American Indians Essays - Drinking Culture, Alcoholism,

American Indians Indians in eastern North America possessed no alcohol at the beginning of the colonial period. By 1800, so much alcohol flowed through the Indian villages east of the Mississippi that each community were forced to decide to take it or not and they made a tragic choice by taking it because it destroyed their cultural. The Indians who drank did so to the point of intoxication enjoyed the experience they got from it. If Indians chose to drink out of frustration and despair, they were not alone; as social scientists have made clear, whenever Western societies undergo periods of rapid transition, rates of drinking increase. Documentary evidence also suggests that some Indians enjoyed the heightened sense of power that seemed to accompany drunkenness. For example, some Indians in the Great Lakes regions integrated alcohol into their existing ceremonies, notably mourning rituals. Other groups recognized the importance of alcohol by including it in hospitality rituals. Recognizing alcohol's power did not mean liking its taste. The primary reason to drink was to get drunk. On occasion groups of Indians who did not possess enough alcohol to get everyone drunk gave their liquor to a few individuals to ensure that at least some would become intoxicated. Families also suffered, especially when young men sold the furs and skins from the hunt for alcohol, thereby impoverishing their relatives, who needed food and durable goods. Domestic violence, accidental falls into fires or cliffs, and bouts of exposure when the inebriated passed out in cold weather all contributed to the suffering of Indian communities. The "drunken Indian" has been a subject of continuing concern in the United States from the earliest contacts between Europeans and Indians down to the present day. A number of deprivations, including confinement to reservations and federal wardship, are cited as causes for many Indians to fell inadequate. Alcohol, according to this view, has been the easiest and quickest way to deaden the senses and to forget the feeling of inadequacy. The most popular beverages were cider and whiskey. Water was usually of poor quality, milk was scarce and unsafe, and coffee, tea, and wine were imported and expensive. Whiskey was widely produced because it was easily preserved and traded, and it soon became the medium of exchange on the frontier. Many Americans took small amounts of alcohol daily, either alone or with the family at home. "Drams" were taken upon rising, with meals, during midday breaks, and at bedtime. Ingesting frequent but small doses develops a tolerance to the effects of alcohol, and this style of drinking did not generally lead to intoxication. The other style of drinking was the communal binge, a form of public drinking to intoxication, and practically any gathering of three or more men provided an occasion for drinking vast quantities of liquor. Yet most of these drinkers became abstinent by the time they were thirty-five or forty years old age, a circumstance one would not expect if they had been addicted to alcohol. To explain, it involves the typical style of drinking that takes place in Indian communities. Not only did the Indians learn the binge style of drinking from observing those who introduced liquor to them, they also found the white man's notion that a man was not responsible for actions committed while intoxicated consonant with their own notions of possession by supernatural agents. In towns bordering the reservation, drinker may be arrested or wake up after drinking with no money. Social and legal prohibitions against drinking, the absence of a ready supply, and the fact that Indians who drink in public or in bars in off-reservation border towns are often arrested all help sudden withdrawal and, in consequence, a high incidence of hallucinatory experiences. Drinking on Indians reservations, however, continued largely unchanged due to their relative isolation from the larger society. Today we are told that Indians and Alaska Natives die from alcoholism at almost five times the overall rate for the nation. (something, 17) Such statistics not only give cause for concern but also shape how the problem of Indian drinking is perceived. Many believe that homicide, suicide, and accidents are strongly associated with alcohol, deaths from these related causes are often put together with deaths directly the result of drinking, such as alcoholic cirrhosis. Today the southern states along with those of the Rocky Mountain West have relatively high rates of death from what have come to be thought of as alcohol-related causes, a circumstance often attributed to our frontier heritage. In the twenty-one northern states the death rate was forty-five per hundred

10 Definition Essay Topics on the Climate Change Based on the Biocultural Approach

10 Definition Essay Topics on the Climate Change Based on the Biocultural Approach A definition essay is a creative piece of writing, which asks each student to come up with a single word and define it through the lens of the content in whatever piece of writing was assigned. In this case, with a focus on biocultural approaches, a student would need to pick a single word that might relate directly or tangentially to the topic and from there, define it based on content derived from the book. This requires students to look at a single topic within a larger topic, and from there find a single word that can be defined based on the context of the piece. That being said, finding facts to support your definition can be challenging, and above all else you want to find facts which help you best to make the definition you have selected a viable one. Below you will find a list of facts that can be used to support your definition essay, assuming the word which you are defining is one which can use the information provided. Review these with care and with your specific definition in mind: Philosophical viewpoints toward humanity and nature have historically viewed human impact as detrimental to the world of nature and something which has wrought dysfunction on the otherwise pristine and virgin natural environment which existed without human interference. This idea has made it challenging to define the relationship between nature and humans, as the only viable solutions presented were those which looked toward a non-human solution, a way of improving nature without humans. Historically studies have explored linguistic diversity as a single element as well as biological diversity as a single element. However, in each case the focus is on the single element and/or its impact on other cultural or natural elements, and not on one another. The field of biocultural diversity has taken from ethnoecological, ethnobiological, and anthropological insights in order to form a more comprehensive insight into the relationships between human knowledge, language, practice, and the environment. This has been a fundamental change as it alters the once widely accepted assumption of being an inextricable link between cultural diversity and biological diversity. The paradigm of sustainability is one which uses three distinct pillars to form its foundation, that of economy, society, and environment. Understanding traditional biodiversity plays a key role in this. As such, future development and application of improved biodiversity solutions are only made possible with sustainability and biodiversity working together. It was the International Society of Ethnobiology which declared in 1988 that there was a link between local and indigenous knowledge about plants, animals, habitats, ecological relations, functions, and low environmental impact that translated to sustainability of traditional forms for the use of natural resources. Humans have successfully maintained, as well as enhanced and in some cases even created biodiversity by way of the diverse cultural practices of managing otherwise â€Å"wild† resources and by the varied ways of raising domesticated animal species such as through animal husbandry, agroforestry, fire, and horticulture. This study was particularly important as a counter measure to the idea of bringing nature back to its â€Å"original† and â€Å"pristine† condition wherein it is no longer affected by humans. The findings actually suggested that there was a great link between the environment and humans, one which was interdependent and at a global level. That means that both humans and nature must be preserved together. Linguistic diversity functions as a web of intellectual life, something that envelops the Earth and is really essential to the survival of mankind in the same way that biology is paramount to the function of Earth. In fact, the role played by language and culture has been recognized as a potential fourth pillar to the previous three pillars which formed the notion of sustainable biodiversity. UNESCO as well as the IUCN, CBD, and UNEP have worked together to improve the synergies between cultural and biological diversities. The biocultural world is currently at a negative turning point which can be mitigated by practitioners, researchers, and activists who change their perspective toward biocultural knowledge and improve conservation of human culture in tandem with the conservation of nature. Humans have a responsibility to grow their economy and their future by cultural milestones and by preservation. One should not have to exist without the other, and in fact, cannot. Maintaining local cultures and revitalizing local languages is a form of conservation which should go hand in hand with the conservation of biodiversity, something which celebrates the past and its connection toward the future. People who are in the thick of the issue are those within the biocultural trenches and these are the people who can provide conceptual and political knowledge and tools to younger generations regarding the diversity within nature and within human culture which makes people, people. This knowledge is what will give people the opportunity to chart a new and sustainable path of culture and ecology. Diversity has been found to exist among plant and animal species, habitats, ecosystems, as well as human language and culture. Perhaps more surprising is that these ranges of diversities are not necessarily existent in separate realms which are parallel but rather, they exist in complex ways and interact among one another in a co-evolutionary fashion. The diversity of life is made up of interacting diversities which have developed with time to adapt toward mutual adaptation between the environment and humans in the form of a coevolutionary relationship. This is seen down to the local level, something which indicates that there is a deep connection between the two. Remember that these are only meant as a guide and you can choose to define whatever topic or word you select using whichever pieces of data you find best represent your overall purpose. If you find it difficult to select the right topic, look through our list that will help you with that. In other case, if there is a problem with an essay structure, use our guide on definition writing. Do not limit yourself to the facts above, but rather, take time to explore concepts and terms similar to your word and look for creative inspiration. Our writing service can be helpful if you experience troubles in academic paper writing. References Heckenberger, Michael. Biocultural Diversity In The Southern Amazon.  Diversity  2.1 (2009): 1-16. Web. Kerr, R. A. CLIMATE CHANGE: Humans And Nature Duel Over The Next Decades Climate.Science  317.5839 (2007): 746-747. Web. Kerr, R. A. CLIMATE CHANGE: Its Official: Humans Are Behind Most Of Global Warming.Science  291.5504 (2001): 566a-566. Web. Maffi, Luisa, and Ellen Woodley.  Biocultural Diversity Conservation. London: Earthscan, 2010. Print. Stepp, John R, Felice S Wyndham, and Rebecca K Zarger.  Ethnobiology And Biocultural Diversity. Athens, GA: International Society of Ethnobiology, 2002. Print. Vignieri, S. Humans Mitigate Climate Change Effects.  Science  337.6100 (2012): 1274-1274. Web. Weston, Burns H., and Tracy Bach. Recalibrating The Law Of Humans With The Laws Of Nature: Climate Change, Human Rights, And Intergenerational Justice.  SSRN Electronic Journal  n. pag. Web.

The Response (film) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Response (film) - Essay Example The officers see classified evidence in the case; while on the other hand, the detainee does not make any head of the evidence. Further, while the judges have adequate information on the person behind the accusation of the individual, the individual is equally dismayed. According to the American government, releasing such information would undermine the national security of the United States. If through a miracle of science all the leaders and philosophers of the ancient and classical world have convened to advise the Judge Advocates General deciding on the status of their prisoner in the movie, The Response, various elements would play key in this judgement. The verdict would find the suspect innocent, if the evidence provided by the ancient and classical thinkers is anything to go by. While seeking for the verdict of the case, this essay will consider the thoughts of the ancient and classical thinkers, Augustine and Hammurabi. There is no exact distinction between power and law in the control of the society, argues Cheng (4). Differentiating between the two in essence makes little sense, if indeed there is any. If anything, power and law act simultaneously. While law comes through power, as the powerful play a big role in the development of the laws, the enactment of these laws is thus a sign of honor to the laws of the land. Whenever there is the mention of law, people associate it with justice and power. It is impossible to think about law without power. Subsequently, it would be unthinkable if people were to think of law that has no effect in the society. As power seeks to control and run the social world in a proper manner, any obedience of law in itself is a form of obedience to power (Cheng 4). In the past, law came from the powerful people, with adequate influence in the society. They had to be people worth of respect. People who developed law were of high integrity and of unquestionable character. People like Augustine, who came up with

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 5

Economics - Essay Example Friedman’s main argument is that tax cuts and little or no intervention by the government in regulating private enterprise would help entrepreneurs to produce more at a lower cost. Thus consumers would benefit from plenty of cheaper goods. However conservative economics has acquired a newer dimension in that the absence of concern among conservative economists for environment related problems is changing for better. Karl Marx, the German political thinker, is better known for his ideological premises expressed in his treatise Das Kapital. Marxian economics is based on these thoughts, though most of his teachings are basically centered on the perpetual conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. His economic thoughts though aren’t substantial are concerned with how working classes are able to run the country’s economy with fair play and social justice. When all productive resources are controlled by the proletariat a comparative cost/benefit analysis is not possible. This paper takes the free market appraoch as the point of refernce for comparative analysis. Market forces, demand and supply, move in opposite directions with respect to price changes. When the price of a good is high the demand for it is less while the supply of it is greater. This is economic sense but nevertheless this positive economic statement about the predictable behavior of the consumer does not hold true when the demand patterns for Giffen and inferior goods are factored in. For instance when income, of the individual consumer, rises his demand for inferior goods such as potatoes, would rise. This is because the consumer’s purchasing power increases when his real income increases. Consumer sovereignty principle illustrates the fact that in a free market economy the consumer is free to consume what he wants. However, the consumer’s sovereignty does not have meaning if he/she is unable to buy what he/she wants. This paradox

The Golden Mean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Golden Mean - Essay Example Subjectivisms and relativism are strongly condemned in deontological systems of thought. On the contrary, one challenge about deontological moral systems is that they do not provide any clear way of resolving conflicts arising out of moral duties. Ethics of care Ethics of care is basically a normative theory of ethics which seeks to determine what makes actions right or wrong. Indeed, it is normally seen that some actions are regarded as right while others are deemed wrong. However, people might not always understand the line between right and wrong and the issues around that. Ethics of care focus on the importance of response. It totally opposes the use of universal judgment in making decisions whether right or wrong. As such, for the media practitioners, it is always important to understand some of the right or wrongs they report. According to the theory, it is seen that all individuals are normally interdependent on the achievement of their various interests. It is further seen th at some people are usually vulnerable to the choices of others and the outcomes in such cases need extra consideration. In a way, ethics of care contrasts the commonly ethical views of deontology and utilitarianism which most women view to be the right angle for looking at the concept of morality. In the media world, journalists will always encounter a number of issues relating to such contradictions and they must effectively report the right situations. In this case, there must a balanced view when looking at the concept of morality so as not to discredit any gender. Potter Box The potter box is an ethical framework that is crucial in analyzing various ethical dilemma realized in communication.... Ethics of care is basically a normative theory of ethics which seeks to determine what makes actions right or wrong. Indeed, it is normally seen that some actions are regarded as right while others are deemed wrong. However, people might not always understand the line between right and wrong and the issues around that. Ethics of care focus on the importance of response. It totally opposes the use of universal judgment in making decisions whether right or wrong. As such, for the media practitioners, it is always important to understand some of the right or wrongs they report. According to the theory, it is seen that all individuals are normally interdependent on the achievement of their various interests. It is further seen that some people are usually vulnerable to the choices of others and the outcomes in such cases need extra consideration. In a way, ethics of care contrasts the commonly ethical views of deontology and utilitarianism which most women view to be the right angle for looking at the concept of morality. In the media world, journalists will always encounter a number of issues relating to such contradictions and they must effectively report the right situations. In this case, there must a balanced view when looking at the concept of morality so as not to discredit any gender. The potter box is an ethical framework that is crucial in analyzing various ethical dilemma realized in communication. It utilizes four categories which are identified as universal in all ethical dilemmas.

An Analysis Of Dantes Inferno English Literature Essay

An Analysis Of Dantes Inferno English Literature Essay Dantes Inferno represents a microcosm of society; that is, laymen, clergy, lovers, wagers of war, politicians, and scholars are all collected into one place and punished for their worst and most human attributes. Hell, despite its otherworldly appearance and brutal, ugly nature, is somewhat humanized by the fact that those who are punished come from every country (Dante 3.123) and every walk of life, regardless of age, race, sex, or creed. While Dante Alighieri did not invent the idea of Hell as a place of punishment for the wayward and sinful souls in the afterlife, he did create the most powerful and enduring (Raffa 1) imagining of a concept which has received significant attention in biblical, classical, and medieval works. Dantes Divine Comedy was written sometime between 1308 and 1321 and is considered the supreme work of Italian literature (Norwich 27). It is an epic poem divided into three separate sections: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, respec tively. The personal element of the journey through Hell in Dantes Inferno literally explores the descent of one man into sin; through the use of poetic justice, both contemporary and historical figures, and mythological figures, Dante crafts an immediate and enthralling work dealing with the nature of sin and its place in society. The concept of poetic justice is famously explored in Inferno, where it is put to dramatic effect devising appropriate torments for each particular sin (Raffa 3). From Limbo to Treachery, Dante catalogues and documents the punishment of sinners both infamous and beloved, famous and unknown. In every case, the punishment fits the crime in a twisted and malignant fashion after all, the poem does discuss the realm of Satan, the Christian embodiment of evil. The nine circles of Hell described in Inferno are as follows: Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Avarice and Prodigality, Wrath and Sullenness, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and Treachery. These nine circles are based off of the idea of the Seven Deadly Sins, with some additions such as Limbo created by Dante. The poem begins with Dante lost in a dark wood, assailed by three beasts he cannot evade, and unable to move straight along (Dante 1.18) the road to salvation, represented by a mountain. A lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf symbolizing pride, envy, and avarice, respectively block Dantes path to the top of the mountain, forcing him to descend into the depths of Hell with Virgil. The entire journey documented in the Divine Comedy is an allegory for mans fall into sin before achieving redemption (represented by Purgatorio) and eventually salvation (represented by Paradiso). Before Dante even enters the gates of Hell, he is introduced to his guide for the first two realms of the afterlife, Inferno and Paradiso. For this role, Dante chose Virgil (70-19 BCE), who lived under the rule of Julius Caesar and later Augustus during Romes transition from a republic into an empire, and is most famous for the Aeneid. Two episodes in Virgils work were of particular interest to Dante. Book IV tells the tale of Aeneas and Dido, the queen of Carthage, who kills herself when Aeneas abandons her to continue his journey and [found] a new civilization in Italy (Raffa 8). Book VI recounts Aeneas journey into Hades to meet the shade of his father and learn of future events in his journey. Many elements in the Aeneid are present in heavily modified form in Dantes Inferno. Many of Dantes mythological elements are based on Book VI of Virgils Aeneid, which recounts Aeneas visit to the underworld. Virgil imbued his version of the underworld with a fluid, dreamlike atmosphere (5), while Dante instead strives for greater realism, providing sharply drawn and tangible figures. After passing through the gateway to hell, marked ominously with the words ABANDON EVERY HOPE, WHO ENTER HERE (Dante 3.9), Dante and Virgil witness a realm of miserable people who lived without disgrace and without praise (3.17-35) on the periphery of the Inferno. In this realm, the two poets encounter the souls of those who lived such undistinguished and cowardly lives that they have been cast out by Heaven and refused entry by Hell. These souls are forced to race after a banner which never comes to a stop, and are stung repeatedly by flies and wasps, their blood and tears nourishing the sickening worms (3.69) at their feet. The punishment for these cowardly souls is clear; just as in life they refused to be decisive and act, they now are barred from both eternal paradise and eternal damnation, and chase down a waving banner which they will never be able to reach. Next, Dante and Virgil meet Charon, Hells boatman. In the Aeneid, Charon is the pilot of the vessel that transports shades of the dead across the waters into the underworld. In both works, he is an irritable old man with hair white with years (3.83) who objects to taking a living man (Aeneas, Dante) into the realm of the dead. In each case, the protagonists guide (the Sybil, Virgil) provides Charon the proper credentials, and their journey continues. In Limbo, the guiltless damned, noble non-Christian souls, and those who lived before the time of Christianity are punished. The idea of a place for souls who did not sin; and yet lacked baptism (4.34-35) existed in Christian theology prior to Dante, but his vision is more generous than most. Dante includes unbaptized babies, as well as notable non-Christian adults in his version of Limbo, which bears a resemblance to the Asphodel Meadows, a section of the Greek underworld where indifferent and ordinary souls were sent to live after death. Dante suggests that those in Limbo are being punished for their ignorance of God by being forced to spend the afterlife in a deficient form of Heaven; while certainly not as hellish as the other circles, Limbo is by no means a paradise. Dante encounters the classical poets Homer (eighth or ninth century BCE), Horace (65-8 BCE), Ovid (43 BCE -17 CE), and Lucan (39-65 CE), who welcome back their comrade Virgil and honour Dante and one of their own (Dante 4.79-102). Philosophers Socrates and Aristotle also make appearances in Limbo as the shades of men renowned for their outstanding intellectual achievements. Socrates (born ca. 470 BCE in Athens) was a legendary teacher known for the rigorous method of questioning that characterizes the dialogues of Plato (ca. 428-ca. 347 BCE), who also appears. In addition, one notable non-Christian soul finds himself in Limbo, separated from the rest: Saladin, the distinguished military leader and Egyptian sultan who fought against the crusading armies of Europe yet was admired even by his enemies for his chivalry and magnanimity. Dantes implication is that all virtuous non-Christians find themselves in Limbo. The Lustful are punished in the second circle by being blown about by a hellish hurricane, which never rests wheeling and pounding (5.31-33). Lust, for many of the inhabitants of this circle, led to the sin of adultery and in the cases of Dido, Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, and others a violent death. The violent winds are symbolic of lust, and represent the power it holds in affairs of blind passion and physical love. Lust contains the shades of many famous lovers: Semiramis, Dido, Paris, Achilles, and Tristan, among others. Semiramis was a powerful Assyrian queen alleged to ave been so perverse that she even made incest a legal practice (Raffa 27); Dido, queen of Carthage and widow of Sychaeus, committed suicide after her lover Aeneas abandoned her (Virgil IV); Paris later died during the Trojan war; Achilles was the most formidable (Raffa 27) Greek hero in the war against the Trojans, who was killed by Paris (according to medieval accounts); finally, Tristan was the nephew of king Mark of Cornwall who fell in love in Iseult (Marks fiancee) and was killed by Marks poisoned arrow. Minos, the one who judges and assigns (Dante 5.6) the souls during their descent into Hell, is an amalgam of figures from classical sources, completed with several personal touches from Dante. He is a combination of two figures of the same name, one the grandfather of the other, both rulers of Crete. The elder Minos was admired for his wisdom and the laws of his kingdom. The second Minos imposed a harsh penalty on the Athenians (who had killed his son Androgeos), demanding an annual tribute of fourteen youths (seven boys and seven girls), who were sacrificed to the Minotaur, which appears later in Inferno. Minos long tail which he wraps around himself, that marks the sinners level (Dante 5.11-12) is Dantes invention. Gluttony is punished in the third circle. The souls of the damned lie in a vile, grimy slush brought about by cold, unending, heavy, and accursed rain (6.7-8). These former gluttons lie sightless and heedless of their neighbours, symbolizing their cold, selfish, and empty pursuit of hedonism and empty sensuality. The slush, representative of overindulgence and sensuality, serves to cut one off from both the outside world and from Gods deliverance. Gluttonous individuals of note include a Florentine contemporary of Dantes, identified as Ciacco ( pig in Italian). Ciacco speaks to Dante regarding the political conflict in the city of Florence between two rival parties, the White and Black Guelphs, and predicts the defeat of the White Guelphs, Dantes party. This event did indeed occur, and would lead to Dantes own exile in 1302. As the poem is set in the year 1300, before Dantes exile, he uses the events of his own life to illustrate the unique ability of shades in Inferno to predict the future, a theme which is returned to later in the poem. Cerberus, guardian of Gluttony, is similar to the beast of Greek mythology. In the Aeneid, Virgil describes Cerberus the three-headed dog which guards the entrance to the classical underworld as loud, huge, and terrifying. Dantes Cerberus displays similar canine qualities: his three throats produce a deafening bark, and he eagerly devours the fistful of dirt Virgil throws into his mouths like a dog intent on its meal. Cerberus bloodred (6.16) eyes, greasy, black (6.16) beard, and large gut link him to the gluttonous spirits whom he tears, flays, and rends (6.18) with his clawed hands. The Avaricious and the Prodigal are punished together in the fourth circle. Avarice, or greed, is one of the inequities that most incurs Dantes scorn and wrath (Raffa 37). Prodigality is defined as the opposite of Avarice; that is, the trait of excessive spending. Both groups are forced to eternally joust with one another, using cumbersome stone weights as weapons. They call out to each other: Why do you hoard? Why do you squander? (Dante 7.30). Here Dante describes the punishment of both extremes, criticizing excessive desire for and against the possession of material goods using the classical principle of moderation. In the fifth circle, the Wrathful and the Sullen are punished. The wrathful fight each other eternally on the surface of the river Styx, which runs darker than deep purple (7.103), while the sullen lie gurgling beneath the water. Dante describes how the Wrathful combat one another: [They] struck each other not with hands alone, but with their heads and chests and with their feet, and tore each other piecemeal with their teeth (7.112-114). The wrathful are damned to eternally struggle and fight without direction or purpose, while the sullen have withdrawn into a black sulkiness from which they can find joy in neither God nor life. In the fifth circle, Filippo Argenti, a prominent Florentine and a Black Guelph, calls to Dante. A hotheaded character (Raffa 40), little is known regarding Filippo except what transpires in Inferno. He quarrels with Dante, lays his hands upon the boat the poets travel on, and is eventually torn apart by his wrathful cohorts. The two men were political opponents, but Dantes behaviour towards Filippo indicates a more personal grievance. Perhaps he had humiliated Dante in life, or had taken some part of Dantes property after his exile from the city. Phlegyas is the solitary boatman (Dante 8.17) who transports Dante and Virgil in his boat across the Styx, the circle of the wrathful and sullen. He was known in Greek mythology for his impetuous behaviour; in a fit of rage, Phlegyas set fire to the temple of Apollo because the god had raped his daughter Apollo promptly slew him in response. Phlegyas appears in Virgils underworld as an admonition against showing contempt for the gods (Virgil 6.618-620), a role which he reprises in Inferno. Between the fifth and sixth circles lie the walls of Dis, the fortressed city of Lower Hell (Raffa 39). The fallen angels who guard the gates of Dis refuse entry to the two poets, requiring the arrival of a messenger from Heaven to open the gate for them. Dante designates all of Lower Hell circles six through nine, where the most serious of sins are punished as the walled city of Dis, with its grave citizens, its great battalions (Dante 8.69). The first five circles, which exist outside of Dis, are collectively known as Upper Hell, as they are where the lesser sins are punished. With the appearance of the three infernal (9.38) Furies, who threaten to call on Medusa, Virgils credibility and Dantes survival appear to be at risk. Furies were often invoked in Virgils classical world to exact revenge on behalf of offended mortal and gods. Medusas hair was turned into snakes by an angry Minerva after Medusa made love with Neptune in the goddesss temple, and became too horrifying to look at without being turned to stone. Dante describes Medusa as the Queen of never-ending lamentation (9.44). The Furies names evil thought (Allecto), evil words (Tisiphone), and evil deeds (Magaera) (9.45-48) describe the three manifestations of sin, which can turn people to stone by making them obstinate cultivators of earthly things (Raffa 41). Heretics are punished inside the walls of Dis, in a spreading plain of lamentation and atrocious pain (Dante 9.110-111) resembling a cemetery. The sixth circle contains souls trapped and enclosed in fiery tombs for failing to believe in God and the afterlife. Since they did not believe in Hell, the Heretics are punished by being sealed away from it in the most unpleasant possible way inside a flaming sepulchre. Among the tombstones of the sixth circle, Dante encounters more Italian contemporaries. A pair of Epicurian Florentines are disocvered sharing a tomb: Farinata degli Uberti, a Ghibelline; and Cavalcante de Cavalcanti, a fellow Guelph and the father of Guido Cavalcanti, Dantes fellow poet and closest friend. Farinata is an imposing figure, rising out of his inflamed sepulchre from the waist up and seeming to have great contempt for Hell (10.31-36). As the leader of the Ghibellines, Farinata was an enemy to the Guelphs, the party of Dantes ancestors. Farinata declares that his colleagues would have annihilated Florence (10.92), had he not interceded forcefully, an act which has earned him Dantes respect. Cavalcante was an enemy to the Ghibellines, like Dante, and married his son Guido to Farinatas daughter in order to foster peace between the two parties. Dantes best friend, Guido Cavalcanti, was a poet who held the philosophical belief that love is a dark force which leads only to mis ery and death. Therefore, Cavalcantes appearance in Hell might be more a matter of guilt by association to his sons worldview than any kind of reflection on himself. The Minotaur is the guardian and mythological symbol for the seventh circle, Violence. At the sight of Dante and Virgil, the minotaur reacts like one whom fury devastates within (12.15), and his frenzied bucking allows the travellers to proceed unharmed. The Minotaur is a physical manifestation of violence in Inferno: almost every part of the Minotaurs story, from its creation to its demise, contains some form of violence (Raffa 55). The sinners in the seventh circle are divided into three groups: the violent against people and property, the violent against themselves, and the violent against God and nature (Dante 11.28-33). The first group comprised of assassins and murderers, among others are immersed in Phlegethon, a bloodred, boiling (12.101) river of blood and fire, up to a level commensurate with their sins (12.73-75). Because they committed such acts of bloodshed and destruction in their lives, they are punished by being immersed in a river of that which they have spilt. The second group the suicides are transformed into knotted, gnarled (13.5) thorny bushes and trees, which are fed upon by Harpies. These souls have given away their physical bodies through suicide, and are forced to maintain treelike forms. These suffering trees cannot speak until Dante accidentally injures one and causes it to bleed. Dante uses the soul-trees as a metaphor for the state of mind which leads to self-harm and suicide. Finall y, the third group blasphemers and sodomites reside in a desert of sand, fire and brimstone falling from the sky. The blasphemers lie down upon the sand, the usurers recline, and the sodomites wander seemingly aimlessly in huddling groups, all while being burned by distended flakes of fire (14.28-29). This symbolizes how those who act violently against God and that which God has provided are perpetually unable to find peace and comfort in their lives. Among those immersed in Phlegethon is Alexander the Great, submerged up to his eyebrows in blood. He suffers for his reputation as a cruel, bloodthirsty man who inflicted great harm upon the world and its peoples. In the forest of suicides, Dante hears the tale of Pier delle Vigne, who killed himself after falling out of favour with Emperor Frederick II (Dante 13.64-69). Dante encounters his mentor, Brunetto Latini, among the sodomites. Surprised and touched by this encounter, Dante shows Brunetto great respect and admiration, thus refuting suggestions that the poet Dante placed only his enemies in Hell (15.43-45). The Centaurs are men from the waist up with the lower bodies of horses (Raffa 55) who guard the river Phlegethon. Thousands of centaurs patrol the bank of the river, using bows and arrows to keep damned souls submerged. In classical mythology, Centaurs are best known for their uncouth, violent behaviour. Chiron, leader of the Centaurs, enjoyed a favourable reputation as the sage tutor of both Hercules and Achilles. Pholus and Nessus the Centaurs assigned to escort Dante and Virgil have fully earned their negative reputations, however: Pholus who Virgil describes as full of rage (Dante 12.72) had been killed when a fight broke out during a wedding after he and his fellow centaurs attempted to carry off the bride and several other girls, and Nessus was killed by Hercules with a poison arrow for attempting to rape the heros wife, Deinira, after Hercules entrusted him with carrying her across a river (12.67-69). The penultimate circle as well as the most detailed is Fraud, which Dante describes as a place in Hell made all of stone the colour of crude iron (18.1-2). This circle is divided up into ten smaller pockets: panderers and seducers, flatterers, simonists, sorcerers, barrators, hypocrites, thieves, fraudulent advisers and evil councillors, sowers of discord, and falsifiers. Panderers (pimps) and seducers march eternally in opposite directions, lashed cruelly (18.36) by demons. Just as they used passion and seduction to bend others to their will, they are now themselves driven by hellish demons. Flatterers exploited other people using language, therefore, they are plunged in excrement (18.113), representing the false words they produced. Simonists payed for positions of power within the Catholic Church, and are placed upside-down into holes in the floor, with both soles [of their feet] on fire (9.25). The holes into which their heads are planted resemble baptismal fonts, used in several religious rituals a constant reminder of the corrupt nature of their former positions in the church. Sorcerers, astrologers, and false prophets have had their heads twisted toward their haunches (20.13) so that they can not see what is ahead of them. This symbolizes the twisted nature of magic in general specifically, it refers to the use of forbidden means to see into the future. Dante felt particularly unforgiving towards politicians after his exile from Florence, thus, corrupt politicians (barrators) are immersed in a stew of sticky pitch (21.8). Their punishment represents the sticky fingers, corrupt deals, and dark secrets inherent in positions of political power. The hypocrites listlessly walk with lagging steps, in circles, with features tired and defeated (23.59-60), wearing leaden cloaks, representing the falsity behind the appearance of their actions. This falsity literally weighs these souls down and renders any sort of progress impossible. The thieves are pursued and at tacked by lizards and snakes, their bites causing them to undergo various transformations (24-25). Just as they stole in life, their very human identity becomes subject to theft in Hell. Fraudulent advisers and evil councillors are encased within individual pyres. These individuals did not give false advice out of ignorance; rather, Dante refers to rhetoric [used] by talented people for insidious ends (Raffa 99). In life, they caused those whom they advised to do ill without dirtying their own hands now they are punished alone in their fires. The sowers of discord are hacked apart, their bodies dividing as in life they caused division among others. Their wounds are quickly healed, only to have themselves hacked apart again (Dante 28.139-142). Dante considers falsifiers (alchemists, counterfeiters, perjurers, and impersonators) a disease upon society, and their corrupting influence is reflected in their diseased bodies and minds (Raffa 99) in the tenth pouch. In the eighth circle, Dante meets a number of notably fraudulent individuals. Venedico Caccianemico, who sold his own sister to the Marchese dEste, is recognized among the pimps in the first pouch, despite his attempts to avoid detection (Dante 18.40-60). In the fifth ditch, the thief Vanni Fucci is burnt to ashes before being reincarnated; Agnel blends together with a reptilian Cianfa; and Buoso exchanges forms with Francesco. Vanni Fucci was a black Guelph from Pistoia, a town not far from rival Florence; Dante says he knew Vanni as a man of blood and anger (Dante 24.129). Agnel is thought to be Agnello Dei Brunelleschi, a man who joined the white Guelphs Dante s party but then switched to the black faction when they came to power. Both he and Cianfa are renowned for their thievery. Buoso stole while serving in public office, then arranged for Francesco de Cavalcanti to take over and steal on his behalf. In the eighth pit, Ulysses and Diomedes are condemned for the deception of the Trojan Horse, luring Achilles into the war effort, and stealing a statue of Athena from Troy (26.58-63). Dante encounters the schismatic prophet Muhammad; the poet views Islam as an off-shoot from Christianity, and similarly condemns Ali, Muhammads son-in-law, for the schism between Sunni and Shiite Muslims (28.22-33). The Malebranche ( Evil claws in Italian) are the devils of the fifth pocket of circle eight who bring to Hell the shades of corrupt political officials and employees. They are agile, smart, and fierce (Raffa 77), they are armed with long hooks, which they use to keep the shades under the surface of the black pitch (Dante 21.55-57). It is likely that the names Dante coined for individual demons ( Bad Dog, Sneering Dragon, Curly Beard, etc.) are based on actual family names of civic leaders in Florence and the surrounding towns. The Giants physically connect circles eight and nine: standing on the floor of circle nine, they tower over the inner ledge of circle eight with the upper halve of their immense bodies. They are archetypal examples of defiant rebels: Nimrod, who attempted to build the Tower of Babel before it was knocked down by God and his people were scattered; Ephialtes, who fought against Jove and the other Olympian gods; and Antaeus, whose relationship with the titans who stormed Mt. Olympus damned him, despite the fact that he was born after his brothers had waged war against the gods. Nimrod has been punished by being forced to speak an incomprehensible language; that is, his language is as strange to others as theirs is to him. Ephialtes, like the rest of the titans who challenged the gods, is immobilized with heavy chains. Antaeus is not given any exceptional punishment, for he is only guilty by association. It is Antaeus who assists Virgil and Dante by lowering them down to the ninth circle , after being enticed by Virgil with the prospect of eternal fame upon Dantes return to the world (31.115-129). The final circle is Treachery, a frozen lake at the centre of Hell, which is divided into four Rounds: Ca?na, Antenora, Ptolomaea, and Judecca. In Ca?na, traitors to their kindred are immersed in ice up to their faces. In Antenora, traitors to political entities are located similarly in the ice. In Ptolomaea, traitors to their guests are punished, lying on their backs in the ice, with only their faces uncovered. In Judecca, the traitors to their lords and benefactors are completely encapsulated in ice, distorted in pain. In the first round of Treachery, Dante encounters Mordred, who attacked his uncle King Arthur and was pierced mortally by Arthurs lance (Dante 32.61-62). In the second round, Count Ugolino pauses from his ceaseless assault upon the head of his rival, Archbishop Ruggieri, to tell Dante how Ruggieri imprisoned and killed him with his children. This story, the longest single episode related by a damned soul in Inferno, serves as Dantes final dramatic representation of mankinds capacity for evil and cruelty. Fra Alberigo, who had his brother killed at a banquet, explains a key conceit of Dantes Inferno: sometimes, a soul falls into Hell before they have actually died. Their earthly bodies are possessed by demons, so what appears to be a walking, living man is actually beyond the point of repentance (33.134-147). Finally, Lucifer the emperor of the despondent kingdom (34.28) lies at the centre of the Inferno. As ugly as he once was beautiful (34.34-36), Lucifer is a wretched contrast with his limited autonomy and mobility. Lucifers three faces (black, yellow, and red) parody the doctrine of the Holy Trinity: three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in one divine nature the Divine Power, Highest Wisdom, and Primal Love which also created the gates of Hell, and, by extension, the entire realm of eternal damnation. His flapping wings generate the wind that keeps lake at the centre of Hell frozen, while his three mouths chew on the shade-bodies of the three archtraitors Judas, Brutus, and Cassius the gore mixing with tears gushing out of his three sets of eyes (34.53-57). Dantes Inferno heralded a revolution in Christian theology through its innovative use of poetic justice, historical and contemporary figures, and classical mythology. By combining these disparate elements into a single, cohesive poem, Dante effectively changed the way the Western world imagined the afterlife and Hell in particular. By focusing on the details of the scenes and the identities of those whom the fictional Dante converses with, Inferno illustrates a horrifyingly real and immediate vision of Hell, one which has persisted at least in some part to this day. By focusing on the personal journey of one man through the afterlife, the focus of the narrative is shifted onto the reader, who can easily identify with Dante as the first-person narrator. While the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Divine Comedy Dantes exile from Florence, his fall from political grace, and his eventual death soon after the completion of his magnum opus are rather tragic, they all contribute to Dantes work in a way which colours the text and gives it a personality and passion which is still felt to this day. For seven hundred years, Inferno has elicited strong responses from its readers from fascination to revulsion and everything in between (Raffa 5). Regardless as to the readership, the response to Inferno has been, and will continue to be, anything but apathetic.

Conquering My Fear of Writing Essay -- Literacy Narrative Essays Paper

Conquering My Fear of Writing Lacking experience in writing and reading, English is my most feared subject. It is the one and only vulnerable spot in my otherwise invincible academic armor. I hate writing and I despise reading. Other than magazines, I cannot recall reading anything since "The Crucible" which was a teacher assigned book in my sophomore high school English class. Not that I read a lot before that, I don't remember reading any books in my middle school years neither. Now, with this writing assignment since a long time, my brain feels like an old rusty engine of an 81 Porsche cranking up for the first time in years, readying to compete in the heat. My parents and my favorite math teacher always told me that I'm a very bright individual and my accomplishments in other subjects prove that. I approached and conquered the subjects of math, science, and history like a paladin in gold, yet faced with writing, I would coward in fear. To me, writing equals to nothing more than stress and frustration. A useless hassle and senseless boredom which I thought was too stupid to waste effort on. Therefore I have shied away from this department for as long as I can remember and focused all my energy toward the areas I have strength and faith in. The writing compartment in my brain is very restricted. I lack flexibility in the use of words and phrases. A typical sentence of mine, starts with "I", "It", "Because", "The", "But", "Therefore". It is extremely difficult for...

A note on social criticism of novel Joseph Andrews Essay

Q Write a note on social criticism as presented in book I and book II of this novel. This novel is basically a satire on mode of living of the social classes of 18th century. The most promising and solid features (as a means of social criticism) that one might extract from the novel, in the light of book I and book II are highlighted as below: Artificiality of love Here the example of lady booby explains the point clearly. She loved Joseph as claimed by herself, but she wanted to keep their relation hidden from people, thus depicting the point of artificiality. She intended to seduce him just for the sake to gratify her sexual appetite. She, by no means portrayed any signs of true love. This factor, fielding critised by employing the character of lady booby as discussed above. Moral degradation Another social evil of that time, certainly was that the people look down upon morality with an eye of contempt. They degrade it in all possible ways. Here the example of Joseph can be taken into consideration. His inner goodness was ridiculed in the very society. Lady Booby once mocked him of his being maintain an ally of morality, when she herself as of superior stature had discarded her own conscience for him. Sympathy within the same class Sympathy is a factor that prevails only within the same class. As the example of postillion who provided Joseph with his coat when he had nothing to cover himself and was in a very miserable condition, states very well the fact. Indeed, both belonged to the lower class. Lack of charity Charity, a quality not so common in common man. When parson Adams consulted Parson Trulliber as his Christian brethren, with the aim of expecting some charity to pay off his bills of the inn they stayed at, got nothing but rejected in the face is just a demonstration of the fact of lack of charity. Duality in nature Parson Barnabas presents himself as a character with duality in nature. A glutton and drunkard, yet a parson by profession, indeed a presenter of dual  sides. Such characters as this do exist in our society and are tainting the fabric of world with their paint. Lack of knowledge The world also has people who claim the professions they have no thorough knowledge of. They are professionally incompetent, yet roam around in the society like foolish quacks with pride. The surgeon and parson Barnabas are such examples. Lust of ladies Lady Booby and Mrs.Slipslop had amorous disposition. And to gratify their sexual apetite they look upon Joseph with an eye of lust. Consequently, because of their intentions they lay Joseph open in the jaws of chastity. Such people as these should be placed infront of mirror, to render them with the realization that what creature have they become. Height of jealousy Jealousy, a trait found very well-groomed in society. Fielding has portrayed this social-ill as one of the core aspect in his novel. Mrs.Slipslop out of extreme jealousy blamed Joseph of being an ill-character and of amorous inclinations. Indeed, a very dangerous trait. Hypocrisy can also be attributed to the consequence of height of jealousy. The higher class in the novel is portrayed as highly submerged in hypocrisy. False promises A trend common in that society was to make promises and then break them. While Joseph, Fanny and Adams are on their way, they encountered one such fellow and fell for his promises. A trend that ought be condemned with solemn attitude. Corruption People like the surgeon and Parson Barnabas are perfect examples of tainting the society with corruption and morally ill-standard behaviour. Such follies and vices of society depict very well a social criticism, in the light of book I and book II.

Hippos essays

Hippos essays The Hippopotamuses is a very powerful, caring, and strange animal. The hippo is an animal that has many uquine features and diets. They may only live in one place but they make the best out of it. They love their young and protect it to. They will adapt to almost anything. Hippos respect each other and have territories. The hippos look is like no other animals in the world. The first of the major visible things about it is its teeth. They are huge, sharp, and long. They are made out of ivory a hair like substance. The hippo is an enormous, amphibious creature. They weigh up to 2500 to 3000 (Dolon). Their skin is a slate brown color to muddy brown, with purplish spots. An odd feature the hippo has is its eyes, ears, and nostrils on the top of the head. In fact its head weighs about on third of its body weight, the neck is weighs more than the head (Brust 5). The hippo is the third largest land animal is the world (Brust 1). The hippo is 12 to 5 feet long and 5 feet t all and can open its mouth about 3 feet, the tail measures up to 21 and 24 inches long too (Dolon). Africa is home to many rare and unique animals including elephants, rhinos and hippos. Hippos like to live in Central Africa where there is lots of rivers and abundant plant life. Large populations of hippo occur in the Nile River Valley of east Africa (Sheffer). They like deep water to they can swim, rest, and predators cant get to them. One prime thing hippos look for are adjacent to riverbeds, are reed bedding. They like the warm temperature of the sub-Saharan Africa, which make it hippos paradise. If a hippo going to live anywhere they usually want to live in streams near grass lands. Hippos live in herds of 5 to 30 (Dolon). The Hippo is a huge vegetarian, eating many thins in its path. They eat fruit, grass, leaves, and vegetables. Their main diet during the day is they sleep and wallow around eating water plants. At night they eat their main diet and go back ...

Hoover Dam - History and Construction

Hoover Dam - History and Construction Dam Type: Arch GravityHeight: 726.4 feet (221.3 m)Length: 1244 feet (379.2 m)Crest Width: 45 feet (13.7 m)Base Width: 660 feet (201.2 m)Volume of Concrete: 3.25 million cubic yards (2.6 million m3) Hoover Dam is a large arch-gravity dam located on the border of the states of Nevada and Arizona on the Colorado River in its Black Canyon. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 and today it provides power for various utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. It also provides flood protection for numerous areas downstream and it is a major tourist attraction as it is close to Las Vegas and it forms the popular Lake Mead reservoir. History of Hoover Dam Throughout the late 1800s and into the early 1900s, the American Southwest was rapidly growing and expanding. Since much of the region is arid, new settlements were constantly looking for water and there were various attempts made to control the Colorado River and use it as a freshwater source for municipal uses and irrigation. In addition, flood control on the river was a major issue. As electric power transmission improved, the Colorado River was also looked at as a potential site for hydroelectric power. Finally, in 1922, the Bureau of Reclamation developed a report for the construction of a dam on the lower Colorado River to prevent flooding downstream and provide electricity for growing cities nearby. The report stated that there were federal concerns to building anything on the river because it passes through several states and eventually enters Mexico. To quell these concerns, the seven states within the rivers basin formed the Colorado River Compact to manage its water. The initial study site for the dam was at Boulder Canyon, which was found to be unsuitable because of the presence of a fault. Other sites included in the report were said to be too narrow for camps at the base of the dam and they too were disregarded. Finally, the Bureau of Reclamation studied Black Canyon and found it to be ideal because of its size, as well as its location near Las Vegas and its railroads. Despite the removal of Boulder Canyon from consideration, the final approved project was called the Boulder Canyon Project. Once the Boulder Canyon project was approved, officials decided the dam would be a single arch-gravity dam with the width of 660 ft (200 m) of concrete at the bottom and 45 ft (14 m) at the top. The top would also have a highway connecting Nevada and Arizona. Once the dam type and dimensions were decided, construction bids went out to the public and Six Companies Inc. was the chosen contractor. Construction of Hoover Dam After the dam was authorized, thousands of workers came to southern Nevada to work on the dam. Las Vegas grew considerably and Six Companies Inc. built Boulder City, Nevada to house the workers. Prior to constructing the dam, the Colorado River had to be diverted from Black Canyon. To do this, four tunnels were carved into the canyon walls on both the Arizona and Nevada sides beginning in 1931. Once carved, the tunnels were lined with concrete and in November 1932, the river was diverted into the Arizona tunnels with the Nevada tunnels being saved in case of overflow. Once the Colorado River was diverted, two cofferdams were constructed to prevent flooding in the area where men would be building the dam. Once completed, excavation for the foundation of Hoover Dam and the installation of columns for the arch structure of the dam began. The first concrete for Hoover Dam was then poured on June 6, 1933 in a series of sections so that it would be allowed to dry and cure properly (if it had been poured all at once, heating and cooling during day and night would have caused the concrete to cure unevenly and take 125 years to cool completely). This process took until May 29, 1935, to complete and it used 3.25 million cubic yards (2.48 million m3) of concrete. Hoover Dam was officially dedicated as Boulder Dam on September 30, 1935. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was present and most of the work on the dam (with the exception of the powerhouse) was completed at the time. Congress then renamed the dam Hoover Dam after President Herbert Hoover in 1947. Hoover Dam Today Today, Hoover Dam is used as a means of flood control on the lower Colorado River. Storage and delivery of the rivers waters from Lake Mead is also an integral part of the dams usage in that it provides reliable water for irrigation in both the U.S. and Mexico as well as municipal water uses in areas like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. In addition, the Hoover Dam provides low-cost hydroelectric power for Nevada, Arizona, and California. The dam generates more than four billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and it is one of the largest hydropower facilities in the U.S. Revenue generated from power sold at Hoover Dam also pays for all of its operating and maintenance costs.Hoover Dam is also a major tourist destination as it is located only 30 miles (48 km) from Las Vegas and is along U.S. Highway 93. Since its construction, tourism was taken into consideration at the dam and all visitor facilities were built with the best materials available at the time. However, due to security concerns after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, concerns about vehicle traffic on the dam initiated the Hoover Dam Bypass project completed in 2010. The Bypass consists of a bridge and no through traffic will be allowed across.

Intro to Disasters (Case) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intro to Disasters (Case) - Essay Example The tsunamis in both places are of the same cause and measure, but the amount of destruction is different due to the kind of preparedness made to hurdle an almost insurmountable event. Comparison Between the Two Tsunami Events The event in December 26, 2004 has surely dominated all media outlets during that time. A horrid image of the vengeful waters was depicted around the areas of the Indian Ocean, specifically the ten nations to experience the tsunami. The said tsunami disaster claimed more than 280,000 lives, and leaves 1 million people homeless (Morrow & Llewellyn, 2006). Ten nations were affected but it was Sumatra and Indonesia who were whipped tremendously killing about 178,000 of its citizens, almost half of the entire death toll (Morin, DeCoster, Paris & Lavigne, 2008). Resources of the nations affected were depleted and drastically changed the economic flow at that time. Life became harder on the poorest regions of South Asia and Indonesia since fishing is one of the main sources of income. Furthermore, Morrow and Llewellyn (2006) informed that â€Å"the earthquakes and tsunamis severely damaged medical facilities and killed much of the female labor force.† Thirteen years before the Dec. ... Shuto (2006) focused on Aonae, a place in Hokkaido, Japan where the tsunami literally â€Å"washed away housing on the seaside of the road† (p. 45). Like the ones in Dec. 26, the fishing industry of Hokkaido was greatly affected; the government has to do tremendous reconstruction of the fishing villages. Impact of the Tsunamis Morin, De Coster, Paris & Lavigne (2008) stated that the tsunamis impact may be â€Å"technological, economic, behavioral, social or cultural in nature.† Especially to the nature of the economy, countries would differ in the approach of the two tsunamis which occurred in Hokkaido and the Indian Ocean. Japan has generally all the essential warning signals to prevent further casualties in such events. However, much of the Hokkaido residents and properties were affected because there was a 5-minute delay of the relaying of the tsunami warning (Edward, Terazaki & Yamaguchi, 2006). Prevention Damages may have been prevented or decreased if proper disas ter management and prevention was applied beforehand. According to Perry (2007), vulnerable areas are the ones who should have the at least above average knowledge about disaster preventions. Cooperation of the non-government offices, the government, and most especially the local residents is a vital factor of conceptualizing successful precautionary measures. NGO’s are particularly essential after the occurrence of a natural disaster where most victims are mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. In the December 26 event, early warning systems may have been helpful in saving more lives, but one essential factor could also be education. As what Bird and Lubkowski (2005) denote, â€Å"early

Korean shamanism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Korean shamanism - Research Paper Example It could be argued that shamanism embodies the oldest human religion, for the most adventurous of archaeologists provided evidence of shamanistic practices among homo sapiens. Its prevalence all over the world as well indicates that in several ways shamanism is the perfect example of human religiosity. It continues to be extremely important at present, less often clearly as in the case of Haiti than totally as in the case of the Pentecostal.2 The word shaman has a Siberian origin and a shaman is a person who arbitrates the connection between the natural world and a dynamic supernatural dimension or realm of spirits for the goal of obtaining some control over or wisdom of natural phenomena. The practice is indicative of situations in which individuals either had extremely little control over their fate as in ancient societies or whose individual power is inadequate in a world that appears overpowering or menacing as under contemporary capitalism. To obtain a union with a power that is mystical, the shaman is mounted by a spirit after having freed his/her mind from innate limitation. This emancipating process is frequently attained through drugs such as sot-weed or tobacco, whirling or dancing, thumping or singing yawning tones.3 The word shaman is not just Siberian in origin, but Northeast Asia appears to have been a key center of later transmissions of the spiritual practice into the Americas, particularly Native America, and later all over Eurasia, as in ancient Southeast Asia. For the reason that the deepest origin of Korean culture and civilization rest in the Altaic province of Northeast Asia, it is not astonishing that shamanism had a fundamental part in Korean civilization, as it as well does in the case of Tibetan. When the Yamacek, or also called the Tungusic people, moved to the Korean Peninsula at the advent of first millennium B.C., they pioneered a deeply shamanistic culture.4 Among the Yemacek-Tungusic society’s manufactured bronze