The Story Of Buddhism By Donald M. Rodriguez Jr. - 1743 Words

The Kannon Bosatsu, or Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, is a carved wood statue of a Bodhisattva figure standing about two and one half to three meters tall. This statue shows a high level of detail on the Bodhisattva s body, and is carved so smoothly that it could be mistaken for a stone carving. The show of skilled craftsmanship can be seen around the shoulders with the interaction of the cloth with the jewelry the Bodhisattva. The statue is placed on an ornate pedestal to cause the figurine to appear taller, giving it a feeling of authority, which contrasts with its calm, expressionless face. While the figure appears to be standing in a meditative state like the Buddha, the jewelry present all over the body of this figure distinguishes this figure as a Bodhisattva instead of a Buddha. In his book, The Story of Buddhism a Concise guide to Its History and Teachings, Donald S. Lopez Jr. establishes the importance of imagery in Buddhism. One major point he makes concerning the worsh ip of Buddhist figures, is that the disciples of Buddhism not only believe that the figures are a mere representation of Buddha, but that the figures actually become and are animated by Buddha, an argument which seems to hold merit as truth. Continuing with the theme of visual imagery from this icon, Buddhist icons often carry much meaning in the orientation of the body of figurines, and hand gestures. This standing Bodhisattva has his eyes shut in a meditative state, while the hands

Free Media Essay James Bond Free Essays

â€Å"Pussy Galore†, â€Å"Honey Rider†, â€Å"Plenty O’Toole†, â€Å"Xenia Onatoppe†, â€Å"Octopussy† and â€Å"Solitaire†: All of these names have something in common in that they are all the provocative names of James Bond girls and symbols of an extreme form of the â€Å"Male Gaze† as coined by Laura Mulvey: the passive recipients of a specifically male gaze embodied by the extreme masculinity of James Bond[1]. Neuendorf et al, in a study which examined 195 female characters from the James Bond films, sum up the â€Å"bond â€Å"formula† which has been the catalyst for one of the longest running film franchises in movie history: â€Å"Espionage, innovative gadgets, alcoholic beverages, fast cars, a demonic villain and a plethora of attractive women were instrumental in moulding the â€Å"Bond formula† that matriculated from print to celluloid†¦ The ongoing appeal of the fantasy world represented in the Bond films relies heavily on attractive female counterparts to the Bond character†[2]. I have chosen the films of James Bond to examine using Laura Mulvey’s â€Å"Male Gaze†. We will write a custom essay sample on Free Media Essay: James Bond or any similar topic only for you Order Now While the films from Dr. No up to Casino Royale would seem to be obvious demonstrations of what Mulvey might refer to as a â€Å"patriarchal unconscious†[3] hard at work and cultivated from the novels of Ian Fleming, the last Bond film, Quantum of Solace, has seen a minor revolt against the use of females as passive objects of sexuality. This revolt, albeit in a minor fashion and still, as we will see, framed against a powerful formula which has endured for over half a century, makes the James Bond of Daniel Craig a worthy object of study. The adoption of powerful and partially non-sexualised female characters in both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace represents a significant step towards Mulvey’s answer to the subordination of women through the lens of the male gaze: the destruction of cinematic pleasure[4]. This case study will also look at some more typical James Bond films such as From Russia with Love and conclude with why these films, so often the very epitome of patriarchal agendas and repressed women, are moving towards what many have perceived to be a feminist approach in Quantum of Solace which does not conform to the traditional James Bond formula[5]. Laura Mulvey first coined the term â€Å"Male Gaze† in 1975 with her seminal work Visual Pleasure in Narrative Cinema[6]. Mulvey uses psychoanalysis as a weapon to analyse the roots of patriarchal control within the pleasures of cinema. Her analysis is centred on the image of women as the castrated â€Å"Other† to the imaginary self of man the escape of which can only be accomplished by voyeuristic or fetishistic mechanisms. The female image acts as a signifier and is, in the words of Mulvey, â€Å"bound by a symbolic order in which man can live out his own fantasies and obsessions through linguistic command by imposing them on the silent image of woman still tied to her place as a bearer, not maker, of meaning†[7]. The spectator, equipped with the â€Å"privilege of invisibility†, can observe without being observed and are drawn into the illusory world of looking at female characters through a male gaze which is constructed by the film maker and filters d own even to the hands of those cameramen who are shooting the film: all are complicit[8]. In this world of sexual imbalance, in which the spectator is male[9], the pleasure derived from observing has been split between â€Å"active/male† and â€Å"passive/female† where the male gaze projects the fantasy upon the female form[10]. From here Mulvey’s analysis splits visual pleasure into two parts: a voyeuristic pleasure and a narcissistic pleasure. For the former Mulvey derives inspiration from Freud’s look at scopophilia[11] as a way of taking people as objects and subjecting them to what is described as a â€Å"curious and controlling gaze†[12] in the private world of the auditorium. The distance between the audience and the screen serves to reinforce the feeling of being a voyeur[13] and Mulvey’s analysis seals both the audience and the film within a â€Å"hermetically sealed† auditorium which serves to expose and highlight their fant asy of voyeurism[14]. On the latter Mulvey observes: â€Å"The cinema satisfies a primordial wish for pleasurable looking, but it also goes further, developing scopophilia in its narcissistic aspect. The conventions of mainstream film focus attention on the human form. Scale, space, stories are all anthropomorphic. Here, curiosity and the wish to look intermingle with a fascination with likeness and recognition: the human face, the human body, the relationship between human form and its surroundings, the visible presence of the person in the world†. As many theorists have noted[15] Mulvey’s analysis in this aspect are very much inspired by Jacques Lacan in developing his theories of the pivotal moment of a child’s self recognition in the mirror in the formation of ego and self. Mulvey find’s a resonance between screen and mirror, fictional characters and the child’s self and the ability of both to shape the ego. This resonance is particularly strong when considering the ability of cinema, in the words of Mulvey, to both deprive us of and augment our egos: a dichotomy which Mulvey identifies with â€Å"that pre-subjective moment of image recognition† first propounded by Lacan in children.[16] The active/male and passive/female divide referred to above is important only as a spectacle and not as a driving force of the narrative as Mulvey observes: â€Å"The presence of women is an indispensable element of spectacle in normal narrative film, yet her visual presence tends to work against the development of a story line, to freeze the flow of action in moments of erotic contemplation†[17]. The image of women so constructed provides a neat mirror between the desires of the male characters in the film and the spectators in the audience. Using strong male leads is a quintessential ploy by Hollywood and for Mulvey allows the spectator to identify with this more perfect version of self. A male movie star, for example, creates the action and commands the screen space in a way the passive female is never allowed to. Cinema is unique, in Mulvey’s theory, in building the way a woman is looked at into the spectacle of the film itself as opposed to, for example, strip-teas e where a spectator’s gaze is still very much under his/her own control. The distinctiveness of film derives from the ability to snap a person’s attention to a particular part and allow â€Å"a perfect and beautiful contradiction† to crystallise[18]. At the end of her famous article Mulvey opines on the possible answers to the patriarchal nature of cinema but concludes that the real answer is to destroy pleasure: â€Å"Women, whose image has continually been stolen and used for this end, cannot view the decline of the traditional film form with anything much more than sentimental regret.† So what place does James Bond have in Laura Mulvey’s male gazeThe applicability of the famous franchise to Mulvey’s theory is at first sight so compelling it would be no surprise to find out that Mulvey developed all her theories from a single viewing of Goldfinger. As outlined above Bond films have a certain tried and tested formula which, in the words of Neuendorf, serve to reinforce that which Mulvey sought to destroy: â€Å"Western society’s patriarchal, individualistic culture is demonstrated in Bond films. For example, the lead character, James Bond, promotes stereotypical, sex-typed male attitudes, especially when interacting with women. In the Bond world, Bond single-handedly takes on any â€Å"bad guy,† saves the world and always gets the girl.†[19] The ability of Bond films to dehumanise women is well exemplified in From Russia With Love. In this film two gypsy girls must fight for the affections of the same man and ultimately end up in Bond’s bed with the prospect of a sexual battle having to take place before either of them can be worthy of his attentions. It was these films in the 1960s (From Russia With Love was 1963) which exemplified what Yan calls â€Å"tittilation† and no more with the most excruciating example being â€Å"I think he’s attempting re-entry† in Moonraker[20]. As feminism spread its wings in the 1970s the Bond women seem to shrink in terms of character depth. The femme fatales then underwent an independent phase, often bestowed with PHD’s but this was, in Yan’s opinion, just a divertion from real subordination[21] and the 1980s and 1990s followed the formula with few exceptions. The Daniel Craig era of Bond films have produced a different kind of Bond: grittier, tougher and with less of the traditional formula which had relegated the franchise under Pierce Brosnan. Peter Bradshaw sums up the plot but the story, much criticised, takes a back seat to the role of women[22]. The female characters serve both to reinforce and destroy the traditional view of Bond women as being surplus to plot requirements and subject to Mulvey’s â€Å"male gaze†. The two female characters, Strawberry fields and Camille[23] represent such contrasts as to be compelling. While Fields, working for the CIA, succumbs to Bond in a 1960s throwback fashion with the usual witticisms and appears in a trenchcoat like â€Å"some sort of MI6 strippogram†[24], is typical Bond fair, Camille is arguably an equal of Bond and driven by a desire to avenge the rape and murder of her sister and mother. She does not succumb to Bond at all and importantly the actress has said that her character does not exist because of Bond but exists in her own right. Using Mulvey’s analysis this character advances the story and doesn’t simply provide a spectacle in the way that Strawberry Fields undoubtedly does. In conclusion the Bond films of the Daniel Craig era present a somewhat confusing picture of women: at first glance conforming to a tried and tested formula which is simply the quintessential expression of the male gaze and a formula born of the 1960s and Ian Fleming, but at a deeper glance is indicative of a move away from the patriarchal grip on cinema and tried and tested female submission. The character of Camille, in the same vein as Vesper Lynd from Casino Royale, is a plot driver and offers hope that the moment for a female James Bond is close: â€Å"Camille shows that Vesper was no lucky one-off. Fields shows that not everything has changed and that the same speculation must exist for â€Å"Bond 23† on whether the next film will have a realistic female lead or something more formulaic.†[25] Bibliography Balducci, Temma (2010) ‘Gaze, Body and Sexuality: Modern Rituals of Looking and Being Looked At’ in Kromm Bakewell (eds) A History of Visual Culture: Western Civilisation from the 18th to the 21st century Berg: Oxford New York Bradshaw, Peter (2008) Guardian Film Online accessed on 28th March 2011 and available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/oct/18/jamesbond1 Kuhn, Annette (1994) Women’s Pictures: Feminism and Cinema (2nd ed) Verso: London, New York; Penley, Constance (1989) The Future of an Illusion Routledge: New York, London Mulvey, Laura (1999) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ in Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings pp833-844 Neuendorf et al (2009) ‘Shaken and Stirred: A Content Analysis of Women’s Portrayals in James Bond Films’ in Sex Roles vol 62 pp747-761 see also Brosnan (1972), Dodds (2005) and Pfeiffer and Worral (2000). Quantum of solace script: accessed on 28th March 2011 and available from: http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/q/quantum-of-solace-script-transcript.html Sherwin, Miranda (2008) ‘Deconstructing the male gaze: masochism, female spectatorship, and the femme fatale in Fatal Attraction, Body of Evidence, and Basic Instinct.(Critical essay).’ In Journal of Popular Film and Television vol 35 issue 4 p 174 Stacey, Jackie (1994) Star Gazing Routledge: London and New York, Thornham, Sue (1997) Passionate detachments: an introduction to feminist film theory Arnold: London, New York, Auckland; Yan (2009) from Lucire website ‘ Releasing from Bondage’ accessed on 28th march 2011 and available from: http://lucire.com/2008/1030ll0.shtml [1] Balducci, Temma (2010) ‘Gaze, Body and Sexuality: Modern Rituals of Looking and Being Looked At’ in Kromm Bakewell (eds) A History of Visual Culture: Western Civilisation from the 18th to the 21st century Berg: Oxford New York [2] Neuendorf et al (2009) ‘Shaken and Stirred: A Content Analysis of Women’s Portrayals in James Bond Films’ in Sex Roles vol 62 pp747-761 see also Brosnan (1972), Dodds (2005) and Pfeiffer and Worral (2000). [3] Mulvey, Laura (1999) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ in Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings pp833-844 [4] Thornham, Sue (1997) Passionate detachments: an introduction to feminist film theory Arnold: London, New York, Auckland [5] Yan (2009) from Lucire website ‘ Releasing from Bondage’ accessed on 28th march 2011 and available from: http://lucire.com/2008/1030ll0.shtml [6] Thornham, Sue (1997) Passionate detachments: an introduction to feminist film theory Arnold: London, New York, Auckland; Stacey, Jackie (1994) Star Gazing Routledge: London and New York, Kuhn, Annette (1994) Women’s Pictures: Feminism and Cinema (2nd ed) Verso: London, New York; Penley, Constance (1989) The Future of an Illusion Routledge: New York, London [7] Mulvey, Laura (1989) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema in Visual and Other Pleasures Macmillan: Basingstoke and London p.15 [8] Stacey, Jackie (1994) Star Gazing Routledge: London and New York [9] And females are compelled to look through a males lens with their choice of either adopting a masochistic stance or adopting the gaze and becoming â€Å"spectatorial transvestites†. See Sherwin, Miranda (2008) ‘Deconstructing the male gaze: masochism, female spectatorship, and the femme fatale in Fatal Attraction, Body of Evidence, and Basic Instinct.(Critical essay).’ In Journal of Popular Film and Television vol 35 issue 4 p 174 [10] Mulvey, Laura (1989) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema in Visual and Other Pleasures Macmillan: Basingstoke and London p.41 [11] Freud, Sigmund Three Essays on Sexuality [12] Mulvey, Laura (1999) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ in Braudy Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticisms: Introductory Readings : New York: Oxford Uni Press pp833-844 [13] Stacey, Jackie (1994) Star Gazing Routledge: London and New York [14] Mulvey, Laura (1999) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ in Braudy Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticisms: Introductory Readings : New York: Oxford Uni Press pp836 [15] Thornham, Sue (1997) Passionate detachments: an introduction to feminist film theory Arnold: London, New York, Auckland; Stacey, Jackie (1994) Star Gazing Routledge: London and New York, Kuhn, Annette (1994) Women’s Pictures: Feminism and Cinema (2nd ed) Verso: London, New York; Penley, Constance (1989) The Future of an Illusion Routledge: New York, London [16] Mulvey, Laura (1999) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ in Braudy Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticisms: Introductory Readings : New York: Oxford Uni Press pp836 [17] ibid p.837 [18] Ibid p.843 [19] Neuendorf et al (2009) ‘Shaken and Stirred: A Content Analysis of Women’s Portrayals in James Bond Films’ in Sex Roles vol 62 p 759 [20] Yan (2009) from Lucire website ‘ Releasing from Bondage’ accessed on 28th march 2011 and available from: http://lucire.com/2008/1030ll0.shtml [21] Yan notes wryly that even the self-employed Octopussy, steward of a huge empire, still succumbed to the Bond formula in the end. [22] Bradshaw, Peter (2008) Guardian Film Online accessed on 28th March 2011 and available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/oct/18/jamesbond1 – He observes: â€Å"In theory, he is out to nail a sinister international business type: Dominic Greene, played by French star Mathieu Amalric, who under a spurious ecological cover plans to buy up swaths of South American desert and a portfolio of Latin American governments to control the water supply of an entire continent. As Greene, Amalric has the maddest eyes, creepiest leer, and dodgiest teeth imaginable.† [23] Gemma Arterton and Olga Kurylenko respectively [24] Bradshaw, Peter (2008) Guardian Film Online accessed on 28th March 2011 and available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/oct/18/jamesbond1 [25] Yan (2009) from Lucire website ‘ Releasing from Bondage’ accessed on 28th march 2011 and available from: http://lucire.com/2008/1030ll0.shtml How to cite Free Media Essay: James Bond, Essay examples

Christianity And Islam Essay Example For Students

Christianity And Islam Essay Christianity and Islam are two of the most significant religions since theircreation. Islam means submission in Arabic, and a Muslim is one whosubmits to the will of God (Islam page 223). Christians were called so becauseof Jesus title Christos, which is Greek for Messiah (Christianity page 198). Both religions are very similar with only some of the beliefs and teachingsbeing different. They also give separate messages to outsiders as to what theirreligions stand for. Both religions are monotheistic with a holy text and theyboth strive to conquer evil. Islam has a set of rules (5 Pillars of Islam) setforth to reach enlightenment while Christians basically just sin, repent, andthen are forgiven for their sins. Christianity is a much easier religion tobelong to because it is a lot more lenient to what you can and cannot do as wellas when and where you can do it. Islam is also more closed doors because the donot really send out missionaries looking for people to convert to Islam. ForChristianity, Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah (the anointed one) Godsdeliverer, whose coming the prophets had foretold (Christianity page 198). Jesustaught the good Word of the Lord, as was his duty as the Son of God. He is alsosaid to have performed miracles such as curing leprosy and blindness as wellwalking on water. Roman and Jewish authorities were disquieted by the threat tothe establishment that Jesus and his followers seemed to offer, and theyconspired successfully to execute him by crucifixion (Christianity page 198). After Jesus was crucified for the sins of all men, he was believed by Christiansto have risen from the dead and then ascended to Heaven. After the death ofJesus, his life and teachings were written with many tall tales (as I liketo call them) about the great battles and accomplishments of Christians as wellas success stories about the followers of Gods Word. All of these stories andsome historical facts are written in the Bible, which is the holy text of theChristians. It explains how God created the Earth the creation of the Earth andman and it teaches how to be righteous. The founder of Islam was the ProphetMohammed who was an orphan from the city of Mecca. Mohammed claimed to bevisited by the Angel Gabriel who gave him the basis for this new religion. TheFive Pillars of Islam are the basic laws to be a good Muslim. Declaring thatthere is no God but Allah, praying five times a day facing Mecca, fasting duringset times, tithing for needy, and a journey to Mecca at least once in your lifetime. Some Muslims have a sixth pillar, jihad, which is translated intoholy war (Variety page 234). Mohammeds teachings were not written untilhis death because there was no compelling reason to set his words down in somedefinite form. After the sudden death of Mohammed in 632, Caliph Abu Bakrordered one of the prophets companions to collect, from oral and writtensources, all of Mohammeds utterances (Quran page 225). They were writtenin the Quran which is basically the Muslim Bible. The Quran is thewritten version of the teachings that Mohammed preached while he was alive. Asecond source of guidance for most Muslims is al-Hadith (Tradition), a vast bodyof transmitted stories of what the Prophet said or did or what was said or donein his presence and therefore approved by him (Foundations page 225). .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 , .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .postImageUrl , .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 , .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:hover , .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:visited , .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:active { border:0!important; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:active , .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226 .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua0816e3b9ba6143257324a0ad6398226:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Background Of Internal Control Systems Accounting EssayChristianity is a very appealing religion because it seems to be so easy tounderstand and become a Christian where as Islam is very difficult. There arefive set times a day in Islam where you have to stop everything and pray facingMecca and Muslims go to church on Fridays. Christians are free to pray any waythey want at any time they want and go to church on Sundays. The Bible isdifferent in that it contains the teachings of Jesus, the direct Word of God,and many religious stories. The Quran contains only the teachings of Mohammedwhich is said to be the Word of God spoken through man. The religious stories ofIslam are in separate sources such as the al-Hadith, The Six AuthenticCompilations, and Gardens of the Righteous (Tales page 230). The Bible and theQuran are similar in the simple fact that they were not written until theprophets of their religion were dead (although Jesus was resurrected and went toHeaven). While Jesus and Mohammed were on Earth, their stories and teachingswere passed on orally, so the need to write them down was not necessary. Christianity is a religion where they welcome outsiders in to convert them andlove everyone, Christian or not, for they are all the children of God. Islamteaches to: Be mindful of you duty to Allah and try to promote accord betweenyourselves (8.2). All believers are brothers; so make peace between yourbrothers (49.11). Fight the idolators all together, as they fight you alltogether, and know that Allah is with the righteous (9.36)(Nawawi page232). Make peace between your brothers, means to make peace with otherMuslims. If you are not Muslim, you are not one of their brothers. They also sayto fight the idolators, which means to fight against those who are notMuslim. This message to hate he who is not of the same religion is the completeopposite from that of Christianitys message. I believe that is why Muslimsfeel compelled to bomb other peoples and fight holy wars. This is another reasonwhy Christianity is more appealing. Both Islam and Christianity offer arewarding eternal dwelling i f you live a righteous life here on earth anddo the duty of Allah or God. Christians believe that their reward for arighteous life is to go to Heaven. For Muslims, the reward for following the 5Pillars of Islam is pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eternity (Nawawi page 232). These are the sole reasons for having the religions in the first place. Thesupreme goal of both religions is to successfully reach a peaceful afterlife. Asfar as bad afterlives go, Christianity has Hell for those who go against God andare not forgiven for their sins. Hell is an eternal damnation full of tortureand suffering. Hell is a deterrent from sin, which makes people more inclined tolive holy and righteous lives. As Heaven is a reward for living a righteouslife, Hell is the punishment for living a life of sin. I am not sure aboutIslam, although the book does talk about Allah saving someone from theFire and Fire being defined as Hell (Nawawi page 232). I can infer thismeans that they both have a punitive home for the unholy and disbelieving. BothIslam and Christianity have dietary restrictions. Muslims cannot eat fromsunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Some Christians fast on GoodFriday as well as giving up their favorite food during the Advent Season. Christians celebrate the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus while the onlyreligious celebration that Muslims have to my knowledge is the holy month ofRamadan. I do not know why they celebrate this but I do know they celebrate theninth month on their lunar calendar and that is the holy month of Ramadan. Ipersonally think that Christianity is a much easier religion to deal with beingthat it has just about the same outcome as Islam does. Christianity also has alot less work involved. I would say that Christianity is a much more convenientreligion. Less time and effort is put into praying and being righteous withChristianity. Plus it is much more believable to me that Jesus was the Son ofGod than it is to believe that Mohammed was visited by an angel that told himwhat to do. They were both doing well although the Islamic message is not quietas nice as the Christian one. Loving everyone as your brother and sister is agood message to give and it is an exceptional way to keep the world peacefuleven if you are not Christian. That is why Christianity is a much moresuccessful religion and it is stronger than Islam will ever be. Christianity andIslam are basically one in the same. They both have one God with and the samebasic beliefs. Both have a holy text with the teachings of their prophets alongwith some religious stories. Both religions are very successful althoughChristianity has a leg up do to its convenience and its willingness to takeothers and convert them. These religions have been around for almost twothousand years and will continue to strive throughout history. .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 , .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .postImageUrl , .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 , .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:hover , .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:visited , .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:active { border:0!important; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:active , .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23 .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1a172af75a1f0390b062d3b76ccfcc23:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Manifest destiny EssayBibliographyChristianity: Conquering the World for Christ Alfred J. Andrea andJames H. Overfield, eds. Human Record I. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.1998),198-199. Islam: Universal Submission to God Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, eds. Human Record I. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1998), 223-224. Nawawi, Imam. Gardens of the Righteous Reprinted in Alfred J. Andrea andJames H. Overfield, eds. Human Record I. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1998),230-233. The Quran Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, eds. HumanRecord I. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1998), 225-226. The Foundations ofIslamic Life Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, eds. Human Record I. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1998), 225. The Tales of Tradition Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, eds. Human Record I. (Boston: Mifflin Co. 1998),229-230. Variety and Unity in Islam Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, eds. Human Record I. (Boston: Mifflin Co. 1998), 253-234Religion

Muslim Mosque vs Christian Basilica free essay sample

There are many differences between the muslim and christian Basilica as well as many similarities. They also have so many things that make them unique in their own way. Taking a further look at each belief helps us have a clearer understanding of the Mosque and the Basilica. The word Islam is Arabic and means submission to the will of God. Islam teaches that one must submit to God in Arabic in order to achieve true peace of mind. Allah is God, the same God Christians and Jews worship. The word Muslim means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of race, nationality or ethnic background. Muhammad is believed to be the final prophet. Human beings are not believed to be sinful, but are seen as capable of both good and evil. Muslims believe God has given people free will. It is known â€Å"Ones deeds and actions measure ones faith†. We will write a custom essay sample on Muslim Mosque vs Christian Basilica or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Islamic teachings encompass all aspects of life and ethics; consciousness of God is encouraged in all aspects of human affairs. Worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. Muslims believe the Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language. Gods final revelation to humankind was publicly recited in front of both Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the lifetime of the Prophet. The Qur’ans main message is submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. Muhammad, a documented, historic figure, lived in the full light of history. God sent the revelation to Muhammad over the course of 23 years, and he in turn preached and lived it. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of God, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, but believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. Apart of the Christianity belief, there is a set of biblical ethnics and moral codes that we can chose to abide by to represent our Christian faith. With choosing this faith you choose to worship one god and practice your faith in one Sabbath or also know as a church. Christians strong believe in accepting the death of Jesus and resurrection of Jesus as well that all sinful acts done by people can be repented by god if that person has promise to devote themselves to god. Christians devote one day a week which is Sunday to praise in the name of god, which they meet at the church and read a scripture from the bible and speak of the struggles that god has went through in order for gods people to live the life they live now. After they read the scriptures and rejoice over the good and bad things in their life they pray and accept the body of Christ which is bread and wine. Then throughout the week in order to keep the Christian faith alive in your life and household you may read the bible and pray daily. Hypostyle mosque means â€Å"many columns†. Most mosques built in Arab lands utilized this style for centuries. The architecture is shaped mostly on the strong regional traditions of the time and place where it is built. The most necessity of mosque architecture is that it would be able to hold the entire male population of a city. The congregational mosques are required to have a large prayer hall, and this is done so by an open courtyard known as a â€Å"Sahn†. In the courtyard is a hot water fountain and is used for ritual cleansing that is done before prayer. The Mihrab is a niche in the wall that indicated the direction of Mecca, to which all Muslims pray. Minaret is a tower that is usually attached to the mosque which is where the call to prayer is announced. There is calligraphic art. The Christian Basilica differs because it is used as a large public building where business or legal matters could be transacted. The first Basilica had no religious function. The shape of the had a floor plan of a rectangular hall but one usually followed into churches that led into the central body with one aisle at each side and a vault at one end opposite to the main door at the other end. There was a raised platform from where the clergy officiated. This building plan was mostly used for smaller audience halls of the emperors, governors, and the very rich than for the great public basilicas functioning as law courts and other public purposes. In conclusion, the architecture of the Mosque and how it has shaped Muslim beliefs differ to the interior space from the Christian Basilica. This essay has been formatted to explain the Muslim and Christian beliefs and the architecture of the Mosque and the Basilica.

Psychological diagnosis essays

Psychological diagnosis essays Psychological diagnosis of Jack Nicholson's character in "As Good As It Gets" Jack Nicholson's character "Melvin Udall" in the film "As Good As It Gets" meets the criteria outlined in the DSM-IV for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD). The character of Melvin demonstrates the high needs for order, perfection, and control seen in patients with OCD. Much of his time is dominated by getting prepared and organized. Furthermore, his over-attention to what seem to most to be minor details prevents Melvin from necessarily seeing things from a larger perspective. Also, Melvin does not have any meaningful personal relationships, which is also characteristic of people with OCD. He wants everyone to cater to his way of doing things, and doesn't allow for the give and take necessary for friendships. Melvin appears stiff and impossible to others, unable to feel any emotions or empathy. Overall he seems not to be happy. Melvin's extreme need for order, perfection and obsessive control is evident through his varied compulsive behaviors. When Melvin enters his apartment, he closes the door and proceeds to turn each lock on his door five times. This is obviously an irrational behavior, but Melvin feels it is necessary to heed to this routine each and every time his door is opened and then closed. Also, while walking down the street as well as within buildings, Melvin avoids stepping on cracks in the sidewalk or between tiles at all costs. Melvin eats at the same restaurant, at the same table, with the same waitress every day. He also orders the exact same meal, and becomes very irate if anything in this context does not go according to his routine. Melvin also has an unreasonable obsession with cleanliness. Each time he washes his hands he uses a brand new bar of soap. In fact, he uses a new bar of soap for not only each wa...

Three Types of Exceptions in Java

Three Types of Exceptions in Java Errors are the bane of users and programmers alike. Developers obviously dont want their programs falling over at every turn and users are now so used to having errors in programs that they grudgingly accept to pay the price for software that will almost certainly have at least one error in it. Java is designed to give the programmer a sporting chance in designing an error-free application. There are exceptions that the programmer will know are a possibility when an application interacts with a resource or a user and these exceptions can be handled. Unfortunately, there are exceptions the programmer cant control or simply overlooks. In short, all exceptions are not created equal and therefore there are several types for a programmer to think about. An exception is an event which causes the program to be unable to flow in its intended execution. There are three types of exception- the checked exception, the error and the runtime exception. The Checked Exception Checked exceptions are exceptions that a Java application should be able to cope with. For example, If an application reads data from a file it should be able to handle the FileNotFoundException . After all, there is no guarantee that the expected file is going to be where it is supposed to be. Anything could happen on the file system, which an application would have no clue about. To take this example one step further. Lets say we are using the FileReader class to read a character file. If you have a look at the FileReader constructor definition in the Java api you will see its method signature: public FileReader(String fileName) throws FileNotFoundException As you can see the constructor specifically states that the FileReader constructor can throw a FileNotFoundException. This makes sense as its highly likely that the fileName String will be wrong from time to time. Look at the following code: public static void main(String[] args){ FileReader fileInput null; //Open the input file fileInput new FileReader(Untitled.txt); } Syntactically the statements are correct but this code will never compile. The compiler knows the FileReader constructor can throw a FileNotFoundException and its up to the calling code to handle this exception. There are two choices - firstly we can pass the exception on from our method by specifying a throws clause too: public static void main(String[] args) throws FileNotFoundException{ FileReader fileInput null; //Open the input file fileInput new FileReader(Untitled.txt); } Or we can actually handle with the exception: public static void main(String[] args){ FileReader fileInput null; try { //Open the input file fileInput new FileReader(Untitled.txt); } catch(FileNotFoundException ex) { //tell the user to go and find the file } } Well-written Java applications should be able to cope with checked exceptions. Errors The second kind of exception is known as the error. When an exception occurs the JVM will create an exception object. These objects all derive from the Throwable class. The Throwable class has two main subclasses- Error and Exception. The Error class denotes an exception that an application is not likely to be able to deal with.   These exceptions are considered rare. For example, the JVM might run out of resources due to the hardware not being able to cope with all the processes it is having to deal with. Its possible for the application to catch the error to notify the user but typically the application is going to have to close until the underlying problem is dealt with. Runtime Exceptions A runtime exception occurs simply because the programmer has made a mistake. Youve written the code, it all looks good to the compiler and when you go to run the code, it falls over because it tried to access an element of an array that does not exist or a logic error caused a method to be called with a null value. Or any number of mistakes a programmer can make. But thats okay, we spot these exceptions by exhaustive testing, right? Errors and Runtime Exceptions fall into the category of unchecked exceptions.

Bibliography of the history of the world football cup Annotated

Of the history of the world football cup - Annotated Bibliography Example The first world cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Since it was a turbulent period in international politics, many countries which initially planned to participate could not do so. Austria, for example was set to play the world cup, but it was annexed into Germany. The first trophy was called the Jules Rimet Cup. It was awarded to Brazil after they won the competition three times (the trophy was stolen in 1983 and has never been found since). Since 1930 the world cup has been held 19 times. Italy has won the competition four times, Germany thrice and Argentina twice. Brazil have won it a record 5 times. Spain, France, England and Uruguay have all won the world cup once. The 1974 Holland team is often cited as their best. Johan Cruyff, their star player, was one of the greatest in the history of football. He put into practice â€Å"Total Football†, which back then was a novel philosophy of playing football. This style is still practiced by some teams (notably, FC Barcelona). In 1978 the same core of players that impressed the world in 1974, put on a great show once again. That year they also showed the ability to threaten their opponents with some dangerous long shots, and this skill won them a lot of success. The 1978 team beat an excellent Austrian side by the decisive margin of 5-1, owing mainly to superb performances from their star wingers Rob Rensenbrink and Johnny Rep. The author believes that performance was one of the finest he has ever seen at a world cup. Similarly in 1994 (in the US) they would have performed a lot better.... The 1974 Holland team is often cited as their best. Johan Cruyff, their star player, was one of the greatest in the history of football. He put into practice â€Å"Total Football†, which back then was a novel philosophy of playing football. This style is still practiced by some teams (notably, FC Barcelona). In 1978 the same core of players that impressed the world in 1974, put on a great show once again. That year they also showed the ability to threaten their opponents with some dangerous long shots, and this skill won them a lot of success. The 1978 team beat an excellent Austrian side by the decisive margin of 5-1, owing mainly to superb performances from their star wingers Rob Rensenbrink and Johnny Rep. The author believes that performance was one of the finest he has ever seen at a world cup. Clearly, the absence of Johan Cruyff from their side in Argentina contributed to their failure to win the cup. In 1988 they again failed to win in Italy. The author believes that h ad they used the services of the 37-year-old Arnold Muhren, the graceful, talented midfielder, their team would have performed a lot better. Similarly in 1994 (in the US) they would have performed a lot better (and might have come back from 2-0 down against Brazil) if their star player Ruud Gullit was part of the squad. It is worth noting that Brazil’s second goal was clearly the result of an offside, which the linesman failed to spot. However, the author feels, the most unfortunate incident in Holland’s world cup history was their elimination in the 1998 world cup in France. They had strikers like Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluvert. In midfield they had the likes of Edgar Davids, Ronald de Boer, Phillip Cocu and Wim Jonk. Ronald’s penalty

Developing Tyrrells Potato Chips Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Developing Tyrrells Potato Chips - Essay Example For this purpose it may resort to more advertising, other promotions, offering discounts and better customer service. It can also try to compete by making its operations more efficient and thus bring down its costs. Alternatively, it can try to increase its economies of scale by more investment. Sometimes existing market may become so saturated or uneconomical that companies may enter new markets with existing products. Such a strategy falls under the category of market development. The obvious example is the entry of multinational companies into new markets with existing products they were selling in the home country or other markets. This entry could help the company to transfer loyalties of customers to buy its own products. This is very effective if the product is a well-known brand in the world and is being made available for the first time or in large quantities. If a new product is manufactured by a company and it tries to sell it in the same market it operates, then it is classified under product development. The company is confident that its new product will be attractive in the existing market itself. Companies try to market the new product to existing customers or even get new customers to buy them. The product could be completely new or can be used as accessories or add-ons to its existing products. â€Å"Sell new products or services in current markets. These strategies often try to sell other products to (regular) clients. These can be accessories, add-ons, or completely new products. Cross Selling. Often, existing communication channels are used.† (Product/Market Grid (Ansoff) 2008). Product diversification is an instance where a company develops or acquires a new product and market in an entirely new place. There are four ways of diversification that can be used by a company.

Should Abortion Be Permissible Essay Example for Free

Should Abortion Be Permissible Essay Be certain to ensure your scope is adequately narrow enough to focus on distinction points within the examined point and you’ll do even better than you already have I am going to argue that it is always permissible for a woman to have an abortion no matter the circumstances. Abortion has been a worldwide debate for several years now where people generally either take the side of pro-life or pro-choice. The biggest problem about abortion is deciding when a baby becomes a part of the human community or a human being and who makes these decisions. While there are many different philosophers who have written about their beliefs on this topic, I will use Don Marquis’ article arguing why abortion is immortal and Judith Jarvis Thomson’s article defending abortion. I have always had a very strong opinion on abortion and Judith Jarvis Thomson has only helped solidify my argument. Although Don Marquis presents some very powerful and reasonable arguments against abortion, I will argue that Judith Jarvis Thomson’s defense of abortion is stronger and more reasonable. In Thomson’s article â€Å"A Defence of Abortion†, she states several different arguments which discuss the difference between unjust and not unjust. â€Å"The right to life consists not in the right not to be killed, but rather in the right not to be killed unjustly† (Thomson, 1986). Thomson’s view on abortion is that everything focuses on whether or not the fetus has the right to be using a woman’s body. If the fetus does not have the right, then it is not unjust to abort the baby. Thomson believes that most of the time a fetus does not have the right to use a woman’s body; therefore in this instance it is permissible to have an abortion. Every person has individual responsibilities depending on different aspects of their life. (Responsibilities and knowledge ? ) In order to better relay her argument, Thomson uses several unique examples that have nothing at all to do with abortion, but the examples can be completely interchangeable with her arguments on abortion. Imagine that without any consent, a famous, unconscious violinist is attached to your circulatory system. It has been decided that you were the only person available who has the same blood type as the violinist and in order to save his life yours has been sacrificed. After nine months he will be able to live on his own, but if he is unplugged before then he will die. If the violinist was replaced with a fetus, how would this example differ? It wouldn’t at all. A fetus stays in a woman’s body for nine months, using most if not all of the woman’s organs to survive. The difference between this example and planned pregnancy is that there was no consent given for the fetus to use the mother’s body. Therefore, there are no moral obligations to keep the fetus (or person in the violinist example) alive. On the other hand, not sharing a box of chocolates that two brothers had the same rights to is being completely unjust. An example about a burglar is used to explain Thomson’s second major point. You open a window because it is too warm, fully aware that there are burglars around and a burglar climbs in the window. This example compares to voluntarily engaging in sexual intercourse and being fully aware of the possible outcome of becoming pregnant. Because it is voluntary and the person has complete knowledge of the possible consequences, there is no moral obligation to keep the fetus (or burglar) alive. Just because a woman engaged in sexual intercourse with full knowledge that she could get pregnant (inviting the fetus in) does not give the fetus a right to be using her body, therefore it is unjust. Similar to the burglar example is the â€Å"people seeds† example. Imagine there were â€Å"people seeds† and if they entered your house, you would become pregnant. You took all of the precautions by putting special net screens on the windows, but there is always that small chance that a seed could enter the house and it does. Everything is the same in this example as the previous one, except all necessary precautions were taken. Unfortunately consequences resulted in a defect in protection; therefore there is still no moral obligations to keep the fetus (seed) alive. Don Marquis began his article titled â€Å"Why Abortion is Immortal† by splitting it into two positions which included Sanctity of Life Position and the Fetus is Not a Person Position. The Sanctity of Life Position or Pro-Life argues that a fetus is human life and it is naturally wrong to take a human life, therefore abortion is morally wrong. The anti-abortionist will say â€Å"It is always prima facie seriously wrong to take a human life† (Marquis, 1989). Marquis claims that this position is way too broad because it mainly focuses on the wrongness of killing which covers too much. On the other hand, the Fetus is Not a Person Position or Pro-Choice argues that a fetus is not a developed person and it lacks psychological characteristics that constitute a person and is not a social or a human being. The pro-choicer will say, â€Å"It is only seriously wrong to take the life of a member of the human community† (Marquis, 1989). Therefore, abortion is not wrong because a fetus is not a person. Marquis claims that this position is too narrow because it concentrates on â€Å"finding a moral principle concerning the wrongness of killing†. Marquis believes that in the abortion debate people are focusing on the wrong things. He says that we need to focus more on the morality of life taking and less about personhood. The very first thing he brings up is that every person deserves the same right to life that we have. This is his first point arguing against abortion because he says that it completely takes away the fetus’s future and its right to life. He believes that abortion is extremely wrong, just as morally wrong as killing a person. He then goes on to discuss the three main reasons why he believes that killing is wrong: (1) killing brutalizes the one who kills because killing is immortal, (2) killing results in others experiencing a great loss, and (3) killing results in the removal of a person from basic society needs. A fetus is completely dependent on its mother or care taker. If placed in the wild it would most likely die, a fetus does not have the proper physical characteristics or abilities to take care of itself therefore I do not believe that a fetus is a human being. â€Å"All humans, whatever their race, gender, religion or age, have the right to life† (Marquis, 1989). I could not agree more with Marquis when he says that all humans have the right to a valuable future like our own. As Thomson would also agree, but she would argue that a fetus is not a human, as previously stated, consequently this would not apply to abortion through Thomson’s eyes. . M – wrong with killing – (Kant) imperfect duty to ourselves, value of life in general, killing is brutal because it is immortal b. Euthanasia c. Argument: bringing someone into the world that a woman does not want or does not have the resources to take care of child Another debatable point that Thomson brings up is the chance of a mother dying during pregnancy. Thomson states, â€Å"†¦I am not claiming that people have a right to do anything whatever to save their lives. I think, rather, that there are drastic limits to the right of self-defense† (Thomson, 1986). Killing the mother and letting the mother die are just as equally unjust. In other words watching the mother die and not doing a thing about it is equally immoral as killing her, therefore Although I am pro-choice and fully agree with Thomson and her arguments, it is very common for depression to occur after an abortion is completed. Marquis brings this point up when he discusses his reasons as to why killing is wrong. He states that killing brutalizes the one who kills. In order for me to agree with this statement when talking about abortion I would have to substitute killing and kills for abortion and aborts. Marquis’s third statement about why killing is wrong is â€Å"a killing results in the deprivation of all of another’s experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments that would otherwise have contributed her future† (Marquis, 1989). Abortion does not fit under this category at all because abortion is legal. If a thirty-four year old person was killed, the murderer would obviously go to jail for performing an illegal action and would be deprived of all of his experiences, activities, etc.

Successful Management of the Diverse Workforce Essay -- essays researc

When a person thinks of diversity in the workforce, they think of cultural differences. In most cases that is true but diversity in the workforce can be many things not just cultural differences. Dictionary.com says that diversity is the fact or quality of being diverse; difference and a point or respect in which things differs. We are going to look at the diversity of a job facility for the developmentally disabled adult. Working in a job facility for the developmentally disabled (DD) adult has diversity that you would not find working in a regular job. There are federal and state regulations that have to be followed and there is continues training for the employees of the facilities on how to work with the clients on a daily basis. There is also training on how to deal with the emotions of the clients. I. Diversity in the workplace According to sacsconsulting.com, The United States is a "melting pot". Our American backgrounds are richly diverse. We each approach the world differently and our personality reflects our background. These diverse worldviews spill over in the workplace and can cause troublesome issues! The U.S. Department of Labor has found that 51% of conflicts and confrontation in the workplace are due to employees and employers not accepting or understanding individual differences. With an adult job, facility for the DD if the staff and the company as a whole do not accept that each DD adult is different and has a personality different from someone else there will be conflict and the conflict could lead to abuse. These reasons are why in an adult job facility for the developmentally disabled there is a lot of diversity that goes into making it run. There is the board of directors, the president, site coordinators, job developers, and regular staff. The Board of directors decide if it is feasible to open more day faculties or not to. Susan the president of Phoenix Alternative Incorporated (PAI) an adult job facility for the DD has been working in the DD field for 32 years. Susan has seen it all she has seen the demise of the institutes and the conception of PAI where she is the president in 1989. According to the company web site, it states that Leadership is provided by the Board of Directors and the president, who set the agency's overall direction. The programs continue to diversify to meet the grow... ...le have to have special feelings for the DD and have patience for the clients. It takes a diverse staff and company to work with the different personalities of the clients. Where one client does not get along with one staff, they will get along with another staff member. According to Volman, it is neither productive nor accurate to solely attribute the mental disorder to the actual functioning intelligence level. The different intelligence levels of the clients make for a diverse work experience and whoever chooses to work with the DD needs to be prepared for change in their lives. Diversity in the Workforce. (N.D.). Sacs consulting & Investigation Services, Inc. Retrieved December 8, 2004. From http://www.sacsconsulting.com/diversity.htm Phoenix Alternatives Inc. Phoenix Alternative Inc. (n.d.). History of Our Company. Retrieved December 8, 2004. http://www.phoenixalternatives.org/PAI%20History.htm Volman, Steven M., PsyD. (2003). Working With Developmentally Disabled Clients. In Continental Connection. Retrieved December 8, 2004, from http://www.chnpartnerships.com/provider_info/CHN-NewsletterSpring2003.pdf#search='working%20with%20disabled Phoenix Alternatives Inc. Successful Management of the Diverse Workforce Essay -- essays researc When a person thinks of diversity in the workforce, they think of cultural differences. In most cases that is true but diversity in the workforce can be many things not just cultural differences. Dictionary.com says that diversity is the fact or quality of being diverse; difference and a point or respect in which things differs. We are going to look at the diversity of a job facility for the developmentally disabled adult. Working in a job facility for the developmentally disabled (DD) adult has diversity that you would not find working in a regular job. There are federal and state regulations that have to be followed and there is continues training for the employees of the facilities on how to work with the clients on a daily basis. There is also training on how to deal with the emotions of the clients. I. Diversity in the workplace According to sacsconsulting.com, The United States is a "melting pot". Our American backgrounds are richly diverse. We each approach the world differently and our personality reflects our background. These diverse worldviews spill over in the workplace and can cause troublesome issues! The U.S. Department of Labor has found that 51% of conflicts and confrontation in the workplace are due to employees and employers not accepting or understanding individual differences. With an adult job, facility for the DD if the staff and the company as a whole do not accept that each DD adult is different and has a personality different from someone else there will be conflict and the conflict could lead to abuse. These reasons are why in an adult job facility for the developmentally disabled there is a lot of diversity that goes into making it run. There is the board of directors, the president, site coordinators, job developers, and regular staff. The Board of directors decide if it is feasible to open more day faculties or not to. Susan the president of Phoenix Alternative Incorporated (PAI) an adult job facility for the DD has been working in the DD field for 32 years. Susan has seen it all she has seen the demise of the institutes and the conception of PAI where she is the president in 1989. According to the company web site, it states that Leadership is provided by the Board of Directors and the president, who set the agency's overall direction. The programs continue to diversify to meet the grow... ...le have to have special feelings for the DD and have patience for the clients. It takes a diverse staff and company to work with the different personalities of the clients. Where one client does not get along with one staff, they will get along with another staff member. According to Volman, it is neither productive nor accurate to solely attribute the mental disorder to the actual functioning intelligence level. The different intelligence levels of the clients make for a diverse work experience and whoever chooses to work with the DD needs to be prepared for change in their lives. Diversity in the Workforce. (N.D.). Sacs consulting & Investigation Services, Inc. Retrieved December 8, 2004. From http://www.sacsconsulting.com/diversity.htm Phoenix Alternatives Inc. Phoenix Alternative Inc. (n.d.). History of Our Company. Retrieved December 8, 2004. http://www.phoenixalternatives.org/PAI%20History.htm Volman, Steven M., PsyD. (2003). Working With Developmentally Disabled Clients. In Continental Connection. Retrieved December 8, 2004, from http://www.chnpartnerships.com/provider_info/CHN-NewsletterSpring2003.pdf#search='working%20with%20disabled Phoenix Alternatives Inc.

Music’s power over the universe Essay

Throughout generations, freedom of expression has found its way to be the most convenient, and sometimes effective, way of people to convey their thoughts. Art has been a strong medium for people to say what they really feel, aside from words. With this premise, it is of no doubt that music as well has been a powerful tool over one’s mind and body. Music evolved on how generations changed through the years. More often than not, it has been a symbol of different ages, showing the rest on what they believe in. It has also been a catalyst of changes, whether to a large political scale or just a personal dilemma. Some people also consider music as a point of inspiration, as Plato quoted, â€Å"Music can instill self control among the young†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . But this is not always the case; music can also be a point of destruction to some. In essence, as music fits every generation that lives, it has become a human diary. It is a reminder of our past experience, whether success or failure. It cultivated our thoughts and disposition in life and continues to assume this role even in the future. Even history books acknowledge the lasting existing of this form of art. It has its own way of controlling our universe. Why such power is attributed to music? One thing to music is its versatility. Basically, it is hard to find a human being not being affected by music. Many people make money out of it, as well as many people spend money for it. It has served as a ladder to iconic artists through the years and even to some who almost played god. But music also served the hearts of those downtrodden, as their shield in time of life trials. Whatever ways music was used, its primary goal is to elate people to their own satisfaction or â€Å"happiness†. In his book, Psychology of Music, Carl Seashore shows us that music can actually govern a human behavior, intelligence, pain tolerance and health. Even science acknowledges the power of music to heal and to promote health. Horace Mann supports this thought in the 19th century. It can both affect one’s biological and its vitality (Morgan, 2008). Much social researches have also been devoted on how music represents most of the society’s perception from day-to-day life. These evidences show that music in one way or another control the being of the universe. People breathe life into this universe, and music gives people the reason for living. In much ways, music has been a long-standing way to comprehend the success and perils of humanity. Its control can be felt on how it influences the personalities of most people. However, this must not limit our big perception to music. In one way or another, even if it gives meaning to the human spirit, our feelings and behaviors are still governed by life circumstances. Pure human experiences are still the bases of music. Diserens and Fine explained that we tend to think music powerful because it jives to what we think and what we have experienced before. We find it powerful because it has puts words to our minds on feelings that we cannot explain. However, on the standpoint the music’s power can be a controlling force to the universe, this can be true. Music has gave more meaning to human existence, gave life to the strong feelings and ideas that are also brought about the human mind. Its existence from the earliest generations to the present shows us that people permit music to be part of their lives, to be their other speaking voice. Whether in spiritual or earthly form, music has intensified the reasons why this universe that we know must exist. References Diserens, C. M. , & Fine, H. (2008). A Psychology Of Music: The Influence Of Music On Behavior. New York: Kessinger Publishing, Llc. Morgan, J. E. (2008). Horace Mann: His Ideas And Ideals. New York: Kessinger Publishing, Llc. Plato. (2005). Plato Complete Works. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company. Seashore, C. E. (2008). Psychology Of Music. United States of America: Spencer Press.

Strategic Management Case Study Module 7

Strategic Management Module 7 Case Study Daryl L. Young Thomas Edison State College Strategic Management Module 7 Case Study Housing Bubble and Its Burst Case Study Question 1: Explain the cause of the housing bubble and its burst in the mid-2000s. To what extent is this problem the result of ethical failure? Housing Bubble No single cause can fully explain the crisis but, in my opinion, the two major bases were legislation that promoted homeownership and subprime mortgages. To fully understand the environment that spawned the housing bubble, we’ll have to travel back to the 1930s, when the country was in the midst of the Great Depression.During this time frame, homeownership represented only about 40 percent of the U. S. households (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, Strickland, 2012, p. c-423). Following severe mortgage market disruptions, widespread foreclosures, and sinking homeownership rates, the government created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae, the Federa l Home Loan Bank (FHLB), and several decades later Freddie Mac to help promote secure and sustainable homeownership for future generation of Americans (Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market, A Report to Congress, 2011, P. 5).A Subprime Mortgage is a type of mortgage that is normally made out to borrowers with lower credit ratings; a conventional mortgage is not offered because the lender views the borrower as having a larger-than-average risk of defaulting on the loan; lending institutions often charge interest on subprime mortgages at a rate that is higher in order to compensate themselves for carrying more risk, as defined by Investopedia. com, 2013. In 1994, subprime mortgages represented approximately 6 percent of total mortgage loans originated but by 2005 the percentage grew to 37. (Thomson et al. , 2012). Private firms like Countrywide, and others, issued more than 84 percent of the subprime mortgages in 2006 (Swift, 2011). Fast-forward to the 2000s and the effect s of federal legislation over 60 years increased homeownership to nearly 70 percent (Thomson et al. , 2012) coupled with an explosion of subprime mortgages, and appreciation of homes values resulted in the housing bubble. Housing Bubble Burst As there are several factors that created the bubble, there are just as many that were responsible for its burst.The most significant factors were the repeal of a major component of the Glass-Steagall Act and a weakened housing market. First, lets look at the Glass-Steagall Act. One of the components in the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 separated investment (brokerage) and commercial banking activities (investopedia. com, 2009). The clause stipulated that banks would be allowed to take deposits and make loans, brokers would be allowed to underwrite and sell securities, but no firm would be allowed to do both due to the conflicts of interest and risks to insured deposits (Rickards, 2012). In 1999, President Bill Clinton and Republicans led by Sen.P hil Gramm repealed part of the Glass-Steagall Act, removing barriers that prohibited any one institution from acting as any combination, at the behest of big banks (Rickards, 2012). Secondly, the U. S. economy began to weaken, with declining demand for housing, which caused home prices to plummet and appreciation in home prices came to an end, and in most cases reversing (Thompson et al. , 2012). Homeowners, investors, and financial institutions did not have enough capital supporting their investments to absorb the resulting losses (Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market, A Report to Congress, 2011, P. ). Homeowners were faced with foreclosure when they lost income during the economy slowdown or seen their payment on Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) rise to a point of unaffordability (Thompson et al. , 2012). In 2008, credit markets froze. Our nation's financial system – which had outgrown and outmaneuvered a regulatory framework largely designed in the 1930s †“ was driven to the brink of collapse. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, families lost their homes, and small businesses shut down (Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market, A Report to Congress, 2011, P. 5). Countrywides’ RoleCase Study Question 2: Evaluate Countrywide’s role in the subprime mortgage debacle. Was the company’s conduct unethical or illegal? Countrywide’s Role From 2005 to 2007, Countrywide was the leading subprime lender in the country issuing $97. 2 billion in subprime mortgages (Bloomberg Business Week, 2009) but only led in market share by 2 percent. The bottom 16 subprime mortgage-issuing firms accounted for $363. 5 billion in mortgages (reference chart 1). Countrywide was responsible for 10 percent of a $1 trillion problem. Conduct Unethical or Illegal Countrywide practices were illegal.Countrywide was charged with predatory lending practices (Thompson et al. , 2012) and later reached a multi-state settlement for $8. 68 billion (Huffman, 2008). â€Å" Countrywide’s lending practices turned the American dream into a nightmare fore tens of thousands of families by putting them into loans they couldn’t understand and ultimately couldn’t afford,† said Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. , a co-leader of the negotiations for the states (Huffman, 2008). Countrywide settlement became the largest predatory lending settlement in history, dwarfing the nationwide $484 million settlement (Huffman, 2008).Case Study Question 3: Using this case as an example, who benefits and who gets hurt when a company engages in unethical or socially irresponsible behavior? In the long-term, no one benefits from this behavior. In this case study, the companies, shareholders, consumers, and global economy all suffered from the irresponsible behavior of many in the financial sector. Between June 2007 and November 2008, Americans lost more than a quarter of their net worth (Wikipedia. org, 2013). T otal retirement assets dropped by 22 percent, from $10. 3 trillion in 2006 to $8 trillion in mid-2008 (Wikipedia. org, 2013).As with most unethical or irresponsible corporate behavior there are no long-term winners. References Denning, S. (2001). Lest We Forget: Why We Had a Financial Crisis. Forbes. Retrieve from: http://www. forbes. com/sites/stevedenning/2011/11/22/5086/ Huffman, M. (2008). Countrywide Settles Predatory Lending Charges for $8. 68 Billion. Consumer Affairs. Retrieved from: http://www. consumeraffairs. com/news04/2008/10/ countrywide_settlement. html Investopedia. (2013). Definition of Housing Bubble. Retrieved from: http://www. investopedia. com/terms/h/housing_bubble. asp#axzz2NRrhirhT Rickards, J. (2012).Repeal of Glass-Steagall Caused the Financial Crisis. Economic Intelligence. Retrieved from: http://www. usnews. com/opinion/blogs/economic- intelligence/2012/08/27/repeal-of-glass-steagall-caused-the-financial-crisis The Department of the Treasury. (2011). Refo rming America’s Housing Finance Markets, A Report to Congress. Retrieved from: http://www. treasury. gov/initiatives/Documents/ Reforming%20America's%20Housing%20Finance%20Market. pdf Thompson, A. , Peteraf, M. , Gamble, J. , Strickland III, A. (2012). Crafting & Executing Strategy, The Quest for Competitive Advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

tax on junk food Essay Example

tax on junk food Essay Example tax on junk food Essay tax on junk food Essay Yes The federal government needs to stop paying attention to all the food lobbyists and do what is right for the American people. Cheap fast food and many unhealthy foods that contain unhealthy products are subsidized by the govt. The government needs to make healthy fruits and vegetables cheaper so that the average American can afford to spend their money purchasing real food instead of food that will ultimately lead them to obesity and a life on medication. Sin taxes already exist on unhealthy items; it can be extended to unhealthy food. Sin tax is already widely applied to many substances, such as alcohol and tobacco. Food containing absolutely no nutritional value, or food that is quantifiably unhealthy, should also be subject to these taxes. By making the unhealthy food more expensive, healthy food will be cheaper in comparison, which would result in more people choosing more healthy food options. Yes, taxing fast food and similar food products would create additional incentive for consumers to eat healthier. But it would also penalize some poor people. Taxes do seem to affect consumer behavior. Witness the decline of smokers as a proportion of the population over the past few decades, from a prevalence of about 45 percent to perhaps 20 or 25 percent today (a great public health victory). There seems to be little question, furthermore, that fast food, based on fat, poor utritional content, and other factors, carries risks that can contribute to obesity and other chronic health problems. But those consumers who continue to purchase fast food, out of habit, preference, or convenience (insofar as fast food producers do not offer many healthier alternatives), will be penalized, and many of these consumers are poor. This option should therefore not be ruled out, but it should not be the only policy option on the table, nor should it be implemented in a cavalier fashion.

Analysis of Computerisation at Pizza Hut Essay Sample

In the economic sciences of industrial society. the intent of the cybernation of the workplace is to replace labour with machines. thereby cut downing the unit cost of production while increasing both productiveness and efficiency. Alternatively of engaging 20 workers to carry through one undertaking. an employer can merely purchase one machine to make the same undertaking faster and more expeditiously ; less resources are invested while much more end product is generated. In general theory. the debut of engineering into the workplace spurs economic growing and prosperity. ensuing in the creative activity of more and better occupations. higher rewards and an increased criterion of life. However. when looking at specific informations and analysis. it becomes evident that each degree of worker is clearly affected by the cybernation of the workplace. Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is one of the flagship trade names of Yum! Restaurant Int. which besides has subordinate concerns and celebrated trade names like KFC. Taco Bell. A A ; W and Long John Silver’s under one trade name umbrella. It is the world’s largest pizza concatenation more than 13. 000 eating houses across 97 states. Pizza Hut increases his operations in last five old ages. In India. Pizza Hut has 143 eating houses across 34 metropoliss. including Delhi. Mumbai. Banglore. Chennai. Kolkata. Pune and Hyderabad. Great gustatory sensation and quality. assortment of pizzas and hallmark dining experience have made it possible for the company to for double-digit growing and scale up its presence to its current size. With a 27 per cent market portion of the eating-out market and over 70. 000 footsteps per twenty-four hours across the state Pizza Hut started its concern from India in 1996. and opened its first eating house in Bangalore. Pizza Hut maintained important growing and acquires a maximal portion of pizza market and sustained growing rate of above 40 per cent per annum. Pizza Hut operates through 95 mercantile establishments across 24 metropoliss in India which gave employment about 5000 people by the terminal of 2009. When come ining the delivery-segment of the pizza industry. Pizza Hut opted to utilize a computerized Customer Answering Service that would field all the calls from a peculiar country and so electronically send orders to the closest delivery-only units. Frankincense clients would merely hold to name one figure and non hold to speak to single bringing unit directors. Pizza Hut believed that this system would cut down the costs needed for keeping separate workers who would reply the phone at each unit. However. this system had several jobs in its initial installing such as orders being assorted up and other inefficiencies. As a consequence. Pizza Hut’s repute was damaged as consumers lost forbearance and religion in the company ; this allowed Domino’s. Pizza Hut’s chief rival to increase its market portion.

Law Offie - Marketing and Publicity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law Offie - Marketing and Publicity - Assignment Example the word-of-mouth advertising is not sufficient for the attraction and retention of clientele, and it is critical to introduce other modes of marketing within our firm. It is significant for our firm to implement a suitable business plan in accordance with the nation’s set rules. Owing to my 20 years in the field, my observation compelled me to conclude that numerous law firms do not clearly understand marketing within their firm. As such, failure has resulted in many firms thereby incurring significant losses. In a marketing plan, it will be imperative for ILaw Chambers LLC to look into the following: All members of the firm ought to improve on their impression while meeting with clients. It is also critical to focus on clients’ special needs, which are different from our fields (Roper 2007, 500). This aids in connecting with the client personally, and hence winning their trust. Additionally, though it may be imperative to hand out business cards, it is critical to consider individuals that you give the business cards. It is also crucial to form and maintain the contacts of target clients. It is critical for our firm to consider our target customer (Roper 2007, 500). This will significantly aid in the selection of a proper marketing option that will reach the larger number of clients. Choice of a proper advertising plan is crucial since reaching our target clients means an improvement in our client base, thereby leading to the growth of our firm. Failure to consider our target markets may result in wasting money on wrong forms of media advertisement, which may be costly and time wasting. Technology has capacitated various businesses to relate with their target customers. It also enables marketers to promote new products cheaply. As such, it will be critical for our firm to incorporate technology in advertising our firm. Various social media networks will assist us significantly in promoting our service to potential clients. This will aid in attracting and

Security Architecture & Design models Assignment

Security Architecture & Design models - Assignment Example Coming up with the best security architecture requires the management of an organization to  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   perform a risk assessment and management process in order to come up with the best security model to secure the system. The risk assessment will identify the extent of the system if the system is large with interrelated components, the data locations and storage of the system. Determining if the system uses the Internet for functions like data transfer and identifying all the resources and hardware components being   utilized by the system. The risk assessment will identify the potential risks that a system can have or might face in the future.  The management the is aiming to ensure information security should consider the following types of security architecture models. The security models are used to create several access control levels. The security models include access matrix, Bell-Lapadula, Lettice, information flow, Clark-Wilson, the state machine   and Biba. The security models contain the following components. Data classification model that facilitates wider sharing of information through ensuring that information have been given additional controls. The model classifies information into several categories like low, medium, high and unclassified. Data security model assist the users in making sure the information is secured in the appropriate manner. The security model creates several security categories for the processes, hardware devices, hard-drives and the various users of the information.

Relationship Between Development Of The Sound System And Overall Motor Essay

Relationship Between Development Of The Sound System And Overall Motor Development In Children - Essay Example This essay stresses that that two children by dissimilar patterns of production of speech sounds throughout an early period of phonological development preserve dissimilarity in production patterns during the developmental period. This paper makes a conclusion that though equally children's articulatory skills appeared to be inside normal limits, as compared by their peers, one was in advance of the further in completing the phonetic inventory. Furthermore, their approaches to the manufacture of polysyllabic words at Time 1 were evocative of their later production skills for incessant speech. Even though these outcomes are not broadly generalizable, they begin to offer evidence for untried hypotheses in the literature concerning the relationship between premature pronunciation processes and afterward pronunciation skill. Several predictions made by this study that may be tested by potential studies are the subsequent: 1. First of all the use of glottal and glide substitute for intervocalic consonants throughout early stages of development may be prognostic of moderately slower development of precise articulatory motion wanted for the production of affricates and no early clusters. 2. Early concluding consonant deletion, glottal, and glide substitute do not come into view to be analytical, necessarily, of a wide-ranging linguistic deficit or a harsh phonological difficulty. 3. No doubt, a premature partiality for assimilation and reduplication processes does not come into view to be prognostic of sluggish phonological learning.

Why Do Nations Engage In Trade?

Why Do Nations Engage In Trade? Regional Economic Integration: Why is it happening? Why do nations engage in trade? Provide examples of the levels of economic integration. The reason why the Regional Economic Integration is happening because nowadays we have the open market in which every countries or state can have the free trade to others countries. This integration results from regional economic integration blocs in which member countries agree to eliminate tariffs and other restrictions on the cross-national flow of products, services, capital and in more advanced stages labor within the bloc (3). One of the most important things that lead to this integration is the globalization. It affects no on many types of life including the economy. So that, this is a significance to have the Economic integration in order to have the better economy in which the globalization is making its effects on. Nations engage in economic integration because each country cannot produce all the goods and services it needs. Therefore, countries produce what they are good at and have abundant supply of raw materials, and then they trade another country in exchange for something that they need. Some countries trade with other nations for particular goods and services because they either lack the technology to produce the goods themselves or the other countries can do it cheaper. One country may have the advance at producing high quality cabinets and entertainment stands for large screen televisions. Another country may have the resources for producing goods but they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have the technology. It would benefit both countries to trade with one another for their different but complementary goods and services. There are several levels of the regional economic integration which are the Free Trade Area, The Custom Union, The Common Market, and The Economic Union. The Free Trade Area is the least restrictive form of economic integration among countries. In a free trade area, all barriers to trade among member countries are removed. (1) Therefore, goods and services are freely traded among member countries in much the same way that they flow freely between, for example, Southeast Asia and America. There are no discriminatory taxes, quotas tariffs, or other trade barriers are allowed. Sometimes a free trade area is formed only for certain classes of goods and services. The most notable feature of a free trade area is that each member country is free to set any tariffs, quotas, or other restriction that it chooses for trade with countries outside the free trade area. European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are one of the biggest free trade areas in the world. The customs union is one step further along the spectrum of economic integration. Like a free trade area, it eliminates trade barriers between member countries and adopts a common external trade policy (2) in goods and services among themselves. One of the biggest customs unions is the Andean Pact. It has Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru as its members. In addition, however, the customs union establishes a common trade policy with respect to nonmembers. Typically, this takes the form of a common external tariff, whereby imports from nonmembers are subject to the same tariff when sold to any member country. Tariff revenues are then shared among members according to a perspective formula. The common market has no barriers to trade among members and has a common external trade policy like the customs union. Additionally, the common market removes restrictions on the movement of the factors of production (labor, capital, and technology) across borders. (2) Thus, restrictions on immigration, emigration, and cross-border investment are abolished. When factors of production are freely mobile, then capital, labor, and technology may be employed in their most productive uses. An economic union has the free flow of products and factors of production between members, a common external trade policy, a common currency, a harmonized tax rate, and a common monetary and fiscal policy.(2) EU is the most important economic in the world in which almost European countries are the members. It has the great effect to the world economy. The creation of a true economic union requires integration of economic policies in addition to the free movement of goods, services, and factors of production across borders. Under an economic union, members would harmonize monetary policies, taxation, and government spending. In addition, a common currency would be used by all members. This could be accomplished by membersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ countries agreeing to a common currency or in effect, by a system of fixed exchange rates. Clearly, the formation of an economic union requires nations to surrender a large measure of their formation of an economic union requires nations to surrende r a large measure of their national sovereignty. Needless to say, the barriers to full economic union are quite strong. Our global political system is built on the autonomy and supreme power of the nation-state, and attempts to undermine the authority of the state will undoubtedly always encounter opposition. As a result, no true economic unions are in effect today. Montessori Education: Principles, Philosophy And Practice Montessori Education: Principles, Philosophy And Practice The Montessori Method developed initially at the first Casa dei Bambini that Montessori established in 1906 in San Lorenzo in Rome. As with modern Montessori education, the basic principles were straightforward. First, Montessori believed that children were innate knowledge seekers and that they taught themselves. As she expressed it, young learners were self-creating. Second, Montessori believed that, at each stage of development, education should include and evolve within prepared environments, environments that enabled children to take on accountability for their own learning as they engaged the processes relevant to becoming able and actu alized adults and citizens. More specifically, according to the American Montessori Society (AMS), Montessoris pedagogy stressed the following critical and structuring notions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The aim of Montessori education is to foster competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning occurs in an inquiring, cooperative, nurturing atmosphere. Students increase their own knowledge through both self- and teacher-initiated experiences; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn by manipulating materials and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The individual is considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual, and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important; [and] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Respect and caring attitudes for oneself, others, the environment, and all life are necessary. 5 Pedagogically, perhaps the most important, and most famous, emphases are Montessoris conceptualizations of the prepared environment and the developmental plane. According to the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI, founded by Montessori herself in 1929), the prepared environment of the Montessori classroom is one where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work [and where their] innate passion[s] for learning [are] encouraged by giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult. [Here, and t]hrough their work, the children develop concentration and joyful self-discipline.] Within a framework of order, [they] progress at their own pace and rhythm, according to their individual capabilities. 6 These are environments that allow [children] to take responsibility for their own education, giving them the opportunity to become human beings able to function independently and hence interdependently. 7 From this view, the prepared environment is one that can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child, one in which there is a variety of activity as well as a great deal of movement. In this situation, according to the Montessori approach, this necessary preparedness enables children [to] work on activities of their own choice at their own pace. Further, [t]hey [children] experience a blend of freedom and self-discipline in a place especially designed to meet their developmental needs. 8 The notion of prepared environment is related, moreover, to the manipulation of learning materials and to the understanding of normalization. From the Montessorian view, materials are to be accessible (e.g., placed on appropriately high or low shelves) and available for individual student choice, interest, and use. They are, to a large extent, fully the responsibility of students-regardless of age (e.g., students obtain, return, and maintain them). More pedagogically precise, these materials aim at inducing activity, isolating a particular learning quality (e.g., comparison and contrast, size, color, shape, etc.), and inducing self-correctivity (i.e., students can perceive errors relative to their learning via the materials and correct them without [or with minimal] adult intervention) and interrelationality (i.e., that the various materials [should] build one upon the others). 9 Normalization, for Montessori, meant not its typical (or normal) definition of conformity and what is normal but, instead, a developmental process, one inextricably tied to the appropriate preparation of the pedagogical environment. Montessori obs erved that children do best in schools (and education more broadly) given maximal freedom in an environment designed to meet their unique growth and personal and social needs. Through continued work with materials that held their interest, selected independently from within the prepared environment, Montessori noted that children eventually acquired an increased sense of satisfaction, self, and inner fulfillment. The course through which this evolution occurred defined for her the nature and significance of normalization. As she wrote in The Absorbent Mind: Only normalized children, aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those wonderful powers that we describe: spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ An interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the childs energies and mental capacities, and leads him [or her] to self-mastery à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One is tempted to say that the children are performing spiritual exercises, having found the path of self-perfectionment and of ascent to the inner heights of the soul. 10 As E. M. Standing, in Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, defined the characteristics of normalization, they are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of order à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of work à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous concentration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attachment to reality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of silence and of working alone à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sublimation of the possessive instinct à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [The p]ower to act from real choice à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obedience à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Independence and initiative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous self-discipline à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Joy As the North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA) says, Montessori believed that these are the truly normal characteristics of childhood, which emerge when childrens developmental needs are met. 11 The idea of developmental plane designates the transitions that occur during the birth through adulthood evolution of human beings. According to AMI, the specific planes are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Birth to age six: children are sensorial explorers, constructing their intellects by absorbing every aspect of their environment, their language[,] and their culture; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age six to age twelve: children become conceptual explorers[; they] develop their powers of abstraction and imagination, and apply their knowledge to discover and expand their worlds further; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age twelve to age eighteen: children become humanistic explorers, seeking to understand their place in society and their opportunity to contribute to it; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age eighteen to age twenty-four: as young adults, [individuals] become specialized explorers, seeking a niche from which to contribute to universal dialogue. 12 More specifically, Montessori classrooms are divided into three-year groups, the purpose of which, according to Montessoris theories and observations, is to facilitate precisely and appropriately the continuum of growth and learning via human interaction and personal development and exploration, here both in terms of the individual and the social. 13 The multi-age divisions of the Montessori program are (1) parent-infant (ages 0-3), preschool (ages 3-6), lower and upper elementary (ages 6-9 and 9-12), and middle school (ages 12-14). Again, each presents its own precise purposes, materials, and activities and methodologies. 14 And yet Montessorian curriculum and instruction can be both complex and multiple, formal as well as unpredictable and less than rigid. Consider the following applied example. At the elementary level, the expectations of the learner and the appropriate pedagogical principles include: 1. Lesson repetition among students individually, that is after the initial presentation by the teacher, in order to concretize abstract concepts; 2. Cross-curriculum webbing; 3. The view that ability is individual-adults and children work to the potential of each person, not to the average; 4. Ever-deepening interest on the part of the learner; 5. The perspective that respect, freedom, and responsibility are interdependent. Our question, of course, is what these might mean in practice. Lesson repetition implies recurrence and redundancy-not in a negative way but as individually developed experiences in an effort to habitualize, routinize, and conceptualize key (especially unfamiliar) ideas, such as, perhaps, counting and various other mathematical notions. Webbing suggests that each new idea leads to-and connects with-others, whether presented earlier or presented later. The individual nature of ability, as opposed to the average level of students, indicates focusing on children moving forward according to their own singular lesson paces without unwarranted stigmatizations and without undue pressure to track. The idea of ever-increasing interest insinuates learners follow their own natural curiosities and inclinations (a la Kilpatrick?), particularly vis-à  -vis engaging the essential question of why? Lastly, regarding the case of the interconnectedness of ideas, such as respect, freedom, and responsibility, Montessori understandings suggest a relationship among values, culture, growth, success, and maturity, settings important, ultimately, to both liberal and conservative critics of contemporary American public schooling. DEFENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MONTESSORI EDUCATION According to NAMTA, well over 200 U.S. public schools are now Montessori-oriented, a number that continues to grow. 15 When viewed within the context of other contemporary public (though, granted, sometimes private as well) school reform trends (e.g., Waldorf education, charter schools, vouchers, public school choice), the commitment to Montessori public education seems to support at least two significant points. First, it represents, to some extent, the present dissatisfaction with traditional public schooling (or at least dominant images of it). Second, it supports the notion that another way-Montessori, Waldorf, and so on-might provide and prove to be a better way (especially within the contexts of the No Child Left Behind Act and standards-based educational reform). Fundamentally, Montessori education offers but one alternative to the criticisms leveled at public schools from critics both of the political and pedagogical left and the political and pedagogical right. The standard right-wing critique centers on the beliefs that schools today are failing because they (1) have standards that are too low, (2) replicate the worthless theories and perspectives of the liberal educational establishment, (3) maintain a monopoly, (4) focus on self-esteem (and the like) over content, (5) rely on progressive methods at the expense of direct instruction, (6) have privileged cultural relativism over traditional values and character, (7) have usurped the power and position of parents, and (8) misguidedly throw more money at schools even though this is neither (from this view) a solution to educational problems nor the answer to educational improvement. 16 The standard left-wing critique is that schools fail students because they (1) stifle freedom and creativity in favor of conformity and discipline, (2) are dominated by noneducators (e.g., corporations, politicians, managers, test companies), (3) are too centrally controlled, (4) focus too much on fact- based, standardized content, (5) are too traditional in terms of assessment and instructional methods, (6) hyperemphasize homogeneity at the expense of diversity and difference, (7) neglect neighborhoods and local communities, and (8) are underfunded. 17 Conceivably, of course, one could make a case in favor of the truth or utility of either or both of these critiques (although, indeed, we are more sympathetic to contemporary left-based criticisms). And, most likely, Montessori educators and other interested stakeholders probably possess and espouse a range of viewpoints relative to the overall effectiveness of traditional public schooling. Yet, what the Montessori approach does is co nnect with the concerns many (though not necessarily most) parents have (rightly or wrongly) that, at least broadly speaking, American public schools are failing or at least not up to snuff. While our own position is that this is not inevitably the case, 18 even so, Montessori education provides one appropriate and legitimate response to dominant modes of public schooling that can be consistent with a multitude of philosophical, pedagogical, political, and sociocultural goals. In fact, arguably, Montessorianism takes seriously the apprehensions of the entire spectrum of educational criticism (relative to official schooling). It emphasizes, for example, freedom, mastery, diversity, scientific research and methodologies, formal curriculum, individuality, fairness, planning, and hard work (among others)-each of which to some extent can meet the demands of both conservatives and liberals (if not others). That is not to say, of course, that the Montessori system is perfect-obviously, it is not. Yet, it does favorably compare with many aspects of more established modes of public education. According to NAMTA, the quintessential (and implicitly negative) characteristics of contemporary public school classrooms are their propensities toward: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Textbooks, pencil and paper, worksheets and dittos à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Working and learning without emphasis on social development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Narrow, unit-driven curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual subjects à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Block time, period lessons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Single-graded classrooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who are] passive, quiet, in desks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who] fit [the] mold of [their] school[s] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who] leave for special help à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product-focused report cards 19 Although, to some, this version of traditional education might seem to describe perfectly only the conservative agenda, increasingly it can be seen to characterize what we have previously called the liberal-conservative consensus and to indicate the current will-to-standardize or the standardization imperative of both the liberal and conservative race to the middle of the road. 20 In contrast, NAMTA characterizes the Montessori approach as favoring: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prepared kinesthetic materials with incorporated control of error [and] specially developed reference materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Working and learning matched to the social development of the child à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unified, internationally developed curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Integrated subjects and learning based on developmental psychology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Uninterrupted work cycles à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Multi-age classrooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which students are] active [and] talking, with periods of spontaneous quiet [and] freedom to move à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which] school[s] meet the needs of students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which special] help comes to students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Process-focused assessment, skills checklists, [and] mastery benchmarks 21 In effect, Montessori education provides parents and students an alternative option within the standard frameworks of public schooling. For those (generally liberal) critics who believe that traditional public education stifles freedom, individuality, and creativity, Montessori instruction offers spontaneity, choice, and creative student-centeredness. For those (generally conservative) critics who believe that public education has been dumbed down, is anti-knowledge, and is too touchy-feely, Montessori instruction offers hard work, discipline (in the most positive sense), and an emphasis on fundamental skills. CONCLUSIONS Montessori education in the public schools raises a number of questions, yet it implies, as well, a number of productive and pedagogically sound principles and practices. Some of the difficulties with the historical criticisms of the Montessori approach include such concerns as immutability versus evolution (i.e., the extent to which Montessori education changes or the extent to which it should or must change), truth or universality (i.e., the degree to which it implies a structure that can, or does, meet the needs of all individual students), and teacher education (i.e., the potential conflict between individual interpretation, creativity, and independence and individual teacher conformity and disciplinarity). At the extremes, these issues (rightly or wrongly, for good or bad) weigh heavily on the capacity of the Montessori approach to meet its educational agendas and its stated purposes. On the other hand, Montessori education represents a little known alternative to more traditional modes of public schooling; most members of the citizenry have no idea that such a state of affairs even exists. When most people think of public schools-their own, their childrens-they think of a homogeneous setting of traditionalism or of progressivism-either way, the same setup for everyone. Yet Montessori education demonstrates the diversity-often little understood, even unknown-that characterizes contemporary teaching and learning. This is most often, we think, quite a good thing. In any event, it presents the condition of effective methods regardless of ones political or pedagogical orientation-that is, whether one is conservative, liberal, reactionary, or radical. There is more going on, that is, than most people perceive. And, most profoundly, the Montessori effort-the movement-is on the ascendancy. In the end, with respect to public education, the Montessori philosophy and its attendant methodologies imply something new, ironically new given the long and successful history of Maria Montessoris efforts and influences. If nothing else, it remains, after all this time, an option worth exploring and taking seriously. It is a viewpoint that should be reconsidered, reckoned with, and continuously and rigorously pursued. It is, that is, not the same old thing.