Irish Weddings Essay Example for Free

Irish Weddings Essay Ireland is one country, which is part of the larger United Kingdom (UK). It is a blessed country with numerous greens, which range from the rolling green hills of sheep pasture to the gorgeous gardens as well as ancient castles. Romance is so much embraced by the Irish culture with a lot of passion. The Irish culture allows one to lie in a meadow with his/her love, track down four leaf clovers, or to dance night long to the favorite Irish band. The culture is rich since the Irish is a blend of the old Celtic mythologies and the Christianity brought in by St. Patrick (Haggerty Bridget http://www. irishcultureandcustoms. com/). Therefore in a relationship both backgrounds have a great influence and tradition asks the lovers to be rational and to respect each other as well as their families. The culture demands that Lovers run bare feet through rugged terrain while tumbling in the grass in show of Irish’s love of nature. Irish Church Weddings St. Patrick was an Irish and his most cherished color was blue and until recently the national flag of the Ireland was blue in honor of him. In addition to the love of green, anyone who wishes to do a church wedding must have blue as a theme (Goodwin Audrey, p128). Considering the fact that the Irish are very patient and religious, the names of the bride and bridegroom are first read in church for three consecutive Sundays prior to the wedding day so as to allow the couple to reconsider their decisions as well as also gives others a chance to file an objection for the same. A couple registers in church for marriage three months prior to their wedding day. Irish Claddagh Ring The claddagh ring is very popular among the Irish and was given to the woman by the man as a show of love and faith. (Fielding, p268). This was especially when a man was going away for sometime, either to war or in pursuit for greener pastures to improve their living standards. The ring was worn by the woman to show that she is somebody’s and could be made more personal by using the birthstone of the person to show that it is specifically meant for her. Irish Hand Fasting Before St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, the inhabitants of Ireland believed in paganism and Celtic traditions that was attached with hand fasting. Hand fasting is a form of â€Å"trial marriage† which lasted for a year after which the couple are allowed to decide whether they are compatible to continue or to part ways. Sir Walter Scott as a betrothal day first introduced this day (Fielding, William J. p263). There was no attachments or commitments in hand fasting. Even today hand fasting has been incorporated in marriage ceremonies where the bride and the bridegroom have their hands bound together with ribbons. Irish Wedding Days Of The Week Ladies and gentlemen as you have realized the Irish are very religious and always put God before everything. The days of the week are lanked whereby Saturday is seen as no day. According to their traditions, Weddings cannot be done on Christmas day since it is Jesus birthday nor on Sunday as it is the lords worship day. They argue that the events that occur in wedding ceremonies, which include dancing and partying, are not appropriate during these special days. Some other days of the week like Friday and Saturday are also seen as inappropriate for weddings since the ceremonies can go for 2-3 and can stretch to Sunday. Irish Wedding Months For every situation the Irish have their sayings and concerning wedding months the Irish have the following myths: (Irish church wedding, http://www. romanceclass. com). They believe that the marriage that occurs in the start of the year is loving, kind and true. If one marries during the month of February his/her fate is on the balance but march weddings ends up with both joy and sorrow while those in April bring joy for both the bride and bridegroom. They further believe that to marry in May is a waste of time, To marry in June means that you will be away from each other a lot of time whereas July weddings are linked to struggling so much to make a living. Those marriages in the month of August are associated with many changes in the couple. September weddings on the other hand are linked with both wealth and comfort, whereby love and dynamic riches are for October weddings. In addition, only joy will come in November wedding but deficiency of other things and December is the best month for marriage since they belief that true love will manifest. Irish Love Charms Like the saying goes â€Å"the way to a man’s heart is true the stomach† a woman says the Irish traditional charm as she prepares food for her man. The charm is aimed at bringing the man and the woman closer to each other and makes their love grow each day. The woman longs for everlasting affection from her husband and wishes that her man could give her total attention. Irish traditional songs and lyrics The Irish are known to love songs and dance and this is more pronounced during courtship and marriage ceremonies (Mumphy et al, p126). Locals play flute and drum, fiddle as well as harp while singing helping music, which is full of fun in praise of the bride and bridegrooms. They have a proverb that says â€Å"the most beautiful music of all is the music of what happens† and hence all the music and dance is dedicated to the event of that day. Works cited. Fielding, William J. Strange Customs of Courtship and Marriage. The New Home Library, New York. 2005. P. 263. Goodwin Audrey, Irish-wedding traditions El Cajon, Ca. United States. March 2001 p128. Campbell Georgina, The Best Irish Breads and Baking. Georgina Campbell’s Ireland. 2007. p65 Mumphy, Colin and Donal O’Dea (2006), The Feckin’Book of Everything Irish. NewYork, Barnes and Noble. (2006) p126. irish church wedding accessed online 0n 1st October 2007 http://www. romanceclass. com/weddings/ireland/churcweddingasp. Haggerty Bridget, Irish culture and customs; the humor is on me now. Music for an Irish Wedding reception. jan, 2007. accessed online on 1st October 2007 http://www. irishcultureandcustoms. com/wedding/musicreception. html.

Of mice and men-Discuss the importance of the American dream Essay Example for Free

Of mice and men-Discuss the importance of the American dream Essay Dictionary: the American dream An American ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire: In the deepening gloom of the Depression, the American Dream represented a reaffirmation of traditional American hopes Dictionary: dream a cherished desire The American Dream is a dream of success, fame and wealth achieved in the United States of America. Its thought to be achievable by hard work, courage, and determination, or by getting rich quick. The concept often involves moving upward in the social classes, and may involve icons such as car, house, partner and pet. This definition of the American dream is universal, but it can have a different meaning for different classes of people. People have dreams The novel of mice and men, written by John Steinbeck, is set in 1930s California during the Great Depression. The two main characters called George and Lennie are migrant workers travelling from ranch to ranch just to get by and make a little money so that one day they can live their own American dream. Throughout the book, Lennie always asks George to tell him and re-tell him their dream of someday owning their own land. Someday were gonna get our jack together and were gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an a cow and some pigs. The use of the word someday shows a sense of longing and uncertainty; he doesnt know if it will happen soon or even at all. Because of the time the book is set or George and Lennies lifestyle, their dream is not the exact definition of the American dream. It is more to do with freedom and the amount of land owned which equals a higher status in society the more land you owned. George and Lennies dream is motivated by the fact that they have no stability in where they live or work. Being migrant workers, they have a very unsettled lifestyle because they dont know how long they will be needed to work there. After they arent needed or if they get fired, it could take a long time to find another job. Their dream of owning a rural house on their own in the Salinas valley is a comforting thought of stability and not having to worry about nowhere to live. The Salinas valley is not a typical rural setting of America, but as George and Lennie have not traveled far, it is their idea of perfect. There are no comfortable houses, but vast orchards, vineyards, and ranched thoroughly tended. In the book, the Californian countryside is described in vast detail at the beginning and end of every chapter. Steinbeck uses description of the surroundings as he, like Lennie developed a close bond with nature. In my opinion, this is Steinnbecks dream Other characters living on the ranch also have similar dreams. The migrant worker candy for example is afraid of being alone and dreams of living out the rest of his life with company. When he hears about George and Lennies dream asks them if he can join them so he wont be lonely. Spose I went in with you guys. Howd that be? When they can me I wont have no place else to go an I cant get no more jobs. He is desperate so he pleads with them even though he hasnt known them very long. Another person on the ranch with a dream is Curleys wife. Her dream is of fame and fortune Nother time I met a guy-he was in the pitchers. He said hed put me in the movies. Said I was a natural. Soons he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it. I never got that letter. I always thought my ol lady stole it. She has this dream as an escape from her husband who is very sexist and discriminatory against women. At the time the book is set, women were treated poorly and only thought of as housewives for bringing up children and were used commonly for sex purposes. Curley treats Curleys wife poorly so she dreams about being rich and famous being a movie star. Ironically, this is the dream of many American people nowadays; to be rich and famous as they aspire to be the everyday celebrities we see today. Another dream of hers is also not to be lonely. She explains to Lennie I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely. This shows that she is lonely because she confides in him about her problem and she doesnt know him at all. Crooks is the Negro stable buck. He has a separate room away from the white people living and working on the ranch. This also shows the amount of racism at the time the story is set. It seems his dream is to not be treated differently because of his skin colour. He says I aint wanted cause Im black. They play cards in there, but I cant play because Im black. They say I stink. It is obvious that he doesnt agree with these comments by the way he speaks. He speaks sharply showing he is angry about these comments. He talks about everyone else except for him playing cards implying that he would like to play cards too, along with everyone else. In conclusion, I think that the American dream is important to different characters in different ways and different interpretations.

The Present Environmental Ecological Crisis Theology Religion Essay

The Present Environmental Ecological Crisis Theology Religion Essay There is the worldwide recognition of the present environmental/ecological crisis and there is a central belief amongst the religions that nature was created by God and should be protected. As environmental degradation has occurred, we begin to ask ourselves about the relationship between human beings and nature. The focus on religion and the environment has grown in recent years. Researchers have looked specifically at the role of religion and ecology. Taylor defines the field of religion and ecology as one that focuses on: Identifying the obstacles that the worlds mainstream religions may pose to environmental sustainability, and secondly the resources such religions may have available for promoting environmentally beneficent behaviors, (992). There is the recognition that the Earth is in danger from human activity and use and changes need to be made in order to sustain life on the Earth (Taylor 998). Why is it important to use religion as a means for environmental action? Berry states that it is human carelessness and greed that caused the environmental problems that we are faced with today (30). With this in mind, we look to religion as this is what some individuals believe holds a large degree of responsibility for the start of our environmental problems. Lynn Whites 1967 essay, The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis suggested a link between religion and the environment. White singled out Christian attitudes as a reason for the environmental crisis. He proposed that the attitudes of individuals who do not regard nature as a central importance need to be changed. The earth needs to be respected and used in a manner that will help to preserve it for future generations, rather than exploit it for the present. White suggested that it was when the Industrial Revolution began that the human concern for the environment was lost to a greater degree than had been seen in the past. White interpreted the Bible as presenting human dominance over nature, leading individuals to care about themselves and industrial progress rather than about environmental matters and the ultimate effects of their actions on the earth. Besides Whites interpretation, there are many other suggested explanations for how humans viewed the world, and their resulting actions. From the philosophy of Rene Descartes, the universe was seen as a machine. It was from this time that economic progress was a priority and the long-term effects from the development and use of nature was not regarded as an issue (Sevier, 41). This is a view similar to that held by White, in that human progress and development has led to the environmental effects. However, this view does not specifically mention the role of religion. Carters interpretation of this issue suggests that the ecological crisis is not a result of Judeo-Christian traditions, but rather stems from the interpretation of the Bible and giving human beings dominance over other life forms (animals, plants) (358). This led to the exploitation of natural resources and ultimately to where we are today with the issue. Regardless of how it initially happened, we have to face reality and realize that as a society we have caused considerable damage to our planet. The role of religion Anthropologists suggest that religion persists because it has value to us, and such value can be either intrinsic, instrumental, or a combination thereof, (Strada 59). Sevier writes that, Traditionally, religion used to play an integral role in linking people to the natural world, imbuing people with the knowledge and values that make caring for it a priority, (38). Six major religions Buddhism Christianity Hinduism Islam Judaism Indigenous Religious Buddhism There is a universality of suffering. Being aware of suffering and produces compassion. Though traditional Buddhism regarded human life over that of animals, there is presently the recognition that all life forms should be respected equally. As humans we got ourselves into this ecological/environmental crisis and we are the ones that need to get ourselves out. Source: Swearer Christianity There is often seen to be a failure on the part of Christians in how they had interpreted the Bible and used the resources that God made available to them. Lynn Whites 1967 essay is an example of this. However, this is not the belief of all individuals. There recently has been an increased awareness of the environment in the United States as churches are initiating responsibility towards environmental protection. Hinduism Hindu images relate to the powerful natural world. Ecological sensitivity is based on the relationship between humans and how they respect the gods and goddesses related to the earth. In South Asia, the effects of pollution, both in the air and water, have been felt, particularly in recent years. With the values that Hinduism has towards the environment, reflection is starting to occur on how individuals can best approach the ecological challenges that are occurring. Islam An environmental ethic is in the Quran, but leaves an opening for Muslims to incorporate creative and innovative solutions in the contemporary context. A green jihad has recently begun. This is a common term for the green movement that promotes environmental protection. Source: Denny Judaism Ecological issues were never a central focus of Judaism, but rather were dealt with as they came about. An environmental perspective suggests that a belief of Judaism is that we are only tenants on this earth. The earth must then be cared for as there are other inhabitants, both presently as well as in the future, that will be living here. Source: Fink Indigenous Religions For individuals following indigenous religions, there is an understanding of their place in the local environment. Native Americans have believed that there are spirits in nature and the environment needs to be taken care of. Grim writes that in indigenous beliefs, to analyze religion as a separate system of beliefs and ritual practices apart from subsistence, kinship, language, governance, and landscape is to misunderstand indigenous religion. The respect for nature and the environment is still present amongst the Indigenous peoples. What is evident, however, is wherever indigenous peoples have endured, they have maintained a loving experience of place and an understanding that spiritual forces capable of leading humans into both utilitarian and self-understandings abide in all of these places, (Grim). Source: Grim How do we create a solution? An environmental crisis is here. It is recognized throughout the world, and its presence is agreed upon by the major religions. But what is the next step? How do we go about creating a solution? Can there be a common ground for science and religion in that both work together towards a solution? Bouma-Prediger quotes Edward O. Wilson in saying that religion and science are the two most powerful forces in the world todayif religion and science could be united on the common ground of biological conservation, the problem [of biological catastrophe] would soon be solved (1392). Can religion and science work together? Hossein Nasr writes, The environmental crisis now encompasses the entire Earth, (3). He suggests that there is a crisis of values and that as humans, we have participated in creating the destruction of the environment. A need exists to develop a path across religious frontiers without destroying the significance of religion itself and to carry out a comparative study of the Earths of various religions as has been carried out for their Heavens, if these terms are understood in their traditional metaphysical and cosmological sense, (Hossein Nasr 3). We need to regain the loss of a moral and social awareness as ecology becomes more individualistic and systems based. Many researchers recognize that a global stance needs to be taken by religions, with them working together to create a more comprehensive worldview and ethics to assist in reversing this trend, (Tucker and Grim). This is along similar lines with what Hossein Nasr writes, that dialogue on the environment must take place between religions on a global scale. Tucker and Grim continue by writing that, This is critical because the attitudes and values that shape peoples concepts of nature come primarily from religious worldviews and ethical practices. The moral imperative and value systems of religions are indispensable in mobilizing the sensibilities of people toward preserving the environment for future generations. Religious factors and environmental behaviors and attitudes Sherkat and Ellison analyzed data from a 1993 General Social Survey to look at religious factors and environmental behaviors and attitudes. Their study revealed that contradictory findings on the connection between religion and environmental concern and activism are the result of varied influences of religious schemata and resource interactions on different indicators of environmental concern and activism, (83). Sherkat and Ellison were not able to conclude specific religious influences on the environment, but suggested that Whites 1967 essay had the possibility of being a primary influence for religious leaders to take a pro-environment stance and actions (83). Religion and the environment are intertwined in that they have had a history and will continue to have a role together in the future. This may be one area where science and religion can find a common ground both have the environment in their best interest and can work together to find a solution to the current environmental crisis. As religious traditions and beliefs have shaped human values and behaviors towards the environment in the past, this is one possibility for working toward positive environmental attitudes for the future.

SMS or a MESS Essay -- miscellaneous

SMS or a 'MESS' As the technology is breeding over, mobile services and its application has entered day-to-day bustle. Once a luxury has become an acute inevitability. The positive influence is that it is affordable, best means of communication and contact, messaging service, encompassing range and its shape & size. All is fine until it knocks our door heavily. But, irony is that we use the technology not because of its adequacy. Instead our dimensions are diminishing and degrading with the way we are bestowing it. As you can see the above conversation, none of the words are complete except "Hi", and some of them seem to be senseless. Its a cruel truth that SMS-Short Messaging Service is growing from Short to Shorter and Shorter to Shortest. And what are we conceding in all this is a big question. What triggered me to write all this were two scenarios. a)My tutor during a conversation said an examination answer sheet comprised of some short forms that are used in SMS. b)After this, I kept watching all the mails I receive and some of the chat sessions I had with my family and friends. If we could provoke further, the results are alarming. An examination paper with short terms instead of formal, complete answers and our normal day-to-day conversations are no more in complete forms. 'SMS' was the term introduced for the mobile services with restricted display. But, what is actually stopping us in using the complete, sensible, flawless and meaningful sentences a...

The Economic Underpinnings of the First Industrial Revolution in England :: essays research papers

The Economic Underpinnings of the First Industrial Revolution in England The manufacture of military munitions and the development of a home market were critical underpinnings of the first industrial revolution in Britain. Military manufacturing supported by the British Government contributed directly to technological innovation and spurred industrialization. This is because the companies that choose to fulfill the government contracts to make military munitions found money could be made if new processes and technology was developed to fulfill the huge contracts. Military manufacturing was one of the few industries where innovation was rewarded. In most other industries conservative investors were reluctant to invest in new manufacturing technology. But in military manufacturing the government was the investor and was unconcerned with the manufacturing technology as long as the product was delivered on time. Many technological advances were made through military manufacturing some of these were new ways to manufacture iron, conveyer belts, and the use machine tools . The technology developed for military manufacturing then spilled over into the civilian sector of the economy. And because it was now a tested technology investors who were normally cautious were willing to put their capital into these ventures which instead of pouring iron to make guns now made iron ore into stoves and pots. The second critical underpinning of the first industrial revolution was the development of a home market in Britain. The first British industrialists manufactured textiles; specifically cotton for the home market. The growth of the home market in Britain promoted industrialization in several ways. First, it was a steady market which able to cushion the export market which was very dynamic and had sudden fluctuations. This allowed a steady rate of growth even when exports fell. Second, the home market started the process of urbanization by causing people to leave the agricultural sector of the economy and move to the cities to work in the cotton and textile factories. This urbanization had a snowballing effect throughout the economy because it caused other business and factories to open in the cities to support this new urban class. Third, the home market caused investments to be made in improving infrastructure including roads,

The United States Coast Guard and National Defense Essay -- Missions o

The Coast Guard (CG) is the nation’s smallest armed service and most misunderstood armed service. Most Americans know the Coast Guard is the nation’s premiere lifesaving service. Some may even know that the Coast Guard is the nation’s oldest continuing sea going service. While the Coast Guard falls under the UCMJ just like the other four branches, and often works side by side with them especially the Navy; The Coast Guard is usually trained for a very different mission than their DOD counterparts in times of peace. This paper will shed light on the Coast Guard’s accomplishments and its sacrifices in its National Defense mission. The legal basis for the Coast Guard to operate as a military force is Title 14 of the United States Code, which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." Upon the declaration of war or when the President directs, the Coast Guard operates under the authority of the Department of the Navy.† The Coast Guard can trace its beginnings back August 4th 1790. On this date president George Washington, at the urging of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, ordered the building of ten ships. Those ten ships would be called the Revenue Cutter Service (RCS). The purpose of these ships was to enforce tariff regulations and bolster the coffers of the newly formed United States. It is the nation’s oldest continuing sea going service. These ships would be used to â€Å"cut off† smuggling in and out of the U.S. The term â€Å"cutter† is still used tod ay to describe any Coast Guard vessel 65’ or longer. The RCS was first pressed into service during the undeclared Quasi War with France in 1798-99. In 17... ...less and when it is called upon to fight it will transform from a law enforcement and humanitarian service to a fighting force to be reckoned with. Works Cited Cutler, Thomas J. Brown water, black berets: Coastal and riverine warfare in Vietnam. Naval Institute Press, 2000 Demographics of Active Duty U.S. Military http://www.statisticbrain.com/demographics-of-active-duty-u-s- military Kroll, C. Douglas. A Coast Guardsman’s History of the U.S. Coast Guard. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press 2010 Lagan, Christopher http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2010/06/remembering-uscgc-escanaba-wpg-77/ Puller, Lewis B. Fortunate Son: The Autobiography of Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Grove Press, 2000 U.S. Army Center of Military History http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#MUNRO U.S. Coast Guard’s Historian’s Office http://www.uscg.mil/history

Written Analysis and Communication (WAC) †Assignment

1.Situation AnalysisHolmesafe Ltd.’s business has been growing steadily, with profits and client base increasing year on year. Increasing demand of advisory services resulted in additional fee income for the company and improved its product support. As a result of this growth, the company has recently expanded by adding new premises, signing new contracts and recruiting full time employees.Holmesafe Ltd.’s largest client is Dawson’s Ltd. Dawson’s has been a loyal customer and is much valued being the company’s very first client. Frank Jackson, the chief buyer at Dawson’s was offered director’s post owing to the support provided by him during the initial phase of the company. However, Jackson refused the offer after considering the advice from his supervisor, Harry Thomas, who raised concerns about conflict of interest.Mid-way through Holmesafe Ltd.’s second year of operation, George Holmes, the founder of the company received a phone call from Jackson informing him that he was under pressure to evaluate the possibility of shifting Dawson’s business to another supplier (Browns). According to Jackson, Browns had improved their manufacturing methods and were extremely competitive and very reliable. In the same conversation, he also expressed his personal need to generate additional income and sought Holmes’s advice on how to go about doing so.George Holmes requested for some time and set up a lunch meeting next Saturday to discuss the matter.2.ProblemPossible loss of business from Dawson’s Ltd. and threat of competition from Browns (and possibly other companies).3.OptionsA.Retain Dawson’s Business B.Let go of Dawson’s Business C.Expand Market (Reduce reliance on Dawson’s)4.Evaluation CriteriaI.Adverse impact to revenue II.Adverse impact to Referrals /New Business (owing to negative reputation) iii.Adverse impact to Business Plan (for the future)6.RecommendationBased o n the above evaluation, it is recommended that Dawson’s business must be retained. Expansion of market will not have as much impact to business as the impact the other options will.7.Action PlanA.Meet Jackson with a proposal to:I. Improve the existing pricing and service terms in order to retain the business, and thereby make a counter offer to what the competitor Browns seem to have provided to Dawson’s.II. Offer a revenue share to Jackson as an additional incentive for helping maintain a long – standing relationship and being Holmes’s most valued client.8.Contingency PlanEngage directly with Harry Thomas in case the deal with Frank Jackson is not struck. As Jackson’s supervisor, this may be an alternative recourse for the company in order to help retain the business.