Halloween is bad

The Halloween celebration is bad. To begin with, the celebration is meant to commemorate the god of dead people. It signifies the time when the wall between the world of the dead or supernatural and the living was broken down. It is thought that evil spirits and spirits of the dead visit the earth during this time.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Halloween is bad specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Those who strongly believe in the celebration see it as an opportunity to seek help from the devil concerning issues like marriage, the enemies, and health, among others. In reality, the ceremony exalts the devil and other spirits hence demining God’s power and his ability to save mankind from his troubles. The ceremony has strong links to pagan worship (Barth 22). Every faith that has God or a god at the center of worship usually demands that only that God/god is to be worshipped and any divergence from that is pe rceived as transgression. On the contrary, Halloween acknowledges evil spirits and even the devil and as they are thought to be able to solve human problems. In the real sense, it is only people who ascribe to Satanism that acknowledge the supremacy of Satan and any celebration that exalts the devil must be satanic. For those ascribing to the Christian faith most of the activities done on the day could be termed as anti-Christian. Given that light and darkness cannot associate, then the devil and God cannot be acknowledged at the same time. Some of the activities carried out during the Halloween celebration include visiting those houses that are haunted by evil spirits. Black cats, the jack-o’-lanterns and bonfires are all associated with this celebration most of which owe their originality to occultism. In the ancient days during the Halloween celebration, people wore animal skins and they would dance around bonfires. Participating in the celebration is equivalent to supping with the devil. Those who do it cautiously can be compared to those using a long spoon. In its original ancient form, the celebration was accompanied by human sacrifices and it was mostly performed by the witches. During the ceremony, demons are worshiped using the human sacrifice. By allowing one allowing his/her children to take part in the celebration, that person is simply initiating the children to Satanism and reinforcing their belief in the spirits of the departed. Such children may end up unruly or ascribing to very weird beliefs. The celebration is mainly associated with mischievous activities, death and ghosts.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The celebration has been slowly getting into people’s minds and activities and it is nowadays being perceived as any public holiday. Some celebrate it without trying to find out its significant. Some on the other hand do celebrate it due to peer pressure (Russell 100). During the Halloween celebration, children are left wandering in the night doing activities they do not fully understand. This could jeopardize their safety and security as no one can foretell the danger that lies ahead during the night. It may therefore help to stop one’s children from wondering aimlessly in the night on purely security grounds. The costumes worn during the ceremony are scary and might even cause nightmares to some of the young children. There is need for those who celebrate the ceremony unknowingly to research into the history of the ceremony as well as its meaning before daring to take part in it. Works Cited Barth, Edna. Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts. New York: Seabury Press, 1972. Print. Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Witchcraft in the Middle Ages. New York: Cornell University Press, 1972. Print. This essay on Halloween is bad was written and submitted by user Charli K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Arabs vs Jews essays

Arabs vs Jews essays On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to divide the Middle Eastern land called Palestine into two independent nations, one Arab and one Jewish. On May 14, 1948, a new nation was born: Israel. The Jews of Israel and the world celebrated with joy and gladness, because for over two thousand years, they had hoped to return to the land of their heritage. (Silverman, 1) However with Jews from all around the world returning to Israel, the Arabs residing in this land were forced into exile. The rebirth of Israel marked the beginning of conflict, violence, and peace treaties between the Arabs and the Jews of the Middle East. Tensions between Jews and Arabs have been present since biblical times in the Middle East. In 132 AD, when Israel was under Roman rule, the Jews revolted and fought for independence. In 135 AD the Romans crushed the Jewish revolt and expelled nearly all of the Jews of Israel. The Romans then renamed Israel-Palestine, so as to remove any connection between the land and the Jewish people. (Tessler, 12) The Jews never forgot their homeland, and prayed three times a day to return to Israel and to the holy city of Jerusalem. In the 7th century, a new religion, Islam, arose in the Middle East. The Muslim Arabs conquered Palestine from the Byzantines and began to settle the land. They built the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa mosque in Jerusalem, where they believed Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven to receive parts of the Quran. (Goldschmidt, 46) During the early 1500s, Palestine was captured and put under Turkish rule. During the First World War, the Turkish government placed severe restrictions on Jewish daily life, because the Turks believed that the Jews were plotting with their enemies. In December of 1917, the British army under the command of General Edmund Allenby defeated the Turks and captured Palestine. Four hundred years of Turkish rule had ended. Just six weeks before the annex of Turk...

History of Air Transport and Airport

History of Air Transport and Airport Introduction Transport economics mainly focus on the movement of goods and people over time and space. There are different modes of transport used to transport goods and people from one region to another. These include road transport, air transport, rail transport, sea and air transport.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of Air Transport and Airport specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All these modes have their advantages and disadvantages and the choice of one mode of transport depends on several factors such as speed, costs, convenience, and many other factors. In transport economics, the cost of transport is very important since it plays an important role in facilitation of trade. This topic analyses transport economics specifically on the area of air transport. History of Air Transport Among all the other modes of transport, air transport was among the last modes to be developed. Before the developmen t of air transport, the other modes of transport such as road and sea transport, which were developed many years ago, were used. In the ancient times before the discovery of modern modes of transport, people used to walk by foot from place to another implying that, even for people to exchange goods and services, they had to walk by foot from one market place to another. This mode of exchange was very cumbersome for many reasons. First, it was time consuming; secondly, the quantity of goods to be transported was very little and this phenomenon made it difficult to trade and the transport was so inconvenient. However, as the time went by, different modes of transport were developed which reduced the cost of transport. For instance, roads were developed and trucks could be used to transport goods from one region to another. Rail and water transport were developed and goods could now be transported over long distances. Development of rail and water transport made it possible for traders to exchange their goods from country or continent to another and this facilitated more trade and reduced costs of transportation. However, the development of these three modes of transport (road, rail, and sea) transport did not solve the problem of transport completely. A mode of transport that was faster and more convenient was required. This need led to the development of air transport in the early twentieth century.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Through innovation of airplane, trade was taken to another new level where goods could now be exchanged at faster rate than before. Air transport made it possible to transport goods and people from one region to another within few minutes. Perishable goods, which could not be exchanged before due to their nature, could now be transported from one region to another. Movement of goods and people was enhanced i n all parts of the globe. The cost of transport was also reduced in a large proportion by the development of the air transport. Since then, air transport has been developing with discovery of more advanced aircrafts, which has made transport of goods and people faster and more convenient. Development of Airport Discovery of aircrafts facilitated development of airports that act as the hubs of air transport. Airports have developed over the years as more advanced airplanes are developed. Airports have been developed in all the countries in the world. In developed countries, there are numerous airports in almost all the major towns to facilitate transportations of goods and services from one region to another. Global cities such as London, New York, Paris and many others that serve as the centre of international trade have developed large and modern airports over the last years to enhance transportation of people and goods in all the regions of the world. Airlines from different compa nies use these major airports as their centre to all the other routes in the world. Air transport and economic development The development of air transport over the years has transformed trade through increased movement of goods and passengers. Due to speed and convenience of the air transport, many businesses people carrying out international and domestic trade have opted for this mode of transport despite its high charges. According to Daley, air transport has made a positive contribution to the economy over the time (210). The graph below shows the relationship between economic growth and the volume of goods and passengers using air transport from 1950 to 2008. Source: The Geography of Transport SystemsAdvertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of Air Transport and Airport specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Between 1950 and 2008, airfreight and air passengers’ traffic was growing faster than the worl d economic growth rate. This can be attributed to the capability of the air transport to reduce time and space which attracted more goods and people to this mode. Around 1960, there was congestion in the air transport traffic and air transport companies were looking for airplanes that could carry more passengers and goods. In 1970s, there was revolution in the air industry after development of large capacity airplanes, which could carry larger capacity and charge low prices. This increased global economic growth. As Xiaowen, Tae and Anming note, increased competition and efficiency has also increased demand of air transport (p.24). Thus, economic growth and air transport are closely related and development of air transport has increased global economic growth. Airport security Though the development of air transport has transformed world trade, it has come along with negatives effects that have seriously affected the lives of people. These negative effects include environmental poll ution, air accidents, increased illegal trafficking of goods and people among other problems. Over the past years, the issue of insecurity has become a major global challenge due to increased cases of crimes in aircraft and airports. Due to increased volume of people using air transport, airports have become potential targets for crimes such as terrorism and other kinds of crimes. Airport provides a large crowd that is concentrated on a small area, which makes it highly susceptible to terrorism attacks. Large global airlines are also targeted due to their carrying capacity of their aircraft. The 9/11 terrorist attack at the World Trade Centre headquarters in New York in 2002 represents one of the recent terrorism attack on aircrafts. Due to increased cases of terrorism attacks and especially after the 9/11 attack, airport, and aircraft security has become a very sensitive issue in the whole world. Strict measures have been put in air transport to prevent such occurrences in future. Lord indicates that, risk assessment in the airport security is necessary in all the airports (1). According to United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), report security scrutiny should also be done even in foreign airports and aircraft to prevent cases of terrorism (111). Techniques and various methods have been adopted in airports in the world to ensure that aircrafts and airports are protected from any potential attack. New techniques have been developed to screen both people and goods in the airport in the search for bombs and other explosives.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Daley, Ben. â€Å"Is air transport an effective tool for sustainable development?† Sustainable Development journal 17.4 (2009): 210-219. Lord, Stephen. â€Å"A National Strategy and Other Actions Would Strengthen TSAs Efforts to Secure Commercial Airport Perimeters and Access Controls.† GAO Reports, 2009: 1-97. The geography of transport systems. Air Transportation Growth (Passengers and Freight) and Economic Growth, 2011. Web. https://transportgeography.org/ United States Government Accountability Office. â€Å"Aviation Security: Foreign Airport Assessments and Air Carrier Inspections Help Enhance Security, but Oversight of These Efforts Can Be Strengthened: GAO-07-729.† GAO Reports, 2007: 96-124. Xiaowen, Fu, Tae, Hoon, and Anming, Zhang. â€Å"Air Transport Liberalization and Its Impacts on Airline Competition and Air Passenger Traffic.† Transportation Journal 49.4 (2011):24-41.

How to Register for the PSAT 3 Simple Steps

How to Register for the PSAT 3 Simple Steps SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every autumn, sophomores and juniors have the opportunity to take the PSAT. But how exactly does the PSAT registration process work? Does everyone have the same PSAT sign up date? What does it cost to take the PSAT? Here, we'll teach you everything you need to know about PSAT registration. We'll start with a brief overview of how registration works and then go over the three key steps you need to take in order to register for the PSAT. We'll also touch on how to register if you’re homeschooled or living outside the US before finishing with our toptips for ensuring a smoothPSAT registration process. PSAT Registration: Overview Unlike the SAT, for which you register online through the College Board, you will register for the PSAT through your own high school. Exactly how the PSAT sign up process works will depend on yourschool. Basically, though,here's how it works: schools inform their students when the PSAT registration deadline is, and then give instructions on how to register and pay for the test. The PSAT is offered three times a year in the autumn on a primary date, Saturday date, and alternate date. Your school will select the date on which it will administer the PSAT. Most schools choose the primary date, but some might insteadadminister the PSAT on one of the two alternate dates should the primary date not workwell with the school’s schedule. Here is the 2019 PSAT testing schedule, confirmed by the College Board. For information on future PSAT test dates, refer to our guide. Primary Date Saturday Date Alternate Date Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Saturday, October 19, 2019 Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Many schools will require you to register for the PSAT around September. Unfortunately, not all schools administer the PSAT.If your high school isn't going to offerthe PSAT, you may take the test atanother nearby school that is offeringit. Next, we'll walk through the PSAT registration process and look athow to search for high schools offering the PSAT in case your school doesn't plan toadminister it. How to Register for the PSAT: 3-Step Guide Here, we go over the three steps required to register for the PSAT at your (or a nearby) school. Step 1: Determine Whether Your School Will Offer the PSAT First, you must determine whether your high school will actually administer the PSAT. The easiest way to check this is to use the College Board'sschool search tool,whichlooks like this: With this tool, all you have to do is type in the name of your school and its city, state (if applicable), zip code, and country. Once you click "Search," you'll getan entry with the name and address of your school as well as its assessment and test date. On the drop-downmenu, click "PSAT/NMSQT Fall 2019." (If fall 2019 dates aren't available yet, click "Fall 2018" to see whether your school offered the PSAT last year.) Here’s an example of a school in Houstonthat offered the 2016 PSAT on that year's primary date: If you know for sure your school will not be offering the PSAT or if you’re a homeschooled student, you can instead search for your city, state, and zip code to see which schools around you will be offering the PSAT.This type of search can help narrow down your options, ultimately allowing youto select the school that's most convenient for you. Alternatively, if you don't want to use this search tool, you can ask your counselor whether your school will be offering the PSAT or whether they know of any nearby schools that plan to offer it. Step 2: Find Out Your PSAT Registration Deadline and Test Date Most high schools opt forthe primary test date, which is always a weekday in early or mid-October.However,some schools might choose the Saturday PSAT date or the alternate test date instead to accommodate special schedules or religious observances. To find out when your school will be administering the PSAT, consult your counselor or look at the 2019 PSATadministration date for your school using theschool search tool. Here’s an example of two schools in the same city with different administration dates. One school administered the 2016 PSAT on the primary test date, whereas the other administered the test on the Saturday date: Your school should inform you prior to the PSAT test dates when the examwill take place. If you haven’t heard anything by early or mid-September, talk to yourcounselor. Step 3: Sign Up and Pay for the PSAT Your next step is to register for the PSAT. Simple, right? Here's the kicker, though: PSAT sign up methods vary by school.So while some schools might require you to registerand pay for the test in person, others might require you to go online and register through a website. (You'llnever register for the PSAT through the College Board.) For example, in 2016,this high schoolrequired students to register for the PSAT online and pay for it later in person, whilethis school requires students to register and pay for the PSAT all in person. Whatever the case, your school should offer clear instructions on how to completeyourPSAT sign up.Schools typically hand out or email PSAT registration information to students inthe early fall. If you're planning to take the PSAT at a different school, you'll need to call thatschool or contact one of itscounselors to inquire about the PSAT registration process and see whether the process differs for students who do not attend that school. When registering for the PSAT, you’ll typically provide basic identifying information, including your full name, home address, phone number, email address, grade level, and student ID number (if applicable). The PSAT costs $16 per student,butsome schools might cover all or part of this fee. Likewise, some schools might charge more than $16 in order to compensate for the use of proctors and test administrators. Either way, your school should tell you how much you'll need to pay for the PSAT and how to submit your payment. Most schools accept cash or checks, but what is considered an acceptable form of payment will vary depending on the school. Checks will most likely be addressedto your school (never to the College Board). Finally,if you're alow-income junior, you might qualify for a PSAT fee waiver. To confirmyour eligibility, talk withyour counselor. Only schools- not students!- maycontact the College Board to request fee waivers. If you have any questions or concerns about PSAT registration or paying for the PSAT, it's best to consult your counselor directly. And there you have it: everything you need to know and do in order to register for the PSAT! Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? Check out our best-in-class online PSAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your PSAT score by 150 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions and two official PSAT practice tests. Check out our 5-day free trial: How to Register for the PSAT If You’re Homeschooled If you’re homeschooled, you can still register for the PSAT- you just need to find a school that administers it.Here are the steps to follow: Step 1: Get in Touch With a Local High School Use theCollege Board’s high school search tooltolook for schools offering the PSAT or to confirm that the high school you want to test at will be administeringthe PSAT. The College Board recommends reaching out to schoolsfour months beforethe testtoensure you'll have ample time to work out registration logistics and solidify your test-taking plans. Step 2: Request a Copy of the Official Student Guide From the School This free guide will tell you everything you need to know about the PSAT and even comeswith a full-length practice test. You can alsodownload the PSAT guide from the College Board website. Step 3: Determine Whether You Qualify for a Fee Waiver Generally, those who qualify for PSAT fee waivers are low-income th graders. I suggest reviewing the eligibility requirements and then consulting a counselor at your selected school to determine whether you're eligible. Note that homeschooled students may not request fee waivers directly from the College Board. How to Register for the PSAT If You’re Living Outside the US You don’t need to be a current resident of the US or even a US citizen to take the PSAT. Unfortunately, non-US citizens and non-permanent residents are not eligible for National Merit scholarships, so there's not much incentive for international students to take the exam outside the US. On the other hand, if you're a US citizen (in the th grade or equivalent) who is currently living abroad, you are eligible for National Merit consideration. Here's how you can register for the PSAT abroad: Step 1: Contact a Local School That Offers the PSAT If you’re not sure which schools are offering the PSAT, use the College Board’s school search tool to look for schools. Make sure you start this process early- you should ideally reach out to schools in your area at least four months before the primary PSAT test date. Step 2: Contact an English-Speaking Educator This educator should guide you through the PSATregistration process and help you pay for the exam at your selected school. Step 3: Request a Copy of the Official Student Guide From the School Your school should give you a copy of this guide once you’ve registered for the PSAT. This free test guide contains a full-length practice PSAT in addition to tons of information on what the PSAT is and what kinds of skills it tests. Alternatively, you can download it from the College Board website. How to Request PSAT Accommodations for a Disability Students who have documented disabilities may request special accommodations for the PSAT. Examples of accommodations include braille booklets, large-type test booklets, additional time, and extended breaks. To request an accommodation, ask your school counselor to submit an official request to the College Board Services for Students with Disabilities on your behalf. The process usually takes about seven weeks,so be sure to start early. If you're given any accommodations for your disability withouthaving received prior approval from the College Board, your PSAT scores will be canceled. So don’t dawdle- talk to your counselor as early as possible to secure theaccommodations you need for test day! 5 Tips for Ensuring a Smooth PSAT Registration Process Before you register for the PSAT, follow our five tips below to ensure asmooth and error-free registration process. #1: Start the Process Early Unless your counselor has confirmed your school's PSAT intentions, you can't just assume your school will be offering the PSAT. This is why I suggest starting the PSAT process early, ideally at the end of your sophomore year. During this time, ask your counselor whether your school will be administering the PSAT and when. If you know that your school won’t be offering the PSAT (or if you are homeschooled), start looking for schools in your area that will be offering it, and get in touch with them as soon as possible. Remember, it's necessary to give yourself plenty of time to contact schools, especially if you'll be asking about fee waivers or requesting special accommodations for a disability. #2: Keep Your October Schedule Open Usually, all PSAT dates are scheduled for October, so you'll want to keep your October schedule fairly empty in order to accommodate the PSAT- particularly if your school hasn't yet announced the exact date on which it will administer the test. To avoid conflict, don't schedule dentist or orthodontist appointments on Wednesday mornings, and don't plan any weekend getaways in case your school chooses the Saturday test date. #3: Ask About Fee Waivers Many students fail to realize they qualify for a PSAT fee waiver, which is why we suggest talking to your counselor early in the PSAT registration process about discounts for low-income th graders. Note that PSAT fee waivers apply to all sorts of students, including homeschooled students, US citizens testing outside the US, and non-US citizens testing in the US. There is a caveat, though: fee waivers only cover the actual cost of the exam ($16) and not any additional fees that might be required by the school. So even with a fee waiver, you might still have to pay a nominal fee in order to take the PSAT. As always, check with your school for details. #4: Decide Whether You’ll Take the PSAT as a Sophomore Most students take the PSAT as juniors, but some choose totake the PSAT as sophomores toget afeel for the format of the test and what you’ll be expected to know. The downside?Sophomores are not eligible for National Merit scholarships, which target high-scoring juniors only, so there is no monetary benefit to taking the PSAT as a sophomore. Despite this con, taking the PSAT early can help familiarize you with ;the structure and content of the exam, ultimately increasing your chance of qualifying for National Merit as a junior. So if you truly want to give yourself your best shot at qualifying for National Merit in the future, go ahead and register for the PSAT as a sophomore! #5: Consult Your Counselor for Questions Last but not least, always consult your school counselor if you have any questions about the PSAT, such as when the test is, how to submit your payment, and how to request fee waivers and special accommodations. Ultimately, when it comes to your school, your counselor will be the most reliable PSAT resource available! Recap: How PSAT Registration Works All students register for the PSAT through their high schools or through a local school should their own school not administer the exam. Each school conducts its own PSAT registration process and will explain to students when the test is and how students can sign up and pay for it. Fee waivers are usually available to low-income th graders. If you are homeschooled or do not currently reside in the US, you can still take the PSAT. To register, contact a local high school that’s administering the PSAT and ask whether you can take it there. If you need special accommodations for a disability, you can request these ahead of time through your counselor. Finally, don't forget these five essential tips guaranteed to help your ;PSAT registration proceed as smoothly as possible: Start early and confirm that your school actually offers the PSAT Keep your fall schedule, especially October, relatively empty to account for all PSAT test dates Ask your counselor about fee waivers and see whether you’re eligible for one Decide whether you’d be interested in taking the PSAT as a sophomore Direct any PSAT-related questions to your counselor What’s Next? Need a rundown of the PSAT before you register for it? Check out our in-depth PSAT guide to learn what the test is, how it's scored, and what kinds of skills you'll need to master to achieve a great PSAT score on test day. Want to learn about PSAT scoring? Our complete guide explains everything you need to know about PSAT score distribution, percentiles, and cutoff scores for National Merit consideration. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Take home exam for law and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Take home exam for law and ethics - Essay Example It is in this respect wherein the concept of the best practices in corporate governance emerged. An important element that constitutes best practices in corporate governance is transparency. This can be in the form of disclosure, which most capital markets require from its listed companies. What is recommended here is for such corporate policy to be codified as part of the organization’s rules and regulations. For example, Berghe wrote that majority of best practices in corporate governance in the area of transparency is the explicit rule in the code that financial performance, including the related interests of the members of the board should be reported in the annual report to shareholders.1 In addition to the disclosure of the financial reports, best practices mandate that other pertinent information should also be made available, including, but not limited to, instances of share ownership and voting rights. The names of the board members, managers (including their compensation) should not remain hidden as well. The significance of these variables variable has been demonstrated in the bankruptcy of Enron. It was only during the intense media and government scrutiny after the company announced its financial woes that the exorbitant compensation packages of its executives were revealed along with its â€Å"creative† accounting practices. Certainly, the importance of disclosure in corporate governance is particularly highlighted during crises. If full transparency is ensured, audit, performance evaluations, and other assessments and mechanisms can function properly in order to ensure that the organization is on track in achieving its objectives and compatible with sound corporate governance. Another component of best practices is the explicit rule in a corporate code of best practices to establish ethical and corporate governance standards. A number of stock

Nursing Informatics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Nursing Informatics - Coursework Example Any information that is considered private and confidential should never be disclosed to the third party unless that patient gives consent. Patient information should not be shared without his knowledge, as there are various ethical complications associated with disclosing any health information. The information can be revealed for the best interest of the patient, is autonomy, and the public interest. If an individual has a contagious disease, the medics can reveal his health information for the public’s interest (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015). Supporting the patients’ autonomy is important and it is possible to avoid ethical problems by giving patients enough information about information disclosure. Some information may be disclosed without the patient’s consent especially when it is to the best interest of the patient that the information be disclosed to the relatives. Confidentiality is important to the patients as it provides a secure environment conducive for them to seek medical care and be open with the details of their illnesses. Confidentiality also makes the public have trust on the health professionals and ensure that the respect for the patients autonomy is respected. People have the right to choose people who can access their health information although the medical practitioners can breach confidentiality when necessary. Data breaches in hospitals and health centers are on the rise posing a challenge in protecting electronic patient health information. There are various steps for health care organizations to take to safeguard their patients’ information such as using secure transmissions by using a minimum of 128-bit encryption when transferring sensitive data (Rehg, 2014). The medical professionals can also perform an annual risk assessment and address any security issues, especially with the current cloud computing. Beefing up physical security and having clear access control policies will help identify whether people

Research Paper for Ethics Criminal Justice Class

For Ethics Criminal Justice Class - Research Paper Example â€Å"According to Bloxham & Kushner (2005), it was very unethical for the commanders to follow the laws and orders of the Third Reich during the Holocaust.† The following quote show the hatred developed by most Germans against the Jews â€Å"A Jew is for me an object of disgust. I feel like vomiting when I see one. Christ could not possibly have been a Jew. It is not necessary to prove that scientifically – it is a fact.  I do not need to prove this with  science  or scholarship. It is so!† The Third Reich was the official Nazi designation for the regime ruling Germany from January 1933 to may 1945 under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. This Third Reich was a presumed successor of the medieval and early modern Holy Roman Empire of 800 to 1806, which was the First Reich, while the German empire from 1871 to 1918 formed the Second Reich. The Third Reich operated on laws and orders that were discriminatory to people who were of different races from the Germans, especially the Jews and the polish. As such, the obedience by their commanders of these laws and regulations to continually persecute and exterminate the Jews and polish in German concentration camps was very unethical. These laws and orders as followed by the Third Reich were extremely immoral and unethical. Furthermore, they were particularly against the Jewish people. â€Å"Bergen (2003) argues that their defense during the Nuremberg trials was utterly wrong and unsuccessful, as law or no law; it is unethical an d inhumane to persecute and execute others just to follow orders†. The word Holocaust originates from the Greeks, comprising a combination of two Greek words, â€Å"holos† which means whole, and â€Å"kaustos† which means burned. The Greek used this word historically to refer to or describe a sacrificial offering that they offered burned on an altar. However, this term acquired a new and horrendous meaning during the Nazi regime and

Learning Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Learning Reflection - Essay Example Also, I learned how to manage issues of the healthcare setting, and how imperative healthcare quality and wellbeing is for patients, family, and team member. Health starts with proper management of care. I realized how management is crucial for improving productivity and quality of the health care. The issues blend well with the two program Learning Outcomes I selected. This is because managing is an important step to a proper health care setting. It is also important that as a leader, one must possess the skills necessary for operations. The two Program Learning Outcomes have supported my way of thinking about what could happen or what is expected. There were several case scenarios that were used for me to make a managerial decision. The scenarios gave me the opportunity to use my judgment and make important decisions. Hence, I have been critical on issues needed for quality and safe healthcare practices. The discussion questions gave me the opportunity to read my online classmate thoughts and opinions. In addition, it gave me the opportunity to form my thoughts and opinions about the course of discussion. The course readings and the reading of classmate discussion were valuable as I have been able to offer critical analysis to issues at

World War III. Introducing C. Wright Mills and Goertzel Article Essay

World War III. Introducing C. Wright Mills and Goertzel Article - Essay Example Mills's collection market paper- back, The Causes of World War III, sold more than one hundred thousand copies to the civilians who were anguished by the Sputnik after they comprehended that the United States did not contribute to the campaign against the altering of the nuclear attack (Mills 32). In the book â€Å"The Causes of World War III†, it is noted that there was a â€Å"relentless thrust of assertion and a bludgeoning style, none of which affected the complexity of argument or the credibility of evidence†. According to Mills it was much easier for the Soviet Union to substitute the impassioned description for a thorough analysis. In spite of these weaknesses, Mills tries to view and compare the elites of United States and the Soviet Union in the year 1950. This is aimed at drifting and thrusting a force towards the war that was alleged to have affected the nations. In the year 1958, Mills describes that it was not evident that United States was ever going to en d the war with the North Vietnam or the Soviet Union. This was anticipated to the post World War II domination of the world strategies that were imposed by Americans and the Soviet Union and it was due to turn down. ... The explosion of the New Left movements in the 1960s is not only attributed to his art work alone, but they undoubtedly contributed to it. Mills' policies were not based on the prediction of the future, but the change that was to be inculcated. The New Left was often disparaged for not abiding by the policies that composed of positive proposals for change. Mills evaded the problem and through his pacifist manifesto of 1958, the radical, utopian demands, such as unilateral nuclear disarmament were combined with the practical modification that could easily be accepted by liberals. This included the recognition of Red China, the increment of foreign aid, and the enhancement of student interactions with the Soviet Union. Majority of the liberal reforms, were implemented making the book to yield not only in the promotion of specific policy proposals, but in shaping the zeitgeist of 10s prejudice. The potency and shortcomings of the New Left are projected in Mills’ polemical writing s (Mills 54). Facts Goertzel Uses Against Mills Analysis According to Mills analysis, there has been an introduction of the power elite in the 1960s. These are termed as the definitive assumptions, terminologies and research techniques. The objective approach of the examining group’s success is directed by the economic resources. The main principle of the sanction of power is the ability to maintain a balanced national income. The industrial complex is increasingly dominating the American nation. Goertzel states that there have been two main intervals of military upsurge during the last thirty years - the Vietnam War and the Reagan years. These upsurges are exceptional of the longer trend. These exclusions have been as

One Lie Leads to Another Essay Example for Free

One Lie Leads to Another Essay Lying is when a person does not tell the truth or does not tell all the facts. Why do people lie? There may be many different opinions and maybe even many different excuses of why people lie. One thing is right thought and that is that lying is considered morally wrong in our society. In the United States Army lying is considered one of the most immoral actions a soldier or anyone else can take towards the army, especially if it’s lying to an NCO. In the army there is a zero tolerance for liars and lying in general. Even thought lying is morally wrong people continue to lie in their everyday lives. As a soldier one must not fall into the temptation or fall below one’s army values and code of conduct. As a soldier one is looked upon and trusted to tell the truth no matter what. Lying to an NCO or officer is not the correct choice for a soldier to make no matter what kind of situation he has gone through, as a soldier you are expected to always respond with the truth and nothing but the truth. One of the reasons a soldier should not lie to an NCO is because Like I said before you might turn lying into another one of your habits in your lifestyle just like smoking and drinking. That is why, as a soldier of the United States Army one must always maintain his integrity and commit himself to always say the truth. Society and other fellow soldiers look up to you and lay their trust on you. But all that trust that is deposited to you by others can go out the window when you tell a lie. You may need another lie to cover your first lie and that is how it might keep going unless you tell the truth or you get caught on the spot. Just like the other habits it may not be so easy to break away from and just like the other habits it might not be good at all, for yourself and the others around you. Lying only keeps getting you into more and more trouble so the best thing to do is to always stick to the truth and wait for the best. He may have to face severe consequences like physical labor or other types of military corrective actions. Lying also only leads to more and more lies. Now his punishment might have been doubled because of that. e if he is caught lying he might find himself in a worst situation. One lie leads to another and then to another and so on and so on. The NCOs can be looked upon as the representatives of the people in the United States Army and lying to them can be viewed as lying to the people. You now hold a large responsibility in your hands as soon as you wear the uniform of the United States Army.

Acquisition of Nursing Critical Thinking Skills Strategies

Acquisition of Nursing Critical Thinking Skills Strategies Aims Aims are general statements of the expected educational intentions of the subject taught (Butt, 2006). The aims of the lesson are: 1. To provide nursing students with opportunities to acquire critical thinking abilities necessary for distinguishing genuine patients 2. To enable students to apply and implement the learnt critical thinking strategies learnt in actual practice with human patients. 3. To provide opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills and practice clinical decision-making with appropriate faculty guidance. 4. To equip the students with the necessary assessment skills required in identifying patient problems, analysing these problems in terms of their implications for the underlying disease processes and psychosocial needs, and taking actions to optimize the recovery situation. Learning Objectives Learning objectives are specific and measurable targets to be attained by students taught (Kerry, 2002). By the end of the lesson, the student shall be able to: 1. Recall knowledge and facts learnt in class. 2. Apply the comprehension thinking to articulate and establish the relationship among data. 3. Apply the concept learning new hypothetical situation to arrive at correct answer. 4. Apply the analysis in breaking problems into components and examine the components to establish trends and evidence generalization. 5. Present items or thoughts together in new ways-synthesis. 6. Evaluate arguments for validity or relative worth of a view point or process based on established criteria. Teaching Philosophy The teaching philosophy for lessons is derived from social and situational theories that put focus on relationships and interaction between individuals as basis for learning process (International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Worasinchai Ribiere, 2014). The theories hold that students must engage in meaningful discussions and conversation with one another in order to learn from them. I hold the view that students learn best from their peers. Consequently, peer learning shall be done in every teaching session. Teaching Strategies Teaching strategies are methods and processes the teacher uses to engage student and facilitate the learning process (Programme for International Student Assessment., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2010). These strategies are outlined below. 1. Peer learning. Peer learning is a learning strategy that entails students learning from themselves in pairs or groups (Frankland, 2007). For peer learning section, the teach er shall group students and provide task for each group to perform. Peers shall together to set up a support network for group learning and support. 2. Observation and feedback. The teacher provides clear, honest, detailed and objective feedback on the learner’s performance so they may identify areas in need of improvement or levels of achievement. 3. Demonstration Demonstration is a type of learning that involves exhibition and explanation of the concept, process, procedure, idea or experiment (Sankaranarayanan Sindhu, 2012). A student will be allocated to perform as a patient with a scenario, and the students will talk to him while he answers them. 4. Reflection. Reflection involves careful consideration of concepts, ideas, knowledge, beliefs, processes and information on the basis of its premises and conclusions that supports it (Suqerman, 2000). Time to make sense of things will be given after the performance of the human stimulator to make sense of everything. 5. Lecture A lecture is a method of teaching that involves the presentation of the subject through talking (Jarvis, 1995). The teacher will explain various concepts in class. Lecture time shall be used by the teacher to teach students about the topic for the session. 6. PowerPoint Presentation The teacher will make a short presentation to introduce the topic and key issues. Procedure The teacher makes a 15 minute PowerPoint presentation followed by a 15 minutes pre-test (multiple answer questions) given to students. Session begins, each having 120 minutes 1. The teacher gives a 15min lecture to students. 2. 15 minutes pre-test given to students (7 multiple answer questions). 3. Teacher asks one student to pretend as patient and the rest of students as the student question. The demonstration and practice on human stimulator as patient last for 20 min. 4. Students can ask reflection questions on the demonstration for 10 min. 5. Students give 10 min break. 6. Students placed in groups and asked to discuss the concept learnt with their peers for 20 min. 7. The teacher gives students observation feedback for 15 min. 8. 15 minutes post-test given to students (5 multiple answer question). Rationale Critical thinking is an essential skill learnt by students studying to become nurses. It is defined as a process of intellectually and actively conceptualizing, using, analysing, synthesizing and assessing information to guide action or belief (Higgs, 2008). Critical thinking is based on intellectual competencies such as clarity, accuracy, breadth and precision and logic (White, Duncan Baumie, 2013). Nurses use critical thinking skills to apply model and theories learnt in their studies to patients (Cody Kenney, 2006). Nurses are required to make well-reasoned clinical decisions derived from reflection and critical thinking. To this end, they are taught critical thinking strategies equip them with skills needed to make decisions reasoning. Critical thinking enables the nurses to establish the needs of patients and make a decision on the most appropriate nursing action to take (Brunner Smeltzer, 2010). Some nursing schools offer critical thinking course as a separate unit requiremen t. Others integrate its concepts in other related course subjects. Irrespective of how nursing schools approach the teaching of critical thinking skills, it remains important in nursing practice. Critical thinking according to Watson and Glaser has three elements. These elements are skills, knowledge and attitude (Hersen Thomas, 2003). A critical thinker must be motivated to look at the problem and find solutions to it. He or she must also have good understanding and knowledge of the problem (Bradshaw Lowenstein, 2011). More importantly the person must have the appropriate skill to apply and knowledge to resolve problems (Andrea, 2009). Nurses are confronted by problems that often need quick and appropriate solutions. For instance, a nurse is expected to make a decision on whether to call a doctor or ignore when the patient conditions deteriorates. His or her decision can either save the patient’s life or lead to death. Hence, they require training on critical skills to equ ip them with abilities to make independent judgement and assessment patient’s conditions (Lyer, 2006). Nurses apply critical thinking skills in various aspects of their work. In assessment, nurses use critical skills to gather relevant data from patients through interview, observation or from records (Comer, 2005). They must also have critical thinking skills to differentiate important from non-important data and validate the data using other data sources. In diagnosis, they use the skills to organize data into patterns, establish a relationship between data and make a comparison between patterns and theories (Wilkinson, 1996). Again, the skills are used to explore individual assumptions on patients’ conditions and make a judgment on patients’ health concern and explain those concerns to the clients. In planning, critical thinking skills are used to identify patients concerns, find out desired health outcome and choose suitable intervention. On the other hand, i n the implementation, nurses use the skills execute interventions make comparison of baseline data and prevailing status. The teaching plan for the delivering the topic ‘Strategies for the Acquisition of Nursing Critical Thinking Skills’, Incorporates entrenched teaching practices and learning theories. The teaching plan is more students centred. Student-centred learning put emphasis on discovery of knowledge as opposed to passing information (Cook Sittler, 2008). Only 50 minutes out of 120 session minutes are dedicated for teachers’ active involvement in class. The remaining time is taken up by student-centred teaching methods that include peer teaching, demonstration, and reflection. These student centred methods of teaching support social learning theories that focus on peer learning as most suitable method of acquiring knowledge. Given that the program involves the development critical thinking skills, students can learn better by applying what they have lea rnt by interacting with peers. The demonstration part of the teaching gives the student opportunity to identify a problem and use learnt skills to solve it. They are expected to extract useful information from the patient and use it to understand the patients concerns. These tasks require critical thinking skills. The course content for teaching critical thinking skills is very elaborate. It encompasses key areas of learning that include the development of critical thinking skills and characteristics of a thinker. Besides, the learning outcomes have all been considered in the development of the teaching plan. Consequently, the plan meets the key requirement of teaching plans. Teaching plans have aims, procedure and resources (Mariotti, 2009). This information is captured in the template and it relates to the main topic. Apart from course content, there are sections of the plan that are to provide information on situational factors that may have effects on the learning critical think ing skills. These sections include learners’ entry level and special needs. Reflection in action Reflection is a philosophical understanding of how one can pick up learning through experience and use distinctive methodologies to the same situation (Nairn et al. 2012). It is also the persistent process of active thinking and putting into consideration the supporting evidence that forms knowledge to a given scenario. Critical reflection is facilitated by a person’s mind and emotions. According to Vachon and Leblanc (2011), reflective practitioners are characterised by open-mindedness, whole heartedness and responsibility. Reflection prior to action is essential for impacting learning and teaching because it allows for the teaching plan to cater for individual learners based on theoretical conceptualisations of their needs and interests. I was, therefore, prepared to meet the students, interested and motivated to learn how to apply critical thinking in the field of nursing correctly. I also anticipated that the use of a variety of teaching strategies such as PowerPoint prese ntation, discussion questions, a brief demonstration, group work and group discussions would cater for the different learning styles of the participants. For the teaching and learning process to conform to how critical thinking is practised, I therefore saw it very vital to modify strategies and approaches during the presentation to meet demands that were not catered for in the planning phase. In delivering the lecture, I was quite confident as I have worked as a clinical nurse in hospital for three years, giving students necessary skills for working in a lab area, hospital or other working environment. The allotted time for my lecture was 15 minutes, but my teaching plan was structured to cover a slightly longer time frame. I, therefore, had to make a decision to adjust some of the strategies and to approach some aspects of the lesson differently from what was outlined in the teaching plan. To ensure that students understood well this concept, I took the initiative of not following the teaching plan as initially outlined. The PowerPoint presentation was the first to be presented. However, there was no enough time for questions from the students, as well as discussion hence clarification of the unclear concept, was not successful. I went on to demonstrate the procedure of acquiring critical thinking while repeating the initial PowerPoint presentation. This demonstration helped to clarify any concerns the participants would have had from the initial presentation. This is because they had a chance to view the step-by-step procedure. My experience facilitated the quick movement through the procedure without neglecting relevant details and therefore the students were able to understand the process. I gave each student the opportunity to demonstrate the procedure. Each student constructed a checklist which he or she would use to perform the procedure. Thereafter, each student demonstrated the procedure while one of the other students explained to the students what was being done. The modifications I made to the teaching plan were important because they met the stated objectives within a given timeframe. The reflective process that I followed in order to make the adjustments was essential, and is terms as reflection in action (Ely Scott, 2007). Feedback played a key role in the process. From the comments made by the students in their fifteen-minute post-test, I believe that the process of reflection was successful. Although there were constraints such as non-adherence to the teaching plan and time shortage, the objectives of the teaching session were successfully met. The students reported that they got an understanding of how to perform the procedure, the steps to follow and the order in which those steps are followed. In addition to the students reporting that they are able to understand the procedure, I was able to estimate how well they understand the procedure based on the demonstration and narration that they exhibited. During each demonstration, I observed the student performing the procedure, and whenever a mistake was being made, I quickly pointed it out so that the correction could be made immediately. With these corrections, they were able to understand the procedure even better. The students themselves were able to reflect in action, revealing that in any learning situation all parties have to be actively involved in reflecting on and modifying practice (Rubenfeld Scheffer, 2010). In general, the teaching session was a decent experience for me. I discovered that in conveying teaching sessions, the instructor must consider the needs of the understudies and that their individual learning styles must put into consideration. Outcome criteria The outcome criteria are another important process in nursing. In this process, what nurses have been learning and practicing is put into practice. To accomplish the objective of this process, the students demonstrated knowledge of the performance procedures, risks and precautions related to acquisition of critical thinking in nursing by producing a ten-minute reflective paper, earnestly taking part in group discussions , airing their views, coming up with reflective questions and comments, teaming up in the making of an itemized informative agenda on the most proficient method to perform the process and doing a demonstration of the technique. Evaluation of teaching Amid this stage, I measured how well the students had understood the procedure. The key purpose of this stage was to gather information to assess the nursing consideration. The stage is simultaneous or on-going on the grounds that I assessed and settled on a choice amid the usage period by the students of the methodology. One of the key exercises that I carried out at this stage was to measure the attainment of the objective of goal and the modification of the teaching plan because I found out that it did not achieve the objectives (Bradshaw Lowenstein, 2011). To ensure that the evaluation process was successful, I issued the students with post-test sixth week of the teaching session. The post-test comprised a fifteen minute questionnaire where they had to tick in the boxes next to what was useful to them during the session. Moreover, by completing the questionnaire, I was able to see that the teaching session was successful because it met the criteria that all the notes that I had given them were relevant. Moreover, I ascertain that the procedure for acquiring critical thinking was well described and performed satisfactorily. Interviewing was also another criterion that I used to evaluate the teaching session. After interviewing the students, they said that they had gained a vast knowledge in the field of nursing especially in the application of critical thinking. They also said that through the demonstration and presentations in the class, they were able to gain a lot of knowledge that they would apply in their future career. I also picked two students who expressed a high level of performance as well as two who expressed a low level of performance and learning. I asked them to explain to me their views pertaining to the session, and they had different ideas. The high performing students said that the session went smoothly and that the objectives were successfully met. However, the other two students had some complaints. These complaints act as the basis for future recommendation in my teaching sessions. The students complained of inadequacy of time for discussion. This was quite a challenge because some students were not able to hear from each and every member of their group. This triggers me to allocate enough time in my next teaching session to avoid the issue of time constraint. The students also suggested that not all learning materials were available for the session hence recommended that in my next session that I ensure that they are in a capacity to access the internet. They also recommended that to ensure they are in a capacity to meet their learning objectives well they should be taken to a hospital setup where they can observe how the skill is applied. In summation, in my next lecture, I will evaluate of the entire learning session in the form of peer review. Here, I will ensure that the students make comments on each other’s procedure, commending good techniques and highlighting errors or oversights. I will also make appropriate general comments on the students’ performance of the procedure by making any further clarifications. Finally, I will require the students to complete a feedback evaluation of the lesson.

Atrocities Exposed in Amazing Grace :: Amazing Grace Essays

Atrocities Exposed in Amazing Grace  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      god bless mommy. god bless nanny. god, don't punish me because I'm black. The above is an excerpt of a prayer taken from one of the saddest, most disheartening books I've ever read. Jonathon Kozol based this book on a neighborhood in the South Bronx, called Mott Haven. Mott Haven happens to be not only the poorest district in New York, but possibly in the whole United States. Of the 48,000 living in this broken down, rat-infested neighborhood, two thirds are hispanic, one third is black and thirty-five percent are children. Not only is Mott Haven one of the poorest places, it is also one of the most racially segregated. The book itself is an on-going dialogue between Kozol and the neighborhoods residents, interjected every so often with thoughts from Kozol. He covers a spectrum of topics from AIDS, drug addiction, prostitution, crime, poorly run and funded schools, white flight from schools to over-crowded hospitals and the amazing faith in religion and God that many of these people have. Kozol makes several trips to Mott Haven and speaks with a myriad of people, children and adults alike. For instance, Kozol develops a rapport with a twelve year old hispanic boy named Anthony. Anthony is clever and loves to write stories. Some day he hopes to become a novelist. He also has a great faith in God. He makes some very poignant remarks pertaining to his neighborhood and life in general. For example, one day Kozol and Anthony are discussing if anyone in the neighborhood is truly happy and Kozol pints out that some of the children seem cheerful playing in the school playgrounds. Anthony quickly points out that cheerful and happy are not the same. Then as they are walking, Anthony stops and waves his hand around him in the neighborhood. Then he asks, "Would you be happy if you had to live here?" The only answer can be, NO. Kozol also speaks to many of the church leaders in the different communities of the South Bronx. In particular, he speaks often to Reverend Overall, known as Mother Martha to Anthony and the other children that attend her church. What is most amazing about Rev. Overall is the fact that she gave up a productive career as a lawyer to serve the people in the poorest community in America. Atrocities Exposed in Amazing Grace :: Amazing Grace Essays Atrocities Exposed in Amazing Grace  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      god bless mommy. god bless nanny. god, don't punish me because I'm black. The above is an excerpt of a prayer taken from one of the saddest, most disheartening books I've ever read. Jonathon Kozol based this book on a neighborhood in the South Bronx, called Mott Haven. Mott Haven happens to be not only the poorest district in New York, but possibly in the whole United States. Of the 48,000 living in this broken down, rat-infested neighborhood, two thirds are hispanic, one third is black and thirty-five percent are children. Not only is Mott Haven one of the poorest places, it is also one of the most racially segregated. The book itself is an on-going dialogue between Kozol and the neighborhoods residents, interjected every so often with thoughts from Kozol. He covers a spectrum of topics from AIDS, drug addiction, prostitution, crime, poorly run and funded schools, white flight from schools to over-crowded hospitals and the amazing faith in religion and God that many of these people have. Kozol makes several trips to Mott Haven and speaks with a myriad of people, children and adults alike. For instance, Kozol develops a rapport with a twelve year old hispanic boy named Anthony. Anthony is clever and loves to write stories. Some day he hopes to become a novelist. He also has a great faith in God. He makes some very poignant remarks pertaining to his neighborhood and life in general. For example, one day Kozol and Anthony are discussing if anyone in the neighborhood is truly happy and Kozol pints out that some of the children seem cheerful playing in the school playgrounds. Anthony quickly points out that cheerful and happy are not the same. Then as they are walking, Anthony stops and waves his hand around him in the neighborhood. Then he asks, "Would you be happy if you had to live here?" The only answer can be, NO. Kozol also speaks to many of the church leaders in the different communities of the South Bronx. In particular, he speaks often to Reverend Overall, known as Mother Martha to Anthony and the other children that attend her church. What is most amazing about Rev. Overall is the fact that she gave up a productive career as a lawyer to serve the people in the poorest community in America.

Richard P. Feynman :: Physics Biography Biographies

Richard P. Feynman Early Life Richard was born on May 11th, 1918 in New York City, the first son of Melville and Lucille Feynman. He enjoyed science and mathematics from a early age, most of which he took it upon himself to learn before it was taught in school. His primary source for self-learning was the Encyclopedia Britannica and a lab that he set up in his room at home. In this lab he dabbled in electronics, whether it was repairing the radio or just making some circuits. In high school, Feynman was ahead in physics and mathematics, already a master of differential equations, trigonometry, and other high levels of calculus, but he was lacking in his other subjects, such as English and history. Feynman applied to many schools, but was turned down either because of his lacking social science grades, or because he was a Jew. Massachusetts Institute of Technology accepted him readily though, as one would expect being a top scientific school even then, and he set out to major in mathematics, though this changed several times. Feynman was not satisified by doing mathematics without an end purpose, and so he eventually ended up in the field of physics, more specifically interested in quantum physics. Richard received his BS from MIT in 1939, four years after entering college, and went on to receive his PhD at Princeton. World War 2 After college is when Feynman really started to shine in his field. In 1942 he was asked to join the team that developed the atomic bomb in Los Alamos and Princeton. At first, he said no to helping to create a weapon of such mass destruction... until he thought about how Hitler probably would have no qualms in making a atom bomb. Richard was key in developing safe means to separate various radioactive materials and also ways to test what amount of uranium would be needed to achieve critical mass that did not require large scale detonations. Major contributions to Physics After World War II, and a brief respite from doing research, Feynman resumed where he had left off before the war with quantum physics. He worked on several projects over the next few decades, achieving successes in most of them. He and another physicist worked together to test and prove their theory on "weak decay," about how it occurs, what are the results of it, etc. His largest gift was his diagrams that describe the way that particles act in a certain system and tells one how to express this movement in mathematics, thus through a simple diagram one could analyze complex atomic interactions.

Psychological Testing Essay

This paper is all about the uses and varieties of personality and projective tests. It aims to determine which tool is more reliable and valid to use in measuring and predicting the behavior of an individual. Furthermore, this paper discusses the uniformity of two different texts used containing the same stance that personality tests exceed the projective terms in terms of convenience to use, reliability, and validity. Personality and Projective Tests Introduction Personality and projective tests are psychological tests used to measure and evaluate the behavior of individuals in the school, community, and even workplace setting. The tests function to determine the difference of personalities among different individuals (examinees) taking the same test. Upon taking the test, interpretation of examinees’ scores would depend on their respective test results. However, in this paper, researchers of different psychological tests suggest that personality tests are more reliable and valid compared to projective tests. Personality and Projective Tests Albert Hood & Richard Johnson (2008), a member of the American Counseling Association, collaborated to come up with Assessment in Counseling (2008), a book which discusses the different types of personality and projective tests. In the text, samples of personality tests include the following: the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory/MMPI2, Jackson’s Personality Research Form (PRF), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), California Psychological Inventory (CPI), and the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R). Further, CPI scale where 16 PF is adapted is recommended to be used for marriage and career counseling, job performance appraisals, and evaluation of management skills in the workplace. On the other hand, the different projective tests include the following: the Rorschach Ink Blot Test, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), House-Tree-Person (HTP), Roter Incomplete Sentences Blank, and Early Recollection. However, the Rorschach Inkblot Test was found to be the most commonly used projective technique to make inference of an individual’s behavior. In addition, Anne Anastasi (Dept. of Psychology in Fodrham University) and Susana Urbina (Dept. of Psychology in University of Florida) (2002), in their book Psychological Testing, suggest that personality tests are far better to use than projective tests since the latter is more complicated to execute and is more prone to erroneous interpretation regardless of the examiner’s years of experience in handling the test. Scope of the Literature Problem and Significance of the Problem The significance of the problem is to answer the question: â€Å"Which is a better tool to predict the behavior of an individual, is it the personality or the projective tests? † Research problem(s) Explored in the Study The two articles reviewed focus on the problem whether personality tests, observation, and inventories are more reliable, predictive tool in measuring the behavior of an individual rather than the projective tests. Hypothesis in the study Hypothesis of this study suggests that using personality inventories or psychological tests are better than using projective tests to assess a person’s behavior. Research Design and Methodology Research design to be used is descriptive correlational. The approach or tool to be used is the Pearson (r) correlation to determine the relationship between the two variables. Conclusion Psychological tests are tools to measure and predict the behavior of an individual. Depending on its purpose, personality tests and projective tests aim to assess personalities in different settings such as school, workplace, and community. In school, the tests serve the college students’ need to be counseled for the career that suits their personality; at work, the tests are used to evaluate which candidate is more fit for the job; and in the community, the tests determine who are mentally healthy and who are not for providing welfare. References Anastasi, A. & Urbina S. (2002). Psychological Testing. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Hood, A. B. & Johnson R. (2008). Assessment in Counseling: A Guide to Psychological Assessment Procedures. Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Foundation and Empire 11. Bride And Groom

THE MULE Less is known of â€Å"The Mule† than of any character of comparable significance to Galactic history. Even the period of his greatest renown is known to us chiefly through the eyes of his antagonists and, principally, through those of a young bride†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica Bayta's first sight of Haven was entirely the contrary of spectacular. Her husband pointed it out – a dull star lost in the emptiness of the Galaxy's edge. It was past the last sparse clusters, to where straggling points of light gleamed lonely. And even among these it was poor and inconspicuous. Toran was quite aware that as the earliest prelude to married life, the Red Dwarf lacked impressiveness and his lips curled self-consciously. â€Å"I know, Bay – It isn't exactly a proper change, is it? I mean from the Foundation to this.† â€Å"A horrible change, Toran. I should never have married you.† And when his face looked momentarily hurt, before he caught himself, she said with her special â€Å"cozy† tone, â€Å"All right, silly. Now let your lower lip droop and give me that special dying-duck look – the one just before you're supposed to bury your head on my shoulder, while I stroke your hair full of static electricity. You were fishing for some drivel, weren't you? You were expecting me to say ‘I'd be happy anywhere with you, Toran!' or ‘The interstellar depths themselves would be home, my sweet, were you but with me!' Now you admit it.† She pointed a finger at him and snatched it away an instant before his teeth closed upon it. He said, â€Å"If I surrender, and admit you're right, will you prepare dinner?† She nodded contentedly. He smiled, and just looked at her. She wasn't beautiful on the grand scale to others – he admitted that – even if everybody did look twice. Her hair was dark and glossy, though straight, her mouth a bit wide – but her meticulous, close-textured eyebrows separated a white, unlined forehead from the warmest mahogany eyes ever filled with smiles. And behind a very sturdily-built and staunchly-defended facade of practical, unromantic, hard-headedness towards life, there was just that little pool of softness that would never show if you poked for it, but could be reached if you knew just how – and never let on that you were looking for it. Toran adjusted the controls unnecessarily and decided to relax. He was one interstellar jump, and then several milli-microparsecs â€Å"on the straight† before manipulation by hand was necessary. He leaned over backwards to look into the storeroom, where Bayta was juggling appropriate containers. There was quite a bit of smugness about his attitude towards Bayta – the satisfied awe that marks the triumph of someone who has been hovering at the edge of an inferiority complex for three years. After all he was a provincial – and not merely a provincial, but the son of a renegade Trader. And she was of the Foundation itself – and not merely that, but she could trace her ancestry back to Mallow. And with all that, a tiny quiver underneath. To take her back to Haven, with its rock-world and cave-cities was bad enough. To have her face the traditional hostility of Trader for Foundation – nomad for city dweller – was worse. Still – After supper, the last jump! Haven was an angry crimson blaze, and the second planet was a ruddy patch of light with atmosphere-blurred rim and a half-sphere of darkness. Bayta leaned over the large view table with its spidering of crisscross lines that centered Haven II neatly. She said gravely, â€Å"I wish I had met your father first. If he takes a dislike to me-â€Å" â€Å"Then,† said Toran matter-of-factly, â€Å"you would be the first pretty girl to inspire that in him. Before he lost his arm and stopped roving around the Galaxy, he – Well, if you ask him about it, he'll talk to you about it till your ears wear down to a nubbin. After a while I got to thinking that he was embroidering; because he never told the same story twice the same way-â€Å" Haven II was rushing up at them now. The landlocked sea wheeled ponderously below them, slate-gray in the lowering dimness and lost to sight, here and there, among the wispy clouds. Mountains jutted raggedly along the coast. The sea became wrinkled with nearness and, as it veered off past the horizon just at the end, there was one vanishing glimpse of shore-hugging ice fields. Toran grunted under the fierce deceleration, â€Å"Is your suit locked?† Bayta's plump face was round and ruddy in the incasing sponge-foam of the internally-heated, skin-clinging costume. The ship lowered crunchingly on the open field just short of the lifting of the plateau. They climbed out awkwardly into the solid darkness of the outer-galactic night, and Bayta gasped as the sudden cold bit, and the thin wind swirled emptily. Toran seized her elbow and nudged her into an awkward run over the smooth, packed ground towards the sparking of artificial light in the distance. The advancing guards met them halfway, and after a whispered exchange of words, they were taken onward. The wind and the cold disappeared when the gate of rock opened and then closed behind them. The warm interior, white with wall-light, was filled with an incongruous humming bustle. Men looked up from their desks, and Toran produced documents. They were waved onward after a short glance and Toran whispered to his wife, â€Å"Dad must have fixed up the preliminaries. The usual lapse here is about five hours.† They burst into the open and Bayta said suddenly, â€Å"Oh, my-â€Å" The cave city was in daylight – the white daylight of a young sun. Not that there was a sun, of course. What should have been the sky was lost in the unfocused glow of an over-all brilliance. And the warm air was properly thick and fragrant with greenery. Bayta said, â€Å"Why, Toran, it's beautiful.† Toran grinned with anxious delight. â€Å"Well, now, Bay, it isn't like anything on the Foundation, of course, but it's the biggest city on Haven II – twenty thousand people, you know – and you'll get to like it. No amusement palaces, I'm afraid, but no secret police either.† â€Å"Oh, Torie, it's just like a toy city. It's all white and pink – and so clean.† â€Å"Well-† Toran looked at the city with her. The houses were two stories high for the most part, and of the smooth vein rock indigenous to the region. The spires of the Foundation were missing, and the colossal community houses of the Old Kingdoms – but the smallness was there and the individuality; a relic of personal initiative in a Galaxy of mass life. He snapped to sudden attention. â€Å"Bay – There's Dad! Right there – where I'm pointing, silly. Don't you see him?† She did. It was just the impression of a large man, waving frantically, fingers spread wide as though groping wildly in air. The deep thunder of a drawn-out shout reached them. Bayta trailed her husband, rushing downwards over the close-cropped lawn. She caught sight of a smaller man, white-haired, almost lost to view behind the robust One-arm, who still waved and still shouted. Toran cried over his shoulder, â€Å"It's my father's half-brother. The one who's been to the Foundation. You know.† They met in the grass, laughing and incoherent, and Toran's father let out a final whoop for sheer joy. He hitched at his short jacket and adjusted the metal-chased belt that was his one concession to luxury. His eyes shifted from one of the youngsters to the other, and then he said, a little out of breath, â€Å"You picked a rotten day to return home, boy!† â€Å"What? Oh, it is Seldon's birthday, isn't it?† â€Å"It is. I had to rent a car to make the trip here, and dragoon Randu to drive it. Not a public vehicle to be had at gun's point.† His eyes were on Bayta now, and didn't leave. He spoke to her more softly, â€Å"I have the crystal of you right here – and it's good, but I can see the fellow who took it was an amateur.† He had the small cube of transparency out of his jacket pocket and in the light the laughing little face within sprang to vivid colored life as a miniature Bayta. â€Å"That one!† said Bayta. â€Å"Now I wonder why Toran should send that caricature. I'm surprised you let me come near you, sir.† â€Å"Are you now? Call me Fran. I'll have none of this fancy mess. For that, I think you can take my arm, and we'll go on to the car. Till now I never did think my boy knew what he was ever up to. I think I'll change that opinion. I think I'll have to change that opinion.† Toran said to his half uncle softly, â€Å"How is the old man these days? Does he still hound the women?† Randu puckered up all over his face when he smiled. â€Å"When he can, Toran, when he can. There are times when he remembers that his next birthday will be his sixtieth, and that disheartens him. But he shouts it down, this evil thought, and then he is himself. He is a Trader of the ancient type. But you, Toran. Where did you find such a pretty wife?† The young man chuckled and linked arms. â€Å"Do you want a three years' history at a gasp, uncle?† It was in the small living room of the home that Bayta struggled out of her traveling cloak and hood and shook her hair loose. She sat down, crossing her knees, and returned the appreciative stare of this large, ruddy man. She said, â€Å"I know what you're trying to estimate, and I'll help you; Age, twenty-four, height, five-four, weight, one-ten, educational specialty, history.† She noticed that he always crooked his stand so as to hide the missing arm. But now Fran leaned close and said, â€Å"Since you mention it – weight, one-twenty.† He laughed loudly at her flush. Then he said to the company in general, â€Å"You can always tell a woman's weight by her upper arm – with due experience, of course. Do you want a drink, Bay?† â€Å"Among other things,† she said, and they left together, while Toran busied himself at the book shelves to check for new additions. Fran returned alone and said, â€Å"She'll be down later.† He lowered himself heavily into the large comer chair and placed his stiff-jointed left leg on the stool before it. The laughter had left his red face, and Toran turned to face him. Fran said, â€Å"Well, you're home, boy, and I'm glad you are. I like your woman. She's no whining ninny.† â€Å"I married her,† said Toran simply. â€Å"Well, that's another thing altogether, boy.† His eyes darkened. â€Å"It's a foolish way to tie up the future. In my longer life, and more experienced, I never did such a thing.† Randu interrupted from the comer where he stood quietly. â€Å"Now Franssart, what comparisons are you making? Till your crash landing six years ago you were never in one spot long enough to establish residence requirements for marriage, And since then, who would have you?† The one-armed man jerked erect in his seat and replied hotly, â€Å"Many, you snowy dotard-â€Å" Toran said with hasty tact, â€Å"It's largely a legal formality, Dad. The situation has its conveniences.† â€Å"Mostly for the woman,† grumbled Fran. â€Å"And even if so,† agreed Randu, â€Å"it's up to the boy to decide. Marriage is an old custom among the Foundationers.† â€Å"The Foundationers are not fit models for an honest Trader,† smoldered Fran. Toran broke in again, â€Å"My wife is a Foundationer.† He looked from one to the other, and then said quietly, â€Å"She's coming.† The conversation took a general turn after the evening meal, which Fran had spiced with three tales of reminiscence composed of equal parts of blood, women, profits, and embroidery. The small televisor was on, and some classic drama was playing itself out in an unregarded whisper. Randu had hitched himself into a more comfortable position on the low couch and gazed past the slow smoke of his long pipe to where Bayta had knelt down upon the softness of the white fur mat brought back once long ago from a trade mission and now spread out only upon the most ceremonious occasions. â€Å"You have studied history, my girl?† he asked, pleasantly. Bayta nodded. â€Å"I was the despair of my teachers, but I learned a bit, eventually.† â€Å"A citation for scholarship,† put in Toran, smugly, â€Å"that's all!† â€Å"And what did you learn?† proceeded Randu, smoothly. â€Å"Everything? Now?† laughed the girl. The old man smiled gently. â€Å"Well then, what do you think of the Galactic situation?† â€Å"I think,† said Bayta, concisely, â€Å"that a Seldon crisis is pending – and that if it isn't then away with the Seldon plan altogether. It is a failure.† (â€Å"Whew,† muttered Fran, from his comer. â€Å"What a way to speak of Seldon.† But he said nothing aloud.) Randu sucked at his pipe speculatively. â€Å"Indeed? Why do you say that? I was to the Foundation, you know, in my younger days, and I, too, once thought great dramatic thoughts. But, now, why do you say that?† â€Å"Well,† Bayta's eyes misted with thought as she curled her bare toes into the white softness of the rug and nestled her little chin in one plump hand, â€Å"it seems to me that the whole essence of Seldon's plan was to create a world better than the ancient one of the Galactic Empire. It was failing apart, that world, three centuries ago, when Seldon first established the Foundation – and if history speaks truly, it was falling apart of the triple disease of inertia, despotism, and maldistribution of the goods of the universe.† Randu nodded slowly, while Toran gazed with proud, luminous eyes at his wife, and Fran in the comer clucked his tongue and carefully refilled his glass. Bayta said, â€Å"If the story of Seldon is true, he foresaw the complete collapse of the Empire through his Jaws of psychohistory, and was able to predict the necessary thirty thousand years of barbarism before the establishment of a new Second Empire to restore civilization and culture to humanity. It was the whole aim of his life-work to set up such conditions as would insure a speedier rejuvenation,† The deep voice of Fran burst out, â€Å"And that's why he established the two Foundations, honor be to his name.† â€Å"And that's why he established the two Foundations,† assented Bayta. â€Å"Our Foundation was a gathering of the scientists of the dying Empire intended to carry on the science and learning of man to new heights. And the Foundation was so situated in space and the historical environment was such that through the careful calculations of his genius, Seldon foresaw that in one thousand years, it would become a newer, greater Empire.† There was a reverent silence. The girl said softly, â€Å"It's an old story. You all know it. For almost three centuries every human being of the Foundation has known it. But I thought it would be appropriate to go through it – just quickly. Today is Seldon's birthday, you know, and even if I am of the Foundation, and you are of Haven, we have that in common-â€Å" She lit a cigarette slowly, and watched the glowing tip absently. â€Å"The laws of history are as absolute as the laws of physics, and if the probabilities of error are greater, it is only because history does not deal with as many humans as physics does atoms, so that individual variations count for more. Seldon predicted a series of crises through the thousand years of growth, each of which would force a new turning of our history into a pre-calculated path. It is those crises which direct us – and therefore a crisis must come now. â€Å"Now!† she repeated, forcefully. â€Å"It's almost a century since the last one, and in that century, every vice of the Empire has been repeated in the Foundation. Inertia! Our ruling class knows one law; no change. Despotism! They know one rule; force. Maldistribution! They know one desire; to hold what is theirs.† â€Å"While others starve!† roared Fran suddenly with a mighty blow of his fist upon the arm of his chair. â€Å"Girl, your words are pearls. The fat guts on their moneybags ruin the Foundation, while the brave Traders hide their poverty on dregs of worlds like Haven. It's a disgrace to Seldon, a casting of dirt in his face, a spewing in his beard.† He raised his arm high, and then his face lengthened. â€Å"If I had my other arm! If – once – they had listened to me!† â€Å"Dad,† said Toran, â€Å"take it easy.† â€Å"Take it easy. Take it easy,† his father mimicked savagely. â€Å"We'll live here and die here forever – and you say, take it easy.† â€Å"That's our modern Lathan Devers,† said Randu, gesturing with his pipe, â€Å"this Fran of ours. Devers died in the slave mines eighty years ago with your husband's great-grandfather, because he lacked wisdom and didn't lack heart-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, by the Galaxy, I'd do the same if I were he,† swore Fran. â€Å"Devers was the greatest Trader in history – greater than the overblown windbag, Mallow, the Foundationers worship. If the cutthroats who lord the Foundation killed him because he loved justice, the greater the blood-debt owed them.† â€Å"Go on, girl,† said Randu. â€Å"Go on, or, surely, he'll talk a the night and rave all the next day.† â€Å"There's nothing to go on about,† she said, with a sudden gloom. â€Å"There must be a crisis, but I don't know how to make one. The progressive forces on the Foundation are oppressed fearfully. You Traders may have the will, but you are hunted and disunited. If all the forces of good will in and out of the Foundation could combine-â€Å" Fran's laugh was a raucous jeer. â€Å"Listen to her, Randu, listen to her. In and out of the Foundation, she says. Girl, girl, there's no hope in the flab-sides of the Foundation. Among them some hold the whip and the rest are whipped dead whipped. Not enough spunk left in the whole rotten world to outface one good Trader.† Bayta's attempted interruptions broke feebly against the overwhelming wind. Toran leaned over and put a hand over her mouth. â€Å"Dad,† he said, coldly, â€Å"you've never been on the Foundation. You know nothing about it. I tell you that the underground there is brave and daring enough. I could tell you that Bayta was one of them-â€Å" â€Å"All right, boy, no offense. Now, where's the cause for anger?† He was genuinely perturbed. Toran drove on fervently, â€Å"The trouble with you, Dad, is that you've got a provincial outlook. You think because some hundred thousand Traders scurry into holes on an unwanted planet at the end of nowhere, that they're a great people. Of course, any tax collector from the Foundation that gets here never leaves again, but that's cheap heroism. What would you do if the Foundation sent a fleet?† â€Å"We'd blast them,† said Fran, sharply. â€Å"And get blasted – with the balance in their favor. You're outnumbered, outarmed, outorganized – and as soon as the Foundation thinks it worth its while, you'll realize that. So you had better seek your allies – on the Foundation itself, if you can.† â€Å"Randu, said Fran, looking at his brother like a great, helpless bull. Randu took his pipe away from his lips, â€Å"The boy's right, Fran. When you listen to the little thoughts deep inside you, you know he is. But they're uncomfortable thoughts, so you drown them out with that roar of yours. But they're still there. Toran, I'll tell you why I brought all this up.† He puffed thoughtfully awhile, then dipped his pipe into the neck of the tray, waited for the silent flash, and withdrew it clean. Slowly, he filled it again with precise tamps of his little finger. He said, â€Å"Your little suggestion of Foundation's interest in us, Toran, is to the point. There have been two recent visits lately – for tax purposes. The disturbing point is that the second visitor was accompanied by a light patrol ship. They landed in Gleiar City – giving us the miss for a change – and they never lifted off again, naturally. But now they'll surely be back. Your father is aware of all this, Toran, he really is. â€Å"Look at the stubborn rakehell. He knows Haven is in trouble, and he knows we're helpless, but he repeats his formulas. It warms and protects him. But once he's had his say, and roared his defiance, and feels he's discharged his duty as a man and a Bull Trader, why he's as reasonable as any of us.† â€Å"Any of who?† asked Bayta. He smiled at her. â€Å"We've formed a little group, Bayta – just in our city. We haven't done anything, yet. We haven't even managed to contact the other cities yet, but it's a start.† â€Å"But towards what?† Randu shook his head. â€Å"We don't know-yet. We hope for a miracle. We have decided that, as you say, a Seldon crisis must be at hand.† He gestured widely upwards. â€Å"The Galaxy is full of the chips and splinters of the broken Empire. The generals swarm. Do you suppose the time may come when one will grow bold?† Bayta considered, and shook her head decisively, so that the long straight hair with the single inward curl at the end swirled about her ears. â€Å"No, not a chance. There's not one of those generals who doesn't know that an attack on the Foundation is suicide. Bel Riose of the old Empire was a better man than any of them, and he attacked with the resources of a galaxy, and couldn't win against the Seldon Plan. Is there one general that doesn't know that?† â€Å"But what if we spur them on?† â€Å"Into where? Into an atomic furnace? With what could you possibly spur them?† â€Å"Well, there is one – a new one. In this past year or two, there has come word of a strange man whom they call the Mule.† â€Å"The Mule?† She considered. â€Å"Ever hear of him, Torie?† Toran shook his head. She said, â€Å"What about him?† â€Å"I don't know. But he wins victories at, they say, impossible odds. The rumors may be exaggerated, but it would be interesting, in any case, to become acquainted with him. Not every man with sufficient ability and sufficient ambition would believe in Hari Seldon and his laws of psychohistory. We could encourage that disbelief. He might attack.† â€Å"And the Foundation would win.† â€Å"Yes – but not necessarily easily. It might be a crisis, and we could take advantage of such a crisis to force a compromise with the despots of the Foundation. At the worst, they would forget us long enough to enable us to plan farther.† â€Å"What do you think, Torie?† Toran smiled feebly and pulled at a loose brown curl that fell over one eye. â€Å"The way he describes it, it can't hurt; but who is the Mule? What do you know of him, Randu?† â€Å"Nothing yet. For that, we could use you, Toran. And your wife, if she's willing. We've talked of this, your father and I. We've talked of this thoroughly.† â€Å"In what way, Randu? What do you want of us?† The young man cast a quick inquisitive look at his wife. â€Å"Have you had a honeymoon?† â€Å"Well†¦ yes†¦ if you can call the trip from the Foundation a honeymoon.† â€Å"How about a better one on Kalgan? It's semitropical beaches – water sports – bird hunting – quite the vacation spot. It's about seven thousand parsecs in-not too far.† â€Å"What's on Kalgan?† â€Å"The Mule! His men, at least. He took it last month, and without a battle, though Kalgan's warlord broadcast a threat to blow the planet to ionic dust before giving it up.† â€Å"Where's the warlord now?† â€Å"He isn't,† said Randu, with a shrug. â€Å"What do you say?† â€Å"But what are we to do?† â€Å"I don't know. Fran and I are old; we're provincial. The Traders of Haven are all essentially provincial. Even you say so. Our trading is of a very restricted sort, and we're not the Galaxy roamers our ancestors were, Shut up, Fran! But you two know the Galaxy. Bayta, especially, speaks with a nice Foundation accent. We merely wish whatever you can find out. If you can make contact†¦ but we wouldn't expect that. Suppose you two think it over. You can meet our entire group if you wish†¦ oh, not before next week. You ought to have some time to catch your breath.† There was a pause and then Fran roared, â€Å"Who wants; another drink? I mean, besides me?†

A World Lit Only by Fire: the Medieval Mind and the Renaissance

In the first section of William Manchester’s A World Lit Only By Fire, we are taken into a world that is vastly different from our own, and we see a kind of attitude which is rarely seen today. Manchester stresses the fact that the peasants in the Dark Ages had no knowledge of what was happening in the rest of the world. In our age of twenty-four-hour news networks and instantaneous access to information from across the globe through the internet, it is hard to fathom that if we were still living in the Dark Ages most of us would be completely oblivious to the activities of the rest of the world outside of our small village.Manchester also points out that the common people in the Dark Ages had no conception of time. Most would not have known what century it was, let alone the specific date. For most peasants, time passed in a cycle of seasons, and they only needed to know the days of the week in order to know when it was the Sabbath. This is in stark contrast to the life of a modern man. We can know time down to the second. And we need to know time with greater precision. While the peasants of the Dark Ages needed only to recognize the passing of the seasons and when the Sabbath was, modern man often needs to know the time of day precisely.We are constantly on a schedule. School and work starts at a certain time, and we must be there on time. Another fascinating difference which Manchester points out is the fact that most of the peasants did not have surnames and were either referred to by their first name alone, or by a nickname. I found this very strange. Manchester does a good job of showing the differences between the modern mind and the medieval mind. Being aware of these differences allows the reader to appreciate the huge impact that the Renaissance had on Europe.Now in the next section of A World Lit Only by Fire, entitled â€Å"The Shattering,† Manchester shows us several events that â€Å"shattered† beliefs during the Renaissance. Most of these had something to do with the Church at the time because religion was one of the most important parts of Medieval and Renaissance life. The first event that shattered beliefs and changed life did not immediately cause a revolution but had a long-lasting impact on the future of Christianity. That event was the dissemination of the works of Erasmus.With his constant criticism of the Church and his calls for papal reform, he proved that one could criticize the church without being a radical revolutionary, for Erasmus was a devout Catholic. Before Erasmus, few had dared to criticize the Roman Church and those who did were not taken seriously. However, with his satires, Erasmus appealed to all classes of people and gave the people the encouragement to call for reform and criticize the Church. This may have influenced Martin Luther, even though he disliked Erasmus’ work, to nail his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door at Wittenberg.The fact that Erasmus was widely pop ular also contributed to the change in the thinking that anyone who criticized the church would be damned to hell. Even though Erasmus didn’t do anything as revolutionary as Martin Luther, his brilliant satires were able to change the mindset of Europeans and may have enabled, against his own wishes, the Protestant Reformation. The next event discussed by Manchester is the Reformation itself. Sparked by Martin Luther’s outrage at the sale of indulgences, this is the event that split Christianity in half.Those loyal to the existing Christian Church headed by the Pope became known as Roman Catholics, and those who were not loyal to that Church formed different Protestant Churches. Before the Reformation there was one authoritative representative of the word of God; i. e. , the Pope. Most Christian literature was in Latin, but since Latin was essentially a dead language, most people could not read or understand it, and this helped the Church maintain control of Christians of the age. Within this system, freedom of religious thought was extremely limited.Saying anything that contradicted the pope could get you labeled as a heretic and sentenced to jail, or even death. After the Reformation, several different Churches formed and as they formed, they warred with each other. The pope was no longer the supreme head of Christianity as he had been before the Reformation. Bibles where published in living languages. All kinds of opinions were published in pamphlets. One undesirable consequence of the Reformation was the different sects fighting with each other.Each different sect believed it represented the one true religion. Fighting between sects became common. Fighting between Catholics and Protestants was rife. Protestants burned Roman Catholic churches, smashing mosaics and statues, and even killing innocent women and clergy. The Roman Church started its notorious Inquisition, which was especially violent in Spain. Before the Reformation there was only one Christian Church so religious violence in Europe was rare, but after the Reformation religious violence and persecution became commonplace.The Reformation was a major turning point in the history of Christianity. Without it, America today would be a different country, since many settlers in early America came to escape religious persecution. Manchester’s section on the Reformation is therefore perhaps the most important section in the book. In the last section of A World Lit Only by Fire, entitled â€Å"One Man Alone,† Manchester writes about Ferdinand Magellan and his circumnavigation of the globe.In this section, Manchester takes time to go into extremely fine detail about Magellan’s voyage in order to explain what type of man Magellan was, and, more importantly, to show how big the odds were against his actually finishing his voyage. Manchester seems to idolize Magellan, in part because Magellan wasn’t seeking fame or wealth, but instead simply had a dream and was determined to make it a reality, something that I think most people can respect.