Abnormal Perceptions Of Reality The Bell Jar, And Cullen...

Faith Hopperton Ms. Williams 10th Honors Lit 2 December 2016 Abnormal Perceptions of Reality Isolation causes people to spiral into a dark hole of dramatic loss of self worth and often times, the loss of their will to keep living. Humans are social beings, they are not meant to be isolated and feel alone in the world. In Huxley s Brave New World, Plath s The Bell Jar, and Cullen s Columbine, characters suffer from various types of isolation. The three types of isolation are, self-inflicted, social, and forced isolation. Although self-inflicted and social isolation cause individuals to suffer, forced isolation is the most detrimental because there is no escape from the entrapment of forced isolation. Self-inflicted isolation is represented in The Bell Jar. In The Bell Jar the central character, a young girl named Esther, suffers from social isolation. Social isolation manifests itself by isolating a person from society because something about them is different or unsatisfactory in society’s eyes. Esther is a fiery girl who has her mind set out to follow her dream of being a writer. That dream falls short when she comes home from her month long scholarship in New York to her mother, who lets her know she did not get into the writing program she applied for. This causes Esther to spiral into an abyss of depression and loss of self worth. Esther did not like the idea of working under a man or staying pure for her husband. Esther did not have a very good relationship

Resume Dec Free Essays

Following hospital/unit specific policies and procedures. Providing privacy while performing all procedures and treatments. Providing patient/ family education prior to performing procedures and treatments. We will write a custom essay sample on Resume Dec or any similar topic only for you Order Now Attempting procedure or treatment no more than twice before soliciting advise e from a more experienced care provider. Documenting according to hospital/unit policies. Maintaining patient/family safety. Following hospital/unit specific policies and procedures related to patient/ family safety and confidentiality. Providing orientation of unit and surroundings to patient/family. Maintaining patient/family confidentiality. Knowledgeable about use of equipment/supplies. Documenting appropriate safety measures per unit. Page TWO Demonstrating positive and courteous manner in dealing with patients, physic scans and coworkers. Handling patients and employee information with appropriate sensitivity and safeguarding to ensure confidentiality. Exhibiting flexibility when work assignments need to be adjusted to meet the needs of our patients. Present a professional appearance and approach with patients and staff. Performing Medical Assistant tasks, including but not limited to, vital signs an Keg’s- Preparing patients for physician and practitioner exams. How to cite Resume Dec, Papers

Marketing and Management for Pink Ribbon Raceday Gold Coast

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Management Red Ribbon Product. Answer: Product Core benefit Red ribbon product Benefit items always come through a code on the box matches the that product inside. Maximum of fakes don't have any code at all, so you know it's not genuine. If your producct does have a code on the box, check it matches up with the code on the products. If the products do not have a code, or their codes don't match the box, than it's fake. Have a close look at the box. Genuine items are always neat and well made. Fakes often come in shoddy, poorly made boxes. Look for exposed cardboard, gaps, poorly glued edges and mirrors that don't quite fit. If your item comes with a leaflet, read it thoroughly. A lot of fakes come with poorly printed, misspelt leaflets. Fake Realness sets often come with a leaflet saying RealMess of Concealness. Also, a lot of the time, what is written doesn't even make sense, because of poor translation! The fakes are usually made in China. If the product has a spelling error anywhere on it, leaflet OR box, it's not to be trusted. Define the products Clinique: face cleanser is a product of red ribbon. Clean starts here. Regardless of whether you're beginning off your morning with a new composition or removing your cosmetics toward the day's end, a facial chemical is an absolute necessity in any healthy skin regimen. Look at our wide determination cleaning equations from creams to froths and past for one that works for your skin sort and concerns Le petit masque: The pink Le Petit Masque fits smaller faces perfectly and can even do one more terrific thing help fight womens cancers. Darphin: Darphin moisturizers progressively strength and reeducate the skin, creating skin visibly more beautiful day by day. Awareness for Breast Cancer, pink ribbon approved many of fantastic beauty products for hair,makeup, skin, and many are launched to support and help investigation for deadly cancer Product Name Product Quantity Price of Products Face cleansers(Clinique) 100ml 9.45 face mask(le petit masque) 300ml $37.68 Moisturizers(Darphin,) 50ml $22.37 face brush(smash box) $20.00 lip gloss/plumper(bobby brown) 0.6ml $65.00 gel cushion(Olivia) $9.99 compact mirror(Fighter) $3.99 pink nail polish(Gelish) 0.9ml $18.96 Price The best pricing division for Pamper boxis the items associated to the division of client. The urban client is not equally regard perceptive as was represented few time lately. For best items, the clients are complex to dole available best expenses. A comparable number of Pamper boxitems have a position through the high particular thing gathering, the association predictable to continue a first rate assessing the course of action for individuals items. There are also sub category such as combo pack, and also offer such as silver plans for buying a combination of three products. The organization has reserved up its respect included valuing procedures for every one of its items. A part or tool of the products under Pamper boxhave items that deliberate the professional class zone of the whole inhabitants and the assessing plan for these items is workable consequently that the clients can do deprived of rather a bit of an extended bear the price of them (Bhasin, 2016). From time to time, to enter another range of the marketplace, the organization has obtainable plans and discounts, particularly on introductory items. This stimulates the prompts minimization and expenses an improvement in measures to figure achieving more wages. Through a specific true impartial to incursion a sensible congruity among costs and items, the association has identify how to extend its units of Stock retaining, as it will support in making a modified over the evaluating approaches. Evaluation and control The evaluation undertaking of amarketing arrangement thinks on breaking down subjective and quantitative capacities related through the methodology and usage. Measureable measurements are individuals to that numbers can be connected, for instance, the measures of proposals clients and lead developed to, and dollar calculations accomplished. Particular components include consumer measures loyalty. Measuring the promoting preparation implies enchanting a look at the looking and information at anyway of if the organization proficient its process destinations from the execution stage. If it did, the means could be repeated for upcoming achievement. If not, alterations can be complete to enhance results and execution (Grunert, 2017). Fundamental Controls are for the evaluation step. Controls built up among the manufacture of the promoting arrangement give standards to evaluating how the planning satisfied its goals. Controls look like objectives; they provide the organization few thing go for however authorizing the procedure. Controls may include measures, for example, the advertising expenses piece and plans of the pie. Profits, sales, strategic considerations and efficiency used for comparing and measuring consequences, four tools or types of control related to marketing. All type or tool of control, the equal process is applied, like measuring real performance, setting values, comparing real performance through values and taking helpful, active activities, if required. The four tools or types of control of marketing are control of annual strategy, productivity control, control of efficiency, and strategy control. Annul strategies are set for several activities. Every strategy includes setting objects, assigning resources, essential time limit, and rules formulating, procedures and policies. Annual strategy control relays to sales. Annually the definite consequences are compared and measured through standards to evaluator whether annual strategies are being achie ved. Contingent upon the level of contrast between the arranged and the real outcomes, causes are recognized, and appropriate remedial activities are embraced (Jaideep, 2017). Along these lines, it contains checking progressing execution against yearly arrangement and making a restorative move. The financial control comprises of assessing deals and deals to cost proportions in connection to the general monetary structure. It implies net benefits, net deals, resources, and costs are considered to discover rate return on aggregate resources and rate of profit for total assets. Efficiency control, mainly, concerns through measuring expenses efficiency. While effectiveness control discloses the relative dissimilar entities like channels, products, territories, etc. revenues a company is income, efficiency control displays the improving efficiency ways of several entities of marketing like distribution, sales promotion, advertising, sales force and so forth. The base of practising contro l over advertising exercises is the profitability. Certain profitability and costs related benchmarks are contrasted and set through real profitability come about through discovering how far organisation is accomplishing profits. Profitability control calls for measuring the profitability of different items, client gatherings channels, arrange an estimate, domains. It gives vital data to administration to decide if items, regions or channels, ought to be diminished or extended through dispensed. Strategy control proposes a basic survey of general advertising viability in connection to wide and long haul destinations and company's reaction to showcasing condition. It manages surveying association's capacity to accomplish and characterise showcasing reaction and objectives, an example of the condition. Typically, key control checks organisation's long haul execution concerning the nearby contenders. Here, the whole promoting framework is checked on to judge the general quality of the company and its shortcomings. References Bhasin, H. (2016). Marketing mix of Loreal Loreal marketing mix.Marketing 91. Retrieved from https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-mix-loreal/ Grunert, J. (2017). Why Are Implementation, Evaluation Control of the Marketing Plan Necessary?.Chron. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/implementation-evaluation-control-marketing-plan-necessary-75170.html Jaideep, S. (2017). Top 4 Methods of Marketing Control.Marketing Control. Retrieved from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/marketing/marketing-control-top-4-methods-of-marketing-control/48751/

Paige Truitt Essays - Mammaliaformes, , Term Papers

Paige Truitt Eng. 190 Prof. Barron 9 November, 2017 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Missouri Deer Chronic Wasting Disease is a deadly illness in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, known as cervids. CWD is a neurological disease that deteriorates the brain tissue, causing emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions, and death. It belongs to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE's) This group of diseases includes scrapie that affects sheep, mad cow disease (BSE) affecting cattle, and transmittable mink encephalopathy in farmed mink. Several rare human diseases are TSEs, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which naturally occurs in one of one million people worldwide per year. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been associated with the large-scale outbreak of BSE in cattle herds in Great Britain (CWD Info) The first case of CWD in Missouri was found on Heartland Ranch, a deer farm in Ethyl, Missouri, February 25, 2010. The farm has since shut down operations, and sold the property to a group from Louisiana, who still sell wildlife hunts that include red stag, whitetail, exotic and domestic turkey spring hunts, under the new name of Winter Quarters Wildlife Ranch (Durkee). The outbreak affected my family farm, and other local farms. The deer herd was severely altered. It is estimated that the disease affects 1 in 10, 10 percent, of free range wild deer and elk (MDC). Due to how contagious Chronic Wasting Disease is, hunters were given new rules to follow. Salt and Mineral blocks were banned in many counties (Morse), including Linn, which is where my family farm is. It was a very common occurrence in the years 2011-2015 to find dead deer in ponds or creeks that had died because of CWD. When an animal is sick, it tries to find water, this includes deer. The disease withers their body into skin and bones.It's not hard to distinguish a dead deer with the disease. This was my own personal experience. In the past few years, we have seen the deer number rise back to previous years, like before the outbreak. While the numbers of infected deer in Linn County are decreasing, other counties like Knox, Adair, and Macon are still heavily affected. In 2016, there were 42 confirmed cases of Cwd in Missouri, including ten cases in Adair county, 23 cases in Macon county, and 7 cases in Knox county (MDC). Many find that the introduction of the disease was preventable. It brings to light many issues with deer farming; bringing animals across state lines, exposing new diseases, and bringing animals where they are not naturally from. It brings up questions on the morality of the establishment. Deer farms usually consist of 8-10 foot tall fences, enclosing monstrous deer that have been shot full of growth hormones, minerals, and vitamins to make the rack grow way larger than wild deer. The antlers get so heavy that it can cause neck and spine issues for the deer who bares them. The purpose of farming deer like this, is to sell the deer to hunters who want to shoot the biggest buck, for a large chunk of cash (Sabblow). The process is harming the deer, for the thrill of the hunter, which I find unethical. The conservation department has set up mandatory CWD testing stations in Missouri, for opening weekend of Missouri Rifle Season. Sampling locations are open from 7:30 a.m. until at least 8 p.m. The deer must be presented by the hunter who harvested the animal. Hunters will be asked to identify the location within the county the deer was harvested. The deer may be field dressed before being taken to a sampling station. Hunters have the option of presenting just the deer head with about six inches of neck attached. For bucks bound to a taxidermist, the cape may be removed prior to being taken to a sampling station as long as about six inches of the neck is left attached (MDC). This hunting season, I was lucky to harvest an antlered buck that fell into the category of deer bound for the taxidermist. When we showed up to the check station, a Missouri Conservation Agent asked if we were taking this deer to

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese Learn how to politely end a conversation in Chinese by knowing the different ways to say goodbye. The most common way to say bye is å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹, written in the traditional form, or å† Ã¨ § , written in simplified form. The pinyin pronunciation is zi jin.   Pronunciation In a previous  lesson,  we learned about  Mandarin Chinese tones.  Remember to always  learn new vocabulary  with its proper tones. Lets practice by saying goodbye in Mandarin Chinese. Audio links are marked with ââ€" º. Each of the two characters of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) are pronounced in the fourth (falling) tone. Listen to the sound file and try to repeat the tones exactly as you hear them. ââ€" ºÃ‚   Character Explanation å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is composed of two characters. It is possible to examine the meaning of each individual character, but it is important to remember that å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is used together to form a complete phrase. Chinese characters have individual meanings, but the majority of Mandarin vocabulary is made of compounds of two or more characters. For interests sake, here are the translations of the two characters å†  and è ¦â€¹ / è § . å†  (zi):  again; once more; next in sequence; another è ¦â€¹ / è §  (jin): to see; to meet; to appear (to be something); to interview So a possible translation of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is again to meet. But, again, dont think of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) as two words- it is one phrase that means goodbye. Other Ways To Say Goodbye Here are some other common ways to say goodbye. Listen to the sound files and try to reproduce the tones as closely as possible. ââ€" ºmà ­ng tiÄ n jin: 明å ¤ ©Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / 明å ¤ ©Ã¨ § : see you tomorrowââ€" ºyÄ « huÄ ­r jin: ä ¸â‚¬Ã¦Å"Æ'å…’è ¦â€¹ / ä ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¼Å¡Ã¥â€ž ¿Ã¨ § : see you later (the same day)ââ€" ºhuà ­ tà ³u jin: 回é   ­Ã¨ ¦â€¹/回å ¤ ´Ã¨ § : see you later (the same day)

How to Efficiently Publish Content With Shawn Smith From Trizone

How to Efficiently Publish Content With Shawn Smith From Trizone Have you thought about what makes someone a thought leader? One of the best ways is to publish content consistently. Today we’re talking to Shawn Smith, the co-owner of Trizone. Shawn knows all about how to create high-quality content with limited resources, how to involve subject matter experts in creating your content, and why automating processes can help you get everything done. You’ll want to stay tuned to hear about all of this and more! A bit about Trizone and what Shawn does there as a â€Å"jack of all trades. What it’s like working with a small team and how they work as efficiently as possible. What fluidity means to Shawn and how it helps his team be more effective and productive when it comes to creating great content. How automating some of the process helps Shawn and his team be more efficient and save time. How and why the Trizone team works with subject matters to help them with their content creation and thought-leadership. Also, Shawn talks about how he gets into contact with them and gets them to contribute. Shawn’s best tips for working with subject matter experts and collaborating with a remote team of people. Information about the Trizone workflow process and why it works for them. Advice for a small team who is looking to become an authority in their niche through content creation. Links: Shawn Smith Trizone Slack If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Shawn: â€Å"Once we’ve built a piece of content, we start to go and jiggle it. We use the social media template and then we start building it out. It’s so quick and easy.† â€Å"We spend a lot of time with [experts] talking about their subject matters in depth because they do bring a wealth of information that, clearly, we will never have.† â€Å"Stay on point. Whatever you believe is right, stick with it.

The answers on questions on accountability Essay

The answers on questions on accountability - Essay Example The feeling of accountability amongst the government personnel has been critical in Britain ranging from previous decades in history. Many people have gone to greater extents and in situations where decisions are difficult to make to the extent of resignation from their various responsibilities. Individuals feel that the situations might be unfortunate yet they have to do what is to be done. In normal situations, the conventional understanding of ministerial accountability, in which ministers are answerable to Parliament and departmental administrators emerge before parliamentary committees on behalf of their minister, works well (Smith 2006). Â  This shows that the accountability feature among the officials in a given department or sector is transferrable and should be handled throughout the system as a dependent factor on all attributes. To confirm on this claim, there is a valid rationale in posing that accountability should be evaluated as to originate from all the politicians a s well as the departmental heads associated with the observable practices. According to Smith, accountability is a factor that should involve no discrimination in its evaluation and this forms one part of argument of this paper that is subject to argument basing on critical reasoning from the logics displayed. Real accountability is observed as being precise in identifying the source of mistake observed in the management and departmental administration. In a given department, there are individuals with different abilities and hence performance output in various sections. An individual, research or evaluation process cannot assume that the fault from one area in the department is always a fault from every official (Smith 2006). Moreover even if a fault in a single sector of the administration attributes to detrimental effects on other parts, the analysis by the commission should identify the ultimate source of the fault and deal with it independently. The magnitude of liability can t herefore vary on the actual source of the fault. For instance, in a situation where a mistake from one individual or department leads to errors in several other departments or the whole ministry, the liability cannot be compared with the case where a fault leads to an error in a single and smaller section of the department (Osbaldeston 2005). In case the situation goes out of hand, nevertheless, and when public disagreement results, some start to query this perceptive of ministerial responsibility. The non directional questions associated from divergent sources implies on the prevalent notion on the conception of accountability in the government. Recent arguments, such as the need for the review of the considerations of accountability arose with the support initiative and the Human Resources and Development Canada grants and donations program, have resulted in disappointment over determining who was responsible and thus in the end accountable. Â  This has resulted into some individ uals to question whether there is need to be higher accountability of senior public servants, most notably deputy ministers, before parliamentary committees. Â  Opinions on this matter are classified, and the government has constantly protected the traditional perception of accountability (McGrath 1985). The question pertaining to the reality or mere inspirations of account

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Research paper - Essay Example Therefore, consumers have a wide variety to choose from. The emotions of consumers play a great role in determining their choices and buying behavior. Freeride Media LLC (1998) conducted a research on shopping habits, and findings showed that one-fourth of the respondents bought clothes and accessories on impulse buying. Nonetheless, in order to choose form a variety, consumers develop their preferences in accordance with their perception towards the brand. However, successful brands have the capability of making consumers aware of their presence in the market, thus raising their probability of consumers purchasing the product (Azevedo & Farhangmehr, 2005). This study aims at exploring the effect of brand image on consumer purchasing behavior in clothing, with a special focus on the American consumers. Nonetheless, determining the relationship between brand image and consumer purchasing behavior can help marketers and practitioners in the clothing industry to develop effective strategies of increasing their sales and revenues. The clothing sector has been selected, as here; strong reference group will influence the brand choice. In addition, the target population includes the American consumers, as this forms a large customer base for fashion. Additionally, famous clothing brands such as ZARA and H& M have ventured into the American market, thus the American population has a significant influence on these companies (Dishman, 2013). In any research, the method adopted depends on the nature of the research. In this research, the main aim is to explore the consumer purchasing behavior on clothing. Here the beliefs, attitudes, and opinions of consumers on the brand image are explored. Therefore, a qualitative research will be adopted. Nonetheless, in order to answer the research question in this research, the interviewing method is adopted, whereby qualitative interviews are used. These involve an interaction between

Catching Fire Essay Example for Free

Catching Fire Essay â€Å"Without hesitation, he reads, on the seventy fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest of them cannot overcome the power the capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors.†page.172, Catching fire. This is when Katniss finds out she has to go back into the arena and the fight the other victors. Some of them will be enemies such as the victors from 1 and 2. Some will be picked off immediately or just walk around like the morphing’s. Others will be allies such as nuts and volts or finnick. Finnick is an important character because he is brave, smart, and loyal. Finnick is brave in the arena, because he fights of the attackers at the cornucopia with Katniss on page 269 and 270. He also swam Peeta to shore which is brave because he was unarmed and vulnerable to attack. â€Å"Finnick has reached peeta know and is towing him back, one arm across his chest while the other propels them through the water with easy strokes.† P.273, Catching Fire. Finnick is also smart. In the arena on the beach he told them how to fish and find oysters on page 365. He also knew how to revive Peeta by giving him CPR on page 280. â€Å"Under Finnick’s guidance we spear fish and gather shellfish, even dive for oysters.†p.365, Catching Fire. Finnick is also loyal. He may not seem loyal but he still loves Ann even after all the people in the capitol hit on him. He also stayed loyal to Katniss in the arena even when she did the opposite of everything he said. â€Å"I see finnick†s green eyes in the moonlight. I can see them as clear as day. Like a cats, with a strange reflective quality. Maybe because they are shiny with tears. No he says I cant carry them both. My arms aren’t working. Its true his arms are jerk uncontrollable at his sides. His hans are empty. Of his three tridents one is left and it’s in peeta’s hands. â€Å"I’m sorry mags . I can’t do it.† Finnick is a brave, smart and loyal teammate. He didn’t kill Katniss, and saved peeta. He told them how to fish. He also let his mentor stay behind to be killed by the poison mist. He is a true asset to their team.

Lost in translation Essay -- essays research papers

Lost In Translation â€Å"Lost In Translation† is one of those movies that seek to be something having something extra something that is more than a regular movie. Moreover, it does so effectively without being pretentious, all through the movie it does not seem like it is trying too hard to be something other than what is there. It is skillfully written, well directed and it boasts of a solid cast not very spectacular but full of good actors. Jointly, this eventually results in an enjoyable and interesting movie. The important thing is that it has a message to it. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson play two individuals lost in the new and unfamiliar surroundings, restlessly moving around a Tokyo hotel in the middle of the night, who fall into talk about their marriages, their pleasure and the significance of it all. What occurs between them is very deep they open their hearts to one another letting the other know about the feelings and problems they are having with their marriages. In my view, t hese conversations can in fact only be held with strangers. We all need to talk about metaphysics, but those who are close to us want information and details; outsiders let us function more loosely on a cosmic scale. Murray plays Bob Harris, an American movie star in Japan to make commercials for whiskey. His relationship with is wife is disjointed, they seem to be on a different wavelength, and they are sticking around because it is easier. A good example is when his wife asks over the p...

Genetically modified organism

Good afternoon Ladles and Gentlemen. Today, the topic for our debate is on whether â€Å"the benefits of transgenic species outweigh the ethical considerations. † We, the negative team, believe that this statement is false. The first affirmative speaker has tried to tell you that transgenic plant species are a revolutionary new way to produce crops with dramatically Increasing yields and as a result, this will Increase the farmlands' productivity. However, this Is wrong.In fact, as evidence suggests, the introduction of transgenic crops are doing very little to increase overall crop yields. The second affirmative speaker spoke to you on how transgenic animals provides a shortcut to the development of animals that have many desired traits and its products can be benefits of mankind. Examples Include animals such as transgenic pigs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and cows that produce better milk. In our defense, animals do have their own rights.The creation of transgenic anim als is morally wrong and the long-term effect on them and their consumers are questionable. Finally, the third and final speaker from the affirmative team made a point on how rearranges species will herald a new era of food production, Improving animal food quality and productivity. They may not be natural, but not everything natural Is good for us and not everything unnatural is bad for us. She argued that genetically modified foods have been on the market since 1996, we would know by now if they were an immediate health threat.However, this is wrong, Just because you don't know of a problem, who is there to say that it doesn't exist? Most transgenic products are still yet to be tested for safety and it may be most of these that are ending up In our grocery carts without us even knowing. From this, we can also see that more and more possible health risks associated with transgenic species are starting to show. First let us examine one of our case studies. The transgenic plant MOON 810 corn. This is a genetically modified crop developed by an American agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto.Bacillus Thirstiness, a bacterium which produces the BET toxin poisonous to insects, Is Inserted as a gene Into the DNA of MOON 81 0 corns. This plant has been purposely modified to combat crop loss due to Insects and Is now rowan on a large scale in USA. Despite it having been claimed that the insecticide will cause no harm to human consumers, However there is compelling evidence that shows the rates of chronic diseases have been increasing drastically since transgenic species products were introduced to public in USA.The chart on this slide show increase in Inflammation rate, such as chronic constipation, gastrointestinal reflux, In April 2009, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety of the German government suspended the approval and banned the cultivation of any ore MAMMON maize. It also got banned in other countries around the world including Austria, Greece and France. Since July 12th its cultivation has been banned in Italy, in reaction to a scientific report sent out by the Italian Agricultural Research Council.Another example of a transgenic species is cows being treated with a genetically engineered form of Bovine assimilation, also known as BIG. BIG is a peptide hormone produced by cows that is shown to have kept their metabolic processes regulated, increased their milk yield and beef growth. Yet, while this is all happening, his was also slowly killing the cow. In 1937, the administration of BIG was shown to be increasing the milk yield in lactating cows. Until the sass, there was a very limited use of the compound in agriculture and during this time also, the knowledge of the structure and function of the hormone increased.Later, the gene had been separated, purified and was now being applied to cow through genetic engineering. Since then, it has been immersed in controversy and parts of the concerns were in rega rds to the potential effects this has on the animals' health. A 1991 report by Rural Vermont revealed that BIG cows were suffering from serious health problems, including an alarming rise in the number of deformed calves and in mastitis, a painful bacterial infection of the udder that causes inflammation.Milk taken from these cows also now contained higher levels of GIF-I (Insulin Growth Factor-I). Although we, humans, naturally have GIF-I, elevated levels of it have been linked to the diagnosis of colon and breast cancer. Although there has been no direct connection made as yet between the two, some scientists have expressed concern ever the possibility of this relationship. Our first speaker spoke to you about how transgenic developed plants contains genes that have been artificially introduced into the plant's genetic makeup through several biotechnology techniques.It is highly questionable if Monsanto did, in fact, deliver the crops as they had claimed according to Doug Guarani- grandfather's book â€Å"Failure to yield†. After more than 20 years of research and 13 years of commercialism's in the United States, it can be concluded that transgenic species crops have done little o increase overall crop yields. A report by researchers from the University of Wisconsin also suggest to us that transgenic developed plants have still a â€Å"long way from generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs. Our first speaker also spoke that one of the major factors that led to an estimated 125,000 cotton farmers taking their own life was that of transgenic cotton failing to yield. Our second speaker spoke to you about the ethical issues of animal rights and any value they have to humans and a right to be free of human use, cruelty, confinement and use. She also stated that biotechnology could be bad for animals with them possibly suffering from painful side effects.These include animals such as the broiler chicken, which are being bred to grow too fast for thei r legs to support their way, causing them discomfort. Since â€Å"The Origin of Species† by Charles Darwin was published in 1859, we are gradually starting to understand life better and better. His theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the best-substantiated theories in the history of science, having been supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Since then, many scientists have contributed to the discovery and understanding of the structure of DNA.The development of powerful laboratory techniques, most of which came in after 1970, have enabled us to study and manipulate genes that have the potential to alter the path of evolution. While we celebrate our achievements on the advancement in scientific understanding and technology, we should ask our selves if we should manipulate the genes of species Just because it can be done. So Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, we believe the ethical considerations outweigh the benefits of transgeni c species especially in a commercial or massive scale to produce food. Genetically modified organism Good afternoon Ladles and Gentlemen. Today, the topic for our debate is on whether â€Å"the benefits of transgenic species outweigh the ethical considerations. † We, the negative team, believe that this statement is false. The first affirmative speaker has tried to tell you that transgenic plant species are a revolutionary new way to produce crops with dramatically Increasing yields and as a result, this will Increase the farmlands' productivity. However, this Is wrong.In fact, as evidence suggests, the introduction of transgenic crops are doing very little to increase overall crop yields. The second affirmative speaker spoke to you on how transgenic animals provides a shortcut to the development of animals that have many desired traits and its products can be benefits of mankind. Examples Include animals such as transgenic pigs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and cows that produce better milk. In our defense, animals do have their own rights.The creation of transgenic anim als is morally wrong and the long-term effect on them and their consumers are questionable. Finally, the third and final speaker from the affirmative team made a point on how rearranges species will herald a new era of food production, Improving animal food quality and productivity. They may not be natural, but not everything natural Is good for us and not everything unnatural is bad for us. She argued that genetically modified foods have been on the market since 1996, we would know by now if they were an immediate health threat.However, this is wrong, Just because you don't know of a problem, who is there to say that it doesn't exist? Most transgenic products are still yet to be tested for safety and it may be most of these that are ending up In our grocery carts without us even knowing. From this, we can also see that more and more possible health risks associated with transgenic species are starting to show. First let us examine one of our case studies. The transgenic plant MOON 810 corn. This is a genetically modified crop developed by an American agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto.Bacillus Thirstiness, a bacterium which produces the BET toxin poisonous to insects, Is Inserted as a gene Into the DNA of MOON 81 0 corns. This plant has been purposely modified to combat crop loss due to Insects and Is now rowan on a large scale in USA. Despite it having been claimed that the insecticide will cause no harm to human consumers, However there is compelling evidence that shows the rates of chronic diseases have been increasing drastically since transgenic species products were introduced to public in USA.The chart on this slide show increase in Inflammation rate, such as chronic constipation, gastrointestinal reflux, In April 2009, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety of the German government suspended the approval and banned the cultivation of any ore MAMMON maize. It also got banned in other countries around the world including Austria, Greece and France. Since July 12th its cultivation has been banned in Italy, in reaction to a scientific report sent out by the Italian Agricultural Research Council.Another example of a transgenic species is cows being treated with a genetically engineered form of Bovine assimilation, also known as BIG. BIG is a peptide hormone produced by cows that is shown to have kept their metabolic processes regulated, increased their milk yield and beef growth. Yet, while this is all happening, his was also slowly killing the cow. In 1937, the administration of BIG was shown to be increasing the milk yield in lactating cows. Until the sass, there was a very limited use of the compound in agriculture and during this time also, the knowledge of the structure and function of the hormone increased.Later, the gene had been separated, purified and was now being applied to cow through genetic engineering. Since then, it has been immersed in controversy and parts of the concerns were in rega rds to the potential effects this has on the animals' health. A 1991 report by Rural Vermont revealed that BIG cows were suffering from serious health problems, including an alarming rise in the number of deformed calves and in mastitis, a painful bacterial infection of the udder that causes inflammation.Milk taken from these cows also now contained higher levels of GIF-I (Insulin Growth Factor-I). Although we, humans, naturally have GIF-I, elevated levels of it have been linked to the diagnosis of colon and breast cancer. Although there has been no direct connection made as yet between the two, some scientists have expressed concern ever the possibility of this relationship. Our first speaker spoke to you about how transgenic developed plants contains genes that have been artificially introduced into the plant's genetic makeup through several biotechnology techniques.It is highly questionable if Monsanto did, in fact, deliver the crops as they had claimed according to Doug Guarani- grandfather's book â€Å"Failure to yield†. After more than 20 years of research and 13 years of commercialism's in the United States, it can be concluded that transgenic species crops have done little o increase overall crop yields. A report by researchers from the University of Wisconsin also suggest to us that transgenic developed plants have still a â€Å"long way from generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs. Our first speaker also spoke that one of the major factors that led to an estimated 125,000 cotton farmers taking their own life was that of transgenic cotton failing to yield. Our second speaker spoke to you about the ethical issues of animal rights and any value they have to humans and a right to be free of human use, cruelty, confinement and use. She also stated that biotechnology could be bad for animals with them possibly suffering from painful side effects.These include animals such as the broiler chicken, which are being bred to grow too fast for thei r legs to support their way, causing them discomfort. Since â€Å"The Origin of Species† by Charles Darwin was published in 1859, we are gradually starting to understand life better and better. His theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the best-substantiated theories in the history of science, having been supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Since then, many scientists have contributed to the discovery and understanding of the structure of DNA.The development of powerful laboratory techniques, most of which came in after 1970, have enabled us to study and manipulate genes that have the potential to alter the path of evolution. While we celebrate our achievements on the advancement in scientific understanding and technology, we should ask our selves if we should manipulate the genes of species Just because it can be done. So Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, we believe the ethical considerations outweigh the benefits of transgeni c species especially in a commercial or massive scale to produce food.

Proliferation of Interest Groups

ThÐ µ concÐ µrn about spÐ µcial intÐ µrÐ µsts is not a nÐ µw onÐ µ, as thÐ µ framÐ µrs of thÐ µ Constitution wÐ µrÐ µ worriÐ µd about it too. ThÐ µy fÐ µarÐ µd thÐ µ powÐ µr that could bÐ µ wiÐ µldÐ µd by organizÐ µd intÐ µrÐ µsts, yÐ µt thÐ µy undÐ µrstood that thÐ µ right to organizÐ µ was basic to thÐ µ notion of frÐ µÃ µdom. This dilÐ µmma of frÐ µÃ µdom vÐ µrsus powÐ µr was a tough onÐ µ for thÐ µm. ThÐ µy knÐ µw that if thÐ µ govÐ µrnmÐ µnt was given power to restrain organized interests it would be the same as the power to suppress freedom. This essay tries to answer whether proliferation of interest groups in recent decades a sign that the pluralist view of interest group representation is increasingly accurate or not. Interest group scholars began to note the proliferation of â€Å"outsider† groups at about the same time policy scholars began to question the utility of subgovernment theory. By the mid-1980s, it was widely acknowledged that the number of interest groups in the United States especially public interest groups–had exploded during the 1960s and 1970s (Walker, 1983). Pluralists had addressed the question of group mobilization years before the â€Å"advocacy explosion. † For example, in his The Governmental Process, David Truman argued that interest groups arise from two interrelated processes. First, societal change precipitates the emergence of new interests. Second, disturbances–political or economic upheavals disrupt stable patterns of interaction between individuals. In short, Truman argued that individuals with shared interests (reacting to social change and/or disturbances) band together (to stabilize relations among themselves, and between themselves and other societal interests) when these interests are threatened. By the late-1960s, Truman's â€Å"disturbance theory† had fallen into disrepute. Interest group scholars, spurred by Olson and drawing heavily upon Clark and Wilson's study of organizational incentives, began to examine how groups overcome the substantial barriers to mobilization. (Dine) While Olson emphasized material benefits, subsequent studies showed that solidary benefits (those derived from association in group activities) and purposive benefits (rewards associated with ideological or issue-oriented goals) also motivate group membership (Cook). Salisbury's exchange theory (which rests upon Olson's cost-benefit framework) is now the dominant paradigm for explaining group development (Cigler). Yet the basic â€Å"exchange theory† framework has a critical flaw: It underestimates the role of external patrons in group studies of group formation suggest that many groups –especially public interest groups –rely heavily upon patron â€Å"seed money. † For example, Walker found that 89% of (sample) public interest groups received â€Å"seed money† from foundations, large donors, the federal government, or corporations. He also found that many public interest groups rely heavily upon patrons for maintenance income. In general, public interest group proliferation has contributed mightily to the dissolution of subgovernments. There are number of factors that may help to explain both the proliferation of public interest groups and where public interest group activity is most likely. For example, pluralists argue that societal change and disturbances create conditions that foster group mobilization. In contrast, â€Å"exchange theorists† suggest that we examine group incentive structures and entrepreneurial activity to explain interest mobilization. In order to better understand the interest groups representation, one must understand the way the American government runs. There are many different systems of government structure and organization: representative democracy, pluralist democracy, elitist system, hyper pluralist, and anarchy. The United States is organized much like a typical representative democracy, but in operation, with all factors considered, it is in reality much more of a hyper pluralist society. A state in which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain an autonomous participation in and development of their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization is pluralistic. When those special interests form large substantial voting blocks, the pluralistic nature of the government becomes more focused on fewer interests, but represented in many areas by larger numbers of individuals. The other question you need to ask is what do mean when you say big or special interest, who and what are you referring to specifically, industries, such as oil or pharmaceutical, ethnic groups such as Hispanic or African-American, social groups such as the elderly or woman, political groups such as Democrats or Republicans or different religious groups. All of these are special interests, they just might not seem like a special interest group if you are part of them. (Ceaser) Probably the largest big interest group to consider is the political parties themselves. Political parties are the foundation of a representative democracy, acting as a â€Å"crucial link between what citizens want and what government does†. The party is supposed to represent the needs of its members and use the party platform to express these opinions. Through public elections, voters elect those people they feel will best represent them. The Democratic Party and the Republican are the two main parties in the US though other smaller parties emerge occasionally to better represent those who do not feel that they are accurately represented by either of the major parties, usually because of special interests that they have such as environmental or other issues. This structure is typical of a representative democracy in which people are represented by parties and vote for leaders that they feel will work towards their best interests. (Miroff) In reality, the party system is not fully representative or fully functional. On one hand, part of the democratic process allows for the emergence of new parties to represent the people. On the other hand, if the existing parties accurately represented the people then other parties would not be needed. People however do not believe completely in the process, which is evidenced by poor voter turnout and voter apathy. The United States has an extremely low average voter turnout of only 55%. The Constitution guarantees one vote to each citizen over the age of 18, male or female, black or white, etc. This is indicative of a representative democracy in which each adult citizen has an equal say in how the government should be run. If voters do not vote, then the level of representation becomes skewed and the system is not fully representational. (Dine) People associate with not the candidate but with groups that represent their thinking and a special interest. A perfect example of this would be the NRA. Voters might not have a lot of opinions but they might have one on gun control. Instead of voting for the person who best reflects his ideas, he votes for the one that the NRA endorses, which in turn makes the NRA and extremely powerful interest group, and can influence congressional votes. In elections, political parties frequently send out mailers to voters that show which candidates running for office, or which of the Senate and House members receive financial support from the NRA. This suddenly reduces the value of every member of Congress to whether or not they have accepted money from the National Rifle Association. This is in turn translated into an assumed meaning on their stand on gun control, while all other issues and stands that they have on those issues are suddenly made unimportant. Their total worth relates to their assumed position on guns. The government in this case is reflecting the will of the big interest even though it's a single issue. A politician who might reflect very little of his communities values, can be elected by that community by receiving the support of a single-issue influence group. (Berman, Murphy) So the question becomes is this single issue the interest of a big group or the common goal of the majority? Who is pressing the issue and which way is the government going. If large oil companies are â€Å"buying† officials with large contributions to campaigns, are they actually influencing the government or merely a handful of officials and do they actually dictate policy or just have a louder voice in the debates that effect their companies. Misinformation seems to be the guideline of all campaigns now so it becomes almost impossible to figure out just what the goal is of the candidate that you are voting for. Because of that, the elected officials sometimes don't have a true feeling on what the voters wanted him to do. The power then slides back to the inner circle, which includes advisors who have their own individual desires, and those who paid for his campaign and therefore have vast influence. (Muller) Special interest groups appear to have a great deal of influence in campaigns and in political activities. Campaigns are extremely expensive: in 1992, the average winner of a House election spent $550,000 on his/her campaign; the average Senator who won a race spent more than $4 million. Dine) Presidential campaigns run into the hundreds of millions. Eight years later those numbers are significantly higher. Major contributors to election campaigns are corporations and interest groups. While some people believe certain industries or interest groups â€Å"buy† candidates through election contributions, it is not that simple. Those candidates heavily funded by the Sierra Club or gro ups that are concerned with environmental protection, will vote in support of environmental conservation – they will vote to reduce logging and not to save the jobs of the individual loggers who did not vote. This is a sort of paradox because the elected leaders are representing those who voted for them and helped them into office, but this group is a large group of special interests rather than the individual citizens who probably did not contribute and did not even vote. When viewed in this way, the US electoral system does not seem to be fully representative of the people and is again reflective of a more hyper pluralist society. A system of government labeled as hyper pluralist, means that there is a rapid proliferation of interest groups, all competing for influence over policy. The interest groups tend to overshadow the interest of individuals. The interest groups are powerful and influential, but there are also interest groups for both sides of most issues. In their battle to win the political coups they each seek, there develops a competition in which the interest groups try to influence politicians to vote for their side. The result is that there are a number of politicians supporting each side of an issue, there are overlapping concerns that related to other interest groups, and the outcome is political gridlock. Usually at this point, for anything to happen, concessions must be made with the end result that if any law is passed, it has little real effect one way or the other. The other possibility is that neither side will make concessions or give up any power in which case there is still nothing accomplished. This is very much the system that we have today. Again, gun control laws are a very good example. Congress goes back and forth arguing the pros and cons of gun control. The NRA is a very powerful interest group that does not want any form of gun control. There are many other interest groups that fight to ban assault weapons, others that want a total ban on guns of all types, some only want handguns banned. The feuding between the different groups is played out through the politicians and very little has been accomplished. Even when a bill is passed, it is oven later overturned. All special interest groups find this ying and yang to the system. There is no large interest that doesn't have a competing self-interest. Abortion has choice. Industry has the Sierra Club and other environmental groups. The NRA has anti-gun groups. Most of all, Republicans have Democrats. There might be the illusion that the government has been taken over by the special interests and that they control everything, but as we have looked into it we see that the basis of the questions revolves around who exactly is the special interests. It seems to me that they are us. (Peters) And thus we come to the contradictory conclusion that pluralist view of interest group representation is not increasingly accurate. While the public's perception might be that special interest groups are robbing them of their rights, and in a narrow sense, when it comes to a particular interest that effects them, they may be justified, what the public doesn't usually understand is that the activity of interest groups is in fact acting out in the interest of them or their fellow citizens. The public further misconceives that special interests influence government, overlooking the fact that special interests are formed, as often as not, as a response to government and not in anticipation of it.

25 Favorite Family History Quotes

25 Favorite Family History Quotes Are you looking for a quote related to genealogy and family history, for a family history photo or scrapbook, your Facebook or Twitter page, or a family genealogy website? These famous quotes include humorous quotes, inspirational quotes and other quotations related to our interest in the past. Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you. -   Mark TwainIn all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness. -   Alex Haley, RootsIf you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten; Either write things worthy of reading, or do things worthy of writing. -   Benjamin Franklin, May 1738There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children - one is roots, and the other, wings. -   Hodding S. CarterWhen a society or a civilization perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot where they came from. -   Carle SandburgI dont know who my grandfather was, I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be. -   Abraham LincolnYou live as long as you are remembered. -   Russian proverb Those who forget their past are destined to repeat it. -   Robert A. HeinleinWe are the children of many sires, and every drop of blood in us in its turn ... betrays its ancestor. -   Ralph Waldo EmersonEvery man  is a quotation from all his ancestors.  -   Ralph Waldo EmersonPeople will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors. -   Edmund BurkeEveryone has ancestors and it is only a question of going back far enough to find a good one. -   Howard Kenneth NixonIt is a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors. -   PlutarchAnybody can make history, only a great man can write it. -   He who has no fools, knaves, or beggars in his family was begot by a flash of lightning. -   Old English proverbIf you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance. -   George Bernard ShawThere is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his. -   Helen KellerFamily faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future. -   Gail Lumet Buckley Genealogy Tracing yourself back to people better than you are. -   John Garland PollardI dont have to look up my family tree because I know that Im the sap. -   Fred AllenIf you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. - Michael CrichtonWe inherit from  our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise. - Edward SellnerWeve uncovered some embarrassing ancestors in the not-too-distant past. Some horse thieves, and some people killed on Saturday nights. One of my relatives, unfortunately, was even in the newspaper business. -   Jimmy CarterA man who thinks too much about his ancestors is like a potato- the best part of him is underground - Henry S.F. CooperSoutherners are so devoted to genealogy that we see a family tree under every bush. -   Florence King

Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers Essay Mass media is media which is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media, as in the case of television and radio, or print media, like newspapers and magazines. Internet media can also attain mass media status, and many mass media outlets maintain a web presence to take advantage of the ready availability of Internet in many regions of the world. Some people also refer to the mass media as the â€Å"mainstream media,† referencing the fact that it tends to stick to prominent stories which will be of interest to a general audience, sometimes ignoring controversial breaking news. Many people around the world rely on the mass media for news and entertainment, and globally, mass media is a huge industry. Usually, mass media aims to reach a very large market, such as the entire population of a country. By contrast, local media covers a much smaller population and area, focusing on regional news of interest, while specialty media is provided for particular demographic groups. The advantage of running operation in mass media is that one can set up a platform of medium to disseminate favorable message. The advantage of attacking mass media is that one can build up his/her reputation for being less biased and more objective. The advantage of co-operating with mass media is that one can ease the worries of being â€Å"black mouthed† by media organizations. The advantage of buying corporate engaged in mass media is that one can get a big asset for negotiation with political parties and the government. Disadvantages of mass media Well I believe it comes down to the parents or guardians to begin with. Of course younger generations shouldn’t be watching as much TV if at all. Most of the primetime shows and stations are becoming more and more passive on what not to show. Having younger children subjected to nudity, cursing, sexual immorality, drinking and other negative adult oriented material is of course unsuitable, heck even unsuitable for adults at times. If the parents let their children watch inappropriate shows on TV I’m sure studies have shown the likelihood of these children being involved in such problems later on in life. Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers. (2018, Oct 20).

Blue Nile Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blue Nile Inc - Essay Example However, I would like to point out that it has produced very outstanding financial records as was proved by its balance sheet and cash flow. Besides, it has resorted to offering high quality diamond and jewelry products to its clients. This has been coupled with the provision of more competitive services. This is a good strategy which might enable the company to win the confidence of its clients as they seek to consider it as the company of choice amongst its competitors. The other indication for the company’s competitiveness is based on the fact that it has resorted to offering its shoppers with adequate information and guidance when conducting their purchases. This has made it possible for them to get the right information on what to acquire (Gomez-Mejia et al, 128). It is for this reason that the company has had a powerful competitive strength assessment. According to the assessment, the company has realized a high level of manufacturing, customer service, distribution, product innovation and quality production capabilities. Thus, it generated an overall weighted strength rating of 5.59. This is outstanding. ii. The company should consider counteracting the stiff competition from established firms who have conquered online diamond and jewelry business. This will increase its chances of enjoying a larger share of the online market. i. It should establish physical stores in which the shoppers can get access of its variety of commodities which are supplied to them. This will be a good idea for the company as it will make it possible for the company to be efficient and reliable in its supply. ii. The company should heavily invest on sales promotions. Meaning, it should advertize its services to all its target clients. Thus, they will get information about the existence, uses, benefits and quality of the products it deals in (Gomez-Mejia et al,

Hum final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Hum final - Essay Example As such, let us look into one of the more intriguing argument pertinent to the existence of God. St. Anselm is one of the leading theologian-philosopher during the medieval period. He provided us with one of the many versions of the ontological argument for the existence of God. According to Anselm, ‘God is the greatest conceivable being.’ And since God is the greatest conceivable being, therefore God exists. Now, one may not agree right away with him but let us try to clarify some point made by St. Anselm. Two things can be inferred from the argument. First, the human mind is capable of conceiving the greatest being. That to say, that it is only the human mind that has the capability and the capacity to recognize the greatest being. Second, the moment that the greatest being is conceived, it exists. At the onset it seems that St. Anselm seems to jump from mental conception of a being to its actual existence. But is he guilty of it? No! For St. Anselm, the actual existence is greater than mental existence so much so that â€Å"if the greatest conceivable is not ac tual, it is not the greatest conceivable being† (Grave 32) As such, at the core of his argument is the truism that existence is better and that understanding this is the greatest key to ‘defining’ God. What is existence then? If we are going to look at Realism, in its simplest form, it affirms the claim that X (a thing) exists at a given place Y in time Z. This is basically similar with axiom of location which purports the idea that a thing if it is real, exists at least on one location, and at most one location. It attests to the reality of matter, thus affirming materialism or the physical body of objects. As such, it is not surprising that naturalism basically supports this strand of interpretation in lieu of existence. On the other hand, another way of understanding existence is via apprehension of the universals or forms or ideas and this is termed as

Moral Permissibility of Deriving Stem Cells from Surplus Embryos Essay

Moral Permissibility of Deriving Stem Cells from Surplus Embryos - Essay Example One way to cure this disease is by transplantation of the pancreatic islet cell, the availability of the donated organs is very less for transplant. The stem cells if are induced to differentiate into functional islet cells in the lab, they may form a renewable source for transplantation, allowing this cell-based treatment to become available on a practical scale. (Mastroieni, n.d.) "Recent reports suggest that one of the most promising potential treatments may come from the use of stem cells, undifferentiated cells that can be coaxed into becoming insulin-producing islet-like cells that reduce diabetes symptoms in mice." (Mastroieni, n.d.) Spare embryos, the principal source of embryonic stem cells, are the unavoidably surplus unions of sperm and egg produced in fertility clinics. The embryos are often stored for years and ultimately discarded (Wade, 1999). Then it should not be a problem to use these spare embryos as they will ultimately be discarded anyways. One of the basic arguments for the moral permissibility of the use of these embryos are that the cost of destroying them is far less than the cost of the personal, social and economic costs of the diseases that these stem cells can cure. They can not be equaled to human life, even though they are living things. Some embryos do not even implant after conceived. In some countries it is legal to have an abortion; here the embryo is anyways going to waste. It would be better to utilize these embryos for research and cures rather than just throwing them. Embryonic stem cells can treat a larger number of diseases because they have greater plasticity, and divide more rapidly than adult stem cells. The embryo is taken before the primitive streak is formed. Until then it can be one individual which can separate into two and become twins, or it can be two embryos which can combine and form into one. Thus taking an embryo at this time does not account it as a human being. The number of people affected by diabetes alone is 190 million people around the world. This disease can lead to death and serious complications are common. These stem cells have the ability to cure many diseases not just diabetes. Another thing to keep in mind is that if it were so wrong, the government would never allow research to happen on such things in the first place. Women who give their surplus embryos are not forced into doing so. Rules can be introduced to control the process so that misuse of these embryos does not take place. One such law suggested by Louis M. Guenin is, "The government shall support biomedical research using human embryos that, before or after formation, have been donated to medicine under donor instructions forbidding intrauterine transfer." This way the donor has full control over what happens with the embryos even after it is implanted into another human being. The arguments against the moral permissibility of deriving stem cells from surplus embryos are that some of these embryos may be helpful during research but when used on actual human beings could be dangerous. Apart from this there may be genetic side effects because of manipulation. An example is the recent successes in reprogramming skin cells by fusing them with embryonic stem cells leave scientists wondering whether the genome of the original somatic cell might be 'contaminated' by the embryonic stem cel

Introduction to Sikhism

Introduction to Sikhism Among all the religion found in the world, Sikhism is the youngest religion and is about 500 years old. This religion today has over 27 million people worldwide and is the worlds fifth largest religion. Sikhism was founded by the first Guru of the Sikhs, Siri GuruNanalDevJi. The following nine Gurus that succeeded the first Guru nurtured and developed his ideas and teachings. The tenth guru whom is also the last Guru of the Sikh, Sri Guru Granth SahibJi, brought to an end to the line of human Gurus and is installed as the permanent Guru of the Sikhs. The Holy Scriptures which included the writings of the Ten Gurus and their disciples only talks about one almighty god, WAHEGURU. The Sikhs do not believe in anything else, but their one and only god. However, the Sikhs have accepted that there are lots of names of God. Sikhs are taught to remain a free life and respect all religions. The homeland of Sikhs is Khalistan and it means land of pure people. Currently it is under the rule of the Indian government. The Sikhs rebelled in 1984 to get independence from the Indian government to get freedom and a separate country. To stop the freedom movement, the Indian government mobilizes the army to attack Darbar Sahib, the holiest shrine of Sikhs under an operation called Operation Blue Star. The freedom movement is still active and the Sikhs are struggling to get the free country Khalistan. 1.0 History In Sikhism history, Women are considered low in society and were treated as a servant and nothing more than an entertainer. There were also considered as seducers and distraction of spiritual path, treated badly among men and women. Besides that, in marriage, the man is allow to remarry to another women and the women was not allowed to remarry and if they do, they rather burn themselves on her husbands funeral (Sati) as low rankings do not deserve another man and only one. Also, child marriage is quite popular that time. Child marriage means children were force to marry their chosen fiancà ©e from the age of thirteen or so. Furthermore, women are not allowed to carry their family names and that causes the father of the family to throw baby girls into the streets. However, everything changed during 1469-1708, when one of the ten gurus, Guru Nanak came here to the rescue. This happens when he found out that, many women is worthy equally on man. Thus, Guru Nanak plans to declare women are equal to man. Of course men disagree with this and therefore, Guru Nanak spoke wise words to settle them down, one of this hymns are: From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman. That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed and beautiful. O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. Although, Guru Nanak words are logical and fair, the society only realized this after the guru passed away. Although he sacrifices his life, his effort was not wasted and thanks to his effort, women nowadays stand equally to men and were given opportunity to do the impossible from the past. Nowadays, many women participate in work, education even at the battlefield. 2.0 The 10 Gurus Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh guru, was born in 1469 in Talwandi. Guru Ji was always ready to help the poor and he served food to them. In fact, Guru Ji often invited the needy and the poor into his house. Guru Nanak Dev Ji took four long journeys. On these journeys, Guru Ji got many followers and was able to relate his message to many people. When Guru Ji left this world at the age of 70, in 1539, he had laid down the foundations for a great religion. (Guru Nanak Dev Ji also taught us that there is one God and he is the Truth and Ultimate Reality. God has created the universe and he is everywhere.) Siri Guru Angad Dev Ji Guru Angad was born in 1504 A.D. at Sarai Matta in Ferozepur district of the Punjab (India). Before becoming the Guru, his name was Lehna. When guru Angad Dev ji left this world, His soul crane-like flew crying in the midair for his Beloved that had passed the limit of the sky.   Months elapsed, and no one knew where Guru Angad of the people was. (Like Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and the subsequent Gurus selected and appointed their successors by completely satisfying themselves about their mystic fitness and capacity to discharge the responsibilities of the mission.) Siri Guru Amardas Ji Guru Amar Das was born in 1479 at Basarke village in Amritsar District. He is the disciple of Guru Angad Dev Ji that who the second guru in Sikhism is. Guru Amar Das purchased some land in Goindwal and laid the foundation of a Bawli (a well with descending steps) in 1559. Guru Amar Das proclaimed, Gods summons had come.   Let there be no mourning when I have gone. Sing Gods praises, read Gurbani, hear Gurbani and obey Gods will.   In 1574, Guru Amar Das left for his heavenly abode and the spirit blended with the Master spirit. (Guru Amar Das to believe that all persons, high or low, rich or poor, Brahmans or Sudras, king or the commoner, and Hindus or Muslims, must sit in the same row as equals to dine in the Gurus langar.) Siri Guru Ramdas Ji Guru Ramdas was born in Lahore into a Sodhi Khatri family residing in Mohalla Chuna Mandi in 1534A.D. Guru Ram Das acquired land falling in tung, Gumlata and Sultan Wind villages in 1574 A.D. and started the digging of the tank. Guru Amar Das installed him as Guru in 1574 A.D. Guru Ram Das left his old headquarters at Goindwal.   After a few days He left this world in 1581.   (Guru Ram Das started the digging work near Dukh Bhanjni Beri and the digging of   the tank was taken up in 1586 A.D.) Siri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Guru Arjan was born in Goindwal, a small town in Amritsar district, in 1563. Guru Arjan Dev built another great temple some twelve miles away from Amritsar and called it Taran Taaran; otherwise Guru Arjan Dev was that interested people were passing compositions of their own as those of the Masters. But The Fifth and the Sixth Gurus had done nothing beyond the extension and development of the foundations laid and the organisation built by Guru Nanak. Guru Har Gobin(1595-1644) -Justice Guru Har Gobin, the son of Guru Arjan Dev ji, was the sixth of the ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was merely 11 years old when his father was matryed after being jailed, tortured while under arrest by Jehangirs orders. At the time of installation of Gurus, he asked Bapa Buddha ji to discard the tradition of donning with him with the Seli of Guru Nanak, instead, to be donned with 2 swords, explaining signified his Miri Piri(Temporal power Spiritual power). Without mixing religion with politic, his Purpose was to take up the cause of exploited and defend against the oppression of rules. He was the first of the Gurus who took up arms to defend the faith. He also introduced martial arts and weapon training and create a standing military force for the defense. Built the Akal Takhat(the first Takhat in the history) in 1608 , this Takhat seated with all the regal adornments of a Mugal or Hiddun Ruler. In here where he listened to the woes and complaints of people and issue edicts. Guru Har Rai(1644-1661)-Mercy Guru Har Rai was a man of peace, but he never disbanded sikh warriors (sainted soldier) but to continue the military traditions started by his grandfather Guru Har Gobind ji. He kept 2200 mounted soldiers at all times However, he never indulge himself in any political and armed controversy . Gurus son, Ram Rai, distorted Bani in front of Mughak Emperor Auzangzeb, he then decided to make his other son Guru at the age of only 5 age. Guru Har Kishran(1661-1664)- Purity Guru Har Krishan was the youngest Gurus because he was installed as a Guru at his age of 5 years, when his father Guru Har Rai nominated him instead of his elder son, Ram Rai. Auranzeb summoned him to Delphi after receive the complaint against him from Ram Rai. Guru Har Khrishan went Delphi even though He was instructed publicly by his father never meet Auranzeb personally. When reach Delphi, Har Khrishan and his party were the guest of Raja Jai Singh, lot of Sikh devotee flocked to see the Guru. A smallpox Epidemic was raging in Delphi. He devoted his life for serving and healing people who suffer smallpox epidemic which result in many deaths in Delphi. The young Guru also began to attend the sufferers irrespective of cast and creed. Particularly, the local Muslim was much impressed with purely humanitarian deeds of this Guru Sahib, stop disturbing him and nicknamed him Bala Pir(Child Prophet). However, coming contact with many people every day, he too infected and taken seriously ill. He died at only age of eight. Guru Tegh Bahadur(1665-1675)-Tranquility Guru Tegh Bahadur was the eighth of the ten Gurus. He was the fifth and the youngest son of Guru Har Gobin. He was famous for built the city called Anandpur Sahib. He traveled extensively throughout India. He sacrificed his own life, facing down the Emperor Aurangzeb on behalf of the Kashmiri Hindus, ending Aurangzeb s threat to them choosing to convert to islam or to be executed. He also contributed 115 hymns to the Sri Guru Grant Sahib. He was a firm believer in the right of people to the freedom of worship. This had caused that he faced martyrdom for the defense of the down-trodden Hindus. So pathetic was the torture of Guru Tegh Bahadur that his Body had to be cremated clandestinely at Delphi while his severed head was secretly taken four hundred kilometers away to Anandpur Sahib for cremation. This is just because he refuse to convert to Islam a threatened forced conversion of the Hindus of Kashmir was thwarted. Guru Gobin Singh (1675-1708)-Royal Courage Guru Gobin Singh was the tenth and the last of the ten human form of guru. He became guru after martyrdom of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur at the age of 9. His teachings are very scientific and most suitable for all times. Unlike other prophets, he called himself a slave or a servant of god, and, he called all the people the sons of God sharing His Kingdom equally. Guru Gobin Singh lived peacefully at Anandpur for his earlier life, practicing arms and exercises to complete his training as a soldier. He was good at Writing composition as well. He studied Persian and Sanskrit and engaged 52 poets to translate the Hindu Epics. He use what he had learned to translate stories of ancient heroes into Punjabi in order to create martial spirit among Sikh.He created the Khalsa in 1699, changing the Sikhs into a saint-soldier order with special symbols and sacraments for protecting themselves. He gave the Sikhs the name Singh (lion) or Kaur (princess). Guru lost his family(father, mother and four sons) during the battles with Mughal Tyranny.He then wrote a letter(the Zafarnama) to Aurangzeb, in which he indicted the Grand Mughal with his treachery and godliness after the attacking against the guru and Sikhs were called off.Aurangzeb died after read the letter. The rightful heir of Mughal Throne Sought the Gurus help in winning his kingdom. A sneak attack of the Pathan assasins of Wasir Khan who inflicted the wound which cause the Gurus death. 3.0 Symbol of Sikh The Khanda the Sikh symbol The Khanda is the main Sikh symbol. The  Khanda  has been interpreted symbolically in many ways. One is:The Sikh emblem, Khanda, contains a ring of steel representing the Unity of God, a two. It is composed of four items, all traditional Sikh weapons: A vertical double edged sword with a broad blade, also called a Khanda. Two curved swords, called kirpans. They are called miri and piri, after the names given to his personal kirpans by Guru Hargobind. A ring called a chakker (aka chakram). It is a very effective weapon, with a range of up to 50 meters (165 feet). This has been popularized in North America by the television series  Xena the Warrior Princess. Edged sword symbolizing Gods concern for truth and justice, and two crossed swords curved around the outside to signify Gods spiritual power.  4 Kesa (long hair, which is never cut). Baptised  Sikhs  are bound to wear the  Five Ks  (in Punjabi known as  paà ±j kakkÄâ€Å"  or  paà ±j kakÄ r), or articles of faith, at all times. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own and to others spirituality. The 5 items are:  kÄâ€Å"s  (uncut hair),  kaà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ghÄ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (small comb),  kaà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒâ€žÃ‚ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (circular iron bracelet),  kirpÄ n(dagger), and  kacchÄ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (special undergarment). The Five Ks have both practical and symbolic purposes.[45] Kacha (short pants) In  Sikhism,  Kesh  (sometimes  Kes) is the practice of allowing ones hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for the perfection of Gods creation. The practice is one of the  Five Ks, the outward symbols ordered byGuru Gobind Singh  in  1699  as a means to profess the  Sikh  faith. The hair is combed twice daily with a  Kanga, another of the Five Ks, and tied into a simple knot known as a  Joora, or  Rishi knot. This knot of hair is usually held in place with the Kanga and covered by a  turban. Kangah (comb) The  Sikhs  were commanded by  Guru Gobind Singh  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  in  1699  to wear asmall comb  called a Kanga at all times. Kanga must be worn by all baptised  Sikhs  (Khalsa), after a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  in  AD 1699. This was one of five articles of faith, collectively called  Kakars  that form the external visible symbols to clearly and outwardly display ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master and become a member of  Khalsa. The Khalsa is the Saint-Soldier of Guru Gobind Singh who stated the following:  He does not recognize anyone else except One Lord, not even the bestowal of charities, performance of merciful acts, austerities and restraint on pilgrim-stations; the perfect light of the Lord illuminates his heart, then cons ider him as the immaculate Khalsa.(Guru Gobind Singh in the Dasam Granth page 1350) Kara (metal bracelet) The kara is to constantly remind the Sikh disciple to do Gods work with the hands, keeping with the  advice given by the Guru. As the Sikhs  holy text  the  Guru Granth Sahib  says In the tenth month, you were made into a human being, O my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to perform good deeds.[2]  Similarly, Bhagat  Kabir  reminds the Sikh to always keep ones consciousness with  God: With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord.[3] In India, warrior Sikhs are still seen wearing several karas of large sizes, designed to be used as a weapon in hand to hand combat. Kachchhera Kachchhera  (Punjabi:à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ©Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾) or  Kachchha  (Punjabi:à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾) are specially designed short,  shalwar  (pant-like), loose  undergarments  with a tie-knot (nara =  drawstring) worn by  baptized  Sikhs. It is one of the five  Sikh  articles of faith, called the  Five Ks (à  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã…“ à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ©Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °), and was given as a gift of love by  Guru Gobind Singh  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  in  1699. Kachaera have been worn by baptizedSikhs  (Khalsa) since a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  in  AD 1699. Both male and female Sikhs wear similar undergarments. This is one of five articles of faith-collectively called Kakkars-that form the external, visible symbols clearly and outwardly displaying ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master. Kirpan (a ceremonial dagger) The  Kirpan  (English pronunciation:  /kÉ ªÃƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢rˈpÉ‘Ë n/;  Punjabi:  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¨Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  kirpÄ n) is a sword or dagger carried by many  Sikhs. According to a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  (a holy religious ceremony that formally baptizes a Sikh) in  CE 1699, all baptised  Sikhs  (Khalsa) must wear a kirpan at all times. Prohibitions of Sikhism Cutting hair Cutting hair is strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Sikhs are required to keep unshorn hair. This is because Sikhs believe that long hair as a beautiful part of their bodies. Besides that, Sikhs must always wash their hair due to maintain cleanliness. Without wear turban For Sikhs people, they must wear the turban no matter is male or female. This is because this religion was founded over 500 years ago, only wealthy men wore turbans as a sign of status and many kings wore turbans. Since Sikhs have believed in the equality of all people since the creation of their religion, all Sikhs wear the turban as a sign of equality. Cannot consume intoxication Sikhs cannot consume alcohol, drugs, tobacco is not allowed due to alcohol can slow down nervous system that causes damaging their ability to respond appropriately. Adultery Sikhs must faithful and loves each other and try to reduce conflict among each other even though are different cultures or races. Eating meat Sikhs cannot eat meat because the meat is offered to God only. Therefore, Sikhs must consume vegetarian. Besides that, they strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner. Sikh Festivals Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of Sikhism; celebrate on November 24 every year. Before his birthday, Akhand Path which is read Guru Granth Sahib in 48 hour non-stop that held in Gurdwara (Sikhs temple). On that day, the program or activity is begins early in the morning about 4 am. In this program, they would sing the Asa-di-Var (morning hymns) and hymns from the Sikh scriptures followed by Katha (expositon of scripture) and lectures and recitation of poems in the praise of Guru. Then, celebration will until about 1 to 2 pm. Lohri Lohri is Punjabi winter harvest festival acts as a Hindu winter celebration which is celebrates on January 13. In the morning on Lohri day, children will go from door to door singing and demanding Lohri loot such as seeds, peanuts, jiggery, or sweets and so on. Vaisakhi Vaisakhi known as Baisakhi is an ancient harvest festival in Punjab region which marks beginning of new solar year. Vaisakhi is celebrated on April 13. Baisakhi is a  Sikh  religious festival.  It falls on the first day of the  Baisakh  month in the solarNanakshahi calendar, which corresponds to April 13 in the  Gregorian calendar. Diwali Sikhs also celebrate Diwali popularly known as Festival of Lights. It is an important 5-day festival in Hinduism,  Sikhism  and  Jainism, celebrate between mid-October and mid-November. The name of Diwali which translate into row of lamps that involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. The Skih Ceremonies All the Sikh Ceremonies like birth, baptism, marriage and death are held in simple, inexpensive and religious manner. The presence of holy Guru Granth Sahib is very important to every ceremony performance. And of course, singing of hymns, Ardas or a formal prayer cannot be excluded in the ceremonies. Other than that, Hukamnama, a random reading from the Guru Granth Sahib is also presented as the oder of the day. Every guest will be given Karah Parshad, some sacred pudding made from flour, butter, sugar and water as well as langar. Sikhs no longer seek blessing from god and renew the spirit of devotion and service. Besides that, some major Sikh Ceremonies must be held in certain time, Naam Karan (Naming Ceremony), Dastar Bandi, Marriage Ceremony, Amrit Sanchar (Baptism) and Funeral/Death Ceremony. Naam Karan (Naming Ceremony) Khanda Mool MantraNaming Ceremony, an important ceremony held after a child is born. This happens when the child and the mother are in good health, they will go to the Gurdwara with their family, relatives and friends for the naming ceremony. The Granthi or the senior member of the congregation stirs water and sugar crystals in a bowl with a Khanda placed in front of the Guru Granth Sahib while reading the Mool Mantra (the basic belief of the Sikhs and it begins the Sri Guru Granth Sahib) and the first five verses of the Japji Sahib. The holy water is mainly dedicated for the child, but just a few drops are given to the child, the remaining is given to the mother. Finally, hymns are recited to bless the child. Dastar Bandi This is a very important event when a Sikh boy is ready to start tying the turban. The Granthi will explain why the turban is needed to be tied on the head. Amrit Sanchar (Baptism) Baptism brings the best or worst to the Sikhs, it can help the Sikhs in life if the Baptism is done in a proper and complete manner. This is the initiation ceremony for the Sikhs to become a true Khalsa (purified or chosen one). It is something like Christian at confirmation acquires full membership of the Sikh brotherhood. As the ceremony culminates in the drinking of  Amrit (specially prepared sweet Holy water) so the term Amrit-dhari Sikh is often used. However, a Sikh should only take Amrit when he or she is mature enough to realize the nature of the obligations he or she has chosen to accept. Marriage Ceremony The Sikh marriage is also one of the most important ceremonies in Sikhs life. The Sikh marriage is also known as Anand Karaj which means the ceremony of joy. Normally the wedding is held in the morning in a Gurdwara. The groom will be dressed in fine clothes and accompanied by his family and friends. Then he will head to Gurdwara Sahib where the brides family and friends receive them. After certain ceremony called Milni ceremony where close relatives of the couple garland each other in a spirit of goodwill, some refreshments are said to be done. Then everyone enters the Gurdwara congregation hall where bride sits alongside the groom facing the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. A short prayer is meant to be done then the wedding ceremony begins and the Ragees sing the hymn of Palla which is grooms scarf. The brides father hands the Palla over the brides hands which is symbolizing of giving away the bride. After a long run, the ceremony is followed by Lavaan, the wedding ceremony. Itself consists of four verses. The first verse is recited by the Granthi while the couple sits next to each other. Then the Ragees sing the same verse and the couple walk gracefully clockwise around the Guru Granth Sahib the bride following the groom. Same way the other three verses are recited. The six verses of Anand Sahib (the hymns of joy) are then sung followed by the Ardas. Order of the day is read from Guru Granth Sahib Ji followed by the distribution of Karah Parshad. Usually, lunch is always provided by the brides family and there is also a reception held later in the evening in a hall. Funeral/Death Ceremony Sikhs are very easygoing and simple in this kind of funeral ceremonies. They do not tend to spending too much money or resources on this sort of ceremonies as this is their basic custom. When a Sikh passes away, firstly the body is taken to be washed and cleaned up and finally dressed with new clothes. Then the body is carried to the cremation ground in procession. Meanwhile, appropriate prayers are said before the funeral pyre to smoothen the Sikhs death path. Then the body will be lit by close relatives. There is a crematorium built in Britain for this purpose. Later, the cooled ashes will be collected and immersed into or presented to natural running water- a river. Until this stage, the ceremony is not complete yet. To complete to ceremony, either in the home or in the Gurdwara, the daily reading of the Holy Granth begins. This runs continuously in about ten days. When all the 1430 pages have been read, the final service is held. Relatives and friends gather to join in the final prayers. The  Kara Parshad  (holy food) is served and the people disperse. This marks the end of mourning. The Sikh Marriage For Sikhs, marriage is not merely a physical and legal contract but is a holy union between two souls where physically they appear as two individual bodies but in fact they are united as one. Like what has been mentioned earlier, the Sikh marriage ceremony is known as Anand Karaj meaning blissful union. According to Sikhism, when a girl attains certain maturity, her parents are obligatory to find a match for her. It is neither desirable nor proper to marry a girl at tender age. The daughter of a Sikh should marry a Sikh. If a man is a Sikh believer, is humble by nature, and earns his bread by honest means, with him matrimony may be contracted without a question and without consideration for wealth and riches. As Sikh marriages are usually arranged, so they have different views from the people from other cultures. They do not interpret arranged as forcing man or woman into wedlock of parents choice only. It is also about agreeing to marriage proposed by mutual discussion between the mans and the womans family. This is to select the right partner with the approval of all. Most importantly, the man and woman themselves must get to know each other to convey their agreement to their parents. Last but not least, no Sikh marriage is regarded as truly complete unless the bride and groom present themselves before the  Holy Granth  and are blessed by the Guru, as well as by the congregation or the families present. 8.0 Roles and status of Sikh women In fourteenth century, before Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Indian women were looked down at by society. They were given no education, and they only function to give birth, do housework and serve men. Female infanticide, the act of killing a female baby, was common as the men of the family considered them useless and an embarrassment to the family. Sati, which is the act of burning a widow alive with her husbands body was encouraged and sometimes forced. Guru Nanak Dev Ji shocked the entire society by preaching that women were equal to men and should be treated in such way. Guru Nanak Dev Ji conveys this through his scripture as follows: Man is born from a woman; within woman, man is conceived; to a woman he is engaged and married. Man is friends with woman; through woman, the future generations exist. When his woman passes away, he seeks another woman; to a woman a man is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From a woman, woman is born; without woman there would be no one at all (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 473). Thus, in Sikhism, all men and women have equal status, all human beings are only judged by their deeds, not their race or gender. Women were encouraged and allowed to join in religious and social activities. They were given freedom of speech and were also allowed to read the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of Sikhism). Famous Women in Sikhism The first famous woman in Sikhism is the mother of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Mata Tripta Ji. It is said that she meditated while carrying the child Nanak. She brought him up with love, and also protected him from his father Mehta Kalu. The elder sister of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Bebe Nanaki Ji, is also another famous woman in Sikhism. She supported her brother throughout her life and gave him respect as she would a Guru. She was an intelligent and spiritual woman who recognised her brothers divine light before anyone else could. 9.0 Sikhs Sacred Places Harmandir Sahib The Harmandir Sahib, informally known as The Golden Temple because it is partly made from gold, is the most sacred shrine of the Sikhs. It is located in the city of Amritsar, India (Northern Punjabi). The name Harmanidir Sahib literally means temple of God. The Golden Temple in built in the centre of a large lake of water. The sacred pool of water around the Golden Temple is also known as Sarovar. It is a place where Sikhs perform Isnaan, which means to bathe, cleanse and purify. The Golden Temple has been constructed with four doors which is different from traditional Indian temples. This signifies that everyone is allowed in the temple regardless of race and gender. There are two forms of contribution all Sikhs had in the construction of the temple: Voluntary labour and a donation of ten percent of their income. These traditions are still kept alive till today as Sikhs contribute towards the improvement of their Gurdwara (Sikh temples). Anandpur Sahib The city of Anandpur Sahib, informally known as the holy city of Bliss, is the holy city of the Sikhs; it is an important and sacred place for the Sikhs. It is located on the lower spurs of the Himalayas. Guru Gobind Singh ji spent almost 25 years staying at Anandpur Sahib. It is famously known as the place where five Sikhs voluntarily gave their heads to Guru Gobind Singh ji, which shows the values of self-abnegating and bravery. The city mainly comes to life during Hola Mohalla, a Sikh festival celebrated to remember the courage of the Sikhs in fighting the enemies of Sikh. It is also a community festival that brings people together. 10.0 History Of The Golden Temple The Golden Temple of Amritsar is located in India. This temple is one of the most ancient and brilliant piece of engineering of all time. Amritsar is also under one of the main cities in India There is about five thousand sq. km and a total population of about 2.5 million. The main language that is spoken in this place is Hindi or English while the average temperature of this city is about 30 to 46 degree Celsius every day of the year. The temple was founded in the year 1574 by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas and completed by his successor Guru Arjan Dev. The land for the temple was bought by guru ramdas for only 700 rupees at that time from the owner of the village Tung. (Earlier Guru Ram Das Sahib had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near erstwhile village of Sultanwind in 1564 {according to one source in 1570}. The temple is also known as the Shri Darbar Shaib, it is in the center of the old part of Amritsar. The Golden Temple sits on a rectangular platform, surrounded by a pool of water called the Amrit Sarovar