A New Spin on the Old Controve essays

A New Spin on the Old Controve essays The Da Vinci Code and its Role in Religious Society Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code has caused infinite controversy in its thrilling account of conspiracies by the Catholic Church. In the novel, Teabing states, ...Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false(Brown 235). The novel has been the source of much criticism by Christians and officials of the Catholic Church. Reverend John Sewell says of The Da Vinci Code, It is filled with delicious Christian heresies (Sewell 3). As critic Cathleen Falsani reminds readers, Heres the thing about Browns novel: Its a novel. Fiction, not fact (Falsani 2). While this novel may be just fiction, it has caused many to reconsider everything they think they know about their religion. The novel is introduced by a page stating, All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate (Brown ix). Dan Brown was born to a math professor and scientist who gave him his early interests in religion and scientific paradoxes. Later he went on to study art history at the University of Seville that he says first got him interested in Leonardo Da Vinci and the many irregularities in his paintings, especially The Last Supper. The Da Vinci Code required a lot of research and history, which his wife, an art historian and painter, helped him with by accompanying Brown to the Louvre (Morris 1). Before becoming an author, Brown began his career as an English teacher. He later began to focus fully on his writing (Brown Site). The Da Vinci Code is a thrilling murder mystery in which the protagonists, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, explore France and England on a search for the widely coveted Holy Grail. While most people believe the Grail to be a chalice, Langdon and old friend Leigh Teabing believe the Grail to be the ancient bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. In anci...

World War II in the Pacific - New Guinea, Burma, China

World War II in the Pacific - New Guinea, Burma, China Previous: Japanese Advances Early Allied Victories World War II 101 Next: Island Hopping to Victory The Japanese Land in New Guinea In early 1942, following their occupation of Rabaul on New Britain, Japanese troops began landing on the north coast of New Guinea. Their objective was to secure the island and its capital, Port Moresby, in order to consolidate their position in the South Pacific and provide a springboard for attacking the Allies in Australia. That May, the Japanese prepared an invasion fleet with the goal of attacking Port Moresby directly. This was turned back by Allied naval forces at the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 4-8. With the naval approaches to Port Moresby closed, the Japanese focused on attacking overland. To accomplish this, they began landing troops along the islands northeast coast on July 21. Coming ashore at Buna, Gona, and Sanananda, Japanese forces began pressing inland and soon captured the airfield at Kokoda after heavy fighting. Battle for the Kokoda Trail The Japanese landings preempted Supreme Allied Commander, Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) General Douglas MacArthurs plans for using New Guinea as a platform for attacking the Japanese at Rabaul. Instead, MacArthur built up his forces on New Guinea with the goal of expelling the Japanese. With the fall of Kokoda, the only way to supply Allied troops north of the Owen Stanley Mountains was over the single-file Kokoda Trail. Running from Port Moresby over the mountains to Kokoda, the trail was a treacherous path that was seen as an avenue of advance for both sides. Pushing his men forward, Major General Tomitaro Horii was able to slowly drive the Australian defenders back up the trail. Fighting in terrible conditions, both sides were plagued by disease and a lack of food. Upon reaching Ioribaiwa, the Japanese could see the lights of Port Moresby but were forced to halt due to a lack of supplies and reinforcements. With his supply situation desperate, Horii was ordered to withdraw back to Kokoda and the beachhead at Buna. This coupled with the repulse of Japanese attacks on the base at Milne Bay, ended the threat to Port Moresby. Allied Counterattacks on New Guinea Reinforced by the arrival fresh American and Australian troops, the Allies launched a counteroffensive in the wake of the Japanese retreat. Pushing over the mountains, Allied forces pursued the Japanese to their heavily defended coastal bases at Buna, Gona, and Sanananda. Beginning on November 16, Allied troops assaulted the Japanese positions and in bitter, close-quarters, fighting slowly overcame them. The final Japanese strongpoint at Sanananda fell on January 22, 1943. Conditions in the Japanese base were horrific as their supplies had run out and many had resorted to cannibalism. After successfully defending the airstrip at Wau in late January, the Allies scored a major victory at the Battle of the Bismarck Sea on March 2-4. Attacking Japanese troop transports, aircraft from SWPAs air forces managed to sink eight, killing over 5,000 soldiers that were en route to New Guinea. With momentum shifting, MacArthur planned a major offensive against the Japanese bases at Salamaua and Lae. This attack was to be part of Operation Cartwheel, an Allied strategy for isolating Rabaul. Moving forward in April 1943, Allied forces advanced towards Salamaua from Wau and were later supported by landings to the south at Nassau Bay in late June. While fighting continued around Salamaua, a second front was opened around Lae. Named Operation Postern, the attack on Lae began with airborne landings at Nadzab to the west and amphibious operations to the east. With the Allies threatening Lae, the Japanese abandoned Salamaua on September 11. After heavy fighting around the town, Lae fel l four days later. While fighting continued on New Guinea for the rest of the war, it became a secondary theater as SWPA shifted its attention to planning the invasion of the Philippines. The Early War in Southeast Asia Following the destruction of Allied naval forces at the Battle of the Java Sea in February 1942, the Japanese Fast Carrier Strike Force, under Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, raided into the Indian Ocean. Hitting targets on Ceylon, the Japanese sank the aging carrier HMS Hermes and forced the British to relocate their forward naval base in the Indian Ocean to Kilindini, Kenya. The Japanese also seized the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ashore, Japanese troops began entering Burma in January 1942, to protect the flank of their operations in Malaya. Pushing north towards the port of Rangoon, the Japanese pushed aside British opposition and forced them to abandon the city on March 7. The Allies sought to stabilize their lines in the northern part of the country and Chinese troops rushed south to aid in the fight. This attempt failed and the Japanese advance continued, with the British retreating to Imphal, India and the Chinese falling back to the north. The loss of Burma severed the Burma Road by which Allied military aid had been reaching China. As a result, the Allies began flying supplies over the Himalayas to bases in China. Known as The Hump, the route saw over 7,000 tons of supplies cross it each month. Due to the hazardous conditions over the mountains, The Hump claimed 1,500 Allied aviators during the war. Previous: Japanese Advances Early Allied Victories World War II 101 Next: Island Hopping to Victory Previous: Japanese Advances Early Allied Victories World War II 101 Next: Island Hopping to Victory The Burmese Front Allied operations in Southeast Asia were perpetually hampered by a lack of supplies and the low priority given the theater by Allied commanders. In late 1942, the British launched their first offensive into Burma. Moving along the coast, it was quickly defeated by the Japanese. To the north, Major General Orde Wingate began a series of deep penetration raids designed to wreak havoc on the Japanese behind the lines. Known as Chindits, these columns were supplied entirely by air and, though they suffered heavy casualties, succeeded in keeping the Japanese on edge. Chindit raids continued throughout the war and in 1943, a similar American unit was formed under Brigadier General Frank Merrill. In August 1943, the Allies formed the Southeast Asia Command (SEAC) to handle operations in the region and named Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten as its commander. Seeking to regain the initiative, Mountbatten planned a series of amphibious landings as part of a new offensive, but had to cancel them when his landing craft were withdrawn for use in the Normandy invasion. In March 1944, the Japanese, led by Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi, launched a major offensive to take the British base at Imphal. Surging forward they encircled the town, forcing General William Slim to shift forces north to rescue the situation. Over the next few months heavy fighting raged around Imphal and Kohima. Having suffered high numbers of casualties and unable to break the British defenses, the Japanese broke off the offensive and began retreating in July. While the Japanese focus was on Imphal, US and Chinese troops, directed by General Joseph Stilwell made progress in northern Burma. Retaking Burma With India defended, Mountbatten and Slim began offensive operations into Burma. With his forces weakened and lacking equipment, the new Japanese commander in Burma, General Hyotaro Kimura fell back to the Irrawaddy River in the central part of the country. Pushing on all fronts, Allied forces met with success as the Japanese began giving ground. Driving hard through central Burma, British forces liberated Meiktila and Mandalay, while US and Chinese forces linked up in the north. Due to a need to take Rangoon before the monsoon season washed away the overland supply routes, Slim turned south and fought through determined Japanese resistance to take the city on April 30, 1945. Retreating east, the Kimuras forces were hammered on July 17 when many attempted to cross the Sittang River. Attacked by the British, the Japanese suffered nearly 10,000 casualties. The fighting along the Sittang was the last of the campaign in Burma. The War in China Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese launched a major offensive in China against the city of Changsha. Attacking with 120,000 men, Chiang Kai-Sheks Nationalist Army responded with 300,000 forcing the Japanese to withdrawal. In the wake of the failed offensive, the situation in China returned to the stalemate that had existed since 1940. To support the war effort in China, the Allies dispatched large amounts of Lend-Lease equipment and supplies over the Burma Road. Following the capture of the road by the Japanese, these supplies were flown in over The Hump. To ensure that China remained in the war, President Franklin Roosevelt dispatched General Joseph Stilwell to serve as Chiang Kai-Sheks chief of staff and as commander of the US China-Burma-India Theater. Chinas survival was of paramount concern for the Allies as the Chinese front tied down large numbers of Japanese troops, preventing them from being used elsewhere. Roosevelt also made the decision that US troops would not serve in large numbers in the Chinese theater, and that American involvement would be limited to air support and logistics. A largely political assignment, Stilwell soon became frustrated by the extreme corruption of Chiangs regime and his unwillingness to engage in offensive operations against the Japanese. This hesitancy was largely the result of Chiangs desire to reserve his forces for fighting Mao Zedongs Chinese Communists after the war. While Maos forces were nominally allied with Chiang during the war, they operated independently under Communist control. Issues Between Chiang, Stilwell, Chennault Stilwell also butted heads with Major General Claire Chennault, the former commander of the Flying Tigers, who now led the US Fourteenth Air Force. A friend of Chiangs, Chennault believed that the war could be won through air power alone. Wishing to conserve his infantry, Chiang became an active advocate of Chennaults approach. Stilwell countered Chennault by pointing out that large numbers of troops would still be required to defend US airbases. Operating parallel to Chennault was Operation Matterhorn, which called for the basing of new B-29 Superfortress bombers in China with the task of striking the Japanese home islands. In April 1944, the Japanese launched Operation Ichigo which opened a rail route from Beijing to Indochina and captured many of Chennaults ill-defended airbases. Due to the Japanese offensive and the difficulty in obtaining supplies over The Hump, the B-29s were re-based to the Marianas Islands in early 1945. Endgame in China Despite having been proven correct, in October 1944, Stilwell was recalled to the US at Chiangs request. He was replaced by Major General Albert Wedemeyer. With the Japanese position eroding, Chiang became more willing to resume offensive operations. Chinese forces first aided in evicting the Japanese from northern Burma, and then, led by General Sun Li-jen, attacked into Guangxi and southwestern China. With Burma retaken, supplies began to flow into China allowing Wedemeyer to consider larger operations. He soon planned Operation Carbonado for the summer of 1945, which called for an assault to take the port of Guandong. This plan was cancelled following the dropping of the atomic bombs and Japans surrender. Previous: Japanese Advances Early Allied Victories World War II 101 Next: Island Hopping to Victory

Political Socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Political Socialization - Essay Example They do not depend on corporate sponsorship and their main aim is to fight for the right of the oppressed many. One of the slogans they use to air their grievance is â€Å"I am 99% and I have a voice†. On the other hand, The Tea Party is an Astro Turf of people with corporate sponsorship and the members are usually in mid life or above 60 years. According to Gitlin (2011), Occupy Wall Street protests grew tremendously in October 2011 especially in Manhattan triggering comparisons with The Tea parties. Joe Biden explained the Occupy Wall Street protests as expression of grass root frustration by Tea Party Members. According to him, the protests were brought about by the breech of bargain that resulted to unfair levels of incomes. In his article â€Å"The Left Declares Its Independence†, Gitlin (2011) postulate that the â€Å"We Are The 99%† chant words that were used by Occupy Wall Street protesters was directed to the country’s 1% rich, that is composed of ‘financial predators and confident gamers’ who crashed the global economy without concern for anyone. The statement â€Å"We Are The 99%† was synonymous to The Tea Party; it clearly exposed the intense differences. Both the Occupy Wall Street and The Tea Party abominated the elite but their goals and passions, which acted as their driving forces clearly differed. Most Tea Party members follow Amy Kremer’s idea that there exists an overlap between their movement and Occupy Wall Street. According to Brendan Steinhauser of freedom works, a Washington based group that runs national wide networks for The Tea Party â€Å"off-shoots†, Tea Party came into existence as a result of the opposition to the Occupy Wall Street bail-outs in the year 2008. According to Kibbe (2011) in an article in the Forbes Magazine, the Occupy Wall Street is in dire need of comparison with Tea Party, as this will

Environmental Science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental Science - Research Paper Example According to all peer-reviewed scientific studies, if the quantity of greenhouse gasses being spewed into the air by automobiles, power plants and factories is not greatly reduced and quickly, the earth and its inhabitants will experience catastrophic consequences in the not too distant future. This paper will discuss the viability of various alternative fuels such as hydrogen, bio- fuels, solar, geothermal and nuclear sources which if put into practice on a wide scale would significantly reduce air pollution and perhaps circumvent the predicted effects. One solution to reducing automobile emissions may be found in vegetable fields. The conversion of corn or beets into ethanol is promoted by scientists as an environmentally and economically sound solution to global climate change concerns. However, this is hardly a new revelation. Rudolf Diesel, in 1897, fifteen years after the inventing the engine named after him said â€Å"The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insign ificant today. But such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal products of the present time† (Boles, 2005). ... Bio-fuels are derived from a readily accessible source and emit no pollutants. The most familiar kind, Ethanol, is a vegetable oil which is most often be mixed with gasoline and bio-diesel. It can be burned by diesel engines without altering the engine. Ethanol, a ‘green’ fuel, could be used as a bridge to the future of consumption and energy production because it can be used in existing engines unlike hydrogen. Another by-product of the bio-fuels industry is tit will ‘fuel’ the growth of agricultural businesses. Regrettably, it takes significantly more energy (from high-grade gasoline) to create ethanol than it produces. It takes approximately70 percent more energy to produce a gallon of ethanol than is contained in a gallon of ethanol. In addition, â€Å"fossil fuel is used in the production of corn or any crop used for ethanol and by increasing ethanol production will increase degradation of vital agricultural and water resources and will seriously contr ibute to the pollution of the environment† (Pimentel, 1998, p. 5). European country’s both produce and consume close to 90 percent of the world’s bio-fuel. Brazil makes up most of the remaining 10 percent. Brazil produces more bio-fuel than it consumes and does not import crude oil. The South American nation is energy independent and among the lowest producers, by capita, of greenhouse gasses. The quantity of bio-fuels produced and consumed is predicted to grow significantly over the next decade. â€Å"It is possible that (bio-fuels) could represent as much as 20 percent of all on-road diesel used in Brazil, Europe, China and India by the year 2020† (â€Å"Biodiesel†, 2006). In the U.S., the production of bio-fuels grew six-times during a two year period

Light throws sparks Essay Example for Free

Light throws sparks Essay The article discusses the recent event that happened within the University of Zulia (LUZ). Last May 8 and 9, there had been launching of tear gas canisters at the Faculty of Liberal and Education as well as in the Faculty of Dentistry. The two consecutive events created fear and anxiety for the students, faculty, and administrators of the University. The incident left 17 students and 1 professor severely injured. As a result, the incident disturbed most of the classes, and led to the cancellation of all the classes in the morning. Classes in the afternoon resumed but fear was still felt by the students and the faculty. In order to address and prevent the terrifying incident, the University had already called the attention of the government. Although the University of Zulia is known for its autonomy from the government, Rose Nava, a Vicerrectora Academic, stated Article 7 of the University law which stipulates that in times of grave danger, the police must be called. The said incident was believed to be caused by the clash of candidates for the election of the Confederacy of Universities (FCU). Although no parties are admitting the violent act, candidates have spoken to their co-students to stop the violence and resort to proper and legal means for their concerns. Luiggi Nery, a candidate of the Initiative 13, said, â€Å"We should avoid the registration of destructive actions. † Jose Vine, also a student leader, stated that anything that results in human losses or action that leads to violence must be stopped. Title: Behind Closed Doors They Sign the Collective contract of Sidor Author: Henry Parada Lopez Published: 05 -13-2008 Tuesday From: Nuevaprensa. com (http://www. nuevaprensa. com. ve/index. php? option=com_contenttask=viewid=10060Itemid=2) The article narrates the recent event that involved the Government of Venezuela and Sutiss, a steel producing company. The government and Sutiss both signed a contract for the creation of another corporation which will bear the name â€Å"Iron Steel Works of Venezuela. † The mission of this new corporation is to enhance the steel and iron products as well as develop the technologies to create quality products. The contract signing was supposed to be conducted in public, but the higher ups changed their plan, as sudden actions against constructing the corporation created worries. Thus, rather than having the Guyanese Region present, the workers were the only audience in the contract signing. Instead of conducting a collective signing, President Hugo Chavez was given a tour of the corporation. The President truly believes that the promotion of mining and enhancement of steel and iron production would truly enhance the economy of Venezuela. President Hugo Chavez, a known socialist, said â€Å"We are going to create this corporation to order all the system of production of our steel, since the mines where the mineral of the iron is produced. † The President also said that capitalism is not good for a state and in order to stop that, â€Å"one must continue dominating spaces inside the country. † Though there lots of negative comments towards the corporation, President Hugo Chavez is positive towards the outcome of this corporation, not only economically but socially. In achieving success, the President called for action towards unity and cooperation. He encouraged the working class, students, peasants and the National Armed Forces to be matured and to leave each others differences for their own success. Title: Politics and Sex Should Be in the Same Scale Author: Charlie Garcia Published: 05-12 -2008 Monday From: CadenaGlobal. com (http://www. cadenaglobal. com/Noticias/? Not=174607) The column was about a question raised by a reader in which she asked the rights of women and how is it addressed by the government. As the writer discussed, we are currently in the modern times wherein women could easily relate to love and sex. Due to this, there is a need for the government to open up this topic and create official political documents addressing such issue. The writer stated that in the past, sex is not something that the international community is paying attention to as it is viewed as only an external factor. However, because of the emergence of globalization and strengthened Western relations, the ways on how the issues of sex are viewed have changed. Although openness in terms of sex can be observed in many societies, there are still countries that are not open to changes. In Afghanistan and Iraq—countries currently occupied by the United States—women are killed or given death threats if they hold any government positions. In Venezuela, the government has very well reflected the current female rights but it is not enough to address the problem of the rights of women. As the writer put it, the â€Å"the government at times find the theme of the female human rights too problematic to discuss in detail or they see it with little interest†. In the international community, there are evident examples of discrimination of women. These include the little reference on the female rights against domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and forced marriages, among others. There are no sanctions against countries that have a high percentage of human rights, specifically for women. Commentary: I often heard of the country Venezuela through international pageants, newspapers, television and the internet. As I have known, it is filled with interesting tourist spots due to its location and rich culture. However, as I was browsing the internet trying to find news that seemed interesting to me, I learned more about the country Venezuela. It is not simply a country with a lot of tourist destinations; it is a country filled with issues and concerns, just like others countries of today. As a developing country, Venezuela has a lot of concerns to address and one of them is the strict competition when it comes to elections. Just like in any country or culture, a person or organization that strongly feels about their advocacy would result in violence if he or she does not see that their goals are attained. I do believe that the launch of the tear gas canisters which led to violence was caused by their strong belief or was a form of protest. Although it is not a terrorist attack, it still brought fear to the University. The second article that I chose discussed about a contract that supposedly signed by President Hugo Chavez and Sutiss. I find the news intriguing, because the reason behind the sudden closed door the contract signing was not publicized. There are a lot of speculations that came into my mind, including corruption and conspiracy. The news was interesting but I suddenly questioned the real intentions of the government and the Sutiss in cooperating to establish a new company. The last topic was about sexuality and the current actions of the government towards creating female human rights. This story really piqued my interest because it focused on the reality of what really is happening in terms of the rights of women. The statement given by the writer, for instance, drew my attention. The creation of and addressing the human rights of women is very complicated to discuss as it may require recreating the laws of the land to fit the rights to be granted for women. It is evident that even in the modern world, women are still limited due to the restrictions made by the society and the government. Although there are plans made for the women to have determined and precise laws applicable to them, there are no direct actions made by the government to present their real interest to create equality between men and women. All the news articles made me realize that every country has its own issues that need to be solved. Further studies on Venezuela would reveal the roles of culture, society, and history in the issues that this country is currently facing. The hunger for power, development, and equality are the major struggles seen in these articles. Each of these presents the different sides of Venezuela which I have never seen before. There is a huge difference between life in Venezuela and the lifestyle of United States. In Venezuela, I believe that poverty is definitely hard to eradicate due to lack of education and opportunities for the people. On the other hand, development and progress is also a challenge to achieve. This is evident in the lines uttered by President Hugo Chavez in which he encouraged and called for all the citizens to unify and cooperate in achieving success and development. Although there are many struggles in attaining these goals, hope is still exhibited by the President which shows his passion and desire to create a successful Venezuela. Works Cited Garcia, Charlie. Politica y sexo deberian estar en la misma balanza. Cadena Global. Cadenaglobal. com. 12 May 2008. 14 May 2008 http://www. cadenaglobal. com/Noticias/? Not=174607

NASA is a Waste of Money :: Politics Government

Were you aware that the budget for space exploration extends well over thirty-two billion dollars? People are dying of hunger overseas, not even wealthy enough to feed their own families, and NASA is spending twenty billion dollars to put a man on the moon! What did we learn on the moon, how can this endeavor help mankind? Nothing, and it can't! Some people declare that space exploration is man's greatest enterprise into the unknown. Space exploration is no great endeavor, it is in fact man's greatest waste of money and time that could be better spent elsewhere. Did you know that NASA spends up to fifteen point forty seven billion dollars per space mission? The Space Review is a pretty reputable site for science related news, one account stated that, ?No firm cost estimates?. cost of Mars expedition estimated at nearly one trillion dollars?. That is a great deal of money that could easily pay for multiple operations all over America, and other places too. A spacecraft en-route to Mars exploded in nineteen sixty-nine by USSR technicians. These failures are taking big chunks out of NASA?s (over-sized) budget, much of which is being funded toward more inevitable failures. They say that you learn from your mistakes, but those mistakes can lead to some way bigger problems. These expeditions are taking too much time as it is. It took us four years just to take pictures of the surface of Mars. I saw these pictures, and I must say, I have seen better views of Mars taken through a telescope. This is too much time taken just to get some bad pictures of a planet that, sources suggest, has long been dead. Half of NASA?s rovers haven?t even got to the planet, even less have ever even sent any data back to Earth. Numerous satellites, spacecrafts, and rovers are endlessly exploding, getting lost in space, and so on. Until we can send things into space with a one hundred percent chance of success, we shouldn?t send any up period. All this money that NASA is spending on failed missions could save countless lives, multiple times over. As mentioned previously, people are dying overseas: starving, dying of dehydration, perishing ever so slowly. Their lives gradually wasting away to nothing, while some people are using the money that could be used to send them food and medicine, in order to send big hunks of metal into space which, as they say, is a whole bunch of nothing! I will admit that money isn?

Censorship and Rebellion Essay

The square in China was a act of rebellion because the citizens stood up against Cherman Mao. Tone has to do with auditory (what you hear). Tone in writing represents things you hear from the author’s writing. In Fahrenheit Four Hundred Fifty One Bradbury uses tone to show rebellion. Rebellion can be described as defiance of anything authority, control, or tradition. In this case Montag plans to rebel against control. Bradbury uses tone to characterize Faber and Montag’s rebellion as futile because Faber does not want to help Montag with his plan. Ray Bradbury uses tone to explain how Montag’s plan becomes useless because Faber does not believe in his plan. Montag went to Faber’s house to tell him about how they should rebel against burning books â€Å"Mr. Montag, you are looking at a coward. I saw the way things were going, a long time back. I said nothing. I’m one of the innocents who could have spoken up and out when no one would listen to the ‘guilty,’ but I did not speak and thus became guilty myself. And when finally they set the structure to burn the books, using the firemen, I grunted a few times and subsided, for by them. Now it’s too late†, the tone sounds as if Faber does not believe that Montag’s plan becomes useless because the citizens in their world are accustom to not having books and not speaking up for what is right. Bradbury uses tone to display how Montag’s rebellion becomes useless because he has no one who will rebel with him. This tone happens when Montag tries to tell Faber his plan. â€Å"Not if you start talking the sort of talk that might get me burnt for my trouble. The only way I could possibly listen to you would be is somehow the fireman structure itself could be burnt. Now if you suggest that we print extra books and arrange to have them hidden in firemen’s houses all over the country, so that seeds of suspicion would be sown among these arsonists, bravo I’d say! † (pg. 81) When Bradbury writes â€Å"Burnt for my trouble†, the tone sounds like Faber was not willing to risk his life for the rebellion against books being destroyed. Ray Bradbury uses tone to point out how Montag’s rebellion will be futile because who he came to for help (Faber) does not even want to help him; he just points out the negative things of rebelling. This tone happens when Montag was telling Faber, the people that might be able to help. † Can’t trust people, that’s the dirty part you and I and who else will set the fires? †(pg. 83) When Bradbury writes â€Å"Can’t trust people†, the tone sounds like Faber believes citizens not being able to be trusted revels that the rebellion will be unsuccessful and should not be done. Ray Bradbury uses tone to show how Faber believes the rebellion will have an unsuccessful ending. In his writing he demonstrates how Faber states things that make Montag’s rebellion very useless. He also shows how Faber shows unwillingness to risk his life just to save books and the idea in books. Also how Faber feels it is too late to try to change the burning of the books. Bradbury writes about rebellion because he does not believe in banning books and believes that people should be aware of all aspects of life. Meaning he revels through his character’s development that the world he lives in needs transformation.

Salvia Divinorum

Salvia Divinorum is a hallucinogenic Mexican herb known as â€Å"diviner’s mint† in the US and is typically a natural substance that has the ability to cause intense hallucinations â€Å"out of body† experiences, and a short-term memory loss. Although this substance is legal in the United States despite of the herb’s hallucinogenic properties, this stuff is generally not considered as therapeutic despite of the notion that it was also used for curing by the Mazatic, and is more likely to be use as recreational drugs by adolescents because of mind altering properties of this substance. Because of these properties, Salvia Divinorum should be classified as a potential source of restricted drugs along with Marijuana or the Cannabis sativa and products derived from this herb should be considered as restricted drugs. A mysterious plant that is both puzzling and perplexing, this herb was described botanically by Carl Epling and Carlos D. Jativa in 1962 through the help of two Americans, Albert Hofman a chemist, and Gordon Wasson, an ethno mycologist investigating Mazatic rituals (Clebsh & Barner p. 06). Growing only in the territory lived in by the Mazatic Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico; the Maztic Indians use this plant along with other ingredients for their hallucinogenic properties â€Å"in divinatory rituals† (p. 106). According to Clebsch and Barner, It was reported that if this salvia was ingested â€Å"it would produce an illusory experience† (p. 106). Apparently, this stuff when ingested produces strange feelings that could be similar to the effects of p articular drugs such as Marijuana and other prohibited drugs. Daniel J. Siebert pointed out that the effect of taking Salvinorin A(an encapsulated product from salvia divinorum), includes seeing visions of people, objects, and places, and with doses above one mg user will experience out body experiences and may get up or move around with no clear awareness of their actions or behavior (p. 55). Furthermore, during the most intense phase of the experience, Siebert noted that user of this substance speak nonsense and even laugh hysterically. Siebert summarized the feelings experiences that could be had by any taking substance derived from salvia divinorum as follows: User sees objects such as yellow plaid French fries, a drawer and even ferries wheel; a visions of various dimensional objects; body loss and even identity; uncontrollable hysterical laughter; and different feelings of motion, or being twisted or pulled by forces of some kind (p. 55). From this feelings and experiences resulting from the use of salvia divinorum there is a considerable evidence that this substance could produce drugs that with effect similar or might even harmful than the effect of marijuana. The irony is that this drug is not restricted in the United States thus companies promoting drugs derived from this herb are free to promote these types of substances on the internet sites targeting younger adults and adolescents. According to information released by DEA, Drug Diversion Program entitled â€Å"Drugs of Chemical Concern: Salvia Divinorum† this substance is being smoked and its effect are described by users similar to other restricted drugs (WWW. Streetdrugs. org). Based on new pharmacological findings and the description of users of this substance, salvia divinorum should be classified as potential source of restricted drugs and that government authorities should closely monitor and act decisively against the liberal use of this substance. Just like other restricted substance that causes potential harm to the user when taken liberally, this substance are prone to abuse and may also cause potential harm to the users. While, there seems to be no clear physical benefit on the use of this stuff aside from the notion of relaxation, the abnormal behavior of the person when at the peak of experience of this drugs, is a clear indication of the potential harm this substance may cause on the users. Work Cited Clebsch, Betsy & Barner, Carol D. The New Books of Salvias USA: Timber Press, 2003 â€Å"Salvia Divinorum† WWW. Streetdrugs.org http://www.streetdrugs.org/salvia2.htm Siebert, Daniel Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A: new pharmacological findings Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd., 1994 http://www.sagewisdom.org/siebertjep94.pdf

Psychology And Music Violence Essays - Rape, Violence Against Women

Psychology And Music Violence Essays - Rape, Violence Against Women Psychology And Music Violence The Effects of Violent Music Content on Teenagers Throughout history the human populous has been attracted to music. Whether it be part of a ritual, an emotional release, religious reasons, or just for listening pleasure music has been at the center of our society. We have used music to express ourselves, tell stories, and let others into our thoughts. However, we often wonder whether what we are saying has an effect on the listening audience. Recently, in the 1990's references have often been made to link violent and deviant behavior to music and certain music genres. Some such genres include but are not limited to; heavy metal, rock, death metal, rap, gansta rap, industrial, hardcore, and alternative music. During the last decade we have seen music lyrics become more and more violent and sexually explicit. Experts argue that this can cause problems in children and adolescents. Studies show that the average teenager listens to approximately 40 hours of music in a given week. One is to assume that somewhere in the mix a child is going to hear something derogatory or objectionable, as it has become the norm in todays society. In most music today especially rap and heavy metal most of the lyrics contain references to violence, sex, and/or drugs. While many argue that this is dangerous for children to hear we know that a modern day teenager often faces violence, drugs, suicide, pregnancy, and other aspects of this music. While we find that lyrics may be dangerous to a child we must ask ourselves whether the child fully understands and comprehends what the artist is saying. Teenagers often do not understand what is being said, in fact in one study only 30 percent of those questioned knew the lyrics to their favorite songs and they all had varied comprehension as to what the message was. It could be argued that if the lyrics were not included in the artists booklet then the audience would never know what was being said. Some lyrics are indeed harsh such as this Nine Inch Nails lyric: I am a big man yes I am; and I have a big gun; got me a big ole *censored* and I like to have fun; held against your forehead I'll make you suck; you know, just for the *censored* of it. Obviously we cannot interpret this as a positive meaning. A sampling of lyrics from Marilyn Manson include Who says date rape isn't fun, ...the housewife I will beat.., and I slit my teenage wrist, among others. Manson concerts are often grounds to bash religion and rip bibles while fan chant we hate love, we love hate. Other songs that have overtones of violence include slap-a-ho by Dove Shack and another song sung by death metal band Cannibal Corpse in which they make reference to masturbating with a dead womans head. Avid music lovers attest that they words sung in these songs are just words and or no different that poetry printed in literature books. No studies to date have concluded that listening to a song that speaks of death will make a teenager want to go out and kill. Do these kinds of lyrics breed todays children to be killers and to be sexually promiscuous? Yes, and no, depending on who you speak to. Listening to music does not drive people to kill, and no proof of such has been offered. In fact, one teacher speaks of a student who wore a Metallica shirt everyday to school and wrote lyrics with foul language, but was often seen sitting in the front row at Sunday mass with his mother in a nice suit. The same people who go out to see Black Sabbath and Motley Crue are the same people who handle world finance and international affairs, it is just their choice in music. Studies that use music videos on the other hand show an increased tolerance in deviant behavior among both males and females. Music videos add reinforcement to what is being heard with the use of visuals. Now an extra sense is being used. Videos often exhibit sexual innuendo, acts of aggression, and gender stereotypes. Studies showed that men have a tolerable attitude as to what is violent and what is too far in sexual advances. Women have less of a tolerance. Studies have also found that heavy metal music and gansta rap influence mens attitudes towards women and that increased exposure to videos containing interpersonal violence against women tended to increase men's acceptance of rape myths such as she was dressing like she wanted it or she brought it on herself. In contrast, women's beliefs

Abstruse vs. Obtuse

Abstruse vs. Obtuse Abstruse vs. Obtuse Abstruse vs. Obtuse By Maeve Maddox What’s the difference between abstruse and obtuse? Both are adjectives. Abstruse comes from a Latin word meaning â€Å"concealed, hidden, secret.† In English it means â€Å"difficult to understand.† Remarking on complaints about the apparent meaninglessness of literary prizes, Jennifer Szalai writes, Prizes are awarded to tepid, undemanding best sellers everyone reads; prizes are awarded to obscure, abstruse books no one reads. The NY Times publishes an annual list of â€Å"abstruse words.† The list is compiled from the number of times readers click on a word in order to see a linked definition. Some examples of these â€Å"abstruse† words: antediluvian, peroration, and shibboleth. Obtuse comes from a Latin word meaning â€Å"blunt, dull, stupid.† â€Å"Obtuse angles† in geometry are not stupid; they are blunt. An angle â€Å"greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees† is an obtuse angle. When botanists and zoologists say that something is obtuse, they mean that it is not sharp or pointed. For example, larch trees have cones that are about one inch long and obtuse at their points, i.e., blunt, not pointed, When applied to a person, obtuse means stupid, lacking in perception or understanding. In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, Andy uses the word in reference to the prison warden: Andy: How can you be so obtuse? Warden Norton: What? What did you call me? Andy: Obtuse. Is it deliberate? Sometimes people use obtuse when they mean abstruse. Here are some examples of misuse on a web page that seems to be offering them as examples of correct usage: They provide a very powerful, but also rather obtuse, set of tools for finding particular words or combinations of characters in strings. Obtuse language in such documents actually means? Obtuse lyrics and intricate symbolism. I suppose the writers of these examples could be calling the tools, language, and lyrics stupid, but I think it more likely that the powerful tools present a steep learning curve. If the language in the document leaves the person wondering about its meaning, then the language is difficult to understand. Finally, since the lyrics are being linked with symbolism, the word wanted is probably abstruse. An individual who is obtuse cannot understand. A book or explanation that is abstruse cannot be easily understood. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†How to Write a Proposal

One critiquing about operation managements as Tohoku issue I can the Coursework

One critiquing about operation managements as Tohoku issue I can the full project but I only these parts which are Sony, Power, and Ports and FedEx papers provided - Coursework Example The executive marshalled it human resources, corporate philanthropy and communications departments to focus on rescuing stranded employees. On early March 12, chartered helicopters were used to deliver water food and other necessities to the marooned workers. Over the next few days, all were rescued as the water levels receded. Sony also assisted to provide new temporary housing to employees whose homes were wrecked by the earthquake. Going forward, Sony should apply the gained insights and lessons learned from the Japan Earthquake to further strengthen its systems for response towards disasters and to ensure security and safety of its employees (Ranghieri and Mikio 39). Sony began to assist employees that sought to take part in volunteer activities. The strategy should have been a long established program at disaster prone sites aimed at meeting the needs of the communities in the would-be affected areas. At the end of May 11, Sony had managed to resume its normal operations at all sites despite having had to halt operations at ten production sites damaged or affected as a result of the disaster. Sony enforced temporary manufacturing adjustments at several of its manufacturing sites unaffected by the disaster. The changes were meant to cushion the company from the shortage of raw materials and its components. Immediately after the earthquake, there were many nuclear power plants that were closed to prevent larger miseries like tsunami that formed. As a further result of this occurrence, Japan had to put eventually restrictions on the power consumption of the people of Japan. In response to electric power use restrictions as a result of inadequate power supply in areas served by Tokyo Electric Power Co., as in the case of Sony, many companies enforced steps to lessen energy consumption (Lochbaum 42). The night shifts, daylight savings times, rotating facility closures, installation of energy-efficient lighting equipment