Tv And Children Essays - Dispute Resolution, Crime, Criminology

Tv And Children Television Violence and Children Thanks to the miracle of television the average American child watches 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence before finishing elementary school (Early Concerns 113). Television violence is responsible for the increase in childhood violence. Watching violence is a popular form of entertainment, and watching it on television is the number one way that children are exposed to violence. Local news shows provide extensive converage of violent crimes in order to increase their ratings (Felson 96). Violence usually refers to physical aggression and aggression is usually defined as any behavior involving intent to harm another person (Sege 34). Television is a central feature of contemporary American life. American children spend more time watching television than they do in school. In 1989, the average child in the United States spent more time watching television than performing any other activity, except sleeping. In 1989 The Nielson Report on Television commented that children age 2 to 5 viewed approximately 27 hours of television per week. Children 6 to 11 years of age viewed more than 23 hours of television per week, and adolescents between 12 to 17 years of age viewed 22 hours of television per week (Sege 32). During the past several decades, violent programs have been steadily increasing in numbers on television screens. Many believe that there could be the possibility that a direct relationship exists between the violence witnessed on television and the increasingly violent behavior of children and adolescents (Palermo 23). Coming at a time when the homicide rate is rising six times faster than the population it is theorized that television violence does cause actual violence (Early Concerns 114). The year 1992 set an all-time record for violence in childrens shows, with an average of 32 violent acts per hour. The nightly dose of splattering blood, rapes, car wrecks and screaming victims on television has tripled in the last decade (Johnson 18). Only on television is there violence without pain. Sometimes, television violence is even supposed to be funny, but grownups know, or are supposed to know, that real violence causes lots of pain and sadness. A young gunshot victim is brought into an emergency room and he astonished his Doctors. He expressed surprise that his wound actually hurt. His Doctors first thought, Boy! This boy is really stupid. But it dawned on the Doctors that what the sees on television is that when the superhero gets shot in the arm, he uses that arm to hold onto a truck going 85 miles an hour around a corner. He overcomes the driver and shoots a couple of hundred people while he is at it. (Early Concerns 112) Another example of violence in childrens television is seen in the cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This cartoon causes confusion between fantasy and reality. Several children really do think it is okay to use physical violence with other children because the Turtles do and the Turtles are the good guys (Early Concerns 115). Childrens cartoons are among the most violent shows on television, often exceeding 24 acts of violence per hour and earning high violence ratings from The National Coalition on Television Violence. Researchers say childrens aggressiveness increases measurably after viewing the cartoon violence of Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and Woody Woodpecker, which are rated as very high violence with 55 or more acts of violence per episode. (Early Concerns 113). Just as children learn things from their older brothers and sisters, they also learn from their television heroes- even bad things. Some children who watch lots of violence on television learn to fight more and others learn to become victims. Many children learn that violence is fun to watch, even in real life. These kids encourage their friends to fight. When television characters use violence to solve their problems, then some children believe that it is okay then to use violence to solve problems that they might be having. As parents we want our children to solve their problems without fighting (Sege 33-35). Violence is a diverse problem and it is necessary to address it as such. There is no doubt that excessive and extended exposure to television violence may promote violence in some children. Television promotes violence because it

Medieval Sumptuary Laws

Medieval Sumptuary Laws The medieval world wasnt all drab clothing, flavorless food, and dark, drafty castles. Medieval folk knew how to enjoy themselves, and those who could afford it indulged in dazzling displays of wealth - sometimes to excess. Sumptuary laws originated to address this excess. The Lavish Life of the Nobility The upper classes took particular pleasure and pride in garbing themselves in luxurious finery. The exclusivity of their status symbols was assured by the excessive cost of their garments. Not only were the fabrics expensive, but tailors charged hefty fees to design attractive outfits and fit them specifically to their clients to make them look good. Even the colors used indicated status: bolder, brighter dyes that didnt fade easily were more costly, too. It was expected of the lord of the manor or castle to throw great feasts on special occasions, and nobles vied with each other to see who could offer the most exotic and abundant foodstuffs. Swans werent particularly good eating, but no knight or lady wanting to impress would pass up the chance to serve one in all its feathers at their banquet, often with its beak gilded. And anyone who could afford to build or hold a castle could also afford to make it warm and welcoming, with opulent tapestries, colorful draperies, and plush furnishings. These ostentatious displays of riches concerned the clergy and the more pious secular rulers. They believed that lavish spending wasnt good for the soul, especially keeping in mind Christs warning, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And those less well-off were known to follow the fashions of the rich on items they couldnt really afford. In times of economic upheaval (such as the years during and following the Black Death), it sometimes became possible for the lower classes to acquire what was usually more costly clothing and fabrics. When this happened, the upper classes found it offensive, and everyone else found it unsettling; how was anyone to know if the lady in the velvet gown was a countess, a wealthy merchants wife, an upstart peasant or a prostitute? So, in some countries and at various times, sumptuary laws were passed to limit conspicuous consumption. These laws addressed the excessive cost and reckless display of clothing, food, drink, and household furnishings. The idea was to limit wild spending by the richest of the rich, but sumptuary laws were also designed to keep the lower classes from blurring the lines of social distinction. To this end, specific garments, fabrics and even certain colors became illegal for anyone but the nobility to wear. The History of Sumptuary Laws in Europe Sumptuary laws go back to ancient times. In Greece, such laws helped establish the reputation of the Spartans by forbidding them to attend drinking entertainments, own homes or furniture of elaborate construction, and possess silver or gold. The Romans, whose Latin language gave us the term sumptus for excessive expenditure, were concerned with extravagant dining habits and lavish banquets. They also passed laws addressing luxury in womens adornment, the fabric, and style of mens clothing, furniture, gladiatorial displays, the exchange of gifts and even funeral arrangements. And certain colors of clothing, such as purple, were restricted to the upper classes. Although some of these laws were not specifically called sumptuary, they nevertheless formed precedents for future sumptuary legislation. Early Christians had concerns over excessive expenditures, as well. Both men and women were admonished to dress plainly, in keeping with the humble ways of Jesus, carpenter and itinerant preacher. God would be far more pleased if they garbed themselves in virtue and good works rather than silks and brightly-colored clothing. When the western Roman Empire began to falter, economic hardship reduced the impetus for passing sumptuary laws, and for quite some time the only regulations in effect in Europe were those established within the Christian Church for clergy and monastics. Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious proved to be notable exceptions. In 808, Charlemagne passed laws limiting the price of certain garments in the hopes of reigning in the extravagance of his court. When Louis succeeded him, he passed legislation forbidding the wearing of silk, silver, and gold. But these were only the exceptions. No other government concerned themselves with sumptuary laws until the 1100s. With the strengthening of the European economy that developed in the High Middle Ages came the return of those excessive expenditures that concerned authorities. The twelfth century, in which some scholars have seen a cultural renaissance, saw the passage of the first secular sumptuary law in over 300 years: a limitation on the price of sable furs used to trim garments. This short-lived legislation, passed in Genoa in 1157 and dropped in 1161, may seem insignificant, but it heralded a future trend that grew throughout 13th- and 14th-century Italy, France, and Spain. Most of the rest of Europe passed little to no sumptuary legislation until well into the 14th century, when the Black Death upset the status quo. Of those countries that concerned themselves with their subjects excesses, Italy was the most prolific in passing sumptuary laws. In cities such as Bologna, Lucca, Perugia, Siena, and most especially Florence and Venice, legislation was passed concerning virtually every aspect of daily life. The foremost motive of these laws appears to be the restraint of excess. Parents could not dress their children in garments made of particularly costly fabric or adorned with precious gems. Brides were restricted in the number of rings they were allowed to accept as gifts on their wedding day. And mourners were forbidden to engage in excessive displays of grief, wailing and going with their hair uncovered. Sumptuous Women Some of the laws passed seemed to be specifically targeted at women. This had a lot to do with a common view among the clergy of women as the morally weaker sex and even, it was often stated, the ruin of men. When men bought sumptuous clothing for their wives and daughters and then had to pay the fines when the extravagance of their finery surpassed the limits set down in the law, women were often blamed for manipulating their husbands and fathers. Men may have complained, but they didnt stop buying luxurious clothes and jewels for the women in their lives. Jews and Sumptuary Law Throughout their history in Europe, Jews took care to wear fairly sober clothing and never to flaunt any financial success they may have enjoyed in order to avoid provoking jealousy and hostility in their Christian neighbors. Jewish leaders issued sumptuary guidelines out of concern for the safety of their community. Medieval Jews were discouraged from dressing like Christians, in part for fear that assimilation could lead to conversion. Of their own accord, Jews in 13th-century England, France, and Germany wore a pointed hat, known as a  Judenhut,  to distinguish themselves as Jewish in public. As Europe grew more populated and the cities became a little more cosmopolitan, there was increased friendship and fraternization among individuals of different religions. This concerned the authorities of the Christian Church, who feared that Christian values would erode among those exposed to non-Christians. It bothered some of them that there was no way to tell if someone was Christian, Jewish or Muslim just by looking at them and that mistaken identity could lead to scandalous conduct between men and women of different belief systems. At the  Fourth Lateran Council  of November 1215,  Pope Innocent III  and the gathered Church officials made decrees concerning the mode of dress of non-Christians. Two of the canons stated: Jews and Muslims shall wear a special dress to enable them to be distinguished from Christians. Christian princes must take measures to prevent blasphemies against Jesus Christ. The exact nature of this distinctive dress was left up to individual secular leaders. Some governments decreed that a simple badge, usually yellow but sometimes white and occasionally red, be worn by all Jewish subjects. In England, a piece of yellow cloth meant to symbolize the Old Testament was worn. The  Judenhut  became mandatory over time, and in other regions, distinctive hats were compulsory elements of Jewish attire. Some countries went even further, requiring Jews to wear wide, black tunics and cloaks with pointed hoods. These structures could not fail to humiliate the Jews, though mandatory elements of dress were not the worst fate they suffered in the Middle Ages. Whatever else they did, the restrictions made Jews instantly recognizable and clearly different from Christians throughout Europe, and, unfortunately, they continued up to the 20th century. Sumptuary Law and the Economy Most of the sumptuary laws passed in the High Middle Ages came about due to increased economic prosperity and the excessive spending that went with it. Moralists feared such excess would harm society and corrupt Christian souls. But on the other side of the coin, there was a pragmatic reason for passing sumptuary laws: economic health. In some regions where the cloth was manufactured, it became illegal to purchase those fabrics from foreign sources. This may not have been a great hardship in places such as Flanders, where they were famous for the quality of their woolens, but in areas with less stellar reputations, wearing local products could have been tedious, uncomfortable, and even embarrassing. Effects of Sumptuary Laws With the notable exception of legislation regarding non-Christian attire, sumptuary laws seldom worked. It was largely impossible to monitor everyones purchases, and in the chaotic years following the Black Death, there were too many unforeseen changes and too few officials in any position to execute the laws. Prosecutions of lawbreakers were not unknown, but they were uncommon. With the punishment for breaking the law usually limited to a fine, the very rich could still acquire whatever their hearts desired and simply pay the fine as part of the cost of doing business. Still, the existence of sumptuary laws speaks to the concern of medieval authorities for the stability of the social structure. In spite of their general inefficacy, the passage of such laws continued through the Middle Ages and beyond. Sources Killerby, Catherine Kovesi,  Sumptuary Law in Italy 1200-1500.  Oxford University Press, 2002, 208 pp. Piponnier, Francoise, and Perrine Mane,  Dress in the Middle Ages.  Yale University Press, 1997, 167 pp. Howell, Martha C.,  Commerce before Capitalism in Europe, 1300-1600.  Cambridge University Press, 2010. 366 pp. Dean, Trevor, and K. J. P. Lowe, Eds.,  Crime, Society and the Law in Renaissance Italy.  Cambridge University Press, 1994. 296 pp. Castello, Elena Romero, and Uriel Macias Kapon,  The Jews and Europe.  Chartwell Books, 1994, 239 pp. Marcus, Jacob Rader, and Marc Saperstein,  The Jew in the Medieval World: A Source Book, 315-1791.  Hebrew Union College Press. 2000, 570 pp.

Questions During Fraternity or Sorority Recruitment

Questions During Fraternity or Sorority Recruitment Although the majority of students interested in going Greek might be most concerned about getting a bid from the house they want, its important to remember that the recruitment process goes both ways. Just like you want to promote yourself to the various houses, they want to promote themselves to you, too. So how can you tell which fraternity or sorority will really be the best fit? Questions You Should Ask Although it can be challenging to take a step away from the whole recruitment process, doing so can ensure your college Greek experience is everything you want it to be. Make sure to ask yourself the following questions: What is the history of this fraternity or sorority? Is it old? New? New on your campus but with a larger, older history elsewhere? What was its founding mission? What has its history been? What kinds of things have its alums done? What kinds of things do they do now? What legacy has the organization left? What kind of legacy is it working on today?What is the organizational culture of your campuss chapter? Is it a positive community? Do the members support each other? Do you like seeing how the members interact with each other? With other people on campus? In public? In private? Is it a good fit for the kinds of interactions you like to have in your own life and in your own relationships?What is the larger organizational culture? Is the fraternity or sorority social-service minded? Is it academic in nature? Does it cater to a specific professional field, religion, sport, or political membership? Will you like having this affiliation during your time in college? After college? Once yo u are no longer on your campus, what kind of larger organization will you be connected to? What kind of experience do you want to have? When you close your eyes and imagine yourself as a member of a sorority or fraternity, what kind of experience do you picture? Is it with a small group of people? A large group? Is it mostly a social scene? A mission-driven organization? Do you live in the Greek house or not? How do you imagine being a member as a first-year student? A sophomore? A junior? A senior? An alum? Does the fraternity or sorority youre thinking of joining match what you see in your mind when you think of your ideal? If not, whats missing?What kind of experience does this fraternity or sorority offer? Is it an experience youre looking forward to having for 2, 3, 4 years? Will it challenge you in appropriate ways? Will it provide comfort? Will it match well with your college goals? Will it match well with your personality type and interests? What benefits does it offer? What challenges does it present?What kind of experience do other students actually have? What ki nds of experiences do the seniors in this fraternity or sorority actually have? Do their memories and experiences match up with what the organization promises? If so, how? If not, how and why not? When people talk about their experiences with this organization, what kinds of words do they use? Do they match up to how you want to describe your own Greek experiences after you graduate? What rumors have you heard about this fraternity or sorority? How much truth is behind them? Are the rumors ridiculous? Based in fact? How does the house respond to them? What people spread the rumors? How is the fraternity or sorority perceived on campus? What kinds of actions does the organization take that either counters the rumors or perhaps provides fodder for them? As a member, how would you feel and respond to hearing rumors about this fraternity or sorority?What does your gut say? Does your gut usually give you a good feeling about whether something is the right choice or not? What does your gut say about joining this fraternity or sorority? What kinds of instinct do you have about whether or not this is a wise choice for you? What kinds of things might be influencing that feeling?What kind of time commitment does this fraternity or sorority require? Are you able to realistically make that level of commitment? How will doing so have an impact on your academics? Your persona l life? Your relationships? Will a high (or low) level of involvement enhance or hurt your other, current time commitments? Will they complement or detract from what you need to commit to your classes and academic workload? Can you afford to join this fraternity or sorority? Do you have the money to pay for the requirements of this organization, like dues? If not, how will you afford it? Can you get a scholarship? A job? What kinds of financial commitments can you expect? How will you meet those commitments? Joining - and being a member of - a college fraternity or sorority can easily become one of the highlights of your time in school. And making sure to be wise about what you need, and what you want, from a fraternity or sorority is an important and smart way to make sure that the experience you want is the one you end up having.

International Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Policy - Essay Example Poverty and how to reduce it has been a concern from the time of Adam Smith until today. My view is that poverty can not be eradicated; it can only be reduced to certain levels. To ensure that all countries globally are developed is ideal. The plan of the Canadian government, being one of the developed countries, is to aid the developing countries to eradicate poverty. There has been great improvement in human development through the implementations of the MDGs. A significant number of people are living on more than a dollar a day for example, the number of people who lived below a dollar a day decreased by 50% in East Asia and reduced by 7% in South Asia ( Canada International Development Agency). Prevalence of hunger has reduced by half in 57 countries in the last three decades. I believe that if MDGs are followed, the world will have fewer people suffering due to poverty and diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. Canada, joining other developed countries in fighting poverty, is a way of enhancing decency and fairness all over the world. With the MDGs implementations, literacy levels have been seen to increase. A majority of the women and young girls have attained basic education. Women play a vital role in developing a nation. Thus the high literacy levels show that developing countries will start experience high Gross National Product or Gross Domestic Product (GNP/GDP) as long as the women and girls are gaining from the education. Criticisms Regarding the International Policy Statement Trying to eradicate poverty globally has many obstacles. From the time of Adam Smith, economic, social and political policies have been a major source of concern. First of all, giving donor aid to the developing countries has been nothing but a failure since it started. There is no single developing country that has come up by being given grants and loans. The developing countries have had a challenge of repaying the money given to them by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank due to increasing interest rates and low or negative GDP levels. They are unable to pay the money because: The money is never used for its aimed purpose. The money usually lands in the hands of politicians who use the money for their own self interests and most countries cannot account for it. There is so much corruption in the leadership of the countries. Money does not trickle down to those who truly need it because the leaders take it and use it for their own personal needs. The money is given with strict conditions. The country in need ends up spending money to improve what the donors think they should improve and not what the people really need. For instance, a country will be told to prepare roads to enhance its transport system but what it really needs are boreholes to get water for its citizen's daily use. The money never trickles down to the citizens of the particular country. This is so because the donor country comes in with its machinery and workers leaving citizens of that particular country unemployed. The donor country ends up paying its own citizens instead of using workers and machinery in the developing country. Aid heightens the levels of dependency. The developing c

Gulf War Oil Spill of 1991 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gulf War Oil Spill of 1991 - Essay Example Whereas various economic costs are comparatively not that difficult to approximate, for instance the lost profits within the commercial fishing industry, however various costs like the lost aesthetic and ecological values are complex to quantify. The policies on oil spills decree that environmental renovation be carried out as reparation for the losses and damages. It is important to consider preliminary data in regard to the potential economic costs of the Gulf War oil spill, observing that the ecological destructions to wildlife and habitats are probably to be greater as compared to the market-based costs like the lost profits of both tourism and fishing. The Gulf War oil spill evokes the thought on economic valuation of risk. A careful though is given to the development o policies amidst oil spill risk and the relevance of standard risk analysis established as the right methodology for economic risk appraisal. This discussion has significant inferences for other disputes where disastrous risk is at issue, for instance nuclear power and global climate change. Economics postulates that the efficient prices for both goods and services ought to reflect all social benefits and costs but not merely the market interaction of demand and supply. Apparently the economic impact of the spill was a negative inclination due to the losses that were incurred in the process. Very many oil spills occur yearly within the marine surroundings. The degree of these spills is comparatively minor, not exceeding 100 gallons, and has insignificant damages to the economy. Larger oil spills such as the Gulf War oil spill of 1991, result in significant destruction to both the environment and economy. The Gulf War oil spill adversely impacted on aquatic plants and organisms, including fish (Saenger, 1994), thus significantly leading to a fall in fish supply and a corresponding decline in revenue. Further, polluted beaches were increasingly unattractive

Historical Materialism Essay Example for Free

Historical Materialism Essay Social structures fall and crumble, and new ones take their place. This is a fact of civilization that has been with humanity since before the beginning of recorded history. Marxist theory takes this concept of change and asks an important question of it. Why do societies revolutionize themselves? Marxist theory, in this particular vein of thought, concerns itself with society’s motivations for change. In answer to this question Marxists use two distinct yet related forms of Materialism, Dialectical Materialism and Historical Materialism. They seek to use these concepts to apply logic to a seemingly random event, and there are indicators in history that this interpretation works. The important question to ask afterwards is do these interpretations still apply in a modern context. First, though, it is important to understand the Marxist concept of how revolution occurs. The Marxist interpretation of Materialism can be roughly broken up into two groupings, Dialectical Materialism and Historical Materialism. The aims of both of these concepts are the same though. Based on Marxist ideals these two concepts aim to explain the development of human history and give concrete motivation as to significant changes in human history. By considering both concepts in tandem one gains a full understanding of the Marxist interpretation of Materialism. Dialectical Materialism is based in two separate concepts, Dialectics and Materialism. Dialectics is one of the three original liberal arts, first developed in the classical world by the Ancient Greeks. (Saksena p543) Together with Rhetoric and Grammar, these liberal arts were developed as a means to fully understand the art of persuasion. Dialectic itself refers to the logic behind the argument, having a sound backing for your points. As such it is heavily grounded in logic. By combining this with materialism, the monist concept that everything in existence is made up of matter, you get a unique understanding of the basic makeup of Marxism. (Saksena p544) This is the lens through which the Marxist views the world, analytical and logical, with all things made up of a base product. When considering this with history, Historical Materialism is formed and Marxist understanding is applied to historical developments. Historical Materialism concerns itself with asking why and how Social progress is driven. The basic idea of this theory is that Human Society is based around how humans work to produce the means to live, and that all actions present in history are intrinsically tied to this. (Sober p310) There is also, in tandem with this, the concept that labour is divided into social classes, and that class division is dependant on the means of production. Finally, in terms of social movements, this theory states that these actions only occur when the dominant class is displaced by a newly emerging one. Eckstein p912) There are a series of ideas that go along with this concept of Historical Materialism. First and foremost is the concept that social progress is directly related to material progress, without some advancement in the process of production, social change will not occur. (Crimmins p523) Innate to this, it should be mentioned, is the concept that humans are involved with production. By tying societal progress intrinsically into manufacturing process, it ties the development of humanity, at its base level, to the worker. The worker then, becomes the means through which social progression is achieved, and also has some power over how humanity develops as a society. This power is not to be ignored, as this power is the central means to change in the Marxist view of history. By giving the workers this power it puts the means to change directly into their hands and makes them responsible for the future, and also for the past. But there is still the question of how this sect of society is motivated to action. Two distinct and yet related forces act in the concept of Historical Materialism, Production Relations and Productive Forces. Production Relations, here, can be understood to refer to the interaction between those producing the product and those paying the labourers to produce the product. (Manicas p241) Productive Forces refer to the actual labour pool that powers the productions. (Manicas p241) Understanding those two distinct terms, there is another sequence of required concepts in Historical Materialism that go along with those two concepts. Production Relations, it should be noted, develop relative to the development of productive forces. Manicas p244) An emphasis on production determines the speed of production force development. In other words, social progression is inversely relative to the way workers are treated. The change, for Marxist theorists, comes from dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs. If the workers are happy they will have no desire to change the situation. If the current state is not in their favor, however, they will be motivated to action. This of course will result, op timally, in a change in society. That is what is central about this concept, the impact it has on society. The theory believes that the structure of a society is intrinsically tied to the mode of production, or in other words the structure of a society is an expression of the mode of production. (Manicas p245) For example, a society built around a production structure heavily dependant on mechanical production will find an increase in the repair and maintenance industry, whereas a society based around manual labour will require a large number of individuals working to achieve its product. Stating that the product developed by a society has an impact on its structure can essentially sum up this whole concept. Moving beyond simply the types of jobs that would be desired, this speaks towards what the educational system of that society would be like, what the pay scale would be, what the living conditions would be at. This is all relative to the skill of the labour and the amount of education necessary to do the job. If the market is based around specialized jobs that require immense amounts of schooling, then the pay scale and standard of living for that society will be higher than a manual labour society which requires little to no education for the job. To put it simply, the more difficult the standard job for the society, the better off that society will be. But what of the problems that would arise form this formation. Critical Marxist theory believes that these concepts are tied in to some of the problems present in societies. Every state, they believe, is an institution of the ruling class. (Mayer p143) As such the laws and values of that state would seek to reinforce the means to profit. They would be utilizing everything down to the structure of the state to optimize the goal of the collective. In a capitalist structure, for example, the value structure is built around profit. As such, according to the Marxist theory, the values and systems inherent to this state would reinforce this ideal. Taking into account modern corporate practices of exporting service and manual labour to other countries where it is cheaper to attain, one sees the profit-based value structure of the capitalist system affecting their policy. The second important factor in this consideration is that State power is usually only transferred through upheaval. Sober p323) This is an extremely destructive means to achieve change, and this should be noted. It does not make it untrue, however. This violent upheaval, combined with the obliteration of the previous system, combine to show the means to change. As upsetting as it may be to think that our system is based on a wholly violent means to achieving its end, every indication through history shows this factor working time and again. Finally, this particular mode of production has to give out at some point as new technologies discover more efficient means of production. Thus the final belief of the Marxist Historical Materialist perspective is that when current production relations no longer function, progress is either stalled, or there is revolution. (Stiermotte p112) So the final catalyst, the straw that will break societies back, will be the death of production. This idea makes perfect sense when taken in terms of the whole of the argument. If motivation for change were present in the means to production and the relations between producer and employer, then the death of production would mean the end of that society producing. That is a perfect catalyst for setting off change. If there is no profit then the system, inherently built on it, fails and must be replaced. This is the full circle of Marxists Historical Materialism, the concept that when production fails, revolution will occur to re-imagine production systems to increase profit and thus advance that society. The hard question, however, is to what extent does this view of Historical Materialism apply today? Is it still a prescient means to understand societal development? If it is then perhaps it can be applied to see the future of society, maybe as a means to ensure we are not heading down a path we would not agree with. The system that comes afterwards is based in the values of those who are generally in opposition to the ruling class they have just ousted. As such they, logically, would seek to be as contrary to the original as possible. Before revolution occurs, one must contemplate what the most likely scenario would be and whether it is favorable. But before that can even occur, the question of whether this theory does indeed apply or not must be answered. As such there are four basic questions that must be answered in the affirmative for this to be the case. Is the motivation still present? Is there still a need for change? To this the answer would be affirmative. Present still in this world are primary causes for change; poverty, social inequality. These motivators are still present as a means to have the â€Å"poor† class desire change. The best example would be the rising unemployment rate in the UK. As is stated in the article, the rate of employment in the UK has descended from a â€Å"low unemployment economy to the high unemployment reality of the present era. (Leslie p371) So not only is there the sort of motivator to initiate change, the situation is actually getting progressively worse. Are there current social classes? Is there immense inequality between the classes? Yes, there are rich and poor classes in our current time and there is a distinct difference between them. Moreover the capability to move between classes is but a faint hope and it is not often that this occurs. Are these classes developed based on the mode of production? If one observes the poorer classes and their particular jobs, then one must see that their poverty is indeed tied in to the mode of production. Most often the only means of employment is to work for the rich class in a company owned by them. (Mayer p144) The ruling class here is utilizing the labour forces as a means to production. Is the state an institution of the ruling class? Does it enforce their values? In a capitalist society the values are based around profit. The values inherent to the state thus reinforce the values of the ruling class, the desire for profit before any other considerations. This is seen through the mutually declining state of employment and also health care in the UK. Through putting profit before the welfare of the employee, considerations that should normally be considered mandatory are lost by the wayside. Healthcare, in particular neonatal health care, declines as suicide and para-suicide rates increase. (Cook p73) All together this forms the impression of the powers in charge of production being unmoved by the plight of the labour force they are using. The factors for change, as outlined through Historical Materialism, are still present in current culture. Action, however, is not present. But this action, according to Historical Materialism, will only be sparked when production fails. This failure will either stall production or bring about revolution. Production, at this time, has not stopped so the final motivation for revolution is not present. But Marx never did suppose that any progress would be instantaneous, rather he stated quite the opposite. His logic was grounded in the development of the world from a proto-communist/tribal society, through ancient civilization, to feudalism, to capitalism, and finally to the ideal communist state. Marx’s worldview is that humanity is slowly progressing towards a communist state of peace, yet by his own admission; the world actually began in a proto-communist state, and then progressed away from this. Is the end state of Communism actually a step back, or is it a cyclical view of the world wherein, upon reaching the communist state at the end, the cycle begins anew and humanity goes back to ancient civilization. Progression does not necessarily entail constant forward movement in the Marxist view, only that a new class will replace the ruling elite, and society will be accordingly supplanted with a new structure. Nowhere does it emphasize this progress as a positive development. What we must really ask ourselves is, is this the future we want for our society? Do we want to go back to where we began? Do we want to develop the same way we have for years or have the myriad of problems that have arisen accordingly shown us that perhaps searching for a better means to development is the best option? Do we want history to repeat itself, or do we want to shape it?

Comparing the Heroes in The Dream of the Rood and Beowulf Essay

The  Heroes in The Dream of the Rood and Beowulf  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Dream of the Rood, the poet has added elements of the idealized heroic death (as exemplified in Beowulf and The Battle of Maldon) to the crucifixion. He has also eliminated details of the story that tend to render Christ as a figure of pathos, in order to further Christ's identification with the other glorious warriors Anglo-Saxon poems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When a hero meets his death, for example, he is usually surrounded by faithful retainers (as is Byrhtnoth) or at least one steadfast companion, such as Beowulf's Wiglaf. The gospel clearly states that Jesus died ignobly, in the most humiliating fashion possible, and that his disciples kept themselves from Golgotha in order not to be implicated alongside him. The crowd mocked Christ with fake veneration. The poet must realize, however, that his audience will not accept a Lord who did not die a radiant death, and was not universally lamented. He says instead that "all creation wept, bewailed the king's death -- Christ was on the cross." After Jesus is taken down, the poet asserts that a grave was carved for him "of bright stone", and that the soldiers sung a dirge for him in the eventide. Men came "from afar, hastening to the prince." [165] The rood extols upon Christ's shining beauty as he died. Very noble, but there's little biblical suppo rt for this account. Also rooted in the heroic tradition is the subsequent gold-plating and raising of the cross. Just as Beowulf asked that a "bright mound" be erected in his honor, and the gold in the dragon's cave becomes as a monument to him, so do the disciples unearth and gild the rood. The idea of God himself lacking a proper gold-drenched headstone was unthin... ...e most such works, it tries to convince heathens to convert by co-opting the extant value system. Christ emerges as a powerful king who will stoically suffer for us, and reward us, for the price of our piety. Sources Cited and Consulted Heaney, Seamus, trans. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2000. Mitchell, Bruce and Fred C. Robinson (eds.). "The Dream of the Rood: or A Vision of the Cross." A Guide to Old English, 6E. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2002. 256-263. O'Keeffe, Katherine O'Brien. "Heroic values and Christian ethics." The Cambridge Companion to Old English Literature. Ed. Malcolm Godden and Michael Lapidge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. 107-125. Wheelock, Jeremy I. "The Word Made Flesh: 'Engel Dryhtnes' in The Dream of the Rood." English Language Notes. March 2000, Vol. 37 Issue 3: 1.

Jollibee Essay

Tony Tan Caktiong’s Jollibee has been one of the most admired, most copied, most innovative and most professionally-run company here in the Philippines. It has been the number one fastfood chain overtaking giants such as Mc Donalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken or KFC. How did a local jolly red bee knocked down a multinational red-haired clown named Ronald? Let’s see another inspiring story of the founder of one of my ideal businesses. With its success, a Jollibee franchise has now a tag price of P25+ Million (US$ 500,000+). Wow! Tony Tan Caktiong’s Life and his Jollibee company is another rags to riches story of an entrepreneur that truly inspires everyone. Tony was the third of seven siblings born to poor parents who migrated from the Fujian province in China to look for a better life here in the Philippines. Tony to return back to Manila and pursue his course Chemical Engineering at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). In 1975, Tony and his colleagues went on a visit to a Magnolia Ice Cream plant located in Quezon City and learned that it was offering franchise when he saw a poster for it. By the month of May, with his family savings, he took P350,000 to grab the franchise opportunity and opened two Magnolia ice cream parlors named Cubao Ice Cream House. They all worked hands-on but as the business propels, they noticed they could not do it all so they started to set up an organization hired store managers, and trained people. Tony started with just two ice cream. Then after two years, he offered chicken and hamburger sandwiches, because customers were telling them they didn’t want to be eating ice cream all the time. They prepared the food in the back kitchen, and soon noticed that people were lining up more for hamburgers than for ice cream. Then in 1978, when they already had six ice cream parlors, they asked themselves: â€Å"Why don’t we change into a hamburger house?† That was also the time they decided to incorporate and realized they needed a brand name. They were looking for a symbol that would represent the group, and because Tony was very impressed with Disneyland characters, they decided on a bee. The bee is a busy creature that produces honey – one of life’s sweetest things. They thought it would be a very good symbol to represent everybody. They decided they would all be very busy and happy at the same time, because if they were busy but not happy, it would not be worth it. That’s why they put the word jolly and just changed the â€Å"y† into â€Å"i† to form a brand name – JOLLIBEE. â€Å"It wasn’t long before we heard that the multinationals were coming in – including McDonald’s. Friends started asking us if we were going to get a McDonald’s franchise but I remember saying, if you franchise, you can’t grow outside the Philippines†, says Tony.

Nurse Ratched vs. McMurphy… David vs. Goliath Essay

One powerful, one small, this is the base of the biblical story David and Goliath. The story, in which a not so strong hero takes down a strong and powerful leader, is much like McMurphy and Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The match up between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched is a raging and intense one. Through out the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, McMurphy and Nurse Ratched have always had conflict, as well as a sense of never-ending hatred and disagreement towards each other; which as the novel continues, grows stronger and stronger. Undoubtedly, despite the chaos and tension between them, McMurphy gets the better of the match up, thanks to his ability to manipulate people, his bravery, and his popularity. McMurphy’s strong ability of manipulation helps him overcome conflict and in many occasions over power Nurse Ratched. McMurphy’s ability to get others to agree with him and manipulate them gives him the extra advantage against Nurse Ratched. In the novel McMurphy attempts to manipulate the other patients about watching the World Series game. He states, â€Å"This is where you get the edge, don’t you see that? We have to do this – or we’re whipped† (126) to try to convince and encourage the patients to vote against the Nurse Ratched to watch the game, but it was a failed attempt because the voting came out even (20-20). This event shows how McMurphy has a sense of control over the patients, as if he were their president or leader, and how McMurphy having all this power, usually leads him to manipulate for personal gain. Another case that shows McMurphy’s great ability of manipulation is when McMurphy manipulates Chief Bromden to lift the control panel, â€Å"And that arm! That’s the arm of an ex-football-playing Indian if I ever saw one. You know what I think? I think you oughta give this here panel a leetlle heft, just to test how you’re comin’.†(225). After this McMurphy takes bets from the Acutes that it can’t be done. McMurphy, of course, had already hedged his bet by having Chief display his ability to lift the panel previously. This event shows how McMurphy tricks and influences people and patients wheatear it is for the good of the whole or for personal gain. McMurphy’s power to effect people’s decisions and manipulate them gives him a special ability that allows him to, many times, control the people around Nurse Ratched, and consequentially have more power over her. McMurphy, as well as being manipulative, also has another special quality that helps him have the upper hand against Nurse Ratched. This quality is his bravery. McMurphy’s deep bravery allows him to do what others wont, as a result leading to change, whether good or bad. When McMurphy is denied a companion pass with Candy (prostitute) he responds by putting his hand through the glass of the nurses’ station, which he knows is not allowed. This shows how McMurphy is daring and brave enough to so directly challenge and disobey Nurse Ratched. As the plot continues McMurphy starts to â€Å"attack† Nurse Ratched by breaking Washington’s nose, disobeying the rules, and flirting with the student nurses. His frequent â€Å"hits† towards Nurse Ratched is an indirect implementation of McMurphy showing Nurse Ratched that he is not scared nor is he going to give in. Another example of McMurphy’s bravery is when Billy dies and Nurse Ratched blames him for his death, â€Å"First Charles Cheswick and now William Bibbit! I hope you’re finally satisfied. Playing with human lives-gambling with human lives-as if you though yourself to be a God!† In retaliation for her lies and Billy’s death, he tears open her uniform, exposing her breasts to all the ptients. Her sexuality, which is her one weak point, has been exposed; as a result, she is rendered defenseless in front of all the patients. This exposing of her weakness has helped in completing the path that McMurphy has forged, loosening her hold on the patients. She is no longer in complete control of them. This, â€Å"last act of bravery†, demonstrates McMurphy’s ability to face and deal with danger (nurse’s punishments). His bravery encouraged many of the other patients to step up as well. McMurphy’s bravery makes Nurse Ratched’s ultimate power, fear, negligible; thus giving McMurphy an advantage. bibliography: * Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. published 1962: Signet edition 1986, New York.

buy custom The Middle Ages essay

buy custom The Middle Ages essay The middle Ages is the period of European history from the fifth to fifteenth century. It comes after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and before the early modern era. The central middle ages witnessed important events in the long history of the church. This is the period when forms were cast that would eventually outline essential features of the Christian church through its entire life. The papacy which had been involved in scandals was awakened and made to assume active leadership roles. Due to the exhilaration of its awakening, the popes served the church effectively though divisions were soon evident. This paper will seek to discuss the guiding theological principles for developments of reforms and try to evaluate if the church and the society today is living with the consequences of these developments. The 11th century experienced a wave of reformers in the papacy that tried to introduce changes which brought about ecclesial authority. Several popes worked hard to reform the process by which elections were conducted in the church. They stamped out the vice of buying church offices and enforced celibacy for all priests. This consequently eliminated heirs to offices in the church. Among the popes who championed for these reforms were Leo, Calixtus and Gregory. Moreover, the church wanted to show a difference from the various European monarchs and bring itself out as a separate superior spiritual authority. It is thought that Pope Innocent enjoyed a superior authority that extended over various other worldly rulers in the peak of the papal authority. Leo was a key figure in developing reforms that aided in restoration of order in the monastic tradition. Amongst his recognized efforts were outlawing of simony and promotion of clerical celibacy. These reforms were supported by the popes who came after him where Pope Nicholas who facilitated the removal of pope appointing authority from the Roman Emperors and vested the authority in the cardinals (Halsall, 1996). Pope Gregory who had started reforms with Leo continued with the same reforms in England where he successfully promoted clerical celibacy and stumped out simony (Gonzales 286). Nonetheless, things were not smooth for Gregory as he experienced stiff resistance from Henry of Germany and Philip of France. Henry plundered and destroyed churches in open conflict with the Holy See. He continued with the vice of influencing elections of church leaders devoted to him. The French clergy with the backing of Phillip refused to comply with the reforms. Henry was excommunicated from the church severally (Coakley and Sterk 319-324). Conflict between the secular and church authorities continued. A structure was laid out by the Concordat of Worms by which elections of the bishops in Germany would be undertaken without any violence or simony and in presence of the Emperor (Halsall, 1996). The Emperor would then vest civil authority upon the bishops. Even so, division of power between the state and church would be realized where ecclesial authority signified by the ring and staff would be bestowed upon the clergy by the pope (Halsall, 1996). The vice of simony never ended as the battle for supremacy continued over the years where Emperor Barbarossa and his son Henry tried using their imperial power in influencing the election of pope. However, the cardinals had their way in electing a new pope Innocent after the death of Henry. Pope Innocent experienced the stature of papal power in the struggle that ensued between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Holy See. Soon after Innocent ascended to power, he set the tone for hi s sovereignty in a letter to the nobles of Tuscany and the perfect Acerbius in which according to Coakley he said just as the moon derives its light from the sun and is indeed lower than it in quantity and quality, in position and in power, so too the royal power derives the splendor of its dignity from the pontifical authority (319-324). Innocent prohibited usury in France where he declared that taxes would not be collected by feudal lords in churches and a person found disobeying this directive would be excommunicated. Innocent enormous power once came into the limelight when he pronounced an interdict against the whole of France after the French King Augustus married a third wife. Innocent succeeded in reversing the process as Augustuss nobles and bishops forced him not to marry the third wife (Gonzales 309). As much as Innocent was seen as a reformist, he also had his negative side. Ironically, Innocent is seen as condoning the same vice he was against. He named Otto as Holy Rom an Emperor after setting aside Fredrick. The churches today stand firmly in the above developments experienced in the central middle Ages. The catholic popes are still elected by cardinals and celibacy is practiced by priests. Though it is claimed that the powers of the state and the church are completely separate, spiritual leaders are known to give recommendations regarding political situations and these recommendations are used by Christians in making political choices. This is the main reason why in the run up to elections, candidates for the office of the president make advances towards conventional religious groups in an attempt to secure votes. There are also instances of selective use of government powers to enforce political detachment for religious institutions exempted from paying taxes. Buy custom The Middle Ages essay

How to Alphabetize a List in Microsoft Word

How to Alphabetize a List in Microsoft Word Any list of items presented in either an ordered (i.e., numbered) or unordered (i.e., bulleted) manner within Microsoft Word may be sorted in alphabetical order, in either ascending or descending sequence. Word allows sorts by text, by number, and by date, and even permits three levels of sorting that either includes or ignores a header row, if the first item in the list is a header. Alphabetize a List in Word 2007 to Word 2019 Microsoft support provides these instructions, which are essentially identical to Word 2007: Select the text in a bulleted or numbered list.On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Sort.In the Sort Text dialog box, under Sort by, click Paragraphs and then Text, and then click either Ascending or Descending. Modify these drop-downs and radio buttons to sort as you intend. In addition to sorting by text, you can sort by date and number. Paragraphs Within Lists Even though youre working with either a numbered or bulleted list, Word assumes that every item in the list is a paragraph and it will sort according to that logic. More Organizational Options in Word Word offers a range of possibilities for organizing your text. In addition to ordinary alphabetizing from A-Z, you can also: Alphabetize from Z-AOrganize numerically in ascending or descending orderOrganize by ascending or descending dateSort by fieldsSort by headersSort in one way and then in another (by number and then letter, for example, or by paragraph and then by header)

Operation management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Operation management - Assignment Example Operation management is important for two main reasons – firstly it can improve the productivity and secondly it helps to meet the competitive priorities of the customers. Productivity can be defined as the ratio of the output to input. It is rather a measure through which the efficiency of the employees or managers is utilized to convert the scarce resources of the organization into products or services. The more is the numerical value of this ratio the higher is the level of efficiency. The importance of operation management is increased in the recent years due to stiff competition, quality conscious customers, new technologies, and service life cycles which imposes pressure on the organization’s operations so as to improve productivity and provide a better quality of the goods and services. This assignment will put focus on Starbucks Corporation which is the largest coffee company across the world and is based in Washington. The brand is a part of the booming restaurant industry and operates through 20,891 stores in almost 64 countries. The company was founded in the year 1971 as a Seattle retailer of coffee beans and from then it has expanded very rapidly. The company is well known for selling coffees but also has extended its product range to pastries, sandwiches, hot and cold beverages, snacks, etc. The inputs of its operations are mainly coffee beans and milk that comes from across nineteen countries, once the beans are collected it is then send to its manufacturing, roasting, and packaging plant. The output is the finished product that is then delivered across its stores and supplies adequate amount of coffees to each of the stores. The input/output transformation model describes the process through which the inputs such as capital, labour, equipment, land building, information, and materials are converted into outputs such as products or