Understanding Organized Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding Organized Crime - Essay Example Organized crime has existed in the ancient world with bands of pirates and thieves attacking remote areas of the countryside. Crime in the ancient world was mostly prevalent in the rural areas because of the remoteness and wilderness of these regions. Thugs were considered to be one of the earliest organized crimes which operated in India. Piracy was a recurrent problem that plagued the ancient world as ships carrying goods and people were attacked and plundered (Albanese, 2003). The nobility in the middle ages displayed characteristics that were typical organized criminals. Their domination and subordination of the modes of production, legal structure, and armies ensured that they could repress and violently engage in criminal activities. Modern criminal gangs began to appear in the urban areas. Ethnic minorities living in countries like the United States set up their own gangs which engaged in criminal activities. Organized crime has become sophisticated because of the advent of te chnologies like the internet to perpetrate their crimes (Albanese, 2003). Organized criminal groups flourish in areas where they have local support. Criminal members use a number of tactics to influence businesses, police, and legal establishment in order to maintain their activities. Blackmail and bribery are some of the methods which are used to intimidate or scare opponents. Criminal groups have shown remarkable resilience in their ability to respond to crisis (Berdal, 2002). They have shown amazing ability to adapt according to changing situations. New opportunities are quickly grasped with the criminal group moving into the market. Modern organized crime uses the internet, shadowy bank accounts, and links with other groups to engage in illegal activities. Internet fraud and stealing of information are some of the newest activities promoted by organized criminal groups. The internet makes it safe for criminal

Chinese history Essay Example for Free

Chinese history Essay 250 Word Essay One of the most important aspects of ancient Chinese history is the formation of the Silk Road, a trade route which spanned two continents and put China on the map as one of the most important import/export countries in the ancient world. It’s beginnings were smaller in scale as it only encompassed the Chinese Empire itself but it became apparent, after Zhang Qian made contact with Central Asian tribes, that the expansion the trade route would benefit both China and other Asian nations. It continued to expand under the Han dynasty and into Roman times (Beauty).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most important reasons for its formation as a major trade route was fear of marauding gangs that were eager to obtain the many goods that Chinese merchants filled their caravans with: silk, gemstones, incense, spices, and blue and white porcelain were just some fo the cargo traveled along the Silk Road. The Chinese army was even beefed up in order to protect this special route that helped to keep China’s economy booming. It’s reach expanded throughout China and Asia and eventually commerce was developed between the Roman Empire and China (Newton).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The long-term impact of the Silk Road on Chinese culture and history were that it literally brought a strong economy to China, and brought the goods and customs of other cultures into its borders. The traders, including Zhang Qian in 138 B.C.E., were able to learn economic, military, and geographical information that would help in the roads expansion and with Chinese military success. The Silk Road was so important to the culture of both the Eastern and Western world because during Roman times, even the lower socioeconomic classes depended upon the goods that were imported from China on the Silk Road, and even the religion of Buddhism was spread by way of the Silk Road. Its impact on the world was huge and its impact on Chinese culture even more prominent (Newton). Works Cited The Silk Road. Beauty, the Land of China. ThinkQuest. 19 Jan. 2007 http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/silkroad.html. The Silk Road. Newton Public Schools. 19 Jan. 2007 http://www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/Silk%20Road%20Info.html.    100 Word Assignment  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most surprising aspects of my research about the Silk Road was the vast expanse of space which is encompassed. It’s amazing how far the caravans had to travel and how large they were. From all accounts the Silk Road was dangerous to those traveling it because of the terrain and yet it was such an integral part of Chinese history and lasted for many years, even expanding. The images of the Silk Road that I could find reminded me the regal images of Chinese royalty, for some reason. It’s as if everyone is perceived as being clothed in silk from head to toe, even the camels! I definitely see how difficult the trip must have been because of the limited means of transportation that the merchants had access to, and how they could easily become victims of a raid for their goods. I also thought that it was interesting that Buddhism itself was virtually spread by way of the Silk Road. I was surprised to see that the Silk Road is being revitalized for tourism purposes and that there are many tour groups that specialize in trips just along the route that used to be traveled by Chinese merchants in ancient times.

Applications of Ultrasound in Medicine

Applications of Ultrasound in Medicine AB Assessment Using Waves Introduction Ultrasound is a sound wave with an oscillating pressure wave with frequencies ranging from 20 kHz until approximately 200 MHz. These frequencies are not audible to humans. Ultrasonic devices are used to detect objects and measure the distance between them. Ultrasound has been more frequently used in medical imaging displaying the patient an object in their body or just generally looking at their body. Ultrasound seemingly is becoming popular due to it not emitting any radiations unlike X-Rays. [6] Uses of Ultrasound Ultrasound is used in the medical department as a means of imaging, enabling medical staff to view the patients body without any major problems. The most common use of Ultrasound in the medical department is its use in what is called an â€Å"ultrasound scan†. This is used to project a moving image of a fetus inside a pregnant womans body. An example of this can be seen on the left. Ultrasound is not only used to detect unborn fetuses but also view several organs in the body through ‘prenatal scanning’: The same method used for an ultrasound scan. Since ultrasound easily reflect off soft tissue, gel needs to be added to the part of the body where the scan is going to be conducted. A transducer is then used to generate the ultrasound waves and detect any echoes it receives from the reflected waves. During the process of scanning the waves also erode pieces of gallstone which reside within our organs, with their constant vibrations.[6][7][12] Another use of Ultrasound is echo sounding. This is used by the quality control industry to detect flaws in pieces of metal. As an ultrasound wave is being passed through the metal, it will reach the defect area in the metal and the reflected wave that came of the defect area will be received by the transducer that emitted the wave. If there is more than one reflected wave it means the metal is defect. [7][12][13][15] â€Å"Ultrasound waves can be used by the industry for cleaning.†[12] The waves are sent through a fluid and bubbles formed from the vibration of the ultrasound remove dirt from an object. The object which is placed in water or another solvent has fluid collapse into the gap left behind from the solvent. The bubbles then move rapidly, removing the dirt and resulting in a transcending standard of cleanliness.[12][15] Dangers and Risks The dangers of Ultrasound are considerably low compared to other waves. Even though there is no major threat in using ultrasound it does have its risks which could harm the user. Excessive exposure to ultrasound waves of 120dB can lead to hearing loss. [6] Excessive exposure of ultrasound waves at 155dB will cause cavitation heating up the users body cells. [6] Excessive exposure to ultrasound waves of 180dB may lead to death. [6] Cavitation may cause the users cells to heat up and invoke toxic reactions. [23] Change in cells may cause Intestinal bleeding. [23] Damage to fetus’s brain may lead to left handedness. [23] Prenatal scans may cause early labour, premature birth, miscarriage and perinatal deaths. [23] Possible disabilities formed are: epilepsy, dyslexia and delayed speech development. [23] Ultrasound in Physiotherapy â€Å"The aim of physiotherapy is to help restore movement and normal body function in cases of illness, injury and disability.†. [1] Physiotherapy tries to cure disabled body functions from affected people. Ultrasound has found its way into this world, bringing it’s useful treatment methods with it. It’s used to treat deep tissue injuries, reduce pain from spasms as wells as inflammation and swellings, increase tissue extensibility, speed up metabolism, reduce nerve irritation, enhance drug delivery and speed up healing. Ultrasound stimulates the blood circulation and the activity of cells to assist in the therapeutics. [1] [3] The ultrasound frequency that is used for physiotherapy ranges between 0.7 and 3 MHz. [5] Gel is applied to the patients body to reduce friction with the transducer and aid the transmission of ultrasound waves. The waves are absorbed by ligaments, tendons and fascia and the therapeutics affect apply. [5] Advantages and Disadvantages Impacts Social Impact Hospitalized childbirth has gained a sudden rise since the 20th century. This is due to the improved hospital technology and successful childbirth probability. [16] Since ultrasound has been part of the hospitals technology, mothers have wanted to view a fetal scanning of their unborn child. This has been done multiple times, but society keeps questioning if ultrasound scanning is safe. The fact of being able to view your unborn child provides ultrasound a plus point to it’s beneficial use. It allowed parents to find out the gender of their child before delivery and detect any abnormalities that may occur during pregnancy. [16] Moral Impact The use of ultrasound in prenatal scanning seems to be that it affects the relationship between mother and fetus. The cultural communication is gone and what remains is communication through a computer screen displaying the fetus. The mother will then use what she sees instead of relying on her embodied knowledge. [17] Ultrasound brings imbalance to the moral standing of the victim through injurious damage to the victim. This raises the moral awareness of fetuses and if they should be exposed to the waves emitted, which can bring injurious damage. But this will then degrade the mothers moral standing as she also becomes a victim of the injurious damage ultrasound can bring. [17] Ethical Impact Ultrasound has been most commonly known for determining the gender of the fetus. Ultrasound is a cheap resource since all you need is a transducer and someone who can operate the device. In countries like China and India, parents exploit this method by checking the gender of their child and then deciding to abort it due to the countries preference of males. [18] In india there are 250,000 female feticide abortions each year. The government has been trying to motivate people into valuing female fetuses but the Economic and Social impacts have lead to the occurrence of this ethical issue. [18] Conclusion Ultrasound is a secure soundwave with a minor probability of great risks. Ultrasound has been proven to be beneficial and useful in most industries and is popular in the medical industry. It’s a method used in physiotherapy to speed up healing and to improve the overall therapeutics. Although it has contrasting advantages and disadvantages, and is not worth recommending it should not discourage anyone from using ultrasound waves. Bibliography [1] Physiotherapy How It Works . Physiotherapy. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Physiotherapy/Pages/How-does-it-work.aspx>. [2] Rheumatology. Therapeutic Ultrasound in Soft Tissue Lesions. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/12/1331.full>. [3] Ultrasound in Physiotherapy. Ultrasound in Physiotherapy. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.greatlakes-physiotherapy.com/physiotherapy-ultrasound.html>. [4] Does Ultrasound Work? SaveYourselfca RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://saveyourself.ca/articles/ultrasound.php>. [5] Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapeutic_ultrasound#Physical_therapy>. [6] Ultrasound. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasound>. [7] Ultrasound. Pass My Exams. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.passmyexams.co.uk/GCSE/physics/ultrasound.html>. [8] BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_gateway_pre_2011/radiation/ultrasoundrev2.shtml>. [9] BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_aqa/medical_applications_physics/ultrasound/revision/1/>. [10] BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel_pre_2011/waves/soundultrasoundandseismicwavesrev2.shtml>. [11] BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_gateway/radiation/ultrasoundrev3.shtml>. [12] Ultrasound. Ultrasound. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/waves/ultrasound.htm>. [13] What Is Fetal Imaging and Pre-Natal Scanning? What Are the Uses of Ultrasound? N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.gcsescience.com/pwav14.htm>. [14] Uses of Sound Waves. GCSE Physics Uses of Waves Revision. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/physics/uses-of-waves/revise-it/uses-of-sound-waves>. [15] Ultrasound. Revision World. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.revisionworld.com/gcse-revision/physics/waves/ultrasound>. [16] Ultrasound Technology and Its Social Impact. Yahoo Contributor Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://voices.yahoo.com/ultrasound-technology-its-social-impact-6812902.html>. [17] Ultrasounds Risk: Reproductive Autonomy and Epistemic Moral Injury.[emailprotected]. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/iaph/June27/Presentations/5/>. [18] Female Feticide ethical Issues of Ultrasound in India and China. Why Is American Health Care so Expensive? N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://whyisamericanhealthcaresoexpensive.blogspot.co.at/2013/03/female-feticide-ethical-issues-of.html>. [19] BCF Technology. Economic Benefits of Ultrasound. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.international.bcftechnology.com/learning/farm-animal/clinical-resources/economic-benefits-of-ultrasound> [20] Benefits of the Use of Ultrasound in Physical Therapy. LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 7 July 2010. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.livestrong.com/article/172706-benefits-of-the-use-of-ultrasound-in-physical-therapy/>. [21] Ultrasound Therapy. For Treatment of Sports Injuries. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/treatments-therapies/electrotherapy/ultrasound-therapy>. [22] Powers, Julie. Risks From Ultrasound Therapy. EHow. Demand Media, 29 Oct. 2009. Web. 7 May 2014. http://www.ehow.com/about_5589797_risks-ultrasound-therapy.html>. [23] Hall, Harriet. Are Prenatal Ultrasounds Dangerous? Science-Based Medicine. N.p., 30 Aug. 2011. Web. 9 May 2014. http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/are-prenatal-ultrasounds-dangerous/>.

muddle In A Puddle: Comparison Of Essay To My Life :: essays research papers

"Muddle In A Puddle": Comparison of Essay To My Life While reading the essay "Muddle in a Puddle," some very colorful images came to my mind about what I have done in my life that compare to this particular piece. Of all the times I have embarrassed myself by sticking my foot in my mouth, or by making a fool of myself by playing with a strange toy in the toy department, only to my surprise, everyone in the toy department was laughing at me. As Robert Herrick mentions in his poem "_O how that glittering taketh me!" (100 Best Loved Poems, 12) That's how I felt at that time. All of us have experienced things like this in our lives, and it is strange what makes it so interesting to watch people make fools of themselves, as mentioned by Baker in this quote, "...and any one could could have spoken out as one human might speak to another....not one had said that." (156) Yet another piece really spoke to me about the ways people communicate on a daily basis. "I led the Pigeons to the Flag" was very exact to the feelings I have of miscommunications and mishearings. I can remember times in which I have done the very same things that were mentioned in this essay, like singing a tune over and over out loud, then looking over the lyrics later. Only to my knowledge, my version of "Cannonball" was actually "Panama." The way we hear and say things is also very influential in the way others hold us in their standings. If someone catches us slipping up, they might think we are weird, or stupid. It could also be a good ice-breaker for a good friendly relationship. Sometimes not. It just depends where the people are from, and what the situations are at the time of the incident. I can remember a time, while at work at the funeral home, I was discussing school with a bereaving individual. I was trying to comfort this person, as I noticed she was very disturbed over the loss of a friend. It was around the time of finals, and she asked how they were going. I said "they're killing me!" Immediately I realized that I had said the right thing the wrong way. A million thoughts passed through my mind at that moment, as Baker had also mentioned. What was I to say to recover from this terrible thing. Change the subject? Repeat the phrase replacing killing with another mourning-friendly verb? Its hard to know what you can say around certain groups of people, or in

Describe how John Steinbeck Essay

   Similarities are used as well as the contrasting of characters. (Candy and his dog) By likening the dog to Candy, and Candy to the dog, an atmosphere which is created leads to one of the important themes of the book, the American Dream. The atmosphere itself helps us understand more about the life of the workers, where there is tension between workers â€Å"watched him uneasily†, and where it is a very cruel world, â€Å"I ain’t much good†. As previously mentioned, animal, light and sound imagery can be used very effectively to portray a certain atmosphere, but there are also other words Steinbeck uses to help him in this creation. â€Å"Fumed† can show anger in a character, making an atmosphere totally different to â€Å"sighed†. The description of the bunkhouse at the beginning of chapter two, we can see all the techniques used by Steinbeck to create atmosphere. The light images of sunlight, † bright dust-laden bar† highlights, where things will happen later on in the story. The plain words like â€Å"unpainted† help to create an atmosphere, describing the bunkhouse. References to sound, â€Å"flies shot in† uses onomatopoeia and creates movement like the beginning of the book. Finally, adding characters to the bunkhouse, â€Å"Stoop-shouldered† gives the imagery of the bunkhouse and its roughness and an image of the tiredness of the men. Using the imagery of light and sound, he sets the scene, then giving it life and relations to the reader using animal imagery, giving u the feeling you are there in the story watching what is happening. He finishes the effect by adding certain people into certain situations, Steinbeck has created an interesting story line and the way George and Lennie’s relationship has worked out. Animal imagery is used to describe the characters, but also their movements, which give us an idea of the overall atmosphere. Steinbeck has an amazing ability to create atmosphere. From the very start of the story you can tell that Lennie and George are very poor by the clothes they wear and they do not have backpacks they are carrying bindles with very little possessions in. Also they have to heat and eat the baked beans they have with them out of the tin as they do not have a saucepan or tin opener between them. This gives you a very good idea to how the two men are used to living. Loneliness affects all the characters, this is portrayed very well by Steinbeck and how the loneliness is making the characters life harder. This is due to the fact they never have a job for long enough to make permanent friends. You never find out much about the other characters as Steinbeck focuses on george and Lennie constantly, but you do learn that they are all going through the same and you find out the main characteristics of all the characters. Violence plays a large part through the story, mainly linked to Curley and Lennie. Curley made many threats to lennie and does eventually go through with what he is saying. The job at the ranch the two men have taken on is very hard and Steinbeck describes this very well by using phrases such as hard enough work to ‘bust a gut’. The bunkhouse they are staying in on the ranch is in very bad condition and the whole place is dirty and disgusting showing how bad conditions for men during those days were and what people would do just to get a bit of money. As the story develops u discover why the two men are there in the first place. George, the more mature of the two men looks after Lennie and you get the impression that Lennie needs a lot of support and isn’t capable of doing things on his own. Lennie has an obsession with soft furry things but due to his strength suffocates the mouse he gets, and this plays along throughout the story. The two men are dependent on each other but George tries to not show this to anyone. Lennie is very childish and is often referred to as having animal characteristics. When the two men arrive at the ranch and first meet the boss Lennie is told to be quiet, first u do not understand why but is eventually made clear, if he spoke he may of lost the two men their jobs due to an incident at the previous place. Lennie does not realise his own strength and gets himself in a lot of trouble. He seems to have difficulty understanding simple instructions and its George who always has to help him out of trouble. Parts of the story give you the impression that George can get very annoyed and uncomfortable with Lennie’s company and at several points threatens to leave him on his own and they will not live the ‘American Dream. ‘ The dream is one of the ways the two men combat their loneliness, by having the dream in their minds it makes them have faith and hope for the future instead f just giving up. Lennie uses the dream as something that keeps him going and he often asked George to repeat it when he is feeling down and unloved. Their American dream was to get enough money to move on and start a new life just like Lennie wanted, on a farm with rabbits (soft). We find out that Lennie has feelings for Curley’s wife and that when he gets close to her in the barn he manages to break her neck when he panics as she started to scream as he wouldn’t let go of her because her hair was soft. Lennie is very vulnerable to the outside world and has no understanding of the world and what’s going on around him. Steinbeck describes him very well, as he does George. You get the feeling of the emotions these two men are going through to get through life. It is a very good story and John Steinbeck is a very good author. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section. 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Dorothy Day, Founder of the Catholic Worker Movement

Dorothy Day, Founder of the Catholic Worker Movement Dorothy Day was a writer and editor who founded the Catholic Worker, a penny newspaper that grew into a voice for the poor during the Great Depression. As the driving force in what became a movement, Days unwavering advocacy for charity and pacifism made her controversial at times. Yet her work among the poorest of the poor also made her an admired example of a deeply spiritual person actively engaged in addressing societys problems. When Pope Francis addressed the U.S. Congress in September 2015, he focused much of his speech on  four Americans he found particularly inspiring: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton. Days name was no doubt unfamiliar to millions watching the Popes speech on television. But his effusive praise of her indicated how influential her lifes work with the Catholic Worker Movement was to the Popes own thoughts about social justice. Fast Facts: Dorothy Day Born: November 8, 1897, New York City.Died: November 29, 1980, New York City.Founder of the Catholic Worker, a small newspaper published in the Depression which became a social movement.Named by Pope Francis in his 2015 speech to Congress as one of his four most admired Americans.Is widely expected to be declared a saint in the Catholic Church. During her lifetime, Day could seem out of step with mainstream Catholics in America. She operated at the fringe of organized Catholicism, never seeking permission or official endorsement for any of her projects. Day came late to the faith, converting to Catholicism as an adult in the 1920s. At the time of her conversion, she was an unmarried mother with a complicated past that included life as a bohemian writer in Greenwich Village, unhappy love affairs, and an abortion that rendered her emotionally devastated. A movement to have Dorothy Day canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church began in the 1990s. Days own family members have said she would have scoffed at the idea. Yet it seems likely that she will one day be an officially recognized saint of the Catholic Church. Early Life Dorothy Day was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 8, 1897. She was the third of five children born to John and Grace Day. Her father was a journalist who bounced from job to job, which kept the family moving between New York City neighborhoods and then onward to other cities. When her father was offered a job in San Francisco in 1903, the Days moved westward. Economic disruption caused by the San Francisco earthquake three years later cost her father his job, and the family moved on to Chicago. By the age of 17, Dorothy had already completed two years of study at the University of Illinois. But she abandoned her education in 1916  when she and her family moved back to New York City. In New York, she began writing articles for socialist newspapers. With her modest earnings, she moved into a small apartment on the Lower East Side. She became fascinated by the vibrant yet difficult  lives of impoverished immigrant communities, and Day became an obsessive walker, ferreting out stories in the citys poorest neighborhoods. She was hired as a reporter by the New York Call, a socialist newspaper, and began contributing articles to a revolutionary magazine, The Masses. Bohemian Years As America entered World War I and a patriotic wave swept the country, Day found herself immersed in a life filled with politically radical, or  simply offbeat, characters in Greenwich Village. She became a Village resident, living in a succession of cheap apartments and spending time in tearooms and saloons frequented by writers, painters, actors, and political activists. Day began a platonic friendship with playwright Eugene ONeill, and for a period during World War I, she entered a training program to become a nurse. After leaving the nursing program at the wars end, she became romantically involved with a journalist, Lionel Moise. Her affair with Moise ended after she had an abortion, an experience that sent her into a period of depression and intense inner turmoil. She met Forster Batterham through literary friends in New York and began living with him in a rustic cabin near the beach on Staten Island (which, in the early 1920s, was still rural). They had a daughter, Tamar, and after the birth of her child Day began to feel a sense of religious awakening. Though neither Day or Batterham were Catholic, Day took Tamar to a Catholic church on Staten Island and had the child baptized. The relationship with Batterham became difficult and the two often separated. Day, who had published a novel based on her Greenwich Village years, was able to purchase a modest cottage on Staten Island and she created a life for herself and Tamar. To escape the winter weather along the Staten Island shore, Day and her daughter would live in sublet apartments in Greenwich Village during the coldest months. On December 27, 1927, Day took a life-changing step by riding a  ferry back to Staten Island, visiting the Catholic church she knew, and having herself baptized. She later said she felt no great joy in the action, but rather regarded it as something she had to do. Finding Purpose Day continued writing and taking jobs as a researcher for publishers. A play she had written hadnt been produced, but somehow came to the attention of a Hollywood movie studio, which offered her a writing contract. In 1929 she and Tamar took a train to California, where she joined the staff of Pathà © Studios. Days Hollywood career was short. She found the studio not terribly interested in her contributions. And when the stock market crash in October 1929 hit the movie industry hard, her contract was not renewed. In a car she had purchased with her studio earnings, she and Tamar relocated to Mexico City. She returned to New York the following year. And after a trip to Florida to visit her parents, she and Tamar settled in a small apartment on 15th Street, not far from Union Square, where sidewalk speakers advocated solutions to the misery of the Great Depression. In December 1932 Day, returning to journalism, traveled to Washington, D.C. to cover a march against hunger for Catholic publications. While in Washington she visited the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, the Catholic Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception.   She later recalled she had been losing her faith in the Catholic Church over its apparent indifference to the poor. Yet as she prayed at the shrine she began to sense a purpose to her life. After  returning to New York City, an eccentric character turned up in Days life, someone she regarded as a teacher who may have been sent by the Virgin Mary. Peter Maurin was a French immigrant who worked as a laborer in America though he had taught at schools run by the Christian Brothers in France. He was a frequent speaker in Union Square, where he would advocate novel, if not radical, solutions for societys ills. Founding of the Catholic Worker Maurin sought  out Dorothy Day after reading some of her articles about social justice. They began spending time together, talking and arguing. Maurin suggested Day should start her own newspaper. She said she had doubts about finding the money to get a paper printed, but Maurin encouraged her, saying they needed to have faith that the funds would appear. Within months, they did manage to raise enough money to print their newspaper. On May 1, 1933, a gigantic May Day demonstration was held at Union Square in New York. Day, Maurin, and a group of friends hawked the first copies of the Catholic Worker. The four-page newspaper cost a penny. The New York Times described the crowd  in Union Square that day as being filled with communists, socialists, and assorted other radicals. The newspaper noted the presence of banners denouncing sweatshops, Hitler, and the Scottsboro case. In that setting, a newspaper focused on helping the poor and achieving social justice was a hit. Every copy sold. That  first issue of the Catholic Worker contained a column by Dorothy Day which outlined its purpose. It began: For those who are sitting on park benches in the warm spring sunlight.For those who are huddling in shelters trying to escape the rain.For those who are walking the streets in the all but futile search for work.For those who think that there is no hope for the future, no recognition of their plight - this little paper is addressed.It is printed to call their attention to the fact that the Catholic Church has a social program - to let them know that there are men of God who are working not only for their spiritual, but for their material welfare. The success of the newspaper continued. In a lively and informal office, Day, Maurin, and what became a regular cast of dedicated souls labored to produce an issue every month. Within a few years, the circulation reached 100,000, with copies being mailed to all regions of America.   Dorothy Day wrote a column in each issue, and her contributions continued for nearly 50 years, until her death in 1980. The archive of her columns represents a remarkable view of modern American history, as she began commenting on the plight of the poor in the Depression and moved on to the violence of the world at war, the Cold War, and protests of the 1960s. Dorothy Day addressing a protest against the Vietnam War.   Getty Images Prominence and Controversy Beginning with her youthful writings for socialist newspapers, Dorothy Day was often been out of step with mainstream America. She was arrested for the first time in 1917, while picketing the White House with suffragists demanding that women have the right to vote. In prison, at the age of 20, she was beaten by the police, and the experience made her even more sympathetic to the oppressed and powerless in society. Within years of its 1933 founding as a small newspaper, the Catholic Worker evolved into being a social movement. Again with Peter Maurins influence, Day and her supporters opened soup kitchens in New York City. The feeding of the poor continued for years, and the Catholic Worker also opened houses of hospitality offering places to stay for the homeless. For years the Catholic Worker also operated a communal farm near Easton, Pennsylvania. Besides writing for the Catholic Worker newspaper, Day traveled extensively, giving talks on social justice and meeting activists, both inside and outside the Catholic Church. She was at times suspected of holding subversive political views, but in a sense she operated outside of politics. When followers of the Catholic Worker Movement refused to participate in Cold War fallout shelter drills, Day and others were arrested. She was later arrested while protesting with union farm workers in California. She remained active until her death, in her room at a Catholic Worker residence in New York City, on November 29, 1980. She was buried on Staten Island, near the site of her conversion. Legacy of Dorothy Day In the decades since her death, the influence of Dorothy Day has grown. A number of books have been written about her, and several anthologies of her writings have been published. The Catholic Worker community continues to flourish, and the newspaper which first sold for a penny in Union Square still publishes seven times a year in a print edition. An extensive archive, including all of Dorothy Days columns is available for free online. More than 200 Catholic Worker communities exist in the United States and other countries. Perhaps the most noteworthy tribute to Dorothy Day was, of course, the comments by Pope Francis in his address to Congress on September 24, 2015. He said:   In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints. Near the end of his speech, the Pope again spoke of Days striving for justice: A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to dream of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton. With the leaders of the Catholic Church praising her work, and others continually discovering her writings, the legacy of Dorothy Day, who found her purpose editing a penny newspaper for the poor, seems assured.