Saturday, December 28, 2019

Who Was the Queen of Sheba

The Queen of Sheba is a biblical character: a powerful queen who visited King Solomon. Whether she actually existed and who she was is still in question. The Hebrew Scriptures The Queen of Sheba is one of the most famous figures in the Bible, yet nobody knows exactly who she was or where she came from. According to I Kings 10:1-13 of the Hebrew scriptures, she visited King Solomon in Jerusalem after hearing of his great wisdom. However, the Bible does not mention either her given name or the location of her kingdom. In Genesis 10:7, in the so-called Table of Nations, two individuals are mentioned who some scholars have connected with the implied place name of the Queen of Sheba. Seba is mentioned as a grandson of Hams son Noah via Cush, and Sheba is mentioned as a grandson of Cush via Raamah in the same list. Cush or Kush has been associated with the empire of Kush, a land south of Egypt. Archaeological Evidence Two primary strands of history connect to the Queen of Sheba, from opposite sides of the Red Sea. According to Arab and other Islamic sources, the Queen of Sheba was called Bilqis, and ruled over a kingdom on the southern Arabian Peninsula in what is now Yemen. Ethiopian records, on the other hand, claim that the Queen of Sheba was a monarch called Makeda, who ruled the Axumite Empire based in northern Ethiopia. Interestingly enough, archaeological evidence indicates that as early as the tenth century B.C.E.—about when the Queen of Sheba is said to have lived—Ethiopia and Yemen were ruled by a single dynasty, probably based in Yemen. Four centuries later, the two regions were both under the sway of the city of Axum. Since the political and cultural ties between ancient Yemen and Ethiopia seem to have been incredibly strong, it may be that each of these traditions is correct, in a sense. The Queen of Sheba may have reigned over both Ethiopia and Yemen, but, of course, she couldnt have been born in both places. Makeba, Ethiopian Queen Ethiopias national epic, the Kebra Nagast or Glory of Kings (also considered a sacred text to Rastafarians) tells the story of Queen Makeda from Axum, who traveled to Jerusalem to meet the famous Solomon the Wise. Makeda and her entourage stayed for several months, and Solomon became smitten with the beautiful Ethiopian queen. As Makedas visit neared its end, Solomon invited her to stay in the same wing of the castle as his own sleeping quarters. Makeda agreed, so long as Solomon didnt try to make any sexual advances. Solomon acquiesced to this condition, but only if Makeda took nothing that was his. That evening, Solomon ordered a spicy and salty meal prepared. He also had a glass of water set out beside Makedas bed. When she awoke thirsty in the middle of the night, she drank the water, at which point Solomon came into the room and announced that Makeda had taken his water. They slept together, and when Makeda left to go back to Ethiopia, she was carrying Solomons son. In Ethiopian tradition, Solomon and Shebas child, Emperor Menelik I, founded the Solomonid dynasty, which continued until Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed in 1974. Menelik also went to Jerusalem to meet his father, and either received as a gift or stole the Ark of the Covenant, depending upon the version of the story. Although most Ethiopians today believe that Makeda was the biblical Queen of Sheba, many scholars give preference to a Yemeni origin instead. Bilqis, Yemeni Queen An important component of Yemens claim on the Queen of Sheba is the name. We know that a great kingdom called Saba existed in Yemen during this period, and historians suggest that Saba is Sheba. Islamic folklore holds that the Sabean queens name was Bilqis. According to Sura 27 of the Quran, Bilqis and the people of Saba worshipped the sun as a god rather than adhering to Abrahamic monotheist beliefs. In this account, King Solomon sent her a letter inviting her to worship his God. Bilqis perceived this as a threat and, fearing that the Jewish king would invade her country, was unsure how to respond. She decided to visit Solomon in person to find out more about him and his faith. In the Qurans version of the story, Solomon enlisted the help of a djinn or genie that transported Bilqis throne from her castle to Solomons in the blink of an eye. The Queen of Sheba was so impressed with this feat, as well as Solomons wisdom, that she decided to convert to his religion. Unlike the Ethiopian tale, in the Islamic version, there is no suggestion that Solomon and Sheba had an intimate relationship. One interesting facet of the Yemeni story is that Bilqis supposedly had goat hooves rather than human feet, either because her mother had eaten a goat while pregnant with her, or because she was herself a djinn. Conclusion Unless archaeologists uncover new evidence to support either Ethiopias or Yemens claim to the Queen of Sheba, we will likely never know with certainty who she was. Nevertheless, the fantastic folklore that has sprung up surrounding her keeps her alive in the imaginations of people across the Red Sea region  and around the world.

Friday, December 20, 2019

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois - 1252 Words

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born to Alfred and Mary Silvina Du Bois on February 23rd, 1868 in Great Barrington Massachusetts. While he grew up an African-American in a mostly white community, he attended an integrated school and excelled there. When he was old enough, his neighbors and church raised enough money for him to attend Fisk University in Nashville from 1885 to 1888. Because he had never been south before, this is where he first experienced racial prejudice and Jim Crow laws. After college, he went on to study in Berlin and receive both his masters and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Then, he began his great work in sociology. He published his first study not long after college called The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study, and then started work as a professor at Atlanta University, where he gained acknowledgement for his being very publically opposed to Booker T. Washington’s â€Å"Atlanta Compromise.† When he published The Souls of Black Folk in 19 03, he really began his progressive journey. Standing up to white supremacy, speaking for women’s rights, and being a proponent of Pan-Africanism are what occupied the middle and later parts of his life. He even helped to found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. W. E. B. Du Bois died on August 27th, 1963 while self-exiled in Ghana, working on an Encyclopedia Africana. (3) Because Du Bois was practically a lifelong activist and believer in the equality of allShow MoreRelatedWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois1208 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois, otherwise known as W.E.B Du Bois, accordingly introduced the idea of â€Å"double-consciousness† which he described to be a person whose identity can be â€Å"merged into a unity that they and the nation could be proud,† as stated in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature by Henry Louis Gates and Valerie Smith (Gates and Smith, page 682). Throughout history, the stories behind the lives of African American’s has been recognized as a tough, ongoing battle. TheRead MoreWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois, born in 1868, was a scholar, activist, and philosopher, born into the era of Reconstruction and lynching. Though he accomplished much in his life, Du Bois is largely known for helping f ound the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and writing one of the most prominent works in American critical race theory, The Souls of Black Folk. Du Bois made it his life’s work to contest racism through self-assertion, humanize black people acrossRead MoreWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois1020 Words   |  5 PagesMalik Hart August 20, 2015 Research Paper William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was one of the most important activist in the early 20th century. He was born February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. In 1885 Du Bois came across his first encounter with the Jim Crow laws. He went to Harvard to receive his masters and before completing his masters he was offered an opportunity to study abroad in Berlin. Du Bois is known for many of his accomplishments such as being one of the most importantRead MoreWilliam Edward Burghardt (. B. ) Du Bois1085 Words   |  5 Pages William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois was a successful author of many books and an accomplished student. He supported women s rights and the equality of African-American people. He had a pretty ordinary childhood, but his adult life was full of many accomplishments. He began to show a love and talent for reading and writing at a young age and this continued throughout his life. W.E.B. was born February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, a mostly European American townRead MoreEssay William Edward Burghardt Du Bois or W.E.B. Du Bois3534 Words   |  15 PagesWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois or W.E.B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois – known simply as W.E.B. – was 83 when the government indicted him as a foreign agent in 1951. The only crime he had committed, however, was circulating the Stockholm Appeal, which said any government to use an atomic weapon against another country should be treated as a war criminal. After spending six months in disgrace and paying $35,150 for his defense, the government dismissed its case against him. TheRead MoreCrying Of The Soul By William Edward Burghardt Du Bois708 Words   |  3 Pageshuman and real!† W.E.B. Du Bois. Ghana Calls is a Poem written by William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. He is also formally known as W.E.B. Du Bois. â€Å"He has been referred to as the father of the civil rights movement and as a historian, a sociologist, a scholar, a teacher, a novelist, and a journalist†(Hufford D 1997). This poem was dedicated to Kwame Nkrumah. Kwame Nkrumah was the Ghanaian leader who declared Ghana independence from Great Britain (UK). Many of W.E.B. Du Bois literary work was devotedRead MoreThe Ideals and Philosophies of William Edward Burghardt Du Bois1487 Words   |  6 Pages William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868, in Massachusetts where he stayed to earn his Ph. D in History. Although growing up in the more tolerant North, Du Bois realized, at an early age, skin color will always be an issue. His dedication and love of learning empowered him with the feeling that through education it would one day be possible to breach the color line. His position as a Harvard graduate and his love for education meant that he was able to travel throughoutRead MoreWilliam Edward Burghardt, Du Bois And Dorothy E. Smith Essay2350 Words   |  10 Pagesfew are William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B) Du bois and Dorothy E. Smith. Although they faced different challenges and have faced different forms of discrimination, we can see how both of their theories are very similar (and somewhat different) from one another. Because of them, we are able to think about the real issues of our society and its effects on an individual. William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B) Du bois was a sociologist, author, and civil rights leader born during the late 1860’s. 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During the decades of Reconstruction following the Civil War, African Americans struggled to be assimilated into the new American society. To do this African Americans required social and economic equality. Two great Negro leaders that emerged for this cause were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. With these two strong-headed men, another problem

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Jason Schwartzman - You’ve Been Nighttiming Baby, it’s Out of Control free essay sample

An actor of tremendous acumen, eccentric wit and nonsensical humor, 27-year-old Jason Francesco Schwartzman has talent that few would question. It now appears as if the actor of Italian and Jewish descent (known for his role as â€Å"cool Ethan† in Slackers and Claire Dane’s tactless boyfriend in Shop Girl) has now found his niche in the music community. As of last March, Jason Schwartzman released his first solo album, Nighttiming, under his label, Young Baby Records. Schwartzman was formally the drummer/songwriter of Phantom Planet before disassociating from the band in 2003 to further pursue his acting career. After a four-year hiatus, Jason has returned to his original music making endeavors. Despite the rumors that the entire album was produced in Mike Einziger’s Los Angeles basement in under a week, the song â€Å"West Coast† was first made famous on the season finale of the O.C. Although the cascading acoustic chords and the plaintive lyrics are acc redited solely to Jason, part of the commotion surrounding his album is due to tracks featuring Kirsten Dunst and Zooey Deschanel. We will write a custom essay sample on Jason Schwartzman You’ve Been Nighttiming Baby, it’s Out of Control or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Kirsten Dunst manages something between a melodic whine and a breathy lullaby in the opening track â€Å"This Old Machine.† And if barely audible whistling and a whispered one liner count as collaboration, then Zooey Deschanel holds her own on the track â€Å"Slowly.† Perhaps the most attractive thing about the album for Jason Schwartzman fans is that each purchased hard copy of the album includes an original and non-reproduced Polaroid, either of Jason, or taken by Jason himself. Unfortunately, Nighttiming seems to lose its momentum midway through, via repetitive songs such as â€Å"The Thanks That I Get† and â€Å"Easy Girl.† At times the unvarying uniformity of a few songs sounds like Schwartzman has exhausted his musical adroitness. One must wonder if the majority of Schwartzman’s album sales are due to fans’ curiosity about another celebrity turned musician. In all honesty, the album isn’t really that good. But Jason is good, so I fully support him. And what do I know? So far the panoramic response has been positive and Jason definitely deserves kudos for his exceptional vocal skills. So if you’re a Schwartzman enthusiast, I encourage you to buy this album because for what it’s worth, you’ll be introduced to a new level of J and a couple of catchy songs will be stuck in your head. Also, on a few tracks, he plays the kazoo.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

ANWR Essay Example For Students

ANWR Essay Over the last thirty years the United States has been faced with the problem of dependence on foreign countries for oil and the tight control that these exercise on the energy policies and economics of America. Many of these instances include: the oil embargos of the 1970s, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. Since the 1970s, one solution offered to reduce our nations dependence on foreign countries for oil has been opening up drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Proponents say that drilling in ANWR would make the United States more self-sufficient in the area of energy, while at the same time not doing excessive damage to the environment of the area. Opponents of drilling in ANWR cite the environmental problems of off-shore drilling and maintain that this land should be left alone and allowed to stand as an environmental wonder. Given that some environmental groups do not mind allowing technology to inv ade the environment when it profits them and given the threats of global terror and the ever-increasing dependence our nation has on foreign oil, I believe it is in the best interests of the United States to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling. Before stating both sides of the argument, I would like to make two observations that I found interesting while researching from the book, Taking Sides. The first thing that I found interesting was that in an environmental science class and in an environmental science textbook, the two articles used to present the pros and cons of opening up oil drilling in ANWR were not written by environmentalists or scientists or even oil technology experts, but rather by an economist, a physicist and a lawyer. The second thing that ran through my head as I was reading both articles was the time at which both were written. To Drill or Not to Drill: Let the Environmentalist Decide, written by Dwight R. Lee, a professor of economics, and Fools Gold in Alaska, written by physicist Amory B. Lovins and lawyer L. Hunter Lovins, were both written in the months prior to the September eleventh terrorist attacks in the United States and the subsequent United States invasion of both Afghanistan and Iraq. As I read both articles, especially that of the Lovins, which opposes oil drilling in ANWR, I could not help but wonder if each of the three men would either have different views or in the case of Lee a different argument for his views, if they had to write their articles post 9/11. Another interesting fact about ANWR is that, ANWR is home to one of the worlds largest caribou herds as well as 200 other wildlife and plant species. (Cunningham, William P. Cunningham, Mary Ann and Saigo, Barbara, pg. 413)My argument in favor of opening up oil drilling in ANWR is based on two things: the questionable conclusions that the Lovins article draws from past energy policies and the latest factual and no-so factual data they had available to them at the time. I believe that given the world we live in today, the principles that the Lovins and other use to argue against oil drilling in ANWR can be applied to argue why oil drilling should be open in the tract of land in Alaska. By drilling for oil in Alaska the U.S. will become more self-efficient on fuel, and the opportunity for employment will cause the current unemployment rate to decrease. The drilling creates opportunities not only for oil companies, but also boating and airplane carriers. In the article, the Lovins write, In sum, even if drilling in the Artic Wildlife Refuge posed no environmental or human rights concerns, it still could not be justified on economic or security grounds. (Armory B. Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins, page 130) This may have been true when they wrote the article but the economics of the United States and the world have changed. They argue that the amount of oil in ANWR and the projected price per barrel for this oil would not generate enough of a profit to making drilling worth it. One part of this argument

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Biography of Zhu Di, Chinas Yongle Emperor

Biography of Zhu Di, China's Yongle Emperor Zhu Di (May 2, 1360–August 12, 1424), also known as the Yongle Emperor, was the third ruler of Chinas Ming Dynasty. He embarked on a series of ambitious projects, including the lengthening and widening of the Grand Canal, which carried grain and other goods from southern China to Beijing. Zhu Di also built the Forbidden City and led a number of attacks against the Mongols, who threatened the Mings northwestern flank. Fast Facts: Zhu Di Known For: Zhu Di was the third emperor of Chinas Ming dynasty.Also Known As: Yongle EmperorBorn: May 2, 1360 in Nanjing, ChinaParents: Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress MaDied: August 12, 1424 in Yumuchuan, ChinaSpouse: Empress XuChildren: Nine Early Life Zhu Di was born on May 2, 1360, to the future founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, and an unknown mother. Although official records claim the boys mother was the future Empress Ma, rumors persist that his true biological mother was a Korean or Mongolian consort of Zhu Yuanzhang. From an early age, according to Ming sources, Zhu Di proved more capable and courageous than his older brother Zhu Biao. However, according to Confucian principles, the eldest son was expected to succeed to the throne. Any deviation from this rule could spark a civil war. As a teenager, Zhu Di became Prince of Yan, with his capital at Beijing. With his military prowess and aggressive nature, Zhu Di was well-suited to holding northern China against raids by the Mongols. At 16, he married the 14-year-old daughter of General Xu Da, who commanded the northern defense forces. In 1392, Crown Prince Zhu Biao died suddenly of an illness. His father had to choose a new successor: either the Crown Princes teenaged son, Zhu Yunwen, or the 32-year-old Zhu Di. Keeping with tradition, the dying Zhu Biao chose Zhu Yunwen, who was next in line for succession. Path to the Throne The first Ming emperor died in 1398. His grandson, Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen, became the Jianwen Emperor. The new emperor carried out his grandfathers orders that none of the other princes should bring their legions to observe his burial, for fear of civil war. Bit by bit, the Jianwen Emperor stripped his uncles of their lands, power, and armies. Zhu Bo, the prince of Xiang, was forced to commit suicide. Zhu Di, however, feigned mental illness as he plotted a revolt against his nephew. In July 1399, he killed two of the Jianwen Emperors officers, the first blow in his uprising. That fall, the Jianwen Emperor sent a force of 500,000 against Beijing armies. Zhu Di and his army were out on patrol elsewhere, so the women of the city fended off the imperial army by throwing crockery at them until their soldiers returned and routed Jianwens forces. By 1402, Zhu Di had made his way south to Nanjing, defeating the emperors army at every turn. On July 13, 1402, as he entered the city, the imperial palace went up in flames. Three bodies- identified as those of the Jianwen Emperor, the empress, and their oldest son- were found among the charred wreckage. Nonetheless, rumors persisted that Zhu Yunwen had survived. At the age of 42, Zhu Di took the throne under the name Yongle, meaning perpetual happiness. He immediately set about executing anyone who opposed him, along with their friends, neighbors, and relatives- a tactic invented by Qin Shi Huangdi. He also ordered the construction of a large ocean-going fleet. Some believe that the ships were intended to search for Zhu Yunwen, whom some believed had escaped to Annam, northern Vietnam, or some other foreign land. Treasure Fleet Between 1403 and 1407, the Yongle Emperors workmen built well over 1,600 oceangoing junks of various sizes. The largest were called treasure ships, and the Armada was known as the Treasure Fleet. In 1405, the first of seven voyages of the Treasure Fleet left for Calicut, India, under the direction of the Yongle Emperors old friend, the eunuch Admiral Zheng He. The Yongle Emperor would oversee six voyages through 1422, and his grandson would launch a seventh in 1433. The Treasure Fleet sailed as far as the east coast of Africa, projecting Chinese power throughout the Indian Ocean and gathering tribute from far and wide. The Yongle Emperor hoped these exploits would rehabilitate his reputation after the bloody and anti-Confucian chaos by which he gained the throne. Foreign and Domestic Policies Even as Zheng He set out on his first voyage in 1405, Ming China dodged a huge bullet from the west. The great conqueror Timur had been detaining or executing Ming envoys for years and decided it was time to conquer China in the winter of 1404-1405. Fortunately for the Yongle Emperor and the Chinese, Timur became ill and died in what is now Kazakhstan. The Chinese seem to have been oblivious to the threat. In 1406, the northern Vietnamese killed a Chinese ambassador and a visiting Vietnamese prince. The Yongle Emperor sent an army half a million strong to avenge the insult, conquering the country in 1407. However, Vietnam revolted in 1418 under the leadership of Le Loi, who founded the Le Dynasty, and by 1424 China had lost control of nearly all Vietnamese territory. The Yongle Emperor considered it a priority to erase all traces of Mongolian cultural influence from China, following his fathers defeat of the ethnically-Mongol Yuan Dynasty. He did reach out to the Buddhists of Tibet, however, offering them titles and riches. Transport was a perpetual issue early on in the Yongle era. Grain and other goods from southern China had to be shipped along the coast or else portaged from boat to boat up the narrow Grand Canal. The Yongle Emperor had the Grand Canal deepened, widened, and extended up to Beijing- a massive financial undertaking. After the controversial palace fire in Nanjing that killed the Jianwen Emperor, and a later assassination attempt there against the Yongle Emperor, the third Ming ruler decided to permanently move his capital north to Beijing. He built a massive palace compound there, called the Forbidden City, which was completed in 1420. Decline In 1421, the Yongle Emporers favorite senior wife died in the spring. Two concubines and a eunuch were caught having sex, setting off a horrific purge of palace staff that ended with the Yongle Emperor executing hundreds or even thousands of his eunuchs, concubines, and other servants. Days later, a horse that had once belonged to Timur threw the emperor, whose hand was crushed in the accident. Worst of all, on May 9, 1421, three bolts of lightning struck the main buildings of the palace, setting the newly completed Forbidden City on fire. Contritely, the Yongle Emperor remitted grain taxes for the year and promised to halt all expensive foreign adventures, including the Treasure Fleet voyages. His experiment with moderation did not last long, however. In late 1421, after the Tatar ruler Arughtai declined to pay tribute to China, the Yongle Emperor flew into a rage, requisitioning over a million bushels of grain, 340,000 pack animals, and 235,000 porters from three southern provinces to supply his army during its attack on Arughtai. The emperors ministers opposed this rash attack and six of them ended up imprisoned or dead by their own hands as a result. Over the next three summers, the Yongle Emperor launched annual attacks against Arughtai and his allies, but never managed to find the Tatar forces. Death On August 12, 1424, the 64-year-old Yongle Emperor died on the march back to Beijing after another fruitless search for the Tatars. His followers fashioned a coffin and carried him to the capital in secret. The Yongle Emperor was buried in a mounded tomb in the Tianshou Mountains, about 20 miles from Beijing. Legacy Despite his own experience and misgivings, the Yongle Emperor appointed his quiet, bookish eldest son Zhu Gaozhi as his successor. As the Hongxi Emperor, Zhu Gaozhi would lift tax burdens on peasants, outlaw foreign adventures, and promote Confucian scholars to positions of power. The Hongxi Emperor survived his father for less than a year; his own eldest son, who became the Xuande Emperor in 1425, would combine his fathers love of learning with his grandfathers martial spirit. Sources Mote, Frederick W.  Imperial China 900-1800. Harvard University Press, 2003.Roberts, J. A. G.  The Complete History of China. Sutton, 2003.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

International personality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International personality - Assignment Example a lady, and the challenges she experienced as a young black girl in her upbringing have really contributed to the kind heart that Oprah Winfrey exhibits (Hanson, 2009). At her talk show, Oprah Winfrey addresses very many challenges, especially social, that affect either a huge population or a selected minority. The direct effects of the show on various people can be said to be overwhelming. This is because Oprah Winfrey is surrounded by a team of in-house experts, or guest experts, in various fields who normally provide their expert advice or understanding of the issues at hand. According to Garson (2011), as a successful entrepreneur, Oprah Winfrey has not left out the community that is needy. Her various acts of kindness has left no option but for her to be tagged as a philanthropist. She has been involved in several charity programs, as well as in the general commitment to raising the values of living for the less-fortunate in the community and the world over. Berkley and Economy (2008) say that her influence and success has impacted positively to the citizens all over the world thus making her one happy woman who is so much admired. While reading the articles about Oprah Winfrey, they really encourage someone and despite several cultural inclinations, it encourages someone and gives them hope .They show one that success is something that is brewed and it normally comes with several responsibilities. These responsibilities are normally a way that someone uses to bless the community around them. This human right is not limited to any extent, as long as the right does not infringe on the people’s rights. In any liberal country, the citizens of that nation practice freedom of speech in a manner that is indulgent. This means that they can talk about sensitive issues even the ones that touch directly on the government and even the powerful people. The freedom of speech in these liberal and democratic nations cannot pause as a security threat to the ones

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The different types of protein defects that can be associated with the Essay

The different types of protein defects that can be associated with the red blood cell - Essay Example RBCs give blood its characteristic red color†. Hemoglobin is a metalloprotein, which means it is a protein that includes iron as one of its constituent atoms. For the reason of oxygen distribution, hemoglobin has multiple chemical â€Å"slots† for storing oxygen. This oxygen is acquired from the heart, where red blood cells are replenished with oxygen from the lungs. According toToole(2004: 32) â€Å"Red blood cells are unusual in having no nucleus, mitochondria and they are much thinner in the middle and so form a biconcave shape†. The red blood cell is the main component of the circulatory system, also known by the name of cardiovascular system. In the circulatory system, the channels know as arteries hold oxygen-rich blood for distribution to the body, while veins give back oxygen-poor blood to the heart for replenishment. The oxygen levels of blood can be assessed by looking at its color – oxygen-poor blood has bluish color, while oxygen-rich blood looks red. The second important function to carrying oxygen although less commonly known, is the capability of red blood cells to carry carbon dioxide. CO2 is a waste product formed due to metabolism in every cell in the human body Red blood cells measure a diameter of about 6-8 micrometers (millionths of a meter), similar in size to much of the cells in the body. An RBC is biconcave in shape.Rosenberge (2010)states that â€Å"Red blood cells completely lack in most other common cellular parts, such as a nucleus with DNA, or mitochondria†. Due to their small shape and physical structure, the RBC can squish in to the small capillaries where the blood vessels are the smallest. Without this nature of flexibility , they have a high chance of getting stuck and cause obstructions in the circulation Because red blood cells are so important to your body, when they dont work properly, it often leads to

Monday, November 18, 2019

Writing to Evaluate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing to Evaluate - Essay Example Varied ethnicities and social mores have a lot in common, especially in the current times. Men and women do behave differently in every culture. For instance the American women enjoy more freedom than their counterparts in any other part of the world. For an individual from a more restrained culture at USI, the opportunity to play soccer with females and being pushed or tackled by a woman could turn out to be really amazing. The girls may not have the sportsmen like skills, but they do have the right to share a soccer field with males, without cowering to any considerations regarding varied gender issues. While in many Asian countries, it’s the family that takes the important decisions regarding a girl’s life; in America women do have the right to choose their partners and to freely live their lives as they want to. In that context, a person visiting Hong Kong for the first time may be shocked at finding dog and cat meat dishes in the regular menus at the local restaurants (Ingrams 134). Yet, for a Chinese it could mean just one other culinary delight or a dietary preference. Indeed food is one major difference between varied cultures. Also, food could turn out to be a unique experience in the US, because it is imported from almost every nation and it gets really difficult to tell, which a foreign food is and which a traditional American food is. For instance, most of the people in the Middle East do not eat pork, just like the Jewish people from Israel. It gets really funny to notice that the Arabs and the Israelis can share their dietary preferences, but they cannot share the land. In the US, fast food and gas stations are almost ubiquitous, while in the Middle East, one could find barber shops and laundries almost everywhere. Indeed, the human needs do tend to differ from one culture to othe r. The way people dress up in the Arab nations is unique. Some people there

Friday, November 15, 2019

Trans-boundary Natural Resource Management (TBNRM) Essay

Trans-boundary Natural Resource Management (TBNRM) Essay Trans-boundary natural resource management (TBNRM) can be defined as process of cooperation across boundaries that facilitates or improves the management of natural resources to the benefit all parts in the area concerned (Griffin et al, 1999). TBNRM it attempts to address the challenges of managing natural resources that are collaborated or shared across international or political boundaries and not ecologically, For instance the Albert national park was the national park across international border in Africa that was established by the Belgium colonial regime in 1925 to conserve natural resources occurring in two countries. It spanned the colonial state of Rwanda-Burundi and the Congo (Van der Linde, 2001). The Africans major fall in land, river, lake, forest and national parks (Lycklama à   Nijeholt et al, 2001), and these are as follows: River as natural resources form a narrow or wide channel of water which pass across the country or form the boundary between countries, these rivers contain numerous valuable wildlife that migrate across borders (katerere et al, 2001). For example river Limpopo across boulders (Botswana, south Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) (Microsoft student, 2008), Orange river (Lesotho and Namibia), Congo river (DRC and Republic of Congo), Nile river from east Africa source in lake Victoria flow through Uganda, Egypt, Sudan to Mediterranean sea ( Microsoft student, 2008), the conservation of these rivers need cooperation and collaborations between nations. National park is one of the major natural resource in Africa, since most of these ecological cuts across international boundaries for instance Kruger national park one of the national park in the world located in South Africa bordered by Mozambique and Zimbabwe, The W-Aryl-Pendjari (WAP) is the national park that is complex straddles the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger and one of the largest continuous protected areas in Africa, the great Limpopo trans-frontier parks is the African largest protected area that spread through Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the mountain gorilla conservation in Virunga heartland in central albertine rift region of east central Africa span the borders of Democratic Republic of Congo( DRC), Rwanda and Uganda. Congo basin forest forms ecosystem shared by Cameroon, Central Africa, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya and Serengeti National Park in United Republic Tanzania the two neighboring trans-boundaries protected areas where every year herds of wildebeest Zebra and other herbivores migrate between Serengeti national park in Tanzania and Masai Mara game reserved in Kenya (Microsoft students, 2008). Trans-boundary lakes, African continent has a plenty of shared lakes that cuts across international boundaries and some act international boundaries for example lake Tanganyika in the great rift valley that border on north by Burundi, east Tanzania, south Tanzania and west DRC. Lake Victoria found in east central Africa bordered by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Lake Chad located at the junction of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameron. Lake Turkana found in central Africa boarded in North West by Kenya with the northern most tip in south western Ethiopia. Lake Albert an elliptical lake in east central Africa located on western Uganda and north eastern DRC, Lake Malawi or Nyasa located in the great rift valley between Malawi on the west Tanzania and Mozambique on east (Microsoft student, 2008). In spite of the African continent to have endowed with different trans-boundary natural resources across countries that contribute to the economic development, these resource posed a great challenge in terms of their utilizations/exploitation or their conservation and or management, hence the following are some of the challenges facing the management of trans-boundary natural resources in Africa:- Differences in conservation policies, Kenya has long pursued aggressive prevention policies concerning wildlife, where as Tanzania has promoted consumptive use including sport hunting, licenses hunting which does not consider proper policies of hunting wildlife. Such differences obviously exacerbate or accelerate problem in natural resources management. Also there has been experimentation on a ground scale with resources which involves less or no consultation of the other member’s country and this cause conflicts (Serageldin and sfer-younis, 1996). Management issues in resources are difficult to address at the scale of programs where additional requirements of seeking cooperation for example are cooperation on management of rhino and elephant poaching in Masai Mara in east Africa. Under this situation different sets authority among the stakeholders with different policies and laws find it difficult to unity and control the illegal activities in recourses (Lock wood, Worboys and Kothari, 2006). Poor agreements that is timely, equitable and acceptable by all riparian countries. For example the Nile basin which its management find difficulties among members from the upstream and downstream as Egypt and the Sudan recently exchange threats over the use of the Nile river, also Tanzania and Malawi over lake Nyasa and Kenya and Uganda on the ownership of mountain Elgon. These result in constant conflict and mismanagement of natural resources. Also most of the agreements were either the agreements made by between colonizers or bilateral agreements which contradiction among those nations shared the natural resources (Malasse abtew and Stegn, 2014). Protected areas managers and stakeholders find it difficult to determine those issues that have a specific trans-boundary element for example, it is self evident that trans-boundary protected areas must involve and benefit local people, but trans-boundary program may well involve many other aspects such as community who were previously divided by the imposition of an international border which also may associate with border conflicts among the nation involved for example the lake Victoria conflict between Kenya and Uganda on Mgingo island(Lock wood, Worboys and Kothari,2006). Lack of international system to enforce agreements, there are many mechanisms for trans-boundary management that has been agreed among nations faces difficulties in its implementation. Among them are African agreements like African Conversion on the conservation of nature and natural resources of September 1968, river basin agreements which include the Niger basin Authority, the lake Chad basin commission, the Senegal river develop organization, the Gambia river development organization and the Zambezi river authority also specific agreements like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda agreements on management of lake Victoria. (Serageldin and Sfer-younis, 1996). Lack of trust among stakeholders’, many stakeholders fails to trust each other on the conservation of trans-boundary natural resource especially in policies on conservations and utilization of natural resources for example stakeholders like community and community, government and government, community and Non-Government Organization, private sector and government (Goldman, 1998). Limited trust among stakeholders reduces cooperation and full participation among stakeholders. This limit the natural resource management conservation (Chifamba, 2012) Different level of economic development, different level of economic development may impose challenges in trans-boundary natural resources management; different nations have difference contribution to trans-boundary natural resources management, for instance different between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The stages in economic development among neighboring countries lead to analogous different in priorities for trans-boundary natural resources management objectives which may sometimes not allowing compatible , hence make it difficult in collaboration on trans-boundary natural resources management programs (Chifamba, 2012) In general trans-boundary natural recourses management is affected by lack of solid data about environmental issues makes cooperation difficult, absence of appropriate financing scheme for effective trans-boundary management also lack of international system in enforcing the agreement because the world has not yet found an adequate system to settle disputes related to trans-boundary programs. All those and other problems might be solved by ways such as ; proper involvement of stakeholders which is key to adaptive management, proper and clear statement concerning trans-boundary resources management also, enhancing or promotion of A forestation in riparian areas. References Chifamba, E (2012) Trans-boundary Natural Resource Management and distribution of rights and benefits to look communities on the Zimbabwe- South African Border. Zimbabwe . International journal of politics and good governance. Goldman, M. (1998). Inventing the Commons: Theories and Practices of the Commons’ Professional. In M. Goldman (Ed), Privatizing Nature: Political Struggles for the Global Commons: London .Pluto press Griffin, J., Cumming, S and Metcalfe, S. (1999). Study on the development of trans-boundary Natural Resource Management areas in Southern Africa, world wildlife fund: Washington D.C, USA. Griffin, J.,Cumming, S., Metcalfe, S.,Tsas-Rolfel, M and Singh, J.(1999). Trans-boundary Natural Resource Management in sub Saharan Africa. Biodiversity Support Program c/o World Wildlife Fund: Washington DC, USA. Katerere, Y., Hill, R and Mayo, S. (2001).A Critique of Trans-boundary Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa. Paper No1. IUCN-ROSA series on Trans-boundary Natural Resources Management. ICUW. The World Conservation Union. Lockwood, M., Worboys, L. and Kothari (2006).Managing protected areas: A Global Guide library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Dat, USA. Lycklama à   Nijeholt, R., Debie, S and Creerling, C(2001). Beyond Boundaries: Regional Overviews of Trans-boundary NRM on West Africa. Biodiversity Support Program: Washington DC, USA. Malesse, M.A., Abtew, W and Setegn, G.(2014). Nile River Basin: Eco hydrological challenges, Climate change and Hypropolitics. Springer Print: New York- USA, Microsoft Cooperation (2007) Microsoft student 2008, Redmond, WA: Microsoft cooperation. Selegeldin, I and Sfeir- Younis, A. (1996). Effective Financing of Environmentally Sustainable Development. World Bank publications. Van derlinde, H., Oglethorpe, J. Snelson, D. and Tessema,Y.(2001) Beyond Boundaries: Trans- boundary Natural Resource Management in Sub Saharan Africa, Biodiversity Support Program: Washington DC, USA.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Biblical Allusions in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Eyre

Biblical Allusions in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre One Sunday evening, shortly after Jane arrives at Lowood School, she is forced to recite the sixth chapter of St. Matthew as part of the daily lesson (70; ch. 7). This chapter in Matthew states, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? / (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. / But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (31-33) Although these words are not stated overtly in the text, they aptly fit Jane's situation. Cast off from the Reed household, Jane is entrusted to the caretakers at a charity school, where food, drink, and warm clothing are scarce. This lesson is used in Lowood to encourage the girls not to think of worldly matters. This passage also applies to Jane's life after Lowood. After Jane runs away from Thornfield, refusing to become a mistress, she has little money and few belongings. By escaping Rochester, Jane runs from sin, temptation, and safety, into the unknown, trusting in God to help her find food and shelter. She is more concerned for Rochester than she is for herself, and comes to the conclusion that "Mr. Rochester was safe; he was God's and by God would he be guarded" (319; ch. 28). Biblical allusions like this are rife in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Brought up by an Anglican minister, Bronte understood the Bible as an authoritative text upon which many members of Victorian society guided their lives. As a result of this religious training, Bronte inserted references into her stories, giving her characters a richer ... ...arrative tales. Other excuses were also found. Elliott-Binns writes that, "The Conservatives held to the literal truth, with some few and unimportant exceptions, of the Bible. All the obscurities or seeming contradictions contained in the sacred narrative they put down to man's imperfect knowledge, or possibly to corruption in the text" (277). In some ways, the criticism helped the Bible because people began to read it closer to determine its veracity. Charlotte Bronte, capitalizing on the popularity of the Bible, inserted allusions into Jane Eyre, hoping that people would find a richer story beneath her romantic tale. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Boston: Bedford, 1996. Elliott-Binns, L. E. Religion in the Victorian Era. London: Lutterworth, 1936. McLeod, Hugh. Religion and Society in England, 1850-1914. London: MacMillan, 1996. Â   Â  

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Deloitte Three Little Pigs Essay

The main goal of evaluating impairment of inventory is to provide users of financial statements an accurate assessment of how the company stands. PIGS has three categories of inventory – live hogs ready for sale, developing animals, and processed pork products. Within these categories, PIGS has inventory of live hogs and developing animals which are to be internally processed into pork products, and also live hogs and developing animals which are held for sale to third parties. The issue of holding inventory at lower of cost of market is with the hogs sold to third parties (PIGS feels that the internally processed products cover costs sufficiently and will not have a LCM issue). However, with the Big Bad Wolf being captured, market prices for lean pork have decreased due to the increased supply of pork. The carrying cost of the live and developing hogs is now (and for the next few months) more expensive than the market value. However, the CEO believes that this is just a seasonal fluctuation. I feel that the way to best represent periodic income is to evaluate for impairment of each end product category. Since the internally processed hogs do not have a LCM issue, the live hogs and developing hogs for sale to outside parties should be tested for impairment. This is supported by the FASB codification in section 330-10-35-8 as well as 330-10-35-10. 35-8 states: Depending on the character and composition of the inventory, the rule of lower of cost or market may properly be applied either directly to each item or to the total of the inventory (or, in some cases, to the total of the components of each major category). The method shall be that which most clearly reflects periodic income. I would classify the inventory into two categories, outside parties and internally processed. Section 330-10-35-10 states: Similarly, where more than one major product or operational category exists, the application of the lower of cost or market rule to the total of the items included in such major categories may result in the most useful determination of income. When no loss of income is expected to take place as a result of a reduction of cost prices of certain goods because others forming components of the same general categories of finished products have a market equally in excess of cost, such components need not be adjusted to market to the extent that they are in balanced quantities. Thus, in such cases, the rule of lower of cost or market, may be applied directly to the totals of the entire inventory, rather than to the individual inventory items, if they enter into the same category of finished product and if they are in balanced quantities, provided the procedure is applied consistently from year to year. By using these two operational categories, it seems that applying lower of cost or market will give the best valuation of income. 2)If the company determines that an impairment of inventory is necessary, should the impairment be recognized in an interim period if prices are expected to recover before the year end? Section 330-10-55-2 in the codification states the following: If near-term price recovery is uncertain, a decline in the market price of inventory below cost during an interim period shall be accounted for as follows. Paragraph 270-10-45-6 requires that the inventory be written down to the lower of cost or market unless either of the following conditions is met: a. Substantial evidence exists that market prices will recover before the inventory is sold. Â  In the case of last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory, substantial evidence exists that inventory amounts will be restored by year-end. A write-down is generally required unless the decline is due to seasonal price fluctuations. When looking at the information provided, two things in particular catch my attention. The CEO says that total revenues for pork products and total revenues for sales to outside parties, based on current prices, will exceed the cost to complete the sales. Also, when looking at the futures prices (and considering Farmer Joe already stated that it was a seasonal fluctuation) it appears that the price drop is temporary. According to 330-10-55-2, a write down is required unless the decline is due to seasonal price fluctuations.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Demonstrative Communication Essays - Communication, Free Essays

Demonstrative Communication Essays - Communication, Free Essays Demonstrative Communication Demonstrative Communication Communication is defined as a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. (Merriam-Webster.com) Demonstrative communication uses nonverbal or unwritten forms of communication. It is used to enhance the sending and receiving of messages through nonverbal communications such as facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, gestures, body language etc. Demonstrative communication can be both effective and ineffective. It can also have positive and negative effects on the sender and the receiver. One example of demonstrative communication would be using eye contact when delivering a message. Say you were giving a lecture on a subject to a small audience. If you are using eye contact with each individual in the audience at various intervals, it shows the audience that you are confident in the information you are giving them, as well as letting them know that it is important to you that they receive the message clearly. It shows that you are paying attention to how they are receiving the message you are sending. If your eyes are wandering around the room and not making contact with the audience, that could send a negative message to them. They may think that you are not interested in the message you are trying to send, thus leading them to believe that you may not know anything about the information you are providing to them. Other examples of demonstrative communication are facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, posture and gestures. If you are confident in the information you are sending a receiver, you could use things like hand gestures, walking slowly back and forth while you are speaking, still using eye contact, and changing your tone of voice to emphasize more important points of the message. Not engaging in any movement or using any gestures to keep the attention of the audience could cause them to lose interest in your message. However, too much movement could also be distracting, and then the audience could lose the entire message you were trying to send. Appearance is also an important element in demonstrative communication. If you are wearing a wild colored outfit or too much flashy jewelry, the audience may tend to be destracted by something like that as well. You always want to make sure that the attention stays focused on your message. Not on how you are dressed. The fewer distractions there are while you are sending your message, the more likely the audience will pay closer attention to the message. Demonstrative communication also allows the sender of the message to receive immediate feedback from the audience as well. A look of confusion lets the sender know the receiver may be having difficulty understanding something that was just said. A smile or a nod of the head can show that the receiver understand what the sender is saying. Eye contact from the receiver shows the sender that they are paying attention. That they are interested in what the sender is saying. Someone in the audience glancing at a magazine or their cell phone every five minutes lets the sender know that the receiver is not interested in the message being sent. This may give the sender an opportunity to use a different approach such as taking the opportunity to make sure that everyone in the audience can clearly see and hear the sender. Everyone uses demonstrative communication on a daily basis. Some people may not know what this type of communication is, but they use it. They may not even realize that they are engaging in demonstrative communication, but by using their body language, they are providing feedback, rather it is positive or negative. Crossing one?s arms is a strong sign that the receiver of the message is either disinterested or disagreeable to the information being provided by the sender. In which case, this can be used to the sender?s advantage. The sender could always use this type of nonverbal feedback to pause and ask the receiver if they are understanding the message being sent. If there is a plausible way to redirect the conversation, or word something differently, the receiver may have a chance to understand that part of the message. This allows for the sender of the

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Aztec Triple Alliance

The Aztec Triple Alliance The Triple Alliance (1428-1521) was a military and political pact among three city-states who shared lands in the Basin of Mexico (what is essentially Mexico City today): Tenochtitlan, settled by the Mexica/Aztec; Texcoco, home of the Acolhua; and Tlacopan, home of the Tepaneca. That accord formed the basis of what was to become the Aztec Empire that ruled Central Mexico and eventually most of Mesoamerica when the Spanish arrived at the very end of the Postclassic period. We know quite a bit about the Aztec Triple Alliance because histories were compiled at the time of the Spanish conquest in 1519. Many of the native historical traditions collected by the Spanish or preserved in the towns contain detailed information about the dynastic leaders of the Triple Alliance, and economic, demographic, and social information comes from the archaeological record. The Rise of the Triple Alliance During the late Postclassic or Aztec Period (AD 1350-1520) in the Basin of Mexico, there was a rapid centralization of political authority. By 1350, the basin was divided into several small city-states (called Altepetl in the Nahuatl language), each of which was ruled by a petty king (Tlatoani). Each altepetl included an urban administrative center and a surrounding territory of dependent villages and hamlets. Some of the city-state relationships were hostile and plagued by nearly constant wars. Others were friendlier but still competed with one another for local prominence. Alliances between them were built and sustained through a vital trade network and a commonly shared set of symbols and art styles. By the late 14th century, two dominant confederations emerged. One was led by the Tepaneca on the western side of the Basin  and the other by the Acolhua on the eastern side. In 1418, the Tepaneca based at Azcapotzalco came to control most of the Basin. Increased tribute demands and exploitation under the Azcapotzalco Tepaneca led to a revolt by the Mexica in 1428. Expansion and the Aztec Empire The 1428 revolt became a fierce battle for regional domination between Azcapotzalco and the combined forces from Tenochtitlan and Texcoco. After several victories, the ethnic Tepaneca city-state of Tlacopan joined them, and the combined forces overthrew Azcapotzalco. After that, the Triple Alliance moved quickly to subdue other city-states in the basin. The south was conquered by 1432, the west by 1435, and the east by 1440. Some longer holdouts in the basin include Chalco, conquered in 1465, and Tlatelolco in 1473. These expansionist battles were not ethnically-based: the bitterest were waged against the related polities in the Puebla Valley. In most cases, the  annexation of communities simply meant the establishment of an additional layer of leadership and a tribute system. However, in some cases such as the Otomi capital of Xaltocan, archaeological evidence indicates that the Triple Alliance replaced some of the population, perhaps because the elites and commoner people fled. An Unequal Alliance The three city-states sometimes operated independently and sometimes together. By 1431, each capital controlled certain city-states, with Tenochtitlan to the south, Texcoco to the northeast and Tlacopan to the northwest. Each of the partners was politically autonomous. Each ruler king acted as the head of a separate domain. But the three partners were not equals, a division that increased over the 90 years of the Aztec Empire. The Triple Alliance divided booty recovered from their wars separately. 2/5 went to Tenochtitlan, 2/5 to Texcoco, and 1/5 (as the latecomer) to Tlacopan. Each leader of the alliance divided his resources among the ruler himself, his relatives, allied and dependent rulers, nobles, meritorious warriors, and to local community governments. Although Texcoco and Tenochtitlan began on a relatively equal footing, Tenochtitlan became preeminent in the military sphere, while Texcoco retained prominence in law, engineering, and the arts. Records do not include reference to Tlacopans specialties. Benefits of the Triple Alliance The Triple Alliance partners were a formidable military force, but they were also an economic force. Their strategy was to build on pre-existing trade relations, expanding them to new heights with state support. They also focused on urban development, dividing the areas into quarters and neighborhoods and encouraging an influx of immigrants into their capitals. They established political legitimacy and fostered social and political interactions through alliances and elite marriages within the three partners and throughout their empire. Archaeologist Michael E. Smith argues that the economic system was taxation, and not tribute since there were regular, routinized payments to the Empire from the subject states. This guaranteed the three cities a consistent flow of products coming in from different environmental and cultural regions, increasing their power and prestige. They also provided a relatively stable political environment, where commerce and marketplaces could flourish. Domination and Disintegration The king of Tenochtitln soon emerged as the supreme military commander of the alliance  and made the final decision on all military actions. Eventually, Tenochtitln began to erode the independence of first Tlacopn, then that of Texcoco. Of the two, Texcoco remained fairly powerful, appointing its colonial city-states and able to fend off Tenochtitlns attempt to intervene in Texcocan dynastic succession right up until the Spanish conquest. Most scholars believe that Tenochtitln was dominant throughout most of the period, but the effective union of the alliance remained intact through political, social, and economic means. Each controlled their territorial domain as dependent city-states and their military forces. They shared the expansionist goals of the empire, and their highest-status individuals maintained individual sovereignty by inter-marriages, feasting, markets and tribute sharing across alliance borders. But hostilities among the Triple Alliance persisted, and it was with the help of Texcocos forces that Hernan Cortes was able to overthrow Tenochtitln in 1591.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Plastic ban Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Plastic ban - Essay Example Recently, there was a motion to ban the use of plastic bags in Oregon. The aim is to subsidize use of plastic bags by imposing a tax on the consumers (Ketcham 1). The ban on plastic bags will impact negatively on the lives of people economically due to loss of jobs and additional taxes being levied on the citizens. There are many negative factors that will be as a result of the ban. Plastics have been in existence since the 16th century. They are a product of petroleum oil extracts. The extracted chemicals are heated under pressure and then molded into definite shapes for various uses in households and even in industries (American Chemistry Council). Plastic bags are a product of the above process. They have a lot of uses in industries and even in households. Plastic bags are mainly used for packaging purposes in shops globally. This makes transportation of goods convenient. Plastic bags are also used in storage of various substances. They are waterproof and this ensures that the stored substance is not degraded by moisture in the atmosphere. In households, plastic bags are used to collect waste materials. However, plastic bags contribute to environmental pollution. They are non biodegradable and this makes their disposal time consuming and expensive (Friedman 2). The aim of placing a ban on their use is to help reduce environmental pollution by encouraging the ir recycling. It is not economical financially to ban the use of plastic bags in Oregon. A lot of time and money has been spent on funding the debate on the use of plastic bags (Eoin 1). The money that is being exhausted to hire analysts to decide on the tax to be imposed can be channeled into management activities that will produce an overall reduction in environmental pollution. The tax being levied for use of plastic bags by consumers decrease their income. A statistical report by Wayne shows that annually, an individual will use $ 27 in buying of

Friday, November 1, 2019

Peter eisenman building germany holocaust memorial Essay

Peter eisenman building germany holocaust memorial - Essay Example Peter Eisenman: Building Germany’s Holocaust Memorial chronicles the creation of a major public sculpture in the center of Berlin. This sculpture was created by American architect Peter Eisenman and is a memorial for the Jews killed in the Holocaust during the Nazi regime of Germany. The public memorial is a soccer field size space filled with 2711 concrete stele. The stele are of varying heights, tipping to the left and right on a shifting, wavy ground. This has the effect of reminding the audience of a wheat field tossed by strong winds. The idea of this memorial was first propagated by a group of German journalists led by Lea Rosh in the year 1988. Two design competitions were held and finally the entry of American architect Peter Eisenman was accepted by German chancellor Helmut Kohl. The project was finally implemented in the year 1999 when the Bundestag (lower house of the German parliament) provided the financing for the project. Peter Eisenman succeeded brilliantly in completing the memorial when it was finally dedicated to the memory of the Jews killed in the Nazi genocide. The documentary also documents the feelings and impressions on the memorial of some prominent German politicians, academicians, literati and general visitors to the German Holocaust memorial. The documentary Peter Eisenman: Building Germany’s Holocaust Memorial is a well-shot one and is an example of the Cinema verite style of documentary filmmaking.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Influence of Cold War on Development i the Third World Essay

Influence of Cold War on Development i the Third World - Essay Example Third world countries adopted capitalist economy that has hindered their developments in many ways. Considering the level of human interference such as government regulations, selfish interests and communism policies can be claimed to have hindered development. Permanent economic forces such as the forces of demand, supply, unemployment, and inflation have been consistently applied in academic teachings where the forces are traced into a perfect self-balance in the free market economies. Unlike the free market economies that could have enabled third world countries to improve their economic prosperity through the self-balancing forces, the capitalist economies have continually had effective development. The forces of unemployment have driven most third world countries into underutilization of resources that could have been effectively used to advance economic developments into industrialization and self-sufficiency among the states. Moreover, third world countries continue to become under-developed due to lack of balance of the controlled and government regulated markets (Arnold Harberger, 1998, p50-54) The ideologies of capitalist states that spilled over into the third world countries have resulted in ownership of the biggest percentage of states resources by a few individuals, while the majority of the population continue to languished in poverty. The ideological frameworks have led into high level of inequality among people, since land and asset owners have accumulated wealth from the middle class and forced them into poverty. A good example of the capitalists market is Chile, which has experienced societal war of the middle class and the poor against the rich. Indeed, forty-five percent of the population was below the poverty line while ten percent of the population increased their income by eighty three percent since the introduction of the capitalist rule (Eduardo Galeano, 1983, p86). Geo-Political Framework It is believed that third world countries have remained underdeveloped due to domination of political framework where the society is forced into accepting the non-communi st system of governance and economic strategy. The systems of communism where people exist freely without being restricted and operating in free markets were barred by dictatorial rule. According to Garner (N.d), this kind of dictatorial rule seeks to manifest its ideologies and establish itself at the expense of the welfare of the society that has utilized liberal ideologies to build itself and live in harmony. The story of the three little pigs that built their houses with liberal ideas and freedom of choice represents the free market economy where democracy exists. This kind of ideology is what the third world countries need to protect against the ‘Wolf and its imperialist rule’ to achieve development and industrialization. This kind of government often faces a threat of revolution among members of the society. The Nicaraguan case is viewed as a social movement towards revolution against the imperialist ideological rule that has degraded humanity in poverty and despe ration (Ross and Levy, N.d, 410). Dictatorial rule was seen to subject citizens who were against this kind of rule to torture and even death. Citizens who were seen to have ideologies that were contrary to the system of

Monday, October 28, 2019

Why Effective Communication Is Important Essay Example for Free

Why Effective Communication Is Important Essay 1.1 Explain why effective communication is important in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults. Communication is simply defined as the process of conveying information from one person to another. It can be verbal, no verbal, visual or written. Effective communication involves the ability to use these different methods of communication not just to pass on information but to also receive feedback or learn the other persons viewpoint. Therefore the goal of any communication is understanding. Hence, It is a social skill that is crucial for any relationship to succeed. Unfortunately, as easy as the definition of communication sounds, it is often the root cause of many problems in relationships. This is because effective communication involves much more than just talking to someone. It involves listening not just to what is said, but a whole lot of what is unsaid. Misunderstanding can occur when barriers to communication are not recognised and dealt with. Barriers, such as; Language differences Speech impairments Cultural differences Emotional state and attitude Prejudice Sensory impairments. In the area of supporting teaching and learning in schools, effective communication is vital as communication styles differ across the various kinds of individuals that one would have to develop relationships with in Schools. Children for instance think in black and white terms, young adults are starting to think more in grey terms and may have more emotional barriers to deal with. Adults on the other hand are more susceptible to cultural differences and sometimes prejudice. To use the same approach in communicating with these different types of individuals would result in misunderstanding and conflict.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Comparing Language in Baby of the Family and Black Girl Lost :: comparison compare contrast essays

Function of Language in Baby of the Family and Black Girl Lost      Ã‚   African American literature is a genre that has, in recent years, grown almost exponentially. African American novels such as Tina McElroy Ansa's Baby of the Family and Donald Goines' Black Girl Lost are increasingly becoming more popular with the public. Baby of the Family is a wonderfully written "coming of age novel" ("Reviews 2") about a young girl named Lena McPherson as she grows up and must learn to deal with her extraordinary powers. Much unlike this, Black Girl Lost is a "shocking novel" (Goines 208) about a young girl named Sandra, who is forced to live on the streets. Though each of these novels is unique in their own aspect, a common bond can be established between the two through the use of language employed in the text. Because of the various functions that language can serve in literature, it is a rather "fascinating phenomenon" (Blackshire-Belay 1) to study in reference to these two novels. In both Baby of the Family and Black Girl Lost, language is used to reflect the speech patterns of the minority culture, as a portrayal of different worlds within the novels, and acts as a mirror to the life of the main character in order to navigate plot speed.    Language can be defined as "a regularized symbolic code that connects its users in a symbiosis of substance" (Blackshire-Belay 1). Not only are we produced by language, but we produce through language (Blackshire-Belay 1). In other words, language is a very integral part of our lives, especially in literature. It can even be said that literature, "in its most profound sense, is the most complex use of language to create meaning" (Blackshire-Belay 4). Therefore, its importance should not be looked upon lightly. In both Baby of the Family and Black Girl Lost, it seems that language is being used in order to convey the minority experience to readers, whether they be of the African American race or the dominant culture. To accomplish this, each novel displays Africanisms, or qualities that are very common in the African American language. These qualities include emphatic speech such as double negatives, call and response phrases and also metaphorical language.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Compare and Contrast China

Compare and Contrast Essay The Mongols and the Franks similate in many different ways that lead to such rapid conquest throughout different regions in the world. Some of the similarities were how both of the famous rulers, Charlemagne (Franks) and Genghis Khan (Mongols) divided up their land to family descendants such as Kublai Khan. Some main areas in which they differ is through their way of living, culture and there religions that they practiced and allowed to be practiced such as Christianity and Islam.The Mongols and Franks have similar traits such as great rulers, which led to the conquest of massive land areas, and also being nomadic. They differ in agriculture techniques/ practices and religion such as Christianity and Islam. The Mongols and Franks raised their empires to be very successful in the manner of conquering many regions in a very quick time. The most important ruler for the Franks was Charlemagne and Genghis Khan was the one who started the Mongol reign throughout all of Asia.Another way that they also similate is through their nomadic lifestyles. The Mongols, as well as the Franks, traveled very quickly to maintain land in a faster manner and to increase the sizes of their empires. This increased trading routes and also led to many more diseases such as the bubonic plague. Although the Franks and Mongols shared great leaders, they have quite a few differences as well.One difference is that the Mongols were pastoral, which is living on horseback with their domesticated animals. On the other hand, the Franks were mainly an agricultural based society, raising livestock and using plows in the fields. Another way these to empires differ is through culture. The Mongols were tolerant of the cultures that they conquered, meaning that they let the people they conquered practice the religion/rituals the might do as long as they stay loyal to the Mongols.Meanwhile, the Franks gave the barbarians no say in what they can do in their free time. That means they were to all convert to Christianity or they will die. Simple as that. The Mongols also practiced Islam, along with Christianity, which would set another difference between these two diverse areas. In conclusion, the Mongols and the Franks had similarities in the rise of the empire and also had differences but these are what made each empire be successful for such a short period of time.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Renaissance (1300-1650), the Industrial Revolution Essay

Throughout history, slavery has played a very prominent role in shaping the world’s societies and economies. Across three time periods in particular, slavery throughout the world has notable similarities and differences in areas such as the status of slavery, the way slavery influenced society, and the motivation for a civilization to practice slavery. These time periods are the Renaissance (1300-1650), the Industrial Revolution (1700-1900), and World Wars I and II (1914-1945). Renaissance The time period known today as the Renaissance was, as its name means, a â€Å"rebirth† of Greco-Roman values. It was a reaction against the Dark Ages and stood in stark contrast to the medieval time period before it. The practice of slavery was no exception. Whereas slavery had fizzled out during the Dark Ages, it was instituted again during the Renaissance. Slavery in the Renaissance began in Spain, and for a while the Spanish played the primary part in the slave market. Soon, though, slavery spread to the other parts of Europe. This was especially true with the case of the Italian city-states in which the Renaissance boomed. As the Renaissance grew in Italy and as the city-states expanded, slavery became more and more widespread until Italy became a main user of slaves (Hooker). In contrast to slavery in the later periods of the Industrial Revolution and the two World Wars which is explained later in this essay, slavery in the Renaissance was not solely based on race, but mostly religion (at least in Europe; another type of slavery was practiced in America during the Renaissance, as explained later). Europe and Africa at that time was divided between Christians and Muslims, and so slavery in nations dominated by either religion was based on captured people from the other religion. In other words, in the Renaissance, Christians mostly enslaved Muslims and Muslims mostly enslaved Christians. In the case of the Italian Renaissance, Muslims slaves came from â€Å"Spain, North Africa, Crete, the Balkans, and the Ottoman Empire† (Hooker). The vast majority of slaves at the beginning of the Renaissance were white (Hooker). But as the Renaissance progressed, black slaves began to be used more and more widely. In the beginning of the Renaissance, these African slaves were acquired through Arabs in North Africa, who also held them as slaves. When the Portuguese started exploring the African coast, they participated in a black slave market, shipping slaves to the Americas and back to Europe (Guild). El Mina was the first slave trading post set up by the Portuguese on the West Coast (â€Å"Gold Coast†) of Africa (Guild). Thanks to enslaved Africans, the Portuguese were especially successful in their plantations in the islands off the west coast of Africa known as the Cape Verde, where they transported many of the Africans they enslaved to work in plantations there (Gascoigne). While most slaves in the Industrial Revolution did hard labor in fields, most slaves in the Renaissance were domestic slaves. This means that they did work in the home, doing duties for their masters around the house. Rich people in the cities almost always had one or more slaves. Instead of the brutal, inhumane treatment of slaves common in the Industrial Revolution, slave-owners during the Renaissance commonly integrated their slaves into the family. In both the Industrial Revolution and the Renaissance, masters claimed all rights for their slaves; they did with them what they willed. Therefore, there arises the similarity between all three time periods in that commonly the slaves were used as sex slaves, although sex slaves in the World Wars were used mostly just for sex, not for hard labor. When masters in the Renaissance had an illegitimate child with a slave, the child was not a slave but was free (Hooker). However, when a child was born to a slave and its master in the Industrial Revolution, the child became a slave like its mother (â€Å"Master-Slave†¦). While most slaves were domestic in the Renaissance, another form of slavery was surfacing, slaves used for cheap labor in plantations. In the Renaissance, slaves were starting to be used in plantations, mostly in America, but also in plantations in Italy and off the coast of Africa (Gascoigne). So, in both the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, at least some slaves were used for hard labor. The Portuguese were the first to put slaves to work in plantations, and slaves soon came to be used on plantations in the Americas by nations such as Spain, Holland, France, England, and the Netherlands. The first slaves they enslaved in these colonies were the native peoples, but soon, the native population began to dwindle. Since Portugal had been exploring the coast of Africa and since Africa had a booming population of people, Africans became the people they predominantly enslaved (Guild). Thus, racial slavery was started. Blacks came to be viewed as lower than human, and this view spread to all the nations which came to have plantations in America. Millions of blacks were imported to plantations for sugar, spices, tobacco, coffee, etc. during the span of the Renaissance (Hornsby). Industrial Revolution Slavery went through many changes during the course of the Industrial Revolution. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, slavery on plantations that had developed in the Renaissance continued to grow in the Americas. With the success of the plantations in America, what is known as the triangular trade began to form, and this trade majorly affected the world’s economies and prosperity. This system of trade is known as the triangular trade because the directions of travel for the trade were in the shape of a triangle—from Europe to Africa to the Americas and back to Europe. Items such as weapons, liquor, jewelry, and products made from cotton were taken to Africa from Europe and traded for slaves. These were loaded on ships and taken to the Americas. Conditions in the ships were horrible. Thousands of slaves were chained in very tight spaces in the ships. Disease permeated the hold where slaves were kept. Slaves laid in their own excrement and urine, and were fed barely anything. Many slaves died or committed suicide—an average of 16% of slaves. When the horrible trip was over, the remaining slaves were auctioned and sold in slave markets to plantation owners in the Americas. The products made in the plantations, such as tobacco, coffee, sugar, spices, and molasses which could be made into rum were then shipped to Europe, completing the trade system. The British were the primary traders in this system, but other nations participated (Gascoigne). Slavery greatly affected the Industrial Revolution. It made it possible to create and grow products in a shorter period of time and for less money. All the master had to do was to provide food, which he have very little of, so slaves provided very cheap labor. In the case of America, slaves operated the new inventions such as the cotton gin to make cotton products easier. This greatly affected the economy of America. The prosperity in the South boomed as agriculture continued to see success. This cotton industry and therefore the textile industrial majorly drove the Industrial Revolution in America. It became the primary export and cash crop. Hundreds of thousands of slaves were imported until 1808, when the American slave trade was banned. Still, hundreds of thousands of slaves were moved across America to the South and West to work on cotton plantations. These plantations and slavery in general brought in a huge profit for the American people. A similarity between slavery in the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution can be seen here—both used slavery as a catalyst for economies (â€Å"Africans.. †). But a difference is that most slaves in the Renaissance were domestic slaves in homes and were considered part of the family (Hooker). However, most slaves in the Industrial Revolution were plantation slaves and were considered less than human and were subjected to incredibly harsh treatment by their masters. However, near the Industrial Revolution, there was more of an awareness of the brutalities of slavery and more of a movement to stop it than the Renaissance. The final time period that will be discussed in this essay is the World Wars from 1914 to 1945. World Wars Forms of slavery used during World Wars I and II from 1914 to 1945 were very different from slavery before it and slavery after it. The wars during this period of history had a huge impact on all aspects of society, and so the status of slavery and the motivation for slavery was largely based on the huge wars taking place. During World War I and the time after it before World War II, outright slave traffic continued to be curbed in the areas of the world still practicing slavery. The slave trade still continued underground between countries in eastern Africa, especially Ethiopia, and the Middle East, especially Arabia. Throughout this period before World War II, there were outrages about revealed underground slave trades with enslaved Africans in Liberia and the Congo, and enslaved Native Americans in northern Peru (â€Å"Slavery†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Joseph Stalin was the dictator of the Soviet Union from 1927 to 1953. During his regime, millions of people were forced to work in labor camps. This was in accordance with the USSR’s Labor Code, which stated that all citizens must labor for the government. Prisoners, enemies of the state, and other convicts were sent to do hard manual labor in Siberia during this time. Citizens were accused of being enemies of the government and sent to work without a trial and without much grounds at all. Like in the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution, Stalin used his massive free labor force to build up the Soviet Union’s economy and to industrialize the nation. Labor projects included building roads and railroads, building houses and power plants, mining, cutting trees, working in fields, etc. The workers were given nothing but food. One third of all the workers died from the poor environment in which they worked and from starvation and the cold. They were brutally treated on unjust bases. Therefore, this â€Å"corrective labor,† as it was called, is really slavery at its core. World War II was the instigation of several other types of slavery, also, such as POW slavery, Holocaust slavery, and sexual slavery. Nazi Germany captured enemy civilians and soldiers and brutally enslaved them to fill the gaps in the workforce. Much of the weaponry made by the Germans during World War II was made by slaves. One manufacturing company alone – Krupp—held 100,000 slaves by the end of the war. Many of these slaves died from exhaustion, starvation, and lack of basic necessities. They were kept in stables like livestock. Those that didn’t die were forced to work in German factories and farms. In 1944, Germany held 9. 5 million slaves—7 million civilians and 2. 5 million captured soldiers. Russian women that the Germans captured were held as domestic slaves, and Russian adolescents that the Germans captured were apprenticed to German businessmen. Not only were the Germans notorious for their brutal system of slavery for prisoners of war, but even worse, they enslaved innocent Jews and other â€Å"undesirable† people during the Holocaust. As a method of exterminating them, these people were sent to labor camps where they were treated even worse than the prisoners of war. Children from 6-years-old up were forced to work in these camps. Slaves mined, built weapons, sewed, etc. Slaves there were driven to work too hard in tight spaces with the poorest of living conditions. They had poor and meager food rations and a shortage of shelter and clothing. Loads of people died from diseases such as tuberculosis, from being overworked, from the cold, and from starvation. Their corpses were systematically burned in huge crematoriums (Sylvester – everything above). The fact that there were scandals about slavery and labor camps during the time period of the World Wars indicates a similarity and difference between this time period and the Renaissance/ Industrial Revolution. A similarity is that all three time periods had some forms of slavery to enhance nations’ economies and extract resources. But a difference is that slavery in the World Wars was looked down upon and was underground, whereas it was not in the Renaissance. But there lies a similarity between the World Wars and the Industrial Revolution, in that in both, measures were enacted to end slavery and the slave trade. However, World War II had labor camps for prisoners of war and specific races, which had never been done before. It also had sexual slavery, which though it had been practiced before, never to the extent it was carried out in World War II. Some captured slaves in the World Wars were used as domestic slaves, as they were in the Renaissance. But in the World Wars, there was not the worldwide slave trade there was in the Renaissance and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Part 222 Introduction The 18th century English poet William Cowper’s poem, â€Å"Pity for Poor Africans,† accurately portrays the world’s mindset throughout history about slavery. A line from that poem reads, â€Å"I pity them [slaves] greatly, but I must be mum, for how could we do without sugar and rum? † This sums up much of the world’s motivation for millennia for slavery. Throughout history, slavery has been a way to easily derive resources and produce goods. It has played a very prominent role in shaping the world’s societies and economies. Though it may have struck a chord with peoples’ consciences, the world did not know how else to get luxuries and how to live without them, and so the world allowed this horrific practice to go on. This essay details more of how slavery was used as an economic stimulus, how the world finally took action against it, and what forms of it still were used after this action took place. Across three time periods in particular, slavery throughout the world has notable similarities and differences in areas such as the status of slavery, the way slavery influenced society, and the motivation for a civilization to practice slavery. These time periods are the Renaissance (1300-1650), the Industrial Revolution (1700-1900), and World Wars I and II (1914-1945). Conclusion As one can clearly see, slavery has been a major factor in affecting and molding the world’s economies and societies throughout all of history. It has gone through major changes, affecting the world as a whole, especially in three time periods, namely, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and World Wars I and II. Throughout all three and under many names, it was used as cheap labor to easily produce goods and advance civilizations’ economies. This slavery did, and it played a massive role in getting the world to where it is today. Without slavery, America might not have been industrialized or industrialized as quickly. Without slavery, we would not have the manufactured goods we have today. However, I am by no means condoning slavery; if slavery had not been practiced, millions of innocent, beautiful people would have lived their lives in freedom and would not have been torn away from their homeland, families, and livelihood to go labor without profit for people who abused and beat them. The Civil War would have been largely prevented if it weren’t for slavery. Though slavery was mostly domestic in the Renaissance, this does not make it any better. Also, the plantation slave emerged in that time period, and the triangular trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas continued well into the Industrial Revolution. Men achieved luxury through the pain and misery of others. Thankfully, mankind realized, though later than it should have been, how deplorable this system was. Finally, they put an end to it through abolitionist movements that spread throughout the world at the end of the Industrial Revolution. Yet, slavery continued in several other forms into the 20th century. Throughout the time period of the World Wars, labor camps emerged. Though these were seen as punishment for criminals and war prisoners, they were slavery at root, used to industrialize and make transportation routes, weaponry, etc. These labor camps were even used against innocent Jews and other â€Å"undesirables† during the Holocaust. Unbeknownst to the world for a time, even outright and brutal slavery was still used as exemplified by King Leopold of Belgium. Sexual slavery is another often overlooked form of slavery that had been carried out through past time periods like the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution but that was executed en masse by the Japanese during World War II. Still today, the pernicious act of slavery continues to be practiced, though concealed to the world, in underdeveloped countries of the world. Let us hope that mankind’s conscience continues to overshadow its greed and that slavery continues to be fought until it is completely wiped out the whole world over.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Definition and Examples of Appositives in English

Definition and Examples of Appositives in English In English grammar, an appositive is a  noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns placed next to another word or phrase to identify or rename it. The word appositive comes from the Latin for to put near. Nonrestrictive appositives are usually set off by commas, parentheses, or dashes. An appositive may be introduced by a word or phrase such as namely, for example, or that is. Appositive Exercises Practice in Identifying AppositivesSentence Building with Appositives Examples of Appositives My father, a fat, funny man with beautiful eyes and a subversive wit, is trying to decide which of his eight children he will take with him to the county fair. (Alice Walker, Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self. In Search of Our Mothers Gardens. Harcourt Brace, 1983)The hangman, a grey-haired convict in the white uniform of the prison, was waiting beside his machine.(George Orwell, A Hanging, 1931)The Otis Elevator Company, the world’s oldest and biggest elevator manufacturer, claims that its products carry the equivalent of the world’s population every five days. (Nick Paumgarten, Up and Then Down. The New Yorker, Apr. 21, 2008)Christmas Eve afternoon we scrape together a nickel and go to the butchers to buy Queenies traditional gift, a good gnawable beef bone. (Truman Capote, A Christmas Memory. Mademoiselle, December 1956)Television was left on, a running tap, from morning till night. (Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, 1932)Though her cheeks were high-colored and her teeth strong and yellow, she looked like a mechanical woman, a machine with flashing, glassy circles for eyes. (Kate Simon, Bronx Primitive, 1982) I have had the great honor to have played with these great veteran ballplayers on my left- Murderers Row, our championship team of 1927. I have had the further honor of living with and playing with these men on my right- the Bronx Bombers, the Yankees of today. (Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig, The Pride of the Yankees, 1942)The essence of loneliness is that one both remembers and hopes, though in vain, in the midst of ones dissolution. Plain nothingness compared to it is a comfort, a kind of hibernation, a tundra of arctic whiteness that negates feeling and want. (Alexander Theroux, in An Interview with Alexander Theroux. Review of Contemporary Fiction, Spring 1991)The Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, Africas only nuclear power plant, was inaugurated in 1984 by the apartheid regime and is the major source of electricity for the Western Capes 4.5 million population. (Joshua Hammer, Inside Cape Town. Smithsonian, April 2008)The Spectator. Champagne for the brain. (ad slogan for The Spectator magazine) Xerox. The Document Company. (slogan of Xerox Corporation)The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call out there. (Truman Capote, In Cold Blood. Random House, 1966)They passed the last house, a small grey house set in the open field. Yellow gullies ran across the field, bald plateaus of snow-smeared sod between gully and gully. (Robert Penn Warren, Christmas Gift, 1938)Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, inventor of the cornflake and peanut butter, not to mention caramel-cereal coffee, Bromose, Nuttolene, and some seventy-five other gastronomically correct foods, paused to level his gaze on the heavyset women in front of him. (T. Coraghassen Boyle, The Road to Wellville. Viking, 1993)Dads shop was a messy disaster area, a labyrinth of lathes...My domain was the cramped, cold space known as the music room. It was also a messy disaster area, an obstacle course of musical instruments- piano, trumpet, baritone horn, valve trombone , various percussion doodads (bells!), and recorders. (Sarah Vowell, Shooting Dad.  Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World.  Simon Schuster, 2000) As I stood on the platform beneath another, fairly recent London civility- namely an electronic board announcing that the next train to Hainault would be arriving in four minutes- I turned my attention to the greatest of all civilities: the London Underground Map. What a piece of perfection it is, created in 1931 by a forgotten hero named Harry Beck, an out-of-work draftsman who realized that when you are underground it doesnt actually matter where you are. (Bill Bryson, Notes From a Small Island. Doubleday, 1995)The sky was sunless and grey, there was snow in the air, buoyant motes, play things that seethed and floated like the toy flakes inside a crystal. (Truman Capote, The Muses Are Heard)[N]othing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose- a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. (Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, letter I in Frankenstein, 1818)And then there was that feeling one gets in a ride to a cemetery trailing a body in a coffin- an impatie nce with the dead, a longing to be back home where one could get on with the illusion that not death but daily life is the permanent condition. (E.L. Doctorow, Homer Langley. Random House, 2009) Observations on Appositives The appositive is a substantive or nominal set off by commas from the word which it identifies. We say that the appositive is used in apposition with the other word. Ex: The king, my brother, has been murdered. Ex: we spotted Tom Hanks, the movie star, at the cafe yesterday.In the first example, the noun brother is used in apposition with the subject king. The appositive renames or describes the subject king by specifying which king the sentence is about. In the second example, the noun star is used in apposition with the proper noun Tom Hanks, a direct object. The appositive clarifies the proper name, telling us which Tom Hanks was seen. For all we know, the writer could have a cousin named Tom Hanks. Remember that the appositive and the noun to which it refers always share the same four properties- gender, number, person, and case- since they both name the same entity. (Michael Strumpf and Auriel Douglas, The Grammar Bible. Owl Books, 2004) Punctuating Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Appositives Bens brother Bob helped him build the house. If Ben has more than one brother, the name Bob would be necessary to identify which brother is being discussed- in other words, to restrict the meaning of the word brother. If Ben has only one brother, the name Bob would be additional information not essential to the meaning of the sentence; Bob would be a nonrestrictive appositive. Nonrestrictive appositives are always set off by punctuation. Since no punctuation surrounds the appositive Bob in this example, we know that Bob is a restrictive appositive (and that Ben has more than one brother). (Gary Lutz and Diane Stevenson, The Writers Digest Grammar Desk Reference. FW Publications, 2005)