The Christian Fundamentalist Movement free essay sample

As it exists in America, the Christian fundamentalist movement is comprised of Protestant evangelical fundamentalists who seek a complete restructuring of the social and political order, so that all proceeding generations may be brought up in accordance with their doctrine. The most central tenet to their movement is the idea that their sacred scripture, the Bible, is indisputably inerrant, and provides a strict set of rules and guidelines that can be applied to a person in any context. In Martin Marty’s anthology â€Å"The Fundamentalism Project,† he explores the role that fundamentalism plays in politics, the family, and society as whole. Understanding that â€Å"fundamentalism† is a word often misused or wrongly attributed to certain groups, Marty’s works primarily aim at distinguishing the term, and illustrating it’s distinct origin. Furthermore, he describes the integral role of women in sustaining a movement that is essentially patriarchal, and helps us to see how this fits into Manuel Castells notion that the patriarchal family may soon be a thing of the past. We will write a custom essay sample on The Christian Fundamentalist Movement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Defining and Distinguishing â€Å"Fundamentalism† Fundamentalism, in the most general of senses, is a strategy used within religious communities to reclaim their sacred past, and therefore maintain their identity as a distinct group. They refer to selected doctrines and scriptures, which are considered to be the â€Å"fundamentals† of their beliefs. They are zealously driven by a sense of self-preservation, and the need to convert their adversaries (who, in their case, is anyone but themselves) (Marty, 1). Protestant fundamentalists fit this definition well. They emerged in the early 20th century in opposition to, what they considered to be, an increasingly morally corrupt world. They have since continued to revere the â€Å"fundamental† requirements for salvation by basing every aspect of their lives on the perceived â€Å"divinely inspired† writings of the Bible . Several central features of Protestant fundamentalism shape its identity not only as a religious faith, but also as a strict, oppositional, closely-knit social cohort. The first of these is evangelism, which fundamentalists hold to the up-most importance. Since they see only themselves as saved, they xpend most of their energy on convincing outsiders that they must avoid eternal damnation through conversion (to fundamentalism) by broadcasting evangelical messages over radio and television and various other means. Secondly, fundamentalists believe in a strict biblical inerrancy. That is, they claim â€Å"that the only sure path to salvation is through a faith in Jesus Christ that is grounded in unwavering faith in an inerrant Bible,† and that â€Å"the Bible can be trusted to provide an accurate description of science and history, as well as morality and religion† (Ammerman, 5). Hence their upsurge at the turn of the 20th century, when various scientific and philosophical theories (such as Darwinism) that did not adhere to the written word became increasingly accepted, and they sought to turn everyone back to the strict, unwavering accuracy of the scriptures (Moore, 46). Thirdly, fundamentalists are a pre-millennialist group who use their faith in the Bible to â€Å"predict the future,† that is, the coming of the End. This belief provides them with even more motivation to evangelize, because they think there is only a limited time before the second coming of Jesus and thus a limited time to save non-believers before they are condemned to hell. Lastly, separatism is one of the more crucial features of fundamentalism, because it is the basis for how fundamentalists exist in society. They insist that a true believer will not only follow a strict set of guidelines for his or her own life, but will also shun any person who does not share their lifestyle. In fact, it is this desire to ostracize the mainstream population that originally set fundamentalists apart at the emergence of their movement, as they share much in common with closely related factions such as conservative, or evangelical Christianity. For example, fundamentalists agree with conservative Christian’s â€Å"traditional† understanding of such doctrines as the Virgin Birth, the historical accuracy of Jesus’ miracles, and the imminent second coming of Christ. However, not all conservative Christians agree on how one achieves salvation, which is where evangelical Protestantism veers off. While certain conservative Protestants consider themselves â€Å"saved† if they are baptized and active, faithful members of their church, only evangelicals believe that salvation is solely for those who accept Jesus Christ as their savior and devote their lives to living in his name (a tenant crucial to fundamentalism). And, since many evangelicals place revelatory powers in experience, they cannot all be considered fundamentalists who seek revelation through the scriptures alone. But still, for most of the early 20th century, â€Å"fundamentalists† and â€Å"evangelicals† were barely distinguishable; both groups â€Å"preserved and practiced the revivalist heritage of soul winning and maintained a traditional insistence on orthodoxy† (Ammerman, 4). It wasn’t until fundamentalists chose to actively oppose liberalism, secularism, and communism in a militant fashion that they ostracized themselves from the rest of society, which evangelicals sought to remain in. Historical Background of the Fundamentalist Movement In every society social change proceeds at an uneven pace. Some society members embrace change with relish, while others find it oppressive and troubling. And, when people feel that change is being imposed on them, many will find it necessary to resist. Such was the case with America’s earliest fundamentalists. The early 20th Century Fundamentalist Movement sprung from the Great Awakening in objection to its principles of liberal theology, German higher criticism, Darwinism, all which appeared to undermine the Bible’s authority. The growing discontentment of numerous religiously conservative Christians pushed them to unify and organize, aided by the emergence of a twelve volume series between 1910 and 1915 titled The Fundamentals. This collection was conceived by a Southern California oil millionaire and edited by Bible teachers and evangelists. It contained ninety articles, twenty-seven of them devoted to the Bible, which outlined clearly what were thought to be the essential, fundamental beliefs of Christianity that could not be compromised. It detailed fundamentalism’s core tenets, specifically: The inerrancy of the Bible, the literal nature of the Biblical accounts (especially regarding Christs miracles and the  Creation account in Genesis), the Virgin Birth of Christ, the substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross, and the bodily resurrection of Christ (Witherup, 7). These provided the disunited body of participants with a single set of goals, prompting them to ban together to enact change and essentially transforming fundamentalism into a specific movement. However, throughout the following decade this new religiously conservative coalition against liberalism was merely a nagging voice of dissent, still widely considered bigoted or anti-intellectual, and failed to gain significant credibility (Marsden, 124). Fundamentalists remained divided on several key issues, which prevented them from gaining any real solidarity. For example, while most fundamentalists were mainly concerned with biblical inerrancy, many were more focused on dispensationalism, a eschatological theology concerned with the so-called â€Å"end of times. At this end of the spectrum a â€Å"small group of dispensationalist spokes-men pushed the cultural pessimism to its logical extreme,† who used rhetoric that â€Å"was certainly not in any way connected with positive, progressive reformism† (Marsden, 125). This prevalent face of fundamentalism was in no way appealing to the American public, and was counter-productive to the movement. In 1925, the infamous Scopes â€Å"monkey trial† brought to the forefront of the American Public the clash between modernity and fundamentalists. The trial concerned a high school teacher, John Scopes, who was convicted of teaching the scientific theory of evolution in opposition to the biblical teaching of creation. Though the fundamentalist prosecutor William Jennings Byron won the case, liberal press coverage of this legendary trial ultimately led to a severe loss of public support. Nevertheless, Byron would go on to becoming one of the most popular and appealing faces to the movement, and would continue to fuel its growth. The economic depression of the 1930’s provided a context in which fundamentalism could not easily thrive. Such dark times called for a comforting, optimistic theology†¦characteristics not often attributed to fundamentalism. However, this sense of social crisis brought to the fore moral reformist leaders like William B Riley, who began to stress political change as essential to fundamentalist goals. A number of conservative conferences in  New York City  and Philadelphia led to the formation of a larger and more comprehensive organizations the  World’s Christian Fundamentals Association and the Fundamental Baptists of America. Having also lost control of the denominational seminaries, fundamentalists regrouped around a set of independent Bible institutes and Bible colleges. Many of these schools, such as the  Moody Bible Institute  in Chicago and the  Bible Institute of Los Angeles not only provided instruction to their students but assumed many of the duties formerly performed by denominational institutions. They published periodicals, broadcast from their own  radio stations, held conferences, and maintained a staff of extension speakers. They operated like a denominational headquarters, providing a bond between otherwise isolated congregations (Bruce, 55). Although fundamentalism was pushed to the fringe of the Christian community by the new Evangelical movement, it continued to grow as new leaderships arose. The  Baptist Bible Fellowship, formed in 1950, became one of the largest fundamentalist denominations. By 1975 there were 34 Regional organizations, 16 active military chaplains, 11 student chaplains, 1261 individual members and 614 churches. A total of 28 missionary organizations were members of the IFCA movement. They included 13 church extension missions, 11 home missions, and 4 foreign missions. Five Bible institutes and colleges also were members. Then, in 1979 Jerry Falwell pushed the movement into political sphere by founding the Moral Majority, a civic organization that crusaded against what it viewed as negative cultural trends, especially legalized abortion, the  women’s movement, and the  gay rights movement. It also lobbied for prayer in public schools, increased defense spending, a strong anticommunist  foreign policy, and continued American support for the State of Israel. The Moral Majority led a new generation of fundamentalists beyond simply denouncing cultural trends and back into an engagement with contemporary life in the political arena, a place where they have been quite outspoken for the past couple of decades. For example, fundamentalists were strong supporters of President  George W. Bush  and played an important role in the election of Republicans at all levels of government. They also continued to promote conservative positions on various questions of social policy. They took advantage of the post-cold war liberalist attitude by zealously lobbying for political and moral reform at abortion clinics, funerals for homosexuals, etc, to make their point loud and clear. According to Marty Martin, fundamentalists entered â€Å"a new phase of intense activism in the aftermath of the Gulf War (1990-1991) and the collapse of the Soviet Union, in a world that now seemed beset by an inward turning of peoples, or by antipluralist particularisms† (Marty, 7). Even further fueled by the ultural revolution of the 1960’s and early 70’s, especially the assaults on traditional standards of family and sexuality, fundamentalists sought to completely re-structure American culture. They continued to promote conservative positions on various questions of social policy, and given that their â€Å"end† is in sight, have been increasingly forceful in doing so. In other words, the fundamentalist movements’ participants believe that their t ime is running out to achieve their movement’s goals, therefore they need to take advantage of every opportunity they can. In fact, â€Å"the politicization of fundamentalistic evangelicism in recent decades and its unexpected resilience as a political force points to another larger story in American culture, the weakening of the progressive modern scientific liberal consensus that seemed to be building in the first half of the 20th century† (Marsden, 255). Fundamentalism and The Family According to Marty, the fundamentalist desire to return to a â€Å"sacred past† is the motivation behind their focus on re-establishing â€Å"the family† as a staple of social order. They believe that the â€Å"traditional† family is one reminiscent of 17th century Puritanism, a time when religion played as large a role in society as it should now. Christian fundamentalist see the family as the ultimate authority, as it has become a â€Å"potent symbol of an idealized moral order† (Hardacre, 131). Thus, â€Å"the imperative to ‘return’ to an idealized form of the family is perhaps the highest priority of the fundamentalist social agenda† (Hardacre, 131). They see the family as the divine infrastructure that is the basis for all other institutions in society, and are encouraged by spiritual leaders to make the home a moral haven from a corrupt world. The â€Å"traditional† lifestyle that is so revered by Christian fundamentalists is a patriarchal one, in accordance with the Bible. As a result, women willingly assume the subordinate position which is widely considered anti- feminist. In their idealized family, the husband is the sole breadwinner who exercises final authority in all matters, and the wife’s role is simply to serve her husband, children and God. Additionally, females in fundamentalist households are taught to stifle their sexuality, as it could be used as a tool to manipulate the males in society. And, â€Å"women’s personification of tradition also takes the form of (often explicit) restrictions on their physical movements away from home† (Hardacre, 139). In order to stick with â€Å"tradition,† women are often required to forego education beyond basic literacy, and employment in leading sectors of the economy (and most other professions). Especially from a feminist standpoint, it is oftentimes difficult to see why women would become such passionate advocates for a creed that deepens their subordination to men and requires them to relinquish most of their power. However, within fundamentalism, the female role of motherhood is considered to be the most crucial foundation for the family and society as a whole. Since many fundamentalists chose to homeschool their children, these mothers are also the sole educators for their oftentimes many offspring. And, as a large part of their educational focus is on Biblical study, females are called to pass on the meaning of their sacred scripture to the next generation. So though their perpetuation of patriarchy is widely considered anti-feminist, fundamentalist women do not see themselves as such. Instead, they see themselves as carrying out the ultimate female duty as God calls upon them to do. The Quiverfull movement is a smaller, more recent group who share the same desire for a â€Å"traditional† patriarchal family. They are a movement of people who believe is eschewing all forms of birth control, and willingly accepting as many children as they conceive. Not only are they unwilling to prevent pregnancy, but in the same effort to maintain patriarchy wives are required to engage in sexual intercourse whenever their husband so chooses, oftentimes resulting in frequent reproduction. The basis for their lifestyle is found in Old Testament Bible verses in Psalm 127:3-4 that proclaims â€Å"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward; As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his  quiver full  of them† (Quiverfull). Despite the premise of their movement being selection from a religious text, the Quiverfull movement is self-described as non-denominational, though it is often described as both evangelical and fundamentalist. Though their members are predominately evangelical (if not evangelical fundamentalists), look closer will see how they really fit in as a subset to the overall fundamentalist movement. As was just mentioned, the foundation of Quiverfull beliefs comes from a literal translation of the Bible, a characteristic of evangelicism and fundamentalism. And, they don’t only base their reproductive habits off of the Bible; Quiverfulls maintain that the Bible is inerrant in it’s entirety. In consequence, Quiverfull families base their familial structure off of the same scriptures that fundamentalists do, creating the same male-headed families. However, it would probably be inaccurate to say that all members of the Quiverfull movement share the same desire for separatism that is characterized in the participants of the fundamentalist movement. The fact that they do not self-describe themselves as Christian fundamentalists (though they do refer to the â€Å"fundamentals†) alone is suggestive of their less-exclusive nature. For example, if I were to decide now that I want no part in birth-control or family planning, and advocated that as the correct way of life, I would be part of the Quiverfull movement despite any of my other personal ideologies. Nevertheless, the premise of the movement coincides with objectives of fundamentalists, so it still can be considered a contribution to the success of the larger Fundamentalist movement as a whole. The Fundamentalists Identity In Castells’ â€Å"The Power of Identity,† he provides three origins of â€Å"identity building,† the basis for the formation of â€Å"purposive collective actions whose outcome, in victory as in defeat, transforms the values and institutions of society† (Castells, 3). One of these, â€Å"resistance identity,† is similar to McAdam’s idea of â€Å"oppositional consciousness. The latter is vital to the success of any social movement, because the creation of a common enemy creates solidarity between its members, allowing them to link their experiences of injustice to their oppressors, thus providing them with a common obstacle. This type of identity-building â€Å"constructs forms of collective resistance against otherwise unbearable oppression, usually on the basis of identities that were, apparently, clearly defined by history, geography, or biology, making it easier to essentialize the boundaries of existence†. In this case, a collective identity is formed in response to dominant institutions or ideologies, just as fundamentalism emerged to combat the scientifically-progressive ideologies of the early 20th century. Fundamentalism is understood to be â€Å"the construction of collective identity under the identification of individual behavior and society’s institutions to the norms derived from God’s law, interpreted by a definite authority that intermediates between God and humanity† (Castells 2, 13). Thus, to be properly perceived by fundamentalists one has to share their commitment to a authority, as they do in respect to patriarchal order and God. Castells also argues that the new global order with its uncontrollable processes of globalization and individualization of identity is accompanied by several brand new demographical tendencies. Among them there are the high rates of divorce, separation, delayed marriages, children born out of wedlock, violence in the family, gay and lesbian couples, single lifestyles etc. Castells 2, 26) All of these challenge patriarchalism by undermining its material and ideological bases, and Castells sees the Christian family as the only source of stability to this order. He claims that American Christian fundamentalism is not a rationalization of class interests, or territorial communal movements, but is rather â€Å"a political process of defense of the moral, Christian values† with the help of images from the past projected into the utop ian future (Castells, 25). Therefore, fundamentalism derives its strength from the American culture with its deep religiosity as well as â€Å"familistic individualism† and pragmatism as a shelter from solitude and uncertainty of the contemporary  world (Castells). Fundamentalism: A Self Sustaining Movement For its participants, fundamentalism began with the formation of the scriptures and its sustainability is inevitable due to its universal validity. The only threat to its existence is the event after which worldly matters are no longer a concern to fundamentalists: the imminent second coming of their savior, Jesus Christ. Until then, fundamentalism continues to exist in the social order as a well-organized, un-relenting, unified movement, fighting to influence American institutions in accordance with their beliefs. And, with America in the midst of major political and religious upheaval, there has never been a better time for fundamentalists to impose a structural change on our society. Concerning its sustainability, the fundamentalist movement has a clear, unwavering set of tenets and goals which can apply to every society. Furthermore, the solidarity of it’s members has been highly influenced by the movement’s ubiquitous enemy: contemporary American culture. Their formation of an oppositional consciousness has been inherent in their basic dogma, and their list of enemies remains lengthy and ever growing. Their political opportunity has also continued to grow in strength, with an increasing number of right-wing conservatives standing behind their cause. This increase in ideological allies has been paired with a decrease in the strength of repression in society, as more and more Americans have become sympathetic to the fundamentalist message. This has been partially due to the post-9/11 need for revenge against a common enemy, which called for Americans to ban together and generally promoted the idea of returning to the â€Å"family. † This idea is further supported today by public figures like Sarah Palin and Glen Beck, the latter of whom is regarded higher in public-opinion than the president himself. Even despite their philosophical differences, evangelicals and fundamentalists have come together in their plight to change the schooling system, in opposition to secular humanism. Together they seek a â€Å"God-centered education that emphasizes character development and spiritual training,† which requires a totally upheaval of the standard American educational system (Rose, 456). They have pressured public schools to remove certain books from classrooms and libraries, to teach scientific creationism alongside (or in place of) evolution, to eliminate sex education entirely, to adopt textbooks that reinforce â€Å"traditional† American values, that can be found in the scriptures and to avoid â€Å"controversial† subjects in the classroom, such as sex or evolution (Rose, 453). Protestants have developed their own branch of Christian schools, which though may not be strictly comprised of fundamentalists, is most popular among the more separatist and conservative wing of the evangelical movement. Since the 1960’s enrollments in non-Catholic religiously affiliated schools, or schools of which the majority are evangelical, have increased some 149 percent (Rose, 454). These schools have been the fastest growing sector of private education, with approximately one million students (K-12) enrolled in roughly ten thousand schools, which equates to 20% of the total private school population. The goal of this alternate form of education is to restore religious authority in society, re-strengthen parental authority, and educate their children while protecting them from â€Å"drug, sex, violence, and the lack of discipline in the public schools† (Rose, 455). The schools form a sort of protective bubble around the fundamentalist youth, limiting their knowledge of diversity and progressive society. At fundamentalist universities, the Bible is the only form of literature that students study, and many times neither group discussion nor essay writing is part of the regular curriculum (Rose, 461). In other words, students read (for the most part) only the Bible, and do not practice the normal skills that an education requires. This singularization of their knowledge successfully teaches children that fundamentalism is not only the right way, but the only way to live. All in all, it is clear that Protestant fundamentalism is concerned with protecting the sanctity of their ideology in every aspect. Worship, education, the family, friends, recreation, etc. must all adhere to a strict set of doctrinal beliefs, which can only be found in their inerrant Bible. Due to their confined nature, there is little room for desegregation with people of other faiths, which helps to perpetuate the distinct roles that women and children play in this sometimes described anti-progressive or anti-modernist movement. In their plight to change the schooling system, fundamentalists have merged with evangelicals to oppose the secular humanism that they consider to be contaminating their children’s minds. Together, they seek a â€Å"God-centered education that emphasizes character development and spiritual training,† which requires a totally upheaval of the standard American educational system (Rose, 456). In addition, their patriarchal communities have restrained the role of women, keeping them solely in the households to raise and sometimes educate their children. Furthermore, children are encouraged to confine their friendships, dating partners and spouses within the church, allowing little room for outward mobilization. For the most part, they constrain their children to educating them only the â€Å"basics† of Protestant fundamentals, and by rearing them in such a male dominated environment, perpetuate an anti-feminist ideology (Hardacre, 134). Conclusion It is the fundamentalist insistence on â€Å"uniformity of belief within ranks and separation from others whose beliefs and lives are suspect† that has shaped a fervently unique demographic (Ammerman, 9). Their determination to accumulate ideological allies through zealous evangelism has taken fundamentalism from being a theological doctrine, to existing as a strong and ever growing social movement. Their separatist nature has led them to develop their own faith-based communities, churches, schools, universities, radio stations, television shows and more. By creating their own neighborhoods and penetrating the education system, fundamentalists have succeeded in mobilizing and growing in size and authority.

Demand, Supply and Price Interrelation- example quinoa Essays

Demand, Supply and Price Interrelation- example quinoa Essays Demand, Supply and Price Interrelation- example quinoa Essay Demand, Supply and Price Interrelation- example quinoa Essay Assuming that demand will be restricted to the above mentioned niche for the near foreseeable future, growing supply will eventually lead to a saturation of the market. If we further assume that price elasticity for the product is high while demand is stable, prices will eventually decrease and it will become unattractive for farmers to grow the product. This trend could only be reversed by efficiently marketing quinoa and growing different varieties with lower production costs and thereby introducing it to a new group of customers beyond the traditional niche. Or linear demand curves, when P is high, the price elasticity of demand is large As we move down the demand curve, P is decreasing and Q is increasing. This causes the price elasticity to monotonically increase. As we approach the horizontal axis, by definition, P is low and Q is high, so the demand is inelastic. (See graph 1) Question 2) Increasing supplies are a challenge for farmers because Farmers will also need a broader consumer base for a dish thats so far popular mostly with vegetarians and gluten-free aficionadosii. Furthermore, quinoa crops are only grown in specific areas n Bolivia and Peru, and due to the specific requirements of the plant, its harvesting cannot be extended infinitely. If supplies are extended while customers demand remains stable, prices will decrease in the short term. However, if supplies cannot be extended, prices will rise until such point as even rich customers are no longer prepared to pay this amount. Furthermore, High prices are also putting pressure on the governments of these countries to improve infrastructure and financing for growers, said Jose Cutest, an economist with the World Bank, which helps the Bolivian government fund investments for organized farmers. The key is making sure these subsistence farmers have access to markets, he said. iii Question 3) Locals, won nave traditionally Integrated squall Into tenet Lets Wendell ten price was low, may not be able to afford it when its price rises. While local peoples demand may be assumed stable, it now competes with rich peoples demand, so overall there is a rising demand, a stable supply (until such point as marketing of quinoa leads to a broader customer range) and a rising price. Visualizing this on a graph, the overall emend shifts to the right and so does the price, however if looking at the local customers separately, their demand shifts to the left. (See graph 3) Question 4) Jennifer Animations uses quinoa as a salad ingredient together with cucumbers, tomatoes and avocado. Locals put it in their soups, on their meat or use it as a wheat substitute for bread products. Question 5) According to the article, rice and wheat are more affordable substitutes to quinoa. Question 6) Battle Creek and Struck Corp Are companies with high revenues and high spending capacities. Therefore, they are able to afford the currently high price for quinoa; furthermore they are able to buy huge quantities. This has further influence on the demand curve for wealthy customers, making it shift to the right. Likewise, the demand curve for local can be expected to shift to the left, as prices increase. Question 7) So far, efforts to grow quinoa elsewhere have been fruitless. Production is still pretty much in the hands of local farmers and although there are ambitious expansion plans, sellers from outside Bolivia and Peru respectively, could not be attracted due o the lack of an appropriate infrastructure. Question 8) In 2007, the own-price elasticity for quinoa was high because of a stable demand from loyal customers of small elite. Since then, prices have doubled and are expected to roles Owe to an Increase In mean Trot customers Walt Nell purchasing power. In order to avoid a peak situation where demand is higher than supplies available and price elasticity running towards zero, my only possibility is to invest in new varieties of crops that can be grown elsewhere and that could be sold for a lower price, thereby attracting buyers with less purchasing power.

5 Ways to Handle a Racist Family Member

5 Ways to Handle a Racist Family Member It’s no secret that family gatherings can cause stress and lead to conflict, especially if some family members have racial views that youre staunchly against. What’s the best way to proceed when a loved one seems not only small-minded but outright racist? Don’t suffer in silence through one family gathering after another. You can take several steps to stop the Archie Bunker of the family in his tracks. These strategies include setting boundaries and calling attention to the racist behavior. Be Direct Confrontations are never easy. That said, if you don’t want to listen to your parents or siblings rattle off racial stereotypes every Thanksgiving, the direct approach is necessary. How will your family members understand that you find their behavior offensive unless you tell them? The moment your sister makes a racial joke or uses a racial stereotype, tell her that you’d appreciate it if she didn’t make such jokes or racial generalizations in front of you. If you believe that calling out your relative in front of others will make her more defensive, ask to speak to her privately and then make your feelings known. If your family member uses a racial slur in front of you, request that she doesn’t use such epithets in your presence. Do so in a calm, firm voice. Make your request short and then move on. Don’t attack your family member’s character. Just let her know that her comments make you uncomfortable. Get Help What if this family member intimidates you if he’s an elder or an in-law and you aren’t comfortable calling attention to the behavior you find inappropriate? Find a relative you feel more comfortable with and request that he accompany you as you confront the family member you believe is offensive. Tell the insensitive family member that you love and appreciate him but find his views on race hurtful. Alternatively, if your grandfather has made remarks you consider racially insensitive, you might want to ask your parent to speak with him about his behavior. If your father-in-law is the party in question, ask your spouse to confront him about his language and attitudes concerning race. If no one else in your family will serve as an ally, consider taking a less direct approach to confronting your relative. Write a brief letter or email informing him that you find his comments hurtful and asking him to refrain from such remarks in the future. Don’t Argue Whatever you do, don’t get into a debate with your relative. Agree to disagree with this family member about race rather than listening to her argument about why her racial stereotypes are valid and you’re too politically correct. Stick to the following script: â€Å"I find your comments hurtful. Please don’t make these remarks in front of me again.† Arguing with the relative will likely be a waste of time. The family member will be on the defensive and you will be on the offensive. Meanwhile, you will have convinced her of little or nothing about racial sensitivity. Focus on your feelings about the relative’s comments rather than on the validity of her beliefs. Set Consequences Depending on your situation, you might have to set guidelines with your relative. Say, for example, that you have children. Do you want your children to hear the comments by your family member? If not, let your relatives know that if they make bigoted remarks in your children’s presence you will leave the family gathering at once. If your relatives routinely make such comments, let them know that you will skip family gatherings with them altogether. This is an especially important move if you’re in an interracial relationship or have multiracial children who will feel targeted by your family members’ comments. Try Outside Influences You probably wont open your relatives’ eyes about race by arguing with them about the issue, but you can take steps to influence them that they might go along with. Organize a family trip to a museum with a social justice focus. Have a movie night at your house and screen films addressing issues of racial inequity or showing minority groups in a positive light. Start a family book club and select anti-racist literature.

Hypotheses- Quantitative Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hypotheses- Quantitative Analysis - Assignment Example Healthcare is a discipline that is intensely driven by data that contain health information of a particular patient. However, in order to improve the health outcomes of a patient, hypothesis is applied as a method of statistical inference. Data is analyzed by physicians and then undergoes through cognitive processes such as the hypothetico-deductive approach. This approach involves various diagnostic reasoning where the medical experts first generate diagnostic hypotheses. They then make some data collection in order to refute or confirm their hypotheses. In addition, physicians may use a backward or forward reasoning. However, the backward reasoning, which involves working backward from the hypothesis, is different from forward reasoning. This is because medical experts depend on a wide set of heuristics to analyze the available data and make sound decisions (Heathfield, 1998). In the field of health information technology, hypothesis is used to obtain rational solutions through a statistical testing procedure. The procedure may involve the use of specialized statistical software and computers that consist of extensive help guides (Heathfield, 1998). However, in the testing procedure there is formulation of a statistical hypothesis. In addition, a sample data is used to determine the validity of the statistical hypothesis being formulated. In conclusion, hypothesis is a crucial statistical method of interpreting certain phenomena or events and giving guidance in making further investigations. Healthcare institutions widely use hypothesis in improving the health outcomes of their patients. In most cases, the physicians use the hypothetico-deductive approach during the diagnostic reasoning and use the collected data to either confirm or refute their

Unit 43 distinction Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 43 distinction - Coursework Example There are several merits of using energy efficient devices, and this include saving of money. Studies have shown that improving the thermal characteristic of a home by buying the latest energy saving equipments easily save about 30% of the energy bills. A properly insulated house shall use less heating fuel and less electricity during summer for air conditioning. Other ways of reducing utility bill is by using CFL bulbs and other energy star appliances2. The energy efficient equipments help in improving the local economy. This can be achieved when the local and domestic companies provide energy efficient devices instead of importing electricity or natural gas from outside the community. By using the energy efficient devices, we help in reducing environmental pollution. The power plants that generate electricity use natural gas or burning oil thus causes air pollution and emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, by consuming less energy it helps to lower the emission of pollutants in the air. Energy efficient devices will enhance less utilization of the available energy thus saving a lot of energies that can be exported. Exported power earn a lot of revenues to a country that can be vested in improving schools, hospital among others. Moreover, using energy efficient devices improves an individual comfort at home since it reduces expenditure needed to heat their homes to comfortable levels. Electrical energy can be utilized in a commercial building for different purposes including use in computer appliances, driving of lifts within the building as well as maintain the thermal characteristics. Electrical energy can be used to heat equipments to produce heat as well as running the air conditioner machines to bring in cold

Unemployment rate Essay Example for Free

Unemployment rate Essay Unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of persons looking for a job but did not secure work for the last month (3 weeks) within the labor force. In other words Unemployment rate can be referred to as the ratio of the labor force that is not engaged in employment. The person considered to be unemployed must have the requirements for the employment like be of sound heath and searching and willing to work. There are different forms of unemployment that can occur in an economy include. Cyclical unemployment results from the business cycles of economy of boom, recession, depression and recovery. During recessional times there is reduced demand for goods and services by consumers. Seasonal unemployment usually occurs in economies activities that are seasonal in nature especially agriculture like planting and harvesting season. Structural employment occurs when employees do not have the skills to match job requirements. The workers who possess the required skills may be far from the potential employing firm. Unemployment reflects unutilized resources in the economy. The total labor force indicate all the numbers of able person in the activity involved in work and that are unemployed and looking for work in the last three weeks. The labor supply is the number of individual who are willing to supply their efforts at work given the prevailing wages in the labour markets. Even at full employment level of the resources in the economy that is land, capital and labor there is a natural rate of unemployment. The potential GDP level is said to be experienced when labor is efficiently engage the resources in the production process. Usually the form of unemployment at the potential GDP is the frictional unemployment which occurs in the switching from one job to another. This is the most unavoidable form of unemployment (Stiglitz, 1985) According to Keynes inflationary pressures in an economy results as people demand hire wages (price of labor input) to enable them meet the higher cost of living. The unemployment in the economy can be understood by examining the interaction of aggregate demand (AD) and aggregate supply (AS) curves which is explained by the Keynesian economics. The aggregate demand of labour is the number of workers firms want to hire in the production process given their production technique and the market price of labour in form of wages. The Keynesian theory argues that prices and wages to sticky that the do not vary fast in the short term labor that is a duration of 3 months to 1 year that is nominal wages being the price of labor do not simultaneously respond to the quantity of labour resource supplied in the market.. However in long term beyond one year prices of resources (capital and wages for labor do change) which explains the vertical supply curve of labor. In the short term classical economists argue that since prices and wages are sticky as reflected by a horizontal aggregate supply curve (AS) The Keynesian framework provides an explanation on spending in the economy which forms the aggregate demand (AD). Monetary policy affects output and employment by through the shifting of aggregate demand curve. The AD shows the total resources for a country GDP; include in the AD are consumption (both private and public) investments to replace worn out capital and inventory ,government expenditure and the net export position of a country. The total spending curve is inversely related for price and quantity of output in the market. The spending in the economy by private consumers and public sector elicits demand for labor which human effort to produce goods and services by industries (Stiglitz, 1985). The rate of unemployment can be reduced by stimulating the economy by offering incentives to investors. The availability of cheaper sources of capital offers an avenue for economic growth. Any stimulus package by the states in the economy aims to encourage employment of resources which include labour through the private sector. The increment on private person’s disposable income and low rates of interest are conducive for businesses. A major issue at macroeconomics level is the rates of inflation and unemployment. The aggregate supply curve (AS) and AD help to analyze the equilibrium prices and quality in the economy. This analysis is said to be concluded at comparative statistics ie others factors constant and not variables are changing over time. The Phillips curve captures the inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation level. The government is forced lower interest rates on borrowed funds by investors on the face of inflationary pressures in the economy to stimulate consumer and investor borrowing and later spending to facilitate economic recovery and growth . Failure to intervene may result in a recession. Inflation reacts to curtail spending and leads to jobless as firms cannot hire workers without a market for goods. Phillips curve states that lower rates of unemployment can only be achieved at higher prices for goods in the market. The classical economists led by John S Mill. David Ricardo; Thomas Malthus and Adam Smith advocates for free enterprise and freedom in the market that is lack of state intervention in the economic activities. In the US, the bureau of labor keeps the statistics figures on unemployment (Kimberly . A 2008) for its commodities . The business cycles experienced by an economy are a result of variations in the aggregate demand (AD) not the capacity of the economy given by the resource pool of a nation (land, labor, capital and entrepreneurial capacity). The reduction in the demand of a good that uses labor leads to unemployment in the economy. Bottlenecks experienced by many US firms like the current credit crunch results in unutilized capacity in production and unemployment. Firms use labor input up to the point whereby the marginal cost of labor equals marginal revenue for the commodity being produced. In perfect markets for labor there is perfect information on available work opportunities. In reality however information asymmetry hinders communication between work seekers and employing firms. According to Adam Smith the market can promote efficiency and ensure equal prices with perfect information on the market. Efficiency means full utilization of available capacity with minimal wastages. According to George Stigler in the article Information the search for highest reward (prices) with minimal cost is usually difficult. Information seeking process involves costs. (Stiglitz 1962) According to Arthur Okun an economist in 1962 the level of unemployment in economy is used to explain the growth in a country’s gross national product (GNP). Decline in level of unemployment tend to be correlated with a rise in a country GNP. This shows an improvement in economic well being of a nation is all sectors factored in the national accounts.Using World War II (1948) period accounts Okun found out that 3. 2% increase in GNP was accompanied by a percentage unit decline in unemployment. (Howland F et al 1980) References Romer C. D (2004) Business Cycles. Liberty Library Economics Article. http://www. econlib. org/library/Enc/BusinessCycles. html Stiglitz J E (1985) Information and Economic Analysis: A Perspective Economic Journal 95, supplement: Conference Papers: 21–41. Howland F and Barrelo H (1980). There are Two Okun’s Law Relationship Between Output and Unemployment. Wabash College article

Whats Love Got To Do With It? :: Biology Essays Research Papers

What's Love Got To Do With It? "What's love got to do with it? What's love, but a second hand emotion?" -Tina Turner Tina Turner, along many artists before and after her, has written songs about love, but what is love? Why do people say they see fireworks when they fall in love? Why do your knees go weak, your palms sweat, your stomach does flip-flops and you begin to stammer when you fall in love? What is it about emotions, including love that seems to effect your entire body, both mentally and physically? Everyday, people talk about feeling happy, feeling sad, feeling anxious...and so on, but what causes emotions, in particular, what causes someone to say they are in love? Yes, even a simple sentence such as "I love you" has to be encoded in a specific neurochemical process to exert its effect on the person who gets to hear it. Much of the control mechanism for our emotions rests with neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that act at the points where nerve cells connect with each other. The prevalence, or the presence or absence of specific amounts of neurotransmitters, as well as the density of receptor sites for specific neurotransmitters at nerve endings, will control to a wide extend the emotions to which we are subject (6). Pheromones are natural scents, which play an important role in sexual communication. Animals and humans release masses of biological chemicals in tears, saliva and perspiration. These aromas convey signals relating to mood, status, drive and health to the subconscious awareness of the female. The dominant male will exude more of these biological attractants than his submissive counterpart, consequently he inevitably attracts more females and enjoys more conquests. This philosophy holds well in the animal world, pheromones are consciously detected over considerable distances and serve at times in place of spoken communication. They help animals mark territory, recognize mates, and signal sexual interest. For example, female dogs in heat leave their pheromone and can attract male dogs over a mile away (5). Also, involved in chemistry are dopamine and norepinephrine, chemical cousins of amphetamines. Dopamine, a neurochemical released by PEA, makes us feel good.(1) A recent study done at Emory University shows that female voles (small rodents) choose their mates in response to dopamine being released in their brains. When injected with dopamine in a male vole's presence, the female will pick him out of a crowd later.

A common theme in literature

Literature can produce so many themes accumulated from different aspects of life. Authors around the world have utilized almost all the possible concepts, ideologies and themes that could ever exist. As one reads a story, different comparisons can be made regarding other stories as well.Due to the vast capability of literature, there are so many possible similarities that can be well-correlated from stories after stories. Several stories aim to project one common theme.Though most are hidden behind all the well-written flowery words, most themes and concepts can be well realized as a story progresses. Upon reading a story, many readers can analyze the main message being tried to convey by an author.There are so many themes to choose from due to the vast freedom of authors. In this paper, a recurring theme of illusion vs. reality can be concluded with regards to three different short stories, namely â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, â€Å"The Rich Brother† by Tobias Wolff, and â€Å"A Pair of Tickets† by Amy Tan.Illusion vs. Reality in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William FaulknerIn order to understand the whole message of this story, there is a need for the adequate provision of analysis. This story is about an eccentric spinster named Emily Grierson.Her life is narrated bu an unnamed narrator who discusses her bizarre relationship with her lover, her father and with the whole town of Jefferson along with her hidden terrible secrets.The story seemed to be a very mediocre one not until the end. The horrific conclusion had assisted readers on what the true persona of Ms. Emily Grierson really was. That twist in the ending made the whole beginning and middle part of the story become preparatory concurrences of the possible realizations.Linking the theme of illusion versus reality with this story can be very easily assessed. The whole reality factor all relied on the essence of the changing generations and the spinning wheel of time that passed Miss Emily.The illusion part is the one where she still dwells in the past and even resulting to killing her love in order to stay at the past. She was just so lost with reality that   she led her life more on the illusion side. Emily completely lived her life stuck in the past. When the new Board ofAlderman approached her she exclaimed that Colonel Sartoris that she had no takes in the town of Jefferson but during this occurrence, Colonel Sartoris was already dead for ten years. Her life revolved around in the past as if time did not exist.She locked herself inside her house in order to dwell on her own world that was unreal. Emily's desire of the past even led him to murder Homer Barron to keep him in the past with her.This story reminds readers that such is the power of the mind that it can alter an individual's perception in life and even cause him or her to lead to doing horrendous actions.This reality of Ms. Emily was only existing in here point of view. The whole town represented the present and the true reality, while Ms. Emily Grierson represented the past and a symbolic characterization of illusion.Illusion vs. Reality in â€Å"The Rich Brother† by   Tobias WolffThe story behind â€Å"The Rich Brother† is about two brothers namely Donald and Pete. Pete is the older brother who is much more successful than his younger brother Donald. Pete is a typical middle-class man of success that has enough money due to real estate, a great wife, a couple of daughters, a beautiful house and a sailboat.His younger brother Pete on the other hand has no family and lives alone. His job is painting houses and he usually stays in an ashram in Berkeley. In terms of financial needs, Donald always goes to Pete in times of needs. But other than this, Donald is a pure, kind-hearted, and spiritual type of guy.It's link to the concept of reality versus illusion is represented through the baffling question of which brother needs more of the ot her brother? Who is the more independent than the other?In realistic terms, Pete seemed to be the more able brother who almost has everything. while Donald on the other hand is a man who always seem to be in need and displays his dependence on his brother. But there is a huge difference on the true message of this story. In Pete's dream, he was blind and he badly needs Donald to help him.Analyzing the story even more, the representation of the blindness of Pete is considered as blindness from faith. Though externally, Pete has been a wealthy man, almost having the resources that a normal man could ever have, he still is not as rich on the inside as Donald. Donald is the representation of a spiritual guide which in turn represents his importance to Pete.Illusion is contrasted with reality in this story through the aspect of Pete and Donald's inner and outer status in life. People are made to believe that Pete is the richer guy in a lot of things but in reality, Donald has everything that a man could ever really need, faith.Illusion vs. Reality in â€Å"A Pair of Tickets† by Amy TanThis story is narrated through Jandale's eyes. She is a Chinese-American woman who's trying to gain more knowledge about her Chinese culture and the past of his mother. This story can be easily related to by women readers due to the fact that it is narrated by a woman and the story revolves around this character.This story largely revolves around the journey towards self-identification and cultural recognition. Before, Jandale never really understood her past, her roots and her identity as half-Chinese and half-American. The journey helped her become a complete person and an individual of more knowledge about the world especially of her culture.Like many other people who can't accept their past and their family's past, Jandale never really embraced her life's history before. But still, that thought of accepting everything, even the past, has become the driving force for Jandale to finally conclude that her life is complete.Her past, culture and her mother's past haunted her to realize it and achieve something that could make her feel at ease and make her mother's dreams complete.Her mother never got to see her two twin half-sisters which were abandoned due to their family's attempt to escape the Japanese. It was Jandale's turn to provide to accomplish that missed dream of her mother.The link of reality versus illusion in this story tells that no matter what happens in life, the truth is that family will always be family and that we should not ignore our cultural heritage. Our lives may change from time to time due to many events that may alter it.But nonetheless, we can't escape the fact that there is a reality about who are family is and where did we really come from. Reality slaps us in the face and assists us to realize our life's true essence and meaning.ConclusionIt is true that many stories that have been told through the years almost reflect a comm on message but expresses and narrates it in so many different ways. The stories   â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, â€Å"The Rich Brother† by Tobias Wolff, and â€Å"A Pair of Tickets† by Amy Tan, tell us that within the confines of everything, there is still the true reality that matters most in our life.Though in some cases, it would seem hard to find the true meaning of reality in our lives due to the many illusions that we impose in ourselves, truth be told, in the end, reality is all that we've got. We can't escape reality and we should never be blinded by illusions.With the characters of Emily, Pete and Jandale, we could see that there perceptions about reality may have been different from each other, but in the end reality wins over all the illusions and unrealistic perceptions in life. REFERENCESFallon, E., et. al. (2001). A Reader's Companion to the Short Story in English. Westport, CT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greenwood Press.Faulkner, W. (n.d.) A Rose for Emily. Retrieved July 13,   2008, from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.ariyam.com/docs/lit/wf_rose.html.

Langston Hughes Essay

Of the major black writers who first made their appearance during the exciting period of the 1920s commonly referred to as â€Å"the Harlem Renaissance,† Langston Hughes was the most prolific and the most successful. As the Harlem Renaissance gave way to the Depression, Hughes determined to sustain his career as a poet by bringing his poetry to the people. At the suggestion of Mary McLeod Bethune, he launched his career as a public speaker by embarking on an extensive lecture tour of the South. As he wrote in his autobiography: â€Å"Propelled by the backwash of the â€Å"Harlem Renaissance† of the early twenties, I had been drifting along pleasantly on the delightful rewards of my poems which seemed to please the fancy of kindhearted New York ladies with money to help young writers. . . . There was one other dilemma–how to make a living from the kind of writing I wanted to do. . . . I wanted to write seriously and as well as I knew how about the Negro people, and make that kind of writing earn me a livin† (Hughes, 1964:31). Alain Locke, the leading exponent of â€Å"The New Negro,† announced that the black masses had found their voice: â€Å"A true people’s poet has their balladry in his veins; and to me many of these poems seem based on rhythms as seasoned as folksongs and on moods as deep-seated as folk-ballads. Dunbar is supposed to have expressed the peasant heart of the people. But Dunbar was the showman of the Negro masses; here is their spokesman (Killens ed. 1960:41). Though much of the poetry Hughes was to write in the thirties and afterward was to differ markedly in terms of social content from the poetry he was producing in the twenties, a careful examination of his early work will reveal, in germinal form, the basic themes which were to preoccupy him throughout his career. Hughes’s evolution as a poet cannot be seen apart from the circumstances of his life which thrust him into the role of poet. Indeed, it was Hughes’s awareness of what he personally regarded as a rather unique childhood which determined him in his drive to express, through poetry, the feelings of the black masses and their questions of identity. In â€Å"The Weary Blues†, Hughes presented the problem of dual consciousness quite cleverly by placing two parenthetical statements of identity as the opening and closing poems, and titling them â€Å"Proem† and â€Å"Epilogue. † Their opening lines suggest the polarities of consciousness between which the poet located his own persona: â€Å"I Am a Negro† and â€Å"I, Too, Sing America. † Within each of these poems, Hughes suggests the interrelatedness of the two identities: the line â€Å"I am a Negro† is echoed as â€Å"I am the darker brother† in the closing poem. Between the American and the Negro, a third identity is suggested: that of the poet or â€Å"singer. † It is this latter persona which Hughes had assumed for himself in his attempt to resolve the dilemma of divided consciousness. Thus, within the confines of these two poems revolving around identity, Hughes is presenting his poetry as a kind of salvation. If one looks more closely at Hughes’s organization of poems in the book, one finds that his true opening and closing poems are concerned not with identity but with patterns of cyclical time. â€Å"The Weary Blues† (the first poem) is about a black piano man who plays deep into the night until at last he falls into sleep â€Å"like a rock or a man that’s dead. † The last poem, on the other hand, suggests a rebirth, an awakening, after the long night of weary blues: â€Å"We have tomorrow/ Bright before us/Like a flame† (Hughes 1926:109). Hughes viewed the poet’s role as one of responsibility: the poet must strive to maintain his objectivity and artistic distance, while at the same time speaking with passion through the medium he has selected for himself. In a speech given before the American Society of African Culture in 1960, Hughes urged his fellow black writers to cultivate objectivity in dealing with blackness: â€Å"Advice to Negro writers: Step outside yourself, then look back – and you will see how human, yet how beautiful and black you are. How very black – even when you’re integrated† (Killens ed. 1960:44). In another part of the speech, Hughes stressed art over race: â€Å"In the great sense of the word, anytime, any place, good art transcends land, race, or nationality, and color drops away. If you are a good writer, in the end neither blackness nor whiteness makes a difference to readers† (Killens ed. 1960:47). This philosophy of artistic distance was integral to Hughes’s argument in the much earlier essay â€Å"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,† which became a rallying call to young black writers of the twenties concerned with reconciling artistic freedom with racial expression: â€Å"It is the duty of the younger Negro artist if he accepts any duties at all from outsiders, to change through the force of his art that old whispering ‘I want to be white’ hidden in the aspirations of his people, to ‘Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro – and beautiful! ’† In this greatly thought-out manifesto, Hughes attempted to integrate the two facets of double consciousness (the American and the Negro) into a single vision-that of the poet. His poetry had reflected this idea from the beginning, when he published â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† at the age of nineteen. Arna Bontemps, in a retrospective glance at the Harlem Renaissance from the distance of almost fifty years, was referring to â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† when he commented: â€Å"And almost the first utterance of the revival struck a note that disturbed poetic tradition. † (Addison ed. 1988:83). In Hughes’s poetry, the central element of importance is the affirmation of blackness. Everything that distinguished Hughes’s poetry from the white poets of the twenties revolved around this important affirmation. Musical idioms, jazz rhythms, Hughes’s special brand of â€Å"black-white† irony, and dialect were all dependent on the priority of black selfhood: â€Å"I am a Negro/Black as the night is black/Black like the depths of my Africa† (Hughes 1926:108). Hughes wrote in his autobiography: â€Å"My best poems were all written when I felt the worst. When I was happy, I didn’t write anything† (Hughes 1991:54). When he first began writing poetry, he felt his lyrics were too personal to reveal to others: â€Å"Poems came to me now spontaneously, from somewhere inside. . . . I put the poems down quickly on anything I had a hand when they came into my head, and later I copied them into a notebook. But I began to be afraid to show my poems to anybody, because they had become very serious and very much a part of me. And I was afraid other people might not like them or understand them† (Hughes: 34). These two statements regarding his poetry suggest deep underlying emotional tensions as being the source of his creativity. And yet the personal element in Hughes’s poetry is almost entirely submerged beneath the persona of the â€Å"Negro Poet Laureate. † If, as Hughes suggested, personal unhappiness was the cornerstone of his best work, it then follows that, in order to maintain the singleness of purpose and devotion to his art, he would be required to sacrifice some degree of emotional stability. The persona of the poet was the role Hughes adopted in his very first published poem, as the Negro in â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers. † It was a persona to which he would remain faithful throughout his lengthy career. The link between his personal experiences and his poetry has been always evident. References Addison Gayle, Jr. , ed. (1988). â€Å"Negro Poets, Then and Now,† in Black Expression: Essays by and About Black Americans in the Creative Arts, New York: Weybright & Talley Langston Hughes (1964). I Wonder As I Wander, New York: Hill & Wang Langston Hughes (1926). The Weary Blues, New York: Alfred A. Knopf Publishing, reprinted, 1982 Langston Hughes (1991). The Big Sea: An Autobiography. 1940. New York: Hill & Wang Killens, John O. ,ed. (1960). â€Å"Writers: Black and White†, The American Negro Writer and His Roots: Selected Papers from the First Conference of Negro Writers, March. New York: American Society of African Culture

Men Of Honor essays

Men Of Honor essays Men of Honor, made in 2001, was directed by George Tillman Jr. and produced by Robert Teitel. It stars Robert Deniro as Chief Sunday, and Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carl Brashear, along with Aunjanue Ellis, Hal Holbrook, David Keith, Michael Rapaport, Powers Boothe, and Charlize Theron. It depicts the struggles of a black navy man, Carl Brashear. Brashears story spans the years between 1950 and 1968 and sees multiple Navy camps, bases, ships, and hospitals. Carl Brashear is a black mule driver on his fathers farm with aspirations to be in the navy. The problem is that black men in the navy do not advance very far in the 1950s. Nevertheless, Carl leaves home and joins up. He starts off as a cook on the U.S.S Hoist, but soon moves up to a rescue unit after he shows himself to be the fastest swimmer on the ship. Soon after, he sees Chief Sunday risk his life to save another divers life. The feat ends Sundays diving career, and helps Carl decide that he wants to be a master diver. After writing 100s of letters, he is finally accepted into Sundays diving school. He immediately encounters unyielding racism. The other men will not bunk with him. Sunday goes after him with a fire hose. Threats are made on his life. He is told he will not be allowed to pass. Yet he perseveres. After failing his first three exams, Carl seeks the help of a local medical student, Jo. With her help he begins to pass his tests and rises to the top of the program. He later rescues another trainee from a sunken ship, but receives no credit for his bravery. Instead a white student is given a medal. One night Carl learns his father has died. He then goes into a white bar where the other sailors are. Sunday confronts him and they end up betting on who can hold their breath the longest. Carl wins the bet, but not the respect. The final test of the camp is to assemble something underwater. Instead of lowering him his tools, they throw them into...

Festive Medieval Christmas

Festive Medieval Christmas When the holiday season engulfs us- and as we are subjected to a barrage of sentiment and commercialism (which are often indistinguishable from one another)- simpler days seem so much more attractive, and many of us tend to look to the past. Many of the customs we observe, traditions we practice, and foods we eat today originated in the middle ages. You may already incorporate some of these festivities in your holiday, or perhaps you might like to start a new tradition with a very old one. As you celebrate these customs, remember that they started with a medieval Christmas. A Christmas Carol and a flood of nostalgia for the Victorian era gives us a fairly good idea of what a nineteenth century Christmas was like. But the concept of observing Christs birthday goes back much farther than the nineteenth century. In fact, the origin of the English word Christmas is found in the Old English Cristes Maesse  (mass of Christ), and winter solstice festivities date back to ancient times in all corners of the world. So what was it like to celebrate Christmas in the Middle Ages? Early Medieval Christmas Observances Determining exactly what Christmas was like depends not only on where it was observed, but when. In late antiquity, Christmas was a quiet and solemn occasion, marked by a special mass and calling for prayer and reflection. Until the fourth century, no fixed date had been formally set by the Church- in some places it was observed in April or May, in others in January and even in November. It was Pope Julius I who officially fixed the date at December 25th, and why exactly he chose the date is still not clear. Although it is possible that it was a deliberate Christianization of a pagan holiday, many other factors seem to have come into play. Epiphany or Twelfth Night More commonly (and enthusiastically) celebrated was the Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, celebrated on January 6. This is another holiday whose origins are sometimes lost in the festivities of the moment. It is generally believed that Epiphany marked the visit of the Magi and their bestowal of gifts on the Christ child, but it is more likely that the holiday originally celebrated Christs baptism instead. Nevertheless, Epiphany was much more popular and festive than Christmas in the early middle ages and was a time for the bestowal of gifts in the tradition of the three Wise Men- a custom that survives to this day. Later Medieval Christmas Observances In time, Christmas grew in popularity- and as it did so, many of the Pagan traditions associated with the winter solstice became associated with Christmas as well. New customs particular to the Christian holiday also arose. December 24th and 25th became a time for feasting and socializing as well as a time for prayer.

Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Report - Case Study Example Business intelligence is a tool that combines all equipment needed by decision makers to come up with intelligent managerial decisions. This tool enables proper monitoring of important business information which includes market trends, competitor monitoring and ensuring proper firm strategies. House Depot needs to mend its business information and data acquiring methods in order to improve their business performance. House Depot needs to connect its various warehouses to ensure a network system enabling sharing of inventory information. The network to be setup depends on the proximity of the warehouses to one another (EC-Council 60). In this case that warehouses are not in close proximity to enable a LAN connection. WAN network connection is the best to use in House Depot scenario. The WAN network established should be secured using the VPN protocols. Using virtual private network will ensure security in the network (EC-Council 54). Bus topology should be used to connect the computers in the warehouses to enable a domesticated LAN network. Research is meant to find out different entities in the market. If House Depot were to find a freeware in the course of their research they cannot claim ownership of it. Claiming ownership would be a form of embezzlement or grabbing personalized software. Furthermore, there is very little chance of discovering functional software that is not patented. In order to boost their technological systems if House Depot was to invent its own operational software it should be within the bounds of the law to avoid any claim of plagiarism. Acquiring information from the original software developer about the bounds of their patent will enable a healthy development with the original developers. The software characteristics can also be merged and merger terms set for all software presidents. Patenting of the software developed by House