My Trip Essays - Pemberley, Pride And Prejudice, Romance Novels

My Trip The role of the visit to Pemberley by Elizabeth and the Gardiners would most closely resemble a modern visit to a museum or a tourist attraction. I remember visiting Newport, RI some time ago and visiting the Vanderbilts Mansion and the Asters Mansion on the island and touring the grounds of the estate the same way that Elizabeth and the Gardiners visited Darcys home. We viewed the rooms filled with crystal and walls made out of Marble that had been imported from Europe in awe. These excursions reminded me of millions of dollars in this world, yet at the same time, in the great scheme of life, the number of really wealthy people is small. Likewise, when we (and Elizabeth) are introduced to Pemberley, we see money like we have not seem with any of the other characters in this book. Darcys worth super exceeded any of my expectations of how rich was he really. Darcy has the power, as he later shows with the Lydia situation; he has the freedom (he goes anywhere he wants and stays there months at a time) and the social class that money as bestowed on him. The one contradiction I found has to do with the way people in Longbourn viewed Darcy once they all agreed that he was not liked. Money did not buy him their good favor like Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins. Perhaps Darcy was too modest to show his full monetary worth but the town knew that Darcy was indeed wealthy. English Essays

Why Vegans Dont Wear Silk

Why Vegans Dont Wear Silk Its clear to most people why vegans dont eat meat or wear fur, but why vegans dont wear silk is less obvious. Silk fabric is made from the silk that is spun by silkworms when they form the cocoons for their pupal stage, before becoming a moth. Harvesting of this silk directly harms these creatures so, because vegans do not use products that exploit animals, vegans do not use silk. Although there are multiple ways to harvest and mass-produce silkworms for their secretions, they all involve the ownership and exploitation of these small insects, oftentimes killing them in the process of harvesting their silk. Since all insects are considered sentient - or at least possessed of a nervous and therefore capable of feeling (if not experiencing) pain - vegans value their animal right to a life free of suffering. How Is Silk Made? Mass-produced silk is made from domesticated silkworms,  Bombyx mori, raised on farms. The silkworms, who are in the caterpillar stage of the silk moth, are fed mulberry leaves until they are ready to spin cocoons and enter their pupal stage. The silk is secreted as a liquid from two glands in the caterpillars head. While they are still in their pupal stage, the cocoons are placed in boiling water, which kills the silkworms and begins the process of unraveling the cocoons to produce silk thread. If allowed to develop and live, the silkworms would turn into moths and chew their way out of the cocoons to escape. The chewed silk strands would be much shorter and less valuable than the whole cocoons. Approximately 15 silkworms are killed to make a gram of silk thread, and 10,000 are killed to make a silk sari. Silk thread can also be produced by killing silkworms while they are in their caterpillar stage, just before they spin their cocoons, and extracting the two silk glands. The glands can then be stretched into silk threads known as silkworm gut, which is used mainly to make fly fishing lures. Non-Violent Production Silk can also be made without killing the caterpillars. Eri silk or peace silk is made from the cocoons of Samia ricini, a type of silkworm who spins a cocoon with a tiny opening in the end. After metamorphosizing into moths, they crawl out of the opening. This type of silk cannot be reeled in the same way that Bombyx mori silk is reeled. Instead, it is carded and spun like wool. Eri silk represents a very small portion of the silk market. Another type of silk is Ahimsa silk, which is made from the cocoons of Bombyx mori moths after the moths chew their way out of their cocoons. Because of the chewed-through strands, less of the silk is usable for textile production and Ahimsa silk costs more than conventional silk. Ahimsa is the Hindu word for non-violence. Ahimsa silk, though popular with Jains, also represents a very small portion of the silk market. Why Don't Vegans Wear Silk? Vegans try to avoid harming and exploiting animals, which means that vegans do not use animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, fur, leather, wool or silk. Dropping silkworms into boiling water kills the worms and probably causes them to suffer - depending on whether or not they actually can experience suffering, scientifically. Even Eri silk or Ahimsa silk are problematic because they involve the domestication, breeding, and exploitation of animals. Adult Bombyx mori silkmoths cannot fly because their bodies are too big compared to their wings, and adult males cannot eat because they have underdeveloped mouthparts. Similar to cows who have been bred for maximum meat or milk production, silkworms have been bred to maximize silk production, with no regard for the well-being of the animals. To vegans, the only possible ethical way to produce silk would be to collect cocoons from wild insects after the adult insects emerge from them and dont need them any longer. Another ethical way to wear silk would be to wear only second-hand silk, freegan silk, or old pieces of clothing that were purchased before one went vegan. Are Insects Sentient? While experts disagree over how much an insect can suffer or feel pain, most at least leave the door open on the question and believe it is possible that insects feel something that we would call pain. However, an insects nervous system is different from a mammals despite also transmitting signals from stimuli that cause a response in the creature. While some conclude that insects do not feel pain, at least not in the same emotional way that humans experience pain, they still believe that all creatures are deserving of humane treatment. Even if insects do not feel pain when dropped into boiling water, a death free of pain is still a death.

Biography of Joseph Stalin, Dictator of Soviet Union

Biography of Joseph Stalin, Dictator of Soviet Union Joseph Stalin (December 18, 1878–March 5, 1953) was an important leader in the Russian Revolution who became the head of the Communist Party and Dictator of the Soviet state known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics  (USSR). During World War II he maintained an uneasy alliance with the United States and Great Britain to fight Nazi Germany, but dropped any illusions of friendship after the war. As Stalin sought to expand Communism throughout Eastern Europe and around the world, he helped spark the Cold War and the subsequent arms race. Fast Facts: Joseph Stalin Known For: Bolshevik leader, Russian revolutionary, Head of the Communist Party in Russia and Dictator of the USSR (1927–1953)Born: December 18, 1878 (official date: December 21, 1879) in Gori, Georgia  Parents: Vissarion Dzhugasvhil and Ekaterina Georgievna GeadzeDied:  March 5, 1953 in Kuntsevo Dacha, RussiaEducation: Gori Church School (1888–1894), Tiflis Theological Seminary (1894–1899)Publications:  Collected WorksSpouse(s): Ekaterina Svanidze (1885–1907, married 1904–1907), Nadezhda Sergeevna Allilueva (1901–1932, m. 1919–1932)  Children: with Ekaterina: Yakov Iosifovich Dzhugashvili (1907–1943), with Nadezhda: Vasily (1921–1962) Svetlana Iosefovna Allilueva (1926–2011)Notable Quote: â€Å"A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.†Ã‚   Early Life Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) at the time when he entered Tiflis seminary. (1894). (Photo by Apic/Getty Images) Joseph Stalin was born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili in Gori, Georgia (a region annexed by Russia in 1801) on December 6, 1878 by theJulian calendar then in use; using the modern calendar, that converts to December 18, 1878). He later claimed his official birthdate as December 21, 1879). He was the third son of four children born to Ekaterina Georgievna Geadze (Keke) and Vissarion (Beso) Djugashvili, but he was the only one to survive past infancy. Stalin’s parents had a turbulent marriage, with Beso often beating his wife and son. Part of their marital strife came from their very different ambition for their son. Keke recognized that Soso, as Joseph Stalin was known as a child, was highly intelligent and wanted him to become a Russian Orthodox priest; thus, she made every effort to get him an education. On the other hand, Beso, who was a cobbler, felt that working-class life was good enough for his son. Education The argument came to a head when Stalin was 12 years old. Beso, who had moved to Tiflis (the capital of Georgia) to find work, came back and took Stalin to the factory where he worked so that Stalin could become an apprentice cobbler. This was the last time Beso would assert his vision for Stalins future. With help from friends and teachers, Keke got Stalin back and once again got him on the path to attend seminary. After this incident, Beso refused to support either Keke or his son, effectively ending the marriage. Keke supported Stalin by working as a laundress, though she later secured more respectable employment at a womens clothing shop. Keke was right to note Stalins intellect, which soon became apparent to his teachers. Stalin excelled in school and earned a scholarship to the Tiflis Theological Seminary in 1894. However, there were signs that Stalin was not destined for the priesthood. Prior to entering the seminary, Stalin was not only a choirboy, but also the ruthless leader of a street gang. Notorious for his cruelty and use of unfair tactics, Stalin’s gang dominated the rough streets of Gori. Stalin as a Young Revolutionary A card from the register of the St. Petersburg imperial police on Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. (1912). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) While at the seminary, Stalin discovered the works of Karl Marx. He joined the local socialist party and soon his interest in overthrowing Czar Nicholas II and the monarchical system outstripped any desire he might have had to be a priest. Stalin dropped out of school just a few months shy of graduating to become a revolutionary, giving his first public speech in 1900. The Life of a Revolutionary After having joined the revolutionary underground, Stalin went into hiding using the alias â€Å"Koba.† Nevertheless, the police captured Stalin in 1902 and exiled him to Siberia for the first time in 1903. When free from prison, Stalin continued to support the revolution and helped organize peasants in the 1905 Russian Revolution against Czar Nicholas II. Stalin would be arrested and exiled seven times and escape six between 1902 and 1913. In between arrests, Stalin married Ekaterina Svanidze, a sister of a classmate from seminary, in 1904. They had one son, Yacov, before Yekaterina died of typhus in 1907. Yacov was raised by his mothers parents until he was reunited with Stalin in 1921 in Moscow, though the two were never close. Yacov would be among the millions of Russian casualties of World War II. Vladimir Lenin Stalins commitment to the party intensified when he met Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, head of the Bolsheviks in 1905. Lenin recognized Stalins potential and encouraged him. After that, Stalin held the Bolsheviks in any way he could, including committing several robberies to raise funds. Because Lenin was in exile, Stalin took over as editor of Pravda, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, in 1912. That same year, Stalin was appointed to the Bolsheviks Central Committee, cementing his role as a key figure in the Communist movement. The Name Stalin Also in 1912, Stalin, while writing for the revolution while still in exile, first signed an article Stalin, meaning steel man, for the power it connotes. This would continue to be a frequent pen name and, after the successful Russian Revolution in October 1917, his surname. (Stalin would continue to use aliases throughout the rest of his life, though the world would know him as Joseph Stalin.) 1917 Russian Revolution Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin address the proletariat during the Russian Revolution. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Stalin missed much of the activity leading up to the Russian Revolution in 1917, because he was exiled to Siberia from 1913–1917. Upon his release in March of 1917, Stalin resumed his role as a Bolshevik leader. By the time he was reunited with Lenin, who also returned to Russia a few weeks after Stalin, Czar Nicholas II had already abdicated as part of the February Russian Revolution. With the czar deposed, the Provisional Government was in charge. The October 1917 Russian Revolution Lenin and Stalin, however, wanted to topple the Provisional Government and install a Communist one, controlled by the Bolsheviks. Feeling that the country was ready for another revolution, Lenin and the Bolsheviks began a nearly bloodless coup on October 25, 1917. In just two days, the Bolsheviks had taken over Petrograd, the capital of Russia, and thus became the leaders of the country. Not everyone was happy with the Bolsheviks ruling the country, thus Russia was thrust immediately into civil war as the Red Army (the Bolshevik forces) battled the White Army (made up of various anti-Bolshevik factions). The Russian Civil War lasted until 1921. Russian revolutionaries and leaders Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, and Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin at the Congress of the Russian Communist Party. (March 23, 1919). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) In 1921, the White Army was defeated, leaving Lenin, Stalin and Leon Trotsky as the dominant figures in the new Bolshevik government. Although Stalin and Trotsky were rivals, Lenin appreciated their distinct abilities and promoted both. Trotsky vs. Stalin Trotsky was far more popular than Stalin, so Stalin was given the less public role of General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. Trotsky, who was a persuasive orator, maintained a visible presence in foreign affairs and was perceived by many as the heir apparent. However, what neither Lenin nor Trotsky foresaw was that Stalins position allowed him to build loyalty within the Communist Party, as an essential factor in his eventual takeover. Head of the Communist Party Tensions between Stalin and Trotsky increased when Lenins health began to fail in 1922 with the first of several strokes, raising the difficult question of who would be Lenin’s successor. From his sickbed, Lenin had advocated for shared power and maintained this vision until his death on January 21, 1924. Ultimately, Trotsky was no match for Stalin because Stalin had spent his years in the party building loyalty and support. By 1927, Stalin had effectively eliminated all of his political rivals (and exiled Trotsky) to emerge as the head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Stalins Five Year Plans Soviet Communist dictator Joseph Stalin. (circa 1935). (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) Stalins willingness to use brutality to achieve political aims was well established by the time he took power; nevertheless, the Soviet Union (as it was known after 1922) was unprepared for the extreme violence and oppression that Stalin unleashed in 1928. This was the first year of Stalins Five Year Plan, a radical attempt to bring the Soviet Union into the industrial age. Famine In the name of Communism, Stalin seized assets, including farms and factories, and reorganized the economy. However, these efforts often led to less efficient production, ensuring that mass starvation swept the countryside. To mask the disastrous results of the plan, Stalin maintained export levels, shipping food out of the country even as rural residents died by the hundreds of thousands. Any protest of his policies resulted in immediate death or relocation to a gulag (a prison camp in the remote regions of the nation). The Disastrous Effects Kept Secret The first Five Year Plan (1928-1932) was declared completed a year early and the second Five Year Plan (1933-1937) was launched with equally disastrous results. A third Five Year began in 1938, but was interrupted by World War II in 1941. While all of these plans were unmitigated disasters, Stalin’s policy forbidding any negative publicity led the full consequences of these upheavals to remain hidden for decades. To many who were not directly impacted, the Five Year Plans appeared to exemplify Stalins proactive leadership. Stalins Cult of Personality Soviet Communist leader Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), with Galia Markifova, at a reception for the elite of the workers of the Biviato autonomous socialist republic. In later life, Galia was sent to a labor camp by Stalin. (1935). (Photo by Henry Guttmann/Getty Images) Stalin is also known for building an unprecedented cult of personality. Presenting himself as a paternal figure watching over his people, Stalins image and actions could not have been more distinct. While paintings and statues of Stalin kept him in the public eye, Stalin also promoted himself by aggrandizing his past through tales of his childhood and his role in the revolution. However, with millions of people dying, statues and tales of heroics could only go so far. Thus, Stalin made it a policy that showing anything less than complete devotion was punishable by exile or death. Going beyond that, Stalin eradicated any form of dissent or competition. No Outside Influences; No Free Press Not only did Stalin readily arrest anyone remotely suspected of having a different view, he also closed religious institutions and confiscated church lands in his reorganization of the Soviet Union. Books and music that were not to Stalins standards were banned as well, virtually eliminating the possibility of outside influences. No one was allowed to say a negative thing against Stalin, especially the press. No news of the death and devastation in the countryside was leaked to the public; only news and images that presented Stalin in a flattering light were allowed. Stalin also famously changed the name of the city of Tsaritsyn to Stalingrad in 1925 to honor the city for its role in the Russian civil war. Second Wife and Family Nadezhda Alliluyeva Stalin (1901-1932), the second wife of Joseph Stalin and mother of his children, Vassily and Svetlana. They married in 1919 and she killed herself on November 8th, 1932. (circa 1925). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) In 1919, Stalin married Nadezhda (Nadya) Alliluyeva, his secretary and fellow Bolshevik. Stalin had become close with Nadyas family, many of whom were active in the revolution and would go on to hold important positions under Stalin’s government. The young revolutionary captivated Nadya and together they would have two children, a son, Vasily, in 1921, and a daughter, Svetlana, in 1926. As carefully as Stalin controlled his public image, he could not escape the criticism of his wife, Nadya, one of the few bold enough to stand up to him. Nadya often protested his deadly policies and found herself at the receiving end of Stalins verbal and physical abuse. While their marriage began with mutual affection, Stalins temperament and alleged affairs contributed greatly to Nadyas depression. After Stalin berated her particularly harshly at a dinner party, Nadya committed suicide on November 9, 1932. The Great Terror Soviet leader Joseph Stalin after the completion of a series of governmental purges in which most of the Communist Party old guard were dismissed or executed. (1938). (Photo by Ivan Shagin/Slava Katamidze Collection/Getty Images) Despite Stalin’s attempts to eradicate all dissent, some opposition emerged, particularly among party leaders who understood the devastating nature of Stalin’s policies. Nevertheless, Stalin was reelected in 1934. This election made Stalin keenly aware of his critics and he soon began to eliminate anyone he perceived as opposition, including his most substantial political rival, Sergi Kerov. Sergi Kerov was assassinated in 1934 and Stalin, who most believe was responsible, used Kerovs death to extol the dangers of the anti-Communist movement and tighten his grip on Soviet politics. Thus began the period known as the Great Terror. Few leaders have culled their ranks as dramatically as Stalin did in during the Great Terror of the 1930s. He targeted members of his cabinet and government, soldiers, clergy, intellectuals, or anyone else he deemed suspect. Those seized by his secret police would be tortured, imprisoned, or killed (or a combination of these experiences). Stalin was indiscriminate in his targets, and top government and military officials were not immune from prosecution. In fact, the Great Terror eliminated many key figures in government. Widespread Paranoia During the Great Terror, widespread paranoia reigned. Citizens were encourages to turn each other in and those captured often pointed figures at neighbors or coworkers in hopes of saving their own lives. Farcical show trials publicly confirmed the guilt of the accused and ensured that family members of those accused would remain socially ostracized - if they managed to evade arrest. The military was particularly decimated by the Great Terror since Stalin perceived a military coup as the greatest threat. With World War II on the horizon, this purging of the military leadership would later prove a severe detriment to the Soviet Union’s military effectiveness. Death Toll While the estimates of death tolls vary greatly, the lowest numbers credit Stalin with killing 20 million during the Great Terror alone. Beyond being one of the greatest examples of state-sponsored murder in history, the Great Terror demonstrated Stalins obsessive paranoia and willingness to prioritize it over national interests. Stalin and Nazi Germany Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov checks over the plan for the Demarcation of Poland, while Nazi Foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop stands in the background with Joseph Stalin. (August 23, 1939). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Stalin and Hitler Sign a Non-Aggression Pact By 1939, Adolf Hitler was a powerful threat to Europe and Stalin could not help but be concerned. While Hitler was opposed to Communism and had little regard for Eastern Europeans, he appreciated that Stalin represented a formidable force and the two signed a non-aggression pact in 1939. Operation Barbarossa After Hitler drew the rest of Europe into war in 1939, Stalin pursued his own territorial ambition in the Baltic region and Finland. Although many warned Stalin that Hitler intended to break the pact (as he had with other European powers), Stalin was surprised when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, a full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. Stalin Joins the Allies The Big Three met in person for the first time in Teheran to discuss the co-ordination of allied war efforts. Left to right: Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, U.S President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. (1943). (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin joined the Allied powers, which included Great Britain (led by Sir Winston Churchill) and later the United States (led by Franklin D. Roosevelt). Although they shared a joint enemy, the communist/capitalist rift ensured that mistrust characterized the relationship. However, before the Allies could come help, the German army swept eastward through the Soviet Union. Initially, some Soviet residents were relieved when the German army invaded, thinking that German rule had to be an improvement over Stalinism. Unfortunately, the Germans were merciless in their occupation and ravaged the territory they conquered. Scorched Earth Policy Stalin, who was determined to stop the German army’s invasion at any cost, employed a scorched earth policy. This entailed burning all farms fields and villages in the path of the advancing Germany army to prevent German soldiers from living off the land. Stalin hoped that, without the ability to pillage, the German army’s supply line would run so thin that the invasion would be forced to stop. Unfortunately, this scorched earth policy also meant the destruction of the homes and livelihoods of Russian people, creating massive numbers of homeless refugees. It was the harsh Soviet winter that really slowed down the advancing Germany army, leading to some of the bloodiest battles of World War II. However, to force a German retreat, Stalin needed greater assistance. Although Stalin began to receive American equipment in 1942, what he really wanted was Allied troops deployed to the Eastern Front. The fact that this never happened infuriated Stalin and increased the resentment between Stalin and his allies. The Atomic Bomb Another rift in the relationship between Stalin and the Allies came when the United States secretly developed the nuclear bomb. The mistrust between the Soviet Union and the United States was obvious when the U.S. refused to share the technology with the Soviet Union, causing Stalin to launch his own nuclear weapons program. The Soviets Turn the Nazis Back With supplies provided by the Allies, Stalin was able to turn the tide at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943 and forced the retreat of the German army. With the tide turned, the Soviet army continued to push the Germans all the way back to Berlin, ending World War II in Europe in May of 1945. Stalin and the Cold War Soviet Communist leader Joseph Stalin (1950). (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) Once World War II ended, the task of rebuilding Europe remained. While the United States and the United Kingdom sought stability, Stalin had no desire to cede the territory he had conquered during the war. Therefore, Stalin claimed the territory he had liberated from Germany as part of the Soviet empire. Under Stalin’s tutelage, Communist parties took control of each country’s government, cut off all communication with the West, and became official Soviet satellite states. The Truman Doctrine While the Allies were unwilling to launch a full-scale war against Stalin, U.S. President Harry Truman recognized that Stalin could not go unchecked. In response to Stalins domination of Eastern Europe, Truman issued the Truman Doctrine in 1947, in which the United States pledged to help nations at risk of a being overtaken by Communists. It was immediately enacted to thwart Stalin in Greece and Turkey, which would ultimately remain independent throughout the Cold War. The Berlin Blockade and Airlift Stalin again challenged the Allies in 1948 when he attempted to seize control of Berlin, a city that had been divided among the victors of World War II. Stalin had already seized East Germany and severed it from the West as part of his post-war conquest. Hoping to claim the entire capital, which was located entirely within East Germany, Stalin blockaded the city in an attempt to force the other Allies to abandon their sectors of Berlin. However, determined to not give in to Stalin, the U.S. organized a nearly year-long airlift that flew massive amounts of supplies into West Berlin. These efforts rendered the blockade ineffective and Stalin finally ended the blockade on May 12, 1949. Berlin (and the rest of Germany) remained divided. This division ultimately manifested in the creation of the Berlin Wall in 1961 during the height of the Cold War. The Cold War Continues While the Berlin Blockade was the last major military confrontation between Stalin and the West, Stalin’s policies and attitude toward the West would continue as Soviet policy even after Stalin’s death. This competition between the Soviet Union and the United States escalated during the Cold War to the point where nuclear war seemed imminent. The Cold War ended only with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Death Soviet Communist leader Joseph Stalin lying in state in the hall of Trade Union House, Moscow. (March 12, 1953). (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) In his final years, Stalin tried to reshape his image to that of a man of peace. He turned his attention to rebuilding the Soviet Union and invested in many domestic projects, such as bridges and canals – most were never completed. While he was writing his Collected Works in an attempt to define his legacy as an innovative leader, evidence suggests that Stalin was also working on his next purge, an attempt to eliminate the Jewish population that remained in Soviet territory. This never came to pass since Stalin suffered a stroke on March 1, 1953 and died four days later. Stalin maintained his cult of personality even after his death. Like Lenin before him, Stalin’s body was embalmed and put on public display. In spite of the death and destruction he inflicted upon those he ruled, Stalin’s death devastated the nation. The cult-like loyalty he inspired remained, although it would dissipate in time. Legacy A crowd of people surround the demolished head of a statue of Joseph Stalin, including Daniel Sego, the man who cut off the head, during the Hungarian Revolt, Budapest, Hungary. Sego is spitting on the statue. (December 1956). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) It took several years for the Communist party to replace Stalin; in 1956, Nikita Khrushchev took over. Khrushchev broke the secrecy regarding Stalin’s atrocities and led the Soviet Union in a period of de-Stalinization, which included beginning to account for the catastrophic deaths under Stalin and acknowledging the flaws in his policies. It wasn’t an easy process for the Soviet people to break through Stalin’s cult of personality to see the real truths of his reign. The estimated numbers of dead are staggering. The secrecy regarding those â€Å"purged† has left millions of Soviet citizens wondering the exact fate of their loved ones. No Longer Idolize Stalin With these new-found truths about Stalin’s reign, it was time to stop revering the man who had murdered millions. Pictures and statues of Stalin were gradually removed and in 1961, the city of Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd. In October of 1961, Stalins body, which had lain next to Lenin’s for nearly eight years, was removed from the mausoleum. Stalin’s body was buried nearby, surrounded by concrete so that he could not be moved again. Sources Rappaport, Helen. Joseph Stalin: A Biographical Companion. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 1999.Radzinsky, Edvard. Stalin: The First In-depth Biography Based on Explosive New Documents from Russias Secret Archives. New York: Doubleday, 1996.Service, Robert. Stalin: A Biography. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press, 2005.

Blood pressure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blood pressure - Assignment Example 298). Cardiac output refers to the amount of blood the heart can pump with each beat. Cardiac output and blood pressure have direct correlation thus, the more blood the heart can pump, the greater is the cardiac output, leading to increase blood pressure. The same correlation applies to blood volume or the amount of blood in the blood vessels at any given time. Thus, a decrease in blood volume will lead to decrease blood pressure, and vice-versa. Resistance to blood flow is another factor affecting blood pressure and pertains to how hard it is for the blood to flow through the vessels. A narrowed blood pressure will increase the resistance to blood flow leading to increase blood pressure. Likewise, a widened blood vessel will decrease the resistance to blood flow leading to decrease blood pressure. Carterand Lewsen (2005) also identified influencing factors of blood pressure such as age, gender, and race (p. 298). Normal and abnormal blood pressures are determined through systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure readings. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure exerted by blood during heart contraction while diastolic blood pressure is the pressure exerted by blood during heart relaxation (Rosdahland Kowalski, 2008, p. 523). Blood pressure is measured in milimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and the normal blood pressure is

New Business Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

New Business Venture - Essay Example In this case, it is advised to look in for a more structured form of finance rather than unstructured financing option like funds from relatives and friends. This is because structured finance has several advantages which funds from relatives may not have. 2. Decision Making: Moreover, just as in the case of "Gift Baskets", the fund giver has to be given a say in the decision making and strategic moves of the business. This may also result in delay in decision making. 3. Partnership: When one approaches a relative or friend for investment in the business, it is generally done by an offer of partnership. This means an additional person would be there to share the profits of the business. However, the other funding options do not require this. 4. No Expertise: The promoters of the business may be well aware of the industry and the market scenario. However, the relative who contributes to the business capital as an investment may not have similar expertise. This will result in hassles, when some necessary move is to be taken in the business and the relative does not agree with it. 5. Revelation of Secrets: The business happens to be the brain child of the promoters. A partner who can fund your business can as well take up your business idea and start his own business, if the matter is money. Banks are one of the known forms of funding the business financ... Let us now view a couple of structured funding options with their working and risks. Banks are one of the known forms of funding the business finance gap. However, banks are normally considered conservative lenders. One can avail long term loans for premises, machinery, furniture etc. with his choice of payment horizon or short term loans renewed per year for working capital with collateral of stock and book debts. Generally, banks prefer to fund the business on the creditworthiness of the promoter's future scope of the business and the value of the collateral. They also expect secondary collateral in the form of some asset like insurance policies, fixed deposits, land, building etc. Positives Funds happen to be less expensive Bank credit happens to build up reputation of the business A choice of variety of loans suiting business requirements. Integration is possible with other financial services No infringement in business decisions Risks Conservative covenants and condition Delay in sanction of loans Paper work and requirement of business paper fulfilling all laws High collateral or mortgage Venture Capital Venture capitalists look for funding businesses with good future prospects and have an aim of having good returns through capital appreciation. This requires a solid and clear business plan with a long term view. However, they would also intend to have certain rights of control over the business. But, it would be right to note that, it would be in the best interest of the business as they are typically intending to make good out of their investment so as to make the business flourish to give them returns on their investment. The positive side of this source of finance is the good amount of availability and the risk involved is that of

Sample Outline of Persuasive Speech Essay Example for Free

Sample Outline of Persuasive Speech Essay The Situation. As a project for a community education class, you decide to work with the recreation and education center at a local elderly housing project. The center is woefully short of educational materials, and the only teachers who show up are offering crafts classes. You figure out that here’s a group of less-mobile people who are ripe for Internet educational experiences. Specific Purpose明ç ¡ ®Ã§Å¡â€žÃ£â‚¬ Ã¥â€¦ ·Ã¤ ½â€œÃ§Å¡â€ž. To persuade people sttending the education center to take seriously Web-based classes from around the country. Attention Step I. It’s too easy to assume that older adults only want to play checkers and make Christmas presents our of plastic milk jugs. II. In fact, retirees haven’t given up living and learning. They’re still curious, and now they have time for a broad range of educational experience. Work against stereotypesæˆ Ã¨ §  of the elderly’s lifestyle. Engage them and improve your credibility (trustworthiness). Need Step I. Cognitive psychologyè ® ¤Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã¥ ¿Æ'ç â€ Ã¥ ­ ¦ has shown us that exercising the brain keeps it alive and active longer. A. Mental activity—especially structured activity, such as formal learning—helps to prevent cognitive deterioration.è ® ¤Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã§Å¡â€žÃ©â‚¬â‚¬Ã¥Å'â€" B. Yet the elderly often have trouble traveling to three-times-a-week classes at a local college to get that stimulation. II. Today’s retirees are going to live longer than ever and so must keep learning to keep from falling significantly far behind the rest of society. Work with power motives (especially defense and fear) to make them want to hear more. I. Need Step II. The Internet and the growing number of high-quality World Wide Web-based classes—more than 500,000 now available online—create great opportunities for people living at this housing project. A. You have plenty of computer terminalsè ® ¡Ã§ ®â€"æÅ" ºÃ§ »Ë†Ã§ « ¯ with browers.æ µ Ã¨ §Ë†Ã¥â„¢ ¨ B. Because Internet courses often cost much less than bricks-and-mortar ä ¼  Ã§ »Å¸Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥ ®Å¾Ã¤ ½â€œÃ¤ ¼ Ã¤ ¸Å¡classes—most classes run $300-500—you can afford college-level schooling. C. You’re chatter—good conversationalists—which is just what makes a good Web-based class into a rewarding experience. III. I will spend this semester as a resource person and tutor for you. A. I’ll provide technical help for any of you who’re new to computer work. B. I’ll help you surf the Internet to find a course that is to your liking. C. I’ll be your tutor as well, even setting up some study groups for people who are studying similar kinds of things. Tie your proposal to environmental elements in the center as well as to achievement motives (pride, success, and adventure). Visualizing Step I. Think of what you have available on the Internet A. The California Virtual Campus has over 2000 courses available online. B. Indiana University will let you learn a bachelor’s degree in General Studies electronically. C. The Rochester Intstitute of Technology has serious science and technology courses available to those of you who come out of techinical background. D. The University of California at Berkeley lets you start courses anytime. E. Western Governor’s University will even give you credit for life experience. II. While virtual connections with faculty and fellow students are not as good as face-to-face contact in most people’s opinions, they can be very rewarding. A. Think of the pleasure you can have in chatting about Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist in an Introduction To Victorian Literature course offered by an urban Eastern university. B. Just consider what your life will be like when you can tune into a lecture by a professor working in Cairo while you stay home but are listening alongside a fellow classmate living in Tokyo. C. Because you no longer have to worry about everything you learn being practical, you can take a course in World Politics from the New School for Social Research in New York, and a course in drawing design from the University of Washington. Blend appeals to achievement (prestige, creativity, curiosity and personal enjoyment) and to power (autonomy/independence), using lifestyle characterizers sensitive to some of the usual interest of active elderly people. Action Step I. You all know the value of education; otherwise, you wouldn’t have come to this meeting. A. You all know the value of thinking and understanding and evaluating for your own enjoyment and mental health. B. You all know that these computers would be doing a lot more good around here if they were being used more productively. II. And you all know, I hope, that my commitment to your personal and collective development means that today’s the day to sign up for the virtual ride of your lifetime down the Information Highway. Final appeals to self-achievement and the credibility of the speaker.

put it down :: essays research papers

put it down! The most hotly contested battlefield in the gender wars may not necessarily be in the bedroom. It may be the bathroom. The seat-up vs. seat-down debate rages on and some interpret this as a sign of male insensitivity and overall cloddishness. Although it doesn't rate up there with the unisex restroom in the Ally McBeal television show, the signage for the toilets at one Phoenix, Arizona advertising-public relations firm is an eye-catcher. Instead of the plain old "Men" and "Women" on the politically correct male and female door signs, the restrooms entries at Cramer-Krasselt are adorned with tasteful, nearly look-alike 3-inch square photos of a toilet. There is one difference -- one has the seat up and the other has the seat down. Is someone trying to tell us something? Come on, guys! Maybe it's time to be a little more considerate. Like paying attention to the little things. As a professional speaker, I lead seminars on personal relationships. In our discussions of "paying attention to the little things," taking the garbage out, leaving the toilet seat up and rolling the toilet paper the wrong way (among other things) seem to almost always creep into the conversation. Although we may laugh at such trivial things, the truth is, it is important to our partners to do the little things consistently. It shows them we value and respect them. Inventor, Tim Seniuk has the perfect solution to the "leaving the toilet seat up" problem. He has invented a toilet seat that goes down automatically after about two minutes. This $37 investment could save your marriage! You will never again have to worry about experiencing the "porcelain splash" in the middle of the night! ;-) Indifference is like water to a fire. The flame of love grows dim with indifference to your partner's needs. By far the most common and important way in which you can exercise your attention to your partner is by listening. Listening is an act of love. Women can often tell a man's interest in them by the length of his attention span. It is one thing to pay attention and quite another to acknowledge her request and then remember to do it more than once without having to be reminded. She is not your mother. It is unreasonable, and a breach of trust, to deny your lover's report of her feelings. When she expresses a need, it's your responsibility to do what you can to fulfil that need. put it down :: essays research papers put it down! The most hotly contested battlefield in the gender wars may not necessarily be in the bedroom. It may be the bathroom. The seat-up vs. seat-down debate rages on and some interpret this as a sign of male insensitivity and overall cloddishness. Although it doesn't rate up there with the unisex restroom in the Ally McBeal television show, the signage for the toilets at one Phoenix, Arizona advertising-public relations firm is an eye-catcher. Instead of the plain old "Men" and "Women" on the politically correct male and female door signs, the restrooms entries at Cramer-Krasselt are adorned with tasteful, nearly look-alike 3-inch square photos of a toilet. There is one difference -- one has the seat up and the other has the seat down. Is someone trying to tell us something? Come on, guys! Maybe it's time to be a little more considerate. Like paying attention to the little things. As a professional speaker, I lead seminars on personal relationships. In our discussions of "paying attention to the little things," taking the garbage out, leaving the toilet seat up and rolling the toilet paper the wrong way (among other things) seem to almost always creep into the conversation. Although we may laugh at such trivial things, the truth is, it is important to our partners to do the little things consistently. It shows them we value and respect them. Inventor, Tim Seniuk has the perfect solution to the "leaving the toilet seat up" problem. He has invented a toilet seat that goes down automatically after about two minutes. This $37 investment could save your marriage! You will never again have to worry about experiencing the "porcelain splash" in the middle of the night! ;-) Indifference is like water to a fire. The flame of love grows dim with indifference to your partner's needs. By far the most common and important way in which you can exercise your attention to your partner is by listening. Listening is an act of love. Women can often tell a man's interest in them by the length of his attention span. It is one thing to pay attention and quite another to acknowledge her request and then remember to do it more than once without having to be reminded. She is not your mother. It is unreasonable, and a breach of trust, to deny your lover's report of her feelings. When she expresses a need, it's your responsibility to do what you can to fulfil that need.

Inoculating with Autism

Hearing that your child is autistic, is one of the most heart wrenching experiences a parent can face. After significant research, I was disgusted when all fingers pointed to vaccines as the culprit. Is it just a coincidence that autism greatly increased when the Center for Disease Control introduced additions to the recommended vaccination program for infants in 1988? In the 1980s, autism rates were only six in ten thousand children. Currently, the autism rate is an alarming one in eighty eight children. So, roughly one million Americans are now suffering from autism. Over twenty-four years the amount of vaccines children receive grew from less than ten vaccines to about fifty vaccines. It is not just a coincidence that as the amount of vaccines increased so did the amount of autistic children. As the autism crisis worsens, more and more parents are questioning and grasping the realizations surrounding the negative effects that vaccines are having on our children's developing immune systems. In many cases, parents should not allow vaccines to be administered to their children. The perfect example of why parents should not vaccinate their children is the story of Valentino Bocca from Italy. Valentino was given the MMR vaccine when he was fifteen months old in 2004. Valentino's family says that right after receiving the vaccine he started to show signs of serious discomfort. Consequently, Valentino's family decided to act and took the case to court. Judges and the Italian Health Ministry determined that the vaccine did cause the autism after new evidence was presented. Moreover, the Valentino case is not the first case where children have been damaged by vaccines. Actually, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has paid over two billion dollars to families damaged by vaccines. This story of Valentino was a result of just one vaccine. A normal child in the first six months of life receives as many as nineteen vaccines. The fact is the more vaccines children receive means more of a risk of autism. As a parent, you have the right to choose whether or not to vaccinate your child. Some may argue vaccinations are safe and even one of the greatest health developments of the twentieth century. Moreover, some research may say that autism and vaccines are not linked at all. It is true that immunizations have protected millions of kids from potentially deadly diseases. Also, that the vaccines probably saved thousands of lives over the years. Proponents of vaccinations argue that the health benefits can outweigh the risks. In addition, some believe that without immunizations there is greater risk of catching some preventable diseases. Also, it is believed that a child who is not immunized could be susceptible to dangerous and deadly diseases. Furthermore, fighting some of these diseases can be painful, taxing on the body, include mandatory isolation, and be expensive. It is now common knowledge that autism is a catastrophic epidemic. In addition, we now know that the primary cause of autism stems from vaccines. There is substantial evidence that the vaccines are brimming with toxins according to fact sheets by the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration. The toxins that are in the vaccines we are injecting into our young children include; dozens of chemicals, heavy metals and allergens. In addition, they include several other repulsing ingredients, such as monkey kidney cells and aborted fetal tissue. American children are now the most vaccinated population in the world. However, instead of being the most healthiest, we have the highest statistics of children suffering from autism. Our children do not need to be inject4ed with toxins and aborted fetal tissue, they are born with their mother’s immunities. Most children’s immune systems can deal with most infections naturally. The vaccines themselves cause the body to be in an unnatural state and set you up for major disease. Overall, the possible side effects of vaccination, mainly autism, are just not worth the risk of being safeguarding. Every year more and more children are being diagnosed with autism. There are so many anguished parents who have had to watch their children completely regress after receiving a vaccine. When one listens to these parents, it is hard to not think that where there is smoke there may be fire. All parents should be doubting the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Parents must keep in mind that a significant amount of the research that is being done about autism and vaccines is by the drug companies themselves. With so many vaccines being forced upon our children, healthy skepticism could go a long way toward raising a vibrant healthy child. By not vaccinating your children, it simply means that you are an informed and caring parent with healthy kids that do not need to rely on high risk medicines. Ultimately, it is you that is in charge of your child’s health. Remember, educate before you vaccinate.

Groups vs Individuals Essay

‘Individuals will complete a task more efficiently and effectively than a group. And training in group dynamics, whilst interesting, has no practical value as a means of increasing the standard of group performance’ (Mullins, 2007, p296). Essay This essay is going to examine the main differences between the work of individuals and the work of a group. The perception of the author of the essay title basically states that there are more benefits than drawbacks in the individual work when comparing to the group work as well as that a given task can be completed more efficiently and effectively by an individual. The other part of the title discusses that there is no increase in group performance even though training in group is more interesting and appealing. In order to examine these two statements it is essential to consider every effect that might have an impact on the work of both individuals and groups. What often comes to people’s mind when discussing the advantages and disadvantages of working in a group is that the more people you have the more ideas you have and that the more people you have the faster the given task is completed. This essay will reveal that it is not as simple as many of us might think and that there are many complex elements of people’s behaviour that might have both positive and negative effect on the final task result. In what follows, we’ll have a look at these factors and give reasons why should the work of individual be more effective than group work or why not. In this part of the essay we are going to have a look at how various individual differences affect individual behaviour in the workplace. Individuals in the organization explore five topics which are personality, perception, learning and motivation at work. All these five psychological aspects are very closely related to each other and they help us to understand behaviour in general as well as in particular but also to analyze the performance of work and the quality of working life. We have chosen to focus on one of these five topics – Personality. Firstly, it is required to comprehend what actually personality is. Despite of the fact, (Bratton, 2007) that any universal definition of personality has not been accepted yet, we define personality as a relatively resistant way of thinking, feeling and acting which characterizes a person’s response to his or her environment. However, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) there are some properties, which restrict our definition of personality, that are both stable and distinctive, depending on different situations and over time. In the case of stability, we are not interested in properties that are occasional and transient. For example, changes in person’s behaviour caused by the consumption of drugs or caused by some kind of illness are not considered as personality characteristics, unless they become permanent. However, there is one serious issue and that is the fact that personalities appear to be flexible. For example, a manager who appears to be very loud and emotionless in the office could be a caring and supportive parent in family life. In the case of distinctiveness, we must know that personality theory is related to properties that are unique to the individual and not to those that all or most other people share. For example, a man may be aggressive towards taxi drivers, friendly with waiters, loud at concerts and terrified of spiders. But the thing is that he may share some of these dispositions with a friend who breeds spiders. We also must know that, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) the theory of personality relies on two main propositions. One of them is that behaviour does not change frequently even though is has both stable and distinctive features. The other one is that it must be accepted they only way how to compare the distinctive properties is by comparing them to the properties of others. One of the many theories of personality is Eysenck’s three-factor model of personality. Hans J. Eysenck (1916-1997), a well-known British psychologist born in Berlin, Germany, used factor analysis to originate his theory of personality. His theory declares, (Bratton, 2007) that a normal personality can be understood in terms of three basic factors : introversion ( a personality dimension that characterizes people who are territorial and solitary ) – extroversion ( a personality dimension that characterizes people who are outgoing, sociable and talkative ), stability – instability and self-control – psychoticism. Introversion is the opposite of extroversion, stability is the opposite of instability and self-control is the opposite of psychoticism. Eysenck created a two dimensional model which he believed captured the most important aspects of person’s personality ( see Figure 1. 0 ). [pic] Figure 1. 0 points out the effects of various combinations of the three dimensions and relates them to the four personality types (Bratton, 2007) originated by the Greek physician Galen in the second century AD. The fact that the two basic dimensions intersect at right angles ( in the sense that they are independent ) should be noted. Therefore, when we know what level of extroversion personality has it does not show us how emotionally stable the personality is. The level of person’s stability could be anywhere along the stability dimension. The other thing which the diagram reveals is that various combinations of the two primary basic dimensions make different personalities. For example, as we can see, an extroverted unstable person is touchy, restless and aggressive an extroverted stable person is sociable, outgoing and talkative. Eysenck’s theory puts in our mind that the type of personality might have a vast effect on an individual completing a given task. Therefore, a company should be very careful when hiring new employees. But on the other hand, hiring a suitable type of personality would bring a great effectiveness and efficiency into the company’s performance. In this part of the essay we are going to examine some problems that might occur in the work group. When speaking of groups we must understand what actually a group is. A group could be people waiting at a bus stop for a bus, audience in a theatre, people sheltering in a shop doorway from the rain or members of a football team. However, only one of the mentioned groups can be regarded as a work group and that is the football team. It is very significant to recognize a distinction between mere aggregates of individuals and psychological group. Consequently, we must know what characteristics a group must meet to become one. Firstly, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) it is a minimum membership of two people. No ‘official’ size has been accepted, and different authors describe groups that range from two to thirty individuals. However, the more members a group has the more relations within the group there are. This fact might have a huge effect on the group performance whereas the bigger the group is the better level of communication is required and the more complex it is to operate the group effectively and successfully. Secondly, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) every single member of the group must be able to communicate with every other member. In case of not meeting this criterion there might be some very serious problems in completing a given task. For example, if there was a group of three members and one member would not communicate with one of the other two members, the efficiency of the group performance would be hardly decreased. Thirdly, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) members must have a shared sense of collective identity. Each member must be associated with the other members, not see him or herself as a individual working independently and at the same time all members must believe themselves in order to distinct the group from other groups. Failing to meet this criterion might cause a very negative impact on completing a task. For example, if one group member do not believe in some of the other member it might cause a tension between the members or it might make the disbelieving member work independently and again decrease the efficiency of the group performance. Fourthly, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) members must have complementary goals. Each member of a group may have different goals which can be achieved only by membership of and participation in the group. Fifthly, (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004) a group must have a structure. Every member of the group will have a different role, for example initiator, suggestion-provider, compromiser and etc. These roles tend to become fixed and indicate what members expect from each other. This criterion can be met only by following certain norms or rules. We believe that this is the most fragile part of work groups. Some people believe that rules are made to be broken and tend not to follow them. This can as well as the other criteria have a vast impact on the group performance. This part of the essay is going to be related to the statement that training in group dynamics, whilst interesting, has no practical value as a means of increasing the standard of group performance. First of all, we must gain knowledge of the term group dynamics. Group dynamics (Bratton, 2007) is the study of human behaviour in groups. The nature of groups, group development and the interrelations between individuals and group, other groups and other elements of formal organizations are included in this study. We have four major factors (Bratton, 2007) that influence group dynamics, but be aware that these factors does not attempt to create a theory of group dynamics, nor these factors can be applied to every type of group. These four elements are group context, group structure, group processes and group outcomes. We will have a closer look at the group structure. The group structure has a crucial role in group dynamics. It influences the way members relate and interact with each other and it also enable us to explain individual behaviour within the group. Without any doubt all of us have at least once found ourselves in a group. We know that group members within a group are not equal, do not have the same knowledge, have different perceptions and have different skills and abilities. This is where the differentiation takes place and where social relations are formed. According to Bratton (2007, p. 303) the group structure is the stable pattern of relationships among the differentiated elements in the group. Size of the group along other factors such as roles, status and leadership plays very important role in differentiation of a group. As we have mentioned earlier the more people you have in a group the more relationships there are and the more relationships there are the more likely a conflict might occur. For example, a group of three has three relationships, a group of four has six relationships and a group of seven has however 21 relationships. A big problem that might occur in a group is when a group has numerous members coalitions might intervene which means that some members align themselves against other group members.

Free Essays on True History Of The Kelly Gang

Scott Turner Peter Carey’s Creation of the Oedipal Complex Peter Carey has often been known for weaving intricate patterns of literary devices into his novels but he truly outdoes himself in his award winning novel, True History of the Kelly Gang. Along with many other literary strategies, Mr. Carey ingeniously incorporates a classic case of the oedipal complex into the life of famous bushranger Ned Kelly. The life choices of Ned Kelly from boy to outlaw explain themselves solely through Ned’s relationship with his mother and his own oedipal complex. Reviewers notice the extreme example of the oedipal complex and note its exception: â€Å"But it’s from Carey that he got his mother complex† (Jones 1). A brief explanation of the oedipal complex is: â€Å"in psychoanalytic theory, a son’s unconscious sexual love for his mother and his subsequent hostility and jealousy toward his father† (â€Å"Academic Press† 1). Ned’s complex runs much deeper than previously defined and is true evidence that Peter Carey intentionally afflicts Ned. This is confirmed as Carey addresses all criteria of the oedipal complex in the novel. Although the oedipal complex is presumed to be inherit in all children, the complex blossoms as a product of environment. â€Å"It’s easy to look at this boy as a product of his class and circumstances; one more example of what happens when you imagine you can change your penal colony into a decent nation† (McCrum 1). Reviewers also notice that Ned is truly a product of his circumstances and therefore susceptible to external factors on his behavior. The oedipal complex is most common in children who are exposed to intimate relations between their mother and father (Human Behavior 896). There is no doubt that Ned is continually exposed to the intimate workings of his mother’s relationships, whether they be between her and Ned’s father or between her and one of her suitors. The financial state of Ne... Free Essays on True History Of The Kelly Gang Free Essays on True History Of The Kelly Gang Scott Turner Peter Carey’s Creation of the Oedipal Complex Peter Carey has often been known for weaving intricate patterns of literary devices into his novels but he truly outdoes himself in his award winning novel, True History of the Kelly Gang. Along with many other literary strategies, Mr. Carey ingeniously incorporates a classic case of the oedipal complex into the life of famous bushranger Ned Kelly. The life choices of Ned Kelly from boy to outlaw explain themselves solely through Ned’s relationship with his mother and his own oedipal complex. Reviewers notice the extreme example of the oedipal complex and note its exception: â€Å"But it’s from Carey that he got his mother complex† (Jones 1). A brief explanation of the oedipal complex is: â€Å"in psychoanalytic theory, a son’s unconscious sexual love for his mother and his subsequent hostility and jealousy toward his father† (â€Å"Academic Press† 1). Ned’s complex runs much deeper than previously defined and is true evidence that Peter Carey intentionally afflicts Ned. This is confirmed as Carey addresses all criteria of the oedipal complex in the novel. Although the oedipal complex is presumed to be inherit in all children, the complex blossoms as a product of environment. â€Å"It’s easy to look at this boy as a product of his class and circumstances; one more example of what happens when you imagine you can change your penal colony into a decent nation† (McCrum 1). Reviewers also notice that Ned is truly a product of his circumstances and therefore susceptible to external factors on his behavior. The oedipal complex is most common in children who are exposed to intimate relations between their mother and father (Human Behavior 896). There is no doubt that Ned is continually exposed to the intimate workings of his mother’s relationships, whether they be between her and Ned’s father or between her and one of her suitors. The financial state of Ne...

The Definition of Ethnicity in Sociology

The Definition of Ethnicity in Sociology In sociology, ethnicity is a concept referring to a shared culture and a way of life. This can be reflected in language, religion, material culture such as clothing and cuisine, and cultural products such as music and art. Ethnicity is often a major source of social cohesion as well as social conflict. The world is home to thousands of different ethnic groups, from the Han Chinese- the largest ethnic group in the world- to the smallest indigenous groups, some of which include only a few dozen people. Almost all of these groups possess a shared history, language, religion, and culture, which provide group members with a common identity. Learned Behavior Ethnicity, unlike race, is not based on biological traits, except in the case of ethnic groups that recognize certain traits as requirements for membership. In other words, the cultural elements that define a particular ethnic group are taught, not inherited. This means that the boundaries between ethnic groups are, to some degree, fluid, allowing for individuals to move between groups. This can happen, for example, when a child from one ethnic group is adopted into another, or when an individual undergoes a religious conversion. It can also happen through the process of acculturation, whereby members of a native group are forced to adopt the culture and manners of a dominating host group. Ethnicity should not be confused with nationality, which refers to citizenship. While some countries are largely composed of a single ethnic group (Egypt, Finland, Germany, China), others are composed of many different groups (United States, Australia, Philippines, Panama). The rise of nation-states in Europe in the 1600s led to the creation of many countries that are still ethnically homogenous today (the population of Germany, for example, is 91.5 percent German). Countries that were founded as colonies, on the other hand, are more likely to be home to multiple ethnicities. Examples Different ethnic groups do not use the same criteria to define group membership. While one group may emphasize the importance of a shared language, another may emphasize the importance of a shared religious identity. For example, French Canadians are an ethnic group for whom language is paramount. It is what connects them to the French colonists who first settled Canada in the 1600s and what distinguishes them from English Canadians, Scottish Canadians, and Irish Canadians. Other aspects of culture, such as religion, are less significant when it comes to defining who is and is not French Canadian. Most French Canadians are Christians, but some are Catholic and others are Protestant. In contrast, religion is an essential part of ethnic identity for groups such as the Jews. Unlike French Canadians, Jews do not define themselves based on a single shared language. In fact, Jewish communities throughout the world have developed a variety of different languages, including Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), Judeo-Arabic, and Judeo-Aramaic (not to mention the many Jews who speak English, French, German, or any other of the worlds many languages). Because ethnic groups are self-defined, it is important to remember that no single aspect of group identity (language, religion, etc.) can be used to sort people into one group or another. Flashpop / Getty Images Race vs. Ethnicity Unlike ethnicity, race is based on physical traits that are inherited, such as skin color and facial features. Racial categories are broader than ethnic categories. Today, for example, the U.S. Census divides people into five racial categories: white, black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native,  Asian, and  Native Hawaiian  or Other Pacific Islander. Modern scientists regard race as a social construct, and racial categories, like ethnic categories, have changed over time. What Is My Ethnicity? Because ethnicity is more of a cultural practice than a science, you probably grew up understanding your own ethnicity in a way that tests will never be able to measure. The food you ate, the traditions you practiced, and the language(s) you spoke are all essential aspects of your ethnic identity. If you are interested in learning more about your exact ancestry, you can do so using a variety of DNA testing services. DNA Testing for Ethnicity DNA testing- available through services such as 23andMe, MyHeritage, and LivingDNA- allows people to explore their genealogy using their genetic information. Examining DNA can reveal information about a persons ancestry and ethnic background. While the principles of DNA testing are sound, the private companies that offer this service through home-testing kits have been criticized for their methodologies. Sheldon Krimsky, a scientist at Tufts University, says that these companies don’t share their data, and their methods are not validated by an independent group of scientists. Since each company uses a different database of genetic information, Krimsky says the tests can only give an indication of probabilities: The results are in no way definitive; instead each company uses common genetic variations as the basis for saying the  The popularity of DNA testing for ancestry has also generated concerns about data privacy.

Briefly outline the causes and effects of famine in developing Essay - 1

Briefly outline the causes and effects of famine in developing countries - Essay Example It provides equal opportunities to all to live their lives to the fullest extent, but at the same time natural disasters and other vagaries of nature try to snuff out the very same life. In this essay we shall confine ourselves to how famines affect human civilization, what are the reasons of famine and how could we control them. The occurrence of famines in the developing countries of this world and the reasons thereof will be studied with analysis of the current research available on the topic. Man has harnessed the resources available on Earth to fulfil his basic needs by the use of science and technology. The foremost basic need is that of food and water without which life is impossible. Historically man was a nomadic animal who travelled from place to place in search of palatable food until his ingenuity led him to the practice of growing food which ultimately resulted in the modern practice of agriculture. However primitive agriculture was not sufficient to meet the needs of all mankind. Social peculiarities, cultural influences and the topography of the land masses influenced the practice of agriculture and it was not until the twentieth century that modern and scientific agriculture became a reality. This development was however only in the prosperous and developed countries of the world while the other regions are still struggling to meet their food requirements. Famines or acute shortage of food has therefore occurred with alarming regularity in the underdeveloped and the developing countries of the world. Cox G.W. (1981) defines famine as â€Å"the regional failure of food production or distribution systems leading to sharply increased mortality due to starvation and associated diseases.† Food production in most of the world is dependent on the availability of fertile land mostly near the major rivers as water is an integral necessity for good agriculture. Other regions depend on rainfall to meet their irrigation