Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton essays

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton essays What would happen to a lonely married old man, an ailing wife and a young cheerful girl when they were living together in a house? Thats totally what happening to Ethan Frome, his wife Zeena Frome, and her companion Mattie Silver. I would like to tell you about the major characters individually. Ethan is a farmer whose family has been on the same farm for ages. He feels a strong connection to the young pretty girl, Mattie, his wifes cousin. He was attracted by Mattie on the day she came. He never has good mood with his wife, Zeena. Although he is not satisfied with his wife, he never dares to express his feeling. Once he wants to say we shall never be alone again like this to Zeena in the kitchen. Zeena Frome is Ethans sickly wife. She is interested in the treatment of her own illness, displaying her imagined illness to catch others attention. She loves to be the center of people. Because of her physical sickness, she holds the dominant position in their family. Her cousin, Mattie, is employed to be the dominant helper because Zeena is always sick and not able to do the housework. Matter is Zeenas cousin, who is employed as household help by Zeena. Her father and mother died when she was twenty. With her fifty dollars from the sale of her piano, she comes to assist the Fromes with their domestic tasks. She falls in love with Ethan as he is the only one who treats her well and being nice to her. When Zeena wants to adopt a kid and let the kid replace Mattie. Mattie and Ethan both find that they cant leave each other. Mattie wants to go down the coast with Ethan and never comes up anymore. But finally she and Ethan didnt die. The author, Edith Whartons style is characterized by simplicity and sometimes even barrenness appropriate to the stark and tragic quality of the whole story. She controls her style is the best using of words. Her imagery is always ...

Book Report Mastering Self Leadership Essays

Book Report Mastering Self Leadership Essays Book Report Mastering Self Leadership Essay Book Report Mastering Self Leadership Essay Overall, this is a great book that will definitely help you become a better leader to others, as well as yourself, and will help you achieve your goals. Summary Chapter one explains what leadership is, what the different types of leadership are, and how we all lead ourselves. It is a basis for the rest of the book. Chapter two talks about how both personal and external factors shape our personality. How each individual processes and reacts to what goes on in the world is what our personality is, so the outside world plays a major factor on how we act. Chapter three explains that not everything in life is easy to do and it shows you how to overcome obstacles in life. It starts off by assessing your self-leadership skills with a brief assessment and then goes on to explain how to remove negative cues, implement positive cues, setting specific long and short-term goals, searching and defining purpose in life, and how to achieve your goals using self-reward, self-punishment, and practice. Chapter four goes into depth on the importance of natural reward. Natural reward is getting enjoyment from doing an activity without doing it for the sole purpose f a physical reward. This means that you are doing something because you like to do it, not because you will get pay raise or promotion from it. Chapter four goes onto explain how natural rewards make us feel, why it is important to find natural rewards in activities, and how to find natural rewards in everyday activities. Chapter five focuses on the psychological mindset of a person and how each individual interprets their physical situation differently. Chapter five explains how positive thinking, self-talk, and your beliefs can help or hinder how successful you are at a specific task. Chapter six goes into more detail about the mental part of leadership and introduces mental practice and opportunity thinking. Chapter six shows the steps of mental practice and explains how opportunity thinking can help you throughout life. Chapter seven takes everything from the previous six chapters and explains how it can be used in the team setting. Chapter seven goes over how individual self- leadership is a key to success in the team setting. It also goes over how to balance the me with the we as a team. Chapter eight shows how everything in the previous seven chapters has been applied in various tuitions such as personal problems, athletics, work, and management positions. This is very helpful for people who are skeptical of this book and do not think that these concepts will work. Chapter nine shows us how all four parts of self-leadership influence our behavior and decisions and ultimately determine our destiny. They show a diagram to show how everything is connected and that it all leads to your personal and team effectiveness. In chapter ten, it focuses on how your personal fitness can help or hinder your ability to lead yourself and others. It shows how physical fitness costively affects your ability to think more clearly and to reduce stress quicker. This is essential for business people who work long days and always feel tired. Chapter eleven talks about optimism, happiness, and your personality and how each of the three can affect your self-leadership effectiveness. It talks about how optimism can be learned and it directly relates to how happy a person is. Chapter twelve sums up the book and shows you how everything throughout this book can make you a better person. How useful were the concepts I found the concepts in this book very useful. I have always been the optimistic type of person and since I was little I have been taught that if I dont achieve something, that I just need to work harder to get it. This book, though a little more scientific, pretty much sums up what I have been taught and what I have learned throughout the past 19 years of my life. I love the concept of natural reward because it is very true. Always try to find the silver lining in every situation and by thinking optimistically, have gotten me pretty far. Have been playing baseball and hockey for the past 16 years and have laded in numerous championship games and if there is one thing that I learned from those 16 seasons, it would be that not everything goes your way. Sometimes challenges are thrown at you to test you and you dont always succeed, but regardless if you win or lose, there is always an important positive message to be taken away from it and that is what I got from this book, too. Strengths and Weaknesses I found that there are many more strengths from this book than there are weaknesses. To start with, I thought the way that this book was written was a huge strength for it. I liked how it was almost like you were having a conversation with one of your professors and he was telling you how you could be more successful and then showing you how what theyre saying works by showing you examples of previous people who have been through the same thing. It was really easy to read and even easier to understand the concepts presented. Also thought that defining each individual characteristic of self-leadership and then defining team self-leadership was a strength for this book. Think that if this book tried to define team self-leadership first, cost people would not have gotten the relationship between teams and self- leadership. One thing didnt like was how long and elaborate the chapters were. I understand that putting in examples of people using these concepts is ke y to the reader learning, but just felt that it took too long to try and prove their point. I liked how most of the major concepts were in the beginning of the chapter, but felt that after the first couple pages, the rest of the chapter was just filler. Point of View This book did not change my point of view on achieving goals, but it did reinforce it. The only reason that it did not change my point of view on achieving goals is because it preached my view of achieving goals. Before reading this book, I felt that one of the most important aspects in achieving your goals is your mental approach to the situation. If you feel that your goal is unreachable, then youre never going to reach it. Most people who do achieve their goals have been telling themselves from day one that they were going to do it, and they normally do. This book reinforced that view because it also focused heavily on the importance of your mental approach and how ITIL it is to achieve your goals. Real Life Examples As stated earlier, have been playing baseball and hockey for the past 16 years. I currently play for the Division 1 Club Hockey Team here at WV, too. Throughout my life, I have learned that your mental preparation is just as important, if not more important, than your physical preparation. Whether I am trying out for a team, preparing for a big game, or preparing for a test, I usually have the same mental outlook on the situation. Sadly, I usually go through the same routine before a hockey game that I do before a big test in school. Before a hockey game, along with stretching and warming up, put in my headphones and listen to some music that gets me pumped up until about ten minutes before the game, which is when I switch to some more calming music to level my emotions. I usually do the same thing before a test with the exception that do not stretch or warm up for a test. Instead, I go over any last minute notes and then ease my mind with a shower and then music to keep me calm. Have found that being calm and confident in my abilities sets me up for the best chance at success, whether it is a test or a big game. Therefore, I try to get myself hyped up about the event to get the blood flowing and my intensity up, and then calm it down a little to keep my mind clear for thinking. Along with keeping the same mental approach, I try and keep my physical approach toward my obstacles the same. I like how this book mentioned how fitness is a big part in achieving goals because have been saying that for years. I always thought that taking study breaks and going to work out or even just walking around and getting the blood flowing helped me more than just studying and cramming as much information as possible into my brain. I know that when you are stressed or emotional, you tend to make irrational decisions.

Www.cdc.gov Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Www.cdc.gov - Research Paper Example At the main page you can find the news of the organization and several links with bright pictures which would transfer you to some interesting articles on the topic of health and its protection. A little bit lower on the page you can see rubrics in which people can find some information about some brand new viruses and bugs and the places where they are prevailing nowadays. The content of the main page and its disposing are very important, because people’s interest depends on them, and the website’s content was made perfectly and definitely makes you interested in it. Maybe the point is that anyway people are concerned about their health and usually information about its protection is interesting and informative that’s why the website is catching. The links which would bring you further into the website’s content are situated on the top of the main page and their names cover the most fundamental points a viewer would be interested in when he enters the sit e to get to know something about health and disease prevention. This leads us to the point that the main page was arranged brightly and catching to get people’s interest in what they can find on the website next, after a fast view of the main page. It is very important to make the following note about the content arrangement: there is no information which would be perceived as unnecessary or out of the topic. The names of the website’s items are clear and describe the specific aspects of the topic that might be interesting for visitors. The website’s visuals are pretty simple and understandable. You can see the organization’s logo on the top of every single page you open, so you never forget which site you’re visiting. The main points of every page are written shortly in bullet-points way, so you can just click on the item that is interesting for you to see more about it. Also, the website creators have succeeded in

Numerical analysis Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Numerical analysis - Math Problem Example This method of numerical integration finds solutions in the form of resultant solutions. The equation given in the task was solved by Mathcad program using program module which allows to solve differential equations with fixed step: F := rkfixed(Z0, t0, tk, N, f). The result of the solution of this equation in mathcad is the following: In order to evaluate these results we can solve the same equation using conventional means. As it's shown this equation is solved by the method of variables separation. After finding the function we should plug the values of t into this function and find it's values for all values of t on the interval [0,1]. As we can see the results of numerical solution of Runge Kutta method are very close to the real results of this function. Using error evaluation method: Absolute value (real value of function- approximated value)/ real value of function) we will get the following results: Real values: 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1 1.005013 1.020201 1.046028 1.083287 1.133148 1.197217 1.277621 1.377128 1.499303 1.648721 Errors: 0 1.25E-05 0.000197 2.66E-05 0.000265 0.000131 0.000182 0.0003 9.28E-05 0.000202 0.00017 As we can see the results are very reliable as error is less than 0.001% for all values

Unconsious Mind Essay Example for Free

Unconsious Mind Essay 1.) Explain how the use of substances alters a person’s state of consciousness, including depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Include in this explanation what happens to the neurotransmitters and body chemicals as well as how you might recognize if a person at work or in your family is in an altered state of consciousness due to the influence of drugs. The use of substances can alter the person’s state of consciousness in many ways. The depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens affect the level of consciousness in different ways due to their specific alterations in the level of brain chemistry in brain cells. When the substances taken breach the blood/brain barrier and reach the brain, they cause alteration in the normal levels and activities of neurotransmitters that include dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. Any alteration in the level and functioning of neurotransmitters can cause changes in the body chemistries that in turn can cause changes in the normal functioning of the body. Every neurotransmitter has roles to play in the control of level of consciousness. Alterations in the level of neurotransmitters can trigger temporary arousal or relaxation that affect the functioning of the body (Sheldon, n.d.). For instance, low levels of monoamines that include norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin can cause depression. Excessive levels of dopamine level, underactivity of glutamate, and abnormal levels of serotonin and amino acids for can cause psychomotor excitement. Altered state of consciousness caused by drugs can be recognized through observation of the person’s behavior. For instance, by taking stimulants, the levels of monoamines will be increased causing temporary arousal or stimulation effects in the body functioning. The person under the effects of stimulants will manifest some signs of unusual sudden and temporary excitation and increase in energy level. The person under the effects of stimulants can be observed on emotional high, with flooding of ideas that may be full of irrationality, and highly energetic that can cause long sleeplessness. The use of depressants that include barbiturates can cause relaxation and sedative effects than can make the person less tensed, less anxious, less active, emotionally low, sleepy, and with very low level of energy. The use of hallucinogens can make the person feel unusually elated  with heightened senses giving temporary pleasurable experiences. 2.) This question has five parts. One of the cornerstones of Freudian theory is the concept of the unconscious not to be confused with the state of being knocked unconscious by a blow to the head. (a) What did Freud mean by the concept of the unconscious? Freud concept of the unconscious refers to the hidden part of the human mind beyond the person’s capability to bring them out into conscious awareness. The hidden information is stored like the invisible part of an iceberg. The unconscious part of the human mind refers to the id mainly seeking for the satisfaction of pleasurable desires that come from biological instincts and primitive urges (McLeod, 2009). The stored information in the unconscious mind is beyond the person’s awareness yet can significantly influence human behavior. b) When is it beneficial for much of our behavior to be unconscious? The unconscious behavior can be a source of power and creativity. The development of good skills and habits where the mastered skills got stored in unconscious mind makes much of the unconscious behavior beneficial. For instance, the skills learned in playing guitar or piano turns as a habit. The formed habit becomes stored in unconscious mind. Playing guitar and piano can later performed out of unconscious behavior. There is no need to think much as the behavior becomes automatic. In the same way, learning the skills of better understanding of life and others can also help in making unconscious behavior of putting control on impulsiveness. The skills can help in making better decisions and dispositions in day to day situations. It can help in influencing others and produce better judgments that enhance better relationship and social life. (c) When is it not beneficial? The unconscious mind that comes out into uncontrolled unconscious behavior can be significantly disturbing. When being unable to control behavior that comes from unconscious mind, the unconscious behavior becomes not beneficial. The unconscious mind is the center that operates pleasure principle. It seeks satisfaction of the instinctual and primitive desires. The behavior can be disturbing to others, can be destructive, or and be out of morals and acceptable norms set by the society. The person’s behavior driven by unconscious mind produces action done without sound judgment  inviting troublesome and chaotic situations. The developed bad habits that are expressed in unconscious behavior are definitely not beneficial. The habit of bickering, telling lies, and smoking for instance are done out of unconscious behavior and all brings no good effects or impacts to the person and the society. (d) If much of our behavior is unconscious, can you recognize unconscious behavior in yourself and in others? If much of our behavior is unconscious, yes, you can still recognize the unconscious behavior in yourself and others. Human mind is not under the total control of unconscious but the subconscious and conscious aspects will help every person to realize the way he acts. Behavior mostly driven by the unconscious mind tends to produce unwanted consequences that can make the individual resentful, guilty, confused, and unhappy. A point will be reached when an individual will start to understand what drives the behavior to bring trouble and unhappiness. The subconscious and conscious parts of the mind help in modula ting the behavior driven by primitive and instinctual desires. (e) How would you know behavior was unconsciously driven? The unconscious mind drives the person to act unconsciously. He may not know why and how he acted such way. The actions are done without prior thinking or good judgment. The behavior comes out of control that can be impulsive, irrational, and lack of thinking. Unconsciously-driven behaviors are usually followed by wondering and regrets in most instances. The question â€Å"Why I behaved such way?†, â€Å"Why I did that?†, or â€Å"How I behaved such way?† are among the questions that follow after any behavior that was unconsciously driven. 3.) Group think is a concept that involves individuals abandoning their critical sense and agreeing to group process even when they know it will have disastrous consequences. (Challenger disaster, Enron, Iraq war, etc.). Your will encounter these pressures in your work life and need to be prepared. Have you ever done something in a group that you would not have done if you were alone? What happened? How did you feel? What have you learned from this chapter that might help you avoid this behavior in the future, and avoid group think? Due to pressures, yes, I have done something in a group that I would have not done if I were alone. On the next steps I felt not happy with what the group has been doing according to the plans. My decision to agree under the influence of group think made me feel uncomfortable as I realize that I could hardly convince myself to do what the group has agreed unanimously. Along the way, I felt dissatisfaction and lost any motivation to participate in carrying out the group activity. I felt like doing the activity under control like an operated machine. From the chapter reading, I learned that you may need to allow yourself to think impartial on group ideas. Every planned action in the group requires critical evaluation. Every member must be given the chance to have their voices heard and air the differences. The decision made by the group must be well discussed and consider critiques from outside experts when needed. The decision made by the group must be made with free participation of every member. The voice of every group member is valuable as the group needs coordinated efforts to successfully accomplish something. 4.) How does prejudice develop and how might it be supported in families and in the work place? Do you believe that you are free of prejudice? The biased prejudgment influenced by stereotypes and discrimination play huge roles in the development of prejudice. For instance, seeing a senior new member in the workplace will already make some young members to underestimate the capabilities of the aged member. The prejudice drives them to think that the new senior co-worker is not different from old staffs that are less productive. Prejudice has strong powers to change the perception. Under the influence of prejudice, the good can become bad while the bad can become good before he eyes of anyone. The biased treatments driven by prejudice can be supported in families and workplaces by keeping the mind free of stereotypes and discrimination. Every person is unique and deserves fair treatment and judgment based on his personal character and abilities. Well, I think it is within the inherent human behavior to be sometimes driven by unconscious mind to think out of control that sometimes allow the mind to be influenced by prejudice. I can say I am not an exception as prejudice sometimes plays in my mind when I look at other people. For instance, when I see a funky guy walking in the street at night, I develop some fear as I  think that the guy might be a rapist or a theft. The thought usually comes from the unconscious mind. References McLeod, S. (2009). Unconscious mind. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/unconscious-mind.html Sheldon, J. (n.d.). Motivations for drug use. Retrieved from http://www.fredonia.edu/athletics/health/davis/drug_book/chapter3.htm

Merging Art and Theater into Real Life in Six Characters in Search of a

Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello In Six Characters in Search of an Author Pirandello illustrates the point that in art there is no one reality, only perceptions. Art is one perception held by the one artist, in the case of the play, the author, who brings this perception to an audience. To illustrate this principle, Pirandello uses many staging approaches and techniques to merge art and theater into real life, while highlighting the shortcomings of drama and art in imitating life. Four elements are used within the play: the Characters themselves, the lines spoken by the Characters, the play structure pertaining to acts and scenes, and the stage directions within the play. The first main area of art and reality colliding in the play is the existence of characters who are referred to as Characters. Pirandello stretches the bounds of meta-theater by having actors portray Characters who swear they are not actors, when faced with other actors playing actual actors and a Director. The layers of unraveling of reality are astounding. The Characters must try and convince not only the Actors and the Producer of their true nature, but also the audience. Pirandello must convey his beliefs about the essence of art through the mouths of Characters seemingly unattached to the actuality of the theater around them. In the play, the Producer acts on stage in place of the author, questioning the sincerity and the true nature of the Characters, who become his r...

JetBlue and WestJet

How important is the reservation system at airlines such as West Jet and JetBlue. How does it impact operational activities and decision making? Over the past years, it seems customers have heavily relied on airline reservation systems to book their tickets, reserve seats, pay for the tickets, and check-in-online. This has been very convenient for customers to plan their trips. These systems have also allowed the airlines to manage their whole flight inventory. They have the all the information stored and recorded and maintained.It provides a platform for communication between airlines for their â€Å"code-sharing plans† this also allows agents or other ticketing office to see real time information such as booking or seat availability (Laudon & Laudon, 2013). Because all of the parties rely on heavily on these systems it is important for Airlines Company to have it. A perfect example of the chaos that is created when one company decides to switch to a newer version of this sys tem would be the case of WestJet.The impact of operational activities and decision making has greatly changed with the new system. The system has helped the airlines maintain accounts with other airlines, as well as help processes internal information between departments with more efficiency since everything is done online (Laudon & Laudon, 2013). Now that customers can plan, book, and pay online for their trips it as boosted customer satisfaction with faster service.This system has allowed airlines to make good strategic decisions on which routes to monopolize, and how to improve their services by accessing information about previous customers stored on the system. However, this system can affect customers’ decision while they are booking for example if the system is slow or not user friendly customers may be more likely to go to a different site to book their flights. Evaluate the risks of the projects to upgrade the reservation systems of WestJet and JetBlue and key risk f actors. There are always risks to any business when they are upgrading their systems.However, the biggest risk to a business is the down time that they will occur when transferring and receiving data from the old system to the new upgraded system, not to mention the time it will take to train the employees that will be overseeing the new system. In the situation with WestJet and JetBlue upgrading the reservations system had its own risks and it could only go two ways smooth with no inconvenience to the customer or horrible wrong and the customers are angry and your good name is now in trouble (Laudon & Laudon, 2013).Despite the extensive training that WestJet had before the upgrade, it did not prepare them enough for when they went live some of the problems they had were not on the practice test environment they trained with. No one can predict that the updates to the information system will could create a defect in the system. The time it took to transfer the information to the res ervation system could create a gap in the services to the customer. Having a major outage to their online services could cause major setbacks for the two companies that neither of them could afford.Classify and describe the problems each airline faced in implementing its new reservation system. What people, organization, and technology factors caused those problems? In the case of WestJet successfully planning the development would have saved them millions of dollars, and it would have saved them many of angry customers. WestJet biggest mistake was they did not have a plan for system failure as well as the extra help at the call centers until it was too late and the issue was already out of control.If WestJet would have planned for the time it would have took to transfer all their files to the new system, and lighted the passenger load they would bypassed all the problems they had during the transfer. JetBlue on the other hand did successfully plan the switch they decided to do the switch when the airlines were not as busy and they also decided to book fewer seats during the time of the switch (Laudon & Laudon, 2013). They also a built a backup system to prepare for the worst, and hiring temporary call center workers was a great idea this allowed them to make sure they were available for customers during the transition.However, there were a few glitches such as wait times for calls and the airport kiosks and ticket printers were not online right away they still managed to be well prepared for any of these problems. Describe the steps you would have taken to control the risk in these projects? The steps I would have taken to control the risks in this project would be similar to what JetBlue did. I would have planned for an outage in the system and tried to look at the situation from the customer’s point of view.The training that we have done to prepare us for this new system cannot prepare us for everything that can go wrong during the transition. I woul d have to look beyond what could happen and prepare for that. I would slowly move the company into the transition and prepare the customers for it as well. Maybe by letting the customers know up front that the company will be doing a transition on the reservations system will allow customers to be prepared in the case something happens while making their reservations.Offering some sort of discount will help the customers through the transition and help keep the customers loyal to our company. On the business side making sure that we have options if something goes wrong by having a backup system we can turn to if the new system goes down. Making sure we do not over book our flights during the first few days of the transition and making sure we are all prepared and ready for anything that can happen is the only way we could overcome the situation.

Linden Hills Gender Analysis Essay

Linden Hills by Gloria Naylor successfully creates a chilling argument against suppressive patriarchal societies and families. She vividly exposes the implications of what can happen to a society when cultural traits, morality and close family and neighborhood ties take a backseat to the attainment of material things and status become the driving force for people. â€Å"They eat, sleep, and breathe for one thing — making it† (Naylor 39). This quote is from Lester in a conversation with his friends, summing up the people of Linden Hills, of which he begrudgingly is one of. Although he lives on the outermost circle of Linden Hills, he feels nothing but disgust and contempt for the neighborhood as a whole. This scene early in the book Linden Hills lays the groundwork for a journey through the neighborhood with Lester and his friend Willie that reveals the negative impact when a society focuses on things and status and loses touch with it’s sense of community and family. We will see how Willie, an â€Å"outsider† from Putney Wayne with no education and no money, is the one with the greatest amount of character and morality. As Lester and Willie travel throughout Linden Hills in an effort to make a little money, they encounter residents who have compromised themselves in one way or another in order to belong to Linden Hills. The only way to make it into this coveted neighborhood is to be hand picked by Luther Nedeed. Naylor’s description of Nedeed with his â€Å"short squat body† and â€Å"protruding eyes† (3) conjures up an evil and almost satanic picture in the reader’s mind. The original Luther Nedeed passed down not only his name to all the subsequent generations of males, but also his disturbing physical characteristics. The foundation of Linden Hills itself was formed by the original Nedeed who â€Å"sold his octoroon wife and 6 children† (Naylor 2) for the money to buy the land. Over the years the subsequent Nedeeds built on this foundation by carefully choosing the residents. The Nedeeds chose only those who were hungry for materialism and status and would not offer any opposition. Ironically, in Linden Hills, moving up meant moving down. Status increased as you moved down the hill, with the most coveted residences being on Tupelo Drive, closest to Luther Nedeed. Lester and Willie begin their trip into Linden Hills at Lester’s house where the reader meets Lester’s mother, Mrs. Tilson and his sister Roxanne. Both of the ladies of the house give the impression that they are not content being on the outermost circle of Linden Hills and would like to move down the hill. Mrs. Tilson has an over the top propriety to her behavior and states â€Å"I was never one for keeping up with the Jones’s but it’s pretty embarrassing to have the worst house on the block and to just settle for that† (Naylor 51). Roxanne is determined to â€Å"marry well – or not at all† (Naylor 53) and to achieve this she â€Å"had paid her dues to the Civil Rights Movement by wearing an afro for six months and enrolling in black history courses in college† (Naylor 53). She has also used â€Å"a decades worth of bleaching creams and hair relaxers† (Naylor 53). Many of these behaviors deny their unique cultural characteristics, as though in order to make it in this coveted black community, it is necessary to deny what makes them unique and to appear less â€Å"black†. Even Roxanne’s love interest Xavier, a successful black businessman, becomes frightened at the thought of falling in love with a black woman, calling it â€Å"one of the most terrifying experiences of his life† (Naylor 97). He even seeks the advice of a coworker on the matter. In his review of Linden Hills, â€Å"African American Whiteness in Gloria Naylor’s Linden Hillsâ€Å", Tim Engles describes Roxanne as â€Å"an avid social climber interested in marrying rich† who â€Å"actively whitens her natural appetites and those aspects of herself that are commonly associated with blackness†. He also calls her attempts to embrace her race as â€Å"superficial and hypocritical†. On their first day of work in Linden Hills, Willie and Lester encounter the wedding of Winston Alcott. Winston is denying a fundamental part of who he is by marrying a woman. In spite of his hidden long term relationship with David, he is turning his back on it all because as Nedeed tells him, â€Å"it’s the only way if a man wants to get somewhere in Linden Hills† (Naylor 75). As the boys perform work for Mr. Parker, who recently lost his wife, a scene plays out in his house as people come to pay their respects. This scene shows how far removed the residents are from their own culture. While discussing a possible housing project near Linden Hills, the unfavorable comments coming from everyone seem to represent a great deal of discrimination towards their own race. Referring to those that would potentially reside in these houses as â€Å"people like that† and â€Å"remedial cases and trouble makers† (Naylor 133). Where there should be some sense of community and wanting to help those in their own culture achieve better for themselves, these residents are so far removed from any type of community or culture they instead refer to their own race as â€Å"dirty niggers† and vow to keep them out of â€Å"their community† (Naylor 135). Nedeed even encourages the residents to align with the Wayne County Citizens Alliance which is full of â€Å"some of the most despicable racists on this side of the continent†(Naylor 137). The entire motivation for aligning with them is purely financial. The residents are willing to sell their souls to the devil so to speak in order to maintain their financial and material gains. The farther they travel down the hill, the greater the display of wealth as evidenced by the increased size of the houses. On Fifth Crescent Drive, they encounter Reverend Hollis. Willie is familiar with the reverend and thinks fondly of him, as he went to the Christmas parties at the reverend’s church as a child. As the reader learns though, Reverend Holllis has lost just about everything important to him. He may live in a coveted area and preach at the nicest church, but inside he is an unfulfilled lonely alcoholic who has also lost his wife in the process. He doesn’t gain any fulfillment from preaching to his parish. The residents of Linden Hills sit stiff and unmoved in the pews with no sense of community and no spiritual souls. He still has a passion for ministry, however his congregation does not. He tries to inspire his congregation at the funeral service for Lycentia Parker, but the reader gets the sense of the groups discomfort. They are not comfortable with him calling them out on their materialistic ways and pointing out that none of those things matter when you leave this world. The parish sits in the pews with their rose colored glasses on, unwilling to see things as they really are. Laurel Dumont is introduced to the reader, first as a young child who spends many happy summers with her grandmother in the south. It is during these summers that Laurel finds her love for swimming and diving. As an adult, Laurel becomes a very successful business woman at IBM, marries well, and winds up living on Tupelo Drive, the most coveted address in Linden Hills. In the process though, she lost herself. The reader sees everything unravel as she realizes she no longer knows her own identity, even making a trip back home to her grandmother’s in the south trying to find herself. She has the money and the address and the high paying job, but no idea who she is or where she fits in. As a result her marriage fails and she ends up committing suicide. Ironically, she uses her once loved talent of diving to kill herself. Tim Engles in his piece on Linden Hills, points out that â€Å"Naylor suggests that the residents of the lower reaches of Linden Hills have repressed so much of themselves and of their former, sustaining communal connections, that they are beyond recovery†. The final and greatest example of Linden Hills as a neighborhood that has put it’s value in the materialistic instead of the spiritualistic takes place at the very bottom of Linden Hills. I believe Linden Hills was created upside down for a reason. Luther Nedeed lives at the very bottom and can see everything. His position is the most coveted, valued and feared. His being at the bottom is representative of the devil and hell. Through all generations of Nedeeds and their controlling, manipulating, monetary ways, they have created a toxic environment that in the end, leads to it’s demise. Nedeed’s own neighborhood stands by and watches out their windows as his house burns with him inside. The one person who tries to do something to help is Willie, the â€Å"outsider† from Putney-Wayne. He doesn’t have money or a nice house, but he has more compassion and morality than anyone who lives on the hills. They stand at their windows and watch it burn, all compassion and sense of duty to a fellow neighbor non-existent. Whatever doubt Willie had prior to that moment, we see him come to realize what is real and important in life. The reader sees that Willie has figured out how terribly wrong things are in Linden Hills. â€Å"There is a man in a house at the bottom of a hill. And his wife has no name†(Naylor 277). This line from one of Willie’s poems about Nedeed’s wife is representative of generations of Mrs. Nedeeds. The sole purpose of a Nedeed wife was to produce a son and by doing so, perpetuating generations of patriarchal rule by the Nedeed men. The original Luther Nedeed sold his wife and children in order to buy the land for Linden Hills. He eventually brought back a young wife, whose name is not even mentioned, who gave him a son to carry on his father’s work in the morgue and the building up of the land. The story is built around the great great grandson of the original Luther and his wife Willa. It is through Willa’s imprisonment in the basement/morgue of their home that we eventually are introduced to the previous wives and learn how suffocating the patriarchal rule has been for these women. The reader can see early on in the story Luther’s lack of respect for not only his wife, but women in general. He cannot even recall his own mother’s name â€Å"because everyone-including his father- had called her nothing but Mrs. Nedeed†(Naylor18). When his wife bears him a son he feels cannot possibly be his due to the pale coloring of his skin, he locks both the child and his wife in the basement as punishment. Ironically, it is the generations of previous pale skinned Nedeed wives that passed down this trait through Luther that produced the child’s coloring, not infidelity on the part of Willa. Luther does not recognize his role in this and punishes her supposed infidelity in an attempt to â€Å"turn her into a wife†(Naylor19). By locking her in the basement and regulating her food we see his subordination and control over his wife. Luther is attempting to control and break her with his plan that â€Å"in a few weeks she would have learned her lesson† and she would then â€Å"conceive again and he’d get the son he should have gotten in the first place†(Naylor67). Paula Eckard in her piece â€Å"The Entombed Maternal in Gloria Naylor’s Linden Hills† writes â€Å"By crushing her personal will and reproductive prerogative, Luther hopes to restore patriarchal order and control†. Our first introduction to Willa is a bleak one. The reader learns that the child has died while in the basement. Willa is feeling doomed and riddled with grief, willing herself to also die. What began as a search for something to wrap her son in, so when their bodies were discovered people would know he was properly mourned, leads to Willa’s discovery of generations of women before her. She discovers a wedding veil and a bible belonging to Luwana Packerville. After wrapping her son in the wedding veil, she sits down to figure out why Luwana wrote â€Å"There can be no God†(Naylor93) in that bible. What began as a mere curiosity, takes Willa on a journey through three generations of Nedeed wives. As she digs deeper, she uncovers the forgotten and suppressed identities of these wives and comes to the realization that she has also become a faceless, nameless casualty of the Nedeed patriarchy. The women; Luwana, Priscilla McGuire, Evelyn Creton and Willa all entered into a marriage that they thought would bring them security and even a freedom of sorts. After all, they were marrying a successful man who could offer them everything. Luwana thought the fact that she was sold to Luther was merely a formality. She quickly learned once she gave him his son that this was not the case. In her writings she says â€Å"Luther told me today that I have no rights to my son†(Naylor 117). This leads to her realization that â€Å"I had only exchanged one master for another†(Naylor 117). She was property. She had no rights, no freedoms, no individuality. She is isolated and takes to writing letters back and forth to herself as a way to cope. Willa discovers through the readings of Evelyn Creton’s recipes that she attempted to regain some control over her life through her cooking. The reader discovers that Evelyn began concocting recipes for her husband using â€Å"shame-weed†(Naylor 147) in and effort to counter his sexual and emotional coldness towards her. When these things did not work she concocted creams in an attempt to bleach her skin. Finally, we see how tortured and lonely she is as she begins to concoct laxatives as she describes what sounds like a bulimic pattern. As she describes â€Å"her face was becoming sunken, her arms skeletal†(Naylor 190) and it becomes evident that she starves herself to death. It is after discovering Priscilla McGuire that Willa undergoes a transformation – a rebirth. Through pictures we discover that Priscilla entered into her marriage to Luther Nedeed happily and eagerly full of expectations. But as the pictures progress, body language and facial expressions tell the story of a woman who has suffered the same fate as her predecessors. As the pictures progress she slowly fades from them, and becomes insignificant and non-existent. It is here that Willa has an epiphany. Through these women she has decided that she can have a different outcome. â€Å"Now that she had actually seen and accepted reality, and reality brought such a healing calm. For whatever it was worth, she could rebuild†(Naylor 268). This knowledge gives her an inner peace and sets the stage for her rebirth, her reentry into the real world. Willa’s march up the basement stairs while carrying her dead son is one of a fiercely determined woman. Naylor uses the symbolism of comparing Willa to â€Å"a lone army ant, marching in defiance of falling rocks and rushing water along the great Amazon†(300). Paula Eckard writes â€Å"This maternal image, wrecked and battered, also hints at the power and will that she still possesses†. By marching back upstairs, Willa is attempting to take back control of her own life, inspired by generations of repressed Nedeed women. Christopher Okonkow in his piece on Linden Hills points out that â€Å"Willa is reaffirming her importance in the Nedeed controlled family, a domain which would seek to bastardize and depreciate the incalculable worth of a good wife and mother†. Willa’s journey in the basement with the other wives illustrates the importance of female camaraderie and value. The evidence of their resistance of patriarchal oppression is what gave her the strength to persevere and in the process bring down the patriarchal house of Nedeed. Willa is a heroine for sacrificing herself with the fire that brought Luther(Satan) down. It is only by exposing and bringing down generations of evils, that rebuilding can begin. Throughout Naylor’s novel we see the detrimental effects of a materialistic and patriarchal society. When people sell â€Å"the mirror in your soul†(Naylor 59) it leads to an empty existence. This novel teaches the lesson that things and status do not bring true fulfillment in life. A happy and healthy society needs neighborhood and cultural ties with strong spirituality and morality. By illustrating the negative implications of a patriarchal society, Naylor impresses upon the reader the importance of a strong and positive maternal presence for the child, the family, the individual and society as a whole.

What to Do in Budapest 11 Top Attractions

What to Do in Budapest 11 Top Attractions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One of the rising stars in European tourism, Budapest’s charms and sights are gaining popularity worldwide. Gone are the days when the Hungarian capital was widely thought of as a drab administrative city, filled only with aging Communist-era buildings. These days, Budapest tourism is rapidly growing and savvy visitors know that it's one of Europe’s great cities with diverse architecture, unique cultural experiences, and some of the most inventive nightlife on the continent. Are you wondering what to do in Budapest? Follow this guide to immerse yourself in Budapest’s history, traditions, and culture. By visiting the Budapest attractions listed below, you’ll find yourself relaxing in opulent thermal baths, paying your respects at moving WWII memorials, admiring the largest Parliament in Europe, and drinking a new cocktail in the gardens of a formerly abandoned warehouse. This list of 11 things to do in Budapest is organized into four groups, based on the location of the sites: Castle Hill, City Park, Parliament and Around, and Central Pest. This organization lets you visit sites near each other, instead of spending your trip running from one end of town to the other. Many people choose to stay in downtown Pest because it has the most accommodation options, but Budapest has a great subway system to help you get from one area to another. You can buy individual subway tickets, day passes, or multi-day passes. I'd recommend that you spend at least a half-day to a full day in each area, and, if you choose to stay longer, you’ll find Budapest has enough activities to fill any itinerary. The Top 11 Places to Visit in Budapest Check out this map of the best things to do in Budapest and then read more about each below. This map can also be viewed online. Castle Hill - Red Matthias Church Fisherman’s Bastion Buda Castle City Park - Blue Szà ©chenyi Bath Vajdahunyad Castle Heroes’ Square Parliament and Around - Purple Hungarian Parliament Building Shoes on the Danube Monument Central Pest - Green Hungarian State Opera House Ruin Pubs Great Synagogue Castle Hill Attractions You can find some of the most famous- and stunning- things to see in Budapest in the Castle Hill area, including gorgeous architecture and historically important sites. Matthias Church Matthias Church is one of the top Budapest attractions, and it’s a center point of Castle Hill. Built in the late 13th century, Matthias Church was the first parish church in Budapest, and it has remained an important symbol of the city. During its long history, Matthias Church hosted multiple royal coronations, was damaged by cannon fire, and spent over 100 years as a Mosque while the city was under Ottoman rule. Even if you feel like you’ve seen enough European churches to last a lifetime, stop for a look at Matthias Church. It doesn’t have the soaring grandeur of larger churches like Notre Dame and Milan’s Duomo, but its unique colors and design make it one of the most pleasant churches in Europe to view. The church was extensively restored in the 1900s, and today it’s popular with tourists who come to see and photograph the Gothic architecture, stained glass windows, and vibrant diamond-patterned roof tiles. The church is also home to the Ecclesiastical Art Museum. The museum (which charges a small fee) begins in the church’s medieval crypt and continues to the chapel. While touring the museum, visitors can view the tombs of 10th century rulers King Bà ©la III and his wife Agnes, replicas of the royal Hungarian jewels, and assorted other jewels and religious objects. Fisherman’s Bastion One of the most unusual sights in Budapest, Fisherman’s Bastion is an elegant, neo-Gothic terrace overlooking the Danube. The site was named for a group of fisherman who defended the city from invasion during the Middle Ages. Walking under gleaming white arches and along staircases and terraces, visitors get sweeping views of the Danube, including a birds-eye view of Parliament. The seven turrets of Fisherman’s Bastion represent the seven Magyar tribe leaders who are regarded as the founders of modern-day Hungary. It may not seem like there’s much to do at Fisherman’s Bastion since the site is little more than an attractive lookout, but many tourists spend far longer than they planned here, strolling from one end of the terrace to the other and taking rolls of photos. When visiting Castle Hill, make Fisherman’s Bastion your first stop (easy to do since it’s very close to public transportation stops). The weather in Budapest can be fickle, and there are times when the terrace and its views are enveloped by fog. It usually clears later in the day, so check back periodically if the weather isn’t cooperating when you first stop by. Fisherman’s Bastion is located next to Matthias Church, and together these two sites make up one the best places to visit in Budapest. Here you can walk along cobblestone streets, look at historic buildings, and grab lunch in one of the numerous traditional cafà ©s that line the streets. Buda Castle Rising up from the southern end of Castle Hill is the imposing, sprawling structure of Buda Castle. The first castle on this site was completed in 1265, and the castle continued to be expanded and rebuilt throughout the centuries. Buda Castle has been a royal residence for generations of Hungarian rulers, besieged by Ottoman armies, taken over by the Habsburgs, occupied by Nazis during WWII, and designated as a World Heritage Site in 1987. Today, the grounds are adorned with numerous statues and gardens, which visitors can admire while walking around the castle. Within the castle are a trio of museums and institutions: the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery, and the National Szà ©chà ©nyi Library (the museum and gallery both require tickets, but the library is free to visit). Each site is well worth a visit, focusing on the history of the city, Hungarian art, and a collection of rare books and paper, respectively. If you can only visit one museum (visiting all three can make for a long day), my pick is the Budapest History Museum. Far more than a dry collection of artifacts, this museum spans three floors and includes such varied exhibits as recreations of opulent rooms as they looked when used by royals, paintings by Hungarian Masters, and excavated rooms of the medieval castle in the basement. There are no cars allowed on Castle Hill unless you live or work in the area, and the lack of noise and traffic contributes to the feeling that you’ve stepped into the past and are far removed from the bustle of the city down below. City Park Attractions City Park is a large public park that includes some of Budapest's best attractions. Szà ©chenyi Bath Visiting the city's famed baths is one of the top things to do in Budapest. Budapest’s abundant thermal waters means there are numerous baths to choose from, but, in terms of history and enjoyability, Szà ©chenyi Bath is far and away your best option. As the largest thermal bath in Europe, Szà ©chenyi Bath is one of Budapest’s iconic sites. When it was built in 1913, the architecture followed the Neo-baroque style popular at the time, and it’s easy to feel like you’re wading through the private pool of a royal palace as you move between the bath’s 18 different pools. When you arrive, you’ll be given a waterproof key card to a personal closet-sized locker, where you can change into your swimsuit (required) and store your belongings while you’re in the baths. There are both indoor and outdoor pools to choose between in Szà ©chenyi. While the indoor pools have a wider variety of temperatures, as well as saunas and steam rooms, most people prefer the outdoor baths because they are typically brighter and cleaner, and they let you enjoy the cheery, slightly aged exterior of the baths. Szà ©chenyi is popular with tourists, and there will likely be a number of people soaking alongside you, but it remains an institution for Budapest locals. They come here to relax after work, socialize, and play a game of chess on one of the waterproof boards in the baths. At Szà ©chenyi, you can also purchase additional services, such as massages. Ticket prices vary depending on the time of day you visit and if you want a cabin or locker, but expect to pay about 5000 Florin (about $18 USD). Massages are an additional 5000-35000 Florin. The thermal waters keep temperatures warm year-round at Szà ©chenyi, so both the indoor and outdoor baths remain open in winter. Vajdahunyad Castle Vajdahunyad Castle is located close to the Szà ©chenyi Baths within City Park, but many people breeze past this tucked away corner of town without pausing to explore. Vajdahunyad can’t compare to Buda Castle’s immense size or history, but this attractive and somewhat mysterious castle earns major points for charm. The castle was originally built in 1896 as a temporary structure of cardboard and wood to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin. However, Budapest’s citizens were so taken with it that the present structure, made of stone and painted in muted blues, purples, and oranges, was soon constructed. Set back amongst trees and gardens, the castle’s shadowy exterior reveals features from numerous architectural styles that showcase the variety and evolution of architecture in Budapest. Additional touches to the castle include sunken windows, a portcullis, and numerous turrets overlooking a boating lake turned ice skating rink in the winter. A popular spot for photos is the brooding, slightly creepy statue of Anonymus, a mysterious Hungarian notary and chronicler who lived around 1200 AD. Inside the castle is Museum of Hungarian Agriculture (small fee charged), but even if you’re not interested in the museum’s focus, it’s pleasant simply to walk through the castle’s interior and climb to the top of the two tallest towers for views of the park. Vajdahunyad Castle was only built at the turn of the 20th century, but its historical architecture and romantic setting make it feel far older. A short stroll around the castle or a picnic on its grounds beside the lake is an excellent way to take a break from a busy day of sightseeing. Heroes’ Square Another attraction near City Park, Heroes’ Square does not take long to visit, but it’s one of the city’s most important landmarks. Located at the end of Andrssy Avenue, Heroes’ Square is well-worth visiting to get a sense of Hungary’s history. Built in 1896 to celebrate Hungary’s 1000th anniversary, Heroes’ Square is the largest square in Budapest. The focal point of the square is tall column adorned with a statue of the archangel Gabriel. Flanking the base are seven statues representing the seven original Magyar chieftains. Surrounding the column are 14 pillars with statues of other important Hungarian figures. Viewing the square’s statues and plaques is a great crash-course on the history of the country. Among the statues you’ll see famed Hungarian saints, rulers, and warriors. A plaque in the square dedicates the site "To the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our people and our national independence." During Budapest’s long history, the city was occupied by foreign invaders several times and ruled by a communist regime. Heroes’ Square now serves as a physical monument to Hungary’s dedication to democracy. The square can be visited both during the day and at night, when it is lit up by floodlights. Parliament and Around If you're interested in more recent history, this is the area for you, with monuments to Hungary's tumultuous 20th century. Hungarian Parliament Building The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary and one of the icons of Budapest. Its design was based on the UK Parliament Building, the Palace of Westminster, but the Parliament of Budapest is no mere copycat. This is one of the oldest and largest legislative buildings in Europe, and since the day it was completed in 1904, it has been the largest building in Hungary. Built along the bank of the Danube River, this soaring Gothic Revival building looks surprisingly delicate up close, with numerous intricate details. Visitors can opt to take a guided tour of the building to see sights including the House Chambers, the inside of the dome, the grand entrance staircase, the Hungarian crown jewels, and a small museum. Tickets, which are 5200 Florin for non-EU citizens, must be purchased beforehand, either online or in person. Make sure you view the Parliament Building both during the day and at night, when the entire structure is lit up, its reflection glowing in the river. Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial There are World War II memorials far grander than this collection of 60 pairs of iron shoes scattered along the edge of the Danube, but that doesn’t make this site any less moving. The monument was conceived by director Can Togay and created by sculptor Gyula Pauer to honor the people murdered by soldiers of the Arrow Cross, a national socialist party in Hungary during WWII. Between 1944 and 1945, an unknown number of victims, mostly Budapest Jews, were taken to the edge of the Danube and shot, their bodies falling into the river. Before they were killed, they were told to remove their shoes, which could be resold for a profit. This small memorial, a few hundred feet from Parliament, poignantly pays tribute to the victims. The shoes were designed to accurately represent shoes from that period, and they were created in many different styles to represent the wide variety of victims: men, women, business people, teenagers, and children. The shoes are often adorned with ribbons or flowers left as tokens of remembrance by visitors. Walking along the memorial and viewing the empty shoes strewn forlornly along the Danube’s bank is a powerful reminder of the lives lost in WWII. Central Pest Attractions Central Pest is where many visitors choose to stay, because it offers easy access to all the Budapest sights. It's also home to some of the city's most exciting cultural attractions. Hungarian State Opera House Housed in an elegant neo-Renaissance building dating from 1884, the Hungarian State Opera House is a point of pride for many Hungarians, yet it’s much less well-known than many other European opera houses. For a small fee, you can take one of the regular tours of the opera house. After passing the figures of two of Hungary’s most renowned composers in the entrance, you’ll enter a foyer with marble columns and vaulted ceilings. Like all grand opera houses, this one has a sweeping staircase dominating the entrance, used by Hungarian’s past elite to see and be seen. Other opulent touches include a brass chandelier and vast murals decorating the walls and ceilings. The theater itself is decorated with red velvet and gold leaf. It seats over 2,600, with the royal box in the center of the horseshoe-shaped rows. Many people simply opt for a tour, but the Hungarian State Opera House is one of the best places to view an opera in Europe, particularly if you’ve never been to one before. The opera house often performs crowd pleasers like Carmen and Madama Butterfly, which are a great introduction for opera novices. Additionally, tickets here are significantly cheaper than at most other opera houses; you can often get a seat for less than $10 USD. At many other opera houses, tickets this price are typically for the standing area only, and standing shoulder to shoulder with other guests for several hours is enough to fatigue even opera aficionados. At the Hungarian Opera House, you’ll be able to enjoy the opera in comfort without breaking the bank. In addition to operas, the building also hosts ballets and other performances. The Hungarian State Opera House website has a calendar showing all upcoming events. Operas are subtitled in both Hungarian and English, and opera season lasts from September to July. Ruin Pubs Budapest can be heavy with history, so for a change of pace and to get a sense of how the city enjoys itself, head to one of Budapest’s many ruin pubs, drinking establishments that have sprung up in recently un-abandoned buildings. Rumor has it that ruin pubs first came into existence in 2001, out of a need for a cheap place to drink. No two ruin pubs are alike, but all of them share several characteristics: they’re housed in a formerly abandoned building, the furniture is eclectic and often pre-used, and they show their links to the community by hosting local bands or DJs or having local artists decorate the interior. Most of the ruin pubs are located in Budapest’s old Jewish Quarter, in the streets behind the Great Synagogue. In a ruin pub, you could find yourself in a cozy former home with couches for seating, taking to the dance floor in a large, rambling warehouse, tasting plinka (a traditional fruit brandy) under the glow of old-fashioned lanterns, enjoying beers in a courtyard filled with picnic tables, or learning Hungarian phrases at one of the regular informal classes the pubs host. One of the best aspects of ruin pubs is that you never know what type of experience you’re going to get until you walk inside. The best ruin pub to start at is the original, Szimpla Kert. Occupying a large, formerly abandoned building, Szimpla is filled with mismatched and often antique furniture and decorations. Outside there’s a spacious courtyard which includes an old Trabant car guests can lounge in. Ruin pubs attract a mostly young, international crowd, but you’ll find all types here. Local Hungarians often frequent them, as do older visitors. Ruin pubs may be most enjoyable to visit on a warm summer evening, but they’re open year-round, with outdoor spaces typically closed in the winter. Great Synagogue This massive building, also known as the Dohny Street Synagogue, is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second-largest in the world. It was completed in 1859 in the Neo-Moorish style, giving it a distinct look compared to many other synagogues. Inside the Great Synagogue is seating for more than 3,000 people, as well as the Jewish Museum, which has exhibits on Jewish traditions and the history of Judaism in Budapest. The building is rich with history. During World War II, the site was bombed by Nazi planes, and it later became one border of Budapest’s Jewish ghetto. In the grounds surrounding the synagogue is a graveyard where over 2,000 people who died in the Jewish ghetto during the winter of 1944-1945 are buried. There's also the Heroes’ Temple honoring Hungarian Jews who died during World War I and the Holocaust Memorial. The Holocaust Memorial, also known as the Emanuel Tree, is particularly striking to see. Crafted by Hungarian sculptor Imre Varga, the memorial takes the form of a delicate and intricate weeping willow. The name of a Hungarian Jew killed during the Holocaust has been engraved on each metal leaf. In my opinion, this is one of the world’s most beautiful and moving Holocaust memorials. If you don’t have time to tour the synagogue, you can get a view of the tree through the gate surrounding the grounds. You can take a self-guided tour around the synagogue, but a guided tour (available at the entrance) can help you navigate the large site and fully appreciate its historical importance. Entrance to the synagogue costs 3000 Florin and includes access to both the building and its grounds.

Rhenium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Rhenium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Rhenium is a heavy, silvery-white transition metal. The elements properties were predicted by Mendeleev when he designed his periodic table. Here is a collection of rhenium element facts. RheniumBasic Facts Symbol: Re Atomic Number: 75 Atomic Weight: 186.207 Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f14 5d5 6s2 Element Classification: Transition Metal Discovery: Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke, Otto Berg 1925 (Germany) Name Origin: Latin: Rhenus, the Rhine River. RheniumPhysical Data Density (g/cc): 21.02 Melting Point (K): 3453 Boiling Point (K): 5900 Appearance: dense, silvery-white metal Atomic Radius (pm): 137 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.85 Covalent Radius (pm): 128 Ionic Radius: 53 (7e) 72 (4e) Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.138 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 34 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 704 Debye Temperature (K): 416.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.9 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 759.1 Oxidation States: 5, 4, 3, 2, -1 Lattice Structure: hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 2.760 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.615 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) Return to the Periodic Table

Right Whales in today's environment Research Paper

Right Whales in today's environment - Research Paper Example They are slow swimmers and usually perform short shallow dive successively before going under water. They normally move from place to place in small numbers or on their own. They also give out soft sounds that could be their means of communication. Most of these huge whales live in temperate waters, and are located more frequently in coastal waters, particularly throughout the breeding period (Knowlton & Kraus 193-194). King Sancho the Wise, in 1150, awarded rights to Navarre, an area in northern Spain, to collect or impose fee on whalebone. This is the beginning of whale hunting, which killed thousands of right whales. The name of the species came from early whalers, who believed that this whale was the ‘right’ whale to hunt (Knowlton & Kraus 193). Their slow movement, their proximity to land, and their ‘output’ or uses made them profitable to hunt. At present, very few right whales exist. Ever since whaling stopped in the 1930s, equally reduced species, li ke the right whale of the Southern Ocean, have shown remarkable restoration. Unfortunately, the population of North Atlantic right whale failed to recover. Very few are being born, while numerous are dying, usually due to human activities like fishing and shipping. Because right whales are located in coastal areas, it is highly at risk of human activities. With a decimated, slow-increasing population, even minor threat could have a huge effect. The impact of pollutants on the vulnerability of right whales to disease and reproductive functioning is becoming more and more an area of concern. For instance, studies have revealed that North Atlantic right whales are substantially exposed to harmful substances (Schick et al. 5). Today experts are teaming up, employing various approaches, methods, and tools, to examine the health and habitats of right whales; their migration patterns; and, the changes in their population over time. An accurate understanding of these factors can significant ly contribute to the development of appropriate and effective conservation and management systems that can boost the recovery of the species. Researchers in the 1950s largely shared the opinion that the North Atlantic right whale was either endangered or already extinct. However, several whale researchers in the 1960s observed a small number of right whales. The message was obvious—North Atlantic right whales survived (IFAW ‘Ending Commercial Whaling’ para 1). A research was published in 1990 that reported that the major reasons for the death of right whales were entanglements in fishing nets and ship collisions (Knowlton & Kraus 193-194). By the latter part of the 1990s marine biologists already knew that right whales will eventually become extinct due to harmful human activities. A major factor in the decimation of North Atlantic right whales is manmade mortality. Not like the recuperating population of Southern Ocean right whale, which moves to less trafficked and inhabited waters, North Atlantic right whales are widely exposed to accidents, like ship collisions. These accidents result in lethal distress to whales, such as fractured ribs, brain cases, and jaws. Right whales also collide with fishing gears (Greenpeace International para 4-5). Some of them can free themselves from entanglements, while others cannot. Being caught in fishing gears causes death to right whales. Unfortunately, preventing collisions between whales and ships is very hard. Sometimes, right whales are not able to avoid or identify big ships. Thus far, there are

Coca Cola Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Coca Cola Company - Essay Example Many consequences arose as a result of this move. The first consequence and a positive one is the fact that people accepted the move because they saw it as a way of environmental conservation. The negative consequences are seen it terms of the confusion it created. People could not differentiate the diet coke from the regular coke. Secondly, people were loyal to the red can and therefore changing to white was like playing with their minds and this made it difficult for them to even buy the drink (abc). The case of coca cola confirms the view that people buy products to satisfy their need. They attach a certain meaning to a give product and develop a relationship with the brand. They therefore become loyal to the brand and changing any aspect of it may anger consumers and the consequences may be dire for a company. People identify with their brands and in so doing develop a relationship with the brand to the extent that their beliefs and attitudes towards the product become permanent. A slight change becomes costly to the company (Helm). As discussed above, consumers often build relationships with products over time. These relationships are as a result of the beliefs and attitudes that they hold about a particular product or service. These attitudes and beliefs shape their perceptions about the product and its perceived value. The perceived value the customers attach to a product is as a result of the benefits that they get as a result of using the product. The product may perform relatively high above the performance of other competitive products or it may offer better service to them or even it may be of superior quality than competitive products. The difference may be small but this generates customer loyalty to the product and thus subsequent purchase of the product is guaranteed (Mullins and Walker 13-16). Product perception can be defined as the individual’s mental impression of a stimulus object in this case a product. People have different percept ions about products and no two people think alike about the same product. Perception is selective, is organized, and depends on personal and stimulus factors (Helm). It is important that companies build a brand and work on maintaining the brand and its associated images and product designs. A change in this creates conflict within the customer’s minds altering their beliefs and attitudes towards the product (Mullins and Walker 18). Some customers take time to adjust to the change will others fear change and therefore prefer to stick with what they know about their product. This was the case for Coca Cola and the white cans. The introduction of the white cans violated the expectations of the consumers and thus creating the confusion and this led to subsequent rejection of the white cans. This process of rejection of the white cans can be explained by the cognitive dissonance theory. According to this theory, there is always a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions that is their beliefs, opinions, attitudes etc. when there is an inconsistency between the attitudes or behaviors often referred to as dissonance, then something must change to eliminate the dissonance. In the case of a discrepancy between attitudes and behavior, it is most likely that the attitude will change to accommodate the behavior (Blythe 161-162). Two factors affect the