The History of Halloween or Samhain, Day of the Dead

Halloween or Samhain had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to Nov. 1 on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle. Samhain The festival observed at this time was called Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the otherworld. People gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit bonfires in honor of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demons--all part of the dark and dread. How Samhain Became Halloween Samhain became the Halloween we are familiar with when Christian missionaries attempted to change the religious practices of the Celtic people. In the early centuries of the first millennium A.D., before missionaries such as St. Patrick and St. Columcille converted them to Christianity, the Celts practiced an elaborate religion through their priestly caste, the Druids, who were priests, poets, scientists and scholars all at once. As religious leaders, ritual specialists, and bearers of learning, the Druids were not unlike the very missionaries and monks who were to Christianize their people and brand them evil devil worshippers. Pope Gregory the First As a result of their efforts to wipe out pagan holidays, such as Samhain, the Christians succeeded in effecting major transformations in it. In 601 A.D. Pope Gregory the First issued a now famous edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert. Rather than try to obliterate native peoples customs and beliefs, the pope instructed his missionaries to use them: if a group of people worshiped a tree, rather than cut it down, he advised them to consecrate it to Christ and allow its continued worship. In terms of spreading Christianity, this was a brilliant concept and it became a basic approach used in Catholic missionary work. Church holy days were purposely set to coincide with native holy days. Christmas, for instance, was assigned the arbitrary date of December 25th because it corresponded with the mid-winter celebration of many peoples. Likewise, St. Johns Day was set on the summer solstice. Good Vs Evil - Druids, Christians, and Samhain Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was decidedly pagan. While missionaries identified their holy days with those observed by the Celts, they branded the earlier religions supernatural deities as evil and associated them with the devil. As representatives of the rival religion, Druids were considered evil worshippers of devilish or demonic gods and spirits. The Celtic underworld inevitably became identified with the Christian Hell. The effects of this policy were to diminish but not totally eradicate the beliefs of the traditional gods. Celtic belief in supernatural creatures persisted, while the church made deliberate attempts to define them as being not merely dangerous, but malicious. Followers of the old religion went into hiding and were branded as witches. Feast of All Saints The Christian feast of All Saints was assigned to No. 1. The day honored every Christian saint, especially those that did not otherwise have a special day devoted to them. This feast day was meant to substitute for Samhain, to draw the devotion of the Celtic peoples, and, finally, to replace it forever. That did not happen, but the traditional Celtic deities diminished in status, becoming fairies or leprechauns of more recent traditions. The old beliefs associated with Samhain never died out entirely. The powerful symbolism of the traveling dead was too strong, and perhaps too basic to the human psyche, to be satisfied with the new, more abstract Catholic feast honoring saints. Recognizing that something that would subsume the original energy of Samhain was necessary, the church tried again to supplant it with a Christian feast day in the 9th century. This time it established November 2nd as All Souls Day -a day when the living prayed for the souls of all the dead. But, once again, the practice of retaining traditional customs while attempting to redefine them had a sustaining effect: the traditional beliefs and customs lived on, in new guises. All Saints Day - All Hallows All Saints Day, otherwise known as All Hallows (hallowed means sanctified or holy), continued the ancient Celtic traditions. The evening prior to the day was the time of the most intense activity, both human and supernatural. People continued to celebrate All Hallows Eve as a time of the wandering dead, but the supernatural beings were now thought to be evil. The folk continued to propitiate those spirits (and their masked impersonators) by setting out gifts of food and drink. Subsequently, All Hallows Eve became Hallow Evening, which became Halloween--an ancient Celtic, pre-Christian New Years Day in contemporary dress. Many supernatural creatures became associated with All Hallows. In Ireland, fairies were numbered among the legendary creatures who roamed on Halloween. An old folk ballad called Allison Gross tells the story of how the fairy queen saved a man from a witchs spell on Halloween. Allison Gross O Allison Gross, that lives in yon towerthe ugliest witch int he North Country...Shes turned me into an ugly wormand gard me toddle around a tree...But as it fell out last Hallow evenWhen the seely [fairy] court was riding by,the Queen lighted down on a gowany bankNot far from the tree where I wont to lie...Shes change me again to my own proper shapeAnd I no more toddle about the tree. In old England, cakes were made for the wandering souls, and people went a soulin for these soul cakes. Halloween, a time of magic, also became a day of divination, with a host of magical beliefs: for instance, if persons hold a mirror on Halloween and walk backward down the stairs to the basement, the face that appears in the mirror will be their next lover. Halloween - Celtic Day of the Dead Virtually all present Halloween traditions can be traced to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween is a holiday of many mysterious customs, but each one has a history, or at least a story behind it. The wearing of costumes, for instance, and roaming from door to door demanding treats can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and around, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these dreadful creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This practice is called mumming, from which the practice of trick-or-treating evolved. To this day, witches, ghosts, and skeleton figures of the dead are among the favorite disguises. Halloween also retains some features that harken back to the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as the customs of bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices cider associated with the day. Modern Halloween Today Halloween is becoming once again and adult holiday or masquerade, like Mardi Gras. Men and women in every disguise imaginable are taking to the streets of big American cities and parading past grinningly carved, candlelit jack olanterns, re-enacting customs with a lengthy pedigree. Their masked antics challenge, mock, tease and appease the dread forces of the night, of the soul, and of the otherworld that becomes our world on this night of reversible possibilities, inverted roles, and transcendency. In so doing, they are reaffirming death and its place as a part of life in an exhilarating celebration of a holy and magic evening.

Stem Education ( Science, Technology, Engineering And...

STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is one of the most profound aspects of education today and it is moving the world forward in research. However, in the STEM occupations, there is a gender gap and underrepresentation of women in the field. For this research, the gender gap (with women) in STEM education/careers and how it can be reduced will be examined. Furthermore, it has been hypothesized if teachers encourage and support girls who want to go into STEM education, it will promote more women to go into STEM careers in the future. Moreover, the following ten literature reviews will strive to support the hypotheses. In a journal article, it discusses the progression of STEM, a study that was conducted that focused on the conceptions of STEM from faculty members and how the faculty members perceived STEM. For the methodology of the study, the researchers conducted a quantitative study by emailing the faculty members two survey questions: â€Å"What is S TEM? How does STEM influence and/or impact your life† (Breiner, Harkness, Johnson, Koehler, 2012, p. 4). For the analysis, each researcher independently read the responses and coded them according to their own schematic (null relationship, personal reasons, and societal issues) (Breiner et al., 2012, p.5). As a result, â€Å"in response to research question #1, What is STEM? 72.5% (161 of 222) of the respondents described STEM as it related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, yet theShow MoreRelatedStem Education : Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics1220 Words   |  5 Pages Most schools now are pushing for students to have a STEM education only believing that it prepares them for the world that’s becoming highly competitive and complex. When coming across STEM education what your thoughts? Why do people like STEM and what’s the objective of STEM? STEM is based on four curriculums – science, technology, engineering, an d mathematics. STEM integrates the four into an organized learning template based on real-world applications. It’s showing students how to apply theRead More100kin10 Goals798 Words   |  4 Pageswell-qualified mathematics and science teachers in ten years. Through the efforts of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Opportunity Equation, 100Kin10 was launched to meet the President’s challenge. The 100Kin10 goal was to help train and retain STEM teachers by bringing together various sectors (i.e. federal, corporate, universities, and nonprofits). By August 2013, 100Kin10 had raised over $53 million and was committed to train 40,000 teachers by 2016 (National Science Board, 2014). TheRead MoreStudents Should Not Be A Cause For Student Boredom846 Words   |  4 PagesMany students in the United States lack the motivation to be engaged or involved in STEM programs such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In today’s high schools, the major ity of students are losing interest in the curriculum since they are becoming bored and uninterested in classrooms; therefore, this may result in a negative classroom environment where students are not paying attention or are doing other things besides classwork. There are multiple reasons that can be a causeRead MoreWomen : A Modern Day Revolution1483 Words   |  6 Pagesare independent breadwinners for their families. In education, modern day young women have pushed through boundaries and are doing just as well if not better that their young male counterparts in educational achievements and earn advanced degrees. Regardless of these advancements, women still trail behind their male peers with respect to education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The support of women STEM students is imperative not only for our nation to growRead MoreThe Education Of The Public Education763 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in schools is undergoing a revolution in public education. This revolution is sparked by an increase in federal funding over the last decade. Between the years of 2011 and 2015, the federal government alone invested between three and 3.7 billion dollars yearly for STEM education (Johnson, 2012) (White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2014) and new STEM educational instructional strategies (Bruce-Dacis, GubbinsRead MoreInvestigation Based Stem Professional Development For Elementary Teachers1461 Words   |  6 Pages, Pfiester, J. (2013). Teacher STEM perception and preparation: Inquiry-based STEM professional development for elementary teachers. The Journal of Educational Research, 106(2), 157–168. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher attitude, efficacy, and knowledge of STEM integration at the elementary level. During the study, professional development was provided . . . to increase and improve teacher perceptions and understanding of STEM curriculum and instruction. RelatedRead MoreDisparity Between Males And Women In The Education System1731 Words   |  7 Pages Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) job industries are clearly a minority group as opposed to males. And each of these statistics above has been used to analyze and raise awareness about the discrepancy between genders within STEM occupations. However, there seems to be lesser research on the education system that feeds into these work opportunities. It is vital to note that the disadvantage for women in STEM starts well before they enter the workforce; it starts whenRead MoreWhy Are There So Few Women Of The Math And Science Professions? Essay1532 Words   |  7 Pagesthere so few women in the math and science professions? Sommers’ reviews the history of women’s involvement in science. In the nineteenth century, women’s accesses to education and opportunities for employment in science had greatly improved. (2009: 61) The systematic and differential filtration of women in STEM careers has received a great deal of attention from leading theorists and researchers who are trying to understand why women are not participating in STEM activities as compared to men. (FouadRead MoreToys : Toys Affect Their Gender1073 Words   |  5 Pagesexample, The STEM fields or Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education fields have been predominately dominated by men, and the number of women in these fields is not growing. A 2011 report from the Economics Statistics Administration found only one in seven engineers is a women. The US Department of Commerce found, women today hold only twenty seven percent of all computer science jobs, which means men hold seventy three percent of all comput er jobs, and women with a STEM degree are lessRead MoreThe Popular Celebration Of Pi Day1208 Words   |  5 Pagesactivity, but it contributes to a celebration that feeds into an imbalance in the American education system. The existence of this math-centered holiday shows that schools revere STEM, a catch-all acronym for science, technology, engineering and math, but other uncelebrated subjects may not be regarded so highly. The popular celebration of Pi Day in American schools reflects how increased emphasis on STEM education is linked to the de-emphasis of the visual arts in U.S. public school systems to the detriment

A Comparison between ‘Second Wind’ and ‘Alive!’ Free Essays

I have been working on a piece of Drama called ‘Alive! ‘ based on the story of a South American team being stranded in the Andes for days desperately trying to stay alive, living on little rations and hope with the group having many mixed emotions in the dilemma at hand. I will be comparing this with the novel ‘Second Wind’ which is a thrilling novel about two BBC meteorologists wanting to go into the heart of a hurricane in the States but crash on a isolated Caribbean island. The Historic period of both pieces is very similar as both are quite contemporary being set in the 1970’s, we can see that it is very contemporary in ‘Alive! ‘ through the clothes we wear. We will write a custom essay sample on A Comparison between ‘Second Wind’ and ‘Alive!’ or any similar topic only for you Order Now But there are differences like ‘Alive! ‘ being set in the Andes and ‘Second Wind’ being set in the Caribbean. Our piece is set over a period of a few months but ‘Second Wind’ is set over many months, possibly a year or so. The Society in the two pieces is very different but do have a few similarities with ‘Alive! having young inexperienced youths trying to survive in a desolate mountain range, for example we have the characters that have very different views, people who want to survive like Antonio and escape the mountains and then there are other pessimistic views like Eduardo who think that they are already doomed and there is no hope at all of them surviving, we se this in the scene when the group decide that no one is coming to rescue them and he declares he knew this all along. And in ‘Second Wind’ we have characters like Michael and Perry who want to escape the Island while helping other people to survive this is very similar to Antonio taking the lead of the group and helping others to survive until help arrives. But like Eduardo Kathy in ‘Second Wind’ she to thinks that they are all doomed. In ‘Second Wind’ the characters are split with the meteorologists and the rest of the crew and the entrepreneurs on the other side. In our piece there is some division between within the group but they manage to stick together and get rescued. There are many similarities in the style of both pieces, firstly the most obvious is the tragedy of being wrecked in an abandoned place where no one ever visiting meaning less chance of survival. Both pieces show naturalism within them as both pieces reflect the effect on a deserted island or mountain range, as in ‘Alive! there is lots feelings of lost hope, but in ‘Second Wind’ there is a lot calm reflection we can see this as lots of times we have Perry thinking back to when he was young and playing with his grandmother this reflection can also be seen in ‘Alive! ‘ as there monologues that refer to the thoughts and memories to the stranded victims, this made him happy and forget his dilemma, but he would also come back to realisation. But we must take into account that ‘Second Wind’ is a novel so lots of creative techniques like reflection would help the reader feel the effect of the crash, but in ‘Alive! we use sound and lighting effects this helps visualize the piece, also with a dramatic piece you can see the characters and be drawn into them and feel part of the scene. To conclude there are many similarities between the two pieces such as the historic period, a bit of society and the style. There is also the huge similar theme of a tragedy due to a plane crash on an unfamiliar place. But there still is the difference on ‘Alive! ‘ being a dramatic performance and ‘Second Wind’ a novel so it is difficult to compare. How to cite A Comparison between ‘Second Wind’ and ‘Alive!’, Papers

One flew over the cuckoos nest Argumentative Essay Example For Students

One flew over the cuckoos nest Argumentative Essay In the book One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey the use of Christ imagery is overall effective. One of the first images was the fishing trip planned by McMurphy because only twelve people went and Jesus took twelve disciples with him on a fishing trip. Billy Bibbits turning on McMurphy near the end by admitting that he was involved in McMurphys plan was like Judas admitting he participated with Jesus. Towards the end of the story McMurphy is a martyr just like Jesus because the patients arent free until he dies. Those are a few examples of how Kesey uses Christ imagery in his book. On the fishing trip that McMurphy planned twelve patients went. Those patients were Martini, McMurphy, Bibbit, Bromden, Harding, Frederickson, Scanlon, Tadem, Sefelt, George, Gregory, and Dr. Spivey. By sitting back and allowing the others to handle the storm on their own, McMurphy helps them prove they are worth something to themselves. Just the way Jesus taught his disciples to be self-sufficient in preparation for his own death. When Billy Bibbit was caught by Nurse Ratched with candy the prostitute he blamed McMurphy for forcing him to do that because he was scared the nurse would tell his mother. What worries me, Billy, she said I could hear the change in her voice-is how your mother is going to take this. (Kesey pg.301) Duh-duh-dont t-tell, M-M-M-Miss Ratched. Duh-duh-duhBilly, I have to tell. I hate to believe you would behave like this, but, really, what else can I think? I find you alone, on a mattress, with this sort of woman. No! I d-d-didnt. I was (Kesey pg.301) Billy this girl could not have pulled you in here forcibly. She shook her head. Understand, I would like to believe something elsefor your poor mothers sake. (pg.302) She d-did. He looked around him. And M-M-McMurphy! He did And Harding! And the-the-the rest! They t-t-teased me, called me things!(Kesey pg. 302) They m-m-made me! Please, M-Miss Ratched, they may-may-May!(Kesey pg.302)McMurphy is shown as a martyr like Jesus was because the pa tients really dont become free until he dies. Before the treatment is administered to him McMurphy climbs on the table without help and spreads his arms out to hit the shadow. A switch snaps the clasps on his wrists, ankles, clamping him into the shadow (Kesey pg. 272) When the graphite salve is put on his temples and they tell him its a conductant he says Anointest my head with conductant. Do I get a crown of thorns? (Kesey pg. 272) They also give him a rubber hose to bit on, just as Christ was given a sponge soaked in vinegar to suck on. As Christ saved mankind from sin and taught them to have hope in an eternal life. McMurphy saves the patients from the repressive society and teaches them to have hope in themselves. In conclusion, those were my reasons of why I think that the Christ imagery in this book is effective. Firstly, when the fishing trip was planned and McMurphy went with 12 people was the same as Jesus going with his twelve disciples. Secondly, Billy Bibbits turning on McMurphy near the end by admitting that he was part of McMurphys plan was like Judas admitting that he was involved with Jesus. Thirdly, towards the end of the story McMurphy is a martyr just like Jesus because the patients arent free until he dies. That is how Christ imagery is effective in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.Words/ Pages : 583 / 24

Canterbury of New Zealand

Introduction Canterbury of New Zealand is a company based in New Zealand. The company deals in sports ware with specification on rugby outfit. Though the company is based and named after its original location, its services are offered across the globe. This paper seeks to discuss Canterbury Company. The paper will look into the company’s history, what it does as well as its statements of vision, mission and values.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Canterbury of New Zealand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More History of Canterbury of New Zealand The Canterbury of New Zealand Company has its historical roots from as early as the late nineteenth century. Its history started with the existence of some two distinct companies at the time. In the year 1904, the two family companies merged to yield the basis for the formation of the Canterbury of New Zealand Company. The company’s initial establishment was in t he province of Canterbury in New Zealand which also formed the company’s name. The basis of the company’s products was laid on sports wear as used in the sport of rugby. The initial production of the company was targeted at the New Zealand rugby teams but the company’s popularity spread to other countries that then started to utilize the company’s products. This growth in popularity helped the company to increase its market share of rugby wares to become a global leader in the market. The quality of their products which is identified to be the strongest in the world has been the major factor in the company’s success in capturing the market. The company which has diversified its production in terms of its products as well as its geographical market is determined to continue leading the sports ware production industry as its bid to maintain its success (Canterbury, n.d.). What Canterbury Company does The Canterbury Company is basically a production c ompany that deals in sports wares. It can thus be said that the company does the production of the sports attires to the sporting community. The actual production is however wide with diversity of the type of the products that are realized from the company. The company’s products vary with respect to the body parts at which they are worn as well as their purpose. The company, for example, produces attires for training sessions as well as the clothes for the actual games. The main purpose of these two types of the products is the comfort and suitability during training and playing sessions. The company also produces clothes for recreational purposes. These types of products are also designed to offer protection from environmental factors. The products have also been diversified to include full sporting ware that range from foot wares up to head protection devices. This means that a single order by a team or a club from the company can suffice all the team requirements. This gi ves it a market advantage due to the operational ease that it offers to its customers. The company has also diversified its production from the original rugby attires to currently include provisions for other sports such as â€Å"cricket, hokey and football† (CCC, n.d., p. 1).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Canterbury Company is an old institution that deals in sports kits. Its existence has been characterized with its expansion. The company’s mission and vision statements are not publicly expressed though it clear that they are doing all they can to become undisputed world leaders in the field of sports ware supply. This does not however imply that the company has not outlined these elements. Conclusion Canterbury of New Zealand is a great company with a long history. It was formed as a result of a merger of two companies. The company manufactures sport w ares of all types. References Canterbury. (n.d.). Our history. Web. CCC. (n.d.). Elite Canterbury team ware specialist. Web. This essay on Canterbury of New Zealand was written and submitted by user Haylee Michael to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Berlin Wall Essays - Berlin Border Crossings, Eastern Bloc

Berlin Wall Essays - Berlin Border Crossings, Eastern Bloc Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall For twenty-eight years, the Berlin Wall separated friends, families, and a nation. After the second World War in 1945, the victorious Allies, the US, Britain, France, Russia divided Germany into four sectors, each under the control of an ally. The US, British, and French Sectors combined to form a democratic state, The Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany. The Soviet sector became a communist state, The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, on October 7, 1949. A barrier now separated east and West. Winston Churchill named this barrier the Iron Curtain. Even though Berlin lay deep within the Soviet sector, the Allies thought it best to divide this metropolis. Therefore Berlin was also divided into four sectors. Again the US, British, and French Sectors combined to form West Berlin. The Soviet sector became the East German capital, East Berlin.The governments of these two new countries were set up by the occupying forces, not the populous. Most of the residents of East Berlin and East Germany did not like the communist regime. In fact, most people were not communists. The Berlin Wall, though not part of the iron curtain, was a reminder of it. The wall was made of steel, cement, and barbed wire fences with traps and explosives. There were guard towers with machine guns and other weapons. It was almost impossible to cross this barrier without the communist government's permission. Conrad Shuman was a nineteen year old border guard when he witnessed families tearfully separated. He realized he was not protecting his country, but imprisoning its people. Three Days after the border was closed, he leapt to freedom. The people of East Germany became dissatisfied with the economic and political conditions of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Private trade was outlawed, as was the ownership of private land. People were forced to work on collective state owned farms. There were food and supply shortages. Onehundred-sixty thousand refugees crossed the border from East Berlin to West Berlin between January and the beginning of August of 1961 in search of a better life. This upset the East German government and the Soviet countries. (East Germany was a Soviet satellite, but was of special interest to Moscow). Nikita Kruschev, the Soviet premier of that time ordered the Berlin wall built to stop the flow of refugees. The GDR began building what they called the anti-fascist protection wall on August 13, 1961, using barbed wire and anti-tank obsticales. However the East German citizens were still escaping. The GDR added tanks at important streets some supplied by the red army. They tore up the streets to use the paving stones to build barricades. There were many escape tunnels dug under the wall. The tunnel system was an extraordinary resistance movement dug by hundreds of East Berlin students with thousands more willing to help. The first successful tunnel was in an East Berlin Graveyard. Mourners brought flowers to a grave and then dropped out of sight. A woman with a baby accidentally found the tunnel and escaped leaving the baby carriage. The police found the carriage and closed the tunnel. The largest tunnel was in the basement of a house at number sixty Wernerstrasse, twenty-nine people were freed from this location. On August 23, 1961, the GDR stopped the subways, the railroads, and the telephone lines going to West Berlin. The people of East Berlin were no longer allowed to enter West Berlin, including the sixty-thousand workers who worked in West Berlin. However East Berliners still managed to get out. Some of them bribed their way out with cigarettes and money. After some people managed to scale the wall, there was a ban on the sale of rope and twine. On September 20, 1961, the GDR began to demolish all of the houses near the wall. They began construction of a more permanent concrete wall. When completed the wall was onehundred-sixtysix kilometers long, and an average of four meters high, topped with concrete tubing and barbed wire. Behind the wall was a trench to stop vehicles. After that was a patrol track with a corridor for watch dogs, watch towers, and bunkers. Behind that was a second wall. This area of no man's land cut off onehundre-ninetytwo streets. Checkpoint Charley was the main crossing point for the American sector of West Berlin. It was sixhundre-eighty feet west of the Brandenberg Gate. On October 27, 1961, the Unites States sent tanks, jeeps and soldiers to Checkpoint Charley go guarantee US officials access

Change Order pricing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Change Order pricing - Case Study Example Some states, particularly Washington does not require the local government â€Å"to pay contractors for higher labor rates on change orders† (Sonntag 12). 5. If a composite labor rate, developed on the basis of the overall mix of work on the entire contract, was used in the original estimate, should the same composite rate be used in pricing the work associated with the change? Answer: Yes. Since the man hours are already extended because of the change, charging the same composite rate for the additional work to be done is justifiable to be applied. The paid longer working hours will already take care of the cost of the additional work needed. Answer: Yes. The contract between the contractor and the buyer has already been established long before the change so the workers assigned for the said job have committed their time to the length of the contract. Therefore, the workers are entitled to be paid throughout the whole time that the agreement is in effect regardless of any downtime as a result of the change as requested by the buyer. Answer: Yes. The contractor can charge the difference to the cost of change in order to recover the losses brought by the downtime. Since the workers are committed to the length of the contract between the contractor and the Air Force, any downtime as caused by the change will not affect the labor rate that they are entitled to receive. Answer: Yes. It is appropriate to apply a learning curve, or the â€Å"period of orientation to become familiar with changed condition† (â€Å"Change Order Protocol† 4) to work affected by the change because of the new skills that the workers imbibed through the change. 9. Is the contractor entitled to claim the costs associated with the affect of the change on the rate of improvement for the changed work for the units on which none of the changed work has been performed? Answer: Yes. Depending on the degree

Employee involvement. Do employee involvement programs improve Essay - 3

Employee involvement. Do employee involvement programs improve organizational performance Discuss with reference to a minimum of four empirical studies - Essay Example This study seeks to identify the relationship between gun ownership and the crime levels in various countries of the world. The study classifies crime levels as either serious or less serious and this it explores in relation to gun ownership. It can be obviously concluded that gun ownership tends to increase the chances that it will be used inappropriately in some instances and result into more serious crimes as compared to a situation where the guns are not easily available. This paper examines the rates that such incidences have been involved and the seriousness of the crime by using the available data. From this perspective, it is true that crime levels will be serious in instances of gun ownership but this leaves behind the ownership status whether legal or illegal, (Bruce Wilcox, 1998). Gun licenced users need to be assessed their state of mind among other things before they are offered with the right to use such powerful weapons, (Draper,1981). According to Fessenden (2010), the legal side of gun ownership is a veritable snake pit of good and bad where all the gun owners need to take a crash course. This course is intended to reduce the incidences that are associated with gun misuse whether privately or in public places. Hence the various states that allow gun ownership have different laws that need to be adhered to enable minimisation of casualties to gun victims. This research needs to put across the ideology that there is the necessary training when awarding gun ownership licences in its detailed gun ownership concerns. There is a general assumption in this research that guns facilitate the violence witnessed in majority of the crimes reported in the better parts of the European countries. It is the general assumption of this study too that the European countries discussed are having stringent measures to ensure that the guns available to the

The Importance of Researching High School Dropout Trends Essay

The Importance of Researching High School Dropout Trends - Essay Example However, the number of high school drop-outs is still high: The U.S. High school dropout rate is higher than Germany and Japan (Wooldridge, 1993). Drop-outs represent an economic cost to the country as a whole. According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, only about two-thirds of children entering high school will eventually graduate. In 2004, more than 2.1 million kids in the United States dropped out of high school in 2004, at a cost of "more than $325 billion in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetimes," (Holt 2006). That cost is just for the dropouts of 2004; it doesn't include the ongoing cost of dropouts from prior years, and doesn't begin to calculate the cost to the competitive advantage of the U.S. A closer look at the numbers reveals other trends. The U.S. Census shows that overall, Hispanic adults over 25 hold the fewest degrees, with just 58.4 percent reporting a high school diploma or higher degree. That trails the nearest minority group by far: 80.6% of African Americans over 25 have at least a high school diplomas, compared with 86.8% of Asians and 80% of Non-Hispanic whites (Education Attainment in the United States, 2005).

Strategies for Confessions and Interrogations

Strategies for Confessions and Interrogations Interrogation refers to a method of questioning that is usually used by investigating officers such as police, detectives, or military to obtain information from a suspect (Michael, 2007). Interrogation is a process that is allowed in law as defined by the constitution, but not all forms of interrogation are legal or even ethical from a moral point of view. In United States for instance the form in which interrogation must be undertaken in order to obtain a confession from a suspect are governed by the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Michael, 2007). The techniques of carrying out interrogation are not strictly defined by law but guidelines exist that define the limits by which procedures of interrogations must be done. Indeed the type of interrogations that exists and the form it can take are as varied as they are unethical. Generally interrogation techniques can be described in two ways, those that are legal and the ones that are carried out using illegal methods (Michael, 2007). Legal interrogations are defined by each countries law on the subject. However illegal interrogations are not specifically defined per se, but only categorized due to their nature, depth and breadth. The shapes in which illegal interrogation can take are many and cannot be exhaustively defined or even accounted. They are the most common types of interrogation that are usually subjected to suspects regardless of the countries legislation pertaining to the subject, including United States which is seen as the model of constitutional law. These forms of illegal interrogation are generally referred as torture (Michael, 2007). This is because they almost always involve inflicting of physical pain or deprivation of a vital necessity that directly contribute to normal body function such as sleep deprivation, alternating temperatures. However interrogation is not only limited to suspects but is also commonly done to witnesses and crime victims as well. Let us briefly analyze the nature of interrogations most commonly used both legal and illegal. In order to ascertain the level of significance of truth that exists for a person writing a confession under these circumstances. Legally there are four forms of interrogations that are routinely applied by law enforcement worldwide. One technique is use of suggestive words or statements that imply through conversation a notion of promise or threat to the person being interrogated (Kassin, Appleby and Perillo, 2010).. An interrogator therefore suggests to the suspect in no conditional or uncertain terms the possibility of the suspect being given lenient sentence if they were to cooperate. Or makes known availability of discriminating evidence that a witness to the crime has already recorded. This technique is also sometimes referred as deception since most of the time it involves downright lies (Kassin et al, 2010). Whichever the approach that an interrogator will choose it will have an impact to the suspect confessing to the crime. This is because under the circumstances of interrogation his rights will have been compromised. This method is not in any way defined as illegal in many countries, including United States. Another method of interrogations used is Suggestibility. It is built no two important assumptions, that the suspect will believe and accept the implied statements and two that they will act by confessing (Kassin et al, 2010). This method usually involves techniques such as sleep deprivation and sometimes use of drugs that inhibit the ability of mental functions to resist or think logically. The techniques used in this method seem to border on torture and are allowed in some countries as interrogation method. Another method is Goodcop/Badcop (Kassin et al, 2010). A technique used by an investigator that strives to alienate the suspect with the particular detective. The bad cop undertaking the interrogation intentionally exhibiting rough methods such as manhandling. Consequently, the idea is to make a suspect hate the cop and in the process be able to cultivate another relationship with another investigator brought in intermittently and who projects empathy, understanding and consolation. This is a notion that most researchers believe is part of the criminology theory. It elaborates on the main cause of crime, although this shall not be considered in depth. Finally there is the Reid technique, an interrogation process that focuses on a suspect body language to analyze the behavior of the suspect in order to tell if they are lying (Kassin et al, 2010). It is a technique that requires an investigator to have specific interrogation skills and high level of knowledge in behavior analysis. It is usually used by senior detective who have conducted numerous interrogation procedures. Body language analysis is an art that is taught to all FBI officers, that they apply in routine investigation tasks as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). It is a legal form of interrogation allowed by almost every other country but it is not without it criticism. This criticism pertains to the conduct of the parties involved in the deed. Another method that is very much related to this is one that applies polygraph tests to suspects in order to tell if they are lying. Polygraph is a scientific device that analyzes brain structure activity and heart beat levels to ascertain the truthfulness of answers to statements (Kassin et al, 2010). The other forms of interrogations are the ones whose confessions are not admissible in court and usually involve torture. United Conventions Against Torture defines this type of interrogations as torture (Michael, 2007). But torture is not used to define illegal interrogation alone. It defines torture as ..any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental. Is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession? It goes on to define torture as acts such as punishments without necessarily intention for information or confession (Michael, 2007). It also defines and includes discrimination and coercion as torture. This form of interrogation and torture in general is illegal according to the International Law. The Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions have ratified torture to be illegal even when directed to prisoners of war (Michael, 2007). UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights prohibits use of any form of interrogation which it considers to be Human Right Violations. The forms that illegal interrogations can take are many and sometimes the techniques themselves cannot be clearly explained to belong to one category or another. What is clear though is that interrogations in whichever form are an effective form of obtaining confessions, and certainly one of the methods that contributes to the success of criminal convictions in courtrooms. The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, states..No person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself (Michael, 2007), a clear reference to a confession. And if such evidence was presented in a court of law then the law is required to view it with suspect and observe discretion (Michael, 2007). Indeed the regulatory mechanisms that have been put in place to guard against coerced confession are numerous and are informs of legislative laws and court rulings. United States for instance provides that Miranda warnings be read to a suspect at the time of arrest (Inbau, 2008). The Miranda statement serves to make the suspect aware of their right under the circumstances. All this procedure indeed proves that the nature of confessions given by suspects through all forms of interrogations in general is usually highly doubtful. But since confession is a product of the interrogation procedure, the method of the interrogation is a huge determinant to the nature of confession that a suspect is likely to make (Inbau, 2008). For instance interrogation through torture can be said to be effective in one way. Since a suspect is more likely to divulge valuable information at times of unbearable physical pain than it is possible for them under any other circumstance. Sometimes the notion of threat is alone can achieve this. What is important to note in this case is that this method is probably only effective when the goal is information and not a confession. On the other hand using torture to obtain a confession cannot be said to present a high probability of the confession statement being truthful. For the simple reason that a person under dire physical pain or strived of vital physical necessities would almost do anything that would ease the pain at all cost. The priority in that case is to deal with the present condition regardless of the consequences associated with the confession. Perhaps the reason why most law enforcement agencies worldwide resorts to torture interrogation mostly when what they is require is information (Inbau, 2008). Torture is against human rights. Although in certain cases, torture will be recommended and opposed to other forms of interrogation. Torture should only be used when information that is critical to saving lives is required from a terrorism suspect. The torture employed should be a matter of personal preference until the suspect surrenders the pertinent information. However the likely hood of obtaining a truthful confession is seen to be high when legal interrogations procedures are used which plays on the suspects fear such as deny of freedom. And which also uses the components of promises, threats and deception appropriately. These are interrogation techniques allowed and the confession obtained is admissible in a court of law. However the interrogator should only be in pursuit for the truth since false confessions cannot be upheld by a court of law. Ultimately the nature of a confession that is obtained whether truthful or not through interrogation method does not matter so much. Since it is provided by law that confessions can be retracted at any point by the suspects if they just so much like mention their confession was not obtained in proper method. In any case conviction of a suspect does not so much depend on the confession by itself but is based on the outcome of a full trial. Hence I would say interrogation certainly results in truthful confessions, but it depends with the independent variable which is the nature of interrogation. Therefore interrogation method can be said to be the independent variable and the truthfulness of the confession as the dependent variable, since it outcomes is influenced by the method of interrogation. The ethical implications posed by the interrogation methods that are used are one that depends on the definition of ethics, since ethics is a relative term. If the saying that the end justifies the means were to hold true then indeed ethics must be found their place in the issues that surround interrogation. Ethics are defined as value, belief, principle and convictions that a groups of people hold to be noble in their life and which they strive to practice in their everyday life. It is the highest moral perception and ideals that a community works to promote and which they have desire to be associated with the larger community. Interrogation by itself is in no way an ethical process and the attempt to introduce ethics in interrogation methods would perhaps require that the purpose of interrogation be redefined. In interrogation a suspect is meant to divulge information that is usually self incriminating so to speak, through confessing probably to crimes committed. Interrogation aids in the preservation of human rights. Indeed, all suspects have equal rights as those who are free and have not been arrested. Hence, using this method ensures that the criminal justice agents do not go against the human rights as required by international law. Therefore, the suspects are required to be truthful and perhaps remorseful as well. In doing so an interrogator is supposed to achieve this according to defined ethical procedures that have been put in place. But ethics have no place in interrogation and one is therefore forced to choose between the two whether to choose undertaking the interrogation process using certain ethics that would probably not yield any confession. Or whether to use every technique in order to obtain the end results which is the confession. If ethics in interrogation existed then they would certainly not be found in coercion. Because coercion involves use of methods on a suspect that are meant to pressurize and presents a level of discomfort and lack of peace mentally that make a suspect yield to the demands of the interrogator. They involve such methods as bullying, harassment, physical force, intimidation including cruelty. It is certainly among the most degrading interrogation methods which are in no way ethical or humane. Therefore, interrogation is an effective method that is aimed at ensuring that the suspects release pertinent information. Although this has its own challenges, it should be the first method that the criminal agencies should employ. If this fails, then they should seek alternative methods which are normally more thorough and involve the use of force or inflicting pain. References Inbau, E. (2008). Law and Police Practice: Restrictions in the Law of Interrogation and Confessions. Criminal Law and Criminology. 89, 87-98. Kassin L. (2009). The Psychology of Confessions. Annual Review of Law and Social Science. 45, 22-35. Kassin, Appleby, Perillo (2010). Interviewing Suspects: Practice, Science, and Future Directions. Legal and Criminological Psychology. 67, 47-60. Michael, J., G. (2007). U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT): Overview and Application to Interrogation Technique. Washington, DC: McGraw Hill Publishers.

Free Essay - Hester as Mother of the Year in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter - Hester as Mother of the Year No one is perfect. Especially when it comes to parenting. Even Book characters have trouble being good parents. One example of this is Hester Prynne. She is a book character for the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Now, Hester is not the worst mother, but she is not the best either. How can you be the best mother in the world with a heathenish daughter like Pearl? Still, Hester does her best, and that's all anyone should ask for. Hester is a good mother because she looks out for Pearl's future, she knows when to be stern and she is a great role model. When people think of a good parent, the usually think of someone who is always looking out for their child's future. Sometimes, that means lying. Unfortunately, Hester runs into this problem when Pearl asks her mother why she wears the Scarlet letter. "'Silly Pearl,' said she, `what questions are these? There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about...I wear it for the sake of its golden thread.'"117 Truly, Hester lied to Pearl about why she wears the scarlet letter. She lied for a good reason. She lied because as you are growing up you adjust to things. If Hester told her the truth, Pearl would have just shrugged off the comments that she heard about her mother. By not telling her, the impact of those harsh comments would effect her more and perhaps stop her from committing the same sin her mother did. Therefore, save her from suffering. But there is much more to parenting then just looking ahead to the child's future. Being a good parent also means looking at the here and now as well as the future. The here and now can be a code word for discipline. Sometimes, discipline means scaring the child into behaving. This is what Hester has to do on one occasion. "'Do not tease me: else I shall shut thee into the dark closet!'"178 Admittedly, this seems as if Hester is an awful person to threaten her own daughter. At the same time, is it not necessary if the child will not behave?