Friday, December 27, 2019

The Lorax and Ecocentrism - 3006 Words

Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax (1971) is argued as one of the most important pieces of environmental children’s literature, with educators expressing the work, â€Å"as a powerful story for teaching and learning, as a story that can promote transformational ideas in educational practice,† (Henderson, 2004). This high praise begs the question: why is The Lorax so successful at reaching out to the child reader? This essay will indentify the use of certain literary characteristics that Seuss incorporated in The Lorax, which stemmed from successful environmental children’s literature from the late seventeenth century to the twentieth century. It will establish the success of each work due to the theme or agenda it had that reflected the social and†¦show more content†¦In the late seventeenth century, children’s stories were largely centered on the Christian belief that if the child was innocent and innately good, it meant that child would be accepted in the eyes of God. Children’s literary authors often connected innocence and goodness with nature and non-human life. The agenda to illustrate nature as anthropomorphic was a direct result of making a connection between children and nature as sharing these same characteristics. Certain authors wouldn’t directly use anthropomorphism to give nature human like characteristics, but instead instilled anthropomorphic themes and morals to provide a better understanding of how children and nature share the same characteristics that God deems as acceptable. For many of these early writers, â€Å"the ability to respect and care for the [non-human] also suggests the larger ability to feel compassion and respect for the weak or powerless, and thus to feel close to the unifying ideal of God,† (Sigler, 1994). Authors like Anna Barbauld and Mary Wollstonecraft would use imagery to romanticize nature when describing its goodness and innocence, therefore better illustrating the a nthropomorphic connection between the child reader and their environment. In

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Divorce Essay examples - 1446 Words

Each and every day a child somewhere in the world is experiencing major changes within their family. One of those major changes is divorce or separation of parents. Divorce is â€Å"the action or an instance of legally dissolving a marriage†(Webster, 2011 p1). Today’s reality shows that couples only have one in two odds of remaining together. â€Å" The U.S. Census bureau – involved in research about counseling children of divorce- estimating that approximately 50% of all American children born in 1982 lived in a single-parent homes sometime during their first 18 years. Mostly are due to divorce†(Children of Divorce, 2008 p.1). The rapid increase in divorce rates is a factor that has contributed to the large decline of the typical family. â€Å"Over 1†¦show more content†¦These include academic deterioration, antisocial and delinquent behaviors, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. Early promiscuity, relationship difficulties, and illicit drug use are also noted. Other studies correlate resiliency in adulthood as one product of living in a conflictual family system†(Rich et al., 2007 p.164). The effects of divorce vary depending on the situation and the child. â€Å"Hess and Camara found that many children of divorce suffer severe emotional consequences such as depression, anger, anxiety, and withdrawal, any of which, if prolonged, can have a negative impact on the child’s overall emotional development. It is also reported adjustment problems in the area of cognitive, emotional, and social development among children of divorce as well. In addition, parental separation has been found to be particularly stressful for adolescents†(Bornstein and Walters, 1988 p.248). As a result of all these emotional issues, it may be necessary for children of divorce and separation to seek counseling. Group counseling can benefit children of all ages. In most cases of divorce, it tears up the child’s sense of safety and security of their home. When a child in ripped in half in such a matter, you need to replace it with something that may be equally supportive. There are many different types of counseling that children can take part in. Group therapy may be the first type of counseling to have a child partake in. â€Å"Therapy groups thatShow MoreRelatedThe Divorce Of A Divorce941 Words   |  4 Pagesanymore. When they are unable to maintain their marriage, their solution is to choose is divorce. Divorce, is defined as, the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body. In today’s society, divorce is more normal than ever before due to unhappy marriages. The effects of the divorce are emotional effects, financial problems, a nd direction to an improved lifestyle. When it comes to divorce there s so many emotions that are being effected in the situation such as depression, happinessRead MoreDivorce : The Divorce Rate1662 Words   |  7 PagesThe divorce rate, while fluctuating over time, has reached high percentages lately. As Coltrane and Adams posit, the high divorce rates are due in part to the fact that the expectations of marriage are high in high esteem. When it does not work out, people are anxious to try again to find the perfect partner. Divorce is what allows people that opportunity (Coltrane and Adams p. 201). However, the intricacies of divorce are complicated. Much of the conversation of divorce is focused on fault andRead MoreDivorce And The Divorce Process1471 Words   |  6 Pagesthe subject of divorce, it became very apparent that the stressors leading up to divorce, the entire legal process, adjusting to life afterward and everything in between, left little more than devastation in its wake. By and large, divorce is incred ibly taxing on several fronts. We will discuss the emotional ramifications of divorce for spouses and children, what environmental factors contribute strongest to the dissolution of marriage, what percentage of marriages end in divorce, and the estimationRead MoreThe Divorce Rate Of Divorce1123 Words   |  5 Pagesrelationship, therefore they choose divorce, which is one of the solutions to cope with problems between husband and wife. Furthermore, most people think carefully before they get marriage. However, the divorce rates trend to continually increase nowadays, thus it might be argued that divorces can be taken place easier than the past. In the United States, researchers estimate that 40%–50% of all first marriages, and 60% of second marriages, will end in divorce. Divorce has always been present in AmericanRead MoreThe Issue Of Divorce And Divorce Essay1672 Words   |  7 PagesIt is common gossip that half of marriages end in divorce. But this gossip is more true t han most would assume. One in every one hundred marriages in North Carolina as well as a genuine half of marriages across the United States end in divorce and, according to Jennifer Lansford, â€Å"50% of American children will experience their parents’ divorce† (140). This rate of separation is essentially a heads-or-tails on marriages to determine whether or not they will work out and if a child will be affectedRead MoreDivorce And Its Effect On Divorce2098 Words   |  9 PagesThe memories of divorce have never been more sorrowful to any age group than the children of divorced parents. Although a couple’s marriage vows usually include the phrase â€Å"till death do us part,† about half of all marriages end up in divorce (â€Å"Divorce†). The reasons for divorce could be very simple as well as they could be complex. Some reasons for divorce are adultery, simple arrogance, dishonesty, insecurity, domestic and sexual abuses. In some situation d ivorce may provide relief from theRead MoreThe Divorce Cycle : The Children Of Divorce986 Words   |  4 Pagesinterested in the topic: consequences in divorce. Being a child of divorced parents is something I have always thought about and how it will effect me later in life with my relationships. I wonder if I am more likely to have a divorce as well because my parents had one. I have found a couple articles that talk about this topic one titled, Understanding the Divorce Cycle: The Children of Divorce in their own Marriages and the another titled, Effects of Parental Divorce on Marital Commitment and ConfidenceRead MoreEffects Of Divorce On Children And Divorce1460 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s world, most people accept divorce or separation as a way of life. Parents are unaware or do not understand the damage it can have on their children. However, in some instances, it is better to get out of an abusive relationship because that can be as toxic as divorce. On average, 50% of children who are born with married parents, will experience divorce before the age of 18 (Children and Divorce Baucom, 2010-2017). Along with divorce statistics, 40% of children in America are raisedRead MoreDivorce Rate And Divorce Rates1224 Words   |  5 PagesDivorce rate also known as divorce demography, which is the study of demographic factors that impact divorced as a social phenomenon, the divorce demography can clearly evaluate and reflect the marriage stability and happiness index of certain countries or area and that is the reason why data statistics of divorce rate is important. According to ONS (Office of National Statistics), the divorce rate has not been that low since 1974, when it was 0.9%. The number of divorces in 2014 was declined toRead MoreDivorce Effect On Children : Divorce1825 Words   |  8 PagesApril, 2016 Divorce Effect on Children Divorce seems to become more and more common nowadays. Divorce can be a simple or complicated process depending if children are involved. This process can have negative and positive effects in a child s life. A divorce is the legal process of a marriage coming apart. A divorce with children involve cost more and takes about eleven months for the marriage to end. The majority of the divorces happening in the United States involve children. Divorce has different

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Doctor Assisted Suicide Das Euthanasia Essay Research free essay sample

Doctor Assisted Suicide ( Das ) Euthanasia Essay, Research Paper Doctor assisted self-destruction ( DAS ) Euthanasia Death with self-respect, International Relations and Security Network # 8217 ; t that the manner we all dream of deceasing? Almost every household has had to watch the slow and agonising decease of a darling household member from malignant neoplastic disease, neurological disease, or other terminal unwellness. This is where physician assisted self-destruction ( DAS ) stairss in. Wouldn t it be nice if we could merely halt the hurting and wretchedness of a loved one? When they merely have a few months to populate and they are in changeless hurting, wouldn t you want to halt that? If you answer yes, regretful, it s non traveling to go on really easy. DAS is still illegal in about all of the provinces and is considered a offense in many of them. I think that physician assisted self-destruction should be a pick for people who are enduring and terminally ill. We will write a custom essay sample on Doctor Assisted Suicide Das Euthanasia Essay Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Pro ( for ) Con ( against ) 1.Saves money quotation mark from Ms Clinton cost of maintaining persons on life-support systems 1.We shouldn T put a monetary value on life one out of eight dollars euthanasing a pet 2.Freedom of pick Life volitions already legal in Oregon and the Netherlands 2. It is God # 8217 ; s topographic point to make up ones mind the clip and topographic point of a individual # 8217 ; s decease sixth commandment quotation mark from Leviticus 3.Humane canvass in January 1995 quotation mark from Gary Mark Gilmore 3.Unnatural physicians aren t ever right two surveies 1. ( pro ) .Money is ever an issue. Weather we would be speaking about simple pleasances in life or the most of import issues it ever comes up. So of class, it is a large issue in DAS excessively. ( 1 ) # 8220 ; For illustration, # 8221 ; explained Mrs. Clinton, # 8220 ; merely look at all the money that is wasted in the Medicare plan on the last six months of life! # 8221 ; ( 2 ) The cost of maintaining persons on life-support systems is really high and when there is no quality in the individual s life is it truly worth it all? Many times, the persons are in a coma and can populate a long clip, being wholly incognizant of their milieus. Sometimes a household spends their full life nest eggs maintaining person alive. It is really expensive to maintain a individual on life support and insurance doesn T ever cover it. even if she/he is in a coma or is in great hurting and doesn Ts have the willpower to populate any longer. Its difficult to watch a loved one in hurting and wretchedness. When our pets are enduring and the quality f their life is hapless we have the pick to stop their life. Why can t we do the same with people? 2. ( pro ) Every individual should hold a pick when to stop their life if it is non deserving life. By non deserving populating I mean if they are terminally sick and agony, non if they are merely holding a bad twenty-four hours, or hebdomad, or month. ( 1 ) By 1990, 40 provinces had passed Torahs that made # 8220 ; populating volitions # 8221 ; legal. Populating volitions make it legal for a competent person to make up ones mind in progress that they wish to keep back life-support systems and medical specialties that would prolong their lives.. If an person is declared # 8220 ; encephalon dead # 8221 ; by a accredited physician, it is at the discretion of the household members to end the life-support system. Populating volitions are a great manner to show how a individual would desire to be taken attention of if they got into an accident and could non pass on. In the volitions they can take how to be treated and now besides refuse intervention or they can take make non revive ( DNR ) . The refusal of intervention is besides one signifier of mercy killing that is called inactive mercy killing. The other signifier of mercy killing is the deadly injection or other similar action which is called active mercy killing. ( 2 ) On October 27, 1997, Oregon legalized physician-assisted self-destruction, but on 8 December 1994, the occupants of Oregon passed a jurisprudence similar to the Netherlands # 8217 ; pattern of mercy killing. Voters in Oregon passed Americas # 8217 ; first mercy killing jurisprudence. The jurisprudence legalizes the prescription of deadly doses of medical specialty to terminally sick patients who desire to stop their lives. The policy does hold three conditions: First: [ at least ] two physicians must hold the patient has less than six months to populate. Second: the patient must inquire the doctor for suicide aid at least three times, and 3rd clip it must be done in authorship. Third: the physician must wait at least 15 yearss after the first petition and two yearss after the 3rd petition before composing a prescription. The jurisprudence besides states that the drugs must be self-administered. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.utm.edu/research/iep/e/euthanas.htm ) 3. ( pro ) Its difficult to watch a loved one in hurting. And DAS merely shows the humanist side of people in our society. Not many of us like to see hurting and agony and we want to alleviate it if we can. DAS merely seems like a natural manner to travel if life is non deserving populating any longer if you are terminally sick and agony, life merely gets excessively difficult for some people. ( 1 ) In a canvass taken in January 1995, 66 per centum of the people surveyed felt that a individual enduring # 8221 ; great hurting # 8221 ; or with # 8220 ; no hope of betterment # 8221 ; has the right to stop their ain life ( Worsnop 148 ) . # 8220 ; Death is the lone ineluctable, ineluctable, certain thing. We are sentenced to decease the twenty-four hours we # 8217 ; re born. # 8221 ; -Gary Mark Gilmore Death is a natural thing in life, it s traveling to go on no affair what. Shouldn T we be able to make up ones mind, if we are in hurting, to stop it? Life is no merriment if you are in chronic hurting or necessitate person s aid in life. 1 ( con ) The cost International Relations and Security Network T of import when covering with the life of a loved 1. ( 1 ) In a survey of 1,150 critically sick patients who died during the survey, in merely 14 % was there an effort to revive. It would merely salvage one out of eight dollars spent on wellness attention. Furthermore, most of this salvaging would come from keep backing attention for comparatively immature, critically sick patients. J. Lynn, Terminally Ill, Forgoing. . . Care, Dartmouth, Boston Globe, May 21, 1996 When euthanating a pet the ( 2 ) cost goes by the weight of the pet, is that what we should make with people excessively? Weigh the individual to see how much they manner so happen out how much it would be to decease? And if the individual could afford it. Is that what we want to be treated like animate beings? No self-control left to populate so we give up. Is DAS the reply to trouble? When things get hard merely to travel to a physician and inquire them to alleviate us from our wretchedness? 2. ( con ) God gave us life and it is His pick when it should stop. Not ours. Religion is a large portion in peoples lives. And so its lone natural that faith influences the manner people act and decide things. And many churches and spiritual groups oppose euthanasia stating that ( 1 ) the 6th commandment # 8220 ; Thou Shalt Not Kill # 8221 ; besides extends to euthanasia. ( 2 ) # 8221 ; `If anyone takes the life of a human being, he must be put to decease. Leviticus 24:17 God gives us life and He will take it when its clip for us to travel. We were all born with original wickedness and are rather capable of failure every bit good as errors. So who are we to make up ones mind in all of our fallibility that its clip for person to decease? Not merely is it God s sole right to take life every bit good as spring it, but it s besides His right to find who deserves to decease and who doesn T and that is based on the fact that He s non capable of mistake. 3. ( con ) Doctors aren T ever right. They make errors merely like other people. ( 1 ) In a British survey of 40 patients diagnosed as P.V.S. , ( relentless vegetive province ) 17 or 43 % were subsequently found to be watchful, cognizant and frequently able to show simple wants. This critical consciousness in their closed-in province, for some, lasted several old ages. ( K. Andrews et al. , Brit. Med. Jour. , 7/6/96 ) What if a physician misdiagnosed a patient and the parents of the patient decided to alleviate him from his hurting and merely before the patient receives the deadly medical specialty wakes up or expresses that he is alive and doesn T want to decease yet? Are we willing to take the opportunity of killing people who really didn t want to decease merely yet to salvage money? We can t take when to get down life, why should we hold the freedom to take when to stop it? ( 2 ) One survey found over one 1000 instances in which the asleep patient had non, in fact, # 8220 ; consented # 8221 ; to suicide. A 2nd survey, this one an analysis of a series of back-to-back deceases labeled # 8220 ; physician assisted suicide # 8221 ; , found that in 52 % of the instances the patients had non given informed consent for # 8220 ; suicide # 8221 ; . In many cases, the physician had randomly decided that the patients # 8220 ; quality of life was excessively hapless to warrant farther medical disbursal # 8221 ; . This is slaying. It s unacceptable. These people didn t want to decease yet. What if this happened to you? Make the physicians have the right to make up ones mind when the patients life isn T worth populating any more? Do they have the right to play God? Is this what we have come to # 8211 ; seting people to decease merely like Canis familiariss? Personal point of position My personal experiences helped me to compose this paper. Inside a household, doing these sort of picks is ever highly difficult. In the instance of my ain grandparents, who were really active in their life clip, they both became the victims of Alzheimer s disease. For my household, it was really difficult to watch the impairment of our loved 1s. So my female parent, as a registered nurse, had to do the difficult determinations refering my grandparent s terminal attention. My grandparents had antecedently written their life volitions, but in my grandma s instance, the will was neer found, and my female parent had to take duty for the attention she received. In both instances, after discoursing with physicians, the household ended up with inactive mercy killing. It was what both of my grandparents would hold wanted. When it was clip for them to travel they were surrounded with their loved 1s. It was easier for the household to allow travel and non watch them endure infinitely with no g round. Decision Doctor assisted self-destruction should be a pick for people who are enduring and terminally ill. I think everyone has the right to find their fate, if they lack the agencies or ability to stop their lives so they require aid. Its difficult to watch person in hurting, it s even harder if it s a loved one. No 1 likes to see hurting and agony and most of us want to alleviate it if we can. What if it was you? Changeless hurting that neer goes off twenty-four hours after twenty-four hours, how long could you digest the hurting? If it was me, personally my hurting tolerance is really low I couldn t stand the hurting for really long. And I wouldn t want anyone to experience that sort of hurting. I think that if it can be removed by any manner it should. Even if it means decease. History of Euthanasia in America 1973- The American Medical Association issues the Patient Bill of Rights. The groundbreaking papers allows patients to decline medical intervention. 1976- The New Jersey Supreme Court regulations that the parents of Karen Ann Quinlan, who has been in a tranquilizer-and-alcohol-induced coma for a twelvemonth, can take her inhalator. She dies nine old ages subsequently. 1979- Jo Roman, a New York creative person deceasing of malignant neoplastic disease, makes a videotape, stating her friends and household she intends to stop her life. She subsequently commits suicide with an overdose of kiping pills. 1985- Betty Rollin publishes # 8220 ; Last Wish, # 8221 ; the narrative of her female parent # 8217 ; s conflict with ovarian malignant neoplastic disease. The book reveals that Ida Rollin killed herself with a ataractic overdose. 1990- Dr. Jack Kevorkian performs his first assisted self-destruction, utilizing a homemade machine, to stop the life of Alzheimer # 8217 ; s patient Janet Adkins. Meanwhile, after drawn-out legal haggle, the parents of Nancy Cruzan, who has been in a coma for seven old ages, are allowed to take her eating tubing. Friends and coworkers testify in tribunal that she would non hold wanted to populate. 1991- Hemlock Society laminitis Derek Humphry foremost publishes # 8220 ; Final Exit. # 8221 ; The controversial self-destruction # 8220 ; how-to # 8221 ; book subsequently becomes a national best marketer. 1994- Voters in Oregon base on balls a referendum doing it the lone province in the state that allows physicians to order life-ending drugs for terminally sick patients. The heatedly contested jurisprudence was non put into consequence until last twelvemonth. 1995- George Delury publishes # 8220 ; But What If She Wants to Die? # 8221 ; a diary chronicling his married woman # 8217 ; s long conflict with multiple induration. The book describes the twosome # 8217 ; s agonising determination to stop her life with a drug overdose. Delury served four months in prison for attempted manslaughter for his function in her decease. 1997- In a consentaneous determination, the Supreme Court regulations that the Constitution does non vouch the right to perpetrate self-destruction with the aid of a doctor. The determination upholds Torahs in New York and Washington province doing it illegal for physicians to give deadly drugs to deceasing patients. 1998- In November, Michigan electors defeat a step that would hold made physician-assisted suicide legal. Doctor assisted self-destruction ( DAS ) Anna Rikkila Ms Dennis Persuasive paper Pr.5 01/02/00 Work Cited hypertext transfer protocol: //web.lwc.edu/administrative/library/suic.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.theatlantic.com/issues/97mar/emanuel/emanuel.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cmf.org.uk/ethics/twelve.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nejm.org/content/1997/0336/0025/1824.asp hypertext transfer protocol: //pages.prodigy.com/DOCTORINFORM/suicide.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/die.html hypertext transfer protocol: //plato.stanford.edu/entries/euthanasia-voluntary/ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dyingwell.org/dwquotes.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.religioustolerance.org/euthanas.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //euthanasia.com/ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.utm.edu/research/iep/e/euthanas.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible hypertext transfer protocol: //www.euthanasia.org/ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.slq.qld.gov.au/cwpp/vesq/ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.kyrie.com/actrtla/euth/euthanas.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.tased.edu.au/tasonline/vest/vest.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //www.interlife.org/euthan.html a web page called something like mercy killing: bad oxymoron or a existent option interviews different Television Stationss including NBC, FOX and Discovery channel

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

What are the Skills Modern Students Really Need

What are the Skills Modern Students Really Need Who is a student of the 21st century? What kind of person should he/she be like? Frankly speaking, it is a very complicated and controversial issue, but one thing is clear – times have changed, as a result, requirements for students have also transformed, they are not the same as 20 years ago. We live in the age of technologies, and this factor greatly affects both necessary skills and the way of their getting. The key problem of nowadays is a growing gap between the skills we learn and the skills we really need. Traditional learning can’t cope with providing the full set of skills that are needed by students to be successful. In contrast to this, more and more attention is paid to social and emotional learning (SEL) that allows complementing the traditional skills with abilities to collaborate, solve problems and communicate. Of course, it is not a complete list of what SEL can offer. In recent years the issue of modern education and the skills needed by modern job candidates are actively discussed at World Economic Forum since such people can evolve digital economy. The Portrait of 21st-Century Student The youth should be flexible and be ready to adapt quickly, as according to the forecasts current students will work in the jobs that do not exist today. In this case, SEL is very useful and can bring a lot of benefits. In general, we can talk about 16 main skills that are required by modern students to find their place in the near future, all of them may be divided into three groups. Foundational literacies cover 6 points and show how students use essential skills to deal with different tasks of everyday life. They may be called a basis needed for normal existence. LiteracyNumeracyICT literacyFinancial literacyScientific literacyCultural and civic literacy The second group is competencies that are intended to solve complex challenges. This group consists of 4 elements: CreativityCritical thinkingCommunicationCollaboration The last group is character qualities that determine the ability of students to respond to the changes in their environment. AdaptabilityInitiativeCuriosityPersistenceSocial and cultural awarenessLeadership SEL is a powerful tool that also promotes students to achieve higher results, to show better academic performance and other measures of well-being. How Can You Encourage the Formation of the Skills? After we have outlined the range of skills modern students, it’s high time to talk about how they can be formed. Before we start considering the skills described above, we should take a look at how to teach all skills. The general SEL strategies: Learn by means of playsProvide a safe learning environmentDivide learning process into smaller piecesGive a hand to children to use their strengthsUse a practical approachEncourage nurturing relationshipsDirect the discovery of the topic by the childGive some time to focusStimulate analysis and reflective reasoningPraise in an opportune wayRaise appropriate challengesProvide engaged caregiving The next step is to develop the specific skills by means of the following SEL strategies. Make children confident in their ability to succeed. In this way, the child learns to be initiative. Build a language-rich environment. Communication may be improved, only if the child often writes and speak. Encourage the asking questions. You will encourage the child’s curiosity when you answer questions or provide resources to find answers in. Promote being sympathetic. To understand and share feelings is a key to social and cultural awareness. Teach how to learn from mistakes. Making mistakes is a compulsory part of human being, that’s why the child should be persistent and overcome obstacles. Facilitate cultural self-awareness. Understanding of own values and beliefs is an important way to improve social and cultural awareness. Encourage respect and tolerance for others. The child should respect opinions and perspectives even if he/she do not share them, as it is a basis for successful collaboration. Give an opportunity to work in a group. This point is also necessary for collaboration with people to achieve the same goal. Provide a chance to be involved in a long-term project. It is one more way to be initiative. Promote the ability to negotiate. Leadership covers also to be able to make compromises and come to agreements. Develop the ability to deal with emotions. Children should be shown and explained how to identify and express his or her feelings in a proper way; this is a crucial part of adaptability. Offer valuable feedback. Constructive criticism provides children with a better understanding of the information and thus boosts their performance. Provide opportunities to build and create. It is impossible to enhance creativity if the child limited in his/her desire to create everything he or she wants. Give a chance to make independent decisions. In this way, you give the child a sense of control and raise his/her creativity, curiosity, and initiative. Work both with flexibility and structure. It is very useful to be able to cope with unexpected outcomes based. This is the basis of adaptation. Provide enough knowledge to ask questions. You have to be sure that your child knows fundamental materials in order to ask materials and produce something new.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

McDonald’s restaurants Essay Example

McDonald’s restaurants Essay In reviewing Subway’s recent economic performance, the restaurant franchise chain is confident in their day to day operation. Subway is still expanding and one day will they will outnumber the amount of McDonald’s restaurants. Subway’s purchasing power is high due to the 33,000 location within 90 different countries. (Subway) Cost Analysis The price for a sandwich from Subway is fairly stable across all 33,000 locations. A person can order the same sandwich form any of these restaurants. So no matter where in the world a person is they can still order their meatball sandwich. Normally a person can order a sandwich, chips, and drink for less than ten dollars. Demand Analysis The demand for fast food has risen throughout the years. McDonald’s is the largest fast-food chain followed by Subway. Subway offers fast-food services with healthier alternatives. As people are short on time to get food, they are also demanding a healthier lifestyle. Subway has answered the call, The Subway ® chain is doing this through a variety of tactics, including the 8 subs with 6 grams of fat or less and other low-fat choices; a family marketing strategy; and an emphasis on unique qualities that make the chain stand out from other fast-food chains. (Subway) Competitor Analysis Subway faces several competitors, anywhere from small mom and pop sandwich shops to other large restaurant chains. Subway’s top three competitors are McDonald’s, Quiznos, and Yum! Brand Inc. Yum! We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s restaurants specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s restaurants specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s restaurants specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer is the largest fast food operator in the world in terms of number of locations, with more than 37,000 outlets in about 110 countries. The company’s flagships chains include KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s, AW Root Beer, with 80% of their restaurants licensed to franchisees. (Yahoo) Action Plan Subway will keep doing what they are doing in order to become the largest sandwich restaurant in the world. With a growth of about 2,000 stores a year they will one day outnumber the number of McDonald’s locations. SUBWAY ® restaurants Franchise fee: $12,000 Start-up cost: $69,300 to $191,000 Basic royalty: 8% Advertising royalty: 3. 5% BLIMPIE* Franchise fee: $18,000 Start-up cost: $99,321 to $338,200 Basic royalty: 6% Advertising royalty: 4% BURGER KING* Franchise fee: $50,000 Start-up cost: $240,000 to $2. 5 million Basic royalty: 4. 5% Advertising fund: 4% COUSIN’S SUBS* KFC McDonald’s Franchise fee: $15,000 Franchise fee: $25,000 Franchise fee $45,000 Start-up cost: $200,000 average Start-Up Cost: $250,000 Start-Up Cost $432,000 to $715,150 Basic royalty: 6% Basic royalty: 7. 90% Basic royalty: 12. 5% Advertising royalty: 2% Service fee: 4. 90% Module 15 – DETERMINING ORGANIZATIONAL FINANCIAL RESULTS Revenue Sources In 2008, Subway made $926. 2 million dollars in sales. That is a 1. 9% sales growth for the sandwich shop chain. In 2008 they employed 700 employees working at their headquarters. They are expecting a 9. 7% growth within their work force. Due to the fact most stores are a franchise the profit margin varies from store to store because they are independently owned. Therefore each store must pay their employees from each stores profit instead of coming from a corporate office. (Doctor’s Associates Inc) Operating Costs Due to the fact most Subway restaurants are privately held by different individuals the operating cost varies from location to location. Generally speaking each store must pay 8% of their sales to royalty costs. The cost in which it takes to run the stores will include land or rent payments, the cost of raw materials in order to make the food, electricity, and any other services in which the store might need to be successful. Start-Up Costs In order to open up a new Subway restaurant a business will need $78,600 to $238,300 for their total investment. The initial franchise fee is $15,000 with royalties of 8%. The owner of the new store has to agree to the terms of agreement for 20 years. (Franchise Mall) Profitability According to Doctor’s Associates Inc they cannot promise any projected profit or return on investment for new Subway franchises. Doctor’s Associates Inc release this statement because there is no magic formula in order to make a Subway franchise be success. Although In 2009, Doctor’s Associates made $926. 2 million dollars in sales from their 8% royalties. That is a 1. 9% sales growth for the sandwich shop chain. It is hard to get an actual number on how profitably each franchise is due to the fact they are all independently owned. Location and the customer base are all factors on how successful each location is. ( Subway) Action Plan With around $300,000 a person can open their own Subway restaurant store. 8% of the stores revenue will have to pay back for royalties. To be very successful and make a nice living a person will need to own and operate several stores. There is money to be made and a market to be taken. (Subway) MODULE 16- MEASURING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SUCCESS Financial Gains The profitable Subway franchise will undoubtedly profit from our operations in Brazil. Merging Subway’s success with Brazil’s culture will be Subway’s primary interest. Economic Benefits Subway’s focus will be equal opportunity for males and females alike—the majority of Brazil’s workforce is made up of men who earn higher salaries. Social Benefits Expanding Subway’s franchise to Brazil will be the stepping stone to expanding in neighboring countries. Because Subway will be adapting Brazil’s culture into our products and services, we will be preserving and enhancing Brazilian culture. Social Costs Subway was founded in the United States, a country with values much different than Brazil. In fact, many American values are considered to be offensive in the Brazilian culture. We must closely monitor our company’s practices prior to expansion. References countrystudies.us/brazil/82.htm.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

States With No Income Tax Should You Move to One

States With No Income Tax Should You Move to One SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While everyone in the US pays a federal income tax, not everyone pays a state income tax. There are seven states in the US with no income tax whatsoever, plus two more that don’t tax wages. While people who live in these states don’t pay income tax, they may pay higher taxes in other ways, like when they go shopping or stop at the gas station. This guide will explore whether or not people in income tax-free states save money overall, along with the pros and cons of moving to one of these states. First, let’s look at the nine states with few or no taxes on income. What Are the States With No Income Tax? There are seven states with no income taxes whatsoever. They are the following: Alaska Florida Nevada South Dakota Texas Washington Wyoming Two other states, New Hampshire and Tennessee, don’t have an income tax on wages, but they do tax interest and dividend income. If you’re making money from investments, for instance, then that profit would be taxed in New Hampshire or Tennessee. The remaining 41 states do level a tax on income. Some have a flat-rate income tax, while others have different brackets based on how much money you make. These states gain revenue from income taxes, and that money goes into various services and programs. In states that don’t collect income tax, where does the revenue come from? There are nine states in the U.S. with no or few state income taxes. Lokal Profil/Wikimedia Where Do States With No Income Tax Get Revenue? States still need revenue, and they get that money from a variety of sources. Commonly, states without income tax have higher sales, gas, and property taxes. They may also provide fewer, more expensive, or lower quality public services. For instance, in-state tuition at the public universities in New Hampshire is higher than that of most other states. Let’s look on a state-by-state basis to see how these no-income-tax states collect revenue. Alaska: petroleum revenue. Because of its oil, Alaska is an exception among income tax-free states. Rather than raising other taxes, Alaska actually distributes a dividend check to residents. Last year, each resident’s share was $2,075. Florida: above average sales taxes and property taxes. Nevada: gambling-related fees and taxes, as well as sales taxes. South Dakota: personal taxes, property taxes, cigarette excises, bank franchises, and ore taxes. Texas: oil and gas royalties, as well as a high sales tax. Washington: some of the highest sales and gasoline taxes in the United States. Wyoming: coal mining and property taxes. Like Alaska, Wyoming also gets revenue from its natural resources. New Hampshire: property tax. Tennessee: highest sales tax in the US. Given these alternative forms of revenue collection, does living in a state without income tax mean you keep more of your paycheck? Alaskan residents actually get money back each year from the Alaska Permanent Fund. Living in Alaska can be expensive, though, as it’s a pretty remote place. Does Living in an Income Tax-Free State Mean You Keep More of Your Money? The short answer to this question is, not necessarily. As you can see above, many states without income tax charge higher taxes on day-to-day expenses. They may also provide fewer public services or more expensive higher education. Depending on your spending habits and lifestyle, the amount of money you’re paying toward other taxes could be higher than the amount you would pay toward taxes overall in a state that had an income tax. How much you benefit from an income tax-free policy also largely depends on your income level. Typically, people with a higher income benefit from the lack of income tax, while people with lower incomes end up paying a larger percentage of their salary to other kinds of taxes. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in Washington, for example, the poorest 20% of state residents pay 16.9% of their annual income in sales and gas taxes, while the wealthiest 1% pay just 2.4% of their income. Your income level, therefore, becomes an important factor if you’re deciding whether or not to move to a state with no income tax. What else should you consider as you figure out where to live in the United States? Should you move to sunny Florida, where palm trees are a-plenty but state income tax is nowhere to be found? Who Should Move to an Income Tax-Free State? As you read above, income tax-free states tend to have higher sales, gas, and property taxes and a reduced budget for public programs, like education. If any of the following are true for you, then you might benefit from living in one of these states. If the opposite is true, then you probably shouldn’t move to one. You Have a High Income Higher-income people tend to benefit the most from living in an income tax-free state. Besides keeping a larger proportion of your wages, higher income people may also have less need for public services. For instance, higher-income people may not rely on public education, instead sending their kids to private schools. You Don’t Own Much Property If you don’t own a lot of property, then you won’t get hit too hard with the often high property taxes in income tax-free states. If you do own a lot of property, then living in one of the nine states discussed above probably wouldn’t work in your favor. If you own a lot of land or houses, then you may end up getting hit with high property taxes. You Don’t Spend a Lot Besides having higher property taxes, most of these nine states impose high sales taxes. If you have a high consumption lifestyle, then you’ll be putting a higher than average percentage of your income toward sales taxes. If you don’t spend a lot, then you may save money in one of these states overall. You Don’t Rely on Public Services States without income taxes may offer reduced or lower quality public services, like transportation, health care, or public education. If you don’t have kids or are sending your kids to private school, then this might not affect you. Washington, by the way, is an exception with its strong public school system, but it has some of the highest sales and gas taxes in the country. If you drive a lot in Washington, then you might end up paying a lot in gas tax and highway and bridge tolls. If you’re sending kids to public school, be careful about the quality of the education system in an income tax-free state. You Hold Conservative or Libertarian Views People have different opinions about state income tax, and their support of or opposition to it tends to coincide with their social and political views. People with progressive or liberal views tend to support government funding of public services, like education, health insurance, and transportation, and they tend to be in favor of income taxes, as well. Those with more conservative or libertarian views want to minimize the government’s role in shaping society and consequently, tend to be opposed to income taxes. They may oppose any kind of income redistribution and prefer that all people pay the same on other taxes, like sales taxes. Progressives, however, point out that sales taxes affect people at different incomes disproportionately, with lower income populations becoming the most burdened. People also disagree about whether income taxes help or hinder job and population growth. Those who oppose income tax say that doing away with it boosts jobs and helps the state retain young people. According to a 2013 study, though, Texas was the only non-income tax state where job growth didn’t lag behind population growth. If you find yourself agreeing with the typically conservative or libertarian point of view opposed to state income tax, then you may well enjoy living one of the nine states listed above. Are you a progressive, conservative, or libertarian? Whether or not you support state income taxes tends to align with your social and political views. You’ve Done Your Research Beyond figuring out whether living in an income tax free state would be financially beneficial for you, you should also base your decision on a number of other factors, like the state’s culture and weather and what your moving process would be like. Are you ready to move to Nevada’s desert climate and live close to the temptation of gambling? Does the libertarian bent of many Texans appeal to you? Are you comfortable living in a remote place like Alaska where the sun shines all summer and hides all winter? Any move calls for a good deal of research and planning. If your main motivation is doing away with income tax, then remember that there are other factors to consider, like state services and how the government’s alternative methods of revenue collection affect you as an individual or family. If you do decide to pack up and move to the desert of Nevada or a ranch out in the Lone Star state, what steps do you need to take? Besides bringing lots of water, what steps would you need to take to move to a state with no income tax, like Nevada? How to Move to a State With No Income Tax In order to move and start enjoying an income tax-free life, you’ll typically need to establish both state residency and domicile. Residency and domicile laws vary by state. Typically, you’ll need to spend a certain amount of time in the state, as well as change some records to reflect your new address. One common law states that you can’t spend more than 183 days in any single state beside your new state of residency. That’s not to say you have to spend the remaining 182 days in your new state of residency. For instance, let’s say you’re moving to Texas. You spend 100 days in Texas, 100 days in Massachusetts, and 165 days in California. Since you didn’t spend a collective 183 days in a single state other than Texas, you can still call Texas your state of residency. However, if you had spent 100 days in Texas and the remaining 265 days in California, then you can’t call Texas your state of residency. Again, your time in one other state can’t exceed 183 days. While establishing residency is pretty straightforward, establishing domicile is a bit more vague. Generally, domicile means that your community connections need to be stronger in your new state than your old state. These connections include things like your voter registration, driver’s license, and bank accounts. You also have to indicate that the new state will be your permanent home. Since residency and domicile requirements vary by state, you’ll have to check the exact specifications for Texas, Wyoming, and the rest of the states with no income taxes. Besides rooting out the exact residency laws, make sure to remember these key points about states with no income taxes and how to move to one. One perk of living in a state with no income tax- you can totally skip that page on your tax returns. States With No Income Tax: Final Thoughts While eliminating an income tax might sound like it saves you money, the policy is a little trickier than it sounds. States still need money, so getting rid of an income tax typically means that they impose higher taxes in other areas. The only exception is states that generate revenue from natural resources, like Alaska with its petroleum. Whether living in a state with no income tax will save you money varies by individual. Typically, people who have a high income will benefit, as well as those who don’t rely on public education, drive very much, own a lot of property, or spend much money overall. You’ll have to take a look at your income, lifestyle, and spending habits to determine whether moving would be financially beneficial for you. Because of the U.S.’s unique mix of state and federal laws, you should always look into tax laws when you’re considering moving. If you’re envisioning relocating to another part of the country, then consider the new state’s tax laws and how they’ll affect your personal finances.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Factors Impacting Ethical Behavior in a Chinese State owned Essay

Factors Impacting Ethical Behavior in a Chinese State owned steelCompany - Essay Example To a larger extent, it can be observed that the work environment significantly impacts on the ethical behaviour of the employees in the organization. China’s business ethics is based on Confucianism and this also shapes the work environment in different organizations (Fu & Deshpande, 232). The ethical climate that exists in the organization greatly shapes the ethical behaviour of the Chinese employees. This environment shapes the values, perceptions as well as the beliefs that shape the behaviour of people. Likewise, Chinese employees are likely to learn from others within the organization and they will behave in a way that reflects the organization’s values and norms. In a country with uncertainty avoidance like China, it has been observed that the climate in the Chinese steel organization is shaped by such rule and this ultimately shapes ethical behaviour of the employee (Fu & Deshpande, 235). Thus, the prescribed values that obtain in the work environment significant ly shape the ethical behaviour of the Chinese employees. The other significant factor that shapes ethical behaviour of the Chinese is related to employee evaluation of self and other co-workers. As noted by Fu & Deshpande (235), employees in the steel industry share collectivist behaviour and this also shapes their ethical behaviour. The employees are greatly influenced by the behaviour of their co-workers since they would not want to be found on the wrong side of the law. In most cases, if the employees see other people in the organization behaving wrongly then they are not punished, they are likely to follow suit. Likewise, if the co-workers see others being rewarded for good behaviour, they will also behave in a positive way. Therefore, to a larger extent, it can be noted that the way employees evaluate themselves and their co-workers significantly impacts on their ethical behaviour in the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Park plaza county hall london Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Park plaza county hall london - Essay Example This has resulted to a rise in the level of customer satisfaction. Different scholars of the world have described the state of the UK hospitality market as ‘fast-changing’. This means that the particular hotels in this industry have to race to keep up with the pace. The fast changing nature of this industry has further been attributed to the technological advancements of the world. The different hotels have to therefore direct more of their resources and time to the emerging technology-based techniques and communication platforms such as social media to remain appealing to the evolving demographics of the world. Newer market segments continues to emerge in the hospitality industry in UK what has perpetrated the changes experienced in the market where most customers today are going for fast, better and more personalized services. London continues to be viewed as the ‘growth engine’ of the hotel sector in UK following the high number of hotel businesses located in the city. Hotel business in London is appealing following the fact that London it is a major tourist destination. Throughout the year, London experiences influx of visitors from all parts of the world. This has resulted in a boom in the hotel business in the city. The main objective of this market report is to evaluate the market operations of Park Plaza County Hall London hotel through use of specific market analysis tools; PESTEL analysis and market mix-7Ps and how the market operations impact the hotel business of Park Plaza County Hall London hotel. This market report was commissioned to specifically examine the role and contributions of marketing to the success of a business by looking into the operations of Park Plaza County Hall London hotel in the UK hospitality industry. It further offers specific recommendations that can adequately be integrated by the business to enhance its performance within this industry. According to Baines and Page (2010, p.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Piagets stages of development Essay Example for Free

Piagets stages of development Essay Sensory Motor Stage Piaget’s first stage of development is the sensory motor stage. This stage occurs between the birth of the child and the age of two. During this stage, understanding comes from touching, sucking, chewing, and manipulating objects. About nine months after birth, the child develops what is called ‘object permanence’. Object permanence is the awareness that objects and people continue to exist even if they are out of sight. The infants have the ability to build up mental pictures of objects around them, from the knowledge that they have developed on what can be done with the object. Through manipulation, babies accumulate information on themselves and the world that lead to the slight understanding of how one thing can cause or affect another, and begins to develop simple ideas about time and space. An example of this would be that a baby can realize that if they cry when they are hungry, the mother will attend to them (Fleck, 1975, p. 3). Preoperational Stage Piaget’s second stage of development was the preoperational stage. The preoperational stage of development occurs between the ages of two to seven years. During this stage, children’s though processes are developing. There is a development of language and use of symbols. Children still use egocentric thought, meaning that they view the world entirely from his or her own perspective. ‘Animism’ is also a characteristic of the preoperational stage. This is when a person has the belief that everything that exists has some kind of consciousness. An example of this would be that a child would believe the sink isn’t turning on because it is sick or that the water will be hot because it’s angry. A child at this stage of development appears to view his social relationships and the physical reality egocentrically. This means that they view the world with a marked tendency to evaluate interaction with others in terms of its contribution to their own experience of satisfaction. So moral realism is an aspect of this stage because children think that their thoughts on the difference between right and wrong are shared by everyone else around them. (Appel, 1977, p. 4). Concrete Operational Stage Piaget’s third stage of development is the concrete operational stage. The  concrete operational stage of development occurs in children between the ages of seven and twelve. Before the beginning of this stage, children’s ideas about different objects are formed and dominated by their appearance. An example of this is that they believe there are less toys when they are all piled up rather than spread out across the floor because it takes up more space on the ground. During this stage, the thought process becomes more rational, mature, adult-like, and operational. Children in this stage of development lose their egocentric frame of thought and begin to think logically. This especially is true for the child’s ability to develop logical thought about an object that they are able to physically manipulate. These children have difficulty understanding abstract, hypothetical questions. Children at the concrete-operational level would be expected to draw on the experie nces of others in evaluating their environment, giving more realistic and natural. (Koocher, 1973, p. 2). Formal Operations Stage Piaget’s last stage of development is the formal operational stage. The formal operational stage of development begins at the age of around eleven or twelve and is fully achieved by the age of fifteen and taken throughout the rest of adulthood. The structures of development become the more abstract, logically organized system of adult intelligence. There are two major characteristics of formal operational thought including ‘hypothetic-deductive reasoning’ and ‘propositional reasoning’. Hypothetic-deductive reasoning means that when faced with a problem, the person is able to come up with a general summary of all the possible factors that might affect the outcome, and the different outcomes possible. Propositional reasoning means that adolescents can focus on verbal assertions and evaluate their logical validity without making reference to real-world circumstances. In concrete operational development, children can only evaluate the logic of statements based off of concrete evidence. Formal operational development brings critical, theoretical, and problem-solving types of thought that gives them much more thought and understanding than they had in the past. (Koocher, 1973, p. 8). â€Å"Are we forming children who are only capable of learning what is already known? Or should we try to develop creative and innovative minds, capable of  discovery from the preschool age on, throughout life?† –Jean Piaget On August 9, 1896, developmental psychologist and philosopher Jean Piaget was born. Jean was the first psychologist to make a systematic study of cognitive development. His contributions include a theory of cognitive child development, detailed observational studies of cognition in children, and a series of simple but ingenious tests to reveal different cognitive abilities. Before Piaget’s work, the common assumption in psychology was that children are merely less competent thinkers than adults which he disproved showing the strikingly different ways children think in comparison to adults. Piaget’s theories of child development continue to be studied in the field of education. His theory differs from others in several ways. For one, it is concerned with children, rather than all learners. It also focuses on development rather than learning so it does not address learning of information or specific behaviors. It proposes discrete stages of development marked by qualitative differences, rather than a gradual increase in number and complexity of behaviors, concepts, and ideas.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Phases Of A Cell Cycle Biology Essay

Phases Of A Cell Cycle Biology Essay Interphase is a part of the cell cycle in which the cell reproduces more DNA, it is the time when a cell accomplishes the most this is the time that the cell is preparing to divide. It is duplicating its organells and increasing the amount of cytoplasm it has in order to undergo cell division interphase constitutes the longest period of the cell cycle and is divided into three successive phases. G1 phase S phase G2 phase 2.1.1. G1 Phase: The first part of the inter phase is G1. In G1phase the cellular metabolic rate is high in which cell normally grows in size. And synthesis of m-RNA, t-RNA, r-RNA and proteins occur. This phase involves accumulation and synthesis of specific enzymes needed to control DNA-synthesis and production of DNA base unit so that the supply is at hand when synthesis being. 2.1.2. S Phase: The S phase is the intermediate phase between G1growth phase (gap-1) and G2 growth phase (gap-2).During the portion of cell cycle the DNA molecule are actually duplicated to produce two similar daughter cells. 2.1.3. G2 Phase: During the gap between DNA synthesis and mitosis, the cell will continue to grow. It is also called pre-mitotic phase. In this phase energy is stored for chromosome movement. Mitotic specific protein RNA and microtubule subunit are synthesis. 2.2. Mitotic Phase: This phase involves the division of nucleus and division of cytoplasm. At this stage the growth and protein production stop. All of the cell cycle focused on the complex and orderly division into two similar daughter cells. Mitosis is much shorter than inter phase. Lasting phase only one two hours. As in both G1 and G2, there is a checkpoint in the middle of mitosis that ensures the cell is ready to complete cell division actually stages of mitosis can be viewed at animal cell mitosis. 3. Mitosis: It is a process of nuclear and cell division in which the numbers of chromosomes in daughter cells are same as that of parent cell. 4. Phases of Mitosis: Mitosis is a continuous process which has two phases. Karyokinesis Cytokinesis 4.1. Karyokinesis: This phase involves the nuclear division .Animal cell has a special structure for cell division called centriole. At the start of mitosis centriole is divided into two pairs. Each pairs migrate to the opposite side of the nucleus thus forming two poles of the dividing cell. The microtubules including aster and spindle are called mitotic apparatus. There size is larger than nucleus. The function of the mitotic apparatus is to attach and capture chromosomes, align them correctly and separate them so that equal distribution of chromosomes should take place. The microtubules are set of fibers which are three in number. They originate from each pair of centrioles. One set of microtubules is called astral microtubules which form aster outward. The other two sets form the spindle in which one is kinetochore microtubules and other is polar microtubules and other is polar microtubules. 4.1.1. Stages of Karyokinesis: Karyokinesis can be divided into four stages. Prophase Metaphase Anaphase Telophase 4.1.1.1. Prophase: Chromosomes can not be seen in the interphase stage even by electron microscope. However by using some special stains chromatin network of fine threads can be seen which is called chromatin. The following events take place in prophase. Nuclear envelope along with nucleoli disappear Centrioles completely migrate towards their poles Mitotic apparatus is organized Cytoplasm becomes more viscous The chromatin material get condensed by folding and chromosomes appear as thin threads and eventually become thick consisting of two chromatids attached with centromere 4.1.1.2. Metaphase: At metaphase chromosomes have become completely thick consisting of chromatid. These chromatids are attached to centromere. The Cells has special area the kinetochore where kinetochore fibres of mitotic apparatus attach. The kinetochore fibers of spindle are attached to kinetochore region of chromosomes and align them at the equator of the spindle forming equatorial plate or metaphase plate. Each kinetochore gets two fibers each from opposite poles. 4.1.1.3. Anaphase: It is very important phase of mitosis. The kinetochore fibers of spindle contract toward their respective poles exert force which separates the two chromatids from centromere. In this way two sister chromatids are formed. Half of them move to one pole and other half towards other pole. 4.1.1.4. Telophase: As the chromosomes reach to their respective pole telophase starts. The chromosome starts unfolding and become chromatin material. Mitotic apparatus starts disappearing while nucleus and nuceolic appears and thus two nucleoli are formed at each pole of the cell. 4.2. Cytokinesis: Cytokinesis is a phase of the mitosis in which whole of the cell divides. At this phase the astral microtubules send signals to equatorial region of cell which activate action and myosin to form contractile ring. This contractile rings form cleavage furrow in the center of cells which get deepens gradually and ultimately divide the parent cell into two daughter cells. 5. MEIOSIS: Meiosis is a special type of cell division in which the numbers of chromosomes in daughter cells are reduced to half as compare to parent cell. In animals it occurs in diploid cells at gamete formation while in plants it takes place at spore formation at gamete formation. Meiosis can take place in two divisions Meiosis I Meiosis II The first meiotic division is reduction division and second meiotic division is like that of mitosis. After two divisions diploid cell produce four haploid cells. 5.1. Stages of Meiosis I: Meiosis I is further divided into four sub-stages as following Prophase I Metaphase I Anaphase Telophase 5.1.1. Prophase I: Prophase I is a very long phase. The chromosomes in this phase behave like the homologous pairs which is different as that from mitosis. The similar chromosomes are called homologous chromosomes. Prophase I is divided into five sub stages. Leptotene Zygotene Pachytene Diplotene Diakinesis 5.1.1.1. Leptotene: At this stage the chromosomes appear as very long narrow thread and the size of nucleus increase and homologous chromosomes become closer. 5.1.1.2. Zygotene: First essential phenomenon of meiosis i.e. pairing of homologous chromosomes called synapsis starts. This pairing is highly specific and exactly pointed, but with no definite starting point. At this phase nuclei also disappears. Each paired but no fused complex structure is called bivalent or tetrad. 5.1.1.3. Pachytene: The pairing of homologous chromosomes is completed. Chromosomes become more and more thick. Each bivalent has four chromatids, which wrap around each other. Non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes exchange their segments due to chiasmata formation. During the process called crossing over. In this way reshuffling of genetic materials occur, which produces recombination. 5.1.1.4. Diplotene: The next stage of meiosis is diplotene where bivalents are distinct and contracted. During this phase the chiasmata of each bivalent undergoes terminalization that are the movement of two homologous chromosomes to the two ends. During the stage of prophase due to chromosome contraction they are very distinct as visible bivalent structure. 5.1.1.5. Diakinesis: Next phase is diakinesis where the chiasmata are fully terminalized and the two chromosomes remain together though fully terminalized. 5.1.2. Metaphase I: Nuclear membrane disorganize at the beginning of this phase. Spindle fibres originate and the kinetochore fibres attach to the kinetochore of the homologous chromosomes from each pole and arrange bivalent at the equator. The sister chromatids of individual chromosomes in bivalent behave as a unit. 5.1.3. Anaphase I: In this succeeding anaphase that is Anaphase I, the homologous centromeres move towards opposite direction of the pole. The centromere of each chromosome remains intact. The chromosome being separated there is no chaismata at this stage. 5.1.4. Telophase: Nuclear membranes organize around each set of chromosomes at two poles. Nucleoli reappear thus two nuclei each with half number of chromosome is formed, later on, cytoplasm divides thus terminating the first meiotic division. 6. Summary: Each cell cycle has two phase- interphase and mitotic phase. Inter phase is highly metabolic phase and subdivided into G1, S, G2 phases. Dividing phase involves the division of nucleus and division of cytoplasm. Mitosis is an equational cell division occurs in somatic cells producing two cells of the same chromosomes number of parent cell. Karyokinesis occurs in four phase à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬prophase, anaphase, metaphase, telophase and is followed by cytokinesis. Meiosis is a reductional cell division occurs in germ cells producing four cells of half chromosomes number from that of parent cell, Nucleus divides twice in meiosis. Prophase I is of longer duration with substages leptotene, zygotene, pachytene. diplotene, diakinesis and is characterized by bivalent formation and crossing over through chaismata formation.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Personal Statement for School of Allied Medical Professions

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in working as a healthcare professional.   Like most children, I was at first interested in the glamour of being a doctor, maybe a surgeon, and saving a person’s life each and every time I worked–just like every doctor on every television program for the last two generations, I would be both loved and respected by the people I treated.Over time, of course, a more realistic perspective came into being.   I learned that there were choices other than being the beloved and good-natured general practitioner and the witty and fascinating surgeon.This awareness has sharpened my interest in being a member of the healthcare profession, however, now that I am aware of just how many people contribute in so many different capacities.   Having learned more about the field of respiratory therapy, I am convinced that it is an area in which I can truly make a difference.Unlike many other areas in the healthcare professions, an individual with a baccalaureate degree in respiratory therapy can actually help people change their lives.At that level of study, a person can work either in clinical or non-clinical fields, opening a wide realm of possibilities for future careers from patient care to research to education.   Respiratory therapy requires its practitioners to be both skilled and educated, not only in the very basics of anatomy and physiology, but also in the use of a variety of physical skills and the knowledge to use wide range of sometimes complex equipment.I foresee this degree as one that will launch me on a long-term career in which being a therapist is only the beginning.   I know that I will be able to not only enjoy my work in this field; however, I also know that it will give me the opportunity to build on what I have learned and broaden the reach that I have to be of use to those in need.With a degree from OSU and the entry level licensure that such a degree will allow me to obtain, I know that I would possess the tools that would enable me to be in charge of my own professional destiny.This ability to grow and either diversify or specialize is of great importance to me.   I know that, as a student, it is impossible for me to learn all that I either need to or wish to learn at this level of education.   I have a curious nature and a drive to succeed, both of which should be of benefit in pursuing this lifelong dream of working in healthcare.I also feel that my desire to continue my studies in the future can only help me succeed in a rapidly progressing and changing field.   Continuing education units are not only required by many places of employment to maintain an individual’s position; in my opinion they are also a necessity to keep up with the improvements in techniques and technology if one is truly interested in continuing to serve one’s patients in the best manner possible.I believe that the program at Ohio State University will give me the background that I require to make an excellent start in my field of choice.   I feel that its limited intake of students would enable me to get the guidance that I would need to excel in the field of my choice when I enter the workforce.I also feel that I can benefit greatly from the wide variety of clinical experiences offered at OSU as I explore what area of respiratory therapy in which I can best offer my skills and knowledge.   Finally, I am excited by the opportunities for research and the possibility to sit for an entry-level licensure exam in my senior year.I realize that both of these opportunities will help me hit the ground running after graduation and help propel me forward as I pursue my future in respiratory therapy.At this point in my educational career, I have taken all of my general education requirements, including courses in biology, chemistry, calculus, physics, medical terminology, and others.   In this upcoming term I will be taking anatomy and physiol ogy.   I feel that my record as a student speaks for itself.From this point forward I realize that I must put all of my efforts into my education.   Studies in my major concentration will allow for few mistakes if I am to succeed in the future and will offer even fewer chances to correct mistakes if they are made.   With so few opportunities to enter the program I know it falls upon me not to waste the chance to finish this degree, if I am permitted the chance to begin.   I am sure that I have the drive to achieve the goals that I have set for myself, as long as I am given the guidance and the knowledge that I need to further myself in my studies.   I am confident that the program at OSU will help me further myself as a student and as a professional in the years to come and would value the chance to learn from such a skilled professional team.Previous to this term, I have taken the opportunity to volunteer at the Grant Medical Center, where I worked in the radiation oncolo gy department.   Although it was not a volunteer opportunity in respiratory therapy, the 50 hours of clinical observation that I did in that area allowed me to see the treatments for bladder cancer, uterine cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and brain tumors.The experience both intrigued me and reinforced in me the desire to enter the healthcare field.   The patients’ will to survive and to thrive was astounding; the dedication that the people at Grant have to help them to survive and to thrive was inspiring.To be honest, such dedication was also a bit frightening, as it occurred to me that there was a great deal of work and personal investment that accompanied it.   While daunting, I know that I am equal to the task ahead, both as a student and as a future professional.I am confident that I have a lot to offer the healthcare profession and even more to offer the field of respiratory therapy.   I know that with my drive and my dedication to my studies that I can achi eve my dreams of working in the healthcare field and can also be an asset to the class with which I study.   I look forward to studying with your fine program in the future.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Traditional Viking Religion

Traditional Viking Religion The Vikings’ religious beliefs were constantly changing and evolving. They had many different ways of worshiping, and viewing their gods. It was dependent completely on where you lived, in what era, and what your social class was, though the Vikings weren’t very strict on this. Most of these beliefs were recorded after Christianity had already taken hold of the Viking culture. But, it seems that under their outer appearance of ‘good little Christians’, they were still telling the stories based on their original beliefs.These stories and myths ended up being documented in three different ways: Poetic Edda, Skaldic poetry, and Prose Edda. Poetic Edda was a compilation of poems written in Iceland just after the mid-thirteenth century. They came from all over Scandinavia, which includes the countries of present-day Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Skaldic poetry was written mostly in the ninth century, but is very compl ex, and therefore difficult for most people to understand. The Icelandic poet, politician, and historian, Snorri Sturluson, wrote Prose Edda in the 1220s.Prose Edda is the most commonly used resource on Viking mythology today, because it was Sturluson’s goal to revive (but also explain) the skaldic art. Along with his poems, he had a key of sorts that made understanding his work possible. (Wolf 148-149) Some Vikings believed that the world was made up of several circles of different worlds; all of them connected in some way. Others believed in the nine worlds that were all connected by the world tree, referred to as Yggdrasil (Roberts). Yggdrasil was at the center of the world, and had nine roots, each root branching out to one of the worlds.At the bottom of everything was Niflheim, the world of the dead. This realm is ruled by the death-goddess, Hel. She named a portion of Niflheim after herself. Unlike its Christian counterpart when it comes to the world of the dead, Niflhe im is a land of ice, not fire. There is a root leading into Niflheim, and one leading directly into Hel. Then came the land of the giants, Jotunheim. It is also sometimes called Utgard (Wolf 149); it was mostly known as the land of monsters, and enemies of the gods. After this, came a realm that there isn’t much to known about: Nidavellir, the realm of dwarfs.Next came three realms of almost equal rank. The two elf lands, Svartalfheim, the land of the dark elves, and Alfheim, the domain of the light elves. Alfheim was thought to be at the same level as the middle world, where humans dwelt, known as wither Midgard or The Middle Yard. Then at the top of everything were the two different major realms where gods lived: Asgard, where the Aesier gods and goddesses lived, and Vanaheim, where the Vanier (another tribe of gods and goddesses that were more nature focused than the Asier) lived. In Asgard and Vanaheim each deity lived in his or her own kingdom.It was believed that a flam ing rainbow bridge called Bifrost, connected Midgard to the worlds where the gods lived. There were also two other realms that weren’t connected to Yggdrasil. These were Muspell, and Ginnungagap. Muspell was the land of the Fire Giants, and demons, ruled by Surt (Roberts), who plays a vital role in both the beginning and the end of the world. Ginnungagap is the Void of Chaos, where life began. It separates Niflheim and Muspell. In the beginning, before even humans or gods there were three realms: Muspell, Niflheim, and Ginnungagap.In between Muspell and Niflheim two creatures were formed; a gargantuan frost giant, Ymir, and a huge cow, Andumla. Ymir drank some of Andumal’s milk and grew strong. After this development, the first giants sprung out of Ymir’s legs and armpits (Roberts). Then while Andumla was licking the salty ice, it uncovered the first god: Buri. He had a son by a giantess, Bestla. This son, Bor, fathered three sons with the giantess Bestla: Odin, Vili, and Ve (godchecker ink. ). These three got into a fight with Ymir, and managed to kill him; in the way all classic heroes kill monsters.Then, after hauling the frost giant’s body to the middle of Ginningagap, they created the world with him. Using his flesh for land, bones for mountains, and his blood for water. Ymir’s skull formed the vault of the sky. Still-glowing embers from Muspell were used for the sun, moon, and stars. The first tree was Yiggdrasil. It was supposed to support the entire universe. The nine realms were built off it. They then made the first man and woman out of trees, an ash and an elm that they had found washed up on the shore. From the ash and a tree trunk they made Ask, the first man.From the Elm they created the first woman, Embla. At the base of Yiggdrasil lived the three norns. These were the goddesses of destiny. They represent past, present and future, and spin everyone’s destiny. Urd works with past, Verdandi deals with the present, and Skuld decides the future. It was also their job to take care of Yiggdrasil. They watered the land as well as repaired any damage done to the tree. They were very different from the rest of the gods. They didn’t go around having love lives, and getting mixed up in feuds of all sorts of trouble. There is one thing that the norns cannot save Yiggdrasil from.At the end of the world, Ragnarok, the world tree itself will be destroyed. The Viking story of the end of the world is the end of the entire universe. Everyone except a few select gods and two humans perish. Before the great battle between the gods and the evil creatures, a dark age comes upon the earth. For three years it is a dark winter. In this time the world of men will be consumed in war with everyone fighting each other. Family ties are broken, and become friendships forgotten. These relationships are vastly important to Vikings. To have them be destroyed would seem very wrong to any Viking.To top it all off the sun, moon, and stars disappear, leaving the world in darkness. The land is shaken with terrible earthquakes, causing trees to uproot, and mountains to topple. These earthquakes also free the wolf, Fenrir, and his father, the trickster god Loki from their bonds. Fenrir was imprisoned when he grew too big, strong, and wild to be kept as a pet in Asgard. A magical ribbon was the only thing capable of restraining him. But before this, he bit off the hand of his trainer, Tyr. Loki was imprisoned when he was accused correctly of causing the death of Odin’s favorite son, Baldur.The earthquakes also anger the great Midgard Serpent deep in the ocean. The serpent will come on land, and spew its terribly poisonous venom everywhere. Along with these creatures, all of the other enemies of the gods, such as the giants and the demons of Muspell (led by Surt), will come together and attack the worlds of humans, and cross Bifrost to attack the gods. All of the gods will fight to defen d their realm, and that of the humans. However, even with all of their strength, they will fail. Fenrir kills Odin. But Vidar, one of Odin’s many sons, avenges Odin’s death.Thor is poisoned by the Midgard Serpent’s venom after killing it. Surt kills Freyr, because Freyr doesn’t have his sword. After killing Freyr, Surt catches the earth aflame, and burns it all up. Then what is left of the earth will sink beneath the sea. But that is not the end. Not of everything. Yiggdrasil still exists. In it’s branches, two humans, Lif and Lifthrasir (godchecker ink. ), were protected. Also Vidar, leading several other gods have survived. As well as these Baldr and Hod come back from the dead to help recreate earth, and rule the gods.The three most commonly worshiped gods were Frey(r), Odin, and Thor. In several instances statues of the three of them were found together, usually with Thor in the center, and Frey and Odin at his sides. These three covered most o f the needs of the Viking people, which include the needs of farmers, sailors, warriors, poets, and noblemen. It isn’t a surprise why these three were the main gods. As well as Frey, Thor, and Odin there were many other gods. In Norse mythology there are dozens of different gods, each playing a different role. Odin, for a while, was the head god.He is the god of war, revenge, wisdom, poetry, and magic. His belongings are Gungir, a spear that always hits its mark, and Draupnir, a magical gold ring that can duplicate itself. Dwarves made these items, as well as most of the god’s enchanted tools. He also had five animal allies: two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Munninn (memory), two wolves, Freki and Geri, as well as his eight-legged horse, Loki’s son, Sleipnir. He was a bit knowledge-hungry instead of the usual: power-hungry. Once upon a time, Odin gave one of his eyes to the Well of Mimir for the right to drink from the well.The Well bestowed great knowledge to hi m. This Well of Mimir lies at the base of Yiggdrasil. Another time he was said to have hung himself on Yiggdrasil for the right to know all about the runes, so he could teach man, and his gods to be literate and even more powerful. Nobles, warriors, poets and magic-users (magicians, seers, mystics†¦) commonly worshiped Odin. They all gave sacrifices to him. He was worshiped by the nobles because he himself was pretty much god royalty. Odin was also very interested in politics, and these worshippers hoped that he could help them in their thinking.The poets worshiped Odin, because he had drunk some of the poetry mead (alcoholic beverage). This made Odin very talented with his words. So they worshiped him to gain his knowledge of language. He was also a good muse, for those poets lacking inspiration. But if Odin were used as a muse, then of course Odin would be pleased, and help them with their skills. So worshipping Odin was helpful for many poets. Odin was very practiced in the art of magic. So it was thought to be beneficial for any user of magic to ask for his favor. Odin however, wasn’t the only god versed in magical arts.Any other gods who knew much about magic could be called upon. Odin was not the only option. Warriors gave sacrifices to Odin before battles, praying for victory. To gain his favor one would usually give sacrifices of either animals or humans (Roberts). But sometimes this wasn’t good enough. Odin usually got his warrior worshippers killed during battle. Many of these warriors were the dreaded berserkers, who either took a drug-like-substance or riled themselves up so that they fought like fierce animals. As you can see, he clearly had a very violent, brutal, and insane side.The beautiful Valkyries, Odin’s shield maidens, took these dead men away. The dead men were brought to Valhalla, Odin’s hall. There, the warriors fought battles with each other all day, then ate and caroused all night. Then they did it al l over again. Any wounds suffered were miraculously healed at the end of each battle. Odin is officially married to Frigg, but, like many other pagan gods, has many affairs with many other women. He had many children with goddesses and giantesses of all sorts. His most well known children are: Baldr, Thor, Heimdal, Ty, Hod, Vidar, and Valdi.The god who was worshiped the most overall was Thor. This was because he was so easy to relate to, since his talents were those that most people wanted supporting them. He was a fabulous warrior, but he was also the god of farming and storm (and therefore was the weather) god. So he was worshiped by all of the common people: farmers and seamen. Because Thor became really popular in the ninth and tenth centuries, he was the chief rival of Christ, when the Christians were trying to convert all of the Vikings. This was one of the reasons it took so long to convert all of the Vikings.Thor also had some special items that helped him out in battle. His hammer, Mjolnir, iron belt and gauntlet gloves. The hammer never missed its target, and always returns to Thor after it has been thrown, like a boomerang. The iron belt gives Thor the strength needed to throw the heavy hammer; and the gloves give him the strength in his wrists to catch the hammer when it returns to him. Thor was very prepared for physical combat. Hammer amulets (representing Thor) were widely popular throughout Scandinavia. Scads of them have been found in archeological digs. This proves how beloved by the Vikings he was.Also, in later years of the Viking period, during Thor’s â€Å"prime†, he was at the center of monuments, bearing images of him, Odin, as well as Frey. One of the best things about Thor, at least in the minds of the Viking people, is that there were never human sacrifices given to him. At least there were never any records hinting at it. He was a kind god, and protected his people in all of the myths about him. Sacrifices of animals a nd valuable objects (weapons, jewelry, especially fancy tools) were given to him in times of danger from famine or plague. This proves the people’s trust in his kindheartedness. The third most popular god was Frey.He was the god of fertility. Actually the only know male god of fertility. Sacrifices were made to him at weddings to promote the fertility of the couple. Being a god of fertility also made him the â€Å"ecology god†, which made him god of meadows, farming, fisheries, and food in general. Since his father is Niord, the sea god, Frey has some power over the sea as well. Because of this position, he became the god of ship builders too. His magically special object is a ship. It can shrink and be folded up so that he can carry it around in his pocket. But still be large enough, when unfolded, to carry all of the gods.Frey is associated with ship funerals. Wealthier worshippers of Frey would be buried on land in ships filled with typical loot, which was a type of tcommon Viking burial. He was forced to give away his sword in the long arduous process of wooing his beautiful giantess wife, Gerd. So, worshippers of Frey don’t carry swords to honor and respect him. As well as not tolerating swords, outlaws of any kind are not permitted in his presence. Frey had a twin sister: Freya, who was the most widely celebrated of all the pagan goddesses. She is at the center of many myths. She was, like her brother, a goddess of fertility.She was also a goddess of magic known as Sied (Wolf, 151), love, and the leader of the Valkyries. She was married to Od (who might have been a version of Odin), but he left her for another. She was sad, as she had truly loved him, but was strong enough to move on easily. She had rather loose morals, and â€Å"slept around† quite a bit. Using her sexual prowess she was able to get the necklace of sensuality from the four dwarves who had made it. As well as being the head of the Valkyries, she was the head o f the Thedisir, a group of goddesses who are attached to a particular place, or type of object.This made her closely connected with guardian spirits otherwise known as fylgjur. These spirits protect certain special places, such as places of natural beauty, and the homes of their worshippers. Bragi is the god who recites poetry. He is the god of all bards and storytellers. He loves to learn, and promotes others to do likewise. His wife, Idun grows the fruit of immortality: golden apples. The laboring god, Weyland is a blacksmith. He is the God of experience, and a master craftsman. He was created because the people of Iceland wanted a god that wasn’t warlike, and who was actually a useful person. (Meadows) Weyland was that god.The god of justice and law was Tyr. He was a loyal man, and fought for his leader, usually Odin. He looses a hand to Fenrir because he trusts him. This shows his ability to blindly trust, and think the best of people. That was his best trait. Though when he did learn something foul about someone, they’d better beware because one-handed or not, he is a valiant warrior. Heimdall was the guardian of the rainbow bridge, Bifrost. He had a special horn to sound, warning the other gods, when he saw Surt’s great army approaching, announcing that the great battle of Ragnarok was to commence. He is the son of Odin and the nine wave sisters.Odin’s official wife, Frigg was the mother of all, protector of children, and associated with child bearing and the home. She has a sacred â€Å"Distaff of life† that she uses to spin for the â€Å"Fabric of the Universe†. She has the power to see into the future, and is the best of all the gods in this area. Loki is the trickster god. He was both a friend and an enemy to the gods. He is always stirring up trouble. He is the parent of many of the great monsters. As an outcome of his affair with Angrbodi (a beautiful giantess) he fathered the death goddess, Hel, the monste rous wolf, Fenrir, and the midgard serpent.His only legitimate offspring was Narfi, his son. Narfi doesn’t play a very large role. When he transformed into a mare, as part of a plan to save Freya, he begot Odin’s mount, Sleipnir One time Loki got into too much trouble. When he tricked the blind Hod into killing his beautiful brother Baldyr (sons of Odin), it was decided that he had gone too far. Because of his numerous crimes, he was tied up with Narfi’s guts, and imprisoned in a cave with only his wife to ease his suffering, until Ragnarok, when he rides with Surt to destroy the gods. As the Daughter of Loki, Hel had a lot to live up to.In anticipation of her evil tendencies, Odin sent her to Niflheim, and made her the goddess of the underworld, and the dead. She doesn’t like it down there very much, and resents Odin for this. To get back at him she also joins her father and Surt for Ragnarok. Surt was â€Å"The Destroyer†. He is the leader of the fire demons, and is a key player in the final battle of Ragnarok. He miraculously survives Ragnarok, so that he can do it all over next time round. No one was said to worship him. He was the closest thing to Christianity’s Lucifer. The Vikings had to have places to worship, or not worship in some cases like Surt.Most of the Vikings worshiped outside. In holy groves and meadows that had rocks, small hills, and swamps where they placed their offerings. These places were sometimes specific for gods, but most of the time the places were just general places of worship. As well as these outdoor places of worship there were also in-town places such as holy rocks, wells and other objects. In different places, at certain times worshippers had festivals to celebrate the gods. One such festival was held every nine years. Nine men, as well as nine each of different sorts of animals (all male) were sacrificed.Their blood was presented to an idol, and their bodies were strung up in a near by sacred grove. Sacrifices that were given to the gods were mostly animals such as dogs, horses, and farm animals. They were thrown into rivers, tossed off cliffs, and hung on trees in sacred groves for their blood to drain out into the holy ground. Human sacrifices were made sometimes. It was not an every-day occasion. Only for special occasions such as a festival, when a god’s help was especially needed, or when there was another important event, such as the death of an important man.There were often temples for the gods in Viking villages. The local chieftain or leader maintained each temple. The heads of the other main households always aided them. A classic example of a Viking funeral is this: the body is cleaned, dressed with normal clothing, and buried in the ground with items the person might need in the afterlife. Such as food, drink, weapons, tools, and other such things. There would often be dead animals such as horses, dogs, chickens, and sometimes their wife/ser vant/slave. Often times the dead would be set in an underground room in a bed with all of their belongings around them.Some Vikings believed that the spirit lived on as a ghost. Either in the underground tomb their body was left in, in a special haunted hill with the rest of the family, or close to their family as a protector. The alternate funeral would be to burn the body. This was especially common for Odin’s worshippers, and people in general who died in battle, so that they would be sent straight up to Valhalla, and to that fabulous hall of fallen warriors. The Vikings weren’t all that different from any other polytheistic religion of the time. Most of their gods represented desirable human qualities; just like the Greek/Roman gods.They had a creation story, and a destruction story (apocalypse). They bury and burn their dead; just like we do today. The Vikings also believed in a sort of heaven, and in ghosts. Their religion isn’t all that different from any other. They aren’t barbaric pagans; they weren’t the only culture to sacrifice humans and animals to their gods. They Viking religion is similar to other religions, but at the same time it has it’s own mythology and myths that are very unique. The Norse religion is just a religion, with its special characteristics that have transferred from the Viking way of life over into their religion.They needed strong, warlike gods because during the age of Vikings there was a lot of fighting going on. The Vikings made their gods able to defend them form the other evils in the world; ones that the Vikings couldn’t take care of without help. Like any other people would have if they lived in the same conditions. The Christian God of the day would smite badly behaved people, and sent them to hell. The Crusades, that the whole of Christian Europe was involved in, was all about fighting. Norse mythology and religion had their Gods constantly fighting he giants and monste rs; it was a way the Vikings expressed their part in all of the violence.Bibliography: Godchecker Ink. â€Å"Viking Gods of Norse Mythology. † www. godchecker. com, January 31, 2010 < http://www. godchecker. com/pantheon/norse-mythology. php >. This resource was mostly helpful. It was a good reference point. Its facts were all very straightforward, and it had information about almost all of the places and people mentioned in Norse mythology. The one problem with the site is that it was written in a very modern style. With innuendoes, and annoying, uneducated slang and inferior language. I used it only to reference my other sources.Jovinelly, Joan, and Netelkos, Jason. The crafts and culture of the Vikings. New York, Ny: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc, 2002. Most of this book was craft projects for children. But in the page or two of information about Viking religion, I was told about the most important aspects of Viking religion. Which was very important for the organi zation of my paper. It also had all of the things that I knew that had to be in my paper. I don’t want to be less informative than a children’s book.Meadows, Edmund. â€Å"The Pre Ragnarok Viking Gods. www. viking-z. org, January 31, 2010 < http://www. viking-z. org/vikg. html >. This source was a bit overwhelming. It had a lot of information that I used, but a lot of things mixed in that either was a bit too deep, or that were about actually practicing the Viking religion. So I was forced to look through it all, and pick out the things that were relevant to my paper. But on the bright side, the information I found was very good, and it helped me a great deal with my research.Roberts, Judson. â€Å"Myth and Religion. † www. strongbowsaga. com, date accessed lt;http://www. strongbowsaga. com/introduction. asp>. This essay I found on the strongbow saga website was very useful. It had important information on all of the topics I planned to cover in the co urse of my paper. There was a detailed account on all of the main gods and supernatural beings. As well as information on the worship practices of the Vikings. There was also, included in the manuscript, the best description I could find on the creation of the earth story. With a decent telling of the end of the world.Simpson, Jacqueline. Everyday Life In The Viking Age. London, England: Jarrold and Sons Ltd, 1967. This resource was very similar to Daily Life of the Vikings. It had a lot of the same information. The main difference was that it was older and contained pictures relating to the gods, or rites described in the passage. But it, as was the former, was very useful, and had a lot of information. Including a shocking account of a Viking funeral. That was one of the best things about these two books. They had passages from the journals of people who had witnessed Viking religious rites. It was good to get first hand accounts.Wolf, Kirsten. Daily Life of The Vikings. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2004. This book was exceedingly helpful. It gave me a lot of invaluable information on subjects the other sources hardly touched on. Such as the sources for all of the knowledge we have of Viking religion today. It also tells about each of the important gods, and Viking practices involving worship, funerals, and the dead. It turns out that the Vikings were very superstitious of their dead people. It was very entertaining to read about.Unknown. â€Å"Meet the Gods and Goddesses of the Norse Pantheon. www. wizardrealm. com, Janurary 31, 2010 < http://www. wizardrealm. com/norse/gods. html >. This went into a lot of detail about each and every one of the known Norse gods. It was very useful in the portion of my report where I was talking about all of the important Viking gods. But sadly, it wasn’t very special, and didn’t tell me anything that I couldn’t have gotten from another of my resources. The best thing I can say about it is that is condensed the information about each god nicely. But there always has to be one (or two) of those.