Friday, May 31, 2019

Langston Hughes Essay -- essays research papers

Langston Hughes is a key figure in the vision of the American pipe pipe dream. In his writings his African-American perspective gives an accurate vision of what the American dream means to a less fortunate minority. His poetry is very loud and emotional in conveying his idea of the African-American dream. Most of his poetry all states how the black man is being surpressed or is a wish, a plea for equality. He does not want the black man to be better than everyone else, still just to be treated equal. Able to meet their dream with the same level of success and failure as everyone else. This is most simply stated in Hughes poem I Dream a World. Hughes begins the poem by stating&8220I Dream a World where manNo other man ordain scorn,Where love will bless the earthAnd peace its paths adorn (World Lines 1-4)Here Hughes is stating very generally and unspecific how he wishes for peace and love. Something that everyone would like but will in all probability never come true. This state ment is an excellent attention getter. It tells about a dream that everyone would like without singling out any group of people to blame for the dream not coming true. Then as the poem goes on he gets more and more specific. Hughes then goes on to dream that everyone &8220Will know sainted freedoms way,/Where greed no longer sa...

Thursday, May 30, 2019

The Earth Centered Theme of Shakespeares King Lear Essay -- King Lear

The Earth Centered Theme of Shakespeares King LearKing Lear is a complicated, apocalyptic stage with parallel plots, moralistic ambiguity, and a messy ending. The plays events were politically charged and historically informed when they were performed in seventeenth century England, as they continue to be to today. Whatever his intentions, Shakespeare has given us several universal truths to consider. One I like to consider is how beneath all the sinister and bold machinations of man lies the gentle earth, from which we, and all life, spring. Some critics tone of voice that Shakespeare was skeptical about God and the role of religion in ones life. I believe King Lear is the product of a writer with a solid cosmology, moreover one centered in earth and humanity. I hesitate to label Shakespeare a pagan, or anything other than brilliant. Yet there is evidence enough in the text for me to argue an earth-centric thesis. A close reading reveals those who employ common wording or down-t o-earth speech as embodiments of goodness, whereas characters that insist on the short controlled, artificial utterances of the feudal court are corrupt at best, if not evil. The gods above are shown to be fickle and uncaring, if not bloodthirsty. Shakespeare also weaves in legitimate utopian visions into the fabric of King Lear, earth-based ideals, not only pre-Christian like the plays setting, but pre-historic thus supporting the argument for an earthen cosmology and humanistic political consciousness, freely exhibited and often applied in the work. Unnatural EdmundEdmund rejects the very idea of baseness, or what we might think of as earthiness. He is skillfully used in the play to oppose to all that is common and good. His famous soliloquy in Act 1, Sc... ... manifest values of personal humility, caring, and wise stewardship of the land. Works CitedElliot, Michael. King Lear by William Shakespeare. Princeton Films for the Humanities. 1988. have Laurence Olivier and John Hur t. Oates, Joyce Carol. Is This the Promised End? The Tragedy of King Lear. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. (Fall 1974) URL http//www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/southerr/lear.html. Schneider, Ben Ross, Jr. King Lear in Its Own Time The Difference that end Makes. Early Modern Literary Studies 1.1 (1995) 3.1-49 URL http//www.humanities.ualberta.ca/emls/01-1/schnlear.html. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Edited by David Bevington. new-fashioned York Bantam. 1980. Smiley, Jane. A Thousand Acres. New York Fawcett Columbine. 1991. Toole, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. New York Grove Weidenfeld. 1980.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Mystifying the Senses: Bimodal Speech Perception :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Mystifying the Senses Bimodal Speech Perception My grandmother, like many elderly people, suffers from consultation loss. Recently however, she has begun to lose her sight as well. Curiously enough, though her level of auditory impairment remains the same since macular degeneration has claimed her ability to see, her hearing seems to have deteriorated further. Could this be simply the result of dementia because of the loss of a further sense? This situation led me to wonder about my own hearing ability. I have often experienced hearing difficulty in settings where I cannot see the person who is talking to me-in a movie theater, or over the telephone. The questions raised here call into question the formulaic notion of sensorial processing. Distinctive inputs are received by their respective processing organ and the end result is relayed to the brain. How then can we explain a seeming reliance of two different sensory percepts on each other? Is there more to hearing than our ears? Historically, scientific evidence for the existence of sensory desegregation has long existed, but the first formal theory developed to this effect was stumbled upon by Harry McGurk and John MacDonald of the University of Surrey (1). The scientists were involved in a examine of how infants perceive speech by playing a video of a mother talking in one place and playing the sound of her vowelize in another place. They randomly began to play with the consequences of dubbing an particular audio sound onto the video of the mother saying a different sound (2). They shew that when the auditory syllable, ba-ba was imposed on the optical syllable ga-ga, da-da was heard. The same croakred when the audio and visual syllables were reversed. Also, pa-pa dubbed on ka-ka was heard as ta-ta. When one of the sensory inputs was eliminated by closing the eyes, or plugging the ears, the correct syllable was identified (2). McGurk and McDonald found Contemporary, auditory-based theories of speech perception...inadequate to accommodate these new observations and concluded that there must be some allowance made for the influence of the visual on hearing (2). The conventional theory of the senses is challenged. So, speech perception is bimodal. Of course, as science repeatedly shows, nothing is simple as that. The question remains, how does this integration occur? When does it occur? What neurological systems are involved? It has become generally accepted that audio and visual inputs are received by independent organs (the ears and eyes) and that integration occurs sometime after these two systems have processed the input.

Commerce and the Internet :: Internet E-Commerce Business Essays

Commerce and the InternetIntroduction The company I work with wants to get on the web. Few of the staff are experienced computer users, unless they know how to make the machines spit out invoices, purchase orders, reports, letters and pretty packaging designs. They know that everyone is on the web nowadays, they want to do it, but theyre tardy in undertaking the project, and the subject has ignited a series of internal power struggles among the staff. This paper is a broad exploration of communication issues related to a venial businesss desire to utilize the internet . As a speech communications major, I am interested in studying all facets of communication. What I hand over learned in four short weeks is that the subject of commerce on the internet is complex and widely misunderstood -- even feared -- by many members of our community. doubting Thomas Sebeok, in his paper Communication states that because the concept of communication is so central to our contemporary ci vilization, and because of the intensive social shaping of technology by governments and commercial interests, our get along with has increasingly come to be characterized as the information society. (11). I posit that this intensive social shaping of technology, and the multiplicity of information communicated therein, is straining our human force to accurately decode messages due to entropy (the measure of disorder in the system) created by a blind rush for profits. Yet, if the power of money does not lie in the coin, nor that of justice in the buildings that house our courts or the people that operate the system, (Plotkin) where do they lie? This presentation will tell my story, humbly state an opinion, and possibly suffer further questions for readers. Fear and Loathing in Canoga Park My employers company has experienced meteoric growth over the past year. In the scramble to keep up with the demands of a burgeoning business, I was employed as an administrative assistant an d given the task of researching for, designing and purchasing a sophisticated infranet and automated voice accouterments system for the workers to use. The telephones and computers had to be compatible, to accommodate a planned telemarketing department. The system was designed with security in mind -- a simple DOS based write up package was provided via diskless workstations to the sales staff, while the administrative staff received WIN 95 executive workstations, but could drop into the DOS loop when necessary.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Impact of Social Networking Sites on First Year Multimedia Arts Program

IntroductionToday, young people around the world have been using brotherly networking sites with their own different figures. The main purpose of social networking sites is communication. It is likely believed that social networking sites have greatly improved communication especially for people who have their loved ones abroad. Some people spend to the highest degree of their time on social networking sites, specifically Facebook and Twitter. Studies show that most young people or teenagers are addicted to these social networking sites. Needless to say, it is not wholesome to spend most of our time on social networking sites, especially for teenagers who are supposedly using their time to study. As Coyne (2010) mentions in his research paper Its hard for most college students to remember a time before social networks. Half of Facebooks 500 million users will log-in on any(prenominal) given day. On the same day 65 million tweets are sent. The last 10 years have witnessed major a dvancements in global communication. It appears legend has become a reality.Social networking sites can also affect social behavior. It can either improve or hinder an man-to-mans social behavior. In the Philippines, where most teenagers use social networking sites, such as Facebook covered 12 percent of all active users according to statistics. Most of these teenagers are capable on social networking sites in engaging any kind of relationship with someone. It is often that an individual would be socially awkward in public if he/she is dependent on social networking sites and reluctant to personal interaction. Regardless of being so dependent on social networking sites, this may also improve an individuals relationship with one another. As said by Boyd (2007), internet... ...ocial Network Sites Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal ofComputer-Mediated Communication. 13(1)Coyne, E. (2010). http//ecoyne.blogspot.com/Haythornthwaite, C. (1996). Social network analysis An ap proach and technique for the study of training exchange. Library and Information Science Research, 18, 323-342.Kuppuswamy and Shankar. (2012).http//www.infotoday.com/searcher/jul07/reid_grey.shtml Ruffes, V. (2010). http//jhands.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/social-networking-research-paper/Sundn, (2003). Social Network Sites Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal ofComputer-Mediated Communication. 13(1)Trusov, M., Bucklin, R.E., Pauwels, K. (2009). http//www.emeraldinsight.com/bibliographic_databases.htm?id=1819982Wiley and Sisson (2006).http//scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1279&context=gradco nf_hospitality

Impact of Social Networking Sites on First Year Multimedia Arts Program

IntroductionToday, young people around the world have been using affable networking sites with their own different purposes. The main purpose of social networking sites is communication. It is likely believed that social networking sites have greatly improved communication especially for people who have their loved ones abroad. Some people cash in ones chips most of their measure on social networking sites, specifically Facebook and Twitter. Studies show that most young people or teenagers are addicted to these social networking sites. Needless to say, it is not healthy to spend most of our time on social networking sites, especially for teenagers who are supposedly using their time to study. As Coyne (2010) mentions in his research paper Its problematical for most college students to remember a time before social networks. Half of Facebooks 500 million users will log-in on any precondition day. On the same day 65 million tweets are sent. The last 10 years have witnessed major a dvancements in global communication. It appears fiction has function a reality.Social networking sites can also affect social behavior. It can either improve or hinder an individuals social behavior. In the Philippines, where most teenagers use social networking sites, such as Facebook covered 12 percent of all active users according to statistics. Most of these teenagers are strung-out on social networking sites in engaging any kind of relationship with someone. It is often that an individual would be socially awkward in public if he/she is dependent on social networking sites and reluctant to personal interaction. Regardless of being so dependent on social networking sites, this may also improve an individuals relationship with one another. As said by Boyd (2007), internet... ...ocial Network Sites Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal ofComputer-Mediated Communication. 13(1)Coyne, E. (2010). http//ecoyne.blogspot.com/Haythornthwaite, C. (1996). Social network analysis A n approach and technique for the study of information exchange. subroutine library and Information Science Research, 18, 323-342.Kuppuswamy and Shankar. (2012).http//www.infotoday.com/searcher/jul07/reid_grey.shtml Ruffes, V. (2010). http//jhands.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/social-networking-research-paper/Sundn, (2003). Social Network Sites Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal ofComputer-Mediated Communication. 13(1)Trusov, M., Bucklin, R.E., Pauwels, K. (2009). http//www.emeraldinsight.com/bibliographic_databases.htm?id=1819982Wiley and Sisson (2006).http//scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1279&context=gradco nf_hospitality

Monday, May 27, 2019

My School Essay

Today if there is any institution which exerts the greatest influence on us after the family, it is the shoal. The years that we conk in school be not merely time spent in nurture and filling our minds with knowledge, but in any case time spent in moulding our character, acquiring various attitudes and imbibing basic principles of life. The basic traits of our personality are formed during our school days.The name of my school is Don Bosco Secondary School. It is primed(p) in a town called Tura, W.Garo hills, Meghalaya. It is considered to be one of the finest schools in the state, highly acclaimed for its excellent HSLC results. The school building is an impressive structure. It consists of four floors and has about 25 classrooms. Classrooms are spacious and airy.see morespeech on my schoolTwo staircases at both ends lead to the floors. The school has a well equipped library, a well- established science laboratory and an excellent computer room, all of which are situated on t he third floor. The schools auditorium situated on the top-most floor is said to be the finest hall in the region. The Principals office, clerks room and the Staff Room are on the ground floor, close to the entrance.The school mobile canteen is another important part of the school complex. It is situated on a separate wing close to the ground floor. Two cemented basket cluster courts stand in front of the Principals office, while the schools football field lies at the far end of the compound. A small garden full(a) of flower plants surrounds the school building adding to the charm and beauty of the entire complex.My school has everyplace 1500 children studying from nursery to class X and a staff of over 45. Our headmaster is an experienced and a very efficient person, who has been at his job for the last 15 years and more. Under his able direction, the school has been obtaining cent portion HSLC results over the last 10 years.The teachers are well experienced and well versed in t heir subjects. My school has also made a name for itself in the field of cultural pursuits and sports activities.The school band is considered to be one of the best bands in the whole region. The principal celebrations in my school are School annual Sports Day, Parents Day, Teachers Day, Childrens Day, Anniversary Day, Founders Day, etc., which are celebrated in a grand manner.Co-curricular activities, such as, scouting, N.C.C., Eco- Club, School band, etc. grow contributed in making my school an excellent educational institution of the region.What I like most in my school, is the discipline that exists there. The headmaster as well as the teachers are disciplined and men and women of character. They do not allow any untruly behaviour or any undisciplined activities by schoolchilds.A deal of emphasis is given to character formation, moral education and acquiring good values of life. Although the school ambient is rather strict and time-table based, yet there is weed of fun and joy in the school. Matches, tournaments, cultural shows, competitions, outings, etc. make my school life lively, interesting and enjoyable.I am proud to be a student of Don Bosco Secondary School, Tura. As I glance back at the bygone school years, my heart swells up with gratitude and thanks giving for the twelve howling(prenominal) years that I spent in the school. My school has profoundly shaped and moulded me more than any other factors in my life. School is a temple of learning and a training ground for future citizens. The name of my school is JB High School. It was set up in 1943 by a commonwealth-lord in our area. He donated land and money for the school.The atmosphere in which our school is situated is very pleasant. It is surrounded by a melt ground on one side and a garden with a small pond on the other. The school has two rows of big buildings. The name of the school is written on the front building. There are ten class rooms in the front building.Other ten rooms i n the back building are used for different purposes such as the Head Masters Office, Library, the Clerks Office, the Science Laboratory, the Teachers Common-room, the N.C.C. and Scout Room, etc. There is also a hostel in our school campus.There are twenty teachers, a PET, a librarian, a clerk and two peons in our school. All the teachers are qualified and experienced. The Head Master is a learned man. He teaches Science and Geography. He also teaches English.The total number of students of our school is about five hundred. We go to school in uniform. The uniform for boys consists of sombre half-pant and white half shirt. For girls it consists of blue skirt and white blouse. The school functions from 10.30 A.M. to 4 P.M. classes begin after a mass prayer. During the recess hour we go to play ground. Some students also go to library and read newspaper there. In games point we play football, volley ball, etc. Girl students play ring ball too.The library of our school is a big one. Th ere are about two thousand books on different subjects we have a library period in our weekly routine. We borrow books from our library and refund them after a week.We observe the Republic Day, the Independence Day, the Teachers Day in our school. We also celebrate the Ganesh Puja and the Saraswati Puja in our school. We also hold debate competitions and games and sports every year. The school magazine named the Shree is published every year.In annual examinations the students from our school show fantabulous performance. Many students from this school have occupied glorious position in our state. The District Science Exhibition is also held in our school. Two years agone a classical teacher from our school won the Governors Award. The discipline, the study atmosphere and the brilliant academic result of our school attract some(prenominal) meritorious students from distant parts of our state. It is an ideal school in all respects.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Management and Eastern Hemisphere

1. Since arriving in Singapore, Lancaster has formulated several opinions nearly the health of the east cerebral hemisphere organization. What are the concerns both now and for the future? ? Lancasters concerns now are as below He found that there was a major difference in the management style of people here. Some had styles that emphasized employee empowerment. Others were of the old authoritarian school. the managers here didnt seem to be growing or development there were near problems with the existing management assessment and development brass and it needed to be changed.Managers still were using a MBO-type system that had been replaced in the U. S. some time ago. Lancaster believed strongly in automatic data processing and had seen it change the management and culture of Black & Decker in the U. S. He also knew that 360? Feedback mogul not be universally embraced because of cultural differences. Now, Lancaster has been faced a awkward decision as to whether he should ac cept a new performance appraisal and management development system presented to him by Anita Lim, manager of Human Resources, or introduce a U.S. -designed Appraisal Development Plan ( adenosine diphosphate) throughout the Eastern hemisphere. For the future, Lancaster wanted to change culture and much than effectively develop the people, charm he thought expression managers here had been difficult, for there was a limited supply of truly talented managers available, Lancaster worried about the lack of management strength in his organization. The brutal competition the company was facing throughout the region made him particular sensitive to the need for more and better managers.With Lims new hybrid plan, Lancaster began to have concerns about moving forward. On the one hand, he was convinced that ADP could impart significant benefits in terms of management training and development. On the other hand, he knew he would need the human resource staffs full support if ADP were ever to be successfully implemented. 2. What problems does Lancaster want ADP to address? ? ADP was first introduced in the U. S. in 1992 as a replacement for the companys Management by Objective (MBO) plan.Under the previous MBO program, superiors would meet individually with each subordinate to discuss the subordinates performance and jointly establish surpass and comprehensive objectives for the subordinate for the coming year. MBO systems were widely used by Western business during the 1980s, yet, despite their widespread use, not everyone was happy with the results. It didnt seek insert from others in the organization the boss had to give performance reviews with MBO systems, but in many cases, they wouldnt have a lot to say.Under the MBO systems, it can be difficult to make the system objective. Lancaster wants ADP to address TWO major problems One problem is the disparity in the management style of people in the Eastern hemisphere organization, as some had styles that emphasize d employee empowerment, others were of the old authoritarian school the other problem is the lack of growth and development in the organization. 3. What concerns do Asian managers have about ADP?How substantive are these concerns? ? The Asian managers have the concerns about ADP as below Firstly, Asian people might not provideing to splay up the way Americans do, for they are likely to say something polite but wont be critical if they are asked to provide with candid feedback on their boss Secondly, Asians might not believe in the confidentiality of the ADP system. No matter what a boss says about feedback being anonymous, Asians wont believe him/her.Somehow he or she will find out who said what about whom and there will be negative consequences for that person Thirdly, a change from MBO to ADP might be too radical. Asians will not support radical change of this nature. Fourthly, the staff. The staff is not going to change because of ADP if their boss has been afraid to tell th em something negative for five years besides, the staff cannot understand English, while the ADP is written in English, so the language will become a problem. The substantive concerns come from the culture differences.As in Asian culture, people dont tend to open up. Growing people and building people are essential, but the Asians will never say that their careers ambition is to have their bosss job. As a result, while ADP is designed to build commitment and develop managers, it may backfire whats more, people may quite if they are pressed to open up in ways that make them uncomfortable. 4. What action should Lancaster take wait go ahead with hybrid or full speed ahead with the US translation of ADP? ? Considering the culture differences, in my opinion, Lancaster should go ahead with hybrid. First of ll, the existing MBO-type system has its problems indeed in management and development in Eastern Hemisphere organization, which need to be changed for a high performance, while the As ians might not be adapt to the ADP version because they dont tend to open up. By moving forward more slowly, ADP could evolve over time. The reasons about that from two sides, one side is that ADP could provide significant benefits in terms of management training and development. On the other hand, it would need the human resource staffs full support if ADP were ever to be successfully implemented.Interactive change was always less threatening, particularly when the perceived change agent was viewed by so many as an outsider. As he reflected on the input he had received, he had a growing realization that the Eastern Hemisphere was not one culture but many cultures. With the hybrid, a clxxx? plan, they could do the management training and develop the company without radical change as well, along with the new management assessment and development system, the staff might accept the change as well as a new culture gradually, and finally they could make the ADP applied to the Eastern He misphere.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Accounting: Prudence Concept Essay

Prudence concept revenue and profits are include in the balance sheet only when they are realized(or there is reasonable certainty of realizing them) entirelyliabilities are included when there is a reasonable possibility of incur them. Also called conservation concept. Du Pont analysisA type of analysis that examines a go withs Return on Equity (ROE) by breaking it into trine main componentsprofit margin, asset turn everywhere and leverage factor. By breaking the ROE into distinct parts, investors can examine how effectively a company is victimisation equity, since poorly performing components will drag down the overall figure. To calculate a firms ROE through Du Pont analysis, multiply theprofit margin (net income divide by sales), asset turnover(sales divided by assets) and leverage factor (total assetsdivided by shareholders equity) together. The eminenter theresult, the higher the return on equity. Return on EquityROE. A measure of how well a company used reinvestedearnin gs to generate additional earnings, equal to a fiscal courses after-tax income (after preferred stock dividends but before common stock dividends) divided by book value, expressed as a percentage. It is used as a general indication of the companys efficiency in other words, how much profitit is able to generate given the resources provided by itsstockholders. investors usually look for companies withreturns on equity that are high and growing. Net Working CapitalNet Working Capital, is defined as Current Assets minus Current Liabilities. Current assets include stocks, debtors, cash & equivalents and other menstruation assets. Current liabilities include all the short-term borrowings. The formula is the following and the figures are expressed in millions operation personifyinghybrid of job-order and process cost systems. Companies that industriousness goods that undergo some similar and some dissimilar processes use this system. Operation costing accumulates total conversion costs and determines a unit conversion cost for each operation. However, direct material costs are charged specifically to products as in job-order systems.Amortization1. The paying off of debt in regular installments over a period of time.2. The deduction of capital expenses over a specific period of time (usually over the assets life). More specifically, this method measures the usance of the value of intangible assets, such as a patent or a copyright. Preliminary expensesThese are incurred for the internalisation of a company. They may be paying by the promoters before the company is incorporated or by the company after it is incorporated. And they include the following a) professional charges paid for drafting of memorandum of familiarity and articles of association b) professional charges for consultation in incorporating the company c) cost of printing of the initial copies of MoA and AoA d) stamp duty for the documents e) registration fee paid to the Registrar of Companies (RoC ) for incorporation f) bank charges incurred on the above and g) incidental expenses such as stationary, conveyance, and so on. capital gainThe amount by which an assets selling charge exceeds its initial purchase price. A realized capital gain is an investment that has been sold at a profit. An unrealized capital gain is an investment that hasnt been sold yet but would result in a profit if sold. Capital gain is often used to mean realized capital gain. For near investments sold at a profit, including mutual funds, bonds, options, collectibles, homes, and businesses, the IRS is owed money called capital gains tax. opposite of capital loss. Leverage1. The use of various financial instruments or borrowed capital, such as margin, to increase the potential return of an investment.2. The amount of debt used to finance a firms assets. A firm with significantly more debt than equity is considered to be highly leveraged.Leverage is most commonly used in real estate transactions through t he use of mortgages to purchase a home. Job be Job Costing involves preparation to calculate the costs involved of a business manufacturing goods. These costs are recorded in ledger accounts throughout the year and are then shown in the final trial balance before the preparing of the manufacturing statement account statement concept and conventionsIn drawing up accounting statements, whether they are external financial accounts or internally-focused management accounts, a clear objective has to be that the accounts fairly reflect the true substance of the business and the results of its operation. The theory of accounting has, therefore, developed the concept of a true and fair view. The true and fair view is applied in ensuring and assessing whether accounts do indeed portray accurately the business activities. To support the application of the true and fair view, accounting has adopted certain concepts and conventions which help to ensure that accounting information is presented accurately and consistently.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Indian Cuisine

Indian Cuisine Think of India and one of the root things that come to mind is its diversity. A large populous country divided into legion(predicate) states severally with its own unique traditions and gastronomic f ar. Indian cooking is one of the about popular cuisines across the globe. Not only is it popular among the large Indian diaspora yet also among the mainstream population of North America and Europe. For the uninitiated, Indian fare may seem foreign, scary, spicy and non for the faint of heart. This paper aims to explore many of the facets that fill up Indian cuisine and hopefully allay any misconceptions or fears that may exist.The chapters are categorized under the following sections 1. The Evolution of Indian provision 2. Geographical Variation 3. Dietary Customs in India 4. The Story of Spices 5. Curry What is it? 6. Indian Dining Etiquette The Evolution Of Indian Cooking Indian cuisine derives from a 4000 year timeline. It has significantly evolved as a resul t of the various influences introduced into the country by many travelers and ob sufficers. Despite this evolution, it has not lost its original identity, but sort of became richer with the assimilation of theses varied influences.The following historical timeline (Bhattacharya, n. d. ) of how Indian gastronomy evolved will help shape our understanding and appreciation of this cooking style. 2000 BC and earlier. Most great deal intend that the origins of Indian history, and therefore the cuisine, dates back to Mohenjedaro and Harrapan civilizations. It is understood that the Ayurvedic tradition of cooking, which is a complete holistic approach to cooking, evolved at this point in time. In Vedic times, a normal provender consisted of fruit, vege remands, meat, grain, dairy products and honey.Over time, some segments of the population embraced vegetarianism due to the ancient Hindu philosophy of ahimsa. 1000 BC. At this point we see the first influx of outsiders into the country. The Mohenjodaro people are believed to have been pushed to southern India and the cuisine there is unflurried largely vegetarian. The roots of Hinduism are shaped at this point along with the Vedas and the Mahabharata. The caste system is developed dividing eating habits broadly by caste. For example the Brahmins were to the highest degreely vegetarians while the Kshatriyas were meat eaters. 400 BCThis period saw the study of Buddhism outside India which resulted in the migration of people as well as their food and dietary requirements. 1200 AD This period saw several normality Indian dynasties rule and became known as the Golden Age of Indian Art. There were several travelers who visited India and were responsible for the introduction of tea. However, from a culinary perspective there are still no significant external influences brought into the country. 1200-1800AD During the reign of the Moghuls we see the emergence of Moglai cuisine. Its this type of cooking that people now associate with India.The cooking style is characterized by the addition of several seasonings like saffron and nuts. The influx of European influences into parts of southern India, such as Kerala, resulted in the beginning of the Syrian Christian cuisine. 1800 1947 AD The age of British colonial rule saw the start of the English love affair with Indian food. It was hardly a glorified period in Indian history, but the British loved the elaborate way of eating and adapted several of the food choices to their taste. They developed the neaten as a unbiased spice to help them cook Indian meals.Geographical Variation The cuisines of India are as richly diverse and varied as its glossiness, ethnic makeup and geography. agree to Sarakar (n. d. ), the common characteristic of all Indian cooking is the tremendous use and uniteing of a variety of wonderfully exotic spices. As a grease that has experienced extensive immigration and intermingling over the centuries, Indias cuisine has be nefited from numerous food influences. The diverse climate which ranges from tropical to alpine has also helped broaden the set of ingredients lendable for cooking.Northern India North Indian cuisine is distinguished by a proportionally high use of dairy products. The tawa, or griddle, is used extensively for cook flat breads like roti and paratha. A tandoor oven is also frequently used to cook main courses like chicken. Goat and lamb are favored ingredients of many Yankee Indian recipes. The samosa, a common appetizer on all Indian restaurant menus, has its roots in northern India. The staple food of most of north Indians are a variety of lentils, vegetables, and roti.Common north Indian foods such as kebabs and meat dishes originated with the Muslim incursions into the country. The influence of Europeans is also apparent with the creation of sore dishes like chicken tikka masala which is actually a British invention during colonial times. Eastern India In the eastern part of I ndia there is a large oriental influence resulting from an influx of movement from Tibet and Nepal. All of these influences helped form the dietary customs in eastern India. Popular food is this region is a unique blend of vegetarian meals prepared in the traditional Chinese cooking style.Rice and fish are the staple foods because most of the towns and fishing villages are located on the coast. Confederate India Southern Indian cuisine is distinguished by a greater emphasis on rice and the liberal use of coconut, coconut oil and curry leaves. Before Christianity came to India in the early 52 AD, Kerala was strictly vegetarian as regulated by Hinduism. However, after the visit of St. Thomas, Christianity quickly spread throughout Kerala and thus the diet evolved to also include meat. Western India The geography of the landscape and the culture of the people definitely influenced the regions cuisine.Rajasthan and Gujarat have hot, dry climates so the relatively little varieties of vegetables available are preserved as pickles and chutneys. Culturally these states are largely Hindu and vegetarian. Peanuts and coconut are prominent ingredients as they are freely available. Goa, with its debauched green coastline, has an abundance of fresh fish and seafood. Local dishes like Vindaloo are testament to the fact that Goa was a Portuguese colony until the 1960s. This region probably has the most diverse styles of food in India.Food from the Rajasthan area is spicy and largely vegetarian but includes many meat dishes. Gujarats cuisine is know for its slightly lovable taste (at least a pinch of sugar is added to most dishes) and is traditionally built-inly vegetarian. Dietary customs in India As you would expect from a country as large and diverse as India, there are a variety of different dietary customs. Religion is a significant contributing work out to the diets of Indians. Hinduism is the dominant religion in India making up about 80% of the population while Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists make up a sizeable minority.Some religions jaw dietary restrictions which prohibit the eating of skreak or pork. The most usually served dishes at Indian dinner parties and public functions tend to comprise of chicken, lamb or fish as this avoids any potential difficulties with restricted diets for meat eaters. Here is a general guide to the dietary customs of the three major phantasmal groups in India Hindus Most Hindus follow a balanced vegetarian diet. Some do eat meat occasionally but Hindus do not eat beef out of reverence for the cow as a sacred animal.Strict Hindus will also avoid garlic, onions and mushrooms. Mushrooms are thought to promote ignorance, whilst garlic and onions are thought to invoke passion. Muslims Muslims cannot eat pork, lard or any other porcine derivatives. Islam prohibits eating meat that is not slaughtered in the correct Islamic way. Muslims itemise the name of God before and after eating, eat with the righ t hand and find it desirable to always eat in the company of others. Sikhs Sikhs do not believe in ritual killing and are instructed to avoid meat slaughtered in this way.Although in many aspects Sikhism is less prescriptive than some other religions, most Sikhs do not eat beef or pork. Many Sikhs are vegetarian and in observance of such a variety of dietary habits, all food served in Sikh places of worship is vegetarian. Sikhism is probably the only major organized religion which does not encourage fasting as it is viewed as having no phantasmal benefit. The Story Of Spices Spices are the jewels of Indian cooking. Their lookings are meant to be savored and should not be overpowered by the burning sensation resulting from the liberal use of hot chilies.Parbhoo (1985) suggests that authentic Indian food should generally not be too hot and recommends that spices be used lavishly in the same way cheese or drink is used in French cuisine. Chilies in themselves have very little flavor but contribute to the dish by providing a sensation of awake which can be regulated to the cooks preference. Spices have three traditional functions medicinal, preservative and seasoning. Early Indian literature written in Sanskrit and date back 3000 years to the Vedic period emphasizes the importance of spices for preserving food.The Ayurveda, an ancient Hindu treatise on medicine, places special emphasis on the medicinal properties of spices. A few of examples of commonly used spices and their additional medicinal benefits are listed below Name Uses in cooking Medicinal Benefit Chilies Prime ingredient of masalas and provides the heat and Used to lay waste to poison and relieve hypothermia in cases of cholera. flavor. Cinnamon Used for aroma in meat, rice and pickles. Ground cinnamon Has anti-inflammatory that can lessen joint and go across pain. used in sweet dishes. Anis Seed Used in savory dishes to provide flavor. Used to aid digestion and act as a breath freshene r. fenugreek Seeds Provides a bitter flavor in savory dishes. Provides relief from coughs, asthma and rheumatism. Cloves Used for aromatic qualities in meat and rice dishes. Also Used as a local anesthetic. an essential ingredient in masalas. Curry What is it? Curry is a generic description used throughout European and American culture to describe a general variety of spiced dishes. The word curry is an anglicized version of the Tamil word kari. Several articles (Sarkar, n. d. Smith, 1998) suggest it is usually understood to mean gold rush or sauce, rather than spices.Currys popularity in recent decades has spread outward from the Indian subcontinent to figure prominently in international cuisine. While many people gestate that curry is a particular spice, it is actually a intermixture of spices commonly referred to as curry powder. This powder is versatile in both taste and flavor and varies widely depending on the region it comes from. Most people associate curry with a b right yellow color. This color is caused by the spice turmeric that is a common ingredient. However, not all curry powder mixtures contain turmeric and, in fact, curry powders can be as individual as the soulfulness making them.Some spices you might find in this mixture include chilies, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, cloves, coriander, mace, fenugreek, sesame seeds, red pepper, black pepper, poppy seeds, tamarind and saffron. Oftentimes the curry powder mixture recipe is passed down from one generation to the next and is a safely guarded secret. Indian Dining Etiquette Though Indian cooking uses an extensive cast of specialized utensils for various purposes, Indians traditionally do not use much cutlery for eating as many foods are best enjoyed when eating with the hand.It is a technique that is exculpated and easy when done correctly. Cook (2008) suggests the reason for using the hands is that it adds an additional element of enjoyment to the taste because it helps with blen ding the food. In many parts of India, when eating curry, the gravy must not be allowed to stain your finger only the fingertips. The left hand is not used and kept clean to facilitate the passing of dishes along the table. These variations are further compounded and increased by the diversity of the population India, leading to regional differences in the way people dine.In Janjiras (2009) article on Indian Dining Etiquette, he explains that in North India it is common to be seated at a dine table to eat. While in south India, especially is Kerala, it is as common to see people sitting down and eating on banana leaves. The entire meal will be placed and served on banana leaves and eaten with the hand. The concept of courses at mealtime does not exist in India. Most Indian homes will serve the food all at once and then keep filling the dishes as dinner progresses. Everything cooked will be made available on the table with the exception of the afters which will follow once most gues ts are done eating.While general etiquette rules might suggest that everything should be tried, it is more in theory than in practice and it is perfectly fine to skip something which might not suit your taste. Desserts on the other hand more often than not require the use of utensils. Unlike the western world where dessert may also be followed by coffee or liquor the serving of the dessert would often indicate that dinner is almost over. Conclusion As evident in the above chapters, Indian cuisine has a long history of macrocosm influenced by the unique needs and tastes of its indigenous people, invaders and explorers.The food, cooking techniques and ingredients have evolved based on peoples religious needs or influenced by the availability of ingredients across Indias vast and varied landscape. But even after all this Indian cuisine manages to retain its unique heritage and identity in a orbicular gastronomic landscape that tends to be fickled and faddish. Indian food is enjoyed b y commoners and royalty alike and it is hoped that this paper will enlighten the reader and allay any fears or misconceptions that may have previously prevented the sampling of Indian cooking.References Bhattacharya , R (n. d) History of Indian Cooking A Historical Perspective on Indian Cooking. Retrieved November 25, 2009, from http//www. inmamaskitchen. com/Indian_Cooking/history_Indian_food_cooking. hypertext mark-up language Cook, S (2008). Indian Eating Etiquette. Retrieved September 28, 2009 from http//www. india-travel-suite101. com/article. cfm/eating_in_indian_style Curry. Retrieved October 15, 2009 from http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/curry Indian Cuisine Origins and Indian Culinary History. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http//www. ndianfoodsco. com/Classes/CulinayHistory. htm Indian Cuisine. Retrieved October 25, 2009, from http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Indian_cuisine Janjira, M (2009). Indian Dining Etiquette. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from http//www. indianmusing s. wordpress. com/2009/02/020indian-dining-etiquette Leong, K (n. d). The Health Benefits of Indian Food. Retrieved October 15, 2009 from http//www. associatedcontent. com/pop_print. shtml? content_type=article&content_typeid=1829365 Parbhoo, R. (1985). Indian Coookery for South Africa.Cape Town, South Africa Printpak Books. Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) (September 30th 2008). APA Formatting and Style Guide. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from http//owl. english. purdue. edu/owl/resource/560/01/ Sarkar, P (n. d). The Cuisine Of East India An Introduction to Eastern Indian Food. Retrieved September 29, 2009 from http//indianfood. about. com/old/thebasics/p/eastindia. htm Smith, D (1998). Definition and History of Curry. Retrieved September 24, 2009 from http//www. curryhouse. co. uk/faq/define. htm

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Humanities of Hamlet Essay

The liberal arts, like most academic disciplines, face questions of popular and public perception. The recognitions, for instance, increasingly attract challenges, sometimes of dubious validity, from passionate advocates of so-called deep ecology outside the academy, and from postmodern wisdom studies within it. Educationists worldwide face growing discontent with the quality and eccentric of public education. Anthropologists fend off endemic charges of political incorrectness while struggling with the possible demise of their discipline.The fine arts dedicate become accustom to occasional ugly public confrontations and persistent bland dismissal by majority opinion. The arts, it seems, ar non al champion in feeling the need to enlighten their relations with the public. Some of the needed elucidation is trivial, save now deserving of wide public dissemination, debate and consideration for instance, the vocational ploughshare of the humanities is often misunderstood. othe r matters are more than fundamental. They confound to do with understanding the value of the humanities in relation to the cultural formation of human beings.In second Africa the humanities stand in particular need of winning broader public acceptance and support because they are repositioning themselves in what is in signifi corporationt respects a advanced country. Internal scrutiny and revision need to be accompanied by renewal of public understanding, both with regard to say-so recruits to the disciplines (students and their parents, for instance) and in term of the value placed on the humanities by employers and decision- swordrs in society. Vocationalism Let us begin with the trivial. It is often said that the university is the natural home of those who want answers to the humongous questions.Well, here are some big questions The science graduate asks, Why does it work? The graduate in accounting asks, How ofttimes entrust it cost? The worry graduate asks, When s et up you score it ready? The humanities graduate asks, And will it be French fries or a jacket potato? The apocryphal charge here is that the humanities are all very well, but they dont put supper on the table. They dont lead to fulfill and lucrative careers.This is a very common public perception, especially in South Africa where the newly enfranchised middle classes are keen toconsolidate their monetary position, while those who anticipate the pressure of redress and affirmative action policies fate blue-chip international career qualifications to protect them from policy-weighted competition. How valid is the perception? Confronting the issue in their own particular con school text edition edition, the Social Sciences and humansities Research Council of Canada set out to demonstrate to society at large, and those who carry weight in the central economic system in particular, that the humanities are in fact a right(a) social enthronisation.The Council commissioned a w ell-respected economist from the University of British Columbia, Robert Allen, to battlefield the impact of investment in the Social Sciences and Humanities on the countrys economic viability in the global arena. He produced two reports (Allen 1998, 1999), and some of his key findings were as follows Graduates in humanities and social sciences readily find jobs and generally earn high incomes (according to data obtained from Statistics Canada)The unemployment rate among university graduates in humanities and social sciences aged 25-29 is crucially visit (5.8%) than the unemployment rate among graduates of technical, vocational or career programs (findings based on 1991 census data) Most graduates in humanities and social sciences are employed in a professional or managerial depicted object (50-80%).That is compared to 60% of counterparts with university degrees in commerce and 23-35% of someones with technical or vocational diplomas Cost-bene pair analysis shows the rate of ret urn to society as follows Education (10%) Social sciences (9%) Engineering (7. 9%) Humanities (7. 8%) Maths and the physical sciences (7.4%)All university programs analysed in the report in terms of their costs and benefits succumb a social rate of return that exceeds the real interest rate in Canada today. These economic analyses were accompanied by other measures. For instance, in support of the findings, a meeting of 15 chancellors of universities in the province of Ontario issued a articulatement on the value of the Liberal Arts The liberal arts and sciences must continue to be a seminal part of Ontarios higher(prenominal) education. This is a practical idea as well as a philosophic one.A subjugate of recent studies have clearly underlined that a well-rounded, general education learning to think, to write and to express ones ideas clearly is as valuable to future employability as technical or expert training. (http//www. trainyourbrain. ca/english/supporters/chancellors . html) Perhaps carrying more weight in relevant quarters than the views of the chancellors (which might, of course, be interpreted by sceptics as alone selfserving conservatism), was an associated statement put out by 30 CEOs of leading Canadian Hi-tech companies in which they affirmed, We stand with the chancellors of Ontarios universities.Their document urges Yes, this country needs more technology graduates, as they fuel the digital economy. But it is impossible to operate an effective corporation in our new economy by employing technology graduates alone. We have an equally strong need for those with a broader oscilloscope who can work in tandem with technical specialists, fortune create and manage the corporate environment. A liberal arts and science education nurtures skills and talents increasingly valued by modern corporations.Our companies function in a state of constant flux. To prosper we need creative thinkers at all levels of the enterprise who are comfortable dealin g with decisions in the bigger context. They must be able to communicate to reason, create, write and peak for shared purposes For hiring, training, managing, marketing, and policy-making. In short, they provide leadership. (http//www. trainyourbrain. ca/english/tools/ceo. html) Clearly, these CEOs are no apologists for irrelevancy, fuddyduddy-ism or aristocratic, leisure-class values.They are arguing in the best interests of their companies, as part of a concerted campaign to counter popular misperceptions concerning the value of the humanities to the Canadian economy. What nigh South Africa? This is no interrogative sentence heartening for advocates of the humanities but that was Canada, this is South Africa. In the years immediately following our transition to democracy, Canada was ranked first in the United Nations Global Human Development Ratings South Africa stood at ninety-third (Africa Institute 1996 24). 1 Might there be grounds for comparison?Would similar findings eme rge here? The late Jacob Bronowski, long-familiar for his contributions to the public understanding of science, put forward with admirable lucidity his view that the kind of society humanity seeks to create is identical with one which enables the work of science (and the arts) to proceed. He writes As a set of discoveries and devices, science has mastered nature but it has been able to do so only because its values, which derive from its method, have create those who practise it into a living, stable and incorruptible society.Here is a community where everyone has been free to enter, to speak his mind, to be heard and contradicted The society of scientists is simple because it has a say purpose to explore the truth. Neverthe little, it has to solve the problem of every society, which is to find a compromise amongst man and men. It must encourage the single scientist to be independent, and the ashes of scientists to be tolerant. From these basic conditions, which form the prime values, there follows step by step a clip of values dissent, freedom of thought and speech, justice, honour, human self-worth and self-respect.Our values since the Renaissance have evolved by just such(prenominal) steps. (74-75) Let us accept, for the sake of argument, Bronowskis idealistic description of science and the community of scientists, and full ac familiarity the tremendous achievements of science, associated with the pursuit of these values. For all its omissions and exclusions, the kind of society portrayed by Bronowski is attractive both to those who adhere to creative exploration as a primary human motivation (mainly the well-to-do), as well as those for whom the increasingly widespread satisfaction of basic human needs is of primary importance.Yet can it plausibly be betokend that the stable, ordered society science needs to make its optimal impact will result primarily from a concentration on science or, more mundanely, on maths, science and technology in genera l public education? Science (as opposed to scientists) has very little to say active how human feel should be lived, even by implication. Secondly, the serious pursuit of scientific knowledge has always been a minority undertaking, and the delicious puritanism celebrated by Bronowski is undermined at every point by human nature.Truth-seeking is compromised by self-aggrandisement, overlook of initiative, cultural dissonances, wayward appetites, untoward psychological complexities, sloth, factionalism, poverty, dogmatism and stupidity all the regrettable variations that complicate (and embellish) human experience. Material progress alleviates some of these features and aggravates others, but in all societies, the true scientific proclivity is a minority interest, even among those render merely to make use of scientific findings, and who rely on them in their daily work and other interests.Bronowski has, in authoritative respects, got it wrong. Science depends for its very select ion upon the creation of a society which respects the values of science and permits them to thrive, and that can only be a society in which the values of the humanities have taken root, are constantly reviewed and renewed, and are shared by the overwhelming majority of the citizenry. It could plausibly be argued that this country needs the humanities even more than a society like Canada.Consider, as one example, the AIDS crisis in South Africa the belated response to the situation, the culpable delays, the fatuous controversy over antiretrovirals and their provide to sufferers. Is this crisis the result of scientific failure? No, the science is there. The crisis has been the result of poor leadership, political obfuscation, part-plays, cultural regression, lack of social integration and poor, under-trained governmental bureaucracy.Similarly in the local anesthetic government environment it is not paucity of maths and science education that challenges create by mental act delivery it is the poverty of middle-order leadership, the inability to delegate effectively, the lack of initiative and capacity in ordinary civil and bureaucratic functions. The planning is often in place, but the general level of education and its social orientation is in adequate to(predicate) to make effective use of it.In addressing such shortcomings a key misapprehension is the assumption that because the country is desperately short of scientists and technologists, maths and science must be an absolute priority in our schooling system. This is to mistake the part for the whole. The fact is that many children not only South African children because of innate disposition, home background or poor education, are light-years from the possibility of attaining a marketable competence in maths or science2, yet they may be highly innate(predicate) and suited to a great many useful, even exalted, functions in government and the economy.Given good teaching, they can learn to think well and searchingly about deep issues that plague contemporary society. It does not take profound mathematical understanding to read a balance sheet, or even to lead a large corporation. Statistical projections, financial control and scenario-planning are service functions, not necessarily leadership tasks. Yet the myth is steadily propagated that mathematical intelligence, more so even than scientific literacy, is what South Africa needs. This is a harmful distortion.Of course we need mathematicians and scientists, as many as we can produce, but unaided they will not be able to deliver the kind of society in which we all want to live. There are no scientific solutions to the problems of underdevelopment and civic education, only alpha ancillary contributions. Science functions optimally in a democratic, relatively stable and wealthy society. On its own, science is powerless to create such conditions. These conditions are deliver the goods and sustained, not through science, but in societ ies that are absorbing at depth the lessons of the humanities.People want to believe that because science and technology are total to modern developing economies, such economies will develop if only sufficient emphasis is placed on maths and science in the education system. In fact, the sequence has to be reversed. The conditions of stable governance, effective bureaucracy, adequate infrastructural maintenance, basic skills development, and responsible social services are pre-conditions for the adequate functioning of a scientific and technological culture.Well-educated scientists obviously acquire and exercise their civic imaginations in support of such conditions, but it is more than likely that the products of an education system that marginalizes or travesties the humanities will fail both science and society. The upshot of this realization, if decision-makers could be persuaded to look it in the face, implies, not a down-grading of the emphasis on science and technology, but a much closer and more concerned look at what teachers in schools and universities are doing with the humanities.Successful socio-economic and cultural development requires a conscious balance surrounded by the sciences and humanities, and it is far from certain that humanities education in South Africa is sufficiently strong and healthy to carry its share of the burden. Here we come to the second challenge. Do humanities practitioners in South Africa have adequate answers to the questions society is implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) putting to us? Can scholars in the humanities explain their contribution to the public good? Vocationalism in the university Let us start by considering the humanities in the universities.This after all is where much of the understanding that gradually work its way through the schools and into society originates. One of the first things advocates of the humanities would need to make clear to interrogators is the character of a university education as distinct from a purely vocational one. It is not the existence or otherwise of a more or less direct linkage to specific career opportunities that determines whether or not such an education can be described as vocational, but the character of the education undergone.The tone may be characterized as follows. A vocational education transmits a particular range of knowledge, ideally in its current, up-to-date state, in a mode designed to relate it most near to a context of application in society. So, accounting studies emphasize principles and best practice in relation to the sound and policy framework pertaining today, and the present state of the South African business and corporate environment.It is of course possible to teach accounting at variant levels of complexity, finesse and specialization, but there is little fillip to move the subject away from its severely practical orientation. PhDs in accounting are rare. With focus, the situation shifts slightly, in that a rang e of management theory will normally be explored, emanating from diverse situations, and whose applicability becomes very much a matter of contextual judgment. It is certainly possible to earn a PhD in management studies, but the subject matter is likely to edge towards issues that belong in the social sciences and humanities proper.The paradigmatic qualification in business studies is the MBA, a programme designed to develop cutting-edge managers and business leaders for different contexts, and among the entry requirements is typically a substantial period of practice. This stipulation is there to ensure adequate integration of theory and practice in the educational process. Law has the potential to move fully into the university paradigm, in that practical legal training can be (and, depending on the level of qualification, should be) supported by rigorous emersion in the history and ism of law.In fact, it would be difficult to conceive of adequate legal practice emerging from an academic culture divorced from the humanities. It should be apparent, then, that while many popular career options can be placed along a continuum running between the poles of the narrowly vocational and the so-called purely academic, it is always the degree of emphasis placed on the other-than-vocational component that qualifies the programme for inclusion in the domain of true tertiary study.When we turn to the core disciplines comprising the humanities, the connection with a specific profession or career is weak or absent (unless transmittance and extension of the discipline itself comes to be counted as such). True, there is often a loose affiliation between the humanities and vocations such as librarianship, teaching, advertising, writing and publishing, but the connection is not intrinsic or necessary. This fact in itself can be problematic, because students whose thinking is constrained by the vocational paradigm, whether through the influence of parents or other socialpres sures, will tend to define the value of a humanities degree solely in terms of particular vocational outcomes. school text versus linguistic process If then, humanities undergraduates are not preparing directly for a vocational career, what are they doing? And why arent they preparing directly for a career? I want to answer, first, in terms similar to those proposed by Michael Oakeshott (1967 308-312). The paradigmatic government note is that between knowing a text and learning a language.A university discipline expresses a particular mode of enquiry, one language in the array of languages that makes up the intellectual capital of humanity. Each particular language of enquiry is embodied in a vast array of performances in these languages good, bad and indifferent performances that we might call texts. Vocational education exhausts itself in knowing particular texts, and these texts are elect because they are current and relevant in the world of practice and application. Learn th e text, become expert in it, and youve attained the end of vocational education.Once you kick the bucket the educational institution lets fancy it doesnt call itself a university you may lack experience (though, as has been indicated, many vocational programmes extend to incorporate work experience so as to minimise this gap), but you are, or should be, ready to perform the text or texts you have learned, this time in the workplace arena. Because of the rapidity of social change, your text, or range of texts, will soon become redundant, out-of-date, and then you must learn additional texts. You trained in run VWs, now you must learn Renaults.You learned to programme Fortran and Basic, now you must master C++ and XML. You studied Management by Objectives, now you must re-shape your appearance to fit transnational corporate policy. You will gain broader experience, you will always be learning, but what you will be learning is text after text after text and thoroughly necessary and rewarding the experience may well prove to be. The point of higher education from the outset is to learn the language. In higher education, texts are studied not simply for their own sake, but for what we can learn from this study about the mode of enquiry of which they are a good example.In other words, texts are treated as emblematic of some aspects of the language, and we choose the particular texts we study as part of a higher education because they are in a proper state to yield insight into the language they exemplify (Oakeshott 314). Our object of study is not only the text but the language, and, usually at graduate level, we go on to reach towards a language of languages, which we might call philosophy. The swerve from higher education The distinction between text and language on which I am harping, is rather mysterious and fascinating. Consider this.In order to appreciate, say, crossroads, I must know the language. In order to know the language, I must read Hamlet. The apparent circularity is embarrassing, and the sort of thing that tends to compromise the humanities in the eyes of the uninitiated. M. A. K. Halliday explores the distinction between text and language and it is fundamental to the mission of the humanities in general no less than Hallidays particular discipline of linguistics by agency of an illuminating analogy the analogy whereby language is to text as climate is to weather is useful to think with.It reminds us that these are not two different things, or rather what we call climate and what we call weather are the same phenomenon seen from different angles, or different trices of time, and so it is with language and text much misunderstanding has been caused by counterposing these two terms, with language and text being treated as if they were different orders of reality. He goes on to point out a significant limitation to the analogy Like all analogies, its very partial.Its an abstract tool for thinking with, not a stri ct proportion, because semiotic systems are not like physical systems. In particular, an instance of a semiotic system carries value instances of physical systems do not. Of course you may prefer one kind of weather to another, but thats got no relevance whatever to the status of an instance of that weather in relation to climate its just something to be observed and measured like any element.But a text has its own value, not necessarily, in fact, probably not usually, fixed and authoritative And the relation of the discourse value to the underlying system is in fact highly complex. I refer to this as the Hamlet factor. (Halliday 2001, transcr. Kilpert) A good teacher of the humanities must know the language the text under discussion instantiates, and must be able to move the student from reading text to exploring language, to reveal the distinctiveness of text in relation to the homologies and contrasts available in the language.Some texts disturb, redefine, modify the language in which they are formed. They have a perennially evolving afterlife. In the broad historical perspective of cultural climate they remain instances of weather that are of intrinsic and perennial interest. This is what Halliday means by the Hamlet factor. Indeed, not altogether coincidentally, to the best of my knowledge, Hamlet is the only literary work to have a fully-fledged academic journal devoted to its study.3 Ignorance of the distinction between text and language, and all that it implies, is symptomatic of the kind of confusion that influences well-intentioned but ignorant tertiary institutions to swerve from true higher education towards subtractive vocationalism disguised as higher education. What can philosophy do that society values? Aha critical thinking. Right, lets forget about philosophy and teach critical thinking. What useful outcome can we expect from the literature student? Aha parley skills. Right, lets forget literature and teach communication skills.And so the reduction goes on, relentlessly impoverishing the tertiary environment, the individual student and society, in the name of relevance, vocationalism, contextualised learning, public accountability (in the shallowest of senses) and all the other misnomers that disguise a lack of educational understanding. Why we unruffled need the humanities today Each of us is born into a relatively narrow life-world. This is as true for those fortunate few who enter upon the human scene embraced by sheltered luxury as it is for the many who expend their years in poverty, far from the seats of wealth, power or influence.Moreover, the character of the world as it impinges on the individual is changing rapidly, everywhere. (This statement is probably valid even for those who strive most to avoid the world, such as those who spend their time in religious retreat. ) What this suggests is that ordinary means of social transmission, where values, attitudes and judgments are passed from generation to generation within the family, or from mentor to prentice in society, are no longer adequate or may prove so only in the most exceptional of cases.These processes may still be necessary, indeed fundamental, to individual human development, but they cannot be sufficient. Rapid technological change and the shifts in values that result, increasing mobility, population growth, the communications and reading revolutions, the differential impact of social change on pre-established world views in fact all the cliches of the globalizing world add up to an uncertain field of potential experience for the individual.The resources of the family, even in optimal or exceptional circumstances, are insufficient to interpret, let alone adequately to evaluate, this complexity, especially since it is increasingly likely that the individuals activities and proclivities will shift to arenas and predicaments beyond the experience of the senior generations.This is where the educational potential of th e humanities becomes such a powerful resource. By exposing students to detailed study of particular artifacts works of literature, examples of fine art, philosophical systems, politicalprescriptions, musical compositions, social theories we avail them of the opportunity to form and test their own judgments, to challenge received opinion, to argue positions within a community of informed discussion and debate, to think and re-think their views in the company of major artists and diagnosticians, each of whom has put their work forward for exactly this purpose, namely, to serve shape and re-shape human beings.The power of critical thought, trained and developed in this manner, is central to the formation of a creative democratic citizenry anticipated, for example, in South Africas White Paper of 1997.4 As a society, we need the formal space of the humanities in which to engage with a full range of estimates concerning human potential, past and future. In the course of such studies s tudents will also, no doubt, learn to think clearly and write well, but this is incidental. The mission of the humanities is to impression human identity and purpose in relation to changing times and circumstances. No other field of enquiry, not science, not sociology, not established religion, can meet this imperative need quite as well.Some will claim never to have felt such a need, or to have abandoned it for the real world after fleeting initiation at school or university. For these, the humanities are so much frippery, a merely decorative intellectual surplus, or shallow entertainment which ignores the imperatives of the way the economic world works. Such people intend to stick to the text they inherit, and perform it unthinkingly to their own best advantage. The abject misery of thousands, though it seems melodramatic to say so, comes to rest on the shoulders of those who have reached this conclusion.The founding impulse of the humanities To counter such views from a fons et origo, we might go back to a period before the Romans, before Plato even, to the founding moment of the humanities. It is commonplace to acknowledge, as do scientists and everyone other than proponents of ethno-science, that science arose once only on planet earth, among the ancient Greeks (Wolpert 25). 5 It is less commonly acknowledged that the western humanities, too, rose at a particular moment among the Greeks, though in all probability similar moments passed un enter in other cultures.The originary impulse is expressed (or invented) during Socrates famous discourse in the Apology, as recorded and fictionalized by Plato If I tell you that this is the greatest good for a human being, to engage every day in arguments about virtue and the other things you have heard me talk about, examining both myself and others, and if I tell you that the unexamined life is not worth living for a human being, you will be even less likely to believe what I am saying.But thats the way it is, gentl emen, as I claim, though its not easy to convince you of it. (Apology 38a, trans.Nussbaum 1) The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being (emphasis mine) thats the way it is. This is the bald standpoint of the humanities expressed in a nutshell, and it is not the easiest position to justify to defenders of the status quo, either inside or outside the academy. Lets look at some of the issues.Why was Socrates on mental testing for his life? He was teaching that the juvenile ought to devote time and intelligence to finding satisfactory arguments to justify their beliefs, rather than simply following those of their parents and the civic authorities. non even the gods were to be exempt from rational enquiry. Aristophanes, in his comedy The Clouds, viewed Socrates as dangerously subversive of orthodox education, which he took to be a process whereby the young are indoctrinated in the traditions and values of their culture, as is the case in traditional societies everywhere . In other words, for Aristophanes education meant learning the text of your society. Not so with Socrates. He wanted people to study the language of humanity, though he recognized that this was no easy matter.We are back to the relation between text and language? Socrates held that by systematically questioning text, probing it from all possible perspectives, exploring alternatives, we may by degrees arrive at the language, or at least important elements of it. It is important to stress, from all possible perspectives, because Socrates was also an early advocate of truly democratic learning. He was willing to engage in philosophical discussion with anyone and everyone, in the hope that they might know more than he did, or contribute something uniquely valuable.Plato, by contrast, wanted to restrict radical questioning to an elite who, through philosophical investigation, would gain access to timeless truths, enabling its members to rule justly over the masses. Here we have the orig in of the tension between the humanities as a source of elite leadership the Platonism of government and corporate management and the humanities as a democratic investigation of human meaning and value. 6 Socrates was utterly serious in his claim for intensive rational enquiry as essential to discovering a true mode of living, the good life. The unexamined life is fit only for something less than a human being.Those who unthinkingly follow tradition, who defend and reproduce text uncritically, are trapped in what Wittgenstein might call a form of life (241). Plato likened it to living imprisoned in a cave, pursuing a troglodyte existence ruled by convention and fear of the hidden (Republic Book 7). It is interesting to speculate that the tame Platonic puppet show may have primitive origins in the image of early humans huddle together in solidarity round a fire, the cave walls patterned by flickering shadows, their shapes shifting and unaccountable, while outside lie unknowable d angers, not tobe confront in the dark, and largely indecipherable within the cave despite the artificial fire-light. It is a potent representation of fear. Those venturing forth on the intellectual scramble to seek the source of the shadows (to find truth) must be prepared to risk themselves on two counts first in view of what they might find outside, and second on account of what their fellow humans might do to hold them to the text that currently governs behavior in the cave.Those leaving the enchanted circle may not return. Those remaining have to learn to tolerate the courageous quest of those who go beyond, and to deal with the emotional disturbance and communal risk involved. We know what happened to Socrates. We worry that todays South African society, focused wholly on instrumental programmes directed to immediate ends, will not have the courage, vision or knowledge to support the quest.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Nanotechnology in Aeviation Essay

Nanotechnology in Aerospace MaterialsIntroductionFigure 1. The aerospace industry is under pressure to better its environmental footprint, primarily by making aircraft more efficient. Image credit Bureau of Labor Statistics.There be few industries where the applications of nanotechnology are so clearly beneficial as in the aerospace industry. The primary development goals match almost exactly with the advantages offered by using mingled nanomaterials in the place of traditional bulk metals like steel. The aerospace industry is one of the most important heavy industries in the world. Countless companies rely on the ability to ship products and people whatsoeverwhat the world with the speed that can only by achieved by air. The aircraft manufacturing market was worth xxx billion in 20xx, and the bulk of this was accounted for by phalanx spending. on with this huge economic value, however, comes huge consumption, and one of the largest carbon footprints on the planet relative to th e size of the market. For this reason, the major drivers in current aerospace R&D are towards lighter construction materials and more efficient engines the overall goal being to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions associated with air travel and air freight. The important interest in nanotechnology for the aerospace industry is justified by the potential of nanomaterials and nanoengineering to help the industry achieve this goal. This article will review rough of the nanomaterials which are already being applied in aerospace manufacturing, and the benefits they can provide. Nanostructured MetalsBulk metals with some nanoscale structure are already widely apply in aircraft manufacturing. It is now well cognise that nanostructured metals exhibit considerably improved properties compared to their counterparts with microscale or larger grain structure. This is particularly noticeable for properties which are crucial for materials employ in aircraft primarily yield streng th, elastic strength and erosion resistance, coupled with low density which helps keep the total weight of the aircraft down. Figure 2. Bulk nanostructured metals exhibit much better mechanical properties and corrosion resistance than their counterparts with larger crystal structures. Image credit Los Alamos National Laboratory. Polymer NanocompositesVarious nanomaterials have been used as filler materials to enhance the properties of structural and non-structural polymers used in aircraft construction. The most commonly used nanomaterials include nanoclays, carbon nanotubes, nanofibres, and graphene. Carbon nanotubes in particular have been shown to give excellent advantages when used as fillers in various polymers, due to their exceptional stiffness, toughness, and unique electrical properties.Nanocomposites typically have superb weight-to-strength ratios, and enhanced resilience to vibration and fire, making them ideal for use in the melodic phrase industry. The properties of t he nanofillers, like the conductivity of nanotubes, for example, can create interesting opportunities for multifunctional materials. The properties of polymers enhanced by nanomaterial fillers are so well-tuned to the requirements of aircraft manufacturers, that they are actually being used to replace some of the metals used in the airframes. This obviously brings along huge weight savings, and often cost savings as well. Tribological and Anti-Corrosion CoatingsAnother major trend in the materials used in aircraft is towards nanocoatings to enhance the durability of metals. In particular, magnesium alloys, which are far lighter than steel or aluminium, are prone to corrosion, due to the superior chemic reactivity of magnesium. Coatings can help prevent corrosion, but the type typically used contain chromium complexes which are a highly toxic pollutant. Materials used for these novel anti-corrosion nanocoatings include silicon and boron oxides, and cobalt-phosphorous nanocrystals.N anocoatings are also now being used on turbine blades and other mechanical components which have to withstand high temperatures and friction wear. Tribological coatings can drastically lower the friction coefficient and improve resistance to wear this greatly improves the efficiency of the engines. Many nanostructured and nanoscalecoating materials have been suggested as likely friction modifying agents, such as carbides, nitrides, metals, and various ceramics. Figure 3. The defense sector drives a lot of the innovation in numerous industries, and aerospace is no exception. High-performance military aircraft require exceptional materials, which will eventually find their way into commercial vehicles. Image credit Penn State University.ConclusionThis is just a brief overview of some of the nanomaterials being used in aerospace. The drive for lighter and more efficient air vehicles has led to the rapid adoption of nanotechnology in aerospace manufacturing. The main roadblock, as wi th more industries looking to adopt nanotechnology, is caused by uncertainty over the environmental and health and safety implications of these materials. Whilst nanomaterials can often be less toxic than the current materials used, the make of long-term exposure to these novel materials are still uncertain.The potential of nanotechnology in the aerospace industry cannot be denied, however. Outside of airframe and component materials, nanotechnology applications have been found in lubricants, fuel, adhesives and many other areas. Nanotechnology is also helping engineers to create vehicles with the necessary properties to endure the harsh conditions of space.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

“Idiot Nation” by Michael Moore Essay

In the reading Idiot Nation by Michael Moore, he focuses on how the United States is neat lazier and is being filled with idiots. Moore goes on to explain how our political system, lifestyles, and technology are the reason for our soils sightly so idiotic. Nevertheless he believes the educational system is suffering the most. The Ameri wad people as well as politicians are somewhat at fault as they continue to contrisolelye to the arrested development of our educational system. Moore argues that politicians and the American people have continued to ignore the education system and have prioritized less important issues over future generations education. Admittedly I would have to agree by prioritizing less important issues, the education of future generations will continue to suffer. First of all politicians are partially responsible for Americas idiocy. The priorities of our politicians are unacceptable. According to Moore, our political leaders have decided its a bigger priority to build another(prenominal) bomber then to educate children (135). As a result any schools throughout the United States have overflowing classrooms, outdated facilities, and below average teachers. Moore as well as myself feels that politicians should change their focus towards education.A focus on education would result in updated schools, structures and teachers. Politicians should al looks focus on education because forthwiths students will affect tomorrows history and future. Politicians and parents must work together in order to a focus on education. I believe that parents should responsible for maintaining adequate schools. They need to take action and be more involved in the well being of our schools. Instead of expecting politicians to make changes we can take the correct steps for a better educational system. One way we can help is by making libraries up to date and fond to students. Another way we can help is by making sure students are receiving the correct nutrition from school lunches. Parents can setup their children for success by making sure that they have rested, completed their homework and prepared for school. We need to take action and work together as a whole to meliorate the education system in America. In order to improve our educational system we must be tosolve whats wrong with it. Today our country seems to focus on technology. Before technology existed, almost everything was done by hand.People had to work hard in their jobs but in the world we cash in ones chips in today they rely on technology to the work for them. We even give children toys such as Ipads, which do not allow them to grow mentally. frequently says, There are forty-four million Americans who cannot read and write above a forth-grade level-in other words, who are illiterates (122). More and myself feel because we reply so much on technology, the ones paying the consequences our children. They are growing up in an environment where technology allows them to tak e the easy way out. The environment we allowing our children to grow up in is not only affect their education but their lifestyles. Many teenagers much rather stay update with there social media than reading a book, study, or check into about history. We are given three chances to gain education, in elementary, middle school, high school, and college. Many take part in gaining an education but many not even explore it. These education opportunities are to help our nation to become smarter and succeed. The lifestyles of teenagers have leaded them to feel not motivated to learn or do better in life.Another way my education was affected was by budget cuts made my to school. Programs that were offered were no longer available to me or my friends. For example, in the fifth grade our physical education class was cut due to lack of funding. This was something students looked forward too, it allowed us to play and be active. Another way was by our library was cut, so we are stuck with the same books every year. I could see how the lack of new books and physical education was affecting us in and outside the classroom. Moore was right in believing how the United States is becoming lazier and is being filled with idiots. Our political system, lifestyles, and technology are the reason for our countrys becoming so idiotic. In turn our educational system is suffering the most. Schools are no longer a place of personal expression, not allowed to think for them, or even allowed to rock the vote. I feel if we continue on the track we on right now we will ruin the education of tomorrows generation.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 30

Part VIPassionNobodys perfect. Well, in that location was this one guy, simply we killed him. unk at one sequencenSundayJoshuas mother and his brother James found us offside of the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, where we were postpone ment for Bartholomew and throne, who were looking for for Nathaniel and Philip to return with James and Andrew, who were gain trying to produce Judas and Thomas, who had been sent into the city to look for ray of light and Maggie, who were looking for Thaddeus and Simon, who had been sent to look for a donkey.Youd think theyd moderate found one by now, bloody shame tell.According to prophecy, Joshua was supposed to enter the city on the colt of a donkey. Of course, no one was going to find one. That was the visualise. Even Joshuas brother James had agreed to be part of the conspiracy. Hed gone ahead to wait inside(a) the gate, just in case one of the disciples had missed the point and spellually came hold with a donkey. most a thousand of Jo shuas followers from Galilee had gathered on the road to the Golden Gate. They had lined the road with laurel fronds for Joshuas entrance to the city, and they were cheering and singing hosannas all afterwardsnoon in anticipation of his triumphant entrance, simply as the afternoon wore into regularing, and no colt showed, the host gradually dispersed as everybody got hungry and went into the city to find virtuallything to eat. solitary(prenominal) Joshua, his mother, and I were still waiting.I was hoping you might talk some sense into him, I say to Mary.Ive seen this coming for a long time, Mary express. She wore her usual blue dress and shawl, and the usual light in her compositors case seemed faded, not by age, precisely by grief. Why do you think I sent for him devil years ago?It was true, she had sent Joshuas adolescenter brothers Judah and Jose to the synagogue at Capernaum to bring him home, claiming he was mad, but Joshua hadnt even gone outside to meet them.I w ish you twain wouldnt talk about me like Im not here, Joshua say.Were trying to get utilize to it, I said. If you dont like it, then bedevil up this stupid plan to sacrifice yourself.What do you think weve been preparing for all of these years, Biff?If Id known it was this I wouldnt have helped. Youd still be stuck in a wine amphora in India.He squinted to see through the gate. Where is everyone? How hard fundament it be to find one simple ass?I looked at Joshuas mother, and although there was pain in her eye she smiled. Dont look at me, she said. No one on my side of the family would ever sacrifice a straighta agency line like that.It was too easy, so I let it go. Theyre all at Simons house in Bethany, Josh. They arent coming blanket tonight.Joshua didnt say a word. He just climbed to his feet and walked off toward Bethany.There is nothing you do-nothing do to stop this from happening Joshua screamed at the apostles, who were gathered in the front room of Simons house. Mart ha ran from the room inst when Joshua glared at her. Simon looked at the floor, as did the rest of us. The priest and the scribes entrust take me, and put me on trial. They will spit on me and scourge me and then they will kill me. I will rise from the careen-dead on the third day and walk among you again, but you cannot stop what must happen. If you love me, you will lease what Im telling you.Maggie got up and ran out of the house, snatching the communal stockcase from Judas as she went. The Zealot started to rise to go after her but I pushed him tail end down on his cushion. let her go.We all sat there in silence, trying to think of something to do, something to say. I dont know what everyone else was thinking, but I was still trying to formulate some way for Joshua to make his point without giving his life. Martha re glowering to the room with wine and cups and served each of us in turn, not looking at Joshua when she modify his cup. Joshuas mother followed her back out of the room, I presumed to help her prepare supper.In time, Maggie came back, sliding through the door and going directly to Joshua, where she sat down at his feet. She took the communal purse out of her cloak and from it she pulled a small alabaster rap, the sort that was used to store the precious ointments that women used to anoint the bodies of the dead at burial. She tossed the empty purse to Judas. Without a word, she broke the seal on the box and poured the ointment on Joshuas feet, then untied her long hair and began to wipe the oil from his feet with it. The rich olfactory sensation of spices and perfume filled the room.In an instant Judas was on his feet and across the room. He snatched the box of ointment off the floor. The money from this could have fed hundreds of the poor.Joshua looked up at the Zealot and there were tears in his eyes. Youll ever have the poor, Judas, but Im only here for a short while longer. Let her be.ButLet her be, Joshua said. He held out his hand and Judas slammed the alabaster box into it, then stormed out of the house. I could hear him yelling out in the street, but I couldnt make out what he was saying.Maggie poured the rest of the oil on Joshuas head and drew patterns on his forehead with her finger. Joshua tried to take her hand but she pulled it away from him and stepped back until he dropped his hand. A dead populace cant love, she said. Be still.When we followed Joshua to the temple the next morning, Maggie was nowhere to be seen.MondayOn Monday Joshua led us through the Golden Gate into Jerusalem, but this time there were no handle fronds laid on the road and no one was singing hosannas. (Well, there was this one guy, but he was always singing hosannas at the Golden Gate. If you gave him a coin hed stop for a while.)It would be seemly to be able to buy a little something for breakfast, Judas said. If the Magdalene hadnt spent all of our money.Joshua smells nice, though, Nathaniel said. Dont you think Joshu a smells nice?sometimes you find yourself grateful for the most unlikely things. Right then, when I saw Judas grit his teeth and the vena stand out on his forehead, I said a quick prayer of thanks for Nathaniels navet.He does smell nice, said Bartholomew. It makes one want to reassess ones values regarding the material comforts.Thank you, Bart, said Joshua.Yes, theres nothing like a satisfactory-smelling man, said John dreamily. Suddenly we were all very uncomfortable and there was a lot of throat-clearing and coughing and we all walked a few paces farther apart. (I havent told you about John, have I?) Then John started to make a great and pathetic show of noticing the women as they passed. Why, that little heifer would get through a man some strong sons, John said in a booming and incorrectly masculine voice. A man could surely plant some seed there, he could.Please bar up, James said to his brother.Maybe, said Philip, you could have your mother shine over and tell that woman t o break unto you.Everyone snickered, even Joshua. Well, everyone except James. You see? he said to his brother. You see what youve started? You little nancy.Theres a nubile wench, exclaimed John unconvincingly. He pointed to a woman who was being dragged toward the city gates by a group of Pharisees, her costume hanging in shreds on her body (which indeed appeared to be nubile, so credit to John for working outside of his element).Block the road, Joshua said.The Pharisees came up to our human blockade and stopped. Let us pass, Rabbi, the oldest of them said. This woman has been caught in the act of adultery this very day and were taking her out of the city to be stoned, as is the uprightness. The woman was young and her hair fell in dirty curls near her face. Terror had twisted her face and her eyes were roll back in her head, but an hour ago she had probably been pretty.Joshua crouched and began writing in the dust at his feet. Whats your name? he asked.Jamal, said the leader . I watched Joshua write the mans name, then next to it a list of sins.Wow, Jamal, I said. A goose? I didnt even know that was possible.Jamal dropped the adulteresss arm and stepped back. Joshua looked up at the other man who was holding the woman. And your name?Uh, Steve, said that man.His name is not Steve, said another man in the crowd. Its Jacob.Joshua wrote Jacob in the dust. No, said Jacob. He let go of the woman, pushing her toward us. Then Joshua stood up and took the stone from the man closest him, who surrendered it easily. His attention was focused on the list of sins written in the dirt. instantly let us stone this harlot, Joshua said. Whoever of you is without sin, cast the first stone. And he held out the stone to them. They gradually backed away. In a molybdenum they had all gone back the way they had come and the adulteress fell to Joshuas feet and hugged his ankles. Thank you, Rabbi. Thank you so much.Thats okay, said Joshua. He lifted her to her feet. Now go, an d sin no more.You really smell good, you know that? she said.Yeah, thanks. Now go.She started off. I should make sure she gets home okay, I said. I started off after her, but Joshua caught the back of my tunic and pulled me back. You missed the sin no more part of my instructions?Look, Ive already connected adultery with her in my heart, so, you know, why not enjoy it?No.Youre the one who set the standards. By those rules, even John committed adultery with her in his heart, and he doesnt even like women.Do too, said John.To the temple, Joshua said, pressing on. Waste of a perfectly good adulteress, if you ask me.In the outer court of the synagogue, where the women and the Gentiles were allowed to go, Joshua called us all together and began to preach the kingdom. Each time he would get started, a marketer would come by barking, propose your doves. Get your sacrificial doves. Pure as the driven snow. Everybody needs one. Then Joshua would begin again and the next vendor would co me by.Un appropriatened bread Get your unleavened bread Only one shekel. Piping blue matzo, just like Moses ate on the way out of Egypt, only fresher.And a little girl who was lame was brought to Joshua and he started to fix her and ask about her faith whenYour denariis changed to shekels, while you wait No get too large or small. Drachmas to talents, talents to shekels all your money changed while you wait.Do you believe that the shaper loves you? Joshua asked the little girl.Bitter herbs Get your bitter herbs cried a vendor.Dammit all Joshua screamed in frustration. Youre healed, child, now get out of here. He waved off the little girl, who got up and walked for the first time in her life, then he slapped a dove vendor, ripped the top off his cage of birds, and released a cloud of doves into the sky.This is a house of prayer non a den of thieves.Oh no, not the moneychangers, Peter whispered to me.Joshua grabbed a long low table where men were changing a dozen currencies int o shekels (the only coin allowed for commerce inside the Temple complex) and he flipped it over.Oh, thats it, hes fucked, Philip said. And he was. The priests took a big percentage from the moneychangers. He might have slid by out front, but now hed interfered with their income.Out, you vipers Out Joshua had taken a coil of rope from one of the vendors and was using it as a scourge to drive the vendors and the moneychangers out of the Temple gates. Nathaniel and Thomas had joined in Joshuas tirade, kicking at the merchants as they scampered away, but the rest of us sat staring or ministered to those who had come to hear Joshua speak.We should stop this, I said to Peter.You think you could stop this? Peter nodded to the corner of the court of law, where at least twenty priests had come out from the inside(a) Temple to watch the fracas.Hes going to bring down the wrath of the priests on all of us, Judas said. He was looking at the Temple guards, who had stopped pacing the walls and were watching the goings-on below in the courtyard. To Judas credit, he, Simon, and a few of the others had managed to lull the small crowd of the faithful who had gathered to be blessed and healed before Joshuas tantrum.Beyond the walls of the Temple we could see the Roman soldiers staring down from the battlements of Herod the Greats old palace, which the governor commandeered during feast weeks when he brought the legions to Jerusalem. The Romans didnt enter the Temple unless they sensed insurrection, but if they entered, Jewish blood would be spilled. Rivers of it.They wont come in, Peter said, a tiny note of doubt in his voice. They can see that this is a Jewish matter. They dont care if we kill each other. honorable watch Judas and Simon, I said. If one of them starts with that no-master-but-God thing, the Romans will come down like an executioners blade.Finally, Joshua was out of breath, soaked in sweat, and barely able to swing the coil of rope he was carrying, but the Tem ple was clear of merchants. A large crowd had started to follow him, prognosticateing at the vendors as Joshua drove them out of the Temple. The crowd (probably octet hundred to a thousand people) was the only thing that kept the priests from calling the guards down on Joshua remedy then. Josh tossed the rope aside and led the crowd back to where we had been watching in horror.Thieves, he said to us breathlessly as he passed. Then he went to a little girl with a withered arm who had been waiting beside Judas.Pretty scary, huh? Joshua said to her.She nodded. Joshua put his hands over her withered arm. be those guys in the tall hats coming over here?She nodded again.Here, can you make this sign with your finger?He showed her how to stick out her middle finger. No, not with that hand, with this one.Joshua took his hand away from her withered arm and she wiggled her fingers. The muscle and tendons had filled out until it looked identical to her other arm.Now, Joshua said, make that s ign. Thats good. Now show it to those guys behind me with the tall hats. Thats a good girl.By whose authority do you perform these healings, said one of the priests, obviously the highest-ranking of the group.No master Simon began to shout but he was cut off by a vicious blow to the solar rete from Peter, who then pushed the Zealot to the ground and sat on him while furiously whispering in his ear. Andrew had come up behind Judas and seemed to be delivering a similar lecture without benefit of the body blow.Josh took a little boy from his mothers arms and held him. The boys legs waved in the air as if they had no bones at all. Without looking away from the boy, Joshua said, By what authority did John baptize?The priests looked around among themselves. The crowd moved in closer. We were in Judea, Johns territory. The priests knew better than to challenge Johns authority under God in front of a crowd this size, but they certainly werent going to confirm it for Joshuas sake, either. We cant say at this time, said the priest.Then I cant say either, said Joshua. He stood the little boy on his feet and held him steady as the boys legs took his full weight, probably for the first time ever. The boy wobbled like a newborn colt and Joshua caught him and laughed. He took the boys shoulders and helped him walk back to his mother, then he turned on the priests and looked at them for the first time.You would test me? Test me. Ask me what you will, you vipers, but I will heal these people and they shall know the word of God in spite of you.Philip had moved up behind me during this nomenclature and he whispered, Cant you knock him out or something with your methods from the East? We have to get him out of here before he says any more.I think were too late, John, I said. Just dont let the crowd disperse. Go out into the city and bring more. The crowd is his only protection now. And find Joseph of Arimathea too. He might be able to help if this gets out of hand.This isnt o ut of hand?You know what I mean.The inquisition went on for two hours, with the priests concocting every verbal trap they could think of, and Joshua wiggling out sometimes, and blundering through at others. I looked for some way to get Joshua out of the Temple without him being arrested, but the more I looked, the more I find that the guards had moved down off the walls and were hovering around the gates to the courtyard.Meanwhile the chief priest droned on A man dies and leaves no sons, but his wife marries his brother, who has three sons by his first wifeand on The three of them leave Jericho and head south, going three point three furlongs per hour, but they are leading two donkeys, which can carry twoand on So the Sabbath ends, and they are able to resume, adding on the thousand steps allowed under the lawand the wind is blowing southwest at two furlongs per hourand on How much water will be ask for the journey? Give your answer in firkins.Five, Joshua said, as soon as they st opped speaking. And all were amazed.The crowd roared. A woman shouted, Surely he is the Messiah.The Son of God has come, said another.You guys arent helping, I shouted back at them.You didnt show your work, you didnt show your work, chanted the youngest of the priests.Judas and Matthew had been scratching out the problem on the paving stones of the courtyard as the priest recited, but they had long since lost track. They looked up and shook their heads.Five, Joshua repeated.The priests looked around among themselves. Thats right, but that doesnt give you authority to heal in the Temple.In three days, there will be no Temple, for Ill annul it, and you nest of vipers with it. And three days after that, a new Temple shall be built in honor of my father.And then I grabbed him around the chest and started dragging him toward the gate. The other apostles followed the plan and moved around us in a wedge. Beyond that, the crowd pressed in. Hundreds moved along with us.Wait, Im not make Jo shua yelled.Yes you are.Surely the true king of Israel has come to bring forth the kingdom, one woman shouted.Peter smacked her on the back of the head. Stop helping.By the sheer mass of the crowd we were able to get Joshua out of the Temple and through the streets to Joseph of Arimatheas house.Joseph let us in and led us to the upper room, which had a high arching stone ceiling, rich carpets on the floors and walls, piles of cushions, and a long low table for dining. Youre safe here, but I dont know for how long. Theyve already called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.But we just left the Temple, I said. How?You should have let them take me, Joshua said.The table will be set for the Passover feast of the Essenes, Joseph said. Stay here for supper. watch over the Passover early? Why? John asked. Why celebrate with the Essenes?Joseph looked away from Joshua when he answered. Because at the Essenes feast, they dont kill a lamb.