Geographical Division Essay Example

Geographical Division Essay Example Geographical Division Essay Geographical Division Essay I would entirely recommend this structure as there is a local decision making at the point of contact between the organisation and its customers (e. g. customer satisfaction from local dealer). It will also be cheaper to establish local distribution factories rather than to distribute from only one location (e. g. cost of transportation shipping, if so being the case is reduced)Nevertheless it could also be expensive to have a national organisation liaising with many different regional distribution factories, whereas if all customers liaise with Head office they might need fewer managerial staff. Also contradiction in standards may develop from one area to another. Having the accountability and flexibility advantages of product-based management without the duplication and the division of the functional departments will be somehow fabulous and this is where the Matrix structure comes in, it crosses both the functional and product structure. And one of the distinctive features of a matrix structure is that the employee will report to two bosses (sometimes more) rather than the traditional one. One of these authorities, usually the functional area will manage the formal side of the employment contract (e. g. salary, attendance, appraisals etc. ); they are responsible for their own activities and staff. The other line of authority product-based is used to involve the employees in the production, selling, distribution etc. of the product. The product managers will be the co-ordinators of all the different functions towards their particular objectives. Introducing a Matrix structure to Airgen plc could have a positive affect because it has a lot to offer. The mixing of skills and expertise will be a benefit of working together in functional areas. : It will avoid Airgen unnecessary costs, since the same employees can contribute to different company projects. The head of departments will be free to organise their staff, while the production managers will be responsible for delivering the product to customers (by customer expectations)One of the main objections to Matrix is the creation of confusion over who reports to whom and about the priorities that should be attached to different tasks, occupying two roles can cause conflict between the team members, and this could lead to emotional stress. It is also difficult to demonstrate their individual contribution as they are changing from team to team. Outsiders will struggle not knowing to which line manager they will have to speak/report to. Opportunities for promotion are very limited since the movement lateral. Although the matrix structure have much to offer there is a saying that no man can serve two masters

How to proofread business documents - Emphasis

How to proofread business documents How to proofread business documents The meeting room is booked and youre waiting for your clients to arrive. The reception is strangely quiet and no-one turns up. Its a mystery. After 15 minutes, you resort to re-reading the invitation you sent out, and a horrible realisation dawns on you: instead of writing there will now be a meeting, you wrote there will not be one. Such a costly mistake is down to a simple slip of the fingers that could have been picked up through proper proofreading, of course. But such a simple-sounding process is not so simple to get right unless you know the proper techniques. Love is blind As the writer of a document, its harder to spot any errors in it. You know what you meant to say, and so your brain will conveniently skip over missing words, typos and jumbled sentences. For this reason, its always best to get someone else to proofread your work. But even then, if your colleague doesnt have a toolkit of proofreading techniques, they can wade through your words without really improving your work. Whether youre writing for an internal or an external audience you need to make sure that your writing is accurate. This means always checking your work (and that of others) thoroughly. A speedy skim before you hit the send button or distribute a document will rarely be enough. It is one thing for your colleagues or clients to snigger over a humorous typo and quite another to find yourself in legal or financial hot water because of an overlooked error. So follow the tips below to make sure your business writing says what you want it to. Seven ways to proofreading success Print out a hard copy while proofreading on screen. Arm yourself with two copies. Its likely that errors will stand out in one version even if youve glided over them in the other. Ensure the document makes sense. Correcting grammar and punctuation can often seem to be the point of proofreading. But your top priority should be ensuring the document is readable. If its difficult to understand, change it. Remember, plain English is best, so weed out all the complicated words and replace them with no-nonsense alternatives. Use your computer spellchecker. But remember that Bill Gates doesnt have all the answers. Your spellchecker doesnt read for sense, only accuracy it doesnt know whether you mean mountain peak or peek. So dont be a slave to it. Always use a dictionary if youre not sure. Use a pencil to point to every single word. Scientists have found that in normal reading we dont scan every word. Instead, our eyes move in little jumps, fixating on key words. Using a pencil and ruler slows your brain down. Check the title or headline. Its easy to overlook the most obvious thing on the page and get bogged down in the details. Also, make sure the title is relevant to the document. Check telephone numbers by calling them. Its surprisingly easy to transpose numbers when writing them. Misplacing one digit can ruin a marketing campaign, for instance. Dont waste valuable time and money by sending out documents with incorrect phone numbers. Make sure youre not the only person to read the last proof. If the document is important and youre the only one whos seen it, hold fire until you can get a second pair of eyes to see it. Show your colleagues these proofreading tips and make sure they follow each one before giving you the go-ahead. Getting to the good stuff You now have a beautifully proofread piece of work thats grammatically correct, accurate and makes sense. But unless its written in a punchy style, you cant guarantee that your readers will sit up and take notice. The next step is to read through and make sure that every word counts. For instance, you may be able to squeeze a whole paragraph into a short newsletter item simply by removing wasteful words here and there. Change It was some time in the long hot summer of 1976 to In the summer of 1976 for example. Unless youre writing a novel (or a piece about the weather), you can take out the adjectives. Your readers will thank you for getting to the point. And if you improve your colleagues work, theyll no doubt be grateful that youve helped them shine. Just make sure you get someone else to proofread your handiwork! Take heart though because some small errors will always slip through. So, if youve done the writing equivalent of skidding on a banana skin, dust yourself off with pride. The meeting can wait practising your proofreading cant. Robert Ashton is the Chief Executive of Emphasis. From proofreading to document structure, the active voice to keeping it short and simple, we can help you write better documents. See our courses for individuals or our courses for groups. Alternatively, send us a message or call one of our friendly advisors on +44 (0)1273 961 810

32. Describe the impact of race and gender on police officer Assignment

32. Describe the impact of race and gender on police officer careers.Sport - Assignment Example Therefore, men are generally more suitable for such jobs as compared to women as men are stronger physically and generally more balanced emotionally than women. â€Å"[G]ender is a highly relevant factor in examining the sources and coping strategies of stress among police officers† (He, Zhao, and Ren, 2005, p. 537). The race and gender of a police officer may provide the offenders with basis to exploit the police officer. Many people file discrimination suits against the police officers because of their gender or race. The Ohio Civil Rights Commission found that most men frequently used race as a reason to file discrimination suits against the police officers whereas women used gender for the same purpose (Gaines and Kappeler, 2011, p. 95). For example, a group of White American police officers accusing an African American of robbery may be interpreted as racism against the African American. Likewise, since there is always a variation in the representation of the police officers belonging to different races, there is risk of racism in the police department like in any other

Compare and Contrast the role of trade unions in Sweden and the UK Essay

Compare and Contrast the role of trade unions in Sweden and the UK - Essay Example Negotiations on wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules of hiring and firing, promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety, working condition, policies and other crucial elements of the work are made possible through the intervention of the trade unions. The most important function of trade unions is the maintenance and improvement of the conditions of employment and they have various goals and activities. They include the provisions of the benefits to the members, collective bargaining, industrial actions like strikes and resistance, and political activities. The traces of trade unions date as long back as the early 18th century. The changes in the system began to take place in the Western nations, especially in Britain, where there was a transformation in the industrial culture as a result of industrial revolution and related activities. With the advent of industrialisation, the vitality of the trade unions also increased. There are many conditions that make the trade unions affect the decision making and policy framing of the Human Resource Management in the modern context. The primary purpose of the trade unions is to safeguard the interest of the employees and the HR management is very much conscious of the relationship with the employees. Thus, the interest of the trade unions and that of the management departments of modern employment firms collide. Here, the role of the management firm is one of merging the interest of the trade unions with the development of the company and going ahead with policies that contribute to the growth of the firm without affecting the employees’ interest. This type of employment management varies from country to country where the role of the trade unions also differs. The special context of Sweden, where the socialists want to have the full employment and equality of the employees, is different from that of the UK. In the UK, the management of the employment w as made much easier

The Fiftieth Gate and The Pianist Essay Example for Free

The Fiftieth Gate and The Pianist Essay Memory helps form the basis of history, whereas history can be used to clarify fragmented memories. For a true understanding of the past there has to be a balance between documented evidence and personal experiences and memories. In Mark Baker’s nonfiction biography ‘The Fiftieth Gate’ (1997), and Roman Polanski’s film ‘The Pianist’ (2002) have both reconstructed the past through a combination of memories and historical documentation. The interplay of historical documentation and memories is critical for an accurate portrayal of an event. The Fiftieth Gate’ follows Baker’s own investigation into the history and memories of his parents to understand the events of the Holocaust. He adopts a style of writing similar to Midrash, a religious method of biblical interpretation of ideas, to bridge the gap between the past and present. Intially memories are inconsistent for Baker. They can leap out â€Å"at him, like a jack-in-the-box†, the simile enhancing the notion that memories are unpredictable and therefore not entirely reliable. Baker’s value of historical exactness over memory is seen through the juxtaposition of his father’s shared experience against his mother’s lone survival. He sees his father’s past â€Å"written on page of history shared by other survivors† while his mother â€Å"could not point to anyone†. As the novel progresses, this preference for history over memory is diminished. History is characterized as cold and lifeless being: â€Å"papers (that are)†¦echoes of the past, dark shadows without screams, without smells, without fear†. The repetition of â€Å"without† emphasizes the lack of emotion present in historical accounts. At the end of the novel Baker arrives at the rhetorical question â€Å"Why do I crave the contents of this single lone sentence†¦when all it says is what she has repeated throughout her life? while summarising his mother’s experience. The historian eventually learns to stop only looking at â€Å"numbers and lists† but rather hear the â€Å"pleas of a human being†. With this final combination of history and memory Baker is able to acquire a deeper understanding of the past. A similar focus on the interplay of historical documentation and memories is seen in Roman Polanski’s film ‘The Pianist’. Polanski’s own memories and the experiences of Wladyslaw Spzilman are verified by archival images taken by the Germans and historical data about the Warsaw Ghetto. In contrast to Baker’s describing of events, ‘The Pianist’ visually recreates the memories of the Holocaust victims. Polanski uses monochromatic colours, costumes and lighting to produce a morose World War II concentration camp atmosphere. Within the film the interplay of history and memory is shown as black and white footage intercut with contemporary scenes of Spzilman from Pianist. To ensure that the â€Å"smallest detail would be exact†, the director employed research experts, who found artefacts from the Holocaust to use in the film that would provide authenticity. This is enhanced with dialogue that enlightens the audience to the attitudes and values of that time, â€Å"They hang†¦ (those) for helping Jews†. Allusions to official decrees that were placed at that time where â€Å"No jews are allowed† and newspaper articles and radio broadcasts of that time is used by Polanski to place the audience accurately within that time. He uses an evocative setting of ruins in Europe and Warsaw, and intercuts actual historical World War II footage and data. In â€Å"†¦trying to rebuild the world exactly as it was†¦ no more, no less,† he melds history and memory to reveal truths. For an accurate understanding of past events there needs to be a balance between historical documentation and personal memories. Baker creates these metaphorical gates that open his parent’s memories, a link to his Jewish heritage, with each gate drawing a separate memory. He enhances the eternal power of memories through sensory imagery: â€Å"Can you hear, or do the screams from the mass grave drown out the sounds and melodies of Wierzbnik in its innocence? † The experiences endured by his parents continue to torment them, their memories: â€Å"broken like fragments of sacred tablet†. The motif of stone in this simile corresponds with the Jewish belief of memory not being remembered by flowers but rather by stones as they are â€Å"mysterious and eternal†. The lasting effect of the Holocaust is seen in Genia’s dialogue: â€Å"Don? t interrogate me. I? m your mother, not your prisoner, the negative word connotations linking back to her own circumstance during the Nazi regime. Personal memories explore emotions that can never be captured by written documents, a notion that is illustrated through the repetition and rhetorical question of: â€Å"You read, you read. Books, books, everywhere. But do you know how it feels? † Baker employs evocative languge of his mother remembering: â€Å"the sound of shots† of â€Å"screaming†, which is contrasted to the historical facts of this event: â€Å"the death toll†¦ of atleast 40,000 Jews†, demonstrating the value of memory, as it provides greater substance and accuracy than documented evidence. Through an investigation of both history and personal memories Baker is able to gain an accurate understanding of the past. Polanski is â€Å"a survivor telling a survivor’s story†. The Pianist’ explores past events through the diary of a German officer, the memoirs of Wladyslaw Spzilman and Polanski’s own personal memories. Three accounts interweave in this film to display an accurate interpretation of the Holocaust. The accuracy of the Pianist’s memory is justified as it â€Å"was written immediately after the war†. Polanski himself remembers the â€Å"one thing that is burned in my mind is the arm band with the star of David†. He places this image to symbolise the dehumanisation of the Jewish people. This corresponds with the number branded on Baker’s father, Yossl. Polanski indirectly questions the link between memories and time. He suggests that memory is not entirely reliable and adapts to changing contexts. This is emphasised through the use of the cross fade technique. Images of Spzilman playing the piano blur into one another, which suggest that memory will eventually fade and transform. The piano itself is a visual leitmotif within the film for Spzilman’s survival spirit. Polanski visually enhances the Spzilman’s memory of being isolated in Warsaw ghetto by placing the pianist as a single figure in the centre of the foreground. All that remains in the background are possessions abandoned by the Jews who have been deported to death camps. Memory enriches history while history informs memory. These two key ideas are presented in Mark Baker’s non-fiction biography, The Fiftieth Gate and Roman Polanski’s film The Pianist, allowing the audience to understand the importance of memory and history. By examining personal experience, memory and documented evidence, an individual can a balanced and informed understanding of the past.

Legalization of Drugs Fails to Resolve Social Problems Essay -- Argume

One need only turn on the 11o'clock news to determine whether the "war on drugs" has been a success or a failure. Border police and the FBI continue to nab ever-increasing caches of illegal drugs, while our "tough on crime" policies haul thousands to jail on drug trafficking and possession charges. Yet, people young and old continue to purchase and consume large amounts of drugs for a variety of reasons, ranging from medicinal to escapism. Even the most ardent drug enforcers have to admit that the current offensive against drugs has been a dismal failure, because the government cannot prevent what people want to do merely through laws (and their enforcement). But does this automatically mean that drugs should be legalized? We already have a case study to determine whether drug legalization policies will be successful. America's struggles with alcohol provide a ready-made experiment in which the pros and cons of drug legalization can be measured in terms of lives affected and dollars spent. In the early portion of the 20th century, our government responded to the demands of various temperance groups and prohibited the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. At about the same time, organized crime gained power in cities such as Chicago and New York. Since the general populace still had a voracious appetite for alcohol, gangsters such as Al Capone made millions dealing in this illicit trade. As their motive was to maximize profits regardless of cost, the gangsters handled rivals in their own, intimate way - as the "Valentine's Day Massacre" graphically showed. The violence contributed to the eventual repeal of Prohibition laws, and America enjoyed the products of fermented grapes, wheat and... ... So, instead of changing strategy in the current war on drugs, we either doggedly try the same old tactics that fail miserably or surrender unconditionally in the name of individual "rights." Well, what about the right of someone to drive without fear of sudden death via intoxicant? What about the baby doomed to a painful life from drug-induced ailments? What about the spouse painted black, blue and red by someone's fists, bat or gun? Or the fan too scared to talk with a blustery drunk for fear of pulverization? Or of anyone paying higher car and health insurance rates? A famous person once said, "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." In this situation, it would be doubly tragic, for "history" continues even today, instructing us on decisions of past generations. And yet once more, we're about to fail the final exam.

Comm/215 Case Study

Case Study Analysis Amanda Lee February 25, 2013 Case Study Analysis INTRODUCTION: Carl Robins is faced with very serious problems as the new campus recruiter for ABC, Inc. This case study analysis will show the many problems that evolved when he attempted to recruit new employees to work for Monica Carroll. After reviewing the issues at hand, we will discuss the possible solutions available for Carl to rectify the situation and the proposed solution that he should take. Carl Robins is a competent employee of ABC, Inc. As with any new position a person is involved in, he will face challenges.However, it is not impossible to overcome these challenges. BACKGROUND: In early April, Carl recruited fifteen new hires to work for Monica who is the Operations Supervisor. After recruiting them, he scheduled orientation to take place in June. This was in the hopes that the new employees would be able to start working by July. Approximately one month before orientation, Monica contacted Carl to check on the new hire process for the fifteen recruits. Once Monica was assured by Carl that everything was under control, Carl decided to check on things himself.At this point, Carl is unaware of the problems that he will be facing once he gets into the project. KEY PROBLEMS: The first problem that arises for Carl is when he checks on the new trainee files and realizes that the files are not complete. All new employees went through the interview process and filled out paperwork. Unfortunately, the paperwork is not completely filled out for their applications. To make matters worse, the files should have transcripts to go with them, but they are missing. The problems just get worse when he checks deeper into their files and realizes none of the trainees had drug screening on file.Once he is done looking at the new trainee files Carl checks the orientation manuals and realizes that there are only three copies of the manual. Carl is supposed to have at least fifteen copies of the manu al so that each new hire can have a copy for their own. As he goes through the orientation manual he also realizes that the three copies of the orientation manual that he has is missing several pages from each one. It seems that the problems with the new employee orientation just keep piling up for Carl. The next problem to arise is just as frustrating as the previous problems.Carl checks on the training room that he is planning on using for orientation. When he walks into the room he sees Joe, from technology, setting up computers all around the room. He finds out quickly that the training room has been reserved for both himself and Joe for the month of June so that Joe can train employees on a new software. It has been a very stressful day for Carl and after all of the issues he has found concerning the new trainee orientation, Carl panics. Many of the problems that Carl has found concerning the new employee orientation could have been avoided.Carl is a recently hired employee him self. He should have kept up with the progress of the new employee orientation and checked on the files for the applicants. ABC, Inc. should also have made sure that their new employee was capable of doing his job efficiently. If Carl had stayed on top of his project, the problems that he faced would not have occurred. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS: There are several problems that Carl is facing with his new employee orientation. The first problem is that the new trainees do not have complete applications on file and are missing their transcripts.To fix this problem Carl has more than one possible solution. For the incomplete applications, Carl could have the new hires finish them on the first day of orientation. If this solution does not work, he could mail the applications to the new hires, have them complete the paperwork, and then mail or fax it back to him. To correct the issue of the missing transcripts, Carl can contact the new employees and ask each of them to bring copies with them wh en they report to orientation. After dealing with the issue of the incomplete applications and missing transcripts, Carl still has to deal with the next problem.None of the new employees have been to the drug testing clinic for their mandatory drug screens. This problem can be fixed with minimal effort on Carl’s part. All he would have to do is call the new hires, let them know where the clinic is located, and give them a date for their drug screen to be completed. Once he has spoken with each new hire, this problem will be solved and Carl can focus on the next issue with the new employee orientation. The next difficulty that Carl faces is the problem with the orientation manuals.Carl only has three copies of the manual, which are each missing pages, and he has fifteen new employees that need their own copy. It will take some effort on Carl’s part to rectify this problem, but there is a solution. Carl should take one of the copies of the manual that he already has and find out what pages are missing from it. Then, once he knows what pages he needs, he should get those pages from the other two manuals and add them to the first copy. This will make a full copy of the orientation manual, which he can then use to make fifteen copies of for the new hires.The last problem that Carl faces is probably the most crucial of all of them. Carl has found out that the training room for the new hire orientation has been double booked and will also be used by Joe for computer training. There are two options Carl may choose to try and fix this issue. Carl could go to scheduling and find out who booked the room first. If Carl originally booked the room for orientation, he could force the technology department to vacate the room during his allocated time so that he could still use the room for the new hire orientation on the 15th.Another way Carl could fix this issue would be to talk with scheduling and find out if there is another room that he could possibly use fo r the orientation. If there is another room available, Carl can book the orientation for that place and will not have to push technology out of the original room. This solution will also avoid any possible confrontation between Carl and Joe from Technology services, which is great for work place drama. No one likes a stressful work environment. RECOMMENDATIONS: In order to ensure that these problems do not arise in the future, new procedures should be put into place when hiring new employees.When hiring a new employee, the applicant should have all paperwork completely filled out at the interview. This will save time and difficulties in the future. Transcripts should be collected at the second interview and put in the file with the application. When a new applicant is hired, the new employee should be given 72 hours to report to the clinic for drug screening. Drug screening is mandatory for each applicant. In the future, applicants will be given deadlines. This creates organization in the company and will assist recruiters in the future when hiring new employees.There should be a master copy of the new hire orientation manual on file at all times as a back-up for copies when there is an orientation. When scheduling orientation in the training room, there should be a second room also reserved in case of an emergency. These new procedures should be typed up and filed in the new hire orientation file. These proposed procedures will help ensure the success of new employees throughout the company. In any career path there is responsibility. Many times we face problems in our jobs.No matter what we have to do to overcome these obstacles, there is always a sense of accomplishment when we finish a task. Carl faced many obstacles when he attempted his first recruitment for ABC, Inc. These problems have solutions and Carl should be able to salvage the orientation without too much effort on his part. The incomplete applications can be completed and transcripts attached. Drug testing can be administered. Orientation manuals can be copied for the new employees and the training room can be salvaged. These solutions are manageable.

Christianization throughout History Essay

Introduction â€Å"Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is the secret of great creative people†, Leo Burnett once said. I agree, and can proudly say that curiosity is my motive for writing this project. The purpose of this project is pure research. I want to gain knowledge about the subject of my choice and also improve my writing and planning skills. I chose this topic after watching a National Geographic program concerning Mithraism in ancient Rome. I became very curious about Religious customs, Christian in particular. My main form of research was the Internet. I read University studies and encyclopedia articles. Finally I ended up with 3 research questions. I wanted to find out the true origins of the 3 major Christian holidays: Christmas, Easter and Halloween. Where their (sometimes strange) traditions came from, if other cultures celebrated similar holidays in the past and how they came to be the Christian holidays we know today. 1. What are the true origins of Christmas? The dictionary definition of â€Å"Christmas† is: The annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus. It is basically a feast in which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the most prominent figure in Christian belief, making this their most cherished holiday. Christmas is celebrated on December 25 (or January 7 in eastern orthodox churches, due to incompatibility between the Julian and Gregorian calendars). Popular customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, church celebrations, a special meal, and decorations like Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. Today, Christmas is celebrated in many places around the world by Christians and an increasing amount of non-Christians, but few people know the true pagan roots of this holiday. First and foremost, the early Christians did not celebrate the birth of Christ. There were two reasons for it: The first was the simple truth that no one knew the exact day of Christ’s birth. Today, most historians believe, according to the biblical description, that his birth took place around September (approx. six months after Passover). One thing is sure though, that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December. The biblical story tells us there were shepherds tending their sheep in the fields that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold winter. The second reason came further in the church’s development. During the first three hundred years of the religion the church in Rome discouraged celebrating the birth of Christ, not wanting it to seem more like a pagan ritual than a Christian holiday. So why is Christ’s birth celebrated on the 25th of December? The Answer is simple: Christianization, or the conversion of native pagan culture to Christian use. Church officials developed different methods of conversion to Christianity, and the main one was based on the belief that conversions were easier if people were allowed to retain the outward forms of their traditions, while claiming that the traditions were in honor of the Christian God. Basically, the traditions and practices themselves were kept, but the reasoning behind them was altered. Many pagan societies held celebrations around the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year, which occurs between the 21st and the 25th of December) with the prevailing theme being the welcoming of the sun and the joy in the rebirth of the world. There are also many stories of children of wonder being born on or near the winter solstice, like Mithras, Attis, Dionysus or Apollo, who are all savior deities sent in manifestation at the darkest time of the year. The oldest winter solstice celebration known to us took place in ancient Egypt over 4000 years ago. Large parties were held to celebrate the rebirth of the sun god Horus. The held a 12-day festival that mirrored their 12 month calendar, which revolved around Horus. This Egyptian idea of a 12 day celebration was also the first of its kind. Local countries adopted these ideas from the Egyptians (perhaps wanting to share in Egypt’s success). A prominent celebration was the Babylonian â€Å"Zagmuk† honoring the creator-sun god Marduk. The Babylonians believed that while Marduk had created the world peaceful and beautiful he has to battle the monsters of chaos to keep it so. Every year as the weather grows colder the monsters regain their strength and Marduk has to fight them off, but he needs the help of the people. This battle lasted for 12 days and it was the duty of the people to cheer Marduk on and help him win the war. Only then peace would be restored, the earth’s beauty renewed and the people would be safe for another year. As we move east we reach the Persian â€Å"Sacaea†, a celebration honoring the return of the sun. The Sacaea was also celebrated by the Greek in honor of Zeus’s defeat of Kronos and the Titans. These celebrations consisted mainly of feasting, partying and light ing of large bonfires. The Roman holiday season lasted a week and was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birth of the Unconquered Sun. It began on the 25th of December with the Saturnalia, the holiday honoring Saturn (the God of agriculture) and ended with the Kalends of January (the roman new year’s), which represented the triumph of life over death. This holiday was celebrated in honor of Sol Invictus (the invincible sun), The official Roman Sun God (whose day of rest was Sunday). Mithraism was also a common cult in the Roman Empire, and many celebrated the birth of Mithras on this date as well. This festival was marked by much feasting, gift giving and merrymaking in general. The Pagans of northern Europe also celebrated the winter solstice, with a festival called â€Å"Yule†. Yule has many names for the different tribes: For the Celts it was â€Å"Nodlaig†, for the Saxons â€Å"Gehul†, and for the Welsh is was â€Å"Hal†. More names were Juul, Oel, Heol and many more. The word Yule is derived from the Norse word Iul, meaning wheel. The wheel was a pagan symbol for the sun and for the cycle of life. The Yule celebration lasted for a number of days and involved feasting, fires, and sacrifices. Bonfires blazed in honor of the sun’s struggle against, and eventual triumph over, the darkness and cold of winter. One of the most prominent symbols of Yule was the evergreen tree. The evergreens seemed to have magic powers enabling them to resist the short and cold days. Evergreen trees would often be brought into home and evergreen boughs were carried as luck totems (especially Holly, which was considered the food of the gods). Sacred ceremonies were held by druids surrounding and worshiping these trees. More traditions included kissing under the mistletoe (a fertility ritual) and gift giving. Even the idea of Santa Clause can be found in many Yule celebrations. The Pagans viewed these celebrations of the return of the sun as the fact that good will prevail over evil, which made it easy to adapt them to Christianity, seeing how Jesus was born to save the world (according to the belief). Jesus has often been referred to as the â€Å"light of the world† and it only seemed fitting that his birth would be celebrated with the rebirth of the sun. So, in the year 350, Pope Julius the first and the roman emperor Constantine declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for the pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them. However, some experts believe it went the other way around. They say the early Christians were tempted by the partying and feasting, so the Christian leaders quickly decided to give the holiday a Christian reasoning so as not to lose their followers. 2. What are the true origins of Easter? Easter is the second major holiday in the Christian liturgical year. According to the New Testament, Jesus rose from the dead 3 days after his crucifixion. Easter Day is the celebration of his resurrection, also called Resurrection Sunday. Prior to Easter Day come a 40 day period called Lent. This is a time for fasting, praying and penance. The last week of Lent is called Holy week and it contains Good Friday, which honors the crucifixion of Christ. After Resurrection Sunday comes a 50 day period called Eastertide, ending with Pentecost Sunday. This is a time for rejoicing and growth. Easter is not fixed in the civil calendar because it is a lunar holiday. Easter Sunday occurs on the first Sunday after the full moon proceeding the vernal (spring) equinox, which occurs on March 21. Easter customs and symbols include a large feast (with ham as the main course), a sunrise worship service, egg hunting and decorating, hot cross buns, flowers, the Easter bunny and outdoor activities. The thing is, none of the customs and symbols, or even the name of this holiday, has anything to do with Christianity. The word Easter is actually the name of the pagan goddess of fertility, also named Ostare, Oestre, Ostara, Ishtar, Ashtoreth, and Asthart in different cultures. Many pagan cultures held vernal festivals in honor of this goddess, celebrating the arrival of spring and the awakening of life. The oldest of these festivals was held in ancient Babylon, Phrygia (modern day Turkey), Canaan and Phoenicia. The Phoenicians were a civilization of traders who brought the Easter customs to Greece, Rome and the northern countries of Great Britain. The legend of this spring festival begins with Nimrod. Nimrod is, according to the book of Genesis the son of Cush, grandson of Ham and great grandson of Noah. Nimrod was a powerful leader who formed the first empire in the world, Babylon, by conquering the â€Å"Land of the Seven Cities† (the Persian gulf). In his rule he made the people rebel against God and join in his own mystery religion, in which he figured prominently. When Nimrod eventually died, his mystery religion continued on. His wife Queen Semiramis saw to that. Once he was dead, she deified him as the Sun-god. In various cultures he later became known as Baal, the Great Life Giver, the god of fire, Baalim, Bel, Molech, etc. Queen Semiramis continued developing her mystery religion. She set herself as a goddess as well, proclaiming to have hatched from an egg that fell down from the moon on the first full moon after the spring equinox (she taught that the moon went through a 28 day cycle and ovulated when full). She became known as the goddess of fertility and the moon, mother of all life. She later became known as Ishtar, or Easter. Semiramis soon became pregnant, claiming that is the rays of the sun god Baal which caused her to conceive. She gave birth to Tammuz, who was the supposed savior, the son of God. Tammuz was a hunter, and was one day killed by a wild boar. He was sent to the underworld, but through his mother’s weeping he was resurrected and allowed to ascend to be with his father Baal. Another version tells that Semiramis (or Ishtar) was so grief stricken that she followed Tammuz to the underworld. With her gone, the world became a cold and barren place. Ea, the Babylonian God of water and wisdom, sprinkled them both with the water of life, allowing them to return to the world for 6 months of the year. The remaining part of the year Tammuz was to return to the underworld, causing Ishtar to follow him and the cycle to continue. This is how the people explained to themselves the miracle of spring that happened every year. Each year a spring festival was held to celebrate Tammuz’s resurrection from the underworld on the first Sunday after the full moon of the spring equinox, Ishtar Sunday. All of the common Easter traditions originate from this belief. Ham was to be eaten as a reminder of Tammuz’s death. The sunrise worship service is a common pagan practice honoring the Sun God. The egg is probably the oldest symbol of fertility and new life in pagan worship. Then there is the story of Ishtar’s hatching from the moon egg, known as the Ishatr, or Easter egg. The hare too, is an old fertility symbol, due to its rapid rate of reproduction. The story of the Easter bunny brings us back to Ishtar, or Ostara as she was called in northern Europe. The Goddes Ostara arrived late from the underworld one spring and found a little bird whose wings had frozen from the snow. Full of pity for the creature she made him her pet and turned him into a snow white hare (which would then become her symbol). She also gave him the gift of being able to run with incredible speed. In remembrance of his earlier form as abird, the hare had the ability to lay eggs, which were rainbow colored, but only on one day of the year (guess which?). The Hare eventually managed to annoy the goddess, and she put in the sky as the constellation Lepus (the hare). He was allowed to return to the earth once each year on Easter Sunday to lay his eggs. It became an Easter tradition to seek out the Easter hare’s rainbow colored eggs. Also, in Celtic culture, it was forbidden to eat hare meat except on Beltane (the 1st of May) when a ceremonial hare hunt was held (Beltane is the Celtic name for Easter – Bel meaning the same as Baal). The hare remains a symbol of luck and fertility even today. The Act of fasting in preparation for a great occasion can be found in many lands. The Babylonians and their neighbors fasted for 40 days in preparation for the annual celebration of Tammuz’s resurrection. This is probably the direct source of the Christian Lent, but a pennence period like this can be found in many other societies as well. Pagans in Mexico and the Andes mountains practiced a 40 day fast in honor of the sun around this time of year. The Egyptians fasted for 40 days to honor Adonis and Osiris. The lighting of fires was also a common pagan ritual. Fire was the symbol of Baal and the fires were used in ceremonies and even for human sacrifices. The New Testament says nothing about sunrise ceremonies, lent, colored eggs or bunnies. These are all classic examples of Christianization. The Christian leaders wanted to convert the pagans to Christianity, so they decided to adopt their rituals and give them Christian significance in order to make the transition easier. But perhaps there is another, more primitive reason. People enjoy celebrations and festivities, and do not care for the most part who or what the celebration honors. The pagans probably did not care what name was given to their festival, as long as they could continue feasting and rejoicing. 3. What are the true origins of Halloween? The name Halloween is actually a Scottish shortening of the name â€Å"All Hallows Evening† or â€Å"All Hallows Eve†. It is celebrated on October 31st and it is so named because it comes before All Saints Day (or All Hallows day) which occurs on the first of November. According to Christian tradition, the souls of dead roam the earth until All Saints Day, when the prayers of the people free them from purgatory and allow them to reach heaven. Halloween is the last night the dead spend on earth and their last chance of gaining vengeance on their enemies before moving on to the next life. To avoid being recognized by a soul, Christians would wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves. This is where the custom of dressing up and â€Å"trick or treating† came from. More traditions of Halloween include costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions and playing pranks. In these traditions we can see the pagan origins of Halloween crystal clear. The Celts of Northern Europe celebrated their New Year on the evening of October 31st and the first of November (the Celts followed a lunar calendar and their days began at sunset). This holiday was named â€Å"Samhain† in Ireland, Galan Gaeaf in Wales and Allantide in Cornwall, and is Celtic for â€Å"summer’s end†. They believed that the New Year starts with the death of the sun god in winter. It was also believed that the veils of the world were thinnest as the old year waned into the new and that troublesome spirits, ghosts of the dead, fairies, and demons were free to roam about, scaring people and damaging crops. Traditionally, Samhain was time to take stock of the herds and grain supplies, and decide which animals would need to be slaughtered in order for the people and livestock to survive the winter. The reason for this was that the meat could keep since the cold months have come and also since summer grass is gone and free foraging is no longer possible . Large fires played a large part in the festivities. They were called Bonfires because the bones of the slaughtered cattle were thrown in as sacrifices to the sun and spirits. Often two bonfires would be built side by side, and the people would walk between the fires as a ritual of purification. The druids (celtic priests) performed ceremonies around these fires including divination concerning marriage, luck, health and death. Since the barrier to the otherworld was so thin this was the best time for these rites. Each family in the village would extinguish the fire in their home, and then relight their hearth from the common flame. This ritual was said to bond the village together and protect each family from the spirits roaming about. More attempts to ward off spirits included wearing costumes and masks and carving candle lanterns from turnips. Large turnips were hollowed out, carved with face and placed in windows. Samhain was also a night of mischief and confusion. The spirits were impersonated by young men with masked, veiled or blackened faces, dressed in white or disguises of straw. These young men would go from house to house â€Å"trick or treating† as a form of bribery. The family would give the â€Å"spirits† fruits or nuts to keep them from damaging their crops. Mischievous pranks were played on the ungenerous including moving farm equipment and livestock and bombarding their houses with cabbages pulled at random from gardens. Other than these young men people usually preferred to stay indoors on Samhain night. During the Roman rule in Britain (43-410 AD) aspects of Roman religion were incorporated into Samhain. Candied apples and bobbing for apples became associated with this holiday because of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees and gardens, whose symbol was the apple. Traditions often involve fruit centerpieces and decorations. Furthermore, the Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Sacrifices were made in honor of the dead and prayers were offered as well. The jack – o – lantern is perhaps the most famous Halloween symbol. It is named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, also known as will –o –the wisp, representing the scary spirits roaming about. Furthermore, the Celtic folklore tells about a fellow named Stingy Jack, a thief that managed to trick and trap the devil. In order to be set free, the devil had to promise never to takes Jack’s soul. When the day came and Jack died, he wasn’t allowed to enter Heaven because of all the bad deeds he had committed in his life. He was sent to Hell, but the Devil kept his promise and wouldn’t take Jack in. Jack was condemned to roam the earth with only a burning ember in a turnip lamp to light his way. This is where the tradition of carving vegetable lamps came from. When the first English immigrants came to North America they traded the turnip for the larger native pumpkin, which was larger and readily available. This pumpkin lantern is the jack- o –lantern known to us today. Another important holiday honoring the dead belonged to the ancient Aztecs. It was named â€Å"The Day of The Dead† (El Dà ­a de los Muertos) and is still celebrated in Mexico, South America and around the world. Originally it fell on the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, symbolizing the nine stops the dead must pass on their way to heaven, and was celebrated for an entire month. Sacrifices were made to the lady of the dead, Mictecacihuatl. Today, â€Å"The Day of The Dead† is celebrated on the 1-2 of November, probably due to the Catholic Spanish conquering which led to the merge of the Day of The Dead with All Saints Day. Traditions of this holiday include a family meal with emphasis on remembering deceased family members, decorating graves and family altars, and prayer. These are the basic traditions, but in different cultures activities may vary, from kite-flying in Guatemala to skull decorating in Bolivia. The essence of this day is celebrating the lives of those who are gone and helping them on their way. The early Christians also had a day celebrating the remembrance of all the church’s martyrs. It was established by Pope Boniface the 4th and was set on May 13. Later, it was Pope Gregory the 3rd that changed the date to November 1st, and renamed it â€Å"All Saints day†, so it would correspond with the existing pagan holidays. Christianity continued to spread throughout the world, and pagan holidays were either Christianized or forgotten. Samhain and The Day of The Dead were absorbed into Halloween. Their traditions and rituals were preserved and incorporated into the new holiday, but their names were omitted. However, now, despite all of the Christian efforts, people essentially enjoy the aspects of the holiday that derive from pagan origins. The Halloween celebrated by the great majority of people today is just a fun holiday, and has lost its religious signifance for most people. Conclusion To summarize everything, I believe it can be safely said that Christian holidays rarely mean and originate where they seemed to at first. Christianization can be found throughout history in many different cultures and aspects, from major holidays to minor superstitions. Celebrations of the winter solstice were common around the world, and Christmas was just the latest addition. The early Christians merely replaced the birth of the sun with the birth of the son, but kept the rituals and traditions of the pagan festivals. The Easter holiday even managed to keep its pagan name. The festival of the earth’s rebirth is recycled today as the day honoring the resurrection of Jesus, and celebrated in the same way the Babylonians did 3000 years ago. Even Halloween is just a pagan holiday dipped in holy water. It’s as pagan as you can get, honoring ghosts, spirits and the like, but it got Christianized nonetheless. In my personal opinion, there is nothing religious about these holidays anymore. They merely represent how far ideas can travel when you take advantage of human nature. The early Christians understood that people are just simple beings who like to have a good time, and don’t really care in whose honor. Christianization was a smart idea, but I believe it breaks a few copyright laws. Working on this project I improved my research and writing skills, and also my time management. If I had been given the chance I would have written more about the Christianization of sacred places, like the pantheon and Celtic sacred groves. All in all, I learned a lot during the entire process and am satisfied with the result.    Bibliography Websites 1. http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rel232/resource/RileyPaper.htm 2. http://www.pocm.info 3. http://searchforbibletruths.blogspot.com/2011/04/easter-origins-traditions-and-customs.html 4. http://www.thercg.org/books/ttooe.html 5. http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract1.html 6. http://www.goddessgift.com/Pandora’s_Box/Easter-history.htm 7. http://www.essortment.com/christmas-pagan-origins-42543.html 8. http://www.wikipedia.org 9. http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Christmas_TheRealStory.htm 10. http://www.goodnewsaboutgod.com/studies/holidays2.htm 11. http://christmas-celebrations.org/ 12. http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html 13. http://www.frontline-apologetics.com/Mithras.html 14. http://ldolphin.org/semir.html 15. http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/08/ajb/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Ninus.html 16. http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html 17. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05224d.htm 18. http://www.goodnewsaboutgod.com/studies/holidays2.htm 19. https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/barnold/www/lectures/holloween.html 20. http://spanish.about.com/cs/culture/a/dayofdead.htm 21. http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/e008rp_Halloween.htm 22. http://landscaping.about.com/cs/landscapecolor/a/halloweenOrigin.htm 23. http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/origin-of-halloween.htm 24. http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/Samhain.htm 25. http://www.etsu.edu/writing/adcomp_f06/students/halloween.htm 26. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/halloween/halloween_Pagan_Ankerberg.aspx 27. http://www.albee.org/halloween/history.htm Articles 1. Julia A. Gengenbach, â€Å"Is Christmas Christian†, Prism University of Wisonsin- Eau Claire Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, 2002 2. Prof. Bettina Arnold, â€Å"Halloween Customs in the Celtic World†, Center of Celtic Studies, Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, 2001 3. Donna-Lynn Riley, â€Å"Christian Feast Days and their Relationship to Pagan Holidays† , Introduction to World Religions, 2003

great depression Essay Example

great depression Essay Example great depression Paper great depression Paper Many times throughout history the United States has undergone economic depression.The most recognized period of economic depression is called the Great Depression. The Great Depression is well known because of the seriousness of the stock market crash.The results of the crash were more serious than any other crash throughout American History.The Great Depression caused a change in the nature of the American family, an increase in poverty, and President Herbert Hoovers proposal for immediate action by the government, balanced his belief in rugged individualism with the economic necessities. While most Americans are familiar with the Great Depression as a time of economic disaster, it also had an impact on the American Family life.There were obvious differences in the classes as a result of the Great Depression.The lower and the middle classes changed considerably, but the upper class lifestyle did not vary a great deal.(Simmons 41) The fathers role as head of the household became m ore challenging because there were fewer jobs.The expectation was for fathers to work and support their families. The reality of the lower class was that few men brought home paychecks.Some fathers suffered anxiety and a feeling of worthlessness for failing to provide for their families.Many resorted to stealing food and money just to survive.(Simmons 41) Women were offered greater opportunities in the work force, however they tended to take the position of stay-at-home mothers.According to Simmons Men resented employed women for they felt that they were occupying jobs that could be given to unemployed men.(Simmons 43) Children in the lower class were expected to get an education so that they could improve their situation.In addition they were needed at home to help with household chores.Unfortunately, many poor children dropped out of school because of their obligations at home. Children in the middle class were bett

Miscellaneous Uses of the Spanish Conditional Tense

Miscellaneous Uses of the Spanish Conditional Tense As a general rule, as explained in our introduction to the Spanish conditional tense, the English would is the equivalent of the Spanish conditional. But there are exceptions. The major ones are listed below: Examples of when the conditional tense isnt translated as would To express speculation about the past: Just as the future tense can be used to express speculation about the present, the conditional can be used to express speculation or probability about the past. A variety of translations can be used, depending on the context. Despuà ©s de trabajar, tendrà ­an hambre. After working, they probably were hungry. Another possible translation is After working, they must have been hungry. (A would translation is also possible: After working, they would have been hungry.)  ¿Dà ³nde estuvo Jorge? Estarà ­a en casa. Where was George? He must have been at home. Another possible translation is Where was George? I wonder if he was at home. (A would translation is also possible: He would have been at home.) Where the conditional poder is translated as could: This is a variation on the would rule, for poder, which when conjugated can mean can, can also be translated as to be able. When could means the same as would be able, the conditional is usually used. Si tuviera dinero, podrà ­a ir al cine. If I had money, I could go to the movies. (This is a use of the conditional based on a condition. It also could be translated as If I had the money, I would be able to go to the movies.) Podrà ­an salir maà ±ana. They could leave tomorrow. (Here the condition is unstated. The sentence also could be translated as They would be able to leave tomorrow.)  ¿Podrà ­a tener un lpiz? Could I have a pencil? (Or, would I be able to have a pencil?) Examples of when would isnt translated as the Spanish conditional When it refers to a past repeated action: In such cases, the imperfect is usually used. This use of would in English is usually understood as used to or as the past tense. Whats different in this instance from cases where would is in the conditional tense is that the activity isnt hypothetical. Cuando era nià ±o, à ­bamos al cine. When I was a boy, we would go to the movies. (This is the same as saying we used to go to the movies or we went to the movies. Going to the movies isnt a hypothetical action.) Mi hijo jugaba con cuidado. My son would play carefully. (This is the same as saying, My son used to play carefully.)

The Sex differances in learning in chimpanzees Essay

The Sex differances in learning in chimpanzees - Essay Example In specific, this paper has selected an article, ‘Sex Differences in Learning in Chimpanzees’ (Lonsdorf et al, 2004) that is a synopsis of a four-year longitudinal study carried out at Gombe National Park in Tanzania on wild chimpanzees. Primarily, the paper will attempt to provide a brief summation of the mentioned article that will enable the reader to understand basic and important findings, as well as limitations of this article. In this article, as earlier mentioned, wild chimpanzee of Gombe National Park in Tanzania were the participants of this four-year longitudinal study, and experts attempted to identify the sexual differences in the learning process and practice of these chimpanzees during the study. Findings of the study indicated that chimpanzees were skillful in the utilization of flexible tools for hunting termites from their mounds. Plantations were the only source of such tools that enabled chimpanzees to ‘fish for termites’ and eat them after extraction from the termite heaps. Experts (Lonsdorf et al, 2004) specified that chimpanzee culture of the local environment indicated that utilization of tools was a common practice for chimpanzees that used tools for various purposes. In addition, experts revealed that various studies have indicated that chimpanzees are the most intelligible non-human species to utilize tools for different purposes. Experts also disclosed that social learning and interaction capabilities of chimpanzees were some of the basic factors that cause such a varying range of utilization of tools in their communities. Article denoted that the experts focused on fourteen chimpanzees below eleven years of age during the period of four months, and paid attention to their interaction with their chimpanzee mothers during fishing sessions for the termites. Analysis of fishing practices and social interaction in the chimpanzee community indicated that chimpanzees of both genders interacted