Satire Vs. Parody - What's the Difference?

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We all know about satires and parodies. Both pack in a lot of sarcasm and entertain us. But do you know the difference between the two? Read on to find out.
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Satire and parody examples
Fair Use
Most parodies come under the purview of " fair use", a policy which is like an exception to the copyright law. Copyrighted work can be parodied without permission, but this may not apply to satire as it is much more vast.
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I thoroughly enjoy the political cartoons that are published in newspapers every day. They totally hit the bull's eye and pack a dose of laughter followed by an intense thinking session. That's satire, hard-hitting, yet funny.

I also loved the Scary Movie Series, it was a pure entertainer. Did it make me think hard? Nah... not really! It was sheer entertainment. That's parody.

Satire and parody, though very similar, are quite different. What differentiates them the most is their purpose. Humor is the linking element between the two along with sarcasm, but satire is a lot deeper.

To clear the confusion, we discuss the basic definitions, examples, and differences between the two in this Buzzle post.

What is a Satire?

Satire is a genre in literature which shams or ridicules certain aspects of the society or the society as a whole. But, the purpose of a satire is not restricted to entertainment or laughter, it is much more. A satire should make you think. It has the power to expose the shortcomings of society and sham individuals or organizations. It may not change things, but it will definitely make an impact.

A good satire uses the right amount of sarcasm, wit, and exaggeration. It is humorous, but not crass or vulgar. Other elements like hyperbole, parody, double entendre, burlesque, etc. are used in a satire to make it interesting and striking. Satires have lot of anger and frustration as well.

Examples of Satire

╚ Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
╚ George Orwell's Animal Farm
╚ Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
╚ The Colbert Report
╚ The Daily Show

What is a Parody?

Parody is pure entertainment, and sometimes called a spoof. Any work is imitated or mocked in a parody. The main purpose is to make the reader or audience laugh. It need not be motivational or thoughtful. It is like inflicting a direct blow to someone, straightforward and obvious. As Dwight Macdonald has rightly said, "Parody is making a new wine that tastes like the old but has a slightly lethal effect."

Examples of Parody

╚ Scary Movie Series
╚ Not Another Teen Movie
╚ Austin Powers
╚ Saturday Night Live Show
╚ Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Satire vs. Parody

Satire does not limit itself to one specific target, it can have a much wider scope. Parody is usually about one person, incident, or movie. A strong satire has the power to stir souls, whereas a good parody will just invite hearty laughs.

Satire does not need a subject to mock or ridicule, whereas parody needs one. It takes elements from different works and gives them a comic twist. All the flaws of the said work or works are emphasized just for comic relief. In a satire, the flaws are exaggerated but not in such an in-your-face way. Parody is basically a part of satire, as it is used in many satirical works.

Satire is usually more subtle and intelligent than a parody. Parody is pretty straightforward and has direct humor. There is no underlying message as in case of the former. Parody is lighthearted humor, and has obvious humor. You can easily understand the inspiration behind a parody, the source will not be copied directly, but the resemblance will be pretty obvious.
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So, to sum it all, we can say that a satire usually highlights the negative aspects of society or politics, in a humorous way. It will have a strong underlying message, and a parody will just make you laugh.

Pareidolia Explained With Examples

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Pareidolia is a tendency of the human mind to perceive insignificant stimuli as being meaningful. In this Buzzle article, we will go a little deeper into this concept and provide examples of the same.
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Pareidolia example
Believe it or Not!
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In 2004, Diana Duyser of Miami sold a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich for USD 28,000 on eBay. She said it bore the image of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever chanced upon a cloud that looks just like a horse? Or how about the foam in your morning coffee making it seem like there's a face hidden in there somewhere? Countless similar examples will follow, and you see these almost everyday; and while this may seem like a very random occurrence, did you know that this is, in reality, a phenomenon called pareidolia?

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon which occurs when a random and insignificant stimulus (either sound or object) is perceived as being significant. It is said that there is a tendency among humans to want to understand and define things so that dealing with them becomes easier. Which is why, we tend to rearrange objects and things in our mind and give them a form that we can define and identify with.

In the following sections of this Buzzle article, we will go into the details of this phenomenon and help you understand this concept better with the help of certain examples.

The 'Why' Behind the Phenomenon

Pareidolia was earlier thought to be a symptom of psychosis; however, it is now recognized as a normal human tendency. Carl Sagan, an American astrophysicist and astronomer, put forth a theory which said that hyper facial perception stems from a very evolutionary need to recognize other faces, sometimes, too quickly. Like we mentioned earlier, it is a basic human tendency to want to find meaning in something so that we are able to identify and define it.

David Hume, a Scottish historian, philosopher, economist, and essayist, in one of his quotes aptly describes this tendency.

"There is an universal tendency among mankind to conceive all beings like themselves, and to transfer to every object, those qualities, with which they are familiarly acquainted, and of which they are intimately conscious. We find human faces in the moon, armies in the clouds; and by a natural propensity, if not corrected by experience and reflection, ascribe malice or goodwill to everything, that hurts or pleases us."

Though it may seem like a rather meaningless and tedious exercise, to find faces and objects in things that don't really have them, the fact is that it is not always meaningless. The famous Rorschach inkblot test uses this very premise to gain an insight into the workings of the human mind and is a very crucial test used in psychology.

Common Pareidolia Examples

It is quite probable that many may not have heard of the technical name of the concept, though most will have experienced it at some point in their lives. Some of the more common examples of this phenomenon include finding different objects and shapes in clouds, or tree trunks shaped like human forms or faces. Let us look through some of the other common examples of pareidolia.

Sphinx from bucegi mountain
This Sphinx formation at the Bucegi mountain
Bubbles in coffee foam
These bubbles in the coffee foam that look like eyes
Heart formation in cloud
This heart formation in the clouds
Sink closeup
This vision of a terrified sink

The Rabbit on the Moon

Rabbit on the moon

In what is one of the most common and famous examples of pareidolia, the rabbit on the moon, is a theory that has been passed down from generation to generation. There are stories written and tales told, and one is probably encouraged to see it come nightfall.

Space Pareidolia

There are countless examples of sightings of different kinds in space. Some of the famous ones include the Cydonia Mensae sighting, more popularly known as the 'Face on Mars'. When the image was first sighted, it showed the face of a man looking upward. However, higher quality photos taken years later showed that it was merely a mountain which looked like a human face when observed under the right kind of shadowing and illumunation.

Another example of pareidolia observed on Mars is that of The Martian Mermaid. The figure has an uncanny resemblance to a mermaid in mid pose. This sighting caused a lot of stir among people, and NASA was even accused of trying to cover evidence that there was life on Mars. When one views the image as a part of the complete rover, however, the 'Mars Mermaid' is only about 6 cm tall.

Religious Symbols and Figures

Probably the most hyped examples of pareidolia have been in connection with religious symbols and figures. So, finding Jesus or the Virgin Mary in different foods, or finding the Hindu Lord Ganesh in a vegetable is not a very novel thing we hear of. Given the sentimental value that people have for these religious symbols, it will probably not come as a shock to know that some of these findings have been sold for hundreds of dollars on popular sites.
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While pareidolia can be seen to make its way in all forms and things, and the observing of these becomes almost effortless, the fact remains that it is a perceiving of things that don't really exist. And while we may term this as an unnecessary task, it sometimes does give us an insight into the workings of the human mind. In that way, many experts say that the pareidolia phenomenon could help us understand concepts like the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot.

Understanding Self-perception Theory With Examples

The definition of self-perception asserts that attitude development takes place with self-behavioral observations. This write-up will help you understand the self-perception theory with examples.
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Self-perception theory
Keeping Up With Research
In the year 2010, Clayton Critcher and Thomas Gilovich undertook research to check the connection between mindwandering and self-perception. They inferred that people do believe their wandering thoughts to be a cue to their attitudes, until they realize that the reason for their mindwandering was something else.
The self-perception theory in social psychology is a rather interesting phenomenon that exhibits the development of attitudes in people. Assume that a person has no particular attitude in himself, due to various possible reasons―lack of experience, sheltered upbringing, etc. Apparently, this theory states that people depend on their behavior to develop their attitudes; that is to say, they observe their own behavior, draw conclusions from the same, and assert that they have a particular attitude or affinity towards something/someone.

The theory also states that people who develop such attitudes do not assess their feelings or moods or internal perceptions. They merely depend on their own behavior to do so. The self-perception theory can be better understood with the help of real-life instances; a couple of them are enlisted in the article below.

The Original Experimental Evidence

The self-perception theory (SPT) was developed by American social psychologist Daryl Bem in 1972.
For this experiment, he used interpersonal simulations, i.e., he asked participants to listen to an audio recording of a man describing a task.
The participants were divided into two groups. Group 1 was told that the man was paid USD 20 for a testimonial, while group 2 was told that the man was paid USD 1 for the same.
Group 2 inferred that the man must've enjoyed the task more, because USD 1 will not really justify the act, while group 1 inferred that the man possibly did not enjoy the task at all, and was doing it for the money.
None of the participants actually knew who the man was, what he felt at the time, or what his mood was. All they heard was his voice and enthusiastic explanation and the initial conditions, and they concluded what the man's attitude must've been.
The results obtained from this experiment were similar to those obtained from the Fesringer-Carlsmith experiment. Daryl Bem stated, "The attitude statements, which comprise the major dependent variables in dissonance experiments may be regarded as interpersonal judgments in which the observer and the observed happen to be the same individual.".
Further research included experiments like the facial feedback and the false confession.
The facial feedback test stated that a person's facial expression may influence his attitude.
Eventually, Bem concluded that a person's attitude is, to a great extent, developed and influenced by his behavior.


The Theory

As stated above, the self-perception theory asserts on the influence of behavioral observations to develop and change a person's attitudes. To put it very simply, you infer from your own behavior.
Many experts state that this theory is particularly true when one has a weak internal thought process; rather, it does not allow self-assessment or internal feelings to contribute to the attitude development process.
Those in favor of the theory argue that it is better for a person to analyze himself from the perspective of an outsider, depending on his outward behavior, instead of introspection, which the theory asserts, will not help develop the proper attitude, given the uncertain internal conflicts.
Two major situations may increase our dependence on the self-perception theory to interpret our attitudes. One, perhaps our internal feelings are weak, and two, we perceive that we have behaved in a particular way out of our own free will.
Consider the first situation. Let's say, you have tasted sushi for the first time, and cannot make up your mind whether you like it or not.
Now, since your internal cues are weak, you cannot decide if sushi is on your list of favorite foods. However, you have eaten it without liking or disliking it. You haven't complained. You haven't felt like throwing up. Thus, you will judge yourself based on how you have behaved.
Eventually, you will conclude that you probably like sushi.
Consider the second situation with the same instance.
You are unable to make up your mind whether you like or dislike sushi. But, your friends assert that it is indeed wonderful. You do not really bother with the fact whether you like it or not, but you go along with their opinion, possibly because subconsciously, you do not want to disagree with a unanimous opinion.
In reality, however, you condition yourself to believe that it is out of your own free will that you have declared your liking of the dish, and not by force.
You are, perhaps, pleased to see that your positive opinion of such a simple matter has made your friends happy, and your pleasure in this situation, your feeling of satisfaction, has led you to believe that your own free will was at work. In situations henceforth, you will begin to rely on this behavioral trait of yours, and interpret your attitude based on this behavior.
Thus, there are many cases when our behavior may be completely different, and developing our attitudes based on our behavior may or may not be completely reliable.


Alternative Phenomena

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance describes the discomfort experienced by people when their mind is filled with conflicting thoughts.
The self-perception theory was brought forth by Bem as an alternative to this theory; however, research studies have proved otherwise.
To combat this feeling, one can try to bring about consistency in the mind, or make a strong choice between either of the conflicts in question.
One can also consider the likelihood of trivialization, i.e., you need not bother facing the inconsistency in your mind. All you have to do is to focus on the positives, rather than the negatives.


The Overjustification Effect

This occurs when we attribute our behavior to an extrinsic factor rather than an intrinsic factor.
This attitude, however, does not work very well when rewards are given out for the activity.
Ultimately, people end up believing that they work for the rewards not for the fun that the activity offers.


Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that a person experiences from within, while external motivation refers to motivation that a person experiences due an attractive outside factor (money, incentives, etc.).
Intrinsic motivation originates from job satisfaction, from the pleasure of a job well done.
Extrinsic motivation comes from the fact that the job will guarantee money/grades/rewards, etc.
The person may hardly be interested in the job, yet, he will complete it, since he will be given rewards.


Examples

Example I

Consider one of the simplest examples―a man having cornflakes everyday for breakfast. For all you know, he may not even have analyzed why he has this breakfast food everyday. If you ask him whether he enjoys it, his perfunctory reply will be, "Yes, I do". Or he may say, "No, I don't", or "Yeah, I guess, it's alright". Where do you find any kind of analysis here? He is observing his own behavior to develop an attitude. He notices that he has the same breakfast everyday, he eats it without complaining, he does not really love the food, but does not hate it either. Or may be, he has conditioned his mind into believing that it is good for his health. Whatever the reason, he has developed an attitude based on his behavioral traits. He does not delve deeper into self-analysis, nor does he have a strong opinion regarding the subject. Therefore, he probably concludes that he enjoys cornflakes for breakfast, or vice-versa. This is a classic case of self-perception.

Example II

Let us assume that you are a huge fan of rock music. Now, analyze why you are a fan of the same. As per self-perception theory, you are not a fan of rock music because you like it. Neither are you a fan of rock music because everybody listens to the same, nor are you fan because the music makes you feel good, makes you feel complete. Self-perception states that you have considered yourself to be a fan of rock music solely because you listen to it quite often. Whatever for? You'll probably have no idea. Thus, you are developing an attitude of a rock music fan based on your behavior of listening to it often―you conclude that you do not have any dislike towards it, yet you listen to it, so you must probably be a fan of the same.

Example III

Suppose that you have been assigned a mundane task at work You don't particularly like it, but you do not dislike it either. You complete the task as told. Later, when you are asked how you found the task to be, initially, you might be at a loss of words. This is because, a majority of the time, we are not really aware of what we feel. A couple of minutes later, you might give a perfunctory answer, "Yes, it was okay". You observe that you have not particularly enjoyed doing the assigned task, but you have completed it any way. Thus arise a number of notions―maybe you enjoyed the work, maybe you have an aptitude for it, maybe you can do it in the best way possible, and so on it goes. In this case, you have analyzed your own behavior and reactions, and you have made an inference; rather, you have believed what you told the others― that the work was alright. Whether you actually enjoyed it, whether it was worth the time, whether you learned anything―all this is negated in your mind, since your behavior probably clouds your rational thinking.
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Bem's self-perception theory seems to provide an alternative to cognitive dissonance. However, many eminent researchers have found the two theories to be conflicting. In the latter, people experience discomfort due to conflicting thoughts, while in the former, people merely infer their attitudes. The question of which theory gains an upper hand among the two is still a matter of controversy and debate. While self-perception may be applicable in certain situations, sometimes, circumstances demand that alternative theories be used for attitude development and interpretation.

10 Unbelievable Uses of Eggs

Eggs remind us of a great breakfast and just everything about food. But, they are much more than that! Apart from their utility in cooking, there are many amazing and unusual uses of eggs. This article tells you about them.

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Use of empty egg shells
Think of the Box!
Instead of throwing the egg cartons away, choose to use them in innovative ways. Make ice in them if you need it for a party. Or use them to keep small ornaments or Christmas decorations. You could also plant seedlings in them, and later transfer them to your garden.

Eggs are known for their versatility. You can poach them, fry them, or scramble them. Whatever you do with them, they are always tasty! Plus, they are packed with so many nutrients and are considered as one of the most nutritious food items in the world. Vitamin A, B5, B2, B12, Phosphorous, and Folate are a few of the nutrients you get from eggs. Egg whites have no cholesterol. Hence, eggs make a perfect blend of health and taste!

Egg uses don't end here! There are so many other things you can do with them. Not only their edible part, but even their shells are useful. Given below are some creative ways to use eggs. Just Eggs-periment!

Unusual Uses of Eggs

For Skin and Hair
✦ Eggs can be used for both skin and hair, with or without adding any other ingredient to them. The proteins in them will treat damaged hair and moisturize the skin and hair. The yolk or the white can be used as a facial. Apply it on the face and neck. An egg facial will smoothen your skin. Make sure you wash your face and hair after the application. Also, eggshells can be used as a scrub.

Cleaning
✦ Eggs are excellent for cleaning, especially leather and jewelry. Egg whites should be used for cleaning leather. Just beat up and apply a thin layer. It will clean the leather and make it look shiny.

✦ The sulfur in eggs makes them great cleansing agents for oxidized jewelry. Firstly, hard boil an egg and crush the yolk in a small container. Wrap the jewelry in a paper towel and keep it on the crushed yolk. Close the container and let it rest for a day. The jewelry will stink but you can remove the smell by washing it. This process will remove any tarnish or discoloration.

Glue
✦ What do you do when you run out of glue just when you need it? Get an egg out of your fridge and use it. Egg whites are quite sticky. Hence, they can be used very well to stick paper or any light cardboard.

Keep the Pests away!
✦ If you have a beautiful garden but those slugs and worms seem to spoil the beauty of the plants and flowers, use eggshells to get rid of them. Crush the shells and scatter them near the plants. This will keep slugs, snails, and cutworms at bay. Deer will also keep safe distance from the area. The eggshells are known to irritate cat feet which is why even they'll stay away.

Unclog Sinks
✦ Grind some eggshells and keep them near the sink strainer. This has two benefits. The first one is that the shells will trap any solid waste. Secondly, the shells will eventually break down and clean the pipes as they flow down.

Manure
✦ Eggshells are rich in calcium and other minerals. This property can be used to maintain the health of your garden plants. Just crush the shells and use them as a manure. You could also add them to some ready-made manure to enhance the nutritional value.

Decoration
✦ Everyone loves to decorate eggs at the time of Easter. So, why not decorate them at anytime of the year? Easter eggs are hard-boiled eggs but you can choose a different method too. There are many ways to blow the yolk and the whites out, without breaking the shell. You can just prick a hole and let everything slowly drain out. You can then decorate the empty shell or carve it.

Band-Aid
✦ Eggs can be used to treat minor injuries. When you hard-boil an egg and then remove the shell, there is a thin film between the shell and the egg. You can wrap that around the injury. If the eggs are not boiled, you can apply a thin layer of whisked egg whites on the injured area. The layer will dry and form a film which will stop the bleeding and the injury will start healing.

Improve Coffee
✦ Add some crushed eggshells to ground coffee before brewing, to improve its flavor and sweeten it. Just keep it till you brew, after which it can be used as manure. It will reduce the bitter taste and give the coffee a good flavor.

Plantation
✦ Eggshells or egg cartons can be used to plant new small plants. You can prick a hole in them so that the water has space to drain out. These can also be used for decoration. Paint the eggshells or cartons to make your tiny plants even more noticeable.
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Would you have believed that eggs can in fact be used in so many different ways? So the next time you wish to try something different with eggs, use them in one of the ways we just told you about.

Tips for Safe Disposal of Batteries

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A battery is used to power a number of devices that are used in daily life. You find them in laptops, cell phones, flashlights, hearing aids, iPods, and many other devices. They are becoming popular and their use is on the rise. However, they must be disposed of properly after they are dead as they may prove to be dangerous for the environment. This article tells you about the safe disposal of batteries.
Battery disposal tip
Currently, recycling rechargeable batteries is not encouraged because of the cost and complexity involved, and the low yield.
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Batteries are devices containing electrochemical cells that convert chemical energy into electrical energy. In each cell, there is a cathode (positive electrode) and an anode (negative electrode). The ions flow between the electrodes through the electrolyte, thereby generating electricity. The performance of the battery depends upon the materials used for the anode and cathode. They are used in a number of portable and non-portable devices like computers, laptops, cell phones, cameras, power tools, torches, lamps, golf carts, smart cars, and others. There are various types of batteries like alkaline battery, atomic battery, lithium battery, lithium-ion battery, mercury battery, nickel-cadmium battery, lead-acid battery and many more.

With every recharge and discharge or when overcharged or subjected to a high current or temperature, batteries wear or age. A point comes when they are rendered unusable and dead, and they stop working. They should not be recharged at this point, but disposed or recycled. Some batteries are considered safe for the environment while others are extremely hazardous. However, it is wise to dispose of any kind of battery in a proper way as their chemicals should not be allowed to enter into a landfill.

Tips for Battery Disposal


➠ Collect all the batteries to be disposed of.

➠ The batteries should be in a discharged condition prior to their disposal.

➠ They must be securely packaged and given for transportation to avoid short circuits and heat generation. Place the batteries inside separate or individual plastic bags before going to the drop-off site. Other than using plastic bags, you can tape the ends of the batteries with an electrical tape, masking tape, or a non-metallic tape.

➠ Check the Yellow Pages for specialist service providers or collection sites that can provide safe recycling and disposal services of large volumes of batteries. You can also search online and find the nearest disposal or recycling center.

➠ The Home Depot, OfficeMax, Black and Decker, De Walt, AT&T, Office Depot and Verizon Wireless are some examples of sites where batteries are disposed of and recycled. Once you have chosen a service provider, contact the place to which you plan to take your batteries. Make sure that they collect batteries. Inquire anything else you might need to know.

➠ There are many battery recycling service centers that you can contact. They will provide you with a battery recycling container or box. You can place the box in a prominent area nearby and encourage others to fill the container with their used batteries. Make a call to the service provider once the container is full. There would be a small charge to cover collection and recycling costs.

➠ Check in a hardware shop or one that sells gadgets. They will know of a proper disposal site for electronic waste in your locality.

➠ Significant volumes of batteries are considered safe for incinerators and landfills. A small number of batteries for disposal are not accepted. However, incineration must be done by an established and permitted waste treatment company that handles batteries.

➠ Mostly, batteries containing hazardous lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, mercuric oxide, or other toxic elements should be given to a recycling center or a household hazardous waste site.

➠ For disposal at home, there are stores that provide free recycling of rechargeable batteries. In case one is not available in your area, dispose of these batteries in your regular trash. However, make sure that they are not hazardous in any way, and also confirm with your local laws to ensure that this is acceptable.

➠ When carrying batteries in a pocket, purse, or other containers, avoid mixing them with metallic objects like keys, paper clips, or coins. This is to prevent short circuits.

➠ Always store batteries in a dry place at room temperature.

➠ Batteries containing toxic heavy metals like cadmium, nickel, mercury, lead, and other dangerous elements should never be disposed of by throwing them in the regular trash can. This will seriously harm the environment.

➠ Do not carry used batteries with other batteries.

➠ Avoid disposing of a battery in fire or water.

➠ Always keep damaged or dead batteries out of the reach of children.

➠ Avoid subjecting the battery to shock or vibration.

➠ Avoid touching used batteries without protection. Also a battery pack with leaking fluids should not be handled with bare hands and must be disposed of properly.

➠ Do not store used batteries near chemicals, food or heat sources like light, exposed to the sun, or near the oven. This is to avoid explosion. Also, do not store them in large numbers near residential areas.

➠ Avoid disassembling, crushing, or piercing a battery.

➠ Avoid storing used batteries longer than about six months. They should be carried to recycling centers regularly.
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The regulations and policies concerning recycling and disposal of batteries are different from one country to another and vary with every state and local government. Some countries do not allow disposal of electronic waste in standard waste containers. For example, the European government has imposed more stringent regulations on the disposal of rechargeable batteries than the USA. It is advisable to check and follow the regulations prior to disposing of any battery.

Does the Queen of England Really have Any Power?

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People have always wondered whether the Queen of England really has any power. Is she really powerful or is she just a ceremonial head? Her Highness definitely has a lot of potential power, and can influence important decisions. Know more about her powers in this post.
Role of the Queen of England
Loved and Adored!
God Save the Queen is the British National Anthem. The Queen is loved and respected by the people, and appears on postage stamps, coins, and bank notes.
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The Queen of England, presently Queen Elizabeth II, is the monarch of 16 Commonwealth realms including the United Kingdom, and has different roles and powers.

The Queen of England largely has ceremonial powers, but that does not mean she does not influence major decisions. She does have a lot of power. Most of it is just potential power though. The Royal family does play an active role in the democratic process. They take on a lot of ceremonial and diplomatic duties.

The Oxford Dictionary defines power as "the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events". And the queen, who recently celebrated her diamond jubilee, sure has a lot of it!

Powers of the Queen of England

★ The powers bestowed on the Queen or the Monarch are called Royal Prerogative. It is hard to determine the extent of these powers, as most are just ceremonial.

★ The Queen appoints the Prime Minister after the general election or resignation. The decision is made with the support of the House of Commons. She can remove the Prime Minister by dissolving the Parliament.

★ She has weekly meetings with the Prime Minister, which are very confidential, and no records of these are kept.

★ She can encourage or warn the ministers, and can be consulted on important matters through the Prime Minister. She can appoint and dismiss ministers, and summon or suspend the Parliament.

★ The Parliament cannot open without the Queen's Speech. She addresses both the houses through her speech, which is actually written by the Government, and not the Queen herself. It gives an outline of the Government's policy in the upcoming session.

★ The bills passed in the Parliament do require the Queen's consent before becoming laws. But a case of the Queen refusing Assent hasn't happened since 1707.

★ She regulates the civil services, issues passports, can negotiate, sign, or terminate agreements, but cannot alter laws. British passports are issued on Her Majesty's name, although nowadays ministers issue these.

★ The Queen has the power to declare a war or make peace, but this is usually done by the Prime Minister. Her Highness is above the law. No civil action can be taken on the Queen of England.

★ The Queen has the power to grant various honors to the citizens. She can issue orders of knighthood.

★ The Queen does not have much judicial power, but she can use Royal Pardon to withdraw a death sentence. This can only be done if the convict is wrongly sentenced.

★ Queen of England is the Commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces, Head of the Commonwealth, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

★ An oath of allegiance to The Queen is sworn by the members of Armed Forces. The Queen can commission officers, and has a lot of control over disposition of the Forces. They are known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces.
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As you can see the Queen does have a lot of power, but she does not necessarily exercise it. Most of it is soft power.

What Does the Flower of Life Symbolize?

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The 'flower of life' is a religious and spiritual symbol that shows evidence worldwide. Some believe it to be 'sacred geometry' representing the basic forms of time and space. Learn more about its symbolism through this Buzzle article.
Flower of life symbolism
Drunvalo Melchizedek
This New Age Movement author is understood to have coined the term 'flower of life' around the 1990s.
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Religious beliefs all the world over are known to have been sustained for centuries. It can be understood that this was possible due to the various tools employed by these faiths as a medium. The reason for calling certain things 'tools', is that, they have aided the process of comprehension for the masses as to what comprises 'our' belief systems.

It is also quite common for us to feel that all religions have been sourced from the same principles, or describe the same entity. We surely have experienced that at some point of time in our lives. One such commonality that is believed to be shared by all faiths since ages is what is known as the concept of the 'flower of life'.

Meaning of Flower of Life

Flower of Life
Flower of Life Symbol

As mysterious as it may sound, the flower of life is a concept that explains or tries to establish the patterns of the creation of this world; the world as it has emerged from the 'Great Void'.

To describe its structure, it is a geometrical shape consisting of overlapping circles, which are spaced out in six-fold symmetry to give it the look of a flower. As is seen from the image above, the flower reflects perfection and harmony. Taken to be a shape known to all religions of the world, it has been more recently named as 'sacred geometry' by the Pagans. So, this particular design is known to depict the fundamental forms of space and time.

Another crucial implication of this shape is its display of how all beings are interconnected. Thus, it is said to be the ultimate registry containing all information of living beings, which is called an 'Akashic Record'. According to theosophy, an Akashic record maintains a record of all occurring thoughts, words, and actions, as they are impressed upon the 'Akasha' (Ether). In Hinduism, this 'Akash tattva' is considered the primal natural elements from which the other four (fire, water, earth, and air) evolved.

You may notice the hexagonal pattern, where the center of every circle lies on the circumference of six other surrounding circles of the same diameter. Looking at it as numbers, there are in all 19 complete circles encircled by one big circle on the outside.

The following sections discuss some more symbolic arrangements derived from the original form.

Seed of Life
Seed of Life Symbol

This is a formation where the inner seven circles are placed in six-fold symmetry. As the name suggests, the seed of life forms the basic element of the whole design. In Christianity and Judaism, this stands for the seven days of creation, when the Judeo-Christian God created life. The vesica piscis is the intersection of two circles of same radius, with the center of each circle lying on the circumference of the other. This shape was the accomplishment of the first day, to which one circle was added per day, leaving the seventh day to be the day of rest, or sabbath.

A circle is assumed to be the start of the formation of the seed of life. There are some who believe that it was an octahedron (a polyhedron with eight faces) which was the first step. This shape was to spin on its axis, and then form a sphere. This sphere is identified as the abode of the creator's consciousness.

Tree of Life
Tree of Life Symbol

The tree of life is commonly associated with the Kabbalah, or the esoteric discipline and school of thought in Judaism. In Kabbalah tradition, it is used to understand the nature of God. The tree of life symbol refers to the idea of common descent. This, being a universal theme in all theologies, is found to be adopted by some Christians, Jews, Hermeticists, and pagans. It is also believed that the 'tree of life' of the Kabbalah is similar to the 'tree of life' as given in Genesis 2:9.

Fruit of Life
Fruit of Life Symbol

Composed of thirteen circles, we can point out this pattern if we look at the 'flower of life' design keenly. This structure is thought to be the 'blueprint' of the universe. The thirteen spheres are considered as the sacred pattern of the universe. It is the origin of everything that exists, and includes the base of every other design: an atom, molecular structure, and life form. Also, it incorporates thirteen systems of information. The significance of the fruit of life is hidden in the center points of all the circles seen in this image. These centers lay the basis for the structure of the metatron's cube.

Metatron's Cube
Metatron's Symbol

If every circle's center in the 'fruit of life' design is connected to all other centers with a line, seventy-eight lines are formed in all, forming the metatron's cube. The five platonic solids are revealed by this structure. Platonic solids refer to one of the five regular solids: the Star Tetrahedron (Star of David), hexahedron or cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. These geometrical shapes are spiritually perceived as the standard template forms, which have given birth to all life forms. They are significant as the five main building blocks of all organisms. Believed by some to be a holy glyph, the cube helps keep evil spirits away.

Flower of Life Across the World
Evening Dresses
The flower of life is found...
● carved in stone at the Temple of Osiris, Abydos, Egypt.
● in the City of Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey.
● in the Mosque-cathedral of Córdoba, Spain.
● in ancient synagogues in the Galilee and in Mesada, Israel.
● on the flooring at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, Buddhist temples, and at Hampi in India.
● in the Forbidden City, and in other temples of China.
● in Japanese temples, medieval Italian and Assyrian art too.