Santa Ana Winds free essay sample

Weather can affect people’s behavior, positively and negatively. When the weather is nice and hot, it affects people positively by encouraging them to enjoy the outdoors, however, when the weather is bad, like when a hurricane hits this effects people negatively by worrying. Similarly, in the essay â€Å"Santa Ana Winds†, by Joan Dideon, the winds are so abrasive and obstructive that it engenders people to actually commit suicide. This occurs in Los Angeles. Even though Dideon provides a scientific explanation for the soft winds, she characterise hem as evil by showing their effects on people and on the environment. Dideon characterizes and demonstrates the winds as evil. She explains that the winds have an effect on people, making them act unusual. â€Å"Indians would throw themselves into the sea when the bad wind blew† Dideon is describing how the winds would permit people to actually commit suicide. The winds would create such a violent disturbance that townsmen would not even want to deal with such a thing, they would just kill themselves. We will write a custom essay sample on Santa Ana Winds or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The horrifying winds would also create paranoia in people. â€Å"Her husband roamed the place with a machete† This man thought there were trespassers and rattlesnakes roaming his yard. His obvious beliefs were due to scare. Dideon not only demonstrates the wind having an effect on people, but also the environment. Having a harsh effect on the hills and Route 66. A hot wind from the northeast whining down through the Cajon and San Gorgonio Passes, blowing up sandstorms out along route 66, drying the hills† Here, Dideon is explaining how the winds create sandstorms along route 66 and the hills are drying up. This not only affects the hills and highways, but in the long run will effect global warming, and drying out farms and hills will eventually create a drought. This leads to many other effects on the environment. The Santa Ana Winds effect the environment in more than one way. â€Å"For a few days now, we will see smoke back in the canyons†. Dideon is signifying wildfires occurring on the canyons. With this wildfire, not only will this wildfire burn down tree’s, but will also spread around disease. The Santa Ana Winds have many effects on the environment and people, when it is a nice, hot and a sunny day, people become encouraged to get out and spend time with their family. However, when a hurricane blows in, it creates many disturbing things, such as paranoia, droughts and wildfires. It is important to be alert and recognize the warning signs of dreadful things yet to come. Otherwise, anyone can get trapped in the middle of a storm.

Confucianism And Japanese Growth Essays - East Asian Culture

Confucianism And Japanese Growth Essays - East Asian Culture Confucianism and Japanese Growth Many factors helped aid in the dynamic growth that occurred in Japan and the four little dragons during the post-World War 2 period. Some of these factors were situational factors unique to the time but some of the factors were cultural. The legacy of Confucianism in Japan and the four little dragons helped to further the goals of industrialization that these nations had. The traditions of Confucianism provided for Japan and the four little dragons both a pliant public and a model for choosing competent leaders. Confucian traditions placed an emphasis on the values of the group over the individual. This helped industrialism by creating a pliant populace who were willing to accept long hours and low wages and not question government policies. The traditions of Confucianism taught workers not to question authority. These traditions carried over into the post war period and allowed authoritarian regimes in the four little dragons to go unquestioned by the public. This lack of dissent allowed the four little dragons to have stable governments which were critical to investment and industrialization. The stability of these nations was a direct result of Confucian values being indoctrinated into the population. Confucian placement of the group over the individual and strong belief in filial piety also caused families and local communities to accept social responsibility for members of their community. This safety net that was provided by communities and families allowed the government to limit it's spending on social welfare programs and thus channel more funds into infrastructure and industry. Confucianism also placed an emphasis on self-cultivation which has helped East Asian Countries to have a skilled and ambitious work force. The tradition of self-cultivation like the work ethic that Max Weber credited Proteeztism of producing lead people to strive to acquire new skills, speak foreign languages, and in the offices and businesses of Japan, drive workers to strive with in their firms to improve group performance. Confucian traditions also placed emphasis on the creation of a meritocratic elite and the use of entrance exams. These traditions were in place before World War 2 in the East Asian countries but they helped aid in the carrying out of the industrial policies of the post-war government of Japan and the little Dragons. The traditional system of a meritocratic elite was adopted in the post war years in the form of meritocraticly chosen bureaucracy that made and carried out many government policies. This elite was free from many of the strains of politics and thus was able to carry out policies that democratically elected leaders might not be able to pursue do to the changing feelings of the electorate. Also these bureaucrats because they were meritocraticly chosen were the most able members of society and thus very skilled at handling industrial policies. The system of entrance exams in Asia countries helped to create skilled and proficient workers for industry. The entrance exams were able to target the most able young people and channel them into higher learning, and the entrance exam system was also able to create intense competition among young people spurring students to both acquire knowledge and disciplined work habits. These disciplined and knowledgeable workers were critical in providing the workers that made East Asian Industries successful. Confucian traditions were not the sole cause of industrialization in Japan and the four little dragons. An analysis of other Asian nations such as Thailand, China, Vietnam, Burma, and Laos show that many nations with the same shared history of a Confucian values have not yet industrialized. Confucianism along with other circumezces such as situational factors, timing, domestic industrial policy and luck played key roles in allowing Japan and the four little dragons to industrialize. Some of the situational factors were the presence of U.S. aid and leadership which gave many nations such as Japan a jump start on industrialism, the feeling of urgency among countries such as Taiwan and South Korea who felt that if they were not able to build up their economies they would be over ridden by the communists, the presence of the Japanese model of industrialization which aided Taiwan and South Korea in what types of economic policies to follow. But these factors alone also do not account

Islam Afterlife Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Islam Afterlife - Essay Example Muslims who has followed the teachings of Islam will go to Heaven which is a perfect secure place for rest and peace. And people who has not followed the Islam and ignored Allah’s teachings will be sent to Hell as punishment. From the teachings of our beloved Holy Prophet (SAW), it becomes clear that after the end of an individual in fact take him/her to be lifeless, but that person remains alive. Life after death is entirely dissimilar from this life. The interval between death and Day of Judgment is called ‘Barzakh’. Imam Bukhari reported that Hazrat Aiesha (R.A) said that the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) said: â€Å"Destroyed is the one who has his account settled on the Day of Judgment†, Aiesha (R.A) said: â€Å"O Messenger of Allah, didn’t Allah says: â€Å"Then He who give his records in his right hand soon will his account be taken by easy reckoning†. The Prophet (P.B.U.H) replied: â€Å"This is the skimming through the deeds; and destr oyed is the one who has his account settled on the Day of Judgment.† After this worldly life, every person will be equal before Allah. No any king will be superior than his slave; a slave also can be a king by doing good deeds or by follow Islam sincerely. And a king can remain a king if he is kind and helpful to his people. In the graveyard when an individual is buried, two Angels will be sent by Allah in the graveyard. One angel will be ‘Munkir’ and the other will be ‘Nakir’. There are some specific questions according to the meaning of Ayaat of Quran-e-Pak which will be asked by angel. Questions will be â€Å"What do you know about the messenger (prophet P.B.U.H) of Allah†? â€Å"Who is your Lord†? Than they will ask over that â€Å"What is your religion†? And â€Å"Who is your Prophet†? The dead body will reply all their questions. If the dead body will be a Muslim, he/she will be gifted. And if he/she is a non-Muslim h e will be punished by answering incorrect. Angles will send his/her soul according to his deeds, if he will be a good man he will be sent in heaven, otherwise thrown in hell. This world is a great test world for all human beings. A good person will be in heaven and a bad person will be thrown into hell. Hell is a place where Allah keeps their bad human beings. There is a big reward hereafter, alike punishment is also brutal. Hell is a big space in which millions of peoples can be punished at once. Hell is full of fire which is fanned for millions of years. Fire is fanned till the Day of Judgment. All the persons with sins will be thrown into it and will be punished till his punishment ends. All the doors of forgiveness will be closed on the Day of Judgment. No one can be escaped. It will be on the sky, how could anyone one be escaped. All the things will be done according to the order of Allah. Paradise (Jannah) is the place made for those people who are beloved to Allah through the ir actions. Such bounties are there which nobody can imagine, no mind can perceive, no ears had ever heard. People in Jannah will spend their time with full joy and peace. Their every will be come true which was unaccepted on earth. Heaven is a beautiful, calm and secure place which will be full of beautiful hurs (fair, beautiful females) wearing fine silk gowns with wide lovely eyes. Milk streams will float everywhere. No sense of fatigue will touch there. People will be never asked to leave from there.

Service Learning Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Service Learning Project - Essay Example Finally, I also joined the brainstorming session for Friday’s event where we discussed what was to be presented, and I gave some ideas that were well received. This service-learning project was appropriate for my BComm program course for various reasons, mostly in equipping me with abilities, skills, and knowledge required for a successful career in private and public sectors. The project helped me to explore the communications aspect of the course, as I was able to engage in textual, visual, and verbal messages for a specific audience, in this case, those who are to attend the religious event, which is important to my professional and academic success. It also helped me to explore the information literacy aspect through recognition of required information and the retrieval, evaluation, and effective use of information during my work at the Society’s library. I was also able top engage in teamwork during the brainstorming session that was a valuable lesson in how to interact with other team members during one of the important stages of team decision making. Finally, the project helped me learn about the social and ethical responsibi lity aspect of the course, as I was involved in planning for an event through which the Society was giving back to the

Mind and Morality Essay Example for Free

Mind and Morality Essay The external factors play a huge role in shaping one’s decisions. One may think that his genetic and background history has the most influence on his actions, but in reality, the intensity of a given situation has greater impact in the choices of the individual. The surroundings one lives in ultimately influences his perception, decision, and morality. In his essay, â€Å"The Power of Context,† Malcolm Gladwell states how it is the little things in life that makes the bigger difference and in many aspects this is true. In Daniel Gilbert’s essay, â€Å"Immune to Reality† he talks about how human perception about reality is not always accurate. In Oliver Sacks’s essay, â€Å"The Mind’s Eye† he shows how there are many different perceptions to view the world. So at the same time, is it possible to dictate what is right and wrong in one’s life if all the decisions are a result of his given situation and surroundings? Also the morality for each person varies depending on their circumstances and perception of their world. Ultimately, an absolute form of right and wrong does not exist because the context of the situation always changes, but still it is possible to achieve an applicable standard of morality in society. Each individual has his own way of looking at the world that is completely unique when compared to the way another person does. This is perception of reality and this form is always open to discussion because the person generates this viewpoint. Each individual makes his decisions based on his perception of the world. â€Å"The processes by which we generate positive views are many: we pay more attention to favorable information, we surround ourselves with those who provide it, and we accept it uncritically (Gilbert 134). In many instance one creates his own perception to suit his way of thinking, so the individual could be in the center of his world. â€Å"He seemed to regard this loss of visual imagery as a prerequisite for the full development, the heightening, of his other senses† (Sacks 304). Most people see becoming blind as unfortunate event, but according to this person it helped him to improve his other senses. â€Å"The tabloids dubbed Goetz the subway vigilante and the death wish shooter† (Gladwell 153). Rather than seeing Goetz as a lunatic the newspapers depicted him as a hero. So this shows the difference in perception between people and how it varies from individuals. Importantly since each person’s perception varies it is hard to claim whose perception is right or wrong because ultimately is there a â€Å"right† perception of the world that everybody should be following? Even when viewing a painting everybody has their own interpretation of the art. No one claims there is only one â€Å"right† perception; rather the different perceptions are simply different approaches towards looking at the world. â€Å"It was simply inconceivable that someone could pull a gun on someone else on the subway and be called a hero for it. † (Gladwell 154) shows how different viewpoints affect the verdicts of a situation. A hero to some people might be a villain to others and it is hard to claim who is the â€Å"right† hero. The difference in subjectivity among people will always create a discrepancy of opinions among people. Since a variety of perception exists, then is it possible to have a perfect set and stone â€Å"right and wrong† rules in life? The context of a given matter plays a huge role in deciding the morality of the event. Morality is very much depended on the background information of the event. It is very hard to dictate the morality of an issue without seeing the bigger picture. Most people might see stealing as a wrong act, but what if someone stole a piece of bread in order to make sure he does not die from starvation, is that still a wrong act? In a situation like that one might feel sympathetic to that poor fellow and probably will see stealing as reasonable in that given situation. â€Å"We do not realize that our views will change† (Gilbert 135), the idea of morality varies on the situation because the context of the event directly affects morality. â€Å"Blindness now becomes for him a dark paradoxical gift. This is not just compensation, but a whole new order, a new mode of human being† (Sacks 305), in many aspects blind people do not see their condition as a curse or burden rather a different approach towards living and for most sighted people it might be hard to understand and accept this approach. â€Å"That there are instances where you can take normal people from good schools and happy families and good neighborhoods and powerfully affect their behavior merely by changing the immediate details of their situation† (Gladwell 162) this shows how the little details of an event plays huge role in the outcomes of an event. Essentially, context of a situation is what dictates morality and it is going to be almost impossible to label morality as set and stone as something like the Ten Commandments because the context always changes. Even though the standards of morality vary according to the situation there are some aspects of morality that one subconsciously accepts. Some ethics are universally considered wrong and one’s mind without even one knowing already knows that some choices are not right. That is why the mind tends to usually question the choices one makes. â€Å"When we cook facts, we are similarly unaware of why we are doing it, and this turns out to be a good thing, because deliberate attempts to generate positive views† (Gilbert 134), subconsciously to some extend individuals are aware of the morality behind an action and this will help individuals to make their decisions wisely. â€Å"To what extent are we our experiences, our reactions shaped, predetermined, by our brains, and to what extend do we shape our own brains† (Sacks 303), There are some emotions and judgments that are simply preinstalled in one’s mind which aids an individual in making choices that are difficult. â€Å"After a while the bad guys wised up and began to leave their weapons home and pay their fares† (Gladwell 157) this shows how there is a consciousness inside individuals that helps in guiding with decision making. When making a choice that might inflict pain to us or others one’s mind will usually try to suggest against that decision. That is why the idea of taking an innocent person’s life is universally seen as a wrongful act in societies. Therefore, there is a sense of unconscious morality that lies within the hearts of most individuals. Achieving a complete form of morality is a very idealistic thought because practically it’s not possible. There are infinitely many ways of perceiving morality and it would be impossible to set a standard that would suit all the time. â€Å"Too often people with sight don’t see anything† (Sacks 310). There are parts that even one’s eye sometimes cannot capture meaning that sometimes it’s simply not possible to account for all the possibilities. â€Å"The benefit of all this unconscious cookery is that it works, but the cost is that it makes us strangers to ourselves† (Gilbert 135). People sometime engage in activities without being aware of the magnitude of the situation. †They are both based on the premise that an epidemic can be reversed, can be tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment† (Gladwell 157) the intensity of the situation has a huge influence on the decision of the individual. Due to all this, perceiving morality completely would be very difficult. Also having a perfect morality would require infinite knowledge which humans do not possess. As an individual one is limited at what he observes at a given time and there are limitations for each individual in this world. However, through the perceptions of many individuals, people will be able to come up with a better understanding of morality. Even with the limitations each individual has a small understanding of morality in the back of his head. Essentially, when all these understanding that are possessed by individuals are combined then a suitable set of standards will be formed that can accompany most situations. The collective effort of people will help to generate a better set of morality that will help in creating a peaceful environment for people to live in. That is why it is important to have many different perceptions of morality because they all eventually lead to creating appropriate rules that will be suitable for the well-being of a society. Despite not being able to have an absolute morality with infallible accuracy and with infinite knowledge, an applicable method of sensing morality is still practical. Individuals lack the ability to have a perfect morality because for one to acquire it in completion one needs to possess infinite amount of knowledge. Despite this back drop each individual innately has the ability to know morality in small parts and therefore combining the small parts of every individual will help to achieve a suitable set of codes. The differences in perception between people only aids to benefit humans in portraying a better understanding of morality. That is why it is important that there are different types of perceptions because if there was only one view then a very limited and narrow minded principle would be prevalent in the world. The different pathways of thinking done by people finally leads to achieving a suitable mode of morality. An absolute form of morality will never be possible in this imperfect world, however, that does not mean accomplishing a reasonable standard is impossible.

Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Friend Three days ago I was working on a lecture dealing with a prominent figure on the French literary scene who happens to be a Sephardic Jew. He pictures the Jew as essentially a wounded man, one racked by his Jewishness. The world for him is a desert, and God is enwrapped in silence. For him the keynote is exile, the stuff of his writing a kind of brave despair. The news of Hays's death broke into my thoughts on this, and it occurred to me that his philosophy of life could be expressed by reversing this writer's terms. The one saw the Jew as a wounded man; the other saw in the Jew, rejoicing in his Jewishness, the acme of spiritual health. The one saw the world as a desert, the other as an orchard. The one saw God as the God of silence, the other saw Him as the God of communication, one with whom you could stay in touch. The keynote of the one was exile; while the other saw in the combination of Judaism and America the best of all possible worlds. It is deceptively easy to say, why not? Was not Hays one on whom fortune had smiled, one who had every reason to see the world in a positive light? Yet the very fact in itself can be burdensome. His father had set him a very high standard. Solomon Solis-Cohen combined the sciences and the humanities and community service in a way which is hardly possible in our complex age. Hays hewed out his own path. In his lifelong professional growth as a man of the law, he acquired a reputation for probity second to none. Even those who disagreed with him on this issue or that had to concede that he was a man of conscience, and for him principle came first, and no claim of expediency could make it take second place. Hays took to heart the moral of his father's best-known poem, and knew how quickly love can pass by if it is not grasped and cherished. He loved much and well. He loved America with a passionate devotion. When my son was born, he wrote to me, pointing out the privilege of being born an American citizen. He loved the ideals and traditions of Judaism, and always found them in harmony with his Americanism. He loved his grand-children, and a special warmth came into his voice when he spoke of them.

Great Expectations: A Synopsis Essay

â€Å"The worst prisons are those we create for ourselves. † To what extent do you agree? Set in the 19th Century Victorian England, many of the main characters in Great Expectations’ are imprisoned either virtually or metaphorically. Magwich is an actual prisoner of the English penal system, and is also a prisoner of his own desire to revenge Compeyson and the class system. Miss Havisham ad Pip create prisons for themselves out of their own fixations and obsessions. It could also be argued that Pip and Estella are both metaphorically imprisoned by Miss Havisham and Magwitch’s need to revenge. Although the description of Newgate is ghastly, and the effects of the prisons imposed upon Pip and Estella are difficult to overcome- the detrimental lite and psychological effects on Pip, Miss Havisham and Magwitch resultant of their self imposed prisons are the worst prisons of all, because they are so illusive and deceptive, that the characters often dont know of their existence until the damage is done. Through his exposure to Satis House and Estella’s taunting malice, Pip becomes aware of his social inferiority, and thus sprouts the first seeds of discontent with his class. Like a distant yet alluring star, Pip is tantalised by Estella’s wealth and beauty, and out of his exposure to her his all consuming obsession with becoming a gentelman emerges. Ironically, when this idea first emerged, Pip really had very little understanding of what a gentleman was. Although he cannot articulate whether he has this desire â€Å"to spite her or to gain her over,† this fervent urge dictates the direction of his life. He becomes imprisoned into a superficial and narrow be. cf that a gentleman is someone with wealth, status and learning, and will go to any lengths to achieve this aim, albeit rejecting Joe and Biddy. Pip gains his great expectations frorn Magwitch, and although he was metaphorically imprisoned by Magwitch’s exploitation of him to revenge the class system- Pip had already begun to laud the false values of gentilify. Pip could have used Magwitch’s money to become a member of the upper class, but still retain qualities of kindne ss and compassion (like Herbert. Instead, Pip becomes locked into the world of lavish expenditure, greed and corruption. Despite his unhappiness, shown clearly the Finch Club â€Å"there was a gay fiction that we were constantly enjoying ourselves, and a keleton of truth that we never did†, it takes him many years and trials to free himself from this elusive self imposed prison. Despite the guilt that he feels, he still manages to Justify his treatment of Joe because the prison he has created for himself is so difficult to break out of. Miss Havisham is the epitome of the devastating consequences of creating ones own prison. After being swindled and left at the alter, Miss Havisham is so emotionally ruined that she creates her own virtual and rnetaphorical prison. She confines herself to her mansion, which â€Å"had a great many iron confines bars to it’? and tells Pip that she had â€Å"never seen the sun since you were born. † But she also confines her and raising her purely as an instrument to â€Å"wreak havoc† in the hearts of men. Miss Havisham creates her own prison to revenge all males, and this prison envelops her existence. So consumed by hatred, Miss Havisham’s heart begins to decay, as is symbolic in her surroundings â€Å"covered in dust and mould and dropping to peices†, as well as her spider infested rotten wedding cake. Like Pip, it takes Miss Havisham many yearsand much suffering to understand that she was actually imprisoned. The urning point for her came when she realised that Estella could not lover her because â€Å"l stole her heart away and put ice in its place. Pip acknowledges that Miss Havisham’s imprisonment of Estella was a â€Å"greivous thing† but recognised that her own seclusion from the world and from the healing influcences to her mind and broken heart were infinitely worse. Conversly, Magwitch is a prisoner of the penal system. Although he committed a crime that saw him placed in a Jail, Magwitch did not create this prison because he was forced into imp risonment by the authorities, and was basically forced to commit rime in order to survive. His imprisonment was not a conscious choice, as was Pip and Miss Havisham’s, and unlike the others, Magwitch was well aware of this imprisonment. Despite his loss of freedom and years immersed in sub-human conditions, his mental imprisonment in the need to revenge Compeyson and class system, which he creates for himself, has the most damaging effect on his life. After escaping from the prison ship, Magwitch could have been free had it not been for his revenge upon Compeyson. Because of these acitons, Magwitch finds himself again imprisoned and sent for life to Australia. Again, it was his self-imposed imprisonment that caused the most damage. Magwitch spends most of his time in Australia working to convert Pip into a gentleman to revenge the class system, instead of Just forgetting his past and moving on with his life. He even goes so far as to come back to Englas to see â€Å"my gentleman†, and is consequently sentenced to death for returning. Through the stories of Pip, Miss Havisham and Magwitch, Dickens is clearly expressing that the worst prisons are those we create for ourselves, as their damage is subtle to the victim who may be unaware of their existence.