Organizations and Terms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizations and Terms - Essay Example In this case, I shall examine the group known as the Al Shabaab militia. Al-Shabaab`s headquarters is situated in the coastal city of Kismayo, Somalia with several bases of operations in southern Somalia, Kenya, and Uganda. Al-Shabaab got designated a terrorist organization by the Federal Bureau of Investigations after the bombing of the World Trade Center by Al-Qaeda (Kelley 36). The name Al-Shabaab means ’’youth’’ in Arabic. Al-Shabaab. Other names used to refer to it include, Ash-Shabaab or Hizbul Shabaab, which means a party of the youth. It belongs to a much larger group known as HSM that stands for â€Å"Harakat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahidden.† Al-Shabaab originated from a faction that broke off from the Islamic Courts Union, following its defeat in 2006 by the joint forces of the Somali transitional government and their Ethiopian allies. The federal bureau of investigations had listed Somalia as failed state for almost twenty years due to the lack of peace due to the civil war. In 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigations officially recognized Al-Shabaab as a terrorist organization they attacked the United State`s embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Prior to these attacks, their fellow brothers in arms the Al -Qaeda had bombed the World Trade Center in September 2001. This was in retaliation for the United States had invaded the Middle East to quell the Taliban insurgency. Since Al-Shabaab is closest to both countries, carrying out these simultaneous attacks was rather easy. The Federal Bureau of Investigations states that for an organization to be classified as a terrorist organization, it must have crossed a few thresholds. Such as having weapons of mass destruction, have a few thousand followers, and it has to be well connected. Al-Shabaab also has ties with most of the other terrorist organizations all over the world. For

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Ethics - Essay Example In Michael Pollan’s essay, he protested against the ill treatment of animals when they are slaughtered for us to eat. He protested against suffering albeit it is not about human suffering but of animal suffering. Nevertheless, both protested against something, Martin Luther King, a legendary civil rights leader that helped end the discrimination against the Negro while Michael Pollan is a reputable animal rights activist known for his advocacy for animal rights and against artificial method of growing agriculture. In protesting against animal cruelty and suffering, Pollan used the rhetorical technique of personification and analogy to be able to reason in behalf of animals whose suffering he intends to mitigate if not end. Personification is a rhetorical technique of giving objects or animals human-like attribute and qualities. He also used analogy, which is a rhetorical technique used to compare and reason similar instances. These devices of using personification and analogy are necessary for Pollan to use for him to elevate his subject (which are animals) to the province of human beings so that he can effectively argue for them. Martin Luther King on the other hand used a different rhetorical technique due to the nature of his letter which was an open letter by nature (it was addressed to clergymen, plural) to be read by anyone of his constituents and not expecting for a formal reply because he was coming from jail and was addressed to a lot of people. Thu Martin Luther King used rhetorical question/remarks in his letter whereby he posed a lot of questions in his call to action for the Negro to continue to assert through non-violent means to end segregation, discrimination and injustice. Thus his letter was peppered with rhetorical questions and remarks which numbered more than 28. Some of these rhetorical questions read as such; "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?" Is not segregation an existential expression of man's tragic s eparation, his awful estrangement, his terrible sinfulness? Isn't this like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery? Isn't this like condemning Socrates because his unswerving commitment to truth and his philosophical inquiries precipitated the act by the misguided populace in which they made him drink hemlock? Isn't this like condemning Jesus because his unique God consciousness and never ceasing devotion to God's will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion? One many think that these rhetorical technique is inflammatory that borders to anger. But it has to be noted to put the letter in proper perspective that such letter is Martin Luther King’s call to action. In a way his way to vent his frustration over the inaction of the church and the Negroes but was not said in anger as he clarifies in the letter â€Å"In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. There can be no deep disappointment where there in not deep love†. It is difficult to compare to the same level Pollan’s advocacy for animals with King’s civil rights movement. King was virtually upholding human dignity for the Negro to be treated as human beings while Pollan’s argument almost called for animals to be treated with relative dignity as he asserted for ending their suffering and

Is Jekyll And Hyde Just A Gothic Horror Essay Example for Free

Is Jekyll And Hyde Just A Gothic Horror Essay Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is a typical Gothic horror story in the way the novel is written and described. Some people may disagree with this statement because in the Cambridge guide to English literature, Gothic fiction is described as a type of novel or romance popular in the late 18th and early 19th century and the word Gothic had come to mean wild barbarous and crude. Gothic novels were usually set in the past and in foreign countries, they took place in monasteries, castles and dungeons. Plots hinged on suspense and mystery often involving the supernatural. Having read the statement and also Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde some parts of the statement do not agree with the novel, for example, the novel is set in London and there are no castles or dungeons. Where as in Dracula by Bram Stoker and also Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are both set in foreign countries and also in mysterious locations Dracula being set in a castle and Frankenstein in a laboratory. To deal with human nature Stevenson discusses the ideas of Charles Darwin. Around the 19th century Charles Darwin began to write theories of animals and evolution, Stevenson was obviously influenced by these ideas and uses them to describe one of the main characters Mr Hyde. Stevenson also mentions religion when he discusses the ideas of Christian and non-Christian aspects in the novel. Stevenson uses lots of Gothic images, one of the first gothic parts of the novel is the trampling of the young girl. This scene is described as a black winter morning with the word black being very strong in that sentence because it makes the place seem evil and sends a shiver down your spine. The location is Gothic as it gives off a sense of darkness and fear. This is the part of the novel where religion is first mentioned, although it is not part of the Christian area of religion. Stevenson describes Hyde, as a juggernaught when he tramples over the young girl this is very strange considering juggernaught was something associated with the Hindu religion. Another Gothic feature in the novel is the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, two quotations which are Gothic are The bones audibly crunching and The body jumped upon the roadway. These sentences are quite interesting in the way they are described, first the crunching is a good use of an onomatopoeia by Stevenson, as the word crunching is very disturbing and you can almost hear the bones crunching in your head. The second makes you think of a dead body jumping around on the road. This is Gothic because the act that Hyde commits is an evil one, and where it actually takes place is a mysterious and strange location. The meeting of the two men also has an air of mystery surrounding it, as they meet in the dead of night when no one else is around. Stevenson uses the ideas of Darwin to write his description of Hyde, in the novel Hyde is described as an ape ..with ape like fury he clubbed him to the earth. A Gothic location is a place where it is usually dark, dingy and foggy a sinister place that you really would not like to be. For example Draculas castle is a gothic location, because it is old and also because it is dark and mysterious. Many of the locations in the novel are gothic, one of them being the description of Hydes house and the street outside. The novel quotes the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street. Then in the same chapter Stevenson describes the front of the dissecting room as a Sinister block of building and two storey high, no window. This house seems mysterious by the way it has no window and it leaves you wondering right from the very start of the novel what is actually inside that building. One of the strange things that I noticed when reading the novel is the description of the surrounding area when Dr Jekyll is there towards the end of the book, the novel quotes Fine clear January day, wet under foot where the frost had melted.,and the Regents park was full of winter chirrupings and sweet with spring odours. This is obviously not Gothic at all but it seems unusual that this is the only location in the novel, which is non-Gothic. It seems strange that Stevenson has decided to change from Gothic into something completely different, which really has no real connection to the story, itself. Human nature features in a number of areas in the novel. One of them is the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, besides being Gothic this has something to say about human nature as well. When Hyde begins to go mad and he kills Carew, the novel quotes all of a sudden, he broke out in a great flame of anger. Here Stevenson is using the element of madness and the ideas of schizophrenia, which was being researched around the 19th century. Stevenson also uses Darwins theories of evolution to describe Hyde as inhuman, with ape-like fury. Here the message that Stevenson is trying to give about human nature is that humans have the will and the power to kill something and each other. Stevenson also looks at the idea of split personalities; nearly every character has one. Dr Jekyll is the best example because his character is full of good and evil, when he turns into Hyde he is just pure evil. So when Jekyll loses control he changes from himself into Hyde. Stevenson is saying here that evil is more powerful than good in humans and that is why Hyde overpowers Jekyll, because he is pure evil. In the opening chapter of the novel when Hyde is first mentioned when he tramples over that girl .the man trampled calmly over the childs body then Hyde decides to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100, we screwed him up to one hundred pounds. Hyde does this instead of apologising to keep the family quiet. This is another example of human nature where some people including Hyde try to pay their way out of trouble. Overall, I feel what Stevenson is trying to say about human nature is that all humans have vices such as drinking and gambling. The creation of Hyde allows Jekyll to do what he wants, when he wants and hopefully he will not get caught. Jekyll does not want to have his reputation ruined, so that is why he creates Hyde so he can do all these things. Stevenson is saying that humans have pessimistic views so they will act evil to get away with something. In conclusion, I think that this novel is a Gothic horror story, but also does have something to say about human nature. Stevenson does mention human nature in the novel as I have discussed previously, for example the trampling of the girl and the murder of Danvers Carew. Of course, the novel could not have discussed human nature if Stevensons wife, Fanny had not been involved. In Jenni Calders introduction to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Calder writes Stevenson dreamt the essentials of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It was initially the Gothic aspect of the story that excited him. Fanny didnt like it, she felt there was more potential for more than just a mere horror story, that it might have something to say about human nature. Overall, the human nature aspect of the novel, makes the story more interesting.

Anglo Saxon Scops :: English Literature Writing

Anglo Saxon Scops The written word has existed for thousands of years, with the style and subject matter of literature changing to fit the times. English literature is no different, with three distinct periods of writing (Old English, Middle English and modern English). As the earliest period of documented literature, the Old English period is marked by the primitive styles and language of the Anglo Saxon people. Though they were sea-faring warriors, the Anglo Saxons were capable of strong emotions, best captured in poetry. However, these works were not written down. Rather, they were recited or sung. Some men even devoted their lives to this purpose. These skilled minstrels were known as scops. The scop was an Anglo-Saxon poet who was commissioned by the early Germanic kings or soldiers to entertain them by reciting the poetry to the accompaniment of a harp or a similarly stringed instrument. From the Old English word â€Å"scieppan†, scop means to create, form or shape. The scop was also referred to as a gleeman, from the Old English word â€Å"gleoman†, who was a musician or performer. Though the scop was a performer, like the gleeman, the work of the scop was more artistic, as the name denotes. Unlike the gleeman, scops also wrote and performed their own poetry. Also, they had to be able to insert fitting verse where necessary, depending upon the occasion or celebration . Scops were known to travel from village to village; however, many had permanent posts in the king’s court or mead halls. Usually, they performed for great feasts, celebrations, or the homecoming of soldiers from war. Their performances were usually short, but there were usually many lines of verse. Beowulf itself is over 3000 lines long. Any given song could deal with events from the present, such as battles won or recent adventures had. In Beowulf, the scop announced Beowulf’s triumph over Grendel the morning after the deed. Some songs might deal with figures from the past like the ancestors of the Anglo Saxons. Other subjects reflected in the poetry include the sea, brave deeds, glory of warriors, and the love of home. Scops were also commissioned to write elegies or songs for the dead. It was considered an honor to have a scop sing one's praise or mourn one’s death. But, regardless of the subject matter, the theme was lofty and its tone was earnest.

Speech on Marijuana Legalization

A well-known issue, right now, in the USA is that of the legalization of marijuana. This controversial topic is on the minds of our entire country. Whether or not to legalize marijuana has been a nation wide debate for years. In this informative speech I will be discussing only facts and opinions. Opinions and facts will come from organizations such as The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Marijuana Legalization Organization and the Drug Policy Alliance. Marijuana Legalization is an issue because there are so many individuals using the substance illegally. These individuals feel that Marijuana is not a harmful substance and can serve to profit states that legalize it. The biggest concern on everyone’s mind is that of health risks. Most people feel that it is in the best interest of the nation for marijuana to remain illegal. Marijuana Legalization Organization states that that is not entirely true. â€Å"Health considerations provide arguments to avoid excessive use of marijuana, but ultimately each individual should be allowed the personal freedom to decide whether or not to use marijuana. (MLO) In their opinion, as with anything taken in excess, marijuana is only harmful to those who choose to use it. The example used in MLO is that of an excess amount of unhealthy food. â€Å"[N]umerous studies have shown that foods with a lot of cholesterol and fat are unhealthy. Should we outlaw bacon? †(MLO) The thought is that instead we need to educate individuals and let people make their own decisions as we do with things like fatty foods, cigarettes and Alcohol. â€Å"A recent survey of research found that long term marijuana use did not have a significant effect on cognitive abilities. The report was published in the July 2003 Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. † This is also stated in the list of facts about marijuana on the Drug Policy Alliance Website. They state that, not only are there no long-term cognitive impairment but, â€Å"[m]arijuana has been proven helpful for treating the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions. † Medical marijuana has proven to be of significant relief for cancer, glaucoma, and aids patients as well as individuals that suffer from neurological disorders. While there are the medical reliefs from the use of Medical marijuana, but DPA also states that the substance has not shown cause of mental illness or to increase risk to cancer. The next claim is that Marijuana is a gateway drug. Webster defines a gateway drug to be â€Å"a drug (as alcohol or marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on a harder drug (as cocaine or heroin)†( http://www. merriam-webster. com/) â€Å"Some people claim that using marijuana will make you want to use other drugs, like heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, and ecstasy. They argue that marijuana acts as a stepping-stone, or a gateway, that leads people to harder drugs. They support their argument with statistics that show that most people who use hard drugs have tried marijuana before. † (MLO) â€Å"There is no conclusive evidence that the effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent use of other illicit drugs. Preliminary animal studies alleging that marijuana â€Å"primed† the brain for other drug-taking behavior have not been replicated, nor are they supported by epidemiological human data. Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. Marijuana is clearly a â€Å"terminus† rather than a gateway for the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers. † (norml) MLO states â€Å"In essence, the link between marijuana and other illegal drugs stems from the fact that they are illegal. Because they are illegal, marijuana and other drugs are only available on the black market, and anyone who enters the drug market is likely to be exposed to more than one drug. The solution is simple: by legalizing and regulating marijuana sales, we will eliminate the connection to hard drugs. † (MLO) They use Holland as an example. â€Å"In Holland, where politicians decided over 25 years ago to separate marijuana from the illicit drug market by permitting coffee shops all over the country to sell small amounts of marijuana to adults, individuals use marijuana and other drugs at rates less than half of their American counterparts. † (norml. rg) The argument is that, if marijuana were not illegal it would not be a problem. The DPA website states that the majority of the individuals that use marijuana never even use any other illicit drugs. This statement disproves that common misconception about marijuana being a gateway drug. Finally my sources argue that keeping marijuana illegal it is costing more than necessary. MLO claims that â€Å"Cost of keeping marijuana illegal = cost of active law enforcement + cost of prosecution (and defense! of a ccused offenders + cost of incarceration of convicted offenders + hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that would be generated if drugs were legal and taxed + cost of foster care and social services for children of incarcerated offenders. † â€Å"Washington state would save about $105 million a year if marijuana were legally regulated, according to University of Washington Economics professor Dick Startz. † â€Å"The US Federal Government Spends More Than $12 Billion Per Year on Drug Control Programs. Federal drug control budgets do not separate spending by drug, so we there is not a precise figure available for the amount that is spent on marijuana alone. Also, these figures do not include any spending by state or local governments, which are likely to be substantial since state police, courts, and prisons are constantly busy dealing with marijuana offenses. † They also state that â€Å"US Marijuana Crop Estimated to Be Worth Over $35 Billion. A new statistical analysis indicates that marijuana is America's most valuable cash crop. If these figures are even close to the truth, a logical system to regulate and tax marijuana would produce billions of dollars in revenue every year. † According to DPA, the fight that the United States is having against drugs in all is costing $51,000,000,000. They also stated that if California would profit annually an estimated $1,400,000,000 if marijuana were taxed and regulated. There are only two major solutions to this issue; to Legalize or not to legalize that is the question. Legalization could stand to earn the US economic growth but it could also lead to even more people using or abusing the substance. Keeping it illegal could have the government spending money that they don’t necessarily need to spend to regulate the use of this substance or this could be positive a by keeping individuals from abusing it. Only time will tell! Does anyone have any questions?

The Ethical Concepts Of Kantian Ethics Essay - 1043 Words

Morality in Reasons, not Consequences Introduction The philosophy of Kant has become a turning point in the development of the Western thinking and worldview. His innovative and progressive ideas have strongly contributed to the formation of a new paradigm of the universe and role of humans in it. A great role in Kant’s studies belongs to the analysis of ethics, morality and law as the main regulators of the human behavior in the society Kant is known as the founder of the deontological ethics (Kantianism), which presents a rational alternative to the utilitarian ethics and ideas. Particularly, the deontological findings and categorical imperative of Kant prove that it is virtually impossible to act immorally. The aim of this paper is to analyze the ethical concepts of Kantian ethics and prove the fact that acting immorally is irrational and unacceptable. Deontological Concepts of Moral Behavior The investigation of human ethics and morality has formed the main field of interest of many notable philosophers and thinkers. Particularly, Aristotle connected ethics to the good will and pursue of happiness, while J. S. Mill regarded ethics in the willingness of each individual to obtain the pleasure and happiness, in the long run (Loizides, 2013). However, the existed concepts of ethics tend to judge the morality of actions from the prospect of their consequences and results. In other words, the action is moral, if it leads to positive, favorable and useful effects and impactsShow MoreRelatedKantian Ethics And Communitarian Ethics Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pagesthis question, I will analyze two concepts: Kantian Ethics and Communitarian Ethics. Using Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine by Bonnie Steinbock, Alex London, and John Arras, I will explain both concepts and their understanding of moral reasoning. 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This question will often be asked regarding the case of enginee r James Liang and his role in the Volkswagen emission scandal. During the period of early 2006 to 2014, James Liang and his team of engineers developed a â€Å"defeat† device that allowed diesel powered vehicles to pass the EPA emission test, when in fact the vehicles were emitting up to 30 times the allowable limit. To many, this may seem a black and white case of ethics due to the fact that Liang’s team and VolkswagenRead MoreHow Can We Treat Terror Organizations With Dignity And Respect939 Words   |  4 Pageswhat they do? Finally, how can we treat in an upstanding, ethical manner when they themselves treat no one this way? Philosopher Immanuel Kant maintains that we must treat all persons –bullies, extremists, and terrorists alike - with the human foundations of dignity and respect. In this essay, I will further investigate the ethics of responding to extremism using a Kantian ethical approach. Kantian ethics has its foundation built on the concepts of fairness and justice – two ideas directly opposed byRead MoreThe Theories Of Devine Command Theory, Kantian Ethics, And Cultural Relativism894 Words   |  4 PagesEffective leaders requires an ethical decision making process to establish trust and loyalty through consistent conduct. Examining several ethical theories and concepts allowed me to establish an effective decision making ladder. The concepts of Devine Command theory, Utilitarian Ethical theory, Kantian Ethics, and Cultural Relativism align with my personal values, character and belief system; which is the foundation of my professional and personal decision making process. Devine Command theoryRead MoreKantian Ethical Analysis1614 Words   |  6 Pagesb) - Kantian Ethical Analysis: 1 - Introduction and brief explanation of Kantian ethics: German philosopher Kant was first to introduce the Kantian ethics; hence, the named after him. 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In this situation of the case we have Mike, who is a new accounts payable employee of the soft wear salesRead MoreKantian Ethics1459 Words   |  6 Pagestheir influence on young children`s lives it is their responsibility to make certain that young children will learn to make logical decisions that would contribute in a positive way in society. An ethical theory that would best describe people that influence young children would be Kantian`s ethics. His ethical theory elucidates that morality is when we act based on duty for duty`s sake not for self-interest. For this reason in order to respect the law, a sense of duty to one`s actions is necessary (KantRead MoreKant s Impact On Ethics1389 Words   |  6 Pagesability of human reason to help understand the world a nd solve its numerous problems- including ethical ones. Kant’s contribution to ethics has been very substantial, and although ethics is the field he’s had the most profound impact on, Kant also spent his time working in other areas, such as metaphysics and epistemology. Metaphysics is defined as â€Å"the branch of philosophy that deals with abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space† (Wikipedia). During hisRead MoreEthics Vs. Kantian Ethics1249 Words   |  5 Pageshistory different philosophical ideas and concepts developed in search for answers to universal questions. Beyond answers, philosophers explored schools of thought that would best govern human decision making. Two prominent ethical theories that arose were utilitarianism and deontological ethics. Both ethical theories developed to establish and justify a set of different moral rules and principles. Utilitarianism, otherwise known as consequentialism, is an ethical theory that sees the best moral decision

Predictions to Support Reading Comprehension

As a teacher, you know how important it is for students with dyslexia to make predictions while reading. You know it helps aid in reading comprehension; helping students both understand and retain the information they have read. The following tips can help teachers reinforce this essential skill. Supply students with a predictions worksheet while reading. You can create a simple worksheet by dividing a piece of paper in half, long ways, and writing Prediction on the left hand half and Evidence on the right hand half. As students read, they stop from time to time and write a prediction on what they think will happen next and write a few key words or phrases to back up why they made this prediction. Have students review the front and back of a book, the table of contents, the chapter names, subheadings and diagrams in a book prior to reading. This helps them gain an understanding of the material before reading and think about what the book may be about. Ask students to list as many possible outcomes of a story as they can think of. You might make this a class activity by reading a portion of a story and asking the class to think about different ways the story might turn out. List all the ideas on the board and review again after reading the rest of the story. Have students go on a treasure hunt in a story. Using a highlighter or having students write clues on a separate paper, go through the story slowly, thinking about the clues the author gives about how the story will end. Remind students to always look for the basics of a story: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. This information will help them separate the important and nonessential information in the story so they can guess what will happen next. For younger children, go through the book, looking at and discussing the pictures before reading. Ask the student what he thinks is happening in the story. Then read the story to see how well he guessed. For non-fiction reading, help students identify the main topic sentence. Once students can quickly identify the main idea, they can make predictions about how the rest of the paragraph or section will provide information to back up this sentence. Predictions are closely related to inferences. To accurately make predictions students must understand not on ly what the author said, but what the author is implying. Help students understand how to make inferences while they are reading. Read a story, stopping before you reach the ending. Have each student write their own ending to the story. Explain there is no right or wrong answers, that each student brings their own perspective to the story and wants it to end in their own way. Read the endings aloud so students can see the different possibilities. You can also have students vote on which ending they think will most closely match the authors ending. Then read the rest of the story. Make predictions in steps. Have students look at the title and the front cover and make a prediction. Have them read the back cover or the first few paragraphs of the story and review and revise their prediction. Have them read more of the story, maybe a few more paragraphs or maybe the rest of the chapter (based on the age and the length of the story), and review and revise their prediction. Continue doing this until you have reached the end of the story. Make predictions about more than story endings. Use a students previous knowledge about a subject to predict what concepts are discussed in a chapter. Use vocabulary to discern what non-fiction text will be about. Use knowledge of an authors other works to predict writing style, plot or the structure of a book. Use the type of text, for example a textbook, to predict how information is presented. Share your predictions with the class. Students model teachers behaviors so if they see you making predictions and guessing about the ending to a story, they will be more apt to employ this skill as well. Offer three possible endings to a story. Have the class vote on which ending they think matches the authors. Allow for plenty of practice. As with any skill, it improves with practice. Stop often in reading to ask the class for predictions, use worksheets and model predictions skills. The more students see and use predictions skills, the b etter they will be at making predictions. Â   References: Helping Students Develop Strong Content Area Reading Skills, 201, Joelle Brummitt-Yale, K12Readers.com Tips for Teaching: Comprehension Strategies, Date Unknown, Staff Writer, LearningPage.com