The Ramayana an Example of the Topic History Essays by

The Ramayana The Ramayana is one of the greatest epics of Hindu Mythology about Rama and Sita and their journey of life. Lord Vishnu takes birth in a royal family of Ayodhya, as King Dasaratha's son, in the form of Rama to fight the demon Ravana. When Rama grows up, he marries Sita and is crowned as the prince of Ayodhya which ignites a fire of envy in his step- mother, Kaikeyi's heart. She asks Rama to leave the kingdom and live in the forest for fourteen years. The obedient son, Rama, agrees and leaves for the forest with his wife Sita and younger brother Laksmana. Rama, Sita, and Laksmana find a life in the hearts of dense forest and start dwelling a normal life. Need essay sample on "The Ramayana" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed When Surpanakha, sister of Ravana, is insulted by the brothers, Ravana pledges to take revenge. He tricks them and succeeds in kidnapping Sita. Rama and Laksmana team up with the Monkey King Sugriva to fight back with Ravana. With the help of Hanuman and the monkey army, Rama fights Ravana and wins back Sita to, however, give her away at the end. Sita gives birth to two sons, Lava and Kusha in the forest. Rama finds out about his sons but Sita plunges into the lap of mother earth leaving her two sons with Rama. The monkey army fighting the battle against the fiend Ravana and his strong military is extraordinary. Hanumana is a brave warrior and true devotee of Rama who risks his life all the way to help Rama win back Sita. The undying love of Sita is remarkable, who unlike Laksmana's wife, accompanies Rama in the journey of a tough life in the forest and even after being under Ravanas arrest, she declines all his proposals. She remains faithful to Rama and trusts him to win her back from the clutches of Ravana. On the other hand, it was her desires that lead to the entire battle. She seems to be instantly attracted towards the golden deer and asks Rama to fetch it for her. She forces Laksmana to leave her and protect Rama. She neglects his strict orders to stay within his safety fence and thus Ravana succeeds in abducting her. Works Cited Lawall, Sarah, University of Massachusetts, et al, Norton Anthology of World Literature Volume A 2nd Ed. 2003

Léon Foucault, Physicist Who Measured Speed of Light

Là ©on Foucault, Physicist Who Measured Speed of Light French physicist Là ©on Foucault played an essential role in measuring the speed of light and proving that Earth rotates on an axis. His scientific discoveries and contributions remain significant to this day, particularly in the field of astrophysics. Fast Facts: Là ©on Foucault Born: September 18, 1819 in Paris, FranceDied: February 11, 1868  in Paris, FranceEducation: University of ParisOccupation: Physicist Known For: Measuring the speed of light and developing the Foucault pendulum (which proved Earths rotation on an axis) Early Life Là ©on Foucault was born to a middle-class family in Paris on September 18, 1819. His father, a well-known publisher, died when his son was only nine years old. Foucault grew up in Paris with his mother. He was frail and often sick, and as a result he was educated at home until he entered medical school. He decided early on that he couldnt handle the sight of blood, and so left medicine behind to study physics. During his work with mentor Hippolyte Fizeau, Foucault became fascinated with light and its properties. He was also intrigued by the new technology of photography being developed by Louis Daguerre. Eventually, Foucault began to study the Sun, learning about the physics of sunlight and comparing its spectrum to that of other light sources such as lamps.   Scientific Career and Discoveries Foucault developed experiments to measure the speed of light. Astronomers use the speed of light to determine the distances between objects in the universe. In 1850, Foucault used an instrument developed  in partnership with Fizeau- now known as the Fizeau-Foucault apparatus - to prove that the once-popular corpuscular theory of light was not correct. His measurements helped establish that light travels slower in water than in air. Foucault continued improving his equipment to make ever-better measurements of light speed. At the same time, Foucault was working on an instrument that became known as the Foucault pendulum, which he devised and installed at the Pantheon de Paris. The large pendulum is suspended overhead, swinging back and forth all day in a motion known as oscillation. As Earth rotates, the pendulum knocks over small objects placed in a circle on the floor underneath it. The fact that the pendulum knocks over these objects proves that Earth rotates on an axis. The objects on the floor spin with the Earth, but the pendulum suspended overhead does not. Foucault was not the first scientist to build such a pendulum, but he brought the concept to prominence. Foucault pendulums exist in many museums to this day, providing a simple demonstration of our planets spin. The Foucault pendulum in the Pantheon de Paris. Public domain Light continued to fascinate Foucault. He measured polarization (the geometry of light waves) and improved the shape of telescope mirrors in order to properly light. He also continued to strive to measure the speed of light with greater accuracy. In 1862, he determined that the sped was 298,000 kilometers per second. His calculations were quite close to what we know as the speed of light today: just under 300,000 kilometers per second.   Later Life and Death Foucault continued to carry out his experiments throughout the 1860s, but his health deteriorated. He developed muscular weakness and had difficulty breathing and moving, all signs of what could have been the degenerative disease multiple sclerosis. He was also reported to have suffered a stroke the year before his death. There have been some suggestions that he suffered from mercury poisoning after being exposed to the element during his experiments. Là ©on Foucault died on February 11, 1868, and was buried in the Montmartre Cemetery. He is remembered for his wide-ranging and influential contributions to science, particularly in the field of astrophysics. Sources â€Å"Jean Bernard Là ©on Foucault.† Clavius Biography, www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Biographies/Foucault.html.â€Å"Molecular Expressions: Science, Optics and You - Timeline - Jean-Bernard-Leon Foucault.† Molecular Expressions Cell Biology: Bacteria Cell Structure, micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/timeline/people/foucault.html.This Month in Physics History. www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200702/history.cfm.

RFPs are sick, not dead Read this article, and write a report about it Essay

RFPs are sick, not dead Read this article, and write a report about it - Essay Example nizations require to consider when they are making decisions concerning the most appropriate routes for making pre-contract engagements with their suppliers. The St. Paul meeting center that is located in Mississippi uses RFP’s or information to find visitors to their ideal locations that they have established for holding conferences, conventions, trade shows and other similar events. The company’s RFP requires any personal or event information that their customers may require so that can prepare in advance for the meetings. It also contains the preferred contact methods and any other information that the customers may require on their site. The requirements include things like hospitality suite and audio visual requirements and descriptions of the catered dining events among other similar issues (Cendyn, 2012). According to the article, â€Å"RFP’s are sick, not dead† some senior representatives who were attending the Business Travel Market session 2012 debated on the issue with some proposing while others were opposing the motion. The critics insisted that RFP’s had been very long and required too many details that were in fact placing heavy burdens on their suppliers with the hope of winning business (Leach, 2012). However, one Bruno Fornasiero who was a global sales optimization director defended the process claiming that the principles behind the processes had remained strong over time though improvements could be made on this process. In his defense, he explained that he had viewed on many occasions RFP’s that asked questions like, â€Å"How many key strokes are required to make a booking†. Some other participants like Russell Green, a corporate sales director from the UK & IHG Company strongly resented the traditional processes and advocated for the use of the less official RFI (Request for Information) process. Telefonica’s HR, Sarah-Jayne Aldridge did however support the use of these RFP’s by suggesting that it was the suppliers who did not

Who Won the War of 1812 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Who Won the War of 1812 - Essay Example In fact, while the majority of Americans are familiar with the War of Independence and many can recite key events and turning points within it, few can do the same as regards the War of 1812, the second war with the British. Indeed, the War of 1812 appears to have been virtually ignored by historians. While determining the reasons for the aforementioned may be quite difficult, it can be argued that this is largely due to the fact that the war was inconclusive. In other words, not only does the war emerge as somewhat senseless but ended in a stalemate. A closer analysis of this particular conflict, however, exposes the aforementioned as a superficial understanding of the War of 1812. While it may have ended in a stalemate between the British and the American armies, an argument for the United States' victory can be made, both because of the Battle of New Orleans and the destruction of the Indian confederation. The War of 1812 was incited by nationalist sentiments and America's determined quest for independence. While the country had emerged victories from the American Revolution of 1783, Britain did not withdraw from the Great Lakes territory and provided the frontier Indians with quite significant backing against the American forces (Latimer, 2007).

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Personal Statement Example inance is to develop advanced mathematical knowledge and skills that will help me provide innovative solutions to the multifaceted economic problems in China. My interest in economics and finance bolstered during my junior year. I played with simulated stocks programs and discovered my proficiency in and enthusiasm for it. After completing my Bachelor’s degree of Business Administration and majoring in economics and finance, I found myself driven to work in the field of investments. I want to seek employment in an investment bank and serve as an investment banker. I see myself advising clients on high level issues of financial management, where I can recommend and carry out strategies of mergers and acquisitions and handle stock strategies for public selling. Most of all, I want to use my advanced finance and economics competencies to address poverty in China. I will use my graduate studies to research on financial and economic analysis and planning that will soon help me contribute to programs that can enable China to attain a more equitable distribution of wealth. I want to carve another milestone, where after acquiring my Master’s in Finance, I can help develop strategies for poverty alleviation measures. I want to integrate the Chinese rural poor into the world market, where they can tap diverse opportunities for growth. Your program will empower me to achieve my dreams, so that I can spread empowerment to others

Characteristics of Phobias Depression and OCD

Characteristics of Phobias Depression and OCD Phobias A phobia is an extreme, irrational fear of a particular situation or object, and is an example of an anxiety disorder. There are several types of phobias but three include agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. The characteristics of phobias can be divided into three categories: Behavioural there are two types of behavioural characteristics and they are avoidance and panic. Avoidance is the key behavioural characteristic and this is because when someone with a phobia is presented with an object or is put into a fearful situation, the first initial thing they will do is avoid it. A prime example of this is if someone has a social phobia, they will avoid being in big crowds, and if someone who has arachnophobia they will avoid being near spiders. Panic on the other hand is the other behavioural characteristic and this happens when they come face-to-face with their fears and cannot avoid it. This results in panic and causes a high level of stress and anxiety on the person. What can also happen is it can result in the person freezing due to the fear being so intense. This is part of the fight or flight fear response. This freezing response is an adaptive response to make a predator think that their prey is dead. Emotional The main emotional characteristic of phobia are unreasonable and excessive fear, panic, anxiety, and a feeling of dread. An emotional response is set off by the anticipation or the presence of a specific situation or object, which is excessive in relation to the danger actually posed as. Cognitive there are also two types of cognitive characteristics and they are irrational beliefs and selective attention. A persons phobia is defined by their irrational thinking about the stimulus and this causes them to fear. An example of this is a person who suffers from arachnophobia may think that all spiders are deadly, despite the fact that no spiders in the UK are deadly. On the other hand, if a person with a phobia is presented by a situation or object they fear of, they will find it hard to concentrate because they are preoccupied by anxious thoughts, and will therefore direct their attention elsewhere. This means that because of their selective attention, it will cause them to become fixated on the object they fear due to their irrational thoughts and beliefs about the danger. Depression: Depression is one of the most common mood disorder, and mood disorders can be characterised through strong emotions, which can affect the way a person functions normally in their daily lives. A mood disorder can affect an individuals behaviour, perceptions and thinking. There are different types of depression such as manic depression known as a bipolar disorder, and major depression known as a unipolar disorder. There are a range of possible symptoms people who suffer with depression can experience. In order for someone to become diagnosed with major depression, sufferers are required to show at least five symptoms every day for at least two weeks. Characteristics are then divided into three groups which are: Physical/behavioural symptoms there are many behavioural characteristics of depression including pain especially headaches, muscle ache and joint ache, change in appetite, lack of activity, and insomnia. First of all there is often a change in the persons activity level, with sufferers constantly feeling tired. Leading on from this, sufferers then often experience sleep disturbance, with some people sleeping more, or less, or experiencing insomnia. Finally, sufferers whose appetite changes may have significant weight changes too due to them eating less than usual or more, and losing or gaining weight. Affective/emotional symptoms the key emotional symptoms of depression include extreme feelings of sadness, despair and hopelessness. Sufferers will also experience feelings of worthlessness and anhedonia which is no longer having an interest in activities that used to be pleasurable. Diurnal mood variation can also occur and this is the change in mood throughout the day, for example feeling worse in the morning time. Even though experiencing a depressed mood is the most common emotional symptom of depression, some people experience anger that can be directed towards others or themselves. Anger can also lead to self-harming behaviours sadly. Cognitive symptoms along with the behavioural and emotional symptoms of depression, there are also cognitive symptoms. Cognitive symptoms are things such as experiencing persistent negative beliefs about their abilities and themselves. Along with this it involves suicidal thoughts and finding it difficult to maintain or pay attention. Sufferers are often slower in responding at making or to decisions.   Furthermore, they are also more inclined to just focus on the negatives and not identify the positives and in some cases this can lead to them experiencing recurrent thoughts of death, suicide or self-harm. OCD: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has two parts which are obsessions and compulsions. The majority of people who suffer from OCD that experience obsessions and compulsions that are linked together. The three types of characteristics for OCD are: Behavioural compulsions of OCD are the behavioural aspect and for people who suffer with OCD, compulsions have two properties. One of these properties is that compulsions are mental or physical repetitive actions. Sufferers will often feel the need to repeat a behaviour, for example repetitive hand washing. The second property is compulsions are used to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared situation from occurring but in reality they would not actually stop a dreaded situation and are excessive. For example with the excessive hand washing being caused by an excessive fear of bacteria or germs, it is therefore a direct response to the obsession. Emotional the emotional characteristics of OCD are usually characterised by anxiety caused by the obsessions. However, some of the sufferers of OCD also experience depression due to the anxiety they go through. As the obsessions for the sufferer are persistent, this causes a high level of anxiety for them. This anxiety can result in them having low moods and a loss of pleasure in everyday activities, because these everyday activities are being interrupted by the repetitive compulsions and obsessive thoughts. Cognitive Obsessions are the cognitive part of OCD and are the reoccurring and persistent thoughts, impulses and images.   Examples of these are the fear of safety by leaving windows and doors open, perfectionism a fear of not being the best, and fear of contamination by germs and dirt. For people who suffer from OCD, these thoughts keep happening over and over again. The sufferers tries to ignore the thoughts, impulses or images however it unable to. In most people these thoughts cause stress and anxiety. Some sufferers of OCD try to deal with their obsessions by introducing cognitive strategies. An example of this is sufferers with religious obsessions might pray over and over again in order to reduce their feelings of being immoral. Furthermore, sufferers of OCD realise that their compulsions and obsessions are irrational, so they experience selective attention which is directed towards the anxiety-generating stimuli. This is similar to the selective attention people with phob ias have.

Athletic Training Education Program Essay -- Education School Athletic

Athletic Training Education Program To achieve a degree in Athletic Training, there are many tasks and skills to be learned. The Education Council under the National Athletic Training Association put together an education program filled with a set of guidelines of what has to be taught to graduate with a degree in Athletic Training. Before you can learn and understand Athletic Training, you must know the Anatomy and Physiology of the human body. This includes bones, muscles, levels of organization, tissue levels, systems of the body, skeletal structure, articulations, integrative functions, sensory function, blood, and embryology (Martini, 2001). Besides Anatomy and Physiology, the methods of taping is also extremely critical to this career. Before you can understand what each taping techniques are used for, you must also know about sports injuries. Athletic Training is all about the prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and evaluation of athletic injuries. Another skill that must be learned in the Athletic Trai ning Education Program is how to provide immediate emergency care. That includes everything from background information to actually being able to save an athlete’s or any one else’s life. You must be aware of legal considerations, how and when to approach a victim, the human body systems, examining the victim, basic life support, bleeding and shock, identifying wounds, sudden illnesses, injuries, and how to care for them; also you must be aware of cold and heat related injuries, and how to rescue and move victims (Thygerson, 2001). Other information to be learned includes nutrition, health, and professional development. There are several other topics of Athletic Training; however, there are just to many to s... ...from http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/athtrain/at_ceu.html Hansen, PJ. (2001). The Preferred Learning Styles of Student Athletic Trainers and Certified Athletic Trainers in NATA District IV and DistrictV. Journal of Athletic Training, 36 (2), 45. Retrieved March 7, 2003, from www.journalofathletictraining.org/jatsupplement/athletic.htm Martini, F. (2001). Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. NATA Education Council Continuing Education Committee. (2003). Retrieved March 7, 2003, from http://www.csuchico.edu/~sbarker/CEC/index.html Pitney, W. (1998). Continuing Education in Athletic Training: An Alternative Approach Based on Adult learning. Journal of Athletic Training, 33 (1), 72. Retrieved March 6, 2003, from Academic Search/ EBSCO database. Thygerson, A. (2001). First Aid and CPR. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett.

Eating and ‘preparing’ foods that require no art whatsoever in making

It is definitely true that our society has become accustomed to eating and ‘preparing' foods that require no art whatsoever in making. Canned goods and microwave products are rampant in today's everyday menu. The reason for this, I believe, lies in the characteristic of this generation of being unwilling to learn anything difficult or time-consuming. Art unquestionably comes from things that take time and require effort: sculptures that take weeks to finish, movies that take months to film and hundreds of people to accomplish, and poems that ask for concentration, time, and effort.People nowadays want to learn things quickly, finish objectives within eight hours, and forget about them in less time. They want their food delivered in less than half an hour. They want massages in under half an hour. In fact most of the services today can be taken out or delivered. Taking time and effort to learn, master, and perfect things are no longer of interest to most of us. To add on to this already non-conducive situation of quick surface learning, poverty fans the flame of the lost tradition of home cooking.Although a long and artful process of preparing food is ideal and very high-culture, most people simply do not have the luxury of cooking such fancy and multi-ingredient meals. Most of the population, classified as low income families, has to make do with meals that are simply fried and not really ‘cooked' as much as they are heated. These over-processed foods are quick to prepare and simple, such that they lower the costs of a family. The effect of this is very bad for our culture.The rich heritage of unique methods and ingredients of cooking are lost due to lack of motivation and lack of financial capability. I agree with this. There can be no doubt as to the reality of the slow dying of the tradition of cooking within a family. Most families share these throughout generations via the practice of cooking meals together and transferring their knowledge. How ever, due to the younger generations' lack of interest in anything artful and effortful such as cooking, this transference is being impeded and ultimately ended.Less and less people inherit their family's unique recipes and family dishes. Also it is clear that poverty does play a role in limiting a family's participation in cooking tradition. Baking for example is a very expensive activity and only those who have the luxury of eating pricey desserts engage in it. However, I believe that time also plays a role in the death of the cooking tradition. Families seem to hold less and less time together (another cultural issue altogether) and one of the first things that suffer from this is the time spent preparing, cooking, and eating dinner together.

D.B.H. or Diameter Breast Height Tree Measure

D.B.H. or Diameter Breast Height Tree Measure A trees diameter at your breast or chest height is the most common tree measurement made on a tree by tree professionals. It is also called DBH for short. The only other measurement made of a tree as important is a trees total and merchantable height. This diameter is measured over the outside bark using a diameter tape at the point foresters call breast height. Breast height is specifically defined as a point around the trunk at 4.5 feet (1.37 meters in metric using countries) above the forest floor on the uphill side of the tree. For the purposes of determining breast height, the forest floor includes the duff layer that may be present  but does not include unincorporated woody debris that may rise above the ground line. It may assume a 12-inch stump in commercial forests. DBH has traditionally been the sweet spot on a tree where measurements are taken and where a multitude of calculations are made to determine things like growth, volume, yield and forest potential. This spot at breast level is a convenient way of measuring a tree without the need to bend your waist or climb up a ladder to take the measurement. All growth, volume and yield tables are calculated to correspond with DBH. How to Measure DBH There are at least three devices you can use to measure a tree diameter. The most commonly used device is a diameter tape that reads directly into a measurement of diameter in given increments of your prefered unit of measurement (inches or millimeters). There are calipers that will hug the tree and the measurement is read using the caliper scale. There is also the Biltmore stick that is designed to use a sighting angle at a given distance from the eye and reads the left and right trunk sighting. Measuring the diameter of a normally shaped tree is straightforward. There are other situations where measuring DBH should be handled differently. Measuring a forked tree below DBH: Measure the tree diameter just below the fork swell. The measurement should be made at the normal spot if the tree forks above DBH.Measuring multiple stems from ground root sprouts: Measure each stem diameter at diameter breast height.Measuring a straight tree on a slope: Measure dbh at the upper side of the slope.Measuring a leaning tree: Measure the diameter at 4.5 feet from the base and up the lean.Measuring a Swelling Tree Base or Buttress: Measure the tree just above the swell. If the buttress stops before DBH, measure as usual.

Huck Finns Different Traits essays

Huck Finns Different Traits essays Huckleberry Finn is a novel by Mark Twain, which is a story of life through the eyes of a young boy named Huck. The book embodies the maturation of Huck through his character traits. In the novel, Huck displays the traits of being adventurous, The most obvious trait portrayed by Huck was his adventurous attitude. He shows his bent for adventure in many different situations. When Huck said, "there's a nigger here that I'm trying to steal out of slavery", he showed this trait(227). The book as a whole could be called an adventure, and has been by many critics. Huck's adventurous attitude gets him into trouble, causes many climactic but also gets him out of a lot of trouble. Huck also displays sympathy in the novel. He shows his sympathy primarly to Jim throughout the novel. He shows sympathy when the robbers were on the boat and Huck sends help to them. Even though the section about the robbers was an anecdote to move the story along it shows Hucks sympathy towards others.He tells the daughter of the dead father that the king and the duke are trying to a con, "I got to tell you the truth. These uncles of yourn ain't no uncles at all - they're a couple of frauds."(188). The situation with the daughter showed a great amount of sympathy because Huck had a lot to gain if he kept his mouth shut, but instead he showed sympathy. Huck shows patience many times when it comes to The King and The Duke. He puts up with their antics for a long time, even though they sometimes got him in trouble. Also, when Huck was living with "Pap" he waited for days in order to obtain a good time to escape. When he was waiting he showed extreme patience because "Pap" was "[getting] too handy with his hick'ry" through the whole time(63). Because of the fact that beating Huck was Pap's forte there are not many oth ...

Developing E-Commerce Customer Satisfaction, Trust, and Loyalty in the Essay

Developing E-Commerce Customer Satisfaction, Trust, and Loyalty in the UK Market - Essay Example The population of internet users worldwide was about 934 million is 2004 and it experienced a steady growth of about 14% by the end of 2005 (Karim, 2013; Lodorfos, Trosterud and Whitworth, 2006). Internet access is no more limited to surfing, gaming, media downloading and uploading and social networking but with widespread internet usage, the volume of online shopping and amount of money spent on e-shopping continues to increases in a steady manner as confidence of consumers in online shopping has stabilised. Consequently, the global e-commerce revenue from internet shopping was observed to be around  £91 billion in the United Kingdom in 2013 (Capgemini, 2014; Digital Strategy consulting, 2014). According to reports, the growth rate in mature markets is gradually declining and retailers are seeking unconventional opportunities so as to meet their growth targets. Retailers presently considering e-commerce an unconventional growth engine through which they can access the global market while a few continue to focus on establishment of greater number of physical stores (Lodorfos, Trosterud and Whitworth, 2006). The paper aims at establishing consumer relationship in terms of trust, loyalty and satisfaction with respect to ecommerce. Therefore, it is important to understand importance of consumer satisfaction, trust and loyalty from marketing perspective. In the following section of the paper, current developments in ecommerce have been discussed. Alongside, consumer satisfaction and loyalty have been assessed in an elaborate manner. The literature review covers various theoretical approaches to consumer satisfaction, trust and loyalty as well as impact of the same on ecommerce industry of the UK has been discussed based on recent surveys and reports conducted by organisations such as Mintel and Deloitte. For ensuring high quality in the literature review, various peer reviewed journals and reports from authentic

Juvenile Gangs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Juvenile Gangs - Research Paper Example Being raised in an economically depressed neighborhood can understandably lead youth persons to think that their lives are unimportant and thus want for a sense of identity. The social construction gangs offer provides juveniles with a sense of belonging, a particularly significant need for developing youths. In many neighborhoods, adolescents are actively recruited or are intimidated into becoming gang members and seemingly have little choice. â€Å"A few [teens] are virtually born into gangs as a result of neighborhood traditions and their parents’ earlier and perhaps continuing gang participation or involvement in criminal activity† (Moore, 1978). The gangs offer disenfranchised kids, who are undergoing feelings of isolation, a connection to a family-like atmosphere. Some of these youths are wavering between what they consider as their adopted and native cultures but feel a connection to neither. There are many reasons that youths join and remain loyal to gangs, all of which are complex and possibly incomprehensible to the general public. This discussion will briefly explain why juveniles join gangs then discuss gangs themselves, their motivations, general make-up, characteristics, and trends concerning street gang activity. There are numerous early factors that can lead juveniles to become gang members in addition to what might be the most obvious, living in abusive households. Poverty is another of the more significant factors. According to research conducted by the Children’s Defense Fund, nearly one fifth of all youths live below the poverty line in American cities. â€Å"Poor neighborhoods, especially ‘inner-city war zones’, generally have relatively high crime rates, unsatisfactory schools and unhealthy living conditions. They provide a child with few resources, negatively affect development and increase the chances a child will become violent† (â€Å"Rosado†, 2000, p. 15). Children who are subjected to t wo or more risk factors such as poverty and abuse, have a significantly higher risk factor of participating in criminal behavior and juvenile violence. Inner city ‘battle zones’, which have grown significantly in many of the country’s small to medium-sized towns in addition to the larger urban sections of major cities, are described as those areas in which most youths over 14 years old has attended the funeral of more than one friend, a very distinct definition, one that is difficult for most Americans to fully comprehend. (Garbarino, 1999, p. 40). Because youths living in disadvantaged neighborhoods are often ostracized from mainstream society due to their inability to afford similar material goods or the education that would afford them with the means to leave, many of these juveniles grow up under an umbrella of bitterness, anger and open contempt of the societal rules and government laws of the same society that rejected them. This circumstance makes it easie r for them to rationalize their own deviant behaviors because they are merely doing what they believe necessary so as to give themselves a chance at something beyond their present life condition, a chances they not offered elsewhere. Their perception of rejection by the society at large also instills an attitude of despair and hopelessness among youths who are already suffering from other unfavorable conditions, reinforcing the idea that life will likely always be this painful, empty