Observing Reactions of Sulfuric Acid free essay sample

Assessment task 3 oral presentation summary Description of the experiment * Aim:To observe the reactions of sulfuric acid as an oxidising agent and as a dehydrating agent. Equipment: * 20mL of concentrated sulfuric acid * 20mL of 2mol/L sulfuric acid * 2 small pieces of each of copper, zinc and iron * Sandpaper * 10 test tubes * Test tube rack * 2g of sugar crystals (sucrose) * 2 wooden ice-cream sticks * 10mL measuring cylinders Steps: A: Sulfuric acid as an oxidising agent 1. Clean pieces of metal with sandpaper to remove oxide coating. . Add a piece of each metal to a separate test tube. 3. Add 5mL of concentrated sulfuric acid to each test tube. 4. Record the observations. 5. Repeat the experiment with 2mol/L sulfuric acid. B: Sulfuric acid as dehydrating agent 1. Place 1g of sugar (sucrose) and a wooden ice-cream stick into separate test tube. 2. Add 1-2mL of concentrated sulfuric acid to each test tube. 3. Record the observations. 4. Repeat the experiment with 2mol/L sulfuric a cid Risk assessment * Conc. We will write a custom essay sample on Observing Reactions of Sulfuric Acid or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page sulfuric acid is highly corrosive * If conc. Sulfuric acid is spilt, do not add water * Hydrogen sulfide gas Results | Observations| | Conc. Sulfuric acid| 2 mol/L sulfuric acid| Copper| No observable change| No observable change| Zinc| No observable change| No observable change| Iron| * Exothermic reaction * Bubbling gas| No observable change| Sugar| * Exothermic reaction * Black solid is produced and pushed out from the test tube * Gas with rotten egg smell is released| No observable change| Wood| * Black layer is formed on the wood| No observable change| Validity and reliability Experiment was not repeated * Low reliability * Results not consistent with the known theory * Invalid * Require to eliminate experimental errors Analysis of the results HSC syllabus dot-points: * Students learn to: Describe, using examples, the reactions of sulfuric acid acting as: * an oxidising agent * a dehydrating agent * Students: * Perform first-hand investigations to observe the reactions of sulfuric acid acting as: * an oxidising agent * a d ehydrating agent Conc. sulfuric acid: Reaction with metal – as an oxidising agent: Fes+2H2SO4lFeSO4(aq)+SO2(g)+2H2O(l) * Bubbling gas * FesFe2+(aq)+2e- * 2H+(aq)+2HSO4-(aq)+2e-SO2g+2H2O(l)+SO42-(aq) * Hydrogen sulfate ion act as oxidising agent * Some metals such as zinc did not react * Oxide layer * Heat * Leave overnight 2mol/L sulfuric acid: * Zns+H2SO4aqZnSO4aq+H2g * Zns+2H+aqZn2+aq+H2(g) * Oxidant is hydrogen ion Conc. sulfuric acid: Reaction with sugar and wood – as a dehydrating agent: * C12H22O11sH2SO4Â  12Cs+11H20(l) * Hydrogen sulfide gas 2mol/L sulfuric acid: * Sugar and wood do not react with dilute sulfuric acid

History of Penicillin

History of Penicillin Free Online Research Papers Penicillin was discovered by a Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming in 1928.1 However, a man named Laureate Howard Walter Florey was the first to use it as a medicine. Fleming found that certain blue-green molds inhibited the growth of the bacteria Staphylococcus. Mold from a cantaloupe was found to have the best quality of penicillin mold. After this Fleming isolated the mold and saw that it was a Penicillin mold. Penicillin is found to be most effective against Gram-positive bacteria and not effective against Gram-negative organisms.1 Penicillin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections. The types of pathogens it can treat are Staphylococci, Streptococci, S. Pneumonia, or bacterial pneumonia, Bacillus anthracis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Treponema pallidium. Penicillin works against an enzyme called Transpeptidase, which aids in the formation of the cell walls in bacteria.3 Transpeptidase links amino acids into peptide chains that are part of the bacterial cell wall. When penicillin is taken it blocks the action of Transpeptidase. This causes the wall of the cell to be very weak in places. As a result, the bacteria can no longer grow.3 There are quite a number of reactions that can occur from penicillin. They include: diarrhea, nausea, rash, hives, and sometimes seizures. Also, penicillin has been known to make birth control pills less effective, often causing pregnancy. The allergy to penicillin is the most reported medical allergy. However, only twenty percent of the patients who claim to be allergic to penicillin truly have an allergy. Most people don’t understand that Penicillin was discovered, not invented. Also, when it was first used people often overused penicillin which lead to numerous penicillin resistant strains of bacteria. This can also be caused by not finishing a prescription completely. Interestingly, there are about fifteen different types of penicillins, some are: Metampicillin, Broadcillin, Epicillin, telampicillin, and Sualcillin.2 Probably the most misunderstood thing it that it does not kill bacteria, it prevents the growth of it. Research Papers on History of PenicillinGenetic EngineeringArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Marketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

Tips on How to Avoid the Plague

Tips on How to Avoid the Plague The bubonic plague that ravaged the world in the Middle Ages is still with us in the modern world, but medical knowledge has increased enough so that we now know what causes it and how to successfully treat it. Modern-day remedies for the plague involve the liberal application of antibiotics like streptomycin, tetracycline, and sulfonamides. Plague is very often fatal, and people with the disease may need addition symptom relief, including a source of oxygen and respiratory support, as well as medications to maintain adequate blood pressure. 12 Medieval Tips that Probably Didnt Help In the middle ages, though, there were no known antibiotics, but there were plenty of home and doctor-prescribed remedies. If you had the plague and were able to get a doctor to visit you, he would likely suggest one or more of the following, none of which would do any good at all. Rub onions, vinegar, garlic, herbs, or a chopped up snake on the boilsCut up a pigeon or chicken and rub the parts over your entire bodyApply leeches to the buboesSit in a sewer or rub human excrement on the bodyTake a bath in urineWhip yourself to show God that you are penitent for your sinsDrink vinegar, arsenic, and/or mercuryEat crushed minerals such as emeraldsInfuse your house with herbs or incense to purify itPersecute the people you dont like and think might have cursed youCarry sweet-smelling spices like ambergris (if you are wealthy) or plain herbs (if you are not)Suffer through repeated purges or bloodletting One Tip That Might Have Helped: Theriac The universal recommended medication for the plague in the medieval period was called theriac or London treacle. Theriac was a medicinal compound, a medieval version of remedies first concocted by classical Greek doctors for a number of ills. Theriac was made up of a complex mixture of multiple ingredients, indeed some recipes had 80 or more ingredients, but most of them included significant amounts of opium. Compounds were made up of a wide variety of dietary supplements, infusions of scabious or dandelion juice; figs, walnuts or fruit preserved in vinegar; rue, sorrel, sour pomegranate, citrus fruit and juice; aloes, rhubarb, absinth juice, myrrh, saffron, black pepper and cumin, cinnamon, ginger, bayberry, balsam, hellebore and a  whole lot more. The ingredients were mixed with honey and wine to make a thick, syrupy cordial-like consistency, and the patient was to dilute it in vinegar and drink it every day, or at least two to three times a week before meals. Theriac comes from the English word treacle and was said to cure fevers, prevent internal swellings and blockages, alleviate heart problems, treat epilepsy and palsy, induce sleep, improve digestion, heal wounds, protect against snake and scorpion bites and rapid dogs and poisons of all sorts. Who knows? Get the right combination and the plague victim might feel better, anyway. 12 Tips that Would Have Worked   Interestingly, we now know enough about the plague to go back in time and make some suggestions to Medieval people on how to avoid getting it. Most of them are only available to people rich enough to follow the directions: stay far away from people and other animals that carry fleas. Keep some clean clothes tightly folded and bound up in cloth treated with mint or pennyroyal, preferably in a cedar chest far from all animals and vermin.At the first whisper of plague in the area, flee any populated town or village and head for an isolated villa, far from any trade routes, with your cedar chest.Vigilantly clean every last corner of your villa, killing all rats and burning their corpses.Use plenty of mint or pennyroyal to discourage fleas, and  allow no cats or dogs to come near you.Under no circumstances enter an enclosed community like a monastery or board a shipOnce away from all human contact, wash in extremely hot water, change into your clean clothes, and burn the clothes you traveled in.Keep a minimum distance of 25 feet from any other human being to avoid catching any pneumonic form spread through breathing and sneezing.Bathe in hot water as frequently as you can.Keep a fire burning in your villa to ward off the bacillus, and stay as close to it as you can stand, even in summer. Have your armies burn and raze to the ground any nearby houses where plague victims have resided.Stay where you are until six months after the most recent nearby outbreak.Move to Bohemia before 1347 and dont leave until after 1353 Sources Fabbri, Christiane Nockels. Treating Medieval Plague: The Wonderful Virtues of Theriac. Early Science and Medicine 12.3 (2007): 247-83. Print.Holland, Bart K. Treatments for Bubonic Plague: Reports from Seventeenth-Century British Epidemics. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 93.6 (2000): 322-24. Print.Keiser, George R. Two Medieval Plague Treatises and Their Afterlife in Early Modern England. Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 58.3 (2003): 292-324. Print.Siraisi, Nancy G. Medieval and Early Renaissance Medicine: An Introduction to Knowledge and Practice. Chicago University of Chicago Press, 1990. Print.

Lucas Cranachs Virgin and Child Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lucas Cranachs Virgin and Child Painting - Essay Example The painting The Virgin and Child is one of his enduring masterpieces because it â€Å"demonstrates the hallmarks of the Northern European style† (Gift of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation). The Virgin and Child is marked for its â€Å"meticulous craftsmanship of colors and the precise execution of details which are signs of perfection common to Cranach’s workshop† (Gift of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation) , the austere image of the Virgin characterized by her asymmetrical humble eyes typified it as a product of his studio where he substitute the workshop’s paintings for his own, thus making the quality uneven. Just like most painters, Cranach’s paintings also evolved and his paintings for Frederick the Wise was the product of various experiments until he adopted his formal painting style when he was appointed as court painter to the Electors of Saxony at Wittenberg. His style which characterized the Virgin and the Child was Cranach’s attempt to also adapt to suit the demands of the Saxon Court (Bruce a). Technically, the painting The Virgin and Child are one of the many paintings of Cranach about the Madonna and Child. And just like the other paintings about the Madonna and Child, it is marked by the careful selection of colors where the figure â€Å"popped out† from its background due to the contrast of colors and chiaroscuro where the background appeared to be â€Å"lighter† than the foreground. In addition to contrasting light and dark colors, the combination of marked cold and warm colors in the figure emphasized a strong â€Å"character† on the figure where the red became prominently noticeable because it was a â€Å"warm color† contrasted with a â€Å"cold color† blue. The red, which also has the symbolism of the Passion’s, was emphasized for religiosity and aesthetic value as it became distinct when it was juxtaposed by the cerulean blue and deep green color of the Virgin’s garment.  

Dispute Settlement between States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dispute Settlement between States - Essay Example Hence, it is a duty of the members of the United Nations to settle international disputes through peaceful means, which may cover either legal or political character. In the internal legal system of a state, it would be generally perceived that the dispute to be settled is legal. That is, when there is a dispute between individuals on rights, duties, and liabilities in accordance to law or legalization, the settlement of such may be carried out by negotiation or conciliation - that is, bringing the dispute to the consideration of a third party body which may act as an "arbitrator." The arbitrator may be a permanent organization of a state which shall serve as the "court," wherein both the arbitrator and the court shall consider the dispute by the principle of law, which essentially means that the rulings of the arbitrator and the judgment of the court shall legitimately bind the disputing parties. In the international legal system, the meaning and scope of the settlement of international disputes are broader than the settlement of internal legal disputes (Hill 1945). ... r since a state cannot be forced to settle international disputes without its consent, implying that the international legal system does not have any mechanism to force any state to settle disputes (Glahn 1970). It is explicit that in the international law, there is not one state, which, without its consent, shall be forced to propose a compromise, arbitration, or any other peaceful means of settling a dispute with another1. The principle of international law evident in the advice of the Permanent Court of International Justice is still deemed practical and accepted by members of the international community because even the United Nations Charter stipulates that there is not any enforcing measure for its members in the settlement of disputes (Glahn 1970). It is however stipulated as a duty of all members of the United Nations that if a dispute is to be settled, the parties concerned shall settle it through peaceful means2. Since issues of international disputes can be of any character, the settlement of international disputes is therefore not always related directly to international law. For example, an international dispute of a political issue may not require international law in consideration. However, even though international disputes of political nature, or of any other nature, are not related directly to international law, the disputing parties have to settle their dispute by peaceful means as s tipulated in the principles of international law and as evident in Articles 2(3) and 33(1) of the United Nations Charter. The disputing parties may exploit any means of peaceful settlement between each other as long as they have mutually agreed upon a direct negotiation between them, such as establishing a joint working group for inquiry of facts, introduction of a

Component of Computer System Essay Example for Free

Component of Computer System Essay Output devices: Monitor printer, plotter and voice output device, Modem, Automotive navigation system, Projector. Peripheral device that converts machine-readable information into people-readable information. Processing devices: CPU,  Motherboard, Chipset, bus, RAM. Hardware components process information within the computer system. Storage devices: Hard disk drives and  compact disk  drives. Hardware components allow data to be stored within a computer system. Software components of a computer system have no physical presence; they are stored in digital form within computer memory. System software is an  operating system  designed to operate and control the  computer hardware  and to provide a platform for running  application software. Utility software: anti-virus software, firewalls, disk defragmenters. Which helps to maintain and protect the computer system but does not directly interface with the hardware. Applications software: Web browsers, Office software, Games, Multimedia Software, Database Software, and Graphic Software. Designed to allow the user of the system complete a specific task or set of tasks. Different  types of computer software. Programming software, system software and application software are the three main types of computer software used in computer networking. Programmers use the programming software to develop the programming languages necessary to run computer software. Compliers, interpreters, linkers and text editors are some of the basic tools used in programming software. System software offers a protective shield to all software applications. It also provides support to the physical components of computers. System software †¢ Operating system software(windows, Linux, Mac) †¢ Utility programs (anti-virus software, firewalls, disk defragmenters. †¢ Library programs †¢ Translator software (Compiler, assembler, interpreter) Application software is used for commercial purpose. The application software is widely used in educational, business and medical fields. Industrial automation, databases, business software and medical software prove to be of great help in the respective fields. Web browsers, Office software, Games, Multimedia Software, Database Software, and Graphic Software. Application software †¢ General purpose application software. †¢ Special purpose application software. †¢ Bespoke application software

Carol Ann Duffys Revision of Masculinist Representations of Female Ide

Carol Ann Duffy's Revision of Masculinist Representations of Female Identity Carol Ann Duffy is one of the freshest and bravest talents to emerge in British poetry —any poetry — for years', writes Eavan Boland (Duffy, 1994, cover). This courage is manifest in Duffy’s ability and desire to revise masculinist representations of female identity and her engagement with feminine discourse, a concept which, as Sara Mills points out: has moved away from viewing women as simply an oppressed group, as victims of male domination, and has tried to formulate ways of analysing power as it manifests itself and as it is resisted in the relations of everyday life. (p.78) It is these aspects of Duffy's work that I wish to address here by examining the ways in which she subverts masculinist assumptions and discourses in the following ways: by giving voice to previously marginalised or silenced figures, by re-presenting stereotypes and power relations, through comic reappropriation of myth and by re-writing the canonical love poem. The problematic nature of representation itself, its subjectivity and unreliability, is a central concern of Duffy's poetry. Much of her work is written in the form of dramatic monologue which serves to demonstrate the fundamental inadequacy of language to re-present by undermining the readers' expectations of traditional discourses. By using characters' voices rather than her own, Duffy identifies with the speaker and confers authority onto a voice which might otherwise be silent. The foregrounding of this voice becomes a means of demonstrating the failure of language to represent specific aspects of experience, particularly female experience. The monologue, by giving voice to the previously subjugated female ... ...t, New York. Works Cited Duffy, Carol Ann, Standing Female Nude (London: Anvil, 1985). ——, Selling Manhattan (London: Anvil, 1987). ——, The Other Country (London: Anvil, 1990). ——, Selected Poems (London: Penguin, 1994). ——, The World’s Wife (London: Picador, 1999). Gregson, Ian, 'Carol Ann Duffy: Monologue as Dialogue' in Contemporary Poetry and Postmodernism: Dialogue and Estrangement (Basingstoke: MacMillan, 1996). Lacan, Jacques, 'The Insistence of the Letter in the Unconscious' in David Lodge, (ed.), Modern Criticism and Theory: A Reader (London: Longman, 1988). Mills, Sara, Discourse (London: Routledge, 1997). ‘Pass Notes’, Guardian G2, 10 May 1999, p.3. Room, Adrian, (ed.), Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (London: Cassel & Co, 2001). Viner, Katharine, 'Metre Maid', Guardian Weekend, 25 September 1999, pp.20‑26.

Book and Grade Level Essay

Tuesday: Hats ON for Reading – Wear your favorite hat to show your reading spirit. Wednesday: Reading Takes You Places – Dress like a Tourist. â€Å"Name that Book Trivia† – Every hour an excerpt from a book will be read over the intercom and classrooms will have the opportunity to guess the book. Thursday: Reading BRIGHTENS your World – Dress in bright colors. Friday: Wear your shades for SURFF day – Silent, Uninterrupted Reading For Fun! Each grade level will determine how they choose to participate in Literacy Week. Here are some suggestions; of course your grade level team can come up with your own ideas: * Decorate the outside of your door with your favorite book or literary characters. The emphasis is on student participation and student decorated doors. * Book Talks. Students can write Book Talk reviews for books they are reading. * Character Museums. Students can create posters of a book character with face cut-outs. The student places their face in the opening and holds the poster up to create a character museum. Visitors tour the museum and travel from character to character learning about each book. * â€Å"Book, Blankets and Bears† – Students bring their favorite blanket, and stuffed animal to read outside during the day. * â€Å"Poem in your Pocket† – Students create a poem and recite them to each other throughout the day. * â€Å"The Book Swap† – Students bring in a gently used book to swap with another student in their class or grade level. * Reader’s Theater. * Book Chain – Students fill out a strip of paper with a title of each book they read during celebrate literacy week. * Bookmark decorating contest * Create a book jacket. Use paper bags to make a new book cover for a library book. Mrs. Ward will put them on display. * Story mobile to retell a favorite book. * Tri-oramas representing the beginning, middle and end of a story. * Character dress up day. Dress up as your favorite book character. * Book Buddy collaborative activities.

Good Practice Physics Examples

HONORS PHYSICS CH. 14 WAVE PRACTICE PROBLEMS 1. The period of a wave is 0. 0300 seconds. It travels at a velocity of 10. 0 m/s. Determine the frequency and the wavelength. 2. A wave having a wavelength of 4. 0 meters and an amplitude of 2. 5 meters travels a distance of 24 meters in 8. 0 seconds. Determine the frequency and the period of the wave. 3. While hiking through a canyon, Noah Formula lets out a scream. An echo (reflection of the scream off a nearby canyon wall) is heard 0. 82 seconds after the scream.The speed of the sound wave in air is 342 m/s. Calculate the distance from Noah to the nearby canyon wall. 4. Mac and Tosh are resting on top of the water near the end of the pool when Mac creates a surface wave. The wave travels the length of the pool and back in 25 seconds. The pool is 25 meters long. Determine the speed of the wave. 5. An automatic focus camera is able to focus on objects by use of an ultrasonic sound wave. The camera sends out sound waves that reflect off d istant objects and return to the camera.A sensor detects the time it takes for the waves to return and then determines the distance an object is from the camera. The camera lens then focuses at that distance. Now that's a smart camera! In a subsequent life, you might have to be a camera; so try this problem for practice: If a sound wave (speed = 340 m/s) returns to the camera 0. 150 seconds after leaving the camera, then how far away is the object? 6. Find the wavelength of a 680-Hz tone in air, where the wave speed is 340 m/s. 7. Imagine a hiker camping in the mountains.Just before going to sleep he yells, â€Å"WAKE UP,† and the sound echoes off the nearest mountain, returning 8 h later. How far away is that mountain? 8. Harriet is told by her doctor that her heart rate is 70. 0 beats per minute. If Harriet’s average blood flow in the aorta during systole is 1. 5 x 10 -2 m/s, what is the wavelength of the waves of blood in Harriet’s aorta, created by her beati ng heart? 9. While flying to Tucson, Connie’s plane experiences turbulence that causes the coffee in her cup to oscillate back and forth 4 times each second.If the waves of coffee have a wavelength of 0. 1 m, what is the speed of a wave moving through the coffee? 10. Danielle is pushing her twin Dexter on a swing that hangs from a tree branch by 2. 0-m-long ropes. With what frequency will Danielle have to push Dexter when he swings? 11. In California, Clay is surfing on a wave that propels him toward the beach with a speed of 5. 0 m/s. The wave crests are each 20. m apart. A. What is the frequency of the water wave? B. What is the period?

Donatello essays

Donatello essays Donatello (1386-1466) was a master of sculpture in bronze and marble and was considered one of the greatest Italian Renaissance artists of his time. There is much more to know about him, though then the name alone. He has created some of the greatest works of art, not only in the Italian renaissance, but human history as well. A lot is known about his life and career but little is known about his character and personality. Donatello never married and seems to be a man of simple tastes. Patrons often found him hard to deal with and he demanded a lot of artistic freedom. Donatello, born Donato di Niccol di Betto Bardi, was the son of Niccolo di Betto Bardi, a Florentine wool carder. It is not known how he started his career but probably learned stone carving from one of the sculptors working for the cathedral of Florence about 1400. Some time between 1404 and 1407 he became a member of the workshop of Lorenzo Ghiberti who was a sculptor in bronze. Donatello's earliest work was a marble statue of David. The "David" was originally made for the cathedral but was moved in 1416 to the Palazzo Vecchio, a city hall where it long stood as a civic-patriotic symbol. From the sixteenth century on, the gigantic David of Michelangelo, which served the same purpose, eclipsed it. More of Donatello's early works which were still partly Gothic are the impressive seated marble figure of St. John the Evangelist for the cathedral and a wooden crucifix in the church of Sta. Croce. The full power of Donatello first appeared in two marble statues, "St. Mark" and "St. George" which were completed in 1415. "St. George" has been replaced and is now in the Bargello. For the first time, the human body is rendered as a functional organism. The same qualities came in the series of five prophet statues that Donatello did beginning in 1416. The statues were of beardless and bearded prophets as well...

German Holidays and Customs in May

German Holidays and Customs in May The first day in the lovely month of May (Camelot) is a national holiday in Germany, Austria, and most of Europe. International Workers Day is observed in many countries around the globe on May 1. But there are other German May customs that reflect the end of winter and the arrival of warmer days. Tag der Arbeit - 1. Mai Oddly, the widespread custom of celebrating Labor Day on the first of May (am ersten Mai) was inspired by events in the United States, one of the few countries that do not observe Labor Day in May! In 1889, a congress of world socialist parties was held in Paris. The attendees, sympathizing with striking workers in Chicago in 1886, voted to support the United States labor movements demands for an 8-hour day. They selected May 1, 1890, as a day of commemoration for the Chicago strikers. In many countries around the world May 1 became an official holiday called Labor Day- but not in the U.S., where that holiday is observed on the first Monday in September. Historically the holiday has had special importance in socialist and communist countries, which is one reason it is not observed in May in America. The U.S. federal holiday was first observed in 1894. Canadians also have observed their Labor Day since September 1894. In Germany, May Day (erster Mai, May 1st) is a national holiday and an important day, partly because of Blutmai (bloody May) in 1929. That year in Berlin the ruling Social Democratic (SPD) party had banned the traditional workers demonstrations. But the KPD (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands) called for demonstrations anyway. The resulting bloodbath left 32 people dead and at least 80 seriously injured. It also left a big split between the two workers parties (KPD and SPD), which the Nazis soon used to their advantage. The National Socialists named the holiday Tag der Arbeit (Day of Labor), the name still used in Germany today. Unlike the U.S. observance, which cuts across all classes, Germanys Tag der Arbeit and most European Labor Day observances are primarily a working-class holiday. In recent years Germanys chronic high unemployment (Arbeitslosigkeit, over 5 million in 2004) also comes into focus each May. The holiday also tends to be a day of Demos that often turn into clashes between the demonstrators (more like hooligans) and the police in Berlin and other large cities. If the weather allows, nice, law-abiding people use the day for picnicking or relaxing with the family. Der Maibaum In Austria and many parts of Germany, especially in Bavaria, the tradition of raising a Maypole (Maibaum) on May 1 still serves to welcome spring- as it has since ancient times. Similar Maypole festivities also can be found in England, Finland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. A Maypole is a tall wooden pole made from a tree trunk (pine or birch), with colorful ribbons, flowers, carved figures, and various other decorations adorning it, depending on the location. In Germany, the name Maibaum (May tree) reflects the custom of placing a small pine tree atop the Maypole, which is usually set up in a towns public square or village green. Traditional dances, music, and folk customs are often associated with the Maypole. In small towns virtually the entire population turns out for the ceremonial raising of the Maypole and the festivities that follow, with Bier und Wurst of course. In Munich, a permanent Maibaum stands at the Viktualienmarkt. Muttertag Mothers Day is not celebrated at the same time around the world, but Germans and Austrians observe Muttertag on the second Sunday in May, just as in the U.S. Learn more on our Mothers Day page. Walpurgis Walpurgis Night  (Walpurgisnacht), the night before May Day, is similar to  Halloween  in that it has to do with supernatural spirits. And like Halloween, Walpurgisnacht is of pagan origin. The bonfires seen in todays celebration reflect those pagan origins and the human desire to drive away the winter cold and welcome spring. Celebrated mainly in Sweden, Finnland, Estonia, Latvia, and Germany,  Walpurgisnacht  gets its name from Saint Walburga (or Walpurga), a woman born in what is now England in 710.  Die  Heilige  Walpurga  traveled to Germany and became a nun at the convent of Heidenheim in Wà ¼rttemberg. Following her death in 778 (or 779), she was made a saint, with May 1 as her saint day. In Germany, the  Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, is considered the focal point of  Walpurgisnacht. Also known as the  Blocksberg, the 1142-meter peak is often shrouded in mist and clouds, lending it a mysterious atmosphere that has contributed to its legendary status as the home of witches (Hexen) and devils (Teufel). That tradition predates the mention of the witches gathering on the Brocken in Goethes: To the Brocken the witches ride... (Die Hexen  zu  dem Brocken  ziehn...) In its Christian version, the former pagan festival in May became Walpurgis, a time to drive out evil spirits- usually with loud noises. In Bavaria Walpurgisnacht is known as  Freinacht  and resembles Halloween, complete with youthful pranks.

Homosexuality is not a sexual preference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Homosexuality is not a sexual preference - Essay Example It is however, important to understand that homosexuals often face difficulties which are difficult to overcome and put them in socially disadvantageous position. Not only they face strong psychological issues but they are also being discriminated based upon their sexual orientation and are often considered as odd man out in the society. The overall societal response to homosexuals therefore varies according to cultures and historical periods and is still considered as unfavorable in many societies. Though some States have allowed the Gay Marriages however, still there are some States where it is not legal. Such situation may suggest a split opinion about the homosexuals within the country. Similarly, Military has relaxed its rules to allow same sex marriages however; it has still not been accepted by the Military personnel and has hard time dealing with it. Gay parents are still not accepted by many people and their children suffer significant childhood trauma to actually deal with this situation. Not only they are being bullied growing up but they are being put in a situation which may be entirely out of their control and still they may face the consequences of the same. This paper will argue and discuss and prove that homosexuality is not a sexual preference. Though the term homosexuality has been coined in late 19th century however, its history dates back to Greek era and often reference is made to the Plato’s Symposium to the recent Queer theory. It is suggested that the largest amount of data which is available regarding the history of homosexuality comes from Greece. Right from the work of Plato and other Greek authors to the artwork, homosexuality has been comprehensively discussed and depicted in different sources in Greek literature. (Ekwo,15) It is also believed that homosexuality has been present in Greek culture more than any ancient culture and therefore most of the references regarding the historical origins of the homosexuality. It is also important to understand that despite such tendencies, there were some regional variations even across the whole Greece therefore it is important to keep this factor distinguished. Some notable persons such as Alexander the Great has also been considered to have interest in boys and other men. However, the overall number of such persons is relatively low. (Crompton) In ancient Greece, having particular interest in any same sex individuals was not considered as a moral issue but it was seen from the perspective of the individual preferences and choices. To ancient Greeks, Gender was irrelevant and more preferences were given to beauty and character found in either sex. Exercise of moderation as well as the social and economic status of the persons were taken into consideration too w hile anyone was actually attracted to any particular sex. There were also distinctions based upon having relationships with the slaves as well as freemen. Sex with freemen were considered as problematic in nature however, with slaves it was relatively easy. Besides, there were clear distinctions based upon the role being played by the partners during the overall relationship. The active and passive role, inserative and penetrative role played by partners’