A Literary Advent Calendar

A Literary Advent Calendar Behold! We bring good tidings and cheer! And also an advent calendar of Christmas poems, essays, and short stories. We trust you to police yourselves (unless you just want to binge on all them  at once, in which case no judgment). And remember: via GIPHY December 1st   December 2nd December 3rd December 4th December 5th December 6th December 7th   December 8th December 9th December 10th December 11th December 12th December 13th December 14th December 15th December 16th December 17th December 18th December 19th December 20th December 21st December 22nd December 23rd   December 24th December 25th

What to do AFTER Youve Won a Scholarship

Winning a scholarship is exciting. It puts your student one step closer to graduating debt-free, ensuring at least some of their expenses are handled with money that doesnt have to be repaid. However, that doesnt mean your students work is done. There are some additional steps your student needs to take after theyve won a scholarship. Otherwise, the process may not run smoothly.Heres what your student needs to do after theyve been informed they have won a scholarship.Contents1 Formally Accept the Award Once Youve Won a Scholarship2 Send a Thank You Note to the Scholarship Committee3 Save the Winning Essay and Application Materials4 Confirm Your Financial Aid Office Information5 Report the Scholarship to the School6 Monitor Your Accounts at Your College7 Apply the Scholarship Money to Your Bill8 Watch for an Overage Check9 Prepare for the Tax Paperwork10 Set a Reminder to Apply AgainFormally Accept the Award Once Youve Won a ScholarshipIn some cases, a scholarship isnt awarded automat ically. Your student may need to confirm they want to accept the award and notify the scholarship committee of their decision.While this may seem odd, this process ensures the winners plans havent changed. For example, someone may have applied only to decide later that heading to college at that time wasnt right for them. By requiring the winner to accept the award, the scholarship committee can make sure the funds are still needed before sending them to the school.Usually, if your student needs to accept the award after theyve won a scholarship, they will receive instructions regarding any required response.Send a Thank You Note to the Scholarship CommitteeSending a thank you note to the scholarship committee is always a smart move. Scholarships arent like traditional financial aid; the money is a gift provided by philanthropic organizations and generous donors who want to help students thrive.By sending a thank you note, your student has a chance to show their appreciation. Plus, it makes a good impression, something that is beneficial if your student may apply for the same scholarship again in the future.Writing an amazing scholarship thank you note doesnt have to be challenging and it usually only takes a few minutes. To help make it easier, encourage your student to use a scholarship thank you note template that touches on all of the essential points.Save the Winning Essay and Application MaterialsIdeally, your student should be saving all of their scholarship application materials. By organizing scholarship materials as they apply, they can always find critical documents for future applications. However, if they hadnt made this a habit, saving the winning essay and other materials from when they won a scholarship is a smart move.Essentially, the materials used for that scholarship application have been tried and tested. Your student successfully won a scholarship with that essay and combination of documents. As a result, they should be stored in a safe p lace (like a cloud storage solution) in case they can use them again in the future.Confirm Your Financial Aid Office InformationTo make sure the scholarship funds make it to the right place, your student needs to confirm any pertinent details with the committee. Usually, this includes:Students nameStudents college-issued identification numberCollege nameCollege financial aid office contact details (address, phone number, primary email, etc.)This information ensures the funds are credited to the right student.Its important to note each scholarship committee may have different requirements regarding what needs to be confirmed after your student won a scholarship. Your student will need to review any instructions and respond with the correct details and documents to make sure the award goes to the right place.Report the Scholarship to the SchoolEven if the scholarship committee has everything they need to send the funds, your student still needs to reach out to their schools financial aid office and let them know they won a scholarship. That way, the financial aid office can adjust your students financial aid package (if necessary) and is fully aware the money should be arriving soon.Plus, it gives your student a chance to learn how winning a scholarship impacts their other financial aid. This can be crucial for planning, so it is wise to find out as quickly as possible.Monitor Your Accounts at Your CollegeIn many cases, the scholarship committee will let your student know when the money should be sent to their school. If that happens, your student should mark their calendar and then review their account within a few days of that date. That way, they can confirm the funds have arrived safely and, if they arent there, they can follow-up with the scholarship committee or school.If your student wasnt given a concrete date, they should ask the scholarship committee for a delivery estimate. In situations where that isnt available, it is wise to monitor the account reg ularly. Within a few weeks, if the money hasnt arrived, then following up is a good idea.Apply the Scholarship Money to Your BillAt times, scholarship awards are not automatically applied to your students college bill. Instead, the money sits as a credit on their account and has to be manually applied.Once the money arrives in their account, your student should contact the bursars, receivables, or student accounts office. This may be a different department than the financial aid office. However, if your student isnt sure who to contact, the financial aid office can likely provide them with the right contact information or point them to online instructions for applying the funds as payment.Watch for an Overage CheckIf your students scholarship exceeds the amount needed to cover their school-based costs (like tuition, room and board, and fees), they might be eligible for an overage check. When this happens, the check is issued by the school in an amount that removes any excess funds f rom their account.How the check is delivered can vary. Some schools may mail them. Others might make them available through the bursars or student accounts office, allowing your student to pick up the check in person.If your student won a scholarship and there is overage, have them speak to the department that handles incoming tuition payments to find out how the check will be delivered.Prepare for the Tax PaperworkTaxes are always a complex issue. Some scholarships are taxable as income while others are not. Your student should be prepared to potentially receive tax documents, like a W-2, from the awarding organization. Usually, the scholarship committee can tell your student if a W-2 will be sent. Then, your student will receive the document in the mail after the end of the year.Colleges provide tax forms to students as well. These documents include details about any educational costs your student paid to the school.Everyones situation is unique, so your student needs to consider their case to ensure they handle tax issues properly. It is wise to research the scholarships and taxes issue in advance. That way, your student will have a better idea of what to expect.Set a Reminder to Apply AgainSome scholarships allow students to receive the award more than once. If your student is going to be in college during the next school year, they need to set a calendar reminder to make sure they dont forget to apply for the same scholarship again.While there is no guarantee theyll win a second, third, or fourth time, it doesnt hurt to try if it is allowed. After all, your student made such a great impression last time they were selected, so it makes sense to direct more energy in that direction every year they are in school.If you and your student want to learn more about the scholarship process,sign up for our free college scholarship webinar! Head to http://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar to secure your spot today.

Excessive of Self-restraint in Saint Augustine’s Confessions

Excessive of Self-restraint in Saint Augustine’s Confessions When it comes to renunciation, no pain, no gain is what Ive slowly, reluctantly, inexorably come to believe. And when Pete opted for scholarly monkhood, I think he was just trying to outsmart his pain. . . . Hed calculated that by considering the physical world illusory and burying his nose in metaphysical texts he could go on doing something comfortable--while his ignorance and sufferings and hometown and troublesome family just fell away like so much excess poundage. Obviously l question his calculations: to slough off half a self in hopes of finding a whole one is not my idea of good math. --David Duncan,The Brothers K In his Confessions, Saint Augustine†¦show more content†¦But Aristotle writes, There is also a type who feels less joy than he should at the things of the body and, therefore, does not abide by the dictates of reason. . . . For a morally weak person does not abide by the dictates of reason, because he feels more joy than he should in bodily things, but the man under discussion feels less joy than he should. (NE22)[2] Aristotle does not give a name to this type of person, so we shall call him the moral martyr. Moral martyrs abandon worldly pleasures such as friendship, food, and entertainment for the apparent benefits of self-restraint. Therefore, they are deficient in their enjoyment of worldly pleasures and excessive in their use of self-restraint. Saint Augustine has clearly taken the path of moral martyrdom. He writes, The eye is attracted to beautiful objects, by gold and silver and all such things. There is great pleasure, too, in feeling something agreeable to the touch, and material things have various qualities to please each of the other senses . . . . But our ambition to obtain all these things must not lead us astray (Conf., 48). In claiming this much, he is in agreement with Aristotle--a man who pursues every pleasurable thing in life is succumbing to moral weakness. But instead of merely advising restraint, Saint Augustine encourages the complete avoidance of worldly pleasures. For example, he writes, I admit that I still find some enjoyment in the music of hymns . . . . I confess

Simon Bolivar and the Battle of Boyaca

On August 7, 1819, Simà ³n Bolà ­var engaged Spanish General Josà © Marà ­a Barreiro in battle near the Boyaca River in present-day Colombia. The Spanish force was spread out and divided, and Bolà ­var was able to kill or capture almost all of the enemy combatants. It was the decisive battle for the liberation of New Granada (now Colombia). Bolivar and the Independence Stalemate in Venezuela In early 1819, Venezuela was at war: Spanish and Patriot generals and warlords were fighting each other all over the region. New Granada was a different story: there was an uneasy peace, as the populace was ruled with an iron fist by Spanish Viceroy Juan Josà © de Sà ¡mano from Bogota. Simon Bolivar, greatest of the rebel generals, was in Venezuela, dueling with Spanish General Pablo Morillo, but he knew that if he could just get to New Granada, Bogota was practically undefended. Bolivar Crosses the Andes Venezuela and Colombia are divided by a high arm of the Andes Mountains: parts of it are practically impassible. From May to July of 1819, however, Bolivar led his army over the pass of Pà ¡ramo de Pisba. At 13,000 feet (4,000 meters), the pass was extremely treacherous: deadly winds chilled the bones, snow and ice made footing difficult, and ravines claimed pack animals and men to falls. Bolivar lost a third of his army in the crossing, but made it to the western side of the Andes in early July, 1819: the Spanish at first had no idea he was there. Battle of Vargas Swamp Bolivar quickly regrouped and recruited more soldiers from the eager population of New Granada. His men engaged the forces of young Spanish general Josà © Marà ­a Barreiro at the battle of Vargas Swamp on July 25: it ended in a draw, but showed the Spanish that Bolà ­var had arrived in force and was headed for Bogota. Bolivar moved quickly to the town of Tunja, finding supplies and weapons meant for Barreiro. Royalist Forces at the Battle of Boyaca Barreiro was a skilled general who had a trained, veteran army. Many of the soldiers, however, had been conscripted from New Granada and doubtless there were some whose sympathies were with the rebels. Barreiro moved to intercept Bolivar before he could reach Bogota. In the vanguard, he had some 850 men in the elite Numancia battalion and 160 skilled cavalry known as dragoons. In the main body of the army, he had about 1,800 soldiers and three cannons. The Battle of Boyaca Begins On August 7, Barreiro was moving his army, trying to get into position to keep Bolivar out of Bogota long enough for reinforcements to arrive. By the afternoon, the vanguard had gone ahead and crossed the river at a bridge. There they rested, waiting for the main army to catch up. Bolà ­var, who was much closer than Barreiro suspected, struck. He ordered General Francisco de Paula Santander to keep the elite vanguard forces occupied while he hammered away at the main force. A Stunning Victory It worked out even better than Bolivar had planned. Santander kept the Numancia Battalion and Dragoons pinned down, while Bolivar and General Anzoà ¡tegui attacked the shocked, spread-out main Spanish army. Bolà ­var quickly surrounded the Spanish host. Surrounded and cut off from the best soldiers in his army, Barreiro quickly surrendered. All told, the royalists lost more than 200 killed and 1,600 captured. The patriot forces lost 13 killed and about 50 wounded. It was a total victory for Bolà ­var. On to Bogotà ¡ With Barreiro’s army crushed, Bolà ­var quickly made for the city of Santa fà © de Bogotà ¡, where Viceroy Juan Josà © de Sà ¡mano was the ranking Spanish official in Northern South America. The Spanish and royalists in the capital panicked and fled in the night, carrying all they could and leaving their homes and in some cases family members behind. Viceroy Sà ¡mano himself was a cruel man who feared the retribution of the patriots, so he, too quickly departed, dressed as a peasant. Newly-converted â€Å"patriots† looted the homes of their former neighbors until Bolà ­var took the city unopposed on August 10, 1819, and restored order. Legacy of the Battle of Boyaca The Battle of Boyacà ¡ and capture of Bogotà ¡ resulted in a stunning checkmate for Bolà ­var against his enemies. In fact, the Viceroy had left in such haste that he even left money in the treasury. Back in Venezuela, the ranking royalist officer was General Pablo Morillo. When he learned of the battle and the fall of Bogotà ¡, he knew the royalist cause was lost. Bolà ­var, with the funds from the royal treasury, thousands of possible recruits in New Granada and undeniable momentum, would soon sweep back into Venezuela and crush any royalists still there. Morillo wrote to the King, desperately begging for more troops. 20,000 soldiers were recruited and were to be sent, but events in Spain prevented the force from ever departing. Instead, King Ferdinand sent Morillo a letter authorizing him to negotiate with the rebels, offering them some minor concessions in a new, more liberal constitution. Morillo knew the rebels had the upper hand and would never agree, but tried anyway. Bolà ­var, sensing the royalist desperation, agreed to a temporary armistice but pressed the attack. Less than two years later, the royalists would once again be defeated by Bolà ­var, this time at the Battle of Carabobo. This battle marked the last gasp of organized Spanish resistance in northern South America. The Battle of Boyacà ¡ has gone down in history as one of the greatest of Bolà ­vars many triumphs. The stunning, complete victory broke the stalemate and gave Bolà ­var an advantage he never lost.

Essay on Walt Whitmans Song of Myself - 3631 Words

Walt Whitmans Song of Myself This paper deals with Walt Whitmans Song of Myself in relation to Julia Kristevas theories of abjection--my paper does not point to abjection in the text, but rather the significance of the abscence of abjection. This abscence, looming and revolting, arises from Whitmans attemt to refigure a conception of sublimity which delimits the material which can trigger the sublime moment. Whitmans democracy of the sublime is inclusive of those figures on the American landscape, their lives and voices, which are functionalized into his world. This paper employs the theories of George Lukacs and Julia Kristeva allow the unearthing of the archeological layers of Whitmans text. The most literal adjective†¦show more content†¦It lies there, quite close, but it cannot be assimilated. It beseeches, worries, and fascinates desire, which, nevertheless, does not let itself be seduced.[1] The strange elegance of this specter looms in the relief, in the archaic layers of Song of Myself. It is beyond the foregrounded inversive space--at times utopic and sublime, the space is permeated with universal brotherhood, happiness, the compelled-sentimental-- that I attempt to delve into, that source from which generates the repulsive, hidden quivering of a text which, though cast out and forced into absence, looms in the shadowed relief. The edification of his text and of his readership is attempted through the construction of an inversive space which refigures the sublime: the apex of the cultured. I have chosen those moments in the text in which the poet nears the threshold of bordering abject in order to construct his sublime utopian vision. It is here, this marked refigurement where ecstasy occurs, where material which triggers the sublime is the signal of another text; a repulsive reading looms from the absence of abjection An invocation of the self begins Song of Myself, positioning the text as an edification of the American readership: I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as god belongs to you (lines 1-3). Thus Whitmans work joins with theShow MoreRelatedIdentity In Walt Whitmans A Song Of Myself869 Words   |  4 PagesIdentity: A Common Theme Walt Whitman (1819-1892) wrote a poem titles â€Å"A Song of Myself.† He wrote this piece in order to celebrate his identity, what makes him unique. Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) writes of a little boy struggling with identity in a quickly changing world. Jamaica Kincaid (1949-), writes of a young girl who is learning her identity as a mother, wife and daughter. By examining each piece of literature, one can trace the common theme of identity by comparing and contrasting theRead MoreTranscendentalism In Walt Whitmans A Song Of Myself1073 Words   |  5 PagesThe school of thought that is transcendentalism is best explained as the idea that everything is connected. America, as a country, represents the philosophy of Transcendentalism. This is best exemplified in the writing of Walt Whitman. In his poem, â€Å"A Song of Myself†, Whitman truly heralded a new brand of American exceptionalism. He championed the individual and created a work that exemplified the common man as the pillar of the American dream. Yet he also explained that Americans are what make upRead More Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay716 Words   |  3 Pages In one of the sections from the poem, â€Å"Song of Myself† Walt Whitman starts out with a child asking a question, â€Å"What is the grass?† Grass is a symbol of life. God, who created both the heavens and the earth also gave birth to life. When Whitman refers to grass as a â€Å"handkerchief of the Lord† (7), as a gift. When people look at the grass, they do not think of it as a creation but rather just a plant. Whitman refers to the grass as â€Å"a child, the produced babe of vegetation† (11, 12). Here, the grassRead More References to Homosexuality in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself1210 Words   |  5 PagesHomosexuality in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself WHITMAN WAS MORE MAN THAN YOULL EVER BE, said a student of Louisiana State University. When asked questions of your sexual preference or thoughts on the issue of sex, I would venture to say it makes most people uncomfortable. This is an age-old topic that people know about, yet do not want to talk about. He was particularly reticent about his issues regarding sex and his particular sexual preference. In fact, of Whitmans struggles theRead More An Analysis of Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay778 Words   |  4 PagesAn Analysis of Walt Whitmans Song of Myself `Whitman was always asking questions. He believed that lifes goal or cause was a mystery. He was surrounded by people who were drawing distinct lines between right and wrong, rejecting the things in the universe that were not a direct ticket to holiness. Whitman, unlike his contemporaries, embraced the beauty of everything. His mystical perception of the world ushered in the idea that God was to be found in every thing, and that He couldRead MoreEssay about Walt Whitmans Song of Myself1779 Words   |  8 PagesWalt Whitmans Song of Myself Walt Whitmans Song of Myself is, on the most basic descriptive level, a really long poem. Whitman is clearly a poet with a lot to say, or at least with a lot of different ways to say it. He meanders from the micro to the macro, from atoms to the whole earth. There are obviously myriad ways to explain what the poem is about, and myriad keys to its true meaning. In what became Section 6 of the final edition (lines 90-121 of the 1855 edition ) Whitman himselfRead More Defining the Soul in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay721 Words   |  3 Pages Every sentence in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself tends to either repeat or contradict. He even says of himself, I contradict myself (Lauter, p. 2793). This can make Whitmans poetry a little confusing to some. In his many stanzas, definition of the soul is ambiguous and somewhat contradictory. Whitman says, Clear and sweet is my soul....and clear and sweet is all that is not my soul (Lauter, p. 2745). What I believe Whitman is saying here is that his soul and everything elseRead MoreEssay Choosing Sides in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself1095 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Song of Myself† is an attempt by Walt Whitman to become the â€Å"American poet† as described by Ralph Waldo Emerson; he attempts to be â€Å"[T]he sayer, the namer, and [representative] of beauty† (Emerson 1182). Whitman wants to speak to and for America. Whitman does not explicitly choose sides on the slavery debate that was raging at the time of his writing, but he does express the equality of all people, regardless of gender and race in â€Å"Song of Myself†. While Whitman’s writing can be read as neutralRead MoreIndividuality And Free Verse in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself1524 Words   |  7 Pages2.5 kids, 2 cars, a dog and a satisfying job), the spirit of innovati on, individuality and progress remains unchanged. The father of free verse, and perhaps the American perspective of poetry, Walt Whitman embodies these values in his life and work. First published in 1855 in Leaves of Grass, Song of Myself is a vision of a symbolic I enraptured by the senses, vicariously embracing all people and places from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. Sections 1 and 2, like the entirety of the piece,Read More An Annotation of Section 24 of Walt Whitmans Song of Myself1354 Words   |  6 PagesSection 24 of Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Walt Whitmans Song of Myself is a vision of the American spirit, a vision of Whitman himself. It is his cry for democracy, giving each of us a voice through his poetry. Each of us has a voice and desires, and this is Whitmans representation of our voices, the voice of America. America, the great melting pot, was founded for freedom and democracy, and this poem is his way of re-instilling these lost American ideals. In this passage from Song of Myself

The Ethics Of Human Cloning - 890 Words

The ethics of cloning Early in 1997, Scottish scientist Dr. Ian Wilmot revealed to the world that he had successfully cloned an adult sheep, Dolly. With this invention, the world made a aggregate astonishment at the realization that cloning was no longer an aspect of a Science Fiction movie. Since then, human cloning has become one of the most expressing divergent topics in the world, discussions began regarding the ethic consequence of human cloning. In several recent opponents argue that it s unethical and that it won t benefit humans in anyway but cause harm. At variance, I believe that human cloning can have many benefits for the human race in terms of helping infertile couples and people with genetic problems. As well as being†¦show more content†¦Then, â€Å"the cell is manipulated into believing that it has been fertilized and is then implanted into the womb of the mother, just as is done in the process of in-vitro fertilization. Afterwards, the embryo develops into a fetus and is born after nine months, just like any other baby† (Shapiro, H. 1997. pp.14-17). What this means is that the cloned baby is only different from other babies is that they share the same exact DNA with another person, just like identical twins, only the clone is much younger than its twin. The child will grow up to be no more like their twin than natural identical twins are alike. Therefore, some people s’ beliefs that human cloning is a complicated process, which involves techniques that seem unrealistic. Some of the most commonly cited ethical and concern principles of right and wrong behavior arguments against human cloning seem to come from people with religious perspectives. These religious arguments are made by people from all over the world, including scientists. Many religious people believe the study of fundamental knowledge teaches that human life is unique, and should be created, determined and controlled only by their god(s). Many religions believe in the existence of, and in the individuality of, a human soul. And the only person who can create a soul is God. Richard McCormick, for Christian Century, believes that â€Å"human cloning is an

Spyware on Children’s Computers; Regorian Rhetoric Free Essays

string(169) " of undergraduate students in the United States showed that â€Å"64% indicated they strongly disagreed with the statement that ‘spyware is more beneficial than harmful\." Parents as Undercover Cops Spyware is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge. On the internet, spyware is programming that is put in someone’s computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties. In this case, the ‘other interested parties’ are parents. We will write a custom essay sample on Spyware on Children’s Computers; Regorian Rhetoric or any similar topic only for you Order Now Parents are becoming more and more protective of their kids. Many are now becoming open to the idea of putting spyware on their children’s computers when previously that was unthought-of. No matter what ones particular outlook on this subject is, there are pros and cons of each side, and most seem to lean largely on one side or the other, as opposed to being more in the middle. There are many harmful traps on the internet, but does that justify tracking children’s every keystroke on their computer? Harlan Coben believes spyware is more than justified. In Coben’s article, â€Å"The Undercover Parent,† Coben states that parents are overprotective of their kids in many other aspects, such as knowing their passwords to their phones, supervising them at all events, and so on. So why give them their independence when it comes to the internet? I understand what he means and even agree with his reasoning in some ways. Coben says that the ones doing the surveillance are not some government officials; they are loving parents trying to protect their offspring. This argument is valid because it shows that the parents who choose to put the software in computers are really just trying to keep their kids best interest in mind, and those who compare it to being surveyed by a government agency or something of the like is ludicrous. Some children are at risk of being harmed through the internet, and do require that surveillance. The children that are unknowingly communicating with a pedophile, or the â€Å"43% of teens [that] have been victims of cyber bullying in the last year,† could have had a possibility of being helped if their parents had spyware software downloaded onto their computer. (Stop Cyber Bullying Before it Start’s) Of course, ‘what-if’s’ are always going to be asked, and there is no way that spyware can solve these problems fully. Pedophilia and cyber bullying are both serious issues and need to be stopped. Yes, spyware could help the problem. Yes, spyware could alert or notify a parent if one of these two activities is going on, which could be extremely beneficial. I agree that spyware should be used in these very specific situations. Coben also believes that having this program reinforces to children the fact that the internet is not a haven of privacy. In an academic journal article regarding Facebook, a website that many children and teens are using, it is written that â€Å"We need to teach them that NOTHING IS PRIVATE online, especially their social networks† (Fodeman). All children need to understand and acknowledge that the internet is not private, but even more so those who use social networking, because once something is typed and sent, uploaded, or anything, it can never be taken back or deleted. Sure you can remove certain things, but somewhere it is still out there, and it can be retrieved if deemed necessary. Everyone has access to posts online, and if the reason they are not misusing the internet is because of their fear of the spyware, then so be it. There is a fine line between being responsibly protective and irresponsibly nosy, Coben argues. If a parent is going to have spyware on their children’s computer, they need to be doing so for the correct reasons. Doing so because there is a harmful behavior being engaged without another way to stop it is sufficient enough of reasoning. However, trying to be filled in on the latest gossip and happenings in the child’s life is not going to cut it. Parents are supposed to be responsible and looking out for harmful and negative behaviors. They should not be abusing their powers or the tools given to them to help ensure their loved child’s online safety and protection. I do tend to agree with the various arguments that Coben uses to validate his claims, yet I have two different opinions on the use of spyware technololgy. If ones child is dishonest, engaging in suspicious or risky behavior, install the spyware. If a parent has real evidence that their child is harming him or herself, then the parent has a responsibility to help and protect the child even though their child may not want the watchful eye. It is more than fair for parents whose children have engaged in some kind of dangerous behavior, to tell them â€Å"If you don’t meet your responsibilities to take care of yourself and to stay safe, then I’m going to take whatever steps necessary. If that means looking in your room, looking in your drawers and looking on your computer, that’s exactly what I’m prepared to do† (Lehman). That way the child will know there is a possibility of a spyware being put on their computer and are not caught off guard if something from the spywares report were to be brought up in the future. The safety of one’s children should be number one on the parents list and they need to be able to do what is deemed necessary in order to protect. Reading emails, having the knowledge of what they search for online, and seeing all of their communications may be necessary for certain situations. The situations where spyware should be put on children’s computers are only in extreme cases of dishonesty, incriminating behavior, or suspicious activities. Spyware may not be the most effective way to protect children, but in such cases the spyware could definitely help the situation. Besides extreme cases, ultimately parents having spyware on their children’s electronic devices without their knowledge are more harmful than beneficial. A survey conducted of undergraduate students in the United States showed that â€Å"64% indicated they strongly disagreed with the statement that ‘spyware is more beneficial than harmful. You read "Spyware on Children’s Computers; Regorian Rhetoric" in category "Papers" ’†(Freeman) The main reason putting spyware on a child’s computer that has done nothing wrong is harmful, is because the relationship between parent and child will most likely be impacted negatively when the child figures out there is spyware on their computer. If parents have children that meet their curfew, take care of their responsibilities, and the like, there is no reason to snoop on them. Good behavior should be rewarded, and telling your child that the lack of interference in her personal space is a direct result of her good behavior reinforces the trust given to that child. Spyware does not aide in creating independence or individuation. A goal of parenting should be to raise a young adult who can make independent decisions and who can have a life of their own. Teenagers are always trying to be individuals and want more independence. Part of having a life of their own is having a space of their own. When parents spy on their responsible child, the message they are sending is that even though the child has not done anything wrong, the child still needs to be watched and is not trustworthy. Also, children and teenagers usually know an awful lot more about computers and technology than adults do. Because of the difference in generations, most teens and children know how to check for spyware, how to disable it, and how to get around it, more often than not without the parent knowing what has happened. It is impossible for a parent to keep tabs and know absolutely everything their child does, which they should not, and sometimes it is better this way. Even if a child does not find a way around the spyware, are parents really prepared to know their child’s secrets that are not harmful to themselves, such as sexual activity, although can be harmful in some cases, or sexual orientation? Sometimes it is best to be ignorant. Parents should not go looking for things that if they knew would cause issues in the family tearing them apart. What is the worst that children can get into on the internet? Parents have to understand that their kids are human, and in turn let them be human. They are going to want to try new things, and exploring the internet is probably going to be one of those things. What is so bad about that anyway? It will not corrupt them; nothing â€Å"corrupts† people but other people. It is not the internet doing the corrupting, it is those behind what is being shown and put out there, those that are typing in chat rooms and writing their blogs. It is easy to view kids as possessions, like pets that have to be pampered and hidden from the world, but they are people just the same, and they have to make their own decisions even if they aren’t â€Å"good† ones. A teenager deserves their privacy just as much as anyone, including their parents. I believe that if parents have taught their children well, with morals and the ups and downs of life and the internet, they need to trust that their child has been taught well enough to not misuse the internet and all of its capabilities. Joe Kelly, founder of a national advocacy group called Dads and Daughters, states that â€Å"Markets play on this fear that something horrific is going to happen to your child, when the odds of that are minuscule. It might happen, but to have their whole childhood predicated on this remote possibility is, in the aggregate, even more damaging. â€Å"(Crary) Spyware really undermines all of the trust that the parent and child have with one another. In a survey of 1,006 AOL users, â€Å"74. 2% said they perceived spyware to be a personal threat. (Poston) Spyware is seen as a personal threat to so many citizens because of its demoralizing and disrespectful nature. I would not want it done to me, my parents would not want it done to them, and I do not think teaching children that it is okay to have a spyware on someone else is healthy or just. The choice between installing spyware on a child’s computer or not too, can relate to one another and meet in the middle. In some extreme cases where there is no longer an ounce of trust, spyware should be put on children’s computers to protect them from themselves and others. Although in most cases, spyware is not acceptable because of the harm it does to the relationship between parent and child, and the toll it takes on trust, individualism, and privacy. Parents should have some type of control over their child’s internet usage. Blocking some sites, such as porn or self-harm/suicide related sites, is beneficial and sufficient. Having the computers in the house being put in open areas, such as an office or living room, can also control what children do on the computer because of the fact that they are aware that anybody can walk by and see what is on the screen. There are also parental controls that make it so the internet is only available at the times set up by the parents. Parents that are still uncomfortable with these alternatives could also have a password set up that one would need to log onto the computer, and only the parent would know that password. That way, if a child wants to use the computer, the parent will always know if they are on it. You should also talk to your children about the dangers of the internet so that they recognize suspicious behavior or activity. In order to teach more about internet safety instead of simply trying to avoid it, parents need to â€Å"Discuss the risks of sharing certain types of information (e. g. , they they’re home alone) and the benefits to only communicating and sharing information with people they know. † (Householder) All of these alternative suggestions, used solely or by incorporating them all, is a much more useful tool in monitoring computer and internet usage rather than using a spyware. The alternative to spyware does not damage trust, lets the child have needed amounts of privacy, and yet still lets the reins be in the parent’s hands. Works Cited Coben, Harlan. â€Å"The Undercover Parent. †Ã‚  New York Times  16 Mar. 2008: n. pag. Print. Crary, David. â€Å"USA TODAY. †Ã‚  USATODAY. COM. N. p. , 05 Sept. 20122. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. Fodeman, Doug, and Marje Monroe. â€Å"The Impact Of Facebook On Our Students. †Ã‚  Teacher Librarian  36. 5 (2009): 36-40. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. Freeman, Lee A. , and Andrew Urbaczewski. â€Å"Why Do People Hate Spyware? †Ã‚  Communications Of The ACM  48. 8 (2005): 50-53. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. Householder, Allen, and Mindi McDowell. Security Tip (ST05-002). † Keeping Children Safe Online. US Department of Homeland Security, 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2013   Lehman, James. â€Å"Newsletter Signup. †Ã‚  Empowering Parents. N. p. , n. d. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. Poston, Robin, Thomas F. Stafford, and Amy Hennington. â€Å"Software: A View From The (Online) Street. †Ã‚  Communications Of The ACM  48. 8 (2005): 96-99. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Stop Cyber bullying Before It Starts. †Ã‚  NCPC. com. National Crime Prevention Council, n. d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. How to cite Spyware on Children’s Computers; Regorian Rhetoric, Papers