Best (and Cheapest) Summer Destinations

Best (and Cheapest) Summer Destinations Summer is finally here and it’s your opportunity to give your mind and body a well-earned rest from the rigors of college life. Sure, you could spend your precious vacation running the never-ending mouse-wheel of work, television, and family reunions. Or, you could keep doing school throughout the summer and run the risk of complete burnout when September arrives. Take a little advice from the pros: use your vacation to go somewhere that will rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit. These 5 vacation destinations will inspire you without leaving you in financial ruin. 1. Blake Island, Washington If you have a hankering to get off the mainland but you can’t afford that Hawaiian airfare, look no further than the beautiful Native American respite of Blake Island. Just across the Puget Sound from bustling Seattle, you can take the ferry to Tillicum Village for just $40. You can explore the 400+ acres of natural beauty, attend the traditional salmon bake, or bring your tent and camp out next to the ocean. And, if you are looking for more exciting night life, you can always head back over to the city where you can check out the clubs, comedy, and shows that are sure to entertain on a budget. 2. Miami Beach, Florida At airfare of under $500 per person, going to Miami is all about adventure on a dime. Not only is the beach covered in attractive and available college vacationers, but the city offers benefits for every type of traveler. Stay in one of the modern hotels in the Art Deco District of South Beach or take in the beautiful camping sites at the Miami Everglades Resort for just $31 per day. In addition, the U.S. has just reopened the ferry service from Miami to Cuba. For just $300, you can literally leave the states behind and party Havana-style. 3. San Diego, California Why spend all the money to go to Mexico when you can recreate a South-of-the-border adventure right here on U.S. soil? San Diego is not only an inexpensive choice (less than $400 per flight), but the ocean city is full of low-cost fun that will leave you relaxed and tan. Visit the acclaimed San Diego Zoo ($48), Seaworld ($35), or get a Go San Diego card ($189) that gives you access to those attractions plus Legoland, San Diego Safari Park and 35 other attractions. Or, if you don’t want to spend a dime, drive up the coast to beautiful Huntington Beach. You can take a free stroll up the boardwalk, browse the amazing art galleries, or just enjoy some of the best surfing in the USA! 4. Louisiana Scenic Byways Getting to Louisiana is the easy part, with airfare ranging from $350 and down. But, if you want to avoid the craziness and expense of New Orleans, a great option is to rent a car and drive the spooky back roads that act as a time vortex. You’ll be amazed at the gorgeous greenery and shocked at the tiny towns along the way where everyone still sits on their porch and waves to passersby. Enjoy Zydeco music, amazing food (like Boudin), and drive-through alcohol stands in tiny towns like Beaux Bridge, Bogalusa, and Ville Platte – where all the road signs are still in French and the radio announcers still speak Creole. 5. Denver, Colorado At some of the best plane ticket prices on this list (between $100 and $300), Denver offers everything a college student could want except for free beer. The mile high city touts amazing camping, hiking, and rock-climbing as well as all the big-city amenities you could want. In addition, for those who are cannabis-friendly, the city offers a budding collection of growers, bakers, and dispensaries for you to peruse. If that’s not your speed, take a trip south to the small town of Castle Rock for one of the most amazing renaissance fairs in the west. Or, just hole up in Denver proper and visit the Denver Aquarium, Denver Aviation Museum, or Six Flags Elitch Gardens – all for under $50 each!

The West gains Ascendancy essays

The West gains Ascendancy essays Many historians have struggled with the reasons as to why Europe claimed ascendency over China. There is speculation that importing gold and silver helped Europe quite a bit as well as the steam engine. Historians have also observed China's continuing resistance to learn from other civilizations. One thing that helped Europe to gain hegemony is the ability to import large amounts of bullion into the West. There were no special qualities that lead Europe into their time of glory, but because they were able to import large quantities of bullion into the West that they were able to get the ball rolling. Since Europe was getting the gold and silver from the New World, and almost certainly making Indians mine for the bullion, labor was cheap. With the labor cheap, Europe was making almost all profit with the exception of a few small expenses. This is one theory as to why Europe's economy was so successful. With the largely imported bullion, Europe was able to take full advantage of new technology, most importantly the steam engine. Europe's political system was set up extremely well to accommodate the new technology. With the steam engine, the West was able to set up factories and mass produce clothes and other items that could be use for exports. Along with being able to produce more goods quicker, Europe worked extremely hard at expanding their trading network while China did almost nothing to protect or expand their large trading posts in East Asia. The third and final reason for the rise of Europe was their ability to learn. European were able to learn from other cultures. Examples of this would be the concept of zero from the Arabic Numerals, and taking paper and gunpowder from the Chinese. The Chinese on the other hand did not accept ideas from other cultures. In their stubborn pride they refused to acknowledge any ideas of another civilization. It was not uncommon in this time from China to slip into p...

Bump Guards Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bump Guards Research - Essay Example Bumper Guards are wrapped around individual rails. Thus they avoid the problem of suffocation by letting the air in through the crib rails. Consumers show a positive response to the product.100% of consumers showed willingness to buy the product and accessories along with it. All consumers showed an awareness and knowledge of SIDS syndrome. 10% of consumers suggested that we circulate a pamphlet to educate parents on the dangers of SIDS.10% wished for illustrations of product (patterns and colors) and accessories available with it. Nearly all consumers opted for Velcro fasteners as the best option. All consumers were pleased with the machine wash feature. Preferences for color and patterns differed with consumers wanting pastel shades, Disney and farm animals patterns etc. Average price of the product was pegged at 25$ with a low of 12$ and a high of 50$ maximum. The above research indicates that Bumper Guards is an extremely viable product. Marketed properly with matching accessories and by educating parents about its success in SIDS and injury prevention the product can be a huge success. Prices must be kept down to an affordable range from 20$ upwards according to pattern. Different patterns and colors must be easily available to satisfy the consumer. Material straps are not popular so this option can be discontinued. Velcro and machine wash features are most popular and must be built upon. Easy installation, convenient washability and an affordable price makes for an innovative and potentially successful product. Bumper Guards is a great alternative to the traditional crib bumpers which are a threat to infant mortality and a provide relief to concerned parents. 8. Would you (consumer) be attracted to this product if it were available in a variety of patterns and styles? Yes ____ No ____. What types of patterns and styles would you like to decorate your baby’s nursery

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard Movie Review

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard - Movie Review Example The death of the two minor characters is very tragic and depicted in a manner similar to the death of a major character in any play. The deaths are given some importance even though they are not very meaningful, every man is mortal and will at one time die (Stoppard 110).the play is also full of humor and the use of suspense which brings about the need for the people wanting to watch more of the play. For the play to be produced, it will seek funding from various places like the corporate support. Private institutions and business help in the funding through the PBS general fund though the funds are very limited and cannot sustain the whole production. In addition, the production of the play funded by the program also funds television based programs and those projects that have goals and objectives that are well established. The other source of funding is the national endowment for arts, which promotes art in various countries. In addition to that, the national media engagement centre can also help with the funding of the production of the play. Many I TVS today really come in to fund the production of programs that will promote the economy of the country and bring on TV what people like watching. Centers are ready to promote art in the world, and these centers provide the funds for the production of their work, and discover talent and promote it fully by funding it. The public broadcasting corporation also funds projects, which entertain, and are media related. They funds play knowing that they will also benefit in return. The grant makers in film and electronic media also assist artists by funding the production of their work. The stakeholders in the company look at the project and if it qualifies, they can fund the production. Another source for the funding is national endowment for humanities, which help many artists by funding and promoting their work. When approached, they do not take much time in supporting the production if the work is appealing to

The Survival Of Myth Despite Science Philosophy Essay

The Survival Of Myth Despite Science Philosophy Essay The survival of myth despite the advancement of science and philosophy in the classical Greek world can be explained by its connection with so many facets of Greek culture education, literature, drama, art and its importance in relation to religion, ritual and the after-life. Furthermore, the scale of the work on myth dominated that of the few philosophers and scientists, who were often only able to affect the minority. Fundamental to this question of survival is the relationship between myth (muthos) and reason (logos). In Greek, muthos means story, and relates to the medium traditionally used to describe the feats of the gods and heroes central to Greek mythology. Logos translates as word, and whilst this has numerous meanings principle, argument, explanation and reason, the generally accepted meaning is reason. The two terms then, whilst both presenting an explanation of the world, do so in contrasting ways; myth provides vivid, descriptive narrative often as a form of entertai nment, while reason presents empirical arguments supported by logic. Whilst the Greeks had previously relied on myth as a means of explanation, to reinforce social, political or ethical positions, to uncover or express tensions and dilemmas within society, or to impart a deeper message, during the fifth and fourth centuries, attitudes towards myth began to change. Both Plato and the historian Thucydides for example, associated myth with old wives tales, entertaining perhaps, but with no substance. According to Joanna Overing (1997), Myth or mythos became understood as a form of speech opposed to reasoned discourse or logos. As such myth became defined as opposed to both truth (myth is fiction) and to the rational (myth is absurd). (Overing 2) She cites Vernant as arguing that central to the new emphasis on logos over muthos is the increasing prominence of written text as against the tradition of oral poetry (Overing 2). The most significant groups involved in the change in attitude towards myth, were the Pre-Socratics and the Socratics. Pre-Socratics is the modern term for philosophers from the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, while Socratic indicates Socrates and his contemporaries. Originally, the term sophistÄâ€Å"s referred to anyone who was sophos (wise), and could apply to poets, musicians, philosophers and statesmen. In the fifth century BCE however, it began to refer a group of travelling intellectuals who specialised in tutoring persuasive speech. (While Pre-Socratic and Socratic are both terms that denote the period of the philosopher, the term sophist refers to the method, it is possible therefore, to be both Pre-Socratic and a sophist, like in the case of Protagoras.) Where Classical mythographers depended on the supernatural for their explanations, philosophers pursued the rational order that is visible in natural events. Myths, specifically in this discussion, Greek myth, tended to focus on people, whilst the Pre-Socratics were focused on finding natural explanations. The major difference however, between the Pre-Socratic philosophers and the mythographers of the time, was their approach to explaining the external world; myths, morally ambivalent and self-justifying, allow numerous explanations but the Pre-Socratics aimed to find a single cosmological principle. The first formal histories were composed by Herodotus and Thucydides in the fifth century, and these were followed by attempts by Socrates, Plato and Aristotle to know the external world through logical inquiry. Considered one of the defining moments in the human perception of the external world, these journeys into science and philosophy  [1]  represented a shift from the preceding belief of a world controlled by unpredictable gods, to that of a structured universe understood through scientific observation and rational thought (Study Guide 130). Some of the earliest speculation on this structured universe can be traced to Thales. In his Histories, Herodotus describes Thales foretelling of a solar eclipse; This change from daylight to darkness had been foretold to the Ionians by Thales of Miletus, who fixed the date for it in the year in which it did, in fact, take place. (Herodotus) By modern standards this foretelling may not seem very precise, and we can be confident that it w asnt predicted through any scientific understanding of its cause, nevertheless, Thales forecast demonstrates an understanding of the order of the world, inasmuch as he had correctly interpreted earlier observations of the phenomena by the Babylonians. Diogenes Laertius makes it clear that Protagoras, a Pre-Socratic philosopher and sophist, was fundamental to the debate of muthos versus logos; quoting Protagoras as saying, Man is the measure of all things (Laertius) and later, Where the gods are concerned, I am not in a position to ascertain that they exist, or that they do not exist (Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers 9.52). The first quote appears to be unequivocally reducing the importance of the gods in favour of man and his rational ability, however, the second quote suggests that Protagoras was actually noticeably cautious in his declarations. To further examine his thoughts, we should consider his statement that There are many impediments to such knowledge, including the obscurity of the matter and the shortness of human life. (Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers 9.52) This seems to declare that science and philosophy do not have all the answers, and in fact, may not ever find them given the shortness of hum an life. This, in contrast to a tradition of mythology that has seemingly always provided explanation, may deter any potential converters. It is difficult unfortunately, to interpret these sources accurately since we have no reliable contemporary context. However, what this example does make clear, is that the division between traditional myth and the emerging philosophies was considerable, especially when taken into account with the trial and execution of Socrates. Socrates is today probably the best-known of the ancient philosophers, not least because of the circumstance leading to his death, and was an essential figure in the intellectual developments of the fifth century BCE. His views on religion are most clearly seen in the accusation laid against him; Socrates is guilty of refusing to recognize the gods recognized by the state, and of introducing other new divinities (Laertius). However, it is difficult to be sure of exactly what Socrates beliefs were, particularly with regard to Xenophons Memoirs of Socrates, in which he argues that Socrates believed that the gods were responsible for his abilities in divination, and that therefore, if he trusted in gods, he surely must have believed in gods (Xenophon). The execution of Socrates by the State demonstrates the magnitude of the threat that they felt these new divinities posed. Although myths were not initially intended to communicate moral and/or political beliefs, as Champlin explains, the y were routinely manipulated by emperors in order to enhance their own reputation, by appropriating the gods and heroes of myth and legendary historyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦politicians could present images laden with meanings which were quickly recognizable to a broad public (Champlin 144). The rational order that philosophers were searching for could not be manipulated in the same way that myths could, leaving emperors without one of their leading advertising schemes. Poetry, literature and drama were a substantial part of the Greek culture, and central to them were the Greek myths which provided seemingly endless inspiration. The ancient writers often altered myths to suit their own agenda, be it personal choice, or to reflect the political or social influences of the time. Plato appears to view this influence of myth on society not just as unacceptable, but as almost damaging, explaining that relating myths might encourage people to mirror the actions of the gods and commit the worst crimes, yet think he is doing nothing amazing (Plato 378b2; 4). He states explicitly that the stories told by Homer, Hesiod and other poets are false (Plato 377d4-5), that they contain no moral exemplars, and that even their benefit as allegories is ineffective, since the young cannot distinguish what is allegorical from what is not (Plato 378d6). His proposal to throw out the majority of the stories is tantamount to rejecting the Greek cultural heritage, and would presumably have been viewed by many as the ultimate disrespect. There is an apparent paradox however, in that much of Platos own philosophical work is infused with myth. Murrays explanation of this is that Plato does not intend to free the mind from myth, but rather to appropriate myth from the hands of the poets and construct new myths that will serve the interests of philosophy (Murray). Platos opinions regarding what he views as the immoral behaviour of the gods are reminiscent of those of Sextus Empiricus who describes their behaviour as shameful and reprehensible (Empiricus). Also, like Plato, Sextus Empiricus names Homer and Hesiod as instrumental in circulating such immorality. He equates the gods behaviour with the worst of human behaviour; giving the examples of stealing, adultery, and deceiving one another (Empiricus), all of which appear frequently in the stories of the gods; and in doing so raises the question, If the gods are apparently morally inferior to us, are they worthy of our respect and worship? Sextus Empiricus statements exhibit the beginning of a more critical opinion of the gods that draws on logic and reason. It is possible, that Plato, and Sextus Empiricus, opinions, inadvertently facilitated the survival of myth because the Greeks were opposed to losing not only their primary means of entertainment, but indeed their heritage. In the classical Greek world, philosophers and scientists were still in relatively small numbers, and often confined to the higher classes who had the time and money to explore and experiment. This meant that their ideas only reached the minority. Since the spread of their philosophical and scientific ideas was limited, it could be argued that myth and tradition would have been maintained simply by intellectual apathy. While the developments in philosophy and science were advancing considerably, myth and tradition retained its much of its influence over the Greeks, a conflict that be seen in many of the extant texts from the time. The question of reason versus myth/religion is one that continues today; even in the modern world, where business relies on computers, international travel takes a matter of hours rather than days, weeks or even months, and where man has been to the moon, we still look toward a belief that is thousands of years old. While there are numerous reasons to explain why myth has endured, it may be a simple case of greater numbers there was so much literature about myth that, in comparison to early philosophy, it stood a greater chance of survival. In my opinion however, it has more to do with human nature; people need religion today just as much as the Ancient Greeks needed myth. This, in my opinion, is why myth survived in the face of the scientific and philosophic advances of the classical Greek world people simply need to believe in something greater than themselves.

Akbar the Great

Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar  (Hindi:   ,  Persian:   ? –  Jalal ud-Din Mu? ammad Akbar), also known as  Shahanshah  Akbar-e-Azam (14 October 1542   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 27 October 1605),[4][5]  was the third  Mughal Emperor. He was of  Timurid  descent; the son of Emperor  Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad  Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of northern and central India.He is most appreciated for having a liberal outlook on all faiths and beliefs and during his era, culture and art reached a zenith as compared to his predecessors. Akbar was 13 years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in  Delhi  (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. [6]During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful  Pashtun  descendants of  Sher Shah Suri, and at the  Second Battle of Panipat  he deci sively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king  Hemu. 7][8]  It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and  central India  into his direct realm. He influenced the whole of the Indian Subcontinent as he ruled a greater part of it as an emperor. As an emperor, Akbar solidified his rule by pursuing diplomacy with the powerful  Hindu  Rajputcaste, and by marrying a Rajput princess. [7][9] Akbar's reign significantly influenced art and culture in the country. He was a great patron of art and architecture  [10]  He took a great interest in painting, and had the walls of his palaces adorned with  murals.Besides encouraging the development of the  Mughal school, he also patronised the European style of painting. He was fond of literature, and had several  Sanskrit  works translated into Persian and Persian scriptures translated in Sanskrit apart from getting many Persian works illustrated by painters from hi s court. [10]  During the early years of his reign, he showed intolerant attitude towards Hindus and other religions, but later exercised tolerance towards non-Islamic faiths by rolling back some of the strict  sharia  laws. 11][12][13]  His administration included numerous Hindu landlords, courtiers and military generals. He began a series of religious debates where  Muslim scholars  would debate religious matters with  Hindus,  Jains,Zoroastrians  and  Portuguese  Roman Catholic  Jesuits. He treated these religious leaders with great consideration, irrespective of their faith, and revered them. He not only granted lands and money for the mosques but the list of the recipients included a huge number Hindu temples in north and central India, Christian churches in Goa. Akbar the Great Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar  (Hindi:   ,  Persian:   ? –  Jalal ud-Din Mu? ammad Akbar), also known as  Shahanshah  Akbar-e-Azam (14 October 1542   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 27 October 1605),[4][5]  was the third  Mughal Emperor. He was of  Timurid  descent; the son of Emperor  Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad  Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of northern and central India.He is most appreciated for having a liberal outlook on all faiths and beliefs and during his era, culture and art reached a zenith as compared to his predecessors. Akbar was 13 years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in  Delhi  (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. [6]During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful  Pashtun  descendants of  Sher Shah Suri, and at the  Second Battle of Panipat  he deci sively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king  Hemu. 7][8]  It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and  central India  into his direct realm. He influenced the whole of the Indian Subcontinent as he ruled a greater part of it as an emperor. As an emperor, Akbar solidified his rule by pursuing diplomacy with the powerful  Hindu  Rajputcaste, and by marrying a Rajput princess. [7][9] Akbar's reign significantly influenced art and culture in the country. He was a great patron of art and architecture  [10]  He took a great interest in painting, and had the walls of his palaces adorned with  murals.Besides encouraging the development of the  Mughal school, he also patronised the European style of painting. He was fond of literature, and had several  Sanskrit  works translated into Persian and Persian scriptures translated in Sanskrit apart from getting many Persian works illustrated by painters from hi s court. [10]  During the early years of his reign, he showed intolerant attitude towards Hindus and other religions, but later exercised tolerance towards non-Islamic faiths by rolling back some of the strict  sharia  laws. 11][12][13]  His administration included numerous Hindu landlords, courtiers and military generals. He began a series of religious debates where  Muslim scholars  would debate religious matters with  Hindus,  Jains,Zoroastrians  and  Portuguese  Roman Catholic  Jesuits. He treated these religious leaders with great consideration, irrespective of their faith, and revered them. He not only granted lands and money for the mosques but the list of the recipients included a huge number Hindu temples in north and central India, Christian churches in Goa.

Analyzing Gender Roles in Billy Elliot Essay

During his first visit to The Bahamas and representing the Queen abroad for the Diamond Jubilee, Prince Harry addressed crowds of dignitaries and admirers in the capital, Nassau. The Island-hopping Prince Harry continues his 10-day Diamond Jubilee tour through the Caribbean in Jamaica this week after stops in Belize and the Bahamas over the weekend in honor of the Queen’s 60thyear on the throne. Proving to be a skilled diplomat with the common touch that characterized his late mother Princess Diana, Harry favored solo interviews with the local press and spent a great deal of time with the everyday people of the former British Honduras. The prince laid a wreath for British soldiers at Price Barracks in Belize City before departing the English-speaking Central American nation for the Bahamas. The young royal caused quite a stir in Nassau Sunday when he appeared in public for the first time ever in his crisp white ceremonial uniform, also known as the No. 1 Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals. His uniform was punctuated with the first public reveal of the Diamond Jubilee medal. Throngs of fans lined the streets as Harry made his way to the Christ Church Cathedral to meet and greet. Though he mingled with several dignitaries in his special outfit, his encounter with Miss Bahamas, Anastagia Pierre, got tabloids buzzing. â€Å"I’m here to fall in love with Harry,† Pierre told reporters on Sunday. â€Å"He’s hot! He is single now so I would marry him, yes. † Harry brushed the comments aside and he seemed to truly enjoy himself in the Bahamas. In a speech he delivered a message from the Queen to the people of the Bahamas. Video1 Harry called at Government House in Nassau to pay his respects to the Governor General of the Bahamas and other members of the cabinet. The iconic pink-painted house is where his late great-great uncle the Duke of Windsor lived during the Second World War in his role as Governor General of the region. 3 Earlier in the day, Harry was meant to join the crew of a Royal Bahamian Defense Force patrol boat on a naval exercise but had to move to a media boat after the military vessel broke down. He eventually landed on tiny Harbor Island where he was greeted by crowds of tourists and locals. Harry will continue his Diamond Jubilee tour with a stop in Jamaica beginning Monday and end in Brazil where he will help launch a government trade mission in Rio.