The Dominican Republic is unique from all other Latin American nations in part, because its heritage relates to Haitian cultural traditions rather than solely Spanish ones, much like the rest of Latin America (Brown & Standish, 1999). In fact, the Dominican Republic received its independence from Haiti, not Spain (Brown & Standish, 1999). This is not to say that Spanish colonial influences are not evident in the country; in fact they are widespread, particularly within the realm of architectural structures and art. The official religion of the Dominican Republic is Roman Catholicism (Brown & Standish, 1999:69). More than 90% of the citizens living in this country are Roman Catholic. There are other religions prevalent in the country however including Protestantism and the traditional religious system of native Taino Indians, who practice cohoba religious ceremonies and also Gaga, which is the Dominican version of voodooism (Brown & Standish, 1999). For this reason, some cultural aspec

Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1909 "The Secret Garden" is one of the best loved Children's stories of all time. As with most Children's stories it is based on the fairy tale motif.

Early Colonial American society during the 17th and 18th centuries is characteristically bound by strong religious beliefs of Christianity. The New England inhabitants from Britain, who have established their respective colonies in the Americas, have brought with them their cultural histories; thus, this culture had been further developed in the new country to strengthen its new identity and culture as the American society. In colonial America, two religions dominated its cultural history: Puritans on one hand, and the Quakers, on the other. Puritanism was borne from the creation of a religion that seeks to fuse and at the same time, reform, the Catholic and Protestant teachings and principles. When it was created, it was given a chance to further develop and eventually became one of the dominant religions of the British colonies in America. Puritanism is known for its conservatism and strict adherence to the teachings of the Bible; since the religion aims

Thomas Paine in 1776 wrote the explosive pamphlet that was meant to offend British imperialists and to quash any hopes of reconciliation with American colonies. This documents reflects the thoughts and views on a person who is seriously concerned about the future of America and wants to convince the American revolutionaries of the righteousness of their cause. On the eve of the American Revolution, many people must have wondered if they did the right thing by throwing the British out. Was independence really worth it' Would survival now be difficult-especially without the aid of British wealth and experience' These questions must have plagued the minds of many who quietly watched the birth of a new country- a country that was destined to be bigger and more powerful than every other in the world. Thomas Paine wrote this pamphlet to highlight the problems with a British form of government especially the monarchy and pointed out the errors made by the British government in

While fate plays a significant role in our lives, it is clear to see through the characters of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Walter Younger that our choices often dictate the direction of our lives. While the plays, Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles; Hamlet, by William Shakespeare; and A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry represent different cultural and social issues, the issue of fate versus free will is a predominant theme in each of them. Oedipus, Hamlet, and Walter Younger demonstrate that we are often more in control of destiny than we might want to believe. Each man has particular circumstances that exist beyond his realm of control. Oedipus' situation almost seems destined by fate because we know that the gods predict his future. However, what we must remember is what the gods predicted is different from what they knew. No doubt the gods knew the truth about Oedipus and his life and were therefore aware of Oedipus' fate but this fact does not change that Oedipus

This paper discusses three significant social welfare ideologies. First, Social Darwinism is defined. Second, the Charity Organization Society and the Settlement Movement are related. And, third this paper discusses how these three ideologies are still relevant today.

This short paper investigates the use of problem-solving tools to solve a hypothetical, team-oriented problem at a General Motors plant. The specific problem faced is a significantly increased number of stoppages on the assembly line. This problem is investigated within the context of the problem-solving techniques of the Tally Sheet, the Flowchart, Brainstorming, and Force Field Analysis. Each of these four techniques is described, and applied to the issue of an increased assembly-line stoppage at General motors, in the context of a team environment.

In the movie Rain Man the main characters are Raymond (played by Dustin Hoffman) and Charley Babbitt (played by Tom Cruise) who are brothers. The Babbitt's father dies and leaves his fortune to Raymond, who is actually institutionalized for autism. Charley didn't even realize he had a brother until his father died. He is angry that he has lived his life without knowing this and struggles with many complex emotions during the movie. In an attempt to recover his fortune and learn about the brother he never knew he had, Charley sets out to retrieve from the institution he is staying in by kidnapping him. Raymond and the two embark on a journey.

Irony often makes us laugh but it sometimes makes us gasp. Such is the case with Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery." Through scenes with the setting, the characters, and even the title of the story provide a false sense of what the story is about. This false sense allows Jackson to effectively demonstrate how people can become creatures of habit. The setting of the story is ironic in that it is misleading. In the beginning of the story, we are told that the morning was "clear and sunny" (Jackson 617) and the "flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green" (617). These are images that represent life and living at its fullest. The situations in which the characters are placed are also misleading. We are under the impression that he town is gathering for an event that is somewhat cheerful and certainly not terrifyi

A culture's belief about the beginning of the world is called a creation myth, story or tale. An explanation of the origin of the universe is known as a cosmogony. It is difficult to find any people throughout the world who do not have some explanation for the source of life. One of the most interesting aspects of creation mythology is the similarities that exist among descriptions, whether they are from the Judeo/Christian Bible or from African, Native American, South American, Greek, Japanese or Australian cultures. Common themes are present in both the West and East. From the earliest humans, who painted on the walls of their cave, there has been a need to search for answers and explain the unknown. A number of researchers have concluded that the source of all creation myths stems back to a common point, probably actual historical events in history (Van Over 1980; Roth, 1981). They all come from one early source and are different only because time and local cultural cir

As a response to the intrusive presence of the British forces of occupation before the American Revolution, the framers of the United States Constitution took care to be sure that any indigenous government would be permanently enjoined from imposing itself in unwarranted ways on the citizenry. "Using a Writ of Assistance, British customs officials were able to enter any home and search the premises for evidence of customs violations" (Robinson, 2004) in the years before the Revolution. The protective amendment to the Constitution written by the colonists has been a linchpin of the personal freedom Americans have enjoyed ever since. That protection was embodied in the Fourth Amendment, commonly referred to as the search and seizures' amendment. It guarantees: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall i

Hamlet's encounter with the players gives us an indication of how serious he is about the play. It is much more than a show for him. He believes that drama can expose certain realities of life. In this case, Hamlet is looking at Claudius for any hints of guilt for killing Hamlet's father. He is hoping that by watching Claudius' reaction to the play, he can finally know the truth one way or another. In addition, Hamlet also thinks that drama reflects mankind. Earlier in the play, he tells the player that the purpose of acting, "was and is to hold, as it twere, the mirror up to nature, to show virtue her (own) feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure" (III.ii.22- 26). This statement reveals that Hamlet wants Ophelia and Claudius to see their evil nature. In order for them to be moved, the a

Vladimir Lenin was a Russian revolutionary leader and theorist, who ruled the first government of Soviet Russia and then the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Encarta, 2004). Lenin was the leader of the radical socialist Bolshevik Party (later renamed the Communist Party), which seized power in the October phase of the Russian Revolution of 1917. After the revolution, Lenin created and led the new Soviet government that formed in Russia. He became the leader of the USSR when it was created in 1922. He ruled with terror, and his actions included establishing the secret police to root out opponents of the Bolsheviks. Lenin held the highest post in the Soviet government until his death in 1924, when Joseph Stalin gained power. Stalin was the despotic ruler who molded the features that characterized the Soviet regime and shaped the direction of Europe after World War II ended in 1945 (Encarta, 2004). Stalin's leadership resulted in the massive killing of Russians

The article "Consumers' Use of Mobile Telephony' created in August of 2003 and published October 27 of 2003 discusses changes in the supply, demand and pricing of cell phones within Europe, particularly the UK. Cell phones or "mobile telephony" as the article and research study refers to them, are becoming increasingly more demanded as technology changes and enhances their capability and functioning. The patterns of supply and demand for mobile telephones within the UK market has shifted slightly however, as changes in supply have been realized over time.

The differences between Management and Leaders are often difficult to discern. People often possess both leadership and management traits, as many people in everyday circumstances use management skills, leadership skills, and a combination of both. However, there are subtle differences through which we can differentiate between management and leadership. At the same time, however, not all good managers are necessarily good leaders and not all good leaders are good managers. The qualities, skill sets and personalities that make a good leaders are often little different for a manager. For example, leader should be able to lead people, while managers must be detail oriented so that they can make good business decisions. Similarly, leaders focus on big picture and look for people, while management looks for detail and the profitability of the company (Desatnick, 1988). In American company, one of the reasons that the organizations hire people w

The Renaissance period marked important changes in humanist thinking in Europe. Renaissance marked the transition of Western civilization from medieval to modern times. During the 16th century, two important schools of thought were established that greatly influenced many literary works during this period. One of this is the skepticism, and the other, the rise of humanist thought. In both schools of thought, Michel de Montaigne, a French writ

Metallica, a heavy metal band, was established in 1981 with original members James Hetfield on vocals and guitar, Dave Mustaine on guitar, Lars Ulrich on drums, and Cliff Burton on bass. Kirk Hammett replaced Dave Mustaine in 1983 and Jason Newsted eventually replaced Burton. The band's sound is described as a combination of the "new wave of British heavy metal with the speed and raw sound of MotÖrhead" (Walser). In the 1980s, Metallica pioneered the "speed metal" (Walser) movement, which gained the band popularity as an "alternative to more pop-oriented styles of metal" (Walser). Their album, "Master of Puppets," released in 1986, earned them the recognition of being one of the most influential hard-rock bands of their time. The band gradually became a mainstream success when the album, "Metallica," released in 1991, sold over seven million copies. (Walser) Hetfield was admired for his "growled vocal style" (Walser) and Ulrich was considered "one of rock's

Philosopher, scientist, and framer of the US Constitution: these are just few of the occupations Benjamin Franklin had been involved with throughout his life. In his memoir entitled, "Autobiography," Franklin talks about his life successfully assuming positions and occupations that had benefited American society. Interspersed with the narrative accounts of his life, the great proponent of the Enlightenment period also infused insightful thoughts about his philosophy of life and his optimistic view of humanity's goodness and potential to achieve perfection. One of the interesting points of "Autobiography" is his proposed model for success in life, wherein he enumerated thirteen (13) virtues in the life of man, which shall be his guide in his pursuit for perfection and satisfaction in life. This paper provides a detailed discussion and analysis of Franklin's life, applying in the discussion how his own model of success in life reflects his life. Franklin's su

Martin Luther is responsible for the birth of the Protestant Reformation with the publication of his Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517 in which he attacked the Church's sale of indulgences (Martin pp). Luther advocated a theology that rested on God's gracious activity in Jesus Christ, rather than in human works (Martin pp). The majority of all Protestants trace their history beck to Martin Luther in one way or another (Martin pp). Luther once wrote: "Who would ever have divined that I would become a bachelor and then a master of arts, then lay aside my brown student's cap and leave it to others in order to become a monk, thereby of course earning for myself much shame so that my father was bitterly displeased; and that despite all I would get into the pope's hair - and he in turn in mine - and take a runaway nun for my wife' Who would have predicted this for me" (Pee

This report is an analysis of my organization's database structure and includes the database applications we use. I have been employed in the insurance industry for the past few years so I have seen how database technology has greatly sped up the industry's ability to provide services for customers. Database technology has allowed the insurance industry to go on-line through the internet and provide almost instant quote service. The speed and accuracy of our quotes is directly linked to our ability to store and retrieve data. This report also will provide some insights or suggested improvements from my observations. The database my organization has chosen is called The Agency Manager or TAM and it is made by Applied Systems. Applied Systems is a giant in the insurance industry because they provide database and other industry software to well over half of the biggest insurance brokers in North America. Organizations using the TAM datab

The occupation of computer programmer reflects a number of traditional components of society in the United States. Demographically, the profession is largely made up of while males in their late thirties. As such, the profession reflects stratification by race, class, and gender. However, recent changes in the profession, such as outsourcing of programming jobs to India, threaten this perception. At the same time, the degree of publicity such outsourcing has received (when compared to attention paid to job losses incurred by Black Americans) continues to reflect the race stratification in American society. A computer programmer, by definition, is an individual who creates programs that allow computers to perform specific functions. This includes creating computer programs, and designing and testing logical structures for solving computer problems. In the simplest terms, programmers tell computers how, where, and when to access information. Commonly used

Several theories have been advanced by political commentators around the world about the real reasons behind the United States' war with Iraq. These include the Bush administration's "official" version[1] about preventing the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" (WMDs) from falling into the terrorists' hands, the supposed connection between Saddam and Al-Qaeda, liberation of Iraq from the clutches of a cruel tyrant, and the neo- conservative agenda of creating a "model democracy" in Iraq for the Arab world to follow. Although some of these reasons may be valid to an extent, the more plausible explanation for the US war in Iraq lies in the imperatives of globalization. This is because economics have always been and remain the driving force behind international relations. This paper looks at the current Iraq war from the perspective of the Globalism International Relations theory besides reviewing the historical background of the conflict and its possible outcomes.

"Of Mice and Men" is an excellent short novel by John Steinbeck which reflects the extraordinary bond of friendship that exists between George and Lennie, two migrant workers and physically contrasting personalities. This short novel gives a vivid account of the dangers that are in store for an innocent man like Lennie. Lennie has mild mental derangement which makes him vulnerable in the society and he depends on the constant guidance and protection of George. As a truly committed friend, George takes care of Lennie even though he feels life would have been much easier without this burden. He lies to his boss that Lennie is his cousin and tries to shield him as much as possible from the dangers of the world. Together they share the dream of owning a farm in the near future and being relived from the trouble of having to work for someone. Throughout the novel Steinbeck portrays Lennie as an innocent character who is fond of soft things and one who does not anticipate danger. As a hint of his mental disability, we find at the very beginning of the novel an instance where Lennie is caressing a dead mo

A number of elements of God can be seen in the three battles mentioned. Most evident is the fact that, as the Israelites are fighting a Holy War, God is the most important part of each battle. God is also shown by the selected passages as both omnipotent and all-powerful, as the giver and taker of victory and of life. When choosing victory for his people, God expects their loyalty in return. This loyalty is based upon display of God's power in Egypt (Deut. 6:24). This is used as a reminder to keep God's laws f

The declining and fragile state of the world is the central focus of "Dover Beach." The poem, written by Matthew Arnold, is from the Victorian era. The poet focuses on the theme of man's declining condition during this era by emphasizing the weakening state of religion and, as a result, places hope in our love for one another. The structure of the poem is central to its meaning. Man's declining state is expressed through what appears to be with reality. Critic John Fain states that the theme of the poem is the "terrible incompatibility between illusion and reality" (Fain 41) and the poet's "visual imagery to express illusion and auditory imagery to express reality" (41) supports this theme. Fain observes that the poem begins with a mood of peace and serenity. However, this illusion is broken by "the grating roar/Of pebbles" (Arnold 9-10). Fain asserts that in this passage, "sound is more real than sight" (Fain 41). The contrast that the poet is expressing deal