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The earliest known measurement from the earth to sun was in 200 B.C. Aristarchus of Samos, a man of astronomy and Mathematics, made this discovery. He believed the Earth revolved around the Sun. Aristarchus of Samos used what is known today as right-angle trigonometry. By connecting Earth to Moon, Moon to Sun, and Sun to Earth, one forms a right triangle as shown below. The measure of angle â€Å"a† is 90 °; an observer on Earth can then measure the angle measure of â€Å"b†. Then for one to find the distance between Earth and Sun simply find the sine of angle â€Å"c.† Aritarchus of Samos would have expressed this a little differently for the sole fact of modern Trigonometry had not yet been discovered. Although this is strong in theory, it had its downfalls. This method in was proven to be very inaccurate. The Earth to Moon ratio is very small compared to the Earth to Sun ratio, which leads one to infer that angle â€Å"a† would measure close to 90 °. With the measure of angle â€Å"b† is close to 90 °; which would leave angle â€Å"c† very small. If a small human error occurs in measuring angle â€Å"b,† one is left with an emasculate error in the ratio of Earth to Moon over Earth to Sun. In modern trigonometry, it is describe as 1/(sin c)2 , which is very large when â€Å"c† is small. Aristarchus measured angle â€Å"b† as 87 °, but in fact was 89 ° 50 minutes. Although this error seems small, it leads to a 95% error. Aristarchus believes the Earth to Moon over Earth to Sun measured 19, but in all reality is measured as 397. But all in all Aristarchus of Samos was the first to mathematically set the spatial scale of cosmos. During the time of Kepler, most people still believed the Earth was the center of the Universe. Copernicus, in 1543, published his book, De Revolutionibus, states the Sun is the center of the Universe, and the planets orbit around, yet he didn’t know how the planets did so. In 1601, Kepler became the proud owner of Tycho Brache’s, an astronomer whom Kepler was an assistant for, meticulous measurements of planets, stars and sun that Brache had gathered in his last 38 years.

The Contribution of Informatics to the Development of Social

Essay The contribution of Informatics to the development of social networks and their impact on society Change is continuous constant; inevitable and sometimes unpredictable. We can easily say that world has changed a lot in industrial and mechanical era but the change seen in last half a century is exponential and amazing. If we have to credit one invention which had bought such a revolution, it would be computers. With advent of computers, a new paradigm shift was seen, computers enable mankind to compute and process data in more meaningful way with a blink of an eye.And it did not stop there, once a standalone computing machine, the true acumen of computers was judge when they were connected with each other forming a giant mesh of information following from one place to another in speed of light. As technology advances, the hardware and software capabilities of computers increased, now recently 1terabyte of hard disk space is normal for personal PCs, where servers and super comput ers can manage thousands of terabyte easily.Well it is debatable that can we apply â€Å"Moore’s Law† on the expansion of Internet too, but in practice it’s seen that Internet has grown tremendously in past years. Currently there are more than 50 billion web pages on Google alone, so one can easily imagine the depth and breadth of Internet. Humans have always shown eagerness and urge to learn unlearnt, find which is not found yet and invent things with improvisation and innovation. This hunger for knowledge is reflected on Internet, as it has abundance of information where millions of people quench their thirst.But the most amazing thing about the age of information and Internet is that they not only infested our professional or educational life but they have imbued our social life too. Aristotle once quoted in his Politics that â€Å"Man is by nature a social animal’, well if Aristotle would have been alive now he would have uttered that indeed man is s ocial network animal. Internet helped to shape new social norms in our generation, though we are in transaction period but in more than two decades this would be a tautology.Alvin Toffler in his book â€Å"The Third Wave† declared that the shores of the Earth have been struck by wave of information. Interestingly the power of Internet and socializing through networks was so strong that when Alvin Toffler wrote this book back in 1980’s Internet had not yet reached its epitome, though it has not reached it now but it’s far more glorious than back in 80’s. But still the anthropological changes pointed by Alvin are very visible and evident. Ships, trains, supersonic jets etc. have not shortened the edges of this world but Internet has really made this world a global village.It would not be an exaggeration; but single invention of making a meager data packet flow from one point to another brought all other inventions of 20 century to their knees. As there was a huge junk of scattered information lying on the Internet which would be useless in majority of cases was channelized by the brilliant idea of socializing sites. The informatics provided a concrete edifice to these social sites which developed their existence surrounding it. I can still remember that when I made my first account on orkut and shared a funny and witty scrap among my friends. I was rejuvenated by the replies and then it was no looking back.The concept of interacting with your friends who are at far geographical locations was just amazing and it also provided a taste of cross cultural exchange, and not only that but also increases your intellect by indulging in talks and debates around the world. The lacuna of geographical, cultural, religious, cast, creed etc. was beautifully filled by social sites and networks. The vastness of these social sites are unimaginable, as on face-book statistics, its reported that 800 million users are active member of face-book, and accor ding to Metcalfe’s law the number of connections can be calculated by squaring the connected people.One can hardly imagine vastness of the â€Å"node link† graph of these social sites. There is no harm in accepting that these social sites are now imperative part of our lives. But with pros there are also some cons attached they come with package, as human being is a bit stubborn, prejudice and many people will argue but sometimes irrational too, social site failed to provide tolerance and flexibility.It rather serves the purpose of fulfilling your social desires; desire to be loved and liked by your friends etc. But still I am not pessimistic, I am firm believer that these social networking may not bring complete ignorance and patience but will pave the path for global tranquility. In the end, I would like to conclude that social networking has shaped this world and I feel lucky and blessed to be a part of this revolution.

Desirees Baby Analysis Essay - 1415 Words

Abstract This essay will focus on the short story by Kate Chopin and its use of symbols, setting and characters. Desiree’s baby was perhaps one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Analyzing it was not easy at all. Its use of symbols was very hard to comprehend. At first, it doesn’t make sense. But as you think critically, all the symbols, and setting and the characters in this literature plunge together in one amazing story. Literary Analysis on Kate Chopins Desirees Baby â€Å"Tell me what it means!† she cried despairingly.† It means,† he answered lightly, â€Å"that the child is not white; it means that you are not white† (Chopin, p. 192). Kate Chopins Desirees Baby is a well-known short story. â€Å"In her life, Kate Chopin†¦show more content†¦In the very beginning Desiree was left on a stone pillar at the Valmonde estate; it is also here that Armand Aubigny sees her and falls instantly in love with her. The stone pillar is a symbol of firm, forced male dominance in a patriarchal society. It is how men were of superior to anybody else. Desiree grew into a beautiful and gentle-hearted young woman and soon found a wealthy suitor asking for her hand. This young suitor was Armand Aubigny. He had known of Desiree’s past but was in love and did not care. Armand Aubigny’s character in this story was racist and despicable but the young bride was in love and looked past his faulty character. Early in the story the narrator describes the scenery of the plantation, LAbri, which was owned by the Aubigny and says, young Aubignys rule was a strict one, too, and under it his Negroes had forgotten how to be gay, as they had been during the old masters easy-going and indulgent lifetime (Chopin, p. 190). This shows Aubignys egotism and indifference toward his slaves. His treatment of the slaves as possessions rather than human beings reveals that Aubigny has no consideration when dealing with blacks. The way Madame Valmonde described the LAbri as â€Å"a sad looking place, which for many years had not known the gentle presence of a mistress† (Chopin, p. 190), may have been a hint at Armand’s evil nature in the story. He was raised without a mother. His motherShow MoreRelatedDesirees Baby Literary Analysis1989 Words   |  8 Pagesstories Desirees Baby, The Story of an Hour, At the Cadian Ball, and A Pair of Silk Stockings, were w ritten in the 19th century in times when women had no rights, and had to portray an image of a loving wife. They were considered selfish if they thought otherwise, and their job was to make their husbands happy at all times. This was the century of a turning point for women, in which they had desires test their limits imposed on their sex. Critics of her stories list the analysis of assumptionsRead More Kate Chopins Desirees Baby Essays1394 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopins Desirees Baby This essay will focus on the short story by Kate Chopin and its use of symbols, setting and characters. Desiree’s baby was perhaps one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Analyzing it was not easy at all. Its use of symbols was very hard to comprehend. At first, it doesn’t make sense. But as you think criticallyRead MoreDà ©sirà ©es Baby Character Analysis1087 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Class, Gender, and Racial Value in Chopin’s Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby Taking place in antebellum Louisiana, Kate Chopin’s Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby places a strong focus on social class, gender, and racial value. Two characters that are limited by their acceptance of these are Dà ©sirà ©e and Armand, husband and wife with a newborn boy. Dà ©sirà ©e grew up at the Valmondà © residence where she was abandoned at a young age and Armand is a part of the elite planter class. Dà ©sirà ©e’s unknown ancestry along with being raised in aRead MoreDesirees Baby Analysis Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesKeah Graul Sister Lizzie Jones English 314 Section 7 28 October 2017 TITLE In Kate Chopin’s story, â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† she tells of a story set in Louisiana in the mid-nineteenth century on a white plantation some time before the Civil War when slavery was still legal. Readers will see the unraveling of a marriage because of assumptions and hatred that will lead to heartbreak. In this story, the readers will explore the impacts of racism and racial inequality and how the racial tension of the timeRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Desirees Baby1022 Words   |  5 PagesIn Kate Chopin’s short story, â€Å"Desiree’s Baby,† Armand Aubigny experienced the happiest marriage one could ever hope for with Desiree. They even have a romantic â€Å"love at first sight† experience. But then all of this is thrown away because of Armand. â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† has a significant impact on its readers because of the irony of Armand’s actions. Chopin describes this through his complex characterization whic h may explain why racism is able to thrive for centuries. One charming feature of Armand’sRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Desirees Baby854 Words   |  4 Pages Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin Kate Chopin was a strong intellectual woman, but was she a racist? From my knowledge of reading â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† I believe that she is not a racist, but the story is and it contains a big factor of prejudice, but there is so much more to the story than just prejudice. This story contains motherhood, genetic inheritance, and of course racism. A true mother doesn’t see their child’s imperfections or their short comings. Madame Valmonde takes in this little girl inRead MoreAnalysis of Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin1328 Words   |  6 PagesDesiree’s Baby and Southern Social Structure The short story Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin provides a sobering depiction of how the dark forces of prejudice and social hierarchy tore apart a plantation owning family in the state of Louisiana. Desiree’s character is that of a lady who carries the burden of being submissive to a domineering husband, a role she keeps until the very end of the narrative. Desiree is portrayed as an agent of light so to speak throughout the plotline but is seriously blindedRead MoreEssay on Formalistic Analysis of Kate Chopins Desirees Baby946 Words   |  4 PagesFormalistic Analysis of Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby  Ã‚   The short story â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby† is told by a third person omniscient point of view. The narrator, whose character or relationship to the story never receives any discussion, is a seemingly all-knowing observer of the situation. Although the narrator does not take sides towards issues that arise during the course of the text, her general view does shape the overall characterization of the white Southern society. The text exhibits interesting cluesRead MoreAn Analysis Of Armand Aubigny s Desiree s Baby 1538 Words   |  7 PagesArmand Aubigny’s Pride in â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† by Kate Chopin Through history, we have always yearned independence and equality as human beings. Undoubtedly, Kate Chopin is an extraordinary example She has landed a commendable place among American writers worthy of recognition. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1850, Kate was raised by strong women who taught her the value of an education. Her family gave her a revolutionary vision and a feminist personality, but it was her talented and passionate skillsRead MoreThemes And Summary In Desirees Baby, By Kate Chopin1242 Words   |  5 PagesSummary: The story of â€Å"Desirees Baby† by Kate Chopin opens up with Madame Valmondà © going to visit Desiree and her infant. On her journey to L’Abri, a plantation owned by Armand Aubigny, she reminisces about Desiree’s youth. Desiree was an abandoned baby found by Monsieur Valmondà ©. Madame Valmondà © trusted Desiree was sent to her by God as she was not able to have her own children. Eight years has passed and Armand Aubigny, the son of a wealthy cruel master, suddenly falls in love with Desiree

Facebook A Social Networking - 2256 Words

Facebook Inc. Facebook Inc. was founded on July 29, 2004 as a social networking company by Mark Zuckerberg. Before Facebook, Zuckerberg attended Harvard University as a psychology major. Facebook was originally called The Facebook and was created for the purpose of social networking for students that attended Harvard, it didn’t take long for Facebook to gain popularity (Reuters, 2015). Now, almost 11 years later Facebook is a $234 billion company with 1.19 billion active users. Facebook’s market cap is just under that of Walmart; which is the world’s largest retailer (Lange, 2015). Facebook incorporated has gained popularity for the ease of use for users to network all over the world. Even though many people only know of Facebook’s social networking aspects, Facebook owns a few applications and products, and has a huge project in the works called Internet.org; in which they have collaborated with big name companies to complete. Facebook’s success is thriving from the ability to make great investment that will benefit them later, along with engaging users in different aspects of social networking and always â€Å"Biggering and Bettering† their brand. The company’s goals, user interactions, the satisfaction of its users and overall business practices are what makes them so great, Company Goals Facebook corporation has been busy preparing to create a stronger company over the next decade, with multiple projects and innovations; which include connecting the world to the internetShow MoreRelatedFacebook : A Social Networking901 Words   |  4 Pages Since Facebook’s inception, it has become a world-renowned social networking service connecting millions of people around the world. As of June 2014, there were over 1.3 billion active users globally. The concept of Facebook is incredibly simple, yet has managed to attract a large consumer base in such a short period of time. After registering to the site, users create an online profile specific to the individual’s preferences. Once the profile page is personalized, users add other people on theRead MoreFacebook : A Social Networking Site857 Words   |  4 Pages　　When one joins a social networking site, they basically sign their rights over to that site (Friends Without Boarders). Many people do not read the terms and conditions when making an account to begin with, so they never know what they are really getting into (Friends Without Boarders). For instance, did you know on Facebook when someone joins, it automatically allows Facebook to access their information? They collect data from their members off of third party websites, so they can tailor the websiteRead MoreEssay on Facebook and Social Networking947 Words   |  4 PagesFacebook is rapidly attracting multitudes of visitors every month instigating a shift in communication. This change consequently presents that societies are choosing to become part of the popular Facebook culture for various reasons, such as its renowned opportunities for keeping in touch with current social circles, reunifying long lost family and friends and broadening prospects of finding new companions. Facebook removes some of the barriers that may limit our regularity of communication withRead MoreFacebook And Social Networking Sit es Essay1619 Words   |  7 PagesNew media has been easily made available everywhere and Facebook in particular as one of the world most popular social networking site (SNS) can be made accessible from desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablet because of this, almost everybody can have access to Facebook anywhere they go. For the most reason, due to the introduction of new media, Facebook plays a key role communication and staying in touch with families, friends, acquaintances, businesses, groups meetings and a whole lot of othersRead MoreFacebook Is A Social Networking Site1467 Words   |  6 PagesFacebook is a social networking site (SNS) where people can communicate with one another, share photos and posts, and poke one another. Numerous studies have been conducted concerning Facebook, and an array of social and psychological theories have been used to study the SNS. When I was looking through my profile from over the years, I began to notice characteristics about me that I t ried to present to my audience. Self-esteem issues were present in my profile, and the social comparison theory relatedRead MoreFacebook Is An Online Social Networking1079 Words   |  5 PagesFacebook is an online social networking website founded by Mark Zuckerberg along with his fellow Harvard College roommates Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, and Chris Hughes. The website allows you to create your own wall on which you can share images, personal information, videos etc. Through the site’s messaging feature persons are able to connect with friends, families and many other people around the globe. The success and popularity of the website has attracted over a billionRead MoreFacebook And Social Networking Sites1532 Words   |  7 PagesMark Zuckerberg founded Facebook when he was 23 years old while he attended Harvard University. Zuckerberg went to Harvard to study psychology and while he went there he developed a number of social networking sites that allowed students to view other students with the same degree and others where users could rate people’s attractiveness. When Facebook was first launched in February of 2004 it was called â€Å"The Facebook†. 1,200 Harvard students signed up and had a Facebook profile within the firstRead MoreFacebook : A Social Networking Service Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesFacebook Facebook is a network company with headquarters in Menlo Park, California it has 15,724 employees as of September 30, 2016 and has US offices in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles, Menlo Park, Miami, New York, Reno, Seattle, Washington D.C. and International offices in Amsterdam, Auckland, Berlin, Brasilia, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Dublin, Gurgaon, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Karlsruhe, Kuala Lumpur, London, Madrid, MelbourneRead MoreSocial Networking : The Cultural Logic Of Facebook Or Facebook?1188 Words   |  5 PagesAre you on Facebook, Twitter, or Snap Chat? This is the common question that everyone asks to each other whenever they meet someone new. Social networking sites have been an important part of our lives. Social networking sites, wikis, and communication tools, let people collaborate and share information online in previously unavailable ways. For most of the people, their day only begins with Faceboo k, Twitter, and other social sites. Over the years, Social networking has drastically changed the wayRead MoreFacebook : A Social Networking Sites Essay2202 Words   |  9 PagesThrough its years of operation, Facebook has been able to evolve and remain as one of the most popular social networking sites ever created. Facebook’s purpose is for users to connect, share,†¯and communicate with each other across the†¯internet. The case explores the beginning of Facebook, in 2003, when Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg first created an on-campus website called Facemash. The site would allow other students to rank the attractiveness of fellow students and quickly became the topic of

Criminality and Victimization Are Affected by Globalization

Criminality and victimization are affected by globalization; the rapid growth of urbanization; and economic recessions which reinforce concerns about safety and security. Governments have a key role in developing overall policies, and in promoting, coordinating and supporting crime prevention. On the other hand, personnel with different skills and roles in crime prevention, whether police officers, judges and prosecutors, probation officers, social workers, health service, researchers, civil society organizations and communities, all play an important role in crime prevention project development and implementation (Shaw, et al, 2010, p.xx). Risk of crime At the global level, countries are influenced by: major population movements; rapid urbanization; environmental disasters; economic recessions and organized crime. Such events can manipulate the state of a country’s political economy and infrastructure, and the capacity to govern may also be affected (Shaw, et al, 2010, p.xx). At the national level, situations that increase the risks of crime and victimization are: disparity in household income between the poorest and the wealthiest; corruption; the quality of the infrastructure and institutions; and social and cultural patterns (Shaw, et al, 2010, p.xx). At the local level, poor housing and neighborhood conditions, lack of educational and health services, idleness, drug abuse and easy access to weapons can all increase risks. Disorganized schools can result in poor

Microsoft and Sun Free Essays

The first problematical questions between Microsoft and Sun concerning the design and the sources of Microsoft Java implementation and Sun`s Java standards start back in 2000 or even earlier. When Sun’s more powerful and flexible standard of Java 2 arrived, due to different reasons (partially because of the legal troubles over Java)Microsoft was stuck in older JDK 1.1 mode. We will write a custom essay sample on Microsoft and Sun or any similar topic only for you Order Now So it comes to the point, where you have to do something, or pass off. So Microsoft improved their JVM in the new version of Windows. And then Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced it has started an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation. In its complaint (Press Releases, 2002), Sun alleges that Microsoft has engaged in extensive anticompetitive conduct, including the following: Fragmenting the Java platform; Flooding the market with incompatible Java Runtime Environments; Forcing other companies to distribute or use products that are incompatible with Java; Significantly limiting Sun’s distribution channels for the Java Runtime Environment; Intentionally interfering with the development of Java-based applications for compatible runtimes; Copyright infringement resulting from Microsoft’s distribution of an unlicensed implementation of the Java Runtime Environment; Intentional creation of incompatibilities between Microsoft software and competing technologies, thereby raising switching costs for consumers and reducing consumer choice. The other side of this long lasting conflict is trying to find a compromise between those standards (Microsoft’s own and Sun’s) and withstanding the lawsuits with more or less efficiency. Also Microsoft protesting against the sources of the lawsuits from Sun. Jim Allchin(Jim Allchin, 2002) from Microsoft wrote: This issue was addressed in detail during the liability phase of the trial. The Court of Appeals determined that it was not illegal for Microsoft to develop and distribute our JVM just because it was incompatible with Suns specification. Also on one of the Microsoft’s press conferences Steve Ballmer (2004) said about interchanges between their companies: So I’d say that’s the elements and then if you take a look at the payment, some of the money is to resolve our antitrust lawsuit. Some of the payment takes a look back and says let’s make sure we are clean with respect to one another on patents. Some of it is forward-looking in terms of how we work together from a patent perspective. And then some of it is forward-looking, us to Sun and Sun to us, in terms of the licensing of key intellectual property that relates to making these things plug together and interoperate well over the network. Press Conference Transcript: Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Scott McNealy (Sun), retrieved February 18, 2007, from http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/legal/04-02-04SunPressConference.mspx Sun Press Releases, Sun files suit against Microsoft for antitrust violations, retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2002-03/sunflash.20020308.1.xml Written Direct Testimony of Jim Allchin, retrieved February 18, 2007, from How to cite Microsoft and Sun, Essay examples

Cruel and Unusual Punishment free essay sample

Cruel and unusual punishment is the term used to describe criminal punishment which is considered unacceptable due to the suffering or humiliation it causes on the person. Cruel and unusual punishment has a very long history and is now noted in the constitution. There are several cases that deal with the consequences of cruel and unusual punishment and the constitution also protects people from this being used on them. The government has also put restrictions on the punishment judges can give to people for committing crimes due to the history of cruel and unusual punishment. 2) Cruel and unusual punishment had been used since the beginning of time. A lot of the punishments included devices such as the breaking wheel or the rack. Punishments also included things such as boiling to death, flaying, crushing, stoning, beheading, necklacing, and execution of fire. These are just to name a few. The breaking wheel was a device used during the Middle Ages cudgeling or beating a person to death. The limbs of the accused would be tied to a giant wooden wheel that would then revolve and the accused would be hit mostly with an iron hammer. Once the accused’s bones were broken they would be left there toFigure [ 1 ] the Breaking wheel (4) die. The Rack was also a device used in the middle ages, but this machine dislocated every limb in a person’s body. The limbs were tied to a rope and then the torture would crack a handle to slowly pull the bones out of socket. Often the torture would go too far and actually pull the limbs off of the body. Flaying was a procedure that pretty much skinned the person alive. Crushing was a process used to get a plea or confession out of a person by placing heavier and heavier rocks on the person’s chest. This person would either confess or the weight of the rock would get so heavy on their chest they could no longer breathe and they would suffocate. Necklacing is a punishment that is no longer used in the United States but it still being used my other countries, mostly Africa, up until the late 1990’s. They force a rubber tire around the chest and arms of the convicted fill it with gasoline and light it on fire. It usually takes the victim about twenty minutes to die from the burns. (4) In more recent years cruel and unusual punishment would be more along the ines of a judging sentencing a defendant to life in prison for theft. The government has said that the punishment must fit the crime to stop the use of cruel and unusual punishment. If someone feels that crime they have been given is not fair for the crime they committed they may make a case with the United States Supreme court to see if their sentence maybe overturned. Before 1791 this was not something that was allowed. You were to receive that sentence you had been given and there was nothing you could do about it. The eighth amendment of the United States Constitution states â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, not excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment be imposed†. (2) This amendment was added to the constitution in 1791. This amendment was first used in the state of Virginia by George Mason and Patrick Henry. Those men decided that it should also become part of the United States Constitution so that congress did not use cruel and unusual punishment. James Madison then proposed the amendment in 1789. There have been many cases in the United States in recent years that have been thought to be using cruel and unusual punishment. Some of the cases in The United States have involved a life sentence for shoplifting in California to the possibility of a life sentence for a 12 year old boy in the state of Pennsylvania. Here are few more cases that have gotten a lot of media attention for the cruelty of their punishments. At the age of 13 Joe Sullivan was convicted of raping a 72 year old woman. Sullivan did admit to burglarizing her mom with two other boys but says he did not go back to commit the rape. When the plaintiff took the stand she stated that she could not identify the boy other then he was â€Å"a colored boy† who â€Å"had kinky hair and he was quite black and he was small. †(3) She had also stated the boy said to her â€Å"If you can’t identify me, then I won’t have to kill you†. (3) Sullivan was asked to repeat this statement several times in court and the plaintiff said that she was not sure if that was the voice but it did sound familiar. Sullivan was found guilty and sentenced in life in prison without the possibility of parole. Joe Sullivan is currently 33 years old and his lawyers are asking the â€Å"United States Supreme Court to consider the question of whether the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment extends to sentencing someone who was barely a teenager to die in prison for a crime that did not involve a killing. †(3) In 2007 21 year old Genarlow Wilson was released from prison after the Georgia Supreme Court ruled his sentence to be cruel and unusual punishment. Wilson was convicted at the age of 17 for performing sex acts on a 15 year old consenting girl. Wilson was sentenced to 10 years in prison without the possibility of parole. â€Å"Partly as a result of Wilsons conviction, state legislators changed the law to make such consensual conduct between minors a misdemeanor, rather than a felony. †(6) Due to the changed in the laws Wilson’s crime was only punishable by one year in a prison and no registration as a sex offender. â€Å"The majority countered that it was not applying the 2006 amendment retroactively, but instead factoring that [into its determination that Wilsons punishment is cruel and unusual,] the court said in a news release. The state of Ohio has been accused of cruel and unusual punishment while trying to execute men on death row. One of the most recent stories was in 2007. Romell Broom’s execution was stopped by officials because they were unable to find any useable veins for the execution procedure. At that time steps were being taken to stop Broom’s execution altogether because it would violate his 8th amendment rights. This was not the first time Ohio has been accused of this, in 2006 they had trouble executing Joseph Clark and then in 2007 they had trouble executing Christopher Newton. The Ohio chapter of the Americans Civil Liberties wanted the state to stop all executions because they felt it was cruel and unusual punishment. However Governor Strickland said that â€Å"he will review the circumstances around Brooms failed execution but that he does not think a wholesale review of the death penalty in Ohio is in order. † In 2005 the United States Supreme court ruled that it is cruel and unusual punishment to sentence a juvenile to death. This was brought about because of a case out of Missouri State. This case involved a 17 year old who had been sentenced to the death penalty. In 1993 Simmons planned to murder Shirley Crook. Simmons and two of his friends met in the middle of the night but one of them dropped out of the plan. Simmons and Benjamin broke into Mrs. Crooks home, tied her hands and covered her eyes. They drove her to a state park and threw her off a bridge. When the case went to trial Simmons had admitted to the murder and was found guilty by the jury and was sentenced to the death penalty. Simmons appealed his sentence several times stating that they should have taken his age into consideration. He was not able to get an appeal until 2002 when the state of Virginia had ruled it unconstitutional to give the mentally challenged the death penalty. Simmons filed a new petition and the Supreme Court of Missouri concluded that a national consensus has developed against the execution of the mentally retarded† (5) and held that such punishment now violates the Eighth Amendments prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. Simmons then received life in prison without the possibility of parole. (5) In February of 2008 a Nevada woman, Michelle Taylor, was charged with forcing a 13 yr old by to touch her breasts. April 14th of 2010 Taylor was sentenced to life in prison with the chance of parole after ten years. The judge stated that this was the mandatory sentence for this particular statute and he didn’t know why the prosecution had decided to use this statute. Taylor’s public defender stated that â€Å"She is getting a greater penalty for having a boy touch her breast than if she killed him,†(1) The jury was not allowed to know the sentencing while they were deciding her fate and she was not offered a plea bargain by the prosecution. Taylor’s public defender believes this to be unconstitutional and does not fit the crime. In the state of Georgia the sentence for a sex offender that failed to register for a second time is a mandatory life sentence. Cedric Bradshaw received this sentence after having trouble finding a place to live and therefore could not register on time. â€Å"In a 6-1 decision, the court said the life sentence imposed upon 26-year-old Cedric Bradshaw of Statesboro violates the Eighth Amendment’s guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment. â€Å"We conclude the imposition of a sentence of life imprisonment is so harsh in comparison to the crime for which it was imposed that it is unconstitutional. The court ordered Bradshaw to be re-sentenced. His lawyer, Robert Persse, was happy with the ruling. â€Å"The state’s penalty provision was excessive and clearly disproportionate to the offense in question†. (1) The court pointed out that someone convicted of voluntary manslaughter or aggravated assault with the intent to murder, rob or rape can receive a sentence as little as one year. The 8th amendment of the constitution protects Americans for being subject to punishments that do not fit the crime they have admitted. The amendment first protects you from â€Å"excessive bail†(2). In England parliament decided to make bailable and non-bailable crime but it seemed that the king would still make it so they did not have to set a bail. Eventually in 1679 the Habeas Corpus Act was passed which forced the judges to set bail, but they would make it an unheard of amount. When the English Bill of Rights was written in 1689 it held that excessive bail ought not to be required. (2) However, the Bill did not decide what crimes were bailable and non-bailable offenses. This met that the Eighth Amendment could be interpreted to mean that â€Å"bail may be denied if the charges are sufficiently serious. †(2) In 1987 the Supreme Court decided that the governments proposed conditions of release or detention not be excessive in light of the perceived evil. (2) This amendment also protects us from having to pay excessive fines for the crimes that are committed. For example the Supreme Court found it to excessive for a person to have to pay a fine of $357,144. 00 for not reporting that he took $10,000. 00 out of the United States. Last but not least the 8th amendment protects us from having to endure cruel and unusual punishment. This simply means that the punishment must fit the crime that was committed and if it does not it can be overturned and be considered cruel and unusual. (2) Cruel and unusual punishment is something that will occur for years to come. People like to abuse their powers and sentence according to what they feel is right. The 8th amendment has made it possible for sentencing’s to be overturned and changed if the Supreme Court feels the convicted person had been sentenced to harshly.