Why Do We Sleep Essay - 618 Words

â€Å"Why do we sleep?† is a very popular questions that many humans ask today. Sleep is very sufficient to the human body. If it was not important, then God would not have designed for a third of our life to be occupied by sleep. During this time period, many people are interested to know what is a good amount of sleep and what are the harmful effects to not getting enough sleep. The question â€Å"why do we sleep?† is a very difficult question to answer. One way to think about why sleep is important is looking at sleep as if it was food. Food helps us feel better and also helps the human body function properly.There are many different assumptions on why we sleep.The first is that sleeping allows the body to repair cells damaged by metabolic†¦show more content†¦Some people can be fully energized off of 7 hours of sleep, while other may need 9 quality hours of sleep. Many other factors such as pregnancy,aging,previous sleep deprivation and sleep quality can also affect how many hours of sleep you need. In order to get the amount of sleep you need, you must make sleeping a priority! If an activity is interfering with your sleeping, then you should put that activity on pause. There are various negative effects to not getting enough sleep at night. Weight gain is one negative affect of not getting sleep. If youve been getting less the seven hours of sleep daily then you might notice you waistline expanding. The body has a hard time processing the protein leptin which regulates the metabolism. When your metabolism is slow and you food craving increases, it is very easy to gain weight. Not getting enough sleep can also cause stress. If you are up at night thinking about problems and different situations, you can get really mess up your sleeping habits and be even more stressed.Sleep deprivation can also cause you to have a weak immune system.If you can sleep, it is very possible for you to be catching illnesses such as a cold or the flu. Not getting the sleep, makes it tougher for you body to fight off bacteria and viruses. One of the worst cons of not getting enough sleep is impaired memory and brain function.Sleep deprivation can impair many functions of the brain, including how it processes information and how you think, makeShow MoreRelatedWhy Do We Sleep?1227 Words   |  5 PagesEvery day I wake up and every night I sleep. My curiosity always wanted to know why do we have to sleep? Some say that we sleep because we do it for energy. However, I never understood that because food and nutrients give us energy. So won’t that mean as long as we are always getting food and nutrients, we will have energy? That really perplexed me. I felt like the energy reason was not sufficient enough. However, I do know that when we sleep it gives our body time to recover. That is plausible,Read MoreWhy Do We Sleep?1540 Words   |  7 PagesWhy do we sleep? As we all know, one third of our life is spent to sleep, but very few people intend to lay bare the secret of that. There would be a question: why do we sleep? According to the video The Function of Sleep, Tyson states that people are not very clear about the purpose of sleep, but some researchers believe that sleep could enhance memory. MIT researcher Matthew Wilson also illustrates the thoughts of a rat can be read by implanted the electric wire into its brain. According toRead MoreWhy Do We Need Sleep?1713 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Do We Need Sleep? Typed By: Miracle Taylor Regulating sleep is something our bodies do that is as natural as eating, drinking, and breathing. This implies that sleeping serves a similar role in our health and well being. Even though it is difficult to answer the question â€Å"Why do we need sleep?† scientists have developed several theories that may explain why we spend a third of our lives sleeping. Comprehending these theories can help expand our appreciation of the functionRead MoreEssay on Sleeps and Dreams: Why Do We Sleep and Dream?741 Words   |  3 Pagesabout the Sleeps and dreams topic. It will be segmented into different parts, but I will first describe the basics of the sleeping and dreaming, why it happens and how. After that I will describe the different types of sleep which are REM (Rapid eye movement) and NON-REM. Other topics that will be discussed are the biological clock, consciousness and alerted, how much sleep does the body need, treatments and problems such as insomnia, sleep apnea and narcolepsy. Firstly, why do we need sleep? Our body’sRead MoreSleep: Why We Need It or Do We? There are many different philosophies on how much sleep the body1200 Words   |  5 PagesSleep: Why We Need It or Do We? There are many different philosophies on how much sleep the body needs or doesn’t need. Sleep has been said to be the body’s way of refueling. It allows the body to restore its mental energy (msnbc.com). The question is how much sleep does the body truly need to function? One theory pertaining to sleep is that if your body has a lack of sleep it would just adapt to less sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause us to lose our agility, cognitive, and immune responsesRead MoreThe Theory, The Energy Conservation Theory1419 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: what is sleep: Sleeping is something that most creatures of the animal kingdom have in common. A period of time where the body seemingly ceases to function. The average human is supposed to sleep 7-8 hours a day, and although this varies from species to species, the core function stays the same.The dictionary definition of sleep is â€Å"the natural state of rest during which your eyes are closed and you become unconscious†.(Sleep, n.d.) Although it seems like nothing is happening whenRead MoreThe Human Body And Body Needs Sleep835 Words   |  4 PagesTo Sleep. Everyone knows the human body needs sleep. For some people, sleep is what they enjoy most, but why do human beings need sleep? Why is the urge to collapse into the warm safety of our beds so tempting? Why are we so grumpy when we don’t get enough sleep? Sleeping isn’t only relaxing but it is also helpful to your brain and body. â€Å"We have to sleep because it is essential to maintaining normal levels of cognitive skills such as speech, memory, innovative and flexible thinking. Sleep alsoRead MoreDreaming Is Something We ve All Experienced While Sleeping1565 Words   |  7 Pagesreality. We all experience dreams that range from the pleasant and the not so pleasant or nightmares. Dreaming is still largely a mystery to science, as experiments are conducted to figure out why we dream and how dreams function. We do know one thing for sure, that everyone dreams unless in the rare case they are prevented by meditation or a brain injury. Dreams occur in two states; REM sleep and non-REM sleep which are very different and give the dreamer different sensations. In REM sleep our dreamsRead More Sleep, Dreams, and Our Mental and Physical Processes Essay1671 Words   |  7 PagesSleep, Dreams, and Our Mental and Physical Processes Scientists have been researching and conducting studies to discover the true meaning of sleep and dreams. Scientists have developed a few theories on whether we sleep and dream to build up our mental or physical energy. According to the author of an article in Encarta Encyclopedia, Siegel defined sleep as the natural state of rest characterized by reduced body movement and decreased awareness of surroundings (Siegel). In an article onRead MoreWhy Do We Have Dreams?790 Words   |  3 Pagesreason behind dreaming has still not been scientifically proven, but there are many theories and religious beliefs as to why people dream at night. Theorists, such as Sigmund Frued, devoted their time to peoples dreams and observing them while they dream and sleep. These scientists have discovered that people are most likely to dream during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep than any other stage because the mind is more aware then. There are theories that say that dreaming can predict the future

The Communication Concepts Of Kinesics And Mythical Norms

Imagine a world without sound. Instead, what if you see sound or feel sound? In the TED Talk, The Enchanting Music of Sign Language (2015), Christine Sun Kim is a born deaf artist that translate sound into visual language of art and sign language. As sound can be the biggest obstacle for the deaf culture, Christine did not let that disempower her, but rather empower her to realize the powers of American Sign Language (ASL) and open the eyes if people that sound can be seen through what she calls, †visual language.† Observing her speech, even though she is unable to verbally communicate, Christine’s expresses her emotions and word through her facial expressions and the context of her speech breaks the barrier of a common norm that sound is something that is just heard, not see. Christine Sun Kim’s speech shows many communications concepts that can be analyzed from Warren and Fassett (2015). In this essay, I will be providing application on how the communicati on concepts of kinesics and mythical norms was portrayed in the speech of Christine Sun Kim. Christine Sun Kim was born deaf, and therefore her nonverbal communications skill is more emphasized than the average hearing person. Out of all the nonverbal communication skills, kinesics is one concept that first came into my mind. According to Warren and Fassett (2015), kinesics are our â€Å"gestures, body movements, and facial expressions† (p.161). As Christine speaks, her facial expressions changes between every word and she

Mcteague and the mayor of casterbridge Essay Example For Students

Mcteague and the mayor of casterbridge Essay Moy 1Shelly MoyM. ReganENG261ACApril 28, 2003Thomas Hardy and Frank Norris are artists, painting portraits of men filled with character, that is distraught with regression. The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy is a powerful and searching fable. Frank Norris McTeague is a documentation of the animalistic pursuit of empty dreams. Both authors withhold the protagonists of their dreams, in a grotesque world, which provides no sign of escape. Each emphasizes themes of greed and devolution, while carefully detailing character portraits. Both Hardy and Norris broadcast a network of symbolism to enhance the meaning of their works. Hardy and Norris use of complex character portraits, simplistic settings and love subplots employ correlating themes of decay and provide similar and contrasting insights into their novels. The settings of both novels are based in small simple structured towns. Each take place during the post-Victorian era. Both authors base their novels within these small to wns and avoid the introduction of a new setting. The development of a single setting story allows for both Hardy and Norris to manifest a greater complexity in the protagonists plight. In McTeague, All the needed data are given at the start, and the main action-except the ending-glows out of the data; no face is withheld to allow the story to take an unexpected twist, and the facts are given mean what they purport to Moy 2mean (Frohock 10). The Mayor of Casterbridge also follows the setting structure of a small town filled with all the necessary elements for Henchards undulating character progression. It is unique that both authors focus solely upon one small town, both only escaping its confides once, either in the very beginning or in the end. Both Hardy and Norris spin a complex web of symbols, characters and love subplots within their settings. The Mayor of Casterbridge opens with a drunken Michael Henchard selling his wife and child to a sailor. The next day he rises feeling re morse for his actions, he seeks them, yet they are gone. Henchard eventually winds up in the simple town of Casterbridge. Here he seeks to create a sense of justice for the tragic error which is the result of his moral weakness (Gibson 97). Eighteen years pass and Henchard has cycled to the top of his wheel of fortune, his is a successful businessman and the eventual mayor of Casterbridge. Henchard suffocates the growing guilt within him; he sold his wife and then lets down the grain merchants of his town. His feelings of guilt serve as a fuel that continues to propel him to his own demise. Time after time, one or another of Henchards basic needs presses him into action which lead within an ever-increasing sense of fatality to his eventual doom (Carpenter 105). However, Henchards constant efforts to bring value to his name and character set the ironic tone for the novels end. It is Henchards consistent resilience which, in the end, allows Hardy to elevate him to the level of a hero, in the end providing value to his name, Michael Henchard, a name that deserves to be remembered. Norris begins McTeague simply with McTeague. He is a simple man with simple intention and simple pleasures. He spends Sundays alone in his dental parlor, smoking Moy 3his cigar and drinking his steamed beer. McTeagues mind was as his body, heavy, slow to act, sluggish. Yet there was nothing vicious about the man. Altogether he suggested the draft horse, immensely strong, stupid, docile, obedient (Norris 7). The beginning of McTeague almost seems like the end, when he opened his Dental Parlors, he felt that his life was a success, that he could hope for nothing better (Norris 7), here no conflict or foreshadowing exist, this is only Norris beginning statement to the devolution of McTeagues character and lifestyle. From here, Norris seduces McTeague to his eventual demise through intense acts of animalism. Upon meeting Trina, his best friend Marcuss love interest who comes to him because of a broken tooth, his psyche begins to change and animalistic feelings begin to well up inside McTeague. During turbulent days for McTeague and Trina, his character qualities begin to take a form all their own, and are governed by a strange savage primitiveness. His civility then dissolves, and a rather brute animalism ruptures within him. The laws of humanity no longer govern McTeague, and his abusive qualities foreshadow imminent doom. McTeague becomes obsessed with the greed that has overcome his wife, Trina and assaults her in order to get her to give him the money she has secretly been hording from him. Driven by greed and the animal instinct inside of him, he sets out to make her pay. In a final act of fury McTeague kills his wife and steals the money she had withheld from him. In the final chapter of the novel, McTeague is fleeing for Mexico through Death Valley. The last scene, McTeague is left to die in the brutal conditions of Death Valley, a force that his primitiveness and greed cannot escape. Norris chilling sense of realism alienates McTeagues animalistic nature as his final result of his devolution. Various love subplots exist in both novels, which play an essential role in the protagonists regressions. Lucetta Templman is a brilliant compliment to Henchards character. Like Henchard, she follows her elaborate emotions, formulating irrational decisions and reckless Moy 4interventions. Lucetta creates a facade depending strictly upon image. She lacks morality, as she is not concerned with her lack of virtue between Henchard and Farfere, but simply with peoples reactions to her decision. At the end, Lucetta emerges not as a heroic heroine, but as a woman driven by desire, exemplifying only childish and imprudent behavior, much like her complementing character, Henchard. The relationship between Lucetta and Henchard acts as a catalyst for Henchards character decay. This begins with his adaptation of bad luck, which is essentially the result of his self-destructiveness and his perverse and irrational need to punish himself once his downward course has began. Instead of thinking that a union between his cherished stepdaughter and the energetic thriving Donald was a thing to be desired for her good and his own, he hated the very possibility (Hardy 220). Henchards decay is illuminated as he uses all existing efforts to insure that they will be alienated from him. Greed suffocates his small soul as the love between Elizabeth-Jane and Farfere grow. Henchards complementing character, Lucetta, and the love of Elizabeth-Jane and Farfere exhaust him to his final moment of unluckiness. Same Sex Marriage EssayFrohock, W. M. Frank Norris. 1st edition. St. Paul: North Central Publishing Company. 1968. 5-39. Gibson, James. Thomas Hardy: A Literary Life. 3rd edition. New York: St. Martins Press. 1996. 1-138. Hardy, Thomas. The Mayor of Casterbridge. Merriam Schuster. 4th edition. San Diego: Harcourt. Brace Jovanovich Inc. 1972. Hochman, Barbra. The Art of Frank Norris, Storyteller. 3rd edition. Columbia: University of Missouri Press. 1988. 1-77. Norris, Frank. McTeague. Peter Brief. 3rd edition. Sand Diego: Harcourt Brace Joanovich Inc. 1977.

Old shoes free essay sample

In a way shoes are Just like friends. They come new and sparkly, shining their personality, all bright, soft and smooth and ready to be there for you through tough hard, soft and playful or Just horrible ground. You are the same way in return. You appreciate their new and friendly personality, thinking your friendship will never be the same, hope your friendship will grow with every small brown and muddy step.You cherish the shoes, you took time to save up for the shoes, you appreciate the shoes, you every now and then look back to that day when you first slipped that right brown leather sole out that awful dull box, you think of the Joy It gave you and how you hoped one day the shoe and you will one day come wonderful friends. But then, the shoes start getting worn out or you have had the shoes for a long time. We will write a custom essay sample on Old shoes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Either the friendship changes, the shoes grow old, they begin to sage and crinkle that smell of fresh leather and the feel Is gone, or new and bright shoes come along, ones that are In tune with the latest styles, ones that are bright, colorful and happy, ones ho draws In all the attention, not a single crack or crinkle to be seen. Are you going to hold on to your old shoes? The ones who have been through it all, the ones were every mark. Scratch, dent tells a different and exciting tale. I try to do the best I can, because sometimes those shoes are my favorite, they know my life story, they have walk the same path, over every obstacle, challenge and has the engraves of my feet in its old, dull brown soles to show it. They are reliable and even though they dont always sparkle and shine, they still are my best shoes.But maybe, a new friend is in order one that is young and not as experience one which still has to see what the worlds holds for it. Its a sad thing to say but, my old friend, the one with the wrinkly tip, that looks like an old little lady, sitting there, the one who will always smile as my feet slip into the perfect mould, although you are small and scratched I still love you my friend.I work up the courage, doing the same thing as when I met you my old reined, I asked for that new mate. A kind lady gave me a bright and shiny new box, I opened it to find a blue, purple and white shoe. As I slipped it on the cushions hugged my feet, they were soft and smooth, the top was made from Swede, the sides from leather and the sole was a soft sponge, but the thought of your rough touch still wonders my mind.As I pick you up my old friend to say a final good bye, I rub you rough leather surface and look at you scars, bumps, scratches and wrinkles, thinking jack on all the amazing memories we have created and all the challenges your brown dull leathery exterior has gone through to be the Ideal resting place and shelter for my feet. Its hard to lay you here In this box, I hope we will meet again, I hope your knowledge and wisdom will be a great source for all who follow, good bye my brown, coos, crinkle nosed friend, enjoy the wonders of your finally resting ground. Old shoes By casehardening bright brown leather sole out that awful dull box, you think of the Joy it gave you and meal of fresh leather and the feel is gone, or new and bright shoes come along, ones that are in tune with the latest styles, ones that are bright, colorful and happy, ones who draws in all the attention, not a single crack or crinkle to be seen. Are you going every mark, scratch, dent tells a different and exciting tale. I try to do the best I can, brown dull leathery exterior has gone through to be the ideal resting place and shelter for my feet. Its hard to lay you here in this box.

Communication in Organizational Setting essays

Communication in Organizational Setting essays One particular thing forms the foundation of all our work, is the glue that holds our efforts together, and is a necessary ingredient for our success. That one thing is trust. The role of trust is fairly easy to describe, and its contribution toward an organizations efforts can be easy to identify. Yet, trust remains one of the more elusive elements of organizational management. Therefore, change within an organization has to be fueled by trust. For some people change means uncertainty and skepticism. According to Richmond and McCroskey, People resist change for numerous reasons. Probably the most significant reason people resist change is that they are fearful that their position or status in the organization might change for the worse...The possibility of making things significantly better is not worth the risk of making them significantly worse. For others, change can be looked upon as influential and beneficial. These people are classified as bridges. A bridge is an individual who links two or more cliques in a system from his or her position as a member of one of the cliques. Bridges play a vital part in incorporating change within an organization because of their communication connections and influence within their primary circle. This is an individual who should be sought out to assist with introducing a change or diffusion of an innovation. If a bridge can be influenced to accept a change, then he or she might persuade the primary group and possibly influence other groups in a positive manner about change. When there is a need for effective change; concurrently, there is a need for effective leadership. As stated in Take It From The Top, Never is leadership more sought after than in times of change and uncertainty. Effective change leadership is the key to shifting peoples perceptions from seeing change as a threat to seeing it is ...

Free Essays on Various Topics

1. Discuss the Characteristics of Developing Nations Some of the first things that come to mind when the term ‘developing nation’ is used are; backward, third-world, primitive, poverty, disease, unfortunate, and sheltered. All societies at one time or another in their existence were, in fact, considered developing nations, some develop at a faster pace than others and some seem rather stagnant in growth. There are many explanations as to why this occurs, the main determinants being cultural beliefs, including family life and ties, and economical and political ideals. Individually as well as geographically, people, tribes, families, and villages in developing, or traditional, societies are extremely distant. The text sites the main areas of deficiency in these particular societies; isolation, illiteracy, and distrust. With the lack of integration with others outside of their own group, it makes it impossible to have any differing beliefs brought about and in turn, different languages and cultures as well. You can see how this can cause a problem when one is finally faced with someone from a surrounding tribe. All of their life they have been taught that there is no other way than the way they are living, then they are blindsided with other languages and beliefs that they are not prepared to comprehend. This poses a problem for individual groups who reside in an area where there are other groups live nearby, and share a common ground of some sort for hunting or recreation of some sort, it can be a major cause of conflict. It is also noted that the combination of these issues has a snowballing result that follows; there is at first an inability to communicate with one another, which in turn brings suspicion, distrust, and detachment, which in turn brings further isolation, and causes the cycle to repeat itself over and over again. A vital makeup of life in a developing nation is a tribe or a village. Tribes are primari... Free Essays on Various Topics Free Essays on Various Topics 1. Discuss the Characteristics of Developing Nations Some of the first things that come to mind when the term ‘developing nation’ is used are; backward, third-world, primitive, poverty, disease, unfortunate, and sheltered. All societies at one time or another in their existence were, in fact, considered developing nations, some develop at a faster pace than others and some seem rather stagnant in growth. There are many explanations as to why this occurs, the main determinants being cultural beliefs, including family life and ties, and economical and political ideals. Individually as well as geographically, people, tribes, families, and villages in developing, or traditional, societies are extremely distant. The text sites the main areas of deficiency in these particular societies; isolation, illiteracy, and distrust. With the lack of integration with others outside of their own group, it makes it impossible to have any differing beliefs brought about and in turn, different languages and cultures as well. You can see how this can cause a problem when one is finally faced with someone from a surrounding tribe. All of their life they have been taught that there is no other way than the way they are living, then they are blindsided with other languages and beliefs that they are not prepared to comprehend. This poses a problem for individual groups who reside in an area where there are other groups live nearby, and share a common ground of some sort for hunting or recreation of some sort, it can be a major cause of conflict. It is also noted that the combination of these issues has a snowballing result that follows; there is at first an inability to communicate with one another, which in turn brings suspicion, distrust, and detachment, which in turn brings further isolation, and causes the cycle to repeat itself over and over again. A vital makeup of life in a developing nation is a tribe or a village. Tribes are primari...

Prcis from Aristotle's De Generatione et Corruptione II.9 (335b8) Assignment

Prcis from Aristotle's De Generatione et Corruptione II.9 (335b8) - Assignment Example Knowledge is seen as an essential component in one’s life. In addition, Aristotle believes that there are some things that exist in the sensible world and have essential natures. He continues to add that there are things which exist in the sensible world that cannot be otherwise plus acquiring knowledge of the things is possible. Aristotle simple brings the essence of acquiring knowledge of the unknown which exist in the sensible world. A good example of this could be the knowledge of the soul which is discussed in his Phaedo. Concerning Aristotle’s Phaedo, its sole purpose was to talk about the human soul. According to Aristotle, the soul is regarded as immortal. He argues that the soul before it started to live in a human body at birth, meant it came from somewhere, and after death, will also have to go somewhere. This correlation brought to him coming up with the possibilities of two worlds existing separate from each other. He refers one of the worlds as a world of sensible particulars and the other, the world of form. The world of sensible particulars as discussed by Aristotle contains objects that can be touched and have sense. He adds that they include living things with souls like plants, animals and man. In addition, the world of form contains aspects that exist in objects. Aristotle also refers to forms as universal aspects. He adds that the soul is in between these two worlds since he argues that the soul existed before birth and would return to where it came from after death. He continues by saying that when one is alive, the soul is trapped in one’s body and by so living in the sensible world. Souls according to Aristotle are regarded as sensible things by being particular in contrast to forms which are universal. Aristotle depicts the souls as the first actuality of any natural body and got the potential of having life. The catch will be that the soul has to occupy a body with organs in order for life to exist. In addition, th e soul cannot exist without immorality. Aristotle insists that the soul may leave a body when dead and remains in the world, wonders until when it gets another body to live. In the world of forms, Aristotle rejected Plato’s theory of forms that stated that properties like beauty are generally abstract universal entities which exist totally independent of the objects. Instead, Aristotle argues that forms cannot exist apart from objects since they are intrinsic to them. However, when he discusses art, Aristotle rejects this theory. He instead adds that artists try to capture idealized universal forms. The nature of universals in Aristotle's philosophy therefore hinges on his view of natural kinds. Aristotle basically transformed Plato's forms to "formal causes", the essence or blueprints of individual things. Concerning the â€Å"formal† causes, Aristotle argues forms are powerless in explaining why things change or die since they cannot alter or move physical objects of sensation. He adds that forms may not be of importance in explaining how we get knowledge of particular things. This he supports by arguing that one cannot get knowledge of a substance before getting knowledge of the substance in it. Aristotle also argues forms could not explain the existence of particular objects. Aristotle basically refutes his teacher’s teachings and comes with his own perspective of what cause are. Therefore according to Aris

Field Trip Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Field Trip Journal - Essay Example I even found myself loving the class more and more, especially when we began discussing the textbook and the beach types. By the time we started going for the trips, I was already in love with Marine Biology. A number of field trips that we went during the semester made the class more fun and lively and indeed, I learnt a number of things during these trips. Here is my journal on the various field trips that we went to. On 9th March 2013, we visited the Cabrillo Marion Aquarium. We arrived at around midday. The professor and the tour guide showed us around the shore. He told us to take care and be watchful of the animals and avoid those that were likely to harm us. He insisted on the safety measures that he had taught us. We then started the trip, and looked at the various animals in the aquarium. The various marine animals in the aquarium include the Lion Nudibranchia, which is a soft bodied animal. I learnt that it normally sheds it after the larval stage. I found it quite confusin g with the sea slug, and could not tell where their difference lay. Bat star (Patiria miniata) has five arms with a centre disc which is very wide. I was able to identify the many colours that the animals had, which were green, purple, red, orange, yellow and brown. I found it rather funny that an animal could have so many colours. Among the rocks I could make out the Giant sea star, (Pisaster giganteus) especially due to its huge size and the length of its arms which were very long. I also saw the warty sea cucumber (Parastichopus parvimensis) and felt its soft body that was cylindrical in shape. Its skin was leathery and which is either reddish brown or yellow in colour. California spiny lobster scared me with the huge body and large antennae that protruded from its head. I wondered how it would feel like for the animal carrying such large antennae on its forehead, imagining that it must get tired at times. California moray eel looked so ugly to me, with the huge mouth and the roc k like body that made it appear uglier and disgusting to look at. After visiting the aquarium, I think that looking and observing these marine creatures in real person is very different from studying them in a textbook. I felt that they are living, with their funny features, and sometimes weird nature making me awe at their uniqueness. I would suggest to the Cabrillo marine aquarium to assign bigger tanks or separate them because they appear to be too squeezed and uncomfortable. The following trip was to the Marine Mammal Care Centre that was on the 20th March 2013. The centre is a rehabilitation place for various animals in California, especially those that are hurt and the ones that cannot properly look after themselves. I felt quite sorry for the ones that were really wounded. However, the attendants who were mostly volunteers made me feel compassionate about animals. Their devotion towards the animals made me look at animal kingdom in a different way. While some people kill anim als for food and others wound them, some take care of their mess. There were two animals that I greatly mistook for sea lions since I had not gotten much used to their differences apart from the textbook pictures. However, I realized from the sign on the cage that they were On 27th March 2013, we visited the Point Fermin. Our professor allowed us to go to up to the shore.

A Study of the Cultural Imperialism Theory Essay Example for Free

A Study of the Cultural Imperialism Theory Essay ABSTRACT This paper explores the validity of the Cultural Imperialism Theory which says the Western culture has dominated the cultures of developing Nations. It examines to what extent and how the Western world in the real sense has dominated the developing countries. The study further examined the means through which the developing countries are being dominated culturally by the Western culture. The paper further looked at both the negative and the positive effects of cultural imperialism. It concluded that though the western world is succeeding in eroding the culture of developing countries and Nigeria as a study, Nigeria as a Nation should put on some safety belt in safeguarding our heritage. INTRODUCTION Culture is the way of life of a set of people. It encompasses the knowledge, ideas, beliefs, values, standards, and sentiments prevalent in the group. According to Charles A. Ellwood, an American Sociologist, culture is the â€Å"collective name for all behavior patterns socially acquired and socially transmitted by means of symbols†. Dare A., defines Culture as the collectivity of human activities and general principles that tend to guide ideas of a group of people with shared traditions (general acceptability), which are passed on, instilled into generation (socialization) and reinvigorated by members of the group (sustainability) while Imperialism as defined by The Dictionary of Human Geography is the creation and maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination The Theorist of Cultural Imperialism theory, Herb Schiller postulated that Western nations dominate the media around the world which in return has a powerful effect on Third World Cultures by means of imposing on them, western views thereby destroying their native cultures Western Civilization produces the majority of the media (film, news, comics, etc.) because they have the money to do so. The rest of the world purchases those productions because it is cheaper for them to do so rather than produce their own. Therefore, Third World countries are watching media filled with the Western worlds way of living, believing, and thinking. The third world cultures then start to want and do the same things in their countries and destroy their own culture. In cultural Imperialism theory, the key words are culture and imperialism. According to Anaeto G., Onabajo, O. and Osifeso, J. (2008), they wrote that â€Å"the western countries are technologically developed in television and motion programmes and developing countries that are not technologically developed depend on the programmes from the developed countries. This means that the programmes from the developed counties which portray their culture will be imbibed by the developing nations. This western culture now dominates our local culture simply because we are consuming their mass media messages†. The assumptions of the theory according to Schiller, H., are classified into three namely 1. Ontological Assumptions 2. Epistemological Assumptions 3. Axiological Assumptions 1. Ontological Assumptions This theory says that humans do not have the free will to chose how they feel, act, think, and live. They react to what they see on television because there is nothing else to compare it to besides their own lives, usually portrayed as less than what it should be. 2. Epistemological Assumptions This theory explains that there is one truth and no matter what that truth never going to change. As long as Third World countries continue to air Western Civilizations programs then the third world countries will always believe they should act, feel, think, and live as Western Civilizations act, feel, think, and live. 3. Axiological Assumptions This theory is value-neutral and objective. It does not matter what beliefs the people of Third World may already hold, the television programs from the Western World will communicate the same message and affect them in the same way. CRITIQUES OF THEORY The critiques of the Cultural Imperialism theory came up with scientific theory which counter-argued the theory with the following responses: Explanatory Power: It explains what happens when one group of people with their own ideas sends messages through the media to a different group of people. Predictive Power: It predicts that Third World countries culture will be destroyed and the people will identify with Western views. Parsimony: We can see a direct linear path from sender to receiver through the media channels and then watch the effects. Falsifiability: The theory could be proved false should the Third World countries not be affected by Western media and they do not lose their culture. E.G â€Å"Under the intriguing title Seducing the French (1993), Richard F.Kuisel concedes that the French underwent a process of Americanization. But at the same time, they succeeded in defending their Frenchness. French consumers found some American products appealing but they also continued to cherish and idealize French national identity, notably the idea of a superior French high culture.† Internal Consistency: There is a logical flow of events and consequences within the theory. Heuristic Provocativeness: This theory could lead to new hypotheses such as which cultures are affected more than others (if any) or whether low context differ in the reception of messages compared top high context cultures? Organizing Power: This fits with what we already know about differences between Western civilization and Third World countries. Another example the critique stated is that â€Å"if an International Broadcast station shows a video depicting Nigerians as corrupt, dangerous and malnourished, should someone in Nigeria watch this the Western stereotype of Nigerians, and not affected by it, the theory have been proved false†. John, T., further argues that Cultural imperialism consists of the spread of modernity. It is a process of cultural loss and not of cultural expansion. There never were groups of conspirators who attempted to spread any particular culture. Instead, global technological and economic progress and integration reduced the importance of national culture. Therefore, it is misleading to put the blame for a global development on any one culture. The notion of imperialism that is, purposeful cultural conquest is irrelevant; instead, all countries, regardless of whether they are located in the northern or southern hemisphere, are victims of a worldwide cultural change MODES OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM Tracing world history all through the era of colonialism, there have been histories of cultural imperialism which will seem the only way to explain the popularity of the very-British game cricket in all countries that once served as British colonies. Invasion of a country most often doesnt end with an invasion of the geographical territories within the political boundaries alone. Religious and cultural invasion are often inseparable parts of a political conquest. It’s much easier to rule if your subjects share the same religious and cultural platforms as the invaders? The cultural imperialism theory is founded upon the premises of imposing the influences and beliefs of the stronger culture (the invaders) upon the weaker or more submissive culture (the invaded). How does this cultural Imperialism take place? Dare A., states that Cultural imperialism takes place when one culture overtakes another in such a way that the latter ends up following a significant number of values, traditions, beliefs and influences of the former either completely or in a way merges the influences of the dominating culture with those of its own. Such a cultural invasion can either be active or passive. In its active form, the dominant culture forcefully imposes its cultural influences upon the dominated culture. This is a dynamic phenomenon where the subordinate culture is compelled to adopt the ways of the invaders. The passive form is when one culture (not necessarily subordinate) voluntarily embraces the influences and traditions of another culture. Here, the dominant culture makes little or no forceful efforts in imposing its cultural ideals upon another but the latter gets influenced as a consequence of its receptivity to the formers cultural impacts. The passive form of cultural imperialism is what largely takes place today. Cultural imperialism can also occur due to the significant commercial relations between two countries. A country heavily importing products and services of another country may get significantly influenced by the exporting countrys lifestyle attributes and social values. We can see this phenomenon in the form of Westernization of a number of Eastern countries. This is a type of passive cultural imperialism as the receiving culture adopts the foreign values without perceiving the fact that they are, in fact, becoming slaves of a foreign culture. WORLD EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM English Cultural Imperialism English cultural imperialism has been rife in the history of cultural imperialism. Latin which has the Churchs official language to popularizing its national game all across its colonies was changed to English. The British Empire left no stone unturned to make sure that its subjects adhered to its cultural idiosyncrasies even decades after ceasing to be its subjects. The fact that Cricket is among the top ten most popular sports around the world with an estimated 3 billion fan following, especially in countries like Australia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, New Zealand and certain African and Caribbean countries proves the strength of the English cultural imperialism. It is also a known fact that English is the third most spoken language after Mandarin and Spanish. Decades of dominion and repressive policies towards Tibet, Taiwan and various other neighboring regions by China has had a significant influence upon the religion and culture of these regions. The aggressive promotion of a standardized Chinese language across Mainland China and Taiwan indicates towards an attempted cultural imperialism aimed at overtaking regional dialects in these areas. Also, the fact that most traditional aspects of the Chinese culture pertaining to religious beliefs, festivals and social norms significantly inundate the socio cultural edifices of various Oriental countries indicate towards strongly existing cultural imperialism. The most widespread and still continuing instance of cultural imperialism can be seen in the form of Americanization. This is mostly due to the multitudes of commercial relationships the United States holds with a large number of countries in all parts of the world. This is definitely passive cultural imperialism and the countries that are most affected are those that have voluntarily adopted the stereotyped American lifestyle values and specific cultural aspects CULTURAL IMPERIALISM IN NIGERIA The Issue of Sagging Sagging has become the latest phenomenon among the male youths today in Nigeria. It is what is in vogue; if you have not exposed the lower part of your private, you belong to the old school system. What is sagging and where did it come from? According to Greg, M., sagging was adopted from the United States prison system where belts are prohibited. Belts are sometimes prohibited to keep prisoners from using them as weapons or in committing suicide by hanging themselves. The style was later popularized by hip-hop artists in the 1990s. It has since become a symbol of freedom and cultural awareness among some youths or a symbol of their rejection of the values of mainstream society. Jails are typically state run institutions. What usually happens is the state will order a set number of inmate uniforms. These uniforms are usually in general sizes like small, medium and large; making them ill-fitting for most inmates. When a medium sized inmate comes in and there are no remaining medium uniforms this inmate will receive a large instead. Prisoners are not allowed to have shoe laces or belts for fear they’d use them to kill themselves (by way of strangulation or hanging), or as weapons to kill or injure other inmates. The combination of over sized clothing and lack of fastening devices created the perfect storm for falling pants. Many street hungry rappers latched on the dress of their incarcerated friends and family and brought the style to the masses. Thus a new trend was born and Nigerians have fallen into this trend Linguistic Imperialism Language is one of the principal elements in identifying a particular culture and the absence of it makes a culture unidentifiable. It is vital for cultural transmission and preservation. With the gradual loss of our indigenous languages in Nigeria, what culture are we then preserving? Ogwu, M., Agbanu, N. and Ofordile, J. describes Linguistic Imperialism as â€Å"People who can relate with each other only through the medium of communication foisted on them by a former colonist are victims of a peculiar kind of Schizophrenia†. The use of our language is declining in Africa especially Nigeria because we are compelled to embrace Western culture and civilization as Western language. Western language has created a division between an elite and mass of our people who still cannot do business with foreign language. It causes alienation for people who cannot speak English or French. Language is a vehicle of culture; we are in a very serious problem. e.g. â€Å"Professor Babafunwa project on local language as a basic tool of teaching in Nigeria was aborted because of the nature of our country.† Parents also do not encourage their children or wards to speak in their local language as they belief it causes setback in their education. Fashion imperialism You hardly find few of our men, women and the youths who still embrace our cultural mode of dressing. Our people are going ‘gaga’ with the western way of dressing thereby losing their root of African way of dressing. It’s quite unfortunate that when expatriates and tourist who come to Nigeria appreciate our native attire while the owners of the heritage has seen it as something of old school and fashion. Tattoos have also become a common phenomenon. Both the young and old are stamping themselves all over the body with symbolic ‘devilish’ tattoos. Religious Imperialism Most churches in Nigeria today have gone the western way. When you go to some churches today, you marvel at the way some our ladies apparel. The custom of covering of hair has been eroded by the western way; all kinds of dressing are acceptable. The men or young male adults put on all sort of jewels and dress ‘haggardly’. The sense of going to commune with God is lost. EFFECTS OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM Moral Decadency Through the float of western culture into Nigeria through the advent of technology and globalization, there has been obvious moral decline in Africa and in Nigeria in particular. This moral decadence has permeated almost all spheres of our culture. Moral consciousness has been equated with awkward and odd life styles. According to Oshafu, H., in his article â€Å"Cultural Imperialism†, this resulted due to Africa’s carelessness and failure to hold their culture with high esteem. He added that the moral excellence of African society has over night transformed into moral decay. Elders are no longer respected, our rapid festivals and ceremonies are now seen as â€Å"old school† and we now have children of single parents, a phenomenon that is identifiable with America. People no longer communalize, nobody wants to be anybody’s brother’s keeper. Our mode of dressing has been totally distorted by western civilization through foreign films and media conten t. Today we seem not to have any cultural attire. Our people now prefer to go naked on the streets as against our culture, micro minis with handless tops has this to show. The acculturation of â€Å"blue jean and hamburger† has gradually found it way into young people in African society. The issue of dress code has led to controversies in our high institute in today. Cases of immoral dressing have also gave way to rapid sexual harassment among students and lecturers, bosses and their employees. Raping in our society today came as a result of reckless dressing code by ladies The traditional notion of chastity and virginity have been rendered absurd by pornographic and sleazy materials displayed on screens, distorting sexuality and condoning promiscuity, which has given rise to active homosexuality and lesbianism in our society today. These cases of reckless sex have led to the rapid spread of STD’s particularly, HIV/AIDs in our society today. Innocent children are dying of this disease. They paid dearly for the offence committed by their parents. This is immoral evil militating against the dignity of human person. Increase in Crime Rate With exposure to the western way of life, increase in crime rate is on high. Most of the films we watch on the television set are crime oriented thereby leading to increase in crime rate. In as much as there is positive impact of the television set, the negative aspect outweighs the good part, as the western world is teaching modern ways to crime though the kind of programmes being disseminated, which includes kidnapping, serial killing etc. Look for more points We have scholars who however belief that Cultural Imperialism theory regardless of its negative effect has its positive side. Cultural imperialism they say is not entirely bad as it increases the pace of development in Nigeria and other less developed countries. For example, in the giving away of media products free of charge or selling them at a very low price to these developing nations, the US actually accelerates the growth of the media industry and the advancement in technology, hence increasing the knowledge and skills of the people there. Their actions not only add on to actual growth; the subsequent increase in human capital further boosts potential growth, which is essential for the actual growth to be sustained in the long run. This investment in human capital goes a long way and benefits the country as it strengthens the competitive edge and increases productivity of the workforce. Economic growth is also achieved Even more so, being a developing nation, Nigeria would not have had the latest technology available to produce media products; it is only through the provision of the American companies that they are able to obtain state-of-the-art equipment. The advocacy of production of local-helmed programs would thus further enhance American influence on the nation. Despite government efforts to hinder cultural imperialism, they cannot completely eliminate the impacts of this influence as American media products have already found their way into the market and become a part of Nigeria’s media production efforts. They need such â€Å"interference† in order to keep their media industry alive WAY FORWARD Long Term Investment in the Development of our Mass Media One way cultural imperialism spreads is through the mass media. The local media imports foreign materials because it is cheaper than having to produce local indigenous content. An example of this issue is that indigenous journalists have to learn to transcribe and rewrite news by foreign news agencies rather than source for their own stories. Sometimes even rewriting local stories covered by the foreign news agencies. Our government and private investors should invest heavily in our local media and encourage the development of indigenous content that will reflect our culture, values, promote our languages etc. Media products like movies, news, music, advertising etc should be regulated to avoid the influx of foreign content. This is where organizations like the Nigerian Broadcasting Service come in. They should develop stronger laws and be strict in its enforcement of the laws such as the 60/40% rule (60% indigenous, 40% foreign). If the indigenous media products are of high quality, the citizens will be encouraged to consume them. This is so because a lot of people give the low quality of the products (movies, music, adverts, news etc) as reasons for not consuming them. If Nigerians consume indigenous media products, it will reflect in every area of our lives (culturally that is). An example is what is happening in the Nigerian music industry,. Because of the increase in local content in our music, it is now becoming acceptable and even encouraged to sing in our indigenous languages(Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo etc), dress in our native attires most especially Ankara and wear our national colors. There has been a rise in the popularity of Pidgin English as opposed to just speaking plain English. Also the teaching of our indigenous languages should be encouraged in our schools. All primary and secondary schools should be encouraged to teach at least one Nigerian language at all classes especially in the minority regions of the country where the minority languages are in danger of becoming extinct. Parents should further speak their native dialect with their wards or children to aid them to be conversant in their local dialect. Young adults today see it as a taboo or as inferiority complex speaking in their local dialect; it does not sound ‘tush’ rather local parents more importantly should be more watchful and observant in the kind of foreign stations their children tune to for their programmes as media has become the primary means by which many of us experience or learn about many aspects of the world around us Stanley and Dennis, 5th edition,p.200). With the presence of technology, access to International broadcast station is at the tip of the hand, we have cables surrounding us and with just a remote control, you can be anywhere in the world learning and assimilating what is been impressed on you. As such supervision is needed to regulate what is been watched. Parents should devout time for their children while they are still young as most of the western values tend to catch them while they are still young just as the catch them young phrase. Another solution is to try to export our own culture as this will help in boosting tourism in Nigeria. We should conscious try to sell and promote our media products to the rest of the world. This will improve our image globally and help foreigners understand our culture, values, cuisine better. I would like to say at this point that we should not consume wholly indiginous media products. A little foreign content is still advisable as there has been some good aspects of cultural imperialism such as technological and educational advancement, political structure (democracy), eradication of some harmful practices like the killing of twins etc. We should take a balanced approach, like an 80 (indigenous))/20% (foreign). CONLUSION As a result of globalization and technological advancement, the western world has succeeded in dominating the third world countries. This notwithstanding should not be an excuse for Nigerians and other third world countries to be subjugated by the western world. Nigerian as a nation should fight cultural imperialism and fight back for our lost culture. One way by which this could be done is through Long Term Investment in the Development of our Mass Media as it is the major means by which cultural imperialism spreads. The local media imports foreign materials because it is cheaper than having to produce local indigenous content. An example of this issue is that indigenous journalists have to learn to transcribe and rewrite news by foreign news agencies rather than source for their own stories. Sometimes even rewriting local stories covered by the foreign news agencies. Our government and private investors should invest heavily in our local media and encourage the development of indigenous content that will reflect our culture, values, promote our languages etc. REFERENCES Anaeto, S. G., Onabajo, O. S. and Osifeso, J. B. (2008). Models and Theories of Communication. African Renaissance Books Incorporated. Dare, A., (2010). The Effects of Western Civilization and Culture on Africa. Afro Asian Journal of Social Sciences (1/1) Quarter IV Grifin, E. (2000). A first look at communication theory. (4th edition). Boston, MA: McGraw- Hill Littlejohn, S. W. (1999). Theories of human communication (6th edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Oshafu H. U. Cultural Imperialism. Accessed from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/culturalimperialism-examples.html on 12/11/2012. Ogwu, M., Agbanu, N., and Ofordile, J. (December, 2010). â€Å"Sustaining Cultural Values Through the Promotion of Indigenous Languages in Nigeria† Journal of Communication and Culture: International Perspective. (1/3), pp 76 Schiller, H. I. (1976). Communication and Cultural Domination. Armonk, NY: International Arts and Sciences Press. Accessed online on 29/10/2012. Critics of cultural imperialism theory. Encyclopedia of the New American Nation available Accessed at http://www.americanforeignrelations.com on 29/10/2012

The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America E

The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognized artifacts of freedom in the world. It has the ability to create emotions that range from happiness to anger all at one time. The best way to analyze such a powerful image is to use Kenneth Burke’s idea of pentadic analysis. By using this method of the analysis, we will be able to answer the rhetorical question: How does the Statue of Liberty lend credence to the word â€Å"freedom† in America? To begin with, it is necessary to obtain some background on the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States in 1886 as a gift from France and dedicated as a national monument in 1924 (1). Standing at approximately 46.50 meters and weighing 225 tons it was the largest structure, at the time, to have entered the United States via Ellis Island, New York (1). Before the entrance of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island was used as a border for immigrants who wanted to be a part of â€Å"the land of the free and the home of the brave (2).† With the coming of the Statue, there was something tangible for new Americans to see when they entered the country. With its newfound fame as the first visual representation of the immigrants, the Statue also soon became a link to the idea of freedom and a brighter future. In 1976, a renovation project began to fix some mistakes made in its initial transport to the United States. Lee Iacocca, CEO of the Chrysler Motor Corporation at the time (3), led this renovation. Iacocca began calling the Statue of Liberty, â€Å"Lady Liberty†, as he was fixing the crown, torch and replacing the copper with bronze (3). This new title also shed some light on the significance of the Statue because now liberty and justice had taken over the form of a woman, tasked to watch over the United States like a mother does her children (3). With the background of the Statue of Liberty, we can move on to the importance of the application of Burke’s pentad model in this artifact. Burke’s initial idea of pentadic analysis stems from his view of dramatism (4). According to Burke, dramatism is a way of analyzing material with the desire to form a direct link between human motives and clusters of terminology (4). Foss (1996) points out that dramatism has two fundamental assumptions. The first assumption is t... ...-act, agency-agent, agency-purpose, purpose-scene, purpose-act, purpose-agent, and purpose-agency (4). For the purposes of this analysis, the ratio of act-purpose will be used. By ordering the ratio in this manner, we are stressing the fact that the act and the purpose have the most influential effects on the pentad. However the dominant factor in all of this is the act – the representation of the American Dream and freedom. The significance of the act is defined by the historical struggle of creating a nation of independence and freedom, also referred to as the scene. The statue itself, the agency, communicates this message to the world and at the same time aims to carry out the underlined purpose, by persuading people to remember the ideals that our nation was founded upon. This is where the element attitude can enter the picture. As mentioned earlier, attitude deals with the manner in which the purpose is portrayed. The Statue of Liberty is an object and therefore does not have the ability to verbalize, however, the attitude seen in her towering presence and the stern look on her face reinforce the purpose and allow the message to be effective. The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America E The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognized artifacts of freedom in the world. It has the ability to create emotions that range from happiness to anger all at one time. The best way to analyze such a powerful image is to use Kenneth Burke’s idea of pentadic analysis. By using this method of the analysis, we will be able to answer the rhetorical question: How does the Statue of Liberty lend credence to the word â€Å"freedom† in America? To begin with, it is necessary to obtain some background on the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States in 1886 as a gift from France and dedicated as a national monument in 1924 (1). Standing at approximately 46.50 meters and weighing 225 tons it was the largest structure, at the time, to have entered the United States via Ellis Island, New York (1). Before the entrance of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island was used as a border for immigrants who wanted to be a part of â€Å"the land of the free and the home of the brave (2).† With the coming of the Statue, there was something tangible for new Americans to see when they entered the country. With its newfound fame as the first visual representation of the immigrants, the Statue also soon became a link to the idea of freedom and a brighter future. In 1976, a renovation project began to fix some mistakes made in its initial transport to the United States. Lee Iacocca, CEO of the Chrysler Motor Corporation at the time (3), led this renovation. Iacocca began calling the Statue of Liberty, â€Å"Lady Liberty†, as he was fixing the crown, torch and replacing the copper with bronze (3). This new title also shed some light on the significance of the Statue because now liberty and justice had taken over the form of a woman, tasked to watch over the United States like a mother does her children (3). With the background of the Statue of Liberty, we can move on to the importance of the application of Burke’s pentad model in this artifact. Burke’s initial idea of pentadic analysis stems from his view of dramatism (4). According to Burke, dramatism is a way of analyzing material with the desire to form a direct link between human motives and clusters of terminology (4). Foss (1996) points out that dramatism has two fundamental assumptions. The first assumption is t... ...-act, agency-agent, agency-purpose, purpose-scene, purpose-act, purpose-agent, and purpose-agency (4). For the purposes of this analysis, the ratio of act-purpose will be used. By ordering the ratio in this manner, we are stressing the fact that the act and the purpose have the most influential effects on the pentad. However the dominant factor in all of this is the act – the representation of the American Dream and freedom. The significance of the act is defined by the historical struggle of creating a nation of independence and freedom, also referred to as the scene. The statue itself, the agency, communicates this message to the world and at the same time aims to carry out the underlined purpose, by persuading people to remember the ideals that our nation was founded upon. This is where the element attitude can enter the picture. As mentioned earlier, attitude deals with the manner in which the purpose is portrayed. The Statue of Liberty is an object and therefore does not have the ability to verbalize, however, the attitude seen in her towering presence and the stern look on her face reinforce the purpose and allow the message to be effective.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Nine

â€Å"†¦ And so, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the class of '92!† Bonnie threw her cap into the air along with everyone else. We made it, she thought. Whatever happens tonight, Matt and Meredith and I made it to graduation. There had been times this last school year when she had seriously doubted they would. Considering Sue's death, Bonnie had expected the graduation ceremony to be listless or grim. Instead, there was a sort of frenzied excitement about it. As if everyone was celebrating being alive-before it was too late. It turned into rowdiness as parents surged forward and the senior class of Robert E. Lee fragmented in all directions, whooping and acting up. Bonnie retrieved her cap and then looked up into her mother's camera lens. Act normal, that's what's important, she told herself. She caught a glimpse of Elena's aunt Judith and Robert Maxwell, the man Aunt Judith had recently married, standing on the sidelines. Robert was holding Elena's little sister, Margaret, by the hand. When they saw her, they smiled bravely, but she felt uncomfortable when they came her way. â€Å"Oh, Miss Gilbert-I mean, Mrs. Maxwell-you shouldn't have,† she said as Aunt Judith handed her a small bouquet of pink roses. Aunt Judith smiled through the tears in her eyes. â€Å"This would have been a very special day for Elena,† she said. â€Å"I want it to be special for you and Meredith, too.† â€Å"Oh, Aunt Judith.† Impulsively, Bonnie threw her arms around the older woman. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† she whispered. â€Å"You know how much.† â€Å"We all miss her,† Aunt Judith said. Then she pulled back and smiled again and the three of them left. Bonnie turned from looking at them with a lump in her throat to look at the madly celebrating crowd. There was Ray Hernandez, the boy she'd gone to Homecoming with, inviting everybody to a party at his house that night. There was Tyler's friend Dick Carter, making a fool of himself as usual. Tyler was smiling brazenly as his father took picture after picture. Matt was listening, with an unimpressed look, to some football recruiter from James Mason University. Meredith was standing nearby, holding a bouquet of red roses and looking pensive. Vickie wasn't there. Her parents had kept her home, saying she was in no state to go out. Caroline wasn't there either. She was staying in the apartment in Heron. Her mother had told Bonnie's mother she had the flu, but Bonnie knew the truth. Caroline was scared. And maybe she's right, Bonnie thought, moving toward Meredith. Caroline may be the only one of us to make it through next week. Look normal, act normal. She reached Meredith's group. Meredith was wrapping the red-and-black tassel from her cap around the bouquet, twisting it between elegant, nervous fingers. â€Å"Be careful with that; you'll ruin it,† she said aloud. Meredith's look of thoughtful melancholy didn't change. She went on staring at the tassel, kinking it up. â€Å"It doesn't seem fair,† she said, â€Å"that we should get these and Elena shouldn't. It's wrong.† â€Å"I know; it's awful,† Bonnie said. But she kept her tone light. â€Å"I wish there was something we could do about it, but we can't.† â€Å"It's all wrong,† Meredith went on, as if she hadn't heard. â€Å"Here we are out in the sunlight, graduating, and there she is under that-stone.† â€Å"I know, I know,† Bonnie said in a soothing tone. â€Å"Meredith, you're getting yourself all upset. Why don't you try to think about something else? Look, after you go out to dinner with your parents, do you want to go to Raymond's party? Even if we're not invited, we can crash it.† â€Å"No!† Meredith said with startling vehemence. â€Å"I don't want to go to any party. How can you even think of that, Bonnie? How can you be so shallow?† â€Å"Well, we've got to do something †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll tell you what I'm doing. I'm going up to the cemetery after dinner. I'm going to put this on Elena's grave. She's the one who deserves it.† Meredith's knuckles were white as she shook the tassel in her hand. â€Å"Meredith, don't be an idiot. You can't go up there, especially at night. That's crazy. Matt would say the same thing.† â€Å"Well, I'm not asking Matt. I'm not asking anybody. I'm going by myself.† â€Å"You can't. God, Meredith, I always thought you had some brains-â€Å" â€Å"And I always thought you had some sensitivity. But obviously you don't even want to think about Elena. Or is it just because you want her old boyfriend for yourself?† Bonnie slapped her. It was a good hard slap, with plenty of energy behind it. Meredith drew in a sharp breath, one hand to her reddening cheek. Everyone around them was staring. â€Å"That's it for you, Bonnie McCullough,† Meredith said after a moment, in a voice of deadly quiet. â€Å"I don't ever want to speak to you again.† She turned on her heel and walked away: â€Å"Never would be too soon for me!† Bonnie shouted at her retreating back. Eyes were hastily averted as Bonnie looked around her. But there was no question that she and Meredith had been the center of attention for several minutes past. Bonnie bit the inside of her cheek to keep a straight face and walked over to Matt, who had lost the recruiter. â€Å"Good.† â€Å"Do you think the slap was too much? We didn't really plan that; I was just sort of going with the moment. Maybe it was too obvious†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It was fine, just fine.† Matt was looking preoccupied. Not that dull, apathetic, turned-in look of the last few months, but distinctly abstracted. â€Å"What is it? Something wrong with the plan?† Bonnie said. â€Å"No, no. Listen, Bonnie, I've been thinking. You were the one to discover Mr. Tanner's body in the Haunted House last Halloween, right?† Bonnie was startled. She gave an involuntary shiver of distaste. â€Å"Well, I was the first one to know he was dead, really dead, instead of just playing his scene. Why on earth do you want to talk about that now?† â€Å"Because maybe you can answer this question. Could Mr. Tanner have got a knife in Damon?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Well, could he?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie blinked and frowned. Then she shrugged. â€Å"I suppose so. Sure. It was a Druid sacrifice scene, remember, and the knife we used was a real knife. We talked about using a fake one, but since Mr. Tanner was going to be lying right there beside it, we figured it was safe enough. As a matter of fact†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie's frown deepened. â€Å"I think when I found the body, the knife was in a different place from where we'd set it in the beginning. But then, some kid could have moved it. Matt, why are you asking?† â€Å"Just something Damon said to me,† Matt said, staring off into the distance again. â€Å"I wondered if it could be the truth.† â€Å"Oh.† Bonnie waited for him to say more, but he didn't. â€Å"Well,† she said finally, â€Å"if it's all cleared up, can you come back to Earth, please? And don't you think you should maybe put your arm around me? Just to show you're on my side and there's no chance you're going to show up at Elena's grave tonight with Meredith?† Matt snorted, but the faraway look disappeared from his eyes. For just a brief instant he put his arm around her and squeezed. D..j. vu, Meredith thought as she stood at the gate to the cemetery. The problem was, she couldn't remember exactly which of her previous experiences in the graveyard this night reminded her of. There had been so many. In a way, it had all started here. It had been here that Elena had sworn not to rest until Stefan belonged to her. She'd made Bonnie and Meredith swear to help her, too -in blood. How suitable, Meredith thought now. And it had been here that Tyler had assaulted Elena the night of the Homecoming dance. Stefan had come to the rescue, and that had been the beginning for them. This graveyard had seen a lot. This graveyard had been the beginning, and the end as well. And maybe there would be another end tonight. Meredith started walking. I wish you were here now, Alaric, she thought. I could use your optimism and your savvy about the supernatural-and I wouldn't mind your muscles, either. Elena's headstone was in the new cemetery, of course, where the grass was still tended and the graves marked with wreaths of flowers. The stone was very simple, almost plain looking, with a brief inscription. Meredith bent down and placed her bouquet of roses in front of it. Then, slowly, she added the red-and-black tassel from her cap. In this dim light, both colors looked the same, like dried blood. She knelt and folded her hands quietly. And she waited. All around her the cemetery was still. It seemed to be waiting with her, breath held in anticipation. The rows of white stones stretched on either side of her, shining faintly. Meredith listened for any sound. And then she heard one. Heavy footsteps. With her head down, she stayed quiet, pretending she noticed nothing. The footsteps sounded closer, not even bothering to be stealthy. â€Å"Hi, Meredith.† Meredith looked around quickly. â€Å"Oh-Tyler,† she said. â€Å"You scared me. I thought you were-never mind.† â€Å"Yeah?† Tyler's lips skinned back in an unsettling grin. â€Å"Well, I'm sorry you're disappointed. But it's me, just me and nobody else.† â€Å"What are you doing here, Tyler? No good parties?† â€Å"I could ask you the same question.† Tyler's eyes dropped to the headstone and the tassel and his face darkened. â€Å"But I guess I already know the answer. You're here for her. Elena Gilbert, A Light in Darkness,† he read sarcastically. â€Å"That's right,† Meredith said evenly. † ‘Elena' means light, you know. And she was certainly surrounded by darkness. It almost beat her, but she won in the end.† â€Å"Maybe,† Tyler said, and worked his jaw meditatively, squinting. â€Å"But you know, Meredith, it's a funny thing about darkness. There's always more of it waiting in the wings.† â€Å"Like tonight,† Meredith said, looking up at the sky. It was clear and dotted with faint stars. â€Å"It's very dark tonight, Tyler. But sooner or later the sun will come up.† Just like he showed Elena, Meredith thought. In a way she was enjoying this verbal fencing, but she never lost sight of what she had come here for. Her cold fingers dipped into her jacket pocket and found the tiny sprig of vervain there. â€Å"That's all right, Tyler. I think I'd prefer to stay here.† â€Å"You sure about that? A cemetery's a dangerous place to be alone.† Unquiet spirits, Meredith thought. She looked right at him. â€Å"I know.† He was grinning again, displaying teeth like tombstones. â€Å"Anyway, you can see it from here if you have good eyes. Look that way, toward the old graveyard. Now, do you see something sort of shining red in the middle?† â€Å"No.† There was a pale luminosity over the trees in the east. Meredith kept her eyes on it. â€Å"Aw, come on, Meredith. You're not trying. Once the moon's up you'll see it better.† â€Å"Tyler, I can't waste any more time here. I'm going.† â€Å"No, you're not,† he said. And then, as her fingers tightened on the vervain, encompassing it in her fist, he added in a wheedling voice, â€Å"I mean, you're not going until I tell you the story of that headstone, are you? It's a great story. See, the headstone is made of red marble, the only one of its kind in the whole graveyard. And that ball on top-see it?-that must weigh about a ton. But it moves. It turns whenever a Smallwood is going to die. My grandfather didn't believe that; he put a scratch on it right down the front. He used to come out and check it every month or so. Then one day he came and found the scratch in the rear. The ball had turned completely backward. He did everything he could to turn it around, but he couldn't. It was too heavy. And that night, in bed, he died. They buried him under it.† â€Å"He probably had a heart attack from overexertion,† Meredith said caustically, but her palms were tingling. â€Å"You're funny, aren't you? Always so cool. Always so together. Takes a lot to make you scream, doesn't it?† â€Å"I'm leaving, Tyler. I've had enough.† He let her walk a few paces, then said, â€Å"You screamed that night at Caroline's, though, didn't you?† Meredith turned back. â€Å"How do you know that?† Tyler rolled his eyes. â€Å"Give me credit for a little intelligence, okay? I know a lot, Meredith. For instance, I know what's in your pocket.† Meredith's fingers stilled. â€Å"What do you mean?† Meredith backed away a step. â€Å"You think that's going to help you, don't you? But I'm going to tell you a secret.† Meredith's eyes measured the distance between herself and the path. She kept her face calm, but a violent shaking was beginning inside her. She didn't know if she was going to be able to pull this off. â€Å"You're not going anywhere, babe,† Tyler said, and a large hand clasped Meredith's wrist. It was hot and damp where she could feel it below her jacket cuff. â€Å"You're going to stay right here for your surprise.† His body was hunched now, his head thrust forward, and there was an exultant leer on his lips. â€Å"Let me go, Tyler. You're hurting me!† Panic flashed down all Meredith's nerves at the feel of Tyler's flesh against hers. But the hand only gripped harder, grinding tendon against bone in her wrist. â€Å"This is a secret, baby, that nobody else knows,† Tyler said, pulling her close, his breath hot in her face. â€Å"You came here all decked out against vampires. But I'm not a vampire.† Meredith's heart was pounding. â€Å"Let go!† â€Å"First I want you to look over there. You can see the headstone now,† he said, turning her so that she couldn't help but look. And he was right; she could see it, like a red monument with a shining globe on top. Or-not a globe. That marble ball looked like†¦ it looked like†¦ â€Å"Now look east. What do you see there, Meredith?† Tyler went on, his voice hoarse with excitement. It was the full moon. It had risen while he'd been talking to her, and now it hung above the hills, perfectly round and enormously distended, a huge and swollen red ball. And that was what the headstone looked like. Like a full moon dripping with blood. â€Å"You came here protected against vampires, Meredith,† Tyler said from behind her, even more hoarsely. â€Å"But the Smallwoods aren't vampires at all. We're something else.† And then he growled. No human throat could have made the sound. It wasn't an imitation of an animal; it was real. A vicious guttural snarl that went up and up, snapping Meredith's head around to look at him, to stare in disbelief. What she was seeing was so horrible her mind couldn't accept it†¦ â€Å"I told you it was a surprise. How do you like it?† Tyler said. His voice was thick with saliva, and his red tongue lolled among the rows of long canine teeth. His face wasn't a face anymore. It jutted out grotesquely into a muzzle, and his eyes were yellow, with slitlike pupils. His reddish-sandy hair had grown over his cheeks and down the back of his neck. A pelt. â€Å"You can scream all you want up here and nobody's going to hear you,† he added. Every muscle in Meredith's body was rigid, trying to get away from him. It was a visceral reaction, one she couldn't have helped if she wanted to. His breath was so hot, and it smelled feral, like an animal. The nails he was digging into her wrist were stumpy blackened claws. She didn't have the strength to scream again. â€Å"There's other things besides vampires with a taste for blood,† Tyler said in his new slurping voice. â€Å"And I want to taste yours. But first we're going to have some fun.† Although he still stood on two feet, his body was humped and strangely distorted. Meredith's struggles were feeble as he forced her to the ground. She was a strong girl, but he was far stronger, his muscles bunching under his shirt as he pinned her. â€Å"You've always been too good for me, haven't you? Well, now you're going to find out what you've been missing.† I can't breathe, Meredith thought wildly. His arm was across her throat, blocking her air. Gray waves rolled through her brain. If she passed out now†¦ â€Å"You're going to wish you died as fast as Sue.† Tyler's face floated above her, red as the moon, with that long tongue lolling. His other hand held her arms above her head. â€Å"You ever hear the story of Little Red Riding Hood?† The gray was turning into blackness, speckled with little lights. Like stars, Meredith thought. I'm falling in the stars†¦ â€Å"Tyler, take your hands off her! Let go of her, now!† Matt's voice shouted. Tyler's slavering snarl broke off into a surprised whine. The arm against Meredith's throat released pressure, and air rushed into her lungs. Footsteps were pounding around her. â€Å"I've been waiting a long time to do this, Tyler,† Matt said, jerking the sandy-red head back by the hair. Then Matt's fist smashed into Tyler's newly grown muzzle. Blood spurted from the wet animal nose. The sound Tyler made froze Meredith's heart in her chest. He sprang at Matt, twisting in midair, claws outstretched. Matt fell back under the assault and Meredith, dizzy, tried to push herself up off the ground. She couldn't; all her muscles were trembling uncontrollably. But someone else picked Tyler off Matt as if Tyler weighed no more than a doll. â€Å"Just like old times, Tyler,† Stefan said, setting Tyler on his feet and facing him. Tyler stared a minute, then tried to run. He was fast, dodging with animal agility between the rows of graves. But Stefan was faster and cut him off. Stefan was dragging Tyler back. â€Å"I always knew you were a jerk,† he said, shoving Tyler against a headstone, â€Å"but I didn't know you were this stupid. I'd have thought you would have learned not to jump girls in graveyards, but no. And you had to brag about what you did to Sue, too. That wasn't smart, Tyler.† Meredith looked at them as they faced each other. So different, she thought. Even though they were both creatures of darkness in some way. Stefan was pale, his green eyes blazing with anger and menace, but there was a dignity, almost a purity about him. He was like some stern angel carved in unyielding marble. Tyler just looked like a trapped animal. He was crouched, breathing hard, blood and saliva mingling on his chest. Those yellow eyes glittered with hate and fear, and his fingers worked as if he'd like to claw something. A low sound came out of his throat. â€Å"Don't worry, I'm not going to beat you up this time,† Stefan said. â€Å"Not unless you try to get away. We're all going up to the church to have a little chat. You like to tell stories, Tyler; well, you're going to tell me one now.† Tyler sprang at him, vaulting straight from the ground for Stefan's throat. But Stefan was ready for him. Meredith suspected that both Stefan and Matt enjoyed the next few minutes, working off their accumulated aggressions, but she didn't, so she looked away. In the end, Tyler was trussed up with nylon cord. He could walk, or shuffle at least, and Stefan held the back of his shirt and guided him urgently up the path to the church. Inside, Stefan pushed Tyler onto the ground near the open tomb. â€Å"Now,† he said, â€Å"we are going to talk. And you're going to cooperate, Tyler, or you're going to be very, very sorry.†

Everest Simulation Summary

I volunteered to be an observer for the Everest Simulation, and I learned a lot by observing participants Interact with one another. As I walked around each group, I quickly realized that I wasn't going to learn as much about the simulation by observing each group; I had to focus on one team and observe their work. As a result, I watched one team and learned many Important management skills, such as leadership, planning and controlling, setting team and Individual goals, and communication.The students were placed into teams of flee members who had only known each there for approximately six weeks. In standard businesses, teams may know each other for months, years, or possibly decades. What made this simulation difficult is that students had five hours to collaborate, analyze their roles and responsibilities, and communicate while some businesses take months or years to get their teams in synch. I was beyond impressed with what I observed.Aside from learning the responsibilities and goals of the leader, photographer, environmentalist, marathoner, and physician, I learned more Important lessons that apply to all successful organizations. First of all, communication is key. If only one or two members speak up, groups assume everyone Is In agreement. Everybody must speak up; this means each member must have honest and direct conversations, ask questions, acknowledge errors, and offer ideas.Additionally, listening is just as important as communication skills. Next, because trust is the foundation to a successful company, and these groups did not have the time most successful companies have to build trust, I realized that trust can be created quickly by successfully doing the following things: staying true to your commitments; being ones; being authentic; being clear and concise when communicating (especially when you only have three hours to complete a project); crediting others; and of course, listening.There are other ways to build trust, but these were the comm on takeaways from observing the groups that were the most successful with the simulation. Developing and maintaining trust Is critical to successful businesses, and the team I focused on was successful because they had confidence In each member of the team. Even though each climber has to monitor his or her health, watch the weather, ND choose travel speed, they must avoid getting an illness such as frostbite, injuries, or an illness.Even though each member has individual goals, the team goals must be met to accumulate as many points as possible. The team I observed realized that each members' goals don't always coincide with the rest of the team. This can cause challenges, arguments, and eventually reduce the points they already earned. This taught me that one member's goals and being competitive Is not the way to have a successful team or create a final product. Another key characteristic I observed was that each member must share all Information.If a teammate kept Information to themselves, It hurt the team as a whole, which ties Into communication, climate of trust, and ultimately team effectiveness. Important task. Being that he or she could earn the most amount of points, the leader calmly listened to each members' ideas and reasoning before making a decision without criticizing, picking apart, or finding fault in one's idea. Instead, he or she listened to each member, made him or her feel like they were contributing to the group, and ultimately brought up the morale of the team.After listening to all ideas, she made the decision whether or not to move to the next camp. It was interesting for me to see that although the leader made the decision, the group felt pleased with the decision because they were all heard. Successful leaders have visions, missions, and goals, but most importantly, make the team feel like a legitimate team. There were other groups I observed that disagreed about many decisions, mainly because members were not being heard, and two or three people were making most of the decisions. It's important that all team members are heard.The simulation is a great experience for students and employees. There were at least ten lessons learned in Just three hours, and each student enjoyed the experience. It taught me that communication and diversity are integral to groups and the workforce. If everybody had the same opinion, we would not be challenged. Each member brought unique strengths, comments, questions, and concerns to the group, and most importantly, they communicated effectively. I must say, being that I am not a fan of cold weather, this was the best Mount Everest climb I have ever experienced.

Profile of the Nazi Low Riders - NLR

Profile of the Nazi Low Riders - NLR The Nazi Low Riders (also known as the NLR) originated during the 1970s inside a California Youth Authority facility and is closely associated with the two gangs - Aryan Brotherhood (AB) and the Public Enemy Number One (PEN1). Founded by John Stinson, a white supremacist inmate, the gang was originally formed to act on behalf of the powerful Aryan Brotherhood. Alliances were made and the NLR acted as errand boys to the AB. In the 1980s, the authorities worked hard to break up the AB by isolating its known members in maximum lockup prisons like Pelican Bay and other Security Housing Units (SHUs) and the NLR was needed to conduct AB business in the medium security prisons. Up to this point, the NLR was viewed by prison officials more as a troublesome group rather than a gang. But with its strong alliance with the AB, which had proven to be the most powerful and ruthless prison gang, the NLR began to grow and prison officials took notice. Unlike the AB with its strict - whites only - policy, the NLR permitted some Hispanics to join. Money, not racial purity, seemed to be their ultimate goal. However, in 1999, the NLR was officially classified by CDC authorities as a prison gang causing its membership to also be housed in SHUs, thus diminishing the NLRs usefulness to the AB. Organizational Structure Unlike their AB mentors, the NLR has a simple structure which is adhered to more inside the prisons than on the streets. There is a three-tier system: Seniors: Requires five years of gang membership and at least three seniors must elect the candidate.Juniors: Act in the  capacity of foot soldiers and may recruit new members, but cannot induct new members into the gang.Kids: Are recruits generally coming from smaller gangs. Symbols - Tattoos SwastikasNLR - Nazi Low RidersSS - Lightning boltsHH - Heil Hitler88 - The numerical equal to HHWP - White PowerWSU - White Student UnionAYM - Aryan Youth Movement There are no strict rules about placement of NLR tattoos. In fact, many NLR members are hiding their tattoos in order to avoid being detected as a member and thus being sent to a maximum security prison. Others tell prison officials that the NLR tattoo stands for No Longer Racist. Enemies/Rivals American MafiaBloodsCripsNorteà ±osBlack Guerrilla FamilyNuestra FamiliaMara SalvatruchaLos Angeles crime familyRussian MafiaFriends Stand UnitedLos ZetasOutlawsIsraeli Mafia Allies Aryan BrotherhoodPublic Enemy No.1 Today the NLR operates on the streets, but primarily inside prisons. They have engaged in a variety of criminal activity including extortion, the production and distribution of illegal narcotics, assault, hate crimes, and murder. There are an estimated 1,000 members spread across California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Illinois and Florida. Internal Struggles In recent years the gang has had some internal struggles over the race issue. One group wants to adopt the Aryan Brotherhood policy of pure white members only, while others want to remain with a half-white ancestry and no black ancestry policy for membership. The Nazi Low Riders Oath I, as a Nazi Low Rider, hereby swear an unrelenting oath upon the green graves of our sires, upon the children in the wombs of our wives, upon the throne of god almighty, sacred to his name, to join together in the holy union with the brothers in this circle and to declare forthright that from this day moment on that I have no fear of death, no fear of foe, that I have a sacred duty to do whatever is necessary to deliver our people from the Jew and bring total victory to the Nazi Low Riders.I, as a Nazi Low Rider Warrior, swear myself to complete secrecy to the Order and total loyalty to my comrades.Let me bear witness to you, my brothers, that should one of you fall in battle, I will see to the welfare and well-being of your family.Let me bear witness to you, my brothers, that should one of you be taken prisoner, I will do whatever is necessary to regain your freedom.Let me bear witness to you, my brothers, that should an enemy agent hurt you, I will chase him to the ends of the ear th and remove his head from his body. And furthermore, let me bear witness to you, my brothers, that if I break this oath let me be forever cursed upon the lips of our people as a coward and an oath breaker.My brothers, let us be his battle-ax and weapons of war. Let us go forward by ones and twos, by scores and legions and as true Nazi Low Riders with pure hearts and strong minds face the enemies of our brotherhood and families, with courage and determination.We hereby invoke the blood covenant and declare that we are in a full state of war and will not lay down our weapons until we have driven the enemy into the sea and reclaimed that which is rightfully ours. Through our blood and gods will, the land will be that of our children. UNTIL DEATH

Who Invented Catseye Road Studs - Percy Shaw

Who Invented Catseye Road Studs - Percy Shaw Percy Shaw (1890-1976) was an English inventor best known for inventing cats eye road studs in 1934. Cats eyes are the road reflectors which help drivers see the road in the fog or at night. In 1947, British Labor Junior Transport Minister Jim Callaghan introduced cats eyes on British roads. Percy Shaw Manufacturer and inventor Percy Shaw was born on April 15, 1890, in Halifax, England. After attending the Boothtown boarding school, Percy Shaw began working as a laborer at a blanket mill at the age of thirteen, however, he studied shorthand and bookkeeping at night school. He started a repair business with his father fixing rollers, which evolved into a path and driveway building business. He designed a miniature motorized roller to aid him in building driveways and paths.​ Cats Eye Road Studs The area in which Percy Shaw lived was prone to fog and the local roads were often hazardous for motorists. Shaw decided to invent reflecting studs that would be set into the surface of unlit roads. He was inspired by the reflection of car headlights in road signs. In fact, he based the idea on another invention- reflective road signs that had been patented in 1927. Percy Shaw patented his Maltese cross-shaped road studs (U.K patent #436,290 and #457,536) and trademarked the name Cats Eye. He formed the Reflecting Roadstuds Ltd to manufacture the new road studs. However, sales were sluggish until the Ministry of Transport mandated Catseyes for British roads.

Make for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Make for me - Essay Example In the poem â€Å"A Letter To Sir John A. Macdonald†, Dumont writes about the wrong things that politicians and businessmen did in the history of Canada. For me, the case is not only true for Sir John A. Macdonald, but also to countless other men who have done corruption and performed wrongdoings to the country. She begins the poem quite ironically, â€Å"Dear John: I’m still here and halfbreed,† the irony is because she is proud to say upfront that she is a halfbreed, while other people look down on such halfbreeds. She has also emphasized her being a halfbreed, or Metis blood meaning that she is a mix of Caucasian and American  Indian ancestry, in the ending where she says â€Å"we’re still here and calling ourselves halfbreed†. In order to properly appreciate this poem, one must have some knowledge of Canadian history, particularly on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, as well as the Metis uprisings. The railway was shutdown and never used, and what Macdonald did left scars in the people. Dumont pointed this out in her lines â€Å"because you know as well as I that we were railroaded by some steel tracks that didn’t last and some settlers who wouldn’t settle and it’s funny we’re still here and calling ourselves halfbreed.† Their history was one of oppression by a more pure race who looked down because their blood was mixed with different races. As for R. Zamora Linmark’s poem, it was around 1998, after the filming of Brokedown Palace in Manila, Philippines, that Claire Danes, in an interview with Premiere Magazine, said that "The city just fucking smelled of cockroaches. Theres no sewage system in Manila, and people have nothing there. People with, like, no arms, no legs, no eyes, no teeth.? Rats were everywhere...a ghastly and weird city." This prompted R. Zamora Linmark to write the ironic poem â€Å"A Letter to Claire Danes from a Fan in