Description of the Alamo essays

Description of the Alamo essays The Alamo, one of America's most famous landmarks, was actually a mission to convert foreigners into Christians. The Spaniards built it and called it San Antonio de Valero. It was constructed in the northeast part of Mexico called Texas. The mission began to be called the Alamo mission because in Spanish, Alamo means popular. After about seventy-five years, the mission was abandoned and parts of it crumbled into ruins. In 1821 Mexico won its freedom from Spain and they were now able to vote for leaders as the Americans could. Also, in 1821 an American lawyer named Stephen Austin moved to Texas. Mr. Austin believed that if enough farmers settled the land it could become very prosperous. The settlers agreed to be good citizens and good farmers. They also agreed to build towns and schools and make Texas a safe place to live. The Mexican government liked the idea of the Americans taming the wild, barren land. After all, no one else wanted to even try. In 1824 Mexico adopted a constitution much like the American constitution. This Mexican constitution promised that when Texas got to the point that when there were enough people living there, it would be a separate state with its own capital and government. Later politicians and military leaders began fighting over who should run the government, and the constitution was soon ignored. Leaders, one after the other, came into power. The amount of Americans living in Mexico was rapidly multiplying. Mexico began to worry, especially when America offered to buy Texas from them. The Mexican government passed a law forbidding any more Americans to live in Mexico. Shortly afterwards an extremely powerful military leader named Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna seized leadership of the Mexican government. Santa Anna strongly opposed the Mexican constitution and threw it out. He decided that the people could not and would not elect their leaders any more. Steph...

Sweet Sixteen essays

Sweet Sixteen essays Sweet Sixteen Directed by Ken Loach There is a strong sense of documentary about Sweet Sixteen. You cant help feeling that what youre watching being played out on screen is simultaneously being played out on thousands of council estates throughout the country. The films director Ken Loach has provided a forum for the issues of social and economic poverty before. His approach in this film is neither ground-breaking nor innovative, but what he does achieve in Sweet Sixteen is something far greater. He actually makes us care. Many, indeed most, may be bored with the issue but the characters surpass the cliche and hold the attention of the audience. They are the everyday Joes of societies underclass, as recognisable off screen as on. Fortunately, however, they exist not just as symbolic but as well-rounded 3-dimensional characters. Society may well have created thousands upon thousands of Liams but we want this one to be different. The dreary urbanised setting of a Scottish council estate and the indistinguishable Greenock brogue serve to localise concepts that are essentially universal. The perpetuation of the social cycle is at the heart of the underlying social commentary we have come to expect from Loach. Remaining true to the form of his previous films Loach with his screenwriter Paul Laverty confront the issue at hand with a gritty realism, void of the patronising sympathies that often come hand in hand with a film of this nature. A great strength in Sweet Sixteen is the performance of non-actor Martin Compston as Liam. Compston shows great promise as the films pathetic hero, capturing with great sensitivity the intelligence and affection which endear us to the otherwise hopeless character. The continual frustration of Liams dreams is at times heart-rendering. Liam turns to crime becau...

Customary law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Customary law - Essay Example This essay discusses that customary laws still reside the basis of new laws in modern societies. For instance in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries custom laws takes the form of common law. Modern legal issues such as the application of commerce laws to the internet in the 1990s, started as customary laws. For custom laws to be applied in the international law it needs to have met three conditions. One it should have widespread recurrence in that many states need to be applying that law in their countries. Secondly, each nation should have a sense of obligation to have the set standard and in enforcing the laws. Third the laws should bring about little dispute among the states internationally to be able to be applied. Customary legal systems tend to the following basic principle in their application. One there should be a strong concern for individual rights. Two; laws enforced by victims backed by reciprocal agreements. Thirdly, standard adjudication procedures mu st be observed to avoid violence. Four offences treated as torts punishable through economic restitution, five legal changes by means of an evolutionary process of developing customs and norms. Cultural law can be seen to have some advantages for the following reasons. They are flexible and easy to implement to suit the situation at hand. Because most of the customary laws are from the peoples who believe they are normally are easily changed and accepted. The peoples and the community’s cultures are given some sense of recognition by these customary laws hence making them easily acceptable to many people in the world. It also gives assurances to the minorities in the world that their way of life is given some preference in the application of law universally3. Through the application of customary laws, it gives the people a sense of belonging and recognition in the application of the laws. Most customary laws have undergone changes in their content, interpretation, and enforce ment. While changing, they can also stagnate if amid their evolution, the people give them a rigid interpretation especially if the customs continue when their social base has changed. A community may justify their continuance or avoidance by stating that its forefathers have ordained them. The customary laws change also when they are codified particularly when the formal system that has a written document as its base recognizes them. Discussion Presently, in a majority of cases, where customary law conflicts with domestic law the latter prevails, the exception being where a national law can be shown to conflict with constitutionally recognized customary rights. In such cases, the aggrieved party will still need the authorities to amend the offending legislation, and to take such remedial measures as may be required to redress any wrong, which has occurred. In some cases, there may be little hope of redress where irreversible exploitation of resources has occurred. Where no constitu tional protection exists, communities will forever be dependent upon the goodwill of the national authorities, as legislative action can at any time result in the abrogation of ancestral rights. Customary law and practice may be undermined by adoption of culturally insensitive national laws. Similarly, traditional authority is being eroded as those unhappy with their decisions seek

Nuclear Accedents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nuclear Accedents - Essay Example Nuclear Fission. Nuclear fission is described as the process of splitting a heavy atom into two or more lighter atoms by bombarding the heavy atom with a slow moving neutron. As the heavy atom splits, a large amount of energy is released. In addition, a number of neutrons are released which in turn splits other heavy atoms. This creates a chain reaction that releases the energy required to generate electricity in nuclear power plants (Washington State Department of Health 2003). As shown in Figure 1, a slow moving neutron hits a heavy atom, in this case Uranium-235 and splits it into two lighter atoms, Krypton-92 and Barium-141, and 3 neutrons. Figure 1. Nuclear fission (FastFission 2010b). In Figure 2, the three neutrons either: (1) gets absorbed by Uranium-238 and does not split the atom; (2) does not hit any other atom, which stops the reaction; or (3) hits another Uranium-235 atom and causes it to split, replicating the previous process. This continuous process of splitting atoms is called a nuclear fission chain reaction. Breeze (2005) described the energy produced as enormous. Theoretically, one kilogram of naturally-occurring Uranium can produce about 140 GWh of energy, which is equivalent to the power output of a 1000 MWh coal-fired power plant operating at full power for approximately 6 days. Figure 2. Fission chain reaction (FastFission 2010). Nuclear Power Plants. To generate electrical power, nuclear fission is harnessed in a way that a controlled nuclear reaction can take place and continue indefinitely. In a nuclear reactor, fission is controlled by the use of boron rods which absorb the neutrons generated, stopping the chain reaction from proceeding. Another crucial component in nuclear reactors is the presence of a moderator, usually in the form of water or graphite. Water slows the neutrons down, making fission possible. Otherwise, fast moving neutrons cannot initiate a fission reaction (Breeze 2005). Figure 3. A typical pressurized water react or setup (United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2007) Figure 3 illustrates how a nuclear power plant works. As Uranium undergoes fission, an enormous amount of energy is generated. This energy is released in the form of heat which raises the temperature of the water inside the reactor. As the water heats up, it is pumped through pipes and flows into a steam generator. As the pipes get in contact with the colder water stored in the steam generator, steam is produced. The steam then drives the turbines connected to the generators, producing electricity. The hot water from the reactor does not come in contact with the water in the steam generator since the hot water is separated by the pipes. This eliminates the risk of radioactive materials going outside the reactor (Breeze 2005). NRX accident in Canada. The NRX reactor was created to demonstrate the use of heavy water or D2O as a moderator for nuclear reactors and served as the forerunner of the Canada Deuterium Uranium or CAND U reactor. It was constructed in Canada during in 1947. The NRX reactors utilized uranium fuel rods contained in a pressure tube cooled by light water flowing between the rods and the pressure tube wall. Meanwhile, heavy water is utilized as the moderator flowing between pressure tubes (Martin 2006). Figure

Actions Speak Louder Than Words Essay Example for Free

Actions Speak Louder Than Words Essay A gossip between a passenger and Software Engineer in Shatabdi Train ..An interesting and a must read! Actions may not actually speak louder than words but they do prove things better. Like the saying, A picture is worth a thousand words. an action shows that someone is genuine. Someone may say that they will help the hungry people of the world, but when they actually get out there and feed them, we believe it. Here is an example: If you say you are going to donate a million dollars to a school then that is all good and well, but if you actually do it (the action) then it will make much more of an impact that just saying it. Basically it means that you have to walk the walk not just talk the talk. Vivek Pradhan was not a happy man.. Even the plush comfort of the air-conditioned compartment of the Shatabdi express could not cool his frayed nerves. He was the Project Manager and still not entitled to air travel. It was not the prestige he sought, he had tried to reason with the admin person, it was the savings in time. As PM, he had so many things to do!! He opened his case and took out the laptop, determined to put the time to some good use. Are you from the software industry sir? the man beside him was staring appreciatively at the laptop. Vivek glanced briefly and mumbled in affirmation, handling the laptop now with exaggerated care and importance as if it were an expensive car. You people have brought so much advancement to the country, Sir. Today everything is getting computerized. Thanks, smiled Vivek, turning around to give the man a look. He always found it difficult to resist appreciation. The man was young and stockily built like a sportsman.. He looked simple and strangely out of place in that little lap of luxury like a small town boy in a prep school. He probably was a railway sportsman making the most of his free traveling pass. You people always amaze me, the man continued, You sit in an office and write something on a computer and it does so many big things outside. Vivek smiled deprecatingly. Naiveness demanded reasoning not anger. It is not as simple as that my friend. It is not just a question of writing a few lines. There is a lot of process that goes behind it. For a moment, he was tempted to explain the entire Software Development Lifecycle but restrained himself to a single statement. It is complex, very complex. It has to be. No wonder you people are so highly paid, came the reply. This was not turning out as Vivek had thought. A hint of belligerence crept into his so far affable, persuasive tone. Everyone just sees the money. No one sees the amount of hard work we have to put in. Indians have such a narrow concept of hard work. Just because we sit in an air-conditioned office, does not mean our brows do not sweat. You exercise the muscle; we exercise the mind and believe me that is no less taxing. He could see, he had the man where he wanted, and it was time to drive home the point. Let me give you an example. Take this train. The entire railway reservation system is computerized. You can book a train ticket between any two stations from any of the hundreds of computerized booking centers across the country. Thousands of transactions accessing a single database, at a time concurrently; data integrity, locking, data security. Do you understand the complexity in designing and coding such a system? The man was awestruck; quite like a child at a planetarium. This was something big and beyond his imagination. You design and code such things? I used to, Vivek paused for effect, but now I am the Project Manager. Oh! sighed the man, as if the storm had passed over, so your life is easy now. This was like the last straw for Vivek. He retorted, Oh come on, does life ever get easy as you go up the ladder. Responsibility only brings more work. Design and coding! That is the easier part. Now I do not do it, but I am responsible for it and believe me, that is far more stressful. My job is to get the work done in time and with the highest quality. To tell you about the pressures, there is the customer at one end, always changing his requirements, the user at the other, wanting something else, and your boss, always expecting you to have finished it yesterday. Vivek paused in his diatribe, his belligerence fading with self-realization. What he had said, was not merely the outburst of a wronged man, it was the truth. And one need not get angry while defending the truth. My friend, he concluded triumphantly, you dont know what it is to be in the Line of Fire. The man sat back in his chair, his eyes closed as if in realization. When he spoke after sometime, it was with a calm certainty that surprised Vivek. I know sir,.. I know what it is to be in the Line of Fire He was staring blankly, as if no passenger, no train existed, just a vast expanse of time. There were 30 of us when we were ordered to capture Point 4875 in the cover of the night. The enemy was firing from the top. There was no knowing where the next bullet was going to come from and for whom. In the morning when we finally hoisted the tri-colour at the top only 4 of us were alive. You are a? I am Subedar Sushant from the 13 JK Rifles on duty at Peak 4875 in Kargil. They tell me I have completed my term and can opt for a soft assignment. But, tell me sir, can one give up duty just because it makes life easier? On the dawn of that capture, one of my colleagues lay injured in the snow, open to enemy fire while we were hiding behind a bunker. It was my job to go and fetch that soldier to safety. But my captain sahib refused me permission and went ahead himself. He said that the first pledge he had taken as a Gentleman Cadet was to put the safety and welfare of the nation foremost followed by the safety and welfare of the men he commanded .his own personal safety came last, always and every time. He was killed as he shielded and brought that injured soldier into the bunker.. Every morning thereafter, as we stood guard, I could see him taking all those bullets, which were actually meant for me . I know sir.I know, what it is to be in the Line of Fire. Vivek looked at him in disbelief not sure of how to respond. Abruptly, he switched off the laptop. It seemed trivial, even insulting to edit a Word document in the presence of a man for whom valour and duty was a daily part of life; valour and sense of duty which he had so far attributed only to epical heroes. The train slowed down as it pulled into the station, and Subedar Sushant picked up his bags to alight. It was nice meeting you sir. Vivek fumbled with the handshake. This hand had climbed mountains, pressed the trigger, and hoisted the tri-colour. Suddenly, as if by impulse, he stood up at attention and his right hand went up in an impromptu salute. It was the least he felt he could do for the country. PS: The incident he narrated during the capture of Peak 4875 is a true-life incident during the Kargil war. Capt. Batra sacrificed his life while trying to save one of the men he commanded, as victory was within sight. For this and various other acts of bravery, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the nations highest military award. Live humbly, there are great people around us, let us learn! BE POLITE EVERYONE U MEET IS FIGHTING A HARD BATTLE!

In some poems the poets write about their feelings towards people. :: English Literature

In some poems the poets write about their feelings towards people. Compare 3 poems in this collection: the Laboratory, Havisham and My last Duchess The poems ‘The Laboratory’ by Robert Browning, ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning and ‘Havisham’ by Carol Ann Duffy all write about their feelings towards the characters in their poems. The laboratory is about a lady making poison to kill the man she loves ladies that he has chosen over her. In My Last Duchess it is about a man talking about his last duchess and what she did wrong and that the end result was murder. Havisham is about a lady who has gone mad over a love she once had who she was engaged to but at the last moment broke off their wedding and she never moves on from that day. In the poem ‘The Laboratory’ by Robert Browning the persona of the poem shows that she is very bitter towards her love as she wants him all to herself and not have to share him with others. She wants revenge on the times that she has missed out on without him and also for the times when ‘they believe my tears flow’ (Line 6+7) when this is untrue. She has worked out a way to get her revenge by making a poison that they will en joy even though it is going to kill the person who drinks it. In ‘Havisham’ by Carol Ann Duffy the persona of the poem who is Miss Havisham is filled with bitterness like the lady in the Laboratory. Miss Havisham bitterness is aimed at her fiancà © who left her on her wedding day and for this she never changes out of her wedding dress. This bitterness is not only aimed at her once fiancà © but to all men because she believes that they are all the same. In ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning it is not the lady that is

In this paper, we evaluate a set of three medical

In this paper, we evaluate a set of three medical related websites namely www.nln.org for the National league of Nursing, www.nursingworld.org for the American Nursing Association, www.ama-assn.org for the American Medical Association and the https://www.ncsbn.org/index.htm for the National Council for State boards in Nursing. We also evaluate an Archives resource site namely https://www.congress.gov// or the Thomas, the website of the Library of Congress of the United States of America.Prior to presenting the evaluation we briefly describe each website: the purpose of these sites and their current set-up. We then go into the evaluation proper where we analyze the overall content, style and functionality of each site. In the overall content of the websites the quality of the information being presented and the comprehensiveness of the information is assessed.Moreover, how current the information located in the websites and where they were derived or from what authority this informati on was derived is also assessed. Lastly, in evaluating the style and functionality of the sites we take into consideration the layout or the manner content is presented within the sites, ease in navigating the sites, its compatibility with respect to various browsers, information space with respect to advertising pages, and the speed upon which it is accessed through the internet.The first of the sites to be evaluated is www.nursingworld.org, the official website of the American Nursing Association (ANA). Briefly, ‘ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.9 million registered nurses (RNs) (About the American Nurses association,  that advances nursing through imbibing high standards, promoting the economic welfare in their workplace and by proactively lobbying governmental agencies on issues affecting them.For the overall content, the website contains comprehensive and relevant information supportive of the purpose of ANA mentioned pr eviously. The site has sections on information and services, newsroom and nursing issues/programs that sustain continuous support for promoting high standards in the nursing practice. It also has a section for showing their advocacies and initiatives for nurses’ general welfare, with sub-sections directing users to view publications relevant to nurses in the United States.As for the currency of the documents, the documents are up to date with uploaded documents as latest as January 11, 2007 (‘Press releases from the American Nurses Association†, http://www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/). As for the authority of the documents published, the documents that are published have their corresponding sources accompanying them. All these information are presented in a notably clear and concise fashion.For the style and functionality of the website, the overall layout is easily understandable. The site can be easily navigated and the information is clearly sorted out for easy access, even though the site carries a lot of information it is surprisingly accessible. On the other hand, the address of the site (www.nursingworld.org) is a bit misleading if you were to guess what would be the site of ANA and a name as www.ana.org or www.americannursingassociation.org may have been the better URL.The use of images instead of flash movies may have the decreased the site’s overall aesthetic impact to the user but without the use of flash movies, the site can then be easily accessible from any computer with varying internet speed with information prompting fast. Lastly for the evaluation of the www.nursingworld.org, the information relative to the advertisements, they are separated clearly in order to reduce the clutter and make browsing easier.The second site is www.ama-assn.org or the American Medical Association (AMA). AMA ‘helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issue s’ (‘The AMA mission’, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1815.html). Although it is similar to the initiatives and programs of ANA, AMA has a wider market as it focuses on the entire medical profession.For the overall content of the site, it has similarities as that of the ANA site, with additions of ‘professional resources section’ for medical practitioners and ‘med school ; residency site‘ for medical students. Most of the information is up to date except for the annual report is only has the 2005 annual report. In addition, the site’s information is taken from credible sources, which are also accessible in the site.As for the overall layout of the site, the vast information is batched together in a clear and easily understandable manner such that users can browse through the site easily. The site utilizes flash movies that make the site more appealing and further imbibes to the users the vision and mission of AMA. Apart f rom what was mentioned above, there are however no significant or innovative means of presenting data seen from the ANA and the AMA site.The third website is www.nln.org which is the site for the National League for Nursing (NLN). The purpose of NLN is similar to that of ANA but is slightly varied. According to its purpose (http://www.nln.org/aboutnln/ourmission.htm), the NLN ‘advances excellence in nursing education that prepares the nursing workforce to meet the needs of diverse populations in an ever-changing healthcare environment.’ This purpose is done through achieving the goals of Nursing education, Faculty development, Research in Nursing Education, Data collection, assessment and evaluation and Public Policy.For the overall content of the site, information pertinent to the goals mentioned above is clearly visible. Users who wish to participate in achieving one of the goals or for anyone who would just want to browse through the site can easily go to a specific heading and see its related sections. In terms of the currency of the documents, most of the documents are up to date however there are some documents such as the calendar of activities of NLN, which are still in need of updating (the calendar is still 2006).As for the overall layout, the site has a asymmetric design, departing from the modular and common website design that sets it apart from the rest of the websites being evaluated although the site uses only simple graphics to present its content. The site can easily be navigated, with information clearly divided and grouped together into concise headings that make it easier to browse through. Lastly, uploading time for the site is suitable for users with varying Internet bandwidths due to its low-memory web design, thus information no matter the manner of Internet access can easily acquire information.Another site evaluated is https://www.ncsbn.org/, the site for the National Council for State Boards for Nursing (NCSBN). The NCS BN is a United States-state wide organization aiming to promote and advance regulatory excellence in Nursing for public protection (‘Mission and Values,’ https://www.ncsbn.org/182.htm).For the overall content of the site, it has comprehensive content mostly pertaining to the nursing profession and for the regulatory nursing boards, each other that implies that their site presents specific, relevant and concise information that complement each other. The documents are well cited with authorities in the field clearly stated accompanying any research or paper they did for NCSBN. Overall the site is up to date, with sections for instance the calendar of activities that go as far presenting dates of activities for this year in advance, which is good for most people. However there are sections in the site that still need to be updated, sections such as the News releases and the annual report.As for the style and functionality, the site is more â€Å"cleaner† than the o thers in terms of the layout. The information is presented in such a way that even though there is a lot of information presented, the website is still able to present it in a simple manner that would not make the user â€Å"disoriented.† The site can be easily navigated with all the information easily accessible. The site however goes back to the symmetric design unlike the site of NLN. The site utilizes simple flash presentations in their homepage that gives an additional aesthetic impact to the user.Lastly, we evaluate http://thomas.loc.gov/, the site for the Library of Congress of the United States of America. According to the section describing the site (http://thomas.loc.gov/home/abt_thom.html), ‘THOMAS was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public.’ Currently is being maintained by the Libra ry of Congress.For the overall content of the site, its presents a multitude of information as concise as possible yet the site still appears to be heavily cluttered with information. However as compared to the other sites and the content they hold, Thomas is appreciably easy to understand-simple as it possibly can. In terms of the authority, the information presented by the Thomas is undoubtedly accurate and comes from directly from the source that is Congress. In addition, the documents stored in the site are the most current in the field, with daily updates coming directly from Congress. Links are also presented in the site that are relevant to users who wish to browse other relevant legislation.In terms of style and functionality, the Thomas has a simple layout and aesthetic appearance as compared to the other sites. The main page is a bit cluttered so there is a possibility that first time users might get lost with regards to the immense information being presented and the one the user wishes to find. However the site boasts of a search engine for their database that is incredibly useful for users and researchers that would want to find the necessary information which adds up to the overall functionality of the website. Lastly, due to its simple web design, the site can be easily accessed with any Internet bandwidth at any location at any time. References:The American Nursing Association. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.nursingworld.orgThe American Medical Association. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.ama-assn.orgThe National League for Nursing. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.nln.orgThe National Council of State boards of Nursing. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.ncsbn.org

The Bible Among Myth

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY A BOOK SUMMARY THE BIBLE AMONG THE MYTHS: BY AUTHOR JOHN N. OSWALT NAME OF STUDENT: FABIOLA REID STUDENT ID: 22379938 CLASS: OBST 590 INSTRUCTOR’S NAME: DR. ALVIN THOMPSON DATE SUBMITTED: 03/03/2013 INTRODUTION The author, John N. Oswalt, begins his introduction, speaking in regards to the differences between the Old Testament, religions and cultures of the people from the Ancient Near East. As The Bible Among the Myths begins it is the assumption that while there has been no change since the 1960’s, there has been a shifted.Before then, Scholars believed that the Old Testament was true and not compared to any other, however, now scholars questioned this belief and have begun to believe that the Old Testament writings are similar to the other religions of its day. [1] Oswalt continues by discussing a most important philosophical difference within the Old Testament and its contemporaries. He states that there is a clear distinction between â€Å"essen ce† and â€Å"accident. † [2] Oswalt states that an accident can be something as similar as hair, while self-consciousness is an essential.To remove an accident will not cause change but to remove an essential, this thing will cease to be itself. [3] ————————————————- The author establishes to the reader the conception of myth also imitating the option that scholars continue to differ greatly on this definition; Oswalt insists that this ought to not dissuade the individual from seeking a good definition of the word. In order for him to define this word, he list four basic characteristics of a myth. 1. John N. Oswalt, The Bible Among the Myths, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009, 11-12 2.Ibid, 13. 3. Ibid. The first characteristic; mankind having little or no intrinsic value and the second characteristic was the relative lack of interest in historical studies. T he third is the practice of magic and involvement with the occult. The fourth is the refusal to accept responsibility for individual actions. [4] Oswalt concludes his introduction with a substantial claim. He emphasizes that theological claims are inseparable from historical claims. [5] Oswalt states that trustworthiness must be contingent upon both the theological and historical claims.If the historical claims are patently false, then no credence ought to be given to the theological decrees, In the end, I am not advocating a â€Å"the Bible says it, and I believe it, and that settles it† point of view, although those who disagree with me may argue that to be the case. What I am advocating is a willingness to allow the Bible to determine the starting place of the investigation. [6] CHAPTER ONE ————————————————- The first chapter discusses the Bible in milieu of its surroundings and contribution to society as a whole.Oswalt mentions that there are many contributions to way the Western world views reality. The Bible, however, is the most important contributor. [7] 4. Ibid, 14. 5. Ibid, 16. 6. Ibid, 17. 7. Ibid, 21. Greek Thought: The Greek philosophers of the early centuries brought in this way of thinking that was to have a profound effect on the western world. The belief, in a â€Å"universe† instead of a â€Å"polyverse,† adding, simple cause and effect, as well as non-contradiction were three of their most significant contributions. [8] Hebrew Thought:While the Greek philosophers were struggling to express their point of view, the Hebrews were also articulating their beliefs by way of the prophets. Their beliefs were as follows: There is only one God, God is the sole Creator of all that is, God exist apart from creation, God has made himself known to his people, God has made his will known to his people, and God rewards and pun ishes people for following or disobeying his will. [9] Combing Greek and Hebrew Thought: ————————————————-Oswalt states; when the Gospel of Jesus presupposed the Israelite worldview, penetrated into the Greco-Roman world, this set the stage for the combination of the Greek and the Hebrew worldviews in the distinctively Christian way. The Greeks’ rational thought combined with Hebrew people’s belief in monotheism. [10] 8. Ibid, 22. 9. Ibid, 23. 10. Ibid, 25 Oswalt argues that logic was not completely developed until after people realized that God not only was the sole creator of the universe, but was also completely separate from the creation.What is most important is that science and logic cannot stand on their own and if they attempt to then this will lead to self-destruction. Oswalt gives an example; Hiroshima and the Buchenwald concentration camp and human ity’s achievements when it is devoid of God’s influence. [11] CHAPTER TWO In this second chapter, Oswalt discusses his definition of myth. However before Oswalt begins this definition he begins to argue the very question with regard to the myth and why it is questioned at this time. Oswalt mentions that fifty years ago there would not be such a question.However by the 1960’s and as more scholars begin to research the Bible, more questions aroused. [12] ————————————————- Oswalt wishes to apply the appropriate classification to the Bible. Unequivocally, he describes whether or not the Bible should be considered a myth or not. In order to properly answer the question, Oswalt list several definitions posed by scholars today. As Oswalt listed these definitions, he also explains why he feels that they are inadequate. 11. Ibid, 27. 12. Ibid, 29-30. The catego ry of definitions falls under one group known ashistorical-Philosophical and they are as follows; 1.Etymological – based on a false and fictitious deity or event. 2. Sociological-Theological – the truth is seen as relative and something is seen as true if it is seen by others. 3. Literary – the events are not seen as right or wrong. Instead, the narrative employs heavy use of symbolism to express its meaning. [13] ————————————————- These definitions all have one thing in common which is at their core; they all believe in the philosophy of continuity. Oswalt states that continuity is a philosophical principle that asserts that all things are continuous with each other.Oswalt uses an example of a person being â€Å"one with the tree. † Not merely symbolically or spiritually, but actually. The tree is me; I am the tree. [14] 13. Ibid, 33, 36, 38. 1 4. Ibid, 43. CHAPTER THREE Chapter three discusses Continuity as the center of topic. Carrying over from chapter two the one thing that myths have in common at their core is the presence of continuity. This way of thinking is viewed as all things are viewed as related in some form or fashion. There are three major forces (humanity, nature, and the divine) this is where everything exists within the circle. 15] The effects of continuity are numerous and varied in accordance. One of these effects is looking at signs in nature. The effects are attempted to be explained by weather patterns, floods, fire, plagues and the celestial beings. Other examples are the effects of fertility and potency and the preoccupation of the people thereof. Oswalt uses the example of how sexuality is so central to people’s lives today is a reason for this effect of continuity. [16] ———————————————à ¢â‚¬â€- Finally, Oswalt deals straightforwardly with what he feels are the common features of myth.Excluding a few exceptions, myths all share the belief that their existence is based on Polytheism. Which is the belief of more than one god or and many gods. The second is these gods in the form of images. The use of symbols and icons are believed strongly in order to interact with nature and the divine. The gods themselves are not view highly in fact view lowly, they are not seen as actual beings. Confliction is what is needed in order for the universe to evolve and myths have a low view of mankind. [17] 15. Ibid, 48. 16. Ibid, 50-56. 17. Ibid, 57-59.CHAPTER FOUR In chapter four Oswalt reverts back to characteristics of the Bible. Here he argues with the topic of transcendence, where God (who has been in existence before the universe) interacts with all things thereof. In this Biblical thought process there is uniqueness with regard to the modern-day belief systems in many ways. How ever one must bear in mind that the Old Testament is remarkably self-consistent regarding the things it maintains about the nature of reality. [18] Oswalt provides the reader with a broaden list of some common characteristics.Monotheism, of course one of the most obvious characteristics of the Bible that stands out among other religions. With the exception of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam which are all directly correlated from the Bible. Most other religions are polytheistic. The existence of Yahweh being the only God was a defining characteristic for the Old Testament and the Bible as a whole. [19] ————————————————- Another characteristic of the Old Testament theory is that God was in existence prior to the all creation. All that exist is after God and God created it.Oswalt states that if the world is full of chaos that it is not due to God but the spirits of this worl d. Oswalt mentions that the Bible is a position to insist that the problem of humanity is not a tragic fatedness to evil, but a spirit that prefers evil to good. [20] 18. Ibid, 63. 19. Ibid, 64-65. 20. Ibid, 66. CHAPTER FIVE In chapter five Oswalt argues that the Bible is totally different from other religious writings and is unique in its self. Oswalt further discusses the issues of ethics, In the Ancient Near East; the non-biblical worldviews held two sets of ethics.One set is related to how people interacted with each other. The other set of ethics is related to how people acted upon the deities. In Bible ethics behavior was defined by God and God alone and not subject to the social changes in society, they obey God. [21] Oswalt discusses some of the similarities between Israelites and non-Israelites. Some of the practices were quite similar. The sacrificial ceremonial, the manner of their offerings, the layout of the tabernacle and temple and also the decoration of the temple al l seem similar to those of the Israelite and non-Israelite people.Their practices of expression and thought pattern were similar to where Oswalt indorses his belief that these areas are incidental and not essential to the basic identities of the people. [22] CHAPTER SIX ————————————————- Chapter six introduces the Bible and History, Oswalt points out the there is a distinction, between myths and the Bible, whereas the myths are based on many gods, the Bible is based on one God. History and the Bible run parallel to each other. Oswalt argues the idea that to state the Bible is not â€Å"historical â€Å"is something of an oxymoron. 23] 21. Ibid, 85-87. 22. Ibid, 91-97. 23. Ibid, 112. Oswalt uses Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language to describe the definition that he feels would best fit history. History functions on different levels. Its connecti ons could be to someone or something or both. Yet the Bible is its own form of history correlated with mankind and their surroundings. [24] CHAPTER SEVEN AND EIGHT Oswalt attempts to address some of the issues that were used against the Bible concerning its historical stance.Oswalt does mentions some gaps, progress and lack of progress, whether the Bible is â€Å"history-like† or â€Å"historical fiction† as well as how it relates to revelation and supernatural events and whether Israel is unique in these areas. [25] Oswalt makes the case in the eight chapter that the Bible is historical and completely accurate. Oswalt states this matter is of the utmost importance. While one would state that there are sections of the Bible that are not historical for example; poetic and wisdom, these too are historical because they describe people, relationships weaknesses and failures.The entire Bible is historical especially when it pertains to the history of the Jesus Christ. †”———————————————- The author states that one could argue German distinction between Historie (defining what happen) and Geschichte (telling what is going on) as being valid. [26] 24. Ibid, 112-115. 25. Ibid, 138-141. 26. Ibid, 157-168. The conclusion of this section determines that history is inseparable from theology in the Bible. Theology is in relation to the historical events. The author uses an exceptional example with regard to the resurrection to support this conclusion.He directs the reader to one of the epistles written by the Apostle Paul to the church of Corinth. The Apostle Paul states that one’s faith cannot exist without a historical belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [27] If Christ was not raised then your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Cor. 15:17) CHAPTER NINE AND TEN ———————â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- In chapter nine the author discusses alternative views pertaining to the biblical narrative as it is known today. He began with the arguments of John Van Seters.Professor Van Seters emphasizes that the Bible had to have been altered by Jewish priest after Babylonian exile. [28] Oswalt mentions that the second is Frank Cross who assumes that the Bible used to be an epic poem, however was changed into the Old Testament’s current state at some point. [29] The third is William Dever who believes that Israel’s belief systems were identical to Canaanite beliefs and the Christian scholars have overlooked certain facts throughout history to portray an inaccurate account of ancient Israel. 30] Then, finally, Oswalt discusses Mark Smith and his opinion of Israel’s belief system. Mark Smith argues that Israel’s beliefs are directly originated from the Canaanite’s polytheistic beliefs. [31] 27. Ibid, 170. 28. Ibid, 173. 29. Ibid, 175. 30. Ibid, 177-180. 31. Ibid, 181-184. The author concludes this book in chapter ten where he reiterates his main points taken from previous chapters. He stresses the major theme is that contrast between biblical and non-biblical views of reality. The biblical view is deep-seated in transcendence and the non-biblical view is deep-seated in continuity. 31] In the end, we may differ on the biblical worldview and theology, given to them, but what matters in the end is how we answer the following questions: Is there a God? Does he have a will for our lives? Has he made known that will to us in intelligible actions and speech in time and space? If we answer â€Å"no† then the entire enterprise is bootless. However, if our answer is â€Å"yes† the question of what God’s will is and how he has chosen to reveal it becomes one of absolutely ultimate significance. [32] ———————â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 31. Ibid, 185. 32. Ibid, 194.REFERENCES 1. Oswalt, John, N. , The Bible Among the Myths Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009, 11-12 2. Ibid, 13. 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid, 14. 5. Ibid, 16. 6. Ibid, 17. 7. Ibid, 21. 8. Ibid, 22. 9. Ibid, 23. 10. Ibid, 25. 11. Ibid, 27. 12. Ibid, 29-30. 13. Ibid, 33, 36, 38. 14. Ibid, 43. 15. Ibid, 48. 16. Ibid, 50-56. 17. Ibid, 57-59. 18. Ibid, 63. 19. Ibid, 64-65. 20. Ibid, 66. 21. Ibid, 85-87. 22. Ibid, 91-97. 23. Ibid, 112. 24. Ibid, 112-115. 25. Ibid, 138-141. 26. Ibid, 157-168. 27. Ibid, 170. 28. Ibid, 172. 29. Ibid, 175. 30. Ibid, 177-180. 31. Ibid, 181-184. 32. Ibid, 185 33. Ibid, 194

Causes Of Changing Religious Affiliation

Causes Of Changing Religious Affiliation Free Online Research Papers The practice of the religion of your choice is a basis for America as we know it. With the freedom to choose any religion, it is very easy for people to move from one affiliation to another. Religion can play various roles in a person’s life and the selection or changing of religious affiliation is a major decision and change in one’s life. There are many reasons why a person chooses to change religions. The main causes for this type of change are social stigma, personal relationships, or lifestyle changes. Religions can play the role of providing an identity for followers. Many churches are associated with certain types of behaviors and characteristics. People may presume that follows of Hinduism are highly tolerant and peaceful. There can be positive social stigmas associated with certain religions. However, events in the news can also create negative social stigmas for religions. Many may associate followers of Islam with radical terrorism, and people may also associate Catholics with child abuse. Many followers may not want to carry the social burden associated with certain religions. On the contrary, followers may change to religions to that are viewed positively in society. For these reasons, social stigmas are a major cause for people changing their religions. Religions also serve a purpose of unifying and providing guidance to members of the same household. While many people choose to limit their romantic relationships to people of their same religious affiliation, so many others do not use religion as a consideration when deciding who they may date. Many people are able to have happy relationships with partners of different religious affiliations. However, when two people decide to marry and build a family together, it is desirable to have one religion in the household. For this reason, marriage and relationships are a major cause for people to change religions. Religions have a major impact on a person’s lifestyle, and a person’s lifestyle has a big impact on which religion they practice. When people experience major difficulties that affect their lifestyle, they often look to their religion for guidance, support, and acceptance. Many people who are incarcerated, suffer from life threatening illnesses, or go through major personal losses may reach out to religions that promote forgiveness, healing, and prayer for changes in life. Other people live lifestyles are aren’t accepted by all religious groups, such as homosexuality or interracial marriages. Other people live lonely lives and seek a religion that provides more than a weekly worship service, but social opportunities. These are just a few reasons why lifestyle can be a major cause for a person to change their religious affiliation. Religion plays different roles in our society. Many people don’t choose their religion, but are born into a family that practices a certain religion. As people grow up, there are many different aspects of life that can cause them to seek something different from the religion within which they were raised. Social stigma, personal relationships and marriage, and one’s lifestyle are major causes to people changing their religions. Research Papers on Causes Of Changing Religious AffiliationCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andGenetic Engineering19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThree Concepts of PsychodynamicInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

Writing a Term Paper

Writing a Term Paper Writing a Term Paper Writing a Term Paper Thus, you have to write a term paper and you do not know how to write it. Start with the preparation stage of term paper writing - write down term paper ideas you have on the topic.   You will find it easier to write a term paper if you build an outline first.   Think carefully about what you are going to write. Choose the topic which will be interesting for you and your reader. Decide on the purpose of your term paper writing. Whatever topic you choose, it must fit the academic purpose. Term paper may be descriptive, narrative, or propose solutions to problems. Term paper may be creative in the sense that the authors have an opportunity to explain their points of view creatively. Do not forget to include a thesis statement in the opening part of your term paper.   Thesis statement is a sentence that explicitly identifies the purpose of term paper writing or previews its main ideas. A thesis is the main idea, not the title. It must be a complete sentence that explains in some detail what the reader should expect to find in your term paper. You should include thesis in the first paragraph of your term paper. Term paper must consist of at least three paragraphs. While a two-paragraph term paper may be possible to write, most of the tutors expect to receive a term paper that has a clear introduction, detailed body, and logical conclusion.   The primary purpose of term paper writing is to thoroughly discuss the main idea. Term Paper Format Guidelines Term paper outline will help to write a good academic work. The introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of your term paper. It introduces the main idea of term paper writing. A good opening paragraph attracts the interest of your reader and tells why your topic is important. Write down a good thesis statement. Provide some background information about your topic. You should focus on interesting facts, quotations, or definitions of important terms you will use later in the term paper. Supporting paragraphs make up the main body of your term paper. They develop the main idea. Develop each supporting point into a detailed full paragraph.   You should use transition words to connect supporting paragraphs. Transition words link your paragraphs together and make your term paper easier to read. Use them at the beginning and end of your paragraphs. The summary paragraph comes at the end of your term paper after you have finished developing your ideas. The summary paragraph is a concl usion. It summarizes or restates the main idea of term paper writing. You want to leave the reader with a sense that your term paper is complete. Restate the strongest points of your term paper that support the main idea. Custom Written Term Papers You are welcome to ask our writers for term paper writing help if you are not sure how to write a good term paper by yourself. We are ready to help you with all steps of term paper writing and we guarantee high quality of every term paper delivers.   Entrust your assignment only to experienced writers!

Cervical Cancer and the Human Papilloma Virus Essay

Cervical Cancer and the Human Papilloma Virus - Essay Example Most of these cancers stem from infection with the human papillomavirus, although other host factors affect neoplastic progression following initial infection. Compared with other gynecologic malignancies, cervical cancer develops in a younger population of women. Thus, screening for this neoplasia with Pap smear sampling typically begins in adolescence or young adulthood. Most early cancers are asymptomatic, whereas symptoms of advancing cervical cancer may include bleeding, watery discharge, and signs associated with venous, lymphatic, neural, or ureteral compression. Diagnosis of cervical cancer usually follows colposcopic examination and histologic evaluation of cervical biopsies. Worldwide, cervical cancer is common, and ranks second among all malignancies for women (Parkin, 2005). In 2002, an estimated 493,000 new cases were identified globally and 274,000 deaths were recorded. In general, higher incidences are found in developing countries, and these countries contribute 83 percent of reported cases annually. Economically advantaged countries have significantly lower cervical cancer rates, and add only 3.6 percent of new cancers. This incidence disparity highlights successes achieved by cervical cancer screening programs in which Papanicolaou (Pap) smears are regularly obtained. There is considerable variation of incidences, screening, diagnosis, and treatment statistics throughout the world, but the trend of the disease is considered to be resulting mainly from financial and cultural characteristics affecting access to screening and treatment. The age at which cervical cancer develops is in general earlier than that of other gynecologic malignancies, and the median age at diagnosis ranges from 40 to 59 years. In women aged 20 to 39 years, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. There are data that indicate the cervical cancer is a preventable disease, and in developed countries, such as, in the United States, where well established screening programmes exist, it is estimated that 30% of cervical cancer cases will occur in women who have never had a Pap test. In developing countries, this percentage approaches 60%. It is a matter to be reckoned that in spite of these statistics, the worldwide incidence of invasive disease is decreasing, and cervical cancer is being diagnosed earlier, leading to better survival rates. Worldwide data indicate that the mean age for cervical cancer is 47 years, and the distribution of cases is bimodal, with peaks at 35 to 39 years and 60 to 64 years of age. Risk Factors There are numerous risk factors for cervical cancer: young age at first intercourse (

Hamlet William Shakespeare Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hamlet William Shakespeare - Research Paper Example Claudius ascends to the throne after King Hamlet’s death and marries Gertrude, Prince Hamlet’s mother. In itself, psychoanalytic perspective is attributed to the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud (6 May 1856- 23 September 1939). Psychoanalytic perspective is a method of personality in which dream interpretation, free association and analysis of transference and resistance are expended in unconscious and repressed impulses, internal conflicts and anxieties. The theory can also be used understand personality and it is emphatic on unconscious and repressed forces and is inclusive of concepts such as infantile sexuality, transference, resistance and the division of the human psyche into the ego, the id and the superego. Put simply, Freud’s psychoanalytic perspective or theory considers the structure of the mind, specifically, the id (the set of instinctual and uncoordinated trends), the ego (the realistic and organised part which mediates between the desires of the super ego and the id) and the superego (performs the moralising and critical role) and the manner in which conflict among these separate parts get resolved in determining or shaping human personality. For one, from the play, one understands that Hamlet’s ego is very strong. This is seen in the manner in which Hamlet is first reluctant of judging his uncle Claudius of being guilty of his father’s death. This is despite the fact that King Hamlet’s ghost had already appeared to Prince Hamlet and informed him that King Hamlet had been killed by Claudius who poured juice of the cursed hebenon in King Hamlet’s ear and thus caused Hamlet’s skin to be covered in loathsome and vile crust and his blood to curd. It is against the backdrop of the development above that Hamlet crafts a plan to have the evidence of Claudius’ culpability to his father’s death. Hamlet makes and stages a play which simulates King Hamlet’s death. Hamlet’s