Should the War on Drugs end Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Should the War on Drugs end - Essay Example They consider that the usage of drugs should be legalized in order to reduce the ratio of drug employment by the masses of America. According to William F. Buckley in his essay about the failure of war on drugs, drug taking is a gregarious activity. Buckley informs that there is no involvement of medical proceedings and medical evaluation in order to check the amount of consumption of drugs because of its being illegal (Buckley 1996). Because of illegality of drugs, medical evaluation is not possible. The war on drugs has failed because more people die because of the war on drugs in place of overdosing (Buckley 1996). According to Buckley, because of drug usage being illicit, people are involved in doing crimes such as robbery and killing. People who are desperate to take drugs have to take money from any illegal means to take hold of illegal drugs (Buckley 1996). Buckley adds that government has to appoint many thousands of policemen to chase the people taking and selling drugs illegally and they are involved in pursing the criminals of drugs business. A large number of policemen can do other constructive tasks in place of doing their cat and mouse game with the drug users and sellers (Buckley 1996). Buckley opts for the establishment of federal drugstores with no extra profit that is involved in illegal trafficking of drugs (Buckley 1996). The drug users because if illegal access to drugs are forced to do other crimes illegally. According to Buckley, the jails are full with illegal drug users due to which, the government has to endure a large amount of expenses on those drug criminals. He further informs that medical treatment for drug usage is far cheaper as compared to this cost that is involved in keeping drug criminals in jails. War on drugs has failed because the government is unable to control the usage of drugs by all their measures (Buckley

Enter Thomas Hardy Essay Example for Free

Enter Thomas Hardy Essay Enter Thomas Hardy, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Gerard Manley Hopkins and William Blake. The poets are seated around a small table in a crowded and agitated Chinese restaurant, at the heart of Texas. After the initial shock and excitement of their unwonted experience, they all meditate on the state of the world in which they have accidentally landed, poring over a newspaper cut that announces the death of a young girl as a result of heroin overdose. A heavy silence has set on the poets’ table, in strange contrast to the loud mirth of the small Chinese restaurant. Raising his brow, Hardy interrupts the silence. He speaks slowly, with a clear but tired voice: Hardy: Surely my beliefs are strengthened by this terrible mishap. If only there was a malevolent ruler of the universe to blame for the cruel death of this young girl. Then all our voices would roar against him, accusing him of injustice and absurdity. We would feel betrayed and angry that the supreme ruler of the world ill-uses his creatures so. But I see it clear now, as I have seen it and heard it so often in the mysterious and neutral voice of nature all around me: the universe is a hollow shell; there is no other voice in this world than that of nature and chance echoing through the ages and creating havoc in our poor, mortal existence. The death of this beautiful child is the answer of the impersonal and cruel force of chance to all our hopes and ideals. There are many of us who have fallen in love with the world and its wonders, as there are many of us who have always hated it. I have heard the world speak to me many times, warning me not to look for meanings where there are none. I have long heard it say to me not to look for promises in the web of uncertainties and in the play of chance. This is what the world has long said to me: `I do not promise overmuch, Child; overmuch; Just neutral-tinted haps and such. This fair warning still rings in my ears today. There is only chance in this world, that is all there is. Nothing lasts and no sense can be made of all we see around us. We look for meanings where there are only occurrences. One happening follows another and we are at the mercy of chance and time. Despite our passionate search for answers, the nature sends back only a dispassionate, neutral response, playing its games and rolling the dices. Casualty is the most powerful governing law we have and there is no hope for escape. It is this â€Å"crass Casualty† that â€Å"obstructs the sun and rain†, giving us the good moments and the bad moments by turns. Nature follows its own logic, not ours. And time plays dice with the world, casting its sums of moans and joy and making us obey its impersonal and mute force. I do not see any other meaning in the death of this young girl. She, like the rest of us, was in the hands of chance. Had her life been long and happy, she would have owed it all to chance still. There is too much arbitrariness in everything to believe we are ruled by a God who reasons and who loves. Nothing happens for a reason. Do not further look for meaning in this my friends, for there are none and never expect much, for there is nothing more†¦ The others have listened in silence to Hardy’s disconsolate speech. When he ceased however, Tennyson began in a tremulous, shaken voice: Tennyson: Oh, my friends, these would have been my own words once. Like you, I would have looked upon this young girl’s death as the substantiation of all my aching questions. I have often felt like an infant crying desperately for knowledge, for the light of meaning to suppress the darkness of the world! At times there seemed to be no answer anywhere. I wanted to see that â€Å"nothing walks with aimless feet†, that there is no destruction of life and that everything that happens has a purpose and a meaning in the larger, unseen order of things. I wanted to understand God as the careful designer of all, the divine force that gives meaning to everything there is and does not allow anything to perish. I painfully wavered between belief and disbelief†¦ At times, I could not endure the thought that anything in the world was useless or devoid of purpose. If God was here with us, a mere worm would have its significance in the world and its place in eternity along with the whole of the creation. But oftentimes my belief and my need for knowledge stumbled on the carelessness of nature. I wondered many times whether â€Å"God and Nature† were â€Å"at strife†, seeing â€Å"that Nature lends such evil dreams†. The hope in a divine order of things seemed to be shattered every time I beheld the evil workings of nature. Truly, nature seems not to care for the individual life. It crushes and destroys and casts life away â€Å"as rubbish to the void†. To me also then nature was a nightmare I could not make any sense of. A while ago, this innocent girl’s death would have seemed another evil deed of nature, an unjust robbery. Life and man’s entire existence seemed so futile at certain moments†¦A mere girl dying for no reason, a whole life cut short because of a misplaced step†¦Oh, how easy it is for reason to doubt everything and for faith to die in the soul of man! But since, I have been shown a different path and for me faith has been renewed. Even at times like these, I feel that we have God in our souls, even if it difficult to perceive him in nature. I now know that it was the voice in my heart that has kept me from disbelief. Each time the voice of ‘cold reason’ interfered and questioned the meaning of all, â€Å"my heart stood up and answered: ‘I have felt’! †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Reason made me blind at times, but my heart cried out and melted my anger with its passion. Our knowledge of God comes only in these moments when the heart answers eagerly and warmly to all our questions. The death of a child makes me sad beyond speech, but it does not harden me anymore. I now believe that death is just a brief moment that takes us from life’s shore to death’s domain and God’s infinite ocean. God awaits us on the infinite ocean and he will be our Pilot ever after, our guiding light in the infinite sea of time and matter. Once I cross over, â€Å"I hope to see my Pilot face to face†, and I hope that this young girl has already seen him†¦ Tennyson had spoken warmly and tremulously, his whole soul into the words that tumbled from him. From his shaded place at the table, Browning replied: Browning: Your soul is as pure as your faith, my dear Tennyson. We have reached this strange time and place in history to meet death itself and behold it through the eyes of a child. Mortals fear death, with its unknown grip that will surround each of us as a mist and transport us to some mysterious realm. Life is strange and death seems even stranger. Any mortal would feel shaken in front of this last and final struggle. But what could it be in the end, but one more experience and the last in this life? â€Å"I would hate that Death bandaged my eyes, and forbore and made me creep past. † I want to taste death to the full as I have tasted this life and feel the moment in its fullness. The girl has left this world but someone will be waiting for her on the other side and her soul will be filled again. Once I am gone from this world, I know that I will regain my lost love and clasp her in my hands once more. Death is but a brief moment, a struggle that will takes us to a place of eternal peace, where we will rest with God. This world is indeed full of chances and mishaps, but all these will be resolved once we are on the other side†¦If love has remained unfulfilled in this life, it will be rekindled in eternity. I do believe that we lose nothing by death and that the other life is as rewarding as this one. I do not fear death and only expect it to carry me back to my lover†¦This girl must have led a tormented life, the prey of her own restless desires and questions, like all of us. She will find her peace in the eternal life and she will find her place there. There is nothing to fear, not even death†¦I will wait for it but not as an end, only as a new and fresh beginning. Browning had but uttered these words that Hopkins began: Hopkins: Shake off the discontent that has intruded upon your hearts, my friends! You see the death of a child as a black and tragic event, and it certainly seems so when our mortal and untrained eyes behold it. Man is frail in the hands of the divine will, his powers are limited†¦. But the more mighty seems the everlasting ruler of the world! The drudgery of our existence seems to hide God’s glory from our eyes. â€Å"Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; and all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The earth itself smells of man and his works. Yet, in the midst of all this trade and toil we the world appears â€Å"charged with the grandeur of God. † His creation and power and infinite and so are the possibilities of the world. It is through God’s almighty design that we see light disappear in one part of the world, knowing that it suddenly begins to shine in another. Just like light and darkness always coexist, nothing reigns in nature for an unlimited period of time. Through the power of God, the good and the bad coexist in the world at all times. This girl’s death is compensated by another design of God, perhaps unknown to us at present. Only God could make all these different things come into existence at the same time. â€Å"Nature is never spent, there lives the dearest freshness deep down things. † Tasting life, with its good and bad moments, we taste of the very glory of God, who is careful to pour his infinite essence into everything there is. Death is not an end as long as God lives in everything, as long as joy springs up from each fresh beginning. Each day begins with a morning and ends with a night, and yet nothing is ever the same. God’s glory shines through all things, like a foil that you shake in the light. There are no dead things in this world; all matter becomes translucent and fiery with God’s light. With a death, the world may seem bent like a hunchback, crushed underneath the weight of loss, but overall I see the shining spirit of the Holy Ghost shaking its bright wings! The body of the world will ever be lifted by the wings of the almighty spirit! There is no permanent death and no reason for sorrow in a world in which we see the proof of God’s greatness in everything. Learn how to see the world anew, rejoicing in the immense power of the Lord, that is without beginning and without end†¦

Recommendation Letter for Former Employee :: Business Recommendation Letters

November 20, 2004 Mr. Richard Pillsbury Manager, Marketing Services All Industries Inc. 111 Strawberry Bend, Suite 1551 Smallville, OH 05252 Dear Mr. Pillsbury: This is in response to your recent request for a letter of recommendation for Mary Lamb who worked for me up until three years ago. Mary Lamb worked under my direct supervision at Technical Technologies for a period of five and a half years ending in August 2003. During that period, I had the pleasure of seeing her blossom from a junior marketing trainee, into a fully functioning Marketing, Program Co-Ordinator, in her final year and a half with the company. That was the last position she held before moving on to a better career opportunity. Mary is a hard-working self-motivator who understands exactly what a project is all about from the outset, and how to get it done quickly and effectively. During her year and a half in the Marketing Co-Ordinator position, there was never an instance in which she missed a major deadline. She often brought projects in below budget, and a few were even completed ahead of the deadline. Ms. Lamb is a resourceful, creative, and solution-oriented person who was frequently able to come up with new and innovative approaches to her assigned projects. She functioned well as a team leader and she worked effectively as a team member under the direction of other team leaders. On the interpersonal side, Mary has superior writing and verbal communication skills. She gets along extremely well with the staff under her supervision, as well as colleagues at her own level. She is highly respected, both a person and a professional, by colleagues, employees, suppliers, and customers. A year ago, when Ms. Lamb announced her resignation to take up a new position with a larger company, we were not happy to see her leave, although we wished her the best in her new undertaking.

Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream society. Discuss the ways in which Atticus Finch and one other character are set apart from the society of Maycomb To Kill A Mockingbird was set in the 1930s in the south of USA, Alabama. At that period, slavery had already been made illegal. But people in the south were a bitter about it because they still believed that they needed the slaves to maintain their cotton farms. They didn't treat the blacks as though they had the same social status as them and basically still treated them as though they were still slaves. This unfair prejudice was widespread throughout the south. "Maycomb", didn't actually exist but was meant to be the embodiment of a typical town in the south at that time. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, she has created characters who seem a little different and thus, isolated from the rest of Maycomb's mainstream society. Prime examples of this isolation are Atticus and the Ewells; particularly Bob Ewell. Probably one of the most important and obvious point to Atticus Finch's isolation is his lack of prejudice towards black people. Although this might not be seen as something unusual at the present day, it was at that time. More obviously so because the story was set in the south where prejudice against the blacks was something that was taken for granted. The people in Maycomb knew that prejudice was wrong and yet, they didn't think that prejudice against the blacks was wrong. They saw it as a separate matter. An example of this would be the teacher telling the children that "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." The irony in it is that the reader knows that the majority of Maycomb are prejudiced against the blacks and to say that Hitler was wrong in being prejudiced was hypocritical. Atticus though, wasn't prejudiced and this was what made him different. He lets Calpurnia, a black woman, take care and act as a mother to his children. This though is not really seen by the people of Maycomb. To the people of Maycomb, Calpurnia is merely a housekeeper; but she's actually much more than that. As he told Aunt Alexandra when Aunt Alexandra wanted to dismiss her, "She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal's lights are pretty good." Unlike others, he appreciates what Calpurnia did for him. "We couldn't operate a single day without Cal, have you ever thought of that? You think how much Cal does for you?" He says this to Scout when she wanted Atticus to Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream society. Discuss the ways in which Atticus Finch and one other character are set apart from the society of Maycomb To Kill A Mockingbird was set in the 1930s in the south of USA, Alabama. At that period, slavery had already been made illegal. But people in the south were a bitter about it because they still believed that they needed the slaves to maintain their cotton farms. They didn't treat the blacks as though they had the same social status as them and basically still treated them as though they were still slaves. This unfair prejudice was widespread throughout the south. "Maycomb", didn't actually exist but was meant to be the embodiment of a typical town in the south at that time. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, she has created characters who seem a little different and thus, isolated from the rest of Maycomb's mainstream society. Prime examples of this isolation are Atticus and the Ewells; particularly Bob Ewell. Probably one of the most important and obvious point to Atticus Finch's isolation is his lack of prejudice towards black people. Although this might not be seen as something unusual at the present day, it was at that time. More obviously so because the story was set in the south where prejudice against the blacks was something that was taken for granted. The people in Maycomb knew that prejudice was wrong and yet, they didn't think that prejudice against the blacks was wrong. They saw it as a separate matter. An example of this would be the teacher telling the children that "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." The irony in it is that the reader knows that the majority of Maycomb are prejudiced against the blacks and to say that Hitler was wrong in being prejudiced was hypocritical. Atticus though, wasn't prejudiced and this was what made him different. He lets Calpurnia, a black woman, take care and act as a mother to his children. This though is not really seen by the people of Maycomb. To the people of Maycomb, Calpurnia is merely a housekeeper; but she's actually much more than that. As he told Aunt Alexandra when Aunt Alexandra wanted to dismiss her, "She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal's lights are pretty good." Unlike others, he appreciates what Calpurnia did for him. "We couldn't operate a single day without Cal, have you ever thought of that? You think how much Cal does for you?" He says this to Scout when she wanted Atticus to

Male Gaze

Assignment: How have women been portrayed through photography? 16/01/2009 How have women been portrayed through photography? The gaze deals with how the audience views the people presented in visual culture, in this case, adverts, magazines and Cinema. The ‘male gaze’ is the male ability to exercise control over women by representing them in visual means as passive, sexual objects of male desire. The power of men over women has always existed. They are seen as the more powerful and clever species. This control over women has been seen predominately in linguistics senses in past times. It is clear that there are more derogatory terms for women than there are for men. Men can also wolf whistle or cat-call in order to harass a woman but there is no such response for women. Men also have more linguistic power over women due to their social status in modern society. In more current times men have turned to visual arts to implement their control and power over women. In this essay I hope to demonstrate how women are and have been portrayed in relation to the ‘male gaze’ and how it is still very prevalent in contemporary modern culture through photography and other mediums, such as, cinema and advertising. I will be analyzing the photographic work of Cindy Sherman, E. J. Bellocq, advertisement and the written work of Laura Mulvey and John Berger. Traditionally imagined, written and produced by men, advertisements have long depicted women as men want them to be, sexy, obedient, fragile, instead of as they actually are. In this way, the male gaze is very predominant in modern advertising. John Berger put it in Ways of Seeing, â€Å"Men act and women ‘appear’. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. †[i] When women look at themselves in modern advertisements, they are encouraged to view themselves as a man might view them. Women have very few roles in the world of advertising. Mainly they are portrayed as domestic providers who do not make significant decisions, are dependent on men, and are essentially sex objects. This traditional representation of women is a problem, not because it is wrong to want women to be sexy or striking but rather because their beauty is being defined as a means to male power through strategic admiration. Most adverts on television and in magazines have pretty, sexy women with the idea being that if you buy what they are selling than you will get the girl in the avert, or in a woman’s case, be the girl who gets her man. A good example of this is cigarette advertising; in this case I will be looking at a 1960’s ad campaign by Tiparillo. This campaign showed an off screen man offering a variety of women a choice in cigarettes and small text at the bottom of the advert discussing the cigarette but also a crude comment on the women pictured. The women appear to play strong roles, a Lab Technician, Librarian and Violinist, but the ‘male gaze’ is clear as though they may have strong positions, they are still portrayed as sexual objects. In the advert Tiparillo M – 1967 we see on first glance is what appears to be a strong, smart lab technician, the glasses help emphasise that she is intelligent. She is photographed from her cleavage upwards, The model dons a gormless expression, though it is stated why she may have this expression on her face in the text accompanying the advert, ‘Underneath that pocket of pencils beats the heart of a digital computer’, here we are made aware the women is actually a robot. This puts the women in the position of being passive, being programmed by the man. The way the male character is displayed off screen puts an emphasis on the spectator and how he ‘identifies with the main male protagonist, he projects his look onto that of his life, his screen surrogate. ’ [ii] the last sentence in the text is ‘ which Tiparillo are you going to offer? Or are you just going to stand there and stare at her pencils? ’ This comment is obviously referring to staring at the woman’s chest, the pencils are in line with her breasts. Cindy Sherman first came to prominence in the late 197 0’s[iii], when Sherman produced her Untitled Film Stills, which spotlights the complexities of the female persona as soon through the lens of the media. With the photographs she takes of herself, she impersonates various characters and shows us the numerous roles women play in our world. In her pictures she depicts women as housewife, sex symbol, lover, victim, monster and more, and causes us to reflect upon how we perceive women. The characters Sherman portrays, lighting, clothing and expressions are cliche of what is present in cinema, so much that viewers of her work have told Sherman that they ‘remember the movie’ that the image is derived from, yet Sherman having no film in mind at all. [iv] Thus showing that her word has a pastiche of past cinematic genres, and how women are portrayed in cinema and photography and how Sherman has manipulated the ‘male gaze’ around her images so they become ironic and cliche. Laura Mulvey understands Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills as to be rehearsing this structure of the ‘male gaze’, â€Å"The camera looks; it captures he female character in a parody of different voyeurisms. It intrudes into moments in which she is ungraded, sometimes undressed, absorbed into her own world in the privacy of her own environment. Or it witnesses a moment in which her guard drops and she is suddenly startled by the presence, unseen and off-scre en watching her. †[v] Voyeurism is most apparent Sherman’s work, in Untitled Film Still, #2 the subject is a young Sherman wrapped in a towel, which is draped from her back, revealing her buttocks if the image was to be taken a second later. Sherman stands before her bathroom mirror, touching her shoulder and following her own gesture in it’s reflected image. [vi]The way Sherman has positioned herself, mouth slightly open, a longing gaze, her hand caressing her shoulder, head tilt back, neck extended and in a profile position, the reflection appears to an extract from an issue of Vogue. A door is visible in the left of the image; this puts the viewer outside room, peering in at a moment where the subjects guard is down, a moment of privacy and emotion. In 1981 Sherman produced a series of images called Centrefolds; here Sherman photographed herself in series of narratives which have a ‘soft-core pastiche’ to her Untitled Film stills and association her horizontal framing to that of the format of ‘cinemascope’. In this series Mulvey focuses on the characters and the ‘masquerade of felinity’s interior’, â€Å"The young women that Sherman impersonates may be daydreaming about a future romance, or they may be mourning a lost one. They may be waiting, in enforced passivity, for a letter or a telephone call. Their eyes gaze into the distance. They are not aware of their clothes, which are sometimes carelessly rumpled, so that, safe alone with their thoughts, their bodies are, slightly revealed to the viewer. †[vii] Untitled #96 shows Sherman sprawled out on a titled floor, almost merging in with her orange ensemble, a warm tone on her skin also matching her outfit. Sherman is gazing dreamily out of frame whilst clutching (what could be) a personal’s ad torn from a newspaper. Krauss states that, â€Å"like Jackson Pollock, Sherman disturbs this verticality by using a downward camera angle in her photographs. Yes, the angle makes one aware of the horizontal, but it also emphasizes the vertical (power/domination) position of the viewer in relation to the apparent weakness of the horizontally inclined woman (Sherman). â€Å" [viii] Sherman’s Centrefold photographs have a ‘to-be-looked-at-ness’ of femininity. Unlike with Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills which have a fake narrative, the subjects would always be looking of of frame, so that the camera doesn’t drawn any unwanted attention, giving it that film aesthetic. Where Sherman’s 1981 Centrefolds do the opposite, they ‘announce themselves as photographs’, and in a pin-up, the model’s eroticism, and her pose, are directed towards the camera, and ultimately towards the spectator. [ix] Sherman only thought of the relation of the ‘male gaze’ in her 1981 work ‘Centrefold’s, â€Å"The horizon/ centrefold type pictures I did, were meant to resemble in format a centrefold, but in content I wanted a man opening the magazine to suddenly look at it in expectation of something lascivious and then feel like the violator they would be. Looking at these women perhaps as a victim†¦ I didn’t think of them of victims at the time. I am trying to make someone feel bad for having this sort of certain expectation, and so that is the only real time I’ve consciously thought of the male gaze. †[x] Sherman wants the viewer, in this case the male spectator, to feel wrong for applying the gaze, and stereotyping women into a passive, victim, love sick women which is often depicted in both cinema and photography. When opening the magazine Sherman wants to feel like a violator, having expected sexually orientated image, by almost walking in on someone in a private moment. In one of Sherman’s more recent works, Untitled # 276 we see her represent Cinderella, a famous female from western fairy tale. Sherman portrays this childhood character her in a way that is radically different from any other representation and is polar opposite to that of say Disney. The only similarity between Disney's Cinderella and Sherman as Cinderella is their blond hair. Disney's portrayal of Cinderella is innocent, sweet, modestly dressed in a beautiful gown and jewels with a perfectly proportioned body stereotypical for an attractive female, waiting for her prince to come and take her away from her problems. However, Sherman is made up to look like a whats could be resembled as ‘white trash’, her dress is see through and her breasts (presumably fake) are visible. Her legs are spread inviting the spectator and there is large black area between her legs, which could possibly be (knowing Sherman) pubic hair. She looks anything but innocent as she assumes a confident, sexually charged attitude in a take me or leave me kind of posture. She looks like she could give a damn if her princes comes and perhaps she wouldn't even acknowledge him if he did arrive. Ironically, she is holding a white lily, the traditional ‘symbol of purity’ White lilies represent the purity of the Virgin Mary. The Angel Gabriel was often painted presenting Mary with a white lily when he announced to her that she would give birth to the Son of God. [xi] Here Sherman has depicted a more realistic male depiction of what Cinderella would look like. I think that this reaction is typical; a symbol of the sexism present in society, traditional beauty is good, a whore, unconventional beauty, a promiscuous woman and nudity is bad. E. J. Belloq’s images of prostitutes taken the town of Storyville, New Orleans in the early 1900’s ‘encapsulate’ the ‘male gaze’. [xii] All the photographs are portraits of individual women. Some are nude, some dressed respectably, and others posed as if acting a mysterious narrative. Even though Belloq’s images contain nudity, this is not where the ‘male gaze’ is prevalent, it’s the fact that his subject’s are prostitutes and their sole function is to ‘advertise what the body has to offer’. The way Belloq has photographed his subject is in a documentary style, unlike where Sherman has taken a film narrative to her images, Belloq photographed his subject full frame and frontal. Untitled 01 is of young women elegantly laid out on a chaise-lounge. Apart from the Zorro like mask she is only wearing black stockings and what appears to be a wedding ring. This image is a prime example of the ‘male gaze’. The way she is laid out, naked, facing the camera so that she is displaying her ‘goods’ to her client. Her face is covered by a mask, is can be seen as to protect her identity, but also is can be related to women as a sexual object. This image has a ‘come-hither quality’, a relaxed pose and an inviting smile, with just enough room for the client/ spectator to sit on the chaise-lounge. The first things what strikes the viewer in Untitled 02, is that the face of the prostitute has been ‘scratched out’. Susan Sontag stated that ‘these pictures [of blacked out faces] are actually painful to look at, at least for the viewer. But then I am and women†¦ ’[xiii] Even from a males point of view I do find these image subjective to women as without a face there is no identity, purely and object of sexual desire. The scratched out faces can be seen as violent towards women. The woman in the picture seems to have a back slightly arched and hand behind her head. She could be tying her hair or extenuating her breasts for the spectator, in this case the client. The woman appears to be quite petite, possibly young, maybe that’s the reason why the face has been scratched away? We can conclude that the ‘male gaze’ has been used throughout Photography, from both male (Belloq ) and female (Sherman) perspective, but both have used the ‘male gaze’ in different ways. Belloq’s has used it unconsciously through his documentary/portraiture images, which depicts women as more of a sexual object and something to be desired. Where Sherman’s has used it consciously through her well composed narrative images, taking the stereotypical ideals of women and photographed them in a cliche style which is all but apparent in past and present cinema. ——————————– [ i ]. John Berger, Ways of Seeing (London: BBC, 1974) [ ii ]. Laura Mulvey, A Phantasmagoria of the Female Body: The Work of Cindy Sherman, New Left review, vol. 188 July/August 1991 pp. 8 [ iii ]. http://www. artfacts. net/index. php/pageType/exhibitionInfo/exhibition/13349/lang/1 [ Accessed 28 December 2008] [ iv ]. Listbet Nilson – Q & A: Cindy Sherman, American photographer, September 1983 p. 77 [ v ]. Laura Mulvey, A Phantasmagoria of the Female Body: The Work of Cindy Sherman, New Left review, vol. 88 July/August 1991 pp. 5 [ vi ]. Cindy Sherman 1975 – 1993 – Rosalind Kraus, Rizzoli International Publications, 1993 pp. 56 [ vii ]. Laura Mulvey, A Phantasmagoria of the Female Body: The Work of Cindy Sherman, New Left review, vol. 188 July/August 1991 pp. 5 [ viii ]. THE SHERMAN PHENOMENA: The Image of Theory or a Foreclosure of Dialectical Reasoning – http://www. brickhaus. com/amoore/magazine/Sherman. html [ Accessed 29 December 2008] [ ix ]. Laura Mulvey, A Phantasmagoria of the Female Body: The Work of Cindy Sherman, New Left review, vol. 88 July/August 1991 pp. 6 [ x ]. Ovation TV | Cindy Sherman, Nobody's Here But Me – http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Xsow0QaKJAM [ Accessed 28 December 2008] [ xi ]. http://painting. about. com/cs/inspira tion/a/symbolsflowers. htm [ Accessed 04 January 2009] [ xii ]. Graham Clarke, The Body in Photography, chapter 7 of The Photograph (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997), pp. 123-144 [ xiii ]. Bellocq: Photographs from Storyville, the Red-Light District of New Orleans susan sontag – http://www. masters-of-photography. com/B/bellocq/bellocq_articles2. html [

Trace Evidence Essays - Forensic Evidence, Forensics, Trace Evidence

Trace Evidence Essays - Forensic Evidence, Forensics, Trace Evidence Trace Evidence Trace evidence is very important in forensic investigations. This category of evidence encompasses many diverse types of microscopic materials as well as some examples that are easily visible to the naked eye. The subject is broad and diverse because of the number of different types of evidence that are commonly encountered. Trace evidence can be thought of as evidence occuring in sizes so small that it can be transferred or exchanged between two surfaces without being noticed. Varieties of trace evidence can include, but are not limited to: metal filings, glass fragments, feathers, food stains, building materials, lubricants, fingernail scrapings, pollens and spores, cosmetics, plastic fragments, gunshot residue, chemicals, paper fibers and sawdust, human and animal hairs, plant and vegetable fibers, blood and other body fluids, asphalt or tar, vegetable fats and oils, dusts and other airborne particles, insulation, textile fibers, soot, soils and mineral grains, and e! xplosive residues. Forensic scientists routinely come into contact with a relatively few number of these. They are: hair, glass, paint, fibers, fingerprints, and flamable liquids. These will be covered more in-depth in this paper. Edmond Locard, a French scientist and one of the early pioneers in forensic science believed strongly that individuals could not enter an area without taking dust particles with them from the scene. This became known as what is now called "Locard's Exchange Principle." This principle states that when two objects come into contact with each other, each of the objects will leave particles of one on the other. It is this principle that is the foundation of the forensic study of trace evidence. Trace evidence examination is the examination and analysis of small particles in order to help establish a link between a suspect and a crime scene or a suspect and the victim of a crime. These small particles usually include such items as hair, paint, glass, and fibers. Although not considered "trace" items by definition the many Crime Labs also examine and analyze such important evidence as flammables (in arson investigations), fingerprints, footwear (shoeprints), and "fracture matches." Many also perform examinations of automobile headlamps, taillights and speedometers. The first category of trace evidence I will discuss is hair. Hair is examined grossly (with the naked eye), and with both low power and high power microscopes to determine if questioned hairs, found at the scene or on the clothing of an individual are consistent in characteristics to known hair collected from the suspect and/or victim. Some of these characteristics include more obvious traits such as color, length, and morphological shape and also microscopic aspects of the cuticle, cortex and medulla, which are the three basic components of a hair. A hair cannot be linked specifically to an individual through these methods but vital information developed as to who the suspect may be and significant elimination of other suspects can often be done. It is possible to tell the race, sex, and region of the body that a hair comes from. A relative idea as to the time since the last haircut can also be made. The second type of trace evidence is glass. When larger samples are available glass can be useful in linking a suspect with the crime scene through "fracture matches". This is when a larger piece of glass, found associated with the suspect, can be physically fitted with one or more pieces from the crime scene. More often when an individual gains access to a business or dwelling by breaking glass the perpetrator will acquire very tiny pieces of glass on his/her clothing. These cannot be physically matched due to their tiny size. However, these pieces, though smaller than a pinhead, can be characterized under the microscope. After proper gross and low power microscopic examinations are performed the Forensic Scientists use microscopic "refractive index" determination to further characterize the samples. Refractive index is a measurement of how light is "refracted" (bent) as it passes through the microscopic glass sample. Glasses having different formulations and used for differe! nt purposes have different RI's. Therefore samples can be compared to determine if the glass from the crime scene could be the source of the glass removed from the suspect's clothes. The third type of trace evidence is paint. When perpetrators break into businesses

Gay-Lussacs Ideal Gas Law Examples

Gays Gay-Lussacs gas law  is a special case of the  ideal gas law  where the volume of the gas is held constant. When the volume is held constant, the pressure exerted by a gas is directly proportional to the absolute temperature of the gas. The law is also known as Gay-Lussacs law of pressure temperature. Gay-Lussac formulated the law between 1800 and 1802 while building an air thermometer. These example problems use  Gay-Lussacs law to find the pressure of gas in a heated container as well as the temperature you would need to change the pressure of gas in a container. Key Takeaways: Gay-Lussac's Law Chemistry Problems Gay-Lussacs law is a form of the ideal gas law in which gas volume is kept constant.When volume is held constant, pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature.The usual equations for Gay-Lussacs law are P/T constant or Pi/Ti   Pf/Tf.The reason the law works is that temperature is a measure of average kinetic energy, so as the kinetic energy increases, more particle collisions occur and pressure increases. If temperature decreases, there is less kinetic energy, fewer collisions, and lower pressure. Gay A 20-liter cylinder contains 6  atmospheres (atm)  of gas at 27 C. What would the pressure of the gas be if the gas was heated to 77 C? To solve the problem, just work through the following steps:The cylinders volume remains unchanged while the gas is heated so Gay-Lussacs gas law applies. Gay-Lussacs gas law can be expressed as:Pi/Ti Pf/TfwherePi and Ti are the initial pressure and absolute temperaturesPf and Tf are the final pressure and absolute temperatureFirst, convert the temperatures to absolute temperatures.Ti 27 C 27 273 K 300 KTf 77 C 77 273 K 350 KUse these values in Gay-Lussacs equation and solve for Pf.Pf PiTf/TiPf (6 atm)(350K)/(300 K)Pf 7 atmThe answer you derive would be:The pressure will increase to 7 atm after heating the gas from 27 C to 77 C. Another Example See if you understand the concept by  solving another problem: Find the temperature in Celsius needed to change the pressure of 10.0 liters of a gas that has a pressure of 97.0 kPa at 25 C to standard pressure. Standard pressure is 101.325 kPa. First, convert  25 C to  Kelvin  (298K).  Remember that the Kelvin temperature scale is an  absolute temperature  scale based on the definition that the  volume  of a  gas  at constant (low)  pressure  is directly proportional to the  temperature  and that 100 degrees separate the  freezing  and  boiling points  of water. Insert the numbers into the equation to get: 97.0 kPa / 298 K 101.325 kPa / x solving for x: x (101.325 kPa)(298 K)/(97.0 kPa) x 311.3 K Subtract 273 to get the answer in Celsius. x 38.3 C Tips and Warnings Keep these points in mind when solving a  Gay-Lussacs law problem: The volume and quantity of gas are held constant.If the temperature of the gas increases, pressure increases.If temperature decreases, pressure decreases. Temperature is a measure of the kinetic energy of gas molecules. At a low temperature, the molecules are moving more slowly and will hit the wall of a  containerless  frequently. As temperature increases so do the motion of the molecules. They strike the walls of the container more often, which is seen as an increase in pressure.   The direct relationship only applies if the temperature is given in Kelvin. The most common mistakes students make working this type of problem is forgetting to convert to Kelvin or else doing the conversion incorrectly. The other error is neglecting  significant figures  in the answer. Use the smallest number of significant figures given in the problem. Sources Barnett, Martin K. (1941). A brief history of thermometry. Journal of Chemical Education, 18 (8): 358. doi:10.1021/ed018p358Crosland, M. P. (1961), The Origins of Gay-Lussacs Law of Combining Volumes of Gases, Annals of Science, 17 (1): 1, doi:10.1080/00033796100202521Gay-Lussac, J. L. (1809). Mà ©moire sur la combinaison des substances gazeuses, les unes avec les autres (Memoir on the combination of gaseous substances with each other). Mà ©moires de la Socià ©tà © dArcueil 2: 207–234.  Tippens, Paul E. (2007). Physics, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill. 386–387.

Fragmentary Sentences and Sentence Fragments

Fragmentary Sentences and Sentence Fragments Fragmentary Sentences and Sentence Fragments Fragmentary Sentences and Sentence Fragments By Mark Nichol A sentence can be fragmentary, but it shouldn’t be a fragment. What’s the difference? Writers should distinguish between fragmentary sentences and sentence fragments. The following sentences are fragmentary: â€Å"A virtuoso performance? Some virtuoso.† Despite the absence of a subject and a verb, which are considered standard components of a sentence, the reader fills in the missing parts: (â€Å"[Do you call that] a virtuoso performance? [That musician is] some virtuoso.†) A sentence fragment, by contrast, is usually a dependent clause formatted as if it were a complete sentence, such as the second sentence in the following passage: â€Å"I went to the store. Because I need to buy some toiletries for my trip.† The form shown in the second sentence isn’t necessarily always wrong; it’s appropriate as a response in colloquial dialogue: â€Å"Why did you go to the store?† â€Å"Because I need to buy some toiletries for my trip.† Otherwise, however, it’s erroneous. It’s possible, too, for a complete sentence to be misconstrued as a sentence fragment because of a simple error such as omission of punctuation. For example, â€Å"Before I was inclined to agree† is a sentence fragment, because the words do not constitute a complete thought; no useful information has been conveyed. The implication is that a condition will be described: â€Å"Before I was inclined to agree, I needed more proof.† If, however, before is supplied as an adverbial tag, followed by a comma (â€Å"Before, I was inclined to agree†), the wording becomes a coherent statement indicating that in the past, the writer would likely have agreed with something. Presumably, a sentence will follow with a similarly constructed reversal written in the present tense (â€Å"Now, I’m not so sure†). However, fragmentary sentences are valid. Besides the commentary form, shown above in the examples about the alleged virtuoso, they may take the form of interjections (â€Å"Whew!† â€Å"How sad!† â€Å"What a nightmare!†), expressions (â€Å"Good job!† â€Å"So long!†), and partial imperatives (â€Å"To the castle!†) Though, of course, exclamation points are not required in fragmentary sentences, they are common, and note that such sentences are considered colloquial and should be used with caution in formal writing. You with me? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating ConjunctionsThe Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetHow to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

Write a critically essay on Liberalists view of International

Write a critically on Liberalists view of International relations.Are these views of any relevance in modern day worldJustify your answer - Essay Example These theories can be divided into two. Positivist and the post positivist theories. The difference between these two theories lies in the fact that while positivist theories such as, realism, liberalism, and neo liberalism aim at explaining the simple question of why and how power is exercised in the international realm, the post positivist theories mainly focus on the question of what power really is, what it is, how it is reproduced and/or experienced. (Introduction to international relations, 2008) The liberalists are those in support of the liberal theory/school of thought in international relations. There are various types of liberalism; interdependence, institutional or even sociological and republican liberalism. (Jackson & Sorensen, 2007) The theory has its basis on the idealism theory of international relations. The theory came about soon after World War 1 and is associated with such people as Woodrow Wilson and Emmanuel Kant. The theory sought to explain he causes of World War One and how it could be avoided in future. According to Woodrow Wilson, war only served to destroy. Thus, if countries could avoid war the better for them. They would gain more from the international cooperation than they would from any war. (Introduction to international relations, 2008) Thus, the liberal school of thought operates on certain core assumptions. The first and most fundamental premise of the liberal school of thought is the argument that the relationship that states have with other actors, state and non state, in the international community to a great extent shapes their behavior by influencing their preferences. To the liberalists, how states behave in the international arena has more to do with their preferences rather than their capabilities. Consequently, depending on such internal factors in states such as culture, the economic system or even the type of government therein, the preferences are likely to be different from state to

Nursing Leadership and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing Leadership and Management - Essay Example Based on the premise that the reviewer understands how standards should be applied and that the nurse under review seeks to meet these and agrees to the process, then quality monitoring can occur. The process is designed to evaluate nursing services, quality of patient care, knowledge, skills and behaviors of nurses, against set standards. An example of this in practice could be something as simple as how a nurse relates to a patient on first meeting them. An open, friendly attitude, using appropriate language to inform or gather information, signposting and explaining what and why, allowing patient input and participation, all show that the nurse understands and uses the concept of therapeutic relationships. Peer review here would identify communication skills, history taking and record keeping, medical knowledge and care delivery and the assessment and feedback would then help the nurse to recognize strengths and areas for improvement. It would give ownership and responsibility for development, understanding of their own and colleagues' accountability and contribute to improvement in quality overall. Nurses would also complete self evaluation. Before using any method of peer review, all concerned should be consulted and involved in developing tools and processes. Nurses and reviewers need to have input in what, why, who and how peer reviews would be applied.Lower (2007) suggested that involvement and "Publicizing the standard for a designated period of time to allow for assimilation by the staff before it is utilized also may be helpful." All staff would then know what appraisal standards were and be prepared for reviews. They should also have some input into the choice of reviewer, who Lower suggests should be chosen six months ahead of the review, so they have time to get to know and observe the nurse consistently. This would make the process more relaxed and less threatening, as familiarity with the reviewer would be helpful. Though nurses might want to choose their reviewers, Lower suggests that one be picked by the nurse, the other by the manager to allow for objective assessment, yet giving control to the person to be reviewed. Further, the selection process that seemed to be fairest and to give dignity and control to staff, would be that of electing peer reviewers on an annual basis. This is an example of how nurses are given choice in selecting those of their peers whose judgement and competence they respect. In this way, less positive feedback would be more likely to be accepted and acted upon, without loss o f face or being demoralized. So design must cover what, who, when and how peer review is to be carried out, with staff input and agreement, thus ensuring nobody is threatened by loss of dignity in the process. What Kinds of Questions Do We Need To Ask in Order to Monitor Quality of Nursing Care Questions should be open, as in how, what, why, in order to elicit specific information, with no questions prompting yes/no answers. Lower (2007) states that in order to gather specific information, the following must always be included: List the three traits or behaviors you admire most about him/her Identify three major contributions to the group/unit/team List three areas you think need more work Identify a growth opportunity you think he/she would be

Bill Gates and George W Bush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bill Gates and George W Bush - Essay Example    Bill Gates, the Chairman of Microsoft, has built his reputation as a business leader of repute and extraordinary class and finesse (Gates, 1996). He inaugurated Microsoft with Paul Allen. Bill Gates held different positions within the company itself. He was the CEO as well as the Chief Software Architect until some time back and later on he left Microsoft in order to do some work within the philanthropic fields. Bill Gates undoubtedly remains as one of the biggest shareholders in the company. His share in the common stock stands at more than 8 percent. Microsoft is a world-renowned software giant which has made it big due to Bill Gates’ commitment towards his very own company. It has annual sales of more than $41 Billion, which speaks for its true prowess. The company has more than 65,000 employees on board in around 100 nations of the world. The company operates for the purposes of licensing, development, support and manufacture of computer equipment and technology and makes use of a number of different software products. Bill Gates has been instrumental in creating the much-needed difference within the reigns of Microsoft. Because of this very fact, the company has made it huge within the business world (Fridson, 2001). His practices and work domains have been openly discussed, analyzed and applied upon in other business regimes as well. He is taken as a true visionary leader within the different business processes and undertakings. True to his potential, Bill Gates has been consistently producing results for this software giant and he now leaves behind a legacy which can perform upon his vision and working commitment for a long period of time in the future. He has set the platform for the company to move forward – day after day (Wallace, 1993).   

The Christian Tradition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Christian Tradition - Essay Example Such worldwide reports as noted by Dr. Amin Abboud are: In Dusselford, in July 2001, German doctors reported that a patient’s own bone marrow adult stem cells were used to regenerate tissue damaged by a heart attack, improving his heart function. US doctors have taken adult stem cells from the brain of a patient with Parkinson’s disease and reimplanted them resulting in an 83% improvement in the patient. Washington Medical Centre treated 26 patients with rapidly deteriorating multiple sclerosis, twenty patients stabilized and six improved. Israeli doctors inserted adult blood stem cells into a paraplegic woman’s spinal cord. She regained bladder control and the ability to wiggle her toes and mover her legs. Surgeons in Taiwan have restored vision to a patient with severe eye damage using stem cells from the patient’s own eyes (2). However, with their highly optimistic battle to fight diseases, developing wise and ethically sound decisions in the field of m edical science is very challenging especially in the midst of increasingly complex technology. While adult stem cells therapy has proven to be effective in treating diseases, medical scientists’ ongoing research of developing new field of regenerative medicine through pursuing other ways of harvesting stem cells resulted to formation of the new avenue called â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cell†. This recent development has stirred considerable controversies. But why this becomes so controversial? Stem cell research has shown great promising treatment in some devastating diseases. Taking a closer look at the different kinds of stem cells and defining how they are derived will help us understand why this subject is so controversial. As reported by the National Institutes of Health in the United States (NIH), adult stem cell is an undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ such as bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, brain, skeletal muscle, skin, h eart, teeth, liver, and others. It has the ability to renew itself and can differentiate into tissues to generate some or all of the other major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ other than those from which they came. So, the main roles of adult stem cells in human body are to maintain and repair the tissue of which they are found. Actually, doctors have been using stem cells to treat certain blood disorders which involved transplantation of bone marrow, which is rich in blood-forming stem cells (Homepage chap 4). Thus, adult stem cells are obtained from living humans, either adults or children, wherein the process of extraction is not harmful. Stem cells are being taken from their bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, skin, spinal cord, brain tissue and also from umbilical-cord blood and the placenta after the birth of a child. Additionally, NIH explained that adult stem cells isolated from blood and bone marrow are called hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which have the ability to continually self-renew that made them responsible for production of billions of new blood cells each day. Since scientists have developed sufficient knowledge for using them as a therapy, doctors are routinely using hematopoietic stem cell transplants in treating cancer patients and other diseases related to blood and immune systems (chap 5). NIH additionally noted that normally amount of stem cells in

Art in humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art in humanities - Essay Example The resentment that Humanities should not form part of the tertiary curriculum and that it only deviates from the actual education of the students is as narrow-minded as it is dismissive. College is supposed to make a student employable, but it is also to mold a holistic person who appreciates the world around him. I have chosen to major in Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) primarily due to my interest in various forms of art. I have long been interested not only in the product of art but even more in the process of creating art. Clearly, the Humanities play a main factor in my chosen field. If anything, I can say that I have specifically chosen to be into art which is the very foundation of Humanities. I have not changed majors and this is not something that I have seriously contemplated. I have taken elective subjects such as Theater Art (TA) and also some drawing classes. One can say I may have taken the less beaten path by my choice of course but I chose it because it is something that interests me and I believe that I could have a future in it. Contrary to the stereotypical belief, I am certain that there are many classifications of jobs that I could decide to take on after I graduate and that they are viable, and also fulfilling, careers. Undeniably, I do consider that if it were up to my parents, they would have wanted me to focus on a more stable career such as one in the sciences or mathematics. No parent would want their children to suffer and endure the woes of unemployment or of poverty. But I do trust in my choices and my fascination with the arts has not wavered. My parents have remained supportive of my decisions and they trust my judgment as well as my talents and that is more than I could ever hope for from them. Humanities offer a wide perspective that enables one to understand more about the human life than they actually think. It allows students to develop a clearer

The Christian Tradition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Christian Tradition - Essay Example Such worldwide reports as noted by Dr. Amin Abboud are: In Dusselford, in July 2001, German doctors reported that a patient’s own bone marrow adult stem cells were used to regenerate tissue damaged by a heart attack, improving his heart function. US doctors have taken adult stem cells from the brain of a patient with Parkinson’s disease and reimplanted them resulting in an 83% improvement in the patient. Washington Medical Centre treated 26 patients with rapidly deteriorating multiple sclerosis, twenty patients stabilized and six improved. Israeli doctors inserted adult blood stem cells into a paraplegic woman’s spinal cord. She regained bladder control and the ability to wiggle her toes and mover her legs. Surgeons in Taiwan have restored vision to a patient with severe eye damage using stem cells from the patient’s own eyes (2). However, with their highly optimistic battle to fight diseases, developing wise and ethically sound decisions in the field of m edical science is very challenging especially in the midst of increasingly complex technology. While adult stem cells therapy has proven to be effective in treating diseases, medical scientists’ ongoing research of developing new field of regenerative medicine through pursuing other ways of harvesting stem cells resulted to formation of the new avenue called â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cell†. This recent development has stirred considerable controversies. But why this becomes so controversial? Stem cell research has shown great promising treatment in some devastating diseases. Taking a closer look at the different kinds of stem cells and defining how they are derived will help us understand why this subject is so controversial. As reported by the National Institutes of Health in the United States (NIH), adult stem cell is an undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ such as bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, brain, skeletal muscle, skin, h eart, teeth, liver, and others. It has the ability to renew itself and can differentiate into tissues to generate some or all of the other major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ other than those from which they came. So, the main roles of adult stem cells in human body are to maintain and repair the tissue of which they are found. Actually, doctors have been using stem cells to treat certain blood disorders which involved transplantation of bone marrow, which is rich in blood-forming stem cells (Homepage chap 4). Thus, adult stem cells are obtained from living humans, either adults or children, wherein the process of extraction is not harmful. Stem cells are being taken from their bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, skin, spinal cord, brain tissue and also from umbilical-cord blood and the placenta after the birth of a child. Additionally, NIH explained that adult stem cells isolated from blood and bone marrow are called hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which have the ability to continually self-renew that made them responsible for production of billions of new blood cells each day. Since scientists have developed sufficient knowledge for using them as a therapy, doctors are routinely using hematopoietic stem cell transplants in treating cancer patients and other diseases related to blood and immune systems (chap 5). NIH additionally noted that normally amount of stem cells in

What were Woodrow Wilson's goals for Europe after WWI Assignment

What were Woodrow Wilson's goals for Europe after WWI - Assignment Example After WWI, he proposed the creation of League of Nation and laid out fourteen points to guide international order (Clements, 2003) to foster peace amongst nations at war and encourage constructive trade for development. The league of Nation was a confederate of independent nations that could work together to promote peace and mutual cooperation for development and growth. His fourteen points were important imperatives that laid the foundation of contemporary international relation that promoted trade and commerce across geographical location within defined international principles. Hoff (2008) says that Wilson was visionary whose ‘fourteen points’ had evolved important concepts of free trade zones, freedom of seas, common platform to resolve international disputes across borders or trade, evacuation of conquerors from invaded territory, open negotiations etc. Indeed, Woodrow Wilson’s goals for Europe post WWI were far reaching with huge ramifications on world peace and promotion of international relation. They were radical ideas that introduced new system of governance on the world

Eastern Orthodox Essay Example for Free

Eastern Orthodox Essay I. Origin The Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholicism were branches of the same body—the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church until 1054 AD, which is the date of the first major division and the beginning of â€Å"denominations† in Christianity. The Christian Church divided into two Churches, East and West. Both Churches believe that they are the original Church established by Jesus Christ and the Apostles, and they disapprove each other. The Church in the East added â€Å"orthodox†, which comes from the Greek word â€Å"orthodxia†, to show that they retain the original teachings and traditions. Every Church in the Eastern Orthodox system can trace their roots back to the five early Christianity center—the Roman Church, the Jerusalem Church, Antioch, the Alexandrian Church and the Church of Constantinople. Although all Orthodox Churches recognize the Patriarch of Constantinople as the ecumenical Patriarch and the supreme leader, the Churches are independent of each other in the mutual recognition of state instead of entirely united. Disagreements between the two branches of Christianity—Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism—had long existed even before the division, and increased throughout the first millennium. Their disputes include issues pertaining to the nature of the Holy Spirit, the use of icons in worship, and the correct date to celebrate Easter. Also, the Eastern mindset inclined more toward philosophy, mysticism and ideology. They reject rationalism, as they believe that unless God speaks out, humans can not know him through reason. The Western outlook guided more by a practical and legal mentality, a perfect example being the Summa Theologica by St. Thomas which successfully fused Aristotelian philosophy with ideology. The Catholics believe that humans can one day see the true body of the Lord through rationality. With these disputes worsening and the gaps widening, separation was inevitable. The slow process of it was encouraged in 330 AD when Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the city of Byzantium and called in Constantinople. After he died, the Roman empire was divided by his two sons into the Eastern portion, which was ruled from Constantinople, and the Western portion, which was ruled from Rome. The formal split took place in 1045 AD when Pope Leo IX, leader of the Roman Church at the time, excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, leader of the Eastern Church. Cerularius then condemned the Pope in mutual excommunication. Michael Cerularius was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 1043-1058 AD, and played a prominent role in the East-West Schism. In 1045 he wrote a letter to the Pope claiming the title â€Å"ecumenical patriarch† and addressing Pope Leo as â€Å"brother† rather than â€Å"father†. It can be argued that it was this letter that initiated the events which followed. At the time the two primary disputes were Rome’s claim to a universal papal supremacy and the adding of the word filioque to the Nicene Creed. Filioque is a Latin word which means â€Å"and from the Son†. By inserting it to the Nicene Creed during the 6th century, the phrase pertaining to the origin of the Holy Spirit â€Å"who proceeds from the Father† was changed to â€Å"who proceeds from the Father and the Son†. The change was made to emphasize Christ’s divinity, but was strongly objected by the Eastern Christians, as they not only opposed any alteration of anything by the first ecumenical council, but also disagreed with its new meaning. Eastern Christians believe that both the Holy Spirit and the Son have their origin in the Father. During the time of the Crusades beginning in 1095, Rome joined the East in fight against the Turks to defend the Holy Land. But by the end of the Forth Crusade in 1204, all hope for potential reconciliation between the two Churches was over as the hostility between them continued to worsen. The Eastern and Western Churches remain divided and separate until present day. II. Institutional Structure â€Å"The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant. It is orthodox, but not Jewish. It is Catholic, but not Roman. It isn’t non-denominational—it is pre-denominational. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended and died for the Faith of the Apostles since the day of Pentecost 2000 years ago.†Ã¢â‚¬â€Steve Robinson The Orthodox Catholic Church is the second largest Christian Church in the world and the religious denomination of the majority of the population in Russia, Greece, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Cyprus. Orthodoxy plays a smaller role in a dozen other countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the U. S. It also consists of churches in scattered presence in other countries. The Orthodox Church has an Episcopal organizational structure where consecrated bishops are the chief ecclesiastical officers in each diocese and have the power to ordain priests. The Church believes in the Apostolic Succession, which means that the consecration of its bishops can be traced back to Jesus’ apostles. The Orthodox Church is composed of several self-governing ecclesial bodies, each geographically and nationally distinct but theologically unified. Each self-governing body, often but not always encompassing a nation, is shepherded by a Holy Synod whose duty, among other things, is to preserve and teach the apostolic and patristic traditions and related church practices. III. Basic Belief System In Orthodox history, events that have transformed the external appearance of the Orthodox world—the capture of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem by Arab Muslims; the burning of Kiev by the Mongols; the two sacks of Constantinople; the October Revolution—have never broken the inward continuity of the Orthodox Church. The  greatest characterization of the Orthodox faith is its antiquity, its apparent changelessness, its continuity with the Apostolic Church and that it follows the faith and practices defined by the first seven Ecumenical Councils. For the Orthodox Christians, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity underlies all theology and spirituality. Salvation is personal and underlines particularity, yet also communal and implies sharing; there is a uniqueness and wholeness in the human person, in humanity and in creation. It is also on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity that the councilor and hierarchical structure of the Orthodox Church rests. The mystery of the Trinity is revealed in the supreme act of love, the Incarnation of the divine â€Å"Word that became flesh†, assuming and healing humanity and creation entirely. Participation in the defied humanity of Jesus Christ is the ultimate goal of the Christian life, accomplished through the Holy Spirit. In the seven Sacraments and in the life of the Church, each person is called to theosis or deification, for â€Å"God became human in order that humanity might be divinized†. When expressing these beliefs, the Orthodox look for consistency with Scripture and Tradition, as manifested in the life of the Church and the early Church Fathers, but will search also for new formulations of this tradition. External criteria of truth are lacking; for Orthodox Christians seek the living experience of truth accessible in the communion of Saints. Thus they are reluctant to define matters of faith with too much precision, in the firm conviction that truth is never exhausted. The apophatic or   negative approach safeguards the transcendence of God even while designating His immanence; it also affirms the uniqueness of each person—divine and human—that they may never be reduced to anything less than a mystery. Integral to the long history and tradition of the Orthodox Christian faith are the Icons, which further reflect the divine glory and beauty. The Incarnation of Christ implies that God became fully human and therefore accessible and describable. God is not only understood but, at the Incarnation, is looked upon and seen. An Orthodox Church is, therefore, filled with icons invariably depicting Christ or the Saints of the Church, and an Orthodox Christian kisses and assigns veneration to those depicted by them. Icons are never worshiped, and they are the Christian faith and histories depicted in images and constitute part of the transfigured cosmos. Today people tend to think of the Orthodox Church as a vast, world-wide institution. Yet the concept of universality as expressed in the local community is a fundamental principle of Orthodox doctrine. Each local Eucharist gathering is related on the principle of identity. IV. Morality Eastern Orthodoxy does not differ from the larger Christian principles of moral thought and action in any way, but does offer a unique view on Christianitys promised redemption. It teaches a doctrine of theosis, or unity with God, which is a kind of deification that is available to all. The Orthodox doctrine of theosis is grounded in several key New Testiment scriptures. In the epistles of Paul, he repeatedly describes the Christian life as life â€Å"in Christ.† In the Gospel of John, Jesus prayed, â€Å"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me† (John 17:20-21). The idea of this mutual indwelling, God in us and we in God, is a constant theme in John’s Gospel. In the Second Letter of Peter he says, â€Å"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires† (2 Peter 1:4) The goal of the Christian life, and its expected outcome, is to partake in the divine nature. This is theosis, or deification, and the idea merits special discussion so that its meaning is not distorted. The hoped-for mystical union between God and human is a true union, but it is a union with God’s energies, not the divine essence. Humans remain fully human and distinct from God. But they become perfected in grace, so that every element of ego and selfishness disappears and they are able to reflect the divine light. Few Christians will experience theosis before the Day of Judgment, but on that day, Christians will be resurrected and glorified by God, clothed in a spiritual body that radiates the divine light. Still, deification begins in the here and now, in the daily lives of ordinary Christians. All Christians are called to follow Gods commandments, and as long as they try to do so, however weak their efforts may be, or however often they may fail, they become in some way deified. Deification begins in repentance, and is nurtured through the normal routines of the C hristian life. To become deified, the Christian should go to church, regularly participate in the sacraments, pray to God with honesty and great sincerity, read the Gospels, and follow the commandments. The most important commandments are love of God and neighbor. To love God is to live in and for others, which is why some of the greatest of the Eastern Orthodox saints are remembered for their service to others, such as St. Basil of Caesarea (c. 330-379) caring for the sick, or St. John the Almsgiver (d. 619) caring for the poor. Sincere dedication to following the commandments and living life within the church bears with it the promise of redemption fulfilled in the resurrection of a radiant body and soul. But Christians may look forward to even more than this. The Bible speaks of a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1) and of the hope that the creation itself will be redeemed (Romans 8:22). In these scriptures, Eastern Orthodoxy sees the promise of a cosmic redemption, in which all of material creation is transfigured. This belief in the redemption as deification rests in the Orthodox interpretation of the doctrine of the Incarnation. By choosing to become human, God became flesh and blood, thereby sanctifying material as well as immaterial creation. Because of this, all of material creation can look forward to its ultimate redemption, in which pain, death, and suffering will cease, along with hostility and enmity, and all of creation will be transfigured. The first fruits of this promise can already be seen as fulfilled in the divine power that works through the holy relics, in the divine presence in the icons, and in the radiant transfigured faces of the hesychasts. V. Worship The life of an Orthodox Christian can be seen as being composed of five cycles. First of all, there is the cycle of life, which embraces the whole life of a man from birth to death, and which consists in liturgical actions which are not repeated, occurring only once in a person’s lifetime. There are Holy Baptism, Holy Chrismation (equivalent to Confirmation in the West) and the Burial Service. In addition, there also belongs in this great cycle the Sacraments or Sacramental Blessings which bestow special grace for a particular office or vocation with the community. These are Holy Matrimony, the Monastic Tonsure and Holy Orders. Another major cycle which involves the entire life of an Orthodox Christian is the daily cycle of prayers and praises offered by the Church, once every twenty-four hours. These services express our remembrance of events which happened at certain hours and contain petitions relevant to these memories. In antiquity the day was considered to begin at sunset and divided according to the following order. Night began at 6 p.m. and was divided into four parts called watches, which means the time of changing guards: Evening (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.), Midnight (9 p.m. to 12 midnight), Cock-crow (12 midnight to 3 a.m.), and Morning (3 a.m. to 6 a.m.). Day began at 6 a.m. and was too divided into four watches (or hours): First Hour (6 a.m. to 9 a.m.), Third Hour (9 a.m. to 12 noon), Sixth Hour (12 noon to 0 3 p.m.), and Ninth Hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.).

Analysing The Pardoner In Canterbury Tales

Analysing The Pardoner In Canterbury Tales The Pardoner in the Canterbury Tales is hypocritical, gluttenous, vindictive, and spiteful towards others; he is morally and spiritually corrupt in the extreme. He does, however, tell a tale that, as he promises it shall be in the section that precedes his prologue, a valid sermon against avarice and greed. When Harry Bailey speaks at the end of the Pardoners Tale, he does not reject the tale but the teller, the Pardoner. Chaucer the poet aptly presents the Pardoner as a skilled orator and conman and he deliberately illustrates that it is possible for a character far beyond redemption to tell a moral tale. The Pardoner tells a moral tale against avarice, gluttony, and the love of money. The latter is a theme that the Pardoner says is always central to his sermons, citing the Latin, the love of money is the root of all evil. The origin of the tale, which was part of common folklore in Chaucers day, is an Oriental myth. The three rioters who are central to the tale, damn themselves literally and metaphorically. They betray each other over gold and their desire for it. They also drink and gamble excessively. Upon learning that an old friend of theirs has died, they further damn themselves by going in search of death. The Pardoner tells a tale, however, that is both instructive and valid as a sermon because it is loaded with advice against drunkeness and gluttony. The Pardoner cites examples of stories from the Bible, too, to illustrate the dangers of drunkenness (Solomon and John the Baptist; Lot and his daughters) and gluttony (Adam and Eve). There can be no doubt that the tale is moral. The Pardoner professes himself that although he is a ful vicious man, he can still tell a moral tale. The Pardoner as a character, an individual, and a typification of a group of professional churchmen is entirely amoral and, despite telling a moral tale, Chaucer uses various markers to illustrate why he cannot be trusted or accepted on any level. One of the most telling qualities that Chaucer gives the character of the Pardoner is rhetorical skill. The characteristic essential for Chaucer to illustrate that the teller of the tale cannot be accepted is arrogance. The question of authority is central to the Pardoners tale and its significance both seperated fro and as part of The Canterbury Tales. As the Pardoner is such a skilled orator, Chaucer implies, using the Pardoner and also by selecting Harry Bailey, one of the most astue of the pilgrims and a conman himself, to expose him and silence him so he cannot speak a word more. Apparently deeply affected by the Physicians sad and gruesome tale of Virginia, the Host praises the Physician by using as many medical terms as he can muster. However, he rejects the Physicians moral to the tale and substitutes one of his own: Thus the gifts of fortune and nature are not always good (The gifts of Fortune and Nature have been the cause of the death of many a person). Thinking that the pilgrims need a merry tale to follow, the Host turns to the Pardoner. The more genteel members of the company, fearing that the Pardoner will tell a vulgar story, ask the Pardoner for a tale with a moral. The Pardoner then explains to the pilgrims the methods he uses in preaching. His text is always Radix malorum est cupidatis (Love of money is the root of all evil). Always employing an array of documents and objects, he constantly announces that he can do nothing for the really bad sinners and invites the good people forward to buy his relics and, thus, absolve themselves from sins. Then he stands in the pulpit and preaches very rapidly about the sin of avarice so as to intimidate the members into donating money. He repeats that his theme is always Money is the root of all evil because, with this text, he can denounce the very vice that he practices: greed. And even though he is guilty of the same sins he preaches against, he can still make other people repent. The Pardoner admits that he likes money, rich food, and fine living. And even if he is not a moral man, he can tell a good moral tale, which follows. In Flanders, at the height of a black plague, three young men sit in an inn, eating and drinking far beyond their power and swearing oaths that are worthy of damnation. The revelers mark the passing of a coffin and ask who has died., A servant tells them that the dead man was a friend who was stabbed in the back the night before by a thief called Death. The young revelers, thinking that Death might still be in the next town, decide to seek him out and slay him. On the way, the three men meet an old man who explains that he must wander the earth until he can find someone willing to exchange youth for old age. He says that not even Death will take his life. Hearing him speak of Death, the revelers ask where they can find Death, and the old man directs them to a tree at the end of the lane. The revelers rush to the tree and find eight bushels of gold coins, which they decide to keep. They decide to wait for night to move the gold and draw straws to see which one will go into town to get food and wine. The youngest of the three draws the shortest straw. When he leaves, the two others decide to kill him and divide his money. The youngest, however, wanting the treasure to himself, buys poison, which he adds to two of the bottles of wine he purchases. When the youngest reveler approaches the tree, the two others stab him and then sit down to drink the wine before they dispose of his body. Thus, all three indeed find Death. Commentary From the Pardoners perspective, the Physician told a cheaply pious story and the Host, a sanctimonious fool, reacts to the tale with what seems high praise. Then, after praising the Physician, the Host turns to the Pardoner and asks for a merry tale or jokes (som myrthe or japes), even though preaching is the Pardoners profession. The Pardoner agrees by mockingly echoing the same oath the Host has just used-By Saint Ronyon. The echo of the Host indicates, if anything at all, the Pardoners irritation at hearing the Physician praised as being like a Prelate (lyk a prelat). The Pardoner is further insulted when some members of the company cry with one voice, No, dont let him tell dirty jokes! (Nay, lat hym telle us of no ribaudye). The Pardoner will have his revenge on all the complacent, self-righteous critics, and he resolves to think his revenge out carefully. The ironic relationship between The Physicians Tale and The Pardoners Tale-and therefore the Physician and Pardoner-is that both men are self-loving dissemblers. However, one of the two, the Pardoner, possesses enough self-knowledge to know what he is; the other, the Physician, being self-satisfied and affected, does not. The function of a pardoner in Chaucers time was to collect moneys for charitable purposes and to be the Popes special agent in dispensing or rewarding contributors with certain pardons as a remission for sins. By canon law, a pardoner was required to remain in a certain area; within this area, he could visit churches, receive contributions, and, in the Popes name, dispense indulgences. An honest pardoner was entitled to a percentage of the take; however, most pardoners were dishonest and took much more than their share and, in many cases, would take all the contributions. Thus, as he boasts, Chaucers Pardoner belongs to the latter class-that is, he speaks of how much he collects by refusing to give indulgences to anyone except the very good people. In his prologue, the Pardoner frankly confesses that he is a fraud motivated by greed and avarice and that he is guilty of all seven sins. Even though he is essentially a hypocrite in his profession, he is at least being honest as he makes his confession. But then, ironically, at the end of his tale, he requests that the pilgrims make a contribution. Thus, for many reasons, the Pardoner is the most complex figure in the entire pilgrimage. He is certainly an intellectual figure; his references and knowledge demonstrated in the tale and his use of psychology in getting only the good people to come forward attest to his intellect. But in making his confessions to the pilgrims about his hypocrisy, he seems to be saying that he wishes he could be more sincere in his ways, except that he is too fond of money, good food and wine, and power. The Pardoner takes as his text that Love of money is the root of all evil, yet he emphasizes how each relic will bring the purchaser more money; in emphasizing this, he sells more and gains more money for himself. Thus, his text contains a double irony: His love for money is the root of his evil, yet his sales depend upon the purchasers love of money. Furthermore, his technique of relying upon basic psychology by selling only to the good people brings him more money. His sermon on avarice is given because the Pardoner is filled with avarice and this sermon fills his purse with money. Scholars, critics, and readers in general consider The Pardoners Tale to be one of the finest short stories ever written. Even though this is poetry, the narration fits all the qualifications of a perfect short story: brevity, a theme aptly illustrated, brief characterizations, the inclusion of the symbolic old man, rapid narration, and a quick twist of an ending. The entire tale is an exemplum, a story told to illustrate an intellectual point. The subject is Money (greed) is the root of all evil. The Pardoners Tale ends with the Pardoner trying to sell a relic to the Host and the Host attacking the Pardoner viciously. At this point, the Knight who, both by his character and the nature of the tale he told, stands as Chaucers symbol of natural balance and proportion, steps between the Host and the Pardoner and directs them to kiss and be reconciled. In the conflict between the Host and the Pardoner, the Pardoner-whose official role is to get men to call on God for forgiveness of their sins-is unmerciful in his wrath; that is, the Pardoner is unwilling to pardon, and the pardon is effected only when the noble Knight steps in. Glossary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ relics objects esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr; here, the Pardoners relics are false. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lot Lots daughters got their father drunk and then seduced him (from the Book of Genesis in the Bible); the Pardoners point is that Lot never would have committed incest if he had not been drunk. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Samson the biblical strong man. He revealed the secret of his strength to Solome, who then betrayed him to his enemies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lepe a town in Spain noted for its strong wines. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cheapside and Fish Streets streets in London that were known for the sale of strong spirits. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lemuel See Proverbs 31:4-7. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ King Demetrius The book that relates this and the previous incident is the Policraticus of twelfth-century writer John of Salisbury. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Avicenna an Arabian physician (980-1037) who wrote a work on medicines that includes a chapter on poisons. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ St. Helen the mother of Constantine the Great, believed to have found the True Cross The Pardoners Tale There once lived in Flanders a company of three rioters who did nothing but engage in irresponsible and sinful behavior. At this point, the narrator interrupts the tale itself to launch a lengthy diatribe against drunkenness mentioning Herod, Seneca, Adam, Sampson, Attila the Hun and St. Paul as either sources or famed drunkards. This in turn oddly becomes a diatribe against people whose stomachs are their gods (their end, we are told, is death), and then a diatribe against the stomach, called, at one point a stynkyng cod, fulfilled of dong and of corrupcioun (a stinking bag, full of dung and decayed matter). This distraction from the story itself ends with an attack on dice-playing (dice here called bicched bones, or cursed dice). The three drunkards were in a tavern one night, and, hearing a bell ring, looked outside to see men carrying a corpse to its grave. One of them called to his slave to go and ask who the corpse was: he was told by a boy that the corpse was an old fellow whose heart was smashed in two by a secret thief called Death. This drunkard agreed, and discussed with his companions how this Death had indeed slain many people, of all ranks, of both sexes, that very year. The three then made a vow (by Goddes digne bones) to find Death and slay him. When they had gone not even half a mile, they met an old, poor man at a style, who greeted them courteously. The proudest of the drunkards responded rudely, asking the man why he was still alive at such a ripe age. The old man answered that he was alive, because he could not find anyone who would exchange their youth for his age and, although he knocked on the ground, begging it to let him in, he still did not die. Moreover, the old man added, it was not courteous of the drunkards to speak so rudely to an old man. One of the other drunkards responded still more rudely that the old man was to tell them where Death was, or regret not telling them dearly. The old man, still polite, told the drunkards they could find Death up the crooked way and underneath an oak tree. The drunkards ran until they came to the tree, and, underneath it, they found eight bushels of gold coins. The worst one of them spoke first, arguing that Fortune had given them the treasure to live their life in happiness but realizing that they could not carry the gold home without people seeing them and thinking them thieves. Therefore, he suggested, they should draw lots, and one of them should run back to the town to fetch bread and wine, while the other two protected the treasure. Then, at night, they could agree where to take the treasure and carry it safety. This was agreed, and lots were drawn: the youngest of them was picked to go to the town. However, as soon as he had gone to the town, the two remaining drunkards plotted amongst themselves to stab him upon his return, and then split the gold between them. While he was in the town, the youngest thought of the beauty of the gold coins, and decided to buy some poison in order to kill the other two, keeping the gold for himself. Thus, he went to an apothecary, bought some strong and violent poison, poured it into two of three wine bottles (the third was for him to drink from), topped them up with wine, and returned to his fellows. Exactly as the other two had planned it, it befell. They killed him on his return, and sat down to enjoy the wine before burying his body and, as it happened, drank the poison and died. The tale ends with a short sermon against sin, asking God to forgive the trespass of good men, and warning them against the sin of avarice, before (this, we can presume narrated in the Pardoners voice) inviting the congregation to come up and offer their wool in return for pardons. The tale finished, the Pardoner suddenly remembers that he has forgotten one thing that he is carrying relics and pardons in his male (pouch, bag) and begins to invite the pilgrims forward to receive pardon, inciting the Host to be the first to receive his pardon. Unbokele anon thy purs, he says to the Host, who responds that the Pardoner is trying to make him kiss thyn old breech (your old pants), swearing it is a relic, when actually it is just painted with his shit. I wish, the Host says, I had your coillons (testicles) in my hand, to shrine them in a hogs turd. The Pardoner is so angry with this response, he cannot speak a word, and, just in time, the Knight steps in, bringing the Pardoner and the Host together and making them again friends. This done, the company continues on its way. Analysis The Pardoner has in recent years become one of the most critically discussed of the Canterbury pilgrims. His tale is in many ways the exemplar of the contradiction which the structure of the Tales themselves can so easily exploit, and a good touchstone for highlighting precisely how Chaucer can complicate an issue without ever giving his own opinion. Thus the Pardoner embodies precisely the textual conundrum of the Tales themselves he utters words which have absolutely no correlation with his actions. His voice, in other words, is entirely at odds with his behavior. The Pardoners voice, at the beginning of his tale, rings out as round as gooth a belle, summoning his congregation: and yet his church is one of extreme bad faith. There is a genuine issue here about whether the Pardoners tale, being told by the Pardoner, can actually be the moral (325) tale it claims to be. For, while the tale does indeed demonstrate that money is the root of all evil, does it still count when he is preaching agayn that same vice / Which that I use, and that is avarice (against the very vice I commit: avarice). How far, in other words, can the teller negate his own moral? Yet the real problem is that the Pardoner is a successful preacher, and his profits point to several people who do learn from his speeches and repent their sin. His Tale too is an accurate demonstration of the way greed and avarice lead to evil. Hollow execution nevertheless, the Pardoner is an excellent preacher against greed. His voice, in short, operates regardless of his actions. Hollow sentiments produce real results. This is also reflected in the imagery of the tale itself. The Pardoner hates full stomachs, preferring empty vessels, and, though his wallet may well be bretful of pardoun comen from Rome (687) but the moral worth of this paper is nil: the wallet, therefore, is full and empty at the same time exactly like the Pardoners sermon. In just the same way Chaucer himself in the Tales can ventriloquize the sentiments of the pilgrim the Reeve, the Pardoner, the Merchant and so on, without actually committing to it. Because the Tales themselves, in supposedly reproducing the telling of a certain pilgrim, actually do enact precisely the disembodied voice which the Pardoner represents. The moral paradox of the Pardoner himself is precisely the paradox of the Tales and their series of Chaucer-ventriloquized disembodied voices. There is a doubleness, a shifting evasiveness, about the Pardoners double audience: the imaginary congregation he describes, and the assembled company to whom he preaches, and tells his lewed tales, even calling them forth to pardon at the end. The point is clear: even though they know it is insincere, the Pardoners shtick might still work on the assembled company. The imagery of the Pardoners Tale also reflects this fundamental hollowness. The tale itself is strewn with bones, whether in the oath sworn by Goddes digne bones, whether in the word for cursed dice (bones) or whether in the bones which the Pardoner stuffs into his glass cases, pretending they are relics. The literary landscape is strewn with body parts, and missing, absent bodies: beginning with the anonymous corpse carried past at the beginning of his tale. Bones, stomachs, coillons words for body parts cover the page, almost as a grim reminder of the omnipresence of death in this tale. The General Prologue, suggesting that the Pardoner resembles a gelding or a mare, hints that the Pardoner may be a congenital eunuch or, taken less literally, a homosexual, and, as the Host seems to suggest at the end, might well be without his coillons, a Middle English word meaning both relics and testicles. All of the relics in this Tale, including the Pardoners, evade the grasp of the hand. The Pardoner thus can be categorized along with the other bizarrely feminized males in the Tales, including Absolon, Sir Thopas, and, if we believe the Host, Chaucer (the character). And of course, at the center of the tale, there is a search for somebody called Death which, naturally, does not find the person Death, but death itself. It is a successful but ultimately unsuccessful search. All that is left over at the center of the Tales is the bushels of gold, sitting under a tree unclaimed. The root of the tale, as its moral similarly suggests about the root of evil, is money: and money was, to a medieval reader, known to be a spiritual death. Notably, moreover, in the tale, both gold and death shift from metaphor to reality and back again; a neat reminder of the ability of the Tales to evade our grasp, raising difficult questions without ever answering them.