Snowboarding Essays

Snowboarding Essays Snowboarding Essay Snowboarding Essay Brad Ogden Mr. Buffington English 104 2/17/11 There is nothing more beautiful than being a part of a community. A community is a group of people with a common interest or goal who interact with each other and unite together to make what they stand for special (Students, English 104, 2011). A community can be a school, a city, a team, or simply a hobby that is shared and enjoyed together. There is a community for almost anything and no matter how big or small it is, it means a great deal to the people that are a part of it. I would consider myself a part of numerous communities but one that I especially value would be the community of snowboarders. I have had a passion for snowboarding since I was very young and my passion has only grown and matured more as I have gotten older. This passion originated from a Disney movie, â€Å"Johnny Tsunami†, where the main character is a young snowboarder who is very talented and brave. I would watch this movie every chance that I got and it summoned my love for the sport because I could not think of anything cooler than becoming snowboarder. In the movie there was one quote that stuck with me and is still an essential value to myself, â€Å"Go big or go home. † That has stuck with me my whole life; it gave me the courage to get on a snowboard, has helped me stomp my first tricks, and helped me overcome many fears of injuring myself. That quote will stay with me and will continue to help me become a better snowboarder. Becoming a part of this community made me realize that I can say that I can consider a stranger on a snowboard somewhat of a brother or sister, which might sound strange but there is a connection between two people that share the same passion. The most important asset to every snowboarder that generates the passion for snowboarding is his or her snowboard. A snowboarder without a snowboard is like a soldier without a gun or a mom without a child, without it the title is deficient. The snowboard is the key to all the locked doors and with it you can reach unimaginable goals and keep the passion for the sport burning. I first got to experience the thrill of riding a snowboard when I was ten years old on a trip to Perfect North Slopes in Indiana with my best friend and his family of experienced skiers. My best friends mother insisted that I tried skiing before I got on a snowboard because snowboarding is apparently more difficult than skiing, which I found to be erroneous after falling several times on skis going down the bunny slope. After I traded my skis in for a snowboard the day became much more thrilling. The feeling I got from snowboarding on that day was almost as electrifying as the first time I fell in love, it was something that I continued think about everyday and no matter how badly it hurt me, I wanted go back for more. From that point on, each time I would hop off the ski lift it was like another adventure, and each time my love for it would grow. Of course I wasn’t hitting frontside indy grabs or 5400’s from the get-go, which are semi-difficult moves that include a series of spins and grabs while gliding through the air after hitting a jump. Just like every newcomer to the sport I had my fair share of spills. Throughout my years of snowboarding I have knocked teeth out, broken my tailbone and arm several times, dislocated my shoulder, and have simply fallen so hard that it seemed the snow beneath my board turned into asphalt as I approached the impact zone. Even though I have suffered these injuries I have continued to go out and push myself to become a better snowboarder. The snowboard brings numerous values to the table, such as determination and patience but it all depends on the rider and the thrill they are searching for. For some riders, it is a simple way to escape from the world of stress and hard times and is just a good time relaxing, for others it is simply another outdoor adventure, and for the people for whom it is more than a hobby like myself, it is a way of life. For us, snowboarding is used as a way to see how far we can push ourselves past the realm of apprehension into a place where we can be totally confident and fearless. Snowboarding introduced a plethora of values, which have all made me a more mature and diligent individual. Snowboarding can be very frustrating at times, it is not a sport that you can simply shoot from the hip and expect to become successful, which is why you have to be determined, patient, disciplined, confident, and outgoing. Determination is huge in snowboarding because if you’re not determined to get any better then you’re not going to, you have to want it so badly that you will to push yourself each run so that you can possibly become the next professional snowboarder chairman like Shaun White or Travis Rice. With determination comes patience, to get better you not only have to be determined to improve every time but you have to realize that it takes years to become a well-rounded snowboarder. Do you think 10-time snowboard gold medalist Shaun White hit a double mctwist 1260 or simply hurled himself off 22-foot edges of a half pipe with an accumulation of spins, flips and twists right off the bat? No, everything that White attempts on a snowboard is meticulously thought out and fine-tuned (RED, WHITE AND FLYING HIGH, Kirby, 2010). He practices regularly to continue to push the limits of physics and the human body, which lead to the creation of new tricks and the growth of a more extreme snowboarding community. Patience goes hand-in-hand with discipline. Riding can become very frustrating so it is crucial that you keep a good head on your shoulders and rise each time that you fall. If you fall nine times you must stand up ten times and to do that you must be confident and outgoing on every single run. Second guessing yourself on a snowboard is very dangerous because if you are not confident during an attempt to land a trick then you will hurt yourself physically and mentally even more than if you were to give all your effort and still fall. You cannot be scared of the potential appalling outcomes from snowboarding because if you are fearful that you might hurt yourself or embarrass yourself then you will not be able to completely push yourself to your greatest capabilities. Snowboarding is one of the most difficult sports to be good at, it takes a very long time to become consistent and successful but if you put forth all the values that are installed in a good snowboarder, you yourself can become a talented rider as well. Another beautiful aspect of the snowboarding community is its fashion. Snowboarding is a hybrid culture, which combines aspects of grunge, punk and hippy cultures, and more latterly hip-hop and dance cultures, amongst others (Snowboarders vs. Skiers, Edensor and Richards, 2005). These diverse cultures, which all have different styles, wear very similar clothing while n the slopes because of the demands for the fashion. These styles typically include baggy pants, beanie hats and jackets. Unlike other sports where you can tell how talented a person is from their body type, snowboarders clothing styles assume great prominence in achieving distinction amongst members of the community. Most of the time you can look at a boarder and tell ho w good he or she is simply by what they are wearing (Pollio, 20, snowboarder). I wear baggy pants, a plain shirt, a black pinstriped jacket, a black or blue beanie, and goggles. This is the basic swagger of a snowboarder but there are other reasons for wearing this clothing other than it looks cool and that everyone else in the community wears something similar. For example, I wear baggy pants because loose clothes are required for maneuverability when doing tricks and turns on a snowboard. The catch to looking good on the slopes is not only to dress like you know how to snowboard; you have to ride like you know how to snowboard. Someone could walk out with a brand new board and you would think he is good initially but once he falls numerous times you would consider him a poser or a lame. Clothes are subordinate to the performance of a snowboarder but they are intimately linked to the degree of skill of the wearer. Not everyone seeing snowboarder’s style as â€Å"cool† or fashionable, some of the biggest haters of snowboarders are skiers. There has always been tension between the community of snowboarders and the community of skiers since each of the sports was created. Snowboarders refer to skiers as conformist, over-cautious and inexpressive. Skiers refer to snowboarders as subversive, reckless and boisterous. You could say that these stereotypes are true to a certain degree. Snowboarders and skiers have a serious problem with sharing the snow, which is where these stereotypes start to reveal themselves. A snowboarder would be considered reckless because he or she will cut off a skier because skiers go too slowly and they somehow are always in a snowboarder’s way. A snowboarder would seem subversive because they are rebellious and do whatever they please on the slopes simply because they can and want to see a reaction out of a skiing passerby, and they would seem boisterous because that’s how they are; full of energy, rowdy, unruly, and always excited. Skiers think they are superior to snowboarders because their sport has been around longer and it is more proper and professional, when in reality they are no better than any snowboarder. The conflicts between snowboarders and skiers are part of a broader, uneven process in which the competing performances of their diverse styles of movement attempt to claim space (Snowboarders vs. Skiers, Edensor and Richards, 2005). Snowboarders and skiers are in an ongoing battle to territorialize space, to claim it from other users and from those who have controlled space by establishing rules and conventions about what constitute appropriate embodied functions, performances and symbolic meanings (Snowboarders vs. Skiers, Edensor and Richards, 2005). The snowboarding community is constantly growing and the members of it are pushing the sport to limits that have not been reached yet. The best part about those limits is that they are infinite and thanks to professional snowboarders like Shaun White, young snowboarders are inspired to achieve something as great as him. Riders like White prove that the capabilities of snowboarders are limitless because after each goal made there is more that can be done to improve it. Snowboarding is a sport with no boundaries; you can ride down a slope as fast as you want, you can ride through the woods weaving your way in and out of trees, grind on a rail or a tabletop, hit whatever trick you want, make up a trick, descend off of a mountain pinnacle and the list goes on. It is a sport that will keep growing and will continuously be taken to heights that only ascend. There is no telling what the future holds for snowboarding; with the next generation of snowboarders comes another potential boarder who will completely flip the snowboarding game on its head, kids are starting to snowboard at an early age and they will develop the sport into something more mind-blowing and awesome than it is right now. With a new generation of snowboarders comes a new generation impossible tricks that are already in the process of being mastered by professional snowboarders all around the world. The community of snowboarders is very special because even if a snowboarder is not trying to change the pace of the game, they are simply having a great time with fellow snowboarders and that is all that matters. For snowboarders like myself, we want to take snowboarding to the next level and that determination keeps pushing us boarders past the fear of injuries and failure to the thrones and the mountaintops. Edensor, Tim, and Sophia Richards. Snowboarders vs Skiers: Contested Choreographies of the Slopes. Leisure Studies 26. 1 (2007): 97-114. Print. Marquardt, Katy. â€Å"King of the Hill in Snowboards. † U. S. News World Report (2008) Vol. 145, Issue 7 Kirby, Jason. RED, WHITE AND FLYING HIGH. 123. 8 (2010). Print. Murphey, Austin. Good n Ugly. Snowboarding 10. 8 (2009). Print.

The History of Juneteenth Celebrations

The History of Juneteenth Celebrations Abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth worked tirelessly to free blacks from bondage in the United States. And when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, it appeared that the peculiar institution known as slavery had met its end. For many African Americans, life remained the same, however. That’s because fierce racial discrimination prevented them from living autonomous lives. More shockingly, some enslaved African Americans had no idea that President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which mandated that they be set free. In Texas, more than two-and-a-half years passed before slaves received their freedom. The holiday known as Juneteenth Independence Day honors these slaves as well as African-American heritage and the contributions blacks have made to the United States. History of Juneteenth Juneteenth marks the date of June 19, 1865, when Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, to demand that the slaves there be set free. Texas was one of the last states where slavery endured. Although President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, African Americans remained in bondage in the Lone Star State. When Gen. Granger arrived in Texas, he read General Order No. 3 to Galveston residents: â€Å"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages.† Following Granger’s announcement, the formerly enslaved African Americans broke into celebration. Today that celebration, said to be the oldest black American holiday, is known as Juneteenth. African Americans not only celebrated their freedom, they exercised their new rights by buying land across Texas, namely Emancipation Park in Houston, Booker T. Washington Park in Mexia and Emancipation Park in Austin. Past and Present Juneteenth Celebrations The first massive Juneteenth celebrations kicked off the year after Gen. Granger appeared in Galveston. Historic Juneteenth celebrations included religious services, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, inspirational speakers, stories from former slaves and games and contests, including rodeo events. Many African Americans celebrated Juneteenth in the same way that Americans generally celebrate the Fourth of July. Today, Juneteenth celebrations feature similar activities. As of 2012, 40 states and the District of Columbia recognize the Juneteenth holiday. Since 1980, the state of Texas has observed Juneteenth as an official holiday known as Emancipation Day. Contemporary celebrations of Juneteenth in Texas and elsewhere include parades and street fairs, dancing, picnics and cookouts, family reunions and historical reenactments. Moreover, President Barack Obama pointed out in his 2009 proclamation of the holiday that Juneteenth â€Å"also serves as a time for reflection and appreciation, and an opportunity for many people to trace their family’s lineage.† While African Americans widely celebrate Juneteenth today, the popularity of the holiday has waned during certain periods, such as World War II. Holiday celebrations of Juneteenth resurrected in 1950, but by the last years of that decade and in the 1960s, Juneteenth celebrations declined once more. Juneteenth became a popular holiday again in a variety of regions during the 1970s. In the early 21st century, Juneteenth is not only a well celebrated holiday, there’s a push to have the 19th of June become a National Day of Recognition for slavery. Call for National Day of Recognition The Rev. Ronald V. Myers Sr., founder and chairman of the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign and the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, has asked President Barack Obama to â€Å"issue a presidential proclamation to establish Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Day of Observance in America, similar to Flag Day or Patriot Day.† As an elected official in Illinois, Barack Obama supported legislation for his state to recognize Juneteenth, but the president has yet to make a move that would make Juneteenth a National Day of Recognition. Only time will tell if Juneteenth and the slavery of African Americans is ever acknowledged by the federal government in such an official capacity.

Growing Importance of India For Investors (ie, India is the next Essay

Growing Importance of India For Investors (ie, India is the next China) - Essay Example The economic reforms introduced in early 1990s have boosted the economy’s growth. Tariff barriers were brought down. Foreign players could enter and thus the private firms had to compete with the best. Exports rose up. Indian firms are rapidly becoming global like Bharti Airtel has entered African market. Unlike China, India’s growth cannot be attributed to just the public sector. There are about 45m entrepreneurs in India. India’s informal sector is also doing well. Indian businesses majorly cater to the need of their domestic consumers and also export various services. Indian firms successfully satisfy the needs of money conscious customers in India who love low priced goods. Tata Filters for example manufactures a water filter that can provide safe drinking water at a meager charge of rupees 30 a month. Indian firms are coming up with new products as well as new business models. HCL technologies improve the IT system of their clients on the condition that they will charge only if their clients gain. Moon B. Shin of LG electronics sees immense opportunity in the Indian market. They are manufacturing low priced goods and goods suited to the liking of Indians. The infrastructure in India is poor. Roads are bad and traffic conditions do not depict a rosy picture either. Power shortage is another problem. McKinsey predicts that Indian growth will be five fold in the next 20 years. India will have to spend $1.2trillion on infrastructure in future. India lacks in skilled workforce. There are only 16 Indian Institute of technology in India. Universities do not impart useful knowledge and companies have to spend a lot for their training. India’s adult literacy rate is 66% compared to 99% of China. Corruption exists everywhere. Instability in the form of Naxalite movement is affecting mining and logging firms. Populism whereby politicians discourage businesses for their own interests is a major obstruction to growth. The government is making

System Planning and Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

System Planning and Design - Essay Example In addition it is also imperative to understand hardware platforms for deployment of developed systems such that failure of operation is avoided (Smith, 2012). In this regard requirement analysis becomes essential. Secondly, since the onset of the digital era, there has been overwhelming demand for digitizing existing and forthcoming records and consequently information system building has to solve these problems. Such demand thus calls for specific design that takes into consideration all these requirements hence the need for system specification (Johnson, 2011). When all specific system requirements have been met, it is imperative that design commences. While designing IT experts usually break down system components such that each component is developed independently of the other to avoid numerous system errors. This is also highly encouraged while using implementation of tools that are object oriented. Thus the system is separated into modules, which are independent of each other. Upon clearance of modular development, development stage begins which entails system coding whereby the real transition between human and machine interaction happens (Edwards, 2012). Coding begins with creating pseudo codes at each functional level and consequently reviewing whether all requirements have been met and thus the system is constructed at this stage (Johnson, 2011). After development system integration follows which involves a combination of the different modules developed above. After successful integration of different modules for SFO clinic, then system testing follows which is done in two phases. While testing might be done after integration, it is of great essence that testing be carried out before and after integration to ensure that developed modules are error-free and that the system has efficient communication abilities, that is, modules are able to communicate with each other while passing data. This last stage will ensure whether the developed system is impor tant for SFO clinic in California by achieving user acceptance. Requirement analysis This stage involves two critical foundational stages of system development which include business case and user requirements (Edwards, 2012). Business case provides useful information upon which the system is to be based on. In this case, SFO clinic in California is an urgent health care facility that admits individuals with urgency cases. Understanding the institution by name, location and requirements gives the developer a background idea on how to get in touch with the organization and conduct further research as entails other requirements. Johnson (2011) argues that user requirements form another essential step in the design and development process. In order to transform organization functions to digital records, it is imperative the extensive research be undertaken. This can either be done through prototyping, simulation, user interviews among others or a combination of either of these requirem ent collection methodologies. In the case of SFO clinic, requirement analysis is done through a combination of prototyping and user interviews. Inclusive users undergoing the interviewing process involved the director of the clinic, the receptionist, doctors at the clinic and the billing department. The requirement process obtained that digitization exercise at the clinic involves the billing depar

Health and Safety Assignment Essay Example for Free

Health and Safety Assignment Essay Question 1 The first statement is correct as lead is a highly intoxicated substance that can cause damage, especially in young children. There are many symptoms to lead poisoning which include: irritability, loss of appetite and nausea, headaches, unexplained abdominal pain, muscle aches, constipation, learning problems, short attention span, easily distracted, mental retardation and behaviour problems including aggression and impulsivity. As seen in the statement â€Å"this is disturbing because it has been well established that lead causes reduction in IQ scores, shortened concentration spans, hyperactivity and learning difficulties even when lead is present at very low levels in the blood† , it can be agreed that having lead in one’s system can cause damage to one’s concentration and learning abilities. Research has shown that raised levels of lead can lower a child’s IQ by 4-5%. see more:explain how to promote health and safety within the social care setting With regards to the second statement â€Å"painted toys with high lead levels have been found in major toy stores, as well as supermarkets, stationary stores, craft shops and craft/flea markets. These toys were both locally produced and imported†, it can be agreed on as lead can be found in many old housing and furniture pieces. It is also of great urgency that when purchasing toys and furniture from garage sales, internet, second-hand-stores etc. that one takes precautions in checking that there is not any lead as some may contain lead based paint, a simple way of knowing if it does is to buy a test kit to determine if lead based paint is present. Question 2 For a baby and toddler unit I would consider: Indoor: * Non-breakable mirrors to learn to see themselves. * Wooden cars for improving gross motor skills. * Rattles to improve their movement. * Plastic telephones to practise their speech. * Simple puzzles to improve their knowledge. * Large wooden beads to string to improve on their hand eye co-ordination. Outdoor: * Balls to improve on gross motor skills * Jungle gym to improve on their climbing abilities. For children aged 3-6 years I would consider: Indoor: * Puppets to improve on their dramatic skills. * Dress-up clothes to teach them the different type of career choices. * Art materials to improve their creative minds. * Books and puzzles to improve on their knowledge. Outdoor: * Tricycles and bikes to improve their balancing skills. * Jungle gyms to improve climbing. * Sand pits to do sensory knowledge, (touch and feel) Question 3 The way in which one would ensure that equipment which you purchased does not cause lead poisoning is by reading the labels on the purchased equipment making sure there is no lead contained in it, try prevent buying used toys and equipment from garage sales, internet, second-hand-stores as many old items may contain lead based paint. It is also advised that children go for screening to make sure no lead is present. Children are encouraged to practice regular hand washing and to keep their hands and other objects away from their mouths. Question 4 Birth – 4 months: at this stage the child eats, sleeps, cries rolls off flat surfaces and wriggles. They are hazardous to burns, falls, sharp objects and suffocation. 4 – 12 months : at this stage the child grasps and moves around as well as putting objects in their mouths. They are hazardous to burns, poisoning, falls and drowning. 1 – 2 years : at this stage the child is able to investigate, climb, open doors and takes thing apart. They are hazardous to being in contact with gates, windows and doors as they might get injured with their investigation minds, fingers might get stuck in door etc. also water is hazardous as they may drown, traffic as they now know how to walk. 2 – 3 years: at this stage the child is interested in fires, tires to do things by themselves and gets very impatient. They are hazardous to dangerous objects and burns. 3 – 6 years: at this stage the child lies to explore, climb, riding tricycles, rough games. They are hazardous to poisons and burns, falls and injuries, drowning and traffic. 6 – 10 years : at this stage the child like spending time away from home, active sports. They are hazardous to firearms, injuries from sports and drowning. Through this we can conclude that every one of these ages is vital as the developmental level can affect children’s safety and health and that they should never be left unsupervised and parents should know what to do in an emergency. Question 5 Air-borne transmission include in illnesses such as chickenpox, common cold, fifth disease, measles, mumps and tuberculosis. The measures one would take in these instances would be to identify the child with the illness and send them home, with antibiotics, the child should not be allowed to return to school until fully recovered. All these illnesses and the limitations of the spread apply to all age groups ( birth to grade 3) The faecal-oral route include cholera, rotavirus and ascariasis, can be spread through water, food and poor sewage, to limit the infection one needs to make sure water is clean, food is cooked properly and sewage is flushed away. Food only obtains to children who can eat solid foods, thus not referring to birth to 12 months. Direct and indirect include illnesses such as pinkeye, hand foot and mouth disease, cold sores, lice and ring worms. The measures one would take in these instances would be pinkeye: antibiotic treatment and sent home, continuous hand washing, hand foot and mouth disease sent home for several days and continuous hand washing. A cold sore child can stay at school but must was hands frequently. Lice, child should be sent home until lice is gone, hair must be washed with medicated shampoo. Ring worms, child should stay away from gyms, pools or activities where can be exposed and should use a fungal ointment. These limitations would all be considered to all age groups ( birth to grade 3 ) however gyms, pools etc would only obtain to the older children grade 1 – 3. Blood illnesses include AIDS and hepatitis B, the measures one would take for AIDS is excluding child of 0-5, and prevent anyone from touching the child blood, handle blood with surgical gloves, seal up blood infected items and disinfect surfaces with bleach. Hepatitis B one would also use precautions when handling blood and frequent hand wash is advised. REFERENCE: Marotz, L, 2009. Health, safety and nutrition for the young child. 76de uitgawe. Clifton park, NY: Thomason Delmar Learning

Essay --

Brielle Weyandt English 10 Honors Harding 18 December 2013 Miracle at Philadelphia Many factors affect the strength of a nation’s government, but one in particular created the foundation for a country hundreds of years afterwards. The Constitutional Convention occurred in Philadelphia during the hot, humid summer of 1787, at a Philadelphian state house. Delegates from twelve of thirteen states all convened to create the Constitution that would become the supreme law of the nation, and would let power fall in the hands of the people. The author of Miracle at Philadelphia, Catherine Drinker Bowen, narrates the trials and contributions of delegates from the developing states that eventually built a bustling nation of liberty and freedom. Those four months spent in one room calmly debating how to improve the government is arguably the most important moment in American history. After claiming independence from Great Britain, America had a tremulous start with thirteen states governing themselves using the Articles of Confederation and therefore not united under one whole government that set and regulated tax and commerce. With the states usually arguing and not providing financial support to the government, Shay’s Rebellion had begun in Massachusetts, urged by farmers, in protest of the tax collections and economic chaos. Without the political unrest caused by that one event, the future of America would have turned out differently; it would likely have been that the states would have plunged into massive debt and lost the freedoms achieved after the American Revolution. Afterwards, people had urged the creation of an effective government to support them, thus creating the Constitutional Convention. At the Convention, fifty-five delega... ..., fought over the threatening of liberties and failure to protect an individual’s unalienable rights. Before the Anti-Federalists were appeased twelve states had ratified the Constitution, which allowed for the new government to take effect. The government went officially into effect March 4, 1789 with its first Congressional meeting and election and inauguration of George Washington as the President. However, states still wanted a list of rights written into the Constitution. The resulting ten of the proposed amendments gained ratification and inclusion into the Constitution, later to be enacted and provided to citizens of the United States. For many, the Constitution is the document meant too symbolize the freedom and liberty associated with America; over the course of a few years the most important aspects of a nation were created that still affect generations.

I Believe in Forgiveness Essay

I never really understood the meaning of forgiveness. When people hurt me or treat me badly I always thought the best way to handle it is to hold it in. I never showed anger on the outside but just kept it all in. Instead, I let it boil inside of me. My kind act toward those who hurt me was a shield from my pain. Most of my kind act was at my mother. I blamed my birth mother for every relationship I have ever been in that ended with my hurting the guy or me thinking I am just going to be like my mother and leave him for the next person. see more:to err is human meaning Over the years, her actions and mishaps became the victim for my own actions. The fact that I have not yet become a divorcee like her was justification for her being irresponsible, dishonest, and ungrateful. Throughout the years of struggle, dysfunctional relationships, and little to no relationship, I hardly took responsibility for anything that I had done. I laid all my relationship troubles on my birth mother. I call her my birth mother because I never grew up with her but I have met her from time to time. She gave me to my dad when I was seven years old because of another man. I blame my relationship trouble on her because she never had a solid relationship for me to learn from. She has been married four times and the longest have been a year and that was to my dad. Then a few months ago, something shocking happened to me: I was in a committed relationship for the first time in my life. I was so scared I would be just like her or I was going to ruin this wonderful guy’s life. One night, as I was trying to sleep, thinking about my life, I suddenly became filled with fear. I was convinced I would screw up my life —that all my fear of being like her was tarnishing my relationship life. Strangely, while panicking about my life becoming a doom, my mother came to mind. I sat there in the dark, surrounded by the soothing sounds and smells of my air freshener in my room, and I thought of how my mom must have blame her mother for the same reason I am blaming her. I knew at that moment that she never intended to hurt me. I realized that might have been as scared like I am when it comes to commitment just as I am. I knew that she had done the best she could to stay in those relationships, but it was not the right thing to do. I forgave my mother that night—for all the times she got divorced, embarrassed me, or hurt my father or made me feel like I can never have a relationship because I always think I would end up like her. I forgave her for not being around. I let go of the resentment I’d held toward her for so many years. I stopped blaming her. For some reasons maybe my reasons were not very noble. Maybe I was afraid my life would turn out to be just like hers or maybe I might never find that person to settle down with. Whatever the reason, for the first time, I saw my birth mom as a real person. A person with flaws and mistakes. I knew she did not jump from marriage to marriage to hurt me. She got divorced for four times because she was flawed and hurting. I knew that if I did not forgive her, I would never have the kind of relationship I wanted with my future husband. If I kept blaming her I would never start living my own life. My mom have not asked for my forgiveness; she’s never acknowledged that she’s done anything wrong. But I realized that in forgiving her, what I was really doing was taking responsibility for myself and my own actions for the first time in a long time. Forgiving my mom changed my life. I accepted her for who she was and that set me free. I realized that when we forgive someone it is not for them but for you. After I forgave her it was like a burden was taken off my shoulders. I felt this inner peace that I have never felt before. My relationship with my boyfriend is going good and I don’t think or say to myself that I am going to end up like my mother. My eyes are open now to my own failings. I am going to take responsibility for every mistake I make in my relationships and not blame someone for them. And I discovered that forgiving someone is both an innately spiritual act that brings us closer to a higher power, and a uniquely human act that connects people in a way that strengthens us all. Forgiveness is a powerful thing. This I believe. I Believe Essay Draft 1 09/12/12 Word Count 752 The Power of Forgiveness I believe in forgiveness. I never really understood the meaning of forgiveness. When people hurt me or treat me badly I always thought the best way to handle it is to hold it in. I never showed anger on the outside but just kept it all in. Instead, I let it boil inside of me. My kind act toward those who hurt me was a shield from my pain. Most of my kind act was at my mother. I blamed my birth mother for every relationship I have ever been in that I had to end because I feel I am going to hurt him or he is going to hurt me. Over the years, her actions and mishaps became the victim for my own actions. The fact that I have not yet become a divorcee like her was justification for being irresponsible, dishonest, and ungrateful. Throughout years of struggle, dysfunctional relationships, and little to no relationship, I hardly took responsibility for anything that I had done. I laid all my relationship troubles on my birth mother. I call her my birth mother because I never grew up with her but I have met her from time to time. I grew up with my loving stepmother and father. She gave me to my dad when I was seven years old because of another man. I blame my relationship trouble on her because she never had a solid relationship. She has been married four times and the longest have been a year and that was to with my dad. Then a few months ago, something shocking happened to me: I was in a committed relationship for the first time in my life. One night, as I was trying to sleep, thinking about my life, I suddenly became filled with fear. I was convinced I would screw up my life —that all my fear of being like my mother was tarnishing my relationship life. Strangely, while panicking about my life becoming a doom, my birth mother came to mind. I sat there in the dark, surrounded by the soothing sounds and smells of my air freshener in my room , and I thought of how my birth mom must have blame her mother for the same reason I am blaming her. I knew at that moment that she never intended to hurt me. I realized that might have been as scared like I am when it comes to commitment just as I am. I knew that she had done the best she could to stay in those relationships, but it was not the right thing to do. I forgave my mother that night—for all the times she got divorced, embarrassed me, or hurt my father or made me feel like I can never have a relationship because I always think I would end up like her. I forgave her for not being around. I let go of the resentment I’d held toward her for so many years. I stopped blaming her. For some reasons maybe my reasons were not very noble. Maybe I was afraid my life would turn out to be just like hers or maybe I might never find that person blame. But whatever the reason, for the first time, I saw my birth mom as a real person. A person with flaws and mistakes. I knew she didn’t jump from marriage to marriage to hurt me. She got divorce for four times because she was flawed and hurting. I knew that if I didn’t forgive her, I would never have the kind of relationship I wanted with my future husband. If I kept blaming her I would never start living my own life. My mom hadn’t asked for my forgiveness; she’s never acknowledged that she’s done anything wrong. But I realized that in forgiving her, what I was really doing was taking responsibility for myself and my own actions for the first time in a long time. Forgiving my mom changed my life. I accepted her for who she was and that set me free. I realized that when we forgive someone it is not for them but for you. My relationship with my boyfriend is going good and I don’t think or say to myself that I am going to end up like my birth mother. My eyes are open now to my own failings. And I discovered that forgiving someone is both an innately spiritual act that brings us closer to a higher power, and a uniquely human act that connects people in a way that strengthens us all. Forgiveness is a powerful thing. This I believe. 09/14/12 Process Memo At first I didn’t know what I was going to write about so I wrote down some things that I believe in. some examples like family, forgiveness and friendship. I listen to some of the essays on thisibelieve. om and it gave me an idea of what to write. I made a list of who took me so long to forgive them then I chose one and then I chose one. I wrote down things they did that made me not to forgive them. I also wrote down the process it took me to forgive them. I then developed and created my essay. The workshop in class helped a lot from reading other people’s essay it gave me a better idea of how to arrange my paper. My group members gave me nice idea on how to develop and make it more interesting and correct my mistakes. The workshop helped a lot.

Rap Music Essay

Often times when people hear about Hip Hop/Rap music, they’ll paint a picture in their heads of black men cussing, guns, marijuana, lots of gold, and girls looking like prostitutes. Parents and teachers put an image in their kid’s head that Rap music is â€Å"bad†, and they don’t want their kids to be influenced by something that is negative. With the way Rap music is advertised in the US, I would have to agree with that looking at it from an average parent’s point of view. But what people don’t know is that Hip Hop isn’t just a type of music, it’s a culture. It’s a culture full of original elements, and it’s also a place where people can show others what they’ve got and who they are. Within this original society called Hip Hop, there are basically four main elements of MC, Break, Tag, and DJ. And each is represented by millions of people all over the globe. When the four come together, it makes Hip Hop musi c, and people live the music instead of listening to it. MC-ing is what people know as rapping. The main point of an MC is to make your crowd enjoy your music, and to send a message out to them. Unlike most of the lyrics out on the market today, Hip Hop contains meaning and it sends a message to the listeners. Although those messages might have bad words, and show images of things that are socially wrong, that’s actually what’s going on where they are from, and that’s who they are. Their music represents their area and their people, and it’s no different from a farmer singing about his cows and chickens in Idaho. Besides, â€Å"Gangster Rap† isn ’t the only type of Hip Hop music, it’s actually only a small sect of it all. Many rappers put out lyrics about what they believe in, their own philosophies, entertaining others, and although it may seem unlikely, many lyricists seem like Einstein to me. Just like all of the other geniuses like Newton, Galileo, and musically Jimi, there are MCs that are geniuses too. What makes those guys remarkable compared to others are their strength and choice of words, and their flow, or the melody, of their rhymes. I personally can’t relate to the ghetto, guns, and all of that â€Å"gangster† stuff, so I don’t listen to that genre all that much, but there are many elements people can pick up from the Hip Hop music. There is a whole Japanese Hip Hop scene that is growing bigger and bigger, and that’s what I personally live. The next element is Breaking. Breaking is a term used for dancing, and most people know it as Break Dancing. Although Breaking has become a small part of the whole dance scene in Hip Hop today, it’s the first form of Hip Hop dances. People spin on their heads, do handstands, slide with just their hands on the ground, spin on the floor with their legs spread out, and all kinds of astonishing moves. This is probably the most popular form of Hip Hop in Japan today because its so easy to begin and watch. DJs have one simple task: make people dance. Or that’s what it used to be. Before, their main goal was to have the knowledge of the music so they can make people dance according to the mood and time. Also scratching records were their performance. Now, DJs have lots more jobs and probably the toughest element of all. Most DJs team up with MCs so they can act as the rhythm section of the Hip Hop performance, and to do that and be original, they must create sounds of their own. They basically make the beats and the MCs lay the words on it. The steps to be able to make beats and tracks takes lots of time, money, and mind, so most DJs don’t/can’t take a step further into the scene. Today, more and more artists are creating their own tracks, for the money, and they tend to realize that they can’t be rapping at age 40 while its perfectly normal for a 40 year old to be playing the guitar. It ’s not wrong to say that DJs are the backbones to the Hip Hop music. The final element is Tagging, and its graffiti. This is actually a controversial issue because many people believe its wrong. But it’s a form of art to the culture, and it shows character of each artist. Its definitely not just about claiming area by the gangs, and its not just about vandalizing other people’s property. People need to admit that New York City would not have its flavor that it has today without all of those artwork, and there are many artists that put up their pieces just so they can show others what they got. It’s a way of communication in the form of Hip Hop. Many other types of music can be a culture too, and each person feels if it is a culture to them or not. If music means culture to that person, then they probably feel that uneasy sensation of going to bed without music, going on the train without your Walkman, and have that anger towards vacuum  cleaners. Music also is a form of communication when there is the kind of society where people understand one another through it. Which creates influences on others, and makes music grow.

The Definition of a Myth

The Definition of a Myth Although it may seem obvious, there is no single, simple answer. Here are some of the common ideas and their short-comings. Following these is a look at what folklorists and psychologists/psychoanalysts take the term to mean. Finally, there is a working definition you may find useful. If Its a Silly Story, It Could Be a Myth Everyone knows what a myth is, right? Its a story featuring centaurs, flying pigs or horses, or return trips to the Land of the Dead or Underworld. Classic compilations of myths include  Bulfinchs  Tales From Mythology  and the lesser known Heroes of Greek Mythology, by Charles J. Kingsley. Obviously, you might argue, a myth is a ridiculous story no one really believes. Maybe sometime, long ago, there were people naive enough to have believed in it, but now we know better. Really? Once you start looking carefully at that so-called definition, it falls apart. Think about your own firmly held beliefs. Perhaps you believe a deity spoke to a man through a burning bush (the story of Moses in the Hebrew Bible). Maybe he performed a miracle to make a tiny amount of food feed a multitude (New Testament). How would you feel if someone labeled them as myths? Youd probably argue and very defensively they arent myths. You might admit you cant prove them to unbelievers, but the stories simply arent as fantastic as myth (said with tones indicating disparagement). A vehement denial doesnt prove one way or another that something is or is not a myth, but you could be right. The story of Pandoras box is said to be a myth, but what makes that any different from a Biblical story such as  Noahs Ark, that is not necessarily considered a myth by a religious Jew or Christian? Even the disproved legend about the axing of a cherry tree by the perennially truth-telling George Washington may count as a myth. The word myth is used in many contexts, but it doesnt seem to have a single meaning. When discussing myth with others, you should determine what they mean in order to have a common frame of reference and avoid hurting someones feelings (unless, of course, you dont care). Myth Could Be Part of a Religion You Dont Believe In Here is how philosopher and psychiatrist James Kern Feiblemanone defines myth:  A  religion in which no one any longer believes.   What is a  myth for one group is truth and part of the cultural identity for another. Myths are stories shared by a group, that are a part of that groups cultural identity- just like family traditions. Most families would be offended to hear their stories described as myths (or lies and tall tales, which probably fit them better than a  myth because a family is generally considered smaller than a cultural group). Myth can also be used as a synonym for a despised religious dogma or, as the quotation above says, a religion in which no one any longer believes. Experts Define Myth Putting a value on myth doesnt help matters. Negative and positive descriptions of the content of myth are not definitions and dont even explain very much. Many have tried to define myth, with only limited success. Lets look at an array of definitions from leading philosophers, psychoanalysts, and other thinkers to see how complicated the seemingly simple term myth actually is: Myths are Origins. Myths are often stories of origins, how the world and everything in it came to be in illo tempore. - Eliade.Myths are Dreams. Sometimes myths are public dreams which, like private dreams, emerge from the unconscious mind. - Freud.Myths are Archetypes. Indeed, myths often reveal the archetypes of the collective unconscious. - Jung.Myths are Metaphysical. Myths orient people to the metaphysical dimension, explain the origins and nature of the cosmos, validate social issues, and, on the psychological plane, address themselves to the innermost depths of the psyche. - Campbell.Myths are Proto-Scientific. Some myths are explanatory, being pre-scientific attempts to interpret the natural world. - Frazer.Myths are Sacred histories. Religious myths are sacred histories. - Eliade.Myths are Stories. Myths are both individual and social in scope, but they are first and foremost stories. - Kirk. A Useful Working Definition of Myth From the above-learned definitions, we can see that myths are important stories. Maybe people believe them. Maybe they dont. Their truth value isnt at issue. Approaching, but not quite reaching an adequate, thorough definition of myth is the following: Myths are stories told by people about people: where they come from, how they handle major disasters, how they cope with what they must and how everything will end. If that isnt everything, what else is there?

Fellowship Opportunities for Writers in Berlin

Fellowship Opportunities for Writers in Berlin Berlin has long been known for its thriving international arts and literary communities. It is equally known for the support that exists for writers and artists in the city. Centrally located within Europe, it is an easy train ride or flight to other major cultural destination cities, including Barcelona, Florence, Paris, and Prague, and serves as a font of inspiration for creative people from all artistic walks of life. Many are familiar with writers such as Christopher Isherwood, Franz Kafka, and Robert Walser, who found inspiration for their stories in Berlin, and musician David Bowie, who recorded three albums while living in the city. Since moving to Berlin in July 2013, I have immersed myself in the local literary community and have found the following resources for international writers seeking short-term residencies here. American Academy in Berlin americanacademy.de/ Located in the lakeside Hans Arnold Center in the Wansee neighborhood of Berlin, the American Academy offers annual Berlin Prize fellowships to scholars, writers, and artists who represent the highest standards of excellence in their fields. Past Fellows include poets Susan Howe, Tom Sleigh, and C.K. Williams, and novelists Kiran Desai, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Ha Jin. The upcoming class of Fellows for 2014-2015 includes writers Mary Jo Bang, Tom Drury, and Adam Ross. Fellows commit to spend one academic semester (fall or spring) at the Academy, and the prize includes a monthly stipend, partial board, and a residence at the Center in Wansee. The deadline for applications for 2015-2016 is September 29, 2014. Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst/German Academic Exchange Service DAAD North America daad.org The Artists-in-Berlin Program (Berliner Kà ¼nstlerprogramm) of the German Academic Exchange Service (commonly referred to as DAAD) provides about 20 grants to international artists in the fields of visual arts, literature, music, and film, for an approximately one-year stay in Berlin. The grant includes a monthly stipend, an apartment, workspace (studio), and funds for projects. U.S. writers who spent a year in Berlin through the program include Eugene Ostashevsky, Robert Creeley, and Rosmarie and Keith Waldrop. The deadline for applications to the program is January 1, 2015. ZK/U-Zentrum fà ¼r Kunst und Urbanistik zku-berlin.org/ The ZK/U-Zentrum fà ¼r Kunst und Urbanistik (Center for Art and Urbanistics) provides residencies of two to eight months for artists, scholars, and practitioners (curators, activists, autodidacts, etc.) interested in cross-disciplinary theory and practice dealing with the city. Recent participants include poet Stephen Motika and novelist Alan Cunningham. For individual fellows selected for the program, depending on the studio-apartment and the length of the stay, costs can be between 500 and 800 Euros per month. ZK/U will work with selected fellows in support of efforts to obtain funding to cover the cost through external grants. The deadline for applications for the Autumn-Winter 2014-2015 residency is July 27, 2014. American poets who wish to spend time in Berlin, Germany (or other cities abroad), can also consider applying for the competitive Amy Lowell Traveling Scholarship (amylowell.org/), which awards one scholarship of approximately $54,000 to an American poet who agrees to spend the entire year abroad. The deadline for applications for the scholarship is October 15, 2014. Inspiration can be found everywhere. But sometimes, the opportunity to travel can bring you out of a rut and lead your writing in unexpected, and exciting, directions.

Selling product Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selling product - Assignment Example Other elements such as the size and the aesthetic appearance will also be significant. In addition, the audience has a high level of expertise in making a choice between the different technological devices that are capable of satisfying their needs depending on the wide range of choices in terms of their usage. They have a wide range of experience as they have purchased several phones before in the effort to upgrade the products once they are released into the market. This is becaue their level of prejudice is high and they only go for what works best for them since they need devices that provide convenience as well as an easy mode of communication.    Every day, there is a change in technology that makes everyone want to be in a position to conduct all activities in the comfort of their homes. Latest technology dictates that there should be an improvement on the latest models or products to suit the needs of the customers. This product will not only make it possible to receive information, but also share the fun with friends. The conduction of research and development helps in the production of items that best suit the needs of the market. It thus helps to produce competitive products that are not only acceptable but also preferred in the market.  It is important to perform a lot of research to help in the development of the products to suit the needs of the customers. Despite the fact that it will lead to the increase in prices it will also lead to more sales.  The best technological device or product is that which creates satisfactory feelings in the customer and makes them have convenience when performing different operations. If it also helps them to feel confident and gives a feeling of belonging, then it is the most appropriate product to use. It will be possible to beat all the other related products in the market and attain customer