The idea of Happiness

The question on what makes people happy has perennially escaped many thinkers, be they scholars, psychologists or therapists. Humanity is yet to master what exactly makes people happy as the indexes used to measure happiness have shown that even in places where people are expected to be happy, they are not as happy as they are expected.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The idea of Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, if wealth equates to happiness or it has a direct link to the level of happiness, then it would mean that the wealthiest nations in the world would be ranked as the happiest nations. However, this is not the case as America, despite its massive wealth compared to other nations of the world, ranks a distant twenty third in the happiness index (Breakthrough Para 14). Therefore, this shows that wealth is not the source of happiness. The concept of happiness is surrounded by a number o f fallacies, paramount being the misconception that material possession is a source of happiness. In most parts of the world, people express that they would be happier if they acquired more material wealth. For instance, people may assert that getting a better and even bigger house, live in a bigger and posh estate or drive an expensive car can be a source of happiness. However, Mathews and Izquierdo, (112), note that in most cases, this fallacies are the main sources of people’s unhappiness as they end up creating for themselves too much ambition that makes them be unable to reach the ideal happiness. Going by Mathews and Izquierdo’s argument, people should be contented with whatever they have as opposed to spending too much time on agonizing on what they don’t have. They further point out that people should focus more on what they have as opposed to what they would wish to have as this only adds pain to their aspirations. After years of working as a journalist , Weiner sets out to explore the idea of happiness by conducting interviews with people of those areas that have recorded the highest levels of happiness as well as those people who have recorded the lowest levels of happiness. This journey made him do many things in the quest to ensure that he establishes the real idea of happiness. In his book, Weiner (64) establishes that for one to be happy, the element of trust even to a government has a lot of emphasis on whether a person will be happy or unhappy. For instance, the book establishes that in Bhutan where the leadership has deliberately pursued a policy of happiness for all citizens, the people report to be happy as they trust their king. This shows that the trust that the people of Bhutan have in their leadership reduces their worries hence making them be happy. Therefore, according to Weiner (44), trust in the leadership is an excellent way of making people happy.Advertising Looking for essay on rhetoric? Let's see if we c an help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, critically thinking, this can be a fallacy as one cannot lay total trust on the leadership if the leadership has no capacity to meet the needs of an individual. For instance, if the government power was to be explored in relation of its influence on the capacity to influence the level of happiness, then it would be evident that Americans would be happier than many other people of the world. This is because the leadership of the United States of America remains the strongest in terms of military might as well as financial resources. Therefore, Americans can trust their government for security and provision of all basic necessities. However, do the Americans lay trust in their government? Would laying this trust to the government result to happier Americans? Perhaps, one can say that trusting in the leadership may make the residents of Bhutan happy, but this does not directly mean that all people must lay thei r trust in the leadership to be happy. Bearing in mind that the United States of America has one of the best democratic practices, people have trust in their elected leaders, but they are still the 23rd happiest people of the world. Although Weiner (68) shows that trusting the leadership is a source of happiness by contrasting Bhutan with the people of Medova, one can still argue that so long as the leadership provides the required security, be it physical or social, the concept of happiness cannot be said to be directly linked to the trust in the existing leadership. For instance, Weiner fails to acknowledge that the leadership of Bhutan has made it deliberately known that it pursues the concept of happiness to its people. Therefore, people have trust that the leadership has its plight in its day to day policy formulation and thus they feel happy that the leadership is concerned about them. However, this may necessarily not be the case as the citizens of Bhutan who ranks among the happiest people of the world may be ignoring their own predicaments in the trust that the leadership wishes are geared towards their good. Going through Weiner’s works, one can see that the concept of happiness has many misconceptions. There is the misconception that doing whatever one wants is the path to happiness. In this quest, Weiner engages in many activities that he views as sources of happiness. For instance, Weiner (64), ends up eating rotten Iceland sharks as this, he reasons, could be a source of happiness. In another instance, he insists that an insect that he found in distress must be saved as, according to him, this is a duty that can earn him happiness. This can be said to be a fallacy associated with the myth that doing whatever one wants can lead to happiness.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The idea of Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, critically thinking, does consumin g something that can even lead to sickness a source of happiness? Even after doing all this, one can deduce that Weiner never mastered the source of happiness since if he managed to establish the source, then the geography in search of bliss would have come to an end. This is an indication that people are yet to master what is the source of happiness. In another incident Weiner visits Switzerland, a country that ranks high in the happiness index. Paradoxically, Weiner (80) learns that there are many hidden virtues of boredom only that people may not express them directly. This is an indication that even people who report to be happy are not entirely happy as there are many issues that may make them unhappy. Westerners who live in better economically endowed nations were seen to seek happiness form the gurus of India an indication that although people want to be happy, they are yet to master the sources of happiness. For instance, personally speaking, I would be happier if a graduate with straight A’s in all courses, but does this guarantee me a better job than the other average student? Even after this achievement, I would need to get more aspirations which show that I will still be far from getting happiness. Another great fallacy that is evident in Weiner’s pursuit of bliss is that people who live in countries with the highest ranking of happiness are more secular as compared to residents of the less happy countries. However, despite their reporting of higher rates of self contentment, the rates of suicide in such countries are higher than for those who live in countries that record lower levels of happiness. It is expected that if people were happy, problems such as suicide would go down as opposed to going up. Thus, the book contains a major fallacy in proposing the idea that less religious countries have happier citizens as this fact is directly contradicted by the increased rates of suicide in such countries. There is the misconception that rebelling against religion is a source of happiness. If this was indeed true, less religious nations would not only post higher figures of happiness based on happiness indexes, but would also have less incidences of suicide or life frustrations. In conclusion, one can note that the whole concept of happiness can be said to be a fallacy. As posted in the blog â€Å"Breakthrough writer† abundance cannot be the source of happiness. The more people have their desires fulfilled, the more they want to experience more desires which force the brain to require further stimulation to experience happiness.Advertising Looking for essay on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is what has been referred to as â€Å"hedonic treadmill† which is an indication that true happiness cannot be achieved. Wealth and other material passions are sources of more mysteries as opposed to being sources of happiness (Breakthrough writer Para 22). Throughout Weiner’s work, one learns that happiness is all about self conceptualization, the way people view themselves. The people of Switzerland view themselves happy because their land is a tourist destination; the people of Bhutan consider themselves happy because they have trust in their leadership while the people of Medova are unhappy as they compare themselves to the richer nations, not the poorer ones. Works Cited Breakthrough Writer. â€Å"All Geography of Bliss Lessons on One Page.† NP. 2011. Web. https://herculodge.typepad.com/breakthrough_writer/geography-of-bliss-lessons/ Mathews, Gordon and Izquierdo ,Carolina. Pursuits of happiness: well-being in anthropological perspective. New York: Berg hahn Books, 2009. Print. Weiner, Eric. The geography of bliss: one grump’s search for the happiest places in the world. New York: Twelve Hachette Book Group, 2008. Print. This essay on The idea of Happiness was written and submitted by user S1m0ne to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Commonly Confused Words Avocation and Vocation

The Commonly Confused Words Avocation and Vocation The English language is full of words that sound similar but have different meanings - or ones that sound different but actually mean similar things. The nouns avocation  and vocation  are among the former group. Although these two nouns look and sound very similar, their meanings are actually not the same.   Definitions An avocation is a hobby or any other activity taken up in addition to ones regular work; it may especially refer to something that is a persons true passion or interest. A vocation is ones principal occupation, often used in the context  of a calling to a particular way of life or course of action. Why Do They Sound Alike? Both  avocation  and  vocation  derive originally from a Latin verb,  vocare,  which means to call.  Avocation  derives from a compounded version of this word,  avocatio, which compounded  ab  (a preposition meaning away from) and  vocare  to create a word that signified a distraction or something off the main path. Since an avocation is an interest thats off the path of ones day-to-day work, its easy to see how this word has come through.   Vocation, in contrast, comes from  vocare  without any alterations. When the word  vocation  appears, it typically carries a connotation of not just a job, but a job thats part of a persons calling in life. It can still be used just as a synonym for job or occupation, but in contemporary usage, it more often has that extra layer of meaning as a job that feels more like a calling. Examples Michel Roux is the chef of a London restaurant by profession and a marathon runner by avocation.Joan Feigenbaum . . . was delighted when she found her true vocation in the Summer Research Program at ATTs famous Bell Labs.(Notable Women in Mathematics: A Biographical Dictionary, ed. by Charlene Morrow and Teri Perl. Greenwood, 1998)Music was  the only vocation  anyone had ever heard of for a blind child, and the church took up a collection of pennies and nickels to buy Pilgrim a fiddle.(Michael Crummey, Sweetland. Liveright, 2015) Practice (a) After retiring from teaching, my father decided to focus on his  longtime _____ of juggling.(b) By  outward account Simone Weil was a failure several times over, yet in her true _____  as a writer  she succeeded brilliantly.(Thomas R. Nevin,  Simone Weil: Portrait of a Self-Exiled Jew. The University of North Carolina Press, 1991)   Answers to Practice Exercises Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words Answers to Practice Exercises: Avocation and Vocation (a) After retiring from teaching, my father decided to focus on his  longtime avocation of juggling.(b) By  outward account Simone Weil was a failure several times over, yet in her true vocation  as a writer  she succeeded brilliantly.(Thomas R. Nevin,  Simone Weil: Portrait of a Self-Exiled Jew. The University of North Carolina Press, 1991)  Ã‚   Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words

How No Child Left Behind Fails Principals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How No Child Left Behind Fails Principals - Essay Example Just how this is to be done is still unclear. The law has created strict penalties if highly qualified teachers are not hired for high poverty areas. The law assumes that the educational institutes will under this mandate be forced to hire better teachers. The law does not consider the fact that while the principles may want to hire the teachers, the teachers may not want to work under the unstable conditions of schools in such areas. The law does focus on accountability and testing and it does bring to light the groups in society not scoring well on tests. It does to an extent create the need to score better within the school systems. Yet, as the law completely ignores the external factors affecting the scores in schools it has not proven to be effective. The law sees the problem as regulatory while it is actually one based on societal factors. Schools within neighborhoods where poverty is high, have a number of external factors that affect the test scores students achieve. The students come from low income families and usually have low attendance rates, they have crime issues, instability within the family structure and all this combines with having students moving away, causing an unusually high mobility rate for students within the school. Similarly, teachers who are highly qualified and have the ability to some extent reach these students do not want to work in such an unstable environment and tend to move for a better opportunities somewhere else. While theoretically the Act seems to be a step in the right direction, for it forces the parties involved to take action for improvement, it is practically not very effective for it provides no law by which this can be achieved and seems inflexible in understanding the various perspectives involved in the problems faced by the teachers, students and principals whilst trying to provide an education and trying to attain it. Data Analysis The teacher's survey was conducted for two school districts [the Fresno (CA) Unified School District and Richmond (VA) Public Schools] which asked the teachers there opinions of the Act and its effectiveness. Both these district schools catered to low income and minority group students. Findings: The teacher's response was that while the Act was suggestively effective and while they agreed that some sanctions or form of accountability was necessary to ensure that proper education was being imparted to the students, by asking that test scores be monitored and become the basis of the accountability was not the right step. They suggested this would limit their curriculum as the teachers would begin to focus on the test requirements rather than a more critical form of education. The Act requires that teachers be motivated by fear of punishment but the fact is that is not much of a motivator for the teachers surveyed suggested that they see their current position as temporary and within five years they would opt for a change. Limitations The Act is definitely correct in its assumption that the educational standard for the low income area schools has to

Victimology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Victimology - Research Paper Example Moreover, the rights of the victims should also be considered in plea agreements in the court system. However, this does not imply that the victims of the offense in question should dictate the terms and type of the plea agreements. It simply means, when deciding on which plea agreement the prosecutor should give the offender, he or she should consider the effect the offense resulted in to the victim. For example in this case study, Mr. C is an elderly citizen and truly deserves leniency from the prosecutor. However, due to his drunk driving a man dearly loved by his wife lost his life. This loss of life resulted in a lot of emotional pain, and to some extent economic stress to the victim since naturally the husband might have been the bread winner. Hence, I would advise Mrs. C to follow up on the plea agreement since it is her right to be involved in the discussions of the plea agreement. It is the duty of the Judge or Magistrate to make sure that the victim’s rights are upheld during plea agreements. For example, in the case against Mr. C it is the duty of the Judge assigned to the case to inform Mrs. C that she should be involved in the plea agreement. The judge should also make sure that the victim’s rights are upheld by instructing the prosecution to involve her in the plea agreement between the state and Mr. C. The victim rights should and are considered by both the prosecution and Judge listening to the case. However, the victim is not involved in the sentencing. This is prohibited. There are various reasons why victims are not part of the decision regarding sentencing. One such reason is that the victim is expected to be biased due to the emotional effect the offense had on him or her. For example, Mrs. B is obviously very bitter at Mr. C for killing her husband. She feels like Mr. C took her husband away from her. Hence, she is very bitter at him and is obviously seeking revenge more than justice. So she would prefer a

Privacy and Confidentiality in the Electronic Medical Record Research Paper

Privacy and Confidentiality in the Electronic Medical Record - Research Paper Example However, the implementation of ERM is hindered by patient concerns over their privacy and confidentiality of their information and data. The present IT solutions have failed to satisfy the patients’ privacy and trust issues in the medical records. This research looks at the privacy and confidentiality issues in Electronic Medical Records. Table of Contents Acknowledgement 2 Abstract 3 1Introduction 5 1.1 Background Information 5 1.2 Problem statement 6 2 Linking the existing Medical Records 7 3Electronic Medical Records 7 4 Benefits of EMR 8 5 Electronic Medical Record Privacy and Trust 9 6 EMR Privacy 10 7EMR Trust 11 8Preventing the privacy-violating Inferences in the EMR 12 9 Conclusion 13 10References 14 Baatarjav, R. (2010). Privacy management for EMR. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Information Systems Security, Hyderabad, India, 16-20, volume 5352 14 1 Introduction The use of electronic medical record keeping has resulted to increased interest in eval uation of the past records of the patient aimed at improving healthcare delivery. Such research has been using the patient data but then the issues of confidentiality and trust seem to be an issue that has not yet been handled in the studies. It is true that EMS is now a new evolution in the healthcare sector. The use of EMS gives several benefits to the patients, to the public health system and the government (Mark, 2003). There has been an increased use of EMS over the world, but further use and implementation of the concerns affected this project on privacy, trust and confidentiality issues. It is true that the present IT solutions have failed to ensure patient security and their privacy desires, and ensure that the medical data can be trusted. This study looks at the privacy and confidentiality issues in the electronic medical record. This study will cover the most important issue in electronic medical records, the issues of privacy and confidentiality of personal health informa tion. To this date, it is known that the increased development of information technologies has resulted to certain changes in the healthcare system medical records (George, 2010). 1.1 Background Information Personal information is a valuable entity in a person's life, and its value has been increasing tremendously. The individuals who are to be in control of their information value the source of such personal information and value the control of the personal details since such details make one to be uniquely identified. The user's personal information also gives evidence of the value of such information through increased knowledge (Enhydra, 2011). The healthcare information is one of the most sensitive information of a human being that should not be easily disclosed to a third party. This is because such information contains an individual's intimate details and their health conditions that would result to stigmatization if it is disclosed. Such information cans be described as an in dividual's â€Å"biographical core of personal information† (Bell, 2005). Tremendous studies have shown that the value of human personal health information can be seen at the time of interaction of the patients with their healthcare providers. Day in day out, thousands of patients share their personal information with their health care providers for diagnosis, care and treatment. Such information is usually collected and stored by other health care prov

The Rat: Chinese Zodiac

The Rat: Chinese Zodiac The symbol of the rat is regarded as to one of the most conspicuous symbols of the Chinese zodiac. It must be special since its the first symbol of the complete twelve year cycle. The general perceptions that western people have about the rat are entirely opposite from those of the Chinese culture. To the westerners the rat is nothing more than a pest but for the Chinese their tradition of the zodiac symbols has positioned rat on an elevated location. Also, the deep insight of the Chinese philosophers of olden times enabled them to see the innate qualities which the rat possesses. Chinese are famous for their great observation skills. The ancient Chinese were able to see that by nature the rats natural character bears some likeliness with some human characteristics. The observers created a character sketch of this zodiac symbol that elucidates all the qualities that the rat exhibits in his natural atmosphere. Rat Characteristics People who are born in the years 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 are said to be born under the Zodiac of Rat and share characteristics associated with the animal Rat. People under the rat zodiac are perfectionist, intelligent, hardworking and perseverant individuals who work their way creatively to meet their end objective. Objectivity is one of the qualities attributed to rat people, if theyre a part of something they like to be in total control of it. People born in the year of the rat are not only labelled with the zodiac sign for namesake, they also have these qualities deep down inside them. Chinese Zodiac Rat compatibility The zodiac cycle starts off with the symbol of the rat. Rat individuals are known for their sharp mind and a spirit of objectivity. Their personality is such that makes them extremely compatible with the dragon zodiac symbol. They also get along with the fun loving monkey zodiac despite of the fact that the two have quite discrete characteristics. The rats personality discords with the horse and the lively rabbit. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Rat compatibility Both being clever and intelligent, having many loyal friends and a taste for a good life, two Rat individuals together can indicate a nearly perfect pair. Theyre great family members, always reassuring and caring. Two Rat people in the same family will surely have loads of fun together, they love excitement but both are unlikely to be responsible about finishing the household chores. Arguments are likely to end as quickly as they began. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Ox compatibility They are a definite case of opposites attracting and make an interesting pair. Where the Rat person is social, fun, witty and clever the Oxen is serious, shy and even a little rigid. The Oxen is attracted to the Rat individuals lusty, light-hearted approach to life and the Rat loves the Oxs trustworthiness and sense of honour. Rat individuals are caring, reassuring and generous towards their dear ones. A rat person makes the shy Oxen feel well-taken care off. Both the signs are faithful too; if their relationship is ardent, they probably wont give each other any reason to feel envious or possessive. The Rat individual is able to get the Ox person to ease up a bit and have a little fun and the Oxen bring a stabilizing effect to the Rat persons life. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Tiger compatibility The Rat and the Tiger individuals dont the best match in the world. For one reason, theyre just a bit too alike for comfort. Both of them love to be the centre of attention possessing charm and a magnetic personality. At social event, both might find themselves competing for the spotlight, particularly the Tiger, whose daring, authoritative disposition always wants to triumph. As lovers, these two might have an unbelievable debut; theyll react eagerly to each others exciting, arousing natures. Though, after sometime their clashing character traits may begin to get in the way. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Rabbit compatibility These twosomes make an unusual yet compatible pair. The Rabbit individuals quiet, sweet subtleness might get lost under the more extroverted, hasty and energetic Rat, however, both signs are capable of great love and devotion. These two would particularly be very compatible as lovers; the Rabbit lover would benefit from the Rat lovers supportive, protective nature and sexy demeanour, and in return the Rabbit person in its own way would give idealization and protection to the relationship. They would have imbalanced arguments which are most likely to settle down in Rats favour. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Dragon compatibility These two have a close to perfect compatibility. In all kinds of relationships they share an unparalleled rapport. Being the most celebrated sign, a Dragon might bowl over all other signs but the Rat plays off the Dragons deep energy and serves up its own. Both of them enjoy seeking attention, a Rat person with his clever wit and persistent verbal games keeps the crowd entertained while the Dragon with his intelligence and magnetism that keep people glued to him. Due to Rat individuals nature of keeping his own interest and the large ego f a Dragon person, the twosome might have arguments but they would be resolved quickly. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Snake compatibility Once these two learn to overlook their differences they make a compatible pair. The Rat individual may get tired of the Snake individuals slow pace and ambitionless-ness since a rat person is much more active than the philosophical and intuitive Snake person. In turn, the Snake partner may get tired of the Rats quick-witted vocal games, since he is a deeper thinker. However as lover they can make a good duo, they respond to each others charms and have a hot connection. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Horse compatibility Both have gregarious natures, clever wits and needs for constant encouragement, but the Rat person depends upon his loyal friends while the Horse needs a lot of independence. A Horse individual might end up feeling trapped in a too-intimate relationship, but a Rat individual likes to know who and how much he has on his side, from friends to money. The occasional insensitivity by a Horse individual might make his Rat partner feel unappreciated and the Rat persons tendency to hoard possessions might make his Horse partner feel uneasy. As lovers, they instantly have hot connection which ultimately does not work out well. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Goat compatibility Theyre a bit of a mismatch, but with a little understanding and effort they can make their relationship work. The differences arise because of the dissimilar needs and interests of the two. On one hand the Rat person is about being with friends attending social events and on the other the goat individual is an artistic soul who loves to spend time alone seeking his inner self. However, they do establish connection at home if deeply in love. The generosity and warmth that a rat individual has for his loved ones is appreciated by his sensitive goat partner. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Monkey compatibility They make a fantastic pair. Being fun and energetic signs they love parting and hence have a great time together. Both of them are a bit egoistic which leads to occasional arguments and disagreements but the Rat individual enjoys arguing and debating while the monkey individual is a born performer, they both enjoy clashing. As lovers, they share a hot connection since they play off and feed each others energies and tend to be favourites among their friends as a couple. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Rooster compatibility They make a good pair if they understand each others motivations. The quick-witted Rat individual is a plotter whose shrewd mind might not measure up to the straightforward and honest Rooster individuals standards. In love, the Rooster lover does not have much to complain about when it comes to his Rat partners generous and loving ways. They tend to have fun together as both of them love to hang out with friends. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Dog compatibility Despite their differences, these two make a great pair. Trustworthy, discreet and duty-bound, a Dog individual is a wonderful friend and a Rat individual loves to be surrounded by friends and value true friendships. The steady qualities of the Dog person tend to bore a Rat person but the Dogs moody nature keeps the Rat interested. As lovers, they can do a lot for each other. Chinese Zodiac Rat and Pig compatibility They make a great pair in business; friendship or love. A Pig individual puts friends and family first and becomes loyal member of the Rat persons social circle. Pig people possess a really luxurious nature which goes well with Rat peoples good taste. In a close loving relationship, the rat individual would treat his pig partner with exotic food and luxurious treatments that the pig lover so much desires. Chinese zodiac Rat personality traits Charming, aggressive, adaptive, opportunistic, ambitious, calculating, crafty and good at problem solving, Rat individuals can survive in any situation. Quick witted and smart, Rat people tend to have good instincts. Because of their confidence and stubbornness they prefer living by their own rules and hate being controlled. Theyre party animals and love blabbering around with people and others also like being with them because of their humorous, easy going and expressive nature. Chinese zodiac Rat woman The Rat woman is creative, intelligent, vivacious and charming. She can be a successful woman if she wants to be. Compassionate and well-liked, she always looks elegant and stylish. She chooses to always keep her environment neat and clean and is an excellent wife material. Open, direct and honest, she is not a quiet type of person. Shes Expressive and persuasive and knows how to make her point using the right set of words to avoid offending anybody. Open, direct and practical she is a true model of prudence and frugality. She purchases second-hand goods and cuts down on expenditures. Rat moms know how to take care of her children and are not stingy. Gossipy and talkative, the Rat woman cannot keep quiet and it is advisable to not confide all your secrets to her since she cannot keep them for long. She loves to read and is an avid reader. Chinese zodiac Rat man The Rat man is aggressive and intelligent. Being good at problem solving, he lives by his own wits. Keeping himself alert for the best opportunities, the male Rat has good business sense and can turn ideas into a business plan. Unwavering and stubborn, once he sets his mind to something, it is very difficult for others to change his mind. A rat man is a man with a mission and will rarely be found sitting silently or waiting aimlessly for something to happen. Sometimes his over ambitiousness and passion for a project or a thing comes and subsides even before others get a chance to understand it. The energetic Rat man always tries to do too much too soon and tends to waste his energy on things other than the project itself. Hes also well-known for his greediness and will closely look at all the aspects before signing a deal. Chinese zodiac Rat in love Falling in love with a rat person is not uncommon thanks to their flirtatious ways. They make faithful, affectionate but possessive partners and demand loyalty in return too. If a rat individual feels that his partner is unfaithful, or if his partner is catering others attention, his vengeful side of personality is likely to appear. He might stoop down to a level of being passively aggressive with his partner to teach his/her a lesson. A rat individuals resonating persona and involvement in activities makes him self-reliant and interesting. People under this zodiac do well with romantic partners who are equally independent and involved and such pairings will spark mesmerizing conversation. Rat people are deeply attached their families and theyre likely to have many children. A Rat individual tends to work very hard to keep his/her family safe and contented and keeps in touch with even his far away relatives.

Ann Petry’s Short Story Like a Winding Sheet Essay -- Ann Petry Windin

Ann Petry’s Short Story "Like a Winding Sheet" In Ann Petry’s 1945 short story "Like a Winding Sheet,". Johnson is a black male struggling with racism and societal pressures. Johnson faces many challenges. As one reads, one cannot help but feel his anger, frustration and tenseness. Petry tells it in the following way, "The knowledge that he had struck her seeped through him slowly and he was appalled but he couldn’t drag his hands away from her face." Petry goes on further to tell us, "He had lost all control over his hands." This rage Johnson is experiencing is described as a "winding sheet". Johnson’s everyday routine causes anger and frustration to build up inside him. Get up, go to work and come home; get up, go to work and come home. The routines...

Louise Bourgeois Essay

Much can be learned from the environment within which we live. What we see tells a lot about the society in which we live: belief system; politics; economic undertakings; kinship and material culture among others. Through material culture, we can get insight into the world that existed long before us. Culture can be defined as the way of life of people depicting their shared experiences, political and religious beliefs, technology, insights, attitudes, and material objects. (Li & Karakowsky) The sublime can be defined as the priced greatness or vast intensity in terms of biological, moral, mental, metaphysical, beauty, art or religion. Sublime is experienced over and over. It is embedded in our history, being, values, thoughts, concepts, world views, beliefs, and is responsible for our personalities (Bernadac 2007 p20) Main Body One of America’s renowned artist and sculptor, Louise Bourgeois, managed to capture the American Sublime through her artistic undertaking. She was born in Paris, France in December 25, 1911 but traveled to America in 1938 to perfect her artistic endeavor. She studied mathematics at the Sorbonne, and painting and sculpture in Ecole du Louvre, Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and Art Students League of New York. She worked as an assistant to Fernand Henri Leger- a French sculptor, painter, and film maker. She is popular for her work that depicts spiders, sculptures, drawings and literary work (National Gallery of Canada 2005 p16). As a way of depicting the society in which she was living, Bourgeois’ work is full of inanimate images of horrifying fear, ghosts, darkness, tortured people, and disabling mental illness to attempt to get at the source of these emotions and to uphold normality even in times of chaos. Her works helped depict the intellectual climate, social and historical conditions that existed then. (Gorovoy et al 2006 pp 27 -28) She captured the effects of the First World War through carving limbless sculptures and detached limbs and had most of his paintings and sculptures painted black to depict death and mourning, (Gorovoy et al 2006 p 24) e. g. the two headless fabric bodies attempting to make love shown below. She depicts the revolution of the western politics, largely constructivism, through posters that expressed sympathy towards the Russian regime which she displayed in Moscow. The Tate Modern exhibition catalogue indicates her inclination towards Communism. Bourgeois made abstract art pieces that reflected on her childhood experiences showing how relationships within the family were entwined together thus bringing in the aspect of kinship, socialization and acculturation. This depicts how her art gives us insight to how children were brought up back then. (Lippard 2003 pp 9-10) Her Femme Maison and Fallen woman series introduced the aspect of liberation of women. They depicted a female struggling to outgrow some house like structures within which she is trapped – that is attempting to outgrow the masculinity into which the women were entrapped. She depicts a rebellion against the negative masculinity through her work, The Destruction of a Father, in which rock figures surround a sacrificial slab full of butchered body parts. Thus: It has been suggested that her sculpture, The Blind Leading the Blind, has a religious connotation. According to Desmond Michael and Lloyd Michael (1870-1970) Bourgeois, inspired by the Cold War, made this sculpture and that the title was picked from the New Testament verse (Matthew 15:14) that describes how a blind man leading another blind man would end up in a ditch. The structure is shown below (Bernadac 2007) Bourgeois’ contribution to the American Sublime is best captured in New York’s Guggenheim Museum, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and London’s Tate Modern with their massive collection of her art work. In conclusion, the American Sublime has been captured through art in poetry, carvings, paintings, songs, books, and which take us back to the origins of the cultures of past American societies. Just like the origins of the American sublime can be traced through studying works of art, similarly, so can we understand much about its revolution from the contemporary art works. Louise Bourgeois has managed to get this through her sculptures, drawings and works of art – reflecting abstract as well as tangible aspects of living that relate to feelings, political standing, material culture, religious inclination, beliefs and kinship. References Bernadac, M (2007) â€Å"Louise Bourgeois† Rizzoli International North America pp 18 – 24 Gorovoy, J. , Carver R. & Read C. (2006) â€Å"Louise Bourgeois† Bellport Press University of Michigan pp 21-35 Lippard R (2003) â€Å"Overlay: contemporary art and the art of prehistory† Pantheon Books NY pp 7-16 National Gallery of Canada (2005) â€Å"Louise Bourgeois Maman† National Gallery Canada press pp 14-17

Free Essays on Kennedy Assassination

The doctors who performed the autopsy and the Warren Commission which had to reach conclusions based on the medical evidence, blundered in substantial ways. These blunders can be presented as evidence of some sinister conspiracy, rather than the result of haste and an excessive concern for the feelings of the Kennedy Family. The Warren Commission published two inaccurate drawings of Kennedy’s wounds. At a news conference on the afternoon of the assassination, the doctors who attended to Kennedy in the Parkland ER discussed the President’s wounds. Although the parkland staff did a highly competent hob of treating Kennedy and Connally, their statements about the nature of the wounds were confused, contradictory, and often mistaken. With possible exception of the Single Bullet Theory, nothing about the assassination has been as controversial as the nature of Kennedy’s head wound. Many witnesses have testified that the back of Kennedy’s head was blown out, su ggesting a shot from ! the Grassy Knoll. Lone assassin theorists have stressed the photographic evidence and the autopsy x-rays, which show the back of the head intact. Randy Robertson claims to have found, in the x-rays of Kennedy’s skull, evidence of two bullet hits to Kennedy’s head. Robertson believes that there is an entrance wound on the back of Kennedy’s head. He also believes that there is a higher wound in the rear of the head. He located this wound in the cowlick area, but unlike the HSCA be believes this wound to be an exit wound rather than an entrance wound. Actually, he apparently believes that a fragment from a shot penetrated Kennedy’s skull from the inside, failed to penetrate the scalp and remained embedded in the skull. There are some problems with this testimony. The HSCA interpreted the cowlick wound as an entrance wound on the basis of beveling on the inner table of the skull. This beveling was visible on photos taken of the inside of the skull ... Free Essays on Kennedy Assassination Free Essays on Kennedy Assassination The doctors who performed the autopsy and the Warren Commission which had to reach conclusions based on the medical evidence, blundered in substantial ways. These blunders can be presented as evidence of some sinister conspiracy, rather than the result of haste and an excessive concern for the feelings of the Kennedy Family. The Warren Commission published two inaccurate drawings of Kennedy’s wounds. At a news conference on the afternoon of the assassination, the doctors who attended to Kennedy in the Parkland ER discussed the President’s wounds. Although the parkland staff did a highly competent hob of treating Kennedy and Connally, their statements about the nature of the wounds were confused, contradictory, and often mistaken. With possible exception of the Single Bullet Theory, nothing about the assassination has been as controversial as the nature of Kennedy’s head wound. Many witnesses have testified that the back of Kennedy’s head was blown out, su ggesting a shot from ! the Grassy Knoll. Lone assassin theorists have stressed the photographic evidence and the autopsy x-rays, which show the back of the head intact. Randy Robertson claims to have found, in the x-rays of Kennedy’s skull, evidence of two bullet hits to Kennedy’s head. Robertson believes that there is an entrance wound on the back of Kennedy’s head. He also believes that there is a higher wound in the rear of the head. He located this wound in the cowlick area, but unlike the HSCA be believes this wound to be an exit wound rather than an entrance wound. Actually, he apparently believes that a fragment from a shot penetrated Kennedy’s skull from the inside, failed to penetrate the scalp and remained embedded in the skull. There are some problems with this testimony. The HSCA interpreted the cowlick wound as an entrance wound on the basis of beveling on the inner table of the skull. This beveling was visible on photos taken of the inside of the skull ...

THREE TRUE STORIES Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

THREE TRUE STORIES Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers ESOL 0372 Prof. Leal 11.11.2015 Reading Changed My Life! (BR#4) THREE TRUE STORIES After a lifetime of abuse, Maria Cardenas was finally living in peace with her daughter. But soon, that little girl would be able to read better than her mother. What could Maria do? School was a nightmare for Daisy Russell. She couldnt wait to get away from a place where she felt stupid and worthless. But once she dropped out, she discovered a burning desire to learn to read. Was it too late? As a child, Julia Burney escaped from the poverty and violence of her home into a world of books. As an adult, she saw children growing up without that escape available to them. How could she help? In Reading Changed My Life! Three True Stories, youll learn what happened to Maria, Daisy, and Julia. They are three courageous women whose stories will touch and inspire you. Daisy Russel spent her unfortunate childhood a violent father, a gold seeker. Her family often had to move all over the country looking for the pot of gold. Therefore, between first and sixth grades, Daisy attended seventeen different schools. As a result, it affects a lot on her education. Her father considered girls dont need education and. When Daisy was about a year old, if her mother didnt stop him, he tried to give Daisy away. Daisy was beaten by her father all the time. Furthermore, an uncle had been sexually abusing her. In school, she was too frightened to tell her teachers about anything, she tried to make her self-quitter and quitter. Until one day, her mother took her run way. Daisy was finally free of her father. But the beatings from him had damaged her spirit. School became a nightmare with her. She felt herself stupid and worthless at school. By chance, when she was about 18, a lady gave her a copy of magazine. It took her months to read it. But she tried hard enough and discovered a burning desire to learn to read. It wasnt too late for her. By reading more and more books, she tried to change her life. Until now, she becomes a happy and successful woman. There is a lot of research about the benefits of reading, its not only given us knowledge but also helps us overcome the stress and sleep better. Look at Daisy Russels story, although she spent her childhood with violence and abusing from her father, and her spirit was damaged. But when she starts to read her first book, it helped to comfort her soul, and take away her nightmares. I think the most important thing that changes her life is not only reading, but also is her persistence. She was not good at school but she wasnt giving up. She tried to read even though its not easy. I am so much interested with the story of Maria because she is one of the bravest woman l have ever read about. Her story changed my life instantly when she was raped and was forced to marry the rapist even when she was in such an ugly incident. Despite all this, Maria decided that she has to become someone in life, and she made a great effort to rise above her struggle, and became a successful person.

Godin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Godin - Essay Example A product which is out of the ordinary would grab the attention of the buyer. This has a direct correlation with the second conclusion. Being ordinary without introducing or representing anything new will bring the demise of a venture because being safe is the most damaging attribute a product can have. Godin’s conception of the definition of remarkable elucidates what retail should adopt. Remarkable means something that is worthy of remark. These are â€Å"ideas that spread† through what he calls idea diffusion. A new product should elicit remark which would compel others to talk about it. This means that the popularity of a product is no longer based on massive advertising where companies need to spend millions by availing of the conventional media such as television or radio. In this regard, Godin points out a Japanese word ‘otaku’ which refer to some kind of constituency who care about a product. These people spread the word without compensation simply because they are willing to listen and they become enthusiastic with a particular item. Choices are important to people but the presence of too many choices could render them desensitized that the best way to go is to make a conscious effort to be

Environmental Effect of Synthetic Lubricants Term Paper

Environmental Effect of Synthetic Lubricants - Term Paper Example Though it may consider late to take up such a noble action of showing environment concern because the environmental condition is somehow in a steep situation wherein global warming continues to affect every nation, climate change renders human activity dysfunctional, rising seashore levels threatens the humankind, and increasing level of scarcity when it comes to natural resources, we cannot consider invalid the efforts made nowadays to counter these problems. The world starts to become highly industrialized. It is understood that a highly industrialized nation has a tendency to produce more wastes that inevitably affect the world. The negative effects of industrialization like environmental degradation escalate on a different level. Their technological advancements and innovations affect not just their nations but other nations as well. One thing to consider though is not all the industrialized nations are the ones to blame on this global ecological turmoil despite the fact that the ir wastes constitute the major reason for this imbalance in the biosphere. Even the not so industrialized nations still have their impacts on the global environmental problem. In viewing the world nowadays, it cannot be denied that the nations who have advanced technologies constantly develop new means to address to full-scope of the environmental problems. In industrialized nations, machinery has become very vital when it comes to production. It is even complex because despite the convenience it gives to the welfare of the country in the sustenance of its needs, there are harsher effects that they introduce on the environment that is being addressed lately. There are several efforts to counter these global problems. New lubricants have been developed. Lubricants are considered to be vital since it deals with machines. However, it cannot be avoided that lubricants, before the development of the environment-friendly ones, have posed a serious predicament since it contributed to pollu tion that greatly affected the marine, the terrestrial and the aerial biodiversity. People, at first, seem to be so doubtful about the use of these new lubricants. At the same time, most of them neglect the fact that the effects of the use of eco-friendly lubricants have contributed to the welfare of the environment and were not fully aware of the successes of the researchers and innovations made that pertain to its usage. In my years of practice in an oil company in Texas, I am able to see with my own eyes the full capacity of these newly-formulated and environment-friendly lubricants. They have yielded positive results despite certain negative implications. Based on how I have seen these outcomes, I am able to prove with certainty that the positive effects indeed outweigh the negative ones. Also, there can still be improvements which the scientist and engineers can still work on in improving further the function of these lubricants. During my stay in the oil company I work for, th ey have considered these environment-friendly lubricants to be a better choice.