Free Essays on Hemingway

Hemingway’s Hills â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† by Earnest Hemingway is a short story about the American and Jig’s lack of good communication. One would not understand the true meaning of this story without examining the symbolism used by the author. The story begins with a description of the setting. There were long hills, a train station, a bar, and a beaded curtain. At this point in the story, I thought that Hemingway was just trying to start another tale of his. Little did I know he was showing me, the reader, how important the setting is by talking about it first. I learned that I had to examine every physical part of the scenery to understand the story. From the beginning of â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† to the very end, Hemingway uses the various aspects of the setting as symbols to reveal things about the American, the Jig, and them as a couple. While waiting for their train, the man and woman sat outside the bar that was next to the train station. They passed the time by drinking, and the woman was observing the scenery at the same time. Jig mentions to her boyfriend â€Å"they [the hills] look like white elephants† (758). A white elephant is something that is useless. Jig is pregnant. The American boyfriend does not want her to have the baby. If she were to have the baby, it would change his lifestyle. Thus, the baby would be a white elephant to the man. This is when I learned that there is symbolism in the setting. In this case, it was in the landscape of the countryside of Spain. This is the most obvious case in the story, and it foreshadows that there is more to come. The bar in Spain that the American and Jig are sitting at is also symbolic. Hemingway mentions in the first paragraph â€Å"the American and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade, next to a table outside the building [the bar]† (757). He purposefully does not indicate what country the girl is from. To clarify, Hemingway is showing the ... Free Essays on Hemingway Free Essays on Hemingway Hemingway’s Hills â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† by Earnest Hemingway is a short story about the American and Jig’s lack of good communication. One would not understand the true meaning of this story without examining the symbolism used by the author. The story begins with a description of the setting. There were long hills, a train station, a bar, and a beaded curtain. At this point in the story, I thought that Hemingway was just trying to start another tale of his. Little did I know he was showing me, the reader, how important the setting is by talking about it first. I learned that I had to examine every physical part of the scenery to understand the story. From the beginning of â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† to the very end, Hemingway uses the various aspects of the setting as symbols to reveal things about the American, the Jig, and them as a couple. While waiting for their train, the man and woman sat outside the bar that was next to the train station. They passed the time by drinking, and the woman was observing the scenery at the same time. Jig mentions to her boyfriend â€Å"they [the hills] look like white elephants† (758). A white elephant is something that is useless. Jig is pregnant. The American boyfriend does not want her to have the baby. If she were to have the baby, it would change his lifestyle. Thus, the baby would be a white elephant to the man. This is when I learned that there is symbolism in the setting. In this case, it was in the landscape of the countryside of Spain. This is the most obvious case in the story, and it foreshadows that there is more to come. The bar in Spain that the American and Jig are sitting at is also symbolic. Hemingway mentions in the first paragraph â€Å"the American and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade, next to a table outside the building [the bar]† (757). He purposefully does not indicate what country the girl is from. To clarify, Hemingway is showing the ... Free Essays on Hemingway Throughout history there have been overthrows on governments in order to bring a new government into power. In â€Å"Chapter V† of Hemingway’s In Our Time, Hemingway implies that old governments are often replaced and a new regime ascends to power. Throughout history old governments have been deposed by a new system which is fit to rule the people of its time. In â€Å"Chapter V† Hemingway subtly hints that an old, dying government is often overthrown by a new, organized, and often militaristic regime. In â€Å"Chapter V†, Hemingway uses diction with syntax to create a gloomy, serious, and straightforward tone. The tone is important in this paragraph because it shows how Hemingway is describing this dismal scene. â€Å"There were wet dead leaves on the paving of the courtyard†(Hemingway), If this description is plugged into the symbolism of the chapter it can foreshadow what happens at the end of the passage and where it happens. Another element used in the syntax in the chapter is the word â€Å"they.† The use of the word â€Å"they† in the passage is used most when referring to the soldiers. â€Å"They† is a nameless and numberless pronoun which suggests that Hemingway wanted to keep the identity of the people who are responsible unclear. He uses this when describing the execution. â€Å"They shot the cabinet ministers at ...hospital†. This description shows how he keeps the identity of the soldiers unclear in the paragraph. Hemingway also uses the word â€Å"they† to show that the soldiers are not individuals but part of a collective and are receiving orders. Hemingway writes, â€Å"They tried to hold him up against the wall.† and continues later in the paragraphâ€Å"Finally the officer told the soldiers....†. Hemingway uses this to illustrate that â€Å"they† are following orders form a person of a higher rank. In this chapter that is important to show that the new regime is more organized than the old government. Hemingway uses ...

Tree Disks and the Cross-Sections of Tree Limbs, Trunks

Tree Disks and the Cross-Sections of Tree Limbs, Trunks For those of you who dont know what a tree cookie is, a  tree cookie is a sliced portion of a tree trunk or limb that can show each and every annual ring on a viewable plane. A tree cross-section disk or cookie can be one of the best botanical teaching aids to kids and adults on things happening in a tree and environmental effects on trees. It is especially effective visually in conifer specimens and more specifically pine. Finding the Perfect Tree Cookie Selecting a tree species that shows well is important when showing annual ring structure. Species that display visible dark annual rings are pines, spruces, cedar, and firs. Conifers used as Christmas trees are great for this if you use a real tree over the holiday. The wood is soft, easy to cut, and sand, and always displays nice rings. Deciduous or broad-leaved trees can show nice rings by cutting their thick faster-growing branches (that also contain annual rings). Best trees for branch collections are oaks, ashes, maples, elms, cherry, and walnut. Trunk slices from these trees are often too large for display where rings are usually too tight and light to easily count. The best tool for quickly felling a small tree is the standard curved large tooth pruning saw. A pruning saw will make quick work on a small trees base or when cutting larger branches. At this point, you need to make a decision on whether to cut the cookies without drying or dry larger poles for cutting cross-sections later. These poles should be cut into four-foot segments with no end less than 2 inches in diameter. The ideal slice size for quick production and use for a classroom is about the diameter of a soda can. Slice the logs into cookie segments between 1 to 2 inches thick. Use the same pruning saw or, for a fine surface, use a motor-driven saw such as a radial arm saw. Drying Logs in a Kiln or Under Sheltered Storage Kiln-drying short poles can be a more involved step to carry out but make for a much better tree slice specimen. A sawmill yard supervisor can dry your tree cookie logs in days using their lumber kiln. These logs will be sufficiently dry, feel much lighter and easier to cut with little to no chance of cracking. If you have time and a space you can set the logs in a dry, well-ventilated place for about a year. Drying Cookies From Green Trees Drying cookies cut from green trees is critical. If the sections are not dried properly, they will attract mold and fungus and lose bark. Store your cut cookies in a dry, well-ventilated surface under low humidity for three to ten days. Turn them over daily to allow both sides to dry. Placing them on a driveway on a sunny day also works. Cracking is a major problem if the cookie is not dried over sufficient time with adequate ventilation. Getting the perfect â€Å"uncracked† cookie is a challenge, and the best way to prevent cracking is to cut cookies from a dried, not green, log or branch. Remember that the smaller the cookie, the less likely cracking will occur. Try cutting cookies from dried limbs, as the grain is often tighter in the limbs than in the main stem. Curing Cookies Using PEG Good preserving with less cracking results when you soak fresh-cut green cookies in polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG draws the water out and replaces it with the PEG, which is a waxy material with excellent wood stabilizing properties. It also is not cheap and should be used primarily for your best specimens. The disks from fresh-cut wood should be wrapped in plastic or immersed in water to keep in green condition until they can be treated. The PEG soaking time to obtain sufficient penetration against splitting and checking depends on the solution, the size, and thickness of the disks, and the species of wood. One month is usually sufficient soaking time and there is a drying time also associated.

Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Immigration - Essay Example Nevertheless, the political and social significance of immigration goes clear of numbers as immigration engrosses populace, and not just the factors of production but also the dreams, hopes, frustrations, human interests and plans. As such, immigrants are n active force that drives the novel international realities both in their host countries and their native countries. In actual fact, immigration has turned out to be a key force that shapes global reality. Immigration is a dominant force with regard to both cultural and social interaction and change in the host nations. It offers the immigrants considerable opportunities to enable them to progress. Immigration is also an issue that has significantly dissimilar developmental impacts on both the native and host nations. The worldwide population has, therefore, recognized the aforementioned facts in their considerations on immigration and as a consequence has acknowledged the requirement to set up a more rational political rejoinder t o the trend. This paper is, therefore, written with the objective of bringing out the differences in immigration patterns between the United States of America and other countries across the globe. In doing so, the paper will look at aspects such as the difference in immigration policies between the USA and other countries and also the differences in opportunities offered to immigrants in USA and other countries. Immigration in the USA and Canada One of the notable differences between the national policies on immigration between Canada and the United States of America is that while Canada has been actively involved in soliciting for immigrants for several years, the United States of America has put up several restrictions aimed at limiting immigration into the country Dalmia. Dalmia further observes that the Canadian public has consistently shown support for immigration as was seen in a poll whose outcome indicated that only a third of Canadians considered immigration as a problem an d not an opportunity. This was far much lower than all the nations that had been surveyed. However, the Canadians showed concern on â€Å"brain wastage† and making sure that alien credential were accurately acknowledged and recompensed in the job markets. In concurrence with the above statement, Dalmia acknowledges that unlike the United States that only elects natives to leadership and political positions, Canada offers immigrants opportunities in both political and leadership positions. For instance, during the 2011 parliamentary elections, approximately 11 percent of all the individuals elected to the Canadian parliament were immigrants. He further maintains that this is not a coincidence as just about 20 percent of Canadians are immigrants. On the other hand, the United States of America limits immigrants from participating in elections and holding political offices. That is, the policies do not allow immigrants to vote or vie political offices such as congress, presidenc y and senate. In observing the difference of opinions on immigrations between Canadians and Americans, Dalmia noted that there are two key reasons as per why Canadians are tolerant to immigration while

Green Street Hooligans Film Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Green Street Hooligans Film Review - Essay Example The first setting is the university, Harvard University. This college offers educational services to students. It is portrayed as a respectful environment that encourages students to be morally upright. This would be the reason that made Matt be expelled from the institution. He was found in possession of a classmate’s drugs. He is 'therefore' expelled wrongly. Harvard University portrays the learning institutions as being a decent place that mold characters of various students. This place is strict, and any breaking of rules would lead to expulsion. This was made Matt be expelled wrongly even without proper investigation to determine the source or the owner of the drugs. This act would be an example of a loophole that exists in institutions that have strict rules and regulations. In an effort to run away or avoid his parents, Matt takes flight to London to visit his sister who is married to Steve. This gives the film its second setting. This setting is based in London. Moreov er, the London setting encompasses a wide range of settings. From home, Matt goes to the pub where he drinks with colleagues. He goes on to watch a football match and later finds himself in the streets of a city in London where he is involved in a serious fight. This setting in London would be classified into three, the pubs, the football pitch and the streets where fighting occurs. In London that Matt joins a ‘Crew’ that are gangs which would be unofficial and are associated with various football teams. Matt joins new friends who drink a lot, smoke and use vulgar language. This would be associated with football fans in England in support of their teams (Rhodes). The pub where Matt goes to drink indicates a social place where people gather to drink or have their time just before going for football matches. The pubs within England are portrayed as being harbors of hooligans. It would also be reflected as an immoral place that encompasses chaos and evil company. This make s Matt a different person from what he was during his college time. He would now sing rousing within the streets of London. The other setting is the football pitch where fan gather to support their teams. This portrays a football culture in England where fans support their teams. This reflects a culture that is acceptable and has been practiced in England for a long time. The event itself is legitimate or moral, but the activities associated with it thereafter may be ugly. This is what happened in the case of Matt after the football match ended. The enemy team fans were up in arms against each other. This led to serious fights that involved Matt within friends against the fans of the enemy team in the streets. The football game is portrayed as an activity that aggravates hatred and hostility among team fans. Fans drink before going to the pitch to get psyched up so that they can cheer their teams. At times, cheering would affect the result of the game, and this would lead to shoutin g at each other. The result would be a serious fight as in the case of Matt and friends. Although he was initially afraid of violence, through drinking he soon becomes desensitized to Elite gang (Rhodes). The streets have been portrayed as places where fighting takes place. They are evil places that involve blood shedding. In this context, they would reflect dangerous area associated with hooligans, shouting, vulgar language, and painful experiences. This would be the reason why Shannon, her sister is worried and her husband

Explain Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

Explain Utilitarianism Essay Utilitarianism was developed in the 18th century by Hutcheson, who used the phrase ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’ to describe his theory. Hutcheson’s idea, seeks to find a rational means of assessing how best to put this promotion of happiness into practice. It is split into two types; Act Utilitarianism, this is the earliest form in which what is deemed right is based on the assessment of results of a particular action, and Rule Utilitarianism which allows to be taken into account the general benefit to society that occurs when people follow general rules. It is argued that utilitarianism is a relativist, consequentialist and teleological system of ethics, prescribing no fixed moral rules and judging an action by its consequences or end results. Bentham and Mill each argued respectively for these types of Utilitarianism and thus their beliefs differ. Bentham was born in London at time of huge scientific and social change. He looked to produce a modernised approach to morality which would suit the changing society of the industrial age he grew up in. This was also the era of the French and American revolutions. He argued that humans were motivated by pleasure and pain â€Å"nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pleasure and pain†. This later on became known as Act Utilitarianism. Bentham believed that everyone had an equal right to happiness irrespective of their situation or status in life and argued that everyone counted equally in the assessment of the benefits of an action. He believed that overall, this would benefit the individual who did so and this would lead to that persons greatest happiness as well. His theory is democratic as pleasure cannot be for one person alone. Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus this is what Bentham thought was an empirical process for making moral decisions, it weighs up the pain and pleasure generated by the available moral actions to find the best option. It asks you to consider seven points: 1. Purity (an act that causes only pleasure is better than one that causes the same amount of pleasure mixed with a little pain. When either pleasure or pain is at its extremes it is more pure however when mixed its purity is less. ) 2. Remoteness (the more distant the benefits, in either space or time, the less weight we should give them in making our decision. For example how long will it take for the pleasure of the action to take effect. ) 3. Intensity (the less intense the pleasure of an action the less valuable that action is. However, if the action leads to intense pleasure then its value goes way up. ) 4. Certainty (the certainty criteria refers to the probability of the pleasure resulting from the act. So basically how likely a certain action will cause a cause a certain action. If you have to choose between an action which might cause pleasure and one that will definately cause the disired pealsure then you go with that action. ) 5. Extent (The more people enjoy the pleasure, the better. This was not among the original criteria described by Bentham, but was added by John Stuart Mill. ) 6. Duration (the duration of the pleasure caused by an act must also be taken into account when assessing the goodness of the act. Short bursts of pleasure or short lasting pleasure is viewed as less valuable than lasting pleasure. So acts which last for long periods of time are preferred to those which are short lasting. ) 7. Consequence (The consequence of an act is the likelihood that the pleasures or pains that it causes will be followed by similar pleasures or pains. If the happiness that an act causes is likely to be followed by more happiness, then that act is better than a similar act that will cause only one instance of happiness. It is basically how many times the pain or pleasure will occur.) For example if five guards were enjoying torturing one prisoner the hedonic calculus would suggest that this is ok because more pleasure is occurring than pain. If the probable pain of an action outweighs its pleasure then Bentham says that it is morally wrong. He believed this was the way of calculating happiness as a result of the course of an action and by this he was making the basis of deciding whether an action should be considered right or wrong. However going back to the guard’s example, is beating up a prisoner morally right because more people are enjoying it than feeling pain from it? During the 19th century Mill changed Bentham’s theory, Bentham implied any pleasure is of equal value â€Å"pushpin is equal to poetry† whereas Mill saw pleasures as higher and lower. He recognised that it was easier to settle for the more immediate and sensual pleasures like eating or drinking rather than the nobler and perhaps more refined ones such as poetry or opera. Mill criticised Bentham for focusing morality on pleasure alone, which seemed rather base to him. Therefore he decided to introduce a theory of utilitarianism for everyone, this replaced pleasure with happiness. He believed in quality not quantity of happiness. For Mill, happiness was defined as something which is cultured and spiritual than just physical. He distinguished this as higher and lower pleasures. He wrote â€Å"it is better to be a human being dissatisfied, than a pig satisfied† Mill recognised that there were different ways of assessing the value of happiness. Mill unlike Bentham suggested a positive place for rules within an overall utilitarianist approach. Another difference between Bentham and Mill lies in the difference between Act and Rule theories of utilitarianism. Bentham thought each individual action should be treated separately without any rules to guide the individual; whereas Mill proposed that you should make rules based on the consequences which tend to follow certain actions. For example killing someone tends to cause pain, so we should have a rule against killing people. Therefore Mill and Bentham arrived to two very different approaches of morality. Mills outlook was very different to that of Bentham’s. Overall, however their weaknesses outweigh their strengths. They are not very convincing as ethical systems, and it is my opinion that some other approach to ethics is required in order to do the morally right thing. An advantage of Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism is that it considers the consequences and happiness which result from actions; this seems a sensible approach to ethics. The theory is also flexible and easy to apply; it does not describe many confusing or difficult rules and provides a simple method for decision making. The theory also enables difficult decision making through its relativism. For example it would allow us to sacrifice individuals if it is of great benefit to society. The problem with Bentham’s theory however is that it is truly relativistic, so any conceivable action could be allowed for example, killing prisoners because five guards get pleasure from it. It also justifies the suffering of the innocent under a majority. It further allows cruel or sadistic pleasure, since Bentham regarded all pleasure as equal, this was first thought of by a philosopher called Bernard Williams. Mill’s theory offers many advantages which get around the problems of Bentham and Act Utilitarianism. By distinguishing between the quality of pleasures, Mill rules out the possibility of sadism like in the case of the prison guards enjoying torturing a prisoner. Also, Mill is stating that certain actions are explicitly prohibited because they tend to promote pain. So, he would not allow killing, no matter how much it was enjoyed. However, Mill’s theory lacks the flexibility of Bentham’s, which means that sensible rule breaking is no longer possible. For example you could not tell small lies, even to protect others. There is another weakness in Mill’s idea of different qualities of pleasure this is, how can we judge what makes pleasure higher or lower? As surely this is a subjective matter, as opinions and preferences vary from person to person. It might also be argued that the concept of a competent judge is vague, since it is not clear whether we can really identify one. In conclusion, the theories put forward by Bentham and Mill fail to provide a convincing or useful approach to ethics. On the one hand, Bentham’s views are strikingly relativistic, allowing any pleasure. On the other hand, Mill’s Rule system lacks the flexibility to make sensible choices in difficult situations. It may be that some other and more modern version of the theory can overcome these problems, such as preference utilitarianism put forward by Peter Singer. Preference utilitarianism bases itself on the idea used in act utilitarianism, that the principle of utility is the most important basis of moral decision making. This principle is about maximising pleasure and preventing pain. Preference utilitarianism retains this but simply modifies it to be subjective, that peoples preferences should be maximised not pleasure over pain. This is a simple way to be personal, allowing everyone their own say rather than presuming pleasure is always desirable. For example eating 30 bars of chocolate when obese may not cause pleasure as it is worsening their obesity however it is the persons preference to do this. If we could strike a balance between favouring firm moral principles and paying attention to significant consequences or the all-round wellbeing of society. Such a compromise offers a more promising approach to ethics than the classical forms of Utilitarianism put forward by Mill and Bentham.

Moby Dick Essay -- Human Spirituality Society Papers

Moby Dick Moby-Dick is the one American story which every individual seems to recognize. Because of its pervasiveness into our country’s collective psyche, the tale has been reproduced in film and cartoon, and references to the characters and the whale can be found in commercials, sitcoms, and music, proving the novel to still be relevant today. It is the epitome of American Romanticism because it delves into the human spirit, the force of imagination, and power of the emotions and the intellect. The novel praises and critiques the American society in sharp and unequivocal terms, while, at the same time, mirroring this mixed society through the â€Å"multinational crew of...the Pequod† (Shaw 61). Melville, through his elaborate construction of the novel, â€Å"makes the American landscape a place for epic conquest† (Lyons 462). The primary draw of this novel is the story itself: a whaling ship, headed by a monomaniac, and the pursuit of a whale, or the American dr eam and its attainment, making a clear â€Å"connection between Romanticism and nationalism† (Evans 9). The novel calls upon the reader’s imagination, emotions, and intellect to fully understand the journey of the story, the journey which takes the reader on a most unusual trip into the soul of mankind. The two primary characters, Ishmael and Ahab, are two parts of one whole. Ishmael is an Everyman; and as such, he is the ideal model of the emotions, the imagination, and the appreciation of the beauty and power of Nature, God, and man, coupled with timely infusions from his intellect and reasoning capabilities. He is clearly an articulate narrator who blends intellect and emotion, though at times he stays wholly within the reign of the emotions. Conversely, Ahab ... ... Paul. â€Å"Melville and His Precursors: Styles as Metastyle and Allusion.† American Literature 62 (1990): 445-63. Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick; or The White Whale. ed. Harrison Hayford and Hershel Parker. New York: Norton, 1967. Poe, Edgar Allan. Great Short Works of Edgar Allan Poe. ed. G. R. Thompson. New York: Harper & Roe, 1970/ Post-Lauria, Sheila. â€Å"’Philosophy in Whales...Poetry in Blubber’: Mixed Form in Moby-Dick.† Nineteenth Century Literature 45 (1990): 300-16. Putz, Manfred. â€Å"The Narrator as Audience: Ishmael as Reader and Critic in Moby-Dick.† Studies in the Novel 19.2 (1987): 160-75. Shaw, Peter. â€Å"Cutting a Classic Down To Size.† The Virginia Quarterly 69.1 (1993): 60-84. Thoreau, Henry D. Walden and Resistance to Civil Government. ed. William Rossi. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1992.

Professional Philosophy of Early Childhood Education Essay

1. What do you consider to be the most harmful for adolescents†¦. binge drinking, drug addiction or anorexia nervosa? Why? Explain your choice in a minimum of five sentences. I consider the most harmful for adolescents is binge drinking. As children move from adolescence to young adulthood, they encounter dramatic physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes. Developmental transitions, such as puberty and increasing independence, have been associated with alcohol use. So in a sense, just being an adolescent may be a key risk factor not only for starting to drink but also for drinking dangerously. Whatever it is that leads adolescents to binge drinking, once they start they face a number of potential health risks. Although the severe health problems associated with harmful alcohol use are not as common in adolescents as they are in adults, studies show that young people who drink heavily may put themselves at risk for range of potential health problems. 2. Define adolescent egocentrism. Give three examples of egocentric fantasies or fables. Adolescent egocentrism is teens and older twin’s belief that others are highly attentive to their behavior and appearance. That is, egocentric adolescent believe that eyes are on them. Adolescent egocentrism is developmentally normal. In other words, teens and older twins can no more by stopping themselves from being egocentric than an infant can fix their inability to speak. Adolescent egocentrism usually appears around 11 or 12 years of age. Here are 3 examples of fable: The first one is the imaginary audience and personal fable seems to capture what have been viewed as typical fact of adolescent behavior. For example, self-consciousness and conformity to the peer group in regard to appearance can be understood as resulting from the belief that other (i.e., the imaginary audience) is always watching and judging. Feeling of isolation and risk-taking behavior can be viewed as outcomes of personal fable, believing that one is unique and invulnerable. The second example is self-other differentiation errors or egocentrism, emerging as a result of the transition. Attaining this development stage means that one can think abstractly and about possibilities; for example, one can think about what other people may be thinking. The third examples are empirical evidence supporting the theoretical link between imaginary audience and personal fable ideation and formal operational thinking has emerged only infrequently, and has been the best. For example, so studies have found what appears to be heightened imaginary audience and personal fable ideation among middle school students. 3. Give an example of how schools, peers and the media influence teen sexual behavior. Be sure you address each one. Example of how schools on teen sexual behavior†¦ Many young people engage in sexual risk behaviors that can result in unintended health outcomes. For example, among U.S. high school students have 47% in sexual intercourse. To reduce sexual risk behaviors and related health problems among youth, schools and other youth serving organizations can help young people adopt lifelong attitudes and behaviors that reduce their risk HIV , other STDs, and unintended pregnancy. Example of peer’s teen sexual behavior†¦. Teens want to be with people their own age. During adolescence, teens spend more time with their peers and without parental supervision. With peers, teens can be both connected and independent, as they break away from their parents images of them and develop identities of their own. Example of media influence teen sexual behavior†¦. If you don’t talk to your kids about your own values and expectations about sex, the main input they’ll get is from the media. Music videos, movies, reality shows. And studies show that the more sexual content kids watch and listen to, the earlier they’re likely to have sex themselves. In fact, teens report that their main source of information about sex, dating and sexual health comes from what they see and hear in the media. 4. Teen depression and teen suicide is a reality. What would you consider to be an inspirational song for an adolescent? The song I chose is Hero, by Mariah Carey. I love Mariah, when I first started listening to her I found most of her songs, inspirational and heart felt, she is one amazing songwriter/singer and I’m truly blesses to have someone like Mariah to keep the faith to other teens to listen to her songs

Arms Control essays

Arms Control essays Arms control is a major issue facing the nations of the world today. The concept that a war today could destroy every living thing doesnt sit well with many people. So to control weapons and what nations have these weapons will help control war. With problems with Nuclear weapons, Biological, chemical, and small arms we need to control them to help curve the problem. There are five nuclear weapon states in the world. They are the United States, Russia, France, United Kingdom, and China. Currently there are no international laws banning nuclear weapons, but their bans on testing these weapons. There is a treaty to ban nuclear testing world wide, to establish inspections, and establish a network of monitoring stations to identify these situations (United Nations Handout). Thus far, not all forty-four of the countries with nuclear capabilities have signed, therefore making it null and void. Until we can come to agreement on this issue the issue of resolving the other weapons will be hard to come by. Chemical and biological weapons are the next item for the world to tackle. There are more than sixteen nations with these weapons. Some of which are Russia, India, China, and Israel. There is a Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the use stockpile, development, production, and sale of these weapons. More than seventy nations have ratified it. There are five nations that have neither taken part in talks nor signed the agreement. They are Egypt, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, and Syria. The problem with controlling chemical weapons is that many of the agents that are used are used in everyday items. Phosphoric oxychloride, which is used in insecticides, gasoline additives and flame-retardants, is an item in question. These are items we must curtail to lessen or stop the threat of a chemical and biological war. The issue of land mines and small arms is a huge issue to tackle. For the simple reason tha ...

Biography of El Cid, Medieval Spanish Hero

Biography of El Cid, Medieval Spanish Hero El Cid (1045–July 10, 1099), whose birth name was Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar (or Bibar), is a Spanish national hero, a mercenary soldier who fought for the Spanish king Alfonso VII to liberate parts of Spain from the Almoravid dynasty and eventually captured the Muslim caliphate of Valencia and ruled his own kingdom. Fast Facts: El Cid Known For: National hero of Spain, mercenary soldier against Christian and Muslims, ruler of ValenciaBirth Name: Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar (or Bibar)Born: c. 1045 near Burgos, SpainParents: Diego Lainez and a daughter of Rodrigo AlvarezDied: July 10, 1099 in Valencia, SpainEducation: Trained in the Castilian court of Sancho IISpouse: Jimena (m. July 1074)Children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar was born into a chaotic period in Spanish history when much of the southern two-thirds of the Iberian peninsula had been conquered by Islamic forces during the Arab conquest beginning in the 8th century CE. In 1009, the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate collapsed and disintegrated into competing city-states, called taifa. The northern third of the peninsula was broken into principalities- Leà ³n, Castile, Navarre, Barcelona, Asturia, Galacia, and others- who fought each other and their Arab conquistadors.  Islamic rule in Iberia varied from place to place, as did the borders of the principalities, but the last city to be liberated by the Christian Reconquista was the Emirate of Granada in 1492.   Early Life El Cid was born Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar or Ruy Dà ­az de Vivar in the town of Vivar in the Castilian principality near Burgos, Spain in about 1045. His father was Diego Lainez, a soldier in the battle at Atapuerco in 1054, which was fought between the brothers King Ferdinand I of Leà ³n (Ferdinand the Great, ruled 1038–1065) and King Garcà ­a Snchez III of Navarre (r. 1012–1054). Some sources report that Diego was a descendant of Lain Calvo, a legendary duumvir (magistrate) in the Court of Ordoà ±o II (King of Galacia, ruled 914–924). Although her name is not known, Diegos mother was a niece of the Castilian diplomat Nuà ±o Alvarez de Carazo (1028–1054) and his wife Doà ±a Godo; she named her son after her father, Rodrigo Alvarez. Diego Laniez died in 1058, and Rodrigo was sent to be the ward of Ferdinands son Sancho who resided at his fathers court in Castile, then part of Leà ³n. There Rodrigo likely received formal schooling in the schools which had been built by Ferdinand, learning how to read and write, as well as training in the use of arms, horsemanship, and the art of the chase. He may have been trained to arms by Pedro Ansurez, a Castilian count (1037–1119), known to have been in residence at Ferdinands court at the time. Military Career In 1065, Ferdinand died and his kingdom was divided up between his sons. The eldest, Sancho received Castile; the second, Alfonso, Leà ³n; and the region of Galicia was carved out of the northwest corner to create a separate state for Garcà ­a. The three brothers proceeded to fight one another for the entire kingdom of Ferdinand: Sancho and Alfonso together fended off Garcia and then fought each other. El Cids first military appointment was as standard-bearer and commander of troops for Sancho. Sancho emerged victoriously and reunited their fathers possessions under his control in 1072. Sancho died childless in 1072, and his brother Alfonso VI (ruled 1072–1109) inherited the kingdom. Having fought for Sancho, Rodrigo now found himself in an awkward situation with the Alfonso administration. According to some records, the breach between Rodrigo and Alfonso was healed when Rodrigo married a woman named Jimena (or Ximena), a member of a high-ranking Asturian family in the mid-1070s; some reports say she was Alfonsos niece. A 14th-century romance written about El Cid said he killed Jimenas father the Count of Gomez de Gormaz in battle, after which she went to Ferdinand to beg for redress. When Ferdinand refused to pay, she demanded Rodrigos hand in marriage which he willingly gave. El Cids main biographer, Ramà ³n Menà ©ndez Pidal, thinks that is unlikely since Ferdinand died in 1065. Whoever she was and however their marriage came about, Ximena and Rodrigo had three children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez, all of whom married into royalty. Diego was killed at the battle of Consuega in 1097. Despite his presence serving as a magnet for Alfonsos opponents, Dà ­az served Ferdinand loyally for several years, while Ferdinand waged war against Almoravid invaders. Then, after leading an unauthorized military raid campaign into the Muslim-controlled taifa Toledo, which was a tributary kingdom of Leon-Castile, Dà ­az was exiled. Fighting for Saragossa Upon exile, Diaz went to the Muslim taifa Saragossa (also spelled Zaragoza) in the valley of the Ebro, where he served as a mercenary captain with considerable distinction. Saragossa was an independent Arab Muslim state in Al-Andalus, which at the time (1038–1110) was ruled by the Banu Hud.  He fought for the Huddid dynasty for almost ten years, scoring significant victories against both Muslim and Christian foes. Famous battles which El Cid is known for were the defeat of Count Berenguer Ramon II of Barcelona in 1082, and of King Sancho Ramirez of Aragon in 1084. When the Berber Almoravids invaded the peninsula in 1086, Alfonso recalled Diaz from exile. El Cid willingly returned and was instrumental in the defeat at Sagrajas in 1086. He stayed in favor with Alfonso for only a brief time: in 1089 he was exiled again. Rodrigo gained his nickname El Cid at some point during his military career, perhaps after his battles at Saragossa. The name El Cid is a Spanish dialect version of the Arabic word sidi, meaning lord or sir. He was also known as Rodrigo el  Campeador, the Battler. Valencia and Death After being exiled from Alfonsos court for the second time, El Cid left the capital to became an independent commander in the eastern part of the Iberian peninsula. He fought and extracted enormous amounts of tribute from the Muslim taifas, and, on June 15, 1094, he captured the city of Valencia. He successfully fought off two Almoravid armies who attempted to dislodge him in 1094 and 1097. He established himself as an independent prince in the region based at Valencia. Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar ruled Valencia until his death on July 10, 1099. The Almoravids recaptured Valencia three years later. El Cids Legends There are four documents which were written about El Cid during his lifetime or shortly thereafter. Two are Islamic, and three are Christian; none are likely to be unprejudiced. Ibn Alcama was a Moor from Valencia, who witnessed and wrote a detailed account of the loss of that province to El Cid called Eloquent Evidence of the Great Calamity. Ibn Bassam wrote a Treasury of the Excellences of the Spaniards, written in Seville in 1109. The Historia Roderici was written in Latin by a Catholic cleric sometime before 1110. The poem Carmen, written in Latin about 1090, extols the battle between Rodrigo and the Count of Barcelona; and the Poema del Cid, was written in Spanish about 1150. Later documents written long after El Cids life are even more likely to be fabulous legends rather than biographical sketches. Sources Barton, Simon. El Cid, Cluny and the Medieval Spanish Reconquista. The English Historical Review 126.520 (2011): 517–43.Barton, Simon and Richard Fletcher. The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000.Fletcher, Richard A. The Quest for El Cid. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.Pidal, Ramà ³n Menà ©ndez. La Espaà ±a Del Cid. Trans. Murray, John and Frank Cass. Abington, England: Routledge, 2016.

Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin - Research Paper Example taying on her plantation, he learned about the production of cotton, and the difficulty farmers faced making a living.Cotton was a very important crop, it was easy to grow and its fibers could be stored for a long time. The problem was that cotton plants contained seeds that were very hard to separate from the fibers. Another type of cotton called long staple was very easy to clean but grew along the coast.Most of the farmers had to grow the short staple cotton, which required a lot of labor. It had to be cleaned by hand, which was a very difficult and very time consuming. A cotton picket could pick the seeds from one pound of short staple cotton a day. In the process; Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. This significantly revolutionized the cotton industry amid of creating a very profitable business in the cotton industry1. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to look into how the invention and production of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin created a very profitable business in the cotton industry. Secondly, whether this ultimately lead to the increase amount of slavery and in the end caused the Civil War. The researcher used various arguments both for and against the position that the invention of the cotton gin created more profitable cotton industry and it triggered slavery and civil war. The invention of the Eli Whitney’s cotton gin (Engine) created a very profitable business in the cotton industry. The cotton gin is one of the mechanical devices invented to remove the seeds of cotton from the husks. Previously, the process was very labor-intensive and hence low output experienced. The cotton gin was wooden drum with some hooks stuck all over and pulled by some wire mesh. The invention of the cotton gin led to an increased productivity level that inturn promoted high profitability level. This is because the cotton gin could generate over 55 pounds of cotton per day which is equivalent to 25 kilograms. As a result,this led to continuous economic growth in