Automobile and Private Cars Essay

Advantages and disadvantages of television The advantages and disadvantages of television Nowadays many people all over the world spent most of their free time watching television; but since its appearance, television has brought to man many advantages as well as disadvantages. First, television plays an important role in our daily activities: it keeps us informed of all current affairs in the world. Events through television are more vivid than those through books and magazines. Second, television helps us enrich our spiritual lives. Our knowledge is broadened in many ways. Through language teaching programs, we can learn the language we like such as: English, French, German, Chinese, Japanese and so on. We can become skilful and clever at doing jobs, making cakes or arranging flowers through practical courses taught on television. Finally, television is a source of recreation. Humorous stories and funnyfilms bring us minutes of relaxation after a hard day’s work. For me, sitting comfortably in an arm-chair to watch an international football match on television is more interesting than having to queue for tickets at a crowded stadium. Apart from its advantages, however, television also brings lots of disadvantages to viewers too. First, television viewers gradually become passive in their action. Television may be a splendid media of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other or with the outer world. The world seen through television is only the restricted one: It separates us from the real world. Second, television, with its fascinating power, makes people of all ages sink into oblivion: whole generations are growing up addicted to the telly. Pupils and students are so absorbed in television that they neglect theirschool activities. Food is left uneaten, homework undone and lessons unprepared. Housewives are so keen on watching television that they neglect their duties toward their husbands and their children. Instead of watching television, we may use the time for a real family hour. Without the distraction of television, we may sit around together after dinner and actually talk to one another to know and like each other better. Finally, the evil influence of television on the young generation is inevitable; it encourages them to commit crimes. Spectacles of sadism and violence on television lead them to robbery, theft, rape and murder. In a nutshell, television is useful to us when we know how to use it: Be careful not to overindulge ourselves in it and use it in a discerning manner. Today there is some changes in the educational system. In your opinion, how should we change to raise the quality teaching? Education is to draw the best in children and to develop their faculties. Education is a complicated affair as it is supposed to equip children for life. Since life styles are always changing, the contents of education must also be changed accordingly. The school is supposed to provide necessary experiences to the child. When a child leaves the school, he may lead a useful life. But in the traditional school, the child was supposed to learn mainly the 3 R’s. So the chalk bard and the text books were the main stay of theteacher who was to shape the character of the child. Rote memory was insisted upon and examinations were based on this learning technique. There was not much of a difference from year to year on the way children were tested. The examinations conducted did not test all the faculties of the child. So, it was necessary for those who got through examinations to be trained afterwards. In short, children were very rarely taught to learn for themselves. This had continued for so long and the practice had to be abolished. Once this was realized, many new methods of teaching were tired and many new aids had been used for a better education of children. Today the school is a very complicated organization; the teacher is no longer the sole arbiter. The children, instead of being passive listeners, have been made active participants. They are handling, feeling, planning, creating and learning with newer tools and aids. The subjectivity has give place to healthy objectivity. In order to make education relevant and meaningful, children are exposed to almost life like situations. They must know how to live as good citizens and honest members of society. They must know how to live as good citizens and honest members of society. The way the school creates situations with these ends in views is important. On the intellectual side, the library and the laboratory must play a vital role. They complement and supplement more and more, and the use of library and the laboratory must be encouraged through proper assignments. The playing field, various camps, many organizations like the Junior Red Cross, etc. have to be fully utilized to shape the character of the child. Beside the text books, there are other aids for learning. They much be judiciously used. In fact, there are hundreds of ways in which the audio-visual aids can be used with advantage. Examinations must not be used to show weakness but must be a yardstick for proving the all-round education of the student. The questions must be objective and reliable. The examinations must be welcomed by the students. In order to satisfy the diverse population, there must be diversity in programs, approaches, resources and aims and room for experiment. Examinations should be a challenge for students. The world is shrinking and nobody can feel parochial. So education must equip students for world understanding and world citizenery. Science and technology must find their places in any scheme of education. Any system of education must help turn out a fully developed and all-rounded personality. The difficulties in learning English and how to overcome them. Beginners of foreign language always meet difficulties from the outset. For me, I had to overcome these problems when I started learning English. English pronunciation is my first obstacle. The pronunciation in English puzzles me a lot because the same letter has different sounds. For example the letter â€Å"a† in â€Å"bath† is not pronounced in the same way of that in â€Å"bathe†. The â€Å"ou† in â€Å"South† is also different from â€Å"ou† in â€Å"Southern†. Generally verbs and nouns are pronounced differently although they are written the same. Record is a good example to illustrate it. In order to solve this puzzling question I carefully study The A.P.A (The International Phonetic Alphabets) which helps me pronounce English words correctly. In order to have an accent just like the native speakers, I often listen to tapes and repeat after them, trying to imitate them. Moreover, myeveryday conversation with the foreigners I meet in the street will enable me to acquire a proper accent. Compared with French, English grammar is much easier. However, this does not mean that learners meet no difficulties in learning it. It took me a long time to learn how to master the tenses in English grammar, to endeavor to do as many grammar exercises as possible and read various grammar books. In writing English, English language has its own style. In order to drillwriting skills, I have tried to read famous novels of distinguished America and English writers. I enjoy the humorous style of writing in Mark Twain’s masterpieces, the elaborate and polished style of George Eliot and the sentimental and lyrical style of John Keats. After long and hard years of English study, how pleased I feel when I am able to read English and American authors without any obstacles and difficulties at all. Your favorite hobby Everybody has his or her own hobby. For me, my favorite hobby is reading books. My father was not only a writer but a researcher as well. He had a great collection of books on many fields: literature, science, art, fiction and non-fiction. After his death, I inherited the most valuable treasure which has been preserved carefully up to now. As I have a large collection of books of my own now, I usually spend hours reading and thinking about facts described in each kind of books. Sitting comfortably in an arm-chair in the library with a book open on my knee, I recall my father who was absorbed in his reading, perusing the poems of John Keats, William Words Worth, Chateaubriand and Lamartine. I still hear his sonorous voice reciting rhythmical lines of poems in Kim Van Kieu’s story while his face was radiant with ecstasy and raptures. Through books I see many countries rise and fall. Kings and Presidents pass before my eyes and I can follow the history of nations. Each book has a story to tell me of remote countries and strange people. I am greatly indebted to books indeed. For me a good book is not only a true companion but also a well-experienced teacher guiding me through my life. It has the miracle to relieve my suffering and my hardship and reveal to me strange and new horizons. Reading books broadens my mind and improves my knowledge. Instead of indulging myself in futile entertainments, I am often keen on reading books which are always a source of comfort and relief to me and I am determined to preserve my father’s valuable treasure for my posterity. In a few words, the reading of books contributes to the moral and intellectual formation of a man’s personality. A shopping day We live in the suburb of HCM city. Twice a week my mother and I usually take a bus to HCM city to do some shopping. Yesterday was my mother’s off-day. Early in the morning we took a bus to town. We were in town just after seven and we had the whole morning for shopping. First, we went to the ready-made clothes department. My mother bought two white shirts for my father, a pair of blue jeans for my brother. I chose a pink woolen sweater. I liked it very much because it perfectly suited my complexion. At this department prices were moderate and we did not need to bargain. Before leaving, my mother bought herself two pairs of gloves. Next, we went straight to the shoe department. The shop-assistant greeted us warmly. He showed us pairs of shoes of really good quality leather. Leather shoes and sandals of various sizes and colors were on sale. The store was crowded with customers. They were either looking at the shoes or buying them. We both chose fashionable pairs of shoes and left. It was nearly eleven o’clock. We called at a little cafà © by the street-side to have lunch. After lunch we went to the park nearby. We took a rest on the bench in the shade of tall trees, waiting for the shops to be open again in the afternoon. At 2:00 p.m. we returned to the shopping center. We went to the Chinaware department. My mother needed a dozen of dishes and bowls. Enameled chinaware of different beautiful patterns attracted housewives’ attention. Finally, before returning home, we went to the stationer’s. My mother bought lots of stationery: ink, pens, ball-point pens and writing pad. On the way to the bus station we called at the fast food department to get some ready-cooked food for the family when we got home. Returning home, I felt quite tired but how interesting a shopping day it was!e Life in the city, compared with life in the country In my opinion, urban life or rural life has its own advantages and disadvantages. First, living in the city we may enjoy those benefits. – Communication and transportation systems are better. There are so many means of communication and transport that we can choose the ones we like best. We can get in touch with a friend or talk to him by phone without having to go out of home. – Thanks to electricity network and running water, our material lives are more comfortable. Supermarkets, markets and shops are found everywhere and we can buy anything we need providing that we can afford it. – Urban life provides us with all sorts of entertainments: televisions, radios, movies, theatres, concerts and famous recreation centers. – Living in town we can improve our knowledge easily by attending any schools, universities or evening classes where experienced teachers and professors are ready to satisfy our thirst for knowledge. Besides its advantages, urban life also has its disadvantages: – Our health is in danger: pollution by factories and heavy traffic may cause serious diseases to all of us. – Evil influence upon the young generation by obscene video films is inevitable. – Violent deaths happen regularly in such a crowded city with all kinds of vehicles. On the contrary, rural life seems ideal to all of us, especially to the old. – We can enjoy fresh, cool air and behold beautiful landscapes in the country. – How safe and delighted we are when we can sleep a sound sleep at any time of the day without being disturbed by sirens of cars or by deafening noises from manufacturing factories. – Our social lives in the country are easier: we can eat the food and vegetables we grow, the chickens and goats we raise. The countrymen lead a very simple life and they are quick at mutual help in any case. Apart from these advantages, living in the country we may meet lots of difficulties too. – Communication and transportation are obstructed by lack of means of transport or by floods in the rainy season. – Our knowledge is limited by being short of mass media. – Our social and physical lives are not as comfortable as those in town because of lack of electricity and medical care. In a nutshell, our love for town life or country life depends on our outlook and age. As for me, I always prefer rural life to urban life. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Cars. Nowadays, as people’s life quality develops, more and more families can afford to buy private cars. On one hand, private cars can make the travel more convenient, A case in point, if you have a private car, you will not have to go to work in a crowded bus everyday and still worry about if you are going to be late. And when you want to travel in someplace, driving by yourself in your own car is the most convenient and comfortable way. While on the other hand, private cars can be very expensive and the price of petrol is getting higher and higher, taking a bus is a less expensive way when travelling. When a city has too many private cars, it becomes easy to cause traffic jam, especially when people go to work and go home after work. And you may need to wait for hours in your car.What’s more, more and more private cars also means more and more pollution to the environment. The gas that cars discharged is a serious pollution to the atmosphere. All in all, there are both advantages and diaadvantages of private cars. In my opnion, you can use your own car when it is necessary and if you are not in a hurry, you can take a bus instead.the birth of cars have made an enormous change to our life.in the past,we travel from one place to another only by foot,nowaday,cars can do it .its goes withour saying that the invention of cars bring great benefit to all of us. But as proverb goes:no garden without weeds.car is not exception. owing a car has a lot of advantages.for one thing,car provide us the most convient way of transportation.we can get around freely without spenting a lot of time.emotionally,i always found driving is so exciting.for another,its the comfortable to drive a car. In winter.drivers always can stay warm and dry even in rainy whether,in addition,drivers are usuall y safe in their cars when they are out at night. Cars bring the human merits,their side-effects graudually come to the surface.firstly,to run a car need a lot of oil,which is getting less and less.the increasing number of cars contribute the lacking of energy. Secondlly,as more and more cars are used,the traffic ecpecially in big cities is getting heaver and heavier,which lead to the serious social problem–traffic jam.in addition,the inceasing numbers of cars ,which excaust sent a huge quantities of carbon monoxide into atmosphere.it make the air of cities unbreathabe,it strip people contact with frensh air. therefore,the new energy should be explored to replace the oil so that our en vionmental pollution can be avioded .and the strick law should be issued to keep the numbers of cars under control.thus,our heavier traffic can be solluted! —- There are some advantages to owning a car in an urban area. First, sitting in your car is much more comfortable than having to wait a long time for the arrival of the bus or train. In bad weather the driver of the car is warm and comfortable and is always guaranteed a seat. Second, in urban areas it is much safer to be in your car, especially at night, than having to walk down a dark street to get to a bus stop or train station. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to owning a car. First, a car is expensive. Gasoline is not cheap and car insurance rates in urban areas are very high. There are other expenses to be considered too, such as car maintenance and repairs as well as having to pay for parking. Second, owning a car causes a lot of worry and stress. If you leave your car in the street it might get stolen or its parts might get stolen. It is also very stressful to be driving on the freeway or in traffic jams and there is the constant fear and stress of being involved in an accident. Advantages & Disadvantages About Social Networking. 1. Purpose: To inform about social networking. 2. Main Idea: By the end of my speech the audience should get an idea about the advantages & disadvantages about our every day’s use of the social network. 3. Developed Main Ideas: There are 2 points I want you guys to be informed about. Social networking is a wonderful task we can do on the internet, although, there are advantages & disadvantages that comes with it. 4. Sub points: The advantages of social networking: – keep in touch with friends and family – be informed about around the world – get feedback about ideas or thoughts – ask questions, get fast answers – helps you learn more diversity and get exposure to multiple points of view.

What Is Civil Religion and How Does It Affect Christians

Abstract: What is civil religion and how does it affect Christians? That is the question that this paper will examine. This paper identifies what civil religion is and how it has evolved over the years. In the Literature Review, this paper examines and summarizes the different sources’ opinions and definitions of civil religion. It also discusses how politicians do not actually use the term â€Å"civil religion,† but imply it in their speeches. This paper discusses the themes of civil religion and how various authors predict that this may become a universalized religion. Then it ill discuss all four authors’ different conclusions on civil religion and how they think that civil religion will affect America and religion. The paper concludes by looking into the future and explaining how civil religion does and might affect Christians. Introduction: Robert Bellah defines civil religion as â€Å"the public religious dimension that plays a crucial role in the developm ent of American institutions that is expressed in a set of beliefs, symbols, and rituals†(228). The term â€Å"civil religion† was first coined in the 8th chapter of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s book The Social Contract (1762).For Rousseau, civil religion was simply a form of social cement, providing the state with sacred authority to help unify itself. Rousseau’s simple outline of the principles of civil religion is: (1) Deity, (2) life to come, (3) the reward of virtue and the punishment of vice, and (4) the exclusion of religious intolerance (252). Rousseau believed that this group of religious beliefs is universal and that the government has a right to sustain it. He also said that individuals’ religious opinions are outside the bounds of the government (252-253). History has made many different references to forms of civil religion, ut the main study done by Robert Bellah and Martin Marty took place in the 1960s and 1970s. They studied civil religio n as a cultural phenomenon in an attempt to identify the principles of civil religion. In the United States, civil religion is commonly referred to as â€Å"Judeo-Christian tradition,† intended to include several monotheisms that are practiced in the United States (Wikipedia). While looking into civil religion, we will see different scholarly arguments and the affect it may have on Christianity.Summaries: In researching civil religion, I found many books and essays that give definitions and iews on civil religion. Robert Bellah is the main voice of this movement and has written many articles on this topic. In the article â€Å"Civil Religion in America† by Robert Bellah, civil religion is defined as â€Å"the public religious dimension that plays a crucial role in the development of American institutions that is expressed in a set of beliefs, symbols, and rituals†(228). Bellah claims that civil religion has its own seriousness and integrity and that it requires the same care in understanding as any other religion does (225). In his article, Bellah tells us where the idea of ivil religion comes from. He claims that the Declaration of Independence has four references to God, and that the founding fathers’ words and acts are what shaped the form and tone of civil religion today (231-232). He continues with the description of civil religion today. Bellah argues that civil religion at its best is a genuine apprehension of universal and transcendent religious reality as seen through the experience of the American people (238).He predicts that American civil religion may become a part of a new civil religion of the world. The difference eing that instead of it being drawn from Biblical traditions, it would be drawn from religious, non-biblical traditions (245). Later Bellah wrote â€Å"American Civil Religion in the 1970s† in response to the criticism he had received from his previous article â€Å"Civil Religion in America. † He begins with claiming the rights to the term â€Å"civil religion†. He claims that although there are many references to â€Å"civil religion† in previous years, he is the one who coined the term (255). There is some disagreement on this claim. Some agree with Bellah, but others argue that Jean-Jacques Rousseau coined the erm in his book The Social Contract. Although Rousseau might have coined the term, Bellah’s and his definitions of civil religion have some differences. While Rouseau saw it as a form of social cement that provided the state with sacred authority to help unify itself, Bellah views it as a public religious element that is vital to the maturation of American institutions. Rousseaus’s definition is simpler, because the year in which he defined civil religion, allowed a simpler definition. Bellah says that the distinction between civil religion and public theology is a major ontribution to the discussion of civil religion (258). Bellah f urther claims that a variety of public theologies is a guarantee to the honesty of civil religion (259). He suggests that American civil religion is a current reality and one that we will probably grapple with in the future (264). Bellah does not think that American civil religion is dying, but it is rather pointing to the fact that some linkage between religion, morality, and politics seems to exist (270). He closes by stating that â€Å"the crisis in the civil religion is deepening even more rapidly than I had expected† (272).In â€Å"Civil Religion and America’s Inclusive Faith,† Barry Hankins seeks to give us a better understanding of what civil religion is, its evolution into what it is today, and its role in politics. Hankins claims that most American presidents â€Å"have integrated religion into their political speeches† and that scholars have labeled this integration â€Å"civil religion. † He defines civil religion as the blending of reli gion and patriotism to the point that it is impossible to separate them from another. Hankins says that this occurs when either politicians discuss eligion or when pastors discuss political or national affairs. He continues with how in a country like the United States, civil religion can potentially fail if it excludes too many people; therefore, it needs to be an inclusive faith. Hankins claims that in the evolution of American civil religion, it has employed five themes consistently: the first theme is the â€Å"chosen nation theme†, second is â€Å"civic millennialism†, third is the theme that there must be â€Å"a form of religious consensus or common thread that binds people together religiously†, fourth theme is a â€Å"fusion of iblical beliefs with a deistic notion of God that is very general†, and fifth is the theme of â€Å"historical authentication. †Hankins continues with the discussion on how different presidents have employed civil re ligion and its themes throughout the years. He ends with the claim that the form of civil religion that best fits the description in his essay is a priestly or pastoral civil religion (Hankins). Hankins and Bellah discuss the different presidents who have mentioned civil religion in passing. Though the presidents may not have used the term â€Å"civil religion,† these writers ssert that it was implied. They use quotes from these presidents for the benefit of their own argument. Those presidents are John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Bellah and Hankins claim that because of their attempt to integrate politics and religion, and their vague references to God, these men unconsciously advocated civil religion (Hankins). The interesting thing about Hankins is that he does not limit civil religion to politicians, but rather includes pastors in his discussion as well.Hankins tells us that th e definition of the integration of civil religion is when either politicians mention religion or when pastors mention political or national affairs (Hankins). The Pew Forum panel discussed the topic of â€Å"God Bless America: Reflections on Civil Religion after September 11. † There are seven participants in this discussion panel, who are: Peter Berkowitz, Derek Davis, Amber Khan, Richard John Neuhaus, Clarence Newsome, Manjit Singh, and Melissa Rogers. As the moderator of the panel, Melissa Rogers begins by giving us a brief overview of the term â€Å"civil religion. She says that most people identify the term â€Å"civil religion† with the work of Robert Bellah, who says that civil religion in America is an understanding of the American experience in light of ultimate or universal reality. The panel continues with the different participants’ views and thoughts on civil religion. Civil religion is described as a confused subject, with the confusion starting a t the very term itself and that, for the most part, it is all about meaning. The panel continues on to claim that civil religion becomes extremely broad and very generic in its expression.At the end of the discussion, the panel claimed that with civil religion â€Å"we are making a distinction between discovery of certain political values and systems as distinct from the moral justification (Pew Forum Panel). One may agree with this statement, while others may not. Those who don’t agree may argue that while there needs to be a separation between â€Å"church and state†, there also needs to be a connection. If we did not have a form of connection between the political and religious realm, we would not have the religious freedom that we enjoy today; because if the politicians did not elieve in God, they would not care if we had or did not have religious freedoms. In â€Å"Bellah’s Civil Religion,† Robert Stauffer begins by giving us a summary of Robert Bel lah’s essay â€Å"Civil religion in America†. Then Stauffer proceeds to discuss some of the problems that he sees in Bellah’s work. Stauffer does not cover Bellah’s historical rendition, but rather assumes that American historians will deal with it and leaves the task to them (392). He claims that Bellah’s work is styled in a Durkheimian perspective. Stauffer is also concerned with Bellah’s verdict of our current American condition.He says that Bellah moves too fast from the judgment of corporate hegemony, worry over the cult of success, and the disregard for those who are reduced to penury, to the presumption that America is portrayed by a widespread despair and sense of direction. Stauffer concludes by claiming that Bellah’s evolving opinions about civil religion serve as an inspiration to scholars of religion and society (393). Stauffer also states that while he is grateful to Bellah for his contribution in this area, he is worried that Bellah’s growing stature might prevent us from questioning and criticizing his assumptions, claims, and hopes 394). Literature Review: As civil religion has evolved over the years, there are different trends and themes in its patterns. We read Hankins’ claim that civil religion has employed five themes consistently through the years, and that he is worried that civil religion could potentially fail. He claims that this will happen if American civil religion excludes too many people. Hankins says that civil religion needs to be an all inclusive faith. In Bellah’s first article on this topic, he predicts American civil religion may become a part of a new civil religion of the world. Then a couple of ears later, Bellah wrote another article entitled â€Å"American Civil Religion in the 1970s. † In this article, he suggests that American civil religion is a current reality and one that we will continue to deal with in the future.Then Bellah decides that there is some linkage between religion, morality, and politics that exist and are needed. At this point, Stauffer steps into the scene. He finds irony in the fact that much of the criticism of civil religion, implicitly of Bellah’s work, has centered on the success of maintaining commitment to the social order, the success of utilitarian ulture in the United States, and the divisiveness that comes from the imposing new, holistic systems of belief. Stauffer argues that in a society with revolutionary origins, this problem of civil meaning will be both primary and repetitive. The Pew Forum panel concludes their discussion by stating that civil religion is a confused subject – the confusion starting at the very term itself – and by claiming that it becomes extremely broad and generic in its expression.Hankins claims that civil religion can come in the form of priestly or pastoral religion, because oliticians have used it to soothe and comfort American people in ti mes of distress. Bellah concludes both of his articles by mentioning what he calls the â€Å"third crisis†. The â€Å"third crisis† is the attainment of some kind of viable coherent world order that would ensue from the universalizing of civil religion. Looking towards the future of civil religion, we ask, â€Å"what does civil religion mean for Christians and how does it affect us? † Civil religion acknowledges that there is a God, but does not make any mention to Heaven. With civil religion, we realize that there is a God and that any different beliefs, symbols, and rituals go with each religion. But that is as far as it goes.There is no faith or spiritual things. Faith requires a belief in God and in Heaven. It requires us to put our trust fully in Christ and go beyond the term â€Å"religion† to a relationship with Him. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, â€Å"But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. † Faith is believing. Civil religion is not believing, but rather is admitting that there is a â€Å"higher power† ver us. While we need a form of civil religion to allow us to mingle with people of different religious beliefs, as Christians we need to be wary of civil religion. We need to be vigilant in our endeavors to not allow civil religion to become the â€Å"main stream† of religious beliefs.If it become the â€Å"main stream†, it will become the unified religion of the world and faith in Christ will be lost. Civil religion is unsustainable because it is trying to be pluralistic. This pluralism seeks to unify all religions (muslim, hindu, catholic, protestant, baptist, mormon, etc) into one, ut this is not possible without the different religions giving up their differences. In giving up these differences in the various religions, we would give up our faith in God, our belief in Heav en, and in everything that distinguishes us from other religions. This would be a negative affect on Christians, because we are to be the â€Å"light of the world† and the â€Å"salt of the earth† as God calls us to be. If we give these up for civil religion, we will no longer be what God has told us to be. Yes, we need to have some religious understandings amongst all religions, but we need to be cautious as Christians to not lose our faith in Christ.Future Directions: In the future, I believe that civil religion is going to begin posing major problems for Christians. As of now, not many Evangelicals have said anything on the topic of civil religion beyond identifying it, but soon they are going to need to. Beliefs and faith are beginning to be pushed out of the picture and the more universal civil religion is stepping in. We can see it happening throughout the country as more laws are being instituted that reduce our religious freedoms. Though the term â€Å"civil r eligion† is not usually used by lawmakers and the government, it is implied and is a danger to Christians.I believe that within a few years, civil religion is going to become the norm and we are going to lose our religious freedoms as a push to a universalized religion is made. I also believe that we are going see more articles on this topic, and that Evangelicals are going to become involved in trying to stop this â€Å"third crisis† in America. Works Cited Bellah, Robert. â€Å"Civil Religion in America. † D? dalus, Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 96. 1 (1967): 1-21. Print. Berkowitz, Peter, et al. â€Å"God Bless America: Reflections on Civil Religion after September 11. † The Pew Forum .Washington, DC. 6 Feb. 2002. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"Civil Religion. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2003. . Hankins, Barry. â€Å"Civil Religion and America’s I nclusive Faith. † Liberty Magazine Jan. 2004: n. pag. Liberty Magazine. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. . Rousseau, Jean Jacques. The Social Contract: And, the First and Second Discourses. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002. Print. Stauffer, Robert E. â€Å"Bellah’s Civil Religion. † Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 14. 4 (1975): 390-395. JSTOR. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

Green Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Green Technology - Research Paper Example Cheaper energy saving and environment-friendly technologies are being proposed to ensure that new energy sources do not add to the pollution level and are used efficiently. This environment-friendly technology is referred to as the â€Å"Green Technology†. It is a process of producing alternative uses of energy that are less damaging to the environment. Alternative energy practices are hence, in demand to curtail the use of fossil fuels. Solar power, Biomass energy, Wind power, Green insulation are some of the examples of green technology that are being discovered and used (Sobha, 2007, pp.4-5). Green insulation is one of the measures of green technology that can be customized in homes which makes energy usage more efficient. The means by which today’s buildings are constructed are not only bad for the environment but also harmful to the health of people. Steel, cement and other materials that are required for the manufacture of buildings, use large quantities of energy , thereby releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Also, many buildings use more energy than what is actually needed, in order to light or heat them or for operating machines and other appliances. Electricity is used from coal-burning power plants and oil-burning heating systems. Also the amount of water wastage is an issue to be considered significantly. Thus, to protect the planet from the harmful effects of energy usage, green buildings are essential (Owen, 2009, pp.7-10). Here lies the main emphasis on the thesis of this report which states that green insulation in homes can make energy usage efficient and protecting the planet from the harmful effects of energies. Green insulation in houses can decrease energy consumption and can prove to be healthier, cost efficient, and good for the planet. Green Insulation in homes: A boon to the planet: There are several benefits of living in green homes, which is why people, especially the Americans prefer more to take advantage of them. Green homes are healthier, cost efficient, and also useful for the planet as a whole. Through the use of natural or mechanical ventilation, the indoor air can be kept clean. Use of toxic-free materials restricts the indoor air pollution to an immense level. Plants are natural detoxifiers, and natural light is essential for such indoor plants; along with lifting up one’s mood. Green homes are also antimicrobial, thus protecting from molds or other microorganisms. The process of green insulation is cost efficient as living in green homes makes less use of energy and less water, hence more savings. They use high standards of building materials, thus maintenance costs are also low. Green homes are, now, in high demand which makes them more valuable in comparison to any standard home, thus lending homes may bring in higher rents. It is also expected that such homes would require lesser insurance payments than standard homes with the insurance companies providin g discount facilities on their policies. Green homes in the near future may be designed in a way that would be able to produce more energy than they produce, through different energy yielding techniques like uses of solar or wind power. Efficient water usage systems also enable green homes to make less wastage of water. Non renewable resources are used less in the construction of a green home. Recycled materials that are readily renewable are generally used for the purpose, e.g., Bamboo. As a result of recycling measures, green home

Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association Research Paper - 1

Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association - Research Paper Example nolulu offers a number of historical monuments and vibrant activities which include the King Kamehameha I Statue and the Iolani Palace meant for tourists attraction. The region is made up of several ethnic communities and cultural practices that forms a major attraction to tourists and visitors in Oahu Island. The people are very welcoming to visitors which makes it an ideal place for camping and leisure activities. Some of the hotels in the region include Ala Moana Hotel, The Modern Honolulu, Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki, Pagoda Hotel, Airport Honolulu Hotel, Waikiki Gateway Hotel, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort among others. The hotels have specialized in various activities and dining sets which makes them stand out from one another. Local dishes can be found along the Kapahulu Avenue. The rates of the guestrooms can be obtained through online booking services such as Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Hotels.com and Expedia. Guests are offered with several shopping options due to many shopping outlets located in Oahu. The open air markets deal with bargain souvenirs and local produce. The Aloha Tower is known to be selling art and crafts items. Waikele premium outlets offers a wide range of big brands at discounted prices. Ala Moana shopping center has distinguished itself as the main family shopping center as it has a number of outlets that specialize on items that fit every family that visits the region (Mak, 2004). Quick movement around the facilities is facilitated by rental cars which offers the best form of transportation around the island. Another attractive event that guest should experience in the region of Oahu is the Luau which is a Hawaiian party accompanied with the areas traditional foods, music and cultural display. As a result of these factors, Oahu which means The Gathering Place offers the best destination for the association to carry out its activities. The Ala Moana Hotel is based in Honolulu in the state of Hawaii. The specific

Assignment 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Assignment 11 - Essay Example He argues that the emotions that the appearance creates to people determines their level of appreciation of that particular product. Whatever people see, they react by assigning meaning and value to the item or product. It is by this understanding that product manufacturers try to incorporate affective, behavioural, and cognitive aspects into a product. In the visceral aspects of a product design, the customer is more concerned with how much they like or dislike the product, their emotional response towards the same product, the product’s dichotomous description, whether it is safe or dangerous, pretty or ugly, good or bad. Norman relates these reactions to appearance of the product, and its effects on the customer on their cognitive and affect. The sight of the product, its texture, sound, or smell affects how a person appreciates that product. If the product is eye catching, the likelihood of a person preferring it to another product is high. Women are most likely to be infl uenced by the look and smell, when buying a product (Norman, 2004). Anaesthetics in philosophical terms refer to the nature of art, beauty, and taste with a bigger creation of beauty. It mostly focuses on sensory values and more concerned with judgement. When manufacturing a product, the manufacturer keeps in mind the beauty of such a product for attraction to the people. It is more logic and normal, in deed an expectation that a person is likely to be attracted to a beautiful item than a bad looking item. In justifying his ideas Norman, classified these as behavioural aspects of attraction. According to Norman, a company goes a long way in trying to improve its sales by improving on the image of its products. However, I do not agree with him wholly. The quality of a product is what brings more satisfaction to a customer than just its image. A good-looking product is likely to enjoy high sales over the first few days of its launch. When customers keep using the same product repeated ly, they get to understand the quality and satisfaction they get from the product. If the products are of low quality and with little satisfaction, consumers start avoiding the products. This way, sales start diminishing, as other superior brands, regardless of whether they have a good appearance or not. Thus, image is not everything in the long run, as quality and satisfaction will at the end of the day prevail. 2. Philosophers’ Tool Kit Logic versus Rhetoric The iPod has a fun game that a person can play with close friends. The game allows a person to imagine and guess the songs that would probably be on the most played playlist of the famous people. By imagining about the most famous people in the world, it makes them appear to be closer and make them more real. It is a fact that the game has been installed in the iPod, and perfectly serves its intended purpose of imagining worlds’ famous people and what they might be playing in their iPods, but it is rhetoric tryin g to make them appear closer. It is just a fantasy, may be a hoax that the people could be anywhere close in the region. This is just a game and there is no reality associated with the game, as people play it for fun only (Wittkower, 2008). Explanations It is factual that we live in a designed world, with everything that we use being a design by another person. The design takes the philosophical commitments of everyday life, and not random designs. Every design however took

Automatic identification systems (AIS) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Automatic identification systems (AIS) - Essay Example In open water, ships sail under different courses and speeds, each following its schedule to arrive to its destination. A ship detected by visual lookouts or by radar at a range of 6 miles or less could have any course and is considered a threat to collision. Ships must make decisive quick changes in course and/or speed to avoid collision if such threat exists. Ships take time to change its course and speed since its advance in the water is a complex outcome of her heading, speed, weight, wind and current direction and speed. Decision how to pass or overcome a detected ship must be taken early in time before the detected ship is less than one mile away. Once a contact ship is detected by visual lookouts or radar, the officer of the watch must analyze the threat of collision with this contact. He must determine the detected ship's course, speed and relative motion. He must decide whether this ship is on a collision course with his ship or not based on how close this ship would pass his ship and expected changes in course and speed. If action must be taken to avoid collision, he should determine who will maneuver according to the rules of the road to avoid collision. Just imagine what should be done if more than one ship is detected. Automatic Identification system (AIS) was introduced to provide solutions to such complex scenarios. AIS provides a shipboard radar display, with overlaid electronic chart data, that includes a mark for every ship within radio range. Information pertaining to all detected ship is displayed as required. The size of the mark reflects the size of the ship. By clicking on any ship's mark, you could learn about ship's name, call sign, and classification. You could determine best maneuver to avoid collision with the detected ship instantaneously, using the displayed information such as course, speed, closest point of approach (CPA), time to CPA (TCPA) and position as latitude and longitude. You could call upon any ship within the very high frequency (VHF) range using its call sign or name using VHF communication or Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). "Display information previously available only to modern vessel traffic service operations centers could now be available to every AIS-equipped ship" (USCG 2005). Prior to the introduction of AIS, other navigation aid systems were used. The following aids to navigation would be discussed and compared to AIS: buoys, racons, radars, and Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA). The AIS system will next be described and explained. Buoyage System A buoy is a floating device which is kept in some specific place in the water to convey certain information to ships passing by. It usually marks a danger to navigation or an administrative area to allow boats ship to navigate safely. Size, shape, color and numbering are distinctive of each buoy's function and identity. Buoys that carry lights are also used at night time. Buoys carrying sound signals are used in conditions of reduced visibility such as fog (Maloney 1981). Valuable information is obtained from buoys when they are identified. A buoyage system contains a number of different types of buoys. Each type is designed to meet the requirements of different conditions. A can buoy has the shape of tin can when seen from a distance. A nun buoy has the shape of a cone with a rounded tip. A lighted buoy is a short skeleton tower with a light at the top connected to

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

Introduction - Essay Example It contains the case studies that I have done. The case studies are the students approach to how they would with certain healthcare situations that do arise all the time. I have done five case studies that have been graded with an excellent score. Along with the case studies are the articles that I summarized along with the summaries. I have again gotten perfect scores on the summaries, which is something that I am very proud of. Then I have listed five scientific journals that are in the subject of health science. They were useful to me over the past five years. Last but not least I have used my upper division Health Science projects where I indicated what my responsibilities for each of them were. The second section is the career section where I have indicated what where my career goals and where I want to go in future. I have included a job ad for public health educator in Forsyth County, North Carolina. I have used my cover letter as well as my resume that has been tailored to the field of Public Health and Safety. Also I included my personal essay which goes into what factors made a difference in my academic career. As you read my essay, one can almost say that I am heavily influenced by my parents. Hopefully one can also read how determined I was. The third section is system analysis. In this section, students were asked to use an organizational chart. I used a chart for a government agency that I may consider working for in the future. The agency that I choose is the San Francisco Department of Health (SFDPH).This chart lists the current positions in the field as well as their hierarchy. The vacant places are indicated as well. The fourth section is the papers. The first of the papers is the legacy role. The legacy role really examines the student’s perspective on how the overall Health Science coursework has impacted them. For me, I have chosen to pick the positive and the negative of each spectrum.Overall; I stated that I made the right