Israel/Palestine

Israel’s creation can be considered a heroic response to genocide or thieves stealing land. The tension between Israel and Palestine continues today. Geography had a major effect on Israel and Palestine’s economy and foreign relations. Religion plays a major factor in both the creation and conflicts facing Israel. All of Israel’s problems can be considered modern, for the fact that Israel was created in 1948. Israel is a prominent country that is influencing the world.
Israel’s economy is thriving. Israel is second only to Canada in the number of companies listed on the United States stock exchange (Israel Country Profile). One of the reasons the economy is doing so well, is the exportation of natural resources. 37.3% of the exports are precious stones, such as diamonds and pearls (Israel Country Profile). Geography affects this, because natural resources come from the environment and are not man-made. The other exports include high-tech products, pharmaceuticals, newsprint, varied chemicals, and several other products (Israel Country Profile). The top three export partners are the United States, Belgium, and China (Israel Country Profile). The United States, Belgium, and Germany are the top import partners (Israel Country Profile). Pearls, semi-precious stones, mineral fuels and oils, and vehicles are among the top things imported (Israel Country Profile). Services that Israel is known for is diamond cutting and textile (Israel Country Profile). Israel produces newsprint, tires, chemicals, and automobiles (Moss, 377). The farmland is very important to the economy and has been for more 5,000 years ago (Moss, 271). Irrigation systems make it possible (Moss, 271). The main crops are vegetables, fruits, and wine (Moss, 271). Israelite farmers raise poultry, cattle, and goats (Moss, 378). Less than 7% of the Israeli workers work in agricultural (Moss, 378). One third of workers are involved in public services and one fourth of workers are involved in manufacturing (Moss, 378).
The government is parliamentary democracy (Knesset). There is not a written constitution, but there are basic laws, which will become the constitution once they are all passed (Knesset). A few passed basic laws include: Israel Lands as the Basic Law, The President of the State, The State Economy, The Army, The Judiciary, The State Comptroller, Human Dignity and Liberty, The Government, The Freedom of Occupation, and The Knesset. The Knesset was passed on Feb. 12, 1958 (Knesset). It states the house of representatives of the states duties and rules, that the capital is Jerusalem, there is a total 120 representatives with the ability to pass laws that don’t contradict passed Basic Laws, and that supervises the work of the Government with several sub-committees (Knesset). This relates to how Israel interacts with other countries, because the laws are not the same in the Palestinian land.
Israel’s relations with other countries are based on religion and principal. The United States is Israel’s largest trading partner and an important ally (Welcome). $2.5 billion of United States government aid went to Israel in 2006. In May 1948, the United States President Truman pushed the UN into recognizing the new state of Israeli (Bard, 105), so it can be said that the United States helped form Israel. Israel trades total about $20 billion within the country (Welcome). There are still countries that still don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist (Williams, 225). Iran is one of those countries (Williams, 225).
The relationship between Jews and Arabs has never been a pleasant or friendly one. Going back to 633 B.C. when the March of Islam began (Dersin, 45) In less than twenty years the Arab warriors conquered most of the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and the majority of Persia (Dersin, 45). The March began because Arab warrior’s homeland was dry and impoverished, while Palestine’s land was very fertile (Dersin, 45). Also, they wanted to spread their faith in Allah and unite the Middle East countries under an Arabic rule (Dersin, 45). More recently, PLO, the Palestine Liberation Organization, united guerrilla movements against Israel and nationalist movement to create a Palestinian State (Moss, 214). It was created in Egypt in 1964 by the Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser (Moss, 214). Sadly though, instead of leading Arab states to victory and liberating Palestine, he led them to a war in which Israel not only won, but actually increased in power in 1967 (Harper, 55). PLO attacked Israel from inside and outside (Moss, 214). The leader of PLO was Yasser Arafat (Harper, 54). In 1994 a peace treaty was signed between PLO and Israel (Moss, 214).
Belief systems, especially religion, play a major effect on Israel. The estimated Jewish population in Israel is 3,659,000, about 9/10 of population, and the estimated Muslim population is 1,500,000 (Moss, 58). The estimated total population is 5,000,000 (Moss, 58). Their lives revolve around religion. Businesses and schools close on religious holidays (Moss, 206). The Sabbath, Friday night-Saturday, is the Holist day of the week (Moss, 206). Bible verses are on postage stamps (Moss, 206). The Rabbi is the Jewish religious authority (Moss, 206). Rabbinical Courts are the sole authority on marriage matters (Moss, 206). Woman are forced to wear veils in Israel, however this is not enforced in Palestine (Moss, 274). There are about 7,000 synagogues, mostly Orthodox (Moss, 207). There are 40 Conservatives and 15 Reform Compressions (Moss, 207). However, neither religion are officially recognized, because Orthodox is the only state recognized religion (Moss, 207). Many Israeli Jews are secular and only identify with the history and sprit rather than the religion and that adds to the tension in Israel (Moss, 207). The tension between secular and religious Jews is nothing compared to other tensions facing Israel. In the Palestinian area 75% of the population are Muslims, mostly Sunni sect of Islam; 17% are Arab Christians; and 8% are Druze, mixture of Muslim and Christian beliefs (Moss, 273).
As previously mentioned, tensions between the Jewish and Arabs have been around for thousands of years. In 1000 B.C. Kind David united the region (Dersin, 45). When he died in 928 B.C, the Jewish and Arabs split into two kingdoms: The Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judha until 600 B.C (Moss, 22). They often fought each other; however they were smart enough to become allies when outside forces attacked (Moss, 22). The two small kingdoms were not strong enough to hold them off outsiders (Dersin, 45). They were a part of the Ottoman Empire for about 500 years (Bard, 110). Other outside forces that took over Palestine include Persians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and as previously mentioned the Turks (Moss, 272). Palestinians feels that the creation of Israel was an abomination, conversely the Jews thought is was a miracle. The land was legal the Palestinians, however the Jewish people feel entitled to Israel, because of a promise made by God to Abraham to make his descendants a great nation in the land between the Nile and Euphrates rivers as recorded in Genesis 12: 1-2 (Bard, 12). PLO was formed to fight the creation of Israel (Harper, 28). The Six-Day War in 1967- Israel crushed the military forces of Egypt, Jordan and Syria and conquered large amounts of land from each (Harper, 29). Iraq also participated in the fighting on the Arab side (Harper, 29). The Transjordan Army, also known as the Arab Legion, captured the West Bank, which was annexed by Amir Abdullah (Moss, 214). The annexation was only recognized in Pakistan and Britain (Moss, 214). The attack increased the amount of Israel’s land and left around 800,000 Palestinians homeless (Harper, 27). The refugees migrated to Muslim and Arab countries throughout the world (Harper, 27). Jordan offered automatic citizenship to the Palestinian refugees (Moss, 214). People who stayed lived in poverty, lost farmland, and were confined to the West Bank and Gaza Strip (Harper, 27).
David Ben-Gurion is considered the Father of Israel. On May 14, 1948 he read Israel’s Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv and was sworn in as the first Prime Minister and defense minister (Lesch, 122). David wanted the fighting to stop and wanted to start negotiations with neighboring Arab rulers (Lesch, 122). He was leader of Poalei Zion, which promoted rights of workers and the importance of laboring on the land. Also, he helped create the Histadrut, Jewish labor federation; he was the Security General (Lesch, 122). He was the head of the Mapai Party and a chair on the Executive Committee of the Jewish Agency (Lesch, 122). In 1937-1947 accepted concept of territorial partition to gain Jewish political independence (Lesch, 122). He died on December 1, 1973 (Lesch, 122).
The history of the Israelites is still being written. The fertile land had positively affected them, however made them prime targets for conquerors. The outcome the several conflicts are uncertain. The creation of Israel was one of the most controversial events. Both sides of the struggle have valid points and each side is entitled to have a homeland. The rich history and devotion to their religion is admirable. The resolution for any of the conflicts will take time.











Works Cited
Bard, Mitchell. The Founding of the State of Israel. New York: Thomson Gale, 2003.
Dersin, Denise, ed. What Life was Like: In the Land of the Prophet. Virginia: Time Life Books, 1999.
Harper, Paul. The Arab-Israeli Conflict. New York: The Bookwright Press, 1990.
“Israel Country Profile Overview Trade Issues”. The Federation of International Trade Associations. January 2007 The Federation of International Trade Associations. 14 April 2007 .
“The Knesset”. The Knesset. 2003 The State of Israel. 14 April 2007 .
Lesch, Ann M. and Dan Tschirgi. Origins and Development of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1998.
Moss, Joyce and George Wilson. Peoples of the World: The Middle East and North Africa. Detroit, Gale Research Inc., 1992.
“Welcome to IsraelTrade.Org”. Israel Trade. 2006 Association of America-Israel Chambers of Commerce. 14 April 2007.
Williams, Mary E. The Middle East. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2000.

Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was one of the greatest writers in American history. The intense themes of his work and interesting vocabulary made him known world wide. Edgar Allan Poe’s tragic life influenced his work, his uses of different modes make him so unique, and the mixed reviews of his work are just as varied today as they when he wrote them.
Edgar Allan Poe’s life was a tragic one from the beginning. His great-great grandfather on his father‘s side, David Poe, was a tenant-farmer in Ireland. David’s son John, his wife, and his seven-year-old son, also named David, immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1750. In 1775 David moved to Baltimore. He made clock reels, spinning wheels, and owned a dry goods store. In 1778- 1779, he was apart of the Captain John McClellan’s Company of Baltimore troops. David was appointed to Assistant Deputy Quartermaster; he was allowed to purchase supplies for the American Army. He spent $40,000 of his own money on the Revolution cause. He never recovered that money, and died in poverty (Meyers 1-3).
Henry and Elizabeth Arnold, Edgar Allan’s Poe maternal grandparents, were married in London in May 1784. Not much is known about Henry, but Elizabeth Arnold was an actress. She left her husband and went to Boston with her daughter, Eliza. Eliza Arnold, like her mother, was an actress. She had extraordinary talent. When she was fifteen she married Charles Hopkins. In 1806, Charles Hopkins died. Six months after his death she married David Poe Junior. David Poe Junior was three years older than Eliza. He was going to be involved in the law, but decided to be an actor instead. He fell in love Eliza in Virginia and joined her drama troupe (Collector’s Library 475). Eliza was a better actor, than her husband. He was hot-tempered, an alcoholic, and was angered by people who criticized his wife’s performance or outfit (Meyers, 5).
Eliza and David’s first child was named William Henry (Meyers 3). Edgar Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809 (Collector’s Library 475). In December 1810, Rosaline, Edgar Poe’s little sister was born (Price). All three children were purposely given alcohol or laudanum to have them to sleep when restless and to have them stop complaining when hungry; it explains Edgar Allan Poe’s alcoholism. Poe’s parents died when he was three years old. His father’s death is unclear, and there are several theories. (Meyers 1-7). He could have disserted his family when Edgar was two and half. He could have died from tuberculosis like Eliza. His mother died in December 1811, from tuberculosis. Well she was sick Mr. and Mrs. Usher took care of all three kids.
Edgar Allan Poe’s childhood with his foster family was stable. He was adopted by childless couple John and Frances Allan (Collector’s Library 475). John was a successful tobacco merchant (Meyers 1-3). He was so grateful that he added their last name to his own name. Edgar Allan Poe was very athletic and an excellent student. He had set a broad-jump record and was seen as a brooder. Edgar Allan Poe took long walks with his older brother. He had his little sister pass notes to girls he liked. His nickname was Gaffy Poe. When he was 18, he read a long short-story he wrote to a few friends; Thomas Good Tucker was among them. Apparently, they made comments about how the protagonist’s name, Gaffy, appeared too often. He never published the story (Tomlinson).
As Edgar Allan Poe matured so did his problems. He went to an academy run by William Burke. The relationship between Edgar Allan Poe and his foster father were getting worse. Eventually the relationship got so bad that Edgar was written out of his foster father’s will. He attended the University of Virginia in 1826. He left a year later, because of excessive drinking and fights with his foster father about gambling debts. He was $2,000 in debt and was in the top of his class. He attended West Point. He was expelled for drinking and gambling. Soon after that he became an alcoholic. He was an alcoholic with a low tolerance for alcohol. Family and friends call his binge drinking times his “sprees”. These sprees were joyless times that destroyed his career, his life, and several relationships. The relationship with Mary Starr ended because of a scandal cause by Edgar Allan Poe’s drinking (Moore 7) He enrolled and was accepting into a London boarding school. He couldn’t stay long, because his foster mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He wrote love letters to Elmira Royster. He instead went back to Richmond, Virginia and went to school at Joseph W. Clarke’s School (Macdonald 7) He found out that his letters to Elmira were intercepted by her parents and she was engaged to another man. This was the inspiration for the poem Tamerlane.
Edgar Allan Poe enlisted in the military. He enlisted on May 26, 1827 under a different name, Edgar A. Perry. He said he was 22. He was assigned to Fort Independence in Boston for training. He and his team boarded the Waltham, a boat taking them to Fort Moultrie in South Carolina. On November 18 1827, he wrote his first symbolic poem, Al Aaraaf, while stationed there. After training, he was stationed to the Quartermaster’s office, just like his grandfather (Waggoner 815-817). During Poe’s military career he promoted his grandfather to Quartermaster of the entire Untied States Army during the Revolutionary War. He was promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major. Poe confessed his identity, in order to be discharged. His relationship with his foster father worsened. John Allan refused a chance of reconciliation with Edgar Allan Poe. He suffered a nervous breakdown and was taken to the hospital for a fever. Frances Allan died. Poe moved into his aunt Mrs. Maria Clemm, widowed and her daughter Virginia for a brief time. He wanted to get away from his father. Poe went back into the military in 1830. He automatically regretted it and went back to gambling and drinking. John Allan refused to help him with debts. One of the major reasons was that he was remarried. Poe was court marshaled and discharged in 1831. Poe went back to live with the Clemms. The death of his brother increased his dependency on Mrs. Clemm. After that he got a job offer in Virginia to work for the Southern Literary Massager. He and Virginia, who was fourteen at the time married and left Baltimore to go to Virginia. They spent a two week honeymoon in Richmond, Virginia (Poe 817).
His time at the Southern Literary Massager was short-lived, much like his time at other prestigious magazines. He did contribute work. He was an excellent editor and critic. He was fired by Thomas Willis White, the publisher, on January 3, 1837. After he was fired, he and Virginia moved around a lot. Personal problems, poverty and alcoholism, held him back and stopped him from getting several editorial positions. Virginia was sick and her illness was a consent source of concern. When things were starting to go well for Poe in January 1842, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Poe started on of his sprees. When they moved to New York her health showed improvement. Poe stopped drinking and focused on his work. Virginia died on January 30, 1847 at the young age of 24. Poe was devastated and need a nurse to take care of him. He suffered an emotional break down (Waggoner 815-817).
When he recovered, at age 39, he started dating Helen Whitman and Annie Richmond. Both were widows. He was engaged to Helen, the marriage banns were published on December 23, 1848. She called off the wedding, because of the affair with Annie. He met Annie, on a trip to Richmond to try and get subscriptions to his magazine The Stylus. The magazine was unsuccessful and he went on one of his sprees.
Several more disappointments and let downs in his life caused him to go into a deep depression. He attempted suicide several times. During this time Mrs. Clemm was still helping him recover. He wrote “To My Mother-” as a way to show his appreciation for her. When he recovered he gave a brilliant speech on August 17 on the Poetic Principle in Richmond, Virginia. Elmira Royster’s husband had died and they had soon become engaged. She broke off the wedding, because she wasn’t sure if he wanted her or her money.
He convinced her that he loved her and the wedding was set for October, the fallowing year.
His death in Baltimore in 1849 is shrouded in mystery, just like one of his stories. He boarded a train drunk and with a fever in order to see his friend Doctor Nathan C. Brooks on September 28. Nathan was not home. Poe wondered away and was not seen for five days. Another friend found him Doctor J. E. Snodgrass found him lying in an ally unconscious and took him to the hospital. No one knew where he was, not Mrs. Clemm or Elmira. The doctors diagnosed him with “the DTs” (delirium tremens), however there is evidence that Poe might have died from rabies. When he was admitted in a hospital Poe went in and out of consciousness. He either woke up calm and articulate or completely delirious and enraged. No theory of Edgar Allan Poe’s death can be conclusive, because the autopsy was never done. Poe died on October 7, 1849 (“Poe’s Mystery”). Poe’s last words were “Lord, help my soul”. He said it to his doctor, J.J. Moran at 5:00 in the morning. Poe was buried in the same cemetery as his grandfather, the Presbyterian Cemetery, on October 9. His inscription on his tomb is a quote from one of his most famous poems “The Raven”. It says “Quoth the Raven, Nevermore.” There is a monument devoted to him. His obituary, printed on October 9 said “His life has been an eventful and a stormy one, and if anyone shall be found to write its history, we venture to say that its simple truths will be more thrilling interest than most romances.” (“Poe’s Mystery”).
Edgar Allan Poe invented the detective story. “Murders in the Rue Morgue” was written in 1841. C. Auguste Dupin was the protagonist. Dupin also appears in a book written by George Egon Hatvary, The Murder of Edgar Allan Poe as both the lead detective to investigate the circumstances of Poe's mysterious death and the narrator. In the book, Dupin and Poe were friends and Poe who assisted Dupin in the three cases Poe wrote about. Duplin appears in three of Poe’s mysteries: “Murders in the Rue Morgue”, "The Mystery of Marie Roget", and "The Purloined Letter".Other mystery stories he wrote were “The Masque of Red Death”, “The Fall in the House of Usher”, “The Oblong Box“, “The Gold Bug” "The Spectacles", and "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether", “William Wilson”, and several more. Edgar Poe used his caregivers name for the short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Poe based William Wilson on himself. He wrote a textbook about shells, The Conchologist’s First Book, in April 1839. He was paid very little. It was considered to be hack work. (Poe 818). He wrote on elegy called “Annabel Lee. He wrote it for his deceased wife, Virginia (Strouf 181). “To Helen-” is considered to be one of the best love stories. It is a poem of complete adoration of someone from afar (Pockell 6). The poem “The Raven” is one of his works which is known for. He used trochaic rhythm in “The Raven”. Lots of his poems had secret meanings and hidden messages. The poem “A Valentine” is one of these. To read the address the first letter of the first line, than the second letter of the second line, the third letter of the third line, and so on (Poe 740). Frances Sargent Osgood is the receiver of the poem. “An Enigma” is another poem/sonnet that conceals an anagram. This poem concealed the name Sarah Anna Lewis (Poe 740). The poem “Tamerlane” was written after he found about Elmira’s parents intercepted his love letters. Poe had been one of first writers in the genre of science fiction. "Hans Pfaal", was one of the first scientifically serious tales of space flight, "The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion", was the first end of the world story. Poe maybe best known for his works of horror. Much of his mystery work can be considered horror. “Bernice”, “The Cask Of Amontillado”, “The Fall Of The House Of Usher“, “The Masque Of The Red Death”, “Morella”, “The Oblong Box”, “The Oval Portrait”, “The Pit And The Pendulum”, “The Premature Burial”, “Von Kempelen And His Discovery”, and several more (Price). Poe used humor in a six-part series published in Gooey’s Ladies’ Book in 1846. He made fun of the article writer’s in New York (Tomlinson).
His work has gained popularity after his death. His work hardly made him any money. He earned $5-$10 for “The Raven”, but the manuscript was sold in London for $100,000 (Macdonald 1). Inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Homes, was once asked if Edgar Allan Poe influenced his work. His reply was “Oh, immensely! His detective is the best detective in fiction…Dupin is unrivalled.” There is a controversy that just when his career was being to do well he became addicted to opium. However a friend, Doctor John Carter, stated that “Poe never used opium in any instance I am aware of.” (Collector‘s Library 472). An enemy of Poe, Doctor Thomas Dunn English, agreed with John Carter. He said that he “saw no signs of a drug habit.” George Lippard said that Poe’s work showed “the analytic talent of the gifted author, as well as his powers of cutting and sarcastic humor.” Yeats once stated that Poe was “the greatest of American poets.” Poe is one of American high school favorite writers. Edward Spearhawk, editor of The Messenger, said that Lionizing was “an imitable piece of wit and satire” in May 1835. James Kirke Paulding wrote a letter to Edward Spearhawk commenting on how much he liked Lionizing and how funny it was. “Hans Phaal, A Tale” was considered “one of the most equisetic specimens of the blended humor and science that we have ever perused”, by the Charleston, S.C. Daily Courier.” The Baltimore Republican thought “Hans Phaal, A Tale”, was “a capital burlesque upon ballooning (Tomlinson) He is thought of a master of short stories and horror stories. Poe also had several negative reviews. Yvor Winter thought Poe’s poetry was “bad verse springing from bad theory and reflecting all the bad taste of contemporary popular culture” Authur Twining Hadley, President of Yale University, said in 1909 that Poe “wrote like a drunkard and a man who is not accustomed to pay his debts (Waggoner 136).
In conclusion, Edgar Allan Poe was an extraordinary writer. He learned from the challenges that life gave him and used it in his work. The daring and unusual themes of his work make him a classic writer that will be loved and cherished. Edgar Allan Poe’s tragic life influenced his work, his uses of different modes make him so unique, and how people perceive his work.










Works Cited
Collector’s Library. Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2004.
“Poe’s Mystery”. Edgar Allan Poe Mystery. 24 September 1996 University of Maryland Medical Center. 13 March 2007 .
Macdonald, Dwight. Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1965.
Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1992.
Moore, Christopher. Introduction. Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Poems. New York: Gramercy Books, 1992.
Poe, Edgar Allan. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1966.
Pockell, Leslie. The 100 Best Love Poems of All Time. New York: Warner Books, 2003
Price, Vincent and Basil Rathbone. The Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection. Audiotape. Caedman, CO4148, 2000.
Strouf, Judie. Literature Lover’s Book of Lists. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Press, 1998.
Tomlinson, David. “The Humor of Edgar Allan Poe.” From Revolution to Reconstruction. 11 April 1997. University of Groningen. 13 March 2007 .
Waggoner, Hyatt H. American Poets From the Puritans to the Present. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968.

Green is not a flavor

Grammar and actually paying attention is something of the past in everyday life. When talking to people we respect, admire to, or simply have to answer to them, our way of talking changes. People put up a certain type of filter with who they are with, and change how, and what they say. However, no matter who is speaking to someone, when offered Popsicle, sucker, or something like that and when asked what flavor they want and they say green, purple, and so on, proves something. It could mean that the person doesn’t know the difference between flavors or colors, and the school system has truly failed them and it is amazing that they are in high school and has friends willing to offer them things. Or the more probable explanation is that they weren’t listening to the person offering them something. Green is not a flavor, nor is purple; flavors are watermelon or grape. That is pretty much understood to everyone that is out of elementary school (once again, I say that hoping that there isn’t a person that doesn’t know the difference, but really who knows?). Saying “purple” instead of “grape” isn’t that big of a deal, and people do know what it means. However, it sets a series precedents that change how people think: as long as people know what you mean it doesn’t matter; don’t listen to everything people say as long as you get the general gist; flavors and colors are interchangeable; details are not important.

People need to slow down and actually listen to each other. It will just make you more aware of what is going on around you and make the person asking you feel like you actually care what is being said. You might think that I am being obsessive over this, however as William Feather once said, “Beware of the person who can't be bothered by details.”

And for orange…it’s a self check. You have to mean either the color or the flavor, depending on what’s being asked.