Is Mokele-Mbembe Really a Dinosaur

Its not quite as famous as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, but Mokele-mbembe (he who stops the flow of rivers) is definitely a close contender. For the last two centuries, vague reports have circulated of a long-necked, long-tailed, three-clawed, terrifyingly huge animal residing deep in the Congo River basin of central Africa. Cryptozoologists, who have never met a supposedly extinct dinosaur that they didnt like, have naturally identified Mokele-mbembe as a living sauropod (the family of huge, four-legged dinosaurs characterized by Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus) the last straggling descendants of which went extinct 65 million years ago. Before we address Mokele-mbembe in particular, its worth asking: precisely what level of proof is required to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a creature thought to have been extinct for tens of millions of years is still alive and flourishing? Second-hand evidence from tribal elders or easily impressionable children isnt enough; whats needed is a time-stamped digital video, the eyewitness testimony of trained experts, and if not an actual living, breathing specimen, then at least its rotting carcass. Everything else, as they say in court, is hearsay. Evidence of Mokele-Mbembe Now that that has been said, why are so many people convinced that Mokele-mbembe actually exists? The trail of evidence, such as it is, starts in the late 18th century, when a French missionary to the Congo claimed to have discovered giant, clawed footprints measuring about three feet in circumference. But Mokele-mbembe didnt come into at least fuzzy focus until 1909 when the German big-game hunter Carl Hagenbeck mentioned in his autobiography that he had been told by a naturalist about some kind of dinosaur, seemingly akin to Brontosaurus. The next hundred years witnessed a parade of often half-baked expeditions to the Congo River basin in search of Mokele-mbembe. None of these explorers actually glimpsed the mysterious beast, but there are numerous references to folklore and accounts of Mokele-mbembe sightings by local tribespeople (who may well have told these Europeans exactly what they wanted to hear). Over the last decade, the SyFy Channel, the History Channel, and the National Geographic Channel have all aired specials about Mokele-mbembe; needless to say, none of these documentaries feature any convincing photographs or video footage. To be fair, the Congo River basin is truly enormous, encompassing over 1.5 million square miles of central Africa. Its remotely possible that Mokele-mbembe resides in an as-yet-unpenetrated region of the Congo rain forest, but look at it this way: naturalists who hack their way into dense jungles are constantly discovering new species of beetles and other insects. What are the odds that a 10-ton dinosaur would escape their attention? If Mokele-mbembe isnt a dinosaur, what is it? The most likely explanation for Mokele-mbembe is that its simply a myth; in fact, some African tribes refer to this creature as a ghost rather than a living animal. Thousands of years ago, this region of Africa may well have been inhabited by elephants or rhinoceroses, and folk memories of these beasts, stretching back for dozens of generations, may well account for the Mokele-mbembe legend. At this point, you may be asking: why couldnt Mokele-mbembe be a living sauropod? Well, as stated above, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and that evidence isnt only sparse, but virtually nonexistent. Second, its very unlikely from an evolutionary perspective for a herd of sauropods to survive down to historical times in such small numbers; unless its sequestered in a zoo, any given species needs to maintain a minimal population lest the slightest misfortune render it extinct. By this reasoning, if a population of Mokele-mbembe resided in deepest Africa, it would have to number in the hundreds or thousands--and someone would surely have encountered a living specimen by now!

Of Mice And Men Character Analysis - 1742 Words

Of Mice and Men: Character Analysis John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. was an American author wrote many novels including one of his most famous, Of Mice and Men. Of Mice and Men teaches many lessons about the nature of human existence. Each relationship grows throughout this short story and end with a dramatic experience. All of the characters, including Lennie, George, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, admit, at one time or another, to having a profound sense of isolation, seclusion and loneliness. The author, Steinbeck, uses his own personal experience to â€Å"serve as an inspiration†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Johnson 1) when writing this particular story. His past experiences also helped him for the future. Lennie, of all characters, is the least dynamic. He undergoes a significant amount of change and develops throughout the story. He has been isolated with George throughout his life. His sole purpose in life is to make George happy and to own a farm with George and take care of the soft rabbits. Lennie is the most innocent and defenseless. He also is the largest and strongest, which does not help in certain situations. Lennie is the protagonist in the story. He gains the readers sympathy by his intellectual disability and helplessness. Lennie murders things by accident such as the mouse in his pocket, the puppy and Curley’s wife. He enjoys the touch of and somehow uses those murders and experiences to scare him from doing it again. George’s opinion means the most to him. Lennie’s character is wantingShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis in of Mice and Men2098 Words   |  9 PagesCHARACTER ANALYSIS George George is the second main character and one of the protagonist after Lennie in Of Mice and Men. When Lennie gets into trouble, He always helps him find a solution or get away, though Lennie’s size combined with his mental handicap caused problems frequently. He is also a planner, telling Lennie where he should go if there is trouble on the ranch. To make the dream which is owing a ten-acre farm becomes a reality, He’s competent to work hard. Unlike theRead MoreOf Mice And Men Character Analysis1137 Words   |  5 PagesThe novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, written in 1937. Was placed in The Great Depression, in California. Of Mice and Men is a novel about two men named George and Lennie who have a dream to own a house on the land and have animals and a farm to themselves and Lennie is addicted to soft things. Lennie is all about tending rabbits in this dream they have. It is very rare for a two men to travel together in this time period. Everybodys working for themselves to get money for themselvesRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Mice And Men910 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Steinbeck sets the scene of his novella, Of Mice and Men, in the Salinas River Valley, a few miles south of Soledad. The time period of the novella is the 1930’s during the Great Depression. The Great Depression began in 1929 after the U.S. had a major financial crisis. People lost all of their money and their homes when the stock market crashed. Many men became migrant farm workers who would travel from farm to farm, working for just enough money for food and a few belongings. John SteinbeckRead MoreOf Mice And Men Curley Character Analysis1277 Words   |  6 PagesThe myst ery, the troublemaker, the mischief maker, all these words are used to describe a single person, the wife of the man named Curley. This woman whose name is not ever mentioned in the book, is a character from the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The presence of this woman alone caused mischief, distrust, a bit of rivalry, and mishap on the farm among the coworkers of her husband. This trouble is demonstrated when Slim says to Curley,  ¨ Well, you been askin ´ me too often. I m gettin ´Read MoreOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck973 Words   |  4 Pagescanals and working beside men similar to characters in his novels. 2. In a discussion John Steinbeck said, I worked in the same country that the story is laid in. The characters are composites to a certain extent. Lennie was a real person. Hes in an insane asylum in California right now. I worked alongside him for many weeks . . .† (Parini 27) a. During the interview Steinbeck told his personal experiences that permitted him to write and construct the novel Of Mice and Men. II. Proof of Thesis Read MoreAnalysis of Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck1493 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of ‘Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck ‘Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck is a classic novel, tragedy, written in a social tone. The authorial attitude is idyllic, however, as the story develops it changes into skeptic. It is evident that Steinbeck knew the setting and places he is writing about. In my opinion Steinbeck drew the subject matter from his own experience of working on ranches, he was interested in special kinds of relationships among men working on ranches with him. ThereRead MoreEssay about Analysis of ‘Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 1488 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of ‘Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck ‘Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck is a classic novel, tragedy, written in a social tone. The authorial attitude is idyllic, however, as the story develops it changes into skeptic. It is evident that Steinbeck knew the setting and places he is writing about. Read MoreUnderdogs in of Mice and MEn1348 Words   |  6 Pages Analysis of ‘Underdog’ Characters in Of Mice and Men â€Å"A guy needs somebody – to be near him.† He whined, â€Å"A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (John Steinbeck 72). Love and belonging, is the third most important need in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As human beings, being a part of something is crucial to our development as a person. People can go insane if they live a life of isolation. In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, the characters of Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife are drivenRead MoreThe Grapes Of Wrath And Of Mice And Men1644 Words   |  7 Pages27 books, widely known for award winning novels, The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men; Steinbeck is also a Nobel Prize winning of Literature. Steinbeck’s writing expresses realistic and creative thoughts, combining as they do compassionate comedy (through Lennie) and intense social perception with their surrounding national culture. John Steinbeck, â€Å"Of mice and Men†, Printed in 1937, articulating a tale of characters, George Milton and Lennie Small, two exiled migrant ranch workers in pursuitRead MoreInfluence Of Writer s Life And Times1416 Words   |  6 Pageshardship and destitution, greatly influenced John Steinbeck and his dismal novella, Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck, though raised in a fairly successful family in Salinas, California, knew what it felt like to scrounge for money. Working as a laborer and journalist in New York City, Steinbeck remembers his time immediately after college as hungry, dirty, penniless, and lonely, much like the main characters of Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck grew up with a love of writing, and dreamed of writing stories about his

New Deal Essay Summary Example For Students

New Deal Essay Summary Americas response to the crisis of 1929-1933 was the New Deal by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whom the Americans still regard as the most significant politician in their history. Because of Roosevelt, who was elected to the presidency four times since 1932, the United States radically changed. That’s why research paper on the topic about the new deal is quite popular in higher institutions. The economic crisis, which exacerbated all capitalist contradictions, led to the growth of a deep political crisis in the USA. In this situation, in November 1932, the next presidential election took place. Victory went to a representative of the Democratic Party, Franklin Roosevelt, who had the thematic program called â€Å"New Deal†. Despite the contradictions, conflicts and stagnation characteristic of the development of the United States in the XX century, the New Deal allowed American capitalism to gain a second wind. We will write a custom essay on New Deal Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As part of the new course proclaimed by the president of the Democratic Party, the integration of the labor movement into the American establishment (the established order) has accelerated. The American bourgeoisie, having put forward its leader, showed the ability to maneuver and search for development reserves within the capitalist system, which was saved in just a few days (moreover, within a constitutional, democratic framework). The New Deal was the most radical wave of reforms in US history. New principles of organizing the life of society subsequently became widespread in other countries. The main elements of New Deal are: providing support to the financial and banking system and industrial and commercial enterprises with the help of large loans and subsidies; stimulating private investment with tax breaks; stabilization of falling prices through the devaluation of the dollar and the assumption of increasing inflation trends; forced cartelising of industrial enterprises; state regulation of the level of industrial production; the introduction of sectoral fair competition codes, which determined a unified price policy, fixed the size of production, distributed sales markets, and recommended wages. Roosevelt as a New Deal initiator. A â€Å"new deal† policy in the United States was developed under the leadership of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who won the election in 1932. He frankly declared his mission: I want to avoid a revolution. In reality, he launched a large-scale modernization of Western industrial civilization. Following Jefferson and the traditions of humanism, Roosevelt placed the rights of Americans to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness above the right to freely dispose of property. Alien to the idea of abolishing classes and class differences, Roosevelt believed in the possibility of rallying them around the nation-state with the help of slogans of fighting minority privileges and serving the interests of the majority by the government. The outline of his course had its pros and cons, but his ruling is considered the best in the history of America. Roosevelts new course reforms, carried out in Keynesian spirit, ended the era of the classical liberal economy in the history of the USA. Until F. Roosevelt, the USA was a traditional country of liberalism, where the free market reigned supreme, and the state acted as a â€Å"night watchman† (this phrase is usually used to denote the minimum role of the state in the economy). Roosevelt was able to draw the power of the modern state to the salvation of capitalism. The most radical new deal programs met coolly with business and the US Congress and soon were canceled by the Supreme Court. However, this did not prevent Roosevelt from achieving his success. Roosevelt’s attitude toward monopolies was highly controversial but, as a rule, critical. During the presidential campaign of 1932, Roosevelt unequivocally placed the responsibility for the economic crisis on the monopolies, the title of which was â€Å"economic oligarchy†, which concentrated in its hands more than half of the production capacity of the nation, approved the highest prices that were inaccessible to the majority of people. The result of this was overproduction, stopping of enterprises, unemployment, and poverty.   But in 1932, Roosevelt thought a lot about real anti-monopoly measures, which were designed to save individualism, competition, the right of every American but not just the elite for private property. .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 , .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .postImageUrl , .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 , .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:hover , .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:visited , .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:active { border:0!important; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 { 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; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:active , .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .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; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51 .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8a10da286550a28856adbdf0b5a6fd51:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: MUS 144G L1- music notation, texture, medieval- early renaissance musicSuccess or failure of social and economic reforms in the USA. Roosevelt was a great and talented leader that’s why his reforms had a positive reflection in the situation of the USA. The most significant result of the changes was the introduction of the beginnings of social legislation in the country: pensions, benefits for the unemployed, organization of public works, youth policy. According to the law of 1935, entrepreneurs were obliged to recognize trade union organizations and conclude a collective agreement with them. The state also assumed some regulatory functions in economic and financial management. Questions of social failure were solved. Economic measures included the creation of a National Administration for the Recovery of Industry (NIRA). In accordance with the decision of NIRA, the â€Å"Fair Competition Code† was adopted, according to which monopoly prices were established, the conditions of the trade credit, the volume of products were determined, and the sales markets were distributed. The main purpose of the Code was to prohibit selling goods below the established prices. That reform causes some argumentative discussions. And how successful was the program of assistance to farmers! An Agricultural Regulation Administration was established. This organization regulated the prices of agricultural products, set the volume of production, and supported the reduction of farm sown areas. Talking about the agricultural sector, funds were allocated for research and education of farmers, technical assistance and investment were encouraged, electrification of rural areas was carried out, and state loans were granted to farmers. As a result of these measures, the growth of agriculture in the years of the new deal was 5% per year. In conclusion, we’d like to mention that the new course of Roosevelt in the United States is the economic policy that the American President Franklin Roosevelt pursued to overcome the Great Depression. All changes were carried out in order to stabilize the economic situation and return it to normal.