Spiritualism Essay -- Parapsychology Essays, 2015

â€Å"Don't you remember anything?! There is no 'devil.' There is no 'hell.' There is only Unrest. There is no down, only sideways; the transparent beside the opaque, and a thin wall to separate them.† ― Leanna Renee Hieber, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy According to Merriam-webster.com, Spiritualism is a â€Å"belief that spirits of the dead communicate with the living, usually through a medium†. However, Spiritualism is more than a belief. Ever since the Spiritualist movement began and spread in the 1800’s, Spiritualism has evolved into a religion that continues to be practiced today. Contacting the dead is not a pleasant subject for most people however, although Spiritualism used to be casually practiced everyday in the homes of the Victorians in the 1800s. How did something that once used to be a method of being able to re-unite with your beloved, dead, grandparents warp into something that incites fear? Spiritualism was founded by the Fox sisters back in 1848 when Margaretta and Kate Fox claimed to have heard mysterious rappings in their little home in Hydesville, New York. Apparently, their house was reputed to be haunted before the Fox family moved in and there were claims of unexplainable sounds and furniture moving on their own. Margaretta and Fox started speaking to the spirit who was allegedly haunting their home and they eventually developed a system for communicating with it. The Fox sisters would ask the spirit a question and they would get answers in return through the form of rappings. For example, they would interpret one rap for â€Å"yes† or two for â€Å"no† or they would interpret the number of rapping’s given for a letter in an alphabet. It wasn’t long before the neighbors heard about the Fox sisters’ new found abilities and gathered at their house to witness the spirit rappings for themselves. Soon, they were giving performances in major towns, and that was when the rapping phenomena began to spread. The Fox sisters gained fame through their public sà ©ances and it wasn’t long before other people started claiming that they were also able to speak with spirits and other forms of communicating with the dead were created such as table tipping and slate writing. The Victorian era was marked by â€Å"romanticism  and mysticism with regard to religion, social values, and the arts† (http://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/dr-rescher-english-... ... each other. The information that I have learned regarding this topic has helped me a lot in developing my plot for a comic book that I am working on for Senior Show titled â€Å"Post-Mortem†. My story is set in the Victorian era where two brothers lament the loss of their loved ones. The older brother especially has a hard time coping with the loss of his fiancà ©, and the little brother tries to contact her and bring her back. However, instead of drawing back in the beautiful and kind fiancà © he ends up bringing back one that is hungry for revenge. Even though my story is based in the Victorian era where contacting the dead had nothing to do with evil spirits, I wanted to make my story more modern by adding a macabre touch. Works Cited McClenon, James. "The Scientific Investigation of Wondrous Events."  Wondrous Events: Foundation of Religious Belief, University of Pennsylvania Press(1994): 185-207. Print. Simpkins, Sarah. "Dr. Rescher   English 204."  STUDYBLUE. STUDY BLUE, 28 Mar. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. . Roach, Mary.  Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. Print.

Lorca’s play on tragic love

Lorca’s play on tragic love, The House of Bernarda Alba, is his last complete play. It is interpreted as a metaphor of repression with its theme focused on frustration, honour and death. The play contains both the passion and the torment in the intense struggle of a group of women held in check even from the thought of love by a tyrannical mother, Bernarda. The play investigates and provides a response, but not a solution, to the problems of oppression, transgression, sexuality and being a victim. Bernarda’s strict rule is as powerful as the wilful nature of the youngest woman who betrays the family.Her ability to satisfy her sexual desire symbolically shatters the order of extreme repression and absolute control. Her rebellion and death mark the reasons and effects of the repressed atmosphere. Ultimate protest, despair, and madness emphasize the even more extreme control, unhealthy fear, mindlessness, and especially silence that befall the women who remain in the house . However more scrutinizing approach to the issue of victim in the play reveals that not only Bernarda’s daughters appear as victims but Bernarda herself being a victimizer is a victim.Bernarda Alba is the mother, a dramatic personality, whose words carry the authority of the supreme ruler and whose life shows little emotion. In this austerity she rules her household, never sparing from her wrath anyone who attempts to revoke the stifling atmosphere she has superimposed on herself and her daughters. As a result, all – Bernarda, the daughters, the servants – exist in darkness and depression ultimately leading to sterility of emotions and finally to suicide.Bernarda is a selfish and tyrannical matron who eventually forces her daughters into the despair. They lose every vestige of hope; this loss leads directly to the moral death of each daughter and to the physical death of the youngest. Slowly, but unequivocally, Bernarda drains the minds and hearts of her daught ers until they become as white and barren as the walls of their physical prison the metaphor of which is conveyed by the visual nature of the house with its thick walls and a few windows and doors leading to the outside world.However, this significant visual image exceeds its literal meaning and, above all, represents a sociocultural institution keeping all the main characters of the play in subordination to social dogmas and rules. Within the confines of its walls Bernarda and her family repeat the old traditions, like many generations of women that preceded them. This repetitive and collective act obliterates the uniqueness of the individual for the sake of preserving patriarchal hegemony.When reading The House of Bernarda Alba it becomes obvious that the play’s most powerful strength is in its dialogues, while the characters are limited in their movement and space within a closed location. By dint of auditory means, Lorca reaches the explication of the contrast between gir ls and their mother. This contrast is emphasized by the other devices like contras of black and white, and these two colours are highlighted throughout the play: the black dresses of the women in mourning, in contrast to the very white walls of the house.Moreover, Bernarda’s authoritarian voice stands out as she commands, â€Å"Silence! † [p. 161] at the opening, throughout, and end of the play, closely related in each case to the death of one member of the family and the spiritual death of those living. Despite Bernarda’s call for silence, other sounds succeed in penetrating the thick walls and contribute to define the nature of their society and the dichotomy between life inside and outside the house. Bernarda’s house is a household without men. This is by fate as well as by author’s intention to establish controversial circumstances.Upon the death of her husband, she must assume the patriarchal role of protecting her daughters’ honour and forbids the presence of men within the confines of the house, thus limiting the world her daughters are allowed to know. Her house is clearly governed by patriarchal forces. Pepe el Romano, the male character we do not see but hear about, is the strongest motivating force in the play. Bernarda’s authoritarian discourse stubbornly reproduces what she learned from her father and her grandfather.This concept associates property with social class, as Bernarda is well aware. When one of her daughters has the opportunity of marrying, she does not allow it: â€Å"BERNARDA, loudly. – I'd do it a thousand times over! My blood won't mingle with the Humanas' while I live! His father was a shepherd. † (p. 191). The situation within the walls of her house would have been quite different had Bernarda found enough men of her social condition to marry her daughters. Lorca indicts society, and the reader might be inclined to condemn Bernarda as well.Although she is not aware of it, Bernarda is a victim turned victimizer. In the same way that her daughter, Adela, is symbolically suffocated by her mother’s oppression, as she commits suicide by hanging, Bernarda’s maternal feelings have been suffocated by society. As a widow, she uses her newly found powers to perpetuate those values that benefit men. She becomes their accomplice. Her husband was a womanizer, and she claims that men should enjoy the freedom of the streets. Women should be confined in the house, against their natural instincts.Bernarda is, at best, an imperfect man, as exemplified in her failed attempt to use the gun —a phallic symbol. BERNARDA: The gun! Where's the gun? She rushes out. La Poncia runs ahead of her. Amelia enters and looks on frightened, leaning her head against the wall. Behind her comes Martirio. ADELA: No one can hold me back! She tries to go out. [†¦] A shot is heard. BERNARDA, entering: Just try looking for him now! MARTIRIO, entering: That does away with Pepe el Romano. ADELA: Pepe! My God! Pepe! She runs out. PONCIA: Did you kill him?MARTIRIO: No. He raced away on his mare! BERNARDA: It was my fault. A woman can't aim (p. 210) Within the play another mother figure, Maria Josefa, vehemently distances herself from Bernarda and approaches Adela, thus leaving Bernarda without support and helpless. She sings a lullaby while holding a â€Å"baby† (a lamb) in her arms, an act that Bernarda – devoid of maternal instincts – seems incapable of performing. Bernarda as a mother figure becomes dehumanized and therefore closer to the dimensions of a grotesque caricature.At the beginning of the play the maid La Poncia threatens Bernarda’s public image with her gossip. At the end of the play, and despite Bernarda’s call for silence, we know that the neighbours have awakened. The thick walls have been rendered useless and the tyrannical figure of Bernarda fall a prey to societal judgement. Bibliography L ORCA, Federico Garcia Three Tragedies: Blood Wedding, Yerma, Bernarda Alba. Translated by J. G. Lujan and R. L. O'Connell. New York, New Directions Publishing, 1955.

Learn How to Count in Italian

Learn How to Count in Italian Numbers are a must-know when learning a language because they’re used in so many situations figuring out what time it is, how much something costs, understanding the timeline that your tour guide is talking about, doing math, understanding recipes, and even interpreting the WiFi password. Italian Cardinal Numbers From 1 to 100 You can use the following table to memorize numbers from 1 to 100. NUMBER AND PRONUNCIATION   1 uno OO-noh 2 due DOO-eh 3 tre TREH 4 quattro KWAHT-troh 5 cinque CHEEN-kweh 6 sei SEH-ee 7 sette SET-teh 8 otto OHT-toh 9 nove NOH-veh 10 dieci dee-EH-chee 11 undici OON-dee-chee 12 dodici DOH-dee-chee 13 tredici TREH-dee-chee 14 quattordici kwaht-TOR-dee-chee 15 quindici KWEEN-dee-chee 16 sedici SEH-dee-chee 17 diciassette dee-chahs-SET-teh 18 diciotto dee-CHOHT-toh 19 diciannove dee-chahn-NOH-veh 20 venti VEN-tee 21 ventuno ven-TOO-noh 22 ventidue ven-tee-DOO-eh 23 ventitr ven-tee-TREH 24 ventiquattro ven-tee-KWAHT-troh 25 venticinque ven-tee-CHEEN-kweh 26 ventisei ven-tee-SEH-ee 27 ventisette ven-tee-SET-teh 28 ventotto ven-TOHT-toh 29 ventinove ven-tee-NOH-veh 30 trenta TREN-tah 40 quaranta kwah-RAHN-tah 50 cinquanta cheen-KWAHN-tah 60 sessanta ses-SAHN-tah 70 settanta set-TAHN-ta 80 ottanta oht-TAHN-ta 90 novanta noh-VAHN-tah 100 cento CHEN-toh The numbers venti, trenta, quaranta, cinquanta, and so on drop the final vowel when combined with uno - 1 and otto - 8. Tre - 3 is written without an accent, but ventitrà © - 23, trentatrà © - 33, and so on are written with an acute accent. Also, notice that once you know the base number, like â€Å"venti - 20†, you can add your numbers for 1-10 to create â€Å"ventuno - 21†, â€Å"ventidue - 22†, â€Å"ventitrà © - 23† and so on. Esempi: A: Quanto costa la focaccia? - How much does the focaccia cost? B: Costa due euro e cinquanta centesimi. - It costs 2,50 euro. A: Fa caldo oggi! Quanti gradi ci sono? - It’s hot today! What’s the temperature? B: Trentuno gradi! - 31 degrees! A: Che ore sono? - What time is it? B: Sono le due e undici. - It’s 2:11.    Italian Cardinal Numbers of 100 and Greater Back in the old days, before the euros arrival in Italy, you could pay a few thousand lire for admission to a museum or for a cappuccino and biscotti. During that time, tourists needed to know more than just the numbers up to 100 to get around. Lucky for you, lire are history, but learning numbers greater than 100 will still prove useful, particularly when talking about years or the prices for any couture items. Number and Pronunciation 100 cento CHEN-toh 101 centouno/centuno cheh- toh-OO-noh/chehn-TOO-noh 150 centocinquanta cheh-toh-cheen-KWAHN-tah 200 duecento doo-eh-CHEN-toh 300 trecento treh-CHEN-toh 400 quattrocento kwaht-troh-CHEN-toh 500 cinquecento cheen-kweh-CHEN-toh 600 seicento seh-ee-CHEN-toh 700 settecento set-the-CHEN-toh 800 ottocento oht-toh-CHEN-toh 900 novecento noh-veh-CHEN-toh 1.000 mille MEEL-leh 1.001 milleuno meel-leh-OO-noh 1.200 milleduecento meel-leh-doo-eh-CHEN-toh 2.000 duemila doo-eh-MEE-lah 10.000 diecimila dee-eh-chee-MEE-lah 15.000 quindicimila kween-dee-chee-MEE-lah 100.000 centomila chen-toh-mee-lah 1.000.000 un milione OON mee-lee-OH-neh 2.000.000 due milioni DOO-eh mee-lee-OH-neh 1.000.000.000 un miliardo OON mee-lee-ARE-doh Esempi: 1492 - millequattrocentonovantadue1962 - millenovecentosessantadue1991 - millenovecentonovantuno2000 - duemila2016 - duemila sedici Italian Ordinal Numbers You can place items in order with ordinal numbers. For instance, il primo is the first course on a menu and il secondo is the second course, so pay attention to articles. Here’s what they look like: English and Italian first primo second secondo third terzo fourth quarto fifth quinto sixth sesto seventh settimo eighth ottavo ninth nono tenth decimo eleventh undicesimo twelfth dodicesimo thirteenth tredicesimo fourteenth quattordicesimo fifteenth quindicesimo sixteenth sedicesimo seventeenth diciassettesimo eighteenth diciottesimo nineteenth diciannovesimo twentieth ventesimo twenty-first ventunesimo twenty-third ventitreesimo hundredth centesimo thousandth millesimo two thousandth duemillesimo three thousandth tremillesimo one millionth Milionesimo When used with the numerical succession of kings, popes, and emperors, the ordinal numbers are capitalized. For example, Vittorio Emanuele III (Terzo), who ruled the unified Italian nation from 1900 to 1946, was the third king with that name. Some other examples are: Pope Paul Quinto - Pope Paul VVittorio Emanuele Secondo - Vittorio Emanuele IILeone Nono - Leone IXCarlo Quinto   - Carlo V Here are some examples of centuries: diciottesimo secolo - eighteenth centurydiciannovesimo secolo - nineteenth centuryventesimo secolo - twentieth century Notice the regularity of ordinal numbers beginning with undicesimo. The suffix -esimo is added to the cardinal numbers by dropping the final vowel of the cardinal number. The one exception includes numbers ending in -trà ©. Those numbers drop their accent and are unchanged when -esimo is added. Since Italian ordinal numbers function as adjectives, they must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify: primo, prima, primi, prime. Il primo ministro - The Prime MinisterIl primo sindaco donna della storia di questa citt - The first female major in the history of this cityPrendiamo il primo treno che arriva! - Let’s catch the first train coming!La prima della fila à ¨ questa signora, io sono la seconda. - The first in line ​is this lady, I’m the second one.

The cheese slicer, invented by Thor Bjrklund of Norway

The cheese slicer, invented by Thor Bjrklund of Norway The cheese slicer, or cheese plane, is an ingenious invention developed by a Norwegian cabinet maker, Thor Bjà ¸rklund. Using a principle similar to that of the carpenter’s plane found in his workshop, Bjà ¸rklund perfected a device for making very thin, uniform slices from the hard cheeses favored in Norway, such as gouda and jarlsberg. Thor Bjà ¸rklund Invents the First Cheese Slicer Bjà ¸rklund invented and patented the cheese plane in 1925. He founded the company Thor Bjà ¸rklund Sà ¸nner AS in Lillehammer two years later, which was Norway’s only producer of the traditional Norwegian cheese slicer (ostehà ¸vel), and the first in the world. Since then, the company has produced over 50 million cheese slicers. Originally, it took an hour to produce each cheese slicer, while today, approximately 7,000 slicers can be made in an hour. Other Cheese Slicing Inventions The cheese plane is not the only invention dedicated to cheese, however.  The cheese knife itself is designed to combat the issue of very soft cheeses. With a serrated blade, the cheese knife reduces the amount of soft cheese stuck to the blade. Most blades will also have holes to reduce the likelihood of cheese sticking to the knife.  The cheese cutter features a board with a wire on a cutting arm. The wire is of a fine gauge, again designed to cut through soft cheese without sticking. The action of the cheese wire is like that of a garotte.

The environmental crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The environmental crisis - Essay Example A careful examination of Jewish and Buddhist environmental sources and activism suggest that from the beginning, religion has been linked to environmental protection. Textual, ethical, legal, and philosophical sources Buddha’s life illustrates how much Buddha loved nature. To begin with, Buddha was born in Nepal a place of natural beauty. He was born in a forest further emphasizing the Buddhist appreciation of nature. Buddha preached his first Dhammacakkapabattansutta in the Deer park and passed away at Sala forest of Malla at Kushinara. This shows the initial attachments of Buddhists to nature. According to Donald K. Swearer, in Buddhism, "not unlike the biological sciences, rebirth links human and animal species,† meaning there is a link between humans and animals. The Buddhists believe in a certain interconnectedness in nature that, "The health of the whole is inseparably linked to the health of the parts, and the health of the parts is inseparably linked to the healt h of the whole† (Gottlieb 102). Similarly, some of the Buddha-nature found in china including trees, streams, rocks and lotuses are part of a continuous ecosystem. The power of nature in the Buddha religion forms the real basis of the religion. First, because the Buddha spent six years in the forest meditating and Buddhist followers often retreat to nature hence they have a powerful ethical foundation to support a healthy eco system and â€Å"green† lifestyle. In one of the Buddhist sources, the relationship between a tree and a human being is described as follows, â€Å"the tree indeed is the bearer of the flower and the fruit†¦ the tree gives the shade to all people who come near†¦ the tree does not give shade differently. (Milindapanha, VI, 409 – â€Å"rukkho nama pupphaphaladharo†¦rukkho upagatanamanuppavitthanam jananam chayam deti†¦, rukkho chayavemattam na karoti†). These characteristics show that the relationship between human beings and nature should be mutual. These Buddhist sources reinforce tucker’s claim of religion entering an ecological phase because aspects of environmental protection are well- grounded into the religious beliefs and practices of the Buddhists (Tucker 93). Various Jewish sources also front religion and its impact on environment. According to defenders of Jewish environmental ethics, there are three main areas of environmental usefulness in the bible and other rabbinic literature. These include the protection of vegetation, the aspect of predicting the well-being of the earth and awareness of the distress of animals. Jewish tradition forbids inflicting unnecessary pain to animals and the Torah includes a vegetarian diet for Adam and Eve. Respecting the environment is part of the Jewish religion. Jewish commentator, Jonathan Helfand writes that God told man to subdue the earth but the spirit of Judaism negates the notion that the earth is entirely man’s dominion. He co ntinues that as part of the divine plan man is obligated to respect both the animate and inanimate occupants of the world (Benstein 46). The Jewish hold that the environment has certain inalienable rights endowed to it by the creator that can be dismissed or violated. Jewish writer Jeremy Cohen states that a responsible interaction with the environment is the deepest personal and spiritual fulfillment. He adds that environmental irresponsibility results in spiritual demise. Rabbinic ethos encourages human beings to be

Bussiness interrogation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Bussiness interrogation - Essay Example An analysis of the foundation of motivation has been regarded as the first step towards the creation of successful organizations. Conversely, Allen and Gilmore (2006, pp.35), indicate that, Herzberg theory indicates that, Herzberg motivation theories of motivation are obliging to a proper understanding of the organization’s functions. In his work, Miner (2007, pp.84) argues that, the attributes that contribute to motivation and demotivation cannot be alienated from an understanding of the work place motivation. Motivation, which emanates from motivators, can be described as an intrinsic process that comes from within the individual. On the other hand, demotivators are extrinsic; that surround the individuals in the work place. Among the demotivators stated included, pay that was regarded as a short term motivator. After a while, employees were seen to be as demotivated as they were at the initiation of the time at the work place. This essay shall focus on the Coca Cola Company and the implication of Herzberg’s theory of motivation. Since the commencement of the company, its success story has always had its background on the motivation of employees in the organization. Through motivating employees, the company has managed to enjoy constant and consistent teamwork form its workers. In return, the employees have never compromised on the quality of products produced by the company. Herzberg’s theory, according to Sapru (2000, pp.76), revolves around two major factors that are inclusive of hygiene factors and the motivators. Hygiene factors are likely to cause dissatisfaction in the workplace if not put under scrutiny. Among the hygiene factors include, aspects like job security, safe working conditions, proper organizational policies as well as, quality of supervision along other factors. Sapru (2000, pp.76) argues that hygiene factors do not necessarily cause demotivation in the workplace, but if they are not incorporated in the work

Is Hamlet insane or merely pretending insanity Why Essay

Is Hamlet insane or merely pretending insanity Why - Essay Example The ambience is eerie and unnerving. The appearance of the ghost makes it even more mysterious and intense. In such a context it is difficult to maintain composure and remain sane and more so for a prince. A question about Hamlet’s insanity may be put in the mind of the audience due to the appearance of the ghost and Hamlet’s speaking to it. But it is offset by the earlier appearance of the same ghost in Elsinore, after the stroke of twelve, in front of Horatio, Bernardo and Marcellus and vanishing by the sound of the morning cock. Thus Hamlet is not uniquely mad to have witnessed the visitations of the ghost of his father. However as the play progresses, we come to know clearly that Hamlet is not mad. He has planned to feign madness in order to convince his enemy that he is unaware of the truth about his father’s foul murder by his uncle. In the beginning Hamlet is distressed and says: â€Å"O God! O God! How weary, stale and unprofitable seem to me all the use s of the worlds.† He seems to be undergoing tremendous depression. In Elizabethan age, hallucinations were often associated with acute depression. Thus, in the beginning, it might seem that out protagonist is going through a period of deep depression of un-proportionate amount and this justifies the visions of the ghost. This type of thought was prevalent in the Elizabethan era. The unexpected death of his father and the almost instant re-marriage of his mother to his uncle were causes good enough to cause mental and emotional instability and unhinge his mind. Instead we see that despite his deep grief, he immediately transforms into his own, normal, commanding self when the players enter: â€Å"You are welcome, masters; welcome, all. I am glad to see thee well.† Hamlet in fact can be viewed to possess an extremely logical and cunning mind. He himself is not sure about the truthfulness of the ghost’s pronouncements. To ensure that it is not a trap laid by an evil spirit, he plans to write a play about the truth that he believes about his father’s death and plans to play it in front of the King and the Queen. He also warns his close friend Horatio and asks him not to be alarmed at his â€Å"antic disposition†. He sets the trap and during the play he sets his eyes on his uncle to follow his reactions as the play unfolds. He hurriedly leaves. Hamlet is convinced and starts planning his next steps. Hamlet plays the role of his contrived madness very convincingly. Ophelia thinks that he has been â€Å"loosed out of hell. To speak of horrors he comes before me.† Polonius is also convinced that Hamlet is madly in love with Ophelia: â€Å"He knew me not at first; he said I was a fishmonger; he is far gone, far gone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hamlet is so clever that he even convinces his mother Queen Gertrude: â€Å"Alas how is’t with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The queen’s suspicion is even more aggravated when Hamlet again experienc es his father’s visitations in front of his mother. He also speaks to it and this convinces the queen that his son is â€Å"mad as the sea and wind†. In fact Hamlet’s manifestations of madness changes according to the persons he is which. He feigns madness in front of Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. But in front of Horatio, Bernardo, Francisco and the Actors in the play, he acts normally. However Polonius says that: â€Å"actions although strange, do not appear to stem from madness. Polonius