Willie Mays Jr. Essays - Greeters, Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants

Willie Mays Jr. 1. The correct name of my person is Willie Howard Mays Jr. 2. His nickname was ?The Say Hey Kid?. 3. Mays was born May 6, 1931. 4. He was born in Westfield, Alabama., just outside the major city of Birmingham. 5. The names of his parents were not known, but his father's nickname was ?Kitty Kat?. 6. He was the oldest of twelve in his family. 7. The name of the town he lived in as a child was called Westfield. 8. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mays were athletic. Mr. Mays played baseball on the all-black teams of the segregated south, as had his father before him. Mrs. Mays had been a champion sprinter in her school. When he was growing up, his father worked in a steel mill, and played on a semi-professional team sponsored by the mill. He began teaching young Mays to catch a ball even before he could walk. By 14, he had joined his father on the mill team. 9. His high school had no baseball team, so he played basketball and football, but before he finished high school, it became clear that baseball would be his career. 10. No information given. 11. He graduated high school in 1950. No information given on the name of the school. 12. No information given. 13. No information given. 14. No information given. 15. This promising career of a professional baseball player was briefly interrupted when Mays was drafted into the Army. His team failed to win the pennant during the two seasons he was absent, but he returned to the Giants in 1954 to lead them into the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. Other than that he never had to work. 16. He lived in many different areas, because he played baseball. Westfield, near Birmingham was the place where he grew up in Alabama. He was moved from Trenton, New Jersey to New York City also. Mays had traveled from Chattanooga, Memphis, and had been through all parts of the country. In New York, he had played with the New York Cubans. Mr. Mays had played against Philadelphia, and in Pittsburgh, against the Newark Eagles. He had been to all the big cities. 17. In 1956, he married a divorced woman two years older than he was. 18. The name of his spouse was Marghuertie Wendell Kennedy Chapman. He later, remarried, in 1971, to social worker Mae Allen. 19. No information given. 20. No information given. 21. No information given. 22. They adopted a three-year-old boy, Michael, in 1959. Although the couple divorced in 1961, he and his son remained close. 23. No information given. 24. No information given. 25. He played for the New York and San Francisco Giants; and briefly at the end of his career, for the New York Mets. 26. Mays made a great contribution to his occupation, by setting records, winning games, and earning awards and titles. 27. With his batting average of .345 and his 41 home runs, he led the league in 1954. Awards and honors were showered upon him. He was voted the National League Most Valuable Player in 1954, named Player of the year by The Sporting News, and voted Male Athlete of the year by the Associated Press poll. He also received the Hickok Belt, studded with diamonds worth ten thousand dollars, as the professional athlete of the year. 28. His impact on society was large. He greatly influenced anyone who watched him. 29. With his 660 home runs in twenty-two years of playing ball, Mays ranks third, behind Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth, on the all-time list. He seemed destined to play baseball from the age of six months, when his father tried to get him to walk by getting him to chase a ball. His record-breaking achievements as well as his entertaining autobiographies show how well he used talents to raise the status of the game he loved. 30. His contributions were mainly in baseball and setting records. Mays played in every All-Star Game from 1954 through 1973. 31. He is still alive today. 32. He is still alive today. 33. He is still alive today. 34. He was not the first black ballplayer, but he had his own barrier to break through. A kind of gentle, good ?natured racism, but racism none the less. 35. In one of the four games against the

Why Migraines Occur Essay Example

Why Migraines Occur Essay Example Why Migraines Occur Essay Why Migraines Occur Essay Migraine tends to affect more than 300 million people from across the world.   For many, the condition is more than a headache and is characterized by several distinctive symptom phases.   The condition is characterized by severe, debilitating and disabling headache that often needs no description.   The people suffering from migraine also had several other problems including photophobia, burning, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, altitude sickness, etc.   Migraine may have several other implications.   About 17 billion dollars a year is lost due to lost work, disabilities and healthcare expenditure owing due to headache.   Through historical records, it has been suggested that the disorder has affected man for more than 7000 years.   However, medicine still continues not to identify the cause and a treatment that could help cure the disorder.   Many people do not even approach the doctor to get the disorder treated as they feel that medical treatment can do litt le or no help.   Earlier, scientific research proved that the disorder was a vascular condition, but today scientists have identified that it is more of a neurological condition that develops primarily from pathology in the brain stem cells.   The nerve cell malfunction tends to sweep across other parts of the brain.   Today, the exact cause of migraine is still unknown, but scientists are developing several new forms of treatment for the condition including gene therapy (after considering the genetic basis of the disease), molecular biology and imaging of the brain.   This would enable to get back to normal activities faster (Dodick, 2008, Kantor, 2006). The neuro-vascular model which has been implicated for the cause of migraine includes vascular and neurological factors.   Another model frequently being considered is the Convergence Hypothesis that tries to associate the clinical symptoms with the pathophysiology of migraine.   According to this model, migraine is considered to be an event with a beginning, a mid and an end.   A symptom-based diagnostic approach would consider migraine during the peak stages.   With the convergence model, the entire process would be looked up on including the prodromal, the aura and the end phases.   Using the convergence model, the events can be drawn as a curve when charted against time (Curtis P. Schreiber, 2005). Body Migraine is a chronic medical disorder characterized by disabling headache, nausea, vomiting and photophobia.   In many people, the throbbing headache may be experienced on one-side of the face. The condition usually occurs in 11 % of the people in the US.   Migraine is more common in people with a family risk of the condition. It occurs anywhere between the ages of 10 to 46 years, and is more common in women compared to men.   In women, the condition may even occur beyond till the age of 55 years.   During the period of pregnancy, the number of migranous attacks usually reduces.   During the 1980’s scientists found that migraine develop due to a disorder in the blood vessels that supply the brain.   However, today it is clear that the condition develops due changes in the brain, nerve pathways and the chemicals present in the brain (Dodick, 2008, Kantor, 2006). From one individual to another, the frequency, duration, severity and aggravating factors of migraine would differ significantly.   On an average, people suffer from migraine, one or two days every month.   About 10 % of the population gets the disorder every week and 20 % get the attacks every 2 to 3 days, and about 14 % develop a serious version of the disease, in which the symptoms are seen every alternate day (Dodick, 2008, Kantor, 2006). Several events may trigger or aggravate attacks of migraine including alcohol consumption, dehydration, physical stress, exertion, menstruation, emotional stress, anxiety, seasonal, climatic or weather changes, allergy, bright lights, loud noises, florescent lights, sleep alterations, missing meals, tension headache, use of birth control pills, lack of sleep, staying at higher altitudes, hunger, certain foods, smoking, tobacco consumption, etc.   Some of the foods that can trigger migraine attacks include foods containing tyramine, monosodium glutamate or nitrates. Some of the foods that contain tyramine include red wine, cheese, smoked fish, liver of chicken, bens, figs, etc, and foods that contain nitrate include hot dogs, salami and bacon.   Other foods that can also trigger migraine attacks include citrus fruits, bananas, avocados, onions, dairy products, chocolates, pickles, nuts, peanut butter, fermented products, etc.   The ancient Greeks were the ones to coin the word m igraine from ‘megrim’ meaning hemicrania or one-sided headache.   Galen considered migraine to be a painful disorder that affected one half of the head.   The Greeks considered to be caused due to descent of the vapors from the liver to the brain.   Later, in the 17th century, blood flow defects were considered to be the main cause for migraine rather than humors.   From the 17th century to the 1980’s, the vascular theory proved to be responsible cause for migraine.   Wolff from the Presbyterian hospital New York considered that migraine was caused due to dilatation and expansion of the blood vessels present in the brain.   Once the expansion of the blood vessels occurs, the pain-signaling neurons of the brain get activated, leading to a headache.   Before the headache actually occurs, there is a drop in the blood supply to the brain causing constriction of the blood vessels.   However, newer research work conducted in the field of migraine demons trates that the disorder is caused not due to vascular alterations but due to neurological changes.   Earlier it was thought that vascular flow of the blood in the brain had increased something like 3-fold times.   In fact, latest scientific evidence clearly suggests that just before the migraine attack, the cerebral blood flow is either normal or drops down a bit (Dodick, 2008, Kantor, 2006). The aura that occurs before the migraine attacks was a serious clue to the scientists that the disorder had a neurological basis.   The aura can be seen in two conditions, one in migraine as a preceding symptom and the other in epileptic seizures as a part of the sensory visual hallucinations.   The individual in migraine would be able to see stars, bright lights, sparks, lightning bolts, geometric designs, etc.   In some people weakness, speech impairments and tingling sensations develop.   In some people, the visual aura may not appear and all, but in other it may even occur during the entire headache phase.   Today, scientists have identified the exact mechanism of this aura.   A wave of intense nerve activity (cortical spreading depression) spreads throughout the cortex especially the areas of vision.   Following the hyperexcitability, there is a phase of neural inhibition.   During the phase of intense neuronal activity, there is active firing and a lot of energy is required.   Following the intense neuronal firing, the nerve cells require less quantity of blood.   The neuronal firing spreads at the rate of 2 to 3 millimeters every minute, and this is just the exact rate at which aura develops.   Besides affecting vision, the intense neuronal activity would also affect sensory and motor signals (Dodick, 2008 NINDS, 2008). Studies have clearly shown that genetic factors play a very important role in the development of migraine.   The genetic susceptibility of migraine is similar to other disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, etc.   In identical twins, the other twin is at a higher risk of developing the disorder, when one twin actually suffers from it.   However, non-genetic or environmental factors play an important role in the development of migraine.   Genetic factors may increase the excitability of the neurons, leading to a disturbance in the ion transportation system.   Several other disorders may also be as a cause of ion transportation defects including seizures and cardiac arrhythmias (Dodick, 2008 NINDS, 2008). The exact way in which the spreading cortical depression of neurons causes’ headache is not understood clearly, but scientists feel that the trigeminal nerve may be involved.   The manner in which the trigeminal nerve causes pain sensation is not understood clearly.   When the intense cortical depression spreads, it causes chemical changes in the neurotransmitters leading the trigeminal nerve to transmit pain sensations.   The spreading depression can also activate the trigeminal nerves in the subcortical regions leading to headache.   The mechanism of aura may operate in both, people suffering from migraine with or without aura.   However, in people who do not suffer from aura may develop other symptoms including tiredness, weakness or difficulty concentrating.   Besides, involvement of the cortical and the subcortical regions in migraine, the brain stem (an ancient part of the brain) may be responsible for migraine pain.   The brain stem contains three groups o f nuclei that can play an important role in migraine.   The nuclei would inhibit the firing of the trigeminal nerve, thus causing the trigeminal neuron to fire without any pain signal.   There would be an incoming pain signal although actually there are no stimuli.   Besides, involvement of the trigeminal nerve from the brain stem, other sensory nerves including those that control visual functions may also be affected, resulting in false sensory incoming signals causing visual field disturbances (Dodick, 2008 NINDS, 2008). During an attack of migraine several processes tend to occur.   Certain triggering factors mentioned may stimulate the release of peptides such as substance P, Calcitonin Gene-related peptide, etc.  Ã‚   They tend to dilate blood vessels and cause inflammation which results in over-excitation of the trigeminal nerve.   The brain would not be affected with the headache, but the blood vessels and the meninges would be involved.   Auras occur as a result of blood flow changes (Daniel Kantor, 2007). Certain migraine headaches occur due to abnormalities in the calcium channels and also the magnesium, potassium and sodium channels.   Calcium channels present control the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin.   This neurotransmitter can play an important role in the development of migraine.   Besides, abnormalities in the levels of other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and stress hormones can result in migraine.   Dopamine could act as a stimulant of migraine and in certain individuals with genetic characteristics, higher levels of dopamine can result in nerve cell excitation.   Several prodromal symptoms such as mood changes, drowsiness and yawning are closely associated with dopamine disturbances.   The calcium channels play a vital role in the development of the cortical spreading depression (which is the cause of the migraine symptoms).   In people who suffer from migraine, magnesium deficiencies have been found.   During a migraine attack, a drop in the magnesium levels has been observed.   Once the levels of magnesium levels are low, the nerve cells become highly unstable and tend to misfire.   This could be responsible for the aura that develops.   Magnesium has been strongly associated with the calcium channels in the body.   Certain inherent deficiencies in the calcium channel systems may be present in people who develop migraine. Individuals with familial hemiplegic migraine have mutation of the gene that expresses for calcium channel systems.   Nitric Oxide has also been associated with migraine and other headaches.   Over-excitation of the nerve cells can result in the production of nitric oxide.   A rise in the nitric oxide in the blood vessels may stimulate several nerves in the brain and cause the development of pain.   Hormone fluctuations can also play a role in the development of migraine.   The changes in several hormones especially estrogen can be responsible for migraine development.   If the hor mone levels are high, low or normal for long, the migraine process would not be activated.   Hormonal fluctuations are more likely to cause migraine.   This is because fluctuations impact the serotonin and other neurotransmitter levels (Daniel Kantor, 2007). Conclusion Today, a lot of research has been identified which potentially helps to better under the migraine process.   Migraine is more of a neuro-vascular condition rather than a vascular condition earlier thought.   Currently, there are no specific drugs to treat migraine, and most of them are other groups of drugs that are utilized to treat other conditions.   Usually, ergotamine preparations, painkillers, NSAIDS, etc are given which works partially.   Hence, it has been clearly observed that they can work only in half the number of migraine patients.   Several groups of antihypertensive drugs, anti-seizure drugs, calcium channel blockers and antidepressants may work by normalizing the membrane potential thus helping to curb the rapidly-spreading cortical nerve depression.   They would work in patients who develop migraine with or without aura.   These groups of drugs would work by prevent channels present on the nerve membrane from opening up, thus helping to control calcium movement.   In this way, the nerve membrane would be stabilized.   Individuals also need to adopt a diet that can effectively help avoiding headache provoking foods and substances such as cheese, tobacco, alcohol, etc.   Blood glucose and blood pressure should be monitored and kept under control.   Better sleep hygiene and exercising patterns need to be ensured.   Stress needs to be handled in more appropriate fashions (Curtis P. Schreiber, 2005, Dodick, 2008 Mayo, 2007). Curtis P. Schreiber. â€Å"The Pathophysiology of Migraine.† Clinics in Family Practice 7.3 (2005). Daniel Kantoor. â€Å"Migraine headaches – Highlights, FDA Warning: Serotonin Syndrome.† 2007. ADAM. 29 Nov 2008. mdconsult.com/das/patient/body/111946799-8/777861931/10041/9399.html Daniel Kantor. â€Å"Migraine.† Medical Encyclopedia. 2006. Medline Plus. 16 Nov 2008. nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000709.htm David W. Dodick and J. Jay Gargus . â€Å"Why Migraines Strike.† Scientific American. (July, 2008). sciam.com/article.cfm?id=why-migraines-strike Mayo Clinic. â€Å"Migraine.† 2007. Mayo Clinic. 16 Nov 2008. mayoclinic.com/print/migraine-headache/DS00120/DSECTION=allMETHOD=print NINDS. â€Å"Headache: Hope through Research.† 2008. NINDS. 16 Nov 2008. ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/detail_headache.htm

Stata Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Stata Project - Essay Example From the above computations, one can be 99% confident that the populations mean support level of the Londoners in support for the â€Å"Living Wage† is between 53.36 and 79.9734 that is basing on a sample of 15 participants. From the calculations, the mean support level of the Londoners in support for the â€Å"Living Wage† was found to be 66.6667 indicating that there exists support of the â€Å"Living Wage† among the Londoners though however it is not a full support. Full support would have meant an average of 100 which is not the case as dictated by the figures. A cross tabulation was done in order to investigate the relationship between the bible and the education level (educ). The table below shows the results generated in stata. From the table it is clear that there is a significant level of dependence between the bible and the education level (educ). The notion that people have of the bible depends to some greater extent on the education scale (level). According to the table, p-value=0.000

Selfridges to Launch Gender Neutral Retail Concept Article

Selfridges to Launch Gender Neutral Retail Concept - Article Example harnessing a trend, but rather tapping into a mind-set and acknowledging and responding to a cultural shift that is happening now’†.1 The fact that the director acknowledges that the project was developed in response to a cultural shift is an indication that it is short-lived. Actually, if we are to observe current global fashion trends, different societies have exhibited diverse preferences in dressing and in exemplifying preferences to adapt fashion trends. Some cultures, especially in developed countries, have long accepted gender neutral retail concept long before the Agender project. In other traditional and conservatist countries, the concept of fashion could still be asserted as maintaining gender-based clothing. Yet, contemporary generations have increasingly accepted openness to try innovative and creative fashion statements, including those that could be considered gender-neutral fashion concepts. From the slideshow that was viewed which presented four (4) different examples of gender-neutral fashion, one affirms that although the concept could revolutionize contemporary styles, more female are accepted to wear clothes with masculine underpinnings; as contrasted to males opting to wear clothes with female-typed styles. Aside from the latter being perceived to look awkward and fairly inappropriate, more males could agree that they would not be caught wearing clothes with feminine trimmings or style. Current societies still exhibit stereotyped beliefs regarding gender-related concepts, including fashion, toys, accessories, and preferences in entertainment, sports, or music endeavors. Overall, the Agender project could just be one of the many innovative and creative fashion showcases that are short-lived. One strongly believes that the fashion statements would not evolve to become the norm. Our contemporary generations, though more open and accepting of equality in various spheres, still strongly believe in gender differences, especially in clothing

Symbolism of Simon in Lord of the Flies Essay Example for Free

Symbolism of Simon in Lord of the Flies Essay Do you know someone who naturally brings out the good in people, or who always does the right thing no matter what? Simon is a shy, kind, hardworking boy who always puts others first. He tries to warn everyone on the island that there is not a beast but because he tries to do what he knows is right he gets killed by the other boys. Simon is one of the important characters in Lord of the Flies. He is one of the important characters in the novel because he represented the struggle between good and evil inside of people, nature, and Jesus or religion. The first thing that Simon represents is the struggle of good vs. vil in people because he is always putting others first and doing what is right but, at the same time, he is the only one that interacts with the Lord of the Flies, who could represent evil. Simon was the only one that helped Ralph build the shelters while everyone else was goofing off. He also helped the littluns get fresh fruit from the trees instead of letting them eat the fruit on the ground that could make them sick. Those are both things that show the good people can do. His interaction with the Lord of the Flies was more than likely a hallucination of some sort because a pig’s head on a stick cannot talk. The Lord of the Flies is evil and wants the boys to hurt or kill each other and, since he is a hallucination, it shows that there is an evil part of Simon that he tries to suppress or he may not even know is there. The second thing that Simon represents is nature because he goes into the forest on his own to surround himself with nature and appreciate its beauty and does not harm the plants or animals around him. Once Simon is done working and helping the littluns he goes into a clearing in the jungle and hides in a tangle of vines. He sits there and just listens to the sounds of the jungle and ocean and watches the animals. As he listens and watches he seems completely absorbed and at peace with nature. He is also the one who pointed out the â€Å"candle buds† which shows he was being more observant of the plants and things around them. He also knows where the freshest fruit is while most of the other boys don’t seem to know or even seem to care about the freshness of the fruit. He does not disturb the animals around him unlike the other boys. Simon is the only boy that never participates in hunting or the hunters’ dance. The third and final thing that Simon could symbolize is Jesus or religion because he is prophetic, gathers all his information from faith alone, and is the only inherently good boy on the island. Simon tells Ralph that he (Ralph) will get off the island okay but does not say that everyone will. This is prophetic and foreshadowing of Simon and Piggy’s deaths as well as the rescue of the boys that saves Ralph from the same fate. He also has no logical explanation or evidence of his claim; it is base solely on faith. Simon also realizes that there is no beast but rather it is the boys themselves. He is the only naturally good boy on the island. The other boys do not act civilized because of morality but because of social conditioning and the threat of punishment, where as Simon is civilized and good because of morals and spiritual connection to nature. Even the seemingly civilized Ralph and Piggy are not as civilized as they appear, as we see when they participate in the hunters’ dance that kills Simon. Simon can also represent Jesus because of his confrontation with the Lord of the Flies, who can represent the devil. The confrontation between the two can be seen as a parallel to Jesus’ confrontation with the devil during Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. Simon’s clearing in the jungle could be compared to the Garden of Eden, which is pure and perfect until evil invades it, this evil being the other boys and the Lord of the Flies. Simon is an important character in Lord of the Flies because he represented the battle between good and evil inside of people, nature, and Jesus or religion. Simon symbolizes good vs. evil because he puts others first and does what is right but, at the same time, he is the only one that ever speaks with the Lord of the Flies, who could represent Satan. Simon is a symbol of nature because he goes into the forest on to envelop himself in nature and value its beauty and does not harm the plants or animals on the island. The final thing that Simon could represent is Jesus or religion because he is prophetic, all his information is based on belief, and he is the only naturally good boy on the island. Simon is a timid, thoughtful, reliable boy who always does the right thing. He tries to tell everyone that there is not a beast but because he tries to do what he knows is right he gets killed by the other boys. The book would not have been the same without Simon.

Deforestation Causes Climate Change Essay -- Global Warming Essays

"Ladies and gentlemen, the world's forests need to be seen for what they are—giant global utilities, providing essential public services to humanity on a vast scale." -- Prince Charles on Deforestation Many development institutions and politicians regard population pressure as the major factor causing rainforest destruction. Nobody can deny the serious global problem of population growth. However, the belief that this is the main cause of rainforest loss is used by many governments and businesses to imply that there is little or nothing they can do about the problem of rainforest destruction. An examination of forest destruction on a regional basis reveals that this is not so. In fact it is large companies and the inequities of international trade which are the root causes of rainforest destruction. For instance, millions of hectares of primary rainforests are being destroyed in South East Asia by logging, and the driving force in this industry is not the local population but international demand for timber. Because landless people will follow logging roads into primary rainforest areas, it is the logging industry which is the main immediate factor responsible for colonisation of rainforest. In Central America, 40% of all the rainforests have been cleared or burned down in the last 40 years, mostly for cattle pasture to feed the export market (often for US beefburgers). This industry in particular, and the continuing consolidation of land ownership in general, force the poor into rainforest in their search for land. Latin American environment groups have cited skewed land distribution as the most important factor frustrating the conservation and sustainable use of rainforest areas. Throughout South East Asia there are the... ...an 7 per cent of the planet's surface. They generate the bulk of rainfall worldwide and act as a thermostat for the Earth. Forests are also home to 1.6 billion of the world's poorest people who rely on them for subsistence. However, forest experts say governments continue to pursue science fiction solutions to the coming climate catastrophe, preferring bio-fuel subsidies, carbon capture schemes and next-generation power stations. Putting a price on the carbon these vital forests contain is the only way to slow their destruction. Hylton Philipson, a trustee of Rainforest Concern, explained: "In a world where we are witnessing a mounting clash between food security, energy security and environmental security - while there's money to be made from food and energy and no income to be derived from the standing forest, it's obvious that the forest will take the hit." Deforestation Causes Climate Change Essay -- Global Warming Essays "Ladies and gentlemen, the world's forests need to be seen for what they are—giant global utilities, providing essential public services to humanity on a vast scale." -- Prince Charles on Deforestation Many development institutions and politicians regard population pressure as the major factor causing rainforest destruction. Nobody can deny the serious global problem of population growth. However, the belief that this is the main cause of rainforest loss is used by many governments and businesses to imply that there is little or nothing they can do about the problem of rainforest destruction. An examination of forest destruction on a regional basis reveals that this is not so. In fact it is large companies and the inequities of international trade which are the root causes of rainforest destruction. For instance, millions of hectares of primary rainforests are being destroyed in South East Asia by logging, and the driving force in this industry is not the local population but international demand for timber. Because landless people will follow logging roads into primary rainforest areas, it is the logging industry which is the main immediate factor responsible for colonisation of rainforest. In Central America, 40% of all the rainforests have been cleared or burned down in the last 40 years, mostly for cattle pasture to feed the export market (often for US beefburgers). This industry in particular, and the continuing consolidation of land ownership in general, force the poor into rainforest in their search for land. Latin American environment groups have cited skewed land distribution as the most important factor frustrating the conservation and sustainable use of rainforest areas. Throughout South East Asia there are the... ...an 7 per cent of the planet's surface. They generate the bulk of rainfall worldwide and act as a thermostat for the Earth. Forests are also home to 1.6 billion of the world's poorest people who rely on them for subsistence. However, forest experts say governments continue to pursue science fiction solutions to the coming climate catastrophe, preferring bio-fuel subsidies, carbon capture schemes and next-generation power stations. Putting a price on the carbon these vital forests contain is the only way to slow their destruction. Hylton Philipson, a trustee of Rainforest Concern, explained: "In a world where we are witnessing a mounting clash between food security, energy security and environmental security - while there's money to be made from food and energy and no income to be derived from the standing forest, it's obvious that the forest will take the hit."

Family Traditions Essay

How does The Keeping Quilt help you understand traditions and what they mean to families? The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco shows how immigrants came to a new country and passed down traditions to their family overtime. It also shows how traditions are integrated with other cultures to create a new culture. The Keeping Quilt demonstrates how historical and cultural traditions, teaching children social themes through children literature in the classroom can effectively increase cultural values in children’s social skills in reality. In reading the story The Keeping Quilt the author Patricia Polacco reflects on when her great grandma Anna came to America from Russia were grandma came to with only her old dress a babushka and old coat. Grandma later decides to use the old coat and pieces of other family members clothing to make a quilt. â€Å" We will make a quilt to help us always remember home† Anna’s mother said. † It will be like having the family in back home Russia dance around us at night. †(4). Here, the quilt was a significant symbol to the family to always remember their native land. It was used for the birth of family members to the family and used as huppa in weddings. Later the quilt was even used as a tablecloth and covering for caskets at funerals. The quilt became a symbol of the love and family values. The story The Keeping Quilt demonstrates to readers how some traditions and customs from our ancestors are embedded within individuals. These traditions help shape and influence our ideas values and beliefs. However in reading the story The Keeping Quilt it emphasizes some characterics of the historical values in the black African American cultures as to the movie or novel Roots by Alex Haley whereas the family kept their traditional heritage alive with jumping the broom as a symbolic union in marriage during their struggles through slavery. Another example is Escaping slavery: Sweet Clara and the freedom quilt by Sue Ann Miller, were a slave girl, Clara goes on her journey to freedom using the quilt as her symbolic inspiration from slavery. These stories and The Keeping Quilt shows readers how tradition customs individuals inherit from their ancestors used to remind them of their heritage such as the quilt was significant because it served as a piece of history passed down through generation to generation. Although Grandma Anna migrated from Russia she did not abandon her homeland once arriving in America, instead she tried to capture the memories by creating a quilt from different family members clothing each scrap of a family member clothing told a story. In creating the quilt grandma Anna kept her family history alive because it represented every significant moment in the family’s life. The Keeping Quilt also shows how cultures when migrating to a new country bring their own traditions and values. â€Å"Carle was given a gift gold, flower, salt, and bread to welcome her into the world each having a symbolic meaning. Whereas the gold represented she will never know poverty, a flower so she would always know love, salt so life would give her flavor, and bread so that she would never know hunger. However the story also shows how cultures bring their own traditions from their homeland they also create new traditions. Patricia Polacco stated† at my wedding men and women danced together, whereas in the pass they were not allowed to dance together (10). Although some traditions had changed in The Keeping Quilt overtime, the quilt remained an important tool used to connect the families past to the present. It also served as something used to preserve traditions the author Patricia Polacco states â€Å" I too will be a grandmother, and tell the story of The Keeping Quilt to my grandbabies†. 32) In addition, The Keeping Quilt is great example to express it is important to pass the torch of family traditions, this imparts a sense of continuity, bonding and more importantly love. It is incumbent on each generation of parents to keep the family tradition up and running. Family traditions are valuable instruments for child rearing because they install social values and contribute to creating close family ties. Whereas quality family time can help to build and maintain strong family ties sharing is the key ingredient for creating quality moments. On the other hand traditions make sharing easy for offering a common ground of knowledge and experiences. Teaching the new generation to honor the old family traditions through the years can help preserve encouraged interaction through shared activities. Many of most meaningful traditional activities revolve around food, with families gatherings eat and celebrate different events or holidays. In telling her story Patricia Polacco says that she come from past of storytellers, quoting† My fondest memories are sitting around a stove or open fire, eating apples and popping corn, while listening to the old ones tell glorious stories about their homeland and past. † In celebrating, traditions are highly important to welfare of many diverse families were Jews celebrate Passover and Hanukah, African Americans enjoy Kwanzaa, christens honor the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, but all giving thanks on Thanksgivings and etc. Traditions help people feel a sense of identity and belonging from a generational perspective, family traditions are practices or belief, they also pave the way for the good times and good memories. They create a connectedness with the past and hope for the future. This book is well integrated into History and Social Studies the study of families ethic religious, occupational and so forth. In reading this book illustration The Keeping Quilt emphasizes the family value and encourages children that valuable tools of family traditions ensure them with warmth and closeness family bondage now.