Film analysis Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Film analysis - Movie Review Example The film generally highlights Maria Alvarez, who is a fictional character aged 17, showing her routine reality within the society. This paper will seek to analyze the film by evaluating various aspects of planning, as well as other related issues incorporated and used in Maria Full of Grace. The film Maria Full of Grace illustrates several crucial aspects that are involved in global planning, one of which is the immigration issue. In this case, immigration is defined as the movement of people from their countries of origin in order to settle in countries other than their own (LeGates & Stout 131). While immigration is caused by numerous reasons, one of the most prevalent one in the film has to do with poverty. For example, Maria Alvarez emigrates from Bogota in Colombia to New York and is lured to do so by the promise of being a drug peddler and the money that she will get from the business. Immigration has an essential part to play in urban planning, specifically because the influx of persons that the government fails to account for may lead to a crisis of population. Majority of immigrants exert additional pressure on government public facilities, including schools, hospitals, and community centers (LeGates & Stout 132). Moreover, immigration also pressures government institutions as they have to adapt to the new demands of an increasing population due to immigration. In addition, cultural facilities and other institutions are also forced to become more diversified, as well as expand their capacity in order to suit the population’s needs (Zukin 132). Thus, such influx of immigrants leads to necessary changes in the structure of public institutions in the host country. Immigration is also linked directly to cultural influences as an important factor of planning. Since urban development mainly seeks to control diverse peoples and cultures living in communities around the city, along with the need to ensure maintenance of civility and peace in

Latin America and the Church Essay Example for Free

Latin America and the Church Essay The Catholic Church has been regarded as one of the most powerful institutions in the world. The beginnings of its authority can be rooted in the European continent wherein the development of the Catholic religious belief took place. Nevertheless, the numerous changes that happened in the world paved the way for the Catholic Church to extend their influence. At present, Europe is no longer regarded as the center of the Roman Catholic Church in terms of the number of people who adhere to this faith because the Latin American region has long been the most Catholic continent in the world. As a result, Catholic doctrines and beliefs play a very important role in the development of the Latin American continent. The influence of the Catholic Church goes beyond the mere spiritual well being of the people because it also has a huge impact in the areas of their life. The influential role of the Catholic Church is clearly observable in the cultural, social, and even political areas of the society. Being the case, it can be said that the Catholic Church has a substantial and advantageous contribution to the Latin American society. The Catholic Church has appositive influence in the Latin American region, which can be proven by four important points. First, much of the culture of the countries within Latin America is derive from the Catholic Church. Catholicism started in Latin America during the 1500’s. The Iberian monarchs are the one responsible in propagating the Catholic faith in the Latin American region through the holy crusade that they waged in their new dominion. One of the main objectives of the Iberian monarchs in converting the Latin American people into becoming Catholics is for the Church to have a comprehensive in the society. This is related to their belief that every area of an individual’s life is related to his or her salvation. Thus, the Church established connection to every sector of the society and every part of an individual’s life. As a result, the distinction between the sacred or the secular is observable in Latin America wherein the Church plays an active role in the various areas of community life. This kind of adage is clearly exemplified in the family dynamics of most Latin American countries such as: Brazil, Chile, and Cuba. Due to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Iberian monarchs were able to instill the value of close-family ties in Latin America. As a result, the family as the basic unit of society is given due importance. This makes the people very family oriented, which almost every individual acquires and later on pass to the succeeding generations. Moreover, the family structure in Latin America is mostly patriarchal because of the authoritative society that the Christendom has propagated (Patterson 18). It gives importance to the fact that the father is the head of the family. Having such role entails that he is the main decision-maker in the household. The male dominion or superiority is not merely confined within the four corners of their houses but rather it is also seen in work-related opportunities. Men still have control of many occupational areas especially in terms of job that are regarded to be the domain of men like politics. However, the changes in time that the Catholic Church sometimes adheres to have also revolutionized the political dynamics of Latin America. In the call of the Church for greater equality in the society, they have also supported women empowerment in terms of giving them more opportunity to develop their skills and participate in the society. This could be proven by the case of Chile wherein the country elected its first female president. President Michelle Bachelet holds the highest position in Chilean politics. This only goes to show that the Catholic Church has a substantial influence in the culture of Latin America especially with regards to its family values. Second, The Catholic Church heavily influences the social fields in Latin America especially in the realm of education. The mission of the Catholic Church that came together with the Iberian invasion of the region is focused on the creation of highly selective and academic educational foundations. The colonial territories were controlled and administered in towns and cities. The central features of these places are the schools, seminaries, and universities. During the nineteenth century, the formative influence that plays a vital role in the educational system of Latin America was that of Napoleonic France. This kind of education is characterized by hierarchical responsibility that includes national to regional to local scale of territorial administration. Each of these levels also extended in both the urban and rural sectors (Brock and Lawlor 2-3). The influence of the Catholic Church in the educational system is seen in Brazil’s public life. The Brazilian Catholic Church took part in implementing a conservative program in order to strengthen it internal hierarchy by means of providing education and other social services. In the same manner, Catholicism also has a huge impact in the educational institution of Cuba. Despite the fact that Cuba is regarded as a Communist state, which means that the government has the main and greater responsibility in making decisions and distributing the resources of the country, the Catholic Church still manage to influence the country’s education. In Cuba, the government delivers the vast majority of social services. Nevertheless, the emergence of other actors also exists and one of the most notable is the Catholic Church. This is clearly exemplified by the Caritas Cubana, a non-governmental organization that is affiliated with the Catholic Church. Caritas Cubana provides social services and distributes medications. Some of their programs are funded through the help of international non-governmental organizations. The services that they render are providing academic support for the children and others (Uriarte 62). Third, the Church is a highly structured organization in a region that is experiencing low and slow development. The Catholic Church is recognized as one of the strongest institution that is established in the world. The network of churches that adhere to the doctrines and teaching of the Roman Catholic is observable in various parts of the world and this also includes the Latin American region. The important role that the Church has in this part of the South American continent can be rooted from the very organizational strength of the Catholic Church. In relation to this, the reality that most countries in Latin America experienced and are still facing political instability make the influence of the Catholic Church greater than ever. This is mentality is due to the sentiment of the people wherein they need a strong governing body that they can hold into in times of hardships and trials. The Catholic Church emerged as the stable organization that most people can believe and lean on. The weaknesses and shortcomings of the most Latin American government to address the pressing problems of the people like threats to peace and order as well as the sustenance of basic needs like food, shelter, education and public health care. Being the case, the Catholic Church takes a bolder role in giving hope to the people especially those who are living in dire poverty. The political turmoil in the Latin American region is observable in countries like Brazil, Chile, and Cuba. In the case of Brazil, its weak government during the 1960s caused a coup d’etat and the establishment of a totalitarian state in the country. However, there was significant resistance to the ouster of the civilian government that attributed to the major split of the Brazilian Communist Party. Due to this, a number of small urban and rural guerilla groups were formed, which aim to provoke the government by creating a domestic atmosphere of repression that will force the people to rebel (Train, 1994). In the same manner, Chile also has its own set of political problems that is very evident during the Pinochet regime. Augusto Pinochet was able to obtain the seat of power in Chile through a military junta. Most of the citizens supported the coup because they want to overthrow the administration of Salvador Allende. Many people believed that the army would bring back order and then call elections. However, General Pinochet disabused them as he asserted that in order to eliminate communism democracy must be ended. He unleashed violence that has no precedent in Chile (â€Å"Augusto Pinochet†). Cuba also has its political concerns especially those that the country experience under the authority of Fidel Castro. During those times, Cuba was regarded as an isolationist country that is against its close neighbor, the United States. The situation of the country was further worsened by U. S. political and diplomatic hostility (Falcoff). In these instances, the people turn toward the Catholic Church instead of their government because the Church clearly shows organization and stability as compared with the government that usually changes political leaders due to civil unrest. Fourth, the influence of the Catholic Church has extended up to point of being politically active. The Catholic Church has the power to create popular movements because they have a huge influence in motivating the people to participate. The Church can promote the political mobilization of the poor and marginalized people society. In line with this, poor and marginalized parishioners in Latin American sometime require the help and support of their religious leaders in order to change their political an economic condition. The responsibilities as well as the reputation that the Catholic Church has in the society have prompted them to become politically active. The Church involvement in politics is not simply confined in giving advices or their stand on certain issues but rather they also established their own political parties. This is proven in the case of Brazil wherein it has Christian democratic parties that support traditional Catholic principles like hierarchy, paternalism, and corporate identity (Trejo). The Catholic Church indeed has a positive influence in the Latin American region. This is proven by the four major tenets that are discuss above that the Catholic Church contribute to the development of Latin America’s culture, social fields, citizen’s strength amidst political turmoil, and greater political participation. These only show that an individual’s religious belief has a huge role in the development of the other aspects of his or her life as well as the evolution of the society as a whole. Works Cited â€Å"Augusto Pinochet. † 2007. The Economist Newspaper and The Economist Group. 30 July 2009 http://www. economist. com/obituary/PrinterFirendly. cfm? story_id=8406905. Brock, Colin. , Lawlor, Hugh. Education in Latin America. New York: Routledge, 1985. Falcoff, Mark. â€Å"Cuba’s Future – or Futures. † 21 December 2004. American Experience. 09 March 2009. http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/castro/sf viewsfalcoll. html. Patterson, Eric. Latin America’s Neo-reformation: Religion’s influence in Contemporary Politics. New York: Routledge, 2005. Train, Brian. â€Å"Urban Guerillas in Brazil. † 1994. MIT Western Hemisphere Project. 18 July 2007 http://web. mit. edu/hemisphere/events/mnm03-1m/brazil-train. shtml. Trejo, Guillermo. â€Å"Religious Competition and Popular Mobilization: Evidence from Mexico’s Regions. † 2006. 08 March 2009 http://cas. uchicago. edu /workshops/cpolit/papers/trejo. doc. Uriarte, Miren. Cuba Social Policy at the Crossroads: Maintaining Priorities, Transforming Practice. † Oxfam American Report. Boston: Oxfam America, 2002.

History and Hypothesis of Stonehenge and Easter Island

History and Hypothesis of Stonehenge and Easter Island Stonehenge is a set of earthworks and an ancient monument located in Wiltshire, England. It is considered the most famous and visited site in the world and is one of the mysteries in the world which has never been revealed. However, many people have created numerous myths and fables to explain mysteries behind it. Despite the numerous myths and fables, there has been limited information regarding Stonehenges creation/development. Most researchers and theorists refer to it as a stone monument, a giant or ancient megalith. Archeologist Mike Parker Pearson has proposed a number of hypothesis regarding Stonehenge and its surrounding. He indicated that Stonehenge was used as a burial ground from historical beginnings. In other words, Stonehenge represented a place of the dead. The cremated remains found at the site acted as evidence and they indicated that burials took place at the site as early as 3000 BC (Gargen 112). Mike Pearson further indicated that the placement of artifacts and graves around Stonehenge provided good evidence that the site was reserved as a domain of the dead. New radiocarbon dates of human remains dug from the ancient Stonehenge in Southwest England indicate that the monument was used as a cemetery. Initially, archeologists had believed that Stonehenge had acted as burial grounds as early as 2700 and 2600 BC (Gargen 114). People buried at Stonehenge were believed to have been the elite of the surrounding society; an early royal British dynasty. This hypothesis appears to be scientific due to the evidence provided by new radio carbon dates of human remains found in the monument. Parker Pearson also held the hypotheses that Stonehenge was a centre for ancestor worship that was connected by River Avon and two other ceremonial avenues to a matching wooden circle near Durrington Walls. The reason as to why he held the hypotheses is due to the large settlements of houses found nearby Stonehenge. This reinforced his belief that both the settlement and Stonehenge created a part of a large ancient ceremonial complex. He went ahead and indicated that the two circles with permanent and temporary structures made a clear representation of the living and the dead domains respectively. He also pointed out that the orientation of the stone circle pointed to sunrise and sunset on key seasonal dates which clearly indicated it was a place of ceremony. On his hypotheses, Mike Pearson stated that Stonehenge was not a monument in isolation; rather it was actually one of a pair implying that it was made of both stone and timber. The theory behind this is that Stonehenge is a type of spirit home to the ancestors. This hypothesis appears to be pseudo-scientific since there is no scientific evidence behind it. Reference Gargen, Josphath. Theories behind Stonehenge. 2nd ed. New York: New York Press, 2003. 2 B) Describe the basic cultural features and evolution of the Mound building Cultures of Eastern North America (and especially distinguishing between the Woodland and Mississippian Cultures), and explain why they were attributed to a lost race by nineteenth century scholars. It is believed that mould builders were greatly involved in building of earth works as well as mounds. The ceremonial and burial structures were characteristically flat topped pyramids or flat topped cones and at some times a variety of other forms. Some mounds took after unusual shapes such as the sketch of cosmologically significant animals and were branded effigy mounds name. Monks mound is one of the best known flat topped pyramidal earthen ware at Cahokia, while Serpent mound found in southern Ohio is 5 feet tall, 1330 feet long and 20 feet wide takes the shape of a serpent (Ian 86). The mound builders included numerous different tribal groups and chiefdoms that held unto a bewildering collection of beliefs and exclusive cultures which were united together by the shared architectural practice of mound construction. The initial mould building was an early marker of just beginning political and social complexity among the cultures in the Eastern United States. Woodlands culture: a prehistoric culture of eastern North America dates back in the 1st century. It is used to refer to Native American societies staying in eastern United States. Adena and Hopewell were the earliest woodland groups who inhabited Mississippi river valleys and Ohio between 800 BC and 800 AD. Adena and Hopewell are commonly known for their massive burial mounds, often modified with finely crafted grave items. Initially, Adena were hunters and gatherers while Hopewell lived in villages. The Mississippian culture was developed around 700 A.D. It was developed by a population of farmers who practiced agricultural farming and planted crops such as corns, beans and squash. They also engaged in a day to day hunting. Mississippian culture was initially a mound building Native American culture. However, from approximately 800 CE to 1500 CE, it greatly flourished in what is commonly known as Eastern, Midwestern and Southeastern United States (Ian 76). Mississippian culture is considered different from the woodland culture on the basis that the Mississippian mounds appear to be rectangular or square, large, flat topped, mesa like platforms on which temples or houses were built. On the other hand, the woodland mounds are conical, earthen structures covering burials in which marvelously carved stone pipes and mica cutouts that are found along with skeletal remains. In addition, burial mounds were dominant during the woodland period (100 B.C. to 400 A.D.), while temple mounds predominated during the Mississippian period (1000 AD). Both Mississippian and woodland cultures were attributed to as a lost race by the 19th century scholars due to the fact that the new euro-American settlers were not willing to accept the fact that the mounds had been built by the Native American People. They were therefore displacing and destroying most of the mounds so as to plow away evidence. Consequently, the cultures came along as a lost race in America. Reference Ian, Bridgeston. The Mould Building Cultures. California: Anvil Press, 2000. 3B) Describe the history of Easter Island as it has been reconstructed by archaeologists; is this history a useful metaphor for the Earth? Is it similar or different from what happened in to other civilizations, and what can be learned from studying it? Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui is one of the worlds famous but least visited archeological sites located in the Pacific Ocean. The island is mostly famous due to its 887 existing monumental statues (moai) which were created by Rapanui people. It is a tiny, currently treeless, hilly Island of volcanic nature; rising over 10,00ft from the floor of Pacific Ocean. Peterson (23), states that Easter Island is among the youngest inhabited territories in the world, and a larger part of its history is that it was one of the most isolated inhabited territory. Easter Island was discovered three hundred years ago by European explorers amidst the large space in South Pacific Ocean. Dutch explorer, Jacob Roggeveen rediscovered it on Easter day in 1722, hence the acquisition of its name; Easter Island. During that time, the Island was inhabited by a populace of Polynesian origin who had arrived from Marquesas Islands many centuries earlier. This has been proven by the DNA extracts that were collected from the location. It is also believed that the inhabitants had come in with various plants, foods, tools and animals such as bananas, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, pigs, and chickens among others so as to start a new life. Archeologists hold that there were three cultures which lived on Easter Island around 400 AD. During this time, the island was inhabited by people who specialized in making small stone statues. After some time, another civilization broke down the statues and greatly used them to construct long temple platforms known as ahus. They also carved 600 plus enormous stone busts taking the form of human beings and placed them on the ahus. It is believed that approximately 15 statues are still held by some ahus. Archeological evidence indicates a fast destruction of the forests within a few centuries after the arrival of human beings. This played a major role in the reduction of forests and plantation in the island. The society played a role in the reduction of forests and plantations since they cleared land to plant grasses, cut down trees to construct canoes, they had also come in with rats which devoured the seeds. By the end of fifteenth century, the entire forest had disappeared, the fruits had died out and tree species were extinct. The extermination of the animals in the Island was as thorough as that of the forest. All species of native land birds became extinct and the shellfish were exploited. This led to the collapse of Easter Islands society. The history of Easter Island is a useful metaphor of the planet earth. The lesson obtained from Easter Island was that inequality and scarcity of crucial resources played a great role in occurrence of genocide. Consequently, a social collapse of the society living in the island took place. David (43), states that during the 7th century, around 50 people arrived on Easter Island and increased to more than 70,000 by 17th century. Reference David, Myer. The history of Easter Island. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge Press. 4) Stonehenge as an ancient centre of healing This appears to be an interesting topic since Stonehenge is commonly known as a burial site among the archeologists. However, Tim Darvil and Geoff Wainwright have come up with the evidence that the monument acted as a centre of healing. Margaret (57), states that massive numbers of Britons flocked at the sight with the aim of curing their diseases and healing present injuries. Many inhabitants believed that the stone found at the site had magical and healing qualities which greatly attracted numerous pilgrims to the site. A mans Remains at approximately five miles from Stonehenge were discovered by the two archeologists. The remains collected indicated that the man had a knee cap infection and a severe tooth eruption. This was therefore used as strong evidence by the two archeologists and they came up with the theory that the man may have died on his way to the healing grounds (Stonehenge). In addition, a skeleton analysis which was found three miles from the monument indicated that the man had travelled a long distance and was suffering from a potentially deadly dental disease. It was therefore concluded that he had travelled that long distance as a way of searching for the stones associated with the healing power. Most archeologists remain adamant that the site and the surrounding area were majorly used as a burial ground. To back their healing hypothesis, Darvill and Wainwright studied the blue stones found at the site and which were believed to have been there since 2400 BC and 2200 BC. Having studied 14 samples of organic material such as the bone in the trench and carbonized plant remains, they indicated that it was good evidence that the grounds provided excellent healing grounds to the community. The blue stone study undermines the main theory suggested by Mike Parker Pearson that the monument acted primarily as burial grounds and ancestral site where people held ceremonies and offered sacrifices to the ancestors. Other significant discoveries from the dig have been made at the monument.   A series of small stones broken down from the larger standing ones were discovered and the archeologists believed that the stones were used as lucky charms. This provided the evidence that the ancient people believed in the healing properties of the stones. The archeologists also believed that the blue stones had numerous healing properties since there were a number of sacred springs in Preseli which were considered to have health giving qualities. The two archeologists also quoted the 12th century Monk indicating that the stones were thought to have medicinal property. The evidence uncovered by their digs portrayed that people were chipping and moving off pieces of the bluestones through the roman era through the middle ages. In relation to the discoveries made concerning Stonehenge, it can be concluded that Stonehenge is a popular and powerful place of pilgrimage. However, there is no support that the monuments healing power really worked. Reference Margaret, Katherine. The mystery behind Stonehenge. Harvard: Harvard Press, 2002.

Ted Bundy and Psychodynamic Theory Essay -- Psychology

Theodore Bundy was born on November 24th 1946. He was born to an unwed mother who was told that she was his sister. He was raised by his grandparents who portrayed themselves as his parents throughout his early childhood years. According to the article I read Ted’s grandfather was abusive towards Ted and his other siblings (Montaldo). Ted was shy and said to be sociably awkward, but during high school he developed into good looking guy and was liked by many. Ted met his first girlfriend in college and eventually falls in love. His girlfriend did not see Ted as someone who would be successful and eventually broke up with him and this broke his heart. This was about the time he learned the truth about his family too. He developed deep depression and this marked the time his killing ventures started. Ted’s breakup with his girlfriend was a huge deal to him. It seemed that his problems really came to surface after this point. He became quite dysfunctional at the time. The breakup could be marked under Axis III (Comer, 2011). This is a general medical condition that Ted suffers from as an adult. Ted Bundy’s style of killing describes sexual sadism. Sexual sadism is the intense sexually arousal by the thought or act of inflicting suffering on others by dominating, restraining, blindfolding, cutting, strangling, mutilating, or even killing the victim (Comer, 2011). This condition would fall under Axis I because it causes significant impairment. Ted Bundy had antisocial personality disorder which is on axis II of the DSM-IV-TR. He is characterized by the following: failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest, deceitfulness, ... ...articipate in therapy. They do not see that they need to change anything. While doing my research on Ted I do believe he was ready for change. I think that therapy sessions to uncover inner turmoil along with medication may have helped Ted. It would have been interesting to see if these treatments would have worked. Works Cited Comer, R. J. (2011). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 6th edition. New York: Worth Publishers. Midwest Behavioral Health Network. (2009, September). Guidelines to use of Axis V: Global Assessment Functioning Scale. South Bend, IN, United States of America. Montaldo, C. (n.d.). About.com. Retrieved August 12, 2011, from http://crime.about.com/od/serial/p/tedbundy.htm Varcarolis, E. M., Carson, V. B., & Shoemaker, N. C. (2006). In Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (p. 283). St. Louis: Elsevier Inc.

The Giant Panda

The giant panda, which lives only in China outside of captivity, has captured the hearts of people of all ages across the globe. From their furry black and white body to their shy and docile nature, they are considered one of the most loved animals. ï ¿ ¼Quick Fact The estimated number of giant pandas in the wild varies between 1,500 and 3,000.Intriguing Giant Panda MysteriesWhile most adore their fluffy fur and round head, which help give them their cuddly bear quality, others are fascinated by the many mysteries of the giant panda. Did you know that a giant panda may actually be a raccoon, they have an opposable pseudo thumb, and they’re technically a carnivore even though their diet is primarily vegetarian? These things and more have baffled scientists and naturalists for hundreds of years.Opposable Pseudo ThumbA characteristic of the giant panda that has mystified scientists is their movable, elongated wrist bone that acts like an opposable thumb. This human-like quality that helps give them an even more cuddly-bear appearance enables the giant panda to pick up objects and even eat sitting up. ï ¿ ¼Quick Fact Giant pandas have five clawed toes and one pseudo thumb. Their pseudo thumb, along with pads of skin, help the giant panda strip the more nutritious small bamboo shoots and leaves while they hold the stalk in their mouth.Small Bear or Large Raccoon?Giant pandas are generally referred to as bears and are typically called panda bears rather than giant pandas. Though we may think they look like bears, there has been a great deal of discussion for decades about where giant pandas actually fit in the animal kingdom. Much of the debate has been whether they are more closely related to the red panda, once thought to be a member of the raccoon family, than the bear family.While a giant panda has a body that resembles a small bear and climbs trees like a bear, it also has several characteristics in common with the red panda. For example, both giant pan das and red pandas eat bamboo and have the same pseudo thumb. The  table below lists the main characteristics the giant panda shares with the bear and red panda.ï ¿ ¹ BearRed Pandaï ¿ » ï ¿ ¹ ShapeDietï ¿ » ï ¿ ¹ SizePawsï ¿ » ï ¿ ¹ Shaggy furEyesï ¿ » ï ¿ ¹ GaitNose and teethï ¿ »Cat-like featuresWhile the body of a giant panda looks like that of a bear and the dark circles around its eyes resemble those of a red panda or raccoon, its pupils have vertical slits like the eyes of a cat. Because of their unusual eyes, a popular Chinese name for panda is ‘big bear cat’ orÃ¥ ¤ §Ã¢â‚¬ Ã§â€ Å Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¨ ²â€œ /dà   xià ³ng mÄ o, pronounced as dah-sshyong-maow. DNA resultsDNA analysis has put one mystery to rest. It has revealed that while the red panda is a distant relative, the giant panda's closest relative is the spectacled bear from South America.Mostly Vegetarian DietGiant pandas love bamboo! In fact, their diet is 99% bamboo. Along with bamboo, they eat o ther plants, small rodents, and occasionally fish. The mystery behind their diet is they have the digestive system of a carnivore. ï ¿ ¼Their ability to digest bamboo is attributed to tiny microbes that live within their digestive system. Since they can only digest about 20% of what they eat, the average giant panda consumes around 14 kilograms (30 pounds) of bamboo a day. In comparison, humans eat about 2 kilograms (5 pounds) of food a day. This enormous diet means the giant panda spends more than 12 hours a day eating to stay nourished. ï ¿ ¼Quick Fact As the seasons change, the giant panda prefers different species and parts of bamboo.Tiny CubsAn infant giant panda cub is about the size of a croissant, weighs less than a coffee cup, and is about 900 times smaller than its mother. An average adult mother weighs around 91 kilograms (200 pounds) while a newborn weighs only 83 to 190 grams (3 to 4 ounces).Other Fun Giant Panda FactsResearchers have recently discovered the gene resp onsible for tasting savory or umami flavors, such as meat, is inactive in giant pandas. For many centuries, giant pandas were thought to be a mythical creature, similar to a dragon or unicorn. Unlike other bears in the region, giant pandas don’t hibernate.Giant pandas can stand erect on their hind legs but rarely walk. The Qinling panda, another giant panda species with a dark brown and light brown coat, lives only in the mountains of Shaanxi. Giant pandas have very sensitive hearing and smell, but they have poor eyesight. A newborn giant panda is blind and looks like a tiny, pink, hairless mouse.

The An Lushan Rebellion in Tang China

The An Lushan Rebellion in Tang China The An Lushan Rebellion began in 755 as a revolt by a disgruntled general in the Tang Dynastys army, but it soon engulfed the country in unrest that lasted nearly a decade until its end in 763. Along the way, it nearly brought one of Chinas most glorious dynasties to an early and ignominious end. An almost unstoppable military force, the An Lushan Rebellion controlled both capitals of the Tang Dynasty for most of the rebellion, but internal conflicts eventually brought an end to the short-lived Yan Dynasty. Origins of Unrest In the middle of the 8th century, Tang China was embroiled in a number of wars around its borders. It lost the Battle of Talas, in what is now Kyrgyzstan, to an Arab army in 751. It also was unable to defeat the southern kingdom of Nanzhao - based in modern-day Yunnan - losing thousands of troops in an attempt to put down the rebellious kingdom. The only military bright spot for Tang was their limited success against Tibet. All of these wars were expensive and the Tang court was quickly running out of money. The Xuanzong Emperor looked to his favorite general to turn the tide - General An Lushan, a military man probably of Sogdian and Turkic origin. Xuangzong appointed An Lushan commander of three garrisons totaling more than 150,000 troops which were stationed along the upper Yellow River. A New Empire On December 16, 755, General An Lushan mobilized his army and marched against his Tang employers, using the excuse of insults from his rival at court, Yang Guozhong, moving from the area that is now Beijing along the Grand Canal, capturing the Tang eastern capital at Luoyang. There, An Lushan announced the formation of a new empire, called the Great Yan, with himself as the first emperor. He then pushed on toward the primary Tang capital at Changan - now Xian; along the way, the rebel army treated anyone who surrendered well, so numerous soldiers and officials joined the rebellion. An Lushan decided to seize southern China quickly, to cut off the Tang from reinforcements. However, it took his army more than two years to capture Henan, severely dampening their momentum. In the meantime, the Tang emperor hired 4,000 Arab mercenaries to help defend Changan against the rebels. Tang troops took up highly defensible positions in all of the mountain passes leading to the capital, completely blocking An Lushans progress. Turn of the Tide Just when it seemed that the Yan rebel army would have no chance to capture Changan, An Lushans old nemesis Yang Guozhong made a devastating mistake. He ordered the Tang troops to leave their posts in the mountains and attack An Lushans army on flat ground. General An crushed the Tang and their mercenary allies, laying the capital open to attack. Yang Guozhong and the 71-year-old Xuanzong Emperor fled south toward Sichuan as the rebel army entered Changan. The emperors troops demanded that he execute the incompetent Yang Guozhong or face a mutiny, so under intense pressure Xuanzong ordered his friend to commit suicide when they stopped in what is now Shaanxi. When the imperial refugees reached Sichuan, Xuanzong abdicated in favor of one of his younger sons, the 45-year-old Emperor Suzong. Tangs new emperor decided to hire reinforcements for his decimated army. He brought in an additional 22,000 Arab mercenaries and  a large number of Uighur soldiers - Muslim troops who intermarried with local women and helped form the Hui ethnolinguistic group in China. With these reinforcements, the Tang Army was able to retake both of the capitals at Changan and at Luoyang in 757. An Lushan and his army retreated east. End of the Rebellion Fortunately for the Tang Dynasty, An Lushans Yan Dynasty soon began to disintegrate from within. In January of 757, the Yan emperors son, An Qingxu, became upset by his fathers threats against the sons friends at court. An Qingxu killed his father An Lushan and then was killed in turn by An Lushans old friend Shi Siming. Shi Siming continued An Lushans program, retaking Luoyang from the Tang, but he also was killed by his own son in 761 - the son, Shi Chaoyi, proclaimed himself the new emperor of Yan, but quickly became quite unpopular. Meanwhile in Changan, the sickly Emperor Suzong abdicated in favor of his 35-year-old son, who became Emperor Daizong in May 762. Daizong took advantage of the turmoil and patricide in Yan, recapturing Luoyang in the winter of 762. By this time - sensing that Yan was doomed - a number of generals and officials had defected back to the Tang side. On February 17, 763, Tang troops cut off the self-proclaimed Yan emperor Shi Chaoyi. Rather than facing capture, Shi committed suicide, bringing the An Lushan Rebellion to a close. Consequences Although the Tang eventually defeated the An Lushan Rebellion, the effort left the empire weaker than ever. Later in 763, the Tibetan Empire retook its Central Asian holdings from Tang and even captured the Tang capital of Changan. The Tang had been forced to borrow not only troops but also money from the Uighurs - to pay those debts, the Chinese gave up control of the Tarim Basin. Internally, the Tang emperors lost significant political power to warlords all around the periphery of their lands. This problem would plague the Tang right up until its dissolution in 907, which marked Chinas descent into the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period.