Kumbh Mela

The sea of humanity that the mela resembles is surreal and spiritual. When friends and well-wishers learnt that my wife and I were going to the Mahakumbh mela for Mauni Amavasya, they were aghast. Some shuddered at the prospect of rubbing shoulders with 30 million of the great unwashed. Others warned of how polluted and carcinogenic the once-pristine Ganga has become. A few were mortified that we would be staying in tents on the riverbank with no access to room service or a flat-screen TV. Some wondered why I, as a non-Hindu, wanted to visit the Mahakumbh at all.Everyone wished us well but confessed to being glad they weren't undertaking the expedition to Allahabad. I, too, was initially apprehensive about embarking on this mega pilgrimage, afraid, perhaps, of the unknown. The logistics of getting to Prayag were daunting. The trains were overflowing and the nearest airports were located several hours away. We decided to fly into Lucknow and then drove a harrowing six-and-a-half hours through â€Å"rururban† UP to finally reach the Sangam around midnight. Our tent, with an adjacent toilet, was basic but comfortable. An unseasonal downpour had, however, turned the chalky riverbank into a slushy mess.Mauni Amavasya is considered the most auspicious day during the Mahakumbh to undertake the Shahi Snan. Pilgrims were converging by the tens of thousands and the state administration had locked down vehicular entry into the city. Our neighbours, city slickers like us, had to walk 13 kilometres from the outskirts of Allahabad to reach the tent complex as their car wasn't allowed to proceed. At night, the temperature plummets and in the absence of heaters, we snuggled in a sleeping bag and used a blanket overlay to keep warm in our flimsy tent. The next morning, we were woken up at 4 am by a cacophony of loudspeakers, competing to be heard.Bhajans and pravachans from rival akhadas blared at full volume. Shouting above this din was a public announcement for family members who had been separated at the Kumbh. A female voice, mimicking a cow, lowed â€Å"Maa† instead of a moo, and exhorted pilgrims to join the campaign to end cow slaughter. A medicine man on a megaphone advertised a book for a hundred rupees that provides a remedy for all ailments known to mankind. Forget about doctors, he shrieked at the top of his voice, simply sit at home and cure yourself of either insomnia or impotence.We groggily stepped out and were stunned by the sight of an entire township of tents that stretched endlessly along both banks of the mighty Ganga. This was the proverbial sea of humanity one had heard about, and it was staggering to witness the sheer scale of this congregation. Walking with millions of believers chanting har har Gange to the Sangam at 4. 30 am was both a surreal and spiritual experience. Naked Naga babas, brandishing swords and trishuls, charged into the river exalting Lord Shiva, who had tamed his wilful daughter by trapping her in his matted locks.Men, women and children were unmindful of stripping before strangers as they undertook the sacred dip in freezing waters. The entire ritual was conducted without any jostling, shoving or disturbance. The faithful converged with reverence and behaved impeccably. Any fear of crowds and claustrophobia melted away and all you felt was oneness with your fellow man. It was, therefore, ironic and all the more tragic that the same evening the stampede at the Allahabad Railway Station left 36 people dead. Today is the last day of the Shahi Snans and we should all perhaps whisper a prayer that it passes without incident.

Civic Speech Outline – Teachers

He told his Peasant Princess that she would want for nothing. Well this was new. â€Å"If I want for nothing, then what want do I want? ‘ She thought long and hard about what she could do with her life. The Peasant Princess finally had an opportunity for a proper education. She loved children, and she spent all of her free time creating art projects. Why not combine all the things she loves? Education, Kids, Arts†¦ Do you see where this is going? As an elementary art teacher, she could spend every day doing all the things she loves. And they lived happily ever after!Well yes they did however this Isn't the end of our story. Soon thereafter, Prince Charming ‘s kingdom was overthrown by an evil king named Private Equity Firm. Private Equity took over the kingdom and stripped the Prince of his throne. Once again, the Prince and Princess were struggling peasants. No longer could she invest her time and limited resources in a future career that would pay no return beyond the humble reward of tiny smiles. Goal/Purpose My civic engagement, or calling, was to be an elementary teacher. Today, we will explore the passion many people share to be a teacher.We'll discuss the many benefits and rewards of the position. Then we will question, if it's so great why are so many teachers leaving the profession, within years of obtaining their degree, or In my case, even before then. In another lifetime, or should I say In a land far far away, this was my dream. L. Why? For me? A. . It wasn't the money, my prince provided well. Negative experience as early as Kindergarten. Ensure that didn't happen to others. Iii. V. This was my natural calling. Who I am. How I act. I wanted to make a difference and feel proud. B. For others? According to UNC (Univac of North Carolina, not Colorado) 9 Reasons to be a Teacher Experience the Joy of Making a Difference Have a Vocation, Not a Job 2. Enjoy Interpersonal Interaction 3. Benefit From Variety 4. Laugh Every Day 6. Have a H igh Level of Autonomy 7. Spend More Time With Your Family 8. Enjoy Lots of Vacation 9. . Summarized . Rewarding I'. Fun Summers off ‘v. Vocation II. How many are leaving? The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future estimates one-third of all new teachers leave after three years, almost half after five years! B.Statistics show 40% of students who pursue undergraduate degrees NEVER enter the classroom. I. Take other Jobs instead. Ill. Why? A. You heard my reason. I. Money can't buy happiness? Neither can poverty. It. Ranked #2 of the 30 worst paying college majors. Iii. #22 on a list of lowest paying Jobs that require a bachelors degree lb. Salary the US $35,000. 1. 40 hours = roughly $17 [hour. 2. +30 hours/week grading and planning = $10 b. Other reasons from teachers who left the profession: Starting I. â€Å"One of the big reason I quit was intangible, but very real. It's Just a lack of respect. † ii. Teachers in schools don't get to call the shots. I no longer have control ever how I teach my class† iii. â€Å"Lack of respect from parents who feel â€Å"my taxes pay your wages, so you work for me lb. From older male teachers â€Å"l eventually felt pressured to advance into higher-level administration. † v. â€Å"There is an overwhelming amount of after-hours work that cannot make up for the free summers† c. Neighbor I. Kindergarten teacher-two boys-heading to Jar high. It. Spends more on supplies and decorations for her classroom each year, than she earns. Ill. Once her children no longer attend this school, she plans on leaving as well.Conclusion Today, I shared with you my lost civic engagement to be an elementary school teacher. My children are no longer in grade school; in fact they are now in college themselves. My educational path will eventually bring me too point where I can teach at the college level and by then my grandsons will be attending college themselves. I honestly don't know what I would adv ise if they chose to be elementary teachers. In case you didn't catch it. I am the princess, although we have never quite been poor peasants. My husband was, is, and always will be my prince charming. And yes, we live happily ever after! Class Dismissed!

Latin America News Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Latin America News Review - Essay Example Fossil fuels include petroleum, coal and natural gas. These sources of energy are non-renewable. Lack of deliberating a course towards sustainable development would lead to depletion of the non-renewable energy sources. Big oil corporations hinder the development of renewable sources of energy, and the also receive the government’s support since they are a significant source of government revenue through the immense taxes they pay. A study by Mark Jacobson (2009) aims at strategizing on how a hundred percent of the world’s energy is achievable through the use of renewable sources. With the changes the world has been experiencing, campaign on the use of biofuels has been on the rise since it is a more sustainable source of energy. The Latin American governments have been creating awareness and opportunities such as tax incentives to companies that utilize green energy in their production activities. Renewable sources of energy include solar power, biogas, bio-diesel, bio-ethanol and algae concentrates. In Brazil, production of vehicles that use biofuels is ongoing (Digest 2015). As at now reliance on fossil fuels has been on the decline since the introduction of fuel blends. For1 example, diesel that is a fossil fuel may be combined in bio-diesel to produce a more sustainable source of fuel. The Latin American governments should, therefore, strategize and formulate policies that will encourage the use of biofuels and green energy. Through this, the countries will not only experience economic development but also will ensure that the development is sustainable. Digest, Bio fuels. positive review of sustainable development of biofuels in latin America and the Caribbean. Washington, February 16th, 2015. http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/02/16/positive-review-of-sustainable-development-of-biofuels-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean/ Lawrence, Frank Thomas and John. Conversion to renewable energy is going

Impact of current economic downturn on Startegic human resource Essay

Impact of current economic downturn on Startegic human resource development - Essay Example e strategic human resource development can involve any of the following types of development such as short term or long term development, individual or group orientation, low participation or high participation techniques, spontaneous or systemic development and so on (Schuler and Jackson, 1987). But the dependence of these types of development techniques is based on certain pillars. These are as discussed by Garavan (2007) global environment, corporate strategy and culture, value and exclusivity of jobs and lastly employee expectation and careers. This essay will examine the importance of the contexts in the strategic human resource development while assessing the impact of the recent economic turmoil on these contexts in relation to human resource development. Furthermore, new steps initiated by organizations in response to the impacts will also be discussed. A swiftly changing economic environment illustrated by events such as globalization, deregulation of global markets, changing demands of customer and supplier, rapidly increasing competition in product-market and so on has become a change standard for organizations. Organizations in order to remain competitive, find ways to reduce costs, innovate products and processes and bring about changes in human resource management and development. Researches have addressed the concept of human resource as one that contributes to the accomplishment of organization’s operating and strategic goals. As the human resource strategies are built to accomplish the goals of the firms, certain objectives or framework also lies behind the development and objectives of strategic human resource. According to Garavan (2007) four levels of context are important in shaping organizations strategic human resource development: a) the global environment; b) the organization’s strategy, structure, culture, and leadership; c) the value and uniqueness that the firm attaches to particular jobs; and d) individual expectations,

Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Life - Essay Example This particular speech reverses the pride and confidence that the young black girl had felt about her as the speaker constantly reminds her of her â€Å"unfortunate† place in the hierarchy of things within the white supremacist state of things. However, the speech of Mr Reeds serves to restore this pride as the young girl is made once again to believe in herself (Angelou 74). This poem marks a journey for the young girl from the point of innocence to that of truth. She is confronted by the hard reality of racism as it represents itself in the external world. From this point, the girl is then empowered to appreciate her identity and not accept any systems or discourses that are designed to diminish the girl’s self-identity. As such, the awakening experience helps her to live a better life. Similarly, Malcolm X’s story, â€Å"A Homemade Education† brings out the positive tone of the civil rights movement’s leader who taught himself a great deal about reading while in prison (Malcolm 56). It is a story that narrates the triumph of the human spirit amid the difficult and trying conditions of prison life. The ability to progress in reading and education outside the guidance of the formal system is a task that requires motivation and sacrifice. In essence, this story is meant to motivate the reader in a manner that would make him aspire to the kind of inner drive, which helped Malcolm X ascend to higher levels of knowledge. As such, the main themes of motivation, strength, and will power, which seem to inform the course of this story, are brought out as consequences of ambition and focus. Some qualities enabled Malcolm X to transform his life from that of a miscreant in the society to one of motivation, positive personality, and high levels of influenc e. Zora Hurston’s story â€Å"How it Feels to be Coloured Me† confronts the subject of racism in a forthright and creative manner. This story tells of how a young woman learns to come to terms with

Questions from international business competing in the global Assignment

Questions from international business competing in the global marketplace 8th edition by 'Hlll - Assignment Example Each country has a role to keep its network secure irrespective of the source of the suspicious cyber activities. China thus ought to protect its network from criminal activities of that manner. Cyberspace demands a lot of confidence in our current society. Hence, China should take action against such breach of security and confidentiality. All the investigation done pertaining to the case pointed China as the source and thus Google was left with no option but to stop the censorship. This should come as a warning for nations that do not protect the confidentiality of cyberspace. In my opinion, Google should have not censored China given its slogan against evil. This is because it would obviously be tough to rule where the government is deciding otherwise. Furthermore, there is no way conflict would be avoided where the interests are different as is the case with Google and Chinese government. However, looking at the positive side for Google, entering into self-censorship would benefi t the company because China is a potentially profitable market for Google. Hence, the best thing for Google is to allow the government to take charge of the censorship and reap the benefit of profits on its side as long as the security and confidentiality of other nations is not threatened. ... Thus without the search engines, this would be a challenge to China. The economy of China would be affected adversely as well as the general public (education and research) together with its government (Publicity). For the search engines, there is not much to lose because they would simply fail to invest there and conduct their business elsewhere. Hence, they would just lose once i.e. on the investment already made but China would suffer technology wise forever. Question 2 Wal-Mart is global merchandise with many stores all over the world. Its success in Mexico could be related to the acquiring of Cifra. This was the leading chain of stores at the time and offered self-service. After its acquisition, the firm added numerous innovations that had been perfected in the US. For instance, changes in pricing as well as supplies among others. The Mexicans like to have their goods fresh and this was offered by the firm. Further, the firm did not have any major competitors and thus had the ma rket to lead. Additionally, the Mexicans accepted their customer service and hence there was no doubt that it would succeed. Lastly, Wal-Mart opened smaller stores in order to cater for the needs of the masses and it was a welcome to most of the Mexicana. However, the success story is not similar in nations like Germany and China. Wal-Mart failed in Germany because the firm made many blunders in its operations since the very first day there. The firm has not found a solution to any of these problems so far. One of the major mistakes the company committed was making an acquisition entry which was flawed strategy to employ at the launching level. The management was through hubris as well as clash of cultures and thus would not stand. Wal-Mart also failed

The Slave Trade in Colonial America Research Paper

The Slave Trade in Colonial America - Research Paper Example Slave traders, nevertheless, justified slavery, using British common law, some Christian beliefs, and natural rights philosophy, where these sources promoted slavery through racism. These sources stressed the inferiority of other races and the supremacy of the white race and culture, as well as the authority of Catholicism.1 For centuries, slavery progressed in Colonial America, but not without resistance from abolitionists and slaves themselves2. This paper describes the history and important events during the slave trade in Colonial America. It no longer deals with the abolition of slavery, but focuses on the economic aspects of the slave trade. The Beginnings of Slavery The history of slavery does not begin in colonial America but centuries before that, and it is said to have started in Europe. Booker T. Washington said that slavery of Africans began in A.D.990.3 The Moors who did not have â€Å"curly hair† also actively traded slaves in various countries in Europe and the Middle East.4 The Arabs even brought their â€Å"black ivory† to Cyprus and distributed them across Europe.5 The Portuguese, however, were attributed to be the originators of slavery in Christian Europe.6 Prince Henry, the Navigator (1394-1460), third son of King John I of Portugal, established a navigation college at Sagres on Cape Saint Vincent in 1419, because he wanted to discover new lands and convert the heathens into Catholics.7 All non-Christians were then called as â€Å"heathens,† a pejorative word for people considered as uncivilized. During this time, the world was divided between the Portuguese and the Spaniards, the two Catholic powers with naval capabilities. The British wanted to emulate these old superpowers and explored North America as its colonial territory. From here, they brought and traded slaves, who sustained their new economy.8 The first group of English people sent to the Americas in 1590, the Roanoke, was not a success; they mysteriously dis appeared and were never found again.9 Still, this did not dent the English from pursuing the colonization of America. In 1606, a group of English investors had created the Virginia Company.10 They recruited people who were willing to be the new settlers in America. These new settlers did not originally conceive the need for slavery in their blueprint, because they focused on freedom and the opportunity to own land. Later on, it became clearer that in order to become rich, it was crucial to have the necessary labor to conduct economic activities competitively.11 This â€Å"peculiar institution† of slavery expanded as part of the plantation systems, first in sugar plantations, and then to tobacco and cotton plantations.12 The slaves are then called â€Å"black gold† because of trading profits and plantation profits. One scholar stressed that slavery is not based on color alone, but more for economic reasons: â€Å"The reason for Negro slavery is economic, not racialâ₠¬ ¦[it has more to do with] the cheapness of labor. As compared with Indian and white labor, Negro slavery was eminently superior†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 13 Slavery spread deeply and widely in South, where slave trading generally became predominant. Slave Trade in Colonial America The exact time and place of when and where the slave trade began in America is still debatable. One source