Heraldic shield Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Heraldic shield - Research Paper Example The very shield in question has several constituents. The eagle can be used as a symbol of representing power authority and the sun. The eagle is the king of the birds; this shows authority it has over other creatures. Rarely do eagles lose in combat; this shows they have strength and power to rule. Therefore, they symbolize strong and powerful leadership. Indian herbalists and wizards use the feathers of eagles in their treatment of the sick. This shows that the eagle has a medicinal value and this can be used to symbolize the gift to give life to the hopeless. Eagles have been known to have a clear vision and soaring spirit. These are best qualities a leader can have; a clear vision means that the leader can make wise and just decisions. A soaring spirit means the leader is always aiming for more. This symbolizes the initiative and ambitions that an exemplary leader should have in order to lead his or people to greater prosperity (Bentley et al, 54). This is the main reason why eag les are connected with wealth and prosperity. The most outstanding character that distinguishes the eagle from other living creatures is the ability to take responsibility. The eagle is monogamous in nature; interestingly, the male and female eagles both share the responsibility of taking care of their young ones. This is not only symbolic but also enlightening. This shows responsibility as the leader should be responsible enough in order to lead people. This as well helps to advice people who tend to run away from responsibilities like taking care of their young ones. The eagles can be used to represent freedom. This observation is ttained by the size of their territories; an eagle can have a home ranging in thousands of acres this shows that the eagles are not afraid of conquering new territories in the bid of enjoying their freedom (Bohl & Rynn 85). In most mythical beliefs, it is said that the spirits of the eagles are free and independent creatures that roam alone. Through this aid in educating people on the significance of being free, we are able to make choices alone without relying on others every time because, in life, some decisions are made alone as they are personal. This symbolizes the rights and freedom of an individual to choose their own paths in life that seem suitable to them. The picture of the eagle in heraldic shield demonstrates exceptional leadership, power, authority and vision in a group organization or country (Connell et al, 156). An acorn is small seed from an oak tree. Normally, it is green and most fall of the tree when matured. When they fall off from the mother tree, another oak tree can emerge from the fallen seeds. The procedure is normally performed thoroughly over and over until a whole forest emerges from a single acorn. This helps to symbolize the process of achieving greatness by starting out from scratch. This concept is applied to encourage people whose lives or worlds have fallen that they can still achieve greatness l ife. It encourages people to realize their full potential (Cornwell et al, 78). If an acorn with no brains can become a forest, what can a person with brains and senses achieve if he puts his minds to it? This is a symbol of hope to those who feel their destined fail due to a single fall or slip at one point in their lives or careers. Imagine an acorn that has fallen down - it has no survival techniques and yet a forest can emerge from it. This has been

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Philosophy - Essay Example †¦ And third, there must be an agent whose activity enables the cognitive power and its object to make contact† (MacDonald, 1998). In sensory vision, this agent is most often called light, which illuminates the objects around us and make it possible for us to see them. For cognition, it is proposed that there is an intellectual light, which makes it possible for us to understand the objects that are being placed in front of us. Augustine developed this idea of Plato’s into a Christian conception by describing the source of intellectual light as Truth or God, presenting it as evidence of God’s work within our minds. This interpretation of intellectual light as Divine Illumination had significant impact on Augustine’s theories regarding the soul, including what the soul was capable of doing and how it related to the body, as well as his development of a ‘psychological model’ of the Trinity. Augustine’s teachings indicate that it is only through Divine Light that we are able to come to the universal truths of our existence. Although we are capable of communicating and sharing ideas, it is only through the activities of God within our souls that we are able to receive the true light of understanding and knowledge. â€Å"My words give the listener an idea that he can then verify for himself in light of God’s illumination. Illumination is what allows us to go from mere true belief to knowledge. Illumination provides justification† (Pasnau, 2002). As proof that God exists, Augustine used the example of a tree. â€Å"He said that we see a tree because it is there to be seen. †¦ Eternal truths are also there, they are part of an intelligible world of truth. We grasp them intuitively. †¦ He said that if the human imagination and its products reflect the changeable human mind, eternal truths reflect the existence of an eternal being† (†Å"Augustine†, n.d.). Based on Augustine’s principles, the soul is essentially that part of our

An Occurence at owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Essay Example for Free

An Occurence at owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Essay An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, is one of the best American short stories and is considered Ambrose Bierces greatest work. First published in Bierces short story collection Tales of Soldiers and Civilians in 1891, this story is about Peyton Farquhar, a southern farmer who is about to be hanged by the Union Army for trying to set the railroad bridge at Owl Creek on fire. While Farquhar is standing on the bridge with a rope around his neck, Bierce leads the reader to think that the rope snaps and he falls into the river, and then makes an amazing escape and finally returns to his farm, to be reunited with his wife. However the ending of the story is totally different, in fact, Farquhar is hanged and these imaginings take place seconds before his death. Ambrose Bierces trick ending succeeds because of the way he manipulated the text by changing the narrative point of view from one type to another. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is divided into three sections, with each section having a different narrative form. In the first section, the author uses dramatic narration: the story is told by no one. With the disappearance of the narrator, the reader is now the direct and immediate witness to the unfolding drama. The reader views the work from the outside. In the beginning of this story the readers are informed of all the preparations for a man about to be hanged: the set up for the hanging, the characters involved and the surroundings. The narrator gives an incredible and beautiful snapshot of the scene describing the water, the guards, and his restraints. Vertical in front of the left shoulder, the hammer rested on the forearm thrown strait across the chest- a formal and unnatural position (Bierce pg. 90, line 10). This type of narration is the least personal and the reader receives the least information on the characters thoughts and feelings. Although the author describes details, the reader has to fill the blanks as to what actions and events lead up to the situation. The reason for this type of narration in the first section of the story is to get the readers curiosity going. One wonders what Peyton Farquhar could have done to be hanged; was he alone in what he did, why is he involved in a military issue when he is a civilian? In paragraph six and seven and through the second section, the author changes his point of view to one which is third person omniscient: all knowing. The  omniscient narrator is not a character in the story and is not involved with what happens. He imposes his presence between the reader and the story and controls all the events. From an outside point of view, the narrator provides enough information to summarize, interpret and wonder. As the story evolves, the reader begins to read thoughts of the characters: Farquhar, his wife and the soldiers. The reader becomes involved in Farquhars life as the narrator summarizes his situation. The reader is told of him being a planter and owning slaves, that he is a secessionist and devoted to the Southern cause. Nevertheless, the narrator leads the reader to believe Farquhar and his wife are kind people, she fetched the water for the soldier to drink with her own white hands (Bierce pg.92, line 15) instead of ordering one on her colored slaves to do it. Farquhars principles and devotion towards the south is explained in this section and the reader gets to know who he really is. This makes the reader feel sympathetic towards him and his wife. The purpose of the omniscient narrator in the 2nd section is to give information of the characters and to get a glimpse into Farquhars life. The reader finds out how devoted his wife is to her husband. The reader can now relate to Farqhuar and understand how and why he got caught trying to destroy the bridge. Section three is intended to create suspense. Bierce wants the reader to believe that what is being described actually happens. In order for the reader to believe that what is being described is actually happening, the story must be narrated from the characters point of view (limited omniscient point of view). With a limited omniscient point of view, the narrator limits his or her ability to penetrate the mind of a single character. The reader may be shown the characters voice, feelings and thoughts through dialogue, monologue or stream of consciousness. As a result, the reader becomes more and more directly involved in interpreting the story. By using this point of view all of what Farquhar is experiencing seems so real. The advantages of the limited omniscient point of view are the tightness of focus and control that it provides. If the third section was told in an omniscient point of view, the author would have not been able to fool the reader, for he would have seen what was really happening. Seeing the whole action and knowing the soldiers thoughts would have given away the ending. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge was written in three different sections, with each having a different narrative form. The first, using dramatic point of view, describes where the action takes place. The second, omniscient point of view lets the reader comprehend the victims thoughts and actions. And finally, the third section, limited omniscient point of view creates suspense by being only in one mind. With the ability to switch from one form to another, Bierce was able to create a tale of intrigue, captivation and a twist-ending.

The History Of Water Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

The History Of Water Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay Water is an important natural resource upon which all the living beings rely for their existence and growth. Nature has blessed the earth with uncountable water resources but usable quantity is limited. Hence, it is important to use water sparingly. The irony is, human activities result is high water pollution which further shortens the water supply for use. Water Pollution In an age when man  has forgotten his origins and is blind even to his most essential needs for survival, water along with other resources has become the  victim of his indifference (Carson, 2002, p. 39). Water is considered to be most crucial one among all the worlds natural resources. Although it covers the largest part of the earths surface (70%), yet it is the limiting factor most of the times. This is because most of this water is not available for use in agriculture or for other human needs due to the presence of significant amounts of mineral salts and heavy metals that make water unfit for use. In each home of an American in New York, 99 gallons of water is an average daily requirement (Fishman, 2012). Water consumption increases by a factor of 2-3% each year while the fresh water total supply remains comparatively constant (Dowdeswell, 1996). Thus, the demand of water is a big dilemma today. A major problem related to water is the issue of water pollution. It is basically the contamination of water with pollutants that may be from human, animal or industrial origin. Natural as well as anthropogenic activities lead to the spoilage of rivers, streams and ground water. This polluted water may also move from one place to another leading to water pollution at greater level (Chiras, 2012). Pollutants in surface waters can be of organic or inorganic nature. Processed or un-processed waste material from either animal or human origin can be released into water ways by waste disposal plants etc. Oil spills are also major contributors of water pollution that give rise to organic pollutants. When water gets saturated with this organic waste, bacteria begin to multiply rapidly. Because of the metabolic activity of the micro-organisms, oxygen gets depleted in such water reservoirs. Oxygen depletion may prove lethal to the life of bodies that rely on oxygen for living. The oxygen level in such bodies can be maintained if the organic influx in such water resources is controlled or minimized. The inorganic pollutants in surface water are basically the nitrates or phosphates which increase the plant growth that lead to inhibition of aquatic life. This is because when plants die, their decay leads to oxygen depletion which effects the aquatic environment greatly. Another important phenomenon related to water pollution is eutrophication which is the deposition of nutrients in lakes. These nutrients come from both natural and human sources and may result in aging of lakes prematurely (Chiras, 2012). Some man made products like plastics, medical wastes and sewage sludge also add significant amount of pollutants to the water. Plastic, because of being resistant to degradation is a great environmental hazard. Although direct dumping of sewage is controlled to a great extent, yet a lot of waste is being introduced into oceans and rivers by the sewage treatment plants (Chiras, 2012). Water may also contain infectious pathogenic micro-organisms that may lead to water-borne disease and ultimately deaths. Parasites as well as bacteria seeping into drinking water may lead to chronic diarrhoea, severe infections of ear and stomach diseases (Duhigg, 2009). Contamination of both ground and surface water through chemical pollutants such as pesticides increases production of carcinogens in the public water supplies. According to National Cancer Institute, the danger of cancer from the consumption of contaminated water will increase greatly in future. A study in Holland supported the view that cancer may be caused because of pollution of waterways. Cities which get water from the rivers have a higher mortality rate than those who use water from less susceptible sources like wells. Arsenic is the major pollutant in polluted waters that leads to cancer (Carson, 2002). Pollution control is the need of today to protect human and animal life from the disasters caused by water pollutants. The control can be imposed by two ways: either by the elimination of contaminants from various sources or by adoption of ways that prevent pollution. Legislative control for addressing the problem of water pollution is being applied on the factories and sewage plants. However, no significant improvement in pollution control has been achieved through this way as the pollution from the streets, farm fields and lawns equalizes the industrial pollution. Control of such wastes is although in infancy yet it is gaining popularity as many cost effective methodologies are present to deal with such wastes. The U. S. government as well as some other states have proven to be successful in addressing ground water pollution. This is because ground water is the major source of drinking water in most of the regions. One pollution control strategy is the treatment of the sewage water. In the first phase, larger particles and particulate organic matter is filtered out of the sewage water. The second stage involves the treatment of the sewage water to remove the organic matter that contains significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus. This treatment involves the use of bacteria or other decomposers. The third and last treatment is ensuring that the sewage water quality is sustained to the level of drinking water (Chiras, 2012). This is accomplished by increasing the Biological Oxygen demand (BOD) and decreasing the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the sewage water. Recently, a marine biologist Dr. Widder has come up with a technology to fight water pollution through the use of bioluminescent bacteria. These bacteria make use of light for food, predation and finding partners for mating as part of their normal activity. Dr. Widder performed a study in the Indian River Lagoon which according to scientists is valuable and at the same time the most threatened ecosystem of Florida. In her laboratory, she mixed the sediment samples from the estuary with a bioluminescent bacterium, Vibrio fischeri. The concentration of toxic pollutants in the sediments was monitored through the use of photometer that measured the light emitted by the bacteria. It revealed that to what extent and in what time the light fades away as the bacteria get killed by the chemicals. An estimate of the pollutant level in the sediments better indicates the estuarys health status as compared to direct measurement of chemicals in water. Greater concentration of heavy metals like phosphorus and nitrogen were observed to be present in the sediment samples which stimulate the algal growth. These algae affect the estuary life by depleting oxygen. Dr. Widder has also arranged sensors around the estuary that can provide data in real time which along with the sediment toxicity can trace the path of the pollution source. This method is far more cheap and robust than the traditional practice of taking samples to labs for purpose of analysis (Olsen, 2011). Other than these measures, there is a need of shift of human activities towards the ones that are eco-friendly. Biodegradable plastic should be produced by most of the factories and industries instead of non-degradable plastic that is toxic for health. Moreover, oil spills should be removed from oceans through use of bacteria which can degrade the organic compounds in those oil spills. Better and more economic water treatment strategies should be devised in the future to deal with polluted water. Moreover, ways should be discovered to overcome the shortage of water in near future.

History of the Traditional School Calendar Essay -- essays papers

History of the Traditional School Calendar The American educational system is based on the traditional, nine-month school calendar, which has been in place for over a century. Originally, the United States was an agrarian society. The majority of Americans lived on farms. People made most of the items that they needed, and with little trade necessary, there was no need for schooling (McLain, 1973). However, as people branched out into neighboring areas, they needed to learn new skills, such as basic arithmetic to price items, measure land, and more (McLain, 1973). As a result, it became the responsibility of those who were less needed on the farm or in the factory to acquire knowledge for the family (McLain, 1973). Accordingly, children went to school to learn the skills they needed for life. In rural areas, the school year lasted for five to six months, â€Å"from the last harvest to the first planting† (Shields, 2000, 24). However, in the urban environment, schools were open eleven or twelve months of the year (Shields, 2000). This is because urban schools provided a way to get children off the labor market, as well as enable them to learn the new technology of the time (McLain, 1973). Then, in 1847, in order to offer a standard curriculum, â€Å"urban schools reduced the length of their school year and rural areas increased the number of their school days (Shields, 2000, 25). The result was the traditional, agrarian school calendar of nine months in school, with a three month vacation. Year Round Education Introduced Today however, the role of the modern public school is beginning to change. The United States is no longer an agrarian society. As a result, people feel that the traditional school calendar is too old-fashioned a... ..., from Lexus Nexus. Saunders, M. (2004, September 7). Try year-round school: The lazy days of summer may hurt children who struggle in school the rest of the time. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pp. 14A, Retrieved November 6, 2004, from Lexus-Nexus. Wildavsky, B. (1999, August 20). Scholars of summer. U.S. News and World Report, 127(5), 52-54. Bussard, B. (2004, July). Summer matters. Retrieved November 2, 2004, from http://www.summermatters.com/ Texas Center for Educational Technology. (1994). Technology helping year-round to rebuild the education puzzle at Driscoll ISD. Retrieved November 6, 2004, from www.tcet.unt.edu/images/i0601.pdf Walker, W. (2003, December). Year round education. Retrieved November 6, 2004, from http://www.geocities.com/weswalker99/index.html YRE Statistics. (2003). Retrieved November 4, 2004, from http://nayre.org/statistics.

A Comparison of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Comparison of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac      Ã‚   Why. Excuse me. Why. Does. Excuse. Why me. I mean. Excuse me. Why. Does. It . Always end up this way. Like this. A performance. It's my best excuse. And. I'm on the wagon. Again. Why. Excuses. Sitting in the state of a daydream. No. Falling. A performance. Why what it comes down to. Poetry. And. My two main men. Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. Both use their individual voice to perform the buddhistic beat they feel is part of their poetry/ their beatific movement. Even though these two poets influenced each other. And. Their voices are significantly different. Each has a personal style one cannot deny. And. Each boy added his separate beat to the music they created as a generation. A beat generation. Jack's buddhistic jazz/ blues chorus poetry is domesticized/ tainted Christianity-wise. And. Allen's sound becomes zentific without Christianity/ hanging on a cross in the backbeat of his prose poetry. While each may have his own personal style/ both poets use the same techniqu e in sound. And. Rhythm to give their audience something to bugaloo to. Excuse me. What's. That. Poetry. Baby. A performance. So. Please brother. Take a chance. And. Dance. (She says that as she shh shh shivers.) "It's all gotta be non stop ad libbing within each chorus, or the gig is shot" (Kerouac, 1). And he meant every word of it. Jack's system of jazz/blues choruses work on/carry on harmonically as well as through certain words or phrases put together through sound. And also like jazz, his music, seemed to happen spontaneously, like nothing was planned.   In the '182nd Chorus', the ideas behind the phrase "The Essence of Existence is Buddhahood" is carried on into the '183rd Chorus' with the phrase "This is the real Buddha" (Allen, 171). It is like a bar of music in a jazz or blues riff. The idea and sound of one chord moves into the next, traveling, never knowing where it is going to end up. Just like the idea and sound of one line in one of Jack's choruses moves into the next, traveling, never knowing where it is going to end up. It sounds and looks spontaneous.    And because of this it is meant to be preformed out loud so it can be heard like a jazz or blues riff wailing.

Police and Evidence-based Policing Essay

Evidence-Based-Policing Written by Desiree Rosch Instructor Atthur Moghalu Introduction to Criminal Justice Evidence-based policing is a style of policing that uses research to create or change policies to increase effectiveness. Lawrence W Sherman, an academic criminologist, is credited with making the term Evidence-based Policing (EBP) popular. During a lecture Sherman stated, â€Å"Police practices should be based on scientific evidence about what works best. â€Å"Starting in the 1960s several organizations were formed to conduct studies on how to better prevent crime and increase the public’s confidence in law enforcement. The first of which was the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration created by Congress in 1969. There are many benefits to using an evidence-based policing stance, such as being able to see the actual results of your policies. This enables an agency to make necessary changes to the way they operate inorder to accomplish their missions more effectively, such as changing where and when units patrol certain areas. It also allows them to come up with completely new programs and procedures they may not have developed on their own. The disadvantage of using research to change the way a law enforcement agency operates is that those changes may be expensive to implement. The agency may even find that the way they approach a situation could be completely wrong according to the research. Another problem with an evidence-based policing system is that the results may be accurate for where the study took place, but may not reflect the samedata you would obtain in another area. Things like income, education levels, backgrounds, cultures, etc can influence the effectiveness of procedures based on studies in another location. The Kansas City Experiment in 1974 is the most well known example of studies done on law enforcement. The results of this study were not what researchers were expecting. The agency found that increased patrol units had no effect on either crimes committed or the public’s perception of how safe they were. These findings changed the way many agencies allot their patrol units. Another study conducted in Redlands, California was on the procedure of sending a follow up unit to make contact with a domestic violence victim after the initial call.