What is culture Argumentative Essay Example For Students

What is culture? Argumentative Essay Culture is not easily defined and there is no one definition among academics as to what exactly the concept should include. It is a word that has many meanings and values. But it is an important part of life for most of us. Culture does not mean high culture or a cultured person. It is not just the arts, but culture includes all learned behaviour. Culture is a term used by sociologists for a peoples whole way of life. In everyday conversation the word culture may refer to activities such as art, literature, and music. However, a peoples culture consists of all the ideas, objects, and ways of doing things created in a society. We will write a custom essay on What is culture? Argumentative specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Culture includes arts, beliefs, customs, inventions, language, technology and traditions. A culture is any way of life, simple or complex. Cultural anthropology defines culture as the following: A set of learned rules, standards or manners shared within a human group that describes a range of behaviors and beliefs that are proper, acceptable and valid, and are in place to promote the survival of the group. These rules govern all aspects of behavior within the human group and in most instances provide for repercussions when the rules are violated. These rules also govern relationships to other human groups and the environment. This suggests that culture is acquired by people because it consists of learned patterns of behaviour rather than the biologically determined ones that are sometimes called instinctive. Therefore, it is important to recognise that culture is an on-going process in the world around us and not a static and restricted term. Cultures differ in their details from one part of the world to another. For example, eating is a biological need. But what people eat, when and how they eat, and how food is prepared differ from culture to culture. What is appropriate in one culture is not necessarily appropriate in other cultures. An American may consider it impolite or even unpleasant to talk with someone who is standing only a foot away. Yet, this is the appropriate talking distance for most people from Latin America. Every culture has smaller cultures inside it. These are called subcultures. A subculture has most of the traits of the main culture. It also has traits that are different from the main culture. One example of a subculture is the culture of youth, of which I am a part. Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) was a poet during the Victorian era and was known for his writing on the topic of culture. Arnold saw culture as contact with the best which has been thought and said in the world and crucial for a healthy democratic state. Arnolds view of culture involved characteristics such as beauty, intelligence, and perfection His argument was that if more people share and pursue his notions of beauty, truth, and perfection then the world would be a better place. This is in complete contrast to the view of Raymond Williams who argued that culture isnt the best that has been thought and said, but rather that culture is ordinary. Raymond Williams was a lead the way in the field of cultural studies and recognised that culture was a feature of the common and therefore affected the many. He called culture the signifying system through which necessarily (though among other means) a social order is communicated, reproduced, experienced and explored. He introduced two aspects of culture: to mean a whole way of life the common meanings; to mean the arts and learning and the special processes of discovery and creative effort. Some writers reserve the word for one or other of these senses; I insist on both, and on the significance of their conjunction. .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .postImageUrl , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:hover , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:visited , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:active { border:0!important; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:active , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Counseling And Psycotherapy Essay All these differing perspectives of culture lead me to the conclusion that it is impossible to give one complete definition. Culture is a complex term that involves what holds our societies together and how and why we live our lives the way we do. Webography http://www. co. pinellas. fl. us/BCC/yatki/culture. htm http://www. human-academy. com/english/culture. asp http://www. sou. edu/English/IDTC/Issues/CultStud/cultstud. htm http://www. cultsock. ndirect. co. uk/MUHome/cshtml/ Mark Tyrrell C:Documents and SettingsckdMy Documents ewcontentonlineprocessingpost12961. doc. What is culture Argumentative Essay Example For Students What is culture? Argumentative Essay Culture is not easily defined and there is no one definition among academics as to what exactly the concept should include. It is a word that has many meanings and values. But it is an important part of life for most of us. Culture does not mean high culture or a cultured person. It is not just the arts, but culture includes all learned behaviour. Culture is a term used by sociologists for a peoples whole way of life. In everyday conversation the word culture may refer to activities such as art, literature, and music. However, a peoples culture consists of all the ideas, objects, and ways of doing things created in a society. We will write a custom essay on What is culture? Argumentative specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Culture includes arts, beliefs, customs, inventions, language, technology and traditions. A culture is any way of life, simple or complex. Cultural anthropology defines culture as the following: A set of learned rules, standards or manners shared within a human group that describes a range of behaviors and beliefs that are proper, acceptable and valid, and are in place to promote the survival of the group. These rules govern all aspects of behavior within the human group and in most instances provide for repercussions when the rules are violated. These rules also govern relationships to other human groups and the environment. This suggests that culture is acquired by people because it consists of learned patterns of behaviour rather than the biologically determined ones that are sometimes called instinctive. Therefore, it is important to recognise that culture is an on-going process in the world around us and not a static and restricted term. Cultures differ in their details from one part of the world to another. For example, eating is a biological need. But what people eat, when and how they eat, and how food is prepared differ from culture to culture. What is appropriate in one culture is not necessarily appropriate in other cultures. An American may consider it impolite or even unpleasant to talk with someone who is standing only a foot away. Yet, this is the appropriate talking distance for most people from Latin America. Every culture has smaller cultures inside it. These are called subcultures. A subculture has most of the traits of the main culture. It also has traits that are different from the main culture. One example of a subculture is the culture of youth, of which I am a part. Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) was a poet during the Victorian era and was known for his writing on the topic of culture. Arnold saw culture as contact with the best which has been thought and said in the world and crucial for a healthy democratic state. Arnolds view of culture involved characteristics such as beauty, intelligence, and perfection His argument was that if more people share and pursue his notions of beauty, truth, and perfection then the world would be a better place. This is in complete contrast to the view of Raymond Williams who argued that culture isnt the best that has been thought and said, but rather that culture is ordinary. Raymond Williams was a lead the way in the field of cultural studies and recognised that culture was a feature of the common and therefore affected the many. He called culture the signifying system through which necessarily (though among other means) a social order is communicated, reproduced, experienced and explored. He introduced two aspects of culture: to mean a whole way of life the common meanings; to mean the arts and learning and the special processes of discovery and creative effort. Some writers reserve the word for one or other of these senses; I insist on both, and on the significance of their conjunction. .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .postImageUrl , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:hover , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:visited , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:active { border:0!important; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:active , .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737 .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u97b7eb68bd4f4c08e2a8f53cd6a61737:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Counseling And Psycotherapy Essay All these differing perspectives of culture lead me to the conclusion that it is impossible to give one complete definition. Culture is a complex term that involves what holds our societies together and how and why we live our lives the way we do. Webography http://www. co. pinellas. fl. us/BCC/yatki/culture. htm http://www. human-academy. com/english/culture. asp http://www. sou. edu/English/IDTC/Issues/CultStud/cultstud. htm http://www. cultsock. ndirect. co. uk/MUHome/cshtml/ Mark Tyrrell C:Documents and SettingsckdMy Documents ewcontentonlineprocessingpost12961. doc.

Interesting Green Sea Turtle Facts

Interesting Green Sea Turtle Facts Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) inhabit the beaches and offshore locations of 140 countries throughout the world. They are graceful and serene swimmers who migrate thousands of miles through warm subtropical and tropical oceans. All species of these beautiful reptiles are endangered or threatened. Fast Facts: Green Sea Turtles Scientific Name: Chelonia mydasCommon Name(s): Green sea turtle, black sea turtle (in the eastern Pacific)Basic Animal Group: ReptileSize: Adults grow to between 31–47 inches  Weight: 300–440 poundsLifespan: 80–100 yearsDiet:  HerbivoreHabitat: In warm subtropical and tropical ocean waters. Nesting occurs in over 80 countries, and they live in the coastal waters of 140 countriesPopulation: Two largest are the Tortuguero population on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica (22,500 females nest there each season) and Raine Island in the Australian Great Barrier Reef (18,000 females nest).Conservation Status: Endangered Description Green sea turtles are distinguished by their streamlined shell or carapace, which covers their entire body except for flippers and head. The adult green sea turtle has an upper shell that blends several colors, gray, black, olive, and brown; its undershell, called a plastron, is whitish to yellow. Green sea turtles are named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells. While sea turtles have fairly mobile necks, they cannot withdraw their heads into their shells.   The flippers of sea turtles are long and paddle-like, making them excellent for swimming but poor for walking on land. Their heads are light brown with yellow markings. The green sea turtle has four pairs of costal scutes, large, hard scales which assist in swimming; and one pair of prefrontal scales located between its eyes. Westend61 - Gerald Nowak/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images Species There are seven recognized species of sea turtles, six of which are in the Family Cheloniidae (the hawksbill, green, flatback, loggerhead, Kemps ridley, and olive ridley turtles), with only one (the leatherback) in the family Dermochelyidae. In some classification schemes, the green turtle is divided into two species- the green turtle and a darker version called the black sea turtle or Pacific green turtle.   All sea turtles migrate. Turtles sometimes travel thousands of miles between cooler feeding grounds and warm nesting grounds. A leatherback turtle was tracked by satellite traveling over 12,000 miles for 674 days from its nesting area in Jamursba-Medi beach in Papua, Indonesia to feeding grounds off Oregon. Habitats, diet and the number and arrangement of these scutes are the primary ways to distinguish different sea turtle species. Habitat and Distribution Green sea turtles are found throughout the world in warm subtropical and tropical ocean waters: They nest on the beaches of over 80 countries and live on the coasts of 140 countries. Efforts continue to emphasize the tracking of sea turtle movement using satellite tags to learn more about their migrations and the implications their travels have for their protection. This may help resource managers develop laws that help protect turtles in their full range. Diet and Behavior The only herbivore of the extant sea turtle species, green sea turtles graze on seagrasses and algae, which in turn maintains and fortifies the seagrass beds. They migrate long distances between a wide range of broadly separated localities and habitats during their lifetimes. Tagging studies suggest that ones that nest at Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean west of Brazil feed on the Brazilian coast, up to 1,430 miles or more away.   Reproduction and Offspring Sea turtles mature at around age 25–30. The males spend their whole lives at sea, while females mate with the males at sea and then go to selected beaches to dig a hole and lay between 75 to 200 eggs. Female sea turtles may lay several clutches of eggs during a single season, then cover the clutches with sand and return to the ocean, leaving the eggs to fend for themselves. The breeding season occurs in late spring and early summer; the males can breed every year but the females only breed once every three or four years. After a two-month incubation period, the young turtles hatch and run to the sea, facing attack by a variety of predators (birds, crabs, fish) along the way. They drift at sea until they are about a foot long and then, depending on the species, may move closer to shore to feed. Threats Climate change, the loss of habitat, and diseases such as fibropapilloma- which causes benign but ultimately debilitating epithelial tumors on the surface of biological tissues- threaten green sea turtles today. Sea turtles are protected by a variety of national and state laws and international treaties, but hunting of live turtles and harvesting of eggs is still underway in many places. Bycatch, the accidental entanglement in fishing gear such as gillnets or shrimp trawling nets, is responsible for hundreds of thousands of turtle deaths and injuries each year. In addition, oceanic pollution and marine debris have been known to disturb and disrupt migration patterns. Vehicle traffic and development of beaches and light pollution of nesting regions disturbs hatchlings, who often go towards the light rather than towards the ocean. Rising sea temperatures from climate change also affect turtle populations. Because the incubation temperature of eggs determines the animals sex, populations in the northern Great Barrier Reef have experienced imbalances of populations with 90 percent or greater females. Conservation Status All seven species of sea turtles are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Due to conservation efforts, some populations are recovering: Between 1995 and 2015, the Hawaiian green sea turtle increased at a rate of 5 percent per year. Sources Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). ECOS (Environmental Conservation Online System) U.S. Fish Wildlife Service.Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas. National Wildlife Fund.Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas. NOAA Fisheries.  Green Sea Turtle. World Wildlife Fund.  Luschi, P., et al. The Navigational Feats of Green Sea Turtles Migrating from Ascension Island Investigated by Satellite Telemetry. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 265 (1998). Print.Sea Turtle Conservancy. Information About Sea Turtles: Green Sea Turtle. Seminoff, J.A. Chelonia mydas. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T4615A11037468, 2004. Spotila, James R. Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.Sea Turtles: Ambassadors of the Sea. State of the Worlds Sea Turtles, 2008. Waller, Geoffrey, ed. SeaLife: A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. 1996.

Development of International Organizations Essay

Development of International Organizations - Essay Example An international organization†¦represents a form of institution that refers to a formal system of rules and objectives, a rationalized administrative instrument and which has ‘a formal technical and material organization: constitutions, local chapters, physical equipments, machines, emblems, letterhead stationery, a staff, an administrative hierarchy and so forth.’† (Archer, 2001, p. 2) There has been a common tendency to confuse between ‘international organizations’ and ‘international institutions.’ In this context, writers and scholars need to remember that an internal institution actually refers to ‘the detailed structure of an international organization†¦for international organizations is more restricted than the sociological meaning of the word.’(Archer, 2000, p.2) According to the historical references, formation of the international organizations commenced during First Word War at the Versailles Peace Conference (1919). Formation of international organizations in nineteenth century was propelled due to certain social reasons. Political scientists widely agree to the point that in order to formation of such organizations development of sovereign states as well as ‘a relatively stable system’ was necessary in Europe. Moreover, the Great War and its horrific consequences did cast such a tremendous effect over the nations that they immediately understood if harmony between the nations could not be maintained it will not be possible to avoid tragedy of such great dimension. In addition to such factors, the social and economic issues also played a great role in the formation of international organizations. Almost at the end of the nineteenth century the European nations witnessed that they were fighting amongst each other trivial poli tical issues and it was affecting social as well as economic stability of the countries. Consequences of those issues were also reflected in the international relationship of the countries. Thus, the

Inflation and Real Rates of Return Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Inflation and Real Rates of Return - Essay Example Real interest rates can be positive as well as negative. A positive real interest rate indicates that the purchasing power of the individual is increasing while a negative interest rate shows that the purchasing power of the individual is decreasing if the individual invests at the nominal rate. From the calculations above, it can be understood that at the current level of inflation, if a person invests in 1-year Certificate of Deposits, he will end up with less purchasing power. It can be analysed in such a way that a higher inflation rate than the nominal interest rate means that the purchasing power is decreasing at a faster rate than the rate of return of the investment. 2. Duration (Bonds) a. Frederick Macaulay developed a method to measure the interest rate risk of a bond and called it Macaulay Duration. He felt that duration is a better â€Å"measure of the bond’s worth than its time to maturity because duration considers both the repayment of capital at maturity and t he size and timing of coupon payments before maturity† (Macaulay Duration). Macaulay Duration is the weighted average term to maturity of the cash flows from a bond. The weight of each cash flow is determined by dividing the present value of the cash flow by the price (Macaulay Duration Definition). Duration measures a bond’s price sensitivity to interest rate changes. ... Calculating V-: I/Y= 9% V- = $92.406 Calculating V+: I/Y= 11% V+ = $87.781 3. Price-Earnings Ratio a. False. The PE ratio is equal to the market price of the share divided by the earnings per share (EPS). If we are using the dividend discount model to estimate the share price, a higher beta would lead to a higher required rate of return. This would decrease the share price and as a result the PE ratio will decrease. b. True. The PE ratio tells us how much an investor is willing to pay for $1 of a company’s earnings. If the net income of a company is good then the investors will be willing to pay more for a dollar earned. The ROE is equal to the net income divided by the average shareholders’ equity. A higher net income means a higher ROE. c. False. If we are using the dividend discount model to estimate the share price, higher dividends will result in a higher share price. Higher share price will increase the PE ratio. When the plowback rate is higher the dividends will be lower. 4. Book Value a. The market to book value signifies how many times a company’s stock is operating per share compare to the company’s book value per share. The organization’s book value reflect historic costs, hence this ratio is significant in indicating the management’s success in adding value for its shareholders in case of the market value being higher than the book value. A high price to book value ratio means that shareholders expect the management of the company to create more value with the given level of assets. b. Common shareholders’ equity = (20,000 x 20) + 5,000,000 + 70,000 Common shareholders’ equity = $5,470,000 Book value per share = Common shareholders’ equity / Number of common shares outstanding Book value per share = 5,470,000 /

Being on Time Essay Example for Free

Being on Time Essay Time: It is the universes theoretical constant that governs, sometimes with an iron fist, the everyday lives of humans. Time has many different measurements. There are stellar measurements, such as the phases of the moon or the rotation of the Earth around our Sun. There are extremely long measurements of time, like the geological epoch that can span for tens of millions of years, and there are very small measurements such as planck time, a unit commonly used to measure events in quantum mechanics and is so small that a single unit of planck time is the equivalent of 10-43 seconds. People have always measured time in one form or another. Beginning with our ancestors, who began to measure the phases of the moon almost 30,000 years ago, to the Egyptians who began to measure time using shadows cast by large Obelisks, effectively being the very first sundials. Today, we use a common standard of time in our day-to-day lives. Sixty minutes in an hour, twenty-four hours in a day, three hundred sixty-five days in a solar year; but time has always been used to measure and record important events. This has never been more evident as it has been in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In this era of human history, punctuality is one of the key elements of our workforce, and particularly in the military. In our world, being on-time carries more with it than just a smooth operation of events. Here, being at the right place at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. As members of the United States Army, we have made a commitment to obey our unique laws and regulations, of which precision and conscionable timing is reflected. In our Uniform Code of Military Justice, timeliness is addressed under our Punitive Articles. Chapter 10, Article 86: ABSENCE WITHOUT LEAVE Any member of the armed forces who, without authority– (1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed; (2) goes from that place; or (3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. With this being said it is very important for an individual to be at his/her appointed place of duty at least 15 minutes prior to the time stated. Every soldier knows the military motto â€Å"If you are 15 minutes early you are on time; if you are on time you are late! † This is something that was drilled into us during Basic Training and AIT. I understand the punishment I have been given is not to humiliate me, but make sure I adhere to the military standard at all times. I am an epitome of the soldier’s creed and I wear my uniform proudly. All though I am not perfect I strive for perfection every waking moment of everyday. I am currently paying for my actions in a previous incident and by completing the task I was given I hope to prove that I am not a loss; but someone that can be counted on when needed. I will from this point and all those times in the future; make sure I am at my appointed place of duty. If for any reason I am not able to make it on time, I will be sure to contact my chain of command and let them know why and bring evidence of the incident if instructed.

Marriage in the Renaissance and Shakespeares As You Like It Essays

Marriage in the Renaissance and As You Like It      Ã‚   The concept of marriage has been considered to be a sacred and traditional part of life since the beginning of relationships between human beings. The rules of these intimate relationships were set up in accordance with church law. Such rules consisted of the conventional/typical marriage and the ritual of marriage (ceremony). William Shakespeare examines the customs of marriage practice of the Renaissance time period in his work As You Like It.    Marriage at the time focused on a heterosexual relationship between a man and woman. Kirsti S. Thomas, explains that marriage did not concern the true love element that exists in the typical marriages of today. At the time of Shakespeare, she states that marriage "served to transfer wealth or property and to continue the family line" (2). Marriages were the result of socially and economically oriented environments, similar to the caste system in India. According to a web source specializing in Renaissance weddings, such couplings of "...arranged marriages of the upper class were decided when the bride and groom were young, usually ten to eleven years. Lower class marriages had similar motives, however they were the result of pregnancies " (3). Generally, the marriage had to have full consent of at a family member or parental guardian. There were many ordinances and specific codes of conduct that had to be followed before a wedding was to take place. Thomas describes one of these ordi nances with having two guidelines, "In order to be recognized by the church, one of the partners must give consent and the priest must say the formula, 'we join together in this holy matrimony...'" (6). Courtly love did exist, and was encourage... ...t.   Consentual marriage was between a man and a woman. The ritual of a marriage ceremony was more secular and inter-linked with the Catholic church. Throughout the characters in the play, those themes are illustrated.    Works Cited Coulton, G.G. Life in the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press. 1967. P. 83 Davis, William Steams. Life of a Medieval Barony. Harper and Row. New York. 1951. P. 109-112. Greensblatt, Stephen.   The Norton Shakespeare Oxford Edition. W.W. Norton and Co. New York. 1997. 1591-1656. Thomas, Kirsti S/ "Medieval and Renaissance Marriage: Theory and Customs". Medieval and Renaissance Wedding Page. http://www.drizzle.com?~celyn/mrwp/mrwed.html. Ed: Kuehl B.J. 1995. Date Accessed: 14 October 2002. http://www.renaissance-weddings.net/ Renaissance Weddings. 2001. World Web Design, LLC. Date Accessed: 14 October 2002.

Adoption from China vs the United States Essay

When a couple begins to explore the idea of adopting a child, it is easy for them to quickly become overwhelmed with information, questions and decisions. One of the first dilemmas couples face is whether to pursue international adoption or domestic adoption. By thoroughly researching and weighing both options, a couple can decide whether international or domestic adoption is best for their family. Some of the requirements that must be met to adopt in China include marital Status, only married couples with marriage defined as between a man and a woman, who have been married for at least 2 years are able to adopt from China. If either has been divorced, the couple must be married for 5 years before considering adopting from China. No more than two divorces are allowed; the age of prospective adoptive parents must be between 30 and 44 years old to adopt babies around 1 year old. Prospective adoptive parents can be between the ages of 30 and 50 for other children (about. com, 2012); Educational requirement for both parents are that they must have a H. S. diploma or vocational training. Typically from start to finish it will take 36-48 months for the adoption to be final. The biggest factor influencing the wait for a child is the time it takes the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) to make a referral to a family. The current referral time is approximately eight months after the detailed prospective parents files are submitted and registered with the CCAA. The cost to adopt from China is not inexpensive; it can run $20,000 to $40,000, including travel. This cost also covers registration and program fees, applications, and home study fees, necessary paperwork and background checks, just to name a few. Medical records of children adopted internationally are often minimal, if available at all. Information regarding the social history of the child’s birth parents, such as family medical history is also often unavailable (the Adoption Guide, 2012). In comparison, some of the requirements to adopt in the United States include marital status; couples do not have to be married to adopt; however, it will be easier for them to adopt if they are married. If the adopting parent is married, a minimum of a three year marriage is a common requirement; the minimum legal age to adopt is generally 18 years of age to 40 years of age. In most situations, however, there will be a requirement that the adopting parents must be at least 20 years older than the child they are seeking to adopt; history of employment stability, and the prospect of future employment stability, are always considered to be big plusses in the eyes of birthparents; there is a thorough background check done in an attempt to uncover evidence of any prior legal or criminal problems, or any problems with child abuse, financial instability, or substance abuse. The average time from preparation of portfolio to match with a birthmother can vary from 3 months (this being the majority) to being longer than 24 months; this includes time spent in false starts. The final adoption decree is usually finalized 6 months after the placement of the child with an adoptive family. The cost of adoption in the United States can range from $5,000 to $40,000 for agency and private adoptions. The cost includes; Agency applications nd program fees, attorney fees, birthmothers expenses, and travel just to name a few. One very large legal concern in domestic adoption is that in an attorney-facilitated adoption, a birth parent can try to withdraw consent to the adoption before the final adoption decree goes into effect, which is six months after placement. To exercise this right to withdraw consent, a birth parent must present clear and convincing evidence that the â€Å"best interests of the child† have changed (adoption. com, 2012). Furthermore, the numbers of children in China awaiting adoption has dropped significantly in the past few years. In 2006, about 6,493 Chinese orphans came to the United States; in 2011 only 2,587 children were adopted. The belief for the decline is the rather strict adoption requirement that have been placed on prospective parents. Despite the fact that we live in one of the most fortunate nations in the world, there are 115,000 children in the U. S. foster care system waiting to be adopted. Unfortunately some of these children are waiting because they are difficult to place due to their age, the fact that they are part of a sibling group, or their disability. The total number of children worldwide who are orphaned and waiting to be is approximately 2. 2 billion. Out of those 2. 2 billion children, 16 million children are estimated to be orphans. How do you even wrap your brain around that many parent-less children? The total number of children adopted worldwide each year, out of those 16 million orphans, is a mere 250,000. These numbers are pretty overwhelming when you think about it (the Adoption Guide, 2012). The decision between domestic adoptions vs. international adoptions only scratches the surface of this big decision. Because a family’s experience with adopting from China will be very different from a family adopting from the United States, it is difficult to describe what to expect in either situation. Couples should fully research each of these adoption venues and then weigh their options to see which best matches their adoption plan.