The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Essays Papers

HUCKLEBERRY FINN The novel that I have most enjoyed ever reading was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel about a young boy’s coming of age in Missouri during the middle 1800’s. The main character, Huckleberry Finn, spends a lot of time in the novel floating down the Mississippi River on a raft with a runaway slave named Jim. Before he does so, however, Huck spends some time in the town of St. Petersburg where a number of people attempt to influence him. Huckleberry Finn is considered an American character for many reasons. Throughout the novel Huckleberry shows stereotypical traits of what is expected, sometimes anyway, of the ideal American character. Even before the novel begins, Huckleberry Finn has led a life of absolute freedom. Americans are known throughout the world to have more freedom then anybody else. His drunken and often missing father has never paid much attention to him, his mother is dead and so, when the novel begins, he is not used to following any rules. Huck, a good old-fashioned American character is just like the stereotype of American characters, by not following the rules. In the beginning of the book Huck lives with the Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson. Both women are old and are really incapable of raising a rebellious boy like Huckleberry Finn. They attempt to make Huckleberry into what they believe will be a better boy. Specifically, they attempt, as Hu...

Food production Essay

There are staggering numbers of people all over the world who experience hunger. Many people believe that hunger is caused by the insufficient supply of food. More importantly, it is assumed that due to the large population of the world, an inadequate amount of food is produced. However, this is a completely false assumption for as Robbins said, â€Å"There is enough food in the world to feed 120 percent of the world’s population on a vegetarian diet. † (Robbins, p. 178) This fact then brings about the question, if there is enough food, then why do so many people go hungry? The answer lies in the economics of food production. Food is now a capitalist commodity. Therefore, the production of food must be seen as the production of any other market commodity. Food production is not driven by global need, it is driven by market demand. As Robbins mentioned, â€Å"Food production is not determined necessarily by the global need for food; it is determined by the market for food. † (Robbins, p. 186) Looking at food production from this perspective will reveal the factors that affect the production of food. The market for food refers to the number of people that have the means to buy and pay for food. However, since a large segment of the population lives in poverty, there are very few people who can afford food. Since it is demand that determines the amount of food to be produced, the lower demand translates to lesser food production. Producers do not want to produce at a maximum level because it will mean an over-production. This will result to lower prices and ultimately lower productivity. Another factor that affects food production is the fact that farmers tend to use land to produce non food crops such as tobacco and corn as well as for crops that are marginally nutritious. (Robbins, p 186) The choice of what crops to plant relies on what the market demands. For instance, farmers tend to prioritize planting coffee for there is a large global demand for this. Coffee produced in agricultural countries in Africa is not necessarily for local consumption; it is produced because the more affluent nations demand it. Farmers consider the profitability of producing certain crops and coffee production is considered to be more profitable than vegetable production. Another example is soy bean. Soy bean is not as nutritious as vegetables. However, since there is a market for this crop in the more developed countries, farmers tend to plant this rather than vegetables. A more concrete and evident example of how market demand drives food production is the production of beef. Robbins discussed why Mexican farmers tend to concentrate on beef production. â€Å"People in Mexico go hungry because land is devoted to the production of beef, which few Mexicans can afford, but which brings high prices in the United States. † (Robbins, p. 186) The rationale behind this is that food production is driven by the demands of the markets that have the money to buy food. There is no question that there is enough food to feed the world. Hunger cannot be attributed to the inadequate amount of food. Hunger is a result of an economic problem. Lack of food on the plate is a result of the lack of money to buy food. Food production is no longer determined by the need for it by everyone. It is driven by what people who have the means to buy food demand and want. Food has become a commodity rather than a necessity. The solution of the problem of hunger lies not in production but in distribution. As Robbins (p. 187) said, â€Å"Rather than seeing hunger or famine as a failure of production, we can focus on a failure of distribution†¦ The goal is simply to establish, reestablish, or protect entitlements, the legitimate claim to food. † Reference: Robbins, R. (2007). Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. pp 177-187.

My worse day ever

My worst day ever was the day my brother fell out the window, and almost died. My brothers name is All. He was born on January 9, 2004 and Is the fourth child in our family. He was eight and a half years of old. It all happened on Tuesday September 11, 2012. My day began Like any other day not knowing what was hidden for me, I thought that this was going to be a great day. I had no Idea that my brother was going to fall from the second floor window and almost die. In this essay I will be informing you about how my day began, to how he fell and what happened at the end. I went to school like always and came home.When I arrived home we were told that guests might come over, so I cleaned the house and got dressed. After we completed cleaning we had our dinner. During the meal the children had made quite a mess under the table so I went upstairs to grab the vacuum. My room was next to the room where all the boys slept. There were five boys that slept in that room since we lived with our cousins. It was impossible to have beds so they had five mattresses on the floor but because we had to vacuum we put three against one wall and parallel to that wall and put the other two under the window.As passed through the rooms I noticed my brother All and cousin Mustang were throwing themselves and Jumping on the mattress from one wall to the other. As I grabbed the vacuum and left my room in the corner of my eye I saw my cousin Mustangs face. His face was red and he look like he was scared. I've never in my life seen a young child scared in that way. I sensed something wrong so, I began to look for All but, there was no sight of him. All I saw was the open window and oddly, the screen was half ripped off. I let go of the vacuum and ran to the window.I barely saw anything, al I saw was his arm, I felt my heart drop. If someone to hit me at that moment there would not have been even a single drop of blood that's how ice cold and shocked I was. As I ran down the stairs I was at a loss for words. Without thinking I swallowed and yelled†All Fell Out The Window Yummy!! â€Å". My sister summer and I said It at the same time because she was down stairs and saw him from the downstairs window. My mother was In the kitchen doing the dishes, when she heard her face changed In color and she fell to the ground In tears not knowing what to do.My Aunt quickly ran stairs to tell my uncle who has just entered the shower after a long hot day at work. Everyone in the house was crying as if he had died. All was in the backyard laying face down on the concrete floor. No one wanted to go outside and see him for the fear of him being dead. I couldn't Just leave him out there so I ran out. I opened the backyard door and went next to him. I began to cry as looked at him laying there. I felt as if the world had ended. I remember telling my self Hess alive. I felt him breathing but he was unconscious.Suddenly he woke up and began to try to get p so I picked him up in my ar ms and opened the door. SSL entered the house his forehead and his nose began to bleed. I went towards the living room and sat on the table with All In my lap and soon he began to cry because he saw everyone crying. My mother was hysterical so I yelled at her, and told her to get a towel and wipe the blood of his face. She did that while my uncle called the ambulance and my father. Hurt? â€Å". All replied in tears and a weak voice â€Å"l don't want shots! I don't want shots! â€Å".Through all that pain his only fear was to get shot. The police arrived and, a few seconds later the ambulance did too. They came in and wrapped All in a bed and took him. My mother went with, I wanted to go with her but the police kept asking me questions. They assumed that this had been purposely done and they wanted to keep us under surveillance. I had to tell the police everything and show them everything till they understood what happened and left. I was alone at home with all the kids, who wer e up stairs hiding in my room and crying from fear that All could have been dead.I went upstairs to comfort them and to tell them that All was â€Å"Okay' ND to Just make dud for him to come home soon. After a long time of waiting impatiently my mom finally called my aunt and told her everything. My aunt looked different and her face became pale but she tried to act normal. When she ended the call I asked her what happened. She told me that All broke his back, neck and, cheek bone and that he might not be ever able to walk again. I began to cry then she asked me not to tell the kids or anyone. She also said that the doctors will be taking one final x-ray to decide the outcome.That night I spent it entirely making dud and exiting everyone I know to make dud and ask others to make dud. That night was extremely long, I couldn't wait till morning to hear what happened. Morning came and no one called. I sat on the couch looking out the window and Just imaging All coming home all better then suddenly the phone rang. My uncle this time answered and he looked amazed for some reason. I waited till he hung up and then looked at him waiting for him to say something. Then he said â€Å"All is fine and is coming home tonight†. I looked at him and said â€Å"How? What do you mean by finer. He replied † Its a miracle ! Interrupting him I said â€Å"what is? â€Å"After the second x ray the doctors found nothing broken but his wrist. No one believed it, they had five doctors come in and check. â€Å". I was amazed † Allah had accepted our duds! † I replied. I felt that the time was going by slowly. They said they'll be here before seven but it was now seven thirty. We waited till eight and then they finally came. When I saw my brother I began to cry my aunt asked me to stop so I went to wash my face and came back down stairs and, spent time with my family. That was my worst day ever. I guess it ended up alright since my brother didn't die.

History of God Essay

1. Why you selected the particular book? The diverse religious activities and the differences in faith and belief have divided men into different denominational groupings. For several centuries, religious groupings have engaged in physical and verbal combat in an attempt to spread its faith. However the most fundamental conflict stems from an opposing belief coupled by a summary of socio-cultural differences. These differences have ushered in conflicts that escalated into atrocities and bloodshed. Other conflicts have made religious differences as the organizing point to justify their own superior ambitions. Armstrong however stressed on a comparative history of the three monotheistic religions and exposed the frailty in each belief. Her insistence on the monopoly of truth committed by Christianity, Islam and Judaism as superior to other sects has developed an idea of a supreme being with human similarities. The idea of a personal supreme being has been supported by these religions which condemns and marginalize others. Suc h idealistic behavior of presenting God as a bigger version of man retreats and spins man away from the virtue that the faith teaches. In our present era, God has been adapted to meet the demands of the fast-changing ideas. Armstrong believes that some religions would eventually die out while others would gain strength or change direction. This has actually seen proof in people changing their religious affiliations. Her book is an interesting read that awakens us to the struggle for a religious meaning to an aggressive and extreme personalized stance that totally erases the ethical proportions that embodies that teaching of God. Further in Armstrong’s book, a well-balanced critical perspective on how the Western faith catered to the rise of atheism is clearly presented. It exposed how atheism evolved not merely on the basis of disproving the religious scriptures but as a result of the theological excesses committed in the past years. 2. What is the author’s purpose in writing the book? In our own century, the idea attached to God has been revised several times to meet the demands of the present population. Armstrong believed that when religious ideas cease to be effective, they fade away (376). After so much tribulations and conflicts, the thought that religious roots may cease to exist provides a comforting scene for Armstrong who has seen a drastic shrinkage of religious denominations as common views changed. The reading public’s response in a book with Armstrong’s magnitude has indicated the public’s hunger a theological change. For her, God has been remade to portray a vision that endorses the history and supremacy of the strong to work for their cause. Religion thereby has a social purpose and the idea of God according to Armstrong serves a function for a culture to survive. People have always resisted any type change unless the proposed change fits in with their social and cultural order and lifestyle. This is what Armstrong has continued to stress in her book. Further this book Armstrong aims to express in her history that traditional society practiced spirituality. Men sought nature and use these forces to work for him. Somehow this was depicted in Genesis that was also suggested by Armstrong that Abraham’s God was El (14). Myths evolved around Abraham’s God that was not supposed to be taken literally according to Armstrong. However when behavior or actions of â€Å"God† enabled people to show their best and perform effectively, the concept became highly accepted. The Koran according to Armstrong also taught that God had created Adam in his own image which is why he ordered the angels to bow down and worship the first man (229). Armstrong’s work however signifies that God is either personal or transcendent. He can â€Å"encourage perpetual immaturity,† or be â€Å"essentially subjective and personal enlightenment† which Armstrong stresses can be a very good thing. She means to relay the message th at a transcendent God, when not planning a revolution, is subject to the manipulations of mankind. He could be a racist or a revolutionary depending on our personal views which has been mirrored after man’s own image to portray a supreme being. For modern religion, she stressed that Christianity is faced with atheism which evolved as a rational choice after the Reformation. She also exposed the limitations that Islam has also struggled in order to reconcile religious views with their economic and political position. Modern Islam seeks to either pattern their behavior from western views which altogether eased their strict sanctions over traditional religious practices like Iran and Turkey. The Jews after seeing the horrors of the century have lost forbearance and instead focused on a political battle over the Israeli state. One thing however continues to become a mundane search for everyone which is to seek the truth throughout the long history of God’s existence. 3. Review of the ideas presented The understanding presented in Armstrong was Christianity, Islam and Judaism’s belief that a one true God and religion would evolve (151). Armstrong presented that any conflict should have been erase as they all share a certain similarity existing along the same line of conflict. Biblical evidence according to Armstrong has suggested that the leader Moses convinced his people El and Yahweh were one and the same (21). For her, the call for a one true God is a call for unity among religion. This unity hopes to recognize the aspiration of others but will seemingly focus on a true worship. Additionally, excessive intellectualism is frowned upon which is damaging to the faith. Armstrong provided that is God is not to become an indulgent endorsement of our own egotism, religious experience must be informed by an accurate assessment of its content (205). She stressed a repeated warning against making God into an endorsement of egotism. The Koran is likewise clear that there is to be no compulsion in religion (155-6). God is love as further endorsed in Armstrong’s work which is positively effective in the history of monotheism which speaks of a God who is on the side of the impotent and the oppressed (20). Further she stressed that God would live in a loving brotherhood, and not in a stone temple (71).   Ã‚  It follows then that each human being is a unique epiphany of the Hidden God, manifesting him in a particular and unrepeatable manner (237). But the human mind has conceived concepts that go beyond reticence requiring considerable skill and mental balance when certain symbols emerged. Armstrong has established the roots of atheism were founded on the discovery of biblical errors. Mark’s gospel, which is the earliest of its kind to dismiss Jesus as a god, presents that Jesus was a perfectly normal man, with a family that included brothers and sisters (80). Although the reliability of Mark’s gospel is in question nevertheless Armstrong also insisted that Paul did not believe that Jesus was God incarnated and perfectly adding that the doctrine of incarnation developed only later (83). Christianity is heavily contradicted with atheism as a rational choice against the stringent doctrines of the Christian religion. 4. Analysis and evaluation of the author’s work History of God is a comparative study of monotheistic religions and their experience of the divine throughout history. Armstrong has capitalized that making God to suit one’s personal needs has been practiced all throughout history. The fame of this book certainly banks on how Armstrong seeks to diminish the faith of those who seek to live in within the doctrines of their faith. God comes out as callous, self-righteous and entirely lacking in the compassion and coherence to be worthy of veneration. The best seller status that Armstrong’s book has gained in England is a clear indication though that the public has a hunger to know the truth which has been hidden or concealed. Her apparent endorsement that persons of the cloth and religion might as well be dead serves to instigate lambaste against a belief that she had abandoned. Her distaste for Christianity is riddled by misleading statements that build up certain theories as an indubitable fact. God in Exodus was presented as an example for the people of Midian whom Moses lived in exile. She refused to present that scholars have discredited this belief and continued to bloat the theory as a fact. Theologians have also debated over the compression of several thousand years of history into over four hundred pages of Armstrong’s book. Everything is fast paced that endorsed the acceptance of non-western culture and frown upon the western culture. 5. Personal reaction and conclusion This book produces disorienting yet eye-catching effects as a reading inspires an uprising in history that proclaims God as a God of revolution. Given this build-up, her discussion over the mystical tradition leaves a void for she has nothing else to say after promoting immanence. While projecting religions, she does emphasize a tolerance for Islam and Judaism while castigating the western tradition of Christianity that she grew up in. These profound averments against â€Å"western† religion has created inattention and laxity on greater issues that passed off unscrutinized leaving the reader in midair like Armstrong’s lack of discussion over Newton’s obsession with the Book of Revelations. In conclusion, Armstrong’s book could have provided a better skill is balance was exercised in handling the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Her condescending tone reflects how she used the deity into a form that best suits her interest. Although she has exposed the struggles of Islam as it tries to suit to western behavior and the Jewish focus on a political status of Israel, the search for the truth prevails. Further she has reflected that a huge amount of strong adherence against excessive intellectualism is damaging to the faith. Her assessment and endorsement of how atheism evolved during the Reformation period is spun over a rational clamor for truth over the long history of God’s existence.

Shipbuilding industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Shipbuilding industry - Essay Example South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is watching China’s growth with lot of concerns. It should be noted that China is using indigenous technology for shipbuilding whereas South Korea is importing such technologies from overseas countries. Moreover, cheap labor is another major asset of China in promoting shipbuilding industry. In any case, South East Asia (Japan, China and South Korea) dominates the present global shipbuilding industry. These three nations accounted for more than 78% of global ship production in 2005. â€Å"In the same year, Korean shipbuilders received 21,960,000 GT, 37% of world shipbuilding orders, while Japanese shipbuilders secured 14,230,000 GT, 24.5% of the world total, and Chinese firms received 9,640,000 GT, 16.6% of the world total†(Shin & Ciccantell, 2009, p.184). These statistics clearly suggest that South Korea is the current leader in global shipbuilding industry even though Japan and China are not far behind. Shipbuilding history i n Korea has started even in the 16 th century. After getting independence in 1948, Korean government established a national company; Korea Shipbuilding and Engineering Corporation (KESC), to promote shipbuilding. Since then Korea witnessed huge growth in shipbuilding industry. ... It should be noted that all the big three are well known companies in the world at present. In the Korean shipbuilding industry, the number of workers has been increasing, which reflects the high performance of the industry. The number of workers in the industry in 1995 was 77,330, and it increased to 97,323 by 2004. Korean shipbuilders enlarged the labor force of unskilled workers of subcontracting companies in order to reduce labor costs. Furthermore, Korean shipbuilders worry about the possibility of a shortage of young technicians, an aging labor force, and the general trend among young people to avoid working in the local areas where most dockyards are located (Shin & Ciccantell, 2009, p.182). Shipbuilding requires huge manpower. The role of machines in manufacturing ships is minimum compared to the role of manpower. As in the case of other industries, shipbuilding industry is also facing strong competition in international market. The emergence of China as the cheapest labor or iented country is causing problems to Korean Shipbuilding industry. The success of Korean shipbuilding industry can be attributed to three factors; First, major shipbuilders started to reduce production at a time when the demand for new ships increases. Second, South Korean government implemented meaningful strategies to exploit the opportunities. Third, South Korea managed to continuously develop and upgrade its production processes, sustaining its initial cost advantages through rationalization and innovation (Bruno & Tenold, N.d., p.21). In short, South Korea’s current leading position in shipbuilding was obtained due to the favorable trends in the market and the visionary policies implemented by the government. One of the major raw materials required for ship manufacturing is steel.

Selected Family Health Promotion Assessment and Initiative Essay

Selected Family Health Promotion Assessment and Initiative - Essay Example Health promotion impacts positively on health literacy centering on health related knowledge, attitudes, motivation, confidence; behavioral intentions; and, personal skills relating to healthy lifestyles. The central purpose of this paper is to examine the concepts of health and learning as outlined by the McGill model of Nursing. In light of family partnership, I visited a family three times in which I adequately familiarized with the family’s health goals and concerns, their present strengths, coping strategies, and resource utilization. Selected Family Health Promotion Assessment and Initiative Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Background and Aims Health promotion refers to the process of enabling individuals to exercise control over their health and its determinants. Health promotion seeks to create an environment that is essential for the making of informed choices. Health promotion approaches include early intervention and prevention such as primary health screening and survei llance; identification of opportunities to facilitate and support healthy lifestyles choices; understanding and application of the determinants of health encompassing aspects such as societal influences on the health of individuals (Allen & Warner, 2002). Effective health promotion requires gathering of enough information regarding the identified health issue. The underpinning issues in health promotion activities include individual beliefs, knowledge and attitudes centering on the health issue (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones, 2003). This factor in inspired by the manner in which an individual thinks, which renders him/her susceptible to developing the health problem. The McGill model of nursing, whose salient features encompass health, family, collaboration, and learning was developed by F. Moyra Allen. The McGill model of nursing can be praised for its fluidity, flexibility, and functionality. The model core focus centers on health promotion, especially within the family. The goal of t he model is to bridge the gap evidenced by the absence of community resources that pursue the healthy development of families across their life span (Allen & Warner, 2002). Some of the assumptions of the model include every family has capabilities or health potential manifested by strengths, motivation, and resources that form the foundation of health promotion behavior, and the outcomes of health promotion hinges on competence in health behavior and enhanced health status. 1.2 Nature of the Home Visits The visit to David’s family was a referral made by a neighbor out of concern that the family was tackling various health issues. Since the visits are conducted at home, I had to decide the times that would be best to reach the target audiences, especially which the family members are likely to pay attention, act on the message, or find the messages more engaging. This situation meant that I must pay close attention to providing explanations for the initial phone call, and avai l an opportunity for the family to accept or reject the visit. Prior to the introductory meeting with the family, I had to prepare adequately beforehand to ensure that the meeting was successful. I made the phone call to the family and requested a home visit and expressed my desire to meet up with the whole family. The family in question was a single family comprising of a father, David, and his two teenage daughters, Natalie and Millie. I came to learn later that