U.S. Involvement In Nicaragua Essay Example For Students

U.S. Involvement In Nicaragua Essay U.S. Involvementin NicaraguaNot very many Americans know the truththat lies beneath the U.S. involvement in Nicaragua. Most wouldbe surprised to find out that U.S. armed forces and politicians violatedU.S. laws and deliberately sabotaged Nicaraguas stable government by payingthe dictators henchmen to kill Nicaraguan citizens. The United Statesis considered one of the major superpower nations in this world. It is highly influential to other countries and often takes responsibilityto intervene with other another countrys problems?especially when it dealswith the spreading of communism. When Nicaraguas dictatorship wasoverthrown by the popular Sandinistas, a communist regime was successfullyput in place. The U.S. immediately feared that Nicaraguas surroundingcountries would eventually become communist due to the Domino Theory. The negative impact of becoming further engaged in the Nicaraguan politicswas destructive to both the U.S. and Nicaragua. These actions destabilizedthe Nicaraguan economy, encouraged civil violence, and motivated membersof the American government to violate certain laws to continue their aidto the guerillas. We will write a custom essay on U.S. Involvement In Nicaragua specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now To fully comprehend the negative impactsof U.S. intervention in Nicaragua, one must be somewhat familiar with Nicaraguashistory. The period in which the Somoza family ruled Nicaragua startedon New Years Day in 1937, when Anastasio Somoza Garcia had himself electedpresident. The Somozas ran Nicaragua as their own private estate;all three Somozas were dictators who ran the affairs of their countryto their personal benefit and against the interests of the vast majorityof their countrymen (Walker 16). Under their dominion, life forthe Nicaraguan citizens was harsh, because they suffered from abject poverty. They lived in inadequate housing, ate and dressed poorly, and were overallextremely oppressed by their leaders corruption. When the peoplefinally realized that life wasnt going to get any better, they decidedto turn to their only other option, the communist Sandinista government. The U.S. were so anti-Communist that they began to send large sums of moneyto Somozas Guardsmen (who the leaders of the Contras) in order to sabotagethe Sandinista government. One of the goals the U.S. would like toachieve when dealing with Third World nations is to help them become moreindustrialized and economically stable. Unfortunately, the oppositeof this occurred in Nicaragua. Before U.S. involvement, Nicaraguaseconomy was reasonably sturdy in the sense that there was a consistentflow of money in and out of the country. With increasing investmentin Nicaragua, as a result of the Alliance for Progress, and the CentralAmerican Common Market, this was a period of unprecedented progress (Pastor,35). It is obvious that stronger nations would not invest their timeand money into a country that was economically declining, thus displayingthat at this time, Nicaragua was doing quite well for a Third World nation. With the correct equipment and help from richer nations, Nicaragua couldhave benefited from the high quality of its land and resources, which wouldraise the citizens yearly income and help with overcoming destitution. U.S. money for the reconstruction of Managua after the incredibly hugeChristmas Earthquake in 1972 never reached where it was most needed. Instead, Anastasio Somoza Debayle (the president of Nicaragua at the time)transformed a tragic national loss into a personal financial gain(Pastor, 36). Somozas greediness enticed him to pocket the moneyinstead of directing the funds where they were intended to go. Thusvery little was done to help the disaster victims and this is just anotherexample of how his dictatorship was oppressive to the people. Thisquandary could have been simply avoided if the U.S. had sent an officialto manage the money and secure its proper usage. .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 , .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .postImageUrl , .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 , .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:hover , .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:visited , .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:active { border:0!important; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:active , .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727 .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2bd0b49220fabd14573282e6f23ae727:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Mailbox Rule EssayThrough the 1960s, Nicaragua receivedfrom the U.S. $92.5 million in economic aid, and $11 million in militaryaid. From 1971 to 1976, Nicaragua received three times that amountin economic aid but less in military. (Pastor, 43) From thesestatistics, it seems that Nicaraguas economy is being supported by U.S. funding more each year. It is fair to say Nicaraguas economy wasdependent on U.S. aid. When Somoza issued terror raids on his people,the U.S. chose to impose sanctions withdrawing all funding to Nicaragua. By advertising Somozas acts of human brutality, the U.S. was able to persuadeother countries to consider terminating their current aid to Nicaragua. Not only did Nicaraguan slip further into debt, but also the situationworsened for the poverty-stricken people. Nicaraguas economy hadfailed to attain its prerevolution level in 1983. Investment hadstagnated or declined, depending on the sector. The external debt,which was high at $1.5 billion in 1979, reached $3.8 billion in 1983. Agriculture?the dynamic center of the economy before the revolution?declinedmarkedly. As the war intensified, the economy sank even further(Pastor, 245). Nicaraguans were so focused on fighting that theydidnt realize that their land was being destroyed and that there werentenough people to farm the existing crops. Although the U.S. had intendedon using the sanctions as a way to promote human rights and to pressureSomoza to stop the killing, they exacerbated the failing economy. When the U.S. entered Nicaragua, it sentthe people mixed messages. They hoped that the violence would eventuallyend with the U.S. help, but the U.S. did not take an active part in resolvingthat violence. They did not walk away either. They carriedout their own agenda, which consisted of having a non-communist regime. They withdrew military aid from Somoza, because the American citizens disapprovedof Somozas brutal and tyrannical actions, but they would not support theSandinistas (the communist group trying to overthrow the Somoza dictatorship)either. Instead, the U.S. financed Somozas Guardsmen, the only institutioncapable of restraining the Sandinistas if they came into power. Theconstant fighting and bickering among the different groups in Nicaraguahad caused the people to become impatient with the U.S. You Americanshave the strength, the opportunity, but not the will. We want tostruggle, but it is dangerous to have friends like you Either helpus or leave us alone (Pastor, 259). The Nicaraguans were verycommitted to ending the civil war that has haunted their lives for so long. If the U.S. wasnt going to help them achieve this goal, they should stopwatching them over their shoulders. Around 50,00 lives, or approximatelytwo percent of the population had been lost, but the Nicaraguans claimedthat freedom, justice, and national dignity were sometimes worth sucha price (Walker, 20). When people feel strongly about changingsomething, they are willing to lose their valuables, pride, and sometimestheir lives to achieve it. By not letting the people know which sidethe U.S. opposed or supported, tension mounted between the groups, whichindubitably lead to a bloody massacre. The U.S. is not very knowledgeable. does not know how much blood, how many sacrifices, how much frustrationthat generations of Latin Americans have gone through (Pastor, 281). The U.S. worried so much about Nicaragua having a communist governmentthat they overlooked how many lives were lost in their effort to changethe government. If the U.S. had made it clear where they stood inthe situation, it would have resulted with in a lower death toll. When the Sandinistas overthrew the Somozaregime in 1979, they became the government of Nicaragua. The rebelsthen were the ex-Guardsmen (men from Somozas military), who were now runningthe contra-rebellion. Aid to the Contras had been prohibited by Congress (History). However, members of the ReaganAdministration and the CIA devised a scheme providing illegal funding underthe table. The plan was to sell shipments of arms to Iran via Israel. .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 , .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .postImageUrl , .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 , .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:hover , .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:visited , .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:active { border:0!important; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:active , .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9 .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf4487743ad40b1ffbac51de91a52b2a9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Rethinking My High School Education EssayThe money paid was diverted to the Contras resistance force and was overseenby Lt. Colonel Oliver North. The transaction first took place in1985. (Jewish) The men indicted were: Secretary of Defense,Casper Weinberger; Head of the Sate Departments Latin American Bureau,Elliot Abrams; Reagans National Security Advisor, Robert C. McFarlane,among many others. (Men) The U.S. obsession with anti-Communistgroups brought a handful of its leaders to break congressional laws toprovide financial assistance to a group that had previously been engagedin a series of war crimes. They ignored the fact that the group ofmen they supported were ones t hat killed and abused Nicaraguan citizensduring the Somoza dictatorship. The only excuse that they were ableto use to uphold their actions in assisting the Contras was thatthey were in the process of destroying the Communist-backed Sandinistagovernment. The U.S. participation during Nicaraguastime of crisis caused its economy to become unstable, bolstered the civilwar, and inspired criminal activities by high level politicians and officialsin the U.S. Nicaraguas economy was at an all time high before theU.S. became immersed in it. As more aid was provided to the people,Nicaragua became more dependent upon the U.S. for financial support. This caused further problems when the U.S. decided to sanction Nicaragua. The people had expected the U.S. to stop the brutality when they enteredthe situation. Unfortunately, the U.S. chose not to do anything andmerely observed the circumstances. If the U.S. had let the Nicaraguansdeal with their problems their own way, more lives wouldve been saved. The U.S. feared that if communism were successful in Nicaragua, it wouldsoon diffuse to the surrounding nations. When Congress halted theaid to the Contras, many government officials illegally earned money tosend to them. The Nicaraguans are fully aware of the role the UnitedStates has played in Nicaragua and that the resentment against the Americangovernment is very deep. Although U.S. politicians were capableof covering up the truth to the American public, the people most effectedby these traumatizing experiences will remember the U.S. involvement foryears to come. A more productive action on the part of the U.S. wouldhave been to pick a side and support if or walk away and let the Sandinistagovernment rebuild Nicaragua on its own. Despite the U.S. effortsto help the dilemmas in Nicaragua, they were only able to worsen it.

Hinduism and its practice

Hinduism and its practice Free Online Research Papers The fundamental concept of Hinduism is the belief in the ultimate reality called Brahman, (universal soul) and its identification with the Ataman, (individual soul). (http://hinduism.ygoy.com/hinduism/religion.php) Another thing that the people who practice Hinduism believe is that all creatures go through a continuous cycle of birth and rebirth. This is called reincarnation. Another belief that they have which makes up the religion is the principle of Karma. Karma ties in directly with reincarnation because in the Hindu religion it is believed that your Karma directly affects your next life cycle, positively or negatively. (Jayaram) The main god of Hinduism is Brahman. Other worshipped gods include, Shiva, Vishnu, and Shakathi. The cow is considered a holy animal in Hinduism. In the Hindu religion they have different symbols. Two of them are the Tilaka and Bindi. Hindus traditionally wear a mark on their forehead and other parts of the body, in different forms. Hindu women wear a decorative dot on their forehead, which is called Bindi. Sometimes Hindus wear holy ash called Vibhuti also. Aum is the sacred symbol which represents the absolute reality, Brahman. This can be seen in all mantras and prayers. It represents God in its three aspects- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Another noble and auspicious symbol is Swastika, which stands for purity of the soul. The four directions, which had been shown in the symbol, represent four Vedas and their harmonious existence. (http://hinduism.ygoy.com/hinduism/religion.php) The Hindu’s worship is basically reserved for idols. Hinduism is associated with many symbols and icons and these symbols get their meanings from mythology, scriptures and cultural traditions. Every symbols and icons have a sacred implication. There is one more thing that most of the pious Hindus utter during worshipping, that is Sanskrit â€Å"Mantra†. â€Å"Mantra† is actually an invocation to God including prayer, praise, devotion and dedication and through its sound and chanting style it takes one’s mind to the holy and divine thoughts. (http://hinduism.ygoy.com/hinduism/religion.php) Being that Hinduism is so old, Those who grow up in Hindu families are steeped in ancient traditions and beliefs from infancy on and they are much more alike than dissimilar. It therefore has a profound influence on cultural Hindus as well as on those who convert into it. People who practice the Hindu religion try to spread their religion by teaching their children or others about Hinduism. This helps keep the religion strong. There are sixteen religious holidays that are honored by the central government so that everyone can leave work to join the festival of worshipers. Most of the Hindu festivals express spirituality in its happiest parts. These festivals also help keep the religion alive. Almost every individual that practices Hindu usually finds to place him or herself to a Guru, also known as a spiritual teacher. The title guru is applied to venerable spiritual guides. Gurus do not declare themselves as teachers; people are drawn to them because they have achieved spiritual st atus to which the seekers aspire. Gurus are often regarded as enlightened or fully realized individuals. A guru does not provide academic instruction. A Guru gives advice, example, and encouragement to those seeking enlightenment or realization. (mypurohith.com/Epics/Hindu_Manners.asp) Being that Hindu’s do not believe in Heaven or Hell their liberation from Earthly greatly depends on their reincarnation. The status of the next life in the Hindu religion greatly depends on your Karma. How you act here dictates how your next life will be. *References* (http://hinduism.ygoy.com/hinduism/religion.php) (mypurohith.com/Epics/Hindu_Manners.asp) (indiadivine.org/articles/39/1/Hinduism-and-the-Sacred-Cow/Page1.html Research Papers on Hinduism and its practiceCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XGenetic EngineeringRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThree Concepts of Psychodynamic

Dynamic and control subjest Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Dynamic and control subjest - Assignment Example 'Controller' controls the system behaviour by providing the necessary excitation. 'Setpoint' is the desired result. 'Output' is the actual result. PID controller may be written in the equation form as: = + + (1) In this equation, all the symbols have the meanings explained earlier. Coming to the explanation in common words, with reference to Figure 1, we want the output Y of a process to be equal to or as close to the setpoint R as possible. Since the real systems are not ideal systems, usually some kind of control system is required to achieve this objective. In a PID controller, the output Y is compared with the setpoint R, the error e is calculated to be equal to R minus Y. Then the controller (a PID controller in this case) calculates u(t) from equation (1). This u(t) is an excitation signal to be passed to the 'process', with the objective of driving the 'output' Y as close to the 'setpoint' R as possible. For example, let us assume that we are required to control the temperatur e of the water coming out from a tap. Let us assume that we want the temperature of the water to be around 50 degree centigrade always. But let us assume that water is supplied to this tap by two separate water feeds. Let us assume that one of the water feed is always at around 30?C (cold water feed). Also, let us assume that the other water feed is always at around 70?C (hot water feed). We can see that to get the water from the tap at 50?C, we need to mix around 50% water from the hot water feed with the remaining 50% water from the cold water feed. This can be achieved by making the valve corresponding to the hot water feed 50% open (i.e., 50% closed) and at the same time, making the valve corresponding to the cold water feed 50% open (i.e., 50% closed). But, in a real system like this, one comes across several uncertainties like the temperature losses during the flow in the pipes due to radiation etc., which cannot be determined for certain since in this case, the radiation depe nds on the atmospheric temperature (or room temperature) also. Hence, when the valve corresponding to the hot water feed is 50% open and at the same time when the valve corresponding to the cold water feed is 50% open, the temperature of the water coming out from the tap may not be exactly equal to 50%. Let us assume that this temperature is 45?C. Now, in this problem, the setpoint R is 50?C while the output Y is 45?C. Now, according to Figure 1, R-Y= 5 ?C is calculated. This is the error e which is an input to the controller. Then the controller calculates 'u(t)' from Equation (1), this u(t) is in fact a signal which controls the valves. In this case, u(t) would instruct the valve corresponding to the hot water feed to open more than 50% (exact percentage would be known from u(t)). Opening the valve corresponding to the hot water feed x% would automatically mean opening the valve corresponding to the cold water feed (100-x)%. This ensures that the flow from the hot water feed is mo re than the flow from the cold water feed, which in turn forces the temperature of the water coming from the tap to go to 50?C. This way, the controller strives to make the temperature of the water coming out from the tap to be 50?C, and for a proper selection of the values for Kp, Ki and Kd, the controller usually performs its task satisfactorily. If the temperature of the tap water goes to 55?C for example, the error would

Does Playing Violent Video Games Increase Aggressiveness Research Paper

Does Playing Violent Video Games Increase Aggressiveness - Research Paper Example Principal Investigator (PI) Information Name Maricel Walsh Relationship to NSU: Faculty Staff Student x Home Mailing Address (for students) 15420 SW 74th circle ct City/State/Zip: Miami, Fl 33193 Office Phone: 786 873 0511 Home Phone (for students): 305 752 7884 NSU Center/College/Dept: Farguhar College Behavioral Science Dept. NSU Email Address: wmaricel@nova.edu Fax: Co-Investigators (Co-I) Information (including faculty advisers): Co-Investigator 1 Co-Investigator 2 Co-Investigator 3 Name Todd Coy, Ph.D. Address Dept of Social and Behavioral Science Contract Phone Number Email Address Crandy@nova.edu Have the PI, Co-I, and any research assistants completed the NSU-designated human subject's research training (CITI Program) Yes X No If you answered yes, please include a copy of your training certificate. If you answered no to this question, please note that no IRB action may take place until proof of completion of training is provided. II. Funding Information Will this research be funded Yes No X If yes was indicated, please provide the following information: A. Source of Funding N/A_______________________________________________ B. Project Title (if different from above) ________________________________ C. Principal Investigator (if different from above) __________________________ D. Type of Application: Grant____ Subcontract_____ Contract_____ Fellowship______ E. Date of Submission ______________________ F. Grant Amount ___________________ Do any investigators have a significant financial interest (as defined by NSU policy: http://www.nova.edu/ogc/forms/ogc9906.pdf) in relation to this study Yes No X If you answered yes, please be sure to include within the...Please note, ONLY ONE copy of all research instruments (tests instruments, interview protocols, etc.) must be submitted. The completed package must be received by the OGC by the last business day of the month prior to the next scheduled IRB meeting. The IRB web site should be consulted for the meeting dates of the IRB. Incomplete forms will delay review by the IRB. For either type of review the pages of the packet must be numbered sequentially. For further information, refer to the Policy and Procedure Manual for Research with Human Subjects. If you answered yes, please include a copy of your training certificate. If you answered no to this question, please note that no IRB action may take place until proof of completion of training is provided. If you answered yes, please be sure to include within the description section of all applicable consent forms the following statement: "The principal investigator a

The Symbols Of The White Buffalo And The Red Heifer Essay Example for Free

The Symbols Of The White Buffalo And The Red Heifer Essay Every culture has its own set of norms and beliefs that serve as guide and standard of living for its people. Each culture is being protected and kept sacred by the people and is being passed by generation to generation. Even as the world goes on to its fast changing global trend, although some of the world’s ancient cultural traditions have already vanished or at least faded away, some remained strong and were kept, observed and regularly celebrated today. While Greek and Roman mythologies are integrated in the modern culture (such as the names of the heavenly bodies), the legends and myths which main characters are animals can still be traced in the modern cultural traditions held by the people. Two of these examples are the legends of the White Buffalo and the Red Heifer, animals which symbols are held sacred even unto this day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The White Buffalo and the Red Heifer are animals that are held symbolically sacred by the Native Americans and the Jewish people, respectively. While their legends are held by completely different cultures, these animals symbolize quite the same sacred values of hope, change, life and death. Before we can make further comparison of the two different cultures, it is important that we first have to look into the stories behind their cultural symbols. A brief narration of the story of the White Buffalo Woman, which is believed to have been the origin of the symbolic importance of the White Buffalo in the culture of the Sioux or the Lakota tribe, will be briefly narrated here before we will try to extract the symbols deep inside the legend. We will be taking the highlights of the legend from the story as told by John Fire Lame Deer, a man believed to be a Heyoka, and a holy man of Lakota (John Fire Lame Deer, 1967)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In one summer, the seven sacred council of fires, called Oceti-Shakowin,of the nation called Lokota Oyate encamped. The chief of the one of the bands (Itazipcho or â€Å"Without-Bows†), Standing Hollow Horn sent two of his men to hunt for food. In a high hill, they came across with a woman, floating with two round red dots of face paint on her cheeks (John Fire Lame Deer, 1967). In John Fire Lame Deer’s own words: â€Å"She wore a wonderful white buckskin outfit, tanned until it shone a long way in the sun. It was embroidered with sacred and marvelous designs of porcupine quill, in radiant colors no ordinary woman could have made.†   The woman was identified as Ptesan-Wi, White Buffalo Woman. One of the men had a sexual desire of the woman and tried to touch her but was struck by lighting and was burnt until all was left of him was a â€Å"heap of blackened bones†. Other version of this part says that the young man was eaten by the snakes which were under the feet of the sacred woman and all was his skeleton. The other young man was told to return to camp and tell the â€Å"buffalo nation† to prepare for her coming. The chief then ordered the people to gather and prepare for the coming of the holy woman and the medicine lodge with twenty-four poles was made as ordered. After four days, the White Buffalo Woman arrived in the camped, entered the medicine lodge and then taught the people many things. They made an earthen altar (made of red earth) with a buffalo skull. The holy woman then opened the bundle containing the sacred pipe called chanunpa and then taught them how to use it. She also taught them the proper words and gestures of prayer to how to sing the pipe-filling song. The White Buffalo Woman also told them that they are the â€Å"living bridge between the Sacred Beneath and the Sacred Above.† She then turned to the stone in the bowl and said, â€Å"Its stone represents the buffalo, but also the flesh and blood of the red man. The buffalo represents the universe and the four directions, because he stands on four legs, for the four ages of man. The buffalo was put in the west by Wakan Tanka at the making of the world, to hold back the waters. Every year he loses one hair, and in every one of the four ages he loses a leg. The Sacred Hoop will end when all the hair and legs of the great buffalo are gone, and the water comes back to cover the Earth.† The White Buffalo Woman also told the women that the works of their hands are as great as the warriors, taught them how to fire the hearth and the way the corn and meat should be cooked. To the children she said that they are the most important and most precious ones. As the purest of all tribes, she told Lakota that it was the reason why sacred piper was given to them. Before the White Buffalo Woman left, she told Standing Hollow Horn these words: Remember: this pipe is very sacred. Respect it and it will take you to the end of the road. The four ages of creation are in me; I am the four ages. I will come to see you in every generation cycle. I shall come back to you. The ending of the legendary story might have been the one held symbolically important up to this day. The White Buffalo Woman left the tribe, rolled over and stopped four times. On each stop, the holy woman turned into different colors of a buffalo. First she turned into black, then to brown, to red one and then to a white female buffalo. In John Fire Lame Deer’s narration, the legend ended this way: â€Å"And from that day on, our relations, the buffalo, furnished the people with everything they needed meat for their food, skins for their clothes and tipis, bones for their many tools† (John Fire Lame Deer, 1967). In the midst of the highly urbanized Western culture, the legend of the White Buffalo Woman is still alive in the culture of the plains tribes in America. Based on the moral value of the story and the economic situations of the native Americans, there is no reason to doubt that the White Buffalo is more than a legend and cultural symbol in the lives of these people. For the poor people of America, the White Buffalo is â€Å"a symbol of sacred life and abundance† (Kagrise, Sarah 2005). The tribes of Lakota, Dakota, Nakota and Sioux regard the white buffalo as an important element of their traditions and prophecies (Schwartz, Stephanie M. 2006). If we are to go back to the legend, we have noted that the White Buffalo Woman left a promise to the nation that she will see them again and that promise is what the Native Americans are still waiting for unto these days. Held as a prophetic sign, these people are literally waiting for the birth of a white buffalo, an omen which signals the beginning of a sacred hoop of life (Kagrise, Sarah 2005). Why should one even expect that in the midst of the highly urbanized American culture, people will be amazed with the birth of a white buffalo and was even named â€Å"Miracle†? On August 20, 1994 a white buffalo was born in Janesville, Wisconsin farm-an event which struck the American people that they rushed to the see the white buffalo with their gifts (Menagerie, Steve). One practical reason that is, if we are to examine the event out of the context of culture and tradition, is that white buffalo is biologically or genetically rare. Buffalos are already considered 1nearly extinct as early as 1893 wherein it is estimated that there had only been 300 buffalos left in North America. Despite the fact that Miracle has changed color from white to blonde on its third year, the people around still continue to see her. On her death ten years after, Miracle left the Native American community shocked. Two years later, another white buffalo was born in the same farm which they named â€Å"Miracle’s Second Chance.† These events were held as significant omens by the Lakota tribe. A spiritual leader of the Teton Oglala Lakota named David Shallow interpreted these omens by critically examining each phase. For Shallow, the name of the second white buffalo is by no means a coincidence because it carries the message of a second chance for all people and since Miracle’s Second Chance was born during a thunderstorm, Shallow believes that the destruction of evil is near (Shallow, David cited in Schwartz, Stephanie 2006). For the Native Americans, the birth of a white buffalo is the starting point of the healing process, a symbol of hope for the poorest people of the American nation (Kagrie, Sarah). After Miracle and Miracle’s Second Chance, there were still born white buffalo calves named White Cloud (July 10, 1996, a two-year-old found in South Dakota), Medicine Wheel (May 09, 1996) and Rainbow (April 27, 1996). From here, let us further consider one great prophecy by the Lakota: â€Å"When four white buffalo have been born, then the old ways will return and the earth will be saved. White Buffalo Woman herself, in the myth, promises to return at the end.† From Miracle (1994) to White Cloud, Medicine Wheel and Rainbow (1996), there have been four white buffalos born. The prophecy, if we are to examine has already been fulfilled even before Miracle’s Second Chance was born in 2005. What changes, as salvation suggests, have happened since then are still unclear. Like the White Buffalo, the Red Heifer is also highly regarded by the Jewish culture as sacred and symbolic. Although both the animals came from one family, one can notice that the there are physical differences in these animals that also mark the differences in their symbols to the two cultures. First, their color as Lakota culture regarded white as sacred and holy while the Jewish culture still consider the red heifer holy and sacred despite its being literally red. Another thing is that white buffalo in the culture of Lakota is not allowed to be hunted (their near extinction seem to be the contrary) while the Red Heifer is literally being killed as a holy sacrifice to God of the Jews. Genetically speaking, a White Buffalo is unhealthy, since its white color is due to its being albino while the Jews chose the unblemished, healthy and young rd heifer in order to make the sacrifice pleasing unto the Lord. The ritual of the Red Heifer is Biblical, that is, it is contained or written in the Bible, in the Torah (in the portion called 1Chukat), particularly in the book of Numbers, Chapter 19. The description of the ritual being conducted when the red heifer is being offered is clear and specific in the book of Numbers. â€Å"It is the ritual slaughter of a red cow with no blemish, and the burning of the cow together with cedar wood, hyssop, and red thread. The ashes of this cow are mixed with water and used as part of a seven-day ritual to purify those members of the community who have come in contact with death.† It was said that the water to which the ash of the cow have been mixed is the â€Å"Water of Impurity† or what the Jews called, mei nidah (Hammer, Jill). Those who are being sprinkled with such water will become pure while those who have administered in the water will become impure, a process which suggests that the ash of the red heifer makes the impure pure and the pure impure (J. Hammer). In other accounts, the water mixed with ashes is being drunk by sinners for the purpose of redemption (Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain). Before we come to grasp the real meaning or symbol of the heifer, it is first important that we will be able to have a background on how does the offering of the red heifer originated. As quick answer, the ritual of the red heifer came from the Jewish tradition of offering in the Temple of Solomon: â€Å"In the days of the Temple, all who entered it had to be made spiritually clean by being sprinkled with a substance whose main ingredient came from the ashes of a red heifer burned in its third year† (Bronner, Etan 1997). The Temple of Solomon is considered to be the center of the Jewish life despite its destruction by the Romans according to Bronner. For the Jews, the Temple serves as the direct link between the chosen people and God (E. Bronner 1997). This might have been the reason why the significance of the red heifer, as a sacrificial animal in the temple days, still holds relevance in the life of the Jewish people. Going back to the red heifer itself, the red cow represents a change agent (J. Hammer). Consider the cycle of making the impure pure and the pure as impure through the sprinkling of the water with the ashes of the red heifer. If we are to closely look into the process, we can say that the red heifer, though it has been reduced to ashes, served as an agent that allows somebody to change. In the words of Hammer, the red heifer â€Å"brings life into death and allows death to return to life.† Who else can make something change as bringing life to death and the other way around? God alone and God is Divine. If the red heifer symbolizes this cycle of change, then the Red Heifer is the symbol of the Divine and therefore, God. It is also important to note that in the Jewish tradition, all the sacraments and religious rituals are done exclusively by the Levites, the family of priests. Having such, the Levites are the ones who act as â€Å"humans who are part of the cycle of mortality and fertility, but who also touch the eternal† (J. Hammer). For the Jewish people, even the destruction of the temple, its rebuilding and its final destruction also have something to do with the Red Heifer. The destruction of the temple is regarded by the Chosen People as a symbol of the recreation of their religious life (E. Bronner). Let us remember that the history of the people of Israel have come a long way from being fruitful descendants of Abraham and Jacob, to being slaves in Egypt, liberated by Moses and were promised to have the Land of Canaan. These people have come through their ups and downs all because of their stubbornness. They always go back to their usual sin of polytheism and of worshipping other gods other than Yahweh. Based on these facts, it is not surprising that these people held religious or spiritual rebirth truly important. They recognized their need to cleanse their spiritual lives and their need for a Savior. For the Jews, the Red Heifer and its ashes are the â€Å"prefiguration† of the coming Redeemer, the Messiah they have been waiting for (Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain). There few good reasons why the Red Heifer is a sacred symbolic not only for the Jews but also for those who are into the religion of Christianity. Although the Red Heifer only serve as symbol, as opposed to the White Buffalo which birth is believed to be an omen, it embraces realities of human’s spiritual life. First, the realities of life and death teach the Jews to exert much effort in making and keeping themselves clean and pure before the eyes of the Lord. This is the only way they believe they can get into the House of God. This belief is evident in the modern Jewish custom of washing their hands in a bowl of water at their doorsteps after they came from the graveyard (J.Hammer). After having the origin and symbols of the White Buffalo and the Red Heifer, it is also important that we have them compared in order to examine which one is symbolically significant unto this day. In his commentary, David Yarrow sees evident and significant similarities in the two animals. First, the White Buffalo and the Red Heifer are both females and both represents fertility, health, hope and abundance. Second, both symbolize the need to live a sacred, holy life in order for human beings to be pleasing or worthy in the eyes of God. Third, both represent changes in the cycle of life and recognize the reality of death, that is, spiritual death in order to be spiritually born again. Fourth, they both recognizes the presence of the Supreme Power and allow that Sacred Entity to rule over the lives of the people. This reality establishes the presence of the link between God as the Creator and humans as creatures. Lastly, both had kept the believers of the culture and the legend waiting-for the redeemer who will bring good tidings to those who are physically and spiritually afflicted. There is however realities in the White Buffalo that somehow made me prefer to believe in the symbolic significance of the Red Heifer. Consider that the biological existence of the White Buffalo is inherently rare. This is because a white buffalo is born albino which gives it its white color. This means that white buffalo is actually an expression of unhealthy birth because albinos do have genetic disorder which make them different from the rest of the specie. Consider also that being unhealthy, white buffaloes do not usually live long as in the case of White Cloud and Rainbow although Miracle lived ten years. With these realities therefore, I can say that the birth of a white buffalo should not be seen as an omen. In fact, the Lakota prophesy of having four born white buffalo after which will mark the near coming of the near end cannot be held solidly true. There have been more than four white calves born around the world and yet the prophecy seemed unfilled so far. Another thing is that the first well-known white buffalo, Miracle, have turned blonde as she grew old. In the case of the Red Heifer I can see that the Jewish culture regard the animal as purely symbolic. Compare to the white buffalo, the red heifer is a common animal in the Jewish culture, although the poor people during the Biblical times cannot afford to sacrifice one. Anther thing is that not all red heifers can be sacrificed because only the female and unblemished and is under 18 months old can be worthy to be sacrificed. There is nothing held miraculous in the birth of the red heifer and thus it poses no significant marker of a time. Unlike the white buffalo, the red heifer does not say something about the near future. This is especially important in the spiritual lives of the people. Without the red heifer saying something about the future, the Jewish people are encouraged to keep their lives sacred at any point of their lives because of the uncertainty of the time when the Redeemer will come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that the Red Heifer is more significant today than the white buffalo. Because it recognizes the realities of life and death and the need to consecrate man’s life to God, the Red Heifer embraces all cultures, even those who do not literally believe in God. This is because the red heifer reminds us that human beings are mortals and that as spiritual beings, we are in need of also dying from our sinful lives to give way to our spiritual rebirth. Let me borrow the words of David Yarrow, in his analysis of the symbols and implications of the white buffalo and the red heifer in our lives: â€Å"While white buffalo and red heifer portend time to build a Temple, the only way to build a true new Temple on the Mount is to follow the Peacemakers instructions: bury the hatchet, plant a tree and unite. A shrine in Jerusalem must not be just for Jews and Israel, but of, by and for all the peoples of the Middle East—and the West—all the Earth† (Yarrow, David). Yarrow stressed that both animals pose a great challenge for all human beings to share our earthly gifts as custodians of God’s blessings unto the earth. There should only be just one thing for us to do. Whether we believe in the White Buffalo or the Red Heifer, the existence of our one Creator should be enough to unite all the cultures of the world. Yarrow concluded, â€Å"Harmony needs all things in natural balance—including the power of masculine and feminine in church, culture and government† (Yarrow, David). WORKS CITED Bronner, Etan. Portent in a Pasture? The Boston Globe. April 16, 1997. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.championtrees.org/yarrow/holycows.htm Hammer, Jill. The Red Heifer and the Cycle of Life and Death. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://telshemesh.org/earth/the_red_heifer_and_the_cycle_of_life_and_death.html John Fire Lame Deer (1967). White Buffalo Calf Woman Brings the First Pipe. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.kstrom.net/isk/arvol/lamedeer.html Kagrise, Sarah (2005). Native American history: the legend and importance of the white buffalo. November 28, 2005. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://media.www.rwcactivist.com/media/storage/paper248/news/2005/11/28/Features/Native.American.History.The.Legend.And.Importance.Of.The.White.Buffalo-1048409.shtml Menagerie, Steves. This is a White Bison. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://users.aristotle.net/~swarmack/bison.html 2Native American Myths. The White Buffalo Woman. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.livingmyths.com/Native.htm Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain. Zabbatai Zevi and the Mystery of the Red Heifer. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.donmeh-west.com/redheifer.shtml Schwartz, Stephanie (2006). Lakota Spiritual Leader On Wisconsin White Buffalo Calf. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.rense.com/general73/whitebuf.htm 1White Buffalo. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.native-languages.org/composition/white-buffalo.html Yarrow, David. Holy Cows!! The Unity of Biology and Ecology with Spirit. A Commentary. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from http://www.championtrees.org/yarrow/holycows.htm

On the Grand Finale in Samuel Clemenss :: essays papers

On the Grand Finale in Samuel Clemenss Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) not only tells a story in this famous contribution to American literature, he also goes to great length to depict civilized humanity in a light that is anything but glamorous or glorious. In fact, his descriptions of typical representatives of society regarding their motivations, actions, habits, and morals are conveyed with subtlety but with unmistakable critical intentions. The metatextual aspects of this work appear gradually but intensify toward the end until the novel reaches a point where it begins to border on the absurd, a literary aspect explored more fully by later writers, such as playwright Samuel Beckett. Distinct elements of absurdity materialize when Huck Finn searches for Jim, his fellow traveler on the raft, who had been sold as a runaway slave by a con-artist. In the course of this search, Huck stumbles upon the farm of Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas who mistake him for Tom Sawyer. Huck goes along with this mistake, creating a situation that gets compounded when the real Tom Sawyer shows up. The latter, however, volunteers to go along with the ruse by posing first as a stranger and then as his own brother Sid. The novel depicts Huck Finn as a character who learned to stand on his own two feet at an early age and is used to surviving by his wits. He lacks formal education, and it is clear that he likes to view himself as un-"sivilized," but he is smart enough to wiggle himself out of almost any difficulty. His intelligence manifests itself in an uncanny ability to recognize human motivations and shortcomings and to act accordingly. However, he does not exploit people and generally refuses to compromise his own moral code which is fairly strict and amazingly conventional. Tom Sawyer, by comparison, is a well-read boy who clearly represents Clemens's view of the "learned" factions and aspects of society. The picture that emerges when Huck and Tom start to collaborate is one of almost perpetual conflict of the two in their mutual quest of a common objective: the liberation of Jim. Clemens turns this conflict into a tit-for-tat comparison of an "honor" student from the school of hard knocks in the so-called "real world" and his counterpart from the school of human civilization who functions mostly by using knowledge acquired from books.

Is Bottled Water Worth It? Essay

In somewhat recent discussions, one of the worlds favorite grab and go drink has come into question whether it’s safe enough to drink or not and that is, bottled water. A well-known convenient commodity to everybody, but some argue it is neither healthy for our environment, our pockets, or ourselves. The people from this perspective say bottled water deserves to be banned because the negatives indeed out weigh the positives. On a different side of the spectrum others use bottled water’s good marketability, convenience and it being a better alternative to soda and other sugary drink found in schools as excuses to keep bottled from being banned. Another interesting view expresses the fact that bottled water is silly in itself but it still should not be banned. So the question is to be banned or not to be banned? Millions of people drink it a day but do they ever question whether what may be in the water they’re drinking? Probably not, nor should they have to. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization that strives to protect the public health and the environment using public information (Langwith 1), had one of the United States leading water quality laboratories test 10 commonly bought bottled water brands in 9 states and in the District of Columbia. What they found might be astonishing to some. They found these brands tested contained a total of 38 chemical pollutants and an average of 8 contaminants in each brand. A third of the chemicals found were not even regulated in bottled water (Langwith 2). Some of the chemicals and pollutants that were found in these 10 brands were things from disinfection products to caffeine and pharmaceuticals. Heavy metals and minerals like arsenic and radioactive isotopes were also found (Langwith 2). It is also not mandatory for bottled water companies to inform their customers when they get contaminants in their water (Langwith 3). So essentially, you don’t know exactly what your getting when decides to drink bottled water. Besides the effects it has on our health it also wastes our money. Two of the brands that were tested, Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Choice and Giant Acadia, were found to be chemically indistinguishable from tap water (Langwith 3). Basically people are just buying they’re water back for 1,900 the price of the tap water they could be getting at their homes for much cheaper. Damaging to the environment as well, out of the 36 billion bottles sold in 2006 only a fifth of them were recycled. The rest of the bottles ended up as litter in places such as landfills, land and in rivers, streams, and oceans. Producing water bottles in the U.S. uses around 1.5 million barrels of oil every year. This is enough energy to power 250,000 homes or fuel for 100,000( Langwith 5). Taking water for plastic bottles puts quite a strain on our rivers, streams, and community drinking water supplies. When water isn’t bottled from a municipal supply these companies must draw it from groundwater supplies, rivers, springs or streams (Langwith 5). Some people view bottled water as a good thing from a marketing point of view and a way to help children in general and in schools. With obesity rates rising in the United States claiming that 17 percent of children in the United States are overweight. Bottled water could be used as a healthier alternative then all the sugary sodas and other drinks that are found in schools. Schools and companies are trying to make bottled water a fun and healthy. Nestle, a bottled water manufacturer came up with the Aquapod, which is a rocket ship shaped bottle to attract the younger buyers (Tucker, Sprague 3). Other brands have also made fun water bottles as well. Bottled water is a constantly growing business. During 2007, bottled water accounted for 17 percent of the non-alcoholic beverages. By the year 2011 the bottled water market grew about 48.5 percent (Tucker, Sprague 3). Charles Fisherman provides an interesting view to the subject stating that bottled water is silly, yet it shouldn’t be banned. He gives an example of the silliness of water bottles with the company Pellegrino and how they wash their bottles with Pellegrino water. But he also says banning water bottles wont teach anyone anything. Regardless there will still be soda and other drinks available that are high in sugar for people to consume. People also need bottled water on campuses because they’re water fountains are dirty and unsafe to use (Fisherman 2). Though these arguments give valid points but do not address the effects that bottled water may have on ones health and environment that in turn is more important then its marketability and how convenient it may be.