Graphics Calculator essays

Graphics Calculator essays Where a is the pitch and b is the length of the note. Here is a list of the musical scale: So, an example of a C note would be: But wait! We havent finished yet! You also need to set the length of the note, this can be calculated by using the equation: 240 Ãâ€" Number Of Beats The Note Plays So, for example, at a speed of 130 beats per minute, a c note playing for 4 beats would be: If you want a period of silence, simply type 0 as the pitch: (In Program Editor, at a speed of 130 beats per minute) BEEP 329.14;0.54: (Play an E note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;0.54: (Be silent for 1 beat) BEEP 256.0.54: (Play an C note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;0.54: (Be silent for 1 beat) BEEP 256;0.54: (Play an C note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;1.625: (Be silent for 3 beats) BEEP 329.14;0.54: (Play an E note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;0.54: (Be silent for 1 beat) BEEP 256.0.54: (Play an C note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;0.54: (Be silent for 1 beat) BEEP 256;0.54: (Play an C note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;1.625: (Be silent for 3 beats) BEEP 237.714;0.54: (Play an A Sharp note for 1 beat) BEEP 256;0.54: (Play an C note for 1 beat) BEEP 0;1.08: (Be silent for 2 beats) BEEP 237.714;0.54: (Play an A Sharp note for 1 beat) BEEP 256;0.54: (Play an C note for 1 beat) ...

Free sample - Overpopulation and its negative consequences. translation missing

Overpopulation and its negative consequences. Overpopulation and its negative consequencesThe United States has been rated as the most populous country after China and India and is estimated to have a population exceeding 265 million. Further, statistics indicate that the country’s population is growing at 2.5 million people per year; hence the United States is one of the world's fastest-growing industrialized nations. For instance, in 1994, there were approximately 3.95 million births versus 2.29 million deaths in the United States, resulting in a net natural increase of nearly 1.7 million. Net immigration therefore stood at approximately 816,000 people. By 2050, the country's population is projected to increase by approximately 130 million people whom critics place as the equivalent of adding another four states the size of California. However, for such an industrialized country, it experiences one of the largest cases of unintended teenage pregnancies indicated by 60 percent of pregnancies and 40 percent of births. The world’s population is currently approximated to be growing at 74 million people every year and projections put forward by the United States indicate that the world’s population shall hit the 9.0 billion mark by the year 2050 assuming the projected decline in fertility rate of 2.65 children per woman shall decline to 2.05. This decline is projected under a comparative analysis since the 1950’s was double this rate at 5 children per woman. The less developed countries such as Uganda, Nigeria and Pakistan are expected to account for the largest quota of 5.3 billion with a world’s population of 7.8 billion. The United States however is an exception to this since it’s expected to grow by 44% from a population of 305 million in the year 2008 to 439 million in 2050. Global life expectancy has also increased from 46 years in 1955 to 65 years in 2000-2005 and is projected to rise to 75 years in 2045-2050. Population increase in more developed countries wil l further be boosted by high immigration rates whereby the net immigration rate is projected at 98 million. Further, deaths are projected to exceed births in developed nations by 73 million by 2050; international immigration shall play a key factor in the net population increase. By 2100, the Unite States population is expected to be at 3,145,049,297. This essay therefore endeavors to show that overpopulation is a major problem in the United States and further discusses its social, economic, political and environmental impact. There are various merits and challenges of overpopulation. The resultant advantages are however few and it has largely been detrimental to various aspects such as the environment. The large population has largely driven consumption and demand for various goods and services higher. This therefore has created a vibrant market which has boosted the country’s economy. Already, demand for beef and grain has reached staggering levels. In fact, the per capita grain consumption in the United States is four times higher than that in less developed nations. Rapid population increase has prompted the growth of megacities and rapid urbanization. By 1800, only 3% of the world’s population lived in cities. 47 percent of the world’s population had already migrated into cities by the twentieth century. In 1950, there were already 83 cities with a combined population exceeding 1 million. In 2007, this had risen to 468 agglomerations. In 2000, there were 18 megacities and conurbations such as New York City with populations exceeding 100 million. Greater Tokyo already has a population of 35 million which exceeds Canada’s entire population. By the year 2025, Asia alone shall have over 10 hyper cities each with a population exceeding 20million such as Jakarta with 24.9 million. Currently, cities the world over hold 3.2 billion of the population which is expected to rise to 5 billion by the year 2030 whereby 3 out of every 5 people are expected to live in cities. In the next 25 years, most melodramatic changes are expected to t ake place in developing countries. This however may not be positive in its totality since cities encourage the rise of shanty towns which are breeding sites for drug addiction, crime, alcoholism coupled with problems such as high unemployment rates, poverty resulting in high child and infant mortality rates and diseases due to poor sanitation, malnutrition and poor basic health care. Currently, one billion people, which is one-sixth of the world's population and a representative of one-third of the overall urban population, lives in shanty towns and is expected to rise as urbanization and the consequent industrialization sets in. There are however multiple challenges resulting from overpopulation. The greatest challenge of them all is the unavailability of adequate fresh water for domestic purposes as well as sewage treatment and effluent discharge. This has prompted nations such as Saudi Arabia to use highly energy-intensive desalination to solve water shortages. The world over, 1 billion people cannot access a clean glass of water every day. This has resulted in the starvation to death of 10 million children and 8 million adults. These water shortages have not been limited to other nations only. Contrary to popular belief of immunity to this critical problem by the United States citizens, various states have experienced water shortages. Atlanta, Georgia has exceeded its water carrying capacity in the past 4 years yet its population is expected to double from the current 8.2 million to 16.4 million. In Florida, wells have been sunk resulting to the environmental hazard of sunk holes. Yet, homes and malls are rapidly being built and the population is expected to double from 18 million to 36 million by the year 2050. This is truly absurd and uncalled for. In Colorado, 11.5 billion gallon annual shortfall is estimated in contrast to a projected population growth of 5-6 million by 2050. Therefore, Colorado’s water resources shall not only be unable to support humans but also animals and crops. In Denver, 2 million residents are expected to settle in the state by 2050.This shall also greatly strain its water resources. However, the State of California shall be worst hit with an addition net population increase of 1700 a day and 400 vehicles a week! The Colorado River is the chief source of water for desert states such as Arizona, Nevada and California but with the projected population growth rates, the environmental impact on this vital water resource shall wipe it out.A strain on natural resources has been documented in a recent study carried out by the United States Geological Surv ey. Deforestation and the loss of ecosystems which sustain the oxygen –carbon dioxide balance has been greatly tampered with. Estimates show that eight million hectares of forest are lost annually the world over. This has ultimately resulted in global warming, the irreversible loss of arable land and desertification. Over 2 billion hectares of arable land have already been lost with a projection of an annual loss of 16 million. In Nigeria alone, 351000 hectares are lost annually due to the expanding population’s activities. Research projects that the United States has lost 90 percent of its northwestern old-growth forests, 50 percent of its wetlands and 99 percent of its tall grass prairie in the last 200 years. Most mass species have become extinct or endangered especially in tropical forests due to human activities such as slash and burn practiced by rapidly expanding rural populations. It is estimated that around 140,000 species are lost annually. An IUCN Red List i ndicates that 717 animal species have become extinct during recorded human history. Fossil fuels have been largely depleted driving energy costs higher. Estimates indicate that 51% of the world’s fossils are used by China and USA. There is a higher contrast in that Americans constitute 5% of the world's population yet they consume 25 % of the world's energy. Pollution has been a key effect resulting from overpopulation. Air, water, soil and noise pollution has risen significantly in the last century. Approximately 39% of rivers, 46% of lakes and 51% of estuaries in the United States are still too polluted for safe fishing or swimming. Pollution caused nearly 20,000 beach closings in 2004, the highest level in 15 years. Already in Florida’s Boynton Beach pollution due to overpopulation has resulted in the demise of the popular Florida coral reefs. This is the United States only continental reef system which extends from Boynton Beach to Delray Beach. This is due to the flushing of water from canals which contains high nitrogen and phosphorous levels from the land and sewage. Therefore, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides used on lawns, agriculture and golf courses ends up in the water courses. While pollutants such as ammonia may evaporate, they eventually end up in the lake through rain. This results in marine eutrophication since these substances encourage the growth of algae which kills both hard and soft corals. Consequently, tourism has declined by 25 percent. These are the world’s environmental treasures and they deserve to be protected. In 2004, 31 states had statewide fish consumption advisories in place because of toxic pollution. The EPA’s Wadeable Streams Assessment found that 42% of all U.S. stream miles are in poor condition. More than half of those found in the eastern portion of the U.S. and 40% of those in the central region are considered to be in poor condition. According to American Rivers and the website healthyrivers.org, eighty percent of streams contain insecticides, drugs, or other chemicals. During 2002 and 2003, in just Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri, pollution in rivers and streams killed 3.5 million fish. The numbers of miles of rivers containing fish that may be harmful due to pollution, increased from 2% to 14% from 1993 to 2001. Waterborne germs and p arasites cause an estimated 7.1 million mild-to-moderate cases of infectious disease in the U.S. annually. Every year more than 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water and industrial waste are discharged into U.S. waters.   The Environmental Defense Fund reports that 80% of the cancer risks from air pollutants nationwide are from mobile transportation sources. As cities and suburbs continue to grow at record pace, pollution emitted by commuters will only grow worse. About 70 percent of the heavy construction equipment used in California in 2005 was old enough not to have to face any emission control regulations, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. In 2004, fine particle pollution exceeded the annual and daily national health standard at air quality monitors in 55 small, mid-sized, and large metropolitan areas located in 21 states and home to 96 million people. Therefore, overpopulation, as a way to curb pollution, needs to be taken care of. Finally, governing an overpopulated country presents a load of problems. Since the economy is stretched to the breaking point, civil wars are likely to break out over farmland. These wars lead to underdevelopment since industrialization and urbanization is greatly neglected. The government has to sell vital fossil fuels at cheap prices to raise cash in order to cover rising national debts. In Queensland, Australia, the politics of overpopulation are already boiling over. In the United States, numerous campaigns and awareness programs have already started which are also putting pressure on the government to act on overpopulation. Overpopulation is therefore a major problem in The United States and the world over. Man does not need land for standing on only as this may be the case by 2100. Major steps such as birth control, economic incentives such as those successfully implemented in China whereby women with less than 2 children are rewarded, removing tax write-offs for large families and employing birth control and family planning methods should be put in place. This shall go a long way in ensuring that Mother Earth is able to sustain her population in coming years.

Deviant behavior within cults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Deviant behavior within cults - Essay Example According to an estimate some three thousand (3,000) of such cults have been reported to exist all over the world with a total population of at least three million people attached to them as their followers. The secret religious ceremonies in Greek were technically called the Mysteries. The history of Mysteries is traced back to the days of ancient Greece in the year 600 B.C. when in a Greek city Eleusis, the people practiced a cult of Eleusinian Mysteries. Those Greek who practiced this cult, which involved the worship of Demeter, the goddess of fertility, were promised blessings in the life hereafter. In ancient Rome the group, comprising mostly of soldiers, and belonging to the 'Mithraism Cult' also practiced Mysteries. The members of this cult worshipped the god of fire and light called Mithra. (Raitt, Jill., n.p.n.d.) It was not easy to become a member of a cult in ancient times. Before their admittance into a particular cult, people had to undergo rigorous tests of their patience and staunch adherence. Some of the steps and mechanism involving induction of new members into the cult included: 2. The new entrants then take an oath and pledge for their adherence to the cult so as to become permanent member. The members develop a sense of belonging to that particular cult whose membership they attain. The followers of the cult then begin to imbibe within them the characteristics of cult, their mentality converting into strong allegiance to the group as denoted by the phrase "Us vs Them" 3. Belief of the members: Members gradually are made to develop a belief that it is only they or their group which is on the path of truth. And the other forms of truth as described in other various divinely religions become meaningless to them. The process of operative exclusivists comes into play allowing awareness of several unrevealed dogmas and special information only to those who are interested and proved their loyalty within the group. 4. The natural outcome of this belief is the segregation of such a group from the existing society. The feelings of hostility for other members of society who are not members of such a cult are emanated from the process of indoctrination from cult's beliefs. 5. Self-negation: Cults demand sacrifice of personal wishes, desires or wishes from its members. It is through the practice of this principle of self-negation that members exhibit willingness to sacrifice their self-comfort, getting along without money, and crushing their ambitious dreams for fulfilling cults motives and the so-called salvation The Modern Cults As the time passed, the meaning of cult underwent a change especially after 1960s. The new definition

Economic Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Economic Geography - Essay Example These include corruption of state officials, poor management of resources, and over dependence on foreign aid, poor government policies, lack of proper education, and lack of good infrastructure. These factors, summed up with the global epidemics of global warming and climate change, lead to underdevelopment in a country. Corruption among state officials is a common phenomenon in many underdeveloped and poor countries. This was the case in Kenya’s Goldenberg Saga in which tax payers’ money was squandered in the name of trading gold and other precious stones. The power that these masterminds possess is derived from their money. These corrupt officials never got any legal punishment. The corrupt officials also fail to deploy development funds to the regions that require them, and instead pocket the biggest portions of it. The result of this greed is the lack of development in the deprived regions and the eventual poverty of the people living in these areas. Another cause of poverty and underdevelopment is the poor management of natural resources and their under-utilization. These resources include earth minerals, water bodies, agricultural land, and sources of energy. There is no much effort in tapping natural resources and using them for development. A case in check is solar power. It was hardly tapped in large amounts to power massive utilities. Instead, underdeveloped countries depended on imported petroleum products for fuel. Oil is expensive and one cannot renew it once it is used up, unlike the natural and cheap solar energy and wind energy. Agricultural land is also not utilized to its fullest. Instead, people are abandoning it and going to look for jobs in the cities, and yet these countries have no food security. Poor government policies are also another reason for underdevelopment. These poor policies fail to address the issues affecting underdeveloped countries. They include misplaced financial

Comparing blakes london and wordsworths unpon west minster bridge Essay Example for Free

Comparing blakes london and wordsworths unpon west minster bridge Essay How do the poets use Structure, language and form in the two poems to help present their visions of London? William Blakes London 1793 and William Wordsworths Composed upon Westminster Bridge 1802 stage two contrasting views of London. Having both been written in the Romantic period, the two poets use their personal experience of London to illustrate the different visions of the city. Wordsworth adopted the Petrarchan pattern (abba abba cdcdcd) to create his flowing sonnet that describes the silent, undying beauty of London; the intimacy with his description could be inspired by classical poets such as Horaz, Virgil and Ovid. Blake however hardened to use a more harsh approach, delivering his dramatic reality of the dejected city. The two poems hold an expressive passion throughout and both have a deeper inner meaning than whats seen at surface value. At a first glance, these two poems seem the complete opposite. One compliments the natural beauty of London whilst the other only states the traumatic situations faced through a sinister, dark city. This style could have been inspired by Blakes surrounding of the French revolution which was imminent over London, theres a possibility that the murder and violence could have encouraged Blake to give his reality of the capital in the 18th century. Despite the obvious differences, the techniques and narrative set out by both poets are similar. Both Blake and Wordsworth chose to underline their visions of London by using some sort of rhyming scheme and iambs to manipulate the sounds and rhythm. Wordsworths undoubted admiration of London is expressed through his constant use of elegant praises. He masters a faint use of a strange paradox through the first lines saying earth has nothing more fair which exemplifies a tranquil, natural beauty, undisturbed by the obvious industrial city. The paradox having been established at the beginning of the octave stating the impossible unity of both a natural beauty and industrial development is explained towards the end through the line, like a garment, wear. This reveals that the city is wearing the natural beauty of the morning rather than being it. This structural technique continues in his next lines completing his paradoxical image. The fact that the city is bare relates back to the first contradiction by suggesting that London wears the smokeless air that is the fair beauty. Wordsworth uses the petrarchan pattern to compliment the image of the uninterrupted London. The poets emotion filled description of a motionless London implies that he rather prefers a non-industrializing, natural capital compared to the 19th centuries bustling metropolis. In his sestet (cdcdcd) the poet emphasizes the connection of whole poem has and how it coheres well together. He does this by using the sestet- steep, deep, asleep- to draw attention to that fact that the city is invalid in the way that the commerce of London has not yet awaken but is asleep. He keeps this in mind whilst still stating that the fact of the matter is, the city is more alive through its natural presence. The way he describes the river glideth at his own sweet will gives the reader a sense of undisturbed freedom and also relates to the poets overflowing, relentless and poignant description. Wordsworth creates a more flattering image of London when he explains how the sun has lightened it perfectly, Never did the sun more beautifully steep. The line: in his first splendour, makes the poet appear to be referring to god through his supposedly absent minded mention of his but hes not because previously he mentioned that the never had the sun more beautifully steep. This makes sense as the idea of the sun steeping gracefully over London ties in with the poems overall goal to exploit the capital as some sort of wonderful place however the idle image of the originator who created valley, rock, or hill; formulate the idea that Wordsworth is talking about god as having the first insight into the capital and how it hasnt changed through his eyes, looking past the ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples. Thus creating a more colloquial style of writing; however there is the fact that this poem was written in the 19th century where everyone would have believed in god. This idea could be the underlining of the word sun. I believe that Wordsworths sole adopted style is smooth and poetic, he holds a passion for the topics he chooses to write about which flatter his nature inspired manner. Other poems by Wordsworth which support my supposition are I wander lonely as a cloud and Three years she grew in Sun and Shower. In the 4th stanza the tone of the poem suddenly changes into an ominous low mood with a lingering and menacing spell. The word most has a lasting significance in the line as it institutes the fact that prostitution is causing this wild midnight rush. The changed tone of the poem and the imagery created in this stanza stands out as a dramatic close the blatantly sorrow-filled poem. Adding to the sharpness of the bitter ending, the tone that is usually poetic with a bouncy rhythm has stopped delivering the full force of what Blake calls reality.

Grapes of Wrath :: essays research papers

The Grapes of Wrath   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Grapes of Wrath the author John Steinbeck describes the life of a migrant family who must leave their land in Oklahoma in order to find work in California. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck clearly expresses that Nature and Man are one. The family is known as the Joads and they later come to realize that fear is not only for themselves but for the sake of the people in the world. The author makes these thoughts known through the different characters in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this book Tom Joad is the main character. He starts off just finishing prison for killing a man and feels he is just going to take it easy and be careful. In the beginning he comes off as if he feels no remorse for his crime and hopes to find what he wants and needs. Tom also is portrayed as if he doesn’t take any mess and one in mostly independent. During his spare time he came to the agreement with himself that one must set their personal concerns aside and have peace with one another. Another character is known as Jim Casy. He is a preacher but quite different than normal preachers. He preaches the Emersonian doctrine of the Over soul. For instance he feels that a man’s soul is breaking away from some larger soul and in death this individual soul is reunited with the larger Over soul. This belief by Casy helps him come to see that this is the only way for the migrants to succeed as a whole. Jim also inspires others to do whats right and see life from a different perspective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rose of Sharon is portrayed as ill girl who is pregnant and waiting to give birth at any point in time. She comes off as having a bad-tempered and always complaining. Her family is in Great Peril but she only fears if it affects her baby.

Religion S Function

Freud had many views on the function on why we, as humans, make a big part Of our lives connected to religion. One reason he gives is because humans need a defense for the nature for which we cannot control. Freud believes that nature is cruel. Since we have absolutely no power over it, he believes we need protection, which would be the higher power. An example of this would be a natural disaster. This would include Hurricane Strain. Since people came together to help the victims of this uncontrollable event, one might say that there must be an explanation to why this horrible event happened.The explanation would be that God (or another higher power) has caused it so people would band together to help one another. I believe Freud is right when he says that religion defends against the cruel aspects of nature. People do come together when bad things happen and I believe that they think there must be an explanation for it and that's why they re there to help. Without religion, they may not see the benefit in helping others. On the other had, do not believe that nature is entirely cruel. Nature also provides us with things that are essential to our survival.These things would include rain for our crops, sunlight for our bodies, and even the trees that provide us with oxygen. If nature were entirely cruel, it wouldn't have done this. Another view that Freud had on the purpose of religion is to abject humans to live in a civilization. He believes that individual humans are a direct threat to civilizations, but humans as a whole consider it to be a benefit. To make a civilization work, there must be a leader recognized by the mass part of it. This leader pressures people to follow the rules, laws and other institutions.This leader would be the higher power. The rest, thus keeping the custom of the civilization going, adopted this coercion to the things civilians must follow. An example of this would be baptisms. Basically everyone in the Christian church has gotten b aptized, but why? This rite of passage into any Christian church has been used since the beginning of its existence. The reason is because people have a learned feeling that if they don't or don't have their child baptized, salvation cannot be achieved. Of course, people were not born with this idea, but rather coerced into believing it.The function of baptisms are to give people the feeling of safety and also that they are involved in civilization. This â€Å"rule† of Christian civilization is the reason that millions of people are baptized and will continue to be. Freud is definitely right with this belief. Believe this because my family is a perfect example of this. I was baptized in the Catholic Church when I was a baby, yet I never go to church. My parents fell into the civilization rule made by the leader that is religion. They were brought up to believe the same belief that millions around the world believe-that it would bring salvation.I will probably do the same to m y kids one day, since I now deem it as important A very important function of religion to Freud was that it made a moral code for humans to live by. This would include religious codes such as the Ten Commandments, the Noble Path of Buddha, the Five Pillars of Islam, or others. All of these represent a code that people should live by if they want to live a good life and be worthy enough for their higher power in the after life. Because of these codes, people don't kill one another, or other bad things for the civilization, but instead try to live a good life.This good life would include, according to these codes, giving to others, believing in their God, or praying. These rules that religion forces people to live by make for a better civilization, according to Freud. These rules apply directly to human civilization n the way hat they connect to the government laws in which people live by. An example of the application of the rules into the real world is that in most countries, it is illegal to kill someone. There are serious consequences for murder. The connection between the law of a country and the law of a religion show how much religion has influenced outside civilization.The moral code that was used for religious purposed which were followed by most, had been converted into the law used by many governments today. I believe Freud was right In saying that a large part of the function of religion is to provide a moral code for people. Without it, there could be the possibility that people would be allowed to run around killing left and right. Civilization wouldn't exist if this were true, because everyone would be dead. Although this is true, I also believe that even without the code, people would still find a way to maintain order. Onto think that chaos is only averted because of the moral codes, but because humans long for an orderly lifestyle. The drive for stable, maintained life styles is an evident characteristic of all humans. No one wants to be confus ed with his or her place in life all the time. It would cause psychological instability. One way or another, I believe that we would still have laws and regulations without religion. Peter Berger is another major thinker that had his own beliefs about the functions that religion has. One belief he had was that society shapes people.Babies are born as a blank slate of a person. With no beliefs, thoughts, or feelings on any subject in the world, they learn the things that surround them. The society that they are born into has already existed for years and it shapes the way the new person can live. This creates conformity. Berger also says that a process called objectification happens; this is when people grow up in a society where they take it for granted as the right way for living compared to other societies. A great example of this would be the terrorist attacks on 9/11.As Americans, we were stricken with fear and hostility towards the people who we believed to be evil and criminal . Our society we live in does not, under any circumstance, stand for such horrible attack against our beloved country. The terrorists didn't see it that way. The A-Qaeda found it to be the right thing to do. This directly shows objectification. Americans believed this act was of terror and were hurt deeply by it, while the terrorists didn't. The efferent backgrounds that we grew up in compared to what they grew up in explain the differences in behavior.Berger was correct with his belief on objectification, because it is clear that people from different societies act different then others. Everyone is born the same way -? with no knowledge of anything but to eat and sleep. The society in which we grow up in makes the person. Adding to this, I also believe that societies change with new generations. New generations don't only follow what their parents and grandparents did, but try to improve their life. This is shown by all the new technology We now live with. We always try to advance ourselves, but don't stray too far away from what we know.Another important belief that Berger had about the purpose of religion was that it helped humans give meanings to things. People can perceive of their own experiences in a meaningful way. This is very important because it makes chaotic things have its own significance. Without religion, in Burger's eyes, people would live with madness everywhere -? death, natural disasters and other tragedies. Berger uses the term cosmos, a notion of stability that links human experience to a divine order, offering a sense that our lives are tot mere combinations of random events but instead that our experiences are linked to some larger sacred plan.If a woman were to lose her sister to breast cancer, and then devote her life to raising money for research, she may vow that the death â€Å"meant something. † People give tragic accidents, like this one, a meaning. They reject the chaos nature of death by giving it a meaning that a divin e power created it for a reason. Susan G. Someone was the dying sister of Nancy G. Brinier, who then went on to create the Susan G. Someone for the Cure. It has since risen more then $2 billion in a fight against areas cancer. The terrible death of her sister made Brinier help decrease breast cancer mortality in the U.S. Stories like this are heard all over the world because religion helps them find meaning in horrible events such as death. I most definitely believe this is the case in humanity. Without religion, life would be depressing. People die every day. Without the thought that it was â€Å"all in God's plan†, I don't think people would have a reason to live. Why would anyone want to if everyone just died them with them themselves eventually joining them? There are many things that we give meaning to, that we need o give meaning to, in order to survive this hard life.

Religion and Morality Essay

In this paper I will discuss the relationship between religion and morality. I will first address the question asked by those with religion, how are atheists moral? Then I will examine morality and its relativity to culture. Next I will explore whether those without a religion are actually more moral than those with a religion. And finally, I will discuss any possible objections to my claims. This argument is in no way saying that those that believe in God are unmoral but that those who don’t believe in God, are just as capable of being moral. Being atheist means that you choose to believe that God, or a god, does not exist. You have no faith or religion, you don’t go to church every Sunday morning, or pray every night before you go to bed. Therefore the belief is that you’re condemned to spend the rest of eternity in hell. So just because a person doesn’t believe in a God, does that make them a bad person? A common question of those with religion is, where do atheists get their moral compass from? Atheists aren’t taught by any type of ultimate superior that they can’t lie, cheat, steal, rape, or murder. So how do they know not to do it? The underlying message I interpret from this is: religion is what keeps everybody in the world moral. That the only thing stopping you from murdering someone is reading a Bible (Marcotti, 2011). Just because you don’t have a bible does it mean that you want to go around blowing up buildings and terrorizing grocery stores. It’s safe to assume that most people want to do good in the world. There is the occasional serial killer every once in a while but, the bulk of the world’s population is promoting good that exists in all forms because everybody has a different idea of whats right from wrong. Some people make incredible scientific discoveries to better mankind, that’s considered good. Others might go to countries and help those less fortunate, also good. One might reply that these are just acts of morality. And that they still don’t define a moral person. But if you think about it, nobody’s born with a perfect moral compass. Nobody is born with morals. Not even those that are born into a religion. In our society, when we’re young and we tell a white lie, we learn the consequences. Some are told by their parents, who are told by the Bible, that it is wrong. Others learn that when you deceive people, it can have many effects. Through experience and questioning, do children acquire their sense of right and wrong. Which accompanies them throughout the rest of their lives. In Louise M. Antony’s Philosophers Without Gods, she says that, â€Å"All that is lost, if there is no God, is a divine enforcer. In a world without God, there is no guarantee that the virtuous will ever be rewarded, nor that the vicious will ever be punished. We must do what is right simply because it is right,† (Antony, 2007, pg. 51). Let’s look at morality and religion from a cultural standpoint. â€Å"When used in a descriptive sense [morality] refers to codes of conduct that are actually put forward and accepted by some society, group, or individual,† (Gert, 2012). If you think about it, there are over seven billion people spread out over seven continents in our world. The majority of those people have a religion and believe in a God. But, what about the people that aren’t even exposed to the idea of a God? Let’s say a rural, very secluded tribe in the habitable regions of northeast Asia. Just because they don’t have a religion, would that make them bad people? If they lead a simple life and didn’t steal, lie, commit adultery, or murder, why should they be branded as unmoral for something they have no control over. An excellent insight into Chinese culture and religion is portrayed in the book, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. Even though this example is a fictional story, it’s based off of a real culture and the religious views of that culture in the late nineteenth century. The protagonist Wang Lung practices a religion with the Earth. When his crop is well and thriving he pays homage to the Earth God and when his crop is poor he resents the Earth God. At a point in the book, Wang Lung kills his newborn daughter because of her sex. During a time of famine, he steals gold coins from a wealthy family. And after he encounters money and prosperity, he spends his time in a tea house with a concubine instead of with his dying wife (Sparknotes Editors, 2012). But, in this story the main character does feel guilt for the things that he did. Knowing that it wasn’t right, and that it didn’t feel right to kill his newborn child, Wang Lung still did it and the act was perfectly acceptable according to their culture. When he stole the gold from the wealthy, he knew morally that it was wrong but, his family needed the money therefore his motivation was to provide for them. And when he purchased a concubine, Wang Lung was complying with the cultural norm of wealthy Chinese men. Whereas in our culture, and its predominant religion, the idea of adultery and lust is considered unmoral. It is even arguable that those without a religion are more genuinely moral. For example, the Christian religion. The whole belief is that you don’t sin and therefore are rewarded with eternal bliss. If you do sin then you will be forever damned. The motivation for all the good that they are guided to do is to have a better afterlife, selfish isn’t it? Well one who has no religion, has no belief in the afterlife. All the actions and choices that they make in this physical life are all they have. They live for today instead of living for tomorrow, metaphorically. When you do the right thing, like not lie, cheat, steal, then your life will reflect upon that. If you rape someone then our judicial system will lock you up in a concrete cell for a few decades and then you just wasted half of the only life you have. From this you could say that an Atheist has more to lose by not being moral. For this argument, well known atheists, Ricky Gervais said, â€Å"Forgiveness is probably the greatest virtue there is. But that’s exactly what it is - ­ a virtue. Not just a Christian virtue. No one owns being good. I’m good. I just don’t believe I’ll be rewarded for it in heaven. My reward is here and now. It’s knowing that I try to do the right thing. That I lived a good life,† (Gervais, 2010). A possible objection brought upon by these claims would be simply that God made morality and it’s not something we acquire. And for those that have faith in God, in all honesty why should they believe any differently? Their faith is what allows them to believe without having any need for reason, and that is extremely commendable. Many people aren’t capable of providing that much trust in the existence of a supernatural being. In this case, there are two sides to the story and it really does come down to which side you are on. Those that have a religion would say that their morality has come from the teachings of that religion. But, they wouldn’t know any otherwise. Even if they came to religion later in life, the bible provides written, physical guidance. An atheist would have a clean palette, not influenced by any ideas or direction. So the question of their morality is perfectly understandable. Its like saying if I had a candy bar, how could somebody else conjure that candy bar and experience the same sensation of it. In this paper, I explored a few concepts that argue the relationship between religion and morality. First by arguing where morality comes from, I said that it is something that we acquire through society. Next I said that morality is related to the religions amidst a culture. Last, I put forward that those without a religion are actually more moral than those with a religion. I Finished by providing objections and a point of view for those with a religion. The examples from literature that were used supported the claims made in the paragraphs. With these arguments, I believe that the relationship between religion and morality was effectively exposed. That it is not necessary for one to have a religion and be moral. References Antony, L. (2007). Philosophers Without Gods’ . Oxford University Press Gert, Bernard, â€Å"The Definition of Morality†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = . Gervais, Ricky (2010) â€Å"Ricky Gervais: Why I’m an Atheist† The Wall Street Journal [Online] Available at: http://blogs. wsj. com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/ Marcotte, Amanda (2011) â€Å"10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked† AlterNet [Online] Available at: http://www. alternet. org/story/152395/10_myths_many_religious_people_hold_about_atheists,_debunked SparkNotes Editors. (2003). SparkNote on The Good Earth. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/goodearth/Ã'Ž

Communication And Race Essays - Discrimination, Racism, Hatred

Communication And Race Essays - Discrimination, Racism, Hatred Communication And Race The most critical aspects of media performance with regards to race and ethnicity are issues that relate to the quality of its representation of the lives of people of color. Accuracy and diversity are aspects of media performance that will allow for a careful evaluation of how it represents people of color. Evaluating media performance is important because of the utilization and reliance on the mass media for much of society's reflexive monitoring and evaluation of reality. The performance of mass media is important in regards to race and ethnicity because the mass media are the primary source of indirect or mediated experiences that reinforce racial attitudes and beliefs that are integrated into cognitive structures (Gandy, 1998). Thus, mass media can be viewed as places where reality is constructed and racism may be reproduced. Accuracy Accuracy is an important aspect of media performance to consider in assessing the quality of its representation of the lives of people of color because of its assumed consequences of developing self-image and personal identity and its reflection of social reality that informs social policy (Gandy 1998). Shan and Thorton (1994) state that previous research of minority groups has shown that minorities are sometimes depicted as being violent, primitive, and politically unsophisticated. Furthermore, they postulate that certain types of behaviors among minorities may be understood by whites as pathological or deviant because of how the news media represent them. This representation is inaccurate because it ignores historical context and structural explanations for social trends. In addition, Shan and Thorton state that newsmagazines reproduce racism by perpetuating a racial hierarchy carried out by mainly whites and consumed by mainly whites that positioned blacks at the bottom. Entman (1990) found that local news stimulated the production of modern racism. Violent crimes committed by blacks was the largest category of local news. Of the eight times in which blacks were subjects of lead stories, six described violent crimes. In addition, blacks were shown as being more dangerous than whites. Entman states that accused blacks were usually illustrated by glowering mug shots or by footage of them being led around in handcuffs, their arms held by uniformed white policemen. Salwen and Soruco (1997) state that images of Mexicans in the press reflect racial stereotypes. The researchers point out examples in US press where Mexicans were labeled as wetbacks and associated with causing destruction by introducing one of the world's most destructive insect pest. Gandy (1998) states that blacks are often portrayed as violent criminals. If they are portrayed in human-interest stories, these stories rely upon negative stereotypes. Like Entman and Gandy finding that minorities (blacks) experience inaccurate portrayals of being violent, Salwen and Soruco also report that Hispanics were framed in crime stories more frequently. Astroff (1989) conclude that mass media tends to reproduce or participate in the reproduction of inaccurate representations, stereotypes, of Latinos. US Latinos were transformed into Spanish Gold through the redefinition of (not the elimination of) traditional stereotypes. These stereotypes of Latinos were reinterpreted for the use of explanations of consumer behavior yet there was not any significant change, moving to a more accurate depiction, in the representation of Latinos in mainstream media. Diversity The concept of diversity is a multidimensional one. The FCC sought to promote diversity under two headings: one of maximizing consumer choice; the other of serving the public interest by ensuring an appropriate range of service from broadcasting and fairness in giving access and attention to minority groups. Diversity of program content, accessible to all segments of the audience, is necessary to insure quality representation of the lives of people of color. One of the goals of the media should be to represent or reflect the prevailing differences of culture, opinion, and social conditions of the population as a whole. The degree of correspondence between the diversity of the society and the diversity of media content is the key to assessing media performance. Diversity must be at the media content level and at the media system level and must promote racial proportionality and representation. Entman (1990) demonstrated that blacks were misrepresented in local news coverage. So-called bad news was often thought more newsworthy than good news and ethnic minority members were differentially more

The Story of the Septuagint Bible and the Name Behind It

The Story of the Septuagint Bible and the Name Behind It The Septuagint Bible arose in the 3rd century B.C., when the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, was translated into Greek. The name Septuagint derives from the Latin word septuaginta, which means 70. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible is called Septuagint because 70 or 72 Jewish scholars reportedly took part in the translation process. The scholars worked in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-247 B.C.), according to the Letter of Aristeas to his brother Philocrates. They assembled to translate the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek language because Koine Greek began to supplant Hebrew as the language most commonly spoken by the Jewish people during the Hellenistic Period. Aristeas determined that 72 scholars took part in the Hebrew-to-Greek Bible translation by calculating six elders for each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Adding to the legend and symbolism of the number is the idea that the translation was created in 72 days, according to The Biblical Archaeologist article, Why Study the Septuagint? written by Melvin K. H. Peters in 1986. Calvin J. Roetzel states in The World That Shaped the New Testament that the original Septuagint only contained the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch is the Greek version of the Torah, which consists of the first five books of the Bible. The text chronicles the Israelites from creation to the leave-taking of Moses. The specific books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Later versions of the Septuagint included the other two sections of the Hebrew Bible, Prophets and Writings. Roetzel discusses a latter-day embellishment to the Septuagint legend, which today probably qualifies as a miracle: Not only did 72 scholars working independently make separate translations in 70 days, but these translations agreed in every detail. Featured Thursdays Term to Learn. The Septuagint is also known as: LXX. Example of Septuagint in a Sentence The Septuagint contains Greek idioms that express events differently from the way they were expressed in the Hebrew Old Testament. The term Septuagint is sometimes used to refer to any Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. Books of the Septuagint GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuthKings (Samuel) IKings (Samuel) IIKings IIIKings IVParalipomenon (Chronicles) IParalipomenon (Chronicles) IIEsdras IEsdras I (Ezra)NehemiahPsalms of DavidPrayer of ManassehProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SolomonJobWisdom of SolomonWisdom of the Son of SirachEstherJudithTobitHoseaAmosMicahJoelObadiahJonahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiIsaiahJeremiahBaruchLamentations of JeremiahEpistles of JeremiahEzekialDanielSong of the Three ChildrenSusannaBel and the DragonI MaccabeesII MaccabeesIII Maccabees

Legalizing Marijuana Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Legalizing Marijuana - Research Paper Example Marijuana use has over time been seen as a danger to society as a whole thus pushing for its prohibition and due to this, it has been included in the war against drugs. However, the benefits of medical marijuana, particularly its economic benefits are eye catching and if properly channeled can be beneficial to the society today. Marijuana is the most used illegal drug- a product of the hemp plant, cannabis sativa. Cannabis is an anal flowering herb with palmate compound leafs that are used in making marijuana. Marijuana has walked with history since then, with the first recorded use of cannabis dating back to 7,000B.C. The Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used this drug for its medicinal values since it healed stomach ailments cramps and pain.(Caulking et al 35). This drug originated from Asia and speculations have it that Napoleons troops sneaked Marijuana into Europe after discovering there was more to it than medicinal value. The Mexican immigrants then helped spread this drug across America where it was introduced for medicinal purposes. The curious Americans discovered its recreational ability when alcohol was banned and prohibited. Once the federal government imposed a ban on alcohol, marijuana became an alternative and its usage soared. In the year 1930, the U.S government and the media both collaborated in demonizing marijuana sighting it as a devil with its roots in hell. This led to the prohibition of marijuana with the government and the liquor industry formulating a movie aimed at discouraging people from the use of marijuana (Dudley 105). It is evident that the propaganda emerging about marijuana were not well researched, causing tension among its users and the government. Instead, it created problems that were more serious. Small drug offenders filled prisons to overcrowding. Besides, alleviating the problem of overcrowding jails, if marijuana were legalized and properly regulated, its users would be