain – as we do with a plant-based diet. If everyone in the world ate a vegetarian diet, there would be an immediate surplus of food available to feed people at far lower cost and with wiser use of precious resources. In this way, vegetarianism becomes a moral choice. For reasons of politics, environment, health, and justice, vegetarianism is the only intelligent and compassionate choice in a world of scarce resources and increasing population. It may take some getting used to, but the benefits and rewards of a vegetarian diet – for the planet, the self, and the human race – far outweigh whatever minimal sacrifice may be involved. sentence in bold: thesis statement underlined sentences: topic sentences for each paragraph