Everything you need to know about writing a resume

Everything you need to know about writing a resume Your resume is the first piece of any job hunt. It’s the foundational document for your job search- think of it like your own personal Constitution. But what if you’re just starting out, and don’t yet know the ins and outs of what a resume is for, what it’s supposed to achieve, and what you’re supposed to put in it? We got you. And if you just want a refresher on resume basics, you’re welcome to join in too. What is the Purpose of My Resume?Your resume is a snapshot of you as a professional. When you’re applying for a job, you don’t have the benefit of being able to introduce yourself in person, answer questions about what you do, or make a personal impression. So your resume has to do that talking for you. It includes basic contact information, information about your skills, a summary of the work experience you have, and usually an indication of what you’re seeking. It takes this information and organizes it in a straigh tforward, easy-to-read format for someone who likely doesn’t know anything about you. That’s it.What a resume isn’t: It’s not a long, conversational story about your life. It’s not a place to give opinions about your last boss. It’s not a place to list every class you’ve ever taken. Your resume is a very focused, targeted version of you- the best version of your professional self, for the job opportunity you’re seeking.How Should My Resume Look?Traditionally, resumes have been very strict, templated affairs. Your contact info goes here, your experience comes next, your skills go here, and a neat note about references wraps it up. That rigid idea of what a resume should look like has loosened up a little, mostly thanks to the digital informality that seems to be affecting all aspects of our lives. (Think emails replacing letters, and text-speak popping up, well, everywhere.) But while things are getting a little more flexible in the hiring world, things haven’t gone too crazy. After all, your resume still has to have the same base information included:Contact info.  This includes your name, address, phone number, and (professional-sounding) email address. (Sorry, hotchick1989@aol.gov.)Summary/objective information.  This is a leading sentence or two summarizing you as a job candidate, what makes you well-suited to this job, or why you’re seeking this particular job.Skills.  These are bullet points listing out the hard skills (easily quantifiable skills like specific software expertise, typing speed, etc.) and soft skills (more general skills like communication, organization, attention to detail, creativity, etc.) relevant to the job.Experience.  These are bullet points (no more than a sentence or two) showing what you’ve done in your career so far, or related volunteer/extracurricular work.Education.  These are brief bullets related to your education. Here, you’d list any degrees or certificates you have- and, if relevant to the job itself, information about your major/course of study.Then there are optional elements which are nice to include if you have them and have enough room, but aren’t necessary to complete the resume:A headline that summarizes your overall resume in a succinct one-linerRelevant hobbies (key word here: relevant)Languages you speak (if you’re multilingual)Volunteer workAnd then there are things that you shouldn’t include in your resume:Information about your gender, age, or marital status. It’s illegal for potential employers to ask about those, so don’t even open the door.A photo of yourself. Same rationale as bullet #1. You want your accomplishments and skills to speak for themselves.Lies or exaggerations. It can be tempting to innocently boost some skills you don’t really have, or throw in a job responsibility that you didn’t have, but remember that you may always be called upon to prove anything in your resume.As long as you include appropriate information in these basic areas, you can change the format up a bit in order to emphasize the information you most want the reader to know, or to deprioritize something you don’t want to emphasize (like an employment gap, or a lack of experience). However, some parts shouldn’t change- for example, your contact info should always be centered at the top, for easy reference, and your headline/objective/summary statements should go right under that to avoid confusion. But think of the other sections as moveable blocks that can be moved around for maximum impact. You can find a format that works best for you.A Sample Traditional ResumeIf you’ve got a lot of work experience in your field under your belt, then the traditional format might work best for your job search. In this â€Å"reverse chronological resume,† you put your work experience bullets up front, working backwards starting wi th your current or most recent job. This is followed by skills, education, and any other relevant information. Your resume would look something like this example:[START RESUME EXAMPLE]Terry Perkins 101 Main Street New York, NY 12121 111*222*3333 TerryP@emaildomain.com LinkedIn: T.Perkins.linkedin.comQUALIFICATIONS SUMMARYExperienced leader guiding a large team of customer service managers and representatives.Proven track record of providing top-notch customer service and support for more than 20 years.Specialize in implementing customer feedback systems to improve service and boost customer relationships and provide better service.Consistently positive and dedicated attitude in working with customers and internal stakeholders, forming strong relationships both within the company and with external customers.WORK EXPERIENCEGlobal Communications Inc.Director of Customer Service (2014 – present)Senior Customer Service Representative (2008 – 2014)Customer Service Associate (2001-2008)Manage a team of 25+ Customer Service Representatives.Serve as an escalation point for customers with challenging issues.Monitor and analyze monthly call volume reports, and identify trends.Refine customer service processes to improve customer experience and outcomes.Analyze and report business trends and employee statistics on a monthly basis.Manage all hiring for the department.Work closely with other departments within the company to ensure proper handling of customer service issues.BigBox.comCustomer Service Representative (1999 – 2001)Worked directly with customers via phone to address questions, product issues, and order issues.Developed a personal Excel tracking system to ensure comprehensive follow-up with customers.Worked with management and team members to incorporate customer feedback and improve the customer service experience.Communications ConglomerateOffice Assistant (1997 – 1998)Provided administrative support for the Regional Director of Sal es.Tracked sales data, collating monthly reports.Prepared financial reports.SKILLSCustomer serviceComplex problem solving with diverse types of customersCommunicating with internal and external partiesTime managementDeveloping and implementing best practicesMicrosoft Office suiteCall triage management softwareSalesTracker softwareEDUCATIONAnderson Business School, Leadership Training Seminar (completed May 2016)University of South Beach, B.A. in Communications, 1996[END RESUME SAMPLE]A Sample Skills-Focused ResumeIf you’re just starting out, or trying to change careers, you might want to set up your narrative a little differently, emphasizing your skills and capabilities instead of specific work experience. In this case, you might want to go with a â€Å"skill-based† resume, where you emphasize your qualities before your experience. Here’s an example of an internship resume based on this format:[START RESUME SAMPLE]Sandy Jones1300 University StreetSan Diego, CA 99999(000) 111-2222S.Jones@emaildomain.comMotivated, detail-oriented graphic design student seeking to leverage design skills, writing skills, and social media experience into an experience-building internship in graphic design.SKILLSCreative visual designCompleting projects on deadlineBranded social media communicationAbility to work in a variety of environmentsWorking with clients and colleagues to complete projects on spec and on deadlineSoftware: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesignBilingual: French and EnglishEDUCATIONUniversity of San Diego,  Expected graduation: May 2018B.A. CommunicationsB.A. Graphic DesignActivities: Campus Happenings Magazine (layout and design for print and digital content)  Memorial High School, San Diego, CA,  High School DiplomaActivities: Student Soapbox student newspaper (reporter and layout artist)  EXPERIENCEFranklin’s Pub  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   April 2007 – August 2009Server/Social Media coordinatorHandled Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts for the restaurantActed as a brand ambassador for the restaurantServed customers and handled cash transactionsProvided cheerful, courteous service to all customers[END RESUME SAMPLE]While your resume should formally look like a resume, that doesn’t mean you need to have the same resume as everyone else. You can structure it so that it shows your strengths right up front for the reader to see. For more on how to write your resume from scratch, click here.You also don’t have to work from scratch. We’ve got lots of free templates you can use to get the process started.Should I Get Fancy with My Resume?Short answer: probably not. You can never go wrong with a classic, well-laid-out text document. Things like video resumes and infographi c resumes get a lot of hype because they’re different and seem hipper, but it’s important to remember a few things about your resume:The first person reading your resume may be a robot. Online applications generally have some kind of screening process in place before a pair of human eyes ever reads applicants’ resumes. If your resume can’t be screened by standard text-based software, then it likely won’t move on to the next round.The average time that recruiters or hiring managers spend reading a resume is 8 seconds. Alarming, no? That means your information needs to jump out at them. The best way to do that is to use a familiar format, but make the information pop. If they have to spend time figuring out what they’re looking and and where to get the information they need, it can definitely work against you.So again, unless you’re applying for a video-heavy creative arts position or a graphic design gig, â€Å"cool† formats sho uld probably be secondary to a classic format.How Do I Make My Resume Stand Out?Once you’ve got the basic information in your resume, you can use these elements to make it stand out in a crowd of similar applicants:Deploy action verbs. Using strong words to describe your experience and responsibilities makes it more vivid and interesting to the reader.Use stellar spelling and grammar. Always, always, always proofread your resume, and have someone trusted do it as well. Glaring mistakes could cost you, especially since you likely used â€Å"detail-oriented† or something similar as one of your skills.Don’t overcrowd. We’ve all had it drilled into our heads that a resume should be no longer than one page. One page is still a decent rule of thumb, but if you genuinely need more space than that, don’t overcompensate by making the font and margins tiny to cram everything in. If your resume isn’t easily readable, chances are it won’t be read .Whether you’re a resume first-timer or merely looking for a memory boost, we hope this info gets you started on the path to a kickass resume for your next job opportunity. Good luck!

T4RSP Tax Slips for Canadian Income Taxes

T4RSP Tax Slips for Canadian Income Taxes A Canadian T4RSP tax slip, or Statement of RRSP Income, is prepared and issued by a financial institution to tell you and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) how much money you withdrew from or received out of your RRSPs for a given tax year and how much tax was deducted. A T4RSP slip also shows the amount withdrawn from an RRSP under the Home Buyers Plan and for the Lifelong Learning Plan. Money transferred from an RRSP to a spouse or partner under a court order or written agreement in a marriage or partnership breakdown is also shown on a T4RSP. Residents of Quebec receive a Relevà © 2 (RL-2). Deadline for T4RSP Tax Slips T4RSP tax slips must be issued by the last day of February the year after the calendar year to which the T4RSP tax slips apply. Sample T4RSP Tax Slip This sample T4RSP tax slip from the CRA site shows what a T4RSP tax slip looks like. For more information on what is included in each box on the T4RSP tax slip and how to deal with it when filing your income tax return, click on the box number in the pull-down menu or click on the box on the sample T4RSP tax slip. Filing T4RSP Tax Slips With Your Income Tax Return When you file a paper income tax return, include copies of each of the T4RSP tax slips you receive. If you file your income tax return using NETFILE or EFILE, keep copies of your T4RSP tax slips with your records for six years in case the CRA asks to see them. Missing T4RSP Tax Slips If you havent received a T4RSP slip, file your income tax return by the deadline anyway to avoid penalties for filing your income taxes late. Calculate the income and any related deductions and credits you can claim as closely as you can using any information you have. Include a note with the financial institutions name and address, the type and amount of RRSP income and related deductions, and what you have done to get a copy of the missing T4RSP slip. Include copies of any statements you used in calculating the income and deductions for the missing T4RSP tax slip. Other T4 Tax Information Slips Other T4 tax information slips include: T4 - Statement of Remuneration PaidT4A - Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other IncomeT4A(OAS) - Statement of Old Age SecurityT4A(P) - Statement of Canada Pension Plan BenefitsT4E - Statement of Employment Insurance and Other BenefitsT4RIF - Statement of Income From a Registered Retirement Income Fund

Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom Essay

Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom - Essay Example It has been known that these learning difficulties in some children are due to neurological deficiencies in students. Some attribute the problem to possible hereditary or genetic factors. However, recent studies show that learning disabilities can also be caused by ineffective and inefficient learning strategies used by these students when dealing with regular classroom tasks. This, in turn, makes them more frustrated and prone to errors. But these students with learning difficulties can be taught different efficient and effective learning techniques for them to gain more parity with other normal students (Westwood, 2003, p. 10). Many parents or guardians of these children with learning disability believe that their children will be better off in a school or institution that specifically caters to these so-called special students. That is possible because the faculty and staff of these special schools are trained for special education and know how to handle these types of children. Also, the curriculums in these schools are particularly designed for children with special needs. However, the lack of social interaction with normal kids in these schools may make it a little difficult for them to cope with the challenges of the "real world" as they grow, though there are some who became successful in their own right. Including learning disabled children in a regular classroom setting is a common practice now. Children with learning difficulties are allowed to interact and mingle with normal kids so as not to make them feel different or outcast because of their disability. This inclusion movement, though, makes it difficult for teachers who are used to just teaching normal kids to handle these students with special needs. As Schultz (2003) stated, "many - despite their excellent track records - find themselves ill-prepared or inadequately supported to meet the special needs of students who require specialized instruction." However, with continuous learning of different teaching approaches and seeking advice from professionals and experts in special education, a so-called "hybrid teacher" (Schultz, 2003) can be achieved. This is a kind of instructor who knows how to deal with both normal and learning disabled students in one classroom, and be successful in it. There are different kinds of approaches to teaching children with learning difficulties. It can be student-centered, process-centered or direct approach. These styles can be combined to achieve best results. But after some analysis were made in the outcomes of these approaches, the following features, when combined, are identified to create the most effective teaching approach for children with learning difficulties: carefully controlling and sequencing the curriculum content to be studied; providing abundant opportunities for practice and application of newly acquired knowledge and skills; ensuring high levels of participation and responding by the children []; using interactive group teaching; modeling by the teacher of effective ways of completing school tasks; teaching children how best to attempt new learning tasks []; making appropriate use of technology []; providing supplementary assistance (e.g. homework; parental tutoring, etc.) []. Abundant guided practice; the

Economy and Socal Life in Kenya Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economy and Socal Life in Kenya - Assignment Example Kenya has made progress towards enhancing effectiveness in the political system with the implementation of a new constitution. Kenya has a population of 44 million with most people living in the rural areas. The capital city is Nairobi. It is also the hub for many government services. The other major towns and cities in Kenya are Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kisumu. Kenya is bordered by countries like Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The two main languages in Kenya are Swahili and English. It provides information on the people, infrastructure, education, security, and transport. Kenya is made of 42 tribes that are spread out in different parts of the country. The notable ethnic groups in Kenya are Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii, and Meru. The chart shows ethnic group distribution according to the data presented by the CIA World Factbook. The major religions in Kenya are Christianity and Islam. Majority of Kenyans fall between 25 and 54 years. The majority of Kenyans are young. The country struggles with high infant mortality rates, HIV/AIDS, famine, and floods. According to the CIA World Factbook, Kenya ranks 31 when compared to other nations in the world. It is clear from the graph that Kenya has many non-Africans who are citizens and foreigners. The country has expatriates who work with large business corporations or non-governmental organizations that deal with environmental issues, aid, and relief and activities. Most of the expatriates live in highly secured estates. The estates have secured houses with compounds to limit movement in and out. The diverse nature of the Kenyan population makes it easy for foreigners to fit in. The culture can be termed as friendly with most people believing in the concept of African hospitality. Kenyans find it easy to help foreigners.

Public Transport Essay Example for Free

Public Transport Essay Public transport can be define as a system of vehicles such as buses and trains, which operate at regular times on fixed routes and are used by the public. In Malaysia, the number of vehicle on the road has been increase in every year. It shows that the public now is affordable to have at least a motorcycle as their daily transport rather than use the public transport. The public should not use the public transport because the risk of being the criminal victim will increase the people need to wait a long time for the public transport and the public cannot have comfort in their journey to their destination. Firstly, the disadvantages of using public transport are the risk of being the criminal victim is high .Many criminal case is being reported is causes when the public using this kind of transport. Raped and snatch crime is the most common cases that causes by the public transport. As example, when a woman used the public transport such as bus lonely, she will sit beside someone that she does not know the background, behavior or its intention to her. It is also dangerous when a person in a crowded train, many people around her will take advantage to snatch her wallet unconsciously. In addition, when using the public transport, people cannot have a comfortable journey to their destination. Some of the public transport such as bus is usually dirty and smelly. It will make the passenger uncomfortable due to that condition instead they using their own car .Beside that, when there is too much passenger in a train or bus , it is impossible to have a seat although they pay same fare as well as other people. Some special people such as disabled person and old folks may be treated bad when they are in the public transport. Moreover, the disadvantages of using public transport are the people need to wait for a long time to have a bus or train. People will waste their time during they waiting for the public transport instead they used their own transport to go whenever they desired anytime. As example, when a person is having an emergency such as death in the family while he using a public transport, it will be take a long time for him to reach his destination on the time. However, there is an advantage when using the public transport in which it will prevent the environment from pollution such as air or land. Furthermore, when using the public transport, the traffic jam in a city also can be reduce at the same time because the causes of the traffic jam is when there is too much vehicle entering the city. When there is too much vehicle, the percentage or risk of an accident to occur is also high. As the conclusion, the usage of public transport is more contribute to the disadvantages to us. People should emphasize and realize that when they using the public transport ,risk of being the criminal victim will increased , the people need to wait a long time for the public transport and the public cannot have comfort in their journey to their destination.

The Equal Rights Amendment Essay -- Women Feminism Equality Essays

The Equal Rights Amendment "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1923, this statement was admitted to Congress under the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution granting equality between men and women under the law. If the Era was passed, it would have made unconstitutional any laws that grant one sex different rights than the other. However, in the 1970s, the Era was not passed, and therefore did not become law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The idea for an equal rights amendment first became acknowledged in the early part of the twentieth century. In 1916, Alice Paul founded the National Women's party (NWP), a political party dedicated to establishing equal rights for women. Traditionally, women were viewed as weaker and inferior to men. The purpose of the ERA was to prohibit any person from acting on this belief. Alice Paul viewed that equality under the law was the foundation essential to full equality for women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In November of 1922, the NWP voted to work for a federal amendment that could guarantee women's equal rights regardless of legislatures' indecisions. The NWP had 400 women lobbying for equality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite strong opposition by some women and men, the NWP introduced and Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1923. In order to become law, the amendment needed a two-thirds vote in both houses of the congress of the United States, or a supporting petition of two-thirds of the state legislatures. Then the amendment would have required ratification by three-fourths of the states. However, it failed to get the two-thirds majority required to move onto the states for approval. The proposed amendment also failed in following sessions until 1972, when it won a majority vote in Congress. The main objectives of the women's movement included equal pay for equal work, federal support for day-care centers, recognition of lesbian rights, continued legalization of abortion, and the focus of serious attention on the problems of rape, wife and child beating, and discrimination against older and minority women. The ERA would have addressed all of these issues if it were passed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Had it been adopted, the ERA would have resolved the paradox of an oppressed majorit... ...t giving the Supreme Court and federal agencies authority to spell out the meaning of equal rights would be risky. Decisions made on such a level would be too far removed from the ideas and desires of the people. Opponents felt that equal rights should be dealt with on a local or state level where legislators can be voted out of position if the people do not like some of the decisions made.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the ERA did not pass, all of the actions made by NOW, NWP, and any of the other women's movements, have greatly aided women in their battle against sex discrimination in the work place, in educational institutions, and in their roles as wives and mothers, and finally laid to rest the controversy over protective legislation and equal rights.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like the Fourteenth Amendment, we are inclined to forget that the ERA was designed not to change values but to modify behavior of mainstream citizens by changing the constitutional status of a particular group. The ERA's purpose was and is to provide equality of opportunity through the Constitution and legal system for those women who want to realize full personal and professional expectations within mainstream America.

Art History: Abstract Art vs Pop Art Essay

There have been different art forms that have come and gone over the course of time. Some of the most intriguing art forms in my mind come from the 20th century. Out of all of these 20th century art forms, geometric abstract art and pop art are my favorite. These two art movements came close to each other in reference to time period. Geometric abstract art originated in the 7th century but became a dominant movement in 1937. Pop art emerged in the 1950s. These two art forms were similar in ways but they had different moods of expression. We will take a closer look at each one of these forms of art. Geometric abstraction form uses lines, squares, triangles and circles painted with primary or secondary colors or are sculpted in steel or aluminum. As mentioned, the focus of geometric abstraction began in New York after the outbreak of World War II where the tradition was continued by the American Abstract Artists group formed in 1937. The War had a great impact on the economy that was struggling to recover. War is always something that has effects on families and friends that have the daily threat of losing loved ones to injuries or even death. Being that art is a mighty way to express one self, geometric abstraction became popular throughout this time in history. The economic recovery after the war was positive and geometric abstract art had a strong impact on the society at that time. This art form has continued and is still seen various places in today’s society. One of the most famous geometric abstract srtists was Kazimir Malevich. Malevich is famous for his painting The Black Spuare. He was known for expressing himself in a spiritual way through his work. Music was one of his main ways to express himself but geometric abstraction was Malevich’s way of expressing â€Å"pure feeling. † This â€Å"pure feeling† is expressed in his work, The Black Square. This square was simply represented many things. It represented feeling, God, a void, and an icon. It is amazing how one great artist can use a simple square that represented so many things. This form of art has passed down to our generation what it means to express yourself through art. The Pop Art period came immediately after the Geometric abstraction period. This form of art originated in Britain way back in the mid 1950’s. Sometime from the late 1950’s, through the 1960’s it made its way into America and flourished throughout the 1970’s. This art was known as â€Å"fun† art because of the sense of humor portrayed in the art. This art period marked the end of modernism and was at the beginning of the postmodern era. â€Å"With respect to pop art, an artist would select required material fro, its source, isolate the entities that it is composed of and combine them with others extracted in a similar manner for consideration (pop art). † The social conditions that may have contributed to this style included the need by the artists to cut out identities and niches, â€Å"due to the academic orientation that was taking shape (pop art). † The term â€Å"pop art† began with artist Lawrence Aalloway. Lawrence was and English art critic that used this term to break away from the dominance of abstract art. The main point of pop art as a whole was to bring art back into the daily life of Americans. One of the most famous Pop Art artist is Andy Warhol. Andy was one of the first artist to use â€Å"repetition for allowing an iconic image to lose all value (pop art). †Andy’s most famous works of art is the Campbell’s soup cans. This started in 1962. Campbell’s soup can labels are very popular even in todays society. We see them on a regular basis in everyday life. Because it is so common, it has had a huge impact on advertisement for the Campbell’s soup company. Pop art began to be a great form of advertisement for many companies. This is one of the biggest impacts that pop art has on today’s society and art world. Little did Andy Warhol know, but his design would still be dominant and popular in 2012. These two art forms can be compared by looking at what the artist were trying to convey. Artists from both forms use their art to express some kind of emotion. They do this by using vibrant and neon colors. There are also the same in that they are both paintings. The main thing that these two art periods have in common is the fact that they occurred around the World War II days. The main difference is that pop art depicts things as opposed to abstract art that has no subject. For example, abstract art uses big canvases and applies paint rapidly for expression as opposed to pop art which brings things of everyday life into art. It does this by using comics, television, and magazines. Pop artist found abstract expressionism to pretentious and intense. Abstract art is mainly based on emotion due to the horror of World War II and the conditions of the times. Pop art brought an era of excitement and enthusiasm through the tough times. It did this through fun forms of logos and advertisement. Pop art relates to abstract art by the idea of emotion being expressed through art, as well as they are both painting eras. For example, the two works of art mentioned earlier, The Black Square and the Campbell’s Soup logo are not drawings or sketching, but rather paintings. These two art forms can be compared by looking at what the artist were trying to convey. Artists from both forms use their art to express some kind of emotion. They do this by using vibrant and neon colors. Abstract artist would pick up paint brushes and began to throw out some designs in form of expression. Pop artists would attempt to express a fun and entertaining vibe through their work. They can also be compared with the fact that they both are paintings and come from the same overall time period. Pop art had a major impact on the art world. Pop art impacted music as pop music began in the 1950’s and 60’s. Pop art was used in the designs for the music covers of music artists such as Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Movie stars such as Marilyn Monroe were also conveyed through pop art. Famous pop artist Andy Warhol developed the concept of silkscreen printing which is used for mass production. Pop art was one of the biggest eras that renovated the art world by giving people and avenue for advertisement that is still used today such as the Campbell’s soup can labels. It was also an avenue for comic books and fashion. All of these things are still found in today’s art world.

English Language Article Comparison Essay

In this piece of work I will be comparing two articles from newspapers. Both the articles are about the same story and were printed on the same day (Tuesday October 13th 1998), however they are from two different newspapers. One of them is from The Sun and the other from The Telegraph, the main difference between these two papers is that The Sun is a tabloid and The Telegraph is a broadsheet. Throughout this piece of work I will try to examine the difference in their attitudes towards writing news due to this variation in category of newspaper. The article concerns dogs that were at a police dog training unit, the instructor allegedly forced a handler to kick and hang the dogs, one of the dogs involved died. The first and most distinctive thing you realise about these two stories is the difference in headlines. Firstly in The Telegraph the height of the letters involved is only approximately 1cm where as in The Sun it is 2. 6cm. This clearly shows that The Sun wants to make a larger impact and draw your attention to that particular story. Other points about the headlines that back this up are the style of writing. In The Telegraph the headline has been written in serif, this means that the editor has decided to use a font which includes small decorative lines at the ends of letters, however The Sun’s headline is in sans serif and so doesn’t have these lines. This makes the letters much more sharp, and ‘right-angled’ this gives a hard feel to the words and helps attract readers. Another way the editor has used the headline to attract the reader in The Sun is by using block capitals, this instantly makes the letters bigger, stand out and coupled with the words being in bold black and sans serif gives a real shock effect. A similarity between these two headlines though is that they both use quotes, this makes it sound and feel more real to a reader because it says exactly what actual people said and after having read the subheadline, probably what they said in court. However, I personally feel that the main difference is the actual words that have been used. The Sun’s headline is much more emotive, it uses words such as ‘cruel’, ‘kick’ and death. These words will instantly capture people and conjure up images that will stir their imagination and make them want to read on. Not only this but the headline also reads ‘kick his own dog to death’, this makes it seem even worse because it wasn’t a dog belonging to the police but his own family pet. It makes the whole thing seem even more cruel and will once again make people more interested in the story, especially for people who have pet dogs. However, The Telegraph is much more informative and factual, it makes a statement about what happened without going into detail about the emotions of it. It says; ‘Police ‘told to kick and punch dogs†, although it does uses words such as ‘kick’ and ‘punch’ it uses them in a way to inform what the police had been told to do and doesn’t go into detail about what the trainer was like. I also feel an interesting thing to also look at is the use of ‘made’ and ‘told’ in these two headlines. When The Sun says ‘†¦made cop kick his own god to death’ it uses ‘made’ to incriminate the trainers, it makes it sound like the policemen didn’t have a choice and that the whole incident was the trainers fault. Whereas The Telegraph uses ‘told’, this is much more informative and is simply saying what happened, there is no emotional influence in the way The Telegraph have written this headline. The subheadlines are also quite interesting, firstly their placing, The Telegraph has decided to place the subheadline before the main headline and in The Sun it has been placed after the headline. This may have been done for a number of reasons. In The Telegraph the subheadline reads; ‘German Shepard died after punishment, court told’ this subheadline has probably been used to give the reader a bit more information about the story before they read on like the type of dog involved and the fact that the dog died. In The Sun they have decided to put the information that the dog died in their headline and the fact it was a German Shepard isn’t mentioned in The Sun at all. On to The Sun’s subheadline and it simply reads ‘Jury told of punishment’ this has been put after the headline to inform the reader of where the quote of the headline came from. As well as this in The Sun not only does it have a subheadline after the headline, it also has other subheadlines throughout the story to introduce new parts of the article and to split it into three parts; the extra subheadlines are ‘Warned’ and ‘Shaking’. These words are actually used in the section of the article they introduce so that the reader will want to continue. You notice these words and they stand out because they are very expressive and they give you information about what is going to happen in the article even if you don’t read on. I also feel that The Sun has used these particular words to good use, if you didn’t have time to read the whole article and only read the headline and these subheadlines you would leave with a very strong feeling of hatred towards the trainers. Not only with words like ‘made’ which I have already explained, but when it is followed by a subheadline of ‘warned’ it makes you feel as though the police were threatened by the trainers and were warned by them to do nothing wrong. I personally feel that The Telegraph has a more hard-hitting headline for a particular reason. The Sun has made it’s main headline strike out of the page and really make you read on, this means they have put a simple subheadline so as not to overshadow the headline. Whereas The Telegraph has done it the other way around, their headline is not so hard-hitting so the editor has decided to include an emotive subheadline to aid the reader in being interested in the story and to red on. After having seen the headlines and been attracted to the story you begin to read the main text. Straight away in the hook paragraph you can see differences in the papers’ attitudes. Firstly, and most obviously the fact that in The Sun the first paragraph has been written in bold, and simply written normally in The Telegraph. Once again it seems that The Sun has been much more emotive in its approach. Words such as ‘forced’ and ‘kicked it’ are used, not only this but the word ‘DIED’ is written in block capitals, this is to emphasise the word and everything it means and the horror of what happened to the dogs. Words used in The Telegraph are very interesting. The first line explains that the dogs were ‘chastised’, it is interesting they should use this word because although it is hard hitting it probably doesn’t have the same effect on you as ‘kicking’ (which is in The Sun). However The Telegraph does say that dogs were ‘hung helplessly from a wall by their leads’ this is then followed by ‘a court was told yesterday’ it is as though The Telegraph wants to remain on the fence by simply stating what was said but at the same time drumming up emotion in the reader and making them read on, all in all The Sun is more opinionated and The Telegraph is trying as best it can to stay factual. A similarity between the two stories is the use of quotation. Both articles have many quotes from the police officers and trainers in question and almost all of the quotes were said in court. This could well be because on the day these two articles were published the case was still in court and they had little else to go on than this. Also the writer of the article in The Sun has done something slightly unusual in that he has decided to put some paragraphs into italics. This is almost certainly to draw the readers attention to that part of the story and make them read and think about it a different way. There are three paragraphs throughout the article that are in italics and out of these two of them focus on the cruelty to the animals, they go into detail about the way in which this happened and how the dogs reacted to it. The third paragraph describes how two of the handlers left in protest to what was going on before the dog died. Both these points are quite significant to the overall story and you can see why the writer may well have wanted the reader to be more aware of these facts that perhaps other points. Another point that I have found very interesting is sentence type used in both articles. It is normal for newspapers to use a lot of declarative sentences, these help the reporter to get across to the reader all the important information quickly and easily. An example from The Sun would be; ‘PC James English told the court his dog Tazz had been hanged for growling’ and The Telegraph; ‘Trainers at the police dog unit, based at Sandon, Chelmsford, Essex’. However, differences occur between the newspapers when you look at the use of complex sentences, these are more rarely used in papers as they are longer and are not so dramatic. However, as you would except it is The Telegraph that has used a couple but The Sun has used a lot fewer. As I have already described, The Telegraph is a more up-market paper and is aimed towards a sector of society who appreciate this sort of writing whereas The Sun is not. In fact a complex sentence has been used in The Telegraph to say the same as my last quotation of a declarative sentence from The Sun; †PC James English said his dog, Tazz was twice subjected to the hanging method after he had growled during training’.

The Beatitudes Essays

The Beatitudes Essays The Beatitudes Essay The Beatitudes Essay Essay Topic: The Book Thief The beatitudes, or the commandments of blessedness, given us by the Saviour, do not in anyway annul the commandments of the Law. On the contrary, these commandments complement each other. The Ten Commandments of the Law are restricted to prohibiting those acts which would be sinful. The Beatitudes explain to us how we may attain Christian perfection or grace. The Ten Commandments were given in Old Testament times to restrain wild, primitive people from evil. The Beatitudes are given to Christians to show them what disposition to have in order to draw closer and closer to God, to acquire holiness, and together with that, blessedness, which is the highest degree of happiness. Holiness, arising from proximity to God, is the loftiest blessedness, the greatest happiness that anyone could possibly desire. The Old Testament Law is a strict code of righteousness, but the New Testament Law of Christ is the law of Divine love and grace, the only means by which people are given the strength to live in full observance of the Law of God and to approach perfection. Jesus Christ, calling us to the eternal Kingdom of God, shows us the way to it through fulfillment of His commandments. For their fulfillment He, the King of Heaven and earth, promises eternal blessedness in the future eternal life. Our Saviour teaches: 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 2. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. 3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 4. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. . Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. 8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 9. Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in Heaven. In each of these teachings of the Lord, one should observe the commandments on the one hand and the promises of reward on the other. For the fulfillment of the commandments of the Beatitudes it is necessary to have contact with God through prayer, both internal and external. One must struggle against sinful inclinations through fasting, abstinence, and so on. The First Beatitude Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed - joyful in the highest degree and pleasing to God; poor in spirit - humble, those who are conscious of their imperfections and unworthiness before God, and never think that they are better or more holy than others. Spiritual lowliness is the conviction that our entire life and all our spiritual and physical blessings, such as life, health, strength, spiritual ability, knowledge, riches, and every good thing of life, all this is the gift of our Creator God. Without help from Heaven, it is impossible to acquire either material well-being or spiritual riches. All this is the gift of God. Spiritual lowliness is called humility. Humility is the foundation of Christian virtue, because it is the opposite of pride, and pride introduced all evil into the world. Due to pride the first among the angels became the Devil; the first people sinned, their descendants quarreled and went to war among themselves from pride. The first sin was pride (Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus 10:15). Without humility it is impossible to return to God. Nor are any of the other Christian virtues possible. Humility permits us to know ourselves, correctly to assess our worth and deficiencies. It acts beneficially in the fulfillment of our obligations to our neighbor, arouses and strengthens in us faith in God, hope and love for Him. It attracts the mercy of God to us and also disposes people well towards us. The Word of God says, A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit; a heart is broken and humbled God will not despise (Ps. 50:17). Surely he scorneth scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly (Prov. 3:34). Learn of me, instructs the Saviour, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matt. 11:29). Physical misery or privation can result in the acquisition of much spiritual humility if this privation or need is accepted with good will, without a murmur. But physical privation does not always result in spiritual humility; it can lead to bitterness. Even the wealthy can be spiritually humble if they understand that visible, material wealth is decadent and transitory, fleeting, and that it is substitute for spiritual riches. They must understand the word of the Lord, For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? (Matt. 16:26). But Christian humility must be strictly distinguished from self-seeking self-abasement, such as fawning and flattery, which discredit human dignity. It is necessary strictly to reject so-called noble self-love or defense against affronts to ones honor, which reflect prejudices, pernicious superstitions, which were inherited from Roman paganism hostile to Christianity. The true Christian must decisively renounce these superstitions which resulted in the anti-Christian and shameful custom of the duel and revenge. In reward for meekness of spirit, humility, the Lord Jesus Christ promises the Kingdom of Heaven, a life of eternal blessedness. Participation in the Kingdom of God for the humble begins here and now - by means of faith and hope in God; but the ultimate reward in all of its fullness will be seen in the future life. The Second Beatitude Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. The weeping about which the second beatitude speaks is first of all true tribulation of heart, and repentant tears for our sins, weeping over our guilt before the merciful God (for example, the tears of the Apostle Peter after his renunciation). For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death, said the Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 7:10). Tribulation and tears coming from misfortunes which befall us can be spiritually beneficial. For example, the death of one of our close ones can result in beneficial tears, if the sorrow is permeated by faith and hope, patience and devotion to the will of God. Jesus Christ Himself wept over the death of Lazarus. Even more so can tears and tribulation lead to blessedness when they are shed over the suffering of our unfortunate neighbor, if these sincere tears are ccompanied by Christian deeds of love and mercy. Worldly grief is grief without hope in God. It proceeds not from acknowledgment of ones sins before God, but rather from disappointment in ambition, aspiration to power, desire for gain. Such sadness, characterized by despondency and despair, leads to spiritual death, which can also result in physical death, by suicide or simply weakness due to lack of will to live. An example of such grief is that of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ the Saviour. As a reward for mourning the Lord promises that they that mourn will be comforted. They will receive forgiveness of sins, and through this, internal peace. The mourners will receive eternal joy, eternal blessedness. The Third Beatitude Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness is peaceful, fully developed Christian love, free from all malice. It is manifested in the spirit of a man who never becomes angry, and never permits himself to grumble against God or people. Meek people do not become irritated and they do not vex or aggravate other people. Christian meekness expresses itself mainly in patient endurance of insults inflicted by others and is the opposite of anger, malice, self-exaltation and vengeance. A meek person always regrets the hardness of heart of the offending party. He desires his correction, prays to God for forgiveness of his deeds, remembering the precept of the Apostle: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Romans 12:18-19). The best example of meekness given to us is that of our Lord Jesus praying on the cross for His enemies. He taught us to not take vengeance on our enemies but to do good to them. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matt. 11:29). Meekness tames even the hardest hearts. We can be convinced of this by observing the lives of people, and we find confirmation of it throughout the history of Christian persecutions. A Christian may become angry only with himself, at his own fall into sin, and at the tempter - the Devil. The Lord promises the meek that they will inherit the earth. This promise indicates that meek people in the present life will be preserved on earth by the power of God, in spite of all the intrigues of men and the most cruel persecution. But in the future life, they will be heirs of the heavenly homeland, the new earth (2 Peter 3:13) with its eternal blessings. The Fourth Beatitude Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are those people who deeply acknowledge their sinfulness, their guilt before God, and have a burning desire for righteousness. They try to serve God by a righteous life according to the commandments of Christ, which requires from Christians the most holy righteousness in all their relations with their neighbors. The expression hunger and thirst indicates that our yearning for righteousness must be very strong, as strong as our desire to appease our appetite and thirst. King David beautifully expressed such yearning, As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsted for God, the mighty the living (Ps. 41:1-2). God promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. By this is meant spiritual satisfaction, comprised of internal spiritual peace, a calm conscience, justification, and forgiveness. Such satisfaction in the present, earthly life occurs only in part. The Lord reveals the mysteries of His kingdom to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, more than to others. Their hearts in this world are delighted with knowledge revealed in the divine truths of the Gospel, in Orthodox teachings. Full satiety, full satisfaction of the holy yearnings of the human soul, and from this highest joy and blessedness, will be granted them in the future, blessed life with God. As the psalmist King David says, I shall be filled when Thy glory is made manifest to me (Ps. 16:16). The Fifth Beatitude Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy The merciful are those who have compassion for others, who with all their hearts pity those who have fallen into misfortune or unhappiness, and who try to help them with good works. Works of mercy are both physical and spiritual. Bodily works of mercy: Feeding the hungry. Giving drink to the thirsty. Clothing the naked. Visiting those in prison. Visiting the sick and helping them recover or preparing them for a Christian death. Inviting strangers and foreigners and travellers into ones home and giving them rest. Burying the dead. Spiritual works of mercy: By word and example to convert the sinner from the error of his way (James 5:20). Teaching the ignorant truth and goodness. Dispensing good and timely advice to neighbors who are in distress or danger. Comforting the grieving. Refraining from returning evil for evil. Forgiving offenses with all ones heart. Praying to God for everyone. To the merciful, God promises in return that they will receive mercy. In the future judgment of Christ they will be shown the special mercy for the righteous. They will be delivered from eternal punishment for their sins to the degree to which they showed mercy to others on earth (See Matt: 25:31-46). The Sixth Beatitude Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The pure in heart are those people who not only do not sin openly, but do not conceal unclean thoughts, desires and feelings in their hearts. The hearts of such people are free from attachment and infatuation with physical, earthly things. In general they are free from passions caused by self-centeredness, egotism and pride. People with pure hearts unceasingly think about God. In order to acquire a pure heart, it is necessary to observe the fasts proclaimed by the Church, and to guard oneself against gluttony, drunkenness, depraved spectacles and amusements, improper teachings and indecent books. Purity of heart is far superior to simple sincerity. Sincerity requires only that a person be candid and single hearted in relation to his neighbor. But purity of heart requires complete suppression of depraved thoughts and constant remembrance of God and His holy commandments. To the pure in heart God promises that they will see God. Here on earth they will see Him through Grace, mysteriously, with the spiritual eyes of their hearts. They can see God in His revelations, images and likenesses. In the future, eternal life, they will see God as He is (1 John 3:2). Furthermore, since contemplation of God is a source of the highest blessing, the promise to see God is a promise of the highest degree of blessedness. The Seventh Beatitude Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Peacemakers are people living with everyone in peace and harmony and fostering peace among people. When other people are at enmity among themselves they try to reconcile them, or at least pray to God for their reconciliation. Peacemakers remember the words of the Saviour, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you (John 14:27). If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men, said the Apostle Paul (Romans 12:18). To the peacemakers the Lord promises that they will be called sons of God. They will be the closest to God, heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ. The peacemakers by their spiritual feat resemble the Only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, Who came to earth to reconcile sinful people with Divine judgment and to establish peace among people in place of the animosity reigning among them. Therefore to the peacemakers is promised the epithet, sons of God, and inexpressible blessedness. The Eighth Beatitude Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. For righteousness sake, is meant to live righteously according to the commandments of God, and resolutely fulfilling Christian obligations. Persecuted - for their righteous and pious life, they suffer oppression, persecution, privation and adversity at the hands of the unrighteous enemies of truth and goodness, but nothing can cause them to waver from the truth. Persecution is inevitable for Christians living according to the Gospel’s righteousness, because evil people detest righteousness, as truth exposes their evil deeds, and always persecute people who stand for the truth. The Only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, was Himself crucified by haters of Gods truth. For all His followers He predicted: If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20). All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, says the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 3:12). In order to endure persecution patiently for righteousness sake, a person must have love for the truth, be steadfast and firm in virtuous living, have courage and patience, and faith and hope in the help and protection of God. To those persecuted for righteousness sake, for their struggles in confessing the truth, the Lord promises the Kingdom of Heaven, spiritual triumph, joy and blessedness in the heavenly dwellings of the future eternal life (see Luke 22:28-30). The Ninth Beatitude Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven. In the last, the ninth commandment, our Lord Jesus Christ calls especially blessed those who for the sake of Christ and for the true Orthodox faith in Him, patiently bear disgrace, persecution, malice, defamation, mockery, privation and even death. Such a spiritual feat is known as martyrdom. There is no higher spiritual feat than martyrdom. The courage of Christian martyrs must be distinguished from fanaticism, which is irrational zeal not according to reason. Christian martyrs must also be distinguished from the lack of feeling brought on by despair or pretended indifference, with which some criminals because their incorrigible hardness and pride, serve out their sentences and go to execution. Christian courage is based on the highest of Christian virtues, on faith in God, on hope in God, on love for God and neighbor, on complete obedience and unshaken faith in the Lord God. The highest form of martyrdom was suffered by Jesus Christ Himself, and in like manner, the Apostles and an innumerable multitude of Christians, who with joy went to martyrdom for the name of Christ. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, and looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (Heb. 12:1-3). For the spiritual feat of martyrdom, the Lord promises a reward in Heaven. But here on earth the Lord glorifies many martyrs for their firm confession of faith with incorruptible bodies and miracles. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other mens matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1 Pet. 4:14-16). Numberless Christians martyrs rejoiced during unspeakable torture, accounts of which are preserved in factual accounts of lives of the Saints. Note: In Roman courts, special scribes were obligated to write protocols (official records) of judicial procedures and legal decisions. Such protocols of interrogations, made in Roman courts during the legal process of Christian martyrs, after the period of persecutions were carefully preserved by the Church. The protocols came to be trustworthy accounts of the feats of martyrdom of the Christians. Discussion on the Meaning of Evil The concept of evil in the world imposes a grave burden of doubt in the hearts of many faithful people. It seems inconceivable that God would permit evil. In fact, God in His Omnipotence could easily eliminate evil. How could a merciful God allow the evil deed of a single offender to doom thousands, sometimes millions, or even half of humanity to poverty, grief or disaster? What then is the meaning of evil? With God nothing is without reason. In order to answer this question, it is necessary to recall what evil is. By the term evil we do not mean suffering, need and deprivation, but sin and moral guilt. God does not desire evil. Almighty God cannot approve of evil. More than that, God forbids evil. God punishes evil. Evil or sin is in contradiction to the will of God. Sin began, as we know, when the highest angel, created by God, insolently rejected obedience to the blessed will of God and became the Devil. Evil is caused by the Devil. He inspires or influences the occurrence of sin in man. It is not the body which is the source of sin, as many believe. The body becomes an instrument of sin or of good not of itself but through the will of a person. True faith in Christ elucidates the following two causes of sin in the world: The first cause lies in the free will of man. Our free will is the mark of our likeness to God. This gift of God elevates mankind to the highest of all earthly creatures. By freely choosing good and rejecting evil man exalts God, glorifies Him and perfects himself. In the book of the Wisdom of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 15:14), it says, He (God) in the beginning made man and left him in the hand of his own free will. By this God gives to people of good will the possibility to attain Heaven, and to people of evil will, the other world. However it happens, the result is only by means of a persons free will. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem says, If nature were fused together and it were not possible to do good by free will, then for whom would God prepare the inexplicable crown? Sheep are gentle, but they will never be crowned for their gentleness, because their gentleness comes not from their own free will but from their very nature. Saint Basil the Great says, Why is not sinlessness incorporated our nature, so that it would be impossible to sin, even if we wanted? You do not recognize good and faithful servants when you keep them restricted, but only when you see that they voluntarily fulfill their responsibilities before you. Virtue comes on the condition of free will, not necessity; and free will depends on the condition that we be free. Therefore, whoever reproaches the Creator for not creating us sinless prefers the irrational, immovable nature, not having any yearnings, nature gifted with judgment and independence. In other words, he prefers robots to intelligent creatures. Thus, the internal cause for the origin of evil, or sin, consists of the will of man. The second basis for the existence of evil consists in the fact that directs evil to good. But God does not tolerate evil for the sake of good. For God, it is not necessary to pay such a high price. God does not wish for evil under any circumstances. Bu t when evil penetrated into the world through the fault of sinful people, then God, in plan for the world, compelled even evil to serve good. For example, the sons of Jacob sold his brother Joseph into slavery. They committed an evil deed, but God turned the evil into good. Joseph rose in Egypt and acquired the capacity to save from starvation the family from which the Messiah would come. When Joseph saw his brothers several years later, he said to them, You intended evil against me, but God turned it into good! In the days of the Apostles, the Jews persecuted Christians in Palestine. The Christians had to flee from Judea, the land sanctified by the life and blood of the Saviour. But everywhere they went they sowed the words of the Gospel. The sins of the persecutors were directed into spreading Christianity. The pagan emperors of Rome persecuted the young Christian Church. Tens of thousands of martyrs shed their blood for Christ. The blood of the martyrs became seeds for millions of new Christians. The fury of the persecutors, their sins of hatred and murder were directed by God in this instance into the building up of the Church. They thought and accomplished evil. God turned all of their deeds to the good. The history of mankind, right up to the events of our day, testifies to the truth of these words. The greatest downfall of man concurred with the greatest religious triumph, the turning of men to God. We need only have patience and wait, one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:8) But this intertwining of evil into the plan for the management of the world did not appear to be some sort of belated addition for the correction of creation. The intertwining of evil was provided for in the act of the eternal will of God, in which was determined the creation of the world. For God is the eternal today! His foresight extends to eternity. It functions always and without interruption. (Extracted from a brochure by L. Lusin, Who is Right? with additions. )

Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko Facts

Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko Facts The satanic leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus), is a mild-mannered reptile that, despite its name, prefers to take peaceful naps in the forests of Madagascar. It has evolved an extreme method of camouflage: becoming a dead leaf. Fast Facts: Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko Scientific Name: Uroplatus phantasticusCommon Name: Satanic leaf-tailed geckoBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 2.5–3.5 inchesWeight: 0.35–1 ounceLifespan: 3–5 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Mountainous rainforests of eastern MadagascarConservation Status: Least Concern Description The satanic leaf-tailed gecko is one of 13 recognized species belonging to the gekkonid lizard genus Uroplatus, which were discovered on the island of Madagascar in the 17th century. The 13 species are broken into several groups based, in part, on the vegetation they mimic. U. phantasticus belongs in the group named U. ebenaui, which is comprised of three members, including U. malama and U. ebenaui: all three look like dead leaves. All leaf-tailed geckos have long, flat bodies with triangular heads. The satanic leaf-tailed gecko is mottled brown, gray, tan, or orange in color, the same shade as the decaying leaves in its natural environment. The geckos body is curved like the edge of a leaf, and its skin is marked with lines that mimic a leafs veins. But the most remarkable accessory in the leaf-tailed geckos disguise is undoubtedly its tail: The gecko has the longest and widest tail of all the U. ebenaui group. The lizards tail is not only shaped and colored like a leaf, but it also bears notches, frills, and imperfections to more closely resemble a dead leaf that has been gnawed on by insects. Like the rest of its group, the satanic leaf-tailed gecko is small in size compared to other Uroplatus groups, measuring between 2.5 to 3.5 inches long including its tail. reptiles4all/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution The satanic leaf-tailed gecko is found only in the mountainous rain forests in the southern two-thirds of eastern Madagascar, a large island nation just off the southeast coast of Africa. It is found at the base of trees disguising itself as leaf litter and up to about 6 feet up the trunk of a tree. Well known for its unique wildlife, Madagascars forests are home to lemurs and fossas and hissing cockroaches, in addition to being the only known habitat of the worlds satanic leaf-tailed geckos. Diet and Behavior The satanic leaf-tailed gecko rests all day, but as soon as the sun sets, its on the prowl for a meal. Its large, lidless eyes are made for spotting prey in the darkness. Like other lizards, this gecko is believed to feed on anything it can catch and fit in its mouth, from crickets to spiders. Little research has been done on satanic leaf-tailed geckos in their native environment, though, so we cant know for sure what else they consume. The satanic leaf-tailed gecko doesnt rely on passive camouflage to protect itself. It also behaves like a leaf when resting. The gecko sleeps with its body flattened against a tree trunk or branch, head down and leafy tail up. If needed, it twists its body to accentuate the leaf-like edges and help it blend in. It has a limited ability to change color, and when camouflage fails, it flicks its tail upwards, rears back its head, opens its mouth exposing a brilliant orange-red interior and sometimes even emits a loud distress call. reptiles4all/Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring In their native Madagascar, the start of the rainy season also marks the beginning of the gecko breeding season. When sexually mature, the male satanic leaf-tailed gecko has a bulge at the base of its tail, while the female does not. The female is oviparous, meaning she lays eggs and the young complete development outside of her body. The mother gecko lays her clutch, two or three spherical eggs, in the leaf litter on the ground or within dead leaves on a plant. This enables the young to remain hidden when they emerge about 95 days later. She may bear two or three clutches a year. Little is known about this secretive animal, but it is believed that the mother leaves the eggs to hatch and make it on their own. Conservation Status and Threats Though currently listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, this unusual lizard may soon be at risk. Madagascars forests are being degraded at an alarming rate. Exotic pet enthusiasts also create a high demand for collecting and exporting the species, which is currently illegal but may continue in low numbers. Sources Giant leaf-tailed gecko. Smithsonian.  Glaw, Frank, and Miguel Vences. A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar Including Mammals and Freshwater Fish. Cologne, Germany: Verlag, 2007.Madagascar Leaf Tailed Gecko Care Sheet and Information. Western New York Herpetological Society, 2001–2002.Ratsoavina, F., et al. Uroplatus phantasticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T172906A6939382, 2011.Ratsoavina, Fanomezana Mihaja, et al. A New Leaf Tailed Gecko Species from Northern Madagascar with a Preliminary Assessment of Molecular and Morphological Variability in the Uroplatus Ebenaui Group. Zootaxa 3022.1 (2011): 39–57. Print.Spiess, Petra. Natures Dead Leaves and Pez Dispensers: Genus Uroplatus (Flat-tailed geckos). Kingsnake.com.

Natural history and phenology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Natural history and phenology - Assignment Example In essence, this laboratory experiment entailed collecting phonological data for a tree on the campus of NEIU with a view of contributing to the modern phenology network. After being provided with a tree to be used for the experiment, I found out that the tree had broad leaf, alternate, compound, and pinnate. In this case, given that, the tree had a broad leaf it was a characteristic of a deciduous hardwood. As observed, one of the leaf was on each node, and it had multiple leaflets on a common stalk and the given multiple leaflets being arranged in a pattern resembling a feather and they were all attached to a central rachis. It had a bark of distinctive lighter streaks with a corn large about ? to 3/2 inch and a shallow cap resembling a beret. Following this chronological order of the tree characteristics, it was clear that the tree was the northern red oak as observed in the appendix B. This type of tree is often found on a varied of soil but more especially on moist sandy clay an d the rocky soil. The table 1 (appendix B) shows the chronological order followed in order to arrive at the conclusion that the tree was the northern oak. ... An oak wilt is a fungal disease often known to be transmitted by insects. It is worth noting that the ork wilt disease is transmitted through the underground roots. It is characterized by the leaf discoloring, bronzing and wilting. Contrary to what was the expected phenology, in week two, there were more leaves infected by the wilt disease with one side of the tree dropping off. Leaves were on the other hand turning brown and they were falling off. In the third week, it was evident that there were more leaves that had been infected with a single leave remaining green though some section of the tree showed signs of dying. On the fourth week, it was vivid that the entire tree was infected and thus ended up drying up. On 15th of October which marked the beginning and end of week five, it was clear from observation that the tree in its totality had turned brown and crusty. When finally, the observation was made on 11th of November, it was certainly clear that there were no leaves. The ta ble 2 (appendix A) shows the procedure followed in carrying out the experiment. Work Cited Koech, EE, & Chmielewski, Claudio. Guidelines for plant Phenological Observations. Meteorologie 2007, 398: 225 – 243. APPENDIX A Table 1. Broad leaf Bark with distinct lighter streaks Acon large ? to 3/2 inch with a shallow cap which resembles a beret. Found on moist but not wet sites Alternate Compound Pinnate Table 2. Week one Leaves were 4 to 9 inches long, dark green, with a distinctive lighter streakes. Week two More leaves infected by the wilt disease with one side of the tree dropping off Third week More leaves infected with a single leave remaining green Fourth week Entire tree was 11th of November No leaves 15th of October Tree had turned brown and crusty APPENDIX B Diagram 1 : Leaf