Research Investigation Essay

A research investigation on what specific skills an actor would need learn in order to convincingly portray the role of Silvio in Carlo Goldoni’s, A Servant of Two Masters. Carlo Goldoni wrote the comedy â€Å"Arlecchino servitore di due padroni†, which translates into modern English as The Servant of Two Masters, a commedia dell’Arte-style play. The performers of Commedia were often illiterate, and as such there was no point to write down scripts and record the performance, it was improvised and modified, preserving the aspects the audience found amusing and excluding those that were less successful. In this way, Carlo Goldoni’s writing down of the play strictly goes against commedia traditions, as it is not the way things were done when it was originally staged. Despite performing all their plays in Italian for the first twenty or so years, Commedia troops had phenomenal success, perhaps because the slapstick nature of their comedy mingled with its vulgar humor was relatively easy to follow. The themes of the play, including love, romance, deception and the status between masters and servants, combine to create an enjoyable and greatly comical performance. The play also scrutinizes social boundaries that were once present. Such as, the idea of a woman being dressed as a man this was much more controversial in the 1700’s and especially a woman who defeats a man in combat, as Beatrice (comes to Venice dressed as a man in search of her beloved Florindo, She is also a part of the first lover couple along with Florindo) defeats Silvio. Smereldina (the maid of Clarice, she is an extremely feisty and slightly bitter character who wants more than anything to find a man and get married) also confronts Silvio and scorns him, which is something unparalleled in that time, a woman of the serving class reprimanding a man of status. The play also explores the lengths people will go to for the sake of love, the hopelessness of Florindo (a man banished from his home in Turin for his murder of Federigo Rasponi, and the lover of Beatrice who comes in search of him) and Beatrice’s relationship to find each other, as well as commenting on the importance of never giving up hope, because as they are about to kill themselves they find each other again. This is also reflected in the many difficult predicaments Truffaldino (the servant of both Florindo and Beatrice, he is a mischievous, hungry man who is seeking ways to better himself, he is comic relief and also the main protagonist) finds himself in, as no matter how hopeless his situation looks, he keeps on envisaging himself getting out of his tricky situations and eventually he does get out of trouble. The behavior by those of the dominant class of the servants is a very noticeable theme of the time period, and an important social observation. The serving class of Truffaldino, Smereldina and the Porter (she carries the bags places at different times during the play and has a fairly rough time of it, carrying very heavy loads only to be ridiculed and left unrewarded for her labor) are regarded with little respect and trust throughout the entirety of the play. As the early performers of this play were more than likely lower class individuals, this play is an insightful parody of their own difficulties. Commedia dell’Arte is an Italian theater style, characterized by masked performers and improvised scenes based on simplistic scenarios. Carlo Goldoni categorized four elemental types of stock characters in Italian comedy: Pantaloon, a miserly Venetian merchant, easy to anger, disrespected by everyone and a born loser; Dottore, a pedantic lawyer-type from Bologna; Brighella, a serenading servant who enjoys thieving, and bragging; and Arlecchino, a basically thoughtless servant permanently in despair over unreturned love. A Servant of Two Masters is set in Venice in the 1700’s, and would have been performed by a travelling troop of commedia actors. As such, they would have had very limited set facilities, and their performances staged outdoors, meaning they would have to allow for surrounding noises such as wind when performing. Throughout this research investigation it will be delving into what specific skills I must learn in order to convincingly portray the role of Silvio in Carlo Goldoni’s, A Servant of Two Masters. There is a catch when one decides to take on the task and portray the role of Silvio in The Servant of Two Masters and that is that the comic instincts of a skilled actor need to conquer a tendency to be a servant to the text. It has been said that commedia is the riskiest form of comedy. That being said, it is worth the risk. When the flash of inspired improvisation hits an actor it is like a whirlwind and time seems to be in a complete interruption while a phenomenon takes place. Fortunately Goldoni’s writing is so perfectly composed and clinging to fundamental Commedia dell’Arte form that it allows one to understand how to perform below, within and around the text itself. Focusing on the lovers, they are the sons and daughters of characters who are also high on the social ladder; this is where Silvio finds himself in The Servant of Two Masters. The lovers in this play (Silvio and Clarice) are not only infatuated with each other they are extraordinarily infatuated with themselves. More often than not, they are only with one another because the other person makes them look better. They argue often, making a big melodramatic show out of their blubbering and attempting to top the others grief; yet they immediately make amends when they receive a flattering remark about their appearance. They speak in a distinguished, pretentious and flowery language: â€Å"If I could think that you desired my blood to avenge my supposed cruelty, I give it you with all my heart. But, oh God! Instead of the blood of my veins, accept, I beg you, that which gushes from my eyes.†(Goldoni 53) Silvio is traditionally costumed in the latest Italian fashions (since Italy is where Commedia originated) The Lovers elegant costumes were usually of the same color, just in case another couple of lovers was in the play too. This only reaffirms how much they were made for each other. Just like couples who wear matching outfits today. Given that Silvio is wealthy, he wears expensive clothes and jewelry, made of luxurious fabrics. Both Silvio and Clarice usually hold some kind of prop in their hand, most likely a letter to swoon over, or a handkerchief but this is of course the director’s choice. There is always a mirror somewhere on their body, being in a purse or pocket, or even hanging as a necklace around the actor’s throat. This is useful for admiring oneself, or in Silvio’s case for seeking out Clarice and adorning her through it. Unlike what most know Commedia dell’Arte to be known for the lovers do not wear masks. Rather, they wear quite a bit of makeup which in turn subsidizes as their mask. The term dreamer is a key way to understanding the lovers’ movement. Their feet are firmly on the ground, in a somewhat Ballet style position, but they lack firm contact with the earth because they lead with their chest and are heart heavy. Their arms are held out to their sides and curved. Their whole manner is very elegant and balletic, as they do not walk so much as glide. They never touch; to do so would cause them both to faint and or run away. It is sexually arousing for them to get very close without touching. They aren’t the brightest individuals so walking is somewhat of a challenge causing them to wobble, due to the uncertainty of their lack of contact with the ground. The posture that Silvio undertakes is that of compelling pride. His chest is naturally expanded and thrust out so that his heart essentially leads him, sometimes seeming to literally pull him across the stage. He points his toes while standing (like that of a ballet dancer), and when moving, he takes light, quick steps, giving himself a floating appearance. Overall, they simply lack contact with the ground. Their hand movements and gestures are very grand, expansive and expressive. Actors use the same dancing trainers as the wealthy individuals whom they are imitating in order to put emphasis on the absurdity of melodramatic behavior. There can be two sets of lovers in a Commedia dell’Arte play. The First set of lovers, usually more intelligent and serious, and the Second Lovers which in A Servant of Two Masters is Silvio and Clarice, usually whimsical and slightly silly. The second lovers in Goldoni’s A Servant of Two Masters are Clarice and Silvio. In research of the lovers when things are not going their way, they throw tantrums, pout, hurl insults while crying and whining. Their manner of dress and movement is highly stylized (more so than the First Lovers), making Silvio quite a narcissus. Silvio exists very much in his own world- and in his own world within that world. Self-obsessed and very selfish, he is more interested in what he is saying himself and how it sounds than in what his beloved Clarice is saying. He is primarily in love with himself, secondarily in love with love, and only without any doubt in love with his beloved. What he learns, if anything, from the tribulations of A Servant of Two Masters is the need to reverse these sickening priorities. Even though most of Silvio’s declarations would melt a heart of stone, there always seems to be a comic side to everything he says. One wonders if the explanation does not lie in the fact that love often robs the lover of all sense of his own logic, even though he may be the most rational of living men under ordinary circumstances. He does, however, come off better than most other Commedia characters: there is no viciousness in him, and less to be accused of – except for his vanity and narcissism. He represents the human potential for happiness, which is something that everyone is striving for. â€Å"Sir, I beg you, let everyone do as they will; do not be so put out about it. Now that I am happy, I want all the world to b e happy too. Is anyone else going to be married? Let them all get married†! (Goldoni 54) I have become conscious of the fact that the character of Silvio must be played as one that is over confident. He is very certain of himself and of his actions. He believes he is entitled to Clarice and is willing to fight to protect his property. Silvio is also quite protective, or even overprotective of those things which are important to him, or that he sees as belonging to him. He wishes to keep Clarice all to his own and have her within an area he feels he can keep safe. While he is protective of others, he himself shows little regard when placing himself in jeopardy. This is shows how dim witted his character truly is. The idea of defeat does not enter his mind and he is always on the front foot, unwilling to let others determine his actions, he is a very rash character. Patience is a virtue, apparently. Silvio often lacks any sense of patience which makes him a very irritable, anxious, angry and difficult to be around type of character. His shortage of patience makes him a rat her ignorant character. Silvio is always quick to act and often makes mistakes because of his unwillingness to listen to the advice or opinions of others. He is a man of action, and he needs for things to be occurring or he quickly loses any potential interest. He is quick to do battle regardless of the consequences, which shows how stupidly in love he truly is. His unwillingness to listen to an entire situation and process his next appropriate action, often get him into irresponsible situations. â€Å"†¦That wretch shall die, and my ungrateful Clarice shall see her lover wallowing in his own gore†. (Goldoni 26) Despite his quick anger and his tendency to solve his problems with violence, he is inconspicuously charming. Even though his unwillingness to listen too much besides the sound of his own voice, he is really just eager to please his lover Clarice. He has swept Clarice off of her feet and is the heartthrob of Venetian women. Some people settle down, and some people are just settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than the feeling of butterflies, which is exactly how Silvio feels towards Clarice. He is never slow to put himself in harm’s way. He is quick to action and has little caution for his own well-being when engaging in any sort of fight, or in anything else he does. He is a man to be admired when he is at his finest, even though he is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. â€Å"I don’t care how old you are’ I have a mind to run you straight through the body†. (Goldoni 24) Through researching the character of Silvio it would be necessary to portray him as a man who struggles to hold himself in the position in which his status in society places him. He strives to be suave, cool and collected, but somewhat fights to maintain focus and is very quick to act, his actions usually end in anger and much turmoil. He is a powerful physical presence, and is one of formidable fighting skill, but is emotionally immature on many levels. His love for Clarice is one of his few genuinely mature emotions, and it is his motivation through the play. He is prone to rash, spontaneous actions, as well as to throwing tantrums such as a moody child would when things don’t go his way. This effectively suited the comedic aspect of the play while not deteriorating from the romantic story between Clarice and Silvio. â€Å"When we love we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too†. (Jeaulo Coelho)

Reactivity series for common metals experiment Essay

Aim To see if a common metal is reactive or strong enough to replace/push out/displace another common metal from its liquid compound. Hypothesis My prediction will be: the most reactive metal shown by the reactivity series will show if the metal can displace or not the metal in the compound. For example my hypothesis in a reaction of Mg and Pb is that; Mg being a more reactive metal in the reactivity series will displace Pb, a least reactive metal in the series. Equipment 1. A chart with spaces big enough to proceed with the reaction. With the names of each different metals. For obvious reasons put an x from the top left corner to the inferior left corner. 2. A glass bigger than the chart for the paper for protection of it. 3. Each solid metal and metal compound for the reaction: Solid Metals: Magnesium (4), Copper(4), Iron(4), Zinc(4), Lead(4). Liquid Metal Compounds: Copper Sulphate, Iron Chloride, Magnesium Sulphate, Zinc Nitrate, Lead Nitrate. 4. A teat pipette. 5. Another table, but smaller, to record data. Procedure/Method 1. Get all required elements you are going to need, this elements are listed above. 2. Put the glass on top of the table of reactions. 3. Clean all metals, until they are shiny and clean. 4. Place 4 times the same metal on its corresponding column and different square; for all the metals(5). 5. Add carefully with the teat pipette one or two drops of the metal compound indicated directly onto the solid metal. 6. Observe for changes, take into account that if the texture or color are altered, it means that there has been displacement, reaction. 7. Write your observations. 8. Results should be written in a neat table, as tick if there was reaction, X if there was none and ? If not sure. 9. Analyze and conclude from your data. Data Analysis From the table above, we can conclude that the most reactive metal is Magnesium (Mg), since it reacts with all the metal compounds except itself (Magnesium Sulphate). Then will come Zinc (Zn) , reacting with 2 Metal Compounds. Iron(Fe) will be less reactive than Zn and reacting with only 1 Metal Compound. Finally the least reactive Solid Metal will be Copper and Lead, reacting with none metal compounds. Conclusion 1. Write down the order of reactivity you found: Based on the graphic above; the reactivity order i found: 3. Suggest why some squares were marked with an X on the grid. The diagonal squares in the grid from top left hand corner to lower right hand corner were marked with an X because it is pretty obvious that a metal can not displace the same metal on the compound; because it has the same reactivity and atoms on the last shell in the atom. So for example, Copper will not displace Copper on the compound: â€Å"Copper Sulphate†. 4. Referring to your text book. Is there any metal that does not seem to be behaving as its position says it should? Can you find any reasons for this? Well referring to the reaction series there are some metals i found which do not fit in the reaction series, this are Copper and Lead; well copper and lead should not be tied, the reactivity series show that Lead is more reactive than copper, and by this it should be first in the reactivity order. i think there are 2 possible ways to explain why this happens: Since the results we did were not very accurate and Lead and Copper are very close in the reactivity series, maybe we did not noticed the reaction of Lead or Copper, or maybe there wasn’t in neither of them, well it is very possible that the reaction of them was not too noticeable to see the difference between them, but even though there was. The other possible way, could be that the metals weren’t very clean before we tested them, and so this could have altered and prevented a reaction in Lead. Evaluation In general we did a great effort with my teammate in the lab, we applied exactly two drops of the metal compound to the metal solid, tried every metal to be clean , but unfortunately we needed machinery to polish every single metal but we did not had it, we just had to do our best at trying to polish them. Another problem we did had, was to handle the spaces and the arrangement of the metals within their boxes in the lab; well we applied a small square to each experiment, we frequently had the metal compound spreading into other boxes, damaging the fair results of the other experiments. One solution could be to apply bigger spaces and arrange each metal at the center of its box.

Coffee and Tea Essay

Coffee and tea have existed in the world for a long time. Hundreds of years ago, people who lived in South America started to produce coffee, but the earliest drink likes coffee was made by ancient Arabian. They thought it was a kind of medicine used for stomach. After the 15th century, coffee was spread to other countries such as Egypt and Ottoman Empire by Muslims who were back from Hajj, while in ancient China, Chinese people started to make tea about 3000 years ago. Because of nice environment and weather, the first part of tea plants was discovered in southwest China. After, drink tea became an important culture of Chinese people, and tea began to spread into countries near China. Coffee and tea are similar, but different in some specific area. First, coffee and tea are similar but different in population. People from all around the world like them. For example, British people used to drink a cup of tea with some snacks when they have a rest in the afternoon. Western people enjoy drinking black tea, and some of them mix it with milk to make milky tea. Likewise, most people like drinking coffee, for it often tastes good. In China, more and more people began to drink coffee, and some of whom want to taste better coffee like blue mountain coffee. However, although these two drinks are both popular around the world, coffee is still drunk most by western people, while the most quantity of tea is used in East Asia. People lived in China, Japan, and Korea regarded tea as the main drink. Second, coffee and tea are similar but different in function. Both coffee and tea can refresh people because there is a kind of chemical matter, which is caffeine in both of them. This chemical matter can be used for nerves to make a person feel awake and lively. Also, some experts said that black coffee and green tea can help a person lose weight. But, in contrast, tea has some more functions due to another kind of chemical matter which can’t be found in coffee. This chemical matter that named tea polyphenol whose ability is to relieve the effect that is made by poison. Finally, coffee and tea have similarity and difference in origination. Both of them are made from plants. Thousands of years ago, people lived in Africa planted coffee trees in succeed, and now, Brazil has the most coffee trees in the world. In south of China, there are a lot of terraced fields that grow tea trees. On the other hand, people use leaves from tea to make tea, while they use fruits from coffee plants to make coffee. To sum up, coffee and tea are similar in their population, function, and origination, while they are different of their use in different place, their different chemical matter, and their different material. I suggest that people should drink both coffee and tea so that they can be healthier.

Case note on the decision of the Supreme Court in Autoclenz v Belcher Essay

Case note on the decision of the Supreme Court in Autoclenz v Belcher [2011] - Essay Example It sought to establish the actual employment context between the concerned parties as well as the legitimacy of the written term. In this case, the main question to attend to was as to whether the claimants were actually workers, by taking into consideration the already existing regulations such as the 1998 working time regulation (WTR) and the 1999 national minimum wage regulation (NMWR). The decision offered by this court confirms that a lot of consideration should be given to what exactly was the agreement between the concerned parties alongside a written contract terms2. This does not only imply that an employment tribunal (ET) should only consider the terms written at the commencement of the contract, but also at any subsequent phase which might have altered the terms of the contract. Moreover, ET does not need to be confronted by an evidence or intention of third party deceit for it to search beyond an agreement’s written terms. According to the court, the decision does not change in any way employment laws in any way since rationality is allowed in cases that call for it. Background to the case Autoclenz (appellant) is an organization that participates in the provision of car-cleaning services to both auctioneers and motor retailers. On the other hand, the claimants (respondents) consist of 20 valeter individuals who offered their services to Autoclenz as car valeters. All these valeters signed a contract at the begging with Autoclenz which stated that they were self-employed hence their taxation will be based on that3. However, later in 2007, the claimants were subjected to new contracts by Autoclenz which they were required to sign. The new contract had two main clauses: The first clause allowed the valeters to engage another individual to perform services on their behalf as long as that individual met Autoclenz employment standards. Secondly, by handing over responsibilities to another person, that particular individual’s services will n o longer be needed by Autoclenz. There was also a clause that accorded the veleters a right to work refusal. Moreover, the veleters were to give their absence notification in advance4. The claimants later placed a case at the employment tribunal seeking to be recognized as workers considering the definition of a worker by the WTR and MNWR. Basing on these two employment regulations, they also claimed that their remuneration should be in harmony with the NMWR. On the contrary, these claims seemed to be inconsistent with what the written terms of the contract depicted5. Autoclenz considered the valeters to be self-employed individuals who were not in a position to claim the statutory benefits of an actual employee. The two mentioned regulations look at worker from an identical ground as a person who works under: An employment contract. Or other contracts (implied or express). At first the ET held a stand that the veleters can be taken to be workers as well as employees, since Autoclen z exercised much control over them and they were completely in the business6. Furthermore, all the veleters seemed to have no idea of the substitution clause and for the fact that no one of them had participated in it. However, later the EAT giving the saga a different approach argued that since no clauses whether those of substitution or obligation can be inconsistent with employment contracts or personal performance contracts according to the law, then using the written agreement, the valeters were workers but not employees7. Finally, the Court of Appeal settled on the ET’s decision that considered the valeters as being both workers and employees. Main issue and judgment The main issue in this case was for the Supreme Court to establish whether there is a dispute over what is

DB #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DB #3 - Essay Example My vision of higher education is to have a form of education that will be relevant to accomplishment of acts that will not only affect humanity positively but will also create environmental sustainability. In addition, these acts should be morally acceptable and having positive effects on the universe. I do agree with David Orr’s proposition, education is supposed to help us take care of our environment, and understand the importance of knowledge and how to acquire it. In addition, he mentions that knowledge comes with a responsibility of ensuring that it is used constructively and morally. Higher education is a very important component to the learner for several reasons. Firstly, it raises self-awareness by individuals. One is able to identify what they want to achieve and ultimately the type of work they would like to engage with. A number of options are available for an individual intending to engage in higher learning, their choices will definitely reflect on the type of work environment that they will get to. Secondly, higher education provides the learner with a lot of exposure. The learner is able to meet other learners from different backgrounds as well as experienced and witty researchers and lecturers who will challenge them as well as exposing them to additional knowledge. Exposure to specific scholarly works in a particular area of study is also very

Infection Control Practice in Saudi Arabia Assignment

Infection Control Practice in Saudi Arabia - Assignment Example tive in the modern times that every measure should be taken to reduce the spread of communicable disease which has of late increased the morbidity and mortality rate in Saudi Arabia. Sadly or perhaps even disappointing, the Saudi Arabian Commission of Health Specialty does not request any specific tests of any nature for infection control prior to the renewal of nursing license. This is in light of even the presence of the most lethal and dreadful virus Ebola virus scare in the modern times. While Ebola scare should not only be the cause for having infection prevention and control test (Krisberg, 2013) there are many other benefit that comes with well-educated and trained medical personnel in line of infection prevention and control. This are benefits that are proven scientifically and there is every rationale that the hospitals in Saudi Arabia should adopt measure of identifying the proficiency in infection prevention and control among its member. This can provide information for training need for the nurse on the very line. According to Krisberg (2013) he assert that it is not only important to request Infection Control Test as a prerequisite to renew nursing license in Saudi Arabia, it is imperative also for its benefit across the divide. The benefits touches both on the care givers of the patients and the patients. Proficiency of infection prevention and control is also very beneficial to the government since it reduces the cost of government in caring for the morbidity that is as result of poor measures of infection and control of diseases in the hospital. There are several empirical research that remain as prove that the test could revolutionize the infection prevention and control and henceforth reduce the preventable infection in Saudi Arabia. Despite the resounding empirical research indicating that improved infection prevention and control is very important, the recently released research report of Saudi Arabian practice on infection prevention and

Property law assignment about Certainty of objects in discretionary Essay

Property law assignment about Certainty of objects in discretionary trusts - Essay Example The case of McPhail decided on the essential element of the ‘is or is not’ test and the important points that were made were that the courts that is the fact that the ‘is or is not’ test deals with conceptual certainty and the fact that that the ‘the court is never defeated on the basis of evidential certainty’. The decision is said to be the key case in this respect because the problem on the ‘is or is not’ test in respect of the broad list was considered. The essential problem in respect of certainty of objects was that the is or is not test needed be clearly spelled out in respect of such lists. This was because the trusts with such lists would fail for uncertainty of objects and thus the principle needed establishment, which was clearly done by the important decision in McPhail and a demarcation and principle in respect of such lists was clearly identified. 2. Explain the background to the Court of Appeal decision in Re Badenâ⠂¬â„¢s DT No.2, and its lasting significance. (500-600 words) The issue in this question requires an analysis of the background of the case in respect of Re Baden’s DT No.2. ... The trust in this case was about, amongst others, employees and their ‘dependants’ and ‘relatives’. The court stated that ‘dependants’ was not uncertain and the reasoning for this was that the Parliament had used it often whereby it had described dependants. However, there were issues in respect of ‘relatives’ whereby differences in interpretation arose. The meaning that was normally ascribed to relatives was descendants who originated from common ancestors thereby discussing the indefinite and large number of distant relatives. It was discussed at length that the common ancestor was not a conceptual uncertainty and the problem lied in respect of the evidential uncertainty that is the problem of proving the connection. In the case of Re Baden there was property which had been left "to or for the benefit of any of the officers or ex officers or ex employees of the company or to any of the relatives or dependants of any such persons". The applicant argued that for identification of the beneficiary it was important the each and every individual should be identified so as to ensure the question of whether they were a class or not. The respondent argued to the contrary and stated that this was not necessary to identify each and every individual and therefore the trust should be held to be valid and should not fail on the basis of uncertainty of objects. It was further argued that if the class was not considered and the trust was held to be failed then it would be contrary to the wishes of the settler as the reason for such a broad class was the intention of the settler and he could have clearly narrowed the class if he wanted to and therefore the settler had clearly by writing the words had taken

Pros and Cons of the U.S. Governments Recent Passage of Affordable Essay

Pros and Cons of the U.S. Governments Recent Passage of Affordable Health Care Act - Essay Example The working Americans will pay more: Most of the middle-class Americans work full-time jobs and receive health insurance through their employers. The healthcare cost that existed before the Affordable Care Act became law and this law made the employers re-evaluate the insurance policies they offered (Skousen n.p.). As the employers tried to reduce the cost of providing coverage for the employees, the employed Americans paid more for their work-based health insurance while the citizens with high-cost work base insurance saw their benefits decline to avoid the taxes that will be incurred in the beginning of 2018. Some of the coverage is against the moral values of the employers: The law stated that contraception was to be offered free of charge to patients. This law caused a lot of issues especially for employers whose moral rules state that they don’t support any kind of contraception. This brought about a lot of lawsuits because the Americans are allowed to have freedom of rel igion; for some, the health issue was against their religious beliefs (Skousen n.p.). Adding additional health care expenses will impact workers: The employers were against the Affordable Care Act because they were already offering health care insurance to their employees. With the introduction of Obama Care, they felt that there was going to be another increase due to the law. In some cases, there was an increase in the amount employees pay for the health insurance to offset the high premiums from insurance companies. America is already very far in debt: As a country, America is facing big debt. With the additional Government program, this only causes more debts. The Affordable Care Act has had the potential to save money, but since it is over their budget, it will cost the taxpayer more money.

Employee view and personnel of Nike Company Essay

Employee view and personnel of Nike Company - Essay Example Nike is not the ‘beast’ that it is projected as, because similar situations exist in other footwear and garment units. They have a system of rewarding their regular employees. After experimenting with cash and travel vouchers, Nike feels employees should be able to target the rewards that appeal to them (Lynne, 1997). Hence it now offers Virgin vouchers which include range of activities from flights to luxurious holidays and participants can focus on awards that appeal to their own aspirations. Nike offers its employees five weeks off with full salary and benefits to spend the way they want (Browning, 2003). This helps the employees to spend time with their families or rethink career goals. Though this program was started in 1994, Nike is not sure how many employees have used it. In US Nike workers are given incentives such as Nike Bucks if they will walk, run, bike, skate or car pool to work while no such incentives are available in Asia (Boje, 1998). Workers in Oregon work in campus like facility, receive top benefits and time off for recreation and sports (Boje, 2001). They have employed about a thousand expatriates who travel the globe to ensure that code of conduct and other norms are adhered to at each of their manufacturing units. There are about 600,000 subcontract workers, mostly women between 16 and 22, who provide the resistance to Nike corporate power and subcontractor practices. Nike considers its applicants as both customers and employees. It is able to attract the best and brightest employees.

Child development shot answer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Child development shot answer - Assignment Example First Law: For all of the human beings, their traits are heritable and transferred through generations. This law indicates that no matter where the kids are raised some of strong makers in their behavior are the result of heredity. A conventional theory is, half of the variation in intelligence, personality and life outcomes is heritable. Second Law: Genes affect a person’s behavior more than the effect of a person being brought up in the same family. This law explains that the effect of upbringing on a child’s behavior is about 0% to 10% rests of his traits are all genetics. Answer: Their proposed theory of development with genetics is that the genetical traits also have an effect on the environment changes and both of them have a direct or through experience impact on 3 types of correlations: Passive, Evocative and Active. If a child is raised in a tragic environment then chances are that in an evocative environment he would start showing negative traits. Q5. List and define the 4 attachments styles assessed in childhood through the Strange Situation. Then provide an overview of the parenting styles or patterns of caregiving that are thought to foster each of the 4 attachment styles. Describe or explain the social learning, cognitive developmental, and ethological explanation so of how infants form primary attachments. Answer: Secure attachment. In this type of attachment the child feels safe, explorative and happy. He trusts the person he is with and knows his needs will be fulfilled. In this case the parents response quickly to the child’s need and are always there for him when needed. Avoidant attachment. This type of attachment tells us that the child is not that happy, he does not feel explorative and understands that his needs might not be met. In this case the parents are usually distant and detached to the child. Ambivalent

Examine and comment on Islamic and Hindu beliefs about life after death Essay Example for Free

Examine and comment on Islamic and Hindu beliefs about life after death Essay Life after death is often a highly charged, debateable topic. Through this essay I will examine the argument that there must be an afterlife to explain morality in this world and refer to The Quran for Islam and Bhagavad Gita for Hinduism. This will allow me to conclude that an afterlife can justify morality, as human beings our lifes conduct is dependant on the belief of a good hereafter. Both religions very foundation rely on the fact that there is an after life, as deeds in this life will be accountable within the next. Although Islam and Hinduism both believe in an after life they teach radically different things about what it is. The Islamic belief is based on a linear time line, meaning that each person will live on this earth once and after that be judged by God. The good and the bad deeds of every person will be weighed. (Quran 7:8). This view differs with the Hindu belief as their belief is that to attain Mokhsa (release from the cycle of life) everyone has to be reborn somewhere or the other to undergo some experience, until the Absolute Being is realised as identical with oneself. by Swami Krishnananda. The individual must continue to transmigrate between souls to diminish all bad karma in the various lives they had been in to attain complete salvation. Belief in al- akhirah (life after death) is so crucial to the Islamic faith that any doubts about it amounts to the denial of Allah (God). This view is shared by the Muslim minority. According to Islamic belief, we have no means of knowing death as a revisiting experience, but Allah (God) has given humanity answers to every question regarding death. The first rhetorical question the Muslim is faced with in the Quran is who will give life to the dead bones? Islam declares that the Lord will. In the Quran, Allah deepens mans way of thinking by asking them to reflect on how the rain revives dead earth. It is Allah Who sends fourth the winds, so that they rise up the clouds, and drive to a land that is dead, and revive the earth therewith after its death (Quran 35:9) According to Islam life on this earth is temporary; it is a preparatory stage for the akhirah (life after death) which will be infinite. Life on this earth is meaningless if good actions are not rewarded and bad conduct not punished. In order for an afterlife to exist, there must be some omnipotent being driving this idea forward. I will now be referring to Kants idea of the universe being satisfied, wrong has to be punished and good rewarded even if this takes place after death .The moral philosopher, Immanuel Kant argued that morality was the categorical imperative. if there is moral law, there must therefore be a law giver. Modern society in alliance with Islamic and Kantian Views state that justice must be served. An example of this would be if a person commits an offence against humanity he/she has to be imprisoned. Were then faced with situations where our justice system has failed to act with fairness and impartiality in accordance with what is morally right, this is when the idea of justice in the afterlife in religion comes into place. The current Laws are passed by parliament. The followers of Islam believe the One who determines the rules in this life and delivers the verdict in the after life is the almighty Lord. If we refer back to Kant, that once we die there is an afterlife for the universe to be morally satisfied that good is rewarded and evil is punished, there must be a God who can bring about some sort of Justice. He is who controls the heavens and the earth (Holy Quran 27:60.) To deny God as the moral law Giver is to deny the only reasonable foundation for the law of morality in both the religions, as in Islam the fundamental belief that the almighty God is the basis of all foundation of all belief within that faith, similarly in the contrasting religion the soul of the individual wishes to have some sort of conclusion in Islam the hereafter and in Hinduism salvation to become one with the creator Brahma. However the factor that differs the two religions is that the concept of the soul, within the religions. In Islam the soul has its own identity of the individual it was given to at the moment of conception it has no relation to its creator other then the fact that the lord was the one who blessed life into it and the soul will be obedient to its creator to the day of judgement. The concept in Hinduism contradicts this idea as it feels the soul is God in itself as it has to go through a process which will enable the spiritual self to become God himself over the process of time. If justice is not done on earth therefore there must be an after life. The concept of free will argues that humanity has been given guidelines by God. It is up to individuals whether they follow them or not. Some may then argue that God does not care about people as He allows suffering to take place. This is where justice in the hereafter is satisfied, and so that is why there is morality in this world. For Muslims not to care about life after death is a serious failing. Muslims are certain that people die. Doubts have been expressed by non Muslims regarding life after death. They question how Allah (God) can raise men and women after death, but Islam teaches that God can make human beings out of nothing so it is not difficult for Him to raise them again. O mankind! If you are in any doubt about the resurrection, then verily, we have created you (i.e. Adam). (Quran 22:5) The Quran goes on further to say that: Does man think that we shall not assemble his bones? Yes, surely we are able to restore the very shape of his fingertips. (Quran 75: 3-4). The Hindu Holy Scriptures such as the Upanishads and the Vedas clearly speak of a God that is associated with classical theism. Although over centuries we have come to know Hinduism as a faith with many gods it primarily has one God. By one supreme Ruler is the universe pervaded. Even every world in the whole circle of nature, He is the True God (- Yajurveda XLI) .Similar ideas are expressed in the Upanishads Know Me alone as the creator of all I am the cause; I am the support of all that exists in the universe. May ye never turn away from me May ye never accept any other God in my place, nor worship Him. What we can analyse from these quotes that for God to bring man to his former self is not an impossible task as he has created us he can kill us and restore our very lives. According to Islam when a person dies on earth he/she will not be restored to life until the day of resurrection. From the time a person dies until resurrection, they remain in a suspended state in Arabic known as Barzakh. The dead could be in this state of waiting for thousands of years before being brought back to life. The prophet Mohammed has said that death is only the beginning of the resurrection. 1 Islam states that time only exists for those living on earth. Once a man dies he leaves the time zone and a thousand years becomes the blinking of an eye. Although Islam rejects the notion of the transmigration of souls through various lives like Hinduism, it does state that the soul of each child came into existence ,before the physical birth from the mothers womb. An example of this is were God made a covenant with Adam and extracted all his descendants from him and God foretold the religion of Islam so that the disbelievers of the faith were left in no doubt that God would resurrect humankind once more on the day of Judgement. 2 Although Muslims are given the day and month of this fateful day they are not however given the year as all the signs leading up to this day must be fulfilled. 3 The sun will only be a mile away from the earth therefore mankind will be standing in its own perspiration according to a companion of the Prophet. This has been taken from the Sahih Bukhari (collections of sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Then the individual will be punished according to how bad the sin was that they committed. The worse the sin, the more severe the punishment will be. 4 On this day accounting of deeds will begin and each and every person will be given a book that will detail all the good and bad they have done in life. Although certain deeds in life will act as a backup to save you from punishment Muslims over the world go to the pilgrimage of Hajj so that their sins can be purged. Hajj is a purification of the soul from sins and a means to gain the Mercy of Allah. Keep on doing Hajj and Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron and gold and silver. (Sahih Bukhari). In Islam, the foundation for a good afterlife is to have faith in the almighty lord and to try to lead a sin free life. Such is the driving force behind the concept in Hinduism be lovingly devoted to whichever Hindu god you are devoted to and similarly be dedicated to various religious ceremonies and rites. There are different aspects of Hinduism that determine how they lead their lives and what actions they do in order to affect their afterlife. There is also the factor of the burial procedure that could affect your outcome in the afterlife. The reasoning behind Hindu cremation is that they believe that the human personality is made up of five elements; four of which belong to the body which comes from this world, fire, earth, air, water. By cremating the body, the elements are returned to their respective area, while the soul continues in the afterlife. After death Muslims are buried, because even after death the soul can still feel pain so disposing of the body in any other means is a sin. When a Hindu devotee dies their soul leaves the body and goes to another world and returns again after spending some time there. Where a person is reborn is determined by their karma, the effects of a persons actions that determine their destiny in the next incarnation. Hindus try to do virtuous acts of conduct so that they will increase their good karma and be reborn higher up in the caste system. This is done in numerous ways. Their initial aim is to worship Brahman (supreme Lord) by thinking about him and reading his Holy books. The Vedas, Smritis, Ramayan and Bhagavad Gita; Their life should involve praying and making offerings to the various Gods that take form from Brahman originally. There is no specific God that you can worship, whichever you choose is acceptable as it leads to essentially to Brahman. Hinduism believes in the existence of not one hell and heaven but in the existence of many sun filled heavens and many demonic worlds. 5 In the ultimate sense the purpose of these worlds is to neither punish nor reward the souls, but to remind them of the true purpose of their existence to lead an adequate life according to the Hindu Holy scripture The Vedas. The process of being born, to grow, die and be reborn again is known as samsara. It is the aim of every Hindu to be freed from this cycle in order to be in the presence of God, or become one with God. Karma is in itself a system of reward and punishment. The idea of reincarnation is not strictly limited to Hinduism. The idea of reincarnation is also becoming more popular in the West. This concept of reincarnation is summarily described in following verse of the Bhagavad-Gita. Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones. (2:22) The Hindu concept of reincarnation directly challenges the Islamic and western notion of one life, one heaven, one hell and the final day of judgement. According to the following quote Islam contradicts the belief of transmigration there is the belief that once our hearts stop beating this is the end of our worldly life but the argument of the non-believers is that bring back our forefathers. There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time. (Quran, 45:24-26) Although Islam does primarily reject the notion of reincarnation in the form of another being, there is an exception to this. Islam is split in to 72 various sets and there is one set that does believe in reincarnation, the Druze. The Druze belong to an eleventh century offshoot of Shia Islam, which originated in Egypt. The similarity with this sect and Hinduism is that it also believes in the transmigration of souls, although this sect calls itself Muslims it denies the Day of Resurrection and the idea of heaven and Hell. Similarly they believe the body is to return to the elements and the universe is eternal and always will be. The physical body of the ones departed and the burial procedure for Muslims is just the earth accepting what was already its own To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. (Chapter 2, verses 153-156.) This then leads to the point that they do not belief in the message of the prophets of Islam. The Druze sect is not accepted by other major sects of Islam, they suffer from isolation of followers of the same religion. Although there are exceptions, Islam predominately feels a strong and solid approach to the one Supreme Lord and the Day of Judgement. After examining both religions and their beliefs it seems that both religions have the belief in life after death but a very different approach. There are several cases where Muslims have turned to other religions for the answer to the afterlife.6 Having examined and commented on beliefs on life after death in Islam and Hinduism, thus relating back to the first point of morality, that must exist and be justified in the first place for us human beings to first rationalise that there must be an afterlife. When this is understood then the ideas of different religious views on the afterlife can be understood. Islams belief ties in with the western notion of the standard hell and heaven and you are judged according to your deeds in your life that you have committed. You are resurrected but in the form you died in. Muslims are then weighed for deeds, dependant on that you either go to hell or heaven. You are faced with many obstacles on the way and even though you have primarily been good all your life you still will be punished for the sin. There are also many large signs before the fateful day. For majority of Muslims the belief in the afterlife determines the way they lead their lives whilst alive. For Hindus however the belief is that you are reincarnated as something else, either in higher caste or lower depending on the good/bad karma. You go through various lives and cycles to balance this karma until you become god (moksha). I am the Self, seated in the hearts of all beings; I am the beginning, the middle and also the end of all beings. (10.20 Gita) The Hindus teachings also lay on the principle of morality as they are to be reunited with Mother Nature. In the Hindu religion, righteousness and to be without sin is of more importance, these are the factors whether one goes to Heaven or Hell. The Hindus teach, As it does and as it acts, so it becomes: The doer of good becomes good, and the doer of evil becomes evil. (Upanishad (4,4,5)) This quote explains that Hinduism has a concept of morality. Previously I have touched on the lifestyles of both religions Hinduism and Islam. Although they both believe in different outcomes, already while alive they develop a moral attitude in the back of their minds. This life will determine heaven/hell or higher /lower caste depending on what your religious belief is. What we can examine from this is that reward is something we all strive for, so the idea of a better life in the hereafter encourages good conduct in both faiths. Ultimately no matter what religion you have faith in it seems we rely in a better life in the hereafter. Hindu and Islamic beliefs about life after death seek to explain morality on this Earth. Our actions in this life will determine our post life existence, whether we go to heaven, hell, or are reincarnated. Both religions agree with Kants theory that the Universe needs to be satisfied. Worshippers are thus encouraged to strive to maintain their good conduct in this life. Without such explanations Kant explains, morality would be irrelevant. 2932 Notes 1) A story is told in the Quran, about a man who doubted Allahs ability to resurrect a village. Allah caused him to die for a hundred years and when he was resurrected, questioned him as to how long he had slept. He replied A day or part of a day. Then God said Look your food has rotted, look at your crops and the dead bones of your animals look how we adjust them and cover them with flesh! (Quran 2:259) 2) When your Lord drew forth from the loins of the children of Adam, their descendants and made them testify concerning them. (Saying): Am I not your Lord they said, Yes, we testify to it. (This) in case you say on the Day of Judgement, We were unaware of this. Or in case you say, It was our ancestors who made partners (with Allah) and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?[8] 3) The length of the day of judgement will be equivalent to fifty thousand years of this world and this quote can be found in verses (70: 4) Holy Quran. The Sunni Islamic belief is that: On Friday the tenth of Muharram Angel Israfeel will blow a trumpet the sound will be so fearful that the entire universe will self-destruct. (The day of judgement by the Sunni foundation) 3) And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all. It has seven gates: to each of those gates is a specific class of sinners assigned. [al Hijr, 15: 43-44] Murderers: And whoever kills a believer intentionally his recompense is Hell to abide therein forever, and the wrath and the curse of Allah is upon him, and He has prepared for him a great punishment. [an-Nisa, 4: 93] Verily, of the inmates of the Fire, the one with the easiest punishment will be one who will have a pair of sandals and straps of fire. His brain will boil from them as a kettle boils. He does not see that anyone is suffering a punishment more severe than him, while he is the one with the easiest punishment. [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim] http://www.shariahprogram.ca/articles/hell-devil-description.shtml 4) Then believers and disbelievers will go to the bridge lying over the fire from hell the bridge will be of one single hair and be sharp as a sword. The journey will be of no difficulty to those who lived their life according to Islam. 5) Indralok is the standard heaven to which those who please the Gods through their activities go. The standard hell is Yamalok. 6One example is the 11-month-old Muslim boy from India. He has now been named Balaji, another name for monkey-faced Lord Hanuman. He is reported to have a 4in tail caused by genetic mutations during the development of the foetus. Iqbal Qureshi, the childs maternal grandfather, is taking Balaji from temple to temple where people offer money to see the boy. Mr Qureshi says the baby has nine spots on his body like Lord Hanuman and showed them to journalists, reports Indian newspaper The Tribune. What this quote shows is that there are differences of opinion within a religion as even genetic mutations such as this one have altered the decision in believing in the Day of Judgement for a Muslim man. (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/607381/posts)

Review of Related Studies Essay Example for Free

Review of Related Studies Essay A lot has been written about what supply management is, and how it relates not only to similar terms and to concept like purchasing, procuring, and sourcing, but also to concepts like management, logistics, and supply chain management. Most authors differentiate purchasing, procurement, sourcing, and supply management as follows: they start by stating that purchasing includes operational activities that are carried out more or less exclusively by one department, namely the purchasing department. The sequence of activities here usually starts with the need identification and ends with the tracking of purchasing activities. Procurement is then defined as being broader in scope and including some activities of strategic relevance. According to Dobler/Burt (1996), procurement includes not only purchasing but also tasks that are strategic in nature. The same logic is then applied to supply management as figure 1 shows. See on page 38 for the figure. Monczka/Trent/Handfield(1998) use the terms purchasing and procurement interchangeable throughout their book. In their view, purchasing and procurement are functional activities that â€Å"most often refer to day-to-day management of material flows and information†. They also define sourcing â€Å"a cross functional process that involves member of the firm other than those who work in the purchasing department, the sourcing management team may include members from engineering, quality, design, manufacturing, marketing, accounting, strategic planning, and other department† Kaufmann (1995) describe sourcing; â€Å"an integrative management approach to designing all supplier relations in the sense of a total relationship management† Arnold (1997) uses the term supply management as an umbrella term for the concept of procurement, materials management, and logistics. According to him, the latter includes inbound logistics, and internal logistics, as well as outbound logistics. Tempelmeier (1995) defines purchasing as contract-centered (as opposed to logistical activities implying the physical movement of goods). He defines procurement as all activities aiming at supplying the company with needed inputs. Corsten (1995) the process of purchasing denotes the act of acquiring the property right of the procurement goods. He defines procurement in a similar way as Tempelmeier. Sourcing is the process of planning and handling outside sources. He defines supply management as procurement with a strategic focus that acts proactively and contributes significantly to company performance. Koppelmann (1995) uses the term Procurement Marketing for nearly exactly the same set of activities as Dobler/Burt do for supply management. There is also some discussion about the types of purchases that fall under each of the definitions. International authors like Dobler/Burt (1996), Monczka/Trent/Handfield (1998), and van Weele (1995) restrict the scope of purchasing, procurement, sourcing or supply management to materials, services, and capital equipment. They do not include the supply of the company with financial resources or personnel. German authors like Arnold (1997), Fieten (1986), Pieper/Pfohl (1993), Tempelmeier (1995) argue differently: They say that from a theoretical standpoint all inputs have to be considered. Some of them like Arnold and Pieper/Pfohl however, pragmatically restrict the scope of purchasing, procurement, or supply management to materials.

Hyatt Regency Walkway Design Analysis

Hyatt Regency Walkway Design Analysis The Hyatt Regency Walkway was an engineering design that was made in a hotel in Kansas. The construction began in spring of 1978. Then the Eldridge Construction Company entered  a subcontract with the company of Havens Steel in which they had agreed to fabricate and erect  the atrium steel for the Hyatt project. There were events and communications between both  companies about determining to change the design from a single to a double hanger rod box  beam connection for use on the fourth floor walkway. Then there was a setback because on  October 14, 1979, part of the atrium roof collapsed while the hotel was still in construction. They started an investigation of what caused the roof to collapse. Then into November there were reports and meetings between the owner and the architect assuring that the entire atrium was Safe. In July of 1980, the construction was completed and the Kansas City Regency Hotel opened. Introduction On July 17, 1981, the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City   held a videotaped dance party in their atrium lobby. With many party-goers standing and dancing on the suspended walkways, connections supporting the ceiling rods that held up the second and fourth floor walkways across the atrium failed, and both walkways collapsed onto the crowded first floor atrium below. Background In 19760, the Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation started a project to design and also build the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City. There were some companies that were called to help with this project. One of them was the Gillum Colaco, which   had agreed to provide all the services for the Hyatt project. Then on April 4, they entered the real contract in.The G.C.E. were responsible for the drawings for the project. The walkways were not designed right because they were all connected to the 4th floor walkway. Investigation They went to the company that was responsible for the design and saw that they didnt support the rods well, thats why the walkways collapsed into the center of the dance were 114 people died and 216 people got injured. They then figured out what to do with the designer. Findings and recommendations References ENGINEERING.com. Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse ENGINEERING.com. Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse ENGINEERING.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.   It was a vertically contiguous walkway that collapsed onto the tea dance that was in the hotel lobby. The walkway killed about 114 and injured 216, at that time that was the deadliest structural collapse in U.S history before the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. Background: The construction for the 40 story building began in May 1978. There were delays and setbacks including an incident that happened on October 14, 1979 when a 2,700 square foot of the atrium roof collapsed due to the failure of one of the connections at its northern end, the hotel still was officially opened on July 1,1980. The building was constructed to one of the walkways that had to also hold the weight of two others which in that case when 1,600 people gathered in the atrium to participate in and watch the tea dance and when there was 40 people on the second level walkway and more on the third and also with like 16 to 20 on the fourth level where they watched the activities that were going on below in the lobby. The construction difficulties resulted in a subtle but flawed design change that doubled the load on the connection between the fourth floor walkway that supported beams and the tie rods carrying the weight of both walkways which the design could barely adequately support the dead load weight of the structure itself. With the weight of the spectators the connection failed and the fourth floor walkway collapsed onto the second floor walkway then both fell unto the lobby killing 111 and injuring 219, but later on 3 more passed away in the hospital. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse On july 17,1981 the Hyatt Regency hotel held a videotaped tea dance party. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czmQS81k9eM There was a crew of reporters there to record the dance. They recorded the walkways and showed all the people dancing and others at a bar area because there were 4 different bar sections. Later on around 7:00, they had to change the battery and while they were changing the battery the walkways then collapsed onto the lobby and there was silence for like a moment then all of a sudden there were people screaming and yelling for help. The reporters then turned on again the camera and recorded after the walkways had collapsed. Due to evidence supplied at the Hearings, a number of principals involved lost their engineering licenses, a number of firms went bankrupt, and many expensive legal suits were settled out of court Rubric rating submitted on: 12/21/2016, 12:43:50 PM by [emailprotected] 10 5 0 Title Page    Your score: 5 x Present not done Table of Contents    Your score: 5 x Present not done Abstract    Your score: 3 Present not done Introduction    Your score: 5 x Background    Your score: 7 Present not done Investigation    Your score: 5 Present not done Findings    Your score: 0 Present not done Impact    Your score: 0 Present not done Conclusion    Your score: 0 x not done References    Your score: 3 References included no references Notes    Your score: 10 Notes recorded no notes 6 Content Pages    Your score: 2 filled 6 pages 3 content pages no contents pages

One Thousand Paper Cranes -- One Thousand Paper Cranes Short Stories E

One Thousand Paper Cranes Walking toward his mother's bedroom, Mark slowed his pace. His heart ached and felt heavy. His mother's illness hung over him like a shroud, turning his life black. She had cancer in her lungs and he didn't know why and who to blame. She didn't smoke, so why did it have to happen to her. He questioned. He stopped at the door, gathering his thoughts. What would he say to his mother?. He took a deep breath, gathered his strength, and opened the door quietly. "Mom, how are you today? I'm sorry I haven't come to see you for a while." Mark said as he smiled at her trying to be cheerful. "Mom, I have a surprise for you today. I'm sure you will love it." He held his surprise behind his back with his right hand, but was so excited that he couldn't hide his feelings. He imagined her smiling as he revealed his gift. Maggie lay in her bed , lost in thought, and showed little interest. "Mark, is that you? Come close to me." She glanced at her son and tried to move her body to sit up, but she couldn't. She took a deep sigh and said, "I'm sorry, Mark. I don't feel good today." She knew she was dying. She suffered from lung cancer for a year. She had two painful operations in the last couple of months that had drained all of her strength. She was getting weaker and weaker. Now she stayed in bed all day, reading, watching TV, seeing occasional visitors, and remembering her life. She found momentary relief with her visitors, but always she would quickly tire and have to sleep. She smelled death around her. An independent woman all of her life, she wanted to take care of herself, but she was too weak to do so. Her body was dying daily, but her mind remained clear so she started writing her journal. She a... ...cranes and wonder at the folding. I will treasure senbazulu for years. Thank your Japanese friend for me." Mark had forgotten about the thousand cranes since his last visit. That was a wonderful gift for her. He didn't really believe its myth, but he wondered now that maybe it could be true. Summer was over. Four months passed since he had a family reunion at his hometown. He sat on his mother's empty bed in the dimly lit room and looked at the cranes hanging on the wall. His mother had died. He read her last letter to him. For a moment, a cool fall breeze fanned into the room through the slightly opened window. He could hear his grandfather's old clock across the room ticking loudly. He thought that one of the cranes smiled down at him, broke free and flew in the sky. He cried as he watched it fade into the horizon. "Take care of my mom," he whispered.

Dostoevsky and Freud: Exploring the Relationship Between Psyche and Civ

Dostoevsky and Freud: Exploring the Relationship Between Psyche and Civilization Few novels delve as deeply into the twists and turns of the human psyche as Fyodor Dostoevsky?s Crime and Punishment. The novel explicitly describes the protagonist Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov?s fluctuating mental state as he commits a brutal crime, becomes tortured by guilt, and finally turns himself in. This detailed description of Raskolnikov?s psyche gives readers a clear picture of his character within the context of the events that take place in the novel. Yet we know little of Raskolnikov outside of this context. How, for instance, does Raskolnikov come to develop those beliefs and characteristics that impel him to commit his crime? We know only that he embodies these beliefs and characteristics from the outset of the novel. In order to fully comprehend the whys and hows of Raskolnikov as a character, then, we must examine him outside the framework of this novel. But how, we might ask, are we to move beyond the narrative context in which Raskolnikov exists? The answer is simple: we must place Raskolnikov within a different context and analyze him in light of this new context. How do we know which context to choose? It depends on what we hope to discover by such an analysis. In this case, we want to expand our knowledge of Raskolnikov?s characteristics and psyche. From Dostoevsky?s explicit narration, we already know Raskolnikov is a neurotic character who exhibits a number of neurotic tendencies throughout the novel. We must therefore locate a context that will help us discover the meaning behind these neurotic tendencies. The logical backdrop to choose is a Freudian context, since Freud deals extensively with human psychology and ne... ...tween civilization and the human psyche?connections which are impossible to completely sever. The presence of these connections make it impossible for us to try to oppose the structure of civilization without ending up in the same plight as Raskolnikov. Thus, both Freud and Dostoevsky seem to suggest that it is necessary for us to adapt ourselves as best we can to the pre-existing constructs of civilization and learn to accept its less pleasant aspects. Works Cited Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Constance Garnett. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1994. Freud, Sigmund. "Civilizations and Its Discontents." The Freud Reader. Ed. Peter Gay. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1989. Freud, Sigmund. "Some Character-Types Met with in Psycho-analytic Work." Writings On Art and Literature. Ed. James Strachey. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1997.

Compare and Contrast All Quiet on the Western Front and Dulce et Decoru

The poem "Dulce et decorum est" by Wilfred Owen has a lot In common with "All Quiet on the Western Front." By Erich Remarque although Remarque never fought in the 1st World War. The Imagery in the prose is more detailed as it has more time to describe everything "The fields are flat." Some people think that this is better and it gives it a bit more feeling. Were as in the poem, Owen uses lots of short hard hitting words such as "Obscene as cancer" The poem gives a much more immediate effect in a shorter space of time. The imagery in the poem is quick and dramatic. The titles of the pieces are ironic "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "dulce et Decorum est" which means it is fitting and right. In the Poem everything is tired in the first stanza "Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines" This is a hyperbole as bombs don't become tired. The whole of the war became a sluggish battle. It is also a slow pace to start with in the prose with men looking forward to getting back the huts for some rest. "I wish I were back home. Home - he means the huts" In the second Stanz...

Is Odysseus a Hero Essay

I feel that Odysseus, like any person, can be a hero at some times and very selfish at other times. During the war in Troy, Odysseus was surely a hero, thinking smartly and protecting his men well. However, in books nine through twelve, Odysseus is definitely not playing the role of a hero among his crew. On almost any page you turn to in the book, you can find some act of selfishness coming from Odysseus. During his journey, Odysseus performs many courageous acts. At the island of the Lotus Eaters, he rescues his men from the addiction of the lotus flower. After the Cyclops captures them in his cave, Odysseus blinds the Cyclops with a sharpened log. Then Odysseus’ men sneak out of the Cyclops cave under sheepskins. Odysseus also performs a courageous act when he steers his ship around the deadly whirlpool Charybodis and valiantly tries to defend his men from Scylla, but she strikes to fast for him causing him to lose six men. When Odysseus arrives at the island of the Sun God’s cattle, he and his crew face famine. Therefore, when Odysseus falls asleep his men slaughter some of the Sun God’s cattle. Odysseus’s extreme pride and arrogance seems to cause trouble for him on many occasions throughout the book. Epic heroes ought to be proud of their accomplishments but they should not brag or expect things from people because of it. Odysseus’s pride and arrogance show up throughout the book. However, one occasion seems to stick out best. In book 9 of The Odyssey, Odysseus lands on an island bordering the land of Cyclops. He watches their brutish ways for days yet he still decides to pay them a visit. His men suggest taking the cheeses and animals but Odysseus refused (The Odyssey, Book 9). Odysseus fought gloriously on behalf of the Greeks in Troy and was considered a â€Å"war hero† of sorts because of it. However, he became to full of himself and did not give the Gods credit for helping him. That is why Poseidon punished him. He bravely endured Poseidon’s punishment and in the end learned that Man is nothing without the Gods. Therefore, I guess that makes him a hero, that he endured so much and learned a valuable lesson in the end.

Human Rights

In measuring the extent to which the European regional approach to human rights protection offers advantages over the United Nations international approach, the various mechanisms contained within both systems must be compared and analysed. An explanation of the various international treaties and the drafting of the European Convention will require some consideration in order to assess the overall effectiveness of the machinery’s established under both systems for the protection of human rights. Particular reference will be made to the right not to be subjected to ‘torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ who’s universal condemnation stems back to the impunity for horrific crimes against humanity committed during the First and Second World War thus prompting in 1945, the first formal recognition of the importance of protecting human rights in the international order through the United Nations Charter and the Nuremberg Charter. The United Nations Charter sets out its purposes as â€Å"promoting and encouraging respect for all human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and although the declarations are no more than aspirational, they support principles of liberty and individual freedoms that have subsequently formed the content of specific rights treaties. Torture is received with strong universal condemnation, and although there is no absolute definition, its prohibition is emphasised in several international legal instruments such as; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 (UDHR), the European Convention on Human Rights 1950 (ECHR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 (ICCPR), each in similar language, providing that ‘no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or degrading Treatment gives a precise definition in Article 1 and requires parties to take effective measures to prevent it in any territory under its jurisdiction calling on all States to ensure that all acts of torture are included offences under their domestic criminal laws, including attempts and complicity as well as participation. Similar steps are taken within the European Convention of Human Rights which imposes an obligation on each Contracting Party to secure those rights are within their jurisdiction. However, at international level, under the statutes of criminal tribunals, torture can only be prosecuted if it falls within the category of war crimes. In addition to this, the lack of effective enforcement mechanisms within some States undermines the effectiveness of the international human rights system. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears cases involving disputes between nation-states and Article 30 of the Convention provides that, â€Å"any dispute between two State parties concerning its interpretation or application which has not been possible to settle through negotiation or arbitration may be submitted to ICJ by one of the States. † A failure of this allows for a claim to be submitted to the ICJ requesting that the Court apply measures requiring the Respondent to take all steps within its power to ensure the rules of international law will be correctly applied. † The problem then lies in the fact that in order for the International Court of Justice to hear a case, the State parties to the dispute must accept its jurisdiction. This is borne from the fact that International lawyers will agree that an international agreement is not legally binding unless the parties intend it to be and is therefore more of an understanding or agreement between the States. This is considered a problem with enforcement at international level as rights contained in the Conventions need to be balanced with the States sovereignty. By contrast, where the United Kingdom and other countries have incorporated the Human Rights Act 1998 within its judicial system, a natural consequence of this is that to an extent, they diminish and undermine the position of Parliament as an exclusive law giver for the UK providing that all domestic law is compatible with the rights contained within the Human Rights Act. Another fundament difference at regional level is where the Convention establishes its own machinery for the enforcement of these rights. Applications made based on a violation of Article 3 can be bought either by a member state on behalf of an individual victim by another High Contracting Party, or by a member state bringing an application against another state and allows for a more effective and immediate remedy at the domestic level as opposed to using the international machinery at Strasbourg. The latter is highlighted in Ireland v United Kingdom where an application was brought by the Irish government in relation to the treatment of Irish nationals by the British authorities. The ECtHR’s general approach on finding a violation of Article 3 relied on the concept that the burden of proof was borne not by one or other of the two Governments concerned, but mainly on the evidence of the ne hundred witnesses heard in, and on the medical reports relating to each case. Based on the allegations against the UK, the Commission estimated that the ‘five techniques’ administered by the police constituted a practice of inhuman and degrading treatment. In finding this, the Commission emphasised that ill treatment must attain a minimum level of severity if it is to fall within the scope of Article 3 and asserted that it depends on all the circumstances of the case, such as the duration of the treatment, its mental effects, and in some cases the sex, age and state of health of the victim. The scope of the Convention was extended so as to imply intention within its meaning in accordance with the UN Resolution. The approach is further laid down in Askoy v Turkeywhich concerned a Turkish national who had been subjected to a form of torture known as ‘Palestine hanging’ which resulted in him losing the movement of his arms and hands. Due to the form of torture requiring the applicant to be stripped naked with his hands tied behind his back, as well as being strung up by his arms, the courts found that such an act would have required preparation and was therefore deliberately carried out. Damages, were awarded on behalf of the Turkish state. The methods adopted under each case in their application under the law has imposed upon its members the Courts’ power to make judicial decisions that are enforceable on the offending State. Much of its success can be placed on the basis that each Contracting State is, in an economical sense, more equipped and politically empowered with the resources to adhere to the principles laid down within the Convention. This was the situation in 2009 where Belgium instituted proceedings before the International Court of Justice against Senegal on the grounds that a dispute existed regarding Senegal’s compliance with its obligation to prosecute a suspect for acts of torture under the Convention. The main reason for non compliance rested on financial difficulties which prevented Senegal from organising a trial more important, on the grounds that â€Å"crimes against humanity did not form part of Senegalese criminal law. Another advantage the European regional approach to human rights protection has over international law is its rights contained in Part I of the Convention. These rights identify a number of civil and political rights requiring protection from arbitrary and despotic governments amongst other important rights, such as the right to life. In this context, the individual holds a clearly defined right against the State in that the violation of that right can be tested in a court of law. So it is questionable whether international law is equipped to deal with individual rights of an economic and cultural nature, and in particular, where third generation rights are concerned. This is illustrate in the ICCPR Article 2(1) which states that â€Å"Each Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure that all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the Covenant, without distinction of any kind† However, Article 2(1) of the ICESCR states that â€Å"Every State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take steps to the maximum of its available resources, with a view of achieving progressively the full realisation of the rights recognised in the present Covenant by all appropriate means†¦ † So although the international approach provides a mechanism by which all States can agree universal standards of human rights, there exists in some States, a hierarchy of rights that are considered perhaps, less important than others, where importance on a particular right is based on social, cultural and political factors. In further support of his view, it is suffice to say that the rig ht to freedom of religion and belief is accompanied by constraints of Article 5 in that such violations can lead to such things as imprisonment, torture and restrictions on freedom of belief and association. An important example is the People’s Republic of China’s ‘one-child’ policy and forced abortions which has been seen as restrictions on not only freedom of religion and belief, but also the torture of detainees in Chinese detention centres and prisons. Although the policy was designed as a temporary measure, it portrays a clear violation of human rights derived out of political necessity to limit communist China's population growth. In the promotion and protection of human rights, the Committee against Torture (CAT) considers periodic reports from High Contracting States every four years and deals with both inter-state complaints and individual complaints. Alongside this, the 2006 Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) provides for the establishment of â€Å"a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,† to be overseen by a Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. In addition, the Human Rights Council requires its members to go through a periodic review of their own human rights. This allows individual or group complaints to be examined for evidence of a pattern of human rights by the Sub-Commission Council on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities which are then referred to the Working Group on Situations. In accordance with General Assembly Resolution 60/251, Rapporteurs can undertake visits with the consent of the State concerned and report back to the Human Rights Council. In a recent UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Rapporteur’s findings highlighted the gap between China’s obligations under five of the international human rights treaties and the reality on the ground. In particular, Dr Nowak pointed out the â€Å"incentives for the police and security officials to obtain confessions through torture and the lack of independent, far and accessible courts and prosecutors, as well as ambiguity of the domestic law regarding political crimes. † The Rapporteur found that in all cases it observed, each victim had been convicted of a political crime, possibly on the basis of information extracted by torture. On these facts, the Special Rapporteur appealed to the Government to release its victims, and added in their conclusions that considering the gravity of such findings, â€Å"the international community must not waste further time and act immediately to pressure China to end all use of torture and bring justice to those responsible. † The report included a set of 23 recommendations for China to act upon, as matter of urgency, in-order to abolish the use of torture. These included setting up mechanisms of investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of torture; prevention through safeguards in the criminal law system; ratification of international conventions and their implementation; the abolition of political crimes from domestic law; the guaranteeing of freedom of speech, assembly, association and religion; and the abolition of forced re-education in detention. The UN Commission on Human Rights referred all reports of its mechanisms to the newly established Human Rights Council for further consideration at its First Session in June 2006. In response, the General Assembly adopted resolutions aimed primarily at the principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations and the UDHR by re-emphasising, reaffirming and re-acknowledging human rights However, despite the Rapporteur visits and attempts to expose China’s breaches, a United Nations â€Å"review† of China’s human rights record highlighted the weakness of a new procedure that was supposed to be the chief improvement in the U. N. ‘s reformed human rights system. In despite of this, China continues to in its pursuit of human rights violations as it was reported no soon after that China has a network of secret ‘black jails’ for people who dare to complain about life under the Communist regime. Findings suggested up to 10,000 citizens a year are hauled off the streets, locked up and beaten in the makeshift prisons. By contrast, the European regional system has in place a mechanism whereby a Committee, established under the European Torture Convention 1987, visits detention centres in order to ascertain whether conditions contained within the Convention are being adhered to. This in itself places pressure on its member states to conform to the standards set by the ECHR while maintaining protective measures for individuals considered at risk. In this sense, the Convention adopts a preventative approach to the issue of torture, and in doing so, highlights the fact that where States are poorly monitored and enforced, countries face little or no penalty for failure to uphold human rights standards. On the contrary, where all else has failed under international measures and a government refuses to uphold the declaration and instead treats its members of its own society in a cruel or inhuman manner, the United Nations and has the power to authorise military action against that country in violation of the Declaration. Perhaps the first experiment of UN intervention is the Korean War where in 1950 America called on the United Nations to use force to get the North Koreans out as they had ignored the Security Council’s resolution of June 25th. This later resulted in U. S military intervention. The Korean War provides sufficient evidence that when the U. N. Security Council threatens the use of force to enforce its resolutions, it can follow through. Although in reality, the Council has passed a significant number of resolutions over the years that have not been carried out which signifies reluctance by the Council to enforce a resolution in circumstances where intervention is necessary unless such enforcement carries with it a political dilemma. In support of this point is the use of force in Iraq where the UN enforced resolution 1441 through Baghdad’s failure to rid itself of its alleged weapons of mass destruction. The Iraq situation raised a similar issue for the Council regarding Korea whereby they could either approve Bush’s request to use force in Iraq based on American intelligence and on an American timetable, and risk being seen by other countries as complicit with the Bush administration, or defy the U. S. president and risk being considered irrelevant by the world's largest military power. Chesterman, a senior associate at the International Peace Academy stated in response that, â€Å"the issue of the U. N. ’s relevance comes up regularly, and every couple of years the United Nations faces a crises over its legitimacy† citing debate over its roles in the Balkans, the Gulf War and Somalia. The protection and enforcement mechanisms employed by international law suggests that it is focussed primarily on regulating state behaviour, whereas European regional law has its objectives aimed in the movement towards protecting individuals from the state. And although international law has increasingly been involved in identifying individual rights and holding individuals accountable, is still to an extent has in most cases been those who have been involved in political affairs. As mentioned earlier, states have a duty to investigate, prosecute or extradite individual perpetrators, and if they fail or are unwilling to do so, other states and international courts can step forward instead. In 1998, former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London following the request for extradite from Spain. The charges involved forms of torture committed during his term in office. In 2000, Hissene Habre, former president of Chad was indicted by the state prosecutor of Senegal for similar offences. That same year, a Belgian Tribunal de premiere instance issued an international arrest warrant against Abdoulaye Y. Ndombasi, the then Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a direct application of the principle of universal jurisdiction which allows national courts to try cases of the gravest crimes against humanity, even if these crimes are not committed in the national territory and even if they are committed by government leaders of other states. However, the International Court of Justice found that the arrest warrant against Ndombasi failed to respect the immunity from criminal jurisdiction and the inviolability which he could enjoy under international law. The 2001 extradite of former naval officer Ricardo Cavallo highlights the first case in whereby as person can be accused of crimes committed on one country, be arrested in a second, and then extradited by a third. Where Europe is concerned, the Courts tend to delve deeper into the interpretation and application of the right to freedom from torture by distinguishing the terms torture, inhuman, degrading treatment and punishment separately. This has enabled the courts the discretion to apply the wording of Article 3 more widely. In particular, where there is the risk of a future violation of this right. Peers v Greece provides another example of the extent to which the Courts have laid down the importance of such treatment that falls below torture. In this case the applicant complained that he had been detained in cramped cell conditions with no ventilation and an open toilet. Although the Court held there to be no evidence of a positive intention to humiliate or debase the applicant, the fact that the state had taken no measures to improve the conditions amounted to a lack of respect for the applicant and was therefore a violation of Article 3. What is apparent between the two systems is the objective on the one hand by the international system, to act as a potential means of conflict resolution, and although to an extent Europe provides its own mechanisms for maintaining its state affairs, the system it has in place has greater level of cooperation which allows the emphasis to be placed specifically on individual rights. At the same time, although many States have become party to the United Nations Convention against torture, there appears to be a lack of effective enforcement mechanisms in place within some States, which in turn violates the general obligations to punish crimes against international humanitarian law. And where the UN has, throughout the fifty years, in amended and reformed its treaties so as to bring those violators in breach of the declaration to justice, it has still, in many instances lacked the will or faced the veto, and as a result, murderous regimes enjoy impunity. The root of this lies perhaps, in the fact that the UN organises a legal institution by letting States decide by majority vote who does and who does not deserve to be shamed for human rights abuses, which in turn creates a political process in which political factors play a major role. Countries that are shamed tend to be both violators and politically vulnerable in multilateral settings. This is the case in particular where, although the UN and NATO is willing to go into Yugoslavia and launch air strikes in order to prevent violations of human rights, there are continuous reports of violations in China and by the Chinese upon its people. To conclude, it could be argued that that the UN is less likely to enforce human rights in countries that are permanent members, and where this could be the case, international law will potentially be the most influential source of law. In support of this view, recent reports have suggested that countries like China simply sidestepped censure by garnering enough support to block attempts by the U. S. or other Western nations to scrutinize their records. Meanwhile, Cuba and others complained that the U. S. was too powerful to face thorough examination. By contrast, European law has effective measures that ensure state supremacy is spread evenly throughout the system. At the same time, both international law and European law can be deemed as fundamentally Western as most international law is based on Western notions. On that note alone, and in measuring the extent to which the European regional approach to human rights protection offers advantages over the United Nations international approach, the overall effectiveness of both systems, if based entirely on their Western notions, combined with both political and economical factors, present a framework which is more compliant with the international laws on human rights, in particular where cases of torture are concerned. And with that being said, one fundamental advantage that exists within the regional system is that when compared to international law, Europe does not have to deal with the majority of the more vulnerable states that fall within the realms of international law. Human Rights the question of human rights has received a great deal of attention. Today, violation of human rights is seriously taken note of by international bodies and by champions of democracy. It is in this backdrop that most countries have set up their own independent National Human Rights Commissions. Human rights are those rights which are fundamental for living and for normal human existence. They are based on the concept that every man and woman, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, race and nationality is born with certain fundamental rights such as, right to live, speech, freedom, justice, etc.These rights are, therefore, enshrined in the constitution of the countries. In order, that these basic rights are maintained and adhered to by the nations of the world, United Nations Organisation adopted a Charter of human rights soon after its formation. The Universal Declaration of Human rights which UN adopted on 10th Dec. 1948 enumerates some of these basic rights of man. These are rights to live, liberty and security of person, right to freedom of speech, judicial remedy, freedom of movement, right to take part in the governance of one’s country, etc. The second types of rights are economic and social rights.These are the right to work, right to live with dignity, right to rest and leisure, right to education, equal pay for equal work, right to equality, etc. The problem of human rights is that people and countries have a different understanding of the term and its protection. In some counties political and civil rights are not given or guaranteed to all its citizens. In some other countries, economic and social rights are not enforced, Therefore, the basic idea behind stressing human rights is that all governments should try to maintain these fundamental rights and see that all types of discrimination in this respect are rooted out.Nevertheless, many types of discrimination and violation of human rights are seen in different parts of the world. It is true th at racial discrimination known as ‘Apartheid’ as existed in South Africa formerly no longer exists in the world. Yet today, people are forced to flee their land of birth and forced to live in refugee camps under miserable conditions. Today minorities in many parts of the world have no political rights. The story of Ms. Suu Kyi Myanmar is a shining example in this respect. Cruelty to prisoners of war, unjust treatment of prisoners in jail, economic discrimination, casteism, rape, child labour, child prostitution, etc. are other forms of violation of human rights. Protection and maintenance of human rights is a fundamental duty of every government. International organisations and watchdogs such as, UNO, International Human Rights Commission, etc. , can play a vital role in ensuring the implementation of these basic rights. Countries, particularly the democratic countries, must stand together in this respect and take necessary persuasive and even coercive actions, to see t hat these fundamental human rights are adhered to by people, organisations and countries all over the world.