Yukon Jack Essays - Klondike Gold Rush, Jack London, White Fang

Yukon Jack The short lived life of Jack London is a direct reflection of his literary works major theme, the struggle for survival of strong men driven by primitive emotions. ?To Build A Fire? and White Fang are two of his works that coincide his life experiences and illustrate his literary theme. London was born the illegitimate son of W.H. Chaney and Flora Wellmen in 1876. He never saw his biological father and his mother had little to do with him. Eight months after his birth, his mother married a man named John London. This is where Jack received his name. Even with his new family, that included two step-sisters, Jack still received little time or love from them. ?He claimed to have felt that he was a boy without a boyhood? (Marshall 749). In ?To Build A Fire,? a man is on a journey through the Yukon. He takes this journey alone, and therefore must face all challenges alone. This is much like the childhood of Jack London. London had to accept all challenges and obstacles in his childhood alone, because his family was not there to support him. Both Jack London and the man in ?To Build A Fire? are in control of their own destiny. As it turns out for the man in ?To Build A Fire,? he faces his death because of his solitude. ! London may be implying that if he had someone to guide him through the early stages of life, he might have turned out to be a more fulfilled and successful person. 2 By the age of twenty-three, London had held a numerous variety of jobs. He had been everything from a newsboy to an oyster bed pirate. He even bummed his way through the United States. In 1897, he traveled to Canada to try his luck in the Yukon Territory gold rush. This is the motivation behind his 1906 novel, White Fang. White Fang Centers around the ability of a man, through love and kindness, to tame a savage wolf, and turn it into a loyal domestic animal. This may not be relevant when talking about the relationship between London's life and the novels theme. What is relevant though, is that the story did take place in the Yukon, a place where London had been during his life. The story contains struggles of man's survival against nature, maybe London's own survival against nature. London could also be portraying his survival against life in general. During the same time period, London had evolved a working philosophy from Karl Marx, Herbert Spencer, and Friedrich Nietzsche which explained the world of his experiences to his own satisfaction. ?These experiences persuaded him to join the Socialist Labor Party and crusade for worker's rights? (Kennedy 118). Even though London claimed to be a socialist, he contradicted his belief in socialism with his individualistic notion of the survival of the fittest. In the short story ?To Build A Fire,? London shows us what happens to the weak. The man freezes to death and the dog survives. London maybe using this story to expand on his survival of the fittest belief. In order for a man to survive the potentially blizzard cold temperatures of the Yukon, he must not only be in top physical 3 condition, he must also be equally fit psychologically. The dog in ?To Build A Fire? had both, a physical conditioning and a mental instinct, something London saw in himself. The man in the story experiences regret for not following the advice given to him earlier, but the dog presses on without regret or pity for the man, the same way London treats life. London began writing in early adulthood. He found it was the easiest way for him to make money. His literary apprenticeship was comparatively short. He started by writing for a local newspaper in San Francisco, and before long the entire country took a liking to his work. London had published his first book, The Son of the Wolf, in 1900. Also in 1900, London married his first wife, Bessie Madden. In 1903 he had left her and his daughters to marry Charmian Kittredge. Shortly after their marriage, London had left his second wife. London had always longed for a

Free Essays on Daughter

My life started well in the backwoods of eastern Tennessee. My father was a farmer and loved the smell of his land. He loved to talk all day about the war, â€Å"Theys ain’t gonna when nothen fight’n like a buncha chickens† he’d most often say. He also loved my mother, brother and me. I barely remember my mother now for she died when I was very young. All I remember is her dressing me in little pretty dresses for church ad I would try my best not to let her because I was a bit of a tom boy with dirty little fingernails, mest up hair and the bottoms of my feet were as black as coal. Nevertheless my mother would try her very best to make me look pretty for Sunday morning church. The day was April 17,1921. I remember this day well for this was the day that me and my mother had our last struggle for that Sunday morning dress. â€Å"Jenny Fraiser you’d better be still, you’s gotta were this here dress for church,† my mother yelled as she struggled with the little dress on my head. â€Å"NO! I ain’t wear’n no pretty girl close!† I screamed as my mom struggled with the dress around my Straight little arms on the kitchen floor. â€Å"You’d better be put’n this dress on before I get outside and get your Pa!† she said walking towards the door. Realizing that she was the victor in this little argument I put on the dress with tears rolling down my cheek. I was so angry over the fact that she had won that I yelled â€Å"I hate you momma! I hate you real bad!† My mother then cried but I had never seen her cry like this before. No matter how much I apologized she still just kept on crying with her face buried in her trembling hands. Finally she took me in her arms, kissed me on the cheek with her tear soaked lips and said â€Å"It’ll all be alright Maxine, I love you. There’s thing that you ain’t gonna be able to understand just yet, but life’l be good to ya Maxine, I love you.†... Free Essays on Daughter Free Essays on Daughter My life started well in the backwoods of eastern Tennessee. My father was a farmer and loved the smell of his land. He loved to talk all day about the war, â€Å"Theys ain’t gonna when nothen fight’n like a buncha chickens† he’d most often say. He also loved my mother, brother and me. I barely remember my mother now for she died when I was very young. All I remember is her dressing me in little pretty dresses for church ad I would try my best not to let her because I was a bit of a tom boy with dirty little fingernails, mest up hair and the bottoms of my feet were as black as coal. Nevertheless my mother would try her very best to make me look pretty for Sunday morning church. The day was April 17,1921. I remember this day well for this was the day that me and my mother had our last struggle for that Sunday morning dress. â€Å"Jenny Fraiser you’d better be still, you’s gotta were this here dress for church,† my mother yelled as she struggled with the little dress on my head. â€Å"NO! I ain’t wear’n no pretty girl close!† I screamed as my mom struggled with the dress around my Straight little arms on the kitchen floor. â€Å"You’d better be put’n this dress on before I get outside and get your Pa!† she said walking towards the door. Realizing that she was the victor in this little argument I put on the dress with tears rolling down my cheek. I was so angry over the fact that she had won that I yelled â€Å"I hate you momma! I hate you real bad!† My mother then cried but I had never seen her cry like this before. No matter how much I apologized she still just kept on crying with her face buried in her trembling hands. Finally she took me in her arms, kissed me on the cheek with her tear soaked lips and said â€Å"It’ll all be alright Maxine, I love you. There’s thing that you ain’t gonna be able to understand just yet, but life’l be good to ya Maxine, I love you.†...

Alexander Nevsky - Prince of Novgorod and Kiev

Alexander Nevsky - Prince of Novgorod and Kiev The son of an important Russian leader, Alexander Nevsky was elected prince of Novgorod on his own merits. He succeeded in driving invading Swedes from Russian territory and fending off the Teutonic Knights. However, he agreed to pay tribute to the Mongols rather than fight them, a decision for which he has been criticized.  Eventually, he became Grand Prince and worked to restore Russian prosperity and establish Russian sovereignty. After his death, Russia disintegrated into feudal principalities. Also Known As Prince of Novgorod and Kiev; Grand Prince of Vladimir; also spelled Aleksandr Nevski and, in Cyrillic, Ð Ã »Ã µÃ ºÃ' Ã °Ã ½Ã ´Ã'€ Ð Ã µÃ ²Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸Ã ¹ Alexander Nevsky was noted for Stopping the advance of the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights into Russia Occupations Roles in Society Military LeaderPrinceSaint Places of Residence and Influence Russia Important Dates Born:  c. 1220Victorious in battle on the ice:  April 5, 1242Died:  Nov. 14, 1263 Biography Prince of Novgorod and Kiev and Grand Prince of Vladimir, Alexander Nevsky is best known for stopping the advance of the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights into Russia. At the same time, he paid tribute to the Mongols instead of attempting to fight them off, a position that has been attacked as cowardly but which may have been simply a matter of understanding his limits. The son of Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich, grand prince of Vladimir and foremost Russian leader, Alexander was elected prince of Novgorod (primarily a military post) in 1236. In 1239 he married Alexandra, the daughter of the Prince of Polotsk. For some time the Novgorodians had moved into Finnish territory, which was controlled by the Swedes. To punish them for this encroachment and to bar Russias access to the sea, the Swedes invaded Russia in 1240. Alexander scored a significant victory against them at the confluence of the Rivers Izhora and Neva, whereby he got his honorific, Nevsky. However, several months later he was expelled from Novgorod for interfering in city affairs. Not long afterward, Pope Gregory IX began urging the Teutonic Knights to Christianize the Baltic region, even though there were Christians already there. In the face of this threat, Alexander was invited to return to Novgorod and, after several confrontations, he defeated the knights in a famous battle on the frozen channel between Lakes Chud and Pskov in April 1242. Alexander eventually stopped the eastward expansion of both the Swedes and Germans. But another serious problem prevailed in the east. Mongol armies were conquering portions of Russia, which was not politically unified. Alexanders father agreed to serve the new Mongol rulers, but he died in September 1246. This left the throne of the Grand Prince vacant, and both Alexander and his younger brother Andrew appealed to Khan Batu of the Mongol Golden Horde. Batu sent them to the Great Khan, who violated Russian custom by selecting Andrew as Grand Prince, probably because Alexander was favored by Batu, who was out of favor with the Great Khan. Alexander settled for being made the prince of Kiev. Andrew began to conspire with other Russian princes and western nations against the Mongol overlords. Alexander took the opportunity to denounce his brother to Batus son Sartak. Sartak sent an army to depose Andrew, and Alexander was installed as Grand Prince in his place. As Grand Prince, Alexander worked to restore Russian prosperity by building fortifications and churches and passing laws. He continued to control Novgorod through his son Vasily. This altered the tradition of rule from one based on a process of invitation to institutional sovereignty. In 1255 Novgorod expelled Vasily, and Alexander put together an army and got Vasily back on the throne. In 1257 a rebellion broke out in Novgorod in response to an impending census and taxation. Alexander helped forced the city to submit, probably fearing that the Mongols would punish all of Russia for Novgorods actions. More uprisings broke out in 1262 against the Muslim tax farmers of the Golden Horde, and Alexander succeeded in averting reprisals by journeying to Saray on the Volga and speaking to the Khan there. He also obtained an exemption for Russians from a draft. On the way home, Alexander Nevsky died in Gorodets. After his death, Russia disintegrated into feuding principalities but his son Daniel would found the house of Moscow, which would eventually reunite northern Russian lands. Alexander Nevsky was supported by the Russian Orthodox Church, which made him a saint in 1547.

Child Development through Interaction, Observation and Conversation Essay

Child Development through Interaction, Observation and Conversation - Essay Example For example the child could run away from balls that were thrown at them and could easily hit them to hurt them. The child was however selective with choice of games as he preferred less strenuous games. Again, the child used mastery in motor skills to walk from shelf to shelf to get books that they preferred to read. Interacting with the child, it was noted that his choice of book selection was affected by gender as the child perceived that as a male he was to read books with themes that focused on adventure and fiction rather than those about nature. From Piaget’s cognitive child development theory, children can be seen a little scientists who possess the ability to create their own forms of knowledge (Joseph, 2000). This was exactly what was experienced with the child as he constantly preferred to use real life situations and experiences to get questions that were posed in the classroom answered. At the playground, the child exhibited intensive metacognition abilities as he confirmed that he could know through knowing. This is because while the child was observed playing a video game on football, the child always tried to transfer knowledge in real life football into the game so as to win. According to Piaget’s stage of cognitive development, second graders can be said to be concrete operational stage where they start to think more logically but also struggle with abstract and hypothetical concepts (Jacobi, Calamari & Woodard, 2006). This was seen with the child’s language capabilities which were translated into choice of books that were selected. This is because the child wanted books with more illustrations that directly translated the ideas they wanted to read about. Through interaction with the child, it was found that there child had some difficulty accepting and adapting to the classroom as a social setting. This is because the child was constantly withdrawn from

An Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An - Essay Example The first article is a deposition by one Francois Lapierre, â€Å"a man of color from the small town of Petit Anse† (Lapierre 222) who is a sublieutenant in the Compagnie Beaubert of the National Guard of the town (Lapierre 223). Traveling to Cap Francais on business his boat is stopped and boarded by another boat looking for free black men to arrest that they believe are part of a revolution. He resists and white soldiers, including its captain try to protect him and other coloreds threatening to kill the white French sailors if they dare try to take him. (Lapierre 223). Over time he is transferred to several ships, including the Jupiter where officers protect him from the violent crew who want to â€Å"cut off his head† (Lapierre 224). Lapierre and other coloreds are eventually assured of safety by Cambis and Roussel but are falsely accused as â€Å"agents of the...Commissioners† (Lapierre 227) [a group backing the cause of the slaves], and without trial are su bsequently condemned at one point to death. He eventually finds his way to an American vessel and is transported safely home to Petit Anse with the help of French dignitaries. It is hard to say whether I believe his story or not since the deposition was apparently not corroborated by other witnesses. Although he does not appear political, one might ask does he want to return home for sentimental reasons or to perhaps rejoin his fighting comrades? The second article, The Oge Insurrection, concerns Vincent Oge, a free man of color, overtly political and an official representative of freed blacks to the French government (Verneuil 45) who leads a brief insurrection in 1791 to convince the Assembly to approve political rights to free black men, a move fiercely opposed by white plantation owners. The account of Oge’s insurrection is told by Louis-Francois-ReneVerneuil , white plantation owner. From that perspective one must challenge its recounting as undoubtedly

Causes of World War One Essay Example for Free

Causes of World War One Essay On Sunday 28th June, 1914 Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, were assassinated part of a Serbian Terrorist Group, called the Black Hand. This event and the tension between Europe was a trigger that set off declarations of war and resulted in the â€Å"Great War†. Tensions had been building up in Europe for decades through Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism, and Alliances, and these tensions had reach such a point that an event was needed to break these tensions. This was the assassination of the Archduke. Therefore the assassination and alliances were causes of World War One. Australia was involved in the war because of the fact that it was part of the British Empire therefore having duties towards Britain, and also growing patriotic support for the mother country. This patriotism was a main factor in deciding Australia’s fate in World War One. In 1914, when Britain declared war, it also declared war on behalf of the British Empire. Being a part of the British Empire, it was Australia’s duty to assist Britain in the war, and to assist Britain’s Allies. Due to the large loyalty existing in Australia towards the mother country, the decision, by the current time Prime Minister Joseph Cook, to send Australia against war with Germany and Austria, was met with spontaneous outpouring of patriotism. Thousands of mean came to enlist in the army, men and boys were eager to fight in the war, and tackle the great adventure of war. Few communities were against Australia joining the war. It was an opportunity for Australia to could demonstrate its loyalty, believing Australia would turn into a nation, and prove its strength as a nation. It was also a chance to develop Australia’s rank in the world and to be a part of the high-power nations. The assassination was the trigger, for what were causes of tensions brooding in Europe. Once the trigger occurred; Imperialism, Nationalism, Militarism and Alliances all played there part in shaping one of the world most devastating Wars. The assassination triggered countries to go to war, and then allies to go to war, and then colonies to go to war, such as the British Empire sending Australia to war and then result in jealousies between countries through imperialism and nationalism, Germany feeling that Russia and Britain had colonized to many countries and that it had a upper ight hand, with people from various countries feeling that their country is the best and therefore should there power through such things as their military power, therefore bringing in militarism. As you can see all these notions are intertwined and they together form the cause of why such a war like World War One occurred and why it was so devastating, and also why Australia joined the War.

Flood in Epic of Gilgamish and Book of Genesis of the Holy Bible Essay

The Flood in The Epic of Gilgamish and The Bible The story of the great flood is probably the most popular story that has survived for thousands of years and is still being retold today.   It is most commonly related within the context of Judeo-Christian tradition.   In the Holy Bible, the book of Genesis uses the flood as a symbol of God's wrath as well as His hope that the human race can maintain peace and achieve everlasting salvation.   The tale of Noah's Ark begins with God's expression of dismay as to the degenerate state of the human race at the time.   People were behaving wickedly and sinfully and God decided that a genetic cleansing was necessary.   He spared only Noah and his family, along with two of every type of animal; one male and one female.   The other most popular flood story is found in the Epic of Gilgamish.   In this text, the gods have decided to destroy everything on earth by creating a great flood.   The only survivor is a man named Utnapishtim, spared because he is the god Ea's favorite hum an.   The Babylonian God Ea had decided to eliminate humans and other land animals with a great flood, which was to become "the end of all flesh".   He selected Utnapishtim, to build an ark to save a few humans, and some of other animals, much like Noah.   In comparing and contrasting the Babylonian text and the biblical story of Noah's Ark, there are many similarities between the two stories and one would conclude that they are essentially identical.   The Genesis story describes how mankind had become corrupt and how the earth was filled with violence.   In the ... ...in it, leaving only a chosen few to remain on earth to start all over again. Works Cited and Consulted: Budge, E. A. Babylonian Story of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Montana, USA: Kessinger Publishing Co., n.d. Gardner, John and John Maier. Gilgamesh: Translated from the Sin-leqi-unninni version. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984. Heidel, Alexander. The Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1949. Ignatius Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1996. Web Sites Consulted: The "Epic of Gilgamesh": An Outline. Online. 15 Feb. 2002. http://www.hist.unt.edu/ane-09.htm Sumerian Mythology FAQ. Online. 15 Feb. 2002. http://webster.unh.edu/%7Ecbsiren/sumer-faq.html Flood in Epic of Gilgamish and Book of Genesis of the Holy Bible Essay The Flood in The Epic of Gilgamish and The Bible The story of the great flood is probably the most popular story that has survived for thousands of years and is still being retold today.   It is most commonly related within the context of Judeo-Christian tradition.   In the Holy Bible, the book of Genesis uses the flood as a symbol of God's wrath as well as His hope that the human race can maintain peace and achieve everlasting salvation.   The tale of Noah's Ark begins with God's expression of dismay as to the degenerate state of the human race at the time.   People were behaving wickedly and sinfully and God decided that a genetic cleansing was necessary.   He spared only Noah and his family, along with two of every type of animal; one male and one female.   The other most popular flood story is found in the Epic of Gilgamish.   In this text, the gods have decided to destroy everything on earth by creating a great flood.   The only survivor is a man named Utnapishtim, spared because he is the god Ea's favorite hum an.   The Babylonian God Ea had decided to eliminate humans and other land animals with a great flood, which was to become "the end of all flesh".   He selected Utnapishtim, to build an ark to save a few humans, and some of other animals, much like Noah.   In comparing and contrasting the Babylonian text and the biblical story of Noah's Ark, there are many similarities between the two stories and one would conclude that they are essentially identical.   The Genesis story describes how mankind had become corrupt and how the earth was filled with violence.   In the ... ...in it, leaving only a chosen few to remain on earth to start all over again. Works Cited and Consulted: Budge, E. A. Babylonian Story of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Montana, USA: Kessinger Publishing Co., n.d. Gardner, John and John Maier. Gilgamesh: Translated from the Sin-leqi-unninni version. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984. Heidel, Alexander. The Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1949. Ignatius Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1996. Web Sites Consulted: The "Epic of Gilgamesh": An Outline. Online. 15 Feb. 2002. http://www.hist.unt.edu/ane-09.htm Sumerian Mythology FAQ. Online. 15 Feb. 2002. http://webster.unh.edu/%7Ecbsiren/sumer-faq.html

Newspaper vs. Magazines

Which is the most helpful source of information do people rely on? As two major kinds of mass media, newspaper and magazine played a major role in people’s daily life. Although, they belong to the same group, they also have different characteristics regarding three major factors which are style, content and appearance. Style plays a major role between these two. While newspaper â€Å"focuses on what is needed: fixed and straight to the point†, magazine tends to be more â€Å"freestyle†. Moreover, newspaper has limits whereas magazine has more room and personalized flow of information. Content is another factor that has its most important job to do within these two. In a newspaper, people can find more information than magazine. It focuses on catchy headlines in an attempt to capture the readers’ entire attention to read the entire story. It is based mostly on facts that are new and written as it happens and where it happens. Surprisingly, newspaper can easily put various topics together whereas the magazine cannot. In other words, a magazine for golfing cannot have content that is mainly of fashion and beauty tips. Therefore, the value of each is different. Another major factor within these two should be their appearance. Clearly, people can come to realize that both magazine and newspaper are published at regular intervals. As the newspaper published faster, it comes out at least once a week and daily newspaper is published daily. On the other hand, magazine are published and sorted by weekly, monthly, on bimonthly. The point being is that while newspaper is as good as one day use, the magazine can be used or read anytime. So, whichever people choose they should remember that newspaper and magazine belong to the same group despite of their differences or their characteristics, they have always played an important role in peoples’ public life all the time.

The Confederate War

Ever since the Civil War ended there have been numerous books written regarding the reasons why the Confederacy lost the war. Most of these books seem to believe that the Confederacy lost the war because they lacked the desire to win. In Gary Gallagher’s The Confederate War, Gallagher offers a different reason for the Confederacy loss than most books written about the Confederate War.Gallagher has thoroughly researched newspapers, diaries, books and historical documents which support his argument that the Confederate War was lost due to a lack of sound military planning and not the widely known thought that the Confederacy lacked the desire to win the war. Many historians believe that the Confederacy failed to succeed due to failed alliances within the confederacy. Gallagher states in his book â€Å"that Historians argue that the confederates lacked sufficient will to win the war, never developed a strong collective national identity and pursued a flawed military strategy tha t wasted precious manpower. † (Gallagher, 1997, p.3) Gallagher argues that the South had a strong desire to win the war and a strong sense of national togetherness but what was lacking was a good military strategy to win the Civil War. Gallagher has provided proof of his arguments through his vast amounts of research that the Confederate soldiers had a strong desire to win and the people did ban together with a sense of national pride. He also shows that they did have a weak military plan. I believe that Gallagher’s book offers a unique look at the Civil War. He adds a different twist to the contemporary thinking of the events and people involved in the Confederate War.I think anyone wanting to learn about a different aspect of the Civil War would find this book thought-provoking and insightful. I believe anyone studying the Civil War would benefit from learning about this authors different point of view. Gallagher’s book offers a unique look at the Civil War fro m the Confederate point of view. He quotes newspaper articles, private letters and diaries from and about the Confederate soldiers during the war which I found inspiring and certainly led me to value Gallagher’s insights. After reading this book I find myself agreeing with Gallagher’s point of view, he offers a very convincing argument.

Frequently Asked Questions About Astronomy and Space

Frequently Asked Questions About Astronomy and Space Astronomy and space exploration are  topics that really get people thinking about far away worlds and distant galaxies. Stargazing under a starry sky or surfing the Web looking at images from telescopes always fires up the imagination. Even though a telescope or pair of binoculars, stargazers can get a magnified view of everything from distant worlds to nearby galaxies. And, that act of stargazing spurs a LOT of questions. Astronomers get asked a lot of those questions, as do planetarium directors, science teachers, scout leaders, astronauts, and many others who research and teach the subjects. Here are some of the most-often-asked questions that astronomers and planetarium people get about space, astronomy, and exploration and collected them along with some pithy answers and links to more detailed articles!   Where Does Space Begin? The standard space-travel answer to that question puts the edge of space at 100 kilometers above Earths surface. That boundary is also called the von Krmn  line, named after the Theodore von Krmn, the  Hungarian scientist who figured it out. Earths atmosphere looks very thin when compared to the rest of the planet. The green line is airglow high in the atmosphere, caused by cosmic rays striking the gases up there. This was shot by astronaut Terry Virts from the International Space Station. The legal definition of space is that it begins at the top of the atmosphere. NASA How Did the Universe Begin? The universe began some 13.7 billion years ago in an event called the Big Bang. It was not an explosion (as is often depicted in some artwork) but more of a sudden expansion from a tiny pinpoint of matter called a singularity. From that beginning, the universe has expanded and grown more complex. Most depictions of the beginning of the universe show it almost as an explosion. It was really the beginning of the expansion of space and time, from a small point that contained the entire universe. The first stars formed a few hundred million years after the expansion began. Our universe is now 13.8 billion years old and measures 92 billion light-years across. HENNING DALHOFF / Getty Images What is the Universe Made of?   This is one of those questions that has an answer that is quite mind-expanding. Basically, the universe consists of galaxies and the objects they contain: stars, planets, nebulae, black holes and other dense objects.  The early universe was largely hydrogen with some helium and lithium, and the first stars formed from that helium. As they evolved and died, they created heavier and heavier elements, which formed second- and third-generation stars and their planets. This represents a timeline of the universe from the Big Bang through the present. At the left is the birth event of the cosmos, known as the Big Bang. NASA / WMAP Science Team Will the Universe Ever End? The universe had a definite beginning, called the Big Bang. Its ending is more like the long, slow expansion. The truth is,  the universe is slowly dying as it expands and grows and gradually cools. It will take billions and billions of years to cool completely and stop its expansion.   How Many Stars Can We See at Night? That depends on many factors, including how dark the skies are where. In light-polluted areas, people see only the brightest stars and not the dimmer ones. Out in the countryside, the view is better. Theoretically, with the naked eye and good seeing conditions, an observer can see around 3,000 stars without using a telescope or binoculars.   What Types of Stars Are Out There? Astronomers classify stars and assign types to them. They do this according to their temperatures and colors, along with some other characteristics.  Generally speaking, there are stars like the Sun, which live their lives for billions of years before swelling up and gently dying. Other, more massive stars are called giants and are usually red to orange in color. There are also white dwarfs. Our Sun is properly classified as a yellow dwarf.   This version of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram plots the temperatures of stars against their luminosities. The position of a star in the diagram provides information about what stage it is in, as well as its mass and brightness. A stars type depends on its temperature, age, and other characteristics plotted on diagrams such as this. European Southern Observatory Why Do Some Stars Appear To Twinkle? The childrens nursery rhyme about Twinkle, twinkle little star actually poses a very sophisticated science question about what stars are. The short answer is: the stars themselves dont twinkle. Our planets atmosphere causes starlight to waver as it passes through and that appears to us as twinkling.   How Long Does a Star Live? Compared to humans, stars live incredibly long lives. The shortest-lived ones can shine for tens of millions of years while the old-timers can last for many billions of years. The study of stars lives and how they are born, live, and die is called stellar evolution, and involves looking at many types of stars to understand their life cycles.   This is what a sun-like star looks like as it dies. Its called a planetary nebula. The Cats Eye planetary nebula, as seen by Hubble Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/STScI What is the Moon Made of?   When the Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the Moon in 1969, they collected many rock and dust samples for study. Planetary scientists already knew the Moon is made of rock, but the analysis of that rock told them about the Moons history, the composition of the minerals that make up its rocks, and the impacts that created its craters and plains. Its a largely basaltic world, which implies heavy volcanic activity in its past. What are Moon Phases? The Moons shape appears to change throughout the month, and its shapes are called the phases of the Moon.  They are a result of our orbit around the Sun combined with the Moons orbit around Earth.   This image shows the phases of the Moon and why they happen. The center ring shows the Moon as it orbits around the Earth, as seen from above the north pole. Sunlight illuminates half the Earth and half the moon at all times. But as the Moon orbits around the Earth, at some points in its orbit the sunlit part of the Moon can be seen from the Earth. At other points, we can only see the parts of the Moon that are in shadow. The outer ring shows what we see on the Earth during each corresponding part of the moons orbit. NASA Whats in the Space Between Stars? We often think of space as the absence of matter, but actual space is not really all that empty. The stars and planets are scattered throughout the galaxies, and between them is a vacuum filled with gas and dust.  The gases between galaxies are often there due to a galaxy collision that rips gases away from each of the galaxies in involved. In addition, if conditions are right, supernova explosions can also drive hot gases out into intergalactic space. Whats it Like to Live and Work in Space?   Dozens and dozens of people have done it, and more will in the future! It turns out that, aside from the low gravity, higher radiation hazard, and other dangers of space, its a lifestyle and a job.   What Happens to a Human Body in a Vacuum? Do the movies get it right? Well, not actually. Most of them depict messy, explosive endings, or other dramatic events. The truth is while being in space without a spacesuit WILL kill whoever is unlucky enough to be in that situation  (unless the person gets rescued very, very quickly), their body probably wont explode. Its more likely to freeze and suffocate first. Still not a great way to go. What Happens When Black Holes Collide? People are fascinated by black holes and their actions in the universe. Until very recently, its been tough for scientists to measure what happens when black holes collide. Certainly, its a very energetic event and would give off a lot of radiation. However, another cool thing happens: the collision creates gravitational waves and those can be measured! Those waves are also created when neutron stars collide! When two supermassive black holes collide and merge, some of the excess energy from the event is broadcast as gravitational waves. These can be detected on Earth using very delicate instruments at the LIGO observatory. The SXS (Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes) Project There are many more questions that astronomy and space spur in peoples minds. The universe is a big place to explore, and as we learn more about it, the questions will continue to flow! Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Change and Conflict Management in Nursing

Change and Conflict Management in Nursing Jon Teegardin Change and Conflict Change and conflict occur in all aspects of our society. In nursing, it is important to identify and embrace change, address and resolve conflict, and do so in an effective and efficient manner. This paper will present descriptions of change theories, conflict theories, and how a nurse’s ability to handle both can enhance or hinder effective leadership. Additionally, the leader as a change agent will be discussed. Change Theories While there are numerous theories of change that exist, in the profession of nursing there are three main theories that are consistently seen throughout the healthcare industry. These theories are Lewins theory of change, Rogers change theory, and Spradley’s change theory. Lewins change theory Probably the most recognizable theory of change is that presented by Kurt Lewin. His theory involves three stages to change: unfreezing, moving, and refreezing (Stolley, 2005). Two forces are present in this theory, the driving force, or those pushing for a particular change, and the resistant force, those who are resistant to the change. For change to occur the driving force or agents for change, must be stronger than the resistant force. In the unfreezing stage, the driving force develops a method that allows people to let go of the current, unproductive way of doing something. By finding this method, individual resistance to the change is overcome. In the moving phase, individuals are encouraged to change their way of thinking, feeling, or behavior to the new method. Finally, in the refreezing stage, this change becomes the new habit and ultimately the standard operating procedure. Lewins theory is also referred to as the force field theory that states an organization attempts to maintain a state of equilibrium between change forces and restraining forces (Swanson, & Creed, 2014). Change agents are the forces for change and must overcome the restraining forces to make the change successful. Rogers change theory Everette Rogers’s theory is a modification of Lewin’s change theory and involves five stages. The stages are awareness, interest, evaluation, implementation and adoption (Boston University School of Health, 2013). Roger’s theory is typically applied to long term projects. In the awareness stage, individuals are exposed to the new idea or process but lack all of the information about it. In the interest stage, the individual is interested in the new idea and seeks out additional information. The next stage is the evaluation stage where the individual determines how to apply the idea or process to their situation and decides whether or not they want to try it. The implementation stage occurs when the individual decides to make full use of the idea or process. Finally, in the adoption stage, the individual decides to continue to use the new idea or process. Roger’s theory is an example of social cognitive theory. Change does not occur im mediately among all those presented with the change. There are actually five groups of people that implement the change over time. These groups are innovators who are leaders that embrace the change immediately, early adopters who are also leaders but will follow innovators, the early majority who are the bulk of the followers, the late majority who include skeptics of the change, and finally laggards who are resistant to change (Kaminski, 2011).

Psycho Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psycho - Essay Example Fictional plots within a movie have been included to present a manipulated cast to focus on the motive in bringing entertainment. Horror and epic plots are the movie examples that have led to unrealistic denouement within the plot development. In the horror setting, the distinction is issued on the virtues that present threatening, measures to individual sustainability. Psycho is a movie created by Alfred Hitchcock in a time that experienced a varied form movie production including strong visual implementation of horror scenes. Through Hitchcock, the manipulation of the subconscious had been developed to present reality that was unimaginable to humanity. He managed to represent that provisions that contributed to an imagination that threatened the psychological view of a sound mind. Although Psycho had been a horror based movie, the presentations that had been issued on the middle class society in influencing progress and relationships were highlighted. The production of a horror film has been linked to the provisions that are presented in arguing and developing confidence and courage for the unknown. Greenberg (118) has presented the movie to be the reflection of Hitchcock’s view on human corruption and the vulnerable form of behavioral traits. Hitchcock had been linked to create themes that evoked human emotions to presents characters that had been recognized as impairments to progress. The nature that he created the scenes had cumulated to provide an experience to the viewer and linked the plot to a horrific event. Psycho is a story created around the life of Marion Crane who is explained to meet the challenges presented within the society. Her desire to achieve progress leads her down the scandal that involved $40, 000 dollars. The movie begins on a high note when the violence is created within the first 40 minutes (Taylor 30). This provision has been the developed plot within modern horror movies that creates the incent ive to evoke the