DIWALI -THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Essays -- essays research papers

Diwali rituals Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the important and widely spread holidays celebrated in India. It is a celebration of lights, and for many, it is truly a sensory experience; some families decorate their houses with all sorts of lights and open up to the neighbors, sharing their love and their food. Those celebrating Diwali spend time with family and friends. They perform religious ceremonies to bring in wealth and prosperity for a new year, cook and eat delicious food, design rangolis, light up their lives by lighting diyas (small earthen lamps), candles and sometimes, by lighting fireworks. Diwali is celebrated in honor of the lord Rama, who on this day returned from a forest exile. Diwali is actually the middle day in a five-day festival that rings in the Hindu New Year. For Diwali, I go to festivals and hold pooja at my house The five days of Diwali Diwali is the most important festival celebrated in India. Diwali or Deepawali means an array of lights. It is a festival of lights symbolizing victory of good over evil and the glory of light. Diwali is celebrated as the day that Lord Rama returned to Ayoda after defeating Ravana. Diwali also signifies Harvest Festival. Another legend is Naraksura, a monster who was a troublemaker to the gods. Lord Krishna and Satyabama killed the demon. Diwali is celebrated in five days. The first day of Diwali is called Dhanteras. The second day is called Narak Chatardasi. On this day Lord Krishna destroye...

Of Mice and Men :: English Literature

With its appealing elements of naivet, humour and pathos Of Mice And Men is Steinbeck's tableau of the oppressed in post-depression US society. It has strong imagery, decisive action, authentic dialogue and cinematic tension. Would you say this novel is a classic and successful? Why? I will first explore whether I think "Of Mice and Men" is worthy of the reputation linked with a term, in my opinion, too widely used in the world of literature. The word I am referring to of course is "classic". The definition of a "classic" is a great and timeless book or work of art. Therefore I am going to temporarily re-phrase the title question for ease of comprehension and explanation to: "Would you say this novel is great, timeless and successful? Why?" This will enable me to deal with the true meaning of the term "classic" at the same time as formulating an opinion of whether Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" deserves this prestigious title. Firstly, is this novel great? Well, it certainly isn't great in magnitude, i.e. the size of the book is not that which we would associate with such a rated book. It only has six chapters and the story takes place in quite a short space of time. However, the definition of greatness in this instance does not mean "huge" or "vast" it means "wonderful" and "important". In my opinion the novel is great in this way. It displays affection, emotion, friendship and love, as well as loneliness, discrimination, prejudice and anger. These are all basic human qualities and liabilities, which makes the novel both wonderful and important in a way that few people will ever really understand. Even though I don't know what Steinbeck's inspiration and reason for writing this novel was I personally respect the way in which he sums up such important parts of life in six short chapters. These are the only reasons I found to justify why "Of Mice and Men" should be classed as "great", however there are countless reasons for this novel to be classed as "timeless". The moral issues and difficulties of the people in this book are still relevant in the world today and I feel that people all over the world will be able to empathise on a metaphorical level with George and Lennie's struggles in realising their dream. The first question to address when looking at "Of Mice and Men" as a timeless novel is: 'What are the predominant moral issues hidden in this novel, how are they relevant today and will they still be relevant in the future?' This is a difficult question to face with a novel such as this, as the author does not exaggerate exactly what the

Rogerian Argument Drilling in ANWR

However, drilling in this land also brings the possibility of destroying the habitat of birds that migrate to this area yearly, caribou that use this haven as a calving ground, fish that fill the rivers and lakes, as well as grizzly bears, wolves, elk and hundreds of other species that depend on this habitat for food, shelter and safety. There is no debate that there are passionate debates, important facts and amazing possibilities that concern both sides of this argument. And even If it were possible to remove political agenda from the table, It would still be a very difficult debate to win for either side.My hopes are to come to a conclusion that would benefit both parties Involved. I strongly feel that any drilling In this area would be detrimental to the surrounding area, as well as bring possible harm to the countless animals, birds and fish that use this safe haven yearly for migration, calving and egg laying and feeding. The decision to either drill or not to drill may not hav e a direct impact on us now, but in the years to come, good or bad, we will all see the changes that this decision will have resulted in.There are many others, like you, that believe that drilling in INWARD is the perfect elution to our current economic situation. The possibilities of new Jobs and freedom from purchasing oil from unstable and hostile countries Is tempting and seems like a wonderful alternative to our current circumstances. Eve read reports that state that we could create up to 736,000 new Jobs. The assessment of these numbers was broken down Into Jobs such as manufacturing, milling, trade, services and construction.In addition the plethora of new employment opportunities there are reports that show that drilling in INWARD could produce up to 1,000,000 barrels of oil a day. These same reports claim that producing such a large amount of oil each day would replace the oil that we purchase from Saudi Arabia, which in turn would put about $50,000,000 back into the united States Economy. There are many believable reports that technology has far advanced itself in relation to the process of drilling oil and that the new equipment and processes for obtaining the oil from underground would be incredibly safe and urn-invasive to the surrounding area.In addition, I understand that the size of the area that is being considered for drilling Is about the size of the state of South Carolina and that the land Is barren, windswept and that this particular area Is desolate of any wildlife or vegetation. The Alaskan National seems like a good idea. In fact, I think it's quite tempting to dream of one day not to reduce the U. S. Federal deficit and at the same time boosting the local economy and putting American's back to work. I can see the benefits to drilling in this land if the results would be as extensive as they appear to be in these reports.Of course for every report that lists the benefits of drilling, there is another that refutes it. In doing my resear ch I actually switched positions from being pro-drilling to anti- drilling. I realized that although the process of drilling in recent years has become a much safer method for both the driller and the surrounding area, there were still too many possibilities of problems for the wildlife and vegetation that call the area home. Take for example the event that occurred in 1989.The Interior Department's stamp of approval for drilling in this oil rich land became a catalyst for a movement among the Senate drill. On March 24, 1989, Just days after the report from the Interior Department, the Exxon Valued spill occurred dumping 11 million gallons of crude oil over thousands of miles of California coastline. According to the National Wildlife Federation, a very reputable source, marine life still hasn't completely recovered from this monstrous oil spill. At the time of the spill it was discovered that thousands of birds had died of hypothermia due to the coat of oil covering their feathers. Sea turtles were stranded in oily waters, including the endangered Kemps riddle sea turtles. Whales and fish were killed and the ones that survived had ingested the oil which is known to cause ulcers and even internal bleeding. Research shows that the effects of the oil can even affect the offspring of these marine animals. Dolphins were studied for years and had shown to be very ill. In addition the marine animals, the coral and reefs were also affected by the oil. Many of these amazing formations were shown to be dying or dead.The loss of these underwater habitats caused many surviving marine animals to be homeless which leaves them open to predators. Another oil spill like this could be catastrophic to these marine animals as well as our gashing industries as well as our tourism. It would be awful to create thousands of jobs in order to drill oil and then cost thousands of others their Jobs because of an oil spill. I understand that this is Just a possibility, but I feel it is de finitely some to be considered when discussing the safety of drilling in INWARD.No one can promise that this won't happen again. I do realize that there are new ways to prevent a spill and to clean up a spill once it has happened. For example we now know oaf bacteria that have been found to eat the oil which is very promising, however, cleaning up an oil pill in Alaska can provide its own special challenges with the freezing weather and ice. Another important fact to consider when deciding to support drilling in INWARD is whether or not the benefits of drilling in this reserve would out way the cost.I wondered if there would be enough oil produced to actually realize the hope of becoming free from our dependence on the unstable oil producing countries that we rely on so heavily for fuel. There are many reputable sources including an article on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge US Fish and Wildlife Services website that claim hat we would not see any oil production for about 10 yea rs after drilling begins. There is no doubt that the land in this region of Alaska is filled with an abundance of oil. We've known about the existence of oil in this land for years.Exactly how much of an abundance, however, still remains to be seen. It is anyone's guess as to how much oil currently lies beneath the land. This is very contradictory to pro-drilling supporters of drilling in INWARD report that the oil companies are using a much safer method of drilling the oil at this time, there is not much information regarding the new technique that is being referred to. It is however hinted to be related to the underground oil pipes that have been built. It evens seems like the Alaskan residents are split on this issue. On one hand it would create Jobs and give a boost to the economy.On the other hand however there is the possibility of their main source of food, the fish and seals, may actually move father away in order to escape the pollutants and toxins in the air. Either way yo u look at the situation, there are pros and cons to drilling for oil in INWARD. The beautiful countryside is blossoming with hundreds upon hundreds of mammals such as the black grizzly, the caribou and he elk, migrating birds such as ducks, geese and quail and sea creatures galore versus the possibility of a robust economy, American Jobs and less dependency on other countries.They are both very important issues to consider and should not be taken lightly. This world is a precious gift that we leave for our children and it is our job to make sure that we protect the culture of Alaska, with respect to the innovations and possibilities of providing for our countries future as well. It may be time to turn our attention to a new source of energy. As technology advances, so does our awareness of the possibilities that await us. Maybe it is time to look ahead to advancements that could completely terminate our dependency on hostile, foreign countries for our fuel demands.I think that it wo uld be a great compromise to spend our time, resources and technology to develop a fuel source that we know we could depend on. The earth's oil sources will eventually run dry. There will come a point when we will have to look elsewhere to fuel our cars and to heat our homes. It's my opinion that we should begin looking for that next energy source now. There are many renewable resources such as wind, sun, water as well as one that is very citing. Celluloses ethanol is a source that has been used for a few years now.This is a renewable energy source that is derived from fermented corn. This particular type of energy can be used to fuel cars and eventually homes as well. There is still research to do and it would take a lot of changes to make this a reality such as remodeling our vehicles so that they would run off of this type of fuel. This is not something that could happen overnight, but it is something that could be accomplished within 10 years, which subsequently is the amount of time it would aka for the United States to even begin reaping the benefits of drilling in INWARD.

Digital Fortress Chapter 43

A jaunty forty-five, Chad Brinkerhoff was well-pressed, well-groomed, and well-informed. His summer-weight suit, like his tan skin, showed not a wrinkle or hint of wear. His hair was thick, sandy blond, and most importantly-all his own. His eyes were a brilliant blue-subtly enhanced by the miracle of tinted contact lenses. He surveyed the wood-paneled office around him and knew he had risen as far as he would rise in the NSA. He was on the ninth floor-Mahogany Row. Office 9A197. The Directorial Suite. It was a Saturday night, and Mahogany Row was all but deserted, its executives long gone-off enjoying whatever pastimes influential men enjoyed in their leisure. Although Brinkerhoff had always dreamed of a â€Å"real† post with the agency, he had somehow ended up as a â€Å"personal aide†-the official cul de sac of the political rat race. The fact that he worked side by side with the single most powerful man in American intelligence was little consolation. Brinkerhoff had graduated with honors from Andover and Williams, and yet here he was, middle-aged, with no real power-no real stake. He spent his days arranging someone else's calendar. There were definite benefits to being the director's personal aide-Brinkerhoff had a plush office in the directorial suite, full access to all the NSA departments, and a certain level of distinction that came from the company he kept. He ran errands for the highest echelons of power. Deep down Brinkerhoff knew he was born to be a PA-smart enough to take notes, handsome enough to give press conferences, and lazy enough to be content with it. The sticky-sweet chime of his mantel clock accented the end of another day of his pathetic existence. Shit, he thought. Five o'clock on a Saturday. What the hell am I doing here? â€Å"Chad?† A woman appeared in his doorway. Brinkerhoff looked up. It was Midge Milken, Fontaine's internal security analyst. She was sixty, slightly heavy, and, much to the puzzlement of Brinkerhoff, quite appealing. A consummate flirt and an ex-wife three times over, Midge prowled the six-room directorial suite with a saucy authority. She was sharp, intuitive, worked ungodly hours, and was rumored to know more about the NSA's inner workings than God himself. Damn, Brinkerhoff thought, eyeing her in her gray cashmere-dress. Either I'm getting older, or she's looking younger. â€Å"Weekly reports.† She smiled, waving a fanfold of paper. â€Å"You need to check the figures.† Brinkerhoff eyed her body. â€Å"Figures look good from here.† â€Å"Really Chad,† she laughed. â€Å"I'm old enough to be your mother.† Don't remind me, he thought. Midge strode in and sidled up to his desk. â€Å"I'm on my way out, but the director wants these compiled by the time he gets back from South America. That's Monday, bright and early.† She dropped the printouts in front of him. â€Å"What am I, an accountant?† â€Å"No, hon, you're a cruise director. Thought you knew that.† â€Å"So what am I doing crunching numbers?† She ruffled his hair. â€Å"You wanted more responsibility. Here it is.† He looked up at her sadly. â€Å"Midge†¦ I have no life.† She tapped her finger on the paper. â€Å"This is your life, Chad Brinkerhoff.† She looked down at him and softened. â€Å"Anything I can get you before I go?† He eyed her pleadingly and rolled his aching neck. â€Å"My shoulders are tight.† Midge didn't bite. â€Å"Take an aspirin.† He pouted. â€Å"No back rub?† She shook her head. â€Å"Cosmopolitan says two-thirds of backrubs end in sex.† Brinkerhoff looked indignant. â€Å"Ours never do!† â€Å"Precisely.† She winked. â€Å"That's the problem.† â€Å"Midge-â€Å" â€Å"Night, Chad.† She headed for the door. â€Å"You're leaving?† â€Å"You know I'd stay,† Midge said, pausing in the doorway, â€Å"but I do have some pride. I just can't see playing second fiddle-particularly to a teenager.† â€Å"My wife's not a teenager,† Brinkerhoff defended. â€Å"She just acts like one.† Midge gave him a surprised look. â€Å"I wasn't talking about your wife.† She battered her eyes innocently. â€Å"I was talking about Carmen.† She spoke the name with a thick Puerto Rican accent. Brinkerhoff's voice cracked slightly. â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Carmen? In food services?† Brinkerhoff felt himself flush. Carmen Huerta was a twenty-seven-year-old pastry chef who worked in the NSA commissary. Brinkerhoff had enjoyed a number of presumably secret after-hours flings with her in the stockroom. She gave him a wicked wink. â€Å"Remember, Chad†¦ Big Brother knows all.† Big Brother? Brinkerhoff gulped in disbelief. Big Brother watches the STOCKROOMS too? Big Brother, or â€Å"Brother† as Midge often called it, was a Centrex 333 that sat in a small closetlike space off the suite's central room. Brother was Midge's whole world. It received data from 148 closed circuit video cameras, 399 electronic doors, 377 phones taps, and 212 free-standing bugs in the NSA complex. The directors of the NSA had learned the hard way that 26,000 employees were not only a great asset but a great liability. Every major security breach in the NSA's history had come from within. It was Midge's job as internal security analyst, to watch everything that went on within the walls of the NSA†¦ including, apparently, the commissary stockroom. Brinkerhoff stood to defend himself, but Midge was already on her way out. â€Å"Hands above the desk,† she called over her shoulder. â€Å"No funny stuff after I go. The walls have eyes.† Brinkerhoff sat and listened to the sound of her heels fading down the corridor. At least he knew Midge would never tell. She was not without her weaknesses. Midge had indulged in a few indiscretions of her own-mostly wandering back rubs with Brinkerhoff. His thoughts turned back to Carmen. He pictured her lissome body, those dark thighs, that AM radio she played full blast-hot San Juan salsa. He smiled. Maybe I'll drop by for a snack when I'm done. He opened the first printout. CRYPTO-PRODUCTION/EXPENDITURE His mood immediately lightened. Midge had given him a freebie; the Crypto report was always a piece of cake. Technically he was supposed to compile the whole thing, but the only figure the director ever asked for was the MCD-the mean cost per decryption. The MCD represented the estimated amount it cost TRANSLTR to break a single code. As long as the figure was below $1,000 per code, Fontaine didn't flinch. A grand a pop. Brinkerhoff chuckled. Our tax dollars at work. As he began plowing through the document and checking the daily MCDs, images of Carmen Huerta smearing herself with honey and confectioner's sugar began playing in his head. Thirty seconds later he was almost done. The Crypto data was perfect-as always. But just before moving on to the next report, something caught his eye. At the bottom of the sheet, the last MCD was off. The figure was so large that it had carried over into the next column and made a mess of the page. Brinkerhoff stared at the figure in shock. 999,999,999? He gasped. A billion dollars? The images of Carmen vanished. A billion-dollar code? Brinkerhoff sat there a minute, paralyzed. Then in a burst of panic, he raced out into the hallway. â€Å"Midge! Comeback!†

Zumba Fitness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Zumba Fitness - Essay Example Zumba Fitness It has been accepted in most societies due to its flexible programs that can suit the most workers. Zumba fitness has been rated among the Worlds top ten fitness programs based on the number of participants and product uniqueness. Zumba is a dance and aerobics fitness course that was started in the 1990s by Alberto Perez (Perez, 2009). He is from Columbia and started the Zumba program due to his passion for dance and music. The Zumba fitness brand consists of various products launched since 2003. They include Zumba Stape, Zumba Toning, Zumba Sentao, Zumba Kids, Zumba Toning among others. The products cater for various people in the society despite their ages. Since Alberto is a choreographer and a dancer, the fitness program incorporates music in its sessions (Perez, 2009). Zumba uses music genres such as Salsa, Samba, Martial arts, Soca and Hip hop. The different rhythms from the music can be used to change the used approaches. Moreover, the use of different genres ensures that its customers can join the program irrespective of their music preferences. Zumba fitness programs became popular in Columbia and there was a need to cause awareness into other countries (Perez, 2009). With the help of entrepreneurs, the program became international where it has been practiced in more than 180 countries globally. Perez had business ties with the United States; he was able to market his dance into the country. According to recent research, more than 10 million people take weekly classes. Zumbas success has been caused by its use of music and use of infomercials to cause awareness.

Abraham lincoln essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Abraham lincoln - Essay Example re was a dire need, the army was very short of work force and soldiers were very badly needed, black soldiers were recruited when the others failed to show interest and there were apprehensions whether these black soldiers would discharge their duty well or not. The doubts became evident questions because the black soldiers were former slaves and some thought that they would intentionally fail because they had been slaves and mistreated in America. The other soldiers and civilians thought that this was a very unwise decision by Lincoln, they also thought that it would never work when put into practice but Lincoln had already done the impossible. He never needed anyone’s approval, he had already successes partially in his aim to eliminate slavery in America. Black soldiers proved everyone wrong and they also proved Lincoln right when they fought valiantly and won several crucial battles, this was certainly a masterstroke by Lincoln and the one that no one saw coming. The battle of Port Hudson was primarily won because of black soldiers and they all worked in unison to win it for the trust that Lincoln had showed in them. The Black soldiers were mistreated when they were captured, they were not treated as prisoners of war but they were treated like slaves and Lincoln had several issues with it. The captured black soldiers were often sold and forced into slavery which did not go down too well with the president. Lincoln wanted the same protection for these African American soldiers as the white soldiers; the white soldiers were never forced into slavery when they were caught and they were always treated like the prisoners of war. Lincoln always wanted parity and he fought for it right till the end. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and the recruitment of African American soldiers both are deeply connected, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address stresses the need for parity in America and Lincoln firmly believed that the only way of restoring parity was by giving the

Togther we stand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Togther we stand - Essay Example To substantiate the hypothesis, the necessary research was made, with the assistance of some people in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With the help of monitoring devices, such as gas analyzers and detectors, the toxic fumes being emitted by the company were identified. The findings revealed that the level of poisonous chemicals being emitted is way above acceptable levels. The EPA concluded that the pollution that resulted from the operations of the gas company is indeed detrimental to the health of the residents. They have slowly polluted the air, soil and water. The results of the research were showed to the city health administrators and some doctors and they all agreed that there is a direct link between the pollutants and the health problems currently being suffered by our community members. The city health officials presented data on the rising incidences of asthma, pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses and skin diseases ever since the gas company started operat ions. Given the above scenario, this letter was decided to be written to ask for support in this fight against air pollution. To address this urgent issue, it is kindly suggest that community leaders, together with the city health administrators and government representatives from the EPA to meet with the management of the gas company and inform them of the findings regarding their emissions and how it has affected the health of our residents. It is important that data to this effect be presented to them to support the veracity of our claim. It is but proper to require the gas company to disclose the amount of toxins and chemicals that they emit. They should come out with a plan on how to reduce and manage their wastes and emissions so as not to adversely affect the health of the residents within the community where they operate. They should at the very least deliberate on ways on reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Other companies have