Alcoholic beverage Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic beverage Essay ? The book ,The History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage is a book dedicated to beverages and there impact on cultures and civilizations. Tom Standages intent for this non-fiction novel was to show six insignificant products that we see, use or have heard of in everyday life and bring them into a different light. Showing how they have sculpted our cultures and ways of life in the modern world. These six products were beverages ; beer, wine , spirits, coffee, tea, and coca-cola. These drinks affected more than just the diet of people it changed their societies and ways of living. Standage’s theory is that each one of these drinks brought on a new cultural stage. Each beverage showing different eras and how the beverage of that time impacted their way of life eventually impacting ours. Starting with beer in the first civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Then going to wine with Greece and Rome and spirits in the colonial times with Europians and eventually getting to America. Next, their was coffee that started in the Arab world traveling throughout Europe and finally Coca-cola which started selling its drink in America and out broke to throughout the rest of world. His intent was to show the history of the world in which humans were not nomadic in the view of six different drinks. Standage presented his thesis in a very interesting and intriguing way throughout this novel. There are six main Chapters in this book ;Beer in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Wine in Greece and Rome,Spirits in the colonial Period, Coffee in the Age of Reason, Tea and the British Empire, and Coca-Cola and the Rise of America. Each main chapter has two mini chapters in them for example in the chapter Tea and the British Empire the two mini chapters are ; Empires of tea and Tea Power. Standage’s writing mostly focased on the beverages causes and effects in the different areas and lands they were most popular and developed but he would add things about the people of these times and their way of living. He also added some traditions that we have in today’s culture that were created in ancient times such as clinking glasses together for good health and happiness before drinking a glass of beer. His book shows how six measly little drinks changed humans from nomadic people who were hunter- gatherers to people who lived in cities and developed writing, government and farming. Standage showed the history of the world in six drinks hence the title A History of the World in Six Glasses. Most everyday people would think these drinks were Sarah Bedell 9/4/14 A. P. World History Mrs. Spampinato The History of the World in Six Glasses : Book Review The book ,The History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage is a book dedicated to beverages and there impact on cultures and civilizations. Tom Standages intent for this non-fiction novel was to show six insignificant products that we see, use or have heard of in everyday life and bring them into a different light. Showing how they have sculpted our cultures and ways of life in the modern world. These six products were beverages ; beer, wine , spirits, coffee, tea, and coca-cola. These drinks affected more than just the diet of people it changed their societies and ways of living. Standage’s theory is that each one of these drinks brought on a new cultural stage. Each beverage showing different eras and how the beverage of that time impacted their way of life eventually impacting ours. Starting with beer in the first civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Then going to wine with Greece and Rome and spirits in the colonial times with Europians and eventually getting to America. Next, their was coffee that started in the Arab world traveling throughout Europe and finally Coca-cola which started selling its drink in America and out broke to throughout the rest of world. His intent was to show the history of the world in which humans were not nomadic in the view of six different drinks. Standage presented his thesis in a very interesting and intriguing way throughout this novel. There are six main Chapters in this book ;Beer in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Wine in Greece and Rome,Spirits in the colonial Period, Coffee in the Age of Reason, Tea and the British Empire, and Coca-Cola and the Rise of America. Each main chapter has two mini chapters in them for example in the chapter Tea and the British Empire the two mini chapters are ; Empires of tea and Tea Power. Standage’s writing mostly focased on the beverages causes and effects in the different areas and lands they were most popular and developed but he would add things about the people of these times and their way of living. He also added some traditions that we have in today’s culture that were created in ancient times such as clinking glasses together for good health and happiness before drinking a glass of beer. His book shows how six measly little drinks changed humans from nomadic people who were hunter- gatherers to people who lived in cities and developed writing, government and farming. Standage showed the history of the world in six drinks hence the title A History of the World in Six Glasses.

Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay - Women in The Wife of Bath

Women in Chaucer's The Wife of Bath Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" is a medieval legend that paints a portrait of strong women finding love and themselves in the direst of situations. It is presented to the modern day reader as an early tale of feminism showcasing the ways a female character gains power within a repressive, patriarchal society. Underneath the simplistic plot of female empowerment lies an underbelly of anti-feminism. Sometimes this is presented blatantly to the reader, such as the case of Janekin's reading aloud from "The Book of Wikked Wives" (The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale 691). However, there are many other instances of anti-feminism that may not scream so loudly to the reader. This is shown in the disappearance of the rape victim and the happy ending for the Knight. While the overall story is one of supposed feminism shown through women's empowerment, there are many aspects of "The Wife of Bath" that are anti-feminist in nature. The main character, Alison, or the wife of Bath, is representative of most of the feminist ideals in the work. She is strong, independent, and to be respected as a woman of great courage. Alison has suffered a great deal in her lifetime, indicative of life for women at this time. She has survived five husbands; some of whom beat her, others were unfaithful. She was married off at an early age of twelve and from then on knew what marriage was about: money. "Marriage is the key to survival, and that is what Alisoun seeks and finds" (Carruthers 214), argues Mary Carruthers, justifying Alison's five marriages. Alison equates money with power. With this power comes respect and honor. A more careful analysis of both the "General Pro... ... maiden, the knight is turned into the hero of the tale, with the reader hoping for a happy ending for him. "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" can be seen as both a legend of women's empowerment as well as a reminder of the struggles women encountered daily. Works Cited Abrams, M.H., ed. Norton Anthology of English Literature, v,1. W.N. Norton & Company: 1993 Carruthers, Mary. "The Wife of Bath and the Painting of Lions" The Geoffrey Chaucer Page. 30 June 2000 Chaucer, G. "General Prologue" 81-100. Chaucer, G. "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" Abrams 117-144. Lee, Brian S. "Exploitation and Excommunication in 'The Wife of Bath's Tale.' Philological Quarterly, v74. (1995): 17(19) O'Brien, Timothy D. "Troubling Waters: The Feminine and the Wife of Bath's Performance" Modern Language Quarterly, v53. (1992): 377(15).

A youth subculture Essay

A youth subculture is a youth-based subculture with distinct styles, behaviors, and interests. Youth subcultures offer participants an identity outside of that ascribed by social institutions such as family, work, home and school. Youth subcultures that show a systematic hostility to the dominant culture are sometimes described as countercultures The punk subculture, which centres on punk rock music, includes a diverse array of ideologies, fashions and forms of expression, including visual art, dance, literature and film. The subculture is largely characterized by anti-establishment views and the promotion of individual freedom. The punk subculture emerged in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States in the mid-1970s A rave (from the verb: to rave) is a large party or festival featuring performances by disc jockeys (colloquially called DJs) and occasionally live performers playing electronic music, particularly electronic dance music (EDM). Music played at raves include house, trance, techno, drum and bass, hardcore and other forms of electronic dance music with the accompaniment of laser light shows, projected images, visual effects and smoke machines. The rave scene is know mostly worldwide for its use of club drugs, such as MDMA, LSD, and psychedelic mushrooms. Rave culture originated mostly from acid house music parties in the mid-to-late 1980s in the Chicago area in the United States.[1] After Chicago house artists began experiencing overseas success, it quickly spread to the United Kingdom, Central Europe, Australia and the rest of the United States.[2][3] The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify. Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from the 19th century Gothic literature along with horror films.[1][2][ In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of  people with a distinct sets of behavior and beliefs that differentiate them from a larger culture of which they are a part. The subculture may be distinctive because of the age of its members, or by their race, ethnicity, class and/or gender, and the qualities that determine a subculture as distinct may be aesthetic, religious, occupational, political, sexual or a combination of these factors. It may be difficult to identify subcultures because their style (particularly clothing and music) may often be adopted by mass culture for commercial purposes, as businesses will often seek to capitalise on the subversive allure of the subculture in search of cool, which remains valuable in selling any product. This process of cultural appropriation may often result in the death or evolution of the subculture, as its members adopt new styles which are alien to the mainstream. A common example is the punk subculture of the United Kingdom, whose distinctive (and initially shocking) style of clothing was swiftly adopted by mass-market fashion companies once the subculture became a media interest. In this sense, many subcultures can be seen to be constantly evolving, as their members attempt to remain one step ahead of the dominant culture. In turn, this process provides a constant stream of styles which may be commercially adopted. Many people would consider that the most visible examples of subcultures are youth groups which identify themselves through distinctive styles of dress, activity and music. However, there is a certain difficulty in supplying examples, in that the process by which subcultural style is incorporated by the dominant culture provokes a state of constant evolution in many subcultures. Musical subcultures are particularly vulnerable to this process, and so what may be considered a subculture at one stage in its history (jazz, punk, hip-hop, rave culture) may represent mainstream taste within a short period of time. However, many subcultures also reject or modify the importance of style, stressing membership through the adoption of an ideology which may be much more resistant to commercial exploitation. Indeed, the resistance to commercial exploitation may often represent a key part of this ideology. Perhaps the best example would be the punk subculture, which has progressed through several cycles of revival and commercial appropriation in its history. Members of the punk subculture can often be identified by their distinctive clothing, hair, jewellery and tattoos. In contrast to its commercialised variant, many punks consider that the subculture also possesses a distinctive punk ideology which rejects commercialism and conformity. A similar philosophy may be found in underground hip hop culture, which has also faced mass-market commercialisation and dilution of its ideals.

Battle of the Falaise Pocket - World War II

The Battle of the Falaise Pocket was fought August 12-21, 1944, during World War II (1939-1944). Following the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944 and the subsequent breakout from the beachhead, German forces in the region soon found themselves in nearly encircled in a pocket south of Falaise. Over the course of several days, German troops conducted desperate counterattacks to breakout to the east. While some succeeded in escaping, they often did so at the cost of their heavy equipment. Around 40,000-50,000 Germans were captured by the Allies. With the collapse of the German position in Normandy, Allied forces were able to race east and liberate Paris. Background Landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944, Allied troops fought their way ashore and spent the next several weeks working to consolidate their position and expand the beachhead. This saw the forces of Lieutenant General Omar Bradleys First U.S. Army push west and secure the Cotentin Peninsula and Cherbourg while the British Second and First Canadian Armies engaged in a protracted battle for the city of Caen. It was Field Marshal Bernard Montgomerys, the overall Allied ground commander, hope to draw the bulk of German strength to the eastern end of the beachhead to aid in facilitating a breakout by Bradley. On July 25, American forces launched Operation Cobra which shattered the German lines at St. Lo. Driving south and west, Bradley made rapid gains against increasingly light resistance (Map). Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley (center) with Lt. General George S. Patton (left) and General Sir Bernard Montgomery (right) at 21st Army Group HQ, Normandy, 7 July 1944. Public Domain On August 1, the Third US Army, led by Lieutenant General George Patton, was activated while Bradley ascended to lead the newly-created 12th Army Group. Exploiting the breakthrough, Pattons men swept through Brittany before turning back east. Tasked with rescuing the situation, the commander of Army Group B, Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge, received orders from Adolf Hitler instructing him to mount a counterattack between Mortain and Avranches with the goal of reclaiming the western shore of the Cotentin Peninsula. Though von Kluges commanders warned that their battered formations were incapable of offensive action,Operation Là ¼ttich commenced on August 7 with four divisions attacking near Mortain. Warned by Ultra radio intercepts, Allied forces effectively defeated the German thrust within a day. Battle of the Falaise Pocket Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: August 12-21, 1944Armies and Commanders:AlliesField Marshal Bernard MontgomeryLieutenant General Omar Bradleygrowing to 17 divisionsGermanyField Marshal Gunther von KlugeField Marshal Walter Model14-15 divisions An Opportunity Develops With the Germans failing in the west, the Canadians launched Operation Totalize on August 7/8 which saw them drive south from Caen towards the hills above Falaise. This action increasingly led to von Kluges men being in a salient with the Canadians to the north, British Second Army to the northwest, First U.S. Army to the west, and Patton to the south. Seeing an opportunity, discussions ensued between the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Montgomery, Bradley, and Patton regarding enveloping the Germans. While Montgomery and Patton favored a long envelopment by advancing east, Eisenhower and Bradley supported a shorter plan designed to surround the enemy at Argentan. Assessing the situation, Eisenhower directed that Allied troops pursue the second option. British forces advance during Operation Totalize, 1944.   Public Domain Driving towards Argentan, Pattons men captured Alenà §on on August 12 and disrupted plans for a German counterattack. Pressing on, the lead elements of Third Army reached positions overlooking Argentan the next day but were ordered to withdraw slightly by Bradley who directed them to concentrate for an offensive in a different direction. Though he protested, Patton complied with the order. To the north, the Canadians launched Operation Tractable on August 14 which saw them and the 1st Polish Armored Division slowly advance southeast towards Falaise and Trun. While the former was captured, a breakthrough to the latter was prevented by intense German resistance. On August 16, von Kluge refused another order from Hitler calling for a counterattack and secured permission to withdraw from the closing trap. The next day, Hitler elected to sack von Kluge and replaced him with Field Marshal Walter Model (Map). Closing the Gap Assessing the deteriorating situation, Model ordered the 7th Army and 5th Panzer Army to retreat from the pocket around Falaise while using the remnants of the II SS Panzer Corps and XLVII Panzer Corps to keep the escape route open. On August 18, the Canadians captured Trun while the 1st Polish Armored made a wide sweep southeast to unite with the US 90th Infantry Division (Third Army) and French 2nd Armored Division at Chambois. Though a tenuous linkup was made on the evening of the 19th, the afternoon had seen a German attack from inside the pocket breakthrough the Canadians at St. Lambert and briefly open an escape route east. This was closed at nightfall and elements of the 1st Polish Armored established themselves on Hill 262 (Mount Ormel Ridge) (Map). German troops surrendering near German forces surrendering in Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive on August 21, 1944. Library and Archives Canada On August 20, Model ordered large-scale attacks against the Polish position. Striking through the morning, they succeeded in opening a corridor but could not dislodge the Poles from the Hill 262. Though the Poles directed artillery fire on the corridor, around 10,000 Germans escaped. Subsequent German assaults on the hill failed. The next day saw Model continue to hit at Hill 262 but without success. Later on the 21st, the Poles were reinforced by the Canadian Grenadier Guards. Additional Allied forces arrived and that evening saw the gap closed and the Falaise Pocket sealed. Aftermath Casualty numbers for the Battle of Falaise Pocket are not known with certainty. Most estimate German losses as 10,000–15,000 killed, 40,000–50,000 taken prisoner, and 20,000–50,000 escaped east. Those that succeeded in escaping generally did so without the bulk of their heavy equipment. Re-armed and re-organized, these troops later faced the Allied advances in the Netherlands and Germany. Though a stunning victory for the Allies, debate quickly ensued regarding whether a greater number of Germans should have been trapped. American commanders later blamed Montgomery for failing to move with greater speed to close the gap while Patton insisted that had he been allowed to continue his advance he would have been able to seal the pocket himself. Bradley later commented that had Patton been permitted to continue, he would not have had sufficient forces in place to block a German breakout attempt. Following the battle, Allied forces quickly advanced across France and liberated Paris on August 25. Five days later, the last German troops were pushed back across the Seine. Arriving on September 1, Eisenhower took direct control of the Allied effort in northwest Europe. Shortly thereafter, Montgomery and Bradleys commands were augmented by forces arriving from the Operation Dragoon landings in southern France. Operating on the unified front, Eisenhower moved forward with the final campaigns to defeat Germany.