Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 1756 Words

The story of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart takes place in Umuofia, a set of villages, where the Nigerian tribe and Ibo people settle. A tribesman and the protagonist named Okonkwo is the famous leader in Umuofia. Okonkwo is very brave, but he stands solo when it comes to deciding to fight. He is afraid of how people will view on him through his actions towards the society because men play big roles in their culture. With his victory against Amalinze the Cat, Okonkwo brought more fame towards his position in the Ibo society. Although his braveness and courageousness in fighting is strong, Okonkwo is afraid to be emotional and thought of weak like his father, Unoka. Unoka is a talented musician, yet he is lazy and irresponsible. He had†¦show more content†¦As he brings the people of Umuofia together to battle, everyone has been played in mind games from the missionaries and causes Okonkwo to lead to frustration and later on to his death. Through what Okonkwo has experienced, Okonkwo plays the role of a tragic hero in literature. A tragic hero is a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy (Dictionary.com). Okonkwo is a tragic hero by appearing as a hero figure towards the people of Umuofia with a surprising resolution of committing suicide due to his fear of being his father. A tragic hero is not just a famous person dying, but a person with a minor flawed trait in his character or personality. Okonkwo falls from his dignity in the Ibo society and into suicide making him a tragic hero. His tragic flaw, experiences in the setback of his society, and the recognition of what had happened to the Ibo society defines the characteristics of a tragic hero. How we read these characteristics is what helps us determine whether he is really a tragic hero or not. In the course of a successfully tragic work, Aristotle says that the audience should be moved by the actions of the hero to experience the emotions of pity and fear (study.com). Aristotle suggests that a hero of a tragedy must evoke

Effects Of Parental Addiction On Children - 1457 Words

THE EFFECTS PARENTAL ADDICTIONS HAVE ON CHILDREN Alexis Holcomb The cost of alcohol and substance abuse in the United States reaches heights of four hundred eighty four billion dollars per year (â€Å"Magnitude†). That’s about seven hundred eighty times the amount it cost to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted diseases in the year 2000 (Chesson). The sole purpose of this is not to persuade you one way or the other on this topic. Nor is the purpose to apologize for this social issue. The purpose of this writing is to employ data showing the societal effects parental addictions have on children, to show how this data has remained relevant in society, and to show how it is affecting our future members of society. In this paper, I look at forms of substance abuse and the effects on children. I will be using the following headings to break down the different issues associated with this social problem: social causes, phenomenon, and consequences. I hope to educate those that may be ignorant to the situation, and help to spark a flame that can be used to not be a bystander, but a solution to the problem at hand. Social Causes An estimated twenty five percent of youth under eighteen are exposed to familial alcohol abuse (Bellum). The Illinois Department of Human Services says that nearly six hundred seventy five thousand children per year suffer serious abuse or neglect as a direct result of substance abuse (‘Children†). What makes this a big problem in society?Show MoreRelatedThe Disastrous Effects Of Parental Drug Addiction On Children1478 Words   |  6 PagesThe Disastrous Impact of Parental Drug Addiction on Children Drug addiction is a serious issue in not only America today, but globally. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance addiction is a â€Å"chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful consequences† (â€Å"What is drug addiction?†). Drug abuse affects not only the user, but those around the user as well. The actions of a drug user place a significant amount of worryRead MoreEssay on Effects of Parental Drug Abuse on Children1750 Words   |  7 PagesHeather Swenson Mandy Jesser English Composition I 1 May 2013 Effects of Parental Drug Abuse on Their Children As soon as birth, children are exposed to new things; new life experiences that will develop the path of which direction their life will take. Adolescence is the most important time in a child’s life because it is where they learn appropriate behavior from their family and the outside world. Some children are able to use these experiences to differentiate at an early age what isRead MoreJuvenile Children Of Alcoholics ( Acoas )1594 Words   |  7 Pagesfamily members who suffer the effects of living with someone who is an alcoholic? Often, children spend their entire youth and young adulthood dealing with the repercussions of having a parent who is under the influence. The research pertaining to adult children of alcoholics (ACoAs) is relatively new; the concept was recently coined in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was only then that researchers began to investigate the devastating and long-term effects parental alcoholism has on the rest ofRead MoreCharacteristics Of Al coholic Parents And How Alcohol Dependency May Influences Their Children s Well Being1725 Words   |  7 Pagesthought process and decision making. When a parent has a dependency on alcohol, it affects the decision making not only in their life, but the life of their child’s. An addiction to alcoholism can change the parent’s parenting style in the moment of consumption and in between alcohol consumption, whiles they are sober. Children of alcoholics (COA’s) are at risk for different problems, both internalized and externalized issues. Some of these issues that COA’s may face include, school struggle andRead MoreVideo Games And Its Effects On Society1588 Words   |  7 Pagesregarding to its negative effects on peoples psychological and physical problems, especially in children and teens. Video games are now recognized by a study as an addiction according to the journal Psychological Science: â€Å"Researchers used data on 1,200 children and teens taken from a survey. About 8.5% were addicted to video games and showed at least 6 of 11 signs of addictive behavior. For example, skipped schoolwork to play games or ‘escape’ bad feeling† (â€Å"Video Games Addiction Is Real†). Studies madeRead MoreThe Importance Of A Substance Abuse Treatment Group Essay1441 Words   |  6 PagesThe purpose of proposing a substance abuse treatment group was to break the barriers that m other-child relationships may face in result to maternal addiction and substance-abuse. Treatment that is geared for maternal addicted mothers can help them recover quickly and protect their infant children from the dangers of drugs and health consequences. The program will be gender specific, distinctively for substance-dependent women who are mothers. The group will conduct its work by following through aRead MoreChild Development Is The Growth And Change Within A Child s Intellectual And Mental Abilities Essay959 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough the process of reports and resources, shows that â€Å"cognitive development is the growth and change in a child’s intellectual and mental abilities† Cognitive Development Domain - Child Development (CA Dept. of Education), 2016). Here is where children â€Å"learn† their â€Å"reasoning†,† thinking†, and â€Å"understanding† of his or her â€Å"acquisitions†, and â€Å"consolidation of knowledge† Cognitive Development Domain - Child Development (CA Dept. of Education), 2016). The article also proves the fact that atRead MoreJustice For Drug Offenses Or Just Ice Cold?1408 Words   |  6 PagesDeon had been one of the hundreds of thousands of people arrested for a drug law offense. He received a short jail sentence for buying heroin, and was back to feeding his heroin addiction on the streets. Once he was caught a second time, a drug treatment program was put in place; yet, Deon didn’t want to end his addiction there. After overdosing, a social worker at his hospital helped him on his journey to recovery with meetings and classes. Deon had met his grandson and realized he can make it withoutRead MoreNegative Effects Of Social Media1743 Words   |  7 Pagesto think something is true when it is not, and cause addiction. Although the monitoring of social media done by parents prevents them from new communication methods, it can protect them from the har mful effects of the internet, and therefore parents should help their kids’ learn about and avoid these harmful effects. Parents should check in on their kids frequently to see how they are doing because of the many causes of low self esteem in children done by social media. Cyber bullying is one of theseRead MoreThe Effects Of Prescription Drugs On The Patient s Doctor Or Parent?1558 Words   |  7 Pagesused to treat ADD began to stand out immensely. While abuse of both drugs can result in the adolescent patient to physically endure multiple unnecessary and unwanted side effects, more importantly, antibiotic overuse is the main cause of antibiotic resistance, and improper use of psychiatric medications increase the risk of addiction greatly. Through further investigation, I began to question who was truly to blame for the vast misuse of these prescription drugs: the patient’s doctor or parent? While

Nicholas The Last Tsar Essay Example For Students

Nicholas: The Last Tsar Essay Nicholas: The LastTsarIn his book, The Last Tsar, Edvard Radzinskydescribes a very interesting viewpoint of the life and death of NicholasAlexandrovich, the last Russian Tsar. Radzinskys illustration of thisill-fated monarch follows the diaries of Nicholas from their beginningon March 1, 1881, to the final entry on July 16, 1918.1 Radzinsky mainlygoes over pre-marital relationship between Nicholas and Alexandra, themedical condition of Nicholas son, Alexei, and the imprisonment and executionof Nicholas and his family. The relationship between Nicholas II andAlexandra began in 1884. Alexandra, the daughter of Louis IV, the GrandDuke of Hesse-Darmstadt, a tiny state in Germany, was born in 1872.2 Hergrandmother was Queen Victoria of England, her oldest sister married anEnglish prince, her second sister married a Russian Grand Duke and herthird sister married a German prince. Nicholas and Alexandra met duringthe wedding of her second sister, Ella, to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. Alexandra was only twelve and Nicholas was only sixteen, but he statedin his diary that he fell in love with her a first sight. Nicholas father,Tsar Alexander III, did not approve of Alexandra, because of the fact thatshe was the granddaughter of the English Queen. Instead, he suggested thatNicholas marry a princess from the House of Orleans. His decision was baselymainly on politics, as he was striving for an alliance between Russia andFrance. Alexanders suggestion did not have any effect on Nicholas, ashe seemed certain to marry his childhood sweetheart, Alexandra. That daycame in 1894, when Alexander was on his deathbed, suffering from a kidneydisease that he had contracted in a train wreck six years earlier. On April8, 1894, at the wedding of Alexandras brother, her and Nicholas were engaged.3On November 14, 1894, a month after the death of his father Nicholas marriedAlexandra and officially became the tsar of Russia. We will write a custom essay on Nicholas: The Last Tsar specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Alexei Nikolaevich, the first son of Nicholasand Alexandra was born on July 30, 1904, following the births of four daughters. The problem of who would rule Russia in case of an accident to Nicholaswas solved. However, there was a new problem, as Alexei was diagnosed withhemophilia. Hemophilia is a disease that weakened the walls of the arteriesso that any blow or intense pressure can cause the blood vessels to burstand can mean the end.4 Rumours of a holy man, named Grigory Rasputin,however, living in the backwoods of Siberia gave rise to Alexanders hopesthat her sons hemophilia could be cured. Rasputin possessed what somecalled a gift of healing, as he repeatedly healed possibly fatal woundssuffered by Alexei.5 The first time he helped Alexei was when Alexei hadsuffered a bruise on his leg was in agonizing pain. Rasputin walked toAlexeis bed, grasped Alexeis leg and healed the possibly fatal bruise. There are many stories where Rasputin healed Alexei without physicallybeing there. For example, in 1912, Alexei was suffering from a common cold. When he tried to blow his nose, the blood vessels burst and the blood beganto gush. The doctors could do nothing to help. When all hope was fading,they received a telegram from Rasputin. It read God will help you, behealthy,6Nicholas II was forced to end the Romanovrule over Russia after three hundred years, as he forfeited the throneon March 2, 1917 because of the Russian Revolution. However, the peoplewere still so upset with him, that the Petrograd Soviet of Workers andSoldiers Deputies passed a decree the day following the abdication. TheDeputies ordered the arrest of Nicholas II and the members of the Romanovdynasty on March 3, 1917. The family and everyone who remained with themwere to be isolated from the outside world within the confines of AlexandersPalace, complete with an inside and outside guard. However, soon after,rumours were spreading that claimed the imperial family had escaped toEngland. Therefore, the provisional government sent the family and theirservants to Tobo lsk, in Siberia, on July 31, 1917.7 After spending aboutnine months under heavy supervision, the family was going to be transportedto Moscow to stand trial for treason against Russia. However, this planwas only a fake, as the family was never intended to make it to Moscow. .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 , .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .postImageUrl , .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 , .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:hover , .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:visited , .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:active { border:0!important; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:active , .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9 .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub23e5453cca9d26c95d51e48807847d9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: It's Not About School Prayer EssayThe real plan was that the Uralite Bolsheviks would seize the train onits way to Moscow and take the family to the Uralite capital of Ekaterinburg.8In Ekaterinburg, the family was put in a prison in one of the towns largesthouses, the Ipatiev House. About two months later, when the Ural capitalwas surrounded by the Czech Legion and the White Army who were intent onoverthrowing the Bolsheviks, a decision about the family had to be made. The Bolsheviks sent a telegram to Moscow containing the plans for an executionof the imperial family on July 16, 1918.9 Once the consent came from Moscow,the family was awakened in the early hours of July 17 and taken down tothe cellar for what they thought was a family photograph. However, theyall realized there would be no photograph, when Yakov Yurovsky, a memberof the Uralites, read out the familys death sentence. As soon as he hadfinished, the shots began and minutes later, the family and their servantslay dead in a pool of their own blood. They loaded up the bodies into atruck and buried them in a pre-selected gravesite. Thus, within a time span of just over ayear, both the rule and lives of the imperial family were ended by revolutionaries,and one of the greatest dynastys the world has ever known came to an end.

Rim Swot Analysis free essay sample

We will market our products and services based on their unique characteristics, innovation and quality. Using this operation strategy globally, RIM has managed to launch a long array of products under the brand name â€Å"Blackberry† which include Blackberry Curve, Blackberry Torch, Blackberry Bold, Blackberry Playbook and is currently about to launch its new Product Platform- Blackberry 10. RIM intends on operating to create value for stakeholders and create a less complex and more accountable organization. Staff: As of March 3, 2012, RIM had approximately 16,500 full-time employees: approximately 6,100 in the product development area; approximately 1,500 in sales and marketing; approximately 1,300 in customer care and technical support; approximately 1,950 in manufacturing and supply chain; and approximately 5,650 in administration and business professional functions. All these employees are working towards achieving the RIM objective of allowing hyper-connected users to communicate on more than one scale. The employees as well as RIM suppliers are expected to follow a well-implemented code of conduct. We will write a custom essay sample on Rim Swot Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Logistics: The Company’s corporate headquarters and new product introduction manufacturing facilities are based in Waterloo, with other offices located in Ottawa, Mississauga, and Europe and US. RIM encourages its customers to report any issues and concerns they may have. Through this we foster our Company’s success by not allowing potentially unethical behavior to meddle with our efficiency, innovation and progress. This enables information management for an efficient production process and happy customers. Before launching a product the company needs to conduct an environmental analysis to ensure that the product will have higher chances of survival and profitability once it comes out in to the open. This includes PEST analysis and SWOT analysis of external and internal factors related to the company. This includes the government rules and regulations regarding ethical standards, trade, copyrights, privacy and labour unions. RIM is using these to its advantages by entering into confidentiality agreements with its employees, consultants, contract manufacturers, customers, potential customers and others to attempt to limit access to and distribution of its proprietary information, to purchase patents, and RIM may also license its technology and intellectual property to third parties through various licensing agreements. All these enable a prosperous environment for RIM’s growth. However, RIM also needs to ensure that its products meet standards. RIM’s BlackBerry wireless devices meet FCC, Industry Canada, and EC requirements. In addition, RIM devices have received regulatory approvals required by other countries where such products are made commercially available by RIM. In parts of Europe and North America, the Company is currently obligated to comply with substance restrictions, packaging regulations, energy efficiency ratings and certain product take back and recycling requirements. Thus, by carefully examining the political environment, a company can ensure its viability. Economic Environment: North America, Australia, East Asia and parts of Europe are going through a period of economic stability. The GPD per capita values for all these regions are greater than 30,000US$ (a high value) with US having the highest, followed by Canada and so on. Such a high GDP per capita shows that there is more demand for consumer goods and thus higher purchasing power parity. They allow us to open an expensive business like ours. Since the purchasing power is rising, people will be more willing to buy high-end luxurious products. Thus the economic environment welcomes the birth of new innovative products and concepts. Sociocultural Environment: Our goal is to focus on customers that come from higher social statuses and income levels above average. With the increasing amounts of women working the average workforce has increased which means more people would need a Blackberry Empathy. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs includes the need of self-belonging- we all want to belong to a group and have someone who always loves us. Two of the cultural values Schwartz observed in numerous cultures were universalism and benevolence. Thus, the new Empathy would be perfect to help foster such a culture. Also, since RIM is targeting enterprise users globally it recognizes and respects diversity in its efforts. Technological Environment: Owing to the ever-expanding fast paced development in technology with the help of Research and Development, a firm needs to stay on track with these technological changes. Similarly, RIM intends to take advantage of specific government and academic financial assistance programs to support its research activities where available. The Company has previously entered into two project development agreements with Technology Partnerships Canada which provided partial funding for certain research and development projects. Also, since the new technological trend is to communicate through Social Networking Sites, RIM endeavours to increase its brand reputation and company name through word of mouth, responsibly.

Stubby Squid Facts

Stubby Squid Facts The stubby squid, or Rossia pacifica, is a species of bobtail squid native to the Pacific Rim. It is known for its large, complex (googly) eyes and reddish brown to purple coloration, which turns wholly opalescent greenish grey when disturbed. Its small size and striking appearance have led scientists to compare it to a stuffed toy. While they are called squids, in fact, they are closer to cuttlefish. Fast Facts: Stubby Squid Scientific Name: Rossia pacifica pacifica, Rossia pacifica diagensisCommon Names: Stubby squid, Pacific bob-tailed squid, North Pacific bobtail squidBasic Animal Group: Invertebrate  Ã‚  Size: Body length about 2 inches (males) to 4 inches (females)Weight: Less than 7 ouncesLifespan: 18 months to 2 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Polar and deepwater habitats along the Pacific RimPopulation: Unknown  Conservation Status: Data deficient Description   Stubby squids are cephalopods, members of the Sepiolidae family, the subfamily Rossinae, and the genus Rossia. Rossia pacifica is divided into two subspecies: Rossia pacifica pacifica and Rossia pacifica diegensis. Diegensis is found only in the eastern Pacific coast off Santa Catalina Island. It is smaller and more delicate, has larger fins, and lives at greater depths (nearly 4,000 feet) than the rest of the R. pacifica species. Stubby squids look like a combination of octopus and squid- but they are actually neither, being more closely related to cuttlefish.   Stubby squids have a smooth, soft body (mantle) that is short and round with a separate head marked by two large complex eyes. Radiating out from the body are eight suckered arms and two long tentacles which retract and extend as needed to grasp dinner or each other. The tentacles end in clubs which also have suckers. The mantle (body) of the females measure up to 4.5 inches, about twice that of the male (about 2 inches). Each of the arms has two to four rows of suckers which differ slightly in size. The male has one arm with a hectocotylized sucker at the dorsal end to allow him to fertilize the female. Stubby squids have two ear-shaped fins and a slender, delicate internal shell (pen). They produce a great deal of mucus and are sometimes found wearing a Jello jacket of mucus to protect themselves from polluted waters. A man holds a stubby squid which begins to secrete a mucous as a defensive behavior. West Seattle, Washington. Stuart Westmorland / Getty Images Plus Habitat and Range Rossia pacifica is native to the northern rim of the Pacific Ocean from Japan to southern California, including the polar reaches of the Bering Strait. They spend the winters on sandy slopes in moderately shallow water, and the summers in deeper water where they breed.   They prefer sandy to mud-sand bottoms and are found in coastal waters, where they spend most of the day resting at depths of 50–1,200 feet (rarely 1,600 feet) below the surface. When they hunt at night they can be found swimming at or near the coastlines. Preferring to live in shrimp beds near their main prey, they dig themselves into the sand during the day so that only their eyes are visible. When disturbed they turn an opalescent greenish-gray color and squirt out a blob of black ink- octopus and squid ink is usually brown- that has the shape of a squid body.   Disturbed stubby squid swimming. Scott Stevenson / Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring   Spawning takes place in deep water during the late summer and fall. Male stubby squids impregnate females by grasping them with their tentacles and inserting the hectocotylus-armed arm into the females mantle cavity where he deposits the spermatophores. After accomplishing fertilization, the male dies.   The female lays between 120–150 eggs in batches of about 50 eggs (each under two-tenths of an inch); the batches separated by about three weeks. Each egg is embedded in a large creamy white and durable capsule measuring between 0.3–0.5 inches. The mother attaches the capsules singly or in small groups to seaweeds, clam shells, sponge masses or other objects in the bottom. Then she dies.   After 4–9 months, the young hatch out of the capsules as miniature adults and soon begin to feed on small crustaceans. The lifespan of a stubby squid is between 18 months to two years. Conservation Status   Studies on the stubby squid are difficult, since the creature spends much of its life in deep water, especially compared to its shallow-water Atlantic Ocean cousin Sepioloa atlantica. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the stubby squid as data deficient.   The stubby squid appears to survive quite well in polluted urban bays, even those with highly polluted bottom sediments, such as the inner harbors of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. It is often trawled in large quantities off the Sanriku-Hokkaido coasts of Japan and other subarctic Pacific regions, but its meat is considered inferior tasting to other cephalopods and so has low economic value.   Sources Anderson, Roland C. , Stubby squid. The Cephalopod Page.  Rossia pacificaDyer, Anna, Helmstetler, Hans, and Dave Cowles. (Berry, 1911). Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Walla Walla University, 2005Rossia pacificaGoogly-eyed Stubby Squid. Nautilus Live. YouTube video (2:27).  Jereb, P., and C.F.E. Roper, eds. Rossia pacifica pacifica Berry, 1911. Cephalopods of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Cephalopod Species Known to Date. Vol. 1: Chambered Nautiluses and Sepioids. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2005. 185–186.Laptikhovsky, V. V., et al. Reproductive Strategies in Female Polar and Deep-Sea Bobtail Squid Genera Rossia and Neorossia (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae). Polar Biology 31.12 (2008): 1499-507. Print.Montes, Alejandra. Rossia pacifica. Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan, 2014.  Rossia pacifica Berry, 1911. Encyclopedia of Life. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

Christmas Around The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Christmas Around The World - Essay Example Perhaps what makes the concept of Christmas universal to all people is its idea of sharing. Taking after the gesture of the three Wise Men in the nativity scene, gifts has become one of the pillars of the Christmas season. People, at this time of the year, delight in giving gifts, from the simplest such as Christmas card, to the most expensive. Today, according to Ace Collins, (2003) â€Å"shoppers spend more than $4 billion per Christmas shopping day, or about $2.8 million each minute, during the holiday season in the United States alone.† (101) Gifts are also attributed to Santa Claus or Father Christmas and Saint Nicholas in other cultures. His iconography evolved through the years and has become one that visits houses on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts to children and families who have been good. As mentioned beforehand, there are unique Christmas customs across countries, so it would take a very long list to chronicle each of them, hence, we would discuss them in generalities. For instance, the Far East such Japan, Korea and the countries with different religions have a more secular celebration giving emphasis to gifts, the Christmas tree and preparing Christmas dinner. However, in countries like Ethiopia, Guatemala and Mexico, the spiritual aspects predominate – midnight mass, Christmas carol, religious procession and other solemn ceremonies. Countries such as the United States with its multicultural population have varying degrees of religious and secular celebrations and activities. Unique traditions significantly mark specific country celebrations. For example, the Philippines celebrates the longest Christmas season, starting as early as October. Two basic Christmas meanings or purposes predominate around the world - the religious and the secular. On the one hand there is an emphasis on the birth of Jesus and its significance to the world while on the other there is an emphasis on the abundant feasting, frolicking and good cheer.

Risk Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk Management - Case Study Example Experts cite Hurricane Katrina as being among the worst disasters that ever occurred in the history of the US, leading to the loss of over 1800 individuals (Moynihan, 2009). The disaster caused continued flooding, owing to the collapse of the artificial levees. This resulted in a series of industrial damages, pervasive pollution and a cut of critical facilities such as water, energy and communication networks. Moynihan argue that though the response was marred by several failures, it had it positive side. The 9-11 attack prompted the government to form bodies that would prevent and reduce the impacts of such calamities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). FEMA was also in place and its response was significant in handling the calamity (Moynihan, 2009). FEMA had warned of the catastrophe earlier, and the evacuation process was underway. President Bush had affirmed a state of emergency and FEMA initiated its response operation. The evacuation significantly reduced the number of victims of the catastrophe. The magnitude of the catastrophe prompted the intervention of other stakeholders, in a bid to rescue victims and reduce their suffering (Levitt & Whitaker, 2009). As such, various organizations intervened and coordinated in the rescue, evacuation process and the delivering of essential products and services. Private charity organizations also played a significant role in the various forms of the response process. The military response was also critical in assuaging the sufferings of the victims. The large number of the deployed military officials aided the rescue operations, thereby lessening the hard task of the rescue team (FEMA, 2006). This served significantly in improving the relief efforts, hence reducing the number of affected victims. However, though various parties played significant roles in responding to the catastrophe, there several setbacks were evident. For instance, the slow response of the involved parties