Margaret, Prioress And Mystic Essays - Christian Prayer,

Margaret, Prioress And Mystic Margaret of Oingt was one of the many women living during the Middle Ages who turned to mysticism to become closer to God. Mysticism, unlike scholasticism, takes a direct approach to God using sensory perception, not reason. For this purpose, it allowed women to identify with God on a very personal and spiritual level. This is significant to Margaret's rationalism for writing her visions in a time when women had such a trivial amount of power in the intellectual community; she did not write her visions for others to learn from, but rather as a personal form of worship to God. In her compositions Margaret describes herself as having almost no importance or authority in matters of the church, and this is why her work was graciously accepted as valuable in her time. Because she disclaimed possession to any understanding of reason, the church believed that her writing was given to her directly by God through prophetic visions. This was the only way that she could have any authority to re cord her thoughts, because in her time women were seen to have no understanding of reason, and were therefore incapable of understanding knowledge. Although she was a prioress of a Carthusian convent, she still had to adhere to the regulations that women could not practice scholasticism. Margaret denied that she might understand reason, and by virtue of this, she was free to worship God through her writings. The imagery and language in Margaret's meditations, prayers, and letters, captures the essence of her love and passionate devotion to Christ, and they also act as a window to the understanding of this popular form of piety in her time. The intimate level upon which Margaret identifies with God is strikingly clear in the many ways she addresses Him in her meditations. As a nun, Margaret renounces her earthly family and vows a symbolic marriage to Christ. In a sense, Christ becomes her lover as well her entire family. At times she describes her love for Christ with language that borders along the lines of being erotic. When she thinks of his body lying on the cross, she describes her heart as being on fire. In one of her letter speaks of kissing Christ while he lies on her bed. And when she addresses him she declares when I see you on the cross, I want to be despised and disfigured for your love; and even more, I want to be able to die for your love and for the salvation of those that you so lovingly set free. It was prevalent for nuns to speak of the lord with such passion. In actuality, they vowed to love no other man except for the Lord, and mystics found that referring to God with so much desire defined more prom inent and personal relationships between women and Christ. It also is consequential that, in many instances, Margaret refers to Christ as her mother. Margaret compares the life of Christ to her worldly mother in labor, The mother who bore me labored at my birth for only one day or one night, but you?were in labor for me for more than thirty years. This comparison serves as an insight into the beliefs of female mystics during this period. In Margaret's own time it became common to refer to God as feminine, as well as masculine. Because God was seen by many as sexless, women found that they could identify the term creator to be substantially in common with the term mother. Men occupied most significant roles in the church, and women had a lower level of identification between themselves and God than men did. By incorporating the use of feminine language to describe God, women could identify with God on a much more intimate level than by using masculine language to describe the Lord. Margaret's effective use of language in her imagery describes the intense vivacity of her visions. Her description of hell in her meditations is an ardent example of the senses she uses to depict her visions. She explicates how people will be tortured by demons, There will be burning flames, stinking, sulfur, and devils in the form of snakes who will gnaw

Free Essays on Debt Crisis

Debt is a healthy act for developing countries to improve their country’s economy and the welfare state of the citizens. For many years debt was the solution for third world countries but this solution has become their biggest problem today. Loans are adding up and third world countries are facing problems of paying back the amount they owe. The origins of the debt date from the mid 70’s and particularly the first oil price shock (Cline, p.13). The debt crisis then became a consequence of funds that were borrowed when inflation was high and interest rates were low. This crisis was viewed as a temporary problem at first, but today the debt crisis has been recognized internationally. Solutions have been presented to end the ongoing crisis which will be discussed in detail throughout this paper. This paper will discuss whether debt relief will address the needs of highly indebted countries? Solutions and their effectiveness will be presented and my argument is that debt re lief is a definite solution to HIPC, debt forgiveness was found to be the most affective. There are serious problems in many developing countries, such as unemployment and poverty. Many have huge debts which they cannot pay. Each country has a different financial problem which requires different solution. I feel that this debt crisis should be a concern to everyone. With the opportunities we have today, our education and our technologies people should not be suffering and countries should not be labeled ‘Third World’ countries. The whole nation should join as one and help build developing countries around the world as well as impose change in the future. According to Peters and Dents the Jubilee 2000 campaign seems to be a good way in assisting developing countries with their debt crisis. The sole purpose of Jubilee 2000 is to increase the support for changes in financial systems and parts of the debt should be remitted. The charity of Jubilee 2000 is base... Free Essays on Debt Crisis Free Essays on Debt Crisis Debt is a healthy act for developing countries to improve their country’s economy and the welfare state of the citizens. For many years debt was the solution for third world countries but this solution has become their biggest problem today. Loans are adding up and third world countries are facing problems of paying back the amount they owe. The origins of the debt date from the mid 70’s and particularly the first oil price shock (Cline, p.13). The debt crisis then became a consequence of funds that were borrowed when inflation was high and interest rates were low. This crisis was viewed as a temporary problem at first, but today the debt crisis has been recognized internationally. Solutions have been presented to end the ongoing crisis which will be discussed in detail throughout this paper. This paper will discuss whether debt relief will address the needs of highly indebted countries? Solutions and their effectiveness will be presented and my argument is that debt re lief is a definite solution to HIPC, debt forgiveness was found to be the most affective. There are serious problems in many developing countries, such as unemployment and poverty. Many have huge debts which they cannot pay. Each country has a different financial problem which requires different solution. I feel that this debt crisis should be a concern to everyone. With the opportunities we have today, our education and our technologies people should not be suffering and countries should not be labeled ‘Third World’ countries. The whole nation should join as one and help build developing countries around the world as well as impose change in the future. According to Peters and Dents the Jubilee 2000 campaign seems to be a good way in assisting developing countries with their debt crisis. The sole purpose of Jubilee 2000 is to increase the support for changes in financial systems and parts of the debt should be remitted. The charity of Jubilee 2000 is base... Free Essays on Debt Crisis I. Global Debt Crisis A. The harsh reality of poverty in poorer countries was an initial stimulus for loans in the 1970’s. 1. It consisted of poor countries, which suggested that borrowing money would contribute to the economic plight of their citizens. 2. The fact that those who live in rich countries and are given access to education, health care, good nutrition, housing, and live alongside other countries who go hungry, and endure homelessness and suffering is beneficial reasoning to allow loans to countries in need for uplift. B. I agree that contributing to countries, who are at a need for money financially is a positive retribution, which uplifts economy and population of the country. I also feel that the countries should have a limit to the time they are allowed for repaying their debt and the amount of money given. 1. These countries need to pay their debts quickly because the longer they wait the less their money is going to be worth. 2. Also if the countries don’t pay off their debts, then the countries that have lent money could become third world countries also. 3. Debts of the fifteen most destitute third world countries were $36 billion in 1980 and are $1.362 trillion today. C. Although some countries are having hard troubles repaying their debt, many countries are getting away, with avoiding their repayment. For example: 1.) Rulers such as Mobutu of the Democratic Republic of Congo should take their enormous profits and use some of it to lesson their countries debts. Mobutu made a personal fortune of 84 billion by the mid-1980’s 2.) Other countries such as Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Mexico have experienced significant increases in tourism over the past 10 years. Tourism brings in a large amount...

How to Ask Polite Questions in English

How to Ask Polite Questions in English There are three types of questions in English: direct, indirect, and question tags. Direct and indirect questions are used to ask for information you do not know, while question tags  are generally used to clarify or confirm the information you think you know. Each of these three question types  can be used politely, but certain indirect forms are more formal and polite than other types of questions. One form to avoid when asking for things is the imperative form. Saying Give me that (imperative) instead of Could you give me that (indirect) puts you at risk of sounding rude. To learn more about how to ask polite questions, and use each form correctly, check out the overview below. Asking Direct Questions Direct questions are either yes/no questions such as Are you married?  or information questions such as Where do you live? Direct questions ask for information immediately without including  extra language such as I wonder or Can you tell me. Construction Direct questions place the helping verb before the subject of the question:   (Question word) Helping Verb Subject Verb Objects ? Where do you work?Are they coming to the party?How long has she worked for this company?What are you doing here? Making Direct Questions Polite Direct questions can seem abrupt or even impolite at times, especially when asked by a stranger. For example, if you come up to someone and ask: Does the tram stop here?What time is it?Can you move?Are you sad? There is nothing wrong with asking questions in this manner, but to sound more polite, its very common to add excuse me or pardon me at the beginning of a question. For example: Excuse me, when does the bus leave?Excuse me, what time is it?Pardon me, which form do I need?Pardon me, may I sit here? Key Words That Make Direct Questions More Polite In informal situations, one could use the word can in a direct sentence. In the United States, can is considered to be incorrect for written English in particular because, in the past, it was not a word used when asking for something. Saying May I have instead of Can I have is preferred in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, the word is not frowned upon. Cambridge University publishes English teaching materials with the phrase Can you lend me, Can I have, etc. In both countries, questions with can are made more polite by using could: Excuse me, could you help me pick this up?Pardon me, could you help me?Pardon me, could you give me a hand?Could you  explain this to me? Would can also be used to make questions more polite: Would you lend me a hand with the wash?Would you mind if I sat here?Would you let me borrow your pencil?Would you like something to eat? Another way of making direct questions more polite is to add please at the end of the question. Please should not appear at the beginning of the question: Could you fill in this form, please?Could you help me, please?Can I have more soup, please? May is used as a formal means to ask for permission and is very polite. It is usually used with I, and sometimes we. May I come in, please?May I use the telephone?May we help you this evening?May we make a suggestion? Asking Indirect Questions to Be Especially Polite Using indirect question forms is especially polite. Indirect questions request the same information as direct questions, but they are considered more formal. Notice that  indirect questions  begin with a phrase (I wonder, Do you think, Would you mind, etc.). Construction Indirect questions always begin with an introductory phrase and unlike direct questions, they do not invert the subject. To form an indirect question,  use an introductory phrase followed by question words for information questions, and if or whether for yes/no questions. Introductory Phrase Question Word/If/Whether Subject Helping Verb Main Verb? Can you tell me where he plays tennis?I wonder if you know what time it is.Do you think she will be able to come next week?Excuse me, do you know when the next bus leaves? Introductory phrase question word (or if) positive sentence I wonder if you could help me with this problem.Do you know when the next train leaves?Would you mind if I opened the window? NOTE: If you are asking a yes-no question, use if to connect the introductory phrase with the actual question statement. Do you know if she will come to the party?I wonder if you can answer a few questions.Can you tell me if he is married? Otherwise, use a question word where, when, why, or how to connect the two phrases. Using Question Tags for Clarification Question tags turn statements into questions. Depending on the intonation of the voice, they are used to verify information that we think is correct or to ask for more information. If the voice goes up at the end of the sentence, the person is asking for more information. If the voice drops, someone is confirming information that is known. Construction We can understand question tags as having two parts separated by a comma. The first part uses the subject followed by a helping verb as used in direct questions (Has she). The second part uses the opposite form of the helping verb followed by the same subject (Hasnt she). Subject Helping verb Objects ,   Opposite Helping Verb Subject? You live in New York, dont you?She hasnt studied French, has she?Were good friends, arent we?Ive met you before, havent I? Polite Questions Quiz First, identify which type of question is asked (i.e. direct, indirect, or question tag). Next, provide a missing word to fill in the gap to complete the question. Can you tell me ______ you live?They wont attend this class, _____ they?I wonder ______ you like chocolate or not.______ me, what time does the train leave?Excuse me, _____ you help me with my homework?Do you know how long Mark _____ been working for that company?_____ I make a suggestion?Excuse me, do you know _____ the next show begins? Answers wherewillif/whetherExcuse/Pardoncould/wouldhasMaywhen / what time

Strategic Plan for James Raynor Ins, Agency of State Farm Assignment

Strategic Plan for James Raynor Ins, Agency of State Farm - Assignment Example The company has several employees and 18000 state farm agents who work together to serve nearly 80 million policy holders (3State Farm, 2013). In this regard, James Raynor is one of the major contributors as the agent of the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. He provides rapid and risk-free quotes for the various insurances to serve the people by providing financial assistance. He has his own corporate State Farm Agency in Orange City, Florida (4State Farm, 2013). The company profile of State Farm reveals that the mission of the farm is to assist individuals to manage risks of their everyday life, in the occurrence of the unexpected events along with comprehending the dreams of the people. The company offers various services to help the finances of the people by investing in mutual funds and various insurances. The State Farm has been awarded as the top employer of the military veterans and is trusted as a reliable provider of services for the people of the United States and Canada (3State Farm, 2013). The key issue faced by the State Farm and the agents include the fact that there is severe competition that have recently emerged from the local companies in order to satisfy the clients. Countless policies offered by different companies for health and accidental benefits with diverse features available in the market could be a critical issue in both short and long term (3State Farm, 2013). Environment Company Environment The Annual report of the State Farm demonstrates the financial condition of the farm to be strong and profitable as per the data of 2012. The net income of the farm has exhibited an increase in the level of profit as the income in 2011 was US$ 1,088 as compared to US$1525 million Dollars in 2012. Due to the growth of the company, an expectation has materialized regarding the efficient running of the business with the valuable contribution of agents (1State Farm, 2012). Stakeholders Edward B. Rust Jr is the Chairman and the Chief Exe cutive Officer (CEO) of the State Farm and is also the member of boards of directors of McGraw Hill. The farm has several key members in the board of directors such as Gerald M. Czarneck and Dan E. Arvizu. Even though James Raynor is not the member of the board, he is still one of the major contributors in the profit of the farm (2State Farm, 2013). Strength of James Raynor Ins. State Farm Agency Strengths Communication: The key strength of James Raynor as an insurance agent is his communication skills. He possesses the capability of understanding the needs of the clients and subsequently he offers the required policies which would benefit the clients and the agency. He has a great convincing power as he can easily change the prospects into his clients. Work Ethics: James Raynor follows a rigid and methodical work ethic and has maintained integrity in his profession. He is loyal, honest and dedicated to his work and his policyholders. He is self-motivated and has over the years supp orted the people to make wise decisions regarding their investments in insurance or mutual funds. Decision Making: He possesses a strong knowledge in maintaining the finances and helping the clients in taking the correct measures, which leads to the success of the agency. He has displayed dedication, work ethic and moral responsibility

Politicial Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Politicial Science - Essay Example Miranda Rights is a preventive criminal procedure where suspected criminals are given a warning at the time of the arrest. This warning gives criminals the choice of remaining silent until they talk to their attorney to prevent police officers from taking advantage of the situation. The Fifth Amendment creates this right. Executive Order is an order issued by the President which is legally binding. Such orders do not require the approval of the Congress and cannot be overturned by the Congress. Even though there is no provision in the Constitution that defines the rule of Executive Order but such orders have been issued and accepted by the US Supreme Court. Bureaucracies perform a multitude of functions for the government. They are important for effective functioning of the entire system because they introduce accountability and efficiency in a broad range of task. Bureaucracies exist mainly to increase productivity and efficiency in the system through a set of standards and guides. Department of Defense: The role of this department is to protect the country from any internal or external threat. This department monitors different forces including the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Independent executive agency is an agency that is created outside the control of the Federal executive department. They are outside the control of the President. These agencies oversee different aspects of governance. They have been created to function independently so as to improve their efficiency and prevent them from being controlled by the

Essay --

1) In the distribution of microorganisms lab, the largest number of colonies came from a mouth swab giving over 300 small yellow and white, punctiform and convex colonies. Hair came in next with 99 colonies on the plate of all different colors, sizes and shapes. The culture dish that sat out in the lab air gave a total of 15 colonies of all different types. The swab of disinfected bench gave a total of 9 colonies, one of which was very large. The control that was never opened and the swab of disinfected bench ended up having no colonies grown on them. Hair and air are the most realistic contaminants since your hair is openly exposed to the lab at all times and the air comes into contact with the sample whenever the sample is opened. However, the greatest potential source of contamination shown by the number of colonies is the mouth sample (optional source). This was expected because the human mouth is known to contain many bacteria. 2) Even though the 4x level of magnification on the microscope is not used often since it is such a small magnification, it may be used to start focusing the microscope although not much will be visible. The microscope is parfocal meaning â€Å"that the optical system is coordinated so that a specimen that is in focus for one objective is in approximate focus for the other objectives† (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014), so once the 4x objective is focused, the other objectives should be coarsely focused. They will require some fine focus adjustment though. The 10x objective helps to increase the focus and will also make the specimen more visible and can be used to find the location of the specimen on the slide (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014). This objective is also known as the â€Å"low power objec... ...ed specimens (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014). Also, for pathogenic bacteria, once the structure is determined it can be attacked. â€Å"Gram positive bacteria are more susceptible to antibacterial agents that work by inhibiting the formation of peptidoglycan cross-links thereby weakening their cell walls† (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014). 4) The species tested for spore formation were Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium glutamicum. Bacillus subtilis actually formed spores. The endospores that developed were a stress response to being treated with the toxic dye, malachite green. The bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, will produce endospores as a form of resistance against unfavorable environmental conditions such as toxins and heat. The Corynebacterium glutamicum does not form endospores in response to extreme environmental conditions (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014).

Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet Essay

Known as a minimalist and experimental composer, Richard Gavin Bryars unleashed an emotionally intimate constructed piece out from a lone old vagrant singing, Jesus’ blood never failed me yet, this one thing I know, for he loves me so†¦ Originally recorded from footage of a documentary by his friend Alan Power in 1971 (Grimshaw), this aged voice served as the focal point and backdrop for Bryars’ poignant yet challenging work unfolding and reiterating itself over the course of 74 minutes in length. Whereas music that falls under Minimalist movement, sometimes associated the emotional neutralization of repeated materials, Bryars’ has the reverse effect in which rather than numbing the listener’s sensibilities, he heightens them and instead of imposing postmodern indifference toward the subject matter, it forces confrontation with it (Grimshaw). The entire lengthy music might deflate the interest of its listeners as the lines simply repeated over the recording, but Bryars managed to extract the spirit of the tramp’s captive song as he slowly introduced an accompaniment. The first part was merely the sole voice of the old man then eventually enhanced by string quartet, followed by plucked bass and guitar. Moreover, as the instruments subsequently fade out, the tramp’s song continues and eventually underscored by a much richer sounding ensemble of low strings, then woodwinds, brass, and delicate percussion and finally full orchestra and choir (Grimshaw). The soul of the music originated from the compassionate nature of the old vagrant who sang the religious tune during the recording of Power’s documentary that was about the life of street-people around Elephant and Castle and Waterloo in London. Bryars’ recounted; while they are filming the documentary, some people broke into drunken ballad or opera songs, but there was a particular homeless old man sang â€Å"Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet†. When he played it at home, he noticed the exact tune of the singing to his piano, and, he discerned that the first section of the song that is 13 bars in length formed an effective loop that repeated in a slightly unpredictable way. Therefore, he took the tape to Leicester and copied the loop onto a continuous reel of tape having the idea of adding orchestrated accompaniment to it. During the act of copying, he left the door that lead to the large painting studios, and when he came back, he found people weeping and silently listening over the old man’s singing, at that point, he realized a great emotional influence from the noble faith and tranquil music (Howse), a merely accidental root behind this epic. This particular Bryars’ piece was a breakthrough as there were other versions made during the latter years. Tom Waits singing along with it in 1990 and Jars of Clay released their own version on their album Who We Are Instead in 2003, aside from the fact that it was also used for several theatrical presentations. Covering credits for its very straightforward message to the people, the unyielding constancy of the lyrics—repeated over 150 times—essentially keeps the music from achieving greater feats. It is said that no matter how many times you paint a house, it remains to be the same house. Still, that verse holds together the entirety of the minimalist piece, a factor that you cannot simply neglect. Focusing on keeping his music very simple yet haunting, this composer and double bassist is a native from Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire, England and born on January 16, 1943. His first musical reputation was as a jazz bassist working in the early sixties with improvisers Derek Bailey and Tony Oxley. He abandoned improvisation in 1966 and worked for a time in the United States with John Cage, until he collaborated closely with composers such as Cornelius Cardew and John White. He taught in the department if Fine Art in Portsmouth, Leicester from 1969 to 1978, and there he founded the legendary Portsmouth Sinfonia, an orchestra whose membership consisted of performers who â€Å"embrace the full range of musical competence† — and who played or just attempted to play popular classical works. He also founded the Music Department at Leicester Polytechnic (later De Montfort University) and served as professor in Music from 1986 to 1994. Meanwhile, his first major work as a composer owe much to the so-called New York School of John Cage—with whom he briefly studied, Morton Feldman, Earle Brown and minimalism. His earliest piece was The Sinking of Titanic (1969) and was originally released under Brian Eno’s Obscure Label in 1975 and the Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet (1971) both famously released in new versions in the 1990s on Point Music Label, selling over a quarter of a million copies. The original 1970s recordings have been re-released on CD by Virgin Records. A major turning point in his development was his first written opera Medea, premiered at the Opera de Lyon and Opera de Paris in 1984. He has written another two operas, both with libretti by his long time collaborator Blake Morrison: Doctor Ox’s Experiment, and G, commissioned by the Staatstheater Mainz for the Gutenberg 600th Anniversary. Aside from that, Bryars has also produced a large body of chamber music including three string quartets and a saxophone quartet both for his own ensemble and for other performers. He has also written extensively for strings as well as producing concertos for violin, viola, cello, double bass, saxophone and bass oboe. He has also written choral music, chiefly for the Latvian Radio Choir, with whom he has recently recorded a second CD, and for the Estonian Male Choir. From being a jazz bassist, composer, professor and opera writer, he also made a name as he collaborated with visual artists, worked with choreographers who have used his pieces, and written numerous Laude for the soprano Ana Maria Friman, to name a few. And to date, he recently completed a theatre piece, To Define Happiness, with Peeter Jalakas for Von Krahl theatre in Tallinn, and a project around Shakespeare’s sonnets, Nothing Like the Sun, with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Opera North. Gavin Bryars is an Associate Research Fellow at Dartington College of Arts and Regent of the College de ‘Pataphysique. And married to Russian-born film director Anna Tchernakova with three daughters and a son. He is currently living in England and British Columbia, Canada. WORKS CITED Howse, Christopher. â€Å"The Assurance of Hope†. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. xix. ISBN 0-8264-8271-6 Mckeating, Scott. http://www. stylusmagazine. com/articles/seconds/gavin-bryars-jesus-blood-never-failed-me-yet. htm Grimshaw, Jeremy. â€Å"All Music Guide†. http://www. answers. com/topic/jesus-blood-never-failed-me-yet-orchestral-classical-work http://www. gavinbryars. com/ http://www. myspace. com/gavinbryarsmusic http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jesus%27_Blood_Never_Failed_Me_Yet