The Outcasts of Poker Flat Review Essay Example for Free

The Outcasts of Poker Flat Review Essay The Outcasts of Poker Flat and the Metaphor of Texas Hold ‘em The story of â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat† by Bret Harte is a beautifully written narrative about a character named Mr. John Oakhurst. During the story, Oakhurst is placed through a variety of situations that eventually lead to his subtle death. The story of â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat† follows as a parallel to the game of Texas Hold ‘em in a very unique way. In the game of Texas Hold ‘em, every player is given two cards. This states the metaphor for where Mr.  Oakhurst is currently at and what variables he has been given. In the beginning of the story Mr. Oakhurst is known to be a professional gambler and he has been kicked out of the town of Poker flat along with a few more Outcasts named the Duchess, Mother Shipton, and a man named Uncle Billy. Considering the fact they have been kicked out of the community, they now have to venture to the closest town, over a range of mountains, named Sandy Bar (1,2). They have a limited supply of goods to make it there, and these are the cards they have been given. The next turn of events in the game of Texas Hold ‘em is called the â€Å"flop. † In this turn, three cards are flipped over for everyone’s use in hope that the gamblers will have a better chance at winning the hand. These three cards are variables. The flop can sometimes benefit the gambler, and the other time the cards don’t help at all. In the story, the variables given to Mr. Oakhurst are three hindrances. One variable in the story is during the middle of the first night there are some added guests to the campsite for the night. These guests are named Tom Simson and Piney Woods (3). This makes the living situation for the night a little more difficult. The second variable happens in that same night. Uncle Billy goes on his own way without the rest of the outcasts. To make the situation even worse, Uncle Billy took the mules from the outcasts (3). Now, the people were without transportation. The final variable in the flop is: there is a storm brewing for the campers and they had been snowed in (4). Now in the game, it is up to the gamblers to throw in their chips and bet if they can win the hand. If the gambler doesn’t believe he can win the hand he has the option to fold and quit betting. In this case of the metaphor, this option would be to kill himself. In the instance of John Oakhurst he decides to gamble and continue on playing with the variables he has been given. The next and final turns of the game are called â€Å"the turn† and â€Å"the river. † These turns are two more cards, and in the metaphor two more variables added to the situation. For the gamblers it can be added assurance of the win, or it could be more clarification that the gambler will not win. In the case of Mr. Oakhurst, â€Å"the turn† card is another downfall. Mother Shipton had folded her cards. She no longer could survive the winter cold and lack of food and supplies (6). In Oakhurst’s frame of mind this was an added despair. People were giving up and psychologically he was feeling the same way inside. It was now time for the â€Å"River card† and it was the last stretch for Mr. Oakhurst. The added variable is that the storm continues to get worse (6). Oakhurst is realizing the severity of his situation however he doesn’t let that emotion show. He lets the other gamblers continue on and he makes his last decision in the game. He folds his cards (7). He had given up on the venture to Sandy Bar and decided that the hand he played was his last. The â€Å"Outcasts of Poker Flat† written by Bret Harte goes to show sometimes many are given a lucky hand and sometimes a gambler is â€Å"struck with a streak of bad luck† (7). Mr. Oakhurst received the latter in this story due to his gambling ways. Through this argument one has seen that this story follows as a parallel to the game of Texas Hold ‘em in a very unique way.

Flag Desecration :: essays research papers

Flag Desecration Flag desecration is not American. People who burn the American flag lack respect for themselves, America, and the many people who have died to preserve American freedom. The people who desecrate the American flag have no right to call themselves Americans. They are unpatriotic, two faced, cowards, and worse of all un-American (communist). To be patriotic a person must love and defend his own country against all foreign and domestic threats. These unpatriotic people are two faced. They live in America with all its freedoms, and yet desecrate the most important symbol which holds America together: the flag. The way flag burners go about desecrating the American flag shows that they are not true Americans. Flag burners commit a morally unjust and hateful crime by desecrating the American flag. They are the first to hid behind the first amendment (Freedom of Speech). For people to say they have the right to burn the American flag, sighting their first amendment rights, t hey have some kind of warped sense of expression. If people continue to desecrate the American flag, it will lose its significance and value. From 1968 to 1989, politicians and true red blooded Americans understood how important it was to respect the American flag. Congress passed a law in which it prohibited desecration of the American flag in 1968. According to the law, it was illegal to cast contempt, either by word or act upon the American flag ((Federal law, 18 USC Sec. 700 States, 1968); Sec. 2(a). The law states that whoever knowingly casts contempt upon any flag of the United States by publicly mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, or trampling upon it shall be fined, not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both, Sec. 2(b). The term "flag of the United States" as used in this section, shall include any flag, standard colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or r epresented on any substance by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, standards, colors, or ensign of the United States of America". In simple form, the law says that the American flag is to be revered and not abused in an act demeaned as unprofessional. The law was very strict and to the point. Flag Desecration :: essays research papers Flag Desecration Flag desecration is not American. People who burn the American flag lack respect for themselves, America, and the many people who have died to preserve American freedom. The people who desecrate the American flag have no right to call themselves Americans. They are unpatriotic, two faced, cowards, and worse of all un-American (communist). To be patriotic a person must love and defend his own country against all foreign and domestic threats. These unpatriotic people are two faced. They live in America with all its freedoms, and yet desecrate the most important symbol which holds America together: the flag. The way flag burners go about desecrating the American flag shows that they are not true Americans. Flag burners commit a morally unjust and hateful crime by desecrating the American flag. They are the first to hid behind the first amendment (Freedom of Speech). For people to say they have the right to burn the American flag, sighting their first amendment rights, t hey have some kind of warped sense of expression. If people continue to desecrate the American flag, it will lose its significance and value. From 1968 to 1989, politicians and true red blooded Americans understood how important it was to respect the American flag. Congress passed a law in which it prohibited desecration of the American flag in 1968. According to the law, it was illegal to cast contempt, either by word or act upon the American flag ((Federal law, 18 USC Sec. 700 States, 1968); Sec. 2(a). The law states that whoever knowingly casts contempt upon any flag of the United States by publicly mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, or trampling upon it shall be fined, not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both, Sec. 2(b). The term "flag of the United States" as used in this section, shall include any flag, standard colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or r epresented on any substance by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, standards, colors, or ensign of the United States of America". In simple form, the law says that the American flag is to be revered and not abused in an act demeaned as unprofessional. The law was very strict and to the point.

Early Death Penalty Laws Essay

The death penalty laws were started way back in the eighteenth century B. C. under the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon which covered the death penalty for approximately 25 different offenses or crimes. In the Fourteenth Century B. C. of the Hittite Code, the Fifth Century B. C of Roman law of the Twelve Tablets and the Seventh Century B. C. of the Draconian Code of Athens used death penalty as a part of their laws and made capital punishment as the sole punishment for every crime committed. During those times, death penalties were executed through drowning, beating to death, crucifixion, burning alive and impalement. Moreover, during the Tenth Century A. D. in Britain, the common method of executing the accused was through hanging. A century later, William the Conqueror would not like to see and permit any convict to be hanged or else executed for any offense except during times of war. But this trend did not last because during the reign of Henry VIII in the Sixteenth Century, there were approximately 72,000 convicts that were executed. The methods used in the execution during his reign were burning at the stake, hanging, boiling, beheading, quartering and drowning. In addition, in the following two centuries, the rate of capital offenses continued to go up in Britain. During the 17th century, there were about 222 crimes were sentenced by death penalty in Britain which included cutting down a tree, stealing and stealing a rabbit warren. And due to drastic punishment of death, several juries would not easily convict a defendant if the case committed was not really serious. This action had brought changed in the death penalty of Britain. Since 1823 up to 1837, the capital punishment was abolished for over 100 of the 222 offenses sentenced to death. Furthermore, Britain had influenced the United States of America to practice death penalty compared to any other country. As the time European colonizers arrived in the new world, they brought with them the practice of death penalty. The first man ever recorded and received such punishment in 1603 under the new colonies was Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown colony of Virginia. Captain George Kendall was sentenced to death because he was a spy of Spain. Four years later, Sir Thomas Dale (a governor from Virginia) decreed the Devine, Moral and Martial Laws which used death penalty even for minor crimes like killing chickens, trading with Indians and stealing grapes. Laws which regard to capital punishment depend from colony to colony. The first execution in the Massachusetts Bay Colony happened in 1630 although the Capital Laws of New York Colony instituted the Laws of Duke of 1665. In these laws mentioned, crimes like denying the â€Å"true God† and striking individual’s father or mother were sentenced to death (see â€Å"Early Death Penalty Laws†. History of the Death Penalty, p. 1). In addition, the chart below records the practice of death penalty in United States of America in the past four centuries. The chart emphasizes the gradual rate growth of death penalty during seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In the middle of 1930s, there were approximately 200 executions happened every year and between 1967 and 1977, there was succeeding regression in practice and a suspension on executions. The statistics utilized in the chart were compiled from M. Watt Espy and John Ortiz Smylka’s database â€Å"Executions in the U. S. 1608-1987: The Espy File. † (See â€Å"Executions in the U. S. 1608-1978: The Espy File. DPIC, 2006). C. Different methods used to execute people There are many ways on how to execute death penalty as mentioned in the earlier discussion. But then again, there are seven principal methods of execution that are presently use globally and these are the hanging, firing squad, lethal injection, stoning, poison gas, guillotine, and electric chair. c. 1 Hanging If this method handled properly, this would be considered as humane method. The neck is intentionally broken and then, death quickly comes. Nonetheless, if the fall is insufficient, the convict will slowly choke to death. If it is excessively great, the rope has the tendency to slit the convict’s head (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org). c. 2 Firing Squad The convict is tied and shot in the heart using several marksmen. Death is expectedly to be fast and of all of the states in the United States of America, only the Utah practiced such method. In March 15, 2004, the method was abolished by other states and chose to have lethal injection instead, but with the exception of the four convicted murderers on death rows that were sentenced to death through firing squad (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org). c. 3 Lethal Injection This kind of method is the most â€Å"convenient† execution of death penalty. While the convict is lying on the table, the lethal drugs are injected to him/her. Normally, sodium pentothal is injected to cause unconsciousness to the convict. After that, pancuronium bromide is injected. This drug stops breathing and paralyzes the convict. Then lastly, potassium chloride is injected to end the circulation of the heart. If this method is properly performed, the convict easily becomes unconscious. But if the dosage is extremely slow, the person may possibly experience paralysis. This kind of method is practiced by most states in the United States of America (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org). c. 4 Stoning The convict is frequently buried up to his neck and bombarded with rocks till the convict will finally die. Rocks are used for this method because they are big enough to initiate fatal injury to the convict but even one rock can already cause death to the convict. This method is absolutely not practiced in all states of United States of America but is actually practiced in several Muslim countries as a punishment for adultery, murder, blasphemy and other offenses (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org). c. 5 Poison Gas Cyanide is dropped into acid which produce Hydrogen Cyanide. It is a deadly gas. It would take several minutes of anguish and pain before the convict dies (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org). c. 6 Guillotine This was recognized and eminent French invention and not practiced in North America. It cuts the neck and death comes very fast (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org). c. 7 Electric chair This is the only method of death execution that not a single person knows how fast the convict dies from the electric shock or what the individual is experiencing. The ACLU explains two incidents where convicts obviously lived for 4 up to 10 minutes before they will die (see â€Å"Methods used to execute people†. Facts about capital punishment: Part 1: Data and Trends. Religious Tolerance. org).

Detox Diets - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 701 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/02/15 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Diet Essay Did you like this example? Detox diets are commonly known for its promise to cleanse your system of the toxins stored in the body and filter our liver. It is believed that toxins are the reason why we may feel sluggish or irritable. Over time, we accumulate these toxins mainly from the junk foods, treats, sweets, and alcohol we consume. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Detox Diets" essay for you Create order There are many different kinds of detoxes and done in different ways. Some require a very strict diet of only fresh fruits and vegetables, while others require fasting altogether. Due to such restricted diets, detoxes are only done for short periods of a few days to a couple weeks. Longer periods can lead to malnutrition and health concerns. Due to this, many are skeptical of detox diets. Some say they do more harm than good to the body, while others say that a couple days of water and colorful plates of fruits and vegetables can lead to an instant increase in energy reserves or even lose weight in that time frame. After doing some quick research, I have noticed a common trend in the answer to the question â€Å"do detox diets work?† Many start off with the same keywords when first introducing â€Å"detox diets.† Almost all of them start off with something similar to â€Å"detox diets should (†¦)† and this is what puts me on the skeptical side. Detox diets are claimed to do so many miraculous things. But many say that there is no real scientific evidence to back those claims up. I do believe that major health concerns are the cause of our traditional poor diet. However, a few days of â€Å"eating clean† is not going to resolve anything. The body is known for its self-maintenance. Our digestive system absorbs what it needs from the foods we eat and disposes of the waste. Any toxins that were absorbed is filtered out by the kidneys and removed by waste. It does not make sense to filter the filter of our bodies. Moderation is key. Too much or too little of anything is harmful. Normally, our problematic diet is due to overeating nutrition poor, artificial foods. Removing these from our diets will do more good than removing everything from our diets altogether. Another promise that does not make sense is the promise to increase energy levels. Aside from the fact that toxins in our bodies are naturally removed, removing our source of energy is a contradiction to the promise. We get energy from the nutrients we absorb from our food. Our main source of energy are sugars and fats that can be converted to glucose or glycogen for later use. Removing this will be the opposite of its promise. Our bodies’ metabolisms will drop to preserve energy and when we finally start eating again, our bodies will store the extra food as fat rather than use it. Maybe we will lose a couple pounds from the lack of food and our bodies going into starvation mode. But when we return to our normal diet, our body has no way of knowing that food is available and the diet was temporary, it will continue to save whatever it can in the event it must go into that starvation mode again. To conclude, I do not believe any diet that requires the body to go into starvation mode or deprive the body of any nutrients could be beneficial. I believe that our bodies are fantastic machines and our immune and digestive systems are smarter than we are. It takes care of our bodies and does its best to repair itself from any damage we do to it. The best thing we can do is to minimize those damage causing habits. We can eat healthier and in moderation, get the proper exercise, and get enough rest to let our bodies do what it does best. Before this paper, doing a detox sounded amazing to me as well and I was looking into finding a quick one to do. However, after reading three different scientific sites on detox, I realize that it is just a fad that sounds like it could work, but can actually have really bad consequences to the body and worse if the user has current health conditions.