The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay Example for Free

The draught by Shirley capital of Mississippi EssayThe central idea is the authors implied comment on the subject of the story. In The Lottery, by Shirley capital of Mississippi, the central idea being told in the story is the danger of blindly following tradition because of traditions mark on society. Tradition plays a Brobdingnagian role in our society it provides reason for certain actions amongst a community without really ever having a reason to do something outrageous to begin with. Jackson points out our human flaws by creating a story which faces wrong and unlawful by numerous people so that people could see that they take dower in pointless festivities posteriored up by their tradition. The story has its way of getting to your head, constantly leaving one with unanswered questions and looming thoughts behind the motif of this story.In The Lottery, Jackson provides us with numerous amounts of details about the day of the lottery. The details are specific and play a huge part of the setting. In the showtime paragraph, Jackson describes the setting by giving us the date (June 27), time (about 10 a.m.), and temperature (warm). In this scene Jackson lists a couple of more consequential information such as the flowers and green grass, the townspeople square, and the post office and bank. She even explains the specifics of the town, like how many people are living there, or which town neighbors this one, just so that we bed see the difference between an older community who takes part in tradition, and a younger community who has forgotten the principles of tradition. exclusively of these details account for the setting which acts as a huge role in understanding the central idea. Because Jackson sets the story firmly in a specific time and place, the reader may suggest that she does this so that one could recount the tradition of the lottery. The story continues with specifics in detail and sharp images that tend to have suspense towards every oncoming sentence. Jackson paints a world so familiar to us, and then twists reality around when unusual punishment takes its place through and through pure violence and disturbing images.More often than not, the setting supports the central idea of the story, so any changes in the story significantly alter the story. For instance, its hard to believe that something terrible could happen on a sunny day, but when tension rises, and someone has to go, a change in weather occurs as Mr. Summers lets the rest of the papers go with the breeze (a sudden wind pattern that wasnt mentioned at all prior to this moment). Questions rise as to why many of the villagers left out many of the rituals of the tradition like the singing and the formal addressing of the people but did not forget about the most important part, the stoning.Jackson makes it clear that all that was remembered about the tradition were the violent parts. All the other bits and pieces of the tradition were forgotten so that th e villagers could embrace that secure moment of killing. It may seem harsh, but it truly portrays the fin bit of blindly following tradition. The villagers acceptance of the lottery has allowed for an annual event to take place, that for some reason, no one can change. The villagers are powerless in accepting change, although no one is forcing them from keeping with their tradition around. The villagers are aware of how bad this is, but the fact that its a tradition merely suggests that it will keep going on, and for no reason to.In The Lottery, Old Man Warner suggests that it would be a foolish thing to do if they had stopped the lottery when he says, Pack of crazy foolslistening to the young folks, nothings good enough for them. Next thing you know, theyll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live hat way for a while. Used to be a saying about Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. First thing you know, wed all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. Theres always been a lottery (Jackson). And when he says, Theres always been a lottery, it is easy to conduct reasoning behind Jacksons main point on generally accepting tradition for what it is. For the villagers, tradition is all the justification they need to continue on with their malicious actions.

Global Warming Essay Example for Free

Global Warming EssayOver the past years the problem that has most scientist and flock in the world concerned is global warming.What leads to global warming is called the green house effect, where the atmosphere builds up by gases, like methane, carbon dioxide and separates, and keeps heat from the solarise in the atmosphere, which increases the temperature on Earth. Many people think that global warming and the green house effect are the same thing but it is not. The babys room effect is the heat that comes from Eart. While global warming is an issue because the to a greater extent gases that are produced by man the more gases will be in the atmosphere, which upsets the innate balance.As a result of global warming the polar ice caps are melting and this will lead to a rise in sea levels causing flooding and coastal damage to many countries. The increase in temperature means an increase in water temperature which will lead to extreme live on conditions, such as hurricanes. As a cause of the temperature changes, it can lead to animals and insects migrating to other areas. Taking disease with them that normally wont occur in other places.There is no known solution to reverse global warming yet, but there are solutions that will help to pr in timet it from growing even more. For instance recycling by using recycling bins and other methods will help prevent the problem to advance. Another way is to use compact fluorecent bulbs. By replacing three frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorecent bulbs you save like 135Kg of carbon dioxide and R$120 per year. By unpluging unused electronics, even if the electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. You save over 400Kg of carbon dioxide and R$500 per year by unplugging them or switching them off. Although, any action we could do to minimize the global warming seems to be helpful to preserve the environment. Maybe with some help from the government we could do a little bit more for our planet and pr ovide a sustainable future for the generation that comes.

Cell Tissue Organ System

Cell Tissue Organ governanceThe cell is the basic morphologic and functional unit of all known living organism. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing and is often called the building shut up of life. Some organism much(prenominal) as most bacteria, ar unicellular (consist of a single cell) and other organism such as military personnel, atomic number 18 multicellular. separately cell can take in nutrients, convert these nutrients into energy, carry bulge out specialized functions, and reproduce as necessary. It also stores its own set of instructions for carrying out each of these activities.All cells have a skin called the plasma membrane, protecting it from the outside environment. The cell membrane regulates the movement of water, nutrients and wastes into and out of the cell. Inside of the cell membrane atomic number 18 the working parts of the cell. At the center of the cell is the cell nucleus. The cell nucleus imparts the cells DNA, th e genetic code that coordinates protein synthesis. In addition to the nucleus, there are many organelles inside the cell small structures that help carry out the day-to-day operations of the cell. One important cellular organelle is the ribosome. Ribosomes participate in protein synthesis. The transcription phase of protein synthesis takes places in the cell nucleus. After this step is complete, the mRNA leaves the nucleus and travels to the cells ribosomes, where translation occurs. Another important cellular organelle is the mitochondrion. Mitochondria are often referred to as power plants of the cell because may of the reactions that produce energy take place in materials. Outside the cell wall is a gelatinlike capsule which has antiphagocytic function so it determines the virulence of many bacteria. It also plays a character reference in attachment of the organism to mucous membranes. Most cells organelles fo cellular mobility are flagella. Flagella arise from cytoplasm and ex trude through the cell wall, they are long and thick thread-like appendages, protein in nature. Another outermost structure of the cell are Fimbriae (pili). Fimbriae are short and thin hair like filaments and are responsible for attachment of bacteria to specific receptors oh human cell.II. DESCRIBE AND DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE cellular phone AND TISSUE ORGANIZATION AND SYSTEM.As the diagram showsCELL TISSUE ORGAN SYSTEM HUMAN BODYA group of cells with same structure and functions ordain become wander and one to several dozen processes will be called organ and group of organ will function as a transcription until it join with other functional and anatomical unit of the human frame or organism.There are many divergent types of cells in the human body. none of these cells function well on their own, they are part of the larger organism that is called human.TISSUESCells group together in the body to form tissue papers a collection of uniform cells that group together to perform a specialized function. There are 4 primary types in the human body epithelial tissue, connective tissue, muscle-builder tissue and poise tissue.1) Epithelial TIssue The cells of epithelial tissue pack tightly together and form continuous sheets that serve as liningd in different parts of the body. Epithelial tissue serves as membranes lining organs and helping to keep the bodys organs separate, in palce and protected. Some examples of epithelial tissue are the outer layer of the skin, the inside of the mouth and stomach, and the tissue surrounding the bodys organ.2) Connective Tissue Connective tissue adds support and structure to the body. Most types of connective tissue contain fibrous strands of the protein collagen that add strength to connective tissue. Some examples of connective tissue include the inner layers of skin, tendons, ligamnets, cartilage, bone, fat tissue and blood.3) Muscle Tissue This type of tissue is a specialized tissue taht can contract. Muscle tissue contains the specialized proteins actin and myosin that slide past one another and allow movement. Examples of muscle tissue are contained in the muscle throughout your body.4) Nerve Tissue Nerve tissue contains two types of cells neurons and glial cells. Nerve tissue has the ability to generate and conduct electrical signals in the body. These electrical messages are manage by nerve tisse in the brain and transmitted down the spinal cord to the body.ORGANSAn organ is a structure that contains at least two different types of tissue functioning together for a common purpose. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and is composed of three layers the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layer. The epidermis is the outer lsyer of skin. It consists of epithelial tissue in which the cells are tightly packed together providing a barrier betwixt the inside of the body and the outside world. Below the epidermis lies a layer of connective tissue called the dermis. Dermis contains b lood vessels that nourish skin cells. It contains nerve tissue that provides feeling in the skin. The subcutaneous layer is beneath the dermis and consists mainly of a type of connective tissue called adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is also known as fat and helps cushion th eskin and provide protection from cold temperature.ORGAN SYSTEMSOrgan governances are composed of two or more different organs that work together to provide a common function. There are 10 major organ systems in the human body.1) Skeletal System The main character of the skeletal system is to provide support for the body, to protect delicate internal organs and to provide attachment sites for the organs. study organs are bones, cartilages, tendons and ligaments.2) Muscular System The main manipulation of the muscular sysem is to provide movemet. Muscles work in pairs to move limbs and provide the organism with mobility. Muscles also authority the movement of material through some organs, such as the stomach a nd intestines, and the heart and circulatory system. major organs are skeletal muscles and smooth moscles throughout the body.3) Circulatory System The main map of this system is to transport nutrients, gases, hormones and wastes through the body. study organs are heart, blood vessels and blood.4) Nervous System The main role of the system is to relay electrical signals through the body. The nervous system directs behaviour and movement and, along with the endocrine system, controls physiological processes such as digestion, circulation, etc.Major organs include brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves.5) Respiratory System The main role of the respiratory system is to provide gas exchange between the blood and the environment. Primarily, Oxygen is absorbed from the atmosphere into the body and carbon dioxide is expelled form the body. Major organs are nose, trachea and lungs.6) Digestive System The main role of th esystem is to breakdown and absorb nutrients that are necessary fo r growth and maintenance. Major organs are mouth, esophagus, stomach and large intestines.7) Excretory System The main role os this system is to filter out cellular wastes, toxins and excess water or nutrients from the circulatory system. Major organs are kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.8) Endocrine System The main role of the endocrine system is to relay chemical messgaes through the body. In conjunction with the nervous system, these chemical messages help control physiological processes such as nutrient absorption, growth, etc.Many organs exist in the body taht secrete endocrine hormones. Among these are hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, pancreas and adrenal glands.9) Reproductive System The mai role of this system is to manufacture cells that allow reproduction. In the male person, sperm are created to inseminate egg cells produced in the female. Major organs for female are ovaries, uterus, vagina and mammary glands for male testes, seminal vesicles and penis.10) Lymphatic /Immune System The main role is to destroy and remove invading microbes and viruses from the body. The lymphatic system also removes fat and excess fluids from the blood.Major organs are lymph, lymph nodes and vessels, white blood cells, T- and B- cells.III. EXPLAIN TISSUE STIMULUS, ELECTRICAL FUNCTION AND BALANCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERACTION BETWEEN CELLS AND SYSTEM.Neurons are the structural units of the nervous system that carry out the functions of the systems by conducting impulses. They are highly specialized and amitotic, which means that if a neuron is destroyed it cannot be replaced. Functionally, neurons are classified as afferent, efferent, or association neurons, according to the direction in which they transmit impulses relative to the central nervous system. Each neuron has three basic partsCell body, which is resembling to other type of cellsOne or more dendrite, which transit impulses to the cell bodyA single axon, which transmits impulses away from the cell body

Problems Faced by Saudi Arabia

Problems Faced by Saudi-Arabian ArabiaSaudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula. It has an appraise population of 27.5 million. Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia. The official language in is Arabic and the Saudi legal system is based on the Islamic constitution. It is the homeland of the Islam, where the two major holy mosques are found. They discovered oil in 1936 which made the country wealthier. Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of exports and nearly 75 percent of disposal revenues. It provides the government with specie to provide health railroad care and education. There are no taxes taken by the government from the residents. Saudi Arabia faces many serious problems which drive attention comparable any other country. According to the researches, Women in Saudi are non allowed to vote only men were admit to vote in the 2005 elections of 179 municipal councils of the country. in addition in recent article of al-shaq al-awsat newspaper announced that Saudi Arabia has got the lowest percentage of the world with women constitute 5% of toyforce. And can u imagine that mavin person dies each hour in a car accidents because of the high speed? how terrifying is this? what is more, in a report of several studies and pot prevalence 20% to 40% of the population smoke. This essay will discuss three major issues women rights, car accidents and smoking in Saudi Arabia and the possible solutions for each problem.virtuoso of the main major problems that are considered in the Saudi society is women rights. The men and the religious police in Saudi claim that in Islam womens place is at home taking care of their husbands and families, which is not true it is just intellectual invasion. Women suffer from discrimination in the labor market thitherfore they could not work in the same place with men their job, according to the men in Saudi, is to stay at home to take responsibility of the house and manipulate with their freedom. For instan t, women wee-wee no right choosing their husbands, it is usually arranged by their family or the man chooses her and impulsive is forbidden for them, by law. Besides, women have no right to vote and not allowed to be a part of the weekly council which is where Saudi citizens complaint to a certain member of the royal family who controls the country. Moreover, women are not able to study, travel or work unless they get the permission from their parents. Although they are allowed to travel they still have to get permission every- time they go to the airport. In addition, all schools and some malls are sex-segregated. As a result of this, men began using that as an advantage by pursuing violence and abusing them in any way possible. However, women try to tackle this problem. For example, a few years ago a group of women from different parts of the country requested a petition, written in it recognize woman as eligible, without the need to have the escort of the legal supervisor -such as a father, husband or brother- to be present in case a divvy up registration record is needed for a woman to start business and the woman is in need to get her own legitimate and civil right, offset from her right to learn, work and health care but not to be conditioned on the permission of the legal supervisor to her rights to transfer her property afterward her death to her inheritors under the rule of civil service on equal footing with man. The government is trying their best to tackle this and they started by announcing to come apart women identification cards when they register on their custodians identification cards in previous whereas the key reason of treating women in the wrong way refers to gender apartheid so it needs time to get over this ineffectual idea.Secondly, driving cars in a high speed causes many accidents in Saudi Arabia. It costs the government a lot of money yearly which cause decrease in the economy of the country. what is more, the lost of human wh ich costs lives and cost their families tears and long nights without quiescence worrying about what is coming next. Is it death or disability for the rest of their lives? People are dying daily even if they escape the death there is a high possibility to get paralyzed or disable. In a report state that the average age of death causalities that result from car accident is 34 years, which means that 26 working years were lost for each person. The economic input of each 26 years is calculated in the annual economic losses of Saudi. The report found that 65% of people with minor causalities need up to 20 days in hospitalized preaching and up to 70 days for rehabilitation. On the other hand, 33% of the minor causalities need up to a full year in treatment and rehabilitation, which results in complete loss of full year economic input for each person. The remaining 2% end up in permanently handicapped that may require up to 15 years of treatment and rehabilitation. According to the tr affic department on the numeration for the last five years approximately more than 1.36 million accident cause death for 21,900 people and about 122,600 coming with injuries. Therefor some possible solution could be follows to help resoluteness this dilemma. For instance, make the driving license test much difficult than it is now with requirement to illustrate driving ability in the Saudis roads and give condensed driving lessons before people start using car. besides, that the government should either charge or punish for speeding. Also should send campaign which focus in injure which causes from the high speed that all could push the people not to drive with high speed in order to help with this problem.finally, last but not least this phenomenon that spread in the saudi society like the cancer when it spreads in the body smoking. people who always smoke are more believably to expose heath problems lung cancer and heart disease. Smoking in Saudi is becoming like hobby for peo ple. What is really horrifying that the people start smoking in the teenage for the wrong reasons like to make them feel better about themselves and more confident to face the worlds. What is more, the number of smokers in Saudi is increase which put extra pressure on the heath system. The essential problem which made them go toward smoking that the price of the pack of tail ends in Saudi is the cheapest in the world what is worse that there is not any law obstruct young people from buying cigarette. however, the people not only smoke cigarette but also shisha (hubby-bubbly) specially women thinking that it is not as harm as cigarette whereas it equals 15 cigarettes. According to one anti-smoking organization said Saudi Arabia has fourth highest number of smokers per capita in the world. There are 6 million smokers and a growing number of women lighting up. Also 27% of students in intermediate level smoke, up to 51% of the of the female teachers and educators smoke and 5% of the p eople in Saudi have lung cancer. The director of the ministry of health s anti-smoking program contended that Saudi Arabia loses SR8 billion because of tobacco and spends SR3.5 billion treating smokers every year. which is affect the economy of the country. So government should focus more in the everyday problem that faces Saudi Arabia providing awareness campaigns which show the dangerous of smoking and the damage that it causes plus of banning smoking in public and close places. besides emanation the price of the pack of cigarettes that is some of the credible solutions which can assist in solving this major problem.To sum up, we discussed the three major problem that faces Saudi Arabia. We adumbrate some of the possible solutions that government can follow. However, government is trying the best to help in solve this problems which is considered as society issues and this type of problem need more time to be solve because it needs the government concentrates and the society ef fort at the same time which make it harder to tackle although Saudi Arabia it is not the only country that faces problem each country has it own problem and I think that each country should focus in their problems. above all, tardily in the last 2 years government is putting an extra effort in this with is perceptible from the whole Saudis citizens and shocking i the same time because no one expect that enormous change in that short time.Bibliography1)Rita Henley Jensen (March 7, 2005). Taking the Gender Apartheid Tour in Saudi Arabia. Womens e-news. Retrieved on 2007-08-21.2)Handrahan, L. M. (2001), Human Rights tribune 8(1). Retrieved on 2007-08-21, from http//www.hri.ca/tribune/viewArticle.asp?ID=26033)Andrea Dworkin (1978). A Feminist Looks at Saudi Arabia. Andrea Dworkin. Retrieved on 2007-08-21,from www.nostatusquo.com4)Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), May 18, 2006 translated at habitual Debate in Saudi Arabia on Employment Opportunities for Women5)Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), June 26, 2006 translated at Public Debate in Saudi Arabia on Employment Opportunities for Women6) Saudi Arabian Government and Law (2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-20.7)Islam, women, and Saudi Arabian society (2002). Retrieved on 2007-09-20.8)human rights from http//hrw.org/ position/docs/2006/01/18/saudia12230.htm9)women rights in arab worlds (10th dec. 1999) ,from http//www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/arabwomen.html10)Saudi Arabian womens rights (2007), from http//saudiarabiawomenrights.blogspot.com11)Muhammad Diyab,Horrible accidents on our roads (2007), from http//desertdiaries.wordpress.com/category/life-in-jeddah/transportation/12)Molouk Y. , Mothers terrorized by killer road fear (2007), from http//www.arabnews.com/?page=9section=0article=97197d=8m=6y=200713)Al-Jaser Badr, Al-Kuwari Mohamed and Al-Thani Mohamed ,prevalence of smoking among govern moral mental heath workers in jeddah (2003) from http//www.ssfcm.org/ssfcm_en/index.php?fuseaction=content.fullcontentmainsection=000 0000321Pub=YesNum_of_articals=20artical=0000000412

Blood And Human Sacrifice For Mesoamerican Indians Theology Religion Essay

Blood And Human Sacrifice For Mesoamerican Indians Theology Religion Essay trance it may non arrive always been clear why rip was a necessity for mercifuls to survive, it was always worshiped unlike any(prenominal)thing else. Practically every family line and civilization through expose Mesoamerican history has intermiticipated in some consort of inception or human sacrifice. Even though from each one group of concourse may shit had very distinguishable sentiments and even different rituals, blood was central part in many ceremonies. Nevertheless, the extent to which blood had been used was highly different. man some civilizations sacrificed thousands of humans, some only participated in animals sacrifices, and others had no sacrifices at all. Blood ceremonies happened for a number of various reasons, anything from a coming of age, to the induction of a bran-new king, to the construction of a new temple. Most frequently sacrifices were made to appease the gods, as a sign of piety and could be performed by any angiotensin-converting enzyme from a lowly servant to a king. While the Aztec, the Maya, and the Kuna were all very different people living at different times in Mesoamerica with entirely different ceremonies and beliefs, all used blood as an integral part in many of t successor rituals.The Aztecs, too known as the Mexicas, were a group of culturally joined people that roughlyly spoke Nahuatl and lived and ruled in Central Mexico during the cardinalteen to sixteenth centuries. They ruled from a large urban center called Tenochtitlan, which is now the present-day position of Mexico City. Out of all of the Mesoamerican civilizations, the Aztecs had the most prolific blood rituals and human sacrifices. They especially thought it was important to sacrifice humans, at least once a month so that they could appease the gods and bring good luck to their land. However, researchers have found that human sacrifices in the Aztec empire were throu gh much more(prenominal) oft than once a month. Even many of the Aztec myths surround human sacrifice. The Legend of the Five Suns attempts to explain the formation of all of the gods and why there is a unavoidableness for human sacrifices all in a atomic number 53 story. It begins with the god Ometeotl creating four sons who would be the four cardinal directions and who would also create all other gods that the Aztecs worshipped. These four gods created people and when they did they had to create a god that would serve as the sun as well. Unfortunately the gods that would be created for the sun were not be perfect and kept fighting and the sun god kept changing which kept killing all of the people on earth. Finally Quetzalcoatl decided that he would not permit the people that he created be destroyed so he went to the underworld to steal their bones and resurrect them. At the same time created for them a new sun called Huitzilopochtli. This is the sun that the Aztecs believed was in the sky over their heads. They also thought that every time it turned dark Coyolxauhqui, the goddess of the moon, and the stars were fighting with Huitzilopochtli to try to take his spot. In Tenochtitlan Capital of the Aztec Empire Jose Luis de Rojas emphasizes the conclusion of the myth The myth dramatizes the triumph of the sun over the moon and the stars when it rises each day (pg. 16). Additionally, the human sacrifices performed by the Aztecs were supposed to cooperate give Huitzilopochtli the strength to fight back and to rise again each morning. In The Aztecs New Perspectives Dirk R. Van Turenhout explains the importance of sacrifices The Aztecs shared with other Mesoamerican peoples the belief that sacrifice to gods was necessary to ensure the continued existence of the universe (pg 188). Without human sacrifices there could be no life sustained on earth.Even the creative activity of Tenochtitlan is a legend based on the human sacrifice of a princess. It is said tha t when the Mexica, or the Aztecs, first came to Central Mexico they were forced to settle in Chapultepec, a region with very poor resources and living conditions. Here they fell under the rule of another city called Culhuacan whose rulers were said to be descendants of the Toltecs. After the Mexica city helped Culhuacan defeat an rival the King of Culhuacan gave away his daughter for marriage to one the Mexica leaders. Unfortunately when he arrived for the marriage ceremony to Chapultepec, to his disbelief he saw one of the Mexica priests wearing his daughters skin over his head. Upon being questioned the priest explained that their god, Huitzilopochtli asked for them to sacrifice the princess. Outraged the King forced all of the Mexica off of the land. They wandered aimlessly for weeks searching for a train to settle when Huitzilopochtli came subdue from the heavens and told them to settle down when they implement an eagle perched on a cactus killing a snake. They came across t his scene in the midriff of a marshland and there founded their soon to be ample capital of Tenochtitlan. Just like this one many of the Aztec myths are based on human sacrifice, or at least have human sacrifice, demonstrating how important of a ritual it was in their lives.For the Aztecs most of the human sacrifices were performed by a set of cinque or six priests. The victim would be dragged up the stairs to the top of the temple where a few of the priests would hold him down on a tilt slab and one priest would make an incision in the victims abdomen with a flint knife. He would then reach in and quickly pull out the still beating heart for all to see. The heart would then be placed in a bowl which would be offered to the gods and the system would be pushed down the stairs. Meanwhile all of the spectators were expected to perform some sort of bloodshed ritual themselves. While this was the most standard form of human sacrifice each god had a specific sacrificial ritual that had to have been followed. In the Handbook to Life in the Aztec World Manuel Aguilar-Moreno describes the different human sacrifice rituals of the AztecsTypes of sacrifices include extraction of the heart, decapitation, dismemberment, drowning, or piercing by arrows, to name some examples. Instruments of choice included, provided were not limited to, a techcatl, which was a sacrificial stone a cuaubxicalli, a container to hold hearts a teepatl (flint knife), which was used to stab the subject (pg. 154).The Aztecs used the most elaborate ways they could think of to kill their victims in tramp to show their obedience and respect to the gods. The Aztecs performed the most gruesome and grotesque human sacrifice rituals in Mesoamerica.Out of all neighboring civilizations the Aztecs held the largest human sacrifices and in new-made times researchers have speculated about the causes of these mass sacrifices. They have come up with a number of reasons, though the most important three see m to be religious, political, and ecological. The Aztecs seemed to believe that sacrificing humans to the specific gods would bring them anything that they cute, from a season of good rain, to a well-built temple, to a victory against an enemy. If things were not going the way they were planned it was often thought that the particular god was not pleased with the sacrifice so more would have to be made. For example when building the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan the Aztecs sacrificed more than eighty thousand prisoners, approximately ten per minute during the four day building process. Many of the sacrifices could have had more backing by political reasons though. In The Aztecs New Perspectives Dirk R. Van Turenhout writes Modern scholars of Aztec religion are convinced that the frequency with which these sacrifices occurred had the additional aspect of propaganda (pg. 190). It is believed that the Kings would sacrifice as many people as thinkable to demonstrate their strength and influence as well as make sure that all of the servants obey. The Aztecs held a lot of land at their peak that was busy by people who were not Aztec descendants so they had to be kept in line the thousands of human sacrifices could have been the annual tributes that these villages each had to pay to placate protected by the Aztec empire. Not only did this have a strong effect on the people living in the civilization it could also have been an intimidation factor for the civilizations around. In his book, City of Sacrifice The Aztec Empire and the Role of Violence in Civilization, David Carrasco explains the role of the sacrifices in instilling fear in the touch populationsThe ritual extravaganza was carried out with maximum theatrical tension, paraphernalia, and terror in order to amaze and intimidate the visiting dignitaries who returned to their kingdoms trembling with fear and convinced that cooperation and not rebellion was the best response to Aztec imperialism (pg. 75).Som e even think that the numbers of sacrificed could be much lower than is believed and reported by the Aztecs because the number of deaths were inflated to scare their enemies.The Mayans were a very advanced civilization living on the Yucatan peninsula in Mesoamerica starting during the pre-classic period and reaching its peak between 250 and 900 AD. The Maya were a very reform-minded civilization for their time having creating a written language as well as mathematical and astrological systems. conflicting the Aztecs, the Mayan people were not as inclined to participate in human sacrifices, yet they often had blood rituals. The Mayans had a large number of religious festivals and rituals throughout their schedule year but as researchers have found none included the sacrifices of humans. The festivals based off of the calendar had a few animal sacrifices and most importantly all had some sort of bloodletting ceremony. These bloodletting rituals could be performed by practically a nyone, such as a young boy or a servant male but for the large gatherings it would be the king or the priests preforming public bloodletting. In Handbook To Life In The Ancient Maya World Lynn Vasco Foster explains the importance of bloodletting in Maya culture Despite the pain, the Maya elite carried out bloodletting rituals for a variety of purposes. They believed they could traverse cosmic boundaries in bloodletting rituals, and Maya rulers could contact deities and ancestors (pg 191). The bloodletting would be done by sticking a barbed rod through the tongue, ear, or foreskin and blood would be collected on a piece of sheepskin and then burned for the gods. The foreskin or the vagina was the most common places where blood would be taken from because of the great significance of these body parts. For obvious reasons the blood from these locations was considered to have fertile qualities and was used in ceremonies concerned with the plant life and the growing of crops.One of the most important reasons for bloodletting and any blood ritual was to see the Vision ophidian. The serpent was by far the most important social and religious symbol for the Mayans and the Vision Serpent was the most important of all serpents. lots the purpose of the bloodletting was to contact and communicate a deceased relative or a god. During a successful bloodletting the participants would see the Vision Serpent and out of its mouth would form the head of the god or ancestor they are contacting. The Vision Serpent was a direct link for the Mayan people from the physiological world to the spiritual world. In Ancient Maya The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization arthur Andrew Demarest mentions the importance of bloodletting in art The importance of bloodletting is confirmed by archeological evidence, as well as iconographic representations and carved texts (pg 188). One of the most famous depictions of bloodletting from the Mayans is found on a limestone form called Linte l 24 which was discovered in Yaxchilan by a British archeologist named Alfred Maudslay in 1882. This lintel depicts the ruler Shield Jaguar holding a torch while Lady Xoc pulls a rope with shards on it through her tongue to produce the vision serpent. The hieroglyphs state that the carving dates back to the 28th of October 709 and also give the names of the two represented. Depictions like these were popular in Mayan civilizations and adorned many tombs demonstrating the importance of these rituals.Though according to records the Mayan people rarely had human sacrifices during the calendar festivals, they may not have been as innocent as the Spanish conquistadors thought. During excavations of various pyramids and other influential sites bodies were found that told a very different story. The Mayans were a very aggressive civilization and often participated in war, even with other Mayan groups. When this would occur any prisoners that would be taken would usually be sacrificed in h oity-toity celebrations. In The Ancient Maya Sylvanus Griswold Morley explains the importance of these rituals These sacrifices were apparently essential to the sanctifying of important rituals, such as the inauguration of a new ruler, the designation of a new heir to the throne, or the dedication of a new building (pg. 543). These sacrifices were a way to induct a new king or simply show how efficacious and successful a current king was. Often after a king died, his son would not be allowed to rule until he brought back prisoners from an enemy kins individual and sacrificed them. If during this escapade he would be murdered himself, that would be his fate and the next in line for the thrown would have to do what he failed to accomplish. While both the Aztecs and the Maya had very elaborate blood rituals, both were very different. The Mayans only used human sacrifice as a way to demonstrate that a King was worthy of ruling the city, otherwise for the most part human sacrifices wer e shunned. While the Aztecs would sacrifice thousands to ask the gods to help them construct a great pyramid the Mayan people chose to sacrifice animals instead. In comparison with the neighboring civilizations of the same magnitude the Mayan people can be considered to have had very mild blood rituals.Unlike the Mayan and Aztec decedents, the Kuna tribes of today still participate in the same, or at least very like, blood rituals as they had before the Spanish invasion. The Kuna people live in villages in present day Panama and off of the coast on the San Blas Islands. A significant going between the Kuna and most other Mesoamerican tribes and civilizations is the great emphasis that they put on women in their society. The Kuna are matriarchal and women are held as the ultimate symbol, participating in many tribal decisions and gatherings that would in most other cases be solely for males. Similarly, most ceremonies are centered around women and in a few of them blood plays a sub stantial role. The inna tunsikkalet ceremony is the split second largest ceremony that revolves around Kuna women. This is a two day puberty ceremony which is this first in a series of coming of age rituals and is very similar to the inna suid rite, or the hair cutting ritual, that is held later once the girl is ready to be married. Unlike many other Kuna rituals, the inna tunsikkalet is a family and household event (280, The Art of Being Kuna). During this time the young girls are isolated from the rest of the community and are not allowed to touch the ground with their feet and have to be carried if they need to vanish their room for whatever reason. During this ceremony it is believed by the Kuna that the young girls are getting rid of all of the bad in their bodies through this blood. They are expelling any evil spirits from their bodies through the flow of blood. A few months after the Kuna girls have been secluded from all others and have finished their first menstruation th e girls family sponsors a collective imbibition bout (280, The Art of Being Kuna) during which the girls are again isolated. This time they are put in a surba, or a subtle, rectangular, wooden enclosure where they are painted in a black dye from the genipa fruit. Alexander Moore writes that after they have completed their rite the pubescent girls, then, have emerged in this modern community as the paramount symbol of community life (276, The Art of Being Kuna).In comparison with the Maya and the Aztec the Kuna did not participate in any animal sacrifices nor did they see it necessary to sacrifice humans to appease the gods. The use of blood in their ceremonies was purely symbolic and was not forced out of the body in any way. Unlike the other people of Mesoamerica the Kuna did not see a need to feel pain or show penance during their blood rituals and in this way can be considered a more advanced and civilized tribe of their time. The differences between the Kuna and the other peop le of Mesoamerica can be attributed to the small communities that never fought, but also were never conquered. They never saw any gruesome battles or bloodshed and for the most part have been a nonbelligerent tribe. For this reason many of their blood ceremonies and rituals are not as extreme as the Aztec or Mayan sacrifices. Yet blood was still an all important part of their lives, without it there would be no inna tunsikkalet, or puberty rite.Blood played an integral part in on the button about every civilization and tribe throughout Mesoamerican history. Though, this doesnt come as a surprise blood ceremonies, in some way, have been a part of practically every single culture from the beginning of time until the present. From the enormous, public gladiator battles and executions in the Coliseum during time of the Roman Empire in the 70 AD to the symbolic drinking of Christs blood during the Eucharist under Christian theology in todays world, blood has and will always play an imp ortant role. While human sacrifices have unyielding been gone from our world, some religions, such as the Santeria, still participate in animal sacrifices as a way of healing. One of the possible explanations for the importance of blood in so many different cultures and societies over such a long period of time is that blood is practically the same in just about everyone. Whether one was a Mayan king or a humble servant he still had blood that flowed in exactly the same way. Anyone who wanted could participate in these blood rituals and show their piety to the gods, even if it did not mean a public ceremony. Blood is also universal, every single person who has ever walked this earth had blood flow through their veins. For this reason it is safe to assume that most people were aware of it and for most it was something of a mystery, something that could mean the difference between life and death, something that could be worshipped. Whether it is for religious, cultural, or medical re asons, blood will always play a significant role in our lives. Blood is as important as air, water, or food, without it we would not survive.

Integrity in Leadership Essay -- Ethical Integrity Essays

Definition of IntegritySince this paper deals with the idea of integrity in leadership, it is reusable to start this paper defining integrity. Websters dictionary defines integrity as uncompromising adherence to a code of moral, artistic or other values reveal sincerity, h integritysty and candor, avoidance of deception, expediency, or shallowness of any kind Let us exam this explanation a bit deeper. The first part of the definition talks of uncompromising adherence. This means that one would always choose the right path, regardless of what seems to be more appealing. Take the example of when and when not to lie. A psyche of integrity would always tell the truth regardless of the situation. The second part of the definition deals with what to avoid. Integrity demands complete openness always. The leader of integrity would never look for to knowingly deceive his constituents at any time. The leader would always be open and honest.Theories of IntegrityThere ar many different the ories of integrity, however this gulping go out only discuss two. The first, Integrity of Self Interests, ordain deal with integrity as it pertains to a leaders best course of action for himself. The second, Integrity of Utility, will deal with integrity as it pertains to the best course for the population.Integrity of Self InterestsIs it better to lie or tell the truth. Trying to analyze this question use the theory of self-interests would depend upon which choice would give the best results for the leader. This is the underlying theme for the theory of self interests. There are two basic formulas that can be used when trying to determine what is moral, and they are1.We should choose the action(s) that we feel, with good reason, will benefit us more than any other choice 2.We should choose the action(s) that are in our best interests, or that we like for the best perceived outcomeThese two formulas can be implemented when making any decision. If you feel something will benefi t you, or that you prefer one choice over another, then that choice is a choice of integrity of self interest. To illustrate this better, let us go back to the earlier example of when to lie. By applying either of these two formulas, lying can be considered moral. If lying were either in our best interests or one perceives it to result in the best outcome, than it is ... ...es not have to be a good leader.ConclusionThere are many theories on integrity, but this draft focused on using two, the theories of self-interest and utility. These are the two theories a leader can use when trying to make an ethical decision. The constituents prefer the theory of utility because it ensures the best result for the most people. However the leader may sometimes prefer the theory of self-interests. The only relevance integrity has to leadership, is in choice. If a leader is not felt to have integrity, he is less likely to be chosen as a leader. However once in power, integrity does not really make a difference. Effectiveness does not depend on integrity. As stated earlier, Bill Clinton has been considered one of the most impressive Presidents in the history of the United States, but he is not considered moral, especially after the Lewinski scandal came to light. Using the different criteria under the theories of first self-interest, then utility, one could try to answer the question of Clinton?s best course of action. In other words, using the outlined decision making processes, was it the best decision to bring the affair with Monica Lewinski to the public?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay -- Health, Diseases, Stress

Friedrich Nietzsche once said, That which does not kill us makes us stronger.(Bailey, Eileen) season this is often the case, certain tragedies are simply too overwhelming for the body and mind to recall from. Instead of making one stronger, some things leave the homophile body weakened both emotionally and physically. When faced with gargantuan amounts of taste, some people founder mental or emotional breakdowns resulting in post-traumatic accent mark disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder, customaryly known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or life threatening face that causes intense feelings of fear or helplessness. PTSD affects most people differently depending on the individual, exactly most of the symptoms are similar. These symptoms can be separated into triplet main categories re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance behaviors, and symptoms of hypervigilance.(Thomas 17) Re-experiencing symptoms include nightmare s, upsetting memories, or painful flashbacks. later working on machines and tanks, some(prenominal) veterans who return home have got associated the smell of diesel fuel with flashbacks of combat and gory battles. Avoidance behaviors are also common in PTSD patients. People often become shake up of e realday simple tasks because of trauma they have experienced. Some people are terrified to take to task in elevator cars because they have been involved in horrible car wrecks. Hypervigilance simply involves a individual being alert or on edge at all times. (Thomas 18-21) PTSD can be caused by many different things but some of the common causes are war, terrorism, rape, a severe accident, or earthy disasters. The National Center for PTSD said that about 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women will exp... ...uggling to get through the day. If a person is putting too much energy into balancing their lives with therapy and stress relief then medication is the next step. Currentl y the Food and Drug Administration has authorize only two medications fot the treatment of PTSD Sertraline(Zoloft) and Paroxeine(Paxil). They are both anti-depressant drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. They work by blocking the site on neurons that remove serotonin from the synapses, a process called reuptake. This allows the body approach to more serotonin. It has a calming effect on the body and relieves the PTSD symptoms of hypervigilance and intrusive thoughts, as well as countering depression and panic attacks.(Thomas 60)PTSD is very serious and it affects people everyday. Some events are simply too traumatic for ones mind and body to handle. Post-Traumatic focussing Disorder Essay -- Health, Diseases, StressFriedrich Nietzsche once said, That which does not kill us makes us stronger.(Bailey, Eileen) While this is often the case, certain tragedies are simply too overwhelming for the body and mind to recover from. Instead of makin g one stronger, some things leave the human body weakened both emotionally and physically. When faced with gargantuan amounts of stress, some people have mental or emotional breakdowns resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or life threatening event that causes intense feelings of fear or helplessness. PTSD affects most people differently depending on the individual, but most of the symptoms are similar. These symptoms can be separated into three main categories re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance behaviors, and symptoms of hypervigilance.(Thomas 17) Re-experiencing symptoms include nightmares, upsetting memories, or painful flashbacks. After working on machines and tanks, many veterans who return home have associated the smell of diesel fuel with flashbacks of combat and gory battles. Avoidance behaviors are also common in PTSD patients. P eople often become frightened of everyday simple tasks because of trauma they have experienced. Some people are terrified to ride in cars because they have been involved in horrible car wrecks. Hypervigilance simply involves a person being alert or on edge at all times. (Thomas 18-21) PTSD can be caused by many different things but some of the common causes are war, terrorism, rape, a severe accident, or natural disasters. The National Center for PTSD said that about 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women will exp... ...uggling to get through the day. If a person is putting too much energy into balancing their lives with therapy and stress relief then medication is the next step. Currently the Food and Drug Administration has approved only two medications fot the treatment of PTSD Sertraline(Zoloft) and Paroxeine(Paxil). They are both anti-depressant drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. They work by blocking the site on neurons that remove serotonin fro m the synapses, a process called reuptake. This allows the body access to more serotonin. It has a calming effect on the body and relieves the PTSD symptoms of hypervigilance and intrusive thoughts, as well as countering depression and panic attacks.(Thomas 60)PTSD is very serious and it affects people everyday. Some events are simply too traumatic for ones mind and body to handle.