Echoes of Paine Tracing the Age of Reason through the Writings of Emerson Essay Example

Echoes of Paine: Tracing the Age of Reason through the Writings of Emerson Essay In his essay, â€Å"Echoes of Paine: Tracing the Age of Reason through the Writings of Emerson,†Ã‚   Webb seeks to illuminate Emerson’s position on religion and Christianity through his writing.   He interestingly notes the similarities between Thomas Paine, infamously known as a radical and even an atheist, and Emerson, whose clever phrasings and physical distancing from pain made him much more acceptable and even revered by American political society.   However, Webb asserts in his essay that while he was a champion for many, his actually beliefs were often less than completely understood.However, his religious beliefs did confound and intimidate theologians.   In his essays â€Å"Self Reliance† and â€Å"Nature,† Emerson supports the religious concept of Deism, which recognizes the belief in a Creator,   recognizes an afterlife and, recognizes the need to live a virtuous life on earth.   This differs from the stricter and more specific teachin gs of Christianity which made many uncomfortable.One of the reasons that Emerson adopted the view of Deism is that he was more interested in the rationality of science.   Because the Christians believed the Bible to be divinity, they had to believe in its miracles.   However, Emerson, Paine and other transcendental and writers of the Age of Reason, could not scientifically explain these miracles and tended to look at them as symbolic rather than actual.This is not to say, as Webb points out, that Emerson was anti-Jesus.   He believed in faith and Jesus and a higher power, but fell just short of recognizing Jesus as divine and felt, instead, that people found their higher powers in a variety of places.   Emerson’s favorite was in nature.Emerson managed to escape the criticism that Paine endured for his own ideologies.   However, though many do not realize this, their ideas on religion and theology were strikingly similar.   For whatever reason, Emerson emerged as a revered thinker of the American 1800s and today.In his essay, â€Å"Emerson’s ‘Self-Reliance,’ Sweeny, and Prufrock,† Cook examines the effect that Emerson’s essay has on the development of the concept of individual man by comparing it to other prominent literary offerings of the day.   He compares Emerson to T.S. Eliot and notes particularly their similarities and differences in defining man.Emerson clearly had a faith in the human soul, according to Cook, a quality which Eliot and others found extremely faulty and naà ¯ve. In addition, Emerson scorned learning and academia from traditional â€Å"book† sources and eschewed the importance of relationships for a certain â€Å"oneness† within an individual.   Cook notes that while Emerson had a profound distaste for the Puritanical notions of rigid outward behavior and the importance of reliance on the group, he did maintain an utmost respect and need for individual morality.Howeve r, both Emerson and Eliot hated the notion that intellectualism might be overcoming the importance of emotions.   Suppressing emotions, again, was a hated Puritanical concept, and, interestingly, both men had familial ties to Puritanism.   Perhaps their reactions against its tenets were a result of their early exposure to its indoctrinations, suggests the author Cook.Another important idea on Emerson’s essay that Eliot denies is what is known as Emerson’s â€Å"Great Man† theory.   He says that every true man is, himself, an age, an institution, a cause worthy of a prominent place in history.   The effects of certain men create the history which shapes the world.   Eliot and others downplay this idea, seeking instead for the relationships among men, a collection of men, to mold and shape history.   This is an unresolved dispute between these two American writers.Cook goes on to show the influence of Emerson’s essay on some of the great, classi cal writings of Eliot such as â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† and â€Å"Sweeny Among the Nightingales.†Ã‚   The focus seems to be on the definition of man and the answer to the questions â€Å"Who Am I.†Ã‚   Certainly, Emerson’s â€Å"Self Reliance† poses a plausible way to help an individual answer that question.Many writers of nonfiction and fiction alike tend to espouse their own political, social, and theological ideas through their essays, poems, stories and dramas.   These writers refine their ideas by the notions of their own particular era.   One intensely prolific era in American history was known as the Age of Reason, which came as a response to the overwhelming dogmatic and senselessly romantic eras which preceded it.   One particular writer which holds his place as a beloved figure in American nonfiction despite his seemingly radical ideas is Ralph Waldo Emerson.   His essay, â€Å"Self Reliance,† gives man and society a plan for gaining definition, morality and self-worth.Emerson is noted as â€Å"championing the mid-nineteenth-century transcendentalmovement, bringing Americans closer to nature, and developing a new national identity based on self-reliance† (513).   Unlike others with similar thoughts concerning religion and theology, notably Paine,   Emerson’s radical ideas did send shockwaves through the theological community (514). One way in which Emerson, and others such as Thomas Paine, and to an extent, T.S. Eliot,   went about redefining man in society is to attack its dependence on the strict, dogmatism of organized religion.This is not to say that Emerson was opposed to organized religion.   In fact, Webb quotes Donald Gelpi who asserts: â€Å"religious passion inspired almost everything Emerson wrote† (Webb 513).   Emerson seems to hope all his readers will come to see that even though he had a very real skepticism towards organized and orthodox religions, spirituality, particularly his own brand of transcendental spirituality, is an important part in every man’s life.   He believed that morality asa individual was an utmost virtue.The religious movement that Emerson supported was called Deism, which allows for a more individualized approach to worship, praise, faith and spirituality than traditional Christianity afforded.   Deism’s particular tenets are as follows: §Ã‚   â€Å"a belief in a universal First Cause wherein a Creator was responsible for existence §Ã‚     the acceptance of a future state of being after death §Ã‚     a commitment to living virtuously while on Earth.According to Webb, Deists sought to strip Christianity of its necessary revelations, instead relying on the natural world as proof of the existence of a Divine Architect† (Webb 515).One can see that these three virtues are not ideologically different from those of Christianity; nevertheless, the orthodox community wa s intimidated by Emerson’s and other transcendentalists’ suggestions that their teachings were not accurate.   However, Deism provides for the individual expression of spirituality and morality that Emerson felt was missing from traditional religions.Two particular discrepancies afflict this theological debate.   First, Deists and Emerson fall short of giving divine qualities to Jesus Christ, and second, they do not take Biblical miracles as exact reality.   Ã‚  By again citing Gelpi, Webb makes sure that his readers know that â€Å"Emerson regarded Jesus as the most morally influential man who ever lived, a person of imparalleled [sic] magnanimity and spiritual greatness of soul†(521).   However, Emerson did not believe in the divinity of Jesus.   This marked a clear separation between Emerson and the traditional, New England church.Clearly, many scientists of this Age of Reason were finding it difficult to reconcile the miracles noted in the Bible an d scientific reality. While this was also true for Emerson, it did not stop him from remaining firm in his faith in one divine creator.  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact, Webb notes that Emerson relied very heavily on his belief in God as the make and communicator of Nature (522) but noted that â€Å"the existence of true miracles would degrade God into a showman incapable of capturing the worlds attention without a flashbox or a hidden chamber† (522).   Emerson believed that God communicated through simpler channels such as nature instead of through great, sensational miracles which demeaned Him, making him appear more as a magician than as a divine being.Emerson noted that the Bible itself interfered with the relationship between God and man.   In â€Å"Self Reliance,† he notes,   â€Å"If therefore, a man claims to know and speak of God, and carries you backward to the phraseology of some old mouldered nation in another country, in another world, believe him not. Is the ac orn better than the oak which is its fullness and completion?† (733).   With this rhetorical questions, Emerson is noting that the very conception of a religious thought is certainly not indicative of its fullness and uses the acorn metaphor to explain this.   Religion in its fullness cannot be understood by some old vestiges of its sanctity and practice in the past.   For him, spirituality was intensely individual and in no way dependent upon a structured curriculum.Many readers recall some of the more memorable lines of â€Å"Self Reliance† of which the following is one of the most popular:A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall (Emerson 728).In this citation resounds the overall theme of Emerson’s ideas.   Emerson pushes for individuality on all accounts.   He has a tremendous faith in man, unlike many of his other contemporaries.   To remain foolishly consistent to anything is the flaw he warns all against foolish consistency to religious belief, to self identification, to all aspects of humanity.In â€Å"Self-Reliance,† Emerson draws a parallel between the function of society, which he feels is unmoving, and the fluidity of man:   â€Å"Society is a wave. The wave moves onward,but the water of which it is composed, does not†Ã‚   (742).   In this analogy, men are the water; they move, but society itself stays behind.   The idea he is trying to get across is that men make their own way throughout life, but societies do not travel with them.   Therefore, to define oneself by his own society is a fault.Man’s definition of himself was a cause for concern for Emerson.   In his essay, he sadly notes that â€Å"Man is timid and apologetic; he is no longer upright; he dares not say ‘I think,’ ‘I a m,’ but quotes some saint or sage† (Emerson 733).   Again, Emerson does not want men to define himself by others, or worse, to be afraid to define himself at all.   This idea is prominent in other writers of the day, particularly in T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† (Cook 224).   This character in this classic poem is also afraid, timid, and has a â€Å"excessive fear of expressing himself† (224).   Many people also have this fear making the sad Prufrock a symbol for them all.Emerson urges nonconformity but warns against public response:What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the worlds opinion; it is easy in soli tude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude (727).Here he is explaining that society is generally against the nonconformist and seeks to either keep him silent and alone or to conform him to the masses’ opinions.   Sometimes staying true to oneself is more difficult than a person can take â€Å"For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure† (728).Cook notes that Prufrock, and all of those like him, have not listened well to the teachings of Emerson.   Prufrock fears expressing himself and is enslaved by his own anxieties.   He fears decision making and ultimate fades into nothingness (Cook 226).  Ã‚   Sadly, in his fear of being misunderstood by the lady he desires in the poem, he misses one of Emerson’s most important lessons:   â€Å"Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, an d every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood†Ã‚   (Emerson 729). How many other people live on, fearing the thing that should actually make them great?On the other hand, Emerson notes that the self-reliant man should fear nobody.   He eschews the idea of singular greatness bestowed upon individuals by society. Cook notes that â€Å"One of the main purposes in Emerson’s essay is to overcome, in this fashion, the intimidations of ‘the man in the street’† (224).   These men worship kings and great leaders of the past but fail to recognize the value of themselves.   In a way, this runs parallel to Emerson’s distaste of clinging to older, dogmatic religions and his equal distaste of placing great stock in the older texts of history, including the Bible, as discusses above.   One of â€Å"Self-Reliance’s† more notable passages makes this extremely clear:Our reading is mendicant and sycop hantic. In history, our imagination plays us false. Kingdom and lordship, power and estate, are a gaudier vocabulary than private John and Edward in a small house and common days work; but the things of life are the same to both; the sum total of both is the same. Why all this deference to Alfred, and Scanderbeg, and Gustavus? Suppose they were virtuous; did they wear out virtue? As great a stake depends on your private act to-day, as followed their public and renowned steps. When private men shall act with original views, the lustre will be transferred from the actions of kings to those of gentlemen (Emerson 731).Here Emerson is noting that men are just as great as what follows, and what follows are the words and actions of private individuals.   Greatness does not exist in a vacuum, and therefore it must have the equal greatness of men to support it.   This is the individuality that Emerson seeks.The hobgoblin of consistency applies to every facet of a man’s life, but p articularly points to his religious and personal views.   For spirituality to be individual and nonconforming, it must allow for personal reflections and interpretations.   Organized, orthodox religion does not do this.   Additionally, independent individuals must also adopt the personal approach to his thoughts, words and actions, and avoid conforming to the popular thought which will soon wane and die.  Ã‚   Emerson’s â€Å"Self Reliance† is a document that provides much thought for mankind both in the 1800s and today.

How to Set Academic Goals

How to Set Academic Goals In all walks of life, goals are set to keep us focused. From sports to sales and marketing, goal setting is common. By setting goals, an individual can be more aware of what will be needed to move forward. For example, by setting a goal to have our homework finished by Sunday evening, a student will have thought through the process and in so doing made allowances for other things he or she would typically do on a Sunday. But the bottom line on this is: goal setting helps us to focus on the end result.   We sometimes refer to goal setting as plotting a map for success. After all, you are likely to wander a bit off track if you dont keep your eye on a clear goal. Goals are like promises we make to our future selves.  It is never a bad time to get started when it comes to  setting goals, so you should never let a few setbacks get you down if you feel like youve been off track. So how can you be most successful? Setting Goals Like a P-R-O There are three key words to keep in mind when you set your goals: PositiveRealisticObjectives Be Positive: There are many books written about the power of positive thinking. Many people believe positive thinking is an essential factor when it comes to success, but it doesnt have anything to do with mystical powers or magic. Positive thoughts merely keep you on track and prevent you from holding yourself back in a negative funk. When you set goals, concentrate on positive thoughts. Dont use words like I wont fail algebra. That will only keep the notion of failure in your thoughts. Instead, use positive language: I will pass algebra with a B average.I will be accepted into three superior colleges.I will increase my SAT total scores by 100 points. Be Realistic: Dont set yourself up for disappointment by setting goals that you cant realistically achieve. Failure can have a snowball effect. If you set a goal thats not attainable and miss the mark, you are likely to lose confidence in other areas. For instance, if you fail a midterm in algebra and you resolve to improve your performance, dont set a goal of a final A grade overall if it isnt mathematically possible. Set Objectives: Objectives are the tools you will use to reach your goals; they are sort of like the little sisters to your goals. Objectives are the steps you take to ensure you stay on track. For example: Goal: Passing algebra with a B averageObjective 1: I will review the pre-algebra lessons I learned last year.Objective 2: I will see a tutor every Wednesday night.Objective 3: I will mark every future test in my planner. Your objectives must be measurable and clear, so they should never be wishy-washy. When you set goals and objectives, be sure to include a time limit. Goals should not be vague and unbounded.

Strategic Perspective - Zara Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Strategic Perspective - Zara Case Study - Essay Example Presently, ZARA is present in more than 73 countries worldwide and has been expanding at an accelerating pace on an international level. Currently, the group has about 6009 stores which are widespread in 86 markets; it implies that it is operating in four hundred cities in five continents. The net sales of the company as of 2012 were â‚ ¬15,964 million and ZARA has contribution of more than 30% in the total profit amount (Inditex, 2013a). The mission of the company is to offer all the customers a distinctive range of options for making a wise choice in the fast fashion industry. The brand ensures that the offerings comprise of inimitable and innovative products for enhancing the shopping experience of all customers. The store provides the uniquely designed products at reasonable prices that are created from excellent quality materials in accordance to the latest market trends (Zara, 2013). In order to understand the business environment in which ZARA is operating, it is crucial to monitor the changes that are taking place so that the retail store remains competent and proactive in its approach. As the customers of the fashion industry are always looking forward for fresh, modern and distinctive products all the time, ZARA has ensured that it develops its core competence in the manufacturing process (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst, 2010). Most of the clothing companies have to encounter problems in efficient management of their production procedure; ZARA has outclassed in this area by employing a supply chain system that is efficient, agile and capable of producing zero defect products (Hume, 2011). Hence, the store ensures that it is well-aware of the industry requirements and standards but it creates its own way of managing the business operations. The business model of ZARA is so competent that the rival companies cannot copy it at all and it is the primary source of

PDA Slim 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PDA Slim 5 - Essay Example During the early stages of the simulation game I learned that managers need information in other to be well informed prior to implementing any decision or business strategies. The first thing I had to do was study all the data in order to familiarize myself with the company and the marketplace. It was necessary to study the economic behavior of both the company and the marketplace. Market saturation was an interesting economic metric in this simulation. The behavior I observed was that products with higher price tags such as the X6 product take much longer for the market to get saturated because the higher price tag of the item leads to lower volume sales. The opposite behavior occurred in the lower price products such as the X7. When I lowered the price for this from the start I was able to jumpstart this product line, and dramatically increase the X7 which cause a virgin product to achieve full market saturation in a four year span. The simulation taught me that a manager gets better at strategic decisions through acquired business experience which means that business strategies development involves a learning curve. A learning curve is the anticipated improvements that are likely to occur following mistakes which implies that a company gains experience it is able to develop products more efficiently and at lower costs (Learnthat). As an analyst and decision maker for PDA Corporation the historical data accumulated was very instrumental for me, since it provided the ability to review the information to study the behavior of products in the marketplace based on the decision made. One of the major strategic flaws I was able to correct was my erroneous assumption that the profitability of X7 would increase by increasing price. This was not right approach since the sales volume for the product was too low and require a lower price to jumpstart the sales of the X7

How women are seendepicted in the book the things they carried by the Essay

How women are seendepicted in the book the things they carried by the author Tim O'Brien - Essay Example Only on a few time did you find a woman who in fact fought in the war. Two women from a different source affirmed that "women served alongside men in that sink-pit of War." Some positions women had were non-traditional.The women are a load and a difficulty as much as they are a prompt of what the soldiers required. "All that crap about how if we had a pussy for president there wouldn't be no more wars'' 'You got to get rid of that sexist attitude." These men had a variety of vision and emotion about the women they love, the women they disgust, and the women that they may not be acquainted with and can only vision of. While the text given to the thoughts of women is small is physique, it is fairly important in sense. (O'Brien 1990) Mary-Ann, a seventeen year-old girl from Middle America, rapidly becomes fraction of Vietnam. She studies how to chase from the Green Berets, but almost immediately she shifts further than even them, and disappears into the tropical forest. She loves the way Vietnam makes her experience: this portrays the theme of adultery between her and the soldiers as if she is all there, and can not at all lose herself. 'When her boyfriend last sees her, she is wearing a necklace of human tongues'. Mary Anne Bellgirlfriendto soldier Mark Fossie symbolizes the dishonesty of blamelessness that takes place in war. She appears wearing "white culottes and this sexy pink sweater," fresh from suburban U.S., and becomes a foul tool of bereavement, scarier than even the Green Berets. (Herzog 1992) Yet extra than the American soldiers in Vietnam, Mary Anne Bell symbolizes the unknown, somebody who does not fit in where she is. Like Rat Kiley's troubled reply to behavior process only during the night in "Night Life," the story of Mary Anne highlights what happens when someone's environs have an effect on her. Mary Anne is also symbolic of alteration, specially, the loss of blamelessness to experience. Comparable to how the "green" medic Jorgenson is appropriate to make errors, Mary Anne is greener than any man in the work of fiction. She arrives in Vietnam not only not ready for war but also not aiming to take part in it. Her alteration from an attractive girl wearing culottes to an animal-like huntsman who wears a 'necklace of tongues' equivalents and overstates the revolutionize all young men went through in Vietnam, such as "O'Brien" who went from a boy who was fond of school to the man who planned a aggressive vengeance against Jorgenson. (T O'Brien1991) O'Brien leaves out the ending to the story about Mary Anne, as a replacement for letting her quality pass into the dominion of myths. quite than letting us to know what becomes of somebody (like himself) who experiences an aggressive loss of blamelessness, we are left speculating how war influences a person, and to what ends of time that person will carry on to feel its consequence. The one part of "knowledge" that Mary Anne's story educates us is that once blamelessness is lost, it can never be regained. Different from O'Brien or Bowker, on the other hand, when Mary Anne misplaces her virtue, she becomes a mediator of primitive nature. (Heberle2002) As a final point, Mary Anne is the most genuine instance of love in the novel. Even if Lt. Cross and Henry Dobbins carry memento that remind them of feel affection for, Mark Fossie is the

Lactose Intolerance: Causes, Types and Management

Lactose Intolerance: Causes, Types and Management Western scientists established by the 1940s that milk was good for you. As a glass of cows milk was set for everyone at the table doctors were receiving discouraging reports that some of the patients were not able to digest the milk. (Dunn, R. 2011) Lactose is a sugar found in milk and milk products. Lactose intolerance (LI) is the inability or inadequate ability to digest lactose. (Kennedy, K., 2010) Cells of the inner lumen of the small intestines, enterocytes, are covered with a membrane that has a brush border made up of microvilli. The microvilli produce lactase, the enzyme that splits and hydrolyze dietary lactose into glucose and galactose for transport across the cell membrane. Lactase is produced in the upper, most shallow section of the villi, which is easy to damage by secondary insult. Lactase breaks down lactose into two simpler forms of sugar called glucose and galactose, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream. (Thorn, A., 2010). If the lactase enzymes are lacking, unabsorbed sugars osmotically attract fluid into the bowel lumen. The amount of fluid influx into the bowel is about triple the normal amount, based on the osmolality of sugar alone. In addition, the unabsorbed lactose entering the colon is fermented by bacteria, producing gas and resulting in the cleavage of lactose into monosaccharides. Monosaccharides cannot be absorbed by the colonic mucosa; as a result, osmotic pressure increases, and fluid levels rise in the bowel. (Thorn, A., 2010). The result of the rising fluid levels would be in about 30 minutes to 2 hours you might experience flatulence, stomach cramps, nausea, bloating of the abdomen, and/or diarrhea. Symptoms may vary from person to person, and people can tolerate differing amounts of foods containing lactose. That is mainly why LI is a very misunderstood condition as there are no really positive criteria for diagnosis. (American Psychological Assoc. Lactose intolerance., 2005). 30 million US adults may be affected by lactose intolerance to some degree by age 20, older patients are predominantly susceptible. It is estimated that about 70% of the world population is affected by LIwith excessive variation among ethnicities and races. Some degree of LI is reported in up to 80% of African-Americans and Latinos, and almost 100% of Native Americans and Asian Americans. LI is least common in people of northern European descent (and is unlikely to develop before adulthood). Most mammalian babies, counting human infants, produce enough lactase to digest milk, including breast milk. This ability continues until the child is weaned. In humans, lactase activity descents at age 2 to 3 years and may cease completely by age 5 to 10. Worldwide, most humans lose 90% to 95% of birth lactase levels by early childhood, with a continuing decline during the course of a lifetime. This may help explain why many elderly people are affected by LI. (Thorn, A., 2010) Two of the main types of lactose malabsoption are primary and secondary. Primary lactase deficiency is the most common form. It is the normal, ongoing reduction in lactase enzyme that an ageing individual experiences, and the rate of decline is genetically determined. (Thorn, A. 2010). Researchers have identified a possible genetic link to primary lactase deficiency. Some people inherit a gene from their parents that makes it likely they will develop primary lactase deficiency. This discovery may be useful in developing future genetic tests to identify people at risk for lactose intolerance. (Matus, J., 2003). Secondary lactose malabsorption is normally temporary and occurs following a weakening of the mucous membrane of the small intestine (American Psychological Assoc. Lactose intolerance. 2005). The weakening can be caused by severe diarrhea, infection (eg, rotavirus), chemotherapy, or acute gastroenteritis. In these situations, lactase is the first enzyme to be harmfully affected and the last to return as the insult resolves. Secondary hypolactasia is transient and reversible. (Thorn, A., 2010). It can last from approximately one week to four weeks after recovery from a severe bout of gastrointestinal infection. (American Psychological Assoc. Lactose intolerance., 2005). Young babies (infants) and children suffering from such an infection or from malnutrition are particularly vulnerable to this secondary deficiency of lactose enzyme. Other causes could be coeliac disease, by an allergy to cows milk, by certain drugs (such as antibiotics) and by gastrointestinal surgery. (Matus, J., 2003). Infants born prematurely are more likely to have lactase deficiency because an infants lactase levels do not increase until the third trimester of pregnancy. (Matus, J. 2003, December). 50% of children will outgrow an allergy to milk protein by one year of age, 75% by two years and 90% by three years. Less than 1% of children suffer from a lifelong milk allergy. (Kennedy, K., 2010) LI is not considered life threatening, but its symptoms can severely affect a persons quality of life and productivity. In addition to ethnicity and age, the type and amount of lactose ingested and the amount that the patient is unable to digest all affect the severity of LI symptoms. (From the pharmacy, 2008) Not all people with lactase deficiency have digestive symptoms, but those who do may have LI. Most people with LI can tolerate some amount of lactose in their diet. LI can be difficult to diagnose by symptoms alone; physicians may need to run tests for proper diagnosis. There are two tests that doctors will usually use to measure the digestion of lactose. One is the Hydrogen Breath Test where the person drinks a lactose-loaded beverage and then the breath is examined at regular interludes to measure the amount of hydrogen. Undigested lactose produces high levels of hydrogen, normally; very little hydrogen is detectable in the breath. The second is a Stool Acidity Test. The stool acidity test is used for infants and young children to measure the amount of acid in the stool. Undigested lactose creates lactic acid and other fatty acids that can be discovered in a stool sample. Glucose may also be present in the stool as a result of undigested lactose. (NIH, 2009) Lactose is also used in some prescription medicines, including birth control pills, and over-the-counter medicines like products to treat stomach acid and gas. Usually only the people with severe LI will have symptoms caused by these medications. (From the pharmacy, 2008). People who suffer from LI should be concerned with getting enough calcium and vitamin D in their diet. Calcium is needed for strong bones, to prevent osteoporosis. There are many alternative foods and lactose free milk products available today to get the proper nutrients and calcium the body needs. Because lactose intolerance is unusual in infants and children younger than 2, a health professional should take special care in determining the cause of a childs digestive symptoms. (NIH Publication, 2009) Although the bodys ability to produce lactase cannot be changed, the symptoms of lactose intolerance can be managed with dietary changes. Slowly introducing small amounts of milk or milk products may help some people adapt to them with fewer symptoms. Most of the time people find they can tolerate milk or milk products better by taking them with meals. (Thorn, A. 2010) Israeli researchers did a study of 66 LI people and discovered that they got less than the 700 mg of calcium a day. That is almost half the recommended 1000 to 1200 mg for healthy bone building. When scans were done they were also found to have thinning bones and to be at risk for osteoporosis and fractures.(NIH, 2009) People, who even after switching their diet, are still having symptoms can take over-the-counter lactase enzyme drops or tablets. Taking a few drops of the liquid enzyme may make the milk products more tolerable to consume for people with LI. (From the pharmacy, 2008)

Hypercholesterolemia :: Diseases, Disorders

In the simplest terms, hypercholesterolemia may be any excessive amount of cholesterol in the blood. The clinical definition however, as outlined by the University of Maryland Medical Center [UMMC] (2010), considers a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or higher to be high cholesterol. Within this total is the level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or â€Å"good† cholesterol) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL or â€Å"bad† cholesterol). Below 40 mg/dL is considered poor for HDL, while an optimal level of 60 mg/dL or above is more desirable. A LDL level of 160-189 mg/dL is considered high, and the optimal level is 100-129 mg/dL. In addition to LDL and HDL cholesterols, a third type of fatty material, collectively known as triglycerides, may be found within the blood. A triglyceride level above 200 mg/dL is high, but the desirable level is below 150mg/dL. Generally, as triglyceride levels rise, HDL cholesterol falls (UMMC, 2010). Tortora & Derrickson (2009) further illuminates the distinction between LDL and HDL cholesterols and why these differences incur such conflicting effects in the body. LDLs convey about 75% of the total cholesterol in blood and deliver it throughout the body to cells so that they may repair cell membranes and create steroid hormones and bile salts (p. 991). However, when their number exceeds what is necessary, LDLs leave cholesterol in and around the smooth muscle fibers in arteries (p. 991). Thus, LDLs have earned a â€Å"bad† reputation. In contrast, HDLs remove excess cholesterol from body cells and blood and transport it to the liver for subsequent elimination, preventing its accumulation in the blood (p. 991). Thus, their â€Å"good† reputation is safe. It is important to remember though that both LDL and HDL cholesterols, as well as triglycerides, are essential in certain amounts, and LDLs and HDLs together make up the total cholesterol level used in the dia gnosis of high cholesterol. According to the UMMC (2010), there are usually no symptoms of high cholesterol, especially in the early stages of the condition. The only way to diagnose an individual with high cholesterol is with a blood test, and doctors recommend that patients fast beforehand so that results only reflect usable HDL and LDL levels (â€Å"How to get†, 2012). Since too much cholesterol circulating within the blood can create sticky deposits called plaque along the artery walls, a diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia may have very real health significance for the patient.

A Critical Analsysis Cultural Event Essay

School shootings has been a popularized term in both the United States and Canada for describing gun violence at educational institutions around the country. This especially applies to mass killings or shooting sprees perpetuated by the students or members of the faculty. School shootings are differentiated from acts of terrorism in that they are usually randomly targeted victims and involve students, faculty or alumni of the institution involved. This marked difference can be seen when we differentiate the Beslan School Hostage Taking (BBC News, 2004) from the Columbine Massacre. For our purposes, we would use the Columbine Massacre as our cultural event to be analyzed. This massacre has been well documented by a mountain of resources and has been extensively analyzed by researchers, law enforcement officers and medical practitioners. The Columbine Massacre is a well-known tragedy in the United States. It was a tragic day where two students who attended Columbine High School shot at their fellow students and teachers. This tragedy ended with more tragedy when the two students took their own lives. The abrupt and sudden death of the two students gave rise to more questions regarding this tragic incident. After the death of so many lives, no one was left to answer what motivated these two seemingly common boys to do such inhumane acts. Main Argument The purpose of writing a critical analysis of this event is to uncover the â€Å"deeper† implications of the event of school shootings on culture as a whole and on the writer as an individual. We will delve at the issue of school shooting from different angles that would show issues in our culture. It is the argument of this writer that school shootings can be prevented. To do this, we must pass stricter laws in gun control, prevent school violence, and reduce the amount of violence in multimedia and the Internet. Our effort to handle this tragedy has led to a valiant effort to rationalize and find solutions to prevent another Columbine. We must use this information and take responsibility by taking adequate measures in law and in practice. School shootings then as an event has brought to light the following issues: gun control, school violence, violence in multimedia and the internet, our culture on handling tragedies and our own responsibility towards preventing future killings. Support for Argument – Different Angles Gun Control The issue of gun control has been front and center in the debate regarding prevention of another Columbine Massacre. To support my main argument that stricter gun control laws can prevent another Columbine, it is argued that our laws on gun control are too lax. The access by which the shooters had to guns of high caliber and quantity of explosives prove the inherent laxity of our country’s gun control laws. In his movie, â€Å"Bowling for Columbine†, Michael Moore illustrates how guns are given away even when you open bank accounts in America. Even in Wal-Mart stores, guns were readily available. It has only been recently that Wal-Mart has pulled out guns from a third of its US stores. Even then, the company cites marketing decisions rather than lawful restrictions in its decision. (Pioneer Press, 2006) Stricter gun control laws will ensure that access and availability of guns will only be reserved for law enforcement. The consuming public, much less our children, must not be able to readily access guns without adequate reason. This reason must be well-defined in law and properly implemented to prevent young children from getting their hands on high-caliber weapons. Violence in Multimedia and the Internet The role of violence in multimedia and the Internet was a critical issue in determining what could be done to prevent another Columbine. Both shooters played violent games and were taking active part in online communities that catered to such games. Henry Jenkins, director of Comparative Media Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, cautioned the Senate Commerce Committee from totally shunning the Multimedia and the Internet. In his testimony before the senate, he reminds us that media consumption is active and not passive. They are tools that we can use and mold to our advantage. It must also be remembered that media content is a process that is developed over a period of time. Different consumers react to media in different ways. When all else fails, real life would always trump media. It is read against our perception of the world. It is in this light that the writer argues that meaningful recommendations for law making can be legislated in order to control media to lessen the amount of violence available to our youth. Such legislated can be done without trampling on our bill of rights by asking media content providers to be more creative and our schools to use media in K-12 education. These are just some of the recommendations by Jenkins in order to prevent violence in media use for institutions. More will be discussed with regard to school violence in the succeeding paragraph. School Violence The issue of school violence had come front and center as one of the reasons for the Columbine Massacre. After the event, every circumstance surrounding the life of the two shooters was examined. They were part of â€Å"goth† groups and were not considered generally popular with the students in early reports. Some of the myths would even say that they were loners and only a few students knew them. The truth however, cannot be farther. Even though they were part of â€Å"goth† groups, both shooters had a steady group of friends and were not exactly alienated from the student populace. Recent studies have cautioned on inciting a sense of â€Å"moral panic† in reacting to the problem of School Violence. â€Å"Moral Panic† is a reaction to school shootings where teachers and other students would view fellow students and faculty as â€Å"threats† to public safety. This is not the environment that will lead to the prevention of School Violence. (Jenkins, Part I, 1999) In preventing school violence, the National Association of Independent Schools have come up with the following measures: 1) more support for the youth using digital communities, 2) use media education in K-12 institutions, 3) more respect and knowledge by adults for popular culture of children, 4) more tolerance in the school environment 5) establishing parental discussion groups on appropriate media content, 6) illicit more creative responses from media producers. (Jenkins, Part IV, 1999) Our Culture on Handling Tragedies The deeper implication of this event to our culture is that it is reflective of the way we handle tragedy. It shows the need of our culture to rationalize and put blame. But more so, it shows the resilience of our culture to heal, move on and adapt to the changing times. The event itself as described above shows two things. The first part of our description culled from the CNN report is a depiction of the extent of violence imparted by the two boys. What happened in Columbine was distinctly violent and ruthless. The second part of our description culled from the Jefferson County report is a depiction of our need as culture to rationalize such violence. The process of compiling, examining and connecting all the 4,400 leads to more than 80 investigators from the federal and local government to piece together. It took 10 months to complete and amounted to painstaking work and expense. Yet, it was needed for a sense of closure to most of the families of the victims. It is clear from the 10 different findings of the Jefferson County Report that no stone was left unturned. Myths were formed regarding a third shooter or another boy who has principally induced the shooters. A lot of these myths were debunked by the official Jefferson County report. The need to rationalize by our culture does not end there. We hope to do better the next time around. We hope that tragedy will not be repeated. We rationalize and we move on. The mountain of sources that pile up to rationalize, prevent and defend our schools abound. Our psychiatrists (Block, 2007), law enforcement officers (US Secret Service, 2002), and brother citizens (Cullen, 2004) have all come up with their ways and means to justify and contribute to the growing number of literature meant to keep the discussion alive. Some have even sued gaming manufacturers of violent games and are seeking financial damages they allege that: â€Å"Absent the combination of extremely violent video games and these boys’ incredibly deep involvement, use of and addiction to these games and the boys’ basic personalities, these murders and this massacre would not have occurred. † (Wade, 2001) For the psychiatrists who have reviewed the cases, some have even suggested being careful in removing restrictions to virtual outlets of rage. It is notable that the boys who perpetuated the violence were deprived abruptly of these virtual outlets. (Block, 2007) These are all indicative of the ways we cope up with tragedy. These are ways we rationalize and learn from our mistakes. As a culture, the event has deep implications with how we handle seemingly irrational events by acting human in all respects. We pride our rationale as a civilized nation and try to make it prevail over all odds and tragedies. In the end, whether or not there is a rationale explanation to the shootings, it would be hard to know. Adding insult to injury, the shooters in this tragedy also killed themselves. This is perhaps why the Columbine School shooting has left such a distinct memory in all those touched by it. There is seemingly a distinct lack of closure because no one can be held to blame. Our Responsibility in Preventing Future killings As an individual, the writer is very much affected to reflect on what is happening with his own life. The deeper implication of this event is to cause the writer to pause and reflect his actions and his responsibility. Any other student in our society can easily relate to the deaths of these students. We have all lived a rigid classroom to classroom, day and night existence. Everyday, we do our work, travel to school and sleep towards the next day to come. Those who died in the tragedy never got the chance to finish their lives as students or graduate into adulthood. Reading all these accounts and reflections about the lives of these students has made the writer focus more on living rather than continuing on the never ending effort to rationalize. Human life seemed to be less significant in light of the quick and abrupt way the lives of thirteen people were ended. School shootings as a phenomenon did not end with Columbine. Recent school shooting such as the one by Pekka-Eric Auvinen in Tuusuola High School happened only this year. (Xinhua, 2007) The greatest implication to the writer as an individual is to live a life of responsibility. The mountain of information available to implement ways of preventing another Columbine is there. With the rationalization done by our culture and the efforts we have made to move on, it is but proper that live a life of responsibility by implementing all studies made to prevent more shootings in law through gun control measures and in practice by guiding future generations to be more tolerant of other people. Conclusion The tragedy of the Columbine is only illuminated by the facts that can be culled from the events. However, the deeper problems that lie beneath can only be solved by careful and patient assessment of these facts and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. It is the argument of this writer that school shootings can be prevented. To do this, we must pass stricter laws in gun control, prevent school violence, and reduce the amount of violence in multimedia and the Internet. Our effort to handle this tragedy has led to a valiant effort to rationalize and find solutions to prevent another Columbine. We must use this information and take responsibility by taking adequate measures in law and in practice. The implementation of the suggestions by the National Association of Independent Schools through Henry Jenkins would be a good start in harnessing the power of media to lessen violence in school institutions. References CNN. com. â€Å"In depth Specials: Columbine† (n. d. ) Columbine. Retrieved 15 November 2007, from . Ward, Mark. â€Å"Columbine Families sue Computer Game Makers†. 1 May 2001. BBC News. Retrieved 15 November 2007, from Block, Jerald. â€Å"Lessons from Columbine: Virtual and Real Rage† American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, Volume 28, Issue 2 (July, 2007) United States Secret Service. â€Å"The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States† May 2002. United States Department of Treasury. Retrieved 15 November 2007, from < http://www. treas. gov/usss/ntac/ssi_final_report. pdf> Xinhua. â€Å"US Teenager chats with Finnish School Shooter about Massacre† 13 November 2007. English-Xinhua. Retrieved 15 November 2007, from < http://news. xinhuanet. com/english/2007-11/13/content_7060867. htm> BBC News. â€Å"Attackers Storm Russian School† (1 September 2004) BBC NEWS EUROPE. Retrieved 15 November 2007, from < http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/3616868. stm> Pioneer Press. â€Å"Wal-Mart halting Gun Sales by Area† (15 April 2006) Free Republic. Retrieved 15 November 2007, from < http://www. freerepublic. com/focus/f-news/1615500/posts> Jenkins, Henry. â€Å"Lessons from Littleton† (1999) National Association of Independent Schools. Retrieved 15 November 2007.

Dido and Aeneas essays

Dido and Aeneas essays Destiny, Love, and Suffering: The Relationship between Aeneas and Dido The wretched love affair of Aeneas and Dido is one of the most prominent events in The Aeneid by Virgil. In The Aeneid, love is represented in the same manner as the gods. Love is shown as an outside force acting upon mortals, not a function of the individuals free will or inherent identity. It is Aeneas fate and civic responsibility to get to Italy in order to establish the Roman line and eventual Empire and because of these duties, love is something Aeneas can never fully succumb to. To Virgil, love is a force at odds with law and fate, and it distracts its victims from their responsibilities. The thesis of this paper is that because of the interference of gods and fate in Aeneas life, the romance between he and Dido is damned before it ever really commences. By examining Aeneas heroic character and his willingness to subordinate his desire for Dido to his fated duty and civic responsibility we can better understand Aeneas behavior and the outcome of his relationship with Di do. In The Aeneid, the power of fate stands above the power of the gods in the hierarchy supernatural forces. Fate, to Virgils Roman audience is divine. This, along with Aeneas devotion of his life to his gods, fate, and his people plays a significant role in the destruction of his relationship with Dido. Aeneas behaves very honorably towards the gods and earnestly seeks to find out their wishes and conform to them as fully as possible. Aeneas, more than Dido, is ruled by fate - his duty to fulfill his destiny is ultimately more important than his social life. Aeneas words to Dido in book IV and VI express his commitment to obey fate rather than indulge his feelings of genuine romantic love. Aeneas reminds Dido that they never got married and without a true marriage, by leaving, he is only sacrificing his own desires towards Di...

government notes essays

government notes essays Impeachable offense is a political question that is divided by a majority of the U.S House of Representatives and two-thirds senate. The white house scandal resulted in a large number of young people losing respect for politicians Government by the people is necessarily government by the politicians Democracy is not in the d.o.i. or the constitution Democracy means government by the people either directly or indirectly with free and frequent elections Representative democracy-government that derives its powers indirectly from the people who elect those who will govern also called a republic Direct democracy-government in which citizens come together to discuss ands pass laws and select rulers Constitutionalism- the set of arrangements such as checks and balances, federalism, seperation of powers, rule of law, due process, and the bill of rights. That requires out leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they make laws. We hold them politically and legally accountable for how the exercise their powers. The essence of democratic values is contained in the ideas of personal liberty, respect for the individual popular consent and equality of opportunity Personal liberty. Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness that independence was declared. It was to secure the blessings of liberty that the constitution was adopted. Self determination-meaning all individuals must have the opportunity to realize their own goals. Statism-the idea that rights of the state (meaning nation) are supreme over the rights of the individual Equality of opportunity- all mean are created equal. Popular consent-the idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs. Majority rue-a candidate or party wins more than half the votes cast to win an election...

Biology paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Biology paper - Essay Example Human beings are members of the tribe Hominina together with vanishing species of sub-tribe Hominina. Also, Chimpanzees are the only recognized members of the sub-species Panina. The two species of Panina divided about one million years ago. Chimpanzees display very minimal morphological variances between subspecies. They have a more robust body than bonobos Pan paniscus. Additionally, they are faintly sexually dimorphic. On average, females weigh averagely from 32 to 47 kg (70.5 to 104 lb) while males weigh averagely from 40 to 60 kg (88.2 to 132 lb) (Rowe 1996). Both females and males have a typical height of 816 mm (2.68 ft) (Rowe 1996). The chimpanzee taxonomy hierarchy is as follows; Suborder: Haplorrhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Superfamily: Hominoidea Family: Hominidae Genus: Pan Species: P. troglodytes Subspecies: P. t. schweinfurthii, P. t. troglodytes, P. t. vellerosus, P. t. verus. This essay discusses on the taxonomy of chimpanzee family and their biography. All Chimpanzees are black in color, but have pale faces and a white tail tuft, which later darkens with age. Chimpanzees are seen to have bulkier thick bodies with long arms that lengthen past their knees (Rowe 1996). They also have short legs, large thumbs and no tails. A large portion of their body is protected with long black hair except their faces, ears, fingers, and toes which have skin alone. These living creatures have protruding ears for both males and females, which entails white beards (Rowe 1996). Their movement array encompasses quadruped knuckle walking and irregular bipedalism. Chimpanzees are both land-dwelling and arboreal, with the quantity of time spent on the ground wavering among different case study sites and between sexes. Moreover, Chimpanzees create their sleeping nests in trees when darkness falls (Rowe 1996). A normal life span of chimpanzees is 40 to 45 years. All the same, the life span for captive chimpanzees is

Analysis of the demonstration of philosophy in Platos Alcibiades Essay

Analysis of the demonstration of philosophy in Platos Alcibiades - Essay Example The dialogue provides the reader with an insight to the truth of ethics. The dialogue serves as the best means of discussion about such an abstract term as â€Å"ethics†, because the reader gains the most rational understanding of ethics based on his/her personal analysis of each and every aspect of the whole dialogue instead of the author convincing the audience by imposing his/her beliefs on it through the text. The articles presents a dialogue between Alcibiades, a young and energetic man, and Socrates who astonishes Acibiades by making him contradict his own beliefs, based upon which, Alcibiades was all set to guide the Athenians. Socrates expresses his lack of faith in Alcibiades’ premature assertions, realizing which Alcibiades makes an attempt to address the query of Socrates. Socrates first makes Alcibiades think of the division between just and unjust, and then between just and expedient. Alcibiades feels very confident in his concepts of these terms but looses his confidence as Socrates plays with words to turn the meanings opposite. This leads both of them to an argument in which Socrates confuses Alcibiades with concepts, beliefs and experiences in such a way that Alcibiades feels like loosing his argument to Socrates in the end, and makes a confession that he knows too little to influence the Athenians, and chooses Socrates as his â€Å"master†. An in-depth analysis of the dialogue suggests that Socrates’s arguments were too generic and often misleading, though Alcibiades did not realize it in the heat of discussion. Socrates’s arguments reflect idealism. He tends to draw conclusions by slithering the concepts through such paths which were full of pitfalls.