Torture Throughout The Ages :: World History

Torture Throughout The Ages Whoever's listening, Do you know what an Iron Maiden, a Garrote, or maybe Water Torture are used for? No? Well here's the answer; they were all forms of torture a long time ago. Iron Maiden's were female effigies constructed of wood or iron with the inside hollowed out and filled with sharp iron spikes. The iron maiden would be opened up and the offender placed inside. The person would then be embraced by the iron maiden, being impaled by all the spikes. A Garrote was anything that was tied around someone's neck that would tighten and eventually they would suffocate. Water Torture was when water was poured on top of the prisoner's head and a large bucket of water was also placed under their chin to simulate the feeling of drowning. Torture started because people thought the legal codes should be tougher. Reasons for this was simply that people thought that criminals, traitors, or just "wrong-doers" should be tortured instead of killed because they will die sometime anyway so they didn't consider it much of a punishment. Because of this they began torture. As time went on and civilizations grew, the need for a code of laws came. Because of this code of laws, people could now perform torture only on enemy tribes and animals. In many cultures, religious sacrifices were the start of torture practices. The early European codes were usually based on the principle of Lex Talionis, who gave the idea of an eye for an eye in the Bible. "Punishment for crimes should be similar to the offense" is the Law of Hammurabi, written around 2000 BC. This civil code would soon be expanded to include other crimes in the Mosaic Code 1000 years later. This code formed into the basis of Hebrew, Greek and Roman legal systems. The Greeks and others were still operating under the Law of Lex Talionis and at the time, torture was mainly used as a means of extracting retaliation for real or imagined (accused) crimes or wrongs. Public displays such as stoning (throwing stones at a person) or crucifixion were used mainly to discourage other criminals from committing crimes. The savagery of torture had not yet entered into the European culture yet. All this, however, would soon change. Early Roman rulers were actually quite humane; it was only Julius Caesar that tortured his conquered enemies as an example for other likely adversaries.

Union Carbide Disaster: Bhopal, India

Union Carbide Disaster: Bhopal, India On December 3, 1984 just three miles from the City of Bhopal.. An American owned Union Carbide Pesticide Plant leaked Toxic gas in to the air killing over Hundreds of people right away. Mr. Y P Gokhale, managing director of Union Carbide in India said, â€Å"That a Methyl isocyanate gas (MIC) had escaped when a valve in the plant’s underground storage tank broke under pressure. The leak was caused by a series of mechanical and human errors in the pesticide producing plant.For a full hour the plant’s personnel and safety equipment failed to detect the massive leak, and when the alarm was sound most of the harm was already done. What was worse was that local health officials had not been educated on the toxicity of the chemicals used at the Union Carbide plant therefore there were no emergency procedures in place to protect the people of Bhopal. Panic broke out in the city of Bhopal and the areas surrounding more then tens of thousan ds of people attempted to escape. More then 20,000 people required hospital symptoms including swollen eyes, frothing at the mouth and breathing difficulties.There we thousands of dead animals just covering the streets of Bhopal. The Indian government sued Union Carbide in a civil case and settled in 1989 for 470 million dollars. The Union Carbide which shut down its Bhopal plant after the disaster has yet to clean up the site completely. More then thousands of people died instantly and over 2,000 people died during the aftermath. In 1999 a voluntary group in Bhopal which believed not enough had been done to help the victims, filed a lawsuite in the United States claiming that Union Carbide violated international law and human rights.In November of 2000 Warren Anderson was charged of â€Å"Culpable homicide† for cost cutting at the plant which is alleged to have compromised safety Standards. In 2004 the Indian Supreme Court approved a compensation plan drawn up to help more t he 570,000 Victims of the disaster. The welfare commission paid well over 350 million dollars. The Bhopal disaster in 1984 was one of the worst industrial accidents in history. However after 3 decades later toxic waste is still being stored on the site under poor conditions.Today the people in Bhopal still live with the consequences of the gas cloud and are still fighting for compensation. Almost 28 years after the accident, a group of cabinet ministers in New Delhi decided to sign over the disposal of the toxic waste from Bhopal to the German technicians. The old factory in Bhopal with its rusty tanks and dilapidated clusters of buildings, is like a ghost factory. People in the area of Bhopal are still dying from the toxic gas leak more then 300,000 have died from it over the years and more are expected to die as well.This was one of the deadliest Toxic gas leaks in the world I can’t believe that this happen. And what hurts the most is that it took them over 28 years to fina lly take care of the matter and I doubt its all just quiet yet as they are hitting the 29th year since the gas leak. Germany was nice to move in and help them out by taking this stuff and getting rid of it for them. I on the other hand think something should have been done about it many of years ago. On the 20th anniversary of the Mascara a man claim to have said that the Company Dow was going to pick up the waste and get rid of it.When the news people called to ask the man question there was no one by that name that had worked for them and that the guy was an imposter that they had no intention to pick up the waste. Work Cited 1. http://www. spiegel. de/international/world/germany-plans-to-dispose-of-bhopal-toxic-waste-a-840791. html 2. http://topics. nytimes. com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/india/bhopal/index. html 3. http://www. history. com/this-day-in-history/the-bhopal-union-carbide-disaster 4. http://news. bbc. co. uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/3/n ewsid_2698000/2698709. stm

Oedipus Rex Essays (487 words) - Oedipus The King, Operas, Sophocles

Oedipus Rex Essays (487 words) - Oedipus The King, Operas, Sophocles Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles in the early days of antiquity is based upon an even more ancient story in Greek mythology. Sophocles, however, knowing that his audience is aware of the outcome of the play utilizes that foreknowledge to create various situations in which dramatic and verbal irony play key roles. However, citing all of the irony in Oedipus Rex would require the writing of quite a hefty book, for time and convenience only a few examples will be cited. Through his use of irony Sophocles manages to avoid simply retelling an old tale, though the audience is cognizant of the storys end they are intrigued by the irony present in the story. For instance when Oedipus pronounces his curse upon the head of King Laiuss murderer in the opening scenes of the play : So will I fight on the gods side, And on the side of the slain man! But my curse be on the one who did this, whether he is alone Or conceals his share in it with others. Let him be free of no misery if he share my house Or sit at my hearth and I have knowledge of it. On myself may it fall, as I have called it down! -Oedipus from Oedipus Rex When Oedipus pronounces this sentence he has already unwittingly judged himself, and to the excitement of the crowd foreshadowed later events to come. This statement, is a classic example of verbal irony. In it Oedipus thinking that he is directing his pronouncement upon some bandit, or conspirator, in all actuality he is truly condemning himself. Further examples of irony include his speech when he first answers the chorus Because of all these things I will fight for him as I would my own murdered father. The irony inherent in this speech that Oedipus makes to the chorus lies for the most part in this single line, since the murdered King Laius is his father. Sophocles does not reserve his use of irony to verbal irony, but he also ranges into areas of irony dramatic in nature. The entire play could be said to be an example of this, after all throughout the entire play Oedipus is unaware of the fate that awaits him, even though the viewer is intensely aware that Oedipus the King will become Oedipus the Beggar. Sophocles was a pioneer in his field. The plays that he penned, that survived through the eons are revered as much now as they were during his day. He often wrote scripts for events in mythology that had already occurred and were common knowledge to the populace that viewed his productions. In order to keep these audiences returning for more, Sophocles made liberal use of irony. By doing this he tantalized the viewer into wanting to see how the events that occurred later would mentally affect the main character, in this case Oedipus.

The History of the Taj Mahal

The History of the Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal is a beautiful white marble mausoleum in the city of Agra, India. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest architectural masterpieces in the world  and is listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Every year, the Taj Mahal receives visits from between four and six million tourists from all over the world.   Interestingly, less than 500,000 of those visitors are from overseas; the vast majority are from India itself. UNESCO has designated the building and its grounds as an official World Heritage Site, and there is much concern that the sheer volume of foot traffic may have a negative impact on this wonder of the world. Still, it is hard to blame people in India for wanting to see the Taj, since the growing middle class there finally has the time and leisure to visit their countrys great treasure. Why the Taj Mahal Was Built The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan  (r. 1628 - 1658) in honor of the Persian princess Mumtaz Mahal, his beloved third wife. She died in 1632 while bearing their fourteenth child, and Shah Jahan never really recovered from the loss. He poured his energy into designing and building the most beautiful tomb ever known for her, on the southern banks of the Yamuna River. It took some 20,000 artisans more than a decade to build the Taj Mahal complex. The white marble stone is inlaid with floral details carved from precious gems. In places, the stone is carved into delicate vined screens called pierce work so that visitors can see into the next chamber. All of the floors are inlaid with patterned stone, and incised painting in abstract designs adorns the walls. The artisans who did this incredible work were supervised by an entire committee of architects, headed by Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The cost in modern values was about 53 billion rupees ($827 million US).  Construction of the mausoleum was completed around 1648. The Taj Mahal Today The Taj Mahal is one of the loveliest buildings in the world, combining architectural elements from across the Muslim lands. Among the other works that inspired its design are the Gur-e Amir, or the Tomb of Timur, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Humayuns Tomb in Delhi; and the Tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah in Agra. However, the Taj outshines all of these earlier mausoleums in its beauty and grace. Its name literally translates as Crown of Palaces. Shah Jahan was a member of the Mughal Dynasty, descended from Timur (Tamerlane) and from Genghis Khan.  His family ruled India from 1526 to 1857.  Unfortunately for Shah Jahan, and for India, the loss of Mumtaz Mahal and the construction of her amazing tomb utterly distracted Shah Jahan from the business of governing India.  He ended up being deposed and imprisoned by his own third son, the ruthless and intolerant Emperor Aurangzeb.  Shah Jahan ended his days under house arrest, lying in bed, gazing out at the white dome of the Taj Mahal.  His body was interred in the glorious building he had made, beside that of his beloved Mumtaz.

A Raisin in the Sun Analysis Responses Essay

A Raisin in the Sun Analysis Responses Essay A Raisin in the Sun Analysis Responses Essay Ryan Pagois A Raisin in the Sun Literary Analysis Questions Question #1: Beneatha’s two suitors, Asagai and George, both contribute very opposing viewpoints of American life and propose entirely different things as Beneatha’s suitors. Asagai reflects on his African heritage with honor and hopes to save Beneatha from becoming an â€Å"assimilationist† in this American society and instead wants her to embrace her ancestral past, and even invites her to move back to Nigeria with him. He teases her with questions about her hair, asking her why she â€Å"mutilate[s] it every week† and refuses to wear it naturally (62). As he presents Beneatha with Nigerian robes, she begins to see her heritage as a beautiful and more majestic idea, and not so much as something to move past or forget about. She later takes Asagai’s words to heart and cuts her hair, which shows the amount of influence that he had on Beneatha’s views on both her past and her present. Along with this, Asaigai sees Beneatha as a very beautiful woman, and a valuable partner, and someone to stand by his side. He views the idea of education as invaluable, and necessary in order to fully understand the ways of the world. George, on the other hand, resents his connection to Africa and focuses more on the present and moving on into the future. He is quite rude and outspoken against Beneatha’s views on assimilationism and her African heritage. When she bri ngs up the subject, he mocks her with sarcastic comments toward the â€Å"great Ashanti empiresÍ ¾ the great Songhay civilizationsÍ ¾ and the great sculpture of B à © nin† and the â€Å"poetry of the Bantu† (81). Along with being a total assimilationist, George views women as someone to support a man and obey him rather than be his partner. He holds education in a high regard, yet he believes more in money than in knowledge. These beliefs enrage Beneatha, and in the end, she rejects George, calling him a â€Å"fool† and resenting both him and his beliefs. Question #2: When Mr. Linder appears at the Youngers’ home, he is initially able to disguise his intentions and hide his racist and offensive proposal to make his idea of having a neighborhood â€Å"a certain kind of way† seem much more reasonable. At first, Mr. Linder pleases the Younger family with his seemingly kind intentions as he talks about how people misunderstand each other much too often and it is simply because â€Å"people just don’t sit down and talk to each other† (116). This peaks the interest of the Youngers as they continue to listen intently to Mr. Linder’s presentation. Soon, however, the Younger family sees through Linder’s careful word choice and come to realize the true purpose of his visit. Linder begins to speak of the people of Clybourne Park having a â€Å"common background† and wanting their neighborhood a specific way. Linder then lets his true intentions shine through as he tells the Younger family that the citizens of Clybourne Park, â€Å"rightly or wrongly†, believe that â€Å"Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities† (118). The Youngers react defensively by expelling him from their home. Despite the negative atmosphere around Linder’s visit, it results in the furthered and strengthened desire to defy society’s expectations and carry out their plan to move into their house in Clybourne Park, and it also helped bring the family closer together as they continue to bond over their experiences as they have been throughout the play. As for Linder and his desire for a perfect neighborhood, his intentions are not completely astray. The inhabitants of a neighborhood have the right to control aspects of their community to an extent. The line is drawn, however, at the point where a person’s way of life is threatened or challenged. Physical features of the neighborhood can be altered, but the inhab itants themselves should not feel pressured into changing their lifestyle to match that of the neighborhood. Question #3:

Filing Jointly Financing phase 5 IP Final Essay

Filing Jointly Financing phase 5 IP Final - Essay Example It is only applicable for first and second home, not for afterwards. The tax benefit from this deduction is that if one is paying interest on loans which are secured by their residence as principal, then the person can deduct this expense from the taxable income. 3. Student Loan Interest Deduction: student loan deduction covers the interest expense of the loans that have been taking to be only used for attainment of education. If your income and interest payments meet the conditions set in the deduction form, then you are able to deduct the expense form your income, thus saving a certain amount of taxes. 1. Child Credit: child credit reduces the tax liability of a person if he/she is supporting a child, and the person's income and other requirements as given in the child credit form are fulfilled. The child credit can make the tax liability zero or can even result in payment if the income tax is less than the child credit refund (known as additional child tax credit). The tax advantage for this system is that it works to increase your net income through refund gained. 2. Earned Income Credit: earned income credit is for those families who have low gross incomes (lower than a certain limit), and with a high number of dependents. If a family meets the requirements of this credit, than its tax liability can be reduced to zero, or can even result in a payment to the family if the tax refund s larger than the income tax (known as advanced earned income tax credit). This system also increases your net income. 3. Hope Scholarship Credit: hope credit can be claimed by an individual for the first two years of college education. The requirements that the person or any other person (for which the taxpayer is responsible) is at least a half time student at an eligible educational institution. This credit is taken on only tuition fees and any other college requirement fees (registration fees, lab fees etc.). Books and supplies are not included. This tax credit also increases the net income of the person who is paying for the education (tax information for individuals, 2009). Difference between a Tax Credit and a Tax Deduction A tax deduction has the primary purpose of reducing a taxpayer's income tax. For certain itemized item, a taxpayer is allowed to deduct the expenses from its gross income. This can only be done if the requirements of deductions as stated by the Internal Revenue Service of USA are met. The effect of deducting the expenses from the gross income is that the net income is calculated to be mush smaller than it actually is. This allows for smaller amount of income tax to be paid by the taxpayer. Thus the amount of taxes is reduced. Some examples of tax deduction are medical deduction, home interest deduction, dental deduction etc. As opposed to tax deduction, a tax credit does not reduce the net income. Rather, it works in two ways. One, it reduces the tax liability on certain items by recognizing a part of the payment already made as tax payment due. Two, it recognizes certain items as such on which the taxpayer is refunded, if the requirement of tax credit are met by the taxpayer. If the income tax is greater than the tax

Nottingham City of Booze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Nottingham City of Booze - Essay Example The various aspects of Nottingham as one of the major cities in UK are reviewed in this paper. Emphasis is given on the city’s culture and heritage as they affect the city’s image as an important tourist destination. It is proved that Nottingham, as a city, has many potentials for the further growth, especially due to its council’s efforts to control important social problems, such as binge drinking, but also due to the efforts of the British government to support the growth of all cities across Britain so that they will be able to respond to the demands of the 2012 Olympics. Exploring culture and the city The performance of cities in terms of culture is judged using various criteria; usually, the range and the variety of cultural events organized across a city are used for evaluating the cultural growth of the city since its establishment (Ashworth and Tunbridge 2000). In Nottingham, culture has a key role in social life. In this context, an Institute of Cultura l Analysis has been established in the Nottingham Trent University. The above institute aims to highlight that in the current century, the daily life of people is influenced by new trends, such as ‘globalization, the conflict between cultural identities and the interaction between media and economy’ (Nottingham Trent University 2012). ... Residents and visitors can visit the ‘Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard’ (Nottingham City 2012, Figure 1), which offers valuable information on the daily life of the city’s residents in the 17th century. In fact, museums and galleries are highly promoted in Nottingham, aiming to show the development of the city’s culture and ethics through the centuries. The city council also emphasizes on the importance of information for understanding not only the city’s history or its prospects in the future but also the role of sciences in the development of daily human activities. For this reason, a wide network of libraries, about 17, has been developed across Nottingham for supporting the research needs of citizens, professionals or academics. Open spaces in Nottingham are also highly valued; these spaces are offered for walk or for outdoor sport activities, which are supported by the city’s council (Nottingham City 2012). The most important c haracteristic of Nottingham as a centre of culture seems to be its emphasis on festival and other cultural events; these events, which are indicatively presented in the section that follow, have highly contributed in the improvement of the city’s image as a popular tourist destination. Festivals and tourism Festivals are often used for improving the position of a city or a region as a tourist destination (Seal 2011). In Nottingham, a series of cultural events has been arranged for celebrating the 2012 Olympics; these events cover the period from March to December 2012 and incorporate a wide range of activities, such as displays in the city’s Central Library for highlighting the