Monday, December 30, 2019

Imagination in the Poetry of Wallace Stevens Essay example

What are â€Å"Castratos of moon-mash?† Who are these seemingly real but only partially embodied figures, which Wallace Stevens mentions almost in passing at line three in his poem, â€Å"Men Made Out of Words.† As readers, how are we to understand this short ambivalent phrase, which while confounding us appears to answer the question raised in the previous two lines: â€Å"What should we be without the sexual myth, / The human revery or the poem of death† (1-2). Stevens does not elaborate on the image of the moon-mashed castratos he has just presented, but instead using a hyphen formulates and finishes the relatively short ten-line poem. One can argue that this second part of the poem could even be a separate strophe from the lines already noted,†¦show more content†¦Stevens makes this fact apparent from the beginning of the poem, when he notes not only â€Å"human revery† but also â€Å"the sexual myth† and the â€Å"poem of death† (1). Therefore, these defined formulations are only categories of a greater whole, which remains unmentioned in the poem. In deliberating on Stevens’s poems, we can come to understand this encompassing whole as the imagination, which impels an individual to make â€Å"eccentric propositions† about his or her life and fate (4-5, 10). In his essay, Imagination as Value, Stevens reminds us that â€Å"the imagination is the power of the mind over the possibilities of things [†¦] it is the source not of a single value but of as many values as can reside in the possibilities of things† (136). With these words in mind and from what we have already noted in â€Å"Men Made Out of Words,† we can assert that the â€Å"possibilities of things,† mentioned in the essay, are the same as the reveries, poems, and myths, hinted at in the poem; however, one needs to clarify the difference between the ‘possibilities of things’ and the ‘thingsà ¢â‚¬â„¢ themselves. For Stevens, the imagination is ‘metaphysical’ or something which resides in the abstract but at the time it serves as â€Å"the only clue to reality [i.e. things]† (137); therefore it is through the imagination that reality derives its possibilities i.e. its myths, reveries, and poems. In Stevens argument, the imagination is the liberatorShow MoreRelatedA Force of Nature: Imagination in the Poetry of Wallace Stevens and John Ashbery1602 Words   |  7 Pagesseems to him to be poetry at that time† (The necessary vii). What Stevens is suggesting here is that a poet must find a particular voice among other voices –other poets– and that his voice will be significant only if it intends to be a contribution to the theory of poetry, in the sense that they â€Å"are disclosures of poetry, not disclosures of definitions of poetry† (Ibid). Precisely, the poetry of Wallace Stevens and John Ashbery are disclosures of poetry re garding imagination, for they deal withRead MoreThe Plain Sense Of Things By Wallace Stevens1017 Words   |  5 PagesSense of Things† Written by the poet Wallace Stevens, â€Å"The Plain Sense of Things† creates an atmosphere of imagination, reality and symbolism of natural progression. Stated by POETRY FOUNDATION, Wallace Stevens is one of America’s most respected poets (Wallace Stevens, 2017). Wallace Stevens work is known for its imagination and relates to both English Romantics and French symbolists and is considered one of the major American poets of the century (Stevens, Wallace 2014). In â€Å"The Plain Sense of Things†Read MoreAllan Stevens s Poem Disillusionment Of Ten O Clock775 Words   |  4 PagesWallace Stevens falls in the category with America’s most respected poets. Stevens wrote many of poems that got him to that prestigious category. Stevens was born in 1879 in Reading, Pennsylvania and he took his last breath in August 1955 due to cancer. Harvard University is where he was educated on literacy and was very successful at his time spent there. One particular poem he wrote is short poem â€Å"Disillusionment of Ten O’Clock† in 1915 and it was published in his first book of poetry at the ageRead MoreA Critical Appreciation of Wallace Stevens the Idea of Order at Key West1253 Words   |  6 PagesA critical appreciation of Wallace Stevens- â€Å"The Idea of Order at Key  West† â€Å"The Idea of Order at Key West† was written in 1934 and is considered Stevens’ most complicated poem. It is both long (being eight stanzas and 56 lines) and in depth.†The Idea †¦Ã¢â‚¬  is in a loose iambic pentameter and is written in free verse, meaning that there is no organized rhyme pattern. The stanzas are a bit confusing because the fifth one is indented a lot after the fourth one. In fact, there is no actual line betweenRead MoreEzra Pound And Modernist Poetry780 Words   |  4 Pagespoems share a similar theme: Ezra Pound’s â€Å"A Few Don’ts,† Wallace Stevens’ â€Å"Of Modern Poetry,† Archibald Macleish’s â€Å"Ars Poetica,† and Marianne Moore’s â€Å"Poetry.† Each of these authors felt they had discovered superlative methods to write the most powerful poetry. However, the details and methods which each author used varied from one another. Born in 1885, Ezra pound is known as one of Modernist poetry’s biggest contributors. His poetry of the early 20th century was unconventional and controversialRead MoreThe Snow Man by Wallace Stevens1518 Words   |  7 PagesAfterlife: the complete emptiness Wallace Stevens (1879–1955) wrote most of his poems during the world wars period, which took the lives of millions of people. As a result, Wallace Stevens started to question the importance of religion in the modern era, and felt that you should enjoy your life in the present and not waste time living for an afterlife. In his poem â€Å"The Snow Man†, Stevens describes a harsh winter environment creating a unique dramatic situation through an effective imagery. HeRead More Modernist Poets E.E. Cummings, Wallace Stevens, and T.S. Eliot Change the Face of American Poetry1710 Words   |  7 PagesModernist Poets E.E. Cummings, Wallace Stevens, and T.S. Eliot Change the Face of American Poetry Modernist poets such as E.E. Cummings, Wallace Stevens, and T.S. Eliot changed the face of American poetry by destroying the notion that American culture is far inferior to European culture. These and other American poets accomplished the feat of defining an American poetic style in the Modern Era by means of a truly American idea. That idea is the melting pot. Just as American culture exists asRead More Reality in Wallace Stevens’ The Man with the Blue Guitar Essay2476 Words   |  10 PagesReality in Wallace Stevens’ The Man with the Blue Guitar For Wallace Stevens, reality is an abstraction with many perspective possibilities. As a poet, Stevens struggles to create original perspectives of reality. Wallace Stevens creates a new, modern reality in his poetry. Actually, Stevens decreates reality in his poetry. In The Necessary Angel, Stevens paraphrases Simone Weil’s coinage of decreation as the change from created to uncreated or from created to nothingness. Stevens then definesRead MoreA Comparison and Contrast Between the Two Poems, Poetry and Modern Poetry890 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"I, too, dislike it: There are things that are important beyond all this fiddle.† Poetry has been around for a long time. As the years go by poetry adapts to the time period. However, the authors have different views. Majority of them will read and enjoy all types of poem, but they have their own opinions. The new, has to be truly unique to the author and to the time period. Shakespeare still had plays that we study, but it is hard to comprehend the message behind the words. Worlds change and theRead MoreSummary Of Thirteen Ways Of Looking At A Blackbird783 Words   |  4 PagesI chose to write about Wallace Stevens’ â€Å"Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird†. This poem spoke to me because of the similarities to â€Å"Blackbird† by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It is very interesting to examine the relationship between music and poetry. Songs are poetry in one of its most popular forms. Prior to this class, I had a deep familiarity with the song â€Å"Blackbird† but was completely unaware of the poem by Stevens. The title of the poem, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Development of the City of Dubai - 1288 Words

How many years will a city take to develop? This question doesn’t have an answer. It all depends on how much of effort has put on it. â€Å"Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle† (Napoleon Hill). Nothing can be achieved without any effort, just like students that need to put a lot of effort to get good grades. For a city to get developed, lots of patience is needed and strong focus on time and effort in developing. Every decision needs to be taken very carefully as that will determine the development of a city. By taking a wrong decision, millions of loss can be made. After 40 years of struggling, Dubai has reached the current position of vast development because of planning and technology. This essay will explore how Dubai has turned out to become one of the most developed city in the world. The history of Dubai is quite fascinating and memorable. Many people come back to this land just to see the development that has happened over the few years. The city was just a desert before and there has been a lot of development until now. When it was one of the least developed city in the world, the rulers had to put a lot of effort to develop the country. Sheikh Zayed road can be taken as a great example. Looking into the past of it now, doesn’t seem like it was something as such before. In 1980’s the roads hardly consisted of two lanes and there were barely any buildings constructed. Now the road contains a minimum of 5 lanes and many buildings built inShow MoreRelatedDubai Development And Transformation Of Dubai1478 Words   |  6 PagesELSâ€Æ' There are many cities that have experienced a tremendous amount of development in short periods of time, but there is none like that of Dubai. Dubai is a city that has developed from the sands of the Arabian Gulf and has become one of the leading economic centers in the world. The rapid development and transformation of Dubai has captured the world’s attention and has become a model, modern city through the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who is the Vice-President and PrimeRead MoreHuman Resources And Sustainable Development1378 Words   |  6 PagesHumanity has the power to make development sustainable. This power ensures that development will meet the needs of the present without disrupting the ability of future generations to pursue their own particular desires. Sustainable development is maintaining harmony between the human need to improve lifestyles and preserving natural resources and ecosystems, for which present and future generations depend on. Too often, in today’s world, development is driven by one specific need, without completelyRead MoreThe United Arab Emirates1464 Words   |  6 PagesSustainable Development Throughout the extent of time in which humans have inhabited the Earth, it has only been in the past couple hundred years that humanity has developed technology at an astonishing rate. From the early 1800s and onward, the human population has skyrocketed and advancements in technology have rapidly progressed through the course of a relatively short period of time. In that time, society has become a massive, interconnected network of people that are dependent on resourcesRead MoreGlobal Warming And The United Arab Emirates1748 Words   |  7 Pagesregion. As development propels population growth along its shore and recreational tourism increases, the ecological well-being of the inter-tidal zones and their sea life need to be safeguarded. Global warming and the predicted rise in water levels will also impact coastal developments. There is therefore an urgent need for an integrated land/sea strategy of sustainable growth along regional/global dimensions. (Al-Manakh Book) Since the discovery of oil in the 1960s, the UAE and notably Dubai has experiencedRead MoreTheme Of Dubai Expo 20201603 Words   |  7 Pages 3.1. Theme of Dubai Expo 2020 Each world expo carries a central theme, the guiding principle being a universal concern to humanity. The current Milan Expo 2015 core theme is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life which is focusing on the key issue concerning humanity, food, health and hunger. The expo aims to embrace technology, innovation and creativity to tackle critical issues related to food scarcity, quality and sustainability. The Shanghai Expo 2010 theme was Better City – Better Life withRead MoreEconomic Impact of Dubai Essay1251 Words   |  6 PagesEconomic Impact: Dubai Dubai is the largest of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates. It is quickly growing into a huge tourist spot and prides itself on having some of the world’s greatest attractions. However, sometimes having the best comes with consequences. Despite the Middle East’s relatively low tourist rate, Dubai had been able to attract many â€Å"big spenders,† which has enhanced its economy, but can also take a toll on the people. In her article, â€Å"Tourism in Dubai,† Joan HendersonRead MoreThe United Arab Emirate s Hotspot Destination895 Words   |  4 PagesDubai is a sophisticated, metropolitan oasis in the Arabian Desert that has become the United Arab Emirate’s hotspot destination. Dubai offers many wonderful experiences, including fine dining, world renown shopping, one of the world’s finest seven-star hotels, and so much to do! Travelling abroad, whether it is for the first time or not, can be extremely exciting. However, in today’s day and age, travelling overseas is more than just packing your bags, buying a ticket, and hopping on to a planeRead MoreGlobalization And International Trade And Investments Aided By Information Technology1009 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent nation’s governments. Globalization is processed by international trade and investments aided by information technology. This process has many effects on a nation. It affects the environment, cul ture, political systems, economics, and development. In addition to human’s physical wellbeing in societies around the world. Citizens and companies do not desire to do business with other nations just because, but instead it is an occurrence because there is a better benefit for that citizen orRead MoreHow Does Diversity Help A Company Succeed?1397 Words   |  6 Pages View of UAE Nathalie Germain MSVU â€Æ' Table of Content Contents Business Diversity 3 Demographic 3 Business 3 Social 4 Benefits vs. Challenges 4 Opportunity and Development 5 Dubai 5 Fujairah 6 Ras al-Khaimah 6 Abu Dhabi 7 Potential Target 8 Dubai 8 Abu Dhabi 9 Sources 10 Graphics 11 Business Diversity The important factor in a company is the people; as we have yet to see the age of robots, businesses still require the use of humans for day to day workflow. But how does Diversity help a companyRead MoreTourism As A Source Of Revenue Managing Destinations Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pagestourism’s environmental impacts and promoting sustainable tourism in the region. Destination management includes planned business permits to organizations, land use planning, environmental and other regulations and various other methods for the development and operations of activities related to tourism. According to UNWTO â€Å"The programme for Destination Management is committed to respond positively to the growing need for systematic, multidisciplinary and intersectoral strategies for tourism at

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Langston Hughes Dream Variations Free Essays

Langston Hughes, an extraordinary figure in the Harlem Renaissance when many African writers and poets emerged (Poquette), shows his style and personal characteristics through his poem â€Å"Dream Variations† Written in 1924 when the Back to Africa movement was gaining strength. This poem is used to describe Hughes’ dream, which many say may be to return to Africa. During this time, African Americans still did not have respect in America and Africa to Hughes was a warm and inviting place. We will write a custom essay sample on Langston Hughes: Dream Variations or any similar topic only for you Order Now There is no rhythmic structure to this poem. The poem’s structure is similar to that of blues music, with the first, second, and fourth lines of each stanza parallel each other in that they each have four syllables, while the third is extended and longer to build an emotional climax. Like many of Hughes’ poems, â€Å"Dream Variations† is mainly written for children to encourage them and stress the possibilities life holds. This poem was very understandable and easy to read with simple sentences and words.This was written in that manner so that uneducated people or younger people could feel equal to everyone else, no less. From beginning to end Langston Hughes he uses the same words but gives them different meaning. The poem’s tone transforms during the poem. â€Å"To whirl and to dance† (Line 3) and â€Å"Till the white day is done† (Line 4) use the same words whirl, dance, day as in lines 12 and 13. In the later lines the speakers tone is harsher, frantic and turns into a command. Dance! † (Line 12) is a command unlike how in line 3 it sounds as though the speaker is dancing to rejoice and celebrate. The poem in the beginning is very calm and just going through the motions but later on the speaker realizes that life is running out and each day is passing by. The reference of darkness and night in positive terms can actually be considered a subtle celebration of African Americans. In all of Hughes’ poems he creates pictures of pride in blackness.The main theme of this pofem though, it to reach for your dreams everyday and do not take for granted time because before you know it, it may be over. Hughes was mostly liked as a poet by the critics and they believed he had good ideas. Most of his poetry was about dreams. As a true Renaissance man, he was strating a new wave: a wave of African Poets and writers and many critics respected that. In short, Potamkin believed the blues could be made into good poetry if an author put his original ideas into his work, but he did not think that Hughes added enough of himself.In the words of Theodore R. Hudson, reviewing Hughes’s last book of poetry in the CLA Journal, â€Å"His message is both valid and valuable.Work Cited Uma Kukathas, Critical Essay on â€Å"Dream Variations,† in Poetry for Students, The Gale Group, 2002. Ryan D. Poquette, Critical Essay on â€Å"Dream Variations,† in Poetry for Students, The Gale Group, 2002 â€Å"Dream Variations. † Poetry for Students. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 15. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. 40-53. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 May 2010. How to cite Langston Hughes: Dream Variations, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Poetry English language Essay Example For Students

Poetry English language Essay Wars have been around for many years, in fact, they have been around as long as humans have been around. When you come to think of it, Warfare means solving problems by force (fighting, War). The problems that might result to War could be: to gain land (this could be to gain power), to get resources from another country (oil, gold, and diamonds). Religion (this is the War that we are fighting now), to support another country who is lured (maybe reluctantly) into War, this is known as supporting an ally. I think that the scale of Warfare has changed; firstly, the weapons used in War these days have become more sophisticated. Today we use auto reload rifles, bullet-proof vests, bombs with sensors etc. back in World War 1 (WW1) they used rifles, bayonets and had no knowledge of the machine guns that were used by the German army. As a result, more people will be killed. Secondly troops can be moved from long distances much easily; before if you were in the English army (in the middle ages especially) you were shipped off to your location of War and you would march to wherever you were ordered to fight. Nowadays you are transported in helicopters or jet planes, so the soldiers can get to the battle-zone more easily, so the job will be done much quicker as a result. Most governments have now ensured that they have a professional army. In WW1 Lord Kitchener managed to recruit millions of British men, about a third of them were either: unfit, too young or unwell. Now the armed forces have become more sophisticated, they do fitness tests and medical and drug tests to ensure that the new recruits are well prepared for battle.  In approximately a couple of years I could see myself joining the armed forces, preferably the army, it, in fact, it is the future that I hope to fulfil as a career. If I was called up for the army like they were in WW1 then I would feel confident and relieved because it would be easier to get in there. Plus I wouldnt need all the stress with the interviews and getting in. I realise that poetry can change according to the fashions and attitudes of that periods of time. Just like everything else, I have studied a selection of War poems from a period of time and I am going to compare the attitudes from those times. Ive learnt that generally people who go to War mainly feel happier if they have power over what they do, whereas people who fell unhappier are the people who have no power, and forced to go to battle. The first poem we looked at was a poem by William Shakespeare, we realised that it wasnt designed to be a poem but it was a speech extracted from a play called Henry V. The speech was written in 1599, but the actual event took place in 1415, it wasnt exactly a War, but a battle known as the battle of Agincourt. This battle was being fought because England owned parts of France and France wanted their land back so Henry V called a battle to stop the French winning back the land. The French were probably professional soldiers, but the English were under qualified peasants who were forced into battle. They were taken from their homes, marched to a boat, shipped over to Calle (on the border of France) then march over to the battlefield. So evidently they would be feeling sick, scared and exhausted. The reason behind this poem is for Henry V to motivate his army by: reminding them about times when they have won before, give tactics, have confidence in them. .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 , .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .postImageUrl , .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 , .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:hover , .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:visited , .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:active { border:0!important; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:active , .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79 .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u60884ffd40df621b48738f07d2835c79:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The War Zone EssayAlthough Henry V aims his words at his soldiers, it is written in the 1st person, like our English dead. This makes the reader feel as if the reader is if they are talking to them, which makes the poem more interesting. Henry also uses flattery you noblest English this kind of language makes the soldiers feel more important than they really are. He also uses inclusive language, by when he says dear friends, he makes it seem like hes making them feel included and wanted, this would make them want to do this. Most of these soldiers were peasants, and would be using the weapons of their trade (such as pitch forks, axes, hammers etc). He persuades them that t hey can do this, truly when he says I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips. He persuades them because his army would be feeling uneasy and needed their morale lifting. Henry talks in the formal language because of the way he talks in a smart posh tone, a kind of language that most of us would not understand today, for example as fearfully as a galled rock Henry talks in a formal language because he is a high status person, therefore a formal language is what suits his status. I know that Henry V is very excited and really enjoys War. I know this because he was the one who sends them out to War in the first place. In those days the monarch was the one who decided about when or where they went to War. In those days the kings were actually at the front line leading the army out onto the battlefield. Nowadays government people sit in offices and decide War like they do on videogames. I know that Henry V enjoys War from when he says the games afoot; this shows that he thinks of War as a game and something that is ought to be enjoyed. So he makes the other soldiers enjoy it as well. So the result of this would be that Henry V has total responsibility over what happens. As a matter of fact Henrys army won the battle so that is a coincidence. Shakespeare uses blank verse in his poems; blank verse means the organisation of the poems, it also is used for upper class characters, like Henry V was. So it is a way of identifying main characters in Shakespeares plays. An example of this is once more unto the breach once more. This contains something blank verse always contains such as iambic pentameter, which means the description of blank verse.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Where The Red Fern Grows Essays - English-language Films

Where The Red Fern Grows "I was walking along whistling when I heard the dogfight", Billy starts the story. He rescued an old redbone hound dog and took it home. This brought memories back to his mind. It all happened over 50 years ago. This is a story about friendship between two coon hounds and a boy named Billy Colman. Billy is ten years old and lives in the Ozark Mountains. He had long straw-colored hair that was shaggy. He wore patched and faded coveralls. Billy did not wear shoes during the summer. He was a good boy and worked hard to help his mother and father. His family lived in a farm on a Cherokee land because his mother was part Cherokee Indian. Billy's mother taught Billy reading, writing and arithmetics. They lived in a log house near the Illinois river. Billy loved the nature and roamed the hill and river bottoms. He knew every game trail and every animal track. He was most fascinated by the tracks of a river coon. "I was a hunter from the time I could walk", he tells. He hunted lizards, rats, frogs and other animals. He wanted to have dogs but his mom and dad did not have the money. A pair of coon hound would cost $ 75. Billy's father bought him three small steel traps. He took them to bed with him. Billy started to trap the next morning and caught their cat Samie. Very soon the cat was limping with all four legs. After he caught his mom's chicken he had to set the traps in the forest. He caught opossums, skunks, rabbits and squirrels, but he wanted to have a coonskin. One day he went to Shannon Ford where the fishermen camped. He found things the fishermen left behind. He had found a knife and a fishing pole and other stuff. Now he found the magazine. In the magazine was a small ad: Registered Redbone Coonhound Pups Twenty-five Dollars Each Billy remembered a passage from the bible that said: "God helps those who help themselves " and slowly saw the plan began to form. He could sell stuff to fishermen and save money. Billy had 23 cents which he put in an old can and started to work. He caught crawfish and minnows, and trapped opossum, squirrels and skunks. He picked up blackberries. A good hide would sell for 25 cents and a bucket of berries for 10 cents. It took him one year to save twenty-seven dollars and forty-six cents. Billy worked another year and had his fifty dollars. He took the money to his grandfather who had a store and asked him to buy the coonhounds. Billy's grandpa loved Billy very much. He was very fair and hardworking. Billy waited for days. Then they got the message that the dogs were in depot in a near by town. Billy did not want to wait for a week when a neighbor went to town. He packed a bag and started walking. The town was 20 miles away and it took Billy all night to get there. He got the pups and walked back. On his way back he spent a night in a cave and was scared by a mountain lion. He stopped at the camping ground he had found the magazine. He saw two names carved on a tree: Dan and Ann and decided to name his dogs Old Dan and Little Ann. Billy wanted to train his pups to hunt coons but he needed to have a coonskin to train them. His grandpa taught him a trick to catch a coon. It took him a week to get the coon. He taught his dogs every trick he knew. Billy got most of his ideas from the stories the coon hunters would tell at his grandpa's store. Billy tied his first coon hide to a string and drag it around the forest. He would drag it through the water, and walk up and down the river bank. He would pull the skin up a tree and swing it twenty or more feet away from the tree as the coons would try to trick the dogs. He trained them all summer and waited the hunting season to open. He was almost fourteen. Little Ann is the brain of the team. A smart old coon would climb a tree jump far away from the tree. This move would trick many dogs, but Little Ann would find the trail once again.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Social Justice and Charity Essay Example

Social Justice and Charity Essay Example Social Justice and Charity Essay Social Justice and Charity Essay Social justice, in the present, is dominantly viewed by the contemporary civilization as the concept wherein everyone is equal with each other in terms of social privileges in life. Commonly, this concept is regarded in the aspect of material terms that every single individuals must have the same right for access and acquisition of the lifestyles choices, luxuries and services offered by the present social community. Thus, the concept of social justice is indeed presently established in relation to the economic aspect of the contemporary lifestyle. Concerning the correlation of concept of social justice with the aspect of charity, one can actually argue that the two are indeed opposite, as one would actually negate his or her justifiable personal right for social equality. Individuals who will indulge with charitable profession or services will indeed give up his or her privilege for equal status with the other and embraced a lifestyle potentially lesser in economic terms with the majority. However though, looking at the situation in the positive side, charitable profession such as those practiced by social workers can also be considered as privilege not in the economic aspect but in the social one. Indeed, social workers are indeed promoting social justice in their respective social community, as they are able to promote the equal betterment of the people through giving them their rightful privileges for services such as in the medical aspect and others in the form of selfless action. Thus, this concept must be critically explained to the social workers, as this will be the main core of the charity values and views regarding their profession influencing the prime decision that will put them in this field. For the social workers, the concept of social justice does not only apply to economic terms but in general social aspect wherein their personal rights and privileges will not be negated by their profession but will only be enhance and they will be able to personally l ive up the values of equality in the society.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Competitive Global Market and Change Research Paper

The Competitive Global Market and Change - Research Paper Example Moreover, the report will also attempt to identify the benefits or drawbacks witnessed by Apple and its employees due to the affect of globalisation. Different Countries Involved Besides, its headquarters in United States, Apple majorly operates in various other countries, such as United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Canada, Italy, China, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France and Netherlands among others. More than 350 Apple stores are established all over the countries across the world (Apple Inc, 2012). Thus, its focus on the development of supply chains and major partners in the business is necessary in order to maintain sustainability in the global markets. Utilization of Outsourcing In the late 2000s, Apple decided to outsource its products from various countries where raw materials are available at cheaper rates. The motive behind outsourcing is to earn significant margin of profit while experimenting in developing creative products. A report by New York Times revealed that 90 perce nt of raw materials used in Apple’s iPhones are manufactured abroad and are outsourced. Major sections, such as display panels and circuitry from Taiwan and Korea, advanced semiconductors from Germany, chipsets from Europe, memory from Japan and Korea and uncommon metals from Asia and Africa which are later assembled and packaged in China. Technological companies depend upon the availability of low-cost materials and therefore, focus on countries that provide the advantage. The outsourcing strategy gained the momentum of growth and subsequently, Apple earned a considerable amount of profit strengthening its foothold in the global markets (Duhigg & Bradsher, 2012). Benefits of Globalisation Similar to many other multinational companies, Apple has benefitted by a large extent due to globalisation. The company shifted most of its production unit jobs to countries where cheaper workforces are available along with legal support and favourable economic conditions. This has been evi dent by a report that revealed only 13,920 employees are associated with the company’s US based plant compared to 27,250 employees working at other countries, i.e. nearly twice more than US. The report further revealed that the American employees took over approximately US $750 million whereas; workers employed abroad took only US $320 million. Thus, the comparison in cost related to wages can be identified as almost double in US compared to abroad (Freeland, 2011). Globalisation has also resulted in the inflow of creative talents from across the world, to which the company gives prime importance. The incredible talents in Apple are encouraged in various ways to develop products that are unique in its class acting as a ‘trend setter’ in the industry. These engineers earn healthy paycheques from the company which are being supported by the cheap costs incurred by the bottom-line employees working abroad (Freeland, 2011). Drawbacks Due to Globalisation Steve Jobsâ €™ main target behind the incorporation of Apple was to become the leader of the industry in terms of creative products. His aim was to dominate the market in regards to sales and have a partially monopolistic environment prevailing in the global markets. However, due to globalisation many competitor brands have used the strategy of manufacturing abroad and reap equal benefits in terms of cheap labour and raw materials. Therefore, the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Reflection Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Reflection Paper - Assignment Example Moreover, the massive industrialization that has characterized the 21st century has led to pollution of the environment which on the other hand has resulted in the climatic changes that have given rise to health complications such as cancers and other chronic illness that have become lifestyle diseases among the members of the society (Butts & Rich, 2005). To combat this rise in illness and other health related complications health agencies and governments have come up with elaborate strategies that are aimed at ensuring effective mitigation strategies are implemented are in place to ensure those complications do not eat up the entire humanity and hence they have come up with specialized programmes that are meant to educate and offer medical attention to the people to help get rid of those complications (Mauk & Schmidt, 2004). Nursing is a very competitive field that is constantly changing to be at par with the current health care related unfolding in the world. Thus as a registered nurse it will be my duty to ensure I strive to advance my education to gather more skills and knowledge in the field not only for accreditation purposes and job rank advancement but to enable me be at a better position to solve the health problems that the society is facing in the twenty-first century (Judd & Davis, 2010). The current nursing practice that I am doing is just the starting point which serves to motivate me to achieve higher academic qualifications to help me be more knowledgeable and in the process I should be in a modest position to solve health related complication that are among the people (Mauk & Schmidt, 2004). That notwithstanding, nursing is an holistic service that should be done to save humanity and not only for financial reasons, thus to ensure that the services that are offered to the clients are of the best quality

Monday, November 18, 2019

Time value of money Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Time value of money - Research Paper Example gger amount in the days to come.  The renowned fact that money possesses a time value implies that time value of that money must be put into account when making decisions to do with finance.   This is done by restating values of money through time with what is called Calculations of Time Value of Money.   These calculations are applied so as to shift monetary unit values of through the given time period.   The calculations can be used to state future monetary flows in present value terms and also to restate today’s value amounts into future monetary values. These calculations are by far the most powerful tool that is available for making business and financial decisions. These values may be used to restate cash flows in such a way as to make them comparable in the process of making financial decisions. The present value of money puts into account that fact that cash always loses value over time due to inflation as well as opportunity cost. The reason the topic of prese nt value of money is very important in finance is because its calculation forms a basis for all decisions that managers make. Calculation of present values is very important in making many financial decisions that face all individuals and managers in various types of firms.   This procedure allows many financial computations in relation to the interest earning, returns upon investments gains, capital budgeting processes of decision, predicaments relating loan, insurance programming predicaments,  and many other business asset buying or decisions in relation investment.   These computations also grant the basis for part of the most commonly used valuation models as well as concepts applied in today’s finance.   Failure to discount makes ventures that yield returns in the future appear to be more valuable than they really are.(Rosen, H.S 2005 pp. 241)Through calculating the net present value, firms are able to make accurate estimates on the returns to expect from variou s investments they choose to undertake. This is through calculating returns on investments. Firms are also in a better position to make reasonable and accurate budgets since they are under no illusion about their actual present or future monetary value. The net present value is also very important in dealing with loans related issues that may arise. The finance manager of a company will be in a position to know the amount of loan that the firm can afford to repay comfortably. This is very important because the company will avoid having too large loans which may be difficult to repay and thus it will remain financially stable. Finally, calculation of net present value is very useful in solving insurance programming problems of a company. Question 2 Future Value(FV) = Present Value(PV) ?( 1 + Interest Rate(R) )T , where T is the number of periods or years a) Present value = $ 15,000, Interest Rate = 7%, Time = 5years Therefore,Future Value = 15,000 ? (1 + 0.07)5 = $21,038.28 b) Presen t value = $ 19,500,Interest Rate = 4%,time = 3years Future Value = 19,500?(1+0.04)3 = $ 21,934.8 c) Present value = $

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Level of VEGF in Chronic Nephropathy Models

Level of VEGF in Chronic Nephropathy Models The number of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progressing to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and requiring renal replacement therapy are increasing worldwide. In India, the age-adjusted incidence rate of ESRD is estimated to be 229 per million population (pmp), and >100,000 new patients enter renal replacement programs annually (1). Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common cause of ESRD development among other disorders predisposing to ESRD. The costs of DN are significantly higher than those from other diabetic complications because the patients are subjected to haemodialysis programs and renal transplant when failure occurs. Thus, the burden of DN on public health is enormous (2). The current therapy for patients with renal injury includes glycemic control by antidiabetic medications. Blockage of renin angiotensin system (RAS) is the most commonly practiced way of controlling blood pressure in DN. However, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin recep tor blockers moderately slow the rate of progression but do not arrest or reverse the progression of disease. Moreover, RAS blockade is usually initiated only after DN manifests itself clinically with persistent proteinuria in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But despite knowledge of the devastating effects of these complications and the involved costs to patients, to date, there is still no method that is sufficiently sensitive and accurate for subclinical diagnoses of diabetic nephropathy. The pathomechanisms leading to these changes are not yet clearly understood and therefore, therapeutic approaches for relief of this disease are scarce or do not permit a favorable pharmacological intervention. Angiogenesis the development of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones is involved in physiological events and in pathological disorders including cancer, proliferative retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and neointimal formation. Angiogenesis is controlled by the balance between proangiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors. Experimental studies have demonstrated the involvement of an imbalance of angiogenesis-related factors in the progression of CKD and the potential therapeutic effects of modulating these factors have been identified (3, 4). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, a potent pro-angiogenic factor, is involved in the development of the kidney, and also plays an important role in maintaining the glomerular capillary structure and in the repair process following injuries of glomerular endothelial cells and peritubular capillaries (5-7). It is constitutively expressed in podocytes, proximal tubular cells and medullary thick ascending limb cells in the ju xtamedullary region of the normal kidney. Evidence is emerging that VEGF plays a critical role in maintaining renal homeostasis (8, 9). Altered (increased or decreased) expression of VEGF leads to glomerular dysfunction and proteinuria (3, 10-15). It has been demonstrated that VEGF administration has a beneficial effect in both acute and chronic nondiabetic renal disease. In the remnant kidney model and cyclosporine nephropathy, decreased VEGF expression was observed. These observations were correlated with renal dysfunction and capillary loss. VEGF administration was found to reverse the renal dysfunction in these models (4, 16, 17). In contrast, both circulating and local VEGF levels are high in diabetes. In diabetic nephropathy , the increases in the number of glomerular capillaries and in the glomerular levels of VEGF-A and its receptor VEGFR-2 are observed (3, 18). The role of abnormal angiogenesis induced by VEGF has been implicated in diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephrop athy associated with progression of disease and the excessive VEGF has been shown to have a role in mediating glomerular hypertrophy (3). The precise mechanism is unclear for contradictory status of VEGF-A in diabetic and non diabetic kidney disease. So, in the present study we decided to investigate the level of VEGF in two different chronic nephropathy models; one was diabetes induced chronic nephropathy and the other was non diabetic nephropathy. VEGF and NO interaction has been explained as one of the regulating mechanism in causing paradoxical effects of VEGF by Takahiko Nakagawa et al.; 2007. The author explained the dark side and the bright side of VEGF effects. VEGF normally stimulates endothelial nitric oxide (NO) release and acts in coordination with elevated NO levels as a trophic factor for vascular endothelium. The increased NO derived from the endothelial cell acts as an inhibitory factor that prevents excess endothelial cell proliferation, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and macrophage infiltration. Normally, an elevation in VEGF expression should result in elevated endothelial NO levels, since VEGF increases both endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression and NO release from endothelial cells. However, in diabetes, despite high levels of VEGF, endothelial NO levels are low. The authors have summarized several mechanisms to explain the low endothelial NO bioavailability. First, glucose can scavenge NO. Second, t here is an impairment of eNOS activation. A third mechanism could be oxidative stress, which quenches NO to form peroxynitrite. Fourth, the formation of advanced glycation products in diabetes may also result in the consumption of endothelial NO. Fifth, both asymmetric dimethyl arginine and uric acid are commonly elevated in diabetes and can reduce endothelial NO bioavailability. Finally, NO may bind to glycosylated deoxyhemoglobin. Thus in diabetic settings high levels of VEGF, in absence of NO; lead to excessive endothelial cell proliferation, stimulation of macrophage chemotaxis, and vascular smooth muscle cell activation resulting in vascular injury (19, 20). Based on these observations we decided to investigate level of NO, in addition to VEGF; in two different chronic nephropathy models. The therapeutic effects of anti-VEGF-A strategies and anti-angiogenic factors in diabetic nephropathy have been reported (21). The beneficial effects of administration of VEGF in non diabetic CKD have been reported (17). The contrasting effects of VEGF in non-diabetic and diabetic kidney disease prompted us to review factors modulating VEGF expression in CKD. Hypoxia and certain cytokines are major regulators of VEGF expression (22-29). Physiological adaptation to hypoxia is an area of intense investigation. Adenosine is a critical mediator during ischemia and hypoxia and contributes to diseases as diverse as inflammation and carcinogenesis (30). Inhibition of adenosine kinase and the dephosphorylation of ATP and AMP by surface apyrases (e.g., CD39) and ecto-5’ nucleotidase (CD73), respectively, represent the major pathways of extracellular adenosine liberation during oxygen supply imbalances. Once liberated in the extracellular space, adenosine is either recycled (e.g., throu gh dipyridamole-sensitive carriers) or interacts with cell surface Adenosine Receptors (ARs). Presently, four subtypes of G protein-coupled ARs exist, designated A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. They are classified according to utilization of pertussis toxin sensitive pathways (A1 and A3) or adenylate cyclase (A2A and A2B). The A2BAR have been recently much investigated for their role on renal functions. A2BAR have been reported to inhibit PDGF induced growth of mesangial cells ,they also protect the kidney from ischemia (31, 32). A2BAR have also been reported to inhibit inflammation, so it is remained to be determined which type of A2AR are involved in inflammation associated with diabetic nephropathy. A2B receptors have a lower affinity compared with other subtypes and require higher concentrations of adenosine for their stimulation and such high levels can be reached during hypoxia, ischemia, inflammation, and injury. A2BAR regulate various pathological processes, including mast cell activation, vasodilatation, inhibition of cardiac fibroblast and vascular smooth muscle growth, stimulation of endothelial cell (EC) growth, and angiogenesis (8,9,10,11,12). The functional aspects of ARs responses may be determined by surface expression profiles. Microarray analyses of cDNA derived from endothelial cells subjected to various periods of hypoxia revealed significant changes in the ARs profile, wherein the prominent phenotypic change favored A2BAR expression, with concomitant down regulation of A1AR and A3AR(2). As chronic state of nephropathy also involve hypoxic intra renal environment (33), we decided to find the expression of A2BAR in two different models of chronic nephropathy. The most potent stimuli for VEGF production is hypoxia as stated above. The evidence of line also suggests the hyperglycemic state of diabetes to be hypoxic. Particularly, it has been demonstrated that in a mouse podocytes cell line the expression of VEGF increases under exposition to high D-glucose concentrations. At present however, it is not clear how glomerular VEGF production is unregulated in response to diabetes or high glucose concentration (13). Ex vivo exposure of rat kidney glomeruli to adenosine leads to an increase in VEGF content. Activation of A2BAR subtypes augments expression and releases VEGF beyond basal levels in rat glomeruli. Additionally, the status of VEGF and NO axis in non diabetic nephropathy is not well investigated. Based on these observations we decided to investigate the effects of A2BAR modulators on VEGF and NO in chronic diabetic nephropathy. Reconstitution of endothelial NO synthesis and/or its availability in glomeruli of diabetic nephropathy anima l models via the A2BAR modulation, remains an interesting matter. We thus hypothesize that differential expression of VEGF in diabetic and non-diabetic kidney diseases is mediated by A2BAR. The expression of A2B receptor is disease specific. Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a potent immunosuppressive agent with definite efficacy to prevent organ allograft rejection. However, CsA causes significant nephrotoxicity that might contribute to long-term kidney graft loss (34). Acute CsA nephrotoxicity is characterized by renal vasoconstriction, which is dose-related and reversible with dose reduction. In contrast, chronic CsA nephrotoxicity may be progressive and irreversible, the histological lesion of which includes tubular atrophy, afferent arteriolar hyalinosis. We resolved to investigate the mechanisms of cyclosporine induced nephropathy as non diabetic chronic nephropathy model in present study. A line of evidence has demonstrated reduction in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide (NO) in CsA nephropathy(35, 36). VEGF is an endothelial cell mitogen that increases angiogenesis and vascular permeability. Endogenous VEGF has a relevant role in the renal tubular defense against CsA toxicity. Blockade of the VEGF by ÃŽ ±-VEGF results in intensification of the tubular injury the CsA nephropathy(37). The occurrence of both in-vivo and in-vitro effects of VEGF blockade provides evidence of a direct protective effect of VEGF on the tubular cell. Numerous studies have reported a important role of NO in regulation of the effects of VEGF on angiogenesis, vascular permeability, and blood pressure regulation (38, 39). A2BAR have been known to mediate NO release in various pathological settings (40, 41). In the late phase of CsA nephropathy, nitric oxide synthase activation is reduced (42). However, it is necessary to determine whether or not A2BAR agonist induces VEGF in chronic CsA nephropathy. Previous in vitro studies using vascular smooth muscle cells as well as macrophages suggest administration of A2BAR agonists results in increased VEGF expression, potentially stimulating angiogenesis. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that A2BAR agonists induce expression of key angiogenic factors such as VEGF in CsA induced chronic nephropathy. Such an increase in renal VEGF expression by A2BAR activators may initiate the angiogenic response at the site of renal injury. Hence present study was designed to investigate the effects of A2BAR modulators on VEGF expression and NO levels in kidneys of chronic CsA induced nephropathy.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Life Struggling Against Death in Shakespeares Sixtieth Sonnet (Sonnet

Life Struggling Against Death in Shakespeare's Sixtieth Sonnet (Sonnet 60) Shakespeare's sixtieth sonnet is probably addressed to the same young, male friend to whom most or all of the earlier sonnets are said to be addressed. The sonnet does not specify this, however, so it could be to anyone or everyone. The theme is certainly universal; time steals human life away, but poetry is immortal. The poet uses diction and imagery to paint a picture of life struggling against death and losing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The speaker of the sonnet tells the audience in the first quatrain that human life is fleeting. He or she refers to life as "our minutes" (813). This is a twist on the traditional expression "our days." The use of "minutes" in place of "days" makes life seem even shorter and gives the poem a sense of urgency. The speaker uses wave imagery to show the audience that life is rushing: "Like as the waves make toward the pibbled shore,/ So do our minutes hasten to their end" (813). The wave is a very appropriate symbol for life. First it is nonexistent, then it becomes a small groove on the water, then it swells to greatness. As it grows in size, it speeds up, as life seems to speed up as people grow older.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The speaker says that the minutes of life are "Each changing place with that which goes before,/ In sequent toil all forwards do contend" (813). The speaker treats the minutes of life without glamour. The minutes, like the waves, pass in the same way as those that wint before them. The speaker uses the word "toil" to imply that life is drudgery. The wave, even when swollen to its zenith acts in an imitative and monotonous way. Then it begins to shrink more quickly than it grew, finally dissipating as it crashes o... ...d nothing stands but for his scythe to mow," but in the next line says that the "verse shall stand" (813). The speaker also implies that the poetry might be written more in spite of Time than in praise of the audience. "The worth" of the audience is mentioned only once, while the mighty enemy, Time, is the focus. The victor over Time is the verse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The speaker of the poem tells the audience that he or she should be flattered that they were chosen as the subject of the speaker's poetry. The speaker convinces the audience that life is weak and Time is strong, but the speaker's poetry is stronger still. Perhaps the speaker felt that the audience was not appreciative enough of some previous efforts at immortalizing him or her in verse! For whatever reason, the speaker of Sonnet Sixty gives the audience a profound example of the importance of poetry.   

Monday, November 11, 2019

‘Harmonium’ and ‘Manhunt’ Essay

The speaker’s attitude towards his father in ‘Harmonium’ is honest and realistic. The speaker names the brand of his organ â€Å"Farrand Chapelette† and he names places such as ‘Marsden’ in Yorkshire possibly having a connection of where he and his father grew up. This makes the poem a lot more personnel and therefore the poet manages to gain sympathy from the reader. The use of honesty makes the poem a lot more sentimental whereas in ‘Manhunt’ the wife keeps their background quite discrete. Although the poem does explore the physical and mental effects of dealing with war injuries, it doesn’t include the wars in which he’s participated in and any other personnel information. The poem ‘Manhunt’ is a lot less specific than ‘Harmonium’, which makes it relevant to many other war victims. The husband in Manhunt is not open to his experiences of the past. The speaker in ‘Harmonium’ uses colloquial language to create a friendly, warm, conversational tone. In ‘Harmonium’ Simon Armitage uses language like â€Å"bundled off to the skip† to try and say that the Harmonium is broken. In the poem Manhunt the speaker uses a more compassionate tone, which makes the poem touching. This is created when she unravels the list of her husband’s injuries with each injury getting worse and more heart-breaking. Both of the poems use imagery to convey their feeling to their loved ones through images. In the poem ‘Harmonium’ the speaker’s father is portrayed as a broken ‘Harmonium’, which helps the reader visualize the physical and mental state of the child’s father. In the poem ‘Manhunt’ the husband is continuously referred to images reflecting his health. He is described as having a ‘fetus of metal beneath his chest’ giving the reader a visual image of the metal bullet buried beneath his skin. In the poem ‘Harmonium’ Simon Armitage uses parallelism to intensify the relationship between father and son. He does this by repeating ‘and he, being him†¦.and I, being me† this shows how the son will take the place of his father as time goes on. However in the poem ‘the Manhunt’ the speaker  links herself to her husband. Her husband is described as being the victim of a Manhunt and the poem explains how she is trying to regain her husband’s trust and confidence the idea that the husband is involved with this Manhunt is repeater throughout the poem. The wife is described as ‘widening her search’ to regain her husband; this links to the title ‘Manhunt’. In the poem ‘The Manhunt’ the speaker uses lots of sensational, loving verbs in the poem, reflecting the intimacy of husband and wife, and keen devotion from the wife hoping to heal her husband. The wife says that she is able to ‘climb the rungs of his broken ribs’, a closely observed detail of her hands exploring the altered body of her husband. The idea of the ladder is reflective of the effort involved in the wife’s gradual search for answers. This demonstrates the wife’s confidence when she speaks. However, in ‘Harmonium’ the speaker uses indefinite descriptions such as ‘shallow or sorry’ and ‘phrase or word’; this shows that the speaker is not very comfortable and confident about talking about his father, this suggests that he might be regretful or resentful of his past decisions. The writer feels inadequate. The poem ‘Harmonium’ has four stanzas of different lengths. The first stanza describes the harmonium ready to be throwed away. The next is a closer investigation of the instrument, with detailed descriptions of its parts. The third stanza considers the history of the instrument. The final stanza, which describes carrying the harmonium from the church, is concerned with the relationship between the speaker and his father. However in ‘The Manhunt’; the poem consists of a series of unrhymed couplets. This creates a sense of fragmentation, which matches the feelings of the soldier’s wife as she try’s to understand the man her husband has become. The poem describes the phases of a wife’s search for answers from her injured husband who has recently returned from a war zone. The poem ends when the search is closed. In conclusion the speaker’s attitudes in both poems are quite similar since they are both by Simon Armitage however the spea ker in ‘Harmonium’ takes a more honest and realistic approach with a colloquial tone than the discrete, unspecific, compassionate speaker in ‘The Manhunt’.

Friday, November 8, 2019

How to Get Scholarships to Study Abroad

How to Get Scholarships to Study Abroad Finding money to fund your study abroad program is easier than you might think. From program-specific scholarships to the availability of federal funding, heres what you should know about earning study abroad scholarships. Quick Tip Meet with the experts at your university’s study abroad office to learn more about the best scholarship options for your program, and submit your applications as early as possible to maximize your funding. Finding Study Abroad Funding The first place to go after you’ve decided to study abroad is your university’s study abroad office, sometimes called an international learning office. There, youll meet experts who can answer any questions you might have about funding and help you understand the costs of your program. They’ll also be able to direct you toward the funding opportunities that best suit your situation and provide support during the application process. Study abroad funding options change every year. In order to get the most up-to-date information, utilize one of these regularly updated databases that list grants and scholarships to fund your study abroad experience. (Note that some organizations also provide low-interest student loans specifically for study abroad participants.) AIFSFastWebThe College BoardIIE Passport   Diversity Abroad   Ã‚  Scholarships.com  SmartScholar Applying Federal Aid to Study Abroad  Programs If you receive federal aid to pay your regular tuition, those funds can often be applied to your study abroad program, with a couple of conditions. First, you need to be enrolled at least half-time at your host university. Second, the program must advance you toward your degree. Other conditions might also apply, so its essential to communicate with both your home university and your host university throughout the process. If the cost of tuition at your host university exceeds that of your home university, you might be able to secure a temporary increase in your Pell Grant, as long as you meet eligibility requirements. Program-specific Study Abroad Scholarships Programs like USAC, CIEE, Semester at Sea, and National Student Exchange make study abroad as affordable as possible, and in some cases even help students obtain passports.   USAC, CIEE, and AIFS The University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE), and the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) are three of many study abroad facilitators with programs in six continents and hundreds of cities. These program facilitators operate within massive collegiate networks, allowing them to keep costs as low as possible to help students afford to study abroad. In addition to low tuition costs, program facilitators maintain strong ties within the local communities. These connections allow the facilitators to place students with host families for better language acquisition and lower out of pocket housing costs. The facilitators also offer private scholarships and financial guidance for participating students. Semester at Sea Semester at Sea is a program that uses a ship as its home base and travels to at least ten countries across three or four continents, depending on the route. A semester-long voyage comes with a hefty price tag, but the organization provides scholarship opportunities and external funding assistance to prospective students. In addition to a private scholarship portal, Semester at Sea also offers a Pell Grant match. National Student Exchange National Student Exchange is a network of colleges and universities based in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam that facilitates accessible opportunities for college students to study away from their home university. Student participants in the NSE program enroll at another participating university for a semester or a full academic year, depending on availability and individual preference.  The program recommends choosing an exchange institution that will complement your studies at your home university, helping you reach academic and career goals. NSE is an affordable option for many students that don’t have the funds or the time to study abroad. Though your institution does need to be a member of NSE in order for you to participate, the network of member institutions is large. Because the schools work together to facilitate these exchanges, you will have the option to pay either in-state tuition at your host university or your regular tuition at your home university. Any scholarships or federal aid you receive annually is eligible to be used to pay for your NSE tuition.   Federal, Non-profit, and Corporate Study Abroad Scholarships There are a handful of government-sponsored study abroad scholarships available to undergraduates, particularly those looking to develop language and diplomatic skills in areas of interest to the United States. Sponsored by the National Security Education Program, Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for students to study in countries critical to the U.S. national interest. Students who receive a Boren Scholarship are required to complete at least one year of federal government employment after graduation. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship provides need-based funding for students to study or intern abroad. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a two-year or four-year accredited university, and they must be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or prove that they will receive a Pell Grant during the course of the study abroad program. If your community has a Rotary club, the Rotary Foundation provides scholarships up to the equivalent of four years of study to high school, undergraduate, graduate students. Since these scholarships are dependent on your local Rotary club, scholarship amounts and eligibility requirements will vary. Contact your local Rotary club for information on the scholarships they offer.   Other nonprofit organization and corporations, including the Fund for Education Abroad, Scott’s Cheap Flights, American Legion (in cooperation with Samsung), and Unigo provide annual scholarship opportunities.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The American judicial system Essays

The American judicial system Essays The American judicial system Paper The American judicial system Paper The American judicial system, in theory, is supposed to be the great leveler among different groups; racial, gender, ethnic and class. However, there have been a number of cases in which the judicial system has fallen far short of what its design and function was meant to do under our Constitution. The Scottsboro Case and the hell that the judicial system put nine black boys, some as young as twelve, serves as an impediment to the belief that our judicial system is impartial. Even at the time of the trials, the all white Alabamian jury could feel that at least some of the boys were innocent. In the trial of one of the defendants, despite being found guilty of raping a white woman was not giving the death penalty. Up to that time, it would be the first time that such a lenient sentence would be given on such an offense. The trial showed the divisions within the community and the courthouse in which the trial was taking place as well as the country as a whole.To an alarming degree, the larger division that this trial highlighted was the differences in the feelings towards race which the country possessed. This does not hold true for the more than 130 million people living in America by 1931; saying that all Northerners were free from bigotry and all southerners were drowning themselves in it. However, the division that was present within the country was never shown so dark, then in their respective treatment of this trial and of the presumed guilt of these defendants. It would take decades until the Scottsboro boys and their own personal hell would be over. Some would be scarred, both mentally and physically, for the rest of their lives. What is equally as tragic, is that for African Americans, the thoughts of the Scottsboro Trial and the mishandling of justice, would only increase their suspicion towards America’s judicial system, and their increasing belief that in America, an African American would not, could not, be afforded a f air trial.It is discouraging to read of the details of the trial and what transpired in the days, weeks and years that the trial took place and the reactions to it. The troubles began on March 25, 1931 in which a number of both black and white teenage boys got into a fight while riding in a box car.[1] During the years of the Depression, this practice of free transportation was becoming more and more popular as the country went deeper and deeper into the Depression. There was a rumor of a government job in Memphis. During the trip, the white and black teenage boys got into a fight and the white boys were overpowered and thrown off of the train. The white boys told the authorities and a wire was sent to Paint Rock, Alabama and when the train stopped, the black boys were arrested. They were taken, bound together and then sent back to the jail in Scottsboro, Alabama. There were two young women on the train as well. Victoria Price and Rudy Bates, seventeen and twenty one years of age, w ere the ones who first levied these charges of rape against the boys.[2] When asked what their business was on the train, in order to mask the possibility of being charged under   the Mann Act which made it illegal to conduct immoral practices across state lines ( it was believed that the two were prostitutes) Victoria Price said that the African American boys on the train had raped her. This spread across the town like wild fire and by the end of that night, there were a several hundred men who were standing outside of the jail in which the boys were held and were looking to lynch the boys. The situation became so violent that Alabama’s governor B.M Miller ordered the National Guard to Scottsboro in order to avoid any attempt at a lynching.[3] The trial would soon begin.As the trial began, it became obvious, if it had not been done so already, the prevailing ideology of the Scottsboro pears as well as the belief of those, not only in the town but also the entire South. The re would be exceptions to this rule, but at least within the state of Alabama, it had been assumed that these boys, all of the boys, had been guilty of the crime of rape. In the days before the trial began, one local newspaper’s headline read: â€Å"All Negros Positively Identified While Nine Black Friends Committed Revolting Crime.†[4] Also, the defense for the boys was dubious at best. The parents of the defendants could afford to scrape together, only sixty dollars and with that money, obtained a real estate attorney named Stephen Roddy as well as Milo Moody, a seventy one year old lawyer who had not tried a case in years. The NAACP was reluctant to get involved in the case during the immediate days after the news hit the wire that these boys would be charged with rape. They would later get involved but not until the ACLU and the Communist Party took the lead in the defense of the boys. Attempts had been made to retain famed attorney Clarence Darrow for the trial bu t the powers that be, had waited too long and for better or worse, the American Communist Party had hired their own attorneys to defend the boys.This move was like adding salt to an open wound. â€Å"Hatred for Communists and the ACLU in Alabama, was only bested by the prevailing status quo’s hatred towards African Americans, especially regarding the crime of rape.†[5] It seemed that the Northern based ACLU and the Communist Party did not fully understand the prevailing ideology among the clear majority of southerners concerning their feelings for the party and its cause. It is unlikely that Clarence Darrow would have been able to obtain acquittals for the nine Scottsboro Boys, had he had the opportunity to be in the position for the defense. However, their fate was sealed when the Communist Party and the ACLU took any part in the trial. This does not speak to the quality of the defense that the above mentioned would have been able to provide for the boys, but rather, how they were regarded by the South. â€Å"The Communist Party was regarded as only slightly better than the perceived rapists that they were defending.†[6]   This would lead to a speedy trial and an even speedier guilty verdict.These attacks were obvious and certainly not subtle. In the closing arguments, Prosecutor Knight asked the jury: â€Å"whether or not justice in this case is going to be bought and sold with Jew money?†[7] The defense attorney seemed to agree and did not even offer a closing statement. The local papers described the trial as: â€Å"Almost perfect and a guilty verdict is to be assumed.†[8] The jury came back from deliberations and on the day of April 8, 1933, gives their answer as they deliberated for less than an hour and came back with nine guilty verdicts; eight were given the death penalty and twelve year old Roy Wright, was given a life sentence in prison. It was later said of the jury by the ACLU: â€Å"If you ever saw those crea tures, those bigots whose mouth are slits in their faces, whose eyes popped out at you like frogs, whose chins dripped tobacco juice, bewhiskered and filthy, you would not ask how they could do it.†[9]   More trials would continue and it would be many years until the boys, who had by then, become men, and were acquitted.The differences before, during and after the trial, concerning the beliefs of the South and the North was complete and absolute. There were exceptions of course but, by and large, the South, and especially, Alabama where the trial took place, did not look upon outsiders nicely. The efforts of the NAACP, the ACLU and the Communist Party; three groups which were never taken seriously or respected in the South, their involvement in what many believed to be â€Å"a matter for only southerners to decide,†[10] only heightened the feelings of distrust and hatred for the motivations of these above mentioned groups.   Never mind the fact that the actions of t he jurors, the prosecution as well as the white community at large concerning the prosecution of these boys was dubious at best, criminal and immoral at worst, a misplacement of justice was never more apparent than in this case When interviewed, one long time member of the town of Scottsboro, said of the defendants: â€Å"We ought to string up these nig-rs right now. They raped those girls as sure as day. We can save the county a whole lot of trouble and expenses with only a 30 cent piece of six foot rope.†[11] These sorts of comments, and there was no shortage by the white establishment when asked their opinion concerning the guilt or innocence of these boys, came not only from their racist feelings towards African Americans and their feelings against the crime of murder but also against people and groups who were labeled as â€Å"outside agitators† in relation to their involvement in this trial. Any outside sources which were used to defend the boys and therefore, us urp the authority of the state of Alabama, in the eyes of the town’s people, would lead to a strict response.Also, the views of the South in relation to the trial, could not escape the prevailing beliefs concerning the issue of race. In the state of Alabama, being part of the Deep South still had lingering effects of the Civil War and the institution of slavery. There were still some people who were alive and residing in the South who had fought in the Civil War and many more who had been influenced and still wished to continue the environment of Jim Crow and its laws on segregation and the perceived inferiority of African Americans. This way of thinking affected one of the plaintiffs before the case even went to trial. Rudy Bates, the seventeen year old who had said that the Scottsboro boys had raped her, had grown up in a very poor part of town and with her father out of the picture, Rudy and her mother were forced to live in the African American section of town. They were the only white family on the block. Before taking up residence in the house that she and her mother were living in at the time of the alleged rape, it was told to her by her new landlord. â€Å"Nigg-rs lived here before you.   I smell them.   You can’t get rid of that nig-er smell†[12] This was what was reported by Miss Hollace Randall. She ended her account of this aspect of the living conditions of Miss Bates by concluding: â€Å"Miss Bates looked apologetic and murmured that she had scrubbed the place down with soap and water. The house looked clean and orderly to me. I smelled nothing but then I have only a northern nose.†[13] This helped to sum up the differences in opinions among the northern and southern opinions concerning the case.There were bigots in the North as well as the South but there were differences. The ACLU, the NAACP and the American Communist Party, were all involved in the defense of the Scottsboro Boys and all came from the North. Thi s is beyond a coincidence as the defense would be hard pressed to find anyone of a reputable reputation, coming to the defense of the boys in what was a rape case in which race was at the center of the issue. Either a case in involving race or rape would be a trial in which many good hearted men and women, believing in the innocence of the defendants, would not feel so compelled to speak up as to the injustices that were occurring. When the two are combined, it became like finding a needle in the haystack concerning the attempt to find anyone within the Southern community to come to the defense of the boys. This would have helped in the defense of the boys as perhaps a respectable citizen from among the South and was respected by his own peers, was courageous enough to speak up for the defense of the boys. This would have had an n much more helpful reaction from those members of the jury who was suspicious of all those who came from outside of the South and who â€Å"stuck their no se where it did not belong.†[14] These feelings helped to mask the true issue at hand: nine innocent boys were being accused by two notorious women of questionable moral code, with the absence of any real proof and the fact that two doctors testified to the fact that there was no sign of the ripping or tearing of the private parts of either women. These seemed to elude the prosecution as well as the jurors who many have believed, â€Å"decided the guilt of the boys before the trial even began†[15] This seems to be a common theme among most misuses of our judicial system.Many in the South believed that claims of Price and Bates, despite the fact that most within the community has passed judgment upon these women and their lower social status and seemingly immoral sexual relationships with married men. Even the judge in the second trial, Judge Horton, when interviewed by Miss Hollace Ransdall in her famed report on the Scottsboro Trial for the ACLU, reported that the judg e commented, when describing one of the witnesses for the plaintiff: Well, we all know what his family is. ‘Her mother for instance’†¦ and he broke off as it was too obvious for words what his mother was like. I asked if he meant that the family was feeble minded or of a low mentality. No, not that, he replied, but†¦. ‘Well we know that they are not much good.’ He would commit himself no further.†Ã‚  [16] This was not taken into consideration: the disreputable character of the prosecution’s chief witness, yet the moral accounts of these nine boys, none of whom had ever been seen by the prosecution before this trial began and therefore, really had no way of being able to back up their opinions of these boys; these opinions which Ms. Ransdall detailed in her accounts of the trial and what the townspeople said were their opinions of the defendants. â€Å"They said that all Negroes were brutes and had to be held down by stern repressive measures or the number of rapes on white women would be larger than it is.   Their point seemed to be that it was only by ruthless oppression of the Negro that any white woman was able to escape raping at Negro hands.   A Negro will always, in their opinion, rape a white woman if he gets the chance.   These nine Negroes were riding alone with two white girls on a freight car.   Therefore, there was no question that they raped them, or wanted to rape them, or were present while the other Negroes raped them all of which amounts to very much the same thing in southern eyes and calls for the immediate death of the Negroes regardless of these shades of difference.†[17]   As one southerner in Scottsboro put it, We white people just couldnt afford to let these Niggers get off because of the effect it would have on other Niggers. This is why the society hated these boys and wanted to see them dead. Scottsboro had been hit hard by the Depression and when economic hardships come, prevailing racial bigotry always seems to intensify into a maddening fever. This was the case here.The Scottsboro Boys never had a chance at a fair trial in 1930’s Alabama. The legacy of slavery, the loss of the Civil War and Jim Crow laws was still too fresh in the minds of Southerners to allow nine black boys to be given a fair trial, along with even the possibility of being acquitted.   The demands were so high and the stakes so elevated by the opinions of the status quo, that there was little chance that the boys would be acquitted. Any chance at an acquittal was decreased any further when the defendants of the boys, were Northerners: the NAACP and groups which flaunted their communist beliefs or who were associated with communists. This acted as a double edged sword against the fairness of a trial. It seemed as though everything was working against the boys: They were black and the defendants were white. The crime that they were accused of was rape. The boyâ€⠄¢s defense came from the North and were groups which the jurors had an equally amount of mistrust and disdain against. They were outsiders who were defending perceived rapists. The Scottsboro boys never had a chance.This seemed to be the prevailing opinion among the Northern press as well. The Chicago Tribune, in an editorial, stated: â€Å"It seems doubtful that the defendants in this case, within the backdrop of Southern racism and bigotry, will be given a fair trial†¦. An acquittal is not expected.†[18] The New York Times mirrored such sentiments by stating that: â€Å"There has never been a more blatant misuse of justice than in Scottsboro, Alabama this week. These boys were innocent and the town knows it.† There were bigots in the North as their probably is to this day. The difference is that in comparison to the South, the North was a haven for progressive thought in which African Americans were treated with much more respect than their counterparts in the South.   The Civil War had been fought over the institution of slavery and the North had won. The North did not institute slavery because there was no need for it; no market in which to forcibly employ African Americans to work. This speaks to the same lack of interest in keeping African Americans in the same role of subjugation in the North than what many in the South felt to be necessary. There is no way of knowing whether these boys, had the accusations occurred in the North and a famed trial lawyer like Clarence Darrow or any defense attorney that would have been received more warmly by the jurors than the reception that the South gave the Communist Party in the Scottsboro trial. Perhaps, not even in the enlightened North, would all nine boys have been acquitted. What does seem more of a likelihood, the case would not have riled such a misuse of justice as the mitigating factors of race and sex would not have been viewed to such a degree of horror as it was in the South and wi th the absence of â€Å"outside agitators,† another excuse for a guilty verdict would have been vacated from the trial.In a final summation of the trial and the ideology which at the time, placed these boys in what would seem like the electric chair, ACLU representative Miss Hollace Ransdall stated: â€Å"We pride ourselves in this country upon having a free and compulsory educational system.   Why then did these young Negroes, all under age, not know how to read and write?   Because the subjugating white race is not concerned to see that black children go to school.   It is not to their interest to educate the Negro.   They profit too much by having a race under their feet that will do the dirtiest, the hardest of their work.   Southern whites feel to their marrow-bone only one thing about the Negro, and they say it over and over.   Hundreds of thousands of them have been saying it for generations.   They will continue to say it as long as anyone will listen.à ‚   It is their only answer to the Negro problem.   It is their reply to the questions of the Scottsboro case the Nigger must be kept down.†Ã‚  [19] These ideas and words were all too common in 1930’s Alabama as well as across the entire South. Feelings of racial superiority rose to the top with redoubled vigor as millions in the South were fighting for their own economic survival and with African Americans looking for much of the same, thus becoming a competitor towards the few jobs that were available, it seemed even less likely that a feeling of calm and respect could reside between the two races. As it became all too familiar, an opportunity in which the white majority in the South, had the opportunity to assert their superiority over the African American community in any way possible, this was sought after with a blinding resolve. In the process, nine boys, regardless of their eventual acquittal, went through hell for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and in the opinion of the jury, being the wrong color as well.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Management research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Management research project - Essay Example tructure could enhance the involvement of employees and at the same time, allows for the creation of a culture that caters to the needs of their customers or patrons. Nemiro, Beyerlein, Bradley and Beyerlein (2008) also support the abovementioned by stating that it is through the organization of employees through teams that they are expected to practice working not just by themselves but with others as well. Because of this then, individuals are expected to perform in a more efficient way when they are organized into teams. Fink (1992) on the other hand also states that there are also some advantages that organizations may experience due to individual work. According to him, the motivation, commitment and productivity of workers will significantly increase in the event that they are given the chance to â€Å"own† the process. At the same time, high commitment can also be guaranteed when they are allowed to develop their own standards by which they control the work. It is because of the abovementioned then that the researcher seeks to look into three specific terms in this research: (1) employee motivations; (2) the scheme of working as individuals; and (3) the organization of employees into teams. The next section of this chapter shall then present the general aim of this research. The general aim of this research is to compare the effects of the organization of employees into teams and individual work to their motivation, commitment and productivity. Aside from this, the research shall also have the following objectives: Seven chapters shall make up this study. These seven chapters offer extensive discussion regarding the topic at hand in order to produce valid and reliable conclusions needed for the commencement of the study. The seven chapters are the following: (1) Introduction; (2) Literature Review; (3) Methodology; (4) Company/Industry Background; (5) Findings; (6) Discussions; and lastly, (7) Conclusion. Chapter 2, on the other hand, is devoted to the

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Personal/ Professional Goals Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

/ Professional Goals - Personal Statement Example I am interested in Public Health program with the aim of specializing in Community Health Education Promotion. Completing the program will empower me to directly serve the underserved and impart knowledge where people lack knowledge on the importance of healthful living. Attained potentials will also help me to work with stakeholders such as government agencies and non-governmental organizations for policy and strategy development and implementation towards better health. I completed my nursing and midwifery studies in England, an opportunity that exposed me to people from different cultural backgrounds and widened my perspective of people’s health care needs and effects of culture on care provision. I then moved to the United States where I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies from the University of Phoenix. I completed the undergraduate program in the year 2002 and the graduate program in the year 2005 and later began my PhD but floods, which forced my relocation, terminated the studies. Extensive social responsibility that includes taking care of my niece and my ailing mother has also been a challenge to my studies. The strain has however reduced as my mother is currently in a nursing facility and my niece is an adult, in college. These explain my better potential to focus my studies and research process and complete the PhD program within the stipulated schedule. My research experience is limited to academic research at my earlier programs. My background knowledge in the nursing profession and my experience in public health however form a strong basis for my research activities in the PhD program such as identification of problems in public health. I am currently working with a Medical Mission group and we travel across the Caribbean and South America. Our work involves identification of people in need and meeting their needs. I have also worked as a bedside

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Personality and Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personality and Music - Essay Example Creativity and the ability to adjust socially are vital aspects of what dictates a person’s personality in terms of adapting in a community and determining whether a person has any common interests for relationship-building. If music is able to stimulate centers of the brain which regulate these actions, then perhaps it can enhance whether a person is capable of having quality friendships. If a person leans toward a specific type of music, like rock, rap, or hip hop, it might be due to the fact that the person is searching for personal creativity and finds stimulation from a specific genre. For instance, rock music might appeal to the person’s desire to break away from certain home environments and it inspires them to succeed. Perhaps also a desire to listen to hip hop might offer feelings of community or personal assistance for a charity-minded type of person. When they feel that the music is closely connected to their own wants and needs, it might offer a sensation in the brain which creates perceptions of contentment or creativity that other types of music do not provide. This is only a hypothetical scenario, however it is based on the idea that music and involvement in music over time can be linked with changes in the physical brain. Since the brain is still largely a mystery today, it might just be possible that stimulation from an emotional viewpoint could be triggered from certain varieties of music. It is relatively common knowledge that the brain has pleasure centers within it, perhaps music stimulates these regions but only when certain types of music are playing. It might, then, be that personality aspects are also changed as the person finds some reward in listening to certain music and it changes how they behave outwardly. Where society might have seen them as being withdrawn, now that music has changed their frustration to pleasure, they are seen as vibrant and happy

Monday, October 28, 2019

Keeping the Family Tradition Alive Essay Example for Free

Keeping the Family Tradition Alive Essay I started keeping my family tradition of canning alive last summer. My family has canned for years and there is nothing better than opening up something I have canned on my own and thinking of the people who shared this tradition with me. Traditions are very important to keep going in families around the world. Traditions are very broad anything from what people do on holidays to cooking. My family tradition is very important to me. I knew last year that if I didn’t learn some of my family’s secret recipes while my grandmother and mom are still with us than there would be a chance that my family would never be able to taste the wonderful flavors my family has put together over the years and my family has looked so forward to the taste that we have grown to love. Before I begin canning, I must gather all the materials that I need to get started. The first step is the selection of the tomatoes. I pick all of my tomatoes from my own garden they are so much better than anything from the grocery store. Last year I used better boy tomatoes and roma tomatoes. The roma tomatoes are great to use because they have fewer seeds, thicker, meatier walls and less water. And that means thicker sauce in less cooking time! Also, I don’t want mushy, bruised or rotten tomatoes. Next I remove the tomato skins this is very important. Nothing worse than eating spaghetti and having to chew on a piece of skin left behind. Here’s a trick my grandma taught me: put the tomatoes, a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute. Then I plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water. This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes. If the skins are left on then they become tough and chewy in the sauce, not very pleasant. Now I must remove the seeds and water. After peeling the skins off the tomatoes, I cut the tomatoes in half. I remove the seeds and excess water. I call it the squeeze of the seeds. It is just like it sounds: wash hands then squeeze each tomato and I use my thumb or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. I do leave some of the seeds because that is my preference. I toss the squeezed tomatoes into a colander or drainer while I work on the others. By draining the water off now, I end up with a thicker spaghetti sauce in less cooking time. The next step I must do is to get the lids and jars sanitized. The dishwasher is fine for the jars, especially if it has a â€Å"sanitize† cycle. I get that going while I’m preparing everything else, so it’s done by the time I’m ready to fill the jars. While the jars and lids are being sanitized I begin getting that spaghetti sauce going. I take my onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves, green peppers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and my burgundy and place them all in the pot first. After I get the onions and pepper a little tender I add all the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook down the tomatoes until the sauce is my desired thickness. I usually let my sauce cook for about two hours. The last step I call canning time. While my sauce is simmering I get my water bath canner ready. I go ahead and feel the water up and get it boiling. I start a small pot of water boiling to put the lids in so that the lids can sanitize and helps the lids seal. When the sauce is ready I place the jar funnel on the jar and I fill them to within ? inch of the top and set the lid and hand ’tighten the ring on. I place the jars in the water bath and cook for about 20mins. I then use the jar grabber and pull the jars out one at a time and let them cool draft-free place. Once the jars are cool, I check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. I press down in the center gently with my finger. If it pops up and down then it is not sealed. If it don’t seal than I just replace the lid and do the canning time again. Now that all the steps are complete, I listen to all the little pings going on telling me that my hard work has paid off. I am so glad that I have learned the family tradition of canning. My grandmother has gotten older and doesn’t can anymore. Out of all my family it is just my mom, Aunt Susan, and myself left doing the canning. It was a nice reward to my sole a few weeks ago when I had my grandmother over for dinner. I had canned some beets and decided that was the day to open them. When my grandmother tried them she said, â€Å"These taste just like mine. † To hear her say that meant so much to me. I couldn’t image not having the taste of what I grew up with because they don’t sell it in the grocery store. This is why I am keeping my family tradition going and teaching my girls. We never know when our love ones are not going to be here anymore. If I can’t have my family with me I at least want to be able to remember them by creating what they have thought me. If people have something in their family that is done by others and would not want to miss it after that person is gone than learn how that special someone does it. I did that’s why I will always have that special connection with canning and my family.