A Basic Overview of Paganism Essay examples - 1716 Words

Religion is about creation, and for that reason religion should be about the earth. - Laurie Cabot. One might see hundreds of faces from different races, gender, and pop cultures. But behind each face is a brain, with spirit and personal beliefs, like religion. When many Americans believe that everyone is Christian or Catholic, some people practice an ancient religion. This religion, commonly known as the umbrella-term â€Å"Paganism† is back on the move with a contemporary feel. Paganism is an earth-based religion, focusing around the elements and nature. Throughout this paper Paganism will be explained, along with two of its well-known sections, how Pagans worship, and Pagan holidays. Paganism has many sub-cultures, such as Wiccan,†¦show more content†¦Some follow the â€Å"Goddess† theory. The â€Å"Goddess† theory states that there is just one Goddess who rules over. Many depict her as Mother Earth, holding plants and caring for animals and humans alike. Pictures and art of the Goddess is normally a pregnant woman, to show how every life comes from her womb. Women normally follow this path because of the matriarchal feel of this path. The Mother Goddess is worshiped through the lunar cycle and also depicted by the waxing, full and waning moon. Other Pagans bring ancient religions into contemporary worship, such as Greek, Roman, or Egyptian mythology. In these different mythologies, there are many gods and goddesses with different jobs of everyday life, like the Greek god Helios who drove the sun with his chariot around the world everyday. Though the gods all have different names from the different cultures, they’re all about the same deities. The Greeks and Romans learned from the Egyptians, using cultural diffusion. In everyday life, Pagans who chose this path will pray to certain deities for help or guidance on what they rule over. Often, Pagans will choose a couple certain deities to focus their worship on, whether because of a spiritual bond or because of a coven’s pre-chosen path. Paganism is actually a word that’s used to describe the whole group of New Age religions, like NeoPaganism, Wiccan and others. NeoPaganism is the contemporary worship of older Pagan beliefs and using old rituals in today’s culture.Show MoreRelatedBoil Boil Toil and Trouble Essay2135 Words   |  9 Pagesthe earth more peaceful. Throughout the years, many Wiccans have been compared to Witches. The article â€Å"What is Wicca† written by Herne, a true follower of Wicca, states Witches have been associated as being evil, heathen, which is a type of paganism religion, and unrighteous (3). When someone hears the word Wicca, they automatically think of Witchcraft and Satan. It is very easy for a person to believe what they have heard since they were little kids. Seeing the way Witches are portrayed atRead MoreKing Arthur Literary Analysis3547 Words   |  15 Pages King Arthur has always been a long-standing icon of heroism, and heroism is a theme mankind takes pleasure in romanticizing. Arthurian Romance is the classic example of good versus evil, knights in shining armor, forbidden love, and sorcery; the basic elements of a romanticized tale. And in a dark time where religion clashed, empires fought in epic battles, and the people of Britain suffered from poverty and disease, Arthurian legend was neede d to lift the spirits of the hopeless. Arthurian Romance

Comparing 2 Cities Free Essays

Bangkok and Seoul are well-known cities of Asia. Bangkok is the capital main commercial center of Thailand and Seoul is the capital main commercial center of South Korea. While they are different in many ways, they also have several similarities. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing 2 Cities or any similar topic only for you Order Now This report will compare and contrast some of the economic, history, physical, population features of the two capitals. There are several similarities between the two cities. Firstly, both cities focus on manufactured business. Secondly, the finance and trade are the major industries of their economy. Thirdly, both of them have long histories. Seoul, is in fact, the older of the two cities. Seoul was founded in 1394 whereas Bangkok was founded in 1782. In contrast, the two cities have some significant differences in physical features. Firstly, Bangkok is much bigger than Seoul, occupying 1562 sq kms. On the other hand, Seoul is fairly small city, being only 627 sq kms. Secondly, the locations of Bangkok and Seoul is different. Bangkok, which is in central Thailand , is located on the banks of Chao Phraya River. It is about 22 kms from the river’s mouth. However, Seoul is located on banks of the Han River in north-western South Korea, about 3kms from the Port of Inchon. Finally, the population of the cities differ greatly in size and there is an important difference in their structure. Firstly, Seoul has just over ten million people whereas Bangkok has only 7. 5 million people. Secondly, the majority of the people in Bangkok is Thai with 75 percent and 25 percent people come to another countries including Chinese, Indian, Burmese, Khmer and Vietnamese. On the other hand, the main composition of people in Seoul is almost all Korean. How to cite Comparing 2 Cities, Papers

Poetry Analysis Buffet Etiquette Essay Example For Students

Poetry Analysis Buffet Etiquette Essay He further uses metaphor to describe his voice as bleach, because It has been washed away by his lack of Vietnamese culture, and has been replaced with the sterile and white voice of an American, which Is later shown to be true because of one of the speakers first cheers assumed that the speaker was adopted, because of how well the speaker spoke English at a young age. This description of the speakers voice with negative connotations is continued when Unguent uses simile to refer to his house as a silent film, because of how rarely the speaker and the speakers mother talk in the house, and how, when watching old home movies, the speaker can barely understand himself sometimes; however, in these home movies, the speaker is always able to understand his mother telling him to smile, meaning that he can still remember a few words of his native language. Unguent continues by calling himself a fortune cookie, and that he Is every Nikkei shoe that own, using metonymy to describe himself as these things due to the fact that fortune cookies are not often much more than American stereotypes for food Arlington In East Asia, and Nikkei shoes are often produced in East Asian sweatshops. These examples of metonymy are important to the poem because these clearly show how the speaker views himself as an Asian American stereotype, because of his lack of traditional Vietnamese culture, and his heavy influence on culture from America. His role as a stereotype in America is proven once again when the speaker adds an additional personal anecdote, describing how when he and a friend went to an Asian restaurant, his friend asked him why he wasnt using chop sticks, but instead, using a fork. The narrator replied by simply putting that this is much easier, possibly providing another view Into his lack of Vietnamese culture. The speaker ends the poem very suddenly after this, by forcing That is all. I have nothing else to say, quickly closing the poem without much of a conclusion, adding to the anger that the speaker must feel, encapsulated In the many uses of poetic techniques by Unguent In this poem. Mrs.. BlacklyPeriod 7 The speaker of Buffet Etiquette by Hue Mini Unguent is troubled because of his anymore, because of how it reminds each of them how differing their accents are metaphor to describe his voice as bleach, because it has been washed away by his an American, which is later shown to be true because of one of the speakers first cookie, and that he is every Nikkei shoe that own, using metonymy to much more than American stereotypes for food originating in East Asia, and Nikkei another view into his lack of Vietnamese culture. The speaker ends the poem very feel, encapsulated in the many uses of poetic techniques by Unguent in this poem.

Tourist Spots in the Philippines free essay sample

Introduction Tourism is all about the travel for pleasure that creates business because tourists need transportation, accommodation, food, entertainment, etc. that businessmen can provide. The tourism industry contributes in the economy of one country. Tourism industry gives them a large amount of dollar. There must be hotel accommodations that the travelers need and by this, there are lots of tourists attracted to those places because of their good accommodation. The tourism industry plays a big role in economy’s development and it may be affected by the many problems or issues of a country. On the other hand, new tourist attractions emerge constantly. As a tourist lure, prostitution has uplifted the economies of many nations. Ecotourism, the search for nature in the raw, may well become the prime tourist spot. The Republic of the Philippines is located in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Borneo and South of Taiwan. The island group has a total area slightly smaller than that of the British Isles. We will write a custom essay sample on Tourist Spots in the Philippines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Cansilao 2 The largest island is Luzon. In the northern part of this island are high mountains. Central Luzon is a wide plain, where rice and sugar cane are grown. Southern Luzon has may active volcanoes. One of the famous is Mount Mayon. History Philippine tourism flourished in the 1970’s and early 1980’s but declined in the mid 1980’s, with the average length of tourist stay falling from 12. 6 days in earlier years to 8. 9 days in 1988. In 1987, tourism growth was slower in the Philippines than in other Southeast Asian countries. About 1. 2 million tourists visited the Philippines in 1992, which was recorded high in the number of tourist visits since 1989.

Puritans

During the seventeenth century, the Puritans landed in New England to form the Massachusetts Bay colony. John Winthrop, the first Governor of the colony, saw the place as a political and religious refuge. He described it as a city upon a hill. In England, the Puritans were not free to practice their faith and were persecuted by the Anglican Church. The Puritans wanted to create an ideal society where they could practice religion at will. These people risked everything just so they could freely practice their faith. Their sole purpose in settling in America was to sustain and practice their religion. The Massachusetts Bay colony was very different from their counterpart, Jamestown. Jamestown colonists consisted of mainly single men who came to the New World to merely make money. These money-hungry profiteers were interested in milking the land for cash crops and other sources of revenue. The Puritans, on the other hand, formed communities where they could closely practice their faith together. They had a big focus on families and community worship. The Puritans also created a government, which was based on the idea of the rule of the majority. The Jamestown colony was not interested in making communities. The Puritans priorities were centered on their religion and the teaching of it. This is clearly shown in their focus of education. The purpose of education to them was to teach the children religious and moral values. This would prove to be a very good way to. Every community of 50 families had a teacher and every community of 100 families had a school. The Puritans emphasis on religious education supports the fact that they had moralistic plans for the New World. The Jamestown colonists, however, were not as concerned with education. Although the Puritans came to the New World for religious freedom, they did not accept people whose religious beliefs differed from those of the P

The Lost Art of Effective Procrastination

The Lost Art of Effective Procrastination Amending My Ways A couple of weeks ago, my assistant Jeanne requested that I stop sending her the copy for my blog articles on Sunday night or sometime on Monday, when I need her to publish it on Monday night. I’ve been writing my blogs on Sundays for 5 years, which worked fine when I was the one posting and distributing them. But now that another person’s schedule is at issue, I need to change my ways. This Friday, in an attempt to please Jeanne,  I squeezed  in my  blog in  the last minutes before heading  off to Breitenbush Hot Springs (near Portland, OR), where I had no  internet access (gasp) for 24 hours. Yup.  I left blog writing  to the last minute. I don’t procrastinate about a lot of work-related projects. In fact, I tend to err on the side of doing things right away so I don’t have to worry about them later! But in the case of my blog, I did so revel in a weekend of not knowing what I’d write about and being (mostly) at peace with that as Sunday night approached. So far, I have always thought of something to write about before deadline. I see the advantage of moving my deadline to Friday: I now don’t have the nagging thought, â€Å"I have to write my blog,† on my brain all weekend. But an early deadline has its challenges too. I have one more thing to fit into my work week, and pressure to think of something in what seems like less time. Procrastination Defined Procrastination, says Wikipedia, is â€Å"the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time, sometimes to the ‘last minute’ before a deadline.† This form of procrastination can be destructive. People can get fired because they put important projects off until the last minute, often compromising quality- or missing deadlines altogether. But what about procrastinating on making decisions (and I don’t mean using the excuse â€Å"I’m still deciding the best way to proceed† to avoid starting a project!)? Whose Decision is it Anyway? As I shared in last week’s newsletter, I recently thought for too long about whether to sign up for coveted Forrest Yoga classes with the founder of the discipline, Ana Forrest, who was visiting Chicago. I noticed, while blithely  putting off  this decision, that there was something appealing about letting others make decisions for me. In this case, by the time I decided on purchasing the tickets, they were gone. I was forced to come up with Plan B, which was, ultimately, okay with me. My decision-making procrastination transferred to the decision of whether to fly to Portland for a week to check out the yoga scene there and to explore the area. I looked for friends to stay with before buying the ticket; that didn’t work. I almost let that make my decision for me, but persevered, finding an Airbnb spot that was perfectly situated. Then I decided if I couldn’t get my ticket for less than 50,000 miles I wouldn’t go. But the ticket stayed within my budget. So finally I booked my room and a rental car and hit â€Å"Purchase† on my plane ticket. Immediately fear set in. What was I doing? Why was I going to new city by myself with no real plan? Maybe I’d have a horrible time. Oh my, no wonder I took so long to make this decision. There was terror behind my procrastination. Putting the Pro in Procrastination I did not let my fear stop me, and by the first day I was enjoying a beautiful hike by some waterfalls and eating a delicious crepe at the Portland Farmer’s Market. I met two business contacts for very fruitful coffees and lunches (those I did plan a little bit ahead). But pretty much everything I did on my trip I decided to do at the last minute. Breitenbush Hot Springs is notoriously full at this time of year, but I called Thursday and got the last bed  available for the next night! I also managed to get an appointment with a bodyworker in Portland  10 minutes after I called to ask about availability. As a traveler, there’s not much difference between procrastination and spontaneity. Last-minute choices allow for a sense of adventure, which I truly enjoy when I’m on â€Å"vacation.† I ended up doing many things I would not have predicted because I did not plan ahead for every moment in Portland. To be sure, deciding things at the last minute requires a willingness to accept the consequences if things don’t work out as planned. I don’t recommend this tactic when other people (like your assistant) are depending on you, or when the consequences of letting circumstances make decisions for you are unacceptable. But when all that’s on the line is exactly what you’ll be doing for fun and adventure, why not go with the flow?

Who are the 'winners' and 'losers' in globalization Essay

Who are the 'winners' and 'losers' in globalization - Essay Example the article concludes that the prospects for a satisfactory synthesis of a liberal economic theory of globalization, a normative political theory of the global public domain, and a new social bond are remote"( Devetak & Higgott 1999). Largely looking in terms of distribution of economic benefits of globalization it can be surmised that entrenched vested interests and inequalities have remained or even worsened. These inequalities, by themselves, would make any concept of global polity, economy or social bond from arriving in synthesis for maintenance of global social order. We examine the extent of inequalities below. Again in a slightly different context Phillip W.Jones makes a statement which is extremely relevant to the definition of globalization in present context. Jones states that," The logic of globalization contrasts markedly with that of internationalism. The latter, with its intrinsically democratic foundation, looks to a world ordered by structures supportive of that functionalism which is embedded in accountability. Globalization, by contrast, implies few logical imperatives in favour of accountability, but rather looks to the pursuit of interest on the global level through the operation of unfettered capitalism"(Jones,1998). Examining the globalization context from economic point of view prima facie capitalist motives of profits appear predominant. New technological developments, improvements in communication, growth in transnational infrastructure and liberalizing of trade and capital flows have enabled entrepreneurs the globe over to deploy and run their capitals chasing markets the globe over. The globalization aligned attitudes of IMF and World Bank are exemplified with clarity by Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank, when he says that," The key aim of today's policy makers has not changed compared to those at the Bretton Woods times - it has been, and still is, global prosperity and stability - but the environment in which we are acting has changed profoundly......Today we are striving for stability of the international financial system in a world of free capital flows with a growing importance of private flows and increasing trade and financial integration"(Trichet, 2004). As Roby says," world-wide output and trade have grown apace with market openings and the rise of efficient global business networks these past 15 years. An entrepreneurial class is energizing once-stagnant command economies" (Roby, 2005). It is at once apparent that this 'entrepreneurial class' is essentially limited in number the globe over. They also have limited spheres of influence. Consider for instance, the pharmaceuticals giant Astra Zeneca (AZ) has multinational operations and employs just about 65000 employees globally (Annual, 2004). Such instances abound in almost all industrial and commercial sectors where spread and success have been limited. Has AZ been able to provide cheap drugs to global population-perhaps no. We perhaps need more global entrepreneurs in each activity to raise

Emotions Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Emotions - Personal Statement Example The incidence is when I was attending a school annual function. I really wanted to have a nice view of the entire programme. I was in the audience, sitting in the first row with a relaxed temperament. I am a down- to - earth person I enjoy dances and songs but never wanted to be a part of the show. Things were going smooth and I was totally involved in the function. I was applauding my friends, cheering them for their actions, encouraging them for their performance. It was really a fun and frolic time for me and I became the part of the function. The emotional turmoil came when I was asked by the master of the festival to be present on the stage. I got the shock of my life. I was in a real fix, freeze as ice and was spell bound. Could not understand anything but heard my heart beats and could feel the blood gushing into my body with a much faster pace. I could not make a single move. It was like the whole world is spinning around me and everybody is giving me a fleeting look! I gathered all my lost courage and started a move to the stage with an emotional pressure that was pushing and at the same time pulling me. A battle was going on inside me, what to do What should I say How it happened Why me only Cursing myself why I was making so much fuss, praying to God Uttering.. "Please help me God.

Childhood and Physical Contact Essay Example for Free

Childhood and Physical Contact Essay 3.4 Explain how practitioners can take steps to protect themselves within their everyday practice in the work setting and on off site visits. Many jobs within children’s workforce require physical contact with children as part of their role. There are also occasions when it is entirely appropriate for other adults to have some physical contact with a child or young person with whom they are working with. However it is crucial that in all circumstances, adults should only touch children or young people in ways which are appropriate to their professionals or agreed roles and responsibilities Practitioners need to be aware that even well intentioned physical contact may be seen as inappropriate by the child, other adults or by anyone to whom this action may be viewed by, also never touch a child in a way which may be considered indecent. Always be prepared to report and explain actions and accept that all physical contact, but understand that physical contact in some circumstances can be easily misinterpreted because of the state of mind of the child or the adult. Be aware of all cultural and religious views about touching and always be sensitive to issues of gender and always encourage children, where possible, to undertake self-care tasks independently e.g. changing and use of the bathroom. As an adult working with children always pre –empt situations that may put you in a vulnerable position and plan to avoid them such as concealed one to one contact with a child or young person. Where possible always leave a record of a planned visit which may have the potential to be problematic e.g. where, when and why and take to follow up any incidents/ accidents or concerning behaviour.

Proprioception Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Proprioception: How and Why There are five common senses that are discussed and learned from an early age: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. The I-function, the conscious part of the brain, is very aware of these senses. It voluntarily checks information obtained by these senses in order to experience the environment, and also when a strong enough stimuli has signaled attention to these specific receptors. There are other equally important sensory systems set up that are essential for normal body functioning, but these are not so easily recognized by the I-function because the nervous system keeps the input unconscious. One overlooked sense, known as proprioception, is as important, if not more important as the other senses, for normal functioning. Proprioception is "the process by which the body can vary muscle contraction in immediate response to incoming information regarding external forces," by utilizing stretch receptors in the muscles to keep track of the joint position in the body (1). Proprioception and kinesthesia, the sensation of joint motion and acceleration, are the sensory feedback mechanisms for motor control and posture. Theses mechanisms along with the vestibular system, a fluid filled network within the inner ear that can feel the pull of gravity and helps the body keep oriented and balanced, are unconsciously utilized by the brain to provide a constant influx of sensory information (2). The brain can then send out immediate and unconscious adjustments to the muscles and joints in order to achieve movement and balance. Why has the nervous system developed the sense of proprioception, and why is it an unconscious aspect of the sensory system? Proprioception, also often referred to as the s... ...tion seems to be one of the most complicated aspects of the brain. Was the I-function one of the last aspects to evolve in the human brain thus far? If so was it because the necessities for survival were accomplished by the species, proprioception allows movement and eating is instinctual to the brain? Why did evolution cause the human to develop the I-function? References 1)Proprioception, A simplified overview of anatomical structures and neurophysiological actions involved in joint stability. http://www.umds.ac.uk/physiology/mcal/posture.html 2)Mixed up in Space, An article concerning how the vestibular and proprioceptor systems react in space. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast07aug_1.htm 3)Why can't this man feel whether or not he is standing up?, The story of one man's loss of proprioception http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun98/touch.html

Reaction 12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men: Reaction Paper The film 12 Angry Men gives an inside look at the inner workings of a jury deliberation as twelve random strangers are called to do their civil duty. In a group of diverse people from different backgrounds, Henry Fonda’s character attempts to convince the rest of his fellow jurors not to easily convict a troubled young man just because it would be the simple solution to all of their problems. The jurors are placed in extreme circumstances in which heat and angst drive them to push for a guilty verdict, despite the clear evidence of reasonable doubt presented through the trials facts.In the end, Henry Fonda’s character gets the other jurors to realize that all of the evidence is circumstantial and they present a not guilty verdict to the judge. This film presents a situation in which it becomes clear that previous prejudices can influence the verdict that certain jurors hand down. It is difficult for people to become unbiased, even in cases t hat require them to be. The backgrounds of the various jurors came to light throughout their deliberations. The one juror that took the most convincing was one that was carrying emotional baggage involving his own tumultuous relationship with his estranged son.Another juror clearly looked down on the defendant’s impoverished background. One man could care less about the situation and just wanted to make a baseball game that night. The jurors had their reasons for voting the ways that they did, but this proves that everyone has bias based on their backgrounds and past life experiences. The only way that someone can form an opinion is because they have a moral compass that guides them as to what they accept to be right and wrong. This is what drives a person’s beliefs, and this is what influences them the most if they are placed on a jury.The deliberation room also caused an uncomfortable situation for the jurors. Most people dread the day that they will be called upon t o serve on a jury. It seems like a tedious job that takes away from the important things in their personal lives. The extreme heat in the room, plus the eventual rain just heightened the tension, and may have caused the jurors to argue with one another. Most of the jurors just wanted to get out of there, but they were reminded that there was a person’s life at stake and they could not take that responsibility lightly. This is an important point o remember because most people do not care one way or another whether a person they do not know goes to jail or not. This is why everyone should take their civil duties seriously. The jurors treated the defendant as if he was the one who had to prove his innocence, as opposed to the commonly held notion of the prosecution being given the burden of proof. Everything in the case was his fault. Because the knife was unusual, he had to have been the one to stab his father. Because the lady said she saw him killing someone, then she must ha ve been telling the truth.To the jurors who presented a vote for guilt, all of the evidence was clear and they had no doubt that the man was guilty. Henry Fonda’s character presents to his peers that the defendant did not even have to open his mouth. He should not have to prove his innocence, it is implied in the Constitution. This helps show why evidence gathering is so important to cases. If evidence is gathered properly, then bias can show through in police work. The jurors assumed that the cops were diligent with their investigation, so the defendant must be guilty because the cops would not have arrested him if he were not.The bias of the jurors in favor of law enforcement officers persuaded them to vote for a conviction while deliberating. The jurors also were presented with evidence that was circumstantial at best. Henry Fonda’s character attempts to prove that the facts of the case do not add up. Everything that the prosecution had laid out before them was base d on multiple assumptions. They assumed that the lady across the street could see through a passing train. They assumed that the old man could walk to his front door in 15 seconds.They assumed that the boy would stab his father downward in the chest. All of these assumptions would lead anyone to believe that the young man was guilty, but when taken as parts of a whole, the case starts to break down. The lady could not have seen the boy through the train from 60 feet away at night if she wore glasses. The old man could not get up from his bed and make it to his door if he was walking with a limp. The defendant could not have stabbed his father downward because his instincts with a switchblade would have told him to stab forward, not down.It is surprising how poorly the case was thrown together, yet random strangers were so convinced that they were right to want to convict a seemingly troubled young man based on simple assumptions. Henry Fonda’s character was not trying to prov e that the young man was innocent. He was trying to prove that there was reasonable doubt in the case. In the beginning of the votes, he insisted that he voted not guilty because he believed that the boy deserved better than a five-minute deliberation when a life is at stake. It is hard for common people to place themselves in others’ shoes because most people do not see themselves as criminals.Anyone who has a previous history of delinquency is automatically assumed to be a repeat offender when it comes to crime. The beauty of the U. S. criminal justice system is the fact that innocence does not have to be proven. Everyone is assumed to be innocent, but this is hard for jurors to contemplate when they have been presented with what they believe to be facts by the prosecution. The bias of the various jurors was apparent throughout the deliberation. Only when the rest of the men refused to entertain foolishness did one juror give up his prejudice rant against people from the sl ums of town.No matter how much a jury is supposed to be fair, everyone will have bias in their decisions because decisions are based on past experiences of others. The criminal justice system is not perfect, but it attempts to be fair to those who cannot defend themselves. This film shows a positive point of the trial system. One person stands up for the defendant and tries to prove that his life is worth at least a second look. This is why most people would rather have a jury of their peers determining their fate, as opposed to a single judge and executioner.

Josephine Baker Biography

Josephine Baker was an American singer, dancer, and actress who rose to fame in France during the Harlem Renaissance: â€Å"a literary and intellectual flowering that fostered a new black cultural identity in the 1920s and 1930s†(Rowen). Josephine Baker was the first African American female to star in a movie, the only woman to speak during the March on Washington alongside of Martin Luther King Jr. , and the first black international pop icon (Lewis). Jo Baker is best known for, her â€Å"jungle banana dance†, where she danced naked except for a string of bananas tied around her waist. Born Freda Josephine McDonald, even though they were eventually divorced, Josephine Baker decided to keep the last name of her second husband, Willie Baker. Josephine ran away from home at the age of 13 to pursue her dream of being a famous dancer-singer but didn’t get her big break until she was discovered by director Folies Bergere in Paris. (Lewis) In 1951 at The Stork Club, New York City’s most extravagant night club at the time, Josephine was denied service because she was black (Lewis). That was the first time racial inequality directly impacted her. Josephine responded by refusing to entertain in clubs that did not allow blacks, in which several clubs responded with integration. She â€Å"crusaded for racial equality† again in 1963 when she spoke alongside of Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington: the largest political rally for African American rights in United States history. Throughout the rest of her life, Josephine did many other things in protest of racial inequality, the most famous being her adoption of 12 multi-ethnic orphans (Gaines). Some say that Josephine started the trend of celebrities (ex: Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock, Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, and Hugh Jackman) adopting multi-ethnic orphans. Josephine has influenced the works of many modern day entertainers. Singer-songwriter Beyonce has given Josephine credit for being the inspiration of many of her performances throughout her career, including her re-make of Josephine’s famous banana dance for a performance of her song Deja Vu in 2006 (Gorgan). And in 2010, R&B recording artist Keri Hilson portrayed Josephine in her single â€Å"Pretty Girl Rock†. (MacKenzie) Works Cited Rowen, Beth. â€Å"The Great Days in Harlem†. Infoplease. Pearson Education. N. D. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. Lewis, Jone Johnson. â€Å"Josephine Baker†. About. com. About. com. N. D. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. Gaines, Steven. â€Å"Hungry Heart†. New York Magazine. New York Media LLC. 10 Apr. 2009. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. MacKenzie, Carina Adly. â€Å"Who is Josephine Baker? Meet the Legend who Inspired Keri Hilson’s ‘Pretty Girl Rock’†. Zap2it. Tribune Media Services. 21 Nov. 2010. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. Gorgan, Elena. â€Å"Going Bananas for Beyonce! †. SoftPedia. SoftNews Net SRL. 11 Sept. 2006. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. Criner, Lowe. â€Å"Josephinw Baker†. Plaza. Plaza Edu. N. D. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. â€Å"Josephine Baker – Breezin’ Along With the Breeze†. Youtube. Youtube. 7 Aug 2010. Web, 19 Dec. 2011. â€Å"Josephine Baker – Breezin’ Along With the Breeze Lyrics†. ST Lyrics. STLyrics. com. N. D. Web, 19 Dec. 2011.

Microscope observation of animal and plant cells Essay Example

Microscope observation of animal and plant cells Essay Example Microscope observation of animal and plant cells Essay Microscope observation of animal and plant cells Essay Cells represent the make up of our being as well as many other organisms whether they are unicellular or multicultural. Cells can also be complex or quite simplistic in design and contents, depending on the purpose of its function in an organism. Typically when studying cells some form of magnifications must be used to see the finest details of the cell, microscopes are used due to constraints in human eyes that only allow us to see to so much. In essence their use is to see what the eye cannot. This may include processes such as mitosis, phagotycosis and other forms of transport within the cell. Even though microscopes aid in viewing cellular content what can be seen my be limited due to the sizes of the actual organelles, or the types of stains used to highlight organelles within the cell. For example mitochondria cannot be seen with a standard lab light microscope. When scientist want to view the contents of a cell there are 2 main types of microscopes they use Light and Electron. All depending on the budget they have and the detail needed will determine which they would use. In this experiment we will make use of the light microscope.  Method  As per schedule until the cell is stained with Eosin, which instead of 2 minutes it was left for 20 seconds. Apart from this alteration the method is as per schedule Results  In this experiment we were not looking for actually results of tests, but here are the findings from viewing the microscope.  Cheek cell  Onion  Stomata.  All of the specimens where viewed under x100 magnification, this is achieved by the lenses on the eye piece producing x10 and then the objective lenses producing an additional x10 with in turn give x100 magnification.  Discussion  The focus of this practical involved making use of epithial tissue in animals and surface tissue in plants. There are different types of epithial cells the ones from the cheek cell are squamous epithelial cells. They form the epithial tissues that are continuous sheets, which cover most structures or cavities within the body.i Due to the limitations of the light microscopes, we are only able to observe some of the organelles within the 3 structures we viewed. To do this it involved making use of dyes to make parts of the cells visible. The two stains used were Haematoxylin and Eosin these are commonly referred to as HE stain. They are blue and red respectively. They both have separate functions and are used in conjunction to indentify different parts of the cell.  Haematoxylin is known as the basic stain as it identifies acidic material within in cells by turning them blue. Such structures include nucleic acid and nuclear material. These are then referred to as basophilic although some scientist debate on the use of the word.ii The counter part of haematoxylin is eosin, in opposition it is acidic and turns basic material within the cell red or a pink colour, depending on the concentration of eosin used. Parts of the cell thats are affected by eosin include the cytoplasm, because of its basic nature.  Haematoxylin is not really regarded as an actually a dye although this is debatable by some, where as eosin is an acid dye. Haematoxylin is able to develop colour-like properties when oxidized. Because of their different properties they both sow their importance in staining because of their characteristics.  As stated within the practical organelles were limited to what could be seen with the light microscope. An electron microscope would have highlighted organelles such as Golgi body, mitochondria etc. in three dimensions. Reference: Barbour, M. et al. (1997) Biology. London: Collins Educational http://protocolsonline.com/histology/haematoxylin-eosin-he-staining/ accessed on 17/11/2010 lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/MoreAbout/stains.html accessed on 17/11/2010

An overview of US economy

America An overview of US economy The economy is the most important indicator to judge the internal living conditions and social development of any country. It provides information about the development of basic factors like health, education, happiness, infrastructure, living standard, etc. United States is one of the largest economies that has gained huge level of hold on the world economy and controls the world economy through its internal situation. The very interesting fact about the Americas economic growth is that Americas GDP is 26 % of the worlds total economic output. It is clear that US has created its powerful industrial structure and per capita income is also appreciable inside the country. The industrial development is tremendous, and the country has worlds maximum number of a billionaire. Currently per capital GDP of US is $49,800 which is very high. Further, the role of technology within the US economy is also remarkable. Technologically the US has seen highest advancement and development that is suff icient enough to grow the economy as compare to other countries. The external economic factors put the positive impact at each another and lead towards the growth of the economy and the internal economic environment. The US economy is mostly based upon the capitalist economy structure, and the ideology suggests that the privatization is the basis of growth and development of countrys economy. The government has their intervention into only health sector and transportation area. The country has maximum number of private companies who are successful and have earned huge profits all across the world. Even the government buys the required products from private companies. This economic ideology is highly success in US and ensures the proper flow of income and effective utilization of natural resources. The decision making is in the hands of private firms in the US. Here the private companies faced the high level of leverage of such kind of economic structure in expanding their business a nd taking the decisions appropriately. The technological areas have brought down the revolution in entire world and America has become the pioneer of such advancements. The aerospace, computers, communication and information technology, medical, military, etc. these are certain areas where US have surpassed all other countries and have effectively contributed well into economic development. These sectors have become the foundation of countrys rapid growth in oversees as they expand their business and fulfill their needs. IN 90s US has transformed their entire economy as the industrial set up was on the peak and the companies were performing well at international level. While 90s the growth rate was extremely high as the economy grew by 3 4 percent every year. The residents of the country get their own home that was the positive indicator for US economy. After 1975, the household income has been increased by 20 %, and it is something that creates confidence among the people towards the US economy. But another fact is that the people who had less technical skills and educational qualifications they face trouble in establishing their growth in the era of technology. They found obstacles in facing pay rises and other benefits at work place. It determines the unequal distribution of wealth and employment opportunities. At the same time, the US economy has faced huge level of growth in literacy ratio. To meet out the requirement of technology people started to get educated and it just raises the level of employment within the country. Thus, the technology works positively in the long run and negatively in the short run. But its negative consequences are negligible as compare to the positive results. Unequal distribution of wealth is another factor that could be realized in US economy over the recent past or industrial development time. Th e people who dont have good education the employment opportunities are less for them, and it created less earning opportunities. Now the contribution or the role of oil is very significant in US economy. It is to acknowledge that 55 % of total consumption is the oil only. The America imports such huge amount of crude oil for the consumption of residents. The rise in the prices of oil just create a burden on US economy and reduce the GDP growth rate. During 2001 to 2008 the petrol prices were not so stable, and it just create trouble for US economy to handle the situation. At the same time, the financial crisis took place in the entire world and America faced two major problems. One was dampening the housing market, and other was related to the rise in oil prices. It just created the trade deficit and most importantly the value of the dollar was depreciated as compare to other currencies. The fluctuations become very common scenario, and it creates trouble in handling the economic st ructure. Another problem that America started to face is related to high import ratio as compare to export. The US has plenty of natural resources, but most of them have been utilizing for inside consumption. There was very less export, and it just stuck the internal flow of money and capital. The infrastructural development was on the peak that is another indicator for healthy economic structure. Still the infrastructure development of US is appreciable and increasing year on year. The bankruptcy of banks like Lehman Brothers was the worst era for US economy where they found trouble in managing the mortgage prices, investment failures, credit failures and so on. At that time, US faced a high level of issues with respect to their economic structure. The reason behind the economic recession is the socially huge spending habits of people and low saving ratio. It was the actual scenario of US that people earn less, but they spent more than their earning. For the same purpose, banks issued more number of loans, and the amount was so high thus it creates the negative flow of money within the economy and it just lead towards the economic recession. Other than this the expenditure upon the security of the country from outside attack is something that has affected the US economy negatively. The country spent billion dollars every year to protect their territory or boundary. Developing the military equipment and weapons has become a priority of US government, and it just affects the US economy negatively. Various plans have been implemented with respect to ensuring the low level of the trade deficit. The fiscal stimulus for the amount of 787 billion dollars was something that was passed by the president to be used for social welfare and economic structure repairing process. It helped in generating the job, revenue for the country through various processes. The economic structure come into trouble as the US government put their leg into wars with Iraq and Afghanistan and were in search of terrorist groups and their leaders. It also affects the GDP growth rate in recent past. The impact of terrorist attack took place at world trade center could be realized after a long period. The US government faced lots of issues with Iraq and Afghanistan in resolving the problems. It has been estimated that by the 2011, the total cost for wars was near to 900 billion dollars which are very huge amount from economic growth perspectives. Improving the health care se ctor is another prioritized area for concern for US government. To stabilize the US economy and to pass the benefits of American citizens, the government has put various efforts. However in future there are certain problems which could be faced by the US government like lower income people, unemployment, low saving ratio, rapid increment in the pension and medical cost of old age population, energy-related issues, problematic relations with other countries, pressure to create employment, budget deficits etc. Very latest economic data represent the consumer price index at stabilized rate of .2 whereas the unemployment rate is 5.5 percent. Further, the GDP rate is also increasing with an increasing rate and has been reached to 16.77 trillion US dollar. Currently, the US government needs to improve their international relations and have to focus on basic economic components or sectors. They need to grow the agriculture sector and need to increase their export ratio of natural resources. The infrastructure development is required to be maintained within the national economy. Funding to an international organization is required so that the interest could be received, and this long term investment can strengthen the base of US economy. Ahead the openness within the economy is required to be minimized so that the benefits of selling goods internally could be transferred to local manufacturing firms. Other than expenditure on war and acquiring the weapons there is need of spending on social welf are and creating the investment opportunities. The US economy is still very powerful and highly diverse economy, and they have control on worlds economy. The private companies of US have created their reign all over the world and have put a hold on worlds industrial development. They need to perform well on the continuity basis and need to contribute for national welfare rather than individual growth and development. Thus, the US economy has brighter future if the government removes their attention from wars or spending on manufacturing military equipment and spending excessively on security matters.

The Enlightment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Enlightment - Essay Example The current research looks at ideals of nature and human potential, absolutism and forms of government, as they are related to Enlightenment models, which were a challenge to the Old Regime. Later ideal government structures of the Enlightenment were more about the people than the divine monarch. â€Å"Supposed innate qualities, such as goodness or original sin, had no reality. In a darker vein, Thomas Hobbes portrayed man as moved solely by considerations of his own pleasure and pain.† (Enlightenment, 2008). There were light and dark sides to this decrease in absolutism. The Enlightenment represented a shift in the form of nature from being totally based on the idea of absolutism of divinity to a paradigm shift from the Old Regime. What many Enlightenment thinkers did was to refine the whole concept of nature-as-absolute, and change it in a way that represented less absolutism. A paradigm shift occurs when the accepted notions about a given subject or theory (absolutism in this case) become disfavored, in the favor of a new way of doing things or a new notion of the way in which things are done. This creates tension as supporters of the old paradigm are often polemical against the new paradigm during the process of change or paradigm shift. In terms of humanity’s successful attempts to control nature, and both of these things are seen as being positive by the various Enlightenment philosophies. The Enlightenment seems to also reserve a lot of praise for those things which are not found in nature, but rather which represent culture and art. Th is is a reflection of what the Old Regime may have been experiencing in terms of an agenda to install Enlightenment ideals of science, rationality and reason being paramount in terms of their opposition to nature and emotion which may be more spontaneous. The idea of the fall of absolutes shows in Enlightenment ideals in many ways, particularly in the appreciation of reason over emotion and the attention to