Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Are the Risks of Derivatives Manageable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Are the Risks of Derivatives Manageable - Essay Example The ideas of Thomas A. Bass, who considers that the risks of derivatives are manageable are compared and evaluated with the ideas presented by Justin Welby who argues that the risks of derivatives are not manageable. As per the idea presented by Justin Welby, it can be said that if proper policies and procedures are implemented and maintained derivatives can be used as an effective way to cater and manage a lot of financial risks. However, strong controls are required so as to protect speculation and heavy losses to corporations because of the wrong or unethical use of these heavy duty financial instruments. Are the Risks of Derivatives Manageable? Derivatives and Risks of Derivatives Derivatives are financial instruments or contracts that are settled on occurrence or non occurrence of an event. As explained by Hu in his paper derivatives are the contracts that ââ¬Ëallow or obligateââ¬â¢ the user / drawer of the agreement to buy or sell the underlying asset at any time in future at the specified cost / price. Hu also explained in his paper that changes in the value of the assets also changes the value of the said contract. This underlying asset can be interest rates, exchange rates, stocks, commodity, goods, etc. (Hu, 1993). Derivatives are either traded in derivative markets or can be directly made or created through any Financial Institution (including banks). Derivatives are widely used these days by corporate entities and other users in order to manage and control the risks associated with financial transactions and hedge the risks of changes in rates of commodities, interest rates, market conditions or foreign currency rates. Hu in his paper also points out the reasons to opt for the derivatives which are: 1. The costs of entering into derivatives contracts (also known as the transactional costs) are much less than buying the underlying assets; (Hu, 1993) 2. Further the risks of change in the price differential between the derivative and underlying assets can be arbitraged; and (Hu, 1993) 3. Derivatives help the users to ââ¬Ëtransfer the market risksââ¬â¢. (Hu, 1993) Derivatives can be in many forms and types ââ¬Ëincluding futures, options, swaps, forwards, structured debt obligations and deposits, etcââ¬â¢ (Comptroller of the currency administrator of national banks website, 1997). These financial instruments pose many risks on the users and both the parties involved (that is the drawer and the drawee of the derivative contracts) which include the following risks as presented in the Comptrollers Handbook: 1. Risk of change in the price of investment portfolios, commodities or underlying assets / commodities; (Comptrol ler of the currency administrator of national banks website, 1997) 2. Risk of change in interest rates that may lead to increase or decrease in the prices of investment and earnings; (Comptroller of the currency administrator of national banks website, 1997) 3. Risk of changes in foreign exchange rates specially in case of currency derivatives or where more than one currency is involved; (Comptroller of the currency administrator of national banks website, 1997) 4. Risk of changes in equity or commodity prices in case of equity derivatives lead to risks on the prices and returns on derivatives; (Comptroller of the currency administrator of national banks website, 1997) 5. Risk of Liquidity or credit risks, which means the inability to discharge derivative obligations; (Comptroller of the currency administrator of national banks website, 1997) 6. Transactional risks that means the inability of the parties involved to carry out the derivatives transactions in an effective and efficien t manner. (Comptroller of t
Monday, October 28, 2019
Restorative Justice and the Criminal Justice System Essay Example for Free
Restorative Justice and the Criminal Justice System Essay Mennonites and other practitioners in Ontario, Canada, and later in Indiana, experimented with victim offender encounters that led to programs in these communities and later became models for programs throughout the world. Restorative justice theory developed initially from these particular efforts [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. The restorative justice movement originally began as an effort to rethink the needs which crimes create, as well as the roles implicit in crimes. Restorative justice advocates were concerned about needs that were not being met in the usual justice process [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. The criminal justice systemââ¬â¢s approach to justice has some important strengths. Yet, there is also a growing acknowledgment of this systemââ¬â¢s limits and failures. Victims, offenders, and community members often feel that justice does not adequately meet their needs. Justice professionals, who make up the core components, such as: judges, lawyers, prosecutors, probation and parole officers, and prison staff frequently express a sense of frustration as well. Many feel that the process of justice deepens societal wounds and conflicts rather than contributing to healing or peace [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. Interdisciplinary study and research in public safety and restorative justice is very important. Restorative justice at this day in age will not replace the current court system, but it offers an alternative resolution service for people who want to try another approach. For example, some places are offering mediated victim and offender community conferences. These conferences provide facilitators to help victims and offenders seek reconciliation and resolution. Restorative justice seeks alternatives to continue to put more and more people in jail. Restorative justice seeks sentences that make amends to the victim of crime and to the community as a whole [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. Restorative Justice 3 My related feel of study is criminal justice. The criminal justice system is not a perfect system by far. The criminal justice system is concerned about holding offenders accountable, but that means making sure offenders get the punishment they deserve. The restorative justice approach focuses on the harm that has been done to people, individually and as a community. Restorative justice recognizes that crime is wrong and should not occur and also recognizes that after it does, there are dangers and opportunities. Restorative justice has brought an awareness of the limits and negative byproducts of punishment. Beyond that, however, it has argued that punishment is not real accountability. Real accountability involves facing up to what one has done. It means encouraging offenders to understand the impact of their behavior, the harms they have done, and urging them to take steps to put things right as much as possible [ (Zehr, 2002) ]. Restorative justice and the criminal justice system are two systems that have different views. Restorative justice focuses on harm that has been done to people, individually and as a community. It recognizes that crime is wrong and should not occur, and also recognizes that after it does, there are dangers and opportunities [ (Kelly, 2001) ]. The criminal justice system has three core components, police, courts, and corrections. Each core component has a different function in the criminal justice system. The police functions are to enforce specific laws, investigate specific crimes, earch people, vicinities, buildings, arrest or detain people. The police function is primarily a function of cities and states (Overview, 2008). The courts functions are broken down into prosecutors, judges and magistrates. The prosecutors file charges or petitions for adjudication, seek indictments, drop cases and reduce charges. Restorative Justice 4 The judges and magistrates set bail or condition s for release, accept pleas, determine delinquency, dismiss charges, impose sentences, and revoke probation (Overview, 2008). The corrections components are correctional officials and paroling authorities. Correction officials assign to type of correctional facility, award privileges, and punish for disciplinary infractions. The paroling authorities determine date and conditions of parole and revoke parole. Corrections are a primary function of the state and government (Overview, 2008). Throughout the United States the criminal justice system is in a state of crisis. The public is fearful and angry. Practitioners are weary and frustrated. Criminal justice policy is driven more by anecdote than systematic information. Costs of current policies are not sustainable over long periods. Victims are often re-victimized in the process.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Comparing the Living Dead in James Joyces The Dead and Dubliners Essay
Dubliners and The Living Dead à à à à In his work "The Dead," James Joyce utilizes his character Michael Furey, Gretta Conroy's deceased love from her youth, as an apparent symbol of how the dead have a steadfast and continuous power over the living.à The dominant power which Michael maintains over the protagonist, Gabriel Conroy, is that Gabriel is faced with the intense question of whether his wife, Gretta Conroy, loves him and whether he honestly loves her.à Joyce provides substantial information to persuade one to believe that Gabriel does truly love his wife.à Even though it is made evident to the reader that Gabriel possesses such devotion and adoration for Gretta, Michael diverts Gabriel's confidence in his love, causing Gabriel to come to terms with his understanding that his life is not as Gabriel once thought it to be.à Through this process of misleading realization, Gabriel has allowed himself to become one of the many living dead of his community in Dublin. à à à à à à à à à à à à During the taxi ride from his aunts' party to their hotel, Gabriel reminisces about his and Gretta's lives together.à Joyce enforces the passion of Gabriel's thoughts, "Moments of their secret life together burst like stars on his memory" (Joyce 173).à Joyce continues to fill his readers thoughts with examples of the Conroy's wonderful life: "He had felt proud and happy then, happy that she was his proud of her grace and wifely carriage... after the kindling again of so many memories, the first touch of her body, musical and strange and perfumed, sent through him a keen pang of lust" (Joyce 175).à Gabriel seizes Gretta in a passionate embrace and inquires into her thoughts.à Gretta hesitates at first then proceeds to explain the tragic tale... ...ased to consider themselves irrelevant as living beings. à à à à à à à à à à à à à Gabriel Conroy, through his self-righteous concern for others, has created an internal paralysis.à Because Gabriel dwells on events in the past he is unable to move forward in his life with satisfaction.à Although Gabriel indisputably loves his wife, the elusive curse created by Michael Furey's inconsequential existence, long before he and Gretta were involved, has instigated unruly thoughts on Gabriel's behalf.à This vague and malicious being breaks down Gabriel's ego; he questions the validity of his and Gretta's love for one another and the significance of his own life.à These thought processes cause Gabriel to believe himself better off dead rather than alive, banishing him to a life of eternal discontent. à Works Cited Joyce, James. Dubliners. New York: Bantam Books, 1990.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
ââ¬ÅComplete, trusting surrender to Godââ¬Â Essay
Although the Qurââ¬â¢an, its sacred text, was only revealed to their Prophet Muhammad more than five centuries after the death of Christ, Muslims trace the beginnings of Islam to the time of Abraham. According to them, the series of revelations of the Qurââ¬â¢an which started in 610 CE in a cave in Mount Hira, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, marked only the renaissance of a religion which sank into insignificance when the people of Mecca rejected the monotheism preached by Abraham. The Islamic claim further states that being the original religion, it provided the foundations for the development of Judaism and Christianity. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Since the time of the first revelation in Mount Hira, Islam has rapidly grown to become the second-largest religious denomination in the world, next only to Christianity, claiming a following of almost twenty percent of the worldââ¬â¢s population. However, its growth has been temporarily slowed down, particularly in the United States, by the effects of the American war against terrorism which is evidently directed against Muslims. This U. S. -orchestrated anti-terrorism war, coupled with the dearth of knowledge about Islam, has severely alienated the Muslims from the rest of the non-Muslim world. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Yusuf (n. d. ) said that majority of the Muslims are convinced that while the U. S. government has been blaming terrorism on Islam for years, it was the 9/11 incident which dealt the most telling blow on the credibility and reputation of their religion. This was because the international media was able to depict that many Muslims around the world rejoiced after that incident. The truth is, however, that majority of the Muslim world was saddened by that incident and the repercussions it caused. They would like to tell the world that terrorism is not an official policy of Islam and that, in fact, Muslims also consider terrorists as enemies of their religion. He laments the fact that When a crazy Christian does something terrible, everyone in the West knows it is the actions of a mad man because they have some knowledge of the core beliefs and ethics of Christianity. When a mad Muslim does something evil or foolish they assume it is from the religion of Islam, not because they hate us but because they have never been told by a Muslim what the teachings of Islam are all about. Muslims are also complaining about the way non-Muslims always confuse them with Arabs. According to them, while most Arabs are Muslims, less than 20% of Muslims have Arab blood. (Almuslimin. org) Allah is the only authority of this religion. Muhammad was only the messenger and prophet with whom he entrusted the sacred texts called the Qurââ¬â¢an in a series of revelations and who, three years after the first revelation occurred, preached them to the people according to his instruction and his will. However, Muhammad was the role model for all Muslims. His life story and his sayings were saved in the Hadith for every Muslim to learn from and emulate. The central teachings of Islam are oneness of God and of humanity; prophethood and the compass of Islam; human relationship to the divine; belief in the unseen life; and belief in the Last Judgment. (Fisher, 2005. Islam) Islam teaches that there is only one God. This is why the first words spoken to a Muslim infant are the words of the Shahadah ââ¬â ââ¬Å"la ilaha ill-Allah Muhammad-un Rasulu-llahâ⬠(ââ¬Å"There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Godâ⬠). God may be called by many names, but all the attributes assigned to those different names make up the totality of the One God. They contend that there must be absolute unity among all men of all races because they are all brothers under the one God, and no one race should consider itself the chosen race. Islam teaches that the individual should be one with God, therefore his or her thoughts and deeds should always be inspired by God. This oneness of God and of humanity was very emphatically expressed by Abu Hashim Madami, an Indian Sufi sage, when he said that ââ¬Å"There is only one thing to be gained in life, and that is to remember God with each breath; and there is only one loss in life, and that is the breath drawn without the remembrance of God. â⬠(Fisher. 2005. Islam, p. 373) All the prophets from Abraham to Jesus Christ are honored, but they maintain that Muhammad was the last prophet sent by God with the final message. This means, therefore, that the Qurââ¬â¢an sums up all the messages from God so Islam should include all religions, including Christianity and Judaism which also trace their roots to Abraham. They believe that God created the universe for a purpose and set down laws to govern everything. For this reason, man could live in peace only if he recognizes these laws and abide by them. They accept the existence of the angels, especially Gabriel, whom they credit with bringing the messages of God. They believe that Satan exists just as they believe that there are saints. For them, the Last Judgment means that dead Muslims are allowed some rest before being raised from the grave for the final reckoning, after which the sinners and the unbelievers are sent to hell. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Their basic practices consist of what they call the Five Pillars of Islam, namely: Beliefs and witness; Daily prayers; Zakat; Fasting; and Hajj. Every Muslim, without resorting to the use of force or intimidation, are obliged to spread the words of Islam so that other people may know about it, understand it, and use the knowledge to guide them in choosing their faith. Prayers should be recited five times a day while facing the direction of Mecca. It is believed that requiring every Muslim to face Mecca symbolizes unity among the devotees of Islam around the world, while the daily prayer emphasizes Islamââ¬â¢s teaching that every Muslim should remember God everyday of his or her life. Zakat, the third pillar, means ââ¬Å"spiritual tithing and almsgiving. â⬠Muslims are enjoined to help the poor by donating part of their annual income to charities of their choice. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, channels its contribution through the Islamic Relief Organization which aids people around the world regardless of their religion. Every year, the first Qurââ¬â¢anic revelation is celebrated with a month-long fasting called Ramadan. All able Muslims are required to abstain from ââ¬Å"food, drink, sexual intercourse, and smokingâ⬠from dawn to dusk. Although fasting during Ramadan is an obligation, fasting, per se, is advised from time to time because it provides an individual with ââ¬Å"a Transparent Soul to Transcend, a Clear Mind to think and a Light Body to move and act. â⬠The last Pillar ââ¬â the hajj ââ¬â is a pilgrimage which is expected of every Muslim who is financially and physically capable even only once during their lifetime. Their pilgrimage destination is Mecca, where their holiest sanctuary, the Kaââ¬â¢bah, is located. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Muhammad, whose name was taken from the Arabic word hamada which means ââ¬Å"to praise, to glorify,â⬠was born in Mecca, Western Arabia, in 570 CE to Abd bin Al-Muttalib and Amina bint Wahb. (Kikim Media. n. d. ) His parents were believed to be descendants of Abraham and Hagar, the Egyptian slave who mothered Abrahamââ¬â¢s son, Ishmael. The story goes that Abraham fled to Mecca with Hagar and Ishmael after his wife, Sarah, also gave birth to a baby boy (Isaac) and became extremely jealous of Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham later built the Kaââ¬â¢bah, Islamââ¬â¢s holiest sanctuary and now the destination of pilgrims during the hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, with the assistance of his son, Ishmael. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) The birth, life, and death of Muhammad impacted the world of Islam differently. His birth in 570 CE also signaled the rebirth of Islam which sank into obscurity for centuries when the people of Mecca rejected Abrahamââ¬â¢s monotheistic Qurââ¬â¢an religion. His life as a preacher which began three years after the start of the revelations resulted to a rejuvenated Muslim world. The flight of the Muslims to Medina (or the hijrah) which he orchestrated in order for them to escape persecution from the hands of the Qurayshites of Mecca was what strengthened Islam as soon as they had settled in Medina. This later enabled them to raise a strong army to capture Mecca from the Qurayshites. However, while he re-established Mecca as the holy sanctuary of Islam, Muhammad himself chose to live in Medina. While his birth signaled the rebirth of Islam and his life rejuvenated their religion, his death in 632 CE in Medina caused a split in the Muslim world between what we now call the Shiââ¬â¢a and Sunni Muslims because of the issue of succession. Most of the surviving Muslims believed that although Muhammad was able to tell his followers what to do after his death, he failed to appoint his successor. Thus, the majority decided to settle the issue of succession by election. However, there was a minority group who insisted that it was not true that Muhammad did not name his successor because of a report that some weeks before he died, Muhammad held his son-in-law ââ¬ËAliââ¬â¢s hand and uttered the following words: ââ¬Å"Whoever I protect, ââ¬ËAli is also his protector. O God, be a friend to whoever is his friend and an enemy to whoever is his enemy. â⬠(Fisher. 2005. Islam, p. 380) The issue of succession was ultimately decided according to the wishes of the majority ââ¬â by election ââ¬â but the two factions have never reconciled up to this day. The Shiââ¬â¢a Muslims now form the majority faction in Iran, while the Sunnis are the majority in ââ¬Å"Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, northern African countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asian countries of the former Soviet Union, and Indonesia. â⬠(page 378) Their place of worship is called a mosque. When I interviewed Bonsan Go, a student from Indonesia, he described a basic mosque as A square building with a small box-type space in front which serves as an extension. It has a dome on the center-top of the main building and a turret or a small ornamented tower or a tower-shaped projection on another building. Inside, you will fine a division (usually a length of fabric) which separates men from the women. There are no tables, chairs, or figurines inside the mosque. I thought, maybe, Mr. Go described a traditional mosque which used to be an Islamic architecture with a dome and one or two minarets. However, the more recent ones especially those constructed in the United States have chosen to go without the dome and the minarets. The more modern mosques have also done away with the curtain-like division which separates the men from the women. I have located one such mosque in Urbana, Illinois. A photo of this mosque is shown below: This is the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center at 106 S. Lincoln, Urbana, Illinois. It is unmistakably an Islamic architecture with the arches found in front, but without the dome and minarets of olden mosques. Their website (http://www. prairienet. org/cimic/) announces that the mosque holds congregational prayers five times during the day, the first session being at 5:45 in the morning and the last at 7:30 in the evening. The center also offers Arabic classes and is open to visitors any day. CIMIC Newsletter is published bimonthly. In my interview with Bonsan Go, I was able to gain some insights on how a lay Muslim understands and practices Islam. About the hajj, Mr. Go describes it as the ââ¬Å"symbol of unity between the Muslim Ummah and the Oneness of Mankind. â⬠According to him, this has to be done at least once in a lifetime and is very important because it is one of the five pillars of Islam. He said that the hajj is obligatory for all Muslims who can afford it financially and physically. It is also important that the money spent for the hajj comes from hard work and not from corruption. He also talked about the Sunnis and Shiââ¬â¢ites. He described the Sunnis as following the teachings of Muhammad, imitating his every actions and words while the Shiââ¬â¢ites believe that Hadhrat Ali was the real successor to Muhammad because he belonged to the family of Muhammad. He further said that the Shiââ¬â¢ites call their leader an imam while the Sunnis call their leader a caliph, just like they do in Indonesia where the great majority of the Muslims are Sunnis. On the question of marriage, he said that a Muslim is not obliged to have several wives. However, once a man decides to do so, he can only marry as much as four times and he is required to treat all of them equally and see to it that all his wives maintain harmonious relationships all around. The Muslims, according Mr. Go, have never worshipped Muhammad. It is Allah that they give praise to. He considers it very disturbing that most people tend to equate the position of Muhammad with the one who created him. He said that to worship Muhammad instead of Allah is considered a great sin in Islam. On jihad, this was what he said: ââ¬Å"Jihad is not a declaration of war against the enemies of Islam but a striving and a struggle in the path of God. Commitment to God involves commitment to sacrifice oneââ¬â¢s time, energy and wealth to promote the right cause. It may be necessary at times to give oneââ¬â¢s life in order to preserve TRUTH. â⬠Before we parted ways, he told me that he is deeply saddened by the war on terror being waged by the United States and is targeted at Muslims. He said that the U. S. government has categorized all Muslims as terrorists and as such, must not be trusted. He said that the claim that Islam, as a religion, supports the activities of terrorists is definitely not true because even a Muslim like him hates terrorists. In the study of the beliefs and teachings of Islam and Christianity, Fisher (2005) has shown us the similarities between the two religions. They are both monotheistic, they have their own prophets (Jesus and Muhammad), and both religions trace their roots to Abraham. Islam and Christianity teach their followers to treat their fellowmen with fairness and both religions profess anti-violence sentiments. The Muslims are making this especially clear at every opportunity, enough reason for them to feel very badly towards the U. S. -led anti-terror war. The central beliefs of Islam are also very identical to the central beliefs of Christianity: they both believe in the brotherhood of men, in the angels, saints, even in Satan, and in the Last Judgment. If a split occurred between the Shiââ¬â¢a and Sunni Muslims after the death of Muhammad, a great schism likewise rocked the Christian world when the Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Church parted ways in 1054. Sadly, however, Fisher has also shown us that both Islam and Christianity have chosen the options of wars of aggression and occupations during the early days for the purpose of spreading their doctrines and widen their spheres of influence. (Fisher. 2005. Christianity; Islam) However, if Fisher (2005) has shown that Islam and Christianity have many similarities, they also differ in some aspects. The first difference is rather basic. While Islam revolves around Allah as its God and only authority, Christianity, as a faith, is based ââ¬Å"on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. â⬠Muslims disagree with Christians in this regard. They do not believe that Jesus is a son of God. To them, Jesus, like Muhammad, was only a prophet and messenger of God. Another glaring difference between the two religions occurred in connection with the death of Jesus and Muhammad. While Muhammad died peacefully in his bed because of some illness, his death divided the Muslim world into the Shiââ¬â¢a and the Sunni Muslims. Jesus, on the other hand, died a violent death (he was tortured and crucified), but his death strengthened and unified his people. (Fisher. 2005. Christianity; Islam). References Almuslimin. org. (n. d. ). Who Is Muhammad? (Retrieved March 9, 2007 from:http://drupalmalaysia. org/Islam/Muhammad) CIMIC. (n. d. ). Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center. (Retrieved March 5, 2007 from: http://www. prairienet. org/cimic/) Fisher, M. P. (2005). Christianity. Living Religions, Sixth Edition (pp. 284-361). Prentice-Hall. Fisher, M. P. (2005). Islam. Living Religions, Sixth Edition (pp, 362-416). Prentice-Hall. Kikim Media. (n. d. ). The Life of Muhammad. (Retrieved March 5, 2007 from: http://www. pbs. org/muhammad/timeline. html. shtml) Yusuf, S. H. (n. d. ). A Time for Introspection. (Retrieved March 9, 2007 from: http://www. masud. co. uk/ISLAM/misc/shhamza_sep11. htm) .
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Symbolism to the Journey
Whether we are reading a poem or a short story, there is a story to be found within. The writer is able to capture readers with their use of rhythm, characterization, or a fairy tale setting, among many other things throughout their writing. It is imagination that allows us, the readers of these stories and poems, to be able to fill in the blanks or mentally visualize what the writer wants us to see through use of descriptive words or symbolism. In the poem ââ¬Å"The Road Not Takenâ⬠by Robert Frost, the short story ââ¬Å"A Worn Pathâ⬠by Eudora Welty, and the short story ââ¬Å"Used To Live Here Onceâ⬠by Jean Rhys I noticed a common theme. No matter what lonely journey we find ourselves on, we determine how the journey ends. The lonely journey that each of these literary pieces tells about is presented differently in each writing. In ââ¬Å"The Road Not Takenâ⬠, Frost used ââ¬Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow woodâ⬠which told me that there was a forthcoming journey; he also used ââ¬Å"and sorry I could not travel bothâ⬠as a way to share that he had to make this decision of which path to take. Frost also used the word ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠many times, which allowed me to imagine him alone. In ââ¬Å"A Worn Pathâ⬠, Welty used the word ââ¬Å"sheâ⬠throughout the piece which gave me the image of this woman walking alone. The character spoke to animals ââ¬Å"ââ¬â¢Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetlesââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ and so forth. When the writer posed this conversation in the story, it gave me the feeling of loneliness. This woman was so lonely, she spoke to animals. The path that she was walking ââ¬Å"ran up hillâ⬠. The idea that this path she was on was up a hill provided symbolism of a hard life. To me, walking up a hill would be hard work to get to the destination. Since the description of this woman had been of an aged woman, ââ¬Å"her eyes blue with ageâ⬠and her numberless branching wrinkles, it was a pity to find this woman walking alone up hill. In ââ¬Å"Used To Live Here Onceâ⬠, Rhys, too, used the word ââ¬Å"sheâ⬠many times to describe the character in the story. The usage of a singular word painted the picture of loneliness. ââ¬Å"She was standing by the riverâ⬠and ââ¬Å"She came to the worn stone stepsâ⬠. This woman was in this journey alone. In each piece of literary writing being discussed in this paper, the loneliness throughout the journey is clear. However, the ending to the journeys vary because of the choices the characters make. We will address this further on into the paper. The setting of a story or poem is what draws the reader in. I found myself reading ââ¬Å"The Road Not Taken Firstâ⬠. The reason was that it starter out with almost a conflict of where the poem could take me. With the first line being ââ¬Å"Two roads diverged in yellow woodâ⬠, I found myself wondering where the pathways would take me. As the poem began, I found it to be written in first person sine the writer used ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠as the main character term. Frost wrote ââ¬Å"and be one traveler, long I stoodâ⬠. This enabled me to actually step into the charactersââ¬â¢, or the writerââ¬â¢s, shoes and see these pathways from his perspective. I like being able to feel as if I am in the story. Frost wrote about one path that it he could see where it ââ¬Å"bent in the undergrowthâ⬠. He went on that the other path ââ¬Å"was grassy and wanted wearâ⬠. This painted a picture for me of actual woods, split into two pathways, both different most likely ending in a different place. In the back of my mind, I had an idea that these were symbolic of something much bigger. The symbolism within the poem ââ¬Å"The Road Not Takenâ⬠was abundant. ââ¬Å"Two roads diverged could be seen as two things, two jobs, two ideas, two of anything that one could choose between. The word ââ¬Å"yellowâ⬠, as used to describe the two roads in which Frost could choose is symbolic of aging or decay. To me, it seemed as if Frost could have been in a mid-life crisis, in which he felt old and needed change, and he had two new roads, of which the pathways and endings were unknown, to choose from. One path had been the one he was on, but did not know where it would end. The other road was grassy, seemingly vibrant, and the ending, too, was unknown. Frost referred to the both paths as ââ¬Å"in leaves no step had trodden blackâ⬠. In his description, the use of the word ââ¬Å"blackâ⬠shows symbolism of death. It seemed as if Frost was analyzing his choices and was seeing that his alternative pathway, although it did look enticing, he wondered why no one else had come back if they had taken that path. He knew that either path would ultimately lead to death, as that was his fate. There came a turning point in the poem where Frost went from indecisiveness to having made up his mind of his choice. Instead of being in front of two paths ââ¬Å"in a yellow woodâ⬠he ended the poem that he was in just ââ¬Å"a woodâ⬠in which he had chosen to stay ââ¬Å"on the first for another dayâ⬠. It appeared to me that his analysis of the paths he could choose from lead him to understand that the unknown is not as enticing as the known. According to John Savoie, the contradiction lies within the idea that both paths were ââ¬Å"equally layâ⬠but Frost chose to take the path of least resistance which indeed is arguable as there is ââ¬Å"a lack of distinction between the roadsâ⬠. (Savoie, 2004) His journey, although seemingly lonely, was determined by the decisions he made or would make. The second piece I read drew me in because the setting was not one of mystery, but instead it was one of pity. Used to Live Here Onceâ⬠was the second piece I chose to read. The setting was one of sadness. I could visualize this woman ââ¬Å"standing by the riverâ⬠and ââ¬Å"remembering each oneâ⬠. It gave me the idea that she had been there long before but had forgotten the beauty of the river over time. Sad beginnings to literary pieces are not something that normal ly draws me in. However, the story grew more intriguing to me as the setting moved to her old home. When she noticed that ââ¬Å"the screw pine was goneâ⬠, I still felt the pity and sadness for the character. Since the writer chose to write in a third person perspective, it was difficult for me to actually identify with the character personally. Rhys wrote ââ¬Å"it was strange to see a car standing in front of itâ⬠. The personification of this car ââ¬Å"Standingâ⬠in front of her old house was difficult to be considered strange since it was not an actual feeling of the character but instead an observation by the writer. In fact, the idea that the writer was this close to the character made me think she was speaking of herself in third person. Elizabeth Abel wrote a piece on Jean Rhys saying that Rhysââ¬â¢ writings typically subject us to ââ¬Å"sparse and repetitive narrativesâ⬠and ââ¬Å"are variations of themes of failure and rejection. (Abel, 1979) This could be, perhaps, how the writer was able to make me feel as if, although told in third person, I was able to identify with her more closely. I was able to feel was the pity that the writer felt for the character through the words, such as when she spoke ââ¬Å"shylyâ⬠to the kids but they did not hear her. This, too, solidifies the idea of Abel that Rhys wrote of perhaps herself in yet another rejected scenario. It seemed as if the journey was lonely for this character. The words ââ¬Å"sheâ⬠tells me this and also the fact that the setting is very calm and serene but without emotion from the character. From beginning to end, Rhys used symbolism to allow me, the reader, to relate and perhaps dig deeper into the meaning of things. The character stood by the river, which is symbolic of life. She did not walk into the river, she stood by it. This is symbolic of the entire story itself, since in the end of the story we find that the woman was indeed already dead and looking back into her own life. This was a journey that the character took alone. The character then walks down a road. This road is very symbolic to this story. The description is that the road is ââ¬Å"much wider than it used to beâ⬠. This indeed tells me that the character took her life for granted. She had never truly taken the time to see the beauty in the things around her; this is why the road seems so much wider to her now that she has passed on. The day ââ¬Å"was a fine blue dayâ⬠. The color blue is used to tell the reader that it was a peaceful day. Rhys wrote on to tell us that the character noticed the pine tree was missing from outside of her own home, as her journey led her to her old doorstep. This is symbolism of immortality. Her old house had been painted white, which provides the feeling of life or purity. The characterââ¬â¢s observation of the boy and girl playing in the yard was one that I will never forget. The colors of the yellow grass as she approached them and the gray in the boyââ¬â¢s eyes as the character tried to speak to him. This is when I first realized that the character was indeed a ghost looking in on her old life. The usage of colors throughout ââ¬Å"Used to Live Here Onceâ⬠is what drew me into this story. At my initial read of this story, I just thought that the writer liked colors. When linking these colors to symbolism, it gave me a much deeper perspective on what Rhys was trying to tell me, the reader. The lonely journey that this character was on was reflective of the lonely journey she lived when she was alive. It, once again, confirms that the decisions we make in life are what determine the ending of our journey. The last piece, ââ¬Å"A Worn Pathâ⬠had a setting that would draw in any reader who appreciates in-depth detail that, although in third persona narrative, makes you, the reader, feel as if you are standing there in the story along with the character. The setting throughout this story is indeed a pathway through the woods. Welty started the story out with ââ¬Å"a bright frozen day early in the morningâ⬠. I hate being cold, personally, but Weltyââ¬â¢s initial setting description made me feel excited to see what would happen if I read on further about the events on the ââ¬Å"frozen dayâ⬠. According to journal writer, James Robert Sanders, ââ¬Å"the story begins conspicuously on a cold December morning, and just as quickly we are made aware that there is an old black womanâ⬠. Suanders, 1992) Continuing my reading, I found the character, again noting the use of the singular ââ¬Å"sheâ⬠throughout the piece, to be ââ¬Å"an old Negro womanâ⬠ââ¬Å"along a path through the pinewoodsâ⬠. Welty described this woman as ââ¬Å"very old and small and she walked slowlyâ⬠. The pity set in on me at this point to think that a lady of her age was walking alone in the woods. She carried a cane, ââ¬Å"made from an umbrellaâ⬠. The setting, although starting out in an exciting manor, had, at this point, turned more so into pitiful. She seemed destitute by this fact. There she was, in the woods alone, using an umbrella to swat through the brush to ensure there were not any animals hiding along her pathway. When Welty wrote that ââ¬Å"the sun made the pine needles almost too bright to look up atâ⬠, it brought me back to the excited feeling again. It was as if the story had gone from exciting to pitiful and fearful back to exciting again. I felt like Welty was trying to keep a positive spin on a negative situation. Continuing on with the reading, I found the character again in a battle, but this time with thorns from a bush. Once she freed herself from the thorns, she said ââ¬Å"sun so highâ⬠which again gave the offset to the negative event. Shortly after, the character was faced with a log that she must cross over a river. This woman could not catch a break on her journey but still she kept going with intent to succeed and make it to her destination. Within the story ââ¬Å"A Worn Pathâ⬠, the symbolism, the personification, and the tone are what made this story most appealing. The story, itself is interesting. However, when you add in the extra benefit of symbolism, the reader can get a more in-depth look and feel for what the writer is trying to make us feel. This story, told in third person narrative, starts out on a ââ¬Å"bright frozenâ⬠morning. This symbolism provided me with a feeling of hopefulness. Although it was frozen outside, it was bright. The character walked down a path. It seemed she only had one path to walk down. Her only choice was actually going down that path or not to. Her eyes were blue which gave me the feeling of peacefulness. Her face was described with golden color beneath her wrinkles and yellow color under her dark cheekbones. This symbolism gave me the idea that although she was aged and seemingly poor, she still possessed dignity and pride. To describe the wrinkles on her face, Welty personified a little tree to be standing in the middle of the characterââ¬â¢s forehead. Immediately, I was able to visualize this much better than I would have without this connection. The character continued on her path in the ââ¬Å"sunâ⬠and cold, passing pine trees, thorns, and speaking to animals. The sun is symbolic of life. However, being winter outside, we know this by the use of the word ââ¬Å"frozenâ⬠to describe the weather; we know that this is symbolic of death. I took this to mean that the character was dying but trying really hard to fight to stay alive. Along her path, these hurdles, the thorns, the logs and creeks, the path being uphill, passing through a cotton field, the field of dead corn, her speaking to animals and imagining people along her journey in the woods, this is all part of the symbolism of things she was fighting to stay alive. It was her struggle. She began dancing with a scarecrow, something that is supposed to scare away birds, or in this case death, and here she was dancing with it. It just shows her eagerness to stay alive and fight off the negativity, the death. Although she seems crazy throughout this journey, her own focus, the one thing that she stays sane in regard to, is life and her desire to stay alive. When the character started to walk through ââ¬Å"trees silver in their dead leavesâ⬠it was certainly symbolic that death was shortly forthcoming. Just as I start to think she is about to die, she comes upon a spring and sweet gum and water. It was as if she was being given one more chance. She laid there on the ground and had a dream that ââ¬Å"she reached her hand up, but nothing reached down and gave her a pullâ⬠. This dream symbolized to me that God was not ready to take her, not just yet. That is when the hunter found her. The hunter felt pity on her and I understand this because he says he would have given her money if he could. In town, she asked a lady to tie up her shoe for her before she reached her final destination. Her need to be presentable for her entrance into the medical building to get her grandsonââ¬â¢s medicine shows that she still has class and self-respect. Her journey to the medical building, although alone and difficult, was made possible through the love for her grandson. Had she not made that trip, her grandson would have died. Each of these literary pieces was different by means of the nding to the journey in which the character had taken. ââ¬Å"The Road Not Takenâ⬠was a solitary journey to make the decision of which path in life to take, the one we know or the one we do not know. ââ¬Å"Used to Live Here Onceâ⬠was another solitary journey of a life after it has already passed by; it was a lesson that we should not take for grante d the things in life, although simple. ââ¬Å"A Worn Pathâ⬠was one more solitary journey, but this one taught a lesson that love can conquer all. Each journey I read for this paper has taught a value life lesson. The journeys we take are altered by the decisions we make along the way.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Pregnancy essays
Pregnancy essays As a teenager, one is faced with many different obstacles that must be overcome. The pressure about school, homework, after school activities, a job, a boyfriend, and family all contribute to what makes up a teenager's stressful life. One important thing that teenagers face is sex. There is an increasingly amount of teenagers having sex at a younger age. If one chooses to have sex, there are consequences that must be thought about in a mature way. At 17-years-old, most people would think a girl is too young to even think about having sex. But with society these days, promoting sexuality, it's not something that's unheard of. There are some girls out there who have sex when they're just beginning their teen years. The seriousness of having sex is usually overlooked when it happens so young. We don't realize the risk involved; you have to worry about contracting an STD or HIV or becoming pregnant. The last thing a girl wants to do is to become pregnant, especially with so many other things to worry about. Some people wait until marriage for religious or their own moral reasons. However, those who choose to have sex before they are married must face the consequences that come their way. In order to prevent pregnancy, using protection and birth control is your best bet. Birth control would be a necessity if you are sexually active. Condoms do prevent pregnancy but there is always the chance of it tearing or some other accident. Also, if you become sexually active, you should make sure that you visit a doctor in order to find out that everything is properly taken care of. Testing your partner for diseases is also a smart idea, just in case he has contracted something he doesn't know about. If a girl does become pregnant, there are a couple options she's able to take advantage of. There is always the way of abortion, which I am completely against. Having an abortion is unfair to the unborn child and the easy way ...
Monday, October 21, 2019
How To Spell Renown
How To Spell Renown How To Spell Renown How To Spell Renown By Maeve Maddox When I saw the phrase ââ¬Å"world-renouned architect E. Fay Jonesâ⬠in a local newspaper, I wondered if it could be more than a one-time typo, so I did a Web search to see if anyone else is spelling renown as renoun or renowned as renouned. I wasnââ¬â¢t too bothered to find the misspelling renoun on sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp, but I was surprised to find it on university sites and in published books. Here are four examples from such sources: INCORRECT: Dr. Angelillo had the distinct privilege to train under the auspices of Dr. Angelo Taranta, aà world renounà Rheumatologist at Cabrini Medical Center in N.Y.C.,à The Hardcore Facts: What Every Athlete Needs to Know Today about Sports, iUniverse, 2009. CORRECT : Dr. Angelillo had the distinct privilege to train under the auspices of Dr. Angelo Taranta, aà world-renownedà rheumatologist at Cabrini Medical Center in N.Y.C. INCORRECT: World-Renouned Flutists Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway Perform in the Kimmel Centerââ¬â¢s World Pop Mix Series- Lights up, Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts. CORRECT : World-Renowned Flutists Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway Perform in the Kimmel Centerââ¬â¢s World Pop Mix Series INCORRECT: Cap Jazz Series: An annual series featuring world renouned jazz artists that represent both traditional and contemporary styles.- Capilano University (Canada). CORRECT : Cap Jazz Series: An annual series featuring world-renowned jazz artists that represent both traditional and contemporary styles. INCORRECT: Prior to USC, Chef held positions as Executive Chef for SBE, the Royale Group, Innovative Dining Group the world renouned Citrine in Hollywood, CA.- USC Hospitality (University of Southern California) CORRECT : Prior to USC, Chef held positions as Executive Chef for SBE, the Royale Group, Innovative Dining Group the world-renowned Citrine in Hollywood, CA. The adjective world-renowned means ââ¬Å"familiar to people all over the world.â⬠It is hyphenated. As a noun, renown is ââ¬Å"the fact or condition of being widely known or talked about.â⬠Renown entered English in the 14th century from French. It entered the language spelled renoun, but by Shakespeareââ¬â¢s time it was spelled with a w. The spelling renown was well established by the end of the 17th century. The OEDââ¬â¢s most recent example of renown used as a verb is dated 1920, but I found one from 2014 on a poker site: ââ¬Å"It was by the age 21, he renowned himself for his victory by entering as an amateur player, who made a record in winning the main event at the younger age.â⬠The use of renown as a transitive verb is defensible, but it sounds odd to me. The OED mentions the use of renown as an adjective, labeling the usage ââ¬Å"chiefly North American,â⬠and provides citations from The Nebraska Bee-keeper (1893), Ebony (1965), The Nairobi Daily Nation (1989), and The Chicago Tribune (2008). Hereââ¬â¢s the example from the Tribune: The $50 million Crystal Bridges Museum was designed by renown Israeli-American architect Moshe Safdie. Iââ¬â¢m an American speaker and this use of renown in place of renowned strikes me as jarringly incorrect- Chicago Tribune notwithstanding. Bottom line: The preferred spellings are renown, renowned, and world-renowned. And for all practical purposes, renown is not an adjective. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksAppropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Conducting Case Study Research in Sociology
Conducting Case Study Research in Sociology A case study is a research method that relies on a single case rather than a population or sample. When researchers focus on a single case, they can make detailed observations over a long period of time, something that cannot be done with large samples without costing a lot of money. Case studies are also useful in the early stages of research when the goal is to explore ideas, test, and perfect measurement instruments, and to prepare for a larger study. The case study research method is popular not just within ââ¬â¹the field of sociology, but also within the fields of anthropology, psychology, education, political science, clinical science, social work, and administrative science. Overview of the Case Study Research Method A case study is unique within the social sciences for its focus of study on a single entity, which can be a person, group or organization, event, action, or situation. It is also unique in that, as a focus of research, a case is chosen for specific reasons, rather than randomly, asà is usually done when conducting empirical research. Often, when researchers use the case study method, they focus on a case that is exceptional in some way because it is possible to learn a lot about social relationships and social forces when studying those things that deviate from norms. In doing so, a researcher is often able, through their study, to test the validity of the social theory, or to create new theories using the grounded theory method. The first case studies in the social sciences were likely conducted by Pierre Guillaume Frà ©dà ©ric Le Play, a 19th-century French sociologist and economist who studied family budgets. The method has been used in sociology, psychology, and anthropology since the early 20th century. Within sociology, case studies are typically conducted with qualitative research methods. They are considered micro rather than macro in nature, and one cannot necessarily generalize the findings of a case study to other situations. However, this is not a limitation of the method, but a strength. Through a case study based on ethnographic observation and interviews, among other methods, sociologists can illuminate otherwise hard to see and understand social relations, structures, and processes. In doing so, the findings of case studies often stimulate further research. Types and Forms of Case Studies There are three primary types of case studies: key cases, outlier cases, and local knowledge cases. Key cases are those which are chosen because the researcher has ââ¬â¹aà particular interest in it or the circumstances surrounding it.Outlier cases are those that are chosen because the case stands out from other events, organizations, or situations, for some reason, and social scientists recognize that we can learn a lot from those things that differ from the norm.Finally, a researcher may decide to conduct a local knowledge case study when they already have amassed a usable amount of information about a given topic, person, organization, or event, and so is well-poised to conduct a study of it. Within these types, a case study may take four different forms: illustrative, exploratory, cumulative, and critical. Illustrative case studies are descriptive in nature and designed to shed light on a particular situation, set of circumstances, and the social relations and processes that are embedded in them. They are useful in bringing to light something about which most people are not aware of.Exploratory case studies are also often known as pilot studies. This type of case study is typically used when a researcher wants to identify research questions and methods of study for a large, complex study. They are useful for clarifying the research process, which can help a researcher make the best use of time and resources in the larger study that will follow it.Cumulative case studiesà are those in which a researcher pulls together already completed case studies on a particular topic. They are useful in helping researchers to make generalizations from studies that have something in common.Critical instance case studiesà are conducted when a researcher wants to understand what happened with a uniq ue event and/or to challenge commonly held assumptions about it that may be faulty due to a lack of critical understanding. Whatever type and form of case study you decide to conduct, its important to first identify the purpose, goals, and approach for conducting methodologically sound research.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Proposal for Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Proposal for Organizational Change - Essay Example It has been estimated that over 5.5 million healthcare service provider are exposed to the risk of contacting blood borne pathogens. Most of these blood borne pathogens cause serious health diseases and therefore reducing this health risk is very critical measure in medical service industry. Examples of blood borne pathogens include; Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Both Hepatitis B and C viruses among others plus other potentially infectious materials (OPIM). The Needle Stick Safety and Prevention Act was enacted due to increased cases of needle stick injuries that were becoming a serious health hazard. It was establish in 2000 by congress and it mandated the maintenance of sharps injury log and participation of all healthcare service providers in evaluation and making the choice of devices to be used. In response to the Needle stick Safety act establishment, OSHA in 2001 revised the Blood Borne pathogens Standard in order to comply with the act. Another campaign was initiated by National alliance for Primary Prevention of Sharps Injuries (NAPPSI) to protect medical providers and medical interns from accidental injuries that occurred in the course of their duty. The campaign focused on educating workers and interns on the prevention of all avoidable risks from sharp objects at work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was established in 1970 by congress in the U.S.'s department of labor. The mission of this body was to protect employees from workplace injuries, illness or deaths (Rabinowitz, 2002). This regulatory body uses rules enforceable by the law and these rules are referred to as standards. The Revised OSHA's Blood Borne Standard Research has shown that many healthcare service providers who have been exposed to blood borne pathogens have been infected with deadly and other dangerous viruses and disease conditions. Contraction of the diseases is usually through needle stick injuries i.e. wounds that are caused needles if they accidentally puncture the skin (Carter 2007). The most serious problems are the infections from the deadly viruses namely Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses. Conformity with the new Blood borne standard has notably decreased risk of medical service providers to contract blood borne diseases at work. Still the problem of health workers contracting blood borne diseased from sharp tools accidents continues to be a serious problem. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that over 380 000 injuries were recorded, Most them being contaminated. Since the establishment of the Blood borne Pathogens Standard, most concerned parties have responded pos itively and have taken steps towards reducing health hazards (Carter 2007). One of the requirements was an OSHA's request for Information on engineering and work performance controls that would be used to alleviate risk of exposure (Mason et al, 2002). Recommendations were made available to health care providers, organizations representing medical care workers, researchers, education institutions, expert and industry associations, and medical devices manufacturers. The use of safer medical apparatus such as non invasive systems and sharp instruments with modified protectors to
China's Stocks Head for Weekly Gain on Policy Outlook, Europe Article
China's Stocks Head for Weekly Gain on Policy Outlook, Europe - Article Example According to the article, the stocks experience the biggest gain during the week in question influenced by signs that the Greek debt problem will be resolved and speculation and rumors about expected policy changes by the government (Shidong, 2011). The European Union has been reeling under a string of debt crisis in several of its members the most notable being Greece, Portugal, Ireland and recently Italy. This crisis has had effect on stocks across the globe. Although Europeââ¬â¢s problems may seem less of a concern to China, the truth is that what happens in Europe affects China in a big way. This is because the EU is the largest export market for Chinaââ¬â¢s goods. The EU accounts for 25% of Chinaââ¬â¢s exports. In the first nine months of 2011, trade between China and Europe rose 21.8% year-on-year to stand at $372.12 billion according to statistics from Chinese authorities (Banerjee, 2011). The EU debt crisis has a direct bearing on Chinaââ¬â¢s economy because a red uction in demand here means a reduction in Chinaââ¬â¢s export. Since Chinaââ¬â¢s economy is export-based (Czinkota, Ronkainen, & Moffett, 2011), any reductions in the amount of exports have the net effect of slowing down the countryââ¬â¢s economic growth. This is exactly what the crisis in Greece, Spain, Portugal and most recent Italy has done. This paper is going to evaluate the relationship between the EU debt crisis and the performance of Chinaââ¬â¢s stock exchanges. The paper will find that when there is a crisis in Europe, the demand of Chinaââ¬â¢s goods in these region goes down which affects the performance of the exporting companies leading to lower export earnings. The lower earnings drive the prices of the stocks involved down. On the contrary, positive indicators on the EU economic performance drive up the value of the stock in the market as people become more optimistic. As per the article, the value of the stock of major companies in China rose after the recent progress on the Greek debt problems. This is because the said progress increases investorsââ¬â¢ confidence in taking more risks. A solution to the debt crisis will also stabilize the EU which is the biggest export market for China. This stability increases the confidence of investors considering that a stable EU will buy more from China and therefore increase the earnings of Chinese companies. It is this expected increase that drives up the prices of stock as investors expect improved dividend payments. The stock increases were also supported by speculation that the Chinese authorities will undertake more measures to boost growth. For instance, the shares of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation and of PetroChina Co. increased by at least 1.5% due to speculation that the government may give refiners the freedom of adjusting prices on their own (Shidong, 2011). The increase in the price of stock is also aided by the governmentââ¬â¢s announcement that it will step up m easures to help small business to have easier access to bank loans. The government is further expected to cut banksââ¬â¢ reserve requirements to boost manufacturing industry as reports of a slowdown in manufacturing emerge and inflation eases. The case highlights the challenges the Chinese face as they do business on the global scene. On one hand the Chinese economy is too dependent on exports. This means the economy is very much affected by what happens on the global sc
Friday, October 18, 2019
Scene Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Scene Analysis - Essay Example The Grandmaster was a commercial and critical success since it handled the story, the scenes and the characters very convincingly and took every one on a journey into the time period between 1930 to 1950, through the life story of Ip Man, the lead character of the film. It is indeed surprising that the director chose to open the story with a fight sequence in the rain that shows the histrionics of Ip Man the lead character and familiarizes the audience with his proficiency in the art. As a student of movie making would note, this opening fight sequence superceded all other fight sequences in the movie and the treatment of lights, camera and action were full of montages that are unique and historically significant in the history of Chinese cinema. The Grandmaster is not a very important cult film today which falls in the category of Chinese action movies that deal with Kung Fu masters, combats and is shouldered by the lead characters or fighters in the movie. However, the film has unique montages that have never been created in the history of Chinese cinema before. Take for example the opening fight sequence done in the night in a rainy street (NIX, 2013, 1). The fight is between Ip Man and a number of combatants and uses all possible camera angles to convincingly display his skills. There are moments in the sequence which show rain waters only, whether they are on the floor of the street where they are gathered to form a pool and are disturbed by the fight on goi ng on the same street; or whether they are flying off Ip Manââ¬â¢s rich white hat (Marsh, 2013, 1). These scenes were a different inclusion in an otherwise action movie. The fact that the camera, the light (especially the way it was made to reflect in the rain drops and the water splashing around), and the edits of the footage (Vineyard, 2008, 24) are very swift and shown to the audience in short timings between the fight scenes adds the extra element of
Data Collection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Data Collection - Assignment Example It is worth mentioning that the various tools used in a qualitative research method are flexible and accordingly, help in finding out detailed information related to the research problem. Apart from this, inductive research method is also been followed in order to collect necessary and relevant data that denotes the approaches of Inmate Health Care and the problems underlying within the same (Northeastern University, n.d.). It is worth mentioning that the data relating to the contributory factors and the problems, which generate severe problems in smooth functioning of Inmate Health Care approach, has been collected. The data, which has been gathered from the use of secondary source, presented the contributory factors including the impact of economic recession and excessive treatment costs that created problems in effective functioning of the aforesaid approach. Apart from this, relevant data was also collected about the pervasiveness of varied chronic diseases that affect the healthcare of the inmates. The data revealed such chronic diseases to be sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV and AIDS among others. In addition, the turbulent financial conditions are also a major problem, which impose adverse impact on the system of offering effective care to the inmates. Justifiably, the collected or researched data revealed that the prisoners often cannot afford the treatment cost and thus get released w ithout treatment (Miller, 2010). In relation to the above context, data has also been researched or collected about how the quality of inmate healthcare can be raised with the eradication of the above discussed problems. In this similar context, the data showcased that the introduction of information and technology might enhance the quality of the inmate healthcare system with evading the underlying problems by a considerable level, thereby diminishing the involved operational costs. From the
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Business - Organizational Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Business - Organizational Structure - Essay Example 2). Based on their theory, there are factors that affect performance and how change occurs. There are two kinds of changes: transformational and transactional. Transformational change occurs by responding to the external environment. This affects mission and strategy, leadership, and culture in an organization. These factors affect transactional change, particularly organizational structure, systems, management practices, and climate. Together, transformational and transactional factors affect motivation, that which affects performance. (Burke, W.W., Litwin 1992, p. 1). These variables can be demonstrated in NutriSystem. NutriSystemââ¬â¢s mission is ââ¬Å"to provide a weight loss program based on quality foods and a nutritionally balanced meal plan; individualized counseling is the core of our commitment that customers always have the privacy, support and knowledge needed to reach their goal weightâ⬠(Nutrisystem.com, 2011). ... The organization must excel in order to meet strategic goals. (Kates 2007, p. 3). There is a relationship between strategy and structure in an organizational design. As defined by Alfred Chandler (1962), strategy influences structure. Thus, structure follows strategy (Venohr 2007, p. 4). Otherwise, it will result in inefficiency. NutriSystem uses a marketing strategy that provides a balanced nutrition that is also low glycemic index (GI). (nutrisystemblog.com) GI is important to NutriSystem because meal plans with low GI improve hunger management, it produces better weight loss outcomes, and that it helps those who have diabetes. There are approximately 79 million adults in U.S. who are pre-diabetic and 24 million suffering from diabetes (nutrisystemblog.com). This is a good strategy for NutriSystem because millions of people are likely to respond to their diabetes control diet program. As a result of management decisions, Nutrisystem and the American Diabetes Association formed a st rategic alliance to promote the importance of weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes (Medicalnewstoday.com, 2009). Organizational Culture and Climate Culture is a fundamental part of organization although management cannot ââ¬Å"directlyâ⬠design culture. According to Kates (2007), it consists of values, mindsets, and norms of behavior that have emerged over time that most employees share. It is rather the outcome of the cumulative design decisions that have been made in the past and of the leadership and management behaviors that result from those decisions (p. 3). Thus, it can be inferred that management practices influence or shapes organizational culture. NutriSystem is devoted to educating
Alexander the Great and his conquest of Egypt and Persia Essay
Alexander the Great and his conquest of Egypt and Persia - Essay Example He was a principled hero with courageous acts, a virtuous politician, and flawless tactician who always termed himself as being Zeus son. He deserved the title because by the age of thirty, he had captured what was by the time termed as world, which was an accomplishment worth labelling as great where he still merits the title since he is still admired and remembered today for his seize of Persia and the diffusion of Greek culture all over his conquered nations. He was a great victor who in only thirteen years he was able to amass the largest empire in the entire ancient world that covered 3000 miles. Alexander did all this besides the benefits of modern technology and weapons because troop movement were primarily on foot and communication was face to face and this was an achievement made by a kid who became a king of Macedon at the age of twenty. As an honored prince, he received the top quality education in Macedonian court under his famous tutor Aristotle (Marsico 18), and at the age of 20 he was already a charismatic decisive king. Many of Alexanderââ¬â¢s accomplishment were made possible by his father who succeeded in doing what years of fighting in Greek city-states had not done by invading and conquering the Greek and thus united the Greece. His next goal was to defeat the Greeceââ¬â¢s enemy to the Persia but was assassinated before he pursued the goal and upon taking the thrown Alexander vowed to complete the plans of his father (Abbott 36). The self-confident young king had just defeated the Greek city of Thebes that had rebelled against him after the demise of his father, though he was convinced that if he could defeat the Thebes then he would as well defeat the Persia. He had a belief that if he achieves the conquest he and his father Philip had fancied about, the entire of Asia Minor would be open to him owing to his conquest; thus, the battle of Gracias began one of the greatest overthrows in history (Burgan 10). Alexander quickly controlled the Macedonian armies that his fatherââ¬â¢s initiated changes had made it to become the leading military authority in the area and led a majestic army across the Hellespont in Asia with some 4300 infantry and 5500 cavalry that was the most powerful military expedition ever to leave Greece. Alexander decided not to first attack Persia but capture Egypt who is ruled by Persia at that time where he stayed with his army for six months and he had to betray his culture and custom as a way of earning respect. Fortunately, the Egyptians hated the Persians for owning little attention and honor for their customs and culture but Alexander had some respect and was honored greatly and saluted him as their savior and liberator thus they appointed him as their pharaoh (Goldschmidt 31). The conquest of Egypt occurred in 332 BCE when Alexander treated Egyptician culture with respect and offered sacrifices making him a true pharaoh. He created the port city of Alexandria which grew into a cosmopol itan center of power and culture that joined the Egypticians economically with the Mediterranean world. Alexander was able to conquer Egypt and founded the city named Alexandria, which became a cosmopolitan, diverse, bustling center of trade, the arts and ideas city (David 42). Possessed with a resolve to rule the world, Alexander pursued the goal to capture north, through the Syria and Mesopotamia winning over the land of Phoenicia effortlessly with
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Business - Organizational Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Business - Organizational Structure - Essay Example 2). Based on their theory, there are factors that affect performance and how change occurs. There are two kinds of changes: transformational and transactional. Transformational change occurs by responding to the external environment. This affects mission and strategy, leadership, and culture in an organization. These factors affect transactional change, particularly organizational structure, systems, management practices, and climate. Together, transformational and transactional factors affect motivation, that which affects performance. (Burke, W.W., Litwin 1992, p. 1). These variables can be demonstrated in NutriSystem. NutriSystemââ¬â¢s mission is ââ¬Å"to provide a weight loss program based on quality foods and a nutritionally balanced meal plan; individualized counseling is the core of our commitment that customers always have the privacy, support and knowledge needed to reach their goal weightâ⬠(Nutrisystem.com, 2011). ... The organization must excel in order to meet strategic goals. (Kates 2007, p. 3). There is a relationship between strategy and structure in an organizational design. As defined by Alfred Chandler (1962), strategy influences structure. Thus, structure follows strategy (Venohr 2007, p. 4). Otherwise, it will result in inefficiency. NutriSystem uses a marketing strategy that provides a balanced nutrition that is also low glycemic index (GI). (nutrisystemblog.com) GI is important to NutriSystem because meal plans with low GI improve hunger management, it produces better weight loss outcomes, and that it helps those who have diabetes. There are approximately 79 million adults in U.S. who are pre-diabetic and 24 million suffering from diabetes (nutrisystemblog.com). This is a good strategy for NutriSystem because millions of people are likely to respond to their diabetes control diet program. As a result of management decisions, Nutrisystem and the American Diabetes Association formed a st rategic alliance to promote the importance of weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes (Medicalnewstoday.com, 2009). Organizational Culture and Climate Culture is a fundamental part of organization although management cannot ââ¬Å"directlyâ⬠design culture. According to Kates (2007), it consists of values, mindsets, and norms of behavior that have emerged over time that most employees share. It is rather the outcome of the cumulative design decisions that have been made in the past and of the leadership and management behaviors that result from those decisions (p. 3). Thus, it can be inferred that management practices influence or shapes organizational culture. NutriSystem is devoted to educating
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Statement of objectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Statement of objectives - Essay Example By January 2010, I would be fully conferred for the Masterââ¬â¢s degree with concentration in Electronic Business. In addition, I will be credited with 3 Advanced Certificates in Management from the same university, to wit: Advanced Certificate in Information Management, Advanced Certificate in Telecommunication Management, and Advanced Certificate in Human Resource. Equipped with these academic achievements, I am prepared to undertake greater challenges in higher education. My ultimate goal is to be an instrument of change to my country once I completed the PhD Program in Community Economic Development (CED). The Southern New Hampshire University is the most prestigious institution which can accord a multi disciplinary approach to the program. I am optimistic in learning various CED issues affecting not only the local and national level, but more so, their impact and influence on international levels. I would like to be given the opportunity to share the theoretical and practical applications of CED in Saudi Arabia, which unselfishly provided me with 100% scholarship through the King Abdullah Graduate Studies Scholarship Program. I am aware that CED is a multi functional process of comprehensively interconnected strategies which enable people to develop corporations and business ventures for the betterment of communities. I plan to utilize the skills and theoretical background developed in my masterââ¬â¢s degree to formulate policies which would facilitate and improve the application of electronic business initially in the local communities and later, on a national scale. As I delved into the intricacies of the theories, concepts and applications of e-business, I realized that I am extremely interested in pursuing higher education in a field of endeavor closely related to this. The courses that I took in my bachelorââ¬â¢s and masterââ¬â¢s degree equipped me with the necessary skills and
Monday, October 14, 2019
Is cloning the way of the future Essay Example for Free
Is cloning the way of the future Essay Dolly was born on 5 July 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh. She was cloned by scientists replaced the nucleus of the egg cell with the nucleus from the parent cell in Dollys case, an udder cell. Somehow, the egg cell reprogrammed the donated DNA contained within its new nucleus, and Dolly was the result. The different types of cloning: There are many different types of cloning but the two main types are reproductive and therapeutic cloning. Reproductive cloning is the process of making natural humans being for example, twins as it is done for the purpose of making human beings. Reproductive cloning has a great effect on future cloning as, demonstrates ways of how we can adapt ideas of easier methods of cloning plus it also helps us analyse and research on the key accepts Therapeutic cloning is when; a clone is created for a particular need or purpose. Therapeutic cloning is again a great adaptation create to help future medicine and understanding, helping us to reduce the risk of diseases caused by faulty genes. These two are also examples of natural and unnatural cloning as, reproductive clones produce twins, and therapeutic cloning is when scientist use it for medicine and to improve human living quality. How is cloning used? Cloning has many various uses, as it can benefit us in many ways, with our ever expanding medical. Some examples of the numerous uses are:à Using it to create identical clones, and then obtaining the stems cells and using them to correct faulty genes, with out the fear of the cells being rejected.à Using it for selective breeding- for example plants that produce the nice and juicy strawberries can be cloned to produce more nice and juicy strawberries.à For drug reduction as creating cloned you can get identical cellsà Medical research. Reviving the extinct animals- like leopard, which are near extinctionà To replace, children that were very much loved but passed awayà For twins As these there are many more which enable us to use this creation for many different uses, specified to our needs. Theses are all the ways in which cloning can and may be used in the future. How are clones used today? Clones have now been recognised by the public and has constantly, become the one of the main topics in the news as in ;The Times -Embryo with two mothers created. This is a topic related to that of cloning as in the article; A human embryo with two mothers and a father has been created for the first time by British scientists (Jack Malvern writes). The three- parents embryo, created by a team at Newcastle university, opens up the possibility of the short-circuiting genetic diseases by replacing faulty genes from one mother with healthy ones from another mother. It has been hailed as the first realistic hope of an effective treatment for 50 genetic conditions passed on through mitochondrial DNA-DNA clustered outside the nucleus in a cell. The diseases include forms of the muscular dystrophy, diabetes and epilepsy. Professor Doug Turnbull, who led the team, described the technique as a mitochondria transplant. Couples would use IVF treatment to create a fertilised egg, from which the nucleus would be removed after a few hours and implanted into a donor egg. The parents DNA remains in the nucleus but the DNA outside the nucleus would be from the donor mother. The childs appearance is affected only by nuclear DNA. (this has been taken from The Times feb 5th) This article is an example of cloning used for a particular purpose; it tells us about a mother who replaces most of her faulty genes with healthy ones. This is one example of how cloning has been used recently. Stem Cells: Stem cells have the remarkable potential to change to any cell or organism that is needed, this is because stem cells are unspecialised cells. Stem cells have become important to us, as they are great factors that enable us to improve our health and correct faulty genes, by using them replace some genes, as well as this there are many other important uses in cell based therapies, to repair other damaged cells with in the body, and loads more. Cloning can also be produced for the stem cells with in it allowing us to replaces faulty genes with eases. Is cloning ethnically right? Well as I have mentioned in above pages there are many different view on weather or not cloning is ethnically right, some saying it is good other say its not. There is not a exact answer to weather or not they are ethically right it actually depends upon the persons opinion. Conclusion Overall cloning is a huge leap forward for man kind as it has many benefits that can be acquire by the one process furthering our medical knowledge allowing us to produce more efficient and effective medicines for our patients.I do believe that one day cloning will become the thing of the future our future medicine! Bibliography: Some of the information was takes from:à Newspaper The Timesà BBC Newsà http://stemcells. nih. gov/info/basics/à scientific books (school text books)à Pictureà Science museum (website)à Kiran Toor 10S Science coursework 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 Variation and Inheritance section.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange :: free essay writer
Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à The setting used throughout the novel Wuthering Heights helps to set the mood to describe the characters. We find two households separated by the cold, muddy, and barren moors, one by the name of Wuthering Heights, and the other by the name of Thrushcross Grange. Each house stands alone, in the mist of the dreary land, and the atmosphere creates a mood of isolation. In the novel, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are the two places where virtually all of the action takes place. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, differ greatly from each other in appearance and mood. These differences reflect the universal conflict between the storm and calm, that Emily Bronte develops as the theme in the novel. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange both represent several opposing properties. The residents of Wuthering Heights were that of the working class, while those of Thrushcross Grange were higher on the social ladder. The people of Wuthering Heights aspired to be on the same level as the Lintons. This is evident when Heathcliff and Catherine peek through their window. In addition, Wuthering Heights is always in a state of storminess and its surroundings depict the cold, dark, and evil side of life, while Thrushcross Grange always seems calm.à Emily Bronte describes Wuthering Heights as having "narrow windows deeply set in the wall, and the corners defended with large jutting stones." This description is adjacent to Heathcliff when he is illustrated having, "black eyes withdrawn so suspiciously under their brow." Thrushcross Grange, in contrast to the bleak exposed farmhouse on the heights, is situated in the valley with none of the grim features of Heathcliff's home.à Opposite of Wuthering Heights, Thrushcross Grange is filled with light and warmth. It is the appropriate home of the children of
Saturday, October 12, 2019
The Work and Skills of Managers within the Organization Essay -- GCSE
The Work and Skills of Managers within the Organization ABSTRACT The aim of this essay is to investigate whether the work and skills of a manager are the same regardless of the level of their position within the organization. Through research conducted into three main theorists namely Henri Fayol, Henry Mintzberg and Robert L. Katz it is concluded that the core work functions a manager does are the same irrespective of position. The work roles in which a manager occupies within the organization are dependent upon the organization and their position within the organization. The skills that are needed by managers are universal to all managers but the composition of these skills is largely dependent upon the manager's position. The work and skills of managers are the same irrespective of the level of their position within the organization. Introduction A manager's job is essential to the smooth operation and profitability of an organization. Can we say that the work and skills that managers need are the same irrespective of their level within the organization? The short answer to the question posed above is yes and no. The long answer is that managers of all levels will perform the same basic management work functions. The role and consequently the type of work the manager does will be dictated by the level of their position within the organization and the type of organization. To accomplish these work functions the manager needs core sets of skills, however the composition of these core sets of skills is dependent upon their level within the organisation. Work Functions of Management Henri Fayol (1841-1925) first proposed the ideas of an ordered set of management functions (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg, Coulter 2003, p. 41). Through Fayolà ¡Ã ¯s involvement as managing director of a large French coal-mining firm he developed a framework of management activities (Robbins, et al., 2003, p. 41). The functions of management that Fayol devised included planning, organising, commanding, co-ordinating and controlling (Lamond 1998, p. 6). The idea of core functions that pervades every level of management was revolutionary when Fayol first wrote it and is still used as a framework for many textbooks (Robbins, et al., 2003, p. 9). Through refinement of Fayolà ¡Ã ¯s five management functions it is now recognised that there are four distinct management function... ...n be seen that the work of management of all levels consists of the four main management functions, namely planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Works Cited: Carroll, S. & Gillen, D. (1987), à ¡Ã °Are the classical management functions useful in describing managerial work?à ¡Ã ±, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 38-51. Koontz, H., Oà ¡Ã ¯Donnell, C. & Weihrich, H. (1982), Essentials of Management, (3rd edn), McGraw-Hill Inc., Sydney. Lamond, D. (1998), à ¡Ã °Back to the future: Lessons from the past for a new management eraà ¡Ã ±. In G. Griffin (Ed.), Management Theory and Practice: Moving to a New Era, Macmillan. McKenna, S. (2004), à ¡Ã °Predispositions and context in the development of managerial skillsà ¡Ã ±, Management Decision, Vol. 23, No. 7, pp. 664-677. Mintzberg, H. (1975), The Managerà ¡Ã ¯s Job: Folklaw and Fact, Harvard Business Review, July-August, pp49-61. Peterson, T. & Van Fleet, D. (2004), à ¡Ã °The ongoing legacy of R.L. Katz An updated typology of management skillsà ¡Ã ±, Management Decision, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 1297-1308. Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. & Coulter, M. (2003), Management, (3rd edn.), Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Love, Fear, Sexuality and Society Essay
The dawn of the 16th century, brought with it the evolution of great knowledge, an era of enlightenment, with not only the new growing social lifestyle of people but also the evolution in their thinking. The idea of love and fear therefore was the one established and molded into a new sculpture by the revolutionist and philosophers; and how we know the right and wrong today is what was established through the writings of these intellectualsââ¬â¢ years ago. Founder of political sciences of the 15th century, Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, was an Italian born writer, philosopher, and politician; who through the strength of his pen and intellect was able to give the world a new perspective of the never dieing entity, love and hope. As a man of Renaissance, while holding a high political position, his writings are also a combination of his deep political thought and insight. He is most famous for his short novel, The Prince, which is his realistic approach towards the political discourse of that time period, exhibiting the advance towards power. ââ¬Å"The Prince,â⬠originally written in 1513 (however got published in 1532), is known as a political treatise, for its formal exposition of the ideology of political affairs. It is usually alluded to being called as a piece of act which represents the word ââ¬Å"Machiavellian,â⬠which refers to the playing politics in a ruthless way in order to retain power and position; moreover many critics have also states the story to be satire. The novel is a form of guide for a ruling or an expected prince, of how he can attain his throne, and then make sure that he remains in power and control. The idea of attaining the power is placed as crucial and primary to all, even where principality comes secondary to its approach, which he does so by dictating old examples of rulers, and making his own generalizations and hypothesizes upon them. According to Machiavelli, the first moral of ruling is to have an economically and politically stable country, and then it is upon the ruler as to how he would protect it even if the ways used by him were cruel, they remained justifiable as long as they kept her power sustained. The main purpose of the book was to explain Machiavelliââ¬â¢s ability and knowledge in politics, not promoting love and prosperity between powers, but rather working by conquering peopleââ¬â¢s fear and force. There are various themes discussed by the author in the book such as military and defense, which are the prerequisites of a firm state, having a fortified and well protected area, with no help being taken from allies as that would be a burden of favor, and stand brave in the battlefield. The book quite rigidity states that attributes such as mercy, religiousness, and principality, are good virtues too possess, but are not for a prince to adapt, as he at times has to work against them in order to defend his land. Also that a prince is better at being known as a miser than as a generous ruler, as it would weaken his economic status as well as bring grief upon people with larger taxes, thus having a bad reputation would be better than rather ending up with nothing. In answering to the idea of love and fear Machiavelli states that ââ¬Å"it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved. â⬠(Machiavelli, Chapter 17, pp 60) He believes that commitments made under fear, are always kept firm; while a prince should also be careful that he is not feared to the point of hatred. Creating fear within the commandment of an army is necessary in order to gain their respect, and it should be brought upon the garrison even if the prince has to turn towards cruelty. Through the book the author emphasizes the fact that the only power which kept a prince from winning over his land and also his people is actually his ability to rule, rather than his fortune. He dictates the examples of Hannibal and Scipio Africanus; Hannibal who maintained a strong fear throughout his army, which consisted of soldiers of various races, and it was this fear of his which kept the army sturdy and united through out his reign; while Scipio, no matter had great abilities but is famous for the mutinies and trouble he had to face from the side of his own army. Virtue for Machiavelli did not carry a moral tone but it was rather based upon skill, courage, physical and mental capacity. However, in chapter of 8 of his book, the author mentions that no matter cruelty is important for governance but it should be properly utilized to attain a goal, but if it is made repetitive and arouses constant fear amongst the citizens then the prince does not contain any ability. It is not necessary for him to be loved, but he should be close enough to his people that he is not even hated, and thus requires both wisdom and courage; and above that the peripheral point should be established by which the prince is feared but not hated. And who could understand the complexities and the queries of life in a more powerful than the searcher of the nature, Plato, one of the greatest Greek philosophers. Born in 427 BC in Athens, Plato was the student of Socrates, and had his theories as an explanation and an elaboration of those presented by his master. Most of his writings are found in the form of a dialogue between him and Socrates, discussing numerous fascinating topics. Gorgias, is one of the most famous dialogues written by Plato, in which he defines a manââ¬â¢s virtuously right and proper nature. (Plato, 1994) It is believed to be a transitional dialogue, in which Plato represents Socrates teachings towards him in an indirect manner. This dialogue is seen to be carried out between Socrates, Gorgias and Callicles who are both rhetoricians, Pollus and Chaerephon who are both philosophy students; and the dialogue begins from Socrates side to prove the rhetoricians for being only people of sheer words. This dialogue is famous for the themes which it carries such as that of morality, philosophy and spirituality; forms into a debate between truth and falsehood. Socrates in his dialogue proving refutation explains that it is worse to inflict evil upon somebody rather than being an innocent victim of it and the most, unhappy man of the world would be the one who doesnââ¬â¢t meet his just punishment. While the best cure for an evil man would be when he meets his justice; paying for his sins. He believes that a wrong doer should be left on his own, his body to rot in the pain of his own guilt; and only with time when he realizes his guilt would his sins be forgiven and he move towards becoming a better and stronger person; no matter the rhetoricians disagree with his thought, as they believe that such treatment would be doing more evil than benefiting for good. Socrates ends the dialogue by explaining that on the Day of Judgment, man would be scrutinized and judged naked so that there are no hindrances for what he truly is. He believes that the evil doerââ¬â¢s body would be brandished by their sins, and they would be identifiable. According to Socrates, in the dialogue a manââ¬â¢s virtue should be his ultimate goal, which should be based upon principles, and truth; while those who tend to love their own self alone and indulge in self pampering, are the selfish ones, as their self gratification would never cease but would only continue to get bigger with hunger of power and indulgence. Creating fear and causing pain to others is the greatest evil, as identified by Plato; and becomes the most significant theme of most of Platoââ¬â¢s writings because of the unjust and evil death of his teacher Socrates; which destroyed his vision of the truth and its enhancement in nature. The dialogue however, concludes by declaring virtue as the ââ¬Å"good life,â⬠which can only be attained via the compliance of principles and correct behavioral methods. Both the books ââ¬Å"Princeâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Gorgias,â⬠believe in the achievement of power, not only to gain a greater control but also to satisfy and pamper oneââ¬â¢s own self; and agree to the fact that once in power. An individual might stray from principality and truth for long term benefits seen at a larger scale; but should refrain from evil as it would create hatred as well as lead to godââ¬â¢s in the life of Hereafter. However when Machiavelli describes the attainment of power as manââ¬â¢s vital goal, Plato believes into its attainment but to a certain level alone could one sacrifice his principles to achieve it; after which he would be nothing but an evil dweller, increasing his part of sins. Both the writings show the difference between the thought of a politician, who take s the world in more of a materialistic manner, and that of a philosopher who takes a deeper look into things and does not talk about an individual alone or his unitary life; but talks about all the third parties affected by his actions and his spiritual life which would also be affected by his balance of truth and falsehood. Compare and describe the relationship between sexuality and society in the authors read so far. Writers since centuries have talked about how sexuality and society work together, complimenting each other, which evolve gradually with the society giving more leverage and promotion at an open arena to sexuality, as it grows wider and is able to compensate more liberal point of views openly. ââ¬Å"Don Juan,â⬠is a classic story which has been told and retold since centuries; its legendary tale being changed and evolved with the evolution of time, it has seen changes according to the prevailing circumstances and the notions of the writers who dwelled with its story line. Don Juan, as announced by the Spanish or Don Giovanni as told by the Italians, is the tale of a social libertine, an individual who has given of all the norms and rights of the society, such a person who does not believe into the limits of religion or morality. The legend of Don Juan talks about such a person who indulges himself into the pleasure of seducing women and enjoys winning over them. One day, Don Juan meets the dead spirit of the father of a girl he has seduced; casually and not knowing it he invites him to his house for dinner. In return to this compliment, the father invites Don Juan to his graveyard for dinner, when he accepts the invitation and extends his hand to the spirit, pulls him into the grave and takes him into the bottomless pit of hell, where he is to burn in the redemption for his unforgivable sins. The oldest version of Don Juan to be placed in writing is believed to be written by Tirso de Molina, by the name El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra. Later a revised edition was written by Moliere, in 1665; who was also made to make continous ammendments by the critics, who took as a largely shameful act; and was not until 1185, that the orignal play was allowed to be acted without censorships. However, the society at that time failed to accept the play, as they found it too liberal and outspoken, which broke the barriers of religion and offended the prestiege of the king. Thus it laid down as least cost effective, and as the protagonist himself is portrayed as a catholic, thsu it further offends the teaches of the church by portraying them as hypocrates and evil doers. On the other hand, the representation of Don Juan in that era represents how sexulaity was missed used even in those times, but hardly any writteen record is seen because of the fact that the rulers didnââ¬â¢t want any such tales to be spoken of openly; theey were then brought under the case of adultery. Don Juan, also is the symbol of evil, a womanizer who cannot attain his forgiveness, he has sined so much in his life that even his good deeds are shadowed by his hypocrite nature. Every action of his holds insincerity and cannot be forgiven, and when eventually it is symbolised that he has been taken into the hell, it shows that the world did not contain any less painful avenge for him; and his death brought peace to all the woman who had suffered because of his flimsy character. Therefore by the story of Don Juan, conceived in the early 17th century, it can be seen that sexuality was miss used even in that time period but the society perferred to keeep it hidden and secretive, burrying such evil facts and tales which spoke against the religious and moral norms of the ruling powers. Evil of the society was thus only a hushed talk in those times. ââ¬Å"The Prince,â⬠a guide for the rulers of the world written by a government official of Florence, Italy, Niccolo Machiavelli, in the 16th Century; helps us know today of how gravely was the impact of politics and the attainment of power and prestige in the lives of people of that era. As the book states different tips and ways in which a prince could govern his kingdom in thee most efficient way winning both his commandment upon army and his position. Machiavelli also believed that gaining love from his people was not the most important part of ruling; a prince could never be too generous and lenient with his folk; however it was of vital importance that he managed his fear upon them so that he would respect him and treats him with the power and gratitude that he deserves. A ruler was not always successful through his inheritance or his economic strength; but he was turned into a symbol of esteem through his ability; which not only shined in his character but also was represented by the society which he ruled. Thus the prince held great responsibility for his own self and the lives of all those, whose protection was sworn onto him. To take even a deeper analysis into the lives of the people of the 16th century, we might take a look into the analysis of the book ââ¬Å"Leviathan,â⬠written by Thomas Hobbes in 1660. After looking through the time via the perspectives of a story teller, and then a politician, we take into the account of the era through the notions formed by a political philosopher; this book did not only establish a political thought in the minds of thee people but was also significant enough in influencing and establishing the entire Western political philosophy and laying down the perspective for the social contract theory. The book was first written by Hobbes at the time of the English Civil War, where he saw chaos and trouble through out the society. In such times Hobbes believed that the only thing which could keep the community together would be a strong unified governing system which would act as a central body in decision making, keeping away the evils of chaos and civil misbehavior. The theory represented by Hobbes believes that if man is left without a government to live in a free market, operated by no restrictions, then he lives the life of nature, whereby everything is free for anybody, which in the long run would lead to war, poverty, frustration and hatred. To prevent this, a social contract needs to be established which would establish a civil society, and distribute the scarce resources in a much more efficient way. This is a form of a commonwealth, which would help establish a protected civil society. The book can be divided into four parts, whereas the one which represents the society and its relation to sexuality is book one, ââ¬Å"of Man. â⬠Chapter 6 of this book discusses the theme of the involuntary emotions which arise inside a human being, over which he holds no control, known as passions. He describes these motions of man as animal instincts, categorizing them as ââ¬Å"vital,â⬠and ââ¬Å"voluntary. â⬠Vital being those which formulate the metabolism and are innate, while the later are those which man learns with the course of his life. He by this formulates the idea that human nature is actually a by product of his metabolism. His innate motions form desires known as endeavors, which raise love and hatred in man, which then form an aversion in a human being. While some of these desires are born with man, while some re learnt so with time and experience, and it is then from these appetites and aversions that passions arise which are known to be specific to human nature, of which those which qualify to be his appetite are those things that he likes, while those which fall into his aversions formulate his hatred and are evil. Then Chapter 11 and 13 of the book describe how manners differ in human beings and how he would respond to his conditions of misery. Hobbes further here describes how power in man could be self created and that which is instrumental attained from his society. However a man may differ from another due to his different manners which come from his ability to negotiate between power and fear; and it is through this knowledge that the society can in the end attain peace; when fear originates from ignorance and a personââ¬â¢s lack of foreseeing the future. Hobbes then concludes this part of his book with the thesis that when a human being lives in a society without any social contract, at that time he is living in a ââ¬Å"state of nature,â⬠and when a society is bent into such a living then it is nothing more than just a flake of imagination having no true existence. As Thomas Hobbes states: ââ¬Å"In such condition, there is no place for industry . . . no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation . . . no commodious Building; no instruments of moving . . . no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. â⬠(Chapter 13) References Fort, A. ,B. and Kates, H. , S. 1935 Don Juan or The Stone Death. Minute History of the Drama. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. p. 47. Retrieved on Nov 27, 2007 from. http://www. theatrehistory. com/french/donjuan001. html Hobbes, T. (1651) The Leviathan. London: Andrew Crooke. Chapter 13 Machiavelli, N. (1908). The Prince, (1513). ed. W. K. Marriott. London: J. M. Dent and Sons, Pp 60. Plato. (1994) Collected Dialogues. eds. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
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