The Ultimate Guide to McDonald’s Breakfast What to Order

The Ultimate Guide to McDonald’s Breakfast What to Order SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In my expert opinion, McDonald’s breakfast is one of the greatest things on the planet. Ever since I tried my first Egg McMuffin as a kid, I was hooked. Since then, the breakfast menu has greatly expanded. Regardless of your taste, you can find some breakfast deliciousness at Mickey D’s. Furthermore, now McDonald’s is offering all-day breakfast. The powers that be heard our cries, so even if you can’t wake up early or you like breakfast for dinner, you can satisfy your cravings. Unfortunately, though, not every breakfast item is offered all day. In this article, I’ll give you all the information you need to know about McDonald’s breakfast. I’ll describe and evaluate each item on the breakfast menu. Additionally, I’ll let you know when regular breakfast is usually offered, and what breakfast items you can get outside of the normal breakfast hours. The McDonald’s Breakfast Menu Below, I'll break down all of the items on the McDonald’s breakfast menu. The prices do vary based on location, and sadly, menu items vary by location. However, these are the current staples of the McDonald’s breakfast menu. Keep in mind that some areas will offer unique items to cater to the tastes of the local population. For example, you can get lobster rolls in the Northeast and cranberry-orange muffins in the Midwest. Additionally, some regions will try out various menu items before they’re rolled out nationally. In February of 2016, McDonald’s began testing low carb breakfast bowls and incorporating Chobani Greek yogurt into the Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait at locations in Los Angeles and San Diego. The breakfast bowls that are being tested are an egg white and turkey sausage bowl with spinach and kale, and a scrambled egg and chorizo bowl with a hash brown, salsa, and Pico de Gallo. If these items are successful, you’re bound to see them at more locations in the future. With all that out of the way, it's time for me to guide you through the national McDonald's breakfast menu. It's divided by â€Å"regular† and â€Å"healthy† items. I tried to list the items in order of popularity. For each item, I’ve given the following info: Price A description A score based on taste (from 0-5 sausage patties) My review, semi-ironically entitled "The Skinny" Nutritional Content Regular Breakfast Items These are the breakfast menu items for those who are less concerned about nutritional content and more concerned with flavor. Hash Browns Cost: $1.00 What is it? Fried Russet potatoes. The hash browns come in one piece; it’s like an oval-shaped patty. This makes them easier to eat, especially while driving. You can hold them in your hand and eat them without utensils. Score: 4 sausage patties The Skinny: If you like potatoes, a little crunch, and fried goodness, you’ll enjoy McDonald’s breakfast hash browns. While the hash browns are satisfying on their own, they can be enhanced with some ketchup. Also, they can be a touch on the greasy side, so hold them from the wrapper while you’re eating them if you want to avoid greasy fingers. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 150 1 g 9 g 15 g 530 mg Egg McMuffin Cost: $2.79 What Is it? The Egg McMuffin is the most famous of the McDonald’s breakfast offerings. It’s a poached egg with Canadian bacon and melted cheese on an English muffin. Score: 4.5 sausage patties The Skinny: I’m skeptical of anybody who doesn’t like McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. The combination of the egg, cheese, Canadian bacon, and English muffin are completely harmonious. Each layer provides a different texture and flavor that works well together. It’s satiating yet not too heavy. If you’ve never had McDonald’s breakfast, I recommend opting for this breakfast entree for your first time. It’s a safe choice. Nutritional Content Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 300 17 grams 12 grams 29 grams 720 mg Sausage McMuffin Cost: $1.00 What Is it? The Sausage McMuffin is an English muffin topped with a sausage patty and American cheese. Basically, it’s an Egg McMuffin with sausage instead of the poached egg and Canadian bacon. Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: At $1.00, the Sausage McMuffin provides tremendous value, given that it’s roughly the same size and almost as filling as the Egg McMuffin, but it’s offered for a fraction of the price. The sausage is packed with flavor, but this is the simplest of the breakfast sandwiches. It’s a good option for sausage lovers who want a basic meal. Nutritional Content Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 400 14 grams 25 grams 28 grams 750 mg Sausage McMuffin With Egg Cost: $2.79 What Is it? As the name implies, it’s a Sausage McMuffin with egg. It’s a sausage patty, cheddar cheese, and poached egg on an English muffin. Score: 4 sausage patties The Skinny: This is just an Egg McMuffin substituting sausage for the Canadian bacon. Because Canadian bacon is healthier, the Sausage McMuffin with Egg has more fat and sodium than the Egg McMuffin. However, if you’re just focused on taste, you can’t go wrong with this breakfast sandwich. The poached egg cuts through the saltiness of the sausage, and the English muffin soaks up some of the grease. Each layer is tasty on its own, and you get your meat, dairy, and carbs all in one bite. Nutritional Content Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 470 30 grams 21 grams 29 grams 810 mg Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit Cost: $2.99 What Is it? A folded egg, American cheese, and Applewood smoked bacon on a buttered buttermilk biscuit. Score: 4.5 Sausage Patties The Skinny: This is your classic breakfast sandwich, and McDonald’s breakfast does it right. Many people prefer the biscuit to the English muffin. If you’re considering a biscuit sandwich, this is a good one to try. It’s nothing original, but taste trumps originality. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 440 19 g 24 g 37 g 720 mg Sausage Biscuit Cost: $1.00 What Is it? A sausage patty on a buttered buttermilk biscuit Score: 3 sausage patties The Skinny: This sandwich is cost-effective, but it’s a tad boring compared to the rest of McDonald’s breakfast menu. Just a sausage patty on a biscuit. At least the Sausage McMuffin comes with cheese. But, if you like biscuits and sausage, you’ll be content with this option. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 440 17 g 30 g 29 g 720 mg Sausage Biscuit With Egg Cost: $2.69 What Is it? A sausage patty and folded egg on a buttered buttermilk biscuit The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: This is the enhanced sausage biscuit. You get extra protein and flavor with the egg. Personally, I prefer the McDonald’s poached egg to the folded egg, but there’s nothing wrong with the folded egg. It’s a step up from a hospital omelet, but I’m not sure if that’s a ringing endorsement. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 510 11 g 33 g 35 g 1090 mg Bacon, Egg, and Cheese McGriddles Cost: $3.19 What Is it? A folded egg, Applewood smoked bacon, and American cheese on griddle cakes with sweet maple baked inside them. The Score: 4.5 sausage patties The Skinny: The griddle cakes on McDonald’s breakfast menu are ridiculously good. They offer a touch of sweetness with the maple-infused flavor, but the sweetness isn’t overpowering. As I previously mentioned, bacon, egg, and cheese are the quintessential breakfast sandwich combo, but the griddle cakes make this entree special. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 440 19 g 19 g 48 g 1260 mg Sausage McGriddles Cost: $2.69 What Is it? A sausage patty on maple-flavored griddle cakes The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: If you’re contemplating indulging in the excitement of the McGriddle, you might as well have more than just a sausage patty in your sandwich. This is only a good option if you don’t like the other breakfast sandwich toppings. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 440 11 g 25 g 44 g 1280 mg Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McGriddles Cost: $3.19 What Is it? A folded egg, sausage patty, and American cheese on maple-flavored griddle cakes The Score: 4.5 sausage patties The Skinny: When I’m feeling extra hungry and gluttonous, this is my go-to breakfast at Mickey D’s. You have the sweet from the griddle cakes, the salty from the sausage, plus the richness of the egg and cheese. I’d give this sandwich 3 thumbs up if I had 3 thumbs. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 560 20 32 g 48 g 1280 mg Big Breakfast Cost: $3.39 What Is it? Scrambled eggs, a sausage patty, buttermilk biscuit, and hash browns The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: When I’m getting a fast food breakfast, I prefer my breakfast in hand-held form. The Big Breakfast resembles a cafeteria breakfast. However, it’s a good cafeteria breakfast, and you get a full meal for a low price. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 730 25 g 48 g 49 g 1420 mg Big Breakfast With Hotcakes Cost: $5.19 What Is it? Scrambled eggs, sausage patty, hash browns, hotcakes, and a buttermilk biscuit The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: This is the least healthy of all of the McDonald’s breakfast menu options. Perhaps you find that appealing. You can get a day’s worth of fat in one meal. That’s always fun. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 1050 33 g 56 g 104 g 1960 mg Hotcakes Cost: $2.19 What Is it? Three maple-flavored hotcakes with butter The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: Don’t expect light, fluffy hotcakes like the ones you find at more upscale establishments. These are pretty basic, but they taste good, especially with butter and syrup. And the maple flavor is a nice touch. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 320 8 g 7 g 54 g 530 mg Hotcakes and Sausage Cost: $2.99 What is it? Three maple-flavored hotcakes with butter and a sausage patty The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: This meal feels boring to me. If you want hotcakes and sausage, you may as well go for a Sausage McGriddle. That’s more fun, and it’s easier to eat while driving. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 510 15 g 25 g 55 g 1290 mg Sausage Burrito Cost: $1.00 What Is it? Scrambled eggs, peppers, onions, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla Score: 3 sausage patties The Skinny: You probably don’t think of burritos when you think of McDonald’s, and neither do I. The sausage burrito looks sad, but it tastes decent. And it comes with McSalsa. That’s McBueno. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 300 12 g 16 g 49 g 1420 mg Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel Cost: $3.29 What Is it? A folded egg, Applewood bacon, and American cheese on a bagel The Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: Similar to the hotcakes, don’t expect the greatest bagel from McDonald’s. The bacon, egg, and cheese taste good, but I think most people will prefer these toppings on the biscuit. I’m sure my dad, a native New Yorker, would eat the entire sandwich, but he wouldn't give the bagel itself high marks. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 570 26 g 27g 55 g 1290 mg Steak, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit Cost: $3.79 What Is it? Seasoned steak patty, grilled onions, a folded egg, and American cheese on a buttered buttermilk biscuit The Score: 4 sausage patties The Skinny: The steak patty somewhat resembles a thicker sausage patty, but it has a little more kick, thanks to the seasoning. The grilled onions add some crunch and extra flavor. This sandwich provides a hearty combination of goodness. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 520 25 g 30 g 37 g 1440 mg Healthy Options If you want a fast, budget-friendly breakfast, but you’re trying to eat something on the healthy side, McDonald’s has some options for you. Fruit and Maple Oatmeal Cost: $1.99 What Is it? Whole grain oats, a touch of cream, red and green apples, cranberries, and two types of raisins. Available with or without brown sugar. Score: 3.5 sausage patties The Skinny: Normally I find oatmeal relatively bland, but McDonald’s breakfast menu serves up this dish packed with yummy flavors. The fruit is surprisingly good, the cream adds some richness, and the maple provides some additional sweetness. And it only has 4 grams of fat. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 290 5 g 4 g 58 g 160 mg Egg White Delight McMuffin Cost: $2.79 What Is it? Grilled egg whites, extra lean Canadian bacon, and white cheddar on a buttered English muffin. The Score: 2.5 sausage patties The Skinny: I don’t know if I can endorse this one. It may be healthier than the Egg McMuffin, but it doesn’t taste as good. With fat comes flavor, and this sandwich could use some flavor enhancement. It’s similar to the Egg McMuffin, but it’s not as tasty. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 250 17 g 8 g 28 g 720 mg Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait Cost: $1.00 What Is it? Low-fat vanilla yogurt layered with blueberries and strawberries. Topped with crunchy granola. The Score: 4 sausage patties The Skinny: A surprisingly good treat on McDonald’s breakfast menu that is also healthy. I don’t know exactly where McDonald’s gets its fruit and how the fruit is preserved, but the fruit tastes good. The sweetness of the fruit works well with the tartness of the yogurt. And the granola adds some crunch. Not bad at all. Nutritional Info Calories Protein Fat Carbs Sodium 150 4 g 2 g 30 g 80 mg Breakfast Hours The full breakfast menu isn’t available all day, only during the designated breakfast hours. Outside of the designated breakfast hours, you can only get breakfast grub from the all-day breakfast menu, which has a fraction of the breakfast options. Breakfast hours vary by location, but here are the typical McDonald’s breakfast hours: Monday-Friday: 5:00 AM-10:30 AM Saturday-Sunday: 5:00 AM-11:00 AM However, you may be able to get breakfast earlier at 24-hour McDonald’s. The All-Day Breakfast Menu McDonald’s answered my prayers and started offering all-day breakfast in the fall of 2015. Here are the items on the typical all-day breakfast menu. These are usually the only breakfast items you can purchase outside of the designated breakfast hours: Egg McMuffin Sausage McMuffin Sausage McMuffin With Egg Hotcakes Hotcakes and Sausage Fruit 'N Yogurt Parfair Sausage Burrito Fruit and Maple Oatmeal Hash Browns Beverage Choices While I’m more focused on my breakfast food, I know some people take their beverages very seriously. For those of you who need a coffee drink to start your day, McDonald’s has a number of options for you. It expanded from just its basic coffee when it launched its line of McCafe drinks in 2009. Here are all your drink options and their prices. Drink Small Medium Large Premium Roast Coffee $1.00 $1.49 $1.69 McCafe Latte $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 McCafe Mocha $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 McCafe Caramel Mocha $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 McCafe Hot Chocolate $2.09 $2.59 $3.09 Premium Roast Iced Coffee $1.00 $1.99 $2.49 McCafe Iced Mocha $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 McCafe Frappe Mocha $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 McCafe Frappe Caramel $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 McCafe Frappe Chocolate Chip $2.39 $2.89 $3.39 1% Low Fat Milk Jug $2.29 $2.79 $3.29 Fat Free Chocolate Milk Jug $2.29 $2.79 $3.29 Smoothies (Mango Pineapple, Strawberry Banana, or Blueberry Pomegranate) $2.29 $2.79 $3.29 Minute Maid Apple Juice Box $2.29 $2.79 $3.29 Minute Maid Premium Orange Juice $1.99 $2.49 $2.89 Dasani Water $1.99 $2.49 $2.89 Soft Drinks $1.99 $2.49 $2.89 Breakfast Extra Value Meals On top of the menu items, you can add a hash browns and a small coffee by ordering a breakfast entree and making it a meal. You can substitute the coffee for a juice or another beverage for an additional fee, usually the difference in price between a small coffee and your drink of choice. Generally, when you order a combo meal, you're basically paying for your entree and hash browns, and then getting your coffee for free. So it may make sense to order the extra value meal, depending on what you want. Here are the meals normally offered: Egg McMuffin Meal Sausage McMuffin With Egg Meal Bacon, Egg, Cheese Biscuit Meal Sausage Biscuit With Egg Meal Bacon, Egg, Cheese McGriddles Meal Sausage, Egg, Cheese McGriddles Meal Sausage McGriddles Meal Two Sausage Burritos Meal McDonald's Breakfast Master Tips As a self-proclaimed McDonald's breakfast expert, here's my advice on how to maximize your McDonald's breakfast experience. #1: Be Punctual This advice is for those of you who want an item that's only offered during the designated breakfast hours. It's a fast-food tragedy to arrive at McDonald's at 10:45 AM and be told that you can't order McGriddles. Set an alarm. Push yourself to achieve your goal of getting to the golden arches during breakfast time. Then, you can reward yourself with a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit, or any other delicious breakfast treat you desire. #2: Consider Your Goals Think about what you're trying to get out of this meal. Do you just want the tastiest meal possible? If you're solely concerned with taste, then think about your preferences. Personally, I think you'll have the tastiest meal by getting a breakfast sandwich and hash browns. Determine which breakfast sandwich to order by answering the following questions: Do you prefer sausage or bacon? Would you rather have your sandwich on an English muffin, biscuit, or McGriddles? Do you prefer a poached egg or folded egg? Your answers will determine the best McDonald's breakfast sandwich for you. If you prefer sausage, biscuits, and folded eggs, then you immediately know that the Sausage Biscuit With Egg is the ideal choice for you and your taste buds. Do you want a cheap meal? If cost is a consideration, then first look at the cheapest entrees. Hopefully, at least one will sound appetizing to you. You can get two Sausage McMuffins or Sausage Biscuits and a hash browns for $3. Also, if you're trying to limit your cost, I recommend sticking with a cup of water for your beverage. If you need some caffeine, go for the regular coffee as opposed to one of the fancier McCafe drinks. Are you trying to be healthy? If you want a healthier meal, order one of the "healthy" options or an Egg McMuffin, which is less unhealthy than the other breakfast sandwiches. You're probably also going to want to pass on the hash browns. I'm sorry. I know they're delicious. #3: Remember: It's Fast Food, NOT Fine Food Some food snobs will harshly judge the McDonald's breakfast because it doesn't use the same high-quality ingredients as upscale sit-down restaurants. Yes, McDonald's may use lower quality eggs than you'll find in your $14 brunch frittata, but McDonald's eggs taste good to me and millions of people. If you can only indulge in fresh, organic ingredients, then Mickey D's probably isn't the place for you. But if you're looking for a fast, satisfying meal at a very reasonable price, then you can't go wrong with McDonald's breakfast. My dream is that McDonald's will give me free breakfast for life for my endorsement.

The Most Common North American Spruces

The Most Common North American Spruces A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the earth. In North America, there are 8 important spruce species most important to the  timber trade, the Christmas tree industry and to landscapers. Spruce trees grow at either high altitudes in the southern Appalachians to New England or at higher latitudes in Canada and the higher elevations of Pacific coastal mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Red spruce occupies the Appalachians into upper Northeastern states and provinces. White and blue spruce trees mainly grow throughout most of Canada. Englemann spruce, blue spruce, and Sitka  spruce are native to the western states and Canadian provinces.   Note: Norway spruce is a common non-native European tree that has been extensively planted and has naturalized in North America. They are primarily found in areas of the Northeast, the Great Lake States and Southeastern Canada and the best are cut for New York Citys Rockefeller  Center annual Christmas Tree. Identification of the Common North American Spruce Trees Spruces are large trees and can be distinguished by their whorled branches where needles radiate equally in all directions around the branch (and look very much like a bristle brush). The needles of spruce trees are attached singly to the branches sometimes in a spiral fashion. On firs, there is  a distinct lack of needles on the bottom side of its  twig, unlike spruces that carry needles in a whirl all around the twig. In true firs, the base of each needle is attached to a twig by a structure that looks like a suction cup.   On the other hand, each spruce needle is situated on a small peg-like structure called a pulvinus. This  structure will remain on the branch after the needle drops and will have a rough texture to the touch. The needles (with the exception of Sitka spruce) under magnification are clearly four-sided, four-angled and with four whitish stripe line. The cones of spruce are oblong and cylindrical that tend to be attached to limbs mostly at the top of the trees. Fir trees also have similar looking  cones,  primarily at the top, but tend  to stand upright where spruce hangs downward. These cones do not drop and disintegrate attached to the tree twig.   The Common North American Spruce Red spruceColorado blue spruceBlack spruceWhite spruceSitka spruceEnglemann spruce More on Spruce Trees Spruces, like firs, have absolutely no insect or decay resistance when exposed to the outside environment. Therefore, the wood  is generally recommended for indoor housing use, for sheltered support framing and in furniture for cheaper structural construction. It is also used when pulped to make bleached softwood kraft. Spruce is considered to be a significant North American timber product and the timber trade gives it names like SPF (spruce, pine, fir) and whitewood. Spruce wood is used for many purposes, ranging from general construction work and crates to highly specialized uses in wooden aircraft. The  Wright brothers first aircraft, the  Flyer, was built of spruce. Spruces are popular ornamental trees in the  horticultural landscaping trade and enjoyed  for their evergreen, symmetrical narrow-conic growth habit. For the same reason, non-native  Norway spruce is also extensively used as  Christmas trees. The Most Common North American Conifer List Bald cypress  - Genus  TaxodiumCedar  - Genus  CedrusDouglas Fir  - Genus  PseudotsugaTrue Fir  - Genus  AbiesHemlock  - Genus  TsugaLarch  - Genus  LarixPine  - Genus  PinusRedwood  - Genus  SequoiaSpruce  - Genus  Picea

Adoption of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as an Important Piece of Term Paper

Adoption of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as an Important Piece of Legislation - Term Paper Example In the last section the report evaluates the costs and benefits of the changes ushered in by the Sarbanes-Oxley act of 2002. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was drafted by the senator Paul Sarbanes and representative Michael Oxley (SOX-online.com, 2006: Online). The primary objective of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was to protect and safeguard the interests of the investors by assuring transparency, accuracy and reliability of the financial disclosures made by the corporations. It is a mandatory Act and all the large and small US organizations are required to abide by and follow the provisions and requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This Act came into force in the year 2002 and brought in sweeping changes into the area of financial disclosure and corporate governance (Sarbanes-Oxley Act, 2006: Online). The Enhanced Standards Required by Sarbanes-Oxley Act The Sarbanes-Oxley Act not only established new standards of financial accounting and corporate governance but also made provisions f or the apt statutory penalties to be imposed in case of any wrongdoing not allowed for and sanctioned by this act. The Act made the corporate accounting system more transparent and responsible by formalizing and assuring the interaction between corporate auditors and corporate boards and executives . This totally obliterated the possibility of an excuse on the part of top executives in corporations regarding being unaware of the organizational accounting systems and the accompanying disclosures made by the auditors. To put it simply, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act made the top executives like CEOs and CFOs directly responsible for corporate accounting and subsequently culpable in case of any wrongdoing or misreporting in the organization’s financial reporting (US Securities and Exchange Commission 2010: Online). This act clearly specifies the responsibilities associated with the organizational financial accounting. Sarbanes-Oxley Act has also introduced a mechanism of internal contro ls and monitoring to assure the credibility of financial reporting (US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2010: Online). According to this act, the companies are required to tag an internal control report with every financial report (US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2010: Online). The yearly financial reports are also required to report on the reliability and effectiveness of the internal controls (US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2010: Online). Further, the concerned auditing firms are required to stand behind these reports (US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2010: Online). This places the onus on the auditing firms to review the associated procedures, controls and policies, besides conducting the regular financial audit (US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2010: Online). In case a company fails to abide by any requirement or section of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the act allows for a range of penalties for the culprit organization and executives, which include fine s amounting to

Literature review on Wind power Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

On Wind power - Literature review Example ; (3) the power in the wind is proportional to the density of the air (Park, 1982). According to history, the practical use of wind power began with the Egyptians around 2800 BC when slaves were made to row overseas using sails which were further employed in lifting water and operating grain-grinding stones even to within the period when Persians built panemones or vertical-shaft windmills in 700 AD. Some other civilizations of the Middle East followed the same tradition whereas the Crusaders of the West are believed to have improved the windmill concept that led the Dutch to put up propeller-type windmills structured with horizontal shafts or axes of propulsion. Technical developments continued during the Middle Ages and comparative studies show aspects of similarity among windmills founded in British colonies, New England, and Holland which altogether bore significant impact in the construction of the widely known ‘American Farm Windmill’ which was invented by Daniel H alliday who, in the mid-19th century, thought of creating a multi-bladed (Panemone Bladed Rotor Wind Energy Harvester with 8 Airfoils) windmill. At the turn of the century, wind-produced electricity as well as wind-charger technology became popular, especially to the farmers of the Great Plains who necessitated up to 1,000 Watts of DC-power in their mechanically run farming tasks. Eventually, a number of countries in Europe were inspired to create wind generators of enormous size and both the French and the Germans attempted to conduct feasibility experimentation on 100-kW and 300-kW wind generator units in the 50s and the 60s. Through the years, the continuous process of harnessing wind power made possible not only D. Halliday’s multi-bladed craft but even the succeeding advancements in the iron water-pump industry which heightened the demand for wind-powered deep well pumps in the past. While the energy derived from the wind had been discovered with other chief potentials a s in heating houses and barns, running sawmills and washing machines, several Midwest farmers who already possessed gasoline or kerosene generators to charge batteries still sought the aid of wind power in minimizing troubles with wear-and-tear generators and in reducing costs of fuels used. Such capacities, however, depend upon the quantities of wind power in acquisition. In his findings, P.C. Putnam illustrates a method to approximate the amount of power which can be extracted from the wind and the means to locate wind power with considerations to the periodic fluctuations in wind power as well as its reliability and short-term predictability. The author regards the concepts of kinetics hereafter necessarily pointing out that, like the kinetic energy of any particle, the kinetic energy of the wind may be computed via half of its mass multiplied by the square of the wind velocity and in terms of the volume V of air passing over an area A per unit time, the wind’s kinetic ene rgy equals the product between wind density and (1/2)*AV 3. This is nevertheless

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay Example for Free

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay The religious group is chose was Jehovah’s Witnesses. I did some online research and also asked my children’s Foster Mother, Regina Metzger the questions. I wanted to see what the differences of what I found online and what she said the beliefs were. So this is a mixture of what I got from my online sources and what she said. Jehovah’s Witnesses differ from other religious groups because they believe that their entire bible is the inspired word of god, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold to their bible as the standard for all their beliefs. Based on their bible, they believe that Jesus Christ is son of god, the first of god’s creations, that he had a pre-human existence and that his life was transformed from heaven to the womb of a virgin. They believe that god’s kingdom is the only hope for mankind. They are many different nationalities. They have no prejudices against any race or color. Their worship is through prayer, meetings and telling others about their bible. They believe that their bible is the inspired word of God, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold their bible as the standard. The experience of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that other religious groups do not share is that they are viewed with moral standards that coincide with their bible. They are law abiding citizens that respect authority. They show, what they believe is, genuine Christian love to their neighbors. For example, let’s say there are two girls. One of which is a Jehovah Witness and one that is not. They both were asked to spit on the American Flag. In this situation, the Jehovah’s Witness won’t and the other would. One might ask â€Å"Why don’t you spit on the flag even though you don’t solute it? The answer from the Johana’s Witness would be simply, â€Å"I don’t pledge my allegiance to the flag, but I wouldn’t disrespect it either. † They are neutral. Jehovah’s Witnesses contribute to the American Culture because they feel they are the advocates of their God’s kingdom. They are not of the political, economic, or social system of any nation of the old world. They did have their modern day start in the United States. They do pay taxes, which means they work regular jobs just like any other person. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not interfere with what others do about sharing in patriotic ceremonies. Like, sharing in the armed forces and joining a political party or even voting. They worship their god only. They believe that if Christians under one nation go to war against another nation they would be fighting against fellow believers. They believe that fighting against the same people who prayed for help to the same god is wrong. That is why they won’t go to war and will serve time in jail or prison to avoid killing their Christian brothers and sisters. However they are not afraid to die for their faith. If they are threatened with death or to renounce their faith, they will die for what they believe in. I know that before my children went into foster care I had limited information on what Jehovah’s Witnesses were all about. I was under the impression that they only went house to house on Saturdays knocking on doors. I thought they were annoying. Feeling like everywhere I went I was approached by one saying that they are the only true word of God, when I thought my god was. I learned quickly that everyone has a different idea of what their God was. Jehovah’s witnesses have been known to not celebrate holidays like birthdays, Christmas, or thanksgiving. I would use their religion as a type of threat toward my children saying â€Å"If you don’t knock it off we will become Jehovah’s Witness and then you won’t get presents during birthdays or holidays. † Since, my children are in a home with this as the main religion and belief system, I feel like I should apologize to them because I must have sounded like a bigot. I think that the discrimination and stereotyping that Jehovah’s Witnesses experience comes from a lack of understanding by anyone of a different belief. I think that what I have learned about this religious group did help me nderstand it. It helped me to realize that Jehovah’s Witnesses, like any other religion, just want to show everyone that what they believe is not bad. They want to show what their religion means. They want the same as others do, the belief that you can be saved by a god. The racial/ethnic group that I chose is the Pacific Islanders. I chose this group because I don’t know nothing about it. I think getting information on this group will be extremely interesting. Pacific Islanders are from many different places. American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Mariana Islands, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and the Independent State of Western Samoa. (http://www. pica-org. org/websurf/websurf. html). In 2011 there were approximately 1,371,564 Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders who live within the United States. They significantly reside in California, Washington, Utah, Texas, New York, Texas, and Florida. They make up about . % of the U. S. Population (http://minorityhealth. hhs. gov/templates/browse. aspx? lvl=2lvlID=71) On May 29, 2013 President Obama spoke about AAPI (Asian-American and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month. (http://www. whitehouse. gov/administration/eop/aapi/blog) I thought that was very interesting. He talked about his Pacific Islander ethnic background. He said: â€Å"We value these voices because from the very beginning, ours has been a nation of immigrants; a nation challenged and shaped and push ever forward by diverse perspectives and fresh thinking. And in order to keep our edge and stay ahead in the global race, we need to figure out a way to fix our broken immigration system-to welcome that infusion of newness, while still maintaining the enduring strength of our laws. And the service and the leadership of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have proved that point in time and again. † Listening to him give a speech about the greatness of Pacific Islanders made me appreciate that ethnic group even more. Pacific Islanders speak over 100 different languages and come from more than 56 ethnic groups. (http://www. cdc. ov/features/aapiheritagemonth/). They are parts of many different religions. Like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Growing up in my church there were many Pacific Islanders members of our church. I can remember many of them having big families with many children. The Pacific Islanders do many things to contribute to American Culture. They contribute by working jobs. 7. 4 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are employed in the United States. They make up 5. 3% of the total workforce in the United States. About 300,000 workers are Pacific Islanders. (http://www. cepr. net/index. hp/publications/reports/diversity-and-change July 2011, Hye Jin Rho, John Schmitt, Nicole Woo, Lucia Lin and Kent Wong) Like many other cultures, they bring their delicious foods. They have a multitude of food from different countries. They bring that all to the table here in the United States. Although some of them have changed their diets to a more of an American way of eating, some still eat the foods of their lands. Throughout history, there has been many instances of racism and sexism toward Pacific Islanders in the United States Pacific Islanders continue to face oppression, racism, and discrimination in the United States. Since Pacific Islanders have a higher rate of diabetes they were charged higher rates for health insurance. The Affordable Care Act Will be a very good change for Pacific Islanders. They are known to suffer from higher rates of all types of circular diseases like, stroke, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. They also have the highest rates of obesity. The Affordable Care Act will change it so that it will be easier to get health care for them. Some states have had an English-only type of initiative. They seem to be for people who only speak English. I had no idea they were even allowed by law. It seems as though that people find ways to discriminate even with the laws that have been put in place. Just because some people cannot speak any other language, besides English. For them everything needs to be in English and no other language. About a century before, European-Americans did not allow people who didn’t speak English to learn English because they were afraid that they would become a minority. They were afraid of being â€Å"out-smarted† by others. They didn’t want to have to compete for fear of losing. I don’t believe this is fair. That is why I am glad there are some many laws coming into effect as well as more to come to make this country an even better place. (http://aspe. hhs. gov/health/reports/2012/ACAAsianAmericansPacificIslanders/rb. shtml) Most European Americans have discriminated against Pacific Islanders because they didn’t know English. The European Americans were afraid that if the Pacific Islanders learned English they would exceed them in many ways. They would become the minority. Many of the European Americans were believed to be threatened by this. I think I now have a better understanding of what it is like to be a Pacific Islander. The discrimination they have faced has seemed to make them a stronger people. I am happy to have them as part of my country. In conclusion, both Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Pacific Islander, people have experienced a discrimination that seems to have happened because of people who do not understand what they go through daily. They both seem to succeed in their lives because of the discrimination they have experienced. The Jehovah’s Witnesses hold up to their beliefs like the Pacific Islanders stand strong with their ethnic background. They are different because one is a religion and one is an ethnic group. An ethnic group is a group of people who have the same customs or origin. A religion is a belief in a god or a group of gods. I think that both the Pacific Islanders and the Jehovah’s Witnesses get discriminated against because of a lack of understanding.

richard pryor v. sinbad :: essays research papers

A Comparison of: Richard Pryor and Sinbad   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Question; Is it what you accomplish that makes one great, or how you accomplish it. Richard Pryor and David Adkins or â€Å"Sinbad† are two of the most notorious comedians in American culture, but the lives they lived were on extreme ends of the spectrum. They both started out in or were kind of pushed into comedy when their real hopes and dreams fell short. Both of them served their country in the army for two years, and then jumped on the comedy circuit, traveling the country to play small gigs. Their struggle to become famous was similar in that they both worked extremely hard to get where they wanted to be. Their upbringing was altogether different though.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sinbad grew up as the son of a minister in Benton Harbor, MI and went to a respectable high school where he excelled in basketball. He attained a scholarship to the University of Denver in hopes that it would open up some doors for him but he was cut off when he suffered a career ending knee injury. In 1983, he embarked on his self-subsidized â€Å"Poverty Tour† of comedy clubs across the U.S. His career started to take off, when he made several appearances on the talent show â€Å"Star Search†. He then landed a few small parts on T.V. show’s eventually catching the eye of Bill Cosby who put him on his new show â€Å"A Different World† in which he played a kind dorm director at an all black college. This led him into a few starring and co-starring roles in major motion pictures and made the name Sinbad, a household name across the country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If I were to describe Sinbad’s style of comedy, I would have to say it to be much different than that of Richard Pryor. Sinbad’s humor is more family oriented. His homegrown humor is comparable to Bill Cosby, and his good hearted party nature is similar to Sammy Davis Jr. He is one who, like Pryor, has used his fame to help bring people together in a positive environment, such as his â€Å"Share the Dream† tour of historically black colleges and â€Å"The Sinbad Soul Festival† which performs all over the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard Pryor’s life on the other hand has been more dramatic than a Greek tragedy. His accomplishments in life are in total opposition with all of the tribulations that he faced to achieve them, beginning with his childhood.

Procedure to Deal with Accident, Emergency and Illness

AWARENESS OF ILLNESSES Common illnesses: †¢Looks pale†¢Dark rings around eyes †¢Quiet or irritable†¢Lost appetite †¢Has a rash or looks flush†¢Appears more tired or lethargic Serious illnesses: †¢Severe bleeding †¢Chocking †¢Unconsciousness†¢Epileptic seizure †¢Suspected fractures†¢Breathing difficulties †¢Head injuries†¢Disorientation ACCIDENT PROCEDURES Immediate action should be taken as follows: †¢Reassure the child †¢Do not move the child unless it is absolutely necessary If children are unconscious they should be put into the recovery position †¢Do not give the child any food or drink †¢Keep the child warm †¢Ensure other children in the area are not at risk of being hurt †¢assistance will be sought from one of the appointed persons responsible for first aid. †¢Parents will be contacted in the event of illness or serious accident. †¢In addition to contacting of parents an ambulance will be called if required. †¢At the close of a serious incident the school should review its handling of the situation to see if there needs to be change to its procedures. Reporting accidents/injuries: Accidents/injuries need to be recorded in the accident books in the first aid box and a letter should be sent to parents. †¢All bumped heads should be recorded and a letter sent to parents. †¢Very serious incidents, e. g. where an ambulance is called need to be recorded on an accident report form, available in the office FIRE EMERGENCY Anyone discovering fire or smoke should raise the alarm by breaking the glass at the nearest alarm point. On hearing the alarm: †¢Direct children to walk quietly to the nearest exit and then walk quietly in single file to the assembly points on the playground. †¢Children will line up in register order. Ensure that the classroom is empty before leaving. †¢Everyone on site, children and adults, must leave by th e nearest exit. †¢Two designated members of staff will check the children's toilets are empty. †¢Classes should stand still and quiet until asked to re-enter the building. †¢School Bursar or Admin Assistant will call the fire brigade and check that the medical room is empty. Admin staff will also unlock the playground gate to allow access for the fire brigade. MISSING CHILD PROCEDURE Child goes missing on the school premises †¢As soon as it is noticed that a child is missing report to the teacher responsible. Responsible teacher will organise a thorough search of the school building and grounds. †¢The register is checked to make sure no other child has also gone astray. †¢Doors and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security whereby a child could wander out. †¢If the child is not found, the parent is contacted and the missing child is reported to the police. †¢The responsible teacher contacts the Executive Head Teacher and reports the incident. †¢The Executive Head Teacher, with the Governing Body, carries out an investigation and may come to the setting immediately.Child goes missing on the off school premises: †¢The Group Leader must ensure the safety of remaining pupils. At least two adults must stay with them. †¢One or more adults should immediately start searching for the child. †¢The Visit Leader should contact school to alert them. †¢If the child is not found within 5 minutes, the Group Leader must contact police by telephoning 999. †¢The Group Leader should alert school that the police have been contacted and school will make arrangements to notify parents.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 119-121

CHAPTER 119 In the chamber at the top of the House of the Temple, the one who called himself Mal'akh stood before the great altar and gently massaged the virgin skin atop his head. Verbum significatium, he chanted in preparation. Verbum omnificum. The final ingredient had been found at last. The most precious treasures are often the simplest. Above the altar, wisps of fragrant smoke now swirled, billowing up from the censer. The suffumigations ascended through the shaft of moonlight, clearing a channel skyward through which a liberated soul could travel freely. The time had come. Mal'akh retrieved the vial of Peter's darkened blood and uncorked it. With his captive looking on, he dipped the nib of the crow's feather into the crimson tincture and raised it to the sacred circle of flesh atop his head. He paused a moment . . . thinking of how long he had waited for this night. His great transformation was finally at hand. When the Lost Word is written on the mind of man, he is then ready to receive unimaginable power. Such was the ancient promise of apotheosis. So far, mankind had been unable to realize that promise, and Mal'akh had done what he could to keep it that way. With a steady hand, Mal'akh touched the nib of the feather to his skin. He needed no mirror, no assistance, only his sense of touch, and his mind's eye. Slowly, meticulously, he began inscribing the Lost Word inside the circular ouroboros on his scalp. Peter Solomon looked on with an expression of horror. When Mal'akh finished, he closed his eyes, set down the feather, and let the air out of his lungs entirely. For the first time in his life, he felt a sensation he had never known. I am complete. I am at one. Mal'akh had worked for years on the artifact that was his body, and now, as he neared his moment of final transformation, he could feel every line that had ever been inscribed on his flesh. I am a true masterpiece. Perfect and complete. â€Å"I gave you what you asked for.† Peter's voice intruded. â€Å"Send help to Katherine. And stop that file.† Mal'akh opened his eyes and smiled. â€Å"You and I are not quite finished.† He turned to the altar and picked up the sacrificial knife, running his finger across the sleek iron blade. â€Å"This ancient knife was commissioned by God,† he said, â€Å"for use in a human sacrifice. You recognized it earlier, no?† Solomon's gray eyes were like stone. â€Å"It is unique, and I've heard the legend.† â€Å"Legend? The account appears in Holy Scripture. You don't believe it's true?† Peter just stared. Mal'akh had spent a fortune locating and obtaining this artifact. Known as the Akedah knife, it had been crafted over three thousand years ago from an iron meteorite that had fallen to earth. Iron from heaven, as the early mystics called it. It was believed to be the exact knife used by Abraham at the Akedah–the near sacrifice of his son Isaac on Mount Moriah–as depicted in Genesis. The knife's astounding history included possession by popes, Nazi mystics, European alchemists, and private collectors. They protected and admired it, Mal'akh thought, but none dared unleash its true power by using it for its real purpose. Tonight, the Akedah knife would fulfill its destiny. The Akedah had always been sacred in Masonic ritual. In the very first degree, Masons celebrated â€Å"the most august gift ever offered to God . . . the submission of Abraham to the volitions of the supreme being by proffering Isaac, his firstborn . . .† The weight of the blade felt exhilarating in Mal'akh's hand as he crouched down and used the freshly sharpened knife to sever the ropes binding Peter to his wheelchair. The bonds fell to the floor. Peter Solomon winced in pain as he attempted to shift his cramped limbs. â€Å"Why are you doing this to me? What do you think this will accomplish?† â€Å"You of all people should understand,† Mal'akh replied. â€Å"You study the ancient ways. You know that the power of the mysteries relies on sacrifice . . . on releasing a human soul from its body. It has been this way since the beginning.† â€Å"You know nothing of sacrifice,† Peter said, his voice seething with pain and loathing. Excellent, Mal'akh thought. Feed your hatred. It will only make this easier. Mal'akh's empty stomach growled as he paced before his captive. â€Å"There is enormous power in the shedding of human blood. Everyone understood that, from the early Egyptians, to the Celtic Druids, to the Chinese, to the Aztecs. There is magic in human sacrifice, but modern man has become weak, too fearful to make true offerings, too frail to give the life that is required for spiritual transformation. The ancient texts are clear, though. Only by offering what is most sacred can man access the ultimate power.† â€Å"You consider me a sacred offering?† Mal'akh now laughed out loud. â€Å"You really don't understand yet, do you?† Peter gave him an odd look. â€Å"Do you know why I have a deprivation tank in my home?† Mal'akh placed his hands on his hips and flexed his elaborately decorated body, which was still covered only by a loincloth. â€Å"I have been practicing . . . preparing . . . anticipating the moment when I am only mind . . . when I am released from this mortal shell . . . when I have offered up this beautiful body to the gods in sacrifice. I am the precious one! I am the pure white lamb!† Peter's mouth fell open but no words came out. â€Å"Yes, Peter, a man must offer to the gods that which he holds most dear. His purest white dove . . . his most precious and worthy offering. You are not precious to me. You are not a worthy offering.† Mal'akh glared at him. â€Å"Don't you see? You are not the sacrifice, Peter . . . I am. Mine is the flesh that is the offering. I am the gift. Look at me. I have prepared, made myself worthy for my final journey. I am the gift!† Peter remained speechless. â€Å"The secret is how to die,† Mal'akh now said. â€Å"Masons understand that.† He pointed to the altar. â€Å"You revere the ancient truths, and yet you are cowards. You understand the power of sacrifice and yet you keep a safe distance from death, performing your mock murders and bloodless death rituals. Tonight, your symbolic altar will bear witness to its true power . . . and its actual purpose.† Mal'akh reached down and grasped Peter Solomon's left hand, pressing the handle of the Akedah knife into his palm. The left hand serves the darkness. This, too, had been planned. Peter would have no choice in the matter. Mal'akh could fathom no sacrifice more potent and symbolic than one performed on this altar, by this man, with this knife, plunged into the heart of an offering whose mortal flesh was wrapped like a gift in a shroud of mystical symbols. With this offering of self, Mal'akh would establish his rank in the hierarchy of demons. Darkness and blood were where the true power lay. The ancients knew this, the Adepts choosing sides consistent with their individual natures. Mal'akh had chosen sides wisely. Chaos was the natural law of the universe. Indifference was the engine of entropy. Man's apathy was the fertile ground in which the dark spirits tended their seeds. I have served them, and they will receive me as a god. Peter did not move. He simply stared down at the ancient knife gripped in his hand. â€Å"I will you,† Mal'akh taunted. â€Å"I am a willing sacrifice. Your final role has been written. You will transform me. You will liberate me from my body. You will do this, or you will lose your sister and your brotherhood. You will truly be all alone.† He paused, smiling down at his captive. â€Å"Consider this your final punishment.† Peter's eyes rose slowly to meet Mal'akh's. â€Å"Killing you? A punishment? Do you think I will hesitate? You murdered my son. My mother. My entire family.† â€Å"No!† Mal'akh exploded with a force that startled even himself. â€Å"You are wrong! I did not murder your family! You did! It was you who made the choice to leave Zachary in prison! And from there, the wheels were in motion! You killed your family, Peter, not me!† Peter's knuckles turned white, his fingers clenching the knife in rage. â€Å"You know nothing of why I left Zachary in prison.† â€Å"I know everything!† Mal'akh fired back. â€Å"I was there. You claimed you were trying to help him. Were you trying to help him when you offered him the choice between wealth or wisdom? Were you trying to help him when you gave him the ultimatum to join the Masons? What kind of father gives a child the choice between `wealth or wisdom' and expects him to know how to handle it! What kind of father leaves his own son in a prison instead of flying him home to safety!† Mal'akh now moved in front of Peter and crouched down, placing his tattooed face only inches from his face. â€Å"But most important . . . what kind of father can look his own son in the eyes . . . even after all these years . . . and not even recognize him!† Mal'akh's words echoed for several seconds in the stone chamber. Then silence. In the abrupt stillness, Peter Solomon seemed to have been jolted from his trance. His face clouded now with a visage of total incredulity. Yes, Father. It's me. Mal'akh had waited years for this moment . . . to take revenge on the man who had abandoned him . . . to stare into those gray eyes and speak the truth that had been buried all these years. Now the moment was here, and he spoke slowly, longing to watch the full weight of his words gradually crush Peter Solomon's soul. â€Å"You should be happy, Father. Your prodigal son has returned.† Peter's face was now as pale as death. Mal'akh savored every moment. â€Å"My own father made the decision to leave me in prison . . . and in that instant, I vowed that he had rejected me for the last time. I was no longer his son. Zachary Solomon ceased to exist.† Two glistening teardrops welled suddenly in his father's eyes, and Mal'akh thought they were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Peter choked back tears, staring up at Mal'akh's face as if seeing him for the very first time. â€Å"All the warden wanted was money,† Mal'akh said, â€Å"but you refused. It never occurred to you, though, that my money was just as green as yours. The warden did not care who paid him, only that he was paid. When I offered to pay him handsomely, he selected a sickly inmate about my size, dressed him in my clothes, and beat him beyond all recognition. The photos you saw . . . and the sealed casket you buried . . . they were not mine. They belonged to a stranger.† Peter's tear-streaked face contorted now with anguish and disbelief. â€Å"Oh my God . . . Zachary.† â€Å"Not anymore. When Zachary walked out of prison, he was transformed.† His adolescent physique and childlike face had drastically mutated when he flooded his young body with experimental growth hormones and steroids. Even his vocal cords had been ravaged, transforming his boyish voice into a permanent whisper. Zachary became Andros. Andros became Mal'akh. And tonight . . . Mal'akh will become his greatest incarnation of all. At that moment in Kalorama Heights, Katherine Solomon stood over the open desk drawer and gazed down at what could be described only as a fetishist's collection of old newspaper articles and photographs. â€Å"I don't understand,† she said, turning to Bellamy. â€Å"This lunatic was obviously obsessed with my family, but–â€Å" â€Å"Keep going . . .† urged Bellamy, taking a seat and still looking deeply shaken. Katherine dug deeper into the newspaper articles, every one of which related to the Solomon family–Peter's many successes, Katherine's research, their mother Isabel's terrible murder, Zachary Solomon's widely publicized drug use, incarceration, and brutal murder in a Turkish prison. The fixation this man had on the Solomon family was beyond fanatical, and yet Katherine saw nothing yet to suggest why. It was then that she saw the photographs. The first showed Zachary standing knee-deep in azure water on a beach dotted with whitewashed houses. Greece? The photo, she assumed, could have been taken only during Zach's freewheeling drug days in Europe. Strangely, though, Zach looked healthier than he did in the paparazzi shots of an emaciated kid partying with the drug crowd. He looked more fit, stronger somehow, more mature. Katherine never recalled him looking so healthy. Puzzled, she checked the date stamp on the photo. But that's . . . impossible. The date was almost a full year after Zachary had died in prison. Suddenly Katherine was flipping desperately through the stack. All of the photos were of Zachary Solomon . . . gradually getting older. The collection appeared to be some kind of pictorial autobiography, chronicling a slow transformation. As the pictures progressed, Katherine saw a sudden and dramatic change. She looked on in horror as Zachary's body began mutating, his muscles bulging, and his facial features morphing from the obvious heavy use of steroids. His frame seemed to double in mass, and a haunting fierceness crept into his eyes. I don't even recognize this man! He looked nothing like Katherine's memories of her young nephew. When she reached a picture of him with a shaved head, she felt her knees begin to buckle. Then she saw a photo of his bare body . . . adorned with the first traces of tattoos. Her heart almost stopped. â€Å"Oh my God . . .† CHAPTER 120 â€Å"Right turn!† Langdon shouted from the backseat of the commandeered Lexus SUV. Simkins swerved onto S Street and gunned the vehicle through a tree-lined residential neighborhood. As they neared the corner of Sixteenth Street, the House of the Temple rose like a mountain on the right. Simkins stared up at the massive structure. It looked like someone had built a pyramid on top of Rome's Pantheon. He prepared to turn right on Sixteenth toward the front of the building. â€Å"Don't turn!† Langdon ordered. â€Å"Go straight! Stay on S!† Simkins obeyed, driving alongside the east side of the building. â€Å"At Fifteenth,† Langdon said, â€Å"turn right!† Simkins followed his navigator, and moments later, Langdon had pointed out a nearly invisible, unpaved access road that bisected the gardens behind the House of the Temple. Simkins turned in to the drive and gunned the Lexus toward the rear of the building. â€Å"Look!† Langdon said, pointing to the lone vehicle parked near the rear entrance. It was a large van. â€Å"They're here.† Simkins parked the SUV and killed the engine. Quietly, everyone got out and prepared to move in. Simkins stared up at the monolithic structure. â€Å"You say the Temple Room is at the top?† Langdon nodded, pointing all the way to the pinnacle of the building. â€Å"That flat area on top of the pyramid is actually a skylight.† Simkins spun back to Langdon. â€Å"The Temple Room has a skylight?† Langdon gave him an odd look. â€Å"Of course. An oculus to heaven . . . directly above the altar.† The UH-60 sat idling at Dupont Circle. In the passenger seat, Sato gnawed at her fingernails, awaiting news from her team. Finally, Simkins's voice crackled over the radio. â€Å"Director?† â€Å"Sato here,† she barked. â€Å"We're entering the building, but I have some additional recon for you.† â€Å"Go ahead.† â€Å"Mr. Langdon just informed me that the room in which the target is most likely located has a very large skylight.† Sato considered the information for several seconds. â€Å"Understood. Thank you.† Simkins signed off. Sato spit out a fingernail and turned to the pilot. â€Å"Take her up.† CHAPTER 121 Like any parent who had lost a child, Peter Solomon had often imagined how old his boy would be now . . . what he would look like . . . and what he would have become. Peter Solomon now had his answers. The massive tattooed creature before him had begun life as a tiny, precious infant . . . baby Zach curled up in a wicker bassinette . . . taking his first fumbling steps across Peter's study . . . learning to speak his first words. The fact that evil could spring from an innocent child in a loving family remained one of the paradoxes of the human soul. Peter had been forced to accept early on that although his own blood flowed in his son's veins, the heart pumping that blood was his son's own. Unique and singular . . . as if randomly chosen from the universe. My son . . . he killed my mother, my friend Robert Langdon, and possibly my sister. An icy numbness flooded Peter's heart as he searched his son's eyes for any connection . . . anything familiar. The man's eyes, however, although gray like Peter's, were those of a total stranger, filled with a hatred and a vengefulness that were almost otherworldly. â€Å"Are you strong enough?† his son taunted, glancing at the Akedah knife gripped in Peter's hand. â€Å"Can you finish what you started all those years ago?† â€Å"Son . . .† Solomon barely recognized his own voice. â€Å"I . . . I loved . . . you.† â€Å"Twice you tried to kill me. You abandoned me in prison. You shot me on Zach's bridge. Now finish it!† For an instant, Solomon felt like he was floating outside his own body. He no longer recognized himself. He was missing a hand, was totally bald, dressed in a black robe, sitting in a wheelchair, and clutching an ancient knife. â€Å"Finish it!† the man shouted again, the tattoos on his naked chest rippling. â€Å"Killing me is the only way you can save Katherine . . . the only way to save your brotherhood!† Solomon felt his gaze move to the laptop and cellular modem on the pigskin chair. SENDING MESSAGE: 92% COMPLETE His mind could not shake the images of Katherine bleeding to death . . . or of his Masonic brothers. â€Å"There is still time,† the man whispered. â€Å"You know it's the only choice. Release me from my mortal shell.† â€Å"Please,† Solomon said. â€Å"Don't do this . . .† â€Å"You did this!† the man hissed. â€Å"You forced your child to make an impossible choice! Do you remember that night? Wealth or wisdom? That was the night you pushed me away forever. But I've returned, Father . . . and tonight it is your turn to choose. Zachary or Katherine? Which will it be? Will you kill your son to save your sister? Will you kill your son to save your brotherhood? Your country? Or will you wait until it's too late? Until Katherine is dead . . . until the video is public . . . until you must live the rest of your life knowing you could have stopped these tragedies. Time is running out. You know what must be done.† Peter's heart ached. You are not Zachary, he told himself. Zachary died long, long ago. Whatever you are . . . and wherever you came from . . . you are not of me. And although Peter Solomon did not believe his own words, he knew he had to make a choice. He was out of time. Find the Grand Staircase! Robert Langdon dashed through darkened hallways, winding his way toward the center of the building. Turner Simkins remained close on his heels. As Langdon had hoped, he burst out into the building's main atrium. Dominated by eight Doric columns of green granite, the atrium looked like a hybrid sepulcher– Greco-Roman-Egyptian–with black marble statues, chandelier fire bowls, Teutonic crosses, double-headed phoenix medallions, and sconces bearing the head of Hermes. Langdon turned and ran toward the sweeping marble staircase at the far end of the atrium. â€Å"This leads directly to the Temple Room,† he whispered as the two men ascended as quickly and quietly as possible. On the first landing, Langdon came face-to-face with a bronze bust of Masonic luminary Albert Pike, along with the engraving of his most famous quote: WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OURSELVES ALONE DIES WITH US; WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD REMAINS AND IS IMMORTAL. Mal'akh had sensed a palpable shift in the atmosphere of the Temple Room, as if all the frustration and pain Peter Solomon had ever felt was now boiling to the surface . . . focusing itself like a laser on Mal'akh. Yes . . . it is time. Peter Solomon had risen from his wheelchair and was standing now, facing the altar, gripping the knife. â€Å"Save Katherine,† Mal'akh coaxed, luring him toward the altar, backing up, and finally laying his own body down on the white shroud he had prepared. â€Å"Do what you need to do.† As if moving through a nightmare, Peter inched forward. Mal'akh reclined fully now onto his back, gazing up through the oculus at the wintry moon. The secret is how to die. This moment could not be any more perfect. Adorned with the Lost Word of the ages, I offer myself by the left hand of my father. Mal'akh drew a deep breath. Receive me, demons, for this is my body, which is offered for you. Standing over Mal'akh, Peter Solomon was trembling. His tear-soaked eyes shone with desperation, indecision, anguish. He looked one last time toward the modem and laptop across the room. â€Å"Make the choice,† Mal'akh whispered. â€Å"Release me from my flesh. God wants this. You want this.† He laid his arms at his side and arched his chest forward, offering up his magnificent double-headed phoenix. Help me shed the body that clothes my soul. Peter's tearful eyes seemed to be staring through Mal'akh now, not even seeing him. â€Å"I killed your mother!† Mal'akh whispered. â€Å"I killed Robert Langdon! I'm murdering your sister! I'm destroying your brotherhood! Do what you have to do!† Peter Solomon's visage now contorted into a mask of absolute grief and regret. He threw his head back and screamed in anguish as he raised the knife. Robert Langdon and Agent Simkins arrived breathless outside the Temple Room doors as a bloodcurdling scream erupted from within. It was Peter's voice. Langdon was certain. Peter's cry was one of absolute agony. I'm too late! Ignoring Simkins, Langdon seized the handles and yanked open the doors. The horrific scene before him confirmed his worst fears. There, in the center of the dimly lit chamber, the silhouette of a man with a shaved head stood at the great altar. He wore a black robe, and his hand was clutching a large blade. Before Langdon could move, the man was driving the knife down toward the body that lay outstretched on the altar. Mal'akh had closed his eyes. So beautiful. So perfect. The ancient blade of the Akedah knife had glinted in the moonlight as it arched over him. Scented wisps of smoke had spiraled upward above him, preparing a pathway for his soon-to-be- liberated soul. His killer's lone scream of torment and desperation still rang through the sacred space as the knife came down. I am besmeared with the blood of human sacrifice and parents' tears. Mal'akh braced for the glorious impact. His moment of transformation had arrived. Incredibly, he felt no pain. A thunderous vibration filled his body, deafening and deep. The room began shaking, and a brilliant white light blinded him from above. The heavens roared. And Mal'akh knew it had happened. Exactly as he had planned. Langdon did not remember sprinting toward the altar as the helicopter appeared overhead. Nor did he remember leaping with his arms out-stretched . . . soaring toward the man in the black robe . . . trying desperately to tackle him before he could plunge the knife down a second time. Their bodies collided, and Langdon saw a bright light sweep down through the oculus and illuminate the altar. He expected to see the bloody body of Peter Solomon on the altar, but the naked chest that shone in the light had no blood on it at all . . . only a tapestry of tattoos. The knife lay broken beside him, apparently having been driven into the stone altar rather than into flesh. As he and the man in the black robe crashed together onto the hard stone floor, Langdon saw the bandaged nub on the end of the man's right arm, and he realized to his bewilderment that he had just tackled Peter Solomon. As they slid together across the stone floor, the helicopter's searchlights blazed down from above. The chopper thundered in low, its skids practically touching the expansive wall of glass. On the front of the helicopter, a strange-looking gun rotated, aiming downward through the glass. The red beam of its laser scope sliced through the skylight and danced across the floor, directly toward Langdon and Solomon. No! But there was no gunfire from above . . . only the sound of the helicopter blades. Langdon felt nothing but an eerie ripple of energy that shimmered through his cells. Behind his head, on the pigskin chair, the laptop hissed strangely. He spun in time to see its screen suddenly flash to black. Unfortunately, the last visible message had been clear. SENDING MESSAGE: 100% COMPLETE Pull up! Damn it! Up! The UH-60 pilot threw his rotors into overdrive, trying to keep his skids from touching any part of the large glass skylight. He knew the six thousand pounds of lift force that surged downward from his rotors was already straining the glass to its breaking point. Unfortunately, the incline of the pyramid beneath the helicopter was efficiently shedding the thrust sideways, robbing him of lift. Up! Now! He tipped the nose, trying to skim away, but the left strut hit the center of the glass. It was only for an instant, but that was all it took. The Temple Room's massive oculus exploded in a swirl of glass and wind . . . sending a torrent of jagged shards plummeting into the room below. Stars falling from heaven. Mal'akh stared up into the beautiful white light and saw a veil of shimmering jewels fluttering toward him . . . accelerating . . . as if racing to shroud him in their splendor. Suddenly there was pain. Everywhere. Stabbing. Searing. Slashing. Razor-sharp knives piercing soft flesh. Chest, neck, thighs, face. His body tightened all at once, recoiling. His blood-filled mouth cried out as the pain ripped him from his trance. The white light above transformed itself, and suddenly, as if by magic, a dark helicopter was suspended above him, its thundering blades driving an icy wind down into the Temple Room, chilling Mal'akh to the core and dispersing the wisps of incense to the distant corners of the room. Mal'akh turned his head and saw the Akedah knife lying broken by his side, smashed upon the granite altar, which was covered in a blanket of shattered glass. Even after everything I did to him . . . Peter Solomon averted the knife. He refused to spill my blood. With welling horror, Mal'akh raised his head and peered down along the length of his own body. This living artifact was to have been his great offering. But it lay in tatters. His body was drenched in blood . . . huge shards of glass protruding from his flesh in all directions. Weakly, Mal'akh lowered his head back to the granite altar and stared up through the open space in the roof. The helicopter was gone now, in its place a silent, wintry moon. Wide-eyed, Mal'akh lay gasping for breath . . . all alone on the great altar.

Modern Challenges in Islam Essays

Modern Challenges in Islam Essays Modern Challenges in Islam Essay Modern Challenges in Islam Essay Essay Topic: The Giver 1. Typical characteristics, including ethics, Islam shares with others Prophet Mohammad founded Islam at a time when the society was full of tribal codes and animistic practices where the community lacked law and order (Martin et al., 2016). With the formation of the Islam, people regained their hopes of having a better life. The features of Islam that it shares with other forms of religion include; There is only one God- apart from idol worship, all other religions have one supreme being God whom they worship. Islam religion believes in Allah while the Christian, worship God. All of them believe that God or Allah is the source and protector of life and must be praised and glorified by every human being. Beliefs inequality- according to the Islam religion, all people, irrespective of their race or caste divisions, are equal in the eyes of God and should be treated as such. In the same way, Christianity and other religions also believe in the equality of human races. Disbelief in a deity- just like any other religion like Christianity, Islam also opposes the worship of other gods like idol worship. They all believe that Allah or God is the supreme being that should be revered by all people at all times. Everything in peoples lives happens on the will of God or Allah- the supreme is the giver and protector of life. Therefore he alone has the power to control everything that is going on in peoples lives. He knows when time is ready for an individual to die and he knows when someone is to be born (Martin et al., 2016). Guiding Book- just like others, Islam has the Quran from where they get to know the word of Allah and what he expects from them. In the same way, Christians have the Bible where they get to read the word of God and know the ten commandments.the guiding book is like a manual that controls the actions of people (Martin et al., 2016). Life after death- just like any other religion, Islam people also believe when a person dies, he or she is taken to start a new life in a sacred place with Allah. In the same way, Christians believe that people who die believing in Christ are taken to heaven to live their new life next to God.; 2. How Islam is responding to challenges in the modern day world The new trends in the contemporary word especially civilisation and technological advancement in the society are the biggest challenges facing the modern Islam people.; Muslims thus become unable to decide between their religion beliefs and new demands in the society. It also weakens their spiritual stand, and some are torn between decisions, unable to take one path (Martin et al., 2016).; Rather, they choose to remain in between, and it becomes tough for them to fit either in the modern society or to stay loyal to their religion and follow all the norms and rules that were set by their forefathers in the ancient. Islam, therefore, responds to the challenges of the modern world in the following ways; Supporting a new and a just universal order- people in the Islamic society have formed organisations and humanitarian groups that they use to fight for a new world where justice and respect for the dignity and religions of individuals prevail. They want a country where all people are treated equally regardless of the religion belief of the people in power. The persons in the lower are also encouraged to champion equality in the distribution of resources across the country, so that all people, be it Islam or Christian gets equal share (Martin et al., 2016). Balanced and sustainable development in the Islamic countries- to compete favourably with the other nations which are non-Islam, the Islamic countries are trying to ensure that development levels in their countries are on a par with the other countries. It reduces their dependency levels to the other states. In so doing, the Islam earn the power and the mandate to participate in world conferences and negotiations especially about trade and exports (Martin et al., 2016). Profound and proper understanding of the recent times-; the Islam people, after research and analysis of the current demands in the world, have decided to accept whatever changes the comes their way and embrace it. The accepting change allows them to fully fit in with other people who will then stop viewing them as mics, but as other members of the society. It ensures mutual coexistence between the Islamic and other individuals in the community. Accepting intermarriages- as much as a large percentage of the Islam people still oppose intermarriages with other people of different religion, there is a portion of them that have realised intermarriages is a good method of ensuring that other people accepted them and treated as their equals. Intermarriage also helps in the reduction of inter-religion conflicts since people going to treat each as a family (Martin et al., 2016). 3. What has changed about the roles of women in Islam over time Previously in the Islamic culture, women were considered slaves and less necessary. They had no human rights, no freedom and were not allowed to own or inherit property in any way. Their primary duty was to entertain men and was not allowed to contribute to any matter in the society or family especially about decision making (Martin et al., 2016). However, over the years, the Islamic laws have changed, and women are now treated as independent and dignified human beings. They have regained their status rights and voice and can positively contribute to matters in the society. Again, the law gives women the power to choose their spouses and not to marry people chosen for them by their parents or guardians. They have gained the right to go to school and get a quality education that they can then use to seek employment and live a free and fulfilling life of their choice (Martin et al., 2016). Women have been allowed to vie for leadership positions and to participate in national elections as opposed to before when they were not authorised to go for management positions. In addition to that, the abolished female circumcision since it was considered inhuman mutilation of the female genital organs. Those who chose to go for circumcision do so out of their free will, but no law forces them to do. Hence, the women gained their freedom. T hey became their people, with the right to make their decisions and live their lives (Martin et al., 2016). References Martin, R. C., Woodward, M., ; Atmaja, D. S. (2016). Defenders of Reason in Islam: Mutazililism from Medieval School to Modern Symbol. Oneworld Publications.

French Revolution of 1789 - Timeline

French Revolution of 1789 - Timeline Our narrative history for this period begins here. 1789 January January 24: The Estates General is officially summoned; election details go out. Crucially, no one is really sure how it should be formed, leading to an argument over voting powers. January - May: The Third Estate politicises as cahiers are drawn up, political clubs form and discussion takes place both verbally and through pamphleteering. The middle class believe they have a voice and intend to use it. February February: Sieyes publishes What is the Third Estate? February - June: Elections to the Estates General. May May 5: The Estates General opens. There is still no decision on voting rights, and the third estate believe they should have more of a say. May 6: The Third Estate refuses to meet or verify their election as a separate chamber. June June 10: The Third Estate, now frequently called the Commons, gives an ultimatum to the other estates: join in a common verification or the Commons would go on alone. June 13: A few members of the First Estate (priests and clergy) join the Third. June 17: The National Assembly is proclaimed by the former Third Estate. June 20: The Tennis Court Oath taken; with the National Assemblys meeting place closed in preparation for a Royal Session, the deputies meet at a tennis court and swear not to disband until a constitution is established. June 23: The Royal Session opens; the King initially tells the estates to meet separately and introduces reforms; the deputies of the National Assembly ignore him. June 25: Members of the Second Estate begin to join the National Assembly. June 27: The king gives in and orders the three estates to unite as one; troops are called to the Paris area. Suddenly, there has been a constitutional revolution in France. Things would not stop here. July July 11: Necker is dismissed. July 12: Revolt begins in Paris, caused in part by Neckers dismissal and the fear of royal troops. July 14: The storming of the Bastille. Now the people of Paris, or the mob if you prefer, will start to direct the revolution and violence will result. July 15: Unable to rely on his army, the King gives in and orders troops to leave the Paris area. Louis does not want a civil war, when that might be all that would save his old powers. July 16: Necker is recalled. July - August: The Great Fear; mass panic across France as people fear a noble led backlash against their anti-feudal demonstrations. August August 4: Feudalism and privileges are abolished by the National Assembly in perhaps the most remarkable evening in Europes modern history. August 26: Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen published. September September 11: The King is granted a suspensive veto. October October 5-6: Journee of 5-6 October: the King and the National Assembly move to Paris at the behest of a Parisian mob. November November 2: Church property is nationalised. December December 12: Assignats are created. 1790 February February 13: Monastic vows banned. February 26: France divided into 83 departments. April April 17: Assignats accepted as currency. May May 21: Paris is divided into sections. June June 19: Nobility is abolished. July July 12: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, a complete restructuring of the church in France. July 14: Feast of the Federation, a celebration to mark one year since the fall of the Bastille. August August 16: Parlements are abolished and the judiciary reorganised. September September 4: Necker resigns. November November 27: The Oath of the Clergy passed; all ecclesiastical office holders must swear an oath to the constitution. 1791 January January 4: Last date for clergy to have sworn the oath; over half refuse. April April 2: Mirabeau dies. April 13: The Pope condemns the Civil Constitution. April 18: The King is prevented from leaving Paris to spend Easter at Saint-Cloud. May May: Avignon is occupied by French forces. May 16: Self-Denying Decree: National Assembly deputies cannot be elected to the Legislative Assembly. June June 14: Le Chapelier Law stopping workers associations and strikes. June 20: Flight to Varennes; the King and Queen attempt to flee France but only get as far as Varennes. June 24: Cordelier organises a petition stating that liberty and royalty cannot co-exist. July 16: The Constituent Assembly declares that the king was the victim of an abduction plot. July 17: Massacre at the Champs de Mars, when National Guard open fire on republican demonstrators. August August 14: Slave rebellion begins in Saint-Domingue. August 27: Declaration of Pillnitz: Austria and Prussia threaten to take action in support of the French king. September September 13: The King accepts the new constitution. September 14: King swears the oath of allegiance to the new constitution. September 30: The National Assembly is dissolved. October October 1: The Legislative Assembly convenes. October 20: Brissots first calls for war against the à ©migrà ©s. November November 9: Decree against the à ©migrà ©s; if they do not return they will be considered traitors. November 12: The King vetoes the à ©migrà ©s decree. November 29: Decree against refractory priests; they will be considered suspects unless they take a civic oath. December December 14: Louis XVI requests the Elector of Trier disperse à ©migrà ©s or face military action. December 19: The King vetoes the decree against refractory priests. Back to Index Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Case Study Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study Analyses - Essay Example Wal-Mart is a business which over the years has empowered the employees to be able to live a better life, this was especially so in the earlier days when Wal-Mart was in its full glory. To begin with, being a large organisation helped the employees to have job security because it was harder to lose their job in a large organisation such as Wal-Mart. However, it is necessary to note that this seems to have changed since in the recent days, Wal-Mart has had various issues with its employees where many employees complain of being overworked, underpaid and that they don’t have job security anymore. The Wal-Mart Way is the strategy which Wal-Mart uses in doing its retail business. The Wal-Mart way has helped the firms to become a colossal success and this success in turn affects the employees and the associates by empowering them. The absence of Sam has however meant that the employees and the associates are no longer as advantaged as they used to be. Wal-Mart can be seen as the pi oneer in corporate social responsibility. Sam had a genuine sense of responsibility towards the stakeholders and especially the communities in which his business operated. These early stances on corporate social responsibility can indicate that Wal-Mart’s core values are geared towards responsible business which looks at the interests of all the stakeholders. The Buy American stance for instance is a good example because by implementing this idea, Wal-Mart was getting a disadvantage because it had to buy more expensive goods from the local manufacturers while its competitors continued buying cheaper goods from overseas manufacturers. If Wal-Mart was doing this just to entice the customers, it could have given up later but instead of that, it stuck on its policy. The effect of Wal-Mart on the smaller merchants does not neutralise the advantages of the firm’s corporate responsibility because Wal-Mart does not owe anything to these merchant as long as it applies ethical r ules of competition. With regard to the closure of the stores, Wal-Mart, just like any other employer, owes it to the employees to provide safe and secure employment. There is no employee who doesn’t want to know that their jobs are secure and that they will not wake up one day and find that they no longer have any their jobs. In this regard, Wal-Mart owes it to the employees to make sure that their jobs are secured and that they will not suffer trying to look for other jobs. With regard to the loyal customers, Wal-Mart also has a responsibility because these customers were used to getting the services of Wal-Mart. In a modern world, customers’ lives are moulded by the services they get from businesses like Wal-Mart and when they receive these services for long enough, their lives are highly dependent on these services and if these services are removed, the customers are affected. This is why firms like Wal-Mart have the responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure the continuity of these services and therefore Wal-Mart owes it to these customers to continue offering the services. The competitors in some cities have secretly hired consultants to block Wal-Mart from entering these cities. This is not fair business and it breaks all rules of business competition ethics. This is very